Visiting the Colosseum

Jeffrey Bracchitta is a financial services professional with 14 years of experience in banking, where he handles debt financings for bank loans, leveraged loans, and high-yield bonds as well as situational financings for mergers and acquisitions. Jeffrey Bracchitta also enjoys traveling and has visited Rome several times, where he has seen multiple concerts at the historic Colosseum.

Rome is known for its massive collection of ancient ruins and constructions. Perhaps most famous of all is the Colosseum, a three-tiered amphitheater once used for gladiator games. It was inaugurated in 80 A.D., with gladiatorial games that lasted 100 days, and was used for entertainment in that manner until 438 A.D.

Today, the Colosseum is a popular tourist destination and it is conveniently located right outside the Colosseo metro station. An entrance ticket to the Colosseum also grants visitors access to the nearby Roman Forum and Palatine Hill and the ticket is valid for two days. As the lines at the Colosseum can be very long, it is advised to buy a ticket at the Palatine Hill, then head over to the Colosseum. Most visitors spend between 45 and 60 minutes wandering the Colosseum. For a more in-depth tour, visitors can elect to hire a tour guide or rent an audio guide.                            

Bethpage Black Course Offers a Unique Challenge to Golfers

Jeffrey Bracchitta is an experienced financial professional. Having spent the past 14 years working in banking at one of the largest banks in the world, he is familiar with such areas as leveraged loans, mergers and acquisitions, and capital expenditures. An avid golfer, Jeffrey Bracchitta loves playing golf the Bethpage Black Course in his free time.

Dating back to the 1930s, Bethpage State Park maintains several different golf courses, with the Black Course being one of its most difficult. Played only by low-handicap golfers and widely considered one of the true tests of endurance and golf skill, the Black Course hosted the 102nd U.S. Open Championship in 2002 and the 109th U.S. Open in 2009. Additionally, it was the site of the 2012 Barclays. Over the years, Black Course has been repeatedly recognized by various golf publications. It was rated the #1 best municipal course by Golfweek two seasons in a row and was part of Golf Digest’s 2005 list of top 100 American public and private courses.

Black Course consists of 18 holes and features such challenges as small greens, narrow fairways, high roughs, and bunkers. It was one of last golf courses designed by A.W. Tillinghast. Golfers looking to challenge themselves must make a reservation or to play the course; however, the course is closed on most Mondays for maintenance.