Leaving my Heart in Barcelona

I started this blog as an online journal of sorts, for me to remember where I've been, what I've eaten, what I've done in LA and beyond. And after a little while, I befriended like-minded food-bloggers who have shared their ups and downs with me: food romances, foodie babies on the rise, and the craziness of our "day jobs" getting in the way of our daily food adventures.

And it's so nice to know that even after an absence of weeks, or even months, my friends and family are out there, waiting for my next update.

So here is my final post on my trip to Spain.

MS and I ended our Spanish excursions in Barcelona with about five days with Gaudi, Picasso, and Miro. We visited La Sagrada Familia - Gaudi's great unfinished cathedral - full of natural curves and free-flowing abstract designs. It was amazing going up the elevator to the top of the towers, which had a view of the entire city overlooking the Mediterranean.

It was kind of scary to stand up there, with the gusts of wind blowing through the open space and looking down to the streets below where the people and cars look like nothing but little bugs. So I highly encouraged MS that we take the elevator back down rather than take the ominous looking stairs.

But MS said, "Let's be adventurous."

And who am I to back down from an adventure?

Well, for someone who is deathly afraid of stairs, I should have backed down.

I gripped the brass handrail with every bit of strength I could muster, and kept count of each step I took. My thighs burned with each foot going down those narrow, steep, stone stairs.

Right foot - One. Left foot - Two.

One. Two. One. Two.

Never mind that I told MS to "PLEASE BE QUIET" when he voiced how narrow the stairs were and how crazy windy the staircase had become.

One. Two. One. Two.

Until at long last, we finally made it to the ground. But by then, my legs started to shake convulsively like Jello. And I knew, I was spent. It would take about two days for my thigh muscles to recover. Thankfully, this was during our first day in Barcelona.

We also stopped in Park Guell, another one of Gaudi's masterpieces. Full of beautiful, almost whimsical designs, you could spend an entire day finding new things to look at or people to watch. I spied this guitar player amongst the mosaic open space which had great acoustics. You could almost hear him playing and imagine people dancing to the melodic Spanish chords.

But above all else, I absolutely loved the food in Barcelona.


One of our first meals out in the city was to a local hotspot, Bar Mut. Without a reservation, we walked in when the doors opened and were lucky to be seated at the bar. The small restaurant was full of patrons after work, with walls lined of wine bottles and pure sophistication.


A tapas bar with lots of great choices, we started with a bottle of water and some white wine. The waiter, lucky for us, spoke English and was able to make some great recommendations. Two of our favorites of the night were the refreshingly light and sweet tomato, onion and tuna salad, and the creamy and savory sausage risotto.


Another great food find was Can Majo along the Mediterranean coast. Again, without a reservation, we walked in hoping to get a table outside. With a beautiful view of the water and a great spot for people-watching, all the tables were booked for five straight hours. Lucky for us, though, there were plenty of tables to choose from inside the restaurant.


We ordered a huge platter of the gourmet seafood paella that came piping hot from the kitchen. Smooth, tomato broth soaked rice went delicious with the fresh and salty seafood. MS and I fought over who would have the last clam and shrimp - absolutely one of my favorites from our entire trip.

But my ALL-TIME favorite meals was at Pinotxo Bar inside the market area.


After being PICK-POCKETED and losing the entire contents of my wallet: 10 Euros, 50 Euro Traveler's Cheque, Credit Card, School ID, Health Insurance Card, and an International Phone Card, I was feeling pretty sad and ready to go home.

Luckily, my misfortune was towards the end of my trip and it could have been a lot worse. But a trip to Pinotxo Bar and staking out two seats at this very small counter service with MS, made everything OK.


I started with a nice cold beer to wash my sorrows away, and replaced my woes with this comforting, warm dish of seasoned chickpeas. I could have ordered another round, but we were lucky to get this plate full, right before they ran out of the dish.

We also ordered some razor clams that were not too tough and deliciously salty with a bit of olive oil, and a delicate cool salad made with a mild white fish, garlic, sweet red onions, and soft legumes in a tart balsamic dressing. A quick and delicious meal on the go, Pinotxo Bar was a one-of-a-kind find that proved to be a must eat in Barcelona.

So with all the unexpected twists and turns along the way, my Spain 2007 vacation will always be a memorable trip full of good eats, great finds, and nonstop adventure.