Un po di giro a Milano

Italy keeps surprising me again and again. Some days it is the people, Italians, and the other times it is the country... today it was the city of Milan. I thought that I know this city, at least a bit, but I don`t. I met my Italian friend for lunch downtown and afterwards had a date with Teemu. I am still looking for a job and last night someone was nagging on me in the phone that I really really really need to find a job. Yes, I am "really" looking for it, baby. ;o) I am doing my best to get some other jobs to get my bills payed.

So today we went to take some new adverticement for the fashion schools here in Milan. (I am still helping students with their sewings to get some extra money and I am constantly hoping to get new clients.) We walked to Istituto Europeo di Design and on the way there we saw some amazing houses and churches.

I just love the Magnolia-trees blooming at the moment...

When I will move to the bigger apartment, after I have found a job, I am dreaming of having a tree like this in the garden.

Yes, I know... first the job and then everything new which involves money. ;o) Can`t a girl dream even???

Il gattino

When I was a child I had my own cat, Täplä it was called. It was a manx cat with only a tiny tail. It grew up with me for years, but when my little brother was born, it became so jealous that it moved away. I have always loved cats more than dogs. Some years ago I started to dream of a tiger or panther cub, but soon realized that I couldn`t afford to raise it. My M even tried to buy me a white tiger kitten from a zoo in Northern Africa. Despite the money he offered the owner didin`t sell his puppy.

In my neighbourhood in lives a beautiful black cat. It used to be really shy, but nowadays I can pet it as much as I want. I do want a cat one day, but maybe now is not the time for that. Yes and I still want my Chanel 2.55, Porsche with a driver etc... ;o)

Pasticcino da tè

My tiny apartment doesn`t have a proper kitchen for cooking and baking like back home in Finland. I guess that is why I end up eating salads, piadine with tuna or prosciutto crudo, pasta with tomatoes or just fruits with nutella when I am home. My friend told me the other week that: "Sweetie, you need to start eating like Italians do when you live here." ...But I do, nutella is very much Italian!!!! ;o)

Today I baked scones for dinner (not so Italian). Not so proper food either, but I ate them with cucumber, apple and salad so I got some vitamins. I might have tasted a few with some nutella as well... Damn, I know I need to quit eating nutella. I am just completely hooked for it and the scones with nutella, nam! I wonder if there is some AAA club for people with nutella addiction ;o)

La cena a Princi

Last night I got invited for a dinner with some friends. I thought that we would be celebrating my birthday and drinking champagne with just a few of us, but no. Still when I entered the restaurant in Brera I thought that we would be 4...it grew till 9 and in the end we were 12. Italians never have it boring for sure.

This is what I like; long table with friends, lots of red wine and good food. ;o)

Rossana goofing around...

Most of the people I knew before and the 4 new ones were sitting in the end of the table so I didn`t get to know them. That is a shame... maybe next time.

I don`t know what was so funny, because most of the pictures were mouths open or eyes closed. Hih! We did have fun; I know we were loud and the wine classes and bottles went down a few times... Yeap, it was very entertaining evening and I am happy to finally spend some more time with Italians and not just with my Finnish friends or students from Marangoni.

La passeggiata

The Sunday promenade amazes me every single time I go out on the weekend. I love the idea that families/ friends spend time together and eat with each other on Sundays. (I still have great memories from those months I was living in Monza and we were always together with my friends on Sundays.) Last Sunday we went for a walk with Teemu and it was so much fun. First from Naviglio to Ticinese, along Via Torino to Duomo, along Via Dante to Sforcesco and all the way back. It took us 3 hours walking slowly, chatting, meeting friends on the way, eating "il gelato" and some other pastry. What a perfect way to spend the Sunday with people who matter to you.

The weather has been absolutely beautiful here, the trees are already blooming. I saw the most gorgeous magnolia-tree close to Cairoli. I think that the best described is to compare the "passeggiata" to Finnish Vappu and the 1st of May, that many people you see downtown every single Sunday here in Milan. Everybody is without a rush, eating dolce and talking with friends. I adore that! That is something we could start in Finland as well...

I have started jogging again in the mornings... just if I get up early enough. It feels good! Today I ran home through Viale Papinianho where is the street market every Tuesday and Saturday mornings. My friend had advised me that I can buy cheap silks there. He was right. I found beautiful fabrics inexpensively. I payed 20€ of 12,5 meters of silk. I would say that was a bargain. I guess I learned my negotiation skills from my China-trips. Hih! Now I can`t wait to start designing and producing new spring dresses for myself.

Matrimonio

I am having trouble understanding what kind of behaviour is acceptable when you are married. For me marriage is sacret and you only marry once, which also means that you remain faithful for that one and only love of your life.

"Marriage is a social, spiritual, and/or legal union of individuals. This union may also be called matrimony, while the ceremony that marks its beginning is usually called a wedding and the married status created is sometimes called wedlock.
Marriage is an institution in which interpersonal relationships (usually intimate and sexual) are acknowledged by the state, by religious authority, or by both. It is often viewed as a contract. Civil marriage is the legal concept of marriage as a governmental institution, in accordance with marriage laws of the jurisdiction. If recognized by the state, by the religion(s) to which the parties belong or by society in general, the act of marriage changes the personal and social status of the individuals who enter into it.
People marry for many reasons, but usually one or more of the following: legal, social, and economic stability; the formation of a family unit; procreation and the education and nurturing of children; legitimizing sexual relations; to fulfil religious obligations; public declaration of love; or to obtain citizenship."

I do understand that sometimes the marriage just doesn`t work, you might distract and eventually divorce. It is sad... I now only talk of my experience what I have seen here in Italy. I really don`t know how to put this all into words... My phone has driven me crazy this week. (My friends say that I am pretty flirty which I don`t even notice myself, so partly this might be my own fault.) I get asked to go for a date quite often here in Milan. I always tell that I have a boyfriend and I am not interested. It doesn`t help at all. Usually I get the answer that: "Don`t worry baby, I am married as well." What??? Why do they even ask then...

Is it normal to receive more that 100 messages/e-mails/ phone calls from a married man in just one week? I really don`t think so! What is going on in this country with men??? My friend tried to explain me a few days ago that: "Baby, it means nothing if they are married or engaged here." I was stunned. I have a feeling that he is the first real Italian man that I have met in a year. I am definitely sticking to his friendship from now on. ;o)

I know I am a dreamer, helpless romantic, a bit "blue-eyed" and I do believe that one day I will live happily ever after with my Mr Big. I just wonder what I still have to witness until I get there...

Metropolitana

Here in Milan it is always entertainment on the streets, piazzas and metros. Quite often I found it disturbing and way too loud, but this guy was pretty good/ridiculous... at least he made me smile. ;o)

After the weekend spent in Germany I have felt extremely lazy. I was supposed to continue sending cv:s, start designing and sewing dresses for myself and meet bunch of people, but no... Instead I have been hanging with Teemu pretty much all the afternoons. We have been in Naviglio, enjoying the warmth and the sunshine. I did go to an interview for the biggest fashion company in Milan, so... ;o) Today I promise to start working hard again.

Weekend in Germania

I haven`t been travelling that much during the last year. Now when my school is finished it was time to see new places again. Last week was crazy with all the sewings, but I finished them in time, luckily. I flew to Dusseldorf early Friday morning to spend the weekend in Köln.

When I arrived to the hotel after noon I was so tired that I needed a nap. Like usually when I get to a new city I go to sleep, hih hih... Nothing changes!

In the evening we tried to do some sightseeing downtown and I found the old city center really charming. We ate well in an Italian restaurant and afterwards hurried back to the hotel. I was so tired after minimal sleep during the whole week that I fell asleep before 9 PM. What a companion I was...

On Saturday morning I slept in and missed even the breakfast cause I had no alarm when M left to work. I made it to the cathedral and was so happy to find Starbucks and get my favorite caramel Frappuccino for breakfast. I did the obligatory sightseeing and wandered downtown until M came back from Dusseldorf.

I found out that German people barely spoke English which surprised me completely. I was trying to find black leather leggings without any luck. I guess I need to make them or wait until the fall to find them from the stores in Milan.

The shopping streets were too busy and I almost became distressed... I liked the city, but I dìdn`t feel confortable in the country with German around me. I already missed back home to the sunshine and to witness the slight chaos everywhere...

I believe that is why we ate in an Italian restaurant again. I am not a friend of sausages or sauerkraut. This picture is from the New Yorker hotel lobby. It was close to the fair area, but to go around the city you will need a car...

I don`t understand why it is still so difficult to pack and unpack my stuff. I always pack the last minute nowadays and unpacking takes me 2-3 days. Must be something to do with the fact that I used to travel more than 200 days a year and I didn`t unpack my makeup bag for 3,5 years. Home sweet home!!!

Sento come ancora a scuola...

The week has been extremely busy. What is the point of being unemployed if I am too busy to I even have coffee with my best friends??? Hih... I have had a feeling that I still study at Marangoni when sewing for students all night long. The exam week is coming and everybody needs something, huh... Busy, busy, busy!!!

"BackStage is the first of a series of events, created in order to promote Up-Coming Fashion Designers and give them the opportunity to present their collections to a fashionable crowd. The event will happen right after milan's fashion official week. Journalists and photographers of various itlaian magazines will be present."

Yesterday I had quite an evening meeting new interesting persons in Ticinese and enjoying a great cena with my dear friend. Still smiling... ;o) Today it was hectic to get all the work done before the fashion show at Lotvs. It for sure wasn`t boring before getting there. Teemu and Anne came to my place, I still had my customer here and the phone was peeping like crazy... We finally made it there... only 2 hours late. The place was packed with trendy people and after the food & drinks in hand we met some cool people.

We didn`t want to stay for too late and were early enough to take the metro home. On the way to Garibaldi Station we had some fun with this Benetton add, hih... There is a competition in Facebook so maybe I need to add this "arty" picture there as well...

Finns in black leather.

I totally wanted to capture my high heels... It has been so beautiful weather the past days that I can`t wait to start sunbathing in my entrance. For the weekend the weather forecast was +20C here in Milan, too bad I am flying away for a few days... That meens that maybe I should start packing, my wake up call will be in less than 4 hours. Why do I still hate packing this much... Why can`t someone else do it behalf of me? Like my groceries and cleaning up the flat...

La festa del mio compleanno

We celebrated me getting older yesterday with my best friends. I don`t know how proud I should be of my age, but we did have fun. :o)

We had dinner in Naviglio at Officina 12 in the evening. The food was good again, but the service... damn, it sucked big time. I don`t think that I will return there anymore. That is a shame, because I really like the place.

My heels...

After the cena we returned to my place for some sparkling before going to Punks Wear Prada. We haven`t been all 3 Finnish girls together partying for a long time. It was a blast!!!

Two blonds...

The night ended way too fast and we left searching for a taxi and some food with friends. Hahhaaa.... What a mess the end of the night! After some early morning phonechats I finally made it to bed 7.30 in the morning... This age and still partying until the early morning, bravo!!!

Realtà

I have been thinking... (not too much, but still ;o) ) that when will I ever grow up. Do I have to even??? Back home in Finland my friends have been married for some years, they have a career, 2 kids or the second at least coming, house, cars and stable income.

What do I have??? Boyfriend (sure), dreams to fulfill the entire planet, dust bunnies, tiny flat in the city (I had to sell my beautiful apartment back home in Turku to finance my studies here), awesome designer shoes, bags and clothing (which don`t pay the rent), great friends and luckily some customers at the moment before I will find a job.

I should be panicking, but I am not... (My Mom must stress more than I do... so sorry Mom!) I am actually enjoying my life at the moment. My friend told me last night that "if you feel that Milan is the place to be, it means that you're right. Take the best from this old small city...and make it yours ;-)" Thanks baby, I will!!!

These "catalogues" I made to present my work to some possible future clients. I like to make unique dresses that can be used day and eve. I am hoping to have the time during the next coming weeks to manufacture the dresses I have designed and maybe start my own business by that...

I have received many mails from Finland that I should participate to the Finnish version of "Project Runway". Maybe you guys are right and I should take part... ;o) Anyways, tonight is the time to celebrate my birthday and think about the future seriously "domani o un altro giorno"...

"Extreme beauty in Vogue"

I feel that my weeks just pass by super fast... Today I was sure it was Wednesday, but my LV aggenda said Thursday. Where did I loose one day???

I saw my client in the afternoon and after that I had "quickly" coffee with Teemu at Fnac. Sure...quickly, not possible, just too much to talk about. ;o) I barely made it home when I already had to leave back downtown. We wanted to attend the new exhibition at Palazzo della Ragione with my girls.

"It is an exhibit that focuses on the changing perception of beauty as captured through the camera lens over the past 75 years. Featured photographers at Extreme Beauty in Vogue include George Hoyningen-Huene, Richard Avedon, Steven Klein, Irving Penn and Helmut Newton. Together with a team of curators, Anna Wintour selected the nearly 100 images, which make up the exhibit, set up in a frescoed medieval palazzo now used as an exhibition hall.
The exhibit, which took more than a year in planning, was installed by French architect Jean Nouvel. Set up on two levels of scaffolding wrapped in swathes of dramatic red curtains, each photo has its own easel or booth.
Some of the photos on exhibit are juxtaposed to show how the body itself has changed since the 1930s when the first pictures were shot, and how modern photographic techniques can alter reality, much like plastic surgery.

At a pre-launch party, designer Stefano Gabbana said that "beauty should be about accepting yourself and feeling good about it."
"'Basta' -- enough with the quest for perfection."
The exhibit runs through May 10 at the Palazzo della Ragione."

3 blonds!!!

We had an "after party" at McDonalds, hahahaaa.... I have never been in that fastfood place in Milan and it was kinda fun. The place was packed and we weren`t the only table having fun.

These are my new shoes I had to take from La Rinascente when my party boots broke after just 2 months of use and they couldn`t replace them with the same ones. (Sniif...) I wore these on Tuesday for aperitivo and I got more than enough attention. ;o)

My taxidriver hooked me up with a man who promised to help me with finding a job. On Tuesday I thought that I would be discussing my future with a designer from Armani, but instead I spent it with 2 designers and 1 buyer from Armani, one Japanese brother and 5 bankers. Hih... We had a great time in Brera drinking champagne and Barolo, cooking 1AM, singing and dancing until dawn. What an evening/night! I was so flattered to be taken to the group that hearty... It can`t have anything to do with my new shoes??? Thank god, I don`t have any pictures from the home party...

Arte di strada

I somehow thought that when the school is finished my life returns to "normal". Hah haa... What is normal? My life is never normal... It was crazy already in Finland with working every weekend, school and travelling around the world pretty much every month. Miss those good old times... ;o)

I have been sick since I graduated and finally starting to feel more energized. My cv:s are still in my computer (after fixing them 4 times with the help of some great friends) and today they need to be mailed. No matter what!!! (Okay, I will get 2 customers coming later so we`ll see...)

These pictures I took on Sunday when I went to have brunch with Anne. I don`t know what has happened, but I have started to enjoy Milan totally differently. The city looks beautiful. Maybe it is the great weather for the past 2 weeks or my new friends. ;o)

Talking about boring life... Last week when I went to see the doctor I got antibiotics of which I got an allergic reaction, my skin looks like I would have a puberty. (I had to stop it.) It has been kinda strong as well, I haven`t had any appetite and it for sure doesn`t go together with bubbling, hahahhaaa... (The instructions inside the box where written in so tiny that I didn`t bother to read them...Ups!)

It must be because of the medication I took, but I feel goofy the whole time. I lost my pants in my tiny appartment and looked for them for 2 days, I dress my clothing the inside out, yesterday I almost left the house wearing different pair of ballerinas and still every time I leave the flat, I really need to think that I am wearing all the clothing. OMG!

When do I become "normal" again? Can`t wait for that!!!

Poor mannequin, she feels as naked as I do sometimes. I love Italy cause I can wear sunclasses inside the metro and feel a bit more covered when people stairing at me...

Sfilata di Normaluisa

Yesterday, Monday evening was the last fashion show where I was working. It was an Italian designer Normaluisa. I didn`t know anything about her before and the google gave me some info..."Normaluisa – mysterious, quirky sense of humor and purveyor of intellectual fashion." Not too much to be found of her. She has also a partnership with Kartell so every model wore a plastic necklace and other accessories made from plastic.

This time I was the assistant for a young American girl Elisabeth. Silly girl... ;o)

Model smile and one of the necklaces.

The backstage was tiny compared for the other shows...

It didn`t help that I wore a wool dress under all the spotlights and 50 people in the room... It was hot!

Maybe time to leave my winter clothing in the closet, because the temperature has been really warm this week. Spring is coming!!!

No wonder the models started to feel weak backstage under the spotlights and wearing fur jackets. We saved by all the faintings, thank god...

This is how the runway looked like...