Getting Your Flower Fix in Rome

“The earth laughs in flowers.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

Rome is a beautiful city, but in spring time, it's like the prettiest woman wearing her best dress.  There are many ways to enjoy spring to the max in Rome.  Read on to see where to get your flower fix!

1. The Rose Garden
Rome's rose garden is a magical place, open to the public from
April to June ( April 21st to June 19th this year).  Over a thousand types of roses are in bloom and their perfume is something you will never forget.  Address: Via di Valle Murcia 6.  You can get there taking the metro's B line and getting off at the Circo Massimo exit.  It's hours of operations are 8:30 am to 7:30 pm.

2. Flowers on the Spanish Steps

The Spanish Steps are a great spot to take a break from all the walking you do around Rome.  Tourists and locals alike sit down in these ancient steps and enjoy the view of downtown Rome and the fashion houses around Via Condotti.  In spring, the city displays hundreds of azaleas in bloom making this spot even more memorable.  This year however, because of the maintenance being performed to the ancient steps, the azalea display will be moved to the steps of the Campidoglio (Rome's city hall).

3. The Garden of Ninfa

This garden is for serious flower lovers, it is one of the most beautiful gardens in the world!  It is located outside of Rome's city center so you will need to arrange transportation there, but it is a paradise on earth.  There are guided tours and now you can make reservations online.  Click here for more information.  They only allow a small number of people to visit the gardens every year.  So if you are serious about adding this stop to your itinerary, plan ahead.

4. Villa D'Este

Located 30 minutes outside of Rome in Tivoli, Villa D'Este with it's 16th century garden is one of the best examples of a Renaissance garden.  Adorned with fountains and statues, it will make you feel like a queen or king, especially during the spring time.

If you are planning to visit Rome in April or May, make sure you get your flower fix in these top four Roman gardens and find inspiration for your own garden at home.

Arrivederci for now,

Off The Beaten Path: Orvieto

“A day spent without the sight or sound of beauty, the contemplation of mystery, or the search of truth is a poverty-stricken day; and a succession of such days is fatal to human life.” Lewis Mumford

Sometimes we have this idea that in order to disconnect and recharge we have to go to far away lands or to an exotic paradise.  While living in Italy, I was hoping to see all its regions and whenever I had a chance to travel, I went to destinations as far from Rome as possible.  I kept putting nearby day-trips aside for later.

Finally, one day I decided to visit Orvieto, a town north of Rome, located in the Umbria region and only an hour and a half drive from Rome.  I've heard of it, but I didn't know the true jewel I was going to find there. 

TIP: Many times, due to time constrains, travelers have to decide between visiting the north or the south of Italy.  If you choose to tour Southern Italy, a visit to Orvieto will give you a taste of the northern medieval towns without too much of a detour from Rome.  The town sits on top of a hill and once you get there there is a fantastic view of the country side from the municipal parking area. 

I was fascinated by the charm of Orvieto.  Its cathedral with horizontal black and white stripes on its sides and vertical pink and blue lines on the facade, in addition to the elaborate decorative stone work is so beautiful you want to sit on the other side of the piazza and just stare at it for a while.  

Another spot you must visit in Orvieto is Saint Patrick's Well.  Completed in the year 1,537 was originally commissioned by Pope Clemente VII to ensure proper water supply for the city during times of turmoil.  The engineering of the well is impressive.  A center circular shaft 200 feet deep is surrounded by two spiral staircases built in such way that they don't ever collide.  It was design so two mules could access the well at the same time without crossing paths.  Each staircase has 248 steps, and for the modest sum of five euro and a little bit of courage, you can descend to the bottom of the well.  A fantastic experience! Make sure to take breaks and look up or down through the arched windows that provide light to the entire structure.

If you are tired after the stair master class, take a break on the main piazza, sipping some wine and maybe buying the beautiful umbrian pottery.

That is all for today, arrivederci amici!

Beware, we are in Ferragosto

"When all else fails, take a vacation" Betty Williams

Hello! If you are in the northern hemisphere I  hope you are enjoying a wonderful summer.  If you were in Italy right now, you would be immersed is some strange but lovely phenomenon called Ferragosto.

So what is Ferragosto?  Officially, Ferragosto is an Italian holiday celebrated on August 15 a tradition born 2,000 years ago when the Romans celebrated the end of the grain harvesting season with well-deserved festivities and a break from work.  The Church being unable to stop the festivities added the celebration of the Assumption of Mary to August 15.  But to say Ferragosto is a summer holiday would not be even scratching the surface.

In Itay and many other parts of Europe, most people take their vacation during the month of August (Agosto in Italian, hence the second part of the Ferr-agosto word).  If you are planning to  travel to Europe during the month of August make sure you book your accommodations well in advance, unless you want your only overnight option to be a yacht for 36,000 Euro a night; been there, have not done that.

But let's look a little more into the realities of Ferragosto:

• As every employee wants to take their vacation during the month of August many small businesses just close completely for a couple of weeks in August.
• If you are trying to get anything done during the month of August, Forget About It!  Just accept the fact that everyone you have to deal with is on vacation, about to go on vacation or not even there.
• You can basically scratch the month of August from the calendar and join everyone else at the beach (like Sperlonga or Vieste) or the cooler mountains.
• Be prepared for tons of traffic anywhere near the ocean.
• If you decide to stay in the city, enjoy the abundance of parking spaces and zero traffic but remember, most businesses will be closed and is really too hot to do anything anyway.
• There is even a word in the Italian language for the day when everything goes back to the normal daily routine:  "Rientro" meaning re-entry, after Ferragosto, or course.  
• Look for the religious festivities of the Assumption of Mary, being one of the most popular celebrations the one in Siena.

As I day dream of past Ferragostos and get ready to continue the tradition this year, I hope you are enjoying the warm and long days of summer.

Arrivederci for now,

Around Rome: So You Want to See the Pope

“We need saints without cassocks, without veils - we need saints with jeans and tennis shoes." Pope Francis

So you want to see the Pope.  Me too.  Whether you are Catholic or not, Pope Francis is the leader of the smallest country in the world and a charismatic and revolutionary figure in today's world.  His teachings are about peace, personal service and humility.  Ideals to which people from different faiths can relate.  Many Christians and non-Christians alike come to Rome to hear His teachings and receive His blessings.  So here is the breakdown on how to see the Pope.

Papal Audiences happen every Wednesday Pope Francis is in town.  You will need tickets (click here to order tickets) if you want to be closer to the outdoor altar area, but even if you didn't get a ticket, there is plenty of standing area from where you can see and hear the Pope.  If you want to be in the sitting areas, you'll have to arrive at 8:00 am or earlier.  

Everyone coming into the square will have to go through security (bags and all belongings will be X-rayed) and people have to go through a metal detector.  Once you go through security you can access the sitting area if you are there early or stand around the square.

Today I was in St. Peter's square for the audience and my friends and I chose to stand by the barriers placed to mark the path of the Pope-mobile.  What a great decision that was!  If you are first on the barrier you will see the Pope as close as you can possibly see Him.  

These summer days with intense heat, make sure to bring a hat and a bottle of water.  The audience is scheduled for 10:30 but the Pope comes out earlier and goes around the square in his Pope-mobile blessing the visitors.  After that, He will talk to the people on the square after a reading from the Bible in different languages.

How to get there:

By metro: Take line A on the Metro and get off at the Ottaviano/SanPietro metro stop.  From there it's an easy walk to Saint Peter's square. Follow the masses.
By car: Park at the Gianicolo Parking lot located at VIA URBANO VIII 16/C 00165 ROMA 

Things You Shouldn't Miss:

• After the general audience enter Saint Peter's Basilica and marvel at Michelangelo's The Pieta and Bernini's altar.
• Go up the steps and see Rome from the cupola of Saint Peter's basilica.  Take great pictures from there.
• Walk through the colonnade designed by Bernini. 

If you want to see the Sistine Chapel, you'll have to leave Saint Peter's square and go to the Vatican Museums.  It's better to get your tickets on-line ahead of time (tickets here).

I hope you found this information useful.  I feel blessed by having had the opportunity to see the Pope today and wish to pass my blessings on to you. 

God bless you.

Making Time for the Simple Pleasures

“Slow down and enjoy life. It's not only the scenery you miss by going too fast - you also miss the sense of where you are going and why.”  Eddie Cantor

This may sound like an odd question, but have you ever been in a "slow town"?  I have.  I was there last weekend and let me tell you it was slow!  Most urban folks are used to the fast-paced cities where everything moves at hurricane-speed.  Women, the ultimate multitaskers, are constantly going through an imaginary revolving door, going from one activity to the other and when you are trapped going at that rhythm, it is very hard to slow down.

A trip to Italy might just re-set your RPMs.  Italians are fantastic at slowing down.  After living here for a few years I have a renewed appreciation for their take on what's important in life.  Apparently, slowing down will not only be beneficial to your heart health,  it will also improve your chances of loosing weight and even boost your sex life (Read: 8 Reasons to Slow Down).  It seams to me that every Italian person has read and practices the suggestions of this article.  For example, when I first arrived in Italy I would be furious when there was a cloud of people in front of a counter all waiting to be helped by one single person, then I realized I was the only one bothered by the situation, everyone else waited patiently.  There you have it, 50% more chances of developing high blood pressure, while Italians with their natural Zen, will live forever...

So, back to the Slow City, it is called Sperlonga and it is located two hours south of Rome.  It is a sea-side town with an old village on top of a hill, overlooking the ocean.  The Hotel Aurora is a great option for those traveling there as it is located right next to a central piazza and on the water front.  Sipping a Spritz on the terrace, will definitively make you slow down your RPMs! (Can I now reclaim my low blood pressure please?!)

At one of our lunches at the hotel, we were given only a couple of options from which to choose, the menu of the day basically; less options = less stress.  Another day we dinned in the town, and the food came to our table an hour after we sat down.  A disgrace of a restaurant you may say.....but NO! we did get an antipasto and our wine, and were dinning "al fresco" staring at the calming waves (disclaimer: my kids got their pasta dishes right away and moved on to play in the sand).... it was a perfect time for conversation, relaxation and mindful eating, all the skills we loose with our fast-paced lives.

Even if you are not in Italy, take a minute of your day to be grateful for the sweet smells of spring, or the softness of your child's embrace.  Take another minute to savor your meals, ditch a couple of unnecessary tasks and go outside to feel the warmth of the sun touching your skin.  At the end of the day, that is what life is all about, isn't it?

Now I will say "arrivederci" in sloooow motion.....until next time,

Happy Birthday Roma

“Look back over the past, with its changing empires that rose and fell, and you can foresee the future too.”  Marcus Aurelius 

Happy Birthday Rome!!  This Tuesday April 21st, Rome will be celebrating it's 2768th birthday.  Like every year, the city organizes cultural events and reenactments.  I rushed to the forum this morning to bring you a sneak peek into what is going to happen starting today, until Tuesday. 

Most reenactments will happen at the Circus Maximus, a span of green behind the colosseum.  There is plenty of room for everyone to celebrate with Rome.  There are a few stands that sell commemorative t-shirts, Roman times paraphernalia and food.  For additional information of the festivities click here  

To arrive to the festivities, the closest metro stop is Circo Massimo, a stop on the B Line.  You can also use the Colosseo stop which is the one located right in front of the Colisseum. 

Additionally, in celebration of the city's birthday, the museums run by the city are free to the public and will open until midnight on April 21st.  Some special exhibits will still require a ticket.  

There will also be concerts by military bands in many of the city's squares, so be there or be square!  Lastly, the city will inaugurate a special lighting system that will make the forum shine more than ever.  If you have plans to visit Rome (please read this first) it may be a good idea to plan your trip around April 21 and take part of the festivities, needless to say the weather this time of the year is just perfect.

Arrivederci for now,

Garden Inspirations from a Roman Emperor

"If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need" Marcus Tullius Cicero

Spring is finally here in Rome and if there is anything synonymous with spring, it is a garden. Today I visited two wonderful places located forty minutes outside of Rome, in a town called Tivoli: The Villa D'Este and Hadrian's Villa.  Villa D'Este has the most wonderful gardens you can imagine, and I would post hundreds of pictures if I could.

If you are planning to revamp your garden, why not take some inspiration from these UNESCO world heritage sites?  I'm not an empress and certainly I'm no gardener (I have the brownest thumb anyone can have), but I've found much needed inspiration in the gardens of Villa D'Este and Hadrian's Villa to try to apply to the garden of my humble home. 

Here are some pointers of what I saw today:

1. Consider adding rhythm to your garden: Find something you like and repeat, repeat and repeat. 

2. Add a fruit tree to your garden, they are beautiful and yummy at the same time.  Plus the reward of knowing where your food comes from is priceless!

3. A water feature will make you feel like an empress/emperor

4. Flowers flowers everywhere.  We are all used to flower beds, have you considered having flowers above your head?

5. Multi-Function Shrubs: Rosemary is resilient, edible and has beautiful blooms, if Emperor Hadrian used it so can you.

I hope you enjoyed today's post, if you have any other gardening advise please leave it in the comments section, I need all the help and motivation I can get.

Arrivederci for now,

Time for Gelato

"Io che qui sto morendo, e tu che mangi il gelato" I'm here dying and you are eating gelato. Lucio Dalla

Hello Spring!  Weather in Rome has been fabulous this last week, and with nice warm weather I get an intense need for gelato.  Since we are going to be talking about gelato we need to realize not all gelato is created equal.  The good artisanal gelato can be spotted following these tips:

• Are the mountains of gelato bigger than Mt. Everest?  Probably not the best quality, as gelato made with real ingredients will not be able to withstand such heights.
• Are the colors realistic as found in nature?  A connoisseur told me to check the banana flavor and make sure it's white and not yellow.  Beware of bright blue Smurf flavors and mint that is kryptonite green.
•  The texture should be creamy and it should not be overly sweet.

Now that you'll be able to recognize a good artisanal gelato let's see where to find them in Rome.  Let's have an award ceremony:

1. My personal favorite and winner of all my informal market research:

Come Il Late

This gelateria makes the cones on the spot and the sweet smell emanating from the store is impossible to resist.  The cone is first filled with dark or white chocolate and it's topped with an extra chocolate covered wafer.  The flavors are very authentic; try their Mango, Salted Caramel or any flavor your heart desires....you won't be disappointed.

2. A Traditional Gelateria 

Giolitti

A nice traditional gelateria with a location downtown rome and two others (click on the link for addresses).  There is always a long line outside.  Note: If you sit down and get service at your table, the gelato will be more expensive than if you get your ticket and choose your gelato at the counter.  

3. When More Means A Lot More

Gelateria Della Palma 

Claim to fame of Gelateria della Palma is that they serve 150 flavors, and they do!  It is located steps from the Pantheon, so if you are out admiring this wonderful church, don't miss a visit to Gelateria della Palma.

4. One for the Organic Lovers

GROM

GROM is a chain with several locations around town.  They only use organic ingredients and their flavors vary with the season as they use seasonal ingredients.  They don't use colorants nor chemicals of any kind.  Only a few flavors available, but they are all excellent!  

5. The Out of the Way Combo Kings

Mondi (Via Flaminia Vecchia 468)

This gelateria and pastry store is one of the best of Rome but is not in the center of town.  Located in the The Ponte Milvio neighborhood if you decide to go for a ride, other than gelato, you'll be enjoying a part of Rome that has been kept for locals only.  Mondi offers great combo flavors like Zabaione (eggnog) with crunchy caramel and pistacchio or Vanilla with raspberry and chocolate bits.  

6. Last but not Least

Frigidarium

Located a couple of blocks from Piazza Navona, at the heart of old Rome.  This gelateria is a great stop after visiting the wonderful churches and statues of this beautiful city.

And now, with all this talk about gelato, I think I am going to head out the door and get one.  Arrivederci for now,

Things to Do While in Rome: Street Art

“People say graffiti is ugly, irresponsible and childish... but that's only if it's done properly.”  Banksy 

Rome is a city with countless works of art, any church you decide to visit will most likely take your breath away.  There are fountains and statues around any given corner in the city; so many that you'll need more than a lifetime to see them all.  Rome also offers wonderful museums and exhibitions.  However, if church art or deepening your understanding of Roman history is not necessarily your thing, let me tell you that Rome also houses the other type of art: street art!

Pope Francis graffiti @ Spanish Steps Metro

Street artists are present in the major piazzas of Rome, like in Piazza del Popolo and Trastevere.  You'll find a vast array of artists from mimes to clowns, painters and my personal favorites the musicians.  On via Frattina, a quick walk from the Spanish Steps, you'll find opera singers and a violinist that gift us with a perfect soundtrack for our Roman vacation.

Graffiti has recently been taken seriously by the city and agreements have been signed between authorities and street artists to grant them exclusive use of certain city walls to display their art or beautify the city.  The neighborhood of Testaccio has been used as a canvas for graffiti artists, take a walk around and don't miss a stop at their new market.

One of the street artists that has me running around town trying to collect pictures of his work is #CletAbraham, who decorates DO NOT ENTER signs with rebellious stick men and more.  So, if you're planning a trip to Rome, don't forget to keep your eyes open for not only the beautiful art of old Romans, but also the new expressions of art of this generation.

Arrivederci for now,

Things to Do While in Rome: Testaccio Market

"But before we can radically reshape the world, we need to shop.”  John Green

Let's get it out right away, I love markets, food markets that is.  If you really want to get to know a city and its people, go to the local market and observe how the microcosmos of a neighborhood work.  Growing up in South America, my Saturday morning routine included a visit to the market with my mother, you always got the best deals and came home with baskets full of treasures, and fresh fish.  A market can be a bit intimidating, vendors are loud especially if the place is crowded, but no other spot is so full of life and real city scenes than the market. 

If you are coming to Rome, make sure you carve some time to visit the Testaccio market.  Testaccio is a Roman neighborhood on the south west of the city center.  Many connoisseurs say Testaccio is one of the few Roman neighborhoods that has kept its original "flavor", where you do not see many tourists and life is like that of a small town.  To get to the Testaccio market, take the Metro B to the Piramide stop from where you'll have a ten minute walk to reach the market.

This market can be a one-stop-shop as you do not only find fresh produce but you'll also find great deals in shoes, bags, belts, vintage cooking ware; basically anything your heart desires and more. 

If you love food, I would encourage you to join the Taste of Testaccio eating tour, that will take you around the neighborhood with a stop at the Testaccio Market.  The stories I learned about many of the vendors made me love this place even more.

If you are there around lunch or dinner time, a couple restaurants I can recommend are Angelina at Testaccio and Flavio  al Velavevadetto, both great at making the typical Roman dishes (don't know what the typical Roman dishes are? click here!)

Hope you have the chance to visit this charming part of #Rome!

PS. Keep your eyes open and see if you can spot the cool street art around Testaccio...

Arrivederci for now,

From Me To You

“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.”  Pablo Picasso

Gift giving is something many of us associate with birthdays and Christmas, at least I know I do. But in reality we should not have to wait for a certain date to share a gift with those we love.  And I am really enjoying the trend of "paying it forward", when people do something nice for a complete stranger without expecting anything in return.  The world is so crazy right now, that those on the side of peace, love and tolerance, need to step up our game and give more of us to the world.

There are people who are natural givers, including my sister-in-law and my friends Rosi.  No matter how busy they are and how hard life is at a particular moment, they always find time for others and in my opinion, there is no better gift to give than your time and your presence.

But going back to my recurrent theme of all things Italian, I wanted to share with you how much I appreciate gift giving in Italy, as many people still give culinary presents to each other.  And I'm not talking about a box of chocolates they picked up at the store, I'm talking about jellies and preservers, garlic-flavored olive oil and spicy pepperoncino, all home made.  I can only imagine the amount of time and work it took the cook to peel, cut, process and bottle a preserve.  I don't care if I get onion jelly in a jar that used to hold tomatoes, I don't care if the presentation is not as fancy as the one from the store.  Home-made-with-love is the only label I really care about.  (PS. have you every tried onion jelly? yummo!!)  And all the jars used for these culinary presents are reused and recycled.

A couple of weeks ago, when the season for lemons was in full swing, we received a whole bunch of organic lemons from a friend of ours.  Son#2 made tons of lemonade and I baked my friend Laura's Lemon Cake, but my husband really wanted to try making home-made Limoncello.

So today, from me to you, here is my Hubby's Limoncello recipe:

Peel the lemons making sure you are only taking the yellow part of the peel (leave the white part behind, it will make your limoncello bitter).  Pour the alcohol in a big glass container and add the lemon peel.  Leave the concoction to macerate for 11 to 15 days.  Shake the container every day.  After your long wait, make a syrup with water and sugar (bring the water to a boil, pour the sugar and mix until it dissolves) let it cool completely.  Pour your alcohol mix through a strainer or cheese cloth to get rid of the lemon peel.  Add your alcohol mixture to your cool syrup.  Mix well. Pour your home made Limoncello into glass bottles and keep it in the freezer.  Enjoy a chilled shot glass after dinner.

Arrivederci, and pay it forward whenever you can!