Monday, September 17, 2012

Garden Glory in Italy and Alice's Garden

Vignettes from my forays in Venice & the Veneto...


 Villa Barbaro Nymphaeum: a glassy pool and the sculptural extravagance of the architecture could only be glimpsed through the villa's expansive windows   ~ Maser, the Veneto.


A mosaic design accents the richly adorned paved paths ~ André Heller Botanic Garden
Gardone, Lago di Garda


Austere hedging and meticulous pebble pathways surround a private villa garden in Bardolino, Italy   ~  Lago di Garda


... while here, in Alice's Garden the Red Cestrum ~ Cestrum newellii is a top performer. 
Blooming nearly year-long, it's a shrubby specimen that invites hummingbirds, bees and butterflies to the waxy red flower clusters!
  

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Visions of Venice

Decorative metalwork .. Peggy Guggenheim Museum gateway.


When in Venice .. If  you find yourself yearning to leave the crowds behind, continue strolling along the canal, away from the tourists that gather round St. Mark's ...
... and eventually you'll come to the expansive public parklands - the Giardini at the eastern edge of the city. This green space was quiet during my June sojourn, but I believe the Architecture Biennale is taking place there this Fall.

A favorite meal ~ Misto alla Griglia
Nothing is more exciting for a lover of fine food than happening upon an inviting cafe, especially when the skies have opened to rain down on me.  The small bar/restaurant where I enjoyed this meal was very much off-the-beaten path, a spot I wouldn't have found had I not been searching for a 'secret garden' my B&B host told me about.

Though the garden was locked when I finally located it, the cafe provided a cozy table where we sipped a lovely white wine from the Veneto region, accompanied by the freshly prepared meal of roasted vegetables ~ a highlight of my day.

After leaving Venice to tour Lago di Garda for a week or so, we had returned to Venice to stay in a hotel in the Castello sestiere. [Our initial stay had been at a B&B in the Cannaregio.]

A yearning to get to know a city more intimately always motivates my journeys. As in choosing to walk away from Venice's popular tourist attractions in an attempt to discover the city of the modern-day Venetian. 

Venice is not a city to dash into and out of, in my opinion. It is no longer the city I visited years ago, but it remains a unique destination. A glistening city at twilight; entrancing if you allow a languid approach to exploring its rare wonders. 

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Veneto Vista - Italian Gardens

One of the hauntingly romantic landscapes visited during my sojourn in Italy's Veneto region:


Villa Arvedi allowed me to experience the hospitality of a contemporary setting that remains true to 
the sophistication and elegance of another era.

Monday, August 6, 2012

Brilliant! San Francisco Tiled Steps


Have you noticed the dearth of posts recently?

Yesterday I spent the entire day working in the garden. It's the time of year when I like to revamp the design; editing plants, cutting back, deadheading, and other such tasks.

Friday I took a day off, going into San Francisco on a cool, foggy summer day - typical weather.
The aim: to hike up the beautifully worked 'Tiled Steps' - a project completed at 16th Avenue & Moraga, Inner Sunset neighborhood. Followed by a tasty lunch at The Liberty Cafe in Bernal Heights. 
www.tiledsteps.org
Check it out!

Friday, July 20, 2012

Dreaming of Italy .. Lago di Garda

All the months of planning that go into travel abroad...

and all too soon the trip is over. 
Thankfully, the memories remain vivid in my mind's eye. At times, a flashback will trigger the excitement of a beautiful vista, as when I first glimpsed the magnificent Dolomites towering above Riva del Garda. Or I'll be going about my usual activities, and suddenly the day comes alive with the sensory recollections of a rainy summer day exploring Lake Garda.
The Peggy Guggenheim Collection ... a revelation!
Art lovers swoon over the masterpieces housed in the stunning white palace on Venice's Grand Canal. I found it difficult to pull myself away from this fascinating museum, a setting that resonates with the imagined voices of the artists and literary figures who visited Peggy's famous gatherings.
Reviewing my photos, I'll find a simple vignette brings to mind a treasured experience. Like when I gazed upon a patch of colorful poppies while trekking through the Roman Ruins in the town of Sirmione: One of Lake Garda's most picturesque towns, located on a peninsula that juts into the southern end of the lake.

Just strolling the streets of Bardolino was a joy, taking in the sights and aromas of the lively, bustling community. Bardolino served to anchor our time on Lago di Garda, a perfect base to take ferries that criss-cross the lake, or comfortable bus rides, following the coastline from one fascinating village to another.