Unlocking Venetian Secrets in San Francisco’s Hidden Castle

On an unforgettable night in early November, San Francisco’s historic Albion Castle was transformed into a Venetian paradise. In media partnership with Per La Mente and curated by violinist Adriana Molello, “The Night Garden of Serenissima: A Venetian Fairy Tale” was an evening filled with heady amusements that paid homage to Venice’s heritage.

Famous for its underground waterways that originally sustained an on-site brewery, Albion Castle was the perfect venue to host an evening inspired by Venice’s winding canals. Guests were given exclusive access to explore both the castle’s renovated interior and its subterranean cisterns.

Musicians, performance artists, dancers and a host of other entertainers mingled with guests, displaying a diverse array of talents that touched on Venice’s Carnivale and its history as a place where eastern and western influences converged. Belly dancers bewitched revelers while musicians played Baroque as well as Arabic and Chinese music. Molello herself performed a set amid two lion-headed fountains in one of the castle’s cisterns. All the while, invitees sipped custom Fernet-Branca cocktails (including the Eva Perón), created specially for the event.

Venice was once known as “La Serenissima” (Italian for “the most serene”). The event’s ambience succeeded in matching the aquatic city’s reputation, and guests carried on through the evening with a uniquely-Venetian sense of ease.

To create the Eva Perón at home, begin with a Collins glass and add:

• 3/4oz Fernet-Branca
• 3/4oz Carpano Antica Formula
• 3/4oz Ginger Liquor
• 1/2oz Lime Juice
• 2oz Ginger Beer

Top off with Ginger Beer, and add a mint sprig for garnish.