Milano....Fashion Week and all that Jazz!

Spending a weekend in Milan/o is not that difficult when going over from Rome, its just a hop skip and a jump away. The difficult part was finding a nice hotel to stay at during fashion week that didn't cost €800 a night.....So did I find one? Nope! Instead I found an apartment that looked cute and modern and nice, but turned out to be blah, depressing and just nothing special really. But in order to be in that city during Fashion Week, its only natural to try and overlook a few things, no?

After all you'll probably be spending your days ogling over male and female models walking the sidewalks as if they were being watched by Lagerfeld. My first "sighting" happened as soon as I got off the train and was queueing to get a taxi...there he was...my rocker in shining armour. Tall, long hair, beard, jeans, t-shirt and just casual but oh so bloody hot....was he a model? who the hell knows but he was perfect. As I kept turning around to look at this master piece, it was my turn to get in a taxi, dammit!! And just like that, my life of happiness with Adonis slipped through my fingers within a second.

My trip to Milan was actually took off because of Pharell Williams' concert. How could I possibly miss such a concert, and during Fashion week too...it was just the perfect union of my two loves...and Pharell's loves might I add!

How often do you get to see people dressed to the nines at 9am, going I don't know where, but they look like they have a place to be! And those that pull out all the weirdest garb they have just to be noticed and to look like they're in the know...I just found it to be a very amusing experience which I would definitely repeat. Hell even if i had no parties to go to, I wouldn't mind just hanging out on Montenapoleone with a glass of something in my hand and 12 inch heels on my feet!

The Hiram Bingham

The Hiram Bingham Belmond Train (Picture courtesy of Newsworld247.com)

To be perfectly honest, I had never heard of Hiram Bingham until I went to trek up Machu Picchu....Ignorant? perhaps...actually yes, bloody ignorant...but one can't know EVERYTHING! So thats why I sometimes (yes sometimes, OK not really...often) rely on Wikipedia to fill in the culture gaps or lack there of...
So who is Mr. Hiram Bingham and why on earth is there an amazing train that goes from Machu Picchu to Cusco named after him??? Hiram Bingham is actually an American academic explorer who discovered Machu Picchu in 1911 (or brought Machu Picchu to the worlds attention). Once again, I'd like to thank Wikipedia for this tidbit.

So what does Hiram Bingham have to do with me? Well after a 4 day trek up to Machu Picchu, sleeping in tents and not showering, we were eager to get our dirty little hands on any form luxury....hence, The Belmond Hiram Bingham train (formerly part of the Orient Express group). As soon as we set eyes on what would be our transportation for the next 4 hours, we new something special was going to come our way....we just had no clue how special it would be!

We boarded this 1920's style, beautifully retro train with shiny wood and brass accents everywhere. White cotton tablecloths and flowers on every table....it looked like a lovely cosy french style restaurant, except we were on a train. The drinks started flowing (mainly pisco sours, all free since the train ticket is all inclusive, around $400 a ticket) and then we were all asked to move in to the bar cart to see a musical performance. I was expecting some classical music, a little something Peruvian....but instead the band started playing some rock tunes and all of a sudden I found myself dancing in the middle of the cart to "I cant get no satisfaction" while the rest of the guests either looked on, or joined in on our little party.
After our dance off we headed back to our dinner cart for a lovely 3 course meal before our arrival into Cusco.

The trip on the Hiram Bingham was a highlight I would say...who would have known that The Hiram Bingham was a party train??? Which was also exactly what we needed to celebrate our decent from Machu Picchu and to shake up our muscles after what they had been through.

So Hiram, we thank you for spreading the word about Machu Picchu and we thank you for the amazing ride you gave us on your party train. Hiram Rocks!!!

Inca Trail Me

So I've recently gotten back from my AMAZING trip to Peru. Honestly, I wasn't expecting to see all the beauty I saw....This whole trip was quite unexpected actually....

So we started our 4 days and 3 nights on The Inca Trail from The Sacred Valley. I was expecting to see groups of tourists walking the same trail, bumping into people from every country you can imagine...But instead we saw NO ONE! That was probably one of the best parts of the whole trail, since it actually makes you feel like you're alone, on a spiritual journey discovering an untouched part of the planet.
Looking up at The Andes and not seeing a single soul, not hearing a single voice, except the gentle blowing of the breeze and the humming and chirping of the birds....priceless.

The start of our 4 day trek

 Upon starting the trail, our guide told us that we would be  following one of the hundreds of trails that the Incas built in order to get to the sacred city of Machu Picchu. We were on a Pilgrimage to the sacred city.... Believing that you are on a pilgrimage not only helps you get through the 4 days with a spiritual outlook, but it really makes you understand what the Incas went through to get there as well.

Bear in mind that the Incas like Cusconians and all the people who live or who have grown up around The Andes have a bigger lung capacity, therefore allowing them to breathe more easily in high altitudes and have the stamina of an athlete!! The rest of us with a normal lung capacity, can't breathe as easily and start panting after a few steps....which is extremely exhausting!

For me the trail was definitely an enriching experience. It allowed me to get away from my daily life, switch off the telephone, empty my head and not think about anything except the amazing experience I was living in that moment. We lived in the moment. All we thought about was our trek, what we needed on that days trek, did we have enough water and food? and when the next bathroom stop was going to be, but more importantly where was the next bathroom stop going to be?? sometimes we did have to go in the wilderness (I've yet to perfect that and am open to suggestions)
Was the camping tough? HELL YEAH (and for those who know me, they no I ain't no camping girl!!) Was the trek demanding? OOOOH YEAH!! (by day 3 none of us could walk but we had to push through the pain and deal with it.  Would I recommend it to anyone? HELL YEAH!!

Taking the train to Machu Picchu and just visiting the sacred city doesn't fulfil you nor give you the same experience at all. The beauty of the trek is reaching your destination after days of walking and just sitting there staring at what you came for. Its a deep experience. You build strong attachments to the people you spent your days on the mountain with.
It touches you. Its fulfilling. Its emotional. Its life changing.

The Sunset and the clouds....so close you can touch them

A part of the trail (one of the most terrible parts...never knew downhill would feel worse than uphill)

 

Our amazing guide Wilfredo playing the flute at sunrise....Magical

The 3rd campsite

Machu Picchu....

I came, I saw......It conquered

Lima Been

MATE Museo Mario Testino, Lima-Barranco, Peru

Lima is not one of the places I've heard great things about in the past. Most say its dirty, can be dangerous and almost always misty and overcast. All these things are in fact true (to be honest I'm not sure about the dangerous part, since I was lucky enough to have skipped that). What no one ever said to me about Lima, is that the food is AMAZING, the history and the architecture is to die for and there's quite a happening night scene when one is in need of digesting the "causa" one had for dinner. Need we also mention that Mario Testino is a Liman?? or that Matsuhisa Nobu lived in Lima for a few years and that's where he started experimenting with Peruvian/Japanese fusion and then went on to open his first restaurant?

I'm sure there is much more that has come out of Lima and Peru that we just don't know about yet...but the things we should be grateful for are also: Quinoa, Pisco (yeah Piscoooooooooo!) and Ponchos (which were first worn by the Paracas (Peruvian pre-Incas)).
Enough of my rambling...Basically what I'm trying to say is that I was very pleasantly surprised by Lima and what it had to offer. Great restaurants (Malabar-Pedro Miguel Schiaffino’s restaurant which uses produce sourced from the Amazon). For a more chilled lunch try Cala on the beach in Barranco....the Ceviche was up there, the view of the crashing waves and the surfers isn't to hard on the eyes and the Pisco sours hit the spot.

Cala, Lima-Barranco, Peru

Had we stopped in Lima for more than two nights, I'm sure I would have eaten my way through the city....or maybe thats just an excuse to go back!

Malabar, Lima

Malabar, Lima

Land of the Incas

Machu Pichu

So the next trip is coming up very shortly...in fact I'll be in Peru on Sunday!
So excited and so looking forward to this mystical experience that I've been wanting to do for such a long time. Thanks to my friend Reem from Whywander.com, who managed to organise this amazing trip for a group of us. So right now I'm looking forward to a Ceviche and Pisco sour fest, amazing nature, amazing hotels and much much more I'm sure. But I'll know more once i get there and I'll definitely have some tips and amazing pictures to post upon my return! So for the curious folk, follow me on Instagram since I'll be posting pics while I'm there!

Alma Mater

Pepperdine University, Malibu, California

Why does the university we graduated from hold such a special place in our hearts?

Pepperdine University, my alma mater, the university that holds that special place in MY heart.
Everytime I go back and visit (which isn't very often), I get to relive my past. Its amazing how being in a place brings on a flood of memories of  "the way we were". Some good things, some not so good things, but generally its just an amazing walk down memory lane. I remember walking to my classes on the hilly campus (since I was in the communications section I usually had to go to the top of the hill for my daily classes...thanks for the thighs of steel!) looking out at the amazing view of Malibu and the beach. Pepperdine University is hands down one of the most beautiful campuses around.

The view i had to see every day....

Sure we had it good at Pepperdine....amazing weather year round, hanging out with the stars at Malibu Country Mart, a two minute drive to the beach, an amazing mix of international students. A very hard life....but we managed to get through it ok!

As I walked around the campus and took in the sites and smells and students that catapulted me back to my university years, I couldn't help but wonder how they're living their university years. Are they living the life I lived when I was there? Are they getting the most out of life in LA? Are they living the same "Malibu experience" we lived? To be honest I dont really think so...The Malibu (Malibu Country Mart) we know is the small town that had 4 shops in total....Starbucks, Coffee Bean & Tea leaf, Tra Di Noi (Italian restaurant), Taverna Tony's (Greek), Marmalade cafe, John's Garden (Tuna melt and Grilled cheese!!) and a few small things here and there but not much else.
Now, it has been transformed into a shopping haven, with some top brands owning/renting prime real estate!! That small simple "Country Mart" feel has totally been swapped for an up market, LA style open shopping mall....

Nobu and Mr.Chow have also opened shop (Nobu for a while now, though they moved to a beach location a while back).
So the moral of the story....places change, and evolve and become something they weren't...sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse, but the Malibu I have in my head will be the Malibu I knew in college, and will remain with me forever!

A Taste of Heaven

Lunch at AXE

LA is definately a great place to eat. From all the organic restaurants to choose from to the popular and trendy vegan places that have sprouted left right and center. I never actually thought I would ever enjoy vegan food, but i must admit, the week in LA  did open my eyes and my appetite to some new experiences.

AXE (ă • shay) is a salutation borrowed from Yoruba (where Nigeria is today) that means, "go with the power of the Gods and Goddesses". 

AXE a little restaurant on Abbot Kinney Blvd in Venice Beach was definately one of the nicest discoveries on this LA trip. Such a cool relaxed vibe in the outside garden. I almost felt like I was having a light meal in the middle of the californian desert....Calm, peaceful and very zen.

The food, oh the food.....fresh, clean, organic, homemade, with some asian flavours thrown in... overall just plain yummy!!

My very satisfying basic bowl with housemade sausage at AXE

 One thing I noticed on EVERY menu in LA and NY was kale salad....I'm not a great fan, I mean i'll eat it, but I dont think i''ll ever crave a kale salad. I dont even think it ever crossed Kale's mind that one day he would be king of the veggies. Just goes to show you...one day you're up and one day you're down so take advantage of the limelight baby and enjoy your 15 minutes of fame!

So while some of them were eating kale salad....I had to have a taste of the Oxtail sliders at Eat Drink Americano in The Arts District of DTLA.

Oxtail: the culinary name for the tail of cattle....Logical right? Yeah! Does it sound horrible? well not to me, though it may to some! But when its cooked properly, it really does taste amazing.

                                                                         

 Its one of the cheapest cuts of meat you could say but when its cooked for a few hours, the meat becomes so tender and falls off the bone and its one of the tastiest things. So going back to my oxtail sliders...These little juicy meat filled pockets are just so tasty and satisfying (almost seems like you're eating pulled meat, for those who are still disgusted)  but so worth it!

Gracias Madre,  Our mission is to celebrate and serve the presence of the mother which resides above us, within our hearts, within the earth, and in all those who nurture us. We serve cuisine inspired by the kitchens of Mexico sourced from locally grown organic ingredients. Welcome to a seat at love’s table. Un lugar en la mesa del amor.

 Gracias Madre, a vegan mexican restaurant on Melrose Ave. that really surprised me. I was a bit sceptical at first, thinking that the food would taste bland and not be very satisfying, but i was wrong. It was so satisfying, that we went back to Gracias Madre twice in the same week! The Guacamole and chips were yummy, as were the Flautas de Camote, Enchiladas Verde and to be honest everything else we tried there. Only problem was this...(see picture below), but that sure as hell didn't stop us from eating!!


 

Dinner at Gracias Madre on Melrose Ave. as it rained on us