Porto, Portugal

I really wish I had been in Porto longer.  I had a 22 hour layover and it was a great way to get a taste of a city. Now I would absolutely love to go back.
Everyone was so incredibly friendly. I got to the arrivals wing and there was a sort of welcome committee. There was food to try and I was even given a knick knack. Someone gave me a small rooster figurine. I've seen them all over Portugal but I have no idea what they mean in the culture. I have some research to do.
Everyone was incredibly friendly on my journey through Portugal.
I got to my Hostel: Tattva Design Hostel and it was traditional yet modern feeling with great, clean amenities. The room was great with individual lockers activated by passkey and there were curtains around every bed. I got there around 4, an hour or so after my flight landed. It was a bit uphill but a great location in general.

Right near the hostel behind the church

they offer a typical Portughese meal at a great price but I decided to go explore and I wasn't sure if I'd make it back in time. I wanted to use all of my available daylight. I walked to the big cathedral across the way and stumbled into a tourist information center. The lady was lovely and sent me in the right direction for wine tastings and sites to see.
The church was gorgeous outside and in. From there I wandered down to the river. There were lots of steps and winding roads. The views were incredible. The city has such a unique feel to it. It's colorful and lively but

broken down in places too. It's quite vivid and it definitely caught my imagination.
Along the river were restaurants and vendors selling handicrafts. Some of the craft work was absolutely stunning. I had to restrain myself from buying things because I had nowhere to put anything this trip. My bags are packed to the brim. In the meantime, I kept an eye out for a place that did tapas and port

tastings.
I crossed the bridge and saw some capoiera in action. It was a lot of fun to watch as it's a beautiful cross between martial arts and dance. I loved when the kids got involved because they were utterly adorable.

Casta Winehouse

Then I walked back across the bridge to a little restaurant bar that I'd spotted before I hit the river the first time. It was a mall hole in the wall called Casta Winehouse. It was practically empty but I liked the atmosphere and the idea of tapas paired with a Port tasting.
The waitress was friendly if not overly attentive (my guess is that she was bored because it was very quiet when I sat down). That being said, I didn't mind at all. I was there to relax so I didn't require much attention and I definitely didn't want to be rushed.
I decided to order a trio of Port to taste and the vegetarian tapa since I

wasn't in the mood for anything heavy. I'd never tried Port before so I was quite excited to try this trio for €5. It was amazing. I tried Fine White, Fine Ruby and a Tawny Port.  My favorite was the Fine Ruby and the white was a close second.  I liked that both were smoky but not too strong. The Ruby had a slightly fruity taste that I really enjoyed. The Tawny was a little too smoky for my taste.

They all went really well with my vegetarian tapa.  It was 2 types of traditional Portuguese cheese and a cherry tomato salad served with fresh bread. The cherry tomato salad was absolutely fresh and delicious. It was dressed with oil, balsamic vinegar, sea salt and chives. The menu did not list the types of cheese on the platter, but the waitress was nice enough to write them down for me. I had the piece of paper until yesterday and now I can't find it. -.- It's definitely in my room, I just don't know where. When I find I'll update with names.
One of the cheeses was a soft, sticky cheese that was absolutely delicious. It was creamy and easy to spread. The second was a slightly harder cheese. It was still on the creamy side but sliced nicely and wasn't spreadable. It had a stronger flavor and more of an aftertaste. I liked it but I definitely preferred the softer cheese. As soon as I find the paper, I'm going to update and tell you the names and then see if I can get a hold of the yummy cheese here in New Jersey.

Portuguese cheese and tomato salad

Then I got dessert. I ordered a brigadeiro. On the menu it's just described as chocolate but it's soooo

amazing.  I believe they are traditionally Brazilian and I had them when I was a child because my best friend's mother used to make them for birthdays when we were growing up. A brigadeiro is similar to a bonbon or chocolate truffle. It's a smooth chocolate fudge and it's delicious. It is rich and creamy and melts in your mouth. It's made with chocolate, sweetened condensed milk and butter and if I can find a recipe I'm definitely going to try and make it.
Then I went back to my hostel and made myself tea. I was suffering through a cold so I gave myself an early bedtime and then went to bed.
I would love to go back to Portugal, it was a great time.

My Last Nights in Rome

Ok. It's so weird to say that I've been home for about a month and that I have no idea when I'm going back to Italy. It's been a good month, but strange. It's strange to be in Fort Lee and New Jersey and to know that I have no idea when I get to go back to the ancient sites and beautiful culture that I love so much.  There's definitely a hole in my heart right now.  I seem to have left part of it in Italy again, maybe the chunk is larger this time since I left a piece in Florence and now a piece in Rome too.  So if you find the pieces, feel free to mail them back to me.
Oh well, Jersey is here and for the moment I still have lots to talkabout Italy wise.  I still have to write about my trip to Florence (the one that was only supposed to last 2 days, that wound up being 5 days instead... yeah, that one lol) and of course my last couple of days in Rome.

Going away party deliciousness

On Tuesday I went to a goodbye esque party with coworkers and friends. It was hysterically amazing
complete with rain pouring down our backs (yay, outdoor seating!) but I'll do a whole separate review because the food was great. We got an assortment of delicious food and it was a great evening.
Then Wednesday I went to work to clean out my classroom.  It was a sad day for me, but good too because we had a going away party.  My coworkers were going to try and surprise me but I didn't have to

turkish delight

be there at any set point so they had to schedule it with me ahead of time.  It was great though. We had tortilla chips with salsa (a wonderful treat after months with no salsa), delicious cheese and prosecco.  I also tried Turkish delight for the first time.  My student brought me some from his vacation and it was delicious, extremely sweet, but delicious. I could only eat one since it was so rich. We also had delicious pastries that Ashley brought.  It was awesome and a lot of fun. I am so grateful to have worked with such a lovely bunch of creative, intelligent, strong women this year. It was a great experience and I was quite sad to say goodbye. But you never know, maybe I'll go back one day and do it all over again.

Delicious treats

Thursday I spent my day walking the forum and the Coliseum. I played tourist and then stubbornly decided to walk home in the sun as well. It was around 8 miles of walking total that day. That 8 miles with no shade also explains my minor sunburn and how cracked out I was by dinner time.

A wonderful view of the Coliseum from the Forum

Pesto Pork chops

And dinner was hilarious. I made myself pesto porkchops and pesto tortellini in an attempt to finish off the stuff I had in the fridge. It was pretty good and super simple to make. Apply pesto liberally to porkchops. Grill. No recipe necessary.  Make tortellini and coat in sauce.  I had so much other stuff in the fridge that I could have made, but this was the easiest.
Friday was panicked/depressed packing.  It was ridiculously painful and I really didn't want to. I'd already packed the majority, thank God, but still it was an annoying job to do. And then luckily enough for me, my friend Laure invited me out for a relaxing beer to chill out behind Piramide. She brought me to a fantastic little pub with an amazing rotation of beers. The barista really knew her stuff and was able to recommend some fantastic and particular beers. I got a Vudu, slighly sweet and bitter while Laure got one with a lighter, citrus taste. I wish I could go back there since they regularly switch up their beer choices.
Then we went over to Termini Station to meet Morgane (from France) and Steffi (from Germany). I met them 4 years ago in Florence while doing my masters.  I saw them in Florence that last weekend I visited. It seems fate pulled us together again for some fun. And then they speent Friday night in Rome hanging out with me which was awesome.
We got them settled into their B&B and then we went to Ai 3 Scalini. I've been wanting to go there for a while. It's an aperitivo esque bar famous in Rome. A bunch of people had told me about it but there's always a line. Luckily, Friday it wasn't incredibly croweded and we didn't have to wait. I'm guessing because August 1st means that most Italians escape to the sea (not that I can blame them with the heat in city center). It was

absolutely fantastic.
We shared a bottle of wonderful white wine and then I ordered eggplant parmigiana as did Steffi.  Morgane got a bufala mozzarella and tomatoes. Laure got fresh ricotta with a truffle honey.
Everything was fantastic.  It was one of the best eggplant parmigiana's I've ever had and the various cheeses were amazing.  The mozzarella was perfect and the ricotta was creamy and rich while the truffle honey added such a lovely kick to the dish.  The truffle honey was sweet but had a potent, yet delicious kick that complemented the creamy ricotta incredibly well. Sitting in Jersey, I would kill to have any of the delicious food in front of me now.

Then Laure had to go, so we said our goodbyes and Steffi, Morgane and I explored Rome at night for a while on a hilarious walking tour on the sites of center. They kept asking me where to go and I sadly still don't fully understand the whole layout of Rome. It is a huge city. We had a fun night and then said our goodbyes and I walked back home.
Saturday was more packing, lots of walking for some last minute errands and lunch and inner at home.  I made myself pasta with the tomato sauce that my previous roommates mother made.  Let me tell you, there is nothing like homemade tomato sauce. It was delicious and so much better than anything bought at the store.
Then after dinner, the girls and I went to Gazometro which is behind the house. If you're anywhere near Piramide you should definitely go for some vibrant night life!
And that's how I ended my time in Rome. It was definitely a good week with great people who I'm missing a lot right now.

Arrivederci Roma!

So I've been in the United States for 5 days.  I left Rome 6 days ago and I miss it like crazy but I know I'll be back... at some point.  For now it's time for a new adventure and a new life but I can't help but feeling like I left a part of myself behind... again.  My heart is in Florence, and now in Rome too.
It's okay though because I know I'll be back in Italy one day. Florence and Rome are not going anywhere, and neither are my Italian friends.  Unless, of course they come visit me, which of course, I really hope they do.
So for now I'm going to spend my time in New Jersey like a new adventure and see what happens and where the world brings me next.
I wrote this while sitting on the plane on my way home and I was singularly unprepared. Everything had been packed and checked but I was sitting there and I wasn't ready to go. It's a good thing I had 22 hours in Porto, Portugal to sort myself out.
I had been awake since 7am on Sunday morning after staying out with my roommates until 4am. My roomies

and I had gone to Gazometro (behind our apartment) for some dancing, drinks and a late night sandwich.  The dancing and drinks were great.  The hamburger less so.  It was just a little sloppily prepared but what do you expect at 3am?
I got up early with the help of my evil alarm and Dr. Who (I had put it on when I got home for some reason) messing with my dreams.  I finished my last minute stuff, took cold medicine, cleaned the room and chatted with my roomies, without crying once.
Then my roommate Simona was amazing enough to walk me and my heavy bags (well, they weren't that bad, but would have been insanely inconvenient for 1 person) to the train station.  She even waited with me on the track and helped me get my suitcase and carry-on onto the train before hugging me goodbye.  She is so amazingly sweet and I am so grateful that she was there with me.
At the airport everything went smoothly and I miraculously didn't have to pay any overweight fees on my luggage and I went through security pretty quickly. I only received a few odd looks at the 4 jackets combined into 1.

Then I had 2 hours with nothing to do so I found an adorable wine bar and decided to treat myself rather than getting fast food.  I was sorely tempted to get a cheese platter and wine but seeing as it was only 10:30 in the morning I decided not to act on my lush instincts.
Instead I got a caffè and a strawberry torte.

Both presentations were absolutely lovely. It was on the expensive side, but flavor wise it was absolutely

worth it.  The coffee was rich and smooth with a hint of hazelnut.  It was served with a kind of homemade hazelnut candybar.  It was delicious and rich, but small enough that I didn't fill up on it. The bottom layer was cookie, butter and hazelnutwhile there was a cremy layer of hazelnut and chocolate goodness above.
The crostata, strawberry torte was quite good as well but I think it looked better than it tasted. I liked that it wasn't super sweet but I would've liked the crust to be more flavorful. The strawberries were okay but not fresh since they were covered in some sweet gelatinous substance.  It was good but not the best I've eaten. I think their panna cotta and savory dishes probably would've been better, especially the savory since it was definitely more of a wine bar.  I loved the atmosphere and look of the restaurant even though the waitresses weren't super attentive. I was sitting at the bar in front of them and it took forever for them to take my order.
After that I didn't mind much because I just sat enjoying my breakfast without being rushed.

I flew TAP this go round (I've flown with them before) and the staff seems quite friendly. The food on my first flight was okay. It was neither spectacular nor inedible so I was pleased. They served white rice with chicken and bacon, a roll and fresh melon.  I also had a glass of white wine (1pm was definitely better than 10am as a starting point). The rice was super bland so I really only ate the chicken and bacon for the protein. I really liked the quality of the roll. It was fresh and flaky and the fruit was actually really fresh as well. The wine had a slightly bitter after taste, but not bad at all for airplane wine.
Overall I was pleased with my food.
My only issue was the landing because my ears popped so badly that I was almost deaf upon landing for
about 4 hours.  It sucked but I still enjoyed my 22 hour layover in Porto, Portugal. The arrivals hall was amazing. They were having some kind of event and it was great with food to try and people greeting. Someone even gave me a little rooster statue (so adorable and colorful). It was a great entry into

the country and then I headed into the city. I enjoyed my time so much that I'm going to write a whole other blog about it!
Then the next morning I went back to the airport and flew back to the Jersey.  I had no problems going through security and grabbed a tea to help with my sore throat.  I even bought 2 bottles of Port Wine for €15 to bring home to Mom.
The flight food was kind of terrible.  Beef and mushrooms with white

rice.  I ate it all, but it was flavorless. I should have gotten the baccala (a Portughese specialty) but I was scared to get fish on the flight (plus I don't always love fish... I'm challenging sometimes).  The bread was good but the salad... Gross. The salad on the side was gross, it was way too salty. I could not eat it.  The dessert was a strawberry mousse and it was okay. It wasn't super flavorful but it was light.  I didn't finish it all, because I wanted more strawberry flavor. Not the best meal I've had with TAP.  The wine on this flight was good and didn't have the same aftertaste.

There was also a snack towards the end of the flight. It was simple, just a sandwich. One side was wheat bread with cheese. The other was white bread with ham.  Slightly odd but it tasted good.
7 hours, 2 meals, 2 glasses of wine, 1 glass of pear juice, 2 cups of tea.  It was a decent flight and I got to watch the second Amazing Spiderman and the second Captain America! So good.  I also rewatched Julie and Julia. I forgot how cute that movie is. The foodie in me was definitely pleased.
Then we landed and my ears popped again, but on the bright side, I only lost hearing in one ear!   And now I'm in Jersey... and 5 days later, I still need to finish unpacking.
It's been a whirwind.  I've been all over the place.  So in the next few days, expect some updates about my last days in Rome, about Porto and then adventures here in the states (plus all the restaurant review I still have to type up from Rome).