What a lovely name for a lovely book! Chique Secrets of Dolce Vita by Barbara Conelli is part travel guide and part guide to life. It is reminiscent of Room With a View, one of my all time favorite movies,where you are swept away by the gorgeous Italy and love. In this book, Conelli masterfully details Milan and the sheer beauty of the Milanese lifestyle and point of view.
How can I not love a book that starts with this, “To live a dolce vita means living with an open heart and soul, indulging in life with all your senses. It means having the eyes to see real beauty, having the nose to semll intoxicating scents, having the ears to hear dreamy sounds, having the mouth to taste delicate flavors, having the body to perceive soft sensations. It means being aware of yourself, of your emotions and desires. It means finding happiness in ordinary yet unique things.”
For a person who likes to find great quotes in books, this book was a Veal Milanese feast for me. Pour a Chianti and enjoy these–
“Nowhere else can you see so many women enjoying their day alone without needing the company of a man or some girlfriends.” (I am a regular solo diner at the sushi bar so I loved this!)
When describing Carla, a thirty-five year old friend, Conelli writes,” Carla simply doesn’t worry about biological clocks, nuptials or relationships. Probably thanks to that, she doesn’t lack “fidanzati” boyfriends and lovers.”
When analyzing the dynamically charged love affair of Giovanna and Francesco, Giovanna’s response.. “She didn’t think their relationship was that exceptional. She was just happy in an absolutely simple manner and had never really analyzed why it was so.”
Conelli points out that Milanese women look great in anything. “It is not because of their sophisticatedly unadorned style or because they have a special, secret recipe for charm. There is only one very simple reason: Italian women do not flaunt their clothes but themselves. They do not doubt their immense female power and they do not worry about pseudo-imperfections. ”
Me thinks American women need a trip to Milan!
And finally, when discussing the beautiful Bellagio.. “Because Bellagio is a magical, sunlit little town where there is not time for trouble or fears. Its inhabitants simply have more important and more pleasant thiings to do. A long time ago, they decided that in Bellagio, there was no room for the worries of everyday life and they have therefore been avoiding them thoroughly with grace and ease.”
To this, I say Salute and encourage us all to have no room for the worries of everyday life!
Barbara Conelli provided a review copy of this book for this post. All opinions are my own.
What are you reading and where are you going?
Every trip I’ve taken to Italy has been nothing short of wonderful. One evening I sat with my husband in the Piazza Navona. While having dinner in an outdoor cafe, I watched people, and I totally agree with this statement. “Italian women do not flaunt their clothes but themselves. They do not doubt their immense female power and they do not worry about pseudo-imperfections.”
Thank you so much for taking the time to read my book, Andrea! I’m glad you enjoyed it. This book is my Italian passion project, and I love sharing it with women like you who really love their Dolce Vita no matter where they are in the world!
Thank you very much again.
Have a very Chique day!
though i dont knw mch abt fashion an i nvr been to italy bt still i lov what u wrote cos frst tym i hav seen the unique feature tht how women cn alone enjoy the life as individual without any prince charming or mr shelter.seriously this book makes me proud an inspire me to enjoy my womenhood.
Sounds like a great book. I love books about travel.
This is my first visit to your blog, and I really like the style.
Check out my Sunday Salon post here.
Thanks all for your great comments! Laura, checking out your Sunday Salon now.
This books sounds like it should be my manifesto for life! I try so hard to live in the moment and not worry about the small imperfections and tribulations but it’s a work in progress. Ah well, good things take time. It wouldn’t be very dolce vita to be anxious about how fast I was becoming less neurotic, would it?!
Great post and recommendation. I love Italy and just by reading this I want to go again. I will definitely purchase this book soon. Also, I will share this on my website.
[...] Vita by Barbara Conelli. So, I decided to share with you and you should read the review on it here! I will be getting my copy of this one very soon, since I love Italy and can’t wait to go [...]