When in Rome

Getting to Rome was just about as difficult as Romans defeating the Carthaginians in the Punic Wars. Mom and Muffy barely made their flight in Dallas. and by barely i mean i was on the phone with American Airlines tracking them like a Doppler system waiting for the agent to tell me when their tickets got scanned so i knew they made it. I met my favorite frenchman Julien who was going home to Paris at JFK for a bite to eat and to celebrate my excitement that WE ALL were going to finally get to Rome.. Karly and Vig were the first to get in around 12 pm, followed by Aubrey at 2:10 and then me at 2:20. I slept both entire legs of the flight and decided that once i made it that I would wait to surprise Mom and Muffy by waiting for them at baggage claim. This idea i thought would be quite helpful ya know - help them with their luggage... Would of be even awesomer if their luggage had actually made it. After cursing British Airlines for a solid 10 minutes we pulled it together, and got ourselves a shuttle to the hotel. With us was a big couple from Houston who picked a hotel on the outskirts of the city... as our driver said as we dropped them off "Okay, Now we go to Rome..." He was the nicest man offering a full history lesson, scenic tour, dining recommendations, and advice against the gypsys for our trip... along with a few laughs. We finally made it to the hotel around 6pm. Starving we said our hello's and hugs to the Drekers who had been walking around the city for sometime. We dropped - well JUST my bag off - sprayed on a ton of perfume and made our way out the door. The streets are just like you would imagine - small, cobble stone, paths that would murder a pair of Christian Louboutin stelletos in 15 minutes. We found right off the hotel a bakery and winery that had been suggested to us. It being too close and us only having a 3 second taste of the Roman air we walked on and snakes the streets for 10 more minutes..our stomachs grumbling we stopped at the sight of the freshest looking pizza on the planet. Works for me. We kindly asked if we could sit outside to admire to dogs, lavish dressed italian women, and watch everyone walk hand in hand down the street. Our meal in a word - FREEESH. We had bruschetta and split salad with shrimp, margharita pizza and lasagna. You cant help but eat the food slowly to allow each taste bud a fair chance at experiencing the orgasm inside your mouth. it was so simple, the small pizzeria on the street, but a gastronomical experience. We loved it. Our hungry fully satisfied it was time to feed our souls with some Montepulicano wine bought at the winery we passed on the way over. We had them cork the bottle for us (idiots we came to Rome wanting to drink our faces off and forgot to bring a corkscrew.) So bottle corked we stole some plastic cups from the bakery bar and made our way back to the hotel. We greeted the Drekers and shared our bottle in our first toast to a great trip. The night was so beautiful we had talked over dinner about going to see the Trevi Fountain at night. Everyone rallied and we took a stroll up to the Fountain. A bustling Saturday night in Rome is quite the site. Thousands of people fill the street eating, drinking, waiting to get inside the disco's... it felt just like being in New York -- but sexier. We found some great souvenir shops along the way, got great ideas for our friends back home and before we knew it we were gazing at the most marvelous fountain in the world. 1 coin is tossed so that you return to Rome 2 coins are tossed so that you find great love and 3 coins are tossed so that a marriage or divorce is in your immediate future... we each threw in 3. At night the lights cascade across the marble and reflect in the water. Everything looks so serene and crafted so delicately.

The Drekers we on their way to dinner while we Gribaudo's do what we do best: SHOP!! We found great stores, got great ideas and made our way back before the gypsys got to our handbags. Day on in rome a success we went to bed fulfilled.

Sunday

Completely thrown off by time we started our next day a little late. Out the door around 11 we had to start the day with coffee.. Romans do coffee unlike Americans. You'd think Starbucks was on to something making coffee seem so european and exotic. Total crap: the tall, grade, venti rule does not apply here at all. The "caffe" mom ordered was simply a half shot of espresso. Thank heavens we had the water bottle with us to turn it into real coffee. Us girls got a caffe latte which resembled something more to an actual beverage and not 3 melted coffee beans.

With a rough idea of our day we headed north again and stopped to see Trevi by day. Still just as majestic we took a few pictures and continued north. Our goal was to find the Spanish Steps. My friend John Vricella had said some of the best shopping was around this area so we figured why not - when in Rome! We made our way and continued to walk all the way to the top. Along the way we stopped to take pictures from the various heights that overlook the street and city. From the top looking down is an amazing sight. All the locals and tourists walking, mopeds buzzing, and the sun gazing down upon it all.. Johnny V ha said their was a beautiful jewelry shop close by that has some unusual pieces..unusual as in i'd never wear that unless i was 90 years old. We got suckered in by the old lady working the shop who told us her life story and then continued with the life story of her children. Practically family at this point ,we bid farewell and made a B line for the closest restaurant. We literally took over this panini shop. In true form Muffy, Aubrey, Karly and I ordered wine with our sandwiches and ended up spending a good hour and half talking, drinking, siesta-ing if you will. It was such a fun meal and we could tell immediately that we were with the perfect company for this trip.

Trying to plot the rest of our afternoon I realized we were just streets away from the Covento Capuchini that I had so badly wanted to see. The top of this church had remained untouched for 200 years - but beneath was what we were really aftered - the cementary. In the lower crypt of the church was the bones of the monks that had lived there for hundreds of years. It was nothing like anything we had ever seenin our lives. We made our way out and to the Piazza della Republicca which is where the Roman govt would make announcements back in antiquity. Not too impressive we sat on the stairs and had a photo shoot. Our next stop not too far down the way was the Colesseum. We got there right as dusk as the lights went on the and entire night sky turned black. We wandered thru the forum, took pictures of the ruins that had been left for hundreds of years, the column of triumph, the theatre and then made our way back to thehotel. Bags again not arrived, we settled that dispute. We hope they get here in the morning or else 3 free flights are going to be demanded by 3 angry italian women. we went to dinner in the square, had wine, pasta, mussels, and watched performers in the streets spin fire and tap dance - "a lost art" as muffy called it. Everyone made there way back to the hotel but muffy and I continued our jouney wandered the streets with no mission, no obligations, just free spirits. This day was incredible. Filled with laughter and frustration and food and wine and haaaandsome men :)

Tomorrow we attack Vatican City for one final day in the homeland.