A Walk Down Memory Lane in Barcelona at Azul-Tierra
It was one of those moments, and I can still see it in my mind’s eye: moody lighting, rich, warm, worldly scents, flickering candles and eye-catching objects of desire. I return to that moment often in my mind, it’s the perfect escape. Have you ever visited a place that just sticks with you in a completely sensory way? If you close your eyes you can conjure up the fragrance, the quality of light, the sultry temperature, the whole mood of a place.
Curated Hotel: The Chic H-10 Port Vell in Barcelona
Our getaway to Barcelona was the last stop on our three-week vacation to Portugal and Spain. This was our second time visiting Barcelona, and though our time was short, Scott and I were looking forward to getting better acquainted with this culturally vibrant, sexy city.
Sunny Getaway to San Sebastian, Spain
In direct contrast to the colorful alleys and sun drenched landscapes of southern Spain is the green, Tyrolean flavor of Basque Country of Northern Spain. Scott and I arrived in Bilbao by plane from Sevilla, and were amazed at the verdant green of the hills. We rented a car and headed to San Sebastian, by the sea. I vacillated on whether to select a hotel more on the outskirts of town, or beach side, on the promenade. In the end we were delighted with our choice of the Hotel Niza, and it’s perfect location, right above the promenade, La Concha Beach and the sea.
Signature Style: How to Dress European Chic Inspired by San Sebastian, Spain
We were enjoying lunch at the café outside our hotel, beside the promenade in San Sebastián, Spain, when the European chic styles strolling by caught my eye. I grabbed my camera and snapped away with the beauty of this seaside scene as the backdrop. I want to thank this couple for walking by at this exact moment, looking as though they stepped out of a French film noir. I noted the flowing maxi dress embellished with lace. Simply chic, whether in Europe or anywhere this season, maxis and lace are on-trend.
Scott and I used to whisper it to each other over the years: “We aren’t really cruisers.” We happily schlepped our way through cobblestoned Italian hill towns, wandered along Mediterranean seafronts, and checked into luxurious beachfront resorts, proudly proclaiming ourselves land‑lovers through and through. But after one too many grueling European trips spent hauling luggage from place to place every few days, we realized that small‑ship cruising deserved a place in our travel repertoire.