Restaurant in Rome: A Plate Full of Coins

At a restaurant in Rome when ready to pay the bill we were told no credit cards. Probably not true but we didn't press the issue.

We gave 50 euros and expected 13 euros in change.

What we received was a plate full of coins.

Of course we were cheated by more that 3 euros.

When called to task immediately two 5 euro biils and correct change appeared.

Be ever alert. Never accept a plate full of coins.

Rome Restaurant: "You can't get a bad meal in Italy" -- Oh yes you can in Rome

The age of myths is over. There are so many tourists in Rome, every day of the year, that food is in huge demand. Many restaurants/trattorias/osterias because of locale are innundated with customers. The key is, they will not see these customers again.

So the tourist-diner gets sub-standard food at top price. The restaurants/trattorias/osterias that exploit their customers can stay in business in Rome a long time since their bad reputation, in the eyes of Romans, is irrelevant: they only serve bad meals to today's tourist.

So trust your own instinct -- walk in, look around, walk over to the antipasto table and look at today's products and concentrate your interest only on today's specials, don't be seduced by a menu of a 1,000 selections. Italian food, authentic Italian food, is of fresh produts, simply prepared, in a homey-neighborhood, friendly, unpretentios environment.

For good food and restaurants in Italy, visit the Food Channel of www.WebVisionItaly.com.

Rome Italy: The Last Supper

Rome for us is like being at home.

We have lots of friends and family in Rome.

We always have a family reunion on Via della Pace at the Forno Giallo. 9 pizzas & 4 platters of fried stuff -- beer, wine, soda --- lots of laughs, fun, and stories.

My husband's mother's family was from Rome. Some stayed. Some went to the States.

After dinner we strolled by Pasquino to say hello. One hundred years ago my husband's family lived upstairs.

We then went down Via del Governo Vecchio, crossing to Via dei Cappelliari, stopping by one of our cousins homes just before Campo de' Fiori for an espresso and a look at family albums from Rome.

You'll meet our cousins Maurizo and Remo soon - they host the video tour we took Sunday of off-the-beaten path places to see in Rome. All video of Rome coming soon to Web Vision Italy.

We are off to Montalcino for a few days. We'll see Rome again next week.

Rome Italy: Gregorian Chant Benedectine Monasteries

Benedictines are well-known today for the Gregorian chant, which is done daily about 05:40.

A liturgical chant existed in Rome before Saint Gregory in the 6th century.

But Saint Gregory the Great gave it new prominence. After Saint Gregory the Gregorian chant tradition continued to develop and be enriched right through the upheavals that brought an end to the Middle Ages.

The monasteries, especially those of the Benedictine Order, have done much to preserve the Gregorian Chant heritage.

The Order of Saint Benedict (Latin name: Ordo Sancti Benedicti) is a Roman Catholic religious order of independent monastic communities that observe the Rule of St. Benedict.

Within the order, each individual community (which may be a monastery, a priory or abbey) maintains its own autonomy, while the organization as a whole exists to represent their mutual interests.

The monastery at Monte Cassino established in Italy by St. Benedict of Nursia (A.D.529) was the first of a dozen monasteries founded by him.

Even so, there is no evidence to suggest that he intended to found an order. To the contrary, the Rule of St Benedict presupposes the autonomy of each community.

Despite the absence of a Benedictine order, since most monasteries founded during the Middle Ages adopted the Rule of St Benedict, it became the standard for Western Monasticism.

The Benedictine monasteries went on to make considerable contributions not only to the monastic and the spiritual life of the West, but also to economics, education, and government, so that the years from 550 to 1150 may be called the "Benedictine centuries".

The largest number of Benedictines are Roman Catholics, but there are also Benedictines within the Anglican Communion and occasionally within other Christian denominations as well, for example, within the Lutheran Church.



While in Rome maybe you’ll find one here who’ll accept you:

http://www.osb.org/geog/search.asp

Buon Viaggio!



http://www.webvisionitaly.com/category.php?id=145&ref_genre=&ref_item=87

Rome Travel: A Walk Around the Block Rome

Our block is Rome.

We walked from our apartment in Piazza Farnese through the open-air market at Campo de' Fiori, past Via del Governo Vecchio, with the young fashion designers, and past Piazza Navona and the Panthenon, down the Corso to Piazza del Popolo, where we had an appointment, naturally at a caffé in Rome.

Done with our business we zig zagged back to our apartment.

For more walking maps for Rome visit:

Rome Centro Storico: Rome Walking Tour Map: The Heart of Rome

First to Via dei Condotti, with stops at the stores with the most beautiful handbags, shoes, expensive silk ties, etc..

Then to Campo Marzio, passing bakeries, and the luscious caffés at the Piazza Lucina.

Then to the right past the Church of the Portuese, on Via dei Coronari, neighborhood of the antique dealers, then to Via dei Bianchi Vecchi, a crossover to Via Giuia, celebrating its 500th anniversary, and we arrived at our apartment a neighbor of the Michelangelo arch.

Tell us about your favorite block.

Rome Fashion and Style: Beauty Calls at La Vetrina

We took yesterday to relax and take care of ourselves with the Italian touch. Beard trimmed and I had my hair done at La Vetrina

We also stopped by Campo De' Fiori to see the herb specialist who now thinks he's more important in USA than a president.

And of course always fun to go back to Nabiz to see the last styles and desgins.

Rome Italy: Doing it Twice a Day

Rome Italy - Doing It twice a day...eating pasta that is...no guilt ..it's just so damn good. Of course the portions are reasonable and I am walking 6 or 7 hours a day.

Walking brings me to tomorrow's blog.