A Local’s Roman Aperitivo (cocktail) List
I’ve lived in Rome for over ten years. When I first moved to Rome, it was said that a hotel bar was the only place to get a decent cocktail. Rome was all about wine and spritzes. I thought that was a bit of an exaggeration back then and it’s definitely not true today.
A Hugo at Ciampini.
One of my favorite things about living in Italy is the aperitivo. There’s not an equivalent in the States as it’s not a Happy Hour. The word aperitivo comes from the Latin word “to open.” An aperitivo gets your stomach “open” for dinner. The Aperitivo started in the Piemonte region in the 1700s. There were certain spirits/drinks one would have before dinner. In general they were on the bitter side, low in alcohol, and some nibbles were served as well.
Now you can have all types of drinks (or something non-alcoholic) but what hasn’t changed is the social aspect and the nibbles. It’s the perfect after work meeting. Even if you’re home alone or it’s the weekend, an aperitivo is a great way to mark the end of the day.
Aperitivo is not to be confused with Apericena. That’s when a bar has a large buffet that’s included with your drink price. It’s very popular with students and anyone who’s on a budget.
I love meeting my friends (or going by myself) to the places below. Most of them have outdoor seating. There are some very popular spots that are not on the list because I haven’t been in ages or the crowd is very young. This is a grown folks list. Cin cin!
I used to go here all the time when I lived by Campo dei Fiori. Located in Piazza Navona, this is one of the few places in the area that both locals and tourists go to. It’s a beautiful piazza. I’ve been going for over ten years and I always see some of the same people there. It’s like Cheers! Service can be a molasses level of slow.
This cafe is behind the La Galleria Nazionale Museum. It’s a hidden gem with a fantastic patio. If you go after school lets out, you might have trouble finding a seat outside. Lots of local Parioli high school students are fan of this spot too.
I never went to any of the restaurants on Piazza Navona when I live nearby. Now I do. Camillo restaurant opened in 1890. The children of the previous owners took over and renovated the restaurant reaching out to locals. Camillo is a great spot right on the piazza. They have a wonderful cocktail list and you cannot beat the view.
CIAMPINI (Piazza San Lorenzo in Lucina)
There are two other cafes in this piazza. If Ciampini is crowded, I will wait. Fantastic drinks and the waiters are lovely. It’s a pretty piazza as well.
ERCOLI (Parioli)
This is in my neighborhood but there’s a new one in Trastevere too. They have a serious cheese selection. My friend and I will split one of the mini cheese boards.
LA BUVETTE (Via Vittoria)
Located near the Spanish Step this is one of the few places that still has a loyal local clientele. They add different drinks to their cocktail menu depending on the season.
This is the only spot that doesn’t have outdoor seating. There’s a small bar inside the restaurant and they make great cocktails. Love the interior design. It’s chic and cozy.
Another one of my favs when I lived in the Centro. I went there a few months ago to meet a friend from Los Angeles and the drinks were still excellent. It can get very crowded so I used to go on the early side.
Speaking of crowded, get here early if you want a table outside. This spot is located in the Prati neighborhood not far from the Vatican museum. Excellent drinks and you can get trapizzino here too.
Located on top of the Fendi palazzo, this terrace has beautiful views and excellent drinks. The sushi restaurant is downstairs.
HOTELS:
Romans/locals don’t go to hotel bars. You see it more in cities like Milan, NYC, Los Angeles, Paris, London, etc., but these places do draw a local crowd too.
A Paloma on Hotel Locarno’s rooftop
Photos: Me and my iPhone
The outdoor garden backs into Villa Borghese Park. It’s an oasis in the middle of a busy city. The mini sliders are delicious! It’s pricey but the garden is so special.
The terrace bar has beautiful views, especially during the sunset. Stefano the bar manager is wonderful. Fantastic cocktails. Pricey too.
This is the hotel I stayed in during my first trip to Rome. At that time there wasn’t a roof terrace. The terrace is great and so is the bar and patio on the ground floor. There’s a working fireplace on the ground floor.
This hotel had a major renovation. The bar area is beautiful. A great spot for a cocktail near Termini.
This hotel opened last year and is ann excellent addition to the neightborhood. It’s in Parioli close to Villa Borghese Park. Great cocktails list.
HAVEN’T BEEN BUT ON MY LIST
Drink Kong was just included on The World’s 50 Best Bars list. It’s not surprising as Patrick Pistolesi is one of the best mixologists/bartenders in town. He used to be the bartender at a place down the street from me when I lived in the Centro. I haven’t made it to Kong yet but my friend Erica Firpo has interviewed him for her podcast Ciao Bella.
This hotel recently opened near Via Veneto. The W in Los Angeles was one of my spots so I look forward to checking this one out.
Taking My Holiday Salutations To The Next Level With Paperless Post
I always sent holiday cards when I lived in the States. Growing up it was a big deal as my parents had a very long list. They would also enclose handwritten letters to our family in the Caribbean. I loved sending and receiving cards. This was a tradition I hoped to continue once I moved to Italy.I was so naive back then. So naive!I heard that the Italian postal system was not the most efficient. However, I was surprised to receive Christmas cards in March, April, etc. or not at all. I mailed my cards in November just in case. It didn't matter, half my cards would show up long after the holidays were over.Then there's the cost. It's two euros/two dollars and thirty-five cents for a single stamp to the United States or to the Caribbean. It was annoying spending money on cards that did not arrive on time or were lost.A lot of my friends in Hollywood use for invitations, announcements, and cards. I've personally never used the brand but adored what I had received. I say this as a person who's a hardcore stationary fan. When Anagram Interactive asked me if I would be interested in using their client's website, I was excited to try it out for myself.Paperless Post's website is very easy to use. Hello, nobody has time to decipher websites that are more complicated than filling out a tax return. There's a wide variety of cards to choose from. Some of the cards are free and cards can be customized for a small additional cost. Paperless Post has collaborated with several designers (including some of my favorites) as well as having an in-house design team.With so many options you'd think it would be overwhelming to make a decision. Nope, there are filters to help you narrow your selection by color, designer, card shape, greetings, etc. Below are some of my picks for the cocktail party I'm not having thanks to a leak in my apartment (long story).
Here are some of my picks for holiday cards:
You also have the option of adding your own photo, or photos, to a card:
Paperless Post started selling both digital and paper versions in 2012 after receiving many requests from their customers. Brilliant idea, especially for those customers who are sending wedding invitations. They may have relatives or family friends who prefer paper invites.It's clear that the young founders of Paperless Post have put a great deal of thought into the design of the cards and the site in general. They've combined beauty and function. Very impressed.Note: I've been given this product to review in collaboration with Anagram Interactive. All opinions remain my own and I was in no way influenced by Anagram Interactive or Paperless Post.
I Used to Hate on Florence, Italy.
I went to Florence for the first time during my second vacation in Italy. I stayed for a couple of days.My second trip was a few years later during the first month I lived in Italy. I couldn't wait to leave both times. The second trip was over nine years ago and I believed if I never visited again, it was okay with me. Never mind that at some point I would need to return for work. My plan was to get in and get out.I loved the art and thought the city was beautiful, so what was my damage? I couldn't get a read on the city, no sense of place. I had visited during the months of May and April respectively and couldn't walk down the streets. It was that crowded with tourists. Florence felt like a Renaissance amusement park.A friend in Los Angeles was dating a chef in Florence and she suggested I go to his restaurant for lunch. He couldn't have cared less. Our mutual friend, had the same experience. She has spent a lot of time in Italy (from top to bottom) and shrugged at his rudeness saying, "Florence."Earlier this year, I was having drinks with a friend and his dear friend who grew up in Florence. She told me I needed to return to the city. That the energy in the city is completely different from my last trip. My friends who live in Florence said the same thing. I was skeptical.I decided to go on my birthday to see what my Florentine friends were raving about. August is blazing hot and still high season, but I found an excellent same day fare on Italo.This is how I felt after my day in Florence.
No, it's not because Rome is a trainwreck right now (please get it together Mayor Raggi). It's because I completely misread Florence.Man, I used to talk so much smack about Florence. In my defense, I wasn't the only one. A friend from NYC, who comes to Italy every year, emailed me during her first trip to Florence and said she was in the seventh circle of hell. She was there during the height of the high season.Yes, Florence is very popular with tourists and American exchange students. Since my two earlier trips, friends have moved to Florence and their version of the city is not what I experienced back then. How could it be? I was there for four days max. They live there. They know Florence. Their version is the side I was able to see during my trip last month.I had been to all the museums before and I didn't have a crazy itinerary this time. I wanted to see the Boboli Gardens and friends who were in town but otherwise left my schedule open to just walk around.I speak Italian now. When I walked into a store and the salesperson automatically spoke English to me, I responded in Italian. Their mood changed. Except for one dude at a handmade paper shop. I was looking for a birthday gift for a friend. I walked in and gave my best, "buon giorno". He looked at me and then proceeded to ignore me. Hello, even in Rome they will at least give you a salty, "buon giorno", or "salve" in return. I'm sorry that he had to work during Ferragosto while the vast majority of his peers were at the sea or in the mountains. Perhaps he should've closed his store during August?I had lunch at Osteria dell'Enoteca. I didn't know what restaurants would be opened during Ferragosto. Thankfully, Georgette (aka Girl in Florence) had a post for that.Georgette and I finally met in person when she was in Rome earlier this year. I think Florence's tourism board should give her a medal and a lot of money. I always forward her blog to friends, and friends of friends, who are visiting Florence.I find Tuscan cuisine a bit heavy. These ravioli were light and delicious. The waiters were lovely. It was the perfect birthday lunch.
I met Veronica in Rome through friends at my favorite store Chez Dede. She saw my Instagram post about the Boboli Gardens and suggested I stop by their store And Company. I'm thrilled that they were open during Ferragosto. It's my kind of place. I was so busy talking and looking at everything, I didn't take any photos. I did post a few videos on Instastories.Betty Soldi, is one of the owners and a very talented calligrapher. I want all her cards. Her new book dropped this month and I cannot wait to read it.
I met Melinda at Ditta Artigianale for some iced tea and air conditioning. Melinda, an American, used to commute between Paris and Florence. Currently, she lives in Florence full-time. The last time we saw each other was in Rome years ago. We had a lot of catching up to do.The Boboli Gardens were one of the many highlights of the day. It was extremely hot. I wasn't able to take it all in. I must return in fall so I can spend more time exploring.
This was my first time visiting the church San Spirito. No pictures are allowed inside. Trust me when I say it's worth a visit.
Georgette has posted a few cocktails from Irene on Instagram and she said the next time I came to Florence we had to meet there. We did. The cocktails were on point and the food was great too.
I went to the bar super early because I was basically melting in the heat. The bartenders couldn't be more friendly despite the fact that I only ordered water to drink, while watching Instastories, as I waited for Georgette and her friend.Irene is the hotel bar/bistrot for the Hotel Savoy. I loved the vibe with its fantastic interiors and the crowd was a mix of locals and guests of the hotel. It's located right on Piazza della Repubblica in the heart of the Historic Center. The space is named for Rocco Forte's (the owner) mother.
I took the fast train home. Florence is only an hour and a half train ride away.
There are a lot of day trippers, via cruise ships, in Florence. Once the sun goes down the city does empty out a bit. If you can stay longer than a day, I highly recommend it.I definitely felt a different energy during this trip. A buzz, a sense that exciting things are happening on the creative front.I left Florence feeling inspired by all the creative and talented people I met. I cannot wait to return.
Photos: Me and my iPhone unless otherwise noted.
Life in Rome - Ercoli 1928 Parioli
I have lived in Parioli for a year now and love it. When I told people I was moving from the Historic Center to Parioli, everyone had an opinion (mostly negative)."It's so boring," was one of the main criticisms I heard regarding Parioli. Granted, it's not as exciting as living around the corner from the Drunken Ship but that's okay.There are plenty of great places in this neighborhood to get your aperitivi on and the prices are much lower than the Center. That said, it is a more residential area. There are rarely any tourists and while there are quite a few American and British expats living in Parioli, I seem to bump into them only at the DOC or Carrefour supermarkets.The latest addition to the 'hood is Ercoli 1928 Parioli and I am here for it. I met a friend for an aperitivo during the holidays. The first person I saw when we walked in was Federico Tomasselli, the bar manager and one of the best bartenders in Rome. What a very pleasant surprise! He used to be at Barnum on Via del Pellegrino. I lived on Pellegrino and spent a lot of time at Barnum because of Federico and Patrick (Patrick is now at Caffe Propaganda).My friend and I sat at the bar and loved it. The bar's specialty is Vermouth. My friend said their drink was outstanding. If you don't drink Vermouth, no worries. Ercoli's wine list is deep and they have a solid cocktails list too.I returned with another friend the other week and this time we sat in the front because the bar was still setting up.We ordered glasses of wine and the Italian cheese plate. Outstanding.The service was great and everyone was friendly. Trust me, this is not the norm in Rome where service can range from indifference to outright hostility. Ha.My friend picked up some takeout for her husband. I need to ask her how the meatballs were. The cheese selection is fantastic and will be problematic. I haven't eaten lunch or dinner here yet but have heard very positive reviews about chef Andrea di Raimo's dishes.
There are people don't care how a place looks as long as the drinks are great. I'm not one of those people. For food, it's a different story. There are wonderful restaurants that don't have much of a décor but it's okay because the food is on point. However, when it come to aperitivi/cocktails, atmosphere is also very important to me.
Ercoli Parioli knocks it out of the park. The space is divided into three areas. There's a restaurant, a deli, and the bar/cantina.The architect is Roberto Liorni, who's responsible for several of my favorite restaurant spaces including, Pastificio San Lorenzo a Roma, Rosti, and 'Gusto. The latter opened in 1998 and other restaurants are still "referencing" it. Liorni was also the architect for the film company Cattleya's headquarters. All these places have their own vibe but with his unmistakable DNA, contemporary, chic, yet comfortable.I adore the interior design at Ercoli. It's not trying to be the Roman version of a space in Soho or on Abbot Kinney. It fits the neighborhood and doesn't look like every single restaurant that has opened recently. I love the plaid...an unexpected touch.
I finished the cheese I bought. I'm trying to avoid Ercoli this week. I don't think I will be successful.
Life in Rome - Aperitivi at the Beach
Ciao Bloggisti,How's the summer treating you so far?As I wrote in my previous post, I'm trying to improve my attitude and to be more social. My friend Courtney and I had plans to meet for aperitivi on Saturday. Instead of dealing with crowds in the Historic Center on a hot Saturday evening, I suggested we go to the beach. We went to Singita in Fregene. It was fantastic!Sometimes we forget that Rome is so close to the sea. By going for aperitivi instead of lunch or dinner, we would miss beach traffic in both directions.It was just what the doctor ordered. Nice breeze, great drinks, and a beautiful sunset. We started out with non-alcoholic drinks and then switched to a mojito. 
Photos: Me and my iPhone.
Life in Rome - Where to go for Cocktails
The wonderful women at Italy Casa Mia asked me to write a guest post about where to have delicious cocktails in Rome. It was hard work, very difficult research.
Photo: Gina Tringali However, somehow I was able to complete this assignment.Quite a bit of ink has been spilled recenty regarding how the cocktail scene has improved in Rome. I don’t know what it was like before but I agree that yes, it is possible to have a cocktail in Rome. Anyone who tells you that the only thing to drink is wine or an Aperol Spritz (not that there’s anything wrong with either of them) is incorrect.While a great bartender (or mixologist as they’re called today) is key, the atmosphere is just as important. There are some spots where the drinks are good but I cannot get into the vibe and/or décor.Of course this list is very subjective. Below are the places my friends and I tend to go to time and time again. Not on the list are a few bars some of my younger friends love. To paraphrase Lethal Weapon, “I’m too old for that foolishness.” This is a grown folks list.First up, in alphabetical order, the hotel bars. I’ve heard that back in the day (perhaps 2003?) the best chance for a decent cocktail was at a hotel bar but the prices tend to be higher.
DOM
This hotel opened two years ago on the gorgeous Via Giulia. A former convent, the tiny downstairs bar is seriously sexy with its dark greys. They make a great French 75. In warmer months, head upstairs to the lovely rooftop terrace. Note: On weekend nights, the bar gets very crowded. There’s usually a line (and a list) to get in.To read the rest of my list, click HERE. Buon drinking!