What I love about equestrian competitions, apart from the involvement of beautiful horses, is the fact that is one of the few World competitions where there is not a separation from men and women competitors. I learned this pretty early on when I started riding and the feminist in me was very pleased. 

I traveled to Verona this month to attend the final of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup happening during the Verona Fiera Cavalli. This event brings together the best jumpers from around the World. Jumping is run over the course of five days, and each round is more exciting than the last. But due to my travels, I could just be there for the final round and what an exciting day it was. 

Longines Equestrian Collection

Daniel Deusser - Winner of  LONGINES FEI Jumping World Cup™

Thanks to Longines for having me. 

[caption id="attachment_16325" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Monument aux Girondins Bordeaux[/caption]

I've decided not to Google anymore the places that I'm about to visit and leave it as a surprise. Starting with my trip to Bordeaux where I had to do it the old way, walking aimlessly and discovering the town one area at a time. I had 3 days in Bordeaux which are more than enough to see everything there is to see while walking and wine tasting at every corner. Bordeaux is the capital of the wine industry, at least that is what the French say because I'm sure Italians from Tuscany don't agree. 

Things to do in Bordeaux

Walk around the city

Half of the whole town is a World Heritage Site so you can't go wrong just walking for hours. Starting with the three main streets Cours Clemenceau, Cours de l’Intendance, Allées de Tourny then moving into the backstreets where you'll be amazed by the neoclassical buildings. 

A walk on the riverfront

The Garonne river has been one of the most important sites for the city of Bordeaux with its port that would connect the town with the World and be the main drive to economic development. The old port isn't there anymore, but walking up the Pont-de-Pierre you can see how rich this town was from the architecture of the waterfront 18th-century buildings. 

Cité du Vin

Opened in 2016 with a modern architecture  Cité du Vin is the biggest cultural center dedicated to wine. They don't have one of these in Tuscany, so maybe the French are right, Bordeaux is the world capital of wine. With tasting rooms, 800 different types of wines and lots of wine history exhibitions it is a unique place for wine lovers. 

Food

I can't suggest a specific place because everywhere I ate it was a delicious experience. The city is very close to the Atlantic ocean so fresh oysters are a must try, but Bordeaux is a carnivore town and its most famous dish is entrecôte marchand de vin, also called entrecote a la bordelaise. This dish is a rib steak cooked in a rich gravy made from Bordeaux wine. The typical sweets are called Canelés, tiny round cakes soaked in rum which used to be made by the nuns of the convent of Annonciades in Bordeaux. 

Antique Shopping

Twice a year, in Spring and Autumn, the Foire à la Brocante des Quinconces is the appointment of all vintage and antique lovers who live in the region. I stayed at an Airbnb and the lady who owned the house had decorated it all from pieces found at this market. 

[caption id="attachment_16317" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Galerie Bordelaise, Bordeaux Wearing skirt MMissoni, Cardigan Gucci[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_16318" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Galerie Bordelaise, Bordeaux[/caption]



[caption id="attachment_16322" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Wearing MMissoni Dress[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_16340" align="aligncenter" width="800"] The big bell of Bordeaux[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_16310" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Parosh dress, Gucci loafers, Sara Giunti Bag[/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_16330" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Place de la Bourse Bordeaux[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_16328" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Place de la Bourse Bordeaux[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_16309" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Carousel de Bordeaux Wearing Parosh Trench Coat Fendi Bag[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_16329" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Place de la Bourse Bordeaux[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_16333" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Place du Parlement, Bordeaux[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_16334" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Place du Parlement, Bordeaux[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_16332" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Place du Parlement, Bordeaux[/caption]



[caption id="attachment_16335" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Pont de Pierre Built in 1820s in honor of Napoléon[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_16336" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Wearing Parosh Dress, Drunken Rabbit by Linda Ferrari necklace, Longines watch[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_16338" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Pont de Pierre, Bordeaux[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_16339" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Puerta de Cailhau, Bordeaux. Built in 1495, this monument with a castle-like exterior was once the main gate to the city.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_16320" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_16307" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Bordeaux Antiques Market[/caption]




Photography @APBRAMBI

Come and find me in Milan's hidden courtyards...

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Blue has been my favorite color since I have been little. It all started as a defiance to being told continuously that pink was for girls, and blue was for boys.  Even as a little girl I didn't like to be put in a 'box', especially a pink one. As a teenager, I came to request to have all my room turned blue, and my furniture too. My parents complied, tired of having another fight that would always end up about some feminist topic I was passionate at the time.  The thing is that I don't have a favorite color really, blue is just the color I had to embrace to make a point about a bigger issue.

Today I have a nephew and the color fight continues. I bought him a light pink bodysuit as soon as he was born, my brother refused to have his baby boy wear it. 30 years later and still blue is for boys, and pink is for girls. 

The truth is ... we are all rainbows. 

Dress Abodi

Shoes Manfredi Manara