One Capri, Two Perspectives

“We are different because our brain is wired differently. This causes us to perceive the world in different ways and have different values and priorities. Not better or worse - different.” Allan Pease

As my time in Italy is running out, I am going through my list and making sure I've visited the places I wanted to visit and ate the foods I wanted to eat.  So, while checking my Italy bucket list, I realized I had not seen Capri yet!  Anxiety sets in, in no time I'm looking for places to stay and booking train tickets. To get there from Rome, you have take the train to Naples, a taxi to the port and a ferry to Capri (four and a half hours door to door).  You can also get there by boat from the Amalfi coast.

Capri is one of those places that is well-known around the world and that the Italians gracefully leave for the tourists.  They have their own islands they are not marketing to foreigners because they want to keep those to themselves (Ischia, Procida, Sardenia).  Most of of my Italian friends had recommended us to go elsewhere, but how could I possibly leave Italy without seeing this beautiful island?  So I went.

Woman's Perspective:

My friends and the entire world say it's wonderful, I have to see it!

Man's Perpective:

I'm only going because you want to go.

Woman's Perspective:

Wow, look at that nice street lined with luxury brands! Prada, Gucci, Bulgari!

Man's Perpective:

Nothing for me here.

Woman's Perspective:

The Blue Grotto, we have to go, it's such a romantic place!

Man's Perspective:

Tourist trap!  PS. If you are going to do it, you can take the 70 euro private boat from Marina Grande, or the 18 euro sight seeing boat, however, the entrance to the blue grotto is right on the other side of the island, so why not take the 1.80 euro orange bus to the Blue Grotto and then go down the steps to the entrance of the cave?  Seeing the Blue Grotto takes you just a couple of minutes, once you've gone through the entrance of the cave you're there, check out the deep blue reflexion of the light on the water and your time is up.  If you are lucky your boat guy sings.  13 Euro a person to see the Blue Grotto.  More if you took the boats to get there.

The best of Capri was the sunset by the lighthouse.  Second best, we got the recipe of Scialatielli, a wonderful fresh pasta, from the restaurant L'Angolo del Gusto in Anacapri.  Since sharing is caring, here is the recipe:

And don't forget to eat a Caprese Salad while you are in Capri!  (Caprese=from Capri).  Had a very nice meal at Ristorante Pizzeria Verginiello, would certainly recommend it.

Arrivederci for now,

Rome With Kids: Domus at Palazzo Valentini

“There are two kinds of travel: first class and with children.”  Robert Benchley

Rome is a wonderful city for those who appreciate art and history, but what about those traveling with children or teenagers? The answer is yes! Rome can also be a great destination for people traveling with children... if you play your cards right.

I've been traveling a lot for the last 18 years, and all my travels have included my kids.  I'm not saying it's easy, but if you manage your expectations correctly you can have a great time and see some sites at the same time.

Rule number one and the most important one for me: don't expect to see it all, pick some highlights and visit your choice spots.

Rule number two: keep a flexible schedule.  If your little ones are tired and cranky, no one will have a good time.

Rule number three: if all fails, there is always gelato (and wine).

Last week I visited the Domus Romane under Palazzo Valentini and I couldn't wait to tell you all about it!  The domus were the houses of wealthy romans and the one under Palazzo Valentini has been turned into a multimedia museum.  The tour (for which you have to get tickets in advance here) allows you to visit a Roman Senator's extravagant home, imagine attending an open-house in times of the Roman Republic! This is the kind of experience you'll get.  

A visit to the Palazzo Valentini Domus Romane is great for older kids as they won't be looking at ruins, the tour is actually a multimedia experience, so when they are explaining that there was a pool in the room, you'll hear the sound of children splashing in the water.  The remains of the room become alive when laser beams fill in the missing parts of the room giving you an amazing visual of how the house actually was.  Older kids and teens will totally be into this museum!

When traveling with kids to the Eternal city, you may want to add a stop at Villa Borghese.  It is the one park that is most accesible to tourists  (Villa Borghese sits next to the Spanish Steps and Piazza del Popolo, right in the city center).  There, you can find Segway rides, bicycle rentals and more, so take a break from the madness of the tours and insert some free time into your schedule.  Read all about Villa Borghese here.

Lastly, when in Rome, do as the Romans do.  Go to a piazza, buy a gelato and let the kids run around and watch the street performers that are always present in the city squares.

Do you have any tips for traveling with kids?  Would love to hear about them!

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,

Things to Do While in Rome: See it from the Sky!

“You will never know how high you can climb until you reach the top.” K.L. Toth

I have been living in Rome for a while now, and I have walked several times around the Vittorio Emmanuele monument in Piazza Venezzia, but had not climbed to the top until last week.  I was by myself, having a date with Rome; on the days I choose to wander around and get cosy with this wonderful city, I walk without a destination, letting myself get lost in its labyrinth of cobble-stone alleys, only deciding where to turn when I get to the end of a street.  

So I ended up in Piazza Venezia at the Vittorio Emmanuele monument, with its many steps and sculptures.  Piazza Venezia is the heart of the city, marking the end of Via del Corso and the beginning of the Roman Forum.  I know I've said other squares are also the heart of Rome, it's just that Rome has more than one heart.

If you decide to make the climb up the steps of this monument, after reaching the first terrace you'll find the tomb to the Unknown Soldier, right under the Goddess Roma and flanked with two eternal flames.  An entrance to the inside of the monument is also found at this level.  Three museums are housed inside this enormous monument, one to the Italian Flag, another to the Italian Unification and the National Museum of Italian Immigration.

But the best part to this monument is around the back.  If you walk around the first terrace towards the back of the steps you just climbed, you'll find a panoramic elevator that will take you, for seven euros, to the very top of this monument.  Once you exit the elevator your jaw will drop as you'll be in front of one of the most breathtaking views in all of Rome, because you can see a 360 view of the city.  Colisseum, cupolas of the many churches around town, the Roman Forum,  you can see it all from here.

I know you may be rushing from one fountain to another, from one church to another church, but believe me, if you want a birds-eye view of all your Roman landmarks, take the elevator on the Vittorio Emmanuele monument and see Rome from the sky!

Arrivederci for now,

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!

Learning About Food

“This is my invariable advice to people: Learn how to cook- try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless, and above all have fun!” Julia Child

One of the joys of living in Italy has been learning more about food.  The way Italians prepare their food accepting nothing but the best ingredients is something we should all learn from them, as food can make you sick or it can be your best medicine.  I will certainly take with me the fact that the closer you are to the source of your produce, the better your food will taste.  And the cleaner your food is (less processed), the healthier you'll be.

I've had the pleasure to meet Rita, an Italian friend who runs a county-style restaurant where she also gives cooking lessons to those foreigners crazy about Italian food, like me.  I've learned lots of good cooking tips from Rita, but her passion for eating unprocessed foods when mother Earth gives them to you, is in my opinion the best lesson to take away.

In Italy they respect the cycles of the earth, and the produce you find available at the markets is what's in season in Italy at the moment.  If you are American, you've probably been spoiled by having every fruit or vegetable available to you whenever you want it.  You just have to come to accept that produce travels from far away places to end up at your table.  But, have you ever really considered when was your produce harvested and how long has its trip been before reaching your table?

"Farm to table" is not a trendy concept here in Italy,  it's a way of living, and my friend Rita, lives by this principle as she grows her own vegetables or finds sources as close to her as possible.  Needless to say, her cuisine is divine.  If you are in Rome and have enough time to escape the city for a countryside lunch or brunch, look her up: A Casa Di Rita.  You won't regret it.  And if you live in Rome, check out her cooking lessons, they are the best!

Arrivederci for now,

Un Caffè? Coffee?

“To espresso or to latte, that is the question..." Jasper Fforde

I love discovering someone else's favorite Rome spots.  The other day I set out for one of my walks around Rome with a friend of mine who lives right in the middle of downtown Rome and has found her Rome in "centro" (the center of town).  Because we all have "versions" of our city, expanding our repertoires little by little around our homes and work places.

Our walk that day took us to Piazza Navona, as you know, one of my favorite squares in Rome.  After walking and talking for a while, the inevitable question came up: un caffè?  (I don't really drink coffee but) Sure, why not?!  I have learned to drink decaff since I got to Rome, because living in Italy without drinking coffee is just too painful.

When in Rome....you drink coffee for breakfast, whether at home from a macchinetta or at the bar (coffee-bar that is).  You also must have a mid-morning coffee which other than giving you a shot of energy, is an excuse to get you out of the office/house to stretch your legs and get some fresh air. There is no way of finishing lunch without a shot of espresso; sometimes you won't even get the bill unless you are done with your coffee.  Mid-afternoon is the perfect time for coffee time (same reason as for the mid-morning coffee). Finally, after-dinner coffee is still a widely used costume.   Can you now see why it's hard to live here being a non-coffee-drinker?

My personal collection of "macchinette", italian coffee makers

Un caffè? is a question you'll hear often here in Italy.  Is an invitation, as most people love to treat you.  There is also a specific time for coffee, and if you hit the coffee bar at 10:00 am for example, it will be packed beyond belief.  The good news is that most Italians drink espresso shots, standing up and they are on their way promptly.  The fact that there are no lines in the coffee bar, just clouds of people around the counter can prove a bit intimidating, specially for a vertically-challenged foreigner, like me.  If you arrive at the bar (coffee-bar that is) and it's packed, just wait a few minutes and you'll have the chance to try your luck at ordering in peace.  Remember that here, an espresso is know as "un caffè".  Don't go asking for espressos here in Italy.  For a list of the different coffee options click here.

Un caffè?  Sure, why not.  We headed out to a famous downtown coffee bar called Sant'Eustachio.  If you happen to be nearby Piazza Navona, make sure you stop there, savor their already sweetened coffee and pick up a souvenir or two from their many coffee paraphernalia offerings.  This place is a true Roman coffee bar but given its location, it's used to having tourists among their usual clientele.

Arrivederci for now,