How many things do you have in your wish list? Things you might or might not buy, things you are hoping to get as a gift, things you really want but have to wait for payday/sales/a winning lottery ticket before you can even dare popping them in your cart. How many? If you’re anything like me, quite a few. Which is why I decided to introduce a new monthly feature, The Lust List – where I’ll share the things that I am planning on buying, saving up for, wishing-hoping-and-praying for, or simply admiring from afar. ’cause we all need pretty things to look at

So without further ado, I give you this month’s Lust List. I hope you like it!

1. These flats are so cute I can hardly stand it. Round toe, soft leather, stretchy band at the back keep them simple; the spiky studded harness adds an unexpected edgy vibe. Be&D Memphis ballet flat, $375. Available in a variety of colors, can be purchased at Zappos, Bluefly, Amazon.com, Endless.

2. My favorite collection to date: Rocker Chic by OPI features rich, gorgeous colors in different finishes. My favorites: Already Famous, a slightly glittery mix of pewter and champagne; Go My Own Way, the perfect shade of teal to pair with our fall outfits; and my absolute favorite Just A Little Dangerous, a gorgeous opaque Amethyst purple. But really, I want them all. $9 each, available exclusively at Sephora and Sephora.com.

3. I don’t normally like skulls, and I tend to look at skull prints and appliques as one of those “dammit, it won’t go away” trends – which is why I was so surprised when I developed a crush on this Thomas Sabo ring. I saw it first a few months ago when browsing the new catalog, and I just cannot get it out my head. But at 479 Swiss Francs, I have to wonder if I’ll still love it in a year of two. What do you think? Sterling silver Pirate ring with amethyst, $466. Available at select Thomas Sabo boutiques and retailers.

4 .I love this interpretation of the leather jacket, with puff sleeves and a sleek cut, feminine but with an edge. Faux-leather blouson, € 29.90 (price may vary depending on the country)

5. I’m past 30. I don’t own anything with cartoon characters on it, not Hello Kitty clothes or accessories. But I’d be willing to break the rule for the new Tokidoki for Sephora collection, like these adorable makeup brushes! Pittura brush set, $35 exclusively at Sephora.

6. Yes, I’m still thinking about the tea party. And I’m thinking that these mismatched, kitschy plates have an irresistible vintage vibe, perfect for a garden tea party. Starting at £18 at libertyoflondon.co.uk

7. Can a butterfly print be edgy? Apparently so, judging by the gorgeous silk pieces from the latest Karen Millen AW2010 collection. Girly with a hint of badass. Asymmetric silk minidress, £ 125 at KarenMillen.com

8. I tend to associate bright colors, like red and turquoise with summer. And fuchsia with Barbie I don’t much go for shades of pink, but I can’t help but picture these gorgeous pumps peeking out of a dark suit. Ski-high heels, platform, beautiful leather and a shade that will wake up even the most boring, drab, dark outfit? Yes please.  Yves Saint Laurent Palais platform leather pump, $675 on Net-a-Porter.com

Your turn to share: what’s on your Lust List?

I don’t feel about jewelry the same way most women do. I never wanted a big diamond ring – still don’t. When I pick jewelry, I don’t think carat, transparency, platinum or gold? I pick my jewelry based on three things: will it give me an allergy? (I’m allergic to anything containing nickel.) Do I like it? Will I actually wear it and not leave it sitting pretty in its box?

I see jewelry as any other accessory, and as any other accessory, I like interesting pieces, pieces that say something to me, pieces that… show personality, so to speak.

And that’s exactly what I would say of Thomas Sabo jewelry: it shows personality. Yours!

I first saw a Thomas Sabo display several years ago on the newly renovated accessory floor in Globus, one of the more upscale department stores in Zurich. At the time Globus had the exclusive for carrying Thomas Sabo jewelry in Switzerland, and while the collection was nowhere as large as it is now, it was stunning, and it was love at first sight (for me at least, not sure how the charms felt about the woman ogling them all the time).
The charm collection, called Thomas Sabo Charm Club, was really what drew me in; perfectly shaped charms, like small silver sculptures, packaged in an individual tiny hat box. Fun! And you could make charm necklaces, not just bracelets – I love necklaces much more than I ever will bracelets, so this was definitely a selling point.

Fast-forward to the following Christmas, when I received my first Thomas Sabo charm necklace; my husband, probably sick of hearing me talk about it and showing him the catalog all the time, had bought it for me on his last trip to Switzerland, picking 3 of the charms I had selected as my favorites:

Yes, he’s good. I think I’ll keep him.

My collection has grown since, ans so has my obsession: I now make a point of checking for new catalogs and pass by regularly to see specific charms in person, so anyone who has spent any length of time with me has been dragged to the nearest Thomas Sabo counter at least once (including Ally, when she came to visit from Atlanta )

The Thomas Sabo Charm Club and the Thomas Sabo Sterling Silver jewelry line have also grown, and now count hundreds of pieces, each year more original, detailed and eye-catching than the next. The charms come in a variety of topics, from fashion-related items to Disney characters; from sport-related charms to famous monuments and cultural symbols; and many more, including categories like Wild West, Gothic, Weddings, and so forth. (And they don’t  tarnish like some other popular pricey silver jewelry *cough cough* Tiffany’s *cough*)

And in addition to the traditional silver, you can now make charm bracelets and necklaces with stretch pearl and stone bracelet, braided leather cords and colorful silk strings. And you can preview it and get a price estimate with the online charm creator.

My daughters meanwhile cannot wait until they are old enough to be able to borrow this jewelry and they help me pick the best charms twice a year, when the new catalogs come out. No doubt looking at it as something they will eventually wear, smart cookies

What do you think? Do you have an obsession? Something you have been collecting for years and still love after all this time? Share please.

Note: this is not a paid or promotional post. I have received no compensation nor free merchandise in exchange for this post. Though I kind of wish I had.

Because I’m olive skinned, I usually get a tan without trying. Even though I wore my SPF 45 daily while on vacation and didn’t go to the pool outside the hours of 8-11am and 4.30-7pm, I still got home quite a bit darker than when I left.

The combination of my darkening skin and the intense heat made me completely rethink my makeup routine. Who wants to wear full-makeup in summer, anyway? It’ll likely melt off your face, and probably feel all sticky and heavy. Yuck. But to my surprise, I kind of mastered the “golden glow” look, the one where you just look radiant and healthy – and it was so simple and so flattering I fell in love with it.

Want to try it? Here’s how:

• Start with a clean slate: after your shower or after washing your face with a delicate cleansing gel, pat it dry and wipe it gently with a cotton pad with a non-drying toner.
• In the palm of your hand, mix a pea-sized (yes, really!) amount of tinted moisturizer (or if you want more coverage, a matte foundation) with a few drops of a slightly shimmering cream bronzer and blend well, then massage on your face, starting with the apples of your cheeks and your cheekbones, and then your forehead and the rest of your face and neck. The small quantity is key, because you want a light glow that isn’t too obviously coming from a bottle
• With your index finger, spread a small quantity of a Maybelline Dream Mousse (I use Plum Temptation for day and Caramel Karma for night) on your eyelid, up to and just slightly above the crease. Line your top eyelid with a soft dark brown kajal, and apply a nice coat of dark brown mascara.
• Dab just a bit of cream blush on the apples of your cheeks and blend it in with your fingers, going up towards your cheekbones. This is the time when you’d normally used powder to set it all, but here you are going to use a small quantity of powder bronzer instead, focusing on cheekbones,  and browbones, and then lightly on the rest of the face, neck and decolleté. Use a light hand here – you don’t want to add much color, mainly set the makeup so it doesn’t melt off your face and ruin the golden glow.
• To finish off, your lips: I like a nude lipstick for this look during the day (my absolute favorite: Neutrogena Moisture Shine in Honey Breeze), but tend to reach for lip gloss in the evening, in a nice nude shade with a touch of bronze or maybe a peachy color, which is really flattering on tanned skin.

Here are the other products I use to achieve this look:

1. John Masters Organics Rose face wash

2. Laveré Relax Splash

3. Rimmel Stay Matte foundation

4. Murad Firming Bronzer SPF 15 for face and body

5. Maybelline Dream Mousse shadow and its US version, Maybelline Eye Studio Color Gleam Shadows

6. Stila kajal eye liner in Tiger’s Eye and Beneft BADgal mascara in brown

7. Tarte cheek stain in Blushing Bride

8. Benefit Dallas powder bronzer

8. Neutrogena Moisture Shine in Honey Breeze and Lancôme Juicy Tubes Pure in Ginger Root

(Please note that if your skin tone isn’t medium or olive, you might have to go lighter or darker with the bronzer, lip gloss, and possibly also the shadow – you want to look as if you are barely wearing any makeup at all, not like you are trying to emulate Snooki )

I hope you’ll find this helpful! Let me know how it turns out.

Did that get your attention?

Now, if you have been blogging or reading blogs for a while, you have probably heard of Polyvore.

Polyvore is an incredibly popular website where you can create free virtual collages, mood boards, and so forth. It’s most common for fashion bloggers and blog-less fashion enthusiasts, but it’s much more versatile than that.

Personally, I use it most for my Outfit of the Week posts and for my monthly Inspiration Boards. But sometimes I also just go on Polyvore to figure out how to wear something, what to pair it with; or to create sets just for fun; or to show my mom (who lives in Italy) kind of how my loving room looks like; create a visual birthday wish list to send to my husband

In other words, endless possibilities, endless fun. (And since it can be kind of addictive, endless hours on the computer…)

Now the brilliant minds behind Polyvore have come up with a widget that can be added to any blog; and as fashion-minded people, they know that the best way to celebrate its  launch is with a contest!

The Mini-Editor is a small version of the Polyvore virtual styling whiteboard. One of the bloggers who installed the widget and one of his/her readers will win a $1000 Visa gift card!

So here is my Mini-Editor, style away! And good luck to everyone!

Powered by Polyvore

After enjoying our time in Spain so much, we had to make sure the vacation ended nicely.

The long drive home was looming ahead, and we didn’t want that to be the last thing we remembered about our vacation, so we scheduled a brief stop in Montpellier, France – described as the most desirable city in Provincial France, and conveniently located about  half-way to Zurich from the Costa Blanca, it seemed like the perfect pick.

After a somewhat eventful night at the hotel we were booked into (which I can say with certainty we will never ever go back or even close to), we were really tempted to just get in the car and drive home.

But I wasn’t going to miss the opportunity to visit Montpellier, albeit briefly – nor the opportunity to visit Sephora after being deprived of it for so long – and I knew that a walk and a bit of a look-around in a pretty place would help us recharge a bit for the 7-hour drive ahead of us, so I convinced  my family to take the morning to shop and explore a little.

After a brief stop at the Odyseeum – the new shopping, dining and entertainment center just outside Montpellier – for breakfast at Pain & Cie and to pop into Sephora, we headed to the focus point of Montpellier: Place de la Comédie.

A long square ending with the Montellier opera house (Opera Comédie) and sided by lovely baroque buildings, Place de la Comédie was also hosting a large market that day, and rows of stands selling clothes, accessories, knick knacks and local specialties stretched the whole length of the square.

It was hot, so the girls took advantage of the fact that I had stopped to take pictures to dip their hands in the cool water of the Les Trois Graces fountain, which stood in an unusual position: not in the middle of the square, nor at either end; just a short distance from the Opera Comédie, but not right in front of it, either. This position, that is part of what makes the square asymmetrical when seen from above, is very unusual in city squares in the old countries of Europe. It’s details like this that betray the fact that Montpellier is a young city by Old Continent standards: it was founded in the Middle Ages when a local Count joined together two hamlets and fortified it with a wall.

Unusual as it is, it’s still pretty lovely:

Resisting the temptation to sit at one of the cafés that had tables right on the square and spend the rest of the morning sipping cappuccino and people-watching, we headed up the Rue de la Loge, passing the Préfecture de l’Herault and walking down the beautiful Rue Foch, with its 19th century buildings and neoclassical courthouse, to the Porte du Peyrou, the local Arc de Triomphe.

It was getting close to lunch time and my husband, the (self-)designated driver for the length of the trip, was anxious to get on the road. But as we closed in on the Porte du Peyrou I could see the Promenade du Peyrou beyond it, and with a “This is the last one, I promise!” I managed to bargain a little more time to walk the length of the promenade and check it out. How could I not?

And when I walked to the top to take a closer look at the chateau d’eau at the end of the promenade, surprise! Behind it extended the Saint Clément Aqueduct, another of the wonderful neoclassical structures in Montpellier.

After turning around and taking one more look to the promenade and the Port du Peyrou, I started walking down the stairs, hurrying to get back to my husband, who had started walking back down the Rue Foch with Stella and was waiting at a restaurant, trying to keep out of the sun and cool off a bit.

As I was walking briskly down the stairs, I slipped on the chipped edge of a step and fell down the last few steps. As  got up, a little bruised but not badly hurt, I had two thoughts:
1. “Luckily I didn’t break my ankle!”
2. (after noticing that the camera made a weird clicking noise and produced a “Lens Error!” message) “Not again!! Well, at least I had already finished taking photos!”

It’s lucky that this ends the “debrief” of our summer vacation – because unfortunately there won’t be new photos coming for a while, since I will have to wait for the camera to be fixed, or will possibly have buy a new one (maybe I should add this to my birthday wishlist!)

But we did have our share of pretty pictures, didn’t we? I hope you enjoyed them as much as I enjoyed sharing them with you.

Much love,

The Costa Blanca is an interesting place to visit.

There’s the beauty of the coast line, with the Penyal d’Ifac commanding your attention, and the water of the Mediterranean stealing the scene.

There’s the architecture, which varies from the old-town charm of Altea to the lovely villas in classic Spanish style all around the coast in Moraira, to the skyscrapers in Calpe and Benidorm, where unless you are watching from high up you won’t see the beach until you are on it, because it’s hidden behind all the hotels and high-rise buildings.

There’s the entertainment, which spans from karaoke night at the local bar to the medieval market in Teulada (including belly dancing, Birds of Prey, and even a fakir!) to the kitchy cabaret of the Benidorm Palace.

And there’s the food, which of course includes tapas and paella and fresh pescados y mariscos (fish and seafood) prepared in all possible ways, as well jamón serrano and incredibly sweet and juicy tomatoes and melon (good enough to rival the Prosciutto di San Daniele and the lovely produce I enjoy when I go home to Sardinia) and an abundance of some of the best olive oil have ever tasted – and that’s saying something for an Italian!
And the wine! Should we talk about the wine? Rich reds, the lovely whites and rosé I enjoyed nearly every evening during my stay, and of course cava, the Spanish sparkling wine.
And one other thing that must be mentioned is crema catalana. Talk about delicious, scrumptious and just about any other adjective for “a major treat for the palate” that you can think of

And there’s Alicante.

Alicante looks boring, nothing special. Until you start walking down the Esplanada, and find yourself enjoying the cool sea breeze even on a hot day, looking at the lovely paving and the fountains and browsing the many stands under the palm trees for jewelry, handmade leather bags and Spanish specialties.

And then you walk up one block, away from the harbor, and sit down to eat a paella de mariscos and calamares under the arches in the town square, in front of the lovely 18^th century Ajuntamiento (town hall).

And then you decide to drive up Mount Benacantil and see the 16^th century Castillo de Santa Bàrbara, and all of a sudden you are thrown back in time, when this was a vitally important strategic spot, one you could see any and all who came and went below, by land and by sea.  And then you realize this was once a great city – which is why the Greeks, Romans and Moors all established settlements here and took advantage of the natural harbor.

And that’s the thing about the Costa Blanca: just when you are ready to dismiss it as just another holiday destination, one with too many tourists and too many shops, one maybe not posh enough, not cultured enough… it surprises you. And you see that the history and culture of this country, and its beauty, cannot be buried under the bricks and mortar and the consumerism façade – they will still shine through.

Which is why today, when are about to leave, drive up North, and be across the border by nightfall… today, when I’m getting ready to say Adiós to Spain… that’s when I know this isn’t goodbye, but see you soon. Because this was my first taste of Spain, and I have definitely not had enough – and I can’t wait till I’ll be able to come back for more.

Hasta Luego, España! Till the next time.

If you find yourself spending your summer vacation on the Costa Blanca, chances are that your wardrobe will consist mostly of a bathing suit and a pair of sunglasses, with a sundress or pareo to use as cover-up at lunch time. This isn’t a really fashionable area, people just wear what you’d expect them to wear in a place that’s warm and sunny and where their main activities are swimming, sunbathing and takings afternoon siestas.

If, however, you drive a bit out of the way for the day and you want an outfit that will keep you comfortable and cool during the day but also looking nice enough for your evening activities, go for something like this:

Left: Dorothy Perkins chiffon maxi dress, Juicy Couture espadrille wedge, Olivia Harris studded chain clutch, Tory Burch bangles.
Right: Phase Eight maxi dress, Maria Sharapova by Cole Haan gladiator Sandal, JJ Winters round chain clutch, House of Harlow 1960 necklace.

A well-cut maxi dress in a nice fabric (silk and chiffon are fabulous, but cotton jersey is a much more affordable and just as workable option) will keep you cool and comfortable while walking around during the day and it will work just as well for the evening.

So close to the sea, where the risk is looking like you are trying too hard (uncomfortable heels and an overabundance of sticky makeup) or not trying at all (same thing you were wearing home from the beach) a maxi dress is the perfect bridge between underdressed (shorts and tank top) and overdressed (lamé, sequins, high heels).

Following the same logic, a cute pair of flat gladiators or wedge sandals is a good choice as far as footwear goes, especially if you choose metallic leather or appliqués of some sort – that way you can walk around and explore during the day, and then keep right on walking… into the club or restaurant in the evening.

So as not to be weighted down, choose a small clutch with a long strap: after all, all you need is your wallet, your sunglasses and a lip balm, and maybe a fold-out map of the area your are visiting. This will allow you in the evening to avoid putting your handbag on a chair or on the floor, where they are at risk of “disappearing”, especially in a crowded bar. Make sure you keep well-hydrated with water and mineral drinks during the day, so you can enjoy your sangria and cava at night without suffering a headache.

I like to keep jewelry minimal in the heat, but you can always keep an an additional accessory in your bag and pop it on at night, to make the outfit just a little more dressy. Keep t simple, a long pendant necklace or a set of cute bangles will do the trick.

While in Spain, a family member who lives locally insisted on treating us to dinner and a show at the Benidorm Palace, apparently home to one of the best evening show scenes in Europe. Because of the fireworks happening not too far, we decided to set out early so we could easily find parking and avoid lines at the entrance.

Which means that while dinner started at 9pm (and the show at 10 pm) we were there at 7.40. I always feel silly being dressed up for the evening when it’s still day out, so I opted for the same sort of outfit I recommended above:It worked out great, and even in the nightclub/piano bar interiors of the Palace I didn’t feel over- or under-dressed. The first half of the show featured a wide range of flamenco numbers, including a beautiful Sevillana and a really entrancing Zapateao that brought me to the conclusion that flamenco dancers are without a doubt the sexiest entertainment artists. (Yeah, I would have scoffed too if I hadn’t seen it… and felt it )

The second half of the show included several dance numbers with elaborate choreographies and over-the-top costumes with great music ranging from a 70’s medley to a remix of Madonna’s “Vogue” that included also a male voice, to more recent pop and dance hits; the kind of thing that wouldn’t be out of place in Vegas (including a closing number that had the feature dancers in feathered costumes and bare breasts.)

Interspacing the dance numbers were cabaret artists performing various kinds of acrobatics, some with dance or comedy. The food was just so-so, but the 55-euro price tag on the Menú Gran Palace Plus was well worth the fabulous seats the more expensive menu gets you – and the Cava that came with the food was lovely.

I wouldn’t have said something like this would be my cup of tea, and it had an over-the-top, old-fashioned kitchy cabaret feel to it, but it was actually really fun! The girls loved it, and they stayed awake until the very end of the show, around 1.30 am. If you are in the area, why not check it out? There are several options for foot and seats, including drinks-only tables on the right side of the stage for $28 Euro.

Photos of show segments property of Benidorm Palace.

We had enjoyed our day in Barcelona and we knew there was more to see, but with a 6-hour drive down to the Costa Blanca ahead of us the following day, we didn’t want to overdo it: that’s when a perfectly lovely day can easily be spoiled by trying to do too much, and that’s when it stops being enjoyable and it starts feeling like work.

Still, we did want to take a peek at a few more of Barcelona’s notorious spots, so after dinner we set out – by car this time – to see the Sagrada Familia, Barcelona’s most famous church, the unfinished opus of Anton Gaudí, the architect still celebrated as one of the most brilliant visionaries of Modernism.

The Sagrada Familia (full name: Temple Espiatori de la Segrada Familia, Espiatory Temple of the Sacred Family – cheerful, isn’t it?) is a still-unfinished, monumentally large and incredibly detailed church. My husband saw it while on a school trip some 25 years ago, and he was still impressed seeing it now, especially because he had thought it was already huge the first time around.

Personally, I am not into modern design, but there is something about Modernism and Art Nouveau, and about Gaudí’s work in particular, that speaks to me. It’s interesting, original, never boring. There are no straight lines, no sharp corners, nor minimalistic details here – on the contrary, his work is so detailed and has so much going on that one could say it’s kind of over the top. But somehow it works.

Between the cranes, the construction materials and the dark, it was tricky to get a proper photo of the Segrada Familia, but here’s a peek:

We then headed to Montjuïc, for the water/light show at the Font Màgica (Magic Fountain), in front of the Palau Nacional – the real reason why we had waited until dark to head back out in the first place.

It was a beautiful sight: the avenue (Avinguda de la Reina Maria Cristina) was lined with lighted fountains, and despite the crowd of tourists and locals alike, it was, as the name said, kind of magical. It’s impossible to convey just how lovely it was. But… I tried anyway by shooting a little video Here’s a taste of the light show:

After this, I would have loved to see more of Montjuïc, the hill that seems to have the highest concentration of historical artefacts and art in all of Barcelona; but we just woulnd’t have enough time on the following morning, so we drove up the hill to at least take a quick look at the Montjuïc Castle, then back down the Avinguda de la Reina Maria Cristina, crossing Plaça d’Espanya (which again, the Fodor guide didn’t seem to like, for some reason – what is wrong with this guy?) on our way back to the hotel.

The following day we decided to check out one more spot before heading South – we didn’t have a lot of time, what to choose? Montjuïc would have been my first pick, but exploring it would have required at least half a day; and since what I had seen of Gaudí’s work had left me wanting to see more, we picked Park Güell.

And so we ended our visit to Barcelona on a fun and colorful note, to everyone’s satisfaction.

While driving out of the city, on our way to the Costa Blanca, we talked about the mix of architectural styles. In any other place, you’d define it a mish-mash or hodge-podge, but not in Barcelona. Here somehow the Roman ruins and neoclassical buildings of the Old Town mix seamlessly with the Gothic, Medieval feel of the Barri Gòtic, and the Modernism (Art Nouveau) that is sprinkled around the city, with the Eixample having the highest concentration). And to top it off, the blue waters on the harbor and the green of La Cittadella and Montjuïc create a perfect frame to it all.

I realize that spending only one day in a city like Barcelona is almost unfair, because there is no way you can see it all, nor give everything the attention it deserves. I hate missing out on something special, and I know there was a lot more to see. But because of the sheer abundance of art and incredible architecture, we felt like we saw a lot even in such a short time and really enjoyed our brief stay in Barcelona!

I do hope to be back one day, both to see what I have missed this time around, and to see again what I have already enjoyed. But until then, I have great memories and some nice photos to fall back on… and 10 blissful and relaxing days on the Costa Blanca, which you will hear about later

Until then,

It might be because I’m a mom, or maybe because I’m an organizing freak, but I seem to bring a ton of stuff with me when I leave the house.

What can I say, I like to be prepared. So my bags usually contain, aside from the usual suspects (phone, wallet, documents, keys, tissues) also cosmetic case filled with beauty essentials (1-2 chapsticks, 2-3 lip glosses, mini mascara, mini cheek tint, face powder) and one with miscellaneous just-in-case items (bach Flower Rescue Remedy, a few band aids, a ponytail holder or two, miniature deodorant, hand cream, eye drops). Then of course there’s the mom essentials: a bottle of water, a couple of snacks (nothing that will stain the lining of the bag, though!), a sun hat and/or a cardi for Stella, my sunglasses in their case, sometimes an umbrella, possibly a book or a magazine.

No wonder I go for large bags.

When I travel, it’s even worse – especially if we are going on a road trip or if I’m traveling alone with the girls. I have a couple of overnight bags but I find them impractical to use as handbags: they are cumbersome to carry around and keep at my feet in the car, not to mention it’s impossible to find anything in them.

An oversize tote is really the best bet in these cases, but I have a hard time finding one I like. I bought a cotton canvas one at Target two summers ago and had completely destroyed it by the end of our vacation.

I was considering my options while getting ready for my trip to Sardinia in April, when I received a package in the mail – a set I knew was coming was really excited about, but that arrived even earlier than I thought, just in time for my trip! And what great timing it was, as the set was surprisingly well-suited for my needs; better, it was perfect.

The set: the Tory Burch sail tote and its matching wallet:

These items surpassed my expectations. The colors are beautiful in real life, the pieces are extremely sturdy and well-made, the wallet is perfect to keep tickets and travel documents, and the tote is huge!! Here it is, kindly demonstrated by Stella

(sorry about the poor image quality, this was taken with my iPhone)

Because it’s made for sailing, the tote is made of sturdy cotton canvas and nylon; it’s deep but not too wide, perfect to place at your feet in the car (or on a boat, I guess ); it has two large side pockets and it can be zipped completely closed so everything you stashed in stays in. The handles are a perfect length: short enough to be able to hold it in your hand, but with enough drop to be abe to also slide your arm in and carry the tote on your shoulder – which was super handy while walking through the airport while holding Stella’s hand and trying to keep Sarah close.

And once you get to your destination this tote can double up as a great beach or pool bag, since splashes of water won’t ruin it, and it’s large enough to fit two large towels and some smaller essentials like your sun lotion, magazines etc. Your iPod, phone, keys and other smaller, more delicate items will be safe from scratches and splashed and out of sight if you stash them in one of the two zippered pockets.

In other words, it’s the summer tote par excellence.

I had no idea until I started working on this post and went looking for it, but the sail tote seems to be sold out in this size. If you prefer smaller bags however, you are in luck: the Sail Tote also comes in  a smaller size, which normally retails for $235 but is currently on sale on the Tory Burch online shop for $165. It is also available in fuchsia and orange, full price, at Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus.

The sail wallet is also on sale for $130 (originally $185) at Tory Burch, where it’s also available in blue and turquoise.

If you, like me, prefer the oversize tote, there is another really cute option: the Tory Burch Printed Canvas Duffel Bag basically looks the same as the large sail tote, except it’s all cotton canvas (instead of canvas and nylon) and it has detachable a shoulder/cross-body strap included. It comes in three different prints (I am partial to the colorful camouflage print) and it’s also on sale at Nordstrom for $148 (originally $225.)

What do you think? Is this something you’d carry? Or are you a “bare minimum” person when it comes to bags?

I know many, like me, have a travel bucket list. The places you really, really want to see.

But ever among those, there are usually 1 or 2 that are sort of your long-dreamed, long-awaited destination, the place that you think of as “I’ve always wanted to go there!”

That’s a lot of buildup. Which means by the time you finally make it there, the excitement is mixed with a tad of anxiety that the place won’t live up to your expectations.

Barcelona was definitely not a letdown. A tourist’s dream, easy to navigate on foot, with beautiful sights and gorgeous buildings at every turn, fabulous food and wine widely available, and a wealth of markets and shops carrying all sort of lovely decorating accents and knick-knacks that you just can’t wait to bring home.

One thing you can count on: your camera will get as much of a workout as your legs will, when you explore Barcelona.

Our walk started near the harbor, at Plaça Portal de la Pau, where the Christopher Columbus monument sits atop a 60-meter (200 feet) column, pointing towards North America. It reminded me of the Columbus Monument on the other side of the Atlantic, in NYC, and I wanted to say I hear you, I’ve been there too and it’s pretty awesome

There we started walking up Las Ramblas, the most notorious promenade in the city. The Sunday market stalls and street performers attracted crowds of tourists and locals alike; the crowds made it difficult to to capture some good pictures, but there was so much worth capturing that it hardly mattered – when you are surrounded by that much beauty, you don’t let other stuff spoil it for you.

We stopped on the way up Las Ramblas to take a small detour when I noticed an alley on our right that lead to what had to be Plaça Reial. The Sunday flea market filled the square, and my husband was tempted to drag me away when he saw my eyes sparkle at the sight of the market’s bounty, but he was relieved to see I was focusing on taking pictures and not gearing up to buy every little flea market treasure I could set my eyes on. (I have to admit that took a fair amount of willpower.)

We exited through the Arolas and continued our journey up Las Ramblas, stepping on the Miró mosaic in Plaça de la Boquería and passing the Art Deco dragon on the old umbrella shop, the Licieu Opera House and other gorgeous palaces.

After walking the main stretch of Las Ramblas we ended up at Plaça de Catalunya – which for some reason the Fodor guy didn’t like. “The only relief in sight is Café Zurich” he said. Yeah, ‘cause when I am in a huge square with sculptures and mosaics and fountains and I see interesting buildings of various styles all around me, all I can think about is going to get an espresso. Seriously??? (Although I did, of course, take the time to check in while I stood outside Café Zurich )

Just to the right of Las Ramblas is the Avinguda del Portal dellAngel, a lovely walking street that took us right into the heart of the Barri Gòtic (“Gothic Quartier”), the area I was most looking forward to exploring. Even the crowds of tourists cannot spoil the feeling that you are taking a trip back in time when walking through the shady narrow alleys and enjoying the splendid medieval buildings and squares.

After returning to the Carrer del Ferran for paella and sangria at a spot near Plaça Reial, we resumed our walk through the Barri Gòtic headed to Parc de la Ciutadella, the once-upon-a-time military fortress later turned into one of the main parks of the city. There the girls could run around and play, and I got a chance to walk up the steps of La Cascada, the monumental cascading fountain at the North end of the park.

By this time we were getting hot and tired, but the thought of a siesta back at the hotel must have been more tempting than laying on the grass right there at the park, because we strolled past the Catalonian Parliament and down the Passeig de Isabel II and the Passeig de Colom, back to the now familiar sight of the Columbus monument, back to our car and back to our hotel.

We knew we’d be back for more, but for now, a rest and a shower were a well-deserved prize.