Roman Holiday

Get in my bellaaaaaaay!

Buongiorno!  Come stai?  This is all the Italian I know.  'Good day' and 'How are you?'.  I know a fair amount of food as well, but I don't think that food counts.  To be fair, I also know 'Ciao', 'A presto', 'Bene', and 'Grazie'.  But at this point we truly have exhausted my Italian knowledge.  It's too bad that I don't know more because I have a new best friend who doesn't speak a word of English; my friend Luigi's mother.  Luigi's mother and I get along famously.  Mostly because we have no idea what the other is saying.  But more on that later.  J and I have officially recovered from our weekend trip to Roma.  We had a blast.  Amazing food, fabulous company and the Eternal City.  Who could want more?

We began our Friday at 3:30 AM.  Now just to put that into perspective, that is 10:30 PM EST.  So many of you had not yet even gone to bed when we were waking up.  We had ordered a cab for 4:00 and off we went to Victoria Station.  Victoria Station is about a 10 minute cab ride from our flat.  It is a Tube Station as well as a hub for the National Rail Service.  Express trains to Gatwick Airport, aptly named the Gatwick Express, operate out of here and have you at the airport in a half hour.  After a chai latte & a scone for me and a ham, egg, and cheese McMuffin sandwich for Juan (gross... as a New Yorker I can not accept the McDonald's excuse for my beloved bacon, egg, & cheese) we were on our way to Roma!  We landed at about 10:15 AM Rome time and our friend Luigi was quickly there to pick us up.  One item of note regarding immigration.  J holds the citizenship of an EU country.  He gets to go through the EU Passport holders line when traveling within the Euro Zone.  Since I am his wife, even though I do not hold an EU Passport, I get to got through this designated area as well.  I thought this was petty cool!  Accept... I didn't get a stamp in my passport.  Wha whaaaa.  Maybe I'll just draw one in there.  I'm sure it wouldn't cause any issue.

 "No pretty stamp for you!"

So off we went to Luigi's flat.  He lives in an area of Rome called Mostacciano.  It feels like a suburb of the city, but its official designation is within the city limits.  It is a lovely area with lots of trees and winding streets.  We stopped quickly for a coffee-and when I say quickly-I mean quickly.  Italians do not make coffee an hour long event.  You get your coffee and maybe a little sweet, often stay standing, and polish it all off within 10 minutes.  It is more of a means of refueling than anything.

A typical residential building in Mostacciano. 

Upon arrival at Luigi's home, we met his parents.  They are absolutely lovely.  This is when Luigi's mom and I became best friends.  Throughout the weekend, I was her favorite conversation mate, despite Luigi's protestations that "lei non capisce".  She insisted that, yes, I did understand.  I did not.  But on some level I think we communicated.  One thing I can say for her is she's got spunk!  I vowed to learn Italian just so that when we return I can "capisco".

After a quick freshening up J & I accompanied Luigi to the supermarket to pick up supplies for lunch.  And what a lunch it was.  Luigi prepared spaghetti alle vongole for us.  As J helped Luigi in the kitchen, I helped his mom set the table in the dining room.  We feasted on the pasta, bread, salad, fruit, and panettone all washed down with wine, water, and espresso-in that order.

This was the biggest pan I have ever seen.

Babo e la Nonna (& Rossi)

After a much needed siesta we were off to the Centre for dinner.  Before that, however, we stopped for a coffee (10 minutes) at Caffe Palombini in EUR.  EUR is a very interesting area just outside of Rome's center.  It is a business and residential area originally chosen in the 1930s as the site for the 1942 World's Fair.  Benito Mussolini wanted to celebrate 20 years of fascism.  The letters E.U.R. stand for Esposizione Universale Roma.  As one could well imagine, the 1942 World's Fair never took place due to the "Seconda Guerra Mondiale".  EUR is a very stark contrast to the architecture in almost any other part of Rome as it has very clean lines, is fairly uniform and is a planned development.

Palazzo della Civilta Italiana
"The Square Colosseum"

Our evening continued in the center of Rome, not far from the Piazza Navona at an excellent little trattoria called Fiammetta.  I have heard J wax poetic about this place since the first time he came with Luigi.  Now, finally, it was my turn to sample the fabled bucatini all'amatriciana.  It was well worth the hype.  I.chowed.down.  If you should ever be in Rome, I highly recommend this place.  But remember, this is not a tourist trap but a spot that caters to locals.  Do NOT expect in and out service.  Relax, enjoy the food and stay a while.  Order some focaccia or a pizza to start and just be happy that you are in Rome!

Go to here!

Heaven on a plate.

Our evening ended with some gelato and a walk through the Piazza Navona and over to the Pantheon.  So much about this made me happy.

#1: Gelato

#2: Piazza Navona at Night

#3: The Pantheon with J

I have been to Rome 3 times and each time I have made the walk (with Luigi) from Piazza Navona to the Pantheon at night.  I love it.  Gone are the overwhelming crowds from the day.  Rome is a place where history really seems to come out at night.  The touristy feel of the city falls away and the wonder at the age of the place really takes over.  I love it.

4.5 years ago J and I met up and took a very similar picture in front of the Pantheon.  We had not been dating long and I was ending a vacation with a long layover in Rome just as J was beginning his traditional 2 week holiday there.  I made my way from Fiumicino to the center by train; found my way from Termini to my hotel and, after a quick drop of my luggage, tore through the city to meet J in a small piazza not far from Piazza Navona.  Apparently, I am a map master!  We walked through the city with some of J's friends and got drinks on the rooftop bar at the Hotel Minerva.  From there we ended up at a piano bar and danced the night away.  I was so excited to be in Rome, my first visit, and to be meeting up with the very person who had encouraged me to travel in the first place.  We could NEVER have known at that point that almost 5 years later we would be back in the same spot, now living as a couple in London.  But here we are!  And I am so grateful for that first night.  It left an indelible impression on me.  

Rome will always hold a special place in my heart.

Next week: MORE FUN IN ROMA!!!