the adventures of brian and hugh
We originally started this blog for our 3-week trip to Spain that we took to celebrate our 20th anniversary in 2013. Like so many blogging projects across the Internet (and in my wake), it fell by the wayside immediately after.
In 2020, we moved to Spain and now live in Barcelona. Hence, a reboot of this site in order to document our lives in our new hometown and country.
We hope you enjoy our photos and commentary! Bon profit, as the Catalans say!
There. Are. No. Words. (Actually, there may be words later. Food coma ongoing. Enjoy the captioned photos whilst we process the meal.)
There. Are. No. Words.
(There may be words later. Food coma ongoing. In the meantime, read about Arzak at The World’s 50 Best Restaurants and enjoy the captioned photos whilst we process the meal.)
Continue reading “Lunch at Arzak”
One of two Michelin-starred restaurants in Zaragoza, Bal D’Onsera is the home of chef Josechu Corella, who draws his inspiration from local Aragonese cuisine and produce.
While researching dining options for our trip to Spain, I came across the restaurant Bal D’Onsera, in Zaragoza, which the Michelin Guide gives one star. I wasn’t able to find a lot of information on the restaurant other than its gorgeous (Flash-based and Spanish-only) website, but did find this information on the Foods from Spain website:
“Josechu Corella and his wife, Carmen Arregui, have run the Bal d´Onsera since 2004. Continue reading “Bal D’Onsera Does Zaragoza Proud”
Legend has it that in the early days of Christianity, the Apostle James, while preaching the Gospel in Zaragoza, experienced an apparition of the Virgin Mary standing on a pillar (pilar), accompanied by angels. The Virgin assured the Apostle that the people would eventually be converted and their faith would be as strong as the pillar she was standing on.
The city of Zaragoza today was focused on the highlight of its annual Fiestas del Pilar, namely The Offering of Flowers to Our Lady of the Pillar, the patron saint of Zaragoza.
Legend has it that in the early days of Christianity, the Apostle James, while preaching the Gospel in Zaragoza, experienced an apparition of the Virgin Mary standing on a pillar (pilar), accompanied by angels. The Virgin assured the Apostle that the people would eventually be converted and their faith would be as strong as the pillar she was standing on. Continue reading “Zaragoza’s Fiestas del Pilar”
Nintey-nine kilometers north of Barcelona, in the incredibly charming city of Girona (Gerona) on the Costa Brava, the Roca Brothers Joan, Josep, and Jordi (respectively: chef, sommelier, pastry chef) work their magic so skillfully as to have earned the coveted third Michelin star, and this year were bumped from #2 to #1 on the World’s Best 50 Restaurants list.
Nintey-nine kilometers north of Barcelona, in the incredibly charming city of Girona (Gerona) on the Costa Brava, the Roca Brothers Joan, Josep, and Jordi (respectively: chef, sommelier, pastry chef) work their magic so skillfully as to have earned the coveted third Michelin star in 2009, and this year were bumped from #2 to #1 on the World’s Best 50 Restaurants list.
Inconspicuous from the street, El Celler de Can Roca is housed in a stunning, purpose-built space that facilitates an extremely efficient operation delivering a magical experience to a house full of patrons thrilled to be at their table. Beautifully appointed in wood and glass, it brings the outdoors inside, literally, with a courtyard filled with trees enclosed in glass forming the center of the dining room, and glass walls looking out to the yard. Continue reading “El Celler de Can Roca Rocks the Table”
La Rambla is home to shops, hotels, restaurants, La Boqueria Market, theaters, newsstands, kiosks of all sorts, and more. The pedestrian traffic includes tourists and locals bustling to and from work and recreational activities.
La Rambla is home to shops, hotels, restaurants, La Boqueria Market, theaters, newsstands, kiosks of all sorts, and more. The pedestrian traffic includes tourists and locals bustling to and from work and recreational activities. Street performers often stop traffic with their antics. It’s also lined with sidewalk cafes where people eat, drink, and watch the world go by.
Continue reading “Rambling Along La Rambla”
Yesterday’s wanderings took me by Palau Guell, or “Guell Palace,” just off La Rambla, so I decided to duck in for a tour. Built by Antoni Gaudi in the late 19th century for his friend and patron, the Catalan industrialist Eusebi Guell, the building is an impressive example of Modernista architecture and one of many Gaudi works in the city.
My favorite part of the building is the rooftop terrace, which offers spectacular views from its undulating surface. It also features twenty chimneys, no two of which are alike: each a work of art of its own. At once fanciful and practical, which is my overall impression of Gaudi’s style.
Continue reading “Palau Guell”
One of Barcelona’s hottest spots is also one of its hidden gems. Known to foodies the world around, but seemingly not so well known to the locals we’ve talked with, 41° is one of the latest projects from the culinary minds behind ElBulli.
Albert Adrià and his team also run Tickets, a widely known tapas bar on Avinguda Paral-lel, near Placa d’Espanya. Tickets is very visible from the corner, 41° — which draws its name from the 41st parallel upon which Barcelona sits — is more discreetly tucked into a small, 16-seat space right next door. The signage is very low-key and almost invisible from the street. And what would be the point of a bolder visible presence? Everyone entering the doors has made reservations weeks, or up to three months in advance online. It’s just about the only way to get one of those 16 seats. They don’t need foot traffic to fill them; they couldn’t accommodate walk-ins anyway.
Continue reading “Forty One Degrees of Awesome”
This morning, on the advice of many, many people, we made our way over to La Boqueria — formally known as El Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria — for breakfast and shopping.
Dating back to 1217, La Boqeria is situated on La Rambla, and is jam packed with stalls selling every food item imaginable, from jamons to seafood to fruits, vegetables, cheeses, nuts, and even bulk fresh ground spices.
Restaurant stalls sell fresh made tapas and pintxos and folks were drinking wine with their breakfast! Naturally, we joined in; no need to twist my arm! After all, when in Rome…
Continue reading “La Boqueria: Tapas y Vino for Breakfast”
Imagine our surprise upon returning to our apartment tonight after a pleasant walk through well-lit streets coming to life at 9:00 p.m. — the start of the nightlife in Barcelona — and happening across a cocktail bar located directly next door and named for one of Brian’s favorite classic cocktails: the Negroni.
Imagine our surprise upon returning to our apartment tonight after a pleasant walk through well-lit streets just coming to life at 9:00 p.m. — the start of the nightlife in Barcelona — and happening across a cocktail bar located directly next door and named for one of Brian’s favorite classic cocktails: Negroni Cocktail Bar.
The place was empty when we first arrived — most people are just starting dinner at 9 p.m. here — so we had a chance to chat with Daniel, our bartender, who turned out to be one of the owners. (Mostly in Spanish, even!) Continue reading “A Bar Named for a Favorite Cocktail”