We also do not sleep in because our hotel has a great spread for breakfast. It is a very European breakfast consisting of several different types of salumi and other cured meats, deviled eggs, hard boiled eggs, a couple different types of quiche, fruit platters, different cereals, milk, juice, tea, rolls and pastries. My typical plate consisted of deviled eggs, a side of fruit, cornetti and a generous cup of cappuccino.

The Husband and I have been either relaxing by the hotel’s infinity pool or relaxing 250 steps below at the private beach. The infinity pool is small, but you hardly notice what with the amazing views of the Tyrhennian Sea and of the fishing village. It is like looking at a postcard come to life.

The private beach is on the rocks and is set away from the public beach, so there were a lot less people around. We both ordered a simple cheese and prosciutto sandwich to munch on, not expecting much from it, since it was basically bread, a couple slices of cheese and ham on top. OMG, it was quite possibly the best cheese and prosciutto sandwich we have ever had, no doubt! The Husband really enjoyed himself swimming in the sea and I really enjoyed taking videos of him enjoying himself swimming in the sea :-).

We also ventured into the center of town in the evenings. I loved it – the area is very cute and quaint, filled with small shops – many of which are high end so a lot of our shopping was of windows, lol. Our first night, we had dinner at Buca di Bacco. We had a table at the edge of the patio, which was great for people and dog-watching. It seems that a lot of the local dogs (all had collars) are free to roam and just hang out. I was initially concerned but my Husband convinced me they were fine. They all looked fed and happy. Besides, they are dogs in Positano – they are living in Paradise! Okay….I was convinced. Sorta. But I still wanted to take them all home with me!

Our second night was at Max. This is a definite must kind of place. Everything about this place was top notch. The food was phenomenal (probably the absolute best of our entire Italian vacation). The service was excellent and the atmosphere was very romantic. Definitely a nice way to celebrate our anniversary.

I had only nibbled on some bread and cheese, so I was really hungry for some proper food. We ended up walking towards the Barberini metro stop and found a really cute trattoria down a dark alleyway near the Trevi Fountain. We sat outside in the dimly lit cobblestone alleyway with a mix of locals and tourists. When our server came back and found that I only ate half of my dish, he seemed very concerned and thought I did not like it. I reassured him that was not the case. It was delicious but the portion size was simply huge. In fact, all of the items were huge portions. How do Italian manage to eat an app, a pasta dish and a meat dish and still stay thin? All that walking, I guess!

Right as we were about to leave, I looked up and saw a Clet Abraham piece above us! As I was researching for this trip, I came across his name in a lot of blogs. I find the add-ons to be really cute and humorous.

This morning, we quickly packed up our bags and grabbed a taxi to take us to the Termini train station. I saw a lot of travelers carrying 2, 3, even 4 bags with them getting on and off the trains. Many had family or friends traveling with them that were able to help, but a few were traveling alone and had to manager all that on their own. I am glad we only had one carry-on roller bag to worry about.

Our train to Naples was on time and we quickly boarded our cabin. We chose second class seats since the trip was only an hour (via the fast train – the Frecciarossa) and I figured an extra 60 euros for first class seats weren’t really worth it. And turns out, second class was just fine!

I reserved a car service to pick us up from Napoli Centrale to our hotel in Positano. (Note: it was pricey at 110 euros each way, but looking back, it was totally worth it. No waiting to get on another train to Sorrento, then waiting to catch a bus to Positano.)

As we were looking for our driver, I noticed a stray shepherd mix walking around the station. It would walk around and every once in a while someone would pet it and it would roll over on the ground for more rubs. Definitely not feral. We found the driver and she noted my concerned face and assured me that the dog belonged to the train station and that the employees feed and take care of her. While she probably needed a good brushing, she did look extremely well fed and very people friendly. Once I was all right with that, we made our way to the car.

The car turned out to be another Mercedes! I guess private drivers tend to drive Mercedes and taxi drivers have cute Fiats. Our driver was very nice and spoke fluent English. She gave us a bit of a mini-tour as we drove along the autostrada (we passed Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius) and gave us some tips for Positano.

I am definitely glad we did not drive. I thought Roman drivers were bad, but they seem positively tame compared to Amalfi Coast traffic. The roads are very narrow and very, very curvy. Motorinos would weave in and out and I was amazed we did not see any accidents during the 90 minute drive. Plus, there were a few tour buses and city buses in the mix and it got a hairy a couple of times during the curves.

I ended up trying to ignore the traffic and just focused on the view. And oh my – what a view! The color of the sea was a beautiful blue/teal and the cliffs with all of the buildings built on the side of them were so picturesque. The entire region is just one beautiful postcard after another! Gah!

Our room wasn’t quite ready, so we opted to grab lunch out at the terrace. And the view from the terrace was stunning. We were looking straight out to the Tyrrhenian Sea. Below us was the brand new infinity pool. Looking to the west was the main town and public beach – colorful buildings built into the side and bright yellow and orange umbrellas set up on the beach. Too giddy for words!

After lunch, we were escorted to our room and Y’ALL, I was literally breathless when the porter opened up the doors to our balcony. Words cannot express what we were both feeling at that moment. We hugged and kissed, feeling very fortunate. We were wrapped up in this beautiful dream. The best part was it wasn’t a dream. This was completely real.

Last night, we had a late dinner at Hostaria Romana. (I do not remember the last time I had dinner after 9:00pm. In Phoenix, everything shuts down at that time!) While we had a delicious meal comprising of Prosciutto and Melon, Pesce Adriatic, Bucatini Amatriciana, Panettone and complimentary Limoncello (one quick sip for me) — the heat finally took its toll on me and I ended up having a tough time right as we were leaving.

I always feel silly and stupid when I have to explain my condition because it seems like I am whining. Not a lot of people are aware of lupus. It is not easy to explain. The symptoms I have may be completely different to other lupus patients. I get the typical fatigue and swelling and pain. My big issue is the sun. Over the years, I have become more and more sun and heat sensitive. To the point that I really cannot be in direct sunlight for more than ten minutes at a time. I have to wear a hat and sunscreen or I end up getting a rash somewhere on my face or body. Some times, it gets to the point where I am nauseous and have vomiting or diarrhea (sorry, TMI).

So, last night I was not feeling well.

I woke up this morning feeling pretty good. We had breakfast brought to our room. I thought I felt good enough for the Borghese Museum. And for a time, I was totally fine. Our hotel was kind enough to reserve our tickets for us for the first session of the day. The Pauline Bonaparte statue was gorgeous. How the artist was able to create life-like folds of the creases in the chaise and folds of the sheet are beyond me. And Bernini’s David statue was amazing – very powerful in its positioning and the way the veins of the arms and legs seem to be so real and alive! Simply impressive.

After I made it through most of the rooms, I had to head back to the hotel. I was trying to fight it, but it just was not going to happen. The Husband made friends with an old Italian woman at the Farmacia and I spent the rest of the afternoon resting. At first, I felt bad for pretty much ruining the rest of the morning, but then I looked over and the Husband was conked out and pretty much napped for the next two hours. He was snoring, which means he was really, really tired. Silly Husband.

Rest was definitely needed for both of us.

And you know what? I still have not had my gelato yet. Day three. In Rome. No gelato.

Whiskey!
Tango!
Foxtrot!

After the Husband’s morning run through the Borghese Gardens, we walked next door to Caffe Strega for breakfast. I had a typical Italian breakfast – a lovely cappuccino and a cream-filled cornetto. The Husband added on an omelet and a cafe nero. We took our time, just enjoying being in Rome and watching the morning traffic whiz by on Via Veneto. There is something about busy city streets that make me happy. People moving about during the course of the day. I find the lives of anonymous people to be fascinating. Maybe it is just me!

Before we continued with our vacation, I had a mission to buy our train tickets to Naples and a couple Roma Passes at the Termini station. Unfortunately, our American credit cards would not work in the biglietti kiosks, so we had to wait in line to buy them at the ticket counter. I babbled a few words and phrases like Vorrei due biglietti per Napoli (I would like two tickets to Naples) and ritorno (round-trip) and seconda classe per piacere (second class seats, please), hoping the guy behind the counter wouldn’t laugh or smirk or roll his eyes at my less than stellar beginner’s Italian (which he did none of the above – he was very nice and helpful).

We were then off to track 24 to purchase our Roma Passes. (Note: we were fortunate to get them that day. Turns out the next day the passes were completely sold out and no news as to when more would be available.) I love buying city passes because I believe in most cases they provide a lot of bang for your buck. The Roma Pass gives you two free entrances to 60 museums, plus free access to the bus and metro system for three consecutive days. I wanted to use them for the Colosseum and the Borghese Museum since the entrance fees are two of the most expensive.

With our Roma Passes in hand, we took the metro down to the Colosseum. You cannot even imagine the gasp I took when we exited the station. You are immediately greeted with the famous structure, all arches and crumbling sides (and of course the hordes of tourists and hawkers selling their wares). This image is so ingrained in my brain that I found it hard to believe I was actually staring at it in person and not in some history book. (Scottsdale just celebrated its 60th birthday as an incorporated town. Hmmm. Sixty years versus nearly twenty centuries!)

We found a small hostaria a few blocks around the corner to grab a quick bite. The heat was not doing my appetite any favors, so I had only a small salad while the Husband ordered their margherita pizza. My salad was fine, but unfortunately, the pizza tasted like it had come out of my freezer back in Phoenix. We were both pretty disappointed, but did not dwell on it for long since we had to wrap things up and head back to the Colosseum for our afternoon tour of the Hypogeum and the Third Tier. I was super excited for this tour since they have only been offering it since last year.

(Just a tip: you can buy tickets through a third party vendor, but it is typically more expensive since they tack on fees. I called the Pierreci office directly and purchased via phone. When you call, you will hear an Italian operator, but wait until the end of the message when you hear an English operator. After punching in the appropriate number, I waited a couple minutes before I got a live person. I asked if she spoke English (parla l’inglese?), which she did and she helped me purchase the tickets which took about ten minutes to complete. I told her I was using the Roma Pass for entry, so she only charged me for the tour.)

I highly recommend this tour. I think our group only had 12 people max. We were paired up with a young Italian archeologist who provided a lot of insight to who built the Colosseum, why it was built and what it was used for. I won’t go into it since I want you to take the tour :-). It was really neat to be in the underground area where the slaves and animals were kept. We also had access up to the third tier which afforded us a great view of the interior and also a great view of the city.

We are headed to a restaurant that was recommended by the property manager. Maybe I will finally get my first scoop of gelato tonight? Bouno Sera!

Our flights were relatively painless. After a three hour layover in Chicago, we finally boarded our flight to Rome! The nine hour flight was not as bad as thought. I spent a lot of the time either falling in and out of sleep or reading Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential. The only minus was the turbulence over the English Channel — not a fun moment for me! As much as I love to travel, I am not a big fan of flying.

Prior to our trip, I made arrangements with Rome Cabs to transport us to our hotel. The cheaper route would have been taking the Leonardo Express Train into the city then transferring over to the metro line at the Termini stop, but I realized it was going to take longer to get to our hotel (once you factor in transfer time plus the time to walk from the metro stop to our hotel with bags) so I splurged an extra €20 to get door to door service. The best part? The “cab” was a shiny new Mercedes! I already love you so much, Italy!

The drive into the city took about forty-five minutes. I was amazed with all the crazy driving. The roads were pretty narrow, even along the autostrada. Cars and motorinos had no problems weaving in and out of lanes, barely missing one another by a hair’s width. Our driver was a total professional and expertly maneuvered the Mercedes, straddled the lanes, gave a couple of honks for notification and finally steered us past the Pyramide, the Colosseum and other ancient ruins towards our hotel.

Our hotel is located on Via Vittorio Veneto, a long tree-lined street near the Borghese Gardens. It is actually a small boutique hotel comprised of eight units on the first floor (second floor to us) of an office building. We booked a double room which was small (about 225 square feet) but the furniture and decor were very modern and comfortable. Included in our room rate was free wifi and a daily breakfast via room service or downstairs at the cafe next door.

Our window overlooked Via Veneto and I stood in front of it, enjoying the people watching below. There were sharp-dressed men smoking their cigarettes outside on the sidewalk . The women were all smartly and stylishly dressed, walking in their high heels with an incredible amount of fluidity that I could barely muster in my ballet flats. I was super giddy. I was in Roma!

The day has consisted of getting our bearings by walking down to the Spanish Steps to find a lunch spot. Note: get a reliable city map. The map that our hotel gave us (which is the same map given out in nearly every hotel in Rome) is awful. The font for the street names are super tiny and the cartoon landmarks are placed in weird angles that make the map even more confusing. We had my brother’s iPad with the Rome2Go app, but since it wasn’t ours and we didn’t want it to get stolen (I know, super paranoid!), we left it back at the hotel.

We end up at Osteria Margutta, a tiny spot on via Margutta. The interior is all red, white and blue with an emphasis towards American jazz and film noir. It had a strange Bastille Day/Fourth of July vibe. The Husband orders the taglionli with limone and I order the tonnarelli cacio e pepe. Both are very good and filling but we were still hot from walking around that we ate very little of our lunch. Via Margutta is a doll of a street. Very quaint and charming with little shops and restaurants with patios. I would definitely recommend a short stroll here.

After lunch, we took the metro over to Vatican City to see the inside of St. Peter’s Basilica. OMG, the line was absolutely insane. This was around 2:00pm and we thought about waiting it out, but the way the line was moving (sloooowly) and the fact that I was not going to outlast the sun (stupid lupus), we postponed this for another day and took a cab back to the hotel. Note: despite the ridiculous and insane driving habits, I love the cabbies. They mean business and got us to our destinations in record time.

Since the evenings do not really start until after 8:00pm, we decide to take a quick nap at the hotel. We have plans to grab a quick bite to eat near the Spanish Steps again. The Husband’s brother-in-law suggested L’Antica Enoteca, a casual wine bar on Via della Croce. Then, a walk down to Piazza Navona, the Trevi Fountain and hopefully end the night with some gelato!

Ciao ciao!

At nearly 8 years old, the pooch prefers to “frog” it these days. Boy, do I love this dog.

A couple of weeks ago, my friend and I decided to sign up for a Sushi Class. It was the night of another haboob — we actually drove through the brown haze, but missed the inevitable showers since we were safely inside the cooking school.

It was a small class, about twelve or thirteen students.  The instructor was very casual and informative about different sushi techniques.  She did all the hard work by making the sushi rice — which she calls sticky rice, but in my household sticky rice is definitely not sushi rice!  Apparently, it takes about 3 hours to make it properly.  A lot of it is consumed with cleaning the rice until the water is clear and pristine, then there is a lot of drying time involved, then cooking the rice, then another session of drying time.  I am glad the rice was already pre-made because it would have definitely been a very, very long night!

We grabbed our supplies (sheets of nori paper, a bamboo roller, knives, cutting board and a bowl of vinegar water) and began chopping up the fish and accompanying veggies.  My friend and I were such a mess for the first ten minutes, scrutinizing our recipe card and questioning our knife skills – are the carrots julienned properly?  Do you think the tuna slices are thin enough?  How’s my rice looking – more, less, just right??  The first roll was the most difficult because I had to get used to handling the sticky sushi rice and making sure the rolls were nice and tight.  Then the second, third and fourth rolls were easy peasy!

Take a look at our bounty!  (Apologies for the quality as the photos below were taken with my less than stellar smartphone).  Bottles of wine came out and we all settled into our seats with various rolls – salmon & jalapeno, bacon & avocado, tuna nigiri, and crab tempura to name a few.

Do you guys like sushi? I can eat rolls upon rolls without skipping a beat – I love it that much!

I really intended to start 2011 with weekly updates, but the new job has been keeping me busy and who really wants to hear boring occupational whinge? Honestly, I have done nothing but work — I even had to cancel my second Best Friends volun-cation in April because work was extremely busy. I did take one day off for a quick trip to Denver, Colorado to see my sister-in-law and her family and took another day off to sit at home and do nothing — because it felt wonderful to just do nothing during a work day!

So, see? You haven’t missed much!

The Husband and I are back from a quick weekend in La Jolla, California. Our friends (who live in the Bay Area) were married in a beautiful ceremony at The Lodge at Torrey Pines, overlooking the famed golf course. Aren’t they a cute couple?

This was the first time I have actually spent any actual time in La Jolla and I loved the area! The weather was gorgeous, sunny and in the mid-70′s. Such a nice break from the Arizona summer where our average low temperature is in the 90′s! I know, just typing that simply depresses me.

We drove the six hours to La Jolla in The Husband’s convertible, so we were able to drive with the top down and ride through the streets of Coronado Island then drove up to Encinitas and had a leisurely drive back through the cute beach towns of Solana Beach, Pacific Beach and Del Mar.

Here are photos of The Husband wading through the waters of Shell Beach and me in front of Hotel del Coronado. See my white pants? They weren’t so white anymore after a walk down the beach!

That has been the extent of my “summer vacation” :-). How has your summer been?

After 7 years with my company, I was laid off. I was part of a huge workforce reduction. It was a very sad period, not only for myself, but for friends/co-workers who were also affected.

A death in my Husband’s family. A very sad, gawd-damn sad and tragic death. RIP Christopher.

My little Strummer was diagnosed with ITP. The normal range is 175-500, but he only had a platelet count of 6. He is currently on prednisone and we are waiting for the results of his 4th CBC. His 3rd CBC came back at 540, so we hope he is stabilized and he will be off the drug soon.

THE GOOD

I fulfilled my dream of volunteering at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. It was fabulous, perfectly amazing and one of the best experiences I have ever had. I continue to think about the dogs we met and hope they all find their forever homes. My Husband and I hope to make this an annual “volun-cation”.

Seeing David Sedaris at SMoCA in May. It was the second time we have attended one of his readings. He is magnificently hilarious.

Our third trip back to San Francisco! We got to see Pavement, one of our favorite bands, play at the Greek Theatre. Hubs and I also had dinner at Chez Panisse Cafe (one day, we will return and have dinner in the more formal downstairs) where we ran into Michael Pollan!

After two months of unemployment, I was offered a position with a great company near my house! It took a bit getting used to working in a corporate office again. I do miss working from home, but I do like being able to speak to people other than my dog, haha!

Seeing the Pixies for the third time! How can one not love them? Gush!

Family Reunion! My uncle, his wife and two small children (who live on Reunion Island) came for a visit during the holidays! I have not seen him in 25 years and I had yet to meet his beautiful new wife and adorable girls. My cousins (my uncle’s daughters from another marriage) from Paris, France and Leeds, UK also flew over for a visit. I had not seen both of them in 4-5 years, so it was a great family reunion.

And I am happy to report that 2011 has started off with a bang. I accepted a new offer with my current company. It is a promotion and I just finished my first week in this new position. I am completely overwhelmed keeping up with my new responsibilities while also doing my old position (hopefully, they will find a replacement for me soon). I know it is the “new job” jitters and things will eventually settle down.

I really look forward to what the new year will bring.

Wishing you all peace, love and happiness!