La Bambola

Patty Pravo is one on my favourite italian singer ever, the most talented and a real diva!!
I've been listen to her songs since I can remember because of my mum, I love her voice, her style and her rebel soul. She started her career in the midle of '60s and she's always be an anticonformist for her way to sing and the "sensual" moves on stage, for her private life , the "drug" scandals ..well it was easy in the 60s or 70s to be scandalous, it was very different from today!! She's still so stunning and she still sing with that sexy voice, she's a pure diva just because she dosen't care about what the people think about her, is always very honest in her interviews that sometimes she says things that everybody knows but in a catholic state nobody want to hear. I love lots of her songs but probabltyt the most famous are the most representative of her.

Pensiero stupendo


La Bambola


Pazza Idea



Il Paradiso

I Love New York!

Ciao, My Way readers! I'm Monica (aka Chessa!) from Ciao, Chessa! I am so excited to be a part of Carlotta's guest post series. Thank you, Carlotta!

Among other things, I am a New Yorker, a self-taught photographer and a Corporate Dropout (well, I became a dropout just over a year ago when I left my job as a fancy New York City corporate lawyer). I left all that, the crazy hours, the lucrative and steady pay and the security, to pursue my dream of working as a photographer. It was a huge risk and it was very scary at first but I have never been happier. One of my favorite things about being my own boss is that I make my own rules.

I love what I do and the one thing that inspires me, other than my wonderful husband and my family, is my hometown - New York City. I love this city. I love the energy, the diversity, the anonymity, the feeling that you may be walking down the street alone, but are always accompanied...New York inspires me and motivates me.

Since I work from home, some days, if I am really busy, I rarely make it out of the house for more than five minutes. I get up and have coffee and then I sit at my desk and the next thing I know it's 3:00 and then I have no idea where the day went. I noticed that this was happening a lot so I decided that I would get up and go out before even starting work. Some days it's only 20 minutes. Other days it's a few hours. The beauty of being self-employed is that you can make your own rules and schedule...I decided that I would take advantage of that!

So...I begin every day with a walk...sometimes short, sometimes long, but always...always...inspiring. I take my camera with me every where I go so of course I throw it over my shoulder when I go for my daily walks.



I love New York. This is how I see it...

Happy Friday!



I'd love to hear from you so please stop by Ciao, Chessa! to say hi:)

Thanks, again, Carlotta! xo



Today's soundtrack:
Madonna - Jump

Quick Peach

Guess what??Im stucked at home with a "light" version of chickenpox..at 33 for the 2nd time!! Somebody out there really loves me, it seems that I can't spend 2 weeks without any issue but I've just realize WHO CARES?? shit happens so let's move on!!
This friday I'm going to have the first guest post that will be written by Monica of Ciao,Chessa!
you must check her blog, she'a a photographer from New York, I'm so excited about her post can't wait to read it!!
It's getting warmer everyday and I'm so tired of winter food so I'm searching in my mum's recipe books for something easy and quick to cook, I need fresh fruits (winter fruit is boring and not so tasty!!) , veggies and colors!! I've found this old recipe, it's very very easy and you need just 2 ingredients :yellow peaches and red wine.
There're many different version of this recipe, with sugar, cinnamon , wipped cream or other spices; we make it in the easier (but very good!!) way :

(4 servings)

1 bottle of red wine
4-6 yellow peaches

peel and slice the peaches, if you prefer to cut them in little pieces is good too, put the peaches in a bowl then add all the wine, put in fridge for at least 2 hours before serving. Serve it in large glasses if you prefer you can add ice..that's it!!
Some of the other version add sugar in the red wine, but I find it too sweet and you don't need to add extra calories!!

this is another very quick but very tasty recipe, Pasta Courgettes and Saffron:

as for the other recipe, this one too has many different version, we use the light and easy version without butter or cream.

(4 serving)

300 gr pasta (spaghetti or farfalle)
1 white onion
4-6 courgettes
1 envelope saffron powder
extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper
grated pecorino cheese
grated parmiggiano (parmesan) cheese


cut the onion in slices and fry it in a large fry pan with 3 spoon of extra virgin oil for 2 minutes, don't burn it, add the sliced courgettes, I cut them in small slice but you can cut them in dices too, let it fry until they're all golden brown. Cook the pasta, drain it and add it in the pan with courgettes, add the cheese and the saffron and stir for half minute until the cheese melts. Serve it with some grated cheese..enjoy!

I need to play..stop me!!

Yesterday I've been at one of the local mall for one of my usual shopping saturday, even if I've to save because of my "temporary condition of virtually unemployment" , I coulnd't resist any longer without a shopping weekend! I've been very wise and I've bought just 2 dresses at Zara ..ok for my bday I've shopped at HM but was a bday present!!Anyway I'm convincing myself that I don't need a jumpsuit and some new wedges, Zara and the other stores were full of gorgeous jumpsuits, silk, cotton, long, short, black, multicolor...I want one!! I "need" to study and find the perfect one for me so I've searched on the internet for some pretty jumpsuits (..has been so hard to do it!!) and of course I've found my fav. at Asos (I must delete it from my bookmarks!) with some gorgeous shoes, and just because I want to hurt myself a little bit more I've spotted in Net a porter the Marc Jacobs fuschia clutch that I want..how can we all resist to some beauties??!!

(clutch - net a porter; jumpsuits,shoes - asos)

Etsy finds: prints & postcards!!

As announced before I'm very glad to introduce you 2 Etsy finds, Dolce Chic and Mynameissmith's.
Dolce Chic is owned by Candi, she has a lovely blog too Candace Rose , you must check it, there're so many fabulous photos of flowers and nature. Candi got into photography about a year ago, and recently she opened her Etsy shop at the end of December 2008 .
"Most of the photos are of flowers from my mum's garden. I find most of my inspiration from around the house" Candi
Candi loved the idea to give to all of my reader the opportunity to get 10% off to 8.5 x 11 sized prints, all you need to do is to type "10carlotta" when ordering her beautiful works..so what are you waiting for?!

I find her prints very romantic, colors are vivid and bright that you can almost feel the smell of the flowers!! It's hard for me to pick few photos, here's a sample of her work some of my favourites:

(All the images are from Dolce Chic dolcechic.etsy.com Thanx to Candi)

My other find is mynameissmith , a postcard shop owned by Sara, yes postcards!! I love sending postcards when I'm travelling or just for fun to my friends, and with the internet it's really hard to see someone sending real postcards!! Sara has a blog too Blondie-Lox lots of photos and beautiful finds!!
Her postcards are very beautiful inspired and funny and perfect for many different occasion or just to say Hello to a friend in an old fashioned way. I've asked Sara to introduce us in to her works:

"when's the last time you wrote someone a letter? with e-mail, facebook, texting, phone calls, who ever receives anything fun through snail mail anymore?? it's just bills, and "vote ___ for mayor" flyers, advertisements, sunday circulars.... whenever i go to the mail & i see a letter or postcard with a friends handwriting on it - you better believe it's been read before i even get back inside; it's just so exciting!
when i think back to all of the apartments i've lived in, almost all of them were partially decorated with postcards on the walls. i would go to the bookstore & every time i would leave with a postcard. i'd buy that blue tacky stuff - and make gallery walls ;).
when you send a postcard, they're kept, hopefully. they're stuck on a fridge, in a cubicle, by a nightstand, sometimes they're used as bookmarks, they're hung above sweet little doggy's bowls... they add inspiration in everyday life through affordable, tangible, sensibly sized art; with a friends handwriting & sweet personal note on the back.
I obviously think postcards are the bomb! & that's why i started doing this. it was a way to take my photography & postcard passion > & spread around the love in an affordable, fun, casual way. i hope you enjoy!

*postcard power*

{for anyone that is sent my way through carlotta's lovely blog gets an additional $2 off. please convo me - and i'll re-price the postcard pack of your choice & reserved it for you to purchase! this includes customized packs! just let me know the ones you like & i'll bunch 'em together - if you want one of each > hey, go for it... i'm down!}
thank so much carlotta - this girls got taste!! ;) *thanks* :) " Sara

here a little selection of my favourite Mynameissmith's postcards:

(all the images are from mynameissmith thanx to Sara)

I really hope that you'll love as much as I do those amazing shops, I love handmade, my mum is a pottery artisan so I know very well how important is the support for them and how important they are for us!!
As I said in my previous post, if you have an Etsy shop or if you know a nice shop that deserve a little spotlight let me know..and buy handmade!!