Cortona and More

The town of Cortona is where we headed next. From Andrea's correspondence I had become very envious of her time spent living and studying there the past couple of months. Once I laid my eyes on the town that envy reached a breaking point. Situated on a hill overlooking the Valdi Chiana valley the views from the town are fantastic. Some of the highlights include: the quiet cobblestone streets where locals would great you in Italian, tiny cars flying through narrow gaps, the Lions Well filled with hundreds of people for Carnevale, and delicious eateries speckled throughout, including Bar Sport where you can get a cappuccino and a pastry for 2 euros. In addition to soaking in the vibe of Cortona we also visited a few other towns in Tuscany on day-trips while Andrea was in class. 

Following a road out of town

Pizza, salad and wine. A pretty standard meal during the trip.

Inside the bed and breakfast that we stayed at.

The main square, Pizza della Republica

Snowy path

Santa Margherita

Florentine steak for one

One of the towns we visited was Assisi. The Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi is a world heritage site.

Desert boots were my footwear of choice this trip

Street in Assisi. Just like in Japan, following the small side streets to see where they lead is activity that I cannot pass up

Another town with a view, Perugia

Inside the Cathedral in Pienza.

Street in Pienza. The town is another world heritage site as it's a "touchstone of Renaissance urbanism"

Most of the towns we visited had incredible views.

The difference in price for a bottle of wine at a restaurant in Italy versus Canada is staggering.

As soon as you stepped out the door of the B&B you strolled down this corridor

A photo I took during my last morning in Cortona

One Night in Rome

A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to travel with my family to Italy to visit Andrea who is doing the last semester of her degree abroad at the U of A Cortona campus. I had never been to continental Europe before and I was looking forward to a break from the toils of law school. The plan was to fly into Rome and stay there for one night before heading to Cortona for 4 nights and then end in Florence for 4 nights. We tried to jam as much of the big sites as we could into that 24 hour period. Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Colosseum, Pantheon, the Forum, and St Peter's Basilica all managed to be checked off my list. This was much to my surprise as I had only thought we'd manage to see a few of them. It's hard to judge the city from my short visit consisting mostly of rushing around but I enjoyed my visit. One day I'd like to return to see the city at a slower pace. 

View from the hotel room

Fontana di Trevi

The Wedding Cake

Outside the Pantheon

Andrea was our tour guide having been to most of these spots before 

Inside the extravagant St Peter's Basilica

Pick Up: Ralph Lauren Quilted Down Coat

Living in Edmonton, I'm always on the lookout for outerwear that can survive the siberian-esque winters. My most recent acquisition was a Ralph Lauren quilted down coat with a detachable shearling collar. The coat also has a detachable hood, adding to its versatility. Other details include a throat latch and ribbed cuffs attached to the inner lining. Since buying it, I've worn it almost every day and have nothing but good things to say about the coat.

Pickup: Swims Umbrella

Vancouver has a reputation of being a very rainy city. I was warned that although it may not snow and be -30 in the winter, the weeks of continuous rain with no glimpses of the sun aren't great either. I had never needed an umbrella in Edmonton but after the first few months in Vancouver I decided to get one. From Norwegian brand Swims, this umbrella smoothly opens and closes with the press of a button. So far it has worked well and has felt study. Even more remarkable is that I haven't lost it yet. Gravity Pope carries them in Vancouver, Edmonton, and Calgary.

Kent Wang: Grenadine Tie and Linen Pocket Square

This past Thursday I had the chance to attend a wine and cheese reception to meet some of the bigger law firms in Vancouver. It was a great opportunity to try and begin to determine which firms I'd like to apply at for the 2013 summer (1st years don't generally get legal positions in the summer). Although these were not recent pick ups, I had been waiting for a chance to take some photos of the Kent Wang items I had purchased last summer. The navy grenadine tie is a great simple tie with enough texture to keep it interesting. I am slowly starting to build up the basics of my tie collection overtime and I'd recommend Kent Wang's offerings to anyone doing the same. Even though I had a decent number of pocket squares I was still missing a plain white one and this one with hand-rolled edges filled that gap nicely. 

Pickups from Japan: Part 4 - Small Items

I have finally reached my last post about my trip to Japan this past summer. School has been extremely busy, which has led to these posts being very spread out and delayed. Here are some small items that I picked up on the trip. Some as household items and some as keepsakes of the trip.  The sunny hot days of Japan from the summer may have long passed but I've been enjoying the transition to a mild rainy Fall in Vancouver. 
Clockwise from top left
1. Wilkinson's Ginger Ale Bottle - A delicious ginger ale with the spiciness of ginger beer. It's a shame it's only available in Japan. Now the bottle serves as a decoration on my mantle.
2. Daibutsu Buddha statute from Nara - This was from inside Daibutsuden, the largest wooden building in the world 
3. Green tea cups - from a street market in Nara
4. Mt. Fuji print from a vendor in Asakusa and a frame from Muji
5. Tools: Real Stuff for Future Classics 
6. Muji pencil sharpener
7. North Face socks - A nice marled red blend
8. Sou-Sou tabi socks - I forgot to include these in the picture for the Sou-Sou post
9. Muji linen coasters
10. Lamy Safari fountain pen - a gift from Andrea after we spent hours at Loft 
Below. Dinex Mug - from Bamboo Shoots; one of the stores I was most excited to visit

Pickups from Japan: Part 4 - Truck

One of the stores I was most excited to visit in Japan was the Truck Furniture showroom in Osaka. I think it was in an older issue of Monocle that I first heard about the brand. Getting to the store was quite the adventure as it was nowhere near our hotel, it was a scorcher of a day, and we struggled to find it once emerging from the subway. First thing we did was take a number for the cafe they run, Bird Coffee, before heading to the showroom to cool down. The showroom was as nice as I hoped, with all their furniture, smaller items, and zakka on display. After taking my time to sit on the couches and chairs, flip through their catalogues, and raffle through the clothing, I did manage to grab some memorabilia. Pictured above is a small ceramic bowl, a wooden tray (where I keep my keys), and a simple blue bracelet. 

After we had finished shopping, our number had been displayed for the cafe and we headed over for lunch. All the furniture and housewares used at the cafe are from their catalogue and it was a great opportunity to see if in action. Not to mention that the food, coffee and doughnuts were all delicious as well. 

Inside Bird Coffee

Inside the Truck Showroom