I heart Nice.

Nice was more than nice.  It took me a couple of visits to get into its groove, but when I did - it was L O V E.  I found it a bit hard to figure out at first; it seems really ritzy and grand, but I was looking for a bit of soul. That is what I stumbled upon along the Cours Saleya on a Monday- the antiques market of Nice- ooh la la. If you're into treasure hunting, you could spend all day at these...I wish I had!  Bascially anything you could ever imagine to find, you will probably come across at these vast markets. The worst part is that most of the objects I wanted were large furniture items, which you have to just admire and not take home. The best part about these markets stalls

I heart the South of France - from Eze to Monaco.

I know what people mean when they refer to 'The South of France'; it's more than a beautiful place, it's a feeling.  I fell in love with this land of the purple bougainvillea in a heart beat.  The water is so crystal clear blue and at the end of May when we went, it was perfectly crisp.  We stayed in Eze bord du mer, but you could stay in any number of spots along the coast and be happy...overjoyed, even.  Stay in a place up in the hills if you can, so you can have that quiet away from the beach and get the best that this place has to offer.  You'll need to rent a car, which is quite expensive, but worth it; we went with Hertz from the Nice airport.  Go to Eden at Plage Mala to treat yourself for the day on a sun bed with ice cold rosé- I didn't even like rosé until this trip, but in this region of France it is magnifique!

I heart Antibes.

 

I haven't posted about my trip to the South of France yet, because it was TOO good!!  I just haven't even known where to start.  That all ends here, because I've decided to go with the beachside village of Antibes.  It was one of my favourite stops along the Côte D'Azur.  There was something quite quaint about it, with a slow and easy quality compared to some of the other bigger cities along the coast.  If you only have a day, all you need to pencil in is a trip to Picasso's studio turned museum (you immediately understand why he chose to call this place home. *keep in mind that the musée closes between 12-2pm) and then park yourself on the beach.  I would choose this spot above at Juan Les Pins; it was a gorgeous cove that was tucked away from the main coastal strip. I had the best baguette mixte (ham and cheese) of my trip in Antibes, so be sure to get yourself one of those too!

I heart San Remo.

While vacationing in the South of France, we popped over one Sunday to Italy for lunch- crazy, I know! We headed to the seaside town of San Remo, which was only about an hour from where we were staying in France- Eze Bord Du Mer.  It was amazing to watch the scenery change almost instantaneously as we crossed the border from France to Italy.  France was more manicured, clean and ritzy, whereas in Italy there seemed to be more farmland, clothes on the line, colourful buildings in muted tones; a little rough around the edges, just the way I like it.  We parked along the coast where all the kitsch little beach clubs are set up.  It was a dark and moody day, which I think almost added to the charm. I didn't catch the name of the place with the red and orange umbrellas, but I am aspiring to one day sit up on the little rooftop and look out to the Mediterranean.  I loved the colours of all the signage and the attention to detail- wrought iron gates in the shapes of clouds, sunshine (you'll see this motif a lot along the coast of France as well) and zig zagged waves? A ziga ziga ah! Because it wasn't exactly beach weather

fresco towels.

my momma knows what's up! she has just introduced me to Fresco Towels online. W O W. not only are the selections insanely gorgeous, I love the brand ethos as well- all inspired by travel and history. I am 100% coveting a poncho now and that eagle beach towel. 

flowers and plants: italy and france.

along the coast of the south of France and into Italy (we visited San Remo for lunch one day), the plant life is in. cre. di. ble. never have i seen such huge cacti and vivid flowers in bloom. i think my favourites were the giant mother in law's tongues, but if you like bougainvillaea

i heart Istanbul.

oh Istanbul, how do I love thee? let me count the ways! i love your colourful little shops, restaurants and hotels. your rooftop terraces delight, as did your sounds and smells. i love your call to prayer, evil eyes, yogurt tubs as flower pots, carpets and textiles galore. i love remembering your crooked little streets; the simple little cafes set up on skinny sidewalks and the scrappy stray kittens that tip-toed along them. i especially love that at the end of a long day exploring your neighbourhoods, my hair would smell like...roasted chestnuts. i will most definitely be back! *click through for more pretty pictures

the colours of Istanbul.

 

honestly, all you need to know is: beautiful Bosphorus b. l. u. e.