Since my Florence and Sienna trip, I have been doing some exploring in my area, trying local restaurants, and going out to some fun bars and clubs in Trastevere and Testaccio.
My roommates and I have some new favorite pizza restaurants and of course that goes along with eating lots a lots of gelato!
For Valentine's Day, the 5 of us went out for a very nice dinner in Trastevere, sharing wine, pasta, lasagna, pizza, and more gelato!
Here are some pictures from dinner that night:
I also was very lucky to have both my mom and my Aunt come visit me in Rome. It was so nice to see familiar faces in a foreign country. My mom was staying near the Colosseum so a bit far away from where I live, but I stayed with her during her visit, going back and forth between central Rome and school. We walked all over the city. Since she had never been to Rome, I tried to take her to all of the famous sites, which entailed A LOT of walking, but it was so worth it to see all of these beautiful monuments with my mom. Other than the walking and sightseeing we did a lot of eating.
The first day we started at the Vatican. As I didn't read the newspaper that day, we were unaware that the Pope would be installing 22 new cardinals that Sunday, so when we arrived at the Vatican, we were not allowed to go into St. Peter's until 1pm. As it was about 10:30am, we walked across the Tiber river, past the Castel Di Angelo(The Vatican prison) to Piazza Navona, the Trevi Fountain, and the Pantheon. After we had seen these sights and my mother had taken about 100 pictures, we headed to Campo di Fiori for some lunch.We went to some very traditional restaurants while she was here that were recommended by the staff at my university. The first restaurant named DER PALLARO in Campo Di Fiori, was a completely family run business, making their own fresh pasta, sauces from scratch, slicing meats and cheeses, and baking bread. It was a set menu, so each course was brought to the table each looking as delicious as the next. We had an antipasti of olives,prosciutto, fresh bread, cous cous, lentilles du Puy, and roasted vegetables. We also each had a spicy tomato pasta and pasta carbonara. After this meal, we were absolutely stuffed, so we walked back to the Vatican City. This time, St. Peter's was open, but of course it began to rain just as we arrived to the long line awaiting us. By the time we got into St. Peters we were a bit exhausted, but that didnt stop us from going up to the cupola( the large dome on the ceiling of the church) This was definitely an experience as there were hundreds of steps in very narrow corridors, and many spiral staircases. However, the view from the top of St. Peter's was spectacular! You can see all of Rome in a panoramic view, it is stunning. We then went back to the hotel for a much needed rest before heading out to dinner. Dinner was an AMAZING meal. We walked along the bridge to Trastevere to try a restaurant called La Mani Di Pasta. This Italian restaurant is known for it's fresh seafood. We shared an anti pasti of clams, mussels, and shrimp with garlic crostini( crusty bread). Then we shared a pasta arrabiata( a spicy tomato and pepper sauce), then shared more fresh shell fish, finishing with a delicious tiramisu. It was a fantastic meal, and I was very happy that I had done all of that walking earlier in the day to make up for it.
The next day we got up early and visited the Colosseum, which because of the rainy weather was not packed per usual. It was magnificent as always. You become very spoiled living in Rome, because you take for granted the amazing history and architecture that you live in everyday. After that we walked along the Roman Forum to the Vittorio Emmanuel II Building ( the most hated building in Rome, as I've been told), It is a gigantic building that was completed in the 1930s which blocks central Rome from the ruins of ancient Rome. Although, the view from the top is spectacular! After that, I had to go to school, but when I met my mother after, we headed down to the Jewish Ghetto for an apperitifo( 5-6pm drinks and small snacks) and walked past the beautiful synagogue. Unfortunately it was closed, so we were not able to go in, but I will be visiting this area again in the future. After this we headed back to Monte Verde, where my apartment is located, and cooked our own dinner. Because the area that I live in is so residential, they have many specialized shops that sell fresh pasta, bread, pesto, everything! We made a pesto pasta, and then called it a night!
The 3rd day of her visit, we visited the Spanish Steps and walked up and down Via Del Corso, which is a famous shopping street in central Rome. We both got some new clothes and did some window shopping in the famous Italian designer's boutiques (Prada, Gucci, Fendi, Bvlgari, etc. they have everything! all as equally beautiful as the next) After that we had a nice pizza and vegetarian anti pasti of roasted vegetables before heading back to the hotel for a little rest. We met up with my Aunt Ruth and Stef for dinner which was again fabulous. We each had artichokes and a seafood pasta. If I could recommend any vegetable in Rome, it would definitely be artichokes if they are in season! After our lovely dinner, Stef took us on a tour of Rome at night. Rome is a completely different city at night. The streets are lit with the soft pale yellow light of the street lamps, the sights are deserted, and it is extremely quiet for such a bustling city. I prefer Rome at night because you can really enjoy the beauty of your surroundings.
Today was the last day of my mother's visit, which was very difficult for me as I wont be able to see her again until December when her and my father come up to Idaho. We had breakfast atop the Vittorio Emmanuel II Building and drank our cappuccino's and cornetto's ( Croissant's) overlooking the city. We both went to my school, so I could show her around the University and so I could take a test. After that we walked down to the open air market near my apartment and picked up some fresh vegetables and cheeses for lunch. We spent the afternoon eating and talking before she had to go to the airport. I had a wonderful time with her and I'm so glad she came to visit me!
I am off to Budapest, Hungary this weekend. So, a new Blog post should be following shortly.
Here are some pictures from my weekend:
more pictures to come...
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