Going Public

Since my internship is over, my blog can go back to being public!!  Thank you so much to everyone who put up with sending me your email addresses and signing in so that you could still continue reading my posts!!  All your email addresses are kept as "readers" in case I need to make the blog private in the future!!

And for any new readers, I hope you enjoy!!

Xoxo B.

Trend: Mini Satchels

I am LOVING Fall's new, shoulder-slung mini satchels I have been seeing lately!!  The style is a perfect mix between hippie and prepster, making them very versatile and an MVP for your Fall wardrobe.  They come in a variety of materials, I have seen some great punched-leather Bohemian ones and some fantastic studded-leather rocker ones... I love them all so far!!  Here are a few of my faves, including MY baby that I purchased in Florence a few weeks ago...

Cleobella Cantina Mini Bag in "Navy"

ShopBop - $99

WGACA Vintage Pony Bag

ShopBop - $195

Zimmerman Tooled Leather Bag in "Ash"

ShopBop - $350 

Cooperative Foldover Satchel in "Tan"

Urban Outfitters - $48

JW Hulme Co. Legacy Mini Bag in "Century Black"

ShopBop - $264

My fabulous find in a Florence, Italy market place... Dark, saddle brown with gold hardware!! 

About 50 Euro!!  A negotiated steal  :) 

These bags would look great when worn over a flirty, floral dress or a fitted blazer and dark jeans... I cannot wait for a little Fall weather so I can start pairing mine with everything!!  What do you guys think??  What Fall bags are you loving right now?!

Movida!!

My last Wednesday night in Italy, a few coworkers and I decided to go to "Movida", a party in the streets of Parma.  I didn't really understand what Movida was until I got there, but it was clear that the best way to understand was just to jump in!!

All the restaurants, cafes, and bars along either side of the long street were open... Each place serves its own special food... Usually big wood-oven pizzas cut into small pieces, bruschetta, breads with spreads and sauces, skewered meats, and other small appetizers.  As you walk down the street, you stop into various cafes and restaurants and you can try any of the foods you want... Then you buy your drink!!  It was great because the small appetizers gave me a chance to try various types of Italian foods, and allowing everyone to stop in and "graze" created a great atmosphere... Everyone was chatting and laughing. 

As we walked down the street, we stopped at a few vendors in the street and listened to live music while we enjoyed some great Italian food and wine... Once the sun went down and the 90-degree weather cooled down, it was PERFECT... People were dancing in the streets, and there was this warm and flirty vibe in the air.  Although Parma is a small city, the streets were absolutely PACKED by 12 midnight!!  I wondered where all these people had been hiding!!

Movida was a great way to experience Italian wine, Italian food, and the entire Italian culture.  And it was a great way to spend some time and say goodbye to my co-workers.  They were all so great and I became friends with them over my 2-week internship... I couldn't believe that this was one of the last times I would spend time with them!!  Part of me just wanted to have all my things shipped to me and to move to Italy forever... But then I thought of all my amazing friends and my great family and Lola and I knew I needed to come home. 

Thank you to the fantastic people I met and had the opportunity to work with... You made my internship such a great experience!!  Goodbye, Italy, I will never forget you... And I hope to see you again soon!!

Xoxo B.

My Day-Trip to Florence...

Saturday morning (7/19) I put in 30 quick minutes at the hotel gym, showered, and ate a (very healthy) pastry in the taxi on the way to the train station... And at 9:30am I was boarding the train - my first time alone!! - to Florence!!  The train from Parma to Florence (or Firenza, as the Italians call it) takes 2 hours, and requires a train change in Bologna.  Thanks to the lovely Argentine man and his son that I met, I discovered that you have to punch your train ticket at one of the yellow boxes positioned around the station in order to board the train... Oops.  But hey, that's how you make new friends!!

All of a sudden when I arrived in Florence, I realized that I was completely and totally on my own.  Mom and Dad weren't there, none of my friends were bopping along beside me, my boss wasn't guiding me, and there were no friendly Argentines to chat with!!  I felt cautious... Very aware of my bag and my personal space... But that tense feeling quickly faded as I entered the bustling Piazza del Duomo.  With so many tourists, the English language is heard almost as much as Italian in Florence... I felt so comforted by the fact that at least I could communicate!!

Oh, and communicate I did!!  My first stop during my Florence day-trip was the market place... A small square in the city, FILLED with vendors selling leather bags and jewelry, Italy souvenirs, religious relics, and beautiful scarves.  This was THE place to find the perfect gifts for my family and friends!!  (Okay, okay... And maybe a little something for me as well)...

Of course, the cardinal rule in a market place like this is to NEVER pay the price the merchant initially says, or the price that was first posted.  You should always negotiate, which I love!!  You have to use great tactics like starting to walk away at the perfect moment, making the right eye contact and facial expressions, and always starting at the right price (not too cheap to offend them, not too high that you end up paying nearly full price).  Here are some of the great souvenirs and gifts I found:

A handful of beautiful Italian-leather bracelets... Great for stacking!!

I am a scarf addict... I bought some of these as gifts, but they will be SO difficult to let go!!

"Italia" jackets for my cousins...

Cute clutch for a girlfriend's birthday gift...

Cute clutch for meeeee :)

I didn't get a charm for my travel bracelet when I came to Milan, but I finally found the perfect charm for Italy in Florence!!  The charm holds a replica of the coins used during the Renaissance in Florence.

My next goal (beyond souvenirs) was to find a great leather bag for law school... One with a lot of personality, not a designer piece, but something really classic and beautiful.  In the market place, I swear I saw the exact bag from my mind... hanging from a vendor's rack!!  It was perfect... But the merchant told me it was 200 euro.  To be honest, I probably would have paid that in about 5 seconds in the US, but I knew I had to get my negotiation on!!  ;)  I browsed the rest of his merchandise and found a gorgeous leather satchel with a long strap, which he said was 90 euro.  (Drum roll please) ... Would you believe that I paid 120 euro... For BOTH the messenger/laptop bag and the satchel-style handbag?!  One of my proudest moments...  :)

How perfect are these nice, big pockets?!  There are pencil pockets and more zippered pockets inside.

This satchel is PERFECT for Fall... Slung over a jacket-and-dress combo, or over a cozy sweater... Ahhhh  :)

After the market place, it was time for me to trek back across the city to The Accademia Gallery, which holds Michaelangelo's statute, the "David".  You should have seen me, with all my ridiculous bags, walking across Florence in the RECORD HIGH heat!!  Oh my goodness, I am sure that I looked like a total wreck... I really don't think I have ever sweat that much in my entire life!!  Luckily, I had reserved a time and ticket via the internet that morning, so I was able to hop into the super-quick Reservations line.  (I definitely recommend doing this if you travel to ANY tourist destination, especially on a weekend, it makes things SO much easier!!)  

I was so excited to see the David, as it is one of the most famous sculptures in the world.  At around 17 feet, it is absolutely impressive.  You can't believe that you're staring at something that a human being could create... Out of one huge piece of marble!!  I had always heard about the David being so "out of proportion".  I had never understood this, because in every photo I had ever seen he didn't seem to be proportioned badly at all!!  But in person I noticed how large his hands and feet seemed to be... His legs seemed to be a little short and small for the size of his torso... And I don't really want to go there, but it looked like poor David got robbed in another department as well.  :S  

They don't allow photos of the statute, but... let's just say the "viewing bench" behind Davey was pretty full... And I don't think it was because of his glorious backside.  I snapped this photo with my Blackberry... Then made room for the next person who was also very interested in their phone  :) 

After a late lunch (early dinner?) there was only a little time before my train back to Parma.  A little lightbulb clicked when I saw the Gucci shop on the corner... What a perfect splurge... A traditional, Italian designer who began IN Florence... It would be a great way to remember my internship and my little day trip!!  When you have an hour to kill before your train leaves, and you walk into Gucci during their summer sale, the result is... fabulous  :) 

Bamboo Icons!!  Over 1/2 off... AND... Last pair.  :) 

My splurge... New season Sunsets... Perfect for fall dresses and jeans!! 

On my way to the train station (looking like a bag lady with all my goodies) I stopped and had a gelato.  With my wallet empty and my tummy full, I got on the train back to Parma... I think I smiled like a little girl with new dolls the entire way!!  :)  I cannot wait to wear my new "dolls" out and about... And I can't wait to see what my friends and family think of their gifts!! 

Florence = shopping success. 

Xoxo B.

Snapshot of Italy: Florence

One Friday, my boss and I went to Florence for a morning of business, and an afternoon of sightseeing.  After our morning meeting followed by a business lunch we only had about two hours, so she took me on an impressive whirlwind tour of the city of Florence as only someone who had lived in Florence for years could do!!

The beautiful cathedral Duomo... Started to be built in 1296, can you believe it?!

In front of the Duomo again... (Please excuse the limp hair and wrinkled dress - Thank you, 90-degree weather). 

The "Palazzo Vecchio"... Or Old Palace in the "Piazza della Signoria". The fortress-looking palace has had many uses: palace, town hall, prison, and now a museum. 

A smaller replica of Michaelangelo's "The David", outside the Palazzo Vecchio. 

A beautiful fountain inside the Palazzo Vecchio... It was so pretty and relaxing in this courtyard, I could have stayed there all day!!

And how CUTE is the little cupid on top of the fountain?! 

The Piazza della Signora... Where the Palazzo Vecchio is located.  Lots of tourists, but there are so many beautiful shops and restaurants... It's a great place to have a lemonade and just people watch!!

A fountain with a  statute of Neptune, the Roman god of the sea... This was honestly one of my favorites... I love sea or ocean-themed art!! 

"Ponte Vecchio"... Or the Old Bridge.  The side-by-side houses on the bridge were used as homes, but they are now 2 long rows of side-by-side jewelry shops!! 

So precious... People write their names or initials on locks, then they lock them on chains all over the city!!  The chains are usually used as a kind of railing between posts along the sidewalks, but we saw these locks on any type of chain in the city!!  On walls, on big wooden doors, anywhere!! 

Three beautiful buildings!!  There was so much magnificent architecture in Florence... Every time I turned around, I saw something that took my breath away!! 

After my boss and I were back in the car and driving back to Parma, I decided that I just HAD to go back to Florence!!  There were so many things I wanted to check out... The original statue of The David, the market place, and more time to soak in all of that amazing architecture!!  

I made a plan... My Saturday would consist of a day trip to back to Florence... Including my first train ride on my own in Europe  :S

Stay tuned... 

Xoxo B. 

Fidenza Village

It took one evening of strolling through the streets of Parma and a perfect, Italian dinner for me to realize that my boss and I shared one very unique (and might I say impressive) talent: the ability to shop like a professional.  Yes, yes, I know... Almost every girl out there can shop... And some girls can even out-shop the BEST girls who can shop.  But I'm talking about professional shopping.  The kind of shopping that can occur in as little as five minutes, yet can be as effective as an entire DAY spent at the stores... Shopping done in the most PRODUCTIVE way, so that every piece you buy is perfectly useful and JUST what you need.  Yes, my dears, it is a talent... The ability to run into a store, spot your finds within two minutes, try on, and you're out within five.  Now THAT is "Professional Shopping".

Anyway, it didn't take us long to start chatting about Fidenza Village... a designer shopping outlet about 10 minutes outside Parma.  And it took us even LESS time to decide we should go there one evening after work.  See?!  I told you... Professional Shopping.  :)

Now, as some of you might know, summers in Europe are fabulous because EVERYTHING is on sale... Every store has things on sale, no matter what.  So... When things are normally 30% - 40% off at the outlet mall, they are 70% - 80% off during the summer sales.  (I'll give you a second to get your heart rate down again... Don't worry, it happens to me every time... Phew, okay.)

Fidenza Village is filled with all the best Italian designers... Valentino, Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, Armani, Missoni, Escada, La Perla, Les Copains, Elisabetta Franchi... and on and on.  The trick is to be able to go into a huge store filled with goodies, quickly search out the best of the best, and grab it while you can!!  (aka Professional Shopping).  There were some great things at Valentino, and a few at Dolce & Gabbana, but my prized possession was from Armani.  After scanning the store for a few minutes, I spotted this beautiful caramel-colored leather peeking from a rack.  I pulled it out, and saw the most gorgeous Emporio Armani motorcycle-cut jacket in butter-soft leather.  The best part??  It had been 1,800 euro... And was now 200 euro.  And about two seconds later was on my credit card and into my shopping bag!!

Why is it such a good deal??

Classic Color + Classic Style + Great Brand + Huge Discount = If-You-Don't-Buy-It-You're-Crazy!!

After we roamed around the other shops we lucked out and were given free tickets for mojitos from a bar in the center of the outdoor mall... Since we were so exhausted from working all day and then professional shopping, we walked over to a group of chairs in front of a small stage near the center of the mall.

As we were sipping our mojitos, we realized that a TV segment was about to be filmed on the stage... (lighting was set, crew members were running around, and a couple bodyguards popped up).  Then my boss saw a man walking by, and said that he was the host of "X Factor", Italy's version of American Idol.  So... I walked up to him, introduced myself, and asked him what his name was!!  (I know it sounds bad, but hey... How would I know who he was?!)  He was very cute, and super sweet when he told me that he was there to film an interview segment on fashion and style.  He introduced himself to my boss, and then we got to watch his whole segment from the front row while we finished our mojitos!!

I have to say, it was the perfect night!!  I got to experience a designer outlet mall, a delicious (and free!) mojito, and a little Italian pop culture... I smiled the entire taxi ride back to my hotel.  :)

Here is  Francesco Facchinetti's Website if you're curious and want to check him out!!

Buonasera... ;)
Xoxo B.

Snapshot of Italy: Parma

Now that I have had some time to relax, unpack, and get back into the swing of things at my Swiss internship, it's about time to tell you all a little more about my time in Italy!!

I did a 2-week internship at a sister company of the company I've been working for in Switzerland... I know it's kind of confusing... Anyway, the sister company is located in Parma, Italy.  I had only been to Milan before this trip, and I quickly realized that so much of the tradition and culture of Italy is hidden in these slightly smaller cities that are less tourism-based... It was a great way to jump in and experience all that is Italy.

(Map from Google Images)

If you can see, Parma is in the northern part of Italy, about an hour from Milan.  Parma is famous for its finest-quality ham and cheese, and stunning architecture.  It didn't take me long to discover the beauty of this city... After unpacking, I threw on a sundress and flat sandals, and headed out the door for some exploring!!  This became my post-workday tradition... Sundress, then exploring the city while searching for a bite to eat!!  The buildings' structures were exquisite, but what I loved was their bright, sunny colors...

One of Parma's most influential citizens was Marie-Louise, Duchess of Parma, and one of the wives of Napoleon Bonaparte.  Besides being a great ruler for the people of Parma, Marie-Louise fell in love with the scent of the violets she began cultivating, and asked local monks to capture the scent in a perfume, which is still sold in shops all over Parma today!! 

(Image from Google Images)

 

Another perfume you might recognize is the famous unisex Aqua di Parma, a favorite of Audrey Hepburn, Cary Grant, and Sharon Stone.  The perfume continues to be hand-distilled in Parma, and can be found at almost every farmacia and profumeria in the city... 

If you are looking for a great way to see the true personality and beauty of the Italian culture, Parma is a perfect place to start.  When you go, be prepared to experience the best thinner-than-paper slices of Parma ham on fresh, floury Italian bread... crumbly chunks of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese on top of crisp salads... And the creamiest gelato in slightly-warm waffle cones on a hot summer day.  Don't be surprised if you feel like you've stepped back in time as you walk through the twisting stone streets between tall, skinny houses of every color.  And expect to fall in love when you venture out at night and see the light flickering off stone walls, hear the laughter and tinkling of wine glasses, feel the warm Italian-night breeze, and witness couples kissing on street corners with abandon. 

The breathtaking Piazza Garibaldi (image from Google Images)

And if you couldn't tell already, I fell head-over-heels-in-love with Italy... :)

Xoxo B.

Welcome to Italia

On Friday, I returned to our flat in Switzerland after finishing a FANTASTIC two weeks at my internship in Italy... I don't even know where to begin to tell you all my adventures... It was honestly one of the best trips of my life for so many different reasons...

#1 - I went to Italy with a little extra suitcase room, and few expectations... I didn't know what to expect, and I didn't know what my internship there would be like.  But as my driver drove through the beautiful Italian countryside on the way to my hotel in Parma, I started falling in love... The sun, the beautiful landscape with the tall pointed trees, the yellow and orange colors of the buildings, and the many people on bikes.  Something about this area of Italy just made me feel warm, relaxed, and comfortable... Yet I almost always had the sense that something exciting could happen at any moment!!  The atmosphere was pure bliss.

#2 - I am extremely lucky to have had such a wonderful boss while in Italy... A woman who shares many of the same personality characteristics as myself, we ended up being able to communicate brilliantly both at work and away.  We discussed the ins and outs of business and the legal world, had lunch together every day at work, chatted about love and life, went shopping like professionals, and had dinner at some amazing Italian restaurants.  I learned SO much from her in the quick two weeks I worked with her... I learned a lot about LIFE, not just work.

#3 - The Italian people are extremely friendly... They have warm and open personalities, and are always more than willing to share their culture with visitors.  Even the people my age I met were so kind!!  They tried to speak as much English as they could, they wanted to make sure they found air conditioned places because I wasn't used to the intense Italian heat, and they felt like old friends within an evening of dinner and drinks. 

#4 - The Italian culture is very laid back.  At first, this can be very scary for Americans who are used to a fast-paced, get-it-done-no-matter-what attitude in the work place.  The first word you should learn in Italian is "dolmani" or "tomorrow"... It perfectly sums up the relaxed and casual attitude of the Italian culture.  After about a week or so, I started to get used to this passive attitude toward life... And I LOVED it.  A huge weight was lifted off my shoulders because I started to appreciate the fact that any stress that arose could be dealt with dolmani  :)  When I go home, I'm going to try and take the Italian mentality with me... That no matter what, we should ENJOY our lives... And anything stressful that comes our way can be dealt with sooner or later, but it doesn't always have to be NOW.

A beautiful street in Parma, Italy... Walking through the city with my boss before dinner. 

 

Independence Day... In Europe??

This weekend... Sunday, to be exact... I am leaving Switzerland to intern for 2 weeks in Parma, Italy!!  Of course, I love ALL things Italian... The people, the bags, the shoes, the cars, the wine, the food, the gelato!!!  Most things Italian are just... yummy :)

I went shopping in Milan, Italy a few years ago with my parents, but I have to admit... Italy hasn't been one of the places we usually visit when we're in Europe.  So I'm excited to see a different part of Italy, do a little  sightseeing on the weekend, and see the difference in business/company culture there!! 

But... It feels so strange to travel on the Fourth of July!!  I think I've been in Europe for the Fourth when I was little... I can't remember!!  Either way, I would have been with my parents if I had been there... This time, it's just ME!!  What will I do??  Will anyone there be celebrating??  Will they have fireworks??  I guess I will just have to wait and see!!