livelovewearit

HOW TO STYLE A COFFEE TABLE + SUSTAINABLE DECOR IDEAS.

Right before Summer ’19, I updated my living room space in my apartment (I feel like I have to say the year for the sake of this post being outdated in the future). I went for a modern California-chic look, incorporating pieces that remind me of Tulum. I pretty much got rid of everything from my old living room and started fresh for a whole new look. I turned in my navy blue couch for an all white couch and my marble coffee table for a wooden one!

My old living room lasted me for a good 2 years and I felt like it was time for a change. The white couch opened up my living room so much more and gave it a visibly brighter look and feel. Something about black and white frames and wall-art I’m currently into. I didn’t want too much color for this and kept it neutral with the added accessories.

When it came to the coffee table, this was surprisingly a challenge when it came to deciding on the decor. I knew I wanted to obviously keep it coherent to the neutral tones and modern Cali-chic theme. So I did some digging and started with Pinterest and specific Instagram #’s like #coffeetables #coffeetablegoals etc. I also dotted down the things I “need” on my coffee table like candles and drink coasters. With all this in mind, I spend a lot of my down-time in my living room, either it’s movie night or to read books. My two key components for this are – my glasses and unattractive books. I needed something on or around my coffee table to hide my not-so attractive necessities. Once I found my 2-3 main vanity accessories (Chanel Book, Coral, and vase), I then came up with solutions for my needs and not-so attractive essentials.

I found on Pinterest a coral and Chanel book that I couldn’t get out of my head. I was on a hunt for it. I loved how the Chanel book balanced and elevated the beach vibe. Everything you see on my table is from a mix of brands like Amazon, Target, Anthropologie, Barnes and Noble, and World Market. I mixed in highs and lows but only invested in two-three pieces that I thought were worth the splurge and timeless like the vase (which is now on sale for more than half the price – here), coral, and Chanel book. For my needs, candles and drink coasters, I wanted to not overly crowd my table with things, so I got one decent-sized marble slab to balance the brown wooden table. As seen, on the marble slab, I have my coasters stored and I place there my candle of the week. Mike and I go through candles weekly, we look forward to our end of night candle lights for some zen. The other big candle is just for decor.

For my not-so cute things, I got a fringe detailed basket to store my glasses and books. This is why I went for a second layer table, to help store a few of my needs. A basket is a stylish yet practical way to store anything else that is not aesthetically pleasing yet used daily. It can also be used to store the remote controls. To sum up, this was my 1-2-3 step guide for decorating my coffee table: 1. my main table pieces just for aesthetics, 2. my daily needs that are aesthetically pleasing, and 3. my not so cute needs that need to be hidden and stored on my coffee table. Styling a coffee table using these three concepts, that often seem to overlap and challenge one another, can still execute a Pinterest-style and clean look.

See below for inspiration and decor ideas for your living room or next living room update, the pricing will range from affordable to worth the splurge:

Sustainable Decor Ideas:

Other Coffee-Table Ideas:

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MY FIRST CBD MASSAGE EXPERIENCE.

I’ve tried CBD in the form of oil drops and body cream. It’s not something I necessarily consume daily; rather, it’s something I consume selectively, mainly on days when I especially feel I need to relax, calm the mind, and/or when my body aches. One thing I haven’t tried, was a CBD massage! Mike and I were both complaining to each other about how overdue we were for a massage, hoping one or the other would break out with oils and masseuse hands – no way, in our dreams! We didn’t have the slightest energy for that act of kindness to each other, so we decided to book in a couples massage and try out a new place called Desuar Spa in downtown Los Angeles.

The spa is underground and we walked into this very moody space that straight away gave us a sense of relaxation. We were greeted with a wine glass (bonus points) and then welcomed us with open arms into the room where we both received our massage. We decided to upgrade our Swedish massage experience by including CBD oil. We both got massaged from head to toe (I didn’t mind some CBD on my scalp and hair as I wanted to feel the full-on experience).

The moment we were finished and walked outside, our bodies felt as light as feathers. We were both floating on our way to our car and felt ultra relaxed, even as we made our way through chaotic streets of dtla, we were not bothered. Based on my experience and the person who massaged me, a CBD massage is something I’d absolutely try again! Just hitting the words CBD on my keyboard, is kinda relaxing my shoulders – sense memory!!

Everyone at Desuar Spa was very kind and professional. Whenever I’m in the DTLA area, this is a place I will definitely consider, especially after a long day of work! Me-time done right.

WEDDING DAY RECEPTION LOOK IDEA FROM DAVID’S BRIDAL.

Wearing this dress gave me some wedding-day happy feels! It made me feel like I caught a glimpse of my upcoming wedding next year. I’ve been doing some thinking and considering possibly changing into a second look. I’m still not certain if I want to wear my wedding dress all through night (ceremony to reception) or change into something more comfortable yet beautifully chic, like this dress. Although it’s not the style of dress I’m looking to wear for my ceremony, it’s a dress that I’d change into as my second look for the reception.

David’s Bridal was my first stop, when I decided to go seek inspiration and ideas on wedding dresses. I previously wrote about this experience on another post. In short, I wanted to stop by one of their stores because it’s a one-stop-shop that offers a great in-store experience, dresses for every event and may I add, cute bridal accessories. While I didn’t schedule to specifically try on dresses, I went into their store for a good browse down their aisles to get a good sense of it all and play dress up with their accessories. Their assortment of little white dresses caught my eye and I knew I had to try out a look, potentially for my reception.

My favorite was this lace mini with a high-low skirt. What I loved most about the dress was the lace detail and the overskirt that flows and creates movement when I walk. It had a nice fit and complemented my figure. This dress would be perfect for the dance floor and light and easy to wear all night long. The overskirt would be fun to move and spin in. I want to dance the night away so this is a bonus for me. I think this look is super versatile and can be worn as a wedding dress, reception dress, or possibly even a bridesmaid dress, if you’re going for an all-white party. For this look, I sparkled myself from head to toe in David’s Bridal accessories. I normally like to stick with gold, but I couldn’t resist their gorgeous silver jewelry that I think went perfectly with this dress, including the shoes.

David’s Bridal has been very inspiring for me during my wedding journey. The excitement kicks in every time I visit!

Now, to wear a second look or stay in my wedding dress?

Shop my bling stretch bracelet: here

Shop my dress: here

Shop my embellished heels.

This post is sponsored by David’s Bridal.

ALLERGY DERM CLASS WITH LA ROCHE-POSAY.

I got to attend a very interesting derm-class with La Roche Posay, more specifically, I got to learn more about the topic of sensitive and allergy prone skin. La Roche Posay’s latest collection, “Toleriane Ultra line,” is dedicated to addressing these skin needs.

The class took place at The Huntley Santa Monica. Invitees were greeted with morning breakfast, coffee, and champagne. It was a cute little set up, needless to say, the cutest class I’ve ever been to! More importantly, it was not only the aesthetics that were pleasing, but rather the valuable insight I received from the skincare professionals. Collectively, we the guests got to ask questions about our own skincare concerns and received some in depth feedback. A broad range of questions were asked and I came to discover how many people actually have sensitive skin, including me! People who have sensitive skin are generally people who get red spots, stinging, or another negative reaction when using majority of their products. Another sign is dryness and itchiness. There are other signs but these are a few I’m listing.

Having worked at a dermatology office when I first moved to LA, the topic of skincare has always captured my attention. It’s fascinating to me how much knowledge there is to be learned and even the things we already knew, needs to be reiterated! I want to share three valuable things I learned from this class:

*Watch out for the ingredients if you have sensitive skin. A few key ingredients to look out for when selecting products include (but not limited to) – fragrance, parabens, and harsh exfoliants. These are a few ingredients people with sensitive skin want to stay away from and make sure their products are free from. Something else to note on this topic, the more ingredients a product has, the less active ingredients you’re getting.

*Sun exposure. This is one that needed to be re-iterated to me. Most of us know that the sun is not our skin’s friends, however, we just love it too darn much, at least I do! I do like to tan and be out in the sun (moderately). I don’t like to hear this one, but it’s vital for our skin to be protected and away from the sun as much as we can. The sun causes aging, irritates the skin, and can cause cancer. This is when we need to remember to apply that SPF, not once, but multiples times when being exposed to it. It was recommend to opt for sunscreens that offer full protection (UVA, UVB, and HEV – which stands for high energy visible) and to use a sunscreen of at least 30 SPF. Something important to add – it’s on those gloomy days when the sun can be even more harsh!

* Pores. This one was more a personal skin concern of mine. This was a question I asked in class – “What is the best solution to minimize pores?” The answer was – retinol and exfoliating masks. This helps to remove dirt, dead skin cells, and excess oil from the pores. You bet, I am setting reminders to mask and use my retinol on a periodic basis.

While I’m excited over trying out my new sensitive skincare products from La Roche Posay, especially their face and body SPF 50 and Toleriane Ultra Soothing Repair Moisturizer, I hope that you’ll find these tips helpful! To learn more about their products, you can visit their site: here

MAKING MONEY MOVES WITH ZELLE®.

I got to attend an intimate and empowering event called Stacks House. It’s the first-ever financial pop-up with a purpose, to help boost confidence, financial literacy and more. There were financial-expert panelists, Q & A’s, very cool and insta-worthy financial art displays, and most importantly – conversations surrounding the topic of financial empowerment and making money moves.

When women empower each other through discussion, knowledge, and ongoing education, we all become more successful. The panelists were educating us on how we can make all the right money moves from post-grad and beyond! This is a topic I personally wish I had more knowledge on when I was in college. I would spend most of my money on shopping (my biggest spender), going out to eat with friends, outings, bars, and the list goes on. I was having a chat with a cousin of mine and we were talking about “how in the world would we go to LA clubs in a limo during our college days!” – like how did we afford that!! This is something I would absolutely not do anymore. Now as an adult, I find myself being a lot more conscious, mindful, considering the future, and asking myself “Can I live without this?” before making any purchases. Not to say, I have it all figured out. I definitely still have bad habits I can improve on (like Target trips) but I’m definitely a lot more improved than the wild and free spender I was during my college days.

While at the event, I got to learn more about Zelle. With Zelle, you can send and receive money with peace of mind. It’s a fast, safe, and easy way to send money fast to friends, family and others you trust through your trusted banking app – or the Zelle app if your bank doesn’t currently offer Zelle. In short, it makes instances better like traveling, gifting, and everyday circumstances.

When traveling with a group overseas, Zelle can help with splitting costs. If I would’ve known about this app last Summer when I went on my Euro-trip with a group, it would’ve made mine and my groups splitting costs so much more easier and smoother. Another way I find this app effective for me, is when I gift family members. Coming from a big family, it seems like there are birthdays almost every month. I find gifting money is better than buying something at times, not only because I get to keep track of my gifting expenses as opposed to trying to remember receipts, but they get to spend it on whatever they want, or save it to make room for even bigger and better things in their life, which makes me feel better about my spending on gifting.

I’m at the stage in my life, where I’m looking to buy my first home. This financial expertise experience couldn’t have been anymore perfect for me, I took key points with me to work on and to give me the freedom to live my best life. From any stage – renting an apartment with roommates to buying a home, it’s important to have conversations about taking charge of our finances and tools that help us improve our everyday life.

Visit zellepay.com for more info.

This is a sponsored post in partnership with Zelle and the InfluenceHer Collective. All words and opinions are my own.

MY 3 SPRING LOOKS FROM AEROPOSTALE AND THEIR LATEST.

I spent the day in Malibu with Aeropostale and they just made me feel all the right vibes – comfort, casual, and effortlessly fun, just like their clothes! While there at the Aero Beach House, I got to see their latest AeroxRepreve collection (which is their new eco friendly clothing line), tried grilled pineapple for the first time with some creamy buttery topping (I couldn’t figure out what it was but it was amazing), and lounged with views of the ocean. It was definitely a good mix of things I love.

A little more about Aero’s latest collection, they came up with a recycled denim location with Repreve. Billions of plastic bottles go into landfills every year affecting both land and water. Their fashionable denim was crafted from recycled plastic bottles giving support to cleaner land and water. They are saving over 3 million bottles from being polluted! This whole mission and collection, makes me feel extra happy to wear and I’d love to see more collections like this.

Browsing through their latest, has me very excited for their clothing. I’m a California girl, and I’ve naturally got that Cali-flair to me that I incorporate to my wardrobe and lifestyle. For me, that means a beach-chic edge, casualness, simplicity, and a mix of fun Summer prints. Their clothing has all those elements I like. I styled 3 of my favorite Aeropostale spring pieces. Plus, I will also be sharing other pieces that I’m currently loving from their site!

Look 1:

I love a good graphic tee! This one has a stitched soft wave and sun with a blend of blue and pink tones. The dark blue is very chic and nautical, which caught my eye. I added some denim on denim action, which paired well altogether. Shop my Aeropostale tee: here

Look 2:

What caught my eye about this romper is the color (you know I love a good yellow) and the tie back. Showing some subtle back makes a romper sexy and flirty. I also like that the floral print is subtle, you can’t really tell that it’s floral, which makes it unique. Shop my Aeropostale romper: here

LOOK 3:

This one is one of my favorite looks simply because it’s simple. I paired their denim skirt with their white textured button-down shirt. Tops like this have always grabbed my attention and love dressing them down with a pair of denim. I can have three of each of this top because it is as essential as a basic white tee in my wardrobe. Of course, a good denim skirt is another classic must-have and I can’t have enough. Shop my top: here and skirt: here

I’ve selected some other pieces from Aeropostale’s latest that are favorites on my list and I think you’d also love:

IBIZA TRAVEL GUIDE.

Ibiza was the second stop on Mike I’s Euro Summer ’18 trip. We had so much fun here! It was a beautiful island with amazing beaches and food. I’ve put together some beaches, nightlife, and places we ate at that I think you’d love when planning your next trip to Ibiza!

Our first stop for dinner was KM5 which has a restaurant, sushi lounge and bar. It looked like a fashion boutique when we entered, but then we went through the curtains and it turned into a super cool indoor-outdoor setup. The food and drinks were absolutely delicious. It was definitely the perfect start to this trip!

Later that night we went to Heart Ibiza for drinks and of course some dancing! Inside was very upbeat and there was a DJ playing. I had a good time listening to the DJ for a little, but then I needed to go outside to take a break and get a drink. I loved the outdoor area best here, because it had a bar with funky and cool decor. The vibe outside was more chill, which is more my vibe.

The following day we had lunch at Aiyanna, a beautiful restaurant right on the beach on the north side of the island. I absolutely loved the decor here! Upon arriving, it seemed like I walked into a secret beach-it was just breathtaking and so serene. However, it was my first time going to a nude beach and it was definitely interesting. I thought it was great that men and women alike were confident in their bodies and everyone seemed carefree. I did not go nude (I love my bikinis too much!). I also didn’t want to be completely nude with men and children around, however I can understand how others may feel empowered and comfortable.

Later for dinner we went to Cami de Balafia. They had a cute little terrace and amazing food-some of which is cooked in their wood stove! If you are wanting to try a truly rustic Ibizan spot, it’s the perfect place!

On one of the days, we celebrated a good friends birthday. We rented out a catamaran and brought out some friends and family for the day! This was one of my favorite days, because we were just in the middle of the ocean dancing, sunbathing and drinking. We went for a swim in the water. I was super scared to jump in the water at first, but seeing it was crystal clear and shark-free, made me want to go in. Mike and I jumped in together and it was the most refreshing and daring moment of the trip.

Then we went to the island of Formentera and had lunch at Chezz Gerdi. It was perfect for a big party and was half indoor, half outdoor and had fabulous drinks and Mediterranean food. After the boat ride and lunch we went back to our friend’s villa, which was located in a beautiful, secluded area and hired a chef that made dinner for all of us. It was such a fun experience!

The next day we had lunch at a beach club called Amante. It was actually the sister restaurant to Aiyanna and was just as good! They have fabulous Italian and Spanish food and the view was stunning-it was situated over the beach in between a bunch of cliffs.

The following day we went to El Chiringuito. This was one of my favorite beach clubs and places to eat! They had a large selection of food and the atmosphere was laid back. I got the most amazing spread and a spicy coconut mojito. It was absolutely one of my favorites on this trip!

Another place I absolutely loved was Sunset Ashram. We went there for the day and it was such a fun time. You can bring drinks and just lay out by the beach. They also have an amazing sushi restaurant on the beach which was the best combo-sushi and chilling out by the beach.

We also went to Cipriani, an italian spot in downtown. It’s definitely a pricier restaurant but it was totally worth the treat. It had a romantic setting and a big outdoor lounge where you can dine. It was definitely worth the splurge and a spot to go to for amazing Italian food!

We had an evening dinner at the 7 Pines Resort. The food and the view were unbeatable! It was the best way to end our last day. Our whole group came together, and ate dinner as we watched the sunset. It’s definitely a place to go see when visiting ibiza!

In total we were in Ibiza for about a week. This was one of the destinations where we met up with a big group. It was so much fun partying with friends and family. I especially loved the beaches and food in Ibiza. I wasn’t a big fan of the nightlife here because I love my pop and dance music and Ibiza is very dj based. DJ music can be fun, but after a while I got tired of it. Overall it was such a fun trip-the beaches were amazing and the food was unbeatable! I hope this is a helpful guide for your next trip to Ibiza!

NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS 2019.

Happy 2019! I’m writing this at 1 a.m, technically already the 1st day of the new year! I rang in the new year with my favorite person – Mike! This is just how I wanted it to be, just the two of us. It’s our first New Years celebrating as just us two, no people around, I love the romance in that. We just got back from a few weeks in Australia and extremely jet lagged! We decided to ditch the party and instead hung out at home! We had hamburgers and beer at our favorite spot for dinner, saw fireworks from our rooftop, I made cookies, Mike made the cocktails, and now watching A Bad Mom’s Christmas – this is really my kinda vibe.

Back to my New Years Resolutions. Normally, I like to keep to myself and just work towards it. However, I’ve realized it’s good to put it out there in the universe as highly acclaimed in the book, “The Secret.” Great book, read it if you haven’t yet! Ok so I’ll stop rambling and share my 5 New Years Resolutions that I hope to get better at!

1. Being Me everyday with everyone 100%. I can fully be me with Mike, my family, close friends and of course you guys through my online platforms. I feel like when it comes to certain people I either already know or just meeting new people (offline), it can be challenging for me to fully be me. It can be many things that come into play like – the other person is not easy going nor friendly, feeling judged, awkward timing/situations, or it can be me just being shy or having an off day…whatever it is, it doesn’t allow me to be fully ME! As confident as I am (one of my favorite characteristics about me), I have my days where I worry about what others think. 90% of my days, I normally don’t care! But, I’m only human and I sometimes have those off days where I care. I need to be more like CardiB! Not give a shit at all about what others think and just be me everyday, with everyone 100% of my days, no matter the circumstance.

2. Read More. My goal is to read 2 books a month. I absolutely love reading! It can sometimes be challenging for me to make time for it. I’ve been squeezing in some reading time at night when my eyes are ready to shut on me, I can barely get through a few pages. I need to allocate some time and reserve an hour of my day for my books, not when my eyes are sleepy!

3. Best Body Yet. I really want to be in the best shape I’ve ever been this year. There’s a big possibility I may have my wedding this year and I really want to look amazing in my dress. My goal would be to have a Britney Spears 2000 (MTV VMA’s performance) body! Healthy and Fit.

4. New Home. As much as I love my apartment and my neighborhood, I am ready for more space and my first home purchase. Mike and I have decided on taking action this year, begin house hunting, and hopefully find our home sweet home this year! Can’t wait for the decor and this whole journey!

5. Expand Live Love Wear It. I absolutely love sharing with all of you my personal experiences, lifestyle, travels, latest skincare and makeup, interior decor, favorites, trends, and outfit inspiration/ideas. I’d love to expand and create something in connection with me and my brand that you will also love! I have some ideas up my sleeve. I want to start action this year and grow Live Love Wear It into something more than a personal blog. I’d like for it to also be a place for you to go to for even more inspiration!

MY LOOKS FOR #REVOLVEAROUNDTHEWORLDLA.

#REVOLVEAROUNDTHEWORLDLA, was a five day event series of fun, fun, and more fun! I often have heard that Revolve knows how to throw an event/party. It was my first time joining them and umm, they sure do! I had a week of living, loving, and literally, wearing it. I wore my favorite Revolve pieces for each day, which I’ve linked and also linked similar pieces with different price points, from budget to designer.

DAY 1:

The first day I attended a cocktail party. There was music, dancing, and pink neon lights! I wore this off-the-shoulder pink dress that flirted perfectly with the background (photo-op score!)

DAY 2:

The next event Revolve had was a beauty event in West Hollywood. There was Rosé, beauty brand favorites + new ones I got to learn about, and an endless supply of pink roses – I walked into a beauty dream! My OOTD was a pair of distressed boyfriend jeans and a magenta ruffled top. For the second time, my look went perfectly with the background (photo-op score x2)!

Shop yellow dress here

Later that evening they also had a club night! I wore this yellow dress, which I loved because it made my tan pop and was so fun to spin around in!

DAY 3:

Day 3: My favorite event day! It was a Revolve carnival that took place at the Santa Monica Pier. Mike joined me and we had so much fun together, it felt like a cute high school date. We definitely let our inner kid come out and play. To top it off, Snoop Dog came out and performed a mini concert. Being on the beach, at a carnival, with a rap legend… I mean, it is one to remember! This day I wore this fringed and playful sweatshirt, which kept me warm on the coast and added a pair of white cowboy boots for a western flair.

DAY 4+5:

Shop corduroy blazer here

On Thursday, I attended the Kaia x Karl Launch part at Revolve Social Club. Being a fan of both of them, I enjoyed getting a first look at the collection. This day I wore a pair of high-waisted jeans and an oversized brown blazer which is such a nice fall transition piece.

Shop mini dress here

Earlier on, there was also a brunch, but sadly I had a prior commitment, so I couldn’t attend. I wore this cute dress from Revolve to represent though!

On the last day, there was a Kaia x Karl pop up shop. The pieces were so cute, I wanted them all! I wore this blue striped pant suit and paired it with a white bandeau top.

HOLA BARCELONA (TRAVEL GUIDE).

Barcelona was Mike and I’s first stop on our Europe Summer’18 trip! We flew in and arrived at 3 am, but since there’s a 9 hour time difference from back home, we weren’t quite tired yet and wanted to celebrate finally getting to Europe! As we made it to our hotel, Hotel Rec (a cute and hip hotel), there wasn’t really anything open so we decided to take a walk down the empty 3a.m streets, breathe it all in, and celebrate by picking up wine around the area to take back to our room. Plus we were still in our sweats and not really looking to go out. It was the perfect start to our trip.

The next morning, we woke up around 7a.m (3 hours of sleep was apparently enough for us – talk about jet lag!) We somehow had the energy to start our morning with a smoothie and a jog around the park near by the Arc De Triomf. It was the first and last work out during our 1 month trip in Europe (aside from the endless steps and walking).

As we traveled around Barcelona, we found that our hotel seemed to be in the perfect location. It was easily walking distance to some of our favorite restaurants and bars/lounges. To really explore and get to know other parts of the city like the beach, attractions, etc. the best thing Mike and I did was hop on a bike. It’s my favorite thing to do, in any city really. Barcelona is very bike-friendly and we found it to be a great way to really get to know the city and photograph all we want!

Here are some of our favorite spots as we traveled through the city for 4 days!

One of the first places we went to was: Elsa y Fred – it’s a gastrobar with great small plates and tapas. We sat right by the window (it was both oudoors/indoorsy – something in between, what I recall), which looked out on a cute little street and got to people watch as we ate. This place was always busy through out the day, so we were glad we got their early and got the perfect table for two.

We found a nice alternative to all the tapas and Paella we had been eating at Da Greco. They specialize in pasta and other Italian dishes and play opera music in the background. It was a fun spot and really felt like we stepped into a different city for the evening.

Flex Bowl was a nice restaurant for healthy food. They have a bunch of acai bowls and wraps. It’s great for breakfast or lunch.

Brunch & Cake was a good spot for brunch. They have a lot of trendy brunch items and its super cute inside!

Alsur Cafe – I tried their red velvet waffles and an acai bowl. Both were so so good! They have a bunch of items with fun modern spins on them.

We went to a very historic restaurant called 7 Puertas for paella. They have a famous guest book that celebrities sign and the chairs have placards of who sat there. Apparently Picasso was a regular here! This was definitely my favorite place for paella on this trip.

Mercat de la Boqueria – a large farmers market with so much brightly colored produce, homemade food, and drinks everywhere! Mike’s parents told us about this place and it was very fun finding different sections of interesting foods and drinks. We went on a busy weekend/Summer day so after a while, I started to get overwhelmed by the crowds, I needed to move it along.

Can Cisa / Bar Brutal was a super cute fusion of a wine bar and a food bar. The wine bar serves wine from the region and has cute and quirky decor, while Bar Brutal serves yummy small plates.

A few locals recommended we check out Beach Barrack, a restaurant by the beach. It was in a rather touristy area, but had some good paella. I definitely thought it was the best in that beach area! It also made for fun people watching by the sea.

Mike and I then went to see Sagrada de la Familia, a beautiful and renown temple. The construction on it started in the 1800s and was still going on when we visited! It was so stunning, I couldn’t stop admiring the details and Gaudi’s magical vision. Must see! Side note: It was so hard to get a pic here because of the constant tourism and traffic in this area. I managed to get one in front of it and also found a spot, away from the people, in the far corner across the street.

Las Ramblas was such a pretty walkway to explore. It had lots of outdoor vendors as well as restaurants and cafes for a few blocks! This area is very touristy (not my favorite), but good for lil shopping and to go check out their H&M.

Mike and I spontaneously decided to go to a Shakira concert, while there in Barcelona. It was so so fun! I had never seen her live before, so it was a great experience, her husband, Gerard Piqué, is a soccer player from Barcelona so everyone seems to love her there. It was a whole different experience seeing a concert at a different place, let alone country – a big change from the concerts I typically go to in LA. The only thing we found a little off-putting was trying to leave the venue. It was super confusing just trying to get out of there and back to our hotel.

Harlem Jazz Club is a cool and authentic place Mike and I went to listen to some live Spanish music and have drinks. We got to see a well known live Spanish band and danced away to those Spanish beats.

Cocovail Beer Hall was a fun place for drinks and food! They have a ton of craft beers on tap and appetizers to snack on.

Park Guell – is a public park with beautiful gardens and Gaudi’s sculptural buildings.

There were also some other hidden gems we found along the way, by foot. We came across cute and delicious coffee shops + fun hang out bars. I can’t recall the names of these places, as it’s been a few months now since. I think it’s good to make time, to just wanderlust and encounter these gems by foot on your own. It’s fun stumbling upon something that you heaven’t necessarily heard of yet is … yum and fun!

Hope you find some of these places just as enjoyable as I did and helpful for your Barcelona trip! xx