Autumn leaves

Metro station Liceu

The last day of September, and after a rather hot week last week, it seems Autumn has come to visit Barcelona again. Leaves are gathering on the ground, leaving barer branches reflected in windows, and balconies are being cleared for cooler weather is coming…

Passeig de Joan de Borbò

Brown leaves, such a symbol of Autumn, aren’t they? There are lots of them around Barcelona, and not only of the natural kind. Just keep your eyes open, and look around you, and you will see!

Carrer Torrent de l’Olla

Leaves carved into panels on wooden doors, or scratched into walls the two-tone sgraffito way…

I forgot where this is…

…as well as forged from iron, and gracing window bars.

Carrer Dagueria

While they haven’t all quite fallen yet, and the sun is shining in the right direction, you can see their beautiful shadows cast on corner walls, like I saw yesterday morning… Have a wonderful week, everyone!

Carrer Tamarit

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nine and a half years

Hello everyone! Today is a special day. Noooo, not because I’m posting later than ever (sorry about that), but because today it is nine and a half years since I first settled here, in Barcelona. That calls for a bit of a celebration, right? So I thought today I’d share some vintage photographs of some favourite spots with you…

Spots which today look very different indeed, such as the flower stalls on La Rambla de les Flors (where I buy my flowers), the old port (backdrop to my efforts to keep fit) or the Rambla itself. In some cases for the sheer volume of people that populate these places today as opposed to the beginning of last century, and at others, just because they seemed so much more charming then.

At times the contrast between past and present is huge. Such as for example the beach attire at Platja de Sant Sebastià (my favourite beach in Barcelona) then and now. So very stylish in the image above, and so very bare these days, for it is now a nudist beach. Or the busty ladies going to do their groceries at La Boqueria (where I do mine too), with their shopping baskets in the crooks of their arms. Not quite the same as today’s hordes of tourists munching on plastic-wrapped fruit or cod dumplings on a stick! Nevertheless, I am very happy to call Barcelona my home, and so, with these images, wish to pay it homage in my own small way.

Hope you like the photos! They are courtesy of Barcelona Desapareguda – a delightful Facebook page that celebrates its first anniversary today and continually publishes wonderful images of Barcelona’s grand (and not so grand) past. All photos are sourced, curated and published by Giacomo Alessandro.

BCN @ Home: Ferenz + Hernán

After all the hullabaloo of yesterday’s demonstrations and effusive displays of Catalanism sentiments on the streets of Barcelona, today it is time to head indoors. We’ve been invited to take a peek inside the home of Ferenz  (journalist) and Hernán (graphic designer), two super nice guys who are from the Netherlands and Argentina respectively and have been living in Barcelona for a considerable time.

So, are you coming? Let’s go! BCN @ Home: Ferenz + Hernan’s 

Traveling with Moment Factory

Ever since I was child, I have enjoyed traveling on planes and always get a buzz from airports. The to-ing and fro-ing of people, the architecture of the airport terminals, the expansive windows, offering views of planes taking off and landing… and oh yes, also the shops, cafes and news stands, to do some browsing (or shopping) while waiting to board my flight.

How cool would it be, if adding to all of the usual travel excitement, airport terminals were kitted out with a bunch of multimedia features, such as interactive capsules, 3D effects and interactive panels which react directly to people’s movements? That would make travel even more fun!

Well, that is exactly what is on offer as of this month, at the New Tom Bradley International Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) starts operating.  Check out the demo to see what you can expect to find should you find yourself in this new terminal:

This wonderful immersive multimedia system was created by Montreal based company Moment Factory, who were appointed the executive producers of this project. You may remember them from last year’s La Mercè multimedia show at the Sagrada Familia, which I mentioned in this blog post. That was pretty spectacular, so I’m sure what they’ve created for the Tom Bradley International Terminal is not going to disappoint. Now to find an excuse (and the money!) to travel to Los Angeles…

All images (c) Moment Factory

… and I’m back!

Hello dear blog friends! It has been a (long) while, but here we are, at the start of September… and I’m back! How has your Summer been, so far? I hope it has been everything you wanted!

Mine has been great – lots of work, many lovely guests for the Cute Suite, encounters with very dear and old friends as well as with family members whom I don’t get to see as much as I would like… (speaking of which: happy birthday Dad!)

… but I’ve also spent relaxing days in Barcelona, eating well (and often out), enjoying lazy siestas as well as going out on power walks, staying in the shade, and going out on a boat trip with cherished friends, new and old.

Ice coffee and mosaic floors have been a constant, and just this weekend I went to see the exhibition on Pasolini which is on at the CCCB until the 15th of September. Worth checking  out!

Aaaaah…. it won’t be easy to get back into the swing of things after such a long break from the blog, but I have exciting things in store for you, so I hope you’ll bear with me, while I get back into the groove. And if you haven’t discovered me there already, check me out on Instagram, and follow me, if you like what you see.

Summery pleasures

Platja de Barceloneta

After a weekend of solstice celebrations all over the world, including the noisy and fiery Nit de Sant Joan here, in Barcelona (as well as other parts of Spain), Summer is officially here. And although the weather is uncharacteristically cool at the moment, I thought I’d share with you a few of my simple, Summery pleasures. Spending lazy hours on any of Barcelona’s many beaches is a given, as is eating copious amounts of ice cream (preferably of the artisanal variety) in order to keep cool…

Carrer Joaquin Costa

But there are other things I enjoy, such as drinking iced coffee – a good expresso with a couple of ice cubes is all it takes – or splashing some water on my face or refilling my water bottle at one of  many drinking fountains, dotted around Barcelona. Especially, if it is a smiley one such as this one, below!

Ronda Universitat

Delighting in the blue skies above always makes me feel happy, so I look up often. And if palm trees are a part of what I see, then my happiness doubles.

Carrer Elisabets

Summer is a happy season for me, and as I am feeling so upbeat, I’ll let you in on a little secret: the delicious drink that is horchata. Served ice cold, horchata is a typical Summer drink which is sweet and cooling and nutty at the same time. It is available in bottled form in supermarkets, but the best is found at this horchata parlour on Carrer Parlament, as well as a few other ones around town, who make their own. What are your Summery pleasures?

Carrer Parlament

Saturday pop-up

Carolina Blue

Flower Market

Last Saturday Carolina Blue (remember this lovely shop?) hosted a delightful pop-up flower market,  named “Field of Dreams”, which was organised by the lovely Carolina Carrasco + Marianne Krauss of The Treasures.

Flower crowns

During the morning hours gorgeous flower crowns were made, and pretty flowers and plants in lovely pots or (hanging) bundles were displayed and sold.

Saturday bliss

The Treasures

And in the afternoon and evening, great tunes were played by Rhys and his band, while visitors enjoyed a glass (or two) of bubbly fruit cocktail, and a couple of  little boys twirled away on their impromptu dance floor to the delight of their mothers and other onlookers. It was a truly charming event, the likes of which I hope will repeat itself across Barcelona often!

Great players

Cool places: DHUB

Plaça de Glòries

DHUB

Touches of color

Chillout

Reflective pool

Another portion of RICE

Carrer Junta de Comerç

Plaça de Castella

Carrer de la Pau

Carrer de la Pau

Recipe for a good weekend

Sunshine – Port Vell

Going for a ride – Carrer Avinyò

Casual wear – Passeig de l’Exposiciò

Good food – Carrer Joaquin Costa

Checking out local beauties – Carrer Gran de Gràcia