Best Bits of Spain

Yeah yeah, so we all know Madrid, Barca and Seville. But after 7 years of loving every corner of this country and being an avid adventurer, I pride myself on my collection of eclectic Spanish locations.

Heres my "off the beaten path" list of Lovely Spanish Locations

1. La Playa de los Catedrales....literally: the Beach of the Cathedrals, for its incredible Rocks seen at Low tide.
 You´ve never heard of this place and neither had I, until last summer. There are some Spanish locations which you will only learn about through the most local of locals...which is why I date a lot!
This northern beach blew me away so much, that when I went to Bally a week later I was like "meh...Spain is Better!"
Its located right between Galicia and Asturias....so yeah, google it!
How these Bizarre Rock formations got there, I have no Idea, but by low tide, this is by far one of the most impressive coasts that I have ever seen.

2. Cuenca- Anyone who knows me is probably like: SHUT UP ABOUT CUENCA! I know I know, but then I bring people there and they´re like: "Oh my gaaawd Cuencaaaa."

 Yep, I was right(hehehe). Cuenca is proof that Spain is not just about beaches, but also about crazy houses hanging off cliffs, in mountain towns! Its only about 2 hours from Madrid, its gorgeous, its got hiking trails, incredible monuments and Hanging Houses. What more could you want....oh yeah and the people are super friendly.

I recommend the Alizaque Lodge for accommodation. These are apartment hotels located at the top of the old town. You get a great deal, beautiful views, very friendly staff and an awesome ikea style apartment. You gotta Love Cuenca!

3. ALL of Galicia. I Love Galicia! I love the food, the people, the lush greenery and the beautiful beaches. I love the mountains, the sea and the fact that they meet so abruptly. I can´t go into every detail of galicia, because I myself have not even seen it all(which is awesome), but here´s my short list of places to visit that really caught my eye.

a. A Coruña

b. O´cebreiro(little hobbit land)

c. San Andres de Teixido: This is a very hidden gem close to Coruña, with some of the most beautiful,misty, cliffs that I have seen in Galicia.

d. Las islas de Ons or Las Islas Cies. They are both gorgeous, Ons are closer to Coruña and Cies are in Vigo(closer to Portugal). Cies can be kind of uptight because of environmental laws and is heavier in tourism, so I recommend ons. The food was so gooood and the people were so sweet, it was like being with family!

4. Finally, going south, here are my two favourite beaches in Andalucia.

 a. Tarifa- its windy as hell(which is great if you like kite surfing) but everyone is so hot(!) and hippyish. Theres also great nightlife and food. I love a restaurant called la pescaderia, in the center of town(you can't miss it). It has some of the best tuna that I've ever tried.

Also on the beach in Tarifa they have these great chill outs, with cool music, drinks and plenty of eye candy. Gotta Love it!

b. Zahara de los Atunes- this place is more for families. Once you get sick of the hot bodies, loud music and wind you can come down to Zahara. The beach is Placid and beautiful and its never really crowded. But perhaps what I love the most about Zahara is the one Chiringuito(beach restaurant) on the beach. It's the only one there so you can't miss it. You´ll enjoy fresh gazpacho, baby squid and tuna under a beautiful canopy of woven vines. I love it!

Well, there you have it! from North to South, these are my favorite spots in Spain. Now get exploring!

Two Of my All-Time Favorite Skin Kits: La Mer and Khiel's

As the years go by you start noticing how important skincare really is. It doesn't matter how much makeup you cake on, if your dry and ashy, have got bags or wrinkles, it just doesn't look good. I hate thinking that my skin will inevitably wither to sandpaper, but I'm glad I now know that's not true.

Take care of your skin now and you will thank yourself later.

Ahh but what brands to choose? Which promises will actually come true? The "collagen enhancers" from Chanel, the "all around does everything" by Lancome, or perhaps the "does the same as high-end for cheaper" by Olay?

The correct answer is non of the above. I've tried all of those brands and more, as well as taken advice from my sister(who is a certified esthetician). The best you can do for your skin is buy mild soaps, serums and creams from Natural brands, that also apply medical research behind their products.

Here are the two skin kits which have actually Kept their Promises and Changed by Skin.

La Mer's Luminous Skin Essentials Kit: 250 euros(!!!)

After hearing how Demi Moore and J.LO adore this brand, I had to see what all the hype was about. Now you know, if you've read my previous posts, that I have a tendency not to buy into hypes and debunk whatever bullshit needs debunking. And after spending a hefty 250 on this kit I was not ready for it to fail me.

I have to say that I was absolutely blown away. I mean it is sad to have to pay this much to get a skin kit that actually does what it promises, but hey, with la Mer, what you see is what you get. No fancy packages, no millions of promises, no new lab made chemicals. Just natural, seaweed based skin products that work.

This kit comes with a cleanser,toner, serum, under eye cream and moisturizer.
I noticed results within about 3 days of consecutive use
The cleanser and toner highly reduced breakouts
the Serum illuminated my skin
the Under Eye cream puffed up my bags until they disappeared
And the moisturizer hydrated and firmed my skin WITHOUT making it look shiny.

This is my all time FAVORITE skin kit, and I think it'll take a lot to trump this one...the only thing is...its expensive!






My Second Favorite skin kit is one that was put together  by someone at Khiel's. If you are not ready to spend a huge amount on a kit like La Mer's and you really want to see your  skin improve then I absolutely recommend this brand. I really love just about everything that they make, but their skin products are very true to promise. I recommend that you have someone at your khiel's stand take a look at your skin, they are well trained and tend to recommend exactly what you need.
Here's my Kit Broken down:

1. Ultra Facial Oil-free Cleanser: Using harsh detergent based cleansers can actually make you break out more and cause your skin to dry up and wrinkle. I love this cleanser because it has a silky texture which not only cleans my skin, but also leaves it plump and hydrated before I even moisturize.

2. Calendula herbal-extract Toner(alcohol free). This toner is great, it has a soft but also herbal/medical smell. It's very comforting, however I don't find it as effective as the La Mer one.

3.  Creamy Eye Treatment(with avocado):  This is a fantastic under eye cream for before you put your makeup on. I love it because it's water based so it doesn't make your makeup look oily and it creates a nice smooth under eye look. It's not that effective as an over night treatment. I still notice bags the next day as well as fine lines. Still a good product though.

4. Ultra Facial Oil-free Lotion: I love this as a daytime moisturizer. It wears superbly under makeup. It's completely water based, so it doesn't make you shiney. It's soothing and hydrating, plumps up fine lines and makes you look super fresh! This is probably my favorite product in the whole kit.

Hope this helps ladies!