why gelato is good for the heart.

sometimes, your heart hurts so much and you feel so overwhelmed...

there's one too many things to do on that check list, and there's really no end in sight. 

and suddenly, you're transported back to italy. to the best gelato shop in rome. to a weekend of exploring and eating and eating and exploring. 

and even though i'm back in the states and trying to be a bit more health conscious (call me regina george, but i really just want to lose three {or ten} pounds!), i'm feeling all the better, just looking at these photos and remembering my weekend-long love affair with italian gelato. 

and for the record, there actually are gelato shops on every street corner of rome {if you've ever been to seattle and seen the plethora of starbucks, it's comparable}. 

but all gelato is not created equal. 

by far, we were the most impressed by giolitti. it was recommended to us by several individuals-- tourists and italians alike-- and there are rumors circulating that the last pope loved it so much that he had it delivered to his home,

so naturally, we had to try it out...

one or two or... okay, maybe four times!

seriously, though. it's absolutely worth the calories, and it's really quite reasonably priced.

another benefit of gelato?  while we all know that eating gluten-free in rome isn't always the easiest task, you're pretty much a guaranteed a gluten-free option at any gelato shop. 

and did i often use this as an excuse to eat nothing but gelato for lunch? 

absolutely.