Cinque Terre Part 2: Manarola

More from my trip to Cinque Terre. I really am trying my hardest to catch up on travel posts because 

1) I don't want to put up a post of my summer trip months later 

2) I have friends and family nagging me to share photos (here's lookin' at you mom!) and 

3) I do really love looking at the photos and revisiting my experiences through them. 

Corny, I know, but that's me folks.

The second of the 5 Lands that I visited was Manarola which had, in my opinion, the best view and was most accessible to anyone of any age. 

Often when I travel I have thoughts of "oh, my grandma would really love this" but then have to remind myself that she's not as young and fit as she used to be. Still a little firecracker, but not able to walk many distances or stairs. 

Most of the villages in Cinque Terre were easy to access (minus Corniglia. So. Many. Stairs.) However, their breathtaking views required a little bit of a hike. Not terrible and you don't have to be in the best shape, but I know for people like my grandma, it would be a no-go.

Manarola's train station stops beyond a flat tunnel's walk into the city. You do need to walk up a few (maybe 15) stairs to get to the side of town with the sea, but then there is a ramp to walk down through the narrow, brightly colored road and up to the cliffside. 

(Again, please ignore the sloppiness of my outfit. Apparently the fabric doesn't do well after getting drench from a downpour while in Vernazza. Sloppy or not, I still needed to get a photo in front of this view! - The outfit is cute when it's clean, pressed and dry, I promise...)

To get a view of the town itself, you just follow along a path to your right that winds along a separate mountainside. There is a slight incline, but the path is wide and there are benches along the way, so if you or someone you're with do have difficulties, there are resting points.

Again, this town shouldn't be too difficult for everyone to walk. As for the other villages that aren't as easy or you need to hike around to find a good view (specifically Corniglia and Riomaggiore which I will talk about later) some of the walking can be tough. But do it if you can. It will be worth the sweat. 

For all 5 of the lands, bring water. Spain and Italy have many water fountains in cities and towns where you can fill your bottle. Most are drinkable and in my experience, those that are not have signs indicating so that are easily understood even if you don't speak the language. 

Peace,

Sarah

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Simple Thoughts vol. 4

Sorry for the delay in posting this week's Simple Thoughts. I actually had the draft typed and ready to go early (what what!), but the internet decided not to work after a thunderstorm yesterday and thus I could not post. All is well though, I read a good, old-fashioned book and relaxed rather than let the lack of wifi get me down. Y'all should try it. It was great :)

On another note, this is my 50th post on SimplySarah! Thanks so much for reading. It means a lot to see a steady flow of readers that is continually growing! You are the best!

My host family had a dinner party on Saturday for a group of about 20 people, so instead of going away for the weekend I decided to stay close to Chiavari to help out with the preparations and just do a day trip on Sunday. Lucky for me, Portofino is only 3 train stops (15 min) away! 

Helloooo Sunday. Gotta love living in the Italian Riviera, amiright?

This is officially my last week working as an au pair. I cannot believe it. It honestly feels like I just arrived in Italy and I will be very sad to say goodbye. I do have a little time to myself in Europe before returning home to the States, which is nice. A trip to Poland to visit where my late grandfather’s family was from sounds like a plan to me. Bring on the pierogies.

I’ve been toying with the idea of a capsule wardrobe for about a year or so now but can’t bring myself to take the plunge. (For this you’re all shocked, I know.)  Easing my way into it with a vacation capsule might do the trick. Thanks for sharing Kimi!

Many of my friends know of my love for Mindy Kaling. I obsessively watch The Mindy Project, I’ve read her first book and will definitely be buying the second. Thus, it came as no surprise when a friend shared with me her recent “Guide to KillerConfidence” article (/book excerpt) from Glamour. As expected, it is excellent. If there is only one time you ever follow my advice and read something, this should be it. Trust me.

Um, how delicious does this pizza look?! My obsession with fruit can be paired with my love of pizza outside of the usual Hawaiian style! A big thanks to A Beautiful Mess for this realization!

Speaking of fruit, living in Italy has definitely reminded me of my love for tomatoes. Since moving away from home (aka my grandma's garden), I haven't eaten nearly as many of those red beauties as I used to. Once I'm back in the states that will be changing my friends. And it may have to start with these Pesto-Parmesan Baked Tomatoes from Skinny Taste.

Not a recipe per se, but I've also discovered a love of figs this summer. I've had FigNewtons before and never minded them, but had never eaten an actual fig until recently. So good. So so good.

Loft is having a "Buy One, Get One 50% Off" sale on sweaters and tops. I'm loving this marled high-low sweater (so many colors!) and this striped "coatigan" (yes, the name does make me love it more...) And if the BOGO doesn't tickle your fancy, just take a look at their clearance section in general which is an extra 40% off!! Such great options from this shirtdress to these sandals.

Loving the colors and pattern of this dress. Toss on a cardigan or jean jacket and it can easily transition into fall.

Mary Jane's are my favorite style of shoe. So classic, so classy. These red ones are perfect!

Anthropologie's jewelry section is usually hit or miss with me (often due to the pricing). These earrings are definitely a hit for me!

Happy Tuesday!

Peace,
Sarah

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The Countdown vol. 2

5, 4, 3, 2, 1 - BLAST OFF!

Sorry, I couldn't resist. Did anyone else dream of being an astronaut as a kid or was I alone?

Anywhoo, here is this week's countdown (technically last week's but I forgot to post it - whoops).

5. Like many of you, I am a huge fan of Kendra Scott's jewelry. I find her pieces very unique and fun and many of them have the ability to transition from flirty to fancy very easily. However, I also find many of the pieces very large and I am personally more drawn to delicate, small jewelry. The "Elisa" necklace is a perfect compromise and it comes in a variety of gorgeous colors!

4. How pretty is this sea-green clutch from Lu Lu's? I love the shape's resemblance to an envelope #snailmailisbestmail. The black version is on sale for $25!

3. You can never go wrong with a pair of chucks. Wear them with the obvious choice of denim, or create a more casual look with your favorite shift dress and spare your feet the pain from heals. (These Lucky Brand flats are also in the $30-40 price range and we all know I love a good cognac.)

2. JCrew never fails to provide shoppers with a great striped top. This one is on sale for just over $22 and comes in 4 different colors (you know, to mix it up from the 5 navy blue and white striped tops you already own #guilty. I'm loving the yellow!)

1. The last item I'm including is this beautiful floral skirt from Romwe. I've never purchased anything from them and am curious about the quality and fit. Anyone have experiences (positive or negative) to share? 

Peace,

Sarah

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Cinque Terre Part 1: Vernazza

After a great time in Santa Stefano, I was very excited to plan out my next Italian weekend getaway. As I was skimming through Pinterest, I stumbled upon a vacation destination I had marked on my bucket list, Cinque Terre. "Hmmm, I wonder where that is in relation to Chiavari," I thought to myself...

Well friends, Cinque Terre is only a 50 min train ride from Chiavari! I know, I couldn't believe my luck either! Once I realized this, it was set. The next trip would be to the "5 Lands" (what the name translates to in English).

Cinque Terre is a group of five, small fishing villages on the coast the Italian Riviera. The villages are connected via train and hiking trails, but if driving, they would not all be easily accessible.

My first stop was the small town of Vernazza. I was originally going to include all 5 villages in one post, but the amount of photos I took decided otherwise. I just could not get over the beauty of this place!

The colors of the towns are probably most notable. It's stunning. Yes, many photos you see online are enhance the saturation of the color, but the towns really are very vibrant!

The towns are also, pretty small. I bumped into a couple from the states in Vernazza who asked me if I spoke English (I do, obvs) and then asked, "is this it?"

I mean, I guess that was fair. Vernazza only has about 1000 people (I couldn't find which is the smallest of the 5 online, but I think Vernazza could be it) and it was pouring that morning so there wasn't much going on, but I don't think they really gave it a chance.

Soak in the color, the sea, the beauty. Sit down and enjoy a cappuccino. Go for a hike in the mountains and walk to the next village. Eat some pesto man!

(I had every intention of posting about my outfit for the day, but "drenched rat" doesn't translate well into a "fashion" (I use that term very loosely) post.) 

It took a few hours, but the rain did eventually let up and the skies became clear and, while I thought it wasn't possible, Vernazza became even more beautiful. 

My visits to the other 4 villages were clear, sunny and hot. Next on my itinerary was Monarola which was probably my favorite of the 5! Stay tuned!

Peace,
Sarah

(PS, sorry for the not so bright, sometimes a little blurry from water spots, photos. I'd say I was angry with the rain, but I have waited all summer for a thunderstorm and even with the sucky timing it was wonderful.)

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Simple Thoughts vol. 3

Hey there, friends!

I hope you all had wonderful, relaxing weekends! Here is this week's simple thought collection. Enjoy! And as always, let me know what you think!

This weekend I was very fortunate and able to spend time in Florence which was incredible. If I'm being honest, Florence was never on my list of places to visit. Don't ask why, I just had no burning desire to go, but I am so glad that I did. It may have surpassed Munich as my favorite city in Europe! Keep your eyes out for a post about the trip!

On Tuesday I had the bright idea to challenge myself to doing 500 sit ups, just because. I completed the challenge and had a lot of fun doing it. I will say though, that my tailbone hurt a ton the next two days. After investigating online, many trainers recommend crunches instead because this is a common issue (#hindsights20/20). So if you ever have the burning desire to do 500+ sit-ups, do crunches instead and save your tush.

You may have seen that my July budget was a little off (at least until I can try the things and send what I don't like back). Well, while in Florence I scored majorly in the bag department and bought a wine colored crossbody bag and brown tote for $15-20 less than what those two cost at the NSale! Needless to say, the Nordstrom ones will be returned and now I will have a more fun story for a purse than just the sale price. I was also able to get my sister's birthday and Christmas presents out of the way. Normally I do not think this far ahead, but there were a few things that screamed her name and I couldn't resist.

This coming weekend I may just stay in Chiavari and relax in the sun. We will see. Again, if you have any suggestions of neat places to see in Italy let me know!

Check out this article about the scientific proof that being outside and in nature can change your brain!

I Spy DIY share a "DIYer's Guide to #PlantCare" for those of us with not-so-green thumbs. It was nice to see that my teacup succulents aren't completely doomed! (But I will have to see for myself when I get home...)

Not really a read, but how hilarious (and slightly true) is this Buzzfeed video about being an adult?! "And you know guac is extra."

I love me a good smoothie, but have never heard of making them with tea before. Excited to try this Strawberry Watermelon Mint Tea Smoothie from Journey to a Healthy Me once I'm back in the states!

I scream, you scream, we all scream for NiceCream! Guilt free desert? Sign me up please. Thanks for sharing, Lisa (Strum Simmer Sip)!

I also cannot wait to try this inexpensive, mouth-watering Smoky Paremsan Roasted Cauliflower recipe from Budget Bytes. I love cauliflower and I love saving money, so this recipe is pretty much made for me ;)

While the NSale may be finished, there are definitely some other great savings to be found!

There is an extra 50% off of women's sale items at Banana Republic! I'm loving this unique, eyelet-hem angled skirt.

Sometimes all you need is a simple, striped tee. Loving this red one which is 40% off along with everything else at the Gap!

Watches and I have a love hate relationship. I love the idea of them, but go through phases of always wearing the same one, or never wearing any. Lately I have been wearing the inexpensive watch that I bought this January in South Korea (seen here and here), but I would love to get another to mix things up a bit. I'm loving this Kate Spade one and also this one from Daniel Wellington.

The number of times I have put this BaubleBar ring into my online shopping cart and never purchased it is a little crazy. I'm seriously in love with it, but still can't push myself to buy it... Maybe someday.

I'm officially in a fight with my Old Navy sleeveless blouse (seen here). The degree to which it wrinkles in minutes is not ok. I love the idea of the shirt and the style, but I am going to have to buy a new one from different store that hopefully doesn't wrinkle as quickly. This J Crew Factory top may be a solution, but I'm honestly scared to waste money on another top that I end up love/hating. Any recommendations?

Happy Monday!

Peace,
Sarah

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