Rome via Brooklyn

610 words, 3 minute read.

I’m feeling the jet lag. My brain is all fuzzy feeling. But I accomplished some, if not all of my goals. I got in to the apartment and settled in a bit and fed myself. I’d wanted to walk and explore and read, but it isn’t happening. And that is ok.

I will say on reflection I may not have “overpacked” per se, but I certainly packed like a hedonist bent on having choice and creature comforts. I didn’t listen to my own advice and had to awkwardly navigate a couple blocks with extreme amounts of luggage from where the taxi could drop me to the address. Once dropped off, I also forgot that the addresses on opposite sides of an Italian street are not necessarily numbered in the same sequence. One side of the street was going up and I followed these, only to realize that the other side of the street the numbers were going down. I may have walked a few unnecessary blocks cursing a taxi driver who has actually dropped me fairly close to where I needed to be. I retract my curses. Always check GPS.

I’m exceedingly pleased with the apartment but it is always funny to be in a new place furnished by strangers. Dish soap yes. Sponge no. Not a single waste basket, trash can, or bin in sight. [I rigged up a temporary alternative – see photos!] V clever shoe storage and built in closets and interesting drawers in the bathroom. The spare single bed in the bedroom makes me yearn to have at least one of my daughters here with me. Maybe next year.

Besides a cheap bin or two, other things on my immediate shopping list is some way to iron or better yet steam my clothes. I love weaves in summer but boy do they wrinkle. And, brighter light bulbs for the bathroom, no way I’m going to make it through 3 weeks getting ready in mood lighting. Given the national holiday tomorrow, this will have to wait until Tuesday and I may be quiet rumpled as I show you round tomorrow.

The apartment location is really prime time. No bad thing as we can walk just about everywhere and it is well connected to public transport and lots of resources. Yet, this also means it heaves with tourists at certain hours and it is easy to overspend at local restaurants etc..

The grocery store is literally around the corner. Too a NYC-er it has a weird mix of a bodega vibe with bougie specialty store, and yet completely authentically Italian. Its a small urban version of a larger supermarket chain and the mix of products reflects what sells.

A few logistical updates:

On Tuesday we meet at Centrale Montemartini at 9.45 am. A bit part of your grade is punctuality. I have your tickets we need to enter as a group. Even though you are in apartments you don’t have to move through the city as a group. You or you and a friend or two are free to head out on your own. It isn’t a great dynamic for everyone to wait under the last person in the apartment is ready to walk out door. Why not head out early and try ordering a cappuccino and a cornetto con creme at a Bar before grabbing the bus?

We’ll be in the museum for about two hours maybe a little more, before our lunch reservation at 12.30 pm. After lunch we’ll head to the Prati public market to buy fresh produce and shop like an Italian. (Always good to shop on a full stomach!).