TRAVEL WITH ELLY DAY 2: Notthing Hill bound

Notthing Hill has always been one of my favorite places in London, it's calm and quiet yet stylish and full of life; also given the fact that is one of the best locations for flea markets, i couldn't help but fall in love with it. We got lucky enough to have a sunny day and after an healthy breakfast at Apostrophe  we went for a lazy walk around.

Notthing Hill is also one of my favorite places to do vintage shopping, the prices are so low and the selection is to die for. One of the best deals are purses and dresses; i would recommend checking out some of the more unpopular ones, if you dig well you can really find some treasures. 

The outfit i went for it's a little funky but definitely cozy and comfortable. The Ferrè coat has been one of my staple pieces this past winter, the Japanese vibe to it makes it extremely attractive to me. 

Notthing Hill è sempre stato uno dei quartieri di Londra che preferisco, è calmo ma allo stesso tempo pieno di vita; è anche la patria dei negozi vintage e dei mercatini delle pulci, non potevo non amarlo.

Siamo state fortunate abbastanza da avere una bella giornata di sole, di quelle che non si vedono molto spesso nella capitale britannica, a questo punto non potevamo sottrarci da una colazione salutare da Apostrophe prima di trotterellare pigramente per il quartiere.

Se come me siete degli appassionati di vintage, vi consiglio di dare un'occhiata ai negozietti più infrattati e meno frequentati perché cercando tra i vari stend potrete trovare veri e propri cimeli di alta moda ad un prezzo esageratamente basso.

L'outfit che ho scelto per la giornata ha un che di funky non è certo dei meglio riusciti ma si prestava bene per il clima della giornata. Il cappotto di Ferrè mio fedele compagno di avventure questo inverno è sicuramente la parte che preferisco, il motivo di ispirazione nipponica è stato ciò che mi ha colpito subito del capo.

TRAVEL WITH ELLY: London day 1

- Why have you been gone so long?- - Where have you been?- Why is earth round?-
Those are all good question but i don't have and answer for all of them; or better i do but it's not going to change the fact that i have been absent from the blog for over a month now.
That is mostly because i had finals and right after it i have been traveling. I went to London with a friend of mine just to experience and unusual easter, the weather was surprisingly keen and i had lots of fun but don't worry you'll get to see a post dedicated to each day.
In fact, welcome to DAY 1!
The first day i actually got to wonder a little bit on my own; i have to say it was nice, London is one of those cities where it's very hard to feel lonely. Everyone is so chatty and friendly.
The first stop was Regent's Park, one of the most majestic greens in the city, i stopped for a coffee and a quick snack sitting on a bench and looking around. When you spend some time by yourself you often get to look at thing in a very different way, you are not distracted therefore you really get to observe what surrounds you. Every flower, every tree was absolutely beautiful.
Next i couldn't resist just trying to get myself lost somewhere in Mayfair, i turned when i felt like it and i stopped every time a saw a fascinating building of some sort. That particular area of London together with Nothing Hills is one of my personal favorites, everything is so clean and posh.
After a quite morning, it's was definitely time for some excitement therefore Oxford Street sounded like a good idea. I don't particularly love the street due the very touristy nature of the place but sometimes a crowded place is just what you need.
Someone told me that Hummingbird cupcakes is one of the best bakeries in London so of course i had  stop and try it;  i treated myself to a mint tea and a slice of red velvet cake, so so good.
I don't know what it is but tea just tastes better in England.
Eventually my friend Elena joined me, therefore we hit what is my all time favorite pub in London, it's quite far from downtown, it is in Muswell Hill but it's definitely worth the trouble.
It used to be a church, there is something about sipping a Guinnes extra cold in a former nave.
Little tip, if you plan to eat in a pub in London make sure you sit before 10 otherwise you might find the kitchen closed and if you are from 19 to 25 i would suggest carrying and ID with you, they are going to ask for it.

- Perché non hai aggiornato il blog da così tanto tempo?- Dove sei stata?- Perché la terra è sferica?-
Sono tutte ottime domande ma non ho una risposta per ognuna di esse e anche se l'avessi non cambierebbe il fatto che non scrivo sul blog da oltre un mese. 
Ho deciso di andare in quello che i produttori di serie tv chiamerebbero hiatus; avevo bisogno di riflettere per decidere in che direzione far andare questo blog e soprattutto per ricaricare le forze.
A questo proposito, subito dopo gli esami sono partita alla volta di Londra e come probabilmente avrete intuito dal titolo del post i prossimi giorni saranno dedicati al racconto del viaggio.
Il tempo è stato sorprendentemente mite e poco piovoso, al contrario dell'Italia, ironia della sorte.
Ultimata la small talk sul meteo, partiamo con il racconto dei giorni 1.
La prima giornata nella capitale britannica l'ho spesa prevalentemente girovagando in solitaria, la mia amica Elena sarebbe atterrata da lì a qualche ora così ho deciso di dedicarmi all'esplorazione.
La mia prima tappa è stata Regent Park, una delle zone verdi che più amo di Londra, è incredibilmente regale e poco caotica, perfetta per un caffè ed uno snack in totale solitudine. Questo perché è un luogo dove guardare le cose da una diversa prospettiva è molto semplice, sarei stata seduta per ore su quella panchina a bordo prato ad osservare i locali. Ogni composizione floreale, ogni albero e cespuglio è incredibilmente affascinate lì. 
Finita la mia passeggiata introspettiva al parco stile poeta maledetto ho deciso di perdermi per le strade di Mayfair e perdermi non è una licenza poetica, ho seriamente camminato per ore senza meta, girando quando l'istinto me lo suggeriva e fermandomi ad osservare l'architettura elegante di questo quartiere molto posh di Londra che assieme a Nothing Hill conserva un posto speciale nel mio cuore.
E' estremamente difficile smarrirsi in questa capitale, è così ordinata e garbata.
Dopo una mattina decisamente tranquilla avevo bisogno di una buona dose di caos e folla così mi sono spostata su Oxford Street, non una delle strade di shopping che preferisco, se non fosse per Primark, poiché troppo turistica per i miei gusti ma in quel momento era esattamente ciò che cercavo.
Avevo sentito dire che Hummingbird Cupcakes fosse una delle migliori bakeries di Londra e ovviamente non potevo esentarmi dal testarla.  La loro red velvet cake accompagnata da uno straordinario thè alla menta era sinceramente degna di menzione.
In serata la mia amica Elena è finalmente riuscita a raggiungermi e nonostante la stanchezza del viaggio abbiamo deciso di andare in uno dei miei pub preferiti di sempre; è una chiesa sconsacrata situata in un sobborgo a nord chiamato Muswell Hill, fidatevi vale il tempo trascorso sui mezzi per raggiungerlo. Bere una Guiness extra cold in una navata ha un che di speciale.
Consiglio a chi volesse mangiare in uno dei tanti pub di Londra di sedersi a tavola prima delle 22, oltre chiudono le cucine e vi assicuro che non è un'esperienza gradevole. 
Oltretutto se avete tra i 19 e i 25 anni consiglio di avere un documento di identità a portata di mano perché vi chiederanno di mostrarlo alla sicurezza all'entrata senza dubbio.

 Regent's Park beauty 

Hummingbird bakery 

O'Nells pub in Muswell Hill

ROMAN HOLIDAY

Every time i visit Roma, i feel like i have never been before, the beauty of the city overwhelms me, i can't help but be amazed every single time.  This particular weekend was one of the best Roma weekend gateway i have ever done.
I believe there is no better way to fully appreciate a city than to wander alone for a few hours. I was waiting for my friends to meet me so i decided to leave my cousin's apartment earlier to go for a walk downtown.
I love having some time to myself, unlike many other people i am not afraid of solitude at all,  it gives me the opportunity to think and observe the world with a different prospective.
Enough with the hipster talk, it's time share with you my favorite places to visit in the eternal city.
Since Roma definitely doesn't lack of places to visit and they can be easily found on a travel guide, i decided to share with you some of the more unusual places i like to go to while I'm there.
First of all you CAN NOT leave the city before you had a gelato in Fata Morgana or Frigidarium. Fata morgana it's a gelateria perfect for those of you who like to experience new things, their unusual flavors will blow your mind, seriously. They even have a gelato made with basils leaves and one made with flowers petals, amazing. If you aren't that brave and you want a classic gelato only better than Frigidarium is what you are looking for, their gelato is so decadent and creamy you will probably cry and since that is not good enough for them they dip it in chocolate so that your entire cone has a crunchy chocolate shell.
If you are artistic and crafty like me than you need to visit Cartoleria Vertecchi, it's pretty much heaven made with pencils and cool art supplies. When my friends took me there for the first time they had to literally drag me out of there.
At night one of the coolest places the city has to offer is Monti, it's a part of the city very bohemian and a little hipster i would say. I spent there one of my evenings enjoying a bottle of chianti and some great food.  I really love the vibes there.
Also keep an eye for the many vintage boutiques hidden here and there downtown they are literally  treasure chests that carry a cash register.

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2014 Travel bucket list (PART 1)

I got inspired to write this post when i found out earlier today that my region, if you didn't know Italy is divided in 20 regions, was nominated as "best value travel destination for 2014" by the National Geographic and Lonely Planet and that made me feel a little bit proud.
I always get so overwhelmed thinking about how big our world is and how many breathtaking places i am missing the chance to visit. I mean, when a foreigner thinks about visiting Italy the first places that pop into is mind are probably Firenze, Roma, Capri...he would never think about Puglia because he's probably unaware of the existence of such a place and i am afraid the same thing is going to happen to me.
There are so many places i have never been to but it's not just about going somewhere it's about having the time and the finances to be able to really explore and feel the place.
Since i'm still on my second year of university and i don't, yet, swim in gold; the only thing i can do is day dream about where i would like to go this year. So here it is, my very own bucket list for 2014.

Before i start with my bucket list, here's some pictures of my beautiful region. I have not taken these pictures myself but i wanted to share them with you nevertheless.

1) India. 
I am really fascinated by India, the colors, the culture and of course i am in love with the cuisine, even if i can't really said i ate the real thing yet. I've been fancying this trip for a very long time with a friend of mine but our adventurous spirit is not enough; to really be able to go we would need a solid plan and decide which part of the country we would like to visit. It's safe to say i haven't decided yet.

2) United States. East Cost.
I have been in the States only two times before, once for an incredible road trip with my sister and the second time i went to NYC with my brother and dad. We visited Charleston and Savannah, we saw a little bit of Virginia and the state of New York. I was so amazed by the beauty of those southern cities, when us european thing about USA we think about NYC, LA, Miami but never about the south. I am so happy i have been there first, i think Charleston is one of my favorite cities ever. Therefore i would really enjoy exploring the East Cost; i think this is a much more achievable trip for this year then India but you never know.

3) Japan 
I have an high school friend that very bravely moved to Osaka last year and i can't wait to visit him. Every picture he takes in his everyday life is fascinating. I grew up with Manga so the myth of Japan was just as big as the american one for me. I would like to visit Osaka but i would also love to go in the country, somewhere unusual.

4) Irland 
If there's is a country i have visited probably more than my own that England, i have been there every summer for the past 7 years. It where i learned english or at least i tried and i have some of my dearest memories there. But it's such a shame that i have only been to Ireland once and i have only visited Dublin and Belfast. Even if Dublin is a city very near and dear to my heart, i would like to see more and not only because one of my favorite chick flicks ever is the "Leap year" .  I would like to see the cliffs of Moher and Glendalough.

5) France
I know, i live so close to it and yet the only thing i have seen is Paris, shame on me. I would like to have a summer road trip and explore the beauty of France: la Normandie, Marseille and of course les chateaux de la Loire.

I have many more but i don't want to make this post incredibly long.
What are your top 5 destinations? Write them in the comments section down below, i would love to know.

TAG: 5 things i love about my country.

Hey everyone! It's almost October (ieeh) i am very excited because it's one of my favorite months, it has Halloween,  Canadian Thanks Giving, leafs turn into a beautiful orange and i get a study break at university ;) It's all perfect!
If you have been hanging out on this blog for a while you might know that i love traveling, it's one of my biggest passions and i tent to do it whenever i can but i sometimes forget the beauty that my country holds, so i decided to share with you some of my favorite pictures me and my sister Selayna took this summer while touring around Italy. But since just sharing the pictures wasn't fun enough, i thought to turn it into a tag! And I TAG ALL OF YOU GUYS TO DO IT!
All you have to do is answer the questions below like i will and post some of your favorite pictures of your homeland, don't forget to live the link to your blog post in the comment section so i can check it out! I can't wait to virtually explore your incredible countries.

1) Name 3 things you like about your country
I obviously like italian food in particular the one from the south of Italy; i love the summer weather we have, so warm for so long but i also like the fact that we get to have snow in the winter. I think we are a  very blessed country because we have the possibility to experience all four seasons and now everyone gets that chance. Eventually, i like the history and the traditions that my country has. It's a very ancient territory and i love that about it.

2) Do you have a favorite city?
I do but it's not properly a city, it's more of a town and it is Capri. If you have ever been there you know why, it's so incredibly beautiful

3) What part of the country are you from?
I am from the south and in particular i'm from Bari.

4) If you could live anywhere in your country where would it be and why?
It depends, now that i'm young i enjoy living in Milano but if i was older i would enjoy more living down south, just for the way the life flows there, it's a lot more relaxed and slow.

5) Would you recommend other people to visit your country?
YES! YES! YES!

Trendy tartan

Hey everyone, i don't know if you heard, you probably did if you read my Fausto Puglisi post but tartan is going to be a mayor trend this fall so i decided to share with you guys some pictures i show a while ago in London. I love little accents of tartan here and there, that's why i particularly enjoy wearing this pair of shorts. Now, i am not a big fan of fur coats and i would like to point out that this is fake fur, i don't support real fur trading and neither should you ;)

Salve a tutti, non so se vi è arrivata la notizia, probabilmente si se avete letto il mio post dedicato a Fausto Puglisi ma il tartan sarà una delle fantasie di punta questo autunno inverno, quindi ho deciso di rispolverare queste foto scattate qualche tempo fa a Londra per condividerle con voi. Adoro indossare piccoli accenni di tartan qui e lì, ragion per cui adoro questi shorts. Ora, piccola nota laterale, non sono una grande fan dei cappotti di pelliccia e ci tengo a sottolineare che questa è eco, non supporto il commercio di pellicce e non dovresti neanche tu ;) 

Coat: i really can't remember, sorry

Shorts: Benetton

Tights: Calzedonia

Boots: UGG

Bag: Marc by Marc Jacobs

Day 4: The night i met Zachary Levi

Hi everyone, how are you guys doing on this fine Monday? I am already tired because i recently started setting my alarm 30 minutes earlier than usual to do a booty call early in the morning. If you follow me on Twitter you might know that i joined the Toneitup team last week, it was one of my Semptemper resolutions but i'll write a separate post about that later.
Today i would like to share with you yet another of my New York adventures; i was lucky enough to attend a Broadway play called "First Date" starring the one and only Zachary Levi.
I am a huge Chuck fan, so it was great to meet him and chat with him for a while. The play was amazing, really really funny, i highly recommend it to everyone who's not really into musicals but still wants to enjoy a Broadway show and on top of that, is the cheapest show on the market!
It narrates the struggles of awkward first dates with a lot of catchy songs and smart jokes.
After the play i got to meet the cast and goof around a little bit with Zac.
He was one of the most friendly down to earth actors i've ever met, we talked about how he really likes the character he is playing and how he is really enjoying his first experience on Broadway.
Funny fact, in the play he has to drink a pint of beer and even if that's actually iced tea, he said it's still difficult to drink all of that tea three time a day (they have 3 shows per day) and that he kind of envies his co-protagonist that  has to drink just a glass of vodka that is obviously water.

Buongiorno a tutti, come state questo lunedì mattina? Io sono già stanca poichè recentemente ho cominciato a puntare la sveglia mezz'ora prima del normale per completare i miei 30 minuti mattutini di esercizi cardio. Chi mi segue su Twitter saprà che la settimana scorsa mi sono unita al team di Toneitup,  completando uno dei miei buoni propositi di Settembre; ma dedicherò un post all'argomento più tardi.
Oggi vorrei condividere con voi un'altra delle mie avventure newyorchesi, ho avuto la fortuna di assistere ad uno spettacolo di Broadway "Frist Date" con protagonista l'unico e solo Zachary Levi.
Sono una grande fan di Chuck e potete immaginare quanto fossi entusiasta all'idea di incontrarlo.
Lo spettacolo è fantastico, molto divertente e sagace; lo consiglio a chiunque non sia un grande amante dei musical tradizionali ma voglia comunque provare l'esperienza di uno show a Broadway, oltretutto è anche lo spettacolo più economico sul mercato al momento.
First Date narra attraverso canzoni molto orecchiabili e battute taglienti le difficoltà e i disagi dei primi appuntamenti.
Dopo lo show ho avuto la possibilità di incontrare il cast e chiacchierare per un po con Zac. Devo ammettere che è uno degli attori più umili e con i piedi per terra che io abbia mai conosciuto. Abbiamo parlato di come lui ami e si riveda molto nel personaggio che interpreta e di come stia apprezzando la sua prima esperienza su un palco di Broadway.
Nota divertente, da copione è costretto a bere una pinta di birra che nonostante sia in realtà  un semplice thè freddo, rimane per lui molto difficile da mandare giù tre volte al giorno ( fanno tre spettacoli al dì) e ha detto di invidiare un pochino la sua co-protagonista, la quale deve solamente bere un bicchiere di vodka,il quale è ovviamente acqua.

 Il teatro

New York DAY 3: Sailing on the Hudson river

One of the experiences i would recommend if you ever go to New York City is a 2 hours cruise around the island Manhattan. There are many options you can choice from: the elegant private yacht, the classic and romantic sailing boat or the guided ferry. We went for the last option because it was included in the New York Pass and i particolarly enjoied the guide that explained everything we were seeing and the history of the different buildings while we were sailing close to them. We were even more lucky because for one thing or another we decided to go at sunset so we got to enjoy a breathtaking scenario.
The way the sunset light reflects on the building is pure magic; the quiet and charm of the Hudson river is uncomparable. Another pretty thing was admiring  the way the different Pier and old factories are used , The City really knows how to make eveything chic, the old dismissed factories are now fancy luxury appartaments and the piers are full of restourants and places to hang out.
The only sad thing was being unable to visit Ellis island due to the damage created by hurricane Sandy this year, when you see it on tv you don't realize how badly NYC was affected by the hurricane, even the Statue of Liberty was closed for a while and Pier 11 was nearly destroied. But the city that never sleeps is strong and it didn't give up, New York always gives you a second chance.

Una delle attrazioni che consiglio fortemente se doveste mai andare a New York City è la mini crociera di due ore sul fiume Hudson attorno Manhattan. Ci sono molte opsioni tra cui scegliere: dall esclusivo yacht, alla classica ed elegante barca a vela al traghetto con visita guidata. Noi abbiamo optato per quest'ultima poichè era inclusa nel New York Pass e devo dire che ho particolarmente apprezzato le spiegazioni della guida sui differenti edifici e sulla storia della città man mano che navigavamo vicino a punti di interesse. Siamo stati ulteriormente fortunati poichè per una ragione o per l'altra ci siamo trovati sul traghetto al tramonto ed abbiamo potuto ammirare uno scenario unico.
Il modo in cui la luce crepuscolare si riflette sui grattaceli specchiati è magia, la tranquillità e il fascino del fiume Hudson è indescrivibile, tutt a un tratto la City non è più così frenetica.
E' stato affascinante anche osservare come abbiano trasformato i Pier, che tradurrei come pontili o attracchi navali, e le vecchie fabbriche dismesse. I primi sono diventati luoghi di incontro con ristoranti molto chic, le seconde sono state adibite ed appartamenti di lusso molto in voga tra gli attori.
L'unica nota triste è stato non poter visitare Ellis island a causa dei danni provocati dall'uragano Sandy che ha arrecato notevoli danni alla città, anche la statua della libertà è rimasta chiusa per qualche mese. Tuttavia New York è forte e non si arrende, il bello della Grande Mela è che c'è sempre spazio per una seconda possibilità.