Pendulum, Pincio, Pampering, and the Jewish Ghetto

Santa Maria Degli Angeli doors

Baths of Diocletian, now Santa Maria degli Angeli

Bronze angel in light

St John’s beheaded head 

Pendulum

Meridian line

Pisces

Aries and Libra align

Virgo (and Taurus)

Symbol of Rome

Newspaper setting where Gigi Proietti’s reporter character, ‘Bruno Palmieri,’ worked.

Volunteers

Piazza del Popolo

Twin churches in Piazza del Popolo

Up the steps to Parco Pincio

Views

The little owl house

Windows on the road back down

Moto row

Jewish ghetto

Stefano’s recommendation 

Fettuccine with clams and artichokes 

Scottodita

https://photos.app.goo.gl/vtzQNReaZ6VjmYTA7

Today was a day of copying our friends, Stefano and Cara. They live in Minneapolis, but Stefano is Roma DOC. Due to Covid, we restricted our travel, otherwise we would’ve met them and our friend Giuseppe over the holidays. When they were recently in Rome, Stefano posted a few walks they took and restaurants at which they ate. If Stefano and Cara are posting about a restaurant, we must go there! It is an indicator of good food and good wine!

Before any of that, we wanted to revisit the astounding Basilica degli Angeli e Martiri, where there is a meridian line, zodiac alignments, and a bronze pendulum by Galileo Galilei. The church itself is mind boggling in proportion; it is housed in what was once the Baths of Diocletian. Remember your history lesson in my post about Terme di Caracalla? The baths of Diocletian are based on their design.

There are striking pieces of art in the Basilica, apart from the floor and the pendulum. A bronze sculpture of angels dancing in the light and the beheaded … head… of St. John the Baptist are the two most notable.

In the meridian zodiac, I found it interesting that me and my sister are side by side, zodiacally. I took pictures of that Aries-Libra positioning, as well as Pisces and Virgo for my kids. Joe’s Aquarius was roped off into the chapel today, so I didn’t capture it.

Rather than type more history here, so you don’t have to scroll around ***** items, I’m posting a link for more fascinating details:

http://www.santamariadegliangeliroma/

After that lovely start, we headed to Piazza del Popolo, one of my favorite piazzas even before I started copying Stefano’s moves.

The Piazza is large, open, and feels like prairie land compared to the magnificent entanglement of Roman streets and alleys and smaller piazze. I enjoy taking a step back to look at the “twin” churches, which break up the angular trident of three tony Roman streets—via del Babuino, via del Corso between them, and via di Ripetta.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Maria_dei_Miracoli_and_Santa_Maria_in_Montesanto

We looked into Santa Maria dei Miracoli (Santa Maria in Montesanto is closed), where a display describing the true spirit of Christmas—helping those in need, the same basic need of shelter that the Holy Family had in their travels—repeated the message we heard Padre Pino deliver in Biancavilla’s town square each night of the novena. 

Walking up the flights of stairs which flank the piazza’s fountain, we arrived at Parco Pincio and the Villa Borghese. Another favorite—I fondly recall renting Go-Karts with my three kids, and tooling around the massive stretch of beauty that is Villa Borghese. At Parco Pincio, directly above Piazza del Popolo, there is an overlook from which you can see every cupola in the city in one fell swoop. It’s a splendid panorama. And in January, one can actually make it to the overlook with a little elbow room!

Now getting hungry, we headed back to via Urbana for a mini pizza each, with Joe claiming it’s the best he’s had in 23 years (although, he was starving). I asked about the pizza he ate 23 years ago, because it must’ve been great, but he didn’t answer. They weren’t bad, but not the best I’ve ever had. I reminded Joe that we had incredible Sicilian pizza; the difference here is that we weren’t waiting on 14-19 people to organize themselves to sit down and eat. Today’s pizza was piping hot. That makes a big difference! And, yes; anyway, the little pizzas were good.

Our spa day was today. I tried really hard not to over-analyze the extra euros charged for some of the little things in a package deal, such as a plate of strawberries, which I estimated were €50 of the “deal”. Once I got over that, it was a great experience. Beginning with a salt/sand scrub (regenerating), then a full massage (relaxing), followed by our expensive strawberries (they were pretty good; perhaps the dark chocolate covering was the real treat), it was a long and lovely session. As Joe said, the massages here are a bit more intimate than they are back home. They missed three small points on me; that’s it!

After scouring off the massage oil, we freshened up to copy Stefano and Cara again. This time, for dinner in the Jewish Ghetto. If you’re not familiar with this neighborhood, don’t let the name leave you aghast. Some of the best local dishes are found here (and it’s a charming area). The artichokes are a symbol of Rome; in the Jewish Ghetto you’ll find them alla Romana (stuffed with a mixture of garlic, parsley, and mint; braised in a pan whole with stalks pointing up, in an olive oil and white wine mixture. Add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil) or alla Giudia (prepped artichokes are deep fried until brown, drained on paper towels, then seasoned. Hit two artichokes together to open them up, the fry again, but with water flicked into the oil, which makes the outer leaves crispy. These are eaten like potato chips, then the interior, which is delicate and buttery, is eaten whole).

We saw that Stefano ate in the Jewish Ghetto at Il Giardino Romano, Via del Portico d'Ottavia,18. GPS took us on a delightful, winding, back street, small alley, through a dark portico route to get there. What a mystical walk and location! We sat outdoors and soon noticed “grandpa” prepping the above-noted artichokes. The short video clip is here:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/vtzQNReaZ6VjmYTA7

I ordered stuffed zucchini flowers with anchovies, and baccalà fritta, as my starter. Joe had fettuccine with clams and artichokes. We both had scottodita — Roman lamb chops — for the next course. Wow!!! We’re doing pasta and clams this way next time we’re the ones preparing it! And everything else was Stefano praiseworthy, including a delectable Nebbiolo.

As we ate, I was facing a family with two young kids eating pizza. The boy, about 8 or 9 years old, was vivacious and entertaining to watch and listen to, including telling his older sister she’s a baby for ordering pizza Margherita. He was rarely quiet, but not obnoxious. I mostly eavesdropped, but occasionally stole a glance at them, because this kid is pretty cute. 

We ordered an amaro for Joe, and a Prosecco for me, and the family eating pizza got up to leave. A few steps away, the little boy turned to me and waved, then yelled “Buonanotte”! I guess my glances weren’t so stolen after all!

Our return walk had views no less lovely than on the way there.

I’d say it was an inimitable day, but the concept of most of it was nothing but copycat! Grazie, Stefano and Cara.