Category Archives: Rome

January 10, 2013

Where to chill out on a rainy day in Rome

It’s early January and raining outside.

Rome is a city that really needs to be visited on foot, out in the open. From March through October, and especially in the summer when the sun doesn’t go down until after 9pm or even later, Rome is full of places to sit outside and people watch; have a drink and simply soak up the ambiance and the view of beautiful colored buildings crumbling away. That’s when this city is at its best.

When it’s cold and wet and grey – it’s another story. That’s when I truly feel the shortage of “cafe culture” – cute little places to just sit and kill time, perhaps read some of my book or catch up on some emails on my phone. Most restaurants are closed between meal times, and when they are open, they’re generally full of customers eating, and/or not really designed for the lingerer who wants to just have a tea and maybe something sweet. There are many bars with outdoor seating that are inviting, but most are dismal and boring indoors, designed for the quick caffé/espresso-at-the-bar crowd. And Roman bars aren’t the place for tea time.

Here’s a few exceptions, scattered around the city:

1. 2Periodico Cafe – Via Leonina 77, Monti – open all day

Located in the hip neighborhood of Monti, between Termini station and the Colosseum, this eclectic little place was converted from what was once a car mechanic. The Monti area was recently used for shooting in Woody Allen’s “To Rome with Love”, due to its quaint, cobblestone streets and ivy covered buildings.  For Italian speakers, this is a good review from the Puntarella Rossa blog.  Or connect with them through their facebook page.

My favorite places to stay in the neighborhood are:  Appartamento Baccina and Appartamento Urbana

 

2. Caffé Propaganda – Via Claudia 15, Celio (Colosseum) – open from 12pm to 2am

This very stylish cafe is a great place for a beautiful cocktail like you’ve never experienced.  You’re on holiday, it’s ok to start drinking at 4pm.  More info on their website.

Without a doubt my favorite place to stay in the neighborhood is the Appartamento Colosseo.

 

3. S.a.i.d – Via Tiburtina 135, San Lorenzo – open for lunch and dinner.

Once Rome’s oldest chocolate factory, opened in 1923, S.a.i.d is a restaurant and chocolate shop.  Also a good place in the winter to enjoy a hot chocolate.  Overpriced hot chocolate, but great atmosphere.

Best apartment in the neighborhood the beautiful 3 bedroom Appartamento San Lorenzo.

4. Bartaruga – Piazza Mattei 9, Jewish Ghetto – open from 6pm

Located in a 16th century piazza with the Fontana delle Tartarughe (Turtle Fountain).  This ‘salotto’ in the Jewish Ghetto is a good place to park it on one of their cushy couches, drink a prosecco (Venetian sparkling wine) and listen to someone play the piano (if the grumpy bar guy allows it).

One of my favorite places on Cross-Pollinate is also here in the ghetto, the Casa al Portico.

5. Salotto Caronte – Via Machiavelli 23, Esquilino (Piazza Vittorio) – open from 7pm

Half restaurant and half ‘salotto’, this place is very un-Roman in all the right ways.  Located where there’s virtually no other night life, this spot will make you instantly feel like you’re in the know.

Some equally stylish digs nearby are Frank’s House B&B and Millefiori Guestrooms

6. Etablì – Via delle Vacche 9, Piazza Navona – open from 6:30pm

Restaurant and wine bar, it used to be open during the day as well (and hopefully will be again) as it was a nice place for afternoon tea.

Nearby apartments:  Appartamento Banchi Vecchi, Appartamento Navona al Tevere, and Appartamento Piazza Navona

7. Vert Cafe – Via Anton Giulio Barrili 47-47/a, Monteverde Vecchio – open from 7:30 am to 9:30 pm

I’m throwing this in as I recently read this convincing review from friend and Rome expert, Gillian McGuire.  Soups, salads, sandwiches and American style sweets.

Just down the street is the adorable Honey Rooms B&B.

by Steven Brenner

October 23, 2012

Sketching Rome with Kelly Medford

by Steven Brenner

I don’t draw.  Or paint.  The only people who have ever seen my attempts at art are my kids when we draw together and although they think I’m pretty awesome, it’s still not something I’d want to pass around or have on display.  But I wanted to try Kelly Medford’s Sketch Rome Tour because she said it was open to all, and I thought it sounded a like a good, unique idea.

We met at the Pincio at the Villa Borghese overlooking Piazza del Popolo.  We were two people on the tour so she had a lot of time for us.  First, she gives you a sketch kit that you get to keep.  It includes a sketch book that she hand-makes with a variety of papers – not too big as to be intimidating, and with paper that’s designed for different mediums.  There is a pencil with sharpener, a pen, and a watercolor kit with a brush that contains its own water tube.

Kelly goes over a few techniques, which we then experiment with – line drawing, shading, drawing just the mass without lines.  We moved through the park, choosing statues and trees and benches as our subjects, progressing from pencil to ink to watercolors (with a stop for coffee along the way).

When you’re clearly stuck, Kelly can show you what you’re doing wrong.  For example, I tried to do some clouds and they looked horrible.  Kelly showed me how clouds actually fit into the perspective and how to reproduce them – easy to do once she points out why things look the way they do.  These little hints help bring you closer to putting what you see on paper, but they aren’t so technically oriented that you lose your intuition and your freedom to draw however you want.

My tour-mate’s awesome watercolor.

And that’s part of Kelly’s point – not to make you a good artist or a better artist (although that’s part of it) but more to share this activity that she really loves with people who might have never considered it.  Since I had my camera with me I shot a little interview where Kelly gives you the scoop herself:

Tours are 3 hours and well worth it for the sketch kit alone.  Kelly can be found on the web at:

Kelly Medford’s Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

 

September 17, 2012

The Food Police – Special Unit (episode 1)

Bad food is a crime! The new head of the Food Police has reports of tourists in Rome are getting ripped off. Watch the MB trio go undercover to collect evidence and show you what to look out for to avoid falling into a tourist trap.

Food Police – Special Unit (episode 1) from Cross-Pollinate Travel on Vimeo.

May 22, 2012

Life in Italy vs. Spain

by Amy Knauff

One would imagine the two to be pretty similar, right? After all, they’re both sunny Mediterranean countries with Latin peoples who have a history of taking post-lunch naps during the workweek, a love of good food and wine, and are known for their gregariousness, hospitality and good humor. But despite the similarities, the two countries — and more specifically, Rome and Barcelona — are worlds apart, each with their own characteristics and ways of doing things.

Scene: The historic center of Rome, which is jam-packed with souvenir shops, newsstands, bookstores, and tobacco shops selling racks full of postcards. It’s also jam-packed with tourists, some of whom presumably want to send postcards home to their loved ones.

Monday: I stop in a tobacco shop near Campo de’ Fiori and ask if they have stamps. Before I’m able to finish saying the word “stamp” (francobollo, in Italian), the cashier shakes her head no to dismiss me and starts talking to the person behind me in line. Later that afternoon, I stop in two more tobacco shops. Same result. One of them tells me to come back in the morning because apparently they’ll get a delivery of stamps then.

Tuesday: Walking near Piazza Navona, I stop in a tabaccaio. No stamps. Try three more tabaccai the same day: no luck. “They haven’t come in,” they tell me. Is there some sort of federal stamp shortage I’m not aware of? I also stop by the tabaccaio that had told me to come back today. They still don’t have them either. “By now you’ll have to wait till Thursday,” the girl tells me. Thursday? Oh yes, Wednesday is a federal holiday and everything is closed.

Wednesday: I don’t even bother trying.

Thursday: I visit three different tabaccai; no stamps to be found.

Friday: I finally give in and go to the post office. Get my number from the machine and settle in for a 35-minute wait to mail one stinking postcard. When it’s my turn and I go up to the counter, the woman says, “Oh, you’re just mailing this? You could have just bought a stamp, you didn’t need to come here.” She starts pointing to a nearby tabaccaio and telling me to get out of line and go buy my stamp there. I give her a Look of Death and say through gritted teeth, “Can’t you just print the postage on it?” As if that hadn’t occurred to her, she assents and prints the postage and I pay.

RESULT: 5 days to mail a postcard.

*******

Scene: A residential part of L’Eixample, not particularly close to the Passeig de Gràcia (which is the more touristy part of the neighborhood) in Barcelona.

Thursday: I’ve just spent a few minutes sitting in a sunny park writing a postcard. I spot a nearby tobacco shop and go in to ask for a stamp (sello, in Spanish). I ask the owner, almost nervous, “Do you have stamps… for the US?” She replies pleasantly as she takes out her giant book full of stamps: “Yes. How many?” This has been way too easy. I decide to push my luck and ask her if there’s a mailbox nearby. She points out the door and says there’s a mailbox one block up. I find it right on the corner, bright yellow, and drop my postcard in.

RESULT: 5 minutes to mail a postcard.

*******

CONCLUSION:  Sometimes the simplest tasks that can be easily accomplished in most other places somehow become Herculean in Rome. Organization is not Italy’s strength and although this is usually considered an acceptable sacrifice for good food and inexpensive wine, Barcelona doesn’t lack in either, and works surprisingly well, from the flow of traffic to public transport to basic everyday chores and interactions.

April 25, 2012

Should you bring your dog to Rome?

by Amy Knauff

I have spent some time recently dog-sitting for a friend who lives in the historic center of Rome, and I can tell you that after 8+ years of living in Rome dog-less, walking around the city with a dog is a completely different experience than walking around the city on your own.

We do receive on occasion (maybe once every couple months) an email from somebody who is traveling with a dog and wants to know if we have any properties that will accept pets (in fact, we just got an email about that this week). Usually they live in other parts of Italy or Europe and are traveling by car; their trips tend to be a little longer and not just a “city break” for a few days in a European capital. So here are a few things you should know if you plan on traveling with your dog (sorry cat lovers, we just haven’t received any requests to bring cats!).

1. Only bring your dog if you have to and/or feel it would be in its best interest. If you have somebody reliable at home who can pet-sit, that’s probably the best bet. Traveling with a pet can make things more expensive, complicated, and tiring. (It’s your vacation! Wouldn’t you rather sleep in, instead of getting up at 7am because your furry friend needs his morning wee?) For some dogs, traveling could also be traumatizing– spending long periods of time in a car, overstimulation from too many new things, crowds of people, new smells, bits of food on the ground… you are taking your dog out of its comfort zone when you travel!

2. Only bring your dog if it’s well-behaved. If he is aggressive with strangers or other animals, bites or snaps, barks a lot, has potty-training problems, jumps on everybody in sight (even if he’s just trying to be friendly!), or is out of control, please DO NOT bring your dog with you. This will just cause grief for you, the people around you, and your dog himself.

3. Yes, we do have properties that will accept dogs. Most don’t, but some do. Owners usually take it on a case-by-case basis and decide if they want to accept a dog or not (sometimes it might depend on the size of the dog — understandably, there is more acceptance to smaller dogs — or they might need reassurance from you that the dog is not going to destroy the place). Generally speaking, multiple-room B&Bs or guesthouses will not accept pets, because there will be other guests staying who might be allergic to or otherwise bothered by them. Private apartment owners tend to be more flexible. Of course, if we do find a place that will accept your dog, keep in mind that any damage done by your dog will be paid for by you! That means if he chews something up, or pees on something, you will be paying for the replacement or repair of that item.

4. It would be a good idea to book a place nearby a park or other green area where you can walk your dog. That’s actually not too hard in Rome. Rome has quite a few big parks (Villa Borghese, Villa Pamphili, Villa Celimontana, Parco della Caffarella, etc) and there are also lots of tiny little parks in most neighborhoods which will at least give them a patch of grass to do their business on, sniff at, and play in. Staying somewhere near the Tiber river (which is most of the historic center, really) is another great option as you can take your dog down the steps to the riverbank and walk them there, where there are few people around and plenty of space.

5. Keep your dog on a leash. This is very important in a city like Rome. You don’t want your dog taking off and running across a busy road or getting lost in a strange place. And you don’t want him getting away from you and doing something naughty (say, jumping up and licking a tourist’s ice cream cone… or worse?). Follow the rules — I have seen signs in parks specifically saying to keep dogs on a leash, only to see dogs galore running around leash-less. Don’t do this: play it safe and you’ll avoid a fine, or a confrontation.

6. Scoop the poop and watch where your dog pees. Sadly, you’ll see dog poo all over the place here, especially in residential neighborhoods. But don’t do as the Romans do in this case: clean up after your dog. It’s against the law not to, it’s common courtesy, and remember: you could be the one accidentally stepping in it on your way back. Storefronts pose a special problem for those not used to walking their dog in a big city; especially the storefronts in the historic center. There are many, many stores in the winding streets of the historic center, mostly open-front or with doors open, and here they will often display items outside, sometimes on the ground or at dog-level (say, shoes or books). Male dogs especially will want to stop and mark everything in sight. Be vigilant about where they lift their legs: walls are OK; storefronts or front doors of apartment buildings are not!

7. Rome is a dirty city with a serious litter problem, and your dog will be eating random garbage off the ground. There’s not really a way to avoid this (unless you have a rare dog who’s not food-crazy). Bits of vegetables on the ground left over from the outdoor markets; gelato cups tossed on the street with a few last licks of melting ice cream in them; pieces of bread meant for pigeons; garbage bags with old food sitting on the side of the street waiting to be picked up — your dog will try to eat all this and more. Be prepared to watch with an eagle eye and drag your dog away from whatever delizia he smells if necessary; even then, he’ll still manage to eat stuff you don’t want him to.

8. Now on to the good stuff… a lot of businesses are more dog-friendly than they would be elsewhere. Of course you should always ask first, but many coffee bars will gladly welcome your dog in with you while you stop for a cappuccino or a sandwich, provided he behaves himself, of course. (Sanitary regulations just aren’t as strictly observed as they are in many other countries!) There is one coffee bar in my area that happily greets all their furry visitors and brings them a bowl of milk to slurp on. Obviously you won’t bring your dog into a supermarket or an indoor restaurant, but in Rome many restaurants and bars have outdoor seating and your dog will be welcome there.

9. You will meet a lot more people than you normally would if you’re walking around with a dog. In a week of dog-sitting, I probably ended up stopping and talking to more random people on the street than I would in a year dog-less. Somebody talking on a cell phone actually ended his conversation to pet the dog and ask me his name and breed. Walking on the Isola Tiberina (the pedestrian island in the river near Trastevere), I met five rough-and-tough Romanian fishermen who wanted to play with the dog and give him one of the fish they’d caught. Late on a Saturday night, a rowdy group of drunk Roman teenagers around Campo de’ Fiori stopped to fuss over the dog and scratch his ears. The point is, most people like dogs. I have seen even the grumpiest-looking face melt into a smile and stop to give the dog a pat on his head. This is great if you want to feel part of the culture, stop and talk to locals, and practice (or pick up!) some Italian.