buongiorno!

well, it is over. my trip that i have been anticipating for so many long months has come and gone.

it sucked.



just kidding, it was so incredible and amazing! what sucks is that it is over. i got home a couple weekends ago, and i think i was procrastinating on writing this post because i didn't want it to be over!

i completely fell in love with the family members that we met while we were over there... i only wish i got to stay that third week with them at their home in vistrorio, with my mom, aunt, and cousin. the food, the wine (ohhh the wine!), the amazing views.... i could go on and on :)

i still have to go through all 1200 (800 camera, 400 phone!) of my pics but i plan to share those... (at least some of those)... a little later!  i still have a few client sessions to edit, and am forcing myself to finish those before i move on to my italy pics! for now, some highlights of my two week trip in my most favorite place on earth: italia!
(all photos below taken with my iphone 6)

just some art on the airplane - to show my love for traveling. watching that sunset from the airplane was a pretty good start to the trip. 

looking over cortona (the village we stayed in for the first week) as a storm rolls in. we spent the next few hours at the lions well pub in town! the only day it really rained was this first full day we were there. not too shabby. and of course, it was beautiful!

day trip to perugia, italy 

lorenzo and i teaching each other our native languages (<3 him) 

walking around the winery in tuscany 

best pizza!

my morning view from our villa on the second week in conca dei marini

and as we learned on day one from lorenzo (pictured above!): Saluti tutti! (cheers to all)

one of our last nights in the amalfi coast, enjoying some vino on the patio!

so until next time.... saluti tutti! 

Friday, I love you!

Another work week has gone by, and this Friday is even a little sweeter, because of the long weekend! Though I truthfully don't have any major plans this weekend, I am very much looking forward to early close today and a day off on Monday! Hopefully having no plans means we can just go with the flow and do whatever we feel like doing in the moment!

Here are a few of my Friday thoughts, and favorite things from around the web this week!

• THREE WEEKS from today, I will be taking the trip of a lifetime to Italy with 20 of my closest family members. (ha!!) We are going to Italy for over two weeks - Staying in Tuscany the first week, and the Amalfi Coast the second week, in gorgeous villas. Excited is definitely an understatement -- this trip has been consuming my every thought for weeks now!  My extensive plans include: drinking wine, eating delicious Italian food, exploring little Tuscan villages off the beaten path, taking as many pictures as possible, drinking more wine, going on wine tours, learning some Italian, and visiting a bunch of the villages along the Mediterranean coast.  If anyone has any "can't miss" recommendations, please let me know! (Also in Florence/Rome, because we will be spending a day in each of those cities as well!)
  
  images: via//via//via

• On that note, I had my cortisone injection into my SI joint yesterday - the bottom of my spine essentially. I REALLY hope this helps relieve the pain I've been having for 8+ months and don't have any trouble in Italy walking around!  I was definitely the youngest person in that hospital - by like 35 years! Ha.
• Healthiest Cities in America - Love that Minneapolis (former home!) is #2 on this list! But, not shocking that there are a ton of California cities on this list...
• This list.  This made me laugh a lot, and get verrryyyy nervous for the future.
• This video is so incredibly sweet! Warms my heart.
• Spring Panzanella recipe on V for Veggies.  I LOVE all of Vanessa's recipes that she posts on this site, and this one is no different! And her pictures of her food and food prep - I love her style! Can't wait to try this recipe!
• Like I need another reason to drink coffee!! :)

Hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable weekend!