Mamma e Io: Mangiamo Cibo

Pizzarium Pizza

Italiano: Mangiamo Cibo

English: We Eat Food

This will be the last post documenting my week long trip with my Mom. And what better way to conclude, but with a post about all of the delicious food we ate! I tried to make sure we ate a variety of Italian dishes, and most importantly, ate at places that came well-recommended and reviewed.

Pizza al Taglio is a classic and must have lunch bite. Essentially, there are tons small eateries that serve Pizza al Taglio, or pizza by the slice. I've been itching to try Pizzarium, and after touring the Vatican, Mom and I made our way over there per Katie Parla's recommendation. A hole in the wall pizzeria, Pizzarium offered such an immense variety it was hard to choose. We concluded with a prosciutto e mozzarella pizza, and a pizza with seasonal bell peppers. Our server was new and ended up burning one of our slices, so we ended up getting a complimentary additional piece. Pizzarium uses fresh and seasonal ingredients, and although Mom and I aren't big pizza fans, it's something you just have to try in Italy, because it is NOTHING alike American Pizza.

Cul De Sac: Antipasti of Meat and Cheese; Aubrogine; Mom with Stuffed Bell Peppers

On Mom's first night here, we ventured to Cul De Sac. A small enoteca near Piazza Navona. We weren't starving, so I figured a wine bar would be perfect for us to enjoy some antipasti and good Italian wine. I suggested a Frascati, since Frascati is made in the Lazio region of Rome we were drinking local. Our server was helpful in directing us choose from their extensive wine list. Mom was pleased with the Italian cheeses and cured meats. Our eggplant and stuffed peppers are classic vegetable side dishes. Even though Cul De Sac accumulates a fair number of tourists, their choices of Italian wine, and delightful dishes definitely make up for any touristy-vibe.

All Arco' Venezia; Venetian Brusccetta

I was told, prior to my trip to Venice, to eat where you see locals. Venice is not known for being a culinary stopping point in Italy. Mom and I realized this very quickly upon our arrival. However, on the second day, after strolling through Rialto Market, we stumbled down an alley way that brought us to All'Arco. A small wine bar that served tons of little brushcetta and antipasti. We opted for the three choices above: prosciutto con pomodoro, salume con pickles, creamy sardine paste (bacaea’ manteca’) I managed to order in Italian, but our server immediately swtiched to English after asking him which he preferred of the fish spreads. The third bruschetta on the far right was actually our favorite. Who knew sardines could convert to make such a delicious spread when made with garlic and cheese? Paired with a  glass of wine, this place hit the spot. 

Visit #1: La Zucca; Ficci con Gorganzolla; Pumpkin Flan; Artichoke Hearts; Dolci: Fig Cake

La Zucca is by far my favorite place I have dined in all of Italy. Mom actually read a review about this place. She knows how big of a vegetable fiend I am, and found the perfect place for us to dine. We loved dinner here so much we ended up coming back a second time (photos below), for lunch on our last day in Venice. 

Although not catered specifically for Vegetarians or Vegans, the menu is predominantely Vegetarian cuisine. Although there is a small section offering dishes with meatballs, rabbit and some classic dishes like carbanara and all'amatriciana, the predominant focus are on all of their other dishes which are made solely with seasonal ingredients. 

We went fig crazy at this place. Our appetizer was a a fig dish stuffed with creamy gorganzola cheese. The figs were soft, the cheese creamy, and the sauce divine. To follow we shared their infamous pumpkin flan. To say how much of an experience this dish was, I would have to tell you all reading this that you just have to taste it to understand. I suppose I could compare it to the texture of a pumpkin pie filling, but this flan was much lighter, nothing alike an artificial flavoring, and full of savory components which were complimented by the cheese  and pumpkin seeds on top. In addition we had some of the largest artichoke hearts I've ever seen (as well as some spicy carrots, not photographed), which were one of their many sides they offered. To conclude, we of course picked this fig torte. The crust tasted like your best friend's homemade pie, filled with natural fig jam, complemented with simple fior di latte gelato and caramel sauce. It was warm and light. We walked away from this meal extremely happy. 

Crab Gnocchi; Veal in Fish Creamy Fish Sauce; Shrimp and Veggies; Docli: Fruit Cake

We were stumped where to eat our second night in Venice. Especially after eating such a great meal at La Zucca the night before. We opted for the restaurant our hotel recommended: . This unfortunately, ended up being a mistake. Although not horrible, Mom and I were very turned off by the service we recieved. Especially since we had our hotel call the restaurant, we expected to have better service. It may be because we choose to eat their two set menus, but nevertheless the food did not make up for their service. 

The first dish: Crab Gnocchi was surprisingly good, although I am not the biggest shellfish person, it was still flavorful and pretty light. The main courses were just ok. We found the veal drenched in a fish creamy sauce to be too much for us (in particular me) to handle. The shrimp on a skewer was good, but nothing to boast about. The cake above, was just ok. I found it odd that Italy would serve a fruit cake, but we grugingly ate some of it since it was included with our meal. 

Ratatouille; Pumpkin Flan; Dolci: Upside Down Fig Cake 

As I mentioned above, Mom and I ate at La Zucca the last day we were in Venice. It was that good. Neither of us can resist eggplant or bell peppers, so the two combined made our mouth water. This ratatouille was truly made Italian style. Of course, we ate the pumpkin flan again, I don't think I'll ever eat something quite like this again unless I return to Venice. To finish, we ate yet another fig dessert. We realized after ordering it, that it wasn't the same as the previous dessert. I was pleased with this fact, since our goal was to eat something different upon this visit. This cake was definitely what we would call an "upside down cake," in the States, however made with fig. Mom and I tried to decipher the flavor, and we think they used an ample amount of Olive Oil (no complaints). This time, complimented with cinnamon gelato and a similar sweet sauce, we were in a dessert heaven. The cinnamon gelato is my favorite I've eaten in all of Italy.

Obviously, Mom and I ate at some pretty wonderful places. Although not photographed, we dined at Antico Arco on Mom's last night. It was too fancy for me to take photographs, but I highly recommend this restaurant if you're willing to pay a bit more. Overall, I had a great time with my Mom, and I'm glad she came to visit me. Buona Esperienza!

Mamma e Io: Venezia

Venezia, Italia

For the second half of my break that I spent with my Mom we traveled to Venice. Ever since I was a little girl, I've always wanted to travel there. I think the romanticized idea of the "sinking city," really enticed me. This was also my first extended trip outside of Roma, aside from my weekend excursions, so I was quite excited for this trip!

Mom Excited on the Tram with "Starbursts;" Mom On The Port of San Marco's Square; Doge's Palace; Me on the Port

Mom and I opted to take the train to Venice, it's possible to fly, but I actually find the trains to be very comfortable here in Italy, and they are also less expensive than flying. It takes about three and a half hours from Rome to Venice using the fast train. Mom was comforted with the Italian version of starbursts, and knitting of course, whilst I slept the majority of the ride.

Upon arriving in Venice, we were greeted by a massive downpour. Least to say, there are no photos from this day because of the extreme rain, and also my frustration at the time about how confusing and unknown the streets of Venice were to me (because I was unaccustomed to not knowing where I am going, since getting settled in Rome, and I was soaking wet).

Nevertheless, we got up bright and early the next day to take our private tour of the secret parts of Doge's palace! Doge's palace once housed the 'Doge', or the supreme authority of the Venetian Republic. The current palace was originally constructed in the 15th Century. Our tour guide mentioned that the palace has had countless fires, and despite this fact, the builders and architects continued to design the palace in the same way with the same material. Thus, various parts of the palace vary in age, and appearance.  

Lion's Mouth; Staircase Inside the Palace

Unfortunately, I wasn't allowed to take any photographs inside the palace, aside from these two above. The Lion's Mouth lies in the courtyard of the Doge's palace. Similar to it's Roman counterpart, The Mouth of Truth, the purpose of the Lion's Mouth was to collect citizen's secrets, and reports of bribery amongst government officials.

The second photograph features one of the many outstanding ceilings we saw in the palace. This is the entryway passageway, and the gold on the roof is actually real!

It's unfortunate that I wasn't allowed to take photographs, because I would have loved to share my favorite part of the castle, which is the secret floor in the Palace that housed prisoners (the infamous Casanova , secret meetings and rooms that were once lined with secret documentation. This tour is a must if you visit Venice. It taught me a lot about Venetian form of government, and Venice's history as a republic.

Rialto Market Place

I'm a big fan of Italian Farmer's Markets, and I suggest everyone check out Rialto Market if going to Venice. Venice is known for their seafood, hence their parket was very seafood heavy. It was so much fun walking around the stalls and seeing all the varying "pesche," they sell (eyes and all). 

Mom and I in Murano; Walking Around the Island

On day three of the trip, Mom and I ventured to Murano and Burano, the infamous islands right off of Venice. We hoped on the Vaporetto (water boat), and made our way to the islands. First, we adventured around Murano. We were overwhelmed by the number of glass shops. It really is all they have to offer.

Glass Blowing; The Glass Horse in the Middle is what we watched being made

Surprisingly, it was tough for us to find an open studio featuring glass blowing. We stumbled upon one down an alley way, and caught the tail end of a show. We watched in awe as this man made the horse  photographed above. I believe it took him less than ten minutes to make! 

Mom and I in Burano

Quickly sick of looking in glass shops, we hoped on another Vaparetto to Burano. Although known for lace, Mom and I were more impressed by the colorful buildings. Never have I seen such a colorful little city. Especially having grown up in a town where there are ordinances for home appearance, it was refreshing to see such a fun array of buildings. 

Venetian Sunset

Although Venice is a gorgeous city, I was not nearly as impressed as I thought I would be. It's very compact, and confusing to get around, which was definitely frustrating for Mom and I. Also, since it is so much smaller, the tourists were still everywhere and put a damper on Venice's beauty for me. Regardless, I still found Venice to be a lovely place to visit, and sometime in my life I definitely will go again, and in the off season! We regret not going to a few more museums  but we both concluded that we are happy we went, and explored a completely different part of Italy. 

Mamma e Io: i Monumenti

Mom and I at the Colosseum

Italian: i Monumenti
English: The Monuments

My program at the UC Center Rome gives us two one week long breaks. The first of which happened during the week of September 15-September 23. My mom came to visit me, and essentially we conquered Rome. We did a lot of touristy things, which was fine by me because I actually had yet to see some of the many historic places we went to. On Mom's first day in Roma we did the "trifecta," as I call it: Colosseum, Palatine Hill and Roman Forum. 

Circling the Massive Structure

The Colosseum (if it isn't obvious) is huge! Mom and I spent a great deal of time just circling the outside of it trying to find the correct ticket line to enter. A few tips for anyone who wants to visit just the Colosseum, or all three: book your ticket online and in advanced. This will save you a couple of hours waiting time. Also, if you do pre-order your ticket, head right for the line that says, "group tours." It may be deceptive, but if you choose the other line, you'll be waiting with all of the ticketless tourists for quite some time. In addition, the ticket is only 12 Euros to see all three monuments, which you can split over a two day period upon activating your ticket. My Mom and I did all three in one day. It was really tiring, but we were happy we visited all three monuments. 

Miniature Mock-Up of How They Used to Pull the Animals Up into the Ring 

Throwing in Some Humor Amongst the (noseless) Remains

The Colosseum also offers a nice little museum on the inside. Plenty of history can be read, and many ruined structures as well. I had to throw in some humour amongst these nose-less heads. 

A few quick facts about the Colosseum. It was built at the peak of the Roman Empire in A.D. 80, and it is a great representation of the "grand," environment that Rome possessed at this time. Essentially, the purpose of the Colosseum was similar to a theater. However, the production focussed on killing, which was the spectator sport at the time. The fights varied, either between humans, animals or human versus animal. I found the model above, showcasing how they pulled up animals into the ring, to be quite interesting. The description had a distinguished line that read,"and each gladiator would not have the slightest idea as to where, or what, would pop up from the ground..." The games lasted for almost 500 years (!), and ended in A.D. 523. Today, only a third of the original structure is present, and is where tourists flock to. Regardless, it's a must see for anyone that goes to Rome. 

Palatine Hill Stadium

Museum on Palatine Grounds
Mom and I were fans of the detailed statutes

Out of all three monuments, Mom and I enjoyed Palatine Hill the best. We loved the vastness, sculptures, layout, and it definitely had the most variety out of all three sites. Palatine Hill is packed full of history. Essentially this historic site was the home to all of Rome's emperors for three centuries. As we walked the grounds, we encountered huge spaces, such as the stadium, which is where the emperors exercised, large gardens, foreign plants from oversees, and various kinds of architecture.

We loved the museum, home to all of the lovely sculptures that were once all around the grounds. We couldn't get over the detail that was still present. Mom's seamstress self, favored the two female sculptures above (for the detailing of the dresses, of course!). 

Palatine Hill Gardens; View of Roma; Outskirts of the Hill

The views and structures are unbelievable on Palatine Hill. It is quite easy to get lost amongst the grounds, and with such variety of structures it is evident of how lavish of lifestyle royalty truly lived in Roma during the empire. 

Roman Forum

In brief, the Forum was the place for all political, religious and commercial centers of the city. It possessed some of the most important buildings and ceremonies too. During the Roman Empire, it was considered the center of Rome. 

Historically, the Roman Forum is more important than Palatine Hill, but neither Mom nor I were very impressed by the grounds. Although, we both were unaware of the lavish history it possesses, so for everyone who takes a guided tour, or has a decent amount of knowledge of the grounds it will definitely be more interesting.

My descriptions are very brief, but all three monuments possess an extremely rich history. Currently, I am taking Ancient Roman Civilization, and I will be revisiting all three sites with my Professor where I will receive a proper tour. Already, I've learned quite a lot about the Roman Empire. Something that everyone should note about Rome, is although it may be considered a major city in the world, it has yet to meet the same expectations or power it once possessed during the Roman Empire. The presence of Rome's old structures (which make up the city center), are pivotal parts of Rome's current image and foundation as a major city in the world.