Buona Festa dell'Epifania! Happy Epiphany!

Today is the day of the BEFANA. La Befana is an old woman who  comes on the eve of the Epiphany (6th January) and brings gifts to children ... and adults...candy and toys to children who have been good and charcoal to those who have been naughty. 

Here are some pictures of  La Befana Day, including stockings filled with lots of chocolates. 

An espresso after Sunday Brunch

Baby, it's cold outside....

A new hairband....as if I don't have enough.

Who doesn't love Kinder?

Happy New Year! Buon Anno!

Good morning .... or Good Afternoon, depending on which part of the world you're in .... rise and shine!  Are you all awake or are you still wondering whether to get up or stay in bed?  Here in Sicily it's mid-afternoon and most of us are up, have had our lunch, washed the dishes and even baked a cake!  But the first thing I did after I got up is to have a coffee at my local cafè. You know ... as the saying goes "FIRST COFFEE".  After celebrating the whole night who doesn't need a nice cup of hot espresso? 

Here is my Sour Cream Coffee cake with Brown Butter Frosting. I made it just before lunch. It's still nice and warm so we will have it for dinner, it needs to set a bit. 

Looks tempting doesn't it? The filling is chopped nuts with brown sugar and cinnamon ... LOTS of cinnamon!

Can you believe this blue sky ... on January 1st? It's cold and the wind is howling and blowing at about 40 kms/hr.....but the sun is shining and it seems like summer!

Going back to  last night, let me tell you that it was very unusual. Just before midnight the firecrackers started exploding.  The mayor categorically said that firecrackers in the city are forbidden, but it looks like nobody listened to him because the sky was lit up with firecrackers. Anyway, as I was saying, around midnight the firing had just started when there was a huge explosion, that's what it sounded like. It was the loudest noise I have ever heard! What a fright!  I thought the kids with the firecrackers had gone too far this time, but then when I looked out and saw rain pouring down, I realized the explosion was thunder and that  there was a storm out there.. The reason I said it was unusual is because I don't remember a New Year's Eve when thunder and lightning started at exactly the same time as the fireworks.Usually it doesn't rain in Sicily on New Year's Eve.  It was unbelievable. 

Happy New Year!  Buon Anno!

I'm all set to put on the Ritz .... with Rebelle

Gene Kelly said "come  on with the rain". He didn't know Rebelle homewear, otherwise he would have said "come on with the cold". This company makes the warmest and most comfortable clothing you can imagine! You will feel "COSY" and warm in their trendy homesuits and nightwear. 

I am absolutely in love with this cosy gray coral fleece homesuit. It's actually so trendy that I'm tempted to wear it outside! Notice my matching headband ... a gift from my daughter. 

This cuddlesoft Roseshadow coral fleece nightwear is so soft, warm and cuddly .... just like my Teddy Bears! Aren't they adorable?

In case anyone wonders what the phrase "to put on the Ritz" means, it's "to dress luxuriously, fashionably".

Chicgostyle

I have discovered a new fashionable and trendy online fashion boutique. It's called Chicgostyle. If you are always searching for the latest trends which will make you look  stunning and chic, well, this is the place for you.

At Chicgostyle you can find everything your heart desires: lingerie, dresses, shoes, fashion knitwear and much more. Their products are high quality but the prices are affordable. Fast fashion at designer boutique quality. The company's team works with emerging designers and brands worldwide so that they can offer collections of creative, trendy high craftmanship fashion. They ship worldwide so why not do your shopping now, taking advantage of the holiday sales? The convenience  of shopping online is that you can avoid crowds, confusion and long, exhausting lines.

Gingham is among my favorite fabrics and here I will show you some of the lovely gingham knitwear  available on Chicgostyle. 

Band Collar Zipper Gingham Sweaters

Band Collar Zipper Gingham Sweaters

Did I ever tell you that my favorite color is RED?   I'm joking of course. I repeat it practically on every post so by now you all know it.

It's pretty cold these days and here in Sicily they are predicting colder days, especially in January and February ... it seems that Siberian weather is expected ...so better stay warm in these cute sweaters

Long Sleeve V Necke Pocket Pullover Hoodies Sweatshirts

You will feel soft and cuddly like a polar bear in this adorable pink Hoodie

Fashion Loose Round Collar Sweater

Here is another pink sweater you can snuggle up with and keep warm.

At Chicgostyle you can also find lots of accessories like sunglasses, bags, jewelry, socks etc. Have fun shopping!  Happy Holidays!

A warm, summery Christmas in Sicily

In my previous post I wrote about the weatherman getting it all wrong, but I have to give him credit now ... he was right! Yesterday, Christmas day, was rather warm and sunny, and  today it was an even hotter and sunnier day. Looking at the pictures you would think it's summer wouldn't you?  Well, it's not summer, it's Santo Stefano, the day after Christmas.

It's been a long three days of eating. In Sicily you practically sit at the table on Christmas Eve, and get up on Santo Stefano's eve, which is this evening. Let me break it up for you:  Cenone di Natale (Christmas Eve dinner). Next day, Christmas, you have the Pranzo di Natale (Christmas lunch), which in general starts at 1 PM and ends at 10 PM. Yes, I am not exaggerating. A few years ago, we were invited on Christmas day by friends and we sat at the table  for lunch at 1:30 PM, finished at about 5PM, and at 7PM we were again invited to the table for dinner!!! I personally don't eat much, actually I eat like a bird so sitting at the table from lunch to dinner is unthinkable. Moreover, I don't eat fish, but inevitably fish is a must at Christmas ... torture for me because I can't stand even the smell of fish, never mind eating it. Another peculiarity of mine is that I eat a lot of the primo (starter) which is pasta (I could eat pasta for breakfast, lunch and dinner! ) and then I have no room for anything else. Except dessert of course. There's always room for that, right? 

Here are a few pictures from today just to show you our beautiful Sicilian blue sky.  I hope you all had a nice Christmas.

In the background you can see part of Monte Erice, the hottest tourist attraction in Trapani. 

Here I am in a local supermarket. In Sicily it used to be a mission impossible to find anything open on Sundays and holidays so imagine my surprise when most supermarkets are open today (some only for half a day, but it's better than nothing), and so are pastry shops and cafès.

This is my favorite Christmas dessert: the Panettone (it actually means Big Bread). Motta is the original traditional Panettone, and it's the best. For some reason it's now a bit hard to find and that's because there are many competitors nowadays, but as far as I'm concerned no one beats Panettone Motta. In fact as you can see I bought two of them, to make sure I don't run out of it.

A nice relaxing espresso at my favorite cafè after all the walking around the supermarkets.I went to two of them. So much for my very EXCITING day! 

The weather prediction for Sicily at Christmas time is sunny and cloudy

They say when you have nothing to say, talk about the weather. That is just what I am going to do. Lacking exciting things to tell you I will show you what the weather's been like these past few days.  It goes from cloudy and cool to sunny and windy. 

Blue skies as shown here

Rather windy. I had to take off my hat before the wind blew it away.

Gray skies and rather cool

 

 Nothing better that a hot espresso in cold weather

The TV weather prediction for Christmas in Sicily this morning  was "bel tempo"  ....  nice weather from Christmas day. This afternoon I listened to the same weather channel and the prediction for Christmas was "maltempo) ... bad weather. Wouldn't it be nice if the weather forecaster made up his mind?