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Meet Dolce: The Newest Member of Our Family

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Meet the newest little member of our family … Dolce.  His name means ‘sweet’ Italian, and he is just that … SO sweet! 
 
He wasn’t planned.  Our neighbor showed up with him one afternoon, and he immediately stole our hearts.  We have had him for almost one month now, and he has brought so much joy, love and laughter into our home.  He’s been a big blessing, and I think he rescued us as much as we rescued him.  
 
He is completely spoiled, but I don’t think you will be able to tell from the photos. 😉

He loves to sleep on his mommy.

He ‘helps’ with everything … typing on the computer, making the bed, taking out the trash, hanging the laundry … you name it.  🙂

“Mom, please stop working and pay all your attention to ME.”

 It’s hard work being a baby

Food coma (notice the roast beef on his nose)

Completely worn out after playing hard … so worn out, he slept with his tongue hanging out.

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Why Rome?

Piazza Treasures in August

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As I make our way around the city on a daily basis, I always come across fun and/or talented people showcasing their talents along the streets and in the piazzas (the plural in Italian is piazze).  I want to get back into the habit of sharing these ‘Piazza Treasures’ with you each month so you can enjoy them, too.Without further ado, below are several of the ‘Piazza Treasures’ that made us smile during the month of August.

We spotted this extremely talented guy along Via del Corso, a street famous for shopping. His talent blew us away with his re-creation of Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece, the Mona Lisa.
(We were fortunate enough to view the real Mona Lisa last year in Paris at the Louvre Museum.  You can see the original here.)  

For some reason this guy painted in green made me laugh.  He was in Piazza Navona, all set to go with his suitcase, bottle of wine and cat on a leash.  

This little man completely brightened my day.  He had a CD of Elvis Presley songs playing, and he was doing his best to dance and lip sing along with the songs.  Talented, no.  Original, yes.  He was effective enough to have me pulling money out of my purse. 🙂

This girl performing in Trastevere was quite entertaining with her fire juggling tricks.  We were coming from dinner when we spotted the crowd around her, and then we noticed the fire magically lighting the piazza.  The photo is a little blurry because she is moving, but the people in the background reminded me of an old painting and made me imagine that the piazza probably looked nearly the same several hundred years ago.  

  

VICE … A New Gelateria in Rome’s City Center

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There are several new artisanal gelateria shops that have recently popped up around Rome’s city center.  With the summer blazing record breaking heat temperatures, I’ve been inclined to make it my mission to visit all of them in an attempt to keep cool.  Poor me, right? 🙂 One of the shops I recently visited is Vice.  There are several locations around Rome, but the newest one is located in Largo Argentina.  The shop is directly in front of a bus stop where popular buses #40 and #64 stop, and is right next to the #8 tram that runs across the river to Trastevere.

When I first arrived, I was a little taken aback by the decor.  Vice is not designed like other typical gelaterie.  It has a futuristic feel, and made me think of the inside of an igloo.  The fun design is very bright, and everything is white.  The only pops of color are the mouth watering and eye pleasing gelati.  There is a puffy, cotton-like design along the ceiling made to look like snow, and the shiny, textured walls look like ice crystals.  From the appearance, I expected a burst of chilled air to kiss me in the face when I walked inside.        

Although the design is fun, the gelato is the real star of the show.  Vice uses all natural ingredients without adding hydrogenated fats, coloring or preservatives.  In addition to leaving out “the bad stuff” and using organic milk and fresh eggs, Vice also uses some of the finest ingredients around, using lemons from Amalfi, pistachios from Brante, Sicily, and walnuts from Sorrento, just to name a few.

I had a sample of the lemon (limone), and it was quite good!  I was in the mood for something creamier though, and went with pistachio (it’s my go to flavor, and I usually judge a gelateria based on the taste of their pistachio) and cheesecake.  The pistachio was good (it passed the test), but the cheesecake was really delicious.  The unique flavor of the cheesecake won me over.

If you’re looking for a fun gelateria using fresh, natural ingredients, I definitely recommend making a visit to Vice.

Vice
http://www.viceitalia.it
+39 06 6476 0833
Open 7 days a week, from noon until midnight
 
3 locations:
  • Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, 96 (Largo Argentina)
  • Via Gregorio VII, 385 (not far from the Vatican)
  • Viale G. Marconi, 207

 

Down By the River in Rome

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Want to know one of the best things about summer in Rome?  It’s Lungo il Tevere, the open restaurant, bar, shopping and music festival along Rome’s Tiber River.  It’s so nice to have so many entertainment options in one place.  Not to mention, it’s nice to be near to the calm, flowing waters of the river on a warm summer night.  If you’re looking for a romantic night out with your sweetie or for something the whole family will enjoy, the Lungo il Tevere is great for everyone!  

So what can you expect to find at Lungo il Tevere?  Just have a look at the photos below for an idea of all the fun you can experience.  If you’re interested in going while you’re in Rome, you have until September 2nd.  The fun starts to pick up when the sun starts going down.  Entrance is free, but if you would like to shop or have something to eat or drink, you will need to pay for your items.  

The venues along the river are getting set up for the evening before the sun starts to set.  

The sun is beginning to set, and patrons have already made their way down to the river for an enjoyable evening.  

There are plenty of little bars/pubs set up for you to relax and enjoy a cocktail.  

There is also a free basketball court and tennis court set up for you to play games.  (We’ve had a lot of fun with this!) 

There are also plenty of restaurants to choose from for riverside dining.  

You can also lounge along the river’s wall while you enjoy a cocktail or smoke from hookah.  

There is always fun musical acts performing, and it’s nice to sit out and enjoy the bands.  

You can also do a little shopping.  You can find art, clothes, jewelry, purses and many other items.  

You can also stop to challenge your friends in a game of foosball, or table football.  

Looking for a little more family fun?  You can play fair-style games to win prizes and stuffed animals.  (You will have to pay to play these games.)

As you can see, Lungo il Tevere is quite a popular place at night time.  

The venues extend down the river, and the lights they project are so pretty from the bridges above.  

Have you been to Lungo il Tevere?  What’s your favorite thing to do there?
 

Roman Romance

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We took this photo several months back, but I came across it the other day and wanted to share it with all of you.  My husband actually snapped this photo.  We took an evening stroll down by the river near to Castel Sant’Angelo, and it was one of those perfect, magical Roman evenings.  The breeze was blowing, the water was passing by from the river below, a castle and an ancient city served as the backdrop, a saxophone played in the distance, a rainbow of colors filled the sky as the sun set and my sweet husband walked next to me as he held my hand … it was perfection!  Ahhh … the simple moments in life. 🙂  


How about you guys?  Do you have any unforgettable moments in Italy?

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Why Rome?