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NVLife_NovDec_2012

by Deborah Grossman I survived five years as a single girl on corporate assignment in a small Gulf coast town. My secret? Partying incognito at every New Or- leans Mardi Gras. A purple mask and some blurry-good memories remain from that era. Recently, I ventured into Venice, where storefronts bulged with Carnival masks. How did this City-on-the- Lagoon become Carnival obsessed? I met over lunch with Pierluigi Bolla, the owner of Valdo Prosecco in Val- dobbiadene, and discovered that DOCG Prosecco was way better than the stuff from the broader appellation and that Bolla had been Minister of Tourism for Venice in the late ‘90s. Our conversation flowed into the reality of Venice Mardi Gras. “Carnival in Venice today is an international, two week party. Thousands of people—Venetians, Italians, for- eigners—all meet in San Marco Square to dance, party and fan out to events. Balls go on from morning to night, and many wear traditional Venetian masks,” said Bolla. A return to Venice for Mardi Gras? Unlikely. But I remembered the blow-out Napa Gras party that vintner Jean-Charles Boisset threw at Raymond Vineyards in February. Where else could one wear beads and a mask? I couldn’t name any other valley Mardi Gras aficionados. Could Napans learn a few tips from the Venetians? The Venetians are credited with setting the standard for Carnival cel- ebrations. During the Middle Ages, when Venice dominated the seas, its citizens mastered the art of the masquerade party. Many parties and balls are open to the public, but some, he added, such as the well- known Ballo del Doge, “Ball of the Duke,” are private. I contacted Antonia Sautter, Venice costume designer, mask creator and producer of Ballo del Doge. “For their fantasy evenings, my clients find glamour and inspiration from history, fairy tales, literature or cin- ema,” said the designer. Sautter sets the stage for Mardi Gras with sensory alchemy. A cos- tumed “Leo Doge,” a lion “duke” wearing the Winged Lion symbols of Venice’s glory days, welcomed guests. 8


NVLife_NovDec_2012
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