Bonjour!

Having read my most recent post I know you are all sitting there thinking I am moving to Madrid. While that is exactly what one would be led to believe, it is actually not true. I am not moving to Madrid, I am moving to Sitges.

Sitges is a small cosmopolitan town south of Barcelona. It is referred to as Spain's Saint-Tropez and is known for its stunning beaches, palm tree lined promenade, and lively terraced bar scene. It is a wonderful town that is incredibly beautiful... I have heard.

Nope, I have not been to Sitges. No, not at all, not even for the day. So WTH am I doing moving to a place I have never been to after having spent many weeks exploring Spain and finding that many of the spots I thought I would love, I did not? Scratching your head or sitting there with your mouth agape thinking I have completely lost my mind? Yep, me too.

I have no idea what I am doing moving to a place I don't know, BUT I do want to clarify that while I have had extremely strong opinions (what little 'ol me with a strong opinion?!?) about every town and city I have been to, I could live in any of them and make it work. I am operating from a space of luxury to find a dream home, thus picky as shit. 

So why Sitges? Well, one of the things we focused on when moving over to Spain was the incredible opportunities for our daughter. The film industry has a long history here and the Horror genre in particular is booming right now. That is our daughters career focus exactly. Even the biggest Horror Film Festival in the world is located in Sitges and yes we already have tickets. In addition to the festival, Sitges has not 1, but 4 different amazing film school options. Who knew???

Sitges is also considered one of the LGBTQ+ capitals of Spain with a strong pride history and universally welcoming ethos. I have decided that I only want to live where the communities are so pro LGBTQ+ that the streets are painted with rainbows. Seriously, I am so sick of the hate. Not to mention, and forgive the stereotyping, but if you want to be in a charming, fun, clean place... follow the gays. (I know "the gays" is a problematic and possibly offensive term, I use it lovingly and was given the OK to use it by my lesbian daughter.)

And the final element making Sitges perfect for our first home is that it is the start of the Penedes Wine Route! Jesse would love to do a deep dive on sparkling winemaking, and I have already landed a writing gig (more on that later). Quieres una copa de cava?

After our lease is up in Sitges next summer, we will decide if we are madly in love with the seaside town or if it is indeed time to move to Madrid. Regardless, we have already made plans to return to Madrid for several occasions including Christmas. We hear the magical city really turns on the charm at the holidays when they blanket literally everything that stands still, be it a building, tree, or fountain in lights.

So... where are you now, you ask? I'm in Bordeaux, France. Having been invited to judge cheese at Mondial du Fromage in Tours, France and with our lease in Sitges starting mid September, it seemed the perfect opportunity to go on holiday in the famous wine regions of Bordeaux and the Loire Valley. When texting with my husband, currently working 24/7 back in New Mexico, crush in full swing, he jokingly said "I hate you so much right now" LOL! I think most people will agree with him.

Up next will be a review of Bordeaux and how to not stay in a total dump. I should probably also share some stories of what it has been like traveling with my parents, who I affectionately refer to as my other children. They have been really good sports and incredibly generous through this entire, exhaustive process. Cheers to Mom and Dad!