"Milanese Thanks"

  As I think about how much I miss my family during the holidays living in Milan I get really sad but on the flip side, I was lucky enough to get to experience a American Thanksgiving at a restaurant in Milan called Fiori Oscuri. It is owned by a man from Chicago, Illinois and it was so tasty because it featured pumpkin soup,turkey and dressing just what is needed during thanksgiving. They even served us pumpkin pie at the end and it was delightful! To top it off they even had American football in english Dallas Cowboys vs the New Orleans Saints surrounded by great friends can you say "Life is GOOD"!

"Only in Paris"

While exploring one day, we discovered that there was a Louis Vuitton Museum exhibit going on. It was the best exhibit I have ever seen the archive was very large and contained some of the first Louis Vuitton trunks dating back to the 1800's. My Paris trip wouldn't have been the same without visiting this exhibit!  I found some awesome vintage luggage that I would die for!

"Can you say Marie Antoinette"

I felt like I had stepped into a fairytale when I walked into the Palace of Versailles. The whole gate surrounding the palace and the palace itself was covered in gold. Gold was everyone in the interior, including the doors and there was so many rooms. I was scared to wonder off by myself because I was nervous I would get lost. My favorite room was Marie Antoinette's room her bed and walls were covered in spectacular upholstery and decorations. The garden which was outside of the palace was another one of my favorites about Versailles.  The landscape was like nothing I had ever seen before. It reminded me of the garden in Alice and Wonderland. For a few minutes in the garden I forgot where I was and was just daydreaming I was so overwhelmed by the beauty. I stared at the Palace and thought I wonder how long it took to build such a gigantic building and how wonderful it must have been to live your whole life in such a beautiful palace.  If only I could be a queen for the day, wouldn't that be the life!

"Bonjour PARIS"

I can honestly say there is not another city like Paris, I was taken back by all the beautiful architecture and French culture. The Eiffel Tower was not as big as I pictured in my head but still breathtaking.  I got a kick out of being able to use my French speaking skills from high school especially when getting lost on the way to the Louvre. Paris was amazing in every way from the Louvre, Louis Vuitton museum, Eiffel Tower, Moulin Rouge and Promostyle which is my favorite trend forecasting agency. I am really contemplating moving there in the future if it is at all possible. I can dream Big!!!!!!!!

La Vita è Bella

La Vita e' Bella= This life is Beautiful! I am currently in a class called Cultures and Civilization of Italy and had the chance to see a movie that I would never choose on my own. This movie is called La Vita e' Bella and is about a true story of a family during the holocaust but has a twist of humor to it.  This film really had a effect on the way I thought about life and the vision I have for where my life is headed solely because it exposes people through the roughest parts of life and all the bad circumstances it brings about. After seeing this film I have the feeling that I was put on this earth to serve a purpose and I am pretty thankful for all the blessings in my life thus far.

"Quote of the week"

"People often say that 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder,' and I say that the most liberating thing about beauty is realizing that you are the beholder. This empowers us to find beauty in places where others have not dared to look, including inside ourselves." 

Salma Hayek

"J'Adore Burlesque"

PARIS is in 3 days and I can't think about anything else right now. I saw the trailer for the new movie Burlesque starring Christina Aguilera which is about a small town girl getting a job at a Burlesque lounge and turning into a dancer. It made me think of how much fun Moulin Rouge will be!!! The costumes I know will take my breath away but mostly it will be the fact that I will be watching the actual show in Paris,France! Au Revoir

"Beautiful Cliffs"

Random idea crossed my mind to go to Cinque Terre on a saturday afternoon and hike all day. My roommate Jess and I left Milan at 2p.m. on the train for Cinque Terre. We were under the impression that it took only a hour and 30 minutes to get there but we were so wrong. We ended up being on the train for 3 hours and were very restless and getting frustrated because it was slowly getting later and later and we didn't think we would have any time to hike because it would be dark. We finally arrived at 5:05p.m. in Monterosso and then found out the last train left Monterosso at 6:55p.m. so this was going to be a very quick trip haha. Well we started to explore the town and I am so glad I decided to come to this ocean front town because it was BEAUTIFUL! The water was the color of a Tiffanys box  and the air smelled like fresh beach the smell that I live for. The Cliffs on the outskirts of the water were my favorite part of the whole town they were like nothing I had ever seen before.  As we were hiking up to the top of the mountain, I let all my stress from the week just escape, because I was at such peace. Overlooking the Deep blue sea and realizing how special this town really was. A cool fact I learned about Cinque Terre is that it is known for its Anchovies and pesto. After our short hike we were starving we hadn't eaten all day long and the only thing that was open was a wine and cheese bar. It is known in Monterosso for being the oldest and best wine bar in the town. The cheese and bruschetta was pretty good but I wanted a real meal at this point of starvation!

"Lets give a future to Memories"

 We all know that the Holocaust was the genocide of over six million Jews in Europe during World War II. The thing we didn’t know was what exactly went on inside the concentration camps.  Our class was going to get this remarkable opportunity to listen to a lecture by people who had family members survive the life altering situation and heartbreaking time of World War II.  I didn’t really know what to expect, but I knew that this day would be very meaningful to my life and the way I thought about history.  The first speaker was an older woman by the name of Giovana and the Holocaust played a huge role in her life because her mother was sent to a concentration camp. Giovana’s mother and her friends were split up when they choose who would go to the execution camp or who would go to the concentration camp. Luckily for Giovan’s mother she would be spared her life but endure incredible amounts of physical and emotional pain throughout the years.  In the camps the goals of Nazis were to dehumanize the prisoners and use them like they were machines. The Nazis would start to dehumanize the prisoners from the very beginning, which started by giving the naked medical exam. Then the prisoners would have to get butt naked in front of thousand other men and women.  The next part of this horrible process would be the women would get their heads shaved and all their belongings taken away from them.  After that they would have to put on clothes that they had been given that most likely didn’t even fit them as well as shoesThe worst part of this process is that they were branded like cattle by having a number tattooed onto the outside of their arms. 

 I can’t imagine how it would have felt to be one of these prisoners and for all of my rights to be stripped away in such a dehumanizing manner. It brings light to my eyes to think that some people that went through this were stronger than I could ever be.  It just makes me think how no matter what comes my way I can weather anything and when I see a fork in the road to keep my head up and keep going through life in a positive light. 

Tutti Frutti

I have always wanted to visit a showroom in Milan and the time came when Brittany and I were researching for a class activity and finally stumbled upon Tutti Frutti Milano. Tutti Frutti is the most fashionable showroom located near the Duomo and has some very well known clients such as Paris Hilton, Stuart Weitzman, Juicy Couture, Rock Revival, Wild Fox and Victoria Beckham. Tuttifrutti was established in 2004 and represents the Eastern European market. They have everything from swimwear to mens and womens clothing as well as shoes.  We talked to the owner of the company Mr. Manuel Mencarelli and scheduled a personal tour of Tutti Frutti for next monday! I cant wait to see what this European showroom is like and see how it compares to showrooms in America.

TI AMO SHOES!!!!!

Charlotte Olympia Della is my latest craze right now for shoe designers because of the bright colors she uses and the way she tricks out the heel and makes it funky. Charlotte is a London based designer that recently launched in 2006 and she gets her inspiration from 40's and 50's glam. The most intriging part of her shoes is that the bottom sole features a gold spider which is the brands signature. They are all hand crafted in Italy which is cool since thats where I am living currently! I want to spice up my wardrobe with these killer pumps so badly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Guess I will just have to start saving up!!!

La Triennale Design Museum

Just a thought I love odd things and freaky shapes, when I stumbled upon this sofa like object inside the Triennale Design Museum I was so amazed that this was actual furniture. I just loved all the bright colors and how normal household items were used to turn into different pieces of furniture, such as rope to make into a chair.

SANTA IS COMING TO TOWN

Holiday wish list by Corinne Hinds featuring snake jewelry

Dear Juliet

"There is no world without Verona's walls....
Heaven is here where Juliet lives" (William Shakespeare)

After watching the movie Letters to Juliet on the plane ride from America to Milan, it made me want to visit Verona so bad after how beautiful it looked.  So it is a foggy saturday afternoon and I decided that it was the perfect time to get up and go to Verona. Verona is only a hour train ride outside of Milan.When we first arrived in Verona we sat down at a outdoor cafe and people watched for a good while as we enjoyed some mouthwatering gelato. Later we visited the wall of Juliet hoping to write a letter to her and got to see the famous balcony that she stood on. On our trip we toured the most famous amphitheater called the Arena which was built in the 1st century. We walked all the way up the 50 flights of stairs to the top and got to see the remarkable skyline view of Verona. My thighs were definately sore this morning! After all the bread and cheese I have been consuming over here, I needed that workout!!! I really would love to go back in the future and spend more time exploring the vineyards and countryside there.
Top 5 VERONA FACTS:
1. one of the most productive wine regions
2.William Shakespear used Verona as the setting for his legendary Romeo and Juliet
3.Verona has a poulation of 259,968
4.close proximity to Venice
5. they say if you touch Juliets right breast you will have good luck!

"If the Shoe fits"

A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous

Coco Chanel

These pumps by the London based shoe designer by the name of Kurt Geiger were a 21st birthday present to myself! I am in love with my new purchase and even happier to know that no one in the states will have them. I had been eyeing them all day and finally gave into my shopping impulse. La Rinascente could be my new home I could live in it for eternity it has everything I could ever need.  When I say everything I mean clothes, shoes, food, gym equipment, books, bedding and cosmetics. It is just my new obsession which is not good at all for my bank account! I LOVE SHOES!!!!!!!!

"Party Cavalli Style"

“The industrial direction is sometimes too much. We should think more about fantasy.”

Roberto Cavalli

  For Halloween this year I got to spend it at the Roberto Cavalli Nightclub named JUST CAVALLI and let me tell you it was jaw-dropping and the most unique place I had ever seen!  I felt like a celebrity when I walked passed Just Cavalli because the club promoters invited us in and we got to skip the line and didn't even have a ticket to get in.  The tickets for the club were 100 Euro but we luckily didn't have to pay because they liked us.  I mean how could they not we are sweet, pretty, upbeat Americans haha!!! It was a fashion lovers heaven on earth! When I walked into the club they had bright flashing lights bouncing off the walls and the windows all around the club had water flowing off of them like mini water fountains. It was truly mystical like a fantasy land. The outside furniture was so modern and looked exactly like something Roberto Cavalli would have in his home. It was my favorite Halloween I have ever celebrated I don't know if it was because I was in Milan or the combination of the two Milan and Just Cavalli but it was a priceless night I will never forget!

Beauty of Bergamo

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and famous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in all of us. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Nelson Mandela

I thought about this quote when I got to the top of Bergamo a very old and historic town about a hour outside of Milan.  Bergamo it consist of two parts the upper and lower parts. The lower has many shops and restaurants and is more industrial and the upper part contains all the churches and ancient cobblestone streets as well as elegant mansions. The view from the top of Bergamo will truly make you stop and think about the beauty of life and in the world. I thought about how blessed I was to be experiencing such a unique town. My favorite part of Bergamo was getting to see the Duomo di Bergamo which is one of the most famous and well known cathedrals in Bergamo. It's beauty was so exquisite from the exterior architecture to the inside Renaissance paintings of heaven in the dome. I just wanted to fall to my knees in aw!