Campo de' Fiori

Campo de' Fiori, which literally means field of flowers, is home to one of the nicest fruit and vegetable markets I have seen so far in Rome. Surrounding the center statue, philosopher Giordano Bruno, are restaurants, shops, bars, and many grand buildings. There is no fountain in this piazza, which is a rare thing to find in Rome.

In the time of medieval and Renaissance Rome, Campo de' Fiori was the place for cardinals and noblemen to interact with fishmongers and foreigners. Today, you can still see men in expensive suits passing through or chatting with various people, while school kids relax on the base of the center statue. There are people of all social classes that congregate in this piazza, either to eat, drink, shop, or to just simply socialize.

It seems that time does not matter at Campo de' Fiori because I have been there morning, noon, and night and it is always full of people. In the afternoon, the market fills the center of the piazza with so much life, color, and wonderful smells. The fruit, although a bit pricey, is a delicious treat on a hot day!

Eyewitness book

Wine Etiquette

I will be traveling to Tuscany next weekend, so I thought it would be extremely important to learn wine etiquette before I entered a wine tasting. Although it may seem intimidating to enter a wine tasting at 21, I found that these guidelines helpful in easing my nerves. I also think it will enlighten my experience while I am there, having all this knowledge prior to arriving.

If you are planning on trying more than one wine, it is important to try white wines before red wines, light wines before dark, dry wines before sweet, and simple wines before complex.

There are 5 steps one can follow when tasting wine. They are color, swirl, smell, taste, and savor.

The color of the wine can give you a sense of how old the wine is, which type of grape was used to produce it, and if the wine was aged in wood.

It is important to allow your wine to breathe, that is why people swirl the wine in their glass before trying it. The oxygen in the air helps to open up the flavors in the wine, especially for red wines. That is why some red wines are served in open glass containers, instead of bottles.

Smelling the wine, after you swirl it, is said to be the most important step in the entire process. You are supposed to smell it three times, so that each time you encounter more of the essence of the wine. It is suggested that you the smell the wines you prefer often, so that you can begin to identify the better ones.

Once you finally take a sip of the wine, it is important not to just swallow it immediately. You should allow all the taste buds in your mouth to experience the flavors in the wine. If you just swallow it right away, you will never fully taste the wine.

The final step is to savor the wine you just had. It is a good idea, after you finish, to reflect on the wine you had and exam what you liked and disliked about it. This will help you decide which types of wines you prefer!

"Maggie's Wine Etiquette ." 28 May 2008. http://www.geocities.com/NapaValley/9705/wine/wine.html.
"Wine Etiquette." Pick A Restaurant. 28 May 2008. http://www.pickarestaurant.com/reference/wine_etiquetterecommended_wine.htm.

Alone in Rome

Today was the first day I was alone in the city! I walked all the way home from class by myself, and I felt completely at ease. I knew exactly where I was going, exactly where to turn right and left, and how to forcefully cross the busy streets. I never felt scared or nervous, which was a delightful feeling. Before I came to Rome, lots of people, family and friends included, had me terrified to go anywhere alone in the city. After today, I feel like all those worried feelings are gone.

I also went to the Standa, known as the grocery store, alone today too. I was able to get everything I needed much faster than I ever could with a big group. The only thing was carrying all of my groceries back by myself was a hassle, but I found a new shortcut home so it was OK.

All in all I was really proud of myself today. I feel like I actually live in Rome now, as opposed to just studying in Rome. It is a really comforting feeling to feel at home; when your real home is so many miles away!

Italian Donuts

In the morning at the cafes, I usually have a hard time figuring out which pastry to have. The croissants are always fluffy and coated with a sugar glaze. The cream filled zeppole are covered in a powered sugar and deep fried into a ball shape. The sugar donuts, though, have become my favorite!

They look so enormous behind the glass counter top and even bigger on my plate, yet I always manage to finish them. Its a wonder to me because back home I never eat this much; it must be something in the Roman air.
So far I have only tried the torus-shaped donuts, which are the typical round donuts with a hole in the center. I have learned after eating three donuts at different cafes that they are called ciambelle. The only thing necessary to qualify as a ciambelle is that it is a ring-shaped cake, with a hollow center. I have only found them with sugar on the outside so far, but I hope to find one with some icing!

I enjoy the Italian version of a donut much more than the American donuts because the Italian donut is much lighter and less greasy. When I bite into the donuts in Rome, I can feel the light air fly out of them, unlike the grease I feel from the ones in America. The only dilemma I run into with the donuts in Rome is that my mouth is covered in sugar after every bite!

"Ciambelle." About.com. 27 May 2008. http://italianfood.about.com/library/weekly/aa120198.htm.

"Doughnut." Wikipedia. 16 May 2008. 27 May 2008. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doughnut#Italy.

"Zeppole." Wikipedia. 16 March 2008. 27 May 2008. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeppole.

Procession inside Saint Peter's

While I was examining the different sculptures, paintings, and mosaics that lined the walls and ceiling of Saint Peter's I noticed the center of the church was beginning to be guarded off. As more and more people noticed they began to gather around the make shift block aids. I, not knowing much of anything about what happens in church, joined the crowd.

Well, I am so glad that I did join in because I was able to see the procession of ministers and cardinals! I had never seen anything like it before. Everyone walked at the same pace, and held the same, emotionless expression on their face. One of the boys was holding an incense that carried the smell of the resin of trees throughout all of Saint Peter's.

After the procession was over, I learned that the three cardinals at the end of the procession were some of the most powerful people in the Catholic church. I was extremely humbled to be able to be so close to people in such power. I have never even been that close to any of the United States presidents!

The Fontana del Moro & Fontana del Nettuno in Piazza Navona

The Fontana del Moro sits on the southern end of the Piazza Navona, to the left of the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi if you come from the Pantheon. It was designed by Giacomo della Porto and erected in 1575. The bottom of the staute is of four Tritons and the basin is made of special antique rose marble. The center of the statue, a Triton, resembling a moor, holding a dolphin, was added by Bernini in 1654. The statue received its name from Bernini's addition. This water fountain statue is extremely beautiful to watch on a nice sunny day, but there is another wonderful statue at the north end of Piazza Navona to see.

To the right of the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi is the Fontana del Nettuno. Although it is not labeled in our Eyewitness Guide book it is definately something to check out while in Piazza Navona. It was also built by Giacomo della Porta but in 1576. It is also known as Calderari, which means brazier. The water fountain statue is comprised of a Neptune surrounded of sea nymphs, that was added in the 19th century. Around them are various creatures and people. There is a large horse that seems to fighting for its life, drowning in the water. Both statues are extremely beautiful in their own way but have similar qualities because both were created by the same man.
Bakerjian, Martha . "Walking Tour of Piazza Navona in Rome." About.com. 26 May 2008. http://goitaly.about.com/od/romeitaly/ss/piazzanavona_4.htm.

"Piazza Navona." A view on cities . 26 May 2008. http://www.aviewoncities.com/rome/piazzanavona.htm.

Caffelatte vs. Caffe Americano

When Americans travel to Italy and desire a coffee, they sometimes run into trouble when ordering at a cafe. When they say they wish to have a caffe they think they are ordering a cup of regular coffee, but they are sadly mistaken when their hot beverage arrives. Caffelatte literally means coffee and milk, but this drink is made with warm milk as opposed to cold milk, like in the States. It is also generally drank in the morning hours and made with espresso, steamed milk, and foamed milk.

Cafe Americano is what those wishing to have a cup of 'Joe' or regular coffee from the States must order. This is simply your typical roasted coffee beans, that can be ordered with milk and sugar.

I had my first experience of a caffelatte this weekend. I enjoy the aroma that coffee emits but I have never enjoyed the taste. However, like I stated in a previous blog, I must try different caffes and cappuccinos while I am in Italy. I took one sip of the caffelatte and knew I was not about to change to a coffee lover that morning. It had a slightly bitter taste and left an unwelcoming after taste in my mouth. I was proud that I gave it a try but I'm now even more hesitant about trying a cappuccino!

"Latte." Wikipedia. 12 May 2008. 25 May 2008. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cafe_latte.

Vino Bianco from Sorrento

This weekend I had the chance to visit Sorrento, Italy and taste the 'vino locale bianco' at dinner. The wine that comes from Sorrento falls into the Campania region. This is because there are 20 different wine regions in Italy, that correspond to the different political regions. There is also over 350 grapes that have been documented by Italy's Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and given "authorized status".

The wine I had for dinner, from Ristorante del Fino, had a hint of fruit but was on the dry side, which I adored. It was one of the best white wines I have ever had. I always wanted to have a glass of Italian wine and be in the city it was from. I felt like I was living a dream, drinking my glass of wine, while the sun set over the sea behind us. Our waiter, Roberto, recommended the wine, and having read about this restaurant in Rick Steve's book I was confident in Roberto's suggestion. He said the wine was made not far from where we were staying and eating dinner in Marina Grande.

Although not considered wine, I also had a chance to try the limoncello made in Sorrento. The lemons in this region are amazing. They grow extremely large and are very sweet. Every restaurant we ate at gave us free samples of limoncello to try. The people in Sorrento are extremely proud of this product, and they should be because it has a wonderful taste and quality. It is sweet and refreshing but with a strong kick at the end. I had to buy some for my family back home!

Reference: "Italian Wine." Wikipedia. 20 May 2008. 21 May 2008 .

History on Piazza Navona

Piazza Navona is located in Rome between Corso del Rinascimento and Via di Santa Maria dell'Anima, or more broadly between Campo de'Fiori and Piazza della Rotanda. The square was created so that the Romans could watch the agones, or games, occurring in the square. The square then became known as 'Circus Agonalis' but evolved to 'in agone' to navone and finally to navona. The area officially became a square in the 15th century when the Campidoglio market was moved to the Piazza Navona.

Although the market now exists in Campo de'Fiori, Piazza Navona still has lots to offer locals and visitors at all times of the day. There is a plethora of restaurants, cafes, churches, and sculptures to dine in or admire.

The center of the Piazza is home to the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi. The fountain was designed by Bernini and erected in 1651. "The Fountain of the Four Rivers" supports an Egyptian obelisk and is said to represent the four main rivers in the four continents that Renaissance geographers recognized. This fountain, along with all the other ones in Rome, was extremely important to Romans because it served as a source of water for those in the area and as a monument to the papal pastors.

It is unfortunate that at the moment is either under repair or being cleaned, so there is scaffolding and tarps surrounding it. It is difficult to grasp the true beauty and importance of the fountain while it is mostly covered. I have read that the statue contains the river-god Ganges but I have yet to be able to see him through the construction. I hope to see him before the summer ends!

"Piazza Navona." Wikipedia. 08 May 2008. 22 May 2008. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piazza_navona.

"Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi." Wikipedia. 08 Apr 2008. 22 May 2008. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fontana_dei_Quattro_Fiumi.

Eyewitness Guide Book

Ooo the rain!

For the past three days it has done nothing but pour buckets of water on our city! The rain has continuously fallen, with pockets of sunshine here and there. The Tiber River is raging with muddy, brown water that is beginning to overflow its banks. This sort of weather pattern is extremely rare for Rome, so I am hoping this is all the rain we will get all summer. It is so funny to walk the streets while it is raining or right after it has rained because there is no one out. Everyone hides inside cafes or stores. No one eats outside. The city looses all of its life when the rain falls. I for one have had enough of the rain!

Shopping by Campo de' Fiori

On my walk back home from school today, Nicole V. and I decided to stroll through Campo de' Fiori to see the food vendors there in the afternoon. I was so excited because the one vendor had these grapes that were so big and plump, my mouth began to salivate. Unfortunately when I asked how much and she said 7,40 euro, I was so disappointed. So we kept walking home without any grapes and decided to stop in a small clothing store. This was an experience. From having to leave my umbrella outside of the store, to the owner, which was a man mind you, basically in my hole of a dressing room asking me every five seconds if it was good and if I was going to buy it. I couldn't help but laugh the whole time at the situation I had gotten myself into. In the end, I did buy a really cute skirt that I love, but I don't know if I will be going back to Campo de' Fiori to buy fruits or clothes anytime too soon!

Some History on Wine in Italy

Italians have been proudly growing grapes to harvest for wine for over two-thousand years! In the second century BC. Romans used their intelligence to their advantage and began developing their own vineyards to produce wine using advanced storage techniques like barrel-making and bottling.

Today, grapes are grown on over 1 million vineyards in Italy, with most of the wines being produced in wineries to increase production. Wines created in Italy "tend to be acidic, dry, light-to-medium bodied, and subdued in flavor and aroma". I was surprised to find that because of these characteristics Italian wine is preferred to be companied with food, rather than drink it on its own. I am really looking forward to going to this wine bar in Trastevere and seeing if they serve an aperitivo (appetizer) with a glass of wine.

There are four main categories of wine under Italy's classification system, with two in the EU category and two in the 'table wine' category. The EU category refers to the quality wine of produced in specific regions. Under the EU category are Denominazione di Orginie Controllata (DOC) and Denominazione di Orginie Controllata e Garantita (DOCG). These zones define specific regions and grapes that have been tested for quality. Under the 'table wine' category are Vino da Travola and Indicazione Geografica Tipica, which define wines from Italy and wines from specific regions in Italy respectfully.

As one is probably aware there are many varieties of wines in Italy, from rosso (red) to bianco (white) to super tuscans for which I will save for another blog.

Reference: "Italian Wine." Wikipedia. 20 May 2008. 21 May 2008 .

Insalata Anyone?

After more than a week of nothing but carbs to eat, I was in dire need of a salad. The other day on my walk home from Piazza Navona, I passed a restaurant called L'Insalata Ricca Ristorante and knew I needed to go there for lunch. It was a great find, only a few blocks away from Piazza Navona. The salads were delicious and not too pricey. The only thing they got us on was the bread. They charged 1,30 euro per person for bread! Besides that my chicken salad with carrots, celery, raisins, and potatoes was just what I needed.

Spremuta!

As I stated in my previous blog I am not a coffee person at all, so today I was ecstatic to try spremuta. It is freshly squeezed orange juice served in many of the cafes. The orange is cut in half right in front of you and freshly squeezed into a fairly small glass.

This morning I, along with Ilana, went to Bar Amore for breakfast. It is on our way to school, and although it was a bit pricey, 3,50 euro for a glass of spremuta, it was worth it. The first thing I asked the man who worked there when I walked in was, "do you serve spremuta?". When he shook his head yes, I immediately ordered one. Then I saw all the delicious pastries they had to offer. There were croissants, donuts, danish, cookies, cakes and more. Everything looked so good I had no idea what to choose, and the man serving me was getting a little impatient with my indecisiveness so he moved on to the locals in need of fast service.

I finally decided on a donut. I don't even like donuts at home but these looked amazing. They were covered with sugar and didn't appear to be greasy. He asked if we preferred to sit, which surprised me that they even had seats because most cafes don't inside, and we immediately said yes. I did want to try and emulate the locals by standing, conversing, and eating my breakfast but with my bag, computer and umbrella it was too much. I will have to try it on a day I don't need my laptop for class. I think I am addicted to the spremuta!

Strange Things I've Seen in Rome.

So, we are a week into our time here in Rome and so far I have come across a few things that you just don't get back in the States. First the cars. They are so tiny! It is almost impossible to come across any type of SUV in this city. It is all about smart cars, which usually only hold two people, and vespas. The best part about these small vehicles is that you can park them just about anywhere. There is no need for 'real' parallel parking because I have seen people parked every which way along the streets and alleys. It's almost like parking tickets don't exist here for people to worry about proper parking in between the lines!

Possibly the strangest thing I've seen so far though was a tree right in the middle of a street. I stood on the sidewalk for a few minutes just starring at it because I couldn't believe that they paved a road right around it. When cars tried to turn down the road they had to do so very cautiously because there was barely enough room between the sidewalk and the tree for them to turn. I guess this city really is environmentally friendly!

Jewish Experience in Rome!

Today it seemed that my Jewish heritage was following me all around the city. To start with, on our walk to school we passed a beautiful synagogue. It was by far the most elaborate I have ever seen. I should add that although I am Jewish, I am not very religious, but I really thought it was neat to see the synagogue and be able to tell my grandfather about it. I know Professor Benson told us we would be visiting it sometime during the summer, and now that I have seen it I am really excited to see the inside. Also, today on our walk home from school we passed a street performer playing a violin. The strange thing was that he was playing the song "Hava Negila", which is a Jewish folk song that means "let us rejoice"! I couldn't believe that in a city dominated by Catholics, this man was playing a song played at almost every Jewish wedding and bar and bat mitzvah! My final Jewish experience of the day came when I passed by a Roman Jewish restaurant. They had all sorts of Kosher meats and foods. I was so shocked to see this restaurant, and I can not wait to come back! Ilana, a fellow Jew in the program, is planning on coming back with me too!

McDonald's

Let me start this blog off by saying that I am not a fast food lover by any means. I don't even really like McDonald's but sometimes you get a craving for greasy fast food. Well, tonight was that night for me and my roommate. The menu was similar to the one at home but with a few extras like grilled cheese and wings. The prices were expensive though. I paid 5,80 euro for chicken nuggets, fries, and a cola! They tasted good though. I couldn't believe that they charge 10 cents for ketchup but the lady said the bar-b-q sauce for the chicken nuggets was a 'gift'! Although I can now say I had McDonald's in Europe my stomach hurts just like it does after I eat it back home!

Is this real or a movie set?

So it's Sunday afternoon and what a better way to spend it than exploring Piazza Navona with the sun shining bright! As soon as I entered I noticed that there were so many families out together. It was so nice to see but also made me a little home sick. I decided to have some lunch at the restaurant Ai Tre Tartufi. It was directly in the middle of the piazza. I felt like I was on a movie set with the sun shinning, the beautiful architecture everywhere, and a boy playing an accordion while I ate my cannelloni. It was delicious. I couldn't imagine a more perfect Sunday afternoon.

While I was eating I noticed a theme occurring in the piazza. Everything that was happening had to do with the arts. There was lots of artwork for sale and painters creating masterpieces right on the street. There were guitar players, accordion players, and saxophone players all over the place. There was even a magician/mime putting on a show right in the middle. He drew in a huge crowd of on lookers. It seemed like an appreciation for the arts was on tap for Sunday afternoon in the piazza!

Café: A great way to start off the day!

The first day of class in Rome meant the first day of breakfast in Rome as well. On the walk to school alone it is possible to come across 10 to 20 cafés that will serve various items for breakfast; they are everywhere! For my first taste of a real Italian breakfast I chose to have a croissant, a banana, and a water. The croissant was amazing. The outside was layered with what seemed a sugary icing that really did help to sweeten my first day of class. The inside was light and fluffy. I kept telling myself to eat it slower but I couldn't control myself. It was so delicious that I ate it in less an three minutes! I know that water is not typical for most Italians in the morning but I just don't like the taste of coffee; I am much more of an orange juice person. I told myself though that I have to try a cappuccino some time while I am here. It was interesting to watch the locals order and eat their breakfast and compare it to how I was eating my own breakfast. They seemed much more comfortable with the idea of standing and enjoying breakfast, where I was dying for a nice chair. It seems that the cafés are a meeting place for people in the morning time. They seem cheerful and excited about their upcoming day. I chose to observe and learn about cafés in the morning because I enjoy breakfast and found the activity in the café interesting. Each time I am in the café for breakfast I plan on trying something new. I hope every morning just keeps getting more and more delicious!

Piazza Navona

When I was thinking of a location to blog about I knew I wanted to do a piazza because they are an important part of Italian culture and the city of Rome in general. I chose the Piazza Navona, specifically the events that occur in it, because I am a Public Relations major. I thought it would be interesting to see how events occur there, who attends them, and how the events and activities change due to the time of day. The Piazza Navona is filled with shops, restaurants, fountains, churches, and Renaissance buildings. There is always something going there day and night. I can not wait to explore the Piazza Navona for the next 7 weeks!

Trash in such a beautiful city?

In my mind I had this picturesque image of Rome before I came here. When I arrived it by far surpassed anything I could have ever imaged but I was so surprised by two things I saw on the second day of walking to class. First, when I was walking over the bridge I noticed all these plastic bottles and containers sitting in the Tiber River. I could not believe it. It reminded me of the Delaware River from back home, and that river is nothing special. The trash kind of took away from the picture perfect idea I had in my mind. Second, I saw an Italian man just throw his crumbled paper on the street. I know it's a city but I just thought of how many beautiful things are housed in this city and could not believe he did that. I know I would never think to litter here!

The more vino the better!

When one thinks of Italy some of the first things that come to mind are the food, the architecture, and of course the wine. This is because Italy is second only to France when it comes to the amount of wine that is produced by all the countries in the world. In the Italian language wine is called vino, and it is an extremely important aspect of Italian culture.

Almost every cafe, restaurant, and food store has wine to serve or buy. In the city of Rome there are numerous wine bars where one can sample different types of wine and many of the restaurants give suggestions about which type of wine should be paired with your meal. Outside the city, there are vineyards covering the entire country of Italy. A good glass or bottle of wine is extremely easy to come across in Rome. The prices are also fantastic. A delicious and tasty wine can run you as little as 5 Euro! I am a wine lover, but I don't really know that much about how wine is made, how to properly smell, taste, and drink wine, or when and why people drink wine so much here in Italy. I am hoping that observing and researching about wine made in Italy will allow me to become a real wine enthusiast as opposed to someone that only enjoys drinking wine. I have found a few wine bars right in our neighborhood that I can't wait to visit, and I plan on visiting a vineyard in Tuscany. They seem like good places to start to learn more about wine. I could imagine being in a more perfect place than Italy to learn about wine!

Cafés

The morning for many people is quite difficult but I love mornings. I enjoy all breakfast foods and the smell of fresh coffee brewing. A balanced breakfast can really effect your entire day and the Italians, I feel, think the same way. A stop at a local cafe or bar on the walk to work or school is an extremely common practice for most Italians, especially those living in the city of Rome. The cafes and bars in Rome are meeting place in the morning for people to chat while they drink their morning coffee and enjoy a fresh croissant and some fruit. I find it fascinating that at most of these cafes and bars people stand the entire time eating and engaging in conversation. Although space is extremely limited no one seems to mind. I decided to choose cafes and bars to observe in the morning hours because I have a love of breakfast and find the Italian way much different than my usual breakfast routine. I think it could be extremely rewarding to, at the end of my 7 weeks in Rome, incorporate the Italians take on breakfast into my own lifestyle back in the States.

Ciao Trastevere, Roma!

We are living in Trastevere, Italy, which is just a short 20 minute walk to school. Throughout the past couple days we have taken different streets to get back to our apartment, which is located in a hospice, and by doing so I have fallen in love with our neighborhood. There are so many little shops, cafes, and restaurants that line each alley way and side street. The owners are all extremely welcoming as well. When we asked a business man the other day for help to get back to Trastevere we seemed shocked that we lived there because it is so nice. Almost every window has planted on it with the most vibrant colored flowers. There is this one house, located in the picture, that I plan to use as a model for my future home. The distressed red walls, little terrace, and chandelier that hangs inside is everything I've pictured Italy to be and it's located right in my neighborhood. I can't wait to keep exploring it as the weeks go on and blog about it!