American Shopping on the Corso

What do tourists love more than taking pictures and saying cliche things like "when in rome"?

Americans love little reminders of home and seeing that things have been American-ized in other countries. At least I can speak for the kids who study abroad in Rome that I have met when I say this. Where do we all hang out at? American and Irish pubs. Where do we find ourselves eating out at? Pizza places, such a cliche college food. And where do we look to shop? American stores along the Corso.

Yeah, shopping in another country seems thrilling and fun, but it can be expensive and unaffordable for someone here long-term. Many of the shops along the Corso charge upwards of $60Euro for just a shirt, which at the current rate does not translate well into the American dollar. It is almost comforting to see American shops such as H&M, Diesel, Sephora, Guess, Levi's, etc. along the Corso--even if they are a little bit more expensive than at home. Living in a foreign country it is nice to see in the least a sign from home, and in a way it seems like an appreciation of American fashion sense (especially in a country where fashion and self-presentation is so important on a daily basis). Now more than ever companies have expanded world-wide and I can say I almost feel relieved by it. I love shopping and there is nothing better than spending my shoppinf money supporting the American economy.

Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous

Welcome to the Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous Tour de Roma! Today we have a selection of different locales that middle-class folk like us stare at in awe, and meanwhile the affluent and infamous of the world enjoy the luxuries we will see because $100Euro bills are mere pocket change to these people. Throughout the tour we will experience high-end fashion and high-end living at its best. If you have ever checked out celebrity gossip online or in magazines, you might recognize some of these places from pictures of such celebrities as Jessica Alba, Eva Longoria, and Justin Timberlake. Do not worry, this is a window-shopping only tour. So do not feel bad if you can't afford a $300Euro shirt, to live in a Palace, or to stay in a 5-star hotel on Via Veneto. We're all in envy together, so let's get going!

Our tour begins at the Spanish Steps in Piazza di Spagna, a popular tourist stop in Rome. Walking down Via dei Condotti we can see on both sides of the street many world-famous designer shoppes. Via Condotti gained its fame when the atelier of Bulgari opened there in 1905. "Today, it is home to the flagship stores of the most elegant design houses, including Valentino, Hermès, Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Gucci, Versace, Bulgari, Chanel, Armani, Dolce e Gabbana, Prada, Ferragamo and Campanile" (Shopping in Rome, 2009).

Next we are going to head down towards the Quirinale Palace, where the President of Italy Giorgio Napolitano resides. Along the way though we will be passing through the Trevi Fountain, Rome's most well known fountain, which has been featured in several movies such as La Dolce Vita and The Lizzie McGuire Movie (both movies star the rich and the oh so famous). We are stopping at the Quirinale President to get to see the view of this prime real estate. How better could someone live besides the president or prime minister of a country?

Onto the Palazzo Barberini/Galleria Nazional d'Arte Antica, on Via Delle Quattro Fontane. This palace was financed by Pope Urban VIII and designed by the famous artists Bernini and Barromini (Frommer's, 2009). "But worth the trip itself is the Nile Mosaic, a well-preserved ancient Roman work and the most remarkable ever uncovered. The mosaic details the flooding of the Nile, a shepherd's hunt, mummies, ibises, and Roman warriors, among other things. The museum collection is mainly from the 13th to the 16th centuries, with works by Fra Angelico, Filippo Lippi, Lorenzo Lotto, Andrea del Sarto, Perugino, Canaletto, Raphael, and Caravaggio" (Frommer's, 2009). A nice palace turned must-see museum, admission is not too expensive, but owning any of the artwork will break your bank account.

Where will you stay on your trip to Rome? Well no other than a 5-star hotel, right? You only come to Italy once so go big or go home (with money). The next two stops are two of the most-famous 5-star hotels in Rome. The Splendide Royal on Via Porta Pinciana and the Westin Excelsior on Via Veneto will offer you a stay in Rome like no other. The prices can be high, up to $2100Euro per night for the presidential suite (Expedia, 2009). Check out this review and you'll see what I mean.

Fodor's review of the Excelsior says, "Once a herding pen for princes and maharajahs, the Excelsior today is the hotel of choice for visiting diplomats, celebrities, and, well, American business conferences. Every corner is lavished with mirrors, moldings, Oriental rugs, crystal chandeliers, and huge, baroque floral arrangements. Guest rooms have elegant drapery, marble baths, top-quality linens, and big, firm beds. While traditional, refined, and luxurious, the cheaper rooms here don't really offer a lot of bang for the buck, so spring for the better ones, or settle elsewhere" (Fodor's Online, 2009).

Last but not least, we must see where the rich and famous spend nights in the VIP Room drinking champagne. We head down Via Boncompagni to Jackie O' Bar. Coming to this bar "expect fine drinks to come at a cost and a general air of moneyed refinement" (World's Best Bars, 2009). It is as exclusive and VIP as the Paris Hilton's birthday bash, so don't expect to get in unless you are dressed to the nines and your name is on the list. It's okay though because there are lots of cheap, fun bars in Campo d' Fiori and Piazza Navona for you to hang out in.

This concludes our tour, I hope you enjoyed the walk of where you may get to shop, live, and party if one day you end up wealthy and notorious. Ciao!


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Dog Walkers

Everyone loves their pet dogs and what better way to exercise both you and your dog than to take a walk down the street? People walk their dogs in every town and city around the world, especially when it is really nice outside. There are some international differences though between dog-walkers in Italy and those back home in the United States.

Many of the dogs in parks and on the streets of Rome are not on leashes. Weird? Back home there are little things we like to call lawsuits that happen all over from unleashed dogs biting passer-byers, especially little children. It just is not safe back home to have a dog off the leash. Here is a map of rabies across Europe though. I do not see one speck of green on that map to show rabies in Italy. Maybe that is why people allow their dogs off the leash. I know that I was quite frightened as I took a run through a park when a dog came chasing after me. It was not until I completely stopped running that the owner did anything to make the dog get away from me. Seems strange, but it did happen.

The weirdness did not end there. Usually when I walk down the sidewalk I avoid one of two things, puddles or sticky gum. In Italy I have added a new avoidance to my list-- dog feces. The dogs of Rome are allowed to take dumps on the street without any punishment to their owners if the owners do not clean it up. I know for a fact that this is not the case back home in America. There are fines against leaving dog feces on the sidewalk. It perplexes me why leaving it on the sidewalk is not a problem. I guarantee thousands of people walk the streets in Rome every day, and the poop is usually smeared so I know people are stepping in it. Is there a complaint box somewhere? If so, where can I file a complaint??

Tourist Traffic

The temperature outside is getting hot, Hot, HOT!!

Summer is getting near as the days go on, meaning more and more sunshine every day. Funny how the place of the sun in the sky has an affect on the traffic patterns of people on the sidewalk. Yesterday while walking down the Corso, I quickly became irritated by how slowly the people in front of me were walking and noticed that there was an overflow of people on my side of the street. I looked right across to the other side to notice that only one old man was walking down the street. Before thinking twice I quickly crossed and after about 50mt realized why no one was on the opposite side of the street-- the sun rays were burning the back of my neck to a crisp. I looked back across to the other side of the street and noticed how cool and shaded the area was. I had never noticed this type of traffic pattern in people before. Now that I have noticed it though I see it everywhere. I just haven't figured out yet if it's worth sweating down the sunny side of the street to avoid slowing walking behind tourists on the shady side.

Tourists Eat Here!

What do tourists crave the most while walking through or shopping down the Corso? Gelato? Pizza? Paninis?

Of course not! We tourists crave McDonald's and Burger King! In true American fashion, McDonald's and its rival Burger King can be found just around the block from every busy area. Nothing like being in a foreign country to make you crave America's finest fast food burgers. Maybe it's a feeling of comfort we get from even just seeing those golden arches. I admit that I have eaten McDonald's more times in Rome than I have in the past year at home.

Disney Store in Rome

Who is everyone's favorite mouse? M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E Mickey Mouse, of course! Naturally walking by the plethera of shops on the Corso, it only makes sense to see the Disney Store, reeling in customers and kids who love famous characters like Donald Duck and the Little Mermaid. In Disney fashion, the store has been designed and decorated to mimic the architectural style of Ancient Rome. As a play on history and a play towards tourism, there are statues of Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy around the store, as well as a dome and oculus that mirrors that of the Pantheon. It is well-designed and appropriate to the historic look of the city. As an advertising major, I think it makes sense for Disney to tap into the culture and style of tourism through Rome. For me personally, it was just interesting to see how Disney would adapt its themes and look to fit into Rome. Guaranteed though is that the theme runs from the faux cobblestone floors to the Pantheon-like dome on the ceiling. The lady at the register was not too pleased that I was taking these pictures, and she politely asked me to stop... but I managed to snag a few to show you what it actually looks like.



Insight on the Architecture of Disney Store