buongiorno!

i spent the earlier part of august in Europe and it was an AMAZING trip. it feels SO GOOD to finally mark it off my [short] bucket list. it’s a place i wanted to see for so long and it fills me with so much happiness and gratitude to be able to finally make that journey over there & experience it with my family. the fashion. the food. the shopping. the architecture. all of it was so beautiful so as you can imagine, coming back to reality was hard. but i’m so ready to document this trip here on JDC!

we spent two weeks in Europe — our destinations were Italy (Venice & Milan, covered here) and France (Lyon & Paris, next post). two weeks was a long time to be away from home. i was really feeling it at 1.5 weeks but the plane ride to get there was so long that the stay had to be worthwhile. we probably went at the worst time as this huge heat wave was hitting all of Europe — and some places don’t have AC. on top of that, this is apparently the time everyone takes holiday in Europe so a lot of places we planned to eat at were closed. there was a lot of improvising and deviating from the itinerary. but isn’t that nice? just close up shop for however long! the Europeans know how to live life! before diving in, i must thank my jetsetter sister & BIL for planning this entire trip! that was a huge task and i’m so glad they took care of all of us! they’ve been before so we were in good hands.

>>> IG REELS for more visual & music: VENICE & MILAN

packing was a challenge because it was a long stay but i didn’t want to check anything in. i picked lightweight fabrics and pieces that would dry quickly. this included linen, cotton, lyocell etc.. for shoes, i packed flip flops (to wear in the hotel/AirBnB #germaphobe) and a pair of KEDS. yep, two pairs of shoes. i picked a lot of casual dresses, some athleisure (note: wearing athleisure makes you really stand out as a tourist in these cities because the locals do not wear that stuff!), shorts, tees, and tanks. NO jeans or pants, nothing tight fitting (bc hello, carbs) && i didn’t even bring any jewelry/flashy either.

currently on my playlist: hold me closer by Elton John & Britney Spears

top | Quince vintage wash tencel camp shirt in white (wearing size XS)
bottoms | Quince 100% european linen shorts in black (wearing size S, probably could’ve gone w an XS)
shoes | Keds x Kate Spade champion leather sneakers in rose dew pink (old) — original canvas champions #teamkeds // also love the ace

VENICE

wall of cured meats at the grocery store!

i didn’t realize Venice was a destination that will one day be underwater so i’m glad i was able to see it. it’s historic!! everything is basically ANCIENT. for the most part, people don’t drive cars, they take water taxis. it’s interesting. imagine how trash works there?! or how one buys furniture or pieces that are too large to walk home with?!?! once we arrived we took a water taxi back to the AirBnB. it was scorching hot out but we basically walked everywhere that our feet would carry us. we hit the ground running with gelato & pasta. and it was like the for days. being a city on water… i felt like the island was moving the whole time i was there. so did my sister and mom. apparently, it’s a real thing that doesn’t go away for a while!

one of the best stories was that i’m pretty sure the AirBnB (ancient) was haunted LOL my brother and i heard some weirddd sounds one night. the other was that when we took the water taxi to the train station to Milan, in the midst of boarding the water taxi in really turbulent water, my brother forgot one luggage on the dock. he didn’t realize it until we got to the train station, and turned back around. to everyone’s shock (and always to thomas’ luck) it was still there! he’s a lucky SOB. you know those people where life just automatically works for them, like always?!?! that’s my brother.

attractions //

Doge’s Palace — if you’re a big history person this would be worth it. but it was SO HOT (no AC or ventilation) that we just scanned the whole thing and left quickly. honestly, the outside is worth an IG photo/visit IMO. but the tour, i’d skip.
San Marco Plaza & Bell Tower — the plaza is such a beautiful open space in the middle. the bell tower allows you to see some breathtaking views of Venice via elevator.

eateries //

Nico gelato — one of the better pistacho gelatos.
Lo Squero gelato — small but really GOOD.
Nevodi — resys required. this was probably my favorite meal in Venice. the pasta nevodi was PURE BLISS.
Rossopomodoro — i think this is a chain but the zuccini pasta dish was so good! also enjoyed the
Cantina Do Spade — originally we wanted to go to All’Arco but it was closed for construction. so my BIL found this spot since we really wanted to try the cicchetti (small snacks or side dishes [think tapas?], and mostly served on a slice of bread. i really enjoyed cicchetti and will need to find a fix somewhere…)

favorite meal: pasta nevodi (with prawns and pistachio pesto) + aperol spritz

things i learned //

bread + a really good olive oil (am i crazy to say it tastes even better there?!) + a sprinkle of freshly ground pepper & salt is all you really need. the italians really like balsamic vinegar in this dipping mix too!
aperol spritz. when in venice, one must sip on an aperol spritz.
gondola ride in the canals does not equal a gondola ride in turbulent waters from one island to the next. we tried this to save some money on the water taxi and it was worth it. just grasp on for dear life 🤣
grocery stores have a wall dedicated to curated meats!! i was in heaven.
there is no tipping! apparently, it’s just an American thing!!!
italians like their pasta a smidge before al dente
brushetta in the states does not equal brushetta in italy
they call it “take away” not “to-go”
coffee is meant to be consumed hot. ICED coffee? not really a thing there

MILAN

in Milan, my baller brother hooked it up at the Park Hyatt. as always, he picks the best hotel with grand service. not only was the service one of the best i’ve received, it was in the perfect location. literally right outside of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II = hello shopping! Milan was the city that kicked off all the shopping. from designer, to boutiques and department stores. it was endless. it was very different from Venice, like we were finally back at civilization again lol. at this point in the trip, most were tired of pasta and pizza (i know, it is possible) so we ventured out to asian & greek food and there is nothing to note here except the one korean place i have listed below under eateries. needless to say, i really enjoyed Milan despite the lack of photos.

some notable memories was ordering room service with my brother at midnight for a lamb chop (right after he came back from the gym and told me he broke the mirror because he forgot the weights are in KG! hahaha). it was probably one of the best ones i’ve had! the Park Hyatt also offered comp breakfast every morning and it was so nice to sit and enjoy breakfast with everyone. i also got to accompany mama Doan to help her purchase her first designer bag in person. she deserves it! we also went to this vietnamese place for dinner (not good), and we learned that the owners were chinese so there’s that.

attractions //

Duomo — pretty sight to see from the outside, but nothing super spectacular in terms of the tour.
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II — luckily this was right on the strip of the Park Hyatt Milan. major shopping center in with designer brands. the atrium is beautiful and a sight to see!
Golden Triangle — outdoor shopping area spreading across a couple of streets. here’s where mama doan bought her first designer bag in person!

eateries //

PECK — a gourmet grocery store where you will want to buy everything. fresh pastas, olive oil galore, sauces, ready-to-eat food.
Caccio gelato — this was my FAVORITE gelato place. my gosh.
Zia Esterina Sorbillo — this is a famous fried pizza place. it was piping hot. the dough was super soft but i wasn’t a fan for some reason. too hot to enjoy and the contents were all melted at the bottom making it harder to eat.
Hana — yummy korean place we tried. i had the pork belly dish!

France coming at cha next!,
JD