Lots to see & do...

Last Saturday I was able to enjoy a great Orchestra Benefit Concert to raise money to fix the organ at Santa Susanna Church. The Orchestra Mandolinistica Romana performed beautiful concertos and ended the evening with Ave Maria.

I stopped in Sant'Agostino a beautiful Renaissance church by my apartment. It has the Madonna del Parto (Madonna of Childbirth) statue that is much revered by expectant mothers and childless couples.
I said the prayer for a few of my friends either trying to conceive or adopt a child...and you know who you are . There was also beautiful works by Caravaggio and Raphael.

I started at a new school. It has lots more social activities, cooking classes etc. and it is closer to my house. I just have to cross Piazza Navona and walk by a few shops and I'm there.

I was supposed to have picture of a dinner Saturday night at a Spanish restaurant with Flamenco Dancers but... my friend Kelly and I spent over 3 hours on public transportation trying to find the restaurant. We even stopped at an internet cafe to see if we can figure out the directions. The restaurant was so far away that we decided to return home before the buses/metro/tram stopped running. We ended up eating at a restaurant in Campo di Fiori. We were so hungry by this time we devoured our meal with very few words..Oh, well...we tried...and we saw a new part of town.

Today I actually went to a mall! I know... I know...with all of the wonderful shopping at the local small stores why would I want to go to a mall? We just wanted to explore another part of the city and what better way to spend a couple lazy hours on a Saturday afternoon. Well...I can say this...teenagers at the mall on a Saturday afternoon are the same no matter what country you are in! Sorry teens...no offense. Well...Caroline you'll like this...I did get a whiff of McDonald's french fries as I was walking from store to store and we had to break down and go to McDonald's! I know. I know. You don't eat McDonald's when you are in Italy. I actually felt a little self conscious. I didn't want anyone to think I was an unadventurous American...Oh, well...It was packed full of Italians... and it was pretty tasty I have to admit!

Also, if I didn't have enough reasons to want to stay in Rome....guess what a popular breakfast is here?!? (among the ones that actually do take more than un caffe) Cake and cookies! The "plum" cakes taste like good old fashion southern pound cake to me. And the cookies are really made to eat for breakfast. My favorites are Gocciole extra dark...chocolate cookies with chocolate chips. The package says "The Extra Dark side of Breakfast". It really does! All I can say is...When in Rome, do as the Romans do!