A Wedding in Rome!

Sonia and Tiziano with the parents of the groom, Marco and Marvi.

One of the highlights of my short stay in Rome was to attend the wedding of Tiziano and Sonia. Tiziano is the son of my friends Marco and Marvi from Modena. I'd met Tiziano several times while visiting his folks in Modena. Sonia is from Rome, and also happens to be a famous rock singer in Europe, the lead singer in a heavy metal gothic rock band. But the wedding was pretty low-key, elegant and traditional, in contrast to Sonia's usually dramatic stage presence.

La Chiasetta: Santa Maria in Tempulo

The wedding was a civil ceremony in a deconsecrated church, so it only lasted a few minutes, and we were quickly ushered out of the building to make way for the next couple. It seems they schedule many weddings a few evenings a week, only 30 minutes apart. As usual, the elegant attire of the Romans made me feel dowdy in comparison. Most of the women wore dresses suitable for a prom  or evening gown. I wanted to at least get photos of some of the amazing 4-inch heels that were prominent that day, but restrained myself from acting like a tourist.

Sonia with one of her attendants

Sonia and Tiziano with members of her band

The wedding "carriage"

After the wedding, we made our way out of the city, only to find ourselves in gridlock during the usual Friday evening traffic chaos as Romans headed out of town for the weekend. And then we got lost, even though there was a GPS thingy in the car. What should have taken 30 minutes stretched into 90, but we finally made it to an elegant hotel in the Alban Hills in Marino, Italy, across the lake from Castel Gandolfo, the Pope's summer residence.

A view of Lake Albano from the hotel.

The wedding cena is really the main event of the Italian wedding, and it goes on for hours. Another Italian friend shared the details when planning the menu and cost of his wedding cena, and all the headaches that went along with it. First, there's the aperitivi, which at this wedding was a buffet of numerous dishes, every one of them elegant and exquisitely delicious. Carpaccio of salmon, swordfish and tuna; marinated anchovies; grilled zucchine and stuffed squash flowers; a salad of shrimp and other shellfish;  meats wrapped around cheese; and tiny sandwiches with melt-in-your-mouth fillings. And of course, Prosecco (sparkling wine) and Verdicchio (a white wine) were flowing in abundance to accompany the appetizers.

Aperitivi buffet tables: fish and vegetables

Nearly two hours later, we were asked to sit down for the main courses: risotto with scampi, ravioli with pears and taleggio cheese, and baked branzino (sea bass) fillet. And two hours after that, there was the wedding cake to cut and another buffet, this time with fruit and pastries. OH MY! Somehow, I managed to taste a little of a lot of things and never got really stuffed.

My place setting at the cena: they even spelled my name right!

Brindisi! Toasting i sposi

Things started winding down about midnight, and I waited with a number of other guests to ride back to Rome in a shuttle. We waited and waited and waited, and it finally showed up about 1 a.m. From the hotel where the shuttle stopped, I caught a taxi across town to Termini with a couple headed in the same direction, and made it back to my hotel about 2 a.m. I still had to pack for my 9 a.m. train to Naples in the morning, so I didn't get much sleep that night. But I had an unforgettable experience, and feel honored that I was included in this special event.

Last of all, every guest recieves a bomboniere, or wedding favor. Here's what they looked like:

Bomboniere

Bombonieri usually include Jordan almonds, known in Italian as confetti. Though it looks sweet and all, you have to literally rip the thing open to get to the almonds, in a small bag underneath a mound of linen and stuffing. So perhaps the confetti is merely a gesture, and the favor is to be kept unopened, as a memento of the wedding. My gift to the couple? Since the honeymoon will involve travels to New York, San Francisco, and Hawaii, I bought them a travel guide for each destination. Other guests gave money to pay for the trip.

How about this? Those are Swarovski crystals decorating these beauties!

A parting shot: as were waiting for the shuttle back to Rome, I asked one of the women if I could take photos of her shoes, which I had been admiring all evening. They were truly works of art, and I can only imagine how much they cost. But she explained that they were a gift, worn at her son's wedding three years ago, and they are very comfortable. Who knew?

Rome: Cinecittà, Trastevere and Palatine Hill

At the Cinecittà Studios

On my second day in Rome I took the Metro south to the Cinecittà studios, the largest film studio in Europe, where Fellini filmed his movies, and where many American movies have been filmed, including Ben Hur, Cleopatra, and The Agony and the Ecstasy. More recently, the BBC/HBO production of the popular series Rome was filmed there.

On the set of Rome

Unlike Universal Studios in the States, Cinecittà is NOT a theme park: instead, it's still a working studio and has many interesting exhibits about filmmaking, along with tours of the sets. Scorcese's Gangs of New York was filmed at Cinecittà, but unfortunately a fire in 2007 destroyed many of the sets from that film. We saw a few of them, as well as the sets used in the filming of Rome,  which were being set up for a wedding while we were there....I can just imagine what that cost! I recently watched Rome on DVD, and many of the scenes were fresh in my mind, so it was cool to see where they were filmed.

On the Rome set, a pathway is created for the bride

That evening, I took the H bus over to Trastevere, to stroll the familiar streets of this bohemian quartiere of Rome. One of my objectives was to try, once again, to hit a unique store that in English would be called Books, Chocolate and Wine. I had been by the store numerous times in the past, but never when it was open. It's an odd little store, and not very attractive inside. But they serve something very unique: liqueurs in edible chocolate shot glasses. I ordered one called Scapatella, with hazelnut liqueur, topped with panna (whipped cream). The waitress told me to place the entire concoction into my mouth, all at once, and then enjoy the explosion of flavor. YUM! Certainly worth another visit!

Photo courtesy of An American in Rome

The next morning, I got up early to visit Palatine Hill, the most central of the seven hills of Rome, a Roman ruin site that I'd not yet visited. I got there just as it was opening at 8:30 am, and had the place to myself for the first thirty minutes. It's a large, sprawling site, one of the most ancient parts of the city. According to legend, the Palatine Hill was the location of the cave where twin brothers Romulus and Remus were found by a she-wolf that kept them alive. When they were older, the boys decided to build a new city of their own on the banks of the River Tiber. However, during a violent argument between the brothers, Romulus killed  Remus, and named the city Rome.

Palatine Hill

I spent several hours wandering around the site, and enjoyed myself, as it was like being in a huge park. However, at times I found it frustrating to find my way around, as no maps were provided, and even though I had a printed guide to some of the most interesting spots, the signs were often confusing or misleading. I never was able to find the spot designated as the hut of Romulus and Remus. Included in the ticket price one can also visit the Roman Forum, but since I'd already seen it several times before, I headed back to the hotel to get ready for the wedding I would attend that evening.

Rome: Palazzo Doria Pamphilj, Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, Piazza Navona, Castel Sant'Angelo and the Pope!

Castel Sant'Angelo

My stay in Rome was hectic and intense, but I was able to visit a few sights I'd neglected during previous visits. After getting settled in a guesthouse near Termini train station, I headed out on bus 64 to Torre Argentina, near the Pantheon. I know this area well, and headed directly to Piazza della Minerva, most noted for Bernini's statue of an elephant with an obelisk on its back.

Pulcino della Minerva

This time I wanted to visit the church behind the statue, Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, so called because it was built over a temple to the goddess Minerva. The church was built in a gothic style, and was modeled after Florence's Santa Maria Novella. One of the highlights here is Michelangelo's marble sculpture Cristo della Minerva, also known as Christ Carrying the Cross, made in 1521. The cloth covering his private parts was added later.

Cristo della Minerva

My next stop was Palazzo Doria Pamphilj, noted for its unique suite of private family apartments and its art gallery, with works by Caravaggio, Rafael, and Titian among the 550 in the family collection. An audio guide by Prince Jonathan Doria Pamphilj, the current heir,  provided an intimate family history that was an enjoyable addition.

Next, as I headed towards Piazza Navona, I noticed a crowd gathered on one of the streets. I couldn't see what was happening, so asked someone about it, and learned that the Pope was saying Mass at the Basilica di Sant'Agostino, celebrating the Feast of St. Augustine. Since it was impossible to see through the crowd, I continued on, only to find another crowd on the next street, lined up and waiting for the Pope to come by. I was able to get in the front line, and sure enough,  a normal black car with the Pope drove by, surrounded by security guards. I caught the event on video, with Pope Francis waving from his window.

This is one of the things that I love about being in Rome: you never know what might happen, just around the corner. I've witnessed some amazing events that I could never have planned for, just by being in the right place at the right time.

After that, I spent some time hanging out in Piazza Navona, enjoying the music and art that is a common event in this popular Roman spot.

Piazza Navona

My last stop on this LONG day, which had included a transatlantic flight from home, was visiting Castel Sant'Angelo, where they were giving night tours of the fortress, originally built by Hadrian as his family mauseleum. Later, it was used by the popes as a fortress, prison and castle, and it's now a museum.

View of St. Peter's Basilica from Castel Sant'Angelo

One of the most interesting parts of the tour was being able to enter a secret passageway that led from the fortress to the Vatican. You can see from the photo above that it's no short distance. Now read on:

"The Passetto di Borgo is an elevated passageway some 800 metres in length that passes evocatively above the bustle of the everyday world as it runs along the top of the walls that used to surround and protect the Leonine city, connecting the Castle to the palaces in the Vatican. The walkway was added to the wall so that the Popes could reach their private apartments in the Castle without descending to street level, but more importantly so that they could escape from the Vatican in case of impending danger." This info comes from the following site, which has more photos:

Notti d'estate a Castel Sant'Angelo

I walked part of the way along the passetto, then returned to the Castel for a free concert, which was another surprise. A lovely performance that included music by Puccini, Gershwin and Morricone, among others, was held in an open room atop the fortress. About 11 pm, I decided I'd had enough for one day and boarded a bus that took me across town and back to Termini. From there I had a short walk to my hotel, where I crashed, satisfied by the full day I had spent enjoying Rome.

Skies over the Bay of Naples

Sunset over the Bay of Naples, view from the terrace of my B&B in Ercolano

 Just a few words about my travels so far:

Rome was intense! Three days of basically non-stop activity, culminating in a loooong wedding feast in the Alban Hills. Today I arrived in Ercolano, and it's a much different scene here. I'm staying at a B&B on the slope leading to Mount Vesuvius, and there's an incredible view of the Bay of Naples from the terrace outside my door. I'm the only one using the guesthouse this weekend, so it's like having a large apartment to myself, complete with a full kitchen, a dining and living room area, and a huge terrace overlooking the owner's grapevines.

Tonight I witnessed the production of some 30 pizzas, as the owners of the B&B, Alessandra and Vincenzo, prepared a meal for me and a group of five families, with eight children among them. Earlier in the afternoon, I saw several women in the kitchen, preparing the pizza dough in small spheres and letting them rise. The father and son duo got the fire started in the outdoor oven, and as the pizzas were prepared, the son slid them into the waiting oven to bake.

Into the oven they go!

3 minutes for a simple margherita pizza, with slices of mozzarella, a handful of sliced cherry tomatoes, and a few leaves of basil. Add a sprinkling of homemade olive oil, and the pizza is ready to fire. It's not the pizza that Americans tend to eat, heavy with sauce, cheese and meat. But this is the pizza I enjoy: simple and incredibly tasty. YUM!

La pizza margherita

Before coming to Ercolano, I had to change trains in Naples, and decided to take the time to leave the train station so I could buy some sfogliatelle....the many layered pastry that Naples is famous for. I bought two kinds: one that has a limoncello filling, and another with a pear and ricotta filling. I've saved them all day for dessert, but now I'm too full to eat them! A domani!

Sfogliatelle Napolitane

There was also an incredible feast at the wedding last night, but I managed to eat lightly, even though there were many courses and the food was delectable. Tonight, the B&B owners prepared two kinds of pizza for me, and I felt as if I couldn't refuse....but it was too much!

Dinner under the pergola

It's 11 pm and the families are still going strong, under the pergola of grapevines. But it's time for me to hit the hay. Tomorrow I'll spend the day visiting ruins in Ercolano and Pompeii....hopefully I can walk some of the pasta off. Let's hope so! And sometime soon, I'll post stories about my time in Rome.

A bit of Rome in Kansas City

Fauno rosso, Roman, 2nd century C.E. Red marble, 66 inches (167.5 cm).

During my recent visit to the Nelson-Atkins Art Museum in Kansas City to see an exhibit of Frida Kahlo's work, there were several other exhibitions that we went to see. The most impressive was the statue of the Fauno Rosso (Red Faun), on loan from the Capitoline Museum in Rome. It was created in the 2nd century B.C. and it's the first time the statue has crossed the Atlantic Ocean. The statue, sculpted from red marble, was originally found in 1736 at Villa Adriana (Hadrian's Villa) in Tivoli, Italy. There were only a few pieces of it at the time, and shortly after its discovery, two Roman sculptors were hired at the newly opened Capitoline Museum to fashion a sculpture out of the found pieces. Since I've been to both places, Villa Adriana and the Capitoline Museum, it was a pleasant surprise to be reminded of those visits by the presence of the Fauno Rosso in a place of honor at the Nelson.

Fauno Rosso

Another exhibit that I was eager to see was this:

Rodin: Sculptures from the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Foundation

It seems as if they have a different Rodin exhibit every year at the Nelson, and I've seen quite a few. But now I'm spoiled! After visiting the Rodin Museum in Paris last fall, the bronze casts simply pale in comparison to the original marble works that I was able to view in Paris. Many of the sculptures at the Nelson were small, bronze casts from replicas of Rodin's originals, so the real majesty of Rodin's work is lost. It made me realize how fortunate I was to have had the chance to see Rodin's original works in Paris, and that I'm eager to see them again! Sigh: now only the real thing will do!

All roads lead to Rome!

photo by Greenery

Summer is winding down, you say? Well, here the heat has returned in brute force, pushing the thermometer steadily towards the 100's. Students have returned, adding 20,000 + to the population of our city. The streets are crowded with young adults and their inattentive, aggressive driving habits. Ugh! The garden is waning, the outdoor pool is closing, and schools are in session. A good time to head for Italy!

My first stop is Rome, and I've been looking at options for what to do during my three day stay. I often stay with friends, but they'll be out of town this time, so I'm on my own for most of my stay. On the final day, however, I'll be attending a wedding, and will spend the afternoon and evening at that event, visiting with my friends from Modena. Their son, Tiziano, is marrying a Roman woman, and she also happens to be a famous rock singer (in Europe and South America), so it could really be interesting. As for what to do the other days, I have a few options:

Doria Pamphili Gallery, one of the larger and better art galleries in Rome that I've not yet visited.  It has an immense gallery of art from a family collection, and is housed in the palazzo where a member of the family still lives. The ornately decorated rooms are beautifully maintained and many are recently restored.

museo doria pamphili

Castel Sant'Angelo is giving night tours, which could be interesting, and there's an English language tour at 10:30 pm the day I arrive. Though I've spent a lot of time in Rome before, I've rarely been out at night, and never on my own. So this could be an interesting course to follow. And there's a great view from the terrace! The fortress was built as a mausoleum for the Emperor Hadrian (AD130-139), but it has also been a prison and a papal residence. Some Popes even hid there for protection in times of danger. There is a covered passageway which still connects Castel Sant'Angelo to the Vatican, and this would be on the evening tour! Castel Sant'Angelo now houses a museum with a variety of exhibits, including Renaissance paintings and pottery.

Castel Sant'Angelo, 2012

Cinecittà, the famous Italian movie studio, is giving tours of their facilities south of the city, and it'd be fun to see where Fellini and other famous Italian directors made their movies. Many American and British productions have also been filmed there, including Ben Hur and Scorsese's Gangs of New York. Unlike Universal Studios in the U.S., it's NOT a theme park.

Via Appia Antica

I've yet to visit the Baths of Caracalla or Palatino Hill, so they add a few more options. Another trek I'd like to take would be riding a bike on the Appian Way, which I attempted  walking in 2012, but only made it through the first few miles of a 20 mile round-trip journey to the Aqueduct Park outside of Rome. When I have more time and someone to do it with, I'd like spend a day riding the cobbled road. But  this time I may take the metro to the park, and see the other end of the road. Here's more information on this ancient road, which was built in 312 B.C. and originally extended from Rome to Brindisi (on the Adriatic coast), a length of 350 miles.

Via Appia Antica

Aqueduct Park

As always, I'll probably spend time wandering around favorite spots in Rome: the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Pincio Park, the Spanish Steps and Trastevere. While I was housesitting for several years near Rome, I had the chance to spend many days hanging out in the eternal city, but they were mostly day trips. I'm looking forward to being there in the evenings and at night for a change. Should be an adventure!

Frida Feast

Frida Kahlo, self-portrait

One of the highlights of the summer was going to an exhibit featuring the works of  Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera and other modern Mexican artists at the Nelson-Atkins Art Museum in Kansas City with my son Jesse. I've long been interested in Frida's work, tortured soul that she was. She painted 60 self-portraits during her lifetime, most of them with a surrealistic flair and powerful iconic images. Her obsession with painting herself was one way to assuage a sense of loneliness and fears of being forgotten. She suffered from polio as a child, and later, was in a horrific accident that broke her back, pelvis and legs. She started painting during long bouts of lying flat in bed, due to body casts and recovery from more than thirty surgeries. Many of her paintings are painful to view, but impressive at the same time, as they give some insight into her difficult experience of life.

Nude with lilies, Diego Rivera

During the next week, we borrowed the DVD Frida from the public library, and made a Mexican feast to enjoy before watching the movie. I made tacos and guacamole, while Jesse was more inventive, creating Stuffed Nopales (cactus) with Black Beans, Cheese, and Roasted Red Peppers (supposedly a favorite of Frida's) and Limones Rellenos de Coco (Coconut-stuffed limes) for dessert. YUM!!!

a Mexican feast

"Feasting" on Frida was a nice way to round out the summer with images and food from Mexico before I head off to Italy again. I'm taking some condiments to make Mexican food while staying with my Italian friends, a unique treat that is often hard to come by in Italy.