Roma -O- Matic 3.0

Exhibition "Amazônia" Sebastião Salgado at MAXXI. Until February 13, 2021.

Sat, 11 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +0100

Until February 13, 2021

Monday closed

Tuesday to Friday 11:00 - 19:00

Saturday and Sunday 11:00 - 20:00

For six years Sebastião Salgado travelled in the Brazilian Amazon, photographing the forest, the rivers, the mountains and the people who live there.

This exhibition, premiering in Italy with more than 200 photographs, plunges us into the Amazon rainforest, uniting Salgado’s impressive images with the sounds of the jungle. The rustling of trees, the cries of animals, birdsongs or the roar of water pumbling down from mountain tops, having turned into a magical soundscape, by the composer Jean-Michel Jarre.

The records of Rome. Big numbers, not always enviable, for a big city.

Sat, 13 Feb 2021 00:00:00 +0100

Rome is big, very big ... and boasts countless records.

Numbers and accounts reported here are widely rounded, approximate and the result of estimates that are almost never supported by reliable and official data ... but they are useful to give an idea.

People and tourism.

It is the most populous town in Italy, with about 2,800,000 inhabitants; if we add commuters, students, nuns, priests, politicians, soldiers, demonstrators, marathon runners, etc. we should get to 4 million. In second place is Milan, with half of the inhabitants. In Europe only Berlin and Madrid surpass us.

It is also obvious that it is the Italian municipality with the highest number of foreign residents (more than 10% of the total); the largest communities come from Romania, the Philippines, Bangladesh, China, Ukraine, Peru, Egypt, Poland, India.

In addition to having many inhabitants, it also has many tourists: 10,000,000 per year. They stay in the city for about 3 days. We therefore have to provide support to 82,000 tourists every day, which is as if the whole of Varese was moving from us.

Which explains why there are 1,000 hotels and 10,000 b&b/guest houses. It also explains why, in the high season, it is impossible to find a room at a good price. Unfortunately, "high season" means from March to June, September and October, therefore 6 months a year.

Note for those wishing to open a b&b in Rome: perhaps this is not the case, the market is already saturated.

Since we also have to feed these tourists (along with a good chunk of the local population who have a habit of going out for dinner or having a sandwich for lunch), 2,300 restaurants and 9,000 bars may be insufficient. We compensate for the lack with an unspecified number of pizzerias by the slice, sandwich shops, kebabs, sandwiches and in short, anything that can be removed and swallowed.

Note for those wishing to open a restaurant / bar in Rome: go ahead, it seems the sector is hardly saturated.

Streets, public parks, traffic and traffic.

As all roads lead to Rome, it has the largest road network in Europe, with 6,000 km of roads. Considering that it covers an area of 1,300 Km2 (more or less a quarter of Molise, fourth place in Europe after Istanbul, Ankara and London) and that, of these, 850 are of lawns, parks and villas (another record, greenest city in Europe) would not even be a problem.

Except that (record !!!) we have about 2,800,000 private cars, or one each. It will be for the number of cars per capita, it will be for the geographical extension, but we are second in the world for hours lost in traffic (after Bogota, which still has double the number of inhabitants, many of whom can only afford a bicycle).

Transportation.

Roma Termini is the busiest station in Italy. Half a million passengers a day. It is no longer Varese that stays in Rome, but Genoa that passes through these parts.

Much of Monza instead passes through Fiumicino Airport (120,000 passengers per day).

We also have 3 metro lines, a dozen suburban railways, 350 bus lines on which 2000 buses run (or at least should). None of this works as it should, which certainly does not make us climb any Italian rankings, much less European.

However, by adding up the Km of development on iron and rubber we get 4,650 Km, which at least in this brings us to the first place in Europe.

Monuments and churches.

Here we are unbeatable. It is the city with the most monuments in the world.

And it is the city with the most churches in the world: 900 (but in our opinion even more).

St. Peter's Basilica is the largest church in the world (if we exclude modern constructions such as Our Lady of Peace in the Ivory Coast).

We are also first in the world for fountains (there are those who say 2,000).

The Colosseum is the most visited monument in Italy. But it ranks sixth only in the world, surpassed by Lincoln Memorial, Eiffel Tower, Sydney Opera House, Great Wall of China and Notre-Dame de Paris.

Culture.

First in Italy for the number of universities (46 between state, private and pontifical).
And also by the number of students (200,000, of which 40,000 are non-resident).

Various.

It is the only city in the world that contains a state (the Vatican).

The Appia Antica Regional Park is the largest urban park in Europe.

The Tiber Island would seem to be the smallest inhabited island in the world (until someone goes to live on a smaller islet).

Probably the number of road chasms and that of buses that catch fire spontaneously (amicably nicknamed flame-buses) lead us to the top of some rankings, but we don't want to know which one.

The true origins of the legendary Fettuccine Alfredo.

Sat, 06 Feb 2021 00:00:00 +0100

Let's face it: Alfredo fettuccine is not a traditional Roman dish.
But, due to their simplicity and the fact that they are so famous in English-speaking countries (together with perhaps the most popular "spaghetti with meatballs"), we have no qualms about including them in the elite of historically Roman (or at least Italian) dishes, regardless of who this Alfredo is).

Butter and Parmesan, so dear to students who are temporarily lacking in creativity. But, if instead of industrial fettuccine we used homemade ones ... if instead of the "mix of grated cheese" we used simple Parmesan aged 24 months ... if instead of the "whey butter derivative" we used a good cream butter from alpine milk ...

We add a little manual skill to whisk them (if we can do it with a cheese and pepper it won't scare us) and we will get an excellent result.

Branding something like "pasta, butter and parmesan" might seem useless as doing it with "fried eggs with bacon"; but we still appreciate the attempt of the "Alfredi" (in Rome there are two who have been competing for the authorship of the dish for years).

Alfredo Di Lelio, born in September 1883 in Rome in Vicolo di Santa Maria in Trastevere, began working as a boy in the small restaurant opened by his mother Angelina in Piazza Rosa, a small open space (disappeared around 1910) that existed before the construction of the Galleria Colonna (now Galleria Sordi).

1908 was an unforgettable year for Alfredo Di Lelio: he was born, in fact, his son Armando and at the same time saw the light in this restaurant in Piazza Rosa his "fettuccine", which later became famous all over the world.

Alfredo Di Lelio invented his "fettuccine" to give a natural tonic, based on butter and Parmesan, to his wife Ines, prostrate following the birth of her first child. The dish of "fettuccine" was a family success even before becoming the dish that made Alfredo Di Lelio known and popular, a character with "Umberto mustache" and corns on his hands by dint of mixing his "fettuccine" in front of more and more customers.

In 1914, following the closure of said restaurant due to the disappearance of Piazza Rosa due to the construction of the Galleria Colonna, Alfredo Di Lelio decided to open his restaurant "Alfredo" in Rome which he managed until 1943, and then sold the business to third parties.

But Alfredo Di Lelio's absence from the gastronomic scene was entirely transitory. In fact, in 1950 he resumed control of his family tradition and opened, together with his son Armando, the restaurant "Il Vero Alfredo" (also known abroad as "Alfredo di Roma") in Piazza Augusto Imperatore.

With the launch of the new restaurant, Alfredo Di Lelio achieved great success with the public and customers in the years of the "dolce vita". Success, which still attracts a continuous flow of tourists from all over the world to the restaurant to taste the famous "fettuccine all'Alfredo" with double butter.

In particular, the fettuccine are served to customers with 2 "golden cutlery": a fork and a golden spoon given to Alfredo in 1927 by the two well-known American actors M. Pickford and D. Fairbanks (as a sign of gratitude for the hospitality).

Alfredo was a great friend of Ettore Petrolini, whom he met in the early 1900s in a meeting between boys from the Trastevere district and boys from the Monti district (including Petrolini). It was Petrolini himself who one day, already a famous actor, going to visit his friend Alfredo, after hugging him, said to him "Alfré now let me see what you know." Alfredo after having performed in his typical "show" that saw him mixing the steaming noodles with his golden cutlery in front of the customers, approached his friend Ettore who commented "thank goodness you didn't become an actor because it's a place for everyone e due nun was" and advised Alfredo to wallpaper the walls of the restaurant with his photos together with the most famous customers.

The "Il Vero Alfredo" restaurant is listed in the Register of "Historic Shops of Excellence" of the Municipality of Rome.
Today Alfredo's granddaughter Ines Di Lelio is in charge of handing down the tradition.

In the links: the two restaurants (Il vero Alfredo and Alfredo alla Scrofa) and the recipe.

Wishes for a happy 2021 and how likely it is that it will be better than 2020.

Fri, 01 Jan 2021 00:00:00 +0100

After having consulted dozens of industry experts (mathematicians, psychologists, astrologers, barbers, bartenders, even epidemiologists), after having carefully examined the historical archives of authoritative publications (Ansa, Gazzetta Ufficiale, Gazzetta dello Sport, Lottomatica), after asking questions to Greek, Tibetan, Arab, Trasteverine oracles ... and having interpreted their profound but cryptic answers ("consolate coll'ajetto", "remain like Pietro from Arezzo") ... we have come to the following conclusions.

Supported by the results of our research (of which we will soon publish a paper on Disney Literature Masterpieces), we can say, without possibility of denial, that the probability that the year 2021 is better (whatever it means to you) than the year 2020 is equal to:

50%

or you will have a chance in two, next New Year, to feel sorry for the end of 2021. Or if you prefer 50 every 100, or 5000 every 10000. Indeed, in this period in which everyone gives numbers (in the true sense of the term), we are not afraid to say that 2021 will be better than 2020 in one million cases (out of two million, but ignoring this detail a pretty good result).

Other studies, based on the mean quadratic distribution of the "fluke", would state that in reality the probability is equal to 50% but only for 50% of the population. Using simple calculations, 2021 would always be better than 2020 in one million cases (out of four million, but continue to ignore the details).

There are those who are ready to swear that, for 10% of a well-known slice of the population, 2021 will certainly be better than 2020. For the remaining 90% (sometimes referred to as "working class", " employees "," the usual ones to pay "), will certainly be worse.

A delegation of the African people also gave its contribution, estimating an improvement percentage close to 0%. Demonstrating little knowledge of mathematics (a probability of 0 does not represent an impossible event, but only very rare), as well as a lack of gratitude for the efforts made by the Western world.

The sub-delegations of Niger, Tanzania and Mozambique even calculated a deterioration rate of 105%! Translated into understandable words, for a strange astral conjunction their 2021 will last about 383 days ... and those extra 18 days will still be shitty.

In any case, best wishes for a good 2021 to everyone, even to those who will do absolutely nothing to make it so.

Last update: confidential sources inform us that, in the next edition of Monopoly 2021, the usual "chance" deck will be replaced by a second "community chest" deck. The introduction of a third deck "draw if you dare" is being studied.

Things to remember for December. New DPCM, gas station strike, sales, metro V. Emanuele.

Tue, 01 Dec 2020 00:00:00 +0100

New DPCM.
From 21 December 2020 to 6 January 2021 it will no longer be possible to move even between yellow regions. Exceptions will be allowed to return to the places of residence or domicile.
On 25 and 26 December 2020 and 1 January 2021 it will also be forbidden to move from the municipality in which you are located,
On New Year's Eve there will be a total curfew, from 10pm to 7am. The hotel restaurants are also closed.
Bars and restaurants remain closed from 6pm, but at Christmas, Boxing Day, January 1st and 6th they will be open for lunch.

From 3 December 2020 to 6 December 2020 Vittorio Emanuele metro station closed for works.

From the evening of next Monday 14 December 2020 and until the morning of Thursday 17 December 2020, the fuel distribution plants, both in the ordinary network and on the motorway network, will be closed due to strike.

The sales will start on January 12, 2021, but merchants will be able to make promotional sales starting 30 days in advance.

From 8 December 2020 the cashback operation begins, a 10% refund on purchases made at physical stores.

The X best Peruvian restaurants in Rome. Where to eat cheviche according to the tradition of an underrated cuisine.

Thu, 26 Nov 2020 00:00:00 +0100

Not many people know, but Peruvian cuisine is one of the most varied in the world, with dishes that can compete with the most famous traditions: Italian, French and Chinese.

The strength of Peru's cuisine derives mainly from the many influences that the country has undergone throughout its history. Three centuries of the Spanish empire, with their African slaves; the French who fled the revolution of 1789; Chinese, Japanese and Italians in the 19th century. Not to mention the ancient Inca influences.

Considering also the particular geographical nature of the country, which extends over the Pacific Ocean but is also bordered by the Andes and the Amazon rainforest, we obtain perhaps the gastronomy that includes the largest quantity of preparations in the world; only along the coast we find at least 2000 types of soups and 200 traditional desserts.

Two key features are the colors and spicy flavors. Not surprisingly, at least 300 species of chilli pepper are currently grown in Peru, including aji amarillo (used almost everywhere, also for its beautiful yellow color) and aji charapita (one of the most expensive). Heritage of the Chinese-Cantonese, many dishes are accompanied by rice.

Other essential ingredients are:
- the potato (there is a World Center for investigations and genetic conservation of the potato ... and it is based in Peru)
- the camote (known by us as American sweet potato)
- yuca (cassava)
- tomato
- plantains (which we sometimes mistake for bananas, but they are less sweet and with more starch, usually cooked before being eaten)
- the corn
- various types of fruit (including chirimuya and lucuma)
- fish (Peru boasts the largest variety of freshwater fish in the world, but is also a major exporter of fish and seafood)
- chicken

But let's move on to the most interesting part ... the dishes !!! At least the most famous ones and those you will find in Peruvian restaurants in Rome.

Cheviche (or cebiche, seviche, sebiche): raw fish and / or seafood marinated in lemon, with the addition of chilli and salt. Optionally red onion, coriander, celery. In Peru, the dish is often served in specialty restaurants, the cevicherie, and has been declared a cultural heritage of the nation. Basically, the non-radical-chic answer to the uncontrolled proliferation of sushi / sashimi / poké.

Pollo a la brasa: simple grilled chicken in our eyes; the difference is made by the seasoning and the cooking process; accompanied by fried potatoes (or plantains), salad and various sauces (mayonnaise, ketchup, chimichurri).

Lomo saltado: a mix of criolla and oriental cuisine; beef cut into strips and stir-fried with onions and peppers. Accompanied by rice. The good version of any beef, cooked with any wok, in any Chinese restaurant.

Papa a la huancaina: boiled potatoes dressed with a sauce made of milk, oil, fresh cheese and yellow chilli. The ingredients create an unexpectedly balanced sauce, particularly appreciated by an Italian palate.

Anticucho: skewers of cow's heart, spiced and cooked on the grill or in a pan. A way to make those who say they hate them eat insides.

Parihuela: soup made from seafood.

Chupe de camarones: prawn-based soup.

Aeropuerto: spiced rice, chicken pieces, spring onions, bean sprouts and pieces of fried egg.

Arroz con mariscos: it is a rice prepared with a sauce based on seafood; reminiscent of Spanish paella.

Helada cake: a cake formed by between layers; a strawberry jelly, a strawberry jelly beaten with milk and a biscuit base.

Crema volteada: it is a spoon dessert, similar to creme caramel, it is prepared with milk, eggs and vanilla.

Pisco: is the national alcoholic drink; comes from the fermentation and distillation of grapes. In Italy, the Pisco sour, a cocktail based on pisco and lime juice is known.

We cannot fail to mention Inka Cola, a carbonated drink, which has the enviable distinction of having exceeded the sales of Coca Cola in the local market.

We are happy to see that, thanks to the presence of a large Peruvian community in Rome, the restaurants of this nation are spreading. For now we count about fifteen, but we are sure they will increase. The characteristics that unite them are almost always:
- a cheerful and colorful environment
- an excellent quality / price ratio

- the presence of a ballroom

- the massive presence of patrons of Peruvian origin

While it is true that choosing an Italian restaurant in New York because it is frequented by Italians is never a good idea, seeing (in Rome) a Peruvian restaurant frequented by Peruvians can be a good clue.

In the links the list of restaurants in Rome where you can find Peruvian cuisine.

Things to remember for next week (from Saturday 21 November 2020). Strike, Ottaviano and Castro Pretorio metro, black friday.

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 00:00:00 +0100

Red zones of the week:
Calabria, Campania, Lombardy, Piedmont, Bolzano, Tuscany, Abruzzo, Valle d'Aosta.

From 19 November 2020, rapid antigen tests and serological tests will be available in all pharmacies in Lazio that have joined the initiative (go to know which ones).

Wednesday 25 November 2020, just so that we do not miss anything, a strike of: public transport, health and school.

The ZTL gates will always be open until 3 December 2020.

Until 30 November 2020:
- large sales structures are closed on holidays and anticipation, except for foodstuffs, pharmacies, tobacconists, newsagents;
- on holidays, commercial activities are closed, except for foodstuffs.

Museums, theaters and cinemas closed until 3 December 2020. Bioparco is open. Villas and parks are also open.

The Ottaviano metro station will be closed for maintenance from 25 November 2020 to 28 November 2020. We remind you that even on Saturdays and Sundays, the last bus leaves at 21:00.

From 29 November 2020, why not also close Castro Pretorio of line B?

On Monday 23 November 2020, Report (Rai3) will talk about Milan (and we hope also about something else).

To whom it may be of interest, on November 27th 2020 Maximo will open, on Via Laurentina, yet another shopping center.

During the week it probably won't rain much ... but there will still be an annoying wind.

We can not fail to mention the black friday. Celebration of American origin, it should take place on the Friday following Thanksgiving. It was designed by Macy's department stores in 1924, to kick off Christmas shopping. In Italy (and not only) we have interpreted the spirit of the event, distorting its already ephemeral meaning; then you will have an Amazon black friday that will last at least a week, as you will have it for all online shops.

On the ugliness and uselessness of restaurant websites. Dedicated to restaurateurs (Roman and not).

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 00:00:00 +0100

At the hundredth online search, in support of our previous post on cod fillets, we have to admit that we felt a certain sense of discouragement (to say the least). We realized that the communication skills of restaurateurs, at least of the Roman ones and at least as far as the internet is concerned, is really nil.

It occurred to us to write something about it ... but a few hours later we happen to read a post from Puntarella Rossa; apparently we are not the only ones to think so.

We are surprised by the unusual coincidence: in the world we are many, but how many times does it happen to have a thought more or less identical to that of another person (or more or less tangible entity) in the space of a couple of hours? At the same time we realize that what we would have written would have been a copy & paste of Puntarella's post.

Which has already gutted the problem very well. We like copy & paste, because basically they represent the true nature of the web and its potential, but we must not exaggerate. So we limit ourselves to giving our contribution by adding only a few small tips.

We created Roma-O-Matic to pass some time, but in life we have been dealing with computer engineering for over 30 years; by dint of insisting, we have learned something.

1) Choice between website and Facebook page.
If you want to spend 80 euros a year and have a website, forget it; much better a Facebook page that you can manage independently. For 80 euros they will give you something that is not working, cannot be updated and that takes five minutes to open. And if the site doesn't work, everyone will be allowed to think you no longer exist (bizarre reasoning, but that's the way it goes).

2) Choice between cool website and website.
If you are willing to spend even more than 80 euros (but less than 800) and have a very cool website, with spectacular effects and very trendy graphics, forget it; much better a simple, light site, which communicates what it needs to communicate. The cool websites (working and that do not make the soul even your last laptop for which you have taken out a mortgage) cost much, much more than the amount you had in mind.

3) Register a domain and don't let it expire.
The cost to register a domain with its e-mail is around 20/30 euros per year! Reasonable investment rather than worth it. Register the domain yourself (otherwise it risks being owned by a stranger). If you don't want to put a site on it, in the meantime use it for mail; redirect it to your Facebook page (or any other "page"). But don't let it expire, at least while you're in business. If you do, people will think you are closed, at best; at worst, you may see your main competitor's restaurant appear.

PS: don't waste too much time choosing the extension; whether it is .it .com .net .info little changes.

4) Content management.
Remember that your site (or page that is) will be consulted via a smartphone (in 80% of cases). It's okay to put in some photos ... but don't overdo it.
Try to make essential information easy to find and easy to read:

- on the main page a way to understand where you are, what you cook and how to contact you; unbelievable but true, this is the information people are looking for; we swear we have seen sites without an address or phone number; others that summarized the essence of the restaurant in "Cajun fusion cuisine with medieval influences" (ok, we invented this one, but the meaning is: what are we eating?);

- a menu that does not require 300 clicks to find out if you are making these blessed cod fillets; here too we swear and perjure that we sometimes had to understand this by looking at photos (which did not even have a subtitle); we understand that the reading ability of the average Italian is waning ... that a picture is worth a thousand words ... but if I don't know the dish it is difficult for me to recognize it; in time of Covid a paper menu can't even be touched, you just don't like a simple pdf?

In short, it doesn't take Aristotle to use a bit of logic.

For the rest what to say, read Puntarella's post.

PS for the malicious and conspiracy theorists: we have nothing to do with the Puntarella Rossa site; as we have already had the opportunity to write in "The best X Y in Rome. That is where to eat Y." we are not fervent followers of a certain type of information.

Things to remember for next week (from Saturday 14 November 2020).

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 00:00:00 +0100

Camapania and Tuscany have become red areas. So if you were planning on going, take that into account.

The ZTL gates will always be open from 14 November 2020 to 3 December 2020.

The President of the Lazio Region, Nicola Zingaretti, has signed a new ordinance valid until 30 November 2020:
- large sales structures are closed on public holidays and previews, except for foodstuffs, pharmacies, tobacconists, newsagents;
- on holidays, commercial activities are closed, except for foodstuffs.

Museums, theaters and cinemas have already been closed on 4 November 2020, until 3 December 2020. On the other hand, the Biopark will remain open.

From 10 in the morning until 20 on Saturday 14 November 2020 and Sunday 15 November 2020, the A metro stops in Piazza di Spagna and in Piazzale Flaminio will close.
The Flaminio station will still be closed for maintenance from 19 November 2020 to 22 November 2020. We also remind you that, even on Saturdays and Sundays, the last bus leaves at 21:00.

In the main shopping streets such as via del Corso, the Trident area and the streets around via Ottaviano and Cola di Rienzo it will not be possible to walk once the “saturation level” has been reached.

November 15, 2020 Ecological Sunday: ban on driving in the "green belt" from 7:30 to 12:30 and from 16:30 to 20:30.

Now that you have time to pursue your hobbies: Welcome to the Jungle has grown and you can spend hours browsing through old vinyls.

On Monday 16 November 2020, Report (Rai3) will talk about the delivery boys who deliver food and the money that revolves around the football fans.

The X best cod fillets in Rome. Where to eat the legendary fried fish.

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 00:00:00 +0100

Let's clarify one thing: baccalà is not a fish, but the way to preserve it. With the same fish but different methods of preparation, stockfish is obtained.

It is actually Northern cod, caught in the North Pacific Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean. So not really a local or Mediterranean fish.

In general, cod is bled directly on board the fishing boats; once the belly and head are removed, it is washed in running water. At this point:

- by salt, baccalà is obtained;

- by drying it (often in the sun), the stockfish is obtained.

The term baccalà seems to derive from the German word "bakkel-jau" (salted fish), transposition of "bakel-jau" (hard as a rope).

To be usable, baccalà requires long immersions in cold water, to rehydrate the meat and remove the salt. Not easy to manage and which risks leaving the fish too salty. However, it is not difficult to find fillets that are already boned, peeled and "soaked"; in Rome they are often accompanied by chickpeas (already wet).

Thanks to its ease of conservation, baccalà is used almost everywhere, in Italy and in the world.

In Campania we cook: fried, in casserole, cannaruta, pertecarena.
In Lombardy and Piedmont: fried or stewed.
In Liguria: fried, al verde, sweet and sour, Brandacujun (creamed, but usually stockfish is used).
In Tuscany: alla livornese.
In Basilicata: alla lucana (with the inevitable cruschi peppers).
In Calabria: Cosentina style.
In Veneto: alla vicentina; here too stockfish is used; since in the regional tradition what is actually stockfish is called baccalà (or bacalà), this has generated not a little confusion.
In Sicily: Sicilian, Messina style.

In Spain: in at least 10 different ways.
In Portugal: it is said that there are a thousand recipes.
In Ecuador: fanesca.
In Mexico: a la vizcaina.
In Norway: lutefisk.

But let's come to Rome.

It is prepared alla romana (in a pan with potatoes), stewed (or stew, with raisins and pine nuts), with chickpeas and (the subject of this post and of our adoration) in batter and fried.

The cod fillet is part of the Judeo-Roman culinary tradition. It cannot be missing in the "Roman-style mixed fry" (generally composed of courgette flowers, supplì, artichokes, cauliflower, cream, veal and lamb entrails, apples ... well ... it is very mixed).

Like all Roman dishes, apparently simple, it actually hides many pitfalls:

- if the desalting is too short, the fish will be very salty;

- if it is too long, it will be thin and lacking in consistency;
- the batter must produce a frying with the right compromise between soft and crunchy;
- the quality of the raw material must be excellent.

Speaking of raw materials, it is worth remembering that there are small variations in the production process of baccalà; the most valuable variant is the one called San Giovanni (or Gaspè, from the name of a peninsula in Quebec), which has many points in common with the preparation of stockfish. Distinguished by a long drying phase in the sun and a low salt content, it requires a manufacturing process that hides small mysteries. The brine formula is in fact still secret and jealously guarded by Canadian fishermen.

Mainly it is a course from pizzeria or pizza "by the slice", together with the inevitable supplì and courgette flowers; but you can also find it in many restaurants. You can follow some clues to understand if you are about to order something decent:
- if you read "the product could be frozen" ... avoid: frozen baccalà should not exist;
- if the price is too low ... avoid: good baccalà is not cheap; take the price of the supplì as a standard unit of measurement (which in Rome is a bit like the price of coffee in Naples): it must cost at least 4 times more;
- if the price is too low and they also bring you more than one piece per portion ... avoid: the best baccalà is large.

In the link list and map of places where you can eat fillets (list which, considering the popularity of the dish, will be very partial; as usual we await your collaboration for additions and changes).

New Phot-O-Matic section. To spend some time looking at photos (also) of Rome.

Tue, 10 Nov 2020 00:00:00 +0100

If you are in quarantine or have time to waste ... you can browse some photos in the new section.

The system will remember the last photo you saw, so you can stop when you want and resume at a later time.

Good vision.

The subways, little trains and trains of Rome. Timetables, tickets and other information.

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 00:00:00 +0100

It would not seem that Rome has a large amount of rail lines, but it is often the proverbial laziness of us Romans that prevents the use of what we have available (ok, sometimes it is also the fault of the inefficiency of public transport).

For maps, routes and stops see the link at the bottom.

Let's start with the subways. They are managed by ATAC.

Metro A (MEA).
Almost entirely underground, except for a very short stretch between the Lepanto and Flaminio stops (to cross the Tiber). Begun in 1963, it entered service on February 16, 1980, on the Ottaviano-Anagnina section. On May 29, 1999 the Valle Aurelia-Ottaviano section entered service. On 1 January 2000 the remaining Battistini-Valle Aurelia section.
Along line A there are about 290 trips a day from each terminus.
The frequency during peak hours is a train every 3 minutes (up to 10 minutes).
It is estimated that it carries more than 450,000 passengers every day.

Timetables:
- Sunday to Thursday 5:30 - 23:30
- Friday and Saturday 5:30 - 1:30

Metro B (MEB) and B1 (MEB1).
It was the first subway in Italy. Begun in the thirties, it was suspended due to the Second World War. The works resumed in 1948, it entered service on February 9, 1955, on the Termini-Laurentina section. In 1990 the Termini-Rebibbia section entered service. In 2005, work began on the Bologna-Jonio extension, which ended in 2015.
Along line B there are about 300 trips a day from each terminus.
The frequency during peak hours is a train every 3 minutes (up to 10/15 minutes).
It is estimated to carry more than 345,000 passengers every day.

Timetables:
- Sunday to Thursday 5:30 - 23:30
- Friday and Saturday 5:30 - 1:30

Metro C (MEC).
Under construction since 2007. The Monte Compatri-Parco di Centocelle section came into operation on November 9, 2014. The Parco di Centocelle-Lodi section on June 29, 201. The Lodi-San Giovanni section on May 12, 2018. Convoys have no drivers on board but are controlled and guided by an automatic system.

Timetables:
- Sunday to Thursday 5:30 - 23:30
- Friday and Saturday 5:30 - 1:30

ATAC also operates three railway lines.

Rome-Lido (RL).
Inaugurated in 1924, it connects the Ostiense district with the districts of Ostia.
There are about 86 trips from each terminus (much less holidays).
It carries an average of 55,000 passengers per day.
The frequency should be one train every 10 minutes; but beware: it is considered one of the worst railway lines in Italy.

Winter opening hours:
- from Sunday to Friday 5:40 am - 11:30 pm (from Piramide)
- Saturday 5:40 - 00:00 (from Piramide)
- from Sunday to Friday 5:18 - 23:23 (from Cristoforo Colombo)
- Saturday 5:18 - 23:53 (from Cristoforo Colombo)
Summer hours (June - September):
- Monday to Friday 5:08 am - 11:30 pm (from Piramide)
- Saturday 5:08 - 00:00 (from Piramide)
- Sunday 5:30 - 23:30 (from Piramide)
- Monday to Friday 5:15 am - 11:30 pm (from Cristoforo Colombo)
- Saturday 5:15 - 00:00 (from Cristoforo Colombo)
- Sunday 5:30 - 23:30 (from Cristoforo Colombo)

Rome-Centocelle.
Narrow gauge railway, led from Termini to Giardinetti. With the introduction of Metro C it was limited to Centocelle.
The frequency is generally 7 minutes from 6 to 20, 10 minutes in the other time slots.

Timetables:
5:00 - 22:30

Rome-Civita Castellana-Viterbo.
Also known as North Rome, it connects Piazzale Flaminio with Viterbo. Opened in 1932.
In the Flaminio-Montebello section, urban service runs every 10/15 minutes. Sacrofano station is also included in the urban rate, but only the extra-urban trains stop there.
Speaking of frequency ... know that it is considered the second worst railway line in Italy (immediately after the Rome-Lido).

Timetables:
- from Monday to Saturday 5:25 - 22:40 (from Flaminio)
- Sunday 5:50 am - 10:10 pm (from Flaminio)
- Monday to Saturday 5:55 am - 11:10 pm (from Montebello)
- Sunday 6:18 - 22:38 (from Montebello)

Finally we have the lines managed by TRENITALIA.

- Fiumicino Airport - Orte (FL1)
- Rome Tiburtina - Tivoli (FL2)
- Rome Tiburtina - Viterbo (FL3)
- Rome Termini - Velletri - Albano Laziale - Frascati (FL4)
- Rome Termini - Civitavecchia (FL5)
- Rome Termini - Cassino (FL6)
- Rome Termini - Formia - Gaeta (FL7)
- Rome Termini - Nettuno (FL8)
- Leonardo Express (LE)

The abbreviation FL means "Lazio Railways".
For timetables and other information for these lines you can consult the TRENITALIA website.

Travel tickets.

Rome Metrebus system.

Tickets and passes for the Rome Metrebus system allow you to travel within the territory of Roma Capitale:
- on buses, trams and trolley buses;
- on Cotral buses, urban section;
- on the subways;
- on the Rome-Lido, Rome-Viterbo, Rome-Centocello / Giardinetti regional railways;
- on the Trenitalia FL regional trains (urban routes only).

- BIT 1.5 € (valid 100 minutes from the first stamping and for a single ride on metro A and B without leaving the turnstiles, or A and C when exiting the turnstiles)
- PERSONAL MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION € 35 (or about € 0.80 per trip, if you make two trips a day excluding Saturday and Sunday)
- IMPERSONAL MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION 53 € (or about 1.20 € per trip, if you make two trips a day excluding Saturday and Sunday)
- ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION 250 € (or about 0.50 € per trip, if you make two trips a day except Saturday and Sunday)
- ROME 24H € 7 (valid 24 hours from the first stamping, convenient if more than 4 trips are planned in a day)
- ROME 48H 12.50 € (valid for 48 hours from the first stamping, convenient if more than 8 trips are planned in two days)
- ROME 72H € 18 (valid for 72 hours from the first stamping, convenient if more than 12 trips are planned in three days)
- CIS € 24 (valid 7 days from the first stamping, convenient if more than 16 trips are planned in seven days)
- Concessions and gratuities are provided for age, income, categories and family status

Metrebus Lazio system.

Allows you to travel within the Region.
The territory is divided into 6 zones centered on Rome Capital, named with letters from A to F (zone A corresponds to the area covered by the Rome Metrebus).
The subscription amount is related to the number of zones purchased.

Trenitalia.

- TICKET € 1: to travel on the trains of the FL lines (urban routes only) Valid for 90 minutes (once the validity of the ticket expires, you can continue the journey to the first stop station).
- LEONARDO EXPRESS € 14: practical but perhaps a little expensive.

The administrative, urban, toponymic and imaginative subdivisions of Rome.

Thu, 15 Oct 2020 00:00:00 +0200

Administrative subdivision.

In 1972, 20 circumscriptions were established, indicated by (obviously) Roman numerals (from I to XX).

In 1992 the XVI circumscriptions was transformed into the Municipality of Fiumicino; so we remained with 19 circumscriptions (from I to XX with the rest of XVI).

In 2001 the circumscriptions changed their name and became 19 municipalities (but they kept their numbering ... a painless operation all in all).

In 2013 the municipalities were reorganized: municipalities I-XVII, II-III, VI-VII and IX-X were merged. At this point some "holes" remained (such as municipality III) and it was therefore necessary to renumber them (but couldn't they be left like this?). Then the IV became III, the V became IV, the VI became V, the VIII became VI, the IX became VII and so on up to 15 municipalities. Which led to an unfortunate inconvenience: almost all Romans saw the number of their municipality change (apart from the lucky ones of I and II).

For the list of municipalities see the link at the bottom.

Urban subdivision.

The municipalities are divided into 155 urban areas (established in 1977), for statistical purposes and for planning and management of the territory.

They are indicated by a number and a letter. The number would have been very useful, because it corresponded to the municipality ... but after the reorganization it no longer coincides.

For the list of urban areas, see the link at the bottom, which we also report here for ease of research.

Acilia Nord - 13B
Acilia Sud - 13C
Acqua Vergine - 8D
Acquatraversa - 20B
Aeroporto dell'Urbe - 4L
Alessandrina - 7B
Appia Antica Nord - 11X
Appia Antica Sud - 11Y
Appio - 9D
Appio-Claudio - 10B
Aurelio Nord - 18D
Aurelio Sud - 18A
Aventino - 1C
Barcaccia - 10I
Boccea - 18F
Borghesiana - 8G
Bufalotta - 4N
Buon Pastore - 16B
Casal Bertone - 5A
Casal Boccone - 4F
Casal Bruciato - 5B
Casal de' Pazzi - 5H
Casalotti di Boccea - 18E
Casetta Mistica - 7F
Casilino - 6B
Castel Fusano - 13H
Castel Porziano - 13X
Castel Romano - 12M
Castelluccia - 19G
Cecchignola - 12E
Celio - 1G
Centocelle - 7A
Centro Direzionale Centocelle - 7G
Centro Storico - 1A
Cesano - 20N
Ciampino - 10X
Colli Portuensi - 16A
Conca d'Oro - 4G
Corviale - 15F
Decima - 12I
Della Vittoria - 17B
Don Bosco - 10A
Eroi - 17C
Esquilino - 1E
EUR - 12A
Farnesina - 20D
Fidene - 4D
Flaminio - 2C
Fogaccia - 18C
Foro Italico - 20X
Garbatella - 11C
Gianicolense - 16D
Giardinetti - Tor Vergata - 8C
Giustiniana - 20G
Gordiani - 6D
Gregna - 10H
Grotta Rossa Est - 20F
Grotta Rossa Ovest - 20E
Grottaperfetta - 11G
Infernetto - 13I
La Rustica - 7D
La Storta - 20H
Labaro - 20M
Latino - 9E
Laurentino - 12D
Lucrezia Romana - 10E
Lunghezza - 8E
Magliana - 15E
Malafede - 13A
Marconi - 15A
Martignano - 20O
Massimina - 16E
Medaglie d'Oro - 19A
Mezzocammino - 12F
Monte Sacro - 4A
Monte Sacro Alto - 4C
Morena - 10L
Navigatori - 11D
Nomentano - 3A
Omo - 7H
Osteria del Curato - 10F
Ostia Antica - 13E
Ostia Nord - 13F
Ostia Sud - 13G
Ostiense - 11A
Ottavia - 19C
Palocco - 13D
Pantano di Grano - 16F
Parioli - 2B
Pian Due Torri - 15C
Pietralata - 5G
Pignatelli - 10D
Pineto - 19F
Pisana - 16C
Ponte Galeria - 15G
Porta Medaglia - 12L
Portuense - 15B
Prati - 17A
Prima Porta - 20L
Primavalle - 19B
Quadraro - 6C
Quarto Miglio - 10C
Romanina - 10G
Sacco Pastore - 4H
Salario - 2D
San Basilio - 5E
San Lorenzo - 3B
San Vittorino - 8H
Sant'Alessandro - 5I
Santa Cornelia - 20I
Santa Maria della Pietà - 19D
Santa Maria di Galeria - 19H
Santa Palomba - 12N
Serpentara - 4E
Settebagni - 4M
Settecamini - 5L
Spinaceto - 12G
Testaccio - 1D
Tiburtino Nord - 5C
Tiburtino Sud - 5D
Tomba di Nerone - 20C
Tor Cervara - 5F
Tor di Quinto - 20A
Tor di Valle - 12X
Tor Fiscale - 9C
Tor Marancia - 11E
Tor San Giovanni - 4O
Tor Sapienza - 7C
Tor Tre Teste - 7E
Torpignattara - 6A
Torre Angela - 8F
Torre Maura - 8B
Torrespaccata - 8A
Torrino - 12C
Trastevere - 1B
Tre Fontane - 11F
Trieste - 2E
Trionfale - 19E
Trullo - 15D
Tufello - 4I
Tuscolano Nord - 9A
Tuscolano Sud - 9B
Università - 3X
Val Cannuta - 18B
Val Melaina - 4B
Valco San Paolo - 11B
Vallerano Castel di Leva - 12H
Verano - 3Y
Villa Ada - 2Y
Villa Borghese - 2X
Villa Pamphili - 16X
Villaggio Giuliano - 12B
Villaggio Olimpico - 2A
XX Settembre - 1F
Zona Archeologica - 1X

Toponymic subdivision.

The "historical" subdivision of the territory is made up of 116 districts, divided into four groups.

22 rioni, established starting from the Middle Ages, make up the historic center and are identified by the letter R followed by a Roman number;
35 districts, established starting in 1921, surround the historic center (plus the three marine districts) and are identified by the letter Q followed by a Roman numeral;
6 suburbs, established starting from 1921, territories "beyond the neighborhood" at least in those days and are identified by the letter S followed by a Roman number;
53 areas, established starting from 1961, sparsely populated (in 1961!) And are identified by the letter Z followed by a Roman number; in reality the zones were initially 59, but when the Municipality of Fiumicino was established we lost 6.

Letter and Roman number are the indications that you find, at the top right, on the beautiful toponymic plaques in marble.

It goes without saying that the names of urban areas often have little to do with the historical subdivision. So it may happen that, if you live in the Tiburtino district, you could be part of the Verano area (which is the name of the main cemetery in Rome).

For the list of toponyms see the link at the bottom, which we also report here for ease of research.

Acilia Nord - Z.XXXII
Acilia Sud - Z.XXXIII
Acqua Vergine - Z.IX
Aeroporto di Ciampino - Z.XX
Alessandrino - Q.XXIII
Appio Claudio - Q.XXV
Appio Latino - Q.IX
Appio Pignatelli - Q.XXVI
Ardeatino - Q.XX
Aurelio - Q.XIII
Aurelio (suburbio) - S.IX
Borghesiana - Z.XIV
Borgo - R.XIV
Campitelli - R.X
Campo Marzio - R.IV
Capannelle - Z.XVIII
Casal Boccone - Z.IV
Casal Morena - Z.XIX
Casal Palocco - Z.XXXIV
Casalotti - Z.XLVIII
Castel di Decima - Z.XXVI
Castel di Guido - Z.XLV
Castel di Leva - Z.XXIII
Castel Fusano - Z.XXX
Castel Giubileo - Z.II
Castel Porziano - Z.XXIX
Castro Pretorio - R.XVIII
Cecchignola - Z.XXII
Celio - R.XIX
Cesano - Z.LII
Collatino - Q.XXII
Colonna - R.III
Della Vittoria - Q.XV
Della Vittoria (suburbio) - S.XI
Don Bosco - Q.XXIV
Esquilino - R.XV
EUR - Q.XXXII
Fiumicino - Z.XXXVII
Flaminio - Q.I
Fonte Ostiense - Z.XXIV
Fregene - Z.XXXVIII
Gianicolense - Q.XII
Gianicolense (suburbio) - S.VIII
Giuliano Dalmata - Q.XXXI
Grottarossa - Z.LVI
Isola Farnese - Z.LV
Isola Sacra - Z.XXXVI
La Giustiniana - Z.LIV
La Pisana - Z.XLIV
La Storta - Z.LI
Labaro - Z.LVII
Lido di Castel Fusano - Q.XXXV
Lido di Ostia Levante - Q.XXXIV
Lido di Ostia Ponente - Q.XXXIII
Ludovisi - R.XVI
Lunghezza - Z.X
Maccarese Nord - Z.XLIII
Maccarese Sud - Z.XLII
Magliana Vecchia - Z.XL
Marcigliana - Z.III
Mezzocammino - Z.XXXI
Monte Sacro - Q.XVI
Monte Sacro Alto - Q.XXVIII
Monti - R.I
Nomentano - Q.V
Ostia Antica - Z.XXXV
Ostiense - Q.X
Ottavia - Z.L
Palidoro - Z.XLVII
Parioli - Q.II
Parione - R.VI
Pietralata - Q.XXI
Pigna - R.IX
Pinciano - Q.III
Polline Martignano - Z.LIX
Ponte - R.V
Ponte Galeria - Z.XLI
Ponte Mammolo - Q.XXIX
Portuense - Q.XI
Portuense (suburbio) - S.VII
Prati - R.XXII
Prenestino Centocelle - Q.XIX
Prenestino Labicano - Q.VII
Prima Porta - Z.LVIII
Primavalle - Q.XXVII
Regola - R.VII
Ripa - R.XII
Salario - Q.IV
Sallustiano - R.XVII
San Basilio - Q.XXX
San Saba - R.XXI
San Vittorino - Z.XI
Sant'Angelo - R.XI
Sant'Eustachio - R.VIII
Santa Maria di Galeria - Z.XLIX
Settecamini - Z.VI
Testaccio - R.XX
Tiburtino - Q.VI
Tomba di Nerone - Z.LIII
Tor Cervara - Z.VII
Tor de' Cenci - Z.XXVIII
Tor di Quinto - Q.XVIII
Tor di Quinto (suburbio) - S.I
Tor di Valle - Z.XXXIX
Tor San Giovanni - Z.V
Tor Sapienza - Z.VIII
Torre Angela - Z.XIII
Torre Gaia - Z.XVII
Torre Maura - Z.XV
Torre Spaccata - Z.XII
Torrenova - Z.XVI
Torricola - Z.XXI
Torrimpietra - Z.XLVI
Torrino - Z.XXVII
Trastevere - R.XIII
Trevi - R.II
Trieste - Q.XVII
Trionfale - Q.XIV
Trionfale (suburbio) - S.X
Tuscolano - Q.VIII
Val Melaina - Z.I
Vallerano - Z.XXV

Hamlets.

The hamlets are inhabited centers relatively distant from the city center. Some coincide with the toponymic subdivision, some coincide with the urban planning one, others coincide with nothing.

Acilia (Acilia Nord Z.XXXII, Acilia Sud Z.XXXIII)

Borghesiana (Z.XIV)

Borgo Santa Fumia (Castel di Leva Z.XXIII)

Casal Bernocchi (Acilia Sud Z.XXXIII)

Casal Monastero (Settecamini Z.VI)

Casal Palocco (Z.XXXIV)

Casalotti (Z.XLVIII)

Case Rosse (Settecamini Z.VI)

Castel di Guido (Z.XLV)

Castel Fusano (Z.XXX)

Castel Porziano (Z.XXIX)

Castello della Cecchignola (Giuliano Dalmata Q.XXXI)

Castelverde (Lunghezza Z.X)

Centro Giano (Acilia Nord Z.XXXII)

Cesano (Z.LII)

Colle Aperto (Borghesiana Z.XIV)

Colle dei Pini (Castel di Decima Z.XXVI)

Colle del Sole (Borghesiana Z.XIV)

Colle Monfortani (Torre Angela Z.XIII)

Colle Prenestino (Acqua Vergine Z.IX, Torre Angela Z.XIII)

Colle Regillo (Borghesiana Z.XIV)

Colle Salario (Castel Giubileo Z.II)

Corcolle (San Vittorino Z.XI)

Dragona (Acilia Nord Z.XXXII)

Dragoncello (Acilia Nord Z.XXXII)

Falcognana (Castel di Leva Z.XXIII)

Finocchio (Borghesiana Z.XIV)

Fonte Laurentina (Castel di Leva Z.XXIII)

Fontignani (Castel di Guido Z.XLV)

Fosso San Giuliano (Lunghezza Z.X)

Giardinetti (Giardinetti-Tor Vergata 8C, Torrenova Z.XVI)

Giardini di Corcolle (San Vittorino Z.XI)

Infernetto (13I, Castel Fusano Z.XXX)

Isola Farnese (Z.LV)

La Giustiniana (Z.LIV)

La Storta (20H, Z.LI)

Lunghezza (8E, Z.X)

Massimina (16E, Castel di Guido Z.XLV)

Monte dell'Ara - Valle Santa (Casalotti Z.XLVIII)

Monte Migliore (Castel di Decima Z.XXVI)

Montespaccato (Fogaccia 18C, Aurelio S.IX)

Mostacciano (Torrino Z.XXVII, Tor de' Cenci Z.XXVIII)

Olgiata (La Storta Z.LI)

Osa (San Vittorino Z.XI)

Osteria Nuova (Cesano Z.LII)

Osteria del Curato (Capannelle Z.XVIII)

Ostia (Lido di Ostia Ponente Q.XXXIII, Lido di Ostia Levante Q.XXXIV, Lido di Castel Fusano Q.XXXV)

Ostia Antica (13E, Z.XXXV)

Palmarola (Ottavia Z.L)

Pantan Monastero (Castel di Guido Z.XLV, Casalotti Z.XLVIII)

Pantano Borghese (Borghesiana Z.XIV)

Piana del Sole (Ponte Galeria Z.XLI)

Ponte Galeria (15G, Z.XLI)

Ponte Galeria - La Pisana (Ponte Galeria Z.XLI)

Ponte Linari (Torrenova Z.XVI)

Prato Fiorito (Torre Angela Z.XIII)

Prima Porta (20L, Z.LVIII)

Romanina (10G, Torrenova Z.XVI)

Rocca Cencia (Borghesiana Z.XIV)

San Giorgio di Acilia (Acilia Sud Z.XXXIII)

San Vittorino (8H, Z.XI)

Santa Maria di Galeria (19H, Z.XLIX)

Saxa Rubra (Grottarossa Z.LVI)

Schizzanello (Castel di Decima Z.XXVI)

Selvotta (Castel di Leva Z.XXIII)

Settebagni (4M, Marcigliana Z.III)

Settecamini (5L, Z.VI)

Solfarata (Castel di Leva Z.XXIII)

Spallette (Ponte Galeria Z.XLI)

Spinaceto (12G, Tor de' Cenci Z.XXVIII)

Spregamore (Castel di Leva Z.XXIII)

Tor Bella Monaca (Torre Angela Z.XIII)

Tor de' Cenci (Z.XXVIII)

Tor Vergata (Torrenova Z.XVI, Torre Gaia Z.XVII)

Torre Angela (8F, Z.XIII)

Trigoria (Castel di Decima Z.XXVI)

Valle Castiglione (San Vittorino Z.XI)

Vallerano (Z.XXV)

Vallericca (Marcigliana Z.III)

Vermicino (Torre Gaia Z.XVII)

Villa Spada (Castel Giubileo Z.II)

Villa Verde (Torre Gaia Z.XVII)

Villaggio Breda (Torre Gaia Z.XVII)

Villaggio Falcone (Lunghezza Z.X)

Villaggio Prenestino (Lunghezza Z.X)

Villaggio San Francesco (Acilia Nord Z.XXXII)

Vitinia (Mezzocammino Z.XXXI)

Other names.

In addition to the "official" subdivisions, we also have:

- familiar names (it has always been the custom of the Romans to call some areas with names often dictated by fervid imagination, or that take their cue from streets, monuments, cemeteries, prisons, etc ...)
- names assigned by the municipality to areas subject to redevelopment plans
- names relating to subdivisions

Acqua Acetosa (Parioli Q.II)
Acqua Acetosa Ostiense (Fonte Ostiense Z.XXIV)
Alberone (Appio-Latino Q.IX, Piazza dell'Alberone)
Arco di Travertino (Tuscolano Q.VIII)
Axa (Acilia Sud Z.XXXIII)
Bagnoletto (Ostia Antica Z.XXXV)
Balduina (Trionfale Q.XIV, Via della Balduina)
Bastogi (Trionfale suburbio S.X, residence Bastogi)
Biancavilla (Borghesiana Z.XIV, Via Biancavilla)
Borghetto dei Pescatori (Lido di Ostia Levante Q.XXXIV)
Borgo Lotti (Castel di Leva Z.XXIII)
Bravetta (Gianicolense suburbio S.VIII, Via di Bravetta)
Caffarella (Appio Latino Q.IX, Parco della Caffarella)
Camilluccia (Della Vittoria Q.XV, Via della Camilluccia)
Campo Romano (Torrenova Z.XVI, Via di Campo Romano)
Capocotta (Castel Porziano Z.XXIX, Spiaggia di Capocotta)
Carcaricola (Torrenova Z.XVI, Via di Carcaricola)
Casal Brunori (Tor de' Cenci Z.XXVIII)
Casal del Marmo (Ottavia Z.L, Via Casal del Marmo)
Casal Lumbroso (Castel di Guido Z.XLV, Via del Casale Lumbroso)
Casal Selce (Castel di Guido Z.XLV, Casalotti Z.XLVIII, Via di Casal Selce)
Casale del Castellaccio (Torrino Z.XXVII)
Casale Nei (Marcigliana Z.III)
Casale Rosso (Tor Sapienza Z.VIII)
Casetta Mattei (La Pisana Z.XLIV)
Casilino 23 (Prenestino-Labicano Q.VII)
Cecafumo (Tuscolano Q.VIII)
Centrone (Casal Morena Z.XIX)
Cinecittà (Torre Maura Z.XV)
Cinquina (Marcigliana ZIII, Tor San Giovanni Z.V)
Città Giardino Aniene (Monte Sacro Q.XVI)
Colle Mentuccia (Acqua Vergine Z.IX, Torre Angela Z.XIII)
Colli Aniene (Collatino Q.XXII, Tor Cervara Z.VII)
Collina Fleming (Tor di Quinto Q.XVIII)
Corviale - Serpentone (Gianicolense suburbio S.VIII)
Divino Amore (Castel di Leva Z.XXIII, Santuario del Divino Amore)
Ferratella (Fonte Ostiense Z.XXIV)
Fontana Candida (Borghesiana Z.XIV)
Fonte Meravigliosa (Giuliano-Dalmata Q.XXXI)
Grottone (Ardeatino Q.XX, Via Valle del Grottone)
Idroscalo (Lido di Ostia Ponente Q.XXXIII, Via dell'Idroscalo)
Insugherata (Ottavia Z.L, Tomba di Nerone Z.LIII, Riserva naturale dell'Insugherata)
La Lucchina (Ottavia Z.L, Via della Lucchina)
La Parrocchietta (Portuense suburbio S.VII)
Laurentino 38 (Fonte Ostiense Z.XXIV)
Longarina (Casal Palocco Z.XXXIV)
Lunghezzina (Lunghezza Z.X)
Macchione (Castel Fusano Z.XXX)
Madonnetta - Macchia Saponara (Acilia Sud Z.XXXIII, Via di Macchia Saponara)
Malagrotta (Castel di Guido Z.XLV, famous for the landfill)
Mandrione (Tuscolano Q.VIII, Via del Mandrione)
Montagnola (Ardeatino Q.XX)
Monte Antenne (Parioli Q.II)
Monte Ciocci (Trionfale Q.XIV)
Monte Cucco (Portuense suburbio S.VII, Via di Monte Cucco)
Monte delle Capre (Portuense suburbio S.VII, Via Monte delle Capre)
Monte Mario (Trionfale Q.XIV, Della Vittoria Q.XV, Primavalle Q.XXVII)
Monte Stallonara (Ponte Galeria Z.XLI, Via di Monte Stallonara)
Monte Verde (Gianicolense Q.XII)
Monti San Paolo (Acilia Nord - Z.XXXII, Via dei Monti di San Paolo)
Mulino Santa Felicola (Castel di Leva Z.XXIII)
Muratella (Magliana Vecchia Z.XL)
Oasi Santa Maura (Torrenova Z.XVI)
Palmarolina (Ottavia Z.L)
Parco de' Medici (Magliana Vecchia Z.XL)
Passo Lombardo (Torre Gaia Z.XVII, Via di Passo Lombardo)
Pian Saccoccia (La Storta Z.LI)
Pigneto (Prenestino-Labicano Q.VII, Tiburtino Q.VI, Via del Pigneto)
Pineta Sacchetti (Primavalle Q.XXVII, Aurelio Q.XIII, Parco del Pineto)
Piramide (Testaccio R.XX, Ostiense Q.X, Piramide di Caio Cestio)
Poggetto (Castel di Leva Z.XXIII)
Ponte Bianco (Gianicolense Q.XII)
Ponte di Nona (Lunghezza Z.X)
Porta di Roma (Castel Giubileo Z.II, Casal Boccone Z.IV)
Portonaccio (Tiburtino Q.VI, Via di Portonaccio)
Prati Fiscali (Val Melaina Z.I, Via dei Prati Fiscali)
Prato della Signora (Trieste Q.XVII, Via del Prato della Signora)
Quartaccio (Trionfale suburbio S.X)

Quarticciolo (Alessandrino Q.XXIII)

Quartiere Africano (Trieste Q.XVII)
Quartiere Coppedè (Trieste Q.XVII)
Rebibbia (Ponte Mammolo Q.XXIX, Rebibbia penitentiary)
Rocca Fiorita (Torre Angela Z.XIII, Via Rocca Fiorita)
Roma 70 - I Granai (Ardeatino Q.XX)
Saline di Ostia (Ostia Antica Z.XXXV)
San Giovanni (Tuscolano Q.VIII)
San Giusto - Podere Zara (Trionfale suburbio S.X, Via del Podere Zara)
San Pietro (Borgo R.XIV)
Selcetta (Castel di Decima Z.XXVI)
Selva Candida (Casalotti Z.XLVIII, Via di Selva Candida)
Selva Nera (Casalotti Z.XLVIII, Via di Selva Nera)
Stagni di Ostia (Casal Palocco Z.XXXIV)
Talenti (Monte Sacro Alto Q.XXVIII)
Tiburtino III (Collatino Q.XXII)
Tor Pagnotta (Cecchignola Z.XXII, Castel di Leva Z.XXIII, Via di Tor Pagnotta)
Torraccia (San Basilio Q.XXX)
Torresina (Trionfale suburbio S.X, Via di Toressina)
Torrevecchia (Primavalle Q.XXVII, Via di Torrevecchia)
Torrione - Cerquetta (Isola Farnese Z.LV, Via della Cerquetta)
Valle Fiorita - Capanna Murata
Valle Giulia (Pinciano Q.III)
Valle Porcina (Acilia Sud Z.XXXIII, Via di Valle Porcina)
Valleranello (Vallerano - Z.XXV, Via di Valleranello)
Vigna Murata (Giuliano-Dalmata Q.XXXI, Via di Vigna Murata)
Vignaccia (La Pisana Z.XLIV, Via della Vignaccia)
Vigne Nuove (Castel Giubileo Z.II, Casal Boccone Z.IV, Via delle Vigne Nuove)

[EVENT CANCELED] Sicilian festival in Piazza San Giovanni Bosco. From 22 to 25 October 2020.

Tue, 13 Oct 2020 00:00:00 +0200

Piazza San Giovanni Bosco

from 10:00 to 23:45

Street food area, music, cabaret, folklore, typical products.

The event was created to revive the colors, sounds, smells of a festival rich in Sicilian culture and history, with typical local products and traditional foods. Great space will be given to food and wine products, enhancing the culture of food. And then, folklore and street food "made in Sicily", of quality, with kitchens on the road. You can taste the Sicilian delicacies: cannoli, arancine, panelle, cassata, beers and wines of artisanal production, in a real "food and drink experience".

The event is organized by A’Vucciria in full compliance with the hygiene and health regulations against the spread of Covid19.

How to find the municipality, district, urban area, ASL you belong to in Rome.

Mon, 12 Oct 2020 00:00:00 +0200

How to find your district.

Follow the link at the bottom of the page (districts), find your residence on the map and click. The name of your district will appear.

How to find your urban area.

Follow the link at the bottom of the page (urban areas), find your residence on the map and click. The name of your area will appear.

How to find your municipality.

Each urban area corresponds to only one municipality. So, once you have found your urban area, follow the link at the bottom of the page (municipalities) and filter by urban area.

How to find your ASL.

Each municipality corresponds to only one ASL. So, once you have found your municipality, follow the link at the bottom of the page (ASL) and filter by municipality.

Exhibition "Raphael Galatea and Psyche" at Villa della Farnesina. Until January 6, 2021.

Sat, 10 Oct 2020 00:00:00 +0200

Until 6 January 2021

09:00-14:00

On this occasion will be showed the amazing results of the non-invasive analyses on the materials of Raphael's fresco, the Triumph of Galatea carried out by the group coordinated by prof. Sgamellotti and composed by Claudio Seccaroni (ENEA), Chiara Anselmi (IRET-CNR), Michela Azzarelli, Manuela Vagnini (Laboratorio di Diagnostica per i Beni Culturali di Spoleto), Roberto Alberti, Tommaso Frizzi (XGLab-Bruker). Such results were obtained by integrating the knowledge acquired during past restorations with those deriving from the most advanced analyses, both punctual and by images.

During the investigations a pigment known as Egyptian blue, the first man-made blue in the history of art and one of the first non-natural pigments ever, was identified throughout the sky, the sea and even in the eyes of Galatea. Its manufacture dates back to the Egyptians, from whom it takes its name, and its diffusion was extremely wide throughout antiquity up to the Roman Empire, after which its traces are lost.

The extensive use made of it by Raphael excludes the source of archaeological material
found occasionally and rather indicates the artist's precise intention to use the pictorial materials of antiquity, to portray a mythological subject.

New Drive-in Odescalchi and Tor di Quinto and all Drive In for Coronavirus in Rome.

Wed, 07 Oct 2020 00:00:00 +0200

A new drive-in is active in Via Carlo Tommaso Odescalchi, 67 / A to replace the one present at the Casa delle Salute Santa Caterina della Rosa.

A new drive will also be active from Saturday 17 October 2020 in Viale di Tor di Quinto (corner of Via del Baiardo).

We remind you that, in general, you can access the drive-in with a dematerialized recipe and tax code.

From 27 October 2020 the drive-ins in Rome can only be accessed through online booking.

In the links the list of drive-in in Rome and other information.

Street Food in Rome. Three appointments in September 2020.

Fri, 04 Sep 2020 00:00:00 +0200

Street Chef, aboard their Trucks, ApeCar and Kitchen Stand, will orchestrate pans and stoves creating tasty gourmet recipes.

Not just street food: traveling street bands, folk groups, street artists and circus performers will amaze you with many shows and performances.

See links and photos for details.

The best X arrosticini in Rome. Where to eat Abruzzese "rustelle".

Thu, 25 Jun 2020 00:00:00 +0200

It is known that arrosticini are not a dish of Roman cuisine at all.
But, it will be that with Abruzzo we have in common the pastoral tradition and the sheep are not lacking, it is not rare to find them in the taverns.

They are mutton skewers (sheep between 6 months and two years), cooked on the grill, using a characteristic channel-shaped brazier (called fornacella, furnacella, canala or canalina).

We recommend that you eat them only with your hands, pulling the meat with your teeth. And to refuse roast chicken, pork or any other animal other than a sheep.

In the link list and map of places where you can eat arrosticini (obviously partial list, we await your collaboration for additions and changes).

Something similar (for size and cooking method, not in flavor) it is possible to find it:
- in the Japanese "yakitori"
- in the Chinese "chuanr"
- in the Indonesian Thai and Malaysian "satays"
- in the South African "sosiates"
- in the Greek "kalamaki" (souvlaki)
- in the Filipino "isaws"
- in the Peruvian "anticuchos"
- in the Spanish "pinchos morunos"
- in the more local Sicilian "stigghiole".

Conscientious objection and law 194. A little help about counseling in Rome.

Mon, 22 Jun 2020 00:00:00 +0200

An essential function of the law is to establish rules which, as Kant pointed out, allow the arbitrariness of each to coexist with the arbitrariness of the others.

To this end, in the modern Constitutions, some general principles have been inserted which cannot be violated, if not denying the system itself on which democracies are based.

Following a traditional view, principles and rules should be established only by the state (positive law); no space should compete with "natural law", that is, that set of rules that derives from evaluations of conscience, individual or collective.

It is therefore inevitable that the law may sometimes require you to do what morality forbids. To resolve this conflict, the hypotheses of "conscientious objection" expressly foreseen and disciplined have increased in recent years.

From 1972 the objection to military service was admitted, with the law "Marcora" (15 December 1972 n.772), totally insufficient, restrictive and punitive. It will be necessary to wait until July 8, 1998, with law n.230, to establish that the objection is not a benefit granted by the State, but a right of the person. Important recognition on a theoretical level, but with few practical effects: Law 23 August 2004 n.226 will render the service of voluntary conscription.

Law No. 413 of 12 October 1993 admits the objection to animal testing.

Law No. 40 of 19 February 2004 admits the objection to medically assisted procreation.

The law n.194 of 22 May 1978 decriminalizes the voluntary termination of pregnancy and contextually, with article 9, admits the conscientious objection by the health personnel.

As a demonstration of how difficult the topic is, we mention:
- the law 22 December 2017, n.219, on the provisions on biological testament, which DOES NOT admit objections from the medical staff;
- Law no. 76 of 20 May 2016, which recognizes civil unions between persons of the same sex but does NOT admit objections from the registrar;

In this last case, however hard we try, we cannot understand why any form should be admitted: in order to be able to speak of objection, it is obvious that there must be an obligation; if someone forces you to use a rifle or if someone forces you to end a pregnancy ...
At most, we can oppose it for doubts of unconstitutionality, which have been dispelled several times by constitutional experts.

But let's go back to law 194. Let me be clear, it is a law of the Italian State, therefore it should be applied in all health facilities. But there is Article 9, which admits objection. Therefore, the law provides that the National Health System guarantees the adequate presence of non-objector personnel.

But there are cuts to health.
And then many Italian hospitals are Catholic.
And then the percentage of objecting gynecologists has mysteriously gone from 50% to 70% in ten years.
And then ...

Political and economic considerations are beyond the scope of this site, so our contribution is simply the following:

- provide a list of hospitals where "there are not too many problems" with the 194 and the ru486;
- provide a list of family counseling centers;
- provide a list of anti-violence centers (just to suggest that the problem is perhaps of a cultural nature, even before a moral or religious one).