u.s. contraband

if you're traveling to spain and wanted to bring me something from the u.s., here are some things that would just make us so happy

what should i bring you from the states? people ask me. what do you miss?

so below, a somewhat regularly updated list of what my family and i would be so happy to have you bring us when you come to visit catalunya. these are things that are unavailable or crazy expensive here. and of course, i can reimburse you via venmo in advance or cash when you arrive.

thanks for filling little pockets in your suitcase with contraband for us!

food

• hidden valley ranch dressing packets

• mac n cheese for my daughter: (not kraft) zoodles or annie's

• everything but the bagel seasoning

• pancake syrup

• ghirardelli brownie mix (Aldi!)

drugstore

• plackers twin-line flossers

• NyQuil/DayQuil

skincare

• Palmers Skin Therapy Face Cleansing Oil

• Palmers body lotion: Firms Tones

• Thayers Hydrating Milky Toner or pH Balanced Daily Cleanser or Barrier Bestie Face Cream

• Byoma Hydrating Recovery Oil

• pond's “crema s” lotion and/or cleanser

• Vanicream

• (so like basically, i would like to try all of nina’s duparoonies IYKYK, but they’re u.s. brands that are mostly expensive imports if available at all here)

books

• that recent fiction book you just couldn’t put down. there is something about reading a book someone else held in their hands and experienced before me-is there a word for this?

• a recent social justice/human rights/inclusive history book that blew your mind

• "A Season for That" by Steve Hoffman

creative supplies

• ArtGraf graphite putty

• color swatches from paint departments-the bigger rectangles about the size of an index card are perfect for art journaling.

• old dictionaries, thesaurus, books with weird illustrations or diagrams, old ledger paper… for art journaling ephemera

but ALSO please note DO NOT mail these to me, as Spain’s postal customs fees are… arbitrary at best, reliably a ridiculous amount of money for me to pay to receive a package at worst. either side of the spectrum, i am paying for anything shipped to me from outside of spain.

thank you again, so much!