Rome - Churches - Chiesa

One of Rome's marvel is obviously the numerous churches. Where you can gaze without limit at amazing piece of art for free, such as master pieces by Caravaggio or Bernini.

You will need to plan well your days in Rome as to see them, and not getting there when they are closed, or when there is a service. Which happened to me several time, but I think I didn't do too bad at the end, anyway, Rome I will be back ! 

Chiesa Santa Maria de Trastevere.

 Look at those little scouts sitting in row, just before the church service !

Chiesa Santa Maria Del Popolo.

A very beautiful one, very intriguing with her skeletons. I couldn't have a proper look due to the service, but I took many pictures so I let you imagine at the ones I couldn't take. That tells you a bit about how wonderful this church is !

Chiesa Santa Maria Della Vittoria

I had to kill time in Rome before going into Santa Maria Della Vittoria as it was closed during lunch time, on Sunday, like many places in Rome. 
You are blow-minded by the richness of this church. Who would guess this inside opulence behind this withe facade, especially as this chapel is a bit on its own, next to a big traffic light. But obviously I had to see the beautiful sculpture of Bernini, The Ecstasy of Saint Therese. The master piece is smaller than I thought ( but big enough when you think it might have been a huge piece of stone at the start), and quite high up, and inaccessible. I guess you get a better view of the details on a picture from internet.  But among its marble surrounding, its quite marvelous. I do think, as well, that you might have a better opinion of the inside if the weather its not as grey and rainy as it was when I went. I'm glad I took a little time in that quiet temple, free from the rain. Yes, Rome as its little weather caprices !

Basilica Di San Giovanni in Laterano

This one is a huge one ! Very beautiful. Many popes are buried there, as its a Basilica. When you are visiting many churches in Rome, at some point, you're feeling as they were all the same. I think I need to take more time in each of them, and really appreciate their difference. But it is hard as there are so many.
In way I'm glad that 2 other one I wanted to see, where closed, so I will appreciate them more during my next stay in Rome ( such as Basilica di San Clemente).

Vintage shops in Rome

 I am just back for my little trip to Rome. There was so many museums, churches, buildings to see, that I forgot to check where I could find some vintage shops, and my Lonely Planet guide wasn't providing that information ( a really good guide anyhow). As those are the gems of my trips abroad, I was concerned to find some. On the 4 day of my trip, my friend and I were strolling and loosing ourselves in the Centro Storico area, nearby the Piazza Farnese, Piazza Navona and Campo de Fiori. Then we found ourselves in the vintage shops place, as they are all next to each other !

The Italians vintage shops definitively have something special about them. The quality and  conservation of the leather goods are amazing there, something you will not see in London, and Paris. I am a regular customer of Beyond Retro, just to give a way of comparison.

The prices are acceptable, sometimes a bit too much for my liking, but you have a wide choice. Most of the shirts that you will found there are silk, and not that smelly polyester. there are many funny pieces as well, from the giant 70s trouser to the crazy plastic bikini.

In the last one we visited I purchased a lovely printed shirt with golden square button, and pointed collar, for the nice amount of 20 euros, which is fairly good !

I was able to pay by card, something I was happy with, as I run out of cash (something you need to have on you in Rome), and I couldn't pass by with that lovely garment. 

 Rosa Croce have a very nice set up inside. They have some very good quality vintage shoes around 100 euros. hey proposed some new accessories as well, but just the inside is worth seeing, and browsing the nice printed dresses.

Rosa Croce

Via Di Parione

00186 Rome

 

 So cute !!!!!!

Omero & Cecilia

Vestiti Vecchi

110 Via Del Governo Vecchio

00186 Rome

( some of my pictures are mixed )

 

Something that we noticed with my friend is that nearly all the owners where smoking inside their shop ! Ah Rome !

The lovely silk shirt I bought in Lavorazione E Recupero on Via Del Governo Vecchio. 

As I said, all the shops are next to each other, so you're sure to find some treasure during you stay in Rome !

Something I should have bought : (

An antic shop nearby, with some vintage German books, and other wonders.

Red & Blue

Today I wanted to try something different with my outfit. I like vintage style, so sometimes it does make me look older, or not at my best advantage, so I tried to be a bit more contemporary, if I can, even though I don't really like it. It's not my thing, so it does fail, sometimes. I always wear leather shoes, brogues, or lace up boots, but lately I wanted to be more comfortable. But then I couldn't wear those (ugly) fashionable trainers, combined with a rather smart/vintage outfit ! As I say the only trainers that was worn in the past could be, for me a pairs of Converse. So I went hunting for a pair of white one (cheeky cheeky, they are fake ones from New Look, one of the shop I would never believe going in ). White. Easy to match with any colored outfit, and so I could wear it with white socks, for a little girl/tennis player/summer look (as I liked on the model of the french designer, Jacquemus during Paris Fashion Week). It does make the outfit a bit cooler, and different as you wouldn't mix trainers with a pencil skirt, but anyway now it's quite common. Well, not much for me. 

I love this top from COS. I think the print look quite 30s, so to complement the look, I wanted to change my hairdo. I never know what to do with my hair. I want to make a vintage style with them, but I never have time to do something sophisticated, or either I don't know how to do it. Well, a quick, messy on-the-top-of-my-head-susie-bubble bun usually does it. Actually I wanted to use some of the cute hair clip I have ( you can't really see it on the picture :/), so I just did the messy bun on my neck, did a twist with a bit of hair on a side, add the hair clip, and it's done ! It does give an innocent attitude, like a Flemish painting !

Necklace, earring: &Other Stories

Hair clip: H&M

Top: COS

Skirt: Zara

Socks: Mars&Spencer

Trainers: New Look

The lipstick is Chanel is Rouge Allure passion n°14

Le Monkey Club - Lyon

When in Lyon, I visited a place called The Monkey Club. A newly restaurant, cocktail bar (they do Absinthe), that have a British atmosphere. With old English maps on the walls, portraits and others beheaded animals, it should remind you of the times when Jack Ripper was threatening the London population. Something that stricken me was the taste of the water, a quick interrogation of the waiter, yeah those monkey's bottle used to contain Whisky !

The food was really nice, surprising, filling. I had a fish with vegetables paella, join with an orange sauce, my sister had something more meaty, a Cordon-blue, with BBQ sauce. Happy with our choices, we gently approach the bartender for more information about the recipe. He summoned the Chef, that told us he doesn't really know what herbs he put, but he just sprinkled a handful on the preparation, but my sauce contain orange juice ! Clever. The team was quite friendly, and relax, very nice atmosphere. Next time I'll come to try the brunch, or few cocktails ! 

Little Bear's Friends - Else Holmelund Minarik - Maurice Sendak

On my wanderings in Paris, I passed by the Bouquinistes on the docks on La Seine. On one of the stall a record catch my eyes, it was the soundtrack of Mary Poppins played by Duke Ellington and his Orchestra. But at the end I bought this volume of Little Bear from 1960, I really like Teddy Bear, and the drawing wear by Maurice Sendak. It's so Cute !!!! I jut love his illustrations, and the shades of colors used in the book.