Slowing down

January 20, 2016June 11, 2020 | Moonlight & Raven

What does make you feel relax? You know, when you finally stop overthinking and suddenly you are there at the present time just enjoying the moment.

In my last trip to my beloved Madrid I met a couple of hair artists that work in a place called con calma ( taking it easy). What a great name! I am taking it as a personal mantra let’s see if I can finally make it.

Their motto: ” An invitation to the pleasure of getting beautiful, pampering yourself a bit everyday, caring of you and the enviroment…”

Based on this commitment they work with organic products (that you can purchase at the front store) and guarantee a personal treatment to each an every single one of us.

For this they had created a space where they will be no longer feeling working but living in alignment with their creative minds. Allowing themselves time to connect you and get an insight of what will make your day boosting in gorgeousness. Not and easy task to take, though but there they are to make it happen.

As a small confession to make I need to say that it is rather irresistible not to fall under this self indulgent spell and I got a chocolate face mask to die for.

Mafalda may say “Que paren el mundo, que me quiero bajar!”( stop the world, I want to get off!) and when you do … how do you treat yourself? If you don’t know how give con calma a try.

Have a great week and try to love yourselves a tiny bit more.

Pictures: moonlight and raven
Thanks to Iván y Noel from http://concalma.es for their warm welcoming thatI received and their generous time spent giving me. It was a pleasure and I hope I will grant a visit soon enough.

Special note: congrats to http://mimundounblog.com with your post http://mimundounblog.com/el-regreso-y-con-sorpreson/. It has been certainly a sorpreson.This post is dedicated to you, to your tenacity in life and the love an passion that your blog brings. Best regards Natalia! 


Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored.

Just a tiny little bite …

October 2, 2015October 7, 2015 | Moonlight & Raven

What an amazing week of sun we have enjoyed in Dublin!

And just simply adding the cherry at the top of it let’s have a look into this Elysium for your senses … Cacao Sampaka in Madrid.

This place is without any doubts my brother’s temptation and if I am honest with myself sometimes is mine too. But what really thrives my disposition to pass by this place is definitely how unpretentious this space feels in comparison with the reward you get once in. Minimalism of lines and the warmth of the wood framed the delicate essence of this beautifully crafted chocolate.

Artisan pieces shaped in exclusive bars, delicate bonbons, drops, shavings are match to perfection with Moscato, Grappa, Champagne and other wines for those with an educated tongue. Although, if you are not having an “alcoholic drink” day just lose yourself within their teas, ice creams, biscuits and spreadables. I mean, you will not have an issue finding choices here.

Thanks to @SampakaMadrid for your inspiration and allow our guilty pleasures to be less guilty and more pleasurable.

What about your guilty pleasures?

Have a great weekend!

If you like this topic you might love: https://moonlightandraven.com/2015/02/14/loven-red/

The essence of flower town

September 30, 2015September 30, 2015 | Moonlight & Raven

The way you feel now is how you should be feeling the rest of your life ( Paper Towns)

Seems we dedicate ourselves to work on places that we don’t care or surround our life with people who don’t see us. Any purpose? Apart from missing the chance you have got of living it is quite difficult to find another.

But is it really true? How impossible it is the task of discovery where you belong? Where your skills can get opportunity to explore other boundaries, get developed or simply mess around.

Creativity requires the freedom to find a way through, its expression and bring that to life. How people can make that of a living requires lots of courage and sincerity on your vision.

However, because of how inherent that search is on all of us, we have the capability to perfectly recognise it when it pops in front of our eyes. And in that moment, participate as a spectator of that show, experiencing the beauty of that finding and why not….maybe even getting inspire and give a chance for your imagination to find its way through.

The taken pictures are from a haven that breathes love for what you do encircled on an atmosphere of freshness and colour.

Thanks to Margarita se llama mi amor, for your inspirational creativity and allow me to share that with some others.

Pictures: Moonlight and Raven @margaritamiamor

Sweet Sicily …home sweet home

March 26, 2015March 26, 2015 | Moonlight & Raven

Don’t you love the comforting touch of a homey kitchen when you enter a coffee store? Surrounded by the warmth and sweetness of something that it’s been just baked?

A few months ago Dawson street located a new hidden gem within their Georgian houses’ basements: Sweet Sicily. A cracking place for a great italian coffee with an splendid sweet counter that catch your eye the minute you come in.

There is a sentiment of yearned familiarity when I come in. It might be the natural friendliness of their staff or echoed conversations that fill the place. A resemblance of what a coffee store means to me, a social place.

I am having my fingers crossed that in the future their staff and owners will continue having fun and making the rest of us be part of it.

Bring new ideas to this cafeteria love scene seems complicated. However Sweet Sicily has brought the standards a bit higher. No doubts the have a great coffee and very appetising cakes and bites but their best win is the good-natured calibre of their staff. Basics are usually taken for granted in benefit of the wow factor. I was glad to see the careful attention for the clientele by people whose smile seems part of their nature.

Oh! I almost forgot. So far I’ve tried their Nutella & Ricotta, Honey & Ricotta tarts and a friend their an upside down pineapple cake. What I can say is that our conversation paused by ticking sound of our forks in the plates.

This is place to add into your agenda. Thumbs up!

…and enjoy.

Bites in Madrid. The markets vibe

March 1, 2015 | Moonlight & Raven

In the last few years Madrid has experienced an emerging demand for food markets. Initiated by the one and only Mercado de San Miguel, a brilliantly preserved glass and cast-iron building a symbol of culinary culture and heritage patrimony. Other examples of this XIX century trend sadly were not able to survive such as Cebada or Los Monteses.

In order to become a magnetic inspiration where other concepts can gravitate and flourish it is required the settlement of a manifesto, a central concept. Nurturing your palette with enriched flavours that comes from product freshness, variety and excellency in their quality on an incredible social environment it is an experience to be part of and definitely share.

Creativity, diversity and revitalisation are the key elements that define Chueca, a landmark quarter in Madrid and the home of Mercado de San Anton. The dimensions of this building allow food and market stalls to join forces and increase its interest. What do I love from this market? It’s location, it’s vibe, the singularity and in some cases rarity of the products you can find here and of course it’s amazing roof top terrace ( a not to miss element). Nevertheless, Chueca has so many hidden gems that getting lost is the best thing you can do.

On my latest visit a friend brought me to Mercado de San Ildefonso and it took me two seconds to get the familiar feeling of the food markets in Dublin (and in other cities) but this time with a distinguished Spanish flavour on it. The collision of its industrially simplistic and colourful space, the vibrant location, a diversifying fusion of people and noteworthy atmospheres ( from top to bottom including their outstanding back terrace) captivate you.

Their ravishing execution along with their distinctive individual value of these places enhance Madrid culinary offer experience to locals and tourists. Being ideal for social interaction, enjoying local producers and definitely have a great time.

Have you visit Madrid and their markets? What was your experience?

I hope you enjoy this post and have a great week.

Love’n red

February 14, 2015 | Moonlight & Raven

P1080184 P1080186

February comes and the shop’s city windows tints in of all sort of red varieties, the perfect colour to appeal our eyes. Red transmits energy, awakens our physical life force and stimulate our appetite.

That is probably what happened to me last weekend when I passed in front of Cocoa Atelier (Drury Street D2). This is one of those places that every time you grant a visit something unique is just waiting for you. Either brand new flavours for their chocolates (lost of them awarded), homemade marshmallows, mouth-watering macaroons, chocolate spreadables ( I love their salt caramel one) … and of course their innovative creations for special days …

Whether you are with a special one or you fell special on your own feel the vibe of red and indulge your senses.

P1080187

… any little treats that you would like to share?

Latte and a white chocolate cookie, please.

February 8, 2015June 11, 2020 | Moonlight & Raven

I need to confess how terribly fond of coffee shops I am. Their welcoming warmth, corky decoration and their homemade/paleo/gluten free/flavoursome bites and drinks makes some place feel like a friends living room while having a nice chat. This unmistakable touch of comfort has turned my coffee ritual into an authentic mind-clearer therapy.

A regular of mine is Berlin at Clarendon street. With minimal and industrial interior and the assistance of a DJ and a table tennis this place is saying :”just come in and have fun!”.

You can even find it transformed into a vintage market during the weekends to match with that Berlin spirit of culture, social live and community accelerated by caffeine (of course)

Highly recommended to visit, sit and be part of the experience.