Far from a mid-life crisis, Flash Flash, the icon of tortillas and modernity, is still a bright spot on Barcelona’s dining scene. Barcelona in 1970 was a vastly different place. The city was nearing the end of what was known as the años grises (grey years). Dirty and neglected, its shoreline was cluttered with factories and ramshackle chiringuitos. Washing lines…
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The city and the Mediterranean sea define the initial Barcelona experience for most people, including me. In my six years of living here though, I have come to love the mountains at the city’s doorstep just as much. The mountains outside of Barcelona promise unforgettable experiences and regular involvement in exciting new adventures that have become much more meaningful to…
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Forget politics. If you want to start an argument with a group of Catalans, bring up the Costa Brava. A conversation about “the best” Costa Brava beach town is an invitation to controversy. The cynical traveler would suggest that the little villages dotting the rugged coast mostly seem the same. They’re all charming and lovely. They all have small restaurants…
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The Catalan modernisme style Casa Sayrach occupies the entire corner of Avinguda Diagonal and Carrer Enric Granados. Completed in 1918, Casa Sayrach is the last Barcelona house built in the modernisme architectural tradition. It also happens to be a testament to its young architect’s love of family. Manuel Sayrach designed the house for his father and family, although Gabriel Borrell…
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Home delivery won lockdown. For starters, we actually got some mail. Secondly, nice stuff arrived without us having a tantrum trying to open a pair of plastic gloves. The downside is that your home-delivery default likely became Amazon. There is a way to support the local community, though, and get everything you need regularly dropped off at your door….
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Begur serves up the very best of la Costa Brava on a silver platter. This tiny municipality has everything from a historic town on a hilltop to beaches and secret coves. Begur beckons to anyone new to the Costa Brava because it’s a bite-sized taste of Catalonia’s rocky coastline, having both a charming town protected by a medieval castle and…
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Buying small treasures for your home is a wonderful way to remember a holiday abroad. Travel finds are often what we admire the most in our friends’ homes. It’s easy to end up regretting the purchase after returning home though, especially if it doesn’t fit in with the rest of the decor. Decorating with travel finds requires some planning. Here…
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