Ciao, sono Nina.
Benvenuti a casa mia!
My name is Nina. I am a mother of two incredible girls, living on one of the most interesting islands in Europe, Sicily. I am an interior designer, a manager, an artist, a herbalist, a natural cosmetics creator, and a passionate cook.
For over 25 years, I have been designing spaces, managing projects, and expanding my knowledge and interests across four countries. Each place has shaped me differently. Poland taught me precision and entrepreneurship. Bulgaria sharpened my eyes for the magic of raw, natural materials. London refined my sense of elegance. And Sicily - my present home - awakened my soul to the warmth, the beauty of being present in the moment and tradition. I dreamed about living there for most of my life. Here, I create new interiors, soaps, and healthy dishes, and I offer space in Palermo and Chiusa Sclafani to travellers.
On the interior design and graphic design pages, you will find information and offers related to my daily work. Active Girl in Her 50' and Holiday stay in Sicily are based on my hobbies and holiday and seasonal activities.
My life in Sicily
My current adventure with Sicily began in 2023, when I organized a weekend birthday trip to Palermo for myself. Two years later, I settled here, and I lead a quiet but very interesting life.
Below, you'll find tabs detailing my interests outside of my work, or information about various activities and places worth visiting or relations from my travels in Sicily.
Soaps and other sins
I make my soaps as a form of relaxation and creative expression. The process helps me slow down, focus, and connect with nature. At the same time, it allows me to deepen my knowledge of Sicilian plants - their scents, properties, and traditions. Every batch I plan is a small journey into Sicily's botanical heritage, from wild fennel and rosemary to citrus, olive, and prickly pear. Crafting soap is not just a hobby for me; it's a way to learn, grow, and bring a piece of Sicily's natural beauty into everyday life. For now, my soaps are gifts to my friends and family, but in the future, they will also be available to my guests or others in my online shop.
In this chapter, you will find information about used plants or oils and their properties, and also pictures and information about ready soaps.
My Sicily: Travels & Cinema
I don't just visit Sicily - I walk through it, slowly, with curiosity and care. Every wander in Palermo or travel across the island is a way for me to reconnect with myself, with culture, nature, and with stories worth telling.
I travel to slow down. It helps me think clearly, breathe deeply, and notice the small details - the scent of wild fennel, the texture of a crumbling stone wall, or the way golden light falls on a Baroque church at sunset.
Sicily has been a cinema backdrop for decades - from The Leopard and Cinema Paradiso to The Godfather Part III, Johnny Stecchiono, The Mafia Kills Only in Summer and more recent series like The White Lotus and Ripley.
I love following the footsteps of films. Standing at the Teatro Massimo in Palermo, where the final scene of The Godfather Part III unfolded, or walking through the same squares and streets in Palazzo Adriano or Chiusa Sclafani, where Cinema Paradiso captured small-town magic - these moments connect me to Sicily in a deeper, more emotional way. Movies help me see places with new eyes, and then I go explore beyond the frame.
I follow flavors, too - through Palermo's markets, street food stalls, and seasonal festivals. Food is my compass: arancine, cannoli, pasta con le sarde, and the taste of wild fennel from a hillside walk.
Walking, eating, watching, learning -this is how I relax, explore, and deepen my love for this island.
In this chapter, I want to share my impressions from walks or longer journeys, from watching movies and discovering places and moods in today's reality. And, of course, from the tastes and visual impressions of visiting plant and food festivals.
Cultured Longetivity
This chapter is the most personal because it is about my own journey, fight, and peace with the cycle of life. About acceptance and appreciation. Here I share how I managed to ignite the energy, lose some weight, and rediscover happiness in menopause and beyond. How I found my wise and reformed way, which is not very difficult to follow, and can help you to live a better life in the period that, until recently, was the end of any life activity for many women. I will let you know what changes I made in my diet or everyday habits. What inspires me and where I look for the examples.
Cultured Longevity is my own book title with recipes that I am working on this year. I want to show how to introduce the most important vegetables and fruits for a mature woman into daily meals in a simple and time-saving way, how to preserve them, and how to prepare for implementing this habit.
In this chapter, you will find recipes and information about plants: veggies, fruits, herbs, and spices, exercises, and rituals that are important for girls in their 40s, 50s, 60s...