Adventures In...Italy: Part 2 - Island Edition

Yes, the picture I took above is real. And yes, the water on Elba Island is actually that blue!

Last weekend was so much fun. It was so relaxing, which was much-needed after getting used to jet lag, classes, and being on the go all the time. We stayed in a cute little hotel right on the beach, with lovely views of the Mediterannean.

The little gelato/panini shop you can see in the photo above had some of the best paninis! I've eaten SO many paninis since I've been in Italy. There were 3 gelato shops literally right outside the hotel. I swear, gelato shops are to Italy as Starbucks are to Seattle. (Still haven't seen a Starbucks here by the way...)

We also took a day in Portoferrario which is along the northern coast of the island. It was so beautiful. The water was this gorgeous aqua blue that I thought was only reserved for postcards. It was the best background for all the hustle and bustle of the city. There were more tourists there, and even more gelato. There was this really good smelling Acqua dell'Elba perfume that I almost got because it smelled so clean and island-y.

We also found this awesome restaurant right next to the hotel called Rendez-Vous. We had to get a picture with the owner - he was a boss. I only ate there twice but some went there four times. It was that good. It had great pizza, pasta, salad, and crepes...

...and yummy pina colatas. :)

Overall, it was a great weekend. Until we got stuck at the Piombino train station because of the train strike. Almost had to stay overnight...but we luckily found our way back after an exhausting few hours of running around to different stations and waiting. It's all about the adventure though, right?!

until next time my lovelies,

"a-ciao-bye-bye"

xo

Italian Fashion Post #1

Photo Source

I am loving all the fashion here I'm seeing in Italy. While I've finally started shopping when I got to Florence, my bank account has taken a small hit. (Euros have much more value than American dollars!)

What I've been loving is how all the European people seem to dress - a little more put-together, a little more classy, a little more...everything. And I love it. I've seen plenty of fedoras, summer scarves, cross-body bags, men in awesome suits and ladies wearing heels on their vespas.

What I've been seeing all over the stores lately are summer brights. Super-bright color-blocking, like seen on the Gucci runway, were a hit in the Italian H&M and Zara stores. Color-blocked heels in neons were everywhere. I kept seeing "Gucci orange" and "Gucci green" all over the place - especially paired together, like at the Gucci Spring 2011 RTW show, below:

Photo Source

Loved this "Gucci orange" dress from Zara:

I also got a really cute white, sheer cropped-ish top from a boutique called Subdued. I'm excited to layer it with different tanks underneath - my plan tomorrow is to wear it with a white tank underneath tucked into high-waisted white shorts, a thick brown belt, gladiator sandals, and a straw hat.

The shirt looks a little like this one from Forever 21:

Here's a photo from the H&M Italy lookbook - that's the hat I got today!

Tomorrow I am going to Elba Island for the weekend (off the coast of Tuscany, no big deal...) and am super excited to wear some more tropical-feeling summer ensembles. I'll keep you posted when I get back from the beach!

ciao bellas,

xo

Adventures In...Italy: Part 1

It's been a little over a week since I've been in Italy, and I've finally found a time during my busy study abroad schedule to write up a post! I'm loving it here. Something about being in a country that is so different and beautiful is breathtaking. It was quite the long flight - 12 hours total - and I hardly got any sleep. Partially because of the time difference, and partially because of the small child in front of me who kept talking to me. We chatted about his Spiderman watch, Silly Bandz, animals, and Mario Kart. Little kids are so funny. Anyways...

Our session started with an opening tour in Rome - what a beautiful city. History textbooks definitely do not do Rome justice! Walking around town, you'll see all these incredible buildings with statues, fountains, water fountains (Rome is known for their water), and ancient ruins. I cannot describe how crazy awesome Rome is - you just have to see it for yourself.

All the people in this program are awesome. I love Gonzaga..what a great school. After seeing the Colloseum, Villa Borghese, the Pantheon, where Caesar died (right next to my hotel), and plenty of other places, it was time to head to Florence.

Florence is a beautiful city as well. It is much cozier than Rome, but still fast-paced. It'll be my home for the next month, so I've been getting used to it. I've been using the funny toilets, paying for water at restaurants, having paninis, gelato, and giant salads, wearing my gladiator sandals, and soaking up everything that I can. The fashion here...is incredible. Everyone I've seen in Italy is much more dressed up than in the States. I haven't seen a pair of flip flops or a sweatshirt on an Italian person yet! And then men and their suits - love it. It's so cute when an older man in a suit is walking a tiny dog. (My assumption is that there are so many dogs because there are so many tiny cars - and the reason there are so many tiny cars is because there are hardly any parking lots!) I'll post more on Italian fashion later. I've already gone shopping twice this week and my bank account has a lot to say for it. Haha.

All in all, this has been incredible so far. The photo above is a picture of St. Peter's Basilica - I got to see the Pope's blessing! Yes, I got to see the Pope. When in Rome, right?

It's crazy to say that I've seen the Pope...in Italy. I've eaten pasta...in Italy. I've gone shopping...in Italy. I ate gelato...in Italy. I am taking philosophy and marketing classes...in Italy. I even sneezed...in Italy.

Anyways. More "Adventures In...Italy" posts to come!

Ciao gente bella, ('till next time beautiful people!)

xo

PS- for all you Jersey Shore fans, they are here in Florence filming currently. A few of my friends have already met them. Maybe I will too... ;)

PPS- more photos to come on Flickr!

PPPS- my bestest friend in the entire world, Jenn, is graduating today! Congrats girl!

What a Great Year

I just finished up my sophomore year of college last week...it is so crazy to already be halfway done with college. It goes by so fast! The next two years will be even better - especially with Italy....tomorrow! Life has been a little chaotic lately, but it is all worth it.

They say the friends you make in college are the friends you will have for life :)

Here's to a fabulous summer, girls! Love you all.

xo

Right Now I'm Loving My...Michael Stars T-Shirt

"Short Sleeve Off The Shoulder Dolman" - $70

While $70 is a little pricey for me right now in regards to shopping, I fell in love with this shirt when I tried it on in a boutique in Montana last weekend. It's super comfortable, and can be worn on or off the shoulder, with or without a belt, with jeans, leggings, shorts, or tucked into a skirt. It is so versatile! I've already worn it multiple times, and I know I will definitely get my cost-per-wear out of it. It's also a novelty tee, so they hand-spray that color on it - mine has a much more subtle lavender color than the one in the photo. It is a one-of-a-kind piece that I'll be wearing for a while. Definitely recommend it for a light, summer shirt.

xo

The Weekly Ten

1. This is my first Weekly Ten is SO long - I apologize for my huge blogging dry spell to anyone who reads this (if anyone actually regularly comes here). Things have gotten crazy busy but I still want to make time to write.
2. Speaking of busy, I only got four hours of sleep last night. So tired right now! It is only the first day of finals week and I am getting drained quick.
3. In more uplifting news, I am going to Italy in only eight days! I'm super excited but a little nervous...
4. Anyone else obsessed with Lookbook as much as me? I love it. I've been looking at street style from different cities in Italy to get the feel for how people will dress when I go there.
5. Got my first sunburn of the season yesterday - it was in the 60s and sunny, so naturally, I, like all the Washington kids, laid outside in shorts and flip flops to celebrate the first time we've seen the sun. My skin did not appreciate it, but my future tan after might.
6. This is probably true about college clothing trends - I don't really see much Vera Bradley and Longchamp at my campus, but I am definitely a proud culprit of the Tory Burch flats.
7. Greek yogurt - filled with protein and delicious. And pretty portable for the most part. It's a win-win-win situation.
8. Going to Safeway soon to stock up on 1/2 priced Easter candy. Still the same great taste and 1/2 off? That's one deal I'm a sucker for.
9. I was eating a Cadbury cream egg while I wrote #8. Haha. I went to the gym today, I deserve it, right?
10. When it comes to finals study tips, this girl has got it down. I have found that being organized is key to studying. Speaking of, I should probably go resume my final paper...

until next time, xo