Great post,
Venice is a truly magical place, once you get past the tourists!
Your best advice was to "Get Lost" and I would fully encourage folks to do just that. There's something enlarging when you turn the corner, see a hospital, and realize that the ambulances are boats!
Another thing we did was read the local posters for events. We found a contemporary art exhibit housed FAR from the beaten paths. Just the adventure of finding it was worth the effort. You will be amazed (or maybe not) that Google Maps will guide you through the labyrinthine back streets. Even that counts as "getting lost" though.