Aielli & Benevento

The thin crust pizza that is a Roman gift to the world has few rivals.  Now certain Chicago based pizza lovers may have some trouble adapting.  But for the rest of poor souls who routinely err in ordering pizza delivered in a box, here are some great pizzerias worth visiting when your travels next take you to the Eternal City…

Da Vittorio

Where do you find a bit of Naples in Rome? If it’s pizza, the soft and thick pie type, Da Vittorio in the heart of Trastevere is the stop you should make. The owner prides himself on being special, so the Vittorio (fresh tomato, basil, mozzarella, and Parmesan) is a must. Pasta, antipasti, and salads are also on the menu. Decor is very Italian in this small but popular spot, which includes lots of Neapolitan memorabilia. Address: Via di San Cosimato, 14/a.

Dar Poeta

In a small street off the happening Trastevere neighborhood, Dar Poeta specializes in a 100% natural and yeast-free slow-rise pizza, which is exceptionally digestible. The toppings are traditional, as well as eclectic, like apple and Grand Marnier. The service can verge on gruff, in the best Roman fashion, and the bill’s scrawled on the on the brown-paper covering the table. But the atmosphere’s jolly, even in long queues outside (no reservations). Address: Vicolo del Bologna, 45.

Est! Est! Est! dei Fratelli Ricci

Named after a wine, this is one of Rome’s most traditional pizzerias with an alluring if rather faded art nouveau interior. Family owned and operated, the restaurant has been serving thick-crusted pizza cooked in a pan (unique in Rome) since the 1930s.  Popular for its calzoni ripieni (stuffed pizza). Address: Via Genova 32, Rome 00184

Giacomelli

In the residential Prati district (north of the Vatican), this place is a favorite with Romans for the high-quality pizza and fried antipasti. The pizza alle verdure (with vegetables) is one of the best in town, and the others are memorable too. Don’t get disheartened by the queues; the venue is large and the service very efficient. The closest metro is San Pietro-Ottaviano. Address: Via Faà di Bruno, 25.

La Gallina Bianca

One of the few pizzerias open also at lunchtime, La Gallina Bianca (”The White Hen”) keeps the wood-fired oven blazing daily. A short walk from Termini station or Santa Maria Maggiore, it serves thick-crusted Neapolitan-style pies with fresh toppings. The dough is slow-risen and thus particularly light. The service is young and quick. Gallina may not win loads of awards, but the pizzeria is a great option in the dodgy Esquiline area. Address: Via Antonio Rosmini 9, off Piazza di Santa Maria Maggiore.

La Montecarlo

Run by the daughter of the owner of the legendary Pizzeria da Baffetto that is just around the corner on Via del Governo Vecchio, Montecarlo holds its own. It offers great pizza, home-made Roman desserts and cheap but tasty wine in a fun, noisy atmosphere. A favourite of young locals and tourists alike. Address: Vicolo Savelli 12/13.

O Pazzariello

A small-ish place where the pizzaiolo (pizza chef) takes center stage. He works in the middle of the restaurant and shows off the whole time. His creations, however, are sublime, so the grandstanding can be forgiven. In a city of fixed pie widths, he mixes it up from small to massive (according to the number of diners per table). Authentic Neapolitan desserts. Address: Via del Banco di Santo Spirito,19.

Pizzeria Da Baffetto

Still one of the best buys for your money, Pizzeria da Baffetto is a Roman institution. You will have to wait in line if you arrive late, but the roungh-and-tumble typically Roman atmosphere will make up for it. Bus: Corso Vittorio Emanuele. Address: Via del Governo Vecchio,114.

Popi Popi

Enjoy the setting sun at an outdoor table at Pizzeria Popi-Popi. Inside, the place is big and the service fast. A favorite of Rome’s young crowd, it offers tasty traditional pizza at a bargain price. Address: Via delle Fratte di Trastevere,45.

Remo

Located in the sprawling heart of the Testaccio district, there’s no better place for authentic pizza and a Roman atmosphere. Known for its big thin-crust pies (you pick your own toppings) and the classic Romano, Remo’s a loud and popular place. Outdoor tables available, but expect to wait in line if you arrive late. One minus is that the owner closes in August. Address: Piazza Santa Maria Liberatrice 44.

From Sergio Esposito’s wine newsletter…here he outlines the 2005 Barbarescos…the description of two of the great estate/winemakers follows….

Bruno Giacosa (www.brunogiacosa.it)

The great Bruno Giacosa is not an enologist. He learned by working with his father and grandfather and became fascinated by what could be created from the grape. It’s surprising that until recently Giacosa owned no vineyards; he bought all the grapes, selecting from some of the area’s best sites. In 1982, he bought the Falletto vineyard in Serralunga d’Alba and established himself as a winegrower as well as a winemaker. Giacosa makes several much-acclaimed Barbarescos .

Angelo Gaja (www.gajawines.com)

This brilliant visionary essentially refashioned Barbaresco, beginning back in the late 1960s. He created a new, provocative image for the little unknown commune through the radical introduction of barriques and cru bottlings (practices that enraged Piemonte, but captured the attention of the world). His 2005 wines are further proof of his masterwork and are, in many ways, like the classically styled wines of 1989, overshadowed by the riper, richer 1990 wines. From his “basic” Barbaresco to all of his crus, they are simply some of the finest Gaja Barbarescos we have seen in a decade.

Their Barbarescos:

Gaja Barbaresco 2005  $169.00

Gaja Barbaresco 2005 1.5L  $425.00

Gaja Sorì Tildin 2005  $369.00

Gaja Sorì Tildin 2005 1.5L  $849.00

Gaja Costa Russi 2005  $369.00

Gaja Costa Russi 2005 1.5L  $849.00

2005 Gaja Barbaresco Crus Three-Bottle Sampler  $1,107.00

2005 Gaja Barbaresco & Crus 12-Bottle Tasting Case  $3,828.00

Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Asili 2005 $166.00*

Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Asili 2005 1.5L  $327.00*

Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Rabaja 2005  $170.00*

Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Santo Stefano di Neive 2005 $144.00*

Sergio has a wonderful newsletter if you are interested in Italian wines.  Sign up here .

Just in from Rome ANSA … Two fingers and a tooth removed from Galileo Galilei’s corpse in a Florentine basilica in the 18th century and given up for lost have been found again, a Florence museum said Friday.

Paolo Galluzzi, director of the Museum of the History of Science, said three fingers, a vertebra and a tooth were removed by enthusiastic admirers from the astronomer’s body in 1737, 95 years after his death, while his corpse was being moved from a storage place to a monumental tomb, opposite the tomb of Michelangelo, in Santa Croce Basilica in Florence. One of the fingers was recovered soon after, and is now part of the museum’s collection, and the vertebra has been kept at the University of Padua, where Galileo had taught for years, according to the museum. But the tooth and two of the fingers — the thumb and middle finger — from the scientist’s right hand, were kept by one of the admirers, an Italian marquis, and later kept in a container which was passed on from generation to generation in the same family, Galluzzi told The Associated Press in a telephone interview.  “But with time, the generations lost knowledge of what was actually inside the container,” and the family sold the container, Galluzzi said. By 1905, all traces of the relics had disappeared, “leading scholars to hypothesize that these singular specimens had been definitely lost,” the museum said in a statement. But the container recently turned up at auction and was purchased by a private collector, intrigued by the contents but not sure they were Galileo’s relics. The buyer eventually contacted Galluzzi and other Florence culture officials, who used detailed historical documents, as well as documentation from the family which had long owned it, to conclude they were Galileo’s fingers and tooth, the museum director said. The relics were inside an 18th-century blown-glass vase, which in turn was inside a wooden case topped with a wooden bust of Galileo, the museum said.  Galileo, who died in 1642, was condemned by the Vatican for saying the Earth revolved around the Sun. Church teaching at the time held that the Earth was the center of the universe. In the early 1990s, Pope John Paul II rehabilitated him, saying the church had erred.

The museum will put the fingers and tooth on public display next spring.

Oenophiles and rock fans will have to wait. Despite rumors that Sting’s Il Palagio vineyard wine, bottled in 2007, would be released this year, it is not ready yet and is expected to become available next September (2010).

His 860-acre Tuscan estate, 19 miles south of Florence in the village of Figline Valdarno, is expected to produce 30,000 bottles a year. There will be two types of wine: first a Tuscan red made of the Sangiovese grape blended with Cabernet and  Merlot grapes; then later, a Chianti that was bottled in 2008.

Riccardo Nocentini, the mayor of Figline Valdarno, says the singer is considered a serious farmer, producing honey, olive oil, fruit, vegetables and Tuscan salami. The honey and olive oil are marketed under the brand name Il Palagio Sumner Family and are sold only through Harrods department store in London. Sumner is Sting’s real last name.

Sting spends much of his time in Tuscany when he is not touring. He recorded the album All This Time at his 16th century villa after 9/11. The villa grounds are graced with a circular swimming pool and a giant chess board. There’s a five-acre kitchen garden and lots of bees.

Sting is far from the first or only celebrity with a vineyard: Francis Ford Coppola has made quite a success of his endeavors; Mick Hucknall, the lead singer of Simply Red, produces Il Cantante (The Singer), a wine created at his estate in Sicily; and French actor Gerard Depardieu owns a vineyard on the Italian island of Pantelleria, where he produces a local dessert wine called passito.

Ferragamo VillaThe Ferragamos have developed some spectacular hotel properties from Castiglion del Bosco in Montalcino to Portrait Suites in the Eternal City. Now they are opening up one of their family homes. Casa Ferragamo is among one of best villas for rent in Italy and made available thru an exclusive arrangement with thru Aielli &Benevento. This fantastic villa rental is part of the Viesca Estate just 30 minutes from Florence and can sleep up to 10 people. Dating back to the 15th Century, it was completely refurnished with Ferragamo styling and is fully serviced with private pool and endless views. This is the perfect villa rental in Italy for that perfect holiday. This is a very exclusive property, and for every booking request, the renter must be approved in advance by the owner Mrs. Ferragamo!

To learn more, email us: info @aielli-benevento.it

Cinque Ristoranti Meno di Cinquanta Euros

(restaurants less than 50 Euros)

This ‘Bohemian’ section of Rome is known for its narrow cobbled streets lined by medieval houses. At night, both natives and tourists alike flock to its many pubs and restaurants. Many A&B clients, particularly honeymoon couples for some reason, often ask about this unqiue part of the Eternal city.  Here are  five favorite eateries that won’t break one bank:

Trattoria Degli Amici

A Special Restaurant for Special People in the Heart of the Trastevere Nightlife. I love this place run by Sant’ Egidio Community that helps disadvantaged and less fortunate people while serving really good food. Check with the sommelier, he does not drink wine but can tell from your face if the bottle is good!  Best Bets: Cod Maccheroni | Cous Cous

Price 35€ | Gambero Rosso 2010 Excellent Value for Money

Osteria La Gensola

Located in the Charming Piazza in Piscinula La Gensola Offers Excellent Food
Best Bets: Roman Traditional Dishes | Shellfish
Price 50€ | Gambero Rosso 2010 Rating 75/100

Minnetti in Trastevere

One of our favorites. Chef Roberto Minnetti serves real Tuscan food in the heart of Rome! With the short but really good wine list ( the chef has a place on a wine estate–Poggio Antico– in Tuscany too!  Best Bets: Veal Tripe | 100 Egg Pasta | Peposa Stew
Price 40€ | Excellent Value for Money | Guida L’Espresso 2010 Rating 13/20

Quirino | 3 Vicolo della Scala | Tel#  06 58301885

This is a very good trattoria with typical Roman food and low prices.
Best Bets: Check for the daily specials on the chalk board
Price 40€ | Gambero Rosso 2010 Rating Good Value for Money

Roma Sparita

A Very Good Traditional Trattoria Located in the Heart of Medieval Rome
Best Bets: Typical Roman Dishes | Calzone
Price 25€ | Gambero Rosso 2010 N/A

For great dining at a higher fare, try also… A’ Ciaramira, Antica Pesa or 
Checco er Carettiere.

Any trip to Northern Italy should include Vicenza and the Palladian villas of the Veneto. They are packaged together as a Unesco World Heritage Site, so-designated to protect a cluster of works by Andrea Palladio (1508–80), one of the most renowned architects in history. His urban buildings and villas are scattered around Vicenza and throughout the Veneto.

Vicenza was founded in the 2nd century B.C. and prospered under Venetian rule from the early 15th to the end of the 18th century. Palladio, who based his designs on classical Roman architecture, gave the city a unique appearance. His style spread to England, other European countries, and North America.

Palladio’s villas were a new type of country residence, a departure from the mansions that had been built to resemble great city palaces. Still, even though his revolutionary designs were functional and comfortable, he built to impress. Palladian villas have three things in common: striking exteriors, classic interiors, and inexpensive materials.

Here are a few that Aiello & Benevento will make sure you do not miss:

Villa Emo, classically restrained and surrounded by elegant gardens, is one of Palladio’s purest creations, complete with frescoes by Zellotti, Palladio’s favorite painter. Until 2004, this was the only Palladian villa that had been kept in the original family continuously since construction. The Greek temple known as Villa Malcontenta (also known as Villa Foscari ) was built for the Foscari family on the Riviera Brenta. Perhaps the Malcontenta name came from a melancholy woman in one of the frescos. Its design reflects the evolution of Palladio coming completely into his own. La Rotonda is aptly named for its central dome, one of Palladio’s signatures and most copied  motifs, was inspired by the Pantheon of ancient Rome.

Villa Cornaro, a masterwork of Palladio’s mid-career,  was named one of the world’s ten most important buildings in Town & Country Magazine a few years ago.

Villa Cornaro introduced the two-story projecting portico-loggia that influenced Western architecture for hundreds of years, featured in Georgian and Colonial American architecture.

Villa Barbaro is the most richly decorated of all the Palladian villas, with frescoes by Paolo Veronese. Its facade features four Ionic columns adapted from the Temple of Fortuna Virilis in Rome. The famous 5-part profile shows up in Washington: as the U. S. Capitol building.

Near Villa Barbaro is a perfect place to stop to eat, wander, and shop: the charming small hill town of Asolo. Nicknamed ‘the pearl of Veneto,’ Asolo is often referred to as one of the most beautiful hill towns in Italy.

Here are few of our favorite online journals about Italy.   Enjoy!

• Living Venice http://livingveniceblog.com/
• My Sardinia http://mysardinia.com/
• Italy Beyond the Obvious http://www.italyfaves.typepad.com/
• Bella Vita in Liguria http://bellavitaitalia.blogspot.com/
• Love Sicily http://www.lovesicily.com/blog/
• Italy From the Inside http://www.italyfromtheinside.com/
• Secret Gardens http://www.secretgardensitaly.com/_/Secret_Blog/Secret_Blog.html
• 2 Baci in a Pinon Tree http://2baci.blogspot.com/
• Florence Journal http://www.florence-journal.com/
• Dream Italy http://www.dreamofitaly.com
• Rome Photo Blog http://romephotoblog.blogspot.com/

Call us the incurable romantics.  But before you know it Valentine’s Day will be upon us.  Here are six wonderful expressions of love for you to speak to your significant other. Start practicing.

• Ti penso sempre – I always think of you.
• Mi manchi / I miss you.
• Come sei bella / How beautiful you are. Come sei bello (for a woman talking to a man)
• Voglio vederti stasera / I want to see you tonight.
• Tu sei una stella…la mia stella / You are a star…my star.
• Cara mia, ti voglio bene / My darling, I love you.

We are biased but we think these thoughts sound so much better in Italian.

Palazzo Sasso is a 12th century peach-colored Italian villa that was built 1000 feet above the Mediterranean on a hilltop in Ravello, a medieval village on Italy’s spectacular Amalfi coast. This five-star hotel with two-star Michelin dining opened in 1997. The interiors have vaulted ceilings, arched windows, balconies and a creamy Easter-egg palette. Rooms have handmade Vietri tiles, antique carpets and furniture from the XVIII and XIX centuries. Make sure you get a room with a view. All the suites face the sea; we recommend Belvedere, Infinito and Horizonte, which have their own terraces.

Chef Pino Lavarra trained from a young age in Italy, Germany, Monaco, England (with Raymond Blanc at Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saison) and Malaysia. He brings international experience and flair to his cooking at Palazzo Sasso.  The restaurant is closed from the November to March, as is the hotel. Rossellini’s is open for dinner only. Again, the view is the thing: ask for a cliff-side table that has a good sightline to the fishing boats 1,000 feet below.

The Palazzo’s white-stucco spa with blue tiled water features has a solarium, and a small lawn – for exercise classes or lounging – overlooks the sea. There is a heated outdoor swimming pool as well, and a terraced seaside bathing area 15 minutes away.  The formally-trained but warm staff is abundant: two employees per room. When you get thirsty, even by the pool, chances are your drinks will be delivered on a silver tray by a young waiter in a white jacket.  Getting married? They can accommodate 70 of your nearest and dearest.

Palazzo Sasso:  Via San Giovanni del Toro, 28; Tel#: 89-818181 or 800-225-4255; www.palazzosasso.com (32 rooms include 11 suites)