Neighborhood: Trastevere Also called: N/A Pros: Not in the heart of the tourist area, so the throngs aren’t as bad People are out at all times of night, so it’s fairly safe (though that’s true of much of Rome) Lots of transportation options: various buses and trams Cons: I thought most of the food in the neighborhood was…
Take Sushi Ristorante Giapponese [Trastevere]: We might have gone a little overboard, after having very little lunch on the train to Rome. So, B got gyoza dumplings and seaweed salad and a salmon/avocado roll. I ordered an oshinko (pickled radish) roll, and sea bass, salmon and scallop nigiri. We also split a spicy tuna roll, which was…
We were in Venice for 3.5 days. Boat Ride: Part of the tour of Venice that my dad arranged for us all was a boat ride around the canals. It was a spiffed-up motor boat, somewhat like the one on which we spent entire summers when I was a kid. Our driver, Marino, was a quiet man who operated…
Many people dislike mosquitoes, and I am certainly no exception. However, I do tend to be exceptionally affected by the little critters. Specifically, if I am somewhere with another person, I will always get bitten more – even if I am wearing more bug spray, longer sleeves, and an anti-mosquito bracelet. The other night, mosquitoes bit my hand,…
Today, B and I went to several churches in Rome. They varied in architecture, in denomination, in decoration, and in location, but they all had one thing in common: people disrespecting their primary rule. Some allow photography and some don’t, some ask you not to go into specific portions or chapels, but all have a…
I love trivia. I’m not quite sure why: it’s not the competitive element, and I’m certainly not particularly good at it. But I love it. I’ve gone to bar trivia everywhere from NYC and Columbus to San Francisco and Milwaukee. Sometimes, I won’t go to bed before doing just one more Sporcle quiz (you’re welcome). And for…
There are infinity tourists. They all insist on taking photos on every bridge, though I’m not sure what of. ‘Here’s me with bridge #1 of 409. And here’s me with bridge #14 of 409…’ (Venice is made of 117 islands connected by 409 bridges.) There are no cars, buses, motorbikes, or even regular bikes in Venice.…
La Cantina: When I asked the bartender – at the ungodly hour of 4 pm – when the kitchen would be open, she said my most recently-learned word: “now.” So, we plunked ourselves down and looked around for a menu. Apparently, the menu is primarily oral in nature, though the wines get a written list…
The view from the upper deck of the double decker buses isn’t so amazing. I saw into one restaurant from above, in a cool way, but everything else is pretty much the same as at street level. People seem to primarily sit up there if they are going longer distances, and they seem to stay…
Neighborhood: Shoreditch Also Called: East End (part of it), Spitalfields, Hoxton Pros: Something is always happening; for example, we discovered a free stand-up comedy show inside a barber shop Fairly safe to walk around alone because there are so many other people out, at all hours of the day and night Lots of interesting graffiti/ street art Lots…