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OUR LUXURY VILLA IN SICILY AND THE TOP PLACES WE VISITED

We loved every minute of our stay in Sicily. Especially renting a luxury villa in Sicly  instead a hotel turned out to be the best decision for us. Since I’ve been getting so many messages on my Instagram with regards to this holiday, I’ve decided to document everything here for you guys. From where we stayed to what we did and of course as promised, I am going to include the ‘Spaghetti alla bottarga’ recipe since so many of you asked me to share it.

Part of my family is from Sicily so I’ve been many times in my life. And I have to say, I am always happy to come back! Sicily it’s a big island with a lot to visit so each time we travel to a different part and it always feels like a fresh holiday! This time we visited the very southern area around Modica, Noto and Siracusa.

 

 

First of all, the weather never disappoints, which makes it a top destination already from May (until November) to score a sunny holiday within Europe, without having to travel very far away! The Sicilian cuisine is very vibrant, and we are totally foodie, always appreciating the local fresh food and specialties. On top of this, you will find a gorgeous landscape and what I love the most, it’s not extremely touristic and most of the things still feels very authentic Italian. Italians are famous for being friendly and kids are most welcomed everywhere you go. There is no doubt you will feel very welcomed on this beautiful island.

 

 

We flew from Amsterdam with a direct flight to Catania. My first tip is to rent a car to be picked up at your arrival as it will give you a lot of freedom to explore during your stay. We picked a luxury villa in Sicily rather than a hotel for several reasons and this turned out to be the best choice ever! We found our Luxury Villa through Isula Sicilia (the one we stayed at was called “Sea Home”) and if you take a look at their website you will see you can choose through a lot of beautiful villas, quite reasonably priced. For us it was a must to have a pool and to be close to the beach and our villa was literally in front of the sea! We took beach walks every day and loved that it wasn’t one of those crowded beach, but more a seaside wild area with a lot of nature around. So relaxing! What we also loved about Isula Sicilia is that they supported us with a lot of activities we booked in advance. These made the holiday so special! It really felt like having all the amenities of a resort, but with the privacy of our own luxury villa.

These are the experiences we booked through Isula Sicilia:

 

 

If you are a wine lover, I strongly advise visiting a winery. This was one of our favourite experiences! We walked through the vineyards, admired the nature and especially tasted the delicious wine they produce combined with Sicilian traditional food.

 

 

 

Another of my favourite experiences. The chef was very professional, with a sophisticated restaurant menu, yet traditional to the Sicilian kitchen. It felt like being at a very good restaurant but with the comfort of not having to leave the house.

 

 

Normally we would have done this tour by boat, but it was not possible due to Covid restrictions this week. We still really enjoyed walking around and exploring one of the cutest town on the sea. It really felt so traditional, like nothing changed in 50 years. And loved that every corner was literally facing the sea! It’s the southest town of Italy!

 

 

This day have been so special for Emma! Casa Ciomod have been so welcoming and we loved listening to the historic part of how Modica keeps producing chocolate in the traditional and most natural way. I think it’s literally every kid dream to make their own chocolate so this is definitely an experience to share and enjoy with the family!

 

 

Since we had Emma we started to spend some holidays in big resorts, mostly because it is very practical with kids. And of course I always loved the spa and doing yoga in the morning as it gives such a good energy to the day. It’s been great being able to book these services in villa and again enjoy everything in the most privacy . Taking a massage and doing yoga with the sound of the waves in he background it’s been the most relaxing moments of this holiday!

Finally, as promised I am sharing the Spaghetti recipe I showed you one night on Instagram and so many of you asked! It is very easy and really anyone can do this! All you need, is some traditional ingredients (you can buy them in any supermarket in Italy and in some Italian shops abroad too!).

 

SPAGHETTI ALLA BOTTARGA

 

Bottarga is known as the caviar of the Mediterranean.

Ingredients: Spaghetti or Linguine, Bottarga, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Onions, Lemon.

Start with peeling the lemon, keeping only the yellow part. You can also grate this part of the lemon. Also cut the onion in small small cubes. Mix them in a pan with the olive oil and leave until they reach a golden colour. And this is ready.

Take a pan with water and let it boil. When it starts boiling add salt. Do not add too much salt as the Bottarga already comes with a strong flavour.

Add some spoons of the boiling water to the pan with stir fried onions and lemons.

When the water is boiling add the Spaghetti (about 80/100 gr x person normally for 10 minutes). A few minutes before the spaghetti are ready, take them off the water, and add them to the pan. Keep stearing them for the remaining minutes. When the time is up grate the Bottarga on the Spaghetti (same as you would grate cheese on it). And that’s it! So simple! Enjoy!!

Finally, if you’d like to watch a complete tour of our luxury villa in Sicily, you will find a youtube video tomorrow on my channel, including all the links to my outfits. Looking forward to hear if any of you will be visiting in the summer!

 

 

 

THROWBACK TO IBIZA WITH GIN MARE

Winter just started in Amsterdam, but it feels like summer left us ages ago already. This makes me go back to some amazing memories of this summer. One of the best travels (if not the best) was definitely my trip to Ibiza last September with Gin Mare and a group of fellow Dutch influencers.

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You can imagine how excited I was when this premium Mediterranean gin brand invited me to spend three days in Ibiza. We stayed at Vila Mare which was absolutely gorgeous with the most breathtaking sea view. Gin Mare is all about the Mediterranean spirit so the main idea of this trip was to enjoy the easy going Mediterranean lifestyle. And sure we did!

You know I am Italian, so this type of summer days, enjoying the sun, the good food and the slow life path in good company are not new to me 😉

I loved all the activities the Gin Mare team organised for us. My absolute favourite was doing yoga by the infinity pool. It was absolutely amazing and relaxing! Can you think of a better place for yoga other than outside in Ibiza with a breathtaking view?

bloggers trip - gin mare - ibiza - vila mare - press trip - summer - nickyinsideout

 

The entire trip was in the sign of delicious food and great drinks, which are very characteristic for the Ibiza’s lifestyle. The botanical flavour of Gin Mare perfectly highlighted the taste of the Mediterranean food, a must to try!!

On the second day, Gin Mare organized an amazing workshop that was happening by the pool. How cool, right? Gin is my favorite drink so I was super excited to learn how to prepare various cocktails with a little food pairing. My absolute winner was Gin Mare with oysters. A perfect combo of refreshing Mediterranean flavours!

After this fun workshop we had dinner at fancy HEART Ibiza with the Gin Mare‘s team. Fantastic food and entertainment made it an amazing evening!!

The rest of the time we spent relaxing by the incredible pool and having breath taking views of the sea. We had loads of fun with the girls and I couldn’t wish to be with a better squad.

Thank you Gin Mare for a dream trip! Till next summer..

bloggers trip - gin mare - ibiza - vila mare - press trip - summer - nickyinsideout

 

 

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{TRAVELS} PACKED MY CASE, WENT OUT OF OFFICE TO MALAGA WITH OTTERBOX.. AND IT WAS AMAZING!

OtterBox organised an outstanding trip for us. We stayed in Malaga and road tripped for four days through Andalusia soaking up all the magical vibes that the South of Spain has to offer.

For my job nothing is more important than my phone and OtterBox had it protected all day every day! We had a whole spread of phone cases we could pick each morning! Thanks to OtterBox my phone is always safe, making sure I can always capture and share the best images with you and stay connected at all times! My favourite is their ‘Clear Collection’ and the case I am always using now is the ‘Stardust’.

I couldn’t wait to finally sit and write this post to show you where we stayed in Malaga, our itinerary, what OtterBox organised for us and, of course, what I wore during the trip!

 

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We stayed just outside Malaga at Rancho del Ingles. This place is truly a hidden gem. If you visit Malaga it’s a must stay! In fact, I really look forward to go back with Emma and Menno one day.. I had a big crush on this B&B! It’s owned by a lovely couple who really made sure we all had a great time. They have an amazing eye for details and every corner was a shot occasion! I could have easily been spending the whole of the trip chilling in their garden by the pool, with a magical view overlooking the Spanish hills. But we had to much to do and experience..

 

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We explored the city centre of Malaga where the colours are breathtaking and each little street has a cute spot to offer. We ended the day having mojitos and tapas overlooking the sunset from a rooftop bar. It was the perfect occasion to get to know everyone while enjoying the view!

 

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On the second day we spent the morning in Frigiliana. It’s the cutest little town with a greek look, white houses, blue details and steps.. Loads of steps! If you visit Andalusia I strongly recommend to go and take the time to explore it and enjoy each little corner. It’s seriously too cute!

 

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When I thought Frigiliana would have been already a blast for the day, then I had to rethink. OtterBox seriously wanted to spoil us this time and organised a boat trip for the whole afternoon! We just chilled with music and some bubbles and it was my favourite time! I just love being on a boat!

 

 

 

 

On the third day we were up early and drove a couple of hours to visit Alhambra and Granada. If you visit Andalusia my tip is to rent a car so you can really make the most of it! I think it would really be a shame to just stay in the same city for the whole holiday.. this region has so much to offer and so many beautiful places to visit! Alhambra was incredibly busy and I strongly advise to go very early in the morning to avoid the big groups. Besides the million of tourists this is the most beautiful garden I’ve ever seen. Finally we had lunch in Granada city centre and spent the afternoon wondering the city and the local markets.

 

 

 

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With 16 influencers, you can only imagine the amount of pictures which were taken! We seriously had a lot of fun and an incredible stay in Malaga. OtterBox really spoiled us and made our stay one of the best weekend of this summer and surprise surprise.. nobody’s phone crashed!! 😉 Content is safe!!.. Good news is, you can see even more pictures of our trip if you check out the #OtterboxOoO on Instagram!

 

Inside Out the Look:

Khaki Dress: American Vintage | Pink jumpsuit: Takko | Swimsuit and Cover up: Freya from Wacoal | Head scarf: Unmade | Spaghetti strap dress: Alix the Label | Straw bag: Kayu from Shopbop (more beach bags here, some on sale!)

 Created in collaboration with OtterBox. Story, styling, photograpy and creative direction my own.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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LFW @THEAPTMT WITH OTTERBOX OFFICIAL SPONSOR

During the previous LFW The Apartment was already one of my obligatory stops. You can imagine how happy I was when I heard OtterBox was going to be their official case sponsor this season!

nickyinsideout - fashion week - LFW - theaptmt - beauty - inspiration - street style

 

nickyinsideout - fashion week - LFW - theaptmt - beauty - inspiration - street style

 

In case you are not familiar with what The Apartment is, it’s a space dedicated to bloggers to get work done between the shows, presentations and meetings over LFW. Also, it’s a place when we can relax, meet fellow blogger friends,  touch up our hair and make up, snack and take a little break from the hectic schedule of the fashion week.

 

nickyinsideout - fashion week - LFW - theaptmt - beauty - inspiration - street style

 

nickyinsideout - fashion week - LFW - theaptmt - beauty - inspiration - street style

 

nickyinsideout - fashion week - LFW - theaptmt - beauty - inspiration - street style

 

What I always love about the Apartment is how much we are looked after. The LFW days are so hectic it just feels good to hang out in a very pretty and well curated space. Having a beauty studio either for a quick make up touch up or a change of look or even just relaxing having pop corns (or french fries!!) on the sofa while watching the shows. My favourite part of the time I spend here is always catching up with the what so called ‘fashion friends’ we only have the chance to see over fashion week or special events.

 

nickyinsideout - fashion week - LFW - theaptmt - beauty - inspiration - street style

 

nickyinsideout - fashion week - LFW - theaptmt - beauty - inspiration - street style

 

I recently upgraded to the iPhone 7plus and I am loving the new camera! My phone is everything for my work, especially in hectic moments like LFW where every highlight ends up on Instagram stories! Luckly OtterBox is always making sure my phone is well protected when we snap photos in the middle of the shows crowd and we jump from uber to uber to reach meetings during fashion week! The case I am using at the moment is the Symmetry Series Clear. Between the wide range of the OtterBox cases, this one really reflect my minimalistic style and I love to see through my sleek new black iPhone.

 

nickyinsideout - fashion week - LFW - theaptmt - beauty - inspiration - street style

 

Inside Out the Look:

 

 

nickyinsideout - fashion week - LFW - theaptmt - beauty - inspiration - street style

 

nickyinsideout - fashion week - LFW - theaptmt - beauty - inspiration - street style

 

nickyinsideout - fashion week - LFW - theaptmt - beauty - inspiration - street style

 

Created in collaboration with OtterBox. Story, styling, photograpy and creative direction my own.

StradaLounge BY OtterBox IN MUNICH

Last weekend I was invited to Munich with my favourite Amsterdam girls to attend the StradaLounge hosted by OtterBox Europe.

I have been super excited for this trip! I am always so happy to see my ‘OtterBox friends’.. we have been working together for a long time now and is always great to catch up in person! Also, I was looking forward to spend a girly weekend with Iris and Marlieke. Moreover, I had not been to Munich in over ten years.. Overall I had great expectations from this trip!

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The location was very different from the Otterbox event we attended last September in Paris.

This time we were in the heart of Munich, luckily inside because it was sooo freezing cold.. At the Galerie Art:ig where Otterbox was hosting StradaLounge, an incredibly lovely decorated pop up store. StradaLounge wasn’t simply a phone covers shop, instead an unforgettable experience! A great schedule of masterclasses hosted by international bloggers and influencers.

A weekend in great company of fellow bloggers from all around Europe and fun activities such as personalising our Strada cases while sipping cocktails and catching up with everyone.

 

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I must say the weekend totally fulfilled  my high expectations and my phone got a new fancy ‘outfit’.. have you seen how cool are the leather stickers!?!

 

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The Look:

Munich was even colder than Amsterdam, but I didn’t want to compromise in style so I brought some new clothes with me. I expected a lot of strolling around Munich so I packed comfy shoes like these Levi’s new boots and easy going and very cool sweater from Modemusthaves.

 

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Inside Out the Look:

Sweater: Modemusthaves | Boots: Levi’s | Purse: Les Petits Joueurs from Shopbop | Coat: Scotch & Soda | Skirt: Mango | Sunglasses: Celine | Phone cover: Otterbox Strada Series Folio Case

Created in collaboration with OtterBox. Story, styling and creative direction my own. Photography Otterbox and myself.