Fresco Notturno

The Associazione Settemari, our oeno-ludo-gastronomic rowing/cultural club, is great because of the variety of activities that it promotes, most having some venetian rowing component. One of the greatest events that take place traditionally in Juy is the so-called Fresco Notturno (lit.: "nocturnal fresh"), which entails rowing down the Grand Canal in a big procession of row boats, stopping in front of the Rialto bridge for an on-board, picnic-style dinner, followed by a leasurely row down to Campo S.Vio in the Dorsoduro for a final round of prosecco with watermelon and a live musical feast wth very traditional singing and some dancing. This year, Bill Hnath joined me in the extravaganza and picked up rowing right away (see picture). Even despite a near-plunge, I think Bill had a good time rowing around all night and experiencing Venice as a real Venetian...