10th Feb 2008

España

One of the best business trips ever: conference in Barcelona, España (preceded by a couple of days in Madrid). Both beautiful cities, but Barcelona in particular captured my heart. I’ve been to both cities before, but it’s been quite a while.

A highlight was certainly the calçot festival in a neighborhood barrio, organized in part by Jazz, the boyfriend of a friend of ours who moved a year ago to Barcelona. A Catalan tradition, the festivals are done in the winter months around the region, wherein heaps of the calçot, a kind of leek, are roasted over an open fire then dipped in a salvitxada or romesco sauce, which is one of the most delicious things I’ve ever eaten (the sauce in particular). Pictures of the festival here and Barcelona trip in general here.

If it makes you feel any better, now I’m sitting in a drab hotel room in Düsseldorf preparing to do several months worth of back travel expenses.

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10th Feb 2008

Gadjo

I saw this amazing band, Gadjo (see also their MySpace page), in Barcelona, a motley collection of musicians from various lands singing in various languages in a quirky, funky Balkan/swing/ska kind of style (think Squirrel Nut Zippers but much cooler). Not sure how soon you’ll have a chance to see them in a city near you, but keep an eye out for them.


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07th Feb 2008

La Palma, Barcelona

If like Jim Morrison or Bertolt Brecht you’re looking the next whiskey bar, I direct you to La Palma at Carrer de l’Espaseria in Barcelona, Spain. I’m in this beautiful city for a n industry conference, and Adi tagged along for fun. Last night we wandered the streets and found a nice restaurant, which we closed around midnight. On the way home, we were wandering the pedestrian alleyways that characterize this city, and, as we passed yet another of the countless local dive bars, something caught my eye in the window: dozens of bottles of fine scotch.

Looking in, we saw another couple of hundred bottles of single malt scotches I’ve never heard of. I’m certainly no aficionado, but it is my preferred drink of the last few years. Incongruously, the place exhibited a clear expert knowledge of this divine refreshment in a local hole-in-the-wall ambiance. This is not a bar catering to tourists. The two barkeeps spoke not much English, and most of the patrons were working-class local hombres (one spotted criminally mixing a fine scotch with Coca-Cola and ice). The grizzled old owner, however, certainly knew his stuff and recommended a fine choice, Islay Signatory Vintage Caol Ila 14-year-old 1992 (pictured below), with a generous pour for €11. A memorable place for a nightcap, if you can find it.

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