Friday Fabulousness - Italian Style....

Sophia Loren is a goddess....so stunning....I just love her....

Friday Squeeze....Paolo Maldini....

....my family are from Wales and I grew up watching rugby, somehow blissfully unaware of the existence of football (soccer)....I'm not sure how because during the World Cup and the European Championships, London goes football mad. Anyway, when I met my husband that all changed and I even went to watch Italy play....this man was probably largely responsible for that....AC Milan player and Italian national team captain for many years, Maldini is hero-worshipped in Italy....he certainly made 90 mins fly by....

Fabulous Fendi....

Such gorgeous shades of green....

La Fontana di Trevi....the Trevi Fountain....when the famous actor Italian Marcello Mastroianni died in 1996, the water was stopped, the lights dimmed and the huge stone fountain was draped in swathes of black fabric as Rome mourned one of its own....very Italian and so romantic....

The day that I look like this is the day that, yes, I will indeed be cooking in my underwear....

The extremely handsome Gregory Peck and the beautiful Audrey Hepburn in the wonderful "Roman Holiday"....for my friend and fellow old movie watcher Cathi....

Florence....

Julia Roberts wearing, and accompanied by, Giorgio Armani....

Real Italian coffee....nothing like it....

Sofia Coppola.....I have always really liked her style and just admired her for who she is....



Dolce & Gabbana's "no support" shoes.....hilarious!


Patrick Dempsey for Versace....if you could gift wrap him and send him to my hotel please....

Pesto di rucola.....

Here come the D&G boys....Mamma Mia!

Tiramisu.....one of my all-time favourite desserts....

Heidi Klum in Armani Prive....

Marcello Mastroianni....."La Dolce Vita", "Divorce Italian Style", "81/2"...and many many more movies....a wonderful actor....and so handsome....

Venice....

St Peter's, Rome.....my favourite Italian city....

Dolce & Gabbana....

Al Pacino....be still my beating heart....SO handsome!!! I don't like violent movies at all but I do love "The Godfather" trilogy.....even if I do have to cover my eyes at some parts....he is fantastic in "The Godfather Part 1" in particular....a wonderful actor....

D&G....

Armani Prive....

First the "no support" shoes, now the incredible heel-less boots by Antonio Beradi....

Yes please!
Italia....

I am very excited to say that I am off to Italy - Costageminiana - on Monday for one whole week!!!! We weren't sure if we would make it but happily, it is school hols and off we go.....so who wants to come with me?....I managed to find this old charabanc....a chilled glass of Pinot Grigio and some olives for the first 10 to arrive!! Hurry up....room for everyone if we squeeze up!!

I feel as though I have met lots of new people this week....some new visitors to my blog and some wonderful new blogs that I have found. Thank you to the lovely people who were nice enough to give me some wonderful Awards....more of that next week.

Thank you for your support and kindness.....arrivederci.....c'e vediamo.....baci....ciao belle :)

PS Thank you to everyone who left such nice comments about my wedding photos yesterday :)

Friday Fabulousness....

Constance Jablonski photographed by Alexi Lubomirski via FGR

Leona Lewis looking fabulous in Roberto Cavalli....

Donna Karan

....the lovely Gemma Arterton....

...love this!

So gorgeous!

..."Eat, Pray, Love" opened this week in London....I really liked the book but was disappointed by the film. Julia Roberts was her usually lovely self, Javier Bardem was so handsome, Rome and Bali looked stunning but I felt most of the substance of the book was totally lost in the film, it didn't work for me.

"Spartacus" is a wonderful film - fantastic performances from Kirk Douglas, Jean Simmons, Tony Curtis (beautiful in this film in particular), Laurence Olivier and Peter Ustinov - the latter two give particularly memorable performances.

I've just ordered a copy from Amazon along with "Some Like It Hot" which is such a brilliantly funny film - I can't believe anyone hasn't seen it, but if you haven't, do watch it.

RIP Tony Curtis.

I know I say this nearly every week, but on earth did Friday get here so quickly?!

No particular plans for my week-end which I am more than happy about....maybe a trip into town, some cooking...and the happy return of Strictly Come Dancing!! (The British version of "Dancing With The Stars")

Thank you so much for all the wonderful comments this week, thank you to Charlotta for inviting me to guest-blog....

Happy Week-end to you all!!

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Isabella Oliver!!

Quote WeAre7 at the checkout before midnight!!

"Eat, Pray, Love".....The Book....

"Eat, Pray, Love...."

(scheduled for US release August, UK release September)

So I finished "Eat, Pray, Love" yesterday....it was really great read. I have to say that it took me a couple of goes to get into it....not really sure why....but I was quickly hooked. I actually felt I wanted to read it all again straightaway.

The "Italy" part was definitely the easiest part to read....laugh-out-loud funny at times and I thought she absolutely nailed the Italians (for those of you who don't know my husband is London-Italian!)....so many characteristics that I recognised....tremendous warmth, a particular simplicity and attitude towards life (and its challenges) - and a huge passion for family, Italy, food, life, wine and football...and not necessarily in that order ;)

The "India" part was by far the most challenging to read for me....but, interestingly, it was the part I read the quickest and which I found most thought-provoking, I literally couldn't put it down. Spiritual, demanding, revelatory and clearly the sort of experience that strips you and takes you right back to the core of your being, making you ask every single question of yourself - those you wanted to ask and those you have avoided all your adult life....her time at the ashram in India is quite incredible.

The "Indonesia" (Bali) segment of the book was easier to read although I found it as enlightening and amazing as her Indian stay....and it was definitely the most visual, I practically felt as though I was in Bali, it was so  incredibly beautiful.

I don't want to say too much about what happens in each country since I don't want to ruin it for anyone - although as I have said once before, I feel as though I am the only person in the world who hasn't read this book!

Very thought provoking, moving, funny and inspiring as a read, to me it's the kind of book that really stays with you....I can see how some people have read it and found it life-changing....although I will be honest (since I just took a look at some of the reviews on Amazon!) and say that I can see why some people found the book self-indulgent and irritating beyond belief! I really enjoyed it though, would read it again and found it very easy to relate to....I think sometimes you take what you want from a book and I got a lot from this one....

I can't wait to see the film - I love Julia Roberts and the very handsome Javier Bardem....although since such a lot of the book is narrative and descriptive, it will be interesting to see how that translates to the big screen.

Another feeling that the book definitely inspired in me was a desire to travel more....all three cultures that Elizabeth Gilbert visited were so different....I always think I have travelled quite a bit yet this book made me realise that there is an awful lot more to be seen out there....

I'm now half-way through "The Year of Magical Thinking" by Joan Didion (it's school hols, I have daytime reading time...woo hoo!) and have so far read most of it with a huge lump in my throat....beautifully written and very very moving.

Right.....off to "Toy Story 3" right now, hanky at the ready!

PS Next week I will be reviewing my fantastic new ice-cream maker (courtesy of CSN Stores) and am looking for some really fabulous ice cream recipes to try out....if you have one of your own or can recommend one, please do let me know!

CSN Stores has amazing online stores where you can find everything from cookware to Ceiling Lights  to furniture!

Happy Monday!!