Home is where your heart is ♥ Uniqlo olive jeans and Mer du Nord tank top

A volte è difficile riuscire a chiamare casa il paese nel quale ormai vivi. Piccole ed insidiose epiphany, per citare Virginia Woolf, sono sempre in agguato: pronte a farti sentire straniero in terra straniera, trasformano il selciato sul quale cammini a passo spedito (corri) ogni giorno in uno sconosciuto, e quella lingua che ormai hai fatto tua in un groviglio di suoni che risulta tanto incomprensibile quanto fastidioso.

A nulla valgono i tentativi di razionalizzare, quando tutto ti sembra estraneo.

Quel sorriso che si scontra con il muro dell'indifferenza una volta di troppo.

Quel sospiro da parte del tuo interlocutore al suono del tuo accento esotico.

L'ennesima mattinata di pioggia, dover rialzare il bavero del trench per proteggersi contro i venti freddi di luglio. Quel mezzo pomeriggio di sole che ti coglie impreparata, tra strati di lana e giacche di pelle avvitate.
Perfino trovare i biscotti per la colazione diventa una sfida.

Ma poi ti ricordi che sei venuta qui per amore, e lui ti fa un sorrisone preparandoti una tazza di latte caldo e gocciole.
E portandoti a mangiare la pizza più buona di Bruxelles -che dico, del Belgio. E casa é già un po' più vicina.

EN. Sometimes it is difficult to call home the country where you now live. Small and insidious epiphanies, to quote Virginia Woolf, are always ready to make you feel a stranger in a strange land, turn the pavements on which you walk briskly (run) every day into unfamiliar paths, and that language that is now yours in a tangle of sounds that is just as incomprehensible as annoying.
All attempt to rationalize is worthless, when everything seems unfamiliar
That smile of yours colliding with the wall of indifference one time too many.
That sigh from the person you are talking to at the sound of your exotic accent.
Yet another rainy morning, having to raise the collar of your trench coat to protect you against the cold winds of July. That couple of hours late in the afternoon when lingering sunlight catches you unprepared, between layers of wool and leather jackets.
Even finding your biscuits for breakfast becomes a challenge.

But then you remember you came here for love, and he gives you a grin while fixing you a cup of hot milk and Gocciole.
And taking you out to eat the best pizza in Brussels -dare I say it, of Belgium. And home is already a little bit closer.

This delicious-looking pizzas and Spritz are from La Bottega Della Pizza, St. Gilles - Bruxelles

 

I was wearing:

Uniqlo olive pants (2011),

Mer du Nord tank top,

Handmade leather bag,

Francesco Milano bow flats

Vintage leather jacket

My grandmother's vintage sunnies

Thomas Sabo Charm Club charms bracelet.

NafNaf Dusty Pink Peter Pan collar Blouse - Pink and Pumpkins : on the joys of Belgian autumn

 .I grabbed this Naf-Naf blouse with a 40% discount last week. I was super depressed after a fugly morning spent looking for a job, and when I came in sight of this dust pink shy beauty I did not even think. I literally grabbed it and headed for the changing rooms (where I paired it with this lovely skirt in camel and my preppy patent loafers for a full force dolly look) (now I wish I had bought the skirt, too) and then for the check out. And now it's myyyy precioussss ♫ I love the peter pan collar and the sheer material of the collar.
.I re-discovered Naf-Naf in Paris, after I had neglected it for years. I guess the brand changed, and I suppose I changed too. Now it's joined the top-4 of my heart for this winter, together with Lazzari, Benetton's new collections, and The Kooples. By the way, I was shocked at how much Benetton charges here in Belgium! A surprising 25-30E difference with Italy. I suppose taxes have to do with it (the economy genius that I am!), but it's an awful lot. I'll stock up on UCB goodies as soon as I'll go back to Italy for a few days. My cardi is Benetton, btw, an old one I had bought in high school! If this is not value for money!
.So we went pumpkin picking in view of Halloween. I've been baking/cooking pumpkin recipes for days - who knew there would be so much pumpkilicious potential in a 5kg pumpkin? After the gnocchis, the soup and the salted cake, today I'll shoot for the stars and try this fun cheesecake here, using speculoos biscuits instead of digestive ones as suggested in the recipe.
.An eventful week when it comes to stars sightseeing. I spotted Robert Pattinson yesterday (Ashley Greene is probably too small for long distances) and Steven Spielberg last Saturday in Brussels (who didn't!). As a foreigner (does it count for anything?) I don't participate (or get) all this fuss about the TinTin movie. Have you seen it yet?

 .

I was wearing:

Benetton pearl cardigan,

Naf Naf blouse,

Primark jeggins,

Ray Ban glasses,

Thomas Sabo bracelet

Autumn: A Dirge (Percey Shelley)

.I am back in Brussels! I was welcomed by an unusually sunny weather, even though the temperature is remarkably different compared to the one in Italy. On Saturday I had to get up REALLY early, like 5am, in order to catch my flight. I am the kind of person that, when extremely tired, either feels nauseous for the lack of sleep or reacts by being hyper-active. Needless to say, this weekend I managed to keep myself extremely busy. We did not really spent the weekend lazying off, but took long walks in the countryside with Quentin's dog, gathering chestnuts and chamomile (we are chamomilophiles). We even went second-hand-furniture-hunting for the new apartment (that we don't have yet!). Cooked twice for his whole family (he has quite a large family, especially by Italian standards), baked chocolate chip cookies and chestnuts.
.I was wearing an old a vintage Armani woolen blazer I found in my mother's closet, my go-to H&M pull (which I L-O-V-E, I wish I had it in all the colors it comes in!), and my ancient Converse shoes. I bought these back in the emo days, in my first year of university, and even though they are thorn and worn out I cannot decide to part with them, as they've traveled the whole of Europe with me!
.You can finally see my remarkably unremarkable ombre hair. I wouldn't have risked LLYMLRS-like blonde ends with my almost blackish hair! Too bad though, maybe I should have.
.And here are my new glasses. Will they make me feel comfortable about wearing glasses in public? I dearly hope so, as contacts are NOT an option in my world, as eye-make up isn't. I am a bit of an eye-freak, I find them just disgusting.
.I found this other amazing Shelley poem in the English literature book I am currently reading (and I am desperately trying to save, as I normally read books in a matter of hours, no kidding. I'm one hell of a fast reader, without spoiling the pleasure of reading though. And it did come in handy university-wise.). So enjoy some romanticism and have a great start of the week!

Autumn: A Dirge


The warm sun is falling, the bleak wind is wailing,
The bare boughs are sighing, the pale flowers are dying,
And the Year
On the earth is her death-bed, in a shroud of leaves dead,
Is lying.
Come, Months, come away,
From November to May,
In your saddest array;
Follow the bier
Of the dead cold Year,
And like dim shadows watch by her sepulchre.

The chill rain is falling, the nipped worm is crawling,
The rivers are swelling, the thunder is knelling
For the Year;
The blithe swallows are flown, and the lizards each gone
To his dwelling.
Come, Months, come away;
Put on white, black and gray;
Let your light sisters play--
Ye, follow the bier
Of the dead cold Year,
And make her grave green with tear on tear. 

I was wearing:

H&M basic batwing pull,

Primark jeggins,

Converse sneakers,

Ray Ban glasses,

Casio watch

Thomas Sabo bracelet

H&M scarf.

In my closet #3 - Birthday Edition

I'd say it was Christmas rather than my birthday!

Hand-made, customized leather bag - mom & dad
Calvin Klein IN2U perfume - my brother
Books ♥ - friends
Bracelet - Federica ♥

Hand-made, customized leather bag - mom & dad
Old old old thrifted Baudelaire book - my grandma
Casio watch, Thomas Sabo bracelet and Tour Eiffel charm - Quentin ♥ ♥ ♥ (yeee finallyyy they're mineeee)

The Happiness of the Katakuris -Marcin  ♥

Books, Sex Pistols CD, Sisley cardigan, Tezenis underwear, candy - friends

Ray Ban Dark Havana glasses - me :D

Charmed: Thomas Sabo Charm Club

1, 2, 3, 4

. Io veramente non dovrei essere qui. Ho un esamone (l'ultimo esame della mia vita!) questo venerdì, un'enormità di pagine di Comunicazione Pubblicitaria da studiare... Ma ultimamente passo tutte le mie pause a scrutare il sito di Thomas Sabo (si, e Zara, e Asos, e Urban Outfitters, e American Apparel, e Madewell, e Forever21...continuo?), da quando ho visto questo bracciale nel blog della finlandese Marianna. L'ennesimo bracciale charmoso, lo so. Ma puntualizzerei il fatto che non ne posseggo alcuno, e che questo ha un non-so-che che me lo rende più appettibile e meno tamarro. Quindi, Quentin, provvedi. Mwah.

.EN . I really should not be here. I have this huge exam (the last exam of my life!) this Friday, a huge amount of Communication Publicitaire pages to be studied ... But lately I've spent all of my pauses browsing the Thomas Sabo site (yes, and Zara, and Asos, and Urban Outfitters and American Apparel, and Madewell, and Forever21 ... more?), Since I saw this bracelet in the blog of the beautiful Marianna. Yet another charm bracelet, I know. But let me point out the fact that I do not possess any, and that this has a something to me that makes it more attractive and less bleargh. So Quentin, provide. Mwah.

.FR . Je ne devrais pas être ici. J'ai un enorme examen (le dernier examen de ma vie!) ce vendredi, et une énorme quantité de pages de Communication Publicitaire à étudier ... Mais pendant toutes mes pauses, recemment, je les ai passées sur le site de Thomas Sabo (oui, et de Zara, et de Asos, et de Urban Outfitters et American Apparel, et Madewell, et Forever21 ... je continue?), sepuis que j'ai vu ce bracelet sur le blog de la marveilleuse Marianna. Pourtant, un autre bracelet à charms, je sais. Mais laissez moi dire que j'en ai pas, et que celui-ci a un quelque chose que, pour moi, le rends plus attractif et moins bleargh. Alors Quentin, c'est à toi maintenant. Mwah.