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Cafe-Museum We were the only diners inside this little museum. last October. It was magical.  The only other diners we saw at Canova Tadolini were seated outside. They were focused on food & drink, not art. "Museo Atelier" Don and I stumbled across this remarkable place while wandering in Rome last October. The brass sign near the door, had the Italian words for museum and studio. It also had the names of 2 artists.  We knew a bit about the sculptor, Antonio Canova. We learned later that Adamo Tadolini had been Canova's prized student and this building became their studio in 1818. Ugliest Fountain in Rome We actually didn't see the brass sign right away, when we were strolling down Via del Babuino. We could have totally missed the curious art-filled cafe, if something odd hadn't caught our attention first.  This moss covered man with the odd expression, was in front of Caffe Canova Tadolini. Babuino The creepy 16th century figure is nicknamed Babuino, which means Baboon. It is one of Rome's "talking statues". I wasn't familiar with that term, but it's worth a Google search.  We studied the odd fellow lounging above the fountain, looking out over the street. The street actually had a different name once, but it became Via del Babuino, eventually. Babuino is obviously very influential! We weren't the only ones pausing to study Babuino. He has drawn attention for hundreds of years.
This dapper man paused to look at the statue, before heading off with his briefcase. Plain Building After admiring the "furry man" we noticed the building behind. It looked simple but curious, with leaded glass windows and flags.  We saw cafe tables and a pretty church, just beyond. Only a few of the cafe tables were occupied at 11 am. A Bold Entrance We headed on our way, then stopped abruptly when we spotted this bold entrance. It looked like a wild collection of statues, attempting to escape!  As we peered inside, a man greeted and invited us in.  The room we entered looked like a museum. A somewhat cluttered museum.  I made Don pose to show the size of that enormous horse. Bar The room to the left of the entrance, held a bar. Evidence that this was not just a museum. I could see food on display, as well as sculptures.  The liquor bottles shared shelf space with some smaller sculptures. A large foot here and a pair of cherubs there... Inside Dining A waiter introduced himself as Jimmy. He seemed delighted when we asked to dine inside the museum, unlike the other guests.  He took us through a doorway, past a few important looking sculpted men. There were about 4 tables squeezed into the front room.  Don and I were both pretty clueless and assumed these were marble statues. We learned more later. I posed to show just how large and impressive these pieces were.  It turns out the museum was filled with 2 centuries worth of Italian sculpture. Most of what we saw were practice pieces, preparatory models and plaster casts used for creating finished sculptures. The final works are exhibited in museums around the world.  Don and I learned a little of this from some information written in the menus. But Jimmy spoke enough English to help us understand a little more. A New Room Jimmy ended up moving us to a back room, where we could absorb even more art and history. It was amazing to sit in this space where Canova and Tadolini worked together. The studio was handed over to Tadolini and 4 generations of his family produced work here.  The studio remained in the Tadolini family from 1818 to 1967. Adamo Tadolini's great-great-grandson Enrico Tadolini, was the last to work in this space. After his death in 1967, the studio was abandoned for a period. Jimmy's Favorite I asked Jimmy which piece was his favorite in the museum. He pointed to the figure behind him, that I thought was Madonna at first.  I was a bit confused, but I believe Jimmy said the statue was a practice piece, for a final sculpture that is now displayed in the Vatican. St. Frances Cabrini I took a closer look. The woman with the angel, is actually St. Frances Cabrini, who was canonized in 1946.  A nearby display of photos gave a little insight. Although I can't read Italian. I learned with some internet help, that it was Enrico Tadolini who sculpted this massive piece in 1947.  I studied the photos and tried to imagine how Enrico created this tremendous piece inside the studio, where we were about to have lunch. My eyes were drawn to the photo of Enrico, with the face of St. Frances Cabrini. The image is almost a little sad. He looks exhausted.  I have a new appreciation for these sculptors and the strenuous work that went into these especially large pieces. I read that Canova's death at age 64, was due to the physical damage done to his body, after years working with heavy tools. Relaxing in the Corner Don and I did nothing rigorous. We took a seat at a little table where we could enjoy all that surrounded us.  The framed piece beside Don, shows a 2022 stamp that honored Canova. From my chair, I could look out towards the entrance. The tall window made me imagine the artists, working on enormous pieces.  Across from me I studied a piano, holding smaller works.
The fancy woman and her fancy chair, intrigued me. The pieces were numbered, so it felt organized like a museum.  Yet the sculptures and sketches and photographs were so casually placed, it felt just like a cluttered studio.  Which I think was the point in the 1990s, when a gallery purchased all the works. (nearly 500) The idea was to create a restaurant, yet maintain the somewhat chaotic atmosphere of the original studio. History Besides the plaster sculptures and practice pieces, there were lots of photos and articles displayed.  This one shows the studio long ago. The entrance, with its massive door. Time for Food It seemed odd to order food in a museum, but we were hungry by 11:30.
We ordered cappuccino first.  Don ordered a ham panini for a reasonable 6.50 euros.  I was excited about my toast sandwich with ham, cheese, egg and lettuce.   A tasty late morning treat. People Watching We had the back room to ourselves until a man came with a ladder. We were entertained, watching him fix a spotlight.  After a while I was entertained by a woman who came in from outside. She seemed to be in search of a restroom. She headed for the corner and seemed confused to find a dead end. Then she magically disappeared. A hidden automatic door! Just another surprise in the museum. The Three Graces After finishing lunch I decided to try out the magical mystery door, myself. I walked past the familiar statue of The Three Graces... and wondered.
Canova's original from 1814, is in Russia now. I wish I'd asked Jimmy what he knew about this piece. Was it a practice piece? Before Departing We finished our meal and I took one more snap of the incredible room where we had just enjoyed a light meal.  Jimmy thanked us for coming and insisted on taking our photo.  He placed us at a table in front of his favorite statue. I have to chuckle at our awkward, yet happy pose. It looks like I'm wearing an artist's smock! Good Bye Babunio! We thanked Jimmy for our wonderful experience at the museum.  We headed out and said good-bye to Babuino and thanked him for catching our attention that morning!
What a wonderful Dining Adventure!
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First Dining Adventure... in Greece Don and I had a quick, but memorable dining adventure at Melina Pattesserie.  We had less than one day in Greece, on our cruise last October. And we had only about an hour in the charming village of Fiscardo. Charming Village Our small group traveled around the island of Kefalonia, before stopping at the northernmost port of the island.  The buildings in the picturesque village were untouched, by the tragic 1953 earthquake that devastated much of the island. Fiscardo We parked above the village and headed down rustic stone steps towards the harbor. The peaceful setting made me want to explore, but we were so hungry. We decided to first find a place to grab a bite... of something Greek at the very least. Off Season Options Since it was off season and a Sunday, there were only a few cafes open for tourists. The blue ice cream cafe had comfy seats, looking out towards the bay.
Melina's caught my eye with the pink flowers,!  We quickly grabbed a cafe table next to the water. 
Our server arrived with menus and I was surprised that prices weren't marked higher for tourists. Colorful Even on a cloudy day, the colors of the buildings and harbor were lovely.  Don's shirt almost matched the color of the water. After a few minutes, the clouds cleared and the blue table matched the sky. Before ordering, I stepped inside the shop to peek at some of their pastries. 
The cases of desserts looked amazing and there were jars of homemade jams for sale. Coffee First The sweets were tempting, but we needed coffee first.
I ordered Greek Coffee, which came in a tiny cup. The unfiltered coffee was tasty, but bold! I was amused by the thick goo at the bottom of my cup. It did NOT taste like fudge. Breakfast It was closer to breakfast than lunch, so Don ordered Greek Yoghurt with fresh fruit and honey!  It came in a hefty crock, with generous chunks of fruit and thick creamy yogurt. So fresh! I was excited about the bread that came in a nicely folded bag.  Delicious and chewy and I was happy for butter. Not always an option. My Greek Omelet was outstanding.  Onion, tomato, peppers, feta, olives and Gouda cheese! Served on a pretty stone plate, with a colorful, fresh garnish. It was just right! Celebrities? By the time we finished up, the tables were all full. I was happy for a few minutes to wander, before departing.  Sadly I did not spot any celebrities. We learned that Johnny Depp, Madonna, Demi Moore, Paris Hilton and others have been known to hang out in this secluded little paradise! A Good Visit We spotted no stars, but we were entertained by some gulls and kitties.
And we enjoyed a delicious little meal, served by a gracious and efficient waiter.
So glad we pulled off ONE dining adventure in Greece! |
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
November 2025
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