Raise the roof: Super stargazing

At last! Starting tomorrow—and for the first time ever—travelers can enter the underground level where wild animals and gladiators once waited before facing off in the Colosseum. I blogged about the restoration work back in June and included a video clip of head architect's Barbara Nazzaro tour of the space. A section of the Colosseum's third and highest remaining tier, which was once reserved for middle-class Romans, is also opening to the public and will grant sweeping views of Palatine Hill and the Forum. Reuters reports that officials hope the new spaces will ease crowding at the amphitheater, which gets 18,000 visitors on a typical day. Tickets are now available for small-group tours (maximum 25 people) from October 19 through November 30 at $11 (€8) per person. Advance reservations are required: 011-39/06-39-967-700, pierreci.it Want more Rome tips? Check out the 5 best October values and a profile of the Monti neighborhood, where the cobblestone streets are home to fantastic restaurants, eclectic shops, and piazzas for people-watching.

Tucked between the Roman Forum and the Quirinale Palace, Monti housed the poorest locals back in ancient Roman times, when it was called Suburra ("sub urbis"), Latin for "under city." In recent years, this neighborhood has morphed into the place to see and be seen, especially for bohemian thirty-somethings. Its winding, well-kept cobblestone streets are home to some of Rome's best locali (hangouts) as well as eclectic shops and piazzas for observing everyday life. La Bottega del Caffe should be your first stop.You can't miss this bar since it literally overflows with patrons, who spill out from under its awning and into the neighborhood's main square, Piazza Madonna dei Monti. La Bottega del Caffe is at its best during the early evening aperitivo, when you can people watch over platters of cheeses and cold cuts. You can always just grab a drink and look cool outside and sit by the fountain. Piazza Madonna dei Monti, 5. Just around the corner, Urbana 47 specializes in organic, seasonal fare like vegetable polpette with sweet pecorino, sheep's milk yogurt, and ravioli with pumpkin and amaretto. The decor is warmly retro and includes playful, knitted works by local artist Alessandra Roveda, who can easily cover any piece of furniture with colorful yarn. Brunch from 9 a.m. on Sundays, daily aperitivo from at 6 p.m. The restaurant stays open for dinner until after midnight. Via Urbana, 47. On the opposite side of Monti is Ristorante La Taverna dei Fori Imperiali, which my friends call Dustin Hoffman's because they once spotted the actor eating there. The owner and chef Alessio Liberatore's family has been in the restaurant business for over a century. His wife Maria Grazia heads up the staff, and their two children Claudia and Aldo rattle off more specials than you can keep track of! The pappardelle al ragu di vitello tartufo e verdure, a regular menu fixture, is sublime. Last time I went there, I spent less than $50 for a dinner that included generous amounts of wine, antipasti, heaping courses, dessert, and coffee. Seating is limited, so it's best to reserve in advance. 011-39/066-798-643, Via della Madonna dei Monti, 9. Abito is one of my favorite places to shop because most of the clothes are made in the back room by the owner herself, Wilma Silvestri. She has a knack for contemporary designs and for resurrecting vintage men's and women's clothes and turning them into something off the runway. Via Panisperna 61. Are we in Notting Hill or are we in Rome? That's what you might ask yourself when you step into Pulp, the eclectic second-hand store that carries everything from old Fendi bags to your next punky costume-party outfit. The store prides itself on its vintage designer clothing and all around funky stuff. 011-39/0648-5511, Via del Boschetto 140. Want more insider recommendations? Read up on five quintessential trattorias in Eat Like a Local: Rome and check out our complete Rome coverage.

San Francisco transit is switching over to a new reloadable plastic card called Clipper that works system-wide. You can use it on BART, MUNI trains and buses, as well as the East Bay's AC Transit, CalTrain, which goes to San Jose, and the ferries. You would think the one-card system would simplify things, but the transition is proving confusing. In fact, city workers are stationed around San Francisco to help commuters operate the new vending machines. There's even a YouTube how-to video. With the Clipper, you "tap" the card instead of sliding or inserting it (much like London's Oyster system). Currently, you can still pay cash when you hop on a MUNI bus or train on the street, but not in the underground stations. BART is also still taking the old tickets—but only for so long. Right now, the plastic card is free but eventually it will cost $5, on top of the regular fare. Luckily, for visitors there's a lesser-known, limited-use Muni Ticket good for 90 days that you can tap on the Clipper reader. You can buy these for 25 cents, and reload them at the underground Muni station vending machines pretty easily. The card works for unlimited rides over 90 minutes. Locals are still getting adjusted to the new system, but it is catching on fast, even with equipment hiccups and other issues. Though if you seem confused, don't worry—you'll blend right in. Get more details on the Clipper at the card's official website. MORE ON SAN FRANCISCO Trivia Quiz: 12 Things You Didn't Know About San Francisco Photos: 8 Perspectives on San Francisco San Francisco's Best Street Food

Attention, American visitors to London who are paying high prices to see Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals in the large West End theaters: Are you crazy? The locals are far more excited about pop-up theater performances all over town. Abandoned warehouses and after hours subway stations now double as stages. Shows are inventive and inexpensive. The trend began a year ago, when Kevin Spacey, who runs the city's Old Vic Theatre, discovered spooky tunnels under Waterloo subway station. He organized a spontaneous series of stage performances there by the theater group Punchdrunk. The shows were a hit, and it became cool to think outside the black box. This summer, Spacey and his Old Vic colleagues created a 160-seat theater in the tunnel, with Art Deco cinema seats and The Bunker bar. Visiting in December? Book now to see a tunnel staging of Cart Macabre, a co-production by Old Vic and Living Structures. It's been described as "a restless exploration of isolation and disorientation, an act of faith on the part of the audience." I admit that sounds a little weird. But tickets are only 14 pounds each! And think of the stories you'll have to tell when you get back home. (December 4 to 22, livingstructures.co.uk and oldvictheatre.com.) Pop-up theater performances won't have a familiar Phantom score, but don't let that weaken your resolve to try something new during your vacation. MORE LONDON POP-UP THEATER… Fly Theatre is reviving the workplace satire Contractions in an empty office complex in the prime shopping district of Oxford Street. Audience is limited in size to 40 people for each performance of the comedy, a kind of twist on The Office. 26-30 October 2010. contractionsplc.co.uk, £9. Theatre Souk performs in an abandoned building off the popular Bond Street. Through Friday Oct. 16, it's hosting a set of performances. Future line-up of shows to be announced soon. theatredelicatessen.co.uk, £7 INSIDER TIP: To hear about future shows in the Old Vic Tunnels, fire off an email to oldvictunnels@oldvictheatre.com with "mailing list" in the subject line. LODGING: Find affordable and stylish places to stay in Budget Travel's easy-search London hotel database.