WhyRoam_Header

An Inexpensive Date Night Down by the River in Rome

By

The other week we had a date night – dinner and a movie.  It wasn’t your typical dinner and a movie though because we were down by the Tevere river.  

We first stopped at il Bistrot del Guida Ballerino for a quick bite.  Guida Ballerino is a Michelin Star restaurant in Rome, but during the summer months of Lungo il Tevere they have set up a space along the river.  They have a restaurant side for guests to dine by the river with a more formal menu, and a takeout space for good food on the go. 


We had a movie to catch so we opted to grab something to go and still eat it outside along the river.  The takeout prices can absolutely not be beat!  Most of their options are €5.  You can choose from several seafood options like fried calamari or shrimp, a black angus hamburger, pasta and even a bean dish.  We opted for fried calamari and smoked salmon on a bagel. 

The calamari was fresh (we had to wait while they fried it, so it wasn’t sitting around under a heat lamp).  It was good, but nothing overly fancy – exactly how I expected it to be.  The smoked salmon on a bagel was the surprise.  It was really delicious!  It consisted of a fresh baked (and surprisingly soft) bagel, topped with cream cheese, smoked salmon and arugula.  

After our yummy take away, we headed across the way to watch a movie sponsored by L’isola del Cinema – a summer long film festival featuring movies from all over the world.  They had a small theater set up with fold out seats, a large movie screen, air condition and thick black curtains along the wall to block out the light and sounds from the river just steps away from the theater.  Depending on the movie you choose to see (they usually have several playing each night), tickets range from €4-6.  On certain nights entrance is free, and on this night we lucked up with a free movie.  To check the movie schedule, visit the website of L’isola del Cinema.  

After the movie we walked along the river from above and took in all the sights of the bustling night life below.  

Quite a unique (and affordable) night out!  All the fun ends on September 1st when Lungo il Tevere closes at the end of the summer, so hurry by to grab a bite and check out one of the many movies.  

You can find both Giuda Ballerino and L’Isola del Cinema at Piazza San Bartolomeo All’Isola Sponde del Tevere – on the side of the river nearest to the hospital.  

You can also see a previous post of the other things offered along the river by clicking here.  

Celebrating Mardi Gras in Rome

By

Yesterday was Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras/Martedi Grasso (in Italian).  It was the final day of the Mardi Gras/Carnevale celebrations.  I’m pretty lucky as I not only grew up in the city where Mardi Gras originated in the States (it’s Mobile, Alabama by the way, not New Orleans, Louisiana), but I now live in the city where the celebrations actually originated (the ancient Romans started all these shenanigans, go figure).  

Although the festivities for Mardi Gras in Rome are fun, I miss the parade of floats from home and being bombarded with MoonPies, beads, candies and other trinkets and goodies as they’re thrown from the floats in to the crowds.  It’s a different type of celebration.  I have such vivid childhood memories of celebrating Mardi Gras at my Grandparents’ bicycle shop in downtown Mobile as we had one of the best spots on the parade route.  The smells, the tastes, the feelings I remember … maybe this is why the festivities in Rome just can’t compare to the days I once knew.  

One of the traditional things to do during Carnevale (aka Mardi Gras) in Italy is to eat castagnole.  Castagnole are a sweet dessert, similar to doughnut holes.  They have different variations.  Some are plain and rolled in sugar, others are stuffed with cream, ricotta, or chocolate, while others are soaked in rum.  We celebrated Fat Tuesday yesterday by indulging in a variety of the tasty little treats.  Even though I had plenty of castagnole, my mouth still watered for a chocolate MoonPie … and my heart ached for days long gone.  

To read more about the Mardi Gras traditions in the city where it originated in the U.S., click here.  To read more about the Carnevale traditions and celebrations in Rome, click here.  

American Christmas Traditions in Rome

By

We did it.  We finally had a traditional Christmas.  We’ve been married and living in Italy for three Christmases now, and this year we had a traditional Christmas at home.  I couldn’t have been happier about it.  It was what I needed.  
 
Rome is beautiful around the holidays with all the lights, so it’s not hard to get into the Christmas spirit here.  One of my favorite places to go is to the Christmas market in Piazza Navona.  It’s magical at night with all the lights.  It’s also a little bizarre with all the overpriced commercialized goodies for sale at the market among the beautiful, ancient buildings and fountains, but it’s still a lot of fun to walk through.  You can read more about the Christmas market in Piazza Navona here.  

Continuing with our traditional Christmas, we decided to put up a Christmas tree this year.  We don’t have a lot of space, and we certainly don’t have much storage space, so we opted for a small tree.  The little tree was perfect for our little family.  I love having it on at night for the lights to give off a soft glow … so relaxing.  You can see our little tree below, and if you look closely, you can also see our little angel.  

On Christmas morning we woke early to open gifts.  Our little Dolce also had his own presents to unwrap.  He’s only slightly spoiled. 😉

*If you missed meeting Dolce, you can check out the newest little member of our family here.  

Dolce with his Christmas loot … balls, mice, treats and a walking jacket.  

Dolce having fun with his new toys.

For lunch, I prepared traditional southern dishes.  They are what I grew up eating every year for the holidays, and they taste like home to me.  We had cornbread dressing, green bean casserole and sweet potato casserole.  We also had roasted chicken (for the hubby since I’m a vegetarian) and cranberry sauce “substitute”.  Everything was made from scratch.  There are no French’s fried onions or cream of any kind of soup mix here in Italy, and other typical ingredients are hard to find (think sweet potatoes).  So at the end of the day, I was patting myself on the back for pulling off a traditional southern American holiday meal in Italy.   

*If you would like any of the recipes, you can find them here on Why Rome’s Pinterest, under ‘Expat Food’.  
  

When it comes to cranberry sauce, I’m a canned girl.  Always have been.  All for the better in Italy though because I have never seen whole cranberries here (or even cranberry juice for that matter).  Isn’t that strange?  Anyway, I found the perfect cranberry sauce substitute.  It’s lingon jam from Ikea.  To me, it’s a tad bitter sweeter, but does the trick and gave me the cranberry sauce “fix” I was craving. 
 

Sweet potato casserole with brown sugar and nut topping

Green bean casserole with homemade fried onions

And desserts, I couldn’t leave out the desserts … brownies, banana nut muffins & bread, chocolate almond candies, and cookies with dried cranberries (from the States), dark chocolate and hazelnuts.  Needless to say, we were STUFFED at the end of the day, and I was one happy girl with a belly full of American food! 🙂 

Piazza Treasures in Piazza Navona

By

The other week I stopped in Piazza Navona, and the square was bustling with street performers.  It seemed every direction I turned, someone was doing something to draw a crowd.  Here are a few of the acts that caught my attention … 


These guys drew quite a crowd.  Everyone stood in fascination as they tried to figure out just how this guy seemed to sit effortlessly in mid air.  

The balloon-making clown was popular with the younger crowd.  

I’ve seen this guy before and he always draws a crowd with his comic routine.  He’s big on audience participation, and always receives a lot of laughs.  

We first saw this little man back in August.  He completely brightened my day with his dancing and lip singing to Elvis Presley songs.  He brightened my day again, but this time he had classic Italian songs playing.  He always makes me reach for my change purse. 🙂

Holiday gifts at up to 90% off!

Coming to Rome? Don’t get a fine for eating!

By

Pizza, pasta, gelato … I bet these are some of the things you plan (and dream) on eating when you visit Italy.  I bet you’ve even gone so far as to dream (and plan) on grabbing a gelato and eating savoring it while you take in the sights of the fabulous Piazza Navona … the Spanish Steps … the Coliseum … or any other famous landmark in Rome.  Hold that thought though.  Don’t think you’re going to transport yourself onto a movie screen when you visit Rome and eat your heart out around the city, like so many countless films you’ve seen before.  

Why you ask?  Well, because as absolutely absurd as it may sound, it is now a crime to eat on or around any public monument or landmark (which is every place you turn in Rome’s city center).  It is a crime that can be fined from 25 – 500 Euros (about $32 – $650 USD).     

No more stopping at my favorite gelateria and walking to Piazza Navona while I sit and enjoy my cool treat and take in the energy of the piazza … ancient fountains, street performers, artwork, people watching … it has all come to an end.  That is, unless I want to pay a hefty fine for enjoying my gelato in that picturesque setting.  And I can tell you, I do not.  

This crazy rule is not only for gelato.  It also applies to eating a panino (sandwich), a slice of pizza, a bag of chips, or any other snack food or dessert.  

As NBC News noted on their website, after receiving fines and learning about the new law, several tourists pointed out the fact that there are no signs in the vicinity alerting people that they are no longer allowed to partake in any food or drink while near the various monuments.  NBC News reports that police in the area were asked about the complaint and said there was no need for signs.  A local policeman patrolling the area is reported as saying, “It’s common sense. You can’t dirty such a beautiful and historical monument with ice cream and bread crumbs just because you can sit on it.”  You know, dirtying and vandalizing a historical monument is one thing, but trying to control the free world is entirely something else.    

Another thing that makes the matter even worse, is that many eating establishments have very limited or no seating available, forcing patrons to take their food to go.  Where exactly are people supposed to eat?  This I would like to know.  

I would also like to know why the city can’t put those same policemen in place to prohibit the horrid men who force roses into your hand then try to get money from you by chasing you down, or the men who shine the damn toy lasers that they are trying to sell directly into your eye (pet peeve of mine, can you tell?), or the men who sell illegal goods displayed on a bed sheet along the sidewalks who speak ugly words to you if you gaze an extra second at their merchandise and then not stop to by something.  To me, these are a few of the things that are ruining and dirtying those beautiful and historical monuments.  Nothing is being done to address those matters.  

So … if you’re planning to visit Rome, don’t plan on eating your Italian treats outside while enjoying the fresh air and taking in the amazing scenery the city has to offer.  You’ll have to savor your morsels inside.   

Protect your Family with Allianz Travel Insurance