Barcelona Metropolitan Issue 217 by Barcelona Metropolitan

FEBRUARY 2015 Nº 217

Free

À la

mode

Barcelona’s fashion talents

HOW TO

... throw a Calçotada

Love nests

D is for design:

6 romantic getaways

A new creative hub

Work the room!

It’s all about contacts PLUS! ART 01 cover.indd 1

MUSIC

Fashion

restaurant reviews

A PLACE OF MY OWN

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C O N T EN T S

Publisher Creative Media Group, S.L. Managing Director Andrea Moreno Consulting Editor Esther Jones Editor Carol Moran Publishing Consultant Tim Parfitt Art Director Aisling Quigley

{ISSUE 217} february 2015

Account Executives Jalil Alui, Richard Cardwell, Aline Davis Sales Assistant Malú Branda Editorial Assistants Laura Bonicelli, Rachel Huffman Design Assistant Lucia Lopez-Murcia Contributors Jay Collins, Annie Michie, Miquel Hudin, Tara Stevens, Sam Zucker Photographer Hayley Cantor Illustrator Ben Rowdon Editorial: editorial@barcelona-metropolitan.com Advertising: ads@barcelona-metropolitan.com General: info@barcelona-metropolitan.com.

Carrer de la Ciutat 7 2ª-4ª, 08002 Barcelona. Tel. 93 451 4486

Regulars

Features

06 New in Town 08 In the City 10 A Place of My Own 33 Fashion 34 Travel 36 Food & Drink 50 Interview

12 REPORT: IN FASHION Annie Michie speaks to some of the city’s hottest fashion talents 18 A HUB OF ACTIVITY All things design under one roof 28 NETWORKING It’s not what you know... 30 DIY CALÇOTADA How to play the perfect Catalan host

www.barcelona-metropolitan.com 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. Depósito legal: B35159-96

FEBRUARY 2015 Nº 217

Free

À la

mode

What’s on

METROPOLITAN contributors

20 22 24 26

Music Art Misc. Pullout Calendar

Barcelona’s fashion talents

hoW to

Directories 40 42 45 48 49

Food & Drink Health & Beauty Business Shopping Jobs

... throw a Calçotada

Love nests

D is for design:

6 romantic getaways

A new creative hub

Work the room!

It’s all about contacts

PLUS! ART

MUSIC

FAShIon

ReSTAURAnT RevIewS

A PLACe oF MY own

TRAveL

This month’s cover is a beautiful portrait of one of Barcelona’s creative talents, Teresa Helbig, who established her fashion house in 1997.

Annie Michie

laura bonicelli

carol moran

Annie studied Fine Arts, graduating with a Masters from Goldsmiths University in London. As an artist, she’s exhibited her work in Spain and around Europe, and has been awarded the FAD Gold Medal for art. Her work also features in the Victoria & Albert Museum ‘Quilts’ catalogue. She currently teaches Art & Design on the IES Study Abroad programme, and embroidery for the Masters in Fashion Design at the Instituto Europeo de Diseño. Other passions include writing, walking, and drawing up plans for fresh ventures. www.anniemichie.com

Laura recently finished her law degree at the University of Birmingham, and is currently taking a gap year. She first moved to Barcelona with her parents, aged 15, and now she’s back for a few months of home comforts, before jetting off to Asia to pursue her dreams of world travel. When she gets back, she hopes to build on her experience as editorial assistant and move to London in search of her first ‘real’ job. In her spare time, she’s a keen chef, which runs in her Italian blood, and is hoping to pass her driving test imminently.

Originally from the northeast of England, Carol is an architect-turned-writer with a passion for travelling and all things design. She first lived in Barcelona in 2008, when she came here to study, and returned in 2012. Since then, she has been a regular contributor to Metropolitan, and recently joined the team as Editor. Each article takes her on a journey through the many facets of this eclectic city, and her new position presents the exciting challenge of encouraging the reader to follow.

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GUIRI BUSINESS DRINK NETWORKING 2015 Free Drink & Tapas

25th February

Guiri Business Group is a LinkedIn community of 6000 + members designed to facilitate professional networking through the exchange of information, knowledge, contacts, jobs and opportunities.

Entrance is free for Guiri Business LinkedIn members and an RSVP is required to attend.

For more information and to RSVP please visit www.GuiriBusiness.com RESTAURANT CINCO JOTAS Gran vía de las Cortes Catalanes 373 Las Arenas Centro Comercial, Top Floor

Plaza España Tel. 93 423 7752

Guiri Ad 2015.indd 1 main pages FEB 2015.indd 3

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new in town Vice versa

Home Vice. Portal Nou 5. www.home-vice.com The spring clean season is upon us, so if you’re looking to get out with the old and in with the new, bag some modern design beauties at Home Vice in the Born - the latest establishment to join the blossoming trend of ‘Concept Stores’ that have opened across town in the last couple of years. Owned by interior designer, (Javier insert name), and art director, (insert name), Home Vice aims to make luxury, cutting-edge design products accessible to the man on the street, offering a carefully selected collection of original home furnishings by local designers and renowned brands alike. Among them, Danish furniture designers, Hay, local textile designers, Zuzunaga, classic Swedish brass and silversmith, Skultana, Spanish furniture designers, Stua, as well as Sebastian Herkner, Scholten & Baijings, Zieta, and Paul Smith.

IT’S WINE O’CLOCK

Blend and Bottled. Located within Apocapoc BCN, Passatge de l’Hort dels Velluters 5. www.blendandbottled.com Located in the co-working space Apocapoc BCN, Blend and Bottled is a new wine concept, which offers activities devoted to learning, discovering and especially enjoying wine. Several times a week, Claartje van den Bogaard, the driving force behind Blend and Bottled, turns the rented kitchen and workshop into a stylish, cosy place where newbies and experienced wine lovers alike can partake in wine tastings and courses. “The overall look and atmosphere makes customers feel like they’re stepping into my house and taking a seat at my kitchen table—the best place, in my opinion, to share a glass of wine and a chat,” said Claartje. You can also get out and about with the company’s bodega city tours, given in English and Dutch. During all activities, you will pick up tips and tricks to understanding your likes and dislikes in the complex world of vines and wines. After all, as Claartje says, “a good glass of wine is just as important as a delicious meal”.

spoilt for choice

Sasha Bar. Margarit 18. www.facebook.com/sashabarbcn Sasha Bar is hard to miss. Walking through Poble Sec, its large outdoor terrace cheerfully begs for attention, with a fuzzy, green astro turf wall and menu items scrawled in colourful writing on the windows–not to mention the huge neon sign. Once inside, the 30-page menu proves just as quirky, with booze-inspired quotes and vintage photos scattered throughout. The spacious room looks like it could fit a few more tables, but they aren’t necessary–this is the kind of place where a dozen friends crowd around one table together, while sampling the bar’s extensive selection of drinks. Craft beers, wines, G&Ts, cocktails–there’s a reason the menu is so long. There’s plenty of food on offer, too, from notched up versions of tapas bar classics, to tantalising homemade cakes and desserts. With all this in mind, there’s no reason to not set up camp and settle in for the evening.

DYNAMIC DUO

El Dinàmic, Passatge de Pere Calders 4. www.eldinamicbcn.cat Another addition to Sant Antoni’s flourishing social scene, El Dinàmic is tucked along a passatge, just off the trendy Carrer del Parlament. This informal cafe-cum-restaurant is a family affair, a joint sibling venture run by sister and brother, Olga and Abdón Llata, who grew up in Sant Antoni, and recently returned to take their place in this now blossoming barrio. Originally a stable for carriages, and later a mechanic’s garage, its latest guise is altogether more people-centric. Blurring the boundary between indoor and outdoor, El Dinàmic brings nature indoors, with a floor-to-ceiling vertical garden (complete with waterfall) as a backdrop, and draws inspiration from the typical Mediterranean patio, combined with industrial-style details. “We were very lucky to find this space. It was the ideal location and had two main advantages–high ceilings and natural light.” says Olga. Mediterranean and Catalan classics are on offer, as well as homemade bread and cakes, brunch, vermut, and a very attractive menu del día, all made using local produce.

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aroUND tHe WorlD iN a DaY

t’s all change on the city’s museum scene this month. Opening across the road from the Picasso Museum on Carrer Montcada is the Museu de Cultures del Món. This new addition to the city’s cultural scene is housed in the 14th-century Palau Nadal and the 13thcentury Palau de Marquès de Llió, formerly home to the Museu Téxtil (whose collection has been moved to the new Museu del Disseny at the Disseny Hub). The collection is mostly composed of holdings from the Ethnological Museum of Barcelona and a collection owned by the Folch Foundation, on loan to Barcelona City Council for 20 years. The Folch Foundation was created in 1975 to manage the non-European art collection made by businessman Albert Folch during his trips to different parts of the world. Comprising 2,350 objects, it is the biggest and most important non-European art collection in Catalunya.

ARIBAU 87, 2.2A, 08036, Barcelona OFFICE: 93 952 3283 | MOBILE: 675 803 210 service@tiviprint.es | www.tiviprint.es

The MCM aims not only to preserve this rich patrimony, but to enable the public to engage with the artistic heritages of the many and diverse cultures of Africa, Asia, South and Central America and Oceania. As well as its permanent and temporary exhibitions, the museum will offer guided tours, lectures, courses and educational workshops on cultural diversity. With over 30,000 pieces, there’s a staggering amount to see here. The permanent exhibition starts with an impressive collection of West and Central African 19th and 20th-century art, comprised mostly of ceremonial masks, representing many different peoples, including the Fang, Dogon, Yoruba, Senufo and Pende among others. There is a diverse collection of Asian works, from Buddhist images from Gandhara to Hindu sculptures from India, and Japanese and Tibetan art. In the Americas section, you can expect to see many pre-Columbian pieces, plus Mayan ceremonial axes, Nazca ceramics and fabrics from Chimu. The collection gives an insight into the cultures of Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. The Oceania section is centred around a set of pieces acquired on expeditions by the Ethnological Museum of Barcelona and the Folch Foundation to New Guinea and Australia. It includes many examples of 19th- and 20th-century Oceanic art, from the ancient cave sculptures of the Karawari River, to bark paintings from Australia. With such a stunning collection and two medieval palaces to call home, it’s hard to see how this museum can go wrong, inviting visitors to travel, both through time and across the globe, in just an afternoon. www.museuculturesmon.bcn.cat Carrer de Montcada

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THE INFORMER AJUNTAMENT OPENS HISTORIC GARDENS The Ajuntament is opening the gardens of Modernista villa Casa Julio Muñoz Ramonet to the public. The gardens, which date from 1916, will be open every Saturday and Sunday from 10am til 5pm until the end of March, when they will close temporarily for renovations. You’ll find them at Muntaner 282 (Sarriá-Sant Gervasi). PRIMAVERA SOUND LINEUP Primavera Sound has revealed the lineup for this year’s festival, its 15th edition. The final list of acts includes Patti Smith, The Strokes, The Black Keys, Andrew Sand, Interpol and Antony. Check out the complete lineup here www.primaverasound.com MORE PASSENGERS ON PUBLIC TRANSPORT The Autoritat del Transport Metropolità (ATM) reported a 1.7% increase in passengers (15.4 million) in 2014, compared to 2013. The total number of journeys carried out on the city’s public transport network is steadily increasing, although it hasn’t reached the pre-economic crisis figures of 2008 yet. METAL FESTIVAL CANCELLED The 2015 Barcelona Metal Festival, which was was inaugurated in June last year in the Poble Espanyol, has been cancelled. Promoter, Doctor Music, blames this on the increasing cost of signing up well known bands, the rising number of festivals in Europe, and the increased tax (IVA) they have to pay. SOCIAL SERVICE WORKERS REFUSE EVICTIONS Social service workers of the Ajuntament have notified that they will no longer be present at evictions. They consider that their work should go towards helping people avoid eviction, and not to legitimising it. VERDI CINEMA STILL OPEN The owner of Gràcia’s much-loved Verdi cinema has refuted rumours that the cinema is closing down. Enric Pérez explained that the 27-year old Verdi is suffering from the same issues as the rest of the entertainment industry, but that it is not on the verge of closing. CHECK OUT OUR FRIDAY INFORMER FOR A WEEKLY NEWS ROUNDUP.

www.barcelona-metropolitan.com

THINGS TO DO in

February

GO TO CARNIVAL Who needs Rio? Over 300,000 people descend on the town of Sitges each year to take part in its exuberant carnival celebrations. For six days, the town is wild and colourful with parties throughout the night. The main parades are the Rua de la Disbauxa (Debauchery Parade) on Sunday night, and the more raucous Rua de l‘Extermini (Extermination Parade) on Tuesday night. From February 12th-18th.

17th, though you may have to fit into the 10am-4pm brunchserving slot. Try Brunch & Cake (Roselló 189), Milk (Gignàs 21) or Meatpacking Bistro (Trav. Gràcia 50). And if you’d rather host your own pancake fest, don’t forget the maple syrup. You can buy it at Taste of America (Balmes 322).

SAY IT WITH CHOCOLATE Show your loved one that romance isn’t dead after all. The Museu de la Xocolata offers ‘chocolate experiences’ especially designed for two people. The packs include a guided tour of the museum and a private workshop where you can learn all sorts of chocolate-related skills, from lolly making to chocolate haute cuisine, and even how to taste chocolate and pair it with the right wine. www. museuxocolata.cat

MAKE PANCAKES For some it’s Mardi Gras and for others it’s just Pancake Day. There are plenty of places to get your pancake fill In Barcelona on February

JOIN A CHOIR There’s nothing like a good sing to raise those chilly February spirits and Barcelona has a strong choral tradition. If you haven’t sung in a choir before, the Barcelona English Choir is a great place to start. They sing a wide repertoire, from pop to gospel and world music, and there are no auditions. See www.barcelonaenglishchoir. com for more information. PAMPER YOURSELF Winter will be over soon, so it’s time to start treating your body like it matters once again. Give it some special attention this month at one of the city’s many lovely spas. Try Aire de Barcelona in the Born (www.airedebarcelona. com), Hotel 1898 on the Ramblas (www.hotel1898. com) or the Spaciomm at the Hotel Omm on Rosselló (www. hotelomm.es).

Where do you pick up your Metropolitan? FIND YOUR NEAREST DISTRIBUTION POINT AT www.barcelona-metropolitan.com/distribution

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METROPOLITAN people Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your worst fashion faux pas? AOIFE

32, Photographer, UK

I think my most memorable fashion disaster dates back to the early Nineties, when I thought it was ok to pair stripey cycling shorts (yellow, pink and purple) with a pink spotty t-shirt and a neon tie-dye cap!

COLM

38, Liaison Engineer, Ireland

My biggest fashion faux pas was wearing clothes a few sizes too big for me. I once wore a pair of mustard jeans out clubbing, they were six inches too big. I had to wear a big belt to keep them up.

LUCIA

28, Graphic Designer, Spain

When I was 15 I started in a new school and I wanted to make an impression. I dyed my hair two colours to make it look half red and it turned orange.

SUSIE

40, Translator, Scotland

When I was 14 I used to wear fluorescent towelling socks with everything. They were very cool at the time though.

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A place of

my own T

ucked into the rolling, green hills of Collserola, sits a picturesque, wooden cabin. For Chantal and Gavin, “it was love at first sight.” After living in the noisy, crowded Gothic Quarter for a year, the couple decided that they work hard—they own their own company, Garment Printing—and deserved more. More space. More peace and quiet. And a swimming pool never hurts. From their first viewing of the house, Gavin said, “Chantal was determined to rent it. She joked that she would sell her soul to live in this house.”

“To move here, you have to understand that you’re going to spend a lot of nights at home. You have to be content with it just being the two of you.”

Chantal’s quiet place to do her knitting.

The first feature Gavin shows every guest: the wood-burning stove.

In August 2014, they moved in. The house came unfurnished, but together they chose furniture, decorated with objects acquired from around the world on their travels and quickly made the place their own. Chantal readily confessed that there was no specific theme planned. They knew they wanted a mix between country and modern—a bright yellow Ikea armchair sits on top of a cowhide rug in their downstairs living room—but to keep things simple. Luckily, the house has a lot of storage space, “but I still think we need to pare things back,” said Gavin. It’s not about interior design and collections for the couple: it’s about enjoying the natural beauty of the house. After all, with everything

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being made of warm, richly coloured wood—from floor to stairs to ceiling—they felt that there wasn’t much work to do, even when the house was empty. Besides the sunlight streaming through a plethora of windows, balconies and open doors, and lush greenery as far as the eye can see, Gavin and Chantal each have personal favourite features of the house. Gavin loves the wood-burning stove. “Even though there’s no heating system in the house, with the fire on, it’s so warm in here,” he boasted. In September, they bought three tonnes of wood for the stove, which will keep them toasty throughout the cold winter months. Chantal is rather taken with a corner of the house where their first Christmas tree purchased in Barcelona still stands. She can sit in the stylish, plush, red chair positioned there, a glass of wine in tow, and gaze outside over the swimming pool at the breathtaking panoramic view beyond. There is also an area upstairs where she spends a lot of time doing her sewing and knitting. “I have a spot to do my own thing, so we’re planning on turning the extra bedroom upstairs into an office for Gavin. A space he can call his own too,” said Chantal. Although their home is enviable—equipped with a bathroom that belongs in a spa, so stylish and soothing you expect to be offered a list of treatments upon entering it—Gavin and Chantal have had to

The bedroom: what a view to wake up to.

adjust to the different lifestyle that comes with living away from the city centre, surrounded by nature. “Our social lives have definitely changed,” admits Chantal. “To move here, you have to understand that you’re going to spend a lot of nights at home. You have to be content with it just being the two of you.” Gavin was the one who was immediately at home in the relaxing atmosphere of their new address. Upstairs, out on the balcony, he can stand alone and revel in the silence. He’s in the habit now of walking around, breathing in deeply, filling his lungs with the crisp, fresh air surrounding the house. “And to think,” he said, pointing out across the treetops towards the backside of Tibidabo “chaos is just a stones throw away.” Without traffic—and with the way Chantal drives, Gavin teases—they can get to the city centre in 30 minutes. There are plenty of things to do around the house too. Gavin is an avid runner, mountain biker and triathlete. There is a zoo with animals native to the area just three kilometres away. And they have begun to uncover all the interesting things that grow on their land. They have a lemon tree, an olive tree, a fig tree and a pomegranate tree, which was the hardest to identify. There are four different kinds of bolets, and endless amounts of fresh herbs growing all around. Even more important, is the fabulous swimming pool—and it’s an ideal house for parties. They’ve already had some fantastic blowouts. “I need to be around my friends more than Gavin does,” said Chantal. So hosting parties and having their friends come to them is the perfect solution. Good times and hilarious stories without worrying about who’s going to be the designated driver.

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hot fashion TALENTS Move over Inditex, there’s plenty of creative talent on Barcelona’s fashion stage to outclass the global giants. By Annie Michie

ook at the clothes you’re wearing and consider how they ended up in your wardrobe. Maybe you bought them in a designer store, a multinational chain, or perhaps a secondhand market or vintage shop? And where did they come from? China, India, Bangladesh, or...Barcelona? Spain may have been in the throes of economic crisis for over six years, but despite the recession, Barcelona is still a hotbed of creative talent and the city is making its mark in the

own fashion magazine. She loves looking at street style, understanding how fashion connects with given moments, and how the mixing and matching of garments can result in an outfit that expresses the wearer’s identity and interests—be it art, photography, psychology or film. In 1999, after completing her studies in Media Communication at Pompeu Fabra University, Estel founded itfashion.com, Spain’s first online fashion magazine. In those pre-blogging times, there were no specific tools to create online platforms, so Estel started it from scratch.

“Spanish fashion is a large, tough market where brands sink or swim.” world of fashion. With the 080 Fashion Week taking place this month (February 2nd-5th), we talk to some of the main movers on the local fashion scene, from Spain’s first fashion blogger to successful local designers; both fresh, young faces and well-established masters. Estel Vilaseca started drawing as a child. Fascinated by the glamour and opulence of fashion, and encouraged by her Vogue-reading mother, she always wanted to have her

Estel Vilaseca founded Spain's first online fashion magazine. www.itfashion.com

As a long-term, experienced fashion observer, she now teaches Fashion Editorial at the Instituto Europeo de Diseño (IED). Over the years she has seen many new brands emerge in Barcelona, some lasting the distance, whilst others burst onto the scene, then disappear after a couple of years, or merge with larger, even global, brands. She is also the deputydirector of ‘Vein’, a new print fashion magazine—a magnificent venture that, in its first edition, gave us a 30-page photo spread and interview with model Bimba Bose, who posed on the cover following her recent mastectomy. For Vilaseca, this new enterprise is an example of what a woman’s fashion magazine can be. “Fashion should be used in a positive way, to help women feel good; yet so often the opposite occurs, making them feel inadequate, intimidated.” She comments on the major changes taking place in the fashion world regarding consumer needs. According to Vilaseca, shoppers are seeking more personal clothing. US company ‘Tinker Tailor’, for example, now offers customised items with various sleeve options, colours, fabrics, lengths, etc. Vilaseca also predicts that people will soon wish to buy directly from catwalk collections, rather than having to wait

The Menchén Tomás label combines excellent quality and fine detailing

Fashion magazine Vein is a new arrival on the Spanish fashion scene

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Francesc Grau Tomàs and Olga Ronquillo Menchén of Menchén Tomàs. www.menchentomas.com

six months for designs to reach the shops. While independent young designers may be highly creative, they also need good business management in order to succeed. Spain’s clothing giant, Inditex, responds rapidly to customer input and provides jobs for bright designers. However, they “don’t support new labels, and have only sponsored the Vogue Prize for new designers in the last two years, unlike the UK’s Topshop, for example, which is committed to investing in new labels,” says Vilaseca. Barcelona is famous for its strong, longstanding textile industry, which dates from the 19th century, when factories in Poble Nou, Terrassa, and Sabadell were dubbed ‘the Catalan Manchester’. In the latter half of the 20th century, production shifted away to cheaper sources, such as China or India. However, some production is returning, as are some designers. Francesc Grau Tomàs, designer and founder of the label Menchén Tomàs (together with partner Olga Ronquillo Menchén), has observed that many of his students from IED, where he directs the Masters in Fashion Design, and the Escuela Superior de Diseño (ESDI) are returning from abroad after gaining valuable work experience. Grau, whose boundless energy astonishes those who work with him, is optimistic about his students’ future, seeing that they find jobs fast, and he feels that we are witnessing a regeneration in the industry here.

Elisabet Vallecillo and Jordi Espino of Colmillo de Morsa. www.colmillodemorsa.com

Fashion at the Disseny Hub The city’s permanent fashion collection, previously housed at the Textile Museum, has finally reopened to the public. Having originally been located in Carrer Montcada, this collection was moved provisionally to the Palau de Pedralbes, while the new Museu del Disseny was being built. The collection is presented in the ‘Dressing the body. Silhouettes and Fashion (1550-2015)’ exhibition on the third floor of the new museum, and studies the relationship between the body and shifting social, moral and aesthetic values throughout history. Beautifully curated by Sílvia Ventosa and Teresa Bastardes, the exhibition features pieces from key Spanish designers, amongst others, including Balenciaga, Paco Rabanne, Antonio Miro and Santa Eulalia. The Catalan Trade, Crafts and Fashion Consortium will collaborate with the Museu del Disseny to include winners of 080 Barcelona Fashion Prizes in the collection each season. See page 18 for more information on the Disseny Hub and Museu de Disseny.

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“The ‘100% Made in Barcelona’ label is a big selling point.”

Marc Pairot, y foto retrarto de Teresa: Noemi de la Peña, y foto retrato de Teresa sentada: Fernando Mañas.

Grau’s career path took him from an initial agronomic engineering qualification to studying fashion, following his tailoring father, Jordi Camps. Camps was famous for devising the computerised Corte Camps method of patterncutting, one of the first industrialised systems in Spain, originally implemented in the manufacturing of army uniforms. Grau won a Smirnoff Fashion Award in 1991, which led to a position in Milan for the Tod’s Group. He later returned to Barcelona to design for Antonio Miró, before setting up the Menchén Tomàs womenswear brand in 1995. The duo employ around 11 local designers, pattern-cutters and dressmakers, plus their wonderfully engaging shop assistants. The clientele for their affordable and highly desirable couture at both Barcelona branches of Menchén Tomàs varies according to the district—in the Born they see more tourist trade, while in Gràcia the regular customer base is more local. Grau affirms that the ‘100% Made in Barcelona’ label is a big selling point, together with fine detailing and excellent quality. “Spanish fashion is a large, tough market where brands sink or swim. However, quality is improving and creativity can thrive.” One creative young label is Colmillo de Morsa, founded by Elisabet Vallecillo and Jordi Espino in 2009, after they graduated from ESDI. Javier Blanco has since replaced Espino, and the designers have taken their collections from pop-up stores and stands, all the way to the Cibeles catwalk show in Madrid. They now run two shops in Barcelona and have also found success further afield, from San Francisco to the Arab Emirates. In addition to their biannual womenswear collections (menswear is on the way), the boutiques stock accessories by 20 other designers. Their business approach takes a long-term view within a tough market. Their focus is on building up the label gradually, whilst maintaining the ambition and excitement necessary to succeed. The result: modern Mediterranean classics combining quality, artisanal fabrics and lively colour combinations. Another local designer who is now a regular at Cibeles is Teresa Helbig. Walking into her workshop and showroom is to enter another world; a hive of creative activity full of magical fabrics, huge theatrical mirrors and wooden parquet floors. When I visited, Teresa herself was working away at the sewing machine. Sitting alongside her was her mother, who taught a young Teresa to sew at home on the kitchen table. The fashion house was established in 1997 “by accident,” says Teresa. She had been making clothes for friends and on commission, and she was so successful that she risked her money to produce a collection. That risk increased when she accidentally ordered double fabric quantities, meaning that her nightwear had to serve as daywear too. Nevertheless, the venture paid off. These days, her stunningly cut, deceptively simple, yet often heavily embroidered clothing is in high demand. I witnessed a young bride arriving from Mexico with her family, for a fitting of her utterly contemporary yet romantic, timeless wedding dress. The enthusiasm is palpable here

Teresa Helbig's passion for design started at her mother's sewing machine. www.teresahelbig.com

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Marc Pairot, y foto retrarto de Teresa: Noemi de la Pe単a, y foto retrato de Teresa sentada: Fernando Ma単as.

and her whole team eagerly showed me the extraordinary detailing on the exquisite garments. Teresa says she often starts each new collection by imagining a story between a girl and boy and the clothes they would wear for their adventures. Helbig’s passion, her instinct, and her free spirit drive her forward, as she strives to create a label to last. That heightened, high-end world finds its apotheosis in ‘Santa Eulalia’, Barcelona’s long established luxury fashion store. Just walk through the doors and you’ll experience the ‘wow factor’ that owner, Luis Sans, seeks. The original 1843 shop was located in Pla de la Boqueria, Las Ramblas, before moving to Passeig de Gràcia in 1941, where they pioneered in-house haute couture shows and built up a clientele of both Barcelona and Spain’s high society. When prêt-a-porter women’s clothing took off in the late Sixties, Santa Eulalia flourished, although this meant closing their own tailored womenswear section, and working with major houses instead. However, the menswear tailoring continues and the workshop can be seen in action through a window within the shop.

It’s a sizable operation with around 70 people employed from warehouse to doormen. The assistants are experts at guiding their clients through possible fabrics, cuts and styles, working hand-in-glove with superlative tailors. Generations of families form their solid client base, while tourist shoppers from China or Russia mean staff have also been recruited from overseas. The shop relocated again for a couple of years in 2009, when top American interior designer, William Sofield—who successfully transformed stores such as Yves Saint Laurent, Gucci or Bottega Veneto—was brought in to redesign and update Santa Eulalia. The result is spectacular. Original Art Deco fittings, old posters framed in the exclusive café, sumptuous furnishings, and a revival of antique signs and logos, combine to create an environment conducive to a stress-free shopping experience for world class fashion. Santa Eulalia has always been a familyrun business and Sans took over aged 22, while studying Business Administration at ESADE. He and his wife are the buyers, and Sans’ attention to detail, care and perfection in every aspect of the business is evident. He strolls over to chat with customers in the café, where the barista confides to me that “this is the best place to work in Barcelona”. So what exactly are you wearing and where is it from? With so many talented designers in the city, maybe it’s time to venture beyond the multinationals and go local. In times when global giants like Inditex—owner of Zara, Oysho, Bershka and Massimo Dutti, among others—and H&M, with its higher end sister shop & Other Stories, dominate the high street, it’s refreshing to find there’s room for everyone on Barcelona’s fashion stage.

Luis Sans is owner of Santa Eulalia, a longestablished local luxury label. www.santaeulalia.com

The stylish Santa Eulalia store (left) and in-store cafe.

The world’s most expensive shopping streets It can be hard to get your designs out there when commercial real estate is so costly. In 2014, Barcelona’s Portal de l’Àngel ranked as the most expensive shopping street in Spain, at an average rental price of €€3,240 per m2, per annum (ahead of Madrid’s Calle de Preciados, at €3,180, and Passeig de Gràcia, at €2,700), and the 14th most expensive shopping street in the world. Passeig de Gràcia ranks second in Barcelona, at €2,700. Across the globe, the top shopping spots are... Fifth Avenue, New York City €29,822 Causeway Bay, Hong Kong €23,307 Champs Elysees, Paris €13,255

New Bond Street, London €10,361 Pitt Street Mall, Sydney €8,658 Via Montenapoleone, Milan €8,500 Ginza, Tokyo €8,120 Myeongdong, Seoul €7,942 Bahnhofstrasse, Zurich €7,456 Stoleshnikov, Moscow €4,749 Robert Travers, of Cushman & Wakefield, who compiled the list of ‘Main streets across the world’, says that Spain’s shop floor prices rose by 2.3% in 2014 on the previous year, citing competition for limited available retail floorspace as the reason, together with an increase in demand for ‘luxury fashion’. Source: Cushman & Wakefield

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D is for Design

GLÒRIES IS CHANGING, AND THE RECENTLY OPENED DISSENY HUB IS AT THE HEART OF THE ACTION. BY CAROL MORAN

ove it or hate it, the new Disseny Hub in Glòries won’t leave you indifferent. This massive cultural facility is housed in a brand new anvil-shaped building, which proudly presides over events at the evolving heart of Glòries. Hub by name and by nature, the building overlooks the recently demolished giant roundabout—soon to become a new green lung for the city—at a key transport and urban connection point, next to the Torre Agbar. Over seven storeys, the Disseny Hub accommodates the Museu del Disseny de Barcelona, which offers a new home to permanent collections from four museums across the city, as well as large temporary exhibition spaces, a reference library, and a 320-seater auditorium. It also houses the Biblioteca El Clot - Josep Benet, a public cafe, and the headquarters of design institutions BCD (Barcelona Centre de Disseny), and FAD (Foment de les Arts i del Disseny). In a nutshell, it brings all things design together under one roof, from fourth-century textiles to present day products; a fitting homage to the integral role design plays in the city’s cultural heritage. Constructed between 2008 and 2013, and designed by local architects MBM, this

The permanent exhibitions oﬀer insight into the evolution of design and 18 innovation over the centuries.

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zinc-clad, concrete and glass construction is a focal point for an increasing population of cultural assets and innovative industries that surround it: the new Encants Market, La Farinera del Clot Cultural Centre, Can Framis Fundacio Vila Casa, the Teatre Nacional de Catalunya, and L’Auditori. The 22@Barcelona district also lies nearby, which over the last decade has become the new home of many innovative and knowledge-based businesses, including Mediapro, Media-Tic, Radiotelevisión Española, RBA Editors, Barcelona Activa, and the communication campus of the Universitat Pompeu Fabra. The building is divided into two sections. The bottom section runs the length of the site, to create large semi-basement spaces with a grass roof that provides landscaping above. The upper section is the visible, top-heavy structure, which cantilevers over the tramline towards Plaça de les Glòries. And just as any self-respecting 21st-century building should be, it’s green. Several sustainable building concepts are employed, from the reuse of rainwater, collected in decorative ponds surrounding the buildings, to the innovative use of daylight, which filters into the large semi-underground spaces from above and is simultaneously reflected off the ponds that run alongside. Google maps reveals the army of photovoltaic cells on the roof, whilst the thermal mass of the principal building material, concrete, aids passive solar heating (and cooling) throughout the year. But probably the most memorable element of the building (at least for the kids), is the interactive sound and light installation, BuumRuum! by David Torrents y artec3 Studio, which forms part of the urban landscaping. Hours of fun. Apart from the spectacle of the building, the biggest draw for the general public is the Museu del Disseny, which opened its doors on December 14th, and in its first weekend alone, saw nearly 15,000 visitors swarming about the pol-

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A selection of pieces from the museum's permanent collection.

ished concrete floors of the exhibition halls. Entrance was free until January 31st, by which time, well over 90,000 had stopped by. Primarily occupying the most visible floors of the Disseny Hub building, the museum houses an extensive permanent collection, which combines exhibits from the former Museu de les Arts Decoratives (decorative arts), Museu de Ceràmica (ceramics), Museu Tèxtil i d’Indumentària (textiles and clothing) and the Gabinet de les Arts Gràfiques (graphic arts). The result is an eclectic collection of more than 70,000 objects, traditionally classified as decorative or applied arts, which curators have grouped into four permanent exhibitions. On the first floor, ‘From the World to the Museum. Product Design, Cultural Heritage’ gathers together 238 hallmark designs that represent the time period in which they were born. Spanning several decades, this collection includes a whole host of everyday objects, from the pioneering and the innovative, to the seemingly mundane, arranged in three main sections—reference, materiality and social context— and include diverse themes, including eco-design, ergonomics, the popular, the functional and the versatile. The next floor accommodates ‘Extraordinary! Decorative Arts and Author Art Collections (3rd-20th centuries)’, which offers a chronological journey through an exceptional collection of 1,100 ceramics, textiles, furniture, glassware, clocks, wallpaper, and other objects. The exhibits give an insight into the past and present inhabitants of Barcelona— how they lived, how they related to cultural traditions, and the importance of aesthetics in everyday life. Within the exhibition, 30 highlighted pieces are selected to give a concise overview of the history of the decorative arts in Catalunya (good for the fast-track visitor). ‘Dressing the Body. Silhouettes and Fashion (1550-2015)’,

on the third floor, walks us through the changing shape of the body as modelled by fashion, explained through 173 dresses and frames. Since ancient times, human beings have altered the shape and appearance of their bodies, in ways that are intimately connected with moral, social and aesthetic codes. This exhibition invites the spectator to take a fascinating journey through the history of culture, with dress, forms and the body as protagonists. Finally, the permanent graphic design exhibition on the fourth floor, ‘Graphic Design: from trade to profession (1940-1980)’, traces the history of graphic design as a profession, beginning with the generation who trained in the Thirties as commercial artists, and ending with those who entered as apprentices in the first design studio. The collection includes 554 striking visuals that represent their era and culture—from calendars and press advertisements, to packaging and posters. Ending in 1980, this exhibition is to be continued… This month, the first temporary exhibition, ‘Design for Life’, opens on February 18th (see page 22), and the museum offers a regular programme of activities related to the exhibitions, as well as guided tours, lectures and workshops.

MORE INFO. www.museudisseny.cat Museum opening times; Tuesday to Sunday, 10am-8pm Prices Permanent exhibitions: general admission €6; reduced admission €4 Admission free: Sunday afternoons, from 3pm to 8pm, and the first Sunday of each month

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MUSIC Feb 16th

Pop Queen Perry Katy Perry February 16th. Palau Sant Jordi. Passeig Olímpic 5-7

When Katy Perry burst onto the scene in 2008 with her number-one single ‘I Kissed a Girl’, what most people probably couldn’t infer from the song and its raunchy music video is that growing up she had very little exposure to non-religious music. In fact, having been born to a couple of born-again Christians, she initially pursued a career in gospel music. But it soon became clear that this was not her calling–her first gospel album, the blandly titled Katy Hudson, only sold 200 copies. Undeterred, she reinvented herself as a colourful, wacky sex symbol, and soon became one of the world’s most famous pop stars. She was even married to controversial comedian Russell Brand for a few months. What must her parents think? Four studio albums later, Katy Perry is on the final leg of her Prismatic World Tour in Europe promoting her newest album, Prism.

In a Heartbeat José González February 20th L’Auditori. Lepant 150.

Though born and bred in Gothenburg, Sweden, González is of Argentinian blood, his parents having fled the country in exile before José was born. He released his debut Album, Veneer, in 2003, but really shot to fame in 2005, when his acoustic cover of ‘Heartbeats’ (originally by fellow Swedish duo, The Knife) came bouncing onto our screens as the soundtrack to Sony’s Bravia advert. His guitar and unmistakable voice have been mesmerising audiences ever since, with another album, In Our Nature (2007), and many unforgettable covers, including Kylie Minogue’s ‘Hand on Your Heart’ and Joy Division’s ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’. This month he comes to town to present his third album, Vestiges & Claws, as part of Viking Musik BCN, a series of seven concerts to be presented by L’Auditori that focuses on the Scandinavian music scene.

Feb 13th 15th-17th

0 editor’s pick

By George! George Ezra February 13th Bikini. Diagonal 547.

Feb 20th Feb 7th Tenor Tones

José Carreras February 7th Gran Teatre del Liceu. Ramblas 51-59.

His 2015 UK tour sold out in 10 minutes. Out of nowhere, he finished fifth in the BBC Sound of 2014 last January. He’s played Glastonbury for two consecutive years, and his debut album, Wanted on Voyage, entered the charts at number three in July last year, and reaching number one in October, before returning once again to the top spot last month. George Ezra has had a whirlwind of a year. Hailing from Hertford, England, the 21-year-old singer-songwriter burst onto the international music scene last year with his breakthrough single, ‘Budapest’. And even those who don’t recognise his name, will most certainly have heard his dulcet tones—a gravelly, bluesy voice, far more mature than its years. Citing Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie as his key musical influences, Ezra is the latest in a string of young British folk singers to emerge in recent years, yet his music stands out for its definite blues vibe. The majority of his debut album was penned during a solo backpacking trip around Europe by rail, hence the song titles ‘Budapest’ and ‘Barcelona’; and so it comes full circle, as Ezra returns to the city, this time to perform songs influenced by his previous visit.

As part of the 16th Banc Sabadell Festival Mil·lenni, world-famous Catalan tenor José Carreras comes home this month to appear at the Liceu. But this is no ordinary Carreras concert. Instead of drawing from his usual repertoire of opera, the 68-year-old local legend will be leading the show at the closing concert to Barcelona’s year as the ‘Capital de la Sardana’, before the title is passed on to Calella for 2015. In a celebration of the unique music of Catalunya’s national dance, Carreras will be joined by the Symphony Orchestra of Cobla i Corda de Catalunya and the voices of the Polifónica de Puig-Reig Choir. And to steal a little of the limelight, no Sardana celebration would be complete without the dancers themselves.

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IN CONCERT 2nd. Jeff Tweedy L’Auditori. Lepant 150. 7th. Josep Carreras Gran Teatre del Liceu. Ramblas 51-59. 9th. Yuja Wang L’Auditori. Lepant 150. 10th. Brigitte Sala Apolo. Nou de la Rambla 113. 12th. Tricky Sala Apolo. Nou de la Rambla 113. 12th. David Alegret Palau de la Música. Palau de la Música 4-6. 13th. George Ezra Sala Bikini. Diagonal 547. 16th. Els Amics de les Arts Gran Teatre del Liceu. Ramblas 51-59. 16th. Fish Sala Apolo. Nou de la Rambla 113. 16th. Katy Perry Palau Sant Jordi. Pg. Olímpic 5-7. 17th. Dropkick Murphys Razzmatazz. Pamplona 88. 18th. James Vincent McMorrow Teatre BARTS. Paral·lel 62. 19th. TR/ST Razzmatazz. Pamplona 88. 20th. José González L’Auditori. Lepant 150. 21st. The Afghan Whigs Sala Apolo. Nou de la Rambla 113. 26th. Malacara & Wilson Band Hard Rock Cafe. Catalunya 21. 27th. ASA. Sala Apolo. Nou de la Rambla 113.

sing the blues

After Dark: Xavi Malacara and Tony Wilson February 26th Hard Rock Cafe

This month’s After Dark Session at the Hard Rock Cafe, sponsored by Metropolitan, sees blues duo Xavi Malacara and Tony Wilson taking to the stage on February 26th. We caught up with Malacara for a quick word... My whole life I have been singing and playing music. My parents got me a vinyl player when I was three, and I listened to each record I had over and over again. From there I took guitar and singing lessons. I was the first musician in my family. A lot of artists have inspired me, but I would have to say that Elvis has always been my favourite. My music has its roots in blues. We used to play folk, as well, but on our newest album, we just play the blues. In Barcelona, blues music has never hit the mass market, but there is a following. In February of last year, I spent some time in the US. I played in Memphis, then did a 10-day pilgrimage through the Mississippi Delta. I was in New Orleans for Mardi Gras, which was incredible. I didn’t sleep the entire time. I just spent every second I could listening to the music from that area. I met Tony Wilson two years ago. He’s not only a great guitar player, but also a great person. He has a lot of good ideas about the structure of our shows and how to revamp my performances. I feel comfortable playing with him and he helps me improve as a musician and a performer. When I play blues with Tony, we are mellow, tranquilos. We sing about things that have very strong emotions associated with them—religious texts, sex and fighting. Music for me is a way of life. Music pushes you to the limit. When you play music, things are always happening to you. You have to let yourself crash through to the next level.

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ART

2014: Year in Review

UNTIL

Apr 12th

1 dia, 1 foto. Until April 12th. Arts Santa Mònica. Ramblas 7.

2014 was a memorable year in Catalunya. September saw the tricentenary of the 1714 siege of Barcelona, and the independence consultation finally took place on November 9th. But amongst the rising voices of the independence movement, life in the region, from its sleepy villages to its busy cities, continued as normal. This project involved 31 photographers, each one assigned to a specific day of the month, tasked with taking a photograph on that day each month throughout the year. The result is a fascinating look back at 2014—not just the landmark social events that are already fixed in public memory, but the everyday things too. Pictures of landscapes, protests, parties, and even Barça players sitting at home– everything about Catalunya last year, from the extraordinary to the mundane, is represented, making this exhibition a little prematurely nostalgic.

OPENS

Feb 18th

0 April 12th editor’s pick

UNTIL

Life in black and white

Arissa. The Shadow and the Photographer, 1922-1936 Until April 12th. CCCB. Montalegre 5.

Design for Life

Opens February 18th. Museu del Disseny. Plaça de les Glòries Catalanes 37. This exhibition’s name says it all. Everything we do, every day, is influenced by design: the way we dress, move, work and live is impacted by objects and the design of those objects. In the first temporary exhibition at the new Museu del Disseny, 99 real-life inventions are brought together in order to demonstrate the capacity of design to respond to the needs of society and continually improve the way we live. Some hear the word ‘design’ and think of fancy home accessories or superfluous luxury items, but this is about product design, not designer products, and practical, rather than aesthetic, considerations. From fire-extinguishing drones to pills containing endoscopic cameras, the exhibition focuses on innovations that are expressly aimed at improving the lives of users across a range of disciplines (communication, education, health, sustainability and safety), the environment in which they operate and the society to which they belong.

Born in Sant Andreu in 1900, Antoni Arissa, although relatively unknown, was one of Spain’s most outstanding 20th-century photographers. A printer by trade, he began his career in the Twenties, soon creating his own dynamic style in line with the principles of the New Vision movement. This movement embraced the combination of photographs with modern typography and graphic design to mirror the technological and industrial advances that society was experiencing. By the early Thirties, Arissa’s career was blossoming and he was at the forefront of the Spanish avant-garde movement. However, with the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936, and the resulting lack of money for artistic endeavours, he was forced to give up photography, and all but disappeared into obscurity. This exhibition looks to bring Arissa’s work back to the public eye with more than 160 black and white photographs that span his short career. The works are divided into three chronological blocks: The first (1922-1928) represents his initial phase as a photographer within the trend of pictorialism. The second (1928-early 1930s), while continuing with narrative themes, also incorporates modern visual solutions. And finally, the third block (1930-1936) presents an Arissa who is fully incorporated in the ranks of avant-garde photography. This exhibition does a wonderful job in resurrecting the works of this forward-thinking artist who history nearly forgot.

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ART PICKS Last chance ÀNGELS BARCELONA Peter Downsbrough. Photography exhibition focusing on the conceptual work of Peter Downsbrough since 1978. Until February 6th. Pintor Fortuny 27.

FUNDACIÓ ANTONI TÀPIES Interval. Sound Actions. A multimedia project seeking to challenge the Western musical tradition of listening to music in silence, featuring installations, videos, lectures, concerts and radio programmes. Until February 15th. Aragó 255.

FUNDACIÓ JOAN MIRÓ Barcelona, Neutral Zone. An exhibition commemorating the centenary of the First World War by highlighting the social and creative effects the war had on the city. Until February 15th. Parc de Montjuïc s/n.

BLUEPROJECT FOUNDATION Chen Zhen: In-Between. The artist’s first solo exhibition in Spain, reflecting on his spiritual life and his relationship with Eastern culture. Until February 22nd. Princesa 57.

MACBA Carol Rama. A very little known artist until the Eighties, Carol Rama’s unconventional paintings hold many erotic and sexually aggressive elements. Until February 22nd. Pl. dels Àngels 1.

CAIXAFORUM Sebastião Salgado: Genesis. A stunning collection of black and white photographs of the world, highlighting the need to fight climate change and preserve the environment. Until February 8th. Francesc Ferrer i Guàrdia 6-8.

PALAU ROBERT Women. Afghanistan. In this collection of photographs, the Association for Human Rights in Afghanistan exposes the difficult circumstances that women in Afghanistan face, 13 years after the fall of the Taliban regime. Until February 15th. Passeig de Gràcia 107.

MNAC Carles Casagemas: The artist behind the myth. Most often cited in relation to his friend Pablo Picasso, or his suicide at the age of 21, this exhibition seeks to display Carles Casagemas for his skill and sensibility, not the myth surrounding him. Until February 22nd. Palau Nacional, Parc de Montjüic.

CONVENT DELS ÀNGELS, macba Nonument. An exhibition exploring monuments and their role within a city, showing how the tradition of monuments can be reinterpreted through artistic language. Until February 5th. Pl. dels Àngels 8.

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0 MISC. LIGHT UP, LIGHT UP

LLUM BCN Festival, Ciutat Vella February 6th-8th & 12th santaeulalia.bcn.cat As day fades to night during the Festes de Santa Eulàlia, the city will light up for the LLUM BCN Festival. This year marks a particularly special occasion as UNESCO celebrates the International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies across the globe. The festival, now in its fourth edition, sees 20 innovative light installations and performances transform some of the Ciutat Vella’s most iconic buildings and bring new meaning to patios and public spaces scattered throughout El Gótico. This magical series of light-based spectacles showcases talented students and teachers from schools of design, lighting, architecture and interior design in Barcelona, in collaboration with the Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO) and the Professional Association of Lighting Designers (APDI), among others.

THE CHILDREN’S SAINT

Festes de Santa Eulàlia, Ciutat Vella February 6th-8th & 12th santaeulalia.bcn.cat February 12th marks the feast day of Santa Eulàlia, the co-patron saint of Barcelona; a fitting occasion to roll out the giant statues, dragons, and correfoc fancy dress for the city’s wintertime festival. Born in 290—a particularly bad time to be a practising Christian—Eulàlia was a brave, 13-year-old virgin, who suffered martyrdom at the hands of Roman emperor Diocletian, who sentenced her to 13 tortures, one for every year of her life. She was the city’s only patron for over 1000 years until 1687, when Barcelona was attacked by a terrible plague and the desperate city dwellers prayed to her for help. When the plague continued, the fickle Barcelonians turned their attention to Our Lady of Mercy, who was seemingly more successful in answering their prayers, and thereafter became the co-patron (and more celebrated) saint. Nevertheless, the city still has a soft spot for the child martyr, often referred to as the children’s saint, and this month she will be celebrated with joyful fervour in parades, music and dance performances across the old town. Visit santaeulalia. bcn.cat for more information.

PRAISE BE

Gospel i Espirituals de Catalunya, MEAM. Until March 26th. www.meam.es With gospel music enjoying somewhat of a rebirth across the city, it seems an apt moment for the first edition of ‘Gospel i Espirituals de Catalunya’ at the European Museum of Modern Art (MEAM): a three-month festival that sees eight Catalan gospel choirs performing in a series of concerts. The series is organised by the same people behind the radio programme La Hora del Blues, Vicente Zumel and Roser Blues. Having founded the programme in 1981, the duo have an extensive wealth of experience in the world of gospel, jazz and blues. Four of the twelve concerts in the series are being held this month, starting with Mas Gospel on the 5th, directed by Carmen Avila Gorozpe. Up next are the Sedeta Gospel Singers on the 12th, followed by the Grup Vocal Zetzània on the 19th, and Gospel Joy on the 26th. The festival continues into March, with another four dates.

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YEAR OF THE GOAT

Chinese Lantern Festival, Parc del Fòrum. Until March 15th. Wednesday to Sunday, 5.30pm-10.30pm. www.lanternfestivalbcn.com According to the Chinese calendar, the Year of the Goat begins February 19th—a year in which it’s customary for families to find a way to reunite and reconcile. Experience the celebration of the Chinese New Year at the Chinese Lantern Festival. Located in the Parc del Fòrum, 500 illuminated figures cover 9,000 square metres, and are distributed into eight thematic areas: the curiosities surrounding Chinese culture and tradition, the secrets of the majestic oriental lanterns, the styles and characteristics of Art Nouveau, the seasons, the Nativity scene and the Catalan cultural inheritance of Gaudí, Miró and Picasso. Both children and adults can enjoy this magical world of colours, shapes and culture, allowing themselves to be transported for the night from Barcelona to the fantasyland of the Lantern Festival, celebrated in China since the first century.

CHILD’S PLAY

Babies al CCCB, CCCB. Every Saturday until the end of March. www.viuelteatre.com/babies-cccb The children’s theatre organisation, Viu el Teatre, is putting on a series of shows until the end of March, aimed specifically at babies and toddlers aged four and under. The performances, which last only 30 to 40 minutes, are designed to capture the attention of the little ones through different artistic disciplines, including music, puppetry and visual arts. For any theatre-loving new parents who feel like they’ve been missing out on the drama since the birth of their tot, this a fun, childfriendly way to get back into it, whilst simultaneously encouraging the baby’s learning and development. This month, babies and parents will be taken on a sensory journey through the four seasons in Pintamúsica, a show involving live music, a white box, and the colours red, blue, yellow and green. Slightly confused? Good. These shows are meant to be a learning experience for parents as well as children; a shared adventure as babies take their first steps into the world of theatre and art.

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080 barcelona fashion The 15th edition of the city’s biannual fashion week takes

jeff tweedy American songwriter and musician, known for being the leader

TUESDAY

dropkick murphys

MONDAY

5 Sir András Schiff In 2014, this Hungarian-born pianist was knighted by Queen

liceu conservatory combos party Jamboree opens its doors for the

THURSDAY

WEDNESDAY

FRIDAY

Pixar in Concert Watch your favourite scenes from Pixar movies accompanied by live music soundtracks.

What's ON

brick lane bcn Vintage market in the gothic quarter. 12pm-8pm. Nou de Sant Fran-

SATURDAY

Tubes and Tubas Musical workshop for families with kids. 10.30am, 12pm and 5.30pm.

Superbowl at Hard Rock Cafe Watch the Superbowl in the perfect surroundings. 11.30pm. Hard Rock Cafe. Catalunya 21.

two market Barcelona’s favourite one euro market is back this month. 11am-8pm. Ovella Negra Poblenou. Zamora 78.

SUNDAY

www.barcelona-metropolitan.com

For more information visit our website

BRIGITTE

FEBRUARY 2015

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george ezra 21-year-old singer-songwriter from the UK. (see page 20) 8.30pm. Sala Bikini. Diagonal 547.

tricky British trip-hop musician. 8.30pm. Sala Apolo. Nou de la Rambla 113.

brigitte French indie-folk duo with a glamorous flare. 8.30pm. Sala Apolo. Nou de la Rambla 113.

yuja wang This Chinese musical prodigy has performed on all five continents both as a solo pianist, as well as part of some of the world’s leading orchestras. She began playing at the age of six, and was internationally recognised by the time she was 21. 8.30pm. L’Auditori. Lepant 150.

James Vincent McMorrow An indie-folk show from this Irish singer-songwriter. 9pm. Teatre BARTS. Paral-lel 52.

sitges carnival Head down the coast to Sitges for seven days of over-the-top festivities, parades and parties. 17th-28th. Sitges.

dropkick murphys On their Celtic Punk Invasion tour. 7pm. Razzmatazz. Pamplona 88.

Katy Perry The pop princess’ much-awaited concert. (see page 20). 7.45pm. Palau Sant Jordi. Paseig Olímpic 5-7.

FISH Front man of the band Marillion, now solo artist and author. 7.30pm. Sala Apolo. Nou de la Rambla 113.

james vincent mcmorrow

Stéphane Belmonde Trio A tribute to Chet Baker, who performed at Jamboree back in the Sixties. 8pm. Jamboree. Plaça Reial 17.

tricky

andreas scholl German countertenor specialising in Baroque music. 8pm. Gran Teatre del Liceu. Ramblas 51-59.

ASA This French singer-songwriter of Nigerian origin released her latest album, Bed of Stone, in 2014. Her performance in Barcelona is part of the 16th Festival Mil-lenni. 8pm. Sala Apolo. Nou de la Rambla 113. malacara & wilson band Blues duo consisting of Tony Wilson and Xavi Malacara. 10pm. Hard Rock Cafe. Catalunya 21. sara cubarsi Prize-winning Catalan violinist. 8pm. Palau de la Música. Palau de la Música 4-6.

Kid Ink

Tim Berne’s snakeoil The American saxophonist brings his band, Snakeoil, to Barcelona. 8pm. Jamboree. Plaça Reial 17.

José González Presenting his new album, Vestiges & Claws (see page 20). 9pm. L’Auditori. Lepant 150.

#Ornitofest Collaborative performances by different bands, mixing together styles and songs. 8.30pm. Sala Apolo. Nou de la Rambla 113. (13th & 14th)

Is tropical

winter crazy weekend Escape to Huesca with Swing Maniacs for swing and skiing. 7pm departure. www.swingmaniacs.com. (6th-8th)

Disney On Ice Witness over 65 of your favourite childhood characters on ice. 7pm. Palau Sant Jordi. Pg Olímpic 5-7. (19th-22nd).

TR/ST Canadian synthpop with an Eighties new wave vibe. 8.30pm. Razzmatazz. Pamplona 88.

david alegret This Catalan tenor is enjoying international success. 8.30pm. Palau de la Música Catalana. Palau de la Música 4-6.

Chicago

mr shingles New Chicago Blues group. 10pm-12.30am. Harlem Jazz Club. Comtessa de Sobradiel 8.

Guillermo Turina Classical music, every Monday this month at Casa Elizalde. 8.30pm. Casa Elizalde. València 302.

Pixar in Concert Watch your favourite scenes from Pixar movies accompanied by live music soundtracks. 8.30pm. L’Auditori. Lepant 150. (6th, 7th & 8th)

Sir András Schiff In 2014, this Hungarian-born pianist was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for his services to music, following an illustrious international career. 8.30pm. Palau de la Música Catalana. Palau de la Música 4-6.

liceu conservatory combos party Jamboree opens its doors for the Liceu Conservatory’s end-of-term party. 8pm & 10pm. Jamboree. Plaça Reial 17.

080 barcelona fashion The 15th edition of the city’s biannual fashion week takes place over four days, showcasing well-known labels alongside emerging local designers. A true celebration of Catalan talent. Museu Marítim. Drassanes s/n. (2nd-5th)

jeff tweedy American songwriter and musician, known for being the leader of the band Wilco. 8pm. L’Auditori. Lepant 150.

demanoenmano Second-hand market. 11am-9pm. Convent de Sant Agustí. Comerç 36. (28th & March 1st)

Minifestival The 20th edition of this independent music festival, featuring bands such as The Close Lobsters, The School, and many more. 5pm. Sala Monasterio. Moll de Mestral30.

Animal religion Sinfonòfor is a unique ‘invertebrate-inspired’ show combining live music and acrobatics7.30pm. L’Auditori. Lepant 150.

The Afghan Whigs This American band are making a comeback with a new album, their first in 16 years. 8pm. Sala Apolo. Nou de la Rambla 113.

Swing at the MNAC Free swing session in the Oval room at the MNAC. 4pm. MNAC. Parc de Montjuïc s/n.

happy valentine’s day!

Demanoenmano Find second-hand and handmade goods at this vintage market. 11am-9pm. CCCB. Montalegre 5. (7th and 8th)

brick lane bcn Vintage market in the gothic quarter. 12pm-8pm. Nou de Sant Francesc 4.

asa

barcelona half marathon Cheer on the over 14,000 runners in this popular race, starting near the Arc de Trionf. 8.30am. Paseig de Pujades.

la taronjada Traditional ‘battle’ of confetti and orange balloons. Part of the carnival festivities. 4.30pm. Plaça Comercial.

Flea Market Barcelona Browse second-hand goods. 11am-7pm. Portal de Santa Madrona.

Tubes and Tubas Musical workshop for families with kids. 10.30am, 12pm and 5.30pm. L’Auditori. Lepant 150. (7th, 8th & 15th)

It’s not what you know…

If you want to keep up with the locals, you’ll need to create a solid network of contacts. And in Barcelona, there are lots of opportunities to do so. BY JAY COLLINS

nless you’re one of life’s natural social butterflies, the idea of an evening spent networking very possibly has you running for cover. For the uninitiated, the word may conjure up visions of bright-eyed Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, gathered at 7am, elevator pitches at the ready. Or perhaps an evening of two-minute conversations with strangers, sizing each other up for potential personal gain. The bad news for retiring types is that networking in Barcelona is an essential part of business and career growth. If you’re a freelancer, have your own business, or are just looking to improve your lot in the city, you’ll need to create a strong network of contacts to really get ahead. The Spanish perfected the art of networking long before the Anglo Saxon term for it existed, and business here relies heavily on good relationships and connections. Taking a new acquaintance out for lunch or just to ‘tomar algo’ is part and parcel of working life in Spain. A 2012 study by online networking platform, LinkedIn, confirms that the Spanish are among the best connected in Europe. Over 50 percent of Spanish professionals do some form of professional networking every week. That figure rises to 59 percent among Spanish women, making them by far the most effective of Europe’s networkers. According to Darain Faraz, LinkedIn’s Com-

Smooth operator

Five tips for successful networking in Barcelona 1. Choose your event carefully If you’re just starting out, look for an event that seems to attract the kind of crowd that you’re interested in meeting. If you have a very specific business agenda, then find an event that attracts more experienced business people. If you just want to widen your circle and be inspired by new people, then an event that appeals to young entrepreneurs could be your best bet. 2. Know your purpose and how to communicate it You should have an idea of what you’re trying to achieve. You should also be able to describe your business/job search or enterprise clearly in a couple of sentences. An aggressive sales pitch isn’t necessary and will just scare people off.

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FEBRUARY EVENTS munication Director, “Spanish professionals understand perfectly the importance of being related with other professionals; they know that their contact network makes them strong and relevant.” For Ed Hamilton, a business coach and CEO of Lavalockers, it’s essential to do as the locals do. “From a cultural point of view, I do think networking is important, as Catalans put a lot of emphasis on trust, relationship building and loyalty. Networking allows you to build a sincere relationship, and once you have gained trust and loyalty, you have good opportunities here.” Most networking in Barcelona takes place through informal lunches and tapas after work, but there are also a growing number of organised events, designed to attract like-minded people, making it easy to extend your network with minimal time investment. These events range from the business-focused, where the accent is on making business contacts, to more relaxed evenings where you could be forgiven for striking up a new friendship or two. Not surprisingly, in a country where connecting with new people comes so naturally, networking in Spain is a more gentle affair than across the pond. The events are friendly and welcoming, and aggressive sales pitches are happily few and far between. A number of events are predominantly in English, set up by foreigners who recognise not only the value of meeting other international people, but also the difficulties a foreigner can face when they enter a society where contacts are king. Local people often have a far-reaching social and business network that goes back decades and includes family, university friends and former colleagues and clients, but the average foreigner has no such pool of people to draw on. These events

3. Keep an open mind You may go to an event with a very fixed idea of the kind of person you want to meet—future business partner, clients etc.— but the chances are that you’ll meet a host of other people who could also be interesting to you and your business. Be focused, but keep an eye open for pleasant surprises. 4. Follow up your new contacts Set aside an hour the following day to contact your new contacts via LinkedIn (if you’re not on LinkedIn, now is the time to get started). Send a quick message or email to people that you would like to meet again soon. 5. Don’t forget your business cards! You’ll be missing out on a lot of opportunities if you don’t have cards to give out. If necessary you can get these done inexpensively online. Try www.vistaprint.es.

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help them get a head start on creating their own network, both among the local and international communities. Barry Davis of the Spectrum IFA Group, which sponsors The Business Lunch, agrees, “Networking is about putting yourself ‘out there’ and finding people you can build trust with. Spanish networking has traditionally been strongly influenced by who you went to school with, if your families know each other and if you come from the same area. However, for international people doing business in Barcelona the system has to be different.” He points out that The Business Lunch is based on a “what goes around, comes around” principle, with attendees often introducing people to other attendees before expecting referrals themselves, helping to build the trust. For Brian Heinen, who started the Guiri Business Network, face-to-face networking should be used hand-in-hand with online networking. “I have a philosophy called ‘The Circle of Networking’ which is: The monthly networking events should be an opportunity for members to connect and share a personality behind their LinkedIn profiles, but the majority of the development of business will continue online and in our LinkedIn Group. I realise the importance of meeting face-to-face when doing business in Spain, but some people find that social aspect more difficult and our group structure encourages people to make this interpersonal connection without the stress of being put on the spot.” For Brian, continued use of the online group throughout the month keeps up the momentum and avoids the disconnection that can otherwise happen after a networking event. The Barcelona Women’s Network also helps foreigners connect, both socially and for business. “We have two main groups, a social network and a business network,” explains President, Marieke Severens. “Our professional networking group connects members who are entrepreneurs, professionals or job-hunting. We offer events, workshops and seminars to help move businesses forward.” The network’s monthly coffee morning is a good way to find out what the BWN is about. No matter what your situation in Barcelona, the more people that know and trust you, the more opportunity is likely to come knocking on your door. It takes some energy to build a strong business and social circle, but put the legwork in and you’ll soon be reaping the benefits. And true to form, everything is that little bit more relaxed in Barcelona. Choose your event, enlist a friend, keep an open mind, and who knows, you may even find yourself having some fun.

Guiri Business February 25th, 7pm-9pm. Cinco Jotas, Las Arenas. Entry is free and there is a complimentary first drink. Register via the website. www.guiribusiness.com The Guiri Business group is a LinkedIn group in both Madrid and Barcelona. Their monthly gettogethers (sponsored by Metropolitan in Barcelona) are friendly and attract mostly foreigners, from young entrepreneurs to more established business people. American Society February 11th, 8pm-11.30pm. Free. No registration necessary. Check website for venue. www.amersoc.com The monthly happy hour is open to members and non-members and is a relaxed and sociable affair. The Business Lunch February 19th at 1.30pm. Cost:€€35. Register via the website. www.thebizlunch.com The Business Lunch is a monthly lunch for Barcelona’s English-speaking business community. It provides an opportunity to network and promote your business with like-minded professionals in a relaxed environment. Barcelona Women’s Network February 12th, 11am-1pm. Via Augusta 123, Atico. Free. No registration necessary. www.bcnwomensnetwork.com This monthly meeting gives members, and those interested in joining the BWN, a chance to gather together and learn more about the BWN. Coffee mornings are always followed by an inexpensive menu del dia at a nearby restaurant. See the following for upcoming events: Red Deluxe www.reddeluxe.net Red Deluxe holds regular events in beautiful locations and attracts a broad variety of locals and international people. People come for both the business and social aspect. Internations www.internations.org/barcelona-expats Internations is a global network with a branch in Barcelona. It is aimed at expats and holds regular networking sessions which are more social than business. Meetup There are a number of business and startup networking groups on Meetup.com that get together regularly. Improve your networking skills February 18th, 6pm-8pm Signup required at: www.barcelonactiva.cat Barcelona Activa offers free seminars for entrepreneurs, helping them to create a three-minute elevator pitch. Very useful if you find it hard to be succinct about what you do.

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how to...

Throw a calçotada Get your grill on… and eat them while you can! TEXT BY SAM ZUCKER

etween late January and the end of April, calçots are hard to miss in Barcelona, and beyond. Eating calçots (large, sweet spring onions), grilled meat and sausages in huge excess, with plenty of salvitxada (a sauce similar to Romesco), washed down with copious streams of red wine, is a much anticipated event during the coldest months of the year. Here’s our guide for throwing a successful Do-It-Yourself Calçotada to make any Catalan proud. Bring on the calçots!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED grill porron botifarra

artichokes

crema catalana

The grill

The most important thing to remember when grilling calçots is that it will generally take longer than you imagine. For cooking methods, I prefer ‘la técnica del alambre’—using a metal wire threaded through the root end of the calçots to keep them secure while grilling and to allow for easy flipping. Only thread as many onto one wire as will comfortably fit on your fire. Ideally you want many bunches of threaded calçots, ready for quick, successful grilling. Grill the calçots until they are black on both sides. Once both sides are charred black, place the calçots on newspaper, several sheets thick. Remove the wire and push them together in the middle of the newspaper. Next, roll it tightly into a neat bundle, folding the ends, and place the bundle in a cardboard box or plastic storage container. As you continue grilling the calçots, add each new bundle to the box to keep them warm and allow them to steam themselves tender. Keep the box closed while grilling. Once the final batch of calçots is in the box, let them rest for 30-45 minutes for them to become fully tender. The most traditional fuel for a calçotada barbecue is grapevine clippings, purchased in large bags for just this purpose. However, if the vine clippings (sarmientos de viñedo) are unavailable or too costly (a single bag of 4.5kg bag costs around €10), you can substitute with organic charcoal. A clever approach is to procure one or two bags of organic charcoal and one bag of sarmientos, using the charcoal to maintain heat in the grill pit and the vine trimmings to generate fire, smoke, and flavour.

calcots

Salvitxada (Calçot sauce) Ingredients (for 10)

• • • • •

2 dried sweet red peppers 100g almonds 100g hazelnuts 3 onions 3 cups of extra virgin olive oil

• • • • •

10 ripe tomatoes 3 slices of stale bread 2 whole bulbs of garlic Sherry vinegar (to taste) Salt to taste

This sauce should be made ahead of time if you will not have access to a kitchen at your calçotada. Start by peeling and cutting the onions in half (removing the root ends), as well as the garlic bulbs. Toss both in oil and salt, then roast the onions and garlic in a tray, covered with aluminum foil, for 45 minutes

at 180C. In the same oven, roast the tomatoes (halved), drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with salt, uncovered for the same amount of time. While the vegetables are roasting, soak the dried peppers in warm water for 10 minutes, then scrape the softened flesh into a bowl. Throw away the skins. Toast the almonds, hazelnuts and bread in the oven until slightly brown, peel the garlic, then mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl or pot and blend them well with a hand-held blender. While blending, add a steady, thin stream of olive oil until you have a smooth texture (you may not need all the oil). Finally, add the sherry vinegar and salt bit by bit until the sauce has a nice, bright flavour. Serve the sauce in multiple bowls around the table for people to dip their peeled calçots in.

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Grilled artichokes

While the calçots are resting in their cosy box, take advantage of your free time and make some grilled artichokes. Simply trim the stem of the fresh artichokes one centimetre from the base and chop the top centimetre off the artichoke’s leaves. Next, hold the artichoke firmly by the base and whack it—leaves first—into a brick or stone to loosen the leaves from the central core. Drizzle a little bit of olive oil into the centre of each artichoke, sprinkle with coarse salt, and grill them upright over a moderate heat for around 40 minutes, or until tender at the core. To eat them, just peel off and discard the tough outer leaves, revealing the soft inner leaves, which you enjoy by scraping off the flesh with your teeth. The most tender leaves at the heart can be eaten whole.

The meat

After gorging on calçots, typical grilled meats that follow include chicken, pork chops, lamb chops, beef, and tocino (thick-cut bacon). However, the one absolute must is simple botifarra—the most classic of Catalan sausages. Offer this assortment of grilled meats to your guests as a second course, bringing the feast to the table on a large, heaped ‘help yourself ’ platter.

The wine

The cheapest way to stock up is to buy straight from the barrel (or granel) at a local bodega (don’t forget to take along some empty water bottles to fill up). One such wine cellar is Bodega Maestrazgo (Sant Pere Més Baix 90), though there are numerous similar bodegas throughout the city. Drink your wine from a glass porrón, passed around the table. If you don’t know what a porrón is or how to use one, look it up and get practising!

Dessert

What else? Crema Catalana! This dessert can be prepared ahead of time. Little individual ramekins aren’t realistic at a calçotada, so you can make one large Crema Catalana in a glass or aluminium baking dish. If you don’t have a butane torch, you can caramelise the sugar in your oven broiler. As you’ll discover, the calçotada is a quintessential part of Catalan culture that must be experienced. There are innumerable places in and around Barcelona where you can eat excellent calçots with all the accompanying dishes (see page 38), but playing host can make it really special. It’s fun, achievable, and satisfying for novices and pros alike, so get out there and grab the calçots, using our guide to ensure that no classics are missing, and you’ll be the perfect Catalan host. Bon Profit!

10 person shopping list for under €200 €20/person

Metal Wire = €2 Charcoal (10kg) = €8 Vine clippings = €10 Vermouth (1.5l) from a local bodega = €6 Bulk olives (600g) = €6 Potato crisps (1 “gourmet” bag) = €3 Paper plates, cups, and plastic cutlery = €15 15 calçots / person (6 bundles of 25) = €27 Salvitxada sauce ingredients = €15 Olive oil = €2.50 Artichokes (4.5kg) from the market = €8.95 Red wine (6l) from a local bodega = €12 Glass Porrón = €5 Botifarra Blanca (2kg) = €10 Lamb chops (2.5kg) = €18.75 8 chicken breasts = €11 Crema catalana ingredients = €15

Total = €175

How to eat a grilled calçot REMOVE SKIN

YUM YUM!

PuBliC BBQ SPaCeS aRouNd BaRCeloNa 1) SANTA CREU D’OLORDA Collserola Natural Park. 45-minute drive from Barcelona

GRILLED CALCOT Once the calçots have been grilled and steamed tender, place a heaped mound in front of each person on a plate (or on an old rooﬁng tile, as tradition dictates). Hold the calçot by the top, central shoot with one hand, and pinch the root end with the other. Gently pull down on the root, peeling away all of the burned outer sheath, leaving just the sweet, tender core. Dip the core in salvitxada, raise it above your mouth, and lower the whole calçot for a single, delicious bite (discarding the top leaves). Bibs and gloves are sometimes used, but goes against the whole spirit of dirty, drunken fun that typiﬁes a true calçotada.

2) TORRENT DE CAN COLL. Collserola Natural Park 30-minute drive from Barcelona 3) EL MERENDERO Les Planes 30-minute drive from Barcelona 4) PARC DE LA TRINITAT Barcelona city. Trinitat Vella L1 metro 5) MERENDERO EL PINAR Olèrdola. 45-minute drive from Barcelona

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inSTYLE

This month we head to the Filmoteca in the Raval, to see what the city’s cinephiles are wearing.

Our pick

COAT

€29,99 Zara

CHECKED COTTON SHIRT €39,95

Pelai 58

Cos

Passeig de Gracia 27

JEANS

€19,99

H&M

Portaferrissa 16

JACKET Team an oversized coat with platform shoes for an instantly laid-back look.

Take inspiration from Nineties grunge and layer a leather jacket over flannel.

€39,99 Zara

Pelai 58

TRAINERS €199 New Balance

LEATHER FLATFORMS

€95

& OTHER STORIES

Rambla de Catalunya 47

Passeig de Gràcia 8

we recommend NECKLACE

CITY BAG COCO

€39,95 Zara

€19,99 Mango

Avinguda Portal de l’Àngel, 7

Pelai 58

FABLE PRINT SILK SLASHED BACK DRESS

€125

Top Shop

Carrer de Bergara 1

SCULPTURED BAG

€325 BOOTS

€300

ECCO

es.ecco.com/es-es/service/find-a-store

ECCO

es.ecco.com/es-es/service/find-a-store

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TRAVEL

From boutique hotels to converted farmhouses and treetop cabins, Catalunya has plenty of options for a valentine’s weekend. Here’s our pick of the region’s most romantic weekend getaways.

Las Moradas del Unicornio

Púbol, Baix Empordà www.lasmoradasdelunicornio.com

This quirky boutique hotel is located in the Costa Brava village of Púbol, just across the road from the Gala-Dalí Castle, residence of the late artist and his muse. Inspired by the mythological creature, the unicorn, photographer Quim and his wife Olga converted the 11th-century house into a hotel in 2009, creating a sumptuous and peaceful haven. The house’s original features are complemented with sensual fabrics, luxurious décor and objects picked up on the couple’s world travels. The hotel has just four suites—all exquisitely decorated and each with its own special feel—from the cosy Unicornio Blanco with an open fireplace to curl up in front of, to the impressive Unicornio Dorado suite with a vaulted ceiling. Add in some excellent food, delightful hosts, and a Mediterranean walled garden, and this place just can’t fail. Prices: Between €150 and €250 per night depending on the suite. Check their website for last-minute offers. Nearby: Pop over the road to visit the Gala-Dalí Castle. Dalí and Gala bought the neglected castle in 1969 and restored it into a place of playful architecture and clever spaces, adorned with wall paintings, Baroque textiles and antiques.

CAN CAPONET

Llica d’Amunt, Vallès Oriental www.cancaponet.com

This lovely eco-retreat doesn’t reopen until March 1st, but if you’re looking for some sustainable comfort close to Barcelona then it’s probably worth the wait. Maria and Biel have created a peaceful, back to nature experience, that is warm and inviting. You can choose between the refurbished masía with an open log fire and lots of cosy corners, or hide away in one of two little cabins in the gardens that look out onto an ecological swimming pool. Crisp white linens, exposed wooden beams and four poster beds create an atmosphere that’s fresh and natural. The cuisine is based on fresh, seasonal produce, much of which is grown in the garden. For a little extra indulgence, they also have a small spa and offer massages and alternative therapies. Prices: Double room with breakfast from €130 per night. The ‘Pack romántic’ costs €250 and includes one night’s accommodation for two people plus a romantic dinner, massage, sauna and spa. Nearby: Can Caponet can organise horse riding excursions. There are also good trekking and cycling paths. A little further afield, visit the ancient spa town of Caldes de Montbui, where the remnants of its Roman baths, as well as more modern thermal spas, provide plenty to do.

CASA MIGDIA

Sant Jordi Desvalls, Gironés www.casamigdia.com

This hippy-chic guest house is set in a former presbytery in the medieval village of Sant Jordi Desvalls, only 15 kilometres from Girona. With just five rooms, and a guaranteed warm welcome from French owners Sébastien and Mary, this is the place to leave your city worries behind. The colourful, idiosyncratic decor reflects the hosts’ travels and references Cuba, Paris and Marrakech. The result is a riot of colours that manages to be uplifting, yet calm and peaceful at the same time. The rooms vary in size, from the small but fun 218, perfect for couples on a budget, to the spacious Carmen. Sébastien was previously a restaurateur in Paris, and the food in the relaxed bistro is a testament to his culinary skills. After dinner you can settle down in the lounge by the open fire. If your romantic retreat involves taking the kids, then this is the place for you. The couple have four children and are very welcoming to families. Prices: From €85 for room 218, to €130 for Carmen. Nearby: The hotel is in the middle of the Dalí Triangle, which includes the castle in Púbol, the Dalí Museum in Figueres and Dalí’s home in Port Lligat. Or, borrow bikes at the hotel and visit the nearby medieval villages.

HOTEL CLASSIC BEGUR

Begur, Baix Empordà www.hotelclassicbegur.com

What could be more romantic than a wintery walk on a deserted beach? Located in the pedestrian area of the lovely hilltop town of Begur, this family hotel has just six rooms on the first two floors of a ‘Casa Indiana’ (the term given to houses built by locals who returned to Catalunya after making their fortunes in South America in the second half of the 19th century). Built in 1857 and restored in 2010, the hotel has preserved the original frescoes, vaulted ceilings and stone walls. Each bedroom is decorated differently, from the elegant high-ceilings and original frescoes of room 1857, to the romantic 1907 with exposed stone walls. After exploring the rugged coastline, unwind in the intimate spa area, which has a small heated pool, hot tub, therapeutic shower and heated massage tables. The hotel offers special Valentine’s weekend packages. Prices: From €85 per room per night for bed and breakfast. Nearby: There is plenty to explore, from the medieval castle overlooking the town, to its winding streets and numerous colonial-style houses. Visit the seven beaches and coves on the headland of Begur by wandering along the picturesque coastal path, known as the Camí de Ronda.

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EL MAS DEL SILENCI

Sant Pere de Castanyadell, Osona www.massilenci.com

The name of this old farmhouse says it all. El Mas del Silenci is about getting away from the city noise and getting back in touch with the sound of silence. This family-run guest house is set in the Les Gulleries nature reserve, an area of hills and valleys, oak and beech woods and winding rivers. With few other guests to disturb your retreat—there are just six rooms—this is oldfashioned romance at its best: luxurious décor, four-poster beds, pretty white bed linen and mountain views to gaze at. The house has a lovely rustic feel and offers an open fire and several cosy corners where you can cuddle up for the evening. For some extra privacy, you can stay in the suite, which has its own sitting room. Or if you’re lucky enough to get some winter sun, relax in a hammock in the beautiful gardens. The restaurant serves Catalan cuisine with a gourmet touch, and fine local wines. Prices: Half board from €81 per person. Full board from €102 per person. Nearby: Its location makes this the ideal base for some long winter walks in the woodlands around the house. There are also some picturesque walks by the nearby Pantano de Sau reservoir.

CABANES ALS ARBRES

Sant Hilari Sacalm, Selva www.cabanesalsarbres.com

Cabanes Als Arbres is an idyllic hideaway in the Sant Hilari Sacalm forest. It offers couples a luxury retreat with ecofriendly, peaceful accommodation, where they can enjoy the joys of nature close-up. The treehouses have no electricity, running water or phone coverage, making them the ideal location for a distraction-free romantic break. There are 10 treehouse cabañas to choose from, each with a different colour scheme and unique rustic style, but every one as cosy as the last. A series of romantic essentials are also available if you want to surprise your other half, from a bottle of cava to chocolates and flowers on arrival, or a massage kit. When you venture back down to the ground, you can use the facilities at the nearby Masia Vileta, a 14thcentury Catalan guesthouse, which is equipped with a restaurant, bar, lounge with WiFi, showers, swimming pool and garden. Prices: From €110 euros per night/per treehouse. Nearby: Rent a bike from reception and explore the winding country lanes. Alternatively, play Tarzan and Jane at the Parque de la Selva de l’Aventura, which offers lots of adrenaline-filled obstacle courses and tree-swinging activities. The nearby Font Vella Spa Hotel offers a wide range of natural treatments and therapeutic remedies.

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REVIEW

MORE INFO. Moll de la Barceloneta 1. Tel. 93 484 2315. www.oneoceanclub.es. Open daily Restaurant 1pm-4pm, 8pm-11pm, Blue Wave Bar 8am-11am, 5pm-1.30pm. Three courses with wine approx €90 per head, tapas at bar with glass of wine approx €20 ✪✪✪✪

One Ocean Club

The place to see and be seen lands in Port Vell. By Tara Stevens.

egular strollers along the recently revamped Port Vell Marina will have noticed a rather glitzy-looking cube going up. This is the new One Ocean Club, the restaurant and cocktail bar of lucky captains and crew with super yachts and indeed more humble vessels in port. But unlike many luxury marina club houses, it comes with a brand new vision thanks to Salamanca Group Owner Uri Nachoom, who explained, as I took a sneak peek around the place prior to opening night, that he wanted to create a synergy between the port and the residents of the city. “The goal is to turn this old, unloved port into the best super marina in the world, to integrate yachting people with locals, and to create a hub for enjoying an exclusive Mediterranean lifestyle.” It’s a lovely thought in a city that has traditionally turned its back on the Mediterranean. Though Barceloneta’s beaches are a massive draw for tourists soaking up the sun in the summer, residents have been more reticent about the area, but there’s an unmistakeable whiff of change in the air and new openings, like the Hotel Serras on the Passeig de Colon, One Ocean Club and the soon-to-open Soho House, are regenerating the area in ways that were unimaginable not so long ago. Suddenly the uptown crew are heading downtown in search of adventure, and if your heart’s set on dazzling your friends in your own private hideaway of eye-popping design, sexy surrounds and swanky vibe, then membership of One Ocean Club is for you. Signing up is easy—it’s just an online form— and free, which makes it useful for those of us who can’t even afford a canoe never mind a

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✪ NOT WORTH THE TRIP

super yacht, but don’t mind dipping into the lifestyle now and then. But, and this is crucial, you do need an existing member to recommend you, or come with your own list of desirable credentials. What you get in return is access to one of the prettiest bars, restaurants and harbour-side terraces in town. Designed by local firm El Equipo Creativo, the space is split into two distinct sections that are connected by several wraparound terraces that float above the water: one offering a chill-out zone for snacks, drinks and watching the sunset, another a little more private with its own bar and sun beds if you just want to relax, and a third that’s planted with elegant succulents and sea grasses and cunningly encased within cylindrical cut out screens inset with glass, so you get the sense of being outside while being safe in the knowledge that it’s all waterproofed and heated—perfect for those chillier spring days and nights. The main room is all sultry deep sea greens and oceanic blue banquettes, lit by copper ✪✪ COULD IMPROVE

✪✪✪ GOOD

pencil lamps shooting down from the ceiling that look like pipes of coral. A state-of-the-art kitchen, headed by Llorenç Valls, produces dishes that range from Michelin-inspired creations, like lobster sous vide on the creamiest potato parmentier topped with a soft poached egg (dreamy), to more clean-living plates of grilled sea bass and octopus served with simply steamed vegetables. Personally, I’m a sucker for oyster bars even though I can’t eat the damn things, but I was happy to tuck into a succulent ceviche, singing with bold fresh flavours of chilli, red onion, coriander and lime juice, and then slink over to the Blue Wave bar for a cocktail. In fact, very handy this, it opens from 8am until late, so you can feasibly pop in for breakfast, catch up on work for a few hours and then meet friends or clients for lunch. Bottom line is, for injecting a little glamour into your life this place is pretty darn fabulous, but before you get carried away with it all, try to remember the actual eating and drinking can escalate.

✪✪✪✪ VERY GOOD

✪✪✪✪✪ NOT TO BE MISSED

1/26/15 5:48:30 PM

RECIPE:

CALÇOTS IN BEER BATTER

The best thing about this time of year: calçots. They ﬁll the vegetables stalls of the local markets, so if you’re tempted to take some home, but you’re missing a barbecue, here is an alternative way to enjoy them. Time required: 45 minutes Serves: 2

INGREDIENTS 24 calçots 1 egg 2 tbsp ﬂour 1 glass of beer Salvitxada sauce (see page 30 for recipe) Olive oil and salt

METHOD • •

Peel and clean the calçots, leaving the tenderest part. Keep the thinner calçots to one side, and boil the thicker ones for 5 minutes, until tender. • In a bowl, lightly beat the eggs and mix in the ﬂour and beer. • Cover all the calçots in the batter, one-by-one. • Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a pan and, when hot, add the calçots and fry until crisp and golden. • When golden, soak up any excess oil with kitchen paper and serve. Chef’s tip If you don’t have any salvitxada or romesco sauce, serve with aioli (see below) or mayonnaise.

QUINCE AIOLI

Originating in the Pyrenees, this peculiar mixture of garlic and fruit makes for an ideal accompaniment to any meat or ﬁsh, as well as on toast, or even alongside some calçots arrebossats (see above).

INGREDIENTS 2 quinces 1 pear or apple (chopped) 250 ml olive oil 4 garlic cloves ½ tsp salt

METHOD • • • • •

Peel and quarter the quinces and remove the seeds. Boil them for 20 minutes. Five minutes before the end, add the chopped pear. Set aside to cool. Crush the garlic and salt with a pestle and mortar. Add half of the oil, the boiled quinces and pear, and mash together. Gradually add the remaining oil, and bring to a smooth pastelike consistency.

BON PROFIT! Visit www.ambdosfogons.com for more traditional Catalan recipes.

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QUICK BITES

CAN BORRELL

A Classic calçotada masia in the Collserola hills. By Tara Stevens.

love it when February comes around because its means it’s time for my very favourite food festival on earth: the calçotada. True enough these spring onion-leek hybrids start showing up on menus from November, but it’s February that they really come into their own, when they’re plump and juicy after months spent under piles of earth, ensuring a sweet and sugary flesh, and glossy white stems. Now, if you’re feeling inspired by our DIY calçotada guide on page 30, you can stock up, light the barbecue and cook up a storm. But if that all sounds too much like hard work, join the masses in a vital ritual of Barcelona’s early spring culture, and head to Collserola to indulge in a Sunday lunchtime feast at one of the many masia restaurants scattered amidst the hills. I always combine my calçotada with a good long walk—to build up an appetite, there are literally rivers of food at these things—and despite years of trying other places, I always come back to Can Borrell. This sprawling farmhouse with so many rooms and annexes, terracotta-tiled floors, wooden beams and the kind of cheery service that reminds you why you moved to the Mediterranean in the first place, is beloved by seemingly everyone—on my last visit, every spare inch was crammed with people downing these delicious specimens like little birds throwing back worms, and the queues of folk waiting to get in were out the door. But that’s just as it should be. You need this sort-of rustic cantina atmosphere, where people are seemingly piled on top of each other, to get that sense of belonging to a place that is like no other. Obviously, this is not a lunch to dress up for. I have a special calçotada t-shirt for the job, because, although the good folks at Can Borrell give out paper bibs (wear one) and plastic gloves (don’t), part of the fun is rolling up your sleeves to strip back the blackened skins of the onions and get into a glorious mess. This is not something to attempt with a

tastings

‘Tis the Season

The Sweet Lent For all the hopeless romantics out there, the 14th is coming and it’s time to woo your valentine. For those more religiously minded, Lent is also approaching, with Ash Wednesday falling on the 18th. While the tie in with Valentine’s seems like a natural fit for having one of Catalunya’s sweet wines (say a Grenache along with dark chocolates, candlelight, and an evening without mobile phones), there is actually a tradition of drinking sweet wines along with eating bunyols during Lent as a form of sustenance. How this is fasting exactly, I don’t know, but it certainly sounds delicious. I wasn’t a fan of sweet wines when I came to

knife and fork, it’s visceral, hand-held food that is solid, unpretentious and satisfying. Once you’ve eaten your fill of these (about 12 should do it) dipped in a thick calçotada sauce, it’s onto monget beans (pinky nail-sized and creamy) topped with the saltiest cansalada (a superior pork scratching), and platters of succulent grilled meat: rabbit, chicken, lamb, botifarra and blood sausage with lashings of aioli strong enough to make your eyes water, all washed down with porrons of a fruity red. The only thing that lets the place down are the desserts, which for the most part are industrially made and not particularly pleasant, though frankly at this stage you probably won’t want them anyway, and the bottles of orujo and hierbas left on the table for you to knock back with wild abandon help anything go down. A long walk back to the station in Sant Cugat and I promise all will be right with your world. Viva la calçotada.

MORE INFO. Camí de Can Borrell s/n, 08171 Sant Cugat del Vallès. Tel. 93 692 9723 www.can-borrell.com. Open Wed-Fri 1pm-4pm, Sat & Sun 10am-12noon, 1pm-5pm, Closed Mon & Tue. Calçotada menu €34.65 for all of the above including wine, water, coffee and chupitos.

Miquel Hudin is originally from California but is now based in Barcelona. He founded the Vinologue enotourism series of wine books (www.vinologue.com).

Catalunya, as those I had tried previously, mainly from New World cellars, were often all sugar with no acidity nor backbone. But here, especially up in Empordà, which is just a stone’s throw from the much better-known Banyuls and Rivesaltes sweets of Rousillon, France, winemakers create the most elegant sweets typically from either Muscat or Grenache grapes. If you haven’t tried them, here are two gateway sweets to give you an introduction but there are others to look out for, such as Vinyes dels Aspres, Martín Faixó, Coca i Fitó, and more.

Empordàlia Sinols Moscatell 2013 Touch of minerality which frames in the typical, funky muscat aromas. Light on the palate and easy to drink with a balance of sweetness and acidity that lingers wonderfully in to the finish. €7

Espelt Airam NV A blend of the more traditional Red Grenache along with the less-seen Grey Grenache—fantastically complex in the nose with raisin, vanilla, and roasted apple notes. It manages to stay fresh in the mouth and doesn’t overwhelm in the least, while delivering lovely flavours of orange peel in the finish. €14.50

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main pages Sept 2014.indd 1

9/24/14 1:57:41 PM

FOOD DRINK

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

€ under 20 | €€ 20-30 | €€€ 30-40 | €€€€ over 40 Bar

NEFW &D

Discount for Metropolitan reaDers.

Japanese BELCHICA 4EIXAMPLE

YoI YoI GIoN 4EIXAMPLE

Barcelona´s Belgian beer experience, serving up to 70 ales, lagers, fruity beers and other specials like gueuzes from the beer country for locals, students and expats. Multilingual staff, regular art exhibitions, live music and hip events complete the perfect Belgian bar experience. Also sports on SKY, Belgian German and Dutch tv. Free Wi-Fi and outdoor terrace, private parties possible: ask for conditions and offers at the bar.

pint of stella €3

Barcelona’s latest and greatest Japanese restaurant, YOI YOI GION, is a completely authentic udon restaurant from Japan’s ancient capital, Kyoto. YOI YOI GION offers delicious handmade, organic noodles in a modern Japanese atmosphere. Dine at very reasonable prices and enjoy ingredients such as kelp, niboshi (small, dried sardines) and katsuobushi (dried, shaved bonito), which are combined for the stock of the noodles, with no chemical additives.

Diagonal 383 | Metro Diagonal Tel. 93 124 8701 | www.facebook.com/yoiyoigionudon Tues-Sat 1.30pm-4pm, 8pm-11pm. Closed Sun & Mon

Villarroel 60, 08011 | Metro Urgell, salida Villarroel Tel. 625 814 001 | belchica@gmail.com

Argentine BIERFEST TAVERN4SAGRADA FAMILIA

9REINAS 4EIXAMPLE

This cosy traditional pub has a fantastic range of draft and bottled beers as well as a wide selection of G&Ts. They have large TVs and it’s the perfect place to watch the match with friends. If you study at the UAB join them on Facebook for more info on their regular language intercambio nights.

Argentine restaurant Nueve Reinas has quickly become a favourite for discerning meat-eaters. Renowned for its excellent quality and value, 9Reinas specialises in meats from all over the world. The exquisite Argentina-inspired decoration offers an intimate and welcoming space where every visitor feels like a guest. The restaurant has two floors and a private room that can host parties of up to nine people.

Gaudí 81 | Metro Guinardó, Sagrada Familia Tel. 99 348 0157 | www.bierfest.es | www.facebook.com/bierfest-barcelona

Bakery NATA LISBoA4EIXAMPLE Heir to one of the most delicious confectionary recipes in the world that spans two centuries, NATA was born to produce and spread the most deliciously sweet tastes from Lisbon to the four corners of the world. Pay them a visit to try their portuguese specialities and their sublime coffee blend.

Valencia 267 | Tel. 93 272 4766 www.nuevereinas.com/en

Mallora 277 I natalisboa.com www.facebook.com/NATALisboaESPANA

Bistronomia 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.

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

FULLA d’oSTRA 4 EIXAMPLE Bistronomia Fulla d’Ostra is a restaurant neighbouring the Mercat Galvany. Our Chilean chef, Marcelo Gonzalez, prepares delicious gourmet dishes made with fresh products. The exclusive decorator, Lazaro Rosa Violan, has transformed this small bistro into a charming place, and with the capacity for just eighteen guests, it is both intimate and romantic.

Amigó 39, 08021 Tel. 93 200 8393 hola@fulladotra.com www.fulladostra.com

NEFW &D IN

Food & drink Feb 2015.indd 44

1/26/15 5:26:03 PM

Ice Cream MANNA GELATS 4 BARRI GÒTIC

JAMÓN EXPERIENCE 4 BARRI GÒTIC Come and discover everything you’ve ever wanted to know about jamón ibérico. Enjoy an engaging interactive experience with an audiovisual tour in 8 languages that culminates with a tasting of 6 different kinds of jamones (reserve, ibérico, Guijuelo, Extremadura, Valle de los Pedroches and Huelva) hand cut by a master slicer and paired with a glass of cava, wine or beer. A unique experience you’ll treasure forever! Opens every day from 11.30am to 8pm.

Homemade ice creams, waffles and crêpes in the heart of the Barrio Gótico. Their ice creams are inspired by family recipes, using the best products. The fresh fruit sorbets are made with market-bought products, boasting exotic varieties. Their passion is to please their customers with personalized attention.

eaders. Flors 88 (in front of Mercat Boquería) Tel. 93 002 8474 www.jamonexperience.com

Ban ys Nous 22 | Metro Liceu Tel. 93 342 7312

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Indian / Tandoori MALGAM 4 EIXAMPLE

SURYA 4EIXAMPLE Surya Barcelona is an Indian restaurant that invites you to travel all the way to the streets of Mumbai, rich with colour, smell and exotic flavors. They offer a cozy and relaxed place where you feel at home, where you can drink, read a magazine, connect to the Internet, work and try out some of their delicious dishes.

Malgam is located in one of the busiest areas of Barcelona, and offers a varied selection of food, from signature tapas, to traditional, Mediterranean-inspired dishes, all made using seasonal produce. The contemporary-style restaurant is divided into three different spaces, adapting to the different needs that result from its long business hours, covering early breakfasts, lunch, a la carte dinners, and a cocktail bar with a DJ on weekends.

NEFW &D

Pau Claris 92 | Tel. 93 667 8760 www.suryabarcelona.com

Aribau 113, 08036 Tel. 93 452 3673 Every day 8am-3pm

100 Montaditos4 POBLENOU

Fonda España4 Barri GÒtic

Mediterranean

If you’re looking for a restaurant in Barcelona with a huge variety of cheap tapas and outdoor terrace, Cervecería 100 Montaditos is the place to go. It’s located in the Rambla del Poblenou, one of the Barcelona’s most characteristic neighbourhoods. There are 5 HD TVs with audio all around the bar making this the perfect venue for international football evenings with friends. Choose from tapas and pinchos and a “jarra de cerveza” at just 1.50. And don’t miss their excellent promotions. Monday is ‘half euro’ day with montaditos at 50c. On Wednesdays and Sundays enjoy Euromania and pick anything on the menu for 1.

FREE CHIPS

Located in the emblematic Hotel España, the Modernist dining room that was originally designed and decorated by Domènech i Montaner, houses Fonda España. Rich in patrimonial interest, the historic elements in this beautiful room inspire and enhance the new elements. Here, Gastronomic Director Martín Berasategui’s aim is to offer his well known culinary concept to diners looking for simple, balanced and delicious dishes that is a tribute to the renowned chef’s origins. Sant Pau 9-11 I Metro Liceu Tel. 93 550 0000 Mon-Sat, from 1pm-4pm and 8pm-11pm Sun, from 1pm-4pm, Closed Sun evening.

Rambla del Poblenou 76, 08005 Tel. 93 624 2910 I www.100montaditos.co

Vegetarian/Vegan LOIDI RESTAURANT4 EIXAMPLE Loidi is a contemporary bistro, in which Martin Berasategui makes his cuisine accessible to everybody. Cuisine prepared with the finest seasonal ingredients and presented with imagination that recalls and pays homage to the celebrated Basque chef’s traditional roots and origins. The menu features various dining options with dishes that change on a weekly basis. The restaurant is a very contemporary, warm and comfortable space frequented by a local and professional clientele. Head chef: Jordi Asensio. Maitre d’: Oscar Fernández. Mallorca 248-250, 08008 Tel. 93 492 9292 Mon-Sat 1pm-3.30pm, 8pm-11pm, Sun 1pm-3.30pm, Closed Sun evening.

amaltea4EIXAMPLE

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 15.50. Diputació 164 | Metro Urgell | Tel. 93 454 8613 | www.restauranteamaltea.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.govinda.es | Tue-Sat 1pm-4pm, 8pm-11am, Sun-Mon 1pm-4pm

Food & drink Feb 2015.indd 45

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HEALTH

Enric Pintado - DENTIST

&beauty DISCOUNT FOR METROPOLITAN READERS

Implants & teeth in one day

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

Balmes, 295, 1º 2ª, 08006 T. 93 200 0808 recepciobcn@enricpintado.com www.enricpintado.com

www.barcelona-metropolitan.com

AFTER

Dr. Enric Pintado is a specialist in implant surgery and ﬁxed prosthetics, trained by the Universities of New York, NY and Loma Linda, California. At Dr. Pintado’s dental surgery, the treatment is personalised especially for you. All-on-4 procedures, ﬂapless surgeries, zygomatic implants for low quantity of bone, without bone grafting and healing time. In all of these procedures, teeth are placed in the same day. Just everything, just Pintado! Dr. Enric Pintado, DDS

ICLINIC - DENTIST

Dra. Susana Campi - DENTIST

Perfect teeth in just one day. At iClinic Pifarre. No unnecessary damaging teeth. No killing nerves. No anesthesia and all in one session. Cosmetic dentistry and composite veneers give our clients the lovely smile they always dreamed of. iClinic works only with specialists in cosmetic dentistry who have been trained in the most up to date and cutting edge techniques.

New premises, new services and new state of the art equipment! For all your dental needs, a team consisting of their ﬁrst-class professionals can offer you excellent treatment. They have more than 35 years of experience and are pleased to offer you their services in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish and Catalan.

Muntaner 66, 08011 T. 93 451 8325 Open Mon-Fri 10am-2pm, 4pm-8pm www.iclinicpifarre.com www.somostusdentistas.com

NEW ADDRESS Josep Tarradellas 97 local, 08029 Metro: L-5 Salida Rocafort/Rosselló Bus: 15,27,32,43,54,59,66,78 T. 93 321 4005 susanacampi1980@gmail.com www.clinicadentalcampi.com

Dr. Boj - DENTIST 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. He became a specialist at the School of Medicine and Dentistry of the University of Rochester, N.Y., USA. Fast and friendly service in an international environment where we speak English.

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

Orthoestetic - DENTIST The Orthoestetic Clinic is located in the heart of Barcelona near the Sagrada Familia. They have modern clinical facilities and equipment, which together with their dentists experience allows them to offer an integral quality dentistry, designed to seek the satisfaction of the patients. Dr. Holguin is a specialist in orthopedics and orthodontics for children and adults, and dental aesthetics. She is certiﬁed by the Invisalign system.

Platinum Provider

42-44 Health FEB2015.indd 44

Diagonal 341, loc 1. 08037 T. 93 512 4749 M. 638 545 555 Metro: Verdaguer (L4 ,L5) www.orthoestetic.es www.ortoesteticbcn.es info@orthoestetic.es

Abaden Dental Group - DENTIST Advanced Dentistry in Barcelona. Methodology: A primary distinctive at Abaden is the high value we place on group clinical consultation. During our 28 years of business our dentists across all specialities meet together regularly to collaborate and review patient cases. This group’s clinical case consultation system is a proven method that guarantees accurate patient diagnostics and higher quality service. Procedures: Implantology (single, multiple or full teeth recovery), aesthetics, orthodontics and general dentistry Languages: English, Russian, French and Portuguese.

Abaden Diagonal - Agustina Saragossa 9-11 (08017) Abaden Sants - Marques de Sentmenat 82 (08029) Abaden Vall d’Hebron - Arenys 89-93 (08035) T. 90 064 9162 (Toll-Free for national calls) Open Mon-Fri 10am-8pm, Sat 10am-7pm www.dentistsbarcelona.com

1/26/15 5:28:40 PM

NEST - NETWORK OF ENGLISH SPEAKING THERAPISTS

Mary D. McCarthy - DOCTOR

Doctor for Adults

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. Also a member of IAMAT.

NETWORK OF ENGLISH SPEAKING THERAPISTS 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

www.barcelonaNEST.com

Jonathan Lane Hooker -

Doctors Barcelona - DOCTOR Is the top medical group in Barcelona. They are committed to provide a ﬁrst-rate level of care and attention. They are experienced, trained and equipped to diagnose and treat most acute or chronic medical problems and injuries. Available 24 hours including weekends and holidays. A 30 minutes arrival time to your destination is guaranteed. Their convenient visit fee is refundable by most insurance companies. All Specialists and best Hospitals available.

T. 689 327 144 info@doctorsbarcelona.com www.doctorsbarcelona.com

FREE CONSULTATION

NEW CITY CENTRE OFFICE

BEFORE

Panizo Institute CRANIOSACRAL OSTEOPATHY Osteopathy treats the body, mind and emotions as one. By working with the osteopath you can treat the more commonly known ailments of low back and neck pain, but also treat headaches, migraine, digestive problems and stress relief.

Av. Diagonal 343 2 º piso, puerta 3 ª Metro: Verdaguer (L5) T. 93 459 2802 info@hestia.es www.hestia.es

Plaça Dr. Letamendi 3/4, Passeig de Gràcia M. 689 786 519 www.craneosacral-panizo.com

€15 OFF

20% DISCOUNT

42-44 Health FEB2015.indd 45

Tania Spearman - ACUPUNCTURE Make acupuncture your ﬁrst choice, not your last resort! Acupuncture treats many conditions from pain, stress and depression to infertility and more. English, Spanish and German spoken. Call now to make an appointment and start feeling better. Enric Granados 133, 4-1 bis M. 644 322 161 info@taniaspearman.com www.taniaspearman.com

Pilates Las Ramblas

T. 610 712 947 www.pilateslasramblas.com doina@pilateslasramblas.com

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

Pharmacy Serra Mandri - CHEMIST The pharmacy is open 365 days a year + home delivery service.The staff 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. Av. Diagonal 478, T. 93 416 1270 www.farmaciaserra.com Open 9am - 10pm

Hestía International Psychotherapy Centre has become a reference in the city, due to its’ high quality multidisciplinary and multilingual proﬁle.Their professional team works with individuals, couples and families through a variety of services and approaches to therapy and personal development. They speak English, Spanish, French, Italian, Dutch, German,Portuguese, Greek, Polish, Swedish, Russian and Catalan. The ﬁrst consultation is free.

Doina Taylor is a UK trained and qualiﬁed physiotherapist specialising in therapeutic and wellness Pilates. Treating musculoskeletal problems like back, neck, shoulder, hip pain or teaching classes to help people maintain or increase their strength and ﬂexibility to feel their best and prevent injury.

PSYCHOTHERAPIST 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.

Hestia - PSYCHOTHERAPY

Therapies Adam - THERAPIST Do you have neck and back pain? Do you suffer from stress? Do you have trouble sleeping? Do you have regular headaches and jaw tension? Are you looking for the right path in your life? We offer different therapies: Craniosacral, Energy Spine Healing, Jatismaran-Regression ® and Stress Relief therapy. Plaça Dr. Letamendi 3/4, Passeig de Gràcia M. 689 786 519 www.terapias-adam.com

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.

English Doctor Dr. Steven Joseph - Doctor General Practice Mental Health MB, MRCGP, MRCPsych.

Dr. Steven Joseph - DOCTOR 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 with access to all medical specialties and tests. Gran Via Carles III nº-37-39 Metro Les Corts Mon-Sat M. 662 291 191 www.englishdoctorbarcelona.com

1/26/15 5:28:49 PM

Heaven - MASSAGE

Centro Quiropráctico Vida - CHIROPRACTOR

American-trained massage therapist Carrie Lewis has 15 years of experience soothing and releasing both muscular and emotional pain and tension. Her focus is deep-tissue massage, which she combines with reﬂexology, reiki, and other complementary techniques. She also specialises in pregnancy and postpartum massage. This excellent vocational massage therapist with years of training and experience will make a difference in your personal wellbeing. Chair massage for events and home visits available.

Daryn J.Wiese is an American trained and board certiﬁed chiropractor that directs one of the most well known practices in Barcelona-Vida Centro Quiropractico. The practice known for its quality service with a friendly and professional environment having a very high user-satisfaction rate. The care is speciﬁc, effective, and comfortable as it shows with practice members ranging from 15 days to 96 years of age. Diputació 168 Tda. 2, 08011 Metro: Urgell (L1) Bus 14, 20, 37, 59 T. 93 451 5301 quiropracticavida@gmail.com www.quiropracticavida.com

Scissors of London BRITISH HAIRDRESSER 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. Having trained, taught and worked in London’s top salons including Toni & Guy and Vidal Sassoon. Opting out of salon life, Tim works to ﬁt in with the modern pace of life and offers a one to one service orientated around your needs. Carrer Viladomat 45-47, Atico M. 633 382 787 timbulmer@btinternet.com www.scissorsoﬂdn.com

Contessa de Pardo Bazán 24 M. 639 533 523

10% OFF

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. - Helps relieve tension, reduce stress, detoxify your body and boost your self-esteem. - We also visit ofﬁces and events around Barcelona helping stressed executives to relax and re-energise in their working day.

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

La Hair Boutique HAIRDRESSER Trained by Toni & Guy London, Veronique runs a friendly salon with a dedicated team who speak English, Spanish, French and Swedish. La Hair Boutique is a relaxed and cosy salon that offers progressive cuts and colours with great style advice too. They are especially talented at creating new, personalised looks using the latest techniques.

Find everything you need here!

Plaça Regomir 5 Metro: Jaume 1 (L4). T. 93 269 1937 M. 699 643 462 www.hairboutiquebarcelona.com

HAIR CUT €19 + HOT SHAVE €30

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.

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

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BUSINESS SERVICES DISCOUNT FOR METROPOLITAN READERS

FREE CONSULTATION

LEGAL SERVICES

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

www.barcelona-metropolitan.com

INTEGRA ADVISERS - CONSULTANT Legal and business consulting firm that promotes entrepreneurial activity in Spain. Services include; Accounting, tax, financial advice, immigration, national insurance registration and payroll, legal and real estate advice. Aribau 207, Ppal A1, 08021 T. 93 414 6242 M. 615 405 045 info@integra-advisers.com www.integra-advisers.com Tessal - LEGAL SERVICES This Legal and business consulting firm offers the value-added services and resources you need to set up and develop your business. Assistance in each stage of legal paperwork and permit procedures, accounting, tax and labour obligations, e-commerce and data protection services to complete the running of your business in Spain. Perú 40-44, Esc. 2 2º A, 08018, T. 93 486 9451 info@tessal.com www.tessal.com

Fletcher Consultancy Ltd -

Sánchez Molina -

CONSULTANCY

LEGAL PRACTICE

Fletcher Consultancy Ltd. now operates in Spain providing tailored training and development services for managers and employees, development and access to UK qualiﬁcations for ex-pats, HR services for development of competence based systems. Our UK business services blue chip clients in both public and private sectors. We have special offers for new clients, including free mystery shopping and training needs analysis.

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.

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

shirleydirect@aol.com M. +44 799 053 4331 www.ﬂetcherconsultancy.co.uk www.nvqenespana.com

Barcelona Women’s Network - BUSINESS

Supported charities 2014 - 2016

• Barcelona’s premier network for international women • Over 200 members from 30+ countries. • As a social club that supports local charities and offers a business network, activities include social gatherings, cultural outings, volunteer opportunities, and business seminars. We help women thrive and feel at home in Barcelona.

membership@bcnwomensnetwork.com

20% DISCOUNT FOR METROPOLITAN READERS GES40 - ENGLISH SPEAKING LAWYERS They are a law firm established in 1986. They aim to provide comprehensive legal counselling to both individuals and companies, in all areas of law. As a team they are highly specialized in a number of different legal areas, with high levels of training, experience and professional strength. They offer a fully personalised service, providing rapid, effective responses without compromising the quality of their service. They also offer their clients a 24-hour online consultation service. Through this online follow-up service, interested parties can access their virtual office to consult the information in their files anytime and from anywhere. “We devote our efforts to provide full support and assistance to conduct any personal or business activity in Spain with confidence”.

Calàbria 267, 3r 1a, 08029, T. 93 217 6414, ges40assessors@ges40.com mruiz@ges40.com www.ges40.com,

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president@bcnwomensnetwork.com www.bcnwomensnetwork.com

Mac in Barcelona COMPUTERS Stéphane Clément is an Apple technician and consultant with over ﬁfteen years of experience. Anna Piqué, a native from Barcelona, assists Stéphane with her business and communication background. Their focus is on providing good service and installations with clear communicative skills and personal advice. The aim is to solve your computer troubles and teach you how to improve your daily use of your Mac and its various accessories, giving you an opportunity for a more pleasant and safer computer experience. Cami de Mas Roig a Mas Fuster 47 Valldoreix, 08197, M. 608 994 599 info@macinbarcelona.com www.macinbarcelona.com

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Mrs.Q design studio -

Geo Mac - COMPUTERS

GRAPHIC DESIGN

BRANDING PACKAGES ·POSTER & FLYER design BROCHURES wedding stationery

BOOK NOW FOR A FREE DEMO

Mrs.Q Design Studio offers a range of specialised services.Contact Mrs.Q for their competitive business packages which includes branding, stationery design and advertising for print and web. They also design promotional material such as ﬂyers, posters and brochures. They specialises in bespoke invitations. Visit their Etsy page to see examples for their work www.etsy.com/shop/ MrsQdesignstudio. Designed with love! 10% off now!

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

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

Easi-Sat - TELEVISION SERVICE

Gusto Films - FILM

Specialists in satellite TV, HD, audiovisual and unmatched for quality and reliability throughout Catalunya for many years. Their professional team provides satellite television from across Europe, including Dutch, French, Italian and Russian, at unbeatable prices. They have solutions for loss of UK channels, with or without a dish. New IPTV is the solution to viewing UK freesat channels, BBC’s, ITV’s, Al Jazeera sports 1-10, and many more. Follow them on Facebook/Easisat and Twitter ‘@ PaulDuval15’.

Gustoﬁlms is a production company specialising in promotional ﬁlm. We dedicate ourselves to the creation and making of high-quality audiovisual content. We like to innovate, discover and imagine. We love style, down to the smallest detail. Nos gusta gustar.

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

Corsa - DRIVING SCHOOL

Sant Quinti 47, 4º5ª, 08041 T. 93 007 4408 M. 636 611 029 info@gustoﬁlms.es www.gustoﬁlms.es

STOP N’ DRIVE DRIVING SCHOOL

Corsa driving school in Barcelona offers both theoretical classes and practical driving lessons in English. Their friendly and experienced instructors will give you the conﬁdence to drive comfortably in the city and help you learn everything you need to know about Spanish road systems. They have both manual and automatic practice vehicles. Call now and ask about special Metropolitan reader offers!

Ask for the special Metropolitan reader offers

Beethoven 16, Bajos, 08021 T. 93 200 3324 www.corsa.cat/en/courses www.facebook.es/autoescuelacorsa

Bejar 67, 08014 (Between plaza España and Sants Estació) www.aestopndrive.com

BCN WINDOWS -

ARC97SL - OFFICE AND HOME IMPROVEMENTS

HOME IMPROVEMENTS Do you have a cold or noisy ﬂat? High heating bills? Then BCN Windows can help! They can double glaze your traditional wooden windows and doors without changing the way they look. Their unique system offers noise reduction, energy saving comfort and is environmentally friendly. Visit their website for more information; it even shows you how to price your own windows. Call Michael on 619 908 642 and quote ‘Metropolitan’ for a free consultation..

M. 619 908 642 www.bcnwindows.es

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Stop by their driving school to learn about how you can get your Spanish (European) driving license in English and from home! Don’t let time be your excuse. Stop N’ Drive is the ﬁrst driving school in Barcelona that instructs you through online videos and offers intensive courses lasting only two weeks, between 7.30pm to 10pm. STOP N’ DRIVE Driving school courses are low-cost, so don’t hesitate to get in touch with them and start your journey. Become a driver in Barcelona!

Do you want to build or renovate your office or flat? ARC97 specialise in the design and construction of new works and renovations. They are committed from beginning to end and take care of every detail of each project. They will tailor any project according to your specific needs, style, taste and interests. They guarantee that all work will be completed on time and within budget. Media and Marketing Assistant Jo Elizabeth Hardman M. 610 544 614 Pietat 8 baixos, 08002 arc97@arc97.com www.arc97.com

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10% DISCOUNT

BERLITZ - SCHOOL At Berlitz language school they have a teacher available for you whether you take face-to-face classes or through their virtual classroom with a huge range of courses available for English, French, German, Russian and Spanish. Their amazing online platform has more than 218 specialties which can be adapted to ﬁt your needs. Their one-day business workshops can also add the ﬁnishing touch to your professional language needs. 10% discount with this advert. Av. Diagonal 382, 08037 Tel. 93 215 0100 barcelona1@berlitz.es www.berlitz.es Mon-Fri 8am-09.30pm

BCN L.I.P. - LANGUAGE SCHOOL BCN LIP language school is a small school located in the heart of the Gothic Quarter offering a wide variety of dynamic classes for those wishing to learn Spanish, Catalan, English, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, Italian, Japanese, Chinese and Hebrew. The courses are intensive and extensive, varying from 4 - 30 hours a week, Monday to Saturday. The teachers are qualiﬁed native speakers, with several years of experience. They also offer specialised summer programs, excursions and cultural activities for the students. They can also help you with your student visa and ﬁnding a place to live. Avinyó 50, 08002 T. 93 318 6591 info@bcnlip.com www.bcnlip.com

Coral - SPANISH TEACHER

BCN Seguros - INSURANCE

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.

Local Barcelona Insurance Agency providing complete personal and business insurance services. (home, car, health, commercial, public liability, life, motor, yacht, travel, etc.) We offer a 30% cost-saving guarantee by keeping insurance coverage identical! Advice given in Spanish, English and German.

M. 676 249 744 coral@coralprada.com

M. 636 465 010 rainerhobrack@gmail.com www.bcnseguros.es

La Luna Shipping LOGISTICS We offer a complete service to efﬁciently manage any kind of transport. Anywhere in the world, from a overnight courier service, to an airfreight or seafreight shipment to the other side of the world. We are specialist managing personal effects shipments, small “boxed” removals from Barcelona to Europe, UK, USA, Australia, New Zealand. Don’t look further, LA LUNA shipping is your one stop shop for your transport and logistics needs in Barcelona. T. 93 220 1715 info@laluna.coop www.laluna.coop facebook.com/ somos.lalunashipping

Creategy Consulting 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

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SHOPPING

To advertise in this section call: 93 451 4486 or email: ads@barcelona-metropolitan.com

For more shopping visit our online directory www.barcelona-metropolitan.com/shopping MESA BONITA OWN A PIECE OF BARCELONA! Gayarre, 2 Pral, 08014 · T. 627 230 824 · benedictebodard@gmail.com www.mesabonita.es · www.facebook.com/pages/Mesa-Bonita

24 KILATES

If you’re new to Barcelona and love its architecture or just looking for that perfect gift for your loved ones, Mesa Bonita has the answer: Bénédicte Bodard has been collecting antique hydraulic floor tiles in Barcelona, after cleaning and restoring them, she turns them into really gorgeous tables, frames, trivets and coasters made to order. Many are over 130 years old! Visit her studio in Sants where you can see her huge collection.

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.

ECOOLOGY

BCN PAINTING ROUTE

Comte Urgell 28, 08011 · T. 606 53 54 93 · Mon-Fri 11am-7pm www.ecology.es

Carrer de Lledó 17 · T. 93 319 9178 bcnpaintingroute@outlook.es · www.facebook.com/BCNPaintingRoute

Wear the latest trends made in Barcelona with the best ecological fabrics. Now you can be fashionable and respect the planet, you can feel good and unique with limited edition eco fashion that matches your personality. Forget about dressing like everyone else, you are different. Ecoology is ethical, cool and trendy eco-fashion for your everyday lifetime.

New gallery in the heart of the Gothic quarter showcasing oil paintings on canvas and other works of art. High quality paintings starting from just €40 The perfect place to find the perfect painting of Barcelona.

PARRUP

OJALA!

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

Banys Nous 17 · www.parrup.com www.facebook.com/ParrupBarcelona

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.

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.

ARTSHOP

FURTIVO SKATEBOARDING

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

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.

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.

BATEAU LUNE

KITSCH

Bateau Lune is a traditional toy shop for kids where you can find a large variety of traditional toys including; wooden bicycles, trains, also micro scooters, also kites and outdoor games and many more rare and original toys. Go visit them today and get ideas for special occasions such as birthday presents and Christmas gifts. Check out their free activities for children twice a month on the Virreina square in Gràcia!

Opened in 1978, Kitsch is Spain´s very first sex shop. The shop offers a wide range of toys from quality brands like LELO, Fun Factory, Iroha, Tenga and WeVibe, as well as condoms, books, lingerie, movies and more. The shop also arranges guided tours and talks by psychologists/ sexologists. They have an extensive online shop too.

Plaça Virreina 7, 08012 · T. 93 218 6907 www.bateaulune.com · info@bateaulune.com www.facebook.com/bateaulune

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

Muntaner 17-19 (Eixample) L1/L2 (Universitat) · T. 93 453 2052 info@kitsch.es · www.kitsch.es Open Mon-Sat 10am-10pm

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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.classifieds.barcelona-metropolitan.com

Sales Manager (B2B) Events & Congresses International Congress group seeks experienced, results producing Sales Manager to direct our European sales team. Company sets up tradeshows and exhibitions for global companies at international events. We sell to our database of global companies.

Job accountabilities include: •Exceeding sales quota. •Recruiting, hiring and training sales staff. •Reporting and other project assigned by management. •Always on the lookout to Increase turnover. Successful candidate must meet the following criteria 5 or more years of sales directorship experience in events, hospitality, marketing, public relations or international business. This is a permanent full time position. Candidate required to have fully functional home ofﬁce with broadband internet for CRM, voice and video communications. Company provides Telephone, Email and CRM systems. Great team, full training, generous commission/bonus/ incentive program. For consideration, please send cover letter, CV and photo to

staff@intltradeshowcouncil.com.

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JOHANNA THÖRNBLAD Entrepreneur and founder of donandmerit.com

By Ben Rowdon

scoop

I’m from Sweden. After finishing school there, I was recruited to play basketball in the US, where I also studied at Kent State University, Ohio. I worked over there for 10 years, but towards the end of that time, I was really looking forward to coming back to Europe. I came to Barcelona through the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business. I’ve lived here now for 10 years, and I’m still not ready to go back to Sweden. I’ll never go back if I have it my way. In 2008, my husband and I made our first trip to Ethiopia. Ethiopia was a country that we loved and felt a connection to, even before visiting, because we have friends from there. It’s also one of the more interesting African countries, being the only country that was never really colonised. It has a long history, incredible architecture and plenty of interesting things. It’s also extremely poor. So we decided we wouldn’t just go as tourists, but would turn our holiday into a volunteering trip. Our Ethiopian friends told us about an American NGO called ‘A Glimmer of Hope’, and through them we sponsored a water project. On our first trip, we went to see it. As you can imagine, that changes everything. We saw, firsthand, how people in a country like that live day to day. Women and children who walk three to five hours every day of their lives, carrying 40 pounds of water on their little shoulders, walking on bare feet in the cold and the heat. And the water is dirty. It smells so bad you wouldn’t even go near it, but they drink it and bath in it. We realised that with money and the right channels, you can do so much. With a Glimmer of Hope and our own non-profit fundraising campaign ‘Water Is Life’, we have completed 21 wells in Ethiopia to date. We have gone and visited some. It’s a big deal for the communities if they know you’re coming. They want to greet you and show that they are happy by having a celebration. And they are in the middle of nowhere, so the fact that they have something to celebrate isn’t at all bad. You get to meet all the members of the community and hear their stories. It can be emotional. We have a little boy whom we adopted from Ethiopia. Two years after our first trip, we went back to Ethiopia to pick him up. The process was long and when it’s your first child you don’t know what to expect. We waited for three and a half years, but, in the end, everything worked out as it was meant to. He was three and a half months old when we brought him home. He was teeny tiny, weighing half what a Swedish baby weighs at that age, but now he’s a healthy, big five-year-old. We’re so happy. And our connection to Ethiopia has become even stronger. This kept us thinking about ways to help the people and communities there. As entrepreneurs, we thought, ‘What if we could create a product that could finance the wells instead of always having to ask the same people, year after year, for money?’ We wanted something that could provide sustainable funding for clean, safe drinking water in countries like Ethiopia, while offering a quality, desirable product that consumers could buy knowing there was an added social value to their purchase. Think of Toms Shoes, for example. The concept of DonandMerit started there. Then my husband, Joan Vinyets—who has a background in design, business anthropology and innovation—noticed how often men empty their pockets before sitting down at a table. First it’s the mobile phone, then the wallet and the keys. Especially in a warm climate where wearing a jacket isn’t always practical. That’s when Joan came up with a new dress shirt design that includes two pockets disguised as pleats. We worked with Esaú Yori, a fashion designer, to work out the details, making a classic shirt with a modern twist that is both beautiful and practical. A phone and wallet, even a passport, can lie flat along the sides of the man’s torso, stored and unseen, adding just enough weight to pull the creases and wrinkles out of the shirt. It’s a comfortable, stylish solution to filling up your trousers. Since the pockets are protected under his arms, it’s also a great way to avoid pickpockets. Our product isn’t just a shirt. It’s a concept, an innovative design that solves a problem and a philanthropy project. It’s a force for good in the world. Every customer can register his shirt to see the water project he contributed to. He receives the GPS coordinates of the well and a photo of the community that is provided with clean drinking water from that well. I can’t wait until we’ve sold our first 1,200 shirts—then we will have financed an entire well with the help of our customers and our collaboration with Charity Water.

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