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ONLY BE BARCELONIAN
Only-Be Barcelonian
Foreign Food Supermarkets in Barcelona
Barcelona is known for serving delicious tapas and world-class Spanish cuisine within a sultry seaside setting. It is a city of drinks by the beach and local seafood delights. It is place where you can hop from bar to bar tasting the bite-sized delights or spend hours at an afternoon table enjoying a meal. But as wonderful as Barcelona foods may be, there is no escaping that craving for familiar foods when you are a long way from home. Sometimes you just feel like eating in, enjoying comfort food from your own culture. Fortunately, Barcelona is riddled with foreign food supermarkets to help you find your homeland favourites. American Food Markets in Barcelona Tastes of America – shops across Spain and online stocking favourite foods from North America, such as Pop Tarts, Quakers Captain Crunch, Hershey’s chocolates and bagels. Find the store at Carrer Balmes, 322. 28108 Barcelona. A Taste Of Home – This foreign food favourite has been in Barcelona since 2008, offering American and European foods. Find it at Carrer de Floridablanca 78 and Sitges, Calle San Jose 32, open every day. El Corte Inglés – This widely known Spanish market sells gourmet groceries and foreign foods as well as other department store items. Look for the international food that stocks Central and Southern American foods. Find El Corte Inglés in Plaza de Catalunya, 14, 08002 Barcelona. The store is open 10am to 10pm every day except for Sundays. Australian Food Markets in Barcelona Australian Gourmet – Aussies and Kiwis can seek out meats from home, such as kangaroo and lamb, at Placa Mane i Flaquer 2, Estudi 2, 08006...
El Molino in Barcelona
Lovers of Moulin Rouge style burlesque theater will be thrilled to find that the atmosphere of the Parisian cabaret is recreated in Barcelona’s stellar El Molino. The signature windmill design on the front of the edifice is immediately reminiscent of the famous Moulin Rouge, and in fact, when it changed ownership in 1908, it was even called the Petit Moulin Rouge. The red windmill, however, didn’t make an appearance until 1929, when it was added to help the building stand out from similar surrounding establishments. The history of the building in fact dates back for over 100 years, to 1898 when it opened under the name Catalan Aviary and was used as a performance space. It carried on under that name until it was sold in 1908 and began operating under the name Petit Moulin Rouge. For many years, the Petit Moulin Rouge operated in the Parallel area of Barcelona – an area distinguished by its many French styled cabarets and nightclubs. For years, the club was known as the Moulin Rouge of Barcelona; however, when the Civil War ended and the Spanish “nacionales” came into power, any “Frencified” name was obliterated from buildings and businesses. Thus, the name was changed to El Molino. Throughout the 1940s, 50s, 60s, and 70s El Molino enjoyed huge popularity in Barcelona, thanks to its uniquely liberal flair, blatant eroticism and grand, decadent luxury. Legendary artists graced its stage, including such stellar performers as Mary Mistral, Lander and Leanna, Yvette Rene, and Gardenia Pulido. In the 1980s the theater hosted artists like Amparo Moreno, Lita Claver and Merche Mar. Unfortunately, poor economic choices...
La Mercè in Barcelona
Traveling to Barcelona is a magical experience, as this city is always able to fascinate you with its exquisite blend of art and tradition. One of the best times to enjoy getting to know more about its history and admire the folklore and customs that make up the character of Barcelona, is La Mercè festival. To discover the origins of this celebration, which coincides with the beginning of autumn, we must go back to the late seventeenth century. At that time, Barcelona suffered the misfortune of a locust plague and its inhabitants started praying to the Virgin of la Mercè to get rid of it. When the plague ceased, the city named the Virgin of la Mercè as the protector of Barcelona, although it wasn’t official until 1868, when Pope Pius IX ratified it. Since then, Barcelona celebrates its most cheerful festival on the la Mercè’s day. Today, the festival has a distinctly popular character and a complete agenda of events around the Mediterranean culture, taking place in many public spaces in the city: parades, concerts, traditional dances and street arts, etc. The 2012 edition of this festival will be celebrated from the 21st to the 24th of September, and its theme will be innovation and creativity. Montreal, one of the most creative cities in the world, will be the Festival’s guest city. What can you see at La Mercè? The festival has hundreds of activities planned, so it is hard not to miss anything. Here are some of the activities you should consider: The Correfocs are an ancient Catalan tradition and one of the most spectacular acts that...
Bicing Barcelona
Biking is a great form of public transportation in Barcelona. It’s a practical, sustainable, and very simple way to travel comfortably around the city, without strain, jams, smoke or noise and it’s designed especially for you. When combined with other public transport options, you can use the “Bicing” system to travel around all of Barcelona. The Good: Getting around by bicycle in a city like Barcelona is usually quite comfortable. It’s cheap. With an annual fee of 44 euros, each time you rent a bike you can have it for 30 minutes absolutely free. There are many bike lanes throughout the city that make biking more pleasant. The city has been designed for you to use the bicycle as a complement to traditional public transportation, which means there are bicycle stations very close to the metro, trains and public car parks. This is an environmentally friendly way to travel without any emissions. It’s good for your physical and mental health, since you’re having a cardio workout while avoiding traffic jams and crowds of people. It is very well organized. The Bad: You’ll have to pay extra each time your ride exceeds 30 minutes. If your ride exceeds more than two hours, you’ll have to pay a small fine. The third time you exceed 2 hours you will be automatically dismissed. The fact that you have to pay an annual fee and have a DNI or NIE makes it unsuitable for travelers from outside Spain. As you can see, there are more pros than cons for using this service. And like in many European cities, the popularity of biking is...
Latino Restaurants in Barcelona
One of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world, Barcelona is also one of the most beautiful. Its Gothic Quarter, the beautiful Mediterranean beach and its many architectural gems make it a must-see destination for travelers inEurope. One of the advantages of being a cosmopolitan city is the great gastronomic diversity it offers thanks to its mix of cultures. InBarcelona, you can eat everything, absolutely everything, and it will be prepared well by people who know what they’re doing, by people who have living here for a number of years but haven’t lost the connection to their own cultures. You can find restaurants of all types, tastes and prices, including various types of Asian food and anything found to the East or West. And this is what I’m writing about today, since I’ve had the pleasure of trying a little bit of everything inBarcelona, especially the delicious Latin American food, including the cuisine of Peru, Argentina and Chile. Patio Latino The first of these delicious spots is the restaurant “Patio Latino”. It offers Peruvian food of the highest standard at very good prices. The restaurant is located in the neighborhood of Gracia, in one of the narrow streets typical of this charming neighborhood. It’s in theSan Agustí Street, and you need only walk from the diagonal to the neighborhood of Gracia to find it (very near Gran de Gracia on the right). In this small but cozy restaurant you can sample the famous dry beef or chicken in chili sauce, which are really the best in Barcelona. And of course, don’t forget to enjoy a pisco sour, which I...
Dog grooming salons in Barcelona
Having a dog is a big responsibility. You´ll have to walk it, feed it and take it to the vet to be vaccinated so it is always healthy. To keep your dog healthy, you have to take care of its hair. One of the first signs of illness or dietary deficiency is when the dog has bad hair, which is why we must make sure that our pet has a strong and shiny hair. What is the best method to avoid these problems? You’re right; it is to take it to a dog grooming salon, where you will get the necessary help to prevent your dog from having knots in its hair, seborrhea and other minor complication. In Barcelona there are hundreds of dog grooming salons that offer a wide range of services to keep your pet always healthy including: wash and haircut, as well as, special services such as: stipping, trimming, moisturizing, vegetable dyes, hair regeneration, color maintenance, dermatological baths and much more. Furthermore, at some of the best dog grooming salons you’ll be able to find, besides veterinary, other benefits such as training, walking service, travel crate rentals and adoptions services. Sometimes, people who go on vacation with their dogs can’t be with them all the time. That´s why the dog grooming salons play a crucial role in offering a practical caring solution, so, you can be confident that your dog is well safe. Maintaining your pet clean and dewormed, will help you to keep it in better conditions in the hotel or on a plane… These are some of the best dog grooming salons in Barcelona:...
Blues Fridays at the Museum of Modern Art in Barcelona
The European Museum of Modern Art M.E.A.M. located in Barcelona, is offering every Friday evening a special blues concert (and other musical styles) in a definitely unique location: the Palau Gomis, within an eighteenth-century Renaissance building. Today, The MEAM is at the Palau Gomis, in the Born neighborhood, definitely an area with clear cultural interest that attracts every year thousands of tourists looking for another face of Barcelona, the museums and culture. If you are in Barcelona in September, a blues concert will be held every Friday at 18:00 and you should´nt miss it You can enjoy one of the best interpretations of figurative modern art, in the very Europeu Museu d´Art Modern de Barcelona, the MEAM. If you buy your ticket to enjoy this great blues show in a magical and special as the Palau Gomis, you can also enjoy extra input, a visit to the Museum of approximately one hour, the concert itself (lasting between 30 and 40 minutes) and also a delicious glass of cava. More details on the remaining concerts in September: September 14 Big Dani Perez & Marc Ferrer September 21 Chicago Blues with La Teoria del Taburete September 28 West Coast & Jump Blues with Johnny Big Stone & The Blues Workers During your stay in Barcelona Maybe you can take advantage of the weekend and see Barcelona at its fullest, after enjoying the blues in the MEAM. We´ve been thinking and the “musts” not to be missed to see in Barcelona to be a complete culturally weekend are: Las Ramblas Plaza Catalunya Park Güell Holy Family Gothic Quarter Boqueria Market Facades...
Pet Sitters in Barcelona
It´s the star service to care for your pet. If you have to be away from home for whatever reason and you need someone to care for your pets, you don´t have to ask neighbours, family or friends anymore. For a few years now, together with the animal care houses, the services of Pet Sitter are on the rise, the animal carers. So what is this service all about? To summarise, in the event that you need to be away, your best friend won´t have to leave home. An animal expert and friend will visit your home how many times you need, so that your dog or cat have everything necessary. With this, you avoid a lot of stress for your pet. ALso, you can also find expert people who offer more specific services, such as dog walkers. In a city so cosmopolitan and open to animal rights, an initiative like this could not go amiss. Without further ado, here are some of these services: Fido´s Playground Owned by Susie Hunt, offers carers for cats, night service, walks and special care for small animals. Also, they´re specialists in dealing with the erratic behaviour of animals. If you want your dog to obey you or to get used to being with a baby, you can also find help here. Great Au Pair In the international website as part of their family services (carers for babies, children, elderly people, house work, etc.), self-employed people offer their services to carry out these pet sitter tasks. There are many offers for it in Barcelona and its surrounding areas. The advantage is that it´s usually...
Exhibition ‘In an Absolute Disorder’
Until September 29, the Santa Monica Arts Center (CASM) and ArtChronika Foundation presents one of those shows that no one should miss. Entitled “In an absolute mess. A look at contemporary Russian art” of which so little we know, and with the help of some of its most important artists: Alexander Brodsky, Dimitri Prigov, Irina Korina and Sergei Chilikov are just a small preview of what you will see in the most important exhibit that has occurred in Spain dedicated to Russian art. ArtChronika Foundation is an institution designed to promote Russian contemporary art. Under this premise, in 2007, it created the Kandinsky Prize, one of the largest in the country´s art scene, symbol of the most innovative trends. This award allows to present abroad winning artists, through exhibitions organized by the foundation. The 40 artists featured in Barcelona are a selection of the nominees. The political and troubled social situation in recent Russian history (in which art is neglected too often) is present in the works, with references to police repression, religion, sex, group alternatives and the fight against the establishment. Topics are covered sometimes with black humor, but also with poetry, reflection and provocation, in a search for order in disorder through art. The exhibition occupies the entire gallery is divided into four sections devoted to Dimitri Prigov: Material chaos , social disorder and the collapse of the ideals of the church symbols. A montage of the group Blue Moses where Russian political leaders appear in orgies starring celebrities, pictures of a couple of policemen kissing or a group of people praying are part of a mosaic...
Catalan Culture on the Cathedral Avenue in Barcelona
As an initiative from the Municipality of Barcelona, the famous Fiesta Catalana (Catalan Festival) takes place on the Avinguda de la Catedral (Cathedral Avenue). This festival is celebrated with a wide range of folkloric activities, designed for those who want to get to know more about the Catalan roots. This is an event for you to enjoy the most beautiful traditions of the Catalan culture. Every Saturday the busy Avinguda de la Catedral is filled with a great variety of events for everyone to have fun. This celebration began on the 12th of May and will be over on the 15th of September. Throughout the month of August no celebrations were held, but you still have the chance to attend the last three days of celebration in September. The event will feature the participation of Barcelona’s Castellers: from Sants, from Poble Sec, the Colla Jove de Bcn, from Sant Cugat and from Badalona; los Gigantes from la Barceloneta, from el Raval, from Casc Antic, from St. Jaume and St. Pere; los Halcones from Llorenç del Penedès, los Bastoners from Esbart Català de Dansaires and Poble Sec; los Bordegassos from Vilanova, el León y la Mulaza from Bcn, la Moixiganga from Sitges, la Colla Sardanista Mare Nostrum and los Matossers from Molins de Rei. A colla castellera is a group of people (men, women and children of all ages) who build human towers. This tradition was born in Tarragona two hundred years ago and has spread throughout Catalonia, Penedes, Roussillon and the Balearic Islands. Castles are always built to the sound of castellera music, which is composed by timbals and...Promotions
