The most wonderfulest thing happened to me this month…I traveled to Italy.  Yes, I know, jealous aren’t you?  Kathleen, the lovely owner of Rowallan of Scotland, asked me if I would like to accompany her on a trip to Milan.  She was going there to attend MIPEL…La Mostra Internazionale della Pelletteria, a fancy way of saying the International Leather-Goods Show, to search for new manufacturers and trends.  Of course I jumped at the chance to get back over to Europe…Italy is not Scotland no, but on many levels SO much better.

After our very long flight we settled into our hotel where we found we had been upgraded to the Executive Suites…pamper central…just what we needed!  I have to say, thank goodness I had my Maria bag in slate grey with me…small enough to handle the short trip across the pond, and decided at the last minute to throw some cozy scarves, cashmere tights, and my black riding boots into my Kady, because it was COLD.

The next day, with the Alps towering behind us, we entered the MIPEL show and were smacked in the face with beautiful leather goodies!  We collected so many ideas, my Camila bag was the perfect laptop and catalog carrier.  You all are going to love the new bags we dreamed up while we were there.  The Rowallan Collection is really stepping up its game and is  going to be even more luxurious.  I wish I could give you some kind of sneak peek, but the Design Goddess has yet to translate the ideas to samples.  So we all have to wait!

Now in true Fiona fashion, we of course decided we must have a look around Milano…I mean, since we were there, right?  Saturday we were greeted with the clearest day I think the city had ever seen…and even a little warm (that is if you call 45 F warm…better than the snow that they had seen the week before)!  We hit all the sites…the Brera district for lunch where all the cool people are! A quick pop through the Sforza Castle.  Then onto the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II complete with visits to Prada, Gucci, Louis Vuitton and more.  Finally a tour of the stunning Duomo or cathedral, a not to be missed site in Milan!

As the sun went down, we sipped a yummy cappuccino in this restaurant bar we happened upon.  Picture perfect end to a beyond picture perfect trip. Ciao…I will be saying that for years now…until next time!