Piazza Hopping in Rome

Strolling through the piazzas of Rome is an experience you don’t want to miss.  These historic city squares of Rome serve as a place to meet, dine, watch people and chat.  So if you truly want to ‘do as the Romans do' when in Rome, you want to indulge in this simplest of pleasures.

Piazza Navona is the most famous of the Roman piazzas.  A large cobblestoned square surrounding the magnificent fountains designed by baroque sculptor Bernini, Piazza Novona has an unique charm.  Scores of artists and street performers set up shop in the center, while cafes and gelateria busily attend to their customers around its perimeter.

Read More...

Trattorie of Trastavere

It can actually be fun to get lost in Trastavere!  This Roman neighborhood beyond the Tiber retains its character since the medieval times.  Narrow, winding cobblestones streets lined with old houses and several tiny pubs and restaurants, Trastavere was easily my favorite haunt in Rome, especially during lunch-time.

The first time we visited here was on the recommendation of our landlord (or rather lady). Trattoria sora Cencia turned out to a busy place that served a variety of fresh pasta and meats.  We were hungry and went with the fixed three course meal.  They started us us on bruschetta before our pasta entrees.  I had chosen the Rigatoni pasta with tomato sauce and wild boar - and it was out of the world!  I followed with a escalope of veal in marsala wine and roasted sweet potatoes.

Read More...

Roman Holiday

Travellers' Choice 2012, an annual rating by millions of travelers on TripAdvisor, recently rated Rome higher than Paris as a tourist destination.  While I may not rate these two fabulous cities in quite that order, I can see why Rome has continues to fascinate so many travelers through the ages.

We had rented an apartment on Via die Serpenti, a quaint little street that sloped gently down from the towering ramparts of the Colosseum, lined with tiny shops and graffiti-adorned wooden doors.  An old fountain gurgled in the middle of a small cobble-stoned piazza.  Wrought-iron chairs and checkered table-cloths spilled out of trattorias around the piazza.  Micro-cars, scooters and bikes lined both sides of the tiny streets.  The late-April morning in Rome was refreshing cold as I looked out of my window, a full ten degrees lower than the hot Pune summer I had left behind!

Read More...

Pepper Crab In Singapore

The last time I was here, I had feasted on Singapore’s celebrated dish, the Chilly Crab.  Discussing this dish with local friends, I also realized there are two kinds of crab lovers in this food-loving nation-city: those who swear by chilli crabs and those who prefer the pepper crabs instead.  Aha, I thought, what better excuse than this to plan another primeval crab dinner, the Singapore way.

Read More...

Murray Circle in Sausalito

I was back in the lovely precincts of Cavallo Point, a resort hotel overlooking the Golden Gate and the San Francisco Bay from Sausalito.  Since this was a business trip, I did not have the time to relax in their super-cosy rooms with their real fire-places.  Unlike the last time, a constant drizzle and cold winds kept us indoors the entire time.

Read More...

RN74

If you are looking for a hyper-trendy, sophisticated restaurant for an evening of drinks and dinner in San Francisco, RN74 may be just the place for you! Flickering candles, colored glass and loads of atmosphere characterize this offering from Michael Mina.  Incidentally, this place gets its name from a highway in Burgundy.

Read More...