Another Dinner,

I forgot to mention that there are also tons of Italians and I would presume that 75% are tourists.

Just sat down in a restaurant off the beaten track on the way to the Guggenheim Museum.  It has only an Italian menu outside. The waiter speaks some English and I asked if there might be wifi. He said the restaurant doesn't even have a computer and that the owner is an old man. I have since met the owner and he's only sixty.

I am getting the specialty of the house -- Mixed Seafood Antipasti.  It was fabulous. I am trying to reconstruct what I had.  It was all on a bed of polenta with sweated onions, a few raisins and pine nuts. On the plate was a sardine, a langoustine, two mussels, two baked small scallops, one large scallop with coral, two razor clams, two octopus tentacles (moscardino), one large baby cuttlefish (seppia) and two kinds of shrimp.

There were little shrimp which are local (schie), boiled and then sauteed, and boiled shrimp. It was all prepared perfectly. Should have taken a picture but didn't.

Now I am eating a salad of arugula, some greens, shaved artichokes and Parmesan cheese.  Again, it is really perfect. Enjoyed with a half bottle of wine.

After espresso I was treated to a grappa. The champion Gondolier is here and I was offered a bargain of 60 Euros for a ride, but I declined.

It turns out they are discovered. It is called Osteria Do Farai. Stefano, the headwaiter, showed me an article in Conde Nast Traveler. He does carpaccio of fish at the table fresh.

The Peggy Guggenheim Museum is closed on Tuesdays so that fizzled. Walked and walked, returned to the hotel and then I guess the grappa hit me. I was out until this morning.

Leaving for Florence this afternoon.

Judy