Caffé Propaganda

Did you really think, I could wander around the Colosseum without looking for a place to suggest you? If you did, you still don't know me! How could I let my dear friends stop at one of those touristic coffee shops/restaurants that are spread in the area like awful mushrooms?

Caffe' Propaganda is fabulous, under each aspect you look at it. 

Open from noon to dinner time, and at walking distance from the Colosseum, it looks like a French bistrot in the very heart of the Italian capital. 

High ceilings, black and white floor, large windows...I really like it!

It carries a selective wine and aperitif list, and a wide variety of food is fancily proposed either on the blackboards, hanging on the walls, or on the menu, looking like a newspaper.

Tables are nicely set and the food is superb! I came here twice in a few days. The first time, I had chicken in Porto sauce with roasted potatoes and candied onion while my friend ordered a rich hamburger. And both were delicious. But I literally adored the veal scallop, cooked with white wine, and served with pine-seeds and raspberry sauce, I had the second time I came.

And desserts...mmhmm, yummy!
My friend had the bowl of caramelized apples with caramel froth while I...hum...
Look at the picture I took. 
Now, tell me, how could I resist sipping a creamy espresso while enjoying a lavender flavored macaron, followed by a pistachio one, and a lemon one and... 
No, I couldn't. 
And for a while, I felt like a kid in a candy shop.
You can have macarons with a Mariage Freres tea in the afternoon (they even serve my favorite one, named Marco Polo).
But they also come for sale. I bought a box of six for my loving daughter...while looking forward to coming back with her soon.
caffepropaganda.it

Sneaky Sundays: Basilica dei Santi Quattro Incoronati

Having no plans on Sundays is often a good way to find interesting things to do. Usually, I decide to go for a walk in those parts of the city where I never have a chance to stroll during weekdays. I choose an area or a particular monument as starting point, and then I leave my curiosity lead my steps through tiny streets or up hillsides...

This last Sunday, I headed toward the Colosseum and the area around it.

Just a few steps away, I saw this house and its beautiful last floor...

Would you live in there, having this amazing historical view every time you open the windows? I sure would !

Walking up the north side of the Coelian Hill, I felt like being in a village rather than in a 3,5 million-inhabitants city...

...and before I had reached its top, I saw this fortress that attracted my attention like honey to bees. 

What was that? I HAD to find out...                      ...Basilica of the Four Crowned Ones. 

                                                                               4th century...I could not miss it!

The Four Crowned Ones were four martyrs who refused to sacrifice to Esculapio, and were therefore killed. Their bodies rest in the crypt built under the church.

Beyond the first wooden door, there is a first courtyard, with the guard tower, and then a second one. The complex includes not only the basilica, but also the fortified Cardinal Palace and the monastery.

On the walls on both sides of the church entrance are frescos of medieval times.

I entered the church...

...and I met a very kind Augustinian nun, who told me about the history of the Basilica and the foundation of the monastery, where she lives with other 13 sisters.

The access to the cloister is on the left nave of the church. Visits to both the cloister and the Oratorio of San Silvestro close at noon.
santiquattrocoronati.org

Roman centurions' protest

Since 1994, that about 40 "roman centurions" stand in and around the Colosseum, selling their image to those tourists, who are willing to take a shot of Rome as it was in the ancient times.  

La Stampa - Centurions' protest

In March, the newly elected superintendent of roman archaeological heritage notified the municipality that archaeological restraints

15 ways to order an espresso

Nowhere else but in Italy are there so many different ways to drink a coffee at the bar.

If you think that "an espresso" is the most common order a waiter receives, well, you're wrong. I investigated on which ones are the most popular, and see what I found out...

The caffe' "espresso" (about 0,85 fluid ounces of coffee served in an espresso cup) is the reference model for all the following coffees: 

- doppio = two espressos served in the same cup
- ristretto or corto =  less than the average quantity of one espresso
- lungo = one and a half espressos served in the same cup
- freddo = iced coffee shaked with sugar and served in a glass
- macchiato caldo = espresso coffee with a little amount of hot milk 
- macchiato freddo = espresso coffee with a little amount of cold milk
- americano = very long espresso coffee served in a bigger cup
- corretto = espresso served with a bit of cognac (or other liquor)
- con panna = espresso with a bit of cream
- schiumato = espresso with milk foam
- al vetro = espresso served in a small cup made of glass
- cappuccino = espresso with hot milk and milk foam served in a bigger cup
- caffelatte = espresso with hot milk served in a glass
- marocchino = espresso with a little milk, milk foam and cocoa 
- decaffeinato = espresso without caffeine

...and now you will have to think twice before ordering an espresso!!

Shops I like in...Via Cola di Rienzo

Mondadori bookshop - P.zza Cola di Rienzo 81/83

Castroni.it - Via Cola di Rienzo 196

"Childhood smells of perfume and brownies." (David Leavitt)

MDC's perfume bottle

How many beautiful moments of our lives are linked to a particular scent, capable of bringing them back from the dark of a forgotten time... Thousands are the memories that our brain keeps hidden and returns to us, as soon as we stumble into that specific smell. Whether it's the one of just cut grass, or of springtime rain, scents always refer to emotions. Probably, this is the reason why I love so much all that deals with perfumes, including scented candles, pot-pourris, creams and soaps. 
Rome encounters innumerable commercial perfumeries, but only a few, whose highly qualified personnel and exclusive products, are able to drag you in the fascinating world of smells. These are my favorite ones and if you visit them, you'll easily understand why.


CAMPOMARZIO70                                           Via Vittoria, 52

Don't call it a shop, this is a perfume-gallery. 

A bridge onto the future of scent.

The achievement of a passion, that has motivated four family generations from the 1940s. 

In this sophisticated store, near Piazza di Spagna, the very heart of Rome,  take place also exhibitions and olfactive events. 
And it is the only authorized retailer, in the whole of Italy, of MDC's perfume collection, whose bottles are themselves a unique piece of art.

campomarzio70.it

OFFICINA PROFUMO-FARMACEUTICA DI SANTA MARIA NOVELLA                                            Corso Rinascimento, 47

This is the roman branch of the more famous pharmacy in Florence, that was opened to the public by Dominican monks in 1612. Though far less impressive and fascinating than the one in Tuscany, from an architectural point of view, the Officina carries all of "its sister's" products. From perfumes to cosmetics, from lotions (even for cats and dogs!) to pot-pourris, everything is based on all-natural formulas, keeping the tradition going. In 2012, the oldest pharmacy in Italy will celebrate its 400 hundred years activity. 
smnovella.it

Gli Ulivi

What a jem, Gli Ulivi! Whether you stop here for a quick lunch or for a romantic dinner, this restaurant will positively surprise you. The beautiful olive tree wooden floor, the refined little lamps hanging from the white ceiling, the country tables and the mauve material of the chairs, the fireplace...every piece of furniture contributes to create an elegant though familiar ambiance. 

Private room for parties

Most of the ingredients used by the chef are grown in

About Easter eggs and chocolate

My memories about chocolate are deeply linked to a fabulous Easter Sunday, when I received a chocolate egg that was as tall as me.
Well, not "that tall", considering I was nothing more than a little kid at that time. But it impressed me so much, I still remember that magic moment. And my donor.
Considering my actual age and height, wishing to receive such an egg today would be something totally insane. And in fact, I don't. But I am sure that I am not the only person who aims to be surprised and to surprise her loved ones with unexpected gifts. What would, in fact, be of more impact than having a personalized Easter egg hiding that special present your kid or husband is dreaming of?
There are just a few chocolate shops in Rome offering this possibility, and here are some, whose quality matches my taste...

GAY-ODIN                                                                                            Via Stoppani, 9

At the end of the XIX century Mr. Isidoro Odin opened his first shop, spreading a scent of chocolate along the whole via Chiaia in Naples. His reputation grew so much among the local elite to enable him to build his own chocolate factory in the wealthiest district of the town in 1922. Despite his marriage with Onorina Gay, he had no children so the whole property was sold in the sixties. Nevertheless, the founder's original recipes still survive in Gay-Odin shops in Milan, Naples and Rome. My favorite is chocolate with chilly powder. Delicious...
gay-odin.it

SAID (also known as B-SAID)                       Via Tiburtina, 135                                      
It is not easy to find this fascinating place, since it is located in a hidden courtyard. Founded as a chocolate factory in 1923, today it is also a very charming restaurant. Its menu includes some dishes with a definitely unique touch, such as pork fillet with bitter chocolate and ginger apple sauces, or maccheroni with a sprinkling of chocolate powder. From the vintage pieces of furniture, that display hundreds of different pralines, to the old chocolate molds hanging on the walls, everything in here has a romantic touch. Do not stop at the shop, but walk along the corridor till the restaurant and ask for a quick look of the factory itself.
said.it

Museum of Rome in Trastevere

On Sunday, most parts of Rome were practically unreachable, due to the many traffic restrictions caused by the marathon. Needing fresh air, I went out anyway and I ended up in Trastevere, one of the most popular and colorful roman areas.

After a relaxing walk, I found myself in Piazza Sant'Egidio, a lovely square where I sometimes go in summertime to have breakfast and read my newspapers. Oh, I couldn't help sneaking one more time in the Museum of Rome, whose history is itself fascinating. In fact, the first nucleus of this historical building, that dates 1601, was conceived as the Carmelite convent of Sant'Egidio. After becoming the property of the city of Rome, it hosted an anti-malarial sanatorium for children at the beginning of the 19th century. 

In 1979 it opened to the public under the name of Museum of Folklore and the  Roman dialect poets. The building was  then restructured to fit the current needs of the museum, and it re-opened in 2000 as Museum of Rome in Trastevere, featuring a particular attention to cinema, multimedia and photography temporary exhibitions.

The current one, "Other than me" by Andrea Pacanowski, is of great interest thanks to the skillful photo technique that excludes post-production.

The Perfect Bun

People of all ages love this restaurant, not only because of its typical american menu list, that offers 15 different types of hamburger as well as fish & chips and delicious chicken wings, but also because of its friendly atmosphere. The long central wooden table (that can sit up to 24 people a time) fosters itself quick socialization! 

After a first visit on a weekday, during which I devoured superlative spare ribs, I recently experienced a lovely Sunday brunch here. Wonderful fried chicken and mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs and bacon, fantastic brownies and American coffee took turns on my dish with great pleasure of mine, not to mention soft pancakes with cider syrup. It goes by itself that I refused to swallow anything but a cup of tea at dinner time! 

Located between Piazza Navona and Piazza Campo de' Fiori, this is the perfect place to visit when the need of reducing the distances with the US urges. 

theperfectbun.it