Style Lesson: Salone Internazionale del Mobile part 2

For those of you who have never been to the Salone del Mobile (Milan Furniture Fair) it's a design mob scene. Held in a convention center the size of 10 football fields, it's a wear your comfy shoes situation, and make sure to hydrate. This year once again I went with my dear friend and designer, Kelly Hines. We braved the Metro, we were sandwiched like sardines. Once we arrived we headed to her first appointment at Flexform. AMAZING place.

This year the special exhibit was the Cucina (kitchen) area, needless to say I spent hours wandering and chatting with chefs and Reps about new innovations in the kitchen.I split my day and wandered around with my sweet Italian designer friend Monica Damonte and her darling daughter Victoria who studies interior design in Milan and has a really cool blog called Vickos Diary. They wanted to show me all their favorites. Right now Victoria is obsessed with Tom Dixon. Tom was in attendance and she was dying to have her photo made with him. So I grabbed him said he had a fan and wrangled them for a photo. He was less than thrilled as we caught him trying to dash out with a boxed salad in hand. Hence the sour look on his face. Geez.Victoria with the very hungry Tom Dixon.Flexform Showroom in full swing.Kelly enjoying a little time off her feet at Flexform.The most amazing Rossana kitchen, so beautifully finished, it was breathtaking.A great Demo area was set up with various Italian Master Chefs demoing and cooking for the crowd.All in all the Milan Furniture Fair is worthwhile. It's truly a worldwide take on furnishings at an amazing venue. Well laid out, organized, and exciting. I love it every year, it never gets old.Couple of tips:1. Take the Metro to the Fair, you can buy an all inclusive ticket.2. Wear comfortable attire. Wear comfy shoes.3. Bring a roller bag, as the vendor websites are not updated and they will never send you the catalog, so if you like the line take the paper catalog!4. Stay in Milan for the show for at least 4 days. That way you need not spend the entire day at the fair, it's exhausting and visual overload. 5 hours at a time is plenty.5. Take in the temporary displays in the various design districts like Brera.6. Go to the parties, but have aperitivo first at the Armani Hotel or Bulgari Hotel, as there is very little food at these design parties.7. Make hotel or apartment and restaurant reservations well in advance as everything is super insane.Ciao tutti, more Milan inspiration to come... Stop by and let me know what you think! tanti baci