In a very urban place with very long winters, it is not surprising that, by the time March rolls around, we are all craving the colors, scents and freshness of spring. 

I have always adored flowers and, as an adult, I stare at their details with the same wonder as when I was little. In the summer, I surround myself with flowers, packing my small city balconies with as many plants and petals as they can hold. 

This Monday's inspiration sums up all the simple spring sights that have made me rejoice, over the years, that winter is drawing to a close.

Have a beautiful week!

​From my heart to yours.

​I was alone in Japan – a strangely thrilling thought. It was my first time there. My body and mind were fighting jet-lag, while my eyes were trying to adapt to a different writing script and different light. I ventured out on a long, slow walk around Hiroshima, taking in the sights and sounds of the city. I spent a lot of time at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, astonished by how intense the experience was. We have read and studied the facts numerous times, but being there – seeing evidence of the devastation of the atomic bombing through mock-ups and artifacts – made it more tangible.

​I was pensive and mellow when I left the museum in the late afternoon. I strolled down the peaceful river bank until the sky turned golden, and my first hours of Japan daylight gradually wound to a close. Not far from the Atomic Bomb Dome and its skeletal shell of remains, my eyes landed on beautiful orange blossoms swaying in the wind, catching the light of the sunset against the backdrop of the shimmering river – a stark contrast with the image of a razed and ruined city. I watched the flowers playing in the light, and thought of all the life that courses through the city now that it has been rebuilt.

From my heart to yours!

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See all posts in the Made Me Look series.

I'm back with my Monday series to help jump-start your week with some color and reverie!

​This week's theme: Blue

Breathtaking views during a morning walk under the Corfiot sun.

Spring arrives on the light and crisp mountain air in Riva del Garda, Italy.

Rustic blue shutters facing the Sea (Corfu, Greece).

A fisherman's boat basking in the salentine sun (Puglia, Italy).

Perfect lines and a perfect horizon in Kerkyra (Corfu town, Greece).

Have a wonderful week. 
​​
From my heart to yours!

Three weeks in Puglia.

I set out on a long-awaited trip to a region of Italy I had yet to explore. 

​My itinerary consisted of a dozen towns along both the Adriatic and Ionian coasts of Italy’s stiletto, as well as some inland gems. There was enough room in the itinerary for spontaneous adjustments and unexpected discoveries, and it was certainly a priority to sense and savour every ounce of local culture. 

​One of the cities I was excited about discovering in Puglia and the Salento peninsula was Lecce – a historic hub known as “The Florence of the South” for its splendid baroque architecture. While still in Canada, I looked up cooking and wine courses that would allow me to learn about the regional specialties in a more hands-on way. A Google search landed me on The Awaiting Table – a then eleven-year-old school that had glowing Trip Advisor reviews. I lost myself on the website, reading about the school’s approach and its variety of courses. The most appealing ones were a week long, either in central Lecce or in a historic Castello. There were specialized courses focusing on wine, bicycling and cooking, making tomato sauce or making olive oil – I loved the idea of every one of them! 

​I would only be in Lecce for 3 days, so I’d only have enough time for a day-course. My dates weren’t on the class calendar, but I decided to send an enthusiastic and hopeful e-mail (I could barely contain my excitement after having discovered this school!) to inquire anyway. Silvestro, the owner, was so accommodating, and – before I knew it –  I had a day-course booked in my name.

​The city was slowly coming to life, though circling pigeons and a scorching sun had already dominated the sky for some time. Silvestro came to pick us up in Piazza Sant-Oronzo, a large wicker basket in hand. We set out to the market to choose our fresh ingredients for both lunch and supper. The immersive learning had already begun without notice; as we walked through Lecce’s ochre-toned streets, Silvestro pointed out landmarks and described life in the town, his explanations punctuated by waves and nods to fellow locals who passed us by. “There goes Silvestro and a new batch of students,” I imagined them thinking. Through conversation and abridged life histories, we began to get a sense of Silvestro’s passion for Puglia and the basic principles of salentine food, which I like to think of as simplicity, authenticity and loyalty to the land. 

​We passed Porta Rudiae, Lecce’s oldest city gate, and walked into the market. Cesare greeted Silvestro and our mission began. The menu was set; Silvestro had all the necessary ingredients in mind for each course. “We need parsley,” he’d say to me, prompting me to ask Cesare for a batch of it. This interchange was repeated for each required ingredient. Silvestro took care of ordering the rabbit, and we were off – wicker basket filled to the brim and hands eager to get to work. 

​“That’s Emiluccia,” Silvestro affectionately pointed out his Fiat 500 when we crossed his courtyard. The day-course takes place at Silvestro’s house, in a kitchen he created from scratch from an old stable. Stepping into the kitchen was like stepping into an authentic, colorful, picture-perfect cookbook – only better. In just my style of colorful, functional décor, the walls were adorned with colorful colanders, wooden cutting boards, pots and pans, and some of Silvestro’s photographs. Bowls, utensils and other appliances were labelled in Italian to allow foreign students to pick up some new vocabulary during their stay.  A cool natural light poured in from the garden. We emptied our groceries onto the marble counter and Silvestro began to explain what we would cook for lunch. I tried to focus, but my senses were completely overwhelmed in that kitchen! I asked Silvestro if I could take a couple of quick photos before getting started. “It’s so beautiful, it’s distracting,” I laughed. 

​In the meantime, Silvestro poured the wine and prepared our cutting boards for us to begin making our fresh pasta. We wore aprons, rolled up our sleeves and got our hands involved without any hesitation. We learned by doing, our hands-on experience complemented by Silvestro’s explanations. Silvestro's priority was not only to teach, but also to take care of his guests; no question was unwelcome, no strategy was incorrect – all he asked in return was that we be happy in his kitchen. “There is only one rule here,” he told us.

Being happy was almost too easy. I couldn’t think of a better way to spend the day.  

My orecchiette were far from perfect; having watched local ladies effortlessly make hundreds of orecchiette by hand in front of their homes in Old Bari, I expected my hands to be faster and more successful than they actually were. “Track your progress,” Silvestro advised, lining up his own orecchiette chronologically on his cutting board. “You’ll see how you improve with practice”.

When time came to sit down, elbows resting peacefully on the colorful linen, we savoured our lunch, careful to eat slowly, conscious of the hours of thoughtful preparation. ​

In the late afternoon, Silvestro took us wine-shopping and gave us a crash course on the local varieties, their differences and individual strengths. Negroamaro, malvasia nera, salice salentino, primitivo…we made mental notes and anticipated the tastes of each variety.   
​
We returned to the kitchen and began to prepare our supper. Silvestro took to the chalkboard, and gave us a short lesson on the “why” of salentine cuisine – the ways in which the food has been influenced by the region’s geography, climate and cultural contact over time. As we learned and cooked and drank and ate, we felt. We experienced a little bit of the local world view, and quickly realized that these are not simply recipes to discover or methods to learn, but a way of living and breathing.

What I loved most, perhaps, was that the conversations alternated flawlessly between getting to know one another and learning about cooking and wine. It was such a comfortable and inspiring setting, and it was genuinely easy to lose track of time.

As the evening aged, our voices grew quieter. There was an unmistakable temptation to help clear the plates and tidy the kitchen, as you would do with old friends who selflessly hosted you.
​
As we said our thank yous and goodbyes, and headed out into the surprisingly lively Lecce night, I realized I got more out of that one-day course than I expected. I couldn’t stop talking about it for days to follow. I have since recommended it to friends, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to you.

​Through conversation and participation, hands-on practice, you internalize more than you thought possible in such a short time. When the time comes to leave, you do so with full stomachs, full hearts and overwhelmed senses, with flavors of food and wine still on your tongue, and new facts whirling about in your head, becoming consolidated as new knowledge. And, to your surprise, that initial sense of wonder and curiosity has not subsided but is even amplified, pushing you to make immediate plans to return.

The Awaiting Table has been around for fourteen years, but is constantly growing and improving; with Silvestro's creativity and intuitive sense of innovation, there is always a new kind of course being offered.
​
To get a taste of the culture and everything there is to experience and to learn, treat yourself to some of Silvestro’s compelling short films and blog posts. Until you could get there yourself, they are sure to peek your interest and make you dream of Italy’s unspoiled heel. 

Last week, I started this Monday series to help kick off your week with some color and inspiration.

​This week's theme: Kitchen decor

I have a not-so-secret fetish for fresh markets and food photography. I love the colors, patterns and textures of natural ingredients. Hanging a couple of food prints or magnets in the kitchen sets the ambiance for creative cooking and serves as a discrete reminder to be grateful for the abundance of food in our lives.

Have a wonderful week. 

From my heart to yours!

Every now and then, I end up going through my unpublished photo collections, in search of a memory or feeling that may be more buried than other more salient ones. I absolutely love rediscovering photographs that somehow didn't "make the cut" the first time around. It feels good to go back in time, to give a little bit of extra attention to what caught my eye long ago but was since forgotten.

As I had written in a post last year, this exercise is a direct testament to how our perception changes, and how returning to a place (even if virtually) leads you to see something new.

I always feel grateful for this surge of inspiration that comes even without my travelling or experiencing something new. When a cycle of rediscoveries emerges, I round up the photographs and add my favorite newcomers to my collection.

Here are this season's rediscoveries, which have been freshly added to the shop and to Etsy. 

Lines and textures filled the scene as far as the eye could see (Chicago, USA)
Fine-art print, canvas, metal, acrylic or wood

The Gothic palace where East meets West, where Land meets Lagoon and open Sea (Venice, Italy)
Fine-art print, canvas, metal, acrylic or wood

As long as we are side by side and anchored to the same port, we can weather any storm (Bari)
Fine-art print, canvas, metal, acrylic or wood

Have faith: She is watching over you (Rovereto, Italy)
Fine-art print, canvas, metal, acrylic or wood

A gorgeous spring morning on the island of Burano (Venice, Italy)
Fine-art print, canvas, metal, acrylic or wood.

A red bicycle and red flowers in Amsterdam (Netherlands)
Fine-art print, canvas, metal, acrylic or wood

A day of slow thoughts, fresh air and crisp colors.
Fine-art print, canvas, metal, acrylic or wood

Wherever you go, may your soul and life be bursting with color (Venice, Italy)
Fine-art print, canvas, metal, acrylic or wood

A Sunday stroll through Burano’s streets, without worry of rain (Venice, Italy)
Fine-art print, canvas, metal, acrylic or wood

The soft texture and classic pattern of a cow (Llandudno, Wales)
Fine-art print, canvas, metal, acrylic or wood

Venetian window arches, decaying yet everlasting
Fine-art print, canvas, metal, acrylic or wood

I often miss those mellow days of walking for hours in Amsterdam (Netherlands)
Fine-art print, canvas, metal, acrylic or wood

Under your bougainvilleas, I can happily lose track of time (Ostuni, Italy)
Fine-art print

Peace on the interior (Corfu, Greece)
Fine-art print, canvas, metal, acrylic or wood

The narrow streets in Martina Franca are inviting and intriguing
Fine-art print

Her rustic charm is part of her rare beauty (Venice, Italy)
Fine-art print, canvas, metal, acrylic or wood

The birds dominate the skies over Corfu town (Greece)
Fine-art print, canvas, metal, acrylic or wood

Stopped at the church in the afternoon sun (Riva del Garda, Italy)
Fine-art print

Mornings in the old town and its rustic light (Rovereto, Italy)
Fine-art print

A fairytale fantasy and a ferris wheel (Cardiff, Wales)
Fine-art print

Burano’s deeply rich colors and one happy little bird (Venice, Italy)​
Fine-art print, canvas, metal, acrylic or wood

From my heart to yours!

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Mondays can be tough sometimes! As a remedy for mild cases of Monday blues, I'll be sharing 5 photographs with you every week, so you can start your week with a touch of color and reverie. 

This week's theme: Living colorfully

Each photograph can be ordered on fine-art paper, canvas, acrylic (plexiglass), metal (aluminum) or wood. 

From my heart to yours!

Four years ago (already), I lived in a small town, on a quiet vineyard, on the bank of the Adige river, at the foot of the Dolomiti mountains. It was the first time in my life where the coordinates of where I lived depended on nature terms, rather than urban terms. I let myself be slowed down by all that there was to notice around me. I let my rhythm match that of the town, of its locals and its churchbells and their understanding of time. I savoured the food and wine, let the crisp mountain air purify the connection between my head and heart. I watched the seasons change, watched as the scraggly vines that once trembled in the snow became green and full and replete with promise. 

Every so often, I feel nostalgic of that time and place, of that yellow house on the vineyard where my first duty every morning was to open the shutters of the floor-to-ceiling windows, and say good morning to the towering mountains. When I worked from home rather than the office, I'd let my eyes leave my screen and wander out for a moment or two, running over the vines and up to the mountaintops, over the houses and church towers that were stacked along the rows that came in between. 

Every so often, in the hustle of my days and rapid page-turns of my agenda, I crave that daily connection to elements of nature. I crave being anchored to scenery, of feeling its effect on my mood and my perspective. I love my home, yet I am grateful for all the other homes I have temporarily had, here and there - places that have remained part of me. 

From my heart to yours.

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There is only one happiness in this life, to love and be loved. 
- George Sand

Valentine's Day is but one extra occasion to shower our love with attention and affection. There are so many creative and cute gift ideas that pop up this time of year, it is nearly impossible to resist them!

Here are 25 of my favorite love-themed gift items this February. 

For your words

For her

For him

For the home

From Veni Etiam Photography

You'll also find a few love-themed items in my shop. 

The fine-art prints above are available as a limited edition "Love Bundle" set.

"Amore" and "Trulli Lovely" are also part of the Full Circle Metal Collection -- these round-cut brushed aluminum pieces come ready to hang on your wall in a variety of sizes.

May you always be surrounded by love and joy!

From my heart to yours.