Sunday dinner at Tony's

Sunday was a beautiful day in Roma.  I got up early and had breakfast at home (granola and yogurt, coffee and juice) and did some work.  Then I went for a walk along the Tiber and back into Trastevere for Sunday dinner, the only day that Romans eat a big meal at noon (well, closer to 1 or 1:30).  I decided to go to Tony’s, a place where I hung out a lot while I was in Roma on sabbatical.  As I approached the trattoria I saw Alex, the head waiter, a friend I made the last time I was here.  He immediately recognized me and grabbed me.  I got the two-cheek kiss, and he asked me how I’d been the past two years.  Alex gave me an outdoor seat in the shade and ran inside to get Tony, the owner.  Another double-kiss and handshake, and then the whole staff came out to welcome me back to Trastevere.  It was great!  The Sunday special is lamb grilled on oak, so I had that, and they gave me a big tray of mixed antipasti (roasted vegetables, frittata, beans, olives, prosciutto, salami, and greens) and a glass of wine, none of which they charged me for.  What a great welcome back to Trastevere!

After dinner, I took another walk through the neighborhood and had a gelato (lemon, wild berry, and pear), which I ate on the steps of the fountain in Piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere.  This ancient and beautiful church, one of the oldest in the world, is the center of Trastevere, and the piazza is the social center of the neighborhood.  Tourists and trasteverini alike were hanging out in the square, on the fountain steps, or in one of the cafes around the piazza.  Several people had their dogs with them, and these were running around playing.  In Rome, people take their dogs nearly everywhere: cafes, bars, restaurants, sometimes even church (although they usually leave them on the porch).  They often let their dogs run loose, but I’ve never seen one bother anyone, beg, or jump on people.  The dogs do, however, often play with each other, and sometimes chase each other.  Two of particularly frisky mutts were chasing each other around the fountain in circles, when one finally ran up the steps and dove into the water!  The other dog followed of course, and then they jumped out of the basin and did what wet dogs do: they shook water all over everyone within ten feet.  It was quite amusing, because the main recipients of this canine baptism were a group of grimy American students who looked like they could have used a dunk in the water themselves.  The entire square burst into laughter.  It was a memorable moment.

In the evening I skyped Gary, caught up on my email, answered a couple of reference questions (yes, I am still working), and prepared for Monday morning, when I would register for a Reader'Card at the American Academy in Rome.