La Taverna del Leone

We ate our way through Rome, and then we cooked our way through the Amalfi Coast.

Not knowing what to expect, we signed the family up for a "cooking vacation."  It turned out to be a great medley of cooking, sightseeing, and down time.

And in a stunning setting, to boot.

The cooking class was in Positano, the famous, postcard-worthy village, known for it's steeped cliffs, tacked with pastel-bright houses.  We alternated days of cooking with excursions to Ravello, Amalfi, Sorrento and Pompeii.

We can't thank our hostess-chefs at La Taverna del Leone enough for such a memorable experience.  Filomena and Fortunata were our darling leaders, not only guiding us through the technical aspects of southern Italian cooking, but also taking us on a journey toward understanding the historical significance--agricultural, cultural and personal--of each ingredient and dish.

There's no farm-to-table movement here.  Everything is locally sourced, and ingredients are always whatever is in-season.  Here's a sampling of our week-long menu, all of which we made all by ourselves!

Day 1:  Pizza, of course!! 

And all kinds of other dough . . . bread dough, pasta dough, cookie dough, pizza dough.

With stuffed eggplant rolls and stuffed zucchini flowers as a starter course:

Day 2:  Ravioli Capresi and Gnocchi Alla Sorrentina:

Rolling the gnocchi . . .

 Local yumminess:

Bring on the dolci:

GELATO!

SPONGE CAKE!

ALMOND FLOUR CHOCOLATE CAKE

TIRAMISU

Dear Amica

Thanks, CB, for coming out to play with us in Rome!  We were thrilled to see you again and are so appreciative of your hospitality.  We'll count on seeing you again soon. 

Borghese Gardens: A Dreamy Retreat for Runners, Art-Lovers and Kids Alike

What a gem.

The lovely Villa Borghese is situated in a large park by the same name in the north part of Rome.

This museum is the perfect size for me.  As much as I love the Louvre and the National Art Gallery and the Rijks, etc., they are exhausting.  Show me a really captivating collection in a beautiful location that I can accomplish in a quality way within two hours, and I'm usually enthralled. 

The very ambitious 17-century cardinal, Scipione Borghese, had the villa built to house his large and prestigious art collection.  Scipione wasn't always ethical in his acquisition of important pieces (artists and collectors were threatened with imprisonment or death if they didn't just hand over the piece he wanted; and he exploited his power and stipends as nephew to the Pope), but he understood art and was a great patron, including Bernini and Carvaggio.  Carvaggio was quite controversial for his time, and Scipione showed a great deal of forward thinking in his patronage of the artist.

As you can see, the interior is as breathtaking as the art itself.

The grand park surrounding the villa has so much to offer, including a zoo, cafes, and carousels, even a globe theater. 

We rented these funny four-person bikes and picnicked in the park after our museum visit.  And not being too far from our hotel, it was our go-to running spot while in Rome.

Well, okay, a Proseco picnic!

Run, Dad, run!!!  Look below . . . Borghese Gardens overlooks the Spanish steps and Barcaccia Fountain.  Delightful!

Give Me an "M"

Give me an "M" for Michelangelo.  He steals the show at the Vatican. 

Of course this is no surprise, but for first-timers, like my husband, walking through the Vatican Museums leaves one wondering how the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica can top the seven kilometers (4.35 miles) of art and architecture that lead to two of Big M's most important and famous works.

But, impress it does.  Even Abby and Reese gazed up in awe. 

There's no photos and no talking in the Sistine Chapel.  Only meditative quiet and appreciation.  Below are few shots I pulled off the internet.

I could go deep on this topic, but I won't.  Too much for this non-art historian and this little blog.  But, it's fascinating.  Michelangelo is fascinating, and a brilliant light in the history of mankind. Each time I learn more about him, I feel bathed in that light.  And craving a little more.

The crowds in the rest of the museums area didn't really make it easy to take photos, so the best I could do was capture St. Peter's Basilica, where the scale is SO big that no crowd could put a dent in a few photos ops. 

We went to the top and we went to the bottom. 

Michelangelo was hand selected and commissioned to be the master architect, artist, and sculptor when he was in his 70's.  It was his last project.

Michelangelo's dome, above.  Bernini's baldacchino below.  It's the largest dome in the world, even today.

To the top:

Did you know that Vatican City is its own country?  A country within a city.  Seriously.  Only thing like it in the world.  Gave us a chance to add another flag to our collection.

And send postcards with another country's stamp: