Carretera de les Aigües

My perfect day would be a sunny Saturday in early May, when the weather is fine and you notice for the first time the smell of summer in the air.

I get up early and drive my motorbike to the Carretera de les Aigües for a morning jog. This is a beautiful path in the Parc de Collserola where you have an amazing view over the city and at the same time can enjoy the greenery and fresh air. Jogging while watching the sun rise and with the awakening city at your feet is priceless.

After a refreshing shower it’s time for breakfast. I go for a strong fork-breakfast because we have a long day ahead. Can Vilaro is a family run restaurant in the Sant Antoni area where I love to go. Cisco, the owner, is always in a cheering mood. He advises me on what to have. I always plan to try something new, but most of the time end up ordering the same as always: butifarra amb mongetes and some tomato bread on the side. It’s delicious and sets me up for the rest of the day. Read the rest of this article…

When I first read this I thought, ‘way too promotional, this is going back’. But once I’d read it a couple of times I liked the ideas Michelle was giving for her oils, and oil pulling I had never heard of! And they are based in Barcelona after all. So I thought it ok to let this one slide. I hope you agree.

“As my dogs, Hipopótamo and Pingüina, scratch and nuzzle to awaken me from my deep slumber, I start to feel the warm, Spanish sun on my face. ‘I should have closed the persianas last night’, I think to myself. Closing the blackout blinds would have definitely helped me sleep in after a long night on the town in Barcelona. I finally resign to my canine children and take them out for a walk around the barrio, suddenly refreshed and energized!

My next move is usually oil pulling. I grab my Dribble Dots Seductive Sesame Oil in the kitchen and swish around a tablespoon in my mouth for about 15-20 minutes. On this rare occasion, I choose to spit, not swallow, and my mouth feels as clean as ever! This ancient Ayurvedic practice is key to ridding your mouth of toxins and bacteria. A happy side effect is that it whitens and strengthens teeth.

Coffee is another must for me. Although I love espressos and cortados, in the morning, it must be a café con leche with steamed soy, almond, or rice milk. I admit that I adore the Italian moka coffee pots or the fancy cappuccino machines, but for my home I love Nespresso. A fortunate byproduct is seeing the dreamy George Clooney and Matt Damon in the commercials every time I waltz into the store! The best way to top my coffee? A dribble of Mouthwatering Walnut Oil. Or perhaps Perky Pistachio Oil. It really depends on how I rolled out of bed! Read the rest of this article…

The Santa Caterina burger at Kiosko

Burgers – often derided especially in relation to McDonalds. And not the most traditional of Catalan foods. But the list of burger places in Barcelona just keeps growing and growing. A phenomenon of relatively recent years that has no sign of dying out.

I do love a good burger. Especially after my recent near death experience with a piece of steak. The allure of ground beef has appreciated ten-fold. So luckily for me burger restaurants (the posh term) seem to be springing up all over BCN. The much-loved Wushu was even turned into a burger bar by its owner Bradley Ainsworth.

In an interview with Le Cool Barcelona, Bradley said,

“Bacoa began almost by accident. I had the space closed for a couple of years and I wanted to sell it, but at a good price. So I set up Bacoa with the idea to sell it… and it turned out to be a hit. It was so successful that I decided to change Wushu into Kiosko, a new gourmet hamburger shop, which opened on January 14th.”

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The balconies of the Festa Major de Gràcia

The 195th running of the Festa Major de Gràcia starts today (Mon 15th Aug 2011) and runs all week until Sun 21st August.

This Gràcia festival was my first experience of any of the barrio festivals when I arrived in Barcelona just over a year ago. I went to the Poble Sec festival just recently and I have to say, even with their Correfoc, it isn’t a patch on the Gràcia experience. In terms of size, entertainment and all round effort, nothing beats Gràcia. Read the rest of this article…