When I was a sophomore art history student at Brandeis University, I opted to take a course focused solely on Michelangelo, the irascible genius who painted the Sistine Ceiling despite professing himself to be a sculptor first and foremost. Being able to see not one but two of his self-portraits subtly imposed in the fresco cycles on the ceiling and above the altar, respectively. Before we made it to the Vatican, I went a bit south with my dad to the less-trafficked Testaccio neighborhood on the recommendations of Parla Food, an exceptional food blog written by an American expat with over ten years’ experience separating the wheat from the chaff. And finally, because our apartment features a cozy kitchen with all the bells and whistles, I cooked up a rather not so Italian beef stew for dinner.

If you’re interested in Rome, things artistic, historical, or a combination of both, find yourself dreaming of Italian food, or have a macabre fascination with near-death Vespa experiences, you might want to stick around this blog for the next few days. After that I make no promises. Click the “Follow!” button in the upper right-hand corner to start receiving updates every time I post something new. Ciao!