Steps, stones, snow and domes - a winter week in Rome.
Feb 22nd, 2010, 09:46 AM
#21
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Saving this to read tomorrow when I've got more time, and really looking forward to hearing all about your Roman holiday.
Thought of you that weekend when the snow in Rome was on the BBC news with the match preview!
Thought of you that weekend when the snow in Rome was on the BBC news with the match preview!
Feb 22nd, 2010, 07:43 PM
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annhig, I have been anxiously awaiting your trip report so I could see how the apartment turned out!! We're really feeling confident about it now; thank you for your lovely and thorough description. We leave five weeks from this Wednesday! karen 
Feb 23rd, 2010, 12:09 AM
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annhig, try carciofi alla romana next time, it's much much better.
Your DS+university remarks remind me powerfully of one of my offspring, who was very lucky indeed to get into UEA. Now has a decent degree and is on his third TEFL job abroad. But this year is much tougher, so congrats.
Your DS+university remarks remind me powerfully of one of my offspring, who was very lucky indeed to get into UEA. Now has a decent degree and is on his third TEFL job abroad. But this year is much tougher, so congrats.
Feb 23rd, 2010, 05:49 AM
#25
hi eton - I hope i haven't over-sold it. as i stated above, there were some problems with the heating system which meant that it kept going off and we had to reset the fuse-box. DH took charge of this and it was fine, especially as we had the electric heater too.
as luck would have it, they were supposed to come and repair it on the day it snowed, so like everything else, the electricity company stopped too. it was fixed on the Monday and then seemed to be ok. you should therefore be fine - and in April you shouldn't have the cold weather we had, particularly at the beginning of our stay.
on or two more points- there is not a huge amount of hanging space for clothes, and the bathroom in the main bedroom is really only a loo - there is a shower in there, but as Catherine says, really it was a joke by the architect! the one leading off the other bedroom is fine - a hand-held and monsoon shower, soap and other necessities provided, a large basin. I would advise taking a few more towels - the ones supplied are just about adequate, but more would have helped. and we never used the washing machine - we only found it late in the stay and it didn't appear to be plumbed in!
on the plus side, it's surprisingly light and airy, the position is great, the kitchen is very well equipped and it's very quiet.
anything i haven't covered - just ask away.
julia - by the day of the match, the snow was all gone, thank goodness. in fact, the best weather was on Saturday, the day after the snow, but sunday/match-day was pretty good too, and we were able to have our one and only lunch outside on our way to the ground.
fifi - thanks. I thought of it as I was climbing the dome of san pietro - it took my mind off my aching calves!
tarquin - that's very encouraging. it's been a long and sometimes rocky road, and sometimes that light at the end of the tunnel looked as if it might be the train about to run us over. now i think that it's just the end of the tunnel!
how do they make carciofi alla romana?
as luck would have it, they were supposed to come and repair it on the day it snowed, so like everything else, the electricity company stopped too. it was fixed on the Monday and then seemed to be ok. you should therefore be fine - and in April you shouldn't have the cold weather we had, particularly at the beginning of our stay.
on or two more points- there is not a huge amount of hanging space for clothes, and the bathroom in the main bedroom is really only a loo - there is a shower in there, but as Catherine says, really it was a joke by the architect! the one leading off the other bedroom is fine - a hand-held and monsoon shower, soap and other necessities provided, a large basin. I would advise taking a few more towels - the ones supplied are just about adequate, but more would have helped. and we never used the washing machine - we only found it late in the stay and it didn't appear to be plumbed in!
on the plus side, it's surprisingly light and airy, the position is great, the kitchen is very well equipped and it's very quiet.
anything i haven't covered - just ask away.
julia - by the day of the match, the snow was all gone, thank goodness. in fact, the best weather was on Saturday, the day after the snow, but sunday/match-day was pretty good too, and we were able to have our one and only lunch outside on our way to the ground.
fifi - thanks. I thought of it as I was climbing the dome of san pietro - it took my mind off my aching calves!
tarquin - that's very encouraging. it's been a long and sometimes rocky road, and sometimes that light at the end of the tunnel looked as if it might be the train about to run us over. now i think that it's just the end of the tunnel!
how do they make carciofi alla romana?
Feb 23rd, 2010, 06:12 AM
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Carciofi alla romana is an artichoke steamed in seasoned broth. They are OK though nothing special to me--just the classic way one make artichokes at home.
I prefer carciofi alal giudia, but I have never had them dipped in batter as you described. I think the key point about carciofi alla giudia is that they are deep fried in oil and then fried again, so that the leaves are crisp and the flesh is creamy.
I also prefer carciofi alla giudia because I would never ever go through this cooking process at home while it's pretty straightforward to cook carciofio alla romana at home.
I prefer carciofi alal giudia, but I have never had them dipped in batter as you described. I think the key point about carciofi alla giudia is that they are deep fried in oil and then fried again, so that the leaves are crisp and the flesh is creamy.
I also prefer carciofi alla giudia because I would never ever go through this cooking process at home while it's pretty straightforward to cook carciofio alla romana at home.
Feb 23rd, 2010, 06:24 AM
#28
I prefer carciofi alal giudia, but I have never had them dipped in batter as you described. I think the key point about carciofi alla giudia is that they are deep fried in oil and then fried again, so that the leaves are crisp and the flesh is creamy.>>
what I couldn't work out was how it eat it! I was confronted with this fried pixie-hat sitting on my plate, and no clue as it how to attack it. does one pick off the leaves as one would a normal steamed artichoke and suck the ends? do you strip off the leaves and then just eat the base? despite their allaged popularity i never saw anyone else eating one so I remained in ignorance for the entirety of our stay.
tell me how to eat them ellenem, and I'll have an excuse to go back!
ps - i may have got the bit about them being dipped in batter wrong, but I'm sure that's what I read somewhere. the one I had was just deep-fried.
what I couldn't work out was how it eat it! I was confronted with this fried pixie-hat sitting on my plate, and no clue as it how to attack it. does one pick off the leaves as one would a normal steamed artichoke and suck the ends? do you strip off the leaves and then just eat the base? despite their allaged popularity i never saw anyone else eating one so I remained in ignorance for the entirety of our stay.
tell me how to eat them ellenem, and I'll have an excuse to go back!
ps - i may have got the bit about them being dipped in batter wrong, but I'm sure that's what I read somewhere. the one I had was just deep-fried.
Feb 23rd, 2010, 06:27 AM
#29
I also prefer carciofi alla giudia because I would never ever go through this cooking process at home while it's pretty straightforward to cook carciofio alla romana at home.>>
PPS -first catch your carciofi!
Nikki - yes, it was still fun there. the night we were there it was full of locals, some using their mobiles, another with his laptop, another going out to move his car so that someone else could have that parking space, - it was a real taste of roman life. looking back, I've no idea why we didn't go there again!
PPS -first catch your carciofi!
Nikki - yes, it was still fun there. the night we were there it was full of locals, some using their mobiles, another with his laptop, another going out to move his car so that someone else could have that parking space, - it was a real taste of roman life. looking back, I've no idea why we didn't go there again!
Feb 23rd, 2010, 06:37 AM
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"what I couldn't work out was how it eat it! I was confronted with this fried pixie-hat sitting on my plate, and no clue as it how to attack it. "
You eat the whole thing. If cooked correctly, the leaves are crisp like snack chips. I think they are made from different artichokes (younger maybe?) so the fibers in the leaves that you are avoiding when you do that scraping with your teeth across steamed artichoke leaves are not a problem to eat. When I'm finished eating a carciofi alla giudia there is nothing left on the plate.
You eat the whole thing. If cooked correctly, the leaves are crisp like snack chips. I think they are made from different artichokes (younger maybe?) so the fibers in the leaves that you are avoiding when you do that scraping with your teeth across steamed artichoke leaves are not a problem to eat. When I'm finished eating a carciofi alla giudia there is nothing left on the plate.
Feb 23rd, 2010, 07:33 AM
#32
the one I was served was definitely NOT edible in its entirety. at least not by me.
regrettably there are no herds of carciofi lurking anywhere hereabouts. they are an endangered species in Cornwall, though across la manche in Brittany they grow in their millions, and our climates are not dissimilar.
I may have to resort to growing my own; though they take up a lot of room, they are very architectural.
glad you're enjoynig the TR, ellenem, and thanks for the cookery lesson.
regrettably there are no herds of carciofi lurking anywhere hereabouts. they are an endangered species in Cornwall, though across la manche in Brittany they grow in their millions, and our climates are not dissimilar.
I may have to resort to growing my own; though they take up a lot of room, they are very architectural.
glad you're enjoynig the TR, ellenem, and thanks for the cookery lesson.
Feb 23rd, 2010, 07:48 AM
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annhig, definitely no overselling, don't worry. we're very low-maintenance, no-frills type of travelers (this is how we do it on one middle class income with three small kids!) and the apartment sounds perfectly acceptable for what we will need. I am very happy with your description of the neighborhood, which is our primary concern.
thanks again! ET
we're very low-maintenance, no-frills type of travelers (this is how we do it on one middle class income with three small kids!) and the apartment sounds perfectly acceptable for what we will need. I am very happy with your description of the neighborhood, which is our primary concern. thanks again! ET
Feb 23rd, 2010, 02:07 PM
#36
eton - I'm pleased about that!
the area is really great - it exceeded my expectations. so close to everything you might want or need.
when thinking about kids, we found the gelateria teatro along the via coronari, which sold chocs and small puddings too - sadly it was never open when we wanted gelati, but in April, I'm sure you'll have more luck. nearby too is the museo di Roma - we never went in as my family wouldn't bite but the info was that it had interactive exhibits which sounded good to me. on sunday, we went to the castel san angelo for somthing to do before we went to the match, and found that it was half-price! so it might be worth trying on a sunday...really I wouldn't have wanted to pay full price for it though, as the best bit is the view of st. Peter's from the cafe! also on sunday there was a kids' entertainment in the piazza del popolo, but that might have been because it was "Carneval" - lots of kids and few adults, [including one hairdressers where they were all dressed as witches and warlocks!] in costume and generally larking about.
perhaps more importantly, the area was very safe and I never felt the least concern wandering around. sad to say the main dangers are the dogs' mess [Romans don't appear to have heard about the pooper scooper] and the cars - they haven't heard about traffic laws either!
the area is really great - it exceeded my expectations. so close to everything you might want or need.
when thinking about kids, we found the gelateria teatro along the via coronari, which sold chocs and small puddings too - sadly it was never open when we wanted gelati, but in April, I'm sure you'll have more luck. nearby too is the museo di Roma - we never went in as my family wouldn't bite but the info was that it had interactive exhibits which sounded good to me. on sunday, we went to the castel san angelo for somthing to do before we went to the match, and found that it was half-price! so it might be worth trying on a sunday...really I wouldn't have wanted to pay full price for it though, as the best bit is the view of st. Peter's from the cafe! also on sunday there was a kids' entertainment in the piazza del popolo, but that might have been because it was "Carneval" - lots of kids and few adults, [including one hairdressers where they were all dressed as witches and warlocks!] in costume and generally larking about.
perhaps more importantly, the area was very safe and I never felt the least concern wandering around. sad to say the main dangers are the dogs' mess [Romans don't appear to have heard about the pooper scooper] and the cars - they haven't heard about traffic laws either!
Feb 23rd, 2010, 02:53 PM
#37
LCI, Mallory - welcome on board. i love reading the foodie detals other posters give too.
Eton - if you'd like more detail, so as not to bore the underwear off everyone else, please e-mail me.
my e-mail is [email protected]
Eton - if you'd like more detail, so as not to bore the underwear off everyone else, please e-mail me.
my e-mail is [email protected]
Feb 24th, 2010, 07:23 AM
#39
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Ann, I am enjoying your report as we will be in Rome with my nieces in May. Can your son suggest any activities near your apartment he would recommend to my nieces, ages 20 and 21? I know they want to do some exploring without us. We will be staying in an apartment closer to the Pantheon but near your location.
Your comments about the artichokes growing in Brittany reminded me of our stay near Roscoff and the artichoke fields in the area. I'd never seen artichokes growing and took a ridiculous number of pictures of them because I thought the fields were so lovely
Deborah
Your comments about the artichokes growing in Brittany reminded me of our stay near Roscoff and the artichoke fields in the area. I'd never seen artichokes growing and took a ridiculous number of pictures of them because I thought the fields were so lovely
Deborah
Feb 24th, 2010, 11:06 AM
#40
DeborahAnn - I'll ask him if he can think of anything special that they might enjoy.
from my perspective, i think that he enjoyed the show at the quattro belezze bar more than we did, and Dominot's act is certainly something the like of which they won't have seen before [and probably won't see again!]. and they would certainly enjoy a wander up and down the via dei governi vecchi - i know that my DD who is 22 would have been in 7th heaven.
Iowa - having started off with the intention of separating restaurants from the rest of the TR, I'm coming round to changing my mind about this and simply "bunging it in" altogether. in which case, we should get to Orvieto quite soon. When are you going?
from my perspective, i think that he enjoyed the show at the quattro belezze bar more than we did, and Dominot's act is certainly something the like of which they won't have seen before [and probably won't see again!]. and they would certainly enjoy a wander up and down the via dei governi vecchi - i know that my DD who is 22 would have been in 7th heaven.
Iowa - having started off with the intention of separating restaurants from the rest of the TR, I'm coming round to changing my mind about this and simply "bunging it in" altogether. in which case, we should get to Orvieto quite soon. When are you going?
