Where to relax in Rome

A little pampering goes a long way I believe, and when you need a little bit of 'me' time in Rome, where do you turn?

When I am in need of a little spiritual (and emotional!) boost, there are places in the Eternal City I will always turn to.

Noi Salon

Piazza del Popolo 3
Tel. +39 06 3600 6284
noisalon@alice.it

I discovered Noi back in May 2013 when my I took my Mum there for a blowdry surprise when she came to visit. I did some research on English speaking, modern salons in Rome, and Noi came up time and time again. Owned by brothers Massimo and Giuseppe, Noi offers modern, luxurious stylings in the centre of Rome. Joined by Rick from California, the team are attentive, skilled and a pleasure to visit. I went for my own re-style last week; I wanted a trim, roots done and my ombre re-done. I was there for 3 hours over lunch and loved every second. Every single stylist makes the effort to talk to you, check up on you and make sure you are happy. The reception staff are welcoming, polite and charming. Price wise, this place is beyond reasonable. If you live in Rome or are just visting and need some hair attaention, VISIT NOI! You will not be disappointed!

Acanto Day Spa
Piazza Rondanini 30
Tel: (+39) 06 68136602
(+39) 06 68300664
info@acantospa.it

I first visited Acanto last year after I moved to Rome; tired, stressed and a little overwhelmed, I booked into Acanto for a traditional hammam treatment to soothe my senses. Located close to the Pantheon, Acanto is worth visiting purely for the venue alone. Located inside a beautiful, ancient palace, you could convince yourself you have stepped back into a Roman bath from another century. The tranquility of Acanto is second to none; candle light and aromatherapy scents attack the senses in all the right way. The staff are professional and speak good English, and a wide range of well-priced treatments are on offer.

Ciao for now!

Nina x

Where else but Rome?

Yes, it's a well known fact I love Rome...all of Italy in fact, but this year, I would like to travel to some other places and see more of the world. 

I knew 2013 would be a big year for me; not only do I turn 30, but I am relocating my life 1000 miles! My roads do indeed lead to Rome, but here's my wish list of other places to visit this year.

Panarea
Yes, technically still in Italy, Panarea is a beautiful island North of Sicily. It's everything I could want; aqua sea, white sands and peace and quiet. It's also pretty cheap and I'm hoping for a few nights there in late Spring/early Summer. 

Mexico
Why? It looks stunning and I can eat all the authentic Mexican food I want! I have only heard good feedback about Mexico; a friend of mine goes there every year and it looks like a great holiday!

Lazise

OK, yes, again this is Italy, but this holiday was booked before the 'big move' was! I will be spending a week here with my parents, brother, his girlfriend and the boy to celebrate my 30th in July. I'll be honest and say this wasn't a birthday I was looking forward to, but now I am actually really excited! 

And finally, the States...
I'm not really sure where but I think the US of A deserves another visit. I have done Florida and NYC, and I would certainly go back to NYC but there are so may places that I would like to see in the States. Driving Route 66 in a Mustang has been a dream of mine for years, so maybe that could become a reality!

Now, where did I put those holiday brochures!

Ciao for now,

Nina x

All roads lead to Rome...

In my case, they actually do! This is the route I will be driving (yes, driving!) when I make the move. I had mainly looked at flying, but after a chat with my Dad, he made me see that driving was the cheaper and better option!

Driving to Rome means that I have more than my BA allowance of 22kgs and I can take a lot more of my bits and bobs with me. There are things in my house that I want to take and that simply is not an option if I fly. Not to add that it would cost me over £1,200 to fly my two cats to Rome and I think they may prefer the comfort of the Mini compared to the cargo hold of the plane! 

So, it will take nearly 18 glorious hours over 4 countries! I am actually very excited about traveling this way; I love driving and I'll get to see places I might not otherwise get the opportunity to see! Fear not, I won't be alone...the boy has offered to fly over and drive back with me which I am very happy about...although he may change his mind when he sees how much I plan to cram into the Mini + the two cats! Will be most amusing!

I plan to make the trip as fun as possible and hope the weather is on my side. An overnight stop seems likely at Geneva in Switzerland (about halfway!) and then onto Rome. It seems like a good opportunity for a photoblog so I'll make sure lots of good snaps are taken to show afterwards! 

Ciao for now,

Nina x

England 5 – Italy 1…banishing the Monday morning blues!

No, these are not the scores of some recent sporting victory for the UK, but just an in-joke with the boy that made me smile this morning, on a morning when it seemed impossible to smile. It’s Monday. And I’m back at work. After 2 weeks off. And yes, I have somehow managed to smile. MIRACLE.
Coming back to normality is horrible. Especially after 2 lovely weeks away with lovely friends. There was a certain feeling of ‘back down to Earth with a bang’ last night when I got home to my cold, empty house, and it’s hard to feel positive about things at those moments, especially when those you miss most are 1000 miles away. Sleep was hard last night; rather than feeling like I’d come home, it felt strange being back…familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. It was odd for me as I usually find great comfort in coming home – my bed, my house and the familiar sights and sounds, but it all felt odd. I can only look ta this in a positive way – it shows me that relocating to Italy is the right thing and when making a huge leap of faith like that, you need constant reassurance that you are making the right choice.

It would have been easy to wake up this morning and want to climb to the roof and jump off. Work – urgh. Monday morning – urgh. Back to normality urgh. NOT IN ROME – MAJOR URGH! But, rather than look at the downside, I find myself looking for the positives in things…

So, as I sit back at my desk, feeling rather like the last amazing two weeks in Rome were a dream, I find myself looking forward to the positives that are coming, rather than looking behind and missing what has just been..here’s the list:

• I’m visiting family in Cornwall the first weekend in March – probably the last time I’ll see them for a while before I leave
• My bro and his lovely lady are coming down from Manchester for a long weekend mid-March
• I can get back to the gym and start on getting the Spring/Summer figure worked on! Amen! It’s hard to explain just how much I missed the gym whilst I was away!
• I have so much to plan re: the big move and its very exciting!
• In April I plan to drive to Rome over two days when I make the move, and the boy has even offered to fly over and drive back with me! How lovely!

So, becoming the best version of me is the goal over the next month or so. It’s easy to sometimes look at the ‘not so positives’ that life can throw, but whats the point in being miserable? Life really is too short, and there are always going to be Monday mornings, so make something good out of them…make a change in your life, book a holiday, tell someone you love them…it’s all possible!
Happy Monday morning readers!

Ciao for now,
Nina x