MAY 2011 | Nยบ 172 | Free
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Contents
May 2011 36. JEZEBELS
30. PRIMAVERA SOUND
Features Rollerblading round Barcelona
14
Repair, recycle, renew
18
Heron’s eye view of the city
22
34. L’ART DEL MENJAR
From the Senior Editor:
Regulars On our web
06
An inside look
07
The month
08
Columns
11
Interview: Venus O’Hara
13
M5: Cheap beer and wine
26
On
29
Food and drink—Reviews and more
36
Back page
58
DIRECTORIES Food & Drink
40
Marketplace
44
We’re featuring communities in this month’s magazine. From its football-mad culers to its traditional trade gremis and its associations of veíns organising local street parties, Barcelona is full of these social (and sociable) sub-sets. First up, Roberta Coci joined the hundreds of rollerblading enthusiasts who glide their way through local streets every Friday night. In these stricken economic times, getting broken items mended rather than simply throwing them out is undoubtedly for the best in terms of saving money and the environment; Natasha Young introduces us to some of the professional repairers that you’ll find in Barcelona. We also explore two non-human communities: Lucy Brozska took a trip to the zoo to see the colony of herons that spontaneously set itself up there, while Roger de Flower turns his attention to the growing number of wild boar (and their pursuers) living in the city’s hills. Finally, you probably consider yourself part of some kind of cultural community, whether it be opera buffs, art lovers or music aficionados: whichever one you belong to, you’re almost bound to find something of interest in this month’s ON section, which includes video art, literary readings, rockabilly and, of course, novelty erasers. Hannah Pennell
Publisher Creative Media Group, S.L. Managing Director Esther Jones Senior Editor Hannah Pennell Editor Katy MacGregor Art Director Aisling Callinan Sales Director Rainer Hobrack Account Executives Richard Cardwell and Thomas McKeown Marketing & Communication Manager Jade Anglesea Sales Assistant Clare Bleasdale Financial Assistant Kim Kalter Editorial Assistants Dylan Clive, Hatty Copeman and Lucy Wright Design Assistant Santiago Amaya Contributors Jonathan Bennett, Lucy Brzoska, Roberta Coci, Roger de Flower, Edward Hugh, Tara Stevens, Nicola Thornton and Natasha Young Photographers Lucy Brzoska, Richard Lee Owens, Beatriz Schulze and Lee Woolcock Cover photo Jody Levitus Illustrator Ben Rowdon Editorial Office: Enric Granados 48, entlo. 2ª, 08008 Barcelona. Tel. 93 451 4486, Fax. 93 451 6537; editorial@barcelona-metropolitan.com Sales: sales@barcelona-metropolitan.com. General enquiries: info@barcelona-metropolitan.com. www.barcelona-metropolitan.com Printer: Litografia Rosés. Depósito Legal: B35159-96 The views expressed in Barcelona Metropolitan are not necessarily those of the publisher. Reproduction, or use, of advertising or editorial content herein, without express permission, is prohibited.
Find your nearest distribution point on www.barcelona-metropolitan.com
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06 INTERNET
on our web... Extract: Explaining Catalunya
Ask the Expert
British writer Matthew Tree has won himself quite a following here thanks to his novels, articles and essays written in Catalan. But he’s not been completely ignoring his mother tongue and now a collection of his writings in English, where he seeks to explain local politics and society, have been collected into a book entitled Barcelona, Catalonia: A View from the Inside. Read an extract and enter our competition to win yourself one of three ebooks we’re giving away at: www.barcelona-metropolitan.com/ matthewtree
For the second month running, Edward Hamilton, a financial and business coach will be on hand as our resident ‘Expert’. So if you have a small business or are thinking of starting one and have any questions about marketing or business strategies, or are looking for financial guidance, then please get in touch. Email any questions you have to editorial@barcelona-metropolitan.com
Ticket giveaway The Beauty Queen of Leenane was awardwinning director Martin McDonagh’s first play and tells the tale of tragic family relations and love lost in the small Irish village Leenane. The play is being performed at the Riereta Teatre for four nights starting on May 18th and we have two double tickets to give away for the 18th and 19th. To win a set, check out www.barcelonametropolitan.com/beautyqueen
Win: Comedy tickets! The organisers of Giggling Guiri are having a bit of a thing about New Yorkers at the moment, with Lee Camp performing to sell-out crowds back in March and now it’s the turn of Danny Lobell, who brings his show ‘New York, New York’ to the Café Teatre Llantiol on May 14th after a stint at the Glasgow Comedy Festival. The Big Apple has long been a comic inspiration for the likes of Woody Allen and Jerry Seinfeld, so Lobell’s show is sure to include some wise-cracking observations about his home town. We’re lucky enough to have two individual tickets to the event to give away. To be in with a chance of winning, simply answer the following question: In which borough of New York was Jerry Seinfeld born? Email you answer to readers@barcelona-metropolitan.com by May 9th.
www.barcelona-metropolitan.com
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COVER 07
An inside look Photographer Jody Levitus
B
orn and bred in Glasgow, I studied at Edinburgh College of Art, spent a year in Australia then had 10 fantastic years in London meeting the most incredible people who have helped to shape my life. I worked in the crazy world of music videos where I started to take stills. For me, photography is all about capturing those unexpected moments, those little slices of life that come and go so quickly. A photographer I like: Steve McCurry, Andreas Gursky, William Eggleston, Robert Polidori, Cindy Sherman, too many to name. A time of day: Early evening when the streets become magical. A place in Barcelona: Cycling around the city with my headphones on, taking in everything. An essential item: Paper and pen for writing down whatever comes into my head. The cover: It’s an everyday image from the barrio but the colours drew me in and I couldn’t live without my jeans. Who could?
www.jodylevitus.info
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08 THE MONTH
The music sounds better with you To the many people still mourning the loss of the likes of La Paloma on the city’s live music scene—a result of the Ajuntament’s crackdown on noise—the opening of Music Hall can only be seen as a good thing. The sister venue to City Hall opened its doors in April and the line-up already looks impressive. Those Dancing Days, Darwin Deez and Hola a Todo el Mundo are all set to play this summer and what with the central location, bang up-to-date music system and room for 500 people, this really is a welcome addition to the Barcelona music scene. Music Hall, Rambla de Catalunya 2-4. www.musichall.es
Fashion
In this feature, fashion writer Vera Ciria talks us through what’s on her Barcelona style radar.
Photo by Ana Mogo. www.anamogo.com
Sparkling like a rare jewel at Passeig de Gràcia 93, sits the newly refurbished Santa Eulalia store. After two years of intense work, and just in time to usher in spring, the store has once again thrown open its doors, welcoming old and new clients, wellwishers and voyeurs. Santa Eulalia presents an impressive historical view of life in Barcelona over the last 168 years; the first store opened in 1843 and was located on the small square Pla de la Boquería. From the 1848 inauguration of the Liceu to the Spanish Civil War, Santa Eulalia has stood witness to many such historical events. In 1944, the current location became the go-to destination for
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May menswear and childrens’ garments, with womenswear just two blocks away. The current redesign has been carried out by the renowned architect William Sofield and the store now blends an oldworld sensibility with a clean, modern edge. Never before has the store boasted so many square metres of pure luxury. Spanning three floors, the basement houses menswear and the ground floor is dedicated to accessories, with two collaborative areas to showcase new brands. The upper floor is the women’s domain with each room unwrapping like a fairytale package. There are shoes, clothes and even more accessories. Also on the top floor is the small café-cum-restaurant, boasting a sumptuous Eixample terrace. Breakfast, aperitifs, lunch or a spot of tea are just some of the mouth-watering temptations that are on offer thanks to the discerning choices of café chef and director, Sylvia Quintero. Lanvin and Céline, Tom Ford and Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga and Stella McCartney, so many labels jostle for your attention, crying out to those who can afford such beautiful things. (They also cry out to those of us who can’t afford them, unfortunately.) The other perfect thing about Santa Eulalia? The warm welcome. Many of the shop assistants have been on board for years and they know who is coming in to spend some cash and who is there for a peak. All are welcomed with equal pleasure. For once you step inside these magical doors, the past and the present collide and one suddenly feels strangely at home. Santa Eulalia, Passeig de Gràcia 93. www.santaeulalia.com
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THE MONTH 09
Get ready to rock!
Are you one of those people who knows all the words to every song ever recorded by Pink Floyd? Are you always the first up on stage at karaoke, belting out Aerosmith? If so, then I suspect you already know about the arrival of Barcelona’s first museum dedicated to rock. Based in the recently-opened Las Arenas, the Museu del Rock houses seven rooms of chronologically-ordered musical memorabilia with The Beatles and The Rolling Stones getting their own rooms. Highlights include the jacket Michael Jackson wore whilst filming ‘Bad’ and Kurt Cobain’s signed bass guitar (pictured above). A definite must for any discerning rock fan. www.museudelrock.com
Health kick With an eye to looking after your health and your bank balance, take advantage of our half-price offer on the entrance price to the 18th edition of the Feria BioCultura. For €3 instead of €6, you can pick up all the organic products you can handle including food stuffs, cosmetics and clothes. Plus find out about recycling, eco-tourism and how to reduce your energy consumption.To qualify for the discount, please cut out and present the voucher below. Feria BioCultura. May 13th to 16th. Palau Sant Jordi.
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COLUMNS 11
Wild Barcelona Text and photos by Lucy Brzoska
Money talk By Edward Hugh
Edward Hugh is a British Barcelona-based macro economist. In this column, he explains some of the current ins and out of the local economy.
RESCUE ME
“O
Face of a bee orchid
Bee orchid on Montjuïc
Orchids in May
T
he pines that crown Montjuïc are just a scrap of woodland, but they occasionally harbour a floral surprise, especially in the grassy outskirts. And that’s despite the ruthless housekeeping instincts of Parcs i Jardins, whose mantra when it comes to wild flowers is “Off with their heads!”. The Bee orchid (Ophrys apifera) is always a marvel, but on this over-developed patchwork hill, with its myriad of functions (a dog rescue centre is to be squeezed in next), its appearance seems like a miracle. Somehow, the flower’s utter strangeness is brought into sharper relief in such a location. Ophrys orchids are tricksters, faking the scent of receptive female bees and producing flowers that mimic the furry insect body. They offer no nectar in exchange for pollination, which is performed by deluded male bees excitedly trying to mate with the flowers. The markings and structure of the Bee orchid are wonderfully intricate. From a distance it seems that each flower, positioned at intervals along the stem, has a busily feeding bumblebee attached. As you get closer, the impression disappears to be replaced by some bizarre character from a Japanese manga, a laughing homunculus welcoming you with furry arms. The more you look, the stranger the anatomy of the flower becomes. Pompoms dangling from what resembles a duck’s head turn out to be waxy clusters of pollen, the pollinia. These get attached to the visiting bee during the frenzy of attempted copulation and are carried away to fertilise another flower. Most conspicuous of all is the highly evolved labellum, the velvety bottom petal suggestive of a bee. The angle at which it juts out provides a comfortable platform for the would-be pollinator. Purple and cream markings give the ‘face’ a smart shirt collar. Only the three pink or white sepals in the background correspond to a more conventional idea of a flower.
Lucy Brzoska runs nature tours and writes for www.iberianature.com
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h take me in your arms. Rescue me...” It seems like everyone who is anyone wants to get themselves rescued these days, although a little life experience should warn us that not everyone ends up as happy as they expected, once they find out who exactly it is they have been encouraging to come and rescue them; after the mask comes off, that is. Take the Icelanders, the early recipients of an IMF-style rescue. Only later were they to find out how strict their new partner really was and just what they were getting themselves into. But while it is easy to start relationships, it is often harder to break them up. So even though the Icelanders are now voting to try to break some of the bonds that bind them, with recent referenda on whether to repay €3 billion to the UK and the Netherlands owed as a result of Iceland’s bank system crashing, they are also about to find that divorce proceedings are costly. Indeed the UK and Dutch governments are threatening to take them to court for around €4 billion, and if they don’t pay, the country could easily find itself denied international credit lines. Iceland is a small country and most of us have considerable sympathy with the situation its inhabitants find themselves in. Being asked to pay for the stupidity of others is never an agreeable experience. But the Icelanders have become the unfortunate victims of historic circumstances, because in the background to their plight lies the European debt crisis and the situation of two other countries who have also found themselves burdened down with debt, Ireland and Greece. They, too, look like they will not be able to pay for all the debt their citizens have been landed with and talk of future restructuring (a polite expression for not paying part of the debt) is widespread. So all that sympathy for Iceland’s predicament is likely to evaporate in the face of worries about setting precedents. Now Portugal is about to find itself in the same jam, while hushed voices everywhere are whispering “will Spain be next?” Certainly the Spanish financial system badly needs restructuring, but any such process is likely to be expensive, more costly than the sum the Spanish government (which is preoccupied by the need to stay within agreed deficit limits) would really like to spend. So having a helping hand from someone really might be useful. Yet then come all the doubts.
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INTERVIEW 13
Venus O’Hara
Fetish model, writer and sex consultant, UK, 32
I’ve lived in Barcelona since May 2002. I was looking for a ‘Spanish Paris’ and I found everything I wanted from a city here. I got into fetish modelling years ago when I was working at a printing company. One of my clients was the Erotic Review and I sent them some photos of myself as a joke. They were looking for someone to play the character of secretary ‘Tilly Johnson’, who had a monthly column with photos and was the face of the Erotic Review’s marketing literature, and thought I’d be the perfect choice. I enjoyed the experience so much, I began to model in more photosets, styled and directed by myself and produced for my fetish photo-blog. How I live my life now is all me. If anything, it was only when I had conventional jobs that I had to hide my real personality. Fetishism is a way of life and it’s a relief to be myself full-time, finally. My latest book, Love Me Like You Hate Me—co-written with Erika Lust—shows the world of sadomasochism in a new light. I’m very keen to educate people that non-scary S&M and fetishism isn’t just possible but is a lot of fun. Being a fetishist, it’s never easy to find a playmate so I suppose my personal life is the same as it has always been. I’ve always had a strong personality and some men find it intriguing whereas others can find it intimidating. I’m not emotionally involved with anyone at the moment, so jealousy, etc. isn’t an issue. However, I believe that in the fetish world, boundaries and expectations are much clearer than in normal relationships. I have several slaves and they are very useful. They serve me by correcting my Spanish texts, marketing my website (www. venusohara.org), sending me clothes, jewellery, cosmetics and chocolate, taking my bins down… I don’t have a sexual relationship with any of them. I tend to work late, so I like to spend many evenings writing for my web. When I’m not writing, I’m either interacting with my slaves or out having a drink with friends in Gràcia or in the Born. I have a monthly column in the print edition of GQ Spain and I like to give advice that nobody expects to read in a sex column. Basically, I want to help the readers become better and more confident lovers. I think S&M is present in most human relationships. I just try and make sure I’m always in control! If you want to get noticed and be obeyed, I would recommend wearing heels that make noise when you walk, good posture, speaking slowly and always maintaining eye contact when you are talking to someone. I don’t read books anymore. I am in the fortunate position of being able to lie back and listen to a slave reading a book to me. My recent favourite has to be Venus in Furs, which was read to me five pages at a time. Interview by Nicola Thornton. Photo by Lee Woolcock.
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14 ROLLERBLADING
Every Friday night, rollerbladers take over the streets of Barcelona. By Roberta Coci. Photos by Richard Lee Owens.
I
f you’ve ever crossed paths with the Barcelona Friday night group skate, you’ll know that in this city, rollerblading is more than just a sport. Hundreds of skaters dominate the streets as they burst through the city together, weaving their way around the tiny corners of the Gòtic neighbourhood and stopping traffic as they navigate Eixample’s grid. The weekly event is the brainchild (and hard work) of APB, or the Associació de Patinadors de Barcelona. Formed in 2003, APB now has over 600 members, and it runs a pretty tight ship when it comes to organising these, and other, events. Group president, Juan Carlos García, lights up when he starts telling me about the Friday night skates. “This is really a great way to explore the city”, he said, explaining that there are seven different routes, which they rotate every week, and that each route takes you through different, but equally scenic parts of the city. “The routes are each about 15 to 18 kilometres, and usually this takes us about one-anda-half to two hours to get through,” he explained. “We pass the Sagrada Família, go through El Gótico, skate along the beach. We go at a fairly
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relaxed pace, so everyone socialises and chats along the way.” Juan Carlos gives me a quick rundown on how the weekly event works, explaining that in winter it attracts about 150 to 200 skaters, whereas in summer as many as 300 pitch up. “It’s a very organised activity,” he said, “in that we have the support of the Ayuntamiento, and that about 25 of the more advanced members volunteer to help. They act as marshalls, controlling the traffic, and skating in front of and behind the group in order to keep everyone together.” He added that as long as you have an intermediate level (you need to know how to brake, turn and jump pavements), you’ll have no problems taking part in the routes. A week before meeting Juan Carlos I’d gone on my first skate with a bunch of friends, so his casual mention of jumping pavements far from passed me by. Rollerblading is probably the most fun I’ve had on my feet in years, but it’s definitely not as easy as it seems. Everyone I tried skating with were novices, bar one, who still has his original Eighties’ roller skates. Despite not having skated in over 20 years, he still managed to swish around like a reprobate teenager, and thanks to
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ROLLERBLADING 15
Staying inline
Rollerblading is probably the most fun I’ve had on my feet in years...
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him, we had a constant shirt to pull on and a landing pad to crash into, which fast-tracked our progress in that first wobbly hour. I must admit that feeling out of control of my body was terrifying at first, but once we got our rather inelegant rhythm going, the sensation of cruising down Barceloneta walkway, dodging tourists and tackling ramps was nothing short of exhilarating. We concentrated on learning to brake that first day, and I was surprised at how much we all learned in just two hours, but we still ended the session with some spectacular wipeouts. So if, like me, the idea of jumping pavements terrifies you, APB also offers free classes every Tuesday night. Xavi Blanch, who runs the classes, explained that they cater to all levels, and that everyone is welcome. “Just come down to el Parc del Clot at ten thirty on a Tuesday evening and we’ll assign you to your level,” he said. “As a complete beginner, you’ll probably need a maximum of 10 hours of skating before joining the routes.” The Barcelona APB group has no age limits, with the youngest member being just a few months old and the oldest being well into his 70s.
>>
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16 ROLLERBLADING
>>
“Generally our members are sporty people looking for a fun, new activity,” explained Xavi, “which is why it’s a really social group and a great way to meet new people.” But while it sounds all peachy, rollerblading hasn’t always been so widely accepted—and it still has a long way to go. Historically, it’s had flack from both ends. In the early Nineties, skaters used to call rollerbladers ‘fruitbooters’ and, considering the sport dorky and less difficult than skating, they refused to allow them in their skate parks. At the same time, general society grouped them with skateboarders, seeing them as troublemakers who made life difficult for pedestrians and drivers alike. While the sport is generally more accepted today, rollerbladers still have their battles to fight. In Barcelona, the sport is not illegal, but neither is it legal, explained Juan Carlos. “Sure, you can skate. But you’re only allowed to go the same speed as pedestrians, which is at about six kilometres per hour, and you have to keep at least a one-and-a-half metre distance from pedestrians.” No mean feat, trying to make your way down Portal del Angel, added Xavi. That said, things have changed a great deal in the last few decades. Paris is a great example of how city officials can help make a sport acceptable. The Friday night group skate in Paris (called Pari Roller) is
considered the largest repeating group skate in the world, with thousands of participants on occasion; the annual Paris-Versailles charity skate is alleged to have attracted up to 50,000 people. But this is only possible because the city encourages the sport. Police officers act as marshalls, accompanying the weekly group on rollerblades, and subsequently helping to boost the sport’s public image. The group skate is popular in other cities as well, with the Sunday Skate Night in Berlin attracting over 10,000 skaters during the summer months, and cities as far apart as Copenhagen and Buenos Aires, London and Tokyo, New York and Amsterdam, all hosting popular events. Back in Barcelona, if you’re planning on trying something new this year, spring’s the perfect time to pull out your skates. Classes and routes with the APB are free, and there is a token annual fee of €30 if you plan on becoming a member (the added bonus is that this buys you insurance, just in case you don’t get the hang of that brake too quickly). “Whether you come to classes or not,” said Xavi, “the best piece of advice I can give you is to learn to rollerblade in a group. While it’s great exercise, rollerblading is, above all, a social activity, so take advantage of the fact that you can meet new people or spend time with your friends while doing something healthy.”
WORD ON THE STREET Barcelona skaters explain what keeps them rolling… Ariane Hildebrandt (Germany): I started inline skating a few years ago when I was shooting a documentary in LA. A Swiss cameraman gave me an instant ‘crash course’ in learning how to brake, and I haven’t stopped since. Whenever I travel, my skates come with me—it’s the best way to explore a new city. Miquel Juncosa (Barcelona): Skating is a great way to spend the afternoon laughing with friends. I don’t really do it as a sport, for me it’s more a social event, kind of like going to the movies or out for dinner. Eleanett Perez (Cuba): I love the feeling of
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freedom you get while skating. When I can I join the group skates on Fridays—it’s a great way to socialise while exploring Barcelona. Eva del Hoyo (Madrid): I’ve been skating since I was a kid, when I was given a pair of those skates you can attach to your shoes. I love the feeling of speeding down a street listening to music, or going skating with a group of friends. Carl Ringquist (Sweden/Uganda): I started skating when I lived in Paris, as it was a great way to get to know the city and train at the same time. Here in Barcelona nothing
beats skating along Barceloneta all the way to the Fòrum. Luciana Abranches Sucupira (Brazil): I love the feeling of wind in my face, and being able to act like I’m a kid again. For me, skating’s a way of putting aside the seriousness we’re told we have to live by. GETTING STARTED For classes, contact APB: www.patinarbcn.org or info@patinarbcn.org To buy or rent skates: www.patinalia.com / www.inercia.com
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18 MENDING
Make do and mend In these difficult times, rather than simply discarding broken or worn-out items, better to repair and renew. By Natasha Young.
I
n an age of fast-changing technology, shops that sell everything for a euro and clothes that cost less than your morning croissant and cortado, it hardly seems worth the bother of getting anything fixed, darned or fiddled about with anymore. But here in Barcelona, the city is full of tiny hidden shops that repair everything from toasters and tights to antique furniture and cutlery, while there are organisations that will help you do the fixing yourself, all of which can help save money and more besides. DO-IT-YOURSELF For those interested in upping tools themselves, Reparat Millor que Nou is a city council initiative that aims to increase the life expectancy of the objects people buy and thus reduce the amount of rubbish Barcelona produces. Started in May 2009 under the auspices of Àrea Metropolitana de Barcelona’s environment department and located in Floridablanca, the project has thrived (more than 1,300 people visit every month) and is scheduled to move to a new, bigger location with more services on offer. Professionals, tools and, perhaps most importantly, space are available each day to enable you to take along furniture, electronic goods and computer equipment to repair yourself on-site, while they also run free workshops and courses in DIY, carpentry, electronics, sewing and bike repairs, as well as special events aimed at children. CLOTHES AND ACCESSORIES Barcelona was a vastly different place when Comercial de Guarnicionería SLU first opened for business in 1910. Back then, horses still clipclopped their way along the city’s streets and Comercial de Guarnicionería SLU had clients
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queuing up to have their saddles, whips and stirrups repaired. A century on and times may have changed, but the customers still come: boat-owners in need of bits and pieces, housewives looking for a few eyelets to fix a shower curtain and dog owners with broken leads. Although they specialise in fixing riding and hunting equipment, the staff at this cavernous, dark shop fix just about anything made from leather, apart from clothes. Belts, bags, wallets and old suitcases can all get a make-over here. However, if it’s a leather jacket you need to spruce up, Barcelona is bursting at the seams with places that can help you. Tailors and seamstresses work with all fabrics—including leather—and will hem your trousers, take in your tops and sew on your buttons in a matter of hours. While chains like La Yaya Costurera have branches across the city for this kind of arreglo, there are other, smaller enterprises offering a more personal touch. For example, Arreglista, the company of Argentine Natalia Jerkovic: although she works with fashion designers on their collections and can create wedding and party dresses, Jerkovic and her team also do alterations big and small to clothes of all sorts, with prices starting at just €5. Once the work is done, providing you live in Barcelona and don’t need to try it on again, Arreglista will deliver the mended item straight to your flat. TECHNOLOGY Every time Apple launch a new all-singing, all-dancing Mac or Microsoft update their operating system, Barcelona’s Entitat del Medi Ambient must groan with displeasure. The modern world’s obsession with the new and the shiny means a mountain of work for those who have to deal with disposing of our rubbish, and elec-
tronic waste is a particular headache. George Cowdery has been fixing Barcelona’s Apple Macs for the last 16 years. On-trend Mac users might currently be lusting after the new iPad 2 but, according to Cowdery, they’d do just as well to shake the dust off their old computer and give it a make-over. “A brand new iMac will set you back around €1,200 but the old G5s are great,” he said. “If you replace the hard drive and update the system you can effectively have a new computer for just over €100.” G4s and other older models might not have the processing power you need to watch films smoothly but you can still use them to surf the net, do your homework or check your email. Many of Cowdery’s clients still go out and buy the latest model but refurbish the old one so they have a decent back-up if things go wrong. Cowdery himself, meanwhile, is a popular man amongst his neighbours. “I give away my old computers to friends or the neighbours’ kids— there’s always someone who can make use of them,” he said. While we might not all be fortunate enough to own a Mac, it’s safe to say that the large majority of us have a camera of some kind kicking around at home. Improvements in digital technology have made it increasingly cheap to buy a quality machine, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that if your current camera conks out, you can afford to simply replace it. At Casanova Fotografia on Ronda Universitat, you can have all manner of camera-related paraphernalia sorted out, including lenses, flashes and projectors. Costs vary significantly, depending on the make of camera: fixing a lens can cost anywhere between €60 and €300, while getting electronic problems seen to might set you back between €100 and €300. Accord-
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MENDING 19
ing to salesperson Nazaret Garcia, the crisis has seen more people bringing in their cameras to be repaired. However, “it depends on the cost. If the repairs cost more than €100, people usually buy a new camera,” she added. HOME AND HOBBIES While most people are likely to suffer from rather humdrum household woes like a leaky washing machine or a noisy fridge, a lucky few need to call in the artisans when things go wrong. Should you unearth a crime against flooring by discovering a beautiful but unloved Modernista tile floor under the parquet or need a muchloved piece of jewellery restored, Montserrat Herrán Herrán is the woman to call. Based at Montserrat Per l’Art in Gràcia, this family business (started by Herrán’s great-greatgrandfather in 1848) work with everything from stained glass and porcelain to ceramics and tiles and they also run classes in art and restoration from the back of their shop. They are now the only place in Barcelona that painstakingly reproduces Modernista tiles by hand. “It’s impossible to restore them as the tiles and pigments no longer exist,” explained Herrán, “so we take them up one by one and reproduce them.” It’s a time-consuming, meticulous and expensive job but the results are extraordinary: only an expert would be able to spot the difference. Round the corner, Richard Da Silva is wielding a hammer at the GuitarHospital. In his workshop at the back of Guitarland, he’s fixing the neck of an acoustic belonging to semi-retired American session musician Ricky Araiza. The shop claims to make new friends rather than new clients, and it’s clear that these two are old mates. “The most common problem
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Richard Da Silva—photo by Lee Woolcock
>>
>>
Making the most of Reparat Millor que Nou—photo by Santiago Amaya
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20 MENDNG
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with guitars?” said Da Silva, throwing a playful grin at Araiza. “Definitely the owners.” Da Silva can fix just about every kind of stringed instrument but he specialises in guitars. He has no truck with musicians who break them. “Musical instruments are a tool you can express your feelings with but it’s like karma: it gives back what you put in. Musicians that treat guitars badly always wind up dead—just look at Jimi Hendrix!” A new guitar will set you back anything from €50 for the cheapest model to obscene sums for customised builds, while €200 will get you something decent to play with. However, dig out your battered old one and Da Silva can fix it up for around €50 by fitting new strings and giving everything a good tweak. Just be sure to not bring it in in two pieces or it won’t be just your guitar that winds up in hospital. As all these fixers and restorers prove, recycling isn’t just about diligently rinsing out your yoghurt pots and separating your rubbish: reducing what you buy and finding ways to reuse what you already have is just as vital. It’s kinder to your wallet too. With the economy on its knees and landfill sites overflowing, there’s never been a better time to make do and mend.
MORE INFO Reparat Millor que Nou, Floridablanca 132. Tel. 93 424 2871. Open Monday to Friday, 10am to 2pm and 4.30 to 9pm for you to do your repairs, with or without professional help. Workshops run throughout the week, including Saturday mornings; they last 2.5 hours and you have to sign up in advance either by calling or emailing reparat@millorquenou.cat. www.reparatmillorquenou.blogspot.com On the website www.millorquenou.cat, you’ll find a directory that offers details of places that you can take myriad items to be repaired including watches, umbrellas and sewing-machines. Comercial de Guarnicionería SLU, Passeig Picasso 14. Tel. 93 319 6843. Mon to Fri: 8am to 3pm; Sat: 8am to 1pm. La Yaya Costurera: www.layayacosturera.com. Customer services: Tel. 902 17 77 72. Arreglista,Tel. 93 254 1098 or 607 707 864. By appointment only www.tuarreglista.com GeoMac, Tel. 606 308 932 or e-mail: machelp@geomac.es Casanova Fotografia, Ronda Universitat 35; Pelai 18. Tel. 93 302 7363. www.casanovafoto.com Montserrat Per L’Art, Torrent de l’Olla 5. Tel. 93 415 5638. Email: herran28@hotmail.com. Mon to Fri: 10.30am to1.30pm and 4.30 to 8pm; Sat: 11.30am to 6pm Guitarland/Guitarhospital, Diluvi 6. Tel. 93 218 8677 Mon to Sat: 10am to 2pm, 5 to 8.30pm. www.guitarland-bcn.com
Montserrat Herrán (left)—photo by Lee Woolcock
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jazz R&B music
GILCO PRODUCTIONS
in collaboration with The REIAL CERCLE ARTISTIC presents:
and the MICHELE FABER QUINTET jazz, rhythm and blues and contemporary music
Saturday, June 18, 2011 at 8:30 p.m in the Sala d’ACTES of the
REIAL CERCLE ARTISTIC
(C/. Arcs 5, Barcelona (near the Cathedral). Entrance fee €20 for non-members with a 20 % discount for members of the REIAL CERCLE ARTISTIC GWEN PERRRY is a vocalist, interpreter and international show woman who has been dubbed as “The lady of Song and of Music”. Her repertory ranges from jazz to rhythm and blues to beautiful, romantic ballads. It has been said that her vocal and interpretive qualities are “incomparable, personal and vibrant to the point that her audience wishes to involve themselves in her performance”. Gwen sings in her mother language of English and has been known to sing as well, in Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, German, Greek and Catalan.
For more information: gilcoproductions11@gmail.com
All Smiles In today’s society having great looking teeth denotes youthfulness and promotes our social and business status. If you’re looking to make yourself more marketable for your career or more attractive to the opposite sex, teeth whitening just might help give you that boost of confidence and self-esteem you need. Pro Blanco is the first and only clinic dedicated solely to professional teeth whitening in Barcelona. The licensed dentists and hygienists will help guide you through the options of carrying out your treatment either at the clinic or at home. Boil-n-bite trays or cheap imitations have a high tendency to cause sensitivity or produce little or no results. Over ninety percent of people are candidates for teeth whitening but should ask a professional which treatment is best for them, which will save money and what are the potential problems.
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Clinical treatments will produce immediate results within an hour using a laser and whitening gel. At-home treatments are done by the patient using a fabricated mould of their teeth. The necessary whitening materials and detailed instructions are given by the clinic and they can expect to see results in one to two weeks. Whitening is achieved through a process of oxidation when carbamide peroxide, a material in the whitening gel, breaks down. Stains from the enamel are removed leaving the enamel unharmed. The biggest concern people have is if it’s safe for the teeth. Jeremy from Pro Blanco says, “The treatments when done correctly are perfectly safe. We inspect the mouth and ask questions before any treatment is started to make sure the patient is a suitable candidate for treatments. We take special care to thoroughly inform them of what to expect during and after each treatment to make certain they have a great experience.”
...Smile with style...
If you are interested in teeth whitening Pro Blanco is located on Carrer Tuset 17 and more information is on their web page.
www.problanco.com
4/20/11 2:31:48 PM
22 HERONS
A citadel of herons
Thirty years ago, a family of herons set up home at Barcelona Zoo; today more than 125 pairs nest there. Text and photos by Lucy Brzoska.
A
s the man swings his bucket, scattering silvery fish through the air, an extraordinary balletic display commences. Gangling, prancing birds, one metre high, jostle in competition. Spiky black crests spring up and vast grey wings are spread like capes. Strong orange bills grasp their catch. Long, sinuous necks bulge as it is swallowed. The scene is Barcelona Zoo, and the birds putting on the show are grey herons (Ardea cinerea). A common enough species but rarely seen in the centre of a city, especially in such quantities and proximity. There are over 125 pairs in this corner of Ciutadella Park, nesting high in the treetops, which makes it the largest urban heronry in Europe. The herons are sometimes mistaken by visitors as another exhibit, a decorative extra thrown in for the price of the ticket, like the peacocks who have the run of the place. But they are wild birds who have chosen to live in close proximity to man. When hunting for food outside the zoo grounds, they revert to extreme wariness, fleeing at the slightest human intrusion. Inside, other rules apply, providing a tremendous opportunity to observe them close-up. Walking through the zoo on a mild spring morning, I spotted a heron in a palm tree snaking its neck to pluck some nesting material. Another
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had alighted in a plane tree to present a long twig to its mate. The pair raised their crests in greeting and exchanged raucous “ruarks”. Over by the penguin pool, herons kept guard, glassy eyes giving nothing away as they waited for feeding time. Gradually, the zoo geared into action. A train laden with visitors wound along the paths, bell ringing. Flaming orange Cuban flamingos were in display mode, trumpeting in formation. Peacocks were screaming. Children on a school trip were yelling “Baloo! Baloo!” at a pair of slumbering bears. Adding to the congestion were lines of wide-eyed tiny tots hanging onto long ropes. Dodging all these obstacles were the zoo staff, mounted on bikes. The heronry adds a few more decibels to the general cacophony. By the primate and pelican enclosures, a sign advises visitors to look up. But my attention had already been drawn to the treetops by a strange nattering sound. Overhead, the towering plane trees were filled by large untidy nests. Scanning the boughs, I saw that several were occupied by chicks, the source of the babble. Goggle-eyed, spiky and ravenous, they were leaning out precariously, wobbling their throats and demanding food. Though still weeks away from acquiring the sleek elegance of their parents, some of the chicks were already quite grown, a sign of the
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HERONS 23
Two grey herons fighting over food colony’s success. Mild Barcelona weather encourages early breeding. A record was set in 2007, after a particularly balmy winter, when the first chick hatched on January 8th. With such favourable circumstances, some herons undertake two broods a year. Ornithologist Josep García, who has studied Barcelona’s herons for more than 20 years, told me that “this is the oldest heronry in Catalunya. It was founded more than 30 years ago, in 1974, by a pair of captive birds with clipped wings. Their offspring were free to fly away, but surprised everyone by returning to the zoo to breed.” As Barcelona is on a major bird migratory route, other herons soon spotted the nests and came down to investigate. They obviously found the conditions in the zoo to their liking and moved in. A benign climate is not the only advantage of the location. Surrounded by a densely urban environment, the herons have few predators to worry about. The principal danger for the chicks is falling from the nest or
being pushed out by a rival sibling. In the Llobregat Delta, by Barcelona’s airport, where herons nest low down among the reeds, conditions are much harsher. García explained that the small Llobregat colony “suffers intense predatory pressure from the introduced American mink, as well as boars and birds of prey like the marsh harrier and Bonelli’s eagle.” In the zoo, their main enemy is the nest-raiding black rat. Spring is a busy time as García monitors the entire heron population of Catalunya, wading unsteadily through lagoons and climbing shaky ladders to look at nests. In the zoo, he has the amenities of a city at hand, and glides smoothly upwards in a tree pruner’s lift. I ask him about his chick-ringing strategy. “It’s very important to know the exact moment of hatching. The ringing is done when they’re about three weeks old. Leave it any later and they’re able to escape by hopping onto another branch. I normally throw a towel over them so they stay calm, and I can ring them and take
• • • • • • •
The first Green Parenting shop in Barcelona
mapu
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mapu_ad_MAY2011.indd 1
>
Baby carriers Washable nappies Organic clothes Organic food Fair trade toys Natural cosmetics Breastfeeding items
Magdalenes 7, Barcelona 08002 mapu.barcelona@gmail.com www.mapubarcelona.com tel: 933 17 55 25
Mon-Fri: 10.30 - 14.00, 17.00 - 20.30 Sat: 11.00 - 14.00, 17.00 - 20.00
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24 HERONS
Heron colony in the trees of the zoo
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samples by just uncovering a leg.” I wondered if the large concentration of nests bothers the visitors of the zoo, there being a certain risk factor when walking underneath. “The chance of being hit by a bird dropping is quite small. Sure, it’s never pleasant, but the people who come to the zoo have some kind of interest in the animal world, and when they discover the sheer size of the offender and the number of nests above their heads, they are entranced rather than annoyed. “And the danger of falling nests is extremely low,” he continued. “Do you remember the gales that hit Barcelona a couple of years back, ripping up roofs, traffic lights, trees . . . well, not one heron nest fell!” Just as my neck was starting to ache from so much treetop gazing, a keeper approached the pelican enclosure and herons began parachuting down. I felt the turbulence generated by a 1.85 metre wingspan as one settled on the railing by my side. Ignoring me, it only had eyes for the bloke with the bucket. Most of the colony in fact disperses to feed, mainly to nearby rivers. Watching herons fish in the Llobregat Delta, you’re struck by their patience and stealth. Often remaining motionless for long periods, they will suddenly snatch their prey out of the water. But those who take their chances in the zoo, hoping to steal some of the fish destined for the captive population, need to move fast in the face of fierce competition. Electrified herons, with their most decorative plumes rising like the hackles of a cat, were soon engaged in tugs of war over spoils. One managed to fly off with a large trout, only to let it fall slapping to the ground. Another opportunist engulfed the fish on the spot, neck swollen like a recently-fed python. One heron dared to take an offering directly from the keeper’s hand, maintaining him safely at neck’s length. Fish are an important but not the only part of the grey heron’s varied diet. They will take amphibians and insects, as well as the eggs and
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chicks of other birds if available. Josep García has observed surprising interactions between herons and their neighbours in the canopy, Monk parakeets. Relentless twig-collectors, the Monks construct huge communal nests, an irresistible source of material for the herons’ own large structures. In their raids, the herons have discovered the edible contents of the multi-chambers within, much to the helpless agitation of the parents. The flamboyant herons have found a unique niche in Barcelona, which they’re exploiting with great success. They have transformed the zoo with their presence, as well as the city’s sky. Look up at any time of day and you might see their distinctive silhouettes, neck folded, broad wings beating steadily as they cross from breeding to hunting grounds. In the quiet of early morning, before the traffic roar builds up, their wild harsh cries carry far. FACTS AND FIGURES • The zoo heronry was founded in 1974. • Until 1992 it was the only stable heron breeding colony in Catalunya. • In 1997 the herons were joined by two other members of the ardeidae family: the Cattle egret and Little egret. • Landmark years in the colony’s growth were 1997, when 21 new pairs swelled the number of nests to 62, and 2003, when they reached 106. • The breeding period in the zoo can last from the end of December until the end of July or beginning of August. In 2007, the first egg hatched on January 8th. A grey heron’s vital statistics: Length—94 cm Wingspan—185 cm Weight (male and female)—1.5 kg
4/20/11 2:18:40 PM
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4/19/11 12:11:36 PM
26 M FIVE
five
Where to find cheap drinks in Barcelona.
By Dylan Clive. Photos by Santiago Amaya Gat Negre
After you’ve finished off a few of the cut-price cañas, it’s very difficult not to become mesmorised by the constantly changing green and red lights on the walls and faces of happy bar-goers. It does make for some good photos but should probably come with a strobe light health warning. Look out for the beaded decorations around the tables that add a homely touch to this bustling Gràcia bar.
Sant Lluis 47 Metro: Joanic (L4) Caña: €1.20
Bar Bodega
The seating is limited in this small Gràcia corner bar so go early to grab a perch on the much sought after outdoor ‘keg table’. It offers a civilised seat to calmly sip your budget bottle of beer and people watch to your heart’s content. Alternatively, the erotic paintings inside will no doubt be a conversation starter and could spark a memorable night. Carrer de l’Alzina 58 Metro: Fontana (L3) Bottled beer: €1.60
DO YOU KNOW OTHER places TO GET cheap drinks? SHARE THEM on our website: www.barcelona-metropolitan.com/cheapdrinks
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M FIVE 27
Vendrell’s Tavern
Cheap alcohol since 1934 and all from within a rather shady-looking garage conversion. All manner of bottles line the walls but €10 Malibu, €11.75 Baileys and €3.50 sangria particularly stand out. If at this stage you’re only dealing in shrapnel, then glasses of wine are less than the price of a first-class stamp—the ideal pitstop for those with a quantity over quality mentality.
Diputació 110 Metro: Rocafort (L1) Large shot glass of wine: 30 cents
Sugar
To make the most of the cheap cañas here, make sure you catch the person outside with the discount flyers. One of these will get you a free shot with your first drink and, to be honest, it would be rude not to. This is a good spot to rub shoulders with a multi-cultural crowd and drink till dawn with tourists and locals alike. Rauric 21 Metro: Liceu (L3) Caña: €1.50 + free shot with flyer
Can Paixano (La Champañeria)
The Barceloneta bar is jumping at the quietest of times and offers a new experience for even the most seasoned travellers. Squeeze past a sweaty crowd, all holding a glass of cava (often pink) and variations on a bacon cheeseburger, to find your inch of space for the night. Alternatively get there before 5pm and enjoy a bottle of bubbly before the evening stampede. A guaranteed messy night for various reasons. Reina Cristina 7 Metro: Barceloneta (L4) Glass of pink cava: 95 cents Bottle of cava (only available before 5pm): from €4.60
Next month: BARCELONA’S summer WARDROBE ESSENTIALS
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4/19/11 12:42:00 PM
On BLACK LIPS P. 31 SWAB P. 33 LOOP P. 33 L’ART DEL MENJAR P. 34
Work by Beate B. Kohler from ‘Borrón y cuenta nueva’. P.34
29 Cover copy 1.indd 1
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3
30 ON
the edit 5th
We trawl through the month’s cultural events and pick our favourites
I feel for all the youngsters who weren’t around for
8th
the release of albums like
Maxinquaye or Massive Attack’s Blue Lines because they’ve missed out on Tricky’s best ever work. His ominous, threateningly sexy sound got lost along the way with subsequent album releases and
Blowblack and Vulnerable were almost unforgivably bad. But it’s been nearly
Two writers join forces at this month’s Trilengua
10 years since then and he
event entitled ‘Poetry is the Sweetest Eye Can-
seems to be slowly making
dy’. The speakers are Valencian poet, playwright
his way back to his musical
and theatre director Ruth Sancho Huerga, who
roots. Mixed Race, his ninth
will be presenting visual poems from her col-
album, is being described
lection The Shadows of the Words, and novelist
as the best he’s been in
Shamala S. Palaniappan. A geneticist by training
ages but still just off a com-
and writer by design, she will be travelling to
plete return to glory.
Barcelona from Germany to recite from her col-
th 18 29th
lection of short stories. Free admission.
Tricky Bikini
Trilengua GAP Gallery www.trilengua.org
25th If Henry James or Edith Wharton were writing now instead of in the 19th century, I wonder if Primavera Sound would feature in their tomes as the first major gathering of the year. A place where the young and beautiful gather after the forced winter break on the social circuit. Perhaps they’d write of new relationships formed whilst dancing to Caribou or those rekindled to the sonic blasts of The Flaming Lips. Stolen flirty glances across the crowds at James Blake or friendships made in the toilet queue whilst extolling the virtues of Yuck, maybe. Society might not be what it was but the parties sure got better.
Primavera Sound Poble Espanyol & Parc del Fòrum www.primaverasound.com
8th
In last month’s magazine we said that the venue of the Artescape festival was La Mina. The festival is actually taking place in various venues across the city. Check the website for details, www.artixoc.org. Metropolitan regrets the error. ON Contributors: Sara Blaylock, Dylan Clive, Hatty Copeman, Colin Lawson, Annie Michie, Will Shank, Lucy Wright, Natasha Young
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ON 31
the gigs
Tiga
Cass McCombs
Laurent Garnier
Row 14, 1st
Razzmatazz, 16th
Razzmatazz, 19th
Owen Pallett
The New Raemon
The Wombats
Bikini, 4th
Razzmatazz, 18th
Apolo, 21st
McFly
Rakim and Rahzel
Erland and the Carnival
Razzmatazz, 8th
Apolo, 19th
Apolo[2], 22nd
Jim Jones Review
Russian Red
Apolo[2], 10th
L’Auditori, 19th
The Brand New Heavies Apolo, 26th
28th
Black Lips
KGB
Atlantan, psych-rock garage dudes Black Lips are the ultimate boy band gone bad. Their gigs are infamous for being a raucous spew of noise in squalid, low-ceilinged sweatboxes. The crazy, energetic shows have frequently included vomiting, urination, nudity, fireworks, flaming guitars and, incredibly, a chicken. The band were even chased out of India after exposing their penises on stage; frontman Cole Alexander likes to play his guitar solos hands free, if you know what I mean. Black Lips capture the DIY garage band aesthetic perfectly, but few groups could be so chaotic and at the same time so exciting. The band made sloppiness their style of choice in their first five albums and during their shows you could be forgiven for confusing what you’re witnessing with just a bunch of overwhelmed teenagers going crazy on their instruments in a friend’s garage. But contrary to the live performance chaos is Black Lips’ clever musical experiments and subtle harmonies that prove they’re far beyond youthful amateurs. More recently, it seems that the band have abandoned the slapdash recording style they’ve opted for in the past in favour of a more commercial sound and (thankfully) the group’s outrageous stage antics have also now taken a back seat. Their sixth studio album Arabia Mountain is a 16-track offering, co-produced by Mark Ronson and Lockett Pundt of Deerhunter, and it bears all the hallmarks of other classic punk records such as the Stooges’ Fun House. The band’s new commercial sound is indicative of wanting their music to reach a wider audience, but it’s evident they want to keep some level of integrity. The band may have gone more mainstream but they’re doing it on their own terms: writing songs about drunken Native Americans, dumpster diving and experimenting with country sounds. Beneath the clamour, the Black Lips are a pop-punk band producing excellent quality music and setting the standard high for others. Their new album has all the features of other much-celebrated works: conciseness, melody and bags of personality.--HC
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32 ON
th th 18 9
23rd
Dan Sartain
Sidecar
Dark glasses, quiff, leather jacket, vintage guitar. Dan Sartain knows how to use them all. Looking like he could have just walked in straight from a knife fight behind a Fifties’ diner, Sartain, the rockabilly underdog, is heading to town. During his young career, he has opened for The Hives and The White Stripes, bands, like him, with a definite emphasis on the sartorial. In fact, self-confessed groupie Jack White recorded the well-received ‘Bohemian Grove’ with Sartain. Stand-out tracks from recent years include ‘Young Girls’, ‘Voodoo’ and ‘Flight of the Finch’. All of which contain a fine concoction of garage, punk and rockabilly. His version of Roy Rogers’ ‘Dust’ has a real stripped-down country blues sound but there’s an inherently pure rock n’ roll essence in Sartain, which permeates everything he does. The energy and power of his sound is such that you feel like you’re watching a reincarnation of Gene Vincent, Iggy Pop and Ritchie Valens all thrown into one. John Lennon once said “There was nothing before Elvis” but Dan Sartain is proving there’s definitely something after him. The current tour is to support a 7” release and the launch of album Legacy of Hospitality. This compilation of rare tracks (songs from his early, self-released albums) was released on April 25th and comes as a CD/DVD bundle. The documentary Dan Sartain Lives is part of the deal and is said to contain early demos, outtakes and some great live footage. For some live footage of your very own get yourself down to Sidecar. It’s sure to be a classy slice of retro pie.--CL
Bill Callahan
Bikini
Bill Callahan, the troubled American troubadour with the salacious late-night radio voice, finally seems to have found himself. After almost 20 years recording under the name Smog and churning out everything from noisy lo-fi to introspective ballads, Callahan cleaned the slate in 2007 and reverted to his own name, and when he did, something magical happened. Take a trawl through Smog’s back catalogue and you’ll find a man who’s grown up through his music. He’s turned out moody instrumental soundscapes, minimalist garage rock, acoustic, lumpin-your-throat ballads and then (just when you thought you’d got him pigeon-holed), he whipped out a banjo and made you laugh. Callahan is clearly a man who likes to keep his fans, and his record company, on their toes. His latest album, Apocalypse, is a monstrously good record. The opening track ‘Drover’ is worthy of a Western with galloping percussion, soaring strings and lazy slide guitar. Other highlights are ‘Baby’s Breath’—an exquisite ode to settling down and finding your place in the world—and the upbeat finale ‘One Fine Morning’. Where once Callahan’s vocals were indistinct and low down in the mix, now his deep, deadpan baritone dominates and nuzzles your earlobes. His voice has grown richer and more confident over the years and on Apocalypse, it’s a tour de force. Bill Callahan got used to being under-rated. Music journalists might compare him to Leonard Cohen and enthuse that he’s one of the world’s finest songwriters (yet most laconic interviewees), but until now, the general record-buying public haven’t taken much notice. Now that they have, you’d be well advised to buy your tickets early. If there’s any justice in the world, this will be a sell-out.--NY
For more live events, visit our website: www.barcelona-metropolitan.com
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ON 33
26th
11
th
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SWAB
Various venues. www.swab.es
Contemporary art invades the city once more. Over a four-day period at the end of the month, 50 galleries from 14 different countries will exhibit work in what is being billed as “a programme that creates a cultural bridge between Catalunya and the rest of the world.” A key component of Swab is shedding light on new talent and for this reason, each participating gallery has been carefully selected for their focus on young and emerging contemporary artists. The art fair prides itself on providing an audience for works that would otherwise struggle to find such opportunity and, in the process, creates an unmissable experience for the general public to see the breadth of contemporary art being produced. However, this edition is not purely about exhibiting; bonus features of Swab 2011 include the promotion of recently-opened galleries through MYFAF (My First Art Fair). Four galleries, opened in the last two years, have been selected to display artwork at no cost of their own, with the hope of benefiting from the publicity. There is also the Swab Kids’ initiative to get the next generation involved. There is a new, and aptly-named, Lounge Zone and Chillout Terrace so if a row over ‘what actually constitutes art?’ takes a turn for the worse, then you can always retreat there and count to 10. If you’re still not feeling the contemporary love, then Swab Off is a new scheme to promote public participation. Events are taking place throughout May and include a street-art event in the Raval and a secret postcard sale; a fundraising enterprise for a children’s charity where for €25 you can buy original artwork from wellknown figures, the artist only being revealed after the sale.--DC
Loop
Various venues. www.loop-barcelona.com
In his eighth year as co-director, Emilio Álvarez remains an enthusiastic advocate and industrious leader of Loop, a festival and fair for video art. The originality of Loop lies in the direction of the festival which seeks to include, rather than exclude, as described by Álvarez: “Loop is not like other art festivals, which are usually managed by a triangle of command with the directors on top. It’s a web that connects all of Barcelona.” As such, commercial galleries join with universities, private art schools and smaller galleries, while civic centres, libraries and independent arts spaces are all also used as event venues. The result of such an expansive network is not just broader programming, but a broader audience. Equally compelling is the Loop Fair, where well-established international art galleries come to sell work by some of the top producers. While such transactions are made, the rest of us can get comfy on beds and cushioned chairs and take in the projections that take over the rooms in the Hotel Catalonia Ramblas. Meanwhile, in the hotel’s basement, the Media Lounge features ‘Best Of’ reels from international film festivals, and Álvarez recommends that Loop visitors take advantage of the ‘Cinema Effect’ programming, a series of lectures, screenings and workshops that coincide with a bigger, longer-running exhibition devoted to video art at CaixaForum (‘The Cinema Effect/Illusion, Reality and the Moving Image. Dream’). Other confirmed events include: ‘In the World of Images’ at the Institut Français, a visual dialogue between the work of cinema legend Marguerite Duras with works by David Lamelas, Dora García and Julien Crépieux; at the Filmoteca, Catalan film-maker Bigas Luna will present excerpts from his work; and ‘Happy End’, a selection of pieces by Russian artists curated by Karina Karaeva, deputy chief of the cinema and video department at the NCCA Moscow, will be shown at MauMau.--SB
4/20/11 12:08:59 PM
34 ON
L’Art del menjar
Borrón y cuenta nueva
Eyebrows were raised, to say the least, when Ferran Adrià of El Bulli was
A wooden box painted with a wild landscape on the lid was the carry-
invited to exhibit at Documenta in Kassell in 2007. Does food star equal
ing case for hundreds of novelty eraser collected by an Australian in his
art star in the 21st century? The answer to that question remains unclear
childhood. Won through hard-fought games at school or bought with
four years later, but there is a lot of, ahem, food for thought in the current
precious pocket money, his treasures soon began to grow into a significant
exhibition at La Pedrera.
collection. The paint-daubed box was to be a constant companion to the
La Pedrera. Until June 26th
Taller de Joyería el Lavadero. Until May 30th
The relationship between art and food, from the heyday of the 17th-
itinerant Australian who carried them all throughout his travels. Once here,
century Dutch still life via Cézanne’s luscious bowls of fruit to the Cubist
he decided to pass them onto a worthy recipient, Isabel Herrera. Founder
breakdown of food forms in the early 20th century is well-trodden territory
of Taller de Joyería el Lavadero, the Venezuelan TV and stage actress and
in art history and exhibitions. This Catalunya Caixa show brings in some
jeweller is the instigator of this magical and utterly unique exhibition, which
representative samples from the past few centuries, with few surprises.
includes work by 85 artists from 20 countries.
(Although there is an wonderfully unexpected Chaim Soutine still life paint-
Each artist chose one rubber, blind, by touch alone; delving into the box
ing of a beef carcass that I had never seen.) It’s the contemporary artworks
while wearing a blindfold. The chosen item then served to set off an art-
that shock and delight in this exhibition.
work, piece of jewellery, sculpture or picture; the idea being to pay homage
Canadian artist Jana Sterbak’s 1996 sculpture is an armchair made out of slabs of meat that rivals for repulsiveness her more famous meat dress,
to the collectors’ past stories inherent in each piece. Gemma Draper’s Babel-Tech, features an old typewriter rubber, that now
which is NOT here (nor is Lady Gaga’s). British photographer Sam Taylor-
sits perched high up on an inaccessible frame, out of time and place and
Wood is represented by a time-lapse video of still-life fruit rotting before
incommunicado. Jordà Ferrè’s Statue of Liberty is placed in a glass dome
your very eyes. Vanitas indeed.
case; when turned on, it’s a little electric heater, where music, lights and
The exhibition takes a turn away from its own theme at certain points,
sparks fly. Emilie Bliguiet’s eraser was a strawberry but is now a ‘brain’,
featuring the work of artists who use the accoutrements of the kitchen,
with delicate silver leaves springing out and has embossed words such as
rather than the food itself, as art. (Mona Hatoum’s Grater Divide, a metal
‘sensations’ and ‘comprehension’. More accessible is Beate B. Kohler’s
screen shaped like a cheese grater, is a brilliant example.)
creation which touches on the collector’s origins by gathering sand and
Adrià himself is lavishly represented in the galleries, as is fellow Catalan
sticks from a trip to Australia and using them as a setting for her rubber:
Antoní Miralda, who took his tapas to Tribeca several decades ago with his
a parasol. She’s made silver rings, impossible to wear, with diving boards
El Internacional restaurant and never looked back.
and swimmers, a playful miniature world.
A note to the Catalunya Caixa galleries and the curators: if ever there
Housed in an old, one-time washhouse, the Taller de Joyería is now a
was an exhibition that screamed out for the medium to be listed on the
creative workshop space. It was a meeting place for women to bring their
wall labels, this is it. It is impossible to tell, for example, if an enormous
washing, to talk and to share stories. Now these artists have produced
potful of mussel shells is REALLY mussel shells or a ceramicist’s clever re-
new stories from a treasured collection of seemingly inconsequential items,
thinking of the subject. Or if a photorealist still life is a painting or, in fact, a
all joining to celebrate collecting as an art form as well as a childhood
photo. It’s an important consideration to chew on.--WS
pastime.--AM
Find FULL DETAILS OF current exhibitions on our website WWW.barcelona-metropolitan.com
34-35 ARTSPDF.indd 52
4/20/11 1:00:52 PM
IH BCN Metropolitan Advert Febrero 2010.pdf
12/2/10
14:08:11
ON 35
quick picks WHERE LANGUAGES COME ALIVE WHERE LANGUAGES COME ALIVE
LANGUAGE LEARNING & TEACHER TRAINING
A Selected Offering—Mariano Zuzunaga. Kowasa. Until June 4th. kowasa.com
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MY
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CMY
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Subasta de fotografía—Soler y Llach. May 23rd to 26th. soleryllach.com
INTERNATIONAL HOUSE THIS WAY
Q J
TEACHER TRAINING COURSES CELTA, CELTYL, CELTYL EXTENSION, DELTA, BUSINESS, DOSs, TRAINERS, MANAGERS, TRANSLATORS, YOUNG LEARNERS
SPANISH LANGUAGE COURSES INTENSIVE & EXTENSIVE, BUSINESS, DELE PREPARATION, INDIVIDUAL TUITION. All ages and levels.
WIDE RANGE OF TEACHER TRAINING AND SPANISH COURSES ALSO AVAILABLE ON-LINE ALSO: ENGLISH, FRENCH, GERMAN, CHINESE COURSES, STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMMES & TRANSLATION SERVICES
Visible lo invisible—Maite Caramés. Tagomago. Until May 21st. tagomago.com
34-35 ARTSPDF.indd 53
C/Trafalgar 14, 08010 Barcelona. Spain 93 268 45 11 info@bcn.ihes.com www.ihes.com
4/20/11 1:00:56 PM
36 GASTRONOMY
No fixed address The ‘pop up’ restaurant reaches Barcelona in spectacular style. By Tara Stevens. Photos by Beatriz Schulze.
C
ompared to London or New York, the emergence of ‘supper clubs’ (home dining) or ‘pop ups’ (a temporary restaurant that sets up pretty much anywhere but a restaurant), Barcelona has been slow on the uptake, but change is a-coming. I’d heard of a couple here over the past 12 months, but it wasn’t until I got an invitation from Jezebels with an attached menu promising ‘Cuban Fusion’, that I finally enlisted. With a food-loving friend, we pitched up at the ‘secret’ destination—one of the big warehouse buildings in Poblenou—at 9.30pm one Saturday night. The guests, about 20 of us ranging in age from 21 to 50, were mainly complete strangers. Ruby was on holiday from Washington. She found herself here after her friend suddenly pulled out of the trip and she checked out singles-friendly happenings in Barcelona on meetup.com. Juan had done the same thing when he decided to extend a business trip from Madrid. Valerie had heard about it through a friend. You could expect that things might be a little awkward. But the night began by admiring the views from the terrace and chatting over ice-breaking ginger mojitos served with tender rolls of slowly roasted pork rubbed with Southern spices and skewered together with melted Swiss cheese and a gherkin. It wasn’t particularly speedy —we didn’t sit down to eat much before 10.30pm—but nobody cared, because, unlike restaurants, much of the thrill of the ‘pop up’ comes in the social potential. The room filled with relaxed chatter as Kathleen Engelhardt, our host, chef and creator of Jezebels, pottered about the kitchen putting the final touches on dinner. A former model and actress, Kathleen traded California for Catalunya a couple of years ago and used the move to focus on food full time. She worked for Roger Auberts of Food & Mambo for a while, learning about molecular gastronomy, but decided to go it alone recently with the staging of the first ‘Jezebels’. “It gives me the opportunity to express myself creatively, to play but still be in control serving who and what I want,” she said.
For someone who is just playing, the food is deadly serious. First up is a martini glass of black bean soup carefully spiked with jalapeño, mellowed with sour cream and served with a crunchy rice croquette for dipping. Two small shot glasses of ceviche follow: oily mackerel chunks soured with lime juice and perfectly partnered with soothing sweet potato, buttery scallops with creamy avocado and crunchy cilantro shoots. A dazzling start that just got better and better. Entrées include some crisp yucca chips with pumpkin seed mojo (a variable salsa, popular across all Latin American countries and the Canaries), and a hunk of tuna rubbed with sugarcane, seared and served very rare on a bed of seafood stewed in tomatoes and onions, a rif on the Caribbean classic of asopao. Slices of tender octopus were ingeniously paired with aji Amarillo (Peruvian yellow chilli) mash and black olive purée, equalling a dish that was hot and bitter, salty and sweet, clever as anything. More Caribbean flavours followed in the shape of Bomba potatoes stuffed with picadillo, the spicy Cuban meat sauce; spoon-tender guava-glazed pork belly piled on top of plantain chips and doused with mango salsa; and ‘Fried Cow’, a deconstructed ropa vieja of twicecooked, crispy skirt steak with congri rice, Cuban oregano and onions. Velvety banana ‘tres leches’ with vanilla beans, meringue and brownsugar cake, and a kick-ass coffee Daquiri made a triumphant finish. We all struggled to finish—I’m told there will be fewer courses in the future—but finish you must, because ‘Jezebel’ is one of the most exciting young chefs currently working the stoves of Barcelona. Her dishes are fresh and lively, her flavours big and bold and her ‘pop up’ one of the most fun nights out I’ve had in a while. Long may it continue! No fixed address—Dinner/brunch once or twice a month, usually Saturday. €50+ depending on the theme. See www.jezebelsclandestinedining. com for details. Tara’s rating: ✪✪✪✪✪
Read the food and drink blog on our website for the latest gourmet news and reviews: www.barcelona-metropolitan.com
36-37. food & drink PDF.indd 56
4/20/11 12:53:31 PM
GASTRONOMY 37
Recipe
by Tara Stevens
Roast tomatoes and goat’s cheese tart
T
here is a myth surrounding tomatoes in Spain that they are always sweet and delicious. Lies! I don’t care what anyone says, tomatoes are only any good when they are in season. If they are not, then you generally need to help them along a bit and my favourite trick is to roast them, which concentrates the flavour and brings out the inherent sweetness that you miss unless they are left to ripen naturally on the vine.
Ingredients (serves four) For the pastry • 200g plain white flour • 100g very cold butter • 1 egg yolk • 4 tbsp ice-cold water For the filling • 250g goat’s cheese, (grated if firm, thinly sliced if a roule) • 2 punnets cherry tomatoes • 5 eggs (preferably free range) • 4 tbsp torn basil leaves • 25g Parmesan cheese, grated • 3 tbsp olive oil • 1 tbsp sherry vinegar • Salt & pepper Method Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Sift the flour into a large bowl. Cut the butter into small dice and rub the two between your fingers until the mix resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and water. Mix together with a round-topped knife and form into a ball with your hands at the end. Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half, toss in the olive oil and sherry vinegar and arrange cut-side up on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until slightly browned and gooey looking. Leave to cool slightly. Line a well-greased 12-inch pie dish with the pastry. Cover in a disc of baking paper or tin foil and fill with dried beans or similar. Bake blind in the oven for 10 minutes. Meanwhile whisk together the eggs and goat’s cheese then season well. Add the basil. Remove the pastry case from the oven, discarding the beans (these can be used again) and paper/foil. Cool for 5 minutes or so before pouring in the egg mix, then arrange the tomatoes into the top. Sprinkle with Parmesan and bake for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden and the filling set.
36-37. food & drink PDF.indd 57
4/20/11 12:53:33 PM
38 GASTRONOMY
Lunch with...
Tara Stevens enjoys lunch with Carla Tarruella, the woman behind restaurant-deli hybrid, Cornelia and Co.
C
arla Tarruella’s latest venture Cornelia and Co is part restaurant, part market with some clever, 21st-century addons. She calls it a ‘daily picnic’ store, where you can hand in your shopping list while you sit down with a cup of coffee or meet friends for lunch or dinner, then pick it up on the way out. There’s good variety too, ranging from British cheeses to French patisserie, to fresh pasta sauces and salads, all of it carefully chosen to reflect Carla’s philosophy that to make food well takes time and bucket loads of love. The lunch Patatas bravas with strawberry chutney, beautiful Tuscan burratta drizzled with truffle oil, avocado and tuna tartar nachos, artichoke and prawn ravioli, beef tagliatta with rocket and Parmesan, lemon meringue pie and decadently boozy tiramisu. Tell us about the Cornelia concept I’ve had Acontraluz (Milanesat 19, tel. 93 203 0658) for many years, but I was increasingly interested in how lifestyle was affecting what, when and how people ate. We have more interest in food than ever, yet less time for preparing it. So Cornelia is intended to nurture, with a focus on top quality, artisan products and on reconnecting people with the pleasure of putting together simple ingredients. Sort of like having all the specialist food shops of the barrio tucked under one roof. What is a ‘daily picnic store’? When we were doing our research we travelled to different cities all over the world to see how other people were eating and what we found was that people weren’t so much cooking from scratch as buying primary, artisan ingredients to ‘put together’ quickly back home. At Cornelia we make sure that everything is ready to go – the pasta, the sauce, the cleaning, the chopping – so it’s a way to ‘cook’ when you don’t really have the time for it. Our approach is to modernise the romantic idea of a picnic, put it in an urban context and turn it into a practical solution to the reality of modern living. What do you think of the restaurant scene in Barcelona at the moment? The crisis has changed the game plan significantly. Expensive threestar places are struggling to get people through the door, while lowerend places are skimping on quality to save money, and that doesn’t work either. The true pioneers these days are those returning to our culinary roots and offering accessibly priced, imaginative, high qual-
38 Lunch with.indd 42
ity food like the middle-ground kind of places that France and Italy are so good at. The notion of a ‘modern Mediterranean cuisine’ is something that we’re going to see a lot more of. What’s your favourite place to eat off-duty? I like the Torres brothers at Dos Cielos (www.doscielos.com) for highend eating, and Xemei (Paseo de la Exposicion 85, Poble Sec, tel. 93 553 5140) for authentic, unpretentious Venetian cuisine. Their passion is tangible the minute you walk through the door and I love that. Cornelia and Co Valencia 225, Eixample Esquerra. Tel. 93 272 3956. Open 8am1am. Lunch/Dinner €15-€30. www.corneliaandco.com
4/20/11 12:59:24 PM
SANO Juice For your new healthy lifestyle
SANO Juice and Smoothie Bar is a new vibrant company inspired by the properties and health benefits of fruits and vegetables. SANO offers natural, fresh and healthy juices and smoothies with no added water, ice, milk or preservatives, just 100 percent fruit. Want something savoury? Try our delicious home-made bagels or yummy muffins. We want to be your healthy alternative choice.
Our shops: SANO Express. Gran de Gracìa 16. Tel. 93 217 8115 SANO Express. Jaume I 1. Tel. 93 310 3247 E-mail: info@sanojuice.com www.sanojuice.com
Sano Apr2011.indd 1
SANO Juice and Smoothie Bar
3/23/11 3:12:40 PM
FOOD &DRINK
For more in food&drink NEFW &D IN
visit our online directory
www.barcelona-metropolitan.com/eating-and-drinking
bagels bE mY bAgEl 4GRÀCia Do you dream of great bagels? Then Be My Bagel is the right place for you. They sell authentic bagels from Barcelona, just how you like them. They have an extensive range of bagels and cakes, from the more classic choices such as poppy and multigrain to delicious and innovative chocolate, almond and coconut bagels - you’ll not come away disappointed.
C/Planeta 37 (Pl. del Sol) I L6 and L7 Fontana and Gràcia I Tel. 93 518 7151 I bemybagel@gmail.com Open from Mon-Fri 9.30-2 pm and 5pm-8.30pm, Sat 10am-2.30pm, 6pm-10pm, Sun 10.30am-2pm
drEAmS4pORt OlimpiC Located in Port Olympic, Dreams is the perfect place to unwind and relax. From 7pm to 11pm enjoy the luxurious outdoor covered lounge, where you can enjoy bottle service with brands such as Grey Goose Vodka as well as all your favourite cocktails, beers and hookah pipes. If you’re a sports fan, make use of their wide-screen TV, showing European football and all the action from the NFL and the NBA. From 11pm join the go-go dancers as they perform to the best house, R&B and Latino music.
Moll de Mestral 6-7, Port Olimpic I
L4 Ciutadella-Vila Olímpica
bar - live music vIndA4JaUmE 1
mArgArItA bluE 4BaRRi GÒtiC
Vinda is a fantastic Mexican bar and restaurant that is famous for its amazing margaritas, daiquiris and mojitos. Located in the heart of the Gothic quarter, they offer an incredible selection of Mexican dishes and tapas that will put you in the mood for an unforgettable night out on the town. Ask the barman for cocktail recommendations!
Located in the heart of old Barcelona, Margarita Blue has become a classic in the city’s bar scene. Delight in the dishes from the ‘‘Mexiterranean” kitchen, such as a variety of tacos, amazing guacamole, fresh carpaccio and tomates verdes fritos or take pleasure in a drink or cocktail whilst appreciating new music and spectacular shows that alternate between theatre and performance art.
C/ Regomir , 4 I Jaume 1 I Tel. 93 319 8956 Mon-Sun 6pm-2am I Vindabar@gmail.com
C/Josep Anselm Clave 6 | Drassanes Tel. 93 412 5489 | www.margaritablue.com | Mon-Fri 1.30pm-4pm, 8pm-2.30am, Sat-Sun 6pm-2.30am | RV
AndÚ4JaUmE 1
bar
Andú offers an escape from Barcelona’s mayhem, without sacrificing the fun. The cool music and relaxed vibe draws a diverse and bohemian crowd making it a warm and spirited bar full of animated locals enjoying a great wine list and classic Spanish tapas, including fantastic Catalan cheeses and hams.
v.o.S CInEbAr4saRRiÀ & EixamplE Ever wished you could share a cocktail with Audrey Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart here in Barcelona? Well now you can! Cinebar brings the golden age of cinema back to Barcelona with original version screenings of everything from Hollywood classics to French New Wave and Italian neo-realism. While you’re there, enjoy a ‘cine sandwich’ made from a selection of rustic breads, a movie-themed salad, fresh juices, smoothies, proper Italian coffee or, of course, a cocktail. Plaça Cardona 4 | Gràcia Diagonal Carrer Paris 200 | Tel. 93 002 2300 | Open 8am-3am
could hed you is s w r e v cocktail a n lo e arc re B or Food May 2011.indd 44 sh&adrink epburn
C/ del Correo Viejo I
Jaume 1 I Tel. 646 553 930 I Mon-Sun 6pm-2.30am
Juice and Smoothie bar
V.O.s
u can es so yo h subtitl it w p ackdro om the d as a b music fr screene elected s y ll fu re y the ca also enjo ixties. to the S Thirties de ich’ ma e sandw
NEWD IN F&
SAno 4GRÀCia - BaRRi GÒtiC
Want a healthy, tasty alternative? Try a refreshing SMOOTHIE like Antioxidant, Mango & Passion Fruit or Coco Muesli ( 3.80) or a delicious JUICE made only with fresh blended fruit and no added water, milk or sugar ( 3.60). Want something savory? Try a tasty home-made bagel ( 4) or a yummy muffin ( 2). Can’t decide? Try one of their convenient combos from 4.50. Gran de Gràcia, 16 | Diagonal | Tel. 93 217 8115 | Jaume I 1, | Jaume I | Tel. 93 310 3247 Every day 10am-8pm | info@sanojuice.com | www.sanojuice.com
4/21/11 11:52:19 AM
FOOD & DRINK 41 Indian - Hindu
Café – Ice Cream Shop ART I SA4BARRI GÒTIC
veg world4GRÀCIA
Natural and organic delicatessen, café and ice cream shop.
Discover a world of sensations in a relaxed and homely atmosphere. Try vegetarian delicacies from all over the world such as delicious bread home-made in a Tandoori oven and south Indian dishes like Masala dosa and Idly. Daily continental and Indian menus, 9.50 inc. Free soup and salad buffet.
• Fantastic selection of the most typical Catalan products, made in the most traditional and natural way. • Perfect as a treat for yourself, or a gift for a loved one. • Choose from a selection of different crêpes, sandwiches, cakes and natural ice cream for a truly original experience.
C/Bruniquer 26 | Plaça Joanic Tel. 93 210 7056 | Tues-Sun 1pm-4pm, 8pm-11.30pm
C/Colom 2 (Plaça Real) | Liceu | Tel. 93 186 3623 www.artisa.es | Every day 10am-10pm
Ethiopian Addis Abeba 4sants
Govinda (VEGETARIAN)4BARRI GÒTIC
This fantastic restaurant offers wholesome food served in the traditional Ethiopian way. Importing fresh ingredients and using top-quality local meat, the food is prepared with an exciting range of over 25 herbs and spices creating an incredible range of tastes and flavours. Their combination plates offer an excellent way for groups to try a variety of dishes to give you the true taste of Ethiopia. If you’re a vegetarian, you’ll love the huge selection of dishes on offer too.
A restaurant veteran for 24 years, Govinda specialises in vegetarian Indian cuisine. The international menu features talis, a salad bar, natural juices, lassis, pizzas and crêpes. It offers a veganfriendly, non-alcoholic and authentically decorated environment with lunch and weekend menus. Pl. Villa de Madrid 4-5 | Catalunya | Tel. 93 318 7729 www.amalteaygovinda.com | Tue-Sat 1pm-4pm, 8.30pm-12am, Sun-Mon 1pm-4pm
MOTI MAHAL4RAVAL
Conveniently located between the Rambla de Raval and Paral·lel, Moti Mahal offers an extensive menu of Indian cuisine, including madras and tika dishes, sheek kebabs, traditional soups breads and biryanis. A large variety of vegetarian dishes are also available. House specialities are the clay oven-cooked tandoori dishes and the tofu paneer pakora. Menu of the day is on offer Mon-Fri for 9.25.
C/Vallespir 44 I Sants Estacio I Tel. 93 409 4037 Mon-Fri 8pm-12am, Sat 2pm-4pm, 8pm-12am
Hungarian Delicatessen
C/Sant Pau 103 | Paral.lel | Tel. 93 329 3252 | www.motimahalbcn.com Every day 12pm-4pm, 8pm-12am | Closed Tues Lunch | RV
International
paprika gourmet4Eixample d
Hard Rock CafE4CIUTAT VELLA
Paprika Gourmet, Barcelona’s first Hungarian delicatessen is a treasury of culinary experiences, the shop window a quintessence of Hungarian cuisine. It is conveniently located a block away from the Sagrada Familia. It offers a wide range of salamis, cheeses, jams, honeys and chocolates all in a warm, welcoming environment. In the morning you can have an appetising breakfast with coffee and during the day you can enjoy the delicious “tapas a la húngara” with a glass of wine. Be our guest and taste the world of Paprika Gourmet!
Hard Rock Cafe Barcelona offers an inspired, creative ambience with incredible rock‘n’roll memorabilia on display. Come and taste authentic American food. Their barbecue entrées slow cooked in the cafe’s hardwood smokers are delicious. Visit the bar to try a premium cocktail and check out the live music and special events on offer. Don’t forget to stop at the Rock Shop for fine, classic, cotton T-shirts or a collectable Hard Rock pin.
C/Lepant 311 | Sagrada Familia | Tel. 93 433 5709 | www.paprikagourmet.com Mon-Sat 7am-9pm Closed Sun
Plaça Catalunya 21 | Catalunya | Tel. 93 270 2305 | www.hardrock.com/barcelona | Restaurant: Sun-Thurs 12am-2am, Fri, Sat and hol eves 12am-3am | Rock Shop: Sun-Thurs 10am-1.30am, Fri, Sat and hol eves 10am-2am
Food & drink May 2011.indd 45
4/21/11 11:52:25 AM
42 FOOD & DRINK thai gut4GRÀCia
tHAI grACIA4GRaCia
Firstly there’s the food. Using only the finest quality ingredients, the kitchen specialises in Mediterranean cuisine with an international twist and plenty of options for vegetarians. Try their quinoa and tofu burgers or a sinful home-made dessert. Secondly, there’s Gut’s attention to detail and the friendly, respectful service. It’s the perfect place to have a drink and enjoy the night in good company. Try it for yourself and find out why everyone is talking about Gut.
Expect authentic ingredients all imported from Thailand and cooked by experienced Thai chefs. The Pad Thai and green and yellow curries have excellent subtle flavours. Simply delicious! The special tasting menu for 21 is a huge hit and allows you to try all the exotic dishes Thai Gracia has to offer. An affordable 11 menu del dia is available during the week. The warm hospitality and attention to detail to every dish at Thai Gracia will keep you coming back for more.
C/ Còrsega 381 | Metro Verdaguer / Girona Tel. 93 459 3591 | www.restaurante-thai-gracia.com Every day 1pm-4pm, 8pm-12am | RV
C/Perill, 13 I Diagonal Tel. 93 186 6360 I restaurantgut@gmail.com
delivery
tHAI tHAI4EixamplE E
vItAlI pIZZA
Thai Thai restaurant invites you to taste and enjoy traditional Thai food with tropical ingredients from Thailand prepared by Thai chefs. They specialise in all kinds of Thai curries. Thai Thai has created a delicious tasting menu for only 24 and a fresh menu of the day is on offer for 9.50 during the week.
Special Metropolitan offer: Buy 3 pizzas and get the 4th pizza FREE + a bottle of Lambrusco.
C. Paris, 109 I Hospital Clinic I Tel. 93 444 4737 Gran Via, 931 I Clot | Tel. 93 303 0735 C. Taxdirt, 13 I Joanic/Gracia | Tel. 93 285 41 95 www.vitalipizza.com
C/Diputació 91 | Urgell | Tel. 620 938 059 | www.thaithai.es España | Tel. 663 126 398 | Every day 1pm-4pm, C/Princep Jordi, 6 | 8pm-12am | RV | www.thaithaibcn.com
vegetarian AmAltEA4EixamplE E
SuSHI boX This great new sushi take-away has two locations in the city which offer free delivery for all orders over 25. They have a wide selection of Japanese cuisine including various vegetarian options. All food is freshly prepared to order in a beautiful artisan Japanese style. Impress your guests at home or in the office.
Visit Amaltea vegetarian restaurant where tasty and healthy meals are served in a welcoming environment. Dishes include cereals, pulses and vegetables with home-made puddings. The cuisine is creatively international with care taken to ensure all ingredients are fresh and dishes are well balanced. Menu of the day 10.50, night and weekend menu 15.
C/Rosselló, 317 I Hospital Clinic C/Galileu, 246 I Les Corts I Tel. 93 116 2100 I delivery@sushibox.es Tues 7.30pm-11pm I Wed-Sun 12.30pm-4pm and 7.30pm-11pm
C/Diputació 164 | Urgell | Tel. 93 454 8613 | www.amalteaygovinda.com | Mon-Sat 1pm-4pm, 8.30pm-11.30pm, Closed Sun
vietnamese
Indian - modern SHAntI4lEs CORts Shanti (which means peace in Sanskrit) have selected a rich and varied menu comprised of traditional dishes that offer an authentic Indian experience to even the most discerning palettes. Using classic recipes their dishes respect tradition but come with modern presentation. Try their tasting menu for only 24.90 (+IVA).
C/Agustina Saragossa 3-5 (in front of CC L’Illa) Maria Cristina - Tram 1,2,3 L’Illa Tel. 93 252 3115 | www.shanti.es Mon-Sat 1pm-4pm, 8pm-11.45pm Closed Sun | RV
take-away pIm pAm burgEr4BORn Here quality is of the upmost importance, making it the best burger and frankfurter take-away in town. Special hamburgers, chicken burgers, bratwurst, frankfurters, home-made chips and stroganoff are also available and are all prepared on the premises.
C/Sabateret 4 I Jaume I Tel. 93 315 2093 burger@pimpamplats.com I www.pimpamplats.com Every day 1pm-12am
Food & drink May 2011.indd 46
bun bo vIÊtnAm4BaRRi GÒtiC Satisfy your craving for fresh, healthy Vietnamese food just steps away from the Gothic cathedral. Sit under the leafy trees of the quiet terrace or inside the restaurant which is entirely decorated with bright colourful pieces straight from Saigon. Start with delicious fresh summer rolls, crispy Asian pork lettuce cups, followed by traditional Pho or Bun noodle dishes. Accompany your meal with a fresh and exotic cocktail like the sakirinha (caipirinha made with sake). The menu of the day is an affordable 10 inside and 11 on the shady terrace. The kitchen is open non-stop all day.
C/Sagristans 3 |
Urquinaona | Tel. 93 301 1378 | www.bunbovietnam.com | 1pm-1am Every day
4/21/11 11:52:33 AM
!*
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4/21/11 12:31:34 PM
Hairdressers
Business directory To advertise in this section, call: 93 451 4486 or email: ads@barcelona-metropolitan.com See also our online directory at www.barcelona-metropolitan.com
Beauty Health & Wellbeing
Hairdressers Bodywork/Massage Veterinarian Doctors Dentists Chiropractors Acupuncture Teeth Whitening Pharmacy Psychologists / Psychotherapists Life Coaching HypnoBirthing
44-45 45 45 45 45 46 46 46 46 46-47 47 47
Home Services
Construction Interior Design Plumbing Locksmith Rentals Transport / Storage / Removals Real Estate
47-48 48 48 48 48 48 49
Education
Language Schools Translation Courses Activities Piano Lessons
49-50 50 51 51
Services
Design 51 Computers 51 Television Services 52
Business
Tax Services Legal Practices Insurance Financial Service Business Coaching
Employment
Job Opportunities 54-55
44-49 May.indd 44
53 53 53-54 54 54
4/21/11 11:58:28 AM
BeAUTY | HeALTH | WeLLBeiNG 45 Bodywork / Massage
Veterinarian
English Doctor Dr. Steven Joseph
Col nº 38291
BSc, MBBS, DRCOG, MRCGP, MRCPsych (London) Member of the Royal College of General Practioners U.K Member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists U.K
General Practice · Mental Health Extensive range of primary care services Access to all medical specialists/investigations
GOOG medical centre
44-49 May.indd 45
L
Tel 93 330 2412 • Mobile 627 669 524 Email: googol@hotmail.es www.googolmedicalcentre.com
Gran Via Carles III nº-37-39 08028 Barcelona Les Corts
Doctors
Dentists
English Dentist Dr. Nicholas Jones BDSLDSRCS Col. No 4090
FREE CHECK-UPS
General & Cosmetic dentistry Orthodontics Implants & Tooth whitening Smile makeovers Diagonal 281 (Sagrada familia L5/Monumental L2) Tel. 93 265 80 70 / Mob. 607 332 335 Open Monday to Saturday
nickteeth@hotmail.com www.nickteeth.com
4/21/11 11:58:31 AM
46 BeAUTY | HeALTH | WeLLBeiNG Chiropractor
Acupuncture
Teeth Whitening
Pharmacy
Psychologists / Psychotherapists
Nick Cross Reg. psychologist no. 17158 (Col·legi Oficial de Psicòlegs de Catalunya)
Psychologist Psychotherapist Psychodynamically - oriented psychotherapy can provide effective treatment for:
Anxiety & fears • Relational difficulties Depression • Problems adjusting Loss • Trauma Neuroses Tel: 644 193 825 e-mail: ncross@copc.es
44-49 May.indd 46
4/21/11 11:58:32 AM
BeAUTY | HeALTH | WeLLBeiNG 47
Jonathan Lane Hooker Jonathan Lane Hooke Psychotherapist, Counsellor, Coach and Guide
Network of English Speaking Therapists Established since 2000
Connie Capdevila Brophy PhD Clinical Psychologist & Psychotherapist 934 670 650
Psychotherapist, Counsellor, Coach and Guide
Norma Alicia León, PhD Clinical Psychologist Psychoanalyst 680 971 468
Donna DeWitt MA Performance & Sport Psychologist 607 636 246
Maria Sideri, MSc Psychologist & Dance Movement Therapist 655 162 410
Vera M. Hilb MA Clinical Psychologist & Psychotherapist, EMDR 667 584 532
Help and support with: • • • • • •
FREE
Lack of Energy or Low Self-Esteem 20 MIN Expat Issues and Adapting to Change INTRODUCTORY MEETING Improving Family and Personal Relationships Feelings of Anger, Loneliness and Isolation, or Anxiety Achieving a Particular Goal or Finding a New Direction Changing Unhelpful or Destructive Habits or Patterns of Behaviour
jonathan.hooker@yahoo.com Read more about Jonathan and the above issues at
TEL 93 590 7654
MOB 639 579 646
www.jonathanhooker.com
Life Coaching
Anna Jansen MA Dance Movement Therapist 657 183 542
Jill Jenkins PsyD Child Clinical & School Psychologist 935 041 690
Manuel Isaías López, MD, PhD Claudia Ros Tusquets MA Clinical Psychologist Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist & Psychoanalyst & Psychotherapist 934 102 962 / 657 570 692 686 991 742
Emma Judge MA Licensed Counselor Psychologist 639 041 549
Peter Zelaskowski UKCP Registered Psychotherapist 628 915 040
www.barcelonanest.com All NEST professionals are Licensed / Certified
English - Spanish - Catalan - Dutch - German - Italian
HypnoBirthing
You can change the situations you don’t like in your life in a very short time.
Take control of you life and emotions and achieve well-being, joy and personal satisfaction.
You will feel motivated and energised from the very first session.
Construction
Isabel Solanich
Life Coach – Counsellor
consulta@tubienestarpersonal.com
Telephone: 676 698 529
44-49 May.indd 47
4/21/11 11:58:36 AM
48 Home Services Interior Design
Construction
GRAHAM COLLINS PROPERTY CONSULTANCY INTER IOR DESIGN & DECOR ATION
CAll 657 994 630 Electricity
Air conditioning
Plumbing
Handyman
Puzzled by the property market ?
Plumbing and electrical services
Need a renovator that speaks your language ?
No job too small or too large Commercial and residential air conditioning
Want that designed look on an Ikea budget ?
Satellite installation
Looking for someone you can trust? Call 657 994 630 Same day service
C/Alcolea nยบ42 bajos, 08014 Barcelona
Plumbing Inysi 1-8th.indd 1
Rentals
44-49 May.indd 48
C / CONSULAT DEL MAR 35, 3er BARCELONA t: 0034 678 75 75 11 e: grahamcollins@talk21.com
Locksmith 4/19/11 2:21:45 PM
Transport / Storage / Removals
4/21/11 11:58:43 AM
Home Services | EDUCATION 49 Real estate
44-49 May.indd 49
Language Schools
4/21/11 11:58:46 AM
50 EDUCATION Language Schools
iness Spanish Ă
Translation Courses
50-55 May.indd 50
4/21/11 12:15:49 PM
SERVICES 51 Activities
Piano Lessons
Design
Computers
FOR ALL YOUR DESIGN NEEDS Contact: Aisling
BA in Visual Communication
Member of the International Society of Typographic Designers
e: ashcal.design@gmail.com t: +34 699 260 938
FOR ALL YOUR DESIGN NEEDS Contact: Aisling
BA in Visual Communication
e: ashcal.design@gmail.com t: +34 699 260 938
50-55 May.indd 51
4/21/11 12:16:04 PM
52 SERVICES Television Services
50-55 May.indd 52
4/21/11 12:16:08 PM
BUSINESS 53 Tax Services
Legal Practices
Insurance
50-55 May.indd 53
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54 BUSINESS Financial service
Business Coaching
Job Opportunities
Qualified and experienced teachers of French and German To teach for prestigious language school in Barcelona – to start in summer and /or academic year 2010-2011. Excellent conditions Send CV to: catherine.downey@esade.edu
50-55 May.indd 54
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EMPLOYMENT 55
Looking for a new and different type of job? If so, we have fantastic opportunities to work in our bustling Barcelona European Hub Center. American Express Barceló Viajes is a travel management company that is looking for talented people with multiple language skills. In particular we are looking for travel professionals who are native and/or fluent in German, English, French and Spanish.
Interested in becoming part of our team? Please send your CV to
recruitmentbcn@amexbarcelo.com We are looking for: • Native speakers in German, French, Spanish and Fluent in English • Previous experience in Customer Service roles • Excellent communication and customer relations skills • Previous experience in travel related services. • Knowledge of AMADEUS Travel reservation system is a plus • Microsoft office knowledge • Flexibility to work in rotating shifts
50-55 May.indd 55
We offer a job as a travel consultant. In this role you will: • Make travel arrangements for customers that are traveling on business and are looking for advice and support. • Join a multicultural team that embraces and integrates diversity. • Work in a comfortable and modern work environment • Have a competitive salary • Have a permanent contract immediately with 2 months probation period.
4/21/11 12:16:15 PM
Find your nearest distribution point Your free magazine in English Eixample (left)
Born
Ciutat Vella
Club Escandinavo - Gran Vía 541 Toscano Antico - Aribau 167 Scobies Bar - Ronda Universitat 8 Altaïr - Gran Vía 616 The Philharmonic - Mallorca 204 Floridablanca Renoir - Floridablanca 135 Belchica - Villarroel 60 Come In - Balmes 129 bis A Taste of Home - Floridablanca 78 Amaltea - Diputació 164 (Urgell) Punto Información Juvenil - Calabria 147 La Trajinera Restaurant - Gran Vía 459 7 Sins lounge bar - Muntaner 7 VOS Bar - Pl. Cardona 4 Om India - Floridablanca 130
BCN Internet Café - Barra de Ferro 3 La Taverna del Born - Pg. del Born 27-29 Café del Convento - Pl. Academia y Tarantanna Vintage Bar - Fusina 7 Sandwich & Friends - Pg. del Born 27 Barroc Café - Rec 67 Arena Bar - Carassa 4 Anthony Llobet - Carders 34 Bar del Pla - Montcada 2 La Fianna - Banys Vells 15 Black Horse - Av. Allada-Vermell 16 Rosa Negra -Via Laietana 46 Nakupenda - Av. Marquès de l’Argentera 7-9 bxs Princesa 23 - Princesa 23 Mujer - Carders 28 Wushu Restaurant & Bar - Av. Marqués de l’Argentera 1 Café del Born Nou - Pl. Comercial 10 La Bodegueta del Parc - Pg. Pujades 21 Dans le Noir - Pg. Picasso 10 McCarthy’s - Via Laietana 40 La Bàscula - Flassaders 30 The Palace Bar - Vigatans 13 Paddy’s Lane - Pla del Palau 9 Incógnito – Fusina 6
Flaherty’s - Pl. Joaquin Xirau, s/n Hard Rock Cafe - Pl. Catalunya 2 Palau de la Virreina - Rambla 99 Bar del Pi - Pl. St. Josep Oriol 1 Glacier - Pl. Reial 3 Ryans - Ample 28 Milk Bar Bistro - Gignás 21 Margarita Blue - Josep Anselm Clavé 6 Vegetalia - Escudellers 54 Anthony Llobet Hair Salon - Avinyó 34 My Bar - Ferran 8 Temple Bar - Ferran 6 Molly’s Fair City - Ferran 7 Hook - Ample 35 Depeche BCN - Cervantes 2 O’Hara’s - Ferran 23 Schilling - Ferran 18 Gràcia Arts Project - Sant Honorat 11 Café de l‘Opera - La Rambla 74 Bliss - de la Dagueria Patronat de Turisme - Pl. Catalunya 17
Eixample (right) Michael Collins - Pl. Sagrada Família 4 George and Dragon - Diputació 269 BCN Books - Roger de Llúria 118 Café Laie - Pau Claris 85 Dow Jones - Bruc 97 bxs (Valencia) Caffe D’Arts - Bruc 118 bxs (Valencia) Bar Amsterdam - Aragó 305 (Llúria) Anthony Llobet Hair Salon - Corsega 364 Cine Casablanca - Pg. de Gràcia 115 Palau Robert - Pg. de Gràcia 107 Obama - Gran Vía 603 Republic House - Pg. Sant Joan 74 The George Payne - Pl. Urquinaona 5
Gràcia Sol-Soler - Pl. del Sol 21-22 Bristol Blue - Torrent de l’Olla 39-41 Café del Sol - Pl. del Sol 16 Hibernian Books - Montseny 17 Cine Verdi Park - Torrijos 49 Cine Verdi - Verdi 32 Farmacia Serra Mandri - Diagonal 478 Ciber Virreina - Astúries 78 Enoteca d’Italia - Santa Magdalena 17 Himali - Milá i Fontanals 60-68 The City Arms - Pl. Narcis Oller 9 Anthony Llobet - Sant Joaquim 28-30
JANUARY 2011 | Nº 168 | FREE
DECEMBER 2010 | Nº 167 | FREE
Raval The Quiet Man - Marqués de Barbará 11 London Bar - Nou de la Rambla 34 The Queen Vic - Nou de la Rambla 24 Kasparo - Pl. Vicenç Martorell The Shamrock - Tallers 72 Bar Raval - Hospital 104 Mama Café - Doctor Dou 10 Wild Turkey Tavern - Hospital 4 Rosa del Raval - dels Àngels 6 Plástico Bar - San Ramon 23 Anthony Llobet - Sant Pau 22 Fish and Chips - Rbla del Raval 26
Flann O’Brien - Casanova 264 Fabulous Baking Co - Bisbe Sivilla 48 Central Café Calvet - Calvet 1-3 European University - Ganduxer 70
Vila Olimpics Kennedy Irish Pub - Moll de Mestral 27 Australian’s Club - Moll de Mestral 40-41 George’s - Centro Com. Icaria Rembrandt - Marina (Icaria)
Poble Nou Nice Spice - Pujades 207 Hemisferio Café Bar - Ramon Turró 204
Les Corts Cines Renoir - Eugeni d’Ors 12 Kitty O’Shea’s - Nau Santa Maria 5-7
Barceloneta The Fastnet - Pg. Joan de Borbó 22 Foc - Pg. Joan de Borbó 66
OCTOBER 2010 | Nº 165 | FREE
NOVEMBER 2010 | Nº 166 | FREE
ART EXPOSED
ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE THE USE OF ALTERNATIVE AND COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES
Sarrià Sant Gervasi
AUGUST 2010 | Nº 163 | Free
JULY 2010 | Nº 162 | Free
BODY TALK
THE CITY’S PUBLIC ART AND WHERE TO FIND IT
Pessebres
THE CRAFT BEHIND THE TRADITION
LAPORTA
Sunday trading
FROM BARÇA TO POLITICS
main pages - May11 .indd 8
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A selection of the latest classified ads you can see on our website now For Sale: Vehicles / Boats Car for sale Ford Focus, Special Edition Sport (Chic), 2-Door. Leather interior full service history, low mileage (38.000), excellent condition. Many new items (ITV until december 2012). Location Barcelona Price: €3.900 Tel: 620 083 522. Nissan Cabster with 3,5 metre flat-bed body. Body has a tipper unit.5 years old. With low mileage.Can be seen in Sitges. Tel. 678 237 110 and 637 802 947. 2000 Audi Rs6 MTM Edition UK Registered and Insured limited edition 2000 Audi Rs6. 140,000 miles. MTM German edition. Upgraded to 568 hpS. Full and immaculate maintenance history. Synthetic oil used since birth. 4.2liter v8 with dual turbo chargers. €7500. The parts value on this car is €6000 with no engine. Car: http://www.mtm-online.de/ en/Audi/RS6/4-2-T-331-kW-450-hpQuattro?FZID=RS6331Q Currently in my garage in Sitges. No, I’m not going to ship it to Africa and wait for a bank transfer. Serious cash inquiries only please. Thanks. Email: ram4744@ gmail.com Toyota MR2 Convertible (2002) Registered on the last day of 2001, so a 2002 car, with very low kilometers and in excellent condition. This is an American car, imported in 2007 with a/c, leather seats, and a custom chrome luggage rack for those long weekends away. Since the children arrived it’s been sat in the garage and hardly used and now we’re on our way to the UK, so it has to go. This car has been well maintained and cared for and is a nonsmoker’s car. Who will take care of my pride and joy? Stuart. Tel. 663 412 112.
English books for sale We have a range of different books, all in english, second hand for sale. Whether you like chilling crime dramas or romantic novels we have everything to keep your nose buried deep in a book all summer!! €1 each. Call 664 013 326 or 608 100 938.
Household goods Ikea shelves bestia. 3 pieces €60 Three Ikea shelves. Bought less than 2 moths ago,. Ideal shelving units or Library. Colour - white. 195cmx 60cmx20cm. €60 for the three. Tel. 934 515 599 Bernard.
Property for sale Apartment in Sitges centre. 3 years old. 30sq metres with garden. Apartment with one bedroom and garden in Sitges centre for quick sale at realistic price. Tel. 678 237 110. Sant Cugat del Valles, flat Sant Cugat del Valles, owner sells beautiful 105 sqm. Flat. It’s 20 minutes away from Barcelona center. 35 Sqm. living room with fireplace, 2 natural lighted large double rooms + 1 suite bedroom, 2 just renovated bathrooms and 1 just renovated large kitchen with office, balcony, 2 parking spaces. This flat is ideal for a family with teenage children, Communal area with basketball court, pool, gardens and small children playing area. 3 Minutes walking distance from the FGC train station to Barcelona center.( €400.000 ) Tel. 609 379 151.
Wanted
Others
Football boots Hi, I’m looking for a pair of second hand football boots size 8 UK, 41 Europe. If you want to sell your old boots give me a call on 635 856 045.
English grammer book for sale ‘Practical English Usage’ by Michael Swan for sale. Excellent condition. I bought it new and barely used it. If interested you can phone me at 635 856 045.
Wanted: Flat to rent for 2 women - Under 800 euros a month- Looking for 2 double bedrooms Hi, We are looking for a flat to rent. Preferably in Eixample. We would like 2 double bedrooms, full kitchen, 1 full
main pages - May11 .indd 14
bathroom We are willing to pay a deposit of 2 months. It doesn’t need to come furnished, especially the bedrooms. If you have such a place, please contact me at rodriguezjs@yahoo.com Thank you, Jessica Wanted: 2 bedrooms or flat in Barcelona for July (1 month) I am doing a summer exchange course at ESADE during the month of July. We would ideally want to be located in the Barrio Gotico, but will consider any location that is near the city-center and not too far from the beach. A car park would be a plus. You can contact me by mail: aurelie.lily.sykes@gmail.com
Seeking Spanish local male Spanish male 37 nice, seeking nice female. Email: troyabcn@gmail.com Seeking english speaking friends in baix Hi, I am 19 years old . And I am seeking for an english speaking friends at my age living in the area of baix de llobregat. Write me on angeltsvetkov@ hotmail.com. All best, Angel Barcelona soul singers We are currently recruiting members for a new Choir/Group here in Barcelona. Mainly we are searching for strong pop/gospel voices with a passion for music. Songs will be sung in English, so a strong grasp of the language is essential. The group will be looking to perform in and around Barcelona starting this Spring/Summer. If you are interested in finding out more, or setting up a meeting/ audition please get in touch. mike_t_ freeman@hotmail.com
Long term rental apartment/ House Furnished room for rent in BCN Modern and Comfortable room available from 01/05/2011 for one person. Plenty of light, with views to the interior garden, very quiet, desk and large built-in wardrobe, independent bathroom with shower and large wash basin and toilet, in a renovated and fully
equipped flat of 120 mts2, 3 rooms, 2 full bathrooms and a well-equipped kitchen (oven, fridge, toaster, coffee maker, microwave and dishwasher and more). The flat is well located on C. Balmes and C. Mallorca. The rent for the room is €620 per month. 1 month’s deposit required. All the expenses are included: electricity, heating/air conditioning, cold/hot water, washer/ dryer, other appliances and ADSL WiFi 24hrs. For more information and visit the flat please call. + 34-629 853 862, + 34- 934 878 644. We also speak Spanish & French. Sagrada Familia (centre) – Furnished 1 bedroom apartment Sunny quiet furnished apartment completely renewed close (600 mts) to Sagrada Familia & Metro (L4,L5,L2) third floor with lift. Exterior with small balcony Double Suite Bedroom with bathroom kitchen equiped. Heating & air conditioning. €900/month mín for 3 months. (Bills not included) Available by weeks no commission. Email: apartmentbcn@hotmail.com Tel. 620 288 010. RENT APARTMENT for ONE ENGLISH SPEAKER Rent apartment for one english speaker, preferably, female person. Calm zone of the city, near nature. Patio with plants. Furnished.Internet.One bedroom, kitchen, bath, (Info:w.barnafoto.com/apartment. Call:644328658
Business for sale The “traspaso” opportunity of the year - Bodega de vino and Art gallery close to Plaza España 84 m2 extremely well situated and beautifully renovated business. Splendid visual impact from the street. Very close to FIRA-Montjuic, MNAC, Caixa Forum, “TICKETS”, 3 theatres and a lovely local nieghbourhood. Double license for art gallery and wine shop. 5 year renewable contract - Rent: 540€ per month. Cheap traspaso. Contact: Michael, Tel. 680 90 40 66, obranan@gmail.com
4/20/11 1:54:24 PM
58 BACK PAGE
What a boar!
I
f you go up to the woods today, you’re in for a big surprise. A big and bristling surprise, complete with hoofs and tusks and attitude. Every boar that ever there was, is gathered there (for certain) because Catalunya is in the grip of an epidemic of wild—and not so wild—boar. They’re not confined to deepest, darkest Catalunya but—like vandals at the gates of Rome—are roaming the outskirts of Barcelona itself, with frequent sightings in Collserola and letters of complaint in the local press from Disgruntled of Vallvidrera. The pig epidemic is partly the result of overintimate relations between the hairy but comparatively abstemious branch of the pig family and their smooth but fecund domestic cousins, which have been bred over the centuries to produce large litters. The result is hirsute, breeds like plankton and is coming to a suburb near you. If the example of the urban fox is any indication, it won’t be long before these hoofed marauders are trotting down the Ramblas, rooting up the flower beds in Plaça Catalunya and rolling in the sand at Barceloneta. Boar are better known for their sharp tusks and sharper temper than for their ability and cunning, but it takes a brave municipal pest control operative to confront one, especially at full tilt. Rats they ain’t. Not that Catalunya is short of people who
HOROSCOPE
would happily take to the streets with shotguns and blast away at a renegade boar, or anything else that moves: domestic pets, liberated parrots, shuffling pensioners. It’s what they do out in the woods already, at least during the hunting season, which stretches from late autumn to early spring, depending on the target. Or the declared target. Not only do these anachronistic hunter-gatherers blast away at renegade boar, they have a worrying tendency to blast away at one another. National fatality rates are alarmingly high, with an average of more than one accidental shooting a week during the hunting season, plus dozens more non-fatal incidents. It means hunting is more dangerous than rockclimbing. It makes golf look like a walk in the park. Except that a walk in the park isn’t that safe with these mad men on the rampage. If you’re foolhardy enough to take to the forest when guns are being fired, the secret is not to be mistaken for a boar. Relatively simple, you would think, as you stoop to pick your wild mushrooms, or inch your way through the undergrowth to reach that elusive herb. If you’re in any doubt, stick to fluorescent clothing, wide paths and boisterous conversation. Boars are many things, but garrulous isn’t one of them. For hunting so-called ‘big game’—which unfortunately here just means boar and deer rather than tigers and elephants—hunters are
required to wear orange waistcoats. But it’s the small game hunters (birds, basically) who should really wear them, knowing that the big game hunters are out there, guns blazing. Though arguably if you’re the kind of person who enjoys going out and shooting at migrating songbirds, you deserve to have people with guns mistaking you for wild boar. And vice versa. The fact that there is a wild boar pandemic at all should be a source of shame for the boarhunters. It’s proof positive that they aren’t very good at boar-hunting. Indeed, they’re so bad at it, that the authorities have made it illegal to feed wild boar, as apparently the hunters have been putting out boar food during the close season, presumably so they make a bigger target when hostilities resume. It’s like Barça helping Real Madrid to build wider goals. Why don’t they just leave them in peace? If you want to feed the wildlife, go and throw bread to the ducks. Just don’t come back later with your gun. Now if it were pigeons, that would be a different issue. But unfortunately pigeons don’t look that impressive stuffed and mounted and hung over the fireplace. So until the boar retreat, wear orange and expect to see a lot more boar around town, both on and off the menu.
by Nuria Picola
--Roger de Flower
www.nuriapicola.com
Aries If you’re having financial problems, this month you should show your creativity to the world to achieve a good commercial result. If you’re studying, you’ll have exam success.
Taurus Congratulations! This is
Gemini If you have a partner, you will see your income increase through that person. If you’re single, your heart will rule your head. There’ll be a lot of passion, with no barriers to love.
Cancer It’s time for making changes; make them in your own way, which is the best for now—if others aren’t supportive, get going on your own. Pay attention to friends.
Leo You have a good professional outlook; if you don’t have a job, you’ll get a lot of help and might receive good advice from your family. Everything depends on you this month.
Virgo You may have had the
Libra You may feel that you’re moving like a tortoise, but you’re consolidating your working life. Don’t compare youself with others, as you’re going uphill. Take care of your spine.
Scorpio You are very active in love and fundamentally happy. If you don’t have a partner, this is the time for you to meet a special person. You have the chance to create business partnerships.
Sagittarius Pay attention to
Capricorn Health is important
Aquarius Although your job is important, it’s a good idea to put it on the back burner. Focus on your home, family and relationships. Your personal independence takes a back seat.
Pisces You have an insatiable longing for knowledge and information—it’s possible that you’ll spend money on training courses. You might have luck with financial speculation.
your health—you have been enjoying things to excess and it would be wise for you to follow some kind of diet. Take care of life’s small details.
a time of maximum energy—take advantage of it to reap good results for this year. You have made a lot of professional effort and now you should take a rest.
impression on a work level that you’re going backward not forward, but now you have more clarity about where you’re going and what you want to achieve.
this month—you must pay attention to your head and face. It would be a good idea for you to have a regular massage of your head and neck.
scoop By Ben Rowdon
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A4 April 2011.pdf
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PHOTO: IRIMI MEDIA
An exquisite selection of homes to buy, sell or rent. HJAP贸N can make your dreams come true, live a life next to the beach and by the mountains in one of the best properties only 10 minutes from Barcelona in El Maresme. A new concept in real estate advice and services. Enjoy the best of both worlds. Live in a house with a pool surrounded by countryside but only 10 minutes from Barcelona. The location boasts international schools, golf courses and various sporting facilities and is close enough to Barcelona to be able to work in the centre of town.
www.hjapon.com C/Amadeo I n潞30 B, El Masnou, 08320, Barcelona | Tel. 93 540 8161 | Email. info@hjapon.com
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