The day at the Rome Porta Portese flea market with Milly Sorrentino

Flea Market in Rome Porta Portese is one of largest in Italy. I have been hoping to go see it for a while but couldn't get there on Sunday and that's the only day it is open. This time* we planned our visit to Rome to include the Porta Portese as well. 

So, what was my impression? It's large enough, but honestly I have been expecting a lot more. Not surprisingly the real experts aren't jazzed with it either, so I wouldn't advise you to come to Rome just to see it. There are better and cheaper flea markets in Italy.

 

newly made and vintage mixed

prices like in an antique store

someone checking out a trinket box, just look at those keys!

 I have seen this mug for 70 to 150 Euro in different markets

gotta bring your magnifying glass not to get cheated

Despite the overall bad report I did have some lovely finds and added them to my etsy shop!

Story by Milly (millyscollection)

Translation by Nadia (LuNaViFelt)

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* Would you like to read more on Italian flea markets? See our previous post "The day at the Trento flea market with Milly Sorrentino"

The day at the Trento Flea Market with Milly Sorrentino

My name is Milly and I'm the owner of "Мilly S vintage & collection" (millyscollection). I have always admired antiques and collectibles and I would love to share with you the best finds that I discovered during my weekly visits to Italian flea markets, brocantes or antique shops in Italy, France and Austria.

Today I would like to show you one of my favorite places to visit, a Trento Flea Market.

Trento Flea Market is open on second Saturday each month. Market is located in the heart of the city and spreads out on several streets and in a small public garden near the main market square.

Trento is an Italian city in the Adige River valley, Trentino-Alto Adige / Südtirol/South Tirol. It is the capital of Trentino Area.

Trento is close to the mountains and forest so vintage and antique finds from wood aren't unusual in this market.

Wooden things are in fashion again and I just love this wooden telephone!

Another interesting find for the kitchen:

Trento is close to Austria and Germany, so here you can find antique and vintage items are not only from Italy but also from those countries.

There are more and more items - toys, souvenirs, vintage and retro.

I love this stand - vintage lace, linen and trivia made ​​from it, all sorts of little things women like.

Very nice, aren't they? But these are not really vintage. These are just made in vintage style "shabby chic". All handmade, natural wood, but all new

These are treasures of the seller I am well acquainted with. She calls me "the girl with spoons," because I always order "interesting spoons" from her for my store.

I'll be back here again next month and I accept orders.

Translated by Nadia LuNaViFelt

Holiday season in Italy

This year I’d like to tell you a bit about Christmas and New Year’s traditions in Italy. As we all know already Italy is a country of traditions! They differ a bit from region to region or town to town just like the dialects, but some are common all over Italy and those are the ones I’d like to share.

Christmas is well loved and celebrated in Italy as all over the World and by the end of November most of the shops are decked out for the season.

On Christmas Eve the whole family gathers at the table laden with goods with Presepe in the center. Presepe is Nativity Scene in Italy - Joseph, Mary and animals in the stable. Just a few figures or all the table taken by scenes of local life. At Christmas time a lot of towns hold Presepe exhibitions and artists compete to make the best one.

At midnight the youngest in the family holds the statuette of baby Jesus and leads the „train” of a sort where everybody follows holding the person before by the shoulders all around the house as they sing «tu scendi dalle stelle» - You come down from the stars. At the end of the song baby Jesus is put into Presepe and unwrapping of gifts starts.

One more Christmas tradition is Italian Christmas cakes that grace every table - panettone and pan d'oro.

Right after Christmas on the 26th is St.Stephen’s Day - Santo Stefano. He is the patron saint of Italy. I can’t remember any particular traditions of that day besides getting the whole family together one more time to feast from the heart and stomach!

Let’s move on from Christmas to New Years.

Traditionally it’s not a family holiday like Christmas, but a celebration with friends, usually a noisy and fun party. Often Italians go skiing for a few days over the New Years or just to get away to the mountains. One of the holy traditions of New Year’s Eve is cooking lentils and then eating them at midnight, of course without utensils, just with hands! Lentils are followed by meat delicacy called cotechino. It is a fresh sausage made from pork, fatback, and pork rind. Eaten with hands of course  Tradition says eating lentils at New Year’s will bring you lots of money in that year. As long as I remember, and especially since the crisis, it didn’t bring us any, but we still do it every year 

Last holiday of the season is Epafania - Epiphany, that is celebrated 12 days after Christmas on the 6th of January. Gift giving for Christmas is a novelty in Italy, that tradition isn’t older than 30 years. Before that the gifts were brought by Befana – old, ugly but kind witch that comes on her broom at the night of the 6th and places the gift into the stocking hung at the window or fireplace. Traditionally you have to leave Befana a snack. If the child was good for the year he or she will find stocking full of sweets, dry and fresh fruit, but if he or she was bad the stocking will be filled with coal. This tradition is getting forgotten now but my husband always leaves a sockful of chocolates and a tiny witch figure under my pillow 

Hope you enjoyed my little story,

Katrin from katrinshine

Translated by Nadia (crafts2love)

My Lavender Kingdom

I'd like to invite you to my Lavender Kingdom today. It is called "La bottega della lavanda " or a "Lavender shop".

By the way, this bicycle by the entrance works just fine!

Everything here (including me) is either lavender colored or has lavender fragrance. Even our cash register is purple! According to psychologists, lavender color works to relax you. It calms your down and even improves your vision!

The beneficial effects of lavender were known a long time ago, even to the ancient Romans. Now you can find blooming lavender in almost every Italian garden or on balconies or patios. It is a beautiful plant that is loved by many and it also works as a mosquito repellent.

Do you know that 1 drop of lavender oil will ease the discomfort of mosquito bite? Not many people know this natural remedy, but now you do.

If you will get a chance, try to see the glorious lavender fields of the Friuli region in Italy. Once you see it you will almost instantly fall in love with this simple purple flower!

Lavender will help calm down your nerves and will help you think clearly. You can also use it in the kitchen as a food supplement or you can drink it as a tea.

Oh, beautiful lavender, here it is:

I have everything right here in my Lavender Kingdom: cosmetics, perfumes, air fresheners, lovely sachets, bath products, candles and also house decor items and ceramics.

Lavender sachets placed in the closet will absorb odor and also will disinfect the air. It is said that if you will place a lavender-based natural air freshener in your bedroom or place a lavender sachet right on your pillow during day, you will never have a bad dream. You will wake up refreshed and full of energy!

I hope you enjoyed your short trip to my Lavender Kingdom. If you are ever in Italy please stop by!

Story by Katrin Katrinshine

Translated by Tanya AGardenCottage

Exploring the World. Matera, Basilicata by Katya (KatrinShine)

Yes, we all speak Russian; most of all were born in Soviet Union, but by a twist of fate, we all live in different countries around the world. Today, we'd like to take you to a virtual tour with Katya (KatrinShine) to Basilikata in Italy.

Matera is a small town in 150 km from Brindisi in Basilicata region. Matera is listed in the World Heritage List by UNESCO in 1993. It's became worldwide famouse because of old house-caves carved directly into the rocks. These rock structures are called the Sassi (Stones). The oldest of them is about 7000 years old. In a new caves, there are churches some of them were buit in the sixth century AD. There are very old frescos in some churches that are painted in XI-XII centuries Ad. A lot of famous movies were filmed there, and one of them a very famous Mel Gibson's movie "Passion of the Christ".

There are 1950 house-caves that were people's homes at that time. You will not believe it, but around 15,000 people had lived there. It was almost a half of the population of the city! They had no sewerage, and rain water was collected in a big stone tank to supply their needs.

Now, there are two parts in Matera: modern upper town and historical down town which is called Sassi. Going down to the old city, it seems like you are going to a different world. Beautiful view of the low town:

This is a view of the most ancient rock caves in the down town. They abandoned long time ago.

This how the house-caves look.

This house is a museum. House partially is in the rock, partially built outside it. 11 person family had lived in this small space: two adults and 9 children, with all home scarp. Animals had lived in the same room in the corner.

Kitchen:

Probably, you are wondering... where did they all sleep? Adults with one or two smallest kids slept in a bed.

At night, the bottom drawer dresser and food storage chests were turned into beds.

This is a bed for a little baby.

And this is a model of Matera

Story by Katrin (Katrinshine)
Translated by Irina (IrinaPhotography)