Travel in Fashion - Puglia & Cult Gaia
You can check my comprehensive guide to Puglia in my other article!
Travel in fashion – Puglia & Cult Gaia, is the first part of a series that will combine uprising brands with ‘hot’ travel destinations. Before I started writing this series, I was thinking that it would be nice to share with you information about interesting brands from all over the world that I had came across.
But soon afterwards I realised that nowadays it is a pretty difficult task for one to share new information concerning anything, because everything is just one click away, thanks to the internet. So I want to make it more interesting by associating the “newfoundbrand” with a travel destination.
Cult Gaia
I have chosen the L.A. based brand because ever since I found out about it I could not help imagining how all the bags and clothing items would fit in a Puglian landscape, more exactly a Puglian Masseria. Seeing them, I remembered about our holiday in the aforementioned region of Italy, when we were lucky enough to stay for three nights at Masseria Corte Degli Asini (Link). At first I was not sure if I wanted to give up on the comfort provided by a hotel or something similar, but when I started reading more about the italian ‘Masseria’, I regretted that we could not stay there more. FYI, a masseria is a restored farmhouse from Puglia, similar to a “hacienda”. You can find more information here: Link
Tip 1: If you want to spend your holiday in the northern part of Puglia, you should choose an accommodation with a swimming pool, as the shores are pretty rocky and if you are visiting in July-August, the small beaches will be over-crowded like you’ve never seen before.
Tip 2: If you are looking for an over the top accommodation, I recommend a stay at the magnificent Borgo Egnazia: Link
Masseria Corte degli Asini (Link) has the perfect combination for a traditional Puglian experience: amazing architecture and furnishings, a beautiful swimming pool; a delectable green garden; an inside garden where you can organise events like engagement/birthday parties, weddings, special celebrations; free bikes that you can ride through their olive trees plantations, etc.
You can also have access to a typical Puglian culinary feast, if you let them know beforehand that you will serve the meal at the Masseria. Beware that there will be a lot of delicious food involved! Breakfast is served in the refurnished old mill where the assinelli were putting the wheels in motion in order to turn olives into oil. Also, if the sky is clear you can see the Adriatic Sea in the distance.
Masseria Corte Degli Asini is a great base for exploring the surrounding attractions such as: Alberobello (Trulli Land), Martina Franca, Cisternino, Locorotondo or Ostuni (the White City from the top of the hill, a real gem for any tourist. If you want to have dinner in any of its beautiful restaurants, you need to make a reservation a few days ahead.). Also, Masseria Corte Degli Asini is situated 8 km from the sea, and the beautiful beach of Rosa Marina.
Let’s talk about Cult Gaia. I think that there is no better way to describe them than what is written at their “About” section: Cult Gaia designs beautiful heirloom items that will live in your closet forever. I look up to the fashion brands that have a clear vision on what they want to create.
Cult Gaia rose to fame in 2016 by creating an item that was instantly hunted by almost everyone in the fashion world, the Ark bag. Priced at 128$, the bag was considered an affordable luxury item, so it became an instant hit. The next year, the bag was reinvented by switching from bamboo to acrylic. Their ready to wear collection is pretty new, dating from spring 2017.
The items that really caught my eye were the most recent ones from spring 2018 and some from the fall 2017. I have a feeling that this is only the beginning of something beautiful and that their collections will get better and better each season.
N.B.: I am not sure if the shooting of the most recent Cult Gaia collection took place in Italy, but the background resembles an Italian farmhouse.
Finally, why associate Cult Gaia with a Puglian Masseria?
1. The earthy colours resemble the rich brown and red soil found in the region;
2. The orange and yellow items remind you of the warm rays of sun that embrace the rough shores;
3. The navy pieces are perfect for exploring the sea and its secret coves;
4. The green combinations not only remind you of the magnificent olive trees plantations, but are the perfect outfits for a romantic dinner by the sea.
5. The rattan accessories (bags, bracelets, earrings) set the mood for the beautiful sand and stone painted Masseria setting.
So, if you are thinking of visiting Puglia anytime soon, any of these items will get along harmoniously with the surroundings.
Photos via Cult Gaia, Borgo Egnazia, Pomegranate Juice.
More Lavender, Please
They say that Scorpios tend to be obsessive. I reckon that it’s true; mostly when it comes to fashion. Each season, based on the current trends, mood-boards and personal intuition I obsess on a colour.
Last summer it was shades of green, this summer will be lavender and shades of purple. I admit that one of lavender’s cousins, lilac, has always been a favourite of mine, as I was growing up in my grandparents garden. They usually sprung around Easter, so I have always associated them with that time of the year.
Another flower, the iris, is also a personal favourite. Too bad that once you cut them, they won’t last. By the way, look at the iris to see what a beautiful combination purple and yellow make.
Speaking of interesting combinations, did you ever try to combine purple and red? You would be surprised of the visual effect that they have, when worn together. Same goes for green and purple. Also, combinations of lavender and pink, purple and fuchsia, or turquoise and purple create a classy attire.
Let’s not forget about fields of sweet violets or hyacinths in the spring, or endless fields of lavender in the summer. They will not only make the perfect background for your perfect shot, but also seduce you with their scent.
Last but not least, ultra violet has been chosen the colour of the year for 2018 by Pantone, so if you did not have enough reasons to give it a try, maybe this argument will convince you.
My top choices for SS’18 are the silver – lavender reflections slip dress from Ralph Lauren, the lavender top from Reformation, the metallic asymmetrical dress from Alexandre Vauthier, the floral dress from Ulla Johnson, and the oversized dress from Rosie Assoulin.
P.S.: I actually also love all the Reformation dresses, but that goes for all colours and shapes.
More reasons to choose lavender:
Photos via Vogue. The Reformation, Framboise, Maison Raquette, H&M, Murmur, Matches Fashion
Good things are happening in Oradea
happening in Oradea
Good things are happening in Oradea. What makes them this way are the people. You don’t get the chance to meet positive, optimistic, enthusiastic people that often. At least not in Bucharest. I enjoyed my time in Oradea, but what I liked most was meeting its residents. I’ve felt like I was visiting an old friend to whom I had not spoken in a while, but who still treated me like we met last week. If you want to rebuild your trust in people, I recommend a city break in Oradea.
Good coffee and good food. When you have the both of them, what more could you ask for from a cool getaway? Well, a handful of interesting sights and some fancy art nouveau architecture. Oradea has them all.
Hop on and check them out:
Go directly to Restaurants and Cafes: Link
Go directly to Sightseeing: Link
Note: Check the attached link for further information regarding the mentioned sights and places to visit.
Recently it has become a lot easier to visit Oradea. The airport suffered some changes and there are quite a few direct flights to the city. I’ve bought my ticket from TAROM for only 40€ during the Black Friday offers, but there are flights also available from Blue Air and Ryanair.
happening in Oradea
happening in Oradea
happening in Oradea
Hello Snow
For some years, snow isn’t such a common thing like it used to be twenty years ago. I remember that it used to snow from the end of November until March. Sometimes the snow was so tall that you could build rooms where you could squeeze into. Now, you’re lucky if you get some snow in January. This makes you cherish even more this natural phenomenon that some people only dream of. Maybe this is the reason why every time it snows your heart starts beating faster and you start acting like you’ve never seen snow in your life.
Ever since the early days of our life, the essential wardrobe items for a day out in the snow have been the beanie, the foulard, and the gloves. You could name them The Holy Trinity of Winter wardrobes. The brighter, the higher the contrast with the snow. You can try to mix match different colours or prints as long as they are in the same hues: warm or cold.
The Greatest Joys in Life
The greatest joys in Life are the ones that cannot be measured. They are like the drops of water in the oceans or the grains of sand in the deserts. Let us not confuse them with measurable possessions. Most of the time we are not aware of their presence, or at least not until something extraordinary happens. For some it might be the colour of the trees in the autumn, the smell of coffee in the morning or the gentle embrace of someone you love. Which one are you?
Not Just A Blog
My name is Pomegranate Juice
… and I am happy to meet you. I hope that I am not late. I have been
