As of this past August, Rome is the city that I have lived in the longest since I was 17 years old. Same goes for our apartment in Monti. I have started feeling the pull for something new. I wander in new neighborhoods in Rome thinking about what it would be like to live in a different part of town. I stay up late scrolling through pictures of houses on Cape Cod, planning a new life in a new part of the world. For now this is all entertainment. We are planning on staying put both in Rome and in our cozy apartment for at least a few more years so I have to look for alternative ways to sooth my wanderlust. Food is an easy way for a change of perspective.
Rome is not a big city that is filled with cuisines from other places. Trattorias serving plates of cacio e pepe and amatriciana are much easier to find (and much more affordable) that a spicy Thai curry or a fish tacos. One of the things I like most about living in Monti is the mix of old and new. There is street art painted and plastered onto medieval buildings. The tiny little house at the end of my street has been there for centuries and now is now home to a sweet cafe. There are Indian restaurants and sushi spots. The neighborhood manages to be both welcoming to change and still remain a very traditional place. A few Sundays ago, I was still tired from my Sicilian island adventures so we stuck close to home and took a walk around the neighborhood with a vague idea of getting something to eat and then remembered the newish French crepe place on via Leonina.
A few weeks ago I had an assignment that asked for some information about the cruise ship terminal in Civitavecchia. It had been a long time since I had been there so Mark and I decided to take advantage of a sunny Autumn Saturday and see what there was to see.
The Aeolian Islands, a string of seven volcanic islands off the coast of Sicily, are not for everyone. They are remote and difficult to get to. In a word; Perfect. If you are looking for a destination that is both luxurious and simple, filled with striking beauty and incredible, varied cuisine, this is it.
Come with a relaxed attitude, plenty of flexibility and a dose of patience and you are sure to enjoy everything this remarkable part of the world will generously offer you.
I will share with you some of the places I discovered on various islands I got to visit soon, but I will start by talking logistics and how to get to the Aeolian Islands.
I feel like most of the people I meet here in Rome came here out of a passion for Italy. They studied Italian, or came here for a year abroad. That's not my story. For me, Rome was just another country that my husband's job took us to. We have now been here longer than we have lived anywhere else, and for me longer overseas than "home" in America. With the years I slowly have fallen in love Rome, almost as much as the lifelong Italophile, but there is still a part of me that remains a Francophile. I have learned to love a cornetto with my cappuccino, a warm chunk of Lauriano bread and really who doesn't love mozzarella? But. I miss a buttery croissant, a crusty baguette and gooey wedge of brie. Until last month there was little I could do besides a quick trip to Paris to indulge a craving. That has all changed with the opening of Le Carre Francais in Prati.
As torrential rain from Hurricane Joaquin barrels towards the east coast and here in Rome the skies have been gray and the temps a bit cool I though I would share a little summer sunshine with 10 pictures that show just how beautiful the Amalfi Coast is.
