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.