Wine 101: Sparkling Wines Revisited

While I have touched on sparkling wine quite a bit, but the lovely ladies (and gents when they aren't too scared to show up) of The Enthusiasts! NYC Wine Club are tasting sparkling wines for the month of March. I'm so proud of this group! Still meeting after almost two years and new members join every month - it's super exciting! So here's a quick refresher on sparkling wines with some new details on food pairings!

In case you did not know, I am obsessed with sparkling wines. I drink the during them holidays, I drink them during rainy days, and, if I could maintain productivity during the week, I'd drink them EVERYDAY. Seriously, (Dr. Seuss tribute aside) sparkling wines should be considered as a serious wine option beyond those celebratory times! Not convinced? Let me prove the awesomeness of sparkling wine.

There are Affordable Options Beyond Champagne.

In an earlier post on sparkling wine options for NYE, I shared my philosophy on sparklers: find something fresh, fun and affordable. This philosophy requires you to often look beyond sparkling wines from Champagne, France. Champagne is a big name and usually means high quality, which will cost you a pretty penny. But if you look for words like: Cava, Prosecco, or Crémant on the label you will likely get a fun sparkler, of equal quality, at a lower price.

• Cava - refers to sparkling wines made in Penedes, Spain. 
• Prosecco -  refers to the grape used in the popular (and increasingly trendy) Italian sparklers.
• Crémant - refers to the ultimate secret code word when it comes to sparkling wines from the Old World, specifically France. This term indicates that the sparkling wine is made in the traditional Champagne style but was made in a region other than Champagne.

If you want the full details on these great Champagne alternatives, check out my original post on sparkling wine.

Sparkling Wine is a Great Addition to Cocktails.

So you aren't the biggest wine fan, or when you do drink wine you like bold reds, try adding sparkling wine to a cocktail. In a past post, I share some of my favorite sparkling wine cocktails. Under my favorite them of affordability, try cocktails that have a few ingredients. Just by picking up a fun liqueur, like blackberry or elderflower, you can really add some spark to that gin based cocktail.

Sparkling Wines Pair Well with Food.

When it comes to food and wine pairings, I always urge friends to think beyond light wine with light foods and dark wine with heavy foods. Wine flavors are actually derived from: acid, sugar, fruit, tannin and alcohol. Each of these elements can have a significant impact on the flavor of food. Sparklers are a great pairing for food generally because they help enhance the flavors of the dish. However, I highly recommend  you check out pairing sparkling wine with fried foods - the pairing is magical.

Less Common Sparklers to Check Out.

As if the above reasons weren't enough to persuade you buy a bottle of sparkling wine, there are so many options when it comes to sparklers beyond white sparkling wine. Including:

• Lambrusco - a sparkling red from Italy, check out the feature here. 
• Rose Champagne.
• Asti.

Looking forward to your comments on the sparkling wine tasting!

Cheers!

Benchmark Wine Tasting Class: Other Classic Whites

Hey there wine nerds! Welcome to the second installment of the benchmark wine series. For the newbies, I previously introduced a benchmark wine tasting series based on a tasting I did at Penn State University. Last time, I provided an overview on aromatic whites. Now, I will be discussing "other classic whites," or more specifically Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. We also tasted an Albariño just to mix things up.

This tasting couldn't be more interesting because I considered these grapes extremely different in flavor and character. When I think of Sauvignon Blanc, I think of bright citrus, spicy green pepper and high acidity. When I think Chardonnay, I think smooth vanilla, stone fruit flavors and full-body. However, now that I think a little more, the two grapes are similar in one curious way -- they are both very versatile. Both have adapted to a variety of locations and styles, resulting in a variety of selection for consumers.

Sauvignon Blanc.

I have said it before and I will say it again, Sauvignon Blanc is my favorite grape! If you drink Sauvignon Blanc, then you know it has those awesome citrus, herbaceous, or even grassy green pepper flavors. Thanks to the world wide web, I learned a fun new principle when it comes to the flavors of Sauvignon Blanc: the ripeness of the grapes plays a major role in the flavor profile. (Duh, but listen to this!) If the grapes are LESS ripe, the wine is more likely to taste like lime or green apple. While, if the grapes are MORE ripe, the wine will likely taste like flowery peach or citrus. The best regions for Sauvignon Blanc are Bordeaux, Loire Valley (specifically Sancerre), New Zealand, and California. When surfing the aisles at the wine store, you can also look for the following synonyms: Fume Blanc or Pouilly-fume and you will most likely be drinking Sauvignon Blanc. Looking for food pairing tips? A good general rule is "go green," since the herbaceous qualities of the wine will pair well with salads, but any herb based sauce would pair well also. Now that we have covered the Sauvignon Blanc basics, let's check out the wines I tried at the benchmark wine tasting:

BANCROFT ESTATE 2011

Where it's from. Marlborough, New Zealand.

My thoughts. I love NZ style Sauvignon Blanc because it's so distinct. The flavors can be grassy, spicey, or peppery. This particular bottle had a lighter style than I have experienced with most NZ Sauvignon Blancs, which was fine. It definitely had the spicey finished and white pepper notes tha I expected. Overall, this wine was delicious but, as the only NZ Sauvignon Blanc on the tasting, I was hoping for a bolder style. The room thought it would be hard to pair with food - but I argue it would go great with an arugula salad. (Don't knock it before you try it!)

Chardonnay.

Chardonnay and I have a love-hate relationship. Generally, I am not a fan of most those "butter-bomb" styles. But, the unoaked styles, generally out of the Old World, are quite lovely. Like our discussion above, the ripeness of the Chardonnay grape also changes dramatically with ripeness. MORE ripe and you may notice flavors of pineapple and other tropical fruit, LESS ripe and you may notice strong notes of lemon or green apple. Similar varietals include: Marsanne, Rousanne, Viognier, Semillion and Fiano (Italy). Check out the wines I tasted below:

KENDALL-JACKSON VINTNER'S RESERVE

Where it's from. California.

My thoughts.  Definitely not a favorite. If you like the buttery styles, you may like this, but it's definitely not for me.

HENRY FESSY CHARDONNAY 2010

Where it's from. Pouilly-Fuisse, France

My thoughts. This wine could give any ABCer a run for their money. (Anything But Chardonnay). It had a pungent aroma that I was sure would mirror the taste - but I was so wrong. The flavors were subtle and sweet. Definitely an interesting wine.

LOUIS LATOUR 2008

Where it's from. Côte-d'Or, Burgundy, France.

My thoughts. This wine may have been my favorite white, maybe even my favorite wine of the tasting. This producer is just awesome. Yes, it is a bit more expensive - around $40 a bottle - but arguably worth every penny. The wine had a very refreshing aroma, including aloe or mint. However, it had a smooth and round taste, with an almost tart finish. I loved the complexities.

Albariño.

This grape is lovely. If you are ever in the wine store looking for something a bit different in the white wine aisle, Albariño is a great option. It is most commonly grown in northern Spain, specifically the Rías Baixas region. This grape is interesting because it has a pronounced fruit-forward aroma. For our benchmark wine tasting, we tasted the 2010 Mar de Vinas Albariño from Spain. Another great wine! It had the fruit aromas and bright acidity that I was hoping for - so check this wine out!

That is all for this post on benchmark wine - classic whites!

Cheers!

Wine 101: Benchmark Wines

Now that the gifts have been opened, the in-laws are heading out of town and we have rung in 2014 - its time to get back to business. This post is geared towards those wine drinkers who are aiming to move on from beginner status. So if you want to get serious about wine - the key is to inform yourself on the classics. These classic style wines have long served as benchmarks for the traditional regions or styles of wine.

Photo Source

So what do I mean by benchmark wine? Check out these suggestions organized by old world vs. new world styles:

Old World Classics:

Generally, when looking for a wine standard most sommeliers suggest you turn to France. It make sense, France is the global wine powerhouse. They have been making wine for centuries and have implemented strict rules regarding winemaking. If you are looking for a benchmark regarding Pinot Noir, start with Burgundy. If you want to try a classic Merlot, look to Pomerol (technically within the Bordeaux region). If you would pass on red wines from Bordeaux and prefer the style of white wine, look to Loire Valley, for  the best examples of classic Chenin Blanc or Sauvignon Blanc. Other regions to note include Rhone, Savoie, or Jura. And finally, Champagne is the classic benchmark for sparkling wine.

For the benchmark on Rieslings, you must go to Germany. There are many styles of Rieslings, but the classics come from Mosel, Rheingau, Pfalz, Rheinhessen. The Rieslings produced in Austria are also considered within the classic style, look there for classic Grüner Veltliner. 

So you love reds but prefer to look to Italy, the classic regions include Piedmont, Tuscany, and Veneto. For more details on the specifics of these regions, check out our earlier post on Italian wine here. Similarly, the best Spanish include Rioja, Sherry and Albariño (Spanish white grape). Additionally, some sommeliers are on the fence about Bierzo or Priorat as representative of classic Spanish grapes.

New World Classics:

"New World" wines include wines made from countries outside the classic European winemaking countries. This includes the United States, South America, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and others. Look to New Zealand for classic Sauvignon Blancs with green pepper, grassy or spicy notes. As for reds, look to Australia for classic Shiraz, California's Napa Valley for classic Cabernet Sauvignon and Oregon for Pinot Noir.

Look forward to more features on these regions specifically in upcoming posts - Happy 2014!

Cheers!

The Enthusiasts! NYC Wine Club: Viva Espana!

"I have enjoyed great health at a great age because every day since I can remember I have consumed a bottle of wine except when I have not felt well. Then, I have consumed two bottles." (Bishop of Seville)

I'm not one to mix wine with religion - but this Spanish bishop really had the right idea about wine. This quote is pretty much my favorite. quote. ever. So what better place for the wine club to cover than a country home to such old school wine Enthusiasts -- Spain! 

History of Wine in Spain

As is true with most wines from Europe, it all goes back to the Romans. During Roman rule, Spanish wine was widely exported and traded. However, after the fall of the Romans, the Moors conquered much of the wine-making region and practically banned the production of wine as a low priority. During the first century A.D., the Moors were overthrown (Reconquista) and Spanish wine was exported again.

As time moved forward, Spanish wine was popular, but its development lagged behind due to additional obstacles like slow industrialization, phylloxera and several wars. Eventually, with acceptance into the European Union in 1986 and the influence of the "flying winemakers", Spanish wines slowly began to reclaim their prestige on the international market.

The Basics in Spanish Wine

Major Native Grapes, Wine Regions and the Appellation System of Spain

Native White Grapes 

-- 

Albariño

; Verdejo; Macabeo; 

Cariñena

Native Red Grapes

 -- Temperanillo; Garnacha; Monastrell (aka 

Mourvèdre)

Wine Regions at a Glance

If you are looking for Spanish wine in the United States, you are most likely going to see wine from the following regions (listed with the primary grapes grown there):

1. Rioja - Temperanillo (Tinto Fino) and Garnacha
2. Ribera del Duero - Temperanillo
3. Priorat - Garnacha, Cariñena
4. Penedés - Macabeo, Caberbet Sauvignon, Carinena, Garnacha
5. Rías Baixas - Verdejo, Albariño
6. Sherry (Jerez) - Palomino

Appellation System:

The wine regions of Spain are regulated under the Denominacion de Origen (DO) laws, similar to the French AOC system, updated as of 1982. Currently, there are 71 DO regions and 2 DOC regions (Priorat and Rioja). The ranking hierarchy is as follows:

• DOC (formerly DOCa) - Denomenacion de Origen Calificada, the highest category.
• DO - Denominacion de Origin, the mainstay of Spain's wine quality control system. Each region is goverend by a Consejo Regulardor, who decides on the boundaries of the region, permitted varietals, maximum yields, limits of alcoholic strength and other quality standards or production limitations pertaining to the zone. 

If you are searching for Spanish wines in the U.S., you will likely only see wines from the

above

 categories, however the appellation system also includes the following:

• VCIG - Vinos de Calidad con Indicacion Geografica. 
• VdlT - Vino de la Tierra, a mid level regional wine that conforms to local norms without qualifying for DO status, the equivalent of the French Vin de Pays.
• VdM - Vino de Mesa, the catch-all at the bottom of the pyramid that for all wine from unclassified vinyards and wine that has been declassified by blending. 
• VP - Vino de Pago, a special term for high-quality, single-estate wines (Pago is the Spanish term for a vinyard) which in some cases also belong to DO or VdlT appellations.
•  
•  
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Wine Regions in Detail

Photo Source: http://www.efow.eu/vineyards_of_the_month/

rioja_the_strength_of_a_name_with_a_historic_reputation

Wines from Rioja

Rioja is known as the powerhouse of Spain. The key thing to remember when buying wine from Rioja are the three levels (or styles):

Crianza,

2 years of aging, minimum 1 year in oak barrel;

Reserva,

3 years of aging, minimum 1 year in oak barrel; 

and Gran Reserva

, 5-7 years of aging, minimum 2 years in oak barrel.

Grapes?

Temperanillo

, known for producing complex wines worthy of aging. It's name comes from the Spanish word "temprano" or "early" because the grape typically ripens several weeks earlier than most red grapes in Spain.

Garnacha

(aka Grenache in France), known for its spicy berry flavors and producing wines that are rich, warm and alcoholic - so its commonly blended.

Wines from Penedés

If you love sparklers, the first thing you should think when you think Pened

és is Cava. However, this region is also known for making some quality red table wines. If you are looking for quality wines from these region, check out Torres or Jean Leon (producers).

Wines from Ribera del Duero

Stay on the look out for wines from this wine region. It is known as an up-and-coming region of Spain. The major red grapes grown here are Tinto Fino (Temperanillo), Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and Garnacha.

Wines from Priorat

Given that most of the vineyards in this region were historically farmed by Monks, Priorat was traditionally known for sacramental wine. However today, if you are looking for a quality (and pricey) bottle of red wine - Priorat is another great place to go.

Photo source: http://www.theworldwidewine.com

Wines from Rueda & 

Rías

 Baixas

FYI - not all the wine worth drinking in Spain is red! These two regions are known for the production of white wine. The modern style of wine made in Rueda is dry, fruity and fresh. These wines are made from Verdejo, Viura and occasionally Sauvignon Blanc grapes. The native Verdejo are generally harvested at night to reduce the risk of oxidation from the hot day-time. It is also known for making aromatic but full-bodied wines.

Rías

 Baixas, on the other hand, makes delicious white wines with mostly the 

Albariño

 grape. 

Albariño

 (synonym for "Alvarinho") is one of my personal favorites from Spain! Known as the classic Vino Verde grape - the grape is known for its distinctive peach and apricot aroma. It produces light but highly acidic wines.

Phew! So that covers the basics of Spanish wine. If you are searching for a take away - it seems Spain is a powerhouse of reds and not really well known for whites - similar to Italy.  However, the white wines of Spain are not to be ignored! I know I will be looking for a aromatic and crisp white from Spain next time I hit the local wine shop.

Cheers!

Spain: Bienvenidos a Madrid!

Third and final post from Spain - Madrid!

 We finally made it to our final destination - Madrid - after a crazy car ride from Barcelona and a lovely stop in Zaragoza. Today's topics include: history on Madrid, Museo del Prado, food and wine (of course!) and final thoughts on the Vis Competition for team Cardozo overall!

Starting with my usual favorite - history! One of the cutest pieces of history (and of course history can be

cute!

) was Madrid's coat of arms (pictured below). The shield is a bear sable supported on a strawberry tree. This coat of arms can trace its foundation back to the Battle of Law Navas de Tolosa in 1212, where the troops sent in support of the Christian King carried a flag with the statant bear on a silver field. For those who want to get really nerdy about coat of arms, statant refers to the

attitude 

(yes, attitude!), or position, of the animal on the shield. Specifically, statant means that the animal is standing (either on 2 or 4 feet).

A statute of the the coat of arms is located in the Puerta del Sol which is the famous center of Madrid. Interestingly, this busy city center is also the center of the radial network of Spanish roads (thus the literal center of Spain).

After walking through the Puerta del Sol, the group headed to Mercado de San Miguel. This place is a definite must see (or must eat-at rather) because everything, and I mean literally, everything in here looked delicious. Then, the group headed to the Royal Palace of Madrid and I was surprised to learn that this is still the resident of the Spanish Royal family. Yes, Spain still has a monarchy, similar to that of England. The current monarchy is led by King Juan Carlos I and his wife Queen Sofia. Preserving the monarchy is very popular in Spain, with approximately 75% of the population in support.

After we walk around the courtyards of the Palace (again we did not go in because the line was way too long) we headed to the Museo del Prado. This museum was established in 1819 and is the primary national art museum of Spain. While it houses a staggering amount of European art from the 12th-19th centuries, it is known for its Spanish art collection. 

The most famous collection of Spanish art features Fransisco de Goya. It was very exciting to see the masterpieces in person, including Goya's Saturn painting. However, (and without getting to political on art) Goya's Black Paintings are... well depressing. Other notable artists include: Rubens, Rembrandt, and Titian. After the museum, we headed across the street to relax with a bottle of wine. Service was relatively slow... I mean Spanish ... I mean slow. Though we didn't care because we were only interested in drinking wine. Eventually, the wait staff decided we were all so charming that they poured us shots on the house. These shots were more like digestifs, or digestive liquers served after the meal. They are usually taken straight (which they were) and typically include brandy, bitter liquers (which I received) or sweet liquers. I never had a chance to write down the brand names, but one was an apple liquer, the second taste like Jagermeister (bitter in taste, brown in color) and the third like chartruese (herbal in taste, yellow in color). I would definitely recommend the yellow disgetif. After our drinks, we took a quick stroll through Retiro Park and then headed back into the city center.

Most importantly, we stopped at the famous Chocolateria San Gines for hot chocolate and churros. This is the place for churros in Madrid. The hot chocolate is dark chocolate and served much thicker than anything available in the U.S. Similarly, the churros are different because they are not covered in cinnamon and sugar. This was the perfect snack after a day of touring. Though, I wouldn't have hated the addition of a little cinnamon to the hot chocolate or the churros.

That night we also headed to a great Paella restaurant, called La Barraca. There, we ordered some traditional paella and arroz negra (black rice). Both were excellent and this restaurant is worth visiting when in Madrid. 

And as usual, a discussion of food would not be complete without a discussion on wine. I wanted to briefly introduced the wine region that received the most attention during my visit to Spain - Rioja.

Rioja is one of Spain's major wine region. Specifically, it is the principal red-wine producing region. One of the most important grapes for rioja is tempranillo. Tempranillo is known for producing long-lived and complex wines. Another principle grape in rioja is garnacha. If you are looking for rioja, be sure to look the differences in the three major levels: (1) crianza - 2 years of aging, minimum 1 in oak barrels; (2) reserva - 3 years aging, minimum 1 in oak barrels; and (3) gran reserva - 5 to 7 years of aging, minimum 2 years in oral barrels. 

And those were some of the key highlights from our day in Madrid. It was a great trip full of awesome memories, wine and food. Until next time!

Cheers!

Happy Easter - Feliz Pascua - Frohe Ostern

Second post from Spain!

Happy Easter to those celebrating! In light of the holiday, today's post provides a general comparison of Easter celebrations (and typical treats) in the United States, Spain and Austria.

Easter in the United States.

 Specifically speaking, (and not trying to get too religious) Easter is the Christian celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus. Personally however, most of my childhood memories from Easter involve waking up to an Easter basket filled with candy, the family gathering for an Easter lunch, and the ever important Easter egg hunt. While these are very found memories, in comparison, it seems that Easter celebrations in the United States (like basically every other holiday) bigger and more mass-consumerized compared to the celebrations of Europe. 

In the U.S., most secular Easter celebrations are centered around the children. American families purchase an excess of plastic eggs, baskets, fake grass, bunnies, toys and candy. In fact, I learned that Easter is the second best candy selling holiday - after Halloween. (My favorite are starburst jelly beans!). Other common American traditions include dying Easter eggs, Easter egg hunts (which start off inclusive as small children, but may morph into heated competitions as the siblings get older), Easter egg rolls (at the White House), and Easter parades. Overall, Americans still remember and celebrate the religious reasons behind Easter, however, whether or not one attends a religious ceremony rather than simply take a day off to spend with their family depends more on the individual family tradition.

Easter in Spain.

The Spanish population is approximately 73% Catholic and, as a result, Easter is the second most celebrated holiday after Christmas. Overall, it seems that their traditions are similar to those of the United States, which include parades, family gatherings, candy and Easter eggs. However, these Spanish celebrations seem (at least from the outside) more religious and less consumerized than those of the U.S.

For example, it seems that many Spanish stores still feature candy and chocolate eggs. See the pictures featured below, on the right, a common window front with chocolate eggs and cakes, on the left, a similar (but more high end window) complete with a large chocolate chicken and cute paper chicks. However, it seems less popular to spend time decorating the eggs.

Further, these displays are different from the United States because: (1) They were way more difficult to find (and not literally on every street corner and in every store), and (2) people did not seem to buy a lot of these goods. Similarly, (though I have yet to see one in Barcelona) in much of the south of Spain, night time processions/parades seem popular during the Holy Week. These processions involve incense, candles, drums and cloak covered penitents. Overall, it seems the Spanish focus is on family time and remembering the religion behind Easter. (Stay tuned for updates as I was invited to join a Spanish family for their Easter dinner and may provide updates on their traditional dishes).

UPDATE! Our stop in Zaragosa

Kelley and RH in a cool alley of shops and bars

In addition to the the adventures outlined in this post previously, our group also made a stop in Zaragoza on Easter Sunday. Zaragoza is the capital city of the province. The drive to and from was interesting for two key reasons. First, our vehicle of choice (to which I lovingly referred to as the party van) was basically the normal size of an American sedan. However, in Europe it is commonly used as a cargo van - but we all loved it. Second, while the drive started as mostly highway, once we left town the landscape quickly started to resemble an exotic nature reserve. The area is known for its varying landscapes, ranging from deserts to think forest, meadows and mountains. The area always seemed like it should be abandoned of all civilization, yet every couple miles I would see people hiking, biking or picnicking - it was definitely a great area. Finally, if you have the opportunity to drive through, look for the large wooden black bulls that line the highway. Apparently, these bulls were former advertisements for alcohol and now line the highway as a community cultural symbol. I counted 10 on my trip - I dare you to do better!

Once we finally arrived in Zaragoza, we stopped in for a visit with a local Spanish family. This opportunity to break bread with a local family was by far one of the most rewarding experiences of the trip. Most of us did not speak the same language, but it was a great learning experience and delicious meal. Speaking of meal! The meal we had for Easter lunch was crazy! This was not your average protein and two sides but and 5 course feast. We started with traditional Spanish noodle soup, then cabbage and chickpeas with olive oil. At this rate, most of the group was already completely full. But like the treatment we were used to from our grandmothers (x100) - it was impossible to say no because the hostess was constantly serving us food. The final courses included a meat course, which feature beef, chorizo and blood sausage, and the dessert course, featuring both fresh fruit and traditional pastry. 

After this delicious and extremely filling meal, we took to the local streets for a walk. This tour included a walk through downtown, viewing ancient roman ruins (like the roman bridge picture on the left) and the roman cathedral

Catedral de Salvador.

 If you visit the cathedral, note the two unexploded bombs on the wall - during the civil war they were dropped on the cathedral and the fact that neither exploded was deemed a miracle!

Easter in Austria.

 While Austria subscribes to the typical Easter icons/symbols including, flowers, eggs, chickens, and hares, Austrians practice some unique differences. One of may favorites was the Ostermarkt. I am unsure if these are common within every village or only the big cities, but I wish they were common in the United States. These markets pop up during the Easter season and are filled with local vendors selling snacks, candy, gifts and Easter eggs. Generally, while this seems similar to the U.S. focus on candy and eggs, there is definitely a higher quality to these goods in Austria. For example the Easter eggs are not plastic but are made with more craftsmanship than that of the U.S. (see the picture featured below on the right - those are hundreds of hand painted eggs). 

The Ostermarkts also feature food stands that sell pretzels, chocolate, and warm drinks such as gluhvein. These markets differ from those in the U.S. because patrons are encouraged to buy a drink and stand at tables set up in the market and mingle with neighbors and friends. I really enjoyed how this tradition was more about gathering with neighbors than grabbing your snack and heading back to your car.

Overall, there are definitely common themes within the Easter celebrations in these three countries. However, it is very interesting which elements are focused on and how each culture interprets the common symbols. Happy Easter to you wherever you are!

Cheers!

Spain: Bienvenidos a Barcelona

First post from Spain - Hello from Barcelona!

 We have a limited time in Spain, so this post is packed with information. 

Today's topics: La Rambla, Antoni Gaudi, Cathedral de Barcelona, Mercat de la Boqueria, 

Scammers in Spain, Sangria and Spanish food.

Placa del Portal de la Pau viewed from the waterfront 

The first night in Barcelona we took to the streets and headed for La Rambla. Technically, it is merely a tree-lined street, pedestrian mall and tourist trap in Barcelona. However, it is still worth a trip to witness the architecture, feel the history and experience the crowd (all while keeping a very close eye on your valuables). Historically, La Rambla was not so attractive and originated as a sewage filled stream bed.  However, it was converted into a paved street during the 18th century and has remained a sight to see ever since. Personally, it was refreshing to be outside and near the water.

Casa Batlló

Next, if there is only one name to remember in connection with Barcelona - it is Antoni Gaudi. The man seriously left an impression on this town. Gaudi was a Spanish Catalan architect who lived from 1852-1926.

Gaudi is known for his gothic-inspired modern style. His works embraced romantic catenary curves (an engineering term for a curve that, like a hanging chain or cable, supports its own weight when supported at both ends)

, ceramic mosaics and extensive details. In fact, his most famous work, the Sagrada Familia, is filled with dramatic intricacies that remain unfinished because he died before its completion. All the works we witnessed were inspiring, beautiful and definitely a must see for Barcelona.

Casa Milà

After we toured the famous Gaudi Houses, we ventured in search of something different. In the historic district of Barcelona is seems that there is a church around every corner. One of the most spectacular churches is the Catedral de Barcelona (featured on left). Warning: Do not confuse this gothic masterpiece with Gaudi's Sagrada Familia - because they are different! The Barcelona Cathedral is the home of Archbishop of Spain and was built in mostly during the 14th century.

A common theme to remember when visiting Barcelona (and the reason there are no pictures of the inside of these structures) there is a line to get into practically every. single. structure. So come prepared.

Next, we visited the Mercat de la Boqueria. Historically, this market (known as la Boqueria for short) was first mentioned in 1217. Overtime, the market survived as a general and unofficial market for over 500 years. Then, in 1826 the market was legally recognized and the official structure you can see today was completed by 1914. On our visit today, it was intensely crowded (as with most tourists spots). However, I was a bit thankful for the crowd because I noticed most people were drinking small juices. I eventually learned that most vendors who sold fruits and vegetables also sold fresh squeezed juices. I chose pineapple coconut - and it was awesome! I highly recommend! The remainder of our visit consisted mainly of checking out the vendors, such as: (1) If I had more time I would definitely come here for meat products, and (2) The dried pepper stand was so beautiful (see photo below).

Pepper stand in La Boqueria

Last, but not least, the topics concerning general life in Spain. First things first ... scammers. Now, I considered myself fairly well-traveled. I have been to three continents, do my research before head out, try to blend in, and haggle, haggle, haggle. But, Barcelona may be the exception to my preparation. Initially, the taxi driver from the airport warned us about pick-pockets in La Rambla. Ok - that is easy enough to avoid and thus far we have experienced no problems. But the driver also warned us about other taxi drivers overcharging - no problem we thought - we are from New York. Well, at the end of our first night, we took a taxi home, and were totally scammed. The initial walk took about 30-40 minutes, but took at least 20 via taxi with little traffic and cost almost 13 euro. All in all - I recommend you keep an eye on your taxi driver in Barcelona.

Similarly, we may or may not have had our conversation invaded by a former staff writer for

High Times Magazine

. (Yes, the cannibas afficionados magazine for all you straight edges out there). What do I mean?!? Well, when abroad as an American, I have found that other Americans will frequently join in on the conversation, especially when they have been abroad for some time. Basically, the miss speaking English and want to brush up on their skills. This past evening, we were chatting and minding our own business, then an older gentleman clearly of the flower power/make love not war generation completely crashed the conversation. Generally, he was nice enough until he started asking us not what we wanted to do with our lives, but "what do you want to

do??

" (If you are confused, you are on the right page, because this guy would not take any of our professional goals as an acceptable answer - thus we all were confused). Moral of the story - become fluent in Spanish or speak quietly to avoid conversation crashers. 

Finally, some comments on sangria and Spanish food. In a word - awesome! The tapas style mediterranean fare is a welcome change to the heavy Austrian style food we ate last week. Specifically, the picture below (featured left) is that of a typical Basque tapas restaurant. There, consumers grab a table then head to a buffet of tapas sized snacks. Each has a toothpick holding it together and at the end of the meal the waiter counts the toothpicks and charges you per tapa. Great experience to share with friends!

Long story short, Spain is welcome change from Austria (primarily weather wise) and the group has really seen a lot across one short day of touring. We especially loved the view from Park Guell (see above right) also heavily designed by Gaudi.

Cheers!