Mid-Rome Crisis, Lizzie McGuire, and MORE Great Views

*Warning this post has a lot of stuff, if you get bored of the writing make sure you scroll down to the pic of the Vatican at the end!

Mid-Rome Crisis

I just realized I am more than 25% done with my study abroad experience - and I'm starting to freak out that I am not taking full advantage of what Rome has to offer.  Especially in the food department (you all should have saw this coming - I can't help my love for food!).  I made a pact with myself that I would try a new Italian sit down restaurant every week.  My waist line might not agree with this but honestly, when am I ever going to be living in a city that SO many other countries try to mimic and recreate their foods.  As of right now, I know I will NOT be able to go back to Canyon Pizza once I get back to Penn State.

This just doesn't do it for me anymore. Sorry.

After a bit of research on Trip Advisor, we stumbled across Hostaria La Botticella - a mom and pop, hole in the wall, you have to know about it to see it, ranked #357 of 7844 restaurants in Rome, cozy restaurant.  Located in Trastevere, it is off the beaten path and is located on a side street.  Being the only light illuminated on the street - we followed the light (and our noses) to the entrance.  Also -The restaurant opens at 7:30 - thats how you know it's legit.  We were greeted by Guilia the host and owner.  She took our coats, informed us that we could sit where ever we liked and made us feel right at home.  We started with the house red wine that came in a cute pitcher - not a bottle - and fried artichokes.  

After a huge craving for pasta I asked Guilia which pasta dish she preferred - the Pesto or White Clam Sauce (my ultimate favorite).  She said without question, the Pesto - and with a huge smile she added that it was homemade.  Knowing that this was a dish that she was proud of I went along with her suggestion - and MAN - what a dish this was.  The pasta was fresh (and homemade), the pesto had a perfect combination of pine-nuts, basil, garlic and tomatoes. 

Safe to say - my roommates and I did not finish the artichokes nor the pasta - and we received smiles from all the locals who fashionably ate: an appetizer, an entire pasta dish, a side salad, and individual desserts.  I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY DO IT!

When we called for the check, Guilia came bearing gifts - homemade lemoncello!!!!! After sipping and finishing the digestif, Guilia came back with.... another round of lemoncello.  She really knows how to please her customers.

Safe to say the hospitality was warm, the food was impeccable and we will definetly be back to seconds.

*Also another side note: the pasta was almost even better cold than it was hot (and I don't know how that is possible)

A Lizzie McGuire Moment

I can check celebrity look alike off my list and being in Rome, this is almost exactly what happens to Lizzie McGuire in the Lizzie McGuire Movie.  If you were not a 90's kid here is the trailer that will make you understand more of what I am referring to. (fast forward to the one-minute mark)

My Italian class had a field trip to Villa Borghese where we rode bikes and had a scavenger hunt - yeah this is class.  Anyways, the class ended just before sunset and a few of my friends had a recommendation to see an amazing view on top of Piazza Popolo.  Having a few extra minutes to spare, I went along with it.   As my friends and I approached the top, we were greeted by a middle aged Italian man who pointed to me and gave me a weird look as if he knew me from somewhere.  Trying to formulate an English sentence he asked me, "I just saw you yesterday on YouTube."  Quite confused I turned around and went on to enjoy the view.  I could still hear him talk in broken English as he was whispering to himself - "I saw her yesterday on YouTube and now shes in Rome - my favorite American Idol superstar.  Cheerleader, cheerleader the cheerleader." 

 From there, it started to make sense.  I turned around and said hello and said, "Yes, that was me, I was on American Idol.  I am very modest and don't like people to know who I am when I am traveling but you caught me."  My friend Rose became my manager and my other guy friends were my tour bus driver, my spokesperson and body guards.  He was very upset he didn't have a piece of paper for an autograph or his camera.  We took a picture with our camera and said we would send it to him via email (my management team organized this haha).  Below is a picture of me and my celebrity look alike - and me and my new friend.  

I googled, "American Idol contestant who is a cheerleader," and this girl came up.  I can kind of see some resemblance so I know the guy wasn't totally crazy.  I do feel bad that we fooled this guy and he is probably telling his friends he met a celebrity, but it was all in good fun - and a great story to tell =)

In other news this is the view from the Piazza at sunset! 

More Great Views

Born and raised a Florida Girl, loving sunshine and oranges. SURPRISE! There's an orange park not far from my apartment, Giardino degli Aranci, and it houses another amazing view of Rome.  This view is across from Trastevere and is on the Aventine Hill in the district Ripa.  After climbing the trees and grabbing some oranges to snack on we discovered that these are possibly the WORST oranges in the world.  They are so bitter and left an awful taste in our mouths. 

We then went next door to yet another hidden gem of Rome.  A peephole where you can see the Vatican! The doorway in question leads to the Priory of the Knights of Malta, the legendary crusader knights and religious order.  Now it is a small church, Santa Maria del Priorato. No one seems to be able to say with certainty whether this was a beautifully planned, or just a lucky coincidence.

It was hard to get a good picture of the Vatican with my point-and-shoot camera.  Below is my version, and what it was supposed to look like (picture credit goes to: http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-aventine-keyhole-rome).