Venice - Italy - page 332

Arguably the finest mask shop in Venice, Ca' Macana Venezia (Calle de le
Boteghe, Dorsoduro 3172; % 041-2776142; www.camacana.com), has such a
good reputation that it was chosen to supply the masks worn in the orgy
sequences in Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut. You can attend mask-making
courses here. The shop also sells gorgeous kaleidoscopes.
Family-owned and -operated Schegge di Arlecchino (Calle Longa, Castello
6185; % 041-5225789; 10am-10pm), just off Campo Santa Maria Formosa, is
another good place to study Venice's almost infinite variety of masks designed for
Carnevale, and to buy one to take home with you. Delicately decorated masks are
designed by Annalisa, who has been practicing her craft for the last 35 years; she's
usually on-site hard at work, but is happy to talk with visitors about her masks.
You can also find some lovely leather and papier-mâché masks at La Pietra
Filosofale (Frezzeria, San Marco 1735; % 041528-5885), which carries many of
the most unusual designs. For technophiles, there's a whole range of futuristic
masks using wires and fuses. The small workshop also produces puppets, and
makes for an entertaining visit; the last time I was here, one of the two owners
played the guitar while his partner hummed along while working on his latest
design.
If you're keen on one of those fun, funky shops found around Miami's South
Beach, pop into Penny Lane (along Santa Croce's Salizzada S. Pantalon; % 041-
5244134), where you'll find new, vintage, and secondhand clothing stocked by
the young owners, Luisa and Piero, who have a deep-seated aversion to what they
call Italian fashion's obsession with Dolce & Gabbana. Although the space is
small, you can browse for ages, while listening to old-flavored rock 'n' roll, search-
ing for jewelry, bongs, cushions, and Dragonfly shirts with bright purple images
of Jimi Hendrix—all very anti-Venetian!
Custom-made (“bespoke”) shoes and original hats are what Venetian cobbler
Giovanna Zanella (Campo San Lio, Castello 5641; % 041-5235500) makes in her
shop near the Rialto; take a look if you don't mind paying from around 150 for

excellent quality apparel. Speak to Giovanna about those strange-looking slippers
you'll see in shop windows; they're called furlanes, and are traditional gondoliers'
shoes of velvet and brocade, available in various colors. Authentic furlanes have
soles made from recycled bicycle tires.
NIGHTLIFE
The first source for all entertainment and nightlife needs is HelloVenezia
( % 041-2424; www.hellovenezia.it; daily 7:30am-8pm), a hot line service that
deals with ticketing and provides information about most cultural events, includ-
ing the Biennale and shows at the various theaters.
FOR THE CULTURALLY INCLINED
No indoor experience can take your breath away quite like an evening at one of
the world's great opera houses; my favorite night out in Venice invariably involves
a presentation at Teatro la Fenice

€

555

(Campo San Fantin, San Marco 1965;
% 041-786575; www.teatrolafenice.it); there's a full program most of the year,
and the main theater attracts some of the world's biggest names. Check out the
program online in advance of your visit, and don't dally in making reservations.