In Rome

We stayed at The Fifteen Keys - the staff are gentle and generous, the breakfasts gorgeous. The rooms are tasteful and unfussy.  It's a lovely city but it feels disorganised in its chaos, dusty and overrun with tourists (pot=kettle, I know).

I arrived on Sunday, took a nap (that 3am start left me a bit frayed), had a mooch around the neighbourhood (a charity shop that is a definite must revisit less than two minutes up the road!).  I sauntered to the local market to make a little picnic, caught up with my lovely C, then dialed in to the synangogue board meeting.  Another sleep, then I put on my cocktail dress and wandered out in the world to find Gregory's Jazz Club. (10€ admission) The Francesco Fratini Trio were the perfect balm, even playing my high school favourite 'I'll Be Seeing You.'

I took the long way home, and took another shower, washing the heat and dust off. By the time I slipped into bed, I was asleep. 

Breakfast is a buffet of fresh fruit and veg, and meats, salmon, and cheese. The cakes are baked fresh by the manageress Jonella. The lemon chiffon makes me want to weep with gratitude. My baking has been off the mark for almost 18 months, outside of my cheesecake. It would dishearten me but I think it has more to do with having shifted back to survival mode.

Monday, we walk and walk, pop by the Coliseum, the Museum of Salvage, and lunch at CiPasso, which was amazing  then a siesta. Dinner at sweet little mom-and-pop trattoria.

Tuesday, I return to said charity shop (Humana Vintage), where I find a gorgeous 1960s mod silk dress for Helena, a silk 1930s shirtwaist for me, a gorgeous balconette bra, a silk teddy, sweet green sandals, and a billowy Res sundress and linen blouse.  We have lunch, then catch the train to Formia-Gaeta. It takes just over an hour.  It all moves so quickly, the landscape changing before I can catch my breath. I worry that I've left my parents in Rome until I am safely in my new hotel room.