Bella Vita
Many men have fallen for Ghost Rider's Eva Mendes.
Unfortunately for them, her heart is already taken
- by Rome.
Photographs by Don Flood
Lettering by Darren Booth
EVA MENDES saw
Rome first with a guide and
then with friends. But Mendes discovered the best parts of the city
- and herself, she says - when she got lost, wandering through the
rain, disappearing down side streets, being ready for anything and
open to everything. "I really found myself there," she says. "I'm
not throwing that away or saying it lightly; I really did some
major soul-searching and soul-finding there. It was just
magical." Mendes is a
Los Angeles girl, but the lure of the
Eternal City was so strong that she went there once for vacation
and then again to experience the city as a local. In the future,
she says, she wants to live there. Not that she's abandoning
Hollywood just yet. After her breakout role alongside Oscar winner
Denzel Washington in the 2001 film
Training
Day and her head-turning role in the 2005 romantic comedy
Hitch, starring
Will Smith, Mendes is back
on the big screen with this month's
Ghost
Rider (an adaptation of the Marvel Comics series), which
stars
Nicolas Cage as the titular antihero. But her spirit
remains in Rome. Here's how it got there.
Why did you go to Rome? Because it was long
overdue. Ever since I was little, I have had this fascination with
Italians and with
Italy. I went to
Milan to go to the
[Roberto Menichetti] show, and I decided at the last minute to hop
on a plane to Rome rather than go straight home. I wasn't working
and decided to take advantage of my time off to do what I'd been
dying to do for so long: go to Rome!
What was your base in Rome? The Hotel Eden.
I fell in love with the staff, but that's not difficult to do,
because they are Italian, and I fall in love with all Italians.
They are just the most amazing people. I stayed in this beautiful
suite that had a little bit of luxury, and it was very comfortable.
I like a little bit of elegance, but I don't like when things get
too posh. It's my perfect kind of spot. I just felt very
comfortable there. It has great beds and pillows, which is a must
for me, because I love sleeping so that afterward I can walk around
the entire day. When I first got into Rome, it was late at night,
and I marveled at how beautifully lit the city was. The hotel had a
bottle of wine waiting for me, so I had a glass and then went to
bed, already eager to start my day. There is a church right across
the way; you could hear the church bells, and it was really
stunning. I am kind of a grouch in the morning. But I found that in
Rome, for whatever reason, waking up early was so natural. I was so
eager to greet the day, especially with the ringing church bells.
It was just so idyllic for me, really spiritual. Nowhere in the
world have I ever woken up on my own at seven in the morning.
What did you do when you got up? The Hotel
Eden has this beautiful terrace. So I would go upstairs and have my
coffee and croissants, and then I would go on a 30- to 40-minute
walk. That is how I started my day. I try to do that here. I love
Los Angeles, but it just does not happen here the way it happens in
Rome.
Tell me about something that happened to you in
Rome. My most incredible memory is my first day of
sightseeing. I had my guidebook with me, and it was pouring rain. I
was trying to look at the map and get to this destination. I forget
where I was headed, but it was not the Trevi Fountain. What
happened was - in the pouring rain - I was kind of lost, and I
looked up, and I had stumbled upon the Trevi Fountain. It was
during the day but at twilight, so that's why I could not tell
where I was. It was the most perfect setting, because you still had
some light, but there was no sun, and it was raining, and there was
the Trevi Fountain. It was one of the most amazing moments of my
life, because I found it accidentally. I was in tears. I was in awe
of how beautiful [it was]. What a visual. I don't even know what
words I can use to describe it. I was so taken by the grandness of
it. It's one of those memories I think about and I get chills. It
was spectacular. You know how a lot of times you see things in
movies and they appear much more beautiful or grandiose? They seem
much more special on the big screen. That is not the case with the
Trevi Fountain. There is something iconic about [Anita Ekberg in
La Dolce Vita] going into the fountain, and
you think,
Oh my God! - but to see it in
person, it is so much more beautiful. I love that.
Did you jump in? Yeah, and then I got
arrested, which wasn't fun.
Did you really? No, I'm just kidding. That
would have been a good story, though, huh?
Okay, so you found the Trevi Fountain. What about
one of Rome's other big landmarks, the Spanish Steps? The
Spanish Steps are beautiful - stunning, stunning, stunning. In the
morning, when I would take my walk, I would go up the Spanish Steps
because it's a great workout, especially if you take two at a time.
I saw the Colosseum. One of the things I loved about the Colosseum
is that when I drove in at night it was completely lit up, which I
think is so beautiful, because people there really respect their
city and respect their history. Even at four in the morning, they
want you to be able to enjoy it and want to share it with you. I
found it so beautiful that all these historic buildings were lit up
at night. The Colosseum - you just can't help think of what it must
have been like during its day.
Did you ever have a guide, or did you get around
on your own? I did not have a guide, and then I realized I
should get a guide. The guide was great. But I kind of like to
figure things out on my own versus having someone tell me through
their eyes what is what. The guide was helpful, but, again, I kind
of like to be a loner when I travel, and I kind of like to have my
own relationship with a piece of art, whether it is a beautiful
park or the Trevi Fountain. I find that when I am on my own, there
is much more of a connection than when I have a guide right there
telling me what they think of it. Obviously, they give you the
facts. But everybody is biased, so I enjoy finding things out on my
own.
What kind of art did you find on your own?
The Galleria Borghese is probably one of my favorite galleries in
Rome. It's really, really stunning, with a lot of Bernini
sculptures and really beautiful marble floors and this beautiful
park, the Villa Borghese gardens. It's kind of like the Central
Park of Rome - just really visually stunning. The Galleria museum
is right there. I saw a lot of Caravaggios. I really was not that
familiar with Caravaggio's work. He was pretty intense.
Did you go to Campo de' Fiori, the big
marketplace? That was really cool, and there were a lot of
young people there, which was really fun. I had a really great
pizza there. It was wrapped up in a little paper bag, and it was
just delicious.
Did you visit any of the other great places to
shop in Rome? You know what? I don't like to go to a place
like Rome to shop for things I can get here. I didn't visit the
Prada store or Versace. I like to go off the beaten path a little
more, and I like to wander off on different streets and in
different directions, and go to the boutique shops and find little
things that I wouldn't find here. I really don't see the point of
shopping at those places, you know what I mean? They are all over
the world, and they are especially in my hometown. The first day, I
had my map in the pouring rain. But I ended up throwing [the map]
out because, what I realized is, with the way I like to work, it
doesn't really help me later, because I don't remember names or
streets. I like to just walk around and roam around and let the
streets dictate where I go. I bought mostly little trinkets. I went
to quite a few antiques shops. I bought a great vase. I mostly
bought things like home furnishings that I could just cart back
with me.
Where would you stop to eat lunch when you were
out roaming the streets? The great thing about Rome is you
don't have to go to the five-star restaurants to get a great meal.
You can just stumble upon any kind of little restaurant. Basically,
we found that when we were hungry, we would stumble into some
place, and it would turn out to be fabulous. I love Italian food,
and I love wine. I don't like it when it is too heavy. Every place
was different, but with me, you can't go wrong with a great glass
of wine and a nice bowl of pasta. I'm pretty easy to satisfy like
that. I found myself eating a lot because I found so many great
little mom-and-pop places that were so charming. For dessert, how
can you go wrong with gelato? The tiramisu gelato was one of the
most amazing things I have ever encountered. You can get it
anywhere, and that's the beauty of it. Here, you would have to go
to some kind of special shop. Over there, you get that on every
street corner, which is fantastic.
Did you keep roaming at night? I did not
check out the club scene. I figured there was so much to see
[during the day], I didn't want to waste my evening and then wake
up the next day and be hungover, or take any time away from walking
around the streets of Rome. The nightlife there is fabulous, I'm
sure, but I'll leave that for my third visit. I felt like I just
wanted to take advantage of my day as much as possible. The second
time, I went because of the friends I made. That was really nice. I
got to enjoy some really great dinner parties and be very social
and try to learn a little Italian, which is one of my goals.
When did you go back for your second visit?
I went back about six months later. I kept trying to find a reason
and an excuse to go back. I didn't have one, so I made one up. I
actually met some really amazing people on my first trip. My first
trip to Rome was really more about walking the city, hanging out,
and shopping. My second trip was spent more at dinner parties and
just hanging out at the houses of people who lived there. I visited
my newfound friend Andrea at his home. He was kind enough to throw
a welcome-back dinner party for me. That's a great way to really
get to know a culture and to find out how people live. We were in
his apartment, which was jammed with books and great art, kind of
like one of those places where every square inch is used up for
some kind of art. I loved being in there. We were eating, and all
these sculptures and books and paintings were around. I love when
you are surrounded by art; it's so inspiring to me.
You're working on your Italian. What have you
learned from your visits to Rome? I think that what sets
Romans apart is their eagerness to share their culture and their
history with you. It's so beautiful, because not only are they warm
and welcoming - that would be great enough - but they also want to
tell you about their history. They want to tell you about what it's
like to live there, and they are just so gregarious. I really,
really appreciate that. When you have people who are eager to talk
to you and teach you about it, that makes it so enjoyable, rather
than having people who are a little snooty and want to hold on and
not share their history. The Italians are not like that, and
certainly the Romans aren't.
You mentioned history. Were any of the historic
churches particularly inspiring to you? The Basilica di San
Pietro is at the top of this kind of hill. You get this
unbelievable view of the entire city, a view of the chaos, all the
cars and everything. It's really peaceful and stunning. The Vatican
to me, of course, is unbelievably beautiful, but I tend to respond
to things that are smaller, that I can absorb more. I get
overwhelmed when the museums are too big. I don't know how to
articulate this. I just respond to things that are more boutique in
nature and in size. It allows me to make more connections.
Otherwise, with too much, I become overwhelmed.
Did you go to the Vatican? I did go to the
Vatican. There were tons of people going through the Vatican, and
it was really kind of an intense experience. I felt a little bit
bombarded with so many people around. But what was really neat is
that they let certain groups into the
Sistine Chapel at different
times so it does not get too crazy. So somebody who was working for
the museum recognized me, and he actually snuck me into the Sistine
Chapel when one group was leaving. He had the other group wait
about five minutes, so I had another one of the most amazing
experiences of my life. It was just me, lying on the floor of the
Sistine Chapel, looking up and staring at one of the most popular
images of our time, which is Michelangelo's
Creation of Adam. I'm lying there on the ground,
looking up in tears. I just wanted to absorb it as much as I could
in the few minutes alone with nobody else in that room with me,
besides the tour guide who brought me in. I just wanted to absorb
it, and I decided to lie on the ground and just take it all in. I
grew up seeing the
Creation of Adam; you
see that image everywhere. When you see it in person, you realize
why it is such a spectacular piece of art. That was kind of the
highlight for me. I was like, "Okay, I can go home now."
She
Said…
Where Eva Mendes roams in Rome
Lodging
Hotel Eden Roma, very expensive,
011-39-06-478-121,
www.lemeridien.com/eden
Sights
Basilica di San Pietro (St. Peter's Basilica),
011-39-06-698-83712
Campo de' Fiori Colosseum,
011-39-06-399-67700,
www.pierreci.it
Galleria Borghese, 011-39-06-328-10,
www.galleriaborghese.it
Sistine Chapel, 011-39-06-698-84947
Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain
The Vatican, 011-39-06-698-2,
www.vatican.va
We
Said…
Where we roam in Rome
Lodging
Portrait Suites, moderate to expensive,
011-39-06-69380742,
www.lungarnohotels.com. Portrait's 14
suites are so comfy and chic - the hotel is run by the
Ferragamo fashion family - you'll want to unpack here for
good. After admiring your room, head to the rooftop lounge to
admire the rest of Rome.
Dining
Gelateria Blue Ice, inexpensive, 011-39-06-6876114,
www.blueicecream.it. When in Rome, do as the Romans do and eat gelato. Blue Ice has multiple locations, but we like the one at Campo de’ Fiori so we can get our scoop to go and savor it in front of the Trevi Fountain. Tartufo is a popular flavor.
Osteria del Gallo, inexpensive to moderate, 011-39-06-6873781,
www.osteriadelgalloroma.it. Eating in Rome is typically a languorous affair, but this tucked-away trattoria seems to take it to a whole other level. It starts when the chef/owner comes out to greet you, continues over mouthwatering menu items like veal saltimbocca and porcini-stuffed ravioli, and finally winds down over cappuccino and panna cotta (a creamy Italian dessert).
Attractions
Villa d’Este, 011-39-04-24600460,
www.villadeste.it. Bella Roma has so many beautiful gardens, you could devote your entire trip to them, but the archetypal Italian grounds at this sixteenth-century former monastery are a perennial favorite. Featuring a well-planned mélange of flora and flowing-water features — including more than 500 fountains! — it is the style of garden that influenced landscape design all across Europe.