on my first ever DIY post a couple weeks back. You have convinced me that I should share my SECOND ever DIY project today :)

As you know from the previous post, I was helping my mother in law update her “blah” guest bedroom over the holidays. She wanted to create an inviting space with a cool colour scheme and contemporary furnishings.

The challenge? A tight budget and an even tighter timeline since guests were scheduled to arrive in two and a half weeks from the beginning of the project.

The solution? Another attempt at a DIY project that could help transform the space on the cheap and save another beautiful piece of furniture from death by landfill. All for the whopping price of $80.

BEFORE: Pine dresser in all its traditional and dated glory.

The pine dresser is old (purchased in 1978!) but it has great lines. I like the variation in the drawer sizes, and the drawers themselves have dovetail joints – a sign of quality craftsmanship. Nearly a decade ago, we “updated” the dresser by adding brown wood knobs in place of the brass ones that were original to the piece. Over the holidays, it was time for another change….a litttttttle more drastic :) A new paint job and some funky knobs to turn the tired-looking dresser into a fun, new piece.

Using the same spray paint that we used in the DIY custom bathroom mirror frame project, we (…aka…Jeff-the-Passport-To-Design-mascot) sanded off the sheen finish of the dresser, spray-primed it, sprayed four coats of white glossy spray paint (which again, was not as glossy as I had hoped), bought shiny glass knobs for the top drawers and iron oblong knobs for the rest of the drawers…and voila! A new dresser was born. I admit, we took the easy route due to a lack of time and budget to keep the sides and interiors of the drawers in the original colour and finish, but I think it worked out nicely because now the inside drawers don’t smell like toxic spray paint – a bonus for storing clothes and linens.

Here’s a quick Step-by-Step breakdown of the “grand transformation”:

STEP 1: Remove the dresser drawers and sand the surfaces to be painted. Removing the varnish will help the paint adhere better. Sand the surfaces until the glossy sheen is gone.

STEP 2: Remove the hardware and sand the drawer fronts.

STEP 3: (optional) Cut corners by refusing to sand and paint the interiors of the drawers...

STEP 4: Apply a coat (or two) of Rustoleum Spray Primer in white.

STEP 5: Apply 4 coats of Rustoleum Spray Paint in glossy white. (Note: if you apply the spray paint in a cold room, like the garage seen here, you could end up with a blotchy finish...or...if you manually sand the surfaces you might not evenly remove the sheen and end up with blotchy finish. We did both).

STEP 6: Install interesting hardware on the fully painted and dried drawers. I used glass knobs for the top row of drawers to add a custom look. Both knobs shown are from Home Depot Canada.

BEFORE AND AFTER: Now that's better! A fresh new look for a great piece of furniture.

Add some styling to the surface of the dresser and admire your new piece of furniture that cost around $80 in spray paint and sand paper.

I think I am getting used to this DIY stuff…it’s pretty rewarding to be able to transform something old into something new. I wonder if there will be any DIY projects in 2012? I kinda hope so :)

Have you repainted a dresser before? What challenges did you face? I found it difficult to keep the paint application even – again, likely because of the cold environment and a hack-job on the sanding. I considered painting the top of the dresser a different colour for fun, like a punchy bright blue, but it didn’t seem like the right thing to do for this particular space.

Maybe next time!

sounding like I’m living in the past, I’m going to reference the 2011 holiday season again…but ONLY because I have so much to share with you that I haven’t yet had a chance to post :)

As you may know, I was busy making some changes on-the-cheap to my mother in law’s guest bedroom (stay tuned for a tutorial next week on the painted dresser in the space). Originally, my mother in law wanted to create a relaxing, soothing and inviting guest bedroom. She wanted to incorporate a light blue colour, and after having a silver-grey broadloom installed, she decided to paint the walls powder blue and get a matching blue comforter. I had to break the bad news to her…the room was TOO BLUE! And powder blue to boot…a favourite colour of geriatric and infant bedrooms. Yikes.

The key to creating a colour scheme is balance, especially when it comes to small spaces and a limited budget. In this case, the amount of blue in the space was overkill:

BEFORE: The Too-Blue bedroom

BEFORE: More blue blue blue...and not enough furniture.

Luckily for me, my mother in law is a fabulous “client”…she is not overly committed or attached to her furniture or wall colours, which makes it easy to make changes to her spaces. Even though she had JUST finished painting the guest room (powder blue…), we all agreed that the wall colour needed to make more of a statement. The blue walls were making the room look dated and they were causing the silver grey carpet to look blue as well. It was like a blue box. Too much blue, not enough contrast and even less drama.

AFTER: A peaceful oasis with hints of blue.

Despite the tight budget and timeline, the room underwent quite the transformation. Here’s what we changed:

• Painted the walls a fresh, soothing, warm grey to balance out the cool blue.
• Painted the dated pine dresser (tutorial posted next week!).
• Bought matching nightstands to create symmetry and balance out the furniture. We used 2 VALLVIK three-drawer chests from IKEA on either side of the bed. I like it when bedroom furniture pieces are different, as opposed to the “matchy-matchy” look that results from buying bedroom sets. Mis-matched furniture pieces provide a more customized look.
• Bought two IKEA ALANG table lamps in a white shade for the nightstands.
• Bought a black and white herringbone toss cushion for the bed.
• Placed a black wicker occasional chair from the basement in the new room.
• Swapped the boring builder-standard light for a cute matte black iron chandelier.
• Hung fabulous art made by Jeff Campagna from THIS POST.
• Styled the room with a couple of contemporary accessories and a few personal touches.
• Switched the small circle mirror for a larger buffed pewter mirror from another room.

AFTER: Symmetrical night stands help create a more polished look and add some visual balance.

AFTER: An up-cycled and repainted old dresser is now a fabulous feature piece.

AFTER: An iron chandelier from Home Depot Canada adds drama.

AFTER: Typography pop art with a heavy gold frame adds flare to the space.

AFTER: A combination of pretty accessories finish the space.

AFTER: Personal touches make the space special, like this photograph of my mother in law's mother and a friend sitting on the porch steps.

AFTER: A new look!

I apologize for the lack of excitement around Passport To Design lately! Since my previous post in 2011, I have returned to Panama and have been wrapped up in a wonderful design project that I hope to share with you soon. Needless to say, my absence is a result of my lack of spare time, but I haven’t forgotten about you! My posts over the next few weeks may be pretty sparse, but it’s only because I’m working on some fun design projects that I will share with you soon…

Starting with today’s post!

I spent most of 2011 claiming to be craft-challenged, especially in the DIY furniture department. While I have some “great” ideas (as ideas usually appear to be) I decided to end 2011 on a positive note for the DIY-er buried deep within me.

And so, I’d like to share my first EVER officially documented DIY project – a custom-made frame to spruce up a very boring and standard suburban bathroom mirror.

BEFORE

Standard Builder Bathroom Mirror BEFORE...

annnnd…

AFTER

The not-so-standard Bathroom Mirror AFTER complete with shiny new custom frame.

This project was completed over 2 weeks from start to finish, but I think it could easily be done in 3-5 days (if you’re smart enough not to tackle the project during the holiday rush).  As you will soon notice, this project is not perfect…far from perfect…but luckily, my very understanding and supportive mother-in-law was happy to be the recipient of a mini bathroom “makeover” that only cost her $45.00 thanks to the supplies we purchased from Home Depot.

Here’s how I did it (and by “I”, I mean here’s what I told Jeff-the-passport-mascot to do):

STEP 1: Choose the Wood

Design what your mirror frame will look like. You can sketch it out, draft it on CAD (if you want to show off) or, in my case, just use your imagination and see what the Home Depot has to offer. Since I knew I wanted the frame to be white, I tried to cut corners by choosing a painted fiber board (two of them, which are shown cut to size here) that was more or less ready to go. I chose a beaded trim in a thinner wood that would be light enough to glue to the frame and provide additional relief and visual interest. And finally, to avoid having to miter the corners I chose a decorative corner moulding that was also painted white.

Step 1: The Wood

STEP 2: Cut to Measure

 Jeff decided it would work best to sketch out the size of the actual mirror on a large piece of cardboard (isn’t he smart??) and then fit the wood pieces inside to measure. After making some small markings on the back of the frame, he cut them with a power saw and laid them out to see if they fit. And they did. Kind of…one of the decorative trim pieces was a tad too short. We used it anyways.

Step 2: Cut to Measure

STEP 3: Glue The Wood Pieces Together

Using a heavy duty construction adhesive (shown below), apply a beaded line of glue to the back of the frame. If you’re smart enough to store your adhesive AND your frame pieces in a warm environment (not the garage in the middle of December in Toronto…) your glue will actually come out more fluidly. Once you have applied the glue, press the thin trim piece in place for a second and then lift it slightly to create webbing of the glue – apparently, this helps create a tigher seal now that some of the clumps have been removed and more glue is spread out between the trim and the frame. I pressed firmly on the wood trim and held it in place for approximately 1 minute…the wet glue causes the trim to slide around a bit when pressing firmly, so make sure the edges are lined up and straight before walking away.

PL 9000 Heavy Duty Construction Adhesive

Step 3: Glue the Wood Pieces Together

Step 3: Glue the Wood Pieces Together (stretch the adhesive)

STEP 4: Sand Off Excess Dry Glue

Wait 24 hours for the adhesive to fully dry, and they use a corse sand paper to remove any dry clumps of glue – but be careful! You don’t want to sand too hard or you will remove the sheen and finish of the frame beneath (even though you are going to paint the frame again anyways, it’s better not to remove the sheen and end up with an uneven finish).

Step 4: Sand Off Excess Dry Glue

Step 5: Apply a Coat of Spray Primer & White Spray Paint

Now that the adhesive has dried and you have your trim attached to your frame, it’s time to paint! Using a can of Rustoleum Painter’s Touch Spray PRIMER, coat the entire frame (including the corner moulding) in an even layer of primer. Let it dry in a space that is room-temperature (again, NOT your cold garage in Toronto during mid-December) for approximately 24 hours, and then apply a layer of Rustoleum’s Painter’s Touch Gloss Spray Paint. I would have liked if the Gloss finish was actually glossier, but it sufficed (though if I had more time, I’d go for more of a lacquered finish). Again, let the paint dry for 24 hours before applying another coat under desired coverage is achieved. I used 1/2 a can of spray paint for this project.

Step 5: Apply a Coat of Spray Primer

Step 5: Apply a Coat of Spray Paint

STEP 6: Adhere the Frame to the Mirror

Ok, folks, this is the tricky part. It’s time to construct the frame, piece by piece, directly on the mirror! Start with the bottom left-hand side moulding – since you already measured the length of the frame, all you have to do is make sure that your corner moulding pieces will be at the corner of the mirror once adhered. Apply a beaded line of Heavy Duty Construction Adhesive to the back of the corner moulding and the back of the bottom length of the frame and the back of the right corner moulding and apply them to the mirror (use the same technique of applying and then lifting the glued frame off the mirror slightly to create a gluey web affect). Hold each piece in place for a couple of minutes and then use whatever random stuff you can find around the house (like CDs, books, a telephone??) to hold the wood in place as it dries. Proceed with the rest of the frame as you wish – I applied the two vertical sides next, and then the two corner mouldings (left first) and then the top frame, with the right corner moulding last.

Step 6: Adhere the Frame to the Mirror

STEP 7: Fill in the Gaps

Now that your frame is completely dry (at least 24 hours later) and affixed to the mirror, it’s time to do some damage control! If you did a not-so-perfect job like I did, you may notice that there are some (many) gaps between the wood trim and the frame that are more obvious now that the frame is mounted in place. No worries, this is an easy fix (and cheap too!). You can see in the photo below that the uneven spray paint application left some openings that look less than stellar (and some bubbles thanks to spray painting in a cold environment). I had some white acrylic paint left over from my art school days, and decided to use it as a filler since it goes on fairly thick and can be squished into the voids with an old rag and a paint brush to “fake” perfection.

Slather a generous amount of acrylic paint over the gap between the trim and frame using a medium-width soft horse hair paint brush (a too-soft brush won’t work to manipulate the paint, and a too-stiff brush might scratch the frame). Take an old rag and run your rag-wrapped finger along the gap, pushing the acrylic into the holes while simultaneously wiping off the excess from the frame. You can use the paint brush to “stuff” acrylic into the gap as well, just be sure to wipe off the excess. Let the acrylic dry fully and re-assess if there are any gaps left over after the paint has contracted slightly. Re-apply as needed. This trick helped me fill in the gap where the wood trim was too short as well – from a distance, it looks as though all pieces were cut perfectly and sealed with a professional finish.

Step 7: Fill in the Gaps (yikes!)

Step 7: Fill the Gaps with Artist Acrylic Paint

Step 7: Apply the Acrylic Generously to the Frame

Step 7: Ta-Da! Gaps Are Filled!

And there you have it. The bathroom was looking slightly boring pre-mirror frame, but now the space looks truly  ”finished”. Some colourful and simple accessories help mask this suburban builder-standard bathroom without breaking the bank.

AFTER: Bathroom Mirror Frame in all it's styled glory

Do you think you will give your bathroom mirror a makeover? You can play around with various sizes of frames to add a more dramatic look, and then introduce a wild colour to add some fun. Believe me, if “I” could do it, you can too!

where Passport To Design takes a wee holiday and wishes you and your loved ones a very Merry time of the year. No matter what you’re celebrating, I hope your Holidays will be full of happiness and wonderful memories.

Bring on the celebration! Jeff and I in Ocho Rios for NYE 2009/2012

Check back in with Passport To Design on January 10, 2012 - I need a little extra time after the New Year to get myself organized and return to Panama (there are two fabulous condos that need a little TLC!).

Happy Holidays, everyone :)

xo
*Tania

four times. While each trip was more memorable than the last, the most recent jaunt will stand out in my mind forever because it’s the first trip I’ve ever taken during the holidays that didn’t include a beach and lots of sunscreen; AND, it was a long overdue mother-daughter trip.

My mumsie and I had such a great time walking the (cold and rainy) Manhattan streets, especially because the city was all decked out for the holidays, and let me tell you…the decorations in NYC are intense. Last year, I set up my own little Christmas Corner on the porch ledge in my Panama home, and while I enjoyed the backdrop of palm trees and my crafty coastal decorations, the holiday decor in NYC was amazing in a traditional kind of way. Really. So many decked out halls, trees and amazing window displays. My head was spinning.

The grand Christmas tree in the Roosevelt Hotel lobby (a fabulous lobby with not-so-fabulous rooms, I might add).

Holiday shoppers everyone in Macy's.

This mesmerizing window display outside of Macy's featured dancing marionettes. So gorgeous...and if there weren't 305,637 people around, I could have taken a photo of the entire display ;)

Cartier on Saks Fifth Avenue all wrapped up for the holidays.

Silly me, I forgot to snap a photo of the name of this shop, but their window display of beautifully packaged lotions and candles is too pretty not to include.

All corporate lobbies have a tall tree on display - this tree is from the Admit One office on Broadway.

I LOVE this unconventional Christmass tree display in one of Soho's bohemian-style boutique shops. Seems like a fun DIY, right?

And when it comes to stunning architecture, there is no shortage in NYC, especially in Uptown. Love the understated wreaths on this building.

Watching people skate (and fall) at Rockefeller Centre.

I think this is Madison Avenue all lit up at night - most trees in Midtown were full of twinkly lights and holiday cheer.

Needless to say, we returned to (colder) Toronto with sore legs, damp shoes, lots of shopping bags and broken umbrellas.

I’m so happy to have been able to travel with my mom – she’s a fun and easy-going travel partner, and since we haven’t been able to spend as much time together while I’ve been living abroad, this trip was a much-need dose of QT.  The holiday decor and Christmas music (even though I’m pretty Scroogey when it comes to listening to Fa-La-La-La-Las on the radio) made our time together even more special.

Christmas in New York City is nothing short of spectacular!

I wanted to share some of my favourite Etsy finds of the year that I’ve added to my MUST-HAVE list (and now you can too). Aside from rain drops on roses and whiskers on kittens, these are a few of my favourite things this season:

(1)  EARRINGS FROM “OSTLUND CUSTOM WORKS”:

Hammered aluminum and brass earrings. I have myself a pair of the spiral aluminum with dangling chains in silver!

Hammered and polished aluminum cuffs (brass details optional). Too cute!

You remember Ron’s awesomely artistic clocks handmade from recycled materials, right? Right. Well, Ron of Ostlund Custom Works has expanded his collection to include interesting jewelry pieces with an industrial flare. Right now, you can save 15% off all Etsy orders with the coupon code SAVEONSTYLE15, and have a recycled piece of hammered metal (paired with brand new, hygienic silver plated ear wires for earrings) to add to your Holiday list. Click HERE to purchase and put in your order soon (or have your hubby put in his order soon) because Ron has many orders to fulfill before Christmas).

(2)  HANDMADE NECKLACES BY “ZOOBI”:

Vintage illustrations on chunky stones...love it!

I have always been a fan of these adorable pendants handmade by Nadia Zoobi – the nostalgic imagery and song lyrics she uses from vintage literature is perfectly matched by the hand-picked stones and antique brass chains. Nadia offers FREE SHIPPING (yipee, I hate paying for postage!) on all orders if you like the Zoobi facebook fan page. Click HERE to check out Nadia’s selection of one-of-a-kind necklaces – a perfect gift for that vintage-loving jewel-aholic in your life (or…for you).

(3) HAND-KNIT COWLS FROM “THE LITTLE COWL COMPANY”:

Jordana modelling a client's custom cowl (alpaca and acrylic) in Purple and Linen. Many colour choices and sizes available.

Luckily for me, my time in a cold-weather country is limited, but SADLY, this means I have little time left to wear one of these fabulous cowls that are made by Jordana Antonelli, the knitting wizard behind The Little Cowl Company. As an avid scarf-wearer, I appreciate the Cowl and think it’s a great accessory for any outfit, and a MUST-HAVE when it comes to travel. I saw knit cowls for sale ALL OVER New York City – I sense a winter trend upon us! Click HERE to check out The Little Cowl Company‘s facebook profile – this company isn’t fully set up on Etsy just yet, Jordana’s been so busy taking orders (and knitting herself silly) in time for the holidays, Etsy will just have to wait. And yes, she has inventory for sale, but also provides custom orders so you can pick a high-quality wool colour of your choice, and a size that suits you too.

My Holiday MUST-HAVE wish list is seriously getting out of control this year ;) Did you see anything here that you’ll be adding to your list? I’d love to know!

I don’t know how it happened, but for the first time in over a year, I ran out of time to feature two posts last week. *Tsk tsk tsk* I know, I’m a bad blogger! I blame it on all the fun I’ve been having during my visit back home in Toronto, and the fact that for 4 days, my mumsie and I took a fabulous trip together to the Big Apple!

Myself and my beautiful mom at Rockefeller Centre in NYC.

I am now back from my brief-but-awesome holiday in NYC with mumsie (us girls were aching for some QT together). While there, I gathered plenty of inspiration to share with you in the new few posts, but first, I wanted to let you know about an interview I participated in for Barbara from Hodge:Podge for her famous “So Canadian, Eh?” blog series.

I admit that I did a little bit of fist-pumping and self-high-fives (which look more like clapping?) when Barbara offered to interview me for a series I’ve been reading since I entered the blogosphere. I never expected to be a part of such a fun series, always considered myself more of a silent admirer :)  I’m so thankful to have been given some time in the spotlight on Hodge:Podge.

Boutique Hotel Room designed by TLC Design & Decor (as shown on Hodge:Podge blog).

Barbara – thank you SO MUCH for the interview…it was FUN! And thank you for the kind comments about my blog – it makes me smile to know that you think my blog reads as a well-travelled passport. Music to my travel-hungry ears!

Hop over to Hodge:Podge to check out Barbara’s awesome blog (a gem for all you DIY-ers out there), and while you’re there, read my interview and some of the other talented folks who have been featured in the “So Canadian, Eh?” series too!

I promise to have a new NYC-themed blog post up soon :) Thanks for hanging in there, readers!

a long time to tell you about one of my favourite products, and guess what, friends? The time is now!

I am absolutely loving the eco-friendly totes by SnapSac designed by Brand Hero designer, Lisa Vitale. I came across SnapSac while surfing the web and the first thing that caught my eye was the stylish pattern of a featured bag (the MegaTote in Neutral shown below), but after a LOT of clicking around, I realized there are more fabulously fun patterns and prints available, and that SnapSacs come in six different shapes and sizes.

I had my own little photoshoot so I could show you my favourite SnapSacs :)

My golden reindeer is helping model a few of my SnapSacs :)

This GroceryTote in Neutral is super cute (and yes, the SnapSacs fold up flat for easy storage).

Here's a photo of the GroceryTote in Pop unfolded.

The SnapSac collection made my Holiday Must-Have list because:

1. They are freaken’ CUTE! The bag patterns are fun and come in trendy colours for every season.

2. They actually ARE eco-friendly! Each pattern option has two colours, but really, only one colour is used in the printing process – the secondary colour is the colour of the bag itself. This saves on materials and resources. Plus, every time you use a SnapSac at the mall, grocery store, beach, etc. you are helping to reduce plastic waste. Win, win.

3. The SnapSacs are totally affordable. Yes, it’s true, all six styles range in price from $2.99 – $9.99, which means consumers can help “save the world” (one plastic bag at a time) for the same price as a fast-food meal. Awesome, right?

4. Inside the large bag cavity, there is a single small pocket at the top of the bag for valuables – a must-have feature for anyone who has car keys, a cell phone or a change purse.

5. My SnapSac bags get me compliments :) I have used the Shindig CoolTote to pack a lunch (shown in the last photo) and the Social PetiteTote as my carry-all for a design consultation, and both solicited a “Hey, cool bag!” from friends.

The MegaTote (left) is huge. Seriously, mega for those days when you have to carry a LOT of stuff. The SuperTote (right) is a good size for a day bag.

The Shindig CoolTote has a leak-proof lining and insulation, perfect for carrying cool drinks to the beach or for a picnic in the park.

Using re-usable bags is not just a trend, it’s a new way of life. Reducing waste in landfills is so important for soooo many reasons (cleaner drinking water, less harmful emissions, etc. etc.), and now it’s great to see designers like Lisa (follow along at @SnapSacs) coming up with fun patterns and trendy motifs for great products. I, for one, love carrying a re-usable bag while shopping that isn’t covered with grocery store logos and ugly advertisements for a change (oh, and by the way, Lisa offers custom SnapSac design options…feel free to email her HERE if you have any questions). And I can’t wait to bring my SnapSac to NYC with me – it’s a great shopping bag that will fold up and fit into my purse.

If you want to give a SnapSac as a gift this holiday season, click HERE to see the selection of awesome bags available. For me, I’m going to dole out my holiday gifts in SnapSacs in an attempt to save a tree (no more holiday paper bags!) and give my friends a little extra something too ;)

I find myself coveting many wonderful things…my list to Santa is going to be longer than ever, so I thought I’d share my “wants” with you so you can add to your holiday must-have list too.  (And if you’re looking to buy me a gift, you can check back here haha).

I admit I am not the crafty type (DIY-ers, I applaud you and your efforts to make your own decorations for the holidays) but I do love handmade products, especially art. Recently, I hosted a giveaway by Black Baroque where two winners became proud owners of fabulous plates that are printed with charming vintage imagery. I know you may have seen some of the plates available for sale on Etsy.com at the Black Baroque store, but I wanted you to see just how beautiful these plates are in person too.

I now have a set of four 10″ diametre melamine plates to call my own. I LOVE LOVE LOVE them and think they make great Holiday gifts for anyone who loves to decorate, entertain and bake. I couldn’t help but find nesting spots for my plates around the house – they look great as decor (on a plate stand or hung on a wall).  And although they are food safe, I haven’t used them to serve fresh baked treats just yet…mainly because you do NOT want to eat anything I’d be baking…trust me, I’m doing you a favour ;) I would love to receive a plate of holiday treats on a pretty plate like these, especially because the imagery is not holiday-based.

Peacock plate - too cute!

Loving the Edgar Allan Poe plate (and the raven on his shoulder).

Just to give you an idea of scale, the Edgar Allan Poe plate in all its glory.

The Stag with Birds plate is a nice addition to my office shelf.

The Heart Anatomy plate is right at home with the Heart Anatony print I bought last year.

Isn’t the vintage imagery adorable? Don’t you love the antiquated text from Dickens’ “Pickwick Papers” that make up the background of the plate? I was so surprised to see how sharp the images are and how much the plates resemble the photos on Etsy. Do you have a favourite? I love all my babies…err…plates…equally. I can’t choose.

Thanks to Alexandra and Poni for kicking off the first of many Holiday Must-Have posts :) MAKE SURE you put in your orders for any plates by December 2nd 2011 – Alexandra is very busy with orders and needs lots of time to get your gifts out to you on time.

Get over to Etsy now and help support independent artists, especially Alexandra and Poni of Black Baroque, while giving a truly unique and special gift (psst, there are new plates for sale since the last time I mentioned Black Baroque).

for all the same cliched reasons that everyone else does – the great food, the stunning architecture, the easy-going way of life…but just because these reasons are cliched, doesn’t make them any less true! In fact, the resounding “ROME IS AWESOME!” from everyone who has had the pleasure of visiting this city will attest that Rome is just as special as its reputation promises.

Due to a decent bout of nostalgia and a stinging travel bug, I am taking today to look back on some of my favourite moments while visiting Rome for the second time. Hope you enjoy some of the Roman eye candy that I photographed during my trip! I really miss:

THE CHARMING DETAILS OF THE ITALIAN LIFESTYLE:

An adorable group mailbox in a Roman apartment complex.

WALKING AROUND THE CITY AT DUSK:

Taking in the scene of an alleyway in the Trastevere district.

TAKING IN THE DIVERSE NIGHT LIFE:

Watching the locals play foosball by the river.

TAKING IN THE BREATH-TAKING VIEWS OF THE ANCIENT CITY:

A gorgeous scene of the city of Rome below.

VISITING THE ‘MUST-SEE’ TOURIST SIGHTS:

Taking in the glory of the Coliseum.

A view of the illuminated wall inside the Pantheon.

DISCOVERING GORGEOUS ARCHITECTURE BETWEEN TOURIST SIGHTS:

A beautiful church facade in Rome.

Admiring the hand-painted tributes to Saints in Trastevere.

ADMIRING THE OPULENT INTERIOR DESIGN:

A beautiful indoor shopping centre and cafe.

SNAPPING PHOTOS OF THE HISTORICAL ARCHITECTURAL DETAILS:

Old street signs add to the historical city's charm.

SHOPPING FOR ITALIAN BRANDS:

Shopping for way-too-expensive accessories.

EATING ALL THE PIZZA I COULD MANAGE:

Need I say more?

…AND EVEN MORE GELATO (twice a day!):

Can anyone ever have enough gelato? Answer: No.

And there you have it…a few days in Rome summed up in just a few photos. Now I’m *really* aching to go back! Have you been to Rome? Was it as wonderful as you had hoped it would be?

 (BTW, for all you Toronto-based readers, don’t forget that TONIGHT is Jeff’s opening reception for his art works on display at gallerywest. If you like cool art, free booze and great music, come by between 7 – 10pm and say hello :) More info HERE).