Summer time

You know it is really hot... when you do all you can to HIDE from the sun... When you prefer to be inside even when the weather is lovely... When you start sweating just putting your nose outside the door. When you don't even wanna think about food but wanna eat icecream and drink fruit cocktails all the time. When everyone's tanned and walks around in small and light clothes.

That's when you know the real summer is here! And I'm in Italy! And I love it!

Xoxo
Sent from my Nokia E71 mobile phone

I like to laugh

Yesterday night Stefi and I decided to do something different. We were invited for dinner in Rho so we took the car and went there. Rho 30 min outside Milan.

I'm glad we did! We had such a funny evening. Can't remember when I laughed as much as I did yesterday.

Giose's flat is boiling hot, they cooked spagetti carbonara and some fried vegitables and served red wine. Very nice but we were all dying of the heat after such heavy dinner. Then the guys played some guitarr and we all sang lots of old classics together before the neighbours complained. Then we put on a Italian comedy movie and we all fell asleep on top of eachother...

Such strange evening but so much fun!





Slept until 1pm and now it's time to get ready. Today I was supposed to be off but as I'm going to Rome next week I said I could work some hours today. Working with Stefania (her last day buuu) and Illaria today so it's gonna be fun!

xoxo

It's getting hot in here

33 degrees in the shaddow and I feel to lazy to do anything. Went to the supermarket to buy some food and then I got back home again. Now I'm on my balcony reading a magazine, eating some icecream and trying to get some tan. Wasted day!

Soon I gonna get ready to go out. Will go to Stefi first to go though my Italian CV and then maybe meet Mario to see the game together otherwise an aperitivo down the river.

xoxo

Una canzone per te

Beautiful song before going to bed. Enjoy!

xoxo

~ Vasco Rossi - Una Canzone per te ~

The devil wears Givenchy

Had a bad day at work today...

Since we changed the counter to a more central point inside Rinascente we also have more pressure on us to sell and perform well. The directors are stressing my manager and my manager is stressing me. Today I couldn't take it anymore and we had a real argument. Also, some ultra posh and so stupied clients came by and behaved really rudly and I had to bite my tongue not to ask them to f**k off.

Thanks god for my lovely colleague at La Praire who kept me smiling, my colleague at Clinique kept me company, my guy colleague at Mac who so much make me laugh and most of all my sweetie at Collistar who game me all these lovely products so I can have a little self treat tomorrow when I have a day off.

xoxo
Sent from my Nokia E71 mobile phone

Italian dating rules

Today I got my forth lesson in "Italian dating"... in other words, what guys to date and how.
I got my first two lessons during my first week in Milan, the third when I started at Rinascente and today my forth... Four completely different girls are telling me more and less the same things and I'm chocked. Being Swedish this sounds like a big joke but when talking about it with girls here in Milan they just smile and nod.


Here are the rules... The guy should;
- come form a wealthy family!
- be rich himself
- have a good degree, preferably from Bocconi University or even better from a private school abroad
- have a good job (doesn't matter if he works 24/7, he just has to earn good money)
- he should a l w a y s pay for you. A guy should never let the girl pay not even an ice cream.
- Personality wise the only important thing was that he's generous....
- Three of the girls also told me the guys needs to be tall, naturally skinny with nice eyes ( thanks I'm 157 myself ;-) - they think about how their kids will look like....

Like you can see mostly all about money!

While in Sweden the girls are looking for the perfect father for their kids the girls here in Italy are looking for a man that can pay for everything for her and the kids.

I find it really interesting to discuss this with people, especially people from other cultures than me. In Sweden life is so easy, money doesn't have the importance that it has here in Italy and also in England. A career woman in Italy can't have a family so it's all up to the man to gain the good money (will write about that another time). You have to pay for the school and all the school books so having a kid is very very expensive. And here you don't get the benefits for your kids like you do in Sweden and even in UK. Well, you can see yourself why the Italian girls M U S T think about how rich their future husband is. It's so sad. Don't know what else to say.

Anyway looks like the older we get, girls (and guys?) prioritize of what kind of life they can have with a specific person in the future. It's not about much love and attraction anymore. I don't want it to be that way. I'm the romantic swede that want to be with whoever I love, no matter other problems. But hey, maybe it's good. I had my lesson that love gave me more pain than happiness so maybe I should go for something else next time? maybe a geek taking care of my future kids? or a rich man buying Bvlgari jewels to me?
Jezez, I rather be alone!


xoxo

L'italia va in Waka

Sorry, I just had to post this one. Even if I'm sad for Italy this really made me laugh :)

xoxo

In love with Fanta Lemon

There is nothing more refreshing in these warm summer days in Italy than a cold fanta lemon, mmmm :)

Today I'm working and time is really flying. Having so much fun with my colleague Stefania.

Tonight it's another big Rinascente party at just cavalli. Another ultra posh party with only good looking people invited... hmm... Don't know if I want to go or not but maybe I should...!?

Xoxo
Sent from my Nokia E71 mobile phone

Gnam gnam

Mega big icecream with lemon, yoghurt + forest fruit and .... the mega pink one is... Bubbel gum!! Soo nice and so much me :-)

(Gram gnam = The Italian way of saying mums mums/yam yam)

Xoxo
Sent from my Nokia E71 mobile phone

Flamingos in Milan

Look what I found in a garden on my way to work :) I first thought they were fake in plastic but they are actually alive. Pretty!

I managed to walk all the way to duomo in 25 minutes and now I sit in the shade relaxing until it's time to get in and work.

Tonight I'm choosing in between going for drinks at a PUB with friends, going to the cinema with some others or have a movie evening at home... Nothing really fancy me, so we'll see...

Xoxo
Sent from my Nokia E71 mobile phone

On my way to play tennis?

...no I'm on my way to my posh work at La Rinascente!! Haha

Power walk to get there so I can't put on a little fancy skirt and high heels. My colleagues will die when they see me coming... this wierd swedish girl ;-) Anyway, I will get changed there, obviously!

xoxo

Dancing

I love dancing! I've always done and will always do!

Yesterday night I went to see a dance show where my friend Stefi was part of. It was all kinds of dances (Stefi danced salsa) and I really enjoyed it.

After the show they had a nice buffe followed my party. All dancers obviously started dancing but as I can't dance all these kinds of pair dances I tried to hide in the corner. I didn't really manage to hind and after a while I was dancing around with really good dancers and all I had to do was just to follow. I had a awesome time!







That's something that really impress me; guys that can dance! It doesn't happen very offen in Sweden. In London you could find them but it was not the Britts... The more south in Europe you come the better the guys gets in dancing and here in Italy there are a lots of good dances. I love it! :)

Time to go to work!

xoxo

The day I managed to do nothing

Today, my only day off this week I had a long list of thing I was supposed to do but I didn't manage to do any of them, sigh.

I did actually go to Barclays, but just to be told that after three weeks my bank cards still hasn't arrived, unbelievably.

Otherwise I spent the morning at home talking to francesca and the afternoon in the park. Lazy girl, eh? :)

Now I'm on my way to a big dance show. That's how we celebrate midsummer down here. No little frog dance :p

Xoxo
Sent from my Nokia E71 mobile phone

Happy midsummer

Today is the best swedish day of the year, midsummer! And today or actually tomorrow will be the day I will miss London the most. The midsummer celebration in London is the best of the best and I so wish I could be there tomorrow....

I got midsummer parties invitations from different parts of Sweden, few in London and even two in New York but nooone in Milan. So tonight, to celebrate midsummer I will go to a dance show here in Milan and afterwards I will go out dancing salsa with some friends.

Happy swedish midsummer Maria ;)

xoxo

Priorities in life

Remeber this discussion on my blog last year... how we prioritise in life!? what's most important for ourselves; family, career, free time etc?

Tonight the discussion came up here in Italy as well after watching an episode of gossip girls with some friends. Firstly we discussed what kind of priorities we would do ourselves but more interesting, what kind of prioritises do we want our partners to have. In Italy money is important so it was very interesting to hear what the girls said...

I guess many young italian guys would put money or career on top of their lists, that's how they are raised to think. And they better do because many girls are choosing their guys in how much money they have. For a romantic Swede like me this sounds just terrible, I wanna believe in love and that loves solves all problems.... However my friends believe that when the little boys grows up they will realise that there are other things in life that comes first, but the experiences I have of the career Italians I doubt actually that.

Anyway, after some discussions tonight we all agreed that parter, family and friends will always be the most important elements in our lives. And we also agreed that if a guy would would think that money and career is more important in life than his family it must be something wrong in his head. As both my friends that was here tonight are having boyfriends they will now ask their partners to do the list, can't wait to hear it, but I know it's gonna be arguments ;)

Watch episode 16 of Gossip girls season 3 (you can see it here) and you see how career guys prioritise in life. Think twice before choosing your boyfriends girls...

xoxo

Ps. Interesting to read, here!

Good and bad day!

Tonight I had plans going to the famous beach club with Francesca and her spanish friends. I had everything done, lovely dress and high heals in the bag and make up fixed by the make up artist.... but whoever knows me must also know that as Italy is out of the world cup I'm depressed and I can't go out partying, no no. Instead I'm at home, gonna clean my room, make a nice face mask and watch some gossip girls - bloody crapy but adictive TV series, haha. No way I party a day like this!

However even if the day was bad for Italy I had a very good day at work and my managers are really really happy with me. I sold more in a day than we normally do in a week, almost :) I started of a promotion selling my favourite perfume together with a nice beach bag, and I promise I can sell bags ;)

(old pic)

xoxo

What's a better way to spend a lunch break...

...than to sit in the sun, on a lovely piazza in Italy, watching Italy play the world cup on big screen and eat a pancerotto from Luini. Nice nice nice!! But warm... ;-)

Xoxo
Sent from my Nokia E71 mobile phone

Time to move?

I like my flat here in Milan. It's located in a quiet area with both busses, trams and underground very close. I also like my flatmates and my room.

But what I don't like is that there are people walking in with own keys from time to time. It's been a painter, someone to fix the floor, someone to fix the doors etc etc. Then, worst of all the landlady who lives in Genoa comes whenever she wants, she takes what she wants from the fridge and doesn't even appologize. I can't stand it anymore!

This morning I was like always dancing around in just underwear when I hear the keys in the door and I had to hide in my room.

I understand that all these people are there to fix the flat, make it better for us living there but common, at least someone can tell me before there will come people to my home...

I'm not happy and for sure I will start looking around for a new room somewhere! But I will miss my flatmates :(

Xoxo
Sent from my Nokia E71 mobile phone

An evening at Lotvs

Tonight after work Stefi and I went out with Luca and his friends and they brough us to the Lotus bar in the Moschino Maison. Such beautiful place, felt like being in hawaii or something, haha. Milan keeps surprising me with very nice places hidden all over the city, I would never had thought an Italian city could offer such mordern and trendy variety like Milan actually do. I'm impressed :)


LOTVS
Address: Via Monte Grappa 10
Area: Corso Como
Price: €10

Good night and sweet dreams!
xoxo

BBQ at Innvilla'

Yesterday night Mondovela, a sailing club organizing sailing cruises in Italy, Greece and Croatia had their anniversary party at Innvilla' close to San Siro. As Valentina works for this sailing club we went there and enjoyed a lovely bbq with freshly grilled meet and fish, creps, fresh fruit etc.

Met some nice people and had a good evening!

Now I'm off to work :)

xoxo

A day at the LVMH head office

The course that my manager said would be for just an hour or two ended up lasting all day. The Guvenchy head office was actually LVMH head office with Givenchy, Dior, Acqua di Parma, Guerlain and Kenzo all nest to eachother, sucj nice office. Would be my dream to work there!
The course was nice. Even if I already been working there and already knew most of the products I learned lots new about skin/face treatment and we also had a quick make up course.
For lunch I went with all the girls working for Givenchy to a little family trattoria next to the office having a very nice lunch.
Before leaving they told me I could choose some products so I got my favourite perfume, a face cream, face masks and the make up I like most plus some t shirts and jewels. I love presents and I am so happy :-)
Tonight I'm going to fancy party in a big villa somewhere with Valentina so now I need to get ready...
Xoxo
Sent from my Nokia E71 mobile phone

I'm not a morning person

08.30am, ring ring... Alarm! I'm tired to death and not even after a double espresso I felt better. Getting out in the lovely sun helped a bit but I'm still a zombie. No I hate early mornings!

I'm on my way to Givenchy headoffice for training, just about time they offer it as I now have worked for them more than two months... It's gonna be interesting!

Xoxo
Sent from my Nokia E71 mobile phone

My weekend

ok, as I haven't been at home a single second this weekend and my phone on saturday was dead and yesterday I was dead I didn't manage to update the blog this weekend. however my weekend was great!

friday evening I had dinner and watched a movie at home with some friends.

saturday; I worked all day and straight afterwards I went to stefi for some snacks and coke before going to Karma. we had fun, mostly because we knew lots of people there... francesca was there with all her spanish friends and obviously guffi and marco had their table so we enjoyed. however, it was raining so instead of the beautiful dancefloors they have outside they opened 7 of the dancefloors inside and it was not was nice as outside. also, there were lots of wierd people around... terroni like the posh italians like to call them ;) came back home at 05.30 in the morning, just a little bit tired....

pics from karma; me & stefi, stefi & marco and me & luca.


sunday; worked all day and in the evening I went out with Stefi as it was her birthday. guffi and marco recommened a place called Bobino. we came there and it looked like a normal pub/bar... but the aperitivo they had was amazing. freshly grilled vegitables, meat, salsiccie plus sallads, wood oven baked pizzas, ham, cheeses etc etc. so nice! and all for just 8euro. then at 10.30 the buffe suddenly was gone and a capoeira dance show started. then at 11pm the calm little pub transformed into a disco and everyone danced with everyone. felt like being at a privat party as people walked around saying hi and introducing themselves. so cool place. and very mixed people. some older business men, some young crazy asian girls, one big table with extremly skinny (but good looking) models, a table with posh italians etc etc. we didn't stay out very late but we had really lots of fun!





...a weekend full of friends and parties, but I didn't drink a single nip of alcohol, as usual :)

today work all day and tonight i'm havning my resting monday evening. need to check few things online then it's time for a episode of gossip girls before sleeping.

xoxo

(ps. I manged to spill tea on my pc so I can no longer wrinte any capital letters...)

Live rock concert at Rinascente

Aldo Montano, Italy's sward chmpion is here promotinh the new richmond perfume and the store is a mess. EXTREMLY loud music and fans running everywhere, sign.
Anyway, it's a goodlooking guy so I shouldn't complain ;-)
Days like this I just love my job. It happens so much at Rinascente comparing to in an office...
Xoxo
Sent from my Nokia E71 mobile phone

Back on track

Been having problems with my phone this weekend, that's why I haven't updated the blog :)

TIM (my mobile operator) emptied my credits on saturday and the reason they give is that the internet swapped itself from TIM mobile to something else, and it not only used the €4 that I had on my phone, it also put it on negative €6 and blocked it all.... Hmm... Time to change network provider?

Now I'm on my way to work and I'll work all day long and tonight it's my resting night and I will go stright home. Will update the blog then!

xoxo
Sent from my Nokia E71 mobile phone

Big cleaning among my "friends"

Ok, I had enough. After a sleepless night after receiving such stupid text from a drunkie yesterday evening I decided I had enough! There are three people, quite close friends, that I have realised are taking so much more energy from me than they give.... I like them, I care about them and I give my all to be nice but I mostly I just get shit back and it keeps making me sad and angry. I have so many nice friends that really care about me so I really don't need people like that in my life!

These three have three things in common, they are all guys, all Italians and thanks god none of them live in Milan even if they all have connections with this city. Nr 1 is just a big liar, Nr 2 is careless, heartless and the most selfish person I've ever met and Nr 3 showed me last night what an idiot he is.

So now I decided to have a big break from all three and even if I know it's gonna be hard I already feel relieved!

xoxo

Curry dinner with Fra and Edo

Isn't it nice to come home and the dinner is already done for you...
I love it :-)

Xoxo
Sent from my Nokia E71 mobile phone

Expensive gym membership

As I miss training so so much I've now started looking around for gyms or dance studios. Today I walked into a gym close to where I work to ask for the prices.... A very flirty guy made me a special offer, instead of paying €150 / month + €99 signing up fee, I could get it for €129 / month + €29 signing up fee. JEZEZ!

I remember the gyms in Bologna being expensive but not THAT expensive. I don't know what to do know... I really wanna go training but I can't pay that much :(

Xoxo
Sent from my Nokia E71 mobile phone