Barthelona
Amigas, cheetahs.
From Wednesday to Monday, I was on my first trip to Barcelona with my two best friends.
The three of us wanted to treat ourselves to a nice vacation—spend some PTO and some money, travel across the ocean, and have the time of our lives. We chose Barcelona because none of us had ever been there before, it’s on the water, and seems like a great time.
I haven’t been to Europe in a few years, so I was looking forward to completely and utterly disconnecting, spending time relaxed and away from all of my mundane issues in America. The flight wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been, and as I write this on the journey home, I’ll time travel back to New York in the middle of the day there, losing no time at all.
We stayed at Soho House, which I highly recommend. Although I may be in debt now, it was completely worth it in terms of security and luxury. I felt very safe, enjoyed multiple days by their rooftop pool, and slept in a California King Bed which kept Eliza and I further away than me and my freshman roommate Emma spent our entire year. It was also nice to always have a place to have a great coffee, drink, or time, and was in a central location in terms of where the city laid. Our room had ocean views, a Dyson hair dryer, and a beautiful rain shower, a recipe for an amazing long weekend with my besties.
Day 1
Arrived in Barcelona around 9 AM local time. Waited in the customs line for an hour. Ubered to our hotel, used their locker room to get ready for the day, headed up to the roof for coffee and some Vitamin D.
We had lunch at Restaurant Sedna, a random place by the water that looked decent since we were starving. We called this Spanish Kiki’s (which ended up being kind of everywhere around Barcelona) because of its delicious small plates and cheap wine, just what the doctor ordered after a long flight.
Our first stop was Los Feliz Vintage, where I got a sick Moschino dress that was like Word Art from the early 2000s. This store had a lot of amazing Italian designer vintage and fun statement pieces that I tried on as well.
We then went to the Cathedral de Barcelona for some sightseeing, walked around the Gothic Quarter, and got frozen yogurt at Myka (now available in New York which is great news for me considering I cannot live without it anymore) before going back to our room for some rest. Eliza and I secured a daybed by the pool while Elizabeth took a nap, easing into the Spanish lifestyle with our first Siesta of the week.
Dinner was at Bar Tiberi which was excellent. We got some traditional tapas and great cocktails, and after all was said and done on the trip, I decided this was one of my favorite meals there. It’s more laid back than I had anticipated, but was the perfect vibe for our first night after long travel. I wore my new dress!
We went to Bar Marsella, a spot said to be frequented by Picasso and Hemingway, and cosplayed some girls studying abroad from the University of Michigan for two drinks with some pirates (literally). Unbeknownst to us, it was Barcelona Fashion Week, so we ended the night at a party back at the hotel hosted by the brand SSSTUFFF, and met some boys who we learned soon after were born in 2004. That was a little jarring.
Day 2
Had a long no alarm sleep before heading out for some shopping. We got breakfast at Raw Studios, I ordered pancakes and an americano, and fueled up before hitting the classics: Gimaguas, Zara, and of course, Brandy Melville. At Gimaguas, I got this skirt that I ended up wearing on Night 2 (why did I even pack clothes), and I also ended up getting a tank top and shirt from Massimo Dutti because, when in Rome (Spain). I left Zara empty handed which was disappointing, but nothing I haven’t experienced before.
The sightseeing for the day consisted of Basilica de la Sagrada Familia and Casa Batllo. Then dinner on the Soho House roof before we would go for some drinks and dancing the night away. The boys from the ssstufff party recommended this club called Chica because it had an “older crowd”——it became obvious they thought we were like, ancient——and we were dedicated to staying vigilant against pick picketers or other criminals, so we went with it because they honestly seemed like a bunch of little nepo babies.
Chica felt like New York and also Mexico City. The crowd started to fill up around halfway through our cocktail hour, and it was a lot of music with no words——again, when in Rome. It was pretty much a sausage party and after feeling like some discarded French fries on a beach full of seagulls, we called it a night (or morning). I’d still recommend going there because it was chic and reputable and not too expensive.
Day 3
Another slow wake up. Breakfast that turned into a pool day on the roof before dedicating our time to vintage shopping only. I got a vintage Agnes B cardigan from a store called The Favorite Vintage, which had a very cool American owner, an incredible archive, and super fair prices. Then, we went to Lullaby Vintage and a few other spots in that area (El Raval) that I don’t remember the names of, but if you message me I can find them on Google Maps.
We had another glass of wine before our dinner reservation at Julieta’s by the beach. This was a great spot and felt perfect for a special occasion we were celebrating (Eliza’s birthday the next day). We got a lot of fresh seafood, our Paella, more wine, and delicious gelato before a nightcap at Les Gens Que J'Aime, another super cool place for a late-ish night.
Day 4
Our last full day was Eliza’s Birthday, so we woke her up with a birthday sign, gifts, and got some breakfast on the roof once again. On the docket for that day was Park Güell, Handy Bakery, and a mid-day snack, my favorite part of the Barcelona lifestyle. Handy Bakery was genuinely one of the best slices of cake I’ve ever had, the neighborhood was beautiful, and it was hands down the cleanest and nicest bathroom in the entire city, so that’s a must. Park Güell was beautiful and it felt good to see, but the Aperol Spritz at El 37 was even better.
Our last dinner was at Akiro, a famous hand roll spot near the University of Barcelona (perhaps neighbors with our new friends). It’s walk-in only, but the hour and some change wait was definitely worth it. This was one of the best meals I’ve had in my life, and while it was a splurge, it felt like a nice thing to do for myself. Get the caviar nigiri with bone marrow and the wagyu hand roll.
We headed to the airport around 10 AM Barcelona time on Monday, and that was also the time I happened to be ready to have my hair feel normal again and order Chick Fil A to my apartment. Barcelona was truly spectacular and such a special place to be with two of my bestest friends. This feels like a time in my life where I should be maximizing my freedom and dexterity. After all, who cares about some light AMEX debt when you don’t have any dependents? Money comes back around.
Obviously, as someone who loves a 6 PM dinner and convenience, Spain was definitely more of a cultural difference than somewhere like London or even Mexico City. But it was fun to fully immerse ourselves in the culture and we acclimated quickly, eating breakfast at 1:30 on day 2 and dinner at 10 pm on day 4. The weather was beyond perfect, the people were very kind, and the hardest part was ordering an Uber during the evening hours. All in all, pretty awesome to be me.
These travel posts are fun. You can read my packing guide here, or all about my trip to Mexico City last summer here.
I was so jetlagged and tired while writing this I probably missed things like outfit links or additional info. You know where to find me. Also, it’s not edited. LOVE YA!
2004
dress is so major