Running Out of Gas Can Sometimes Be a Good Thing

Almost all the time, running out of gas on the highway can be awful. Fortunately, what could have been terrible experience turned out to be another great one that revolved around what else, FOOD! I’ll get to the story in a minute...

I went to the Vasco Rossi concert other night in Ancona, with my cousin Gianni and some of his friends. Ancona is about 3 1/2 hours from Rome...not a short trip.
First of all, the concert was amazing. I had never really listened to Vasco’s music, but he is huge out here. The arena was packed and people who were out of their minds from start to finish.

We didn’t have tickets to be on the floor level, but we someone worked our way down there. From the floor we made it all the way to the front of the stage, and had the best spot in the house. Believe me it was not an easy task working our way through the craziness that is an Italian crowd (I don’t know how many of you have seen this video, but you should watch it to get a better idea of how things are around here. It’s pretty funny...unless you are stuck in one of the situations!! At about 3:10 there is an exact demonstration of what it was like waiting in line to get into the concert...and we stood in line like that for two hours before we even went in...a whole lot of fun!!).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQWNGLv8w74

At the end of the concert I caught one of the drumsticks and I was able to rip off a piece of the shirt he tossed to the crowd. I didn't expect to get caught up in the moment like everybody else. I wasn’t a fan of his before the concert, but I am now.

Ok, so the reason for this entry is not the concert...it’s what happened on the ride home from Ancona. There were 7 of us riding back when my cousin realized we were just about out of gas in the middle of nowhere a few hours outside of Rome. We quickly pulled over at the closest exit and went looking for gas in this tiny town. Not only did we find gas, but we found lunch too...

It just so happened that the town we stumbled into, was also a town where one of the other riders in our car had relatives. These relatives own a restaurant in town and we decided to stop and have a bite to eat...which turned into a three hour meal that left me stuffed for two days!

As soon as we sat down, the eating began. The first course was a huge bowl of pasta fagioli (pasta and beans). It’s kind of like Italian comfort food. Not very fancy, but always a great dish. To be honest I could have just had this bowl and I would have been fine until dinner.

Next, came the antipasto. We each got our own plate of bruschetta and a few pieces of thinly sliced prosciutto. The bruschetta was simply done, but the best I’ve ever had. Perfectly toasted bread, top quality olive oil, and a sprinkling of salt. That is without a doubt what Italian food is all about...super fresh ingredients combined really well to make excellent flavors. Most of the time, Italian food doesn’t need to get too complicated.

Next, came the house specialty...Ravioloni (one GIANT ravioli). It was the size of the entire plate, stuffed with a ricotta and spinach, smothered with marinara sauce and parmigiano cheese. The owner said that she is one of the only people that still makes this kind of pasta, so it was not something you would normally have on a menu. I could tell she was proud of this dish...and rightfully so, because it was so well done.

Normally, the pasta dish is followed by the meat portion of the meal. Here, the pasta was followed by, what else, another pasta dish! Homemade fettuccine with a similar tangy marinara sauce and parmigiano. I was offered enough that could have easily fed three people. I had to turn down most of it, because at that point I could barely breathe...

...but I kept on eating anyway.

After the pasta came two platters filled with different kinds of meats. Lamb, beef, sausage. Again, just simply grilled with a little lemon...fantastic.

**NOTE: The whole time we drank jug after jug of homemade wine. Sometimes, homemade wine can be a little nasty, so you have to be a little careful. This was not the nasty variety...it was a perfect compliment to the food we ate.

French fries came next...that’s right french fries. I don’t know what it is, but Italians love their french fries. At this point, I really couldn’t eat anymore. I only had few.

The meal ended with coffee, pastries, and limoncello. What was supposed to be just an unexpected side trip for gas turned out to be an amazing meal. I think Italians are used to these kinds of meals, so to them it’s nothing too special. To me however, it’s still something I need to share with other people.

When we left, the owner refused to take money for the meal. It was on the house because it was for family and friends of family. The hospitality that Italians show to guests is something special. It makes me feel like I haven’t done enough for my guests in the past...that will change from now on!

You Sound Like You're From London!!

I’m back from my trip to London. I had a great time over there, but it’s good to be back in my own bed. This was my first trip to England’s capitol and I can see why so many people love it over there.

To me, if you’re American, it kind of has the feeling of “Europe for Beginners.” Aside from the lack of a language barrier, it has many aspects that reminded me of NYC. Great night life, cool little shops all over the place, and an incredible public transportation system. Actually, the Underground is definitely better than the NYC subway. The lines are easier to understand, the “Osyter Card” (equivalent to the Metrocard) is very convenient to use, and I didn’t see one rat on the tracks while I was there the whole week...haha!! Don’t get me wrong, I love NYC. It’s my favorite city in the world, and it’s the one I compare all others too. I’m just saying that London does the subway a little bit better.

I did the tourist thing one day, and I tried to hit up as many of the sites as I could. Buckingham Palace, The London Eye, Trafalgar Square, Big Ben, Parliament, The National Gallery Museum, etc. I saw it all on my five hour walk around London. My legs were devastated afterward, but it was worth it. Another cool thing about the city is that many of the museums are free! That was a pleasant surprise considering the $300 I exchanged at the airport worked out to be around 8 pounds (slight exaggeration, but you get the idea...you gotta love the strength of the dollar).

While I was in London I had the opportunity to meet up with some photographer friends of mine, Jonathan Anderson and Edwin Low, who are based out of London. They have worked with a ton of top athletes all over the world and have some amazing books out (check out “Athlete Warrior” if you get a chance). They gave me a tour of their studio and we discussed working together on something in the near future.

They also took me to this private club they belong to called “The Royal Automobile Club.” It’s the kind of place that I will never have enough money to become a member myself, so I soaked in the experience while I had the chance. Probably the highlight of the club is the pool. It has the feel of an ancient Roman bath with mosaic tile columns and intricate ceiling work. I got to do a few laps in the pool and I spent some time in the Russian Bath, which was a great way to relax after having walked the city the previous day.

I also have to mention the soccer game that my college roommate Brad (he’s studying at London Business School right now) and I went to early in the week. It was England vs. Belarus at Wembley Stadium for World Cup Qualification. For those who don’t know, Wembley Stadium is one of the great arenas in the world, and to be able to see the English National Team play was something I will never forget (Side Note: I am and will always be a diehard fan of the Italian Team, but this was still a cool experience...FORZA AZZURRI!).

Believe it or not, I did go to the competitions too while I was in London. I kept a daily blog of some highlights for Inside Gymnastics. If you want to see what I thought of the meets go to www.insidegymnastics.com. I also put up some pics of London on my facebook page.

I also wanted to send my condolences to the family of Yuri Ryazanov and to the Russian Gymnastics Federation. Yuri was killed earlier today in a tragic car accident. He had just won the All-Around bronze medal at World Championships over the weekend. The gymnastics community has lost a great athlete and champion.

Likes/Dislikes

My parents left yesterday morning, so I am now on my own. I decided to go downtown for the day and wander the streets. It was another beautiful day, and there were people everywhere. It’s pretty difficult to pick one favorite spot in Rome, but I have to say that Piazza di Spagna (the Spanish Steps) is incredible. The street leading up the the steps is Via Condotti (the Rodeo Dr. of Rome). It’s lined with the most expensive shops in the world and makes for some great window shopping. I MIGHT be able to afford a pair of socks from one of the stores, but with the weak dollar even that might be tough. I was however, able to go to a Louis Vuitton party the other day at the shop on Via Condotti. A friend of my cousin is the director of the store, and so I was invited to the event. I’ve never been to something like that before, so it was a pretty cool experience.

Here are some more of my likes/dislikes so far...

Like: The beauty of the “passeggiata.” This is basically an evening stroll around town normally before a late dinner. It gives a chance for the people to have an aperitivo, some gelato, meet up with friends, or just people watch for a little bit. It’s very casual and no one is ever in a hurry...it’s just about enjoying the night. (I put up a great picture of four old men during their passeggiata).

Dislike: Graffiti around the city. Rome is filled with sights that are absolutely beautiful. Unfortunately, there is graffiti almost everywhere. What makes it even worse is that it’s not even artistic/creative graffiti. I can at least appreciate the artistic talent of some of the graffiti in places like NYC. In Rome it all looks like it was done by some eight year old kid.

Like: The fruit and vegetable markets. There is a great market around the block from my apartment. Everything is seasonal and fresh. I’m looking forward to what’s available in the winter, but right now I don’t mind eating peaches the size of grapefruits.

Dislike: All the smoking. I can’t stand cigarette smoke and it’s tough to escape.

Like: Rome is (in my opinion) the most romantic city in the world. Of course there are many places I haven’t been and I’m biased a bit, but walking around the streets at night is stunning. At the moment I don’t have a girlfriend, but when I do this is the city I am taking her to first. Plus, romantic comes from the word Roma. Ok, I made that up, but it seems to work right?? Haha!!

Dislike: There are water fountains all around Rome that continuously run all day and night. They are charming and the water is very clean and fresh. But why not put little on/off knobs on them? You want a drink...turn to left. You’ve had enough...turn to right. Seems pretty simple.


That’s it for now. I’m leaving for Worlds in London on Tuesday, so I’ll be there for the week cheering on Team USA. I’ll also be writing for Inside Gymnastics, so if you get a chance check it out.
I also put up some pics on my facebook page which was a little easier than putting them on this site. Let me know what you think!

Pietracupa

I briefly mentioned Pietracupa in my last entry, but I wouldn’t feel right if I didn’t devote an entire entry to this special place. This tiny village in the hills of Molise (a region of Italy) is where my father was born, and while my mom was born in New Jersey, her parents are from this same place.

Growing up, if I wasn’t at the Jersey Shore, this is where I spent my summer vacations. We would go every few years, but because of my gymnastics obligations I wasn’t able to go as much as I would have liked. A good number of my greatest and most vivid childhood memories are of my time spent in Pietracupa.

So you have a better understanding of the kind of place I’m talking about, there are only a few hundred people that live in Pietracupa all year round (I think it’s more like ten, but we’ll say a few hundred) and it’s tucked away in the hills a few hours southeast of Rome. The surrounding green hills give the impression that you could be living in an area where hobbits reside. The whole town is built in and around this massive rock. As you drive up from the south it remains hidden from view. Suddenly, the rock comes into sight and the whole village reveals itself. As a kid waiting for that moment where I would see Pietracupa again for the first time after a few years was like waking up on Christmas morning.

During the month of August many of the families that have connections to the town come back for vacation and the town becomes alive. We would spend our days playing calcetto (soccer on a smaller field where the teams are made up of five players instead of eleven), eating, going to the beach, and hanging out at the town bar many times until the sun came up.

It is a very isolated spot that allows for a very simple way of life...basically the complete opposite of living in a big city like Rome. Not many changes have been made to the town over the years and that is what one of the things I love about it. Pietracupa will always be very special to me, and I can’t wait to spend more time there now that I am retired from gymnastics.


Side Note: While I was in Pietracupa over the weekend, I went to a relatives masseria (basically a farm) where he has a bunch of fig trees. I don’t know how many of you have had fresh figs, but they are amazing!!! With figs, the general idea is that the uglier they look, the better they taste. They have a honey like sweetness to them that I haven’t found in another fruit. The amount we collected should have lasted us a couple weeks. Unfortunately, I couldn’t help myself and I’ve just about finished them already...haha!!