November 5, 2019 – November 9, 2019
After our incredible wedding weekend, which was more like a week-long festivity, thanks to all of our beautiful family and friends, and our amazing bridesmaids and groomsmen, we headed straight to Spain!! Here are some quick shots of the streets of Barcelona from and around our honeymoon suite in the iconic La Rambla Road upon our arrival and the amazing Tapas that was hands down out of this world!!
A huge thank you to all of our glammed-up and blacked-tied family and friends that made the epic journey to our wedding. We were stoked to have you there with us and all of the love and warm wishes made our big day simply unforgettable.
Sun’s up and it’s time to face the Spaniards!!
For our first day on the streets of Barcelona, we woke up running down La Rambla road to catch up with our first walking tour of the week with Patrick through the Gothic Quarter. Ventured into the Plaça Del Rei where Christopher Columbus was greeted by King & Queen Ferdinand & Isabella upon his return from the New World...we also caught up with the crew from Paramount Studios as they were on site filming a motion picture. Plaza De San Filipe Neri was a historical landmark where the walls were littered with holes from German bomb shrapnels from the war and now serves as a recess playground for kids which had an adorable fountain. The Catedral de Barcelona and Basilica de Santa Maria del Mar lines the old Barcelona where the old Roman pillars used to mark the cities boundaries. Plaça Saint James and the Palau de la Generalitat de Catalunya courtyard held a protest for the upcoming elections. After a short break with Vermouth and enjoying some warm sunshine at the Plaça Reial we headed to the Mercado de la Boqueria for some quick street food before catching our first Flamenco concert at the Palau de la Musica Catalana. With lunch in the Born Comerc at Xampanyet, where an Italian New Yorker named Lilia visiting her cousin who’s studying abroad, and the grand daughter of the actual Xampanyet founder, made sure we were well taken care of. Finally, a romantic dinner at Arume to sum up the day. We are just in love with the Catalunya cuisines and the people and can’t wait for Day 2 manana!
Starting our second day in Barcelona, we grabbed a quick breakfast at Pinotxo Bar and had the best Xuiso of my life, then went on our walking tour of the architecture of the infamous Antoni Gaudi. We perused down La Rambla to Palau Güell, then a short metro lift to the Casa Battlo, Casa Mila, and the iconic La Sagrada Familia. Truly mesmerizing architecture from the Modernisme period and a marvel to view with all of the details and meaning. Following an incredible lunch at Can Paixano, we headed on my favorite walking tour through the slums and ghettos of El Raval with a very knowledgeable local guide, Patrick. Although I wandered off from the group a few times to steal some shots, the experience was very worthwhile and the series of images was equally rewarding and enough for a worthy series. We then wandered tiredly into a chocolate heaven, and grabbed some chocolate churros and a cafe y latte at Croissanterie Del Pi to help us make the short trip back to Mercat La Boqueria for some potatas brevas, tapas, fresh fruits and seafood galore. Another jam packed day as always on our trip...we learned a lot, we lived a lot, but most importantly, we loved a lot every step of the way.
Brushing on my broken Spanish, I managed to order us some Huevos Chipirones, Tomato Gazapacho, Potatas Bravas, and Pan to start breakfast at El Quim de la Boqueria, but we couldn't leave the Mercat without stopping by to see Juanito for some XuXo and a morning shot of cortado. We hiked off breakfast down La Rambla and finally to the shores of Barcelona into the monument of Columbus, Mirador de Colum, across from the World Trade Center of Barcelona, and along the La Rambla del Mar towards the Maremagnum. Taking the cable car, Telefferico del Puerto up to Mountjuic gave us THE BEST view of the city of Barcelona from the sky. A few steps through the gardens of Mountjuic and we took another Teleferic de Montjuic up into the castle, Castell de Mountjuic. Taking the Montjuic Furnicular tram down the mountain and we were back to the shoddy streets of El Ravel. We found our way near the Bagdad, Carrer Nou de la Rambla and the El Molino Paral·lel, which is as iconic as the burlesque of Moulin Rouge of Paris...but with a little bit more of the Spanish "spices". We picked up some pinxo, or "picks", at La Tasqueta de Blai as appetizers and sat in a small romantic alleyway at a local coffee shop called The Spice. After a few cortado and just enjoying that slow Spanish sunset, we headed down the Blai to Quimet & Quimet for some of the most beautifully made tapas we have ever seen and equally delicious. After dinner we crossed the first bar ever to open in Barcelona, Bar Marsella, where Picasso, Hemingway, and Gaudí used to quaint. We are simply stunned and in awe of the amazing Barcelona hospitality and incredible cuisines. Simply amazing. Checking out the shops along Placa del Pi as we backtracked back to our hotel, we just can't wait to see what else Barcelona's got down its sleeves tomorrow! Merci Catalunya!
I’m beginning to know my morning routine here at La Boqueria in Barcelona - olives & anchovies, sausages pinxho, and of course Xuixo and cortado. Simply amazing and it’s going to be really hard not waking up to these flavors.
Today was a very exciting day, since I have been a long time fan of Guernica and Las Meninas, and finally be able to see it in person was very special and I am as giddy as ever...just like my first read of a Virginia Woolf novel as I venture deeper into the “Modernisme”. Pablo Picasso a visionary artist to say the least, although I am often trite and amateur to question his demeanor, I feel like the whole point of a Picasso piece is to question and see it’s vulgar and rawness it all of its beauty. Simply amazing!
For the remainder of the afternoon we enjoyed getting lost in the Gothic Quarter, in love with each other and quite in love with this beautiful city. We were greeted by a soprano outside the Cathedral Del Santa Maria. We stumbled into some local vintage boutiques and consignment stores that were filled with treasures from the city’s ancient past. The sounds of laughter by children greeting their parents after school put a smile on our faces for sure. Simply a very laid back and chill day...finally feeling like we are on Spanish time.
A stop at Tapeo for some urchin Fireua, honey Iberian pork ribs, and grilled octopus and chickpeas. A quick stop at Xurreria for some dark chocolate dipped churros, and some tea at Taj Chai to keep us warm in an early fall day. Late dinner at Mino with one of our favorite paella to date, grilled shrimp, and finish it off with the classic tomato bread was muy perfecto.

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