La Scoperta del Giorno (Today's Discovery): 2 Scoperte, steps apart, on a most unlikely street

The latest in the now-and-then RST series, La Scoperta del Giorno (the discovery of the day or, better put in English, Today’s Discovery). The Italian word “scoperta,” and its English equivalent, "discovery,” are similarly constructed; each is based on the verb “to cover” (coprire/to cover) and each is converted into “uncover” or“discover” with a prefix (the “s” in Italian, the “dis” in English).

One day last week we were headed "home" (Pigneto at the time) on the most desolate stretch of via Giolitti (it runs on the side of the Termini station), closing in on Piazza di Porta Maggiore. We were passing by the Tempio di Minerva Medica, a fascinating ruin, and one of Rome's least known treasures, probably because of its unfortunate location, sandwiched between a bevy of railroad tracks on one side, and tram tracks (and via Giolitti) on the other.

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There, in the pavement, were two smallish circular designs, each with what appeared to be pieces of train track:

And that's Scoperta No. 1. We're not sure what we've discovered, but it is nonetheless a discovery. It pays to look down.

Just steps away, we almost walked by a business with a reserved, modernist sign reading "Tipico 20." It seemed the most unlikely place to come across anything that might interest us, and the name didn't draw us in—though maybe the modernist touch did.

Inside, we found what we actually did need that day—a high-level wine emporium, beautifully designed, specializing in the wines of small producers in Italy's 20 regions. A large selection of bottles are between 20 and 30 Euro. 

The sommelier, Lorenzo, speaking a lovely Italian we could understand, introduced us to several wines, and we chose one from the slopes of Rieti—not an area known for its viniculture. The mission of the store, he explained, is to offer Italian regional products only (the "20" refers to the 20 regions of Italy), most of them small producers whose products are similarly small runs, and that he doesn't expect anyone to have heard of. Later, Lorenzo showed us around the store—all kinds of Italian regional products, and a small outdoor space where food is served (it is also served inside). 

Tipico 20 has been open about 3 years. A real find! The 2nd Scoperta of that 28th day of September, 2026.

Bill 

Rome in Los Angeles: Urs Fischer at work and play

We've been attracted to Swiss artist Urs Fischer's work since we saw his first major American show at the New Museum in the Bowery in New York City in 2009. This summer, at his "YES" exhibition at the Jeffrey Deitch Gallery in Los Angeles, we saw more of Fischer—and instantly saw his connection to Rome.

Above is his Big Foot - obvious to anyone who has spent any amount of time in Rome, from the often-photographed piece of the Colossus (Constantine) in the Capitoline Museums. 

Next up - hardly needs a reference. Fischer's version is titled pietà (2014) - yes, with lower case "p." One version (then of 2) sold at Sotheby's in 2015 for an estimated $200,000-300,000.

Of course, the sculpture below could have been inspired by a column anywhere, but we like thinking it's Roman.

Titled the column, it's also from 2014, and I see the photo as 3 columns: one the vigilant guard, another the gallery's supporting column.

In the "let's connect it to Rome" game, we came up with 3 more - though Fischer and Deitch likely would disagree:

I thought I recognized the Rome Lupa (the she-wolf of Rome's founding story), but I wasn't sure about the little man poking an arm up her butt. The title is cat + blockhead (2014). Oh, well, good try.

And this? Maybe Gabriele d'Annunzio with his aviator glasses and a nod to Rome's nasoni. The title? Marsupiale (it IS in Italian) and supposedly (per the Gagosian - and they should know): the bust is a portrait of Fabrizio Moretti, a highly influential Italian art dealer who specializes in Old Master paintings. I've been hanging out with Bill too long, it appears.

Below - a wider view of the show. Many of the sculptures were from a 2013 MOCA Exhibition in New York City where Fischer had over 300 tons of clay delivered and then enlisted up to 250 participants a day to mold to their heart's desire. He and his studio colleagues later cast some of these into bronze (and sold them for a pretty penny).

Fischer's ties to Rome are strong. He seems to eschew the usual fellowships. Here are 3 of his projects.

In 2013 Fischer staged a self-titled solo exhibition at Gagosian Rome. There, he debuted his famous Problem Paintings and Horse/Bed. In 2017, he installed in Sant'Andrea de Scaphis, a deconsecrated 9th-century church in Trastevere, Bliss (2017)—a massive, white-painted clay portrait of Katy Perry that visitors were invited to touch, sculpt, scrape, and break apart. Opened Sept. 2017 for 2 months. And last year Fischer returned for a massive dual-presentation titled After Nature at Gagosian Rome. And he installed a monumental sculpture titled Dance (2025) directly in the Villa Medici's historic Renaissance gardens. It opened in September 2025 for 2 months. How we missed those last 2, I don't know.

Dianne

La Scoperta del Giorno (Today's Discovery): Stair Repairs

 La Scoperta del Giorno (Today's Discovery): Stair Repairs

The latest in the now-and-then RST series, La Scoperta del Giorno (the discovery of the day or, better put in English, Today’s Discovery). The Italian word “scoperta,” and its English equivalent, “discovery,” are similarly constructed; each is based on the verb “to cover” (coprire/to cover) and each is converted into “uncover” or“discover” with a prefix (the “s” in Italian, the “dis” in English).

Now and then repairs have been made to the stone stairways on Rome's Metro "A" line. The repairs below were found on a stairway in Piazza della Repubblica. 

We were intrigued by shape of the repairs In thinking about it, it seems likely that the shape was designed to strengthen the repair, to make it less likely that the repaired section would fall out or come loose. And that's La Scoperta del Giorno.

Bill 

Whatever! How to Render that Mild Rebuke. In Italian.

 

Yes, it's just a pizzeria in Tivoli, but it has a special meaning for us because of a discussion we had with Roman friends a few days before our trip to the famous hill town. 

We had asked our friends how one might render in Italian the American argument-ending, dismissive putdown "whatever." They thought for a while, and then it was clear: "Come ti pare—a te!" That's how it seems to you, with that emphatic "a te"—to YOU—to drive the point home. 

Of course the name of the pizzeria reminded us of the conversation: "Fa' 'un po' come te pare," a Roman turn on "Fai un po' come ti pare." Meaning, for the pizzeria, "do whatever you like with your pizza"—put whatever you like on it. It seems that in a Roman dialect, it's "te" pare, not "ti" pare. 

Whatever!

Bill 

p.s. The contemporary use of "whatever" as a dismissive word, conveying indifference, apparently dates to the late 1980s and early 1990s, when the term became popular among passive-aggressive youth. It was perhaps first used in a 1965 episode of the TV show "Bewitched." That's if you believe AI, which reports the following exchange in the "Bewitched" episode:

Endora: "Good morning, Derwood."

Samantha: "Darrin"

Endora: "Whatever" 

Return to Villa Ada

 Above, runners around the artificial lake (host to summer outdoor concerts), and Dianne looking at signboards indicating the plethora of activities in the park.

Rome's second largest and historically unloved northern park, Villa Ada, was once the official residence of the royal Savoia family who left when the country voted out the monarchy in 1946. 

We've found it usually unkempt, with tall weeds where there should be playfields and picnic areas. Last year we were pleasantly surprised to see a fair amount of it had been mowed, that it was in use by many people--runners, children, and organizations, and that its signs had mostly been restored--a long way from what it was when we walked to it in 2018 (post here) and many times before and after.

Above, the artificial lake at the northern end of the park. The circuit around it is popular with runners, and it's a lovely setting for outdoor concerts. We've been to a few there, including a stunning Paola Turci concert in 2012.

Above, amazing!  mowed grass!

But not everything is pristine, witness the bench below

One of our Italian friends noted she liked to run in the "wild" part of the park, and wild much of the southern portion is--though you can also encounter horse facilities, and the stables we assume once belonged to the King. (Wild enough it has been home to wild boars; see Bill's 2022 post here.)

Egypt now owns what was once the King's residence--and you can't get near it. But you can frolic in the outbuildings, once gardens, now the denizen of graffiti artists.

At one time, you also could tour the bunker under the villa, where Mussolini and the King hid out until they could be spirited away from Rome after the fall of the Duce. We posted on our 2017 tour here. We've never been able to find the entrance on our own - it's deep in the vegetation -  and we now understand the tours are "suspended." 

If you are looking to get away from tourists, explore some history, exercise, or just enjoy a day in the park, Villa Ada is an excellent choice.

We once enjoyed coffees and lunch at the outdoor "park" cafe, Bar Panama (first photo below). When we went back last year, it was closed. Apparently it was abusivo--not operating legally on park land One of those abusivi we like!  We settled for the rather tony Parioli Bar Lima.

Dianne