Shot by Morgane Lay for Anthropologie

It really seems as if I have traveled around the world in a month. Phew! But boy was it fun. It was dancing on tables fun. So fun, I barely got sleep! Here I am behind the scenes on set with Anthropologie at the Aman in Venice, Italy. This was our last night together after days of shooting with the production team, and we had one large feast before parting ways the next day on our flights. I live for Venice’s grand interior design and a good plate of cacio e pepe. This was an end to a once-in-a-lifetime train ride on the Orient Express. I can’t wait to tell you all about it. For now, I have to wait until New Year’s Eve to shimmy in another little party dress, and hopefully without knocking down a glass of red wine.

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Makeup: Armani Beauty

The most amazing thing about Venice Film Festival and working with the Armani Beauty team is that I got to share this incredible week with my Mom. It’s rare we get to travel on work trips together, and this one felt super special. And in gorgeous and star-studded Venice, Italy…what more can a girl ask for? She loved all the glitz, glamour, the food, and most especially the makeup. You’ll see her below getting a little lip touch-up with the team. She made me laugh the entire time. I’m always so happy when I can get my family involved with what I do. It makes everything 100x more fun and memorable! Here we are in the Armani Beauty Stars press room. Think life-size makeup compacts and Rouge d’ Armani lipsticks in this gorgeous Venetian chateau. You’ll see a ton of red here because it’s the iconic Armani Beauty color. Firey, chic, and sophistcated. Red also happens to be one of my go-to colors, especially on my lips. For the Venice Film Festival, I alternated between a classic red lip in 400, a nude pink lip in Androgino, and a brown in Diva. Venice during the film festival is just absolutely magical. You never know who you will run into. Though we had a whirlwind week of shoots, press days, and the red carpet premiere of “A Star is Born” there was plenty of time in between to sit back on the boats and float slowly through the canals. We sipped on numerous Aperol spritzes like the locals. Now that is a dream.

Black dress: Emporio Armani. Burgundy bag: Mulberry England. Sandals: Isa Tapia. Sunglasses: Cutler and Gross.

Pink dress: Veronica Beard. Bag: YSL. Sandals: Isa Tapia. Sunglasses: Jacques Marie Mage.

White pants: Manila Grace

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Yes, National Scarf Day is actually a thing. September 27th. Mark your calendars! This week, I had the pleasure of hosting Echo New York‘s 95th Anniversary party at Bloomingdale’s. It’s pretty incredible to think their brand has been family run for over 95 years! It’s definitely very rare and a huge accomplishment! Bravo Echo New York! Thank you to everyone who came uptown to meet me and the team! It reminds how amazing and truly loyal my followers are and I’m so thankful for that! I have worn Echo scarves forever, and they have travelled the world with me from Nicaragua to Italy. I can count on their elegant prints and luxurious silk to instantly make any look pop. They are suddenly my best fall accessory. When it comes to scarves, it’s all about experimentation. Best worn around the head, as a top, skirt, or loosely hanging from my bag. Keep things classic and tie it closely around your neck. Anything goes really. I had an amazing time photographing Echo’s new collection in Venice, Italy. They make me feel like a local everywhere I go. Think drama, drama, drama. Emerald green, salmon pink, and gold have stole my heart this season. Here in NYC, I feel the cool breeze coming in from my window each morning. Fall is officially here and I always feel incredible in this look: a metallic blazer, a wool trouser, and an amazing silk scarf.

Echo New York scarves

Haider Ackermann orange blazer

Nanushka vegan leather pant

Dear Frances sandal

Dolce & Gabbana handbag

Veronica Beard metallic blazer

Veronica Beard trouser

Isa Tapia metallic sandal

Annika Inez earrings

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Lucky for us, we were in Venice just as La Biennale was happening. (The contemporary art festival that only happens once every 2 years). I was intrigued by the interesting art from around the world…all in one special place. Each country’s pavilion with a different artist. Some had short films projected on a wall. Some drawings scribbled so small you had to squint to see them. Others a room just full of rose buds. Everything felt home-made and raw. All their own vision of our future. Most of the art we saw was dark, and not very positive…but it was the best way to understand our world from a unique perspective. War. Extinction. Innovation. Technology. “Time is running out!” screamed Australia’s pavilion full of ticking clocks. Cobwebs covering cans of paint. Great Britain’s yellow imagination and the French’s moving trees. As you kept going from building to building, everyone’s stories seemed to intertwine. The world’s problems something we’re all still trying to understand. Some countries had their pavilions off-site. Like the Iran pavilion was in a gorgeous Venetian home just off the Grand Canale. Quiet, and filled with drawings and artwork of the children, those who were taken away from their families or affected by war. You could just sit in a room on a bench, listen to the TV playing, and stare at all of these pictures, framed side by side. La Biennale was a memorable and educational way to spend our last day in Venice. Sort of hitting you in the face with reality amidst the romantic, dreamy vibe a tourist feels when just embarking on the best Italy trip of all time.

But it’s funny how easily we snapped back into honeymoon stage the moment the sun went down. Venice will do that to you. Clams in delicious tomato sauce swirling in my bowl. I’ll take another glass of Chardonnay please! Complete with a perfect view of the gondolas…their shadows bobbing in the water just outside the restaurant. I stopped on a bridge for one last moment to soak it all in. Our adventure was just beginning. We still had a car to rent the next morning, a beach to get to, and a drive through the small roads of Tuscany waiting for us. See you soon Porto Santo Stefano. I was dying to meet a place like you.

// Joie blouse, Donni Charm scarf, Biko choker, Vintage denim shorts//

See more on the Natalie Suarez Tumblr.

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Ciao Venezia! 2 weeks on a roadtrip through Italy, and I still can’t stop thinking about it. The people we met. The places we saw. All unforgettable. We started our adventure in Venice. I’ve only dreamt of the canals and sunsoaked faded pastel walls. All I had in my head was what I’ve seen at the Vegas Venetian, which of course, is absolutely nothing in comparison. The real deal is a million, trillion times more beautiful. The city is romantic and extremely charming. Every canal, every ponte, picture perfect. I didn’t expect to fall so much in love with Italy and everything within these 2 weeks. In the days leading up to our trip, I prepared myself to fully indulge. Whether it be pizza, pasta, wine, or love. Some trips are all about letting go and fully enjoying the moment. This was exactly one of them.

What’s amazing is that you can literally get out of the plane and hop into a water taxi into the city. Talk about a breathtaking arrival. It already felt like an alternate universe just cruising down the Grand Canal. I was ready to explore…my camera clutched tightly in my hand. We stayed at the beautiful Corte de Gabriela, a boutique hotel just a few minutes walk from the Palazzo San Marco. The city was HOT. I definitely overpacked, and stuck to my favorite pair of denim shorts, a few blouses, and bandana scarf for most of our days. Easy. Most of the city’s tourists hovered under umbrellas to protect themselves from the harsh Mediterranean sun. I prefered to explore, stop for a mid-day nap, then prepare for a long night out on the town once the heat simmered down. The city at night is the best. And spaghetti was calling my name! Suddenly I was eating mussels, craving anything and everything with tomatoes, and drinking endless glasses of wine like a true Italian. Without a proper map, we found ourselves walking over ponte over ponte (so many bridges!) but it’s worth it once you arrive at just what you were searching for. Spritz? Check. Wine? Of course. I was ready to take in all that Italy had to offer.

We needed a break from the hot streets of Venice and took a short boat ride to Lido, a small island by Venice, for a day at the beach. It seems that all Italians go wherever there is water in July. The beach was crowded, but just to take that dip to cool off was worth the 12 euros spent on a beach umbrella and towel. Eventually, we hopped on some bikes and rode through an old fisherman town of Malamocco. Candy colored and quiet. With so much time in the sun, I just wanted to crash a private beach, hop in the sea, and nap on the dock. We did just that.

Venice is tourist central, was but we did a bit of research to find exactly where the locals go to hang out. Where can you get a good spritz and apertivo and sit by the canal? Best candle-lit dinner? Drink wine on a boat? I’ve got the perfect list for you love-struck couples ready for one serious adventure.

Where to stay:

-Corte de Gabriele: The rooms are adorable. It’s central. And the breakfast is BOMB.

Where to drink: 

-Santa Margherita Square: Where lots of young locals hang out! One of my favorite places to go at night. Tons of energy, and lots of places to sit for a good chat.

-Erbaria: One of my favorite nights was at this little bar. It’s special to get a glass of wine and sit out on the boat with friends.

– Chioschetto alle Zattere: a small outdoor bar along the Zaterre!

Where to eat:

-Il Peradiso Pertudo: one of my favorite restaurants! It has such a cool vibe. You can order inside small plates and sit outside with your feet dangling over the canal, or grab a table outside. Go for the shrimp spaghetti. Delicioso.

-Pizzeria Ae Oche: MOUTHWATERING.

-Bar de Maraveje: Small sandwich shop. We took paninis here to the Rialto bridge, and sat to watch the gondolas go by.

-Ghetto of Venice. Best to explore after hours for a late night dinner.

Next stop? La Bianalle art festival. Stay tuned. For now, see more on the Natalie Suarez tumblr.

// Amanda Uprichard off-shoulder top, Zadig et Voltaire white blouse, Free People pants, Coach backpack//

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