What to Order in an Italian Coffee Bar

Ordering a coffee in an Italian coffee bar can be intimidating. Below is a list of types of Italian coffee which you can find at any coffee bar in Italy.

Caffè
An small, strong cup of coffee, or “espresso”.

Caffè Macchiato
A “stained” espresso, meaning an espresso with a few drops of milk. You can order a caffè macchiato “con latte freddo”, with cold milk, or “con latte caldo”, with steamed milk.

Caffè Doppio
A double espresso.

Caffè Lungo
An espresso made with double the amount of water, thereby making it weaker.

Caffè Stretto
An espresso made with less water – very strong!

Caffè Hag
A decaffeinated espresso

Caffè Americano
A strong American-style coffee served in a cup that is larger than an espresso cup but not as large as what you would get in America.

Caffeè Corretto
An espresso with a shot of cognac, grappa, amaro, baileys or other liquers.

Caffè Freddo
A cold espresso, normally served in a small, glass cup. You can also order a “caffè freddo con panna”, with whipped cream.

Caffè Latte
Normally served at breakfast, a caffè latte is a shot of espresso with an abundant amount of milk, served in a large glass.

Cappuccino
An espresso made with steamed milk, served in a cappuccino cup. Normally served at breakfast.

Cappuccino Freddo
A cold espresso with cold milk, normally served in a mid-sized glass.

Caffè Marocchino
An espresso with a splash of steamed milk and cocoa powder.

Granita di Caffè
A slushy beverage made with iced espresso, separated by one or two layers of fresh whipped cream.

Caffè Shakerato
An espresso shaken with ice and cane sugar, often served in a martini glass. This is normally only consumed during the summer months.

Crema di Caffè (left photo)
An cold espresso blended with cream, topped with cocoa powder, served in a martini glass.

Sunset at the Singita

Twenty-five minutes outside of Rome, there is a popular stretch of beach, called "Fregene". In terms of beauty, it does not compare to the wild, pristine beaches of Sardegna. Rather, it’s proximity to Rome makes Fregene conducive to over-crowding and somewhat murky waters. But what it lacks in beauty, it makes up for with its selection of trendy beach bars.

My favourite Fregene beach bar is the “Singita”. The Singita is known for two reasons. First, they created a new drink, appropriately called the "Singita". It is like a mojito with fresh strawberries and sugar cane, made with vodka rather than rum. It’s a bomb because of the insane amount of vodka that they use, yet somehow it tastes light and refreshing.

Second, trendy lounge music, comfortable garden furniture and large white sheets placed in the sand create a relaxing, cosy atmosphere – a build up to the main event: Sunset. Like New Year’s Eve, everyone makes sure they are ready for the big moment. As the sun begins to set, friends come together to enjoy a drink and complimentary appetizers. When the sun finally sets, everyone takes a moment to watch as the light disappear and then clap when sun disappears into the horizon. At this point, candles and torches are lit and the evening continues under the starlit sky. Sunset at the Singita always feels like the perfect end to the perfect day.

5 Days in Paris

My best friend and I went to Paris for the first time and we were amazed at how much there is to see and do. We stayed for 5 days and left feeling that we had seen a lot, but needed at least another week to see everything that we wanted. When we arrived, we made a list of things that we wanted to see. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to venture into any museums, but we managed to see the monuments on our list, as well as enjoy the typical Parisian cultural and life activities and food.

Accommodations

We rented an apartment called "French Kiss" in the Montmartre district in the 18th Arrondissement. Montmartre is a lively and diverse area with many restaurants, shops, bars and bakeries. Our apartment was comfortable and cosy, but the best thing about it was the location. We literally walked out our front door and up a flight of stairs, and we found ourselves at the Sacre Coeur Basilica. The view from the hill on which the Basilica sits is amazing. You can see all of Paris.

The Metro was a five minute walk from the apartment, so it was easy to get around the city. We were quite sad to leave the apartment because we truly felt at home.

For information about renting apartments in Paris, visit the following web page:

myparisapartments.com/

Our top 5 favourite foods:

1. Salads at the Relais Gascon
The Relais Gascon Restaurant specializes in salads but also offers pastas, meats and other typical parisian dishes. The prices are very reasonable as compared to other more "touristic" restaurants. This restaurant is located in the Montmartre district of Paris, in the 18th Arrondissement. The address is Rue Abesses, 6.

2. Crepes filled with nutella or apricot jam
You can find crepe stands along many of Paris' main streets, particularly in the more touristy areas. In the Montmartre area, there are crepe stands that stay open until 5:00 a.m. Mmm... crepes, I'm already missing them.

3. Cheese and Baguettes
One night we decided to stay in and have a "French Night". We had walked all day and out feet were killing us after a full day of sight-seeing. The apartment that we rented was called "French Kiss" and the owner has supplied a DVD of the movie "French Kiss". We went to a specialty cheese store and bought 3 or 4 kinds of cheeses and an ample supply of baguettes at our local bakery, plus a bottle of red wine. By the time we reached the scene in the movie where Meg Ryan has lactose intolerence, we were fully sympathetic, but would done it all over again because the cheese was amazing. Obviously we were not supposed to eat so much cheese in one sitting but we couldn't help ourselves because it was so delicious and we knew that we could never get this cheese at home.

4. Fresh pasties at the "Patisserie"
Tyring to decide what to have for breakfast was difficult. There are so many incredible pastries to choose from. My favourite is the raspberry tart with chantilly creme. My second favourite is a long pastry with chocolate chuncks and creme. I don't know what it is called, unfortunately. My French is pretty good, but I found that most pasties were not labelled so I just ended up pointing to what I wanted. Everything was so fresh and, if you go in the morining, the pastries are still warm.

There are bakeries in every neighbourhood and they typically offer fresh pastries thoughout the day. We prefered to eat breakfast at a "Patisserie" than go to a restaurant and be overcharged at tourist prices because, from what I have heard from other tourists, the breakfasts are somewhat disappointing and seriously overpriced, as compared to what we might expect at home, whether you are from America, Australia or the UK.

5. Macarons.
Macarons are cookie-like confections that are found in most bakeries and food stores. Prices range from 1 euro to 5 euros for one Macaron and they come in a variety of flavours. We bought an assortment of flavours and found some of them to strange, yet good. The chocolate ones were the best, in my view. We also tried Pistache/Cherry, Vanilla, Lavender/Vanilla, and Lemon.

In just 5 days, we saw and experienced...
1. Arc du Triomphe
2. Place de la Concorde
3. Eiffel Tower
4. Moulin Rouge
5. Notre Dame Cathedral
6. Sacre Coeur Basilica
7. Panthéon
8. Shopping along St. Germain des près & Boulevard Saint Michel
9. Jardins des Tuileries
10. Champs Elysees
11. Louvre
12. Walk along the River Seine

What Does S.P.Q.R. Mean?

SPQR is an acronym for the Latin phrase " Senatus Populusque Romanus", which means 'The Senate and the Roman People'. SPQR was symbolic of the city of Rome 's identity as a civilized, democratic state belonging to the people and the Senate. The acronym has been used continually for 23-24 centuries and is the oldest acronym in current use.

Although there are other versions and interpretations of the SPQR acronym, the above version is widely accepted today. It came into use in the early stage of the Roman republic and continued to be used during the Roman empire. For this reason, the acronym or the full phrase can be found on many famous monuments and documents. For example, the words "Senatus Populusque Romanus" appear on the Arch of Titus in Rome, built in 81 AD to honour Titus and his father, the Emperor Vespasian.


The letters SPQR are still important in the modern city of Rome. Mussolini ordered SPQR written on manhole covers and civic buildings, using the ancient symbol as propaganda for his regime. By order of the mayor of Rome, the acronym now appears on public buildings and other sites throughout the city to symbolize Rome 's historic importance as an empire, as well as its present status as a city of the people. SPQR also appears in the modern coat of arms of the city of Rome, and can be found on tourism brochures, menus and taxis.

Rome City Marathon 2008

It is estimated that 75,000 people lined the streets of Rome on March 16th to cheer on the athletes running the 14th edition of the Rome City Marathon. Over 11,100 athletes from 76 nations participated, among which 10,511 runners crossed the finish line.



Running the Rome City Marathon is a great way to see the city on foot. The 42,195 km course starts and ends at the Colosseum, passing by the Roman Forum, Piazza Venezia, Campidoglio, Circus Maximus, Piazza Navona, the San Paolo Basilica, Via del Corso, Piazza del Popolo and the Spanish Steps. It passes through several Roman neighbourhoods, giving runners and spectators the opportunity to see much of the city and areas they might not otherwise see while visiting Rome.

Having run the Rome City Marathon twice, I can attest to the fact that it is not an easy course, but it is a great experience nonetheless. Cobblestones, hills and quick turns make it difficult to maintain a solid rhythm and place added strain on your muscles. This is not the course to establish your personal best time. That said, if you are a marathoner or aspire to be one, I highly recommend putting Rome on your marathon wish list.


This year’s marathon was ideal weather-wise. The weather in Rome in March is normally quiet pleasant, not too hot with a fresh breeze coming in off the cool sea, although it can sometimes feel hot when you are a running a marathon on a sunny day. Fortunately, this year, the sky was partially cloudy, giving the runners relief from rays of the hot Roman sun.

The first place athlete, Jonathan Yego Kiptoo from Kenya (photo on the right), finished in 2:09:57, while the first female, Galina Bogomolova from Russia, finished the race in 2:22:53, establishing a new course record in the female category. Bogomolova was awarded a bonus of €75,000 for beating the previous Italian female record of 2:23:47.

The first Italian, a Roman taxi driver named Giorgio Calcaterra (photo on the left), finished the marathon in 2:18:40. Calcaterra has run over 100 marathons and is somewhat of a legend in Italy because of his extreme passion for the sport of running. Runners from my team tell me that he once ran back to back marathons, one on Saturday and one the next day, both in less than 2 hours and thirty minutes. He is the current Italian champion of the 100 km.




This year’s marathon was a great success. I look forward to participating next year in the 15th edition of the Rome City Marathon, to be held on March 22nd.

For further information on the Rome City Marathon, including results, registration details and photos, visit www.maratonadiroma.it.

The Mystery of the Cappuccino

Tourists in Italy are easily recognizable in cafés and restaurants when they order a cappuccino after 11:00 a.m. or after a meal. Italians consider the cappuccino as a morning beverage. They gulp them down quickly while standing at the bar and then rush off to wherever it is they have to be so urgently. As a tourist or foreigner, there's no shame in taking your time to enjoy your warm, frothy cappuccino.

I have often wondered why it is so difficult to find a good cappuccino outside of Italy. I mean, it's espresso and milk. It should be easy to make. I have also noticed that the best cappuccini (plural for cappuccino in Italian) are in Rome. It seems that as you travel further northward or southward from Rome, the quality of the cappuccini changes. Of course, it's all relative: in my view, even a bad cappuccino is good. I rarely encounter a cappuccino that I consider undrinkable.

Outside of Italy, cappuccini may be made with different milk and coffee. But this doesn't explain the discrepancy within Italy. The coffee and milk are the same all over Italy. So perhaps it is the water used to make the espresso. Or could technique have something to do with it?

When in Italy, I like to go to a bar called "Il Pappagallo" in Rome. Mario makes an exceptional cappuccino. His cappuccini are the smoothest and creamiest I have ever tasted. When I asked him what his secret is, he explained that there are a number of factors in creating a good cappuccino. A cappuccino is made by putting ground coffee into a small filter, pressing it down and putting it into the machine. The water filters through and drips out into the cup below as espresso. Milk is then frothed up using a steamer and poured into the espresso. Sounds simple enough. But it seems that there is more to it than that.

Mario says that you can spot an inexperienced barman by how much coffee he puts into the filter and how firmly he presses it down. Apparently, you should fill the filter with the ground coffee just to the top, not in a heaping mound, and press it down gently. If you use too much coffee, you have press it down harder and the water will not filter through fluidly, the end result being that it will taste too strong. The taste of the coffee will also be influenced by the temperature of the water. If the water is too hot, the ground coffee will also become too hot, thereby giving the espresso a burnt flavour. Finally, it takes a skilled and experienced barman to pour the foamy milk into the espresso. The foamier milk rises to the top after it is steamed, so the milk should be skilfully poured to add equal parts steamed milk from the bottom and frothy milk from the top. This third part can be tricky, but the Italians seem to have mastered this fine art.

Armed with this knowledge, I started to observe the techniques of cappuccino in my travels throughout Italy. There is definitely some truth in Mario's philosophy. I have noticed that (generally speaking of course) the farther north and south you get from Rome, the hotter they serve their cappuccino. They seem to prefer a stronger, slightly burnt tasting coffee. To each their own, right?

Thermal Baths of Saturnia, Tuscany

A few years ago, my boyfriend and I, along with another couple, rented a two bedroom cottage, just outside of the ancient Roman settlement of Saturnia, Tuscany. We enjoyed an assortment of meats, cheeses and wine, and welcomed the New Year with champagne. At 12:30, the guys told us to grab our swimsuits ... we were going for a drive. As much as I enjoy surprises, I was a little apprehensive about driving off into the Tuscan countryside and going for a dip in the middle of the night in some unknown body of water. But I played along.


Our destination was a gravel parking lot. A group of people wearing robes and towels ran by us, laughing as they rushed to their car to get warm. This was good enough for me - I bravely got out of the car, wearing only my bathing suit and Birkenstocks. My boyfriend lit a candle and held my hand as he led me down a slippery, mud-covered path. Five minutes later, I found myself in one of at least a dozen small pools of light greenish-blue water. The ambient temperature was comfortable but cool, making the warm water feel like a soothing, hot bath. Small, marble-like stones, polished by erosion, danced around our feet as we sipped a glass of champagne under the moonlit Tuscan sky. That night was a unique and special experience, one that I will never forget.


According to local legend, the thermal baths were created when the God of Saturn became angry with human beings because they were constantly at war with one another. In his anger, he hurled a lightning bolt down to earth to pacify the humans, causing hot, sulphurous waters from below the earth’s crust to pour up onto the surface. Today, the water temperature remains constant at 37 degrees Celsius, or 98.5 degree Fahrenheit, year round. It is thought to possess therapeutic and healing qualities.


The locals tend to frequent the thermal baths during early hours of the morning, just before dawn. This is advisable if you prefer privacy, as the baths tend to get somewhat crowded during the day. As an alternative to the natural thermal baths, tourists can also visit the luxurious Terme di Saturnia, a four star spa and golf resort. For more information about the hotel, visit http://www.termedisaturnia.com/ .

If you prefer to experience the natural springs without paying, I suggest driving to Saturnia and spending the day. Saturnia is in southern Tuscany, about an hour and a half drive from Rome. While you are there, you might want to stop at a great little restaurant called “I Due Cippi da Michele Ristorante”, located in Piazza V. Veneto 26/A, in the main square of Saturnia (Tel. +39/05.6460.1074).