Window shopping

On a dull, damp day we took the boat across the lagoon to Murano and did a bit of window shopping.

First stop was the wonderful studio and showroom of the sisters Marina and Susanna Sent, where I was lured inside by the sight of a dress made of glass.

No photography was allowed, so the images are from the current catalogue with photo credits to Francesco Barasciutti.

This year the sisters are celebrating twenty years of creative collaboration. They produce the most tempting things. Congratulations!

Elsewhere on the island glass balloons seemed to be the flavour of the month. In Nasonmoretti

I met Marta Ruz, looking very elegant in muted colours against a backdrop of brightly coloured glass.

We popped outside the shop so that I could get a better picture

and she told me that the belt was an old one of her Mom's. Ah, I know that story well! (Although nowadays it also works the other way about and I inherit things from my daughters.)
Good belt, Momma, and thank you, it was lovely to meet you, Marta.

I was bundled up in woollens and waterproofs, (blending in with the walls in Burano)

but these young Japanese tourists were not going to let a bit of rain dampen their style!
"English?" they asked us. "Ooh, Davi Beckaam!"

The shop windows in Venice were more cosily attired for autumn weather.

And this lady on the water bus was laced into a rather distinctive outfit, with trousers that looked ideal for a ride on a horse.

 I wear glasses and my current pair are utterly boring. The window display in Micromega was very tempting and I went into the shop to try some pairs on.

The only trouble was, without my own glasses on I couldn't see what I looked like with one lens round and the other one square - was it brilliant or merely very odd? The family couldn't decide. (I took that as a 'no'.)

Ah, well, it wouldn't do to look strange!

In Calle Carminati there was a lovely shoe shop, but with prices I couldn't afford. I asked the maker, Giovanna Zanella, if I could buy some of her beautifully coloured laces. Sadly the answer was no. (I asked all over the city but with no success.)

I can remember when Venice was full of small, creative shops like Giovanna's selling their hand made products.

I want them!

Wee One bought me a quirky watch -I could choose the face, any colour I wanedt, choose the strap, ditto. Mix and match. What a lot of fun. It took me ages to decide!

 Himself rather fancied dressing like the gondaliere. 

But he wasn't allowed.

And it was still shopping temptation at the airport

but I didn't succumb!

Willow Manor Ball.

The moon is rising, the autumn apples decorate the trees. It's time to dress up and go to Willow's ball.
Who shall I take for a partner? I had thought of inviting Inspector Montalbano but it would be hard to drag him away from the supper table and when I want to dance he might sulk. And also, his phone is always ringing and he would abandon me in order to solve a case or bed another woman. It requires careful thought because some dance partners can be dreadful show-offs.

I've heard that Stephen Marchant is looking for a partner and can dance.... but there's dancing...and dancing.

Perhaps I'd be better on my own.

Although it's so much more fun with two.

 I'll play safe and take Himself.

Thank you, Willow, for the invitation.

Holiday

When I book a holiday I'm never too sure what I am going to get. I was expecting a bit of sophistication  on the Costa Smeralda and had packed a number of good dresses. For the past few years the hotels that we've stayed in have been staffed by young people from many countries and English has been the common language. But this hotel was small and unpretentious and we were the only English visitors. The staff were local Sardinians with a very scanty grasp of our language. The other guests were mostly  families from mainland Italy. GREAT! It was just like being back in the fifties! Mealtimes could be a bit of a guessing game, even when they provided us with an English menu. What do you expect to eat when offered 'smooth hound'? A short-coated dog?
It was fish.
I had bought a new suitcase for the hold after the airport fiascos of the spring holiday. Regular followers will know that I usually travel only with an in-flight bag, but on the last trip, because I also had a small handbag, my case had to go in the hold. Add to that annoyance, my carefully tissue-packed clothing was searched in a very heavy-handed manner until they found my chunky necklaces.  So this trip I packed the new, larger case. Far too much stuff, I hardly wore any of it and the good dresses just hung on their hangers. It was all about the beach and the sea.
In the morning the sea was calm

and a pleasant onshore breeze came each afternoon to stop us overheating. 

There was fruit and plonk in our room.

That's a good way to cut pineapple!

And our shady little terrace a good place to eat it.

Simple clothes

and simple pleasures were the order of the day.

And the food was good.

I bought this Sardinian speciality to try at home.

We knew that at the end of the week we would be returning to autumn weather so we soaked up as much sand, sea and sun as we could - last ones on the beach!

Italian style

We've been in Sardinia for a week to enjoy some late summer sunshine. I like the brio of Italian style, good at simple, understated design but also good at bling. We had a stroll around Porto Cervo to see how the other half live - and shop! 

It was comfortable to walk along the shaded arcades and gawp at the luxury items on display. There were plenty of fur coats. FUR COATS! 

Himself was happy to sit and drink coffee and leave me to exhaust myself in window gazing.

Italian children are so charmingly dressed. When our daughters were small I would sketch the styles that I saw and then attempt to make something similar when we were home. This dress shop displayed just the sort of simple, classic styles that I like.

The thing that makes them special is the use of really good quality fabric and attention to detail.

I wouldn't mind wearing this funky little outfit.

Plus the beanie!

Although I draw the line at the penguin suit.

But what a collection of shops for grownups!

I loved this pinafore dress in the Prada window.

I went into the shop and spoke to the assistant. The pinafore fabric is a mixture of cashmere and mohair. It felt fabulous!

The camera has picked up a great deal of reflection in the windows due to the bright sunshine but I quite like the result.

I tried to photograph some bling - the most encrusted watch that I have ever seen - but the dazzle defeated me!

Check out these delightful shoes.

And the covetable jewellery.

I couldn't resist photographing this colourful lady! (I did ask permission first.)

She made me feel rather pale!

The shops were quiet because the beautiful people were out sailing. We went down to the harbour 

and did a bit more gawping at the astonishing boats!