As excited as I am about next week's holiday in French wine country and at the seaside, Paris is by far the bit I get most excited to pack for. There is an energy and sense of style like no other, and I can't help but feel inspired whenever I am in this wonderful city.

To help differentiate myself from the throngs of tourists in this peak season, I plan to keep away from the museums and tourist attractions, just eating at burger trucks and our favorite hole-in-the-wall taco place, strolling the streets and soaking in the joie de vivre - and I plan to pack accordingly. While I greatly admire the Parisian who can somehow maneuver the steep streets of the 18th and the city's cobblestones while in three-inch heels and balancing her of-the-moment designer bag on her delicate wrist after dropping €20 on her café et croissant, I must admit to being a bit more practical.

I'm thinking, casual, classic French with some fashion-forward updates (picture Coline, but painfully less cool). A spritz of my favorite Chanel, a hands-free bag for making full use of my new DSLR and the perfect soundtrack for people-watching in the park, and I'm set. Well, with a good hat and umbrella for those notorious grey and rainy Paris days, of course (yes, even in the summer). Now to just practice my French and that aloof city attitude...



Style photo credits, top to bottom: Et Pourquoi Pas Coline, unknown via Pinterest, Andy T. on Lookbook.nu

This week, we got a sneak preview of summer with sudden temperatures of the 'threatening to melt' variety and when I was not in a state of heat-induced delirium, I was actually reveling in the sun on my bare skin and the need to finally break out my sunnies (Germany is notoriously overcast, and this from an SF bay native). It almost made me feel like I was a California girl again. Almost.  

Happy first day of summer everyone! Here's to more fun, sun and some seasonally-appropriate holidays. I don't know about you, but the beach is calling to me...

blanket / necklace / hat / eyeglasses / round sunnies / square sunnies / bag / margarita / sneaks / shorts / tee

Don't get me wrong, I am a color fanatic. When we first moved to Germany, I stuck out like a sore thumb in my bright California color, so visible amidst the sea of khaki/navy/black-clad Germans. Now, I happily rock my neon pink pieces and playfully patterned dresses because I love how color makes me feel more than I worry about being looked at as an outsider.

Even with all this color love, most especially after my many recent acquisitions in the neon family, I have found myself drawn to graphic black and whites. While they may not be technically colorful, these bold patterns stand up to even the most saturated tones and blindingly bright hues with the strong statement they make. It's just the pop of something new and fresh my bright wardrobe and colorful home needs.

sandals / kitchen towels /  duvet cover / pillow / camera strap / shorts / silk top / striped bangles / maxi dress / triangle tote

When I used to think of the word 'sweatshirt', I couldn't help but think it was a dirty word. Literally. It brought to mind shapeless, yellowed-cuffs college attire that was emblazoned with some fraternity/college you didn't attend/freebie business logo and hadn't seen the wash since you had last visited your mother. Ahh, how times have changed.

Now, sweatshirts can not only be cool and hip, they can even be pretty. The once bottom rung attire choice has gotten a style upgrade with the likes of trendy dip-dying and feminine add-ons like eyelet, sequins and sparkles (in a completely non-Vegas trailer park way, of course). And with spring in full swing, it's the perfect way to stay warm under your raincoat without rummaging through all your freshly cleaned and put-away-for-the-season winter sweaters.

{clockwise} Zara (similar) / Old Navy / Vardagen / H & M / ASOS / Zara / J.Crew / Hello

For many years, I believed that green was not the color for me. I avoided all lime, grass and emerald hues, thinking that they somehow didn't work for my pale, Irish coloring (clearly, I needed to branch out). But then one day a little over a decade ago, I tried on a bold green sweater on a whim... and what do you know? I fell in love. These days, I have quite a collection of emerald pieces in my wardrobe.

As spring has sprung this year, after a particularly long and grey winter, I am reminded of how Pantone's color of the year is also the color of the season. Sure, there are blooms of varied colors and glorious blue skies, but emerald is the color that arrives first, leaves last and shines with the most brilliance and abundance in the season's sunshine. It is the color that breathes life into the world around us, waking it - and us - up after months dominated by grey and white. I for one feel recharged by this shade and am inspired to pull more emerald out of my closet and go wiggle my toes in the green, green grass.    



*This post is a submission for Pantone's Do You Feel Emerald? blog contest

After yesterday's realization and subsequent post that Simon Baker and I have worn the same glasses, I couldn't help but be reminded of these shoes. I about died when I saw the result of the new collaboration between Keds and Taylor Swift: a pair of shoes with glasses on them! Just in case you somehow missed this little fact about me - I am obsessed with shoes. My shoe collection is of Imelda Marcos proportions. Okay, not quite, but it's serious. Add to that my love of glasses, and these limited edition sneaks might have to join my ever-expanding shoe collection. 

Today being March first and with the spring equinox just weeks away - or earlier, if you believe Punxsutawney Phil's predictions - it is time for spring blossoms, and therefore, spring color, to begin. With the depressing, oppressing grey winter, I have been a little too eager to jump right to summer with neon brights (been loving me some highlighter yellow and hot pink), but perhaps it's time to slow things down and take joy in the soft, budding colors of spring. 

Now, I'm not a huge fan of pastels. I think baby blues, powder pinks and pale lavenders just wash my pasty self out. But mint, oh magical mint green... I don't know what it is about this color that I've come to be to love so much, but I might be obsessed. Perhaps because mint is so much more than just a color, the smell and taste simultaneously invoking relaxing, uplifting and soothing feelings, the shade invades your senses as though it possessed the same qualities as mint itself. Even with all my intense desire for this color over the past year, I've barely managed to add to my mint collection and I'm getting a serious itch to now that the season is just right. 

Lucky for me, it seems this popular hue is still going strong and is showing up everywhere - in all its solid, color-blocked, striped, polka dotted, sequined and initialed glory. My favorites right now are the subtle polka dotted sweater, Madewell's darker mint skinnies (because, let's face it, some of our asses just don't belong in super pale pants), that monogrammed leopard pouch (I will forever be a prep and obsessed with all things monogrammed) and my all-time favorite shoes, now being offered with a pop-of-mint sole. Of course, I am still pining for that oh-so-spring iPhone case and the go-to Essie shade, Mint Candy Apple. Oh mint, you just make me happy with your pleasing hue!      

So here's to that glorious season called spring. May you be full of blossoms and sun - and, as predicted, come early!




see this collage and its details bigger here

I think Valentine's Day gets a bad rap from all the singles being made to feel lonely out there. But romantic love isn't all there is out there. Growing up, my mom always made me feel loved and special on Valentine's - one notable year I awoke to her making batches of heart-shaped frosted cookies for me for breakfast. Just last week my oldest and dearest friend said she'd been thinking about me a lot lately (we haven't seen each other in nearly two years) and wanted to send me something for Valentine's Day.

Of course we all should appreciate and show our love every day, but let's be honest, we get busy, we get distracted and we can forget. Why not take this day to remind everyone you love just how much they mean to you?

Here are a few Valentine-y things that I've been loving lately...

1. Non-traditional jewelry // Things that feel unique and special hold so much more appeal than that diamond pendant that's in every mall ad come Valentine's Day. I love this nerdy Venn diagram necklace and this block ampersand pendant for their quirky sweetness.

2. Sweet tech // Who says romance can't be functional? A case for receiving loving phone calls or a swanky way to transport electronic love notes and photos are little ways to bring love into the everyday.

3. Matching morning mugs // I like the idea of celebrating your own person within a couple. These make-you-smile mugs for loving looks over morning coffee are perfectly representative of me and my husband.

4. Something rich & chocolatey // While this chocolate mousse is oh-so rich and decadent (and my favorite bit - so easy!), it won't weigh you down like some other heavy chocolate desserts. I like to make mine with chili Lindt bars, cinnamon and a little Cointreau.

5. Gourmet caramels // Not only do these award-winning caramels come in the mouth-watering flavors of sea salt and bourbon vanilla or chai, but the Big Picture Farm website is enchanting all on its own. Each product lists which goats provided the milk for that product (with names like Gertrude and Winnimere, how could they not provide delicious milk?) and has photos of the goats frolicking and looking cute. The whimsical drawings of each goat just adds to the charm. You can also keep up with the goats' glorious life on their blog.

6. Heart prints // It's hard to not feel the love with your heart literally on your sleeve. I'm loving these very Marc Jacob-y prints at Gap and Old Navy to wear throughout the year. Who says you only have to be in the mood for love around Valentine's?

7. Classic romance // There's just something about the classics. Sure, the stories are timeless, but ever since Penguin started releasing the most beautiful books in existence, it's made reading them - or heck, even displaying them on a bookshelf - feel like a much more romantic endeavor. Think I might have to read a Shakespeare sonnet or two this month...

8. Cozy nights in // Ever since my go-to cotton pajamas ripped gloriously down the back a few weeks ago, I've had my mind on a fresh new pair to replace my now very threadbare and rather dated set. It's hard to go wrong with a classic stripe or chambray - and how lucky for me that Victoria's Secret pajamas come in tall! No more freezing ankles and wrists, thank you very much.

9. Festive manis // Everyone knows I'm a bit of manicure nut, but holidays provide even more reason and inspiration to put something special on your fingertips. The Beauty Department has some great tutorials, although some are a bit too much work, even for me. This xoxo mani, as well as simple hearts - either freehand or with a stencil - are just right.

10. Packaging is everything // I am definite Chanel girl when it comes to perfume, but Tocca runs a very close second. If not only for its wonderfully unique scents, the bottles look like ones you might find in an antique store and downright beg to be displayed on a dressing table. This little trio, which includes my very favorite Tocca scent, Cleopatra, would be the perfect way to beautify my perfume shelf and allow me to change things up depending on my mood.


Happy Valentine's Day!


see this collage bigger here

ou know what those Monty Phyton boys always said... Although, this time of year - January especially - it's hard to be bright and cheery when everything around us is so grey and sad. I was beginning to feel  in a  hopeless spiral towards seasonal affective disorder when I met a friend for lunch the other day and she was wearing the brightest yellow cardi I'd ever seen, and then it hit me. Here was the answer - color! And not just any color, but bright, blinding, neon color. Just being in her presence made me want to sing from the rooftops (OK, not really, but almost...).

I admit, when neon made a bit of a comeback in years past, the '80s child in me could only scream no and cover my eyes to ward off the flashbacks of bad perms and Hypercolor shirts (oh yes, I had both). Given time - and three very grey, very dreary German winters - I've started to come around. It's not so garish or '80s when it's a small pop of color, say, that little J.Crew purse or the Marc by Marc Jacobs watch, grounded by neutrals. I love that things now are already coming color blocked (that clutch! those shoes!) or faded (oh, that Madewell sweater...) to tone down the effect.

Right now, I'm thinking that neon yellow and grey stripe tee is the best way to ease into these blinding winter brights. I'm hoping that with the lack of sun, these colors will radiate and elevate my mood. German's aversion to color, be damned. Guess I'm just going to stick out like the Californian that I am.

So farewell January, it's been not-so-fun! I've got color to help me through the rest of winter...



To see all the items featured above, check out my board on Polyvore
Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

In an effort to control my spending as we save for Berlin, I thought I would start this new thing each month where I focus on the things I'm loving most at the moment - both things I own (to appreciate what I have) and things I'm coveting (to try to focus my spending, or better yet, quell the urge to spend at all). So here goes...

1. Graphic pillows // Every time I see the awesome sofa pillows on Nat the Fat Rat's blog, I believe our massive sofa looks hopelessly empty and is begging for an equally amazing collection to snuggle into. This one from Ikea is topping my list.

2. Rose gold triangle studs // So simple, so perfect - so affordable!

3. Dr. Hauschka Gesichtsöl // Going from coastal California to super-dry, land-locked Germany has left my sensitive skin positively parched. This stuff works wonders.

4. An Eames chair // Every time I see the classic white version of this chair, the green-eyed monster comes out to play. Then I see the price, and he disappears without a peep. This color - mauve-grau, they're calling it - is gorgeous, not to mention versatile enough to lighten up some of our other heavy furniture - and it's half the price of the white version. Something to look forward to for our new apartment, perhaps...

5. Ginger Beer // We stock up on this at the Kleinmarkthalle in Frankfurt (same place we stock up on my white corn tortilla flour and salsa verde) to make my new favorite drink: this, a bit of Makers Mark and orange peel over ice. Delish!

6. Animal magnets // Another find from Natalie (I think I'm a little obsessed with her blog right now...), I too was charmed by these sweet little magnets. I wish I could try a little DIY action and make my own, but I'm fairly certain I'd be a few fingers short by the time I finished. So for now, I pine for the giraffe one especially.

7. Jacket with faux leather sleeves // I've been stalking this style of jacket since they first started appearing on fashion bloggers last year (already having tried one, which only looked like I was trying way too hard) and this is the first one I've found that really fits the bill. I may or may not have already ordered it with H&M Germany's recent 10% promo... (to which I plan to diligently pay off with the next few weeks makings from afternoons with the Italian girls, promise)

8. Wedge sneakers // Much to the chagrin of my husband, I've become obsessed with the all-black, laced version of this trendy shoe. For the price, I think this Dorothy Perkins version is well worth the trend.

9. Cambridge Satchel in Rose Gold // This limited edition color would make the perfect bag, for a special occasion or just to make every day feel a little special.

10. The Terror by Dan Simmons // This massive tome (nearly 800 pages!) has been at my bedside for several weeks now (admittedly, I picked it up at the English book sale because of the beautiful cover artwork). Reading about the arctic temperatures makes me thankful it is only as cold as it is here. No lost fingers and toes for me, thanks.


Phew! That felt good. More next month...

s with our holidays two years ago, I was lucky enough to spend this Christmas with my visiting mother. Unfortunately, as with last year, a white Christmas eluded us. While the lack of snow was disappointing, it's hard to complain when you have family from halfway around the world to spend the holidays with.

We made sure to include some of our favorite holiday things, like trips to our favorite Weihnachtsmärkte (Freinsheim for Portugiesisch Glühwein and Erfurt for Hungarian Lángos, not to mention the amazing setting) and baking more cookies than we could possibly eat by ourselves, but this year brought some new things as well, including:

A new addition to the tree decor, courtesy of an afternoon craft project with the Italian girls.

Homemade caramel apple (my favorite!) ornaments from mom.

A new Weihnachtsmarkt favorite: apple beignets from Freinsheim (oh, so good...).

A random drunk guy encounter that will go down in history. First, he photobombed my mom trying to get a shot next to this cute Erfurt elf (that orange coat barely seen on the left would be her). Then, realizing we were American, kept slurring that his English was 'shit', asked us to come to a party where would be lots of.. (here he mimed tossing back a bottle of spirits in the apparently internationally-recognized symbol for drinking), and referred to my mother several times as a 'MILF' (if you don't know, look it up - I'm not informing you here). After finally ditching him and his only-slightly-more-sober friend and making our way around the Markt, we came to a stage where a woman was singing Christmas songs for a crowd, only to discover, in true, only-in-the-movies fashion, this happening: 

That's right. Our drunk friend had made his way up the steps of the stage and was at first encouraging audience participation, only then to end up singing into the microphone with her. The singer allowed it for one song and the audience played along, but the awkwardness was palpable. Germans are notorious for being able to hold their drink and I've never seen such a display from a German before, intoxicated or not. We laughed about it all the way home.  

A new Christmas cookie based on Land's End's sensational holiday ones, using Ming Makes Cupcakes recipe for Thin Mint cookies, but topping it with peppermint-tinged white chocolate and crushed candy cane. Divine!

What started as just an easy Christmas Eve dinner (in light of the massive, Thanksgiving-like feast we were preparing for the following day) was such a hit, we may repeat it every year: the warm, comforting classic of grilled cheese and tomato soup. Thank you Rebecca of The Daily Muse for an amazing roasted tomato soup recipe. I am in love - and have made it again already and plan to keep it in regular meal rotation. 

A new Christmas breakfast: Sugar-crusted egg nog French toast (a variation on this recipe). I subbed egg nog for the cream to make it more Christmas-y and served it with sautéed cinnamon apples. It was the perfect Christmas flavors, not to mention easy to just take out of the fridge and stick into the oven in the morning. (tip: be sure to separate the bread and get the egg mixture between each slice - ours wasn't soaked through, even overnight, because it was packed so tight)

Christmas Eve and New Year's spent enjoying wine from our neighbor's winery they just bought (check it out here). Not only are they fantastic, but I now see a summer holiday in Bordeaux in our future... 

We had all agreed to a more modest Christmas this year (my mom and I have an especially hard time with things like budget where holidays are concerned), but we were certainly spoiled all the same. 

My stocking was chock-full of American goodies, not to mention a good part of the OPI Skyfall/ James Bond collection (The World is Not Enough - spectacular color!).

Not only was I spoiled with this gorgeous and chic hooded wool coat (the J.Crew stadium-cloth duffle), in which my glasses are fully protected and I do not resemble a giant black nylon rectangle, as I do in my other hooded winter coat,...

...but my husband surprised me with this red Maison Scotch stunner that was a frivolous want, as I had been dying for a red coat for no other reason than the bright, happy hue during our many (many) months of grey. I've since discovered that I share this same coat with a French fashion blogger I follow, who I always look to for style. That's an extra stamp of approval in my book. Also note the fabulous scarf my mom scouted out for me... from Target! Man, I miss Target...

And the pièce de résistance: my custom studded Chucks. I feel like such a bad-ass when I wear them (not to mention get a pretty good leg workout from lifting all those metal studs!). I think I might have the coolest mom ever.  

Bailey-dog had a pretty good Christmas as well. In addition to her plethora of treats, grandma brought her usual present: a stuffed toy. This year, an adorable and winter-worthy stuffed penguin. She's been getting this particular brand of 'indestructible' (ha! do they know my dog?!) plush toys for a few years now, and the limbs of ones from years past litter our home. She never chews or eats anything she's not supposed to (not furniture, not candy out on the coffee table and no, not even shoes, good dog that she is), so it's quite a treat for her to have something that she knows is all hers, with the sole purpose of proving her destruction skills. Here's a little photographic timeline of her process (all within hours of receiving it):

As you can see, a lovely holiday was had by all, especially Bailey. And not to worry: Penguin will continue to get all kinds of love, with years of more limb removal and chewing to be had.

Often forgotten, overlooked or just outright wrapped into Christmas, my husband's birthday comes at that difficult time between Christmas and New Years, when everyone is thinking of other things. I try to do what I can to make him feel special. This year, a massive Martha Stewart chocolate cake was involved (using her spectacular dark chocolate frosting).

New Years was low-key with visits to friends and then a wine and cognac-filled night with our neighbors and their amazing wine-scents game. We were so distracted by the late, but very delicious lamb dinner (second dinner for us, actually - but I'm not one to turn down good food!), we let midnight come and go without going out to light a single firework. I did not, however, forget to wear some festive attire (note sequined skirt, above). 

So we begin 2013 with recent memories of my mom's visit, my two fabulous new coats and even more fabulous shoes, freshly chopped locks (thanks, Mom!) and a plan to move. Moving in Europe, Germany specifically, is quite expensive (hello, having to buy your own kitchen?! not to mention the hefty deposits and massive fees for rental agents), so it's going to take us some time, but bear with us. Hopefully, we will have a whole new adventure and new things to blog about later this year. 

Happy 2013 to all!!

Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

alking home from the bus the other night after my English-language playdate with the Italian girls, I was surprised to find myself shivering. This was particularly significant because I had on a long-sleeve tee, a blouse, a sweater AND a cotton pea coat, not to mention wool socks and boots. Isn't it only October? True, I am always cold (even in summer in California) but this onset of biting cold seemed to come on even sooner than I was expecting. I can only hope this bodes well for snow this winter...

Because I am always cold - and that we now live somewhere it gets legitimately cold - I take coat-buying very seriously. In California, I had all kinds of jackets. You know the kind, cute but not really serving any major weather-related function. My favorite coat is in fact a three-quarter sleeve (ha!) wool Marc by Marc Jacobs I picked up on major discount at Nordstrom Rack. While this is still one of my favorite cold weather cover ups, I must be more practical in this climate that throws seemingly endless days of cold, sunless weather filled with rain or snow in the months ahead. Long sleeves, warm fabrics and hoods are a must, especially now that I'm a full-time glasses-wearer who all too often must compromise on the luxury of unobstructed sight when water/ice covers my lenses.

By the time we get into the new year, it's easy for said bleak weather to get you down - and having a closet full of grey, black and navy outerwear does little to improve the SAD symptoms that infiltrate ones psyche. Sure, these basic, go-with-everything coats go with everything, except of course seasonal affective disorder. I've decided that in addition to one of those fake sunlight thingys, a bright, happy coat is one of the best ways to combat this. Interesting prints, fun colors and details like cozy sherpa and trendy leather trim - or in my budget, faux leather - are toping my list in a coat right now. In fact, I've been obsessed with a red duffle ever since I saw the trailer for Submarine (which looks totally charming, yet I still haven't seen) and decided that it just might be the perfect coat.

So in an effort to add to my somewhat snooze-worthy collection including a black snow parka, a beige trench and a navy, cropped-sleeve Marc Jacobs, I've been on a serious coat-hunting mission. I just tried the ASOS parka with faux leather sleeves but I looked sadly unlike the super cool model on the website and more like an awkward high school wrestler, wearing a letterman jacket with sleeves too poufy and rumpled for my scrawny arms. I feel like every time I try to push my fashion norms and play 'the cool girl', I am reminded by the universe that it is just not the role for me. *sigh* So alas, it is sitting here, packaged up and waiting to be taken to the post.

Although in a serendipitous turn of events, I opened up the bookmarked page on my iPhone for the lovely Benetton duffle (above) I've been coveting since I tried it on in Milan (which was the only time I've seen my size, as I found it totally sold out online and stores informed me the largest size they carry is 40 - I'm a 42, oh-so-fat American that I apparently am) to find that somehow, a single coat was back in stock and, lo and behold, it was a 42. It was meant to be!

So I'm hoping that everything works out and that perfect duffle with glasses-shielding hood and super-long sleeves that seemed made for my freakishly-long arms is the answer to my coat dreams... *crossing fingers!*





Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

o, I felt a little bad heading to Milan without much of anything planned or written down (save a few restaurants - more on those in another post) in my usual pre-travel way. I'm sure there were scores of amazing sights I didn't see and lots of cool things I missed, but I was in the mood for a wandering, low-key kind of holiday. I knew I wanted to shop, I wanted to eat well and most of all, I didn't want to feel like a tourist in such a touristy city. I wanted to get by on my own (while the hubby was at work) in language I didn't speak in a city I didn't know.

Before even getting into town on the first day (we were staying on the outskirts in San Donato Milanese), I had an altercation with a gypsy in the train station trying to take my money, where I had to grab her hand away and yell to get her to leave me alone. So I knew, much like I tell my husband he becomes a much more aggressive version of himself behind the wheel when driving in a big city, I too had immediately switched on 'city mode'. I looked down instead of gawking open-mouthed at all the glorious architecture above me and avoided the hoards of scam artists jumping on every obvious tourist in the main piazza at the Duomo. I managed to snap a couple of photos, but really, I played the local card as much as I could.

Apparently this worked well enough to be asked something (a place nearby, perhaps?? I speak next to no Italian...) by a couple of Italians while I was sitting and enjoying a foccacia lunch one day, though I still felt terribly unstylish next to the real locals. Whether they were glammed out in the latest designer offerings and handbags worth more than my yearly clothing allowance or tatted up with short, punky hair and bras worn as integral parts of an outfit, it was clear they were serious about fashion as an art form. It was a far cry from the 'fashion' I'm used to seeing in our town - head-to-toe Marc O'Polo and Louis Vuitton handbags. Women look nice, but it's just not the same. I felt inspired just being around such inspiring people, not to mention inspiring retail space. The Zara on Corso Vittorio Emanuele II was one of the most impressive shops I've ever seen (which I describe in this post) and the Replay store was literally a rainforest, with real, live plants growing out of the two-story walls in the front and what looked to be a working metal waterfall. 

Serendipitously, it was also Fashion Week. As the events got going halfway through the week, the influx of increasingly glamorous-looking people was incredible. Every time I turned around, there was another woman in a pleated leather dress, a strapless satin dress or an amazing pair of printed pants - of course all with 3, 4, or 5" heels on. When we headed out of town on Friday, we passed a massive event at which I spied this girl out front and just knew she would wind up photographed for her impressive style. A few days later, as expected, I see her photo pop up on Elle UK's round-up of Milan Fashion Week style. I was hoping to see Scott Schuman in action, but only saw one street photographer I didn't know taking photos of a woman on super swanky Via Della Spiga wearing these amazing trousers and the requisite impossibly high heels.

The models were also out in full-force, their stick-like arms clutching their Books and never once seen with any food (whereas I was rarely seen without gelato or a cheesy, fried panzerotti in hand). I almost had to laugh when the super nice metro station man helping me with directions asked if I was a model (likely just because he had to look up at me), since it's pretty clear I love to eat. I even debated getting this tee to sport while there, but was a little embarrassed to be so presumptuous. Ah well, at least I got to enjoy the culinary greatness Milan had to offer while all those models looked so hungry.

Sure, the Duomo was pretty impressive...

But I was here for the fashion! Nearly every window had some reference to Fashion Week:

There was even an amazing giant 'snowglobe' in front of one of the H&Ms promoting the upcoming collaboration with Italian fashionista Anna Dello Russo (ahhh, a giant shoe...):

A few of my favorite shopping acquisitions include this sweater, an awesome combination of two of my favorite sweater details - stripes and fair isle:

... these dominatrix-esque Zara heels:

...and finally, the perfect slouchy grey hat I've been on the lookout for for over a year:

There were of course a few things I had to pass up that I'm sorry I did. Like this H&M cardi:

... and this Benetton duffle (especially after discovering it's sold out everywhere in Germany in my size already):

Aside from fighting off the gypsies, the other major downfall in Milan was being out at night with the mosquitoes (which I have terrible reactions from, obviously):

It's making me seriously rethink that trip to Thailand, where I'm likely to wind up in the hospital from all the bug bites I will probably get, much like our trip to Hawaii where 40+ infected mosquito bites landed me at a nearby clinic. I think my delicate constitution requires that I stay in colder European climates. I suppose there are worse things. 

So the next time I want to shop - and eat! - Milan may be my city of choice. Next up, a round-up of the amazing things we ate...

Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische