It’s Sunday morning and we’re on our way back to LA from a really incredible week in France with Cristian’s fam.

We’ll make sure to give you the full download soon, but for now we HAVE to talk about Barcelona. We spent the last 24 hrs in the city and damn! You know it was a hit when we’ve already discussed coming back on a friends trip. It felt like there was so much to explore and see and this was our 4th time there together!!

Getting there

Backing up though, we came to Barcelona by train from France. The closest TGV train station to where we were staying is called Perpignan. We pre-purchased tickets for the high speed train and had them printed out - not like we needed them though! No one ever checked our tickets. 🤦🏻‍♂️Pro tip: Perpignan station has one waiting hall with great food, and another with AC; you’ll feel like you’ve missed out if you don’t make the most of both. Buy your goodies from the cafe by platform F, take the escalator down, and scurry under the tracks to the air conditioned hall by platform A.

Once boarded, our train stalled for about 15/20 mins with no AC. We may or may not have died in this harrowing period. No one really knows. When the train finally got moving though, it was a piece of cake! We ate our cafe sandwiches, charged our phones, and took a cat nap. An hour and a half later we were in Barcelona grabbing a cab to our hotel!

Where we stayed

Omg omg omg! We are obsessed. Casa Camper is a boutique hotel by the shoe company of the same name. They have another location in Berlin and have really figured it out. The lobby is only available to hotel guests and has endless snack and drink options complimentary. We’re talking cold pressed juices, Spanish pastries, caprese pasta, and carrot cake. They also had a Nespresso machine for tour caffeinated needs. There’s a loungey air to the space and plenty of seating for big groups. The other hang out spot is the rooftop terrace. It doesn’t have a pool but it does have a super cute showering hut to cool you down if you decide to lay out.

The rooms are huge by European standards and have AC that works like a dream (praise be). It felt like an Ace Hotel in a lot of ways but it’s been around longer than most Aces. It had the same hook system along the bedroom wall as the Ace Pittsburgh and snuggly toweled robes that rival what you’d find in any Ace. The aesthetic was friendly and playful with a door hanging sign that just read “Zzzzzzzzzz!” and souvenir buttons on the bed. The keycards came on lanyards like you were VIP backstage at a concert and of course, by each side of the bed were Camper slippers - very apropos.

Before we go on, we need to talk about the bathroom situation. It had a counter as long as a catwalk with one sink, mirrors running the full length. Across the sink was a tub for soaking. And at the end of the long bathroom, a divine shower. It had three modes: an overhead shower that felt more like rainfall than a hotel shower, a handheld shower for those hard to read places, and a bidet for those extra special places. It was hilarious! We had never seen a standing height bidet. And after trying it out, can’t say we’re against it either.

Dinner

We freshened up at the hotel and hit the town with the rest of the family, making sure we stopped by the essentials. Maybe you know what we’re talking about - does your family have those places you have to visit ASAP when you go back somewhere you’ve been before? Its almost your way of knowing that you really are back and this place hasn’t forgotten you. That’s what we did.

So first stop, Ale-Hop! It’s cute, a little basic, and a family fave. If you haven’t been, Ale-Hop follows a similar format to Flying Tiger from Copenhagen or Mini So from China. It’s dirt cheap knick-knacks that are hip and practical and you want them all! We ended up with a beautifully appointed fanny pack (mirrored embroidery, beaded tassles, and all) and a reflective silver backpack and duffel bag number that is to die for. V important purchases.

Second stop, Ziryab! This middle eastern tapas spot has never disappointed! They’re in the gothic quarter and have moved to a bigger location recently. We called the day before and got a reservation for 6 people at 7:30 on a Saturday night. The flavors are everything you want and the food is totally affordable. We left stuffed and tipsy at €25/person. The space itself feels like it’s been there for 300 years with murals on the walls and a yellow glow that suggests you might be dining by the light of an old oil lantern. You’ll find yourself ducking twice before making it to the bathrooms in the basement. Their cheeky signs above the toilets read: “Ladies, please stay seated for the entire performance. Gentlemen, please stand closer; it’s smaller than you think.” Love us some bathroom humor.

For the meal, we’ll cut to the chase and just list everything out:

Mini pita with 3 dips: smoked eggplant, caramelized leek, sweet potato
Roast potatoes with a 5 spice garlic aioli
Local mushroom and sweet potato croquettes
Minty Beef kibbe balls
Lamb and rosemary stew
Hanging chicken thigh skewers
Halloumi one with pesto and another with ham
Bacon wrapped medjoul dates
Two slices of chocolate cake for dessert
And a Catalan digestif calledratafia

Winding down

We tumbled out of Ziryab two hours later with another successful meal under (or technically pressing against) our belts. The air suggested it might have rained while we were in there but we were none the wiser. Heading straight for las ramblas, we partook in that great Spanish tradition of ambling along the bustling boulevard with full bellies and open eyes. The familiar sights of colorful airborne toys and defeated tourists sitting behind comically large sangria glasses reminded us we were in Barcelona. Cristian’s mom asked if we would be bar hopping from dinner, but we were totally content to say no and head back to the hotel with the group.

We got back to Casa Camper and dug out a bottle of wine we brought from the week in France. Cristian’s mom insisted we keep it closed for a special night back in LA, but that’s why we had a second bottle stowed away of Corey’s favorite, a Saint-Émilion. We all went to the indoor part of the terrace and enjoyed a beautiful bottle of red overlooking what seemed to be a light show on a hilltop castle in the distance. We’d later find out it was an amusement park called Tobidabo and resolve to make a day trip out of it one of these years.

Around midnight we went to bed and woke up in time to grab a big breakfast from the lobby (eggs, bacon, coffee, fruit, and croissants) and hop in a taxi to the airport. Barcelona wowed us in the short time we had together and convinced us that we still have unfinished business there.

Well, we’ve just landed for our connection in Paris and are on our way back to LA. Comment below if this sounds like the Barcelona you know, or if there’s another city that makes you feel the same way! We’re always looking for new spots to visit too. ♥️

xx,

Corey & Cristian