Roma Revival + Reunion

Many moons ago, my friend Steph and I graced Rome with our presence for a summer abroad. This Saturday, we met up with our favorite Temple girls from our trip and had a mini Roma Reunion at Ristorante La Buca off of Washington Square in Philly. Now, before I get into our reunion and how Regina almost made me pee my pants laughing, I want to relive the days of Roma for a few.

Oh, did I mention we went through Temple instead of PSU, thus making our grades not count? Awesome.

This is our school building in Rome. You could catch the bus to the left of this pic or walk past the pastries and eat one of those on your way to school. Guess which one I picked.

Let's just say our trip to Roma started with a bang. I somehow managed to win $100 on 97.5 on my drive to the airport. I kept screaming "I'm going to Rome!" as if the $100 was going to fund my trip. Negatory. The Tuohy parental units were taking that responsibility. I also still remember what I was wearing on my flight to Rome, which is so absurd. White puma sweatpants, blue gap shirt, and I had my bright green (then clean, now disgusting but still used) Vera Bradley bag.

Oh wait, maybe I remember what I was wearing because I had to wear it for 36 hours. Our luggage got lost. Figures. Steph and I were ready to buy all of Rome to replace our outfits, until we realized all of Roma looked like the 1980's neon party had exploded. I fell victim to the hot pink fashion later in the trip, but not yet. We stayed at Residence Medaglie D'oro. The best story from our apartments is that our roommate, Jess, who we now love, love, saw us and our (very late) luggage and told her other friends we were all "pink and pearls and sorority". Which is hilarious because Steph may be somewhat, but I think I own like one pink item.

We had the summer of our lives in Roma. We ate tons of food. We especially loved late night snacks in campo de fiori. We also loved the food market there. We frequented Magnolia Bar and imbibed in one too many one too few BBC's, we strolled Piazza Navona, we looooved the outdoor markets including Porta Portese.

Navona, I miss you.

Porta Portese- the usual brilliant colors and packed streets.

I guess I was a bit more adventurous when we lived in Roma. We also woke up bright and early to navigate the bus systems to San Giovanni market and the Underground market, not far from Piazza del Popola. We shopped and ate. a lot.

It is amazing how many years have gone by and how clearly I can picture the walk from my apartment to the school, from the Vatican to the metro, and down every shopping street there is (including the Fendi on Via Del Corso near the Spanish steps). I was absolutely in love with the city, the food, the people, the shopping. And then we went to Ventotene and I knew what love really is.

Gorgeous water and rocky cliffs-- that we were stupid enough to jump off.

Beach  + Restaurant in hill we ate at.

Ventotene was a dream. It has almost no population, and consists of small businesses and restaurants to fuel the tourism. It is gorgeous and breathtaking at every turn. The tiny streets reminded me more of Venice or even Athens, Greece. Twisty and turny and yet, you only could lead yourself to the beach or to one of the many unce unce bars the only bar in sight on the island, built into a cave. I think Ventotenians must have a grande love for tequila, because we certainly did those nights. The pink house in that picture above is a restaurant. We ate the best seafood of my entire life there. Squid and octopus and other gross things that were unpleasant to look at but if you could stomach, you'd be thrilled.

My days in Italy are sorely missed to be honest. I returned the summer after my senior year in college on a backpacking tour. I'm pretty sure every time I got on a plane to go to Europe, my mom had this little bit of her brain that kept saying, "she's never coming back". I had that part too, sometimes I still do... Maybe J and I will have to move to Italy at some point in our lives, after all, Milan is opening an ING Direct.

So after years of not all being in the same place, our leader Jess booked us reservations in Philly for a Roma dinner. The food was authentic and amazing. Our waiter was this little old man who barely spoke English. Score 1 for Jess. But better than the food was the hilarious conversations, the discussion of our lives progressions, and the amazing fact that years later, I can sit down at a table with 6 other women and be in awe that it feels like it was yesterday we were in Roma together being harassed by Italian men, cooking food in way too much oil, and living off of Nutella and $2 market jewelry. But, at the same time, it was incredible how much has changed. Most of us are married, Bridget is a MOM (looks like she never had a kid- lucky), we're on our way to substantial careers, doctorates, being doctors. Our crazy college day versions of ourselves had morphed into adults.

Sort of. Regina still tells stories that make us die laughing, like the time there was a hurrican in St. Lucia on her honeymoon- the first one in over 20 years- and how she decided to make a hideout under the sink in the hotel room with pillows for protection. Our friend Kerry actually asked if Regina and her hubs are "accepting children" because she'd like to live in their house. Jess still judges us for our fashionable pink and sorority matching anthro/nordstrom's blazers and boots. Honor and Bridget can tell us stories about people we've never met before and I can declare them crazy. So yeah, we grew up, but (forgive me for the sentimental moment) I am pretty sure we all left a piece of our hearts in Rome... and with each other. We planned our next reunion already and I can't wait to pull out my Roma scrapbook for this one.

Every time I go to Rome I do indeed throw a coin in the Trevi Fountain, because hey, legend has it you will return to Roma if you do. And who wouldn't want that?!

Ciao bellas! xoxo