When I am feeling the need for inspiration and a return to beauty and style, my thoughts turn to Rome. I had the good fortune of spending last weekend there for a very special event that I will talk about later this week but right now I have Sunday on my mind. Sunday was spent the way it is supposed to be – with lots of love, laughs and good food and wine. It was an escape from the grind of everyday life.
As the Eternal City slowly woke up, I wandered to a cafe near my hotel and allowed myself the decadence of a cornetto with my morning cappuccino. This one was filled with lemon and pistachios, an incredible combination. If I could figure out how to import the pastries from Rome to the US, I would open a bakery and spread the good word of the art of the Italian breakfast.
Making my way into the center on a beautiful sunny morning, I was content to take in the unique nature of the city, new and old, ornate and simple, juxtaposed next to one another in architecture, storefronts, restaurants. This is the true beauty of Rome. A perfect example of this is the Piazza Augustus which includes, in one square, examples of Fascist, baroque, imperial and modern architecture. The relatively new structure that houses the Ara Pacis was designed by Richard Meier (who also designed the Getty Center in LA) and was not without a heated debate about its place in Rome but I really like it.
Before I knew it I was whisked away by Jenny and we headed for the hills – literally. We made our way to the tiny hamlet of Montecelio, northeast of Rome, where we feasted on bruschetta, prosciutto, and cheese, fabulous steaks cooked over an open fireplace and a couple (or a few, but who’s counting) bottles of Brunello. A passeggiata through the village completed the afternoon as the October sun shone down on us and Jenny and I caught up on years of our lives.
To me, Sunday embodied everything that I love about the Italian culture and I returned to the US feeling truly fulfilled and blessed.