Barcelona Metropolitan Issue 200

September 2013 FREE

ยบ N 200

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Authentic Mexican Restaurant located in the heart of the Eixample Esquerra where you can enjoy the most typical Mexican dishes and first-class service in a unique environment. The restaurant is tastefully decorated and furnished to make you feel like you’re in a Mexican hacienda. You can also enjoy our cocktail menu and the best Margaritas in town in our lounge/bar area as well as taking advantage of our weekly promotions.

We recommend our nachos con pastor, our ceviches, exquisite tacos and meats.

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Tel. 93 127 1051

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Check our Facebook page ElAlebrijeBarcelona for daily promotions.

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SEPTEMBER Contents Features 18 Bows and arrows 24 Harley life 30 Montserrat Abelló

Regulars 06 On the Cover

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07 Around Town 08 Metropolitan People 11 Recipe: White bean and sausage stew 12 Making Plans 17 Culture: Sowhatabout Live 23 Design: Floral art 29 Interview: Ed Smallfield 32 Escape the City 34 Gastronomy 50 Back Page

DID YOU KNOW? When it was first launched, the magazine was called The Barcelona Metro. This was changed after issue five to avoid confusion with the local underground system.

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Directories 37 Food & Drink

From the Senior Editor:

40 Business

It’s a month of longevity and numbers here at Metropolitan.

46 Shopping

You can hardly have failed to notice that we are celebrating

47 Jobs

our 200th issue, and throughout the magazine you will find facts and figures about Metropolitan and Barcelona from our launch in June 1996 to today, as well as quotes from some of the people we’ve interviewed down the years. In our features, we talk to Montserrat Abelló, the award-winning Catalan poet who is now 95, starting a series of articles that focus on some of the older people in our society and the stories they have to share with us. This is also an important month for Barcelona as it starts a year of activities leading up to the 300th anniversary of the end of the city siege on September 11th, 1714 that saw Catalunya become part of Spain—find details of what will be happening on page 7. Elsewhere, we look at the Harley-Davidson culture in Barcelona, the archery club in Montjuïc and an egg-themed restaurant. And the corks pop in

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our travel feature about a weekend in cava country. A fitting way to toast Metropolitan number 200!

Hannah Pennell

Publisher Creative Media Group, S.L. Founder Esther Jones Managing Director Andrea Moreno Senior Editor Hannah Pennell Editor Lynn Baiori Art Director Aisling Callinan Account Executives Jalil Alui, Richard Cardwell, Adriana Soto and Daniel Whitehead Design Assistant Marion Dejaeghere Editorial Assistants Ruth Thomson and Sam Zucker Contributors Jonathan Bennett, Roger de Flower, Anjalina Chugani, Inés Salpico, Tori Sparks, Karen Swenson, Nicola Thornton and Regina Winkle-Bryan Photographers Henry Tyson, Lee Woolcock and Michaela Xydi Illustrator Ben Rowdon Editorial Office: Ciutat 7 2º 2ª-4ª, 08002 Barcelona. Tel. 93 451 4486, Fax. 93 451 6537; editorial@barcelona-metropolitan.com Advertising: ads@barcelona-metropolitan.com. General enquiries: info@barcelona-metropolitan.com. www.barcelona-metropolitan.com Printer: Litografia Rosés. Depósito Legal: B35159-96 The views expressed in Barcelona Metropolitan are not necessarily those of the publisher.

Reproduction, or use, of advertising or editorial content herein, without express permission, is prohibited.

Follow BCNMetropolitan on

Find your nearest distribution point on www.barcelona-metropolitan.com

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06 THIS MONTH

ON THE COVER METROPOLITAN Nº 200

WHAT THEY SAID Look out for these speech bubbles throughout the magazine—they feature quotes from some of the people we’ve interviewed in the past 17 years.

Back in 1996, Esther Jones and Richard Schweid decided to set up a magazine in English for foreigners living in Barcelona. The plan was to help these residents get to know the city better through articles about culture, history, politics, social issues, gastronomy and travel.

The result was The Barcelona Metro, which soon morphed into Barcelona Metropolitan, and this month, the magazine has reached its 200th issue. We’re not ones to blow our own trumpet, but that’s no small feat in this day and age. Like so many others, the crisis has done us no favours, but thanks to our contributors, advertisers and, of course, you, our readers, we’re still here and hoping to keep going for a long time yet.

DID YOU KNOW? Discover more about the magazine and life in Barcelona between 1996 and 2013 with these little blue boxes of knowledge* scattered around the issue.

THE STORY OF A COVER “We laid out the first issue in Esther’s flat—a more quadrangular layout has rarely, if ever, been achieved, but we agonised over getting that cover right. The tourist bureau was kind enough to provide us with a large selection of photos to choose from at the right price—free (the first and last time we did not pay a photographer or illustrator for a cover). Most of them, however, were too clearly Portrait by Nana Bjoernlund

from the tourist bureau, standard shots of the city.

This one, however, did a pretty good job of telling readers what we hoped to do: view the city from a unique angle, paint it in an interesting and informative manner that would help our readers find a city they might have missed seeing without us…” Richard Schweid, former Senior Editor

READERS’ SURVEY Whether you’ve been with us since issue 1 (in which case, we’d really like to hear from you!) or are a complete newcomer to Metropolitan, we’d love to know what you think about the magazine. Tell us what you like and dislike and this will help us improve our content in the future, to make sure it meets the expectations of our readers. If you’d like to give us your feedback, head to our website and click on the link on the homepage. It will only take a few minutes to complete and we will be very grateful for your help. So grateful in fact, that we’ll enter your name in a draw to win a couple of free cinema vouchers to see the film of your choice. www.barcelona-metropolitan.com * Sources: Ajuntament de Barcelona, www.geographyfieldwork.com and FC Barcelona

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THEN AND NOW Five things you could do in 1996 in Barcelona that you can’t do today 1. Smoke in bars, restaurants and public buildings—this was banned in 2005.

2. Walk around naked or semi-naked without fear of a fine. The Ajuntament introduced a regulation on this in 2011.

3. See a bullfight. They were outlawed in Catalunya from January 2012.

4. Buy live birds on the Rambla. Most of the street’s stands that sold pets closed in 2009, but one remains with fish, rodents and turtles.

5. Make a phone call within Barcelona without using the 93 prefix; its obligatory use started in 1998.

Five things you can do here in 2013 that you couldn’t when Metropolitan started 1. Get to Madrid by train in just 2.5 hours—after a 12-year delay, the high-speed AVE connection was inaugurated in 2008.

2. Get married and adopt children if you are homosexual; these rights were introduced in 2005.

3. Take your pick of Catalan-language daily newspapers. In 1996, there was just one available, now there are four.

4. Visit CaixaForum, CosmoCaixa and Casa Asia; they have all opened since the turn of the 21st century.

5. See an opera at the Liceu. In 1996, it was closed for restoration work following a fire in 1994.

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© BCN2013

AROUND TOWN

LIVE FREE Various venues

September 11th, 1714 saw the end of the War of the Spanish Succession, with the fall of Barcelona after a siege lasting 413 days. As a result, Catalunya was stripped of its political institutions and autonomy after backing the wrong horse in a battle between European powers to decide the successor to the Spanish crown.

With the tricentenary of this historic defeat coming up next year, Barcelona City Council, in conjunction with the Generalitat, is organising a year-long civic commemoration aimed at helping us discover the city as it was in the 18th century. The celebrations are based around the motto ‘Viure Lliure’ (‘Live free’ taken from the expression ‘viurem lliures o morirem’, ‘we shall live free or die’), and the programme, curated by popular Catalan journalist Toni Soler, features over 80 activities, including the opening event, La Auca del Born. Directed by Jordi Casanovas and staged in the epicentre of all activities, the new Born cultural centre based in the refurbished neighbourhood market, this performance features 48 scenes reenacting life in the city at the time. Other activities to look out for include an exhibition showing the world as it was in 1714 at the Museu d’Història de Barcelona, an orchestrated cooking performance with internationally renowned Catalan chefs Ferran Adrià, Carme Ruscalleda and Joan Roca, and a large-scale map traced out on Passeig Lluís Companys, giving the viewer a bird’s eye view of the old city (pictured above). During La Mercè, the Parc de la Ciutadella will become a veritable time machine with period music, street performances, a 16th-century tavern and a re-enactment of the fateful Bourbon siege. www.bcn.cat

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08 THIS MONTH

METROPOLITan PEOPLe With thanks to Henry Tyson for taking our photos. www.iamenric.com

for the 200th issue, we’ve turned the spotlight on ourselves—the metropolitan team answer the question: What does Barcelona mean to you?

Name: ESTHER Jones role: Founder From: England Answer: Barcelona is home. Over 18 years, it has given me the freedom to grow and forge my path in life. My relationship with the city evolves and changes, but I find it as inspiring and generous as when I first arrived.

Name: Richard Cardwell role: Account Executive From: England Answer: It’s a very exciting city with lots of interesting people to meet, cool events, concerts and exhibitions on offer. I especially love the very social street culture here along with the weather, fantastic nightlife and food.

Name: Hannah Pennell role: Senior Editor From: England Answer: Barcelona is where my husband, daughter and son were all born, making it an indescribably special place for me.

Name: Jalil Alui role: Account Executive From: Morocco Answer: To me Barcelona is like the Russian doll (matryoshka); when you think you have seen it all you always end up discovering something new.

It has the perfect combination of sun, beach and culture... my kind of city.

Name: Andrea Moreno ROLE: Managing Director From: Colombia Answer: Ten years ago Barcelona meant freedom and a million possibilities; I could be whatever I wanted. At difficult times, I think how amazing it is to live in one of the most beautiful and dynamic cities on the globe.

Name: Daniel Whitehead ROLE: Account Executive From: England Answer: Barcelona is simply a fun place to be. Life isn’t taken too seriously, and that mindset is a trend throughout the city. I can’t think of a cooler place to live.

Name: AISLING CALLINAN ROLE: Art Director From: Ireland Answer: Barcelona inspires me to be creative every day. It has opened my eyes to many different cultures and experiences. Living here sometimes feels like I’m on an extended holiday.

Name: Sam Zucker ROLE: Editorial Assistant From: US Answer: Barcelona is a place where one is immersed in a rich, vibrant culture of pride, tradition, modernism and creativity; a place where you take the good with the bad, try hard to get by, but never want to leave.

Name: Lynn BAIORI ROLE: Editor From: US Answer: It’s the place where I first saw the Mediterranean Sea, where my past and future converged; it’s my immigrant home.

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WHaT THEY SaID “People love living

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here… but you have to work at it.” Jordi Hereu, mayor of Barcelona from 2006 to 2011 (Issue 140, September 2008)

name: adriana soto BeJarano role: Account Executive From: Colombia answer: Barcelona to me means the peace of the sea, the simplicity of life and the general satisfaction of completing my personal goals. In a nutshell, Barcelona for me means love and happiness.

name: marion deJaeGhere role: Design Assistant From: France answer: Barcelona is a city I really wanted to get to know by actually living in it—not just visiting it—therefore doing a graphic design internship here is just perfect.

name: ruth thomson role: Editorial Assistant From: Scotland answer: Barcelona is a strange city where everything I love about it I hate at the same time, yet it pulls you in and makes you never want to leave.

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NOUVEAU MED

A positive derivative of colonisation, immigration and globalisation is a fusion between recipes and cultures. Grandma’s cannelloni enter the New World thanks to the movement of people from place to place and, along the way, they are reinvented in line with their new surroundings. Cuisine, like culture and language, is alive and dynamic, receptive to external influences. This month, we recommend three Mediterranean restaurants that have embraced the new while retaining the wholesome and delectible elements of their traditional model. Each offers beautifully designed surroundings, efficient and friendly service, and menus sure to please every taste.

IL MAGAZZINO:

CAFÉ GODOT:

Sant Domènec 19 www.cafegodot.com Tel. 93 368 2036 New to Gràcia is the lovely Café Godot. The interior is reminiscent of a New York City style bistro—dark and cosy with high ceilings, exposed beams, large boards listing the house specialities and an attractive cocktail bar. Offering three distinct menus, they serve everything from banana pancakes to Thai curry and Moroccan lamb. Highly recommendable is their fried fish sandwich with citrus sauce. Portions are generous and the food is fresh, with a well-balanced blend of flavours on each plate. There’s a late weekend brunch and, maintaining the New York vibe, the kitchen is open all day.

WHAT THEY SAID “I do not stand still in my culinary style. My successful dishes are due to my cautious attention, forming architectural structures, which provide the ingredients with visual and physical balance like a well constructed building.” Joan Roca, head chef at Restaurant magazine’s 2013 World’s Best Restaurant, El Celler de Can Roca in Girona (Issue 142, January 2009)

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Rosselló 253 www.delicatessenbarcelona.es Tel. 93 611 5667 Il Magazzino has been around for a while but it remains one of the more innovative places in town for an excellent Italian meal. More than a restaurant, Il Magazzino is a well-stocked delicatessen, offering quality products from the Italian peninsula to eat in or take home. All of the fresh pasta is made on the premises. The menu is classic Italian, the design an eclectic mix of hand crafted furnishings, and everything in the shop—from the deli products and wine to the tables, chairs and decorative pieces—is available for purchase. The owners’ mission is to bring the best of Italy to Barcelona and, in addition to the food prepared by ‘imported’ Italian chefs, they sponsor cultural events such as readings and discussions of Italian literature, culture and fine arts. (See Il MAGAZZINO Italian Delicatessen Food & Home Market on Facebook for updates.) Food for the mind, heart and belly.

CHÉRI:

Enric Granados 122 www.cherirestaurant.com Tel. 93 416 0057 This restaurant sits at the top of semi-pedestrianised Carrer Enric Granados, where El Trobador, part of the same group, was previously located. The owners have made a beautiful transformation of the interior space and updated the menu, but still offer the same friendly and efficient staff and outdoor dining.

The dishes are based on traditional Mediterranean cooking with influences from the north of Europe and a touch or two coming from Asia. There is a bar offering a huge assortment of drinks, with a twist on the usual cocktails—for an original mix try the Martínez, a dry reinvention of the classic Martini. Specialities of the house include Belgian-style rock mussels with fries and a Galician chuleton, your choice of 600 grams or a kilo of charcoal-grilled beef T-bone, which will make you wonder if you have suddenly been transported to a steakhouse in Paris.

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BARCELONA COOKING

by Anjalina Chugani

White bean & sausage stew Ingredients good quality olive oil 300 grams botifarra blanca (white sausage) or any sausage of your preference, sliced 1 spring onion, thinly sliced 1/2 red pepper, thinly sliced 2 cloves garlic crushed 1 large tomato, diced small 1 teaspoon sugar 500 grams pre-cooked white beans (eg. cannellini) 1 handful baby spinach leaves lemon juice salt pepper chopped red chillis (optional) finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

In a large non-stick pan, heat the olive oil on a mediumhigh heat. Add the sausage and sautée till nicely golden brown all over. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside. Add the spring onion and pepper and sautée till slightly softened. Put in the garlic and season with a little salt. Sautée for another 3-4 minutes, before adding the tomatoes and sugar. Allow to cook down a little and add about 3-4 tablespoons of recently boiled water to create a liquid in the pan; if you want more liquid, simply add more water. Cook for about 5-7 minutes on a low-medium heat. Add the beans and combine well with the other ingredients. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the sausages back in and mix in well. Bring up the heat slightly and add the baby spinach leaves, seasoning again with a little salt and a dash of lemon juice. Allow the spinach to wilt down very slightly. Take the pan off the heat, and stir the stew. Pour into deep bowls, season with cracked black pepper, and top with parsley and red chillies (optional). Serve with warm crusty bread.

Anjalina Chugani was born in London but moved to Bangalore in India when she was 15; since 2000, she has been living in Barcelona. A selftaught cook, she organises Social Suppers in the meeatings23 space, has a blog for recipes and food photography—www.rainbowspoon. com—and in October, will start giving cooking classes.

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12 culture

MAKING PLANS

A few suggestions about things to do tonight, this weekend, later on...

WHAT THEY SAID

“As far as this year goes, I hope that I can become the top player in the world. I don’t want to set any goals or make any predictions about winning another Roland Garros or any other tournament. I just like to take my results week by week and tournament by tournament.” Rafa Nadal, tennis champion (Issue 122, March 2007)

La Mercè

September 20th till 24th. Around town. www.bcn.cat Legend says that on the night of September 24th 1218, the Virgin of La Mercè appeared simultaneously to King Jaume I, Saint Pere Nolasc and Saint Ramón de Penyafort, asking all three to create an order of monks dedicated to saving Christians imprisoned by the Saracens. She was not seen or heard from again until 1687 when Barcelona suffered a plague of locusts, and placed itself in her hands. After the plague ended, the city council named her the official patron saint of Barcelona (well, co-patron saint alongside the city’s original one, Santa Eulàlia). Over the last two centuries, Barcelona’s festival in honour of the Virgin has become a celebration of grand proportions; the biggest of the year, with a huge programme of events including concerts, fireworks, art and traditional Catalan culture, while the city also opens its gates to performers from around the globe. This year’s invited guest city is Vienna, giving us the chance to discover the Austrian capital through its music and art. It has been specially chosen because of its relationship with Barcelona at the time of the city siege that ended on September 11th, 1714—the upcoming tricentenary of that key Catalan date will feature heavily during La Mercè. As an added treat, the festival’s opening speech will be given by super-chef and internationally-recognised Catalan icon Ferran Adrià.

Celebrate with Brazil

Día de Brasil, Moll de la Marina, Port Olímpic. September 8th.

10am till 10pm. www.diadebrasil.es The fifth installment of Brazil Day has its influence in the social movements awakening this South American giant. There is a rich and talented tradition in the country that organisers have tapped into for this year’s festival, with some of Brazil’s best composers and musicians heading the line-up. Listen to the new sounds of Brazil while savouring the local food, and dance to some Latin American sounds with a caipirinha in hand.

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culture 13

SEE WWW.BARCELONA-METROPOLITAN.COM FOR

MORE CONCERTS, EXHIBITIONS AND FESTIVALS

Mummenschanz:

The Musicians of Silence

Teatre BARTS. September 18th to 29th. From €20.

Last year saw the 40th anniversary of the legendary, Swiss-born Mummenschanz, the curious group who have made their mark on the art of mime by developing their own unique and colourful style. Using surreal masks and shapes, they manipulate light and shadow to create a truly surprising performance. Currently on a world tour, they are bringing their show to BARTS, marking their first time in the Catalan capital in 15 years. Expect the unexpected.

Festival l’Hora del Jazz

Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia. September 8th, 15th and 22nd This month sees the 23rd edition of l’Hora del Jazz take place. The festival honours the memory of Catalan jazz pianist, Tete Montoliu, with free concerts offered by talented local jazz artists performing original pieces with a Mediterranean flavour, improvisational work, jazz, rock and funk. The series officially opens on September 1st in Balaguer (Lleida), but continues each Sunday closer to home, with a stage set up in Plaça de la Vila, in Gràcia. Two groups play each Sunday, with the first concert of the afternoon beginning at noon, and a second band taking to the stage at 1pm.

Barcelona International Comedy Festival

September 25th to October 20th. Various venues and prices. www.barcelonacomedyfestival.com Humour is arguably one of the hardest things to fully appreciate in a foreign language, so speakers of English, Russian, Dutch, Castilian and Catalan will be pleased to hear that The International Barcelona Comedy festival returns this autumn for its sixth year.

The festival features evenings of stand-up comedy, group improvisation and an amateur comedian competition, as well as a performance by London-based Canadian comedian Tony Law (September 27th, Tradicionarius, pictured above). And if you fancy yourself a budding comedian, why not attend one of the several comedy workshops offered throughout the festival?

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DID YOU KNOW? Metropolitan launched its first website in 1999.

Redesigned four years ago, it now gets around 1,200 hits a day. Meanwhile, over on Facebook, we’ve just broken through the 4,000 likes border.

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culture 15

Up on stage Some of the concerts happening this month in Barcelona Built to Spill—Friday 6th at Apolo David Byrne and St. Vincent (pictured) —Saturday 7th at L’Auditori Kool & The Gang—Tuesday 10th at Sant Jordi Club Steve Vai—Monday 16th at Teatre BARTS Kris Kristofferson—Tuesday 17th at Teatre BARTS Eros Ramazzotti—Thursday 19th at Palau Sant Jordi Pedro Javier González—Sunday 29th at Basilica Santa Maria del Pi

First Solidarity Women’s Football Tournament

Hard Rock Cafe Sessions

Every Thursday. www.hardrock.com The Hard Rock Cafe in Plaça Catalunya is a great place to enjoy live music in a cool venue. Every Thursday, they offer free concerts performed by up-and-coming local bands, and Metropolitan has teamed up with the restaurant to sponsor a different act each month. Our first guests on September 5th are the high-energy foursome, The Milkers, who know how to get a crowd up on its feet, as they cover the best indie, Britpop and rock and roll songs from the last two decades.

WHAT THEY SAID

“My perfect day in Barcelona would involve having breakfast in one of the squares in Gràcia and then cycling down to Parc de Ciutadella with my son. There is always something creative going on there.” Verónica Blume, supermodel (Issue 143, December 2008)

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EixTransversal, Carmen Amaya 4-6 September 21st. 9am till 1pm. www.calala.org Organised by Calala-Women’s Fund, this football tournament aims to score a goal for equality by promoting a series of games featuring female athletes flexing their muscles in this male dominated sport. Calala is a foundation set up in 2000 to support women’s initiatives, collect funds for various women’s groups and help young women, the LGBT community, migrants, sexual workers, and individuals affected by domestic abuse in Spain, Latin America and the Caribbean.

Ten football teams will participate, playing 15 minute games against each other, leading to the semi- and grand finals. The sign up fee is €150 per team with no limit on the number of people in each team. Aside from the tournament itself, there will be a discussion panel with organisations that promote gender equality in football, such as the Panteres Grogues, a sports club that unites the lesbian and gay community, and works towards the eradication of discrimination and homophobia in sport. There will be refreshments, DJs and the opportunity to find out more about Calala. All proceeds go to the organisations they support, helping to fight against gender inequality. Read more about Calala on-line at www. barcelona-metropolitan.com/calala

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CULTURE 17

LIVE MUSIC Sowhatabout Live: An unconventional music series. By Tori Sparks.

Tal Ben Ari (vocals, from Israel), Lisa Bause (violin, from Germany) and Paco Mendez (guitar, from Catalunya). Photos by Jordi Cané.

W

hatabout Music is a Barcelona-based record label, started in 2006 by American radio and music producer Dave Bianchi. In his time, Bianchi has done everything from building guitars to organising live events and working as a sound engineer. After a 12-year career producing nationally-syndicated radio programmes such as Live From the Lounge with Ryan Seacreast in the US, Bianchi needed a change, and moved to Barcelona.

Bianchi says he came here for the same reason as many other artists and musicians: “There is a strong underground music scene and the city is a hub of creative energy.” He wanted to be a part of it. His first goal was to open a recording studio—which he did in 2006, dubbed The Emergency Room—and said that the Whatabout Music record label then “kind of happened by accident.” In the past eight years, it’s released 55 albums from 35 different bands hailing from various countries around the world.

Whatabout Music’s newest creation is the Sowhatabout Live music series. It was started when Milene, the owner of the Sow What! Association in Poble Sec, asked the label if they would be interested in collaborating to host a live music night.

The Sow What! Association is an independent arts centre and a cannabis club. “This particular space in Poble Sec got my interest when I went there for a concert because I just really liked the vibe,” says Bianchi. “The fact that it’s a ‘club’ that you have to join adds to the feeling that you’re going to something special.”

He decided that, rather than organise traditional concerts at an untraditional space, he would keep things “interesting” by putting the names of all the musicians on his label into a hat and, by drawing random names, put together duos and trios to play live together for

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the first time. “It could be people who have never met each other or played with each other, from different scenes in Barcelona, different styles of music—and they could play whatever they want; covers, original music, a jam, experimental, anything! On top of that, I record all of the shows, and we are planning to release a live album of each series,” he says, enthusiastically.

While some people are attracted to the venue because you can smoke inside, “at the same time, you’ll find many people in the audience who don’t smoke or care about the whole cannabis side of it, but they still enjoy the atmosphere,” Bianchi says.

These social clubs are a relatively new phenomenon in Spain and are becoming more common in Barcelona, as clever entrepreneurs have found a way to exploit a loophole in Spanish law declaring that it is legal to grow a certain amount of marijuana for private consumption— up to two plants—but it is illegal to sell it. The clubs or ‘cafés’ charge their members a yearly fee, usually about €20, to have the clubs grow their plants for them; hence, the clubs are not ‘selling’ weed, they are merely looking after their members’ own private crop.

Bianchi says that not all associations of this kind are the same. “They can be quite different from each other: creative spaces, cultural centres or just a place to buy weed. Sow What! is definitely one of the former.” It costs €5 to become a member if you come to one of the Sowhatabout Live events.

The next Sowhatabout Live shows are on September 13th and 27th, October 11th and 25th, November 8th; artists TBA. More information is at www.whatabout-music.com. The Sow What!

Association is located at Salva 7 in Poble Sec.

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18 FEATURE

Award-winning archer Marc Soler

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FEATURE 19

Hitting the mark The modern appeal of an ancient art.

By Inés Salpico. Photos by Lee Woolcock

N

estled against the walls of Montjuïc Castle, on the same lawn where people fight for a good spot to watch the summer film screenings at Sala Montjuïc, is the shooting range of the Club Arc Montjuïc. Climb up there during the day and you are likely to find Jordi Falgueras, the Club’s president, teaching one of his students how to shoot an arrow from a bow. Come rain or shine.

With all his knowledge and enthusiasm about archery, Falgueras is the first to say that archery is a “somewhat forgotten sport about which people only talk when recalling who lit the Olympic cauldron in the Barcelona ‘92 Olympic Games”—a reference to the Paralympic archer Antonio Rebollo and his famous arrow shot from the centre of the Olympic stadium at the opening ceremony.

And yet, as well as being part of the mythologies of many cultures—think, for example, of the Greek gods Artemis and Apollo, the Romans Diana and Cupid, or the legends of William Tell and Robin Hood—it is also an ancient practice, deep rooted in most civilisations across the world. Arrowheads were apparently invented in the late Paleolithic period, around 64,000 years ago, for hunting and defence purposes. The oldest Neolithic bow found to date in Europe was discovered last year by researchers from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona at an archaeological site near the lake of Banyoles; it is thought to date from between 5400 and 5200 BCE. Classical civilisations counted large numbers of bowmen in their armies, on foot as well as mounted. In northern and western Europe, bows continued to be the main weapon in warfare until the end of the Middle Ages, but the development of firearms would eventually render them obsolete.

In the late 18th century, however, the gothic and medieval revival brought with it a new interest in archery amongst the English gentry.

Archery societies with strict entry criteria were set up across England, revolving around extravagant, ritualised contests and gatherings at

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20 FEATURE

>>

which local elites displayed their wealth and strengthened their social networks. The activity also became extremely popular with women who, allowed to take part in competitions, took the opportunity to display their charms as well as their talent. Archery thus became an important form of introduction, flirtation, courting and seduction. A revival similar to the one in England took place in the US after the end of the Civil War (1861-65).

While other activities have since become more popular for status display and socialisation, archery has consolidated itself as a competition sport. It has been included in 14 Olympic Games since 1900, and while France is the country with most medals in the discipline’s charts, almost all records are currently held by Koreans.

Some would argue, however, that the skill of handling a bow and shooting an arrow is not a sport but an art. In recent times, archery has gained new protagonism with the help of the books and film version of The Hunger Games as well as the TV series Game of Thrones.

Jordi Falgueras says the number of people interested in taking classes increased significantly when the 2012 film starring Jennifer Lawrence came out. “People come in waves and after The Hunger Games there was a wave of young women.”

That was the case with 14-year-old Laura Pardina, who joined the Club Arc Montjuïc in January inspired by the heroine of The Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen. “She was reading the books and then she wanted to have a bow,” says Laura’s mother. But things are not as simple as that. Bows are weapons after all, and in Spain you need a licence to buy and use one. Furthermore, the practice of archery is only allowed within the premises of a club such as Montjuïc. And thus Laura has since become a proper archer.

Club Arc Montjuïc was founded in March 1984 by a group of bowmen who would informally get together to practise in Montjuïc’s shooting range. Today, 30 years on, the Club has 290 members (212 men and 78 women) with ages ranging from six to 78. The annual membership fee for adults is €130 but there are special prices for families and members under 18.

Only club members (or those of affiliated clubs) can shoot in the Montjuïc range. To become a member you need to either show your proficiency with a bow or enroll for a beginner’s course after which, if successful, you can fill in your application. The course consists of a certified 10-hour, one-on-one introduction to archery and costs €180. It covers the basic shooting technique for three different types of bows. The schedule is arranged with each student and provides almost total flexibility except that no class can be longer than two hours. The club itself takes care of the learning permits, insurance and, eventually, of the archer’s licence, all issued by the Catalan Archery Federation. You can sign up for a course by filling in the form available on the club’s website.

The learning curve varies a lot depending on each individual’s build, physical awareness and discipline. “Dancers are amongst the fastest and best students,” says Jordi Falgueras, accounting for the physical self-awareness and control required for the sport.

Once one has completed the beginner’s course and learnt the technical, postural and safety basics, there’s a lot of practice ahead.

Knowing the basics is just the beginning, then you need to embody the technique to actually master it. “No archer shoots exactly the same. As they progress they make the technique their own.” Each body, Falgueras explains, with all its unique characteristics, creates personal strategies to optimise posture and strength.

Apart from making enough time for regular practice, taking part

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in tournaments is extremely helpful to improve the archers’ performance. Such events provide a setting in which increased pressure and competitive motivation call for increased focus and assertiveness. For this reason, and also to foster a sense of community, the club organises its own tournaments, usually held on weekends. It also collaborates with other clubs as well as with the Catalan and Spanish Archery Federations in organising larger competitions. The club was recently very well represented by its archers in the Catalan Championships: Gaby Chihan became Senior champion, and Marc Soler Gelpí came third in the Junior category. A week later, Gaby also won the bronze in the Spanish Championship of Regional Teams.

The life of the archer is, however, in essence, lonely. The absorbing and introspective nature of the sport often unsettles family and friends who can get tired of being mere observers and decide to give it a try. After weeks of tagging along with mum to drop off his sister Laura for training, Dani Pardina, eight years old, decided he too wanted to learn and has now been training for just over a month.

Such examples abound, which is why, if you go up to Montjuïc, you’ll see archers of both genders and from various generations who share a fascination for the discipline. It’s not hard to understand them.

Each bow is itself—as Laura’s example shows—a potential object of desire: after the initial training each archer gets her own weapon, customised to her size, strength and technique. The bows can be surprisingly intricate and beautiful. This means that while you might be able to buy a beginner’s kit for around €100 this can be the fraction of the cost of a fancier weapon, the total price of which can easily reach over €1,000.

Watching the archers practise, moving as if choreographed and gazing at the target, it’s impossible not to think that a certain zen aspect is involved. Falgueras explains how in the moment of ‘release’ —the precise instant when the arrow is shot from the bow—it is crucial that the mind is clear, fully immersed in the present. “The mind needs to be blank; the eyes seeing nothing but the target. Any distraction—a beautiful girl passing by, a thought going through your head—and you’ve already missed it.” Any minor disturbance will affect the archer’s performance and can mean a significant change in the arrow’s trajectory.

Sport or art, archery is an exercise in focus and self-discipline more than competition. One is fighting mostly for the inner sharpness and physical control needed to meet the individual challenge each arrow presents. Go up to Montjuïc one day and you might not be able to resist trying out the feel of having a bow in your own hands.

More information www.arcmontjuic.es

barcelona IN NUMBERS Number of metro rides 1996: 296 million 2012: 448.5 million Number of hotels 1996: 167 with 28,000 beds 2012: 1,760 with 268,568 beds Number of FC Barcelona members 1996: 104,442 2012: 177,246

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DESIGN 23

flower power

In ancient Egypt, the pharaohs decorated their chariots with flowers before going off to war. Not just pretty decoration, floral displays have the potential to express deeper meaning.

By Lynn Baiori.

Gemma Sarrà A touch of nature

A rose is a rose. But pluck the petals and scatter them across a bed, or lace them through wire, and a rose gives an entirely distinct impression. Though delicate enough to crush beneath our feet, the smallest blossom has the power to evoke deep emotion in us.

Whenever my mother saw gladiolus (whose name comes from the Latin gladius or sword) she would remind us with nostalgia of the gladiolus corsage that she wore to her high school prom.

Delicate, ephemeral, fragrant­—there’s drama in fleeting beauty.

Even stems and branches can be twisted into decisively symbolic forms: think laurel wreath and crown of thorns. Commonplace at our most ambitious ceremonies, flowers express love, grief, joy and remembrance. Their careful arrangement is an art celebrated around the world, from the gentle balance of Japanese Ikebana to the intricate floral carpets constructed to celebrate Corpus Christi in Spain and Italy, and the carnival-like flotilla that makes up the Parade of Roses in Pasadena, California each New Year.

Floral artist Gemma Sarrà notes how the colour and arrangement of flowers varies greatly from culture to culture. While white is used for weddings in the West, in Japan it is reserved for funerals.

The Japanese style tends towards maximum expression with the fewest possible elements. In the north of Europe, pieces are more technically complex. The Dutch are fond of lilac to celebrate love but here it would be considered bad luck, as it is seen as a colour more appropriate to express bereavement. “Catalans tend to be sober and serious in their flower arrangements,” Gemma explains, while the English prefer more lavish displays. “It is important to understand the psychology of the client when working on a design,” she says. “But I also like to work with un toc de sorpresa.”

Gemma’s studio is filled with large barrels overflowing with green leafy branches, pots of colourful cut plants, trunks of bamboo, tables covered in wire and stone. She sources material from the large flower market at Mercaflor, which provides flowers from all over the world, with a large number coming from Holland. But she also has a personal supplier, a local man who brings her treasures he finds in the Catalan countryside. “I like working with stones and with anything that comes from the mountains or forest. I don’t like working with anything artificial,” she tells me.

Gemma doesn’t run a flower shop; she creates complex arrangements for promotional events, businesses and large affairs.

One of her many clients is the Hotel OMM and her scenic flower

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creations are found at fashion shows and weddings. She takes her inspiration from wherever she finds it; her wire work, she says, is influenced by the art of Antoni Tàpies. She talks as she works, her hands moving quickly, cutting, sorting, slipping each piece into place. Every display she designs is an expression of how she thinks and feels. Once completed, it is up to the onlooker to interpret their meaning. www.agrimoniaicompanyia.com

The pictures of the Festa Major de Gràcia for last month’s design page were taken by Josep Contel i Ruiz, who was not listed in the photo credits. My apologies to Josep for the oversight. LB.

8/21/13 11:48:39 AM

24

FEATURE

Ekki Gurlitt and friend at this year’s Harley Days Event. Photo by Tori Sparks.

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FEATURE 25

Shifting

gears

The polymorphic powers of Harley-Davidson.

By Lynn Baiori and Tori Sparks.

W

Photo by Tori Sparks.

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hen you think ‘multi-national corporation’, it’s likely the first words that come to mind are not personal freedom, self-expression or comradery.

Yet, somehow, the Harley-Davidson corporation manages to elicit that rather dreamy response from even the most hardened anti-corporate sceptics, inclduing in Barcelona, where Harley has a thriving community.

Despite its free-wheeling image, Harley-Davidson served the US military in both the First and Second World Wars, survived the Great Depression, and has adapted to market changes with amazing agility.

Shares in H.O.G. (the company’s nickname taken from its mascot, a small pig that was carried on victory laps by Harley racer Lawrence Ray Weishaar, as well as the acronym for Harley Owners’ Groups) are even traded on the New York Stock Exchange. According to the company, results for the second quarter of this year showed their revenue at $1.79 billion, up 3.7 percent from the same quarter in 2012. They claimed a net income of over $217 million (up 9.9 percent from last year). In a sagging European market, sales were up in Northern Europe and stood ahead of sales of other motor companies in Southern Europe. There was an increase in sales in the Asia-Pacific region and Latin America, proof of the company’s worldwide appeal and buddhist-like adaptability. Harley-Davidson can boast subsidiaries with a loyal consumer base in places as geographically and culturally distant as Eureka Springs, Arkansas and Fuefuki, Japan, while managing to inspire loyalty from ardent capitalists such as the late Malcolm Forbes, who was a devout Harley enthusiast, as well as being the bike of choice of the Hells Angels.

The company was founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1903 by 23-year-old engineer William S. Harley and Arthur Davidson, just 22 years old himself at the time. The two were later joined by Arthur’s brothers, Walter and William, to form what was to become to the motor world what Coca Cola was to become to the soft-drink industry.

The first bike was literally that—a bicycle with an engine designed by William Harley to fit inside. Over the years, the motorcycle developed into a highly stylised machine, easily identifiable by its distinctive designs and unmistakable booming engine. It is revered by riders for its reliable performance both on the race track and on the open road.

Besides motorcycles, the company has taken advantage of the Harley brand, licensing businesses that merchandise everything from jewellery to pool tables.

A combination of brilliant marketing, a unique product line and a keen survival instinct keeps the Harley name at the forefront of their

>>

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26

>>

FEATURE

sector. Harley Owners’ Groups boast over a million members in 119 countries; in order to become a H.O.G. member, you need to purchase a bike from an authorised dealership. Each dealer sponsors their own H.O.G. club, with rides and social events organised by its members.

Josep Escuder works at Harley-Davidson Barcelona, the older of the city’s two official Harley dealerships, now in its 25th year. He says their typical customer is male, although there is no typical age for clients who range from nineteen year old riders to retired folk. Of their customers, he estimates that around 40 to 50 percent are members of the dealership’s H.O.G. chapter. In addition to motorcycles, the shop’s boutique sells a range of official HD products.

Harley-Davidson and its subsidiaries increase brand visibility by hosting numerous events throughout the year, such as Harley Days, held this past July in Barcelona, where the Harley image is unapologetically marketed in big, bold American style. On an unforgivingly hot July morning, more than 4,250 bike enthusiasts joined in a group ride around Barcelona, with choppers, touring bikes, customised models and three seaters sporting mum, dad and junior, cruising along the Passeig de Colom and past the statue of Columbus on their way to the Harley Village at Montjuïc. The thunder of bikes made conversation impossible; all one could do was watch longingly, as a sustained roar of engines heralded the bikes gliding around the curve at the bottom of the Rambla, many with Catalan, Spanish, Italian, American or Confederate flags waving furiously behind them.

Ekki Gurlitt has owned a Harley for 36 years. He is originally from Hamburg, Germany but has been living in Barcelona for 24 of those 36 years. Adorned with crosses, rings, pins, a cowboy hat, biker boots, a leather jacket and hand-made windscreen glasses, Gurlitt is impossible to miss, even in a crowd of decked-out fellow bikers. He had some very specific thoughts on what Harley means to him, saying, “It’s a life philosophy, it’s not a motorcycle. It’s a way of life.” The word ‘freedom’ came up several times. He said he likes that, within the world of Harley, people are authentic. “People don’t say, oh, I love you so much, we’re such good friends, when in fact you’re not. Folks within the Harley culture are real,” he said.

In Barcelona, the Harley-Davidson motorcycle culture is very strong, and Gurlitt says that this is in part because the police are very tolerant here. “They like motorcycles. Unlike other cities in Europe, they never give you tickets for the noise of the Harleys. They’ll still ticket you for stuff like parking in the wrong zone, but other than major infractions, they basically give you the green light.” He says, for him, the love of Harleys has to do with the quality of the bike, not with any attraction to the American culture.

Visible at Harley Village was a chapter of the Barcelona Hells Angels, with a booth and banner advertising their presence. Notorious for their run-ins with police and anti-pacifistic leanings, the Angels are infamous both locally and worldwide. Although the name Hells Angels and Harley-Davidson are often linked, representatives of both the company and of the Hells Angels staunchly deny any Photo by Lynn Baiori. connection or mutual interest other than their respect for the bikes themselves.

Igor 81 is a young member of the Barcelona Hells Angels. He confirmed that there was no communal relationship between the HarleyDavidson community and the Hells Angels. “The bikes are the connection,” he says. “They last, they take a beating, they’re good machines.

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We have that in common, but there’s no sense of community beyond that.” However, as one of his fellow Angels put it, riding a Harley gives them “a sense of freedom in an unfree world,” which echoes the sentiments of the non-Angels riders.

The Angels do, however, see their attachment to this particular brand as a worship of American culture and rock music. The first chapter of Hells Angels Motorcycle Club was founded in San Bernardino, California in 1948, and even though there are numerous clubs around the world today, they still feel a strong connection to their historical roots.

Away from the Angels, these days, the typical profile of the young, white male riding a Harley has changed. In the US, for example, the company has needed to respond to the hard reality that their loyal customer base is aging; this is significant when you consider that currently, two-thirds of the company revenue comes from white, male, middle-class consumers with—according to the company—an average age of around 50 years old. The company has responded by focusing on an ‘outreach market’, hoping to attract more Hispanics, blacks and women into the fold. On its YouTube channel, the company offers attractive videos featuring the ‘Ladies of Harley’, who may play a key role in the company’s future success.

Back at the Harley Village, Gemma Kirby, H.O.G. operations specialist is anticipating getting her licence soon, with the prospect of owning her own piece of the dream. She will then join the Ladies of Harley, with all the privileges that bestows. Members of the community look out for one another, she tells us, and joining a H.O.G. is a sure way to meet all types of people with the same love of the machine, allowing her to travel around the world in a “safe envirornment”. Behind her, a line of fiery chrome bikes shines under the sun, inviting the dreamer and sceptic alike to hop on board and join the ride.

MORE INFORMATION Harley-Davidson Barcelona: Calvet 67-69. Tel. 93 201 9928. www.harleybcn.com Harley-Davidson Espacio: Joan Güell 207. Tel. 93 339 4874. www.espaciohd.com

DID YOU KNOW? Between 1996 and 2011, the number of Barcelona households with nine or more people in them rose from 448 to 4,078.

8/21/13 10:49:44 AM

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GE N EVA BUS IN ES S S C HOOL History and Philosophy Geneva Business School, one of Switzerland’s prestigious private universities, has made a home in Barcelona citing it as a place where culture and knowledge illuminate the beauty of the city.

Geneva Business School is part of an established group of learning institutions which includes some of the oldest and the most progressive schools in Switzerland. Some of its member, like St. George’s School in Clarens, have been in existence since the 1920s.

With campuses in three continents, Geneva Business School is an international centre of academic excellence providing students with global exposure to meet the needs of this century’s multinational corporate community.

At the core of its philosophy, Geneva Business School adheres to be closer to business and closer to its students.

As competition grows in the business world, students require increasingly impressive demonstration of good education, sound judgment, and impeccable character to secure much coveted positions.

Geneva Business School provides its students with a competitive advantage through its Career Support Centre which provides exclusive internships with international organizations and corporations during and after their academic programme.

main pages Sept 2013.indd 7

Geneva Business School also boasts of a highly educated, well-experienced and multicultural faculty that delivers superior education within the sheltered atmosphere of intimate classrooms.

•Bachelor in Business Administration

Why the creation of a Campus in Barcelona?

Barcelona, the centre of economic dynamism in Spain, is one of the top destinations in Europe attracting international business students. With its strong focus on innovation, local development and international cooperation, Barcelona finds itself as the idyllic setting for both tourists and entrepreneurs to enjoy a high quality of life.

For Geneva Business School, Barcelona offers the ideal artistic and cultural environment for living and studying at affordable costs with the added luxuries of a sunny climate, sandy beaches, excellent gastronomy and a sociable lifestyle.

•Dual Bachelor in Sport Management and Marketing with Johan Cruyff Institute, Barcelona

Degrees Offered Geneva Business School Barcelona currently offers students a selection of Bachelor, Master and Doctorate Degrees starting in October and February each year: Bachelor Programmes •Bachelor in Finance •Bachelor in Entrepreneurship •Bachelor in Digital Communication

•Bachelor in Hospitality Management •Dual Degree Programmes with INSEEC Alpes-Savoie, France

•Dual Bachelor in International Relations and Diplomacy & Protocol, Event Management and Institutional and Public Relations with European Workplace for Advanced Studies (ESEEA), Barcelona Master Programmes •MSc in Finance •Master in Business Administration (MBA) •Master in Digital Marketing •Master in Hospitality Management •Dual Degree Programmes with INSEEC Alpes-Savoie, France Doctorate Programmes •Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) CFA Programmes Intensive Summer Programmes

8/21/13 3:21:10 PM

WHAT THEY SAID “Barcelona is my lover. I am sorry to have betrayed Madrid and fallen to my knees to venerate Barcelona.” Pedro Almovódar, film director (Issue 28, March 99)

INTERVIEW 29

ED SMALLFIELD Poet, US, 66

My wife—Valerie Coulton, also a poet— and I came to Barcelona from California in October 2004. We’d always wanted to live in Europe and had the opportunity for what we thought would be a year, or maybe a little more than a year. We were basically seduced by the city and then found it was quite possible for both of us to make a living, so we just kept staying and staying and staying.

There’s an advantage, at some point in a poet’s life, to not simply travel but to live in a country with a different language. Barcelona has the advantage of having two native languages, which is a more interesting and complex experience for a poet. It’s been really fun for me. I’ve written a lot of poems in Spanish because of a character called Ramon. He’s a male prostitute [from the Prostíbulo Poético].

I grew up in a small town, in a working class, non-literary family. I thought all poets had been dead for at least 100 years so I was originally drawn to being a fiction writer. At university, I took classes in fiction, but then I also started taking classes in poetry and I realised it was just more natural for me to write poetry.

I’ve been doing it for more than 30 years.

I’ve done lots of different things in poetry.

In grad school in the late Sixties, there was a spread between what we’d call academic poetry and beat poetry, but there was also a large middle. I was kind of in that large middle.

This is actually not terribly exciting, but in English language poetry, I like a poet named William Shakespeare. When I was first starting to write, I was very drawn to the work of William Carlos Williams; it is still important to me today.

I think the poetry scene in Barcelona is fantastic. You have the Prostíbulo Poético, Trilengua, all the Catalan and Spanish poetry going on, the Poetry Machine—there’s enough poetry just in English to keep everybody busy. Having a place to publish [literary magazine Barcelona Ink] has also been fantastic.

For me, writing poetry is almost always a mixture of memory and personal experience. Freud said that every dream you have has something very recent, like from the previous waking day, and it has something very old, from the deep past. It therefore would not work for me to live in a country and a landscape that was completely different from the landscape of my childhood. Being in Barcelona and not being in California is perfect. If I was in the frozen north in the winter time, I might not write anything till the sun came out. Poetry is all about emotion.

I would rather not introduce poetry at all in schools than have it the way it’s taught [currently]. I would propose a more egalitarian way of talking about poetry or literature, where you may have historical info about the writer, things to share around those facts and,

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as a teacher, not necessarily say a lot. If you talk too much, people may start to adopt your interpretations because you’re older, because you’re a teacher and because you have read more poetry than them.

We don’t all have to arrive at the same interpretation and we don’t all have to like the same poetry.

Simply being in Barcelona, simply living my life, is often a form of inspiration but if not, I can find it in music, in paintings, in reading other people’s poetry and, especially, in collaborating with other poets, because that creates a situation where you have to respond, where you’re passing your work around. You don’t have to worry whether it’s good or bad, you just have to hit the however many words.

If I could share a bottle of wine with any poet, living or dead, I would choose Jorge Luis Borges. He spoke English very, very well so we would speak English together and we would talk about wines and cheeses, and about writing.

Interview by Nicola Thornton.

Photo by Lee Woolcock

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30 FEATURE

Woman

of letters

Montserrat Abelló is one of Catalunya’s leading poets and writers, with a life story that encapsulates the region’s recent history. By Karen Swenson. Photo by Lee Woolcock.

S

itting on the leather sofa in the living room of Montserrat Abelló’s apartment I am surrounded by books in a number of languages. Outside the window, her balcony thrives with flowers, and a Catalan independence flag with its white star and red stripes is draped over the rail among the blossoms. Catalunya is now and has ever been at the core of Montserrat’s work and life.

A poet, she has won the Creu de Sant Jordi, the Lletra d’Or, the Memorial Lluís Companys, and the Premi Fira Gran among other prizes. Born in 1918, making her now 95, she has a smile that bathes you in the warmth of its spotlight. Her remarkable life story stretches across continents and encompasses an incredible range of experiences.

“My father was a naval engineer, Coronel de Ingenieros de la Armada, and in 1924 he was sent to London as the Naval Attaché to the Spanish Embassy. I was six. That is where I learned English.

But my sister’s English is better than mine. Hers is much more the Queen’s English, more sophisticated than mine. But when we quarrel, we still quarrel in English as we did when we were children.”

One of her happy memories of England is the children’s books she read and learned to read from. She brings out a beautiful Mother Goose illustrated by Arthur Rackham that she has kept. I am amazed by how pristine and undog-eared it is. This book was owned by a careful child.

“English children’s books are lovely,” she says, caressing the cover lightly with her fingertips.

However, the English climate did not agree with either her or her sister. They became ill and were sent back to Spain to spend time in Sitges for the sun. But it wasn’t until they went to university that scars from tuberculosis were discovered on their lungs.

Montserrat started writing early but didn’t like her work, which was in metre and rhyme. When she gave that up and wrote without boundaries, she felt her work was much better. Her Fifty Love Poems will appear in a self-translated English edition for the first time this autumn (Francis Boutle Publishers, London). She is also known for her translation of others’ work. Cares a la Finestra (second edition,

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Galàxia Gutenberg, 2010), an anthology of 20 English-speaking women poets of the 20th century, was important because few of these women were known in Spain.

She was 18 when the Civil War broke out in 1936. “We were all sure that we were going to win,” she says. “I went to Valencia to take the exam to qualify as a teacher. The capital was in Valencia because Franco was attacking Madrid.

“I taught English in a secondary school. One day in 1938, I came home to find my father talking with a man who told him; ‘They will cut your throat if they win and you are here.’

“It was an enforced holiday of 20 years, a too long holiday.”

“We were no longer hopeful about winning the war. In a half an hour my family split up. My mother, my younger brother, my older sister, who had a boyfriend who was a bit of a fascist, and my younger sister decided to stay in Spain since my mother had property and family here. I decided to go with my father.”

She lays the book of nursery rhymes that she has been cradling in her hand on the table. “My father drove. The roads were full of people in cars, in wooden wheeled wagons, fleeing north to the French border. We were bombed a couple of times along the way.”

Although their passports were old, they were able to renew them at the border, perhaps because the Republicans were still in charge there. They drove on to Marseille, where refugees were pouring in

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FEATURE 31

and where they knew people. However, they turned out not to be welcoming. Fortunately, Montserrat and her father also knew some nuns who were more willing to help them. The two were later summoned, with others, by the French police and sent immediately to Clermont-Ferrand where they were taken to a refugee centre, an old warehouse. “I remember they served us coffee in condensed milk cans,” she tells me. They thought they were headed to a refugee camp, but suddenly everything changed and inexplicably they were taken on the same day to a fancy restaurant for lunch where a waiter from Mallorca offered her father a place to stay in a small hotel at the edge of town. But her father decided he should immediately go to Paris to contact people in London and get them visas for England. He went ahead. Following him, Montserrat went alone to Paris without papers and from there they both travelled to England.

Her father stayed in a pension but she lived in the home of Michael and Audrey Hunt. Michael had been in the International Brigade.

Her mother sent money from time to time. Meanwhile they made the most of their contacts with politicians and businessmen trying to enlarge the number of people they knew.

While in England, her father met the Chilean ambassador. He knew that Senyor Abelló had saved a dry dock in Cartagena, which Lloyd’s of London had declared unsalvageable and had paid for. The Ambassador knew of a dry dock in Chile that had been declared unusable and on which an insurance company had paid. Montserrat’s father was offered a contract to salvage it. In 1939, just as World War II started, they left London to go into exile in Chile where they would stay for two decades. “It was an enforced holiday of 20 years,

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a too long holiday,” she says smiling at me. They sailed on a ship, the Oropesa, that was sunk shortly afterwards. During those years in Chile, Montserrat taught, worked in an office and met a fellow refugee to whom she was married for 61 years. He arrived with other refugees on the Winnipeg, organised by Pablo Neruda.

In 1960, she and her eldest daughter returned to Barcelona for a visit. When they returned to Chile, the family decided it was time to go back to Spain. From 1960 to 1975, Montserrat taught English at CIC, a progressive Catholic school. But her 18-year-old son, a student, was arrested and had to flee to Belgium. He did not return until after Franco’s death.

“In those years we were not allowed to speak our own language.

We were not imprisoned but we were reprimanded. I don’t feel that much has changed. It seems to me that the Spanish government is always working against the language and our culture, which is older.

I read only Catalan and English—I can’t bear to read Spanish,” and she rests back on the sofa, looking out at the balcony, at the flowers and the flag.

DID YOU KNOW? Since 1996, the foreign resident community in Barcelona has changed hugely. For example, that year there were 944 Britons registered as living here; by 2011, there were 5,490. The growth of the Chinese and African populations during that period has been even more spectacular, rising from 632 to 15,783 and from 2,328 to 20,638, respectively.

8/21/13 10:54:20 AM

32 TRAVEL

Raise your glass

On the doorstep of Barcelona is a wine region crying out to be explored.

By Regina Winkle-Bryan.

Bottles at Recaredo; right: traditional farming methods in action at the same company. © Caves Recaredo

D

espite the fact that Penedès is the most visited wine region in Spain, with just over 400,000 tourists in 2012, many people skip over some of the area’s real gems. Day-trippers swoop in for a glass or two at the big name producers— Freixenet, Codorníu and Torres—before making their way back to Barcelona, missing out on the smaller vineyards and other activities. “This area is very nice but it has been ‘asleep’ for too long,” says Rosó Gabarró Llombart of the Institut del Cava. “In order for it to wake up, there’s a lot of work to do. Tourism in the area is a fairly recent concept,” she told me, adding, “Penedès isn’t anything like the US, places such as California, where wine tourism was born.”

Indeed, Penedès is no Napa, but it has all the ingredients to become so. Though foreigners seek out Penedès wines, the territory lacks fame among the Spaniards. “Wines that have become popular in Spain, outside La Rioja and Ribera del Duero, have become so due to foreign praise,” says Rosó. Should it take The Wine Advocate giving a 96-point score to Recaredo’s Turó d’en Moto (2002) for the Barcelona population to realise the treasure trove that is Penedès?

“Wine is ubiquitous in Spain, and therefore it’s often not appreciated, in much the same way you might overlook the beauty of your hometown,” says Gabriella Opaz of CataVino. “It’s not until someone comes to visit you, that you open your eyes and suddenly ‘see’ what is exciting.”

Take a closer look at Penedès and it quickly becomes clear that there is a lot to get excited about. At just 35 kilometres from Barcelona, Penedès offers Modernista mansions, slow food heaven, grapevine trails and, of course, the vi. The top spot to begin a getaway there is the village of Sant Sadurní d’Anoia, especially if you go this year on the weekend of October 4th to 6th for CavaTast, an annual wine and cava tasting festival (glass + four taste tickets costs €6). If a trip to CavaTast is impossible, or you simply want to delve deeper into Penedès wine culture, follow my footsteps through Sant Sadurní d’Anoia for a 48-hour escape.

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Saturday I drive from Barcelona to Sant Sadurní, which takes 40 minutes. Traffic is smooth and the industrial sprawl around Barcelona morphs into pine-covered knolls, which in turn give way to a vineyard-dominated landscape. Vines rake the earth in neat, tight braids, and fleshy grape clusters peek out under thick leaf petticoats.

If you don’t have a car or prefer not to drive, take the train to Sant Sadurní, an easy 45-minute ride on Renfe from Sants. From the station, it’s a 10-minute, downhill walk into the village centre.

I check into Fonda Neus, a family-run inn opened in 1929. I’m within walking distance of many of the top caves in Spain—I won’t be using my car for the rest of the weekend.

Saturday is market day in Sant Sadurní and stands are set up along the main drag, Carrer Raval. I make my way past Casa Lluís Mestres (1909), a Modernista marvel designed by Santiago Güell i Grau and then past the equally grand Ateneu Agrícola (1908) by Miquel Madurell i Rius, on my way to Restaurant Cal Blay for lunch.

My waitress comes over with a bottle of Celler Vell Extra Brut Gran Reserva (2009) and sets it on ice. “You probably don’t know of this winery,” she says. “It’s a small one, located just outside town.” She’s right—I’ve never heard of Celler Vell, nor am I familiar with many of the 150 cava labels on the restaurant’s exclusively-Penedès wine menu (260 wines total).

Cal Blay’s menu features dishes made with cava, traditional Catalan cuisine, seasonal recipes and ‘slow food’. Try the cuttlefish with chickpeas and bacon (€14), l’Escala anchovies (€6.50), and the mandarin and 100 percent xarel·lo cava sorbet (€2.50).

Despite all the Modernista bling, the most interesting venues in Sant Sadurní are underground, where glass bottles are stacked by the thousands, six feet high in ancient tunnels. My next stop is Recaredo, the only certified biodynamic vineyard in town and one of the most exclusive wineries in Penedès. Above me, cobwebs hang like lace and a thick frosting of black mould covers the ceiling; here in the cellar, it’s a constant, cool 15 degrees. Biodynamic vineyards are organic and holis-

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TRAVEL 33

tic, an approach that appeals to me. This farming method emphasises the interrelationships of the soil, plants and animals as a self-sustaining system. Wine is a representation of the soil the grapes grew in, meaning biodynamics make good sense and good vintage. Recaredo produces just six cava labels and adheres to a strictly traditional methodology. If booked ahead of time, groups of up to 15 people may tour the bodega and sample two cavas, usually a ‘Subtil’ Gran Reserva Brut Nature and their ‘Brut de Brut’ Gran Reserva Brut Nature.

My tour ends, and I’m thanking my lucky cava corks that Fonda Neus is around the corner. My wine tasting has caught up with me, and I retire for a siesta...

As night falls over Sant Sadurní, I head to my final tasting experience of the day at Caves Mestres, a cellar which has been in the business since 1312. Like Recaredo, Mestres is old-school in its approach to wine making, using all natural cork during the fermentation process and manual disgorgement without freezing the bottle’s neck (this refers to the way the fermentation ingredients are removed from cava. Usually, disgorgement is done by machine with a frozen bottle neck.) Honestly, if Mestres had been offering another ‘thisis-how-we-make-cava’ tour, I would have skipped it. Instead, Mestres’ host, Joan Llorach, has promised a ‘sensations tasting’ unlike any other. “I’m not a sommelier or an enologist, I am a storyteller,” says Llorach, and then leads our group of 13 down a stone staircase illuminated by candlelight; in the distance I hear the hum of a cello.

Alas, I can’t divulge much more about the Mestres ‘experience’, as it would spoil all the fun for someone tempted to try it. What I can say is that it is an evening filled with delightful surprises. A ‘Km.0’ dinner of potent cheeses, cured meats from Casaladería Cal Miqueló, pa amb tomàquet from Ca l’Arseni, chocolate from Simón Coll, and crunchy Coca de les Viudes from Pastisseria Rosell—along with oceans of cava—follows the tasting.

Sunday Despite the copious amounts I quaffed the previous day, I am hangover-free. This I attribute to drinking high-quality cavas, almost all of them Brut Nature, which has no extra sugar added. After a frothy coffee and croissant, I meet David Sala of Burricleta outside my fonda.

Burricletas, which are a cross between cruiser and mountain bike, are electric, meaning you don’t have to be Miguel Indurain to spend the day cycling around Penedès. David helps me set up the Albet i Noya Vineyards route on my bike’s GPS, a 25-kilometre trail that lasts four to six hours.

Although I’ve never used an electric bicycle before, I am soon speeding along dirt tractor-trails at 20 kilometres per hour past grape-heavy vines and over small creeks. Butterflies swarm, wheat stretches in yellow swaths, lizards leap away from my wheels, and the Montserrat mountain range observes it all. Between orchards and grapevine, I roll through the villages of La Granada, San Sebastià del Gorgs and Sant Pau d’Ordal, which is famous for its peaches. My route is circular, with a stop at the vineyard midway.

As I flip my kickstand out at Albet i Noya, one of Penedès’s 184 cava-producing wineries, a lumbering black lab comes over to greet me along with Marta Carbonell, who gives me a tour of the bodega and a sampling of three wines. Trailblazers, Albet i Noya was the first winemaker in Spain to go organic back in 1979, a trend that is catching on in Penedès, which now has 18 organic vineyards. Carbonell pours a fizzy glass of Brut Albet i Noya 21 and tells me that 83 percent of their production is sold abroad, making me think that while organic is ‘in’, it’s still got a long way to go locally. You can visit Albet i Noya without a Burricleta tour or reservation, though it’s always best to call ahead.

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The vineyard offers a grape harvest experience (€13) as well as a gastronomic experience featuring a tasting, tour and lunch at Cal Sadoni, a favourite eatery in the region.

Pedalling back to Sant Sadurní, I’m the only bike on the road. It crosses my mind that Penedès may be better off overlooked. If word gets out, it will be only a matter of time before Barcelona’s backyard is buzzing with tourism.

CAVA BARS BARCELONA Can’t make it to Penedès? Try these wine bars with excellent cavas and Penedès wines on their menus in Barcelona: Vila Viniteca Agullers 7, tel. 902 327 777, www.vilaviniteca.es Open Monday to Saturday, 8.30am-8.30pm (special hours in summer) La Vinya del Senyor Plaça Santa María 5, tel. 93 310 3379, www.lavinyadelsenyor.com Open every day from noon to 1am Monvínic Diputación 249, tel. 93 272 6187, www.monvinic.com Open Monday to Friday (closed on weekends) Bar: 1pm-11.30pm. Kitchen: 1.30-3.30pm and 8 to 10.30pm MORE INFO CavaTast: www.turismesantsadurni.com Fonda Neus: Marc Mir 14-16, tel. 93 891 0365. €80 for double room. www.fondaneus.com Celler Vell: www.cellervell.com Cal Blay: Josep Rovira 27, www.cateringcalblay.com. Daily specials €18/€20/€31 Recaredo: tour costs €15 per person. www.recaredo.es Caves Mestres: tasting ‘experience’ is €25 per person. www.mestres.es Burricleta: Wine route €39 per person, half-day rental €25. www.burricleta.com Cal Sadoni: www.calsaldoni.com Albet i Noya: www.albetinoya.cat

DID YOU KNOW? Since 2011, Metropolitan has published a pocket-sized quarterly tourist guide. It’s distributed to the four- and five-star city hotels so you know where to head if you want to pick up a copy for visiting friends and family.

8/21/13 10:55:09 AM

34 RESTAURANT REVIEW

WHAT THEY SAID

“I like eating more than I do cooking. I believe that you can only cook with love if you like eating a lot. You have to feel what it’s like to be sitting at a great meal before you can deliver one yourself.” Chef Ferran Adrià (Issue 91, August 2004)

L’EGGS Nature’s perfect food gets a fine dining treatment.

By Sam Zucker. Photos by Michaela Xydi

✪NOT WORTH THE TRIP

S

✪✪COULD IMPROVE

✪✪✪GOOD

o what does a four-Michelin-star chef such as Paco Pérez do after having put his name on a handful of highly successful ‘New-Catalan’ restaurants both at home and abroad? He opens a chic restaurant passionately devoted to the humble egg.

An ingredient that chefs swoon over for its velvety yolk and naturallyingenious versatility, eggs are often used as a final coup de grâce to push a dish over the edge from intelligently designed to indulgently enlightened. As one who has been accused of ‘putting an egg on everything’, all I can say is, “Why not?”

Though the egg often rests atop a dish’s main attraction as a delicate final stroke, at L’Eggs Pérez gives tender whites and oozing yolks the star treatment. Even if it wasn’t for the wholly obvious name and the neon egg in the window, entering the dining room of L’Eggs is like walking into the brainchild of a farmer whose sophisticated taste in restaurant design and surplus of hay and chicken wire brought him a fateful and determined moment of divine inspiration. Walls of chain-link fencing and straw lit by bare incubator bulbs frame the comfortable dining room, flanked by plush banquets upholstered in rustic farmhouse carpeting, accented by a pot-pourri of antique farm accoutrement and sparkling rows of perfectly polished glassware—I smiled upon realising that the highly-trained staff wear leather tool belts in place of the expected bistro apron; a delightful touch. Having been open for only three weeks, L’Eggs has achieved the near impossible—creating a new restaurant space that appears to have always been and seems as if it always will be.

Dinner began with a rich-textured amuse bouche of melon gazpacho

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✪✪✪✪VERY GOOD

✪✪✪✪✪NOT TO BE MISSED

in a slender shooter, milky white and earthy with onion and white pepper playing prominent roles. It is often common practice to treat solo diners as ‘VIPs’ in the world of fine dining, yet I deeply appreciated this bit of grace; sipping the complementary apertivo, I contemplated that professional service in Barcelona may be on the up.

Though the service was excellent—attentive yet relaxed—the kitchen seemed to still be trying to find their rhythm. However, the noticeable delay between courses was mitigated by the feather-light and perfectly-crisp pan de cristal and tomato, with its stark dressing of delicate olive oil and salt. Also, the wine was great. I instantly sank deeper into my cushioned seat as I tasted the big warmth and roundness of the recommended red: Prima 2012 Toro DO. L’Eggs believes that wine from larger bottles has a superior taste and character, therefore they have a list of some 11 magnums, six of which can be poured in varying-sized carafes starting at 250ml, allowing customers to taste great wine without buying an entire double bottle.

Toro is a region of Spain known for big, strong, full-bodied wines, but the luxuriously rich, slow-cooked egg swaddled in ribbons of potato with Canarian salmorejo, tiny diced carrots and rabbit shoulder blade, as well as the one served en cocotte with a show-stopping sauce perigueux of veal stock, truffles, foie gras, bacon and green onion, were more than capable of standing their ground valiantly against the powerful red. By and large, the flavours of my first two dishes rang out loud and clear with seasoning and balance that met the mark, though both dishes arrived at the table listlessly luke-warm. ‘Hot Food, Hot Plate!’ is a mantra drilled into the professional chef—an easy first step

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RESTAURANT REVIEW 35

in assuring the ultimate enjoyment and accurate perceptions of what is most certainly the fruit of more hours of work and dedication than the average diner could ever imagine.

Apologies were profuse and I moved on to the final course.

An egg yolk-rich steak tartare with paper-thin disks of toasted bread and a fragrant truffle alioli rounded off the end of my meal. A simple, tasty, elegant plate of food that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Do I have any regrets? Yes—I didn’t order the egg-yolk croquettes (a six-piece order seemed a bit excessive for a solo diner). My advice? Bring friends.

Did you know? The Barcelonabased British author and journalist Matthew Tree, who publishes work in both Catalan and English, wrote restaurant reviews for Metropolitan in its early days.

Passeig de Gràcia 116 (Jardinets de Gràcia). Tel. 93 330 0303. Dinner €30-€40/person. Kitchen open every day from 1pm-midnight. Bar open until 2am. Large rooms for private dining available. ✪✪✪ Tara Stevens is away

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8/21/13 10:56:45 AM

36 QUICK BITES

A handful of flavour

La Taqueria La Taguara Areperia La Taguara Arepería: The Venezuelan-style arepas of La Taguara are thick, baked corn cakes that are re-warmed to order, sliced open and spread lovingly with soft butter before being stuffed with a wide array of traditional Venezuelan ingredients. “This isn’t fusion,” says co-owner Juan Ignacio who, though Basque by birth, has spent the majority of his life in Venezuela. “This is Venezuela brought to Spain. Pure and simple.” Of the dozen or so arepas to choose from, the ‘Pabellón’ is the most classic and reportedly the most popular—a pillow-soft yet crunchy-shelled, buttery corn cake, packed generously with black beans, ripe plantain slices, braised beef and the shredded, Venezuelan cheese queso amarillo. Add a dash of the house hot sauce (more flavour than fire here) and avocado or corn purée, then wash it all down with one of their eight fresh juices (or a cold beer). The passionfruit juice (parchita in Venezuela, maracuya in Spain) was tangy and delicious. Located on a busy corner in the Born neighbourhood, the past three years have been good to La Taguara—they are opening a second location close to Plaça George Orwell in the coming weeks.

Rec 10 (Born), tel. 93 268 1572. Carrer del n’Arai 3 (Gòtic).

Open every day for lunch and dinner. www.lataguara.es La Taqueria: Nestled down a quiet street below Gaudí’s Sagrada Família, La Taqueria is the vibrant project of three friends (two from Mexico, one from Catalunya) that has already enjoyed two years of increasing popularity. With all the buzz it should be good, and a visit there confirms it is just that. A year ago, La Taqueria expanded across the narrow street, opening Doña Cuca—a food import business where lovers of Mexican condiments, beer, hard-to-find vegetables (like chayote squash), 100 percent agave tequila and boutique mezcal can shop to their heart’s content. If you want a snack while perusing the colourful goods, try the cueritos (if you dare)—tasty, pickled pig skin with a dash of hot sauce that were a traditional afternoon snack during the owner’s childhood, which I enjoyed with gusto.

Back across the street in the low-ceilinged dining room of La Taqueria, the chefs shave tender, pineapple-marinated roast pork from a vertical skewer; an image that may invoke thoughts of the döner kebabs of the Raval more than traditional Mexican cuisines. However, these tacos al pastor (pineapple pork tacos) are an indispensable classic done right.

Though al pastor tacos are the star dish on this funky local’s menu, the

36. Quick bites PDF.indd 42

Kuk

Photo courtesy of Kuk

Latin-American eateries that deliver the goods. By Sam Zucker. Photos by Michaela Xydi.

beef tongue tacos are really what blew me away. My personal favourite (and the chef’s too, apparently), the beef tongue is cooked low and slow until it practically melts, diced into tiny cubes, and spiked with minced onions and plenty of cilantro. Topped with one of their three house-made salsas (mild green tomatillo, spicy tomato and ground chili, or hell-fire-hot, devil-red habanero) and accompanied by a glass of the traditional, fermented pineapple beverage tepache, these tacos are the real deal—the stuff that dreams are made of.

Passatge Font 5, tel. 93 126 1359. Open for lunch and dinner. Closed Mondays. www.lataqueria.eu Kuk: Argentine Flor Morazzani has created a little world of delicious take-away foods in her tiny shop in the Eixample Dreta. It all began one night five years ago—almost by accident—as the home-made empanadas she baked for Bar Absenta’s tango night were an unexpected hit. After years of work and many, many bicycle deliveries around Barcelona, Kuk is still growing.

Flor says that her “small but powerful” crew runs the kitchen passionately, working to meet the every-increasing demand for the carefullycrafted empanadas, rich quiches and filling pizzas that have made Kuk Comidas more popular than she could have ever hoped for. It has been a challenge to adapt their small work space to match the huge demand for their products (that now include cannelloni, lasagna and mil hojas that are sold cold to be baked at home) without losing the feeling of walking into a grandmother’s kitchen that makes the petite storefront so charming.

‘Bigger and more beautiful’ than the rest, the empanadas of Kuk should not be missed: beef, olive and egg; spicy tomato, mozzarella and basil; courgette, leek and brie, and more—all wrapped in flaky pastry, baked to a golden brown, and fitting ever so perfectly in the palm of your hand.

Roger de Flor 167, tel. 93 458 5722. Open for lunch and dinner.

Closed Mondays. www.kukcomidas.com

WHAT THEY SAID “If everyone was

the same here, it would be awful.

Foreign residents bring us a different style of doing things, from the food they eat to the way they arrange and decorate their homes.” Pasqual Maragall, mayor of Barcelona from 1982 to 1997 (Issue 12, July-August 1997)

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FOOD & DRINK 37

FOOD&DRINK

For more in food&drink visit our online directory www.barcelona-metropolitan.com/eating-and-drinking Discount for Metropolitan reaDers.

NEFW &D IN

bar No SWEAT4GrÀCIa

€ under 20 | €€ 20-30 | €€€ 30-40 | €€€€ over 40 RV Reservation Advised

tuesDaY specials

Open every day from midday, No Sweat is located in the heart of Gràcia, and offers delicious Italian and local light food. In the evening it’s a relaxed and friendly bar that does a great range of cocktails. They also have a pool table, table football and organise regular thematic evenings.

SUGAr bAr4BarrI GÒTIC Located in the back streets of Plaça Reial this small bar is renowned for its huge personality and fun vibe. The friendly bar staff dish out great mojitos that don’t cost a mint. Good tune selections, Happy Hour until 11pm and great mingling opportunities make Sugar a sweet spot.

Carrer de Vic 19 | Tel. 93 415 29 56 www.barnosweat.com | Open every day from 6pm-2.30am/3am

Rauric 21 | Metro Liceu I Opens at 8pm

burger SUb roSA bAr4BarrI GÒTIC

LILIbUrGEr4EIXamPLE D

This cute little bar is a bundle of fun and has an energetic buzz from the mixed crowd of locals and tourists enjoying their fantastic cocktails and shots. Their fresh fruit cocktails are very potent, making this a great pre-club place to hang out with friends and warm up for a big night out on the town. A visit to the bathrooms is a must!

You can choose from four types of burger: classic, cheeseburger, barbecue as well as bacon cheese, for 8 to 9.50. Sides include fries, bbq chicken wings, chicken nuggets and salads. Free delivery.

Rosselló 290, 08037 I Tel. 93 458 0710 I www.liliburger.com Every day 1pm-3.30pm and 7.30pm-11.30pm

Rauric 23 | Metro Liceu I Opens at 8pm

NEVErMIND4BarrI GÒTIC

PIM PAM bUrGEr4BOrn

Nevermind is a cult place for those looking for a more alternative scene in touristy Barcelona. Mixing large amounts of grunge music, graffiti and urban sports, they serve up amazing cocktails, special house shots, cheap beer, Happy Hour till 10pm, free freshly-made popcorn, authentic decoration, skate videos and much more.

Here quality is of the utmost importance, making it the best burger and frankfurter take-away in town. Special hamburgers, chicken burgers, bratwurst, frankfurters, home-made chips and stroganoff are also available and are all prepared on the premises.

Escudellers Blancs 3, 08002 | www.nevermindbcn.com | Open every day from 7pm

bAr PIADINA4BOrn Piadina is an authentic Italian speciality, 100 percent hand-made with natural ingredients and no preservatives or fat. Their fillings are fresh and tasty—rocket, vegetables and also with ham, salami and other high-quality meats. Don’t forget to taste the exquisite homemade desserts like tiramisú, cheesecake and crème caramel!

Sabateret 4, Born I Metro Jaume I Tel. 93 315 2093 I burger@pimpamplats.com Calle Bigai 1, Bonanova, 08022 I Tel. 93 211 5606 www.pimpamburger.com I Every day 1pm-12am

Princesa 9 | M. 680 965 009

bagel cocKtails €5

bAr 684raVaL Located in the heart of Raval, Bar 68 has established itself as a classic cocktail joint over the last 12 years. As one of the pioneering hotspots in the area, Bar 68 combines a great atmosphere, cool urban funk and soul sounds, and tasty cocktails, to make this an ideal location for a great night out. Open every day from 8pm until 3am.

Sant Pau 68 I Metro Liceu I Tel. 93 441 3115

boLLoCkS bAr4BarrI GÒTIC

bE MY bAGEL 4GrÀCIa Do you dream of great bagels? Then Be My Bagel is the right place for you. They sell authentic bagels from Barcelona, just how you like them.

They have an extensive range of bagels and cakes, from the more classic choices such as poppy and multigrain to delicious and innovative chocolate, almond and coconut bagels—you won’t come away disappointed.

The quintessential rock bar in downtown Barcelona. Covered in posters and graffiti from top to bottom, the bar has the air of an abandoned subway station where daily riffs and whiskey bring together all those who carry rock & roll in their blood.

Ample 46 | Metro Jaume I | Every day 7pm-3am M. 663 710 095 | www.bollocksbcn.com

Food & drink Sept 2013.indd 45

Planeta 37 (Pl. del Sol) I Metro Fontana and Gràcia I Tel. 93 518 7151 I bemybagel@gmail.com Open Mon-Fri 9.30am-2pm and 5pm-8.30pm, Sat 10am-2.30pm, 6pm-10pm, Sun 10.30am-2pm

8/21/13 12:19:38 PM

38 FOOD & DRINK Japanese

Café SPICE CAFÉ4POBLE SEC

doble zeroo4born/ maresme

Spice Café is an independently owned coffee shop in the heart of Poble Sec. Spice Café makes quality home-made baked goods on a daily basis, and they offer their personal blend of coffee which is Rainforest Alliance certified. Come and try their star product—their rich, delicious carrot cake which is considered one of the best in Barcelona! Free Wi-Fi and great, friendly service. Always.

This contemporary and cosmopolitan Japanese restaurant uses all the secrets and art of exotic cuisines to create an exquisitely refined dining experience.

Their tapas are a creative and harmonious fusion of flavours and textures and their innovative and transformational approach to sushi will prove almost impossible to resist. €

Margarit 13 I Tel. 936 24 33 59 I www.spicecafe.es Wed-Sun 11am-9pm, Tues and holidays 5pm-9pm, Closed Mon

Doble ZerOO Born, Jaume Giralt 53 Tel. 93 315 1744 Tomoe by Doble ZerOO, Sant Delfí 11 Tel. 93 211 9869 (Take away) Doble ZerOO Maresme, Buenos Aires 22, El Masnou Tel. 93 555 8599 (Take away)

Juice bar carrot cafe4 poblenou

SANO4SANTS Sano juice offers a healthy alternative choice with smoothies and juices, homemade bagels, paninis, wraps, tasty lunch menu for 10.45 and now brunch. Their food and smoothies are made to order with fresh ingredients, no extra sugar, offering the best quality. Sano Cuina (Sants) specialises in brunch and Sano Buenos Aires in take-away salads, wraps and drinks. Eat better. Feel better.

The ultimate sandwich place in one of the fastest-growing districts of Barcelona@22. They offer a great selection of sandwiches served on more than 11 types of artisan bread. In addition to their premium hamburgers, beef, turkey and lamb halal, you will find an extensive menu in an inviting location. Without a doubt, Carrot Cafe is the place of excellence for sandwiches in Barcelona.€

NEFW &D

NEFW &D

IN

IN

Tànger 22, Poble-nou I Metro Bogatell Tel. 93 309 3375 I Mon-Fri 9am-11pm, Sat 8am-midnight www.carrotcafe.es

Creu Coberta 50 | Metro Plaça Españya | Tel. 93 327 8272 Buenos Aires 44 | Cerca de la Plaça Francesc Macià Tel. 93 217 8115

Mediterranean keik 4SARRIÀ / SANT GERVASI

patxoca 4BORN

International fusion dishes, plus a big variety of salads. Everything is made fresh and with top quality ingredients.

Save space for their wonderful cakes and desserts - eat in or take away. On Saturdays and Sundays they offer brunch from 10am til 12.45pm, including eggs benedict, French toast and granola. Open every day of the year.

This fantastic restaurant has tapas and traditional dishes that use local and seasonal produce, including vegetarian options, all prepared in a home-cooked style. Enjoy a daily menu from Monday till Saturday, and brunch on Sunday! Patxoca also has a beautiful terrace on a pedestrianised street, with a children’s play area just next door. They don’t use MSG. Every Saturday night, come and enjoy dinner followed by a DJ—and get a free shot!

Doctor Fleming 21 | Tel. 93 414 55 36 | www.keik.es

Mercaders 28 | Tel. 93 319 2029 Close to Santa Caterina market Mon-Sat 10am-2am, Sun 10am-3pm, 8pm-midnight

Delivery VITALI PIZZA4 Barcelona Gourmet pizza delivery from 3 locations offering 50+ thin-crust, homemade pizzas.

With specials like three large cheese pizzas for 15 and the option to pay by credit card, it makes for an affordable meal at home without all the fuss. Special offer: 2X1 on every Monday home delivery!

Paris 109 I Metro Hospital Clínic Tel. 93 444 4737 Rosselló 270 I Tel. 93 458 0710 Taxdirt 13 I Metro Joanic/Gràcia Tel. 93 285 41 95 www.vitalipizza.com

Food & drink Sept 2013.indd 46

MAGNOLIA 4 BARRI GÒTIC In the heart of the Gothic quarter, Magnolia offers exquisite signature cuisine from chef Gianni Fusco at affordable prices. With its warm and loungy interior, it is the place of choice at any time of the day. During the week, breakfast and lunch menus attract big crowds thanks to their great quality and reasonable prices. In the afternoon, clients can choose from a variety of tapas or enjoy mojitos for just 3.50.

Breakfast from 2.70, Lunch from 9.

Dinner menu 17.95 (Sun-Thurs) 25 (Fri-Sat) Ciutat 5 | Metro Jaume I | 93 304 2376 | 691 504 942 noche@magnoliabarcelona.com | www.magnoliabarcelona.com | www.facebook.com/magnolia.rna Mon-Thurs 9am-1am, Fri 9am-3am, Sat 1pm-3am, Sun 1pm-1am

8/21/13 12:19:42 PM

FOOD & DRINK 39 Mexican

Pizza MEXCLA4GRÀCIA

€1 BEER BEFORE 9PM

Located in the heart of Gràcia just a few steps from Plaza Revolución, this restaurant offers a wide ranging combination of Mexican flavours, working with traditional tastes, both in the presentation of the dishes and their quality. Come and enjoy the daytime menu as well as an international bar serving gin tonics, margaritas and other contemporary cocktails.

Ramon y Cajal 35 | Tel. 93 007 3938

Organic amaltea4EIXAMPLE E

Visit Amaltea vegetarian restaurant, where a warm and welcoming environment allows you to fully enjoy a tasty and healthier alternative to your everyday meal. Dishes include cereals, pulses and vegetables with home-made puddings. The cuisine is creatively international with care taken to ensure that each meal is well-balanced and made with the freshest ingredients. Menu of the day 10.70, night and weekend menu 15.30.

Diputació 164 | Metro Urgell | Tel. 93 454 8613 | www.amalteaygovinda.com Mon-Sat 1pm-4pm, 8pm-11pm, Closed Sun

Govinda (VEGETARIAN) 4BARRI GÒTIC

Founded 25 years ago, Govinda continues to thrive on a blend of experience and fresh innovation in vegetarian Indian cuisine.

The international menu features talis, a salad bar, natural juices, lassis, pizzas and crêpes. Govinda offers a vegan-friendly, nonalcoholic and authentically-decorated environment with lunch and weekend menus.

Plaça Vila de Madrid 4-5 | Metro Catalunya | Tel. 93 318 7729 www.amalteaygovinda.com | Tue-Sat 1pm-4pm, 8pm-11am, Sun-Mon 1pm-4pm

MESSIÉ PIZZA4GRÀCIA Messié Pizza is the new place in Gràcia that strives to be cheap and cheerful. It’s the perfect venue to have a few drinks after going to the cinema or theatre, or simply for meeting up with friends. In this charming Gràcia spot you will have the pleasure of sampling a great pizza with a homemade thin and crunchy base, topped with fresh ingredients from the local market. Messié Pizza offers all of this at a good price and in a unique atmosphere decorated with style and great music. Home delivery is also available.

+ORGANIC 4RAVAL Restaurant +Organic has a wide range of vegetarian food for all seasons and offers the best food and the best quality using natural ingredients. They work hard to satisfy all the requirements of their clients, which is why they are recommended in many international travel books about Barcelona, and by well-known travel writers. Restaurant +Organic has space for more than 200 people for any kind of celebration. They can organise weddings, birthdays, meetings, concerts, etc. Follow them on Facebook at restaurant organic or on their website: www.masorganic.com.

Torrent de L’Olla 65 I Tel. 93 218 9345 I Metro Fontana / Diagonal Mon-Fri 6pm-11.30pm, Sat-Sun 6pm-Midnight I Tel. 93 218 9345 I www.messiepizza.es

Vietnamese Main dish take away €5.95

La Vietnamita is a Vietnamese street food-inspired restaurant in the heart of Gràcia. This month, they open a second restaurant in Born next to the Chocolate Museum and old market. They serve light and nutritious dishes such as traditional Pho soup, savoury rice noodles like Bun Bo, and a variation of fresh Vietnamese rolls and appetisers. All of their dishes have a vegetarian version and they aim to work with local or organic products and fresh ingredients while maintaining reasonable prices. Main dish take away 5.95.

Junta de Comerç 11 | Tel. 93 301 0902 masorganic@yahoo.com | www.masorganic.com

Peruvian mochica4eixample e This magnificent Peruvian restaurant specialising in fish and seafood is located in the heart of Barcelona, just a few streets away from Plaza España. The menu offers a delicious variety of plates for any time of the day, each prepared with authentic Peruvian ingredients, bringing the true taste of Peru across the Atlantic. Their famous Pisco Sour cocktails won’t keep you away either! €

Gran Vía de les Corts Catalanes 487 I Metro Rocafort exit Calabria I Bus lines 9, 50, 56 Tel. 93 325 7110 I rexamochicasl@gmail.com www.restaurantemochicabcn.es I Mon-Sun 12pm-12am

To advertise here IN F&D call 93 451 4486 or email ads@barcelona-metropolitan.com

Food & drink Sept 2013.indd 47

la vietnamita 4 GRÀCIA/BORN

Torrent de l’Olla 78 | Tel. 93 518 1803 Comercio 17 | www.lavietnamita.com

Thai Thai gracia4GRÀCIA Expect authentic ingredients all imported from Thailand and cooked by experienced Thai chefs. The Pad Thai and green and yellow curries have excellent subtle flavours. Simply delicious! The special tasting menu for 21 is a huge hit and allows you to try all the exotic dishes Thai Gracia has to offer.

An affordable 12 menú del día is available during the week. The warm hospitality and attention to detail to every dish at Thai Gracia will keep you coming back for more.

Còrsega 381 | Metro Verdaguer / Girona Tel. 93 459 3591 | www.restaurante-thai-gracia.com Every day 1pm-4pm, 8pm-12am | RV

8/21/13 12:19:46 PM

40 BUSINESS DIRECTORY

BEAUTY

BUSINESS

DISCOUNT FOR METROPOLITAN READERS.

To advertise in this section call: 93 451 4486 or email: ads@barcelona-metropolitan.com See also our online directory at www.barcelona-metropolitan.com

Scissors of London BRITISH HAIRDRESSER

HAIR CUT €15 + HOT SHAVE €25

BCN Cuts - BARBER SHOP Directly from Boston to Gràcia comes BCN Cuts Barber Shop to offer you time to relax surrounded in a welcoming environment. with a drink in hand and jazz music playing in the background, you can have a hair cut or try their hot lather shave the classic way. BCN Cuts is a traditional barber shop with a contemporary atmosphere. You will keep coming back for the excellent service.

Tim aspires to listen to your needs and suggests how they might be met in distinctive and exciting ways.

Style is unique and Tim will craft you a look achieving a harmony of shape and style. Tim has been hairdressing for over 12 years, and has trained, taught and worked in London’s top salons including Toni & Guy and vidal Sassoon. Tim works to fit in with the modern pace of life and offers a one to one service around your needs.

Gran de Gràcia 223 T. 93 611 1813 bcncuts@gmail.com Open Mon-Sat 10am-8pm

M. 633 382 787 timbulmer@btinternet.com www.scissorsofldn.com

€100/hr COUPLES

Ambrosia - URBAN SPA Treat yourself to a moment of luxury for your body, mind and spirit. At Ambrosia Spa, nature and science blend harmoniously to assure the finest skin care, massage and spa treatments.

They use the best oils and lotions, and the finest ingredients to exfoliate and soften the skin, including a new ‘cava-therapy’ treatment. You can also try their Depiflax wax to ensure gentle and effective hair removal.

Their authentic Japanese treatments are done by expert Yoshitaka Nagata.

Passatge Domingo 9, 08007 T. 93 186 3342 / 628 317 320 info@ambrosiaspabcn.com www.ambrosiaspabcn.com

10% OFF

Anthony Llobet English Hair Salon - HAIRDRESSER Don’t let your Spanish come between you and your hair. Anglo-Catalan Anthony Llobet has over 20 years of experience in hairstyling and a passion for excellent client service. Anthony leads a dedicated team of stylists who specialise in a variety of services, including Afro hair, extensions, straightening and make-up (and speak over 11 languages between them).

The original retro interior and friendly staff create a very special atmosphere where you can relax and enjoy a stylish cut. Put your trust in Anthony and the team, who are strongly committed to providing you with outstanding service at affordable prices.

Barceloneta, Almirall Churruca 8 T. 93 221 1612 / M. 619 224 695 Gràcia, Ros de Olano 19 T. 93 218 0449 / M. 692 371 307 Raval, Sant Pau 122 T. 93 441 3177 / M. 692 371 308 El Born, Carders 34 T.93 295 4871 / M. 692 371 404 Gòtic, Avinyó 34 T. 93 301 4513 / M. 692 371 405 www.anthonyllobet.com

MP 40-46 Sept 2013.indd 44

The Vital Touch - MASSAGE The vital Touch Massage clinic helps you relax, energise, re-balance and improve your health and lifestyle with a therapeutic, holistic full-body massage.

- Enjoy a revitalising massage with homemade oils, while relaxing to soothing music. Makes you feel fantastic!

- Helps relieve tension, reduce stress, detoxify your body and boost your self-esteem.

-Central Barcelona location. English, Swedish and Spanish spoken.

M. 659 995 657 nunu@thevitaltouch.es www.tvtbarcelona.com

8/21/13 1:54:56 PM

DENTISTS · DOCTORS

Beauty Nail Concept -

Sanz Pancko Dental Clinic -

A new concept in beauty treatments is now available in Barcelona. Facial and body treatments, massages, gel nails, porcelain nails, Shellac and O.P.I. manicures and pedicures, plus their classic Spa manicures and pedicures. Beauty Nail Concept offer the ultimate experience, combining highly-qualified technicians with exquisite care for their clients’ comfort and wellbeing.

Sanz Pancko Dental Clinic in Barcelona provides excellent oral care in an English speaking environment. Dr. Nancy Pancko, an American dentist trained at Columbia University in New York, is a board-certified orthodontist.

Dr. Javier Sanz is an American boardcertified periodontist and implantologist who lectures on periodontal technological advancements and leads research projects at the university.

Together, they provide comprehensive and affordable dental care.

C/Aribau 126 08036 Barcelona T. 93 174 3988 www.beautynailconcept.com

Rogent 40, local 2, 08026 T. 93 246 9043 www.clinicadentalsyp.com Open Mon-Sat 9am-9pm

Dr. Alistair Gallagher -

Pascual La Rocca - DENTIST

MANICURE AND PEDICURE

DENTIST

DENTIST

with 15 years of experience and academic excellence, Dr. Mónica and Dr. Andres Pascual La Rocca open the doors of this new dental centre which features the latest in dental technology and equipment, and a warm, friendly atmosphere. In an international environment, they strive to make their patients feel comfortable and cared for.

English, Italian, Spanish, Catalan and Portuguese are spoken.

The British Dental Clinic has a patientfriendly philosophy that combines aesthetics, youthful appearances, and a commitment to total oral health.

Conveniently located in Barcelona, they offer orthodontics including Fast Braces and Inman Aligner, implants, cosmetic dentistry, whitening and general family dentistry. Their talented, conscientious and friendly staff will help ensure that you comfortably receive the healthy and beautiful smile that you deserve.

Diagonal 281 Metro: Sagrada Família (L5) Monumental (L2) T. 93 265 8070 M. 607 332 335 info@thebritishdentalclinic.com www.thebritishdentalclinic.com

Vilamur 15, 08014 T. 93 119 1931 plr.odontologos@gmail.com www.plrodontologos.com

Tingsvall & McCarthy -

Dra. Susana Campi - DENTIST

Swedish-trained dentist Dr. Stefan Tingsvall is on hand to provide a patient and caring way of treating people.

Their philosophy is to preserve the natural teeth. They exclusively use organic and bio products for preventive treatments, and personalised treatment using essential oils and natural herbal rinses. Qualified USA-trained dental hygienist Elena McCarthy educates and motivates on how to take care of your mouth daily. They also offer the number one whitening treatment in the world “Brite Smile”.

For all your dental needs, a team consisting of their first-class professionals can offer you excellent treatment. They have more than 30 years of experience and are pleased to offer you their services in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish and Catalan.

DENTIST & DENTAL HYGIENIST

Rosselló 95, local, 08029 Metro: Hospital Clínic (L5) Entença (L5) T. 93 322 9114 Fax. 93 322 0220 susanacampi1980@gmail.com www.clinicadentalcampi.com

Castellnou 47 T. 93 205 19 03 / M. 636 312 522696 664 430 Tingsvall.mccarthy@gamil.com www.tingsvall-mccarthy.com

Dr. Boj - DENTIST

Mary D. McCarthy - DOCTOR

Dr. Boj and his team provide specialised comprehensive pediatric dental and orthodontic treatment for children and teens. Dr. Boj also lectures about all treatments related to these age groups, including laser dentistry.

Feel confident with Dr. Mary McCarthy, an American-trained doctor for adults.

A native English speaker with over 20 years’ experience in Barcelona, Dr. McCarthy offers professional, private health care. She is a member of the American College of Physicians and is also certified as a Specialist by the American Board of Internal Medicine.

Prats de Mollo 10, bajos B 08021 T. 93 209 3994 www.drboj.org

MP 40-46 Sept 2013.indd 45

BUSINESS DIRECTORY 41

Doctor for Adults

Mary D. McCarthy, M.D. Fellow American College of Physicians

Aribau 215 Pral. 1a T. 93 200 2924 M. 607 220 040 Metro Diagonal or FGC Gràcia

8/21/13 1:55:00 PM

42 BUSINESS DIRECTORY

DOCTOR · SPEECH THERAPY · PSYCHOTHERAPY · HEALTH

Dr. Steven Joseph - DOCTOR

ILO - Speech Therapy

Established in 2005, Googol Medical Centre offers its patients comprehensive healthcare in a friendly, discreet and relaxed environment. UK doctor Steven Joseph provides a wide range of medical care for the English-speaking community in Barcelona with access to all medical specialties and tests.

His practice includes mental health.

Their therapist Claire-Lise Goasguen graduated with 1st class honours from the Faculté de Médecine, in Paris.

She works with patients of all ages, providing diagnostics, specialised treatments and personalised guidance to help with the following disorders: Dyslexia; Pronunciation or phonologic disorders; Dispraxia; Handwriting disorders; Logic and mathematics; Swallowing dysfunction; Attention and memory impairments; Afasia; Disexecutive syndrome; Demencias; Autism; Heminegligence and neurovisual disorders; Dysphonia.

Gran Via Carles III nº-37-39 Metro: Les Corts (L3) T. 93 330 2412 M. 662 291 191 stevedoc1965@gmail.com www.googolmedicalcentre.com Open Mon-Sat

www.ilo-barcelona.com

T. 93 310 4949 M. 651 441 257 Gran Via 646, 5°2a Clinica Sarria, Manila 39

Eugenia Espinosa -

Dan Sanchez is a UK qualified, native English speaking member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. He has extensive experience working with a wide range of issues both in the UK and Spain.

If you are experiencing difficulties in your life, counselling and psychotherapy may be able to help you. Practices located in Sitges and Barcelona.

Eugenia is a dedicated professional who specialises in psychological issues related to immigration. She offers effective treatment for mood and anxiety disorders as well as couples and family therapy. The first consultation with Eugenia is free.

M. 679 071 669 www.sitgescounselling.com

Hestia - PSYCHOTHERAPY The Hestia International Centre of Psychotherapy has become a reference in the city. The professional team works with individuals, couples and families through psychotherapy, coaching, counselling, clinical hypnosis, art therapy, NLP and EMDR. They speak English, Spanish, French, Italian, Dutch, German, Portuguese, Greek, Polish, Swedish, and Catalan. The first consultation is free.

Passeig Sant Joan 180 Pral 2a Metro: Joanic (L4) T. 93 459 2802 info@hestia.es www.hestia.es

PSYCHOTHERAPY

M. 677 090 479 genaespinosa@yahoo.com

Nick Cross - PSYCHOLOGIST / PSYCHOTHERAPIST

Nick Cross is a registered psychologist, specialising in psychotherapy. Psychotherapy can help you with the causes of distress and unhappiness and it provides treatment for anxiety, fears, relationship difficulties, depression, problems adjusting, loss and trauma.

M. 644 193 825 ncross@copc.es

NEST - Network of English Speaking Therapists

Krishinda Powers Duff

The Barcelona Network of English Speaking Therapists (NEST) is a multidisciplinary group of qualified and practising psychologists, psychiatrists and psychotherapists who live and work in and around Barcelona. NEST members work in the English language and have their roots in training bodies and professional associations based elsewhere. A number of NEST members also work in Catalan, Spanish, Bulgarian, Dutch, German, Italian and Greek.

For detailed information, please visit their website.

Krishinda is a fully-qualified and trained British midwife offering home birth and home dilatation services.

She also provides antenatal and postnatal care and support to mothers and babies for six weeks after birth.

She is supported in her practice by a team of Spanish but British-trained midwives and alternative health care professionals as well as a breast feeding consultant/Doula.

Midwife means ‘to be with woman’.

www.barcelonaNEST.com

MP 40-46 Sept 2013.indd 44

10 years of experience in Speech Therapy

Dan Sanchez - Counselling and Psychotherapy

FREE CONSULTATION

Ilo-Barcelona

Bsc Hons - Midwife

Marenostrum Centre de Salut familiar

Fontanella 16 Principal, 08010 M. 665 143 437 krishinda@gmail.com

8/21/13 1:55:02 PM

HEALTH · TRANSPORT · SCHOOLS

Jonathan Lane Hooker -

€15 OFF

Holistic Medicine

Jonathan Hooker can help if you’re looking for support, guidance or help with any aspect of your life.

An English-speaking psychotherapist, counsellor, coach and guide, he is dedicated to helping people make sense of their lives. Jonathan provides one-to-one sessions or workshops for groups of four to 12 people.

Metropolitan readers are invited to a free 20-minute introductory meeting.

The Centre Mèdic Matterhorn is an holistic medical centre, where the reliable and professional team will help you to solve your health problems and promote an integral psychophysical health program. Their specialists in holistic medicine, general practice, sports medicine, osteopathy, physiotherapy and massage will be pleased to take care of your needs. English, German, Spanish and Catalan spoken.

T. 93 590 7654 M. 639 579 646 jonathan.hooker@yahoo.com www.jonathanhooker.com

Lepant 303-305 2º 4ª T. 93 347 6529 Metro: Sagrada Familia (L2, L5) info@centremedicmatterhorn.com www.centremedicmatterhorn.com

Tania Spearman -

Natalie Jovanic - life COACH

acupuncture

Enric Granados 133, 4-1 bis 08008 M. 644 322 161 info@taniaspearman.com www.taniaspearman.com

Stephan Moellmann Hypnosis Finally quit smoking with hypnosis.

Quit smoking with no withdrawals or anxiety. Because hypnosis effectively breaks the smoking habit from day one there is no 6 month craving period. Just as a non-smoker doesn’t have the desire to smoke, you will leave the 2 hour session in the same way–without the desire to light up.

Are fears controlling your life? Are you overwhelmed by unpleasant emotions such as sadness or shame? You can break free of this vicious circle. Contact Natalie today and she will accompany you on your journey to help you find the freedom and empowerment to live your authentic life. You will feel happier and energised with more self-esteem.

She offers coaching for individuals and relationship coaching.

M. 693 236 929 nataliej@jovanic-coaching.com www.jovanic-coaching.com

Pharmacy Serra Mandri -

CHEMIST

The helpful and qualified pharmaceutical staff at this wellknown Barcelona chemist can help and advise each client to ensure they get exactly what they need. They also stock a great range of products, including homeopathy, natural medicine, aromatherapy and organic cosmetics. The pharmacy is open 365 days a year and also offers a home delivery service.

M. 696 738 852 info@hypnosisconsult.com www.hypnosisconsult.com

Av. Diagonal 478 Metro: Diagonal (L3, L5) Chemist T. 93 416 1270 Homeopathy T. 93 217 3249 Open every day 9am-10pm

Mondorent - RENTAL

Coral - spanish teacher

MONDORENT is the leader in motorcycles and scooter rentals in Barcelona. With over 500 vehicles distributed throughout Barcelona and the Balearic Islands, they offer a fun, new way to see the city. You can rent a scooter, a motorcycle, a quad or a bike. And don’t miss out on their newest offer, the Renault Twizy electric cars. It’s never been more fun and easy to experience the city like a native. Be Free! Rent a Scooter!

Reach a Spanish level that best fits your time, interests and needs!

Try Coral’s personalised courses using interesting and effective methods that make learning easy. She will come to your home or business and provide the material. All levels; private or small groups (up to 3). 60-min class €25; 90-min class €35. If you need classes via SKYPE, she can also offer online lessons. She is a native, experienced and highly-qualified teacher.

Passeig Joan de Borbó 80-84 Passeig de Colón 24 T. 93 295 3268 info@mondorent.com www.mondorent.com

MP 40-46 Sept 2013.indd 45

Centre Mèdic Matterhorn-

Psychotherapist

Make acupuncture your first choice, not your last resort! Tania is offering all Metropolitan readers a 15 discount on first appointments with this voucher. Acupuncture treats many conditions from pain, stress and depression to infertility and more.

Call now to make your appointment or to see if acupuncture is right for you. Tania is a UK university trained acupuncturist with her own clinic in the centre of Barcelona. English, Spanish and German spoken.

10% OFF

BUSINESS DIRECTORY 43

M. 676 249 744 coral@coralprada.com

8/21/13 1:55:08 PM

44 BUSINESS DIRECTORY

SCHOOLS · BUSINESS SERVICES

BCN L.I.P. LANGUAGE SCHOOL BCN L.I.P. Languages is a small school with a warm and welcoming atmosphere in Barcelona’s old town. They offer both intensive and extensive courses and it’s the perfect place to ensure success in your language immersion. The centre is equipped with the most advanced facilities to enable you to succeed in your chosen language.

T. 93 318 6591 info@bcnlip.com www.bcnlip.com

Geo Mac - COMPUTERS George Cowdery is a freelance Mac technician who has been providing valuable support to the Mac community in Barcelona for over 15 years.

Among the services he offers, George can help clients with maintenance and upgrades, hard drive replacement and ADSL setup. He can also provide consulting and tutorials according to his clients’ needs.

M. 606 308 932 machelp@geomac.es www.geomacbcn.com

Sánchez Molina -

Mrs.Q Design Studio offers a range of specialised services from branding to graphic design, web design, ceramics, photography and bespoke invitations.

Whether you have a new concept in mind that you want to see brought to life or need assistance rebranding your company, contact Mrs.Q design studio. At Mrs.Q design studio they love to design creative, engaging brand identities that help their clients flourish. They will help you bring some of your personality to your brand and use their knowledge of colour, passion for typography and creative flair to create an identity that engages your customers. They specialise in bespoke wedding invitations, tailor-made to suit the style of your wedding. Match your wedding invitations with save the dates, menus, place cards and thank you cards to create a polished look. They are now offering wedding stationary packages.

M. 699 260 938 mrsqdesignstudio@gmail.com www.mrsqdesignstudio.com

Ibán Fernández Girón -

LEGAL PRACTICE

lawyer

The lawyers at Sánchez Molina speak English, Spanish, Italian and French.

They can help with your business licensing services, legal defence and representation, registration under any form of ownership, accounting services and work and residency permits.

Ibán Fernández Girón offers legal advice in English to foreign persons and companies who live or work in Barcelona.

His speciality is counselling startup companies.

Gran Via Carles III, 84, 5 Metro: Maria Cristina (L3) T. 93 490 9669 javiergarcia@sanchezmolina.com www.sanchezmolina.com

Spain Accounting -

Tax AND Accounting services

Qualified UK accountant with 25 years’ experience in Spain offers: · Tax services for freelance ‘autónomos’ & companies · Income tax returns for employees & non-residents · Registration of ‘autónomos’ & company incorporation (SL) · Practical advice on setting up a business in Spain · Fast, reliable email service

Call David Cook 678 702 369 info@spainaccounting.com www.spainaccounting.com

MP 40-46 Sept 2013.indd 46

Mrs.Q design studio - GRAPHIC DESIGN

Bailèn 11, 08010 M. 679 252 653 ibanfernandez@icag.cat

BeVoip - Voip telephony provider •

Low-cost calls worldwide

•

Cheaper than skype

•

Fully managed 24 hour service

•

Call centre services

•

Per second billing

•

PBX installations

•

Receive calls on PC, mobile, landline, tablet

T. 93 220 1764 info@bevoip.com www.bevoip.com

8/21/13 1:55:09 PM

BUSINESS SERVICES

Creategy Consulting -

BUSINESS DIRECTORY 45 FREE REVIEW

SERVICES

They help small businesses and entrepreneurs to increase their profit margin by sharing their marketing knowledge and creativity with them.

How? By creating a successful brand, understanding the market dynamics, creating a marketing strategy and communicating effectively with the target audience. www.creategy.es Written communication, copywriting, editing, translation. They offer a unique blend of business knowledge, creativity and excellent writing skills, allowing them to create high quality content in Spanish and Catalan. www.textolia.net

Green Bean Coaching BUSINESS Coaching

Helps small businesses and entrepreneurs grow their business through coaching proven growth techniques that have helped thousands boost their income.

New for 2013: · Two small business programmes: Increase productivity in the workplace and increase your free cashflow coaching. · New online entrepreneur coaching: A cheat sheet to entrepreneur success—the 10 critical areas one must master when launching a business.

T. 93 112 6757 admin@freegreenbeans.com www.freegreenbeans.com

The Spectrum IFA Group - INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL ADVICE Providing advice to the English Speaking International Community. Their team is here to help with: • Pensions/ Retirement Planning • Savings & Investments • Life Cover • Health Insurance • Currency Exchange • Mortgages • Tax Planning • Asset Management Why call them for advice? They are independent, regulated, qualified and very experienced, with offices in six European countries.

Through their unique client centred approach, they will work together to build a strong, ongoing relationship that you can depend on for support and advice whenever you need it.

Passeig de Gràcia 63, Principal 2A, 08008 T. 93 665 8596 barcelona@spectrum-ifa.com www.spectrum-ifa.com

Easi-Sat - TELEVISION SERVICE

BritSat - TELEVISION SERVICE

Have you lost Channel 5 and others? By summer 2013 most people will lose access to a wide range of UK Freesat channels.

Solutions? They have them. Call them for details and options.

Specialists in satellite TV, HD, audiovisual and unmatched for quality and reliability. For a personal, efficient and friendly service, call the specialists.

Their professional team provides satellite television from across Europe at unbeatable prices! For more information on new changes to freesat follow them on Facebook/Easisat and Twitter ‘@PaulDuval15’

BritSat offer the best TV packages from the UK, Ireland and much of Europe, including Russia. They have been installing satellite TV in Catalunya for 15 years and have an excellent reputation for quality, reliability, price and aftersales service. * Sky cards with or without a UK address * All the latest Sky HD equipment * Sound systems and multi-screen viewing Freesat services will almost certainly be lost to this region of Spain by the middle of summer and BritSat have the solutions. * They supply and install all the latest internet-based TV systems * No internet? No problem, they are the official installers of the market leading TOOWAY Satellite internet system * Extensive channel list from the UK and Ireland.

T. 93 845 9874 M. 649 413 832 enquiries@easisat.net www.easisat.net

M. 649 605 917 info@britsatlive.com www.britsatlive.com

MP 40-46 Sept 2013.indd 47

8/21/13 1:55:11 PM

46 DIRECTORY

SHOPPING For more shopping visit our online directory www.barcelona-metropolitan.com/shopping

ARTSHOP

OJALA!

Located close to Plaça Catalunya, the Artshop has a full range of artist supplies and a small family gallery. If you need a simple watercolour set or any other specialist items, they can be bought or ordered for you at the shop.

OJALA! is the fashion brand by Paloma Del Pozo, hailed as one of today’s most original and creative Spanish designers. Her new Barcelona boutique is located on a charming street in the Gothic quarter, only 50 metres from the Plaça Sant Jaume. Del Pozo designs joyful, colourful and elegant quality garments that will make any women stand out in a crowd.

CABOCLO HAND MADE SHOES

24 KILATES

Baixada de la Llibreteria 8 · T. 93 317 2929 www.caboclobrasil.com

Comerç 29 · T. 93 268 8437 · www.24-kts.com

Hand made by the best artisans from the north of Brazil, the Caboclo team defines themselves as an Eco & Social company.

Each sandal and shoe is made with chrome free leather, and uses recycled tyres to form the sole. Visit them just steps from the city hall and look over their unique and elegant styles that compliment an easy going lifestyle. Don’t miss the sustainable decoration!

Located in the Born shopping area, this exclusive streetwear store has become internationally renowned thanks to its exciting design collaborations with many famous brands like New Balance, Stussy, Reebok, Lacoste, Puma, Asics, Nike, Saucony, Adidas, New Era and more. Definitely worth a look.

EL MUNDO DE HAMACAS

CONTI

Sitges 7 · T. 93 676 2311 · www.facebook.com/Artshopbcn

Josep Anselm Clave 3 (Drassanes) · Mon-Sat 10.30am-2pm, 4pm-8pm · T. 93 317 5115 · www.mundodehamacas.es

Ever thought of spending your mid-day rest in a comfy, restful hammock, rather than on the old living room couch? You can find this friendly hammock heaven just 25m off La Rambla (close to the Columbus statue) in the historical centre of Ciutat Vella. El Auténtico Mundo de Hamacas offers high quality hammocks in different sizes and styles, suitable for all.

L’illa shopping centre, Diagonal 512 · T. 93 416 1211 · www.econti.com

Designer clothes shop with top brands–G-star Raw, Franklin & Marshall, Replay, Antony Morato, Gola, Superdry, Cruyff, Bikkembergs, Adidas, Diesel, New Balance–and more.

GREY STREET/SATAN’S COFFEE CORNER

PARRUP

Peu de la Creu 25 · M. 600 334 639 www.facebook.com/GreyStreetBarcelona

Banys Nous 20 · www.parrup.com www.facebook.com/ParrupBarcelona

A small corner where the best coffee products meet gifts and garments from all over the world, including many local designers.

Located in the Raval, Grey Street and Satan’s Coffee Corner brings you a wide range of goodies from new and vintage clothing to stationery, ceramics, jewellery, teas and a number of coffee varieties. Plus Satan’s coffee corner offer 3-day coffee courses.

You’re sure to find something you like!

PARRUP brings together the best from local designers, carefully selected unique pieces, limited edition products and finely crafted clothes, jewellery, art and furniture.Why PARRUP? Because they love talented people. Because they want to showcase what they can offer. Because they believe in the local economy and production transparency. Because they don’t believe in the ‘made in Asia’ business. Nothing more but nothing less.

CALADAZUL

LU INK

Torrent de l’Olla 62, 08000 · M. 617 021 527 · www.caladazul.com

Madrazo 141 · T. 93 200 8806 · www.lu-ink.com · facebook.com/luink

Located in Gracia, this new shop has a huge range of products to help you cut down, be healthier or even stop smoking! With their products there is no tar, no arsenic, no carbon monoxide nor any of the other toxic substances found in tobacco. You can use it wherever you want, whenever you want, with the same satisfying feeling that tobacco gives you. Quote Metropolitan for a free trial and ask about special reader discounts and offers.

Lu Ink is a one-of-a-kind shop in Barcelona full of art, design and decor for your home and personal life. Here you will find handmade objects, illustrations, paintings, books, cushions and other textiles, and plenty of unique gift items. Located in one of the lesser-known areas of the city, Sarrià-Sant Gervasi, off the beaten tourist track, full of little shops and restaurants.

FURTIVO SKATEBOARDING

MICROGESTIO

www.furtivoskateboarding.com

Furtivo Skateboarding is an online skateboarding shop with selected products of premium brands, offering hi-end skateboarding products. Pro-Models represent 80 percent of their stock.

You can find: Plan B, Flip, Blind, Cliché, Darkstar, Enjoi, Element, BLVD, Toy Machine, Foundation and many more. They deliver world wide in 24 to 48 hours. Register now to take advantage of their offers and promotions.

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Ciutat 14 · T. 93 601 1830 · www.ojala.es · Mon-Sat 10am-8,30pm

València 87/89 · T. 93 454 1001 · info@microgestio.es www.microgestio.com

Need help with your Mac? Want to buy an iPad? Microgestió supplies everything a Mac user needs, including service and repairs, classes on how to use different programs, useful tutorials, and the latest new products on the market. You can count on Microgestió for all of your Mac needs... and a friendly, professional service!

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DIRECTORY 47

JOBS To advertise in this section, call: 93 451 4486 or email: ads@barcelona-metropolitan.com We also have a new job section on our FREE CLASSIFIEDS www.classiďŹ eds.barcelona-metropolitan.com For the latest jobs for English speakers in Barcelona, follow us on Twitter @WorkInBarcelona

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48 DIRECTORY

MULTILINGUAL SERVICE DESK ANALYST

Computacenter Services Iberia is seeking motivated and customeroriented multilingual agents with a genuine interest and passion for IT. The successful candidates will be responsible for providing resolution to helpdesk service requests via phone and e-mail.

JOB DESCRIPTION

The purpose of the role is to provide a timely resolution to IT helpdeskservice requests and to demonstrate exceptionally good customer service skills. Some of the tasks include: • Receiving calls and e-mails regarding IT related issues • Carrying out Level 1 troubleshooting • Assigning tickets to resolver groups • Keeping the customer updated regarding the progress of their case • Managing onsite engineers’ tasks • Involvement in managing different projects

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA • • • • •

Fluent English plus one or more of the following languages: French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Polish, Turkish, Swedish, Finnish and Norwegian Great customer skills Ability to quickly build rapport with customers, colleagues and management High level of motivation and time management skills Ability to work in a target driven environment where incidents must be managed within specific SLAs

BENEFITS • • • • • • • • •

A competitive 23 days paid holiday a year ‘Lunch allowance’ - credit card topped up monthly to be spent in restaurants Bonus for CV referral of friends and family after successful recruitment Free private healthcare after 6 months in the company Nursery tickets Free Spanish classes in the office On-going training Internal promotions Recognition awards

Send us your CV! isc.careers@computacenter.com T. 93 620 7157

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DIRECTORY 49

CLASSIFIEDS Hundreds more ads on our website www.barcelona-metropolitan.com For sale, for rent, personals, job vacancies, job search, classes and more.

ROOMS FOR RENT Sitges - rooms to rent Lovely, spacious apartment in Sitges premier area. Have two double rooms to rent plus share of apartment. Stunning views over the Med, large pool and garden, wi-fi, security, etc. Rent negotiable, long and short term available. Tel Paul 663 801 325 475 half flat, 45m2 Bedroom, living area, small gallery area for rent (all bills incl). Ideal for a couple, in a large flat (115m2), typical style of the Eixample, ceramic floors, tall ceilings, balcony on to the street...Fully furnished, with a double bed, drawers, desk, wardrobe, sofa in the living area. We have wi-fi 20mg, free calls, tv, dvd, music. We have lived here for a few years and this is a very relaxed home with lots of private space, but we also share a lot of time together. The area is very central (metro Girona, yellow line). Bars, restaurants, supermarket, bicing, library. 5mins to Pl. Catalunya, 10mins to the beach (metro)...please contact Greg. (contact via our online Classifieds section) 295 flat in Sarrià Sunny room in a 90sqm flat to share with two. Wi-fi, fully equiped kitchen.

No couples and no pets. 295 + electricity/ gas bills. Tel. 693 726 111 Nice and large luminous room Hello everyone. We have a large quiet and luminous room with balcony for rent, in a flat centrally located next to Paseo de San Juan. The room rate is 450€, including electricity, water, gas and wifi. The apartment is located only a few meters away from the Metro Verdaguer. The room has a street balcony from side to side, with beautiful views over Provença street and Paseo de San Juan, and is furnished with a double bed, a three-door wardrobe, a bookshelf, a small table and chair. The room is for one person only, and the flat is shared between three: Hanna, Jordi (me), both around 30 years old, and whoever comes!

The apartment is large, there is a large bathroom with bathtub, a small bathroom, an equipped kitchen, and a room with washing machine and dryer.

We’re looking for people who want to stay for a minimum of 6 months, and ask for one month deposit that will be refunded when leaving the flat, and one month notice before leaving.

If you have any more questions don’t doubt to ask! (contact via our online Classifieds section) Room to rent in Sants!

Double room and extra changing/storage room. Looking for professional/ non smoking female. Flat is to share with 1 other female. 85 m2.

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4 bedrooms, 3 double and 1 singlekitchen with a large dining table for 6 people. Large living room with small balcony facing the road. Access to large roof terrace. Air conditioning and central heating. Large bathroom with a bath and separate massage shower cubicle. Recently fully renovated with parquet flooring.

Can be fully furnished with fridge freezer, washing machine, microwave, oven, cooking hobs and kitchen utensils. Avalaible from NOW. Only 450€ a month. (contact via our online Classifieds section) Gràcia room in shared flat Hi, we have a room available in our friendly, shared flat in the heart of Gràcia, close to Fontana metro. It’s a single room with plenty of natural sunlight, furnished with a larger than standard single bed, a wardrobe, a desk and shelves. The living room is large, sunny and homely. Rent is €390 per month (plus one month’s deposit), which includes all bills, house insurance, wifi, and weekly cleaning of shared areas. I’m English and my other flatmate is from Malaga.

We usually speak Spanish at home but it’s not a problem to speak English.

We’re looking for someone friendly and responsible who preferably, like us, works or studies during the day.

We’d prefer someone who plans to stay long-term but short-term might be possible. (contact via our online Classifieds section) APARTMENTS TO RENT Sunny attic Barcelona Sunny attic in the heart of the Barceloneta. One bedroom - new kitchen and bathroom. Private terrace & central heating. Super quiet. Good for one person or a couple. €550/ month plus bills. One month’s deposit & proof of employment. If interested, please call Nancy 629 917 624 Excellent house in Pedralbes €1900/month: 3 floors, distributed as follows: 210 square metres, of which 35 are for the terrace. Can be left furnished or unfurnished. and perfect for kids. The house is bright and sunny all day. It has two large terraces. All spaces are outside the house, the 5 rooms have windows and two of them have a private balcony and a third bedroom terrace. There are stunning views of Barcelona and the sea.: 2 minutes from junction 10 of Ronda de Dalt. (contact via our online Classifieds section) Want to rent a beautiful and bright apartment?

Impeccable, all exterior, very bright.

Next to the illa Diagonal. Very well connected.100 m2: 3 bedrooms, bathroom and toilet, fully equipped

kitchen and terrace-study.

Air conditioning and heating, parquet, armored door. Attention: 2 hours a week cleaning included!! If you see it, you will want it! €1.275.

FOR SALE Sitges Mas Mestre house 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms,on 900 sq metres. Private pool. 270k. Tel. 600 054 170 MPV up to 7 seats Mazda 5 2007 model. Silver, excellent car, loads of extras, DVD player, fully serviced and well cared for. Only 2 British owners from new. Any trial welcome, offers around 6,995.00 euros. Tel Paul 663 801 325 or email pjoinspain@hotmail.com Tom Brady jersey with tags I am selling an original player NFL jersey, Tom Brady, for 60 Euros. Never worn, brand new with tags. Size: XL. We are moving in 3 weeks so looking to sell before then. (contact via our online Classifieds section) Baby items We are moving away and selling the following baby items. These have been bought brand new and are in great condition, gently used by our 10 month old baby. 1. Fisher-Price Infant To Toddler Rocker, Bug Friends - 17 Euros (originally bought for 40 Euros). 2.

Olmitos baby walker - 17 Euros (originally bought for 40 Euros in March). 3.

Safety 1st booster seat - 12 Euros (originally bought for 30 Euros in June). If you buy ALL 3 items I will give it to you for ONLY 40 EUROS plus I will include a beach umbrella for free! We live in Poblenou and will not deliver these items so you must pick them up. (contact via our online Classifieds section) Great baby stuff for sale I’m selling a stokke changing table (175 euros), a baby bjorn carrier (25 euros), and some lovely, good quality maternity clothes (size 38, for fall and winter). Photos and more information available on request! Tel.636 66 29 25 Selling ipod 4 I am selling my ipod 4, 8 gb. I got it in late 2011 but it still works perfectly. I have never had problems with it and it has never been to the service center.

There are some scratches on the back, but the screen is fine. I keep it in an ipod case which I will also give to you with all I have for the device (including the cable, charging device, old and new headphones) I no longer have the original pack and papers because I was moving. Reason to sell it: I got an iphone so I don´t think I need the two things, plus I am no longer a music fan like before :) (contact via our online Classifieds section)

English books for sale Over 100 English Books for sale. All in excellent condition. Any 10 for €25, any 6 for €15 or €3.00 individually.

Happy to meet in Barcelona for delivery, or Guinardó area for pick up.

Email me at bcnbrit@hotmail.com for a list of all books available.

New maternity clothes for sale Opportunity, I am selling the following maternity clothes all new: Floral h&m mama leggings size s (rrp 19.95 eur), now 9 eur. 1 x h&m mama dark blue linen trousers EUR size 34 (rrp 29.95 eur), now 14 eur. 1 x smart skirt h&m mama size xs (rrp 19.95 eur) now 9 eur. 1 x Asos maternity leggings used once size small. I cannot remember the original price now 7 eur. I can send more pics. i am selling as finished my pregnancy and not worn it. If you want to buy all the articles I sell them for just 25 eur, a bargain!

Please contact me for more pics or questions, thanks for looking. (contact via our online Classifieds section) wanted Camper van wanted to rent We are looking for a Camper Van to rent for one month in Nov/Dec. Tel. 600 054 170 Couple looking for sharehouse We are a Swedish couple in our late 30’s with a small friendly dog. We are looking for a room in a sharehouse or apartment within a 45min commute (train or bus as we do not drive) to central Barcelona. We would prefer to share with a person or people with a similar lifestyle and ideology to us.

Swedish or English speakers as we do not speak any Spanish as of yet but plan on learning once we move. You have to love dogs and we would really prefer someone who is happy to look after him if we are away. We’d prefer to live close to nature and not too central but anything is of interest at this time. A big terrace is absolute minimum but we’d very much like a big garden. We’re looking to move in around the 20th of September. We could pay up to 500 euros per month but the cheaper the better. We could pay up to 6 months rent in. (contact via our online Classifieds section) MISCELLANEOUS Spanish English exchange Girl, 44 native catalan. I live in Barcelona, looking for an English Spanish exchange. Only native English speakers. My interests are horse riding, travel. I’m passionate about music, socializing, cinema, dance. If you want to share a drink contact me at monbarrera2001@yahoo.es 620452145

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you can WHAT THEY SAIDbo“Tokhatht’sat allyou dream

50 BACK PAGE

A numbers game A

like instrument any more, and if they do, certainly not in blue ink unless they’re physically coerced or officially blind. Anyway the ink doesn’t flow, except when the pen is placed in a dark pocket or bag, when, like a germinating seed, it will search for the light, explosively and catastrophically.

The best ephemorabilia is a printed balloon. They combine utility, quality and longevity in the correct amounts. Basically they’re tacky and cheap and no one is obliged to do anything with them except burst them or give them to a young child. (Or if you’re a certain type of person, give them to a young child and then burst them. You’re guaranteed a reaction, though not necessarily a good one.) Unlike pens and mugs, at least balloons can’t be confused with anything useful. And if you fill them with helium, they are self-disposing. (Though it turns out that helium is a dangerously finite resource that is essential to various medical applications, so packaging it up in balloons and sending it off into the ether is tantamount to shooting unicorns.)

Even if you find a way of commemorating

your first anniversary in a way that is long-lasting and memorable (and doesn’t involve balloons), for the second anniversary you have to find something different and better. And you probably have half the energy, imagination and inclination. It’s like the Difficult Second Album. Or naming your second child.

Or commemorating the French Revolution! For the first centenary, they came up with the Eiffel Tower. Genius! More than 200 years later, it’s now the world’s most recognisable structure and the defining symbol for an entire nation. For the 1989 bicentenary, in contrast, the French gilded a couple of monuments and built a glass pyramid outside their capital’s main art museum. Where the Eiffel Tower occupies a central position in the nation’s psyche, the pyramid just occupies a central position in a Dan Brown plot. Hardly the same thing at all. That’s how difficult it is.

National icon versus literary laughing stock.

No wonder most people tend to keep second anniversaries (or centenaries) quiet. Happy 200th issue, everyone!

- Roger de Flower

By Ben Rowdon

scoop

nniversaries are never easy, with the possible exception of the first one. By the second, you’ve done it all before, seen it all before, clutched the celebratory Tshirt and commemorative mug before. And now the T-shirt is faded, the mug is full of toe-nail clippings, and you’re already expected to do it all again. At least this time round you might steer clear of mugs, T-shirts or any other ephemeral memorabilia. Or ephemorabilia: a paradoxical item designed both to record an event and have no long-term value.

T-shirts are the worst offenders. They could last for years, were it not for the widely-accepted convention that any event T-shirt should be made of the cheapest material, printed with the tackiest logo, in the most disgusting colour and using the least-appropriate type size.

This will ensure that it will be worn for one day only, or not at all. How many free T-shirts go straight from bag to bin without coming up for air? At best they will be reassigned for jogging in the dark or DIY under several layers of paint. Celebratory pens are definitely designed never to be used. No one writes with a stick-

do is to write the ith, writer about....” Zadie Sm r 2001) be m (Issue 59, Dece

THANK YOU contributors Over the past 17 years, Metropolitan has been fortunate enough to have worked with a range of writers, photographers and illustrators, without whom, the magazine would literally have been nothing. Too many to mention all by name here, we want to thank you for your words and images. We look forward to continued collaboration with past contributors and welcoming new ones.

WHAT THEY SAID “I play for my team and for the love I have for football. I try to be as happy as I can. I have the luck to be doing what I love and have the opportunity to make 100,000 people happy too. There is nothing better.” Brazilian footballer and former Barça player, Ronaldinho (Issue 98, March 2005)

DID YOU KNOW? The first Scoop cartoon was published in March 1997, issue 8. Roger de Flower started sharing his thoughts with us in March 1999, issue 28.

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