piazza farnese

Don't stop in Campo de' Fiori! Escape the market and tourist chaos, and find some respite in the quieter and breathtaking Piazza Farnese, with its twin marble basin fountains, and the stunning Palazzo: one of the most important High Renaissance palaces in Rome. It currently serves as the French embassy in Italy.

First designed in 1517 for the Farnese family, the structure was altered when Alessandro Farnese became Pope in 1534, to designs by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger. Its building history involved some of the most prominent Italian architects of the 16th century, including Michelangelo, Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola, and Giacomo della Porta.

sanpietrini

This month's theme in the City Daily Photo Blog community is COBBLESTONES. Unfortunately the server is down but thanks to Eric of Paris Daily Photo, I was directed to Julie, who worked out a system: you can see more Theme Day participants HERE.

giallo

It's forbidden to ride a vespa on the autostrada highway. Yet this fearless centaur does, and even succeeding in passing us. We were on our way down to Positano, driving through an area known for cameo carvings, volcanic lava tunnels, and lax traffic law enforcement.

ferragosto

This above was taken a week ago in the pool at the Villa Rucellai where we're enjoying our vacation. The photo has become old, a memory of the past... because my child has won his fear of swimming without water wings!

Now he is a little fish. And even big green "coccodrilli" don't scare him anymore.
He blissfully jumps off the edge into my arms, smiling, trusting and exhilarated.

Buon Ferragosto!

via del governo vecchio

This street is all about the people. But also home to vintage clothing shops, stylish boutiques, funky bookstores and great food.

nap  
(verb) [intrans.] sleep lightly or briefly, especially during the day.
(noun) short daytime sleep.
Eg. catnap, rest, siesta, snooze, catch forty winks, get some shut-eye, catch some Zs.

The warm Roman spring weather––and blooming foliage––trigger lots of napping these days.

ombre

Today the sun's been dancing in and out of the clouds, each time casting unexpected shadows on the ochre and terracotta wash of the Roman palazzi.
In spring these Plane trees (European sycamores) will be covered in beautiful foliage, and the dwellers of these riverside homes will no longer benefit from the direct rays of the sun.

pattinaggio sul ghiaccio

This year's Christmas ice skating rink at the Auditorium Parco della Musica no longer occupies the cavea, rather a much wider space in front of the ReD cafè.
This series was shot last weekend.
I'm happy I caught the smiles and happiness of these three kids, drenched and giddy, in thier rented skates and loose-fitting elastic clothing.

vandalismo?

Today is Theme Day in the City Daily Photo community. Graffiti is this month's theme.
I have mixed feelings about graffiti. In some cases I find them beautiful and poetic, and sometimes the vandalism is pointless, and it irritates me.
Some of these grffiti expressions I gathered in the streets, doorways and walls of Rome, and the best one, I found at home.

Visit City Daily Photo for more October GRAFFITI theme day photos.

vespa show

Just as I was saying good-bye to some friends visiting from LA after a gargantuan gelato session, a buzzing platoon of Vespa scooters zoomed by. They all had numbers on the front, so maybe it was some sort of competition. Judging from the models, it was probably for vintage classics.

Check out the cream-colored one equipped with sidecar... Also, I think I spotted a Lambretta out there somewhere...
Ah, bliss. Almost better than gelato.

This post is dedicated to my vespa-buddy, CHUCK

castro pretorio

JUXTAPOSE | verb [trans.]
place close together for contrasting effect

ORIGIN mid 19th century: French juxtaposer, from Latin juxta ‘next’ + French poser ‘to place.’

via leonina

ivy league

rosso

Sagrantino di Montefalco

Today is Theme Day in the City Daily Photo community. 

To see how scores of bloggers from around the world have interpreted the theme

"RED"

please Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

chiosco

rush hour

palloncini

He ~ helium

ocra

Sunny day

Yesterday was warm and wonderful. Every one was out in the city streets for a passeggiata, enjoying the 18° C (64.4° F) temperatures and the air which smelled like spring. I bet the folks living up on the last floor of this palazzo in the centro storico really enjoyed their terrace yesterday. I can picture a table hidden behind the budding jasmine shrubs. Dappled light broken only by the squared shade provided by a white canvas umbrella. A frosty bottle of white wine, a chunk of Parmigiano, a small bowl of Gaeta olives, some bread. Birds chirping. Distant childrens' cackle down in the street. A bee buzzes in the geraniums. I take a sip.

Dreaming is gratis.

giostra

Horses, elephants, trains and automobiles

Every Sunday morning my son and I take a long walk in the park. When the weather is nice, we even stretch as far as the Pincio, where I like to sit on a park bench and read the paper, sipping a cappuccino, while my little boy rides the merry-go-round, blissfully.

Spot a familiar subject in this photo?

For More Sundays in My City images, click HERE

fiori

Roadside springtime

Traditional florists are practically extinct. There's one historic old store that sells excruciatingly expensive flower compositions and bouquets in my neighborhood, but it's going out of business. That's because in Rome you can find an impromptu flower stall, or an old lady selling flowers out of buckets for pennies virtually every few blocks or so.

This photo was taken at a major intersection on the Viale Liegi main thoroughfare that connects the quartiere Parioli to the University district; heading south on this same boulevard towards San Lorenzo, I happened upon two similar flower vendors.

I love fiori.

tutto a €1

you want it, we've got it

In Italy, streetside markets are not all about food and second hand clothes. I like to linger before the colorful emporium-style stalls that sell hardware store materials (I have an insane passion for hardware stores). This particular one displayed its nifty items  in plastic baskets, and in exchange for just one Euro. So if you're ever in need of a new potato peeler, adaptor for your gas stove, a strainer for the sink, stainless steel hooks, bottle-openers, garlic crushers, nutcrackers, can and jar openers and a million other all-sorts, all you have to do is stop by and leave just a few coins behind.

spille

Vintage jewellery

Antiques' fairs, flea markets, vintage bijoux, second hand stores... I love to browse them lazily, find that perfect and unique piece, spend time bargaining and enjoying the beautiful displays. Look at these precious brooches, aren't they pretty? Can you guess which one is my favorite?

Thought this would be a good addition to Ruby Tuesday ~ Check it out