Eamonn Fitzgerald's Rainy Day

[ROME] There are lots of fine restaurants in and around the Campo De' Fiori, but they tend to be a little too touristy. One place that does not pander to visitor tastes, however, is al Bric on the Via del Pelligrino. For food-savvy Romans, wine merchant Roberto Marchetti has created a bistro where wine is given full play and the list runs to over 1,000 labels, mostly from Italy and France. He has a stock of excellent single malts as well.

And the food? Fresh ingredients are why al Bric has earned its reputation. The seared tuna was superb and an amazing cheese selection rounded off a scrumptious meal. The three of us washed down the food with a bottle of local medium-bodied red and the lot came to 100 euros, including tip. Closed Monday, open for dinner Tuesdays to Sundays; book in advance. Al Bric, 51 via del Pelligrino, phone: 06/687-9533).

Diarist of the day: No묠Coward, 22 February 1962

[San Francisco] "Coley [his secretary] saw me off in Kingston on Tuesday, and I sped off through the bright skies at approximately the same moment as John Glenn Junior sped off in his capsule into outer space. He had been around the world three times before I landed at Miami airport. I did a little shopping and had my hair cut, and while this was going on I heard over the radio that Glenn had landed safely. It was a tremendously exciting moment, ruined me for me by a blonde manicurist with a voice like a corncrake who made it almost impossible to hear what had happened."