The Interior DIYer
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The Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao

For our San Sebastian getaway last week, we flew into Bilbao from Dublin. And if there’s one thing Bilbao is known for [of many things], it’s the Guggenheim Museum.

When I was in my second or third year of college, our entire year went on a trip to Bilbao to see the Guggenheim Museum. I didn’t go because at the time I couldn’t afford it. Big welp. So when we booked our recent flights through Bilbao airport, there was no way I was missing out on some Gugg for a secondtime.

It was a bit of a close call. The only time we could visit was before our return flight home. Our flight was at 16:35 and we arrived at Bilbao airport [via direct bus from San Sebastian] at 14:00, so we jumped on the next bus into Bilbao, suitcases in hand, and ran to the Guggenheim.

No, we didn’t go in. I know, sacrilegious. We had just enough time to admire the building itself and its Frank Gehry-ness in all of its splendour. And admire we did. As quickly as we could, in the near 30°C midday heat. I ran, snapped pictures like a starved paparazzi tailing a Kardashian, and in 20 minutes we were on our way back to the airport.

Dem curves tho, girl. Dayum.

So tell me, have you ever done a drive-by on a tourist attraction? I would have loved to take a proper chilled walk around it [and in it], but I figured €600 on amending return flight tickets would have been a bit of a splash. 

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Sun, sea, sangria and San Sebastian

Last week we jetted off to San Sebastian, Basque Country in northern Spain for a relaxing few days full of nothing but sun, sea, sand, seafood and sangria. All our holidays to date have been full of things to do and places to see. This was our first attempt at a relaxing sun holiday. And what did we do? Walked about 20km every day and didn’t put our swimsuits on once or read a book. Ha! We just got so excited and want to see all of the things.

This trip had a Will Ferrell theme to it; we sang this every time we walked down the boulevard, sang this whenever I ordered a sangria [which was A LOT], quoted Anchorman a lot, and talked about the inclement weather to no end.

On our first day we walked from our hotel, along the beach [and crept on all the houses along the way], up Monte Urgull, back down to the city centre for eats and drinks, wandered aimlessly for hours, eating and drinking [SANGRIA. ZOMG], then lounged on the lawn under hydrangeas at Miramar Palace …

On another day we walked to Monte Igueldo, went up the [terrifying] funicular [I’m terrified of elevators and as it seems, funiculars. The idea of being held by a single cord, no matter how strong, makes me want to eat Zanex like they were M&M’s], enjoyed the views, went back down said funicular and celebrated not plunging to our death with MOAR PINTXOS AND SANGRIA. 

Sangria and pintxos. Pinxos are the Basque version of tapas, and every single bar you walk into, pintxos are resting on every inch of available counter space. We went burserker. There was so much seriously yummy and tiny food. None of the photos I took of them did any justice to their yumminess [FYI, the crab ones were my fav].

But sangria. Did I mention the sangria? I really like sangria. It’s nice and it matched my nails. So, win win.

I really have to stop myself from uploading every single image I took, but I’ll be good and finish it here. Before we headed home, we made a quick trip to the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao before getting our return flight, but that place deserves a post of its own [UPDATE – here it is!].

In short, if you can go to there, go to there. San Sebastian and the surrounding Basque Country are incredibly beautiful. A perfect holiday destination for wandering aimlessly with no agenda.

And there’s sangria.

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How what I watched as a child influenced my style

I’ve written many times about appreciating a wide variety of designs and styles, and I do! I love beautifully dainty pastel cottages, sleek and modern architecture, bold and wildly colourful palettes, but time after time I’m drawn to dark designs. All things strange and unusual. 

So it got me thinking, why do I like what I do? Well, to be honest, because it’s what I’ve always been drawn to.

I grew up loving getting lost in TV shows and movies. My favourite cartoon shows were Beetlejuice and The Real Ghostbusters, and their real life original movies. Both of which predominantly feature creepy topics with dead and / or almost dead people. They were funny, creepy and mysterious. And I liked them. Which may be why I have such a fascination with skulls. Not to mention black and white stripes. Hello! Beetlejuice. It’s all beginning to make sense.

There are parts of certain movies that influenced me the most. Lydia’s burgundy bedroom, Delia’s viridian hallway and asymmetrical fireplace. The Beast’s towering masion, multi-storey library and fascination with cloches. The Sanderson Sister’s house and the widow’s walk above Max’s bedroom. Edward Scissorhands, living alone on top of a hill, perfectly kept gardens, it forever snowing and him living in the attic [although, call me controversial, but I’d prefer a fully intact roof].

I’m forever pinning and daydreaming about old houseswith the same amount of character. Overly ornate exteriors, giant porches, unusual and quirky layouts, huge fireplaces, grand windows, multiple storeys, widows walks and creeky floorboards. There’s nothing more I’d love than to one day have an old house with character. One that hopefully didn’t need to be entirely gutted, rewired and replumbed. A girl can dream.

I find the idea of having an old house with a less than ordinary design really comforting for me. I can’t explain it, and at running the risk of sounding corny; I’m really drawn to it. If I bought a new house [no offense to people buying a new house], I’d feel dead inside. I can feel myself being tugged towards old and abandoned houses. Maybe it’s because I grew up watching and rooting for the underdog. There’s something creepy and romantic and bitter-sweet about it all. 

It was definitely an ‘aha’ moment when I finally made the connection between what I grew up watching and what I’m drawn to now. All I’ve ever liked are strange and unusual things. They’re not necessarily scary things, but whenever I’m not true to what I like, I find I always gravitate back to the beginning. To what I’m familiar with. #MyLifeIsOneBigDarkRoom
So what about you? Are there any TV shows or movies you feel that may have influenced your style while you were growing up? Or partially helped form the way you look at things? Or did they have no effect whatsoever? I’m forever fascinated with how things from our childhood makes us the way we are today.

Also featured – moon painting – skull can – encrypted cross stitch – himmeli

p.s. My grandmother on my father’s side had a pet crow, as I only found out recently. My great grandmother on my mother’s side wore black all day every day, so I don’t feel so bad. Unusual seems to run in the family. Goth girls unite.