Travel Diary: St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg was definitely the highlight of my time abroad. We spent three action-packed days exploring all that the city had to offer; from Peterhof Gardens to the Hermitage (the Romanov Winter Palace) to Peter and Paul's Fortress (where all the Czars and Czarinas are buried) to the Leningrad Memorial, we saw it all. And drank a lot of vodka (when in Rome, right?!) 

Peterhof Gardens

Peterhof Gardens - looking out onto the Baltic Sea 

 

The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood 

The Hermitage (Romanov Winter Palace)  

St. Issac's Cathedral

I even climbed the 262 steps to the top of the Colonnade at St Isaac's Cathedral to get a birds-eye view of the city. It was absolutely terrifying to be up so high, and I didn't let go of the railing the entire time, but to see St. Petersburg that way was unbelievable, especially since it happened to be during one of the rare times that the sun was shining during our stay. Totally worth the crippling fear I felt the whole 15 minutes we were up there.

St. Petersburg as seen from the Colonnade of St. Isaac's

St. Petersburg as seen from the Colonnade of St. Isaac's

The Ballet

 Alexandrinskyi Theatre Sankt

As a huge Russian history nerd (and secret Doctor Zhivago fan) I can't tell you how incredible it was to be in St Petersburg, a city with so much history, and a city that is still so beautiful after all this time (having 24 carat gold all over the statues and buildings doesn't hurt). Too see all the sites that I've been reading about for years, and to walk through the Romanov Palace; it was three days I'll never forget.

What I Wore

For our big night out in St. Petersburg (it seems we had one big night out per city) we went to the ballet and then off to a nightclub, so I had to wear something that would be appropriate in both of these very diverse settings. While finding an outfit that would fit both venues would be difficult on a normal day, it was extra difficult trying to do so when living out of a suitcase - damn me for not packing my ball-gown!

With limited options I decided to go Vogue Paris chic with skinny jeans, heels and confidence - I figured if I walked with confidence I could get away with anything - and I did! Or, maybe it was just that we were at the ballet on a Wednesday and the dress code wasn't as strict, but I'd like to think my confidence played a part.

Sweater - Zara; Tank & Necklace - Smart Set; Jeans - H&M;
Wedges & Clutch - Aldo  

Turns out it was the perfect ensemble; but then again, when has Emmanuelle Alt ever steered anyone wrong?!

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Travel Diary: Minsk, Warsaw, Berlin

For the last week of my adventure (we're jumping ahead a few days, trust me, it's for the best...) my time was split between Minsk, Warsaw and Berlin. 

Minsk

Minsk was not a place I had ever thought about visiting, and honestly, had the tour not stopped there I never would have gone, but I am so glad that I did; Minsk was stunning. Although we only spent one night in Minsk, I had a blast exploring the city, bowling and taking in the local entertainment.

Brest Fortress

Warsaw

The day we spent in Warsaw was one of the most beautiful of the trip. The sun was shining, the breeze was warm; it was perfect for exploring the Polish capital. After spending the morning on a bus tour, which took us to all the key sights and drove us through the Warsaw Ghetto (that was very surreal), we enjoyed a delicious perogi lunch before settling in for an afternoon of beers and people-watching along Warsaw's main street. It was absolutely glorious day!

Berlin

By the time we arrived in Berlin, the travel plague had firmly taken hold; I was sick and just getting sicker. Although I'd been a little sick through most of the trip I was able to push through and keep exploring, that did not happen in Berlin. I spent one day touring the city and that was it. The last day of my trip I spent quarantined in my hotel room drinking tea and watching old documentaries on CNBC (the only English channel I could get). 

Even though the end of my stay in Berlin wasn't great, I'm so glad I spent my one semi-healthy day by taking in a walking tour of the city. I can't tell you how surreal it was to see so many historic sites that I've read about for years, like the Brandenburg Gate, the Holocaust Memorial and what remained of the Berlin Wall. 

The Brandenburg Gate

Holocaust Memorial

The Berlin Wall (what remains)

What I Wore

Although I wasn't able to frolic through Europe's cobblestone street in my sundress, I did have the chance to wear it a few times throughout the trip. Whether it was due to distance (700km+ Minsk to Warsaw), border delays (Belarus to Poland) or crazy Russian traffic (pretty much everywhere in Russia), there were more than a few days where we spent at least six hours on the bus - and on those days I broke out the sundress. Cute enough that when we did get off the bus I didn't feel like a schlub, but comfortable enough that when we finally arrived in Moscow after 11 hours I didn't feel absolutely horrible. 

Sweater - Zara; Dress - Old Navy; Sandals - Zellers

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Travel Diary: Stockholm and Helsinki

I've only been home for two weeks but I'm already mourning the end of my trip and starting to plan my next big adventure (London and Paris next fall perhaps). So, this week I've decided to relive the adventure by publishing a travel diary.

Stockholm















Helsinki

The first week of my vacation was spent mostly in Stockholm with a brief pause in Helsinki before moving onto Russia. Stockholm is somewhere that I've wanted to visit for years, so I couldn't have been happier to have four whole days to explore the city. 

I spent my time doing the dorky tourist things that I love, like taking a bus tour (or three), watching the changing of the guard at the Royal Palace (I thought I had read somewhere that there was a Royal Goat, I was mistaken and very disappointed when there wasn't), touring Stockholm's many islands, and shopping at H&M.

My last day in Stockholm (also the first day of the organized tour) after a visit to City Hall, we boarded the cruise ship bound for Helsinki; when you're on board the Love Boat with 30 strangers/soon-to-be-friends, the only thing to do is have an amazing time and watch the drag/cabaret show (when in Rome, right?!).

I wanted to make the most of the one day we had in Helsinki, so I saw as much as I could in the 8 hours that we had. Between a city tour and a ferry ride to Suomenlinna Sea Fortress, I feel like I got the full Finnish experience.

Although my time in Scandinavia was brief, it was amazing - this is definitely somewhere that I want to revisit!

What I Wore

When I started packing for my trip I had grandiose dreams of frolicking through the Northern European cities in cute sundress and sandals; sadly, Mother Nature had other plans. While the weather was nice it was not exactly sundress weather everywhere that I travelled; thank goodness I brought along a good supply of jeans.

The first few days of my adventure I focused on fashion that was comfortable enough to spend many hours pounding the cobblestones, yet also chic. But, as the trip progressed and our wake-up times became earlier (and bedtimes became later), and with the ever-changing weather, I quickly developed a travel uniform that would get me through the day no matter where we were going, or what the temperature might be.

Shirt - Old Navy; Jeans - Mavi; Jacket - Marmot; Scarf - H&M
Sandals - Birkenstock, Zellers; Flats - Aldo

 These henley t-shirts from Old Navy were a last minute purchase (we're talking last minute - I realized when packing that I only had one t-shirt that was presentable, so I ran to Old Navy and scooped up these fab pieces - two in each colour) but they soon became my go-to throughout the trip. Not only were they great to wear on their own, but they made the perfect base for layering when the temperatures dipped in Russia, and they dried super fast when I was forced to hand-wash them in the sink in St. Petersburg.

Not the most interesting of looks, but definitely a casual and classic look for travelling.

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Style Profile: Rich Girls Club

 

Name: Julia

Occupation: Blogger

Site: Rich Girls Club

Location: Marbella, Spain

When and why did you start your site?

I had the idea of starting  a website about the luxury lifestyle from a girls’ perspective for a while, but never had time or energy to actually do it. Only after I quit my day job and moved to Spain in 2010, I finally had a chance to fully commit to my idea. And I am really happy that I did it.

How would you describe your site?

 My website is for girls who want to achieve a lot in life, who are leading (or interested in) a wealthy lifestyle, love to travel around the world and party in the most exclusive places. Girls who want to know how other successful ladies achieved their goals and learn their secrets. In a nutshell, my website is for girls who are not afraid to be different, wealthy and successful.

Where do you get your inspiration?

Every day I feel truly  blessed that I live in such  wonderful place as Marbella! This magnificent city  has everything I could only dream of: breathtaking views, great beaches and beach clubs, exquisite restaurants and of course my most favorite place - the marina of Puerto Banus. All you need to do to be inspired is to get out of your house and   look around to admire the beauty of the place.

Who are your style/beauty icons?

It might sound strange, but I don’t have any beauty or style icons. I believe that every girl is unique and should embrace it! I prefer to find ways to express my personality other than copy someone else’s. Of course I live among people, read blogs and magazines and whether I want it or not, I get influenced. But I see it more like exploring various options and collecting ideas from a lot of different people, just to end up with something which is my own.

Describe your personal style.

My style is feminine and classic. If you had a chance to get a glimpse of my closet, you would find that 70% of it is occupied by dresses, 10% by skirts, 15% different tops and only 5% pants/jeans. There were a lot of high heels in my shoe closet, before I moved to Spain. Now there are mostly flats.

What was the best style/beauty advice you were given? 

The best advice I was ever given was to smile often, be positive and always be in a good mood. The other advice is to compliment others of their style and beauty. 

Where are your favourite places to shop? 

I love to shop online, there is a number of website I check out on a regular basis. I also  like to browse through some stuff in Puerto Banus from time to time, but my favorite store here in Spain  is El Corte Ingles, where you can find anything you need. There are also two huge shopping centers on the Costa del Sol where I like to spend some time.

 

What are your favourite trends for this season? 

 My most favorite trends this season are chunky bangles, statement trousers  and all-white looks.

Style/Beauty Pet Peeve? 

I don’t really get the caviar manicure and lips.

What do you never leave home without? 

My wallet and iphone.

What are your five essential items that you think every woman should own?

I think that every woman should own at least one pair of the most expensive high heels she can afford, designer handbag, black pencil skirt, flattering cocktail dress and sexy underwear.

Where do you see yourself and your site in five years?

I see Rich Girls Club as a huge community website with a lot of like-minded girls who share their ideas, dreams and success with each other. And I am the one in charge :)

All images courtesy of Rich Girls Club.

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Bring it Fall

Sweater - Old Navy; Tank - Smart Set; Pants - Talula; Shoes - Aldo

I'm not going to lie to you, yesterday morning was a sad morning. Not only did I have to wear a coat to work, but I had to wear trouser socks because it was too cold to wear flats with bare-feet. Trouser socks.

It's official, fall is on it's way.

It took me a while to get over my end-of-summer depression and that's when I realized that fall means sweater weather and skirt with tights and boots.

So bring it fall - I'm ready!

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It's Been a While

Well hello there. It's been a while. I can't tell you how happy I am to be back, up and running!

This past month has been a whirlwind of new adventures, new friends, and was in a word: amazing! When we last spoke I was on my way across the pond to cross off resolution #16 of my Petite Resolutions. Over the next 21 days I crossed exploring Stockholm, Helsinki, St Petersburg and Moscow off my bucket list; was introduced to the surprising beauty of Minsk, Belarus; and, was immersed in history in Warsaw and Berlin. It was the trip of a lifetime, one that I won't soon forget. Sadly, my vacation abroad was punctuated with a vicious case of the travel plague which has kept me out of commission this past week. But now, thankfully, after a week of soup, sneezing, sleep and tea, I'm back!

For my reintegration into society I chose a simple, yet functional look, perfect for running errands and catching up with friends.

Sweater - H&M; Capris - Smart Set;
Flats & Necklace - Aldo; Watch - Fossil; Sunglasses - Joe Fresh

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