With the exception of the photo on the bottom left, I shot all these for a cool little feature I did for BYT.
BARCELONA | HOTEL PRAKTIK
[imagerow images="http://reemadesai.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/IMG_1093.jpg,http://reemadesai.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/IMG_0874.jpg"] Barcelona has a little bit of everything: some of the most incredible food in the world, culture, art, beaches, shopping and so much more. When it comes to Barcelona, the list really is endless. There are also about three million different options of where to stay in Barcelona covering everything between shared dorm rooms to luxurious suites overlooking the Mediterranean. Somewhere in the middle between those two extremes is the Hotel Praktik.
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The hotel is situated near Passeig de Gracia and compared to a lot of the hotel accommodations in Barcelona, it is very reasonably priced. We arrived at the Hotel Praktik mid-day, and from the moment we checked in, it completely blew our expectations out of the water. Walking up to the hotel, you're greeted with a beautiful mix of greenery and foliage. It's a nice reminder that yes, you are on the Mediterranean in beautiful Barcelona at last.
Upon arrival, we were treated to a complimentary upgrade and found ourselves in one of the most enchanting hotel rooms I've ever been in. The all white linens, rustic wooden decor and modern art lining the walls made it one of the most stylish rooms I'd ever stayed in. Beyond the suite, there is a modern but charming terrace as well as an ultra-stylish kitchen and communal living area. Despite these areas being communal, I found that other guests were incredibly respectful and easy to share the spaces with. It was wonderful to unwind in the terrace after a long day exploring the streets of the city.
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Hotel Praktik Carrer de la Diputació, 325 Barcelona, Spain
MONTSERRAT
A CELEBRATION
BACK FROM BARCELONA
Hello! We are (sadly) back from Spain. We spent a few days in London visiting a close friend and had the best time eating our way through the city with her and her boyfriend. After London we flew to Barcelona for a few more days and just loved it.
The walk from Il Born to Barceloneta.
CANDIED PECANS
Today I wanted to share something that isn't a full recipe, but more of an ingredient that I'm really liking lately.
I recently had dinner at Matchbox before going to see The Grand Budapest Hotel (it was great!), and had a realy good salad with candied pecans on top. I made some at home recently, and I'm so excited to make another big batch to toss on to salads or let's be real, ice cream.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup pecan halves (I used chopped pecans instead) - 2 tablespoons butter - 2 tablespoons brown sugar - 1 teaspoon honey
INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Melt butter in a pan over medium heat 2. Add your pecans to the pan, and coat them in the melted butter 3. Add sugar and stir until caramelized 4. Spread out on wax paper to cool. Drizzle on honey, and sprinkle on an extra pinch or two of sugar while they cool.
Note: be careful - these little guys can start burning quickly!
Recipe adapted from here.CITRUS STUDY
SOUTH OF THE BORDER
South of the Border: the tacky and ridiculous rest stop on the road from Washington, D.C. to Florida.
LATELY
January was a crazy month in between weddings, shoots and all of this freezing weather! I recently went to Orlando to shoot a friend's wedding which was a nice break, but now I'm back to the cold.
The Everygirl featured my recipe and photographs earlier this month. Big thanks to Jonathan for helping me on the shoot and always letting me take over our dining room table for stuff like this.
And one quick peak of my sweet friend, Nikki, on her wedding day.
RECIPE | ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS
This is a really good, really easy Brussels sprouts recipe that takes just about no time at all. It's especially good to make for people who think they dislike Brussels sprouts! Special note: it's really important to use fresh sprouts vs. frozen ones for this recipe. Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 bag of fresh Brussels sprouts - 1/4 cup olive oil - 1 1/2 teaspoons honey - 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper - 1 teaspoon paprika - salt and pepper (to taste)
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. 2. Rinse your Brussels sprouts with water, trim the stems and cut them in half. 3. Toss your Brussels sprouts in olive oil and mix in the honey, cayenne, paprika, salt and pepper. I typically use my hands to mix all the ingredients in, and to make sure that all the sprouts are well-coated. 4. Cook your Brussels sprouts in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until you notice some getting browned and crispy.