living la vida local {Il Goccetto & Open Baladin}
on Thursday, Nick came home from work and said, "why don't you and Kira go out tonight? i'll watch the girls."
i think i replied, "oh, that would be great!" like a normal person, but in my mind i was definitely squealing with glee. cue the next few hours of combing TripAdvisor reviews for a great little spot or two to share a sisterly drink (or two). the Romans do happy hour (apertivo) with gusto -- many bars offer all-you-can-eat snacks or sometimes more substantial fare, plus 1 drink, for about €10. however, the earliest we'd be able to get out of the house would be 8 pm, and happy hour typically lasts until 8:30 or sometimes 9 pm. i didn't want to get there just as they were putting food away, and since we had already eaten dinner with the girls, we weren't actually that hungry anyway. plus, i really didn't want to be nose-to-armpit in a tourist trap.
so i switched focus to a few local haunts, and came up with the following itinerary: walk fifteen minutes to Il Goccetto, a cozy wine bar; then down the street five minutes to Barnum Cafe; then if we were still feeling bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, down past Campo de' Fiori to Open Baladin to sample their craft beer selections. God bless Kira, who took every permutation of the plan in stride.
finally, armed with screenshots of our Google Maps route, we said goodnight to the girls and set off. this was the first time i'd been out at night without the girls -- and much as i love them, it was exhilarating! when i'm with them, even when they're behaving admirably, there's of course always a part of my brain that's in Mom mode. i'm not much of a worrywart, but there's just the constant monitoring, and anticipation of possible imminent disasters (usually of a mild, running-out-of-snacks variety), and the unsettling sense that something could be about to go awry. usually, nothing does. but it's like my brain is split into my own thoughts and appreciation for what's going on around me, and then into the section that's watching them and how they are interacting with their environment. this is exactly how it should be -- that's what it means to be a parent. but as Kira and i crossed the street without waiting for the pedestrian light, then paused to watch the reflection of the lights twinkling in the Tiber, then continued walking without any interruption in our conversation, i could feel my Mom brain quieting down for a nice, long nap.
as we turned down the side street to reach Il Goccetto, Kira and i marveled at how well-lit everything was. it felt just as safe as it does in the daytime, which is to say, just as safe as any major American city i've visited -- you still don't want to wave your wallet around, but you don't get the sense that someone's about to stab you.
we were just wondering aloud to ourselves when we would see the wine bar, as this section of the street appeared to be mostly residential, when we spotted light spilling out from an open doorway, with a dozen or so people gathered around on the street. at first i wasn't sure we had the right place, as the most obvious sign just says "VINO E OLIO", but then i confirmed that we really had arrived at number 14, Via dei Banchi Vecchi. we stepped inside, exchanging secret very-excited looks. the shop was snug, with two or four people sitting at every small table, and a knot of merry Italians standing at the bar (which also contained a deli case displaying numerous varieties of cheese, cold cuts, and other antipasti). it took us several minutes to peruse the chalkboard listing the wines available by the glass (most €5, a few €7 or 8). Kira made her decision first -- a glass of spumante brut -- and it felt wrong for her to drink a sparkling wine by herself, so i joined her. once we finally got the bartender's attention, he was very sweet and indulged me in speaking as much Italian as i could muster, while confirming my order in English. bubbly in hand, we took a few steps away to a small counter where we could stand without being too much in the way, and the bartender waved me down to give me a little bowl of crackers. the Italians have a much-deserved reputation for wining and dining, but they don't just wine, if you will. alcohol is nearly always accompanied by food, which keeps blood alcohol levels down and behavior in check.
after savoring our wine, we walked back to the bar to contemplate our next move.
i wanted to try a red wine, while Kira was feeling the white. i had previously spotted a white wine called Leukothea, which i kind of wanted to order just because the name reminded me of leukocytes (aka white blood cells), so she went ahead and ordered that while i went out on a limb and ordered a Refosco. Kira's was good, but mine was possibly my new favorite wine (at least tying with Malbec). as the bar continued to fill with people, we decided to join the little crowd outside. we sat down on the stoop next door and sipped and swirled and smiled. the night air was warm and fresh. every once in a while a motorino would hum past, and at 10 p.m., a family with two small children came along (the parents alternating staying inside the bar with the baby and coming out for a smoke break while their preschooler ran around). #ThingsItaliansDo
i could have stayed there all night, but in the interest of exploring what else the city had to offer, we decided to move on. when we arrived at the Barnum Cafe, it was almost completely empty and just didn't seem appealing to me for some reason. i had also read that their drinks are a little overpriced, so we walked on through the Campo de' Fiori (a flurry of lights and street vendors and revelers by night!) and down a few other side streets to reach Open Baladin.
this place was much bigger and brighter than Il Goccetto, but the mood was similarly mellow and i was all about it. the patrons at both places just seemed content: happy to be enjoying good drinks in good company, no need to put on a display or impress each other or anyone else passing by. the taps at Open Baladin stretch all the way across the room and they have quite a variety of craft beers, including sour ales and ciders. Kira and i both opted for a Belgian tripel, which has been a longtime favorite of mine. i had read reviews that raved about their house-made potato chips, so we asked for an order of those as well. oh ... my ... goodness. thick but perfectly crunchy chips, tossed in minced garlic and pecorino cheese ... my mouth is literally watering right now just writing about them.
eventually we realized that it was after midnight and we should probably get back. rather than retracing our steps, we decided to walk across the Ponte Sisto and through a little bit of Trastevere to get home. before reaching the Tiber, we encountered this intriguing plaque.
i could piece together that this plaque commemorated the founding of the Bambino Gesu Hospital by the Duke Scipione family and a certain Arabella Salviati. further research reveals that this building was actually the original site of the pediatric hospital which is now located immediately next door to the NAC campus. according to the hospital's website, the Duchess Arabella Salviati began advocating for a children's hospital in 1869 (at that time, children were treated in adult medical wards). Duke Scipione and his family donated to the cause, and this building was the site of their first hospital unit. in 1887, part of the Sant'Onofrio convent on the Janiculum Hill was designated for the hospital, and there the hospital flourishes today.
as we continued walking, we could hear the Ponte Sisto before we saw it. crowds of teens and twenty-somethings were shrieking with laughter, shouting into cell phones, bumping shoulders with each other as they walked. some of them stopped on their way across the river to take selfies, and we had to pause to take a few pictures too. then we continued along, past the musicians on the bridge and between roving bands of college students to the equally bright and bumpin' scene at the edge of Trastevere. several times we looked at each other and shook our heads. Kira could hold her own with the best of them, but I am definitely too old for that scene. give me Il Goccetto any day...
i think i replied, "oh, that would be great!" like a normal person, but in my mind i was definitely squealing with glee. cue the next few hours of combing TripAdvisor reviews for a great little spot or two to share a sisterly drink (or two). the Romans do happy hour (apertivo) with gusto -- many bars offer all-you-can-eat snacks or sometimes more substantial fare, plus 1 drink, for about €10. however, the earliest we'd be able to get out of the house would be 8 pm, and happy hour typically lasts until 8:30 or sometimes 9 pm. i didn't want to get there just as they were putting food away, and since we had already eaten dinner with the girls, we weren't actually that hungry anyway. plus, i really didn't want to be nose-to-armpit in a tourist trap.
so i switched focus to a few local haunts, and came up with the following itinerary: walk fifteen minutes to Il Goccetto, a cozy wine bar; then down the street five minutes to Barnum Cafe; then if we were still feeling bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, down past Campo de' Fiori to Open Baladin to sample their craft beer selections. God bless Kira, who took every permutation of the plan in stride.
finally, armed with screenshots of our Google Maps route, we said goodnight to the girls and set off. this was the first time i'd been out at night without the girls -- and much as i love them, it was exhilarating! when i'm with them, even when they're behaving admirably, there's of course always a part of my brain that's in Mom mode. i'm not much of a worrywart, but there's just the constant monitoring, and anticipation of possible imminent disasters (usually of a mild, running-out-of-snacks variety), and the unsettling sense that something could be about to go awry. usually, nothing does. but it's like my brain is split into my own thoughts and appreciation for what's going on around me, and then into the section that's watching them and how they are interacting with their environment. this is exactly how it should be -- that's what it means to be a parent. but as Kira and i crossed the street without waiting for the pedestrian light, then paused to watch the reflection of the lights twinkling in the Tiber, then continued walking without any interruption in our conversation, i could feel my Mom brain quieting down for a nice, long nap.
as we turned down the side street to reach Il Goccetto, Kira and i marveled at how well-lit everything was. it felt just as safe as it does in the daytime, which is to say, just as safe as any major American city i've visited -- you still don't want to wave your wallet around, but you don't get the sense that someone's about to stab you.
we were just wondering aloud to ourselves when we would see the wine bar, as this section of the street appeared to be mostly residential, when we spotted light spilling out from an open doorway, with a dozen or so people gathered around on the street. at first i wasn't sure we had the right place, as the most obvious sign just says "VINO E OLIO", but then i confirmed that we really had arrived at number 14, Via dei Banchi Vecchi. we stepped inside, exchanging secret very-excited looks. the shop was snug, with two or four people sitting at every small table, and a knot of merry Italians standing at the bar (which also contained a deli case displaying numerous varieties of cheese, cold cuts, and other antipasti). it took us several minutes to peruse the chalkboard listing the wines available by the glass (most €5, a few €7 or 8). Kira made her decision first -- a glass of spumante brut -- and it felt wrong for her to drink a sparkling wine by herself, so i joined her. once we finally got the bartender's attention, he was very sweet and indulged me in speaking as much Italian as i could muster, while confirming my order in English. bubbly in hand, we took a few steps away to a small counter where we could stand without being too much in the way, and the bartender waved me down to give me a little bowl of crackers. the Italians have a much-deserved reputation for wining and dining, but they don't just wine, if you will. alcohol is nearly always accompanied by food, which keeps blood alcohol levels down and behavior in check.
 |
| happy place |
after savoring our wine, we walked back to the bar to contemplate our next move.
i wanted to try a red wine, while Kira was feeling the white. i had previously spotted a white wine called Leukothea, which i kind of wanted to order just because the name reminded me of leukocytes (aka white blood cells), so she went ahead and ordered that while i went out on a limb and ordered a Refosco. Kira's was good, but mine was possibly my new favorite wine (at least tying with Malbec). as the bar continued to fill with people, we decided to join the little crowd outside. we sat down on the stoop next door and sipped and swirled and smiled. the night air was warm and fresh. every once in a while a motorino would hum past, and at 10 p.m., a family with two small children came along (the parents alternating staying inside the bar with the baby and coming out for a smoke break while their preschooler ran around). #ThingsItaliansDo
i could have stayed there all night, but in the interest of exploring what else the city had to offer, we decided to move on. when we arrived at the Barnum Cafe, it was almost completely empty and just didn't seem appealing to me for some reason. i had also read that their drinks are a little overpriced, so we walked on through the Campo de' Fiori (a flurry of lights and street vendors and revelers by night!) and down a few other side streets to reach Open Baladin.
 |
| never change, Rome |
 |
| a completely candid photo -- Kira just happened to catch me gazing adoringly at the chips |
eventually we realized that it was after midnight and we should probably get back. rather than retracing our steps, we decided to walk across the Ponte Sisto and through a little bit of Trastevere to get home. before reaching the Tiber, we encountered this intriguing plaque.
i could piece together that this plaque commemorated the founding of the Bambino Gesu Hospital by the Duke Scipione family and a certain Arabella Salviati. further research reveals that this building was actually the original site of the pediatric hospital which is now located immediately next door to the NAC campus. according to the hospital's website, the Duchess Arabella Salviati began advocating for a children's hospital in 1869 (at that time, children were treated in adult medical wards). Duke Scipione and his family donated to the cause, and this building was the site of their first hospital unit. in 1887, part of the Sant'Onofrio convent on the Janiculum Hill was designated for the hospital, and there the hospital flourishes today.
as we continued walking, we could hear the Ponte Sisto before we saw it. crowds of teens and twenty-somethings were shrieking with laughter, shouting into cell phones, bumping shoulders with each other as they walked. some of them stopped on their way across the river to take selfies, and we had to pause to take a few pictures too. then we continued along, past the musicians on the bridge and between roving bands of college students to the equally bright and bumpin' scene at the edge of Trastevere. several times we looked at each other and shook our heads. Kira could hold her own with the best of them, but I am definitely too old for that scene. give me Il Goccetto any day...
Comments
Post a Comment