{"id":350,"date":"2007-06-08T09:52:51","date_gmt":"2007-06-08T09:52:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/2007\/06\/08\/digestive-sugar-and-bush-visiting-trastevere\/"},"modified":"2008-09-01T19:53:49","modified_gmt":"2008-09-01T19:53:49","slug":"digestive-sugar-and-bush-visiting-trastevere","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/2007\/06\/08\/digestive-sugar-and-bush-visiting-trastevere\/","title":{"rendered":"Digestive Sugar and Bush Visiting Trastevere"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’m sure everyone is pretty comfortable with the concept of a digestive (liquor). But did you know that you can take a digestive sugar<\/strong>? <\/p>\n

As I showed Shelley this past weekend in Milan<\/a>, there exists something as wonderful as zucchero matricale, “medicinal\/digestive sugar” here. Sugar that you can, nay, you MUST<\/strong> eat to make sure you digest your meal properly. <\/p>\n

How could I refuse? We know that I’m golosa, passionate for food, and candy holds a special place in my heart. And they’re so pretty and sparkly. <\/p>\n

\n\"Digestive<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

In other news, several of my friends in Trastevere (a quarter in Rome) are “eagerly” awaiting the arrival of “W” Bush tomorrow.<\/a> Aside from any political comment, from a logistics standpoint going to Trastevere was an idiot’s choice. I was there in 2004 when he came to visit the last time, and between the protests and transportation routes closed off, the city was shut down<\/strong>!!<\/p>\n

Trastevere<\/a>, being the quaint and cool place it is, is built more for pedestrians, scooters, and the “short bus<\/a>” to navigate its narrow and crowded streets. I mean, people live here, can you blame them for using the space? Having lived in Trastevere, I can only imagine them wheeling a bulletproof glass standing chamber called the Papa Mobile – “Pope Mobile” in Italian (powered by a Segway<\/a> if he’s lucky), through the winding streets, pulled by the most loyal of his secret service men (and even then they are cursing that day’s particular duties). Snipers are on roofs pointing high-caliber rifles at both waiters on a smoke break and women airing their sheets out. Irons will be confiscated as a threat to security, which will grind the ironing-loving public to a halt and both underwear and socks alike will go throughout the day wrinkled.<\/p>\n

W and his companions will occasionally dodge the persistent barbone<\/em> looking for some change or alcohol because, though you can take out the dumpsters (reported to be happening for his arrival), you can’t always remove all the trash. Bush, wanting to play nice, will empty out his pockets and, not having any of that You-Row, will give the barbone dollars. <\/p>\n

They will inevitably be cut off in their path by a woman who has lived in Trastevere for her entire life (all 120 years of it) and will probably step on the toes of one of the Secret Service men or push them aside with her wheeled shopping cart on the way to do her spesa<\/em> or servizi<\/em> for the day. Then they’ll come to a point in the road where the residents have graciously installed a cement block so no cars\/scooters\/bicycles can come through, and W will remain blocked, just mere yards away from his destination.<\/p>\n

With the hyperbaric glass chamber for protection and his mode of transportation, they’ll have no choice but to turn around. But by now he’s got thousands of pedestrians, tourist groups en masse toting cameras, behind him trying to make their way to the most popular spots in Trastevere. So perhaps he’ll remain, stuck in his bulletproof glass chamber, in the middle of a sea of pedestrians, drug dealers, and vagabonds that are already eyeing the ear-thingies his secret service men are using. <\/p>\n

Someone will probably smear gelato on the glass of his chamber and an American college student who just can’t make it through the morning after a night of “the best vino ever” will puke on and ruin W’s collection of handcrafted souvenirs from the local craftsmen at their tables in the piazza – the purchase a photo op to be used later for his “heart and soul of Italy” article. W will then send his secret service men to the Africans selling purses around the corner because “Laura wanted one of those Louie purses anyway.” <\/p>\n

His dog Spotty<\/a> will get in a fight with a punkabestia’s<\/em> (bums with dogs) dogs and, being the pansy he is because from getting his nails clipped and eating off a silver tray, will lose terribly.<\/p>\n

Welcome to Trastevere, Mr. President.<\/strong><\/p>\n

My friends and Trasteverian residents, I’m sending you all a virtual digestive sugar for this weekend<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\n\"Digestive<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

In Italiano…..<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vi presento lo zucchero matricale – un digestivo di zucchero – l’ho trovato qua a Milano!! Che spettacolo che esiste una cosa cos\u00ec!! <\/p>\n

Per\u00f2 prima, tanti dei miei amici stanno aspettando l’arrivo del Presidente George “W” a Trastevere domani. Al di l\u00e0 dei commenti relativi alla politica, da un punto di vista logistica, la scelta di andare a Trastevere era una scelta d’idiota. C’ero a Roma quando \u00e8 venuto W l’ultima volta, e tra le manifestazioni ed i percorsi della citt\u00e0 bloccati, la citt\u00e0 era ferma completamente. <\/p>\n

Trastevere, essendo la quartiere carina che \u00e8, \u00e8 fatto per i pedoni, scooter, e gli autobus piccoli per navigare le sue strade strette. Le persone che ci vivono usano lo spazio che hanno. Visto che ho abitato a Trastevere, posso solo immaginare W dentro un “Papa mobile” – (un Segway modificato, se lui \u00e8 fortunato), che viene tirato da quelli Secret Service pi\u00f9 leali (anche se oggi si stanno lamentando il carico del giorno). Ci sono cecchini sui tetti delle case a Trastevere, puntando i fucili sia ai camerieri in pausa di fumo che alle casalinghe mettendo le lenzuola fuori. Tutti i ferri di stiro verrano confiscati per motivi di sicurezza, e quindi il pubblico che piace stirare rimarr\u00e0 bloccato, con tutte le mutande e calze senza essere stirati quel giorno. <\/p>\n

W ed i suoi compagni ogni tanto dovrebbero evitare i simpatici barboni che chiedono per spicchi o direttamente alcool, perch\u00e8, anche se rimuovi tutti i bidoni dell’immondizia di rifiuti da un posto, non puoi rimuovere tutta l’immondizia. Bush, volendo essere simpatico, cercher\u00e0 nei suoi taschi per spicchi, e non trovando qualche “You-Row”, dar\u00e0 i dollari al barbone. <\/p>\n

Verrano inevitabile tagliato la strada da una signora che ha abitato tutta la sua vita a Trastevere (tutti i suoi 97 anni) e probabilmente passer\u00e0 sopra le scarpe dei Secret Service o metter\u00e0 il carello della spesa adosso mentre va a fare la sua spesa o i suoi servizi della giornata. Poi a certo punto W ed i suoi compagni arriverano ad un punto della strada dove i cittadini hanno messo un blocco per non far passare le macchine o scooter, e lui rimarr\u00e0 bloccato, pochi metri dalla sua destinazione.<\/p>\n

Essendo dentro questo Papa Mobile per proteggersi e per il suo mezzo di trasporto, non avr\u00e0 altra scelta, e dovr\u00e0 tornare in dietro. Per\u00f2 ormai \u00e8 circondato da migliaia di pedoni, turisti con macchine fotografiche, tutti provando ad andare ai posti pi\u00f9 interessanti e particolari di Trastevere. Forse, rimarr\u00e0, bloccato dentro questa macchina blindata, in mezzo di una marea di pedoni, spacciatori, e vagabondi che stanno guardando con attenzione i Secret Service e quelli cosi carini che usano dentro gli orecchi. <\/p>\n

Probabilmente qualcuno macchier\u00e0 il vetro con un gelato, ed un studente americano, dopo una notte del “vino migliore mai assagiato” vomiter\u00e0 sui souvenir artigianali di W preso dalle bancherelle delle artiste in piazza (l’acquisto fotografato poi diventer\u00e0 un servizio sul “cuore ed alma dell’Italia”). W poi mander\u00e0 i suoi Secret Service a comprare una borsa dagli africani dietro l’angolo perch\u00e8 “Laura voleva uno delle borse Lu-ey comunque.”<\/p>\n

Il suo cane, Spotty<\/a>, sar\u00e0 attacato da uno dei cani delle punkabestie, e visto che Spotty \u00e8 cos\u00ec viziato e mangia sui piatti d’argento, perder\u00e0 in una maniera vergognabile. <\/p>\n

Benvenuto a Trastevere, Presidente.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Trasteverini, vi mando uno zucchero matricale virtuale (e forte!!). <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I’m sure everyone is pretty comfortable with the concept of a digestive (liquor). But did you know that you can take a digestive sugar? As I showed Shelley this past weekend in Milan, there exists something as wonderful as zucchero matricale, “medicinal\/digestive sugar” here. Sugar that you can, nay, you MUST eat to make sure…<\/p>\n

Read More »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,103,3,2,5,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-350","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-italian-culture","category-discovering-italy","category-food","category-italy","category-milan","category-rome","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4uB1-5E","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1237,"url":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/2009\/03\/24\/visit-trastevere-rome-in-early-morning\/","url_meta":{"origin":350,"position":0},"title":"Visit Trastevere, Rome in Early Morning","author":"Sara, Ms. Adventures in Italy","date":"March 24, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Friday and Saturday nights in Roman neighborhood Trastevere are extremely busy. So much so that when I actually lived there I rarely was able to sleep in the summer\/fall months. Groups stay in Trastevere drinking and carousing until early hours below the windows of people who actually live there. For\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Discovering Italy"","block_context":{"text":"Discovering Italy","link":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/category\/discovering-italy\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Il Duomo di Spoleto","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/farm1.static.flickr.com\/205\/497573771_bca93f111d_m.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2269,"url":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/2009\/12\/31\/2009-year-in-pictures\/","url_meta":{"origin":350,"position":1},"title":"2009 Year in Pictures","author":"Sara, Ms. Adventures in Italy","date":"December 31, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"I'm preparing my extensive Year in Review for 2009 when I talk about my highs\/lows\/discoveries\/tools\/tips and geek out with statistics as I usually do, but I wanted to leave you with some images of my 2009. I hope this evening you have a great time with loved ones, friends, and\/or\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Me"","block_context":{"text":"Me","link":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/category\/me\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Turkish Breakfast with Blue Mosque in the Background, Istanbul, Turkey","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/farm4.static.flickr.com\/3106\/3178444907_d53e564c41.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3176,"url":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/2011\/04\/06\/inside-fernet-brancas-factory-in-milan-italy\/","url_meta":{"origin":350,"position":2},"title":"Inside Fernet Branca’s Factory in Milan, Italy","author":"Sara, Ms. Adventures in Italy","date":"April 6, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Today the New York Times posted a story about Count Niccol\u00f2 Branca di Romanico - the leading royalty of the Fernet Branca's family dynasty and holder of the secret recipe for the Fernet Branca digestive that has achieved a cult status with waiters & bartenders in New York, San Francisco,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Behind the Scenes"","block_context":{"text":"Behind the Scenes","link":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/category\/behind-the-scenes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"The 40 Spices in Fernet Branca, Fernet Branca Factory in Milan, Italy","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5180\/5595594902_65148dc8f7.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":257,"url":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/2006\/12\/09\/saturday-photo-scavenger-hunt-red\/","url_meta":{"origin":350,"position":3},"title":"Images of Red: Pepperoncini, Candy, Sunsets","author":"Sara, Ms. Adventures in Italy","date":"December 9, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"This Saturday finds me in London, and of course if I was able to, I would post a big Red Doubledecker bus. But for now, I'll just post some other visions of red I've had lately. For some reason the color red as well as the word have some special\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Italy"","block_context":{"text":"Italy","link":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/category\/italy\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Pepperoncini e Salame","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static.flickr.com\/106\/315217307_5d3167a439.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":218,"url":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/2006\/09\/25\/uva-fragola\/","url_meta":{"origin":350,"position":4},"title":"Uva Fragola","author":"Sara, Ms Adventures in Italy","date":"September 25, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Know all of Google's products\/services? Today's count: 71 - could be a good baby or bridal shower game! German-born Nigerian-Gipsy Ayo's Down on My Knees is very popular in my office right now. When I saw Lex Culinaria's post about Winemaker's cake a few days ago, she took me back\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Food"","block_context":{"text":"Food","link":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/category\/food\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Uva Fragola","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static.flickr.com\/116\/251267816_4affec81b2.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":272,"url":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/2007\/01\/15\/tour-del-gelato-fior-di-luna\/","url_meta":{"origin":350,"position":5},"title":"Tour del Gelato: Fior di Luna","author":"Sara, Ms. Adventures in Italy","date":"January 15, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Another stop on the Tour del Gelato, this time going back to the Eternal City, Rome. Be sure to check the Tour del Gelato blogroll for other entries, including a recent one from Jeff in Puglia. Everyone, plan your next trip to a gelateria near you for the Tour del\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Food"","block_context":{"text":"Food","link":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/category\/food\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Fior di Luna's Promise","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/farm1.static.flickr.com\/106\/303074267_d4c68839ec.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/350","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=350"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/350\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=350"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=350"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=350"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}