One month of travels in 3 continents seems like a dream but it might have easily turned into a nightmare if I hadn't managed the physical difficulties of changing time zones while flying. Fighting jet lag isn't that difficult if you follow just a few travel tips regarding food, water, and skin care while up in the air.

Jet Lag tips

Fly like a pro

• Starting well rested: Many people try not to sleep before taking a plane thinking that this will increase their chances of snoozing during the flight. Wrong. Travelling already sleep-deprived decreases  your chances of beating jet lag when you reach your destination. Travelling well rested is the way to go.

[caption id="attachment_13189" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Airport Style[/caption]





[caption id="attachment_13183" align="aligncenter" width="800"] View of Doha from the plane[/caption]



[caption id="attachment_13181" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Darphin Sunscreen[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_13185" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Qatar desert[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_13186" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Doha Skyscrapers view from Shangri-La Hotel[/caption]



[caption id="attachment_13187" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Fighting Jet lag with Darphin Sonic[/caption]


*This post is in collaboration with Darphin

Travel Style : 3 Countries 1 Delsey Luggage

It is exciting organizing a whole month of travels, but when the moment comes and you see that every trip fits together perfectly it is time to prepare your luggage in a smart way. Criss-crossing from Milan to New York to Tuscany and then to Qatar with only one piece of luggage while at the same time trying to dress accordingly to the events I was attending or the country's culture hasn't been an easy feat. But thanks to this experience I learned the smart way of making 1 piece of luggage work for long term travel.

[caption id="attachment_12496" align="aligncenter" width="850"] Malpensa Airport in Milan[/caption]

1. Get the lightest luggage.

It seems obvious, right? I got my DELSEY Helium Air 2 Anniversary edition which comes at only 3.6 kg leaving lots of space to bring my own stuff while also being easy to wheel around airports, New York streets, Tuscany's countryside and Doha's beaches. It also has a TSA-approved lock to secure the suitcase, and I love the ombre design which makes it easier to spot on the baggage carousel among all those same looking luggage.

[caption id="attachment_12497" align="aligncenter" width="850"] In the New York City streets trying to hail a taxi. It took us 30 minutes.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_12500" align="alignnone" width="850"] A travel blogger in New York[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_12494" align="alignnone" width="850"] Hotel Americano at the High Line New York[/caption]

2. Plan Your Wardrobe

Plan your wardrobe based on your trip. And if the trip is taking you to multiple locations with very different needs of clothing try to find the similarities. I knew that in Qatar I needed modest clothing options. In the beginning, I panicked but I soon understood the opportunity of getting some classy elegant long dresses that would work for New York as well.  While the shoe choices were difficult given they take so much space. I decided on a pair of Adidas NMD that are light

and a pair of gold sandals, both shoes could be used in multiple outfits and don't take any space in the luggage.

[caption id="attachment_12499" align="aligncenter" width="850"] Tuscany always gives me the perfect Italian Holiday experience[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_12502" align="aligncenter" width="850"] Travel Blogger in Tuscany[/caption]

3. Pack in small separate bags

This is my favorite part of packing because I hate anything loose in the bag. Every item has a category, and every category gets its own place in the luggage. All cosmetics fit in one bag, all underwear in another, all cables and chargers are packed in one small leather bag, and all clothes go in plastic bags that also helps keep them ironed. I also have an empty plastic for dirty clothes and I'm ready to go. You get to where you’re going, and are ready to hang your toiletries in the bathroom, you transfer the rest to actual drawers, and you are done. When it is time to pack again to leave a place you'll be done in 3 minutes.

[caption id="attachment_12498" align="aligncenter" width="850"] Travel style on Qatar Airways[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_12501" align="aligncenter" width="850"] A travel blogger in Qatar[/caption]

4. Choose your travel style carefully.

Traveling light doesn’t go well with indecisiveness because taking the entire wardrobe to decide later on depending on your mood isn't an option. The keyword is functionality and your travel style should include pieces that can be worn different ways. In winter I always include black pieces that can be interchangeable while in summer I go for white. Choosing a neutral base color for your travel wardrobe is one of the best ways to remain a savvy packer. Accessories will help change the outfit and they don't take much space.

[caption id="attachment_12493" align="aligncenter" width="850"] Made some space for the Veuve Clicquot Rich bottle[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_12492" align="aligncenter" width="850"] Traveling light with DELSEY Helium Air 2 Anniversary edition and my Dolce Gabbana Sicily Bag[/caption]

5. Get wearable souvenirs

My favorite souvenirs from my trips are wearable pieces. Packing light it means sometimes I forget a jacket or a dress that I need for an event. I take this opportunity to go shopping in the city I'm in and have lots of fun going through local vintage stores to find a unique vintage piece that makes for the perfect souvenir. Then when someone asks where did you get that scarf you can say New York. :-)

*This post is a collaboration with DELSEY for its 70th-anniversary celebration. 

After an overnight flight from New York to Milan, a train to Florence and a 2 hour trip by car I finally reached Val D'Orcia for my wedding shoot with the talented Anna Ambrosi. I had just 1 hour to get ready and remove any jet lag sign from my face, but I wasn't worried given that I had a little beauty secret in my bag, the Darphin L'Institut Facial Sonic Cleansing and Massaging Expert.

Pierre Darphin, the brand’s founder, was a kinesiotherapist that opened his Paris institute in 1958 along with offering his line of skin care products for treatments that used intensive facial devices. This brush was inspired by the history of the brand while being designed to give us the opportunity have facials in the comfort of our homes.

Darphin Facial Sonic Cleansing

For my bridal preparation, I started with the cleansing head  which cleans, detoxes and purifies the skin with its 42,000 supple bristles that ensure the brush is gentle but effective in removing all residual makeup and skin impurities. Within the bristles, there are six green nubs whose vibrations are designed to replicate the circulation-boosting massage of the ‘magic fingers’ at L’Institut Darphin. For this part you can use whatever cleanser gel or cream to be put all over your face, avoiding the eyes. The brush can't be used for the eye contour.

The Steps:

1. Apply Cleansing Gel or cream. I'm using a water-based cleanser from Darphin with Water Lily


2. Wet the Darphin Sonic Cleanser brush and turn it on


3. Move it slowly around your face, focusing first on one half. The brush will stop vibration after 30 seconds telling you that you need to change position.


4. When finished remove all the residuals with a washcloth or by washing your face.


5. Don't push the brush into your skin thinking it will get you a deeper cleanse. The brush works just right by moving it around your face with gentle pressure.


6. After each use rinse the bristles with warm water, followed by cold to ensure it doesn’t breed bacteria.


7. Change the head of your brush every 3 – 6 months, depending on how often you use it.

Darphin Facial Sonic Massaging

This is the feature that got me excited about because it isn't available in other brushes in the market. After the cleansing the massage part comes by changing the head to a smooth steel head designed in a star pattern that works with the natural facial muscle structure. Its aim is to refresh and smooth the skin while relaxing the facial muscles and stimulating microcirculation.  It can be used with whatever skin treatment you are having, helping to better absorb the creams in use.

The steps:

1. Apply the cream or gel of choice either to the head directly or to the skin. Right now I'm using Darphin Smoothing and Retexturizing Radiance Cream 


2. Apply a minimum quantity to the head


3. Let the device do the work, just move it around in a gentle way.


4. Use it twice a day with your morning moisturizing routine and the night treatment.


5. This brush doesn't need to be replaced in time, the steel will resist forever.

 

The Darphin sonic cleanser and massager contributes on the long term in reducing pore size, boosting microcirculation and giving an optimized absorption of moisturizers. I needed a smoother, radiant and hydrated skin for my wedding shoot in Tuscany and I had the best help I could have asked for given the 18 hour trip across the world to reach my shooting location.

*This post is in collaboration with Darphin

The hard life of a champagne ambassador requires watching a polo match that you had to google before knowing how many players are there in the field, and what the rules are. For me this was a first, and now I get all the excitement of horse sports and events. You get to dress up, have a luxurious picnic on the grass, sip champagne while following the game and understanding that Nacho Figueras is the man of polo.

Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic

The polo event is on its 9th year with more than 8000 people in attendance at Liberty State Park with stunning views of Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty as the event's backdrop. Guests lounged on white couches under orange Veuve Cliquot umbrellas and champagne flowed freely with it also some delicious finger food. For me it was an opportunity to meet again with some old friends from last's year long weekend in Reis discovering the house of Veuve Clicquot, and also to make some new ones as in 2016 new countries were added to the ambassadorship program.

[caption id="attachment_12339" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] Veuve Clicquot Rich ambassadors[/caption]



[caption id="attachment_12332" align="aligncenter" width="750"] Liberty State Park view of the Statue of Liberty[/caption]

Wearing Dress PAROSH , Hat San Andres Milano

[caption id="attachment_12325" align="aligncenter" width="750"] Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic Nacho Figueras[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_12320" align="aligncenter" width="750"] Totally got the hang of self-serving magnum bottles of Clicquot[/caption]

One of the best moments of the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic is the  time-honored tradition of divot stomping.  During the polo game running horses tear up the ground and during the half-time the crowd is invited to help stomp the pieces of grass and soil back into the ground.  A moment that is celebrated by everyone as you feel like taking an active part in the game itself. It is also a moment of socialization as after the work is done, you stay on the field to chat with the people around you. 

[caption id="attachment_12330" align="aligncenter" width="750"] Veuve Cliquot Rich and the new Veuve Cliquot Rich Rosé champagne[/caption]



 

*I am an ambassador for Veuve Clicquot Rich, and this post is in collaboration with Veuve Clicquot. 

I've grown up celebrating my mom on the 8th of March, on Women's Day, together with the other important women in my life like my grandmother, aunts, and best friends. Since moving to Italy I've discovered that there is a special day dedicated just to mothers on the second Sunday of May. While it makes sense to have a whole day specially dedicated to motherhood, I was curious to know how this day came to be. Asking my Italian friends they told me that given May is the month dedicated to Virgin Mary, the second Sunday of May was chosen to celebrate all mothers. According to my more knowledgeable friend Wikipedia, Mother's Day was some lady's idea back in 1905 who campaigned to have this day as a recognized holiday to honor her own mother and all the mothers of the World whose contributions to society needed recognition. Well done Anna Jarvis!

Back to Mother's Day 2016 and I've been converted to celebrating the day with some special shopping for my mom. She has been the one starting my passion for fragrances from childhood. While I wasn't myself using perfumes when a child, I have specific memories of holidays, family trips, parties that are connected with specific fragrances she used to wear.  Even today if I smell a certain fragrance or note when I close my eyes I can go back to our Greek holidays, my 12 birthday, or to another event. So every year she gets a new fragrance from me and I create new memories directly related to her scent. This year my choice has been My Burberry Eau de Toilette, a fresh interpretation of the original My Burberry EdP. I love how the EdT version is light and airy, perfect for a warmer season and ready for a special event to be associated with. And this year this special event will be my brother's wedding.

My Burberry  Eau de Toilette story

“The idea was to create a contemporary scent which preserved the elegant quality of My Burberry. On top, the citrus freshness of the bergamot was replaced by the lemon flower to give the Eau de Toilette its brightness. At the heart, the geranium was transformed into a fresh bouquet of fluffy peonies and the quince accord replaced with peach flower – a new way to translate the idea of fruitiness. Whereas the Eau de Parfum included patchouli at its base, a lighter, woody accord of musk and white moss brings sensuality and radiance to the Eau de Toilette. The Damask rose remains, retaining the elegance and confidence of My Burberry Eau de Parfum.” states  the nose Francis Kurkdjian that has created the fragrance with Burberry creative director Christopher Bailey.

My Burberry Eau de Toilette Notes

Top Notes: Sweet pea, Lemon flower
Heart Notes: Peonies, Peach flower, Freesia
Base Notes: Damask Rose, White Moss, Musk

*This post is in collaboration with Burberry