i don’t know if it is getting older or the unexpected turn my work has taken this year, but i determined that if i was going to be stressed all the time, i might as well not look it.  i added several new products to my skin care regime.  i am not sure if they are making a day to day difference, but they do make me feel like i am doing something.

the undereye masks and sheet mask are from peach and lily, an online korean skincare emporium.  they do make your skin brighter immediately after use.  plus, they feel so nice.  i use them whenever my skin feels especially.

the drunk elephant c-firma is for the morning, and the dr. dennis gross retinol is for evening.  i layer the retinol all over my face, and top with the neo under eye cream.  i read somewhere that if you want to stimulate collagen (the stuff that plumps out wrinkles), you should use vitamin c in the morning and retinol in the evening.  i have been on this schedule for only a few months, so i will report back on the results.

with a new book that almost matches my new lingerie.  as one does.

set by fortnight.

the biggest wildcard during my vacation was definitely malta.  i like to go somewhere i have never seen before on each trip, and since i was fortunate to travel around italy with my family while in college, we added malta to the itinerary.

though i didn’t love the location of our hotel (st.julian’s bay), the abandoned beaches, dusty and romantic landscapes, and those stunningly blue waters made me forget all about that.  we were also very lucky to spend an afternoon on a private boat visiting the sister islands and going through caves.

since all my pictures from venice are of canals, it seems fitting that pretty much all my pictures from florence are of art.

i know a lot of people love to hate her, but lately some of my favorite recipes have been from gwyneth paltrow’s site goop.  many of the recipes use healthier substitutes (this one has almond flour and yogurt) without sacrificing flavor.  i have never cooked from her other cookbooks, but i can say that the recipes i have tried from “it’s all easy” have used easy to find ingredients and were actually easy.

this cake made a lovely addition to my sunday morning breakfast.