Visit from the Brooklyn Crew, and Venice

April seems to bring nothing but showers in Torino, but our month has been enlivened by a vist from Sarah's sister Katie and her family. One day we trudged through the rain to Trattoria Valenza, as authentic a Piemontese place as we could desire, in the Borgo Dora section of the city. Here we are hanging out with the owners, who treated us to all the rowdy hospitality they're famous for.

Grace and Sam got Italia hats at the nearby Porta Palazzo market before lunch.

After our happy meal.

We closed down the place, so one of the owners was ready for his own meal.

Dads with the son-owner in the middle.

Then, in search of sun, and the ineffable, we headed to Venice for three days.

And here it is!

About to take a gondola ride.

Katie on the gondola.

Ahh... La serenissima (at least on the boat trip - Venice otherwise was a madhouse - mobbed with tourists).

The apartment! Katie has a friend whose parents have a place - half the crew stayed here.

Venice and the Seven Dwarfs.

One of the few trees in the city.

The sweet side canals, my favorite part of the city.

Ben's carnevale mask.

Heading home on the train, with pea pod art. (Peas bought off a boat moored in one of the canals.)