Finally!! Halfway to Italy!!!
Jun 28th, 2005, 11:28 AM
#21
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LoveItaly - Yes it Tri-x for Black and White. Glad to hear your SIL & DD are coming home.
Tiff - The apartment will really come in handy seeing how it has a washing machine, get to pack even lighter now. Not to mention the kitchen...YAY I get to cook in Italy. 211 days eh? Hope they go fast!! And yes...Mean people do suck!!
Statia - You are right behind me! Too cool. I forgot who posted it awhile back, but another way to make the time seem shorter is to look at in how many paychecks left until you leave. (I have 7, number 8 will be deposited while I am in Venice)
Tom
Tiff - The apartment will really come in handy seeing how it has a washing machine, get to pack even lighter now. Not to mention the kitchen...YAY I get to cook in Italy. 211 days eh? Hope they go fast!! And yes...Mean people do suck!!
Statia - You are right behind me! Too cool. I forgot who posted it awhile back, but another way to make the time seem shorter is to look at in how many paychecks left until you leave. (I have 7, number 8 will be deposited while I am in Venice)
Tom
Jun 28th, 2005, 12:29 PM
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Tom, for the days when you exceptionally do not want to cook, I warmly recommend a tiny hole-in-the-wall near your apartment called Il Fornaio. They sell very good panini and pizza slices as well as a small selection of pastries, and they're open, as far as I recall, until at least 9:00 p.m. Within a convenient hundred feet, there is Il Vinaio, where you can obtain wine.
Memory is a trifle hazy on the exact location, but I think Il Vinaio is on via dei Portoghesi and Il Fornaio kitty-corner to it at the corner of via dei Portoghesi and via dell'Orso.
I certainly enjoyed the evening picnics drawn together from the two places.
Memory is a trifle hazy on the exact location, but I think Il Vinaio is on via dei Portoghesi and Il Fornaio kitty-corner to it at the corner of via dei Portoghesi and via dell'Orso.
I certainly enjoyed the evening picnics drawn together from the two places.
Jun 28th, 2005, 01:24 PM
#23
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Eloise - Thanks for the tip. I will be sure to check it out. It sounds like the kind of places that I want to eat at. Not looking for touristy type places.
As for the cooking, I dont plan on doing alot, just want the opportunity to cook in another country. Do you know of any grocery stores in the area?
Tom
As for the cooking, I dont plan on doing alot, just want the opportunity to cook in another country. Do you know of any grocery stores in the area?
Tom
Jun 28th, 2005, 01:49 PM
#24
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Tom, You can't eat at Il Fornaio; the place is barely large enough to take four people standing up. You point to what you want and, if necessary, indicate the amount you want -- they move the knife along until you say OK ("va bene cosi"
-- they cut off the piece, wrap it and slap a price on it, which you pay at the cash squeezed in the corner. Then you take it home and have a picnic.
If I recall correctly, there is a very small grocery store on via dei Portoghesi, near Il Vinaio. But these days every corner of Rome seems to have its "supermercato" -- not what you and I would call a supermarket, but a bit bigger than the tiny grocery stores. Perhaps you can ask the rental agent or one of your neighbours where the closest "supermercato" is.
Oh, and if you want an infinitely superior picnic, then you can go to Volpetti on via della Scrofa to pick up the fixings. I'm not sure that it's related to the famous Volpetti in Testaccio, but it certainly seemed like a high temple of gastronomy to me.
As for nearby restaurants, there are two on via dell'Orso. Orso 80 is much frequented by tourists but has, by and large, maintained its quality. For an ample lunch, have their antipasto misto of about 12 different dishes for 13 Euro. The other is called Lagana, and although it is not mentioned in any guidebook that I am aware of, I had one of my most mediocre and most costly meals there. I would suggest that you avoid it; it is not that "undiscovered little gem" that everyone hopes to find.
On via della Scrofa, avoid Alfredo alla Scrofa; it claims to be the original Alfredo of fettuccine Alfredo, but if it was ever any good back in the 50s and 60s when American film stars used to flock there, it no longer is. Just off via della Scrofa after Alfredo is the vicolo della Campana, where La Campana is located. Again, it is much frequented by tourists, but in my experience, it has maintained its quality, at least at lunch when it is not overrun. Do not go near it on a Saturday evening!
-- they cut off the piece, wrap it and slap a price on it, which you pay at the cash squeezed in the corner. Then you take it home and have a picnic.If I recall correctly, there is a very small grocery store on via dei Portoghesi, near Il Vinaio. But these days every corner of Rome seems to have its "supermercato" -- not what you and I would call a supermarket, but a bit bigger than the tiny grocery stores. Perhaps you can ask the rental agent or one of your neighbours where the closest "supermercato" is.
Oh, and if you want an infinitely superior picnic, then you can go to Volpetti on via della Scrofa to pick up the fixings. I'm not sure that it's related to the famous Volpetti in Testaccio, but it certainly seemed like a high temple of gastronomy to me.
As for nearby restaurants, there are two on via dell'Orso. Orso 80 is much frequented by tourists but has, by and large, maintained its quality. For an ample lunch, have their antipasto misto of about 12 different dishes for 13 Euro. The other is called Lagana, and although it is not mentioned in any guidebook that I am aware of, I had one of my most mediocre and most costly meals there. I would suggest that you avoid it; it is not that "undiscovered little gem" that everyone hopes to find.
On via della Scrofa, avoid Alfredo alla Scrofa; it claims to be the original Alfredo of fettuccine Alfredo, but if it was ever any good back in the 50s and 60s when American film stars used to flock there, it no longer is. Just off via della Scrofa after Alfredo is the vicolo della Campana, where La Campana is located. Again, it is much frequented by tourists, but in my experience, it has maintained its quality, at least at lunch when it is not overrun. Do not go near it on a Saturday evening!
Jun 28th, 2005, 01:54 PM
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I just did the "cooking" tour with Accidental Tourist earlier this month. We had originally wanted to do the biking tour but it wasn't scheduled for the day we could go and then we were going to do the hiking tour and the person didn't show up that morning. So we did the cooking tour. I am a fairly accomplished home cook, but the cooking tour was learning to make pasta. It was not hard nor very intense and we only made one type of pasta. I am very afraid as a professional cook, you would be very bored in the class especially if you had ever made pasta in the past.
I really liked the tour itself. We were picked up in Florence, drove to a winery and saw where they made the wine and how they did it. Then we drove down the road just a bit farther and had a wine tasting from the same winery and had some olive oil. The olive oil was truly fabulous and was the highlight of the trip for me. It had a smooth pepppery, spicy finish. Worth going on the trip just to be able to buy some of the oil.
Then we got back into the van and drove up to the top of a long, winding hill on a dirt road. Once there we made spinach and ricotta ravioli. The tour guide showed us how to make other types of pasta using the pasta machine. Then they cooked the pasta for lunch. We also had several other courses. This would be a great class for a family especially with kids.
Bon Appetit or Gourmet magazine had an article on cooking schools and food and restaurants either last month or the month before. I bought it and never read it so i can't tell you what it said. If you can't find it, email me and I'll be happy to send you my copy.
You ought to check out Divina cucina for cooking school in Florence and i know there are schools in Rome as well. You might want to search on www.egullet.org for better info on Tuscany and cooking schools.
Florence - We ate a great restaurant called Santo Bevetore i think. The name means "holy spirit" as in saints and wine. A very clever play on words and meanings. I would recommend it as a way to see an updated version of Tuscan food.
I would also suggest going to Orvieto on your way from Florence to Rome. Great town to spend a day in. I wasn't impressed by Siena, but we got lost and drove through town which is a big no-no and we were so freaked out that we just left and went on to San Gimgano which we loved.
Have fun in Italy.
I really liked the tour itself. We were picked up in Florence, drove to a winery and saw where they made the wine and how they did it. Then we drove down the road just a bit farther and had a wine tasting from the same winery and had some olive oil. The olive oil was truly fabulous and was the highlight of the trip for me. It had a smooth pepppery, spicy finish. Worth going on the trip just to be able to buy some of the oil.
Then we got back into the van and drove up to the top of a long, winding hill on a dirt road. Once there we made spinach and ricotta ravioli. The tour guide showed us how to make other types of pasta using the pasta machine. Then they cooked the pasta for lunch. We also had several other courses. This would be a great class for a family especially with kids.
Bon Appetit or Gourmet magazine had an article on cooking schools and food and restaurants either last month or the month before. I bought it and never read it so i can't tell you what it said. If you can't find it, email me and I'll be happy to send you my copy.
You ought to check out Divina cucina for cooking school in Florence and i know there are schools in Rome as well. You might want to search on www.egullet.org for better info on Tuscany and cooking schools.
Florence - We ate a great restaurant called Santo Bevetore i think. The name means "holy spirit" as in saints and wine. A very clever play on words and meanings. I would recommend it as a way to see an updated version of Tuscan food.
I would also suggest going to Orvieto on your way from Florence to Rome. Great town to spend a day in. I wasn't impressed by Siena, but we got lost and drove through town which is a big no-no and we were so freaked out that we just left and went on to San Gimgano which we loved.
Have fun in Italy.
Jun 28th, 2005, 02:33 PM
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Eloise - Thanks for clarifing that you cant eat in Il Fornaio. Still sounds like a good place to try. I'll check it out. And thanks also for the supermecato info.
Are there any open air markets nearby? I like going to Pike Place Market here in Seattle and seeing what is fresh and making up a meal plan right then and there.
Willamscb13 - Although I cook professionally, believe it or not I have never made pasta from scratch, and I love pasta. Keep telling myself to get myself a pasta machine, but keep putting off.
It was Bon Appetit that had the special issue on Italy. I have a very well thumbed through copy.Thanks anyway on your offer though.
Tom
Are there any open air markets nearby? I like going to Pike Place Market here in Seattle and seeing what is fresh and making up a meal plan right then and there.
Willamscb13 - Although I cook professionally, believe it or not I have never made pasta from scratch, and I love pasta. Keep telling myself to get myself a pasta machine, but keep putting off.
It was Bon Appetit that had the special issue on Italy. I have a very well thumbed through copy.Thanks anyway on your offer though.
Tom
Jun 28th, 2005, 02:47 PM
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The closest open-air market (with bakeries, butchers, grocery stores and probably fishmongers around the edge) is every morning (except Sunday) in Campo de Fiori, one of the largest and probably the most famous one in Rome. It shouldn't be more than a 10 to 12 minute walk from your apartment if you take a direct route.
Jun 28th, 2005, 08:21 PM
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Hello Tom and Tiff, thank you both so much for reposting the black and white film info. This time I will not lose this information, I promise!
Yes, my SIL and DD arrived home today, late afternoon. It was good to see them and my grandsons were sure happy to have them back home.
Tom, my SIL said when they were not cooking meals in his house in Rome they went to a lot of rosticceria's. Grilled meats, pastas and very good prices. So good it looks like my DD gained about 10 pounds in spite of all the stress they had there, Trip was last moment due to serious problems with the family in Rome, so their budget was on the tight side. So Tom, this is a type of restaurant you will want to experience.
Best wishes to both of you - take good care.
Yes, my SIL and DD arrived home today, late afternoon. It was good to see them and my grandsons were sure happy to have them back home.
Tom, my SIL said when they were not cooking meals in his house in Rome they went to a lot of rosticceria's. Grilled meats, pastas and very good prices. So good it looks like my DD gained about 10 pounds in spite of all the stress they had there, Trip was last moment due to serious problems with the family in Rome, so their budget was on the tight side. So Tom, this is a type of restaurant you will want to experience.
Best wishes to both of you - take good care.
Jun 28th, 2005, 09:07 PM
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LoveItaly - Glad to hear that your DD and SIL made it home okay. Knowing why they went to Italy, how are they holding up? Good I hope. It is always hard when these things happen. I just got done reading the thread on Miriam from Germany. So sad! She sounded like a great person. Not to mention her friend Monica, what a true friend in every sense of the word.
In the short time I have been coming here to Fodors, I have made good friends and can tell that the core group really care about the well being of each other.
Thanks for the advice (or is it advise...just want to give the spelling police something to do ...hahahaha) on the rosticceria's.
Hope all is well with you and yours.
Tom
In the short time I have been coming here to Fodors, I have made good friends and can tell that the core group really care about the well being of each other.
Thanks for the advice (or is it advise...just want to give the spelling police something to do ...hahahaha) on the rosticceria's.
Hope all is well with you and yours.
Tom
Jun 29th, 2005, 09:34 AM
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Good morning Tom, thank you for your kind thoughts. Daughter & SIL are amazing, they actually looked good when I saw them last night. Much better than I anticipated. Their sons and I were so happy to see them. Know they are tired today but hopefully things will settle down now.
Don't have any info regarding Rome at the moment except that it is VERY hot and humid. And the traffic conditions are terrible. But will hear more stories in this coming week.
Take good care, and keep dreaming about your Italian vacation!
Don't have any info regarding Rome at the moment except that it is VERY hot and humid. And the traffic conditions are terrible. But will hear more stories in this coming week.
Take good care, and keep dreaming about your Italian vacation!
