|
A Cafe in The Gardens For many years I've hoped to have a return visit to La Casina Dell'Orologio.  The little green cafe is in the heart of Villa Borghese Gardens, in Rome. 1969 I remember visiting The Gardens with my family, in 1969. I was 11 and it felt like a magical oasis, after days of touring museums and cathedrals.
We 4 kids got to take a rowboat out on the lagoon. We visited the zoo and my dad held my brother up to feed the giraffe.  I remember how good it felt to stop and eat at an outdoor cafe on that beautiful spring day. I've never been able to recall the cafe's name, but I always hoped to someday find the place I remembered... with sweet doggies and funny statues. Piazza del Popolo In 2023, Don and I flew into Rome on Good Friday. We only had one day to visit The Eternal City.  Luckily our hotel was near the wonderful Piazza del Popolo. I only had to climb some stairs to reach the beautiful gardens that sit high on a hill above Rome. I gave myself an hour to explore. No time to dine, but I hoped to find the cafe I remembered. It was a lovely spring day. Just like 1969. I wandered and found the little green cafe!  I took a photo of the name so I would remember... for whenever we returned to Rome. October 2025 It was fall the next time we were in Rome. Once again we stayed at a hotel near Piazza del Popolo and we climbed the slippery steps to reach the park.
It was cloudy and windy and the towering trees moved like eerie monsters.  I spotted one of the many statue busts, like the one in my family photo.  The property looked a bit ominous. Or was I just feeling concerned because I'd read some pretty awful reviews about the sweet green cafe. Rude staff... awful food... high prices. Don and I figured we'd avoid disappointment and just stop in for cappuccino. Welcoming As we got closer, a framed menu lured us. I could see an open door with glowing lights.
We stepped inside and the cafe felt fresh and relaxed. It had just opened. The interior seemed inviting with its chandeliers and mosaic floors. I told the man holding menus that we'd like to sit outside.  He invited us to sit anywhere, so we made sure to find a table near one of the serious looking marble busts.
It wasn't the same head that looked over my family's table in 1969, but this one looked just as serious. Giacoma Zanella The patio tables were more enclosed than years ago, so I had to step outside the bushes to get a good look at the serious man who stood above our table. Hmm? Was C. Spazzi the sculptor?  The internet told me Mr. Zanella was an Italian poet. Cardinal Guglielmo Massaia While stepping outside the patio, I paused a moment to look at another notable Italian, with a pigeon on his head.  I looked up Mr. Massaia and learned he was a missionary, who did work in Ethiopia. There are over 200 busts displayed throughout the Pincian Hill Area, of the Borghese Gardens. Evidently 3 are actually women. Menu Back at the table, it was time to make a coffee choice. There were about 16 coffee options on the menu.  I was pretty amazed I could get a cappuccino for less than 5 euros. The whining reviews that I read earlier, complained of high prices. But I'd pay plenty for a drink or meal, seated anywhere in Borghese Gardens. Coffee Corrected Don was pretty excited about the idea of corrected coffee. We learned that "corrected" meant a shot of booze. The Italians started "correcting" or masking the odd flavors of coffee substitutes in the 1930s... back when coffee was hard to get, due to high taxes.  It wasn't even noon yet, but Don figured, "When in Rome..." He went for the Coffee With Corrected National Spirits. Corrected with Amora, an Italian liqueur. Just one euro more!  Don looks as serious as our nearby poet friend. Despite his expression, he enjoyed his special coffee very much. I was happy with my cappuccino. No decaffeintated barley cappuccino for me.  It was pleasantly quiet that morning at the cafe. I looked around us and wondered where my family had been seated in 1969. Everything looked more spread out.  I told our server that I had come here as a child in the '60s. He said there had been many changes since then. New Addition He took me inside to see the newest addition.  I counted 5 tree trunks, rising up through the roof. Since 1922 The trees were a reminder that this area had once been outside. It was a little hard communicating, but our server seemed enthused that I was interested in the history.  The cafe actually began as a small wooden kiosk, in 1922. It was reconstructed in 1960 and expanded with indoor seating, in 1970. This larger area came much later, I believe. I spotted a marble bust in the corner and walked over to have a better look.  This guy named Gino had a beard, so he was not the statue near our table 56 years ago. Eyes? Wikipedia told me that Gino Capponi was an "Italian statesman and historian of a Liberal Catholic bent."  Wikipedia didn't tell me why all the marble busts seemed to be asleep. However Later, I learned that the eyes of the statues in the park, were originally painted on. Obviously after time, the painted irises and pupils wore off. A Nice Visit I feel so lucky that our relaxed visit to La Casina turned out well.
I wish I'd never read the poor reviews. I'm so glad that we felt welcomed and enjoyed our coffees beside that serious poet.
Maybe on the next visit to Rome, we'll order a bite and rent a rowboat and feed a giraffe!
0 Comments
First Time Visit I've traveled to Springfield, Missouri about a million times, since I was a kid in the 1960s.  But I never had a chance to eat at Mexican Villa, until 2023. Quick Lunch It was on Labor Day when Don and I visited, along with our son. We'd spent a busy few days celebrating my dad's 95th birthday. We stopped in for lunch before taking Scott to the airport.  Dad was off having lunch with my sister, or he would have been with us. I wish he had been, since Dad might have shared some memories of this place. From the 1940s This house-like building, has been at this South National location, since long before I was born. It was a bbq place when it first opened. I read that it got a lot of business from Drury College students... My parents maybe?  Since 1951, the property has been owned by the Ferguson family. There have been name changes over the years and the most recent one was around 1961. The word "Italian" was replaced with the word "Mexican", on the red sign! Murals I love some good neon and I love some kitschy murals.   Mexican Villa has quite a few. I snapped a few photos as we walked from the parking lot.  The kid in me loved the bullfighter. The adult in me paused a little, when I saw the smiling figure with his sombrero and taco. I would prefer a donkey "mascot".  I don't know the history of the animated fellow, but he has probably been smiling at customers since the fifties, when the Ferguson's opened the first Mexican food restaurant in Springfield. Fullhouse The restaurant was doing good business when we arrived on the holiday weekend.  A back room was packed with large parties. I had to wait until later to get up close to see some of the old photos.  This cozy booth was empty, so I could snap a pic without being rude. Knotty pine, sombreros... The words "Top plate is hot!" written above the window, made me wonder. Booth Time A friendly woman greeted and seated us at a booth in the old section of the building. Maybe Mom and Dad had bbq here, in 1949.  The dining room was lively. There was a jukebox behind Don and a table-side-jukebox that we didn't get a chance to try. Tabletop Entertainment Instead we enjoyed the tabletop entertainment.   I'm glad we got a good look at the fun food images, before the real food covered things up. Ferguson Family I read some history in the menu, about the family that started the business. Garin "Hargrave" Ferguson and his wife Betty, were originally from Springfield. Like my dad, they left Springfield and returned. After Hargrave's service in San Antonio during WWII, they returned to Springfield with an appreciation for Mexican food.  The couple purchased the homey little Springfield property in 1951 and eventually opened more locations. The restaurant has been operated by the family for over 65 years. Garin Ferguson, (Hargrave and Betty's grandson) runs the business today. Old Photos I found these photos in another room. One image shows a new location opening.  I don't recall seeing any Mexican Villas as a kid, but I believe the sign with the smiling figure was located at the Glenstone Avenue property. Funny, I thought I remembered every colorful sign on that wildly entertaining Springfield street. Signs on South Glenstone My sibs and I were always giddy when we arrived in Springfield to visit relatives. The drive down Glenstone was like Times Square to us. Colorful neon signs, moving and flashing! The Cat and the Fiddle sign was our favorite. That cat actually fiddled!
Evidently the Ferguson's restaurant on Glenstone, was right across the street from Cat & Fiddle. I guess I never noticed the waving figure in the sombrero, because I was staring at the fiddling cat! More to See Inside There was a lot to look at while we waited for our orders.  There was Hargrave and his wife Betty. Who knows, maybe my dad knew them. Nostalgia I spotted decor that brought back memories of visiting my grandmother in Springfield. I never ate Mexican food as a kid, but I recall Foremost Milk in "Daw's" refrigerator, on Weller Street.  I obviously didn't know Mr. Ferguson when I visited Springfield in 1967...  ...but the soda bottles surrounding his 1967 photo brought back more memories of Daw's fridge. She often stocked up on these bubbly bottled drinks, when we visited in the summer. Eating Don and I didn't grow up with Mexican food, but we learned to love it. Especially after moving to Texas decades ago.  Scott did grow up with Mexican food and was excited to dig into his double plated feast.  We laughed with our server about the double plating. Just like the words on wall, the top plate was indeed hot! Both our platters and Don's basket of tacos were decent. They were just what we expected. An Ozark style of Mexican meal. Not authentic Mexican or Tex Mex, but just fine. We came for some Springfield history! A Quick Look By the time we finished up, the back room had emptied.  We wandered back to check out the photos, near the wall above the fireplace.  There was Hargrave and Betty again, at their Glenstone location. Called Old Mexico, at the time.  We absorbed a few more images displayed on the knotty pine, before heading out the front door. One last sign with the pointing fella, before we headed to the car.  We never found the Fiesta Room. We were off to the airport. Wondering As we drove to the airport we talked about how well the birthday weekend gathering had gone. I was eager to give Dad a call later and ask if he'd ever gone to Mexican Villa.
Did Dad eat bbq here as a teen? Did he bring Mom here, when they started dating at Drury? Did he know the Fergusons? Dining With Dad I got distracted and I forgot to ask and then it was too late. Just a few months after Dad's birthday celebration he passed away. It's sad that I'll never know if he and Mom dined inside the cozy "house" on S. National. In recent years, I've been lucky to collect lots of other dining memories with Dad in Springfield. Cheers to sharing meals with those we love. Cheers to the iconic eateries of Springfield.  Cheers to finally eating at Mexican Villa for the first time!
|
The Dining Blog
This is a blog about Dining Adventures. Sometimes, I talk about food. Below, you can read how this started. On July 4th 2011, I set a goal to try 50 culturally diverse restaurants in one year! (I knew that was possible, living in the Houston area) I spent the year pulling in friends and family to join me, on some unusual dining adventures. I met some curious people, tried some scary foods and explored places and cultures I never would have otherwise. Even though I met my goal, I learned too much to end my adventures in dining. I have continued blogging about memorable dining adventures of all kinds, near and far... and all the discoveries and funny things I've learned along the way! Locations and types of dining adventures, are listed further down. Archives
February 2026
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed