10 Things That Make Me Happy in Rome

1. Shopping for leather products at Gazelle (Via del Corso, 30).  I always find a "must-have" here where the items on display come straight from their own factory.
   
2. Crunching on a coffee granita (Italian ice) from Tazza d'Oro (a coffee roaster located near the Pantheon on Via degli Orfani, 84). A mid-morning stop here for a quick espresso is also wonderful.
3. Observing Mass at the Pantheon. I'm not Catholic, but there is something really special and uber-spiritual about participating in a Mass held in an ancient temple (later converted to a church).
4. Watching the sun set over the city from Piazza Garibaldi atop Rome's highest hill, Janiculum.
   
5. Sitting in an outdoor cafe on Piazza di S. Maria in Trastevere while listening to a string quartet and watching the locals stroll by--nothing better after a long day of site-seeing!
6. Eating pizza at Dar Poeta in Trastevere--simple, but cheap and good!  
7. Enjoying a gelato from San Crispino (OK, so does every other English-speaking American, but hey, it makes me happy!)
8. Shoe shopping on Via dei Giubbonari (just off Campo di Fiore).  I always save room in my suitcase for a pair!
9. Eating pasta carbonara, almost anywhere! It's like tasting a little piece of heaven!
10. Watching the activities of Piazza della Rotonda from the rooftop garden/bar of Albergo del Senato.  This is especially wonderful at nighttime with the sounds of clanging dinner dishes, strolling musicians, the soft murmurs of conversation, and if you're lucky, a full moon overhead to accentuate the magic felt by all.