Roma by Night - Not just about the penguin

Now here comes a novelty: we are writing this at the place it's about. That's right, we are at the very famous Linux Club Italia in Roma. Earlier in the evening we attended a session of some of the worst karaoke ever at another place called Funnel Pub (via Ostiense 137), with Italian songs that probably were contestants at one time or another in the Eurovision Song Contest. All this while enjoying our meal and trying to talk, which proved very difficult given the quality and loudness of the singing. Crying our hearts out because we didn't get a chance to speak to the awesome waitress (a very well preserved 30+), we then decided to go to Via Libetta, 15 to experience our second new concept of the night.

At the entrance we were asked for a member card which we didn't have. It cost 5 Euro and since you can't do anything in this city for less than that, we went for it and we are now proud members of the Linux Club Italia.

Inside, well, it looks like a mixture between the Matrix ship - including movable screens hanging down from the ceiling -, our University computer room, your average bar and a central round DJ area surrounded by sofas and, of course, the dance floor. Or at least, a place where people dance.

95% of the people are dressing in black, they have leather pants, leather jackets and probably leather underwear. In the t-shirts passing by you can find bands like Alien Sex Fiend and Joy Division. We know many friends who would love this place. The sound reminds the alternative avant-garde goth scene of the 80's and 90's. Somewhere near us was someone similar to Robert Smith (from The Cure) and another one from a band which could be Moonspell.

Throughout the place there are 5 machines one can use to access the Internet and apparently they all have different Linux distros. We have found RedHat, Gentoo and Debian so far. Other than the several small hanging screens, there is also a projector constantly showing some kind of hardcore concert.

Now about girls...herein we find italian punk and gothic girls. Most of them so far have a pretty face and one reminds us Kate Moss (punk version). I personally enjoyed the girl at the entrance and the one at the bar. There was also a blond who danced a bit but we lost the trace on her after a spontaneous idea of approaching a RedHat 4.0 Linux to do a telnet to towel.blinkenlights.nl and watch Star Wars ASCII version.
Looks like we're geeks after all %-) !!

We have to go now... they're playing Ministry :P

Abbey Theatre, Via del Governo Vecchio 51

Hello man (I'm talking to the guy that reads this)!

The Abbey Theatre is my favorite Roman (Irish) Pub. It is the other place where I usually go for Pub Quizzes, but I have also been there just for a beer or a quick meal followed by some chit-chatting.

It is a very cozy place. Yes, this means that it is not huge, but you would be amazed to see the amount of people you can fit in there. I have seen it very, very crowded, and not only in Pub Quiz night. It is mostly frequented by international crowds, although lots of Italians go there too, especially on football nights, for a Juve-Milan derby or something.

Some of my biggest and best friendships have either started or developed there. A pack of 4+ people around a tiny round or sturdy square, big and diner-like table drinking their Lagers or Blacks is definitely my preferred social gathering :) Either with long-time friends or people you have just met (and this is as literal as it comes), the Abbey Theatre offers you a somewhat dark but very comfortable atmosphere, emphasized by the Irish National Theatre inspired or even copied decorations.

Offering a wide array of food choices, you can easily dine or lunch there if you want a quicker, convenient and relatively cheap meal. It can be accompanied by one of a huge selection of beers, with Guinness at the top of the list. In the end, be it in one of the tables at the back, or in one of the narrow corridors by the counter, you can also go for an Irish or not-so-Irish spirit.

Oh, and if you are into sports, they show Rugby, English and Italian soccer and most American sports. It's one of the top places to be if anything's happening in the sporting world!

In between Piazza Navona and the Vatican, find their web-page at http://www.abbey-rome.com

Druid's Den, Via San Martino Ai Monti, 28

Hi there! This is my first post and it is to tell you about an Irish Pub called "Druid's Den", in Via San Martino Ai Monti, 28, near Santa Maria Maggiore.

I've been there a few times now, some to see football matches and others to participate in one of my favourite Roman night activities: Pub Quizzes!!!

I love the ever-international atmosphere and especially the friendliness of the management and waiters. You can't eat anything substantial there, but drinking is another story altogether. They have a wide array of choices, with emphasis on beer, especially of course, Guiness and Kilkenny.

The Pub Quizzes held there are usually so thanks to Julius and Richard, two Irishmen living in Rome, and the sponsorship by the Irish embassy in Rome and/or the Irish Club of Rome (incidentally, the Irish Club was my entrance door to this world, via an Irish friend at work). There are spot prizes (e.g. for best team name, for best dressed team)and prizes for the first few placed teams (and also for those coming in last :)). If you like trivia, spending time drinking and having fun with friends or people you've just known, understand English and like widely international crowds, Pub Quizzes are definitely your thing. Questions vary somewhat, but you can usually count on 8 to 10 rounds, each with a theme. They go from sports, history, geography, science, technology, nature or stuff currently in the news to special rounds like the music or movie round where you have to identify a work by listening, watching or reading a small part of it. Sometimes you will have to identify somebody through their picture, other times you will even have wine tasting or cheese tasting rounds!

Pub Quizzes are played in teams of 5 and you pay 15 Euros per team. At the Druid's Den, they usually hold them in the back part of the pub, leaving the main entrance to the "normal" pub activity. In this area they have two TV screens always in one or another sports channel. On Champions League night you can always catch two matches while having a pint!

They have a webpage at http://www.druidspubrome.com/druids_den_rome_welcome.htm