So, we spent the weekend before Valentine's Day in Rome with another couple from Paris and a couple of Italian friends who we met while they were studying in Paris. Besides the typical indulgences of pasta, wine, coffee and ancient ruins, we were given a good dose of culture from the perspective of the city's most adorable Roman couple. Francesca and Giuseppe took us under their wings for most of the weekend, drove us around the lesser-known areas of the sprawling city and shared with us their favorite corners of ancient and modern Rome. It was a perfect weekend!

The weather held up nicely - chilly but sunny - and the apartment we rented for our three-night stay had a perfectly narrow balcony where we took in the colorful rooftops and hazy skyline of the Eternal City. I mostly spent my time scheming up ways of making my Italian dreams come true and reveling once again in all the beauty and culture that I fell in love with the first time: charming people, coffee for the gods, perfect lighting, delicious food at every turn and beautiful views from every angle. I love that Romans call me ragazza and flash a hearty smile in passing. I love the slowness and ease in everyone's step, the sun-washed, bold colors every building wears proudly, the plethora of fruit trees, the distinctly different colors of the sky throughout the day and the shadows and light the sun casts on ancient doorsteps. There's almost nothing you can't love about the city.

Too bad the Italian I knew the last time I was there was no where to be found. I couldn't remember a word to save my life! It was pathetic and slightly depressing. But it reminded me how much I loved speaking the language and how much I miss it. Gui and I picked up a few Italian language books before heading back, and we've decided we'll start by learning a few words everyday. We figured, we might as well get a move on if we're going to be retiring there someday!