English
In Barcelona near Paseo de Gracia, you can find one of the most original bars in the city on Valencia Street, in a basement just barely marked. It´s called Les Gens que j´aime and it’s known for its modernist aesthetics, its red velvet couches and live jazz and soul. In addition, a friendly tarot reader offers her services there …
Barcelona is full of places that are out of the ordinary for one reason or another: places with special charm because of their original decor, activities that are held there, beverages, music … or all these factors like in the case of the Valencia Street pub called Les Gens que j´aime (ie, “The people I love.”)
I discovered this beautiful bar almost by accident, wandering aimlessly one sunny summer afternoon in the Eixample. Incidentally I noticed a few white ball lamps, located almost on the floor, pointing to the presence of a shop in a basement. A silver metal plate and stairs to the entry confirmed to me that there was actually a bar, so curiosity led me inside.
Descending the stairs I had to stop for a moment that my eyes become accustomed to the nice cool shade of Les Gens que j´aime … I looked around, surprised by the ambiance of bohemian yet modernist style: Elizabethan red velvet couches, dozens of paintings and old photographs, period lamps … Later I learned that the place has not changed at all this decoration since its opening 1967, when it represented a breath of fresh air during the late afternoon of the Franco era in Barcelona.
I sat in one of the soft sofas, sincerely regretting being alone at the time: the intimate atmosphere of the bar would be well accompanied by whispers of sweet nothings in one’s ear. A look at the menu I had confirmed that this was a stylish yet classic bar: a complete mix of cocktails including everything from a Dry Martini or Manhattan more exotic drinks like mojitos or caipirinhas as well as a wide selection of beers, some imported and relatively difficult to find. Prices were not cheap but not exorbitant … The music was also nice to me: they were playing jazz the first time I went, but sometimes I had the opportunity to hear where blues, soul or some chill-out music at later hours, and always at a soft volume that does not impede conversation.
Then I noticed a table covered with a red taffeta fabric and discreetly hidden away in a dark corner … I went there and saw a middle-aged woman mixing a deck of Tarot cards. Later I learn that she frequents the place and reads the future to customers who wish … Immediately I asked her to throw the cards, although I won’t go into details, I can comment that her predictions were more than successful in many of their points.
All my visits to Les Gens que j´aime have always been very pleasant, so I can only recommend you rent apartments in Barcelona and take a stroll, preferably in good company, to this intimate spot in the heart of modernist Eixample …
