Travel guide from Monica

Travel tips from Monica:

FOOD: Shift Pub is located in a gorgeous old house. The interior design is a bit retro and the shadowy terrace is full of flowers. The menu includes several delicious dishes, but my favorites are “tortellini al forno” in rose gravy and the cheesecake. Interbellico is in my opinion the place with the best pizza in Bucharest, and not expensive at all. The atmosphere is cozy, very nice, and the owner treats the clients as his home guests. Walking on a few quiet little streets, just admiring the old beautiful houses, you can reach the Green Tea tea house. It is placed in a similar house, with a colorful and chill garden where you can take your tea in summer days. The tea is very good, of various types, and they also serve some delicious homemade sweets. It’s a good place for afternoon chats with your friends. I admit I don’t go there but quite rarely, it’s too quiet for me, but in the Sunday afternoons when it happens to get there, I always take caramel cake with ice cream. The best “merdenele” (delicious Romanian salty cheese in quite greasy pastry) are in Amzei Square, a small fast food near Victoriei Road. They also serve other pastry, but I don’t know if they are as good, I’ve never tried them. I simply cannot stop myself buying a lot of “merdenele”!

DAY: Once in two days I do aerobics. I was lucky to discover a club in my way home from work. I love this club (Viva Sport Club) because it allows me to do whatever I like in aerobics: step, aero jump, “BOSU” and, most of all, “kangoo jumps”. They also have different other classes, such as “tae-bo”, “Pilates”, “Zumba”, “spinning” etc., a fitness room and a table tennis room. The prices are good, comparing to other sport clubs.

When the weather is nice I sometimes go to Kiseleff Park, a less crowded park than Herastrau Park; I sometimes read, other time I roller skate or rent a bike, getting on it to the park across the street, near the Geology Museum. Ioanid Park is a beautiful green place near Romana Square. It’s a small park that you can cross in a few minutes, but, maybe just because is small; it’s a safe place. I’ve been there at night too for a couple times; nobody and nothing disturbed me.

NIGHT: Club Control – indie music club, good prices, split in two areas: a bar/pub and a dance ring, where usually take place pop, alternative rock concerts. Covaci St. in the Old centre is less crowded and a bit more refined than the other streets in the area. Here I sometimes go to 1974 Niste Domni si Fiii; Que Pasa – night bar with rock music. Also having a quiet and relaxing terrace.

SHOPPING: Carturesti Verona bookstore is the place I buy books, DVDs, tea, gifts for my friends. Their books offer is quite large, in the attic there is also a lounge area to sit and read. You can also do that (after you buy them) in the teahouse inside the bookstore or outside, on the terrace, with watermelon lemonade. Or just melon lemonade. And they don’t have only these two.

CULTURE: I like the Zambaccian Museum because it has paintings by Luchian and Tonitza (Romanian well-known painters). And because it is situated in a gorgeous old house, near Kiseleff Park, a place at my usual reach. I hope they will also have audio guides, sometimes in the future.

In the summer I frequently go to the Romanian Peasant Museum, but not for the museum. The venue includes, beside the very interesting museum, other exhibitions, traditional products fairs and (the real reason for I get there) a cinema with other type of movies than those in malls. There aren’t the same conditions either, but it works for me. In the summer they have open-air cinema on the patio, making possible the combination between good movie, cigarettes, friends, open air, beer.

I sometimes also go to Atelierul de Productie, when there is a concert or an art show, and check for the exhibitions hosted at European Public Space. Sometimes, I go there on Thursday night, for the movies..

BUCHAREST DISCOVERY: I like the small streets near Casin Church (Constantin Sandu Aldea St. and the streets nearby). Also those in the area of Hala Traian (Traian St. corner with Calarasilor Road). The silence of some of the old houses takes you to a bit different atmosphere.