It's Back to Reality...no more vino at noon?

Things we are looking forward to back home:

1.  Seeing our kids

2.  Wine on the patio with Carmen and George

3.  BBQs with our friends

4.  Seeing the completion of our wall of windows project

5.  A hamburger and McDonald’s French Fries, Mexican, Thai, Sushi and anything but Italian

6.  Our familiar routine

7.  Our bed

8.  Exercising at the club

9.  Happy Hour on Fridays

10.  Seeing our friend, Glenn, get married

11.  Seeing our friends, Maria and Jay, get married
12.  Thanksgiving on the patio with our family and friends and the Gobble Contest
13.  Drying out - or at least not starting vino at noon - okay, maybe this could go on the next list as well?

Things we are NOT looking forward to back home:

1.  Getting on the scale after 4 weeks of pasta, pizza and wine!!

Ciao Italy - what an incredible 4 weeks!!!  Back to AZ tomorrow!!!

Super Cool Way to Buy Wine! Almost Intravenous!

Cantine D'Offizi is THE perfect wine shop!

We need this in the states but there is no way our control boards will go for it....

They sample wine from huge metal drums then you pick your favorite.  Once picked, they pour a liter of your favorite wine into a PLASTIC carton.  You pay for the wine (approx 1.60 euro) and you pay for the plastic carton (approx .50 euro) - total price $2.10 euro.  Finished with your carton?  Bring it back for a refill and pay only for the wine.

Wine was outstanding and you can't beat the cost of 1.60 euro which is less than $3.00 per bottle (yep, three dollars per bottle).  Actually, the wine we liked best, Falanghina Benevento  (Falanghina is the varietal and Beneveto is the province), was only 1.40 euro!  This was a beautiful, light, dry, patio wine...

 Click Here to Learn More About Cantine D'Offizi

Talk about the new and improved Anthem Happy Hour!

Best Restaurant! - Sara Margherita

Sara Margherita Ristorante

We may never eat again....or at least until tomorrow!  This place is hard to find but over-the-top GREAT.  Address is Piazza delle Cinque Scole 30 and there is no sign outside so look for the red curtain.

Artichoke in a potato "chip style"

We got there and they started bringing us food since we didn't have a clue what we were going to order.  First course was antipasto of everything artichoke you can imagine (Hannah, you would have been in artichoke heaven).  Second course was a pasta with ricotta and pepper.  Third course was a ravioli with meat sauce.  Fourth course...yep, we were full and still going...meatballs and a vegetable dish of marinated broccoli.  We were STUFFED!

Sara the VERY nice owner that makes people fat and happy!

The Vatican

Vatican Courtyard

Today we took a private-guided Vatican tour.  It was fabulous for two reasons - reason one, we didn't have to wait in a two hour line to get tickets (they say this is the slow season so you can imagine that line when it is the fast season) and reason two, our guide gave us the history of Rome and the church in simplistic terms.  The Vatican museum was impressive but it was the Sistine Chapel and St Peter's Basilica that really stole the show. 

I have seen pictures of the Sistine Chapel but up close, it is even more breath taking!  Standing in the middle of the room, the hairs on my arms were standing on end!  The detail, the foresight and the skill of Michelangelo ... all I can say is WOW.  We learned that he was not a painter, he was a sculptor and he didn't want to do the project, which makes it even more amazing that he was able to apply his talents, learn fresco painting and then spend four years (1508 to 1512) creating something that is so brilliant!  You aren't allowed to take pictures so here is a link to images:  Images of Sistine Chapel .

St Peter's Basilica

St Peter's Basilica is HUGE...the largest church and to prove that they have plaques on the floor where the size of other chapels would end.  It can hold 60,000 people and covers 5.7 acres! The interior is decorated with marble, reliefs, architectural sculpture and gold gilding.  Very impressive! 

The Beauty of Rome...

Spanish Steps

Piazza del Popolo

Special Picture for Hedy - Thinking about You!

Picture for Hedy

Memory Lane...

Last night we went for dinner at Ristorante Girarrosto Toscano located near at the end of Via Veneto near Villa Borghese.  Jeff and his family visited this restaurant 37 years ago, Jeff and I visited it 4 years ago and now we had the privilege of going again last night. 

The food was wonderful AGAIN and my date was charming as always!  If you ever go, be sure to order the antipasto of the house – they bring out samples of every antipasto you can imagine – true Tuscan dining.  Consistently good and old school!

Our legs hurt!

First few days in Rome have been awesome!  Most of the locations we are seeing for a second time and enjoying them even more.

·         Campo dei  Firori – A crazy busy outside market with every kind of vendor imaginable.  It is awesome!

·         Trevi Fountain – Rumor has it that if you throw coins into the fountain you will get to return to Rome.  AND I know for a fact that it works because I threw my penny in four years ago and here we are!

·         Travestevere  - A great neighborhood full of shops and excitement.  

·         Spanish Steps - Ffilled with cute teenagers waiting to meet other cute teenagers.

·         Colloseum – No, we didn’t see any gladiators but we did see it “lit on fire” at night for an art exhibition.  Spectacular!

·         Pantheon – Domed temple that you can’t miss.

·         Roman Forum – The main square for Ancient Rome.

·         And many piazzas - All gorgeous and worthy of wine and lingering!  We sure will miss that 12:00 wine in a piazza!

Our legs are sooooo exhausted and our cheeks hurt from smiling. 

Italian Wine Recommendation

Leone 09 Tesca D'Almarita. 
http://www.cellartours.com/italy/italian-wineries/tasca-d-almerita-winery.html

85% Catarratto and 15% Chardonnay. Aged in French oak + additional time in bottle, combined 6 months, no Malolactic, 12.5% alc.

Delicious!

Our New Home in Rome

In 2005 we visited Rome for 3 nights and I fell in love.  On that trip we did a majority of the main tourist sites and took a private tour of the ruins.  We stayed at the Marriott near the Spanish Steps, in the heart of the action.  It was an incredible trip not to mention my very first trip to Europe – thanks to Jeff.

Apartment in Rome

This time we decided to rent an apartment off the beaten path.  Jeff used VRBO to find the apartment.  Words can’t describe how perfect this place is…it is in a neighborhood called Testaccio, which is close to the metro station and bus route so you can get to the “action” spots quickly but enjoy the true Italian neighborhood feel.  The apartment itself has everything from air conditioning to internet…and it is very spacious.  Top that off with cute neighborhood bars and restaurants and it is PERFECT!  Plus, it was about a third of the price of a hotel in Rome.  www.vrbo.com/296050 (+39 340 469 5687)

Testaccio Food Market

We have been to the Testaccio Food Market twice (an outdoor market about one block away) so we could have a couple of “home-cooked meals” and  we found the Volpetti  which is filled with meats and cheese and everything Italian.  And the best part is that the Gelatto shop is right next door to our apartment! 

Prison Break

After another disco-filled evening of no sleep and bug bites I woke to Jeff riffling around in the kitchen.  "Honey, what are you doing" I lazily asked.  "GETTING US OUT OF HERE" was his answer.  I have never loved my husband more!

Immediately we began packing,  Jeff called to get our Rome apartment 2 nights early, we drove to Bari to return the car and hopped a flight to Rome.  By 2pm we were in Rome and about as happy as 2 people can be!

Tid Bits for Traveling to Italy

·         Here are a few things we picked up ...

      “Il Conto” means the “the bill” which you must ask for as they will not rush you ever – US could learn a thing or two from that one!  Add “Per Piacere which sounds like  knoto pehr pyah-chaireh to add a “Please” to the request.  I must be honest and say that we can only get as far as “It Conto”.

Know the names of every possible meat and fish…trust me, this will keep you from a mouth  full of horse meat or octopus if that is not your meal of choice.

·         The bathroom is a toilette…my use of “banyo” did not immediately ingratiate me.  And it is “Graizie” pronounced grahtsee-eh NOT Gracias….again, a slip that did not make me popular.

·         To order a local wine it is “Mezzo Rosso Locale” and only once have we wished for a different wine.

·         Showers are either not existent or very small…seriously small!  Rooms are small too but I think that is "cute".

     When you head to the trains, metro etc be sure to carry 5 euros on you - most ticket machines will not make change for over 4 euros.

·         If you can do it…pack a carry-on and travel light.  While I have to say that I am SICK of my clothing right now, I am also very happy not to cart it down cobble-stone streets and up the stairs onto trains!

     Use Ciao Darcy (www.ciaodarcy.com) to avoid a trip like Metaponto!

Wine Lesson 201

Aglianico is the wine variety of choice in Southern Italy.  It is a beautiful red (rosso) that you can find at almost every restaurant and wine bar. 

We will definitely pay attention to this varietal when we are back in Arizona!