Venerdì 20 Giugno 6:05pm 31 celsius
Welcome to Venice –
Martine and Prosper Assouline hosted a party to celebrate the official opening of Assouline’s new boutique within the Bauer Hotel, now called “the most luxurious bookstore in Venice”.
Venice has rich history, Venice has classic style and Venice has the presence of Arrigo Cipriani who signed copies of his book “Simply Italian“. Cipriani was the honorary ribbon cutter for the grand opening ceremony. His book gives you the back story of the world-famous “Harry’s Bar“. This establishment has attracted the international and refined clientele that habitually come to Venice on holiday.
Other prestigious guests included Venetian Nobleman
Paolo Barozzi who penned an homage to the extraordinary art collector “Peggy Guggenheim“. The book recounts the great lady’s life, and the reader learns not only about the completion of her invaluable collection, but is also told of her relationships with the greatest artists of the time: Tennessee Williams, Truman Capote, Marcel Duchamp, Andy Warhol, and Robert Rauschenberg.
Attilio Codognato, the exquisite jeweler whose theme remains “memento mori” and creates bling masterpieces in a wood-fronted shop with the word ‘Codognato’ painted above the windows and one must ring the old-fashioned brass bell to be allowed in.Tucked away behind the Piazza San Marco, wedged between Hermès and Chanel, Codognato is luxury in its primal form. Jeweler Codognato also has a book published by Assouline and appropriately titled “Codognato“.
Alberto Nardi, an intricate gemologist, has taken upon his family business. His job is to find the precious and exquisite stones that are unique and magic so he can satisfy his most demanding clients. Currently the talk of the day is Nardi Venezia, the ought-to-have Assouline coffee table book by Nicholas Foulkes that covers three generations of this Venetian jeweler’s family history and also some of the city’s rich history.
Speaking of rich history, let’s talk VENICE
Venice lies on an archipelago made up of 118 flat islands far off the Veneto coast, in the northeastern Mediterranean (aka Adriatic sea).
Venice was not built directly on the surface of the islets, but instead supported by wooden platforms kept together by wooden piles entrenched in the sea bed. Why? Because those emerging flat lands were not sturdy enough to support a building on them.
For this reason, under the Venice lagoon there are literally millions of wooden piles.
Fun Facts about Venice:
– there are about 7000 chimneys
– 170 bell towers stand over the former queen of the Mediterranean
– The San Marco bell tower – or campanile – is the Italy’s fifth tallest bell tower, measuring 98.6mt or 275ft.
– Venice is made up of 118 islands, 416 bridges, 177 canals, 127 campi (squares).
-The biggest and longest canal is the S-shaped Grand Canal, splitting the town in two.
-There are about 350 gondolas and 400 gondolieri.
-The Veneto town is visited by 18 million tourists a year averaging 50,000 a day.
The new Assouline Boutique is located on the ground floor of the Bauer Hotel. Hand carved ceilings, intricate wall covering and Gothic old world charm add to the experience of buying a treasured collectors book or a new fashion bible. The Assouline Boutique is a quiet, chic addition to a long establish campi it inhabits. The hotel boasts 38 suites and 44 guestrooms. The lavishly furnished structure looks over the Grand Canal.
Now you know a little about the who’s who and what’s what in Venice! Photos courtesy of Roberto Rosa.
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| Martine Assouline. Arrigo Cipriani. Prosper Assouline |
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| the official ribbon cutting ceremony (love this, had to show it again) |
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| Designed to evoke a luxurious wrapped gift, the new boutique will stock Assouline’s most in-demand titles, from the Ultimate Collection (hand-crafted volumes ranging from $500 to $7000), to a selection of Assouline Vintage titles curated by Prosper Assouline. |
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| Francesco Veleno (VP Global Retail for Assouline) and his lovely wife Judit |
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| Martine Assouline and Paolo Barozzi with his book “Peggy Guggenheim” |
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| Arrigo Cipriani signs his book”Simply Italian” |
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| Handsome Alex Assouline and resplendent Martine |
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| Winsome Mary Frank (r) is Vice President of “Save Venice” a New York based organization which raises millions of dollars to restore Art and Architecture in Venice. Her husband Howard stands center. |
“There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age.”
– Sophia Loren –
#venice #assouline #simplyitalian #luxury #style #bookslastforever
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