Bella Figura by Kamin Mohammadi or How to Make Your Italian Dream Come True

Made redundant from her job at a glossy magazine in London,without a rental contract, no cat, single and in her late 30s, Kamin Mohammadi landed in Florence initially for a couple of month, trying to figure out her life. From the very beginning of her new life adventure, besides the tastier fruits and vegetables compared to the bland offer from the British supermarkets, there is something else that caught her attention: bella figura. 

This concept means ´making every aspect of life as beautiful as it can be, no matter when, from what we eat to how we get to work in the morning´. It means welcoming the day and every moment of it with grace, charm and relaxed, the opposite attitude of the burnout life of a busy professional in London. 

And what a beautiful lifestyle it is but how hard is to get rid of old habits. But it is worth more than all the detox and diets and positive thinking and expensive therapy sessions. On the other side, the men, the Italian men - some of them still living with their parents in their 40s because...it seems they can - , are real trouble but going through the experience of loss or romantic failure is part of the long process of knowing how to deal with your own life, moving forward and discovering one´s strengths and resources. 

The memoir, Mohammadi´s second after the book that she wrote during her Florence adventure about her childhood in Iran and her family escape after the Islamic Revolution, is organised monthly, around some important details, such as the produce of the season, the scent of the city, the Italian moment and the word of the month. Every chapter has its own repertoire of recipes, simple and filled with natural ingredients. Expect a lot of olive oil, maybe too much for my taste, but when in Tuscany...

Kamin Mohammadi has a charming way of writing, inviting the reader into the story. She is not only a great storyteller but also an inspirational travel writer, her detailed descriptions of her Florence environment and trips deep into Tuscany being instant recommendations for a slow, off-the-beaten path adventures, with insightful observations about the architecture and local vibe.  

Kamin Mohammadi keeps living her Italian dream in Tuscany with a handsome Italian men, sharing her experience of bella figura and enjoying it every day, and writing about beautiful places. 

It is Tuscany on my mind right now...

Rating: 3.5 stars

Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review