After Shana and Tommaso left with the kids on Friday night, Meredith and I headed to a very late dinner. We ate at this great restaurant that I plan on going back to called Gusto. Shana gave us the suggestion and told us that it is owned by one woman who bought out basically the whole building, and there is a pizzeria, a wine bar, a more formal restaurant, and a kitchen store all in one! We had a huge, delicious dinner which didn't even start until 11:15, and there was even a short wait when we got there! People were still sitting down at quarter after twelve. The whole time we were wondering how all of these Italians are so fit when they're eating pizza at midnight all the time!
Saturday, we walked to Campo dei Fiori (my new favorite area) and ate lunch at this delicious place called Obika (they actually just opened one in New York, Kater- you'd love it). It is a Mozzarella Bar, and for your dish you choose which type of mozzarella you'd like and what you wish to accompany it with (I got seasonal vegetables and Meredith got tomatoes). The best part is that it is served with a side of pesto!! Right up my alley. As we were eating in the square there was a fresh market in the center, so we had a long lunch with lots of people watching.
After lunch we walked down to the Spanish Steps and then up to the Villa Borghese. On a whim, we decided to rent this rickshaw type buggy that you pedal yourself. It was completely ridiculous and hysterical, but we were able to see most of the entire grounds in an hour! We walked back home after that...stopping for gelato on the way, of course.
After showering, we went to a hotel near my house (that Meredith and her mom had had a drink on their rooftop when they were here) for some proseco and a cheese plate. We then headed to Scholars Lounge- an Irish pub to watch the Georgia game. Andrew and Allison Cole have a friend, Taylor Whitmire, that they both grew up with who is living in Rome right now. He went to Georgia, so I messaged him to see if he would be watching the game. Luckily, he was in town and not working, so it worked out perfectly that we were able to meet up with him, watch the game, and finally experience the bar scene (tried Friday night, but were clearly not in the right spot- it was a ghost town). It wasn't your typical Italian bar by any means...Sweet Caroline and Summer of 69 blaring with tons of drunk (and everything but Italian) girls screaming the words- very Bourbon Steetesque, how appropriate while watching the Georgia game. But, we were happy just to be out and socializing, and I could've sat in their for hours people watching. Meredith has a friend who was a foreign exchange student at her high school from Italy. He is living in Rome now going to medical school, so he also came and met us also which was fun! We had a great night, and were thrilled to be meeting some new people. The Italians stay out very late, so I am exhausted after the weekend.
Shana and Tommaso arrived back with the kids late this afternoon. We watched Narnia and had gelato. Tommaso has some of his business partners coming in town from DC tomorrow for dinner, so he and Shana are busy planning the meal tonight. The two of them are both amazing cooks and love trying new recipes, so it will be a very elaborate Italian dinner, and delicious I'm sure. Hopefully their skills will rub off on me. I told Shana I was interested in a cooking class and she said she would help me look into that. I think I would really enjoy it. I had a great night with the kids and enjoyed talking with Shana and Tommaso. They are both great and make me feel very at home.
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