Monas de Pascua: artwork in chocolate

The Easter Cake in Catalonia can be an artwork made of chocolate. Godfathers offer it to their godsons or goddaughters on Easter Sunday. The word Mona, although is spelled as the female monkey, has an arab root and means present. In the old times Easter cakes used to be a ring shaped sweet bread decorated with whole boiled eggs.

Watch this video to see some Monas, including the 400kg woodpeker on display at the Escribà pastry shop at the Gran Via. Those crazy about shoes can get some high heel shoes made of chocolate.
http://www.antena3noticias.com/PortalA3N/cultura-espectaculos/Impresionantes-monas-Pascua-listas-para-regalar-Barcelona/10213459

Escribà is a century old family owned company and is well known for its cakes and chocolates, as well as caterings. Their website is quite original but not easy to navigate.
http://www.escriba.es/base_en.html

The tiles of Barcelona´s sidewalks on leather purses & wallets

The purses, wallets and keyrings decorated with the design of the tiles paving the sidewalks of Barcelona, which are  the symbol of the Modernism Route, are a good "souvenir" from our city. You can find them at Calpa, a shop selling handbags and luggage which was the first to have this idea and has registered its designs. They also sell purses and keyrings reproducing the hexagonal tiles designed by Gaudí for the Pedrera that you can also see on the sidewalks of the Passeig de Gràcia.  

Calpa
c/ Ferràn 53. There is also an entrance on the Carrer del Call.
Nearby the Plaça Sant Jaume, Metro: Liceo (Green Line) or Jaume I (Yellow line)
For more information about the Modernism Route www.rutadelmodernisme.com

Pinzat: recycled hand painted bags

Today, in Barcelona, we enjoyed a beautiful spring weather and I took a long walk through the city center. I discovered the work of a group of young artists from different countries who collaborate to make bags from recycled materials (PVC from banners and belt buckles from cars). Most bags are painted but they also produce bags with pieces cut and sewn as a collage. Each piece is unique but most of them have a strap that can be used around the waist or around a bike´s handle as well as a detachable purse. They are fun and made to last. Prices: €50-80.  

http://www.pinzat.org/

c/ Grunyi, 7, a small lane with c/Argenteria, not far from the Plaça Sant Jaume and Santa Maria del Mar. I also recommend the restaurant Senyor Parellada situated at c/Argenteria, where they serve traditional dishes at decent prices considering the setting and level of service.
Metro: Jaume I (Yellow line)

Mistral Bakery: Artisan bread since 1879

Today I walked past the Mistral Bakery and it brought me memories from my student years. Situated not far from the old building of the University of Barcelona, it produces a variety of artisan breads, including ecological bread. It is always packed with people as it is famous for its Coques de Pa -a typical flat bread with some caramelized sugar on the top- and the Ensaimades, a pastry original from the island of Mallorca, where it is been baked for centuries. The ensaimades, shaped as spirals, are made with flour, milk, eggs, sugar and pork lard (known as saïm in Mallorca). They are delicious when they are still warm. At this time of the year they also sell Bunyols (Lent Fritters).

Ronda Sant Antoni, 96 by the Plaça Universitat
Metro: Universitat (Red line)

The palms market at the Rambla Catalunya

Today I realized that tomorrow is Palm Sunday (Domingo de Ramos), a movable Christian feast that falls on the Sunday before Easter Sunday, just before the Holy Week (Semana Santa). Palms were on sale at a street market situated at the Rambla Catalunya with c/Diputació. The palms are leaves of palm trees which grow tied and protected from sunlight. Thus they don´t turn green and are very flexible. Palms for girls are not too big and are braided into different designs. The small braided palm leaves are worn on the lapel. Bay leaf branches are also used, mainly by adults. Although in Spain religion is losing ground, tomorrow you may encounter special ceremonies inside or outside most churches, which often include short processions. Many people still take their families to church on this date because for many of us, this tradition is part of our childhood memories.

The drawings by Picasso decorating the façade of the building which is the siège of the Association of Architects of Catalonia, at the Plaça Catedral, reproduce, among other subjects, the traditions of palm sunday. 

Barcelona Bar: an exotic chocolate made in the USA

In the USA I came across a chocolate bar called Barcelona Bar and it got my attention. It is made with hickory smoked almonds, sea salt and deep milk chocolate and it has a unique taste. It is one of the exotic chocolate bars produced by Vosges Haut-Chocolat, a company funded by a young American lady with the concept "Travel the world through chocolate". Her name is Katrina and she followed her food studies traveling the world. She started  with Spain, where she worked with the Adrià brothers. Vosges produces many other interesting types of chocolate that come in beautiful presentations.   

http://www.vosgeschocolate.com/product/barcelona_exotic_candy_bar/exotic_candy_bars

Check Katrina´s Blog for recipes, stories and beautiful pictures. She has just posted a recipe mixing hot chorizo and melted chocolate!!!. Kind of weird for Spanish people. If you try it, let us know.
http://www.peaceloveandchocolate.com/

The Vosges boutique in New York is located in the SoHo (check the website for other sale points)
132 Spring Street (between Greene & Wooster)

Old books market at Mercat de Sant Antoni

This morning I visited the old books market which takes place every Sunday morning around the building of the Sant Antoni Market. They sell books, comics, magazines, DVDs and music. Although most titles are in Spanish it is worth a visit.

The market of Sant Antoni is an old building which is part of the network of municipal markets dating back to the XIX century. At present, it is closed for renovation. On weekdays you won´t find books but there are many small shops in the area and you will get to know the life of this popular neighbourhood away from the tourist crowds. 

It is located where the Eixample and Raval neighbourhoods meet and you can get there from the Ramblas walking through the narrow streets of the Raval. Close to the market, at Carrer Compte de Borrell 68, there is a small hotel with a nice restaurant called MARKET. It offers a stylish decoration and moderate prices.

Mercat de Sant Antoni is located at Ronda de Sant Pau with Ronda de Sant Antoni.
Metro: Sant Antoni, Line 2 (Purple). You can also walk there from the Metro Universidad (Red line)
www.markethotel.com.es

Harlequin Feltworks: unique pieces of wearable art (San Francisco, USA)

A post about scarves just before the winter is over. I discovered the work of Jenna Giles when I spotted her felt pieces in a street fair in San Francisco last summer. In a couple of minutes I got three of her unique and somewhat whimsical scarves, directly from the artist. Later I went through her website where she explains that she is based in San Francisco and began her own business, “Harlequin Feltworks”, in 2007. The way she describes what she does is very accurate: “unique pieces of wearable art”. Back home, here in Barcelona, everybody loves my scarves.     

See some pictures and check where to find Jenna´s work at http://www.harlequinfeltworks.com

RUFUS Skate Shop

Rufus is a small shop specialised in skating located in the Raval, not far from the MACBA, the Museum of Contemporary Art of Barcelona. They sell skates, shoes, clothes and accessories. It is the only shop in Barcelona where you can get Adidas skateboarding. Check the Rufusskateshop group in Facebook or the blog which includes several videos.

http://rufuskateshop.blogspot.com/
C/ Joaquin Costa, 9
Metro: Catalunya (Green Line) or Plaza Universidad (Red Line)  

Caspe 64 Premium Outlet

In this shop you will find fashion -for men and women- from the past collection of well known brands at discounted prices (40 to 60% off): D&G, Guru, G-Star, Guess, Replay, Mix Sixty, Diesel and more. They also have selection of fashion for children from 5 to 8 years.

Don´t forget to have a look at the façades of buildings in the area which are typical from the Eixample, and were built about 100 years ago by the rich industrials of the city.

http://www.caspe64outlet.com/
C/ Caspe, 64 (with C/Girona)

Espadrilles: an informal footwear for summertime with a long tradition

“La Manual Alpargatera” is a shop specializing in espadrilles (alpargatas in Spanish or espardenyes in Catalan) since the 1940s. There you will find the authentic traditional espadrilles as well as new designs at reasonable prices.
The traditional Catalan “espardenyes” are flat and have long ribbons that are to be tied around the ankles. In the past, they were used in the countryside and they are still worn by the Catalan police, the so-called “Mossos d´Esquadra”, as part of their gala uniform. You may see them on special occasions at the “Palau de La Generalitat”, the siege of the Catalan Government situated at the “Plaça Sant Jaume”, in the old city district.

The espadrille is a light shoe made with natural materials, vegetable fibers for the sole and cotton and linen for the instep. Some models are still hand sewn. They fit very nicely and, in summer, they feel extremely fresh and comfortable. A summer favorite is the basic espadrille, without ribbons, worn as flip-flops. They are cheap and come in many colors. Espadrilles for kids are cute and comfortable.

www.lamanualalpargatera.com
Calle Avinyó, 7
It is almost at the corner with C/ Ferràn, near the Plaça Sant Jaume, not far from the Ramblas. Nearby metro stations: Liceu (green line at the Ramblas) and Jaume I (yellow line).
The original title of a master work by Pablo Picasso known as Les demoiselles d’Avignon was Les Demoiselles d´Avinyó after this street of Barcelona.

Camper: shoes for an informal lifestyle

Camper shoes are produced by a Spanish company based in the island of Mallorca, whose origins go back to the end of the XIX century. The Camper brand was launched in the 70s and in 1981 they opened their first brand shop in Barcelona. The shoes are very unique, informal and comfortable, and the collection is organized under “concepts”. Some of them have been around for years and there is also a line for kids. Camper was the first to produce shoes inspired in sports shoes. Nowadays there are 200 Camper shops worldwide and points of sale in 70 countries.

Camper has worked with some of the best designers and publicists from Barcelona as well as well-known international designers. If you are interested in design check their website, it is very good and it shows images of their top shops. You may also be interested in their boutique hotel, Casa Camper, situated near the Ramblas.
 

http://www.camper.com/
Camper has several shops in Barcelona:
Muntaner, 248 (near the Diagonal)
Pau Casals, 5
Valencia 249, Metro: Passeig de Gràcia (Green line)
Passeig de Gràcia 100, Metro: Diagonal (Green line)

Rambla Catalunya, 122,Metro: Diagonal (Green line)
Plaça dels Angels, 4, Metro: Catalunya (Green line)
Pelai 13, shopping center El Triangle, Metro: Catalunya (Green line)
Shopping Center L´Illa at the Diagonal Avenue, Metro: Maria Cristina (Green Line)

Casa Camper Boutique Hotel
Elisabets, 11, it is close to the MACBA, the museum of contemporary arts of Barcelona, and not far from the Ramblas. http://www.casacamper.com/default-en.html

Bunyols de Quaresma (Lent fritters)

At this time of the year, you have the opportunity to taste the typical fritters sold in Lent, the period covering 40 days before Easter in the catholic calendar. They are made with flour, milk, sugar, eggs and then fried in oil. You will find them in bakeries and pastry shops –often on Fridays only-: “wind” fritters (bunyols de vent) are small hollow balls (sometimes stuffed with cream) while those shaped as small donuts have a thicker consistency, and include some aniseed and/or anisette in the recipe.

Flamenco shoes for girls

Red shoes with white dots and heels, which are typical of flamenco dancing, are available in small sizes and girls love them. Flamenco music and dance are typical from Andalucia, in Southern Spain, and although you can buy the shoes in Barcelona, they are not part of our everyday culture. That is why my 2,5 year old niece thinks of Minnie Mouse when she wears her shoes. When years ago I bought a pair for one of my Italian nieces, my sister told me that she could have sold a container full of shoes at her school.

The most ancient flamenco shop in Barcelona is owned by the daughter of a great former flamenco dancer whose name is Flora Albaicín. She still has a well known dance academy in Barcelona.

http://www.tiendaflamenco.com/
Canuda, 3 (not far from the Ramblas)
Metro: Catalunya (Green Line)

Curtidos Pinós: cords to make your own costume jewelry

Curtidos Pinós –a traditional company originally selling leather for shoe making and repair, as well as products for professional shoe cleaning- offers a wide selection of cords in different colors to make costume jewelry: leather, rubber, cotton, round cords, waxed cotton, linen thread, braided leather and PVC. They also sell accessories for pendants and bracelets. It is a beautiful small shop. Visit it and unlash the artist inside you…..

Hospital, 79 (not far from the Ramblas)
Metro: Liceu (Green Line)
http://www.cordon-cuero-barcelona.com/en/index.htm

Bow Tie: British style for men

A new boutique in Barcelona of this high-end British brand. Selection of shoes, ties and other accessories for men in a decor recreating a British club. They sell slippers, the shoes that British nobility used to wear at home which have become fashionable in the streets.

C/ Rosselló 230 between the Passeig de Gràcia and Rambla Catalunya.

Nearest Metro: Diagonal, Green line.

Vinçon: a design icon in Barcelona

Vinçon sells contemporary design products for the home (furniture, lamps, kitchenware) as well as many other carefully selected objects and gadgets coming from all over the world. It also has an exhibition hall, La Sala Vinçon, dedicated to graphic and industrial design. A visit to Vinçon is a complete experience:

Window dressing is always surprising, for decades they have shown creativity and innovative ideas.

http://www.vincon.com/web/en/infogeneral/escaparates.htm

Architecture. Vinçon is located in a listed Modernist building with a beautiful façade. Visit the furniture section on the first floor and you will get to know what a PRINCIPAL (main) apartment was a century ago. At a time with no elevators, first floors were considered the best. Therefore, the rich industrials who promoted whole buildings in the Eixample reserved that floor for them thus becoming the Principal, because, in addition, it used to be the largest. Usually, there was a single apartmet at the principal, while there were two or more on the upper floors.

http://www.vincon.com/web/en/infogeneral/arquitectura.htm

Shopping bags. The paper bags from Vinçon could be a collector´s item, as they are designed by well known graphic artists

http://www.vincon.com/web/en/infogeneral/diseno_grafico.htm

Vinçon is located at Passeig de Gràcia, 96

Metro: Diagonal, Green Line

Furoshiki: the art of gift wrapping in Japan

http://s1.hubimg.com/u/78004_f520.jpg

Thinking of presents, it came to my mind the sort of foulards with colorful prints that I bought in Japan many years ago, which were intended for gift wrapping. I found a blog that explains this exquisite art. You may like to practice it …..

“When it comes to Japanese gifts, it's not the inside that really counts. Gift-wrapping, called tsutsumi, is the most important part of the gift-giving it seems. How you wrap and tie the package is considered especially symbolic and carries a lot of expression about how you feel towards the person and the gesture of giving them a gift.

The wrapping around the gift is seen as being part of the entire gift experience. Japanese gifts are aesthetic and beautiful on the outside, with the same full expression of the culture's love of balance, nature, novelty and simplicity."

One type of wrapping that is uniquely Japanese is the furoshiki.
Keep reading and watch videos at: http://hubpages.com/hub/art-of-japanese-gift-wrap

Zwilling Concept Shop: German inox

Zwilling is a German company, in business since 1731, producing top quality cutlery, kitchen gadgets, flatware, scissors and beauty tools. The Gemini star sign in the company logo is one of the oldest trademarks in the world.

Their products are sold worldwide but if you don´t have a distributor nearby at home, and you, your family or good friends like cooking, you can get some gadgets here. They also have a nice selection of manicure sets.

Zwilling is not cheap but they offer quality. A good idea for a cheap but original -and beautiful- present is the inox “soap” for the kitchen shown in the picture. It removes food smells from your hands without any chemicals. The Concept Shop is near the Cathedral and the Plaça del Pi, in the Gothic quarter.

Carrer del Pi, 16 (Metro: Liceu, Green Line)www.zwilling.es

Custo Barcelona

Two brothers from Barcelona, David and Custodio Dalmau, started their business in the 1980s selling t-shirts inspired in the California lifestyle. In the 1990s, they introduced a new line of unique designs in bright colors. The Custo style was born. In 1997, they presented very successfully their first collection in New York. Their fame grew when some celebrities started to wear their t-shirts in the USA. Nowadays, Custo has developed a line of complements, such as watches and even a fragrance, and the brand is sold in many countries. Their last addition, launched this year, is a line for kids: Custo Growing.

You may not like a full Custo look, but you can always hand-pick a t-shirt or a skirt to give a twist to your wardrobe. I sometimes prefer designs from the line for men.

Custo has several brand shops in Barcelona:
Shopping center L'Illa Diagonal (Metro Maria Cristina, Green Line)

Calle Ferran, 36 (Metro Liceu, Green Line)

La Rambla, 109 (Metro Liceu, Green Line)

Placa del Pi, 2 (Metro Liceu, Green Line)
Pla de de Olles, 7, El Born. (Metro Jaume I, Yellow Line)
Centro Comercial Gran Via 2 (public transport from Plaça Espanya)www.custo-barcelona.com/en

Vaho Gallery: giving trash a second chance

Vaho is a company based in Barcelona and their products are made out of recycled materials. The colorful handbags made out of advertising PVC canvases are fun and practical, and they come in several designs conceived for different uses (large, small, shopping, travel, work,...). Although they repeat models and shapes, no two bags are exactly the same as Vaho reuses banners which have been hanging from the streetlamps advertising theatre, fairs, exhibits and other events. Bags are made by hand and most of the work is developed at the social rehabilitation workshops in the prison Model of Barcelona and a foundation which works with mentally handicapped people.

Plaça Sant Josep Oriol, 3 (Metro Liceu, Green Line)

Across the church of Santa Maria del Pi. one of the beautiful gothic churches of Barcelona.
Bonsuccés, 13 (Metro Catalunya, Green Line)
www.vaho.ws (online shop, English version)
www.vahogallery.com

Woven horsehair jewelry and decorative objects by Cuenco (Chile)

I learned about Cuenco through a friend and I fell in love with their designs and the idea behind them. Cuenco is the brainchild of two young Chilean architects. They work with women artisans in Chile to bring a new look to a traditional horsehair craft known as rari. Together they produce unique and colorful brooches, necklaces, bracelets, earrings and other art pieces.

In 2008 they received the UNESCO Excellence Seal for Mercosur, and have been invited to participate in exhibitions in Spain, France, Japan and the United States. The designs of Cuenco are on sale in some museum shops in Chile, Argentina, Brazil and the USA.

I reproduce here the origin of Rari. “Rari is a small, pre-mountainous town near the city of Linares, 305 km. South of Santiago, in Chile, which is the birthplace of a specific form of horsehair weaving craft. This craft originated 200 years ago, when local women, doing laundry in the creeks near their homes, discovered that they could weave poplar roots into small figures. As they developed their weaving technique, they started experimenting with various fibers, thus replacing the roots with horsehair which were more ductile and required less pre-weaving preparation time. Later on, they added the plant fiber Ixtle, brought over from Mexico, which serves a structural function, creating a more voluminous and resistant weaving.

The technique has passed from mother to daughter and remains unchanged until today: the horsehair is washed, and dyed, and then woven by hand into numerous figures.In their traditional pieces, the artisans inspired by their inner female worlds, create delicate and colorful handcrafts to decorate themselves and their domestic world. These qualities and figurative inspiration have been passed on for many years, from grandmothers to daughters and granddaughters, which begin to imitate their elders’ technique in their early childhood.

Their typical motifs reflect elements from the rural world (flowers, butterflies) and others, the imagery of campesinos (local farm workers) such as huasos (traditional Chilean rural character) and witches. Non figurative motifs are rare and generally associated to objects used in everyday life through geometric compositions, such as cup holders and rosaries, and bookmarkers".

Find out more at www.cuenco.cl

Munich: cool footwear from Barcelona

In spite of its German name, Munich is a company based in Barcelona. It used to be known for its football shoes, but since they launched their fashion collection a few years ago, the brand has become an icon. Even Italians love them.

Munich footwear mix colors, materials and textures to produce unique fashion pieces which keep traits of the original sports models. Check for the large “X” on the shoe sides, which is the brand symbol.

Design has a price, and you will have to pay around 150€ for a pair of Munich shoes. I like the Acropol model in washed denim from the 2010 Fashion summer collection.

Check the whole colection at: http://www.munichsports.com/
Munich brand shops in Barcelona at:
L´Illa, the shopping center at Avenida Diagonal with Calle Numancia.

Metro: Maria Cristina (Green Line).
Casa Munich. C/ Antic de Sant Joan, 4, at El Born neighbourhood.

Metro: Jaume I or Barceloneta (Yellow line).

Welcome to Barcelona

Barcelona is a thriving city which attracts millions of visitors interested in our culture and the Mediterranean lifestyle. I am Spanish and, although I wasn´t born in Barcelona, this is the city where I have lived most of my life. For the last twenty years I have done a lot of international travel mostly for work and, being back to Barcelona after five years of living abroad, I felt like sharing a perspective to help others discover the city through shopping.

This is a blog intended mainly for travelers and foreigners which is why I have chosen to write it in English. Nevertheless, everybody is invited to participate, and comments in French, Italian or Portuguese and, of course, Spanish and Catalan are also welcome.

Shopping is one of the pleasures of foreign travel. Whether we buy crafts, fashion, books or items in pursuit of our hobbies and interests, the things we buy when we travel can bring us fun and pleasure, help us grow, create good memories, and share special moments later on.

Shopping is exciting when we find something unique or it can be emotional when we buy things for our loved ones. Shopping can also be a way to express our values and to contribute to a better society when we decide to acquire an environmentally friendly product, or to buy from a local artisan, a small company, a young entrepreneur or a museum shop. Shopping can also help us discover the culture of the places we visit through traditional crafts and products, street markets, local designers or food.

In Barcelona, shopping districts are knitted in the fabric of the city and some of them, made of narrow streets with small shops -where tourists and locals mingle- are a very distinctive trait of our Mediterranean culture.

Come and enjoy!!