Sunday 28 December 2014

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow...


After two years of patient waiting, yesterday afternoon the the snow has finally come to whitewash the rooftops, the gardens, the streets and the fields of my village.
It was amazing to stay indoors, with my nose glued to the window, watching the sparkling snowflakes as they fell gently...it made me feel so happy and excited!

I love snow so much, the silence shrouding the countryside while everything is covered in white, the sense of purity that fills the air, the biting cold that turns red the cheeks of the passersby and the footprints of the animals that live in the woods.


Having been ill in the last few days, yesterday I simply enjoyed  the snowfall from the warmth of my house, taking only a few pictures from the window, wrapped in my woolly blanket.
This afternoon, however, since it was sunny and the temperature had risen considerably, I took the opportunity to take a walk with Cloe and my little sister Linda.



The air was chilly, the countryside was shining in all its beauty and it was really funny to see Cloe running happily in the snow with her nice little red coat!




So...what I want to say is that Santa Claus really exists and this year he has brought me even the snow!!!
There could be no better way to end these four days of relax with my family and friends, full of gifts, delicacies and happiness!!!


Love
Martina
Saturday 27 December 2014

Winters Were Made For Warm Blankets And Large Books...


It's snowing outside..a white blanket is covering fields, gardens, trees and the roofs of the houses.
I'm watching the snow falling down from the window of the living room, curled up in my woolly blanket, sipping an hot herbal tea with berries and reading the last two chapters of my book.
Unfortunately I've spent the last couple of days with fever and a bad cold, so I take the opportunity from this day indoors to think about next year, my resolutions, my dreams, my fears.
Having a good book in my hands I can't help but thinking about the books which will be on my reading list of 2015.
Some of them are already in my bookcase, waiting patiently for their turn, and I can't wait to get lost among the shelves of a huge bookshop to buy the ones that I miss!!!


1. The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton
2. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
3. When God Was A Rabbit by Sarah Winman
4. Looking For Alaska by John Green
5. The Hunger Games books by Suzanne Collins


6. Dusty Answers by Rosamond Lehmann
7. Into The Wild by Jon Krakauer
8. Twice Born by Margaret Mazzantini
9. Fall of Giants by Ken Follet
10. Alice In Wonderland by Lewis Carrol
11. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee


12. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
13. The Silkworn by Robert Galbraith
14. Us by david Nicholls
15. The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

Which books are on the top of your reading list for 2015?

Love
Martina
Tuesday 23 December 2014

The Christmas Tag!


It's just two days until Christmas and I'm feeling really excited about it!!!
I've wrapped all my presents, started to make the vegan " panettone" ( it takes two days to be ready), written all the christmas cards for my friends and family..so it's time to show a little bit of Christmas spirit also in my blog!
I haven't actually been tagged to do this, but I love this kind of tag so much for not to do it!!!

1. What is your favourite Christmas Movie?

" The Holiday",no doubt! I've watched this movie thousands of times!!! 
I wish I could live in a beautiful cottage like Iris, open the door and find a stunning stranger like Jude Law!

2. Do you open presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? 

When I was a baby girl I used to open presents on Christmas morning, but this year I'll open them on Christmas Eve with my parents and my sister, drinking hot chocolate and eating cinnamon biscuits.

3. Do you have a favourite Christmas memory? 

I remember that when I was little and I believed in Santa Claus I used to leave a big red cup of hot chocolate with two biscuits for him on the kitchen table and some pieces of carrot for his reindeers. On Christmas morning then, full of trepidation, I used to find only the crumbs of the biscuits that Santa Claus had eaten and many presents under the tree.



4. Favourite festive food? 

Gingerbread men..delicious!!!

5. Favourite Christmas gift?

This is a really difficult question because I've received many beautiful gifts from friends and family, but I remember that I've been full of happiness when my grandparents have bought me " The Complete Tales of Beatrix Potter", one of my favourite books ever.

6. Favourite Christmas scent?

"Cinnamon sticks" by Yankee Candles


7. Do you have any Christmas Eve traditions?

On Christmas Eve I usually go to church after having dinner with my family and we celebrate together at midnight, after the function, unwrapping the presents and drinking hot chocolate in our pyjamas.

8. What tops your tree? 

A cloth tape ivory and gold.

9. As a kid what was the one (crazy, wild, extravagant) you always asked for but never received?

I don't remember something particularly extravagant, but one year I've asked the " Sylvanian house" and I've never received it!!!What a pity!..It was amazing!


10. What's the best part about Christmas for you?

Despite all the lovely presents you can receive, I think the best part of Christmas is spending festive time with my family and my dearest friends, chatting, laughing, watching christmas movies, hugging, singing, eating delicious food and celebrating in happiness.


Merry Christmas!!!!
Love
Martina
Tuesday 16 December 2014

Christmas Markets : Hall in Tirol & Rattemberg


Last Saturday my alarm clock rang at 5 in the morning and I left my cosy bed for a day to the christmas markets in Tirol with Cristina, one of my closest friends!
We were so sleepy but really excited as well and we spent the four hours journey by bus chatting and laughing!!!
We arrived at Hall in Tirol at ten, the air was chilly and the sky was white..it seemed  all ready for a beautiful snowfall.

All wrapped up in our coats, with woolly hats and gloves, we went straight to the christmas markets and we enjoyed a lot wandering around among the stands which sold many different things, from woolly sweaters to scented candles and from typical Tyrolean food products to handmade wooden animals. 














 After a while we decided to take a bag of hot chestnuts to warm us and, despite the fact that our fingers immediately turned black, it was a really good idea !!!



In a small wooden fence there were also some sheeps and a goat and the kids were trying to caress them! 
They were so beautiful with their colorful woollen hats, their flushed cheeks from the cold and a big smile on their faces!



In the afternoon, after a fast lunch with some sandwiches, we arrived at Rattemberg, a very pretty village, full of small traditional shops which sold blown glass objects  and colorful houses.




There was a pleasant atmosphere, some kids played and sang Christmas songs and the smell of mulled wine was amazing.

We also discovered a pretty vintage shop runned by two Dutch girls where I enjoyed a lot taking thousand of pictures and I tasted a very tipical kinderpunsch that was really delicious!!!





It was a wonderful day full of fun, genuine happiness, christmas shopping and it's in days like this one that I feel how important friends are for me and how much I need them in my life!!!

Love
Martina

Tuesday 9 December 2014

5 Tiny Beautiful Things Of The Weekend


Good morning lovelies!!!
Today I feel like it was Monday morning because I've had a long festive weekend off from work, and it's always hard to come back to daily routine!!!
However here 5 tiny beautiful things of this weekend that has filled me with joy!!!

1. A beautiful day in Venice on Friday with Giulia! I haven't been there for months and I've missed it a lot, so we took  the opportunity to do some Christmas shopping and enjoy a seafood lunch at one of our favorite restaurants!!!


2. Visiting the Christmas Markets of Hall in Tirol and Rattemberg with Cristina, one of my closest friends. 
We spent a beautiful day together full of laugh, little talks, shopping, mulled wine, chestnuts, scented candles and genuine happiness!!!





3. Making Christmas cookies with cinnamon with my sister, singing and dancing to the rhythm of Christmas carols.

4. Writing Christmas cards for my new lovely friends from England and The Netherlands!!! I'm super excited and I'm looking forward to find the first Christmas card from them in my postbox!!!

5. Decorating the Christmas tree with owls, hedgehogs, birds, scented orange slices, pine cones and small golden apples. It's a 'tradition for us to put on the decorations on the 8 of December and it was wonderful to spend time with my family dedicated to creativity.

Love
Martina

Sunday 30 November 2014

A Simple Sunday Afternoon


Happy Sunday evening lovelies!!!
Today has been a wet and chilly day, so I've decided to spend the last day of November in the most relaxing way: under a soft woolly blanket, reading " The night before Christmas", the book, written by Scarlett Bailey, I bought this morning for my brand new kindle, eating shortbreads in the shape of squirrel and drinking many cups of the delicious Taylor's of Harrogate Spiced Apple tea.
I've really loved it from the first sip:  fruity apple pieces that meet the aromatic star anise,the punchy ginger root and the warming sweetness of cardamom and cinnamon!!
The house smelled of baking spices thanks to one of my favourite Yankee Candles "Home Sweet Home" and, after a busy week and a funny night out with friends, it has been wonderful to enjoy my day off all wrapped up in my soft nightgown, watching the rain drenching the countryside...

How did you spend your Sunday? Are you already in the Christmas spirit?
Lots of Love
xoxo
Martina
Thursday 27 November 2014

It's Time To Celebrate!!!


Hello sweet ladies!!!
This week has been a special one for me: Monday it was the birthday of my best friend and Tuesday my blog turned one!!! <3 
It's amazing how quickly the time has passed and how much this little virtual space in which I write my thoughts and I keep my memories has become important for me!!!
In the past twelve months I have discovered many blogs that I love and which can brighten up my evenings, make me feel inspired, creative and full of desire to do and make the most of every single day, savoring what it brings to me!


On Tuesday morning Giulia came to my house and we could celebrate together!!! The house smelled of cinnamon, there was a birthday present to open and a delicious lemon drizzle cake that couldn't wait to be tasted!!! 
This lovely box contained some treasures: a selection of Taylor's of Harrogate teas, "Spiced Apple", "Chamomile and Vanilla", "Blackberry and Elderflower", "Lemongrass and Ginger", two doubloons of dark chocolate and two of milk chocolate! It was a special gift because it came directly from "Betty's ", the gorgeous tea room in York where we went two months ago!!!



It was wonderful to see the expression of surprise, excitement, trepidation and genuine happiness of Giulia when she read my greeting card and opened the box!!!Also Cloe wanted to partecipate to our little party!!!


Of course we couldn't resist a moment more, and we wanted to try one of the teas, the purple one, because it's Giulia's favourite colour, accompanied by a slice of cake!!! It was a refreshing infusion which had a balanced taste of fresh and ripe berries with a sweet fragrance of elderflower.. perfect with the flavor of lemon of the cake!!! 




I couldn't imagine a more beautiful morning to celebrate two of the most precious things of my life!!!

Lots of Love to you and thank you so much for stopping by...
xoxo
Martina
Friday 14 November 2014

Fall Favourites / Tag



Autumn has always been my favourite season. I love its colors, the shades of yellow, orange, red and brown of the countryside, the early morning frosts, the cups of chocolate sipped in the evening curled up under a woolly blanket, chestnuts and obviously apples, enjoyed in many ways ( apple pies, baked apples, cider and so on).

I saw this nice tag on "Kim Jade Louise" and it was lovely to read it, so in this post I want to share some of my favourite things about fall.

Tea?
I'm an inveterate tea drinker and one of my favourites is " Earl Grey", especially in the afternoon with some biscuits or a slice of homemade cake, but since I came back from Yorkshire last month I can't stop drinking the delicious Taylor's of Harrogate Lemongrass and Ginger tea, a fragrant zing of lemongrass, blended with the warmth of spicy ginger root.

Coffee?
I really need a cup of coffee to start the day and my favourite is Costa's American decaf with brown sugar. Lately, however, I also love drinking a cup of hot barley coffee with a teaspoon of acacia's honey.


Candy or Cookies?
Cookies, sure as hell!!! Baking cookies is one of my favourite winter hobbies and I really like to enjoy them soaked in tea or hot chocolate in front of a good movie.

Dinner?
I go crazy for pumpkin, so a Creamy pumpkin's soup, perfect to warm up after a wet autumn day, is the answer.


Scarf?
A tartan scarf I bought last year in Florence, which I really love because it's soft and warm and it matches perfectly with all my coats.


Coat?
A dark green duffle coat that my mother bought me for my graduation day some years ago from United Colors of Benetton. It's perfect with every outfit, especially with dresses and skirts , and it makes me feel beautiful.

Shoes?
My brown leather ankle boots..They keep my feet dry and warm and I've never worn anything more comfortable!!!


Scented Candle?
I rediscovered my passion for candles last year and now it has became a ritual for me to light up a scented candles as soon as darkness falls. Lately my favourite is " Warm Spice Yankee Candle", deliciously indulgent and creamy, a classic blend of vanilla, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.


Activity?
Reading, listening "Enya", watching movies, walking in the wood, baking cakes and biscuits, taking pictures, preparing soups and picking up chestnuts.


I've loved to do this tag and I hope you liked it! It would be amazing to know your answers..so I TAG YOU!!!
Love
xoxo
Martina