Rome Wasn't Built In A Day

Touristy spots. There are always pesky peddlers that ruin the whole experience. Just got back from 4 days in Rome.

I have to say that it was an amazing experience to come to this parts of the world from Aotearoa (New Zealand) to stand in front of the Colloseum, gape at the Sistine Chapel, and throw coins over my shoulder at Fontane de Trevi (Trevi Fountain). It is truly awesome to be able to do it in this lifetime. But the crowds at Vatican City, rip-offs around the Colloseum, and peddlers selling bags, belts, watches at the Pantheon made you wonder if you were in the heart of Rome, or a market in Bangkok. Can someone please tell the peddlers to park somewhere else?

(Note: Before reading the next paragraph, there is a link to the word "Supperclub", which links you to the club's website. Tip, don't open this link at work, there is topless woman on the opening page. Albeit tasteful, not something you want popping up on your screen on a Monday morning. Do check out the website though, it is totally funky).

Sights aside, I had the most interesting experience in a European city thus far. We went to Supperclub, a revamped 3rd century mansion. There were beds all around, yes BEDS, like the kind you sleep on! We take off our shoes, leave them on the floor, hop on a bed, and just lounge about... How wicked. It was awesome! It was so hard to leave that place. We were getting kinda comfy.

Some Romans at Supperclub recommended that we go to La Maison, so we ventured out that way. All clubs are hidden in off-streets and there is never signage. The bouncers smoke and hang out with the patrons too, so it's so hard to find a club unless you know exactly where you are going. La Maison has hot bar staff.

But the most interesting of our experience in Rome was our last dinner in Rome, at Dino e Tony, a ristorante on the red metro line. We asked for the menu, but Dino shook his head. "Antipasti! My speh-shee-ehl-ee-tee (speciality)!". Dino is highly strung, smoking in patrons' faces. One woman kept frowning in confusion. We were giggling in confusion, and so were the guys next to us. Ok, I guess we're not getting any menus. D: Pasta? G: (thumbs up). Pasta arrives. Uno (one) plate. Due (two) plates. And a third one! We just shrugged our shoulders and dug in. Dino e Tony is said to have the best pasta in Rome. An accolade very rightly deserved. Needless to say, we wiped our plates clean. Gabs was scared of Dino, even though he wouldn't admit it. It was novel having a meal not knowing what you are getting. And it's even better when what you get is really good. Everyone wants to dine at Dino e Tony, because it is so damn weird but also so damn good.

There were so many cool things about the Rome trip that I can't even begin to blog about...

1 - Pizza. Pasta. Gelati. Our staple for 4 days.

2 - Andy Warhol exhibition, with original works borrowed from the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (where Warhol was born and raised). A freakin dream come true.

3 - Henri Cartier-Breeson's portrait photography exhibition at Museo di Roma, with shots of a young Truman Capote, Jean Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Coco Chanel, and many others.

4 - Italian coffee. It is so wicked.

I'm sorry, I tried really hard to keep this one short and sweet, but there are just so many things about Rome I had to blog about.

One of the reasons why the trip was so cool was because I saw these things with one of the coolest cats in town. I'm gonna miss yah!