caffeinated crack

I finally made my way to Puglia, Lecce to be exact, after years of daydreaming about it.
Needless to say, I was NOT disappointed. I won't go into the details of how incredibly beautiful the city and region are, instead I'll share with you the most amazing caffeinated crack I discovered while there:

CAFFE' IN GHIACCIO= a shot of espresso with almond syrup (some say "almond milk" but the ones I had were all made with almond syrup) on the rocks. So incredibly delicious and refreshing.
This will be my summer beverage.
Thank you, Lecce!

Farewell, farmers' market

My beloved farmers' market in Testaccio is moving to Garbatella! There was talk for several months about this happening, but there was no set date... until today. I was handed this flyer with all the info.
Farewell, farmers' market, it was nice having you in the 'hood.

i heart iOS6

I updated my beloved iPhone 4s to iOS6 some time ago but I JUST noticed an amazing new feature that is very handy for bilingual folks like us (grin).
iMessage now has the capability of remembering the last language (keyboard) you used with a contact so that when you write to that contact again, it automatically sets the proper keyboard. Yeah, I know switching keyboards isn't that time consuming or complicated but it just makes things easier to have iMessage do it for you. Love it. Brilliant. Hats off to the Apple team.
Enjoy it, bilingual peeps!

(you can read about it here.)

What gives, ATAC?

Lately I've been noticing more and more city buses sporting signs (some are even handwritten) saying: "Don't ask the driver for info".
I realize it must be frustrating for these drivers to navigate Rome's crazy-ass streets while tourists and non-expert bus users ask info, BUT (you knew that was coming) what do you expect, ATAC? Not everyone knows the bus stops by heart and not everyone has an app for that. Maybe you should consider listing the stops so that EVERYONE knows which one is which, and which is coming up next. Then they just might stop asking for info.
Duh...

Che vergogna

Italy, you're embarrassing yourself with stuff like this. Stop it. Now.

Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap (in English with Italian subtitles)

HEY, ROME-DWELLERS!

 Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap
(in English with Italian subtitles)
October 8, 9, 10 ONLY
at:
The Space Cinema Moderno
Piazza della Repubblica 43
at 19:30 and 22:00
and
The Space Cinema Parco De' Medici
Viale Parco De' Medici 135
at 19:40 and 22:10

you can buy tickets online at:
http://www.thespacecinema.it


https://www.facebook.com/theartofrapitalia

Pierogi heaven in Rome

I love me some pierogi. When I'm in the US of A, I can get them just about anywhere- from supermarkets to restaurants; when I'm in Rome... not as easy.
The other day I was having a fierce pierogi craving and decided to google it to see if, by chance, I'd find any stores in Rome that sold them. Lo and behold I found a sweet new Polish supermarket IN Trastevere! Could it get any better? Why yes it could! I went there and they had several different kinds of pre-made pierogi (vegetarian friendly options), the prices were very good (a giant container of sour cream for 1.80- take that Castroni! A package of 18 pierogi for 3.60), and the shop owner was quite possibly the nicest human being I've ever met.
I am thrilled to have found an awesome and convenient pierogi dealer in my 'hood.
If you're craving anything Eastern European (they even sell ceramics), go check this place out!
Sklep polski u Michala
Viale Trastevere, 233 

Mon-Sat 9-20
Sun 9-15

tel. 06 89567658 - 340 7248203

mzalewski@alice.it
OH, and they have a website too! 
http://www.skleppolskiroma.com/