The Wimbledon Tradition

Posted on 23 June 2010 by g

We are at Wimbledon once again this year in what may become a tradition. It is fantastic to be able to hop on the Tube and be watching some of the World’s best Tennis players minutes later.

Our strategy worked well. As usual we queued for tickets on the day. As you may recall last year we queued for a couple of hours. This year we chose the day England plays in the World Cup (currently they are winning 1-0!) hoping for a smaller crowd. Though the weather today is GORGEOUS, our plan appears to have worked because we waltzed right in shortly after noon and didn’t have to queue at all!

We’ve watched two matches so far and are taking a break with the obligatory strawberries and cream along with Pimm’s and lemonade.

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DC: A New Perspective

Posted on 19 June 2010 by k
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G’s parents are always amazing hosts and this Spring they treated me to a few days seeing ‘another side’ of the DC that I had not previously experienced. I arrived via the Amtrak link from Lynchburg and I must say I was incredibly impressed. The train was on time, the commuters were upscale and the seats were HUGE and comfortable–especially as compared with their Indian and European counterparts (see photo at right).

During my few days in Annandale, we went for a walk with the ‘mall group’, visited multiple groceries (Wagaman’s, the big Wholefoods in Fairfax and the huge International market in Springfield) to see the amazing variety of international foods now on offer, tutored a Spanish-speaking child (actually she tutored me with my Spanish, but who’s counting :)), had an impromptu tour of the Evermay House in Georgetown (well done Allan–not everyday one can have a private look inside a home worth $30m, see 3rd and 4th photo at right), visited the National Botantical Gardens (see second photo at right) and had countless amazing internationally-inspired meals both inside and outside the home.

Though America is physically isolated from other cultures, DC has attracted a diverse group of individuals who have brought a taste of the world to the town. Of course all of the above experiences were enjoyed, but also striking is the American suburban quality of life. G’s parents’ garden is a veritable Garden of Eden. Birds, herbs, vegetables, trees and flowers abound. So much greenlife is enough to make this girl envious. Well done with your green thumb.

Thank you for treating me to such an amazing time A&V!

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London Tribune: The Latest from Us

Posted on 14 June 2010 by k
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After 4 years in London, our passion for updating the blog with happenings from our daily life has subsided. Instead, we generally blog only about our holidays. But as we’ve now used up the majority of our annual holiday leave as part of our trip to Spain, we thought a few ‘local’ updates may be appreciated.

Here are a few highlights for what the last 3 weeks have held for us:

-Resumed our weekly Spanish lessons in London

-Begun to practice our Spanish with an friend through a weekly ‘Spanish exchange’

-Dined in the Gherkin! See photos at right [THANK YOU, LOTTIE!!!]

-Made an Herb Garden on our balcony. See photos at right.

-K’s taking an elective course at her MBA school entitled ‘Managing a Professional Service Firm’ for the next month

-Thrown a Spanish-themed dinner party for friends at our flat

-K had her 3-year reunion at Cass Business School

We hope you’re also having a lovely summer wherever you are! And we’d love to hear what’s keeping you busy!

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Normalcy: K Back to Reality

Posted on 13 June 2010 by k

After 5 weeks in Spain and a further three weeks in the US, I (K) have finally landed in reality. But what a nice break it proved to be!

Early-on during our days in the UK, I focused very much on being homesick within my posts. But, the form that homesickness takes changes over time. At first, for me, I missed the frequency of visits with family. As time has passed, I now miss the depth of time spent. An extended visit this May, my longest uninterrupted period with my family since December 1999, was just the right medicine–though I’m sure the symptoms will recur.

My family bonds through working together. During my stay, I fed cows, petted (and fed) donkeys, climbed fences, helped to build fences, dug ditches and picked up rocks. But I also played games, went for ice cream, planted flowers, visited with the neighbors and extended family and just generally relaxed. I can’t think of a better bit of quality time with my family. And for this time, I’m very thankful.

It’s clear that my family bonds through hardwork, but it’s also good for my spirit to spend so much soaking up the sun (though perhaps a bit tougher on my skin 🙂 ). I now feel renewed and clear of mind.

This new calm has allowed me the courage and clarity of mind to take on a number of new challenges:

  • Starting my own company: acting as a marketing advisor for start-ups
  • Running my first (sprint) triathlon: Stay tuned for the race results on 5 Sept (keep in mind that I’ll never be the fastest :))
  • Running my second half marathon: The Royal Parks in London this October

So, while I’ve returned to ‘reality’…it’s in a new form. For now, I’m free from the ‘butts in chairs’ corporate world.  I’m in the midst of completely reprogramming my daily routine after 10 years in the professional world. I’m finding that this transition has not and will not be easy as it’s such an incredible break from my sense of ‘normalcy’. But, looking ahead 6 months and 12 months, I like what I see. I like the ‘vision’ of myself that I may create if I’m tenacious and find a bit of luck along the way. Now, for the hard work…

Any prayers will be gladly accepted 🙂

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Life in Barcelona: Favourite Places

Posted on 24 April 2010 by k

Every guide book seems to start with the line ‘with the advantage of hindsight, every trip could be made better, so our goal is to give you the insights that a traveler would have upon passing through a town before’. Unluckily for us, most guidebook authors are older than us, cheaper than us, or more posh than us….it’s difficult to find a good fit. That said, having a month in a place gives you the insight to design your own ‘perfect’ getaway. So, with this in mind, here are a few of our favourite haunts and tips.

Beaches.

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While most tourists stay in around ‘Barceloneta’, our preferred beaches were further north. Still in Barcelona, but far from the majority of tourists. Here, the paella joints and beach cabanas had free tables and the food was more authentic. And the people here actually spoke Spanish…yay!

Restaurants.

Honestly, we tried to eat at home most days because it was a bit expensive to go out and our friends were on more stringent budgets than we were. We’d generally eat at home and then head out. That said…Pinchos are our favourite, so we loved this little place named ????? in the Barrio Born. Their little open-faced sandwiches looked like works of art! Gorgeous and delicious. Perfect!

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That said, we attempted to buy the freshest, nicest ingredients and visited the local specialty stores. Yum! And we even learned to make Paella, Tortilla and other local favourites at a cooking class during our visit. Can’t wait to replicate those back at home in London, adding a bit of variety to our usual weeknight line-up.

Places/Sights

Magic Fountains

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It’s in all the tourist guides, but it’s seriously cool. At an art museum near Placa Espanya, the city has installed fountains which are synchronised to dance and light-up in synch with the music played over loud speakers. While we’re not at all light show experts, we have to say that this is one of the coolest free experiences we’ve encountered during our travels. Both tourists and locals were out to see the show…though, I’m sure, the majority were tourists since it happens for at least 2 hours, twice per week, every day for the entire year… 🙂

Lunch at Bouqueria Market

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we had a great time propped on bar stools, sipping glasses of Spanish crianzza during a leisurely lunch at Bouqueria market. The pulpo (octopus) was wonderfully fresh and the mushrooms were gourmet. Yum!

Escriba Patisserie

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We always have a favourite cafe. For me, this was a favourite in Barcelona…for two reasons, or should I say locations? 🙂

First and foremost, we visited this cafe’s location on the Ramblas for the first time ONLY because it features prominently in one of our paintings. Figured we should visit and enjoy the place if it may grace our walls for decades…thankfully, we loved it and had a wonerful time.

Second, the cafe which has been around for over 100 years, has 3 locations. The second was located a 10 minute walk from our flat. Not only was it great for a rainy day coffee, but the waiter is from Argentina and taught us a bit of Spanish…and gave us free chocolates (they are famous for their chocolates for good reason!). The key to my heart… 🙂

One of their chocolates is filled with a yummy vanilla liquor which congeals when chilled. It’s as if you’re eating an ice cream bonbon coated in cocoa. Heaven!

Art Market at Placa Sant Josep Oriol

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Every Saturday and Sunday, the local artists convene in this plaza to sell their wares. It’s somewhat akin to the art market in Krakow given the quantity and cost of the art on display for sale. we had a great time chatting with the artists [in Spanish] to learn about the locations they painted in the works displayed. We loved it…

Churros con Chocolate

So, we had Churros con Chocolate for the first time a few years ago in a place recommended in Madrid. It supposedly provided the ‘best churro in town’. We were unimpressed and generally concluded that if these were the best, we’d happily abstain.

Upon arriving in Barcelona, we decided to give it another try…and gosh are we thrilled that we did. This little sticky cafe near Placa del Pi (and also the art market) serves Churros con Chocolate fresh and warm….they’re the tiniest bit sweeter than the Madrid version and we loved them so much that we went back for more!!! That’s kind of unheard of on a K&G trip…double-dipping is generally frowned upon 🙂

Cycling Gran Villa

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We loved the cycle paths along Gran Villa the best…they were lovely and tree-lined.

Bars

Mojitos

Rosa Negro and it’s sister mexican restaurant had the cheapest and most delicious mojitos in town. I had a raspberry mojito…it was heaven!

American Theme

Dow Jones bar…it’s a bit kitch, but a lot of fun. Basically, the drinks menu works like the stock exchange. Popular drinks cost more than cheap ones and the prices change in real-time with each sale. Every hour or so, the market crashes bringing each drink back to average…it’s a great way to spend a couple hours and provides a good ‘jalapeno’ if you’re in the mood.

Basically, it seems that people in Barca eat, drink and be merry…and little more…

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Food in Barcelona

Posted on 23 April 2010 by k
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Spain is one big ‘YUM’! Between the jamon, chorizo, paella, tortilla, pan con tomate, pinchos, it’s hard to take a breath. Add to that that Barcelona has at least one of every other sort of restaurant imaginable and we found ourselves in for a treat. Though, admittedly, the food in Barcelona was basic and simple, the abundance of fresh and cheap seafood and fruit and veg make it a delicious city for the palate.

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Paella was a favourite and we now know how to make it ourselves! 🙂 Apparently, Paella really is the Spanish equivalent for American barbeque or potato salad. Everyone can make it and has their own variation. Though I felt a bit touristy ordering it at times, the locals also seem to love it and eat it at least once a week. Even in our very non-touristy borough in Barca the grocery had a special package of seafood pre-packed for the perfect paella! It’s just as easy to make as Jambalaya…and as tasty. Yum!

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With jamon, we’ve learned that the trick is in the skill of the one who cuts it. To us, the best cuts are done by hand (not ours, but the shopkeeper’s, of course) and in long, thin strokes. While machines can be used, in our opinion, the hand cut is a bit nicer overall–they are less ‘slimy’ and because the hand cuts are a bit thicker than by machine, you’re able to savour a bit more of their flavour.

Jamon iberico is basically worshipped here. And while we’re also fans, we also find the cheaper breeds/types nice, as well. It just feels wrong somehow to put iberico on a sandwich, so we’re keen to have two types about the house. One for savouring (iberico) and one for casual use (sandwiches).

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Pinchos are an artform in Basque country, but also in Barcelona. Many little hole in the wall bars have pinchos lined along the bar for the taking. You pick up a plate from the barkeep and count your toothpicks (one for each sandwich) and pay up when you’re finished. But, when you’re eating pinchos don’t walk in hungry…afterall, they’re tiny sandwiches!

My favourite pinchos were crab. Generally, fresh crab with mayonnaise, finely chopped onion, salt and pepper–or some also included a bit of paprika. Then, the trick to a perfect pincho is the garnish…the Basques have a crazy attention to detail and appreciate aesthetics (afterall, they are right next door to the french :)). For example, my favourite crab pincho included a bit of the crab salad piled high on a thin slice of baguette. Then, on top they placed a small bit of pickled red pimento and a filet of anchovie–all topped with a bit of a fresh green herb.

Here are a few other pinchos that we enjoyed (assume all are on top of a very thin slice of baguette):

Potato Salad

Sounds strange, but there’s some sort of potato salad that they place on these bits of bread. It’s like an American mayonaise-based salad with a bit of sugar added. Then, in addition to the usual bits, they add ham, of course. Topped with an anchovie filet and a fresh shrimp and a tad of paprika.

Tortilla

They take the typical Spanish tortilla, slice it in half, place a bit of crab salad (sans the paprika) in the middle. Whah la!

Goat cheese

This one’s plain and simple…a tiny bit of green leaf lettuce, a ring of goat cheese, a bit of olive tepanade (the type with sundried tomato).

Mushroom stack

A tiny thin slice of iberico jamon topped by 3 pre-roasted mushrooms which are still firm to the touch. Topped with a bit of bechamel sauce and served warm.

Coleslaw

Not quite sure of what’s in this one, or what to call it. But it’s delicious! Looking at it and tasting, it would seem to include julienned [plain] ham in very tiny cuts, scallions very thinly sliced, mayonnaise and salt & pepper. All topped with a slice of hardboiled egg.

Most pincho places also serve warm and cold racions (a half portion of a main dish intended as an appetizer). Our favourites, so far, have been seafood (ssteamed shrimp OR octopus) marinaded in lemon juice, olive oil and thinly chopped onions and fresh peppers. I would assume that a bit of s&p is also mixed in…

YUM!

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Donostia San Sebastian: A ‘Kimberly-Style’ Theme Park

Posted on 22 April 2010 by k
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No…San Sebastian isn’t ‘really’ a theme park. But, in my world, it fits the bill…

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The city, with a native population of around 180k, is smallish compared to Barcelona and London. It’s situated on a lovely Bay along Spain’s North Atlantic coast and just about the only things to do are nibble on yummy pinchos in all the local pubs, play on the beach or in the ocean, run, cycle or go to the spa. And the city has more Michelin stars per capita than any other place in the WORLD (1 per 10k pop). It’s scenic and laid back–a perfect end to our Spanish adventure.

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And, perhaps the best part, we found a quaint Pension just inside the Old Town with a cute room with balcony available for our entire stay…and it comes at a nightly rate less than the typical American motor lodge. Wow!

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It’s very fortunate for G that I love the city so much because he’s having to work full days from SS and my outside interests provide him a much needed respite to get a bit of work done. Though, of course, he’s also making time to enjoy the city and its many delicious excursions.

If there’s ever been a culinary culture the Basque in and around San Sebastian have cultivated it. It’s said that this region is the culinary center of the world! In fact, cooking is such a big deal here that the men have special gentlemen’s clubs here where they get together to sing and cook!!! A gourmet Gentleman’s club….Allan, if there’s ever been a place made for you, I think we’ve just found it 🙂

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And we believe the town’s reputation for being the center of culinary culture is right-on, because even the little pincho sandwiches in the local pubs are fresh and mouth-wateringly good. Not to mention Arzak–a posh restuaurant with 3 stars…stay tuned because this institution is worth a blog post in and of itself.

So. What have I (K) been up to in San Sebastian?

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My days start with a simple breakfast with G out on our flower-boxed balcony. Then, off for a run while G has his daily ‘scrum’ for work. Our Pension has a full kitchen so I then venture out to the market for fresh bread, fruit, meat or cheese—whatever we need for the day’s lunch and snacks. After making a picnic lunch and enjoying it either on the Balcony or Beach with G, I head out for the beach (though today it’s raining and I’ll go to the spa, instead). When it’s nearing ‘quitting time’ for G, I head back for happy hour. We have a bit of a nice Rioja and some snacks, then either go out for a walk together or I head back out alone to enjoy the sunset/sunshine. Upon returning, we venture out for pinchos or a simple dinner at a local pub.

There’s lots of eating in San Sebastian….good thing I’m able to run along the many bike and foot paths, otherwise I would not be a pretty sight when I return back to London…

To see more photos from San Sebastian, click here…

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