My soon to be ex-Manager is leaving IBM and we had a big going away dinner for him last night. It was a lot of fun, and he surprised each of us with a very thoughtful gift. He picked out a book that he thought we would like, and it was funny to see what everyone got. He even wrote a nice little message to each of us inside the front cover which just made it very special. I am American, Golf – Anika’s Way, Darwinisms, Why Women Should Rule the World, where just a few of the others. For me he picked, The Ten Best of Everything: An Ultimate Guide for Travelers, which pretty much hits the nail on the head! It’s a very cool book, with all kinds of great tips for places to see, stay, and enjoy all around the globe! As I was perusing the pages last night, I noticed Venice, Italy, came up a few times, and it got me remembering what an amazing city it is! One of my favorite memories in Venice was when we stopped by Harry’s Bar around noon on a Monday. It was a comfortably warm, but not too hot, bright and sunny day! It was so bright and sunny, that I remember the water ways sparkling, almost blinding, as the rays of sun danced around the Grand Canal. Harry’s Bar is right at the mouth of the Grand Canal, and has a famous reputation for its celebrity visitors. I was hoping to run into Ben Affleck again, but to no avail. In all the books I read about Venice, this was a MUST stop on the list of places to eat. What we didn’t realize was there are two very distinct parts to this fine establishment: a bar, and an upstairs restaurant. We should have opted to stay at the bar, but I wasn’t sure if they would serve their famous Croques Monsieur (toasted ham and cheese sandwich) down there. Come to find out they do, so I recommend staying down at the bar/lounge for other travelers. The upstairs is very formal, with impeccable service and waiters in white suits with black bow ties. It felt kind of funny only ordering a Bellini and cheese sandwich, but that is what we did, and I have to say it was still very indulgent. The peach Bellini was invented at Harry’s Bar and was delicious! I think the waiter could tell we didn’t realize the upstairs was typical for a heartier lunch, so after our Bellini’s and sandwich, he brought over a slice of the richest chocolate fudge cake I have ever tasted. Magnificent … and compliments of the house, which was very sweet! Here is a picture I dug up that Kevin took of me across our table. You can see my peach Bellini and how bright the sun was coming through the window that day!
