Bruce Springsteen Concert Barcelona 2012

You may have not been “Born in the USA” but people worldwide know the song and the man who has been rocking for decades. As you might know “The Boss” is wildly popular in Spain and on May 17^th musical legend Bruce Springsteen will be playing in Barcelona’s Paseo Olimpico. Bruce is traveling around the world playing his “The Wrecking Ball” World Tour. “The Wrecking Ball” will spend two days in Barcelona May 17^th and May 18^th. If you miss either of these concerts Bruce will also be playing May 13^th in Seville, May 15^th at Las Palmas, and one more June 17^th in Madrid.

Springsteen has been playing his heartland rock since the 1970’s and continues to bring the world his personal style of poetic lyrics and musical stories. Springsteen has been awarded 21 Grammys, two Golden Globe Awards, and even an Oscar. He is  regarded by many as one of the most influential songwriters of the 20th century, and in 2004, Rolling Stone ranked him as the 23rd Greatest Artist of all time.

The concert starts at 21h so make sure to get there early. Tickets are on sale now. Check out Barcelona events at www.eventful.com/Barcelona for more information on the show. Don’t miss this historical musical icon when he is in one of the world’s most iconic cities.

Let us know if there are any events you are looking forward to this summer in Barcelona. Keep rocking.

Brett

All the Best Events in Barcelona, May 2012

Labour Day 1^st

The 1^st of May is a national holiday known as ‘Labour Day’ in many countries and Spain is one of them.  There will be some demonstrations in and marches led by trade unions in the city centre.  They will usually be around Placa de la universitat and passeig de Gracia.

Barcelona Poetry Week 8^th – 17^th may

Barcelona’s international poetry week is one of the many Cultural Barcelona events that take place each year.  There are poetry readings in many places around the city and most of the poetry is in Catalan or Spanish.   Check out the website for more details.

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Sports Film Festival FICTS (2012) 10^th – 12^th

This year is the 3^rd edition of the Barcelona international FICTS festival.  It is part of the world FICTS challenge, which is a collection of sport film festivals in countries all over the world.  There will be 70 films, based on a variety of different sports, competing in this year’s festival.  The main venue for the festival is in the heart of park de montjuic at the ‘The Museu Olímpic’ and ‘de l’Esport Joan Antoni Samaranch’.  For more information see the website.

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Spanish Gran Prix 11^th – 13^th

Formula 1 is coming to Barcelona! The Spanish Gran Prix is held just outside Barcelona each year at the Circuit de Catalunya, Montmelo.  28km North of the City.    There are many covered stands around the track and ticket prices for the weekend go from over €3,500 (paddock club ticket) down to just above €200.  So if you want to watch Alonso, Vettel, and Hamilton race round a track at unbelievable speeds then check the Gran Prix website for more info and tickets.

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Tibidabo Race, 19^th

La pujada al Tibidabo is an annual uphill race that goes all the way to the top of mount Tibidabo.  The race is 9km long and is part of the Up hill Series.  The race goes through the beautiful Collserola Park and throughout the route you get amazing views of the city.  So if you like running and a bit of a challenge then this is not to be missed.

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Route Map

Museum Night, 19^th

This is a great event each year in Barcelona where more than 50 museums throughout the city remain open during the night until 1 am and they are all free to visit.  Last year over 100,000 people took advantage of this great opportunity.  There will also be activities such as concerts and performances.  This is a night of fun you can’t miss.  For more information check the website.

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Spanish Cup Final (Copa del Rey) FC Barcelona Vs Athletic Bilbao, 25^th

FC Barcelona will compete in the Spanish Cup final in Madrid.  This means the city streets will be empty and the bars full as all the local football fans watch one of the most important games in Spanish football.  It’s always fun to watch Barcelona play in a local bar because the Barcelona fans get so into it, making the atmosphere electric.  Try watching the game in an Irish pub in Barcelona, which will be full of locals and expats all cheering and shouting.

Dilluns de Pasqua Granada (Public Holiday in Catalunya) 28^th May

It’s another Public Holiday in Barcelona. Why not go to the beach.  Read our free E-book all about Barcelona beaches to help you decide which one.

Primavera Sound, 30^th May – 3^rd June

Primavera Sound is one of Europe’s biggest and best Festivals.  With over 100,000 visitors last year and this year will be even bigger.  There is a great mix of genres such as, Rock, pop, indie, hip-hop, jazz, electro and more! There will be more than 150 artists and lots of big names too! For more information read our Primavera Sound 2012 Bolg.

If you have any questions or know of any other great Barcelona events, we would love to hear about them. Please leave a comment below.

Cheers

Matthew Rutter

The Man Behind the Feast

We recently celebrated Sant Jordi Day here in Barcelona, the day we venerate Catalonia’s patron saint, Saint George, or Sant Jordi. This special holiday in Catalonia is a romantic day in which romantics across the region exchange presents, a rose for a woman and a book for a man. Sant Jordi Day is Barcelona’s equivalent to Valentine’s Day. In my last blog I wrote about the story of Saint George slaying the dragon of Montblanc before he ate the beautiful princess, saving her from her fate. Due to this romantic and chivalrous act Sant Jordi Day is celebrated as a romantic occasion.

Lets look at the real Sant Jordi, the man behind the legend. According to Christian history George was born in Palestine in 275 AD. Both of Saint George’s parents were Christians; his father Gerontius was a prominent official in the Roman army from Cappadocia while his mother Polychronia was from Palestine.  At the age of 14 George lost his father in battle and a few years later his mother died. As a young man George left Palestine to head to the imperial city of Nicomedia, where he asked Emperor Diocletian for a career as a soldier. By his late 20’s George had been promoted to the imperial guard where was given the privileged title of Tribunus.

In the year 302 AD Emperor Diocletian issued a edict that every Christian soldier be arrested and Christian civilians should be sacrificed to the Roman gods. As a strong proud Christian George protested this edict and spoke to Diocletian directly. In front of the emperor and all of the imperial guard George declared himself to be a Christian and refused to change his beliefs. For this reason George endured several tortures such as lacerations on a wheel of swords. Even after his trials of pain and torture George once again refused to renounce Jesus Christ and his Christian faith. On April 23, 303 George was placed against the wall of Nicomedia and was decapitated in front of the city’s citizens. His body was soon returned to Palestine where it was buried.

The legend of Saint George and the dragon has several beginnings in Christian, Eastern Orthodox, and even Muslim writings. The dragon motif became popular with Vincent of Beauvais’ writings entitled Speculum Historale and later in Jacobus de Voragine’s writings entitled The Golden Legend. Historians believe that the slaying of the dragon is a direct representation of George denying paganism and the Roman Empire. In the story George rides in to save the fair maiden from the jaws of death as she is given to the dragon as a sacrifice. George protects himself from the dragon by using the sign of the cross then justly using his lance Ascalon to strike down the evil beast. The citizens are grateful to George and abandon their pagan ways in order to follow Christ and the Christian Church as inspired by Saint George.

Images of Saint George can be found across Europe and even in the Middle East. Countries that venerate the Christian icon and count him as their patron saint include Georgia, England, Egypt, Bulgaria, Catalonia, Romania, Ethiopia, Greece, India, Iraq, Lithuania, Palestine, Portugal, Serbia, Ukraine, Russia, Canada, and Bosnia.

Countries that celebrate the Day of Saint George raise the white flag with the red cross, the flag of Saint George. These countries will hold religious sermons along with celebrations of food and gift giving. The practice of celebrating Saint George Day is beginning to wane in countries such as England, Canada, and Georgia. Hungary marks April 23^rd to also be the Day of the Police, portraying the Saint as a protector similar to those in uniform.

Across the globe April 23^rd is marked with veneration and historical patronage. The Day of Saint George is celebrated in numerous different fashions, but they all have several characteristics in common; unity, patronage, and great storytelling.

Check out our other Suitelife blogs on Sant Jordi

Sant Jordi Day

Sant Jordi Barcelona

Sant Jordi Day Barcelona

Art In Barcelona

“Architecture + Interactive Art”: this is how they describe their project. Corretger5 brings together architects that want to experiment with art in all its forms: photo, design, architecture, theatre…

When I went there last Saturday, I didn’t know what to expect. A friend took me there because she heard about it from someone, who heard about it from someone else, who… you get the picture!

The place is charming, it’s an old stable transformed into an atelier that becomes a gallery during exhibitions or a venue for shows. The neighborhood is great as well, as it is located in el Born, in Barcelona.

La Folie Condal: a Cabaret in Barcelona

Barcelona’s Valentines Day with A Twist of Culture and Storytelling

Barcelona lovers hit the streets and buy your novio or novia a book or rose as today is Catalonia’s most cherished day; Sant Jordi Day. Sant Jordi or Saint George is the patron saint of Catalonia along with a dozen other countries around the world. It is accepted that the chivalrous knight died April 23^rd, 303 AD. Many other countries tie the day of Saint George in with Easter Celebrations but here in Barcelona and Catalonia the day deserves it’s own recognition and celebration.

The streets across Barcelona will be radiating with the beautiful color and smells from roses along with the colorful designs and displays of books as sellers show their wares for all to enjoy. Flower and book stands will be draped with Catalonia’s red and white striped flag. Roses will be died in these colors, while other roses will be died red and blue in recognition of Barcelona’s famous football club. It is the tradition here in Barcelona for men to buy their lovers a flower and women to buy a book for their men. As time has gone by it is no longer gender qualified as men can buy women a book and women can buy their novios a flower if they choose to. Just don’t forget to bring your love one of these gifts.

Today is recognized with several different names. Saint George Day, Sant Jordi Day, the Day of Roses, and the Day of the Book. Today alone Barcelona will sell over 400,000 books and over a million roses. More books will be sold today then the rest of the year combined.

April 23 has been the Day of Roses since medieval times. The famed Saint George was once a knight in the Roman empire. The famous Catalonian tale speaks of George traveling through the Catalan town of Montblanc. The small town of Montblanc was plagued by a dragon who required a daily sacrifice every day of a villager. One day the village lottery had chosen the princess of Montblanc as the sacrifice. Before the beautiful maiden could come to her demise Saint George came to her rescue and slew the dragon, piercing it through the chest with his sword.  Upon the ground in which the dragon’s blood spilled grew a large magnificent rose bush shining bright crimson red. To this day Catalonian’s give their lover a rose to symbolize romance and chivalry.

The Day of the Book began in 1923 when a sales savvy book store dealer in the region combined Sant Jordi Day with books as a means to honor the deaths of two world renowned authors; William Shakespeare and Miguel Cervantes, both who had died on April 23^rd, 1616. The giving of books to a lover has been a part of Catalonian culture ever since. In 1995 UNESCO declared April 23 to be International Book Day.

Spend the day with a loved one and walk around the city. La Rambla and Plaza Catalunya will be especially festive as the concrete pathways will be adorned with flowers and books. Happy Sant Jordi Day to everyone.

Let us know how your Sant Jordi Day is and check out these other Suitelife blogs on Barcelona’s day of lovers and books.

Sant Jordi Barcelona

Sant Jordi Day in Barcelona

Valentine’s Day in Barcelona

Cheers,

Brett

Events in Barcelona April 2012:

Semana Santa in Barcelona

Semana Santa is the week leading up to Easter and is translated to “holy week”.  Semana Santa starts on palm Sunday, the 1^st of April, and lasts a week until Easter Sunday.  All the schools are closed for the week and there are public holidays on Friday the 6^th and Monday the 9^th.   There are processions on palm Sunday and good Friday (6^th) in Barcelona where thousands take to the streets to commemorate this “holy week”. The photo below is of an Easter ceremony in Plaza Real.

FC Barcelona Vs Ac Milan: Champions League Quarter finals.  Tuesday the 3^rd 20:45

Barcelona faces AC Milan for the second leg of the Champions league Quarter Final.  The first leg resulted in a draw 2 – 2.  The Match is at Camp Nou and Barcelona are the favourites.  This is sure to be an exciting match so be sure to get yourself down to a bar for a great atmosphere and lots of excited Barca fans.  When Barcelona plays the bars in the city are always fun.  Bayern Munich and Marseille also play their champions league Quarter Final second leg at the same time, with Munich leading 2 – 0.  You may struggle to find somewhere to watch this game in Barcelona Bars tho.  Irish Pubs are a great place to watch the footy.  Check out our Top 5 Irish Pubs in Barcelona blog to know where to find them.

Barcelona Restaurant week: Friday the 13^th to Sunday the 22^nd

This month there is a great thing called Barcelona restaurant week where some of the best restaurants offer fantastic meals for only €25, €24 for the restaurant and €1 for charity.   There are more than 30 restaurants taking part and on any normal day you could expect to pay on average between €40 and €80 for a meal at these assorted restaurants, so €25 is a great deal.  Follow the link below to see which restaurants are taking part and to reserve a table.

Barcelona Restaurant Week

Sant Jordi: Monday 23^rd

Sant Jordi is the patron saint of Catalonia and the whole of Barcelona comes alive with red and gold Catalan flags everywhere.  The bakeries even go patriotic by adding red sobrassada pate stripes to their bread.  Sant Jordi is also the Ctalan Valentines day. You can read all about it on our blog on Sant Jordi Day in Barcelona.

The Barcelona Tennis open (ATP world Tour): Saturday 21^st – Sunday the 29^th

Some of the worlds best tennis players come to Barcelona to play in the ATP Barcelona Open.  It’s the second biggest tennis tournament in Spain behind the Madrid Masters.  The tournament is staged at the real club de Tenis Barcelona, which is the oldest Spanish tennis club. Rafael Nadal has won it six times out of the last seven so don’t be surprised if he wins again.

Fira de la Terra: Saturday 21^st – Sunday 22^nd

The Barcelona Earth Fair takes part every year in conjunction with Earth Day, which is on the 22^nd.  This Event is meant to raise awareness about global warming and all environmental issues, to help teach people how they can help save the earth.  Earth day started in America and is now a global event.  On Earth Day famous landmarks across the world will have their lights turned off for one hour to raise awareness about climate change and promote a “greener lifestyle”.  The Fira de la Terra Barcelona is held in Park Ciutadella.

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FC Barcelona Vs Real Madrid: El Classico. Sunday the 22^nd

When Barcelona Plays Real Madrid the streets in Barcelona are empty and the bars are full.  It seems like almost everyone in Barcelona is watching the big game.  This El Classico is in Camp Nou, and if Barcelona beat real Madrid, there will be a gathering of Barca fans Celebrating and singing in or near Plaza Catalunya.  If you’re not lucky enough to go to the stadium you should go to a bar for a fun and exciting atmosphere.  A good place to go is one of Barcelona’s best Irish pubs.

If you have any questions or comments we would love to hear them.

Cheers

Matthew Rutter

Parks in Barcelona: Enjoy a Slice of Green in the Concrete Jungle (Aka BCN)

The beautiful Parks in Barcelona are something you could easily overlook on your first visit, but those in ‘the know’ worship these tucked-away green spaces as a way to escape the city, without actually leaving it. Here’s our guide to the best Barcelona parks around:

Park Ciutadella

If you haven’t been to Park Ciutadella, then you’re missing out on a magical little piece of Barcelona.  We’ve been going for years and it’s always the perfect lazy sunday alternative when you just don’t feel like the beach (If you are in a beach mood, download our free ebook here: The Barcelona Bible: Barcelona Beaches). I suppose the best way to describe it is… eclectic, and friendly, and otherworldly, and free. Bring your friends, or easily make some new ones.

Park Güell

Park Guell has a fascinating history, but if you don’t want a short synopsis then just skip down a paragraph.  Around the turn of the 1900′s, Count Eusebi Guell commissioned Antoni Gaudí to create the park. It was originally intended to be a posh gated community for the city’s elite, and consisting of only 60 properties, but there were only ever 2 houses actually built, neither by Gaudí himself, and it was deemed a commercial disaster (Interestingly enough, Guell convinced Gaudí to spend his life savings and buy the first model home. He moved in with his family in 1906 and spent the next 20 years living there). In 1969 it was designated a historical artistic monument of national interest. If you’re into Guadí, checkout our video: Las Ramblas Barcelona Part 4: Architecture.

Park Guell is best visited in off hours meaning the morning or around sunset and preferably not on weekends unless you want to wade through hords of tourists. You seem to be inspired to explore, like a giddy youngster, the architectural wonders it contains.  Some of them are easy to find like the park’s main terrace, with picturesque views and a long winding bench in the form of a psychedelic serpent wrapping around it.  Many of the nature-inspired works are hidden, and if you head out on the service roads and into the forrest you’ll discover all kinds of gems.

Read about it more in depth in Matt´s blog: Park güell: a personal guide to barcelona’s most famous park

Laberint d’Horta

Get lost in Parc del Laberint d’horta, literally. This is a fun place to come and be social, whether with some good friends or that special someone. The labyrinth even made it into our free ebook: The Barcelona Bible: Top 25 Place to Take a 1st Date. Make sure you find the outside bar and terrace. There’s nothing like kicking back for a few cañas after running around the labyrinth and the adjoining park.

Montjuic

Montjuic is truly incredible.  Go often, there’s so much to do and see.  The other day, and completely by happenstance, I stumbled upon a cactus garden and absolutely fell in love with it.

Gardens Mossen Costa i Llobera

The Jardins Mossen Costa i Llobera houses a collection that is considered by some botanists to be the plant world’s most important.  You will feel as if you are entering a different world, where you can admire an Alice in Wonderland like variety of cacti, all shapes and sizes and some in full bloom. This hidden cactus garden can be found heading down from Miramar, next to Pl. de l’Armada.

Gardens Mossèn Cinto Verdaguer

One of the most beautiful gardens in Barcelona has to be Mossèn Cinto Verdaguer. The designers took into account different plants’ flowering periods and weather conditions so there really isn’t a time of a year in which you could visit and be not struck by something. The landscape design of the park alone is something to marvel at. C. dels Tarongers, 1-5.

Tres Pins Nursery

I really love to watch things grow and hence this garden touched my heart. The Tres Pins Nursery is a more alternative green space, and quite a bit different from the many parks in Barcelona, and its beauty is hard to imagine before you enter. A tour through the nursery shows you how plants are grown and you’ll quickly discover that a nursery can be, at the same time, quite simply a beautiful garden. Again, the nursery can be found within my favourite Parc Montjuic – at Avinguda de Miramar.

Collserola

On a day when you’re crippled by a hangover, I don’t know another activity which helps clear your head that’s better than spending a day out in the forest. Collserola is perfect because it’s so easy to get there.  There are 5 different walking routes to choose from and the shortest is about 2km around a small lake.  The longest will take you several hours.  It’s hard to miss the spectacular views and picturesque fountains where you can drink the naturally purified water right from there spouts. To get there just hop on the FGC (Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya).  You’re looking to get off at the station “Baixador de Vallvidrera”. Then follow the signs directly to the park.

Cervantes park

Cervantes is one of the can’t-miss parks in Barcelona. In May it is especially beautiful and succulent.  Colours and scents overwhelm your senses and the vegetation is lush and inspiring. Rose lovers rejoice; the garden houses literally thousands of different species.  May and June is the main flowering period of the year, don’t miss it! Cervantes Park is in the Les Corts neighborhood on Avenida Diagonal, 708-716.

Hidden university garden

A little hidden oasis in the centre of the city.  Us SuiteLifers love to bring our lunch here because it’s quiet, green and peaceful.  It’s a nice place to disconnect and enjoy a relaxing moment.  It’s not huge, but because it’s hidden there is usually always a place to sit.  Sit by the fountain or under a big tree on the patio.  To find it just go to the university door (in Plaza Universitat) find the patio and turn left to find the garden.

Park Espanya industrial

A huge iron dragon reigns supreme over this interesting Barcelona Park. The park is centres around fire, water, and earth themes, has sunny grassy areas, a large pond, and great spots for setting up a picnic or relaxing in the sun with friends.

There are way more parks in Barcelona that we haven’t even mentioned here.  Did you know there are vegetable co-op gardens in the city too? One is close to the Sagrada Familia, but they say you have to wait till you’re 65 ir order to be able to buy a plot for your tomatos and I simply cannot wait that long!

Can you suggest any other great Barcelona parks that we can check out and add to our list?

Sharka

Barcelona Street Profile: Carrer Torrent de l’Olla

You can find all kind of streets in Barcelona, and you will probably find some of the nicest and most charming in Vila de Gracia. Torrent de l’Olla is located in Vila de Gracia (or the popular part of the Gracia neighbourhood), and it starts near the Diagonal metro at Carrer de Corsega, and it winds all the way up to Traverssera de Dalt, near Lesseps metro.

Let me tell you why you should definitely have a look at this street of Barcelona…

Shops on Torrent de L’Olla

This street is full of shops. You will find especially two kinds of shops: Vintage & second-hands clothes and designer shops that sell clothes and jewelry. Also, download our free ebook for in depth info on Shopping in Barcelona.

By the way, you can find out more about shopping and fashion in Barcelona on .

There are two really great vintage shops: Gallery Vintage (Torrent de l’Olla, 117) and Graceland.

Gallery Vintage is really popular and you can find amazing clothes. Prices are both high and low, it depends of the product, but you can find beautiful bags for around 20€ for example… They have a website and you can buy online, but I think it’s better to go there directly and to see their wares first hand and get a feel for the store.

Graceland sells second-hand clothes and accessories. The shop is very small and you can find the nicest dresses as well as the ugliest (well, at least it suits all tastes)! But it’s really nice and quite cheap. The clothes are good quality and if you like Camden Town in London, you will love Graceland too for sure!

Designer shops are more expensive and sell mostly products for you girls. Even if you’re not buying, walk through the door and have a look at their amazing pieces. Shops are very girly and pleasant, there is a lot of space and people are delighted to help you in anyway. If you’re looking for a birthday present, I am sure you can find something unique around there.

Have a look at Madam’ Pumpum (Torrent de l’Olla, 30bis) and Backstage (Torrent de l’Olla, 64), my two favorites!

Food, Food, Food and Drinks!

You will find a lot of restaurants or bar/restaurants that offer you really good food from everywhere! French Crepes at St Germain (Torrent de l’Olla, 113), Japanese food sushi at Wasabi (best value for money, Torrent de l’Olla, 8), Brazilian food and cocktails at Berimbau (Torrent de l’Olla, 129) or Greek food at Dionisos (Torrent de l’Olla, 144). And that is just a sample of what you can find in this street of Barcelona!

I highly recommend you to go to St Germain. This place is so nice, with panther style bench seating, great music and really good crepes! When I went there with my friend we had a great meal (and it wasn’t too expensive) while watching Mary Poppins. If you go, look for the numerous Barbie Dolls “hidden” in the bar and let us know how many you found! And it seems that they have a really great mojito… (Cocktails are only 4€ until 10pm)

All that to say that whatever your tastes or budget, you always find something in Carrer del Torrent de l’Olla! By the way, if you like bluegrass (or don’t know about it yet), go read this blog and then go to El Cine, a great bar with bluegrass jam sessions on Sundays! (El Cine, Torrent de l’Olla, 21)

Shabby Chic Cakes

If you like cupcakes then you have only one thing to do: GO THERE! The cupcakes are so beautiful that you don’t want to eat them… but you have to, because they are as good as they look! Colorful and stylish, they are not even so expensive (well, not if you get addicted and start buying half a dozen every day of course): around 2,50€ for one. It’s Torrent de l’Olla, 46, and here is their website.

Blue Cat Tattoo

Looking for a tattooist? No need to search further! Blue Cat Tattoo is the best in town! Manu and Trudy are true artists and their works are real pieces of art.
Carrer del Torrent de l’Olla, 178.

Check also the Budda Bag shop, on Carrer del Torrent de l’Olla, 46. Once you try them, you’ll want to stay there for ever!

This street of Barcelona is full of places to get lost and explore. It is impossible to talk about all the shops, restaurants and bars that make this street Torrent de l’Olla inescapable.

Generally speaking, this street of Barcelona in Vila de Gracia is not too crowded, but still quite alive! Most people are locals and that’s a great spot if you want to escape from masses of tourists in the center!

Now it’s your turn! Do you know any good places that I should have mentioned? Let us know if you go and if you find great deals in the vintages stores…

 

 

Cheers

Caroline

 

“Back in Florida, Pho is like the new sushi.”

While there are many cuisines and restaurants in Barcelona, Vietnamese is not usually one that first comes to mind, but as a lover of Pho (and not a huge fan of Spanish food, sorry) I have been determined to find out where the good Pho restaurants are in Barcelona and share them with SuiteLife readers.

I was introduced to the Vietnamese food trend by my older brother, the king of hipsters himself, who discovered the cheap and delicious lunch fare just a mile or so away from our house. After one try, I already felt myself hooked on the spicy, salty soup. But it was around this same time that I decided to come to Spain, and as I jetted off to Catalunya, I left my latest food obsession long behind without a second thought. Thus, when I found out there was a Pho Bar just a 12 minute walk from our office I felt no shame in begging my co-worker Sarka to accompany me as I went in pursuit of, one of a few, new Vietnamese restaurants in Barcelona.

What Is IT?

Pho Bo is a Vietnamese noodle soup made from beef broth; thin slices of boiled beef, your choice of basil, cilantro, scallions, and beansprouts (likely all four), lime, and a variety of sauces from fishy to hot. The fine selection of textures and flavors is guaranteed to satisfy any food craving you may have from sweet and salty, to hot, to sour, to crunchy, to smooth and savory.I absolutely love the exotic flavors of ethnic food, especially Asian and Indian, because they can’t be easily duplicated at home and coming from a vegetarian background it is always important to me that vegetables be somewhere on the menu.  Furthermore, Pho can be spiced to your liking (for me, extra spicy) using the sixth and most important food group – Siracha.

How does it work?

They bring you a bowl of noodles and throw the beef in then you will get to combine the veggies and flavorings, tweaking your soup to perfection. This process is great because I love to eat but I hate to spend money on food that I don’t like. Having something to work from and ingredients at my disposal is the best combination of laziness and creativity I can get when eating out.  And I know many people are turned off by the idea of eating soup as a main course but rest assured Pho Bo is not going to leave you starving. The trick is the mix of hearty (beef) and light ingredients (broth and vegetables) that fills you up without weighing you down.

Where can I get it?

Pho Bar Barcelona, like many restaurants in Barcelona, offers a moderately priced lunch menu of several courses. The first course consists of a spring roll (vegetarian or regular) or a salad, the second course is the main course of pho bo or another type of Vietnamese soup or noodle dish, and the last course is a dessert of either fruit or fruit flavored ice cream.

This restaurant is located at Sepulveda Street 159 , 08011 Barcelona and open for lunch and dinner, with a siesta in the middle. When we went we were the only customers at first but the place gradually filled up right around 2:30 p.m. You shouldn’t have any trouble finding a table as these places are new and haven’t quite caught on with the locals yet (give it a few years!).

If you live a ways away from Eixample, you might want to conduct your own search for Pho and let us know where it is! As we walked home from the first Pho bar, we actually spotted another one of the Vietnamese restaurants in Barcelona “Restaurant City Ho Chi Minh,” offering a similar lunch menu AND a half liter of wine for a cheaper price. Something tells me these places are sprinkled all over Barcelona…

Have you ever had Pho before? What is your favorite Asian cuisine/restaurant in Barcelona?

Bon Apetit

Kathy

PS: If you’re interested in making your own Pho, or just learning more about it, I highly recommend the blog located here.

Titeres, Objectos, Teatro

The amazing events in Barcelona never cease to amaze me, and working at the “digital textile” conference a few weeks ago was yet another reminder that in a metropolitan city such as Barcelona there is no shortage of events catering to people who share a not-so-common interest. The upcoming Tot festival once again proves that if Barcelona wants to attract an international audience, nothing is too weird or quirky. What is Tot festival? The third annual TOT festival (TOT stands for “Títeres, Objetos, Teatro”) is being held in Barcelona in celebration of World Puppet Day on Wednesday March 21^st. The festival will consist of shows, workshops, plays, concerts, and demonstrations, honoring everyone’s favorite antiquated toy – the puppet – in all of its forms.

Now, I think puppets are silly. But maybe… just maybe, silly enough to be considered cool in an offbeat kind of way. If you’re interested in attending events in Barcelona, this festival comes but once a year and I can only imagine it will generate, at the very least, some wonderful people watching for the non-puppet minded patron. The TOT festival is being held at Poble Espanyol, 13 Av. Marquès de Comillas and begins this weekend. It lasts ten days, through all of next week, from morning until early evening. Tickets for adults are between 12 and 15 euro depending on the day, and tickets for children are less expensive at only 8 euro. I would suggest making an appearance and picking up a quick guide on sight if you hope to learn more as I am unable to translate Catalan for you! You can visit the event page at www.poble-espanyol.com if you’re interested in the specifics of the Tot festival.

A Little Bit More on World Puppet Day

Very little “official” information exists about World Puppet Day (ie: a website listing of all the festivals) though it seems to have its place on almost every continent, and consistently fall on March 21st. World Puppet Day was officially declared in 2007 by Union de Internationale de Marionette in France. The organization UNIMA was actually created for the preservation of the art of puppetry around the world!

They accomplish this by breaking their puppetry goals into different departments – research, publications, cultural exchange, and festivals – and then providing a platform for people with similar projects to come and work together. In a statement for World Puppet Day 2012, Spanish painter and puppeteer Joan Baixas praises the organization saying, “…some years ago, a handful of puppeteers had the wise idea to create an organization to strengthen international exchange. UNIMA, already turned into a consolidated reality and all over the world, is now more than ever necessary to manage the professional efforts regarding the objectives of the art and human dignity.” Joan Baixas will, of course, be participating in the Tot festival in Barcelona and you can catch him, if you’re a professional, debating with designer Jacques Trudeau this Sunday.

Make Your Own Sock Puppet

Sometimes I think “If you’re broke like me,” should be my tagline, for as much as I enjoy all of these events in Barcelona, I’m rarely able to afford them. Instead of going to the Tot festival, my friends and I will most likely buy some cheap liquor and wander the streets of Barcelona, looking for interesting bars and the cheapest/best kebabs we can find.

That being said, I too would like to celebrate World Puppet Day so I’ve created a step-by-step guide to making your own sock puppet, the most ghetto variety of puppet.

Step #1: Find an old ankle or knee sock and slip it over your hand. Close your fingers together and draw a line across your four fingers, index finger to pinkie.

Step #2: Cut across the line you just drew and find you a good piece of cardboard. Cut the cardboard into a small circle, half the size you want your puppets mouth to be.

Step #3: Fold the cardboard circle in half and glue it to either side of the cut up sock mouth.

Step #4: Now is where you get creative! Googly eyes, buttons, string, glitter, anything you can get your hands on. Maybe you want your sock puppet to be a Rastafarian or a French maid. Get creative and make something that doesn’t suck.

Step #5: Post a picture of your puppet on facebook and tag SuiteLife Barcelona.

Happy Crafting and if you’re going to Tot festival let me know how it is!

Cheers

<3 Kathy