@mac11,
You should start a thread, I'm very interested, as you know. I'll try my best not to post on it like crazy. (I talk too much, I worry me to death..) I wish Loislane17 (not quite sure of the name she used on a2k) was still around, she knows those cities very well. I see her on italy related websites or the nytimes frugal traveler comments once in a while under her real life name. Anyway, she's a bundle of good information I trust. Hmm, I might do an a2k search re her posts.
Also, I may find the Venice website I saw her on and give you the link sans her name. Nag me if I forget. (The commentary on it last I looked was about the new Calatrava pedestrian bridge...)
On food..
Monday, the day after the pizza festivities..
morning coffee and a piece of cinnamon toast with, erm, 1/3 tablespoon butter
made a soup concoction from some pizza topping leftovers (hot and mild ital sausage, a lot of a carton of sliced crimini mushrooms, and some diced tomatoes) mixed with leftover indulgent fettucine alfredo (butter, cream, parmesan, salt, lots of pepper, smidge of chile pepper), and a bunch of water.
OK, that makes a delicious soup. Fat city.
Then I got an invite to go to a local italian restaurant with Thomas and Dys:
had a crisp salad (lettuce, carrots, cucumber, cauliflower, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, good dressing) and an order of ravioli al pesto - of which I ate only a few, not being that hungry (took doggie box).
2 glasses Teruzzi and Puthod Vernaccia di San Gimignano
(so, guess what I had for breakfast today... three of the ravioli. Still have another pile of them.)