I’m Valerie and this is my origin story
I’m so glad you’ve decided to visit my corner of the internet! Ever since I started traveling, my world has never been the same (how cliché, but true 🥲). My life’s true passions are travel, food, partying and chilling so believe me when I say I am confident that I am your #1 trusted guide to the best restaurants, clubs, beaches and rooftop bars in any city I’ve visited.
Having lived in Spain for two years I would consider myself a mild expert in all things Madrid and Barcelona. I am also obsessed with knowing every detail about anywhere I’m traveling to and getting the most out of my experiences. I hope to bring to you some insider perspective and, if you’re interested, my honest opinion on the places I’ve visited (with a focus on travel in Europe). I put in the time, did the research and now I want to pass it on!
So what do I bring to the travel blog table?
My DIY travel style
In one word I’d describe my travel style as scrappy. I often feel proud of the way I can slap together an affordable itinerary in just a few days. The way I often choose a destination is by finding the cheapest flight. Regardless of if I’m traveling solo or not, I never rule out hostels because of what they can offer in terms of activities or price. I research the local public transit because I’ll be damned if I have to pay for a taxi or Uber. So if you’re here to read about luxury travel, all-inclusive resorts or 5-star hotels, that’s unfortunately out of my budget and not really my jam.
My preferred travel style is solo! I love the feeling of independence and the freedom to do anything your heart desires as well as giving yourself the opportunity to be more open to new experiences and people. However, I would never say no to a villa trip with friends or a getaway with a partner in crime. My whole range of traveling styles means that I’m experienced in all sorts of travel styles and have a little bit of travel knowledge for anyone (except maybe not family travel – that’s just not in my repertoire)!
My experience living abroad
I’ve lived abroad on three separate occasions, each time starting from scratch. These experiences with interacting with locals, understanding the culture and building a community has opened up my mind to traveling more thoughtfully. I’m not saying you have to live abroad to have a travel well but listen to this cautionary tale:
There’s a way of traveling that I used to do before my mind opened up. I would travel with my boyfriend at the time, stay at an Airbnb and check off each tourist destination from a list of things to see. This form of travel guaranteed that I didn’t have any meaningful interactions with anyone, I barely scratched the surface of what the new destination had to offer and a year later, I had no recollection or unique memories of the trip. What a waste of money!
The way I travel now is so different. A lot of times I travel alone. I like to wander a city without needing to visit (and pay for) each and every tourist sight. Sitting on a terrace in a plaza having a beer or coffee while sketching or writing or people watching is a wonderful way to create a lasting mental image of a city. Interacting with locals and meeting new friends is probably my best advice for travel that endures long past the end of it. I suppose an attitude of appreciation is the common theme.
My deep passion (obsession) for food
I mentioned that I’m a budget traveler. However, the one thing I will splurge on without fail, is food. I am absolutely obsessed with food in any capacity. I go to the bakery every single day for a sweet treat. I love trying foreign snacks – so much so that I developed a snack-rating web app called Snacky. I always do my research on local food specialties and wine and go out of my way to try them because you might not be able to have it anywhere else in the world!
I’m also known among my friends to be somewhat of a food snob. I absolutely love the experience of fine dining. I’ve been to around 20 Michelin star restaurants and I have an instagram account dedicated to it (@val_eats_food). I just love how much appreciation and reverence there is for food in these kinds of environments! Full disclosure, Michelin star dining is not something I can afford sustainably, but it’s something I choose to spend my money on! But you know, I get almost as much pleasure out of a 2€ arancini ball the size of my hand too.
Are you convinced that I am in love with food? I can’t wait to share with you my favorite food and travel experiences.
My love for the club
Another passion of mine is the club. I discovered techno during my travels to Europe and like traveling itself, techno changed my life. Often I feel that the travel experiences that included a memorable party were the ones that were the most fulfilling and unique. I have met and connected with so many people and friends at parties.
Experiencing festivals, parties and clubs that a city has to offer is 100% a fun and exciting way to travel and I am here to tell you all the epic and memorable parties you should go to too.
My Life’s Story (Pertaining to Travel)
When I discovered the world of travel, I couldn’t look back. Maybe every travel blogger ever has said that but it’s true. I am incapable of stopping myself from buying flights and planning trips to keep seeing more of the world (even against my better financial judgement). Here’s the story of how it all started:
Study Abroad in Copenhagen
In 2017 I took a semester abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark and had my first taste of life in Europe (I’m from Austin, Texas, USA). Experiencing life in this Scandinavian country with such different values and cultural norms blew my mind and I made it my personality.
I loved how beer was cheaper than water at the grocery store. I embraced the Danish concept of “hygge” (the concept of comfort and coziness implemented to survive the wintertime) which made me enjoy life even in the cold, dark and wet winters. In order to not get run over, I had to get accustomed to the bike lane. I loved the cafe and beer and brunch culture which had people sitting outside taking in the sun whenever possible. The accessibility and the novelty of everything was so enticing to me, it left me wanting more.
Hostel Life in Barcelona
I graduated from college in 2019 and skipped my graduation ceremony to go straight to Barcelona to volunteer at a hostel for the summer. If I had thought Copenhagen was perfect (and it literally has a perfect society), Barcelona was the exact opposite but I fell hard and fast in love (to this day Barcelona is my favorite city in the world). The sun, the architecture, the chaos, the food, the beach, the parties and clubs, the overwhelming and exciting energy you feel just stepping into the street is intoxicating.
To top it all off I was working at a hostel where my job was literally to make friends and have fun. I partied, I drank, I hardly slept, I went to the beach daily, I explored the city, I fell in love with the culture, I made life long friends and had a once-in-a-lifetime romance. By this point I knew life was so much more than what could be offered back home.
Teaching English in Madrid
Shortly after this fever dream had come to an end, I packed up my things and came straight back to Spain, this time to Madrid to teach English through the CIEE teach abroad program (using this link will get you a $200 discount any CIEE teach abroad program). I knew that if I wanted to live in Europe I would probably have to do something productive and that would grant me a visa…right?
I’m not going to lie, Barcelona had stolen the show for me and it took me a while to get used to Madrid, which was wildly hot, landlocked, and basically abandoned when I arrived in the middle of summer. Teaching English was not a hard job whatsoever and with only 16 working hours a week, I had plenty of time to explore the city and travel, which I did a bunch of – especially solo! Over time I developed a deep love and appreciation for what Spain has to offer (I’ve visited around 25 Spanish cities).
In March 2020, however, it all came to an end. The first signs of COVID were slowly infiltrating Europe and I had gone to hide out in Tenerife since I didn’t think the pandemic would last. I didn’t realize this would be my last hostel/travel experience for a while. The day that Spanish citizens were mandated to stay inside, I bought a one way ticket back home to Texas.
An Attempt at American Life in New York City
Back in the US, I decided I’d move to NYC, where the majority of my friends were. A year and a half in I knew it wasn’t for me. Living in such an expensive city full of hustlers just didn’t match my energy or satisfy my craving for life. The life I wanted was in Spain. The Spanish culture supported a lifestyle that matched my values and dreams of enjoying life to the fullest. The structure of their cities, the attitudes of their people and general way society is run are all aligned with the prioritization of the enjoyment of life and social gathering. Experiencing that made me realize I couldn’t have it any other way.
Madrid 2.0
I quit my job and moved back to Madrid. I reconnected with old friends and found a new community and made it my home. I developed a deep love for Madrid and began exploring its every nook and cranny. From Madrid I explored, on average, one new city per month. I became an expert at travel, including research, packing (usually only bringing a personal item that fits under the seat!!), logistics, etc.
Eventually I realized that for all my talk of my passion for travel and the hundreds of hours of research and on-the-ground traveling that I did, I had no concern for posterity, until now. Therefore, in this blog I’ll be documenting and sharing my all travels. So here we are. Thank you for joining me on life’s voyage and I hope my blog can be helpful or at least entertaining to you in some way!
— Valerie ❤️🛩