Amanda & D'Angelo - Live to Dance winners

The other day my flatmate and I watched the final of Live to Dance. an American TV show I just love. The couple that won were absolutely amazing. They are only 10 and 11 years old and are among the best dancers I have ever seen. I am so impressed!

Amazing eh? :)

xoxo

A step closer to become a body builder....

Not happy! On Sundays, when I have time, I love to go to the Pilates class and today I was planning to but when I arrived the class was cancelled. Such disappointment! In all anger and desperation I booked an hour with a personal trainer instead that for two(!) hours tortured me with heavy weights and weird stretching exercises. I got back home, had a long bath and then placed myself in front of final of "Live to Dance".

A Sunday when I more and less did nothing but anyway went to bed dead already at 22.30....

Xoxo

Saturday with Ada

What can you do a day when they warned for snow fall but it just kept raining even it was freezing cold outside? The answer from a little freezing girl like me would be nothing and I was close not getting up of bed but in the end I did....

I dressed up heavily and went out to meet my sweet ex colleague and friend Ada. We went to eat at her boyfriend's restaurant in Brera and then to a coffee place just to talk, eat and keep warm. It was such a ugly day but we had a good time anyway.

Xoxo

Tennis freaks Friday night

Yesterday I worked until 8pm when my boyfriend came and picked me up outside my office and took me to a birthday dinner with some of his friends. Arriving at the dinner I realised that everyone there had one thing in common, a genuine interest in tennis. They were all either tennis instructors, people taking tennis courses or parents to kids taking tennis lessons. Me, not even knowing how to hit the ball with a tennis racquet felt like a real outsider but I had a good time any way enjoying a buffet dinner, champagne and good live music. 

Now I am watching a man from fastweb working hard to get fastweb broadbad and the land line telephone working in our house. Lets hope he will make it!

xoxo

Another earthquake in Milan

And once again, sitting at work, we had to experience an earthquake. It lasted longer than the one two days ago and the news are saying it was also stronger. I might have got less scared this time but it is such a terrifying experience to feel the ground below your feet shaking and you got absolutely no control and can not do anything.

Two earthquakes in two days is more than enough.... I pray and hope this was the last earthquake we have to experience here in Milan!

xoxo

Aperitif at Ciu's

 

I get so lazy during the cold and dark winter month. I have good intentions to go out, meet friends and have fun but then in the end I sit down in the sofa and I decide to stay in. It is easier and warmer.

Yesterday after work I went to the gym and afterwards I was so tired and I just felt like going home to eat and sleep but I didn't. Instead I went to Ciu's to have a nice aperitif with Danii and Marco and in the end I am glad I did. Good food and good company and my evening was fulfilled.

xoxo

Antonello Venditti live in Rome!

The 8th and 9th of March my big idol Antonello Venditti will start his 2012 tour with two concerts in his home town Rome. He will also come up to Milan in the end of March but I didn't doubt a second, I just had to go down to Rome to see him there.

So now I have booked the tickets, I will spend the weekend in Rome with family and friends and the 9th I am off to the 'Palasport' with Stefania to see the big man. I just can't wait! :)

~ Antonello Venditti - Che c'è ~

xoxo

Earthquake in Milan

Just 10 minutes after I got into the office this morning the whole building suddenly starting shaking. I was talking to my colleagues about the great night at Cost yesterday when it started and I just frooze, got chocked. Everyone rushed to the window but me and my Swedish colleague took our jackets and run out on the street.

It was over in just few seconds but it was a really terrible experience. I have never felt an earthquake before and couldn't really understand what was going on....

Reading the Italian news (click here) I discover that the real earthquake was in the Emiglia Romagna area and spread all around north Italy. It mostly spread fear around the cities as no one is hurt and nothing has got destroyed but for sure it was a scary start of the day!

xoxo

InterNations Milano Aperitivo at Cost

Internations is a online social network that I would describe like a mix of facebook and linked in. It's idea is be a meeting point for international professional people all over the world who wants to get to know other international people. The website communicates job offers, apartments, city guides and other topics that people can create in their forums. They also once a while organize social events like the one I went to yesterday.

An aperitif at the lovely bar Cost with free drinks and food and a great opportunity to meet new people. I love the idea! I went there with Merve and after a while also Matteo, Fabrii and four of my colleagues joined us. We talked with people from all the world and time just rushed away. I had lots of fun but unfortunately I had to get home in time to be able to get up early this morning.

xoxo

Had enough of the winter...

La Spezia September 2011

January is slowly moving towards it's end... too slow though. January together with November are the two months I hate most, they are both long, dark, cold and often full of bad news and that is exactly what both November and this January are bringing me.... The list of bad news don't seems to have an end...

Today my colleague and I looked back at some summer pics to keep the mood up. Lovely photos from the sea side with clear blue water and a hot sun. Here in Italy the spring should only be just little bit more than one month away so I am doing what I can to keep the mood up even if some days feels harder than others...

xoxo

Sette Sensi Spa

 
A day at the SPA, Yabba Dabba Duh! :) 

Last year for my birthday I got a smart box for two and yesterday I finally used it. I choose Sette Sensi Spa in Melegnano. It was quite small but very sweet, nice and relaxing. We passed lovely hours inside but strange enough we got home totally destroyed.

I fell asleep at 22.30 more tired than ever but this morning I woke up nice and fresh to start of the new week.

Xoxo

Melegnano

A little Sunday trip to Melegnano, a small town outside Milan. Went there for a walk, a brunch and to visit the SPA. :) 

Xoxo
Sent from my Blackberry*

Arabic night

Saturday night and we wanted to do something different so my boyfriend and I booked a table at a popular Arabic restaurant where they have a "dinner and show" offer in these days.

We went, ate the food, it was ok but nothing special and not enough for hungry wolves like me. After the dinner a little balerina came and did a good belly dance show which was quite nice as well. BUT, I didn't enjoy the evening at all and the reason was some of the men in the place, not the dinner guests as they were all normal couples like me and my boyfriend. I mean men that was sitting in the place drinking, smoking water pipes and staring at all women like we were some kind of objects and later on also touching the poor belly dancer. I really would like to be open to all different kind of cultures and religions but their way there men are looking and treating women is something I absolutely can't accept and it kind of destroyed the whole sense of the evening.

The dinner was interesting and the dance show was very beautiful so the whole experience was ok but I won't do it again.

Xoxo
Sent from my Blackberry*

Kenzo Ki Sensual

It is not the first time I share my great experiences with Kenzo Ki creams. Last time I told you about the fresh Bamboo cream which was amazing during the hot summer days. This time I would like to recommend an even better line of Kenzo Ki, the one called Sensual on the international market and "rice steam" here in Italy. Kenzo Ki are natural products that might be a bit hard to find and not very cheap but they are worth every effort to get them.

I have been using the day, night and body creams of the Sensual line and they have all been fantastic for my quite dry skin. I can really feel how it hydrates the skin, gives it energy and softness. I just love it and I am so sad that they are now finishing....

Xoxo

Movie premiere of 'Benvenuti Al Nord'

Few weeks ago I saw the movie "Benvenuti al Sud", an Italian comedy movie talking about a man from Milan that has to move down to south Italy for work. It is funny as the differences of life between north and south of Italy are extremely big. I liked the movie, it felt genuine in some kind of way.

Also, for me moving from Stockholm to Milan felt more and less the same differences of life changes as the man in the film.

Yesterday I dragged my boyfriend to the film premiere of the second movie, Benvenuti al Nord. In this movie a man from the south is moving up to Milan. In this movie they want us to laugh at the Milaneese people's way of planning weeks ahead, that they arrive at exact time and that they eat strange things as sushi.... I laughed but I am not sure about what as for me it is normal to plan, to arrive on time and that sushi is a normal part of my weekly life. But the film was sweet anyway and I would highly recommened both Benvenuti al Sud and Benvenuti al Nord for all Italians and Italian lovers!

xoxo

Burlesque dance

Yesterday evening me, my flatmate Diana and 3 of her friends went for a free course of Burlesque dance. It was fun and interesting and the teacher was very good. She explained that many people believes that Burlesque is a simple striptease but it is absolutely not. It is much more elegant, teasing and artful and that is why it is so hard to learn.

In one hour we more and less tried to learn how to walk in a very elegant way and ow to move our arms, shoulders and hips in a elegant but sensual way. Believe it or not, it was so hard. Tiny little me felt like a heavy elephant in there. My friends are interested to sign up for the whole course but I am not. If I gonna pay for a dance course I wanna move more and I wanna dance to music I like. It was great fun to try but nothing for me!

From Wikipedia: "Burlesque refers to theatrical entertainment of broad and parodic humor, which usually consists of comic skits (and sometimes a striptease). While some authors assert that burlesque is a direct descendant of the Commedia dell'arte, the term 'burlesque' for a parody or comedy of manners appears about the same time as the first appearance of commedia dell'arte."

xoxo

Tiziano Ferro - L'ultima notte al mondo

An absolutely beautiful song by Tiziano Ferro. Not one of his big hits but I heard it on the radio the other day and fell in love with it.

Enjoy :)

xoxo

Monday - Yabba Dabba Duh

I am a girl that normally don't like routines. I am not sure why but I guess it bores me out. But now I found a good way to start of my weeks, a routine of my Mondays...

I work. I go to the gym - I normally do two hours, one hour of body pumping and one hour of dancing. I get home. I eat a dinner that almost always contains of tuna mixed of other things. I always wash my hair on Mondays and every second week I make a hair pack. Afterwards I relax in front of a movie, or an episode of Gossip girl or I go straight to bed to read a good book. I feel this is a good start of my week and with a good start I hope to go on with a even better week :)

Yesterday I  saw the movie "Ti presento un amico" with one of my favourite actors Raoul Bova. Just another Italian movie talking about infidelity... But it was entertaining and relaxing. And Mr Bova was great as always.

xoxo

Snowing in Bollate

Good morning friends! Look it is snowing! I just arrived to Bollate where I work (20 minutes outside centre of Milan) and it is slighly snowing, it is ice on the streets and snow on the trees. If it has to be this cold then I want it like this, I almost forgot how beautiful the snow makes the city.

Xoxo

Freeeeezing...

Looking like gangsters jumping around like mad ones at the tram station waiting for Danii's late tram to arrive. -2 degrees!

Xoxo

Dinner and movie eve

It is getting very very very cold here in Milan now and tonight Danii and I decided to stay in drinking tea, talking, eating warm soup and watching a movie. Very cosy girl evening! <3

Xoxo

Carosello shopping centre

In winter time I love shopping centers, in the summer I hate them. I find them a bit sad, a place for families to go if they don't have anything better to do.... However, in the the winter it is great. You tale the car there and can walk around only inside to get everything you need (if it is a good shopping centre).

Today we've been to Carosello in norh Milan. It was the first time I went there but now it is my favourite one as it god everything I needed. Apple store, H&M, Zara, Holister, Intimissimi and a very big carrefour super market with great prices.

I bough myself a sweather from Holister, some basics from H&M, training clothes from Adidas and did my weekly food shopping from carrefour that Torri delivered home to my door :) I also choose the MAC I wanna buy...!

Now I wait for my sweet Danii to arrive for a cosy girl night.

xoxo

Xoxo

Dimensione Danza

Today ended up being everything but lazy. I've walking around everywhere.

Most important is that I manage to go to the big Dimensione Danza store in central Milan where they sell out their fantastic gym/ dancing clothes for 35-50% off. I bough myself two new pairs of trainings pants and obviously I had to introduce one of the immediately so I went to the gym for one hour pumping :)

Now I am at home waiting for my boyfriend to arrive to spend a relaxing evening at home. Outside it is far too cold so I have no intentions to leave the house any more today.

Happy Saturday!

xoxo

Cocktail night at Deseo

Unexpected evening. I was supposed to go just for an ape with Matteo at Deseo after work but we ended up staying out late talking, drinking cocktails and having fun. Even Albii came by that I haven't seen in months so it was a very nice evening.

Today it's Saturday and I am not really sure what to do. I feel tired and could easily stay in bed all day but gonna try not to...

Xoxo

The winner stands alone

The Winner Stands Alone is a very interesting book that shows the inteligent and educated sides of the great author Paolo Coelho.

The story takes place at the Cannes Film Festival looking deep into the world of film and fashion. Igor, a confused. sad but intelligent and very successful businessman pursues his ex-wife Ewa in the hope of getting her back. Igor believes that he must "destroy other people's worlds" (taking their lives) to win back her affection. At the same time the book features different characters weaved in together in the story, who all serve a function amidst the film festival: producers, actors, designers and supermodels.

I am not sure I liked the actual story itself but it was written in such smart and interesting way that it kept my interest until the last page.

(I read it in Swedish...)

Tonight I have been to the gym, I ate a healthy dinner, had a long bath and finished this book and now I am off to bed early. Me like.

xoxo

More dogs than kids

Today I was told that there are more dogs in Milan than there are kids.... And that is the reason why the dogs are welcome absolutely everywhere in this town; in all shops, bars, restaurants... I never thought about it but it is actually true that I see much more dogs inside Rinascente than kids. I love dogs but I must say I think this statistic is a bit sad...

Why Italians don't fancy having kids/families is another long story, and I'll write about that another time.

xoxo

Piccola Ischia and a bad movie

A good evening with bad ingredients.

For tonight I was the one to decide to try out a pizzeria most Milanese people just loves. It is a chain called Piccola Ischia making traditional Napolitan pizzas. I dragged my boyfriend with me to the one closest to where I live (the one in Viale Abruzzi) and we ordered two pizzas. I don't want to say they didn't taste good, they were actually quite tasty but absolutely nothing special and they doesn't come close to be as good as the pizzas at for example Brickoven.
When walking out of the pizzeria I felt almost sick even if I finished just half of my pizza so I say no I won't go back, sorry.

To digest the pizza we went home to watch a movie, All about Steve with Bradley Cooper and Sandra Bullock. Two great actors in a crap, ridiculous but at least a bit entertaining movie.

However, even if both the pizza and the movie was crap my evening was great! :)

Xoxo

Vasco Rossi - Gabri

Heard this song in a store earlier this evening and I just realised I never have shared it on the blog. It is one of the best songs ever made of one of Italy greatest music artists of all time, Vasco Rossi.

Listen and enjoy!

xoxo

Around the Globe

Yesterday night Silvia, Ilaria and I booked a table at the busy bar Globe Lounge at the top floor of Coin. We met up for a some food, drinks and good talk. The Globe is a lovely place with a breautiful view and nice people but I must say that the food was nothing special at all - at least not for being at a place where you absolutely have to book to be able to get in.

However, I had a good evening with the girls!

Xoxo