10 Things You Absolutely Must Do When You Are In Florence

Florence is one of my absolute favorite cities in the world.

It doesn't matter how many times I go to Florence, I always discover something new. 

I never get bored with Florence, and I never feel like I'm done.

Florence is magic.

Here is a list of 10 things that you absolutely MUST  do when you are in Florence:

1. Go For An Early Walk.

Get up early (at least once while you are there) and go for a long walk. 

Florence gets so packed with tourists during the day and into the night that it becomes almost impossible to get one on one time with her statues, her famous doorways, the great piazzas. During the day you can hardly ever snap a photo without other travelers getting in the way.

But in the early mornings the streets are empty, and she is all yours.

Read more about it here

2. Eat Cinghiale

One of the local Tuscan delicacies is Cinghiale, or wild boar. 

Every restaurant serves it, made to their own recipe, and it's fantastic.

3. Visit Santa Croce Church

Florence is full of amazing churches with amazing art, and (to me) Santa Croce is one of the most spectacular.

Santa Croce Church in the shadow of the early moring

(The art inside Santa Croce )considered to be some of the most impressive church art in all of Florence. From Giotto's fresco cycles to Cimabue's breathtaking Triumphal Cross, the art in Santa Croce is spectacular. 
It is also the home to Florence's most impressive tombs, the final resting place of Michelangelo, Rossini, Dante Aligheri, Ghiberti, Galileo and Machiavelli. Largely overlooked by tourists, the church at Santa Croce is an absolute must.

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4 Get Up High

Duomo sen from the tower of the Palazzo Vecchio on a misty, moody December afternoon

Whether you choose to climb the 463 steps to the top of the Duomo, or perhaps the vastly fewer stairs to the top of the Palazzo Vecchio tower, get up high and take in the mesmerizing view of one of Europe's most magnificent cities.

5. Take Long Walks At Night.

Just as early morning walks are a must in Florence, so are long evening walks after the sun has gone down.

One of the great loves of my life lives in Florence, ( if you are going to fall in love, it might as well be with an Italian, right?) and for many years evenings in Florence were synonymous with long strolls around the city, taking in all the incredible palazzi and churches, the magnificent doorways, the statues, the very essence of Florence, bathed in the moonlight. 


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As beautiful as she is by day, Santa Maria Del Fiore (the Duomo) is just mesmerizing by night. Florence is pure magic by night.

6. Look Up

While taking night time strolls you have the opportunity to see frescos and incredible ceilings hidden to you during the day, but visible by night when people turn their lights on. When we would be out at night (and still even now, as the dearest of friends) he always tells me "Look up!" as we walk by breathtaking frescos on the upper floors of the various palazzi, scattered everywhere in the city.

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7. Take A Tour Of Somewhere Special

When I was in Florence this past December I was incredibly lucky to have a private tour of the secret passages and hidden rooms on the Palazzo Vecchio. It was so awe-inspiring that I immediately promised myself that every time I go back to Florence I will take a little tour of some place special. This medieval city is so full of hidden corridors and passageways, there is art up in the rafters, there is art inside the walls. It's rich history of intrigue and treachery and treasures means there are endlessly fascinating secrets to be discovered. The perfect way to experience them is with an art historian filling you in on all the stories, bringing them to life for you.

Magic.

8. Eat The Best Sandwich Of Your Life

A couple of blocks from the Palazzo Vecchio and the Uffizi on the Via Dei Neri you will find Osteria All' Antico Vinaio

It is super easy to find because they have a trattoria on either side of the road, and until late each night there are always locals spilling out onto the sidewalk with giant focaccia sandwiches in one hand and big glasses of lusty red wine in the other, while their brethren queue patiently in lines that weave down the street,  waiting for as long as it takes to get their turn at the counter. I guarantee you will never have had a sandwich quite like these before!

You can custom order, but I learned from the people waiting with me in the line and the others having spasms or gastronomic delight as they leaned against the walls or sat on the curb eating their panini that the way to tackle this beast was to order from the posted list of favorites. (90% of the patrons were all ordering the same thing, so I figured I would just have what they did. Perhaps one of the greatest decisions I've ever made.)

This is no nitrite, no nitrate, no Monsanto, fresh, local, real food.

You won't find anything as crass as a soda fountain here but you will find a selection of local red wines that they sell by the bottle or by the glass.

And just how much do you think the sandwich of the century will cost you? €5. It's the bargain of the century!

9. Explore Oltrarno

Literally "the other side of the Arno", there is so much to see when you cross the river. You have the big sights, the Pitti Palace, the Boboli Gardens, Piazzale Michelangelo and San Spirito with its Brunelleschi designed interior, but you also have endless medieval streets full of antique stores and local artisans. As you wander through you'll find fewer and fewer tourists, which means the price of everything goes down. It's easy to spend days on end losing yourself in Florence's neighborhoods - there is so much to discover.

While wandering find your way to Santa Maria Del Carmine. The Cappella Brancacci houses a renaissance fresco cycle that changed the course of western art. Begun by Masaccio and Masolino in around 1424 and finished 50 years later by Filippino Lippi, this cycle uses a then revolutionary technique employing single point perspective. Look to the upper left entrance pier to Adam and Eve and notice the dramatic way their bodies reflect a light that seems to emanate from within the world of the painting, but outside the frame. It is magnificent.

10. Buy Leather

Florence is world famous for it's amazing leather goods.

If you are not shopping at the Gucci and Prada price point, then this is the city for you! You can buy beautifully made leather bags, belts, luggage, wallets and jackets all over Florence, especially at the San Lorenzo market, but you have to either know what you're buying, or who you are buying it from to make sure you are getting good quality and not a Made-In-China rip off.

For years and years now I have been buying leather goods from my very dear friend Jimmy Ahmed of Jimmy's Leather Collection. I've sent so many people to Jimmy over the years, and everyone is always super happy to have gone there. Read more about buying leather in Florence here

Bonus

I'm giving you a bonus tip, because I can't refine it down to just 10 tips...

Eat Panforte

Panforte with coffee makes for a perfect mid-morning snack

This is actually a Sienese delicacy but you can find it all over Florence. Not a bread, and yet not quite a cake panforte is a divine flourless combination of nuts, dried fruits, honey and spices. My favorite type is Mandorlata. You do so much walking all day every day in Florence, it's easy to justify a small slice with your morning cappuccino.

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Get Alicia Vikander's Golden Globes Makeup Look

Even though it's been 10 days since the Golden Globes, (which makes them borderline ancient history) I keep coming back to the absolutely gorgeous look that superstar makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury did for nominee Alicia Vikander.

image source www.gq.com

This was easily my favorite look of the night.
It was timeless and elegant, yet totally modern. It evoked old Hollywood glamour, and yet was so fresh and new.

image source www.tlc.com

I kind of died a little over her Louis Vuitton dress too...

I think one of the things I love most about it is that it's a look that you and I can wear.  It is a sensational look for a bride, it's perfect for any event you're going to (can't you just imagine Amal Clooney rocking this look?), it looks beautiful with whatever you are wearing. If you are throwing on jeans and a biker jacket, if you are dressing for the Met Gala, or anything in between, this makeup look is perfect.

“I wanted to create a dreamy but modern look that highlighted Alicia’s naturally beautiful features. The metallic shades on her eyes complement the dewy, fresh skin in the look.” - Charlotte Tilbury

So here are some of the steps that Charlotte used (ad that you and I can copy!) to create this stunning look.

The Complexion

The key to a really fantastic looking makeup is not what you do with the eyes or the lips, its all about creating an amazing complexion. For more than 20 years now models and celebrities all around the world have been raving about Charlotte's legendary, secret Magic Cream

Everyone wanted to get their hands on it, but until recently it hasn't been available to anyone but the very tightest of her inner circle.
Now you can buy it on her website CharlotteTilbury.com

The next step to creating that lit from within glow was using Wonderglow Primer
before applying her foundation. Mini Miracle Eye Wand
added luminosity under the eyes. You can use it before or after concealer. (Personally I like to tap it on after.)

The Cheeks
To get this bronzey, luminous cheek Charlotte used Filmstar Bronze And Glow
in light/medium, a little Dreamy Glow Highlighter
along the upper cheekbone and her Beach Stick cream blush in Las Salinas

The Eyes

Charlotte created this gorgeous golden shimmer of an eye by using some of my favorite of her products. Eyes To Mesmerise Cream Shadow in Bette
and in Marie Antoinette, both on the lid and underneath, topped with a little Rock 'n' Kohl Liner in Bedroom Black
 and several coats of inky, glossy Full Fat Lashes

The Lips

The look was finished off with a matte lip, using Lip Cheat Liner in Pink Venus
and a combination of Matte Revolution lipsticks in Sexy Sienna
and Walk Of Shame


You can see more of the makeup looks that Charlotte Tilbury created for the Golden Globes here

As of today it doesn't look like I will be working the Oscars this year, but there is still a few weeks to go, so maybe I will be back again working my absolute favorite gig of the year. You absolutely cannot beat prepping a client for the biggest red carpet in the world!
Regardless of whether I am working it or not I'll be looking to see what magic Charlotte is creating. I call it research....

13 Things You Should Do At The Start Of Each Year

I'm a huge believer in working to a plan.
When I look back across my life to the times when things have been going really, really well, when I have been achieving big career success and life is just fantastic, to a fault each of these spells was during a time that I was working a plan, had goals written out, knew what I wanted next. It's like having a road map in hand and if you just follow the map you get to where you want to be.
Conversely the times when nothing much is going on, when I feel like I'm floundering around, trying to find my way, are always the times when I don't have a plan written out.
So as we kick off this brand new year here is a list of things that you should do every year

image source: Rebloggy.com

1. Make A List Of The Bad Things

Sounds counter productive right? But trust me, it isn't.
Look back at the year that just ended and make a list of the things that stressed you halfway out of your mind, the things that made you nervous, the things that scared or overwhelmed you. Then write down how you won the battle, what the outcome was, how you feel about it now.
We don't always realize at the front end just how incredibly strong, resilient and fierce we really are. Looking back you'll find things that terrified you are no longer scary, things you stressed over weren't worth the energy, and you will see that you have some major coping skills you never even knew you had!
It puts the new year into perspective and gives you a little ammunition to face the inevitable bumps in the road with.

2. Stop Holding Onto Heartache

One of the most destructive things we do is to keep holding onto the relationships that failed. If your heart got broken last year, or if you were let down terribly by someone (it happens to everyone at some point in life), write yourself a letter either forgiving that person, or committing yourself to just letting it go. 
When you hold on to it, relive it, think about it, stay angry or hurt, the only person who suffers is you. That type of thinking is toxic and permeates into the rest of your life. Let it go and move on. If that person comes into your thoughts just send them love and light and close the door on it.
Once you have some distance from the relationship or the issue you will look back and see that holding onto it was a total waste of time anyway.
And if it still really hurts remember ~ This too shall pass ~

3. Set Goals

Whatever it is you want in life, write it down as a goal.
Make financial goals both for the short term and the long term.
Set career goals, relationship goals, travel goals, goals for your home, your car - you name it. The key to success and to achieving the things you want in life is to identify them, get specific, ad then start figuring out a plan to make them happen.
Not sure how to do it? Check out this post on How To Set Goals

4. Make A Budget

The key not just to financial security, but to just making it to the end of the month or the end of the year, is to make a budget that accounts for every dollar you earn and where it is going.
Want to travel? Buy a new car? Put in a swimming pool? Whatever it is that you want, add it to your budget and watch how quickly you can make it happen! 
Not sure how to create a budget? Read this post on How To Make A Budget.

5. Clear The Clutter.

Go through your home and your work-space and clear out all the clutter. You will be amazed at how clearly you can think, how much more relaxed you become when all the clutter is cleared away. According to the art of Feng Shui clutter has a negative effect on us emotionally, physically and mentally.
Read about the absolute magic in simplifying, organizing and clearing your space in Japanese cleaning consultant Marie Kondo's  world famous book:

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

6. Clean Out Your Closet.

This ties in with number 5, but is also important on its own.
You will no doubt find great pieces you forgot you had, and in the process can streamline your wardrobe.
You already know what needs to go. Donate and consign everything you need to part with.

7. Clean Out Your Makeup Drawer.

image via www.avantderm.com

Take everything out, clean it, and decide what is still good and what needs to be trashed.
Not sure if your makeup has gone bad? Check out this post:
How To Tell If Your Makeup Has Gone Bad

8. Buy New Underwear.

Go through your lingerie drawer and toss anything that's no longer in tip top shape. Any undies that have bad elastic, saggy bottoms, frayed edges, have faded color, don't fit quite right, especially your every day items - get rid of them. I think it's a great idea to start the year with fresh, new, everyday underwear.
Try the beautiful Natori Bliss Bloom Thong

Natori's beautiful Bliss Bloom Thong is the perfect addition to your New Year Undies Collection 

9. Get Fitted For A Bra

At least once every year you should get refitted for a bra.
Sometimes you will find nothing has changed, other times, especially after weight loss or weight gain, changes in hormones, changes in exercise routines, you will find things really have changed.
Unless you want boobies that are saggy and limp and hang down to your belly button, you need to stay on top of how your bras fit.
(I can't stress this enough for full breasted / heavy breasted girls - we are fighting gravity more than all the other girls!)

10. Re -Evaluate Your Skincare Products

Its so easy to just stick with what you've been using for ages, and not realize that its no longer working any magic on your skin.
Your skin's needs changes with the climate, with your age, with your changing hormones. If you want luminous, glowing, healthy skin you need to change up the products you're using to meet your skin's needs.
I'm in love with Korean skin care and the way the Korean women with their world famous, exquisite skin, layer their products. You can read about it here: West Face East ~ How To Layer Your Skin Care Korean-Style
I buy all my Korean skin care products online through Memebox
, one of the world's largest skin care stores.

11. Rearrange Your Space

image via Adorable-Home.com

Changing the layout of the rooms you spend the most time in changes how you perceive that space. Sometimes it's all you need to feel refreshed and invigorated and inspired.
And if you don't like it, you can always change it back.
I just love white, Scandinavian style bedrooms.

12. Book A Trip.

You need to at least plan some travel for the year ahead. 
Maybe it's a big overseas trip, maybe it's a long weekend. Plan a beach vacation, a mountain retreat, or an escape to a new city. Whatever fits your style, just get it on the calendar. 
If you don't plan it out at the beginning of the year, chances are another year will roll by and you will have gone nowhere.

I book my travel both domestic and international, using Booking.com

13. Buy A Really Great Pair Of Shoes

Sometimes this means forecasting it to the season where you really need them, but try buying a pair of really good quality, timeless, walk-around-all-day-and-still-feel-great shoes. Shoes that go with everything, that look chic, and make you feel fabulous.
They will set you back a little (or a lot) more, but a really good shoe is a great investment in yourself.

Prada Wingtip Oxford Loafer

I bought myself this Prada Wingtip Platform Loafer
 (in black though) for my birthday. I will wear them forever. You can find them at Nordstrom

7 Simple Things That Help Your Skin Look Fabulous

There is no better time than now to refresh your skin and get it looking gorgeous. I always think that mid-winter is when our skin looks its absolute worst, so lets have a look at 7 simple things you can do to help your skin look fabulous.

7 Simple things That Make Your Skin Look Fabulous.

Get More Sleep

I so envy JLo. Not for the career or the money or the clothes. I envy her because she gets 8 to 10 hours sleep per night. 
How do you even do that?? As a single mom I get 5, which is really bad on so many levels. 

One of the best things you can do for your skin is get ample sleep each night. Ample being a good 8 hours.

Additional sleep (like JLo apparently gets) makes your skin look even lovelier.

Drink More Water

We all already know about drinking more water, but plenty of us still don't drink enough. You need to drink eight 8 ounce glasses of water per day just for good health. Doing just that will make a difference to your skin, adding a couple more glasses will improve your skin's clarity and texture hugely.

Be Pillowcase Pretty

There are 2 significant things you can do in pillowcase-land to significantly benefit your skin.

The first is to invest in a silk pillowcase. 

Sleeping on silk stops (or at least reduces) waking up with creases pressed into your skin. (Sleep creases have been likened to ironing wrinkles into your skin.) Irritated skin feels soothed after a night on silk, possibly due to the lack of friction associated with regular cotton pillow cases. 

You'll see noticeably less puffiness when you wake up, and after a few days your skin will feel softer too.

The other thing you need to do is change your pillowcase out every few days. Sleeping on dirty pillowcases can contribute to acne and skin irritation, and can prolong the healing process.

Clean The Right Way

Make sure you are using the right cleanser for your skin type, and be gentle with your skin. Don't rub and scrub it, instead massage cleanser into your skin and gently rinse it away with a warm washcloth.

Typically foaming/wash style cleansers are better for oiler skins while cleansing milks are lovely for a drier complexion. 
I love oil cleansers for all skins. Try Malin and Goetz Facial Cleansing Oil, suitable for all akin types.

Only Exfoliate Gently

Try an enzyme mask instead of a scrub exfoliator. Scrubs tend to rough up the baby skin underneath, keeping you in the cycle of irritated or roughed up skin.

If you do go the scrub route, use one with super fine grains and use it gently.

Add An Oil

Adding a facial oil into your skin care regime will keep your skin soft and supple and give it the most gorgeous glow. Look for an oil with a dry finish if you are worried about looking shiny.

I've been using Tatcha Camellia Beauty Oil for a while now. This dry finish oil gives your skin luscious nourishment and makes your skin both look and feel amazing.
It is also a fantastic skin rescue product, if you are feeling any dryness or irritation from the cold weather. 

Clean Your Phone (And Your Glasses!)

Keeping your cell phone and your glasses clean is nearly as important and cleansing your skin. 

New Year, New You ~ 10 Phrases You Should Drop From Your Vocabulary

Like it or not, verbal mistakes will undermine your credibility.
You are starting out the new year with resolve to get fit, lose weight, save money, so why not add this to your list?

image via Success,com

Researchers believe that the earliest spoken language was Mayan, which was around 7,000 years ago. Imagine, in 70 centuries, we've progressed to "..... and I was like really???"

You want to be taken seriously, right? You want people to stop and listen when you speak, you want them to consider your opinion and value your input. If you want to have integrity and influence, consider dropping these 10 phrases from your vocabulary.

The following is excerpted from an article written by Lou Solomon for Success.com

10 Phrases You Should Drop From Your Vocabulary

1. “I’m confused,” or “I don’t get it.”

Instead of putting all the responsibility on the other person, take co-ownership. Say, “Help me understand your position,” and remain open.

2. “You know what I mean?” and “Does that make sense?”

Asking for constant validation chips away at your command.

3. “I was like...” or “She was like...”

The word “like” is an unsophisticated setup that gets in the way of your clarity and credibility.

4. “Um, ah, uh, you know.”

Watch out for overuse of filler words and practice pausing to counteract the clutter.

5. “I’ve been too busy” or “I started writing an email and forgot to send it.”

Excuses are unattractive. Say, “I apologize for the inconvenience. You will have it by tomorrow.”

6. “Out-of-the-box thinking”

… should be retired. We can’t escape all the buzzword phrases, but ones like this have become boring.

7. “You always...”

Sweeping generalizations lack insight and get in the way of healthy dialogue. Be specific and avoid using vague blame tactics.

8. “I think we should kind of do it this way.”

Tentative language waters down your presence as a confident communicator. Make a solid recommendation and own it.

9. “I hate to say this, but…” and “John is a good person, but...”

Don’t try to disguise criticism with a layer of caring or say things that offer zero value.

10. “Really?”

It’s an all-purpose complaint that sounds like whining. Try making an interesting observation instead.

If you want to have more credibility and influence, be uh, like, you know, more intentional in your communication. Replace negative tone and lackluster words with positive tone and authentic appreciative words. Each new day is an opportunity to inspire greatness, so say something real.

Best Of The Red Carpet, Golden Globes 2016

Jennifer Lawrence in Dior. I wish I knew who did her makeup - has she ever looked ore beautiful? Platinum hair and red lips with the most perfect cheeks ever.

image via Vogue.com

Viola Davis. Stunning. She wore Marchesa.

Julianne Moore in Tom Ford

image via Vanity Fair

Kate Bosworth looked skeletal yet gorgeous in Dolce and Gabbana

image via PopSugar

Alicia Vikander in Louis Vuitton

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Gina Rodriguez in Zac Posen

image via Glamour.com

Rooney Mara in Alexander McQueen

image via Hollywood Reporter

Brie Larson in Calvin Klein

Helen Mirren in Badgley Mishka

Heidi Klum wore Marchesa

Kirsten Dunst in Valentino

image via Hollywood Reporter

Zendaya in Marchesa

image via PopSugar

Laverne Cox in Elizabeth Kennedy

Emmy Rossum