Rome is currently undergoing a bit of a facelift. The Colosseum is ensconced in scaffolding for cleaning; the Spanish Steps are closed for repairs; and for the last 516 days, the Trevi Fountain has looked like a sad, waterless, construction site. Many of the monuments still have a ways to go, but the Trevi Fountain is […]
Category Archives: Rome
01
Nov
Nov
November is shaping up to be a busy month in Rome. I am most excited to see the Trevi Fountain in all its gleaming glory after more than a year of restorations. Rome can be terrible when it comes to marketing what is going on, so I am making a first attempt to gather together […]
11
Oct
Oct
The plastic sheeting is back. After a summer of heat waves and travel, I really forgot what Rome is likely on a cool and very rainy day. In my corner of Testaccio, where a clothes dryer is an unthinkable and unnecessary luxury, that means plastic sheeting. Clothes do not stop dirtying themselves simply because it […]
24
Sep
Sep
Rome has no shortages of landmarks: Colosseum, Pantheon, St. Peter’s Square, Pyramid of Cestius, Circus Maximus… But one of my favorite landmarks of all is the bright yellow FORNO sign on Via dei Chiavari. Antico Forno Roscioli is a Roman institution. Locals come here for their daily bread, a few brutti ma buoni biscotti, and […]
16
Sep
Sep
With temperatures in the 80s and 90s Fahrenheit for the next four days, Rome seems to be giving summer weather one last hurrah. The estate Romana has been impressive this year. Heat waves and spectacular sunsets have been de riguer. Walking along the Tiber usually offers a few degrees of difference and a tiny bit […]
31
Aug
Aug
Rome is ancient. 2,768 years old, to be exact. Rome is old enough to know better, but it acts more like an underachieving child. It hangs out with the wrong crowd, it really doesn’t care enough about making a good impression, and generally partakes in some activities it is going to regret when it is […]
25
Aug
Aug
I hope you like photos, because it is really hard for me to put into words how much I love this place. Santa Maria in Ara Coeli is my favorite church in Rome. It is the most beautiful church in Rome. I mean, if you like brassy and in-your-face beauty. Which I obviously do, because […]
22
Aug
Aug
One of the worst places to cross the street in Rome is in Piazza Venezia. The traffic circle is a major artery for traffic in the historic center, and one of the main bus stops. This means, not only do you have to be cautious of cars merging on and off, you need to watch […]