vacation

It Happens to Hepburn – It Happens in Venice!

Our second day in Venice was quite eventful. Between St. Mark’s square and a tour of the Basilica, wandering through the Doge’s Palace, witnessing a full-on bread attack by itinerant pigeons, falling in love with the Marchesa Casati exhibit, and a dreamy never-ending walk that ended in a candlelit dinner, it was very full but equally fulfilling! Personally, I could have taken a few more coffee breaks, soaking in the city, basking in the sun, languorous in little cafes, but I have no regrets. There is only so much you can do in a weekend away from school!

One of my biggest inspirations on this trip was Katherine Hepburn’s performance in David Lean’s Summertime. The movie itself is rather drab, as she walks around Venice sad and single, looking for love, finds love, drags it out, and is still sad. Luckily, her wardrobe doesn’t share the same fate, making her scarves, knee-length skirts, and button-ups on point. You’ll have to see if you feel the same way about mine.

I do not own the rights to these pictures.

St. Mark’s Basilica

Lunch and a Walk

Doge’s Palace

Evening (Finds a Hat)

For more pictures of Katherine Hepburn in Summertime, see this old Hollywood Reporter set.

Venice (A Vision in Three Parts)

When you are in Venice, there is nowhere else on earth you could be– the mysterious passages, romantically gloomy water around every corner, picturesque bridges, burly, striped gondoliers, and creepy masque shops (coupled with the overall abundance of leather goods). It’s not the destination for the claustrophobic or the penny pincher, but to the dreamer of unrealized visions? Venice is bliss. Venice is the nearest scratch with reality.

No visit to Venice is complete without a trip to the fabulous Rialto market. While it’s not a prime location for the vintage-seeker, there may be no better place for fresh fruits and vegetables. I was particularly pleased to get three large bags of sun dried tomatoes for 5 euro. In the US, you always pay the same amount for a small jar! Also, if you’re in need of an eel for dinner, this is the place to come (namely because they sell them). While generally I try to err on the side of adventure, on this occasion, I must report a timely abstention.

In the afternoon, we went over to the Jewish area. A little known and sad fact: in 1516, Venice was the first place to ever instate a Jewish “ghetto” (the English appropriation of the word stemming from the Venetian “ghèto”). Today the area remains Jewish, though less than 500 Jews live there. However, as of 2009, the population of Venice dipped under 60,000, meaning that it may be a higher percentage of Jews in the city than you would expect at first blush.

Where in the world is Rebecca Santiago?

What I Wore:

Stay tuned for more soon, although I may be a bit delinquent over the next few days as the reality of exams sets in– wish me luck!

Shared to Hat Attack and Trend Spin

Oh Holy Sites

Due to a series of farcical miscommunications, my outfits in Israel weren’t exactly up to par for a fashion blog post– “colder” in Israel does not equate to “colder” in England; “modest dress for a holy site” doesn’t mean hide the cleavage, it means hide your shoulders, knees, and cleavage. That being said, despite the fact I was constantly burning up, Israel was fantastic. I’m going to spare you any outsider commentary on the political/ religious tensions, as more than ever I’m convinced I’m not equipped or informed enough to comment, but I can’t help but share a gratuitous number of photos. We divided our time between Haifa, Jerusalem, and Bethlehem, and I’ll tell you a little about each below.

Haifa

This is a northern city (about an hour and a half from Jerusalem) known for its Baha’i Gardens which you can see here. The University of Haifa is also one of the only schools that offers a masters in underwater archeology.

Jerusalem

And many nations shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. Micah 4:2

We spent most of our time in Jerusalem on the Mount of Olives. This was particularly nice as the view up there is spectacular, the olive groves are refreshingly peaceful, and there is an adorable church we wandered into which had the Lord’s prayer in (nearly) every language. When we climbed to the top, a few of the things we wanted to see had closed for lunch, so we ended up camping out on top of this roof. We were the only ones there, and it felt like we had all of Jerusalem at our fingertips!

Diagram of Girl After Long Day Walking:

Bethlehem

Going to Bethlehem is a pilgrimage for every Christian. As we crowded into the area where Jesus was supposedly born, the energy was effervescent, and there was an overwhelming feeling of the pending majesty we all anticipated around the corner. What you may not realize about Bethlehem, and what I was also unaware of at my arrival, is that it is one of the only remaining Palestinian cities. With my ignorance as to the situation, it could only be more of a shock at the fact that Bethlehem was part of the area directly walled from Jerusalem. I have to say, with this trip coming directly on the heels of Berlin, there were some uncomfortable parallels to be made.

Here is, as the owner claimed, the only Starbucks in Palestine, and of course we had to stop. Regardless of the, er, unique branding, the service and the coffee remained excellent. Afterwards, we made some typical purchases, meaning I am the happy owner of a very colorful rug (which is still perplexing me in regards to my future travel arrangements).

Thanks for reading this post. I have tried to remain largely non-confrontational and neutral, but should anything be cause for discussion, please feel free to message me privately, and I will try to respond as quickly as possible.

Ich bin euer, Je suis votre compère, I am your host.

“I used to pretend I was someone quite mysterious and fascinating. Then I grew up and realized I was mysterious and fascinating'” –Sally Bowles

If it wasn’t clear from my last post, I tend to relate to new places, people, and things from familiar characters and stories. Berlin, of course, would be no different, and yet, with all the mystery and legend surrounding the wall, it’s become almost a character in itself. Still, I don’t think any self-respecting musical theatre enthusiast can approach Berlin without hearing in their head that whispered beckoning from the back of a seedy dance hall (or outdoor brick structure): Willkommen, Bienvenue, Welcome.

After accidentally booking a hostel for the wrong date twice, I ended up staying on what I later realized was the East Side of Berlin, about a fourth of a mile from the East Side Gallery. The location was great and convenient for our purposes, but the whole time I was there, I couldn’t help but feel a bit displaced by the fact that a mere 25 years ago, the place I was staying would have been completely inaccessible to me. While I realize that my impressions don’t add anything fresh to long discussion; overall I was just impressed by how arbitrary the divide seemed, watching as cyclists streamed down what would have been an abruptly ending road (Fremde, etranger, stranger).

Moreso than other cities, it is difficult to escape history in Berlin. With every tattered building, it stares you in the face, but the city’s vibrance almost subdues the ghosts. The art scene is tremendous, and it seems like start-ups are blooming around every corner. I’m not sure whether it’s a joke, but I heard that all you need to move to Berlin as a young person is a camera. They offer a special visa for artists. Bliebe, reste, stay. Like I said, I don’t know if it’s true, but we certainly saw a lot of art, but of all the displays, I liked none better than the china room in the Charlottenburg Palace. This room was fabulous. The attention to detail was extraordinary, and for some reason the designer felt the need to play with the border between the wall and ceiling to the point that a deer was sticking out of the wall (I kid you not!).

What I wore:
Hat: Brixton
Dress: French Connection
Tights: old (I can’t remember the brand)
Socks: stolen from my Dad ❤
Shoes: Tommy Hilfiger
Clutch/ Wallet: Fossil
and introducing… my new coat (which I bought there on a splurge): TALLY WEiJL

Gluklich zu sehen, je suis enchante, Happy to see you!

Shared to What I Wore

Throw Back Thursday: Vizcaya

It was last year, around this time, and I was deeply, madly, unabashedly in love with a certain pair of Anthropologie shorts. So much so, that I still have the picture I took as reference so that I could show the workers what they looked like (just in case) as I began the long wait for what is the double markdown (or bi-annual sale on the sales) at Anthro.

Well, mere moments after I finally got the shorts of my dreams, we threw ourselves in the car and went to Miami (clearly in the honeymoon phase). I’m afraid that today, besides telling you that my shoes were Clarks, watch was Target, shirt was GAP, and glasses were Disney, this isn’t about fashion. This is a travel blog.

Allow me to take you to one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been:

from Instagram.

Vizcaya. Nestled down a verdant road across from the planetarium in Miami is a palisade befitting Fitzgerald’s musings. All at once a coral cove, deserted beach, Victorian jaunt, and tycoon’s mistress, Vizcaya sits on the coast pleasantly secluded from downtown Miami, but with a perfect view of the skyscrapers in the not-so-distance.

Built in 1914 on 180 acres, Vizcaya was the European-inspired brainchild of American harvesting magnate James McCormick-Deering. They wouldn’t let me take pictures of the inside (I did manage one or two equally sneaky and shaky ones that aren’t worth showing), and I would like to note that these were all taken on my Iphone. With that in mind, try to envision how much better the real thing is…

Instagram ftw

The entrance to the pool:

From Instagram

I particularly loved this man-made island-functioning-as-a-dock right outside the sitting room.

The Atrium. I just wanted to sit there and write poetry. Alternatively, it seems like the perfect arena to reenact the Liesal/ Kurt Sixteen Going on Seventeen love scene if anyone would like to oblige my ever present need to jump across benches.

From Instagram.

Too bad there were no benches. I suppose that would make a good subject for a terrible poem. The Gardens: I know this is a bit different than the regularly scheduled program, but it was so beautiful (and my shorts were so en pointe— even after two markdowns), I thought it might make for a nice stroll down memory lane.

Shared to TrendSpin on TheFashionCanvas and Simbaco’s Instagram Travel Thursday (on that note, I’m @bexwrecks on instagram if you’d like to follow me).

The Clothesline

Style for people blowing in the wind