First, a PS to my last post “A Pinch of Paris”
From February 27th to March 03, I traveled to grand ol’ Paris & my senses were in overdrive! My eyes took in as much as they could of architectural details, historical streets, the rainy weather, the bustling by of people, the spot on fashion. Walking down the streets & taking in the perfume of pastries, cut flowers, the river & the rain. Running my hands along the old building & feeling the connection to history. Going into every unexpected restaurant down an unassuming street off the beaten track to taste EVERYTHING!
I decided to not rely too much on the metro and it allowed me to explore every nook & cranny of Paris. I didn’t want to miss a thing. Basically, my daily walking routine was:
Step 1: Walk in any direction…get lost…find something cool
Step 2: Walk again…get lost…find delicious food & wine
Step 3: repeat steps 1 & 2 as many times as I could until my legs & feet gives out
Every night I would go to bed worried my legs wouldn’t work the next morning but each day I awoke giddy to what new things I would see, people I would meet & extra ordinary food I would lose myself to. It’s amazing how much you learn about a culture just by watching, listening and eating their food. Even randomly asking for directions & only speaking with hand gestures since neither one speaks the others language. This particular woman ended up just taking me close to where I needed to go then went on her way with a warm smile and big wave. Thank you kind French woman & to all of Paris. My heart + stomach will forever be with you.
sa·vor
/ˈsāvər/
taste (good food or drink) and enjoy it completely
…and savor I did!! I love ya, España!!
Here’s a video of our Spain in LA experience~
Now that we’re starting April, I’m thinking back on March and it was a whirlwind of travel.
sidenote: After Barcelona, I immediately went to Tokyo for a week of work and I hope to have a separate post of Japan and their amazing food in the future
After spending a few wonderful days in Paris, I traveled by train to Barcelona during March 03-07. And how does one take in the culture & lifestyle of Spain during such a short trip? Well…Carnivale in Stiges, sun bathing on the pebble shores of Platja de la Barceloneta & eating as much seafood as one can! I did my very best to take full advantage of the just caught fresh seafood everyday! My favorite? The snails (AKA los caracoles)!! These were different from the escargot I had in France…smaller in size with a punch of flavor~
As my friend Elena (another LA girl who moved to Barcelona almost a year ago) and I strolled through the beautiful & historical streets of the Gothic Quarter, we found a small, semi-hidden cafe that was too cute to pass by. Sitting in our little corner, I started to reflect on my life & future. How my future will include or be influenced by my passions. This, all over a glass of Verdejo (my new favorite Spanish white wine) & olives. My time in Barcelona may have been brief but I’ve noticed it is a lifestyle that we (all of us) should inject into our own lives no matter where we are. We’re all rushing so fast to get through whatever situation we’re in that it’s like we’re on auto pilot. We lose track of what is really important in our lives…our health, our happiness, our friends & family. I’ve lost track…and I’m finding my way back now.
If the French are like fine dining, then the Spaniards are like comfort food. Warm, inviting, soul filling & incredibly thought provoking even when you’re not trying. The lifestyle may seem a bit “slow” for a city girl like me…but with the way last year was & how fast this year is going, the time spent in Barcelona makes me appreciate how much we need to take a minute to reflect while having great food & a bottle of wine with amazing + TRUE friends. I wanted to recreate that feeling here in LA...
Our menu for the evening
Being in Barcelona, where in some restaurants I got to watch from the kitchen sidelines or got invited into the kitchen by the chef to closely watch him/her cook, they made it look so easy!! The consistency of seasoning, flavor & timing is amazing!! Something I hope to achieve as I continue to cook & experiment in the kitchen.
Gathering together in my tiny LA apartment & working in an even tinier kitchen, this meal was a true collaboration of many hands. Let’s be honest, I put my friends to work & I enjoyed every minute of it!! Haha~HA! Thank you my lovely friends Max, Dana & Svetlana for joining me on this adventure together. Thank you to RJ Guillermo for the amazing photos and video of our meal. A huge shout out and thank you to Elena G for letting me stay at her home in Barcelona and being my personal tour guide…she knows all the best places!!
And a special thank you to myTeri for letting me have fun & make a mess of the kitchen…and of course for being my #1 taste tester!
Onward, Fellow Foodies, to our next food adventure,
theCULINARY·IST