my autumn

I'm not usually a fan of the Fall. I prefer the Spring, when everything feels new, or the Summer, when I can run and take my bicycle and wear tiny dresses. I usually equate the Fall and the Winter with rain, with depression and loneliness. 

Maybe it's because I'm neither. Maybe it's because I'm okay, even with a few mood swings; I'm working as a dessert chef at my dad's restaurant, I'm taking pictures, I have my garden and my 52 Stories and my NaNoWriMo almost starting. So I'm good. And being good allows me to appreciate the things I don't normally do — which is exactly what I've been doing these days. 

I spent my afternoon, yesterday, taking care of my garden. I trimmed the tomato bush (oh goodness!), tied the tallest plants to sticks (I have a cucumber branch that is taller than I am!) and moved things around to give them space to grow. I also picked a handful of tomatoes and chili peppers, as well as an eggplant! I have eggplants!

Today, after having lunch with my friend J, I came home and started my tiny herb garden. I've had a lot of offerings from people around me, mostly for small herbs, like mint or basil, so I filled up a vase with dirt and now I have thyme, rosemary and parsley growing. I'm now waiting for other plants people might give me. *hint hint*

I had some time this afternoon, so I decided to try to knit a sleeve for my new mug. Huh. No. I dropped it after three lines because I got sleepy. That's how lousy my concentration ability is these days. I'm like a fly, looking — OH SPARKLY STUFF.

I think I bought this book when I was in my first years of college. I remember skimming through it, but today I actually sat and read it. It's lovely. Of course, completely outdated and almost whimsical at times. But still cute.

I have a thing for tea. Especially if it's in a pretty mug with a pretty filter. This is cinnamon tea, one of my favorites. All I was missing was a mint leaf, but I guess I'll have those soon enough. 

Have a blessed rest of week! I hope your Autumn days are filled with beauty and wonder. 

At last I'm here (aka, blogging from Berlin!)

Hello, my darlings!

I am so sorry for my absence in the past week; I had several problems throughout the whole time, culminating with the death of my beloved computer, last Wednesday. My poor Mac was much too old, and with a small bang of my cell against it (I dropped the phone when I had the laptop in my lap) it died. As did all my info. Luckily, I have a good friend who happens to be a computer wiz and he's working on recovering my data.

To make things better, though, I am in Berlin! I'm with my favorite person in the world and so far I'm having a wonderful, wonderful time. I thought I'd share some of my pictures of day one with you, what do you think?

(taken by my darling Lina)

(also taken by Lina)

(also by Lina)

I hope you're all having a terrific week! I'll post more news as they come, and more photos from this trip. See you!

la bella italia, day one

I thought I'd share with you the pictures and the writing from the trips I've taken in the past few years. Travel photography is one of my favorite areas; I have the time of my life trying to capture moments, small details of the places that usually go unnoticed by the regular postcard photography. Besides, they give me a window back to those times, take me to those places again. I spent most of my week processing the photos from the trip I'm about to share, and I swear I could almost smell the Nutella crepes that they sold a couple of streets from our hotel room. 

So, here is my take on Italy. The trip will be split in a couple of blogposts — too many memories to share, too many photos. The texts will look kind of... diary-like, because I took them off the notebook I brought with me. But I hope you like each and every one of them. Don't forget to let me know what you think, share your experiences with me! This world, this tiny little universe I'm creating here, is nothing without your input. Talk to me!

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The plane left early in the morning, way too early. We're sleepy, the both of us, and the plane trip (which is never too pleasant) was shaky. I know I'm over my fear of planes, I know I was actually craving this trip, but I still get butterflies in my stomach every time I enter the darn thing. Oh well. 

The sights are gorgeous. We're preparing for cold, for snowstorms and freezing fingers and falling on my butt in front of monuments (I need to start counting the amount of times this happens), but I have the feeling it's not going to be that cold. The land is very green under us, the sun is peeking out. We might have sun after all. 

Rome! We're just crossing town on our way to the train to Florence, but still. It's like home. 

There are only a handful of places I'd move to in a heartbeat, and Rome is very close to the top of the list. It's unbelievably beautiful, and it's curious that I get there exactly six years after I left. To the day. 

The air feels exactly the same as it did when I was there with my friends; the color, the light yellow mornings and the smell of coffee and old books and wet stone. I remember loving this feeling when I was with them; that everywhere I looked, there was art. It's incredibly inspiring, when every small corner, every nook and cranny is spilling talent, showing off the hands of the men (and women, albeit few) who worked them so very long ago. 

I missed it. I missed Rome with everything I have, and I'm only realizing it now. It feels like home. 

Trains are my favorite means of transportation. I love the calm, the paradox of the noise against the quietness that forms inside my head. I love feeling cradled by it, like when I was little and I'd hurt myself and my grandmother would sway me from side to side. It's incredibly comforting.  

    [view from our hotel window]

After a full day of traveling, we're finally in Florence. The hotel looked decrepit from the outside, but it's new and stylish and gorgeous on the inside. It was a wonderful choice. And the view. This view. I can't believe I'm here. I can't believe I'm finally in Florence. 

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Thank you for reading, have a wonderful Friday!