Somehow found myself in a quaint little town called Pedraza located in Segovia, a city between where I'm currently living, Valladolid, and Madrid. It was only the second week of October, but the mountains were already capped with flurries of snow which made for clear skies and really crisp air. Spain has been ridiculously kind to me by slowly revealing all of its charms that I wouldn't have otherwise ever been able to see had I not gotten the chance to live here for a short amount of time.

I'm not sure how I stumbled across Casa Taberna, but I'm so glad that I did so that it could lead me to experience what it's like to stay in a 17th-century Castilian mansion that turned into a small guesthouse consisting of only 4 rooms and a traditional restaurant that features traditional recipes of open fire grill techniques. Casa Taberna won me over, not just because of their labor-of-love's attention to the modernized interior decor, while respecting the traditional features of the building, but also the warmness of the entire staff and how cozy being there felt.

I spent a full day and night there, but I truly wish I could have stayed another couple of days or so to fully soak in what it must feel like to live a small Spanish town life. I also wouldn't have minded waking up to that breakfast spread that my boyfriend and I were seriously spoiled with again as well-- truly, it was one of the best breakfasts at any hotel we've been to in a long time.

After seeing all of these photos, I'm sure you'll be putting Casa Taberna on your list of places to visit in Spain for your future trips, and just in case the direction might seem a bit daunting (since Segovia is quite far out of the way from many major cities that are more well known in Spain) I can assure that you'll definitely not only fall in love with this place but also this magical town, Pedraza, as well.

ps. Room 1 at Casa Taberna is my favorite, but all of the other rooms are just as well decorated and comfortable.

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Camera Gear Used: Nikon D600 (body only) with 50mm F1/4 and 24-70mm F3.5 lens.

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Scandinavian Barn Airbnb, Germantown, New York

Making up for lost time, earlier this summer, me and two of my closest girlfriends decided to take a trip upstate to spend a little 'R and R' time together. We came across this stunning Airbnb listing in Germantown with stunning decor and a beautiful view of the Catskill. Right then and there, we quickly made our reservation and were off to the trip a couple of weeks later.

We booked the property for a 3-days and 2-nights stay, which was just the perfect amount of time. As always, I was the one out of all of us to overpacked for a weekend getaway because I bought 3 different summer dresses and 2 other casual outfits that I totally didn't even get to wear. By now, I'm sure you're all familiar with how much I love linen- so true to myself, I repeated two of these Sleeper dresses back to back.

On the first day, the girls and I spent most of our time making a big lunch, tanning, and we even set up a little picnic by the dock that also was part of the location. I didn't get a good photo of me in this swimsuit I bought specifically for this girl's trip, but I think regardless of where you're going in the summer, packing one never hurts! Later that evening, I threw on this lemon yellow dress for the picnic with the most darling sleeves (they also came in handy for protecting my arms from mosquito bites- we are all city girls after all).

I saved my most versatile dress for the last day. I love how this one easily looks like it could pass for loungewear, but better, and still appropriate for going out. I spent the morning making some coffee for the girls in this lovely kitchen while they were off on a morning run. This kitchen and the view was absolute bliss and I now dream of having one that faces such a view sometime in my life.

The weekend flew by really quickly and though this post is much shorter than my usual travel recaps, it goes to show how disconnected from my phone and camera I was and I was fully present and enjoying my time with my girls in the most beautiful place. For a recap in motion, see this.

Wearing both dresses by Sleeper (yellow linen one) and (white linen one) with a new bag addition from Yuzefi.
Airbnb Listing by Martina's Place (Instagram)

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Staycation in Hudson Valley at The Maker Hotel

A few months overdue but, I finally sorted through all of the beautiful images that I captured at The Maker Hotel when Christina and I took an impromptu staycation there earlier this year. Before coming back to New York, I had already had this gem of a hotel bookmarked on my list-- and of all my friends, I couldn't think of anyone else who would be just as excited as I am to escape there for a couple of nights. Located in the Hudson Valley upstate New York, The Maker Hotel was easily accessible by the Amtrak at Penn Station for the both of us.

When we arrived, we were warmly greeted by the front desk and got invited right away to the bar for a welcome drink on the house. This eased us into the property and immediately made us feel right at home. It was dark by the time we came into our room, and even in a lowlight and quiet setting, we were blown away by the decor and every little attention to detail.

We were lucky enough to book the 'Artist Studio' which, true to its name, would be every art appreciators' dream room to retreat in. Asides from having one of the fluffiest and most comfortable hotel beds that I've ever slept on, the bathroom of this studio was second to none. The 'Artist Studio's' bathroom is light-filled, decorated with antique limestone and Moorish tiles. Along with the rainfall shower adorn with gold-hardware details, it also comes with an elegant clawfoot tub. The best part of all, heated floors! If the rest of the property was not as equally enjoyable and beautiful, I personally could have spent a good week in this bathroom alone.

The Maker Hotel was high on my list to visit for several reasons. One of it though was how thoughtfully it was created. If you get the chance to visit the actual space, you'll know exactly what I mean when I say that this place feels more of a passion project than an actual for-profit accommodation property. From little things, such as a perfume room on the second floor, which features a small cabinet housing some of the owner's favorite scents for guests to explore and try throughout their stay, to the different wallpaper patterns, some of which are hand-painted and one of a kind, you can bet that every piece of furniture comes with their own story.

Intended to be a space where one can comfortably spend their time relaxing in one place, The Maker Hotel has a cafe and bakery, a bar tucked away in the back that feels like you're going into a speakeasy and plenty of dining tables for the restaurant that flows from the library area all the way to the floor to ceiling glass conservatory. Christina and I visited the property around February so we didn't get to enjoy the outdoor area, but if you are here in the summer months, the pool and patio area look so inviting!

Between snoozing in our comfy robes with breakfast in bed and spending our afternoons making bubble baths for both photos and pleasure, our time quickly flew by. I'll surely miss the pistachio croissant in the morning and the infamous "choco taco" as a nightcap at this wonderful hotel.

Camera Gear Used: Nikon D750 (with kit) with 50mm F1/4 and 24-70mm F3.5 lens.

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