Category: Rome

Italy: Contemporary Architecture in Rome

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MUSEO DELL’ARA PACIS

Museo dell’Ara Pacis

Today we had another tour with guide Liz from yesterday and concentrated on examples of contemporary architecture in Rome.  Rome as a city is not always open to contemporary architecture, and it is even hard for Italian architects like Renzo Piano, to get their projects funded and then built.  Many building projects take years and years as funding is available, then dries up and construction is halted, and then started up again in fits and starts until completion.  

One of the first buildings we viewed this morning was the Museo dell’Ara Pacis designed by American architect Richard Meier.  This white mostly unadorned structure was built around an earlier building that houses the Ara Pacis, a sacred altar built to celebrate the return of Emperor Augustus from Spain and Gaul in 7 BCE.  Meier’s very contemporary building stands out midst more classical architecture and was unpopular with some for this jarring juxtaposition.  It opened in 2006.

Old style architecture near Meier’s museum

AUDITORIUM

We were eager to see Renzo Piano’s work here. The music auditorium (Auditorium Parco Della Musica Ennio Morricone) designed by him opened about 20 years ago.  It’s the largest performance space in Europe (or was) and it includes a cafe, a large bookstore, and three raised auditoriums, each of a different size.  Their exterior shells are black and look insect-like; they have been called scarabs by some.  

The building is of reddish brick using thin bricks as were used in ancient times.  We were able to see some of the interior and walk the exterior promenades while admiring the use of columns, staircases, glass, and open space. 

MAXXI

Of equal interest was Zaha Hadid’s curved and angular building, MAXXI, Museum of Art and Architecture.  Hadid was a noted British-Iraqi female architect born in Baghdad who practiced around the world.  MAXXI is the first Italian public museum of this type incorporating not only gallery space for exhibits, but also a research “hothouse” for dialogue between design, fashion, cinema, art and architecture.  

Its periscope like protrusion from the top front has a screen reflecting neighboring buildings.  Inside are a variety of curved staircases layering and crisscrossing one another.  

The information desk is curved, some public seating is curved couches, and there are also stretches of glass broken up by metal strands. It was all very striking and to me, most appealing.

MUSIC BRIDGE

Lastly, we visited the Music Bridge which was built to someday accommodate trams.  It was designed in 1999 by Armando Travajoli.  Today it was just a quiet pedestrian bridge crossing the Tiber to a sports stadium.  No teenagers were in sight skateboarding in the park underneath. I found its simplicity most attractive.

Note: All photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.)

Rome: Last Meals et al

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OBSERVATIONS: A few reflections on how Rome struck me on this visit.

  • More young people seen smoking on the street including high school students.  A mix of cigarettes and vaping devices.
  • More pedestrian-only zones which make Rome quieter and even more pleasant for walking from piazza to piazza. Other than getting into and out of the city upon arriving and departing, we walked everywhere! Didn’t take even one taxi.
  • Rome is popular!  This is early October, pre-Columbus Day, and the crowds everywhere are huge.  
  • Dress here is as casual as what you see in cities everywhere.  Lots of jeans on all ages, and mostly pants on the women.  Of course, we were focused on tourist attractions which probably accounts for some of this.
  • Rome’s fountains and buildings all look cleaner and almost pristine; stanchions and signs are in evidence to deal with crowd management.  Obviously, the government has invested in making the city more appealing.
  • The Spanish Steps are as beautiful as ever, but you are no longer allowed to sit on them.  Enforcement officers were around making individuals get up and move.  I found this disappointing as I always liked sitting there and watching the world swirl around me.
  • Vibrant restaurant scene with many options for Roman cuisine and also some very sophisticated creative fare.

CREATIVE ROMAN CUISINE

Again, thanks to Journy, we experienced a very sophisticated and innovative dinner menu at Per Me Guilio.  It’s built around fish and seafood, particularly raw fish, and such Roman specialities as tripe.  There are a couple tasting menu options, but you can also order a la carte which we did.

Shrimp carpaccio

I had scampi carpaccio which was served with four tiny cubes of foie gras and bit of onion jelly followed by cuttlefish gnocchi with clams, celery and bottarga.  

Cuttlefish gnocchi

The Chief Penguin ordered the roast cuttlefish followed by scorpionfish with codfish tripe and beans.  

Roast scorpionfish

Desserts were fancy, but more recognizable.   And as is typical of very fine restaurants, there were lots of little extra tidbits along the way.   Another superb dining adventure!

TRUFFLE FAVORITES

On our last night, we trekked through Piazza Navona, Pantheon square, past the Trevi Fountain, and on to the Spanish Steps before going over to Osteria Barberini for a dinner that featured truffles, both white and black.  This is a very small restaurant, and we discovered, very popular!  Our reservation was for 6:30 when they opened, but there were at least six other folks outside the door hoping to snag a table.  

In addition to the regular menu, there’s a truffle menu. We love truffles, especially the pungent white ones.  We ordered the bruschetta with white truffle and Parmesan (lovely), and then each had an order of the tagliolini with white truffle in a very light cream sauce.  Sublime! 

 The Chief Penguin had his all time favorite, saltimbocca, which he said was the best ever.  I ordered the veal strips with red bell peppers in a balsamic glaze which was good, but not exceptional.  We shared an order of sautéed spinach with oil and lemon. Our waitress was an animated woman who added to our enjoyment of the evening.  The chef also came out from the kitchen to see if we were happy with our dishes. 

Note: Text and all photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved).

Rome Adventure: Vatican Tour

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STUNNING ART

We initially signed up for the 7:30 A.M. small group tour of the Vatican Museums.  But, upon further reflection, it seemed too much with jet lag et al, to go that early.  So we changed the tour time to a more civilized 9:45 and then walked to the meeting point.  Seeing the art was worthwhile, but the overall experience is exhausting and strenuous. Our group totaled 22 plus our guide, Julie.  We thought the group size would be no more than 12!  Julie was superb—well informed, organized, and kept us moving!  And we had little radios and earpieces which made it possible to both hear her clearly and stay focused on the building and the paintings.

But, and it’s a big but, the Vatican allows so many thousands (and I mean thousands!) of people to be in the buildings at one time that you are always in a packed crowd and have to move very slowly up and down the many staircases and contend with tiers of folks in front of every significant work.  Doing this for three and a half hours is wearing!  As a former museum educator, I fault them for cramming in so many people.  They charge a high price and the crowding detracts from one’s enjoyment.  Our tour also included the Sistine Chapel (also packed) and the interior of St. Peter’s.  About the only spaces  that weren’t wall to wall people were several of the Raphael Rooms.

Detail in the Raphael Rooms

Mornings in Rome are lovely and we enjoyed the walk to the Vatican and also another walk this morning.  There are not as many people on the street, businesses are just gearing up for the day, the piazzas, Navona in particular, and the Pantheon are less full, and the light is lovely.   

Section of a map in the hall of maps in the Vatican Museums

Note: Text and photos by JWFarrington (some rights reserved).

Eating in Rome: Cafes & Restaurants

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Despite my earlier observation about Rome being trendier these days, you can walk the neighborhoods from Campo de’ Fiori to Trastevere and pass many restaurants and cafes.  But this is Italy and every single establishment we passed was offering some version of Italian cuisine.  No Chinese, Thai or Vietnamese in sight.  Every one has its versions of spaghetti cacio e pepe or carbonara, its saltimbocca, or a wide variety of pizzas.  Today we did see one Indian restaurant nearer the center of the city.

CAFÉ CULTURE

If it isn’t raining, chances are you can sit at a table outside on a square somewhere.  Lunch our first day was at Verso Sera in peaceful Piazza del Biscione.  On Sunday mid-morning we contemplated life over cappuccinos and cornetti at Vyta in Piazza Farnese.  Still and peaceful until about 11:00 when people started swarming.

 Lunch later that day was at Da Pancrazio, a more elegant restaurant with cozy inside seating (perfect for winter), and tables on the now familiar Biscione square.  

Saltimbocca

Here we shared a wonderfully peppery rendition of bucatini alla gricia (with bacon and pecorino) and then dived into saltimbocca for the Chief Penguin and vitello tonnato for me.  The latter is one of my longtime favorites—-it’s thinly sliced roast veal served cold with a smooth layer of tuna mayonnaise and dotted with capers.  

 I have fond memories of my first taste in Rome many years ago and also of my good friend Hilda making it for a picnic lunch one time.  It’s a fussy dish so I was both impressed and pleased that she served it!

INDOOR DINING

Last evening we booked at a restaurant we discovered while out walking.  DanEl, is the brainchild of two individuals whose names make up the restaurant name.  The chef is Elisa and her father was our maitre d’ cum waiter and very informative about the restaurant’s history and the aromatic truffle bread in the pretty basket.  This is Roman cuisine, but a more traditional version.

We started with some carmelized shrimp in their shells (tasty!) and then followed that course with semolina gnocchi and sea bass.  The bass was a lovely filet that was rolled up and served on a slab with scattered berries and several broccoli florets.  Sophisticated dishes and delicious!

Semolina gnocchi

For lunch today, we walked farther afield past the monument to Vittorio Emanuel II, Trajan’s Column, the Forum and up a hill to Ai Tres Scalini.  This was another recommendation from Journy and we were very pleased with it!  The dining room is small and pretty and the menu has a mix of snacks, pastas and entrees as well as meat and cheese plates. 

 We opted to try the truffled sausage snack (tiny bites) and the thin columns of Gorgonzola with honey and walnuts.  Yum!  To follow, the Chief Penguin had a lovely plate of pink prosciutto with a ball of mozzarella.  The mozzarella here has been more piquant than that we typically get at home.  

Ravioli

I ordered the ravioli stuffed with cheese and glazed with a cherry tomato sauce which were equally good.  We arrived at the beginning of the lunch hour and were glad we did as the restaurant filled up soon after.  

After lunch, we walked uphill a few more blocks to the domed Basilica Papale Santa Maria Maggiore.  From our approach all we saw was solid fencing and tightly closed doors.  The Chief Penguin was convinced we could go in so we trudged all the way around to the opposite side.  

Ceiling of the basilica

After going through a bag check, we entered the sumptuous sanctuary and had the extra treat of hearing part of choir practice to organ accompaniment.  As we were leaving, the pews were filling up with nuns and others of various ethnicities all wearing name tags.  We surmised they were South American attendees at the Vatican conference on saving the Amazon rainforest taking place this week.

Note: Text and all photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved). Header photo is of a recently cleaned Trevi Fountain.