Italian Colors for Summer and Autumn...

Pondering all the wonderful shades of coral and other autumnal colors...

a rich pumpkin colored handbag...

a faux pale coral snakeskin handbag...

these gingery coral mules...

 cannot beat them for easy on-off styling!

Coral colored slides perfect for this summer...

and for Autumn a sueded pair of mules bought in Milan in that gorgeous pale coral shade which Italy loves to wear anytime of the year!

FOR SUMMER

I love this short skirt in all the ochres of Italy...

and this grey one with the bright coral that just seems to pop right out!

a thrifted Hawaiian shirt with those ochres and olives, paired with a pair of crimson pants...

topped off with this coffee duster coat...

 these beige gladiator sandals...

these khaki cateye sunglasses...

or these cute beige and cream crochet lace espadrilles...

FOR AUTUMN

An Italian scarf bought in Naples in autumnal colors, perfectly paired with a tweed coat from L. L. Bean in similar colors...

angular square olive green sunglasses

Olive colored Boiled Wool Coat, paired with an Oroton coral and olive scarf...

WISH LIST

Deep red coral colored snakeskin boots...

now these have a gladiator feel to them...

embelished coral pumps...

pumpkin spice driving moccasins for loafing around...

a gorgeous angelskin coral patent leather slingback...

patent leather deep coral pumps...

now these are really sexy!

More Books Set in Italy...

Some more lovely books to enjoy to the fullest...

first, The Old...

The First Man in Rome, by Colleen McCullough...epic...

The Empress, by Robert DeMaria...wicked...

but not for the squeamish...

and then The New...

The Broker, by John Grisham...riveting...

enjoy, with a nice tall Caffe Latte...

and scrumptious Italian Biscotti with Hazelnuts...yummm...

Never Throw Away a Good Gladiator!

I AM GLADIATOR!

the very traditional Gladiator with a new spin, zipped up on the back!
this golden pair which are fit for the "Roman Goddess" look!
and more metal in these Berkies...
Fisherman's Sanals which come pretty close to being "gladiator!"

modified gladiator sandals... oh yes, I think these work...
and this sueded cinnamon colored pair which also qualify...

could these qualify for gladiators? Why not!

And finally, the men who did so much for the Gladiator Shoe trend...

Russel Crowe as the "Gladiator"

and Steve Reeves as "Hercules," oh yes, you are not forgotten!

So ladies, NEVER throw away a good Gladiator!

Feel Good Movies for Women Over 40: Under the Tuscan Sun

UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN

So after encountering the book at a thrift store for the THIRD time, I finally bought the book. One week prior I had said to myself, this book has made people move in droves to Italy and renovate old tumbling down properties...if I ever see another copy of the book, I'll buy it because it's probably quite different to the movie...I bet!

And boy, was I right! Though it's considerably different in plot and feel to the movie with Diane Lane, for starters, the main character is married and has a grown-up daughter, it was still a great read and makes me wish I had spent longer in Tuscany when I had visited Italy some years back...

The glorious movie was of course a feast for the eyes and the soul...

She goes to Italy on a tour and falls in love with a house in Tuscany. She teams up with a trusty Realtor who gives her courage as well as his expertise...
She makes a new life and new friends...

She finds that the locals are extremely helpful, including this stunning young policeman, more than eager to help her....aaaaaaaah, only in the movies...

and here she is with her lover, who turns out to be a cad and skips out on her as she was busy renovating her new home...or did he just return to an existing lover? They're looking up at her now! I guess he didn't want to live at the huge villa with her?

she fixes a villa with the help of three able-bodied and hard-working Polish guest workers...afterall, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do...

and finally holds the wedding of two young lovers at her villa... gorgeous saffron dress with red belt!

the gardens of Bramasole after all of the hard work and tending done by owners, the authoress Frances Mayes and her husband Ed...

"Bramasole" the villa as it stands, renovated, and much visited and photographed...

another villa in Tuscany...gorgeous...gorgeous...
sunflowers in Tuscany and a glorious sunset...