Ciao!

My full name is Maria Cristina, but since it’s a bit long, everyone calls me Cristina instead.

I was born in Sicily and came over to the UK in my early 20s as a huge anglophile. Since then, I have built a family, a life and a business here. I consider myself lucky to have two home countries that have given me an unforgettable past, an exciting present and a promising future.

Basingstoke is my current home, where I live with my two daughters, my partner, and a tiny feline called Gremlin (whom you can even follow on instagram!).  Even after all these years, I have never stopped carrying the warmth, light and colour of my Italian home with me. Sicily remains a huge inspiration for my photography and I like to visit as often as I can.

I can never be apart from the sea for too long and visit it often. My favourite moment to be near it is at low tide on a windless day, when it looks like a mirror and you can see underwater without goggles. Rockpooling on an early morning is my happy place and snorkelling has been a staple of my summers as long as I can remember.

I am a complete coffee snob and pretty decent home barista. I can even come up with some quite impressive latte art about once every five attempts or so 🙂 When you come see me, let me make you a flat white to back that up.

Cooking, travelling, keeping fit, eating well and spending time with my family and friends are all big parts of my life. I make an effort to live every day mindfully and with good humour. As the kids say, “YOLO” – make the most of it!