Movie Review: Eat Pray Love

After reading some of the reviews, I didn't have very high expectations for Eat Pray Love, because it's true: when is the movie ever better than the book? Then I was totally shocked, stunned, thrilled with one little scene. In the movie, Liz's "Rome apartment" is the building across from Hotel Portoghesi, the place we stayed last month!!! Here are a few pictures I took from the street and of the rooftop balcony. They were doing renovations on "Liz's apartment" last month. The building itself is pretty blah. Hotel Portoghesi, on the other hand, is absolutely wonderful. Good luck finding it amidst the endless alleys, but once you do, it's in a central location, has comfy rooms, and an awesome rooftop breakfast terrace. I just loved it there.

{When In Rome} Save room for gelato......

Oh the gelato! Coming from Wisconsin, I find it hard for anything to compete with frozen custard, but I did enjoy the gelato in Italy. Gelato is made much like ice cream, but has a more elaborate process, has a smoother consistency, and YES less butterfat and sugar. We found Giolitti while wandering/being lost near our hotel. It looked perfect--cute outside seating, marble floors, white clad employees, old gold decor, families all around. I know there are lots of other excellent gelatarias in Rome, but we only made it to this one. I walked in and was a little confused, the signs weren't in english and the cashier had some problems understanding my Wisco-accent.

So if you go, here are the basics.......
Pay at the cashier first. Then, take your ticket to the gelato counter.
Cono: cone
Coppa: cup
Gusto: scoop
Gusti: scoops
Panna: whipped cream

and here's a chart for what all those italian flavors mean....

{When In Rome} Via dei Condotti

When in Rome, the place for window shopping is Via Condotti. It's right across from the Spanish Steps and has practically every high-end couture store (especially the italian ones) all packed into this tiny street. No, I didn't buy anything but it was a lot of fun just looking.

{When In Rome} Daily Fix: Old Doors

I took an early morning walk today to the Spanish Steps and couture boutiques to take some photos today. On the way there, these beautiful old doors kept catching my eye. I love the intricate door handles and old carved wood. Every once in a while, the doors were propped open and I could peek inside. Oh the marble! Really rich people probably live in these places. More on those couture boutiques to come!