Christmas Wish List ~ Coffee Table Books

I adore beautiful coffee table books.
In fact they are one of the few things I collect.
This year I have four coffee table books on my Christmas list.
Any of these books make a perfect gift for anyone who enjoys fashion and style, as well as the perfect gift for yourself.

The Little Black Jacket, Chanel's Classic Revisited By Karl Lagerfeld and Carine Roitfeld

I am pretty much obsessed with Carine Roitfeld and everything she does. My Christmas List is topped with this gorgeous book celebrating Chanel's little black jacket. Her partnership with Karl Lagerfeld always yields the spectacular, and this glorious tome will not disappoint.
Order it here: The Little Black Jacket

Oscar De La Renta, The Style, Inspiration And Life of Oscar De La Renta

Somewhat bittersweet with his recent passing, this updated version of the 2002 book celebrates Oscar de la Renta's milestones in the world of fashion and style.

“Oscar completely understands who he is and who he is dressing… He’s never tried to be avant-garde or difficult. He just does really good clothes, never overtly sexy but attractive, colorful, and feminine,”  Anna Wintour.

Over 160 images in a beautiful hard slipcase.

Order it here: Oscar De La Renta The Style, Inspiration and Life



Valentino At The Emperor's Table
Celebrating the luxe lifestyle of the Last Emperor himself, At The Emporer's Table gives us a gorgeous glimpse into the lavish and stylish entertaining hosted by Valentino Garavani in his five beautiful homes (Gstaad, Paris, Rome, London and New York) and aboard his private yacht.
Showcasing his exhaustive collection of table settings and objets d'arte, with photography by Oberto Gili, the book is written by Andre Leon Talley and features recipes from Garavani's personal chefs.

Order it here: Valentino At The Emperor's Table

Tory Burch In Color

Tory Burch sees the world in color. This book takes you through her world, color by color,
exploring her world of style, home decor, entertaining, travel, art and of course fashion.
It gives you insight into the brand, and also a glimpse at her life.
And it's fabulous.
Order here: Tory Burch In Color

There's A Cold Winter Coming...

If flowers can teach themselves how to bloom

after the long, cold winter passes,

then so can you.

Sunflowers in Cortona, Italy

Your winter will pass,

there is a springtime coming.

Happy Monday

xo

Corinna B's World Goes To San Gimignano ~ The Glam Italia Tour

San Gimignano, Tuscany

San Gimignano is my home in Italy. 
Nestled on a hilltop between Florence and Siena, this little, walled, medieval town is known as the “Town Of Fine Towers”, due to the unforgettable skyline created by the remaining 14 towers that proudly watch over the neighboring hills and vineyards stretching their way across Tuscany. At one time there were more than 70 towers in this tiny town, playing an architectural game of “my one’s bigger than yours”.

I just adore this beautiful place.

Buy local olive oils and cheeses in San Gimignano

At home in America when my crazy life gets too stressful, when I can’t sleep at night, or when life gets too complicated, I close my eyes and make the drive from Poggibonsi, through all the roundabouts, and up the winding  hill, past the olive oil stand and the wineries, and in to San Gimignano.

My parking spot sits beside a giant nespole tree which bares the most beautiful fruit. 

From there in my mind I walk to the Porta San Matteo and take in every store and coffee shop along the via San Matteo, sometimes stopping at Lucia and Maria’s for my daily caffe and slice of Mandorlata, sometimes just walking straight to the lovely Piazza Duomo and my beautiful attic apartment.
It is the quintessential de-stresser.

Grab a caffee and a slice of panforte at Lucia and Maria's on via San Matteo

Thursday morning market in San Gimignano

Market day in San Gimignano, Tuscany

I love the Thursday morning market in Piazza Duomo 

and Piazza Cisterna

Enjoy a prosecco in Piazza Cisterna after the tourists have gone for the day

Enjoy a gelato or just chill at Piazza Cisterna, The cisterna was built in 1287

 Take time to look inside the cisterna, There are deep grooves in the stone rim from centuries of ropes hauling up buckets of water.

Make sure you explore the back streets of San Gimignano

If you ever come to  San Gimignano, make sure you stay until after all the tourist buses leave at 5pm. Enjoy an early evening Prosecco in the Piazza Cisterna and take a sunset walk along the top of the walls that encircle the town. Take in the view, and breathe in the magical air of one of the loveliest places I know.

Piazza Cisterna in San Gimignano before the tour buses arrive in the morning

Via San Matteo in San Gimignano before the tour buses arrive

San Gimignano is magic at the end of the day when the tourists are gone

Stroll along the walls when all the tourists have left for the day

All images are my own. Please do not use without my written permission.
Thanks!

Iconic Nico

As a makeup artist you spend an enormous amount of time researching everything under the sun.

You have to know where it's been to know where it's going.
You have to have a vast knowledge encompassing every iconic moment.

It's fabulous.

Iconic Nico

Tonight I have been compiling iconic images of German singer, songwriter, model, actress, heroin addict, Nico.

Born  Christi Paffgen in Cologne in 1938, Nico is perhaps mostly remembered for being a Warhol girl and singing with The Velvet Underground. 
Her story (like all the iconics) is fascinating. 
She was discovered selling lingerie at Berlin's KaDeWe at 16, her 5'10" frame and chiseled features paved her way into modeling for prominent magazines including Vogue, Elle, and Tempo.  

TV commercials morphed into movies, including small roles in 1958's La Tempesta and For The First Time (starringMario Lanza )

In 1959 Fellini cast her as herself in La Dolce Vita.

Nico playing herself in Federico Fellini's La Dolce Vta

Living in NYC Nico began her music career in 1963, became friends with the Rolling Stones, who introduced her to Andy Warhol. Warhol used her in his movies and made the Velvet Underground use her as a "chanteuse". She became an iconic figure in music throughout the remainder of her life, moving from New York to France to England, finally dying of a heart attack in Ibiza in 1988.
Nico was only 50 when she died.

Nico with The Velvet Underground and Andy Warhol

Nico

Iconic Nico

Nico with Velvet Underground

Nico Album Cover, Chelsea Girl

Taylor Swift For Wonderland

Check out Taylor Swift on the cover of the November 13 issue of Wonderland magazine!

At first glance Swifty is unrecognizeable. 

At second glance, there she is, but not sporting her usual red lip, and with a few changes.

I love the heavier brow, the warmer, bronzey complexion, and the very undone look.

I'm not actually a follower of Taylor's music, although you cannot turn on mainstream radio at the moment and not hear her upbeat, catchy single, Shake It Off, from her new album, 1989.

So I decided to have a look at what she's up to.

Scroll down for 3 fab new videos.

I love seeing how Swift has developed her look over the years.

If you caught her on performing on Kimmel, you would have seen a very fashion fierce, modern Taylor. 

I can totally see her affinity with galpal super model Karlie Kloss.

And now I just watched her new video, Blank Space.

I actually think she is pretty amazing.

Check it out below, and the link to her new album below that.

#GoSwifty

The Amika Switch Kit

Oh I am obsessed!!

My favorite new thing is my Amika Switch Kit curling system.

This may just be the very best way to buy curling irons.

This is super cool, because it has one base - the switch base, which comes with a 1 inch barrel . From there you can click off the 1 inch barrel and switch it out with a variety of different barrels. There's a 1.25 inch barrel, a 1.5 inch and a 0.7 inch. So essentially you have 4 curling irons in one.

I love that on a whim I can change up my hair and give it Hollywood waves or beachy waves, curls or just a little soft movement. I can go glam or I can make it casual.

The barrels are tourmaline infused ceramic and use far-infared technology to heat the hair from the inside out, protecting the natural moisture, while negative ions close the hair's cuticle giving you shiny, frizz-free, silky curls.

You can adjust the temperature up to 430 degrees (I keep mine at 360), the system is dual voltage, so you can use it overseas as well as in America, and it has a 9 foot cord that has a swivel base, so it doesn't get caught up in anything.

I've actually had mine for several months now, and my daily changing out of the barrels (sometimes multiple times per day changing barrels) hasn't damaged the switch base or the clips at all. 

Amika has a youtube channel with video tutorials on different looks you can create with each barrel.

The Amika Switch Kit makes a fabulous Christmas gift too!

Anna Emilia Seewald Wears Red For Grazia Germany

Don't you just love a vibrant pop of red for fall?

Photographer Tina Luther captures the lovely Anna Emilia Seewald in Portugal wearing exciting reds for Grazia Germany.
Makeup artist Spiri Fountoglou gives us an amazing lesson in how to do the perfect makeup to compliment fall reds.