0 - WELCOME

Greetings!

Hope you are all doing well. As I write this newsletter, I’m flying back from Rome to NYC. I was in Sicily for the past week, which was quite a refreshing change of pace and scenery. It’s always nice to slow down and enjoy the simpler things in life. Sicily was also quite warm, so I was thrilled to extend my summer wardrobe. At this point, I’m surely made of pasta, and I’m not complaining!

This month’s newsletter naturally features a section on Sicily, along with some of my winter must haves now that it’s back to reality/cold weather for me.

1 - FASHION

Coats

A great coat is transformational — it elevates a look and instils confidence. Considering it’s coat-weather for many months in NYC and Toronto, I like to invest in a high quality, classic coat every year. My favourite is from Totême: a double-breasted wool overcoat that works equally well with trousers as it does with leggings. In my opinion, a well-rounded coat collection includes a wool overcoat, a shearling/leather coat, and a puffer (if you’re in a cold climate like me). Here are some options to tickle your fancy! Turns out there are too many beautiful coats to choose from, so I’ll save the puffers for next month.

Five Things I Bought

Below are some goodies that I bought and loved last month.

2 - BEAUTY

Hand Cream

Similar to last month’s newsletter about lip balm, I feel equally passionate about hand cream. I’ve been told by many, including strangers, that I have soft hands — part of it is probably genetics (my mom has the nicest hands), but I think credit should also be given to the many creams that I use. Like lip balm, I am never without hand cream. I look for something that’s not too oily, thick, or smelly. The other day, I was organizing and found 7 different creams under the coffee table, so you can tell how obsessed I am. Here are the ones I regularly use and swear by:

3 - TRAVEL

Sicily

Although I was only in Sicily for a week, I think I covered decent ground — here are my recommendations based on my time there!

Things to Do

• Taormina: Taormina is relatively touristy compared to other Sicilian towns — you can expect more foreigners and English-speaking folks. It’s beautiful though, and has become one of my favourite places in Italy

• Mount Etna: Mount Etna is an active volcano and a must-see (hike), in my opinion. I strongly recommend using a tour guide because it’s easy to get lost. In addition, individual hikers aren’t allowed above a certain elevation without a guide. The hike wasn’t too difficult, but it was long (6 hours), so be prepared!

• Palermo & Catania: Palermo and Catania are the largest cities in Sicily (and also where the airports are located). We flew into Palermo, and out of Catania. Unfortunately we didn’t spend much time in either city due to a cancelled flight, however there are many historical attractions (ancient theatres, piazzas, duomos, cathedrals) that I would love to check out when I return. I recommend renting a car from the airport to drive around the island

• Smaller Towns (Cefalu, Agrigento, Petralia): I loved visiting smaller towns and villages — you really get a feel for an authentic Sicilian lifestyle just by walking around and having a meal

• Beaches: Sicily has amazing beaches, both sandy and pebbly. I don’t think you will be disappointed if you’re a beach person

• Shop: If you’re in the mood to shop, the VAT refund coupled with Euro/USD conversions make it quite favourable. There’s also the Sicilia Outlet Village near Mount Etna with a selection of Italian brands (like Gucci, Prada, Missoni, etc.)

Where to Stay

• Taormina: We stayed at the Belmond Villa Sant’Andrea, which was a dream. There are two Belmonds in Taormina (the other being Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo); Sant’Andrea is by the beach, while Timeo is in town. Between the two, I prefer the former because I love being by the beach and watching/listening to the waves. That being said, Sant’Andrea is further from town so it was always a cable car ride (or a hotel shuttle) to get around

• Countryside: I was in Italy for a wedding, which was held at Susafa in central Sicily. The hotel is absolutely beautiful and highly recommended, albeit hard to get to without a car

• Palermo: As I mentioned, I didn’t get to stay in Palermo due to a cancelled flight, but the Villa Igiea is supposed to be great

What to Eat/Drink

• Pasta: I gorged myself on pasta — carbonara, cacio e pepe, spaghetti with mussels, gnocchi… everything

• Etna wines: Etna wines are delicious! If you’re into wine, I recommend visiting some wineries. We went to Planeta, which has various locations throughout the island. Another winery I wanted to check out, but didn’t have time to, was Benanti

• Granitas: Granitas, a Sicilian specialty, are shaved ice desserts that are cold and creamy. The one I had was pistachio-flavoured and reminded me of a slushie

• Aperol Spritz: Everywhere we went, people seemed to drink Aperol Spritz. It’s not my thing, but my boyfriend probably had like 20 throughout the week lol

4 - OTHER

5 - PARTING NOTE

Season 2 of The White Lotus just came out over the weekend, and it’s set in Sicily — more specifically, Taormina! I’m going to be reliving my Italian vacation through this satirical show for the next few months.

Until next month, friends.