out and about in rome

Especially on vacation, I usually stick to taking photos with my "real" camera. But, there are times when my apps on my iPhone do the trick and give a quality to the photos that look a little vintage. Plus there are time when I just don't feel like pulling out my big camera and lens. I'm partial to the iPhone app Hipstamatic, though I know Instagram seems to be more popular. These photos were all taken out and about in Rome using my Hipstamatic app, and I love the look achieved. 

the label design on this emerald green
water bottle caught my eyes 

we would pass by this bike multiple
times a day on our way to and from
our hotel - the color, design, and that back seat
always made me smile

cappuccino for breakfast

along with a croissant - more sweet
than French croissants which I prefer

espresso!

beautiful signage

I snapped this photo when
 walking by a courtyard!

bicicletta a firenze....florence by bike

For those of you who follow my blog regularly, you know I love to try to capture candid photos of locals when I'm traveling. I think it's so interesting to see how the locals live. And while I was in Florence, the one things that struck me as a definite quality of the locals was bicycling: going to and fro around town, getting to work and back home, and running errands. And in a city where the streets are predominately flat, but extremely narrow, and parking spots are few and far between, cycling does make the most sense. Here are a few shots I captured of the bicycling culture in Florence. One last thing, check out the nice shoes - especially the womens' - sported in these photos! Form over function!  

fiats, fiats everywhere!

I'm not really a "car person" - however - I'm definitely a sucker for many things small and cute. Seemingly pocket-sized Fiats caught my eye everywhere I turned while in Italy. I think these cars are completely adorable. And, we rented one too. Driving around the Tuscan countryside in a teeny Fiat seemed to make our Italian vacation a little more authentic! 

the biggest Fiat I saw!

I like this color

another pocket-sized Fiat 

a red Fiat in Rome

our rental - much more modern, but still teeny!

music for a monday morning: afrocubism's nima diyala

Ready to get moving on this Monday morning? Afrocubism's "Nima Diyala" will be the perfect start to your day. 

Afrocubism is an amazing group and record, showcasing the cross-cultural ties that music can provide.  As the African diaspora spread its peoples' musical roots and heritage to the New World, the rhythmic beats and sounds of West Africa fused with Spanish influences planted during Colonial reign. Though the history is anything but pleasant, the end musical result is pure bliss. Afrocubism is headed up by Cuban guitarist and singer Eliades Ochoa, and Ochoa is joined other by Cuban and Malian musicians, including one of my favorites, Toumani Diabete. I hope you enjoy!   

color therapy - leaf green

One color I never tire of is what I call "leaf" green. Of course leafs come in all shades of green, but the shades of green I prefer are bright and somewhat citrusy in hue.  

inspired - gardens in art

I spent the day in the garden, and though it was hard work, it was completely enjoyable. I can't think of when I feel more clarity of mind than when I'm gardening. Here are two painted garden scenes - one by Klimt and one by Monet. I find their choice of colors beautiful. I can only imagine that the artists were quite inspired by these scenes.

Klimt's "Flower Garden" from 1908 -
I love the colors

Monet's "The Artist's Family in the Garden"
Isn't this a wonderful scene?

flowerful friday: special edition...roses in italy

The roses were in full bloom during my recent trip to Italy, and they were gorgeous! Here's a few of my favorites. 

very fragrant, just outside our lovely Tuscan hotel

after a heavy rain in Umbria

strolling through the rose garden in Rome's Botanical Gardens

a wild climber in Tuscany

in Rome

gorgeous blooms in Rome's Borghese Gardens

Happy Friday!

from the garden - radishes

The French breakfast radish seeds that I sowed just a couple of weeks ago have quickly turned into the 1st radish "harvest" of the season. They are crisp, crunchy, and spicy -- just the way I like radishes. Last night I picked a few of these ruby beauties along with a sprigs of mint and chives. 

from the garden...radishes, mint, and chives

I can't tell you how happy I am that the vegetable garden is getting back into the swing of things. The kale and broccoli rabe are still going strong, and the arugula is ready to be picked any day now.  

a friend is one...

Last night I was able to connect with my "oldest" friend over dinner before she heads off on a new adventure. We've known each other since we were 10, and through the past 24 years we've seen each other grow in countless ways. I think what amazes and delights me the most about this friendship, is that we never ever stop having new things to talk and laugh about. 

ciao roma!

Here are just a few photos I snapped with my camera phone while in Rome. Every corner we turned presented another picturesque scene. La dolce vita, indeed!

music for a monday morning: ludovico einaudi's divenire

I spent the last week or so in Tuscany and Rome with my husband. The gorgeous countryside of Tuscany coupled with lively Rome made for a delightful holiday. In honor of all things "Italia", I thought we could kick off the week with my favorite Italian musician, Ludovico Einaudi. Here he plays his piece, "Divenire" at the Royal Albert Hall. "Divenire" is Italian for "I become." 

I hope you enjoy!

places to go!

 

This quote from the ancient Roman philosopher, Seneca the Younger, pretty much sums up how I feel about travel. I feel fortunate that when I travel I almost always feel at home despite language barriers.  I've learned, gained, and experienced so much from the travel that I've done, and I will never run out of places to go.  

I'm off on a trip starting tomorrow. For the 1st time since I started this blog, I'm going to take a little hiatus. I'll be back in touch soon!

ballet in black & white

I found all of these gorgeous black and white photographs on Pinterest. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do! Don't black and white photos seem to capture the grace of ballet in an unparalleled way? 

bursts of color

I adore healthy doses of color to wake us up a bit. The tulips from my garden greet all passersby with their bursts of colors. Cutting a few and bringing them indoors to enjoy is such a treat. Likewise, the gorgeous Klimt painting, "The Lady with a Fan" from 1918 is an absolute joy for its brightness and visual interest. The rich goldeny-red tulips with make the the fan and the flowers in the painting pop, while the softer violet tulip brings out its similar hues in the painting.

Klimt's "Lady with a Fan" from 1918