LAJFSTAJL / LIFESTYLE
gance with a dash of controlled chaos. Still, the true hedonism of Rome isn’t to be found in the places where every- one Instagrams. It hides in a stolen af- ternoon at Giolitti's, where gelato is per- fectly acceptable as a meal (or where you can start your day with a mug of cap- puccino and a pistachio croissant). It is to be found in the golden hour along the banks of the Tiber, where ancient ruins make even the worst existential crisis seem trivial. It is in the late-night chaos of the Trastevere neighbourhood, where the sounds of laughter and the taste of Negroni cocktails spill over the cobble- stones. The greatest illusion of Rome is that it makes decadence carefree. Rome doesn’t try to impress—it makes no effort whatsoever. That’s because Rome knows something that many modern cities have yet to realise: the point of life isn’t to optimise, but rather to enjoy. And in a world obsessed with productivity, self-improvement and pursuing the next big thing, the most radical act is perhaps sitting down to order another glass of wine and allowing time to unfold end- lessly. That’s because this is Rome. And if we’ve learned anything from histo- ry, it is that the empire of pleasure still stands. Nothing evokes the new wave of pleas- ure in Rome better than when Luca Guadagnino “directs” your interior. This famous filmmaker is responsible for the interiors of the Hotel Palazzo Talia, lo- cated in Rome’s Rione II Trevi neigh- bourhood. The comprehensive and me-
ticulously executed restoration project was led by the famous film director and his design studio, with the applying of his exceptional sense for details from films like Call Me by Your Name, Sus- piria and Challengers. His studioluca- guadaginino was established in 2017, with the founding idea being to trans- late highly aestheticized scenes from the big screen into tangible experiences, with this hotel being the first to be cre- ated in such a way. “I have always loved the idea of working on a space that has nothing to do with my practice as a film- maker, where I have to create a space for dimensional storytelling,” Guadag- nino told Architectural Digest. We can but imagine the stories that will unfold there. You can’t visit Rome and leave with- out a stomach full of pasta, and with- out promising yourself that you won’t eat carbs again for the rest of the year. When asked it comes to the question of where you can eat the best pasta in Rome, we have not one but three fa- mous versions of an Italian classic that won’t disappoint. The first is Cacio e Pepe at Roscioli Salumeria con Cucina. This restaurant, which is just two dec- ades old, is one of the more recent ad- ditions to the small group of Roscio- li restaurants and bakeries in Rome (its pasticceria opened 10 years ago). Fleeing the chaos of Campo de’ Fiori square and taking a seat at the counter here, with a glass of red wine and a plate of Cacio e pepe, enables one to feel the true Rome. Next on the “mustn’t miss” list is Car-
bonara at L'Arcangelo. Although Rome is most commonly associated with an- tiquity, carbonara is actually a 20th cen- tury invention. The creator of this dish and its precise place of origin remain unknown, but it is often said that the WWII Allies, or someone who cooked for them, chose to combine eggs, milk powder and bacon with pasta in Rome back in 1944. Carbonara is today gen- erally made with eggs, guanciale meat, pecorino cheese, black pepper and spa- ghetti. Some cooks use only yolks, while others add whole eggs. Some stick to pecorino, while others mix in parme- san. Some opt for rigatoni instead of spaghetti. Every chef in the city prob- ably believes that their own version is the best, but the rigatoni alla carbonara at Ristorante l'Arcangelo – a white-ta- blecloth restaurant near the Vatican – is worthy of its place among the quin- tessential Roman dishes. A silky sauce that’s salty, but not excessively so, coats the rigatoni evenly, leaving just enough sauce at the bottom of the dish that you can dip bread in it to finish. Fresh eggs give the dish a vibrant yellow colour, while large, crunchy chunks of guanciale are distributed precisely: it is said that the chef personally counts seven piec- es per plate. Last, but by no means least, is Spaghet- tone all'Amatriciana at Santo Palato. When you order this dish at this restau- rant that’s located near the Basilica of San Giovanni, the waiters will tell you that it will take at least 15 minutes to make. This is both a courtesy and a guar- antee that the thick spaghetti will be cooked to order, which isn't always the case in a city in which relying on pre- cooked pasta to provide a speedy service results in a lack of texture more often than you'd think. And to conclude, where is the best place to master the Roman art of aperi- tivo? Two options exist! If you like to get away from the masses of tourists that are almost unavoidable in every part of the city, any rooftop is the ide- al choice for an Aperol during the golden hour, but if you want to be at the heart of the charming bustle and to feel how the streets of Rome breathe in the af- ternoon hours, Trastevere is the ideal choice for you, as are the numerous trat- toria eateries that can be found there.
RISTORANTE L` ARC ANGELO
84 | Rim » Rome
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