MIAMI: Bikini Central, Fashion Week

My quickie 48 hour trip to South Beach was to attend Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim. I must say, there is quite a difference in culture from Miami Fashion Week and NY Fashion week.

First, I have never seen so much plastic surgery in such a small space. Second, I have never seen so many women try to maneuver stilettos in the sand. Third, a lot more amenities for attendees here than in NY.

My gal pal Fab Ritzy and I stayed at the seemingly see-and-be-seen Hotel Gansevoort. The rooftop pool was home to many a pool party and fashion show (and where no one actually goes to swim). There was a great VIP lounge where Ritzy and I took advantage of the catering and complimentary beauty services. We ended our stay at the Palms Hotel, which had a cozier, classic art-deco Miami feel. The pool was one where we actually went swimming at 2 AM.

Celebs in town were the Kardashian sisters debuting their Beach Bunny line. Kendra the Playboy Playmate launching her book, Phoebe Price, Donald Pliner, and a smattering of NY Fashion regulars (though missing most of the big editors). The smaller presence of NY VIPs was fortuitous for Ritzy and myself. Our seating assignments were much better in Miami than New York.

Did I mention the plentiful open bars in every corner?

The Raleigh Hotel's gorgeous art deco pool was the setting for an old-school synchronized swimming performance on the last day. See the video below. Check out the MsFABulous coverage of Miami Fashion Week.  MAP

Rome: Beauty in Antiquity

The Trevi Fountain is the iconic setting where Marcello Mastroianni cavorted with Anita Ekberg in La Dolce Vita. The entire fountain was silenced the day Marcello died to honor his work. The Trevi fountain marks the junction of three roads to the ancient aqueducts that supplied water to Rome. At the late hour of 11 pm, I had assumed it would be quiet. I was very much wrong.

Every tourist in the city of Rome had converged on this spot. Overpriced gelato spots surrounded the circle. Aggressive vendors attempting to sell you toys, wilted roses and Polaroids of yourself harassed you from all angles. If you have the New York attitude however, they were easy to ignore.

Vatican City on the other hand, was much more serene at night. It was majestic to approach and scenes from Dan Brown's Angels & Demons came to mind.

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Panzano: Rustic Italian Cooking - Girls Night In

A culinary fantasy come true...  My mother, sister and I took a cooking class at the Tuscan cottage where we stayed (see my previous post for pics).  Our chef was the very sweet Stefania who often partnered with our B&B proprietor Giulietta on catering events.  I had a mission of learning how to make fresh pasta in Italy.  My sister, already a well-trained amateur chef was just happy to eat.  My mother had a goal of making a scrumptious local dessert. 

The menu was a medley of local vegetables,  pork roulade cooked in milk, spinach and ricotta ravioli with butter sage sauce and a Tuscan apple cake.

The herbs were picked outside on the grounds.  The olive oil used was pressed from the proprietor’s own olives.  The lemon used in the cake was still warm from the sun…Gorgeous, no?

Kneading the pasta was quite the workout, but I realized that with Italian food, it’s pretty simple once you know what you’re doing.

Since returning home, I have made ravioli several times and the apple cake twice.

Cooking lessons and B&B: http://www.fagiolari.it/

Greve in Chianti: Weekend Market

Artisanal cheeses, fresh organic produce, spices and dried goods. Each vendor showed pride in their product and was happy to have you taste why. This market carried everything one would need, from clothing, fashionable shoes, groceries.

For tiny towns as small as Panzano and Greve, the market brings all the essentials to the residents so they don't need to disturb their rural lifestyle by having to go to the city.

Panzano: Celebrity Butcher, Dario Cecchini

What is a celebrity butcher? I watched an episode of Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations on my ipod during the bus ride from Florence. His sarcastic description of Tuscany's treasures featured Dario Cecchini. Jack Nicholson proclaimed the best hamburger he has ever eaten was consumed here. Mario Batali counts Dario as a mentor.
He was described as an expert of traditional Italian cuisine, classic butchering techniques and a performer of Dante. The chefs of my B&B spoke mostly of his passion for food.
Upon visiting his shop in Panzano, we were welcomed with open arms and immediately offered a glass of house wine.

The best way to taste the results of his culinary passion is to visit his restaurants. There is a steakhouse and Antica Macelleria Cecchini. For 30E at Antica, one joins a tightly-seated communal table to taste dish upon dish of the freshest meats and vegetables you could hope for. This endless feast is accompanied by wine, ends with olive oil cake and then the party continues across the street at the shop for some grappa. A wonderful value, the servers and guests make the night with their enthusiasm and sense of humor.
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Panzano: Bespoke Shoes and Indie Fashion

One wouldn't think a small town like Panzano could be a shopping destination... Yes, it has made a name for itself as a pretty Tuscan village and for its celebrity butcher.

My mother treated herself to her most elaborate purchase, a pair of bespoke shoes. The Verso x Verso boutique offers classic and fashionable shoes in everything from suede, crocodile, lambskin to stingray. The handmade footwear has traditional colors, or can have super-bright colors to your wildest fashion whims. The prices, for a custom shoe, were quite reasonable, starting at round $350 (I recently interviewed Hungarian designer Ildiko Gal whose custom shoes ranged from $3000-$7000).

Also sharing the boutique space was Karina Wollinsky. She is a former economics professional who is now following her dream of fashion. Her sculpted pieces had beautiful workmanship and seaming.

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Florence: The Medici Legacy

Florence is a city known for it's art and architecture, mostly owing to the wealthy Medici family.
Hubby, Sis, Bro-In-Law and I started our brief afternoon parked outside of the city gates and walked through the Gardens of the Palazzo Pitti. The meticulously maintained gardens served as a lovely backdrop to the collection of sculptures.

Next, we strolled down the Ponte Vecchio, past the endless of supply of jewelry shops. Peeking in between the boutiques awarded you lovely views of the river and city. Just watch out for pickpockets and tourists zipping by on Segways...

Onward to the Piazza Del Duomo, where the elaborate Gothic architecture rose before us. The grand Cathedral had a long lines around the structure. We decided were content to admire the beauty from the exterior.

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Panzano: Tuscan Agro-Paradise at Fagiolari

Eco-sensitive agro-tourism bed and breakfast. As you can see, the views are gorgeous, the pool was a life-saver in the Tuscan heat. Owner Giulietta has scores of olive trees which are pressed to make the house olive oil. She makes her wine from her vineyard. The herbs and lemons on the property were used in a cooking class we took later.
http://www.fagiolari.it/

Bologna: La Dolce Vita

The train from Lausanne to Bologna was lovely. Watching the Swiss mountains go by in high-speed was beautiful. In First class, cute Italian girls strolled by offering a choice of newspaper. Complimentary drinks and snacks included Prosecco and chocolate biscuits.

We strolled by the Basilica San Domenico and Hubby treated himself to some shopping.

Our hotel, Il Capello Rosso was a contemporary design hotel. The rooms were luxurious, offered 8 choices on the pillow menu. The bathroom contained a fully-equipped bidet with its own set of parts-specific towels and separate 'intimates' cleansers. The staff was helpful, recommending a restaurant a few blocks away for dinner.

The restaurant was a tiny, rustic spot off of a side street. The prices were very reasonable, and it had played host to many a celebrity in its 67 years of business. Our waiter was incredibly helpful in suggesting dishes to try. He was spot-on for each one. I started with delicately fried zucchini blossoms with hints of egg and sea salt. My primi was a truffled pasta, Hubby had a spaghetti Bolognese (of course). Our secondi was a shared veal Bolognese, which was a large breaded piece of veal, covered in cream sauce and prosciutto. Too full for dessert, but we shared a rich tartufo.

I couldn't think of anything more romantic to end our first day in Italy than watching La Dolce Vita play on a giant screen in the Piazza Maggiore. An extra treat was Anita Ekbert came out personally to introduce the film. Not understanding Italian, Hubby and I initially thought she was rather schizophrenic in her speech, before realizing she was doing impressions of her director Federico Fellini and co-star Marcello Mastroianni.

Lausanne: Art & Lakeside Culture

It was a jolt leaving the vineyards and golden fields of Burgundy. A high-speed train ride brought us into Switzerland. Lausanne is home to the Olympic Museum and International money.
Hubby and I opted for the smaller, quirkier MUDAC museum, (see the bathroom sign above). It held a fantastic retrospective of comic icon ZEP. Tongue-in-cheek, naughty and thoroughly
entertaining.
The evening was spent at a tourist-trap restaurant at the Ouchy lakefront. While the view was spectacular, it was the only meal on this trip that was both overpriced and less than stellar quality.
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Anus: Making An Ass of Yourself

Yes, Hubby, our host and I are very immature. Driving around the beautiful Burgundy countryside, we came across a pretty little hamlet. The village name is pronounced "Ah-Noo". English-speakers know how we would pronounce the name of this town in our language.

The poor residents probably hate tourists. Their signs are likely stolen all the time...
I personally think they could improve community finances with a tourist shop. Imagine the creativity one could have with the merchandising!

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For haters...

Chablis: Wine and Market Shopping

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Chickens of Burgundy, France

What can I say?  The French love cock.

Vezelay: Mary Magdalene's Favorite Crepes

The town and abbey of Vezelay is a Unesco World Heritage site.

For such a small commune, Vezelay had several charming shops. The first had a surprisingly large selection of homeware collections. Each more colorful than the next.

I found artful printed frocks, sculted shawls and unique necklaces at a boutique halfway up the main street. The mature woman running the shop had an obvious love for her work. She meticulously packaged my purchase in turquoise tissue, fanning out a second sheet across the top of the back. She curled brown ribbons off the handles of the chartreuse shopping bag, finishing her creation with a spritz of perfume.

Lunch was at a lovely local eatery. Delicious crepes for all. Mine was a crispy savory dish with bechamel, mushrooms and ham.

The focal point of Vezelay is the Basilica of St. Mary Magdalene. A pilgrimage church, the Benedictine and Cluniac monastery reportedly holds the remains of Mary Magdalene in the lower crypt. The afternoon we visited, Hubby, our Host and I were treated to a beautiful service; sung and chanted by the monks and nuns of the abbey.

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Druyes Les Belles Fontaines: Secret Medieval Splendour

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Paris: Oui Gastronomie

Is it my imagination? Or is all food just prettier here?

Every corner held several gorgeous patisseries. The delicate pastries, croissants and macarons displayed like jewels. Beyond beauty, the flavors of fresh almonds and butter that was used came through brilliantly on the tongue.

Hubby and I came across a tiny little deli run by an older Italian couple. It looked like it had been there for over 100 years. They barely spoke French, let along English. However they saw our hungry faces and brought out a platter of their best cured meats and antipasto. They chose a great house wine and Hubby and I left in a cloud of culinary bliss.

The International food court at the Carousel de Louvre used to be my hideaway in college. It was (and still is) and chic example of contemporary design and multi-cultural gourmet offerings. The food and presentation was upscale, but still at reasonable food court prices. The location is perfect for tourists as it offers a low-key dining option in between museums. Hubby was shocked at "McCafe". When Paris does McDonald's it is unrecognizable. The cafe portion of McDonald's offers delicate macarons (under 1E) tortes, cappucinos. Ronald the clown and golden arches were nowhere in sight.

Our last evening, we visited a restaurant called le Dome Du Marais. Perfect for apres-shopping in the Marais district, this was an eatery recommended by a neighbor. The elegant interior and uniformed waiters looked intimidating at first. I assumed this place would be pricey.

Both Hubby and I started off with freshly baked gougeres, a foie gras terrine with mushrooms and a braised lamb dish. For dessert, I had a huge cheese plate, Hubby had a superb strawberry tart with sorbet. It came to a very reasonable 25E per person as their prix-fixe offering that night.

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