Thursday, October 22, 2015

In Salerno ~ From The Glam Italia 2 Tour

San-Matteo-Salerno-Italy

This year the Corinna B's World Glam Italia Tour took in the Amalfi Coast from a different angle. Instead of staying in Sorrento, Positano or Praiano as we have done in the past, this time we stayed at the bottom end of the Amalfi Coast in one of my new absolute favorite places in Italy, the magnificent and almost tourist free Salerno. 
I am in love with this glorious little city on the water.


Salerno-Amalfi-Coast
my giant door in Salerno

In Salerno I live behind a giant door.
A door so big you can't quite believe it.


Salerno-Amalfi-Coast
arriving home at night we are dwarfed by the door

There's a courtyard behind this door and a big old palazzo that is now apartments.


courtyard-Salerno-Amalfi-Coast
courtyard, Salerno

When the plaster falls away there are signs of the life centuries ago.


Salerno-historic-center
artwork peeping through the layers of plaster

apartment-Salerno-Italy
there is always something hidden under the layers of plaster and paint

A narrow alley runs between palazzi built so close together you could jump from one to the next if bandits attacked in the night.


Salerno-At-Night
the alleyway between the two palazzi, from my bedroom balcony

The cross breeze blows through the curtains making them float like ghosts in the night.


Palazzo-Apartment-Salerno-Amalfi-Coast
bedroom curtains at night

My home in Salerno is on a very narrow street. Not much more than two arms wide and as old as the hills.


Salerno-Amalfi-Coast
my street in Salerno
Yellow-Scooter
yellow scooter in Salerno

Ideal for scooters and tiny cars, a suburban couldn't even make the bend.


Salerno-Historic-Center

Run by byzantine gangs in another lifetime, my street is now artsy and cool.


Historic-Center-Salerno-Amalfi-Coast
my street in Salerno

There is a stunning cathedral a half block away with St Matthew's bones.
Salerno-Cathedral
Duomo San Matteo in Salerno was built between 1080 and 1085

Cathedral-Salerno
San Matteo, Salerno

Salerno-Cathedral
popes were buried at Duomo San Matteo, Salerno

The is an 8th Century castle up on the hill, standing over all who breathe the air below.


Castle-Salerno-Italy
Castello di Arechi, Salerno

Laura from the cafe has young sons who play in the piazza while we talk over espressos in the morning and white wine at night. She tells me she dreams of one day seeing Miami.


coffee-Salerno
morning cappuccino at Laura's
Salerno-Historic-District
Laura's cafe and bar, seen from her garden terrace across the piazza

Anna owns a restaurant in a converted 5th century chapel. It's called Taverna Santa Maria De Domno. I cannot go to Salerno and not eat there at least once.
Her food is so good you have to eat it as slowly as you can. It fills your soul while it fills your belly. and she tells stories that make you cry you laugh so hard.


Where-To-Eat-Salerno
inside the Taverna Santa Maria De Domno. Salerno

Where-To-Eat-Salerno
Inside Taverna Santa Maria De Domno, Salerno

Sunday mornings call for sugar.


Salerno
Sunday morning sugar, Salerno

The beachfront promenade is the loveliest on the entire Amalfi Coast.


Waterfront-Salerno
Lungomare Salerno

Waterfront-Salerno
the waterfront in Salerno

I can't wait to get back to Salerno.


Where to stay in Salerno


Book an apartment in a centuries old, renovated palazzo in the historical center of Salerno.
I stay HERE a half block behind the beautiful Duomo San Matteo. The apartment is perfect, the landlord is cool, and has become a good friend.

Excursions and day trips

My friend (and landlord!) Adriano de Falco can take you on amazing hikes, day trips and excursions in the Salerno and greater Amalfi Coast area. Adriano is super knowledgeable and great fun, so you are guaranteed a wonderful day out, wherever it is that you choose to go.
Contact Adriano HERE

Where to eat in Salerno


My favorite place to eat in Salerno is the amazing Taverna Santa Maria De Domno in the historic center of town. The food is unbelievable, the wine list is sensational (I don't know enough to choose wines in Campania, so either my local friends do it or Nello chooses for me) and the ambience is just gorgeous in this renovated 5th century chapel. 
For details, reviews and to make a reservation, check HERE


Wednesday, October 21, 2015

What Is Daring? Tilda Swinton For Harpers Bazaar

This month's Harpers Bazaar magazine features a 
2015 Most Daring List, which looks at 15 trail blazing women each of whom who talk about their thoughts on what it means to dare.

Tilda-Swinton-Impossible-Wardrobes

Tilda Swinton who's book set Impossible Wardrobes will be published next month by Rizzoli (November 2015) has this to say about what daring means to her:

"The strange thing about daring is that it most ordinarily lies in the eye of the beholder. In each of our lives, there are brave deals made with the self that are deeply private and not for sharing, let alone for public consumption. But, on the whole, one woman's perceived bravery is often a simple matter of her following her instinct. I suppose what people call bravery in others corresponds pretty closely to what they find difficult themselves."

Impossible Wardrobes will be an incredible Christmas gift for lovers of fashion and lovers of the history of fashion.

Swinton and Olivier Saillard, director of the Palais Galliera, Paris' Museum of Fashion, conceived and created this luxurious three book set that documents three groundbreaking exhibitions, and explores some of the Palais Galliera's incredible collection of iconic clothing, elevating couture to an artform.

To see the other 14 women who made the Harpers Bazaar 
Daring List, click HERE

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

5 Juicy Tips For Buying Lipgloss ~ Bridal Beauty Tip #30

5 Tips For Buying Lip Gloss For Your Wedding

lip-gloss-lips
image via designsnext.com

Are you planning on wearing a colored lip gloss on your wedding day? A shimmery, juicy lip always looks fresh and inviting.

The problem is not all lip glosses are created equal - even major brand, expensive lip glosses can be troublesome, so I recommend test driving your lip gloss for a day before committing to it for your wedding. You will find that almost all lip glosses look great for the first few minutes, but after a while plenty of them can look or feel awful.
So in the interest of keeping your lips looking luscious all day and night, here are 5 things to look for when choosing a lip gloss for your wedding:

1. Does It Turn Tacky?

Most lipglosses will glide on super smooth and look gorgeous. In the beginning. But after they've worn in for a while many often get sticky and tacky and ball up on the lip. This is not a winning look for your wedding!

2. Is It Too Slippery?

Is your lip gloss slip sliding around the outsides of your lips? A lip gloss that has migrated outside the lip line can make you look like you just finished eating a plate of chicken wings. Light reflects off the shiny surface making it look even worse in pictures!

3.  Is It Super Drying?

Some lip glosses really dry the lips out, leading to painful cracking and chapping.  As your lips start to feel dry you add more gloss thinking it will soothe them, which ends up making the problem worse and keeping it in a perpetual cycle of dry, sore lips.

4. Is It Too Glossy?

too-glossy-lips
image via designsnext.com

If your lip gloss has too high of a shine you can wind up looking like a porn star, especially in your photos. 
Your groom is not going to want to smooch a super glossy lip either - he doesn't want that slippery slime all over him.

5. How Is The Color Pay Off?

Most glosses look somewhat even as they go on, but the color often gets patchy after a while. Look for a gloss that has a good color pay off - true color that applies and holds evenly

Sunday, October 18, 2015

Six Simple Steps To Sensational Skin For Fall ~ Beauty Tip Of The Week # 31

Skin-Care-Steps-For-Fall
image by Kelly Cappelli, makeup by Corinna Cooke, hair by Will Zecco


I hold on to summer until the last possible minute. I live in sunshine drenched Phoenix, which definitely makes it easier, but even out here eventually fall arrives.

Wherever it is that you are living, the transition from summer to fall to winter can be really taxing on your skin.
Your skin dries out, gets sensitive (and sometimes raw and red), it loses it's glow and become lifeless and dull as well as pale and almost grey.
Before you get crazy trying to infuse vibrancy back into your complexion with highlighters and bronzers, before you smother your skin in heavy foundation, check out these six simple steps to sensational skin for fall.


1. Change Your Cleanser.

If you use a foaming or lathering "face wash" style cleanser try changing it to a gentle cleansing milk, or even better try my personal favorite, an oil cleanser.

Try Malin and Goetz Facial Cleansing Oil from SpaceNK

Facial-Cleansing-Oil
Malin and Goetz Facial Cleansing Oil

2. Exfoliate

With the hot months well behind us it's time for a gentle exfoliation to get rid of all of the debris summer left on the surface of your skin, and to clear away the lingering dead cells.
Personally I am not a fan of scrub type products. I always think they create a cycle of scratched, rough skin, so instead I use enzyme peels to exfoliate and give my skin an absolutely unbelievable glow. One of my favorites is Philosophy's incredibly affordable The Microdelivery one minute purifying enzyme peel.

Enzyme-Peels
The Microdelivery by Philosophy



3. Add A Serum



Serums are a super important step in the road to glorious, youthful, radiant skin. You apply serum after cleansing and before moisturizing. They tend to be very concentrated so you only need a very small amount.
Think of serum as being a super sonic skin booster that goes extra deep and works at the ultimate performance level. 
My favorite serum, the absolute Holy Grail of serums, is Japanese luxury brand Tatcha's amazing Radiant Brightening Serum. My movie star clients' eyes light up the moment they see it on my makeup table because they know their skin is going to look like magic.

Tatcha's magnificent Radiant Deep Brightening Serum
 

4. Add Daytime Protection


At night we replenish and rejuvenate the skin, but during the day we need to focus on protecting the skin both from dehydration and from the ravages of exposure to environmental pollutants. One of the ways to do this is by adding an ampoule.
Ampoules can be used at night in conjunction with your serum, and they can be used during the day underneath your moisturizer. 
The Cosrx Propolis Light Ampule contains bee propolis which super hydrates and protects your skin. It also acts like a natural antibiotic, clearing up skin irritation. 


Cosrx-Propolis
Cosrx Propolis Light Ampule

5. Layer Your Hydration Products


I love the K Beauty concept of layering multiple skin care products, especially hydration products. If your skin is starting to feel the drying effects of winter weather try the Korean skin care routine of layering your first night time moisturizer, an emulsion, over your serum and then sealing it all in with a sleeping pack.
I have been using the Holika Holika Black Caviar Emulsion as my moisturizer and then layer over top the SNP Gold Collagen Sleeping Pack  (both available online at Memebox), which seals all the skin care products in.
Sounds like a lot? Check out my post about How To Layer Your Skin Care Korean Style. Sleeping packs don't feel heavy. They just feel like a regular night cream.


Holika-Holika-Black-Caviar
Holika Holika Black Caviar Emulsion
SNP-Sleeping-Pack
SNP Gold Collagen Sleeping Pack


6. Add In A Brightening Mask

Sheet masks are a quick an effective way to brighten dull skin.
Every week or two use a sheet mask like the Elisha Coy Natural pearl Mask available online at Memebox


Elisha-Coy-Masks
Elisha Coy Natural Pearl Mask


Saturday, October 17, 2015

One Million And Counting!

celebration-blog-one million


Yahoooooo!!

On Friday night the Corinna B's World blog
achieved it's one millionth page view!!!
And since then it has blown right past 1,000 000!

Put in perspective, it hasn't been a million days yet since Jesus died.

Every day, all around the world, people click on and read my little blog. From tiny, far away places, war torn countries, the biggest cities in the world, the biggest countries in the world, remote beaches and mountain tops. Let's face it - I don't need to tell you because you already know. It's you that is clicking on the links, typing me into your search bar, opening me in your email every day (sign up in the side bar over there -------> ), saving the Corinna B's World blog to your favorites. 
You all know where you are.
But do you know how much I appreciate you???

From the bottom of my heart I thank you.
A million times over, I thank you!

When I started this blog it never entered my head that it would be read a million times. In fact I didn't think anyone apart from my mom would ever read it, but here you all are, in all your countries, in all your time zones, in all your languages.

There is some fabulous new content coming your way, from travel stories, the Corinna B's World Glam Italia 2 Tour, beauty stories, and lots more! So please stay with me, bring your friends along for the ride, and lets see how quickly we can reach that second million!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

P.S. don't forget to join me on Instagram and Facebook (both linked in the sidebar on the right), and see even more Corinna B content that doesn't get posted in the blog.

Friday, October 16, 2015

Coveted List October 2015


What are you coveting right now? I always of have lists of things I want. Here are some of the goodies I'm lusting after now that fall is here. Most of them are available at my favorite store, Nordstrom, or on their website, which I have been scrolling around on all day!


fall-shopping-ideas



Hermes Collier de Chien Silver Bracelet $4300

Prada Platform Sport Oxfords $970. I want them in black but I've also seen them in pink. (I want the pink ones too!) Available at Nordstrom

Lisa Eldridge Face Paint. I can't get enough coffee table books, and clearly I have a mad love of makeup!

Michael Kors Bradshaw Oversized Chronograph Watch in steel blue makes a nice alternative to black. I love his oversized, chunky watches. Available at Nordstrom

Lagos Stacking Rings $200 available at Nordstrom

Temptu Color True Lipstick in Jet Rouge. This season oxblood lips are huge. This isn't necessarily oxblood, but it has that amazing depth and resonance, paired with the magnificent saturated color pay-off that comes with the Temptu Color True lipsticks. Wear it with a sculpted brow, glowy cheek and tons of mascara.

 Chloe medium Gala Calfskin Bucket Bag in Sienna Red $2150 available at Nordstrom. Chloe bags are timeless. I love this sienna red, and the bucket bag shape is super versatile.

Crate And Barrel Camille Wine Glasses, so that I can channel my girl-crush Olivia Pope. 

Caravaggio, A Life Sacred And Profane, by one of my absolute favorite art historians, Andrew Graham-Dixon. 

Diptyque Candle in Figuier ~ I love the woodsy fig perfume for fall, and there is always something a little luxe about Diptyque candles. Stock up on all the different flavors at Nordstrom - they're great for your home and they make fabulous gifts too!

Thursday, October 15, 2015

Just One Day In Procida

Corricella-Procida

I have been to Capri many times, and loved it.
But lately Capri has felt less like the jet-set world of Jackie O, and more like the hellish realm of a disgorged cruise ship.

Capri is definitely chic. No question. But it has become horribly touristy. There is invariably a cruise ship or two in the harbor, and during the day the piazzetta can be a nightmare crush of humanity that you have to wade your way through in order to get anywhere. Somewhere along the way I started losing interest.


When I was planning this year's Glam Italia Tour, which included a week on the Amalfi Coast I just couldn't face taking anyone to Capri. I know I will go back at some point, but for now I have a new island love, and that love is called Procida.


Procida-Church
Arriving in Procida

Procida is the smallest island in the Bay of Naples' Campanian Archipelago, at a mere 3.2 km long. 


Procida-marina
incredibly colorful arrival in Procida!
I found this picture on pinterest,
because my own weren't vibrant enough!

One of the 24 most colorful places in the world, Procida has attracted movie directors over and over as the setting for their films, so much of it may feel familiar to you.
(The movie Il Postino was shot on Procida and on the Aeolian island of Salina).


Corricella-Procida
Marina Corricella, Procida

You get to Procida by ferry or hydrofoil from Naples, and the "wow" factor on arrival is just staggering. Out of the blue, blue ocean, set against the blue, blue sky erupts an explosion of color in the form of bright yellow and pink fishermen's houses, that will take your breath away.


Port-Of-Procida
morning sun in Procida

Procida feels authentic. A weekend retreat for the people of Naples, it doesn't have the manic tourism and outdoor mall feel of nearby Capri.

Where to stay on Procida


I did spot one Tshirt shop while there, and I'm sure there must have been a couple more, but as you walk around town you feel as though you have stepped into some secret slice of shabby-chic Italian island life that hasn't been polluted by major retailers and Chinese manufacturers. 
It looks and feels real.


Procida-Italy
narrow streets of Procida

The streets are narrow and windy and in some places steep. You can spend hours just wandering around and exploring. 


Procida-Pink
pink houses in Procida

The perfect day trip to Procida would start by taking the very first ferry or hydrofoil from Naples. 
Walk around the port area and have an espresso or two, then take your time and discover the streets as they weave and wind up the hill, working your way over to Corricella. 


Washing-Procida
socks hanging out to dry on shutters

Marina Corricella, is a darling and picturesque sliver of a bay that backs onto a cliff made out of fisherman's houses. 


Procida-Corricella-Fishing-Nets
fishing nets drying in the sun, Corricella, Procida

Fishing nets lie out to dry along the waterfront and fishing boats moor against the sea wall - did I mention it feels authentic??


Fishing-Boat-Marina-Corricella-Procida
fishing boat moored in Marina Corricella

Marina Corricella is the perfect place to stop for lunch. There are several oceanfront restaurants to choose from, but we wound up taking in the view from Bar Graziella. The hilarious and engaging owner Vincenzo opened Bar Graziella in 1964, and apparently was the first restaurant in Corricella.
The food is bountiful and inexpensive. We ordered a platter of seafood antipasti and a salad, supposedly an order for one person, but there was more than enough for 4! 


Corricella-procida-Bar-Graziella
Lunching under the umbrellas at Bar Graziella, Corricella, Procida

After lunch walk along the eastern shore from Corricella to Chaia beach. You'll take a long flight of stairs to the sand but you need the walk to burn off lunch.


Procida-Pink-Streets
streets of procida

When you are done beaching head either on foot or by bus up to Terra Murata and Abbazia di San Michele. You can check out the walled fortress which was at one time a monastery and until recently a prison, take in the stunning panoramic views of the Bay of Naples. Here from the highest point on the island you can walk down through the two stone gateways into the still inhabited idyllic settlement of Terra Murata. Wander around some more, and make sure you visit the art filled, romantic little church, Abbey of St Michael.


selfie in Celine sunglasses in Procida

Sightseeing done, make your way back to the port and enjoy a locally made gelato before boarding your hydrofoil back to Napoli.


Procida-Port-Gelato
Limon Gelato, Procida

My only regret about the Glam Italia 2 Tour is that I allowed just one day in Procida. 
Although the island is small, it is the perfect place to escape to. You can stay here for days on end doing nothing much at all. Evenings on Procida are said to be magic. This is the ideal spot to sneak away to with your Italian lover, or to plan a little romantic getaway.


Another place to stay on Procida (check out these photos!)




From nearby Ischia it is 30 minutes by boat, from Naples 40 minutes by hydrofoil.

All images in this post apart from the one noted, were taken with my iPhone during the Glam Italia 2 Tour. Please do not use any of them without written permission from me.