Our Fabulous Italian Vacation, Masako, thank you for keeping track.

Day 1.

Roma

- Rome (FCO) Airport – luggage stuck on conveyor belt. Luggage stuck back in NY.

- Settled into Trastavere apartment

- Pizza outside at one of the oldest restaurants in the area

- Wandered around – church, fountain, filming

- Piazza Navona

- Gelato

- Service at the Panteheon

- Rome ruins (cats) – ruins from about 100years before Christ.

- Supermacado for the essentials - bread, cheese, olive oil J

Day 2.

- Cappucini e posti to start the day

- Biggest flea market in Europe

- Walked up the stairs behind Trastavere to look out over Rome

- Piazza Venezia

- The Forum (ancient Rome downtown area)

- Tour of the Colosseo

- Rome subway from the Colosseo to Piazza di Spagna

- Restaurant with the gals – and fellow restaurant patrons don’t forget: “You pay for the water and I pay for the bottle”

- La Fontana di Trevi and gelato (duh)

Day 3.

- Cappucini e posti

- Tour of St Peter’s Basilica and the Necropolis / Mausoleums

- Vatican City

- Castle

- Bus detour through the Borghese Gardens

- Pantheon

- Gelato

- Caravaggio exhibit

- Edward Hopper Exhibit ( S & C)

Day 4.

Firenze

Joann Kate Masako

- Cappucini e posti

- 8.15am fast train from Roma termini to Firenze

- Walked up the many steps to the top of the Duomo to look out over Florence – stunning!

- Strolled through the street market

- Academia - statue of David

- Basilica di Santa Croce – Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli

- Walked along the Arno river and across the bridge – Ponte Vecchio

- Mmm frozen pizza at Cuchina Tipica

- Joann and Masako eat McDonald’s ice cream cones to determine if there is a difference. Gelato is better!

Day 4 Rome

Susan, John, Jack, Charlotte , Franny

Borghese Gallery & Garden

Piazza Popola

J & J Holocaust Exhibit

Castel Sant'Angelo

SCF San Giovanni Laterno

Coin & shoppping

Day 5.

Spoleto

- Regionale train to Spoleto

- Wine and cheese on the apartment deck

- Shopped

- Pizza, Gelato

- Dinner at the restaurant up the hill – excellent pasta and apple dessert!

Day 6.

- Cappucini e posti

- Bag shopping in Spoleto

- Local bus from Spoleto to Norcia

- Norcia – boar’s heads, pungent cheeses, snow on the hills

- Walked across famous bridge in Spoleto as sun was setting

- Osteria del Matto, owner – crazy man Philipo. (An Appetitte for Umbria by Christine Smallwood 2005 UK publisher)

Day 7.

Assisi

- 9.15am train from Spoleto

- Pizza

- Church of Sante Rufino

- Bakery with delicious goodies

- Basilica Papale di San Francesco: upper church on top of lower church

- Pasta at a hotel restaurant at the top

- Train back to Spoleto

- Cheese, bread, olive oil

Day 8.

Roma

- Cappucini e posti

- 10.30am train back to Roma

- Pizza, Gelato

- Registered for Marathon

- Biscottificio Artigiano – Innocenti – biscotti and brioche

- Dinner with the best tiramisu

Day 9.

- Roma Fun Run! 9am start from the Colosseo

- Vatican City – walked to the top of the Cathedral and looked out over Rome (lots of steps to get there).

Peace in Assisi

March 21, 2010. Rome Marathon

Our Fabulous Italian Vacation

Masako finds her dream car in Assisi

Porta Portese Market 3/14/10

Spoleto , Umbria, Italy

magazine stand in Spoleto has gone to the dogs

Spoleto : Norcia : Spoleto 3/18/10

Today we struggled a bit with transportation and language, after many laughs we found ourselves on the bus bound for Norcia....this was the day that could have been a challenge on the Amazing Race......plus when we finally did make it to Norcia, all the stores were closed ....the best looking pastries and we couldn't even buy them. We did see pig shaped sausage...isn't that just wrong?

Rome Breakfasts, not too heavy on complex carbs or protein

Spoleto in Umbria, 3/17, Bella

Charlotte, where are you?

Borghese Garden, 3/16/10

Joann, Katie and Masako went to Florence today, while the rest of us went to the Villa Borghese and then walked thru the park to Piazza del Popolo.

After lunch John and Jack went to see the Castel San Angelo while Frany , Charlotte and I went looking for Bijou Brigette.....we never found it, ended up in a questionable neighborhood and then found the most amazing church so far....San Giovani

Right Here , Right Now 3/14/10 Rome

OMG, I can't wait to eat

Il Mondo di Laura: Need a tasty gift for the folks back home? Get creative with the cookies Romans can’t stop talking about — but be warned, you might eat them before making it home. Stop in at Il Mondo di Laura near Porta Portese for kosher treats with names like “Miss Cioccolatissima” and “Pepita.” Via Ettore Rolli, 34; 011-39-06-588-0966;mondodilaura.com

Luce 44: In Trastevere, Rome’s first zero-impact restaurant showcases the organic produce of the Lazio region. Your choices include a fennel soufflé topped with béchamel sauce and shaved truffle, artichoke lasagna, scottona beef stew, and carrot cake accented with Chantilly cream and poppy seeds. The all-white decor and vintage furniture complement Luce’s simple and earthy mission. Via della Luce, 44; 011-39-06-560-0846;luce44.it

Our last place in Italy, March 20-21,

Relais Travestere ironically, we are only 3 blocks away from the apartment we are renting at the start of our trip.

Candid Photos From Auschwitz on Display in Rome

Article from NY Times

Visiting the exhibit last month, the Nobel prize winner and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel, spoke of the importance of such displays. “People who listen to the witnesses become witnesses themselves,” he said.

The Vittoriano is open from Monday to Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Friday to Sunday, 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Jack and Charlotte both very intrigued by this period of history, might be a good exhibit for them to see.

Piazza Venezia/via di San Pietro in Carcere/piazza Aracoeli

March 16th, Galleria Borghese, 9am

I made reservations @ Galleria Borghese for March 16th. Our entrance time is 9am and we have to be there @ 8:30 to get tickets: Our reservation # is 42320254 -E. While we haven't discussed going, I know it is by reservation only so I thought better to have the option. If we buy the Roma Pass, this gallery can be one of the places we use the pass for. We opted for the 9 am rather than the 12 pm entry time because we are in Rome and want to get a jump on the day.

We love Free Things

National Geographic offers a free tour of St. Peter's Basilica, Mon- Sat at 9:00am
and a tour of the Pantheon every night at 7.
There are also free tours from the Spanish Steps at 17:30.

Markets

Porta Portese – On Sundays from 7am to 1pm, not far from Travestere Apt , a flea market off Piazza Ippolito Nievo that began at the close of World War II and has grown to be one of Europe's premier garage sales with more than 1,000 stall. It runs every Sunday, dawn to lunchtime.
Pickpocket alert: Seriously, hold on to your wallet.
Dress like a Roman without Boutique Prices
San Giovanni is Rome's biggest used and new clothing market. Snuggled up along a stretch of the Aurelian Wall off Via Sannio are the half-covered stalls of the best used clothing and army surplus market in the city. Off Via Sannio, near San Giovanni in Laterano Runs Monday to Friday 10am to 1pm, Saturday 10am to 5pm
Rome's Campo de' Fiori is an outdoor market by morning:
All morning long, the piazza hosts a market of fresh flowers and produce. By noon, all that's left are scraps.
Borghetto Flaminio - One of the most noted of the antiques markets, operating every Sunday in a small courtyard off the Via Flaminia, a few blocks north of Piazza del Popolo.
Piazza della Marina 32, Sundays 10am–7pm.

Edward Hopper Retrospective

Is it crazy to go to Italy to see an American painter? Edward Hopper show in Rome

London Times suggestion

17 Da Augusto, Rome
Rome has wonderful high-end dining experiences — it’s one of the few capital cities to have retained its culinary heritage. But, as the Romans say, “The more you spend, the worse you eat”, so, for a truly authentic experience, have lunch at a trattoria such as Da Augusto, in Trastevere, where the food is as straightforward as, say, spaghetti cacio e pepe (spaghetti with cheese and pepper) or the even simpler spaghetti aglio e olio (pasta with olive oil and garlic).
Piazza dei Renzi 15, Via Della Pelliccia; closed Saturday evening and Sunday; no reservations or credit cards; mains from £6; 00 39 06 580 3798, no website

Rome: Snacks for any craving

Rome: Snacks for any craving

Rome: A new exhibit celebrates Caravaggio

Our tickets are for March 15th @ 5 pm
The NY Times Declares this show

An Italian Antihero’s Time to Shine

Here is a list of Caravaggios not in the exhibit but that are hanging in churches in Rome, it's in Italian but I think we can figure it out.

Chocolate in Perugia

You can buy Perugina chocolates anywhere in Italy, but when we're in Perugia, we should check out the Cioccolateria Augusta Perusia on Via Pinturicchio, near the University for Foreigners. It's owned by an ex-Perugina employee who is passionate about chocolate, and focusses on reproducing authentic Perugina recipes. I say authentic because Perugina is now owned by Nestle' and the difference shows. Try tasting the "original" Bacio at this shop and compare it with the Perugina product.

If we want to tour the Perugina Factory, we need to call and book it, maybe we can decide when we are there.

Rome Marathon March 21st , need to register by 3/20

Maratona di Roma For the Love of a Roman T-Shirt

Roma Fun Run , 4K "La Stracittadina", one of the many races of its kind with one of the highest participation rates in the world, awaits all in the centre of Rome on March, 21st 2010 , immediately following the start of the 42,195k Marathon. We can register at the Marathon Village until the day before the race: € 7,00 included official t-shirt.

Excavations of St Peter's March 15 11:00 am

Every visit to the Excavations is led by a specialized Guide. link to excavation
The visit lasts about an hour and a half. Those who suffer from claustrophobia, should not visit.
Please use the Reference Number 135309 in any future correspondence concerning this reservation.
Since the visitors will see the tomb of St. Peter during the course of the tour, they must be dressed in a manner appropriate to a sacred place. Be in the office 10 minutes before the time of the visit
The Excavations Office is reached through the Holy Office Gate (through Colonnade to the left): ask the Swiss Guard for the Excavations Office.The visitors are reminded that they are not allowed to bring bulky objects into the excavations. Large bags and backpacks must be deposited there prior to coming to the Excavations Office. St. Peter’s Basilica offers a free bag check service located in the lower right façade of Basilica. A visitor who would arrive late or with a large bag would not be allowed to join the visit.

Audience with the Pope March 17

St. Patrick's Day....not a big Italian holiday, is it?
Audience @ 10:30 am
We pick up tickets Tuesday 3/16 btween 3-7pm
email: visitorsoffice@pnac.org refer to www.pnac.org for information on Rome
Dear Susan,

We will be happy to request 8 biglietti ticket invitations for the Papal Audience on Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 10:30 AM. Please come for your tickets here at Via dell'Umiltà, 30, near the Trevi fountain.

May you enjoy safe travel and a spiritually fruitful visit to Roma.

In Christ Jesus,
Sister Maria Howell, RSM
Secretary to Monsignor Roger C. Roensch

Hidden European Neighborhoods- Page 5 - Articles - Travel + Leisure

Hidden European Neighborhoods- Page 5 - Articles - Travel + Leisure

March 16th, Felliniesque Spectacle

Where: Palazzo Massimo alle Colonne
When: 16 Mar (8am-1pm)
San Filippo Neri performed one of his most celebrated miracles in the palazzo of the noble Massimo family. Called to administer the last rites to young Paolo Massimo, the saint found the boy already dead; undaunted, he revived Paolo, chatted for a while, then – when the boy was ready to meet his maker – commended him to God. On the anniversary, after a private mass, a procession of family, servants and altar boys escorts the presiding cardinal or archbishop to a private room for a slap-up buffet. Turn up around 11.30am to witness the spectacle in all its Felliniesque glory.