“Not knowing what you want to do with your life (or at least not having some ideas about what to do next)… is a way of pretending that now doesn’t matter. Being confused about choices is nothing more than hoping that maybe there is a way to get through life without taking charge.” – Meg Jay
Thankfully, only a week’s time has passed since we last spoke. Patty and Jank returned safely from Italy late Sunday night. It was really fun to get to hear all about their Italian adventures, not to mention see/touch/smell their handmade goodies they had purchased whilst in Cinque Terre and Rome. Last Monday I didn’t have to work in the afternoon so we set out on a day of exploring, tasting, and shopping in Gracia, Raval, and the city center. We had a lazy lunch at Cantina Machito in here close to home in Gracia. Later we stopped in various shops in Raval and got late afternoon beers/ wine at Betty Ford’s (the bar I used to work at). After indulging in a delicious array of Xarcutery back at the apartment, Cass, Jank, and I got ready to go out on the town. We first went to La Oveja Negra off La Rambla, then tried to venture over to Gayxiample (the gay bar area), but got sidetracked by Betty Ford’s and ended up there again!
Tuesday morning we were up and at em’ and headed out to rent bikes! We rented them from the same place as I had earlier in Borne, and then rode through Ciutadella Park and by Arc de Triomf, then all along the beach boardwalk to the Hotel W, and back through Barceloneta. It was a great time and nothing but sunny skies! We eventually ended up at a beach restaurant in Barceloneta called Makamaka. It’s a fun, lively joint with tasty burgers, hand-cut fries, and fresh cocktails. Jank and I split the cava sangria, while Patty tried the rosé. After we returned the bikes, I rushed to get to work on time. Of course the one-day I needed to leave work by a certain time it didn’t happen. I then rushed over to Poble Nou for Mar’s birthday party at Will’s. I had just enough time to grab some flowers and a card for Mar, before Damian and I walked over to her party. Her cake was delicious!
Wednesday Jank, Patty, and I took the metro over to Plaza España to take in the 360-degree view of the city from atop of Las Arenas. Since they didn’t spend much time exploring Montjuic, it was especially good that we go to see the whole area from up there. From there we made our way back to the Gothic Quarter to meet Damian for lunch. While initially we had hoped to eat at a place in Plaza Real, then a place on the maps, as luck would have it we ended up at a little hole-in-the-wall tapas bistro on the east side of the Gothic area. We ordered an array of tapas and Jank proudly used her mobile translator to converse with Damian. It was an entertaining lunch and I was really happy that they got to spend some time with my man. Afterwards, I went to work while the gals sadly went home to pack up their suitcases.
After work I met up with the girls to do their last minute shopping errands around Gracia, hunting down those last gifts that still needed purchasing. The three of us grabbed dinner at the pasta bar on Asturias near our apartment; it was incredibly good food, which helps to explain why Patty and I ate ourselves sick, literally. For their last night in Barcelona, we enlisted Cass’ help and drank a bottle of cava and told stories at home. Thursday morning came too soon, and before you know it I was helping them get from our apartment to the Aerobus in Plaza Cataluña. We made sure they were on the right bus, heading to El Prat’s Terminal 1, and got in a final goodbye squeeze.
Since then, I have finally started running and working out again every other day now. Thursday Damian and I took Abril to Diagonal Mar and then we had dinner together there. Man, do I ever love that little girl! The rest of the weekend was comprised with Damian’s last soccer game of the season (he scored the first goal of the game!), going to la Maquinista, celebrating Mar’s bday round two, and preparing for our vacation this week!
Damian and I are taking a train down to Alicante early on Wednesday morning. We’ll stay there with his uncle José’s family the first day/night, then to a hotel in Alicante; then on Friday we’ll take a bus one hour north-east to Benidorm where we’ll stay until we come back on Monday. I am SO excited! I have never seen those areas of Spain, nor ever traveled with a boyfriend, and I am elated to be crossing both off the proverbial list soon. Until then just working, packing, and researching! That’s all for now folks…
SAMHOPEHANSEN 