Hey good Looking

This past week was chock full of all kinds of delightful surprises, last minute events and outings, and as always tons of laughter, wine and fun. I knew it was going to be a great week when I got a message from Vina and Megan that they were in town...on Monday and were leaving on Thursday. I had just enough time to meet Vina up for a beer after work on Monday and to invite her to our famous Tuesday night dinners that happened to be changed to Wednesday night so we could all eat together...this past wednesday only, don't worry. I had already invited three good friends, Marta, Estefania and Susanna and thought that two more would only add to the fun, especially since everybody here wants to learn and speak English and who better to have over than two cheery San Fransicans.

We managed to drink 7 bottles of wine between 8 of us, eat spaghetti a la bolognese and a fresh caprese salad made by yours truly, finished off with ice cream and chocolate croissants. We laughed our heads off, stayed up until 3 in the morning and had yet another spectacular dinner.

On Thursday, after everyone made sure I knew they had the longest work day of their lives, including me, I went to my first Catalan concert with Alex and some of his coworkers. Albert Pla is a famous Catalan singer who many consider 'strange' but I have to admit I enjoyed it. It was more of a political play about globalization, in Spanish. I'm actually proud to say that I went to his spectacle and I felt even closer to the Catalanes after going.

On Saturday, Manu and I decided to go to Girona last minute since we didn't have anything to do. Girona is a city near the coast of Costa Brava in Catalunya that has to be one of the most beautiful I've seen yet. It is divided by a river, two parts, one centuries old, the other modern and up to date. The colors of the city took my breath away, it's prestige was surprising (considered one of the most expensive in Catalunya), and the fact that nobody speaks to you in Spanish is authentic. I promised to go back and explore it further. I could easily imagine myself growing old in both Girona and Sant Pol del Mar.
The sun seemed to light everything with a magical touch and it's hills and old stone streets and buildings gave it a mysterious feeling. I felt my breath being taken away at every turn and the Cathedral, perched on a hill and constructed in the 1600's was absolutely spectacular. Although it was a warm day, the bareness of the trees and the chill that it's dark streets and allies created gave it a wonderful feeling of winter.

All I could think was, "Hey good looking, where have you been all my life?" This is the kind of city my little wandering European heart has been searching for.



After being a tourist for a day, I came home to get myself ready for a Saturday night out with Jordi and his friends. It actually ended up being an amazing night and I felt like part of a group, a group that has the same energy that I do, that doesn't care where I am from, that likes going out for a fancy dinner, to a cafe to start the night and play a truth or dare game. After laughing our heads off at the reality of our answers and getting to know each other we headed out to club Magic, a gritty rock and roll discotheque that played all the rock songs your heart contended.
We danced until 7am and contemplated having churros and chocolate, but in the end realized that the night had finally won and it was time to go home. In the end we were a group of good looking human beings simply enjoying each other's company. And if I haven't given you enough reasons to come and visit, I'll keep trying. Because there is never a dull moment in Barcelona.

La Llar

the boys...to the left, Jordi and I Singing at all hours of the night and below a night out with the family:Jordi, Manu and Alex

Like in English, Catalan has a word to express what one feels when they have finally found their nest, when the place they go home to every night suddenly switches from a house to a home, a word that perhaps has been forgotten. In Spanish, for example, we say "hogar", but it's been ages since I've heard someone tell me come over to my "hogar". In Catalan, La Llar is your home and a few nights ago my roommates and I decided that we needed a name for our happy home and no word could fit more perfectly than "La Llar", a word that is rarely heard or used and so if you are coming over to one of our famous dinners, you say "Vaig a La Llar" as if it were a restaurant, a bar, and you leave it up to the listener to intepret exactly what you mean.

Being back in the States was a treat, a luxury filled with love, attention and strength I was not expecting to receive. It was amazing to be surrounded by everyone as if nothing had changed, to receive countless hugs and kisses, to eat my favorite food, to sit with those I love most. At the same time, I realized that I am starting to build that love here, that those hugs exist here as well and most importantly, I am not as lonely as I thought. Coming back was reassuring, my roommates were sitting exactly where I wanted to see them, at the table, sharing wine and chatting. My friends were waiting for me at our favorite cafes and walking down Diagonal, I realized I have actually built a life here! Nothing could've excited me more at the moment, I left one home for another. This doesn't mean I have replaced anything, on the contrary, I have added more to my life, like a kaleidescope, my world is turning, homes are being added and the love is spreading worldwide now. I no longer have one Llar, I have many, just how I wanted it since I understood the meaning of a home.

The new year is promising and I am more than ready to begin learning and to receive each and everyone of you at my home, whether it's for dinner or a week/month/lifetime...
Hapy New Years!
Dia de los Reyes at Susanna's family's house where we ate Roscon a round cake filled whipped cream...the one who gets the fava bean must pay for the cake and the one who gets the king gets crowned...guess who got the King!!! I didn't take the crown off the entire night.

Alex, my wonderful friend Courtney and I at a tiny bar called Pastis where on Tuesdays you can see a live Tango singer and everybody learns/knows your name.