My Roma.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Aw, Rome. Our last and final city on our amazing honeymoon journey through Spain & Italy. And while we desperately missed our furry companions back home (if you couldn't tell by the fact that we bought pet food in every city along the way for the strays) we weren't ready for this dream trip to end. Days of eating, drinking, fabulous hotels at every bend and endless hours of exploring cities by foot? Was a return to reality really necessary? Yet there couldn't have been a better place to end our honeymoon. After 3 drizzly days beachside on the Amalfi Coast, Rome welcomed us with sunshine (a thing this California girl really adores) and a charming little apartment. We were ready to take it all in.
Rome quickly moved it's way to the top of my favorite cities list. I fell in love in a big way. The tiny streets full of graffiti and plants tumbling down balconies. The cobblestone. The way an ancient monument stood so proudly next to the most romantic restaurant one could imagine. The little dog that sat next to me at the Cappuccino bar. The vespas parked outside the Pantheon. The old men that would dramatically throw their hands in the air (reminding me of my mother). And mostly, just how lovely and Italian it was. The Mister and I have both travelled through Italy before (although never to Rome or the Amalfi Coast) and boy, was it good to be back. There is really no place like Italy.
Possibly the most charming aspect of our days in Rome? The darling neighborhood we found our apartment in. Trastevere. A little community across the Tiber River that knocked our socks off. A real Roman neighborhood. Where people live, work, shop, and eat. So lovely and bohemian that I dreamt of picking up and moving there. A place with the best pizza we've had on earth. A neighborhood that comes alive at dusk and doesn't stop until 5 am. Where we drank late into the night and stumbled around the streets with prosecco in hand right next to our Italian friends. Where every picture perfect street has potted plants and bicycles and dogs and laundry hanging by clotheslines. This is postcard Rome. And we moved in for 3 days and never wanted to leave.
On our first dinner in Trastevere we met the most darling cat. She waltzed into the restaurant and sat down on the chair beside us only to be lured back outside by the staff with some salami. And, right back in again. She seemed to have the waiters pretty well trained into feeding her. We quickly named her Roma, and after learning she was pregnant and due any day, would return to the same spot before bed every night to check on her. There she was, in her cardboard box, eating salami, like clockwork. And religiously, the staff would try to convince us to take home an "Italian cat". They could see we were smitten. I tried to convince the boy, but something about a very preggars cat on a 14 hour plane ride didn't thrill him... I wish I had a picture of my Roma!
Instead, some pictures of the nightlife in Trastevere...
Late one night we followed the crowds into this itty bitty bookshop where everyone stood around ordering these tiny chocolate concoctions full of liqueur. They are about the size of thumb and you take them in your mouth in one gulp! The cup itself is crunchy chocolate. You pick the liqueur, they fill it up, and top it off with all sorts of creams and sprinkles. Pretty delish. And in a bookshop, no less.
After all that late night drinking, we started the day off with a walk along the river to the Vatican. To cleanse our sins? Walking this path reminded me of New York City in the fall. The air was crisp, there were people everywhere, and the city was gritty and beautiful all at once.
After a morning of spirituality, we were ready for some indulgence. Gelato, wine, and shopping. We trekked through the city on foot coming across the Trevi fountain, Piazza Navona, The Pantheon, and this lovely tiny car! Yay for yellow!
This street caught my eye as we walked past. I loved the colorful glass balls that were strung between the buildings...
We made sure to take in all the major sights; the Colosseum, the Spanish Steps, and the gorgeous park (where we found a dog park and got our fix!).
And most of all? We ate. A lot. Fresh fruits and olives and cheeses at the morning markets. Cappuccinos and pastries as snacks. Plates of pasta and slices of pizza covered in fresh veggies and garlic. And the hubs engulfed lots and lots of Gelato. Luckily, we walked the entire city every day, wearing holes in our shoes, to keep up with all that eating.
Each restaurant we ate at was insanely beautiful. I was enamored with this all white one (above). Modern in an ancient city. Something you don't see a lot of.
On our last evening we walked from Trastevere into Piazza Navona in search of a spot for dinner. Just off the piazza was a pathway of candles leading down a narrow street. Intrigued, we followed. And there was The Library. A nook of a restaurant that was meant to be our last dinner. Old books, a spiral staircase, bottles of wines and scotch stashed away in bookshelves. The yummiest pasta and wine. With all of five tables, the place was perfectly cozy for a romantic late night dinner. At midnight we stumbled out, fully satisfied. We had done Rome well. Very well. And she would be missed!
Ciao, all! I hope you enjoyed our honeymoon half as much as we did. I'll be back later today with a little Italian video courtesy of The Mister!
XO,
T.
Reader Comments (1)
gorgeous! glad you got some sunshine. i studied abroad in rome and these pictures bring me back-thanks.
i hope you got a cappucino at tazza d'oro! THE BEST!