Operation MMPF revisited April 29, 2009

I’ve been in Cape Town nearly a week now, and let me just say — WOW. I haven’t done a TON of exploring (yet!!) but I’ve loved everything so far. It’s amazing to step out my front door and smell the ocean, walk down my street and see it. There’s no way anyone could argue that the ocean doesn’t have a presence here, as I might have done in Boston or even (gasp!) Barcelona. The Atlantic is rugged and raw and real, and I LOVE it. I’ve now spent several days walking along the ocean-side promenade, both towards and away from Cape Town, and every time it’s just as magical. It’s a bit like walking on East Cliff Drive in Santa Cruz, actually. And definitely as beautiful. I’m delighted to have the ocean be such a presence in my life. As soon as I can get myself a bicycle, I’m planning on having it be my primary mode of (daytime…) transport, and hope to ride along the promenade 7/8 of the way to school. (Um, yeah… no public transportation, per se, in Cape Town. I have yet to experiment with the sketchy-looking van-taxis that my roommate seems to think are safe enough and only cost R5 or so, versus a regular taxi that would be about R50… Hm… I don’t know, man. They look pretty damn sketchy to me. But, erm, when in Rome…?)

Having all this free time, though, has been a little strange, especially given that it’s a generally accepted truth that venturing out alone after dark is a BAD idea. So basically, I’ve been eating and cooking good food every day, getting out to walk for a couple of hours or so, and spending the evening watching tv, reading, hanging around the house with my housemate, and playing on the internet. Oh, and I’ve been off the booze this whole last week — giving my liver a break, you know (also, what am I going to do? go to a bar by myself? yeah, no). And I know that it’ll all be different as I start making friends, and I’ll have REAL excuses to leave the house and whatnot, but yeah, it’s been odd — healthy, but odd.

So, once again, I’ve decided to attempt to dedicate myself to losing all the damn weight I put on in B-school. (Seriously. I just can’t live like this anymore!) As luck would have it, there’s a personal training gym down the street from my house, and (hurray for the exchange rate!) it’s relatively affordable. The place is beautiful, and has huge windows overlooking that gorgeous ocean that I love so much, which is a total bonus. I got myself all enrolled yesterday, and met for the first time with my booty-kicking trainer today. Um, yeah. Apparently, not only am I a giant fat-ass right now (for me — 66kg, gasp!!!), I’m also REALLY (really, really) out of shape. I guess today was a “light” workout. (Light? LIGHT?! Light workout my A**!!) I thought I might die at LEAST three different times. I had no idea that personal training would mean working every major muscle group AND feeling like a total fool. (My trainer is, like, thisbig, adorable, Vietnamese/Canadian, and ALL muscle — I was so embarrassed every time I had to ask for less weight on something that the tiny woman could do with her pinky! BUT, she’s a total sweetheart and really good at postive reinforcement, so she definitely wasn’t TRYING to make me feel like a g**damn heiffer.) The worst part? Sprints. In the gym. With a medicine ball. Suddenly I’m the fat kid in gym class, or Chunk from the Goonies, or something (doubled over, panting “hey guys… GUYS… just… guys… just a second…” pant pant pant). The horror!! Especially when my trainer says, as I heave my fat ass from one end of the gym to the other with the bright orange medicine ball “It’s not a jog! Come on! Visualize those pants you want to wear!!” And I’m thinking “I AM running!! What the hell? Eff those pants!!” So then I force myself to push harder, and she says “Good! Only 30 more seconds!” which nearly makes me cry, because really, I’m no sprinter and it’s HARD, and my face is turning seventeen shades of purple, and I want to drop the stupid medicine ball, and I finally finish, and want to collapse and die, but am congratulating myself internally for at least completing the excercise without falling on my face and maybe now I’m done for the day — but NOOO! There are lunges to be done! And tricep curls! And squats! And hey, guess what? Another set of effing SPRINTS! Dear god, it was humiliating. Oh, and yeah — this is the gym where the SERIOUS fitness nuts go, so, while it was the middle of the day and there was (luckily) almost no one there, there was only one person in the whole place larger than I am — and she’s freaking PREGNANT! Gah!! And my trainer is so dear and sweet and positive that I had to force myself to smile all the way through it and act cool, purple face be damned (“Yeah, I can handle this, no problem… wait, how many more? … uh, yeah, no, it’s fine… really…” Smile smile smile…). Meanwhile, my face is now a deep shade of crimson, I have sweat dripping out of every pore, and I want to fall on the floor and die. And again, this was the LIGHT workout. Even more fun? I’ll be keeping a food journal and sharing with my trainer. Awesome. Turns out it’s a good thing that the beer here isn’t very tempting, eh? When she told me I need to try to cut out 500 calories a day (combination of diet and exercise) I almost fell of the elliptical machine! I mean, I’ve been eating well, but sheesh! This is going to make partying with the classmates challenging, to say the least (“just a white wine spritzer for me, thanks” — nooooo!!!). Tomorrow I have to go back to the gym for a half hour of cardio and more punishment to my abs (yay!) and then I’ll be seeing my trainer again on Friday morning (8:30am, yay!). Um, I don’t know what I’ll do if she wants to give me more than a “light” workout. Hopefully not hyperventilate and die, because that would be REALLY embarrassing… In any event, I guess I can expect some results from this one, right?

In South Africa!! April 25, 2009

Well, I obviously never got around to the “Where To Drink” blog that I intended about Barcelona, but that’s okay – I’m pretty sure that anyone who travels to BCN can put that together for themselves. (Although, I’d like to give particular, if belated, shout-outs to La Cerveteca – the ONLY place to drink beer, as far as I’m concerned! – and Hook, a.k.a. The Pirate Barrrrrrrr, which is a great, exceedingly kitschy place for late-night mojito).

So, YES, I’m in South Africa!!! It was weird and somewhat heart-breaking to leave Barcelona (all those good-byes to all of those awesome, awesome people, uuuggghh) but luckily, I was able to hit the ground running when I got here, so it was nice to be so immediately distracted. My friend Keyren has a brother here, and happened to be in town visiting with her pal Jerrod, so I was able to tag along for dinner two nights in a row and start meeting people right away – which, needless to say, was fabulous. Not only is it nice to start meeting people, we went to great restaurants and the company was tremendous – it’s always a treat to see Keyren, and a bonus to meet cool new folks. The icing on the cake is that her brother owns a wonderful little boutique hotel in Cape Town that prides itself on excellent service, which they do extremely well, and I was able to stay there. I highly recommend it to any travelers coming this way!!

After my amazing first two days, it was off to Jo’burg to meet up with Megan and David and a new friend, Leigh. They picked me up at the airport and we headed directly to Kruger Park, where Megan’s folks had generously donated their timeshare. I have little to say on this topic that isn’t some variety of “AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME!!!” Stunning, diverse landscapes, giraffes in their native environment (as well as hippos, zebras, elephants, babboons, buffalo, warthogs, a mongoose, a zillion beautiful, exotic birds, a million impala/kudu/antelope, etc), gorgeous waterfalls, great times with friends – all in all, an AMAZING encounter. But better if I just demonstrate a bit in pictures, right?

Anyway, I got back to Cape Town on Thursday and have been settling in nicely. My house is incredible, my roommate is fabulous, there’s an awesome grocery store around the corner, and my street ends two blocks away, at the ocean. So far, so good. Of course, I’m a bit adrift now, as I don’t have school until next Monday and have nothing of import to do – and oh yeah, I don’t really have any “friends” yet, per se. So I’m thinking I’ll spend the week looking into a local gym, try to buy a bike to ride to/from school, and maybe start hammering out that business plan. However, I think it’s safe to say that I’ll be back on the blog, while I’m here. I imagine I’ll have a lot to say about Cape Town, when I get to know it a bit better. For now I’ll just say: it’s beautiful, it’s exceedingly foreign, and I fear I’m in grave danger of falling madly in love with it. I’ll let you know how that goes.

Barcelona: where to eat in this awesome city April 6, 2009

Unbelievably, it seems that my time in Barcelona is drawing to a close. I celebrated my graduation from ESADE last Friday, had a tremendous time with my parents, Mary and Doug, and now need to spend the next week packing up my life and moving on to the next, Cape Tonian chapter. Whew!

BUT: before I left, I thought I’d leave you all with the legacy of information I’ve been gathering for the last 18 months about where to eat and drink in the city (having made myself a sort of unofficial expert, it’s the least I could do!). I’ll be doing this in two installments — where to eat and where to drink — since I have so damn much to say on both fronts!

Tapas, a few views:

For yummy, inexpensive, typical tapas: El Tropezon, Regomir 26, in the heart of the Barrio Gotico. This is a nondescript little joint where you write down your order on a slip of paper, hand it to the waiter, and wait for huge, oily, delicious plates of tapas to appear. My favorites at El Tropezon: pescaditos fritos (literally, “little fishes,” lightly breaded and fried, you eat the whole thing, and they’re fabulous — like fishy popcorn, as my mom would say), patatas bravas (the most garlicky aioli in town!), pimientos al padron (oily, salty, flavorful, delicious), champinones (in a white wine sauce with olive oil and salt, you’ve never had such yummy mushrooms!), pan con tomate (typical toasted bread with tomato and olive oil, and a must-have at any Catalan tapas joint), queso manchego (typical Spanish sheeps-milk cheese — dry, salty, potent, pairs perfectly with your pan tomate!). To be fair, though, you can’t really go wrong with anything there — it’s all delicious!

Another view on tapas: Calle Merce in the Barrio Gotico, in general, offers a slew of divey Spanish bars offering chorizo al diablo (Spanish sausage that comes to you in a little ramekin, covered in aguardiente — they light it on fire when they bring it to the table, and you cook it yourself!), chorizo a la sidra (chorizo cooked in Basque cider — the flavors complement perfectly!), and, unforgettably, leche de pantera (“panther’s milk” — an opaque white beverage that you buy by the bottle for about 9EUR, seems sweet and innocent enough but seriously packs a punch!). Calle Merce is a great place to bar hop and try a variety of inexpensive tapas, Basque Cider and leche de pantera without breaking the bank. If you like a good dive bar, these are awesome places to go!

Speaking of inexpensive tapas, I would be remiss in not mentioning La Champagneria, Carrer de la Reina Cristina 7 — in no way a secret to Barcelona natives OR tourists, as you’ll see by the mosh-pit dense crowds that always populate the locale. However, it’s absolutely worth getting a little pushed around (or, let’s be honest, felt up), to get your hands on a 2EUR chorizo sandwich to go with your 2EUR bottle of cava. A word to the health-code wary: don’t freak out. It may be dirty, it may be crowded, but fear not! I’ve never known anyone to get sick from eating there — and we’ve eaten there a LOT. I’d recommend starting an evening out there — try to get there before 5, particularly on a weekday, if you want to avoid the insanity. Also, be advised that they close early — 10pm, I think.

For the freshest tapas around, El Quim in La Boqueria never fails to deliver. It’s definitely on the expensive side, but you’ll be so happy with your jamon iberico, asparragos a la plancha, chipirones, pimientos al padron, gambas al ajillo, patatas bravas and obligatory cup of cava, you won’t care at all. Plus, it’s completely entertaining to watch the men prepare the food right in front of you, and infinitely satisfying to know it probably came from the stall right behind you. Tip: try to get there before 2pm, which is lunchtime in Spain, since there are only about a dozen seats around this tiny bar, and they fill up quickly. Also, they close at 4, so you’ll have to plan on going there for lunch.

For fancy, up-scale tapas, Carles Abellan, a disciple of El Bulli’s Ferran Adria, has provided two different perspectives on what tapas can be. His tapas bar, Tapas 24, is a bustling, hip little spot on the corner of Diputacion and Passeig de Gracia. He offers typical tapas done with style and flair. It’s reasonably priced, and well worth the hour you’ll probably wait to get in, as they don’t take reservations. (I recommend nosing up to the bar for a glass of cava or several while you wait — the hour will fly!) Be sure to order the bikini (a toasted sandwich with mozzarella, jamon serrano and truffle paste — heaven!) and the chocolate dessert (little balls of chocolate ganache covered in olive oil and chunks of rock salt — it’s decadent, interesting, and utterly delicious). Going further up the pricing scale, I must mention Comercio 24, a much more avant garde take on tapas. I recommend really going for it and ordering the Grand Festival: 12 courses of tapas, each one flavorful, decadent, innovative and rich. I ate there on Saturday with my folks and Mary and Doug, and there was precious little conversation in our 4-hour meal that didn’t sound something like “oh my GOD, did you try THAT one yet??” We ate things like sea urchin soup, duck risotto with foie mousse, oysters on the half shell, entrecot with cauliflower foam, and tuna tartar with egg yolk vinagrette (to name just a few). However, be warned: you may spend a month of rent on one meal — but it’ll be worth it!

Moving away from Spanish cuisine, I’ll mention a few non-Spanish favorites:

For delicious, home-made Italian cuisine, Made In Italy, Calle Ample 50. This has been my stand-by favorite restaurant in Barcelona — it’s close to my house, affordable, and always delivers a meal that is as delicious as it is filling. I recommend the Insalate Tricolore, Rollitos de Salmon or Queso al Forno to start. For main courses, you pretty much can’t go wrong with the pastas, but the lasagne tends to be a hit, as does the pear and goat cheese filled pasta with gorgonzola cream sauce. Also, I’m a big fan of the pumpkin risotto that actually comes to the table in a hollowed-out pumpkin. For dessert, the home-made tiramisu is excellent, or the irish coffee — made with mascarpone! — can help to pick you up for a long night out.

Other honorable mentions that I love:

Arc Cafe, Calle d’en Carrabassa 19 — super affordable, eclectic menu, free wifi!

Abissinia, Torrent de les Flors 56 (in Gracia, metro L4 Joanic) — home-made Ethiopian food. Order the Plato Combinado, go with your friends, and prepare to be delighted by the friendly service and rich, interesting food!

Bollywood, Avenida Drassanes 27-29 — authentic Indian cuisine (the mango lassi is excellent!) and Bollywood films on screens around the restaurant. A great place to go with a large group, and a totally awesome vegetarian choice as well!

La Coronela, Calle Consulat de Mar 23 (in Born) — the only place, in my opinion, to eat Mexican food in Barcelona. A bit on the pricey side, but worth it when you’ve experienced the awesomeness of the conchinita pibil and tamarind margaritas!

La Paladar del Son, Torrent de les Flors 6 (in Gracia, metro L4 Joanic) — Cuban food — ropa vieja and mojitos that don’t disappoint! — affordably priced and sufficiently off the beaten path to avoid the hordes of tourists you’ll find in other areas of Barcelona.

Maoz, a chain of take-away vegetarian falafel joints, can be found in various locations around the city, and is the perfect way to fill up on healthy-ish food on the go. Be sure to load up your falafel with toppings at the Buffet Libre to get the most bang for your buck (er, Euro…)!

Milk, Gignas 21 in el Barrio Gotico, is the only place I know in Barcelona to get brunch. This is a great place to recover from your big bad Friday/Saturday night — which you can do with a Bloody Mary and an Eggs Benedict! They only serve brunch on Saturday and Sunday from 10-4, but at night this cozy little restaurant becomes a cocktail lounge and bistro. At any time of day, it’s not a spot to be missed!

Rambla Samosas — for a late night snack, when you’re stumbling around Las Ramblas after the bars close, don’t be afraid to buy a samosa (or several!) from one of the many men to be found with boxes of hot samosas at 3am. Seriously, they’re delicious, and you’ll be glad for the oily, alcohol absorbing properties of the fried potatoey goodness!

Alright, I feel like I’ve covered most of my favorites, but PLEASE feel free to comment and add any that I’ve forgotten!!!

Next post: where to drink. Cheers!