Outfit: Burgundy Plaid

Nothing says fall like a great plaid dress. I was immediately drawn to the burgundy in this dress and the little flare on the skirt. I thought it would be fun to pair it with my favorite mary-janes and lace socks before the weather gets too chilly and I am stuck wearing tights and boots with all of my dresses. Although this particular dress was a local purchase (and unavailable in the States, sorry!), I have linked lots of plaid dresses I am currently lusting over below!

Weekend in Venice

coat // dress // blouse (similar) // bow (similar) // tights // shoes // bag

I know I have been a bit tough on Venice in the past. I have even called it one of Italy’s most overrated destinations. It is not that I don’t think Venice is a must-see, or that it isn’t one of the most unique and enchanting places you will ever visit. It’s just that the city is incredibly crowded and touristy, overpriced, and it can be difficult to find a good meal. While I wouldn’t want to spend a week in Venice, it is perfect for a little weekend getaway, especially when your friend -- who lives just off the grand canal -- invites you!

Typically, I visit Venice with students, which means I do the same major sites -- the Doge’s Palace, St. Mark’s Basilica, glass blowing demonstration, the Rialto Bridge, and the Accademia -- over and over again. Staying with my quasi-local friend, Sophia, however, meant that I could finally explore off the beaten path with someone who knew where to go and where to eat and drink. When Sophia asked me what I wanted to see or do, I said I just wanted to relax and wander. And wander we did, for more than 12 miles on Saturday!

We explored five of Venice’s seven neighborhoods -- Dorsoduro  San Polo, Santa Croce, San Marco, and Castello -- in between photo, cappuccino, and prosecco stops. Dorsoduro and Castello were my favorites and definitely the most residential and less-explored areas of the city. It was so nice to just amble through Venice with no real direction, and what a difference it makes having someone who knows the island so well showing you around and sharing interesting tidbits along the way!

Sunday we headed to Burano, which I will share photos of later this week (it is so cute, it deserves it’s own post). For now, I thought I would share some of Sophia’s recommendations:

Local squares perfect for sipping prosecco or coffee while people watching:
Campo San Barnaba
Via Giuseppe Garibaldi
Campo San Giacomo dall'Orio

Neighborhoods to explore:
Dorsoduro
Castello
Cannareggio

Lunch spots:
ai do gobbi - Calle del Forno, 3789
Antico Forno - Ruga Ravano, 973 (anticofornovenezia.com)

Dinner spots:
La Zucca - Santa Croce, 1762 (lazucca.it)
Muro Venezia Frari - Sestiere San Polo, 2604 (murovenezia.com)
Antiche Carampane - Sestiere San Polo, 1911

Outfit: Burgundy & Blush

trench (old, love this one) // sweater // scarf // skirt // purse // shoes (my favorite for travel and on sale!)

It is officially fall in Florence! And I couldn’t be more thrilled. Growing up in Florida fall is always a struggle. September rolls around and everyone starts pulling out their sweaters and scarfs and drinking their pumpkin lattes, while those of us in Florida are still sweltering in the Florida heat and humidity. Despite the warm temps, I always get excited and start buying fall clothes. But then I wait, and wait, and wait. Finally November rolls around and if we are lucky, we get a chilly day our two. By then the excitement over your new fall clothing is over. This happens every year.

But not this year! Because this year I am in Florence, and fall arrived promptly (basically overnight) mid-September. I will admit chilly mornings, warm afternoons, and cool evenings are not easy to dress for. But I think I am getting the hang of it -- longer skirts, light jackets and scarves, and closed-toe shoes. It isn’t quite tight weather yet, but I am definitely looking forward to its arrival.

You know me, I love unexpected color and pattern combinations. Burgundy and blush is basically a fall version of my favorite combination - pink and red. 

What is your favorite color combination for fall?

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Postcards From Munich

As much fun as Oktoberfest is, the city of Munich is even better! So, it is essential that you also see this beautiful city and not spend your entire time in the beer tents. Munich is perfectly sized -- it is big enough to have all of the major stores and a great diversity of restaurants, but small enough to navigate on foot. I have been to Munich a handful of times now, and I still really enjoy the city every time I go. I am also super biased because I am coming from Italy, and any city with a Starbucks and a Thai restaurant is going to make me happy lol.

But, back to Munich. Each time I go, I try to discover/do something different. This time, I took a bike tour through the city, discovered the Bavarian Historical Museum, explored the English Garden, and visited the Nymphenburg Palace.

Biking through Munich is a great way to see the city. The historical center of the city is easy to navigate by foot, but with a bike, you can explore Munich’s amazing green spaces, like the English Gardens. The English Gardens are massive! It is actually larger than Central Park. I stuck to the southern part and ate outside near the Chinese Tower (highly recommended, the food was a la carte and delicious). You can also check out the famous river surfers in the park. I should also warn you that there is a rather large nudist colony that likes to sunbath in the park. So that was interesting.

Another sight worth seeing, but far from the historical center, is the Nymphenburg Palace. This gorgeous seventeenth-century baroque palace was the official summer home of the Bavarian rulers. As with any baroque palace, it doesn’t disappoint. The rooms are ornately decorated and the gardens are simply gorgeous! We even stumbled upon a couple having the wedding photos taken in the main ballroom, it was breathtaking.

My last stop was the Bavarian Historical Museum, which was one of the best museums I have visited. I was surprised to find a large collection from the Medici princess I study (including some portraits). She was married to the brother of the Bavarian ruler and after she and her husband died the territories were combined under one ruler and the collection of her objects and paintings were transferred from Dusseldorf to Munich. So that was an amazing surprise! Besides the personal connection, the museum is well done, interesting, not crowded, and has a fabulous cafe (with amazing wifi). It is definitely a must-visit in Munich.

Have you been to Munich? What is your favorite thing to see or do?

Oktoberfest + 10 Tips

Oktoberfest, as I imagined it would be, was crazy! Having attended both, I can safely say I prefer the calmer and smaller Springfest, but I am still happy I got to experience the real Oktoberfest. It was basically the same as Springfest, just on a larger and more drunkin scale. Oh, the level of intoxication... It is definitely comical at times and sad at other times. You should also bring earplugs because all you hear all night long are ambulance sirens!

Like during Springfest, I found that I enjoyed the beer tents in the morning and early afternoon, when things were calmer. After a morning of toasting, sampling delicious pretzels, eating a Bavarian lunch, and enjoying some traditional music, I would head out and explore Munich. But more on Munich later. For now here are some tips for surviving Oktoberfest.

1) Arrive Early to Get in a Tent
For the true Oktoberfest experience, you definitely want to get in a tent. This year there were 14 tents showcasing 6 Munich breweries, and each brewery brews a special Oktoberfest beer for the occasion. The tents are massive and crowded. Each is full of picnic-style benches and all usually open between 9 and 10 am (FYI you have to be sitting to order a beer). Once the tent is full, access is denied. So if you show up after lunch, odds are you will not get into a tent (this is especially true for weekends).

We arrived bright and early at 9 am to the Armbrustschützen tent so we could pick a good spot (be warned many tables are reserved in advance, so make sure you don’t pick a reserved table). The Hofbräu Festzelt tent is probably the most famous (and most crowded). Once you pick a tent you want to settle in and avoid tent-hopping, because once you leave, you may not get back in!

2) Get Dressed Up
Dressing the part for Oktoberfest is half the fun. Men wear lederhosen and women wear dirndls. You can purchase yours when you arrive in the many (and I mean many) shops around town. Prices vary from super nice and authentic to train-station cheap (40 euros to 200+ euros). Everybody dresses up, locals and non-locals alike, and people wear their lederhosen and dirndls all weekend and even outside of the beer tents. Also ladies, it is a good idea to wear close-toed shoes and bring a small cross-body bag, or no bag at all.

3) Pace Yourself
The minute you tell someone that the beer is very strong and they should pace themselves, they seem to have something to prove. You have nothing to prove! Oktoberfest is only fun if you remain upright. Beers are served by the litre and cost 10.25 each. They also offer a half beer, half lemonade concoction called a “radler." It is always a good idea to throw a couple of those in there throughout the day (it’s actually all I drink).

4) Tip Your Waitress
If you want good service and the less-foamy beers, you need to tip! Tables seat 8, so if everyone orders together and chips in 50 cents each, that’s already a 4 euro tip.

5) Eat Inside the Tents
The traditional Bavarian food served inside the tents is delicious. They also serve a variety of breads and pretzels. Try them all!

6) Ride the Rides
Along with the beer tents, the massive Oktoberfest grounds is filled with all kinds of carnival rides and street food vendors. When you tire of the tent (I can only make it about 5 or 6 hours), the rides are lots of fun!

7) Explore Munich
If you do go to Oktoberfest, it is important that you see more than just the beer tents. Munich is one of my favorite cities. There is definitely a lot to see and do besides Oktoberfest. I like to get to the tents early, have lunch, stay for the music after lunch, and then leave to explore the city.

8) Use the Buddy System
Whether on the festival grounds or in the city, it is important to use the buddy system. This will keep you from getting lost in the massive tents, as well as, shield you from unwanted interactions with overly drunk people in the streets. As a woman, I definitely didn’t want to walk around late in the day on my own. The level of male intoxication (and female, they just didn’t bother me) is crazy and some men can be aggressive and rude.

9) Bring lots of Cash
You can only pay for the beer in the tents and carnival rides with cash, so bring lots of it (don’t worry Munich has ATMs).

10) Don’t Stand Until the Locals Do
If you stand up (when no one else is) and place one leg on the bench and the other on the table, you are signaling that you’re about to chug your entire litre of beer. People with start cheering and all eyes will be on you. The only problem is that if you do this before the Germans do, or too early in the day, you will be kicked out of the tent. By the end of the day, everyone will be standing and swaying on the benches, again let the locals start this before you join in.


Have you been to Oktoberfest? Do you have any tips to share?

Outfit: Fashion Night Out

dress // blouse (old, love this one) // bow (old, similar) // shoes // ring ℅ // clutch (old, last seen here) // sunnies

I wore this look a couple weeks ago for Fashion’s Night in Florence, and again to the adorable French-themed street fair that popped up in Piazza Santissima Annunziata the following week. It basically includes everything I love in one outfit -- a pussy bow, pink, and a novelty bag.

As much as I stick to what I know works for me, I also love trying my hand at different trends every once in a while. I believe getting dressed should be fun, and now and then you just have to try something new. I wasn’t sure if I was going to love the socks and heels/maryjanes look, but I had seen it in several window displays in Florence and I was feeling inspired. I actually really like it! It is certainly not professional enough for work, but great for an evening out. Plus, the socks are practical - they definitely make your heels more comfortable.

Have you tried, or would you try, the socks and heels trend?

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10 Things You Must Do in Santorini

Oh, Santorini! How I miss your white-washed architecture, blue domes, bright pink blooms, charming towns, and crystal clear waters already. After editing a ton of photos and summing my adventures, I thought I should share my definitive list of “must-dos” when visiting this magical island.

1) See the sunset in Oia
It is gorgeous and famous for a reason. But get there early to stake out your spot!

2) Rent a four-wheeler
So fun and a great way to get around the island (oh, and super affordable too).

3) Say hi to the donkeys in Fira
These donkeys are crazy, but cute. If you’re like me and feel bad riding them up the hill, you can walk down the path to the port (just keep an eye out for rouge donkeys and all the poop!) and ride the cable car back up to town.

4) Hike a trail
There are lots of trails on the island, but the best one is the hike from Fira to Oia (which you can read more about here).

5) Take a great picture of some iconic blue domes
You can read about my favorite blue-dome photo spot here. But these gorgeous blue domes dot the island, and searching them out is half the fun.

6) Explore a smaller more local town 
I loved the little town of Pyrgos. So adorable and charming, and definitely less touristy and unspoiled than the more popular towns of Oia and Fira. I also explored Akrotiri, Firostefani, and

7) Visit Red Beach
I am not a huge beach go-er, but Red Beach, thanks to its unique red color, was stunning and definitely worth a visit and a quick dip in the crystal-clear waters.

8) Take a boat tour around the island 
This one of the best ways to see the island and the circular “Caldera,” which formed when the area collapsed from a volcanic eruption. This gave Santorini its present-day unique semi-cirluar shape. The entire area is a basically a collapsed ancient volcano!

9) Explore ancient Thera
The island of Santorini (or Thera as it was called) has a long (and important) history, which you can see and explore through the archeology museum in Fira or the ruins of the ancient city of Akrotiri.

10) Get lost in Oia
Oia was definitely my favorite town on the island. It is everything everyone says it will be -- gorgeous and magical. The best way to explore its winding alleys and little nooks is to just let yourself get lost!


You can read about all of my adventures in Santorini here:
Postcards from Santorini Day 1
Postcards from Santorini Day 2
Postcards from Santorini Day 3
Postcards from Santorini Day 4