Eating in Rome { Trapizzino + Ponte Milvio}

We are in the final weeks of high school for the Teenager. This year is one of lots of "lasts"; The last Thanksgiving he will live in Rome for, the last high school play performance... Today was my last parent/teacher conference. This means an end to my treks to his school, which is located on the northern edges of Rome and virtually unconnected by any kind of reliable public transportation.(It is not an epic trek for the Teenager, he takes the school bus door to door.) Over the years I have developed a routine once I finish meeting with teachers and catching up with fellow parents. I browse the fancy shoe shops and clothing stores that the very upscale neighborhood where school is has plenty of and then I head down the hill to the Ponte Milvio neighborhood.

The neighborhood is named for the Ponte Milvio, a bridge that dates back to the Roman empire but now might be most well known for Federico Moccia's novel Ho Voglia di Te and the love locks that story inspired. This part of town feels more like Sandton in Johannesburg than Rome to me. It is lots of SUV's and ladies in expensive work-out clothes shopping in fancy boutiques and sipping coffee in glossy cafes. A recent addition to the neighborhood is a branch of a favorite Testaccio spot,Trapizzino.

Rome {Wordless Wednesday}

Eating in Rome {dall'Antò} - CLOSED

One of the things that expats in Rome complain about most is the lack of ethnic food. This complaint, while not without some merit, is not entirely deserved. We regularly dine on Korean BBQ, Ethiopian Injera and Indian curies. One of the reasons for the smallish repertoire of food from foreign lands is the strong regionality of Italian cuisine itself. You would be hard pressed to find cicoria in Venice or sarde in saor in Rome. dall'Antò, a small shop in Monti, is kind of like an ethnic restaurant Italian style.

Hamburgers in Rome {La Zanzara}

There are so many new restaurants opening in Rome right now it is hard to keep track. If you are up for the challenge La Zanzara is great place to start.

London {where to shop}

When I was in London last month, most of my time was spent helping Noah get ready for his big audition, but I did find a few moments to sneak out and do a little bit of shopping. These are some of my favorite places to shop in London. 

Drinking in Capri {Birra di Capri}

This past weekend was the first glimpse of spring here in Rome. After the gray, wet, winter months, blue skies and sunshine have me thinking about summer on the Amalfi Coast. Thinking of lazy days spent at beach clubs reading a book under an umbrella and thinking about drinks at sunset.

Now while I am usually a cocktail girl, on a hot summer afternoon nothing hits the spot quite like an ice cold beer. 

Eating in Rome {Marzapane}

I rarely pick a fancy spot for a meal.  I am much more likely to chose a rustic plate of amatriciana at a local trattoria over something billed as fine dining.  I think part of my resistance to fancy meals is that so much of everyday life in Rome is theater. From the elaborate greetings required at the corner household goods store and with the postman to the strict sense of bella figura, which means no running the trash out in your yoga clothes (or going to and from your yoga class in your yoga clothes for that matter.) And part of it is that I just prefer simpler constructions with just a few fresh ingredients presented without fussy micro-greens and served on slate. That said, I am a sucker for slick and pretty. Which when I think about it is probably why I like Rome so much. I was happy when my pal Elizabeth suggested lunch at the new-ish and much talked about Marzapane.

Best Hamburger in Tuscany {Dario Cecchini + Panzano in Chianti}

I had been hearing about the legendary Dario in Tuscany for years.  I read Heat written by Bill Buford during my first years living in Rome.  I followed Judy's tales of her brash friend. The one who is famous for ferociously quoting Dante and lavishly butchering meat in a tiny Tuscan town in the hills of Chianti.

We were in Tuscany for a few days in February and staying nearby to Panzano de Chianti.  Beyond the butcher there are three other choices to sample Darios's wares.  Officina della Bistecca,  Solaciccia and Dario Doc.  Not wanting to brave the winding roads on a stormy night and sadly not being in Tuscany for a s sunday lunch we did not get to try Officina della Bistecca with it's 50 fixed price beef extravaganza.  Guess what, we chose the hamburger restaurant.