Paris and London

I am in Paris and London for the next 3 weeks.
It is hard being away from home, especially now that I have to start planning for the wedding, but I find London and Paris regenerating, cathartic and definitely great for shopping.


I have my camera with me, so I will try to take some pics and collect ideas for the big date:-)

Materozzoli out - Car shoe in

I used to LOVE Materozzoli. I went here for all my special perfume purchases. I loved the atmosphere of sophistication and historical relevance.
The shop was opened in 1870 by a man- Mr Materozzoli- from Pietmont, it ran as a family business for over a century until 1977 when Gianni Sciortino and Luisa Zamagna, took over the shop and continued the tradition of excellence.

Materozzoli was a point of reference for the "bella Roma" as well as for chic travelers to Rome.

And now they are gone. Where? What happened to Materozzoli? All I know for now is that they have been replaced by my favorite brand of shoes, but nevertheless, they are going to be missed.

Shoes out

It's official, I have to many pairs of shoes. I started going through them using some key criteria:

1- have I worn this pair at least once in the past two years
2- did I pay more than 100 euro for them
3- would I still pay the same amount today?

If the answer to all questions is yes, I get to keep the shoes. If the answer is no to more that one question, I chuck the shoes.

Before chucking them (or donating them) I decided to take a picture each pair, so I can have a photographic memory of all my shoes and changing taste.

Notte Bianca- White Night

Budget cuts and lack of interest for cultural events led our Mayor to the final decision of not continuing the Notte Bianca. The event was a great opportunity for Romans and other visitors alike to "regain possession" of the city.
This year a few independent organizations have decided to continue the tradition of Notte Bianca, even without the funding from the comune.
In particular the X municipality (area Cinecitta) has organized a series of events. One of them will see my wonderful cousin- TW- serving wine and being merry.

If you are here next weekend ( Sept 12-13) you should come along. Here is the flyer:

vacation time

Off I go to Cinque Terre and the costiera Ligure.

Will be off line for a bit, but hopefully will come back with plenty of pictures and a lovely tan.

a presto

Things I love in the Summer

This summer I have managed to spend one whole month in Rome.
It's hot, it's very hot, and sometimes I regret being here, but most of the times, I love the fact that I can enjoy the city in this incredible light, and calm, and ride around with my bike and feel like the queen of a deserted city.

Here are the things I love to do:

Get a drink on the roof terrace of the of the Es Hotel or of the Hotel st George

Drive to the beach right after work and catch the sunset in Ostia

Sit in the park in the Colle Oppio and get a coffee at the little stall that is there, while watching dogs splash in the nearby fountain

Go hunting for open markets. The fruit in August is incredible, from the first figs to the perfectly ripe plums and peaches, the last watermelons ..and everything seems to be half price

Enjoy the quietness of the street, certain neighborhoods just simply empty out making excursions to see them a real treat.

Visit museums. Museums and sites ARE open all summer long, and they are free from crowds, so a visit to that place you have been planning to go for ages , but have always postponed because of crowds actually becomes possible in August. Look at Musei D'Estate

Take a bite of Summer!

cool, lemon, light

I love this picture and the cool freshness of it. I feel like I am in a light of lemonade...I really wish I were right now