Yes, those jovial, smiling faces were authentic, not staged. The reason being that we were in the midst of a nightly sing along at C&O's Trattoria in Venice this summer. Apparently (this was my first time there), half-way through every evening of serving dinner on their outdoor patio, all the waiters and the Italian owner and the restaurant patrons break into song as "That's Amore" is piped over the loudspeakers. The waiters all go around toasting everyone and it is quite gregarious and fun, and it all made me wish I could fly to Italy immediately.