While I could go on about how amazing it is to eat clean, local ingredients… or tell you the many benefits of a dairy/gluten/meat free diet, I’ll spare you… as there are many opinions, variables, and objectives I don’t wish to delve into. So for the purpose of this post, I am a mere food lover who has a favorite lunch spot, that happens to be extremely health conscious with chic vibes.

Enter Flax + Kale. An amazing restaurant nestled into the trendy Raval neighborhood in Barcelona, where the options are all equally as tantalizing and delicious as they are healthy. This haven has something for every health food nut but could also fool any diehard foodie looking for a hearty meal.

My friend and I started with juices and smoothies, with my personal favorite being the Frappe Mocha, pictured above, that has almond milk, cold-brewed coffee made in house, ice, frozen young coconut, dates, raw cocoa, and agave. I also ordered a turmeric chai drink that was spicy and creamy with a totally new flavor.

We then ordered a few appetizers to share including a coconut and mushroom toast which was totally different then anything I’ve ever tasted, thanks to the combination of the earthy mushroom with a nutty sweet coconut twist. The beetroot tuna tartare is a staple that shouldn’t be missed, along with the crunchy fish tacos and double black cod that legitimately melted in my mouth.

Not into fish? Fear not, there are tons of vegetarian/vegan options ranging from a raw vegan lasagna, to a to-die-for mezze plate covered in hummus, aborigine, quinoa, pumpkin and more.

The menu is coded so that you can quickly assess exactly what you’re ordering, while keeping in mind your personal preferences. They list everything from: GF: Gluten Free, RF: Raw Food, PB: Plant Based, to OF: Oily Fish.

After traveling around Europe for a while, it can be challenging to find healthy options that aren’t either filled with crap, or tastes like crap. To be honest, Flax + Kale is doing it completely right. You leave their charming establishment satisfied, nourished, and really incredible about yourself.

Maybe that’s why their slogan is Eat Better. Be happier. Live longer. Honestly couldn’t agree more… Xx

Sometimes when I find myself in a new city, I feel an anxious urgency to discover, explore and see all there is to see. But on days like today, when the plane ride is gruesome, the weather is boiling, and the exhaustion is real... I take a full day to do almost nothing at all.

I have to remind myself that it's ok to find a calm terrace and just relax like a local with no agenda. To step back from the hustle and bustle and just be in a city.

It's then, that you hear conversations between old friends, that you notice the bartender pull the wild strawberries from his farmers market tote for your fresh sangria, then that you smell the combination of herbs and leeks being prepared for the days Vichyssoise.

So today I did just that. I relaxed at Saporem, in the bustling center of Madrid. I sipped sangria, and eventually snuck upstairs to my bed at the Room007 Hostel for an authentic Spanish siesta.

While it may not be very eventful, it was exactly what I needed to start my trip in Spain off right.