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Monday, May 11, 2009
Angels & Demons, Decoded!
Is what I'm watching on History HD... I know the book was kind of lame, but you know how much we love the Da Vinci Code... now Angels & Demons is even better with the addition of Ewan McGregor! Woo-hoo! (And, let's not forget that Dan Brown's latest Robert Langdon book will be out in September!)
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Mother's Day Outing!
Today we had a lovely Mother's Day outing in New York City! Our day started off with a lovely brunch buffet at Brasserie 8 1/2. I've been to Brasserie, but had never been to Brasserie 8 1/2-- and it was a really nice surprise! I will say, buffets are always a little bit stressful (it always seems like a bit of a shark feeding frenzy) but the staff was wonderful and they made sure the tables were full of goodies! Some of the stuff included: little take out containers filled with Chinese chicken salad, mini pulled pork sandwiches on Cinnamon biscuits, carving stations, an omelet/crepe station (where the Husband and Miss B scored a chocolate/banana/strawberry crepe), shrimp, bagels and lox, fabulous garlic fingerling roasted potatoes, an assortment of salads, pastries, and other breakfast items including eggs Benedict, sausage and bacon. Let's not even discuss the dessert buffet! It included little hostess-cupcake like mini cupcakes with ganache frosting, peanut butter pie, espresso pie, all sorts of petite fours, strawberry cheesecake bites, chocolate/pistachio cannoli, etc., etc.
After brunch we walked up to the Central Park Zoo and went to the Children's Zoo and the regular zoo. The Children's Zoo is always a lot of fun... as for the regular Zoo... on our map it said: "Snow Leopards! New!" When we walked over? The Snow Leopard habitat is still under construction. The Snow Leopards are in Queens, or someplace, because they're not at the Zoo! After that I wanted a discount! But, all was well after the Zoo when we hit up a Mister Softee truck and got a swirl cone. That made up for the absentee Snow Leopards!
Then, while Miss B. napped in the stroller, we walked around midtown since it was such a nice day. We headed over to 52nd Street and went to Mario Badescu so I could pick up some of their Vitamin E Hand Cream. I had gotten a sample at Christmas time and it really does a great job on dry hands... What a nice surprise when I said I'd take the regular size container and it was all of $8.32! How can you beat that?
Then, we walked back and picked up the car and headed home. On the way to the Holland Tunnel we saw Jon Stewart with his daughter walking on Hudson Street... I submitted it via blackberry on Gawker Stalker so we'll have to see if it makes the cut as an update! While waiting in traffic on Hudson Street the Husband decided to call in to 511 and find out about traffic info. The call was over the bluetooth so it was on speakerphone in the car. The traffic update system through the turnpike and the bridge/tunnel authority is an automated system. The man on the automated system kept asking us to clarify what bridge or tunnel we wanted information about. Every time the Husband would shout "Holland Tunnel" Miss B. would follow immediately with "No-no!" (or it could have been Nonna, we're not sure) so the conversation was something like this:
Automated Attendant: "What Bridge or Tunnel do you want to find out information about?"
Husband: "H-OLL-AND-TUN-NEL!"
Baby: "NO-NO!"
Automated Attendant: "I'm sorry, I didn't get that, what bridge or tunnel do you want to find out information about?"
Husband: "H-OLL-AND-TUN-NEL!"
Baby: "NO-NO!"
AA: "I'm sorry, I didn't get that, did you say 'Holland Tunnel'?"
Baby: "No-No!"
This went on for a few minutes. With the Automated Attendant occasionally varying its response and/or kicking us out of the queue... with things like: "If you want to return to the main menu, press star!"
Finally, the Husband started hitting the mute button on his phone quickly before Miss B. could utter out her response and we eventually got the automated man to tell us that there were no traffic problems in the tunnel. By that time we were at the merge to enter the tunnel.
On the way home we stopped at Stewart's drive-in in Rahway (but not before our beloved Garmin sent us off of the Turnpike on to Route 9 South and over the bridge to South Amboy). Nothing says Mother's Day like a chili cheese dog, California cheeseburger and a bunch of crinkle cut french fries!!
All in all, it was a good day!
After brunch we walked up to the Central Park Zoo and went to the Children's Zoo and the regular zoo. The Children's Zoo is always a lot of fun... as for the regular Zoo... on our map it said: "Snow Leopards! New!" When we walked over? The Snow Leopard habitat is still under construction. The Snow Leopards are in Queens, or someplace, because they're not at the Zoo! After that I wanted a discount! But, all was well after the Zoo when we hit up a Mister Softee truck and got a swirl cone. That made up for the absentee Snow Leopards!
Then, while Miss B. napped in the stroller, we walked around midtown since it was such a nice day. We headed over to 52nd Street and went to Mario Badescu so I could pick up some of their Vitamin E Hand Cream. I had gotten a sample at Christmas time and it really does a great job on dry hands... What a nice surprise when I said I'd take the regular size container and it was all of $8.32! How can you beat that?
Then, we walked back and picked up the car and headed home. On the way to the Holland Tunnel we saw Jon Stewart with his daughter walking on Hudson Street... I submitted it via blackberry on Gawker Stalker so we'll have to see if it makes the cut as an update! While waiting in traffic on Hudson Street the Husband decided to call in to 511 and find out about traffic info. The call was over the bluetooth so it was on speakerphone in the car. The traffic update system through the turnpike and the bridge/tunnel authority is an automated system. The man on the automated system kept asking us to clarify what bridge or tunnel we wanted information about. Every time the Husband would shout "Holland Tunnel" Miss B. would follow immediately with "No-no!" (or it could have been Nonna, we're not sure) so the conversation was something like this:
Automated Attendant: "What Bridge or Tunnel do you want to find out information about?"
Husband: "H-OLL-AND-TUN-NEL!"
Baby: "NO-NO!"
Automated Attendant: "I'm sorry, I didn't get that, what bridge or tunnel do you want to find out information about?"
Husband: "H-OLL-AND-TUN-NEL!"
Baby: "NO-NO!"
AA: "I'm sorry, I didn't get that, did you say 'Holland Tunnel'?"
Baby: "No-No!"
This went on for a few minutes. With the Automated Attendant occasionally varying its response and/or kicking us out of the queue... with things like: "If you want to return to the main menu, press star!"
Finally, the Husband started hitting the mute button on his phone quickly before Miss B. could utter out her response and we eventually got the automated man to tell us that there were no traffic problems in the tunnel. By that time we were at the merge to enter the tunnel.
On the way home we stopped at Stewart's drive-in in Rahway (but not before our beloved Garmin sent us off of the Turnpike on to Route 9 South and over the bridge to South Amboy). Nothing says Mother's Day like a chili cheese dog, California cheeseburger and a bunch of crinkle cut french fries!!
All in all, it was a good day!
Saturday, May 09, 2009
Eccles Cakes!
I'm not sure what an Eccles Cakes is (other than to know that it is some sort of English baked good) but it's also the internet name of a woman in England who sells yarn. I've been buying yarn from Eccles Cakes for years and years, and even bought my first (and so far, only) Colinette Ab Fab afghan kit. Well, the other day I was at TJ Maxx and I found a great knitting pattern book for $3.99! How can you beat that? And in it was a pattern for a little knitted vest in a Rowan yarn. I go on the internet and of course the yarn is discontinued and the remaining skeins are retailing for between $11.99-$13.99 each. Then I checked out Ebay and low and behold! Ecclescakes has 10 skein bags for $24.99 with free shipping from England! How cool is that? With that much yarn I can make *two* vests! Yay, Eccles Cakes! (Not to mention that when I went in to use Buy It Now I realized that I still had a Pay Pal balance, so I didn't even have to send any money... I just used money from my PayPal account! Score!)
Thursday, May 07, 2009
Saturday!
Saturday was our last full day in Rome.
The Husband took the rental car back to Avis, where he debated and debated with the Avis people regarding the extent of our "no deductible" coverage and finally agreed to a 25 Euro "administrative fee" regarding the scratch and dent to the Wagon. Once that was done he joined us back at the Villa for breakfast. Breakfast at the Villa included a whole Viennese table filled with all sorts of pastry and cakes (including two kinds of chocolate cakes and sundry other items covered in confectioner's sugar). There was also pudding, yogurt, various cereals, rolls and chartucerie, coffees, teas and a whole bunch of juices.
Afterwards we headed over towards the Capitoline Museum. Making our first stop at Trajan's Forum (where, in the gift shop, we picked up "My First Latin Words Sticker Book" for Miss B.! Sure it will be a few years before she uses it but how often do you find Latin word sticker books??)
Then we climbed the hill and went into the Capitoline Museum where we got to see a lot of neat statuary, including this giant foot...
The Capitoline also had a lovely terrace which we spent some time on and we also had a snack at the cafe (which, was not very easy to find... we had to ask about four different security guards how to get to the damn elevator to get to it!)
After the museum we walked down back into the Forum and checked out the Senate House.
After that we headed over to the Piazza Navona (on the way to which, we stopped in at Cinque Luna a great pastry shop and got some cannoli and other goodies).
In the Piazza Navona we stopped at Al Sogno and Berte (both toy stores) to pick up some new goodies for Miss B. to have on the plane ride home. Then we headed to the Pantheon, which, while it was supposed to be open was mysteriously closed. Instead, we got quite a show by watching all the tourists huddled around the door trying to peer into the key hole.
Never to be deterred, we decided to stop for a while and sit at the Aureli Cafe and have Gelato and French Fries!!! (Cooked in olive oil, no less)
After our snack we continued our walk down to the Campo de Fiori (stopping at a local Despar grocery store along the way to pick up snacks for the plane ride... since, even though we had tickets in first class the folks at Continental wouldn't give Miss B. any food since she was a "lap child"...) Once near the Campo de Fiori we walked through some side streets including the Via dei Chiavari. I had wanted to go to Ibiz because I had read about it in a few of the travel guides, but thought it was closed on Saturdays. We saw the street it was on and the Husband insisted that, since it was Italy, "supposed to be closed" (or "supposed to be open" for that matter) meant little and we should go by and see if it was open... Much to my happy surprise Ibiz was very much open! The whole shop smelled like fine leather and they had a small, but lovely selection of hand made handbags, belts and other small accessories. I picked out a beautiful purple bag for me and a red one for the Mom. We got a little leather flower pin for Miss B. and the shop owner couldn't have been nicer. He threw in a lovely canvas tote bag with natural leather handles and a leather key chain for the Husband. I've been using my new purse since I've been home and its just great!! I highly recommend paying a visit to Ibiz if you're in Rome!
After our shopping spree we kept walking and decided to go to the Trastevere for dinner. The Husband picked out a place with "traditional" Neapolitan cooking. It was one of those places where the owner comes over and talks to you and regardless of what you actually want to order they tell you that they have something you'd like better. Unfortunately, in this place it meant that what they're telling you they'll give you is what they had on hand. You want lasagna? No, really, you want spaghetti with eggplant! You want to sit outside? No, you want to sit inside!
I was facing the inside of the restaurant and I could just see the "chef" going back and forth to the bathroom all night. I don't even want to know why that was happening. Then they had us try "fresh made" mozzarella... which the Husband just kept saying tasted like parmalat. All I know is that it was warm and tasted about as "fresh" as the stuff that Hot Truck Bob used to use when making a PMP! (Ugh!) Then, just as we were finishing up our main course the table adjacent to us suddenly filled up with 10 smoking Spaniards. The Husband noted to me that the man sitting behind me was a dead ringer for Cortez in a windbreaker. This of course led me to remind the Husband that no one ever expects the Spanish Inquisition. The Husband's assessment throughout dinner was that if nothing else, it was good "blog fodder". I'd have to agree.
When that excitement was over we started walking back again visiting the fountains in the Piazza Navona. Finally, we caught a cab back to the Villa and before going to bed we managed to put on at least one channel on the SkyTV... it just happened to be MTV. During "Yo! MTV Raps" Miss B. rocked out to a selection from the Black Eyed Peas while we packed for the flight home.
Here's Trajan's column. Can I just say, there were more frickin' columns and obelisks in Rome than I've ever seen anywhere. It was truly a case of the Obelisk Factory Outlet. (Or perhaps, some body's brother-in-law was in the column business...)
This woman was drawing up by the Forum...
In the Capitoline
Book Stall near the Campo dei Fiori
The Husband took the rental car back to Avis, where he debated and debated with the Avis people regarding the extent of our "no deductible" coverage and finally agreed to a 25 Euro "administrative fee" regarding the scratch and dent to the Wagon. Once that was done he joined us back at the Villa for breakfast. Breakfast at the Villa included a whole Viennese table filled with all sorts of pastry and cakes (including two kinds of chocolate cakes and sundry other items covered in confectioner's sugar). There was also pudding, yogurt, various cereals, rolls and chartucerie, coffees, teas and a whole bunch of juices.
Afterwards we headed over towards the Capitoline Museum. Making our first stop at Trajan's Forum (where, in the gift shop, we picked up "My First Latin Words Sticker Book" for Miss B.! Sure it will be a few years before she uses it but how often do you find Latin word sticker books??)
Then we climbed the hill and went into the Capitoline Museum where we got to see a lot of neat statuary, including this giant foot...
The Capitoline also had a lovely terrace which we spent some time on and we also had a snack at the cafe (which, was not very easy to find... we had to ask about four different security guards how to get to the damn elevator to get to it!)
After the museum we walked down back into the Forum and checked out the Senate House.After that we headed over to the Piazza Navona (on the way to which, we stopped in at Cinque Luna a great pastry shop and got some cannoli and other goodies).
In the Piazza Navona we stopped at Al Sogno and Berte (both toy stores) to pick up some new goodies for Miss B. to have on the plane ride home. Then we headed to the Pantheon, which, while it was supposed to be open was mysteriously closed. Instead, we got quite a show by watching all the tourists huddled around the door trying to peer into the key hole.
Never to be deterred, we decided to stop for a while and sit at the Aureli Cafe and have Gelato and French Fries!!! (Cooked in olive oil, no less)
After our snack we continued our walk down to the Campo de Fiori (stopping at a local Despar grocery store along the way to pick up snacks for the plane ride... since, even though we had tickets in first class the folks at Continental wouldn't give Miss B. any food since she was a "lap child"...) Once near the Campo de Fiori we walked through some side streets including the Via dei Chiavari. I had wanted to go to Ibiz because I had read about it in a few of the travel guides, but thought it was closed on Saturdays. We saw the street it was on and the Husband insisted that, since it was Italy, "supposed to be closed" (or "supposed to be open" for that matter) meant little and we should go by and see if it was open... Much to my happy surprise Ibiz was very much open! The whole shop smelled like fine leather and they had a small, but lovely selection of hand made handbags, belts and other small accessories. I picked out a beautiful purple bag for me and a red one for the Mom. We got a little leather flower pin for Miss B. and the shop owner couldn't have been nicer. He threw in a lovely canvas tote bag with natural leather handles and a leather key chain for the Husband. I've been using my new purse since I've been home and its just great!! I highly recommend paying a visit to Ibiz if you're in Rome!
After our shopping spree we kept walking and decided to go to the Trastevere for dinner. The Husband picked out a place with "traditional" Neapolitan cooking. It was one of those places where the owner comes over and talks to you and regardless of what you actually want to order they tell you that they have something you'd like better. Unfortunately, in this place it meant that what they're telling you they'll give you is what they had on hand. You want lasagna? No, really, you want spaghetti with eggplant! You want to sit outside? No, you want to sit inside!
I was facing the inside of the restaurant and I could just see the "chef" going back and forth to the bathroom all night. I don't even want to know why that was happening. Then they had us try "fresh made" mozzarella... which the Husband just kept saying tasted like parmalat. All I know is that it was warm and tasted about as "fresh" as the stuff that Hot Truck Bob used to use when making a PMP! (Ugh!) Then, just as we were finishing up our main course the table adjacent to us suddenly filled up with 10 smoking Spaniards. The Husband noted to me that the man sitting behind me was a dead ringer for Cortez in a windbreaker. This of course led me to remind the Husband that no one ever expects the Spanish Inquisition. The Husband's assessment throughout dinner was that if nothing else, it was good "blog fodder". I'd have to agree.
When that excitement was over we started walking back again visiting the fountains in the Piazza Navona. Finally, we caught a cab back to the Villa and before going to bed we managed to put on at least one channel on the SkyTV... it just happened to be MTV. During "Yo! MTV Raps" Miss B. rocked out to a selection from the Black Eyed Peas while we packed for the flight home.
Here's Trajan's column. Can I just say, there were more frickin' columns and obelisks in Rome than I've ever seen anywhere. It was truly a case of the Obelisk Factory Outlet. (Or perhaps, some body's brother-in-law was in the column business...)
This woman was drawing up by the Forum...
In the Capitoline
Book Stall near the Campo dei Fiori
Dinner!
So last night we had a dinner adventure.
Ina Garten's Roasted chicken with lemon, red potatoes and croutons, Ina's roasted pears with walnuts, cranberries and blue cheese and chicken flavored rice pilaf (Uncle Ben's...)
The chicken came out great-- I basted it with white wine, apple cider and chicken broth. The pears were wonderful! Though they are more of a fall/winter taste-- the pears are cooked in an apple cider, port and brown sugar mixture which makes for a very tasty, but very strong flavor.
All in all it was a tasty meal!
Ina Garten's Roasted chicken with lemon, red potatoes and croutons, Ina's roasted pears with walnuts, cranberries and blue cheese and chicken flavored rice pilaf (Uncle Ben's...)
The chicken came out great-- I basted it with white wine, apple cider and chicken broth. The pears were wonderful! Though they are more of a fall/winter taste-- the pears are cooked in an apple cider, port and brown sugar mixture which makes for a very tasty, but very strong flavor.
All in all it was a tasty meal!
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
Crocs!
Miss B. loves Crocs. Ever since 5280 Mommy sent her a pair for her first birthday she's been in crazy love with them. Every time we go to Wegman's we have to dodge the Crocs display in the atrium and all throughout Italy, every time she would see a display of Crocs (including the ones in Positano which were 45 Euro a pair (!)) she would shout "Cwo-cks! Cwo-cks!"
I'm not really a fan, myself, and I didn't want to be one of those Moms who wears the crocs and look like Mario Batali. Then I was at WF one day and Bam! they had a bucket full of half price Crocs, including croc flip-flops in a fun orange and hot pink combination.
Well, I tried them on right there in the refrigerated foods section and thought for $12.99 I'd give them a try. Can I say, to quote Ben Stiller in Night at the Museum, these things are "Fricking Awesome!" They're super comfy-- mostly because the footbed is uber-padded. And, they don't look like your traditional clog-crocs-- they're a more standard thong/flip-flop design. After trying on mine, the Mom also got herself a pair! I highly recommend them!
I'm not really a fan, myself, and I didn't want to be one of those Moms who wears the crocs and look like Mario Batali. Then I was at WF one day and Bam! they had a bucket full of half price Crocs, including croc flip-flops in a fun orange and hot pink combination.
Well, I tried them on right there in the refrigerated foods section and thought for $12.99 I'd give them a try. Can I say, to quote Ben Stiller in Night at the Museum, these things are "Fricking Awesome!" They're super comfy-- mostly because the footbed is uber-padded. And, they don't look like your traditional clog-crocs-- they're a more standard thong/flip-flop design. After trying on mine, the Mom also got herself a pair! I highly recommend them!
Real Time Cinqo de Mayo Blogging...
Much to the dismay of my parents I love Mexican food! Sure, as my mom notes it always seems like its just the same three ingredients over and over (beef, beans and cheese, or some combination thereof...) So, in order to celebrate this year's Cinqo de Mayo I decided to make some Mexican food for ourselves!
I'm making Stacked Chicken Enchiladas with Salsa Verde and Cheese from Bon Appetite. I've also made the Salsa Verde myself with fresh tomatillos. The Salsa Verde recipe is from Gourmet and I substituted lime juice for water (I also used a whole serrano chile) and added cumin.
Photos to be uploaded later!
I had also planned on making blood orange sorbet, but alas I forgot to put the ice cream maker freezer bowl in the freezer until I got home from the grocery store... we'll see if it's frozen enough later otherwise our sorbet will have to wait until tomorrow!
I've got the enchiladas set aside and will bake them when the Husband is on the way home. I plan to serve them with lime cilantro rice and pinto beans! Here's to Cinqo de Mayo without leaving the house! Woo-hoo!!
I'm making Stacked Chicken Enchiladas with Salsa Verde and Cheese from Bon Appetite. I've also made the Salsa Verde myself with fresh tomatillos. The Salsa Verde recipe is from Gourmet and I substituted lime juice for water (I also used a whole serrano chile) and added cumin.
Photos to be uploaded later!
I had also planned on making blood orange sorbet, but alas I forgot to put the ice cream maker freezer bowl in the freezer until I got home from the grocery store... we'll see if it's frozen enough later otherwise our sorbet will have to wait until tomorrow!
I've got the enchiladas set aside and will bake them when the Husband is on the way home. I plan to serve them with lime cilantro rice and pinto beans! Here's to Cinqo de Mayo without leaving the house! Woo-hoo!!
Venerdi!
So, Friday was the day that we left the Costieria Amalfitana and headed back to Rome.
Boo Boo was sad to be leaving the Hotel Santa Caterina, especially since "cat" is in its name. He felt very at home.
But, before making the drive back we did decide to stop off in Positano for a quick jaunt while the weather was cooperating...
It was a beautiful day, and Positano is lovely. Not only is the village scenic, but it's also a great place to do a little shopping! I picked up a fab hat for the Mom and I also scored a handmade pair of ballet flats!
After leaving Positano we hit the A1 and started our journey back. Unfortunately it rained most of the way, but that didn't stop the Husband from trying to get the Mondeo wagon up to Le Mans speeds. Thankfully, I was asleep for most of that.
Once we managed to navigate back in to Rome we had to find our way to our new hotel, the Villa Spaletti Trivelli. Yowzers. It's a nice place, but its in kind of a weird location on the Via Piacenza. Apparently (near the President's house in the Quirinale) this is a nice neighborhood... as one of our cab drivers sighed "Mamma Mia!" when we gave him the address, it is a bit out of the way. I liked the location of the Inn at the Spanish Steps better.
But, more on the hotel. Okay, so it's in this palazzo. The building, rooms and furnishings are all gorgeous. You really do feel like your staying in someone's home. Someone's very fancy home, where being made to "feel at home" feels more like you're going to get in trouble before your stay is over for having broken something or left a drink ring on the nightstand.
When we arrived we were running late... we had a 4pm meeting with our tour guide from Context Tours (for our private guided tour of the Colosseum and Forum) well, we arrive and we attempt to communicate this to the girl at the reception desk (noting that, the Husband SPEAKS ITALIAN)... yeah, she was having none of it. We're trying to get her to call Context for us while we go up to our room to freshen up (and raid the mini-bar since we hadn't had lunch...) and she just is focused on taking away our passports, filing out some sort of paperwork because we brought the rental car into the "restricted" traffic zone and some other such nonsense. She tells us, "yes, you can call your appointment once you get to your room".... thanks! We know, but we want you to call our appointment NOW! Okay, finally we get to our room, wolf down a bag of potato chips, jar of biscotti and two cokes (the mini bar is complementary...) we're ready to get to the forum. Well... easier said than done. Will the receptionist order us a taxi? Not until we park our own car. Apparently, the folks at the Villa will only direct you to their parking lot (which is in the garden of the villa), they won't actually park your car. Why? Well, because the gate to the garden is a bit too small for most cars. I found this out the hard way.
While the Husband was talking to Context on the phone, I go outside to the car. The receptionist and the bellman are both trying to tell me how I have to go around the block to get to the car park. I'm thinking... the gate to the car park is 10 feet behind where my car is and I'm on a one way street with no traffic. I'm not going around the block! I've lived in Manhattan! I'm backing this piece-of-crap up!! Fine. The two Italians wave me backwards. I go to pull through the gate. I've got the bellman trying to give me directions.... and then I hear the scraping sound. Most of the Mondeo made it through the gate. It was the back passenger door and wheel well that didn't fare as well. All I can say is...That's why we get the zero deductible!
The bellman directs me to put the car in the corner of the garden... done, and off we are in a cab to the forum.
At the forum we met Saskia, our tour guide from Context. Saskia had just finished her PhD in Archaeology and she had even done work at Pompei! She was very knowledgeable and she gave a great tour. The Forum is a really neat place, but without doing major research on your own, or visiting with someone who knows the site you really are just standing and staring at a big pile of rubble. I highly recommend Context. The tours can be a bit pricey but it's great to get to visit these types of sites with someone who really knows their stuff and can actually cater the tour to your interests and answer detailed questions (in advance of our visit the Husband had sent many detailed questions...) and more than a couple of times during our two hours there were other people trying to listen in! :)
Boo Boo was sad to be leaving the Hotel Santa Caterina, especially since "cat" is in its name. He felt very at home.
But, before making the drive back we did decide to stop off in Positano for a quick jaunt while the weather was cooperating...
It was a beautiful day, and Positano is lovely. Not only is the village scenic, but it's also a great place to do a little shopping! I picked up a fab hat for the Mom and I also scored a handmade pair of ballet flats!
After leaving Positano we hit the A1 and started our journey back. Unfortunately it rained most of the way, but that didn't stop the Husband from trying to get the Mondeo wagon up to Le Mans speeds. Thankfully, I was asleep for most of that.
Once we managed to navigate back in to Rome we had to find our way to our new hotel, the Villa Spaletti Trivelli. Yowzers. It's a nice place, but its in kind of a weird location on the Via Piacenza. Apparently (near the President's house in the Quirinale) this is a nice neighborhood... as one of our cab drivers sighed "Mamma Mia!" when we gave him the address, it is a bit out of the way. I liked the location of the Inn at the Spanish Steps better.
But, more on the hotel. Okay, so it's in this palazzo. The building, rooms and furnishings are all gorgeous. You really do feel like your staying in someone's home. Someone's very fancy home, where being made to "feel at home" feels more like you're going to get in trouble before your stay is over for having broken something or left a drink ring on the nightstand.
When we arrived we were running late... we had a 4pm meeting with our tour guide from Context Tours (for our private guided tour of the Colosseum and Forum) well, we arrive and we attempt to communicate this to the girl at the reception desk (noting that, the Husband SPEAKS ITALIAN)... yeah, she was having none of it. We're trying to get her to call Context for us while we go up to our room to freshen up (and raid the mini-bar since we hadn't had lunch...) and she just is focused on taking away our passports, filing out some sort of paperwork because we brought the rental car into the "restricted" traffic zone and some other such nonsense. She tells us, "yes, you can call your appointment once you get to your room".... thanks! We know, but we want you to call our appointment NOW! Okay, finally we get to our room, wolf down a bag of potato chips, jar of biscotti and two cokes (the mini bar is complementary...) we're ready to get to the forum. Well... easier said than done. Will the receptionist order us a taxi? Not until we park our own car. Apparently, the folks at the Villa will only direct you to their parking lot (which is in the garden of the villa), they won't actually park your car. Why? Well, because the gate to the garden is a bit too small for most cars. I found this out the hard way.
While the Husband was talking to Context on the phone, I go outside to the car. The receptionist and the bellman are both trying to tell me how I have to go around the block to get to the car park. I'm thinking... the gate to the car park is 10 feet behind where my car is and I'm on a one way street with no traffic. I'm not going around the block! I've lived in Manhattan! I'm backing this piece-of-crap up!! Fine. The two Italians wave me backwards. I go to pull through the gate. I've got the bellman trying to give me directions.... and then I hear the scraping sound. Most of the Mondeo made it through the gate. It was the back passenger door and wheel well that didn't fare as well. All I can say is...That's why we get the zero deductible!
The bellman directs me to put the car in the corner of the garden... done, and off we are in a cab to the forum.
At the forum we met Saskia, our tour guide from Context. Saskia had just finished her PhD in Archaeology and she had even done work at Pompei! She was very knowledgeable and she gave a great tour. The Forum is a really neat place, but without doing major research on your own, or visiting with someone who knows the site you really are just standing and staring at a big pile of rubble. I highly recommend Context. The tours can be a bit pricey but it's great to get to visit these types of sites with someone who really knows their stuff and can actually cater the tour to your interests and answer detailed questions (in advance of our visit the Husband had sent many detailed questions...) and more than a couple of times during our two hours there were other people trying to listen in! :)
After our tour was done we walked around a bit and even caught sight of a couple of brides/wedding parties doing their wedding photos at the Colosseum.
Then it was back to the Villa to freshen up before dinner.
Again, it was an adventure with the rental car. This time, upon entering the hotel... (which, by the way, you have to ring a bell in order to be let in.... a bit too exclusive for my tastes!) the Husband was taken aside and asked to MOVE the rental car! (Yes, we need to move it from where they told me to put it because another guest was expected to arrive later that evening and they wanted our parking space). Okay, I really don't care where the hell the Mondeo is parked, but can you explain to me why the hotel staff didn't retain our car keys and just move the damn car as they needed? (Yes, I'm sure it has to do with their level of liability insurance, but COME ON! When we were in Amalfi Antonio at the hotel had our car keys and would pull the car up for us whenever we needed it-- even if he only had to move it like 5 feet each time! Not to mention that there our car was the lamest one-- there were Maserati, BMWs, Porsche... but still, Antonio didn't seem to mind... we were never once asked to move our own car! Once we gave it to them it was like it didn't exist until we asked for it again! They even laundered the car seat after the wild-boar-mcnugget vomit incident (god knows how much that cost us!)) ANYWAY!
After the Husband moved the car we chilled out for a bit and then went down to the Campo dei Fiori for dinner. It was a lovely evening, after which we strolled around to the Piazza Navona to check out the fountains and finally cabbed it back to the Villa.
Monday, May 04, 2009
Capri!
On Thursday we decided to take the high speed ferry to Capri!
On the way, the ferry stopped at Positano, and I have to say, all agreed that this was the best way to travel to Positano! For future reference, avoid the coast drive and take a boat!
After a little over an hour we arrived on Capri! We saw the funiculare, but didn't know whether it took us to Capri town or whatnot (and, ironically, we had left our guide book behind) so we started out walking!
We ended up walking all the way to the top of the island and beyond! (Thus, we had no guilt about having a little snack at the top of the Island, some gelato and later lunch!)
Once you get away from the port, Capri is really beautiful... and the shopping! Wow! They have TWO Prada stores, a TODs, Malo, Ferragamo, Missoni, Dolce & Gabbana, etc., etc. and tons and tons of jewelry stores and of course, hand made shoes! The Husband and Miss B. treated me to a lovely lapis and gold bracelet that we found in a little shop off of the main street. I also got a great little sundress that I ended up wearing out of the shop!
Miss B. also had her first ice cream CONE! With lemon and strawberry gelato
On our way back to wait for the ferry we met up with two very nice couples who were staying in our hotel and who were visiting from Atlanta. Having grandchildren themselves, they of course loved Miss B! They also had almost the same itinerary as us, having spent the first few days of their trip in Rome and then in the Amalfi coast... they even had visited Pompei on the same day as we did! It's always fun to run in to other Americans while traveling...
Blow Out.
So, today we got a flat tire. It was my fault. I have a very bad relationship with the blue stone curbs that are very popular in and around the 'hood. This time it was the curb at Kinko's. I got out and looked at the tire and everything looked fine. We then proceeded to go to Target, Panera and Wegman's. Everything was fine until I go to drive away from Wegman's and I realize that the car seems to be pulling to the right.... I head home and then I start to hear a funny sound and I think: "Yeah, that's not normal!" I stopped the car near the battlefield and alas, the tire was Flat. F-L-A-T. This wouldn't have been too bad, but for the whole trunk full of groceries and the "raining" thing. I called the Husband who rescued our perishables and called BMW Roadside assistance who sent a Russian man in a Hyundai to change my tire. We'll be visiting the dealer tomorrow. Ugh!
Saturday, May 02, 2009
Paestum!
After our successful visit to Pompei we decided to head to Paestum on Wednesday. We made arrangements with the hotel to have pack lunches made for us and off we went! Unfortunately, we started off by taking the semi-coast road through Salerno, rather than taking the A3. This turned what should have been an hour to an hour and a half drive into at least a two hour drive, and, unfortunately, Salerno isn't particularly scenic, but we had a good time anyway!
Paestum is a really neat site and after having visited Pompei it was easier to picture what the layout of the town would have been and what areas of the ruins were probably homes versus stores/shops, etc.
The best thing is by far the temples at the site! Paestum was originally a Greek colony and the temple ruins are really impressive. So impressive, in fact, that now we feel like we never have to actually visit Greece! (Sorry, Leda). Just kidding, there still is Santorini, after all!
There were few tourists (and only a few tour groups) visiting while we were there, mostly it was us and some lizards! It was a nice day and a lot of fun getting to wander around admist the ruins.
Afterwards we headed back to Amalfi and in the evening we drove to Positano for dinner at La Sponda, the restaurant at Le Sirenuse. The terrace at Le Sirenuse is gorgeous and the food was terrific! I had never had escargot before... and there was caviar involved (and not just as a garnish!)
On to Pompei!
On Tuesday we had our first breakfast at the terrace restaurant at the Hotel Santa Caterina
It was really good. Italians don't really do breakfast like Americans (or the French, for that matter), but they did put out an awfully nice spread for us including lots and lots of sweet pastries, eggs (which were really good), bacon, rolls and cold cuts, etc., etc.
After Miss B, browsed our guidebook we decided to head to Pompei despite some rainy weather.
Although we did have a bit of difficulty getting to Pompei, once there we really enjoyed it.
Apparently, some people don't share our feelings.
Pompei is really neat.
You can really get a feel for what life was like in the town of Pompei.
And it is amazing to see how decorated with frescos and detailed tile work so many of the homes were.
Afterwards, we hit up a small pastry shop and had some cannoli. On our way back to the Amalfi Coast we decided to go up over the mountains, rather than driving back around on the coast road.
On our way, we encountered a local goat herder!
That evening it was room service back in our suite!
It was really good. Italians don't really do breakfast like Americans (or the French, for that matter), but they did put out an awfully nice spread for us including lots and lots of sweet pastries, eggs (which were really good), bacon, rolls and cold cuts, etc., etc.
After Miss B, browsed our guidebook we decided to head to Pompei despite some rainy weather.
Although we did have a bit of difficulty getting to Pompei, once there we really enjoyed it.
Apparently, some people don't share our feelings.
Pompei is really neat.
You can really get a feel for what life was like in the town of Pompei.
And it is amazing to see how decorated with frescos and detailed tile work so many of the homes were.
Afterwards, we hit up a small pastry shop and had some cannoli. On our way back to the Amalfi Coast we decided to go up over the mountains, rather than driving back around on the coast road.
On our way, we encountered a local goat herder!
That evening it was room service back in our suite!
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