Guide to El Raval, Barcelona hipster district! Street art, Marmelade restaurant, Karl Lagerfeld x Melijoe fashion line.
Ten years ago, if you visited Barcelona, people would warn you to stay out of El Raval. It had a red light reputation and was considered a dangerous place to wander into unaware.
Today, El Raval is one of the coolest neighborhoods of Barcelona, and a center of skateboard subcultures and gritty street art. Intrigued? Then let me give you a tour — and scroll to the end of the post, to see the new country I’m traveling in right now!
But first, speaking of colorful art… I wanted to share with you the new Karl Lagerfeld and Melijoe fashion collection! How sweet is this animation video above, starring the iconic couture designer and his white cat Choupette?
Karl Lagerfeld and Melijoe have released the cutest clothing line for children and babes — including hoodies with embroidered prints, knit caps with whiskers, and other adorable yet classic designs. Personally, I want to get my paws on the black purse with cat ears.
Check out more cat-inspired juniors fashion and pre-order items now on their website.
Back to my Spanish hipster tour. El Raval is located next to the Gothic Quarter — I’ll show it to you in an upcoming post — not far from Las Ramblas.
(I’m wearing a white dress with long sleeves, and a cut-out skull back, from Pretty Attitude Clothing.)
El Raval used to be one of the most densely populated urban areas in the world. During the 1800s, it was a poor district peppered with brothels and bars.
Today, the area still has an industrial feeling, and a large immigrant population.
However, thanks to rejuvenation programs, El Raval has become a cool cultural center. It’s the best place in Barcelona to experience cutting-edge art, food and nightlife.
One of the most innovative restaurants / bars in this quarter is Marmalade. I spread my wings at the 1950s dapper decor, featuring angel-winged lamps and an illuminated Art Deco bar.
Address: Carrer de la Riera Alta 4-6, El Raval, Barcelona
I felt at home in the vintage New York meets Havana atmosphere. You can sit in the lounge, or reserve one of the long tables for a party with friends.
Marmalade has an extensive cocktail list. We couldn’t resist this generous goblet of sangria, made with red wine and fresh fruit.
Marmalade is known for creative burgers, including a ramen noodle burger. Diners also rave about the brunch offerings such as eggs Benedict. That evening, we ate up every last bite of the cheese plate appetizer and a warm goat cheese salad.
One of my local friends recommended their hip sister Milk Bar and Bistro too, decorated “like a millionaire’s drawing room.” I’ll be sure to check it out next time.
Marmalade is located near the Rambla del Raval, an open space lined with palm trees and benches.
This neighborhood felt like a breath of fresh air, compared to the tourist-packed La Rambla. We passed by eclectic street art, old-style buildings, and not a single souvenir shop.
There aren’t any “landmarks” or big attractions in El Raval. The pleasure comes from strolling around and encountering unexpected street art, like this Empatia and hearts on a brick wall.
If you’re doing an Instagram wall crawl, you’ll find plenty of backgrounds in El Raval. We saw intriguing murals on every street corner.
Cthulhu made his mark here, with a winding tentacle.
Even though El Raval is no longer a dangerous area, it still has an edgy, red-light feeling. You’ll find lots of bars and tattoo shops here.
Layers upon layers of posters, graffiti, and paint.
No wonder El Raval is the known as the most offbeat neighborhood of Barcelona.
(Shoes by YRU, dress from Pretty Attitude)
I found an Art Nouveau pharmacy with my name on it.
Those swirling moldings, and absinthe fonts… I got a new appreciation for Catatonia Modernisme after this trip.
In the summer, Barcelona’s best-known districts are filled with tourists, which put a bit of a damper on the experience.
Filmmaker Melissa and I stopped for a healthy snack, in this cute open-window cafe called Komo en Kasa. (All photos by Borderless Media)
There remains quite a large Moroccan and Middle Eastern population in El Raval.
An anarchist black flag hangs above the graffiti.
The Portlandia “Put a bird on it” has made it to Barcelona.
We filmed outside the MACBA modern art museum, located next to the Centre De Cultura Contemporanea. It’s become a gathering place for skateboarders to hang out and practice tricks.
Skaters zoomed around and used the long ramps to leap into the air.
Nearby, there was a skate shop. Love the custom skateboard with kittens and rainbows.
After spending the day exploring El Raval, we went back to our Art Nouveau hotel, El Palauet.
I was in the mood for something sweet, and found exactly that at a Xococake, a specialty dessert shop run by chef Albert Badia Roca.
Address: Carrer Gran de Gràcia, 17, 08012 Barcelona, Spain
At the front window, I had a hard time deciding on which gelato flavor to get. I wound up with a scrumptious dark chocolate, and can vouch that this is the best gelato in Barcelona.
Xocockae makes all sorts of desserts, from candies to fruit tarts to cakes. Everything is adorably decorated, and perfect for bring home to friends.
There was even a station for horchata, a hot and sweet drink made from tigernuts, water, and sugar.
Have you heard of Barcelona’s El Raval? What do you think of the current street art and hipster bars, in this formerly sketchy district of Spain?
Finally, I’m overjoyed to share my next travel destination… Siem Reap, Cambodia — home to the temple of Angkor Wat! (Photo above via Wikipedia Commons.)
I’ve been working long-term with Hong Kong Express Airways, and they are sending me there to capture the experience. I can’t wait to see the Tomb Raider temples for myself, and experience the warm Cambodian hospitality I’ve heard so much about. If you have suggestions for things to do and see in Siem Reap, please let me know with a comment.
PS: I’ll be sharing my journey live, on Snapchat (@lacarmina) and Instagram. Check me out on these social networks, to see behind the scenes.
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Health Goth: Farfetch Autumn Winter fashion! My diet & fitness routine, Gothic workout clothes.
Winter is coming… and autumn has most certainly arrived!
My friends and I love this time of year because we can finally take out our leather jackets, and vamp up our wardrobes with cold-weather accessories such as gloves.
I was excited when Farfetch invited me to create an Autumn / Winter look from their latest collections. This online fashion portal carries an immense selection, including a lot of independent and Japanese designers — and you know I’m all about that.
I love taking walks outside any time of the year, but there’s a particular joy in crunching through autumn leaves, and breathing in the crisp air. So I thought I’d show you what I wear on one of my outdoor excursions.
In the Farfetch workout essentials section, I found this cut-out Michi top that doubles as a sports bra. It’s perfect for wearing under a leather jacket, and if you start to feel cold, you can simply zip up your coat.
I love these black leggings with white line details — they’re Y-3 by Yohji Yamamoto. I usually have a hard time finding activewear that I love, but this Japanese edgy label is right up my alley.
I paired my Gothic activewear with a studded, dark blue leather jacket from Hong Kong. It’s by the brand Bauhaus, which is only found in Asia.
In the wintertime, it’s still important to protect your eyes by wearing sunglasses. The glare from the snow can be blinding, and the harsh weather can dry out and irritate your eyes.
Happily, Farfetch has a treasure-trove selection of sunglasses. I picked out Linda Farrow x Phillip Lim sunglasses: I adore retro accessories, and couldn’t resist these round glam-hippie frames. I also thought the blue color was a nice fit for winter.
Finally, my hands get cold easily, so I’m always in need of gloves. Many people think of winter accessories as “utility garments,” but why not get something with style?
When I saw these Moschino gloves on Farfetch, I couldn’t resist. The style is 100% “me,” with a red heart, leopard print, and black leather!
I hope my outfit post got you inspired to revamp your autumn / winter wardrobe. There’s no need to stick to black colors and boring accessories… have fun with this season!
If you liked these looks, you can get everything I’m wearing (plus much more) on Farfetch. They invite you to share your finds on social media with hashtags #farfetch #myfarfetch.
During the winter months, you’ll inevitably be spending more time inside.
Instead of seeing this as a negative, I make this an opportunity to re-boot my workouts. Keeping fit also helps me feel energized, even if I’m staying indoors.
Have you heard of the term Health Goth? The media has been talking about the trend of people wearing black, Gothic-looking activewear. But in fact, this has nothing to do with the subculture, and the sportsgear is still by mainstream brands.
Nevertheless, I like the general idea of “health Gothic” — in the sense that you can work out hard, and still dress and feel like yourself. I don’t think any of you could picture me in a pink yoga outfit, right?
I’m wearing black workout leggings with a stripy twist: Y-3 by Yohji Yamamoto. They’re functional for all types of fitness activities, and well made so that they won’t thin out or stretch out of shape (two of my pet peeves about leggings).
This Michi sports cropped top fits my aesthetic perfectly. I’m a big fan of cut-out designs, and the bra has built in support.
I hope these outfit photos give you some ideas for how you too can be Goth at the gym.
What type of workout routine do I have?
When I’m home for an extended period of time, I enjoy taking fitness classes. This month, I did a mix of pilates, yoga, and TRX (a Navy Seal suspension training method that’s brilliant for core).
I also work out on my own. I do bodyweight exercises, videos (such as Tracy Anderson), and high-intensity interval training. I choose cardio that is gentle on the knees, such as sprinting on an elliptical or rebounding on a trampoline. And, as mentioned before, I go on long walks.
Overall, I mix up my workouts and try to maximize efficiency (no moderate chronic cardio for this girl). I focus on exercises that build up my core, flexibility, and balance. This all works toward my goal of “functional” strength and endurance, which helps me on my sometimes grueling travels.
Now, let’s talk about food and diet! When I’m home, I try to eat “clean” about 80% of the time. It’s not complicated: I focus on high quality whole foods (especially organic / grass fed / free range / seasonal / local). Everything is prepared simply (baked, steamed, poached, stir-fried) with simple flavors.
I eat a lot of vegetables, healthy protein and fats, and low-glycemic fruits. I love my raw cheeses and organic plain yogurt / kefir. I avoid “junk foods” (with chemicals and unrecognizable ingredients), added sugars (including fake sweeteners), and empty carbs / gluten (I stick to brown rice, sweet potatoes etc). The above sashimi salad from Hong Kong’s Sushi To is a great example.
However, it’s important to stay flexible, and thoroughly enjoy the other 20%! (Coco Ichiban curry gets a thumb’s up and bow, during our Norway travel TV shoot in Tokyo.)
Now, when I travel, I don’t stick to the 80/20 equation. I consider food to be a huge part of the traveling experience, and eat my fill of local dishes while I’m there. (It’s actually good to mix things up, to avoid having the body adapt and stagnate. You can Google “leptin reset” for more on this phenomenon.)
Eating freely while you’re overseas lets you learn so much about the local culture. I often didn’t realize certain ingredients or dishes existed — or that the Japanese were this creative at cute food design!
Did you enjoy reading about my diet and workout? What do you think of my fall / winter “health Gothic” outfit?
LA CARMINA
