Madrileña Musings

This Friday, I'm trying something new. I'm linking to Long Distance Loving's  Friday's Fancies. This Friday's Facies is in conjunction with Elembee, Etc and themed "Let's Fly Away." My dream location is Madrid- I miss it so! We had to pick and place and an outfit that we would wear while traveling. Clearly, I'm thinking about Madrid in the summertime! It's extremely hot, but that is no excuse to not be fashionable while touring the city. 

Here are my essentials~

{iPhone case} {Top} {Flats} {Satchel} {Necklace} {Hat} {Scarf} {Shorts} {Suitcase}

1. iPhone ~ This summer, I didn't have my iPhone quite yet so instead I kept notes of my experiences on my iTouch while taking pictures on my Point and Shoot camera. If I had a bigger bag with me or was going to a specific location, I would bring my clunker SLR camera with me instead. With my iPhone, I could blog, write down notes, and take pictures on the go- and have it all in one place! 

2. Light and Breezy top~ Summers in Madrid are sweltering, so I usually stuck to tanks or lightly-colored short sleeved shirts. Not to mention, this white top will go with many different prints/patterns and colored bottoms. 

3. Ballet flats~ I wore through both pairs of my Gap city flats this summer. At $30 they were a great deal, and extremely comfortable-perfect for spending all day on your feet walking around the city. I love the color of these pink flats, as well!

4. Satchel~ Again, this neutral color can go with many different outfits, and it's essential for walking around the city. It's not too clunky, but it can fit everything I need. 

5. Bon Voyage Necklace~ I don't wear much jewelry when I travel for a couple of reasons. One, it's a pain taking jewelry on and off in security, and two, I don't want anything taken, so the only jewelry I ever wear are pieces that I will not take off. My mom gave me a Saint Christopher's medal, the patron saint of safe travel, which I wear when flying to and from school, and never took off while in Spain and Italy this past summer. However, I love the cute message on this Kate Spade necklace!

6. Straw hat~ The sun is hot! This protects my face from burns and also cools me down a bit. It's also super cute! 

7. Scarf~ Europeans wear scarves, pants, and long sleeves throughout the summer as if the heat does not exist. It's crazy! That being said, when spending long days out and about, it can be chilly in the early morning, and cooler at night as well. A lightweight scarf is nice to have.. and if you're traveling, it doubles as a makeshift blanket! My blue pashmina is always a staple when traveling in the fall/winter, and I choose a lighter-weight option for the spring/summer months. 

8. J. Crew Chino Shorts~ I may be biased, but I love love LOVE J. Crew chinos. The shorts fit perfectly, are lightweight, and easy to clean. I have them in four or five different colors and wore them religiously in Spain when I was not wearing skirts. (Also a staple!) 

~ I chose a Diane Von Furstenburg suitcase, since I have had mine for six years and it hasn't failed me yet! (And believe me, I've put it through quite the wear and tear)

~ The two photographs pictured below? Two of my all time favorite places in Madrid. In the upper right hand corner there is Parque del Retiro, the Central Park of Madrid. The artificial lake features rowboats that you can rent for $4.50 euro, which divided between four people is only a euro and change each! You get 45 minutes on the lake, though time isn't monitored too strictly, and provides boatloads of fun (no pun intended). We went twice while we were in Madrid, racing each other across the lake, rafting up with other rowboats, etc, etc! In the bottom left hand corner is El Tigre, my favorite tapas place in Madrid, and what I would dare to say is one of my all-time favorites (big words, I know). For 6 euro, you get a drink (Mojito, Sangria, Calimocho, Beer, etc...) and a small plate filled with all sorts of tapas- Croquettas, Patatas Bravas, Tortilla Espanola, Jamon y Pan, etc- probably one of the best deals known to mankind. Bonus~ if you go with a giant group of people, as we normally did, you could feed everyone a  full meal. Since each person gets a tapas plate with their drink, and the plate is overflowing with food, mixing and matching the tapas each person receives is one of the most delicious meals in Madrid. (And very cheap!!)

Happy Travels!