Our Youngest is 28!

This weekend we celebrated Alex's 28th birthday and although it was his birthday I must say I had a wonderful time. On Friday, he invited a few friends for dinner, we had 'coques', a specialty from his hometown Lleida, which are almost like pizzas but decked out with different vegetables, fish, olives, etc. All I can say is yummy. We had a typical Catalan dinner, pa amb tomaquet, amanieda (salad), embotiques (cured ham), and guacamole, okay not catalan but it's still good. After dinner we went to a bar that I was recently shown that reminds me so much of home. Musical Maria is a dark wooden bar with pictures and objects of rock n'roll everywhere. The music is amazing, Tom Petty, The Cure, Bob Dylan, and much more. We had a few drinks and called it a night.

For his birthday, Alex received probably the best book you could give a man, "Un Hombre En La Cocina"...a chic cookbook for men. My life is about to change...and everyone who lives in La Llar of course. He also got an amazing phone from work as a bonus worth at least 600 euros! The thing is a machine in itself and for the first time ever I witnessed a teleconference on two mobiles. Things have changed and I can't help but flip out on this. I mean, my phone simply dials, rings, and stores some info and wakes me up in the mornings...perhaps it's time I progress.

The next day, Alex, Monica and I did lunch in the sun and headed to Ikea to reform our house a bit. I had such a good time doing simple activities like sitting in the sun with my two buddies and then shopping in order to improve our home. It is amazing what a few candles, new pillows and plants can do. Today was yet another wonderful day in the sun, we went to do our Vermouth which is my newest thing, vermouth on Sundays with pickled olives and fish, then we walked around el Born a bit, had lunch and a coffee in an amazing cafe in the Textile Musuem. After a lazy day of touring the center I came home and had a nice cozy nap. This really is life, spending a weekend with my two buddies, celebrating a birthday and not worrying about anything but living. Besides the weather has been astounding and beach time is approaching quickly and I can't wait. Until next time...

Roommate update

Thought you should have a look at

what the boys and I have been up to. Like Tuesday night dinner with the sexy cow since Jordi couldn't make it on time and out and about with Jordi, Alex and his lovely girl Monica(they just bought their first house!!! but don't worry, Alex won't be leaving for a long time). And Albert of course, not a roommate but practically one of us...

Hello Springtime!

Spring time is right around the corner and I can feel it. The sun is shining stronger and longer, jackets are being taken off cautiously, tank tops are starting to get pulled out of from the bottom of drawers and everyone's attitude seem s to be lightening up...and I love it! This weekend I was invited to my first Calcotada in a town called Tarragona. Calclotadas are very popular right around this time, when people get together in the country to have an onion barbeque, get together and drink sit in the sun and eat tons and tons of these special sweet onions dipped in a romesco sauce. The meal is paired up with butifarra, lamb chops and pacharan a typical drink form here.

We started the night before in the center of the city, with a group of people from Spain who studied in Boston years ago and now get together every year to catch up and celebrate the welcomming of Spring. Tarragona is about an hour south of Barcelona and although it is a coastal city, it has a small town feel to it which changes the way you go out, everyone knows each other, the bars are smaller and people seem to be a lot friendlier than in the city. We began the night with the girls, eating tapas and getting to know each other. Afterwards we met up with the group of guys and went out dancing. I was very welcommed and felt right at home:

The next day, after a long night, we woke up and freshened ourselves up for the big event, the bbq, where we sat around to retell the night's events and to get to know each other in the daylight. I loved recovering in the sun and country air.

All I can say is that as much as I love winter, hot teas in the evenings, scarves, and the idea of snow...there is something about Spring that gives me the thrill that no winter can, the optimism of watching things bloom, the starting of friend's visits, trips to the country and beach, and lots of claras. I welcome spring wholeheartedly and there is no better way to invite in than a calcotada with warm faces and onion breath. So really, when are you coming to visit???

Peeling off suits, heels, briefcases and more

Last night was one of those Monday nights tinged with surprise and pleasure, the kind that makes you feel human, the kind that shows you there are still people creating music worth hearing, who have worked hard to create something beautiful and unique, and others who although have had a long long Monday, have left their briefcases and ties at home to enjoy something that isn't work related. How important is it to do these last minute outings, even if you are really tired, to pull yourself out of routine and do something different? Very.

If there is something I have learned in these short years of my life, it is to say yes to trying something new, to listening to a new music group, to living in a new country, to seeing art that might not be your thing, to eat food that you normally wouldn't pick, because even if you don't like it, at least it made you think or more importantly FEEL...but chances are you will like it, perhaps even love it and you will have opened new doors. Last night Alex, Susanna and I went to see a concert in Catalan. We had no idea what the group was about, all we knew was that it cost 4 euros, it was next to our house, it was Monday and the guy had just gotten signed to release 4 new albums...this being his first show ever. They don't sign someone on for 4 new record deals if they suck so we believed he had to be good. And he was. Really good.

The place was packed, the musicians had on costumes and aside from being strange, his music was good and people were having the time of their lives. I think we were all shocked at how good it was and proud that we were the first to be witnessing this new act. The nice part of this was that most of us had just gotten off of work, still wearing our work gear but in need of something un-business related, something that made us feel and he made us feel. He deserves to go far because it is that kind of group that you can tell has put a lot of work into the music and lyrics. Not your typical pop crap...thank god!

And so I advice you to remember to peel off your everyday costume from time to time and to try something new, to give life and being different a chance...to go against the grain and to check this guy out, even if you don't understand Catalan...sometimes music doesn't have to be translated, you can feel it with it's beats...it's Universal.

Estanislau Verdet: www.estanislauverdet.tk

http://www.myspace.com/estanislauverdet