It’s been over 10 years.
Bryan and I took a semi-spontaneous weekend trip to Rome this past weekend. Spontaneous because we tacked it onto a business trip I had in England, and frankly, with our busy schedules, we hadn’t expected to actually be able to go.
But somehow, surprisingly, the dates worked out, schedules opened up, and . . . . we just decided to go for it.
Jen & Bryan in Rome September 2001
Rome is special because we spent our honeymoon there. In September of 2001 (right before the attacks actually, but I’ll save that whole crazy story of being stuck in Europe during 9/11 for another post), we visited Rome, Florence, and Venice.
Revisiting (and enjoying cappuccinos) at the hotel we stayed at 10 years ago
It was really special going back. We visited old haunts, discovered new ones, and (of course), sampled tons and tons of incredible food.
Here’s a sneak preview of some food we had, to be explored more in future posts, of course!
Beautiful buffalo mozzarella with roasted cherry tomatoes from our favorite restaurant this trip in Rome.
Prosciutto made from “black pork” (Berkeshire pork / kurobuta) from that same favorite restaurant. This was amongst the best prosciutto we’d ever had.
Gorgeous artisanal pastas at markets near Piazza Navona.
An antipasto of grilled vegetables and buffalo mozzarella cheese.
A simple but lovely gnocchi with all’Amatriciana (guanciale + tomato sauce).
Fantastic Roman-style Magherita pizza with a super paper-thin crust.
A tasting of crudo (raw seafood) from our only Michelin star experience in Rome.
According to Bryan, the best pasta carbonara he’s ever had.
A delicious seafood entree from a lovely, romantic restaurant near Piazza Navona.
Said to have one of the best Sicilian-style cannolis, we had to stop and try a bite.
Similarly, I had to try at least one of the famous gelato places near the Pantheon. Can’t wait to share with you more about my journey in (hopefully soon) upcoming posts.
Ciao . . .
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So fun to sneak in a quick getaway! We’re going to Italy for our honeymoon in October (Rome, Florence, Venice, Bologna, and Siena) — would love any recommendations you have. And I’ll be back to check out the food when you post about it!
Looks like you had an awesome time!
Did you buy more candy to replace the ones you got from your honeymoon?
I can see you were in San Crispino gelateria..I hope you enjoyed!
Yes! I caught it about 5 minutes before it was closing (right before midnight). Even though it was raining and we had just eaten a huge meal, I had to get some!
Hi Jen! Any recommendations on hotels to stay at in Rome?
For our honeymoon we stayed at Hotel Quirinale, which is conveniently located right at the top of the Spanish Steps. It’s a lovely hotel. 10 years later, we stayed at the Westin, which is in a pretty part of the city but is less conviently located. If I were to go back, I would probably stay somewhere close to Piazza Navona, which is where we found ourselves hanging out most evenings. It’s also convenient and central to everything.
Thank you so much! I love reading your blog, trying out your recipes, and I really appreciate you taking the time to reply.
You’re welcome! Thanks for reading! 🙂