Mmmmm, it was La Dolce Vita in Italy for a week with Audrey, and I’m not talking about the gelato considering I ate only two scoops the whole time. It was so hot it was all melting too fast, a lot like our days there that seemed to just disappear so quickly. Italy is no stranger to me. As our friendly neighbor here in France, I’ve been five or six times between Tuscany, Venice, and Basilicata for work and play but I have so much more to see. I had never been to the eternal city of Rome, and had been dreaming of Cinque Terre up the coast for several summers now. Rome was a happy accident on this trip, as we stopped through in commute and stayed a few days with our friend Emma who showed us the best of Roman life from a local perspective. I was blown away by the city’s monuments (even after years living in a place as historic as Paris). We enjoyed some nights out, one until dawn watching the sunrise over the city as it has been for thousands of years now. Visiting friends in foreign places is such an amazing way to meet new people too, and in the good company of designers from Italy’s top fashion houses, we were recounted hilarious stories of Roman nights that ended with late morning coffees all the way down in Naples. We didn’t manage to get up to so much trouble, but if I find myself back in Rome, I have to say I am game for such debauchery, if only to live to tell the story. It was all cut a bit short though as Audrey and I had a planned to get to Cinque Terre. We hopped the train North and spent five days in the five colorful fishing villages that have come to be known as Cinque Terre. Tourists packed like sardines onto the beaches and town roads, we still managed to find room to get some sun here and swim along the gorgeous coast line. When we decided we had enough of all the people, we came across a secret tip from some adventurous australians that led us down an abandoned railway tunnel in pitch black darkness for 1 kilometer. On the other side, a gorgeous quiet beach perfect for a dip sans bikini. A nice way to say “Ciao Italy!” until next time. And yes, there will definitely be a next time…
Garbo – A very cool little late night spot with an old school Italian vibe. Perfect for if you want to stay out late and enjoy drinks with friends over conversation versus a wild party, plus a friendly and funny staff. Their motto is “Garbo is for all!” so truly, come as you are!
Dining - Get ready for a carb overload, but just go for it and don’t worry about the swimsuit. There are not particular restaurants that stood out to me above the others, but pretty much anywhere you stop to eat in any of the villages or La Spezia is going to serve you up their Italian momma’s cooking. Wether that be pizzas, lasagna, or pasta. Most places have seafood options which are quite good considering the vicinity of the fishing. My favorites though were the Foccaciarias where you can grab a fresh foccacia sandwich to go complete with cheesy goodness. Those seem traditional here and are not to be missed.
I imagine you’re all a bit confused about where I actually live these days with so much travel here on the blog. Indeed, Paris is still home and back to real life there and outfits, fashion weeks, etc. soon. Summer is for travel though and one that brought me so much excitement and inspiration the last two months so there is still a bit left here of it before August calls it quits. Next stop, Formentera! Until that post catch me day-to-day on instagram, twitter, pinterest, and facebook.