magic squares
I have spent the spring impatiently waiting for warm weather in New York, hopping a flight in late March to wander sunny Barcelona streets,
and its long stretches of parks, and the elaborately encrusted Sagrada Familia,
with its Gaudí figures and ornamentation,
including a Magic Square on the outside of the unfinished basílica.
The inspiring inside is filled with light from the stained glass playing off itself and the organic columns, and ushers in a curious sort of local and tourist reverence.
In nearby neighborhoods, there are plazas also filled with light and the sounds of guitarists practicing before standing just outside restaurant patios,
and in April, chocolate shops filled with Easter houses (characters sold separately).
Visiting for a few days, I started a wonderful habit of Cava and Jamón ibérico from the nearby La Boqueria on our roof deck, reading into the late afternoon before meeting friends for very fresh fish and crispy Pan can Tomate.
From Barcelona, we went to Cannes, where I discovered Margalet, a cheese much like Camembert, at the fabulous Ceneri – the sort of cheese shop you feel you cannot make a mistake in, the selection is curated so thoughtfully.
A perfectly ripened cheese makes for such quiet happiness.
While in Cannes, we were part of a small but determined expedition to the famed Colombe D’Or, the restaurant with early art from those later collected by museums. The trip there and back was just as entertaining (hairpin turns!) as the witty conversation at the table, and we were the last to leave the dining room and walk back through the picturesque town.
And a few weeks ago, back stateside, we celebrated a family birthday on the charming boyfriend’s side in New Orleans, that city where the trees grow beads in season,
and where it is possible to source a glittery birthday cake on short notice.
Near our hotel in the Warehouse District, I walked to Cochon for an Abita and a glance at the menu, watching as the heat melted the butter for the rolls,
and unable to resist, I ordered their Cochon de Lait that arrived on top of braised cabbage and with a cracklin’, a good omen for a snappy city I try to wander through on my travels as often as possible…
More pictures and stories from these trips in the next issue out this summer of a food magazine I’ve started called Saucy. You can buy the first issue (it used to be called Culinaesthete) on Magcloud in print or digital formats. Your support of the magazine so far (hello, new Australian friends!) means the world to me.
Related posts:
Leave a Reply
Posted by Kristen Taylor on Sunday, May 22nd, 2011, 6:08 pm * Filed in Art, Beauty, Design, Food, Travel. * . Follow responses through the RSS 2.0 feed. Leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
May 23rd, 2011 at 3:41 pm
What a gorgeous, sumptuous spring you’ve had. I miss you. xoxo
May 23rd, 2011 at 8:47 pm
It has been sparkling, Jeannine. Miss you back – I’ll be around your way in a few weeks, so we’ll successfully coordinate a coffee this time, xo!
May 24th, 2011 at 5:29 am
sooo beautiful! you make me miss barcelona and new orleans! did you get a benet in new orleans?
May 24th, 2011 at 6:30 am
Missed the beignets in New Orleans this time, but plenty of lovely food (and sugar) on these travels – thank you, Tricia!
June 15th, 2011 at 7:54 am
hello ! : ) I just love your atmospheric shots. so. lovely.