tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19081080518923193902024-03-05T02:50:50.856-05:00Fioretti FunA compilation the best of Rome from before, during and after my time spent in abroad as well as anything related to traveling, eating, living and experiencing the Eternal City. Feel free to send any suggestions or questions.Digital Icehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05655190043324701599noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908108051892319390.post-48336709213304114172009-02-10T14:58:00.007-05:002009-02-10T16:40:17.252-05:00Rome Wasn't Built in a DayAside from its historical significance, Rome is without a doubt a social icon and landmark. It has made its way into movie classics such as La Dolce Vita and the memorable <a href="http://applesandalligatorpears.files.wordpress.com/2007/09/roman_holiday-1.jpg">Roman Holiday</a> starring the irreverent Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck. Its monuments have amazed and awestruck us; it has become a part of everyday lingo "all roads lead to Rome", "When in Rome" and the classic "Rome wasn't built in a day". True Rome wasn't build in a day but can is it possible to be seen in a day?<br /><br />Scholars and educated men and women have discussed this very issue for hundreds of years and have come to the same conclusion...No. But I, my friends, must contradict this statement, in fact I have proved it wrong completely. Sure it is impossible to see every inch of Roma, hit every cafe, enjoy a scoop or two in every <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/holsteinohio/3000201274/">Gellateria</a> and pray in every church but for the Roma rookie you can see the hot spots of the Eternal City.<br /><br />I did this several times during my stay in Roma but I repeated it in the summer of 2007 with my family. Don't get me wrong it was grueling to keep my parents going and my then 14 year old sister away from the shops; but we fought the lines, burning sun and urge to spend and banged out the main sights in 1 day. Wondering how? Well let me give you a brief run through.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Wake up Early!</strong><br />This is important because most tourists forget that even though they are on vacation, to beat the lines you must wake up early. Unfortunately I suck at this so we didn't leave our hotel until 11 a.m. haha, what can ya do?<br /><br /><strong><a href="http://z.about.com/d/goitaly/1/0/3/0/-/-/rome_popolo_1.jpg">Piazza del Popolo</a></strong><br />I recommend a very linear approach to start and hit one of the most gorgeous piazzas. You can walk through the <a href="http://hobor.hu/blog/2006/jun/piazza_del_popolo_rome_italy_0134.jpg">Porta del Popolo</a> the northern entrance way on the Aurelian wall that is gorgeous and remarkably still intact. In this piazza you will see the gorgeous fountains and obelisk as well as visit the infamous "Twin Churches" the Santa Maria dei Miracoli and Santa Maria in Montesanto. After taking pictures in the piazza where beheadings took place until the mid 1800s walk in between the Twin Churches down the most famous road in Rome...<br /><br /><strong><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/77/Roma-via_del_corso.jpg">Via del Corso</a> </strong><br />Once a road used for chariot races and renovated in the 1700s to the Baroque style you now see, this roughly 1.5 kilometer long street is now filled with shops and cafes. It is a beautiful road to window shop have a bite to eat and see many street artists. Take a short side street to end up at the...<br /><br /><strong><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/00449/spanish-steps_449606n.jpg">Spanish Steps</a></strong><br />This beautiful staircase is very commonly filled with natives and tourists enjoying the gorgeous piazza. Enjoy the ritzy hotels and shops that frankly I could never and will never afford...plain and simple they are <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQUzIZGm_mvpdEOIDL7mf2abd6YtLIOkDoQM1N4i4bxxbHrOMI8nT4hQLF8PdLxvsZbgbdlkjSpvYvP3mtMLeqPe2f5-afXrQfY7ItjMF4Pjw9IQ6yJvZeoWJbkr5Ag0wEFyyhbFKRwro/s320/CIMG1770.JPG">expensive</a> and yes that is a real store in Rome. Now slide through some very elegantly old school side streets and all of a sudden see a massive opening where you come upon...<br /><br /><strong><a href="http://www.travel-plan-idea.com/trevi-fountain.jpg">The Trevi Fountain</a></strong><br />Probably the most gorgeous (and well hidden) fountains in Rome you will constantly see people tossing coins over their shoulders to ensure they will return to see the fountain again. On a food related note, one of the best Gellaterias is located next to the Trevi Fountain. Now hop back onto Via del Corso (just a side street away) and finish your walk down to Piazza Venezia most famous for...<br /><br /><strong><a href="http://www.free-os.it/blog/wp-content/uploads/2006/03/vittoriano.jpg">The Vittoriano</a></strong><br />Also known as "Zuppa Inglese", "the wedding cake", "the false teeth" and "the typewriter", the Vittoriano is a contraversial monument in Rome. Inaugurated in 1911, this gigantic building was created to honor Victor Emmanuele II, the first King of unified Italy as well as holds a tomb and an eternal flame for the "Unknown Soldier" a tomb designed to pay tribute to the fallen soldiers whose bodies were never recovered. Many dislike it due the fact that it does not fit with the Medieval feel of the neighborhood, the fact that it is covering a large portion of the ancient Roman Forum and mainly because Benito Mussolini used it as his podium while delivering speeches in WWII. Swing around the Vittoriano to..<br /><br /><strong><a href="http://www.nycerome.com/pictures-of-rome/roman-forum.jpg">The Roman Forum</a></strong><br />Much of the forum is excavated including the infamous senate building and monument to Julius Caesar where his remains were buried. This is one of the most amazing places to visit, it has been restored so that you can walk the paths that many great Romans walked and to see inside the Senate building, well it is just remarkable. Now walk down the Sacra Via, where Roman armies would march after a victory at war down to the man, the myth, the legend...<br /><br /><strong><a href="http://www.napavalley.edu/pic/1069/colosseum%5B1%5D.jpg">The Colosseum!</a></strong><br />Not much needs to be said about this infamous monument. It was the focus point of Rome for centuries and still is today. Once a place where gladiators fought and sadly where Christians were persecuted, it is now a historical "must see" and is very rarely used as a venue for concerts. Commonly surrounded by tourists and men in Gladiator costumes for you to take pictures with, it has not lost is power because every time I went to see it I was taken aback; it truly is amazing. When the Colosseum fell and Christianity took over Rome much of the travertine that coated the exterior was used to build churches all over Rome, a big F U to the past.<br /><br />So there it is Rome in one long exhausting day and technically The Vatican is it's own country so it isn't part of Rome haha. And sure you did not see everything and there is still much more you can see but hey, that's why you tossed the coin into the Trevi Fountain right?Digital Icehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05655190043324701599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908108051892319390.post-28418516202078878252009-02-05T10:26:00.004-05:002009-02-05T10:37:43.700-05:005 Things You Didn't Know About RomeSo I was searching all over the place for stuff to post and I came across an article on <a href="http://www.askmen.com/entertainment/special_feature_250/255_5-things-you-didnt-know-rome.html">AskMen.com</a> that I thought was really interesting/funny/weird and I of course wanted to share it...so here are 5 things you didn't know about Rome.<br /><br /><strong>1- In Rome, it was considered decadent to <a href="http://www.cartoonstock.com/lowres/cal0008l.jpg">vomit </a>between meals</strong><br />Did the Romans really make themselves vomit between meals so they could eat more? The short answer: yup. However, it was considered decadent. The Roman philosopher Seneca condemned the practice, recalling that at one feast “while we were reclining at a banquet, one slave wipes up the spittle, as another, beneath the table, collects the leavings of the drunks.” The Roman orator, Cicero, attacked Julius Caesar for expressing “a desire to vomit after dinner.” However, the notion that Romans had a dedicated room for this purpose, a vomitorium, is a myth. There were, in fact, structures called "vomitoria," but they were simply lobbies where the audience exited a theater (the words "vomit" and "vomitorium" are derived from a Latin verb meaning “to disgorge”).<br /><br /><strong>2- Rome was the first civilization to feature central heating systems</strong><br />During the first century CE (Classical Era), some of the classier homes in Rome were built with terracotta tubes embedded in the walls. The tubes carried warm air from the fires in the basement -- the first central heating systems. Better yet, bathing areas were supplied with hot and cold running water so bathers could move back and forth between three baths according to preference: the caldarium (hot), frigidarium (cold) and tepidarium (warm). The villas of the wealthy often had private baths (attended by slaves -- i.e., the creepy scene with Tony Curtis in Spartacus). However, bathing could be a social event, a sort of combination party and business meeting, which is why you also see Roman aristocrats lounging around naked in the baths in Spartacus.<br /><br /><strong>3- <a href="http://z.about.com/d/ancienthistory/1/0/Y/S/2/Gaius_Caligula_Head.jpg">Caligula</a> threatened to make his horse consul</strong><br />The Roman emperor Gaius Caesar Germanicus was nicknamed “Little Boots” because he was brought up in army camps and sometimes dressed as a miniature soldier. The nickname stuck, and the world remembers him by its Latin version: Caligula. As a young boy, the soldiers were so fond of him that he ended a mutiny just by showing his face. Despite the adorable nickname and popular acclaim, Caligula turned out to be a crazy S.O.B., and not in a good way: According to Suetonius, “He was rearing a viper for the Roman people.” Among Caligula’s more interesting actions -- he threatened to make his horse, Incitatus, consul and gave the animal “a house, a troop of slaves and furniture, for the more elegant entertainment of the guests invited in his name.”<br /><br />Caligula also announced that he had metamorphosed into Jove, the chief god. He declared war on Neptune, sending his soldiers to attack the sea with swords and catapults, and he “lived in habitual incest with all his sisters.” Later, “at one of his more sumptuous banquets he suddenly burst into a fit of laughter, and when the consuls, who were reclining next to him, politely inquired at what he was laughing, [Caligula] replied: ‘Isn’t it funny? At a single nod of mine both of you could have your throats cut on the spot.’” Apparently, it wasn’t that funny: Various government officials stabbed Caligula to death at the age of 29.<br /><br /><strong>4- Roman husbands kissed their wives to make sure they weren't <a href="http://redneck414.tripod.com/278_darryll2wife_big.jpg">drunk</a></strong><br />Roman husbands kissed their wives on the mouth at the end of the day, but their motives were not at all romantic -- they were checking their spouses’ breath to see if they had been sitting around drinking wine all day. Not that the men could throw stones as far as fidelity was concerned -- the orator, Cicero, once attacked Julius Caesar with the remark that he was “every woman’s husband and every man’s wife.”<br /><br /><strong>5- The city of Rome has a belly button</strong><br />In love with the idea of order and tidiness, the emperor Augustus had a “Golden Milestone” constructed in the city of Rome on which were listed the distances to all the major cities in the empire. The emperor Constantine later referred to this as the Umbilicus Urbis Romae -- or the “navel of Rome.” It was also the origin of the saying “all roads lead to Rome.” Just how many roads were there? A whole lot: The Romans built over 54,000 miles of roads around the Mediterranean basin. For comparison, as of 2004, the U.S. Interstate Highway System included about 47,000 miles of paved roadway.Digital Icehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05655190043324701599noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908108051892319390.post-48321452884672479692009-01-29T16:14:00.004-05:002009-01-29T16:29:32.526-05:00My Home Away From HomeSo I have been yelled at by several people MANY times that I need to post something again and yes I have been slacking and showed some bum like characteristics but here we go.... For those of you that were wondering what an apartment in Roma looks like or said to yourself "Hey! Where did JP eat, sleep and get down?" well this is for you. I took a video my first week in to give my parents a tour of my apartment. <br /><br />With last week being my 2 year anniversary of leaving for Roma (wow time flies) I got a bit nostalgic and fell upon this forgotten video. So take a look and be jealous because despite what others said...we had the best apartment in Roma.<br /><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/P_Qy7CO4OzM&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/P_Qy7CO4OzM&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Digital Icehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05655190043324701599noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908108051892319390.post-91737286501991765212008-12-24T13:18:00.002-05:002008-12-24T13:34:02.047-05:00Buon Natale!My personal favorite....now my co-workers Jeremy and <a href="http://nics-knacks.blogspot.com/">Nic</a>'s most hated...<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/nQrdxtWgHbE&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/nQrdxtWgHbE&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Digital Icehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05655190043324701599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908108051892319390.post-42964693455679466922008-12-21T15:46:00.008-05:002008-12-21T16:21:45.322-05:00Natale nel VaticanoSeeing as how it is that time of the year, I thought I would share with you all a small article I read about the Christmas tree in Piazza di San Pietro in Vatican City:<br /><br /><p><span style="font-size:130%;"></p></span><blockquote><span style="font-size:85%;">"Vatican's Christmas tree lit<br /><br />VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican's tallest Christmas tree is twinkling in St. Peter's Square. The Vatican says the 109-foot (33-meter) red spruce from Austria's Piesting Valley is the tallest since Pope John Paul II started the tradition of setting up a tree in the square in 1982. Hundreds of pilgrims from Austria sang carols in the pouring rain Saturday as the tree was officially unveiled.<br /><br />It is decorated with 2,000 gold and silver balls, white lights and a shining star. It stands next to a larger-than-life-sized Nativity scene which will be unveiled Christmas Eve. Pope Benedict XVI met with the Austrian pilgrims Friday to thank them for the tree, saying it would give him joy to see it from his apartment window."</span></blockquote><br /><blockquote></blockquote><blockquote><p></p><blockquote></blockquote><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282351001604776306" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 306px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFkXY2n0Th0B6zlfuNz44YC-RE-SEVkX1qzOVM5fjIS-V5yJab9vnRQXIo6NPjDM5XwyiBDL0ssEU4ebA0VPWWM0T5oUy8xY50VM0U_sYP8sMFOUIsEnnwaqCw2FwdeWstRXUN9lYnWhJF/s400/CroatianTreeVatican2.jpg" border="0" /></p></blockquote><br /><p><br />I also found an article that I found to be really interesting and cool. The Vatican will be recycling their tree this year and making wooden toys out of it to donate to children. I wonder what they do with the one in Rockefeller Center? </p><p><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></p></span><blockquote><p><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>"</strong></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Big Vatican Christmas tree to be recycled into toys</span> </p><p><span style="font-size:85%;">VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The largest Christmas tree ever to be placed in St Peter's Square in Rome was lit on Saturday and Vatican officials said its wood will be recycled to make toys for needy children.<br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">The 33-meter-high tree, which came from the forests of southern Austria, was lit at an afternoon ceremony as rain that has brought the nearby Tiber River to one of its highest levels in decades started again after a one-day break. The Vatican said all the wood from the 120-year-old tree will be recycled to make toys for needy children and garden furniture such as benches for schools. </span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;">The decision to recycle the wood from the tree was the Vatican's latest effort to go green. Last month it activated a large system of solar panels on the roof of its audience hall and announced an ambitious plan that could one day make it an alternative energy exporter.</span> " </p></blockquote>Digital Icehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05655190043324701599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908108051892319390.post-6299517992427196912008-12-11T19:31:00.008-05:002008-12-11T19:53:40.294-05:00Next Stop...Sorrento<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Ok</span> so every now and then you need a little vacation...a side trip. A place that exudes old school Italy and is (in my opinion) one of the most beautiful places in the world is...well if you read the title this is no shocker...<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Sorrento</span>. <div><div><div> </div><div>Below are images from my time spent there. The food is fresh, the seafood was amazing, the shopping is fabulous...yea I said fabulous...and the atmosphere is so unbelievably relaxed.</div><div><br />I bought some clothes and the best gifts for people in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Sorrento</span> and it is very affordable, the key however, haggle haggle haggle!!! For you shoe lovers out there (I am speaking mainly to the women) there are a few tiny (almost <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">missable</span>) stores where you can get shoes CUSTOM MADE and they are inexpensive too. This was recommended by my dear friend Elizabeth Batman <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Superfly</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Praino</span> who purchased these shoes and loves them.</div><div><br /> </div><div>Here are some images I took throughout the trip.</div><div> </div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278697832176135634" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh42WXegcFmmYn7aqiluhqHtamJ4AsDvn_b7jvxn2tFhXfPeUrFCgxjVQKMBpzxWsIIlivQSkLkeBZLkhQD-ty5gCaswVfy4aybzJRKp86HEFr5KTnQFjBX1mucWY7MIZ8jONkE1omOW1s2/s400/IMG_2612.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><div>The lemons were the size of my head!</div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278697927477415746" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUXxYGtM8XBKBwXJlJpgNrlJtBRR6swJ2iitLpI2PmnfEcA85gnM2ONhVkl3GoYLF_Az0MhrR3g_39s4-lMSHehr122xVjREvZ_lofh-r9IyLzGHyBhavxW7615BCMQfurdfkDOs-royEx/s400/IMG_2615.JPG" border="0" /></div><div> </div><div><br />The places to go out were really trendy...all while and the floor and bar was all lit up....unfortunately this was the only picture I was coherent enough to take.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278698404678546898" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6rJh47IuHv7Aw7yb4S7dW3z_Rt7cwywpEJ7oiDhxfdVcIYZLragq3VgHQio4DX1n5Z23epsV-NxdFDA_aqf9al-mK4MgdgJCTvmz5EuYURFwNnH8cVvcEPgC03viVEdToOi-TnoeT5_8A/s400/IMG_2628.JPG" border="0" /> <div> </div><div> </div><div>We ate fresh seafood on the water...literally this place was <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">on top</span> of the water, gorgeous place and amazing food....Oh yea I rolled deep overseas.<br /><div> </div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278698227466296450" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggF8mV6mLuU4kZuax_1MayC02me4_EMKL_cirWUdLT1iT_GC5cQChCmupaBtr1kpn2qjR5oEU4W4X_UyISmjl8uoQiNirsSQD2RsUR9anv4U4dGkcWrvNNLKyQRsfl2q3thl3qUZjYmbue/s400/IMG_2618.JPG" border="0" /></div></div></div></div><br /><p> </p><p>I was told I had to put this picture of the romantic scenery...this was on the balcony outside my hotel room...it was gorgeous...so was my crazy <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">canadian</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">hahaha</span></p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278698774320833650" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjl01_nzZMoj510c4Syw2lyTna6-X0jm_B2wWOWhm6D2EFFs0GmPrqLQVPE7au1KqZuGT96EZPJvWSGHS-UZnnjWxM8n0cKwhh5fMRKAuNMeqD7kvHn9mk9BYcaexeNoa6z2yS2LdFWRpq/s400/canada+2.JPG" border="0" /></p>Digital Icehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05655190043324701599noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908108051892319390.post-8948295717734964142008-12-08T23:58:00.007-05:002008-12-09T00:22:09.286-05:00A Taste of Roma<div><div><div>Ok so let's be honest, you go to Italy for the food. Yea you go for the culture, the history and the excitement but if the food was crap none of that would matter. During my time there I ate at many MANY places but one place that I went to nearly everyday was a pizzeria just outside of American University of Rome (the school I attended while in Roma) called <em>Pizzeria da Simone</em>.</div><br /><div></div><div></div><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277653030229323538" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU5wK9nAFQ-5Op4eoTseNvPp96B_biYlYZwvwmO7S40wY2Dvts-HJl3wDBUPe9n6-vdRUehyphenhyphen0KakbzXDT3gbyoFyMcKezHuJFstwTfy7qGrKpca_2tZ4pePPntVXmil7FQ_Yv7eag4F4vs/s400/IMG_2835.JPG" border="0" /></div></div><br /><p></p><br /><p>This is one of the typical "fast food" pizzerias. Here you go in and tell them how much pizza you want in measurement not slices. It is then weighed and price is according to weight, they then fold it and you eat it like a sandwich. </p><p>It is unbelievably good, the pizza is so fresh and crunchy (a plus in my book) and rather inexpensive. It is a lot better than American pizzerias because if you only have a buck (or a euro rather) you can still get something to eat. Also it takes about 30 seconds from walking in to paying, to get your pizza.</p><p>They also have a lot of other great choices besides pizza. Such as lasagna, gnocchi, stuffed tomatoes, potatoes with broccoli rabe and my personal favorite Suppli (soup-lee) which are fries rice balls with tomato sauce and center filling of mozzarella cheese. Seen in the picture below.</p><p>FYI...Yes that is a tray of 20 some odd Suppli that my buddy bought to bring back to America with him and YES they let him bring it on the plane. Unfortunately, as soon as they left Italy airspace they never tasted the same again.</p><p> </p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277654377058341858" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHx5UZhR_0A2yq86odqXrXR7J6mbGxp1ZsHtMmEvwWq8WY3VgLsuAhZrOMr7a-ypGK_eEiQdlTb2N84N95mYyEtH58vgLd5OO4xTbL-uPhssA1nNDyps_HDTiOONDkJYpYnvrCanuwGf9M/s400/IMG_2834.JPG" border="0" /></p><p>If anyone wants recipes or recommendations on where to get the closest version...let me know.</p><p>OK I am going to go eat now....God I miss Roma.<br /><br /></p><p></p></div>Digital Icehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05655190043324701599noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908108051892319390.post-28575993396611109462008-12-05T23:55:00.007-05:002008-12-06T00:15:17.052-05:00Ready, Set, Disco!During my time in Roma I made spending cash as a club promoter...I made good cash too..actually had different companies try to "steal" me but I digress...Tonight's post is regarding one of my favorite clubs that I think is one of the classiest/best in Roma. It used to be a castle and was converted into a restaurant downstairs and a club upstairs. It was truly authentic with Italian music mixed with club and dance hits...drinks were moderately prices and the atmosphere was sick, very classic look but trendy at the same time. It is called La Cabala and some photos from my experience are below. Enjoy!<br /><br />This is an external shot of La Cabala<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmTfIQUsGsEagJdmaj4rfnixXrC13jNE05n0p3Xlmoix7YehZCRDUw99Qn73mhSnXffkHzDx4tsKEdNgyG-kyPI4ZpXOWFNn_f3x8-pewj4AXuPfLvVgUOfcu98Dxc3OlHrHeeC6ldJMcC/s1600-h/cabala+1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmTfIQUsGsEagJdmaj4rfnixXrC13jNE05n0p3Xlmoix7YehZCRDUw99Qn73mhSnXffkHzDx4tsKEdNgyG-kyPI4ZpXOWFNn_f3x8-pewj4AXuPfLvVgUOfcu98Dxc3OlHrHeeC6ldJMcC/s400/cabala+1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276540299774043442" /></a><br /><br /><br />This place had some legit bouncers/security luckily I knew them so my buddy Mike didn't get his butt kicked while taking this picture.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu7sdyLKmScBQOGXa4ve43HSoCyHzJNdVHb3eoXjS4w46AnzAOSwTk3qJBEDYxooMcfreH4CkNb04XR8oI7hqsvUqROh7Ijs2-dSeK9yfwcJAjoS-K08SjmkGMbIlsKLqs9C7k-jBTvTX_/s1600-h/cabala+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu7sdyLKmScBQOGXa4ve43HSoCyHzJNdVHb3eoXjS4w46AnzAOSwTk3qJBEDYxooMcfreH4CkNb04XR8oI7hqsvUqROh7Ijs2-dSeK9yfwcJAjoS-K08SjmkGMbIlsKLqs9C7k-jBTvTX_/s400/cabala+2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276540854160820658" /></a><br /><br /><br />This is us not drunk (surprisingly) just having fun and dancing like crazy, this place had a huge dance floor that was always packed...in a good way.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpigHa8zRFCL2TwKz52NyiulVka9Pohagm_9Li-BXrB4KzjhtxSHMDGtYaS6r1AE1CU51-0YokT5s3-WwSjL3GMxJwl4-PiANb9DWsxaq-eYP-guhrMGzzh5yvNsZewEkxW5N5lYSbcifU/s1600-h/cabala3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpigHa8zRFCL2TwKz52NyiulVka9Pohagm_9Li-BXrB4KzjhtxSHMDGtYaS6r1AE1CU51-0YokT5s3-WwSjL3GMxJwl4-PiANb9DWsxaq-eYP-guhrMGzzh5yvNsZewEkxW5N5lYSbcifU/s400/cabala3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276541199353839586" /></a>Digital Icehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05655190043324701599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908108051892319390.post-63797215436687726732008-12-04T20:49:00.006-05:002008-12-06T00:17:29.157-05:00New Look, New Theme, New Fioretti Fun<div>Today is the beginning of a new Fioretti Fun. Aside from the new look, this blog will now focus on everything Italy specifically Roma. I spent four months in Roma and I grew up going to Italy almost every summer, I will share all kinds of tips for eating, travel, sightseeing and photos that I took or that I find. Feel free to submit stuff and ask questions.<br /><br /><br />So to start it off, here is an image that I took from the top of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City back in the Summer of 2007. Let me now what you think.<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276541816807304914" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiunPqn6akw2kLSoQOa1mH4pYtItioSQwAfKCw5eKI28_82YderQ5fKSpK-M62CFFTvWfklf5bLHUg1gQ-ADYX5Kq8VToFh4BqcvQmnzt3anEnF6n7jrHVEmrjxez4lL4DmqwyILUbSbQMz/s400/IMG_4108.JPG" border="0" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpBO8tC7RONry5pW6xSWzk8R0lWnxJdS_CV0RjbnEnPLPF4pJ4IsT5jrSPe90nGJt4nC80tnLiMpl0ivIeZSyPx8N5nvJE1MlAg8L22shYxQjvqlXbEZeCnMfrPg_0s4OQJE5ybxBo3PRE/s1600-h/IMG_4108.JPG"></a></div>Digital Icehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05655190043324701599noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908108051892319390.post-26919838196488875472008-12-02T22:41:00.003-05:002008-12-02T22:57:13.620-05:00I'm BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!!!!Ok so my laptop has been out of commission for about a month. That being said I am just now able to post.<br /><br />To prevent your head from spinning with everything that happened over the past month, I will give you the abridged version:<br /><br />1st and one of the most important things is that I ran a 5K...well if you consider periodically stopping to take pictures running then yes I ran a 5K. I was proud to be a part of the <a href="http://www.robertpgiaimofund.com">Robert P. Giaimo</a> 5th Annual Memorial 5K they are a great family that consists of another one of the Fioretti 4. They do tons to help the community and they deserve a lot of praise and admiration for being the angels on earth that they are. I will upload some images of the event soon.<br /><br /><br />I will skip over all of the other things that happened because to be honest...I don't remember them and if they aren't good enough to remember then that aren't good enough for me to share with you fine folks.<br /><br /><br />I can sum the rest of my month with 1 sentence....I bought an xbox 360 and my life is now over.<br /><br />I am still a rookie (at best) but I have come to the level that I like to call....not completely shitty.<br /><br /><br />Also, for some reason, I am the planner of my friends and I am now planning my friend's girlfriend's 21st extravaganza....including limo, vip in a club, and the destination....don't ask why I am doing it because to be honest....I don't know either....I guess I am just f*cking good at what I do.<br /><br /><br />I gotta start charging people.<br /><br /><br />That is it for now....I promise to post more frequently for the 2 people that check my blog(one being me and the other being the guy who stumbles here by accident when looking for a pornstar with the name "Fioretti")Digital Icehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05655190043324701599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908108051892319390.post-3344415893621410562008-11-03T16:39:00.003-05:002008-11-03T16:43:27.919-05:00Guy Test<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAGbhrHqXeCjuh3IaeyCZqQ77Jn3O_8QCxftu6MP6w-30OqvbwKddul9SG3r_qoF1Z4GuIVD1KCYLNaJ-PGUj2zrlzFFPVE5c7j1ljhBzBeXzLz-a4pLPTNrrngdU51QcMwNepjUozLcFW/s1600-h/untitled.bmp"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 256px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAGbhrHqXeCjuh3IaeyCZqQ77Jn3O_8QCxftu6MP6w-30OqvbwKddul9SG3r_qoF1Z4GuIVD1KCYLNaJ-PGUj2zrlzFFPVE5c7j1ljhBzBeXzLz-a4pLPTNrrngdU51QcMwNepjUozLcFW/s320/untitled.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264549735547478482" /></a><br />Thanks to <a href="http://whenlivescollide.blogspot.com">Maven </a>for this:<br /><br />5,000 men were asked to complete a survey on what THEY liked best about ‘Oral Sex’ :<br /> <br />a.. 3% liked the warmth.<br /> <br />b.. 4% enjoyed the sensation.<br /> <br />c.. 93% appreciated the silence.Digital Icehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05655190043324701599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908108051892319390.post-76422426830674824462008-10-24T13:36:00.002-04:002008-10-24T13:39:04.102-04:00I Forgot!SO one of my Rome friends sent me this video...It was amazing, I love her....and it is such an amazing viral campaign by the Obama campaign.<br /><br />Watch and enjoy!<br /><br />Thanks Mother Russia!<br /><br /><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="360" height="300"><param name="AllowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://s3.moveon.org/swf/embed.swf"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="FlashVars" value="id=jBcYSSdv8V26ZCbbmo1rwTM2NjQxMjQ-"></param><embed FlashVars="id=jBcYSSdv8V26ZCbbmo1rwTM2NjQxMjQ-" src="http://s3.moveon.org/swf/embed.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" AllowScriptAccess="always" width="360" height="300"></embed></object>Digital Icehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05655190043324701599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908108051892319390.post-2943768615043066292008-10-21T22:26:00.002-04:002008-10-21T22:36:45.793-04:00Good-bye MiguelSo I haven't posted in a little while so let me quickly sum up my weekend. One of my best friends, Mike, is moving to California for his career. It's sad for sure...but we are not the kind of guys to let something sad stop us from having a good time. Friday night: I have never had so many shots in such a short period of time and not fallen on my face. It was an impressive night, we talked to more women than I could count and no I don't remember any of their names, sorry but as I stated earlier, I drank a lot. We then followed the night with a long journey to umm...a gentleman's club to smoke cigars and chat with classy young women.<div><br /></div><div>Saturday we broke out the coals, cuban cigars, bacardi and cola and drank around the fire pit for a few hours. We reminisced, smoked cigar (a trend) and got sad...again....So when the sadness kicked in...we bounced to a local bar. Again we threw back some drinks and partied. Probably more fun this weekend than the whole summer when everyone was home but hey we had to make sure Mike would come back to visit ha.</div><div><br /></div><div>We ended the night with the best place on earth Versailles Diner for (if you are from Jersey...this is an obvious answer) cheese fries and gravy...We several orders which killed my diet but I make sacrifices for my friends haha.</div><div><br /></div><div>That's it for now, It was an under par post but there will be more/better ones to come.</div><div><br /></div><div>-Ciao</div>Digital Icehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05655190043324701599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908108051892319390.post-31467151528392502772008-10-15T23:27:00.005-04:002008-10-15T23:36:08.416-04:00Step 1...So I was exhausted today and was messing around online all night and wound up on a video that made a constant appearance in Fioretti apartment...I always laugh to this....Enjoy<div><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre;font-family:'Lucida Grande';font-size:10px;"><object width="464" height="392"><param name="movie" value="http://embed.break.com/MTk3NTMx"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://embed.break.com/MTk3NTMx" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" width="464" height="392"></embed></object><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><a href="http://www.break.com/index/snl_a_special_christmas_box.html">SNL A Special Christmas Box</a> - Watch more <a href="http://www.break.com/">free videos</a></span></span><br /></div></div>Digital Icehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05655190043324701599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908108051892319390.post-4154161802503784452008-10-12T23:04:00.004-04:002008-10-12T23:08:38.025-04:00A New Favorite<span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre; font-family:'Lucida Grande';font-size:10px;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I heard this song this weekend and I thought I would share it. It isn't like the older OAR stuff that I love but it is really good.</span></span></div><div><br /></div><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/KzwAXlWkk3Y&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/KzwAXlWkk3Y&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></span>Digital Icehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05655190043324701599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908108051892319390.post-78649621573836927152008-10-12T22:47:00.003-04:002008-10-12T23:04:21.001-04:00U Can't Touch This!So this past friday I went to a bar/lounge called Alphabet Lounge in you guessed it Alphabet City in the lower East Village. I had checked this place out and it seemed pretty chill....then I got there haha. I surprisingly got into the city in 20 minutes (shocking...I know) but drove in 30 minutes of traffic to get to the bar and another 45 minutes to find a place to park. BUT my friend Mike and I didn't let that get us down....we met up with friends from Rome that we hadn't seen in almost a year. When we got into the bar I literally laughed out loud because the place was about 30 feet long and 10 feet wide...aka tiny...and it was filled with Indians lol...but luckily it was '80s & '90s dance music night...so good times were to be had. <div><br /></div><div>I made friends with the bartender (Babu...hahaha) and we ended up drinking for free the whole night which was awesome. I busted a move to such classic greats as Bel Biv Devoe's Poison, Sir Mix-A-Lot's Baby Got Back and of course Will Smith's Gettin' Jiggy Wit it.</div><div><br /></div><div>We ended the night with a slice from one of the many "Original Famous Ray's Pizza" which was 5 bucks....nuts!</div><div><br /></div><div>All in all...I went to the city and spent $20!!!</div><div><br /></div><div>Shit yea!</div>Digital Icehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05655190043324701599noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908108051892319390.post-24218937925326078952008-10-09T21:30:00.002-04:002008-10-09T21:46:52.597-04:00The Back StoryOk so here is the back story to my blog. I spent 4 months in Rome, probably...scratch that....definitely! the best time of my entire life. It was a time in my life that will stay with me forever, I met some of my best friends and had experiences that will last a lifetime. I have felt in the past that something was missing from my life...I come from a strict family and went to school locally so leaving home to go all the way to Rome was that something missing. I learned a lot about myself, the person I am, the person I can be when pushed and the person I see myself being. <div>While I was in Rome I lived in the best apartment out of any of the ones I was in (despite what any others might say...you ladies know who you are) it was on the great street "Via Mario Fioretti". I had 3 roommates that I spent every day with, every time we went out..we did it together. We were know as the "Fioretti 4" yea I know...lame...but it stuck and I like it so...deal. One of my good friends that I met there and her roommates hung out with us on a very regular basis and one day while hanging out at school one person asked her, "why do you hang out with them so much?" She eloquently replied, "Because we always have fun with the Fioretti boys."</div><div><br /></div><div>She is a huge dork, but I always remembered it so...long story short, the 4 of us separated, but two of us (my best friend and I) live a town over from each other so the Fioretti Fun continues.</div><div><br /></div><div>This blog is dedicated to everything and all things going on in my life. Some things may seem trivial and some may seem long winded but to me they are exciting and fun. A different kind of fun...yep you guessed it, Fioretti Fun. Believe me....you are in for a treat.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Digital Icehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05655190043324701599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908108051892319390.post-57386333032664612312008-10-09T00:30:00.000-04:002008-10-09T00:32:04.580-04:00First Blog EVER!!!So it is 12:34 a.m. and this is my first blog ever written and I am tired so I am going to bed...BUT there will be much much more to come....promise.<br /><br />Peace out!<br />Guc LifeDigital Icehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05655190043324701599noreply@blogger.com0