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Italian Culture.

Italians do everything differently and it takes some getting used to. They take long breaks in the afternoon, close their doors on Monday, and love to ask for kisses as payment.

Venice(Well, wouldn’t that be nice?)

Venetian bridge(An homage to Parisian lock bridges, this tiny tribute was found in Venice)

Kiko(Ahh, nail polish! Not everything is different in Italy)

Gelato(Gelato on every corner. Can Italians really eat that much gelato? Maybe!)

Italian Market(Salted foods are sold in all of the farmers markets. This woman is buying a large piece of fish)

Carnivale(There were Carnivale stores on every corner. A few had the most impressive handmade masks)

Flower(Roses were in full bloom, so beautiful)

Italians were funny too, a lot of the people I met had me in stitches. But that’s something I can’t photograph.

Cinque Terre.

Cinque Terre 1One of the most beautiful days that I spent in Italy was in Cinque Terre. A portion of the coast along the Italian Riviera, Cinque Terre is easily one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. There was damage to some of the hiking trails after a landslide occurred a couple of years ago so we were unable to walk the entire coastline but the parts we were able to see were gorgeous regardless.

Cinque Terre 2(The first village we stopped at was called Monterosso)

Cinque Terre(There were little markets everywhere. I regret not getting this killer poster)

Cinque Terre(Britt checking out the water)

Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre Hike(There were lots of little waterfalls along the hike to Vernazza)

Cinque Terre(Our first view of Vernazza)

Vernazza

Britt jumped into the water while I shopped around for trinkets. I remember it being one of the most perfect days in Italy, the weather was never better. I think I found my happy place, where my hair can run wild. Omg, what is going on with our messy buns?!

I’m Gonna Eat You Up.

Anyone who knows Brittany and me will tell you we both love to eat. That didn’t change one bit in Italy, in fact I think our love of eating heightened to dangerous levels. Once we were done with a meal, we were discussing what we would eat next. After looking through my photos I was alarmed by how many pictures of food I took, but not alarmed enough to not share them with you! Take a look as we ate our way through Italy.

Gelato(I tried every flavor, I guarantee it!)

Coffee

(At times two cappuccinos were ordered, walking gets tiring!)

Meringues(This meringue was the size of my head. Don’t worry, I ate 1/10th of it and then decided that was enough sugar for the day)

Taffy

(This watermelon taffy was amazingly delicious!)

Arancini(My boyfriend and I make arancini once per quarter, that’s all we’re allowed to consume. But when the cat’s away, the mouse will play)

Sweets(We love candy, we love it. And the sweet stores were so beautiful in Venice!)

Lemonade(Britt found this lemon slushie that made our mouths pucker. I am obsessed with lemons so this was a real treat!)

Pizza(What?)

The one thing I learned about Italy? It’s delicious.

Biking Day Dream.

While in Lucca, I was able to ride around the wall surrounding the village. It was very beautiful and the weather was perfect. I insisted on wearing a skirt and in the past, that has ended with me being blinded because my skirt has flown up over my head and obscured my vision. Since that fateful Golden Gate Bridge bike ride I have learned to wear a much longer skirt, one I can tuck under my legs. It’s fashionable and suitable for me to be around families. Win-win.

Lucca Bike Ride(Make sure you have a sick ride with a loud bell, it’s super hip and keeps you safe while you’re ridin’ the open road)

Lucca

(My skirt went just below my knees, it kept me cool and felt retro)

bike Riding(Close up of that sweet bike bell and this cute bracelet I got in a church in Sienna)

Bike riding(For leisurely rides it’s okay to wear sandals, especially if they have straps. I grabbed these cuties at Target right before my trip. They are super comfortable)

Bike riding(This skirt is an oldie but a goodie from Anthropologie)

One of my favorite Summer activities is bike cruising. I like to feel the warm breeze on my skin as I pass by the blossoming flowers. Maybe pack a picnic and cruise on down to your local park next weekend, I couldn’t think of a better or more relaxing thing to do.

Vacation Swimming.

There’s something special about a swimming pool when you are on vacation, it’s the ultimate way to refresh yourself. But when you’re on vacation you can’t just swim all willy-nilly, you have to look and feel your best! That’s why waterproof sunscreen and mascara are a must but what about your hair? I figured out the best way to pull it back and keeping it looked polished even when you’re in the water.

Tuscany(Waterproof sunscreen and mascara, and a lot of red lipstick)

Tuscany(Take the front of your hair and twist it as tight as you can. It will start to create some volume that way and you can secure it easily with bobby pins)

Tuscany(It doesn’t hurt if you have a Tuscan Italian village to stare down at)

Tuscany

Tuscany(My makeup is keeping it together after being in the water for some time)

Tuscany(Smooth back your stray hairs once you get out from under the water)

Tuscany

Ok, so this isn’t the normal kind of swimming but it’s still important to make sure you slather on sunscreen and make sure your mascara doesn’t run all over your face and make you look like a raccoon! What are you waiting for? Get out there and start enjoying your Summer!

Lost in Venice.

One thing I learned very quickly from my stay in Venice is that you always need a map! All of the streets look the same so I had to remember where I had been by the shops that I had seen along my way.  Another thing I learned was bring a hat, you never know when it will start to sprinkle!

Venice

(Most hotels will have handy and easy to read maps for you to take)

Venice(I got this hat at Urban Outfitters about a year ago, it’s been one of my best purchases)

Venice(This gigantic necklace from Anthropologie adds a lot of flare to this striped shirt)

Venice

Venice is one big beautiful maze! Pay attention to the landmarks around you because hardly ANYONE references the street names, it’s like they don’t exist. But getting lost is kind of the fun part, right?

Commercial Stars

About a month or so ago Brittany and I dedicated our Saturday to helping a local brewery film a commercial that would air in the Bay Area. What we are sharing with you is a rough cut but we wanted to show you anyway! It was a lot of fun and a great learning experience- filming is tough work and takes a long time! It’s hard being  a star ;) We had great fun working with the director, Bryan and his team and thanks to Schurbros Brewery for having us.

IFL Behind the Scenes 1(The beer taps are attached to a stainless steel panel)

IFL Behind the Scenes(Britt is always helping me get it together)

IFL Britt(A regular tap girl!)

IFL Chelsea(I look confused, not sure if this is how you do it!)

IFL Britt Chels(We always enjoy a good brew!)

And now for the rough cut of the commercial- turn it up, the sound is a little funky. Essentially, I am supposed to be an ad exec pitching a terrible idea to the brewery. But the guys like Brittany her dance skills way better, so they invite me to dance and that’s really it. A big dance party at Schubros Brewery. So, if you are thirsty and looking to taste some delicious brew and possibly get your dance on, do it at Schubros! :)

It’s A Grand Opening!

This past month I was lucky enough to be a part of the grand opening of the new Microsoft store in downtown San Francisco. While this might not sound like a big deal, they really know how to open a store. Everyone who walked through the doors that day got a pair of Blake Shelton tickets and the opening itself was really amazing. A huge curtain dropped to reveal at the inside which is decorated by screens and pictures of the city- it’s very beautiful and interactive! Here are some pictures from that day.

Microsoft Grand Opening 150(Steph and I could not contain our excitement)

Microsoft Grand Opening 217(All I wanted to do was be part of the group)

Microsoft Grand Opening 218(Yeah! They let me in their club!)

Microsoft Grand Opening 158(Everyone got  a sweet purple Microsoft tee!)

Microsoft Grand Opening 256(The turnout was amazing!)

If you haven’t checked out some of their new gadgets, you should! They are pretty sleek and easy to use which is something I was really impressed with. Check to see if they are opening a store near you because you definitely want to be a part of it. They give out free concert tickets, score!