Mozzarella, Museums, and Macchiato; Four Friends Spend Another Week in Rome
Oct 26th, 2009, 06:56 AM
#21
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Kristina, I have really enjoyed all your trip reports, including your previous trip to Italy and France and I love your website and Google map. I leave for Rome in a week and look forward to trying some of your restaurants recommendations. How did you print out your 15 separate maps? Divide by neighborhood?
Oct 26th, 2009, 07:23 AM
#24
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LouisaH- The Google Maps are actually a massive pain in the a$$ to print out.
First, they icons don't print properly (at least for me) in Internet Explorer so I had to do it in the Google Chrome browser.
Second, I then navigated the map to be in the neighborhood I wanted, blew it up to full screen size and then used the "print screen" function.
Then I hand wrote out numbers next to each icon which corresponded to the items in the guide I created.
Then I scanned that page and printed it out for my friends, but honestly, the half-fold map books I made just looked messy to me. I need to find a better way.
Each time I do this I learn something new in the process.
This time? Make sure you have as many opening hours listed as possible. Also, try and get as much detail on the maps as possible. Those streets in Rome are tiny!
Maybe someday I will get a GPS and there will be a way to automatically upload all the stuff on my google maps directly to GPS. A girl can dream...
Hmmm...I suppose you could access the google maps from a phone, though that might be prohibitively expensive in Europe.
First, they icons don't print properly (at least for me) in Internet Explorer so I had to do it in the Google Chrome browser.
Second, I then navigated the map to be in the neighborhood I wanted, blew it up to full screen size and then used the "print screen" function.
Then I hand wrote out numbers next to each icon which corresponded to the items in the guide I created.
Then I scanned that page and printed it out for my friends, but honestly, the half-fold map books I made just looked messy to me. I need to find a better way.
Each time I do this I learn something new in the process.
This time? Make sure you have as many opening hours listed as possible. Also, try and get as much detail on the maps as possible. Those streets in Rome are tiny!
Maybe someday I will get a GPS and there will be a way to automatically upload all the stuff on my google maps directly to GPS. A girl can dream...
Hmmm...I suppose you could access the google maps from a phone, though that might be prohibitively expensive in Europe.
Oct 26th, 2009, 08:04 AM
#25
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Thanks, Kristina. That's what I figured but thought I'd check. I know what you mean about trying to find some of these places. Three years ago I visited my daughter, who was studying in Rome for the semester and who is a really good navigator. We were trying to find Cul de Sac and had a hard time even with map in hand. She was able to ask someone for directions in Italian and we found it but she won't be with me this time (much to her regret). I want to go back to Cul de Sac with my friend and so I've printed out careful directions.
Oct 26th, 2009, 10:37 AM
#26
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<b><i>Il Fico Ristorante</i></b>
When we arrive the outside patio area is full. They offer us glasses of Prosecco while we wait for a table. After a few minutes, we take a table inside, choosing food over the wait. We order a number of antipasti dishes to share and everyone orders pasta for their main course. While most Italians don’t eat pasta for their main course, this was our first night in Rome and we were still getting into the eating groove.
We have an octopus salad, mixed grilled vegetables and two types of stuffed zucchini flowers; one breaded and fried, the other, which they called a “terrine”, was not a terrine, but rather just the flowers stuffed and baked. The battered and fried ones are very good and came with the traditional anchovy tucked inside along with the cheese. I could eat those all day long. We also have an order of eggplant parmesan.
My pasta, buccatini all’amatriciana comes with a garlicky tomato sauce with guanciale (bacon made from the pig’s cheek). It’s excellent but comes in a shockingly large portion size. In fact, most of the pastas here are quite generous of portion and everyone is happy with their choice (not because of size, but because of taste). The frutti di mare is beautiful, the caccio y pepe is very good, as were the house made ravioli and the pasta with mussels.
I think we had dessert, though because there are no photos, I can’t remember what it was. We had a liter (ok, a <i>liter and a half</i
of the house white wine and it was perfectly drinkable. The service was friendly, if not a bit distracted. It takes us almost 45 minutes to pay our check, though we don’t mind because we’re having such fun and good conversation. To his credit, when the waiter realizes he had forgotten us, he brings us all complimentary glasses of Lemoncello. Dinner for five was approx. 95€
Il Fico Ristorante, Via di Monte Giordano, 49. Tel:06 6875568, www.ilfico.com
After dinner we get Mary into a cab back to her hotel and walk back across the bridge to our apartment. We find the street teeming with people walking, dining outside, drinking, etc. So, when in Rome...we stop at a gelato place right across from the apartment called Cremi for a late night treat.
When we arrive the outside patio area is full. They offer us glasses of Prosecco while we wait for a table. After a few minutes, we take a table inside, choosing food over the wait. We order a number of antipasti dishes to share and everyone orders pasta for their main course. While most Italians don’t eat pasta for their main course, this was our first night in Rome and we were still getting into the eating groove.
We have an octopus salad, mixed grilled vegetables and two types of stuffed zucchini flowers; one breaded and fried, the other, which they called a “terrine”, was not a terrine, but rather just the flowers stuffed and baked. The battered and fried ones are very good and came with the traditional anchovy tucked inside along with the cheese. I could eat those all day long. We also have an order of eggplant parmesan.
My pasta, buccatini all’amatriciana comes with a garlicky tomato sauce with guanciale (bacon made from the pig’s cheek). It’s excellent but comes in a shockingly large portion size. In fact, most of the pastas here are quite generous of portion and everyone is happy with their choice (not because of size, but because of taste). The frutti di mare is beautiful, the caccio y pepe is very good, as were the house made ravioli and the pasta with mussels.
I think we had dessert, though because there are no photos, I can’t remember what it was. We had a liter (ok, a <i>liter and a half</i
of the house white wine and it was perfectly drinkable. The service was friendly, if not a bit distracted. It takes us almost 45 minutes to pay our check, though we don’t mind because we’re having such fun and good conversation. To his credit, when the waiter realizes he had forgotten us, he brings us all complimentary glasses of Lemoncello. Dinner for five was approx. 95€Il Fico Ristorante, Via di Monte Giordano, 49. Tel:06 6875568, www.ilfico.com
After dinner we get Mary into a cab back to her hotel and walk back across the bridge to our apartment. We find the street teeming with people walking, dining outside, drinking, etc. So, when in Rome...we stop at a gelato place right across from the apartment called Cremi for a late night treat.
Oct 26th, 2009, 01:46 PM
#27
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Well, its about time. You've been home for at least a week. 
My favorite photo (so far) is your view out the window of the graffiti, laundry, orange stucco, mossy patio. It's my idea of Rome's beauty.
Obviously, looking forward to more....
~Myra
My favorite photo (so far) is your view out the window of the graffiti, laundry, orange stucco, mossy patio. It's my idea of Rome's beauty.
Obviously, looking forward to more....
~Myra
Oct 26th, 2009, 02:07 PM
#28
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Kristina - Love reading your report and waiting for more. And as I love Limoncello I'd gladly wait for a check for a free glass!
I'm considering Katie for a guide as she is willing to work with the time/attractions we want to see - would you recommend her?
Thanks.
I'm considering Katie for a guide as she is willing to work with the time/attractions we want to see - would you recommend her?
Thanks.
Oct 26th, 2009, 04:02 PM
#29
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The pictures For Day 1 are now on my website:
http://www.wired2theworld.com/Rome2009Day1.html
Myra-Yes, wasn't that courtyard picturesque? I still can't figure out why "Vietnam" was graffitied on the wall though. Wondering if it's been there for 30+ years.
travelfan1-Katie is great. You can tell she really loves what she does and she's incredibly knowledgeable. I'll be writing more about our tour with her, but that's not until Day 5. If you have specific questions, you can email me.
BTW, I like the screen name "travelfan." That used to me my username over on the Lonely Planet Thorntree boards.
http://www.wired2theworld.com/Rome2009Day1.html
Myra-Yes, wasn't that courtyard picturesque? I still can't figure out why "Vietnam" was graffitied on the wall though. Wondering if it's been there for 30+ years.
travelfan1-Katie is great. You can tell she really loves what she does and she's incredibly knowledgeable. I'll be writing more about our tour with her, but that's not until Day 5. If you have specific questions, you can email me.
BTW, I like the screen name "travelfan." That used to me my username over on the Lonely Planet Thorntree boards.
Oct 26th, 2009, 04:37 PM
#31
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Hi Kristina,
Love your pictures and your website, so colourful! We are thinking of staying at Arco Del Lauro B&B in Trastevere so I was interested in what you were saying about that area being "party central". I have checked out the reviews on TA and no ones mentions noise as being a problem so I have my fingers crossed.
Love your pictures and your website, so colourful! We are thinking of staying at Arco Del Lauro B&B in Trastevere so I was interested in what you were saying about that area being "party central". I have checked out the reviews on TA and no ones mentions noise as being a problem so I have my fingers crossed.
Oct 26th, 2009, 04:39 PM
#32
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I loved your pictures, Kristina! And that "Vietnam" probably has been there since it was first done. Maybe the owners son did it? Anyway, thanks for sharing..truly a great trip report and oh the pictures of the food!
