What To Eat In Venice

What To Eat In Venice

Food in Venice often gets a really bad rap, which is such a shame because the local cuisine is fantastic.

Unlike stateside, in Italy there isn't just one type of Italian food - the food of Italy is regional, so you need to know ahead of time about the local delicacies from the region you are traveling to.

Wood burning ovens are largely prohibited in Venice, so pizzas and breads are not that great. Eat your pizza in Naples, in Venice satiate your hunger with the fruits of the Adriatic.

Venice is a city of seafood. In spite of the lagoon getting churned up by unending cruise ship traffic, it still is full of fish, as well as all the seafood gleaned from the surrounding area in the Adriatic.
A walk through the Rialto Market (in San Polo - you can't miss it!) will show you a dazzling variety of seafood, some you've probably never seen or tasted before. Local restauranteurs shop here, so you are previewing what you will be eating later in the day. You will also find an unbelievable array of spices in the mercado ,having made their way here centuries ago dating back to the spice trade. 

** Spices from asia and northern africa accessed the rest of the world via the world trade center, Venice.**

Make sure you try fritto misto, a mixture of deep fried squid, octopus and prawns. Unlike the heavy, oily deep fried seafood you're used to, Venetian chefs are superbly light handed, creating a divine misto that doesn't weigh you down.

Venetians are also celebrated for their cakes and pastries. Step up to the bar in a coffee shop, order a caffe (espresso to non italians) and enjoy a baicoli or a busolai, little local light biscuit/cookies.

One of the most fun ways to enjoy eating in Venice is to go bacari hopping.
A bacaro is a bar. Stop in for the local drink, prosecco, and pair it with a tapas like snack known as ciccheti. 

These are little finger foods, perfect with a light drink. 
Try sarde in saor, grilled octopus, baccala Montevarchi, shrimp prepared in many different ways - it's a great way to get a taste of Venice. 
If you are like me, a total lightweight when it comes to drinking, you can order un'ombra (a shadow) or smaller taste of wine.

 By stopping here and there for ciccheti you wind up eating far less than if you are sitting down in a restaurant for a full meal. Plus it's much more fun, especially in the early evenings when all the locals are out and about, stopping to socialize on their way home. 

How To Enjoy The Best Of Venice ~ learn what most tourists don't see or experience

Another thing you will see is people sipping on sunset colored drinks, normally red or orange. These are the famous Venetian spritz. White wine with a splash of campari (the red) or my favorite, with Aperol (the orange). The loveliest way to end the day and welcome the early evening is to sit outside a bacaro with a spritz and some snacks and watch the world go by. Avoid Piazza San Marco (as it will cost the same as your car payment!) instead head into the other neighborhoods, such as Cannaregio, and join the locals. The people watching is much more fun here! Read more about it in my post on Ca' D'Oro (linked here)

Read more about traveling in Venice here

Check out my favorite neighborhood in Venice, the magnificent Dorsoduro

The Best Bronzer, The Perfect Eyeshadow Palette, New Liquid Lips and W Magazine ~ Happy Sunday

 So this was my morning.

W magazine, an espresso, and a quick look at some new makeup that arrived last week.

I love W Magazine. They get so out of the box with their editorials, it's endlessly inspiring.

There were some teens on the cover, who I have exactly zero interest in, but the first thing I do anyway when I open W is go to Gio's Journal. Fashion editor Giovanna Battaglia is one of my favorite people. 

Her life looks so glamorous, and to me she represents the epitome of confidence in a woman.

Check out these gorgeous pictures of Gio and a post on how to look and feel confident

One of my friends was showing me the "best bronzer ever!!" the other day. I actually really loved the color and the texture, and needed a new bonzer so I was all ready to hit the mall or Sephora or wherever and grab one. Then she told me it was 
Miami Glow Bronzer from Motives.

I generally run a mile when I hear anything is from a multi level marketing company. Not because the product isn't any good, but because the distributors hound you to death to buy more things or sign up under them when all you want is one product. It drives me half out of my mind! 
I don't know much about Motives, but from what I understand they don't manufacture their own makeup products, instead pull from private labels and other manufacturers. You can find a distributor anywhere, but if you are like me and hate it when people try to recruit you, you can use this affiliate link to get the Miami Glow Bronzer.

While getting the bronzer I was shown (of course) some eye shadow palettes. I bought this one primarily for travel but I think I will end up using it daily because the color selection is so good. It has 5 matte neutral shades along the top and 5 neutral shimmer shades along the bottom. 

This palette (the Demure palette) is like the little black dress or the killer black pants of your makeup wardrobe. These are the essentials that are the backbone of your wardrobe, or in this case your makeup case. Most eye shadow palettes give you a few good shades and pad it out with others you will never use, but the colors and textures in this palette are awesome. If you don't want to buy from a distributor here is an affilate link for the Demure Palette

Disclaimer: I am not a Motives distributor and have no intention of ever becoming one. These links are via blogger affiliate marketing. Please do not try and recruit me to this or any other MLM

I'm also excited about right now about these Phyto Pigment Liquid Lips from Juice Beauty. You may have heard about the Juice Beauty - Gwyneth Paltrow connection. She is the Creative Director of their makeup line. (You can read about it here.)
The Liquid Lip colors are all named after Gwyneth's peeps, fro her mother Blythe, to her friends such as Reese and Cameron to her daughter Apple.

Juice Beauty makeup skin care and hair care products are all organic and start from a base of organic botanical juice.




Get a free full-size GREEN APPLE Mousse Hand & Body Cleanser ($16 value), yours with any $50 purchase.* Enter RANAD at checkout. Offer expires 3/31/16. *While supplies last.

9 Things You Need To Do Before You Go To Italy this Summer

Summer will be here before you know it and if you are planning on traveling to Italy this year during the sunshine months there are several things that you can be doing right now to get prepared. Today we look at nine of them.

9 Things You Need To do Before You Go To Italy This Summer

1. Buy Travel Insurance.

I cannot stress this strongly enough.
Buy. Travel. Insurance.

Take a look at the Most Popular Trip Insurance plans Allianz has to offer.

It's not expensive and it will protect you from missed or cancelled flights, lost luggage, and medical problems, including flying you home with a nurse if need be. If you get sick and can't travel it will help you recoup your losses.
I get mine through Allianz, but shop around and see what works best for you.

Check out the Top Ten reasons why people buy Travel Insurance and see if it is right for you.

2. Get Your International Drivers License 

If you get he chance to drive in Italy it's super good fun!
If you are on a bus tour or a cruise you probably won't have time to do any driving, but if you are roaming on your own or having some extra days at the end of your tour, make sure you have an international drivers license. (You can pick them up at AAA)

Read about renting cars in Italy here

3. Book Your Intercity Trains Now.

The train system in Italy is amazing. Its super efficient, quick and inexpensive. (Why don't we have that here??)

checking out the handsome conductor on the Rome to Florence fast train

The local trains are super cheap and you just buy your ticket from the dude at the ticket office (or the ticket machine), but the high speed intercity trains can cost a fortune if you buy tickets on the day at the station. I use RailEurope.com and buy all my intercity train trips online well ahead of time. 
I've just finished buying all the intercity train tickets for the 2016 Corinna B's World Glam Italia Tours. By buying tickets ahead of time we are able to travel first class for the same price as economy.
Which means more money for shopping!

4. Book tickets To Museums, Colosseums, and Day Tours.

Don't waste 3 hours of your vacation standing in line waiting for tickets to get into the Uffizi Gallery or the Colosseum, book your tickets online before you leave home.
If you are planning on taking a day trip somewhere book it now before it gets sold out.

5. Google Where You Are Going.

View of Giardini Naxos from the Greek Theater in Taormina, Sicily

Don't just rely on your tour guide to tell you everything - do a little research yourself. You may find that there is something you would die to see in the next town over, or that you will be close to a famous winery or art museum that you would love to go to.
Italian towns and villages have their own market day each week. With a little knowledge up your sleeve you can plan day trips around market days so that you don't miss them.


There are always music festivals, festivals celebrating the local saints, parades - all kinds of fantastic events that it would be a shame to miss, so research the towns you are going to, and also look at other towns and villages nearby.

6. Read Reviews On TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor is your best friend when traveling. From reviews on where to eat, to where to stay, to whats good to do in the city, town or village you are going to, there is a wealth of information, all submitted by other travelers.

I have found so many incredible places to go, things to do and absolutely killer places to eat in Italy from reading reviews on TripAdvisor.
Don't Miss Out! See Today's Top Hotel Deals at TripAdvisor
I'm on there as Corinna B's World, and as much as possible I try to leave reviews too.
You can book flights on TripAdvisor and find places to stay.
It's brilliant!

       

7. Learn Some Simple Things To Say

Wherever you are traveling in the world you should always learn a few basic things to say including hello, goodbye, please, thank you, where is the... , how much does this cost, etc.
Making an effort and being polite will both get you a long way in a foreign country.

8. Make Sure Your Passport Is Current

You still have ample time to get your passport renewed or to get a passport. But you don't have much time.

9. Learn The Food, Regionally

Learn the wines too.
There isn't just one "Italian Food". The cuisine changes regionally.
in my experience it is very different to most American-Italian food.
Do some research on the foods of the places you are going so that you don't miss out on something fantastic that is specific to a place you are traveling to.
Eat Panforte in Tuscany, especially in Siena. Eat cicchetti and drink a spritz in Venice,  you have to try baba' in Naples, and of course eat pizza and drink their amazing coffee (read more about Naples here). Drink Limoncello when you are on the Amalfi Coast - every place in Italy has something special!

7 Shoe Rules Every Girl Should Know

I'm a shoe fiend.
I love shoes more than any girl should, and I've amassed quite the collection over the years!
So my shoe-fetish radar went off when I saw this article on one of my favorite blogs, Career Girl Daily.
Now I want silver shoes...

Not one word of it is mine ~ it was written by Celina from CDG

Image via Vivaluxury

We’ve got all the secrets and insider tips you need to know to finally score that perfect pump at the perfect price!  Here are the rules on which pairs to wear and how to wear them with style.

1

A heel can be too high

Don’t copy what you see on the catwalk. There is nothing less attractive than a girl who can’t walk in her heels. As a matter of fact, 120mm/5 inch heels are bad for you and can actually cause injury!

Loeffler Randall silver flats available at Nordstrom

2

Shop for shoes at the end of the day

You really should only be shopping for shoes at the end of the day when your feet are swollen. That’s a good way to get a size that fits you well.

3

Invest in your shoes

You don’t have to wear designer shoes, but always make sure you have great shoes and a great bag, as that’s all you need. Bad shoes will ruin your feet so you’d better invest in them.

Jimmy Choo Mayje in silver, available at Nordstrom

4

Try on three sizes before you buy

Better be safe than sorry, right? Different brands have different sizes. So try the size you normally wear and try one size bigger and one size smaller to make sure you pick the right size.

5

Comfort is more important than looks

No matter how pretty they are. If you can’t walk in them don’t buy them.

6

Choose one attention grabber

If you wear a basic outfit a stand out pair of shoes will lift your outfit. But if you wear an over the top dress keep it simple with a basic pair of heels.

Prada Oxford in silver, available at Nordstrom

7

Choose the right balance

When you’re wearing a heavily layered look try a thicker heeled shoe to keep things in balance. And the other way around when you’re wearing a flowy skirt a thin strapped sandal could be more appropriate.

Tory Burch "Miller" in silver, available at Nordstrom

Find more articles like this at Career Girl Daily

Keeping It Simple ~ Makeup For Spring 2016

 I just had a new editorial come out (a couple of weeks ago), and I think it's one of my favorites. So I'm showing it to you today. 

Keeping It Simple

French girls understand the key to beauty is keeping it simple.
Create a beautiful complexion opting for a sheer foundation instead of a heavy one, add a little accent to the brow and then complete the story with a lovely lip.
I wanted to evoke a little Parisian beauty for this fashion story, and keep it on trend for Spring 2016. 
You can read about the major makeup trends for Spring 2016 here
and find out about the red lips I'm loving for the new season.

Up Your Beauty Game ~ Add An Essence

It's no secret that I have been totally wowed by Korean skincare (K-Beauty) for a very long time. 

I write about it allll the time. I get so annoyed at over priced skincare products in department stores, that are all consumed with packaging and with their celebrity endorsement, and that make almost no difference to the condition of your skin. I like products that make a huge difference to your skin, a difference that you can see and feel in the first few days.

And that's what happens with state of the art Korean skincare products.

I'm also enthralled with the K-Beauty 10 Step Skincare Regimen and how they layer their products.

Many of my readers want to try it but don't know where to start, and the thought of suddenly going to a 10 Step Program is far too overwhelming, so today lets talk about one Korean skincare product that you can add into your current skincare program. It can be your starter Korean Skincare product.

Essence.

Its Skin Power 10 YE Effector

This is a category of skincare product that for the most part we don't have here in America as part of our normal skincare routines, with the exception of SK II's Facial Treatment Essence

The closest thing to it here would be a serum.

Serums are typically heavy and leave a film on the skin. They are designed to have a few active ingredients that penetrate more deeply than a moisturizer, and deal with specific skin issues.

Korean essences tend to be much more lightweight and at the same time more concentrated.

You use an essence after cleansing and toning and before moisturizing.

What I love is that they disappear into the skin and don't leave a slimy film on the surface. (If you have that extra layer on the surface of the skin makeup will slide around and disappear).

What are your skin concerns? Maybe you have a dull complexion and dark spots. Or maybe you have blackheads and enlarged pores but your skin is also dehydrated? Maybe you are concerned with aging and your skin is dry.

Whatever skin concerns you have there is an essence for each one. 

Another thing I love about essences is that you don't have to break the bank buying them. The first time I bought essence I didn't know what to get, so I bought several different ones by It's Skin for only $11 each. And they were fantastic!
Some good Essences to try are the It's Skin Power 10 series.
The Its Skin Power 10 YE Effector revives skin and improves it's texture and clarity.


The It's Skin Power 10 SYN AKE Essence firms and rejuvenates the skin, and goes to work on fine lines and wrinkles.



The Power 10 Li Effector is all about brightening the skin and going after skin imperfections caused by the sun's damaging rays. Freckles, sun spots and redness are targeted, and it also soothes irritated skin.



The Power 10 VC Effector is all about Vitamin C. It brightens skin, refines skin texture and gives you visable results within a few days!

Ampoules

Not sure about trying an essence? Another option is to make an Ampoule your first K-Beauty product. An Ampoule sits on the other side of serum. It's super charged, super potent and has higher concentrations of the active ingredients. Ampoules are like a super booster for your skin.
You use a small drop after cleansing and toning, before moisturizing.

Again you choose one that is specific to your skin concerns. If I am more concerned about hydration and maybe a little less concerned about Vitamin C, I will buy a super hydrating Ampoule and a Vitamin C essence.
Scinic's Propolis Ampoule helps your skin's cells to regenerate healthier and stronger, giving you a complexion that is clearer, firmer and brighter. And it's only $20!

The CosRx Centella Blemish Ampoule is to clear up troubled skin, give some sebum control and provide a protective barrier to help your skin recover.

(Actually I buy all kinds of different essences and ampoules just because they are so affordable and yet so high performance)

Once you start using Korean skincare products there really is no turning back. Your skin looks so amazing!

I buy my Korean beauty products on the world's largest online Korean Beauty store, Memebox. Everything ships from California so it gets to my house within a couple of days.

How To Spring Clean Your Skin

Finally, finally, winter is on it's way out and spring is here!
As you are packing away your winter clothes and readying your home for the new season, it is also time to do a little spring cleaning on your complexion. 

Winter is the worst season for your skin. Between the harsh, cold weather and warm to hot air with central heating and open fires, those of us who are not celebrities or supermodels tend to get overly sensitive, irritated, dried out skin. 
Now is the time to restore your skin, get it glowing and vibrant again and ready for spring.

Here are three important steps to spring clean your face:

Step One: Change Up Your Cleanser.

In my experience as a makeup artist the single biggest skincare mistake women make is using the wrong cleanser for their skin type. Mostly they are using a cleanser that strips their skin and dries it out.
Personally, I advocate foaming or wash type cleansers only for oil girls and girls battling acne. For anyone else foaming/wash cleansers tend to strip the skin too much.
I am a huge believer in oil cleansers. If your skin is in any way dry, irritated or sensitive an oil cleanser is an amazing choice for you.

For oily skin girls oil cleansers are also fabulous. (I see you backing your way across the room, but hear me out). Think about what happens when you put oil and water together. They separate. They don't play well together. The truth is, if you want to lift away oil, oil is the best thing to use!

I'm in love with these Korean beauty oil cleansers available from Memebox, the world's largest online K-Beauty store. (It's HQ is in northern California, so your order ships from there and arrives in a couple of days, most of the time with free shipping).




I'm Cleansing Oil #02 Fresh Oil for oily or combo skin

I'm Cleansing Oil #1 Moist Oil for normal through dry skin.
Oil cleansers dissolve all makeup, and clean your skin beautifully.
At only $14.00 they are a smoking deal. You don't need much, so they last for ages.

Step Two: Clean a Little Deeper And Remove Dead Cells

With the correct cleanser working for you, now it's time to get some masks happening.
You need to get rid of all the dead skin cells on the surface that are clogging your pores and making your complexion look dull.
Here are three options from Memebox


Black Sugar Mask Wash Off  $14.70
An exfoliating skin-softening mask that will remove dead skin cells and create a soft, radiant complexion with Brazilian black sugar and helps decrease the number of black and white heads.

If your skin is feeling sensitive or irritated you may want to avoid a scrub style exfoliator. Here are 2 options that give you smooth, radiant skin without scrubbing:

Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Clay Mask $14.00

Innisfree’s Jeju Volcanic Pore Clay mask is one of Korea’s best skincare items of all time. The award-winning product provides 6 intensive pore care functions which effectively puts the skin at its best state. It minimizes pores by contracting them, control excessive sebum production, exfoliates, removes deep-seated dirt, brightens up skin tone and gives a soothing cooling sensation. It contains Jeju volcanic capsules that has AHA to effectively remove dead skin cells and maintain smooth and soft skin.

I have this next one in my Memebox shopping cart. I love enzyme peels and very gentle peel-style exfoliators!

SNP Advanced Peeling Gel $15.00

Free your skin from dead skin cells with SNP Advanced Peeling Gel. This peeling gel gently removes skin impurities along with dead skin cells that usually cause rough skin texture and clogged pores. With seaweed extract as its key component, this peeling gel not only removes dead skin but also supplies abundant nutrients to help improve the skin’s overall condition. It also moisturizes the skin to give a softer, smoother skin texture.

Step Three: Nourish

Once you have your skin beautifully cleansed and masked it's time to add back in nutrients that your skin is craving.
In Korean beauty the final step each night, after loading the skin up with essences and ampoules is to seal all the goodness in with what they call a sleeping pack.
A sleeping pack falls somewhere in between a night-cream and a moisture mask. (don't worry - they don't wind up all over your pillowcase).
When you get up in the morning you simply rinse away whatever is left with a warm washcloth.



The Waterest Vital Sleeping Pack is only $25.00
Invigorate and restore radiance to your skin while enjoying a relaxing, beauty sleep! Waterest Vital Sleeping Pack features premium revitalizing natural ingredients that boosts the skin’s nourishment and moisture retention to ensure great skin the very moment you wake up. It contains double-fermented lotus flower extract which delivers moisture to the skin twice as fast. It helps purify and hydrate the skin overnight to give you smooth, soft and glowing skin the very next morning.

And now your skin is spring cleaned and reboosted, and you are looking once again like your most gorgeous self!