Around the world with the hottest food and travel profiles.
1. Who are you?
Do you have all day? Just kidding! I like to think I’m a complex person, but really I enjoy simply being. My friends and family would say that I’m a bit dramatic, but in the most entertaining way possible! (I also like exclamation points.) An American girl who married an Italian, I have been living in Italy for the past two-and-a-half years. I’m a classical singer, freelance editor/proofreader, music publishing specialist, blogger, traveler, and lover of all things food and drink.
2. What is your site about?
Nibble, Sip, Wander is about embracing and enjoying everything there is when it comes to eating, drinking, and traveling. I’m a big fan of the slow travel movement, and that is reflected in my content. While I love to wax poetic about the things I adore, I’m also a realist. I’ve had disappointing travel experiences, I don’t have an unlimited budget, and I know that travel can sometimes feel overwhelming. Because of that, you’ll also see a lot of smart tips on how to save money, time, and energy. Most of what you will see right now is specific to Italy, which is the perfect place to take your time and absorb your surroundings (and a couple glasses of wine)!
3. What is one food tip you would give about Rome?
My absolute number one food tip seems pretty straightforward, yet I always see articles online where tourists have posted pictures of their receipts from Rome bemoaning the cost of a cup of coffee. If you order a coffee, pastry, gelato, or anything else that is served at a bar and can be eaten standing up…stand up! The cost of the same item, when seated, can be triple. Not to mention, when seated, you have to pay a service charge (or coperto), which can range anywhere from one to five Euros (EUR) per person. This rule of thumb applies even more so if you are near a famous attraction such as the Vatican Museums or the Colosseum.
4. What is one travel tip you would give about Rome?
You don’t have to spend a lot of money to make Rome work in your favor! You can visit many famous monuments for free, including St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, and most of the city’s 900+ churches (which are filled with museum-quality art). Bring an empty water bottle with you and fill it up at one of Rome’s 200+ Nasoni, or water fountains – the water is clean and refreshing! Simplest of all, just go for a walk. If you aren’t in a rush, give yourself a day to wander and get lost. Rome is a museum in itself, and you won’t believe what you’ll see if you just open your eyes and look!
5. What is the best thing to eat in Rome?
Just like you wouldn’t go to a Mexican restaurant hoping to find good sushi, you shouldn’t go to Rome hoping to find good Neapolitan style pizza. Roman cuisine is consistently down to earth, the kind of cooking I can find in my Grandmother’s depression-era cookbook. They use every part of the animal, and they use it in the simplest of ways. My favorite dish is one of Rome’s famous pastas: Cacio e Pepe. It’s deceivingly simple but packed with so much flavor that, if done right, it knocks your socks off. Typically made with spaghetti, the only additional ingredients are Pecorino Romano cheese (Cacio), black pepper (pepe), and a spoonful of the leftover pasta water mixed to make a creamy, dreamy sauce. Ok, now I’m drooling! Try Taverna Trilussa for an amazing Cacio e Pepe served right in the pan it was made in!
Heather is a writer, photographer and explorer of the world with bylines in Archaeology Magazine, Porthole Cruise Magazine, Taste & Travel, amongst others. She is addicted to pen, paper, hotels, organisation and hippos. In addition to Travel Gluttons, you can find her over at Cloggie Central.
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