The American Academy :: Rome
Up until a couple of weeks ago I had not been to Rome for about 15 years or so. Last time was with my family and my only memory was trying to calm Frank while driving in Rome with the 2 kids in the back seat. Not the best recall of the Eternal City.So, you can imagine I was super excited to take Elizabeth Minchilli up on her generous offer to hang out with her. Um, yes please!I am very fortunate that one of our dear friends from Atlanta lives in Rome as well, Jeannette Montgomery Barron, who is one of my favorite photographers on the planet! She and her fabulous husband and art dealer, James Barron, have a place there. As luck would have it, these two amazing ladies happen to know each other. So, the more the merrier right?! I also got to meet a new friend, Gillian Mcguire, who I know on social media. Naturally she is friends with Elizabeth as well. It's always such a thrill to meet SM friends in person and Gillian could not have been sweeter or more helpful. I ended up spending a lot of time with her. She's super interesting and was telling me all about her experiences living in Rome for the past 7 years.Of course we ate well, indulging in the usual pastas, gelato and amazing espressos. I wanted to share with you an interesting unexpected lunch spot in Rome. The American Academy. Especially, The Sustainable Food Project.https://vimeo.com/65768160#embed
Elizabeth is a big presence here. She gave me a great tour of the Academy and the grounds. It's the most heavenly place. They have a sustainable food program that was started a few years back "a revolution" they call it... crafted by the grand dame herself, Alice Waters . The once very institutional Academy menu now has an amazing array of delicious locally grown dishes to offer. It is all served up in a vibrant buffet for the fellows, students and lucky visitors to enjoy together at one big, long table. Jeannette, Gillian, and Elizabeth along with some of Elizabeth's friends and I all sat at the dining table in the courtyard. It was a really lovely meal and since it was casual and family style it really added to the experience.Thanks to Elizabeth, Gillian and Jeannette for the wonderful 48 hours in your home town, the always inspiring and beautiful Roma!Grazie Mille xx* Note: You can become a member of Friends of the Academy, and join them for lunch next time you're in Rome.