Hirschmanns Take Barcelona

I haven't updated my blog in forever!  But here is an update of my amazing  time with my family a few weekends ago.   They first came to London and then we all flew to Spain together.  We were all extremely tired from the start, me from my Paris trip and them from jet lag from the USA.  Nonetheless, we persevered to take Barcelona!

The first day we took it easy and hung around the hotel during the day.   I was in love with the palm trees, beach and weather in the 60s which was very different than the other places I have been visiting.   We all took muchhh needed naps before our late dinner.  We went to a seafood restaurant which was delicious.  The best part about it was when they brought a lobster and fish out for Will and Stephen to see if the size was okay.  They were bigger than their heads!  

The following day we walked along the beach from our hotel towards the city centre.  We went on Las Rambas, which is a beautiful and busy street filled with cafes, gift shops, and a huge Spanish market.  The market had everything you could imagine.  Gigantic fish, loads of fruits and vegetables, and tons of candy.   To my brothers dismay, we hopped on a double decker tourist bus.  My parents and I put on the head phones like true tourists while they listened to their own music.   Barcelona is filled with amazing architecture and stunning buildings.

At night we had another amazing meal, which was technically our Thanksgiving dinner, at a Argentinian steak house.  It was a real treat after not having steak for a while.  After dinner we stopped by an ice-bar near our hotel.  We had to see just how cold it was and what all the hype was about.  It was indeed ice cold even with my own jacket and the puffy one they provided!  We stayed less than 10 minutes before we headed out.

For our final day in Barcelona did some more sight seeing.  We first stopped at the basilica de la Sagrada Familia which is famous for its architecture by Gaudi.  

We hopped on another tour bus and headed up the mountain.  When we reached as far as the bus could go we had to take a cable car to the very top.   It was a breath taking view of the entire city of Barcelona and we could see the Mediterranean as well.   It was a confusing to see a church and an amusement park in the same area, but all of it was impressive.

This trip was much needed after missing my family so much.  It was one of the first times in a while the five of us were on vacation together just us.  What a fun time!

Outfit of the Week

This week's Outfit of the Week is all the way from Paris.  While at the Palace de Versailles we noticed this young man who was dressed impeccably.  He looked as if he was in another decade, wearing a suit, vest, scarf, top hat, pea coat and leather shoes.  The layering is typical of a Parisian, whom all seem to go for chic and timeless styles, rather than some of the trendier outfits of the Londoners.  This look is pulled together and sophisticated, but not over the top by any means in Paris.  Parisians are known for investing in great coats and outwear and mixing them up with accessories, in comparison to a Londoner who may want a variety of coats.

His favorite place to shop in Paris is the Galaries Lafayette, a place I did not have time to go to!  It is a favorite department store that was unfortunately close on Sundays and we could not fit it in our tight schedule.  He also likes to shop at Zara, a Spanish store spread all throughout Europe and the US too.  The favorite designers of our Outfit of the Week star: Chanel and Dior, timeless labels.

j'adore Paris

So last weekend I went to Paris for three days...obviously not enough time there!   We took a 5 am train so we had plenty of time to start the sight seeing on Friday with Sacre Coeur first, a beautiful cathedral.

This led us a a really quaint area with lots of artists, cafes and shops.  I really regret not buying one of their beautiful paintings.  I guess I will just frame my own pictures to remember!

We went to the top of arc de triomphe which gave us an amazing view of the city.  Around the arc is a circle which many streets branch off of.  All of the streets are lined with lots of trees which look so beautiful with the fall colored leaves.  After the Arc we went in Notre Dame, which is incredible.

In my excitement to see the Eiffel Tower I ran up the stairs at the tube station, and realized I could only see the bottom half of the tower because of the thick fog.  I was disappointed but we got to see the full thing at night so that made up for it.  We did not make it to the top so I guess I will have to go back to do that!

We got lucky enough to be in Paris during the last weekend of the Chloe exhibit.  Chloe is a french designer label that is celebrating their 60th anniversary.  They had the beautiful garments through the decades displayed and also sketches and photographs.

At night a big group of us went on a boat cruise that started at the Eiffel Tower and saw the gorgeous bridges and buildings.  It was freezing but luckily we could sit inside!  The tower glitters every hour and it is so exciting to see.  I think we got just as excited each of the four times we saw it happen.

On our last day Jen, Sarah and I took a trip to the Palace de Versailles.  It was about an hour on the train from the center of Paris and definitely worth it.  I was stunned when we walked up and saw the massive palace that was lined with gold.  Inside we saw where Marie Antoinette lived and a few of the other rooms out of the hundreds throughout the building.  My favorite room was the Hall of the Mirrors, but the prettiest part was the garden in the back.

I was in love with Paris and in awe of this city.  I must go back because there are still so many things to see and do there!  I loved how no matter where we were the buildings were so beautiful and there was so much to see.  I prepared myself for the rude and snobbish Parisians I was warned about, but I was pleasantly surprised by the kind people I spoke with there in taxis, restaurants, the hotel, and other places around the city.  Yes, it would have been helpful if one of us knew french...but we figured it out!

Outfit of the Week

For this week's Outfit of the Week we have Jen, who always pulls off fun and fearless fashion, wearing a fur jacket over her dress with booties and a headband.  Jen's favorite designers are Balmain and DVF and her favorite stores are Nordstrom, TopShop and ASOS.  As far as accessories, Jen considers them the "icing on the fashion cake" and loves them all!

She likes to mix things up and doesn't limit herself to a particular "style."  This is done by wearing what she likes and how she feels.  She believes life would be boring if we always dressed the same.  Jen's fashion advice: always keep it fresh...and sexy.

I think we should all follow those words of advice!

Chelsea Chelsea Chelsea

Went to my first London football game!  Sarah and I went to the Chelsea v. Liverpool game today.  We looked like true fans with our Chelsea scarves that we got from Portobello market yesterday.  We even got asked which way to go on the tube, being the locals that we are.  After being told that the fans get quite rowdy, we were a little disappointed in their enthusiasm.  They did sing some great songs though and were spirited at times.  It was a close game and it ended up a tie 1 to 1.   We were shocked when everyone got up so quickly after the whistle, as we were expecting overtime.  So glad I got to experience a traditional UK sport!

Portobello Market

One of the popular weekend markets here in London is the Portobello Market.  Here you'll find a mix of vintage vendors and new labels selling a variety of things.  Two things that I saw the most:  leather and fur.   Almost every vendor had a least one vintage leather or fur coat.  You can also find lots of leather bags, shoes and unique jewelry.  According to our styling professor, you can sometimes find famous designers wandering the market looking for inspiration for their own collections.

My friends and I all went our separate ways to explore and somehow we all managed to buy something from the same women.  She has her own label, Mu Du London, and had beautiful hats and accessories that we all fell in love with.  The best part about the market is that the prices are good  and you can usually get them even lower, especially when you mention you are a student.

I got a wool felt hat with a black ribbon around it.  I have been trying on this style of hat every time I see it at a store, and I finally decided to get one.  I love the camel color and I think it will go with a lot.  I also found purple leather gloves at this market last time I went.  The gloves were perfect for my Kate Middleton Halloween costume and I also used them for a photo shoot in my styling class.

Besides the clothing and accessories, the food is also incredible.  We all got lunch from a french food truck called "Le Rac Chack."   They gave you a bowl of potatoes, vegetables, and a meat and then melt cheese right on top of it.  Delicious!  After that I had to try this "luxury" hot chocolate, and I must say it was as good as it sounded.   There were even toppings to put on top.

Somerset House

Somerset House is a beautiful centre for arts and activities right in the heart of London.  Many exhibits are held there, as well as ice skating in the winter, but most importantly London Fashion Week!  Unfortunately London Fashion Week happened right before I got here.

Last week I went with my styling class to Someret House to see a Tim Walker exhibit, a legendary fashion photographer.  Tim started at Vogue at  age 25 with his first fashion shoot there and has continued to prove himself.  His imagination comes through in his pictures and you can see the fairytale that was going through his mind.

My favorite photo!

Tim's photos include clothing from haute couture designers such as Chanel, Valentino, Oscar de la Renta, Jil Sander, Jean Paul Gautier, and the list goes on and on.  The pictures are fun and whimsical but still show off the beautiful clothing.  He also has done portraits of many famous fashion editors and models.  There are a lot of recent photos with Kate Moss.

I would definitely recommend looking up some of his work because it is so fun to look at!  

I know they make me smile :)

Ireland

View from the bus to Galway

This past weekend I took a whirl wind trip to Ireland!  I traveled with four other girls and we left our flat at 3:30 a.m. to catch our flight...crazy I know.  We arrived in Dublin and then took a bus to Galway, a quaint little town on a beauitful bay.  Walking down the main street I felt like I was in a movie.  Street performers everywhere singing Irish music and cute little shops.

We saw a beautiful cathedral and some other tourist attractions, but the best part about Galway was the view over the bay.   It was so lush and peacful, quite a nice change from London.  Three Irish men were sitting on a bench singing and playing "Sweet Home Alabama" on their guitars, which seems to be a popular song even over here.  There were sailboats in the Bay and swanns and birds everywhere, very picturesque.

After that we went to a Spanish restaurant, Cava, for a late lunch/dinner and it turned out to be one of our favorite parts of the trip.  We started with cappucinos and then I got a delicious salad with chicken and spanish tomato soup.  To finish off the meal we got homemade sangria with fresh strawberries and blackberries.

For our night in Galway we went on a pub crawl that took us to four different Irish pubs.  None of them were too crowded, but we still had a lot of fun.  At one of the pubs everyone played flip cup and beer pong, asking the Americans for tips.

The next morning we woke up early to head to Dublin.  After walking around a little we headed to the Guinness Storehouse.  This seven story factory shows how the beer is made and poured and included sampling.  This is definitely a must see if you go to Dublin, however being gluten free and not being able to drink the beer made it not as exciting.

For our night in Dublin we had to go to the pub Whelan's because it was where part of the movie P.S. I Love You was filmed.   This is one of my favorite rom-coms so I was very excited to see it.  For five euros we saw a two great live bands there and got the true Irish pub experience.

It was a short trip but we fit a lot in.  For the first trip on our own, I think we did pretty well figuring things out.  I was quite resourceful with the maps, which was shocking because I am used to using my phone or gps.  I am so grateful for the experiences I am having and so happy I got to visit this beautiful country where I have family ties!

Outfit of the Week

Featured for this week's Outfit of the Week is Brittany, who describes her personal style as unpredictable.  Brittany is wearing a classic white blouse, but she styled it with a fun and bright colored bow.  This large bow really pops against the white and is unexpected.  She is also wearing cat-eyed styled glasses which are becoming a very popular trend.

Brittany loves to shop at thrift stores and vintage markets.  Her favorite designer is Marc Jacobs and her favorite accessory to add to an outfit is a hat.  

Borough Market

One of my favorite places to go to on the weekend is Borough Market.   There are sooo many different vendors for all kinds of foods, drinks, and spices.  You can find everything from baked goods, to fresh produce, fish and meats, cheese, wine, olive oils, and a whole lot more.

Pumpkin Decorating!

There is even a gluten free bakery station that had cute little halloween cupcakes!  I couldn't help myself and had to get a red velvet one.   I opted for some fresh ground coffee since it is so cold, but if you wanted to freeze you could opt for a fresh squeezed juice or smoothie.  As you walk around you can get samples of cheeses, meats, bread and olive oil and even brownies.

Gluten Free Halloween Cupcakes

Just Call Me Kate...

"Kate Middleton"

Happy Early Halloween!  Last night we went on a Halloween boat cruise that the school set up.  The cruise was around three or four hours and went down the Thames River.   We started near Big Ben and saw the London Eye, Tower of London, Tower Bridge and other pretty places light up at night.  It was wayyy to cold to stand outside on the boat, but we could still see the sights from the dance floor.

My friend Sarah and I decided to dress up in fancy "british" attire and call ourselves Kate and Pippa.  Of course I had to use my British accent last night to compliment the outfit.

We were definitely a sight to see on the tube!  It was such a fun night!

CHANEL

A new exhibit is currently in London featuring photography by Karl Lagerfeld, designer and creative director of Chanel, and styling by Carine Riotfeld, previous editor of French Vogue.  The free exhibit at the Saatchi Gallery is named "The Little Black Jacket." 

There are over 100 beautiful black and white images with models, actors, singers, children and designers all wearing the same Chanel black jacket in a different way.  It is amazing that this one style has held up over all this time and still can be so versatile today.

Sarah Jessica Parker, Anna Wintour, Dakota and Elle Fanning, Kanye West, and Uma Thurman were just a handful of the big names in the photography. 

The best part was they gave everyone a poster to take home with them.   Mine is already up on my wall!

Outfit of the Week

Morgan- sequin top
Morgan- peplum top
Emily- tweed skirt

I chose the outfits of the Morgans and I for the "outfit of the week" because they feature a few of the styles found on the High Street here in London.   All over Oxford Street you will see sequins, peplum tops and skirts, and tweed.   I took the girls to the trendy stores such as Zara, H & M, and Topshop.  These stores are perfect for buying clothing and accessories that follow the season's trends because you do not have to spend a fortune.   I like to invest in basics that won't go out of style in a year and buy fun new styles at stores like the ones I mentioned as well as Primark and Forever 21.