A short but sweet perfect day from embroidered bag designer Hope. This would be very close to my perfect day!

Living in Barcelona feels to me like living on holiday, with palm trees, beaches and sun on tap it’s easy to feel that way. So my aim is usually to spend as much time outside as possible. I live in Barceloneta, the compact and lively old fisherman’s neighbourhood by the beach, and I would choose to spend most of my time here on a perfect day.

I would choose a Saturday in Spring, spent with friends. I’d wake up around 10.30am and head to meet friends in a nearby beach cafe called Santa Marta (Carrer de Grau i Torras, 59), it’s actually a pizzeria but they do great coffees, and it’s a fantastic place to people watch, and wave watch whilst soaking up the morning rays.

The terrace at Santa Marta

Read the rest of this article…

Día de Brasil Barcelona

I love Brazil! I love the music, the dancing, the beaches and of course the cocktails. But it’s a bit of a trek. With the Olympics over Brazil comes to Barcelona for a day of pretty much all I love about the country. Lots of sexy samba, caipirinha cocktails and great food. I go each year and it’s always a great day out with a top-notch atmosphere.

The event is in it’s 8th year and returns to Parc del Fòrum for the second time. Día de Brasil seems to be getting bigger and bigger and they have some top performers this year!

Latin Grammy award winning, singer-songwriter Lenine seems to be the main man. Music is also provided by the likes of Roberto Mendes, Chambinho do Acordeon, Veronica Ferriani, Caniball Football Club, and MdC Suingue Dj.

Read the rest of this article…

My perfect day in Barcelona, assuming it’s a weekend, as I am lucky in that I love my job, inevitably begins with an early morning wake-up call from my apricot Shar Pei, Coco, whose mission in life is to make sure that I never sleep in. She is efficient in achieving her goal, due mainly to an irresistible combination of a very sweet, yet persuasive personality and an adorable, smushy little face.

Coco, Charlotte’s Shar Pei, with her ‘smushy little face’

Read the rest of this article…

Arc de Triomf

“I have had many perfect days in Barcelona and inevitably they involve three things… sunshine, beach and friends.

For me, there are actually two types of perfect Barcelona days, one involves the discovery of another hidden treasure in the city that I didn’t know. The other is to introduce my friends to this magical city that I love.

My perfect day starts with a morning run to the Arc de Triomf along its avenue lined with palm trees and beautiful wrought iron lamps then on through the green oasis of Parc de la Ciutadella. At 10am, it is time for friends and breakfast, cafe con leche and a pain au chocolat (ok, maybe they are french, but they are still good here and France is just around the corner). And a freshly squeezed zumo de naranja (orange juice).

Read the rest of this article…

“When the temperatures start to rise, many in Barcelona head out of the city for the traditional August break. But for me, it’s the perfect time to enjoy balmy days and sultry nights, seduced by the weather and the sound of the cicadas.

Ocata Beach - © Jose Canovas

Barceloneta beach is undoubtedly the most famous, but being a tall foreigner there are one or two hazards I prefer to avoid. It can be hard to sink into the sound of the waves if the local beer-sellers decide I’m their perfect lady for the day. They are always incredibly polite, but it can get wearing being asked twenty times in thirty minutes if I’d like a nice cold beer. Plus, I really don’t drink beer under a hot sun. So for the beach life I’ve taken to heading to Ocata, far from the crowds, and within easy reach of Plaça Catalunya on the train to Blanes. Within a short time, I’m whisked away on a clean and air conditioned train to the beach, where the beer sellers are far less persistent. The view from the train often seems like being on a boat, as the train magically glides above sea-level. It stops right at the beach, where you step straight onto the boardwalk down to a clean sandy stretch. It’s a way to really unwind, floating in the warm waters, snoozing on the towel, and I never have a sense of the ‘body police’ patrolling for those of us without a perfect Hollywood figure. I can pick up pieces of fresh coconut from the friendly vendors without being constantly hassled. There’s also plenty of beach cafes and showers. The whole affair can roll into a leisurely day out, complete with a picnic. Read the rest of this article…