We had a really fun evening making – and eating – pasta at the penthouse apartment of a chef with experience working in a Michelin star restaurant. Alessandro was knowledgeable, a good teacher and a a great guy.
I booked the experience through Airbnb, the first time I’ve done that but definitely not the last. I admit that we both were a little anxious just before the class. It’s limited to eight people and only seven had booked. We were all on a group invite through Airbnb so I knew going in that the other five were a lot younger than us. They included a couple from South Korea who were on their honeymoon, a recent college graduate from Yonkers and his two cousins from Ireland. They were all such warm and friendly people. The cousins, all young boys in their early 20s, said they were learning to make pasta for their girlfriends. The South Korean couple were both so sweet.
We made the pasta dough and then turned it into a ravioli stuffed with ricotta and spinach and a fettuccine with an excellent tomato sauce. It was more than we could eat, except one of the Irish guys. He managed to eat everything that was put in front of him. We gave him a round of applause.
Betsy and I love to cook and we’ve made pasta a couple of times years ago, but this class helped me feel confident that I can take some flour and eggs and whip up a pasta dough and then roll and get it the right consistency. I’ve never rolled pasta dough by hand, but we all did that to make the ravioli and I think I can do it even better on my next attempt. I needed to get it thinner; we all did. Some friends are going to find out if I learned anything when we get back. We used a pasta-rolling machine for the fettuccine.
We were up early yesterday enjoying coffee and relaxing in our apartment, which is beautiful with high ceilings and warm wood floors. We decided to have a light lunch in Piazza Navona, one of Rome’s most beloved public spaces, built on the footprint of a first-century Roman stadium where athletic games were once held. Its long, oval shape still follows the outline of that ancient arena. Its centerpiece is Bernini’s Fountain of the Four Rivers. The fountain’s dramatic marble figures represent four major rivers from different continents, and the Egyptian obelisk rises above.
We sat at a restaurant with tables just across from the fountain. We know from experience and every travel guide we’ve ever read that the cost to eat in a high tourist area is twice as much as a block away and the food isn’t even half as good. You pay for the location and we were glad to do so. It was a great to watch the bustling activity of the piazza.
After lunch, Betsy needed some toes-up time, so I went for a walk and visited a church. It was open, thankfully, and it was stunning.
Sant’Ignazio di Loyola was built between 1626 and 1650 as the Jesuit church honoring the founder of the order, St. Ignatius of Loyola. From the outside it’s dignified but restrained, but stepping inside and looking up reveals a stunning ceiling fresco painted by Andrea Pozzo in 1685. It gives the illusion of the roof opening to the heavens.
Even the dome is an illusion — a flat surface painted to look three-dimensional — and the effect works if you stand on the small marble disc set into the floor of the nave.
After the church, I just randomly roamed around Rome. In one alley, I saw a really long line of people waiting to get into a shop. I was curious.
It took a minute for me to realize that all the fuss was about a ham sandwich. Okay, “ham” is definitely oversimplifying what’s going on here. All’Antico Vinaio is a legendary sandwich shop originally from Florence that has become one of Italy’s most famous street food spots. The huge line I saw is a daily occurrence, as it is widely considered one of the most popular sandwich shops in the country. The shop is famous for its schiacciata, a traditional Tuscan flatbread that is baked fresh throughout the day and served warm, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, according to a boatload of reviews.
Anyone familiar with the high energy and speed of The Varsity in Atlanta can relate to this place. Customers were expected to be ready to order the second they had their turn, no mulling over the menu, and the staff was calling out to each other to keep the line flowing. Their popular orders feature mortadella, pistachio cream, stracciatella cheese, and chopped pistachios. Another favorite is made with sbriciolona salami, pecorino cream, artichoke cream, and spicy eggplant.
I considered going inside the Pantheon, but the line was much too long and I’ve seen it on a previous trip. I hung out by the fountain for a few minutes. Those toothy dolphin-like things are kind of frightening up close. Originally designed in 1575, the fountain was part of a Renaissance project to bring fresh water to Rome via the Acqua Vergine aqueduct. The heraldic dolphins are intentionally designed with grotesque, features and sharp teeth to symbolize the raw power of the sea. For centuries, this fountain was the lifeblood of a local marketplace where fishmongers used the cool water to keep their daily catch fresh.
I had planned to see a few other sites, lesser known places I haven’t visited on previous trips here, but the sky opened and the rain poured down. I stepped under an eave in a doorway and waited out the heaviest part of the rain and then made my way back to our apartment.
This trip has been wonderful, but it hasn’t been all roses; we’ve definitely hit a few thorns. In fact, we’ve been plagued, literally.
It started with a scratchy throat on the flight from Madrid to Palermo. A few days later, I was in the full grip of a virus that settled in my a chest, a cough so awful that strangers stared at me like I was personally trying to ruin their vacation—and frankly, I might have. I covered my mouth, of course, but that racking sound alone felt like it was spreading germs to anyone within earshot.
Next, a fever blister erupted above my upper lip. I’ve been dealing with these since first grade (as my first grade school photo proves). Before leaving Nashville I was thinking I needed to get a refill on the medication that treats it, but I thought, what are the chances I’ll need it in Europe. Turns out pretty good. I had to hunt down a farmacia.
Then, the dental drama began. One of my crowns popped off a few days ago. I actually travel with a dental glue kit—a lesson learned from a previous bridge-related disaster.
Apparently, three plagues weren’t enough. During lunch, I rubbed my right eye and it was painfully tender. Betsy took a look and said the lid was reddish and swollen. Great. Back to the farmacia I went. The pharmacist took one look at me, asked a few questions, and handed over some cream.
While I was there, I stocked up on cold medicine because Betsy now has my early cold symptoms. To top it all off, Betsy’s crown popped off yesterday morning. Dental glue to the rescue again.
It feels good to be going home tomorrow before we need an infirmary. We’ve had a good laugh about it.
For our last day in Rome, we plan to get out into the city, do a little souvenir shopping, find some gnocchi for dinner and have our first and last gelato.
Kim & Betsy 
i have so enjoyed reading about y’all’s adventures.
thank you, Deborah Hardy, Yatesville, GA