Hi ladies! I spent last week in Tampa with the boyfriend and it was a nice break for the frigid temperatures here at home. My days were mostly spent exploring Tampa, the various shopping it had to offer, little restaurants to eat at and relaxing at the hotel.
Since Marco was working, I had a ton of time to myself, but we did head to Orlando for the weekend and take in some sights. We didn't make it to Disneyworld, unfortunately, but perhaps in the future at some point.
Since this post is super photo-heavy, I'm going to put everything after the jump and let the photos do the talking. I will do a separate post with outfit details of any looks I shared. As always, thanks for reading...
5 comments
O U T F I T D E E T S : DYNAMITE SWEATER (SIMILAR) | SCARF | ZARA DENIM (UNDER $50, UNDER $100, SPLURGE) | SNEAKERS | MAT & NAT BAG (SIMILAR) | JOE FRESH LUGGAGE TAG (SIMILAR, SPLURGE) | SUNGLASSES
When I'm traveling, comfort is key and while I want to look somewhat put together, sneakers are always a given.
These are my second pair of Pumas (the first pair I ruined during the trip to Italy back in April) and they are by far the comfiest tennis shoe I own. I seem to be turning to them--and sneakers in general--not just for travel, but on the weekends for running errands and casual get togethers with friends. As long as they are fresh (ie. clean), you can pretty much style them with anything and get away with it right now.
To up the chic-factor, I like to add an oversized scarf which pulls double duty as a blanket if it gets too cold, and works as a stylish third-piece to outfits during your trip. If you're going to go denim, tons of stretch is key, minimal jewelry and lose the socks to earn cool-girl points.
This past trip to Italy was my first time overseas and we did quite a bit of traveling around. From Florence, to Rome, to Amalfi, Positano, Capri and back to Florence and into the Tuscany countryside, I saw and learned a lot. I'm sure there is plenty more to learn and easily plenty more to see but I wanted to share 10 things I learned while there:
1. Toilets & Restrooms | Often times restrooms are singles and not gender specific. Additional, toilet seats are next to non-existent, so you're either squatting or sitting on the bowl. I had also heard that sometimes you would need your own paper so always kept tissue travel packs on me, but never had that problem. Also, it feels frowned upon to use a restaurant or store's washroom unless you're buying something there.
On our second last day in Florence, we did a wine tour in Tuscany, which, for a last minute booking, was one of the best experiences of Italy...
FAUX LEATHER JACKET (SIMILAR & GREAT OPTION) | ZARA SWEATER (SIMILAR) | CAMI -- OLD (love this one) | SISLEY PANTS -- PURCHASED IN ITALY (LOVE THESE) | WHITE SNEAKERS | CROSS BODY BAG | MAYBELLINE PINK POP LIPSTICK
Style and comfort were the two elements necessary for traveling throughout Italy, and these pants I picked up in Rome fit the bill perfectly. I love the slightly dropped-crotch and faux leather details that bring an element of chic to what is technically a glorified pair of sweats. Throw on with some daily jewelry, a bold lip and a pretty top to dress up the look.
This would work equally well with heels, but that was no option in Italy with the cool temps and cobblestone, so kicks it was!
On our second, and only full day, in Positano, we booked a boat trip for the day to take us to the island of Capri. We made the descent down to the beach where the sun was starting to peek through the clouds...
There are really no words for the beauty of Positano on the Amalfi Coast, so instead, I'll overload you with some photos and tell you about our experience...
Read more...
On our way to Rome, from Florence, we sat across from a guy on the train who had been staying in Rome. Of course I asked him if he had any recommendations for food and he did: Dar Poeta.
He raved that it was possibly the best pizza in Italy, and since we'd already tried Gusta's, it was only natural to compare the best to the best...
Read more...
On our last full day in Rome, we visited the Colosseum. Marco purchased tickets in advance which saved us from standing in two lines--ahem, we learned our lesson, clearly--and waiting in the freezing winds. Don't let the sunshine fool you, it was quite chilly.
We took the hop-on/hop-off tour bus, which was about 5km away and were so surprised to see...
Read more...
What a difference a day makes!
Our first day in Rome was freezing and raining but by day two, the sun came out and despite it still being frigid, it was much more pleasant with a bit of heat beaming down on us.
More pics after the jump...
On our last night in Florence, we tried Sabatini, at the recommendation of Marco's Italian co-worker. We made a reservation online, and I checked out the Trip Advisor reviews which were all quite positive. One reviewer had said it wasn't a super modern place or the 'it' place anymore, but that the food was amazing, so off we went...
More after the jump...
FREE PEOPLE SWEATER (SIMILAR) | CAMI (SIMILAR) | RIPPED WHITE SKINNIES (SIMILAR) | SNEAKERS | NYC STREET VENDOR SUNNIES (SIMILAR, BUDGET FRIENDLY)
For this 12-day trip, packing was definitely an obstacle, more specifically it being my first trip of such length. I have been doing my best to mix and match everything I brought, and kept that in mind while packing a mixture of neutrals and a few same-colour pieces to keep it effortless yet somewhat stylish.
Rome was really cold and rainy the day before we shot these photos, but fortunately the sun came out the next day. Don't let those rays fool you, it was still quite chilly, under 10 degrees Celsius and I bundled up in my jacket and scarf after!
I'm still looking for the perfect Italian leather boot while we are here, which I was hoping to find sooner than later so I could wear them here (and throw these Pumas out because they are done-zo after this trip and multiple days in the rain--yuck!). If not, at least before we come home on Sunday.
More photos after the jump...
On our third, and final day, in Florence, we stood in line to get tickets and climb the Duomo--a huge cathedral (above) that you can climb over 500 stairs to the top, outside, look out and see the entire city.
After spending about half an hour in line to buy tickets, and hardly moving, we decided to split up; I went to stand in the get-in line, while Marco continued to wait to buy the tickets. Everything was going well until the rain started...
Read more...
On our second night in Florence, we were able to get a reservation at Il Magazzino Osteria Tripperla, which was recommended to us by our Italian friend. We had tried the night before but were unsuccessful to get in without a reso so made one for the following evening...
Read more...
On our second day in Florence, we slowly got ready, had a nice continental breakfast and made our way out to the city square. Since we stayed right downtown, it was easy to walk everywhere we wanted to be, including all the major sites...
Read more...
Our first food stop in Italy was at Gusta Pizza. We walked for about a kilometre, with our heavy carry-on bags to find this place and it did not disappoint.
The pizzas are exactly what you'd think authentic Italian pizza would be; saucy, thin-crusted with simple toppings like basil, spicy salami and roma tomatoes.
Click for more...
Marco and I arrived in Florence early Thursday morning and since we couldn’t check into our hotel, we wandered around with our carry-on bags in a haven’t-slept-for-24-hours daze. We were able to finally check in around 2pm and caught a few zzz’s in hopes that 6-hour time difference doesn’t affect our entire vacation.
We are staying in the city centre, which is so close to everything. It’s our first time in Europe too, so this is exciting! Today we saw the Duomo, Ponte Vecchio and walked around the cobblestone streets. We even tried some amazing, authentic Italian pizza, but more to come on that later.
The internet here is a little sketch, but I’m going to do my best to blog and share our days here. Better run, time to get ready for dinner (which I’m told is always after 8pm)! See you tomorrow.
Click for more...
Click for more...
Hello! Hello! I'm back from four days in Vegas feeling rejuvenated, happy and a little tired of course with the time change (three hours) and long travel day. I had a great time away, ate far too much and managed to pack everything into a carry-on using this guide.
I'd love to share some photos with you, if you'd like to see...
Denim jacket // Dynamite tank (similar) // Billabong skirt (similar) // Hair Tutorial
As I mentioned previously, Marco was in Vegas for work and I tagged along. Since we couldn't get the same flight down, I arrived around 11am, settled in and changed into some warm weather clothes (what a treat!).
We spent our first night at the Luxor (tower) which is a bit of an older hotel, also known as the pyramid you might have seen in photos. There is a tram that runs between Mandalay Bay, the Luxor and Excaliber which I took to get a bit closer to get to the hub of the strip.
I spent the afternoon shopping at Marshalls (haul video coming!) after grabbing lunch at an outdoor bar patio.
Joe Fresh dress worn backwards (similar) // The Bay jewelry
Marco got in early evening and he had made a reservation previously for my birthday for dinner, which was so thoughtful. We went to Tender in the Luxor which was a really nice, French cuisine, restaurant. You can see a few more photos here.
Photo heavy after the jump...
Outfit deets: Dynamite scarf (new!), TNA 'Aspen' parka (old), Urban Planet leggings, Rampage boots, Aldo bag & headband, Michael Kors sunnies & hand-made mitts (by my Grammy)
On Friday morning, after a party for Marco's birthday with our friends, we headed to Toronto for a long (birthday) weekend. After a short flight we arrived and decided to walk the 3.5kms to our hotel.
I snapped this pic of the CN Tower in the distance on our way to our hotel while crossing a bridge.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)