5 Restaurants to Try in Barcelona

I have become pretty good at planning vacations. I scour the internet for the best neighborhoods, museums, shopping and the like. But one thing I tend to struggle with is food. I am the type that can go from having a blast to being hangry in the matter of an hour so being around good food options while traveling is a must. But at the same time I HATE eating at tourist traps. It is the saddest things for me to spend on of my few meals on vacation at a place that over charges you for the poor imitation or watered down version of a local cuisine. That is why I have to share some of the best place I at at on this trip to Barcelona.

For a full foodie day start off with a coffee here. Satan's coffee corner is small, quasi-hidden spot in the gothic quarter serving up rich brunch dishes, pastries, and excellent coffee. Hipster vibes are abound, and they're only compounded by the super slow and apathetic service. But despite this you can't help but feel a little cooler leisurely drinking your coffee here, and the food certainly makes up for it. 

For a proper breakfast head to Bubó Bar, right next door to world renown Bubó patisserie. If you are an eggs and bacon kind of person (like I often am!) you might be hard pressed to find it at other places in Barcelona. Especially if you are looking to avoid the very touristy places. Luckily there is Bubó Bar, situated right in from to Santa Maria del Mar Cathedral. Tables are limited, but their farm fresh eggs and incredible breads and pastries are worth the wait.

If you love a good donut then definitely pop into Chök, located in the heart of Las Ramblas. If you don't love donuts, who are you? No but in all seriousness, there are goodies for everyone here including truffles, churros, and other beautiful and artisanal pastries. Beware though, choosing just one is nearly impossible.

For cocktail hour and tapas you must go to El National. It is located in Eixample neighborhood (read more about Barcelona's various neighborhoods in this post) on the main stretch of Passeig de Gràcia. This parking garage turned high end "gastronomic experience" is beautifully designed and won't break the bank. There are several areas and bars to choose from including a tapas bar, oyster bars, cured meats bar and more.

For dinner you'll need to head to the beach for authentic paella that is rumored to be the best in Barcelona. Xiringuito Escribà is a spot on the boardwalk serving up seafood and sangria like none other I've had before. You can even watch your paella get cooked up in their open kitchen, but likely you'll be more focused on the seaside views or whatever delicious appetizer is in front of you.

Special shout out to Sal for being our foodie guru throughout this trip and leading us to many delicious meals!

Minimalist Packing: Summer in Europe

I have wanted to do a minimalist wardrobe packing post of ages! And I am finally organized (with enough photos) to do one. This post is essentially a what I made, what I wore, and how to pack light (one of my travel resolutions!) all in one. Although, it doesn't include the few electronics or toiletries I brought along with me, and for the sake of not droning on forever those will have to wait for another time.

Clothing

For my 2 weeks in Europe this September, easy day dresses (that are easy to wash if needed) were my go to. I prefer simple silhouettes that can be worn with any shoe like the ones pictured above and below. The black one on the top left is a tencel number from Zara's Join Life collection, and the one on the right is a just a striped t-shirt dress.

Again with the easy dresses, and these two I made! If you follow me on Instagram, you'll know I love to get my sew on (this girl over here is really getting to her slow fashion). And this summer I challenged myself to make as many garments as I needed to take along with me to Europe instead of buying new stuff. In total, I made 2 dresses, a skirt, 2 tops, a necklace and a bag for this trip! On the left, you'll see I am wearing a me-made grey and white striped linen shift dress with a v-neck, and on the right a boxy cotton number that ended up being perfect for the beach.

When packing for longer trips I stick to what I love to wear, that generally means denim, stripes, linen, and tees. Some of my most worn tops were a self-made navy striped breton top tee, a self-made black linen top, my Everlane white linen tank and navy boxy tee. I also packed 2 more striped items, one a shirt dress and the other a t-shirt dress, because I can never have enough stripes. On the bottom, I kept it super minimal with a pair of black high waisted jeans, denim cut-off shorts, and a black linen wrap skirt that I drafted and made myself!

outerwear

Outerwear can take up a lot of precious real-estate in your carry on so I bring items that are layerable on the plane and can work with every outfit I pack. This year my denim trucker jacket was the savior of cooler mornings and evenings. And an item I never leave at home is my 4-year-old Uniqlo Ultra Light puffer jacket. This thing is light enough to fit under any jacket for added warmth but thin and light enough to get tucked away in the smallest of handbags. When all else fails and I just couldn't bear to wear either of those layers, I would just steal my boyfriends grey cardi, because after all sharing is caring.

Shoes

Shoes, much like outerwear, is bulky and if you are like me you probably have a very hard time keeping this category to a minimum. But now I have a pretty tried and true method of packing footwear when I am planning a variety of activities. I forget about heels, I may wear them once for a few hours but the nuisance of packing isn't worth it. Instead, I opt for a simple, versatile and comfortable sandal that can be dressed up like my broken in Madewell leather sandals on the left. I also always pack my rubber Havaianas that double as a house slipper and beach sandal. And finally I have a walking/travel sneaker like my Supergas on the right, this is the shoe that will bail you our when your dogs are barking after days on days of exploring.

accessories & bags

Last but not least the accessories! This is the key to variety in my outfits when I pack light. I usually have a pair of earrings or two, a bracelet and a couple of necklaces tucked away. A scarf, and belt that can be work at the hip or natural waits is always useful. And then a pair (or two) of sunglasses.

As for bags, I am not much of a minimalist, but fortunately, the bags I take can fit within one another and take up very little space. I use a Fjallraven backpack as my hand luggage while traveling. I find that the wrap around zipper just makes accessing all the stuff in my bag so much easier when on the go, and it fits a lot without being heavy or bulky. I also always have simple tote bag squirreled away for those moments when I need to stash a layer or pack up a beach blanket. But for nicer dinners or slightly dressier outfits, I take a small black leather cross body bag. It is simple enough to wear during the day but looks nice enough for a night out. And finally, this year I took a special beach bag I made from a clothesline. Normally I would probably skip this item but since I made it and love it I brought it with me and did get a bit of use out of it on our beach days.

And that is everything! All of this (plus my toiletries) fit comfortably into my lovely Away carry on. I will be writing a review on this suitcase soon, I wanted to use a few times first before posting, and now I finally have seen both the good and the bad and can give a comprehensive review.

I hope this packing summary helps anyone who is trying to pack a bit lighter. Let me know if you have any packing hacks or holy grail items!

Sitges: A Perfect Spanish Beach Town

Today is the last day of September and it is truly starting to feel like Fall here in NYC. So appropriately, I am going to share some images of a perfect Summer day! Only a couple of weeks ago I was still on vacation in Europe (oh, how it feels like so long ago already!), among our stops in Spain and Portugal was the seaside town of Sitges.

Sitges is located just an hour (by train) west of Barcelona. It has all of the flavor of the Catalan region of Spain... beautiful architecture, winding streets, and a charming beachside vibe. 

Taking the train from Barcelona was one of the smoothest transits I've experienced in Europe, and the station is a short 10-15 minute walk to the beach. It is worth walking it slowly though, because the buildings and alleyways are filled with beautiful hanging plants and other wonderful gems.

We decided on visiting San Sebastian beach, one of fifteen or so beaches. It was small but not crowded like Barceloneta in Barcelona.

And we packed a couple of sandwiches from a bakery near our airbnb and some fruit for a picnic by the waves. But we were still very tempted to grab a sangria and some paella at one of the many restaurants along the beach.

After hours in the sun and sea, and a bit more wandering the streets (all the while taking in more spectacular views of the water of course), we headed back to the train station. Before we knew it we were back in Barcelona.

All and all a solidly successful beach day. And surprisingly close to to the big city!

Amazing Beaches You'll Want To Add To Your Bucket List

If you Google 'world's most beautiful beaches' you are sure to find listicles naming pristine places in Greece, the Carribean Islands, the Phillipines and definitely Hawaii. But in addition to those dreamy destinations I want to share 5 beaches I absolutely adore. And once you see these photos I am sure you'll be adding them to your bucket list too!

In no particular order here they are...

Coastal Catalonia 

Coastal Catalonia is the southeastern most area of Spain on the Mediterranean Sea. Well known for being home to the beautiful city of Barcelona, this area is all home to many stunning beach towns with even more impressive beaches than those of Barceloneta Beach (pictured above).

Costa Rica

Costa Rica has some of the most diverse beaches, especially considering it is a small country. It is located on the Central American isthmus that connects North and South America. This geography gives it warm Caribbean waters (and vibes) to the east and cooler Pacific waters to the west.

Cote d'Azur 

The French Rivera, or Cote d'Azur, is known for is pebbly beaches and oh so relaxed French-ness. The Riviera spans the southern coast of France so there are many beach towns from Marseille to Nice (pictures above) from which to choose.

Italian Riviera

A bit further south of the French Riviera you will find the Italian Riviera. Rocky like it's French counterpart, it is home to Cinque Terre and many cliffside villages. At the base of the mountains are exquisite waters perfect for sunning beside and dipping in after an incredible Italian seafood pasta.

Riviera Maya

And the so called Mexican Riviera (aka Riviera Maya)... *swoon*. Last year I fell in love with the beaches (and everything else) in Tulum and nearby Coba. These beaches are unspoiled, and if you are traveling from the US like myself, easy to get to. I mean just look at these waters! Who doesn't want to be there right this moment!?!

So there you have it, 5 bucket list worthy beach destinations! Which beaches would you add to this list? Share them in the comments below!

The Best of Barcelona's Art Scene →

I contributed a post to the We Are Travel Girls community about Barcelona's art scene, head over there and check it out!

The Barcelona Pavilion

Less is More.

The Barcelona Pavilion, a reconstruction of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's 1929 German Pavilion for the Barcelona International Exposition (also referred to as the World's Fair) is a the phrase "less is more" in a building. The Barcelona Pavilion is notable because it represents some of the most dominant philosophies of the self-educated architect. Mies was a modernist who was thoughtful about hoe nature and built structures interact. The minimalist structure employs expensive stones, referring back to the architect's childhood working in his father's stone carving shop. The space features 2 shallow pools and a lush back garden. And the views from the different rooms are all so different and beautiful. 

I fell in love with the pavilion. The space was quiet and meditative. I honestly didn't want to leave. And despite the building being completely exposed to a public square in a very touristy area it felt tucked away from the city. I felt like a like a house sitter to someone with very excellent taste.

After admiring the genius of Mies van der Rohe I had fallen in love with minimalism all over again. Event the travertines and marble I first thought a bit tacky had grown on me. I left feeling light and inspired. And each time I look back on these photos I get those feelings again.

I (obviously!) highly recommend a visit to the Barcelona Pavilion. You will be surprised how interesting such a bare bones place can be.

Crash Course: Gaudí's Barcelona

Barcelona is by far the most eclectic city I have ever been to. It is magical city where beach chill meets urban metropolis, Catalan and Spanish culture mingle, and entertainment is abundant day and night. I attribute part of the city's whimsy to Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí and his imaginative and almost surreal buildings. There are more than ten organically shaped and mosaic-laden Gaudí creations in the city and these are just beauties five I visited.

Casa Batlló + La Pedrera

Casa Batlló and La Pedrera (also known as Casa Milà) are located on Passeig de Gràcia and have very distinct facades. Casa Batlló was a 1904 remodel of a private home with skeletal terraces and a dragon-esque rooftop. Shortly after Casa Batlló Gaudí took on his last private commission, La Pedrera. This home was constructed on a large corner lot and its design was based on the idea of an uninterrupted curve inside and out. Gaudí looked closely at nature for inspiration in his design and steered away from lines and angles since he felt they were not often observed in nature. The curvature of many of his buildings is what makes them stand out and surprise you when you encounter them.

Parc Güell

Parc Güell is situated atop Carmel Hill and was a failed endeavor of entrepreneur Eusebio Güell. Güell envisioned a high-end, gated community inspired by English garden city movement. Gaudí designed the community master plan which included gardens, a covered marketplace and footpaths, and a communal square with outlook point. What was meant to be an exclusive community far away from the industrializing city (in the year 1900) is now a public park open for anyone (who is willing to pay a modest entrance fee) to enjoy. Only two of the intended sixty homes were ever built on the estate (one of which Gaudí lived in until his death) but there are various examples of innovative infrastructure that mimics the nature that surrounds it.

La Sagrada Familia

Sagrada Família is undoubtedly Gaudí's greatest work. It is an incredibly detailed and massive in size basilica that has been under construction since 1882. 134 years! Inspired after a trip to the vatican bookseller and founder of the Spiritual Association of Devotees of St. Joseph, Josep Maria Rocabella commissioned the church.Gaudí was not the original intended designer but in a serendipitous series of events took on the design a year into construction. After the original architect, Francisco del Villar dropped the project due to creative disagreements with the client's advising architect Joan Martorell the project was offered to Martorell. Martorell declined the offer but recommended Anotoni Gaudí for the job who accepted in 1883 and completely redesigned what was going to be a gothic style church into his masterpiece. 

When Gaudí died in 1926 the basilica was less that a quarter complete and later experienced further construction delays during the Spanish Civil War. The project was resumed in the 1950s but without many of the original models, which were destroyed and damaged during the war. 

On the grounds is the Sagrada Família Schools, and personally my favorite Gaudí structure. The wavy brick building is simple yet completely unique. And as the most "conventional" of all the Gaudí buildings I saw it was the only one I felt I could full take in, but that may just be due to the smaller scale! I also love this building because it was created for the children of construction workers to study while their fathers worked on the church.

Antoni Gaudí immediately conjures the image of Barcelona, and Barcelona wouldn't be the same without the ornate and quirky works of Gaudí. Every single one of his works are worth a long look to get to know the city that houses them.

Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art

Last year, during a whirlwind Euro-tour, my partner and I spent a few days in the beautiful Barcelona. Him the architect, and me the architecture adorer made the Museum of Contemporary Art of Barcelona (MACBA) our first stop. This modern museum is located at Plaça dels Ángels in El Raval, one of two historic districts adjoining the popular La Rambla neighborhood. Famed architect Richard Meier's largely glass and concrete building was erected in 1995 amongst the old gothic architecture of the neighborhood. The windows allow light to flood the spaces in streams. All in all the art was fine but the building was magnificent...

Ahhh, just so lovely. I mean look at us happy campers!!!