Some Awards....

I am very grateful to have received some awards recently and just wanted to say thank you....and to pass some of them along....

From my friend Lori at http://nbwildflowers.blogspot.com/

From Liz at the wonderfully titled but-then-i-had-kids

“The blogger who receives this award believes in the Tao of the zombie chicken – excellence, grace and persistence in all situations, even in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. These amazing bloggers regularly produce content so remarkable that their readers would brave a raving pack of zombie chickens just to be able to read their inspiring words. As a recipient of this world-renowned award, you now have the task of passing it on to at least 5 other worthy bloggers. Do not risk the wrath of the zombie chickens by choosing unwisely or not choosing at all.”

Excellence, grace and persistence...yes please, I love this award!!!

I would like to pass it along to:

Meredith at countitalljoy - if there's any kind of apocalypse, put me in her shelter please!

DJ at dustjacketattic - this girl is worthy of all the awards going, she is goooooo-d!

Becky at farmgirlpaints - for being honest, inspiring and just really putting herself out there.

Torie Jayne at toriejayne - for her beautiful, inspirational, design-fabulous blog.

Melissa at reverie-daydream - a lovely place to visit whatever day of the week it is!

Thank you Sharon at mypassporttostyle

I am passing this along to :

bellamumma

inspirationinitaly

Thank you Rachel at "Inspiration in Italy"....

I am passing this along to:

thethingsidtellyou

everydayadventuresofacuriousgal

Orange Monday....

Orange Dior.....LOVE this bag!

Carrie Underwood....

I do wear a lot of black and I find that accent colours such as burnt orange really add something to an outfit....I have a gorgeous large leather purse that I bought in Italy a couple of years ago that I love to use and this week-end I bought a beautiful pair of soft orange leather gloves....

Happy Monday!

Friday Fabulousness....It's Good To Be Back!!

Fabulous....classy, classic, beautiful....and gorgeous hair....what more can a girl ask?!

Sometimes the best advice is the simplest advice....

Friday Squeeze...because he's Jack Bauer....oh, and because I love him....I might have mentioned that once or twice before ;)


....because sometimes a little kiss is all you need....

The gorgeous Gemma Ward....such a fabulous blue....LOVE this dress....


Lily Cole looking stunning....


Fabulous dress....

Absolutely picture perfect....

Just beautiful....

Absolutely beautiful....

Jennifer Aniston has the most beautiful smile....

Gorgeous chandeliers....

I love this shot of Diane Kruger....

My Secret Husband....Dr McDreamy in Armani....

Autumn is definitely here in London....leaves on the pavements everywhere and the weather still mild....

Gorgeous....gorgeous....GORGEOUS!!!!

The perfect autumn table settings....

Snuggly socks....toast and jam....it's autumn for sure....

A few more blankets might be necessary this time of year but this would still be a beautiful spot to be.....

Finally I am back from a really fabulous trip to Italy....even better than in the summer....the autumn trees were more beautiful than I can ever describe and the scenery was breathtaking.....the food (and the coffee) was AMAZING....and the people kind, warm and just really special. There is something about the experience of being in another country that is so wonderfully enriching....more about my trip next week.

It's good to be back, I have missed my blog....and everyone else's too! I look forward to catching up and thank you to everyone who left me such lovely comments while I was away....HAPPY FRIDAY!!

Friday Fabulousness - Italian Style....

Sophia Loren is a goddess....so stunning....I just love her....

Friday Squeeze....Paolo Maldini....

....my family are from Wales and I grew up watching rugby, somehow blissfully unaware of the existence of football (soccer)....I'm not sure how because during the World Cup and the European Championships, London goes football mad. Anyway, when I met my husband that all changed and I even went to watch Italy play....this man was probably largely responsible for that....AC Milan player and Italian national team captain for many years, Maldini is hero-worshipped in Italy....he certainly made 90 mins fly by....

Fabulous Fendi....

Such gorgeous shades of green....

La Fontana di Trevi....the Trevi Fountain....when the famous actor Italian Marcello Mastroianni died in 1996, the water was stopped, the lights dimmed and the huge stone fountain was draped in swathes of black fabric as Rome mourned one of its own....very Italian and so romantic....

The day that I look like this is the day that, yes, I will indeed be cooking in my underwear....

The extremely handsome Gregory Peck and the beautiful Audrey Hepburn in the wonderful "Roman Holiday"....for my friend and fellow old movie watcher Cathi....

Florence....

Julia Roberts wearing, and accompanied by, Giorgio Armani....

Real Italian coffee....nothing like it....

Sofia Coppola.....I have always really liked her style and just admired her for who she is....



Dolce & Gabbana's "no support" shoes.....hilarious!


Patrick Dempsey for Versace....if you could gift wrap him and send him to my hotel please....

Pesto di rucola.....

Here come the D&G boys....Mamma Mia!

Tiramisu.....one of my all-time favourite desserts....

Heidi Klum in Armani Prive....

Marcello Mastroianni....."La Dolce Vita", "Divorce Italian Style", "81/2"...and many many more movies....a wonderful actor....and so handsome....

Venice....

St Peter's, Rome.....my favourite Italian city....

Dolce & Gabbana....

Al Pacino....be still my beating heart....SO handsome!!! I don't like violent movies at all but I do love "The Godfather" trilogy.....even if I do have to cover my eyes at some parts....he is fantastic in "The Godfather Part 1" in particular....a wonderful actor....

D&G....

Armani Prive....

First the "no support" shoes, now the incredible heel-less boots by Antonio Beradi....

Yes please!
Italia....

I am very excited to say that I am off to Italy - Costageminiana - on Monday for one whole week!!!! We weren't sure if we would make it but happily, it is school hols and off we go.....so who wants to come with me?....I managed to find this old charabanc....a chilled glass of Pinot Grigio and some olives for the first 10 to arrive!! Hurry up....room for everyone if we squeeze up!!

I feel as though I have met lots of new people this week....some new visitors to my blog and some wonderful new blogs that I have found. Thank you to the lovely people who were nice enough to give me some wonderful Awards....more of that next week.

Thank you for your support and kindness.....arrivederci.....c'e vediamo.....baci....ciao belle :)

PS Thank you to everyone who left such nice comments about my wedding photos yesterday :)

That's Amore....

My wedding day.....October 24, 1998....I had always wanted an autumn wedding....

Engaged in Central Park, New York City 12 years ago.....married 11 years ago this Saturday in London in a traditional church wedding in the same church my in-laws were married in & my husband was christened in....honeymoon in the Caribbean and New York....
The wedding planning wasn't without its hitches but our wedding day was wonderful....it rained all morning, so much so that the vintage car that I was travelling to the church in had to pull over because its ancient windscreen wipers could not cope with the torrential rain!

Those sleeves had A LOT of buttons....and they hadn't even started on the back yet! I absolutely loved my wedding dress.... (it looks shiny here but it was actually a pale cream matt dupion silk with a long train.....my veil was the length of the train...)

Happy Anniversary Honey....or Mr Ironing Basket, as someone called him the other day....the best is yet to come, as I believe a wise man once said....
xoxo

Think Pink....

Sadly, there can't be many people who have not been affected in some way by breast cancer....October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and this post is dedicated to those who are fighting it today and to those who are survivors of this terrible disease.....it is also for my mother in law Luisa who lost her battle with it almost two years ago and to my aunt Rosemary who fought so hard but who lost her battle just one month ago.

The Colour Purple....

Kate Winslet looking wonderful....

Matthew Williamson....LOVE this!

Charlize Theron....

If you are a "DWTS" fan and saw this man salsa, you will know why I chose this....!

Nicollette Sheridan....this dress is beautiful on her....

Jessica Alba....pregnant and gorgeous....

Nicole Richie in vintage Halston....

Cute as a button!

The London Eye....magnificent!

This was built for the Millenium and supposed to be up for 6-12mths I believe....10 years later it is still standing and is hugely popular. Diagonally opposite the Houses of Parliament on the bank of the River Thames, you get fantastic views of London.

Holly Hunter....

Carrie Underwood....just a little purple....really pretty....

A beautiful shade of purple....