Just A Little Touch Of Blush...

Goodevening my lovely ladies!!!

Clearance sales are a real blessing! I've just come back from an afternoon of shopping with a little haul of makeup products and I can't wait to try them all!

During my everyday life, I'm used  to put on a very natural and fresh make up: just a little touch of blush on my cheeks, a coat of black mascara on my lashes, which unfortunately tend to be short and thin, and a lipstick that enhances the natural color of my lips and that can keep them moisturized and soft.

However, I can't deny that I'm very passionate about lipsticks, so I often experiment with brighter colors, bolder and eye-catching! 

Actually, this overstated shopping was absolutely not planned, but once I was in the Kiko's  store of my town, a famous Italian brand whose prices are perfect for people who like to experiment with makeup and don't want to spend a fortune, I was literally dazzled and spellbound, and  I couldn't  resist to fill my basket !

So, here what I bought:

• Kiko nail laquers, number 48 and 58;
• Kiko outdoor bronzer, "Technical honey", number 01;
• Kiko matte lipstick " Velvet Passion", number 315;
• Kiko lipstick "Mirage", number 05;
• Kiko lipstick "Endless love", number 05;
• Kiko lip laquer " Shining Star", number 02 and 04;
• Kiko "bright duo" baked eyeshadow, "Infinity", number 239;
• Kiko 3d light & glow highlighter " Conquer Coral", number 01.

Have an amazing weekend!

Love

Martina

A Little Talk...

The last day in the library!

Wonderful Sunday my lovely folks!

I know that I owe you an explanation for having been so negligent so far, so here it is, plain and simple, the reason why I've been so silent in this little place of mine has been the terrible, stressful and feared national exam to be a professional social worker I've been preparing during the last six months.

Working full time, it hasn't been easy to focus on studying, so getting ready for this text has taken all of my free time, especially the weekends and the evenings after work, that are supposed to be used to chill out and regenerate.

But, you know what?!?! IT WAS WORTH IT, BECAUSE I PASSED IT, in spite of all my worries and insecurities!

When I saw the results on the net, I couldn't believe my eyes and I was, and I'm still, so proud, happy and relieved!

Pass this exam was extremely important for my career infact, not even a week after the results, I started a new job, which allows me to put into practice what I've studied and I'm passionate about and, despite the fears, I can only be in the seventh heaven!

To be forgiven for my long absence, here some of the lovely things that made me happy in the last couple of months:

1. Pancakes with strawberries and maple syrup. Also my last post on the blog started with something sweet that involved strawberries, but to be a greedy girl means exactly this: to be excited and delighted in front of a plate of freshly made pancakes, to be tasted on Saturday morning in a comfortable pajamas.
2. "Wild". I've been reading this story of adventure and rebirth, written by Cheryl Strayed, for a while and I've been totally captivated by it. In its pages you can feel the fire of the desert, the icy cold of the Sierra and the hypnotic power of a remarkable woman who, one step after the other, finds herself and her path
3. Sisterhood. I love spending quality time with my little sister Linda; She is my partener in crime and my midnight companion, the one I can sing out loud in the car with, the one that always motivate me to do my best, the one I can eat tons of icecream with, without feeling guilty because she always fights for the last spoon. Despite the difference of age, the relationship we have is special and she always knows how to cheer me up and make me smile! After being an only child for ten long years, she is definitely the best gift my parents could have given to me. 
4. Amsterdam. There's always something exciting about planning a trip in a city that you've never explored before. People say Amsterdam is the Venice of the north, so I couldn't think of a better place to spend a few days off next month! Moreover, it will be the first holiday together for me and Linda, so I really can't wait to start packing!

While I was studying I decided to write a list of things I would have done after the exam and, one of my resolutions, is to post more, at least once every couple of weeks! Having said that, I really hope that you will hear my news more often from now on...fingers crossed!!!

Love

Martina

A Spring-like Update

Happy Sunday my loveliest!

I'm writing this post with the windows opened, letting the fresh air of this glorious sunny day to come in and shake the curtains of my bedroom.

On the bedside table there is a burning candle, "Midnight Jasmine" of Yankee Candle, a very relaxing scent of water jasmine, sweet honeysuckle, neroli and mandarin blossom, which is perfect to celebrate this little moment of my own.

The last couple of months have really flown and my job has practically swallowed me, but there were some lovely things that are really worth being remembered...

1. Strawberries and chocolate on toast. There's nothing that can put me in a good mood like having a yummy breakfast! Last week I was craving for something sweet and tasty, so I went for a combination that really amazed me: the most creamy and delicious dark chocolate spread on toast with fresh organic strawberries: PARADISIAC!

2. Stripes. I simply adore them! I've been wearing this black t-shirt with white stripes in every occasion and I think it goes perfectly with every kind of outfit (a pair of skinny jeans, my favourite dungarees, my black leather jacket) and it makes me feel a little bit " glamour", expecially if I'm wearing a veil of red lipstick, which is something I thought I would have never been able to do!

3. Blue skies and windy walks. Spring is for the most stunning strolls in the countryside, where the meadows are showing all their glory, with their bright green grass, the colorful flowers and the lapping of the creek. Fingers crossed for more and more of these gorgeous days, for these running clouds which seem whipped cream and make me feel like I was in Ireland again, reducing a little the nostalgy for this isle of emerald!

4. Northanger Abbey. During the month of April I've been reading this classic, which is my first Jane Austen's book, and I throughly enjoyed it! It's a very quick and fun read and I would reccomend it to any lover of classics or to anyone who hasn't delved into this peerless writer yet!

5. Venice. How could I end up this post without mentioning Venice?!? You know how much I love this charming city and the feeling of happiness, peace and well-being I feel when I'm scampering around and about its tiny streets. 

April and May gave me some idyllic moments there with my friends and family, of whom I savoured every single moment hoping for more to come!

Love

xxx

Martina

Scented Vibrations...

Happy Monday my lovely ladies!!!

After a glorious sunny week, today the weather is grey and rainy, so I've thought it was the right moment to visit this little place of mine that I've neglected for so much time!!! So, here I am, ready to write an ode to spring with some flowering pictures, to suggest you a new recipe and a book that I'm loving right now.

As you can see, I truly love daffodils: their yellow and white blooms, swaying in the breeze, announce with joy the arrival of spring, bringing a lively note on the banks of the rivers and in the green grass of the meadows.

Everytime I see them, during my little daily walks in the countryside, the poem of William Wordsworth comes in my mind, and brings with itself  the same emotion that I felt the first time I heard these verses in my last year of High School.

Yesterday we celebrated Easter, so I tried a new recipe of a dairy-free "colomba", a traditional Easter cake in form of a dove... it's very easy to do, but the outcome is amazing! Fluffy and tasty, with a note of almond, lemon and orange zest... try it and you won't be disappointed!

Ingredients: 3 eggs, 350g of flour, 90g of sunflower oil, 170g of milk, 150 g of sugar, the zest of an orange and of a lemon, 1 vial of almond flavoring, 1 tablespoon  of yeast for pies, almonds and granulated sugar to decorate.

And, last but not the least, the book I'm currently reading: " The Truth About The Harry Quebert Affair", by Joel Dicker, a gripping story about love, sadness, books and hidden pasts.

Love

xxx

Martina

A Wonderful Weekend In The Lake Of Como And Lugano

Good afternoon my lovely folks and Happy Friday!!!

Even the weather is glad that the week is over...the sun is shining bright, the sky is cloudless and Spring seems to be just around the corner.

Unfortunately I can't take advantage of this glorious day because I'm housebound with a bad flu and an annoying cold. Yesterday was awful, I practically slept all day long, waking up only for drinking a cup of tea and cuddling Cloe, who spent the entire day in my sickbed, as the most caring nurse.

Luckily today I feel much better, so I thought it was the right time to share with you some of the lovely memories I have of the weekend I spent in the Lake of Como and Lugano. 

I went there with my closest friends Giulia and Marzia, because this trip was her amazing gift for our graduation..she couldn't have chosen something more perfect and exactly right for us!

We left home on Saturday morning and, after a yummy breakfast, we took the motorway towards the Lake of Como. We reached the city just in time for lunch so, after leaving the luggages in the cosy room of our hotel, we went straight to the "Mystic Burger"; it's a restaurant with modern and casual chic interiors, contemporary design and rustic details, where I ate one of the best hamburger of my life ( I have to admit that I'm a beginner in the matter of hamburgers..I've eaten my first one less than 10 years ago!!It's shocking, I know, I know...).

We spent the rest of the day wandering around the streets of Como and, the morning after, we reached the shores of the lake, which is one of the most stunning place in the north of Italy. The day was absolutely gorgeous, the waters shone in the sun and we could capture the scenery in all its beauty.

Being very close to Switzerland, we took the opportunity to visit Lugano, a lovely little city, very tidy and peaceful, where we spent the time strolling here and there.

I absolutely love being with these two,they are the best friends you can desire and I feel so lucky that life has brought us together!!! 

Love

xxx

Martina

Just A Minute In January...

Goodevening my lovelies!!!

Is there anyone still around here? I’m so sorry for the never ending absence from this precious little place of mine and I’m so glad that I’m finally back!!!

The reason why I 've decided to break this period of silence with this “ just a minute” post is that this short time seems to be the only one I can take during this period of craziness.

The new job is absolutely satisfying and captivating, but sometimes I feel like I’ve got on a running train that is not going to stop!!! 

So this evening, after more than a month, I’m curled up in my bed, under a fluffy blanket, with a boiling cup of hot chocolate and a hot water bottle on my feet, enjoying the simple pleasure of being alone with my lovely memories.

The big resolution I made for this brand new year was to try to find the genuine happiness in myself but also the strength I needed to break free of a relationship that, instead of giving me serenity, was stealing my joy of life and was filling myself with insecurities and sadness. 

So, January hasn’t started in an easy way, but, unexpectedly, it has also brought some beautiful emotions!!!

Unfortunately I didn’t do anything particularly exciting in the past couple of weeks, but I want to show you some of the pictures I took on Sunday morning when I went exploring the frosty woods near home with Cloe, mum and dad! 

It has been amazing to walk in the chilly air, among the crunching leaves, listening to the chirping of the birds and the lapping of the creek.

For a couple of hours I felt literally carried  through the pages of the wonderful book I'm reading, “The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady” by Edith Holden, a diary which starts in the month of January 1906, and  includes the favourite poems, the personal thoughts and the observations on the wildlife surrounding the village of the writer in the Warwickshire

Sometimes the contact with nature and its enchanting beauty it’s all that we need to feel alive again, regenerated in body and soul.

Love

Martina

Sweet Memories Of Dublin...

Being at home from two months I've decided it was the right time to share with you some of the pictures I took when my best friend Giulia came to visit me in Dublin in early September.

We spent a week together, sharing the little bedroom I was living in and trying to get the most of the time we had in Dublin, visiting the city and its surroundings.

I can't explain the happiness I felt when I saw her at the airport, we were so excited that we couldn't stop smiling and laughing like foolish!

We spent the following days visiting Dublin, starting from the Trinity College, with its breathtaking library and the famous sphere of Arnaldo Pomodoro, and continuing with St. Stephen's Green, Merrion Square, the National Gallery, Phoenix Park, St. Patrick Cathedral , but also the lovely village of Howth and its amazing 10 km of coastal path!

We tasted the best food ever, especially all the vegan cakes, scones and muffins we shared in front of the biggest cups of chai tea latte!
 It was amazing to be with her in a city I loved so much and I really wanted that our mini holiday could last forever!!!

Love
xxx
Martina