hitting the town

I am so happy today! It's Wednesday and I am only two classes away from being home free for a fabulous weekend in Amsterdam and Paris! Tonight we're having a family dinner for Thanksgiving with another family, the father is American, the turkey, dressing, pumpkin bread, the whole nine yards. Apparently the father is bringing a guitar because my host mom told him that I sing well and that we should duet together... oh boy. They're going to get some wine in me first- liquid courage, eh? I don't generally like to sing in public by myself. I get really nervous and embarrassed which makes it worse because I'm embarrassed that I'm embarrassed, you know how that goes- vicious cycle.

Anyway, wanted to spread my good cheer with you all! So, I'm posting some pictures from a few different nights/occasions from this past week or so in Barcelona. I've been wearing my boots pretty much non-stop. They're super comfy, versatile and warm- can't say that of my other shoe options here. My Keds died on me and my only other everyday wear kind of shoes are flats aka way too much skin exposure for this wind.

The first photo and the one above are from the same night. We hopped around the city from a packed bar to a really fun, semi-swanky club. I wore a black, long-sleeved cotton dress with waist tie, burgundy wine-colored tights, turquoise and silver earrings, a scarf (for warmth!) and chunky wooden heels. All in all, a really successful outfit. The dress is actually made of a fairly heavy material, so it kept me warm enough. It's a difficult balance to achieve in terms of temperature because it's really cold out especially when the wind blows, but it is really flipping hot in the bars and clubs (body heat is no joke!). So, scarves function well because you can take it off and tie it around your purse or stick in your bag if it's big enough. Tights are another must have because they give your legs some coverage, but are thin enough that you're not burning up in the club. And to be quite honest, the shoes aren't bad! Well I mean, they're heels and heels are always bad. But, I successfully danced in them all night without horrible consequences. The soles are rounded so that when you walk, the shoe just rolls forward if that makes sense. There is no hard edge on the bottom, it's all one curved piece.

The next set of photos are from a girl's night out this past weekend. We met up with some girl friends at Fairytale bar. It is just as it sounds! The decor is made to feel like you're inside some sort of forest, it's a really intimate environment. It was a great night of relaxed conversation and general fun.

My (failed) attempt at looking like a princess haha.

And then, last but certainly not least! We saw Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows on the 13th I believe. We tracked down a theater that played it in the original version with Spanish subtitles. I was like a little child on Christmas morning. When it ended, we were all like, ummm? It's only been a half an hour, where's the rest of the movie? Time flies when you're in Harry Potter world, I swear.

Largest popcorn of all time! And I'm proud to say we killed the entire thing before the movie even started. For some reason, we were all famished and just destroyed it. Super delicious and plus, less distractions during the movie. Just me and Harry :]

Wishing you all a wonderful, fabulous weekend!

xx.

fall color

My dad visited me for a week in Barcelona! We had a really fabulous time being super touristy and eating at delicious restaurants. It was so odd not being super cheap and actually buying drinks (aka water, it is uber expensive here). Just wanted to share a few photos of signs of autumn here. The majority of the leaves still haven't turned, so I got really excited about the few that have.

Thought the carpet of my dad's hotel was interesting and I like the colors of it with my flats. Was inspired by Rebecca of The Clothes Horse's flats' series.

in with a bang

I get bored with my hair really easily because it´s always straight and the same. It really is true that the grass is greener on the other side- I know so many people who say that they're jealous of my hair because it's straight and easy and I don't slave over a straightener every day. But, I would much rather have wavy or curly hair- I think it's gorgeous.

I've been thinking about getting straight across bangs for a while; so, decided to take the plunge!

crema catalana

I've decided this outfit looks a little food inspired as well, so I'm going to run with it. Crema catalana is a cream specific to this region of Spain, Cataluna. They have CC flavored gelato, pastries, errthing to cure a sweet tooth. Side note: sorry that the majority of my photos are in my room. I know it's not the most scenic (i.e. towels in the background), but like I said- it's really one of the only places I can set up for self-timer.

This top is from my earlier trip to H&M. H&M is so, so huge here- they have them all over the place and alot of things are the more upscale, trendy pieces. They have long, evening appropriate gowns, furs (fake hopefully), in general more night life wear than I've seen in the US, but maybe it's because I haven't been to a major H&M like in NYC or somewhere like that. Anyway, I love this top, it's super floaty hence super comfortable.

It's hard to see in these pictures, but I'm actually wearing these legging pants; they are high-waisted with really cute military detailing. But, you can only see that part if I wear it with a shirt tucked in (coming soon, I'm sure).

Hasta pronto! :]

xx.

hot cocoa

I've noticed in Spain that the Spanish women are really masters of the neutral, earth tone palette. It always looks elegant and put together without being boring. So, I've been trying my hand at this look which I think it well suited for fall.

Sorry this is a really weird angle, just tilt your head a little to the left. haha this is what happens when I try to create a makeshift tripod out of stacked books and other assorted objects. But, look! It's our doggie, Pongo. He's such a cutie. Kind of a wild child, he's only 6 months old, but we love him just the same. He definitely keeps life interesting, you never know what he's going to do next- eat your underwear? burst your black pen all over his white fur? sneak under your bed when you're not looking? But hey, what is life without surprise?

I really love the details on these J. Crew shorts, they're made of wool but have satin-like trim and a cute little bow in the front. They were kinda pricey, but I think it was worth it because they're really good quality and fairly timeless.

striped top, Gap// jacket, Ann Taylor Loft// wool shorts, J. Crew// scarf, Zara// tights, old// boots, Piperlime

Stay warm you guys! :]

xx. A

sheer joy

Just a short post, I bought this new top and wanted to share it with you! I'm loving these peachy, warm tones with neutrals- camel, browns and cream.

 

Top: Villa// Necklace: J.Crew outlet

Love from Barcelona xx.

Cinque Torre, Italia

So, my best fren' is studying in Alba, Italy this semester so we met up in Cinque Torre, Italy which is actually made up of five smaller towns. Cinque Torre is known for its hiking and breathtaking vistas, you hike in between the towns- depending on which two towns the hike varies from 3 hours to around 1 hour. Unfortunately, we had alot of rain and really only got in one day of hiking; but, it was gorgeous nonetheless. Italy is still Italy, even in the rain.

Also unfortunately, this weekend was a bad idea. I have a herniated disc in my back which I found out about this summer. But, I've had back pain for years and it's something that I've just become accustomed to, so I guess I push my limits a little too much because the pain is nothing new. So, traveling on the cheap means not checking baggage which translates to super heavy backpack. It's definitely doable to just bring a backpack for a weekend trip, but mine was really heavy because I was trying to pack warm things. It was much easier when weather was warmer and I only need a bathing suit, a couple shirts and a pair of shorts.

So anywho, needless to say the backpack did not do good things for my back and hiking is also not neccessarily the prime activity for people with back problems. To add insult to injury, Sunday ended up being the biggest travel fiasco of all time. I was traveling back to Barcelona by myself and so, the physical and emotional stress of trying to deal with these situations for myself really put a strain on my back. The train to Milan (where I was flying out of) was an hour late, ended up on a train carriage with over 50 Italian guys my age who were all grabbing me and laughing and yelling things in Italian, had to pay 90 euros (over 100 USD) for a cab to attempt to make it to my flight, missed my flight, cell phone wasn't functioning, don't speak any Italian, get escorted out of security area by security (hahha that's actually a really funny part), eventually make it back to Barcelona in one piece, but barely.

To make a long story short(er) I had to go to the ER that Monday because I'd pinched a nerve and lost sensation in my arms and legs.

BUT! I don't regret going to Italy. It really is a beautiful part of the world, the people are very amiable and friendly. I always feel awful when I can't speak the language of the place we're I'm visiting because I think it's respectful to try to communication with people in their own language when you're in their country. It's like how most Americans expect people to speak English to them. So, I struggled through some shotty Italian/Spanish that I tried to make Italian and most people were really patient and cheery. And, not to mention the food!! Oh my gosh, the land of gelato is the most magnificent thing of all time. I had a three scoop cone with pistachio, hazelnut and coffee otherwise known as heaven. And then of course, pasta- I had pesto lasagna with bruschetta, so gooood. And of course, it was really great to see my best friend. It's nice to see a familiar face every now and again.

These photos are from Via dell' Amore which means Path of Love. It's a really romantic place, too bad I didn't meet the Italian love of my life there- maybe another time. So you're supposed to put a lock along this path to symbolize your eternal, lasting love for someone. If you put a lock here, it is like making a vow that you'll be with this person for the rest of your life. And if it doesn't work out, supposedly you have to come back and take it off.

Thought I'd leave you with this cute kitty: