Under The Peach Trees

Hotel All'Angelo
Venice, Italy. May 2007

The last trip I took to Italy, I stayed two nights in Venice. I'd been to Venice before, but always as one of those dreaded Daytrippers- in on a morning train, out before dinner.

This time around would be different. There would be no rushing around to see everything, and I would take the time to watch this city, one of the most magical places on earth, twinkle at night.

We stayed at a little hotel  just a few zig-zagged alleyways from Piazza San Marco. Upon our arrival, we were ushered into an antique-filled sitting area, with French doors that opened directly onto a canal, to wait for a water taxi to bring our luggage.

And we were served, from a silver tray, bellinis.

Never before had anything tasted so perfect as that sparkling peach cocktail, drank standing in a doorway overlooking the city in which is was created.

Flash forward to a few weeks ago, a wanderlust state of mind, and a bowl of fruit that included two donut peaches on the verge of going bad. A quick trip to the liquor store to procure a bottle of prosecco, peaches squeezed through a strainer, and I was, for just a quick moment, back in Venice.