Roman Holiday or Summer Vacation Italian Style

Now that we've had the time change and the days are getting longer, I'm starting to think about planning a summer vacation.
I'm not sure where I will be going at this point but any trip that I take will probably include Italy
which just yesterday celebrated 150 years of unification... thank you Bluetramonta Style for letting us know about Italy's anniversary.

I haven't been there in over a decade and conveniently, my younger brother will be moving this summer from Spain to Naples.

I'd like to spend some time in Rome, Sicily and on the Amalfi Coast.  But since those places will be so busy and touristy I might instead opt for

Apulia

The Tremeti Islands

and the Italian Alps.
I'm curious, if you were planning a summer trip to Italy, where would you go?

St Patricks Day Vintage Green Jade Bling

This St Patricks Day in solidarity with friends and family in Japan we are sharing the green with this photo of a Japanese landscape.

Serene isn't it?

And keeping in the green theme

a few pieces of vintage green jade bling from Beladora2.com.

 Vintage 1970's Carved Jade Ring in 14K

I love the vine and leaf detail on the side of this 1 1/2 inch elongated ring

Jade Pendant in 14K

I love the fact that this vintage pendant is 3 1/2 inches long and it looks so cool on a long gold chain

Vintage Retro Bracelet in 18K with Jade Charm in 14K

I love these bracelets with only one big 1 1/2 inch charm, it is such a 1940's movie star look.

Note:  A percent of all March sales goes to Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami Relief Fund

How To Wear Estate Jewelry On St Patricks Day

Choosing to go for just a wee bit of green
this is my estate jewelry choice for St Patricks Day

I love the collar design and the big pebble like gemstones

It's definitely makes a statement but a soft one.
Isn't it pretty?

Multi Gemstone Collar Necklace in Gold Vermeil $2550

And thank you to the Duchesse, aka one of the famous O'Malley sisters, for picking out a few affordable and St Patrick's Day approved pieces with gorgeous green from Beladora2.com

and to superglam preggers Faux Fuchsia for posting about the Beladora.com and Beladora2.com donations from all March sales to the Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami Relief Fund.
So Erin Go Shop

Sunday At Home or Creating Order Out of Chaos

Like the rest of the world, I can't stop watching the videos from Japan.
This one from the BBC shows when the tsunami first hits the land
It's truly frightening to see the unrelenting power of the tsunami.

As for the report that radiation has leaked from Japanese nuclear plants is going to cross the Pacific and hit the west cost

It is admitted that the first plant has melted down, and 6 more nuclear power plants in Japan are in danger. If they fail, this situation could get even worse. Japanese authorities are distributing potassium iodide to its population for thyroid protection.

For U.S. populations, we can hope that most of the radiation will disperse into the ocean and never reach us, however, with the U.S. West Coast in the direct path of the jet stream from Japan, it is a good precaution to stock up on potassium iodide or natural iodine from kelp, which can prevent the absorption of radioactive iodine, the most common complication from radiation poisoning.

OK, so I didn't run out and buy potassium iodide
Instead I took a clue from Faux Fuchsia and went out to brunch
which is something that I rarely do
But when life brings you circumstances that you can do nothing about
it's good to spend time with your brood

and enjoy a bloody mary
and catch up on what's going on in the lives of your children and their significant others

Since the weather was warmish we sat outside and enjoyed the sun.

Later in further FF style there was some gardening

specifically cleaning up my wildly growing mint, parsley and cilantro

and of course some cooking

with Chicken Chasseur de Ville for Sunday dinner

which was super easy to action

OK, so I admit that it wasn't real poulet chasseur because I left out the mushrooms and the cognac

but it was tasty anyway

Here are the basics

Saute some chicken ( I used organic boneless chicken thighs) in a little butter and oil

remove chicken from pan and add chopped red onion, chopped roasted red pepper, chopped garlic and cook vegetables until soft.

Add one can of chopped tomatoes (I used the no salt added kind) and some red wine and bring to a boil

Return the chicken to the pan and add some fresh parsley, basil and a bay leaf

Cover and cook in the oven for about 30 minutes

Serve with asparagus and hot baguette

There is something so calming about domestic activity

because when mother nature, who's not your friend by the way, brings you chaos

organizing your home, a reasonably achievable goal,

brings you at least some semblance of order out of chaos.

Jewelry Biz - Bernard Buys Bulgari For Big Bucks

Bernard Arnault has been busy with his brands.
A week or so ago he was forced to fire Dior's enfant terrible, John Galliano
and this week he's buying, or rather stock swapping, LVMH for Bulgari in a 6 billion dollar deal.
Is Bulgari worth 6 billion?
Does it really sell that much swag?
With eye glasses, perfume and handbags in addition to their jewelry,
I guess that the revenue racks up.
But the WSJ questions the price
LVMH's High Priced Bulgari Jewel
LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton offered €4.3 billion ($6.01 billion) for the Italian jeweler, including debt, on Monday, valuing it at an eye-watering 22 times forecast 2011 earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, or Ebitda, well above LVMH's 10 times valuation. While Bulgari might prove a jewel in the strategic sense, the financial returns appear significantly less mesmerizing.


But the deal's financial merit is less convincing. True, LVMH's record in expanding brands should drive faster top-line growth at Bulgari. But luxury-goods-sector deals typically generate cost savings of up to 3% of sales, which, taxed and capitalized, would be valued at roughly €420 million in Bulgari's case, barely enough to cover one-fifth of the 60% premium to its predeal share price. Fortunately, this is a relatively small deal for LVMH, limiting its impact on earnings. But its initial return on investment could be an uninspiring 2.6%, estimates Evolution Securities.

Priced like a polished gem, delivering decent returns on Bulgari won't be easy.



Also, it appears that I jumped the shark on the whole celebrities getting paid to wear the goods at the Oscars.
According to National Jeweler, Anne Hathaway and Gwenneth Paltrow weren't paid by Tiffany and Louis Vuitton.
Representatives from Tiffany & Co., however, deny the claim.

“To reiterate what was shared with US Weekly, their sources are incorrect,” Carson Glover, director of worldwide media relations at Tiffany, said.
Reps for Hathaway, Paltrow, and Louis Vuitton have also told numerous publications the payment claims were incorrect, although it isn’t the first time Paltrow has been linked to lucrative endorsements.
OK, sorry Anne, sorry Gwen, my bad.

Finally, from IDEX online
Christies To Auction 10 ct Pink
New York—Another unusual fancy-color diamond is set to capture global attention with its color, size and price. Christie's will auction a 10.09-carat, cushion-cut, fancy vivid purplish-pink diamond at its April 12 Magnificent Jewels sale here. The auction house has estimated the diamond at $12-15 million.

Fancy-color and large diamonds have set a string of records prices recently. Four pink diamonds have fetched more than $1 million per carat at Christie's auctions, among them a vivid pink, 5-carat cushion-cut diamond that sold for more than $2.1 million per carat at Christie's Hong Kong in December 2009.



Doesn't it seem as though in every other auction, there's some big fancy colored diamond on the block?
Seriously, how many of them are out there?

...and how can I get my hands on one....