Stylish Simplicity - Lemonade
Okay, the recipe below is simple but what makes it stylish? To me, its simplicity!
The summer heat has finally arrived and the last thing I want to do is to be in the kitchen making complicated things.
When I'm at the market and see the huge Amalfi lemons, I must make this lemonade and add a sprig of mint.
Photo: Exsus
Homemade Lemonade 1 ¾ white sugar8 cups water1 ½ cup lemon juice (about 10 lemons)In a small saucepan combine sugar with 1 cup of the water. Bring to a boil until the sugar dissolves. Allow to cool to room temperature then refrigerate until chilled.Put the lemons in hot water for 10 minutes then roll to loosen up the juice.Remove seeds from lemons (leave in as much or as little pulp as you like). Squeeze the lemons in a pitcher, added the chilled sugar syrup and then 7 cups cold water.
Enjoy!
Weekend Inspiration - La Farmacia
I know people love to talk smack about Gwyneth Paltrow's webiste, GOOP. I don't understand why someone would subscribe to a website they hated. It's not as if anyone is forcing them to read Ms. Paltrow's musings.Yes, some of her suggestions are bananas. However, posts like The French Pharmacy are fantastic.One great about living in Europe are the pharmacies. Finally, some of the skin care products can be found in the States but usually at much higher prices.Klorane is one of my favorite brands. I will be working this weekend, including a very early Saturday meeting with one of my clients. I ran into my local farmacia to pick up one thing and ended up also buying the Energia shower gel and some conditioner.
Photo: Allure.com
I wish I could go to a spa this weekend. Instead, I will do a janky home version. Now, I need to run out to the market to get some cucumbers and limes.Buon weekend!
Snapshots - Salina, Sicily
It took me forever to get to Salina.I took a car (at 5:00 a.m.) to the airport to fly to Palermo, a taxi from the Palermo airport to the central train station, the train from Palermo to Milazzo, a ferry from Milazzo to Lipari, a ferry from Lipari to Salina.Once I arrived, I understood why so many of my Italian friends schlep from Rome, Milan, etc. to visit the Aeolian islands. Stunning.Salina is surprisingly green for a volcanic island, tiny (population 2,000), and there was a constant breeze. The food was delicious and folks knew how to make a very good cocktail.It was my first trip to any island in Italy. That's bananas. I'm an island person. I was born on the island of Manhattan and my parents are from St. Martin.I cannot wait to return.
Weekend Inspiration - A Dip In The Pool - Salina, Sicily
Just as I predicted, only a few weeks after everyone and their mother was complaining about the cold wet weather, summer arrived with a vengeance.It's outrageously hot in Rome thanks to winds blowing in from Africa. It's no joke people, and it's only mid-June. Oh Dio.Last weekend I finally made it to Sicily. I went to the tiny island of Salina. The island is gorgeous and the weather was perfect.I spent at lot of time here:
This weekend instead of looking out at Stromboli and Panarea poolside, I will be sticking my head in the freezer and thinking cool thoughts.Buon weekend!
Work In Progress - Trastevere - Rome, Italy
Great news here at AGD.The house in Tuscany is almost done and I've signed two new clients.For one project, I'm helping my client redo his terrace.The other project also includes working on a terrace and collaborating with my client to furnish her new apartment.Both apartments are in Trastevere.One thing I love about this type of work is that each project is unique. My other Rome project is understated glamour.The apartment I'm working on in Trastevere is contemporary with a very streamlined palette, white, black, gray, and some pops of red. A few pieces came with the apartment and most of the additional furniture will be custom-made.My client would like a home that is minimal, light, and yet cozy. Minimal decors can be cold so I'm all about texture and natural materials.I have an inspiration board for the apartment on PInterest.For the terrace project, we are going to redo the plants, buy new furniture, and make the space flow better. My client entertains often and it's important that his guests feel comfortable.My landscaper is amazing and I cannot wait to see how the terrace will look once the plants grow in a little.I real enjoy working with my clients. I know this something not every decorator can say!
Weekend Inspiration - Tiziano
Another super hectic week.I had all these great ideas for blog posts and how many did I end up writing? None. This is an issue. I cannot turn this blog into "The Weekend Inspiration Blog."I feel the need to go to a quiet place and think for a minute. I know just the spot.
I saw quite a bit of Tiziano when I went to Venice a few years ago and the Scuderie is one of my favorite exhibitions spaces in Rome.This show runs until June 16th. For information about times and tickets, HERE is the website.Buon weekend!
Weekend Inspiration - Relais Monaci Delle Terre Nere - Sicily
No words are needed explain why this new hotel in Sicily is inspiring.
For more pictures of this stunning place, please click on their website HERE:Buon weekend!(I'm going to dream about the bedrooms. I know it.)
Weekend Inspiration - Felicia Sullivan's Dispatch From Florence
Felicia and I met a few years ago through a friend in NYC. She's wicked smart, funny, and has a killer sense of style. Along with being a ridiculously talented writer, Felicia is also a gifted photographer, baker, and cook.Felicia recently left her high-powered/profile job and is traveling in Italy and France for three weeks. It's not easy to walk away from something that looks great on paper (especially in this economy). It takes a certain kind of fearlessness to step toward the unknown.I love her blog. The way Felicia writes about life, love, food, etc. is extraordinary.I just read her Florence dispatch and I all I have to say is, "I need to book a train ticket pronto." I hope her writing and her photos will inspire you.Buon Weekend!
Weekend Inspiration - Audrey Hepburn In Rome
Audrey Hepburn's son, Luca Dotti, has edited a book about his famous mother."Audrey In Rome" has over two hundred photographs, many of them never published before, taken during the time Ms. Hepburn lived in the Eternal City.Ms. Hepburn was a resident in Rome for over twenty years after marrying, Dr. Andrea Dotti, an Italian psychiatrist.I cannot wait to buy this book filled with photos of Rome and of fashion from the '50s to the '70s. The release date is April 16th.Hope you have a stylish and fantastic weekend.
J.Crew - "Shiny Ponies" and Italy.
I saw this short clip about Jenna Lyons and her shoe collection and had to write about it.Jenna is the President and Executive Creative Director of J.Crew. She has been with the company for twenty years.Her aesthetic is deeply embedded in the company's DNA.They do take fashion risks but haven't forgotten their core customers who love J. Crew for its cool take on classic style. It's the only American store where I can find jeans that fit my body. J.Crew does have killer sales, which is great for some of their pricier items.In the film, Jenna briefly explains how their shoes evolve from a drawing to the store. The shoes are hand-made in Italy.[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EKTx5on6U8&w=560&h=315]Yes, you could buy knock-offs of these shoes at Zara for a fraction of the cost.While the CEO of Zara is worth 57 BILLION (the third richest man in the world) how much does Zara pay the people who make their shoes? How long would the shoes last?I doubt they are paid anything close to what the workers in Pisa, Italy are making for J. Crew. The manufacturing sector in Italy, along with other Western countries, is facing serious challenges in a global economy.However, one advantage Italy has is her artisans. There's a reason why companies from all over world chose to have certain items, like shoes, made in Italy.Fast fashion is here to stay, but I'm glad there are companies like J. Crew who care about quality and profits.
Weekend Inspiration - A View From Positano.
Seven years ago I traveled to Rome for the second time.The first time was a revelation and I fell hard for this crazy city. It didn't make sense. Nobody in my family is Italian and I was not an Italophile by any stretch.I loved London, Paris, and Amsterdam. When I was in junior high and high school I just KNEW I would live in Paris or London one day. I wasn't thinking about Rome or Italy despite living in a town called Verona .I thought maybe I had responded to Rome that way because of what was, or wasn't, going on in my life at that moment. I had to find out why that one trip had unsettled me so much.I returned the following year and took a short trip to Florence and Positano.
It was a pain in the butt to get from Rome to Positano. First the train to Naples (not bad), then the train to Sorrento (an hour on a local train with many stops), and then finally a bus to Positano.
I walked down the steep hill, followed by a million steps, to reach my hotel. Once I stepped into the room and opened the large French doors, I saw that view. My heart skipped a beat. It was so beautiful it felt unreal, like a movie set.
There is a great hiking trail/path way up in the mountains, Sentiero degli Dei/Path of the Gods. Early one morning, I went up the mountain.
It was quiet. I saw two German tourists hiking and that was it. For the first time in years, my mind wasn't racing a mile a minute, overwhelmed by the things I had not accomplished.
That walk changed everything.
I realized I had to make some serious changes in my life for my mental and physical health. I wasn't sure how at that time.
Eventually, I figured it out and moved to Italy two years later.
Buon weekend!
Weekend Inspiration - Shower - Monteverdi, Tuscany
What a week.Just when you think Italian politics couldn't be more confusing or bizarre, they are. I have no idea what is going to happen now. Maybe we'll have new elections.The Pope said good-bye yesterday. The city is packed with tourists who came to see him for the last time. Cardinals are flying in for the conclave and there are journalists in town from all over the world.Work-wise, things were hectic. I'm not sure how it's Friday already.Yesterday, Domenico and I drove up to Tuscany to visit the job site and to meet with our client who flew in from Germany. Normally, we would stay overnight but we decided to make it a day trip and left Rome at 6:30 a.m.It was a very long day. At one point my brain said, "BASTA!" and refused to cooperate. It was around the time I was asking the contractor questions in Italian and then translating his answers into English.On the drive back home, all I could think about was taking a long shower, getting in my PJs, and then watching Law and Order SVU reruns on Fox Crime (I have a thing for Detective Stabler).I wish I had a shower like this:
Unfortunately, I do not.The shower in the photo was designed by Ilaria Miani for Monteverdi. Monteverdi is a group of rental villas and a hotel in the small village of Castiglioncello del Trinoro in Tuscany.Stunning. I hope to check it out sometime later this year.In the meantime, Stabler and I will be relaxing this weekend.Buon Weekend!
Weekend Inspiration - Kate Spade + Bicycles + Shutters On The Beach = Stylish Fun
It's a cloudy, rainy day in Rome.To be honest, I'm so over the rainy season it's not funny. Perhaps living in sunny Los Angeles for ten years has ruined my ability to cope with normal winter weather.I went to college in Upstate New York. I'm from the East Coast. Now all of a sudden I'm a big wimp when it comes to the weather? I really need to stop complaining about the cold because in a few months it will be too hot.It's Oscar weekend. One of the most fun events is the Independent Spirit Awards, which were held under a big tent in Santa Monica with the after party at Shutters On The Beach Hotel.The last time I went to the party, a friend and I kept following bumping into Daniel Craig. It was a glorious day.Unfortunately, the upcoming forecast is not so glorious... rain for the next five days. Clearly, there will be no stylish bike riding for me this weekend.Buon weekend a tutti![youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XNfVoVhc7M&w=560&h=315]
Weekend Inspiration - The Mix - Modern Meets The 16th Century.
In December, I attended the AWAR holiday cocktail party at Palazzo Farnese. The construction of the Palazzo started in 1515 and it has been the home of the French Embassy since 1874.I've been inside the building before to vote (I have dual citizenship, American and French) and went to an exhibit they held a few years ago. However, this time there was a tour from the Ambassador himself.I had a blast that night with my friend Gillian. AWAR raised money for charity, we saw amazing art and architecture, and we had a chance to drink Champagne.One of the highlights for me was walking into various rooms by myself to study the interiors. I'm still shocked they let us take pictures (a big no-no at the American Embassy. You have to turn in your cellphones and cameras at security)."The Mix" is important. It's also difficult to do well. A room with furnishings from a mix of eras gives off a different energy than a room where every single piece of furniture, all the vignettes, art, etc. etc. are from the exact same time period and/or store. When the mix is on point, it's so exciting.
I was surprised when I stepped into this room and saw the modern iron table and chairs.I think a traditional table from that period with very ornate detailing and decked out with ivory would've been too much.Instead this table compliments the room. You really notice the drop dead gorgeous proportions, the floors, the walls, everything. Most conference rooms are zzzzzzzz. This one is a stunner.Buon weekend and cin cin to mixing it up.
My Word For 2013... Si
A few days ago I met my friend Annie for a coffee. She was super busy this year and we were finally able to get together and catch up during her low season.I told Annie how since September I've spoken more Italian than in the previous three years. I was joking when I said my "word" for 2013 should be "Si". Then we thought about it and realized it's a perfect word.When I mentioned this to another friend, she said, "Uhm, hello, wasn't your word last year, 'yes'?"It was. However, "si" is different.Until recently, I was living in an English speaking bubble. I do have Italian friends (all speak several languages), but I worked only in English. I'm not married to an Italian and I had no reason to speak it everyday, which is bizarre given I live in Italy!Now that I'm suddenly working in Italy, everything has changed. My getting-by-Italian is fine for dinner parties and ordering food in restaurants. It's a problem when I have to order meters of fabric for custom drapes and sofas. It's important that I'm clear and able to communicate with the artisans I'm working with.Already, I feel a whole new world is opening up to me because my language skills have improved. I dream in Italian sometimes. In one of those dreams Idris Elba was also speaking Italian but I digress.As I explained in my post last year, I tend to over think things. In 2012, I said "yes" a lot more often and took some financial risks (going to the Salone, buying Photoshop, etc.) It wasn't easy to step out of my comfort zone but I'm glad I did. 2012, on a personal and professional level, was a much better year than 2011.I'm excited about 2013 and hope that the momentum from the last few months carries over.
I haven't spent that much time in Tuscany. I've been to Florence, Siena, and the tiny town of Terriciola which isn't too far from Pisa.I was going to stay in Rome for my birthday. However, the horrendous heat, the fact that 99 percent of my friends were gone for Ferragosto, and dealing with screaming drunk American college students and loud high school Italian teenagers on my street pushed me over the edge. I booked a trip out of town.My friend Michelle, who lives in Milan, told me about Versilia. Her husband happened to be in the area that weekend. He was dropping off their young son who was going to stay at his great aunt's house. He showed me around Versilia.I don't know if it was escaping from the heat or what but I fell in love with this part of the Tuscan coast. Sometimes referred to as the Tuscan Riviera, Versilia is in the Northwest part of Tuscany.I stayed in the town of Marina di Piestrasanta. I had no idea I was so close to the Forte dei Marmi border. The two towns share a great park filled with pines trees. The smell was glorious.Marina di Piestrasanta was a little more laid back. Forte dei Marmi reminded me of the Hamptons/Martha's Vineyard.There were all these super chic people on their bicycles whose families have been going to the area for decades. Then you'd turn a corner and see a Veline/showgirl with massive fake breasts, injected duck lips, and a much older man on her arm. As with the Hamptons and Martha's Vineyard, the new money is pushing up the price of real estate sky high. Many locals worry about losing stores like a butcher shop or pasty shop to another high-end clothing store.FDM has become very popular with wealthy Russians. Most of the real estate offices had signs in Italian and Russian.I know this is going to sound nuts, but it was so weird not to see any Americans or hear English. Yes, I live in Italy, but Rome has a lot of tourists and American expats. All the tourists in my hotel were Italian or German. There wasn't a single flip-flop girl sighting the whole weekend. I wonder why that is.Above Marina di Piestrasanta is the hill town of Pietrasanta. This small town was packed with art. The famous artist Botero has been going to Pietrasanta for thirty years and has a home in town. To celebrate his 80th birthday, there was a large (and free) exhibition of his work.Versilia has been popular with artists for centuries. Michelangelo stayed in Pietrasanta. What looks like snow on the Apuan Alps is actually marble.On my next trip I would like to visit one of the marble quarries. Speaking of marble, some of the SIDEWALKS in Forte dei Marmi were made from the expensive material.I'm definitely spoiled by Caribbean beaches. It's strange that I would love to have a place in the area but I probably wouldn't join a beach club. I loved the beach town vibe but didn't love the beaches.People were very friendly and the food was delicious. I drank a lot of Franciacorta.Overall, I had a great birthday weekend. I had one moment of, "everyone is here is with someone or their family, and I'm alone" but it passed pretty quickly. I think it helped to be surrounded by so much beauty, delicious food, and the sea.The night of my birthday I went to the Principe Hotel roof bar for a glass of Franciacorta after dinner. The views were stupendous. I believe the views were the reason my glass of wine was double the price of what I paid at dinner even though it was from the same vineyard.That's okay, as the kids would say YOLO, you only live once.
