fashion – well hello lovie

Getting lost in Florence

May 3, 2017November 28, 2018 by Well Hello Lovie, posted in travel

Well hello lovie!

Florence was absolutely beautiful but for some reason, I could NOT get my bearings and was eternally getting lost! I had been here 20 years earlier but that didn’t seem to help. The benefit of getting lost was that I got to admire the striking architecture, discover tucked away boutiques and give my legs a real workout on the cobblestone streets. Florence for me was a city of contrasts. Beautiful from the exterior but I felt the people were a bit cold. It’s the first city on this trip where I haven’t left going – wow I’m going to keep in touch with so and so because they were awesome! Despite this, I still had a beautiful stay and I based myself away from the tourist area (notice a theme here) in the Oltrarno quarter on the ‘other’ side of the Arno river. It’s got an artsy/bohemium feel and it was still only a 10 minute walk to the main area of Florence. So, here’s my tips.

eat/drink

I had two great spots I’d head to for breakfast. One was S.forno Panificio which had the most delicious pastries and a rustic, country chic fit out. The other spot I discovered as I was needing to eat more like I do at home so luckily I found Carduccio around the corner from my apartment. It also had a cottage/cute fit out and offered organic/raw food so I put some nutrients back into my body!

I found the most A-MAZ-ING gelato place and have just realised I gobbled it down daily and was clearly so ‘in the moment’ I didn’t take any pics! Regardless, you can find the best cheesecake gelato at Gelateria Santa Trinita – you’re welcome.

Finally, I had one of the top rated dishes on my trip at Osteria Santo Spirito. I still don’t know how I managed a table as it’s always booked out and random people I spoke to on my trip wistfully spoke about the ‘famous blue cheese gnocchi with truffle oil dish’ and yes, I had it and yes, this is a half portion and yes, it is fabulous! If you’re going to go, I would highly recommend making a reservation – I think the food gods were looking down on me this time.

shop

Florence is where I got my shopping mojo into overdrive! It’s all about leather here – obvs! The thing about me is that I ~~obsess over~~, adore accessories. My theory is that jewellery and handbags are investments as no matter how much weight I put on or lose, they will always fit! So, there were two particular designers I was keen to delve into, but found so many more along the way.

I first spoke of Angela Caputi in my Milan post, but Florence is her home town and she has a bigger shop! Let’s just say I’ll be rocking long, statement earrings for some time to come…..

I was also anxious/excited to meet Clara (who was delightful) who owns Digerolamo as she believes in ‘slow fashion’. Her bags are unique, handmade pieces of the highest quality and I seriously could’ve bought the whole shop! I did ask and yes, she ships to Australia……….xmas present anyone?

Just explore. You can do museums, cathedrals, monuments, galleries – whatever gets you excited! I just wandered and looked around me – up at the glorious buildings and down at the ornate pavements.

See what’s on as there’s always a festival of some kind. I particularly wanted to visit the Exhibition of International Crafts which was huge! Entire buildings dedicated to artisans showing off specific themes – environmental, vintage, hand craft, indoor/outdoor, health & beauty…the list goes on. I came away with a plan for my perfect ‘forever’ kitchen 🙂

I finally succumbed (mainly because my legs were sore) and got on the hop on/hop off tourist bus and bloody hell it gave me the best surprise! Of course it did the usual tour around Florence and up to the fabulous view of Piazza Michelangelo, but there was a second connecting bus ride which wound up and around the beautiful villas outside of Florence. I ended up a Fiesole, a famous Etruscan town surrounded by beautiful views, cypress trees and olive groves. Stunning!

stay

As I mentioned earlier, I chose to stay in the Oltrarno quarter. I was able to walk to the main train station from here – about 20 mins and I was right near the beautiful Pitti Palace. It wasn’t filled with thousands of tourists and I really felt I was hanging with locals which I much prefer, whilst dodging all the scooters on the street! My airbnb accom was described as a charming loft by the Ponte Vecchio and it was. On the top floor with a cute view across the terracotta tiled rooftops, church bells ringing and a bit of a vintage/country chic fit out. I was inspired by the timber flooring, white couch and the dark oil painting above it #decorgoals

Would I come back to Florence again? Absolutely! If only for the leather goods and unusual designers/artisans. Also, did I tell you how good the blue cheese gnocchi with truffle oil is???

Be fabulous xx

Milan – 3 days of design, indulgence & food coma’s!

April 19, 2017November 28, 2018 by Well Hello Lovie, posted in travel

Well hello lovie!

What a treat, 3 days in Milan and I’m leaving so inspired! Design….it’s everywhere. From the beautiful shop window displays, to the stunning architecture, to the way the women dress and to the food presentation….and I’ve loved every minute of it. I’ll certainly be taking away some new ideas and will fondly think of Milan as my design capital of the world. I based myself predominantly in Brera which is considered the artist district, so here’s some of my takeaways:

eat/drink

Dry Bar – it’s part cocktail bar, part restaurant (specialising in pizza) and part aperitivo – make a booking or try your luck

Princi Bakery – this became my regular breakfast/lunch go to place. Cheap, friendly and incredibly tasty! Croissants to grilled topped focaccia to espresso.

Eataly – an Italian food hall on steroids – seriously! 3 levels of everything and anything Italian (cheese, meats, wine, fruit/veg, gelato, espresso to name a few). They also have 2 restaurants, one casual pizza/pasta, the other more upmarket. I could live in this place and die happy!

Proscuitto hanging at Eataly

3 levels of foodie heaven

Who doesn’t love chilli?

shop

Brera district – artisan jewellers, bespoke perfumeries, leather goods, boutique clothes and a few vintage shops thrown in. My top pick was the shop of Angela Caputi who is based in Florence and I’ll be revisiting when I arrive there – I did purchase some bold white/black earrings which I think will get a great price per wear ratio.

Quadrilatero d’Oro – if you’re cashed up this is the place to go. Known as the Golden Quadrilateral, it’s a fashion district in the streets north of the Duomo. Prada, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbano – you get the idea!

do
Duomo – this goes without saying. The Italian Gothic style is incredibly intricate and you could spend hours just taking in the detail of the exterior. I understand now why it took six centuries to complete! (Just watch out for the men who offer to take a photo of you with your own camera who of course will then run off with it!)
Sforza Castle – I spent hours exploring the castle taking in the grandeur of the design along with the surrounding moat (now filled with grass) which took my breath away. I continued through the attached Sempione Park and loved seeing the Milanese exercising, having picnics, eating/drinking and celebrating the good life. A beautiful way to spend a few hours wandering.

stay
Personally, I prefer to stay away from the main tourist area and experience living in the region as authentically as possible. On this trip I stayed at Zebra Verde and the apartment exceeded my expectations! Original design and architecture, clean, stylishly decorated, large for a one bedroom and the bed was super comfy!

How did I spend most of my time? Literally walking the streets. No tourist bus or tour for me – I get my joy by wandering with no map, taking in the sights and coming upon the unexpected. Milan was a true delight – even the dogs strutted with style!

Be fabulous xx

NY: East Village

May 31, 2015November 28, 2018 by Well Hello Lovie, posted in travel

Well hello lovie!

I thought it was time to share with you another one of my favourite little pockets of New York – the East Village! Grungy, cool and casual, in that laid back way, but you know there’s a buzz humming underneath it all. We based ourselves in “the village” for two weeks and immersed ourselves quickly in the local culture. It’s an eclectic mix of venues and people with an upmarket wine bar sharing real estate with an underground hot dog den with an ice cream van parked out front!

eat/drink

The East Village is foodie heaven! Wall to wall choices which make the prices competitive and the quality fabulous. My top picks are:

Crif Dogs – once you make your way in from the basement entrance you can customise your own dogs or pick one of the favourites like the “Philly Tubesteak”

Yuca Bar – fabulous Latin fusion cuisine with a great crowd. Make sure you go on a Tuesday when the food is half price and don’t miss the cocktail specials.

9th Street Espresso – free WiFi, tasty treats, chilled atmosphere and the coffee is divine!

The Summit Bar – you can’t go past the bargain brunch on a Sunday or the happy hour cocktails – try the Governess, you’ll thank me!

shop

In between all the bars and cafes are a lovely collection of Bohemian shops with a trend towards vintage, homewares and books/records. If you’re short on time and you want to check out a cute collection then focus your shopping on 9th Street.

Meg – loved this place – basics with a twist in real women’s sizes! My pick…the jumpsuits.

PInk Olive – cute, cute, cute!! Homewares, paper products, accessories and NY goodies serviced up with a dash of pink confetti & sparkles.

Duo NYC – curated emerging designers and accessories in a beautifully whitewashed wall boutique with rich wooden timber floors. I could move in here!

Stay in the East Village! We were lucky enough to snag a fabulous AirBNB apartment for a bargain price and live like locals.

Wander through Tompkins Square Park and listen to the live jazz on weekends, watch the puppies play in the dog park and when the sun is out, giggle at the locals sunbaking on every spare blade of grass.

Exercise by going for a run or walk along the East Village Promenade. Just head to 10th Street and walk over the flyover and enjoy the fresh air and river views of Williamsburg.

The East Village is a fun melting pot with enough to see and do over a few hours to several days. Enjoy!

Lisa xx

Well hello lovie!

March 14, 2015November 28, 2018 by Well Hello Lovie, posted in design, eat | drink, travel, wellness

Thanks for dropping by!

Let me introduce myself. I’m a lover of beautiful design, rich experiences, unique opportunities and I can’t wait to share them with you.

Join me as we catch up over a coffee where I can tell you about my latest design discoveries, favourite places to go and what has inspired me.

Why am I doing this? Because I am, at heart, a communicator and have always needed a creative outlet in my life. Previously I’ve shared my stories and images with family and friends and I felt there may be kindred spirits out there who would also want to come over for a catch up.

Well hello lovie – great to see you here!

Lisa xx