RC, Author at loveRavayna

0 In travel

la sagrada familia

This is one of those times where no matter how gorgeous the photo, it is impossible to do the insane beauty of this place justice.

The size and scope of the church from outside, and sheer quantity of artwork within, is really simply beyond. More than once, I looked up and found myself completely awed.

We had one or two people advise us to skip the Sagrada Familia, or to only do an outside walk by. I can’t imagine feeling that way! Granted, it was crowded with tourist and school groups, and not exactly what I’d consider a peaceful place of worship.

But surrounded by rainbows of glorious morning sunshine streaming through all the stained glasswork, the hubbub seemed to fade.

It’s crazy to me that after 133 years, there is still 15 or 20 more of construction ahead, but I understand when I see how incredible it is, and it will be even more so when the scaffolding and curtains are removed.

It’s crystal clear to me how and why this is so renowned. It is gloriously beautiful, and seeing its growth towards completion is one of the (many) things I’m looking forward to about a return trip to Barcelona.

loveRavayna

October 8, 2015

0 In travel

la boqueria: bigger bites

As I mentioned, La Boqueria was kindof killing it as far as deliciousness. I swear we only got to eat and see one quarter of the offerings. I obviously loved the market vendors, but one of the things I thought was coolest about the Boqueria were the restaurants. Just a dozen seats around the grill and counter, which is laden with the freshest of that day’s catch.

The cooks have access to the city’s best raw foods in the produce, seafood, cheese, and meat vendors around them, and that is clearly reflected in the uncomplicated but delicious local food presented. Once you’ve scored a seat and a drink, you place your order. Often, we heard the provenance of our meal- who caught it when and so on. I love eating so utterly local.

Bar Central, all the way at the back of the market, was our favorite. Despite the perpetually waiting throng, the service was speedy and positively charming. And the food: scrumptious.

You know I went to town on one of those lobsters, along with clams and chorizo, tiny seared pulpitos (baby octopus), and sizzling garlic shrimp.

Razor clams, grilled with lemon, garlic, parsley, fruity olive oil and flaky salt? So succulent, so fresh and tasty- you could have knocked me over with a spoon. I ate multiple orders.

We also had great meals at Bar Pinoxto, which is cash only, FYI. I love spicy food, so played the roulette of grilled local peppers every chance I got. They were generally both sweeter and spicier than the shishitos we get here in the states.

We ate ginormous red prawns, perfectly flaky trout, and the most incredible harissa chickpeas. The langoustines, white beans, and garlic shrimp were also yummy here- so basically every single thing we tried.

For what it’s worth, we ate at lots of delish places outside La Boqueria too- I just haven’t gotten a chance to tell y’all about them yet! More amazing Barcelona food, coming up soon.

loveRavayna

October 5, 2015

0 In beauty

the friday five 001

Introducing a new series today. Pretty self explanatory, it’s a roundup. Topics will range, but today these are five of my favorite tested-and-true beauty products. Read on…

Charming Charlie baby backs are perfect if you love a statement earring like I do. These squishy silicone, super supportive earring backs keep even the saggiest stud earring perfectly in position. I’m also convinced they help prevent my earring holes from stretching out, but that might be hopeful thinking.

Living Proof Prime Style Extender. This was one of those products I sampled multiple times out of scepticism, but it really does make a difference in how long my blowouts last- an extra day, sometimes two, and a little goes a long way! If you’re a member of the shower cap and dry shampoo corps, this product might be for you.

Bio-oil. I’ve been using this since my teens, because it’s amazing, inexpensive, and accessible. It moisturizes dry skin and cuticles, erases stubborn mascara smudges, and with consistent use, really fades scars. It even worked on my angry red and purple stretch marks, and some nasty surgery scars, so it’s pretty much the holy grail.

Shadow Shields. I love using these on clients and myself to avoid eyeshadow fallout. They make great guidelines if you are a little unsteady flicking your eyeliner into a cat’s eye, and also just keep more dramatic looks tidy.

Sonia Kashuk hairbrush. This is supposed to be the closest possible thing to the legendary Mason Pearson brush. Since David would check me for a fever if I tried to spend hundreds on a hairbrush, I cannot confirm nor deny. But I’ll say this: I don’t normally feel passionately about hair tools, but I really love this brush. Enough to own two, for home and on the go. Detangle, blow dry, tease, smooth, all done perfectly- and the mixed bristles allow for an amazing head massage. The Sonia Kashuk brand is a Target exclusive … as if you needed the excuse to head for the red.

Have a great weekend!

loveRavayna

October 2, 2015

0 In travel

playing in park güell

Despite our choices of vacation destinations, we are no fans of crowds or lines, so we try to plan our best to limit the majority of that mess. Such was the case when we visited Parc Güell. Making reservations online was suggested, and I’m glad we did- we walked right in. Choosing the 9 am time slot meant an early wakeup to walk and metro out to Carmel Hill, but it allowed us to enjoy the beauty of the park at peace for a little before crowds descended.

I could have gazed over beautiful Barcelona forever, it seemed.

Without a doubt, Antoni Gaudi was a magician, especially with mosaic, and the planning team did an amazing job with the overall design of the park. Even the water fountains were beautiful!

It was gloriously sunshiny, and the gardens were in bloom. I couldn’t help myself from frolicking- I was giddy!

“I am the one who knocks.” Yeah, not quite as tough as Walter White.

As the resident staff photographer ?, David’s not often on the receiving side of a camera. Despite the tacky taste it left in my mouth at first, I got a selfie stick in hopes of snagging a few more pictures of us, rather than just me. As is typical, nonsense ensued.

Also, a major wtf? to the tourists recording their every step with a fully extended selfie stick! So not the intended usage, people.

We left the park after a few hours of exploration, to walk down the steps and through Gracía, and immediately came across a beautiful stone chapel.

In Barcelona, beauty is all around- on the grandest and most humble of scales.

loveRavayna

September 27, 2015

0 In travel

la boqueria: a foodie’s paradise

Our first morning in Barcelona, we grabbed a Spanish SIM card for my iPhone first thing, then walked to Mercat de la Boqueria to begin indulging in authentic Spanish cuisine. It was the perfect way to start our week of food and fun.

I’d heard tale of ‘cones of Spanish ham,’ and pork is hands-down my favorite protein. I was so excited to find them right at the front! Shopping while munching on luscious treats was simply glorious, and there was literally yummy snack after yummy snack. I especially loved fresitas, tiny super-sweet wild strawberries.

And once I realized it was perpetually happy hour, I was in heaven! Through the week, I got friendly with the sweets-and-sangria go-cup vendor. Leisurely day drinking is one of my vacation priorities, and Spain agrees with me.

I juice regularly at home, so went a little crazy at the 1€ fresh juice stands, trying tons of flavors. The pitahaya + coconut, pineapple + passion fruit, guayaba, and kiwi strawberry were some of the standouts. I couldn’t help myself- I got at least one juice, usually multiple, every time we were there.

I also made a habit of visiting the nicest fishmonger. She had incredible ceviche, and was happy to pry open ultrafresh oysters and sea urchin for me, so I was happy to oblige her by slurping them merrily down. I practically gorged myself on the most delicious (and inexpensive!) uni I’d ever come across.

Total first world mini-regret, but I wish we’d had more time in Barcelona simply so I could have done some serious cooking. Our apartment kitchen was spacious, and the raw foodstuffs at La Boqueria were so lush and varied, but we had so many amazing restaurants to try and things to do, I never served more than cava and pinxtos at home. But seriously- I dream of being able to do my grocery shopping here, with access to all that gorgeous seafood and artisan products.

Slightly more seriously, I remain upset that US customs and my dear husband conspired against me- I desperately wanted a whole jamón iberico as a souvenir. David staunchly refused, spouting some sensible nonsense about rules and room (in our luggage), so I consoled myself with purchasing some amazing smoked pimentón to take home, and eating as much as I could while in Spain.

Honestly, we wound up at La Boqueria almost every day for a snack, a meal, or to pick up yummies for a picnic or our apartment. Wandering the market, we also had delicious paletas and croquettes, pastries and gelato, and more. All of the fruit was perfectly ripe, which made it so tempting and gratifying. And I had some positive feasts of cheese and charcuterie. We truly endeavored to eat everything in sight, and were pretty pleased with our showing.

I always found new and delish things along with my established stops (ham, sangria, juice) and such great people-watching to boot! I didn’t even mention the amazing sit-down meals available at the tiny restaurants interspersed with the vendors; I’ll share our meals at La Boqueria soon!

loveRavayna

September 21, 2015

0 In travel

eurocoes, revisited

We sat at date night, discussing plans for our next “big trip.” We’ve got a to-go list a million adventures long, so the wanderlust is real. It’s true what they say- I’m in love with places I’ve never been to. I’ve been fantasizing about a Parisian getaway since I spent 36 hours there as an awkward teenager, and moreso as David and I have grown up and travelled together. I wanted to absorb culture and cuisine, romance and rosé, to stroll and shop, and spend some time living like a local. Milking my 30th birthday, I guess I had a pretty good sales pitch, because David bought. We started pondering when, settling on a week+ in late summer. I wanted to add another European city if I could, but knew I was pushing my luck as flights are spendy from the west coast.

The next evening, David was at the theater, so I started ‘wanderlusting’- reading and researching cities, itineraries, activities, and more. I start the planning process of most vacations that way, so I can assess value before I start fleshing out the itinerary according to the budget we’ve set. I was looking at European flights on Kayak Explore, when I came across a crazy deal on flights to Barcelona. They were far from ideal- in April rather than August, for more than two weeks, and with a simply nonsensical detour through Moscow, but our schedules were surprisingly still open, and they were literally two for the price of one, and an anomaly- other cities/months were significantly pricier. I’ve rarely met a sale I didn’t like, so I justified the longer stay with flight savings, and went down the rabbit hole. I browsed available apartments, and by the time David got home around midnight, I had had planes, trains, and several airbnb’s ready to discuss. Poor guy- I essentially steamrolled him, but when we went to bed sometime much later, we were booked to fly to Barcelona, had apartment booking requests out, and I was beside myself with glee.

And y’all- it was loverly. Filled with so much deliciousness and delight, it was shamelessly romantic, occasionally perfectly imperfect, and such a fabulous trip on the whole. We walked and rode the metro all over Paris and Barcelona, took a million pictures, had so many adventures and experiences and amazing eats (live to eat, I always say!) and I’m so excited to reminisce as I share them with y’all. I’ll be breaking it down into manageable chunks, beginning with Barcelona, where I’m already pining to return as soon as reasonably possible…

loveRavayna

September 15, 2015

0 In recipes

cookbook chronicles: the perfect scoop

Introducing a new series today! I love working my way through cookbooks, so after I do, I’ll be sharing a few favorite tried-and-true recipes with my modifications here as the Cookbook Chronicles. Let me know if there are any cookbooks you’d like me to feature. Good eats and good times!

This summer’s ridiculously sweltering heat was the perfect time for me to forsake my oven and reacquaint myself with the ice cream maker I’ve had since college, and David Lebovitz‘s The Perfect Scoop was the perfect cookbook to have close at hand. Our freezers have been frequently and enthusiastically visited lately- every recipe we’ve tried has been on point.

Fresh Fig

I made this ice cream (page 80) with gorgeous black mission figs from the farmers market. Somehow, the recipe yielded plenty to churn as well as fill half a dozen popsicles, and we weren’t complaining.

Golden plum with blackberry swirl

I used super fragrant Golden Nectar plums in this ice cream (page 77) and it was the perfect balance of sweet and bright yet creamy. I subbed blackberries for raspberries in a lovely tart swirl (page 92) and it was scrumptious.

Basil stracciatella

One of my favorite local creameries, Quenelle, does a yummy basil chocolate chip that inspired this. Creamy fresh basil ice cream (page 100) was streaked with semisweet Valrhona stracciatella (page 210). It made for incredible brownie sundaes, and I could barely keep from stealing bites of that not-too-sweet herbal-floral goodness when walking past the fridge.

Date, rum, and pecan

This ice cream (page 45) was probably David’s favorite batch. Trader Joe’s spiced pecans were the perfect choice here. Trini to the bone, I used generous lashings of Angostura 7 Year, and it was beautifully boozy with a creamy gelato-like texture.

Despite the calendar, we still have a good bit of SoCal summer ahead of us, and I have a pretty good feeling it will include toasted almond and candied cherry (page 60) and malted milk (page 51) ice creams.

Cheers to amazing ice cream and indian summer!

loveRavayna

September 8, 2015

0 In style

WiW: a little bit of lilly

One of the “benefits” of being on the road as much as I am is that I’ve acclimated to minimal sleep. I think it’s the perpetual time changes, but my body just wakes itself up. It helps with my crazy-early mornings, which are most of them on the road. And on occasion, like when you want to book European dinner reservations or be at the front of the line when Target releases a limited-edition collection, it’s clutch.

I was wide awake the morning Lilly for Target was being released, so headed out to the fracas. I met a pair of darling girls in the line and made friends, so we shopped as a team once people went running in. I was grateful for their kindness- there were some crazies and some super rude eBay sellers in the crowd. But I got in and out with everything I wanted and then some, so I considered it a win.

These floaty little shorts were one of my favorite scores from that day. I had to put a stitch in to keep them from being curtains to a little skinshow, but they are so comfortable. The pattern has some sass, but is remixable. And I have to giggle at myself, for sharing yet another crop top look, and one with short shorts to boot- I promise my navel’s not always on display.? I actually was really opposed to wearing crop tops for a while, since I’ve already trended through them as a teen, but they are just everywhere, and LA’s hotter than Hades, so I relented. This is about the maximum skin I can show and still feel like myself though. #sobasic.

I obsess over espadrilles, and these were a souvenir from Barcelona, along with the white graphic sunnies (trip recaps coming so soon!) I loved them so much I bought Erin a pair too (thats’s how we roll). When we got dressed for lunch during our Palm Springs trip and found ourselves twinning, we cracked up.

loveRavayna

September 3, 2015

0 In los angeles

ramen and romance

Over a dozen years after we first got together, I still take dating my husband pretty seriously. What I mean is that I love claiming a mutually free chunk of time and declaring it a date! Let’s be real- I’ll buy into any excuse to get a bit fun or fancy, eat good food, and steal smooches. While I was on the road this summer, I had long-term major cravings for tsukemen (dip) ramen. The best in the city is hands down at Tsujita LA– my mouth is watering just thinking about it. Since I’ve dragged David all the way across the city for several recent dates, I wanted to share our typical Sawtelle Japantown date with you.

The crowd at Tsujita can be insane, so we try to go at off hours. If the wait is still long, I kill time by crossing the street to shop at Daiso or browsing Asian skincare and beauty products at Make Asobi. (Much, much more on my Asian skincare routine coming soon.) Fortunately, service is brisk once seated and food arrives before I get hangry.

I always, always get char siu tsukemen. Other menu items are yummy, but that is my spicy savory dream. And romance goes out the window when this ramen is in the picture- I won’t even share it with David! It’s too delicious to let away from my greedy little fingers- to have and to hold, but get your own bowl.

The same goes for dessert. I’m significantly more interested in any outing that involves sweets of some sort, and Blockheads Shavery is just around the corner. They serve snow cream there, ice cream shaved off big blocks into light fluffy frozen deliciousness.

I love treats of all kind, but especially get excited about more unusual, less-sweet flavors. At Blockheads, I dress my black sesame snow cream with red beans, rice cakes, and condensed milk, and am a happy piggie. David likes his dessert properly sweet, so he covers his coffee malt snow cream with brownies, fudge, and sliced almonds.

With full bellies and full hearts, we head off into the sunset… And by that I mean head off to sit in traffic on the way home. LA traffic is perpetually blech, but it’s more pleasant when your sweet husband is driving you home after a date. I’ll take what I can get!

dress SheIn | ballet flats Zara kids similar | Kate Spade purse | earrings, aviators Charming Charlie | bracelet Hadaya bracelet One of a Kind

loveRavayna

August 25, 2015

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