Thursday, December 04, 2003
I don't think I've mentioned how beautiful everybody here is. The women are drop dead gorgeous - dressed smartly and made up appropriately. While we can pick up make up and beauty products at any Target, Walgreen's, Neiman Marcus, etc... Rome (probably all of Italy) has a multitude of stores dedicated to beutifying oneself. The most common and impressive being the profumeria, additionally there are erboristeria, which I didn't actually visit, but the window displays indicated that they sell "natural" based cosmetics and perfumes.
Back to the profumeria, this is not Sephora or Ulta or any other beauty related chain you can think of. These are little (generally tiny) neighborhood stores individually owned and operated that are packed floor to ceiling with beauty products. The ones I went into had one wall dedicated to just fragrances, perfumes, colognes, etc... They also carry various lines of make-up - it was funny to see things that I always see at home in these stores: L'Oreal, Max Factor, etc... They also carried European brands. They had everything from your maintenance products (face creams, toners, etc...) to make-up, bath products, and men's products too.
Of course they also carry the wonderful cleverly Italian made Pupa beauty kits. Now you can get these in the states, and I have a couple that came from Ulta. But of course, they are more expensive and you don't get the full range of choices here. What these are, and it's difficult to see from the linked picture, I couldn't really find and good ones on the web, is smallish items, usually figures, made from plastic and they open up showing various levels and drawers filled with eye, lip and cheek colors. Additionally in a lot of the kits they have sometimes shaped the well holding the cosmetics into something that goes with the overall theme. For instance in a moon shaped kit, some of the little wells may be shaped as stars or clouds. Also they emboss shapes into the tops of the pressed powder shadows and blushes to go with the theme. My dear, sweet husband got me two kits to add to my collection, Red Riding Hood and Pinnocchio. They are both so fun and clever, I can't wait to get home and open all of the little drawers and compartments.
Back to the profumeria, this is not Sephora or Ulta or any other beauty related chain you can think of. These are little (generally tiny) neighborhood stores individually owned and operated that are packed floor to ceiling with beauty products. The ones I went into had one wall dedicated to just fragrances, perfumes, colognes, etc... They also carry various lines of make-up - it was funny to see things that I always see at home in these stores: L'Oreal, Max Factor, etc... They also carried European brands. They had everything from your maintenance products (face creams, toners, etc...) to make-up, bath products, and men's products too.
Of course they also carry the wonderful cleverly Italian made Pupa beauty kits. Now you can get these in the states, and I have a couple that came from Ulta. But of course, they are more expensive and you don't get the full range of choices here. What these are, and it's difficult to see from the linked picture, I couldn't really find and good ones on the web, is smallish items, usually figures, made from plastic and they open up showing various levels and drawers filled with eye, lip and cheek colors. Additionally in a lot of the kits they have sometimes shaped the well holding the cosmetics into something that goes with the overall theme. For instance in a moon shaped kit, some of the little wells may be shaped as stars or clouds. Also they emboss shapes into the tops of the pressed powder shadows and blushes to go with the theme. My dear, sweet husband got me two kits to add to my collection, Red Riding Hood and Pinnocchio. They are both so fun and clever, I can't wait to get home and open all of the little drawers and compartments.
Driving in Rome. This is a topic that seems to divide commentators into two camps: Those who think that Roman drivers are a bunch of undisciplined maniacs, and those who think that they are instead actually somewhat disciplined maniacs. I fall into the latter camp, and further think that the chaotic touch football game of Roman driving illuminates some interesting facets of the people's character.
First off, forget rules. There are no lanes, no dividers, no traffic buttons, nada. While they do ostensibly have traffic lights in the center area of the city, letting them influence your behavior is usually seen as admission that you can't see for yourself that someone is barreling toward you.
They have something here called the "logical stop", which means that if you come to an intersection and no one is about to directly hit you, go for it - regardless of light, stop sign, etc. If it looks like you may actully get smashed into, consider stopping, or possibly going MUCH FASTER, thus avoiding the inconvenience of dealing with another accident. This requires concentration, builds coordination and driving skills in general, and is molto fun to watch from the bus.
But we are seeing very few accidents. Roman drivers appear to go more slowly in general, observe what's going on carefully, and basically buzz merrily about in cars that look like tiny toys, easily permitting each other rights of way when it is obvious who was there first. And that's the key. It looks very much like people walking down a crowded street or hallway. Common consideration rules the day (EDITORIAL COMMENT:unlike here when ego dominance and trying to get over on everybody else is more the norm).
I guess what I am trying to say is that because there are no rules people just act in a civilized manner. In the US we have so many rules for proper traffic behavior (instead of basing what we do on common understanding of human consideration) we feel like we have to disobey, just to feel human. The difference is that with laws dictating what we do we end up being rude and frustrated much more of the time...
Or alternatively it could just be the food and wine here that makes everyone more civilized... over to you, MB.
First off, forget rules. There are no lanes, no dividers, no traffic buttons, nada. While they do ostensibly have traffic lights in the center area of the city, letting them influence your behavior is usually seen as admission that you can't see for yourself that someone is barreling toward you.
They have something here called the "logical stop", which means that if you come to an intersection and no one is about to directly hit you, go for it - regardless of light, stop sign, etc. If it looks like you may actully get smashed into, consider stopping, or possibly going MUCH FASTER, thus avoiding the inconvenience of dealing with another accident. This requires concentration, builds coordination and driving skills in general, and is molto fun to watch from the bus.
But we are seeing very few accidents. Roman drivers appear to go more slowly in general, observe what's going on carefully, and basically buzz merrily about in cars that look like tiny toys, easily permitting each other rights of way when it is obvious who was there first. And that's the key. It looks very much like people walking down a crowded street or hallway. Common consideration rules the day (EDITORIAL COMMENT:unlike here when ego dominance and trying to get over on everybody else is more the norm).
I guess what I am trying to say is that because there are no rules people just act in a civilized manner. In the US we have so many rules for proper traffic behavior (instead of basing what we do on common understanding of human consideration) we feel like we have to disobey, just to feel human. The difference is that with laws dictating what we do we end up being rude and frustrated much more of the time...
Or alternatively it could just be the food and wine here that makes everyone more civilized... over to you, MB.
Tuesday, December 02, 2003
We are beginning to think about coming back (sob), and also the unfortunate lack of gifties and swag to haul home from our visit. I did see a nice $6,000 Zenith watch I wanted, but instead we need to think about stuff we can afford, will fit in a bag, and will survive seventeen hours on various planes. (Aside: we are going to attempt to smuggle some smelly cheese and salami etc, and will see what happens...)
After belatedly learning of the transit strike yesterday (finally noticing no buses on the street, as we patiently waited); we just as belatedly learned they are back on the road today. And so we took ourselves via the winding path of the 280 bus to the neighborhood of Trastevere. It is frequently billed as the "Greenwich Village of Rome", or some such silliness, but it is more down to earth, boho, what have you, than the somewhat toney area we are staying in.
We came to shop and shop we have, with kindereggs on the hoof for the lassooin', and extra virgin this and that all about. Really fun. How will we stuff all this junk into our bags? Maybe just leave behind the clothes. We can find more of them in tejas...
It is a beautiful day, the third one in a row. Really makes up for cloudy drippy stuff for the first part of our visit.
After belatedly learning of the transit strike yesterday (finally noticing no buses on the street, as we patiently waited); we just as belatedly learned they are back on the road today. And so we took ourselves via the winding path of the 280 bus to the neighborhood of Trastevere. It is frequently billed as the "Greenwich Village of Rome", or some such silliness, but it is more down to earth, boho, what have you, than the somewhat toney area we are staying in.
We came to shop and shop we have, with kindereggs on the hoof for the lassooin', and extra virgin this and that all about. Really fun. How will we stuff all this junk into our bags? Maybe just leave behind the clothes. We can find more of them in tejas...
It is a beautiful day, the third one in a row. Really makes up for cloudy drippy stuff for the first part of our visit.
The Colosseum and all of the associated ruins (Roman Forum, Senate Building, etc...) were great. There were also a few kitties running around the ruins making it very picturesque, and making us miss our little gatti a bit.
We are thanking our lucky stars that we've seen decent weather for about the past four days. There's been no rain and some clouds, though generally it has been colder, but that isn't really a problem for us. However, one little problem that we ran into yesterday was a strike by the public transportation workers. It was rather odd, since we had seen on the morning news yesterday that there was a bus strike in Milan which is another city, far from here, then we promptly went out and got on our beloved bus #116 and headed to the internet cafe. After finishing there, we went to try to get the subway to the Colosseum, but it was closed. No problem, being the intrepid city travellers that we've become, we figured we would just catch a bus. None came and we were burning daylight, to we grabbed a cab. After the ruins we waited for a bus, and learned from some other (rather snotty) Americans that the buses were on strike as a measure of solidarity to their Milano brethren. So what, they come to work in the morning and then decide they want the rest of the day off in the guise of a strike? Much to our relief, all the public transportation seems to be working again today. I have no idea if the issue in Milan was solved, or even what it was to begin with.
The food remains fabulous. We've learned that 11:15 a.m. is the time when you want to be at the pizza bars. That is the time when they are getting ready for the lunch rush to come and all of the freshest pizza can be had, right out of the oven, instead of a re-heated slice (which are still pretty damn good). Cappuccino is still a world away from the swill you get at *$ (Starbuck's) - not that I had any problem with theirs until I came here and got spoiled by the real thing. We may have to invest in a proper cappuccino maker and the sweet tiny little espresso cups and spoons. Not to mention the fact that you are expected to have sugar in your cappuccino which is right up my alley.
We are thanking our lucky stars that we've seen decent weather for about the past four days. There's been no rain and some clouds, though generally it has been colder, but that isn't really a problem for us. However, one little problem that we ran into yesterday was a strike by the public transportation workers. It was rather odd, since we had seen on the morning news yesterday that there was a bus strike in Milan which is another city, far from here, then we promptly went out and got on our beloved bus #116 and headed to the internet cafe. After finishing there, we went to try to get the subway to the Colosseum, but it was closed. No problem, being the intrepid city travellers that we've become, we figured we would just catch a bus. None came and we were burning daylight, to we grabbed a cab. After the ruins we waited for a bus, and learned from some other (rather snotty) Americans that the buses were on strike as a measure of solidarity to their Milano brethren. So what, they come to work in the morning and then decide they want the rest of the day off in the guise of a strike? Much to our relief, all the public transportation seems to be working again today. I have no idea if the issue in Milan was solved, or even what it was to begin with.
The food remains fabulous. We've learned that 11:15 a.m. is the time when you want to be at the pizza bars. That is the time when they are getting ready for the lunch rush to come and all of the freshest pizza can be had, right out of the oven, instead of a re-heated slice (which are still pretty damn good). Cappuccino is still a world away from the swill you get at *$ (Starbuck's) - not that I had any problem with theirs until I came here and got spoiled by the real thing. We may have to invest in a proper cappuccino maker and the sweet tiny little espresso cups and spoons. Not to mention the fact that you are expected to have sugar in your cappuccino which is right up my alley.
Monday, December 01, 2003
Just a quick entry before we head off the to the Colosseum to see that awesome site, but why is the subway always closed when we want to take it?
A gentle warning to those who may come to Rome after, especially the ladeez, public restrooms don't always have the civilized invention we like to refer to as a "toilet seat." So just be prepared for this eventuality because it will happen.
I'm still in search of more Kinder Eggs. They had some at the Christmas Fare in Piazza Navona, but not Christmas ones, and not little six packs which is what I would prefer. The Christmas Fare was nice, kind of like a little carnival. There was a merry go round, a few games, and a bunch of booths with candy, stuffed animals and ornaments. Most of the ornaments were pieces for the creche/manger scene you would set up in your home a la those Department 57 villages with little carolers and such that are popular in the US.
We went to Upim the other day. It's an Italian department store, a little like a JC Penney or May Company store. Ya know they just don't seem to do all of the insane Christmas commericalism here that we have back home - and it's better that way. A few decorations, lights, etc... A section of the department store, near the kids stuff, dedicated to Christmas wrapping and cards, but mostly unaffected.
A gentle warning to those who may come to Rome after, especially the ladeez, public restrooms don't always have the civilized invention we like to refer to as a "toilet seat." So just be prepared for this eventuality because it will happen.
I'm still in search of more Kinder Eggs. They had some at the Christmas Fare in Piazza Navona, but not Christmas ones, and not little six packs which is what I would prefer. The Christmas Fare was nice, kind of like a little carnival. There was a merry go round, a few games, and a bunch of booths with candy, stuffed animals and ornaments. Most of the ornaments were pieces for the creche/manger scene you would set up in your home a la those Department 57 villages with little carolers and such that are popular in the US.
We went to Upim the other day. It's an Italian department store, a little like a JC Penney or May Company store. Ya know they just don't seem to do all of the insane Christmas commericalism here that we have back home - and it's better that way. A few decorations, lights, etc... A section of the department store, near the kids stuff, dedicated to Christmas wrapping and cards, but mostly unaffected.
Keys are important. They let you in and keep others out. This undeniable fact was brought home during our stay in Rome. When we paid the rent on our little Via Guilia apartment in the Palazzo Donarelli Ricci, the estimable Dr. Julia (our rep from the agency) gave us two sets of two keys. One of these was fairly average looking, and permitted access to the building's sprawling private courtyard, the kind all fifteenth century palaces enjoyed. The other key, for the apartment itself, was a monstrous looking toothy thing that looked as if it came from the props department for an old horror flick. "Don't lose these" said Dr. Julia, "It would be bad". Amused at the time, repentent later when those keys would loom large, specifically one late evening when MB and I staggered out of the tiny elevator toward our door, and in juggling my coat I dropped the keys. The heavy old key, as if seeking the earth's molten core from whence it sprang in the springtime of our world, slid into a crack and then down the tiny opening in the elevator shaft. I would say it was like a movie but it was more like a dream, not one of the good ones.
For some reason we then rode up and down the elevator, I guess hoping the key chain would leap back up into my pocket. That did not happen. We slinked home and got into our place using the second set of precious keys.
I called Dr. Julia the next morning, forlornly hoping that perhaps some gnome lived under the elevator who could open a trap door to snatch em back. Her reaction was not what I might have wished: "Oh my God. Oh my God. Um, don't worry about it I guess..." Yeah, right. From that point forward my already palpable paranoia re the keys reached new levels of obssession. Not only did I check for them at least three times whenever we left the apartment, but I also found myself clutching at them in my pocket at odd times during the day. No dear friends, I did not fall to calling them "my precious" during this period, but I did look longingly for a medieval-looking key shop to materialize along with the ristorante and tabbachi we passed each day.
Anyhow, on Sunday morning we wandered down to the enormous Porta Portese flea market, dodged pickpockets and shell game practioners (using cool little cups and balls!) when suddenly MB found for sale one of those automotive magnet on a wand kind of things, used by the thieves there for who-knows-what kind of fun. To cut to the chase, we bought it, it worked like the proverbial charm, and Dr. Julia was beyond delighted when I informed her we had recovered the lost goods, without resorting to gnomery.
For some reason we then rode up and down the elevator, I guess hoping the key chain would leap back up into my pocket. That did not happen. We slinked home and got into our place using the second set of precious keys.
I called Dr. Julia the next morning, forlornly hoping that perhaps some gnome lived under the elevator who could open a trap door to snatch em back. Her reaction was not what I might have wished: "Oh my God. Oh my God. Um, don't worry about it I guess..." Yeah, right. From that point forward my already palpable paranoia re the keys reached new levels of obssession. Not only did I check for them at least three times whenever we left the apartment, but I also found myself clutching at them in my pocket at odd times during the day. No dear friends, I did not fall to calling them "my precious" during this period, but I did look longingly for a medieval-looking key shop to materialize along with the ristorante and tabbachi we passed each day.
Anyhow, on Sunday morning we wandered down to the enormous Porta Portese flea market, dodged pickpockets and shell game practioners (using cool little cups and balls!) when suddenly MB found for sale one of those automotive magnet on a wand kind of things, used by the thieves there for who-knows-what kind of fun. To cut to the chase, we bought it, it worked like the proverbial charm, and Dr. Julia was beyond delighted when I informed her we had recovered the lost goods, without resorting to gnomery.
Sunday, November 30, 2003
First I must give a shout out to all of our peeps and thank all of you for leaving comments. It's been fun reading all of them, rather like getting postcards from home while we're out here exploring this big ancient world.
We just came from the big Roman cat sanctuary which is a pile of ruins in the middle of the city where they've set up a cat shelter. We were told that they care for somewhere in the neighborhood of 350-400 gatti. The tend to the sick, those injured from car accidents and also supply food and sterilization services. Additionally, if you choose, you may adopt a cat from the shelter. While we didn't go that far, we did leave a donation. The cats all seemed fairly fat and happy and generally well cared for. It was wonderful to see the kitties roaming free through the ancient ruins, yet still being protected from the potential dangers of big city living.
Not too much additional food news to report as we had more pizza and gelato last night after a rather large lunch from a teeny tiny place we stumbled into near the Trevi Fountain (photo of the fountain) on Scanderbeg. This place had only six tables, luckily one was empty for us. I had tortellini in a luscious tomato cream sauce with brandy and grilled lamb and C had pasta with more delicious tender tiny mussels (traditionally, I haven't been a fan of mussels, a little too strong a flavor for me, but these Roman mussels are delicious) and shrimp gratinee (a bit more like the size of langostines, grilled with a bit of cheese on top).
I can't help but wonder what a native Roman thinks when they go someplace else. All of the buildings we've seen a beautiful and ancient. The only place we saw more modern buildings was when we were on the train to Florence and saw apartment buildings that looked as if they've been constructed in the last 50 years. Between the buildings, the fountains, statuary, churches, ancient monuments and cobbled streets, it is just awe inspiring.
We just came from the big Roman cat sanctuary which is a pile of ruins in the middle of the city where they've set up a cat shelter. We were told that they care for somewhere in the neighborhood of 350-400 gatti. The tend to the sick, those injured from car accidents and also supply food and sterilization services. Additionally, if you choose, you may adopt a cat from the shelter. While we didn't go that far, we did leave a donation. The cats all seemed fairly fat and happy and generally well cared for. It was wonderful to see the kitties roaming free through the ancient ruins, yet still being protected from the potential dangers of big city living.
Not too much additional food news to report as we had more pizza and gelato last night after a rather large lunch from a teeny tiny place we stumbled into near the Trevi Fountain (photo of the fountain) on Scanderbeg. This place had only six tables, luckily one was empty for us. I had tortellini in a luscious tomato cream sauce with brandy and grilled lamb and C had pasta with more delicious tender tiny mussels (traditionally, I haven't been a fan of mussels, a little too strong a flavor for me, but these Roman mussels are delicious) and shrimp gratinee (a bit more like the size of langostines, grilled with a bit of cheese on top).
I can't help but wonder what a native Roman thinks when they go someplace else. All of the buildings we've seen a beautiful and ancient. The only place we saw more modern buildings was when we were on the train to Florence and saw apartment buildings that looked as if they've been constructed in the last 50 years. Between the buildings, the fountains, statuary, churches, ancient monuments and cobbled streets, it is just awe inspiring.
In response to a reader's inquiry about whether we could scare up some turkey for Thanksgiving; Tacchio is the Italian word for turkey, to date not found on any menu we've seen. So let's see, Thanksgiving in Rome... After our fabulous rainy time at the Cul de Sac enoteca on Thursday night we ducked in out of the weather on our way home to a pseudo Irish pub, just to see what that was like. We sat down at the bar and heard the guy next to us declaim that he hailed from Austin, Texas. Uneeded additional proof that you gotta be careful where you sit down in a bar these days... Anyway, seems that this guy works for Vatican Radio and was spending his Tgiving watching the Dallas Cowboys on the bar's satillite TV. The weather kept knocking out the transmission (which considering the British commentary was a blessing), so Tex decided to order everyone a round of Wild Turkey to keep the Thanksgiving feeling going. MB and I put down our Black Bush to join in, and that was as close to the erstwhile national bird of America as we got.
Saturday, November 29, 2003
MB is taking too long to finish up, so I am starting a new entry. She is handling the food stuff, but I am still day dreaming over the breakfast I just had, so I will babble a bit about it while she gets done...
Why does cappucino taste so much better here? Like gumbo in Louisiana, Guinness in Dublin, and breakfast tacos at Mi Madres on Manor Road, I guess goodness just gets into a place's DNA after a while and just can't be picked up and dropped down half a world away. Rich, dark, wholesome and satisfying, I am so ready to film my commericail for all these guys! I also had butt rockin cornetti (croissants) con marmalata (with jam inside); couple that with a shiny piazza at a swingin outdoor market (Campo di Fiore) in the blinding Saturday sunlight and it's just real good good good...
OK she's done. Gotta go.
Why does cappucino taste so much better here? Like gumbo in Louisiana, Guinness in Dublin, and breakfast tacos at Mi Madres on Manor Road, I guess goodness just gets into a place's DNA after a while and just can't be picked up and dropped down half a world away. Rich, dark, wholesome and satisfying, I am so ready to film my commericail for all these guys! I also had butt rockin cornetti (croissants) con marmalata (with jam inside); couple that with a shiny piazza at a swingin outdoor market (Campo di Fiore) in the blinding Saturday sunlight and it's just real good good good...
OK she's done. Gotta go.
Don't alert the authorities, but I have, in my possession contraband Kinder Eggs! OK, this may not be as exciting for you as it is for me, but I'll try to explain... Actually, I'll let the folks at SF Gate try to explain the allure of the elusive Kinder Egg (thanks go out to Meghan over at Not Martha for the original link to this article). Essentially these are thin chocolate eggshells, about the size of a smallish goose egg I would guess, that contain a small plastic capsule, similar to what you would get out of a vending machine, that contains a little toy. You can't get them in the states due to some foolish rule by the FDA about embedded items in candy causing a choking hazard, blah, friggin' blah. The little toys are so fun and I can't wait to get more, more, more!
We finally had our first authentic Italian pizza. Needless to say, it, like just about everything else we've had here was great. Worn out from our trip to Florence last night (see C's entry for more info on that trip), we got off the bus near our apartment and stopped at the first open ristorante. We had some trepidation as this place had a sign outside saying that they catered to tourists - many of the guidebooks have recommended that you steer clear of this type of joint, because it is often overpriced and not very good, but in our weary state, we just didn't care, and it all worked out. A lovely man met us at the door and ushered us to a table. We ordered salads and pizza con funghi (mushrooms) and as recommended by our waiter, combination pizza. The salads came out on plates as big as hubcaps, perfectly dressed with olive oil, a touch of vinegar and a little salt. Again, the vegetables were as fresh and sweet as if you had plucked them from your own backyard plot just minutes before. These tomatoes had definitely not been raped from the vine and gassed to induce a false state of ripeness. The pizza came soon after and was delicious. Thin, thin, crisp crust, dressed lightly with a sweet, flavorful tomato sauce and sprinkled with cheese and smothered with very thinly sliced mushrooms - OK, we had some mushroom pizza again this morning on our way out, and still my mouth is watering at the thought of more! The combination pizza had the cheese and mushrooms, but also had a slice of ham, a wedge of hard boiled egg and yummy (pit containing - ohmygod, alert the FDA, I could have choked) olives. It was all fabulous and just what the doctor ordered after a long, somewhat exhausting day.
I almost forgot to tell you about our most recent visit to an Enoteca. We went to the guidebook recommended Cul De Sac the other night. It was pouring rain out, but we were able to nab a little seat under cover and right near the big gas heater, so we were as cozy as could be. C ordered us a delicious and reasonably priced bottle of Chianti Classico. How he was able to hunt down and decide on this wine out of the huge wine book is beyond me, but I'm sure glad he did. I'm not kidding when I say wine BOOK, this place bring you two little menus and then this book that is like a novel listing their collection of more than 200 varieties of wine. From the menu we had a selection of three pates (sweet and sour boar - OK, more sweet than sour, hare with truffles - again OK, and regular pate with cognac - the category winner, delicious, deep with that hint of liquor that gives it a little kick). The guidebook recommended the pureed onion soup on a cold November night, so we felt obliged to try it. We were not disappointed. This was a thick, hot beefy-onion concoction that was perfect when toasty little crostini were left to soften up and soak in the delicious oniony goodness. Lastly we had a combination plate of cheeses and meats, one a fresh, delicate one that I assumed was ricotta, this was smooth and not curdy like the ricotta I'm accustomed to seeing in the states, the other cheese was soft, a little bit firmer than brie, but with a similar but deeper flavor. Meats included the ever present prosciutto sliced razor thin and more yummy aged salami. All in all it was the perfect end to our day.
While in Florence yesterday we happened to stumble upon a little restaurant that was apparently in the Japanese tourbooks as we were about the only non-Asian customers in the joint - who knew? Regardless, again the food was terrific. We started out again with the freshest salads, including one salad that had raw fresh baby artichokes, tender young arugula and slivers of strong tasty parmesan cheese. The little artichokes reminded me a bit of fresh young green peas eaten raw, but with a little milder taste. We followed that with fresh pasta dishes. C had a light, but creamy carbonara sauce with egg and a little ham and I had the classic tomato sauce with fresh basil. They were both great. The fresh pasta was delicate and tender, but as the same time rich and satisfying. My tomato sauce was fresh, light and sweet and had a garnish of tender fresh basil leaves.
Now I'm off to search the US Customs site to see how much salami, olive oil and other yummy stuff I can bring back. And remember, mum's the word on those Kinder Eggs.
We finally had our first authentic Italian pizza. Needless to say, it, like just about everything else we've had here was great. Worn out from our trip to Florence last night (see C's entry for more info on that trip), we got off the bus near our apartment and stopped at the first open ristorante. We had some trepidation as this place had a sign outside saying that they catered to tourists - many of the guidebooks have recommended that you steer clear of this type of joint, because it is often overpriced and not very good, but in our weary state, we just didn't care, and it all worked out. A lovely man met us at the door and ushered us to a table. We ordered salads and pizza con funghi (mushrooms) and as recommended by our waiter, combination pizza. The salads came out on plates as big as hubcaps, perfectly dressed with olive oil, a touch of vinegar and a little salt. Again, the vegetables were as fresh and sweet as if you had plucked them from your own backyard plot just minutes before. These tomatoes had definitely not been raped from the vine and gassed to induce a false state of ripeness. The pizza came soon after and was delicious. Thin, thin, crisp crust, dressed lightly with a sweet, flavorful tomato sauce and sprinkled with cheese and smothered with very thinly sliced mushrooms - OK, we had some mushroom pizza again this morning on our way out, and still my mouth is watering at the thought of more! The combination pizza had the cheese and mushrooms, but also had a slice of ham, a wedge of hard boiled egg and yummy (pit containing - ohmygod, alert the FDA, I could have choked) olives. It was all fabulous and just what the doctor ordered after a long, somewhat exhausting day.
I almost forgot to tell you about our most recent visit to an Enoteca. We went to the guidebook recommended Cul De Sac the other night. It was pouring rain out, but we were able to nab a little seat under cover and right near the big gas heater, so we were as cozy as could be. C ordered us a delicious and reasonably priced bottle of Chianti Classico. How he was able to hunt down and decide on this wine out of the huge wine book is beyond me, but I'm sure glad he did. I'm not kidding when I say wine BOOK, this place bring you two little menus and then this book that is like a novel listing their collection of more than 200 varieties of wine. From the menu we had a selection of three pates (sweet and sour boar - OK, more sweet than sour, hare with truffles - again OK, and regular pate with cognac - the category winner, delicious, deep with that hint of liquor that gives it a little kick). The guidebook recommended the pureed onion soup on a cold November night, so we felt obliged to try it. We were not disappointed. This was a thick, hot beefy-onion concoction that was perfect when toasty little crostini were left to soften up and soak in the delicious oniony goodness. Lastly we had a combination plate of cheeses and meats, one a fresh, delicate one that I assumed was ricotta, this was smooth and not curdy like the ricotta I'm accustomed to seeing in the states, the other cheese was soft, a little bit firmer than brie, but with a similar but deeper flavor. Meats included the ever present prosciutto sliced razor thin and more yummy aged salami. All in all it was the perfect end to our day.
While in Florence yesterday we happened to stumble upon a little restaurant that was apparently in the Japanese tourbooks as we were about the only non-Asian customers in the joint - who knew? Regardless, again the food was terrific. We started out again with the freshest salads, including one salad that had raw fresh baby artichokes, tender young arugula and slivers of strong tasty parmesan cheese. The little artichokes reminded me a bit of fresh young green peas eaten raw, but with a little milder taste. We followed that with fresh pasta dishes. C had a light, but creamy carbonara sauce with egg and a little ham and I had the classic tomato sauce with fresh basil. They were both great. The fresh pasta was delicate and tender, but as the same time rich and satisfying. My tomato sauce was fresh, light and sweet and had a garnish of tender fresh basil leaves.
Now I'm off to search the US Customs site to see how much salami, olive oil and other yummy stuff I can bring back. And remember, mum's the word on those Kinder Eggs.
Now that we've been here for a while, a few things are coming clear about do's and don'ts, advice to those who might follow after, etc.
Early winter is a great time to visit. We have seen quite a bit of rain, but usually in brief showers which with a brolly or a caffe bar to duck into are fairly easily avoided. We had a fantastic night on Thanksgiving at Cul de Sac, our new favorite enoteca, where they happily served our tiny covered table awesome soup and other tasties (including rabbit pate! poor bun bun) through a cold downpour. Intrepid waitstaff got soaked, the food and wine survived admirably, and happy as little kittens we were, peekling out at the line of dampened pilgrims waiting to get in.
On the plus side of this time of year for a visit, we have been able to go and see pretty much everything we've wanted to when we've wanted to, with no wait and little advance planning. We had been warned aplenty to expect at least an hour's queue in Florence for the Ufizzi museum, but we walked right in and waltzed through with light crowds...
On the subject of the ancient and esteemed city of Florence it is worth noting a few things. First, all you tend to hear about as you research visiting this town is Stendhalismo. I will spare you a link and merely quote the following:
"Stendhal's Disease is preventable; don't go to Florence. Stendhal, a.k.a. Marie Henri Beyle, was an 18th century French novelist and essayist who was said to be giddy and unable to walk after being dazzled by the Chiesa (church) di Santa Croce.
The condition is now called Stendhalismo, or Stendhal's Disease, a malady particular to Florence the birthplace of the Renaissance."
Well yeah, but. What this fails to include in its oversimplification of Florence is the cultural fallout of fifty years of tourists flooding the 15th century streets in an unending cataract of ignorance and too much money. The place has become a Disneyland for Americans with too many other stops on their Europeland tour and too many Pottery Barn catalogs defining their taste (and too much "sophistication" for the real Disneyland). We found the city's citizens much less good humored than those in Rome, more cynical and less tolerant of vacationers than other places in our travels, and we also had to deal there with our first real thief in Italy, a jerk who moonlights as a taxi driver.
There was also a good deal of anti-american graffitti in Florence, in contrast to none that I've seen here in the Eternal City... but I know what you want to hear about is the evil cabbie, so here is my account in brief and sordid terms:
We were so fortunate in getting into and out of the sites and museums we visited in Florence that we were ready to leave the pretty lil city two hours before our scheduled train. Before you roll your eyes in pity for our benighted lack of curiosity, please consider that it was freezing and rainy, we hadn't really slept the night before and had just completed five solid hours of Art Exposure. We were ready to go.
Anyway, we cab it over to the train terminal to try to get back to Rome early, only to learn that all the trains were sold out and we were lucky to have the seats we did. OK, Plan B, we taxi back to the Florence city square where we started off from. We wandered, drank ciocollato caldo (hot chocolate, natch), listened to some excellent street musicians before they gave it up for the rain's sake, and then decided we would go warm up and wait out the last bit at the train station.
We grab a cab, and zoom the five minute drive back to the stazione. Only this time, instead of the 3.5 euro fee (which we have already paid three times earlier in the day, due to our coming and going); the cost has mysteriously inflated to ten euros. I had seen the cabbie mess with the meter and watched the fee change just as we arrived. I refused to pay, he wouldn't take no for an answer, you get the drift. Finally I gave him what I knew was the correct amount, and with him shouting "But Seven Euros is the minimum!" we simply walked away into the terminal. Thanks for the local color.
...Where we proceded to wait, and wait, and... our otherwise fantastic bullet train ended up an hour or so late, so we got plenty of exposure to the teeming throngs that so resemble public transportation crowds in any city. We were so happy to crawl into the warm comfort of our first class seats. And receive the complimentary savory snack, ça va sans dire.
Early winter is a great time to visit. We have seen quite a bit of rain, but usually in brief showers which with a brolly or a caffe bar to duck into are fairly easily avoided. We had a fantastic night on Thanksgiving at Cul de Sac, our new favorite enoteca, where they happily served our tiny covered table awesome soup and other tasties (including rabbit pate! poor bun bun) through a cold downpour. Intrepid waitstaff got soaked, the food and wine survived admirably, and happy as little kittens we were, peekling out at the line of dampened pilgrims waiting to get in.
On the plus side of this time of year for a visit, we have been able to go and see pretty much everything we've wanted to when we've wanted to, with no wait and little advance planning. We had been warned aplenty to expect at least an hour's queue in Florence for the Ufizzi museum, but we walked right in and waltzed through with light crowds...
On the subject of the ancient and esteemed city of Florence it is worth noting a few things. First, all you tend to hear about as you research visiting this town is Stendhalismo. I will spare you a link and merely quote the following:
"Stendhal's Disease is preventable; don't go to Florence. Stendhal, a.k.a. Marie Henri Beyle, was an 18th century French novelist and essayist who was said to be giddy and unable to walk after being dazzled by the Chiesa (church) di Santa Croce.
The condition is now called Stendhalismo, or Stendhal's Disease, a malady particular to Florence the birthplace of the Renaissance."
Well yeah, but. What this fails to include in its oversimplification of Florence is the cultural fallout of fifty years of tourists flooding the 15th century streets in an unending cataract of ignorance and too much money. The place has become a Disneyland for Americans with too many other stops on their Europeland tour and too many Pottery Barn catalogs defining their taste (and too much "sophistication" for the real Disneyland). We found the city's citizens much less good humored than those in Rome, more cynical and less tolerant of vacationers than other places in our travels, and we also had to deal there with our first real thief in Italy, a jerk who moonlights as a taxi driver.
There was also a good deal of anti-american graffitti in Florence, in contrast to none that I've seen here in the Eternal City... but I know what you want to hear about is the evil cabbie, so here is my account in brief and sordid terms:
We were so fortunate in getting into and out of the sites and museums we visited in Florence that we were ready to leave the pretty lil city two hours before our scheduled train. Before you roll your eyes in pity for our benighted lack of curiosity, please consider that it was freezing and rainy, we hadn't really slept the night before and had just completed five solid hours of Art Exposure. We were ready to go.
Anyway, we cab it over to the train terminal to try to get back to Rome early, only to learn that all the trains were sold out and we were lucky to have the seats we did. OK, Plan B, we taxi back to the Florence city square where we started off from. We wandered, drank ciocollato caldo (hot chocolate, natch), listened to some excellent street musicians before they gave it up for the rain's sake, and then decided we would go warm up and wait out the last bit at the train station.
We grab a cab, and zoom the five minute drive back to the stazione. Only this time, instead of the 3.5 euro fee (which we have already paid three times earlier in the day, due to our coming and going); the cost has mysteriously inflated to ten euros. I had seen the cabbie mess with the meter and watched the fee change just as we arrived. I refused to pay, he wouldn't take no for an answer, you get the drift. Finally I gave him what I knew was the correct amount, and with him shouting "But Seven Euros is the minimum!" we simply walked away into the terminal. Thanks for the local color.
...Where we proceded to wait, and wait, and... our otherwise fantastic bullet train ended up an hour or so late, so we got plenty of exposure to the teeming throngs that so resemble public transportation crowds in any city. We were so happy to crawl into the warm comfort of our first class seats. And receive the complimentary savory snack, ça va sans dire.
Thursday, November 27, 2003
When asked about his "art", Neil Young told an impressionable young Rolling Stone scribe in 1972 or so that "Art is just a dog on the front porch". Leaving the earnest writer to ponder this bit of heaviosity, Mr. Young then got up to call Art in off the front porch for his dish o kibble. After spending a little time here you begin to think that that might be about all the modern world has to offer in terms of new input on the whole art thing. No thunder to steal, art art art you want it we got it here in Rome. Not some of it, all of it. You can practically hear it saying Everyone else steals our ideas and recycles them, but after a millenia or two you can't top the ones who created the brand...
Between the Galleria Borghese (Bernini sculpture masterpieces); the Vatican Museums (Raphael goes wild! plus a little opus called the Sistine Chapel), and structures ancient and modern which stun the mind and eye, let alone the fountains and chuches and... and...
Well, to tell you the truth you get a little worn out just taking it all in.
Later when I am not falling into the keyboard with over stimulation I will get to the original "Shock and Awe" of all public spaces, St. Peter's Basilica. You can see where Disney (not to mention L Ron Hubbard) got some of his ideas...
'Night now. Time to curl up all fetal like, and dream of... um, American television, where you don't have to worry about being exposed to too much quality, or having your spirit pulled up when you don't necessarily want it to be...
Between the Galleria Borghese (Bernini sculpture masterpieces); the Vatican Museums (Raphael goes wild! plus a little opus called the Sistine Chapel), and structures ancient and modern which stun the mind and eye, let alone the fountains and chuches and... and...
Well, to tell you the truth you get a little worn out just taking it all in.
Later when I am not falling into the keyboard with over stimulation I will get to the original "Shock and Awe" of all public spaces, St. Peter's Basilica. You can see where Disney (not to mention L Ron Hubbard) got some of his ideas...
'Night now. Time to curl up all fetal like, and dream of... um, American television, where you don't have to worry about being exposed to too much quality, or having your spirit pulled up when you don't necessarily want it to be...
Happy Thanksgiving! Needless to say, there is no Thanksgiving celebration here, however, here and there a few Christmas decorations are starting to show up and tonight while we walked through Piazza Navona we saw them setting up stalls and a merry-go-round. It appears the stalls will be selling lots of dolce (sweets/candy) for Natale (Christmas) and various other Christmas related goodies. Can't wait to go back tomorrow night when it's all set up.
Today we went to the Vatican, saw the Sistine Chapel and all of the associated art. It was quite something and also quite crowded. One of us will write more about that later, because as you've learned by now, I'm all about the gustatory delights in this blog, so let's get to it.
When last I left you dear readers, we had just been to the enoteca for wine and snacks. After our stop at the internet cafe, we found a little restaurant near our apartment and had a delicious dinner. We each started out with a first course of pasta. C had linguine with tiny, tender little clams and a light sauce. I had tagliolini with zucchini blossoms stuffed with salmon, though the little stuffed blossoms had burst sending little bits of fish all around the pasta and there was a rich, buttery sauce involved. We followed that with veal dishes. C's choice was veal with lemon sauce which was very piquant and fresh tasting and I had veal with capers. These weren't just your ordinary little tiny capers either. They were larger, possibly non-pareil size capers with a richer, almost nutty flavor. We also shared a side of roasted vegetable that included zucchini, eggplant and a few other veg. They were all so fresh and delicious and fabulous.
However, the killer meal was our lunch near the Vatican today. We wandered off the main drag to try to avoid some of the more touristy joints and ended up in more of a local place. Our waitress handed us menus, but upon our return suggested that we have their lunch buffet of misto antipasi - mied antipasto items. So we allowed her to lead the way and brought us bowl after bowl of delicious roasted delicious vegetables. There were roasted red pepers that were so sweet, but still retained their shape and a little toothsomeness. Roasted tomatoes topped with Parmesan cheese. Little coins of zucchini roasted and bathed in a little (presumably) balsamic vinegar. Eggplant that was roasted beyond belief and so soft that you could have spread it with a knife. Yummy fresh little mozzarella balls and prosciutto. As if all that weren't enough we also had eggplant Parmesan that looked at first like lasagna, but was made with the same slow roasted eggplant, yummy tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese. This is the kind of dish that would make the angels weep, it was just that good. Of course, we were stuffed to the gills by the time we finished all of that and hopped a cab back home just in time for a nice afternoon siesta.
After finishing here, we're off to another highly recommended enoteca for a little light dinner and then hopefully some gelato. We passed a place earlier that had no less than 50 flavors! All I can say is ol' Baskin Robbins better watch his ass if this gelato thing ever takes off in the states.
Today we went to the Vatican, saw the Sistine Chapel and all of the associated art. It was quite something and also quite crowded. One of us will write more about that later, because as you've learned by now, I'm all about the gustatory delights in this blog, so let's get to it.
When last I left you dear readers, we had just been to the enoteca for wine and snacks. After our stop at the internet cafe, we found a little restaurant near our apartment and had a delicious dinner. We each started out with a first course of pasta. C had linguine with tiny, tender little clams and a light sauce. I had tagliolini with zucchini blossoms stuffed with salmon, though the little stuffed blossoms had burst sending little bits of fish all around the pasta and there was a rich, buttery sauce involved. We followed that with veal dishes. C's choice was veal with lemon sauce which was very piquant and fresh tasting and I had veal with capers. These weren't just your ordinary little tiny capers either. They were larger, possibly non-pareil size capers with a richer, almost nutty flavor. We also shared a side of roasted vegetable that included zucchini, eggplant and a few other veg. They were all so fresh and delicious and fabulous.
However, the killer meal was our lunch near the Vatican today. We wandered off the main drag to try to avoid some of the more touristy joints and ended up in more of a local place. Our waitress handed us menus, but upon our return suggested that we have their lunch buffet of misto antipasi - mied antipasto items. So we allowed her to lead the way and brought us bowl after bowl of delicious roasted delicious vegetables. There were roasted red pepers that were so sweet, but still retained their shape and a little toothsomeness. Roasted tomatoes topped with Parmesan cheese. Little coins of zucchini roasted and bathed in a little (presumably) balsamic vinegar. Eggplant that was roasted beyond belief and so soft that you could have spread it with a knife. Yummy fresh little mozzarella balls and prosciutto. As if all that weren't enough we also had eggplant Parmesan that looked at first like lasagna, but was made with the same slow roasted eggplant, yummy tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese. This is the kind of dish that would make the angels weep, it was just that good. Of course, we were stuffed to the gills by the time we finished all of that and hopped a cab back home just in time for a nice afternoon siesta.
After finishing here, we're off to another highly recommended enoteca for a little light dinner and then hopefully some gelato. We passed a place earlier that had no less than 50 flavors! All I can say is ol' Baskin Robbins better watch his ass if this gelato thing ever takes off in the states.
Wednesday, November 26, 2003
We just took a very long bus trip on our favorite, the 116 to get back to the area with the internet cafe. It's packed here, lots of young hipsters logging in and tuning out.
Today we went to the Villa Borghese and saw all of the wonderful art. It was very nice, and I'm pretty sure that C will write about it in his entry, so I won't steal his thunder here in mine.
Allison was right, this is a very romantic city. Not sure what it is exactly, but it is. The buildings are so old and seasoned, it's amazing. We wandered through Piazza Navona tonight and it was just like a movie. There are huge fountains at either end of this area. About two hundred people were gathered around listening to a speach over a loudspeaker about something related to the Communist party. There were artists selling their work, either side of the piazza was lined with restaurants and it all seemed very surreal.
Later we stopped at an Enoteca (wine bar) and enjoyed a bottle of local Frascati a very light crisp white wine. There are Enotecas in most neighborhoods and they sell wine to enjoy there and to take with. If you enjoy your wine in house, you can also order from an assortment of appetizers. We got a little mixed plate with amazing cheeses including a really buttery something or other and a true parmagianno that was salty and delicious. There were also three kinds of salami that were all rich and flavorful, but each a little different from the next. We also had one little piece of crostini with what I believe was some kind of tampenade, a strong, rich olive paste with sweet roasted garlic - it was strong, but terrific.
Now we must get out of here and go find some dinner so I've got something to write about tomorrow! ,-) Ciao!
Today we went to the Villa Borghese and saw all of the wonderful art. It was very nice, and I'm pretty sure that C will write about it in his entry, so I won't steal his thunder here in mine.
Allison was right, this is a very romantic city. Not sure what it is exactly, but it is. The buildings are so old and seasoned, it's amazing. We wandered through Piazza Navona tonight and it was just like a movie. There are huge fountains at either end of this area. About two hundred people were gathered around listening to a speach over a loudspeaker about something related to the Communist party. There were artists selling their work, either side of the piazza was lined with restaurants and it all seemed very surreal.
Later we stopped at an Enoteca (wine bar) and enjoyed a bottle of local Frascati a very light crisp white wine. There are Enotecas in most neighborhoods and they sell wine to enjoy there and to take with. If you enjoy your wine in house, you can also order from an assortment of appetizers. We got a little mixed plate with amazing cheeses including a really buttery something or other and a true parmagianno that was salty and delicious. There were also three kinds of salami that were all rich and flavorful, but each a little different from the next. We also had one little piece of crostini with what I believe was some kind of tampenade, a strong, rich olive paste with sweet roasted garlic - it was strong, but terrific.
Now we must get out of here and go find some dinner so I've got something to write about tomorrow! ,-) Ciao!
La Roma is as expected and not at all as I thought it would be. Sprawling, tiny, fast paced slow moving ancient and totally throw away, you know - all that best of times worst of times crap. What is undeniable and avoidable is the sheer beauty wherever one looks. Living as I do in a world of SuperTarget and Tinseltown it is quite humbling being in a modern city where the past and the present coexist in such a happy jumble.
This is our first real day here... somnolent Tuesday doesn't count since the jet lag was so profound I was a bit like Frodo in the LOTR movies when he puts on the ring... invisible, shell shocked and barely conscious as the real world whirls about unrecognized. Ten hours of sleep later I am human again and full of delight to stop off for due cappucini e paste at the local Bar, followed by a table for two overlooking the open air veg market in Campo di Fiore, drinking in the people and the sights. MB ate a fruit salad that was utter ambrosia, strawberries, pineapple kiwi and sweet pear so bursting with life you could almost swear off carne...
My struggles in speaking l'italiano have been mixed. Eventually everyone knows what I am saying, sometimes because I actually said it. Overall people are very accomodating with what must be the hundredth lost looking americano of the day as he fumbles along... due biglitti per lautobus, per favore? Anyway it's all real real good.
Hope the weather clears up, but a little rain never stopped anybody from drinking wine, non?
This is our first real day here... somnolent Tuesday doesn't count since the jet lag was so profound I was a bit like Frodo in the LOTR movies when he puts on the ring... invisible, shell shocked and barely conscious as the real world whirls about unrecognized. Ten hours of sleep later I am human again and full of delight to stop off for due cappucini e paste at the local Bar, followed by a table for two overlooking the open air veg market in Campo di Fiore, drinking in the people and the sights. MB ate a fruit salad that was utter ambrosia, strawberries, pineapple kiwi and sweet pear so bursting with life you could almost swear off carne...
My struggles in speaking l'italiano have been mixed. Eventually everyone knows what I am saying, sometimes because I actually said it. Overall people are very accomodating with what must be the hundredth lost looking americano of the day as he fumbles along... due biglitti per lautobus, per favore? Anyway it's all real real good.
Hope the weather clears up, but a little rain never stopped anybody from drinking wine, non?
Wheee! So we're here and we have comments! Thanks you guys, how fun it was to see them. We're in an internet cafe (be patient if I make typos - the Italian keyboard is a little different from the US) right now, it's kind of rainy this morning and we've already had a little adventure on an electric bus.
So that sleeping on the plane thing is really overrated. I got about two hours. It's just not comfortable and it was a little bumpy - but everything was on time so that was good. We arrived in Rome in the morning and it was a sunny clear day. The area around the airport on our descent was all very agricultural - green and beautiful, lots of orange tiled roofs glowing in the sunshine. Our driver was waiting at the airport as promised and he loaded us up and drove us about 30-45 minutes to our apartment. There was some highway, not very busy and then some city driving down narrow little streets with vegetation and walls on either side. Tons and tons of scooters zooming around, mostly Aprilias, Hondas, Suzukis. Not too many Vespas, a few vintage ones here and there and a few newer, but most are not the scooters we see in the states.
Cars are tiny, even their SUVs and mini vans are smaller than ours. Their "sub-compact" cars would probably be considered sub sub compacts back home. There are a lot of little Smart cars. Tiny little two seaters with a little hatchback - they are about half the size of a new Mini Cooper. I would drive one, but not back home considering a pot hole would probably provide more of a bump to one of those huge SUVs or Hummers than running into/over one of these little cars. We've also seen some Piaggio Ape 50's (pronounced Ah-pay) driving around making deliveries of fruits and vegetables. These are little three wheeled motorized trucks made by the same people who make the Vespa.
We had real cappuccino standing at the cafe bar this morning. It was like a little hive of activity, people literally gulping down their cappuccino while standing and eating croissant and then running off, presumably to work. A man next to me ordered a little shot glass of espresso, dumped sugar in - we are talking about 2.5 tablespoons of espresso with about two teaspoons of sugar - threw it down his gullet and shot out to the street. The cappuccino was tasty and the little croissant with chocolate was delicious. Cappuccino is not like what you get at *$ (Starbuck's) it doesn't have that slightly burnt coffee taste, it's richer, not very bitter, very dark and has nice steamed milk swirled on top. They say that the espresso doesn't have as much caffeine as our regular American brewed coffee. I guess because you're only getting an ounce or two of caffeinated beverage instend of the 12 oz or more you would get in a cup of coffee.
We also had delicious gelato last night - yes, I know this is turning into the food weblog, but I know that won't disappoint a number of my gentle readers who join me in a love for the gustatory adventure - you know who you are. So the gelato, for those of you in Austin, it's similar to, but still a little different from what you'll find at Babbo. The Italian gelato is lighter, less creamy and even a little less sweet, but delicious. You get a piccolo (small) and it's two scoops on a cone. It's super soft and really yummy. Other travelogues I've read have said that people go into serious gelato withdrawal when they get back to the states.
So that sleeping on the plane thing is really overrated. I got about two hours. It's just not comfortable and it was a little bumpy - but everything was on time so that was good. We arrived in Rome in the morning and it was a sunny clear day. The area around the airport on our descent was all very agricultural - green and beautiful, lots of orange tiled roofs glowing in the sunshine. Our driver was waiting at the airport as promised and he loaded us up and drove us about 30-45 minutes to our apartment. There was some highway, not very busy and then some city driving down narrow little streets with vegetation and walls on either side. Tons and tons of scooters zooming around, mostly Aprilias, Hondas, Suzukis. Not too many Vespas, a few vintage ones here and there and a few newer, but most are not the scooters we see in the states.
Cars are tiny, even their SUVs and mini vans are smaller than ours. Their "sub-compact" cars would probably be considered sub sub compacts back home. There are a lot of little Smart cars. Tiny little two seaters with a little hatchback - they are about half the size of a new Mini Cooper. I would drive one, but not back home considering a pot hole would probably provide more of a bump to one of those huge SUVs or Hummers than running into/over one of these little cars. We've also seen some Piaggio Ape 50's (pronounced Ah-pay) driving around making deliveries of fruits and vegetables. These are little three wheeled motorized trucks made by the same people who make the Vespa.
We had real cappuccino standing at the cafe bar this morning. It was like a little hive of activity, people literally gulping down their cappuccino while standing and eating croissant and then running off, presumably to work. A man next to me ordered a little shot glass of espresso, dumped sugar in - we are talking about 2.5 tablespoons of espresso with about two teaspoons of sugar - threw it down his gullet and shot out to the street. The cappuccino was tasty and the little croissant with chocolate was delicious. Cappuccino is not like what you get at *$ (Starbuck's) it doesn't have that slightly burnt coffee taste, it's richer, not very bitter, very dark and has nice steamed milk swirled on top. They say that the espresso doesn't have as much caffeine as our regular American brewed coffee. I guess because you're only getting an ounce or two of caffeinated beverage instend of the 12 oz or more you would get in a cup of coffee.
We also had delicious gelato last night - yes, I know this is turning into the food weblog, but I know that won't disappoint a number of my gentle readers who join me in a love for the gustatory adventure - you know who you are. So the gelato, for those of you in Austin, it's similar to, but still a little different from what you'll find at Babbo. The Italian gelato is lighter, less creamy and even a little less sweet, but delicious. You get a piccolo (small) and it's two scoops on a cone. It's super soft and really yummy. Other travelogues I've read have said that people go into serious gelato withdrawal when they get back to the states.
