Abroad Photo Diary: MILAN

This weekend was one of my absolute favorites I've ever had. Going to Milan has been on my bucket list my entire life, so being able to visit during fashion week was an absolute dream come true.  It was the most special way to celebrate the last few days of being 20! I went with a few other girls who are also studying apparel, so as you can imagine, we were pretty much in awe of every outfit, store window and building we passed by. Our goal was to try to make it into a show, and even though we didn't make it inside a major show (we stood outside the Armani one but it was really strict, sadly), we did somehow manage to get into the Jimmy Choo 2019 Presentation! And as if that wasn't the best moment of our trip, we bumped into Olivia Palermo (my style icon for as long as I can remember) on her way into the event! (Scroll down for a photo!) Literally the most "pinch me" hour of my life. We got so lucky with our timing and honestly still can't believe it!! Milan far surpassed all of our expectations - it is seriously the most incredible place from the architecture to the restaurants to the shopping and even just people watching. 

I will forever be obsessed with the Milan Galleria - is it not the most incredible architecture you've ever seen?! 

We found the most chic navy, pink and gold themed restaurant right inside the Galleria - highly recommend their prosciutto pizza! 

Pink + orange buildings (insert heart eye emoji here!).

There are no words to even describe the Starbucks Reserve... a must for a snack and a drink. 

Thank you for making our trip the most memorable ever, Olivia!! 

Things to Do:

+ Duomo 

The big castle looking building in the photos above - you must stop by. It's at the heart of the city and even though there are way too many people (and pigeons, ugh) everywhere, it is so cool to see. 

+ Galleria 

As you can tell, I am slightly obsessed with the Galleria (the beautiful mall right next to the Duomo). Think Prada, Louis Vuitton, etc. all in this gorgeous, open building with restaurants, gelatarias and amazing people watching. There were even some photo shoots going on when we were looking around! 

+ Exploring

Literally just walking around and exploring Milan was our favorite part of the trip. The city is full of the most stylish people I've ever seen, and there's cool stuff around every corner. To me, the best part of the weekend cost no money at all - just seeing everything in real life is the most memorable thing! 

Restaurant Recommendations:

+ Motta Milano 1928 

The most chic pink, navy and gold restaurant right inside the Galleria! The lunch was incredible and honestly a great deal for how ideal the location was. Order the prosciutto pizza! 

+ Temakinho

I'm not going to lie, this was probably some of the worst service I've had in a while, and it was much more overpriced than it should have been, but the food and vibe of this restaurant were so pretty (see the pink restaurant above!). 7 of us got poke bowls, chips and guac and mango smoothies for lunch the first day and aside from all of the bad service, it was still such a pretty meal. Super close to the Duomo and almost reminded me of the Italian version of the Beverly Hills Hotel! 

+ Starbucks Reserve

No trip to Milan is complete without a stop at the Starbucks Reserve! I wouldn't consider myself the biggest Starbucks super fan, but seeing this place was insane. They had incredible desserts (the strawberry cake was 10/10), drinks and overall environment. 

I am so grateful to have been able to spend such a fun weekend in Milan - if you ever have the chance to go (even for a day), I could not suggest it enough. 

Have you been to Milan before? 

xoxo

Abroad Photo Diary: ROME

After a long bus ride through Italy, I am back from Rome for the weekend! The program I am studying abroad through has four excursions planned for us and the first one was Rome this past weekend. Although I would usually prefer to travel alone with my friends, it was super nice having tours set up for all of the must-see things in Rome (the Colosseum, the Vatican, Roman Forum, etc.). I got some much needed sunshine and loved exploring a new city in Italy. Plus, seeing the infamous places from the Lizzie McGuire movie didn't hurt either :) 

The sweetest dog I've ever seen!!

Fresh gnocchi with tomato and basil.

There was an Andy Warhol exhibit open when we were there which was incredible!!

 Trying all of the pizza and paninis is a must :)

My favorite view (pink + orange!) from this whole semester so far. 

Things to do (other than all of the historical spots):

+ Bershka

An amazing store that they have in a few different countries in Europe. Similar to H&M, Forever 21 and Zara! You must go if you're in a city with one - I got a pair of jeans, a scarf for my ponytail and a snakeskin belt for 13 euro total!

+ Art Museums

Andy Warhol and Jackson Pollock exhibits were open at the Vittoriano museum and were really cool to see! 

Restaurant Recommendations:

+ Osteria de Fortunata 

There was literally a woman making the pasta right in the restaurant (aka the most fresh pasta you will ever have in your life!). This place was super highly recommended from tons of people we know and it did not disappoint! 

+ Tonarello 

Can't go wrong with any of their pasta but I got the pesto and loved it! They had huge portion sizes so go if you're really hungry!

+ Aromaticus

We went to this vegan restaurant on our last day because we needed something lighter after consuming so much pasta and pizza. It was so fresh and delicious if you're in the mood for something super healthy! 

xoxo

Abroad Photo Diary: PARIS

Bonjour! I got back late last night from my weekend in Paris and I'm so excited to share some photos, restaurant recommendations and must-see things from my trip. I had never been to Europe before coming for my semester abroad, so seeing Paris for the first time was an absolute dream. Even though the weather was pretty cold, gray and rainy most of the trip, I loved every minute of exploring street corners, landmarks and cafes. One of my friends from high school and I flew from Florence together and met one of my best friends from IU and a few other girls for the weekend - it was so great to see everyone and experience the city together! 

We made sure to see the Eiffel Tower during the day as well as at night! We missed the sparkling lights by 5 minutes but still loved seeing it all lit up. 

Finding a crepe stand near the Eiffel Tower is a must! 

Louis Vuitton Foundation museum - a short metro or shuttle ride from the Arc de Triomphe. 

Hot chocolate and croissants at Angelina - highly recommend! 

Madeleines with Madeleine :)

A cute little cafe (I can't remember the name!) we stopped at for a glass of wine on the first day. Every street is absolutely beautiful so walking around and stumbling on little restaurants and shops is so fun!

The most delicious crepe suzette (caramelized sugar and orange zest!)

Restaurant Recommendations:

+ Cafe Blanc 

Super close to the Lourve and literally the most precious French cafe I've ever seen (see right above!). Order the chocolate and bananas or crepe suzette! 

+ Bistro des Augustins

A teeny hole in the wall restaurant that is perfect for a cozy dinner. We almost all ordered the "bistro" (a little casserole with potatoes, veggies, cheese and bacon) and loved it. 

+ Auberge Pyrenees 

Super local and authentic restaurant - we were the only "tourists". Definitely on the pricier side but the best service and most amazing duck I've ever had. Worth the splurge! 

+ Pierre Hermé 

I've been to Ladureé in New York City so I wanted to try a different spot for macarons. This place was beautiful and you could get an adorable little tin with 4 macarons for the perfect treat and souvenir! 

Overall it was the perfect first trip outside of Florence and I'm already looking forward to going back at some point in the future! I have a bunch of weekend trips planned in the upcoming weeks and I'm thinking I'll do a post for almost all of them - I love the idea of having a travel diary documenting where we visited and ate. More to come! 

xoxo