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.

piazza cavour

Finally! The long awaited remodeling of Piazza Cavour was unveiled 3 weeks ago, and I for one was very happy about the new look. I'd had enough of the towering cranes and fenced off construction site, bus detours and loud noise surrounding the central Prati neighborhood square. Now Romans can finally admire the massive Palazzaccio again, salute the statue of Camillo Benso di Cavour, and enjoy the nice grassy areas between the gravel paths.

pigneto_1

Pigneto is the "it" contemporary culture neighborhood. I like the relaxed vibe, the rainbow of cultures that populate its humble perpendicular alleys and wide tree-lined streets, the shabby-chic bars and edgy boutiques that sit adjacent to the old corner shops that still sell buttons and zippers to local housewives. To spend a lazy day at Necci, window shop at the Iossieliani flagship store, or just for the great restaurants and wine bars, I take numerous buses and cross the train tracks into the gritty pedestrian-only Via del Pigneto, and stroll in the footsteps of Anna Magnani and Franco Citti, in the original filming location of Pasolini's Accattone and Rossellini's Roma Città Aperta.

guarda su

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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.

specchio

Lungotevere at dusk. The river was very still, and lights were just starting to flicker on.
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la spesa

"Andiamo a fare la spesa," he declares, marching out the door – Let's go grocery shopping.
My son likes to carry the wheeled cart when we walk to our neighborhood produce market.
Then of course when it's full, I always drag it back home.

in giro a monti

 

One of my favorite parts of town.
I like to lazily walk around here, without plans; stop in for a bite at a habitual osteria and take the long way back home.

belvedere

salumeria roscioli

Historic Roman gourmet institution, among the most famous deli/restaurants in Rome and one of Italy’s top 5 wine bars. Recently showcased in Anthony Bourdain's black and white Dolce Vita-style Rome episode of "No Reservations" Roscioli's shelves carry 450 different kinds of cheese, more than 100 different types of cured meat, a wine list of 2200 labels, 20 different homemade breads. And the goods are handled by a professional team of expert sommeliers and talented chefs. The Roscioli family–true to perfect Italian tradition–has been working together since 1969.

estate

{in the city}

In the summer Italians leave the city, headed for vacationland. This year sandal and sunhat season came blazing sooner and warmer than ever. Rome once used to be wonderfully breezy. But that was before huge constructed behemoths in the suburbs totally blocked the sweet evening "Ponentino" westerly wind that come 6 pm, would descend from the hills every day, to bring Romans a little relief.

As the summer progresses, more and more people will leave the city. So streets will slowly begin to empty out, traffic diluted. Apartment buildings will be silent, mailboxes stuffed to full capacity. The warm hum and exhaust of air conditioning engines will finally be switched off. Business will shut down, and many restaurants and shops will hang the familiar "Chiuso per Ferie" (closed for the holidays) sign. Crowded airless busses and subways will be a distant memory. And, finally, in mid August–peak vacation season–the city will be a livable and actually fresher paradise again.

In the meantime, July is hotter than Hades.

condominio

{they've got m@il}

This fairly large northern Rome apartment building, made up of 4 palazzine, has its mailboxes in the communal outside courtyard. Each walnut wood mailbox displays beautifully polished brass nametags and glass windows below each slot.

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dal terrazzo

{Lungara citadel}

My friend J lives in a pretty astounding place. This is the view from his living room balcony. The larger terrace, where we customarily have lunch under a canopy of Virginia Creeper, enjoying the aromas of fresh herbs and the sound of birds chirping, overlooks another part of this gorgeous inner courtyard. 

Notice the many different shades of red: the typical Roman brick-red wall paint, the bright red geraniums, the baked terracotta of the roof tiles, and the fire engine red bougainvillea.

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via dei pettinari

{unhurried}

Yesterday welcomed summer. 

So I ditched the car and took a long, relaxing passeggiata in town. I alighted the tram in Trastevere. After attending a business breakfast, I crossed the river to the Jewish "ghetto" where I met a friend for lunch. We sipped espresso in the shadow provided by Michelangelo's palazzo in Piazza Farnese, and leisurely walked all the way back to the bridge.

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.’

glicine

I love this little courtyard. Today the gates were swung open, invitingly. 

Snap!

ponte cavour

magic hour on the bridge

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Buona Pasqua!

via leonina

ivy league

terra di siena

 bicycle parking

piazza delle coppelle

from hammers to hors d'oeuvres

In ancient times, the little square tucked away beneath the river Tiber and the Pantheon–now smothered by clamorous restaurants and bars at night and a busy produce market by day–was originally where workshops crafted small barrels and firkins, or coppelle. 

I guess this place has noise in its dna.