Yesterday, hanging around with my husband in cold London town, I felt - out of the blue - like pulling out old photos of a brief trip to Barcelona, without my husband, like five or six years ago.
Little did I know that at possibly the same moment, the same childhood friends, Sheila and Steven, were in NYC, visiting from home in Malibu, with my other childhood friends, Caryn and Linda.. we all go back to when we were like two, three years old (okay, I didn't meet Caryn until Kindergarten, so that was five) and I only just discovered today, that while I was posting yesterday, they were talking about me, and that trip to Barcelona! I guess this isn't coming out the way I meant it to, except to say that I do so love serendipity.
The first day, Sheila and I were on the roof pool at the OMM hotel, a hot languid afternoon, and we were about to go on an architectural walking tour. And the serendipity of THAT: our guide mentioned that they were doing the first jazz night on the roof of Case Milà, which we could see from the pool. But I didn't realist until now: we were seeing these guys on the roof. They were setting up the jazz night. Which we went to that night: which you'll see in another post.
First in a series: on the rooftop of the magical OMM hotel, in Barcelona, as guests of my best friend from childhood, Sheila, and her husband, Steven Fein (my boyfriend and I introduced them when we were all about 15. The boyfriend and I split up after six weeks - we're still friends - but Reader, she married him!). She's a wonderful, prolific, passionate artist, full of imaginings, but more about that later.
The hotel is directly across from Gaudi's Casa Milà, also known as La Pedrera. More about that later, too. This being a series. I'm just feeling so grateful to them for that memory, and hoping to go back - with them, and my husband - someday soon.
This is a fairy tale. And yet, a true story. It is a story of sunglasses, and of Barcelona. Specifically, ETNIA BARCELONA.
Suggested viewing instructions:
While reading this post, you perhaps might want to do what I'm doing while composing it: click on the video below:
There. All settled in? Feeling nice and warm? Okay, good. Here's the story:
Back last June, I did my first and so far only give-away: a PR company that represents an eyeglass company called ETNIA BARCELONA got in touch and offered me a pair of sunglasses to give away. It was the most confusing exchange that went on forever, it seemed: were they offering me a free pair, too?
Turns out they were. I did my post. Chose my winner: Laura, of no blog, and this was her reason:
"Your photos are always so inspiring...I love my daily dose of Polka Dot Pics!
Hmm, I love the Chelsea glasses.
I think I should win because:
1. I've just finished a (very) stressful 2nd year at The London College of Fashion
2. I have to wear glasses on a regular basis, I do wear contacts sometimes though
3. I had my new Gucci glasses stolen from me when I was at The Wireless Festival...:( And they were very beautiful indeed!"
I assume she got her sunglasses and she was happy.
(Speaking of give-aways: I am five away from 1500 followers. I want to give #1500 a give away. Any suggestions?)
As for me, I chose 'Le Morne' and gave them my postal address. But they were out of stock. Meanwhile we were going on holiday for a month. They couldn't post them. I eventually got them at the end of the summer.
And this is where the fairy tale aspect comes in. Which fairy tale was it when she has to give the wicked witch her first born son? Or did I dream that? Anyway... time passed and I was caught up with London Fashion Week, and the Press Week that lasted over a month (it's still going on, but I'm giving up) and I've been getting emails asking when I'm going to post about the Etnia sunglasses. And I had already done two posts on how wonderful the sunglasses were - before I had received them!
This is the question I pose to you, my fellow bloggers: are you torn about the issue of getting free stuff and the etiquette of posting about it? I mean, most of the PR companies that I like and actually know (verses the ones who just treat me like a number and send me photos of celebrities wearing their clients' clothes).. well, that's WHY I like them. There is no pressure. They're not expecting anything from me. Which is why, in turn, I post about their clients stuff. Because I TRULY LIKE IT.
I need to say this: I don't get paid to do this. Sometimes I get free stuff, but very rarely. And you know every time I do, because I tell you. Full disclosure. I am not a number, I am a free agent, and I am not selling out to The Man, and I never will.
That said: I do LOVE these sunglasses. (So does Mr. Dot: he said they're my best pair: if you click on Sunglasses go to Le Morne). And I love the website and I've grown very fond of Carole, who has become like a pen pal and has been very patient about it, and has given me a deadline: end of this week. I don't know about you, but I love deadlines. Actually.. to be totally honest, I loved homework. I'm just that type of girl, I guess.
So there you go. The song is over. Buy the sunglasses. Go to Barcelona. Stay at the OMM hotel, where I took these pictures. And no, they didn't pay me: they don't even know I'm talking about them. The guy in the shots kept asking me to take pictures of him and his 'sister' and gave me his email address but when I sent him the shots I never heard back. Well, who knows, maybe someday out of the blue, they will send me their first born son. In which case, I will do a post about it.
RoadTrip23 is the natural evolution from StreetStyle London, which is still here, and has been since 2009. Because there's more to the world than fashion, and there's more to the world than London. Lovely as London is.
I'll still be posting street style, if something really grabs me, but have expanded into other areas of interest, primarily travel, the arts, culture. Whatever I feel is beautiful or interesting: either man made, or a natural wonder.
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