(Thanks to Luca for the photographs taken during Alessandro's weekly photography class held on Sundays!)
Friday, June 4, 2010
Suggestions Welcome!
Have you been to Rome or Italy? Is there something or anything that you think I should see/taste/touch that I can share with you here? Leave a comment below and let me know! :)
(Thanks to Luca for the photographs taken during Alessandro's weekly photography class held on Sundays!)
(Thanks to Luca for the photographs taken during Alessandro's weekly photography class held on Sundays!)
Shoutout!
Hey Stony Brook! Hey varying parts of the world holding the people that I love! Probably the most difficult part of this voyage is not being able to first hand share it with you. When I am out in the city, I always think I see people from home. Catching a glimpse of someone walking down the street having similar features of someone I know, and I understand that there's NO possible way it could be them but that corner of my mind still hopes. I wish that I could give you a lick of my gelato or a bite of my pizza, sit with you on the bus for my daily tour of the city and have you here with me in this crazy place where your senses utterly takeover. Wandering is wonderful but it's nice to know that one day I will be wandering right back to you.And so I try my best to share my experience. Check out my article on Living in Rome for the Times Beacon Record!
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Callie Con Arte
A little fun at Macro: Future's art magazine fair where I acquired both a collection of awesome Italian art magazines and also a business card filled with the names and addresses of several restaurants hand written by the staff of one of the businesses. 
Art of the Future
“Roma. The Road to Contemporary Art.”
Another preview of the new spaces for contemporary art was held at Macro Future where there was an international art fair taking place from May 27-30th. This location was off the beaten track in the southern part of Rome in Testacchio. (Remember: Most tourists only spending a limited time in Rome would prefer to see the more ancient art found in the Capitoline or Vatican Museums.) The area both inside and outside used to be an abandoned slaughterhouse, many of the equipment for which still remained.
It was like a giant party of art galleries!
My love for modern art is in its humor. It is hard to look at some of the art within the contemporary galleries and NOT laugh. Do you agree? You don't have to necessary LIKE it, but you can at least appreciate it and try to understand it. To those people who say, "I could have done that!" My response is: You didn't.
Things I Love: An innovative and radical use of materials. Such as...
Bubble Gum! 
Toast!
Tiny People!
Shoelaces!
Feathers!
Key Chains!
Another preview of the new spaces for contemporary art was held at Macro Future where there was an international art fair taking place from May 27-30th. This location was off the beaten track in the southern part of Rome in Testacchio. (Remember: Most tourists only spending a limited time in Rome would prefer to see the more ancient art found in the Capitoline or Vatican Museums.) The area both inside and outside used to be an abandoned slaughterhouse, many of the equipment for which still remained.
It was like a giant party of art galleries!My love for modern art is in its humor. It is hard to look at some of the art within the contemporary galleries and NOT laugh. Do you agree? You don't have to necessary LIKE it, but you can at least appreciate it and try to understand it. To those people who say, "I could have done that!" My response is: You didn't.
Things I Love: An innovative and radical use of materials. Such as...
Tiny People!
Shoelaces!
Feathers!
Key Chains!
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
McDonald's Speaks Italian
Directly down the street from the famous Spanish Steps lies the location of the #1 Most Unique McDonald's in the World! McDonald's has dozens of locations here in Rome but with over 500 seats, this one tops the Italian scale. There were campaigns to prevent McDonald's from opening and when it finally did open its doors, it was called, "the death of Italian cuisine."
The actual entrance is hidden. You think it's just a McCafe with coffee drinks and McFlurry's but you have to walk through a hallway and up a set of stairs to get to the real "restaurant" area and it's HUGE. The majority of the other customers seemed to be younger and Italian, not swarming with tourists probably because of its concealed location. The modern furniture and seating design was impressive, along with the use of marble for the entirety. Without a doubt the cleanest and most upscale McDonald's I have ever entered. Oddly enough, the advertisements stressed health? Giant photographs of tomatoes and diagrams highlighting the organic nature of their ingredients. CLEARLY why everyone wants to go to McDonald's in Rome: to be healthy.
But Wait! Why this focus on ingredients? As all McDonald's in the world have custom menu items specific to that region, here they have the McItaly. Just debuted in February 2010, this burger is made with all Italian beef, Asiago cheese and an artichoke spread. It was developed by the Italian Agriculture Minister and the president of McDonald's Italia in order to try and boost the sales the local Italian farmers, coinciding with the Slow Movement in Italy. 
German, shown above midway through his burger, extremely enjoyed his Roma McDonald's experience, saying that the atmosphere is great and "once you're in there it takes you some time to realize you are really in a McDonald's restaurant." He particularly liked the lack of the "well-known McDonald's smell."
Still, being inside of a McDonald's in Rome, Italy felt wrong. But it's quick. Several food options here in Rome aren't. So if McDonald's is what you like, head to Piazza di Spagna. For cheap Italian teenagers or your average tourist craving a taste of home, it's not bringing harm to anyone. Perche no? Why Not!
The actual entrance is hidden. You think it's just a McCafe with coffee drinks and McFlurry's but you have to walk through a hallway and up a set of stairs to get to the real "restaurant" area and it's HUGE. The majority of the other customers seemed to be younger and Italian, not swarming with tourists probably because of its concealed location. The modern furniture and seating design was impressive, along with the use of marble for the entirety. Without a doubt the cleanest and most upscale McDonald's I have ever entered. Oddly enough, the advertisements stressed health? Giant photographs of tomatoes and diagrams highlighting the organic nature of their ingredients. CLEARLY why everyone wants to go to McDonald's in Rome: to be healthy.
But Wait! Why this focus on ingredients? As all McDonald's in the world have custom menu items specific to that region, here they have the McItaly. Just debuted in February 2010, this burger is made with all Italian beef, Asiago cheese and an artichoke spread. It was developed by the Italian Agriculture Minister and the president of McDonald's Italia in order to try and boost the sales the local Italian farmers, coinciding with the Slow Movement in Italy. 
German, shown above midway through his burger, extremely enjoyed his Roma McDonald's experience, saying that the atmosphere is great and "once you're in there it takes you some time to realize you are really in a McDonald's restaurant." He particularly liked the lack of the "well-known McDonald's smell." Still, being inside of a McDonald's in Rome, Italy felt wrong. But it's quick. Several food options here in Rome aren't. So if McDonald's is what you like, head to Piazza di Spagna. For cheap Italian teenagers or your average tourist craving a taste of home, it's not bringing harm to anyone. Perche no? Why Not!
Museum Overload!
MACRO (Museo d'arte Contemporary Roma)
There was a preview of the redesigned Macro Museum this past weekend, showcasing what is yet to come on the contemporary front sweeping the city of Rome. Originally the building of the old Peroni brewery, the site has been transformed using modern architectural design and will be fully open in the Fall. Set with the color theme red and black, the building resembles a dynamic space station. A multi-level experience including an atrium, rooftop terrace, and informational utilities of a media library and brand-new conference auditorium. Different exhibition halls house permanent collections highlighting Italian artistic production following WWII, works ranging from abstraction to Pop art, tracing the different Italian art trends.
Instillations produced specifically for the museum include Hashimoto's piece in the entrance to the new wing, titled "Silence Still Governs Our Consciousness" where 7000 kites hang from the ceiling in an intricate design. This redefining of gallery space is meant to highlight bridging the gap between Maco's present and future.
This museum was nicknamed by Hasan as, "The Macaroni." The preview was invitation only. We snuck into the museum with a special "Press Pass" that was given to me by two sweet Italian old women who told me about the whole event the night before.
Play the video to see more art within Macro!
There was a preview of the redesigned Macro Museum this past weekend, showcasing what is yet to come on the contemporary front sweeping the city of Rome. Originally the building of the old Peroni brewery, the site has been transformed using modern architectural design and will be fully open in the Fall. Set with the color theme red and black, the building resembles a dynamic space station. A multi-level experience including an atrium, rooftop terrace, and informational utilities of a media library and brand-new conference auditorium. Different exhibition halls house permanent collections highlighting Italian artistic production following WWII, works ranging from abstraction to Pop art, tracing the different Italian art trends.
Instillations produced specifically for the museum include Hashimoto's piece in the entrance to the new wing, titled "Silence Still Governs Our Consciousness" where 7000 kites hang from the ceiling in an intricate design. This redefining of gallery space is meant to highlight bridging the gap between Maco's present and future.
This museum was nicknamed by Hasan as, "The Macaroni." The preview was invitation only. We snuck into the museum with a special "Press Pass" that was given to me by two sweet Italian old women who told me about the whole event the night before.Play the video to see more art within Macro!
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
H2O in Rome
The first time I saw someone drinking out of what appeared to be a dirty hose from a sewer on the street, little did I know that it was, in fact, fresh cold water! Rome, famous for its ancient aqueducts, still has clean and drinkable water that flows constantly from the underground springs to these wonderful water fountains on the streets. In order to drink from the fountain, you must plug your finger in the bottom where the water rushes out, and it shoots up through a smaller hole at the top. When you have somewhat smaller fingers, this is a difficult task!
Note: There is no elegant or charming way to do this. Or at least for me there isn't.
I won't lie. It is a fact that I am too dehydrated here. Especially now that the weather is getting hotter, all I crave is a nice cold gelato or a chilled beer. But sometimes all you need is some good old H2O!
Note: There is no elegant or charming way to do this. Or at least for me there isn't.
I won't lie. It is a fact that I am too dehydrated here. Especially now that the weather is getting hotter, all I crave is a nice cold gelato or a chilled beer. But sometimes all you need is some good old H2O!
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