When in Rome....

My people!

Just a little bit of rain on our
first day in Rome

Mike and I have just returned from an unbelievable trip to Italy.  I've been a little stressed about how to describe the amazing time we had and how to articulate what I think is a trip of a lifetime.  So I've decided to break up our trip into 3 separate entries, one for each of the different cities we visited.  This will ensure that I spare you all from a FAR too wordy blog post with an over load of pictures (I took a total of 288 over the 9 days that we were in Italy), most of which include self-taken "arm shots", and photos of gorgeous monuments with a tiny figure of myself or Mike in the foreground.  I'd like to retain the 15 readers I do have, so I won't subject you to that nonsense.

I've also decided that I wont be detailing our hourly, daily accounts of what we did every step of the way.  I can illustrate that through my pictures.  Rather, I've decided that my unforgettable experiences would best be documented by sharing with you some of the highlights and some of my favorite moments, restaurants, and sightings in each of the cities that we saw.  I'd also like to thank the members of our family, our friends, co-workers and our outstanding travel agent for all the recommendations, warnings, and advice that was shared with us prior to our trip.  I'm convinced that without all of the input (although overwhelming at times) and assistance in planning, we might have had a different experience.  So thank you to everyone, we were thinking of you all on our adventure.

Trevi Fountain

The gardens of the Vatican

St. Peter's Square

The first stop on our Italian tour was Rome.  Regardless of the fact that we slept for less than 3 hours, we were both anxious to get out and about and roam (pun intended) around one of the oldest cities in the world.  We only had 2 days in Rome, and there was quite a bit to see if this is your first time there, so after a quick shower @ the hotel & a bottle of "welcome Prosecco", we were off to the sights.  Since Rome is a relatively large city, we decided that the best way to see everything was to do the hop on/hop off double-decker bus....touristy, I know...but "when in Rome".  Honestly, it turned out to be one of the best decisions we made, and I'd highly recommend it to any future travelers, if you want to avoid ruining good shoes and/or getting blisters.  We also had a little bit of rain on our first day in Rome, so it was nice to have some cozy shelter and not have to deal with getting around a wet & soggy city.  They literally touch almost all of this churches and ruins in Rome that you could have on your "list"!

Another major highlight for us was our tour of the Vatican.   As a Catholic, this was something I wanted to invest the time in, and it was worth the money to get a tour guide.  Thankfully we were not among the seas of guides that are 30+ people all struggling to stay together as they follow a guide carrying some colored flag or pole through the Vatican.  We weren't required to wear headphones so that we could hear everything our docent explained.  Our group was an intimate team of only 6 people with the sweetest guide who was a wealth of knowledge and provided us with 4 hours of entertainment and history as we ventured through the grounds and museums of the holiest city on the planet.  She told us little nuggets of information that I'm sure you can't read in any history book.  It was absolutely awe inspiring to tour the works of some of the greatest artists in the history of the world (I usually use this phrase in jest or to exaggerate, but this time, it's relevant)!  The high school humanities and USC art history student in me was in heaven!

At the Pantheon - the stranger we asked to take this  obviously didn't appreciate the significance of getting
the actual building in the shot 

The Sistine Chapel was absolutely a sight to be seen....and more vibrant and beautiful than anything I could have ever imagined or any pictures I studied in art history books.  It was disconcerting that people violated a few of the rules intended to keep the Sistine Chapel a spiritual experience for all, so you'll notice I did not take any pictures of the ceiling. Luckily, Mike and I took our tour on a day that wasn't too crowded with fellow tourists, but the chapel was absolutely packed, and not anything like the silent, more holy experience that I was expecting. But that didn't make it any less special or any less breath-taking.

It's pretty amazing that Mike managed
to take a picture of me @ the Spanish
steps with NO ONE else in it!

Since Rome was so huge and we were there for only 2 days, we had a pretty packed agenda.  It left little time for us to fit anything in outside of the famous ruins and churches.  But on our walks in between the sights, there were monuments, ruins, churches and piazzas at what seemed like every turn.  My favorite thing about Rome was that it is so old that it feels as though everything has historical significance.  We tried navigating through the streets with a map, but ended up stumbling upon other city sights instead.  Even the most mundane buildings in Rome, like a bank, are centuries older than even the oldest stuff we have in America.  And the Forum, these are ruins from before the birth of Christ, and the ruins are just nestled in between other buildings for people to walk by every day...just like I walk past Macy's in Herald Square!  It's unlike anything I've ever experienced before in my life.  To think of all the wars, weather and time, and you can still see remnants of the Colosseum...just WOW!

Wine glasses the size of my head!

I've saved my favorite highlight for last, and I hope I can provide some recommendations for any of you who may go to Rome in the future.   Italy did not disappoint when it comes to food...I'm not exaggerating when I say that I have never been to a foreign country where I was 100% satisfied with everything I ate, but the food was unbelievable.  Everything from the little cafes with the most delicious coffee, to the piadinas you can get from a food cart in front of the Vatican, to the gourmet Italian restaurants we went to; everything was a culinary celebration.  I'm sure that it's impossible to have bad food when you're in Italy, but we ate two dinners in Rome that I think are worth sharing.

And this one was even bigger!

The first night we ate at L'Asino D'Oro, which was not too far from our Rome hotel, Rose Garden Palace.  Of the entire trip, Mike and I decided that this restaurant had the best tiramisu, which is huge for someone who rarely skips dessert, and on our first night too!  It was also the place where our love affair with Brunello wine from Montalcino started.  It wasn't traditional Italian spot, so if you're looking for pizza or a heaping plate of bolognese, I wouldn't suggest this place.  But it was a foodie's dream with unlikely pairings and unconventional dishes that left us practically licking our plates.

We opted for more traditional Italian on our last night in Rome, so we went to Casa Bleve.  After arriving, we were immediately treated to a wonderful selection of wine & complimentary snacks during our 5 minute wait for a table.  This restaurant was particular worth noting because it was here that we had probably the best buffalo mozzarella in the entire state of Italy.  If I were a more talented writer, I could go on for pages about the freshness and buttery texture, but it's making me hungry.  We were stuffed and quite tired after our meal, but if you're up for it, you should take a look at the first-century foundation below the dining room to see their wine vault!

We were so happy to start our trip in Rome, but it was definitely a trip that left our calves and feet a little achy as we did not rest until about dinner time both nights. But the introduction to Italian culture and the historical journey we experienced in Rome was something we'll never forget.  Our next adventure took us to Florence and into the countryside of Tuscany.  I can't wait to share more of our adventures, highlights and meals with you next week.  Ciao!

Vive La France

 As we are getting ready to take another trip over the Pond to Europe, it reminded me that I have yet to post about another extremely festive celebration we had this summer.  I know it's terrible, but Bastille Day was over 2 full months ago.  If there is any reason do get dressed up and celebrate something...you can count on my husband to do just that.  Mike had Bastille day blocked out on his calendar weeks before the actual date, and had recruited our equally festive friends, the Bucks, for a beret-filled evening of celebrating the French.

This was the appetizer

My husband has been begging me to go to Les Sans Culottes since we moved to New York.  In the spirit of celebration, I gave in and prepared myself for what would be a glutinous evening.  Mike was so excited to wear his new pink blazer and handkerchief with the matching beret, an outfit carefully selected for this special occasion.  Before even entering the tiny French establishment, it was mandatory that all four donned different colored berets....a French essential. 

Prior to Bastille Day 2012,  it was hard to find a reason to go to a restaurant with an unlimited selection of sausages & meats....just as the appetizer.  I was surprised that we were also given a beautiful basket with a fine selection of seasonal fruits and vegetables as part of the appetizer experience as well. With the combination of sausage and vegetables, there was a little something for everyone. 

To accompany the spread we had pre-dinner, there was a variety of other authentic dishes as the main course as well.  We had a choices of French specialties such as coq au vin, escargot, mussels, and of course as much of the most delicious baguettes you could possibly eat.  Courtney and I drank carafes of red wine while the men sipped fancy cognacs "apres diner". 

I'd would say that I would recommend this little hole in the wall for visitors and I'd be happy to make this special day a New York tradition; regardless of the fact that we did have a few Les Sans Culottes patrons ask us "what's with the berets" (doesn't everyone know when Bastille day is?)?  The most endearing this about the whole evening wasn't the berets, or the French cuisine, or even the cocktails.  It makes my heart smile thinking that we find reasons to celebrate with friends and wear costumes on what may be ordinary days to other people. I can truly say, that during our meal & our after-dinner excursion, we were the only people who even knew it was Bastille Day.  We shamelessly paraded around New York City in hot wool berets, even though it was the height of the Manhattan summer.  We scoffed at other people who questioned why we all were wearing these hats. And we kept extra berets in our purses to share with others if they wanted to join in on the fun. 

When I first met Mike, he talked about how he and Chuck base their lives around "chasing serotonin".  I laughed and thought nothing of it. But it's actually a huge lesson we can all try to learn from a little bit.  Life really is about these little unexpected holidays, and not taking yourselves too seriously.  It's these moments that ground you and remind us all that life is fun and there should always be a reason to celebrate.  But most importantly, when you have an opportunity to wear a beret....you shouls always do it!

Fight On for Ol' SC!

I miss being a car ride away from USC football.  I miss the energy of the Colosseum on Game Day.  I miss the sea of cardinal and gold during football games.  I miss how in LA, you can buy SC gear at even the tiniest of grocery stores or pharmacies.  I miss the tailgating and making random friends in the parking lots, and I miss the smell of the post game dirty dogs. Even if I can't get to the game, I miss WATCHING the Trojans on TV (damn you New York and your 3 hour time difference and lack of coverage of most West Coast sports teams).  And let's face it...I miss USC being eligible for bowl games.

When I found out that the USC Trojans were visiting the great state of New York (ok....so it's actually New Jersey) to take on Syracuse @ MetLife stadium, there was no doubt in my mind that I would be at that game.  This will be the first time I've seen USC play live since moving to New York...I've gone 2 full football seasons without watching my dear Trojans on the field.

As with any college football game, tailgating is a must.  So you can imagine my disappointment when I woke up to tornado warnings and torrential downpour.  The sky was dark and ominous all morning, and up until our commute out to the Meadowlands from the city.  As luck would have it, we didn't get a drop of rain during our entire tailgate.  My dad was in town for work, and stayed for the weekend to come to the big game with us, and my dad is a professional tailgater.  Pops got some big, fat, delicious deli sandwiches for the game and packed a cooler full of everything you could ever want for a good ol' fashioned college tailgate. We even coordinated between some out-of-towners, family friends, and fellow USC alumni, so we had quite a turnout for a USC away game...all the way in New Jersey!

Rockin' the pancho

Cardinal & Gold everywhere!

Even though we were 3,000 miles away from the Colosseum, the Trojan pride was still in full force.  Our seats were amazing and only a few rows up from the field, by the end zone in the impressive visitor's section that was saturated with cardinal and gold everywhere you looked.   During halftime, the storm returned with a vengeance.  We were all instructed to take shelter inside the while the wind & rain pummeled the stadium.  For a little over an hour, we were confined to the inside of the stadium to wait out the storm, and party with other Trojan fans. It looked like a USC home game inside MetLife during the rainstorm, I couldn't have been more proud of the Trojan family that was representing in NY!

It felt DAMN good to have a football program once again.  I'd argue it wasn't our BEST game, and I felt like the Trojans could have dominated a bit more, but our boy Matt Barkley did have 6 TDs...not so bad!  Having a little piece of the Trojan family out in New York made me a little home sick for football season at the Colosseum, but it also made me proud that I am among great alumni and students who had such an impressive showing at a non-conference game against Syracuse.  Football season in America is a very beautiful thing, and I'm so glad I was able to kick it off with a Trojan W, a family visit, and old friends.  FIGHT ON!

Happy Holland-Days!

This summer has taken us on many travels and it has been quite a year for us in terms of weddings.  As you've seen, we've been to 3 previous weddings this year, and it was excellent to finish up the wedding season AND the summer of 2012 with a beautiful trip out to Holland for Amy and Mike's wedding in Utrecht. 

I have to admit, that a trip to the Netherlands was not on my list of top 5 places I wanted to visit, and the knowledge I had of what Holland was like was limited.  However, after a weekend in the Netherlands, I'm convinced it's one of my favorite places I've ever been to, and to say it was an extremely memorable trip would be the understatement of the year.  I haven't even been away from Holland for more than 24 hours, and I'm already trying to figure out how I can become a permanent resident of Utrecht, NL.

Lunch outside Hotel L'Europe on the Canal

When we arrived in Amsterdam, we had a day or so before the wedding festivities began.  We were so excited to be in Amsterdam, that we refused (ok, maybe I insisted) on not taking naps, even though the red eye from NY wasn't very conducive to getting a good night's sleep.  In no time, we were showered and refreshed to explore as much of Amsterdam as we could fit in with the little time we had.

The Floating Flower market

I wish we could have spent an entire week here.  I fell in love with Amsterdam within minutes.  The canals, the beautiful little boats, the droopy trees lining the canals, the FLOWERS...oh my goodness the FLOWERS!  Everything was decorated with flowers.  Flower boxes on the canals, Impatients hanging from street lamps, and potted flowers dressing all the canal house boats. Both of us were greatly impressed with the history as well.  There are buildings in Amsterdam that are older than the United States!  And since Amsterdam (and Utrecht as well), were not central locations for any of the wars in European history, the architecture has remained in tact for centuries with little restoration.  

During our short stay in Amsterdam, we fit in almost everything we could have wanted to see.  Our first order of business was the Van Gogh museum, which was scheduled to close the day after we left...talk about good timing!  A whole museum devoted to Van Gogh...it was an aggressive first stop, but I'm glad we were able to see it all the greatest works one of the most famous post-impressionist painters of all time.  All of his most well-known paintings were there with the exception of Starry Night.  The floating flower

market was across the block from the hotel we stayed at, Hotel l'Europe.  Since we were only spending one night in Amsterdam, it was a splurge, and one of the finest hotels in the city. Our walk through the flower market was not only an overwhelming display of every kind of flower you could imagine (although the tulips are the highlight), but you can even get your own little cannabis starter kits here!

One of the most powerful things we saw the entire trip was the Anne Frank House.  It was an unbelievably moving tour that was a 20 minute emotional roller coaster.  We learned quite a bit through that tour, and it was extremely disheartening, but something that is absolutely a must see when in Amsterdam.  The rest of our time in the city, we tried to stay low key and do as the locals do.  We drank beer under the safety of umbrellas during a few torrential rainstorms, we visited the local cafes, and we walked among the seas of bicycles.  While I wouldn't take a swim in the canal, it was a surprisingly clean city, with absolutely no air pollution for miles.

The Dom Tower in the center of the city

The remainder of our trip was spent in the charming town of Utrecht, where the groom from the wedding resides, now with his beautiful wife. It was a quick car ride from Amsterdam and provided a more quaint alternative to the "bigger" city we had just visited.  I loved Utrecht, and have been plotting my move to this adorable town since we departed.  Utrecht is built around an amazing tower called the Dom, that is an architectural masterpiece.  At night, when the tower is lit, it's an unbelievable view.

"Harry Potter" streets in Utrecht

We chose the The Grand Hotel Karel V (or as my husband would say...the Carl Vee)  as our hotel for the rest of the trip.  The history of this establishment went back to 1190 when it was built as a monastery.  It was later converted to a military hospital in the early 1800s until 1896.  It was then restored to it's ancient charm and is now a 5 star hotel that serves as the gates to Utrecht.  There are countless artifacts that have been dug up over the past centuries located in the lobby, it felt as though the hotel was a museum in itself. 

   Similar to Amsterdam, Utrecht is built on a center canal and is surrounded by quite a bit of water.  When we arrived to Utrecht, the first order was connecting with our friends for a few (or several) drinks on the canal.  We sipped beers and wine for hours while watching the ducks and boats cruise through the canals behind us.  I will say that we didn't snack too much in Amsterdam or Utrecht as the cuisine was somewhat...odd...but it one of my best meals was not because of the food, but because of the atmosphere and the company we had on our day in the canal in Utrecht. 

Friends in Utrecht

The Wedding festivities started on Friday in the backyard of home of Amy and Mike (the bride and groom).  They had close to 300 people in their beautiful back yard for a welcome dinner.  It wasn't a traditional "rehearsal dinner", but a "come one, come all" invitation that resulted in a magical evening with people from all over the world...literally.  I made friends the wedding attendants from the US, Holland, Cairo, and probably more, but there was a lot of wine involved.  For a couple who met in the Galapagos Islands, it was expected that their marriage would be an international affair!  I'm always moved by what friends and family have to say about the bride and groom during these open mic parties and how much love there is for the couple.  The night before the wedding can be an emotional night, but I felt this one was a bit exceptional.  Amy & Mike have been through so many different extremes of happiness and hardship that it was hard to even look at the two of them without getting a little misty eyed (or in my case....flood-y eyed).  Their journey together as a couple is an inspiration to us all, and can teach all of us a lesson in selflessness in love. 

Mike channeling Nucky Thompson

So it was no question that this exceptional couple would have an unconventional wedding.  After being shuttled through the countryside of the Netherlands, we arrived to quite the surprise.  There was no aisle decorated with petals, no chiavari chairs lined up in identical little rows, no arbor or arch decorated with flowers for the bride and groom to stand under, and definitely no programs with an agenda for the day.  The groom did not wear a rental tux, but a top hat and coattails indicative of a vintage ringmaster.  Mike & Amy were wed in a circus!  That's not a typo friends....they were wed under the blue and yellow tent of a Dutch circus.  Instead of bible readings and marriage rituals, they had people hanging from scarves in a spectacle that left us all holding our breath as she twisted and glided through the air, suspended by only her scarves.  Family members of the bride and groom led the entire ceremony with the exception of the Dutch officiant who did the actual marriage.  It was quite a moving experience to be a part of one of the greatest loves I've ever seen.
After a tear jerking ceremony, we all exited the circus tent and were greeted with cake and champagne.  At this unconventional wedding, we had cake before dinner and didn't have to wait for an official cake cutting, what a treat.  The rest of the night was an exhibition of circus acts and surprises.  While there were no jungle cats or elephants, we were treated to shows of fire throwers, games, authentic Dutch singing acts, cotton candy, amazing balancing acts, carnival swing sets, servers on stilts, and the amazing metamorphosis - i.e. a woman to transforms into an ape...trippy stuff.  We returned to the tent for dancing later on in the evening where my husband, the Rockstar, serenaded the happy couple with a crowd favorite, Summer of '69.  The end of the night brought just one more surprise for everyone in attendance...fireworks!  On the other side of the lake, we were all treated to a fireworks display under the light of a massive full moon.  Below are some pictures from one of the most beautiful days and amazing weddings I've been to!

Post Reception after a little bit of cake

When was the last time you were on one of these?  So much fun!

Friends @ the Dutch circus!!!

The Newlyweds

The Main Tent

The grand finale of the wedding day!

First "tandem" experience!

 If the circus themed wedding wasn't enough of a surprise, we were all instructed to gather early the following morning for an "adventure".  When we all congregated bright and early with our coffee and sunglasses, we found out we were riding bikes to a surprise destination.  Nadean and I opted for the tandem experience, while the boys rode vintage motorized Solex mopeds.  We caravan-ed on our bikes through the Dutch country side over canals, through adorable little neighborhoods, through farmland, and across bridges until we arrived at A CASTLE!  The Kasteel de Haar to be exact.  The gates swung open and we were all escorted to a private lawn for a group picnic on the castle grounds surrounded by acres and acres of lush trees and lily-pad covered ponds full of graceful swans and coots (apparently it's "not a duck"...but it's essentially a duck my friends).  It was the perfect setting for our last full day in the Netherlands and only fitting to celebrate Mike and Amy's fairytale love story. 

Never before in my life had 4 days gone by so quickly, and never before had I felt like I could honestly live in a foreign country.  I left a tiny piece of my heart in Utrecht when we departed for our return to the States, and the only consolation is knowing that we have friends in Utrecht if we ever want to go back for a fill of Dutch culture.  That...AND the fact that we leave for Europe again in 10 days for a tour of Italy (poor Winston...leaving that poor little guys again)!!!! Oh AND the fact that we literally ordered a pizza from the cab home because we were craving New York takeout SO bad.  But that's it! :)  We are so honored and lucky to be included in the marriage of Mike & Amy.  Their wedding and their love story will serve as an inspiration to us for years to come.  Congratulations to the newlyweds, we love you both!