5 Things I Adore About Rome

Rome, the eternal city, is one of my absolute favorite cities in the world.

I love it to my core. 
I often think "back when I lived in Rome..." and then I realize I never actually have lived in Rome.
Maybe just in my dreams, and in my heart.

There are so many wonderful things things to see and do and experience in this heartbeat city that was once the center of the world.

5 Things I Adore About Rome

1. Its a walking city

The streets are perfect for walking in Rome

My favorite cities in the world are walking cities.
Rather than watched through the windows of a tour bus, Rome is best experienced at street level, strolling. 

Things you see on the streets of Rome

There are so many great things to see in Rome that you will only find on foot

Walking along the banks of the Tiber is glorious, day or night. 

Lungotevere, Roma

Booksellers, Lungotevere, Rome

Stepping through the cobbled streets you feel the pulse of this glorious and triumphant city.

Walking back into the Trastevere, Roma

My apartment is on this street in the Trastevere, Rome

Queen Of The Jungle.
I followed this glamazon in her 5 inch heels as she sauntered along the Via Del Corso in Rome.
She never missed a beat, even on the cobble stones.
I want to be her!

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2. The monuments at night.

Walking to the Colosseum at night

Rome's monuments are majestic and beautiful by day, but when the sun is up they are also packed with a deluge of tourists streaming from tour buses, lead by flag waving guides. 
When night falls the crowds thin out, you can breathe freely and the much less impeded views are just spectacular.

The Forum and Palatine Hill at night

3. Caffe at Tazza D'Oro

My morning macchiato at Tazza D'Oro in Rome

Said to be the best coffee in the world, Tazza D'Oro is one of my absolute favorite places to grab a macchiato, a cappucino or a simple caffe (espresso). They are also known for their granita.
Located across from the Pantheon, Tazza D'Oro breaks rank with the overpriced tourist bars, instead catering to locals and selling coffees at super reasonable prices. A cappucino around the corner will run you 6 euro, but at Tazza D'Oro it's 1.50
The coffee is fantastic, and I always buy several pounds of it to bring home.

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4. Campo Di Fiori market.

My mornings in Rome start with a walk to Tazza D'Oro for a coffee. 

Mornings at Campo Di Fiori in Rome

From there I love to stroll over to Campo di Fiori and buy fresh percorino and prosciutto, fruits and vegetables that instead of ripening in a truck driven across country to a supermarket, were picked last night to be eaten today.

Campo Di Fiori Market, Rome

Market sellers will tell me how their family has prepared a given vegetable for generations, and I will go home and make it their way. The next day they have something else for me to try. 
It's wonderful.

Campo Di Fiori Market, Rome

I also like to buy fresh flowers for my apartment. I don't do hotels in Rome - I far prefer to rent an apartment in the beautiful Trastevere, which is within walking distance to everywhere.

Flowers at the Campo di Fiori market in Roma

5. Subterranean Rome.

The Rome that sits above ground is captivating and magnificent, but below ground there is another world, equally spectacular. 

We found mosaics and paintings that are 1700 years old.
Apparently no one else was interested. Or they were relying on a tour bus to take them places.
You find the best things when you explore walking cities on foot.

Houses and spas, mosaics, aqueducts and auditoriums, entire cities all below ground, dating back to the 2nd century B.C 
Underground Rome is astounding. 
And astoundingly tourist free.

A staircase leading 17 centuries back, down below Rome, and finding paintings on broken walls

25 meters below the city of Rome, heading into a 4th century church with my iphone camera

Over the centuries Rome built upwards, the layers of dirt and dust raising the city 25 meters. Rather than tearing down buildings, rome built over them. Pagan images and reliefs share space and time with Christian sarcophagi and crosses, enabling you to witness the passage from one religion to the next.

Denise below Rome taking iphone pics in a subterranean church from the 4th century.
There was literally no one else below deck - just the Corinna B's World Glam Italia Tour!

And most of the time there is no one else there. The Nikon wielding masses seem to stay above ground, which suits me just fine. My iphone and I can enjoy the view, breathe freely, and take our own sweet time.

Things you find below the city of Rome

All these images were taken by me, with my iphone, walking around Rome. Please don't use them without my written permission.
Thanks!

The Glamorous Life Of Jackie O

I've always found Jackie Onassis fascinating.

I don't think she was staggeringly beautiful. 
But I do think she was staggeringly fabulous.
And she had such a great sense of style, was so effortlessly chic, that she always seemed to be one of the most beautiful and intriguing of them all.

A couple of months ago I was in Capri, and my friend Aldo was showing me photos of himself with the former Mrs Kennedy when she would visit the island. Aldo made sandals for her, so I always get him to make me sandals too. I love thinking that she and I share a shoemaker. 

I actually wrote about Aldo Lella and his shoe store, Schettino Di Capri two summers ago - you can read it here. Buying Sandals In Capri. 

Anyway, I love looking at pictures of Jackie Onassis on the island of Capri. I always wonder if the sandals she has on were made for her by Aldo.
I love her white pants and black T shirt. I love her huge glasses.
I love her style.
I love the lifestyle she represents.
So much more interesting than Camelot, don't you think? 

Jackie Onassis arriving on Capri

Jackie Onassis in Capri with Valentino

Jackie Onassis on the island of Capri with Gianni Agnelli

Jackie Onassis sandal shopping in Capri

Jackie Onassis in Capri with sister Lee Radziwell

The Ultimate Accessory For Fall ~ Shiny Bouncing Hair

What is the ultimate accessory for fall?

Shiny, glossy, bouncing hair.

Hiya!
Selfie time - my hair using Simply Smooth Magic Potion

After a long summer of slicked back and pulled up hair, fall's trench coats and jackets, fluffy sweaters and long sleeves are best complimented by hair that has luster and shines and moves, stays groomed and doesn't look constructed or labored over.

My hair while I'm working on a product shoot for a magazine.
Fall in Phoenix still has pretty gorgeous weather. Simply Smooth Magic Potion is keeping my hair smooth and manageable.

 For me that is quite a handful as my hair has a natural wave that looks like a really bad home perm. So I am completely reliant on great products to both give me control of hair that wants to take off in every direction, and to give my hair a super silky shine.

Simply Smooth Magic Potion keeping my hair smooth and shiny on a magazine shoot

For the past few months I have been using and loving Simply Smooth Magic shampoo and conditioner, and the Simply Smooth Magic Potion.

The Simply Smooth Magic Potion collection is sulphate free, paraben free, and sodium chloride free. For those with extreme gluten and wheat allergies, this line is completely gluten free too.
It's color safe and seems to be able to fix pretty much anything.

The Magic Potion detangles, soothes and smooths, hydrates the hair and calms down any frizzy-ness. If you are like me and have tons of really thick hair you will notice a speed up in blow dry time.
My hair, left to it's own devices, wants to fly away. It gets frizzy and most control products normally just weigh it down and take away the bounciness. Simply Smooth Magic Potion products make it incredibly manageable and leaves it super soft.

For the past week my poor assistant Katie has had to make a photo diary of my hair for this story, on an iPhone. No slick edits, no fabu-fixes, just me and my hair.

Today, walking out of the makeup room and heading out to set.

Behind the scenes in the makeup room today

Behind the scenes - in the makeup room today

Behind the scenes - today on set, shooting an ad campaign.
My hair is bouncy, soft and shiny, and in this light is looking brown!

The product line is keratin and collagen infused.
Read more about these amazing hair care products here

Simply Smooth Magic Potion

Want to know more about Simply Smooth Magic Potion?

Here is a product breakdown on this amazing hair care line.

I'm obsessed!

Simply Smooth keratin reparative magic potion has been an amazing success story and that success has been expanded on with the introduction of the Simply Smooth Magic Potion Collection. Known for its incredible capacity to “fix everything,” the new products in the collection include Magic Potion Shampoo, Magic Potion Conditioner, Magic Potion Blowout (a reparative blowout treatment) and Magic Potion Intense Blowout (an in salon professional reparative
blowout treatment).

The phenomenal new collection has the same attributes as Simply Smooth Magic Potion such as
botanically blended, keratin and collagen infused, color safe and sodium chloride free. What’s exciting?
The new additions are FREE of sulfate, paraben, and, to offer protection to people with wheat allergies, they are FREE of gluten! These new items deliver the same incredible magic potion qualities: detangle, hydrate, strengthen, calm frizz, tame flyaway hair, heal split ends, speed up blow dry time, create smoothness, thermal protection, etc., all with the intoxicating exotic aroma of pineapple coconut. The Simply Smooth Magic Potion Collection is safe on all hair types and is formulated to benefit hair whether or not a Simply Smooth professional keratin treatment has been applied. When used after a Simply Smooth professional keratin treatment, it will prolong its duration.

“Today’s consumer not only seeks fabulous hair, but also highly effective, quality, and socially
responsible ingredients,” says Doreen Guarneri, creator of Simply Smooth and owner of The Look Spa Salon in Greenlawn, New York. “Since the new Simply Smooth Magic Potion Collection is sodium chloride, sulfate and paraben free, along with color safe and botanically blended, these products are a win-win.” 

Simply Smooth xtend keratin reparative magic potion shampoo is a color safe, botanically blended,
keratin and collagen infused daily shampoo that is remarkably strengthening and repairing. This gentle
hair cleanser restores and revives, transforming the overall look and feel of all hair types. Unique
ingredients restore depleted keratin into hair fibers, repairing damage and building up to three times the
strength from within. Designed to deliver optimal anti-breakage benefits, this exceptional shampoo
reconstructs and protects the surface of the hair creating a healthy, brilliant shine. It’s the perfect
anecdote for dry and damaged hair! Helps calm frizz and keep hair smooth even in extreme humidity,
and consistent use will help protect hair from future damage. Sodium chloride, sulfate, paraben and
gluten free.

Simply Smooth xtend keratin reparative magic potion conditioner is a color safe, botanically
blended, high quality keratin and collagen infused, lavishly hydrating and reparative daily conditioner that will transform the overall look and feel of all hair types. Extraordinary detangler promotes ease of combing while imparting moisture to continually hydrate, reduce frizz, tame flyaways and leave hair smooth, silky and illuminating. Exclusive technology restores depleted keratin into hair fibers to seal cuticle, strengthen, restore and protect. High performance marine active ingredients provide color fade protection, preventing color washout and photo oxidation. The combination of strengthening and repairing, along with color-locking, revitalizes the hair from daily stresses and future damage resulting in healthy, lustrous, supple hair. Consistent use will improve the texture and quality leaving hair feeling and looking like it never has before. It’s the perfect anecdote for dry and damaged hair. Sodium chloride, sulfate and gluten free.

Simply Smooth xtend keratin reparative magic potion blowout (home use) delivers a bouncy,
voluminous, long lasting, easily achieved blow out that will transform the appearance of the hair and
reduce frizz for up to three shampoos. Along with creating an amazing style, Simply Smooth xtend
keratin reparative magic potion blowout increases hair’s strength to reinforce the cuticle; delivering anti-breakage benefits that dramatically improve damaged hair. By infusing botanicals, keratin and collagen into hair fibers, this extraordinary formula reconditions hair resulting in reduced frizz,  ease of combing, and reduced styling time. Excellent for dry and damaged hair as well as all hair types, it imparts intense hydration, prevents color washout, and adds thermal protection, leaving hair smooth, silky and lustrous. Adding heat will intensify the repair and Simply Smooth xtend keratin reparative magic potion blowout will activate easily with at home styling tools. Sodium chloride, sulfate and gluten free.

Simply Smooth xtend keratin reparative magic potion is a color safe, botanically blended, high quality keratin and collagen infused, all-purpose styling and conditioning potion that transforms hair
without adding weight. Outstanding elixir with nourishing proteins and healing botanicals instantly hydrates thirsty locks, detangles, seals cuticle, defrizzes and smoothes while adding thermal protection.
Unique formulation restores depleted keratin into hair fibersrestoring and rebuilding damaged hair,
enhancing strength and elasticity and protecting hair from future damage which results in improved hair growth. Vitamin and nutrient enriched botanicals stimulate a healthy scalp, promote volume, and enrich hair color, leaving hair with a luxurious satin smooth finish. Simply Smooth magic potion is a perfect
every day choice to be used alone or prior to using another Simply Smooth product as it FIXES EVERYTHING!

Makeup Story - Barbara Palvin Is Exquisite in Madame Figaro

Hungarian model Barbara Palvin is implausibly beautiful.
Can you even imagine the perfect alignment of the planets and the stars to create such amazing features?

I'm sure photographer Nico Bustos did when he lensed this gorgeous makeup story for Madame Figaro.

Makeup artist Karim Rahman painted Palvin in exquisite fall makeup, and Stephane Lancien gave her a variety of fall hair styles.