A memorable lunch at La Terrazza dell'Eden

There are different ways to celebrate a special event. Particularly if you live in Rome and if the weather forecast announces pouring rain despite the approach of summer.
The graduation ceremony is an emotional stress both for grads and their parents. The first ones are partially sad because a long period of their lives comes to an end, but they're incredibly excited since a new one is going to start pretty soon. The second ones are very proud of their children's achievements but terribly sad about having soon to wave them goodbye, since in most cases their university is located thousands of miles away from home.
It's a matter of age, I guess, that draws a clear line in the feelings of those, who still have an amount of choices ahead, and those, who have already made them and to whom little is spared.
La Terrazza of the Eden Hotel in Rome has been the perfect spot to seal the end of an era and the beginning of a new, still unknown, one.
Its atmosphere is cosy like the one at home, the service accurate like the care a parent has for his child, and the view stunning and breathtaking just like the one that both of them -children and parents-have when they look at the future to come.
Yes, we did have a MEMORABLE time at La Terrazza. And as I said, much more than that...

For culinary curious, I had a delicate amuse-gueule

Tiziano. A must see in Rome.

"Treat a work of art like a prince. Let it speak to you first." (Arthur Schopenhauer)

When we come to speak about art, nothing is more true than this quote.
Lately I have been visiting "Tiziano", a fabulous exhibition hosted at "Le Scuderie del Quirinale".
Forty paintings testimony the incredible rise and success of this amazingly gifted venetian renaissance artist and unparalleled promoter of the renewal of culture in Italy and Europe during the sixteenth century. His artworks, loaned from many leading museums, both in Europe and overseas, allow the visitor to grasp the exceptional nature of this talented artist. 
My favourite painting? All of them! But especially the portraits, such as the one of Pope Paul III

Rendez-vous with Helmut Newton

How I missed the opening of one of my favorite photo exhibitions is still a mystery.
But as I came to know that a Helmut Newton's photo exhibition was being hosted at Palazzo delle Esposizioni, I couldn't avoid to plan a visit. Immediately!
My stubbornness did not care whether the day I chose was the ideal one. And it wasn't, of course. The new Pope was going to hold his first Mass; thousand of people were participating to the annual roman marathon; most part of the city was closed to car traffic!
I had to park quite far away, but I made it. I left my car in the area around Circo Massimo,

Bakery House sequel

After a very busy morning and a quick stop at the Said Restaurant (which I found out does not serve lunch anymore), I decided to introduce my daughter to the Bakery House, where I had a brunch a few days ago (http://roaming-in-rome.blogspot.it/2013/03/bakery-house.html).

This post is just to confirm my first impression about this place;

Bakery House

After a week spent in bed, fighting against a horrible flu, I finally got the best of it just before the weekend started.
And what better than meeting a couple of friends and recovering all my energies with a nice brunch at the Bakery House?

Ten blocks of art

If it wasn't because I wanted to have breakfast at the newly opened Bakery House, I would have probably missed the chance to (re)take a walk in the beautiful "quartiere Coppedé".

Entrance to the "Spider Building"

In the area between Piazza Buenos Aires and Via Tagliamento are numerous buildings, fountains, arches and sculptures, that mix different art styles. 
The project to create a new residential district was entrusted to Gino Coppedé in 1913.
Coppedé was an expert in wood carving, and he perfectly mastered the styles, which were most popular in the early twentieth century, such as Art Nouveau and Liberty, as well as the Italian repertoire of past centuries, in particular the Middle Ages, Mannerism and Baroque.
The result is definitely unique. 

I would suggest to start the visit from the main entrance, in Via Tagliamento, where an arch, connecting two buildings, leads to the heart of the district, Piazza Mincio, where the "Fontana delle rane" (The Frogs Fountain) is located.

Romeo Chef and Baker

Located in the very popular shopping area near Via Cola di Rienzo, and provided of a strategic car park right next door, Romeo Chef & Baker has quickly achieved great popularity, mostly thanks to the combined strengths of its creators: Alessandro and Pier Luigi Roscioli, Fabio Spada and Cristina Bowerman. All of them are very interesting people with a fascinating background, sometimes begun miles away from the food & beverage field.

Porto Fluviale

If there's a business that knows no débacle in Rome, that's the catering one. Non-traditional restaurants and cafés are always packed, and reservations are a must to have a seat granted. Despite the economical crisis, Romans do not give up the pleasure of (good) food.
For this reason, numerous are the newly opened restaurants, bakeries and patisseries in the eternal city, (which I can't wait to test). 

On my weekly way to Eataly, I stopped at Porto Fluviale, for which the label "restaurant" is quite diminutive. According to its menu and to its opening hours (from 10.30 am to 02.00 am), Porto Fluviale is indeed a stylish tavern, a pizzeria, a snack-bar, a tea-room, a meeting point for a drink... 

A fascinating corner in Saint Vincent

It is the second time that I choose this cosy and romantic restaurant for a relaxed get together with my family. Sitting all together at a table set with care, and enjoying the food and the wine in a pleasant ambience is the perfect start for a family reunion.

According to its name, the restaurant "Le Grenier" was an ancient barn, of which it keeps bales of hay, old farm equipments and a wonderful fireplace.

Art and food: nourishment for the body and soul

Despite the awful weather conditions which prevail in these days in Rome, and make me want to stay locked at home, I couldn't miss the exhibition of Serena Dini's paintings. My dearest friend's aunt, who I unfortunately do not know, is surely an interesting person. About ten years ago, she opened a resort in the Sahara desert,

A sweet Saturday

Nothing is as pleasant to me as sharing moments of life with those I love. It doesn't matter what we share, it matters that we do it. So, when on Saturday my daughter asked me to take her downtown for lunch, as to have a deserved break from her huge amount of homeworks, I was more than happy to spend a few hours with her.

She was actually looking for a winter jacket, but while walking down Via Borgognona, we could not avoid entering Ladurée's newly opened shop.

Paintings, fountains and Hard Rock...Café !

If you haven't reserved the entrance tickets to the exhibition of Vermeer at Le Scuderie del Quirinale, expect to stand in queue for at least 35 minutes. 

After all, it's not a big deal. Queuing is sometimes interesting, especially when you're surrounded by

Caffé delle Arti at Museum of Modern Art

On September 22, the exhibition "Warhol: headlines" ended at the National Gallery of Modern Art in Rome. After a great success.

On the left side of the same building, "Caffé delle Arti" is a great location to

About art and emotions

If you're going to visit the beautiful exhibition at Palazzo delle Esposizioni, do not miss the movie, that retraces the history of Paris through the shoots of Robert Doisneau.
As I watched it, I wondered whether I love photographs more than videos. And I still have no answer. Because if the first ones immortalize an instant and fix it in a single image, the second ones capture a sequence of movements and record a sound or a voice, which would be otherwise lost.
What I am sure of, instead, is that I have been caught by a poignant sense of time passing, while observing all the photos of "Paris en Liberté".

A September Sunday

September is the right moment to take a look at the shop windows, as to know what fall fashion trends will be. And Sundays are perfect to take a walk. Downtown Rome, shops open in the early afternoon and, since at that time, most romans are too busy watching television (soccer championship is played at 3 p.m.), streets are half-empty. A godsend...

So, while I was strolling in the city center to refresh my memory, I took note of two new entries. Balenciaga

A September Sunday

I always loved mid seasons. When sunlight is less intense and colors are softer. 
If springtime gives new energies, autumn is the right time for balance and reflection.
In September then, everything announces the end of the summer and the arrival of a less clement climate.
In this season, the mildest of the year at these latitudes, what I like most is spending time outside, possibly in contact with the slowly changing nature.
And though Rome is full of parks and green areas, Villa Borghese remains my favorite. 

Capri, my love

In spite of a mostly cloudy, and sometimes rainy, weather, I've had a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful time in Capri.
I enjoyed the sun (every possible minute)

and

GROM

If like me, you lost your appetite because of the heat, and the only food you're looking for must be cold and refreshing, then try this ice-cream shop. 

Located in proximity of the Pantheon, Grom uses only bio food and the best quality on the market. I tasted its pistachio, nuts and coffee flavors, and they are incomparable to  any other ice-cream I ever had! 

I am so glad, I bought some to keep in my refrigerator in case of emergency.This week is going to be the hottest in the whole summer! 
grom.it

COROMANDEL

No doubt this a period of culinary experiences. A friend of mine just heard about this new restaurant, located a few steps away from Piazza Navona, so the other night, she organized a dinner there.

Coromandel carries only 26 seats, and is a very

BACCANO                                                                          Via delle Muratte, 23
I was strolling downtown, when I casually passed by this newly opened restaurant, just a few steps away from Fontana di Trevi. Its name's Italian, but it looks like a lovely French
bistro.
The first time, I tried the salade nicoise,

while my friend chose a