How to restyle your tableware at no cost for the upcoming season

How to restyle your tableware at no cost for the upcoming season

When entering in a new season, we all wish to renew our tableware. We look at our old dishes and glasses and we compare them with those glam table settings pictures seen on décor magazines, or on Instagram and Pinterest. Looking more carefully, you may not need a big budget to restyle your tableware.  Why? Have you ever tried to combine different styles and materials together? We have assembled for you, possible combinations to inspire your table décor. Some ideas came directly from our customers. We have also selected three “Jolly” items that will work out your dinner table...

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What’s in-season in September: fruits and tablescapes 🍇

What’s in-season in September: fruits and tablescapes 🍇

September brings a major season change. Fall harvest begins, and it looks like nature knows that we need nutrients to go back to work, or to school, after the summer vacations. In September we find a whole range of anti-stress and reinvigorating fruits and vegetables, full of vitamins and antioxidants.     Cabbage, snap beans, shelling beans, carrots are some of the in-season vegetables.     Although mass distribution and globalization have mixed things up, we still find seasonal produce in our local farmers’ markets. We love to pick fresh fruits and veggies to make our seasonal recipes. Find...

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5 essentials for a glam BBQ dinner 🔥

5 essentials for a glam BBQ dinner 🔥

A BBQ dinner is one of the reasons to love summer and to be hygge even in the heat. The Oxford Dictionary defines this trendy Danish lifestyle as “a quality of cosiness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or wellbeing.” You can be hygge any time as long as you set a cozy and relaxing mood and you enjoy the simple and good things in life. In Italy we adopted a slow-living approach, borrowing from the Slow Food movement  😉 So, hosting a BBQ dinner in your backyard, or on a terrace, or on a beach,...

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Millennials Lifestyle and Design Trends: 📱& 🌱

Millennials Lifestyle and Design Trends: 📱& 🌱

Last week I hosted for dinner my niece and a couple of her friends. They are all in their twenties, the so called Millennials or Gen Y. We started talking about their lifestyle: what do they like, their favorites TV programs, the best singers, their hobbies. Apparently the three girls had contrasting preferences. They love science fiction and fantasy drama series such as Stranger Things, Sense8 or Games of Thrones . They are fans of Rihanna but also of a songwriter as Ed Sheeran  (which, by the way, I like too). They cannot stay away from their smart phones and...

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5 Secret Tips to Cook Pasta 🍝 🇮🇹

5 Secret Tips to Cook Pasta 🍝 🇮🇹

How to cook the perfect pasta?  If you really want to cook pasta as Italians do, here is what you need-to-know and the essential advice for cooking the perfect pasta. We take it for granted that the quality of the pasta should be excellent. We suggest Rummo , made with the best ingredients and in the traditional and artisan way. But, if you have time, and if you want to make your own fresh pasta, follow these steps on Sonia’s blog.   Photo on the left: Oggi pane e salame, domani.... Photo on the right: Valdirose Once you have bought, or...

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The art of “Easter Cake” in Italy: Colomba and Pastiera

The art of “Easter Cake” in Italy: Colomba and Pastiera

There are two traditional Easter cake which cannot be missed on any Italian Easter dining table: Colomba and Pastiera. Colomba has a dove shape topped with pearl sugar and almonds. This very popular easter cake was invented in Lombardy, probably in Milan, in the north of Italy.     Pastiera is a Neapolitan tart, from the South of Italy. The two ingredients that make it unique are the cooked wheat and the extract of orange flowers. The orange flower water flavor is a celebration of the just started spring season. According to a popular ancient legend, during the night...

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Getting married in Italy? Our 3 top Wedding Planners.

Getting married in Italy? Our 3 top Wedding Planners.

Dulcis in fundo our favorites wedding planners. This time we have chosen to remain in our country, Italy, since it is one of the top destination in the world for an unforgettable wedding. Although Italy is full of marvelous places, our three friends have the power to make any location magical.  With their different personalities and styles, they will meet all your needs and wishes. Here they are! Exclusive Italy Weddings, founded by Laura Frappa.   Le Jour du Oui, founded by Cristina Di Giovanna.   Honey and Cinnamon, founded by Federica Beni. When looking at their web sites...

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3 Lifestyle Bloggers We Love

3 Lifestyle Bloggers We Love

Here we are back again with our second post about the best bloggers that we love. Having presented our top food bloggers, this time we will talk about our preferred lifestyle bloggers, which we urge you to follow: Valdirose, Renée Kemps and The Jungalow. Although they apparently have three completely different styles, they share the same philosophy and passion for beauty in the simplest things, nature and handmade. In their blogs and social profiles they talk about life, food, travel, interior design. You will be inspired by their creativity, attention to details and perfection in each shot. Let’s get...

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2017 Style Trends for your Zodiac Sign

2017 Style Trends for your Zodiac Sign

We have been studying reports and reports for several weeks about 2017 style trends in fashion, home decor, colors and materials. After careful analysis we’ve came up with four major trends, around which every trendsetter, designer and influencer seems to agree: 1. Greenery – Pantone ® color of 2017. Greenery is refreshing and revitalizing; it symbolizes the need to reconnect with nature and to each other. 2. Blue for the home. From wall painting, to furniture, to accessories, navy blue and in general all the shades of blue are back. 3. Black Steel. Black steel gives a beautiful, modern...

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Set the right scene for Your New Year’s Eve Toast

Set the right scene for Your New Year’s Eve Toast

Getting ready for New Year’s Eve? This is our “countdown” guide to set the perfect scene for a thrilling Italian toast with your friends and family. Dress code: Black & Gold. Style: 100% Italian natural lifestyle. – 3  Parmigiano cubes (not parmesan!) Fill up Sfizio golden bowl with Parmigiano-Reggiano cubes.  A glam snack that will make you stand out from common appetizers. Pair it with sparkling wine for a superb taste. Discover more about the original Parmigiano-Reggiano and its health benefits. If you taste Parmigiano, you will never buy parmesan again! – 2  Pandoro and Panettone Cut some slices of Pandoro and Panettone...

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6 Steps for a unique Handmade Gift

6 Steps for a unique Handmade Gift

Handmade gifts are unique and they are really made with love. We all remember when we were kids and used to close the door of our bedroom and started drawing, cutting, gluing and coloring cards and very creative objects (!) for our parents and for all the family members. So, let’s bring up the same spirit and create our special DIY gift for her, him, the kids and even your pet!! Follow these 6 easy steps and make a present that fill the hearts…. and the stomachs 😉 0. Choose your favorite handmade plate 1. Choose your favorite cookie...

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How do you present food? Take the test and discover your personality

How do you present food? Take the test and discover your personality

Food presentation is no longer an exclusive domain of caterings, hotels, chefs and food bloggers. Plating is not just a synonym of “getting served” or “putting food in a plate” but it has gained a broader meaning. It means to create a dining experience that temps all of our senses.  We found a very good definition of plating in the Treccani Italian dictionary:  ”preliminarily set up in the kitchen, with taste and choreographic and decorative intentions, the food, in each of the dishes to be served to the guests”. Starting from this definition, and with the precious support of...

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Entertain with Pink these Holidays

Entertain with Pink these Holidays

This year pink is a must for the holidays. Pink is paramount in fashion, as well as in interior design and home décor. Remember that Pantone chose Rose Quartz as one of the 2016 colors.     We usually consider pink as the color of baby showers, girls party, spring and summer gatherings and, above all, the perfect wedding color. But, have you ever thought about adopting pink hues for your Thanksgiving and Christmas Holiday party decorations? Here is how. Dreamy pink holiday decorations First of all, there are hundreds of different shades of pink: I‘ve found this article very interesting...

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3 Inspiring Food Bloggers to Follow

3 Inspiring Food Bloggers to Follow

It is always very hard to make a list of favorite things. It is harder when you have to choose among outstanding food bloggers that have spectacular photos, great content and fabulous styles. But, since many of our fans and followers have asked us to guide them in the “jungle” of bloggers, we have decided to share some of our faves in three areas: food, style and wedding planning. Let’s start with the food bloggers. A truly Tuscan Woman: Juls’ Kitchen Why do we like her? Giulia is the quintessence of Tuscany.  If you love Tuscany and if you...

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10 Fall colors to style your table 

10 Fall colors to style your table 

We are entering the fall season and perfectly on time, as usual, the Pantone Color Institute features the 10 fall colors to style your table. The Pantone report is a precious guide not only for home decor but also for fashion and style. The 10 colors can be matched together as we want, making much easier for us to choose how to combine different tones. We can pick up any color and we don’t have to worry about finding the perfect match with other colors. Just follow this palette because they fit each other! Every color recalls the shades...

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