Stay FAB!
Showing posts with label pics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pics. Show all posts
Friday, August 22, 2008
blue salty water
Since my love of Italy began I always wanted to travel to south Italy. Well, we did just that for our summer vacay, like all Italians do. We went just before the crowds arrived and I still had the feeling like the entire country was down south....lol. We decided on Praia a mare, region of Calabria to spend our vacay as E wanted to fly and I wanted to swim and relax on the beach. Overall the trip was good, we stayed at a beach front hotel called hotel garden http://www.gardenpraia.it/ got it for a decent price due to E's discount through his flying club. After leaving Praia a mare we decided to stay a night in San Benedetto del Tronto region of Marche. This was a nice area as well however I preferred the beach in Praia a mare
I leave you with some pictures.
Monday, July 14, 2008
SAGRA....SAGRA....SAGRA
Sagra is an annual thing here in north Italy where every summer the small villages cook for the masses. If you love food and you're in Italy you need to find a sagra. They are usually held in small towns so you will need a car to attend. When they advertise a sagra the signs are big, colourful and very detailed listing the time and date of the sagra. The sagra I attend had games, a few rides, and a stage with music and many small booths selling stuff. Here are some pics from Sagra di valle san Giorgio.
Stay FAB!
Stay FAB!
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Greasy and Fried:(
So as many of you know I travelled to Toronto recently for what seemed to be a long trip. I went solo and left the hubby behind as he had to work. My time in Toronto was spent eating, literally, all things greasy and fried. It was hummy at the time but later I paid for it:( I hadn't had greasy food in so long so my stomach had to adjust....I met up with my ex-colleagues, my close friends and my lovely family. I am thinking now the time spent in Toronto might have been a little too short. I was rushed to handle the business stuff, renew drivers license, visit my doctor and dentist etc. And spending time with my friends and family seemed rushed as well and I often found myself wanting to sleep. Anyway, I am happy to be back home. Now that I have visited Toronto I must say I don't think I would live there again. After being in Italy for 9months I much prefer Padova over Toronto. There was something about Toronto that turned me off and I haven't quite put my finger on it. Weird eh? Stay FAB!
My hair "GOD"
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Love is in the HAIR
So, another post about my hair. This time I am happy to say its all about the LOVE.
We knew about this hair salon in Vicenza since last April and now decided to give it a try as I was going crazy with all the new growth to my hair. I thought about going natural but even then I would need to find someone to help me maintain it. Anyway, we ventured out to the salon for my 930am appointment and was happy to be the only ones in the salon. If any of you know black hair salons, you and ten other people could have the same appointment time. There was only one lady working in the salon who is also the owner along with her sister, whom just had a baby and therefore was taking time away from the salon. The lady (sorry I don't remember her name, oh dear!) who is from Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic communicated with my BF through me as she spoke limited English. There was nothing fancy about this hair salon which is not what I am used to back in Toronto. But it kinda reminded me of the "around the way" hair salon. You know the ones with a couple of chairs, magazines from 2002 and a few hair dryers.
She set up shop there 5 years ago so I trusted her with my hair. Even though we could not communicate to one another directly I knew that she knew what she was doing. Her hands felt good in my hair, she wasn't afraid to pull, trim or blow dry my hair. Some of the procedures where different, like she roller set my hair before using the blow dryer which I have always wanted my hairstylist in Toronto to do but because of timing her never did it. This process allows your hair to have more body and for someone with thin hair I prefer to have a rollerset. There was also limited use of the flat iron which is always good as it damages your hair. Overall the experience was good. And like all "around the way" hair salons there was some drama....something about a girl who later arrived had been threatened by her husband etc...etc. My BF communicated this to me after we had left.
Anyway, two and a half hours later I came out looking ultra FAB! Sorry I only have this pic to show but believe you me I was happier compared to my last hair salon experience.
Stay FAB!
We knew about this hair salon in Vicenza since last April and now decided to give it a try as I was going crazy with all the new growth to my hair. I thought about going natural but even then I would need to find someone to help me maintain it. Anyway, we ventured out to the salon for my 930am appointment and was happy to be the only ones in the salon. If any of you know black hair salons, you and ten other people could have the same appointment time. There was only one lady working in the salon who is also the owner along with her sister, whom just had a baby and therefore was taking time away from the salon. The lady (sorry I don't remember her name, oh dear!) who is from Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic communicated with my BF through me as she spoke limited English. There was nothing fancy about this hair salon which is not what I am used to back in Toronto. But it kinda reminded me of the "around the way" hair salon. You know the ones with a couple of chairs, magazines from 2002 and a few hair dryers.
She set up shop there 5 years ago so I trusted her with my hair. Even though we could not communicate to one another directly I knew that she knew what she was doing. Her hands felt good in my hair, she wasn't afraid to pull, trim or blow dry my hair. Some of the procedures where different, like she roller set my hair before using the blow dryer which I have always wanted my hairstylist in Toronto to do but because of timing her never did it. This process allows your hair to have more body and for someone with thin hair I prefer to have a rollerset. There was also limited use of the flat iron which is always good as it damages your hair. Overall the experience was good. And like all "around the way" hair salons there was some drama....something about a girl who later arrived had been threatened by her husband etc...etc. My BF communicated this to me after we had left.
Anyway, two and a half hours later I came out looking ultra FAB! Sorry I only have this pic to show but believe you me I was happier compared to my last hair salon experience.
Stay FAB!What's in the cup?
Recently a friend came over with McDonald's as he was too lazy to head home and eat and refused to eat what we had prepared. While he was eating his McDonald's I suddenly started to smell "beer". I wasn't drinking any beer and neither was anyone else in the house. So I asked him "what's in your cup?" and his response "beer". Yes my friends he bought beer from McDonald's He ordered it through Mcdrive which is the drive thru at McDonald's. So anytime you want to drink and drive head to McDonald's and order a beer....lol. All jokes aside I spoke about it for hours with our guest and drying to find a logical reason as to why they would offer beer at McDonald's? here is the pic. 
Stay FAB!
Saturday, February 16, 2008
What colour is your house?
Why, why, why? Is there a law in Italy that says the houses/apartments need to be painted a certain colour. The pics below are some of the colours in our neighbourhood which are not so bad compared to what I have seen else where in northern Italy. How about bright pink and puke green? Those of you who live in Italy do you know of any such laws or is it just personal taste?
Stay FAB!
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Me Likey!!!
Not sure if your all going crazy over the "not" so new Chanel blue satin nailpolish. I searched high and low here in Italy to find it to find out that Italy will not be receiving the colour until early February....uugghhh. At the moment I found out the sad news my boss was going to Paris on a business trip. So of course I had to get her to pick it up for me. It was 1.50 euros cheaper and no one here in Italy has it....hahaha. I will post the pics of it on my nails shortly but for now here is a look at it in the bottle. 
You likey?
You likey?
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Corvara 2007
Happy New Year to all of you. Hope this year brings many joys and health to your life. Our winter holiday was spent in Corvara which is in the North of Italy. I love the winter season and more so enjoy the sight of the snow falling. I have always wanted to spend the winter holidays skiing but never had that opportunity in Toronto.
The drive to Corvara was about 2.5hrs which seemed shorter due to the BFs driving. We stayed at a lovely garni which cost 30 euros per night. The room was cozy, warm and comfortable as many of the rooms are in Corvara. The residents of Corvara were nice but seemed to prefer the German people more than the Italian people. I sometimes thought I was in Germany as all the Italians spoke German when they were speaking amongst themselves. I was told later that they do prefer German people as they prefer to be German, interesting eh? Anyway, here are some pics.
View from our room at night
New Year's dinner (maccaroni con salmone e crema mascarpone....buonissimo)
The BF paragliding....it was cold!
12:01am (Happy New Year)
The drive to Corvara was about 2.5hrs which seemed shorter due to the BFs driving. We stayed at a lovely garni which cost 30 euros per night. The room was cozy, warm and comfortable as many of the rooms are in Corvara. The residents of Corvara were nice but seemed to prefer the German people more than the Italian people. I sometimes thought I was in Germany as all the Italians spoke German when they were speaking amongst themselves. I was told later that they do prefer German people as they prefer to be German, interesting eh? Anyway, here are some pics.
View from our room at night
New Year's dinner (maccaroni con salmone e crema mascarpone....buonissimo)
The BF paragliding....it was cold!
12:01am (Happy New Year)
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
The night before Christmas...Dinner for 30
Every year the family meets the night before Christmas to play "catch up".
I have been to many family dinners here in Italy and thought then there was a lot of food prepared so I therefore of expected the same for the Christmas Eve dinner, how wrong was I? My BF repeated to me throughout the day that there would be a lot of food but I didn't believe there would be anymore than our usual family dinners. The menu included (what I could remember); piselli, patate al forno, verdura cotta, zuppa di funghi, pasta con ragù di lepre, polenta, anatra, costicine di maiale, pollo, zuppa inglese, panettone, pandoro, parampampoli (caffè con grappa, vino e spezie). From start to finish the dinner took about 5 hours and boy was I happy it was over. My poor belly after was about to explode but they say here once you drink parampampoli the digestion process is simpler.
I have been to many family dinners here in Italy and thought then there was a lot of food prepared so I therefore of expected the same for the Christmas Eve dinner, how wrong was I? My BF repeated to me throughout the day that there would be a lot of food but I didn't believe there would be anymore than our usual family dinners. The menu included (what I could remember); piselli, patate al forno, verdura cotta, zuppa di funghi, pasta con ragù di lepre, polenta, anatra, costicine di maiale, pollo, zuppa inglese, panettone, pandoro, parampampoli (caffè con grappa, vino e spezie). From start to finish the dinner took about 5 hours and boy was I happy it was over. My poor belly after was about to explode but they say here once you drink parampampoli the digestion process is simpler.
Felice Anno Nuovo as I am off to Corvara to skii....here a few pics, enjoy!
Before the storm....lol
My first taste of parampampoli
The taste was really BAD....eeewwwww!!!!
Thursday, December 13, 2007
HAIR today....HAIR tomorrow!
The first big question I had for my BF when we decided that I would move to Italy was "who is going to do my hair?". Back home I got my hair did every week at the hair salon. I was totally dependent on Cristos and the team at (http://www.urbantextures.com/) to make my hair look fabulous each week. So when I decided to move that was one thing that caused a lot of anxiety. Many suggestions came to my mind; go bald, go natural, wear a weave, wear braids, you name it I thought about it. I decided with the help of many consultations from my peeps to just go as is and deal with upon my arrival. So, that's what I did.
Four weeks into my arrival I was due for a "touch-up" and desperately needed to find someone to do that for me. With the help of my boss (god bless her soul) she helped me find a hair salon in the city that carried a product similar to what I was used to in Toronto. The days leading up to my hair appointment I was very nervous and was thinking only bad things. I thought for sure that my hair would fall off if not immediately shortly after.
One thing to remember that in Italy there is a hair salon or two on every street, there are no shortage of hair salons here. Woman in Italy love to pass time at the hair salon talking "ish" about their neighbours....lol. The problem I knew I would have is finding a hair salon that was capable of doing a black woman’s hair. Our hair is VERY different than white woman's hair, the care and the maintenance calls for different measures. So the fear, nervousness and anxiety leading up to the appointment day was all called for.
On the day of the appointment the BF accompanied me to the salon as the stylist spoke NO English and me very little Italian. I decided to go the salon with my hair air dried so that the stylist could see the natural texture of my hair. After 2hrs in the hair salon, I was SATISFIED with the end result. He was able to give me a good blow dry but when it came to using the flat iron he was not sure how to use it.
Since the visit two months ago I have not gone back and probably will not go back. I have been doing my hair myself and when it comes time for a "touch up" I will just let my hair grow out until I arrive back in Toronto.
Here are the before and after pics....enjoy!
Hair today, hair tomorrow
Ciao
Four weeks into my arrival I was due for a "touch-up" and desperately needed to find someone to do that for me. With the help of my boss (god bless her soul) she helped me find a hair salon in the city that carried a product similar to what I was used to in Toronto. The days leading up to my hair appointment I was very nervous and was thinking only bad things. I thought for sure that my hair would fall off if not immediately shortly after.
One thing to remember that in Italy there is a hair salon or two on every street, there are no shortage of hair salons here. Woman in Italy love to pass time at the hair salon talking "ish" about their neighbours....lol. The problem I knew I would have is finding a hair salon that was capable of doing a black woman’s hair. Our hair is VERY different than white woman's hair, the care and the maintenance calls for different measures. So the fear, nervousness and anxiety leading up to the appointment day was all called for.
On the day of the appointment the BF accompanied me to the salon as the stylist spoke NO English and me very little Italian. I decided to go the salon with my hair air dried so that the stylist could see the natural texture of my hair. After 2hrs in the hair salon, I was SATISFIED with the end result. He was able to give me a good blow dry but when it came to using the flat iron he was not sure how to use it.
Since the visit two months ago I have not gone back and probably will not go back. I have been doing my hair myself and when it comes time for a "touch up" I will just let my hair grow out until I arrive back in Toronto.
Here are the before and after pics....enjoy!
Hair today, hair tomorrow
Ciao
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