Partyhopper

This is the time of the year when everyone thinks about being home for the holidays, but rather than dreaming of a white Christmas, I'm planning a getaway to sunny Brazil. Since I have vacation on my mind, I was super-excited to get an email from One Tree Hill actress (and art lover) Sophia Bush. She recently returned from a trip to Barcelona, which is one of my favorite cities in the world. For anyone else who is craving an escape from the winter doldrums, I'll share some of the highlights of Sophia's trip to Spain.

Sophia Bush and her friend Ali in Barcelona's Parc Guell

"Incredible!" is how Sophia sums up the appeal of Barcelona. "I arrived on a Sunday afternoon, had tapas and relaxed for the day. Monday it was off to Flaca by train, and then a short cab ride to a hotel called Castell d'Emporda, a redone castle atop a hill overlooking the countryside. I almost felt as though we had been dropped in Tuscany. It's so gorgeous that I immediately envisioned it as a phenomenal backdrop for an In Style fashion shoot by the pool. It's an hour train ride from Barcelona, and a few more stops down the line is Figueres, where the Salvador Dali Museum is located. It was so stunning. And playful. (In addition to being a closet bookworm, I also geek-out on art I love. Later I visited the Picasso museum, which featured phenomenal pieces from his blue period)."

Castell d'Emporda, a medieval castle-turned-hotel
Photo: Sophia Bush

Of course, you can't go to Barcelona and resist the urge to shop. "We hit Passeig de Gracia, and a store called Notenom," Sophia adds. "So I came home with two radical pairs of shoes. (I say radical. I know. Sue me.) We overlooked the city from Parc Guell, wandered in awe through La Sagrada Familia, and meandered Catalunya, where I ogled stunning clothing in all the shop windows. I also spent the week pigging out on paella and enjoying a few mojitos, all with a big smile on my face."

Sounds like the perfect vacation to me! And hey, speaking off vacation, I'm going to be enjoying mine in Bahia for the next two weeks—and I can only hope to have as much fun there as Sophia had in Spain. The Brazilians really know how to party, so I'll be sure to blog about some of my caipahrina-fueled adventures. Happy holidays! My gift to you is some great advice from Sophia—who is now home with her beloved dog in L.A. after wrapping One Tree Hill's latest season in North Carolina—on how to stay "merry and bright" this holiday season: "Drink warm cider. Wear cashmere socks. And have a wonderful time with your family, wherever you may be!"

-- James Patrick Herman