GLOBESHOPPER: SPAIN

This is the first in a series dedicated to two of my favorite things: shopping and international travel! Everyone that knows me knows that I've neglected to mention my most favorite thing: eating...but maybe i'll tie that into fashion somehow and blog about my culinary adventures another time...

I've just recently returned from my first trip to Spain! We visited Madrid and Zaragoza--If you want to sound like a true Castilian, this should be pronounced Tharagotha--Ibiza (Ibitha) and Barcelona (Barthelona) are next!

The architecture is divine, below is one of Madrid's many impressive facades:

If energy levels are measured on a scale of 1-10-- with New York, London and Paris scoring 10's-- then Madrid is an 8 and Zaragoza is a 6.8 (don't ask, I use a very scientific method to calculate such things ;-)...But no matter, that was exactly the kind of vacation that I needed!

I had a blast and the the shopping was great! Check out these Fashionable Madrillenas at trendy hotspot Asialounge, inside of MomaBar:

These women were smoking (natch!) in front of Lateral, Madrid's best tapas bar:

Everyone was wearing boots--ankle boots, mid-calf, cowboy, slouchy, knee-hi's, the list goes on and on--flats and tights are just as popular there too!

The countryside is magnificent, here's a view from the train as we traveled from Madrid to Zaragoza:


This is me, doing what I do best...i bought the black one. Only 30.00 Euros at Coco Complementos (on Ave. San Miguel)!

Styletip-Madrid: Be sure to visit the shoe "outlets" on Augusto Figueroa...this street is quite overwhelming, even for seasoned shoppers like myself...I can do without looking at another pair of shoes for the next month or two...my favorite store on that strip is Stilleto (perhaps it's because it was the first shoe "outlet" that I visited) - my traveling companions each found cute pairs there. Stop in for tapas at Bardemcilla afterward--this Tapas bar is owned by the mother and sister of actor, Javier Bardem...we found out, the hard way, that one should not even think about trying to get a table without a reservation.

If you like to look at pretty things, visit the Treasures of Dauphin, an impressive exhibit of objets d'arts, in the basement of the Museo del Prado.

Styletip-Zaragoza: Stop into El Corte Ingles for "mall" shopping, visit the boutiques that line the main square, and be sure to stop into Zara, of course! Mango, another european shop--Zara's main competition-- is a must! Fifteen Mango stores will be opened in the US soon.

Stay tuned for Globeshopper: Milan. Adios!