Living La Vida Barcelona Part 1

I'm baaack. I spent two weeks of April enjoying Europe and discovered that two week vacations are the best. I immersed myself into each of the cities I visited and didn't worry about emails or getting to the gym. I saw friends and family and ate local dishes. I was able to enjoy Europe without a shoestring, study abroad budget. I seriously need to do this every year. 

First up, Barcelona. I have always wanted to see this city and it did not disappoint. I spent three days visiting Barcelona and I went there solo. It was the first time I'd ever taken a vacation on my own and I loved it. Plenty of time to pamper myself and do whatever I wanted. I'm a lucky girl.

On my flight in to Barcelona I could just make out the Sagrada Familia below. Can you see it down there?

I stayed at a beautiful hotel, Hotel Majestic. It was a little bit of a splurge but completely worth it. It was in a great part of the city right near the Gaudi sites and La Rambla. The rooms were beautiful with big marble bathtubs and chocolates on my pillow at night.

The rooftop pool and bar was the best part of the hotel. The weather was 75 degrees and sunny; a perfect escape from the Chicago cold.

I picked up a face mask at Sephora before I left the States and HIGHLY recommend this for whenever you travel. After about 15 hours of travel, I put on this mask and it left my skin glowing. So I headed on out to explore the city.

Even the sidewalks in this city were special. I also loved my Tieks, but they took a little bit of breaking in.

 

My first night out in Barcelona a co-worker suggested I try Ciudad Condal. It was a happening spot on a Saturday night and I just barely grabbed a bar table. The waiter was very helpful and brought dish after dish of tasty tapas. I of course started off with Sangria. Plenty of people came over an introduced themselves to me while I ate. Quite a friendly city.

More to come from Barcelona and Spain!

Preparing for Europe

I'm headed on a two week vacation to Europe mid-April. I cannot be more excited for it, but I also need to get a few things. First up, I need a comfy but stylish pair of shoes to travel in. I already posted about Tieks, but have also heard great things about Bensimon. They are basically converse sneakers for French girls. I ordered a pair of army green ones from Madewell (already sold out) that arrive tomorrow! Fingers crossed that I love them :)

California Dreaming

A quick 45 minute flight and I swapped out Phoenix for San Diego. One of my best friends just moved there after a two year Masters program in Sydney, Australia. It was my first time in San Diego and I cannot wait to go back and visit.

 

Michelle and I enjoyed kava at a yoga studio in North Park. Have you ever had kava? It's an interesting drink know for it's sedative and anesthetic properties. They came in flavors like chocolate and pineapple coconut and make your mouth a little bit tingling.



The next day we drove to the beach to catch some rays. Another beautiful 80 degree day.

We went to Black's Beach at La Jolla. It was a gorgeous beach, but we didn't realize we had to hike down. Guess we got a sneak work out in.

It was a rocky trip down, but we made it. We then discovered it is a nude gay beach. Whoops.

After the beach, we stopped by a friends house in La Jolla. From her porch you could see La Jolla high school and the ocean (see it in the distance). I can't even imagine going to high school here. Stunning.

We wanted to catch the sunset, so we booked it over to Sunset Cliffs.

We made it just in time to see the sun sink into the Pacific.

Back home, Sarah treated me to an awesome henna tattoo on my foot. She's an artist who co-founded an amazing non-profit called The Mural Dream Team. She's pretty awesome.

The only way to top a day on sunny California beaches? Go to a wine tasting bar of course. We went to Splash in North Park. You get a card loaded with credits, choose the wine you want to taste, and the perfect amount dispenses into your glass. Brilliant.

Sunday morning we decided to visit the Farmers Market for green juice and free samples. We were not disappointed.

 

I wore my hot pink maxi skirt that I picked up in South Beach. It was a big hit. I wish I didn't have to wait months to debut it in Chicago.

We splurged on some Baklava. Yum.

Our last stop on the way to the airport was Little Italy. We stopped in for a quick bite and ended up with a free bottle of Champagne from this awesome group who was having a party (see them behind us). Man, I loved this city.

Annnd, back to the airport. It was a quick trip, but I am definitely a San Diego fan. Planning my next trip soon!