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La Dolce Vita Series: School Days at a Museum

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Immediate view upon entering the museum. . .larger than life statues.
My sweet (and smart) husband is on his way to finishing his degree in Pharmacy (it’s his 2nd degree).  He is studying at the University of La Sapienza in Rome.  He has a habit of studying and spending his exam preparation time in the library at the university.  In my university days, I hardly stepped foot inside the university library.  I always preferred studying at home, in my regular, more comfortable (not to mention quieter) environment.  I find it annoying to spend the time going to the university, sitting amongst a few hundred other students and listening to other people whisper or get up and down from their chairs.  Not to mention, it seems like everyone has a cold this time of year.  Everyone is coughing, sneezing, hacking and/or blowing their nose.  Gross!  Needless to say, I easily get distracted and am not comfortable in that particular setting. 

 

The hubby does better in a more traditional study environment though, so to the university we go.  No, I don’t have to go with him, but on the days I am able to, I prefer to support him and spend the time with him (plus I have plenty of things to keep me working on the computer, like this blog and our website with the free wi-fi available).  It’s nice to have breakfast together, ride the train with each other, sit next to each other throughout the day, pause for a coffee break and share our lunch together before heading off to work in the afternoons.  Many married couples wake in the morning, leave for work and don’t see each other again until time to eat dinner and go to bed.  I really enjoy the fact that we are fortunate enough at this time in our lives to spend a great deal of time together throughout the day.  For this, I am very thankful!  

So I mentioned I am not a big fan of going to the library.  That is, I wasn’t a big fan until a few weeks ago.  You see, one day we arrived to the library and it was packed with students.  There were no seats available, and we set out to find an alternate place for the day.  We entered inside the museum on campus to see if there were any available tables.  As soon as we entered, I fell in love with the place.  There are statues and relics everywhere!  They are all reproductions from the originals, but they are beautiful.  Tables and chairs are placed sporadically amongst the statues and works of art, so no more ‘sitting on top’ of other students.  It is truly like we are sitting and working inside a museum.  It is a lovely place to be, and it is inspiring to look around and sit amongst so many beautiful pieces of art.  I feel completely in my ‘element’ when there.  These days, I no longer mind coming to the university … I even look forward to it.  

What do you think of the photos?  Isn’t it a lovely place to study, write and get some work done?After entering, this is what we get to walk through.  I love it!

A perfect setting to study, write and work.  

Copies of Venus de Milo, an ancient Greek statue from 130-100 BC.  (We were so lucky and got to see the original during our anniversary trip to Paris, France a few months ago.)

It is inspiring to see and sit amongst so many beautiful pieces of art.  

One of my absolute favorite pieces, Nike of Samothrace.  I fell in love with her years ago during an art history class in college.  I can’t explain it, but she is so beautiful to me.  We also got to see the original in person during our anniversary trip to Paris, France a few months ago.  (Scroll down to see the original.)

The original Nike of Samothrace (190 BC), displayed at the Louvre in Paris, France.  

To see more La Dolce Vita stories and photos, click here.  To check out how the series began, click here.  

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Why Rome?

Buona Befana

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Every year on January 6th, Epiphany is celebrated in Italy.  It is a Christian holiday to remember and celebrate the visit of the Three Wise Men to the baby Jesus.  Just as the Western culture celebrates Santa Claus delivering presents to children on Christmas Eve during the same time the birth of Jesus is celebrated, Italians celebrate La Befana during the time of Epiphany.  La Befana is an old woman, a witch like figure, who flies on a broomstick and leaves presents in children’s socks or stockings on the eve of Epiphany.  She leaves candy, fruit and other small presents for children who have been good, and a lump of coal (carbone), onions or garlic for children who have been bad.

La Befana … Seems a little scary to me, but the Italian children seem to embrace her.  


Each year a market is held in Piazza Navona and is centered around the tales and traditions of La Befana.  It is mainly a children’s market as the piazza is transformed into a child’s paradise.  The stalls or booths that line the piazza are filled with candies, toys, balloons, stockings, tree ornaments and Befana dolls and decorations.  There is also a large carousel in the center of the piazza for the children to ride.  Throughout the month of December, and especially after the New Year holiday, it seems all the families and young children of Rome flock to Piazza Navona to celebrate the coming of La Befana.  

La Befana stockings to be filled on the Eve of Epiphany

Candy, candy, candy galore … treats to fill the stockings of good little boys and girls.  

Candy lumps of coal (carbone in Italian) for the children who behaved badly.  

Marzipan (marzapane in Italian) is a sweet treat primarily made of sugar and almond meal.  It is a traditional holiday treat in Italy.  

A market tradition is to choose a new ornament for the Christmas tree.  
In addition to all the candy, toys and trinkets for sale, you can also return to your childhood with a stick of cotton candy or a ciambella (a really large doughnut) to snack on as you stroll around the market.  And if you really want to be naughty, you can also choose to have Nutella spread in the center of your ciambella.  Yummm!
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Piazza Treasures: Round Quattro

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I always come across different street performers each time I visit a piazza or stroll along the streets of the city.  The entertainment is endless in Rome.  It always brightens my day when I come across someone showcasing their talents or doing something ‘out of the norm’.  It’s one of the great things about living in Rome (it’s always the little things :-).

These guys were playing some of the classics by Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra in Piazza Navona.  I love this type of music, and it always reminds me of my grandmother back home in Alabama.    
This steel cowboy was also hanging out in Piazza Navona. He’s trying to look serious, but he makes me laugh.  

I passed this small group performing near the Coliseum, and had to stop for awhile to listen.  I loved this music!  All the different instruments are fascinating too.  Click on the video directly below to hear a sample of their music.

 

Flower Markets in Rome

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One of the things I love about walking around the city is the flower shops I come across.  I love how sometimes they surprise me when I turn the corner in a rush to get somewhere and I find an assortment of beautiful, colorful flowers spilling over into the sidewalk.  A reminder to slow down and enjoy the little things in life.  My days are always brightened when I stumble across a flower shop or market.

Enjoying the Fruits of Their Labor

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Our friends and neighbors have been spoiling us lately.  The have been showering us with fruit from their gardens.  Fresh, natural fruit is absolutely delicious!  There is definitely a difference in the taste of fruit from your local backyard, compared to the taste of fruit from your local supermarket.  Needless to say, I have been in a fruit-dazed heaven for the past few weeks.
The grapes above and below are from our next door neighbor’s small backyard garden.  They are completely phenomenal, and are hands down the best grapes I have ever eaten.
The grapes almost have a velvety look to them with their deep purple color.  They give off an intoxicating grape aroma, and almost smell like grape candy.  A burst of grape flavor fills your mouth when you bite into each grape.  I’ve really never had a grape that has tasted this way … so good.  The aroma and taste actually reminds me of grape flavored Popsicles from my childhood.  My husband says they taste more like wine than regular grapes.  Maybe that’s the reason I am so infatuated with them. 🙂

The seeds inside the grapes even look like little hearts.   

Another friend sent over a large bag full of pomegranates and several limes this past week too.

I don’t recall seeing pomegranates of this color before, only the deep red ones.  The seeds inside are quite delicious though.

We decided to make fresh pomegranate juice.  We opened two of the pomegranates and pulled out all the juice filled seeds (known as arils).  We ground the seeds in a food processor, then strained the juice from the seed pulp in a colander.

I topped the pomegranate juice off with a little fresh squeezed lime juice.  Though it was a bit of work to get enough for two small juice glasses, the end product was definitely worth it.  The fresh juice was delicious, plus we had fun making it.