cortona & todi.

the tuscan countryside is peppered with the most darling little towns.

we are in complete wanderlust chasing the winding roads 

that lead from one town to the next.

each town is overflowing with architectural brilliance.

and offers an abundance of charm too great to capture in any photo. 

todi is one town that has stolen my heart.

a sleepy little town. with twists & turns every where you look.

a perimeter stroll gifts one of the best views of todi imaginable. 

i just adore all of the shutters. 

how impossibly cute are these blue babies?

and talk about a great view.

absolutely breathtaking. 

i love how this photo captures such age.

the tiles have been loved to pieces by the tuscan sun. wind. rain.

a leisurely stroll along the rim of todi is just beautiful.

olives. olives. and more olives.

traveling garb.

loved hearing the church bells ring as we were leaving todi.

my handsome date for the trip. drew baby.

we passed these waves of wheat fields on the drive to cortona.

isn't it just the prettiest? 

cortona bound. 

cortona is full of these enchanting little side streets.

the perfect town to get lost in.

the perfect town to people watch.

cortona, we adore you. and all of your old town glory.

you are a lovely place to waste the day away.

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a tuscan villa.

ciao! 

sending a big overdue hello & lots of love from tuscany.

we have had such a wonderful time touring around this beautiful countryside.

it is even more lovely than we could have ever imagined. 

we are staying in an 800 year old tuscan farmhouse that sits on the top of a great big hill.

it is surrounded by quaint italian towns that exude charm. history. & hospitality.

where the wine is always flowing. the food is abundant. & the people are friendly.

it really is quite a dream.

living in a villa surrounded by stone.

and pretty potted flowers.

everywhere you look boasts a most beautiful view.

with its own private drive & a wrought iron gate,

this villa really is simply stunning. 

it even has moss growing between the bricks-- 

which you all know is my absolute fave. 

the brick & stone laying is magnificent in itself.

it is amazing to think they have stood the test of time.

i could really get used to coming home to this.

a rustic italian villa filled with family & friends.

a nineteen person slumber party every night.

this girl loves it. 

if the walls of our little villa could talk.

they would tell stories of laughter. and love.

lots & lots of love. 

oh. and speaking of love.

sending big love out to my most wonderful dad today.

to the most amazing father a girl could ever ask for...

happiest of all fathers days to you. 

i could not love you any more.

xoxo. 

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and we're off.

well, we are en route to tuscany.

and we can hardly wait to get there.

ciao! ciao!

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giovanna.

i am completely & utterly inspired by a certain italian fashion icon.

a former fashion editor for vogue l'uomo & a contributor to w magazine.

the perennial definition of chic, ms. giovanna battaglia.

there is nothing more stylish than a simple black shirt dress.

i am drooling over the pocket & collar detail.

one piece perfection.

this is such a classic look.

impossibly chic in every possible way.

absolutely timeless.

khaki & black make a huge impression.

i love her popped collar- edgy not preppy.

and those oversized sunnies are out of this world glamorous.

quite possibly my fave blouse.

loving the boldness.

there are so many elements of style in this look.

i have been coveting this hermes scarf for several years now.

back in my days of personal shopping at bergdorf goodman,

i laid eyes on this horseshoe scarf & have never forgotten it.

i am always a huge fan of monochromatic whites.

and the scalloped details just takes this white-on-white to the next level.

and really?

have you ever seen such a stunning cuff?

like i said... this outfit is over the top perfection.

this is such a breezy dress.

i love the shoulder detail & the ultra-feminine collar.

so lovely. 

giovanna is effortlessly stylish.

a true example of street chic.

i found great joy in finding these pictures of her,

as my entire suitcase is packed to the brim with nothing other than

black. white. cream. & khaki clothing. 

here is to hoping i can look half as chic as she.

{images courtesy of appolinas. passioneamore. garance dor. pinterest. and unknown}

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carry-on essentials.

stocking a carry-on purse is hugely important.

especially when you will be in the air for 9+ hours.

one wants to be certain that you have all of the airplane essentials.

you know.

the entertainment. 

the beauty remedies.

the comfiest of all comfies.

this is a c'est si bon girls idea of a perfectly packed cary-on purse.

each pretty little piece is of equal importance

to ensure a well enjoyed ride in the sky.

first off. an oversized tote bag is a total must have.

i am loving this one. designed by the row. 

its so sleek. but still large enough to carry everything.

an ipad is an absolute essential, as the possibilities of entertainment are endless.

books to read for the bibliophile. movies to watch for the cinema chic.

lists to be made for the girl-on-the-go. & games to be played for the inner kid in you.

plus, i am over-the-top in love with my gold ipad case a la henri bendel.

ipod and super cool gold & black headphones.

listening to fave tunes with fancy earbuds is always in style.

a chic scarf is always necessary.

if you are anything like me, i am always chilly in an airplane.

so a cozy scarf is the perfect carry-on accessory.

comfy shoes are of utmost importance, too.

loving these super classic toms. 

easy to slip off & on while going through airport security.

a huge stack of magazines is always great to carry on board.

i can spend hours upon hours scouring through magazines.

fashion. beauty. travel. home design. cooking.

love it all. 

being a writer, i always like to carry a journal around with me.

it is great for scribbling down ideas as i find inspiration on-the-go.

oh, and i am proud to admit that i am totally one of those girls 

that loves to practice signing my name. 

i could practice beautiful handwriting in my journal all day long. 

this kate spade journal & le pen are essentials.

and of course, i always have my simple beauty bag with me.

moisturizer. lipgloss. & mascara.

there is nothing worse than getting off an endless flight and looking tired.

a quick face massage with a great moisturizer is the perfect way to help perk you right up.

a pinch of the cheeks for a natural flush.

a swish or two of mascara. & some bright lipgloss.

you will be like a new. rejuvenated. & energized lady.

keeping these beauty products in your carry-on purse allows for quick access.

well, now that my carry-on purse is perfectly packed...

i am off to tackle the carry-on suitcase.

eeee! 

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racquet upgrade.

if there ever was a most beautiful racquet.

chanel would be the one to design it.

donning the signature quilted pattern.

this sports gear is black & white & chic all over.

tennis, anyone?

{image courtesy of ook.com}

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seeing spots.

i know it is barely summer.

but i am hugely coveting these flats for fall.

loeffler randall nailed it with these babies.

perfectly chic. perfectly spotty.

a calf hair shoe dipped in a leather pointy cap-toe 

makes for a most perfect fall ballet flat.

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a queen of correspondence.

i have two dear friends that i greatly admire.

they are actually a mother-daughter dynamic duo.

{you never see one without the other}

they are terribly chic & every fiber of their being is made of kindness.

they simply exude thoughtfulness. love. & encouragement.

i like to call them

the queens of correspondence.

the masters of remembering birthdays.

the gurus of acknowledging others victories.

and the ultimate at delivering encouragement in times of need.

these girls were born to show love.

there is not a birthday day that goes by

that i do not come home to a card tied to my door knob.

and there is not a holiday- either big or small-

that these gals do not take the time to honor us. 

and the best part of it all.

i know that they do this for everyone.

i often wonder how they remember each significant date.

do they have a giant calendar that they check everyday?

do they just have the gift of remembering dates?

are they really just that thoughtful?

a few days ago my family celebrated a significant day.

and as we pulled up to the house, 

we could see a little card & ribbon hanging on the knob.

my mom & i looked at each other with that knowing look...

the girls had dropped by to leave some love.

it inspired me.

these little notes of love bring such happiness.

and i want to spread joy to the world.

just as these two lovely ladies have done for years & years.

so, i was on a mission.

a mission to find a stinkin cute calendar to start keeping every significant date.

dates that are not just significant to me.

dates that are significant to me because they are hugely significant to others. 

i found the perfect little calendar.

meet sarah pinto's little cutie of a date planner.

this calendar design makes me want to celebrate.

it has so much energy & life.

{not to mention it is also made of recycled paper}

cute, right?

totally preppy.

sarah also design notebooks & postcards.

this is my lucky notebook.

write all your goals & wishes in this baby.

they will be covered in good luck. 

darling postcards.

these are cute enough to make all girls long to be 

a queen of correspondence.

and of course if you have the perfect

calendar. notebook. postcard. etc.

you must have the perfect pen.

le pen.

perfect to keep clipped to the spiral of your calendar.

i especially love the color choices. 

cute to boot.

so, who is with me?

are you just bursting with anticipation of filling in a calendar.

just think of the fun it would be to color code various events of celebration.

pink for all birthdays.

blue for all holidays.

green for all accomplishments. 

how fun?!

sarah has generously sent a calendar for me to give away to

one lucky c'est si bon reader.

{my birthday is already filled in. only teasing}

to enter in this giveaway follow these three simple steps.

one. subscribe by email to follow c'est si bon.

two. share the link on your facebook page.

three. leave a comment sharing which sarah pinto design is your fave.

the winner will be announced on june 8.

mark that date on your calendars, ladies.

alright, i am off to fill in my new polka dotted calendar.

thanks, sarah! 

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