La dolce vita on Lake Como

When you think Lake Como you think big sunglasses, riding in a convertible and hopping on boats with a drink in hand. And you wouldn't be thinking all that far from reality because Lake Como is the stuff dreams are made of: millions of shades of blue, mountains dipping straight into the glistening calm lake, air so clean you can smell a crisp alpine breeze and cute colourful villages where nothing probably ever happens (other than George Clooney dropping by to get his newspaper of course).

Cheating on Milan for a day

View of Varese from the Giardini Estense

Even though Milan is a cosmopolitan and international industry powerhouse in which most dream to fit its hectic half jet-setting half latin rhythm, I find myself daydreaming of the day I'll get to take a train out of the city and into the green countryside. There's a small chance the 9 hours I spend in an office every day contribute to my oxygen depravation but I know myself enough to say that being outdoors is what brings me peace and happiness. Thankfully, my job also entails sometimes spending a day a week at Villa Panza in Varese, a small city I had never heard of and never really intended to visit anyway.

Chateau de Chantilly | Day trip from Paris

I spent one of the best days this autumn visiting Chantilly castle with Diana. The endless shades of green and rusty red were almost more intense after the spot of rain and there was that crisp smell of winter in the air which made it even more perfect. 

Mornings like this

   Temptation looms at every street corner, boulangerie or even local Carrefour city. Needless to say I have developed the superpower - or bad habit - of shamelessly eating a whole bar of chocolate in 15 minutes, undeterred by the ensuing tooth ache because oh-the-irony I am sensitive to sweetness! However, life is short and my stay in Paris even shorter so I'm Carpe diem-ing all the way. This morning I treated myself to my favourite tea (Fortnum & Mason black peach), my new favourite read and a mouth-watering brioche loaf from La maison Pralus. 😋