TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2010
Shoes, shoes, shoes! You can never have enough
I was speaking to the owner of a little boutique-clothing store in Rome and asked her if she could tell me where she likes to buy her shoes. She gave me 3 great recommendations for fun and interesting and not overly priced places to shop, all of which were in the Campo dei Fiore area of Rome. I ended up buying a fantastic pair of boots at one of the stores she told me about as well as another pair at a neighboring store. This was a great area. These are the stores she told me about:
Loco, Via dei Baullari, 22; Posto Italiano, Via de Giobbonari (it doesn’t have a name on it but you will be drawn to the shoes in the window), the last one is Borini, Via dell’Arco del Monte.
Shoes, shoes, shoes! You can never have enough
I was speaking to the owner of a little boutique-clothing store in Rome and asked her if she could tell me where she likes to buy her shoes. She gave me 3 great recommendations for fun and interesting and not overly priced places to shop, all of which were in the Campo dei Fiore area of Rome. I ended up buying a fantastic pair of boots at one of the stores she told me about as well as another pair at a neighboring store. This was a great area. These are the stores she told me about:
Loco, Via dei Baullari, 22; Posto Italiano, Via de Giobbonari (it doesn’t have a name on it but you will be drawn to the shoes in the window), the last one is Borini, Via dell’Arco del Monte.
Loco, Via dei Baullari, 22; Posto Italiano, Via de Giobbonari (it doesn’t have a name on it but you will be drawn to the shoes in the window), the last one is Borini, Via dell’Arco del Monte.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2010
Rome – ways to see Rome that you never knew existed
If it is your first time in Rome there are certain things you should be sure not to miss. Here are some are some great tips that will make you feel that you have seen all the sites of Rome without the ho-hum tourist experience. If you have been to Rome before but are looking for new ways to see the city, here are a few fresh ideas that will make this experience different from your last.
1. Vatican – St. Peter’s Basilica & tour of the Sistine Chapel. I highly recommend the tour of the Sistine Chapel because you will learn a lot more than you would on an audio guide and it is far more interesting when you can ask questions to a live person. I have gone on and recommended Romearound Tours to many people who have had great experiences with them. All of their tour guide are either teaching Art History, are Artists studying in Italy or are Art History Majors and are extremely knowledgeable and engaging. It is worth the money for this personal tour. I recommend going to the Sistine Chapel first as the lines to get into St. Peter’s lessen in the afternoon. Skye recommends just getting to the Sistine Chapel as soon as it opens so that you can experience all the glory without all the crowds. Don’t look at anything on the way, just run to the Sistine Chapel first. If you knew Skye you would understand that this method makes sense and is completely hers. Remember that there are no shorts (or short skirts) and that women must have their shoulders covered so bring a little sweater or jacket. The general rule is that shoulders and knees must be covered.
Scavi Tour - If you have time on another day you should treat yourself to the Scavi tours. It is a tour of the excavations under the Vatican of the original gravesite for St Peter that was found in 1939 when digging a burial site for one of the newly deceased Popes. There are only about 200 people that get to see it daily and you should call and reserve your spot several months in advance. Although I will say that I went the day of and was very nice to the very serious Swiss Guard men (one could not call it flirting – that would have been too hard with these guys ☺) who let me go in and see if there was a cancellation and the ticket person let me join the group. That said I was only 1 person. Dress requirements are the same for the Scavi tours as for the Vatican.
The Colosseum & the Forum
The Colosseum is one of the many fantastic pieces of architecture left in Rome. You should definitely plan to visit. It is right next to the Forum and you can buy a joint ticket for the 2. If you plan to do that you should go in the morning or early afternoon and go to the forum first. I got there an hour before they sold the last ticket and they wouldn’t give me an audio guide and the map they gave me was more or less useless. I mean I was looking at ruins and they don’t exactly leap out at you and tell you what they are. You should leave yourself 2-3 hours to see the forum and you can either go to the Colosseum after seeing the Forum or use the ticket on another day as is good for 2 days. Another really cool option that I wish I had been able to do is, beginning at the end of August until late October you can tour the Colosseum from 9pm till midnight with an archeological tour guide. It is only on Saturday nights so if you are only in Rome for a few days see if you can plan your trip to accommodate this. I am going to try to do it on my next trip there. Apparently they are doing the same Saturday night tours of the Bath of Caracalla, which I have not been to. I am guessing you should book your tickets in advance as they are sold out for the next 5 weeks. Night Colosseum tours.
The Trevi Fountain – You should definitely throw your coins into the Trevi Fountain. The legend is (as told to me by my Roman friend): Throw one coin to go back to Rome, 2 coins for new love and 3 coins for marriage. Perhaps I should have thrown 2 or 3 last year because throwing 1 definitely worked and I returned to Rome within a year. I recommend going at night to throw your coins, as it is far less crowded and you will have great picture ops. You might even have to wait in line to get to the fountain during the day.
1. Vatican – St. Peter’s Basilica & tour of the Sistine Chapel. I highly recommend the tour of the Sistine Chapel because you will learn a lot more than you would on an audio guide and it is far more interesting when you can ask questions to a live person. I have gone on and recommended Romearound Tours to many people who have had great experiences with them. All of their tour guide are either teaching Art History, are Artists studying in Italy or are Art History Majors and are extremely knowledgeable and engaging. It is worth the money for this personal tour. I recommend going to the Sistine Chapel first as the lines to get into St. Peter’s lessen in the afternoon. Skye recommends just getting to the Sistine Chapel as soon as it opens so that you can experience all the glory without all the crowds. Don’t look at anything on the way, just run to the Sistine Chapel first. If you knew Skye you would understand that this method makes sense and is completely hers. Remember that there are no shorts (or short skirts) and that women must have their shoulders covered so bring a little sweater or jacket. The general rule is that shoulders and knees must be covered.
Scavi Tour - If you have time on another day you should treat yourself to the Scavi tours. It is a tour of the excavations under the Vatican of the original gravesite for St Peter that was found in 1939 when digging a burial site for one of the newly deceased Popes. There are only about 200 people that get to see it daily and you should call and reserve your spot several months in advance. Although I will say that I went the day of and was very nice to the very serious Swiss Guard men (one could not call it flirting – that would have been too hard with these guys ☺) who let me go in and see if there was a cancellation and the ticket person let me join the group. That said I was only 1 person. Dress requirements are the same for the Scavi tours as for the Vatican.
The Colosseum & the Forum
The Colosseum is one of the many fantastic pieces of architecture left in Rome. You should definitely plan to visit. It is right next to the Forum and you can buy a joint ticket for the 2. If you plan to do that you should go in the morning or early afternoon and go to the forum first. I got there an hour before they sold the last ticket and they wouldn’t give me an audio guide and the map they gave me was more or less useless. I mean I was looking at ruins and they don’t exactly leap out at you and tell you what they are. You should leave yourself 2-3 hours to see the forum and you can either go to the Colosseum after seeing the Forum or use the ticket on another day as is good for 2 days. Another really cool option that I wish I had been able to do is, beginning at the end of August until late October you can tour the Colosseum from 9pm till midnight with an archeological tour guide. It is only on Saturday nights so if you are only in Rome for a few days see if you can plan your trip to accommodate this. I am going to try to do it on my next trip there. Apparently they are doing the same Saturday night tours of the Bath of Caracalla, which I have not been to. I am guessing you should book your tickets in advance as they are sold out for the next 5 weeks. Night Colosseum tours.
The Trevi Fountain – You should definitely throw your coins into the Trevi Fountain. The legend is (as told to me by my Roman friend): Throw one coin to go back to Rome, 2 coins for new love and 3 coins for marriage. Perhaps I should have thrown 2 or 3 last year because throwing 1 definitely worked and I returned to Rome within a year. I recommend going at night to throw your coins, as it is far less crowded and you will have great picture ops. You might even have to wait in line to get to the fountain during the day.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2010
Amazing purses that will make everyone green with envy
On my search for the off the beaten track and truly unique things that will remind me of my fabulous vacation, I found some cool stores on this trip to Rome. After all, you can buy a Luis Vuitton bag anywhere, but if you want something special that will send envious looks your way wherever you go, you must check out these finds that will make your heart sing.
Il Pallino di Vali. This store has some really cool purses! I am still kicking myself for not having bought one. Many of the purses have snaps that make the bag change shape so you can have 3 versions of your purse instead of one. It isn’t one of those bags you would know changes shape, so I was totally surprised when the sales person showed me. The one that I wish I had had time to go back for was blue suede on one side and on the other was a cow hair animal print design. Talk about truly unique. These were a work of art. There were several designs and some were patterned on one side and some were plain but they were beautiful. The colors ranged from vibrant to soft and subtle. You should check out this store located in this boutique shop area of Trastevere.
Via di Santa Dorotea, 4
www.ilpallinodivali.it
T-Nobile. If you are looking for something a little more traditional than the purses at Il Pallino di Vali you will love T-Nobile. They have purses in all shapes and sizes and the leather is beautiful. Like buttah! Also did I mention that they are very reasonably priced? The bags are all made on the premises and the staff is exceptionally friendly and helpful. We ended up with nice purchase from this store. This is a purse that will last forever.
Via Nazionale, 7, Trastevere
Leather Shop. The other store that I found on this trip for bags was Leather Shop. I bought a gorgeous small bag there that is going to be a favorite of mine for a long time. They have many styles and lots of colors. They sell wallets, belts and gloves as well. After shopping at all the high-end stores near the Spanish steps, walk over to this gem and get yourself something more affordable and original. You will love your new purchase as well as the price tag that came with it.
Piazza Barberini, 50, Roma
Il Pallino di Vali. This store has some really cool purses! I am still kicking myself for not having bought one. Many of the purses have snaps that make the bag change shape so you can have 3 versions of your purse instead of one. It isn’t one of those bags you would know changes shape, so I was totally surprised when the sales person showed me. The one that I wish I had had time to go back for was blue suede on one side and on the other was a cow hair animal print design. Talk about truly unique. These were a work of art. There were several designs and some were patterned on one side and some were plain but they were beautiful. The colors ranged from vibrant to soft and subtle. You should check out this store located in this boutique shop area of Trastevere.
Via di Santa Dorotea, 4
www.ilpallinodivali.it
T-Nobile. If you are looking for something a little more traditional than the purses at Il Pallino di Vali you will love T-Nobile. They have purses in all shapes and sizes and the leather is beautiful. Like buttah! Also did I mention that they are very reasonably priced? The bags are all made on the premises and the staff is exceptionally friendly and helpful. We ended up with nice purchase from this store. This is a purse that will last forever.
Via Nazionale, 7, Trastevere
Leather Shop. The other store that I found on this trip for bags was Leather Shop. I bought a gorgeous small bag there that is going to be a favorite of mine for a long time. They have many styles and lots of colors. They sell wallets, belts and gloves as well. After shopping at all the high-end stores near the Spanish steps, walk over to this gem and get yourself something more affordable and original. You will love your new purchase as well as the price tag that came with it.
Piazza Barberini, 50, Roma
Great Restaurants and Bars in Rome
I spent 2 1/2 days in Rome. We had a couple of the best meals I have ever eaten. 2 places were recommendations from locals we met and several were finds from "Roma by Night" a restaurant and nightlife guide book I bought that was in Italian and English. I highly recommend buying a guide like this if you can find it as you will get some great ideas and the restaurants are likely to be less touristy and more of where the locals hang out.
Ristorante der Pallaro Oh my god! Talk about a fantastic little find. The Chef is a woman named Pauola who is everything you expect an Italian grandmother to be. She will come out in between cooking meals and say hello and make sure that you are enjoying her cooking. There are no menus, which made eating there exciting for me. We had a 4 course dinner that made my mouth water. The lentils were delightful; we had a tasting of 2 different pastas and a meat dish. I believe she changes things up all the time, and if you want to go back she will cater it to make sure you get something different. Go there and put your culinary experience in her hands, and you will have a fantastic night.
Largo del Pallaro, 15 in Campo de' Fiore 06.68801488
Ristorante Il Ciak –
On our last night in Rome we visited Ristorante Il Ciak. It had been a recommendation from the "Roma by Night" book. We had another spectacular meal. Their specialty is Tuscan cuisine with a focus on Char-grilled meat. There were very few people speaking English and the menu was all in Italian. It was definitely not geared for tourists! We loved it. We had ravioli in a Wild Boar sauce and Pasta Amatriciana both were out of this world. We also had a grilled pork dish that was so fresh we though we had gotten the wrong thing because it didn’t taste like any pork I had ever had. It was outstanding. This section in Trastevere is filled with restaurants so if this one is too packed there were some others right around the corner that looked fantastic.
Vicolo dei Cinque, 21 Trastevere. +39 06 58 94 774
Wine Bar Cul de Sac
If you are looking for a place for fantastic cheese and meats with a great selection of wine, Cul de Sac is a very popular place right near Piazza Navona. They have a great wine list and it's a nice area to sit outside and pass the night away. If you are going during a colder season the inside is warm, welcoming and small so you might have the chance to mingle.
The night life really gets fun in the square in Campo de' Fiore. Especially in the summer with all the outside seating. It is a great place to enjoy the languid summer nights. Some other bars to check out are:
Obika (also a mozzarella bar where you can sample top-quality Mozzarella di Bufala Campana that is delivered daily from Paestum and Agro Pontino) They have 2 locations in Rome. www.obika.it
La Vineria. A great place to sit and take in the scenery over a glass of vino. Campo Dei Fiore 15.
