I love a man with a good sense of humour!

And, Luigi Frizzo, the jovial proprietor of the Acqua Alta bookstore, on Calle Lunga Santa Maria Formosa, is just such a man. It’s a great shop to browse and poke about in, and to buy a book or two, or a different kind of souvenir (for example: Casanova condoms!) and to see some pampered cats, if that is your desire. I’d better mention, before someone mentions it for me, he advertises it as “the most beautiful bookshop in the world.” I shan’t argue with his claim, because as I said yesterday, beauty is surely in the eye of the beholder.

Here is Luigi:

This was ‘lifted’ from one of his book markers  

Luigi joked (or maybe he wasn’t joking) that he is looking for someone to marry him, but all the women say he is too old. I told him that, unfortunately for me, he is much too young.

Row up book shop.

31 Comments

Filed under Venice

31 responses to “I love a man with a good sense of humour!

  1. Michelle

    Lovely pictures, Annie. Love a man who loves cats and books.

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  2. Such a charming place! When I was there in 2007, he had 4 kittens – now they are all grown up and sprawling around on the books.

    Here’s a photo gallery on Flickr:

    Welcome to the most beautiful book shop in the world

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  3. Jan pag

    Sorry, he’s taken, I have the distinction of Luigi flamboyantly telling the shop that he ‘loved me’ last time I took all the books that I had read to him, before returning home!

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  4. Michelle

    I have to check out Lady Hamilton too…leave it to a bookseller.

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  5. Michelle

    Yes, Joanne, I think the horses in Venice may be a problem. We’ll see if I get a proposal (or at least a proposition) in November. I only have a cat.

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    • Joanne Hoefer

      Well I will check him out, I will be there in July and again in September and October. My cat left home – he got ticked off in that I was gone to much so he moved down the road with neighbors and 3 little girls who spoil him rotten.

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      • That’s the spirit, Joanne. Faint heart never won chubby, jovial man!

        Now,I have to check out Lady Hamilton. See, I always learn something from you folks.

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      • Michelle

        And we’ll see what my cat does when I’m gone for a month in November/December. She doesn’t go outside so she can’t chose to move down the road. And I spoil her rotten when I’m here.

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  6. Funny, when you mentioned bookshop, the one thing I didn’t think of was the water in Venice so your last picture came as a bit of a shock. Shouldn’t have of course, but did. Luigi does like like a jovial sort.

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    • Luigi is lovely, very outgoing and generous. Even folks who just came in to take photos were given the same warm welcome, but no marriage proposals.

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  7. Joanne Hoefer

    Love it, as a bookseller myself he is typical of the great line of booksellers who are doing their thing while serving the public. As to romance I can bring 60,000+ books to the table

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  8. Michelle

    And I was joking with a friend just the other day about the possibility of finding a husband in Venice….one with a book store wouldn’t be so bad and if he doesn’t live with his mama then he’s probably a great cook!
    Ah, but then I’m too old for him too.
    After all, I don’t have the money for an aging count with a crumbling palazzo.
    I’ll be visiting the books and cats while I’m there not matter what.

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  9. I saw this place at Pierre’s a while ago, but Luigi is a revelation. Anyone who mixes books with water must have a great sense of humour. {Or perhaps he eats a lot to console himself if the tides are too high…} Have a beautiful weekend, bella.

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  10. irina

    He is the right man to marry, Yvonne. Chubby Italians are happy, skinny ones are sad… believe me 😉

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  11. Rob C

    Does he still live with his mother?

    Rob

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  12. I think he’s nice, but maybe too fat for you… :))

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