rms10 | A mostly lovely weekend!

Things here have been pretty good! I will enumerate, because transitional sentences are too complicated for me today.

Friends threw me a small graduation party/baby shower this weekend at the beach! It's been overcast, but the sun did come out for a few hours, and it was lovely. Lots of tasty food -- the eeee! wowed everyone with his spicy grilled corn -- and lots of fun. One person got us this navy blue hoodie that has a SHARK embroidered across the front of it, which is totally awesome.
The eeee! and I are incompetent when it comes to grilled chicken -- we burn it, or undercook it, or both. Blah! But we tried the Italian Grilled Chicken in a recent article of Cook's Illustrated, and it was amazing. We might blog about it at some point, but highlights include butterflying the chicken, pressing it on the grill with a hot cast-iron pot (or bricks), and eight cloves of garlic. It came out perfectly, and as we were eating it, we were exclaiming, "We could actually make this for a guest!"
I will actually need to buy maternity clothes soon, because while my low-rise jeans still fit (especially the sexiest ones, which is kind of hilarious), my skirts are getting tighter and tighter. This means I have to buy stuff before I leave for Europe, ack. But! I have a gift card for the Gap (graduation present from my brother), and a 25% off coupon. So I am about to go crazy online.
When I go to Italy in July, I get into the Venice airport at 9 a.m., but my shuttle to the middle of nowhere isn't until 6 p.m. or so. I started doing some research on the Venice airport (awesomely named Marco Polo), and I think I might actually be able to get into Venice for the day. Yay! If any of you have been to Venice, I would deeply appreciate any and all advice about transport to and from the airport, and about Venice itself.
We finally watched the pilot of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency last night, and loved it. We have the whole season recorded, and so far I cannot recommend it enough. It's shot in Botswana, and is so beautiful and funny and interesting. Now I need to read the books -- which will require going to the library, which will require paying my library fine, egad.

Okay, I guess that wasn't all strictly about my weekend. Anyway. Happy Monday! The sun is shining, our new chairs are coming today, and life is good.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I'd highly recommend Rick Steves' Venice guidebook. It looks like there's a direct boat from the airport to St. Mark's Square that takes 35 minutes for 25 euro. Expensive, but all of Venice is. Just noticed the link you'd posted - I believe the ORO line is the one you want.

I'd probably most recommend the Secret Itineraries tour of the Doge's Palace: http://museiciviciveneziani.it/frame.asp?area=info&musid=8&parte=biglietti&sezione=musei. Last summer it was booking up really early, (we ended up going on the tour in French,) so I'd make a reservation as soon as your plans are set.

I'd also recommend the Cantina do Mori for a great, inexpensive eating experience.

I'm jealous. Have fun!

Oh man, I don't suppose that 25 euros is round-trip, either. Oof.

But thanks! I'm suddenly looking forward to seeing Venice, now that it looks doable.

A mostly lovely weekend!

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