✌🏻 Goodbye…For Now!

Hi there and thanks for stopping by! As you may have guessed from the title…I’m taking a little pause on blogging. 

The past few years have brought an immense amount of change to the world, and although I try my hardest to make this little space on the internet a happy and light place, it simply isn’t matching reality lately. 

I’ve loved reviewing luxury handbags and skincare, recapping fun vacations, and trying new recipes. I’ve shared so much and grown so much since the start of this blog (Dec 2018, 278 posts!), and think it’s the perfect time for a little rest and reset. 

Over the last few years I’ve really found my passion for fashion…specifically fabulous accessories. They make an ordinary outfit special, and help convey your sense of style to the world. 

On to bigger and better, and so my next venture will be an online accessories boutique! Although I can’t say exactly when at the moment, keep an eye on this space, I’ll be sure to update it when Ciao Bella Boutique is officially open!

Thanks for following along, I’ve met so many kind and wonderful people through this blog. It’s been a wonderful hobby that I’ve so enjoyed. Change is hard, but in my heart I know it’s the right time for a new pursuit. As they say, “It’s not goodbye, it’s see you later.” Cheers!

Thanks for reading, have a fabulous day. :)

✈️ Estonia, Finland & Latvia June 2022

Hi there and happy Monday! Today’s the last of the backlog of trip reviews. This time David and I explored Estonia, Finland, and Latvia this past June!

We flew on SAS and upgraded on the way there to premium economy. I would highly recommend this. The seats were large and spacious, we were very comfortable for the 8 plus hour flight. We connected in Stockholm and arrived in Tallinn in late morning. 

We stayed at the Hilton Tallinn Park and had an incredible one-room suite. The hotel was clean and elegant, the spa was incredible, and the breakfast buffet and evening receptions were very generous. I would absolutely stay there again!

One day we took a ferry to Helsinki. We had our own cabin for the two hour journey, haha. We had a champagne filled Ferris wheel ride, did some shopping, and ate dinner at The Hard Rock Cafe. This was our second time in Finland, I love it there!

Another day we visited the Estonian National Opera and enjoyed The Merry Widow. I appreciated that the subtitles were in English. Afterward we headed to the Old Town and saw the old gates. We had a blast renting scooters one night too. We also visited the Tallinn TV Tower and had lunch at the top. What a view! Definitely not for the faint of heart. 

On the last day of our trip we rented a car and took a 3.5 hour road trip to Riga, Latvia. We spent the afternoon there walking around, doing a little shopping, and visited a café. My favorite was lunch at the gas station on the way there, homemade potato pancakes for $3! 

We had such a fun time, we usually never vacation in Europe in the summer. We had such beautiful weather and the sun was out almost 20 hours a day! It was a go go go trip, we came home exhausted but happy! If you ever get the chance to explore these countries I can’t recommend it enough!

Thanks for reading, have a fabulous day. :)

👜 Handbag Review~LV Noé

Hello! I’m back today with another handbag review. This time I’m reviewing my newest addition to my handbag collection, the Louis Vuitton Noé bag in monogram canvas. I picked up this bag at the Louis Vuitton boutique in Helsinki, Finland. Now that I’ve been using it exclusively for a few months, I’m ready to share my thoughts!

The Noé bag was created in 1932 by Louis Vuitton’s grandson. He attended many parties and always brought champagne with him. He needed a way to transport bottles without them breaking, and the original bucket bag was born! The bag fits 5 bottles, four upright and one upside down in the middle. The drawstring secures them. 

The Noé gets its name from Noah in the Bible. After saving the animals and surviving the flood, he became a winemaker. I love bags that are so rich in history! Although originally created as a men's bag to transport bubbly, think of all the designers that were inspired to create their own versions of the bucket bag. It’s truly iconic!

The Noé measures 10.5” wide x 14” high x 8” deep. It’s one large open compartment with a drawstring closure. It has an adjustable strap for comfortable shoulder carrying. 

For a 90 year old style, I find it so incredibly hip! It’s the perfect size for all your essentials, and is great for everyday wear without being too casual. It’s extremely comfortable to carry, and most of the time I keep the drawstring open for easily getting in and out of the bag. (And a little tip...if the drawstring ever gets worn and ratty, head to your local sporting goods store. Seriously! A $10 baseball glove replacement lace is the perfect replacement. It's the exact color and size!)

The Noé currently retails for $1960 USD (Style #M42224) and although that is a ridiculous amount of money I have been drooling over this bag for over a decade. It’s excellent quality and so timeless, I know I’ll have it for a very long time. 

Thanks for reading, have a fabulous day. :)