From Madrid to Manhattan

I'm back!

And I have news. It's not the groundbreaking kind, don't worry. It's more of the I-didn't-buy-any-clothes-while-I-was-in-Spain kind, the not-even-from-Zara variety. I know. I'll give you a moment to collect yourself off the floor and settle back in your desk chair.

When I wasn't dropping euros on queso y jamon y calamari y the cheapest wine ever, I was spending them on hand-painted ceramic plates (and matching bowls). And serving spoons made of olive wood. It feels so nice to be buying things that I'll have forever and ever for my apartment, or until, at least, I break them. I have officially turned into my parents.

But it's so refreshing to be back in New York, the land of scallion cream cheese and That 70s Show. Photos from Madrid and Barcelona will definitely arrive shortly!

Photo courtesy of: Anthony Limas

Adios! (Para La Semana)

I'll be taking next week off from posting so that I can romp around Spain and drink good red wine in little street-side cafés. Au revoir! (They understand French in Spain, right? Because that's what replaced my five years of Spanish classes.)

See you in a bit with updates and photos and stories!

Photo courtesy of: That's Chic and Patterson Maker

Vintage Finds

Years ago, when we were children, my parents would lock me and my siblings in the car while they went antiquing. It seems cruel now, but we brought it upon ourselves by wreaking havoc in many an Oriental rug warehouse. (Listen, it's extremely fun to play tag on five-foot high stacks of Oriental carpets). Also, they'd come back at intervals, give us ice cream, and break up fights. It happened. Now, my parents' house is like a gold mine of interesting little artifacts.

I thought antiquing was stupid until I grew up and realized that having an urn from 40 BC in your formal dining room is pretty stellar, even if no one else notices it (ever). And then I realized that I'd inherited the antiquing gene. Why? Because I found this couch and I want it:

It's located in a shop called El Changuito in Barcelona, and honest to God, how cool are those built-in arm...tables? (Please note that I'm not even close to Barcelona yet and I'm already shopping). I also really like the lamp on the right, so if the couch proves to be out of my souvenir spending-budget (it will) or if my parents call to remind me that I have nowhere to put a couch, I'll settle for just that.

Do you antique? Do you refuse to use "antique" as a verb? I just remembered that I had a thing for miniature tea sets when I was younger, the ones so small that they could fit in the palm of my hand. I guess those would be easier to fit in my apartment than a couch..


Photo courtesy of: Patterson Maker

Style Set to Jet

Usually, I'm a lazy traveler. I sit around and think about what I'd like to eat (mostly anything of the cheese variety) and drink (mostly anything of the red wine variety). I did a complete reversal this time, and this weekend, I turned into a trip-planning monster. I'm set for my flight on Friday, and with to-do lists and packing lists and planning lists coming out of my ears, it's no surprise that I even have my NYC-to-Madrid ensemble picked out.

1. J.Crew sweater ($65; jcrew.com): The mint-green hue is perfect for spring, and the cotton blend will take care of chilly plane cabins.
2. See by Chloé tote ($195; zappos.com): I don't actually own this bag, but I'd like to. I'm not usually one for label-flashing, but the transparent bag is so damn cute and punny that I'll let it slide. Onto my shoulder, to be exact.
3. Bensimon sneakers ($65; jildorshoes.com): I will wax poetic about Bensimon sneakers until the day I die (incidentally, I will still be wearing Bensimon sneakers when that happens). Comfortable, versatile, and chic, they're the perfect shoe for roaming around European cities.
4. Rag & Bone jeans, ($187; rag-bone.com): These are form-fitting jeans (and not denim leggings), but they are hands-down the most comfortable jeans I've ever shimmied my butt into. The denim is structured and substantial but has the right amount of stretch. The wash is flattering. My best friend and I had a long discussion about what we're looking for in a pair of jeans, and I think this makes the cut.
5. Michael Kors watch ($225; neimanmarcus.com): A chunky silver watch lends a touch of menswear. Plus, I'm kind of over rose gold trend. For the time being.


What are your in-flight essentials? I feel like I should have included slippers, because I refuse to be one of those people who wanders to the bathroom in socks (ick!).

Madrid in the Springtime

I've been researching Madrid and Barcelona for the past few days in preparation for my trip (next week!), and I have something to admit: I'm scared. Does it make me a huge baby to be frightened by beautiful European cities? Probably. I've been to at least thirty-odd beautiful European cities, but this is the first time I won't be able to wedge myself between my dad and my older brother whenever I feel unsafe, like that time we got lost in the red light district in Amsterdam. (The red light district of Amsterdam is no fun when you're a thirteen year old girl). (Or ever).

But I've found a solution: going onto Pinterest, searching for "Madrid," and seeing everything that appears before me. BAM. Currently thinking of hidden plazas and ice cream.

When I'm knee-deep in travel guides, I forget that there's more to a city than petty crime and seedy neighborhoods. Plus, I live in New York City. (Granted, I'm in the safest zip code available, but that doesn't mean that something bad can't ever happen). Still, from now on, I'm going to focus on the great things about Spain: the parks. The wine. The tapas. The museums. The outdoor markets. The dining al fresco.

Have you been to Madrid or Barcelona? Are there any can't-miss spots? I'm already looking forward to the croquettes, the hole-in-the-wall wine bars, and exploring ruins.

Photos courtesy of: Gilmar Mattos and Jou Jou Villeroy

Looking Forward

I've been on a hiatus lately. Oh, did I say hiatus? I mean Fashion Week happened.

 In other news, I booked a spring trip to Madrid with two of my very best college friends. One lives in Chicago, and the other has been in the heart of Tanzania since August. We're going in late April, so I'm hoping everything will be bursting with flowers and the weather, warm enough to day-trip to a beach town. (Valencia? Barcelona? Something tiny along the coast? Suggestions welcome and/or desperately needed!) I want to wear skirts and tan my legs and carry around open bottles of wine. That's allowed in Spain, right?

Have a wonderful and relaxing holiday weekend!


Photo credit: That's Chic and here. 

La Fiesta

An adventure in Puerto Rico:

We explored San Juan, which was painted in cheerful hues and bursting with flowers...

...as well as cobblestone and a view of the ocean. And eighty-degree weather.

On windy days, the wide green meadow outside of the fortress is filled with people flying kites.

As shameless tourists, we thought it would be a great place to do yoga (as a former competitive swimmer, I'm clearly more about doing a streamline than a proper sun salutation or... something).

We met some boys from the Air Force Academy and taught them how to do The Creep (you have to get your knees flexin' and your arms t-rexin').

And then we socialized.

Socializing is more fun when you're on the beach and completely willing to go swimming at midnight. And someone makes you laugh really hard before taking a picture of it.

We hiked in the rainforest, where we found a Naked Man. He hid behind a rock, but he seriously was naked. Naked Man became one of our most favorite discoveries in Puerto Rico.

Eventually, we had to move on from Naked Man and continue our hike.

We found a little-known local beach on our way back. It was perfect.

The boys from the Air Force Academy presented us with chips and homemade salsa. How cute is that? We ate them all. (The chips and salsa, not the boys.)

Of course, we had to go to Señor Frog's on our very last night. It caters to college students in the most typical of ways, and I almost felt like I was at a bar in Evanston.

It was probably the greatest spring break ever, although I flew home to snow (SNOW?!) in New York. On the bright side, I'm now eight times darker and have a treasure trove of embarrassing photos that I can use as collateral in the future. Also, a HUGE thank you to Alison, Carly, Ashley, and Roxy for their spectacular posts while I was away.

Spring Escape

I've handed in my last final for winter quarter and now I'm frrreeeeeee, free as the wind free! For the next week and a half, at least. Tomorrow morning, I'm heading off to sunny (it'd better be sunny...) Puerto Rico to sip mojitos by the pool and go salsa dancing with my friends. I'm excited to return back about fifteen shades darker (even with sunscreen), because I tan easily and my skin tone in the winter resembles jaundice. We also had the luck to schedule our trip for the same weekend as a festival, aptly named "A Taste of Rum" (my parents weren't too pleased to hear this). Olé!

In the meantime, I have a SPECTACULAR line-up of guest bloggers, featuring Alison of Long Distance Loving, Carly of The College Prepster, Ashley of a {little} dash of ash, and Roxy of A Cup of Te! They're all fantastic and deserve a huge thank you for covering for me while I'm away. Have a lovely weekend (and a mojito, because livers need exercise too)!

[photo cred to Free People and Cooking Light]

Homeward Bound

Cue the most hectic day ever: I have a French oral exam in the morning, a quick lunch with a friend at noon, and then my flight to New York in the afternoon. I'm hoping that I'll be too busy to realize that the next time I fly home from Chicago, I won't be coming back. O'Hare, you've caused me a lot, A LOT of grief these past four years, but you actually have a way better selection of food than LaGuardia does. So I'll miss you and your consistent two- to three-hour delays. A little bit.

Cue typical college-senior meltdown.

[photo cred to Brian Doben for Chicago Magazine]

California Love

My parents bought a house in Malibu yesterday. I love you, New York, and Chicago, you aren't so bad, but any place in which the temperatures are currently upwards of seventy degrees is fine by me. Plus, doesn't James Franco live there when he's not busy being angsty in Manhattan? Perfect. Now I can follow him EVERYWHERE. Just kidding! Kind of.

But now what do I do? Do I have to brush my hair? Squeeze some lemon juice in it? Stop wearing black and grey?  Don flip flops? Hug a tree? Actually, I think I can reconcile myself with all of these, so long as I get to see the birthplace of Snoog Dogg (in addition to James Franco sightings).


[photo cred, clockwise from left, to 1 via I Would Speak My Truth, 2, and 3] 

Why I Need a Bicycle

Via The Sartorialist.

Dreamland

Taking a short respite from my J Crew saga to share these beautiful photos by Ditte Isager with you on this shady Thursday morning (found via Creature Comforts). Couldn't you just imagine waking up in one of these beds, surrounded by leafy trees and misty waterfalls? I could sit there for hours on end and be perfectly pleased and amused just by looking around me. Also, that lamp in the first photo just kills me (in a good way). It's the perfect touch.

Dreaming of...

...Cassis, France. Herb-scented Provençal soaps, wooded cliffs perfect for hiking, and sparkling white beaches.

Where to stay: Hôtel de la Plage, for its close location to the beach and dining area on the fantastic balcony.

Where to eat: Le Bonaparte, Restaurant Calendal. I recommend the restaurants in the alleys leading to the waterfront, because they're not nearly as overpriced or crowded.

What to do: Hike the Calanques, charter a yacht to sail on the Mediterranean, or roam the flea markets (where I bought one of my favorite dresses for 20 EU). Personally, I just like to jump along the rocks and into the sea.