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Right: braised scallops,
pancetta and peas.
Below: even on a hot
summer’s day you can fi nd
your own spot of tranquillity
to cross the Grand Canal. ‘Th ey’re very handy
little things for getting where you want to go, as
there are so few bridges across the Grand Canal,’
he explains. ‘But for me there’s also something
quite evocative and charming about standing in
one next to an old lady dressed in black (as all
widows are) with her little shopping bag and
parcel of fi sh from the market. Also: the
traghetto sits very low in the water and that
gives you a diff erent perspective on the city.’
On Saturday mornings Norman heads to
Cannaregio and the fl ea market surrounding the
beautifully refurbished Santa Maria dei Miracoli
church. ‘Th ere are 10 or 12 streets, all full of brica-brac,
antiques and fascinating found objects. I
normally make a beeline for that place.’ He used
to spend a lot of time in Venice’s galleries and
museums but reckons he’s largely got them out of
his system. Norman favours modern art. ‘I like
the Peggy Guggenheim, which has a wonderful,
eccentric collection of 20th-century pieces,
including a Francis Bacon and Rothko. And Ca’
Pesaro – a beautiful palazzo on the Grand Canal
– has a not-too-big collection of modern pieces
including an amazing painting by Klimt, of
whom I’m a big fan.’
PRIVATCITY
‘In Oct ober I can guarantee my hand
luggage will be st uffed full of Treviso tardivo.
It keeps well and makes lovely risotto’
Th e Rialto fi sh market is naturally a priority
– utterly authentic, centrally located and used
daily by local residents and restaurateurs. ‘It is a
showstopper for good reason,’ says Norman.
‘Th e fi sh stalls are in a very dramatic, beautiful
setting under the medieval arches. Large red
curtains keep out the heat and, when the sun is
shining, everything is imbued with a warm, red
glow. Th e fruit and vegetable market next door is
so colourful, too – a visual barometer of the
seasons and a diff erent place depending on
Thirty-Nine
when you visit. In October and November it has
the beautiful deep-purple colours of the local
Treviso tardivo (a distinctive elongated variety
of radicchio), and orange from the pumpkins
and squash. In spring it’s all about asparagus and
the green palette, while in summer the whole
place turns red with tomatoes.’
His hand luggage is invariably like a
miniature greengrocer’s. ‘I don’t necessarily
bring back the most convenient things. I tend to
eschew the usual sealed packets and bottles of