Happy Friday, everyone! You know what that means? Another edition of Fashion + Food + Film (FFF)! Be sure to check out my first two posts in this new series here. I really enjoy doing these posts on Fridays because they give me all the weekend feels – a fun outfit, delicious food, easy cocktails, and a beloved film. It’s dinner and a show with a twist! And it’s given us something to look forward to at home as a couple. One day we will go back to our usual date nights out, but until then, we are making our own fun at home.
The Film
This week I’m exploring Vicky Cristina Barcelona. Have you seen it? I promise I won’t always review Woody Allen films, but this one is definitely entertaining. Vicky Cristina Barcelona is a funky romantic comedy that begins as a bit of a love triangle that quickly evolves into something much more complicated. It stars Oscar winner Javier Bardem alongside Penelope Cruz, Scarlett Johansson, and Rebecca Hall. As per Woody Allen’s nature, there are some truly awkward-turned-cringeworthy moments between some of the characters but at least it’s original and not predictable. Javier Bardem plays an artist with emotional baggage. Combine an ex-wife who continues to wreak havoc in and out of his life with a summer romance with two American women, and you have an equation for rom-com gold. And the backdrop of beautiful Barcelona is great.
The Fashion
I have to admit that the whole time I’m watching Vicky Cristina Barcelona I’m wishing that everyone was just a bit more dressed up. There’s a fair amount of elegant sight-seeing going on, yet everyone looks just a tick frumpy. It’s really Patricia Clarkson’s character whose style embodies what I would be wearing during a summer in Barcelona – lots of casual chic dresses with wedge heels. She looks great! The two main characters played by Johansson and Hall are almost overly casually dressed through most of the film. There’s a lot of linen, which is a great fabric for a hot summer in Spain, but it’s used in lackluster tank tops and button up shirts over baggy ill-fitting jeans and cargo pants. I blame it on the poor style aesthetic of the early to mid 2000s (I spoke about this in my previous FFF post here).
Shirt Dress | Halter Maxi Dress | Two-strap Wedge Sandal | Espadrille Wedge | Half-circle Crossbody Bag | Bangle Bracelets | Pouch Clutch | Nugget Chandelier Earrings | Scarf | Tortoiseshell Sunglasses | Square Sunglasses
So, that being said (hope I haven’t been too harsh; it’s just my own style preferences speaking), my own take on recreating a look from the film is a comfortable cotton maxi dress with a print that reminds me of the architectural beauties throughout Barcelona by Antoni Gaudí. You’ll see a fair amount of his work in the film. His use of a free form aesthetic inspired by natural elements is something that I also see in this dress with its paisley-like swirls and patterned tile hem. It’s from last fall but still works for summer.
The Food
When we visited Barcelona several years ago, the food we enjoyed the most was paella. I remember having it at a little restaurant near the beach. We had a corner table and nearly the entire place to ourselves, thanks to not really knowing how late Spanish people prefer to eat. We’ve since learned our lesson – dinner begins at a minimum of 10pm. Several years later we made a return trip to Spain and had paella at a few different tapas places. Whether it was a large serving or just a little appetizer portion, paella has remained a favorite of ours. Paul has been wanting to make it for some time and he completely nailed all the flavors we remembered. It was so good and transported me back to Spain. I have a feeling we will be visiting Spain again soon.
Try this Chorizo and Shrimp Paella Recipe from Bon Appetit.
Another one to try is this Paella Mixta Recipe from Serious Eats.
The Drink
It’s summer and it’s HOT! I wanted a red wine pairing but was also in more of a cold cocktail mood. I didn’t have all the ingredients for sangria, but I did have enough to make a Tinto de Verano. It’s like the lazy girl’s sangria. Seriously, it’s super easy. Like, do it blindfolded easy. Tinto de verano means “red wine of summer.” It’s bright, refreshing, beautiful, and feels celebratory.
Here’s the recipe:
Tinto de Verano
-1 part red table wine (Don’t use a pricey red wine. We used a value priced pinot noir.)
-1 part lemon-lime soda (We used Diet 7Up for a lower calorie version.)
-Ice
-Lemons or oranges for garnish
Fill a wine glass or tumbler with ice. Add red table wine. Add soda. If you have them, garnish with slices of lemon, orange, or both.
Cheers to the rest of summer! What films would you like to see featured in this series?
xo – Erin
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Fashion + Food + Film | Vol. 3: Vicky Cristina Barcelona appeared first on CathedralsandCafes.com. If you see this content published anywhere else, please email cathedralsandcafes@gmail.com.
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