Barcelona Metropolitan 231

APRIL 2016 Nยบ 231

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Playing host?

THE SHARING ECONOMY IN BARCELONA

THE DALI TRIANGLE

Surrealism on the Costa Brava

GO GLUTEN FREE

All allergies welcome

GALLERY OVERTHROW Art in the community

PLUS! ART 01 cover.indd 1

MUSIC

FASHION

RESTAURANT REVIEWS

A PLACE OF MY OWN

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METROPOLITAN contributors

contents {ISSUE 231} APRIL 2016

RegulaRs 06 08 10 33 34 36 49 50

New in Town In the City A Place of My Own Fashion Travel Food & Drink Coaching Column Interview

FeatuRes 12 RePORt: sHaRINg IN tHe CItY Carol Moran takes a look at collaborative consumption in Barcelona.

18 galleRY OVeRtHROW Alternative ways to exhibit art.

29 sellINg a lIFestYle A new wave of concept shops bring individuality back to the high street.

30 gluteN-FRee guIDe Where your dietary requirements can be met.

34 sOMetHINg suRReal Dalí’s home on the Costa Brava.

WHat’s ON 20 22 24 26

Music Art Misc.

Pullout Calendar

DIReCtORIes 41 43 44 49

Food & Drink Health & Beauty Business Jobs

Flamenco superstar Sara Baras (p.25).

Publisher The Noise Lab S.L. Managing Director Andrea Moreno Consulting Editor Esther Jones Editor Carol Moran Art Director Aisling Quigley Account Executives Jalil Alui, Richard Cardwell Sales Assistant Susanna Morton Editorial Assistants Rosalind Bond, Eimear Corrigan, Christina McKeon Frutuoso, George Rexstrew, Alexia Savva Design Assistant Melissa Fry, William Rose Contributors Miquel Hudin, Rachel Huffman, Melissa Leighty, Sam Mednick, Toni Rocamora, Claire Ramtuhul, Tara Stevens, Sam Zucker Illustrator Ben Rowdon Cover photo William Rose Editorial: editorial@barcelona-metropolitan.com Advertising: ads@barcelona-metropolitan.com General: info@ barcelona-metropolitan.com. Carrer Duc 6, 08002 Barcelona. Tel. 93 451 4486 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

CLAIRE RAMTUHUL After graduating from the University of Warwick with a degree in English Literature, Claire spent several years as a journalist in Manchester and London interviewing a host of colourful characters, including politicians, physicists, choreographers and even an alleged terrorist. She traded the UK for Barcelona last year, where she now works as a teacher and proofreader. She had hoped to dedicate more time to her passion, writing fiction, but is usually distracted by the city’s tiny dogs, gin bars and beach volleyballers.

GEORGE REXSTREW George is a third-year student at Durham University, studying Italian, Spanish and Catalan. Having just spent four months in rural Italy teaching English and drama, he is now working for Metropolitan as an editorial assistant, and he will finish his year abroad by volunteering at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro this August.

Originally from south west London, George’s passions in life are theatre, languages and football, and he is looking to pursue a career in acting after graduating next year.

CHRISTINA MCKEON FRUTUOSO Christina is a third-year student studying Spanish and Classics at Durham University, and she is working for Metropolitan as an editorial assistant during her year abroad. Barcelona’s cosmopolitan scene suits Christina perfectly, and she has been able to continue practising her hobby of Irish dancing whilst living here. It may have taken 21 years and a relocation to Barcelona, but alongside pursuing a career in journalism, Christina is currently fulfilling another lifelong goal by learning French.

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IN THE CITY

new IN TOWN

OVERALL QUALITY

BRAMBY SUPPLY CO. SANT PERE MÈS ALT 36.

Although it only opened three months ago, Bramby Supply Co, a shop selling custommade aprons, appears as though it could have been nestled on this street in the Born for decades. Everything looks vintage, from the shop’s painted sign and the black and white photos depicting workmen in heavy-duty aprons, to the denim used for the garments, which is created using traditional denim-making machines. Fernando Brambilla (known to his friends as Bramby), who moved to Barcelona from his native Argentina 12 years ago, takes great pride in his products, which he and his wife can be seen making by hand at the back of their shop. The aprons are made from a thick, high-quality denim and include pockets and leather straps that go over the shoulders to avoid putting pressure on the neck. While bartenders are his most common customers, Bramby can customise the aprons for any type of professional, such as a hairdresser who needs a certain type of pocket for their instruments. Bramby’s products are also popular with members of the general public, especially those who love cooking. www.brambysupply.com

COMPUTER WHIZZ KIDS

KIDS HACK CLUB. CIUTAT DE GRANADA 68.

Welcome to the world of programming and coding; the cornerstone of computing upon which our modern world revolves. Based in Poblenou and Sant Pere de Ribes, this kids club teaches children what goes on inside a computer, encouraging them to be innovative and preparing them to become the technological pioneers of tomorrow. The club’s founders, Jennie Dalgren and Linus Ekenstam, a primary school teacher and a serial entrepreneur respectively, moved to Barcelona from their native Sweden to pursue their shared passion for innovation and programming. Coding teaches kids how to express themselves in a creative and inquisitive way, and Dalgren and Ekenstam hope to show them that they can not only be consumers, but also creators, when it comes to digital devices. “We want to see more diversity amongst the people building this world.

That’s why we focus on the very young, who are hopefully not as influenced by society over what kind of jobs or hobbies are apparently suitable for boys and girls, certain age groups, nationalities or religions,” explained Dalgren. The Kids Hack Club offers weekly classes, and they plan on leading summer camps later this year in additional locations across Barcelona. www kidshackclub.com

SYMMETRICAL SWAN-DIVE

SYMMETRY PILATES. ENRIC GRANADOS 111.

Pilates is a method of exercise and physical movement designed to stretch, strengthen and balance the body. As an advocate of the popular fitness trend, Núria Burgell opened Symmetry Pilates in L’Eixample three months ago, offering a range of services including yoga, massages, physiotherapy and, of course, pilates. As the studio’s founder and director, Burgell is a fourth-generation student of the method’s founder, Joseph Pilates, as her mentor Michael King was taught by one of the inventor’s earliest students. Using a combination of classic and modern teaching techniques, Burgell aims to achieve a family atmosphere in her studio through her unique and personalised service. “I only allow a maximum of three people per session—it’s essentially personal training!”

With classes given in English, Symmetry Pilates is available to men and women of all ages, although Burgell often notices a more significant transformation in clients aged 30-60. When asked if she has noticed an increase in fitness interest over the last few years in Barcelona, Burgell replied: “Absolutely. Believe it or not, I receive many of my clients through medical prescriptions.” With its fully-equipped studio, expert instruction and zen atmosphere, Symmetry Pilates will certainly leave you feeling rejuvenated and stress-free. www.symmetry.cat

5 BOOKS SET IN BARCELONA 1. La Plaça del Diamant (The Time of the Doves/In Diamond Square) by Mercé Rodoreda, 1962. Probably the most famous novel ever written in Catalan, La Plaça del Diamant spans 25 years of Catalan history and is a compelling tale of life before, during and after the Spanish Civil War. 2. La sombra del viento (The Shadow of the Wind) by Carlos Ruiz Zafón, 2001. Ruiz Zafón’s international bestseller is set in post-Civil War Barcelona. Atmospheric and exhilarating, it follows the story of a young boy, Daniel Sempere, as he is led into the dark, secretive world of writer Julián Carax.

3. Catedral del mar (Cathedral of the Sea) by Ildefonso Falcones, 2006.

This classic adventure novel tells the story of a man who moves to Barcelona in the 14th century at the height of the Inquisition, with the construction of Santa Maria del Mar serving as a backdrop to the story.

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SOMETHING FISHY

LASCAR 74. ROSER 74.

Ceviche, a raw fish dish native to Peru, is the dish of choice at this contemporary new bar in Poble Sec, although you’ll probably be surprised to hear that it’s a Londoner and a Scotsman who are behind it. Long-term Barcelona residents Rob Jansz and Peter Williamson believe that experimentation and exploration of different flavours are the key to interesting and innovative flavour combinations. At Lascar, ceviche was chosen as the main cuisine on the menu (though other dishes are also available), as the owners feel it is a dish that fits in well with the Barcelona backdrop; it’s cold, light and perfect to enjoy in the sun. Being low fat with clean, fresh flavours, it’s also ideal for Barcelona’s many health-conscious residents. The pair chose the Poble Sec location, as its up-andcoming vibe and evolving culinary scene seemed perfect for this bar with a twist. At the front of the restaurant, the pisco bar has become just as popular. Pisco is a white brandy, also from Peru, but in Lascar, like everything else, the owners have put their own spin on it with a variety of flavours and cocktails, making for a great place to pop by for a drink on a Friday or Saturday night, when the place is buzzing until midnight. www.lascar.es

4. La ciudad de los prodigios (The City of Marvels) by Eduardo Mendoza, 1986. Anarchy and technological advances coexist in a city that’s celebrating its first Universal Exhibition and is engaged in an ongoing competition with Madrid.

5. Los mares del Sur (Southern Seas) by Manuel Vázquez Montalbán, 1979. Detective Pepe Carvalho is investigating the death of Stuart Pedrell. Set in the late Seventies during the country’s transition to democracy, Barcelona is portrayed as a society corroded by corruption, a lack of solidarity and moral bankruptcy.

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 IN THE CITY

streetlife

VIALIS Major de Sarrià 72. www.vialis.es The Vialis brand was created in the Born in 1996, by a shoemaker trained in Menorca. Today, their passionate technical team work tirelessly to present a line of products that stands out for its creativity and authenticity. Simplistic forms, small details and vegetable-tanned leather make their shoes desirable for women from all walks of life.

MAJOR DE SARRIÀ Old and new thrive side by side along the main vein running through the uptown neighbourhood of Sarrià.

FOIX DE SARRIÀ Major de Sarrià 57. www.foixdesarria.com This is the most well-known pastry shop in the neighbourhood and one of the oldest in Barcelona. Since 1886, they have been selling exquisite cakes piled high with glacé fruit and chocolates, colourful macaroons, an endless variety of truffles and cold cava to wash it down, all served by a charming young man in a black tux. Want to know a fun fact that makes this confitería even more famous? J.V. Foix, the famous early 20th-century Catalan poet and son of the store’s founders, lived with his family at this location.

He grew up working in the family business as well as reading great literary masterpieces. Even as he began to focus more on his artistic purpose, Foix never forgot where he came from, and is said to have played a key role in keeping the Catalan language alive during the 40-year Franco regime.

BAR TOMÁS Major de Sarrià 49. www.facebook.com/BarTomasSarria Patatas bravas are a staple of Barcelona cuisine, and customers of this classic Catalan greasy spoon claim it offers the best bravas in the city. Shining with oil and served with extra garlicky alioli, you have to try them for yourself to see if you agree.

CASA JOANA Major de Sarrià 59.

Passed down through generations of women from the same family for almost 50 years, Casa Joana continues to serve traditional homemade dishes to share, along with simplistic plates of meat, fish and eggs. Although much of the area around it has changed, this restaurant has stayed true to its roots and is packed with local families every weekend.

METROPOLITAN PEOPLE

DO YOU LIKE PLAYING HOST WHEN FRIENDS OR FAMILY VISIT?

VICTORIA, 28,

JAUME, 26,

I’m glad when guests feel at home in my home, but when they start acting as though we have a maid, it’s normally time for them to leave!

I like playing host because it allows my friends to see the real Barcelona. I can act as their tour guide, showing them the city’s best hidden views.

TEACHER, ENGLAND

COOKITECA Major de Sarrià 74. www.cookiteca.com Neus Canal and her partner founded Cookiteca six and a half years ago. “We wanted to fill a void that we recognised in the city by providing hands-on cooking classes for adults and kids,” Canal explained. Courses range from eco-friendly cooking and birthday cakes to vegetarian meals and holiday specialities. “There’s a synergy between the kitchen, which fits 16 people, and the store out front,” she continued. “All the cookware and some of the ingredients that our clients need to recreate dishes learned in class can be bought here afterwards.” This type of culinary education is especially good for children.

It’s a practical and engaging activity that allows them to socialise with kids from across the city, all while making and eating their favourite things, from rice and fish to lenguas de gato.

INDUSTRIAL ENGINEER, SPAIN

ARIANA, 34, VET, VENEZUELA I love welcoming friends and intercambios. As a foreigner myself, I understand how grateful people are when you take them in. ¡Mi casa es tu casa!

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ANTIGA CASA RAFAEL Major de Sarrià 77. www.antigacasarafael.com Founded over 140 years ago, Antiga Casa Rafael is thought to be the oldest restaurant in Sarrià. The epitome of Catalan cooking, the restaurant is still run by descendants of the founder, the ubiquitous grandfather Rafael Jornet. Tía Antonia is the current owner, and it is recommended that you go for lunch on Thursdays to try her epic paella.

EL CANALLA Major de Sarrià 95. www.gruposantelmo.com This is one in a group of five independent restaurants led by Isidro Marques.

Here you can savour fresh market Mediterranean cuisine on the terrace, located in the picturesque Plaça de Sarrià, across from L’Església de Sant Vicenç de Sarrià. Or squeeze into the bar, where the walls are lined with entertainment adverts and newspapers, the floor is covered in hydraulic tiles and the customers huddle together over drinks and chat. It’s cosy inside and the atmosphere doesn’t seem to embody its name, ‘The Scoundrel’, which could either be a good thing or a bad thing.

SANTAMASA Major de Sarrià 97.

Open since October last year, this newcomer to the district landed a privileged location: an 18th-century Gothic palace directly off Plaça de Sarrià. The restaurant’s enchanting character is enhanced by its fusion-inspired menu, allowing you to eat your way around the world.

Selections include a Japanesestyle burger with oriental flavours of teriyaki and sesame, Mexican quesadillas and sachertorte—a type of chocolate cake invented in Vienna, Austria.

JORGE, 24,

MARKETING CONSULTANT, SPAIN

Definitely! I’m a keen chef, so cooking paella for 10 when friends visit is not a problem. Also, they can return the favour when I visit them.

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IN THE CITY

A place of MY OWN

of giving up or rolling with them.”

Cecilia and Fabián combine their creative talents in their collaborative company, Espaibuenrollo, meaning ‘a place with good vibes’. They make a variety of products from recycled materials, including lampshades, plant pots, restored books and trinkets, and they source all materials from the streets, proving that you can’t put a price on good taste. “You don’t need a lot of money in order to have a beautiful home, you just need a lot of dedication,” Cecilia assured.

Their fascination for rubbish dates back to their early life in Argentina, where materials were always reused, primarily out of economic necessity. Part of the fascination also comes from the availability of used materials in the city. “Barcelona is a paradise for rubbish!” Fabián chuckled. “There aren’t many major cities where you can make a home entirely from basura.” Fabián is a self-confessed “weirdo” when it comes to rummaging the streets, but is saddened by the fact that a full-blown recycling system isn’t utilised by everyone across Barcelona. “Becoming a parent, and with age too, you start to question how we can and should work with our planet. Collaborating and cooperating with the natural world is essential because, ultimately, it’s the home of all homes.”

Two years ago, when the opportunity arose for the couple to buy the flat next door, they were able to remodel their home to combine living and work space by knocking through a partition wall to create a workshop. With plenty of room, they welcome travelling friends to stay, enabling their designs to be tested under normal living conditions.

One stand-out feature is a hand-painted map of Gràcia in the hall.

“We like to encourage friends who stay to explore Gràcia, so we’ve highlighted key points of interest. We don’t own a car, and we think the best way to soak up the city’s culture is on foot,” Cecilia noted.

Although the initial renovation took under six months, they both say that home improvement is a constant process. “It’s a live experiment happening every day,” Fabián confessed. “The place in which you live is alive itself. While it remains the same structure of walls, its soul is constantly changing.”

ARGENTINIAN COUPLE, CECILIA AND FABIÁN, HAVE RENOVATED TWO ADJACENT FLATS TO CREATE SOMETHING OF AN ARTISTIC LABORATORY. TEXT BY CHRISTINA MCKEON FRUTUOSO. PHOTOS BY MELISSA FRY.

C

ecilia Vietto, a bookbinder, and her husband Fabián Andino, a graphic designer, have lived in this renovated Gràcia apartment for four years since moving to Barcelona from their native city of Rosario, Argentina. They previously lived in the Raval, but for a pregnant Cecilia, living on the fifth floor with no lift soon became impossible.

By a stroke of luck, the couple found this second-floor apartment and immediately began knocking down walls and rearranging the layout. Light started to infiltrate and what was once a dark tunnel-like corridor running the length of the apartment now opens up onto the kitchen and dining area.

“The kitchen used to be a bedroom,” Fabián revealed. “But we converted it so the whole family could access the balcony, where natural light floods in.”

Aside from the walls, everything in their home is constructed from recycled rubbish found on the city’s streets. The kitchen-diner features a breakfast bar made from plastic tubes and reclaimed wood, which has been covered in old newspaper sheets and varnished to create a smooth surface; old headlines offer a welcome distraction as they sip their morning coffee. Also in the kitchen the work surface is made from an assortment of wood pieces, and its glossy, ink-blue finish is intriguing. “It came about by error,” Cecilia admitted. “One of the varnishing stages created this bubbled texture. It was totally by accident, but it made a rippled effect, like water flowing, and we realised it actually worked well alongside the kitchen sink.”

The couple’s ‘waste not want not’ attitude towards renovating reflects a positive philosophy of life in general. “Mistakes are inevitable, so it’s a case

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The couple love spending time outdoors, on both the balcony and terrace.

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And it’s fair to say their home has a lot of soul. The skirting board in the hallway is imprinted with the first few lines of the 1946 Magic Realism story, Casa tomada by Julio Cortázar, which can provide a moment of spiritual reflection as you amble along the long, echoing corridor. Turn right into one of the bedrooms, and you come across a lampshade made from discarded VHS film, which reveals old movie scenes while the lengthy reels float in the breeze. It’s obvious that this is the home of two artists.

On the balcony, the celebrations of the Sant Medir festival can be heard, which Fabián will be attending later on with their daughter, Lua. The couple believe Gràcia is perfect for family life. “It’s muy barrio. It has that loving neighbourhood feel.” With birds tweeting and water splashing from a neighbour’s coveted pool, they acknowledge that they’re lucky to live close to Parc Güell and Parc de les Aigües. They also love their terraza, which they have converted into a bohemian haven—think cacti in bathtubs and a barbeque assembled from abandoned shopping trolleys.

But now they’re moving into a new phase of experimentation.

“We’re looking for a new place that offers a huerto, a piece of land, where we can develop new designs in the horticultural world.”

It’s clear that wherever the family move to next, it will be a home made in Barcelona. Their use of discarded materials may highlight the rather daunting reality that nothing lasts forever, but their admirable craftsmanship gives new life to both the rubbish they find and to their own home, over and over again.

From floor to ceiling, the couple have put their individual stamp on the apartment.

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Share and share alike COLLABORATION IS THE WORD AS THE SHARING ECONOMY MAKES ITS MARK ON THE CITY. TEXT BY CAROL MORAN.

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re you looking for a sofa to sleep on? Take your pick out of 400,000 worldwide via CouchSurfing. A spare room? You can find over 1.5 million on Airbnb. Maybe you’re looking for investors for your startup? There are thousands ready to crowdfund on Indiegogo. A lift to the south of France? Blablacar is offering over 2 million trips at any given time. Some holiday cash without the commission?

Exchange your euros for rubles on WeSwap. A pet for the afternoon?

BorrowMyDoggy will help you locate a canine companion. Or maybe you just can’t be bothered cooking? Fill up on your neighbour’s leftovers with Shareyourmeal.

These are just a few examples of the sharing revolution taking place online. Not long ago, the idea of turning up on a stranger’s doorstep for the weekend, borrowing a household appliance or car from somebody in your neighbourhood or asking a bunch of strangers to fund your latest business idea may have seemed like an alien concept. However, a crosssector transformation is underway; a “powerful cultural and economic force reinventing not just what we consume, but how we consume”, according to Rachel Botsman, author of What’s Mine is Yours: How Collaborative Consumption is Changing the Way We Live (2010) and a global authority on what has come to be known as the ‘sharing economy’.

On the surface, it may seem like a wholly modern idea, but sharing and cooperation have always been basic to the human condition, from hunting in packs and farming cooperatives, to libraries, launderettes, schools and hospitals. Thus, this revolutionary 21st-century movement is taking us back to when bartering, trading and swapping were par for the course; back to the old market principles and collaborative behaviour hard wired in all of us. Botsman believes that it is “tapping into our primate instincts. We are born and bred to share and cooperate, and we did so for thousands of years before the system of hyperconsumption came along”.

The difference in the 21st century is that technology is enabling us to step it up a notch, sharing on a scale like never before. The sharing economy provides consumers with access to goods and services by

removing or strongly reducing the cost of ownership, particularly when the price of an asset is high and it is not always fully utilised (the classic example being the car, which sits unused 92 percent of the time). The power of technology is unlocking the idle capacity and value of all kinds of assets, creating a market for things that never before had a marketplace and, most surprisingly, enabling trust between strangers built on reputation. All of this sharing was feasible in the past, but it was probably more trouble than it was worth. Thanks to the internet, asset owners and those seeking to use those assets can now easily find each other. The big change is the availability of data about people and their possessions and the ease of communication between parties; many of the platforms are peer-to-peer in nature, i.e. a service or product provided directly from one average Joe to another, which removes the middleman completely. The technological pioneer that first successfully formalised this idea into a structured website was eBay. Since then, the movement has exploded in all directions and sectors.

In Barcelona, you can see the sharing economy popping up on every corner. You can revamp your wardrobe on Chicfy, furnish your apartment through Vibbo or Nolotiro, dine with an award-winning chef via Eatwith and share a taxi to the airport with Joinuptaxi. Barcelona is a hotbed for startups, many of which operate within the sharing economy, including Letmespace (storage and parking space rental), SocialCar (peer-to-peer car hire), Trip4real (local travel experiences) and Sharing Academy (private tuition between fellow students)—the latter having been awarded ‘App of the Year 2016’ at the recent Mobile World Congress.

It is also, both historically and currently, a hub for innovation, and the sharing economy seems to go hand in hand with other innovative movements taking place in the city, such as the Smart City initiative. As usual, Barcelona is ahead of the game in the context of Spain as reported

by Barcinno, a news and knowledge-sharing platform for Barcelona’s startup, tech and innovation communities. Rodolfo Küstermann, Marketing Director of Madrid-based Amovens, a lift-sharing platform and key competitor of Blablacar, told Barcinno, “The sharing economy is very developed in Barcelona, maybe more than in Madrid. Other cities in

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Spain have not yet embraced the idea of the shared economy in the same way as people in Barcelona. They have a particular mindset.” This idea was echoed by Ana María Güezmes from French platform, NightSwapping—a community where members travel by swapping nights rather than money.

“Barcelona could be the best breeding ground for many startups such as ours and other peer-to-peer companies to establish their services. This is because the Ajuntament, the citizens and the tourists are cosmopolitan and conscious of the fact that the collaborative economy and brings value.”

The presence of collaborative consumption pioneers in Barcelona also has an influence. “Many of the huge companies, like Airbnb, Wallapop and Socialcar, have global or national headquarters here in Barcelona, and their presence is stimulating the eco-system, making the city very attractive to these kinds of startups,” Albert Cañigueral told Barcinno. Cañigueral was responsible for bringing OuiShare Fest to Barcelona last November, a global event dedicated exclusively to the collaborative economy that brings together thought leaders on the subject—another positive indicator of the city welcoming the movement.

"THE POWER OF TECHNOLOGY IS UNLOCKING THE IDLE CAPACITY AND VALUE OF ALL KINDS OF ASSETS, CREATING A MARKET FOR THINGS THAT NEVER BEFORE HAD A MARKETPLACE AND ENABLING TRUST BETWEEN STRANGERS." Natalie Batlle, Director of PR and Brand at Trip4real, offered another perspective. “Peer-to-peer platforms in this city have struck an important balance between serving a community in need of support and a reliable source of income, and a local tourism industry in need of innovation.”

The economic argument is particularly applicable in post-crisis Spain. It is in times of crisis, after all, when our best ideas emerge. Indeed, Botsman pinpoints the 2008 global economic crisis as a key turning point at which we started to move away from a 20th century defined by hyperconsumption, and move towards the 21st century, which will be defined by collaborative consumption. According to a study by US-based global information consultants, Nielsen, countries more affected by the financial crisis are more open to the sharing economy, with more than half of Spaniards (53%) willing to share or rent personal property, alongside Portugal and Greece. As well as offering the potential to earn some extra cash, peer-topeer platforms offer access to goods or service that may otherwise be off limits, budget-wise.

The city, however, seems to be split on its attitude towards the sharing economy. Regulatory authorities in Spain have put roadblocks in place for some of the global pioneers of the sharing economy, including Airbnb, Uber and Blablacar, marking a resistance that threatens to dampen Barcelona’s innovative spirit.

As in many cities around the world, there has been considerable backlash following the success of Airbnb from authorities and Barcelona residents, the former concerning themselves with illegal earnings, unregulated accommodation and lobbying from disgruntled hoteliers, whilst the latter complain of disruptive behaviour and rising housing prices. Airbnb was fined €30,000 by the city council in July 2014, followed by a €60,000 fine in December 2015, for continuing to advertise illegal properties, i.e. properties without a tourist licence. Yet, according to La Vanguardia, nearly 900,000 Airbnb travellers brought €740 million to Barcelona in 2015 as the platform’s fourth most popular city. Airbnb also claims that their clientele

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THE SHARING ECONOMy IN BARCELONA

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CHICFY. Online marketplace for secondhand clothes.

RENOVA LA TEVA ROBA. Annual clothesswapping event organised by Barcelona City Council.

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WALLAPOP & VIBBO. Buy and sell belongings with people in the local area.

NOLOTIRO. Local version of Freecycle.

REPARAT MILLOR QUE NOU. Get your old things fixed with this app.

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AVANCAR. Local branch of American car-sharing company, Zipcar.

SOCIALCAR & DRIVY. Peer-to-peer car remtal.

BICING. Bike-sharing network with over 400 stations across the city.

BLABLACAR & AMOVENS. Long distance ridesharing services.

GLOVO. Delivery and messenger service.

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AIRBNB. Barcelona is the fourth top city for this peer-to-peer accommodation site.

TRIP4REAL. Locals offer authentic experiences to travellers.

NIGHTSWAPPING. Offer accommodation in exchange for a free stay elsewhere.

MYTWINPLACE & KNOK. Global house swapping communities, both with headquarters in Barcelona.

FOXIZE. Peer-to-peer business school offering three-hour courses with working professionals.

SHARED ACADEMY. University students share their knowledge and learn from their colleagues with private classes.

BANCO DE TIEMPO. Skill exchange between members.

VERKAMI. The crowdfunding pioneer in Spain.

ULULE. One of Europe’s leading crowdfunding platforms.

GOTEO. Crowdrunding for creative enterprises and individuals.

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EATWITH. Intimate dining experiences in other people’s homes.

LEFTOVERSWAP. Swap leftovers with the neighbours in your community.

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Alberto Fernandez invites travellers on a walk around the city as a 'local friend'.

Photo courtesy of Trip4real.

in Barcelona tend to stay in the less visited areas, spending 2.3 times more money and staying 2.4 times longer than the average visitor. The revenue being injected into the city from peer-to-peer tourism goes more directly to local residents, but how can individuals get a slice of the pie within a regulated framework? The saga continues.

Uber is another global sharing giant that has fallen foul of Spanish regulations. In December 2014, Spain outlawed the ride-sharing platform following strong opposition from traditional taxi drivers. In July 2015, a Barcelona judge referred the case to the European Court of Justice with a series of questions relating to how the group should be treated for regulatory purposes. A ruling isn’t expected until later in the year but, regardless of the outcome, it is likely to be a landmark decision for regulators and sharing platforms across the continent. Meanwhile, Uber is said to be considering re-entering the Spanish market by implementing a new approach that would involve working exclusively with drivers who carry a valid professional VTC licence (hire cars that come with a driver).

Most recently, the Spanish Confederation of Bus Transportation (Confebús) took lift-sharing platform Blablacar to court in a bid to shut the service down, accusing them of unfair competition and operating a public transportation company without complying with regulations. In February this year, the court ruled against Confebús, providing possibly the first precedent where the Spanish justice system has sided with the sharing economy.

Angela Carroll prepares a delicious afternoon tea on her rooftop terrace (see next page).

New movements are often met with resistance and, perhaps, a fear of change; the fragility of the local and national economy here probably intensifies this. The sharing economy is still an unknown but potentially powerful force. In the words of Botsman, it represents “a profound economic shift that is destabilising institutional control as we know it and democratising access to consumption, production, education and finance.”

A shift from centralised power to distributed power has the potential to disrupt the established way of doing business across all sectors, destabilising the pyramid of institutional authority. Not surprisingly, this is seen as a threat by those who have a vested interest in keeping things just how they are.

But a fear of change won’t make it go away, and regulators have got a delicate balance to maintain. Every facet of the sharing economy raises unprecedented questions that are bound to cause teething problems. How can it be regulated? How can we ensure activities are legal? What about safety for users? And it’s not always a case of one size fits all. Contextual influences—supply and demand, economic climate, existing infrastructure, legal systems, and other local factors such as population density and GDP generators—require forward thinking regulation on a case-by-case basis.

In the short to medium term, regulators need to manage the development of collaborative consumption whilst safeguarding the livelihoods of those whose current roles may eventually become obsolete.

In the long term, however, the existing system will need to embrace the economic potential of the sharing economy and find ways to adapt to it in order to unlock that potential. When you place the sharing economy into our present day global context, it really starts to make sense; it feels

Photo by William Rose.

"EFFICIENT USE OF OUR RESOURCES IS NOT ONLY BETTER FOR OUR POCKETS AND OUR COMMUNITIES, BUT ALSO FOR THE PLANET; THE SHARING ECONOMY SEEMS TO BE A MODEL THAT IS COMPATIBLE WITH THE GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL AIMS."

like another piece of the jigsaw that fits the puzzle of sustainable living.

Efficient use of our resources is not only better for our pockets and our communities, but also for the planet; the sharing economy seems to be a model that is compatible with the global environmental aims.

On an individual level, the sharing economy is enabling opportunities that may have been unimaginable only a few years ago. The ease of connecting people who ‘have’ with people who ‘want’ is removing entry barriers to entrepreneurship, unlocking new kinds of wealth by facilitating access to resources that were formerly under-utilised. Now, everyone can be a micro-entrepreneur, even if it is just for a couple of hours on a Saturday afternoon. And with that comes a sense of empowerment. As Emily Castor, Director of Community Relations at Lyft in San Francisco put it, the sharing economy gives workers the “freedom to quit” an uninspiring job, follow their passion and “unlock their productive power”. An energised and empowered population must have a positive effect on the economy, which is certainly something that Spain could use.

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PLAYING HOST?

Photo courtesy of Trip4real.

Never been so popular? Since moving to Barcelona, you may have experienced a remarkable, although not uncommon, surge in your popularity, as every friend, neighbour and relative is booking a visit. No matter how welcome your guests, hosting can be a drain on your time, energy and resources. However, the rise of the peerto-peer industry means that you can now convert your generous hospitality—or your spare room, valuable city knowledge and free time—into hard cash.

Homegrown platform, Trip4real (www.trip4real.com), is giving locals the chance to do just that. The platform was created in 2013

by Catalan travel enthusiast, Gloria Molins, as ‘a way to connect locals with travellers in pursuit of authentic experiences’. For Natalie Batlle, Director of PR and Brand at Trip4real, the peer-topeer market is a “logical evolution of travel”. An increasingly welltravelled population “look for ways to connect with like-minded people who have common interests and shared passions when they visit a city”. The platform is growing fast, offering a vast range of experiences in 40 cities across the world, and counts renowned Catalan chef Ferran Adrià amongst its investors. With 2,500 experiences on offer in Barcelona, you can have lunch listening to stories from ex-gangster ‘Dani el Rojo’, spend a day volunteering with Justo, a former monk, and almost everything in between.

We met some of the Barcelona residents who have launched their own experiences with Trip4real.

ANGELA CARROLL 39, UK

ALBERTO FERNANDEZ 48, ARGENTINA

FRANCISCO BLANCO 46, VENEZUELA

Angela (cover picture) takes the traditional English afternoon tea and combines it with the mild Mediterranean climate, to create a unique experience—tea on the terrace with city views.

Alberto (pictured above) invites travellers to take a walk around the city, visiting hidden places and points of interest, tailored to the individual.

Photographer and audiovisual producer, Francisco (pictured below), offers two photography-based activities—a paparazzi-style photoshoot, and a basic photography class.

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Why did you start offering the experience?

I have a natural curiosity for the places where I live and my background is in tourism. I always stress to my guests that I am not a tour guide.

Instead, I like to think of my walking experiences as offering a ‘local friend’ to show you around. The social and cultural aspects are very important to me. I feel quite excited when I get reservations from people from very different cultures—I love to see their reactions to the city. I get to learn something about their culture without leaving the city. Sometimes I even go for dinner with them.

This is priceless.

Would you have offered the experience without the help of Trip4real?

I don’t think so. Having a platform is really important in order to connect people, and they offer me lot of support. Of course, I could make my own website, but I wouldn’t want to have to take care of marketing and everything. This way I can focus on the bit that I really enjoy. I think this modern way of buying and selling everything is perfect.

Is this your full-time job?

No, it is part-time, but if I could make this my way of living, that would be amazing. Actually, I hope that it will be. I have done over 100 tours in less than 18 months, and things are on the up.

Why did you start offering the experience?

I am motivated by my passion for photography, but it also gives me the opportunity to meet people from other cultures, share their joy of travel and exchange knowledge with them. That really fills my soul!

Would it work without a peer-to-peer platform?

I don’t think so. The advantage of the platform is that it connects us directly with the travellers who would like to do this kind of activity.

Is this your full-time job?

No, this is something extra that I do alongside my normal job. The amount of bookings depends on the season, but I do it at least once a week.

I’m very grateful to be able to access the shared economy through this platform—it makes tailormade activities available for all.

>>

Photo courtesy of Trip4real.

Why did you start offering the experience?

It all started when I made afternoon tea for my Catalan friends here. I just love the whole experience of afternoon tea and I wanted to introduce that to Barcelona. I like explaining it as a cultural experience. People here are very proud of their traditions, so it’s nice for me to be able to share something I am proud of.

Who comes to the Afternoon Tea parties?

It’s a real mix, but generally it’s a combination of locals with an interest in English culture and foreign residents longing for a taste of home.

Why Trip4real?

Being part of Trip4real makes it easier for a few reasons. It looks professional and it manages the process financially. It has also given me confidence to be part of the platform, and it really helps in terms of marketing.

Could you see this becoming your full-time job?

I don’t really see it as a full-time job, but I’m enjoying working for myself and I’d like to see it grow. I think it could be the first step towards something else. I’m making lots of contacts and I’d like to collaborate with others in the future to create new, tailored events. I think it definitely opens doors. It’s very creative, and I get a lot more satisfaction out of doing it.

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Gallery overthrow THE BOUTIQUE ENTERPRISES CHANGING THE WAY WE VIEW ART. TEXT BY CLAIRE RAMTUHUL.

O

is more diverse, more challenging, and more supportive of its numerous and undoubtedly talented artists.

In the vibrant neighbourhood of Sant Antoni, the light and airy surroundings of galeri provide an inviting space for artists and clientele alike. Its cofounders, architect Luis Eustaquio and fineart restorer Eva Rodríguez, set about realising their vision for a more ‘democratic’ artistic space in 2014. “Often people feel like they can’t enter galleries because they feel like it’s an elitist environment,” said Eustaquio. “We try to lure people in by having our shop at the front—we want to provide an alternative for people who don’t necessarily want to go to a traditional gallery space.”

So far, galeri has exhibited around 40 artists, all of whom are creating work in the city. Its walls feature a veritable feast of young talent, from the elegantly feminine mixed-media works of Catalan-born artist RAL, to the beastly animal skulls of French artist Benoit Peleran. “One of our objectives is to have a really diverse mix

of artists—illustrators, urban artists, designers, ornamental and decorative artists,” said Rodríguez. “We’re not really an art gallery, we’re more a showroom of the art environment.” The team sell both original works and prints, and aim to give customers a highly personalised service.

The crowd-pleasing exhibition launches at galeri typically feature DJ sets, something the pair say has been vital to building their image and drawing in the locals. “We’ve been working with DJ Mychel Castro to create really enticing events that activate all your senses, not merely the visual.” The team have also experimented with live painting, and are in talks with dancers and musicians to collaborate on upcoming events. A small garden and exterior wall offer a charming extension to the main gallery space, the latter currently showcasing an urban art collaboration between CB 1 MAG 1 (Carlos Margone) and Bàlu, both familiar names on the Barcelona scene. The team aim to commission new collaborative murals on an annual basis. galeri’s current offering, Nibiru Alert, is the debut

Photo by Miquel Aparici

n the face of it, art is everywhere in the city of Barcelona. From the cacophony of Gaudí’s imposing Modernista forms, to cutting-edge contemporary design and streets spray-painted with impressive murals, it seems every taste is catered for: from smaller, independent galleries to the larger and more salubrious spaces of the MACBA and CCCB. But despite the presence of art in all its forms, it’s not always easy for artists—new or established—to find a platform for their work.

Lack of affordable space and high gallery commissions plague Barcelona’s art scene, creating particularly difficult conditions for artists to find new audiences and make a living.

To address these issues, a string of art-lovers and business minds have created their own enterprises, taking a fresh approach to presenting work whilst putting practitioners in closer contact with their local communities. In doing so, they are reimagining the city’s art scene as one which

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Exterior wall of galeri featuring work by CB 1 MAG 1 and Bàlu.

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galeri

to the art, where you can enjoy it and not be overwhelmed or put off by the rules of a gallery.”

Upcoming exhibitions include a photography series by Dani de los Muros (whose work has previously appeared in galleries across Spain), and a collective showcase of seven different photographers working in analogue format.

“LACK OF AFFORDABLE SPACE AND HIGH GALLERY COMMISSIONS PLAGUE BARCELONA’S ART SCENE.”

Studio of Miquel Aparici

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exhibition of Barcelona-born artist Edmumo, and runs until April 9th.

Creating a welcoming and supportive platform for emerging artists is also at the heart of Moraima, a multidisciplinary arts space that opened two years ago. Tucked away on a backstreet in the Raval, the sounds of gypsy and folk music can be heard bursting out from its doors throughout the week. Inside, the works of a variety of Spanish artists are exhibited alongside an intimate performance space and bar. Founder Monica Parejo wanted to create a springboard for new artists and musicians under one roof, as well as a meeting point for cultural exchange. “The city is known for design, but not for art or music,” she said. “Most artists have to go to Madrid if they want to make a living. In terms of musicians, it’s very difficult for people to get permits to play: it’s either the metro, Razzmatazz or Apolo—there’s not much in between for people who are just starting out.”

Moraima’s packed schedule of events encompasses everything from exhibitions to poetry open-mic nights and film screenings.

“Previously, when I’d been to galleries in Barcelona, the atmosphere was very cold. You’re not sure whether you should go in or not. I wanted to make a space where you feel close

Meanwhile, 3PGallery founder Karine Heckmann has done away with a permanent space altogether. Instead, she is working to connect her growing roster of artists (both local and international) with the owners of thoughtprovoking, alternative spaces, whilst also selling their work online and organising visits to their studios. “I really think the traditional model of the gallery is not so important,” said Heckmann.

“If I had to buy a gallery, I know I’d have so many fixed expenses, and that afterwards I’d have to take a higher commission, and I don’t want to do that. I want the artists to get the most out of the experience, so I try to find spaces where it’s a win-win for all involved—the artists showcase their work, and the owners promote their spaces. We also try to keep it very low on expenses by finding food and drinks sponsors for the events.”

Heckmann carefully selects spaces that complement and create a dialogue with the work of her artists, a prime example being the Tibetan cultural centre Casa del Tibet de Barcelona, which last year housed the work of Zen sculptor Jesús Reigosa and a photographic series on Nepal by Philipp Pawelka. Previous exhibitions have taken place at the Hotel Villa Emilia (Eixample), the WSG European Headquarters (Born), and at the vast studio of Miquel Aparici, another of Heckmann’s artists (Santa Eulalia, L’Hospitalet).

Applying her business acumen gained as a financial and business consultant for major international companies, Heckmann strives to ensure that the artists receive a fair deal. “I am trying to best represent the artists and to limit the number of intermediaries in the process of selling artwork.” 3PGallery is also working on building connections to the city’s big corporate names, an area Heckmann said is still relatively underexplored within Barcelona’s art scene.

Although operating on a relatively small scale, these enterprises are making gradual headway in reshaping the city’s art scene. Through collaboration across disciplines as well as industries, they are all making the small steps required if Barcelona is ever to be considered a world-leading contemporary arts hub.

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WHAT’S ON

MUSIC LOOKING BACK CONCERT LISTINGS 1st. The KVB Sala Apolo. Nou de la Rambla 113.

1st. Andrés Suárez BARTS. Paral·lel 62.

4th. Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club Auditori Forum. Plaça de Willy Brandt 11-14.

7th. Grigory Sokolov Palau de la Música. Palau de la Música 4-6.

8th. Anastacia L’Auditori. Lepant 150.

8th. Supersubmarina Razzmatazz. Pamplona 88.

8th. Sleaford Mods Sala Apolo. Nou de la Rambla 113.

9th. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds Palau Sant Jordi. Passeig Olímpic 5-7.

10th. Siempre Así L’Auditori. Lepant 150.

NOEL GALLAGHER’S HIGH FLYING BIRDS. SANT JORDI CLUB. PIERRE DE COUBERTIN 6. APRIL 9TH. The controversial reissue of the classic Oasis album Definitely Maybe in 2013 saw the infamous Gallagher brothers return to the headlines when Liam told fans not to invest in a money-making scheme. The eldest of the Gallagher brothers is back in the media spotlight again, but this time for less controversial reasons, since he started touring with his new band, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, promoting their latest album, Chasing Yesterday (2015). Despite describing it to the Guardian as ‘space jazz’, Gallagher’s latest project still emanates a lot of the characteristic Oasis sounds.

The lyrics suggest a sense of nostalgia, a realisation that times have changed on tracks such as ‘You Know We Can’t Go Back’. Although that won’t stop Gallagher from trying to relive Manchester’s wonder years, with The Smith’s guitarist, Johnny Marr, featuring on ‘Ballad of the Mighty I’.

The band’s new material may not have the pub sing-along qualities of the old Oasis anthems, or really meet the ‘space jazz’ label, but, as always, he has managed to produce some great, classic rock music. www.santjordiclub.cat

10th. Núria Graham CCCB. Montalegre 5.

10th. At The Drive-In Razzmatazz. Pamplona 88.

11th. Bring Me the Horizon Razzmatazz. Pamplona 88.

13th. Marcus Miller BARTS. Paral·lel 62.

14th. Kygo Palau Sant Jordi. Passeig Olímpic 5-7.

16th. Florence and the Machine Palau Sant Jordi. Passeig Olímpic 5-7.

16th. Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott Teatre Principal de Badalona. Francesc Layret 41.

17th. UB40 Razzmatazz. Pamplona 88.

19th. Sun Ra Arkestra Sala Apolo. Nou de la Rambla 113.

20th. Roger Mas. L’Auditori. Lepant 150.

21st. Chris Cornell Gran Teatre del Liceu. La Rambla 51-59.

29th. IAM Sala Bikini. Diagonal 547.

29th. Los Nastys and The Saurs Sidecar. Plaça Reial 7.

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TOGETHER AGAIN

AT THE DRIVE-IN. RAZZMATAZZ. PAMPLONA 88. APRIL 10TH. At The Drive-In are creating waves on the music scene with the announcement of their reunion tour. Hailing from Texas and formed in 1993, this American post-hardcore band managed to release three studio albums and five EPs before they went their separate ways back in 2001. But this wasn’t the last that we were to see of them, as they were soon back on the scene in the form of The Mars Volta, a prog rock group that also included ATDI singer Cederic Bixler and guitarist Omar Rodriguez. The original band reformed briefly in 2011 and have now reunited once more for their first shows since performing at London’s Brixton Academy in 2012. This month, they will play their only Spanish show of the tour at Barcelona’s Razzmatazz. A long-awaited event for many of their dedicated fans, tickets should be bought early. www.razzmatazz.com

FOR MORE MUSIC EVENTS VISIT WWW.BARCELONA-METROPOLITAN.COM

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GO WITH THE FLO

FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE. PALAU SANT JORDI. PASSEIG OLIMPIC 5-7. APRIL 16TH. Palau Sant Jordi will be overflowing this April with the powerful sounds of Florence and the Machine as they promote their latest album, How Big How Blue How Beautiful (2015). Although not as eccentric and overstated as the previous two platinum albums, Lungs (2009) and Ceremonials (2011), this one shows a slightly deeper side to lead vocalist and songwriter, Florence Welch. She cites her experience of heartbreak as her main creative inspiration for the album, which is about “stripping down layers of things to hide behind: big sounds, big dresses, metaphor”. On ‘St. Jude’ (the patron saint of lost causes), she encapsulates the more mellow side to herself, not a war-cry in sight. However, despite the soft vocal intro to ‘Delilah’, it soon breaks into the usual stadium-filling sound, with soaring vocals, making sure you’ll leave the show voiceless, all while getting a bit of a dance in. Hopefully throwing in a few of the old classics for good measure, this gig is sure to get you in the mood for more music as Barcelona’s festival season kicks off. www.palausantjordi.com

LONDON LOVE

THE KVB. SALA APOLO. NOU DE LA RAMBLA 113. APRIL 1ST. The combination of Primavera Sound and Apolo always manages to deliver when it comes to quality gigs, giving us something to hold off the cravings in the wait for Primavera Sound 2016. Last month, there were post-punk sounds from The Soft Moon and Joana Serrat, whilst April has its own musical treat in store in the form of London duo, The KVB. In just five years, they have managed to make friends in high places, recording their Out of Body (2014) EP at a Berlin studio belonging to Anton Newcombe of The Brian Jonestown Massacre, while their most recent work, full length instrumental album Mirror Being (2015), was released on Geoff Barrow’s (Portishead) label, Invada. Clearly their ghostly, ‘reverb-soaked’ shoegaze sound is something worth checking out. www.sala-apolo.com

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WHAT’S ON

ART OPENINGS CAIXAFORUM Valeriano López. The gallery becomes a performance space as this Spanish artist from Granada presents a live art installation that encompasses body, gesture and word. April 21st. 7pm.

Francesc Ferrer i Guàrdia 6-8.

MUSEU CAN FRAMIS Celebració del Color. This exhibition of 40 works by the influential painter Albert Ràfols-Casamada aims to confirm the importance of his work in the history of contemporary Catalan art. Opening April 18th. Roc Boronat 116-126.

PALAU DE LA MÚSICA CATALANA Jaume Plensa. This Catalan artist and sculptor displays an array of figures from classical literature, inspired by the works of Shakespeare, Blake, Dante and more. Opening April 7th. Palau de la Música 4-6.

MUSEU DE LA MÚSICA 25 Years of Catalan Rock. An exhibition that takes a look at the Catalan rock boom during the the late Eighties and early Nineties, climaxing in 1991 with the first rock concert at the newly built Palau Sant Jordi. Opening April 28th.

Lepant 150.

LAST CHANCE ARTS SANTA MÒNICA Real Time. This exhibition explores the concept of time and aims to challenge our perception of reality by exploring alternative ways of measuring it. Until April 10th. La Rambla 7.

CCCB HUMAN+. What does it mean to be human today? And will it feel different in 100 years time? An artistic investigation into the influence of technology on our mortal lives. Until April 10th. Montalegre 5.

ROCA BARCELONA GALLERY Urban Plunge. This exhibition considers the growing urban swimming movement and presents a collection of imaginative designs for natural baths and pools in some of the world’s most famous cities. Until April 23rd. Joan Güell 211-213.

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HE WHO DARES

I WILL FEAR NO EVIL. MACBA. PLAÇA DELS ÀNGELS 1. MARCH 18TH-JUNE 26TH. Skateboards made from skin and organs hanging amidst bicycles—the works of multimedia artist HernándezDíez are provocative, to say the least. The internationally-acclaimed artist lives and works in Barcelona, and his art is an eclectic mix of sculpture, photography, video and installation art, which explores themes of ethics, technology, superstition and religion. This exhibition revives early works by Hernández-Díez from the late Eighties and early Nineties, alongside new material. This very act of reviving old works reflects the artist’s interest in themes of revival and resurrection, which also feature prominently in Baroque painting and Catholic church doctrines, from which Hernández-Díez draws much inspiration. His installations use screens and vitrines (glass cabinets), offering experimental ways to debate and question the representation of death, rebirth and everyday life. Three pieces exhibited are from his 1991 project San Guinefort y otras devociones (San Guinefort and other devotions), which was heralded as “a techno-pop view of Catholicism’s most beloved symbols” by Venezuelan artist Meyer Vaisman. Fast-forward to 2016 and his new project, Filamentos, explores the iconographic use of light bulb filaments and the metaphor of light itself. The artist takes inspiration from his native land, Venezuela, and his childhood, though objects from the domestic sphere often feature alongside figures and themes within international popular culture. This can culminate in a sometimes distorted set of visual creations, yet it is this syncretic approach to creating art that makes his installations so enticing.

GOOD VIBRATIONS

NOT SO SILENT RIPPLES OF GRAVITY. ESPRONCEDA. ESPRONCEDA 326. APRIL 8TH–17TH. Espronceda is a cultural hub where creativity, art and education intersect. Whilst home to permanent artists, Espronceda also provides a platform for the dialogue of contemporary art in an international context and, this month, Estonian artist Jaanika Peerna takes to the stage. Peerna’s long-term interest in transitional phases in our organic surroundings, as well as her signature rhythmic drawing, will come to life in this exhibition. She will create a room-sized installation using large-scale drawings on thin layers of plastic materials and cut the surfaces so that a rhythmic composition is born within the gallery space.

Small pigment and graphite drawings that capture collisions of vibrations will also form part of the exhibition, inspired by the recent scientific discovery that detected gravitational waves, the ripples in the fabric of space-time. For the exhibition opening on April 7th, Lucio Corrente, born in Milan and graduate of piano, percussion and physics, will accompany Jaanika Peerna’s live performance. Corrente takes the vibrations of gravitational waves translated to sound to form his composed musical work. Peerna will step into Corrente’s musical composition with live drawing and movement. Following the success of the two artists’ collaboration at the SG Gallery in Venice and their private performance in New York last year, this is a unique opportunity to catch the innovative pair showcasing their talents.

FOR MORE ART EVENTS VISIT WWW.BARCELONA-METROPOLITAN.COM

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THE ART OF READING

PERMIT YOURSELF. ARTS SANTA MÒNICA. LA RAMBLA 7. APRIL 21ST-JULY 3RD. One of around 25 pieces that will feature in the exhibition Permit Yourself…, opening on April 22nd at the Arts Santa Mònica, is a 180cm x 48cm mirror panel with a text cut into its surface.

The text, which comes from a Stephen Pfohl review of a Guy Debord film, reads ‘Permit yourself to drift from what you are reading at this very moment into another situation... Imagine a situation that, in all likelihood, you’ve never been in’. This is the inspiration for the name of the exhibition, which explores the idea that both books and artwork can be read in new and unconventional ways. The exhibition compares the medium of books with the medium of art, paying particular attention to the transition and mutation of artists’ books into works of art themselves (sculptures, paintings, photographs, performances and installations). Through the juxtaposition of books with artistic objects, installations and performances, the viewer will notice that the works of art have taken on the role of the book and the book has become the work of art. This interplay between the two mediums shows that they are connected, but also aims to highlight their fundamental differences.

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WHAT’S ON

MISC. TENOR TRAGEDY

SIMON BOCCANEGRA. GRAN TEATRE DEL LICEU. LA RAMBLA 51-59.

APRIL 12TH-29TH. No opera of Giuseppe Verdi’s is darker in musical colour or emotional tone than Simon Boccanegra, a convoluted tale of a pirate-turned-doge in medieval Genoa, persecuted by his old enemy and haunted by both the loss of his wife and his failure to placate warring factions. Exploring themes of love, authority and freedom, add some Italian flavour to your evening by experiencing the intensity and dramatic power of one of Verdi’s greatest works.

Having first premiered in 1857 at the Teatro La Fenice in Venice, this four-part show is returning to the Gran Teatre del Liceu on April 12th for its 34th performance at the venue, and will run until April 29th. Playing the eponymous protagonist is 75-year-old Plácido Domingo who—according to the Telegraph—“paints the character with an imposing presence” and “is one of the very greatest opera singers in history”. With ticket prices starting at €12, witness his tragic demise for yourself in an operatic feast that guarantees riveting music, an opulent set and chaotic Italian politics.

From the soft-grained string prelude to the sombre last act, this is a production that shows a master composer at the peak of his powers. www.liceubarcelona.cat

FIVE-STAR FINGER FOOD

HOTEL TAPA TOUR. VARIOUS LOCATIONS. APRIL 6TH-17TH. This month, some of the city’s best hotels will be opening their restaurant doors for a brand-new, mouthwatering experience that looks to promote hotel gastronomy, as well as break down the barrier between Barcelona’s hotels and the local population. The Hotel Tapa Tour gives the traditional food tour a competitive twist as 30 hotels across the city bid to be crowned the ultimate tapas creator. Featuring a number of 4* and 5* hotels in the Eixample, Ciutat Vella, Sant Martí, Les Corts and Sants-Montjuïc, the event will see each participating hotel present two of its finest tapas dishes, but only one will be judged by professionals and members of the public.

There will be three prizes on offer: best traditional dish, best experimental dish and most sustainable dish. These will all be awarded by industry experts, while the public will simply vote on their favourite in order to determine the city’s most popular hotel tapas. With a tapa plus drink priced between €4-8, this appetising initiative certainly looks set to cook up a treat. www.hoteltapatour.com

KILLER QUEENS

RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE. RAZZMATAZZ. PAMPLONA 88.

APRIL 9TH. For those of you unfamiliar with TV’s most glamorous series, RuPaul’s Drag Race is a reality show that started in 2009, and sees drag queens compete to be ‘America’s next drag superstar’. This month, RuPaul takes the sequins, stockings and salaciousness on tour across Europe, North America and Australia, stopping in at Razzmatazz on April 9th. In its third year, the ‘Battle of the Seasons’ drag extravaganza will be more outrageous than ever, featuring drag stars Adore Delano, Courtney Act and Jinkx Monsoon, amongst others. Hosted by series judge Michelle Visage, audiences are sure to be bedazzled as winners, finalists and favourites from previous seasons sing, strut and dance the night away in an explosion of makeup and madness. rupaulbots.com

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DANCE OFF

HIP HOP INTERNATIONAL SPAIN 2016. SANT JORDI CLUB. PIERRE DE COUBERTIN 6. APRIL 24TH. With the winners automatically qualifying to represent Spain in the World Hip Hop Championship Finals taking place in Las Vegas this August, it’s all to play (or rather to dance) for at Spain’s national hip hop competition. Hip Hop International was founded in 2000 in Los Angeles by the same company that produces many major events in the States, including MTV’s America’s Best Dance Crew, and has inspired the hugely popular film franchise, Step Up. Hip hop combines image, posture and hip-hop music with a whole lot of attitude. Becoming popular over the last 30-40 years, hip hop is a form of street dance that involves ‘breaking’, ‘locking’ and ‘popping’.

This 10-hour event will see more than 1,000 dancers competing for various prizes, including cash, dance scholarships and qualification for the World Championships in Las Vegas. There will be a range of categories for all ages and group sizes, as well as individual dancers battling it out. Whether you want to bust some moves up on the stage, or would rather toe-tap as a member of the live audience, don’t miss one of Spain’s biggest dance events of the year. www.hiphopinternationalspain.com

FOR MORE EVENTS VISIT WWW.BARCELONA-METROPOLITAN.COM

3/23/16 2:18 PM

FIERCE FOOTWORK

VOCES, SUITE FLAMENCA. TEATRE TÍVOLI. CASP 8.

APRIL 6TH-MAY 1ST. Floor-pummelling footwork, bold lighting and stylish dresses are all guaranteed as Spain’s foremost flamenco superstar Sara Baras returns to Barcelona with her exhilarating new show. Voces, Suite Flamenca— directed, staged and choreographed by the Cádiz-born virtuoso—pays tribute to six flamenco luminaries who have greatly influenced her work, among them Carmen Amaya, Antonio Gades and Paco de Lucía. Having started dancing at eight years old at her mother’s dance school, Baras rose to international stardom in the Nineties and now regularly tours the world. She even made an appearance in the global blockbuster Mission: Impossible II (2000). With its unique combination of music and expressive dance, flamenco has become one of Spanish culture’s most defining traditions, and the experienced Andalusian will be delivering a masterclass as she performs at Teatre Tívoli from April 6th to May 1st.

Set to thrilling live music, Baras leads a company of 15 performers—including guest artist José Serrano—in a theatrical spectacle that captures the emotion, drama and passion of flamenco. Described by the Guardian as “less a woman than a pure rhythmic force”, Baras and her band are set to hit the musical accents hard with an exhibition of fast, fierce and controlled footwork that can be as threatening as a military drumbeat, or as delicate as a patter of rain. www.sarabaras.com

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26-27. calender april 2016.indd 6

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I WILL FEAR NO EVIL An artistic look at the Englightenment in Latin America. MACBA.

MARK PADMORE & PAUL LEWIS The British musicians present an evening of music by Beethoven

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TUE SDAY

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GREAT LAKE SWIMMERS (23RD)

M ONDAY

HAMLET The Prince of Denmark takes to the stage in this Catalan adap-

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WE DN ESDAY

JAUME PLENSA The Catalan artist displays his sculptures inspired by Dante

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WHAT'S ON APRIL 2016

HANDMADE FESTIVAL Be inspired by the workshops and handicrafts at this festival.

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NOEL GALLAGHER’S HIGH FLYING BIRDS The eldest Gallagher brother co-

LIQUID: SPEECHES BY RAQUEL GARCÍA-TOMÁS This artist has worked with the

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BRUNCH ELECTRONIK What better way to spend Sunday than at this family-friendly outdoor electro party. 12pm.

Poble Espanyol. Francesc Ferrer i Guardia 13. 3rd & 17th.

MADAME BUTTERFLY A cinema screening of Puccini’s compelling opera that explores cultural and sexual imperialism.

6.45pm. Yelmo Cines. Various locations.

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AROUND ROMEO AND JULIET A musical telling of Shakespeare’s eternal love story.

5pm. Gran Teatre del Liceu. La Rambla 51-59.

LAPSUS FESTIVAL This avant-garde music festival returns for its third edition to take over the CCCB. 1pm. CCCB. Montalegre 5.

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN The Barcelona Symphony Orchestra (OBC) perform the soundtrack from The Curse of the Black Pearl. 8.30pm. L’Auditori.

Lepant 150. 1st-3rd.

BLACK MOUNTAIN This psychedelic rock band’s fourth album, IV (2016), is released today. 9.30pm. Sala Bikini.

Diagonal 547.

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SUN DAY

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SAT URDAY

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FRIDAY

ANDREI RUBLEV (14th)

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.BARCELONA-METROPOLITAN.COM

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MARCUS MILLER Having worked with the likes of Miles Davis, this multi-instrumentalist is not one to miss. 9pm.

BARTS. Paral·lel 62.

SIMON BOCCANEGRA Verdi’s compelling 1857 opera guarantees riveting music and chaotic Italian politics. Gran Teatre del Liceu. La Rambla 5159. Until 29th.

28 25 YEARS OF CATALAN ROCK An exhibition commemorating the musical movement of the Eighties and Nineties. Museu de la Música. L’Auditori. Lepant 150.

Until August 28th.

LOVE OF LESBIAN This band play for three nights at one of the city’s best-loved clubs.

8.30pm. Razzmatazz. Pamplona 88. 28th-30th.

27 CARMEN Georges Bizet’s timeless opera is performed by over 100 musicians and performers live on stage.

8.30pm. Palau de la Música.

Palau de la Música 4-6.

JAKOB This trio from New Zealand play their first ever gig in Spain. 8pm.

Sala Apolo. Nou de la Rambla 113.

ALIMENTARIA FESTIVAL The festival for food and drinks professionals returns with an array of delectable products. Fira de Barcelona. Plaça Espanya.

25th-28th.

HÄNDEL AND FRIENDS A new series of concerts introducing children to Baroque music.

Various times. L’Auditori. Lepant 150. 25th-28th.

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KYGO (14TH)

VALERIANO LÓPEZ A live art performance that aims to demystify the gallery works.

7pm. CaixaForum. Francesc Ferrer i Guàrdia 6-8.

SIMON BOCCANEGRA (12TH)

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SUN RA ARKESTRA The lead singer of this group identifies himself as an alien from Saturn. 9pm. Sala Apolo. Nou de la Rambla 113.

IAM This French hip-hop band often perform with rap royalty, Wu-Tang Clan. 9pm. Sala Bikini.

Diagonal 547.

UNA CENA DE MUERTE A whodunnit murder mystery, including dinner, that will keep you on the edge of your seats.

9pm. La Isla. València 201.

Various dates.

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MASCLANS Playing in their hometown, the rockers perform material from their newly-released album, Forest (2015). 8.30pm. Sala Apolo.

Nou de la Rambla 113.

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RED MOSQUITOES & ELLA SPEED These two bands perform as part of the Curt Circuit festival. 9pm.

Razzmatazz. Pamplona 88.

ELEKTRA An opera screening that takes its audience on an intense journey of lust, revenge and bloodshed.

6.45pm. Yelmo Cines. Various locations.

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GREAT LAKE SWIMMERS Their latest EP is Swimming Away (2016). 9pm. Sala Apolo.

Nou de la Rambla 113.

Casa Batlló celebrates with a projection of roses on its façade.

Passeig de Gràcia 43.

FELIÇ DIA DE SANT JORDI

CONCERT FOR SANT JORDI Music by Catalan composers of the 20th and 21st century. 9pm.

Teatre-Auditori Sant Cugat. Plaça del Vinyet 48.

CHRIS CORNELL He sang the theme song ‘You Know My Name’ for the 2006 Bond film, Casino Royale. 7pm.

Gran Teatre del Liceu. La Rambla 51-59.

CHRIS POTTER QUARTET From Chicago to Barcelona, this four-piece bring a worldly dimension to their jazz ensemble. 9pm.

Jamboree. Plaça. Reial 17.

SOMEWHERE BETWEEN HERE AND HEAVEN Bruce Baillie’s technically complex film is screened as part of the Xcentric Film Festival. 8pm.

CCCB. Montalegre 5.

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FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE The band come to the city with their How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful tour. 7pm. Palau Sant Jordi. Passeig Olímpic 5-7.

ROBERTO DEVEREUX Screened live from New York’s MET Opera House, this opera recounts a royal romance that turned deadly. 6.45pm. Yelmo Cines. Various locations.

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DEU DE VEU These Catalan singer-actors perform a cappella. 8pm. Teatre Nacional de Catalunya. Plaça de les Arts 1. 9th & 10th.

NOEL GALLAGHER’S HIGH FLYING BIRDS The eldest Gallagher brother comes to town with his new band.

9pm. Sant Jordi Club. Pierre de Coubertin 6.

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GERSHWIN FESTIVAL A celebration of Gershwin and Bernstein’s musical classics, including West Side Story and Rhapsody in Blue. L’Auditori.

Lepant 150. 15th-17th.

MOTOH! Motorbikes return to Montjuïc for this event exhibiting over 30,000 hot wheels. Fira de Barcelona. Pl. Espanya. 15th-17th.

15

ANASTACIA Dubbed ‘the little lady with the big voice’, this multi-platinum singer brings us her powerful mezzo-soprano sound. 9pm.

L’Auditori. Lepant 150.

HANDMADE FESTIVAL Be inspired by the workshops and handicrafts at this festival.

Fira de Barcelona. Plaça Espanya. 8th-10th.

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ANDREI RUBLEV A dance piece based on Russia’s most famous 14th-century iconoclast. 9pm. Hiroshima Theatre.

Vila i Vilà 67. 14th-16th.

LIVING FOREVER Aubrey de Grey presents a talk on our human desire for eternity and its implications. 8.30pm.

CCCB. Montalegre 5.

JAUME PLENSA The Catalan artist displays his sculptures inspired by Dante and Shakespeare. Palau de la Música. Palau de la Música 4-6.

Until May 16th.

PERMIT YOURSELF An exhibition exploring the idea that books and art can be read in new and unconventional ways.

Arts Santa Mònica. La Rambla 7.

Until July 3rd.

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TRIPULA A children’s show which invites us into their spaceship for an intergalactic adventure. 11am.

Teatre Nacional de Catalunya.

Plaça de les Arts 1.

KYGO Gørvell-Dahll, more famously known as Kygo, is the DJ behind the popular songs ‘Stay’ and ‘Firestone’. 9.30pm. Sant Jordi Club. Pierre de Coubertin 6.

OPERA Y FLAMENCO Singers Eli Santiago and Luis El Granaino perform on stage to tell a story of love and passion.

9.30pm. Palau de la Música.

Palau de la Musica 4-6.

ESPECTAPES Music and gastronomy unite for an evening of tasty tapas and entertainment. 8.30pm. El Principal del Eixample. Provença 286-288.

Various dates.

REAL TIME An exhibition exploring alternative ways to measure the passing of time. Arts Santa Mònica. La Rambla 7. Until April 10th.

SARA BARAS The flamenco superstar presents her exhilarating show, Voces, Suite Flamenca. 8.30pm. Teatro Tívoli. Casp 8. Until May 1st.

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HAMLET The Prince of Denmark takes to the stage in this Catalan adaptation. Teatre Lliure. Plaça de Margarida Xirgu 1. Until 17th.

I WILL FEAR NO EVIL An artistic look at the Englightenment in Latin America. MACBA. Plaça dels Àngels 1. Until June 26th.

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MARK PADMORE & PAUL LEWIS The British musicians present an evening of music by Beethoven and Schubert. 8.30pm. Palau de la Música. Palau de la Música 4-6.

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HANDMADE FESTIVAL (8TH)

ROTOTOM & FRIENDS EUROPE The reggae festival from Benicassim goes on tour and brings the likes of Daniel Bambaata Marley to Barcelona. 8pm. Razzmatazz. Pamplona 88.

HIP HOP INTERNATIONAL Over 1,000 dancers compete for over 10 hours. 9.30pm. Sant Jordi Club. Pierre de Coubertin 6.

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SILVIO RODRIGUEZ Singer-songwriter, guitarist and poet who led the Nueva Trova music movement in the Sixties.

8pm. Palau Sant Jordi. Passeig Olímpic 5-7.

UB40 This British reggae/pop band have had over 50 singles in the UK charts over the last 30 years.

9pm. Razzmatazz. Pamplona 88.

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AT THE DRIVE-IN Hailing from Texas, this rock band promise a night of wild antics and intense sound. 9pm.

Razzmatazz. Pamplona 88.

LIQUID: SPEECHES BY RAQUEL GARCÍA-TOMÁS This artist has worked with the English National Ballet and the Royal British Society of Sculptors. 6pm. L’Auditori. Lepant 150.

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2/24/16 10:38 AM

Retail Renaissance

BARCELONA EMBRACES THE CONCEPT STORE.

BY GEORGE REXSTREW.

Clockwise from top: Chandal, Depot Holland, La Local and Nuovum

L

iving in a technological age, brickand-mortar retail is rapidly losing ground to its online competitors.

To combat this, concept stores have appeared on the scene, ready to stimulate our senses and tempt us back to the physical shopping world.

A concept store differs from its high-street rival by breaking the convention of simply selling products. Instead, it is a space where art, culture and commerce collide to promote a particular lifestyle, and its principles are often projected throughout, from the carefully considered layout right down to the detailed patchwork of a knitted blanket. Barcelona’s shopping scene has recently seen a rise in concept stores and, each with their own individual focus, we visited some of them to investigate this growing retail trend.

Having opened its doors in March 2014, Nuovum is a design concept store based in the Raval. With its intriguing aesthetic, Nuovum strives to create a unique shopping experience through its large wooden geometric display, which hosts new and original pieces from up-and-coming local designers. Selling a range of accessories, jewellery and objects, owner Jose Sevilla explains his thinking behind the honeycomb-shaped cabinet.

“I consider each of my designers a bee, and each are attributed their own honeycomb to exhibit their innovative designs. Collectively, they form a beehive, and make the honey that allows me to realise my own artistic vision.” Through its sweet decor and friendly atmosphere, Nuovum and its quirky limited editions (including a ceramic hippo lamp) make for an engaging shopping visit.

With its minimalist interior and timber shelving

units, Nordic influences can also be felt in Dutch concept store Depot Holland, located just one block north of the emblematic Casa de les Punxes. Founded by Renzo van Dijk and his wife Deborah, together they have curated a selection of largely sustainable products by Dutch brands and designers, including MUD Jeans—a denim company that allows customers to lease organic and recycled jeans for €12.50 per month. “All of our featured products have their own story, and this is what makes them so appealing.”

Comprising a shop floor, a coffee corner, a private event room and an underground coworking space, Renzo considers Depot Holland more a concept platform than a concept store.

“I want to give people the opportunity to meet, create and collaborate,” he explained. “Here, they can browse our products, work on their own projects and even chill out with a coffee.” Despite the plethora of concept stores in his native Amsterdam, Renzo admits that Barcelona still needs time to embrace them. “Customers come in and find it strange to see clothes and bicycles being sold next to one another, but they still come back!”

Another Barcelona neighbourhood that is home to a number of concept stores is the Born.

Committed to selling handmade, traditional objects with a contemporary spin, La Local owner Mercè Cepeda acknowledges the city’s current creative ‘boom’, and calls for more concept stores to open across the city to give artists a platform to showcase their work. Inspired

by Portugal’s continued dedication to handmade manufacturing, co-owner Estefania Sánchez is excited by the gradual resurgence of independent

shops which had characterised the district’s streets until recently. “Ten years ago, you would never find a Pepe Jeans in the Born. But now, in the face of an era led by retail giants, concept stores are almost like a form of resistance.” This is a notion supported by Iván Moreno, owner of nearby Chandal—a retro concept store specialising in Polaroid cameras, niche magazines and children’s merchandise. “It’s so important to have local independent shops, because they capture the true spirit of the city. Zara and Starbucks are everywhere, but Barcelona’s concept stores offer products that can’t be found elsewhere.”

Shopping is about entertainment as well as acquisition, and it is refreshing to see that Barcelona’s retail scene refuses to be swallowed up by its online and high-street adversaries, who cannot recreate the unique experience cultivated by a concept store. Through their commitment to customer service, product display and brand integrity, these innovative businesses are steadily rebranding the art of retail. Slowly but surely, it seems that Barcelona is moving on from browsing racks and scanning shelves, and is instead waking up to the pleasure of an interactive and stimulating shopping experience.

MORE INFO. Nuovum. Pintor Fortuny 30. www.nuovum.com Depot Holland. Bruc 149. www.depotholland.com La Local. Bòria 21. www.lalocalbarcelona.com Chandal. D’Allada-Vermell 13. www.shop.chandal.tv

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GLUTEN-FREE Barcel ona

A tried-And-tested guide to eAting out in BArcelonA for those with food Allergies And intolerAnces.

TEXT BY CHRISTINA MCKEON FRUTUOSO.

F

ood sensitivity is on the rise, with over 14 million people in Spain suffering from a food allergy. Four thousand people are diagnosed nationally each year, and for those intolerant to gluten, nuts, lactose, egg, fish and shellfish, eating out in the city is often a stressful, complicated or near-impossible experience. There’s reason to be optimistic, however, as more and more eateries are adapting to special dietary needs. To point you in the right direction, we have compiled a guide to eating out in the city for gluten-free (GF) and other allergy-friendly diets.

Forn Boix Just off the bustling Rambla lies a bakery that’s a trove of hidden GF and dairy-free delights.

Although not advertised as a specialist bakery, at the back of the shop you’ll find a wooden table laden with a selection of breads, biscuits and cakes that are gluten, nut, egg and lactose-free, all sealed for freshness and to avoid contamination.

Xuclà 23. www.fornboix.com

WHAT IS GLUTEN?

Gluten is a protein found in a number of grains, the main three being wheat, barley and rye. Deriving from the Latin term that translates as ‘glue’, gluten gives an adhesive quality to foods that contain it, binding ingredients together in pasta, bread and cakes to give a slightly chewy texture.

CAFES AND BAKERIES Patisseria Jansana Gluten Free Founded in 1930, Patisseria Jansana decided to dedicate itself solely to gluten-free baking and cooking three years ago, with the majority of its products also being lactose-free. Their quaint cafe in Eixample, complete with free WiFi, offers a cosy space to enjoy an array of pastries, cakes, sweet and savoury croissants.

Balmes 106. www.glutenfree.cat Baci D’Angelo Patisserie This family-run business provides a catering service around Spain (with free delivery in Barcelona) for those with intolerances to gluten, lactose, egg and nuts, promising “to customise every order to suit the needs of each client”.

Whether it’s for a birthday, wedding or any other celebration, Baci D’Angelo whips up such delectable cakes that even your tolerant friends and family won’t be able to tell they’re allergyfriendly bakes.

València 656. www.bacidangelo.com Pasticelia A sign asking the question ‘Qui necessita gluten?’

(Who needs gluten?) hangs proudly on the wall of this cafe. The baked artisan goods produced here certainly don’t, as they are at least as good as their gluten-containing counterparts in moistness and texture. The Pan de Sant Jordi is a standout, but they also sell GF craft beer Espiga, as well as GF breakfast oats, crisps and pasta, among other useful kitchen cupboard staples.

París 165. www.pasticelia.com

clockwise from top left: Patisseria Jansana gluten free, Baci d’Angelo Patisserie, forn Boix, Pasticelia.

FANCY A BEER? Most beer is made from gluten-containing grains, barley and wheat, but many beer companies and craft brewers create GF beer made from millet, rice or sorghum. Beers are also classed as ‘gluten-free’ if their gluten levels are 20 ppm (parts per million) or lower. Here are some great places to enjoy a gluten free beer in the city: MonDoré. Floridablanca 3. www.mondore.es Mikkeller Bar Barcelona. València 202. mikkeller.dk Bar Nostalgic BCN. Viladomat 38. barnostalgicbcn.blogspot.co.uk Bar Oviso. Arai 5. www.facebook.com/baroviso Sugarbar Barcelona. Rauric 21. www.facebook.com/ sugarbarcelona

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Photo by2:25 Melissa 3/23/16 PM Fry

COELIAC DISEASE Approximately one percent of the Spanish population suffer from Coeliac Disease, according to the Federación de Asociaciones de Celíacos de España (FACE), and around 10 percent of the country’s population are sensitive to gluten. Coeliac Disease is an autoimmune disease that causes the immune system to wrongly react to gluten. A coeliac’s body, therefore, reacts to gluten and attacks it when ingested, causing damage to the bowel and digestive system.

from top: el filete ruso, Messie sin gluten.

INTOLERENCE ON THE RISE With many celebrities, including Miley Cyrus and Gwyneth Paltrow, advocating a GF diet, it’s sometimes considered just a dieting fad.

However, the boom in gluten intolerance over the past 20 years could be related to a leap forward in research, and the fact that testing for Coeliac Disease no longer requires an invasive procedure, but a simple blood test. Where sufferers were previously diagnosed with the umbrella disease of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), medical advancements have enabled us to pinpoint gluten as the cause of many digestive problems. Perhaps the biggest single reason is that today, people are talking more openly about ‘invisible illnesses’ than they did in the past. Just as mental health is gaining more awareness, digestive problems are no longer a taboo topic of conversation and people feel more able to discuss them, which may have prompted more diagnoses than ever before.

RESTAURANTS El Filete Ruso Part of the Slow Food Movement, El Filete Ruso is also certified by the Federación de Asociaciones de Celíacos de España (FACE).

They offer 13 different types of hamburger, all of which can be served with GF buns. Owner Claudio Hoyos said that the restaurant aims to “dignify the burger” and, as part of the ‘km 0’ (Kilometre Zero) club, they have swapped the cheap burger meat unsuitable for allergy sufferers for organic, locally-sourced products.

All staff are meticulously trained to meet any diner’s dietary requirements.

Enric Granados 95. www.elfileteruso.com

by Melissa Fry30-31. Gluten free.indd 7

Messie Sin Gluten For gluten or lactose intolerant people, the mention of Italian cuisine can often induce a cold sweat—all that bread, all that cheese.

Don’t sweat, though, because Eric Luthringer’s pizzeria in Gràcia serves gluten, lactose and nut-free pizzas, pastas, salads and even 20 GF beers. Luthringer’s aim was to open a restaurant “where allergy sufferers could bring their nonallergy-suffering friends and all could dine together and enjoy the same great food, without there being different menus or even the risk of contamination.”

Siracusa 15. www.messiepizza.es Tlaxcal Many Mexican restaurants use wheat flour as a cheap alternative to cornflour, which rules Mexican food out for coeliacs. Tlaxcal allays such fears as its menu clearly indicates which type of flour is used and which allergens—fish, wheat, lactose and egg—are present in each dish.

From the guacamole with tortilla chips and the cheesy enchiladas to the pastel de elote (corn flourbased cake), for those with a food allergy or intolerance, there are plenty of options on the menu at this Born eatery.

Comerç 27. www.tlaxcal.com Matsuri Sushi At Matsuri, not only do they provide GF soy sauce (a rarity in many sushi restaurants), but the staff inform you of which dishes could be contaminated by gluten, wheat or fish in the kitchen. Their scrupulous attitude towards allergens, however, still leaves you plenty of delicious Japanese and Thai options, and the kitchen staff will happily alter many of their sushi dishes and platos principales to suit your dietary needs.

Plaça del Regomir 1. www.matsuri-restaurante.com Gallito An unpretentiously cool restaurant at the foot of the W Hotel, Gallito is ideal for families, friends and even first dates. Their coded menu explains the full list of allergens present in every dish.

With its California beach vibe, this restaurant offers Catalan cuisine with international influences. The roasted spring chicken with yucca au gratin is a delight that exemplifies how allergyfriendly dishes can still be rich in diversity and flavour.

Passeig del Mare Nostrum 19-21.

top to bottom: tlaxcal, Matsuri sushi, gallito.

USEFUL WEBSITES Allergy Chef. www.allergychef.es To book an online restaurant reservation, simply specify what allergy or intolerance you have, and this website tells you which restaurants are suitable for you.

Federación de Asociaciones de Celíacos de España. www.celiacos.org Asociacion de Celíacos de Catalunya. www.celiacscatalunya.org Coeliac Society UK. www.coeliac.org.uk Canal Salut. canalsalut.gencat.cat Asociación Española de Personas con Alergia a Alimentos y Látex. www.aepnaa.org Asociación Española de Afectados de Síndrome de Intestino Irritable. www.aesii.es

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3/23/16 3:36 PM

FASHION

in style

AT THE LATEST EDITION OF BRUNCH ELECTRONIK, FASHION-FORWARD FLORALS AND COLOUR CONTRASTS STOOD OUT FROM THE CROWD, PERFECT FOR SPRING.

Name: Sara Age: 23 From: Spain Profession: Psychology student Jacket: Zara Top: Zara Shoes: Topshop Trousers: Blanco

Name: Marco Age: 25 From: Spain Profession: Lawyer Jacket: Vintage Trousers: Zara T-Shirt: H&M Shoes: Maians Sunglasses: Persol

Name: Gemma Age: 32 From: England Profession: Irish dancing teacher Jacket: Zara Top: Topshop Trainers: Adidas Sunglasses: Pull & Bear

GET THE LOOK

PERSOL SUNGLASSES €101

BLANCO TROUSERS €29.50 ZARA TROUSERS €29.95

ZARA EMBELLISHED JACKET €59.95

ADIDAS SUPERSTAR €75

MAIANS SHOES €65 ASOS JACKET €39.95

ZARA PASSEIG DE GRÀCIA 16. ADIDAS PASSEIG DE GRÀCIA 3. BLANCO PELAI 1. MAIANS SANT CARLES 28.

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TRAVEL

Discovering

DALÍ

Teatre-Museu Dali

AN ARTIST’S LIFE ON THE COSTA BRAVA. TEXT BY MELISSA LEIGHTY.

T

he Costa Brava is rich in spoils to explore, from its rugged coastline, secret calas and Roman ruins to windswept vineyards and natural parks. But its lesser explored heart belongs to the artists who have found inspiration in the region.

The wind-tossed coast and ever-shifting light of this part of the Catalan coastline are familiar protagonists in the paintings of Dalí, Chagall, and Picasso. The artists’ studies of the landscape reveal the powerful influence of place in their work, and none was more connected to the Costa Brava than Surrealist Salvador Dalí. Those who want to know his work intimately can journey to what is known as the Dalí triangle, in reference to the three iconic locations on Catalunya’s Costa Brava where Dalí lived and worked: Figueres, Púbol, and Portlligat.

Dalí grew up in Figueres and spent his summers in Cadaqués, just 35 kilometres north, although he didn’t spend his whole life on the Costa Brava. Born in 1904, Dalí came of age during a time of heady progress for the art world. He travelled first to art academy in Madrid in 1920 and later to Paris in 1929, where he worked alongside Picasso, Magritte, and fellow Catalan Joan Miró. The experience marked his first step toward Surrealism. It was in Paris that, in 1934, he met his future wife Gala—née Elena Dmitrievna Diakonova—a Russian immigrant who became Dalí’s business manager and his muse. They travelled to the United States at the height of Franco’s regime and returned to the Costa Brava in 1948, where they remained until their deaths.

Portlligat: Casa-Museu Salvador Dalí

Once a fishing village, Cadaqués is now a thriving tourist destination, packed in the summer and beloved by locals in all seasons. One kilometre north sits Portlligat, the tiny Mediterranean village where Dalí lived from

1930 until Gala’s death in 1982. His home, a former fishing hut, stands in a small cove at the edge of Portlligat Bay, a two-mile walk along the beach from Cadaqués. Its whitewashed walls and tawny roof tiles are its only traditional aspects. The inside is pure Dalí, sparse yet brightened by the splashes of colour and unusual objets d’art that defined his work.

The home itself, as well the surrounding area, were a strong influence on his work. In a 1919 letter, he refers to Cadaqués as an “ideal and fantastic village,” using language that melds the real with the surreal, a suggestive hint of the artist he would become. His canvas entitled ‘View of Cadaqués with Shadow of Mount Pani’, painted when he was just 13, reveals his idealised vision of place. The palette is the pinky-gold of sunset, the collection of rough brushstrokes a romanticised impression of the whitewashed village. That it was painted on burlap instead of canvas— the material of boat makers—further marks the extent to which the local landscape would become complicit in Dalí’s work.

Púbol: Castell de Púbol

Púbol, an hour south of Portlligat and 20 minutes’ drive from the sea, seems made to seduce visitors with its old stone buildings, narrow winding streets, and ivy-covered walls. It is also home to the castle that Dalí bought for his wife in 1962. He envisioned it as a continuation of his home in Portlligat yet fully dedicated to his love for Gala, a place where “she would reign like an absolute sovereign” and which became her final resting place.

The castle dates from the 14th century—its foundations are 300 years older—and is inflected with Dalí’s creative genius. The ill repair in which he found the building was used in small ways to showcase his work, the space and his art working in harmony. While the couple undertook restoration, collapsed walls structured the home into unusual spaces and became Dalí’s canvas. The effect is surprising: a large and impersonal

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Casa-Museu Salvador Dalí

A WEEKEND IN CADAQUÉS Once a traditional fishing hub, Cadaqués is a thriving tourist destination, yet unlike many of its neighbours it retains all the charm of a small Mediterranean village. A tree-lined promenade runs along the small but well-kept harbour and boats bob peacefully in the bay. Tourists lose themselves in the narrow warren of old town streets, admiring the blue shutters and pink bougainvillea that contrast against white walls. The city may feel olde worlde, but it also embodies a bohemian vibe left over from its days as an artist colony, when it was home to the likes of Picasso, Man Ray, Bunuel, Lorca, and Dalí.

SHOPPING Wander the cobblestone streets and small squares, while taking in an array of trendy boutiques, galleries and studios around town. Visit Gemma Ridameya (Carrer Vigilant), which specialises in handcrafted metal and stone jewellery, or Calçats Roig Castañer (Plaça Frederic Rahola 3) for a pair of the famous Mediterranean espadrilles made by local designers. Mo Cadaqués (Plaça Doctor Pont 7) has women’s clothing and goods for the home, while Sa Botigueta (Avinguda Víctor Rahola 3) is a good place to find children’s toys. Brown Sugar (Plaça Art i Joia) is a handy place to stop off for a fresh juice, tasty salads or tapas.

CULTURE The top tourist attraction in Cadaqués is Dalí’s Portlligat home, but if you can’t make it there, visit the Cadaqués Museum, which is dedicated to the artist’s work. It also has temporary exhibitions of works by other artists, such as Picasso, Pichot, and Niebla. Climb to the highest point in town and visit the 16th-century Esglesia de Santa Maria. Inside the late Gothic church you’ll find one of the oldest organs in Catalunya and a fresco by Dalí. Contemporary art lovers will also be impressed with the many galleries in town. Check out Galería Cadaqués - Huc Malla (Hort d’en Sanes 7) for an interesting range of works.

Portlligat

NATURE

space becomes intimate in unexpected ways. Hand-painted frescos and surrealist touches throughout the castle clearly bear the artist’s signature fingerprint.

Figueres: Teatre-Museu Dalí

Forty kilometres north of Girona and 140 kilometres from Barcelona, Figueres is a good central point from which to explore the Costa Brava.

Connected to the high-speed rail, it is an easy day trip from Barcelona.

It’s also a good ending point for those exploring the Dalí triangle. Not only is it the burial place of the artist—he died there aged 84 in 1989— but also the home to his museum and theatre, which holds the widest range of his work. Dalí built the museum in 1974 on the foundation of the Municipal Theatre, which held the first exhibition of his work. It stands opposite the church where he was baptised and just blocks from the home where he was born, bringing visitors full circle through his life.

Despite a troubled past—it survived a fire in 1271 and the bombings of the Civil War as a Republican stronghold—the city has gone on to become a prosperous tourist town that retains the charms of an ancient city. The austere castle of Sant Ferran stands on a hill high above the city and the church of Saint Peter, where Dalí’s family attended, is a striking study in Gothic architecture.

The Teatro-Museo is considered Dalí’s last great work, conceived and designed by the artist to transport visitors to the heart of his hallucinatory Surrealism. It holds over 1500 works, including paintings, drawings, sculptures, prints, installations, holograms, stereographs and photographs with his crypt at its centre, the artist’s final resting place.

The Costa Brava stands time immemorial in the artist’s work but also as a memorial to the artist himself, who lives on in the spaces which shaped him.

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While there’s plenty to do in the town, the surrounding region is also a mustsee. Head up to Cap de Creus, the rocky easternmost point of land just eight kilometres north of the town, for a beautiful, albeit blustery, view of the rugged but scenic landscape. This coastal national park is home to an impressive variety of birds, including eagles, falcons and kestrels, hundreds of plant species, and a great network of hiking trails. Walk among fragrant rosemary and sea lavender and take in the impressive views, or stop inside the Cala Nans lighthouse, dating from 1853, and visit Espai Cap de Creus, a science centre which explains the geology, flora and fauna of the region. If being on the water is more your thing, charter a one-hour sailing tour around the cape with Charter Sant Isidre (www. chartersantisidre.com).

Cadaqués

3/24/16 12:36 PM

RESTAURANT REVIEW

MORE INFO.

RASOTERRA

Palau 5. Tel. 93 318 6926. www.rasoterra.cat Average price: €25 per person, dinner with wine Opening hours: Tuesday 7pm-11pm, Wednesday-Sunday 1pm-4pm and 7pm-11pm Closed Monday ✪✪✪✪

Photos courtesy of Rasoterra.

VEGETARIAN BISTRO COOKING EXECUTED WITH CULINARY PRECISION.

BY SAM ZUCKER.

E

very now and then, I stumble upon a great restaurant and I’m shocked that I had not discovered it sooner.

Rasoterra is one of these places. Champions of the ‘0km’ Slow Food movement, this 100 percent vegetarian restaurant’s offerings struck me as far more interesting than the average curries, salads and quiches so popular at most of the city’s other veggie-centric eateries. The bistro exudes an elevated level of elegance that was apparent from the moment we entered their inviting dining room, just steps from Plaça Sant Jaume.

Rasoterra has all the makings of an excellent place for a weekday lunch, and a bistro vibe that makes it seem equally plausible to spend hours here with my laptop and coffee. But I’m glad that my first experience was in the evening, when I could soak up the thoughtfully curated ambience and romantic air of this casual space alongside a good friend who upholds a meat-free existence.

Rasoterra is a restaurant with principles, supported by its own manifesto: “Because behind each of our dishes, behind each and every one of our ingredients, there is a story. Stories about traditions, cultures, places, secrets, arts and crafts. Stories of love, dedication and passion.

We tell you these stories simply and faithfully, just as they were told to us.” You have to love a restaurant with convictions, and Rasoterra keeps theirs at the core of everything they do.

Being a chef and writer, I love food with a back-story. There’s no better way to connect with what you are eating than understanding where it came from and why it is prepared as it is. The Rasoterra manifesto continues, touching on the virtues of honesty, openness, love, and community, and I believe they practise what they preach. Being a vegetarian and vegan restaurant, the old adage of ‘you are what you eat’ makes a predictable, but significant, appearance in the manifesto as well.

If the adage is true, on this particular evening I was a spicy watercress salad with pears, pomegranate, walnuts and chilli; a taco of huitlacoche, black beans and sweet potato, and a hearty plate of cabbage dumplings stuffed with cardoons in almond cream served on a mound of vegetarian trinxat with lentils.

I enjoyed the taco, though the pungent and prized flavour of huitlacoche (a delicious black fungus that grows on corn and is known as ‘corn smut’ in English, or sometimes ‘Mexican truffle’ for its savoury, earthy aroma)

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✪ NOT WORTH THE TRIP

✪✪ COULD IMPROVE

was not very apparent. For a meat-free taco, I thought they did a good job, but the sweet potato and beans unsettled the balance.

The menu at Rasoterra has helpful denotations beside each dish, letting diners know which plates can be prepared vegan, which are locally sourced (0km), and which are gluten-free. Gluten-free eating is something that only a small fraction of Barcelona restaurants understand, let alone offer, but options are aplenty at Rasoterra. The gluten-intolerant can choose from multiple starters, main-course plates and even a handful of desserts, as well as six different craft beers made without wheat. The beautiful thing about gluten-free and vegetarian/vegan food done right is that you hardly notice that your meal caters to a specific diet. The food is just...food. Though the menu at Rasoterra does include a bit of tempeh (a firm, pressed soybean product) and tofu, the true stars here are grains, nuts, legumes and other protein-rich vegetables. Take it from a devout carnivore, I was more than satisfied with the earthy cornucopia that arrived on my plate.

Of all the dishes we sampled, my favourite had to be the final plate of Farcellets de col, card i crema d’ametlles amb trinxat d’espigalls i llenties pardines (the cardoon-stuffed cabbage). The technical skill required in the cooking of this dish was impressive—from the carefully-stuffed leaves of steamed cabbage and the richness of the almond cream to the tender little lentils and the hearty potato and cabbage mash (trinxat).

The cocktail list at Rasoterra also shines, with drinks like Moscow Mules and Negronis, and the prices are reasonable. All bar ingredients are created from fresh products, never using pre-prepared syrups or frozen garnishes. At only €6, the Negroni (gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth) seemed like the perfect way to open my appetite and ease into our meal.

I’m looking forward to my next visit to Rasoterra, perhaps for some afterwork tapas, or for the menú del día, which is blooming with salads, soups, pastas, rices and stews. I’d happily settle down for a leisurely midday meal of refreshing fusilli pasta with carrot and herb pesto, brussels sprouts consommé with vibrant garnishes of pumpkin and mint and creamy coconut chia flan, any day of the week. The service was knowledgeable and friendly, and I departed feeling content and thankful for this newfound treasure. It has certainly been added to my list of preferred places for a delicious, casual and healthy meal in the Ciutat Vella.

✪✪✪ GOOD

✪✪✪✪ VERY GOOD

✪✪✪✪✪ NOT TO BE MISSED

3/23/16 2:32 PM

at h wine

1pm

Recipe

RUNNER BEANS WITH JAMÓN It is believed that runner beans were one of the first foods that Europeans discovered when they arrived in South America, where they have been growing for over 2,000 years, although regular consumption didn’t become popular until the 19th century.

The runner bean is an ideal vegetable for spring and summer, and you can find it in the market throughout the year. It’s versatile, nutritious and rich in antioxidants.

Make sure you look for young, crisp beans that feel firm to the touch.

Difficulty: Easy Preparation time: 25 minutes Season: Spring INGREDIENTS 1 kg runner beans 200g diced jamón 6 garlic cloves Oil, salt and pepper

METHOD 1. Top, tail and string the runner beans by carefully sliding a knife into the top of the bean without cutting right through it. If a thick thread comes away, the beans will need to be stringed.

2. Slice the beans horizontally.

3. Boil the beans for about 10-12 minutes, being careful not to overcook. Drain and reserve the water.

4. Heat a little oil in a frying pan, add the chopped garlic cloves and then fry until they are slightly golden.

5. Add the diced ham to the pan and heat through for a couple of minutes.

6. Finally, incorporate the runner beans and mix well over the heat for a couple of minutes.

CHEF’S TIPS • You can used the water reserved from boiling the beans as a vegetable stock for soup or other dishes.

• Try topping the dish with some grated cheese and grill it in the oven.

Visit www.ambdosfogons.com for more traditional Catalan recipes.

Toni Rocamora is the head chef of a big family and lover of all gastronomy-related sports, such as snail hunting, mushroom hunting and market shopping. Toni was born in Oliana, a small town in the foothills of the Pyrenees, and inherited his passion for cooking from his mother, famous for her traditional family recipes.

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QUICK BITES

THE ROOFTOP SMOKEHOUSE FINDS A PERMANENT RESIDENCE IN THE BORN. TEXT BY TARA STEVENS. PHOTOS BY MELISSA FRY.

T

he Rooftop Smokehouse began as one of those delicious rumours; a band of renegade young cooks who, by all accounts, were creating extraordinary pastrami on the roof terrace of a Sant Antoni apartment block.

One day, a couple of years ago, they suddenly emerged at a Saturday afternoon pop-up at the emblematic La Confitería, better known to me as a late night haunt for a penúltima: that fatal small hours tipple that tends to send you over the edge and makes you want to die in the morning.

That Saturday afternoon, however, was a revelation. Chefs Buster Turnofski and Jakob Zeller, alongside their small crew, were serving

Tastings

thick wooden boards laden with the best pastrami I’ve eaten since I last had a Rueben (a stellar smoked mackerel pâté with pickled beets and horseradish) on rye at Katz’s Deli in New York. Their enterprise grew into a food truck, which they took to various events, but it seemed clear to all who ate their food it would only be a matter of time before they moved on to something more substantial than a pop-up.

And so, when La Confitería came to them last year and said they needed something for the shop front of their new speakeasy-style bar, El Paradiso in the Born, it was a no-brainer.

The team now split their time between the marble-lined Pastrami Bar and their work space at the Fàbrica Lehmann, which is where the magic happens. Sticklers for quality and provenance can rest assured that they source meat from the happy beasts at Cal Rovira, sustainable fish from local markets, organic vegetables from farmers’ markets, and then liberally love it into food that you’ll find yourself craving, as I do now, when life takes you far from home. The choices are simple: maddeningly tasty sandwiches stacked with their legendary pastrami, or posher smoked duck, grilled smoked cheese with shallot chutney or mackerel pâté with sides that go

from gherkins on a stick to bowls of addictive fermented sauerkraut.

That you can then disappear, Alice in Wonderland style, through the fridge of El Paradiso into a speakeasy straight out of David Lynch’s Twin Peaks and quaff cocktails by master mixologist Giacomo Giannotti long into the night is, frankly, the stuff that dreams are made of.

MORE INFO.

Rere Palau 4.

Tel. 93 360 7222 Open 7pm-2am Sandwiches and cocktails from €7. www.rooftopsmokehouse.com

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

GARNATXA DEL PO Clos 93, in the village of El Lloar, is one of those cellars in DOQ Priorat that exemplifies how the winemakers in this region more closely resemble those in Burgundy than anywhere else in Spain. With an annual production of just 12,000 bottles and a fully family-run affair, they’ve been able to focus on making small-production wines.

When the Grenache from one small, 60-year-old plot arrived from the vineyard, it was quite clear that it was different. They ran the sugar analysis in these grapes and it came out considerably lower than in regular Grenache grapes. It turned out to be Garnatxa del Po, which is a rather obscure clone of the variety that can be found randomly in vineyards thought to be fully Grenache.

From the tank, it’s directly bottled and then aged underground in a tranche of clay for two years. With only 118 bottles produced, the presentation design is appropriately unique—a clay box made by

a local ceramicist, Lluís Riera, in the neighbouring village of Gratallops. It all makes for an attractive, unique package, although at €89, this is an expensive wine, even for Priorat.

GARNATXA DEL PO 2013 Deep purple coloration that crests with a ruby rim. Aromatically, light young plum notes waft from it along with charcoal notes, and then a clay minerality. Wild spiciness emerges with touches of black pepper and cloves. Initially light on the palate with medium acidity, but bounding in massive amounts of tannin for a Grenache. Very full in the mouth with a medium plus body, but then a medium finish. This is a wine that will easily stand to bottle age another three to five years to fully round out and integrate. €89

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NEFW &D

FOOD DRINK

& IN

Bar D9 BAR4 POBLENOU Whether you are an Erasmus student, a football fanatic or a music lover, D9 Bar has at least one night a week for you. Equipped with a terrace, D9 offers a wide range of tapas, beers, cocktails and shots for every night of the week.

With American Day on Wednesdays, Erasmus parties on Thursdays and music-themed parties on Fridays and Saturdays, there is always something for everyone.

DISCOUNT FOR METROPOLITAN READERS

under 20 | 20-30 | 30-40 | over 40  food&drink visit our online directory

Pallars 122, 08016 Tel. 93 309 9202 I www.denou.bar Sun-Thurs 6pm-2.30am Fri-Sat 6pm-3am

www.barcelona-metropolitan.com/eating-and-drinking

LOIDI RESTAURANT4 EIXAMPLE

BAR DOS BILLARES4 RAVAL

Loidi is a contemporary bistro, in which Martin Berasategui makes his cuisine accessible to everybody. Prepared with the finest seasonal ingredients, his cuisine is presented with an 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. Maître d’: Oscar Fernández.

This well-kept secret is located in the basement of Casa Camper Hotel, where jazz, culture and billiard lovers can relax and enjoy an exclusive cocktail. This club offers a programme of cultural and music events for the most creative public. It is the ideal space for escaping the crowds or hosting business clients.

Elisabets 11 | Metro Liceu Tel. 93 342 6280 Tues-Thurs 4pm-12am Fri-Sat 4pm-2am www.club.casacamper.com

Mallorca 248-250, 08008 Tel. 93 492 9292 Mon-Sat 1pm-3.30pm and 8pm-11pm, Sun 1pm-3.30pm

Ice Cream MANNÀ GELATS4 BARRI GÒTIC

BLACKLAB BREWERY4 BARCELONETA

Mannà Gelats offers homemade ice creams, waffles and crêpes in the heart of the Barrio Gótico. Their ice creams are inspired by family recipes, using the finest products. The fresh fruit sorbets are made with market-bought products, and boast a range of exotic varieties. Their passion is to please their customers with personalised attention.

The recently opened BlackLab Brewery offers customers a new experience in Barcelona––a place to enjoy a unique pint of craft beer, made just two metres away from where you’re sitting.

BlackLab’s food is a culinary journey from China all the way to New York. You’ll find dumplings and bahn mi, mussels fresh from the fish market, ramen, cheesecake, portobello mushrooms, and more. New 1 hour beer tour every Sunday at 5pm.

Tastings of 4 beers for €12. Quote ‘Metropolitan’ to receive a free BlackLab bag.

Banys Nous 22 | Metro Liceu Tel. 93 342 7312 Sun-Thurs 11am-10pm Fri-Sat 11am-11pm www.mannagelats.wordpress.com

NEW BEER TOUR

Palau de Mar, Plaça Pau Vila 1, 08039 Tel. 93 22 18 360 hola@blacklab.es www.blacklab.es

Indian / Tandoori SURYA4EIXAMPLE Surya Barcelona is an Indian restaurant that invites you to travel all the way to the streets of Mumbai, rich in colour, smell and exotic flavours. They offer a cosy and relaxed space where you can feel at home, drink, read a magazine, connect to the Internet and work, all while sampling some of their delicious dishes. After dinner you can relax with cocktails and enjoy their in-house DJs, from their The House Party collective on “Deep Fridays”, to Saturday night’s “Funky New Disco”.

Pau Claris 92 | Consell de Cent 236, 08011 Tel. 93 667 8760 www.suryabarcelona.com Mon-Sun 10am-3am

FONDA ESPAÑA4 BARRI GÒTIC Located in the emblematic Hotel España, the Modernist dining room, 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 are a tribute to the renowned chef’s origins.

Sant Pau 9-11 I Metro Liceu Tel. 93 550 0000 Mon-Sat 1pm-4pm and 8pm-11pm Sun 1pm-4pm

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BRITTA’S NORDIC DELI4GRÀCIA

BE MY BAGEL4GRÀCIA 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. Offering 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.

Britta’s Nordic Deli is the first and only Scandinavian deli in Barcelona.

Here you’ll find the most delicious sandwiches and smørrebrød in town.

Moreover, they offer all kinds of specialities to take away from a wide charcuterie, including smoked and marinated wild salmon, hot smoked salmon, marinated herring, homemade salads, smoked deer, organic cheeses, Danish seaweed caviar and a lot more.

Bonavista 29 | Tel. 93 461 7362 | Mon 5-9pm, Tues-Fri 11.30am-3.30pm and 5pm-9pm, Sat 11.30am-3.30pm, Sun closed | www.brittas.es

Delivery FOODIES BARCELONA4POBLENOU Foodies Barcelona is an online restaurant that prepares wholesome and fresh meals, delivering to your office, business or party. Whether you want a healthy lunch for a meeting or daily catering, they’ve got you covered. Order online or contact them for a menu.

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

Sant Joan de Malta 131 | Tel. 93 266 4271 Mon-Fri 8am-11am | www.foodiesbarcelona.es

Bar KAIZEN AFTERWORK4POBLE NOU

CAFÉ MENSSANA4 CIUTAT VELLA At Menssana, a creative and healthy cuisine is combined with gracious and knowledgeable service. There is something for everyone, with vegan and vegetarian options created using flavours from across the globe. They also offer a carefully selected range of local wines and beers, as well as smoothies and fresh juices. Their aim is to nourish your body and mind with delicious meals, served in a vibrant and friendly atmosphere.

Do you work close to 22@ and feel like relaxing after work?

Come to Kaizen Afterwork and enjoy premium cocktails and tasty snacks. With great vibes and great music, bring this ad and you’ll get 15% off a gin and tonic.

Castella 1 | Tel. 93 676 0761 / 636 092 221 Tues-Thurs 6pm-2.30am, Fri-Sat 6pm-3am, Sun 6pm-2.30am, Mon closed facebook.com/kaizenafterwork | info@kaizenafterwork.com

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.

Sardenya 48, 08005 Tel. 93 624 3505 Mon-Sat 9am-12am Sun 9am-6pm www.facebook.com/menssanabarcelona

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

Vegetarian/Vegan TAP DE SURO4 EIXAMPLE

GOVINDA (VEGETARIAN)4BARRI GÒTIC

Tap de Suro is an intimate place dedicated entirely to the world of wine.

Here you can experience delicious Mediterranean meals accompanied with an authentic wine collection. They offer a diverse menu of Catalan wines and cavas, ranging from local Spanish grapes to the best international wines. They also provide a sales service in which they can advise you in finding the perfect flavour for every occasion.

Plaça Vila de Madrid 4-5 | Metro Catalunya | Tel. 93 318 7729 Tues-Sat 1pm-4pm and 8pm-11.30pm, Sun-Mon 1pm-4pm | www.govinda.es

Mallorca 202, 08008 Tel. 93 461 4853 info@tapdesuro.com Mon-Sat 12pm-5pm and 7pm-11.30pm Sun closed www.tapdesuro.com

Founded 25 years ago, Govinda continues to thrive on a blend of experience and fresh innovation with its vegetarian Indian cuisine. The international menu features thalis, a salad bar, natural juices, lassis, pizzas and crêpes. Govinda offers a vegan-friendly, non-alcoholic and authentically-decorated environment with lunch and weekend menus.

AMALTEA4EIXAMPLE 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 homemade puddings. The cuisine is creatively international with care taken to ensure that each meal is well-balanced and made with the freshest ingredients. Their menu of the day costs 10.70, while their night and weekend menus cost 15.50.

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

Mexican MALPASO4EIXAMPLE

HAPPY DAY VEGETARIANO4 EIXAMPLE

This recently opened restaurant offers traditional Mexican cuisine. For starters, don’t miss the excellent house nachos, served with cheese, pico de gallo, guacamole and sour cream, or Vuelve la Vida, a seafood ceviche with avocado, tomato and lime. Other dishes include the Arrachera, a grilled US prime hanger steak served with baked vegetables, as well as the Atún Moctezuma, a pan-seared tuna battered in Mexican spices, served with pico de gallo, avocado and mint sauce.

Mexican brunch is also available at the weekend.

Located in the centre of town, this vegetarian-vegan restaurant, Happy Day Vegetariano, offers a variety of fresh salads, soups and dishes. There is also a large assortment of fresh home-baked cakes to choose from, including carrot, pear, orange and carob. These vegetarian and vegan cakes are produced using brown sugar and organic wholemeal flour. At Happy Day Vegetariano, they believe that if you take care of your health and eat the right food, your well-being and mood will improve.

Come to the Happy Day and make the animals, yourself and the world happier!

Girona 59, 08009 Tel. 93 461 3060 Mon-Thurs 8am-12am Fri-Sat 8am-3pm, Sun 9.30am-12am

Pau Claris 143 (between Valencia and Aragón) Tel. 93 171 7081 Mon-Sat 1pm-5pm, Sun closed www.happydayvegetariano.com/en

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HEALTH &BEAUTY

Mary D. McCarthy - DOCTOR

Doctor for Adults

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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.

She is also a member of IAMAT.

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

www.barcelona-metropolitan.com Doctors Barcelona - DOCTOR Doctors Barcelona is the top medical group in Barcelona. They are committed to providing a first-rate level of care and attention. They are experienced, trained and equipped to diagnose and treat the most acute or chronic medical problems and injuries.

Available 24 hours including weekends and holidays. A 30-minute arrival time to your destination is guaranteed.

Their visit fee is refundable by most insurance companies. All doctors are specialists and, using their services, the best hospitals are available.

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

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

Dr Bassas - DErMATology The Javier Bassas Dermatology Centre is a well-renowned dermatology and surgical centre equipped with the latest technology. The medical team, led by Dr. Javier Bassas Bresca, consists of Surgical Dermatology and Venereology specialists with vast clinical and surgical experience. Their goal is to provide specialised, rigorous, efficient and accessible care in Surgical Dermatology and Venereology, with the highest quality and ethical standards.

Diagnosing and treating skin diseases is their priority, as well as offering the latest advances in dermoaesthetics.

Consulta Balmes 24 1º1 T. 93 412 6602.

Teknon, Marquesa de Vilallonga nº 12. Consulta nº 34 1ª 08017 T. 93 290 6434 www.drbassas.com

Dr. Steven Joseph - DOCTOR An English doctor in Barcelona, Dr Steven Joseph is a member of The Royal College of General Practitioners and The Royal College of Psychiatrists. He offers a wide range of medical care, including family medicine, sexual health, mental health and access to all specialists and tests. Physiotherapy and chiropractic services are also available. googol Medical Center provides comprehensive healthcare in a relaxed, friendly and discreet environment. Dr Joseph is happy to take your enquiries directly.

Gran Via Carles III 37-39, 08028 M. 662 291 191 www.englishdoctorbarcelona.com

ServiDigest - HEALTH ServiDigest have more than 40 years’ experience working for your health and are pioneers in colorectal cancer prevention. Nowadays, colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers and prevention is the best treatment. The cure for colorectal cancer depends on preventative measures and its early diagnosis. Detecting symptoms at earlier stages is the key to a good outcome. However, if it is discovered at an advanced stage, it has a five-year survival rate. They have two important digestive screening programmes: the Colorectal Prevention Programme and the Digestive Cancer Prevention Programme.

ServiDigest. Thinking of people. Fostering prevention.

Medical and Surgical Center ServiDigest

Balmes 334, 08006 T. 93 415 3464/93 545 0990 Mon-Fri 9am-2pm and 4pm-9pm Sat 9am-2pm, Sun closed uad@servidigest.com www.servidigest.com

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Dr. J. E Batista - UROLOGIST Dr. Jose E Batista is a specialist in Urology who trained in the UK and the USA. Together with his team (Uroclinica Barcelona), he covers all the fields of Urology, with special interest in prostatic diseases, laser surgery, bed wetting (enuresis) and urinary incontinence. The team has worked at Centro Médico Teknon since 1996 and also offers specialists in pediatric urology, as well as English speaking physiotherapists for pelvic floor disorders.

Vilana 12, Office 24, Consult. Marquesa, C M Teknon T. 93 390 6940 Valencia 247, Barcelona Central Office T. 93 390 671 info.urologia@gmail.com www.teknon.es/web/batista

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Symmetry Pilates- PILATES

Bikram Yoga - HoT yogA

Premium Pilates - NoT ‘ get in, get knackered, get out!’

Unlike other forms of exercise, Pilates is targeted at those parts of the body where either correction – too long huddled over a computer for example – or strength is needed, as well as building up a strong core.

People who do Pilates know it’s all about quality not quantity, so the benefit is felt after only a few sessions. So, sign up at this swanky new city-centre studio (yoga & physio also available) and enjoy a complementary massage.

READER OFFER

YogaconGracia - yogA An enchanted neighbourhood studio and community space with two locations in the heart of gràcia.

Founded in 2004, you will find a friendly, international vibe in the gorgeous loft-style studios. ycg has something for everyone, from Hatha, Sivananda, Kundalini, Jivamukti (a fast-paced vinyasa) to English, pre-natal and Mum and Baby yoga classes..

Enric Granados, 111 (entlo 2º) T. 93 531 3620 M. 637 693 073 info@symmetry.cat www.symmetry.cat

FREE CONSULTATION

www.yogacongracia.com

Matt Green - PErSoNAl TrAINEr AND

Hestía - PSyCHoTHErAPy 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.

FREE TRIAL

Jonathan Hooker - PSyCHoTHErAPIST

NEST - NETWorK oF ENglISH SPEAKINg THErAPISTS

Cognitive Hypnotherapist & Coach - THERAPIST Jessica Boston is a certified Cognitive Hypnotherapist based in the centre of Barcelona. In a nutshell, Cognitive Hypnotherapy works by redefining your unconscious perspective and guiding you towards what you really want, quickly and permanently. get in touch today for your complimentary consultation and to find out how it could change any aspect of your life, because nothing has to be the way it’s always been.

M. 660 514 795 Mon-Fri 9am-9pm hello@jessicaboston.com www.jessicaboston.com

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Jonathan specialises in helping people to deal with change. This may be aspects of their life they would like to change or unexpected changes that they are dealing with. An English-speaking psychotherapist, counsellor, coach and guide, he helps people to improve their relationships and make sense of their lives.

M. 639 579 646 jonathan.hooker@yahoo.com www.jonathanhooker.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. www.barcelonaNEST.com

NUTrITIoNIST Achieve your lifestyle goals with Matt green’s personal training and nutrition classes. Build and tone muscle, improve core strength and lose weight. His services also include H.I.T, functional and core training, nutrition and healthy cooking advice. Plus new private gym facilities.

Av. Josep Tarradellas 101, 08029 M. 667 349 680 matt@chef-fitness.com

KINEMEZ PHySIoTHErAPy CENTrE KineMez offers personalised physical therapy in gràcia/Sant gervasi. They specialise in postural reeducation using the Mézières method, for the treatment of sciatica, discal herniation, skoliosis, back pain, temporomandibular disorders, patellofemoral pain, womens health and sports injuries.

T. 93 201 6513 Guillem Tell 40 Entlo.2ª kinemez@kinemez.com www.kinemez.com

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

NETWORK OF ENGLISH SPEAKING THERAPISTS

Bikram yoga have two centres in Barcelona with over 50 classes a week and options for children. Providing the ideal solution for back pain, stress, weight loss and other problems, they offer international staff and more than 18 years’ experience. reader offer: €25 for 10 days of unlimited yoga.

Pau Claris 97, PRAL, 08009, T. 93 302 5130 Caravel•la la Niña 18, 08017, T. 93 205 0281 www.bikramyoga.es

IAN GIBBS - LIFE COACH

FREE CONSULTATION

If you’re feeling a bit dissatisfied with your life, then maybe you should try talking to a life coach.

Ian can help you regain control, balance and confidence to get you back on track to success and happiness. you’ve nothing to lose except your current dissatisfaction. Call now to arrange a free one-hour consultation.

M. 605 801 802 ian.coaching@gmail.com www.iangibbs.es

Living Mindfully - MINDFUlNESS CoUrSES Do you want to improve your mood, have better relationships, focus, decrease stress and anxiety and find long term peace of mind? learn Mindfulness is in central Barcelona, taught by an English psychotherapist and Mindfulness teacher in the MBSr format. info@livingmindfully.es www.livingmindfully.es

Pharmacy Serra Mandri - CHEMIST The pharmacy is open 365 days a year and offers a 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 9am-10pm www.farmaciaserra.com

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Dra. Susana Campi - DENTIST

Sanz Pancko Dental Clinic DENTIST Sanz Pancko Dental Clinic in Barcelona and Terrassa provides excellent oral care in an Englishspeaking environment. Dr Nancy Pancko, an American dentist trained at Columbia University in New york, is an American Board-certified orthodontist.

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

Together, they provide comprehensive and affordable dental care.

New premises, new services and new state of the art equipment! For all your dental needs, this team consisting of 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.

NEW ADDRESS Josep Tarradellas 97 local, 08029 Metro: Rocafort/Rosselló (L5) Bus: 15,27,32,43,54,59,66,78 T. 93 321 4005 Mon, Weds, Thurs 3.30pm-8.30pm Tues and Fri 9.30am-2pm susanacampi1980@gmail.com www.clinicadentalcampi.com

Rogent 40, local 2, 08026 T. 93 246 9043 Metro: Clot (L1, L2) www.clinicadentalsyp.com Open Mon-Fri 9am-8.30pm

Dr. Boj - DENTIST

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

Dr. Boj and his team offer specialised, comprehensive pediatric dental and orthodontic treatment for children and teens. laser dentistry and invisible orthodontics are available. Dr. Boj also lectures on all treatments related to these age groups. He studied at the School of Medicine and Dentistry of the University of rochester, Ny, USA. This is a fast and friendly service in an English-speaking, international environment.

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

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

Born Chiropractic

Clínica Ed·dent - DENTIST

- CHIROPRACTOR This husband and wife dentist team from the Gothic Quarter have an important announcement to make to all English-speaking residents with toothaches. laws in Spain are different for dentists, meaning you need to be careful when choosing a practice.

Visit their Facebook page and read their advice: “3 Things you Have To Know Before going to The Dentist in Spain”. Alternatively, visit them at their centrally-located clinic where they can offer you help with whatever dental problems you have.

Dental Clinic Gótico

FREE REJUVENATING ROSEHIP MASK

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Ample 22, Metro: Barceloneta, Drassanes T. 93 007 5616 M. 651 155 320 Facebook.com/eddentclinicadental

The Vital Touch - MASSAgE

oliver Dawson is a specialist in Chiropractic and Applied Kinesiology who focuses on the direct relationship between spinal structures and health.

The spine is a gateway to better health, and by liberating the nervous system from obstruction, we function better on all levels. The result is a freer body, less pain and more vitality. let Born Chiropractic turn your power on! Call today and be sure to check the radio interview on their website.

Sombrerers 27, Principal T. 93 268 3070 M. 622 772 623 oliver@bornquiro.com www.bornquiro.com

FREE HEALTH TALK

Spring Reboot

What is Japanese Facelifting Massage? Japanese Facelifting Massage uses a sequence of massage techniques which act as a natural face lift with no need for surgery, helping make you look and feel younger. This combination of techniques helps improve the complexion, remove toxins from the face, prevent and remove facial wrinkles, reduce and release any muscle tension in the face and jaw.

Facelift Massage is to help prolong natural, true health and beauty, and to prevent disease. It makes you feel fantastic. Special discounted packs!

rAW yogA rETrEAT

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

Dates: May 26 - 30, 2016 Contact: mariah@pabulum.com.es or angela@lilayogamassage.com

Indulge, relax and reboot in an enchanting and eco-friendly cottage located in a charming French village in the foothills of the Pyrenees. Join lila yoga Massage and Pabulum Food & Nutrition, for a 4-day retreat where you can disconnect from your busy lives and reconnect with your best selves.

3/23/16 2:36 PM

BUSINESS SERVICES DISCOUNT FOR METROPOLITAN READERS

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

www.barcelona-metropolitan.com Sánchez Molina LEGAL PRACTICE 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.

Garment Printing is a printing company based in Barcelona and the UK. They offer printed clothing with personalised logos for fashion brands, staff uniforms and promotional clothing. Printed promotional products, such as flyers, business cards, printed pens, and banners are also available—anything you could want customised with a logo! whether you’re a business or an individual, they can help you fulfil your branding and printing needs. Contact them today.

Comte d’Urgell 28 T. 93 393 8194 www.garmentprinting.es

Fuente Fradera - LAwyERS Based in Barcelona, Fuente Fradera Lawyers is a rapidly growing law firm which covers real estate law, commercial law and labour law.

Their services are available for businesses, entrepreneurs and private consultations. As legal advisers, they offer a highly efficient, quality service which generates valuable customer confidence in their work. They speak English, French, German and Russian.

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

Gran Vía de les Corts Catalanes T. 93 317 5219 joseramon@fuentefradera.com www.fuentefradera.com

Spain Accounting -

BCN Seguros - INSURANCE

TAX & BUSINESS SERVICES This qualified UK accountant with 30 years’ experience in Spain offers: • tax services for freelance autónomos and small SLs • income tax returns for employees and non-residents • practical advice on setting up a business in Spain • registration of autónomos and company incorporation (SL) • personalised advice on your tax obligations in Spain • fast, reliable email service Contact David Cook on M.678 702 369 info@spainaccounting.com www.spainaccounting.com

Coccinelle - HOME SERVICES Do you need a nanny, housekeeper or chauffeur? Coccinelle specialises in providing highly-skilled, experienced domestic staff in Barcelona and the surrounding areas. Due to their expertise and rigorous selection methods, they are able to provide seasoned professionals for both permanent or temporary positions to suit your needs. you can arrange everything now from the comfort of your own home! Call them today and quote Metropolitan free consultation.

T. 93 125 8626 info@coccinelle.es www.coccinelle.es

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Garment Printing - BUSINESS

BCN Seguros is a local Barcelona Insurance Agency providing complete personal and business insurance services, including the home, car, health, commercial, public liability, life, motor, yacht, travel, etc. They offer a 30% cost-saving guarantee by keeping insurance coverage identical.

Advice can be given in Spanish, English or German.

Rambla Catalunya 20, 08008 T. 933 900 522 / M. 636 465 010 Mon-Sun 9am-9pm rainerhobrack@gmail.com www.bcnseguros.es

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.

MOB / Bailen 11, Bajos, 08010 M. 608 994 599 info@macinbarcelona.com www.macinbarcelona.com

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FREN

Mrs Q Design Studio -

Geo Mac - COMPUTERS

GRAPHIC DESIGN

GRAPHIC DESIGN STUDIO

M. 699 260 938 mrsqdesignstudio@gmail.com Instagram #mrsqdesignstudio

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

Fábrica de Flyers - BUSINESS

Barcelona Women’s Network - BUSINESS

Fábrica de Flyers brings the successful concept of high class printing and design to Barcelona at competitive prices, providing a quality service to match. Eight years of experience on the German market makes them one of the leading printing agencies, with clients all over Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Fábrica de Flyers is not an advertisment agency, but the ideal partner to create your publicity!

Pujades 74-80, 3º 7ª, 08005 T. 93 485 6422 Mon-Thurs 10am-2pm and 3pm6.30pm info@fabricadeflyers.com www.fabricadeflyers.com

membership@bcnwomensnetwork.com

president@bcnwomensnetwork.com www.bcnwomensnetwork.com

Barcelona Office -

LOGISTICS

SERVICED OFFICE SPACE Barcelona Office is a street-level premises by the Gothic Cathedral. In contrast to many coworking spaces, they accommodate longterm professionals and companies who need a disturbance-free space, providing them with their own desk and storage facilities, along with their own key for 24/7 access. The space is open-plan and fully furnished. They also provide: a desk, chair, underdesk cabinet, shelving, fiber optic wireless internet connection, laser printers, photocopier, scanner, shared meeting area with sofa and a 40-inch television for presentations.

M. 677 738 860 info@barcelonaoffice.com www.barcelonaoffice.com

T. 93 220 1715 info@laluna.coop www.laluna.coop

Step Up with V

- PERSONAL BRANDING

A combined coaching and consulting service for professionals and entrepreneurs who need to define and communicate their brand identity and purpose.

Connect with your audience, find your market position, increase your visibility and business opportunities!

M. 619 022 676 stepupwithv@gmail.com www.stepupwithv.com

La web del Born

- wEB DESIGN STUDIO

Complete internet services for companies and individuals. Put your business online with a wonderful website and professional emails. They build your social profiles and optimise your web pages for Google. They make professional blogs to be managed directly by you. Quote Metropolitan for a free consultation.

M. 637 005 656 hola@lawebdelborn.com www.lawebdelborn.com

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Supported charities 2014 - 2016

Barcelona women’s Network is Barcelona’s premier network for international women. Holding over 200 members from 30+ countries, it is a social club that supports local charities and offering a business network, with activities including social gatherings, cultural outings, volunteer opportunities, and business seminars.

Barcelona women’s Network help women thrive and feel at home in Barcelona.

La Luna Shipping They 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. They are specialists in managing personal effects shipments, including small “boxed” removals from Barcelona to Europe, UK, USA, Australia and New Zealand. Don’t look any further, La Luna Shipping is your one stop shop for all your transport and logistics needs in Barcelona.

CALL FOR A FREE CONSULTATION

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 replacements and ADSL setup. He can also provide consulting and tutorials according to his clients’ needs.

Mrs Q Design Studio offers a range of specialised services. Contact Mrs.Q for their competitive business packages, which include branding, stationery design and advertising for print and web. They also design promotional material such as flyers, posters and brochures. They specialise in bespoke invitations.

Visit their Etsy page to see examples of their work: www.etsy.com/shop/ mrsqdesignstudio.

Cibervirreina - COMPUTER SERVICE Open until 11pm every day of the week, CiberVirreina can repair your computer in 24/48 hours using well-tested procedures. Their services include repairing software and hardware failures, saving your personal files and returning your computer fully operative. In addition to having internet access they do printing, copying and binding jobs.

D'Astúries 78 (Plaça de la Virreina, Gràcia) Metro: Fontana (L3) or Joanic (L4) T. 93 368 5770 serviciocliente@cibervirreina.com

Natacha Elmir - PHOTOGRAPHER Canadian photographer Natacha Elmir is known for her fine art style of photography. She can transform your baby shoot, family portrait or wedding event into a timeless piece of art while keeping a very natural feel. Natacha’s service also includes headshots, album covers, events, fashion and food photography.

M. 600 803 661 natachaelmir@gmail.com www.natachaelmir.com

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NIE Barcelona - BUSINESS NIE Barcelona is a service that helps foreigners to complete all the paperwork needed for living and working in Barcelona. Their main focus is on helping to secure the NIE for EU and non-EU citizens in a fast and efficient way. They can also help with other administrative procedures, such as social security numbers, empadronamiento, autónomo set up, and change of driving license or car registration.

M. 603 209 403 info@niebarcelona.com www.niebarcelona.com

Act Habitat - ARCHITECTS Act Habitat can help to: - Create your perfect living or work space - Get the most out of your investment - Achieve a healthy and sustainable environment - Deal with paperwork and permits - Manage the building works and costs - Choose the best firm for the job - Coordinate with the neighbours Get in touch, they would love to hear from you!

Avinyó 6, 1º 2ª, 08002 T. 93 318 7121 info@act-habitat.com www.act-habitat.com

BCN LIP is a small language 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 programmes, 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 Mon-Fri 9am-9.30pm, Sat 10am-2pm and 4pm-8pm, Sun closed info@bcnlip.com www.bcnlip.com

Handyman - HOME SERVICES

Corsa - DRIVING SCHOOL

Mark offers honest, transparent, efficient, English/Spanish/Swedishspeaking handyman services. He can help you hang a mirror, paint a room, install reverse osmosis, hang blinds or curtains, do home repairs, assemble Ikea furniture and he can even fix up your place so you can get your fianza back from your landlord. Hourly rates.

Real time updates.

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!

M. 645 691 475 mark@handymanbarcelona.com www.handymanbarcelona.com Facebook handymanbarcelona74

La Dolce Vita ITALIAN FASHION This new shop located in Born has exclusive Italian fashion (items of design, comfort, elegance and quality, made in Italy). They can offer advice on how to dress according to your figure and the occasion, highlighting your strengths to help you choose the most suitable clothes.

Ronda de Sant Pere 54 T. 93 518 4773 Metro: Urquinaona (L1 & L4), Arc de Triomf (L1) Facebook ladolcevitamodahombre Open Mon-Sat 10am-8pm

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BCN LIP - LANGUAGE SCHOOL

Ask for the special Metropolitan reader offers

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

Ecoart

– WEEKEND RETREAT

Looking to escape the city for a romantic weekend in the heart of nature? These stunning holiday cabins are located just 45 minutes away from Barcelona, and have breathtaking panoramic views of mountains, valleys and several Mediterranean beaches.

These artistic venues are an oasis for nature lovers and families with children, or are idyllic for relaxing if you seek quietness. They are just 6 km away from the Costa Brava with many attractions on offer, and include a big garden with a barbecue. Call now to check prices and availability.

M. 667 871 573 www.ecoart-didactic.com

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JOB

DIRECTORY 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

SAM SAYS...

COACHING COLUMN

...WHERE TO SOURCE HEALTH FOODS Dear Sam, I’ve managed to mostly maintain my new year’s health kick, yet I’m finding that the most challenging part of staying on target, is finding the foods and ingredients I need. In Australia, everything is at your fingertips, or at least most of the products are in the same store. In Barcelona, I end up running around town, trying to source speciality foods and vitamins from various shops, half the time not even knowing where to look. To be more specific, I’ve compiled a list of questions. Any insights would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Struggling To Keep It Healthy

Hi Struggling To Keep It Healthy, I sometimes think of Barcelona as a city of paradoxes. It’s a place where ‘0km’, ‘slow food’, ‘organic’ and ‘seasonal’ have become popular buzzwords of late yet, when it comes to executing these good intentions, it’s not always easy.

Your predicament is one I’ve heard countless times from people trying to eat healthily in this city. I’m no expert in food-related topics (if you recall from a previous column, I use my oven for storage), so I’ve teamed up with a professional nutritionist and plant-based chef, Mariah Quesada from Pabulum (www.pabulum.com.es), who specialises in healthy eating with a focus on raw foods.

As part of my health kick I’ve implemented superfoods into my diet. However, I can’t consistently find them. What are the best superfoods and where can I track them down?

Mariah: By far, my two favourite shops to find good quality superfoods are Espai Verd (Princesa 31) and Mapu Organic (Magdalenes 7). You can find anything from raw cacao to maqui and lucuma, all of which are excellent superfoods and are often hard to find. Among some of the more ‘trending’ superfoods, you can try physalis (aka Inca Berry), spirulina and acai berry. If you’re looking to incorporate more ‘everyday’ food into your diet, keep in mind that blueberries, pomegranates, walnuts and kale can be just as powerful, not to mention cheaper and easier to locate.

Where can I find maple syrup and good vanilla?

Mariah: These two are hard to come by. Check out the gourmet section in El Corte Inglés. They’ve got grade B maple syrup and my favourite vanilla brand, Nielsen-Massey, which you can also find at Taste of America (Aragó 231 and Balmes 322). If you want Canadian maple syrup, check out the Asian supermarket, Dong Fang (Balmes 6).

What other ingredients can I add to my food for increased health benefits?

Mariah: Nutritional yeast is a personal favourite. This super supplement is a complete protein, meaning that it contains 18 amino acids, nine of them being essential ones that our bodies can’t produce. It is known to help in reducing cholesterol levels, enhancing immunity and preventing cancer. Because of its cheesy flavour, you can use it as a substitute for parmesan and add it to salads, sprinkle it over popcorn, stir into soups or toss into pasta. If you want to maintain proper cell function and metabolism, two great additions are hemp and chia seeds as well as wheat germ. These can all be found at Espai Verd.

Do you recommend cold-pressed juices and, if so, where can I try them?

Mariah: Ideally, if you’re jumping on the juice bandwagon, you want to choose cold pressed. This method uses hydraulic pressure to extract juice, which also produces a larger yield. It’s a much easier way to juice leafy greens and herbs and it doesn’t use heat, so there is less oxidisation and the enzymes and nutrients remain live for three to five days.

Here are some great spots to try: Mother BCN (Joaquín Costa 26), Petit Brot (Dr. Dou 10), Teresa’s Juicery (Tallers 74B) and BeBo (Plaça de Francesc Macià 5).

Sam Mednick is a professional life and executive coach based in Barcelona (www.blueprintcoaching.ca). A Canadian native, she’s been living in the city for eight years, working with companies as well as individuals focusing on transitions, communication, leadership training, time management and productivity, as well as emotional intelligence development. For more coaching tips, tune into her Podcast: blueprintcoaching.podomatic.com. To share your thoughts on this column or ask Sam a question, email sam@blueprintcoaching.ca, or write to Metropolitan at editorial@barcelona-metropolitan.com

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INTERVIEW

Maxó Rennella

assemble the surrealist collages. I think of all three galleries as installations, really, where our art transforms people’s perceptions of these locations around Barcelona.

Another part of my vision was to create spaces where people can see that our art is handmade. I mean, you can’t see the exact process. If you saw every step that goes into it, the art would lose its mystery. But you can see that what you’re going to buy wasn’t made in China.

I create art to see people’s reactions to it. The expression on their faces or the way they instinctively reach out to touch it. It’s not always about making money. I love offering something that people feel they can’t walk away from. I can tell those who really love the art because they don’t ask how much it is before they’re ready to purchase it. It’s a capricho. They just buy it on a whim. They don’t need it—I’m not selling food or clothes— but they have to have it.

If you walk by, the doors of the galleries are always open. If it’s raining or it’s winter, the doors are still open. The gallery on Carders doesn’t even have a door, just the metal gate we close at the end of the day. I don’t want that barrier between art and people on the street. I don’t want people to feel obliged to buy something by coming inside. Tourists and locals alike can just wander in, listen to the music, watch the toy trains going round and round and talk to me if they like. And then if they want to buy something, great. I think people can really feel the different vibe we try to create.

By Ben Rowdon

SCOOP

I’m from Córdoba, Argentina. Ninety percent of the Argentinians you meet outside of Argentina are going to be from Buenos Aires, so I always stress the fact that I’m not. I don’t want to be like everybody else. Plus, Córdoba is a beautiful town. It’s located inland, and people are quieter and more down-to-earth, even though it is a university town.

The National University of Córdoba is actually the oldest university in Argentina.

I left Argentina because, although the culture is similar to Barcelona, it’s not as international. Everyone looks the same, dresses the same and is looking for the same things in life. If you are a little bit different from that standard—if you are gay or an artist—it’s like ‘Whoa, he’s so strange’. And don’t even try to be a vegetarian there. People will think you’re purposely trying to be original. They wonder why you can’t just be like everyone else and eat meat.

For me, Europe is small. Everything is close together, and you can travel to many places without much money. In 2006, I was travelling around Europe and I chose Barcelona to be my next home. I chose it over all the other cities I had visited. In this way, I feel as though I am more from here than people who were born here. They were just stuck in this city, whereas I controlled my own destiny.

I will always love to travel. I’m a bit of a workaholic, but travelling forces me to take a break from work and clear my head. I think life is too short to see the same places over and over again, though, which is why I never go back to Argentina. If I go home, I know exactly what it’s going to be like.

I want to spend my time in places that will provide a completely different experience.

I started making art as a hobby. Today people call me an artist, and I don’t correct them, but in my head I think ‘it’s just a hobby’. When I first came to Barcelona, I tried to find a job based on my studies as an industrial designer. I went to a few interviews, but it was the beginning of the crisis and there was no work. I knew I wanted to create something different every day. When it comes to art, you can do that with just a piece of paper.

This idea led me to open my first gallery six and a half years ago.

The photo boxes are my own unique creations. At least I haven’t seen anyone else making anything like them. I originally got the idea because my mum asked me to send her a picture of my house. I sent her the door of my home in El Born, but I knew she would also want a peek inside. A friend of mine asked me to do the same for his shop—take a photo of the outside then cut out part of the view to see a shot of the interior. Then I wanted to capture the view out of my window, but with the shutters still in the frame. They progressively got better from there. Now I have 2,000 different views. The possibilities are endless in a city like this. There are so many iconic storefronts, gates covered in graffiti, impressive views, beautiful buildings, etc. People love them for this reason. They can take home a real piece of Barcelona.

Now there are three galleries, which are also studios where you can actually see artists at work. At the first location on Portal Nou, we do all the paintings that you see in the exhibition spaces, and we put together the photographs of buildings and interiors for the layered shadow boxes of Barcelona. In the Carders gallery, we make the box frames for those photos, cutting the wood, sanding and varnishing it. And on Petritxol, we

Photo by Andreea-Doria Costin.

30, OWNER OF GALERÍA MAXÓ, ARGENTINA. TEXT BY RACHEL HUFFMAN.

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