VISIT NONNA GINA
Nonna Gina (Nonna means "grandmother" in Italian) is a relatively famous local that you can find most days in Trastevere, a little part of town just over the river. Nonna Gina is no average grandmother. For starters, she is roughly 100 years old and she is a REAL Roman. Each evening, you can find her in the Piazza di Santa Maria blasting music from her radio while performing a little dance for any onlookers who are interested. All along, her little terrier sleeps soundly (though I don't know how, since her music is quite loud) at her feet. Upon meeting Nonna Gina, you will see that she truly loves people and loves music. What is there not to like about her? She is a beautiful person, and is assuredly a part of the city's history. Wherever you are staying while in Rome, paying homage to Nonna Gina is certainly well worth the trip. Get a glimpse at Nonna Gina's performance here:
This open air market hosts roughly 4,000 stalls every Sunday morning (until about 1pm) in Trastevere. This is truly a scavenger's dream. The market has everything from fresh food, to antiques, vintage clothing, furniture and jewelry. Also, since post World War II, this market has been home to many "Black Market" items. As I was offered Gillette razor blades and Energizer batteries from underneath a trench coat, I would venture to say that this tradition is still alive. As with any other market (and any other day in Rome for that matter) be very wary of pickpockets. With that being said...Shop on!
INDULGE IN THE BEST GELATO IN ROME
As you may have gathered from my earlier post about Polish ice cream, I LOVE SWEETS. And given that Italy is my favourite country, it is no surprise that I LOVE GELATO. That being said, my sweet husband set out on a mission to satisfy my sweet tooth and find the best gelato in the city. After ample research, he narrowed it down to being at one of two places, Gelateria di San Crispino, and the less well-known, Fior di Luna. Once the results were in, we headed out on an all-day gelato escapade. Although I was determined to compare these two gelato meccas, it did not deter me from stopping at every gelateria along the way (just to be sure). With absolute certainty, I can say that these two are the best. However, after a long day of tasting (blessed, blessed tasting) it was Fior di Luna (by a long shot) that took the cake, or should I say coppa. Be sure to try their fig and/or their pistachio flavors. However, they are both worth a visit, and if you do go to San Crispino, their ricotta gelato is revolutionary.
The archaeological site of Largo di Torre Argentina houses some of the oldest ruins in Rome. Forming a square just off a busy street east of the river, the site is most well known as the location where Julius Caesar was stabbed to death by Brutus in 44 BC. Apart from housing this historic event, the site is now home to roughly 250 feline Romans. During the 1920's, stray cats began to take up a home amongst the ancient ruins. As their population grew, so did the need for vaccinations and sterilizations. In 1994, volunteers began to step in and formally offer care to the cat colony. Now, the Roman cat sanctuary, which is led by volunteers, is open to visitors 7 days a week. Since the sanctuary operates purely on donations, consider it good "Roman" karma if you stop in, pet a cat, and hand off a few euros. Visit www.romancats.com for more info.
Now in order to preface this paragraph, there are a few things that you should know about me. One, I love pizza as much as, if not more than, ice cream. Two, I worked at two gourmet pizzerias totalling 5 years in the biz. Three, I love pizza so much that I dedicated a month of my life to photographing different people with the pizzas of their choice. So yes, I am obsessed with pizza and you should definitely listen to me on where to get it. If you are visiting Rome anytime soon, you MUST eat a delicious pie at Ristorante Ivo. The crust is charred perfectly by the wood oven, the ingredients are top notch, and the sauce is sweet and perfectly balanced. Order the Margherita (with the fresh buffalo mozzarella), or one of the delicious array of white pizzas as well. Yum! On a side note, the only pizza in the States that can even begin to compete is Andiamo Brick Oven Pizza in Miami, FL., so if you are headed that way be sure to check it out.
Happy Travels!
“When falls the Coliseum, Rome shall fall; And when Rome falls--the World.”
~Lord Byron
