I had heard that the view from high atop Campidoglio, one of the seven hills in Rome where the Musei Capitolini sits, is quite beautiful, and I’m happy to discover that this bit of info does not disappoint. The museum itself is quite grand, housing an impressive collection of paintings and sculptures.

Remember Bernini’s Medusa that made its way to San Francisco at the beginning of this year? It’s back home now at the Musei, though just resting against the side wall amid the special exhibition, Lux in arcana, rather than occupying center stage as it did in SF. The aforementioned exhibition was by far my favorite attraction here. It’s a presentation of historic documents from the Vatican Secret Archives, from writings officially condemning Martin Luther to letters written from both Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis to the Pope during the Civil War.

Back to the views. Here is a video taken from the museums’ cafe (I did not add the opera; there was a woman rehearsing in the event space behind me), and photos of the sunset over Rome taken from a lesser-known garden at the side of the Palazzo dei Conservatori.

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Castel Sant’Angelo may be the most worthwhile attraction in Rome that requires admission. Unlike more famous sites like the Colosseo or the Musei Vaticani, Emperor Hadrian’s fortress-turned-museum is relatively uncrowded, features an art exhibition and provides brilliant views of the city. Located in front of the castle is Rome’s most beautiful bridge, the Ponte Sant’Angelo, Bernini’s bridge with ten angels spanning its length across the Tevere.

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As always, my goal is delivering the experience of being at a place through writing, photos and/or video. Below are three panoramic views of the interior of the Pantheon, an impressive structure built by the ancient Romans just under 100 years after the time of Jesus, and Piazza Navona, the grandest square in Centro Storico. Highlights of the former include the oculus, an “eye” at the top of the dome that lets in both sunlight and rain. The latter features Bernini’s legendary Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi, an impressive fountain sitting near the steps of Sant’Agnese in Agone.

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While today may not have been as wild as my first night in Rome, it certainly was productive. I had my first of many cups of gelato and slices of pizza during this trip, and it was certainly interesting when I tried to order a new SIM card at Telecom Italia Mobile (there are still bumps in my Italian listening comprehension). All’s well that ends well, and I now have an Italian phone number, as well as a taste for more snacks. read more »

The Pierces | Twitter | Wikipedia

Occasionally, you run across a song that hits your ears in such a way that you don’t know what to do with yourself after. Having just heard the above, I’m left a little speechless. It’s off The Pierces’ fourth and most recent release, You & I, which debuted at #4 on the UK charts in May.

Sadly, I only just discovered The Pierces, a melodic NYC-based duo composed of two Alabamian sisters, Catherine and Allison Pierce. Raised on classic American folk, the influence of old-timey sounds and strong female singer-songwriter roots are evident.

Consider the lyrics in this playfully sinister track:

“Cuz two can keep a secret if one of them is dead…”

And I’m particularly enamored by their amazing video for “Turn on Billie”:

I think I’m in love ♥