Barcelona: reflections and textures

Layers of paint on an exterior wall.

Reflected light cast through stained glass at Sagrada Familia.

Reflected towers of Fira de Barcelona.

Lampshade.

Awesome exterior walls.

Reflected archways at Muesu Picasso.

On the roof of Arenas de Barcelona Multicines.

Looking at part of the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya reflected in a modern building.

Sagrada Familia

Barcelona has been an amazing whirlwind. Somehow seven days have gone by and we're packing up to head back to France already. I have to say, we have all fallen in love with Barcelona, and are already talking about what we'll do when we return.

I have tons of photos to go through and post, but none quite as breathtaking as those of Sagrada Familia. Neither words nor images can do justice to what Antoni Gaudi has created here. Construction began in 1882, and is still underway. I believe the current completion date is set for 2026.

Although the architecture is mind-boggling, for me it was the stained glass and the play of light and shadow that captivated my attention.

Dinner with Clinton and Xavi

View from the front balcony (photo by Anna).

I know I've said this before, but without exception the best experiences we've had when traveling have been when people invited us into their homes. This summer, we've had the privilege of making many new, lifelong friends over a meal and a bottle (or four!).

When David tweeted that we were coming to Barcelona, he immediately received a response from Clinton, a fellow Perl programmer living in Barcelona with his husband, Xavi. They invited us over for dinner, sighed heavily over our dietary restrictions, and then treated us to an amazing evening.

Their home is beautiful. They have turned a 200-year-old flat into a modern oasis. I was beside myself taking pictures and asking questions. Xavi is a jewelry designer and has created or modified many of the details and fixtures. I was incredibly inspired and plan on stealing lots of his ideas!


I love everything about this room. Notice the painted picture frame hanging from the ceiling — brilliant!






Again, it's in the details. See how the picture over the bed only fills half the frame and then there are lights filling the rest of the space? Love the wall color, too.



Clinton on the back balcony. This was my favorite space in the house — an outdoor sitting room complete with astro-turf!






Sitting on the back balcony, lost in their respective Apple devices.



Anna modeling a ring designed by Xavi. It is encrusted with Swarvorski crystals.



Xavi hard at work over dinner while the others sipped Cava. The sink is the original marble.



Gazpacho with asparagus. Catalan gazpacho is amazing. One of my new favorite foods from this summer.



Xavi's homemade Romesco salad dressing is also a new favorite!



Salmon with fresh-squeezed orange juice. Ok, everything from this meal is a new favorite!



Perhaps the focus (or lack thereof) is due to the four bottles of wine??



The finishing touch. Nougat ice cream with stewed cherries. Killer.


The meal lasted til almost midnight, at which point David carried Anna to the Metro!

Barcelona

I'm writing this post from the balcony of our flat in Barcelona. It's 11pm, and the city is hopping. We're in a pretty lively area, though it seems like all of Barcelona is a pretty lively area!

Yesterday after we arrived and got settled into our place, we took a walk to get the lay of the land in our immediate vicinity. Little did we know we'd stumble upon one of the most beautiful landmarks in Barcelona, the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya. The museum, and the various buildings around it, are just breathtaking. Also breathtaking: the heat. It's actually not blazing (it's in the mid 80s), but the sun is intense.

Here are the first few visual impressions we had of Barcelona:














View of La Sagrada Familia. We haven't been there yet, but it's on the list.













Reflection on a modern building across the street.


Today we went to Parc Guell and strolled on La Ramblas (pics of those places soon). Tomorrow, the beach!

Paris in July

At Hotel de Ville.

We're back in Paris for a long weekend and finally the sun came out for us! The weather has been glorious. We did a lot of walking, a lot of eating, a lot of drinking. Here are some highlights:


On the train from Rouen to Paris.


Some girl time with Leila. Love the Dior signs behind her. She's always so elegant.














First ice cream. Vanille.









At L'As du Falafel in the Marais. Best falafel outside of Israel.


























Off to Barcelona in the morning!