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Chérie City Guide To: Barcelona

September 3, 2012 by cheriecity

Barcelona is one of Spain’s most vibrant, exciting and constantly evolving cities. There are always plenty of new things to see and do, alongside traditional establishments that have endured throughout the years. It’s now easier than ever to find an affordable flight and spend a long weekend in one of Spain’s coolest cities.

Here are a few of my favourites places in Barcelona…

Market Hotel is a chic, affordable design hotel with decor inspired by the Far East. It’s located close to the San Antoni market in Eixample and nice touches include complimentary wifi, apples and bottles of mineral water to take away at reception.

The hotel’s pretty monochrome Market Restaurant is a buzzing yet relaxing place to enjoy authentic Catalan cuisine. Finish the evening with a cocktail on the terrace or in the stunning Asian-inspired Bar Rosso, designed in deep reds with Chinoiserie and tea lights (Passatge de Sant Antoni Abad 08015 Barcelona).

Pizza Ravalo is a cute neighbourhood pizzeria with a great terrace, tucked away in Upper Raval. The pizzas are huge and topped with authentic Italian ingredients – just leave enough room for dessert (Plaça d’Emili Vendrell, 1, 08001 Barcelona).

Bar Kasparo is a Raval institution with its laid-back atmosphere, cool location under the arches of Placa Vicenc Martorell, friendly Aussie staff and great food (Plaça de Vicenç Martorell, 4 08001 Barcelona).

Mercat de Santa Caterina is a foodie’s heaven with its fresh produce market and excellent fusion restaurant, Cuines Santa Caterina. Santa Caterina is a slicker affair than the touristy Boqueria Market and the Cuines Santa Caterina is an ultra-chic spot for lunch or dinner, with its open kitchen, light wood interiors and indoor trees. The Country Paella takes a long time to arrive, but it’s definitely worth ordering (Av Francesc Cambó, 16 08003 Barcelona).

Santa Eulalia – Referencing the patron saint of Barcelona, Santa Eulalia has been supplying the city with high end fashion since 1843. Today, the iconic store stocks brands such as Lanvin, Theyskens’ Theory, Celine and Balenciaga. It even has its own fashion cafe and terrace (Passeig de Gràcia, 93 08008 Barcelona).

Fundació Antoni Tàpies – The great Catalan artist Antoni Tàpies sadly passed away this year, but the foundation continues to show exhibitions by international contemporary artists, alongside a permanent collection of Tàpies’ work (Aragó 255, 08007 Barcelona).

MACBA is Barcelona’s best know and most exciting contemporary art museum. The building’s striking white curves and glass make it a focal point of Upper Raval. After exploring the museum, have a drink at one of the cool pavement cafes on the Plaça dels Àngels and watch the skateboarders. At night, the square becomes a low-key bohemian nightspot as people bring their own beers and music before hitting the bars of Joaquín Costa (Plaça dels Àngels, 1 08001 Barcelona).

Gardens of El Antic Hospital Santa Creu – Take a break from the busy streets in Raval hideaway, the El Antic Hospital Santa Creu gardens. Relax among the orange trees, admire the gothic architecture and spot the gargoyles above the stone arches. Enjoy a cervesa and tapas during the day at stylish al fresco tapas bar El Jardí gardens or visit at night when DJs play long into the evening (Carrer de l’Hospital, 56 08001 Barcelona).

Barceloneta – The city’s expansive marina and beaches are the best places to enjoy the sun. Stroll along the seafront and spot the interesting public art, or spend a lazy afternoon in one of the many seafood restaurants and tapas bars.

All photos by Chérie City

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Barcelona, Bars, Cafes, Restaurants

Notes From Barcelona: Bar Kasparo

June 5, 2010 by cheriecity

After a long delayed flight, a coach trip from Girona and trudging around trying to find the hotel, there was only one place I wanted to be in Barcelona… Bar Kasparo.

An institution of Upper Raval, Bar Kasparo is tucked away under the arches in a leafy, relaxing square, just a short walk away from the bustle of La Rambla and the MACBA. Throughout the day, people flock to its buzzy outdoor terrace for an early Catalan breakfast, a cold beer and tapas at lunchtime, or dinner and drinks in the evening.

I’ve been to Bar Kasparo a few times for drinks and one time had some delicious pasta there in the evening. This time we hadn’t eaten since having some scrambled eggs on buttered toast at the airport, so we ordered a late lunch of four tapas dishes and drinks.

We went for Patatas Bravas wedges, a fried ricotta cheese ball with tomato salsa, a beef filo pastry empanada and a slice of tortilla. Everything arrived pretty quickly – the portion sizes were generous and everything was well presented with paprika and chives garnish.

The wedges came with a spicy tomato sauce and sour cream and were soft and not too greasy. The beef filo pastry was mince cooked in a light curry sauce and wrapped in bubbly crispy pastry.

The ricotta cheese ball had very light breadcrumbs and although the cheese can be a bit bland, it went well with the warm tomato salsa. The tortilla arrived less than five minutes after the other dishes, so it’s not photographed here, but it was thick, slow cooked and full of soft potato.

Our bill came to around 21 Euros including service. It’s not the cheapest place for lunch, as just across the street you can get a quick foccacia or panini at Buenas Migas for less, but at Bar Kasparo you know that you can get good food and friendly service in a relaxed atmosphere.

Bar Kasparo, Plaza Vincenç Martorell, 4, Barcelona

Accessories, Designers, Fashion, Paris, Shopping, Stores

A birthday gift from Alber Elbaz…

December 2, 2009 by cheriecity

Happy birthday Lanvin, you’re looking much more youthful than your 12o years! To celebrate the house’s enduring legacy, Alber Elbaz has given us all a slice of the birthday cake, in the shape of three beautifully illustrated, limited-edition note books for just €15 a pop!

I admit to having a bit of a notebook/diary fetish and my collection of Daisy de Villeneuve, MACBA and Moleskine jotters are usually left untouched, as they’re too pretty to be ruined by my dreadful handwriting!

Lanvin notebook

In an exclusive range for Colette, Alber revisits Lanvin’s origins as a label for both mothers and daughters (a particularly French sentiment favoured for justifying the price of designer pieces). Jeanne Lanvin began her fashion career in 1889 by designing dresses for her daughter, Marguerite. The designs became hugely popular in Europe due to their delicate trimmings and intricate beadwork and the house of Lanvin was inaugurated into the Syndicat de la Couture, 20 years later.

The mother-daughter relationship is sweetly reflected in the illustrations featuring a chic little girl who looks up to her mother and then grows up and marries the man of her dreams…ahh! I love it how she is balancing on tip toes in the Y of HAPPY – sounds like a motto for life, no?

lanvin-notebook-2 There is even a cheeky appearance from Alber, wearing his signature bow-tie and glasses. The notebooks are almost as lovely as Alber himself, and they really do make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

If you want to spread even more Lanvin love this Christmas, Colette also stock a set of pencils and sharpener, a fan and some kitsch-cool snowglobes (from a more pricey €100).

lanvin-notebook

However, after spotting by the SOLD OUT button on Colette’s website, I’m concerned that they could be another fashion myth that leads to much sulking and disappointment. So, I’m playing detective and am marching down to Colette next Monday while I’m in Paris to see if I can get my hands on one, or three. I’ll report back sharpish and try to find out when they’ll be available again to buy online.

Photo credit: Colette