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Happy New Year! Joe and I hope 2007 will bring success, wealth, new relationships, and more memories that will last a lifetime (more weddings and babies!). It was a blessing to be back in California during the holidays. We love being back to spend time with our families, eating home made Korean food, devouring In-And-Out burgers, Baja Fresh burritos, and snacking on Rite-Aid chocolate malted crunch ice cream. Yes, yet another successful eat-a-thon :). And it continued when we came back to Europe to celebrate New Year's Eve...
Joe and I met our NY home girls Susan, Amy, Shirley, and there friend Jenny in Barcelona. Combining a trip and being able to spend New Year's Eve with a few of our best loved friends was a definite plus. And yes, Joe loves being the only boy in the group (tee hee).
It is always a treat to visit a city with beautiful architecture, art, and equally desirable food. We took 1 day to visit Montserrat (Benedict monk retreat in the mountains about 1 hour from the city) so missed a few things in the city. But even in such a short time, I became a fan of Antoni Gaudi, the famous Spanish architect that made Barcelona such eye-candy. Most of the photos you'll see in our album are of his buildings (i.e. Sagrada Familia, La Pedrera)
We spent New Year's Eve at a club/restaurant that had pretty amazing food considering it was a club :). Place was called 'Oven', in an industrial party of town that reminded me of Brooklyn/Dumbo (sigh - I miss NY). Dinner was so late (typical dinner time is no earlier than 9pm) that I took a short nap at the table from around 1am to 1:15am - Hahah. Joe serves as a pretty comfortable pillow.
A few things we learned...
* Catalan is a version of Spanish that is rooted in French so they have many phrases that sound exactly like French. Didn't want to confuse myself mixing up the little Mexican Spanish I know so didn't bother learning any Catalan :).
* Cava is the local sparkling wine/champagne in Spain. We toasted to the New Year with some cava. I like champagne better :).
* At midnight on New Year's Eve, people in Spain eat 12 grapes, 1 for every chime (assuming you are listening to the bell tower). It's near impossible to do this. I only was able to eat 9 grapes. They had seeds! This tradition started in Spain because one year when there was a big grape harvest, the king of Spain decided to give grapes to everybody to eat on New Year's Eve.
* There are a surprising number of Spaniards that know how to say 'Ne How' (Hello in Chinese :).
// Recommended List //
*Restaurants*
+ Bestial - Mediterranean style by the sea, Ramon Trias Fargas 2-4, 93.224.0407, or any restaurant from Grupo Tragaluz (i.e. Tragaluz, Agua, Moo, Negro/Rojo)
+ Oven - Club/Restaurant in the industrial part of Barcelona, Ramon Turro No. 126, Tel: 93.221.0602
+ Botafumeiro - Just order the seafood platter, C/ Mayor de Gracia, 81, Tel: 93.218.4230
+ Cal Pep - You will read about this restaurant in ever guide about Barcelona, but still worth going for the busy atmosphere, fresh eats, and humorous waiters, Plaça de les Olles, 8, Tel: 93.310.7961
*Bar/Club*
+ Club 13 - Cute, a great vibe, and good dance/hip hop beats and a chance to check out one of the main hang out areas in Barcelona, Placa Reial 13.
Joe and I met our NY home girls Susan, Amy, Shirley, and there friend Jenny in Barcelona. Combining a trip and being able to spend New Year's Eve with a few of our best loved friends was a definite plus. And yes, Joe loves being the only boy in the group (tee hee).
It is always a treat to visit a city with beautiful architecture, art, and equally desirable food. We took 1 day to visit Montserrat (Benedict monk retreat in the mountains about 1 hour from the city) so missed a few things in the city. But even in such a short time, I became a fan of Antoni Gaudi, the famous Spanish architect that made Barcelona such eye-candy. Most of the photos you'll see in our album are of his buildings (i.e. Sagrada Familia, La Pedrera)
We spent New Year's Eve at a club/restaurant that had pretty amazing food considering it was a club :). Place was called 'Oven', in an industrial party of town that reminded me of Brooklyn/Dumbo (sigh - I miss NY). Dinner was so late (typical dinner time is no earlier than 9pm) that I took a short nap at the table from around 1am to 1:15am - Hahah. Joe serves as a pretty comfortable pillow.
A few things we learned...
* Catalan is a version of Spanish that is rooted in French so they have many phrases that sound exactly like French. Didn't want to confuse myself mixing up the little Mexican Spanish I know so didn't bother learning any Catalan :).
* Cava is the local sparkling wine/champagne in Spain. We toasted to the New Year with some cava. I like champagne better :).
* At midnight on New Year's Eve, people in Spain eat 12 grapes, 1 for every chime (assuming you are listening to the bell tower). It's near impossible to do this. I only was able to eat 9 grapes. They had seeds! This tradition started in Spain because one year when there was a big grape harvest, the king of Spain decided to give grapes to everybody to eat on New Year's Eve.
* There are a surprising number of Spaniards that know how to say 'Ne How' (Hello in Chinese :).
// Recommended List //
*Restaurants*
+ Bestial - Mediterranean style by the sea, Ramon Trias Fargas 2-4, 93.224.0407, or any restaurant from Grupo Tragaluz (i.e. Tragaluz, Agua, Moo, Negro/Rojo)
+ Oven - Club/Restaurant in the industrial part of Barcelona, Ramon Turro No. 126, Tel: 93.221.0602
+ Botafumeiro - Just order the seafood platter, C/ Mayor de Gracia, 81, Tel: 93.218.4230
+ Cal Pep - You will read about this restaurant in ever guide about Barcelona, but still worth going for the busy atmosphere, fresh eats, and humorous waiters, Plaça de les Olles, 8, Tel: 93.310.7961
*Bar/Club*
+ Club 13 - Cute, a great vibe, and good dance/hip hop beats and a chance to check out one of the main hang out areas in Barcelona, Placa Reial 13.
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1 comment:
barcelona is awesome, did you have a chance to drive through the hills? there's an awesome miro museum out there. i was in awe of sagrada familia, its truly breath taking.
nyc says hi. invite me to the google digs when ur back in town so i can pig out in the lux cafeteria :) its like 2 blocks from my apt.
-bryce
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