I Heart Rome?

Diary of a commuter

2011-10-05T10:19:00.003+02:00

The "trenino" that goes from Fara Sabina to Fiumicino (and vice versa) never ceases to amaze. Here's a summary of my week of commuting from Trastevere to Tiburtina:

Day 1

Outbound: on time

Inbound: 8 minutes late, train breaks down at Ostiense, change trains

Day 2

Outbound: 15 minutes late

Inbound: 12 minutes late

Day 3

Outbound: 5 minutes late

Inbound: 20 minutes late

Day 4

Outbound: on time

Inbound: on time

Day 5

Outbound: 25 minutes late

Inbound: on time

Day 6

Outbound: 10 minutes late

Inbound: 5 minutes late

Day 7

Outbound: on time

Inbound: 27 minutes late

and then they wonder why people don't buy tickets...

Get your sh#t together

2011-08-26T17:57:00.005+02:00

I'm not in the mood for this, Rome... get your shit together. Today is one of those days when I wish I could smack Rome upside the head.

After weeks of non-stop work, obscene temperatures, and August annoyances, I finally managed to find some time to do something non-work related! I pretty much missed all of the outdoor cinema events this year, but was very eager to go see at least one film that was part of the Unità d'Italia celebrations- not because I'm a patriot but because they were showing some damn good Italian classics.

So I made a point to take a break from work in order to go and pick up the free tickets* by 7:00 PM as it said on the websites that publicized the event:

"L’ingresso alla manifestazione è libero e i biglietti d'ingresso potranno essere ritirati gratuitamente entro le 19 a Palazzo Valentini. In più, il tagliando d’ingresso darà diritto, fino al 12 agosto, a cenare a prezzi ridotti all'Enoteca provinciale prima della proiezione. I film avranno inizio alle 21."

I get there and am told tickets will be available FROM 7:00 PM as opposed to until 7:00 PM. Now, I know my brain may be burnt out after redonkulous hours of work but I am far too OCD to mess up a detail like this so I whip out my beloved iPhone and show the "guard lady" the website with the info. At this point, after giving me attitude as if I were some fool, she finally says: "Oh yes, we know the info online is wrong but there's nobody here to give you the tickets anyway". Blood boiling (also due to the unbearable temperatures), I look at her and say: "This is ridiculous. People take time out of their schedule to come here and you can't even publish the correct info?". She shrugs her shoulders and says: "It happened to a lot of people". Yeah, real reassuring. That just makes you seems like bigger assholes because you knew the info was wrong but didn't bother to adjust it. So now, I will head back there again after 7:00 PM in hopes of finding tickets.

Grrrrrr.... just one of those days.

*someone has to explain to me WHY we have to go pick up tickets ahead of time for free events. If it's on first come-first serve basis anyway, then just do it right then and there instead of making people line up twice. It's such an annoying waste of time.

Cupcakes in the 'hood!

2011-08-02T19:45:00.006+02:00

While walking home all sweaty and grumpy after a miserable bus ride (is it just me or has the bus service been horrific for the past few days?) I happened upon this:

Cupcakes? American sweets? Just what I needed to lift my mood. I stepped inside and examined the cases:

They looked damn good to me! At 3 euros a pop, they ain't cheap but I was willing to take my chances. I'm saving them till after dinner, I'll let you know the verdict.
Or else, check it out for yourselves:
Franky & Paul
Via del Moro #8
Trastevere, Roma
you can "like" them on the Facebook (yes, I said "the Facebook", it amuses me).

UPDATE: I tried them all and am sad to report they were disappointing and rather bland. I couldn't tell the difference between the red velvet, carrot cake, and white chocolate. A few of them fell apart as I was taking off the wrapper, and as we all know, a cupcake should not crumble that easily. The frosting was flavorless too, just tasted like sugar. Very unimpressive. They need to tweak their recipes because as they stand now, they're mediocre (hence even more overpriced). Oh well...

brunch at Panella

2011-07-25T14:50:00.003+02:00

I've know about Panella for ages, I think their bread products are great but a bit on the pricey side so I rarely go there. But I recently heard they were doing aperitivo and brunch buffets as well so we decided to test it out yesterday.

It started off very well, perfect weather, great location, pleasant waiter, and lovely company. Our waiter gave us the run-down: all-you-can-eat brunch plus a drink for 15 euros till 3:00 PM. Not bad, considering most places charge 25+ for brunch (I still don't understand why brunch is so freaking expensive in this country!). The buffet had several vegetarian-friendly options too. Sweet! We were all excited about this very reasonably priced brunch.

Our first observation: the whole thing is poorly organized. You pay at your table then go inside to the buffet table with your receipt, stand in "line" (those of you who live in Rome know what I mean, it's an inverted pyramidal shaped mass of pushing people), and wait to be served. A stupid system if you ask me, you tell the guy what you want, he puts it on your plate, and if he thinks your plate is too full, he tells you to come back later for whatever else you may want. Waste of time & plates. Give people bigger plates so there'll be less of a pile-up inside, no?

Second observation: as always in Italy, there's a catch. A friend joined us later and just ordered a drink while two of the brunching friends got a second drink- the bill came and they were charged 15 euros each for their drink. I thought there was some kind of mix-up and pointed it out to the waiter, he very casually said "No mistake, extra drinks cost 15 euro even if you don't want to eat or even if you've already paid for the buffet". Ridiculous. I'm willing to pay 15 euros for a drink at Hotel de Russie on occasion, but this is out of line. Needless to say, my friend who had just ordered the drink decided to pounce on the buffet since he was paying for it anyway.

Third observation: they need to get their act together. If you're going to do the aperitivo/brunch scene then do it right. Make sure it's organized and user-friendly, and make sure your staff is prepared. When I went inside for my third round (yes, third... the plates were tiny!), the buffet server examined my receipt and with an accusatory tone declared I hadn't paid for the brunch. I laughed out loud and told him to talk to our waiter.

Him: "What's your waiter's name?"

Me: (in dismay) "I have no idea, I'm not in the habit of asking a waiter's name".

I pointed him out and naturally my waiter defended me, he'd punched in the wrong code hence it looked like I hadn't paid for brunch but of course I had.

We ate like fiends to make up for the excessive extra-drink cost and in all honesty, the food was great. I just can't begin to understand what possessed them to set up that ridiculously exorbitant second-drink price. I mean, don't you want people to stay and drink?? That equals more money, duh! Even if you charged people 7 euros, they'd gladly buy a second and third drink but 15 euros is unheard of. People are going to eat and leave... so maybe that's what they're aiming for? Beats me... I'd go there again but would make sure everyone at the table knows what the policy is ahead of time.

Consider yourself warned.

Price hike?

2011-07-15T09:06:00.003+02:00

Apparently, ATAC is planning on raising prices for the public transportation system in Rome. While I understand the need for price hikes, I think ATAC has some nerve raising the price for the substandard service they provide. Before asking us to fork out more money, how about fixing up some of these issues, dear ATAC?

-Making sure all of your buses have AC that works

-Making sure buses run regularly

-Spacing out the buses. How many times have I seen three #3 buses appear within one minute (and manage to miss them all) and then have to wait 25 minutes for the next one?!

-Rethinking the placement of certain bus stops so that riders can easily switch from one line to another without having to sprint 100 meters!

-Improving the night bus schedule

-Making sure your bus tracker app works even past midnight

-Placing ticket machines on every bus

-Improving signage on streets and even in buses so riders know what stop is coming up and what route the bus takes

...shall I go on?

Gym update

2011-07-13T13:38:00.003+02:00

Remember how excited I was about finding a new gym that I liked? Well, I do still like it but (you knew that was coming)... initially they said they were open for the month of August, which was a big selling point for me since I stay IN Rome during August. Then they said they would close only for the week of Ferragosto, then they said they would close for 2 weeks, now they say they'll be closed the whole month PLUS they've reduced the number of classes in the month of July (they've cancelled my morning class which is a huge annoyance for me) since "most people are on vacation". Ummm, okay... that's not what I signed up for and that's not what I paid for! I signed up knowing there were morning classes all through the summer, but since this is Italy what you see is not always what you get and they keep changing their story on a daily basis. Needless to say I asked them to add an extra month to my membership since they'll be closed in August plus they threw in a few extra weeks for the July downsizing too. Fair enough I suppose, but I'll still have to find a place/way to work out during August.

Aside from this glitch, the gym is great, I've tried out most of the instructors and have selected my favorite classes, which all happen to be morning classes. I went to an evening class the other night and it was like being inside of the Grande Fratello house: chitchatting nonstop, yelling, complaining, fighting, joking, teasing the instructor= total mayhem. Never again, I'll stick to my morning classes which are much more civilized and more focused on exercising- which is what I'm paying for.

new obsession

2011-06-13T11:35:00.004+02:00

Moka Drink from Siladrink! Not too sweet, perfect coffee taste. Where can I order a case of this??

what happens if you don't provide garbage cans?

2011-06-05T15:22:00.002+02:00

This... can't blame 'em.

when it rains it pours

2011-05-21T12:56:00.005+02:00

I stepped on flyer today... for another gym... in the Trastevere area!! Whoa, what's with the sudden outbreak of gyms in the 'hood??

This place, Silver Fitness, is offering a crazy low price: 99 euros for a year BUT (there had to be a "but" or two, as in this case) the gym does not open till July and they're only offering a limited number of these 99 euro memberships. So if you want to cash in on the offer, you have to sign up now- sight unseen.

They have pictures and schedules on display on site, but those are all from their Talenti gym, the lady at the desk said this Trastevere gym will "more or less" be the same. Yeah, okay, no... I'm far too skeptical (after living in Rome all these years) to sign up and fork over money for something that is still in the works. For all I know, the place will open 2 months later than planned, will be a hole in the wall, and will have ridiculous hours like 10:30 AM- 1:00 PM/ 3:30 PM- 6:00 PM. Also, I asked if the gym will be open in August and she said "Of course! It'll probably be just be closed for about 10 days". Uhhhh, okay...

Too sketchy for me right now. I'll wait to see what the finished product looks like and then I'll report back to you all.

we have a winner

2011-05-19T10:13:00.003+02:00

After searching high & low, I have found a good gym in my neighborhood. Easy Fit Club on Viale Trastevere #205 has proved to be a winner!

Their website is a bit janky and the schedule online is wrong (check out the correct schedule below) BUT the gym is right in soooo many ways: good classes, good teachers, nice facility. My only complaint: the girls at the front desk need to back off a bit, I'm not a fan of people getting all up in my grill and trying to be overly-friendly. Take it down a notch ladies, we don't need to be BFFs.

For now, I've only signed up for one month (59 euros) because I need to make sure my erratic work schedule will actually allow me to go and take classes. They're also offering a summer special: if you sign up now you'll only pay 159 (or was it 149?) from now till September. Pretty sweet deal. Then the regular monthly rate is 60 euros but they only offer year memberships.

I haven't been to Italian gyms in a while so it's rather amusing to watch the locals: from inappropriate gym attire, to complaining/huffing about the difficulty of certain classes, to ridiculous fears of AC, Italians prove time and time again that they are not gym savvy, at all... This morning I was one of two people in class- the other person was also foreign. As the instructor himself pointed out, most Italians don't like waking up early and exercising so an 8:30 AM class is anything but crowded. All the better for me! It's like having a personal training session. Win-win for me!

deep thoughts

2011-05-15T15:55:00.004+02:00

As I ran my errands the other day, I watched some AMA employees uncomfortably and unsuccessfully try to clean the street in between parked cars/scooters with their hoses... and a thought came to me: why don't they have alternate side parking like in New York City? It would make the street sweeper's job a lot easier and the streets would probably be much cleaner. Then I chuckled and remembered that this Rome- where people park wherever they want, whenever they want. Alternate side parking would be a joke like all of the other parking rules already in effect...

Only in Italy

2011-05-11T10:44:00.003+02:00

I couldn't believe my ears when I heard this commercial for Kinder fetta al latte with Fiona May: "Quando fa caldo e' difficile fare colazione, per questo c'e' Kinder fetta al latte*..."

Seriously? Who the fuck came up with this??

(*When it's hot out it's hard to eat breakfast, that's why we have Kinder fetta al latte)

good flicks

2011-05-07T18:44:00.003+02:00

Surprisingly enough, there are some good Italian flicks in the theaters right now. Check them out!

Dr. Pepper

2011-05-05T16:31:00.002+02:00

Look what I happened upon today... good ol' Dr. Pepper! I'm not a huge soda drinker but I do love me some sweet bubbles occasionally. I've personally never seen the Pepper in Rome before, but this one bar on Via Roma Libera #13 is selling it for 3.50 euro. Highway robbery if you ask me but if you ever have a craving for it, now you know where to get it!

pleather

2011-04-19T13:43:00.004+02:00

Finally, Trenitalia realized that having fabric-covered seats in the trenino (such as the Fiumicino Airport-Tiburtina line) was extremely unhygienic and all-around a bad idea.

Looks like pleather will be taking over. No more soiled, stinky, stained seats. Three cheers for pleather!

could it be??

2011-04-07T10:10:00.009+02:00

The other day I stepped on this flyer in my neighborhood:

A new gym? AND they're offering free classes for 3 days (aka "open days" which sounds dumb as hell). Obviously I went this morning and had a kick-ass class with a kick-ass instructor, Paolo.

This place is located in the same spot where JC Welfare was BUT they've expanded and spruced it up. FYI: from what I was told, JC Welfare pretty much closed down after collecting initiation fees from their members. Wow, glad I never signed up there... that name alone was reason enough not to!

I digress, this place seems promising. Prices are more reasonable: 60€ initiation fee, one-year membership for 60€ a month (sadly, they don't do month-to-month), or 3 months for 255€ (yikes!). One annoying, senseless thing: if you need/want to freeze your membership, you have to pay 5€ extra a month, so essentially the monthly cost becomes 65€ if, like me, you are gone for 3 months every year. I may have to contest this because it makes no sense to me. I'm hoping they'll be reasonable and meet me halfway.

AND they say they will be expanding the place as well to add a pilates room and a spinning room! We'll see... but honestly, it's fine as is! They have lots of equipment, two rooms for classes, nice locker rooms, etc. Could it be? Have I finally found a decent gym in Trastevere? Stay tuned...

If you have free time in the next few days, GO try it out EASYFITCLUB. They're pleasant people too.

Famers' market

2011-04-03T08:53:00.006+02:00

In the past few years, I kept noticing posters in Rome advertising "Farmer's Market" (ahem: unless it's just one farmer selling his/her goods, you might want to rethink where you placed that apostrophe!) but I never bothered to follow up... until recently. A dear friend of mine went to the farmers' market in Testaccio and raved about the great prices and excellent quality of the produce. So we went together last week. The market is located indoors and has a decent sized selection of only LOCAL goods.

You can get incredibly delicious in-season fruits and vegetables, cheese, bread, homemade pasta, honey, jam, sweets, etc. and the prices are lower than "mercato" or supermarket prices because there's no middle man, it's just a farmer selling goods directly to the consumer.

I couldn't help but chuckle about the newly adopted "farmers' market" term because traditionally, all mercati used to be like this: they were filled with local farmers selling their goods directly to consumers at reasonable prices. But then things went awry and these stands were selling all produce at any time of the year. At my mercato in Trastevere, for example, I managed to find only one real farmer: he and his daughter have a limited selection and quantity of in-season produce. They don't have cases and cases of apples with "Melinda" stickers on them, they only sell fava beans when they're in season, if you go do your shopping late in the morning you'll often find that all the goods have already been snatched by the neighborhood's old women who flock to that stand as if it were Mecca.

It's amusing but sad that Italians had to borrow our term "famers' market" to make the age-old mercato tradition seem like something new and trendy. Italians need to realize that some things are better left unchanged.

Close, but no cigar

2011-03-17T10:33:00.003+01:00

I give ATAC props for installing these digital countdown clocks at some of the major bus stops... BUT (you knew that was coming, didn't you?) they still need to tweak the system a bit. I always dread reading "A Capolinea" (at the end of the line) beside a bus number because it gives you no indication at all of when the bus will in fact come by- it could be in 2 minutes, it could be in 20 minutes... I've waiting as long as 25 minutes. Not even my beloved iPhone 4 and its ATAC mobile app can save me because it feeds from the same source as these countdown clocks.

I know, I know, beggars can't be choosers but still, it would make life a tad easier to actually know how long the bus will sit at the end of the line (read: how long of a cigarette/coffee break the driver intends to take) so I can plan accordingly. Maybe I'll write to ATAC about this... cue hysterical laughter.

Sephora

2011-03-05T13:24:00.007+01:00

I know people are always grumbling about globalization and the demise of mom & pop shops, but I have to say I am thrilled that Rome now has several Sephora stores. For years we've been at the mercy of overly priced & overly rude profumerie where pushy & impatient salespeople were up in your grill the second you set foot in the shop, where you could barely touch a product let alone look its the label, where asking questions about a product or its ingredients was frowned upon (I recall once asking if a product contained parabens, the salesperson basically laughed at my concern saying it was nonsense), where merely mentioning the word "sample" caused jaws to drop and attitudes to flare up (I'm convinced the owners of these profumerie have stockpiles of samples at home though), where prices were never clearly marked so you could get jacked depending on your accent or what the salesperson imagined you could spend. Trips to these profumerie always ended with me leaving empty-handed or me buying a 50 euro product I used once and tossed out.

Enter Sephora.

Pure bliss: tons of products in various price ranges, where you can actually touch the products, look at their labels, and GASP... get samples! Seriously, for all I care all the other profumerie can go out of business. I finally have a place in Italy where I can buy products and not feel annoyed, abused, or ripped off. Hooray for Sephora!

Espresso not expresso

2011-02-18T16:15:00.004+01:00

One of my biggest gripes when I'm in the good ol' US of A is the lack of good espresso, even in my beloved NYC (which is where I am now)... mind you there are plenty of decent espresso places in NYC but when I'm being charged $2-$3 for it, I want it to be really good, not just decent. For the past three months I've tried many places and haven't found anything exceptional until I discovered (drum roll please).... KAVA. I strolled by there yesterday and had a very good macchiato, it cost me $3 + change but I enjoyed every sip of it and I enjoyed the decor.

Well done, Kava, well done...

slowly but surely

2010-11-24T13:51:00.004+01:00

I realize that Rome is an ancient city but it does need to start getting with the times. Today, while running some errands in Prati, I finally had the chance to test out a new eatery that popped up in June. It's called VERO- FOOD TO MOVE and it kicks ass. It reminds me of Pret a Manger or Eat: a nice variety of quick, healthy food. Of course we'd all like to have the time and luxury to sit around and eat a leisurely one-hour lunch but that's not always an option, so being able to grab soup (I love me some soup) and a sandwich or salad TO GO, is a real necessity nowadays in Rome. Their desserts are pretty tasty as well.

I'm liking this place and hoping they open up a few more shops around town!

Ignorance

2010-11-20T18:02:00.006+01:00

I just witnessed a hideous display of ignorance and racism while riding on a bus in central Rome, one of the most disturbing I've seen in a while.

I head toward the exit doors as the bus nears my stop and notice a large, young Roman guy (a mix between a coatto & hooligan) who is close-talking with an older Filipino man. At first, I didn't pay attention to the words being exchanged because I assumed they were together based on how close the coatto was to the man's face, but when I actually tuned in I heard this: "You think you have the right to pass ahead of me. This is my country, you should keep your head bowed and shut up. How arrogant of you to think you can ask me to step aside, this isn't your country. You expect me to step aside for you, you immigrant. This is my country, go home..." and on and on. My first reaction, once I processed what he was saying, was to butt in and tell the racist asshole to knock it off BUT I quickly bit my tongue because I couldn't help but think: "What if this crazy mofo punches me in the face?". I have a tendency to mouth off in this city but there are times when it's crystal clear that the person on the receiving end is highly unstable and could possibly hurt me. So I stood there, staring at him with disgust in my eyes hoping he would notice but he was too focused on insulting, humiliating, and belittling a totally innocent man who just happened to be foreign. It was so immensely frustrating and upsetting to just stand there, impotent, not being able to say a word- I can only image how much worse it felt for the man who was being verbally attacked but he too, did not say a word and just tried to avert his eyes. I'm sure he also realized that this asshole was a loose cannon and things could get ugly really fast. My blood was boiling, my body was actually shaking from having to witness this hideous scene and not be able to intervene. The only thing I could do, once we got off the bus, was to say to the Filipino man: "Forget about him, he was just an ignorant jerk", in hopes of making him feel less alone.

It's really frightening and disturbing to see how young people think it's okay to treat someone like this IN public, this asshole clearly thought he was speaking for everyone else and that everyone agreed with him. If a group of people had confronted him and had told him to stop, he would've been forced to shut up. People need to gather together and stand up to ignorant racists and bullies, this kind of behavior should not be tolerated in public.

If only I'd had a Taser on me...

Happy thoughts

2010-11-14T11:03:00.004+01:00

If you're feeling overwhelmed, disgusted, and frustrated by Italian politics and the never-ending mud slinging which, if you ask me, is out of control (see above*), here's a happy thought for you, or for you Romans at least: Cinema Reale (Piazza Sidney Sonnino #7, Trastevere) is now showing films in V.O. So far they've shown "Animal Kingdom" and now "Everybody's fine" is playing. Yay!

*note: I am not defending Berlusconi in any way, shape, or form. I just think it's ridiculous and inappropriate for a political party to actually spend money on a poster of this sort. Gimme a fucking break, don't stoop to their level.

Big Mamma's Boy

2010-11-07T13:30:00.003+01:00

This is the trailer for my Italo-Australian friend's film. I'm fascinated by how the experiences of first generation kids are very similar no matter what nationality the parents are. We're not 100% American or Australian (etc.) but we're certainly not 100% Italian. We're in between and always will be.

Deep thoughts...

2010-10-02T14:31:00.003+02:00

I've been wondering about this for many years now and have yet to find an answer. Why are Italian pre-sliced loaves of bread treated with ethyl alcohol? The first time I bought a bag, I opened it and was blown away by the smell of rubbing alcohol. I thought the bread had gone bad and threw it out. I bought another bag, opened it and it reeked of alcohol again. Upon reading the label I discovered this...

...it actually contains ethyl alcohol (trattato con alcool etilico).

Oddly enough, American pre-sliced bread loaves do not:

Now before you start getting all bread-snobbish on me, let me defend why, on occasion, I buy this kind of bread: bread goes stale quickly and sometimes I like to have an egg & cheese sandwich for breakfast but don't want to have to go out and buy fresh bread before I've even had breakfast SO it's handy to have a bag of this stuff sitting around. Okay?

Back to the point- I don't understand why ethyl alcohol is used in Italy but not in USA, where they tend to do all sorts of strange shit to food. Any clues?

Darkness

2010-09-16T18:24:00.004+02:00

For the past few weeks, the entryway of my building has been in the dark. It took me a while to notice it (yeah, sometimes I don't pay attention to things) but once I did, I sent an email to our building's superintendent. A week later, we were still in the dark, so I called her office and left a message. Today, I noticed that people have been propping the front door open in order to make the pitch-black entryway less dangerous. I understand the reasoning behind this but I don't want my front door open 24-7 so I called the super on her cell. She said she heard my message and would send someone to take care of it soon. Great... but wait... so nobody else in the building contacted her? You mean all my neighbors who were bitching & moaning about it did not even bother to report the situation? Granted, lots of my neighbors were still away on vacation but those who remained indeed did notice that the light bulb was dead and indeed wasted no time to use this occasion to bitch & moan about the new superintendent.

I assumed they were bitching & moaning because they had contacted the superintendent or had informed her of the situation (which seems like the logical thing to do) to no avail, but apparently not. Who does that? Is it really that hard to pick up the phone and call? Why waste time and energy complaining about it instead of actually taking concrete steps to make the situation better? Boh... at times I really do feel like an alien in this country.

Mission: iPhone 4

2010-09-14T14:13:00.005+02:00

I've been on a mission for the past few months, desperately seeking an iPhone 4 in the Eternal City (side note: I have to buy it in Italy because I can deduct the cost as a business expense). So far it's been an epic fail. The first few iPhones that actually were released on the official date at the end of July were snatched up in record time. Not even my Mac boyz managed to get me one!

Next step: I started calling every store possible to no avail because 1) lots of places had closed or were closing for the month-long August holiday and 2) lots of places just don't answer their damn phones. I find it odd that in a country where people are glued to their cell phones 24-7, they don't demand that retailers actually answer phones and provide you with information like prices, wait times, etc. Apparently people here have an abundance of time to go around to each and every store in search of a particular item. I don't.

It's mid-September now and I am still sans iPhone 4. Today I made one last desperate attempt to call ANY and ALL electronic stores in malls, since they're actually open all day long and usually answer their phones... usually. The results? Mediaworld bites the big one because they don't answer their phones, nor did half of the Euronics stores I called. Trony's operators win the prize for answering their phones and for providing me with the requested info.

As for the iPhone 4, nada. They *should* be in stock in a month or so (yeah, right). Wish me luck and if anybody sees a 16G iPhone 4 for sale, let me know!

Fiumicino does it again

2010-08-02T22:04:00.005+02:00

One of the perks of living in Europe is being able to fly to another country in 2-3 hours. I took a little weekend trip to London to see friends, cool off, eat a variety of food, drink vitamin water (power-c is my personal fav), get a hair cut, and stock up on random shit like bagels and cheddar. This time around, I decided to not use a low-cost airline and instead opted for British Airways. I managed to get a good fare and the flight was pure BLISS… mind you, it was at 11:00 AM on Friday so it wasn't overly booked and for the most part the passengers were British, hence very quiet and polite.

The flight back, on the other hand, was anything but blissful. I booked an evening flight back to Rome, never imaging I would encounter the annoyance I encountered. I merrily and smoothly made my way to Heathrow (how much do we love the Heathrow Express train? It's so clean and efficient!) rather early so I had time to wander around and drink more vitamin water. As I made my way to the gate, I heard this incredible din and wondered what the hell was going on. Upon reaching the gate I saw something that makes me shudder every time- teenagers wearing matching backpacks and hats which equals GROUP FIELD TRIPS (side note, during the school year Italian students get to go on field trips all over Europe. Lucky, ungrateful bastards! The best field trip we got in my day was to Old Sturbridge Village) which equals annoying Italian teenagers on a plane!! I had a seat at the very front of the plane so I hoped I'd be spared a run-in with these unruly loud-ass kids. I hoped… Instead they were everywhere, actually there were TWO separate groups of youngsters. I've flown many times in my life, but never have I dealt with such chaos on a flight. They would not sit down and shut up until a male flight attendant literally shouted at them. Do these kids not know the difference between indoor and outdoor voice/behavior? They were acting like a pack of wild animals who'd never set foot outside of their homes before. They were kicking the seats in front of them, oblivious to the fact that there were people sitting in them (me), talking or rather yelling across the plane to each other, turning on cell phones during take off, getting up when the plane was taking off, talking so loudly it was impossible to hear any announcements made, littering everywhere, trashing the bathrooms, making all sorts of scenes and chaos. Luckily, I have the gift of sleep BUT the annoyance was brewing inside of me even while I caught some Z's. We finally landed in Fiumicino and of course, they clapped (hate that!) and tried to storm the exits before the seat belt sign was turned off.

As annoying as it was for me, I felt worse for the flight attendants who were probably ready to jump out of the plane or execute them all. I swiftly made my way to baggage claim hoping to beat the large disorderly groups of students. Hoping… Unfortunately, our bags took FOREVER and a day to appear and all the while I was being squished by sweaty oblivious annoying Italian teenagers who kept elbowing, stepping on toes, pushing and leaning over me to stare at the empty baggage carousel. At one point, this kid actually jumped onto the carousel to grab his bag, as if it would've disappeared into a black hole if he didn't grab it the first time around.

I know I sound like a cranky old lady but it was mind boggling to see how clueless and rude these kids were, they in no way paid attention to their surroundings or even cared about how uncomfortable they were making everyone. I even got pushed out of the way at one point and that's when I lost it. I basically told them to stop acting like wild animals… not sure what good it did because they kept at it and every time one of the students managed to find their bag they would all cheer for 2 minutes. EVERY time. Now, you may be wondering where the chaperons were, right? I can imagine that being a chaperon on a trip like that is worse than having your toenails yanked out with pliers BUT still, these people are adults and should act like adults. Instead they were just as hysterical and rowdy as the kids, they were shouting and screaming and acting like nutcases over nothing. No wonder why the kids were so unruly...

Wonder what the other non-Italians on the flight thought of this whole spectacle? I saw one British woman leave shaking her head, I saw a British family looking at these out of control kids with disdain (this family had 2 teenage kids who were incredibly well behaved), I saw a Chinese couple looking frightened as the kids bum rushed the baggage carousel right where they were standing.

It was seriously the most disturbing "welcome back to Rome" I've had in a while.

"No try"

2010-07-11T10:41:00.001+02:00

Today I noticed another odd phenomenon that occurs seasonally in Italy. When stores hold their twice a year sales, you suddenly see signs popping up that read: "No try".

What they mean is you're not allowed to try on the clothes that are on sale. Is it just me, or is that the most ineffective way to get rid of merchandise? I really don't understand, all year long you're allowed to try things on and then suddenly when those same items cost 30% less, trying them on is no longer an option. Why? No really, why?

I personally don't buy ANYTHING unless I can try it on (or return it once I take it home and realize it doesn't fit… but returning clothing in Italy is an entirely different horror story that I'll touch on one day), so it's safe to say that stores with "No try" signs don't get a cent from me.

summertime...

2010-07-10T10:39:00.003+02:00

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I love summers in Rome. Summertime is high season for my line of work so I have to stick around till the bitter end. Yes, it may be unbearably hot & humid BUT the perk is that the Romans abandon the city in hordes. They run off to the sea, the mountains, to Sharm El-Sheikh and leave Rome ALL TO ME! I've already begun to see the first signs of this exodus and I'm giddy with excitement to take over the city.
In the meantime, there are some fantastic outdoor events. One in particular is FREE and in one of Rome's loveliest parks, Villa Borghese. I saw Amreeka (really great film) last night at Casa del Cinema and highly suggest you all go to at least one of their events this summer. If anything, just to enjoy the breeze, the fresh air, and a cold drink.

Sweet!

2010-07-08T14:15:00.005+02:00

Lately I've been noticing some very stylish cookie packages around Rome and today I just happened to walk past the HQ of "Il Mondo di Laura". I went berserk and bought 3 different kinds of cookies, the lovely Laura (I'm assuming it was her) gave me some free samples as well. I just devoured a giant chocolate chip cookie and it was delish (and fairly healthy for a cookie). Can't wait to try all the other goodies.
It's nice to see new businesses like this in Rome. Go Laura!

mysteries of Italian TV

2010-07-06T10:13:00.003+02:00

I don't watch much Italian TV, but when I do happen to tune in I can't help but wonder about these oddities:

1) Why do shows start at random times like 3:05 or 9:40?

2) Why do commercials have to be announced/introduced by screen images like the one I posted above? I've never had a hard time differentiating a TV show or movie from a commercial so the need for this escapes me.

3) Why do they have TV guide readers? Some channels (like RAI) have these ladies who come on the air and tell you what the evening's TV schedule will be. I find it amusing yet senseless.

the joys of travel

2010-07-01T15:28:00.004+02:00

(warning: this post does not contain my usual rants about Rome and/or being an expat)

Another year older, another year wiser? Perhaps "wiseass-er", if that were a word. I've been reflecting on my life thus far and do admit I consider myself lucky. I've had so many great experiences, met so many great people, traveled to so many great places. I firmly believe travel should be obligatory for all: you learn so much about yourself, the world, and humankind in general.
Lately I've been thinking about one specific travel incident that happened to me years ago, when I was younger, freer, and didn't work freelance. Yeah, as odd as it may seem, working freelance has halted my travel because I never really know when work will come my way so plans are hard to make.
It was June-July of 1999 and I grabbed a backpack, stuffed a few things in it and flew to Tunisia. That's how I used to roll: me & a guide book… no tours, no guides, no companions. I had a rough idea of what I wanted to see during my 9 days there but played it by ear most of the time.
One day I decided to get on a train to Gabes because I wanted to go to Matmata. For those of you who don't know, Star Wars was filmed in this town and I wanted to see it because… I like Star Wars. Don't judge me, I grew up on those films. Anyway, while on the train I hear an announcement that I can't understand (I speak no French or Arabic) but I suspect they're announcing a delay since the train is running late. A conductor walks by and I stop him to ask more info. I tried in Italian first (although this was pre 9/11, I always traveled to Arab countries on my Italian passport instead of the American one and passed myself off as an Italian... dunno why, but I felt "safer" that way) and then in English, to no avail. Suddenly, an Arab man who was more or less my age, pops up and explains to me in Italian what the situation is. Said Arab man and I strike up a conversation and he confesses his love for Italy and the Italian language. Now mind you, I may have been in my 20s but I always had street smarts and an incredible ability to sniff out a freak from miles away. This guy seemed totally harmless and was not at all trying to mack on me. We chatted for hours and then we reached Gabes later than planned, so it was dark out. I hadn't booked a hotel but knew the general area I was going to stay in. The man, Hichem, tells me he would gladly host me at his home. At this point, I wondered if my freak-radar was out of whack and I just laughed and said "Non credo proprio" (I don't think so). He was smart enough to understand why I'd be hesitant and assured me that his home was his parents', meaning he lived with his mom, dad, and two sisters. I politely declined and said goodbye and started walking away. He kept at it and assured me it was safe. He even went so far as to say, you can walk with me there (which was in the general direction I would've been heading) and if you feel uncomfortable you don't have to come in. I figured there was no harm in that, so I walked with him to the center of town. We reach his home and he goes in to inform his family of the new pet he'd brought home from the train, his sisters rush outside with him to greet me and were incredibly thrilled to see a strange foreign girl traveling alone. They were extremely nice and polite. I agreed to go in. Sounds like insanity, right? My mom would've flipped out had she known (hi mom, even if you don't know I have a blog), but I trusted my gut and felt like this would be a great experience. And indeed it was.
Hichem's family was amazing, they were not wealthy but not dirt-poor either. They were very caring, attentive and even protective of me, they couldn't believe I was traveling alone. I stayed with them for two nights, they made me breakfast, let me shower in their home, offered me the best bed in the house (they all slept on mattresses on the floor). I also spent lots of time with Hichem (settle down, it was TOTALLY platonic). One night we walked to a fancy hotel in town and had beers at the bar, chatting till late at night about life, about our different cultures, about how strange it was that I, a Westerner, could sit at a bar and drink with him, whereas his sisters could not. His father was very strict with the sisters so they were rarely allowed to do anything. Hichem also offered to accompany me to Matmata and Chenini, his presence made it soooo much easier for me- not only because of the language barrier, but also because I had a male guardian to ward off any weirdos.
On day three, I packed up to leave, much to his family's disappointment. They wanted me to stay longer and see more sights in their area but I needed to move on and head back up north. I thanked them profusely, wrote down their address so I could send postcards, gifts, etc., told his sisters (who also loved Italy) that they were welcome to come stay with me in Rome, and headed to the train station with Hichem. We said goodbye and parted ways. Five minutes later he rushes into the train and hands me a paper bag, kisses me on the forehead in a brotherly way (settle down!) and rushes out. I open the bag to find snacks, beverages, and fruit for my long train ride.We kept in touch for many years, I sent packages to his family, his sisters were never allowed to come visit unfortunately and then we lost touch…
Still to this day I have such fond memories of my time with Hichem & his family. It was truly the most amazing experience. I'm eternally grateful to him for his immense generosity and his immense trust in humankind.

This, my friends, is what traveling is all about…

Gym quest 2.0

2010-06-15T11:13:00.004+02:00

Well now that my knee is out of service till further notice and I can't run, I figured it would be good to do some sort of low-impact exercise, so I decided to test out L'albero e la Mano. They offer "yogilates" (sounds like a smoothie, yummy!) and pilates mat work.
They don't offer a free trial class, it's 15€ for a single lesson or 70€ a month PLUS a 50€ initiation fee. Really pricey considering how tiny this place is and how limited the schedule is: there are no Saturday or Sunday classes, even Friday has slim pickings and they close in the summer. In any case, I decide to fork over the 15€ and give it a try.
Maybe it's just me, but if I'm doing an activity that is new to me, I need to see the instructor perform the movements and/or be given vocal cues so I can understand and follow along. In my experience, the instructor usually demonstrates and explains the movements and then if somebody is doing them wrong, they use the "hands-on" approach. Mr. Creepy Instructor seemed to prefer the "hands-on" method, moving me around as if he were my puppet master instead of explaining a single thing. Apart from making me slightly uncomfortable, it was also completely unhelpful and counterproductive. At one point, he was moving around my stiff limbs without uttering a word as to what he was trying to do so I just said to him "Maybe you could verbally explain what you're trying to make me do instead?". He seemed rather perturbed by this but I'd honestly had enough at that point and had no intention to continue being manhandled. Learn how to teach, buddy. If you can't show or explain the movements, then you need to find another job.
Apart from the creepy instructor, the class was lame. There were 4-5 of us, everyone showed up late and it all seemed so half-ass to me. No thanks, I'll pass. I may as well just buy a DVD and do these things at home.

"We Delivery" 2

2010-06-10T21:15:00.003+02:00

Well, well... somebody has listened to my suggestion and has starting offering delivery! The service costs 2€ or is free if you spend more than 30€.
Not bad, good work T-Bone Station "The American Steakhouse".

C-----

2010-06-08T14:49:00.004+02:00

Oh well, so much for the A+++++ I gave Rome the other day. Today I give Rome a C-----!

Today I had an appointment with an orthopedist at a public hospital to figure out what is wrong with my knee that's been aching for months (time to put me out to pasture, huh?). But wait, before I start rambling about today's appointment, let me tell you about the steps I had to take to reach this point: First I go to my primary care physician (free visit) and explain the problem to him, then he wrote an official request for an MRI. I had to call the CUP toll-free number to book an appointment for the MRI (51 euro) in one of Rome's public clinics. I totally lucked out and got an appointment in a week's time ONLY because someone had cancelled their appointment, otherwise I would've had to wait till SEPTEMBER or pay more and use a private clinic. Miraculously I got an appointment quickly but the only downside was: the clinic was hella far. I managed to get a ride out there and assumed I would be given the test results immediately. HAHAHA, little did I know that it took 4-5 business days which meant I had to go back to the clinic in bumblefuck Rome in order to pick them up the next week. I actually asked the technician if they could email me the results or send them with a courier, he laughed at me and said "Come back in 4-5 days".
ANYWAY, once I picked up those test results I had to bring them back to my primary care physician (free visit) who then wrote out a request for a specialized visit with an orthopedist. I called the CUP toll-free number again to book this appointment and lucked out again, I was scheduled to see a knee specialist at a public hospital in San Giovanni in a week's time. Yay!

Now back to today. I go to San Giovanni, and manage to pay for the visit (25 euro) after waiting only 15 minutes! I go upstairs to the sports medicine section and within 10 minutes they called my number. NICE! I go in and the doctor asks what my problem is. I start explaining the various types of pain I've been feeling in my knee all these months and he chuckles saying "Oh, sounds like the end of the world!" I smile politely, not entirely sure what he meant by that, and continued explaining the situation. I hand over my MRI results -which although written in medical mumbo-jumbo, specifically state that the meniscus and the ACL are intact- and he says "Let me check your meniscus and ACL". Uh, okay. He starts bending my knee and says he hears it clicking, I inform him that my knee has ALWAYS clicked. He bends the other knee (the one that is perfectly healthy) and points out the clicking sound. Uh, okay... Diagnosis: he says my kneecaps are congenitally defective because they tilt outwards. Okay, but why do I have immense pain in one knee and just recently? He mumbles and bumbles all sort of stuff and ends by saying I need to strengthen my quad muscles, undergo a treatment of anti-inflammatory drugs, and if it still doesn't get better I need to have an operation.
I am sitting there in a daze, so blown away by his brusque manners, his eagerness to get rid of me, his approximate diagnosis, his lack of in-depth explanations, his unwillingness to discuss or answer the few questions I had, his wise-ass attitude when I asked him to write down the specific name of the muscle group he said I needed to strengthen, in fact I'm so blown away by this ridiculous and surreal situation that my mind goes blank and I freeze up. I stop asking questions, I just stop speaking. He hands me back my test results, paperwork, and this scrap of paper which simply reads "potenziamento vasto mediale" (strengthen the Vastus Medialis), and says "You can leave now". I felt just like Ralphie in this scene.
I walk out of the room in a daze, walk all the way to the bus stop in a daze, get on the bus in a daze and after 5 minutes my head goes into overdrive with all the questions I wanted to ask. Does "muscle strengthening" mean I have to go to physical therapy? If so, for how long? Why didn't he say physical therapy then? What the fuck does anti-inflammatory treatment mean? Do I just take some ibuprofen? Do I need injections in my swollen knee? Do I need to take steroidal meds or cortisone? And for how long? Why has my knee suddenly started hurting? Are there any activities I should avoid? The list of questions whirling in my mind is endless but unfortunately, I can't go back and even if I did, I have a feeling the doctor would brush me off and just try to rush me out of the door again.

Incredible, I don't know what happened to me, I am usually always on guard and prepared to dig until I get what I need but this time I was so taken aback by his flippant behavior that I just shut down. Unbelievable.

Well, at this point, I'm going to do what most Italians do: use connections. A friend of mine knows a good knee specialist who could sneak me in during his public hospital visits, so instead of going back to my primary care physician and getting another request for an orthopedist visit, and then calling the CUP to schedule an appointment, I'm just going slide right under that red tape limbo bar and do as the Romans do.

Damn, maybe my experience the other day was a dream as Italian Postcards wrote. In fact, my tonsils don't hurt any more. Hummm.....

A+++++

2010-06-06T14:38:00.004+02:00

I'm sure you've noticed that I often bitch & moan about Rome, but not today! Brace yourselves for a positive post:
This morning I woke up with burning tonsils the size of tennis balls (wait for it... the positive part is coming) and hurried over to the nearest pronto soccorso- which is now actually called "guardia medica". I walked in and was shocked to see nobody in the waiting room! Score. I filled out the form and was quickly sent in to see the doctor, who was nice, efficient, and thorough. She handed over a prescription for antibiotics for my tonsillitis (who gets tonsillitis in the summer?!?).

With prescription in hand, I walked to a pharmacy around the corner which I thought was open on Sundays only to discover it was closed (wait for it... the positive part is coming) BUT they had a very clear and concise list of the pharmacies that were open on Sunday. The best part is, not only did it list the pharmacies (which they've been doing for several years) but also reference points!! So if the pharmacy happens to be located on say Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, which is a fairly long street, you could look at the reference point and know where exactly it was. Since I don't have an iPhone (yet) this saved me from having to wander up and down Corso Vittorio Emanuele II to find the open pharmacy. Well done, Rome. Today I give you an A+++++

Trenitalia

2010-06-01T14:19:00.006+02:00

For the past 4 days I have been trying to fill out the complaint form on Trenitalia's website and for the past 4 days, after almost reaching the end of the long process I've received the "your session has been timed-out" message.
Now I may not be the world's fastest typer (I'll admit it) but I'm certainly not the slowest so I can only assume the website is screwy OR RATHER that particular page just happens to be screwy. I can only imagine all the complaints Trenitalia gets so it wouldn't surprise me if they disabled the page every now & then.
Have any of you recently used the trains at Fiumicino Airport? When I landed in Rome last week, I strolled into the Fiumicino Airport train station to find two incredibly long lines of people waiting at the ticket machines. NOTE: the station is only equipped with four normal machines (in addition to two very strange old skool machines that nobody ever knows how to use... and they were both out of service anyway) and two of the four were broken. I was blown away by the total chaos and even more blown away by the fact that half of the "ticket stamping machines" were broken as well. Way to welcome people to Rome, as soon as you land you're already faced with annoyances and inefficiencies! Really Rome, you need to get your act together ASAP. You make a horrific first impression...

Passive mumblers & grumblers

2010-05-10T11:16:00.003+02:00

When I hopped on the bus the other day, every seat was taken but one, and even though there were people standing in the aisle (including elderly people who usually bum-rush all and any available seat), nobody attempted to claim it. I waited a few minutes, trying to figure what could possibly be wrong with that seat: Was there some sort of filth on it? Did the person in the neighboring seat smell? Nope and nope, so I went for it. As I was climbing over the lady in the neighboring seat she said to me: "You'll freeze in that seat, the AC vent is directly over it". I smiled back and said: "Not a problem for me, I love AC!" She looked at me as if I were crazy and then let me through. Thanks to the silly Italians and their delicate internal thermostats, I scored me a seat on a long bus ride. And between you & me, it was not freezing at all, it was rather pleasant and refreshing (and I was only wearing a T-shirt!) because it was hot out.
The Italians kept mumbling and grumbling about how cold it was, people with seats under the AC vents kept getting up and standing in the aisle instead. The bus was abuzz with complaints YET nobody did what I would consider the most logical thing to do in a situation like that: Ask the driver to lower or shut off the AC.
I sat back and watched with amusement as people got bent out of shape, complained out loud and to each other with such fervor. Then suddenly, a foreign woman who was wearing a turtleneck and sweater (hence, was obviously enjoying the AC) suggested these whiners go ask the driver to shut off the AC, since 95% of the people were complaining. One brave soul finally got up the nerve and did it. Lo and behold- the driver shut off the AC! Cue: collective sigh of relief from the Italians.

I can't understand why, for the most part, Italians are so passive. If something is bothering you (and a majority of people) WHY NOT take action to improve the situation, especially when it could be so easily improved? Why just sit there and complain?

In all my years here, I've noticed that Italians are Olympic gold medalists at complaining (loudly, rowdily, individually, or in groups) but rarely do they actually voice their beef with someone in charge or even take the simple steps necessary to resolve the situation. WHY IS THAT? Is there some cultural hang-up about being proactive or confrontational? Is it considered inappropriate to speak up? I've noticed this in old & young alike, even some of my friends have this tendency. It seems ridiculous to me, why bother using so much energy to complain instead of simply using that same energy to fix what's wrong? I'm not saying people have to be aggressive and demanding, I'm just saying that 90% of the time, situations like the one I just mentioned could be easily resolved by speaking up. It blows my mind to be surrounded by a nation of people who will stew in their indignation, will get worked up about it, but are too passive to speak up or stand up to make a real change.

Word!

2010-05-06T13:44:00.001+02:00

Great article about the world of translations:
http://provenwrite.wordpress.com/2010/05/06/mind-the-gap/

Italian (lack of) tact

2010-04-19T19:27:00.003+02:00

I'm sure I've touched on this topic before, but I was smacked upside the head by it the other day and feel the need to share it with you all.

I had been working from home on the translation of a very difficult Italian documentary, I miraculously and stylishly (yes, I'm allowed to pat myself on the back now and again) finished it and sent it to the office. The next day the director calls me to thank me- wowsers! She was immensely grateful because she herself understood how complex the topic was and how tricky it was to condense it all into fluid subtitles. She and I had a friendly chat and she said she hoped we could work together again. Great!

A few days ago, I was at the dreaded Tiburtina office (not because I dislike the office itself, I just despise the commute) and lo and behold, said director is there. She had some adjustments to make to the documentary so they call me in. I introduce myself and she looks at me with total shock on her face and says: "You're ___? But you're just a ragazzina, I thought you were much older".
BOOM, how's that for class and tact?! Really, lady? Do you have no control over what comes out of your mouth? You really think that's an appropriate thing to say in a professional setting? Plus, if homegirl had been 80 years old, I might be able to understand her shock, but at most she was in her 50s… and since I'm in my mid 30s, I'm not really sure what the big deal is.
I politely smiled and said: "Well, looks can be deceiving. I am older than I look" (and mind you, that day I just happened to be dressed more "formally"- which means I wasn't wearing a t-shirt and jeans so I looked a bit more adult-like) to which, Miss Tact replied: "But still, I never imagined you would be a ragazzina" and carried on mumbling and bumbling, almost horrified by this discovery.
I just found it so rude, inappropriate, and unnecessary for her to make a huge verbal ordeal about my age and what she thought it should/would be. So in her mind, in order to be professional or capable, one has to be an octogenarian?
Not to mention it's downright wrong to address physical appearances at all in a work setting. If I had rolled up in a wheelchair would she have said: "Oh, from your voice it didn't sound like you were in a wheelchair". If I were fat would she have said: "Oh, I never imagined you'd be so fat"... I think you get my point, making comments of this sort is flat-out stupid. Not to get all gung-ho American on you, but it's something I've encountered many times in Italy. That's not to say coworkers don't comment on my age in the States, they do and they have BUT never upon first meeting me! If they do mention it, it happens after we get to know each other or after we've been working together for a while. I find Italians to be seriously lacking in basic workplace etiquette. In the US, you never know who you're dealing with so you tend to watch your words. You don't know if you're standing face to face with the next creator of Google or Facebook, or some genius graphic designer, or some musical prodigy, or some billionaire so you avoid dumb-ass assumptions and generalizations in the workplace. While Italians tend to be very judgemental and very image-biased in the workplace. It's a country where the way you look seems to be more important than what you're actually capable of. Maybe this explains why the country is stagnating instead of progressing....

"We delivery"

2010-04-08T15:34:00.003+02:00

The other day I was feeling immensely lazy and had no desire to cook, nor did I have any desire to eat any of the limited delivery options (pizza, pizza, and more pizza) available in Rome, so I started thinking: Why hasn't delivery become common in Rome? To be honest, even take-out isn't that easy since many restaurants don't have the proper containers for transporting food. I vividly recall a disastrous experience with Chinese take-out: I learned soy sauce stains do not wash out easily.
I can understand if we were in the 1960s, when most people ate home-cooked meals with their families so the idea of take-out or delivery was outrageous, but nowadays Italians (and non-Italians who live here) eat all kinds of things, including pre-prepared foods, frozen meals, etc. So why hasn't delivery caught on? I mean, we even have scooters here so it's not about the actual transportation (those poor NYC delivery guys have to use bicycles). Why is it that they only deliver pizza (and shitty pizza, to boot)? Why haven't restaurants realized the fortune they could make by delivering? I cannot, for the life of me, understand why!

Flaminia Computer

2010-04-08T15:16:00.005+02:00

I'm a veteran Apple user: the first computer I ever touched (in high school) was an Apple, the first computer I ever purchased was an iBook, and I am planning on getting an iPhone soon. I'm completely loyal to them and I'm just as loyal to the amazing peeps at Flaminia Computer (run by the Bagnetti family). These guys are top notch: best customer service, amazing help desk/repair center, they're pleasant, efficient, wonderful in every sense, and they speak English to boot.
If you're looking to buy a Mac, I highly suggest going to see them. As we know, Macs cost what they cost, there are no discounts to be had BUT these guys take good care of you, help you when you're in trouble, and I recently discovered they also offer free lessons for new Mac users!! Pure awesomeness.

Flaminia Computer
Via Flaminia 387
00196 Roma
TEL: 06.4543.9818 r.a.
FAX: 06.3211.1264
Lun–Ven: 9:00-13:30 15:00-19:00
Sabato: 9:30-13:30
info@flaminiacomputer.it

suicide mission

2010-03-30T15:31:00.003+02:00

Armed with a book, a bottle of water, and a pack of Nutter Butter (YES, I brought them back with me from USA because I love them and they are somewhat nutritious since they contain peanut butter), I headed off this morning on a suicide mission: Anagrafe AND Acea in one day! I know, I know, pure craziness but I figured it was best to dive right in and ruin one day instead of two or more.
I hadn't been to the Anagrafe in years, I must say it hasn't changed one bit. Still chaotic, still plagued with bad signage, still slow as fuck. I waited over TWO hours to get my ID renewed. The actually renewal process took all of 60 seconds, the rest of the time was spent waiting in line. Note for all you legal foreigners- we will never be allowed to have the small, plastic ID cards because we weren't born in Italy. As punishment we'll have to haul around a giant scrap of ragged paper, also known as carta d'identità, until the end of time... or until they change the rule.

After that, I scurried to the Acea office hoping I wouldn't have to wait as long. Luckily, I only spent 30 minutes in line. But I left there feeling less than triumphant. See, a few years ago Acea sent me a refund check because they overcharged me by 300+ euro... Yeah, Acea approximates what they think you're consuming in electricity, charges you for it, then comes around once a year to check the meter and ends up sending beefy refund checks. For all you smartypants out there, YES I know I could check the meter every few months and inform Acea of the actual reading, but I'm not always here, it slips my mind, etc etc. Back to the story: I got a nice phat refund check but due to a series off odd/annoying circumstances that I cannot get into now, the check got lost. I filed a police report and was expecting a new check, but 2 years have gone by and nothing has come of it. A few weeks ago, after I returned from USA, I went to the Carabinieri to check up on my case and they flippantly told me to go to Acea because there was nothing they could do. According to them I had filed the report, so now Acea had to reissue the check. Too good to be true of course! Today, I went to Acea and they told me to go back to the Carabinieri. And so I did. I waited for 25 minutes and finally got to speak to the Maresciallo who was actually pleasant (not in a skanky way like most of the men in that office) and helpful. He pulled out my file and told me what I had been waiting to hear for 2 years: the check was cashed by someone who made a fake ID with my name and their picture, then forged the signature and cashed the check. The Carabinieri tried to trace the ID number but of course they couldn't because it was FAKE. Essentially, I've been robbed of 300+ euro and there isn't a damn thing I can do about it. I'm still confused as to why the Carabinieri never contacted me when the investigation was over (quite some time ago, as I discovered today) AND why, when I went to the Carabinieri a few weeks ago, they shooed me off telling me to take it up with Acea instead of actually looking at my case, which had long since been closed. Worst thing is, there's no recourse. The Maresciallo himself said the only "option" is going to court, but we both chuckled as soon as those words came out of his mouth. I've already had one experience with the Italian judicial system (don't get me started on that!) and it taught me to steer clear of it. I would end up forking out money and never getting back what is rightfully mine.
Say it with me, "ciao ciao 300+ euro".

the downfall of Rome

2010-03-22T10:00:00.006+01:00

Ah, a lovely morning stroll through Trastevere.
Every time I walk past this building I sigh... Many years ago, there was no fence in between the columns of this building's entrance. But homeless people started sleeping inside of the arches, by the front door so the building put up a fence. THEN the homeless people started sleeping inside the brick triangular structures (which, for the record, used to be flower beds with real flowers), so they fenced in the flower beds as well. Now they've even put up a net on the fence because people kept throwing trash and needles inside. I feel for the residents of this building, I would be irate if I'd been forced to fence myself in because people are become less and less civilized as time goes on. This is just one of the many examples of the downfall of Rome...

This is another example which makes my blood boil. The entrance to the church of S. Cosimato. It's not the first time I've complained about the fact that the city/neighborhood allows this precious monument to be treated like a dormitory and urinal (the stench coming from that space is unbearable). Only in Italy can something this important be totally neglected.

Gym quest

2010-03-17T13:17:00.006+01:00

For several years I've been searching my area for a good gym, and let me tell you, it has not been easy!

A few years back, I discovered Trastevere Fitness and it seemed like a dream come true. For those of you who don't know: the majority of gyms in the historic center of Rome tend to be small, underground, dumpy/dingy, not to mention crazy expensive considering they're poorly equipped and have limited hours (very few are open on Sunday, and if they are it's only for a few hours). But this place was brand new, well-equipped, pretty spacious, and actually had windows! Perfect, or so I thought till I started taking the classes (Don't judge me! Yes, I like aerobics classes, I even used to teach aerobics back in my day). There was one good instructor, the rest sucked, and that's putting it nicely. It was like a mix between the calisthenics we used to do in elementary school gym class and Jane Fonda's 1970s style aerobics. To top it all off, the place was run by a group of business partners, some of whom were total jackasses and had no idea how to deal with or treat clients.
So I stopped going there and gave up on gyms altogether... till now. I really miss exercising and it's high time I admit I'm just not motivated enough to go running regularly- so back to the gym quest and this is what I've found so far.

1) Trastevere Fitness still exists but I won't step foot in there again, unless the management has changed.

2) New discovery, just opened a month ago: JC Welfare (who the fuck came up with that name?). I spotted this place on my way back from Stazione Trastevere. I immediately hopped off the tram and went to check it out. It's small but fairly well-equipped. Strike one: there is no room for aerobics/toning classes, they take place in the middle of the gym, cordoned off by large white exercise balls (I shit you not). They say they plan on expanding soon in order to have a room just for classes, but I've been in Rome long enough to know that "plans" like this could take forever to become a reality. Strike two: the pricing. There's a full-time and part-time membership. For real? Come on! Why must they unnecessarily complicate memberships? Just give me: 1, 3, 6, 12 month options, that's all a person needs. I don't need a membership that only allows me to use the gym between the hours of 8:00- 2:30 OR 2:30- 9:00 pm. Strike three: The price. 80 freaking euro for a tiny gym with limited classes and hours? Puh-lease!

3) Total Body System. This gym is located in a strange place, perched on top of a hill by Stazione Trastevere, a bit out of reach but not too bad. The place is nice, spacious, clean, they have a separate room for classes. The prices seem reasonable too. As of now, this is my first choice. I'll probably sign up for a month (65 euro) just to see if I like the instructors, I'm hoping they'll waive the 25 euro iscrizione (sign-up fee) though. It seems fair to let a person test out a gym for a month without having to pay a sign-up fee, since I'm not sure I'll like the classes and will want to stay with them.

4) Pamphili Fitness Club/ Passion Fitness. This gym is a little further out of the way, but easily reached with the 8 tram or H bus. I found it thanks to a flyer that advertised a free one week trial membership, which is practically unheard of here! So I did it and I loved the classes and instructors. I didn't sign up though because I was leaving for the USA so it was pointless to commit at that point. I went back there last week, hoping to quickly get a new class schedule and a list of prices. It ended up turning into a 25 minute spiel/ordeal. The people who work there are nice but they just overly-complicate things! I asked the guy for a print-out of the membership prices and what ensued was the longest, most complex song & dance evah and a handwritten "personalized offer*"! I don't want a personalized offer, I don't need you to do the division for me on your 1983 Casio calculator, I can do it myself. Just give me the number of months and the euro amount, that's all. Really. I'm a big girl, I can break it down myself. This "personalized offer" expires after a week, which I find amusing because it just means more work for them. I got slammed with work after I paid them a visit, so that one week has come and gone and I may have to go back for updated info. They just try too hard to appear professional and to sell you memberships, I'm not a fan of pushy people. Apart from these slight annoyances, the place is nice, spacious, well-equipped. The only drawback for me is the fact that it takes 25 minutes to get their by tram/bus.

5) Centro Sportivo Aventino. Unless you want to swim, this place is pointless. Talk about complicated schedules and pricing?!? I couldn't make heads or tails of their info.

Know of any other places I should check out before biting the bullet and signing up for "Total Body System"? I'm all ears!

(*image attached for your viewing pleasure)

Clash

2010-03-13T18:02:00.004+01:00

It was bound to happen... after precisely 13 days back in Rome I had my first official clash with the locals, or rather a local.

I walk into a bar (sounds like the intro to a bad joke) and order a coffee. Myself and an older woman are at the counter while a family of four, clearly Americans, sits at a table in the corner. The barista is going off on a tirade about how he's sick of these tourists, how they expect everyone to speak their language, how arrogant and rude they are, blah blah blah. Mind you, all of this is being shouted out loud as he prepares my coffee. It's clear that he's bitching about the American family sitting cluelessly in the corner, not knowing they've set him off on this tirade. They're probably thinking "Oh look how passionate these Italians are, how lively their conversations are". Bless their oblivious souls...
The barista keeps going on and on about how foreigners come here thinking they rule the place and if they want service from people who speak 6 languages, then they should go stay at the Grand Hotel. All the while making eye contact with me as if to gain my support (the older woman practically had her head in her cappuccino... wise woman). THEN he goes so far as to say "We Italians know how to adapt when we travel", at that point I could not help but start snickering. I looked straight at him and said "You have got to be kidding?!".
I know, I know, I shouldn't have done it. I tried to resist as long as I could, but enough's enough. I just wanted a fucking coffee but I got stuck listening to a load of bullshit. Thus, a heated yet very polite discussion began. I suggested that perhaps it wasn't the tourists' fault they don't speak the language, it's common to visit a country whose language you don't know and you have to try to get by on the languages you do know (i.e., your own), I also reminded him that Italy, and Rome especially, thrive on tourists and their money so it's in their own interest to treat visitors well. For the record, I was not defending all American tourists because I know firsthand, from working in the tourism industry, how obnoxious they can be but to go as far as generalizing that ALL Italians are great tourists and know how to adapt is just flat out ridiculous. Our discussion took a turn for the worse when I assured him that Italians are not perfect tourists when abroad (between you and me, I have traveled the globe and have seen some hideous Italian tourists. I'm just sayin' is all...) so he should be a little more understanding. Then I got the classic lame comeback: "How dare you come to MY country and insult MY people"... Again, I just snickered and said "I too am one of your people because I am Italian, I've lived here for over 10 years, and I pay taxes here. I'm not insulting anyone (unlike him, calling Americans ignorant, rude, arrogant, etc.) I'm just making an observation based on my experiences."
Buddy, next time don't let your mouth write checks your ass can't cash. If you're going to publicly bitch and moan at the top of your voice about something in front of your customers, then don't be surprised or annoyed when they actually chime in. Keep it to yourself if you're not willing to hear or accept other viewpoints. The discussion ended with us agreeing to disagree and me thinking "Now I can't go back to that bar ever again". Damn, what a pity, I really liked their pastries...

hugs vs. kisses

2010-03-04T13:38:00.001+01:00

I don't know about you all, but I still prefer a good ol' American hug to the Italian-style cheek kissing.

Like clockwork...

2010-02-16T20:56:00.002+01:00

Having two homes, having a life and your heart on two different continents sounds like a dream life to many people but it's not as wonderful as it sounds. I've been living a "double life" for over 10 years now and while it does have its perks, it also has some downsides.

For the past 3-4 years I've been spending winters in my beloved New York City (for work) and then migrating back to Rome for the rest of the year. Every year, like clockwork, when November rolls around I begin to dread the idea of packing up and heading to NYC: I feel so comfortable in Rome, I don't want to miss out on the autumn fun, I don't want to face the cold East coast winters, etc. Once I arrive, it usually takes me a good 4-5 days to feel fully settled and at home. AND every year, like clockwork, when February/March roll around I begin to dread the idea of heading back to Rome: I feel so comfortable in NYC, life is so easy and convenient, I begin questioning my decision to live in Rome, my life there, my future there, etc.

Both places feel like home. Both places have pros and cons. Do I have the best of both worlds? Or am I complicating my life unnecessarily?

IL CORPO DELLE DONNE

2009-10-20T12:31:00.004+02:00

I just discovered this wonderfully true and powerful documentary by an Italian woman which addresses how women are seen and used on Italian TV (and those of us who've had the misfortune of watching Italian TV know how disturbing it can be). The English translation is a bit sketchy but it's still very much worth watching. Please watch and tell others about it!

http://www.ilcorpodelledonne.net/?page_id=91

Inconsideration galore

2009-10-18T18:34:00.004+02:00

I always feel so lucky to live in Rome when the International Rome Film Festival rolls around. Even though some of the films in the line-up will be in the theaters in a matter of weeks, there's something about the festival vibe that I just love.
This year I narrowed my selection to 5-6 films. I scoured the website to make sure I knew when, where, and how. I even bought some tickets online thinking I was going to be soooo ahead of the game. Not! In a normal place you'd buy tickets online and that would be it, you'd be good to go. Not here, my friends. Oh nooo, far too easy. First, you buy the tickets online (paying a surcharge of something silly like 80 cents per transaction), which was quite the task in and of itself. As with most Italian websites, it's not very user-friendly or logical. You get an email confirmation which you have to print out and THEN take it to the ticket counter at venue to pick up the actual tickets (and as I discovered, this often entails waiting in a long line). Oh, one more thing: they suggest going to the venue a few hours in advance to pick up the tickets so you don't get stuck in a line and miss your screening. So why the hell bother to buy tickets online if I end up having to go to venue early to pick up the tickets? At that point I may as well just go to the venue and buy the tickets a few hours earlier and save myself the 80 cent surcharge, no? Makes no sense to me... Things are always more complicated than they need to be in this country.

Anyway, this afternoon I had to go pick up my tickets for a late screening at Metropolitan, can we say royal pain in the ass? I get there and the ticket counters aren't open. My bad, I didn't read the fine print which said they open at 4:00PM. Luckily Via del Corso offers plenty of entertainment so I wander around and end up spending money I shouldn't have. I go back to the theater at 3:45 PM and there is already a line. I get in it and watch as a CRAZY line starts to form behind us- extending from the theater doors to the other side of the street, blocking people, bikes, and cars from passing. At one point a garbage truck was trying to pass by so people had to move aside... so being the logical person I am, I can't help but think- why don't we bend the line so we're standing on the sidewalk and not in the middle of the street? I suggest it out loud to the horde and what do you think they said? Come on, humor me, try to guess. Asshole #1 starts chuckling as if I'd just suggested he go to the bar and buy everyone in line a cup of hot cocoa. Asshole #2 says: "Who cares? The theater will open soon and we'll go in soon". Yeah, not quite... there are about 100 people in line blocking the street and I highly doubt that as soon as the theater doors open the line will magically disappear in 3 seconds. Asshole #3 (note: all middle aged Italian men) says: "Well who cares, it's a pedestrian area". And just like that, my dreamy state of "I'm-so-lucky-to-be-in-Rome" vanished and I was oozing with hate for Italians, or rather Romans. They have NO consideration for others. Since we're all blocking the street, pedestrians can't even get by, they have to push through the line, bikes are ringing their bells like crazy trying to get through, and the occasional vehicle (police, taxi, etc) has to inch forward at a snail's pace before the line breaks. Why is it so hard for them to see this and take a small step to prevent the chaotic buildup? IS it really that hard to take 5 steps to the right and get on the sidewalk, you lazy fools?
I get my ticket and peer back outside only to see an even longer line of people blocking the street and can't help but think- you're such inconsiderate assholes, no wonder why this country is stuck in a rut... you people just don't care.

Medical mysteries

2009-10-15T11:38:00.004+02:00

I've decided to attempt to go back to the gym and the biggest hurdle so far hasn't been the physical effort but rather the bureaucratic effort! For those of you who don't know, Italian gyms require all members to present a "certificato di idoneità non-agonistica" or "certificato di buona salute/ di sana e robusta costituzione" (I'm still not sure what the difference is) which basically assures them that you won't croak while on the treadmill.
The gym manager told me the "certificato di idoneità non-agonistica" would cost 40 euro but the "certificato di buona salute/ di sana e robusta costituzione" would be free and would suffice. So I went to my public doctor (after going there two times only to find the office closed because he changed visiting hours again) and asked for this certificate. He filled out the form, stamped it (oh how Italians love their stamps), and asked for 20 euros. No EKG, no listening to my heart/lungs, no measuring of blood pressure, nothing. I gave him a 20 euro bill which he stuffed into his pocket. I'm perplexed 1) Wasn't it supposed to be free? This is public health care afterall. I asked and he said no. 2) Did my public doctor just evade taxes? I didn't ask but seeing as I got no receipt and there's no record of this transaction, I think it's safe to say my doctor got paid under the table.
Since I'm a total freakshow, I called the ASL hotline when I got home to try and find out what the deal is with these certificates. I called 3 times and got 3 different answers. First time: the certificates should be entirely free unless I'm training as a professional athlete (which I'm not). Second time: the certificate costs 20 euros. Third time: the certificate costs 40 euros.
So either I got a discount, I paid the right amount, or I got shafted... guess I'll never know!

Trenino from hell

2009-10-07T18:03:00.004+02:00

It's been a while since I last spewed shit about Roman public transportation... NOT because I haven't had any unpleasant experiences recently but because it's a given it'll suck. But today, Roman public transportation outdid itself:

I'm at the Trastevere train station at 9:29, nice and early for my 9:39 train to Tiburtina. 9:45 rolls around and no sign of the train. At 9:45 the loudspeaker announces that the 9:39 train has been cancelled. The next train will be at 9:54. Okay, I'm annoyed but I'm used to at least one train being cancelled during my occasional morning commute. 10:00 rolls around and there's no train in sight. The loudspeaker announces the 9:54 train has been cancelled and the next train will be at 10:09. Okay, I'm getting very frustrated, as are all the other commuters who are mumbling and cursing on the platform. 10:15 rolls around and not one fucking train has passed by. They announce that the 10:09 train will be 15 minutes late- making it a 10:24 train. Funny thing is (well, not actually funny, more like annoying), the train schedule lists a 10:24 train so why didn't they just say they cancelled the 10:09 train as well?!
So my friends, the "commuter" train to Tiburtina passed by at 9:24 and then at 10:24... the three other trains in between were cancelled. How the hell is that possible?! Needless to say, everyone was livid, the train was packed, and we all began our workday in a bad mood.

"Italian love & Roman beauty"

2009-09-30T11:44:00.002+02:00

Translation: Don't eat here, seriously. Any place that writes crap like this should be avoided!

Kids these days...

2009-09-16T17:47:00.004+02:00

"Kids these days...." I love saying things like that, it amuses me. BUT today I really do mean it!

I overheard a conversation on the tram between some female American students and it went something like this:

The other day in class I was soooooo tired, it was like crazy, I could barely keep my eyes open, it was like I wasn't even in class. I think I may have to start taking Concerta before class from now on so I can pay attention.

Mind you, a few seconds before, this same girl was talking about how she's been going out every night, drinking like there's no tomorrow, doing pub crawls, etc...

I couldn't help but think, try getting some sleep and drinking less, THEN maybe you'll be able to pay attention in class- DUH! Kids these days are so quick to pop a pill for anything instead of taking more logical steps to resolve their "problems".

Say what?

2009-09-15T12:59:00.004+02:00

I've always wanted to document all the crazy "English" shit I see written on Italian clothing but never seem to have my camera with me when I need it. BUT the other day I managed to get a shot of this shirt at Oviesse:

Yes, technically it is correct but what the hell is it about? What does that mean??

Fall flicks

2009-09-04T11:52:00.002+02:00

After a long, busy summer of translating films, I have a few Italian movie suggestions for the upcoming season:

First and foremost is "Baarìa", an amazing cinematic experience.

"Good Morning, Aman" with Valerio Mastandrea was refreshingly good.

"Dieci Inverni" was wonderful. Very basic love story but a million times better than the average young Italian film.

"Mirna", a documentary that was simple and beautiful and simply beautiful.

Birthdays and bubbly

2009-09-03T16:16:00.004+02:00

Despite the fact that I've been in Italy for over a decade (gasp!) there are still some things that surprise me... like birthday routines. Last week my presence was required in the office for a few days. After lunch, the cleaning lady busted out a gigantic birthday cake... for HERSELF. No, I don't mean she brought the cake only for herself, I mean she brought her own birthday cake to work. I found it so odd that the birthday girl would provide the cake as opposed to the office providing it for her. But then I recalled a friend doing the same thing: inviting people out to dinner for her birthday and footing the bill herself (I was the only one who tried to object, I was obviously outnumbered). So very strange to me...

As for the bubbly, while we were all eating this very delicious cake for the cleaning lady's birthday, she also busted out four bottles of prosecco and started pouring a glass for everyone. I politely declined and was met with stares and that question: "Sei astemia*?"
"No I'm not, but drinking a glass of prosecco at lunchtime while Giuseppe Tornatore is next door ready to review my translation with me does not seem like the brightest of ideas, thank you very much!"
This got me thinking about how normal it is for Italians to comment on one's drinking or lack of. I have several AA friends so I find it somewhat rude to ask someone why they opt not to drink. Once at dinner here in Rome with an American AA friend, the waiter kept trying to pour him a glass of wine and I kept saying no, the waiter rudely insisted numerous times so I finally said "No, lui e' astemio (No, he doesn't drink)" and the waiter commented "Non ha la faccia di uno che e' astemio (He doesn't look like someone who doesn't drink)". I could not believe a waiter, let alone ANY person, would have the gall to make a comment like that. I was so taken aback, I couldn't even respond. Total lack of sensitivity in this country toward people who chose not to drink for whatever reason.

*astemio/astemia- sober, abstemious, someone who doesn't drink alcohol

Noio

2009-08-14T17:10:00.004+02:00

I am happy to announce that Rome has an authentic juice/smoothie bar*! It opened a few months ago and I just tested it out the other day: FANTASTIC!

All sorts of combinations of juices and smoothies with fresh fruit, soy milk, etc. With this obscenely hot weather, a smoothie for lunch is exactly what I'm jonesing for!

NOIO JUICE (website still under construction)

Corso Vittorio Emanuele II #108

(near Largo Argentina)

*Yes, I know Pascucci also exists... But let's be honest, they don't have as much variety AND I'm personally very upset with them for having remodeled that awesome old skool Roman 70s style bar into a very generic IKEA-esque bar. Boooo Pascucci, booooo!

Guessing game

2009-08-13T09:32:00.010+02:00

Okay, this is a question for all of you who don't live in Rome or aren't familiar with Roman public "transportation" (can you sense the scorn?). If you were to see a yellow wooden circle attached to a bus stop pole, what would you think it meant?

Answer: it means the bus/tram that usually stops there will not be stopping there but only before a certain hour and after a certain hour (naturally there was no signage referring to these mystery hours either). Try explaining that to all the tourists- Italian and non- who stood in the baking sun waiting for AGES for the 8 tram to pass only to discover that the 8 tram had become a bus and was stopping at the side of the road instead of the middle platform.

Way to be user-friendly, Rome!

Summer tirade

2009-08-04T15:32:00.004+02:00

I'm back with a quick summer tirade, I know you missed my bitching & moaning so I'll get right to the point:

1) Just because movies are shown outdoors does NOT mean it's okay to talk all through the movie... no matter how bad it is!

2) Everyone and their mother was whining all year about being broke, not having money to go out to eat or even see a movie yet as soon as August rolls around they suddenly have money to go on vacation for several weeks... Maybe they all won the lottery? Lucky them...

3) Why does it seem like there are more junkies, crazies, and homeless people in the city now that the summer exodus has begun? The only people in line this afternoon at the grocery store were me, another foreigner, and 4 junkies (most of which were buying boxes of wine). Mind you, I still love August in Rome!

4) And last we have an old favorite. WHY WHY WHY don't Italians use better (or any) deodorant? It really is torture to be on public transportation with them during the summer. Maybe they should hand out sticks of deodorant instead of bottles of water at the metro stops?

Okay, back to work now. I have lots of good Italian film suggestions to post sooooon!

Call to arms

2009-07-20T15:46:00.004+02:00

I don't go to many manifestazioni but today's protest against the government's budget cuts for the entertainment sector is very important for people who work in the industry (and not only us).
Come one, come ALL!

Monday July 20th, starting at 5:00 PM at Piazza Montecitorio
Lunedì 20 Luglio, dalle ore 17.00, a Piazza Montecitorio

Per contrastare l'imbarazzante provvedimento del governo di tagliare il FUS e per porre l'attenzione sui problemi dei lavoratori dello spettacolo, insieme ai rappresentanti della maggior parte delle associazioni di settore, è stato deciso di indire una manifestazione per Lunedi 20 Luglio alle ore 17.00 davanti a Piazza Montecitorio.
Vi preghiamo, non solo di aderire alla manifestazione, ma di inoltrare e sollecitare
la presenza di quante più persone potete coinvolgere tra amici e colleghi.

Mall tour

2009-07-17T19:02:00.005+02:00

As always, I'll be spending my summer in Rome because it's high season for people in my line of work. And since I work freelance, I never really know if or when I'll have a day off.
This week I unexpectedly found myself with two non-consecutive days off, of course I didn't know they'd be days off till about 10:30 in the morning. So what did I do? I went to the mall (shut up, don't judge me!).
Yeah, I know it seems like a grotesque thing to do in a city that has so much to offer but I was feeling lazy, it was hot as hell, and I was curious to see if the sales were any better out of the center. If you're jonesing for some mall action, or if you just want to walk around in a place with serious AC, keep reading.

First up: Porta di Roma
As far as malls go, this one is good. Nice selection of stores (let's hear it for H&M), a variety of food (I heart WOK), and easy to reach. From Piazza Venezia take the 84 bus till the end of the line, then the 38 bus for a few stops (you'll be able to see the mall and pretty much everyone on the bus will be getting off there). There's also an Ikea and Decathlon attached to the mall.

Next: Parco Leonardo (warning: website is wicked annoying and not updated, some stores have closed down)
Wasn't crazy about this mall. Not many decent stores, bad mall food, but still rather easy to reach and cheap (1.30€ one way). Take the trenino from Stazione Trastevere in the direction of Fiumicino Airport, get off at Parco Leonardo- and bam, you're there!

Lastly: Euroma 2
To be honest, I haven't actually been to this one yet BUT it's next on my mall tour! My sources tell me it's nice and apparently it's Italy's largest mall. Also easy to reach. Take the B metro in the direction of Laurentina and get off at the EUR Palasport stop, from there take the mall shuttle bus.

Enjoy!

Pet peeve

2009-07-03T11:29:00.005+02:00

Is it just me or do any of you find it odd/annoying that the expiration date for a big container of yogurt is printed ONLY on the aluminum sheet that covers the top? Once you peel the sheet off and throw it away, you have NO idea when the yogurt expires. Can't they just print the expiration date on the container itself?

Rewild: "Cruelty-Free club"

2009-06-21T18:34:00.003+02:00

The first of its kind in Rome, a "cruelty-free" club/pub that serves fair trade beverages and vegan-only food. Tested it out the other night and the food certainly did NOT disappoint, they make a kick-ass tofu burger and there was even a great acoustic punk concert to boot!

It's worth the trip to Garbatella:

http://rewildclub.wordpress.com

L'isola del cinema

2009-06-18T21:01:00.001+02:00

Ohhhhhh, how I love this time of year in Rome despite the hot, humid temperatures. It's Isola del Cinema time!!!

Gastronauts

2009-06-15T12:28:00.001+02:00

The Gastronauts Italian Project looks promising.

Cannes a Roma

2009-06-04T15:49:00.002+02:00

It's almost that time of the year again!!!! See as many as you cannes while you cannes (yeah, I know.... but I could NOT resist!).

click here for PDF schedule

Oh no they didn't!

2009-05-28T16:11:00.004+02:00

Flier for a pizza place in San Lorenzo which roughly reads: Other people may have Briatore as their manservant, but we have... (photo of Obama).

Brunch

2009-05-19T19:16:00.003+02:00

I'm forever in search of good brunch places in Rome. Problem is, brunch in this city is pretttty pricey so in order to make it worth the money, the food needs to be good! Some recent finds:

The Perfect Bun- Very good! Authentic American brunch plus lots of other options. They even had an omelet bar and lots of desserts (the cupcakes were disappointing though). All you can eat buffet + unlimited American coffee for 25 euro.

Sweety Rome- Via Milano #48. This place isn't as authentic but was still very nice. All sorts of food (pancakes were the only American fare), including a kick-ass carrot cake, tasty cupcakes, key lime pie, and cream cheese brownies. All you can eat buffet + one coffee + dessert for 15 euro.

Never-ending

2009-05-18T19:08:00.006+02:00

The trash saga is truly never-ending (Part 1, 2, 3). I spotted this on a door in Trastevere, it essentially says: Don't bothering ringing our doorbell, we have no organic waste.

La notte dei musei 2009

2009-05-14T16:37:00.003+02:00

Coming this Saturday- don't miss it!

http://www.beniculturali.it/mibac/multimedia/MiBAC/documents/1241523062239_opuscolo_Zetema_Notte_dei_Musei.pdf

Highly digestible?

2009-05-06T11:39:00.005+02:00

An Italian friend of mine recently opened a pizza a taglio joint in NYC so while I was stateside, I went to check it out with some Americans. One of the first things these non-Italians commented on was the description of the pizza: "highly digestible".
Since I know Italian and more than anything, I know my Italians, I understood it was a literal translation of alta digeribilità- which is a HUGE selling point for any food product here in Italy. As most expats know, Italians seem to have delicate digestive systems so it's important for food to be easily or highly digestible...but this "benefit" has no pertinence in American culture. Americans can relate to something that's defined "light" but "highly digestible" makes no sense to them even if the translation is technically correct. Digestibility is a concept that's lost on an American audience, don't you think?

Stuffed animals?

2009-04-29T10:43:00.003+02:00

What's with full-grown Italian adults and their obsession with stuffed animals? In my many years on the Boot, I've seen males and females alike with stuffed animals in their bedrooms, cars, etc. And when I say "stuffed animals" I'm not talking about the modern kind, I'm talking about straight-up, old school kids' toys. I find it creepy and corny at the same time. Same holds true for the many Italian adults who wear Disney-themed clothing. Shouldn't there be an age limit on that stuff?
Has anyone else noticed this phenomenon?

Can you teach on old dog new tricks?

2009-04-23T09:02:00.003+02:00

Apparently not... The trash saga continues. This note was taped up on my building after the garbage men came around yesterday. We're soooooo on their shit list now!
(very rough translation: AMA is pissed at my building because of what I described in my last post. They say they collected the illegal bags this time, but will not next time.)

Told you so...

2009-04-20T23:20:00.003+02:00

A month ago I wrote a post about AMA's new trash collection process and expressed my doubts that this new and "improved" system would actually work. Some of you might've thought I was being overly cynical but... I told you so! Damn, I should've bet money on this one!

Here's the deal: the garbage men now go door-to-door in my 'hood to collect specific kinds of trash on specific days (Tues, Thurs, Sat- organic waste; Wed & Sat- plastic, metal, glass; Tues & Fri- paper; Mon & Thur- regular trash). Anyone with a microscopic amount of common sense would ONLY put out the specific bags on the day they're supposed to be collected, right? Hell no, we're in Rome! Outside of my building this morning I spied all sorts of bags of trash (paper, bottles, etc) heaped next to the organic waste bin even though today was the pick-up day for regular trash only.

Instead of keeping the trash in their houses, people are just dropping it outside anyway which TOTALLY defeats the purpose because then the garbage men pick up all the bags- even if they contain the wrong trash. So in the end, this huge effort and investment to better the recycling habits of Italy is NOT working. Like I said, AMA should've spent some money on public service announcements because Italians are not quick learners. All the pretty bags and bins in the world are not going to make them pay attention to the "rules".
Conosco i miei polli!

Fountain users beware

2009-04-15T17:37:00.005+02:00

I've been meaning to write this post for ages but keep forgetting. You know those fountains on the sidewalks of Rome we all love?

Yeah, those. Well, you might want to think twice before drinking from them. Why you ask? In the past few years, as the number of dogs in the city has skyrocketed, I've noticed more and more dog owners- including crusties (or as we say in Italian "punkabbestia") with their rabid pack of dogs- letting their pets drink from these fountains... which would be fine and dandy IF their tongues didn't slurp all over the spigot in the process. I'm not fond of dog germs or dogs for that matter so I now only use fountains that are too tall for dogs to reach. Gone are the days when I would drink the ice-cold fresh water from these fountains without a care in the world, instead I now a stare at these germ-infested watering holes from a distance and walk in the other direction.

So wrong

2009-04-03T14:57:00.005+02:00

I'm sure most of you have heard about the new Italian law which would oblige doctors/nurses to contact the authorities if they suspect the patient they're treating does not have a valid visa or work permit. It's wrong on so many levels that I can't even begin to put it into words. So instead I'll illustrate it through a story about a recent incident I had the misfortune of witnessing:
As I was walking in my 'hood, I passed by a beggar who's always on the corner of Viale Trastevere- I noticed there was a pool of blood beneath him and he was wiping away even more blood from his face. I don't think I've ever seen this much blood before in my life. A group of people were standing around him talking amongst themselves. "What the fuck is going on? Why isn't anyone doing anything?" was my first reaction, and naturally I stepped into the group of people to inquire. Apparently, two other homeless beggars had come by and bashed this beggar's nose in... and then just walked away. I started to get riled up asking if anyone had called the cops or called a medic from the hospital two steps away, but nobody had. Why not? Not because they didn't give a shit, but because they had no idea what this beggar's situation was. If he was an illegal immigrant, by calling the cops or doctors (who are now being forced to act as immigration cops) they would've basically been signing this guy's deportation papers. So rather than be responsible for getting him into trouble over his visa or lack of, everyone opted to stay silent and just stand around and stare. I was tempted to go call for help but realized that these people were right... And that, my friends, is one example of why this law is so wrong.

Casting Call: Anglo-Saxons needed!

2009-04-01T16:02:00.003+02:00

I'm posting this on behalf of a friend who's working on this film:

MAORI FILM S.R.L. is looking for genuine anglo-saxons (both male and female of any age) interested in working as extras on the upcoming production “TUTTO L’AMORE DEL MONDO” to be shot in Rome from April the 20th on.
Only people from the EU or people with a valid permesso di soggiorno may apply.
Please send a full figure picture, your stats & contacts to: maoricasting@gmail.com

The great cheddar hunt

2009-03-31T11:54:00.005+02:00

Yeah, I like cheddar. You got a problem with that? Since I got back from US, I've been jonesing for cheddar. Don't get me wrong, there are loads of Italian cheeses I adore but sometimes I want me some cheddar. And so began the great cheddar hunt. This weekend I spied a few neighborhood eateries that used cheddar in their dishes, after inquiring they reluctantly yet kindly offered to sell me a chunk of their orange goodness but I still wanted to find a place where I could buy my own whenever I felt the urge.
At the suggestion of a friend, I checked out the deli of all delis- FRANCHI (they do catering too, their website focuses mainly on that). I'd been there a million times but never thought to look for cheddar--- and guess what? They actually had it: sage flavored cheddar (it's green, kind of creeps me out), whiskey cheddar, and good ol' regular orange cheddar all imported from the UK. Joy! Happiness! Cheesy smile! I have found my cheddar dealer!
Franchi
Via Cola di Rienzo, 200 (Prati)

Chain Reaction

2009-03-28T10:20:00.004+01:00

Yesterday morning Mario Rossi (the Italian equivalent of John Doe) wakes up late and has to rush to get to work on time. He works in the center of Rome and drives to work. He frantically looks for a parking space but can't to seem to find any--- WAIT! What's that? A spot on the crosswalk on the street corner. It may be an illegal spot, but Mario Rossi is late so he doesn't care. Shortly after, a bus is driving along its route and needs to turn onto the same street Mario Rossi parked on but lo and behold, the bus can't make the turn because (wait for it).... Mario Rossi's car is in the way! So the bus gets stuck, passengers on the bus can't get to their stops hence they end up late for work, traffic starts piling up behind the bus making even more people late, and the whole neighborhood is in chaos. And all this happened why? Because Mario Rossi, being the typical Italian he is, doesn't bother to think ahead, doesn't try to see the big picture, instead he only cares about his own immediate needs and has no concern for his city or fellow city-dwellers. My advice to Mario Rossi, wake up earlier and take the bus, jackass!

"Meravigliosa"

2009-03-27T14:04:00.003+01:00

Meravigliosa: that's what the dental hygienist said about my mouth this morning!

While Stefania oohed and ahhed about how easy my teeth were to clean and how little plaque there was, we had an in-depth discussion about cultural differences in oral hygiene. Stefania insists her foreign clients (several Americans and one Australian) all have amazingly healthy and clean teeth, as opposed to her regular Italian clients who tend to have crooked, dirty, plaque-encrusted teeth (her words, not mine!).

We tried to figure out why this is: Did I wear braces? Nope. Was I given fluoride tablets as a child? I wasn't but I believe the water in most US cities contains fluoride, or at least that was the case back in my days. I do recall that in elementary school, with the help of a giant set of choppers, we were taught how to properly brush and care for our teeth. Apparently, this does not happen in Italian schools (why am I not surprised?). I also told her most kids go to the dentist at least once a year. She claims most Italians don't have the best oral hygiene: they don't floss much, they brush sloppily, and to top it all off they don't go to the dentist yearly (making her job even more laborious)... and what's worse is Italian parents don't take their kids to the dentist until they're about 8-9 years old, whereas one of her American clients brought her kids in at age 4. So Italian kids are raised with a different perception of oral hygiene hence bad teeth all throughout life.

She's not the first Italian dental hygienist to compliment me on my teeth (mind you, this never happened to me in the US), once an Italian dental hygienist actually sent me home! I sat down in the chair, opened my mouth, she looked in and said "There's nothing to clean, go home and come back next year". I guess she was so used to seeing layers of grime that she considered my yearly build-up unworthy of her pick. Needless to say, I found myself a new dentist because I WANT to have my teeth cleaned yearly even if there's not much to clean. I'd rather get rid of the little plaque I have before it builds up, thank you very much. And my hygienist thanks me... maybe they should charge me less since it takes less time to clean my teeth?? :)

Non amo AMA

2009-03-20T10:30:00.006+01:00

When I got back to Rome this month, I'd received several pamphlets in the mail from AMA (waste management service) about their new door-to-door trash collection. Apparently, their main goal is to enforce proper recycling. And it's about time! Mind you, recycling bins do exist in Rome, but most people throw everything into one bin anyway. I myself have always fastidiously sorted my trash (you can take the girl out of America, but you can't take America out of the girl!), but most Romans are rather lax about it because 1) there have been numerous reports stating that the garbage men toss all the bins into the same truck anyway 2) Romans don't really seem to give a shit about their city's welfare.

Yesterday this was delivered to my door:

A year's worth of recycling bags (and a bin for organic waste). You have got to be fucking kidding me?! Where am I supposed to store all this? In this city, most people barely have enough room at home for their own belongings, let alone a year's worth of bags! My question is: seeing that AMA will be coming around to our building once a week to pick up our trash anyway, couldn't they just leave us weekly/monthly supplies? Whose idea was this? Seriously, it seems like every time they try to do something new & improved in this city, they screw it up by not thinking it through properly.
I may have to buy myself a bigger apartment in order to store all these bags...

New favorite pizza place

2009-03-16T14:58:00.004+01:00

I know "favorite pizza places" is a very delicate topic but I recently discovered a place that kicks some serious butt! It's called La Pratolina. Their pizza is not as thin as typical Roman pizza but it is very light and doesn't sit in your stomach like a brick. They also have delicious homemade fritti that are rather creative (lots of veggie-friendly options too). AND they have the nicest, most efficient staff ever! Those of you who live in Rome know how hard it is to find decent service at restaurants, especially busy restaurants... so this place is a keeper. I highly suggest reserving because it's usually packed.
La Pratolina
Via degli Scipioni 248 (Prati)
06-36004409

I heart NaturaSì

2009-03-09T11:36:00.003+01:00

I am back in the Città Eterna, which is eternally chaotic... but I won't let that distract me from today's topic: NaturaSì. It's a fantastic health food supermarket with lots of vegetarian/vegan/organic products that are reasonably priced. There are other stores in my neighborhood that sell the same kinds of goods like Canestro on Via San Francesco a Ripa and Innocenzi on Via Natale del Grande, but they're more expensive and have less of a selection, so it's worth the bus ride to Via Oderisi da Gubbio (more on my first bus ride in Rome in 3+ months in the next post) to stock up on rice milk, tofu, and whatnot. They are also unbelievably friendly and helpful- LOVE them!

Carrot quandary

2009-02-24T01:26:00.001+01:00

Why do American carrots taste like mothballs? Ick.

Love at first sight

2009-02-11T07:58:00.003+01:00

I just discovered the BEST wallet in the world. And guess where it's made? Yep... in good ol' Italy.

Check out my new obsession here.

Only in Brooklyn...

2009-02-07T15:24:00.002+01:00

A good excuse

2009-01-29T20:44:00.002+01:00

I've been busy working...

Dislikes

2009-01-08T18:00:00.000+01:00

A country where health insurance companies do NOT cover the cost of a hearing aid but will cover the cost of Viagra. Sickening...

I heart MTA

2009-01-03T23:02:00.003+01:00

Yeah, I know I already wrote about how much I love the NYC subway system but wait... there's more! You know what else I love?
1) That it's SO easy to buy tickets (metrocard)- no hunting down a newsstand or tabaccheria, or inserting coinage into broken machines, no hoping there's a ticket machine on board. Just go into any of the numerous subway stations, swipe a credit card and voilà!

2) AND if you have a Bank of America credit card, for every $100 you spend on metrocards, Metro North or LIRR tickets, you get $10 back! Sure, it's a modest amount but let's not forget that in America most credit cards ARE free and to boot, they give you rewards for spending money. So it's still free money :)

3) The subways actually wait at stations when other trains are about to pull in so if anyone needs to switch trains, they can do it quickly and easily! Seems like basic logic but for some reason in Rome bus drivers seem to do the opposite. If the 8 tram drivers sees the 3 bus, he speeds away leaving everyone in the dust. I never understood it and always wondered why they couldn't wait 30 seconds more. I guess they like making passengers suffer.

Likes and dislikes

2008-12-30T01:00:00.003+01:00

I've gotten sucked into the rat race in NYC and have been neglecting my blog. Sorry! I've been here for a month and started compiling a list of likes and dislikes I noticed this time around:

LIKES

1) I love the NYC subway system. It takes me 20 minutes on average to go from Brooklyn to midtown Manhattan... Need I say more?

2) I love the fact that you can return/exchange things in USA without a fuss. I bought a coat online, it didn't fit so I just returned it to the store. I bought a sweater at a store, a few days later it was 50% off, so I got refunded the difference. Comfort & convenience!

3) I love how people randomly smile here. Not in a sleazy pick-up artist way, as one tends to see in Rome, I'm talking about harmless and genuine smiles. It's nice. And people say NYC is a cold city- HAH!

4) I love the banks here... Never mind the financial meltdown, I'm talking about how EASY it is to do any sort of transaction here. It's still a shock for me to see banks open on Saturday.

DISLIKES

1) Since when did they start carding people at Target? I got carded while trying to purchase cough syrup. What the fuck is up with that? They actually scanned my drivers license before allowing me to purchase. And to top it all off, some products (like my beloved Zyrtec D) are actually locked behind a case at the registers. So you have to ask for it and then they card you.

2) I hate tourists in NYC! They don't know how to city-walk: they stop in the middle of sidewalks, linger at subway entrances, stand on corners looking confused... they get in my way.

I'll keep observing and hopefully will post more soon.

Turn it down!

2008-12-02T03:42:00.003+01:00

I am back in USA working on a gig and the first thing I noticed when I got to the office was: HOW HOT IT WAS!!! I just don't understand why the heat can't be lowered. Why should people wear T-shirts to work in the middle of winter?! So wasteful...

Italy reacts

2008-11-13T09:05:00.006+01:00

After Berluska's inappropriate comment about Barack Obama, many Italians felt the need to react, to express their opinion, their anger, their frustration with this country's ass-clown of a leader. Some efforts were good like this one.
And some efforts were just in bad taste, stupid, offensive, and senseless like this:

I'm lost for words....

Oh no he didn't!

2008-11-06T19:25:00.002+01:00

Actually he did... Berluska referred to our President-elect as, "giovane, bello, e abbronzato".
Whoa, not even sure what to do with that!

Bill Viola

2008-11-03T19:15:00.002+01:00

If you haven't seen Bill Viola's exhibit at Palazzo delle Esposizioni yet, I strongly recommend it!

Black & white

2008-10-30T09:31:00.002+01:00

Why must they always use a black person to represent licorice/dark chocolate in Italian advertisements?

Stay home today

2008-10-29T11:23:00.003+01:00

To those of you who live in Rome and are considering stepping outside and using public transportation: DON'T DO IT. The city is in total chaos today due to some rally in the center. I was trying to get from Trastevere to Piazzale Clodio and had to give up and go back home. It's ridiculous, the city is paralyzed today and apparently it will be tomorrow as well.

The horror of Italian TV

2008-10-15T11:45:00.005+02:00

For obvious reasons, I don't watch much Italian TV but Le Iene is one show I enjoy, or used to enjoy... Apparently, they weren't meeting the national quota for semi-naked dancing on TV so they decided to make some changes. Instead of giving more time to the content that made the show worthwhile: hardcore investigative reports, spoofs and pranks embarrassing public figures, revealing scandals, etc., they decided to add more crap by making the presenters do stoopid and humiliating dance routines throughout the show. One of the presenters is none other than the lovely Ilary Blasi (Totti's wife for those of you who don't know). She's forced to wear skimpy dresses and do ridiculous dances, at times causing some rather awkward moments for her. Exhibit number one: while wearing a skin-tight pencil skirt, she attempts to perform the lame choreography and ends up tearing the slit in her skirt. Exhibit number two:

Major wardrobe malfunction here, this outdoes Janet Jackson's nipple slip! Maybe the costume department and the choreographers should compare notes before subjecting this poor girl to further embarrassment. Can't an attractive woman be on Italian TV and still maintain her dignity?

Has anyone else happened to witness this atrocity on Italia 1 called "Saturday Night Live" (from Milano)? I caught about 5 minutes of it and was appalled by how bad it is, there's no comparison to the real Saturday Night Live. This is not a format like reality shows or game shows that can easily be repeated in any country, by any comedian or "actor". It requires talent from the writers and the performers- a talent which seems to be lacking in the world of Italian TV.

Sinful?

2008-10-14T22:10:00.004+02:00

Is buying lottery tickets or scratch & win cards considered gambling? Is gambling considered a sin??
While I was playing some lucky numbers (or so I hope) at my neighborhood tabaccheria, I saw a priest buying a stack of Enalotto tickets and scratch & win cards... if only I had my camera with me!