Le scarpe

Like all the women (I hope), I love shoes! I have a lots of them. I am too embarrassed to even count them. Luckily some are still packed in Finland, so it wouldn`t even be possible. ;o) I am supposed to write about fashion as well, but the only fashion I write about is my clothing and the fashion I am studying. So here we go. There are two important days in the Italian calender in my opinion. They are the starting days of sales-SALDI. It is written in the Italian law that the first saturdays of January and July, the sales must start. Now we are talking about Gucci -50% and Armani -60% etc. Unbelievable!

I got a bit carried away already before the starting days and got these beauties last week at Hugo Boss. I couldn`t just leave them to the store, because they were perfect in my feet. The shoes down are my favourites from Sonia Rykiel which I wore to the premier of Sex and the city-movie. They are fabulous and I certainly feel special wearing them. They make me 185cm tall. There is no change from the Italian men. I don`t know if it is good or bad... ;o) And baby, I do not shop that much!!!!!

Troppo caldo!!!

This girl from Finland hasn`t got used to weather like this. It has been about 40C now for days. It is hot and humid outside and even warmer in my apartment. I am not the lucky one to have AC in my apartment, I would love to though. I had to buy an other ventilator on Tuesday. I like it warm and sunny, but in this town the air doesn`t move at all. It feels like in sauna and no one can`t stay there 24/7. Huh!

My beautiful blond friend has finished the school already and enjoys her free days in Italy. I, on the other hand, am trying to study hard for the weeks before vacation. My teacer wants us to design a fast wear-collection in just 2 weeks, she must be crazy. The heat is sucking all the energy out from me. I don`t get up in the mornings and after school I can`t do anything at all... except stay in sauna... ;o)

On Wednesday we went for dinner by the Naviglio. Beautiful! We had a blast; the food was good, champagne great (like always) and we laughed like teenagers. I blame it on the heat that I felt slow and misunderstood pretty much everything the cute model/waiter told us. Mamma mia!!! I think it is possible to mishear successo/sesso (success/sex). Yeah, I don`t think I need to tell you more... ;o)

On Thursday I made it to school in time after Sambucas and all the fun. I remember a comment from the night before from an Italian girl: "Tesoro, io, sono qua!" =Honey, I am here!! She bounced her boyfriend when he almost dropped eyes looking at us. So funny! After school I tried to run some errands down town, but realised that it was too hot to do anything. I have never seen Piazza Duomo that empty in the middle of afternoon. Everybody were spending their time inside or in the shadow. Smart...

Via Verri

On the other side of my school opened today the new store of Tom Ford (the former designer of Gucci). Yes, I saw him as well. ;o) When we left from school, the street was blogged with police. There were security guys, black private cars and press everywhere. I was hoping to see Brat Pitt, but no. There was a rumour that he is in town...maybe tomorrow. It is so funny what my life has become. All of this seems so normal now-a-days here in Milan.

There is something that stunned me on Saturday, though. We went to Just Cavalli Cafè with Irene to have some fun. That place is luxurious and next time we will go there for a dinner. You don`t walk in there just like that... we did it though. ;o) Anyways, we were drinking champagne downstairs and having a great time. A night to remember for sure. On our way out we realised, that upstairs was the place to be and we wanted to stay. Big mistake!!! We got almost eaten alive by the italians. Two blonds and no bodyguard. Honestly, I felt like the oxygen was disappearing around me. One group was almost taking us back home to Naples. Guys were lining up to come to talk with us. The night ended a bit more better after finding a taxi. Before that we had to walk in the park and turn down the gentlemen italian guys who wanted to drive us safely home. (Point; Italians drink and drive!) I am tough built, but I will never go there without a guy in the group again...

Noon

Our favourite place on Fridays...still. Yesterday evening we were there again with my Finnish girlfriends Anne and Irene. It was nice for a while just to chat in our language. I just realised that it is the midsummer fest in Finland. I guess we have been celebrating it here as well. Not as wildly than normally in RMJ, but with Italian style.

Irene brought Alba with her and we got quite an attention. That lucky little princess had spent her day in dog spa... I am a bit jealouse! ;o) There is no time for me to pamper myself. I have only been working for my school project of finding the main trends of the fall winter 08/09 RTW. Takes enormously long time to surf through all the fashion shows... I love it though, that is why I am studying here.

Finalmente fa caldo!!!!

The rain is finally over... at least I hope so. It ended at the same time than my last exam. Good timing! For the last days it has been +32C, this is the weather I thought Italy is famous for. ;o) I have been working a lot for my exams for the last two weeks. We had to show ready portfolios of Fashion and Digital Designs. That meant working long days for weeks. Luckily I did so, because I was the only one with good sleeps the night before the exam. The others came without sleep at all. Funny thing is, that I applyed a support from Finnish covernment for studying here. They denied it, because I am not studying here full time. "Pullshit", I say. This much of work what we do here for school wouldn`t be lecal in Finland. They can keep their money, I don`t need it!! ( See, I am getting pissed of about this subject again... ;o) )

Last night we got our routines back with my beautiful blond friend. We were in Bvlgari again with Irene. We were celebrating her finishing her first year here. She did the exact same one-year-program that I am attending now. Congratulations for her! I can`t wait all the sleepless nights, antibiotics, peptic ulcer and amounts of coffee just to stay awake for nights to come. And in Finland they think that I am not studying full time here.

We got an invitation to the private garden yesterday. What an interesting experience... ;o) Today we needed some shopping and pizza to recover from last nigth`s outing.

Sorpresa

I don`t always like surprises, but this was a good one. Already in the morning when I left to school my portiniere told me, that there was a package for me. In the afternoon when I got home, Eugenio (the doorman) carried my packages up. There was two!!! The other one was from Finland which I knew, but the other one was Canadian goodies from my friend Nikki, who lives in Edinbourgh now. There was Twizzlers (red liquirize, which I love), cinnamon gum and my favourite Golgate- baking soda toothpaste. My day couldn`t have been better... It was sunny here as well in the afternoon. It reflects quite a lot after one month only rain.

I spent the weekend working hard for my school. We will have second exams next week, so I want to be prepared. The school has been empty and strange this week. Almost everybody else are home preparing for final exams exept us. We continue studying until mid July...

Last Friday we were in Noon like usually. That has become our favourite casual place. The owner and crew are really, really nice... The evening didn`t turn out quite like we expected with Irene, but there is always new Fridays to come... ;o) Right?

Here are Stefano, Alessandro and Anne. Boys are Anne`s Italian friends. I guess I need to start carrying my camera with me ... Old-Nokia isn`t quite functioning inside.

Lago di Como

It has been quite hard to start studying again after my trip to Finland and after all the cancelled Fashion Design- classes at school. The weather has been terrible for almost a month now. It isn`t that exhilarating always carry an umbrella and think what to wear for rain. Anyways. I knew I would get a visitor from Holland again... that was something to wait for.

Like usually on Wednesdays with Irene, we went to Bvlgari Hotel for aperitivos. My traveller was so hungry after driving more than 1000 km, so we desided to eat there as well. Great food , but hidiously over priced... (I do need a rich guy!)

The next day, on Thursday we had planned to drive to Como-lake with M and so we did. It was pouring rain in Milan when we left and it continued gray when we got there as well. We stopped for lunch at this characteristic village called Argegno on our way to Cadenabbia. I hope that it was the weather, which made my expectations of Como-lake drop down. I wasn`t happy in the Grand Hotel where we were staying (which was ful of elderly people) and neither was M...

After spending the afternoon watching movies in the room and taking a little walk in the rain, we desided to drive back to lively Milan. What a fabulous idea! We had a great dinner at Naviglio...

A Rauma

I was born in Rauma and that is where my parents and little brother still live. My daddy came to get me from Turku on Friday afternoon to Rauma. We have some great rituals when I go home. One is that we always make cheesefondue the first evening and drink champagne. I just realised, that after moving to Italy, I have changed to drinking only prosecco. What a cut-back! I need to change this... ;o)

I haven`t found a good hairdresser yet in Milan, so I had to visit one in Rauma. I hated to spend the sunny day inside, but I had no other option. One good thing there is in hairsalongs... you get to read all the gossip and fashion magazines. I was doing some industrial spying for my future collections.

La sera a Turku

After spending one night in Helsinki, it was time to see my friends in Turku as well. We had booked a table to my favourite restaurant, Sergio`s (Italian food of course). After eating well, we went to the riverboats for a few drinks. The evening was beatiful and my company so much fun, that we desided to make it a party.

Here I am with my beautiful Iina.

Here is our gang at Donna: Saara, Iina, me, Jenni and Johanna.

We had trouble fitting all to the picture. After the sun had settled down it was time to change location. We went to Kuka-bar where my friend Ville P. was waiting for us. He is a famous singer in Finland. He will be playing Adam Sandler in a musical in the summer theater. I can`t wait to see it when I go back to Turku in July. In Kuka-bar I found out again how small the world is by bumping to my childhood neighbour from Rauma. I made it to bed after 4.00 am (like always in Finland) and was extremely happy that there were no time to sing karaoke because the club was closing...

Gli amici

My friend Eve, is the greatest! No wonder she has become my wife. ;o) We have sticked together for years. There is periods when we don`t see or talk that often, but I know she is there for me... and I am there for her.

My schedule in Finland was packed. Helsinki, Turku and Rauma in 4,5 days. I had to leave Helsinki already on Thursday to go to my old home city Turku. I took the bus there and enjoyed the sights from the bus window.

In Turku I stayed at Saara`s place. She had bought her own apartment a year ago and I visited her home the first time now. (Ups, too busy when living in Finland I have to admit.) I loved her place, it was cool, just like she is.

Arrivare a Helsinki

My trip to Helsinki started nicely on Wednesday morning. I had a taxidriver waiting for me at the gate. I had met him the day before and he insisted to take me to Malpensa airport. When I arrived to Helsinki the temperature in the afternoon was +22 C, exactly the same when I had left Milan at 8.00 in the morning.

I took the bus downtown Helsinki from the airport. (Pretending to save money...) It became full of burbing KISS-fans. Yack!! Great to be back in Finland. ;o) First thing what amaged me, was the nature. It was so green and spacious everywhere. You become blind with these things when you see them every day around you, I guess.

My "wife" Eve was waiting for me in the center. We rushed to her place to change clothes and hurried to the premier of the movie: Sex and the City. My friend Janne Renvall (a famous Finnish fashion designer) accompanied us as well. I had been waiting for the movie for centuries and I was thrilled to see it finally. It was sadder than I had thought. I recommend to take some handkerchief with you if/when you go to see it. After the movie there was an afterparty at Lux- nightclub with champagne and friends...