Rome

Any excuse is good to go to Rome. This time I had to go renew my passport. Sure, I could have done it by mail, but as I said, any excuse…

So my husband any I made a weekend (actually weekday) out of it. We visited some new restaurants and an art exhibition. And let’s just say they both left a sweet taste in our mouths.

First stop: a little afternoon walk in the touristy parts of town – in Rome, seeing monuments is always like seeing them for the first time. Rome just exudes a sense of magical wonder.

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Then it was a combination of visiting a millennia-old monument and delicious dinner when we went to Armando al Pantheon; just a stone’s throw from the former-Roman-temple-now-church-and-final-resting-place-of-Italy’s-last-two-kings.

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Dinner is served: one classic Carbonara and one sad Amatriciana (due to my dairy intolerance, I couldn’t add any cheese). Armando al Patheon is a classic Roman restaurant serving typical, local fare. The waiters are entertaining and the sommelier makes excellent wine suggestions.We had a nice, local, biodynamic, passerina del frusinate, white wine: Costafredda. I could wax poetic about its bouquet and notes, but I’m not enough of a connoisseur to even pretend. I already used up all my wine terms writing this sentence. It was good and complemented our meal nicely.

Now for the real reason we came here: off to the embassy! There was more than enough time to snap some photos at the bus stop since this is Rome and, as everyone here knows, the buses make their own schedule.

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With that out of the way, we had time to go to a beautiful exhibit at Chistro del Bramante called DREAM. L’arte incontra i sogni, where dreams and art intertwine.

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The exhibition was an emotional journey through different artworks and styles. You were immersed in these artists’ dreams to the point that you felt like you were dreaming yourself.

I love art and going to exhibitions, but I’m not usually one to stop and read the descriptions and artist interpretations, but because you’re forced to take an audio-guide when you enter, I was obligated to slow my pace, read, and understand the purpose of each piece. It made me appreciate how words can really influence your emotions and gave me a deeper understanding and immersion into the pieces. Some of the art was by well-known artists like James Turrell, Anish Kapoor, Bill Viola, Tsuyoshi Tane, and more, and was narrated by fourteen famous Italian actors.

Last but not least, it’s always Spritz time! Especially with the weather these three days. Our AirBnB host recommended this vibrant happy hour place called Tira e Molla. Perfect spitzes and great snacks.

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I really enjoy coming to Rome. I try to come as often as I can, even if it’s just for the weekend. And even though I’ve been here more times than I can count, I always find new neighbourhoods to explore and exciting events to enjoy. Arrivederci Roma! Hope to see you in September.

• Look Day 1:
  • Slip dress: H&M
  • Sneakers: Feiyue
  • Straw bag: Holiday purchase from market in Mauritius
• Look Day 2:
  • Silk camisole: Club Monaco
  • Pencil skirt: Sézane
  • Sneakers: Feiyue
  • Gold hoop earrings: Okra Jewelry
  • Straw bag: Mauritian market find
• Look Day 3:
  • Grey T-shirt: Sézane
  • Pencil skirt: Zara
  • Sneakers: Feiyue
  • Straw bag: Mauritian market find
• Photos by Michael Dino Cotugno