My name is: Monica Dolfini.
I’m known for being: I am probably best known for the many years I dedicated to the fashion industry. My last post was fashion director of Flair magazine. Today, I have small artisanal company that sells a line of no leather bags named Malaga4. My passion for vintage upholstery fabrics and accessories turned into a full-time job a couple of years ago.
For those who know me very well, I am also dedicated to personal and spiritual inner research. There are so many incredible paths you can choose to follow in order to go within and I appreciated walking different directions. My pillars have been reiki, meditation, reconnection, Caycedian Sophrology (many workshops) and a lot of books and studies.
I live in: Milan.
My newest wellness obsession is: A beautiful Zafu. It’s a midnight blue velvet meditation pillow, custom made by Selvaggia Alazraki, a lovely and talented yoga teacher who has designed a collection of yoga props that are perfect for your practice as well as for your home decor. The love for color combination and textiles that we have in common is giving life to a new collaboration. A select number of Selvialazraki x Malaga4 bags, designed to carry your favorite yoga and meditation props, are our next step.
THE PHYSICAL:
In my city, my favorite place for exercise is: Milan, City Zen Via Francesco d’Assisi 15. It’s all about the windows, perfect setting, beautiful space. You can reserve different yoga style, martial arts, Pilates and meditation sessions. Just to name a few.
The best spot for body or facial treatments is:
My favorite facial master is Andrè Malbert at DD Studio di Davide Diodovich. I usually let him advise me what treatment is best, according to the season.
My favorite local health food store or delicious nourishing restaurant is: Centro Botanico, Piazza San Marco 1. It’s both, has a wide variety of great bio and biodynamic products, a delicious bistro, plants and books—a lovely atmosphere.
THE EMOTIONAL:
When I want to get quiet, think and/or meditate, I head to: The park. The main one, Parco Sempione, in the center of the city, is very beautiful and easy to reach. Another adorable one is a small garden called Giardini della Guastalla. The ones I prefer now are less manicured and definitely not in the city center, but have a true countryside feeling: Parco Ticinello and Parco delle Cave. I love walking my dog there, a big, long-haired Weimaraner, or just walking by myself in nature. It’s so soothing and helps me to find my balance again and to stay grounded.
What makes it special and unique is: Parco delle Cave has been quite a recent discovery for me. The park area is super big (135 hectares) and allows you to enjoy long walks. The landscape is still quite wild—woods, water streams and four artificial lakes. In the beginning of the 1900s, it used to be a quarries area. Once abandoned, the nature found its way back.
THE INTELLECTUAL:
My favorite podcaster or writer is: Right now, I’m reading The Healing Emotions by Erica Francesca Poli, an amazing psychiatrist and researcher who has studied the power of body and mind interactions, but, most of all, the importance of our emotions in the healing process. She integrates different innovative techniques, along with meditation, as part of the therapy.
My favorite local bookstore is: Libreria Esoterica Galleria Unione 1.
The best thing about it is: The wide selection of spiritual and holistic books. The owners can help you find anything you need or you can simply follow your intuition and let the right book choose you. You’ll always end up with something interesting.
THE TRANSFORMATIONAL:
When I need to get away, I take a trip to in: Pantelleria, Italy. Here is where my heart lives and smiles. It’s a small Mediterranean island, south of Sicily, not far from the African coast. It’s called “the black pearl of the Mediterranean” thanks to the color of its rocks. It’s a volcanic windswept island with a very strong energy.
My house, Mulino Monastero, an ancient dammuso (name of the typical stone houses) stands in the middle of Monastero valley and has kept the charm of the real stone mill that used to be. These kinds of houses used to host a large number of family members, mainly farmers. When we restored it, back in the day, it was very important for us to preserve and respect the original structure of this unusually square dammuso—its two-meter-wide stone walls, its domed ceilings, its uncentered arches and doorways. An example of the imperfect beauty of this kind of rural architecture.
Since water is very scarce and precious on the island, we have followed the old way of farming that does not include any watering. In the back garden, facing the mountain, dried yellow grass fields contrast the green leaves of the many palm trees that my father kept planting from seeds. It took us some time to bring awareness to the people who help us with the land about the dangers of pesticides, but we are very proud to say that all of our fruits, almonds and olive trees, the big capers’ field and the vineyard are all naturally grown.
When my parents and I bought this property more than 30 years ago, we all simply fell in love with the beauty of this island and especially with the untouched countryside landscape. It’s simply so peaceful. It has a regenerating calming effect on me. In the future, I like the idea to be able to offer and share this amazing energy, perhaps by creating an intimate meditation center.
LIVE THE PROCESS:
The Live The Process piece I’m coveting right now is: The Deco Legging.
I’d wear it to: To stay home and cozy or for a relaxing country weekend.