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The Collection

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The mix of decorated bottles creates a beautiful look for lining a mantle, table or shelf. This was one of my DIY projects this week as I wanted to start making our place look a little more festive for the holidays. I used yarn and hemp for some of the more “natural” Asian-inspired looking designs, and white spray paint (matte finish) topped with thin gold flakes for the more decorative looking pieces. I love the contrast of materials with the gold-laced pinecones and accent color of the flower buds. It’s perfect for the holidays.

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L’arte del Gelato | Firenze, Italia

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One of the first things I loved about Italy was their attention to detail – their presentation of food and desserts – which is such an important part of their culture. I remember seeing this gorgeous display of gelato when I was in Florence and almost couldn’t believe it was real… and not only does it look amazing, it’s equally as delicious. My favorite flavors are limone on a scorching hot day when I need something refreshing, or the combination of caffè and mascarpone e noci (mascarpone with walnuts) when I’m in the mood for something a little richer.

Sweet Sticky Rice in Bamboo

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One of my favorite things to get when I visit Thailand is a dessert called Khao-Lam. It’s a speciality of the province of Phetchaburi, my dad’s hometown, which is famous for its cuisine and desserts. (Apparently, the cooks in the King’s Palace are always from this region, as they are “the best in Thailand,” which sounds a little biased, but quite honestly, the food there is pretty much amazing!).

The dessert is made up of a sweet sticky rice (with coconut milk) and black bean mixture which is then placed into hollowed out bamboo pieces and grilled until the sticky rice becomes soft and warm… it’s seriously delicious. It’s pretty rich, so in the future I have to remember to not make the mistake of telling my relatives I love it or else they will buy endless bags of it, which you just can’t refuse (it’s a little like Italian culture in that respect). It’s like you can’t say no and hurt their feelings, so you are almost obligated to keep eating until you feel like you’re going to explode. 🙂

Monkey Hill | Thailand

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The old summer palace (aka “Monkey Hill”) in the province of Phetchaburi, Thailand that was built by King Rama IV. The decor is a combination of Thai, Chinese and European styles and the final construction was finished in 1858. There’s a tram that will take you up to the palace as it’s situated on a hill – the only thing I’ll warn you of is that the palace in inhabited by monkeys that freely roam to and from, and enjoy stealing from unsuspecting tourists. Keep your belonging tucked away!

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Taormina, Sicily: The City on a Hill

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While visiting Sicily last spring we decided to check out the quaint little city of Taormina. The layout is unique as Taormina has a beautiful beach with gorgeous clear water, but the city itself is located on a mountain – so since there’s limited space for car traffic (and parking), there’s a tram available to transport people who have parked at the base of the mountain up to the top. It’s really an incredible place to visit – with lots of food stands on the side of the streets, plenty of cafes and bars, historic buildings and museums.

I loved wandering down little alleyways (such as the one pictured) and stumbling on markets and treasures. Taormina is also famous for “aranchini” which is basically a fried rice ball stuffed with a variety of different things: my favorite is the mozzarella and spinach, but some have pomodoro sauce, mushrooms, ricotta, prosciutto and cheese, sausage, ragu… the options are endless!

JOY to the World

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I know it’s only the first week of November and we haven’t even had Thanksgiving yet, but there’s nothing wrong with starting the festive decor a bit early! I love the way it makes my place feel, especially now that it’s getting really cold, crisp and rainy here in Milan. This week’s project is centered on the topic of “JOY”… accented with little gold star cut-outs. Just like the “L.O.V.E.” Home Decor project, all you need are some empty wine bottles, a hot glue gun, yarn and for this one specifically, some brown natural colored string.

Gone are the days of cilantro & cheddar cheese? Think again.

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While Italian cuisine is delicious, I’ve always liked variety when it comes to food – something that was completely normal growing up in San Francisco as the area is famous for its diversity (not only in terms of people, but restaurants as well). Anyone who’s been there knows you can find anything you’re in the mood for: sushi, Thai food, Chinese food, Korean BBQ, Greek, French and Italian cuisine, Mediterranean restaurants, Steakhouses, Salad Bars, Brazilian Churrascaria’s, Dim Sum, great Mexican food, Lebanese and Indian food… and the list goes on. We even have Little Italy (Italian quarter), Chinatown and Japantown in San Francisco.

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Cernobbio, Lake Como

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Today was one of those gorgeous, crisp autumn days in Cernobbio (quite possibly our favorite little city/town on Lake Como). I had quickly snapped this shot as we were heading to the Wine & Food Style event that was being held at a venue across the lawn from this castle-looking structure – it was just too beautiful to pass up.

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The Peacock

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I finally decided to get back into painting after almost three years. I had been traveling for awhile and living abroad the past couple of years, so the idea of investing in a new easel, brushes, paints, canvases and other supplies gave me the sense of a little more “permanency,” a feeling I’ve realized I sometimes try to avoid. Not that it’s a bad thing, I just normally think of many phases as short-term or temporary, (like the possibility to pick-up and move to another city or country could happen at any given moment, although my husband tells me I’m not realistic. The Italian culture is a bit less prone to change, if you know what I mean) and I’ve always enjoyed the freedom. I guess allowing myself to settle in (for however long or short we’ll be here in Milan) is part of embracing the seasonal changes (see my posts on “Embracing Life’s Seasonal Changes” and “The Moments In-between“).

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A Bite in Brera

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A friend was visiting from San Francisco last week and we spent the day exploring Milan together… we started with the Duomo and the Castle, but then wandered through cute neighborhoods eventually making our way to Brera all the while admiring the beautiful cobblestone (side note: but wondering how the women are able to walk around for hours in stilettos on such uneven and uncomfortable streets?! Never ceases to amaze me).

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The Colorful Side of Milan

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When I first moved to Milan I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from the city. I had always thought of Milan as a fashion capital where the majority of people you see walking down the streets are gorgeous Italian models, wearing mostly black attire and heading to some type of posh event. Either that, or a very “corporate” city, as it’s also basically the business hub of Italy.

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Coffee Lovers <3

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An essential part of my morning consists of a little 10 minute routine that results in the perfect cappuccino, latte or iced-latte… so for those who love delicious coffee or even just fabulous foam, I’m giving you a heads up that this little collection of items (see photo above), if given a chance, will become your new best friend.

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Laundry in October

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For those who haven’t lived abroad, you’re probably wondering what this post can possibly be about. Well, basically, October is an awkward month for doing laundry, as is the spring. Contrary to what many people from the States might imagine, many Europeans (as I learned from having spent long periods of time in France, Italy, Switzerland), and actually most of the world, aren’t big on dryers, so if you’re living in a typical apartment or house over here, you won’t have one. (Unless you’re an ex-pat or something, then it’s an entirely different story).

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