Florence/Rome/Paris May2013 - 3

Of course, no trip to Rome is complete without visiting the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, St Peter's Basilica (we couldn't get in as there was a very long queue for a scheduled mass), and Trevi Fountain (this one's just for the fun of it).

Florence/Rome/Paris May2013 - 2

It was a short stay in Tuscany and we drove back to Rome on the 3rd day. Arrived at a B&B called Feliz in Roma based on raving reviews on the net. Indeed another highly recommended accommodation with its cleanliness, coziness and reasonable location. Late afternoon when we got there and just in time to return the car (it's real easy to get around Rome by foot and bus). From the Rome Terminal Station we wandered to a small charming wine place off-the-tracks recommended by a friend who had lived in Rome for awhile. I Colori del Vino. Love it. Nice to be treated to such a great selection of Italian wines.

Next day activity: The Colosseum. Within walking distance from our B&B. You should probably buy tickets the evening before (no queue at all) and download the free audio guide before your visit. The previous time I was in Rome on a packaged tour they only allowed us 15mins to take photo on the outside! So I was quite pleased this time to be able to soak it all in.

Rome is extra-ordinary in that everywhere you go, you find pieces of history. Here and there..with stories behind or not..you see it. Little treasures of what was once..

"The Chiesa Il Gesù (Church of the Gesù), a 16th-century late Renaissance church in Rome, is the mother church of the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits. Originally very austere, Il Gesù's interior was opulently decorated starting in the 17th century. Now its frescoes, sculptures and shrines make it one of the foremost examples of Roman Baroque art." "Baroque fresco of The Triumph of the Holy Name of Jesus on the ceiling of the nave by Giovanni Battista. Truly the most extraordinary painting in the church, and perhaps in all of Rome after the Sistine Chapel." 
- http://www.sacred-destinations.com/italy/rome-il-gesu

Piazza Navona. Touristic (most places in Rome are anyway) but with a light wispy atmosphere.

"Seat of the cardinal of Paris in Rome and the heart of the city's French community, San Luigi dei Francesi houses three outstanding paintings by Michelango de Merisi, known as Caravaggio. It is also a riot of Roman baroque art."

Here are 2 of them: "The painting on the left, The Calling of St Matthew, takes place indoors where Saint Matthew, then a finely dressed moneychanger, sits with a group of common types. Jesus has just entered the dark room, raised his arm, and uttered the words "Follow me," (Matthew 9:9). The saint looks up, incredulous with an expression as if to say, "Who, me?" The composition contributes to the drama of the scene. A source of light above and behind Jesus' head slashes the darkness and slants down to illuminate the saint's face. As in many of his religious works, Caravaggio's subjects are depicted at the moment of a miraculous event. However, the contrast between the light of the illumined figures and their surroundings, which become almost indistinguishable as they recede into the dark, increases the dramatic tension of the work. This play of light and dark in painting is called chiaroscuro, and Caravaggio's particular form became known as tenebrism (tenebre meaning "shadow" in French.)"

On the right: "Two figures appear in the painting - St Matthew, at his table poised with pen in hand, and an angel hovering above him, inspiring him to write. Matthew is looking up and over his left shoulder at the angel. He is not seated. Instead one knee rests on a seat and his bare foot dangles. It looks as if he just ran to the table eager and awestruck to complete his gospel. The angel, encircled by floating, heavenly garments, is looking down, enumerating with his fingers the points he wants the saint to record in the gospel. The indistinct background is so dark the figures seem three-dimensional. It's a beautiful painting, and one's eye follows the lines from the angel's garments to the saint's forehead and then down along his robes to the ground."

"These three paintings, Caravaggio's first major church commission, cemented his reputation, and he continued to work constantly until his death in 1610 at the age of 38."
- http://www.sacred-destinations.com/italy/rome-san-luigi-dei-francesi

The Pantheon and The Spanish Steps. Then finally drinks at Hotel Hassler Roma and dinner at Hassler/Hostaria Romana with 2 very special friends – Anne & Roger

Florence/Rome/Paris May2013 - 1

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It has only been a year since the Europe trip but things are already a bit blurry. Imagine if I hadn’t kept a blog, what little trace would there be left 20 30 years down the road?

Day 1: Arrived at Rome airport, picked up car and began driving straight towards Tuscany. A bit of a drama there as we brought our own GPS but it didn’t quite work as I totally forgot about the memory card. The satellite was still frantically searching for us in Singapore -_- S started to drive as she didn't think it'd be that hard to follow the signs. …. It WAS hard. As the one not driving, I was doubly stressed. As we drove blindly on the Italian highway, we stopped by a few petrol stations in search of a helpful map but none of them had! *pulls hair* Fortunately with some stroke of luck, we found one with WI-FI. YESSSS. Hail the internet. So I started charting our journey on Google map (why didn’t I do that beforehand??? Tsktsk) Made another stop, chart again, and voila!

Hotel Villa Il Palagio. Lovely place. I remember the restaurant there was really good too. Our first meal did not disappoint :) Highly recommended if you’re heading to THE MALL in Tuscany.

Spent a couple of days at the luxury outlet centre, which honestly was underwhelming. I guess it's unlike those usual outlet shopping where you could just spree. D&G's worth a visit, and so is the restaurant above. Excellent grilled pork neck.

We also drove to Florence city centre and walked about the Piazza del Duomo, went to the original Officine Panerai boutique at Firenze San Giovanni, and had THE BEST butter roast chicken breast in a pan!! At Cipolla Rossa Osteria. Sorry about the empty pan though :p Food in Tuscany is amazing.

Apr 2013

Charmaine's really cool and creative party on the launch of the Absolut Elyx. Smooth......

Lucky us got a special treat at JR from special friends :p

Feb/Mar 2013

Before leaving for Shanghai I remember us trying to utilize as much "Feed at Raffles" and "Club at Hyatt" benefits as possible. This Japanese restaurant at Raffles City serves pretty good set lunches and for 50% the usual price, we regretted not discovering this earlier! P.s. I have to admit the problem with blogging on stuff one YEAR back is that I have no recollection at all the name of this restaurant. Google comes into play now but can you see the pain of blogging and the inertia I have been feeling?! Okay...'nuff excuses.....found it. Place is called Mikuni. Go try...especially if you have reason for a business lunch!

And then the randoms. Took a photo during CNY with my maternal grandma, a.k.a PoPo, who took care of me while I was young and while both my parents were working. Patchy memories here and there..but no matter how failed a mum my mum portrays her to be, she did her part as a grandma and I thank her that. Oh and that's my sis at the back with what seems like super short skirt -_-

Meetup with Jie and Mui at her new place. Erm whose birthday was it? Anyway, the memorable part was us sneaking up to the rooftop park at midnight holding a bottle of red wine and glasses and celebrating how awesome we were :p