Tiny Beautiful Things of the Week

Hello everybody!!:)
I'm so glad that this week I can do a post like this! It was February when I did the last one!
The summer is finally begun...it's hot and the sun shines all day long! I'm so happy because I was really tired of all that rain!!!
The first beautiful thing of this week has been a delicious cake with chocolate and vanilla!:) I'm a huge fan of these soft cakes which are perfect to be tasted in the morning with a cup of tea or coffee...They give me the right boot of energy to face the day!
The only problem was that it was an experiment and I put too little chocolate..the next time I must abound with it!!!

 

The second beautiful thing has been my new perfume: Primrose.
This is a minute and delicate flower and its bloom symbolically represents the rebirth of a lush, vital and rich of perspectives period, which is exactly what I want for my close future.

I hope this fragrance will be a good omen!!!

I'm in love with scarves, so they are in the third place of my beautiful things of this week!!! I bought the black and white scarf with my brand new black leather jacket and the dress with watermelons, and the other one to match it with the millions of blue things that are squished in my wardrobe!

 

 

 

These four days have passed in a flash and they have been full of amusement with the children at work, nice chats that have brought me back in the time of my adolescence, friendship and little satisfactions that have warmed my heart...so tonight I feel more optimistic and confident than I have been in the last few months...and it's beautiful!

 

What have been your tiny beautiful things of the week?

Love

Martina

My Life in Books

Last night, while I was sitting lazily on the couch, I saw this cute tag on the youtube page of Jenny (Sunny Sweet Pea) and I wanted to try to answer her questions.
I'm fond of books since I was a child! There are photos
about me at two years old with books on my knees, all intent on turning the colorful pages.
Through books I could travel with the imagination, live fantastic adventures, identify myself in the different characters, and understand the value of friendship, loyalty, courage and kindness.
In the years that passion has never left me and, although the various daily tasks don't allow me to read a lot , I always keep a book on the bedside table to read a couple of pages before sleeping.

1. What is the first book you remember reading?

The story of Babar, the elephant, his wife Celeste and their children was one of my favourite when I was at nursery school and the first one I remember reading when I was six!
Their adventures were funny and, as an only child, I really wanted a big family like theirs!

2. What books make up your childhood?

How wonderful are the illustrations of this book?!! Even now, at 26 years old, I love flipping through it, becoming a little girl again for a while. It is one of those book I want to treasure for my future children, because I want them to know the fantasy world of mice that swarm the countryside and rejoice it with their squeaks.

And this is the second book I cherish with love from my childhood!!! I received it as a gift for Christmas when I was five years old and it suddenly became my favourite!!! Beatrix Potter was a brilliant writer and painter and last year I realized my dream and I went to see her house in the Lake District! It was fabulous to be there, walk through  the country roads that have inspired her stories and see a lot of rabbits in the fields, wondering which of them could have been Peter rabbit... 

3. What's the first series of books you devoured?

I've really grown up with Harry Potter!!!I received the first one when I was eleven and for years, until the last one, I've waited with anxiety the release of the new books!
The magic world, created by the writer, is incredible, the characters are full of personality and their adventures are amazing: I couldn't take my eyes from the book until the last page!!!

4. What books have you, or could you, read over and over again?

I've read "Little Women" at least three times and I could read it again!I also watched the movie adaptation and the cartoon when I was young and I liked both of them! Jo was absolutely my favourite character and some months ago I also read a book entitled "The Little Women letter", of Gabrielle Donnelly, which explores the imagined lives of Jo March's descendants, three sisters who are both thoroughly modern and thoroughly March. 

I read this book in italian last year and I lived every page!!! It is wise, funny, perceptive, compassionate, often unbearably sad, and the loveliest book I've read in ages! Now I want to reread it in english, because I think it's worth it.

" I want all of you, forever, you and me, everyday".. this book is a story about the enduring power of love, and about miracles that only this sentiment can do. I've read it many times and it is one of those books that make me feel full of hope and confidence in the future and in the happiness that only love can make you feel.

5. What books take you back to a certain point in your life and why?

This book by Astrid Lindgren brings me back to my childhood, particularly on summer evenings spent with my grandparents from Florence. Before I went to bed my grandfather used to read me this funny story of Martina, a Swedish girl with blond hair like mine, who lived in a beautiful wooden house by the river, used to have donuts with hot chocolate for breakfast, and often got into troubles. It was "our" book, and it will always have a special place in my library.

Bury me in my boots was published in 1968 when Sally Trench was only 21, and it tells about her four years on the streets of London, between drug addicts, vagrants, homeless and alcoholics. During these years she tried to take care of the marginalized and outcasts she met, bringing them food, aids, physical assistance and  emotional comfort.
This was my mom's book and I read it when I was seventeen, full of ideals and big projects, so it always reminds me this period of my life, which laid the basis for my future choices.

This was the first book I read for an exam when I was at the university in Venice. It reminds me the first months in this amazing city, the sense of freedom that I've felt, the long nights with my friends, chatting and laughing, the days passed in the library and the long strolls to explore all its beauties.

6. What book changed your life, or could at least change someone elses?

 
I think "The Language of flowers" could change someone else's life because it is a story that shows how you can find your way home even after all the bridges behind you have been cut...

7. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, which book would it be? 

 
If I could only read one book for the rest of my life, I would choose: The Pilars of the Earth.
In my opinion this book is a work of art, and I've loved it from the first to the last page!The storyline is captivating, intricate, and exciting, and the characters are complex and interesting.
The building of the cathedral, with the almost eerie artistry of the unschooled stonemasons, is the center of the drama. Around the site of the construction, Follett weaves a story of betrayal, revenge, and love, which begins with the public hanging of an innocent man and ends with the humiliation of a king.

I would be really happy to know your answers to these questions!!! I'm sure the books we love can reveal a great deal about ourselves...

Love 

xoxo

Martina

Recently I am...

 
Reading "The Cuckoo's calling", the crime fiction novel by J.K. Rowling, published under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. Although I'm not fond of this kind of stories, the sensational writing of this author can make me love all her books.

Listening "Milky Chance", a German alternative pop folk rock duo,especially their album "Sadnecessary".

Cooking rice spaghetti with shrimps, carrots, courgettes, bean sprouts and soy sauce. I prepared them with my sister, who loves chinese food, last week and they were delicious, so I'm looking forward to do them again.

Drinking smoothies, because they are perfect on summer time when you have a lot of seasonal fruits and you need something fresh and nutritious.

Wanting a new perfume!I've just finished my favourite one and I can't stay without...any suggestion?

Progressing on my university thesis!:) I'm literally overwhelmed by books!!!

Tasting ice creams, which are my summer sin of gluttony!

Buying new clothes, shoes and accessories half price! I wonder why, during the period of sales, priorities suddenly disappear and everything seems absolutely necessary!?!

Dreaming to live near the beach, wake up early in the morning and have long strolls on the cool sand with Cloe by my side.

Bloglovin Prattle and Froth, Little Winter and The Tea Drinking English Rose.

Obsessed by dark chocolate!I'm pretty sure it gives addiction!

Watching "Don't tell the bride", "Location, Location, Location" and "Dinner date".

Planning my holiday in the North Yorkshire, at Yarndale Festival (a popular yarn festival), at the end of September. I'll be there for five days with my mother, who loves knitting and crocheting, and my best friend.

Trying to post more!I've been rather absent in the last couple of months and I've missed it a lot. From now on I'll do my best, I promise.

Waiting for some weekends at the seaside or in the mountains, to relax and tan a little. It has been just a month ago but Malta seems already so far away...

Wearing my Rayban sunglasses, hoping the sun will shine all summer long!

Feeling proud about my job: working with children suffering from deficits of attention and dyslexia and who have family problems is really challenging, but immensely rewarding at the same time.

Thanking for my family and my friends, always! Life wouldn't be as beautiful as it is without their love and support!

Love

xoxo

Martina 

                                    

     

Savory Muffins

I love muffins and I really like to try different recipes to enjoy them at breakfast, but last week I decided to make them savory for dinner, accompanied by basmati rice and mixed salad.

I want to share with you my favourite recipes, which are really yummy and easy to do: Muffins with peas and bacon and Muffins with ricotta and courgettes.

 Muffins with ricotta and courgettes (for 12 muffins, in the picture above)

Ingredients
 
200 grams of flour
100 ml of milk
10 grams of yeast for savory dishes
80 grams of parmesan cheese
80 grams of ricotta 
pepper
salt
3 eggs
400 grams of courgettes
4-5 tablespoons of olive oil

Mix flour, baking powder, eggs, oil and milk. Add Parmesan cheese,  sifted ricotta and courgettes ( they must have been diced and cooked in a pan with a little olive oil). Add salt and pepper. Pour the mixture into the muffin molds and bake for 20 minutes at 180 degrees in preheated oven.  

Muffins with peas and bacon

Ingredients

200 grams of flour
100 ml of milk
10 grams of yeast for savory dishes   
100 grams of parmesan cheese
100 grams of bacon  
salt
pepper
3 eggs
200 grams of peas
4-5 tablespoons of olive oil
3 spoons of chopped parsley

Mix flour, baking powder, eggs, oil and milk. Add Parmesan cheese,diced bacon, peas ( they must have been cooked in a pan with a little olive oil) and parsley. Add salt and pepper. Pour the mixture into the muffin molds and bake for 20 minutes at 180 degrees in preheated oven.  

Enjoy your meal!!!

Love

xoxo

Martina

Something New!!!

Hello everyone!!!
I'm so glad to have time to write a post this Sunday :)!
Yesterday was the first day of sales in Italy, so I spent the entire morning wandering in Vicenza with my best friend, hunting for bargains!

 In the last couple of months I'd never had time to go shopping, so I felt really excited and full of expectations!
This is the haul that I managed to grab, among the crowd of women, and I'm really really satisfied because I found exactly what I wanted.

I bought these clothes from United Colors of Benetton, an Italian brand that I love because it has a good value for money and its collections are always colorful and cool, but also refined at the same time.

Even this floral blouse is Benetton and I think that it's perfect with my new light blue earrings in the shape of a rose and my straw hat with the ribbon, which I bought when I was on holiday in Malta!!!

I really want to show you also the next book in my read list: The Irresistible Blueberry Bakeshop & Cafe. It was described as a tempting summer read, perfect for fans of The Notebook of Nicholas Sparks, so I thought it could be perfect for me and I cannot wait to start it!

In a little shop I found also these leather sandals, which are really comfortable and perfect  to wear everyday, with skirts, shorts and nice dresses.

 And finally the last but not the least: the Naked palette of Urban Decay! 

It was time that I wanted to buy it because I think it's perfect for the lovers of eye shadows in the shades of brown like me; the colors are twelve, both brilliant and opaque, all very pigmented and long-lasting.

Yesterday afternoon I had fun creating some make up and I have to say that I'm really proud of my purchase!

Lots of Love

xoxo

Martina

Some beautiful days in Malta

I've just come back from the beautiful island of Malta, where I've spent some days with my best friend Giulia, kissed by the sun and lulled by the sound of the waves.

After the last few months I really needed an holiday to take a break from the daily grind... I wanted to

relax, read lying on the beach, laugh the whole time and dive in the crystal water!!!!

It had been years since I went to the sea so, when we arrived on the beach on Monday morning and I saw the water, which was remarkably clear, I felt really excited!!!The dark azure waters of the Mediterranean sea and the golden sand created a lovely and picturesque scenery and I immediately fell in love with this island!!!

We loved to wake up early in the morning, have breakfast in the balcony of our room, wear our bikini, prepare the backpacks and arrive on the beach when it was still empty and peaceful.

Malta 's coastline tends to be rocky rather than lined by silky sands and its beaches tend to be small and perfectly formed, but get packed out in summer, so we chose to go in the loveliest beaches suggested by our Lonely Planet guide which were: Mellieha Bay, Ghajn Tuffieha Bay and Paradise Bay in the Northwest, Blue Lagoon in Comino and Ramla Bay in Gozo.

The thrilling coastline of Dwejra, in Gozo, ( in the second picture) features some astoundingly beautiful rock formations that have been sculpted by the wind and sea, and the serene sea pool of the Blue Lagoon in Comino,( in the pictures above) is breathtaking and perfect for the lovers of diving!!!

Wandering by bus was a perfect way to explore Malta and we also visited the elegant city of Mellieha (in the first picture below) and the capital of the island, Valletta, which was a remarkable city! It's the size of a small town, easy to explore on foot, and laid out in harmonious grid formation. The tall gracious houses are distinctive for their wood-and-glass balconies, which give them a top-heavy look.

The austere exterior of Valletta's cathedral ( St John's Co-Cathedral) is no preparation for the frenzy of baroque gold and lavish decoration in its interior!!!It left us speechless!!!

Our holiday has lasted only six days but I feel really regenerated: beautiful landscapes, mouth-watering salads, tasty fresh fish, lemon popsicles and lots of fun ... I really couldn't wish for more!!!

Love
xoxo
Martina

An Adventurous Sunday Morning!!!

Last Sunday I went in the mountain with my friends to live an adventurous experience that I had never tried before: Rock climbing!!!

After a busy week, dividing myself between study and work, I really needed something relaxing and funny at the same time so, when my friends asked me to join them, I didn't hesitate!

The day was beautiful and hot, the sun shined in the blue sky and I felt full of energy!!!

The climbing wall was located in a clearing, accessible by walking for half an hour, which is perfect to do a little bit of muscle warming.

When we arrived and I saw the climbers, who were trying  to reach the top of the wall, I felt really scared.. I couldn't believe that I would be able to climb to the top, overcoming the dizziness!

 

 

 

Luckily my friends were cheering me on and soon the desire to try and the courage have taken over the fear...so I wore the harness and the shoes and I started the new adventure!!!

 

At first I needed the advice of my friends, who suggested me where to put hands and feet, but soon I felt quiet and concentrate and, slowly, I found myself on the top!

 

 

 

From there the view was wonderful and I was filled with a sense of peace .. I was so proud of myself to have done it!

After a morning of sport we were hungry, overheated and also a bit tanned, so we headed to a tipical restaurant and we ordered a tasty lunch!!!

There couldn't be a better way to end a beautiful morning like that ...

Love
Martina