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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

NY: West Village

May 15, 2015November 28, 2018 by Well Hello Lovie, posted in travel

Well hello lovie!

I was lucky enough to recently spend my birthday wandering around the West Village and it’s definitely my favourite little piece of Manhattan! I love the tree-lined streets, the cobblestones and the vibrant yet elegant architecture. Here’s a few of my favourites that I wanted to share with you:

eat/drink

Magnolia Bakery – you can’t go past the red velvet cupcake – divine!

Murray’s Cheese Shop – a cheese slice of heaven! Get the experts to help you put together a cheese platter, grab a bottle of red and settle in for the night.

Bluestone Lane Coffee – Come and say G’day to the Aussies bringing the Melbourne coffee culture to NY. Great coffee and the classic – avocado smash.

shop

Studio Manhattan – a funky mix of bags, accessories and decor with a modern, New York, non-tourist slant.

Jonathan Adler – check out the beautiful candle range from this style guru. I couldn’t go past the Champagne Pop followed closely by the Havana!

Diptyque – clearly I have a passion for candles! I could have bought a dozen different fragrances here but my favourite find was the glass, mouth blown candle holders.

Walk the High Line – this was a highlight! Wander along this disused railway track that is now a fabulous urban park as it winds between the old warehouses and apartments giving great views and a different perspective of NY life.

Visit Carrie Bradshaw’s stoop – for those of us that were SATC fans, this is a fun photo-op! If you’re not a fan then still wander the local streets and be charmed by the beautiful architecture.

Window Shop – my favourite street is Bleecker Street and even though I couldn’t afford the crazy prices, it was free for me to admire the beautiful and innovative window displays. A girl can dream!

The West Village is a must-do on any New York trip and I can’t wait to get back to eat more of those cupcakes!

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