In Spain, to go on a “paseo” is to take a slow, casual walk. Like a stroll in the park or meandering through the city going wherever the streets lead you. It is how we approached a recent visit to Madrid. We haven’t spent much time in Madrid. […]
“Visit León” they said, “you’ll love it”. Our friends shared stories of streets filled with tapas bars and evenings spent strolling around eating for free. So we went. The city of León turned out to be the tapas crawling adult food playground that we had hoped it would […]
It’s not easy to find good places to eat and drink in a touristy city like Rome. As mentioned in my recent post “How was Rome?” we had a hard time getting away from the endless tourist traps lining the streets and plazas of the historic city center. But […]
My beta-carotene levels should be sky high by now. It’s pumpkin season and I just can’t seem to get enough. Since the weather has chilled and autumn is officially here, the roasted pumpkin (calabaza asada) that is found in the Spanish markets has become a regular purchase on […]
“How was Rome?” everyone asks. “It was great!” is what I want to say, but I stumble over my response. Of course our visit to Rome was great—the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Pantheon are all amazing—but it was also a bit of a chore. Like many travelers, […]
Friends sometimes ask if we have a good paella recipe to share on the website. Nope! No way are we going to step into the slippery discourse of what makes a good paella. Valencianos already have it figured out and they defend their iconic dish with passion. Just […]
People in Utiel know how to throw a party. In this small wine village about 80 km west of Valencia, mid October is time to celebrate with the Feria Utiel Gastronómica. The Feria showcases local wines and gastronomy in the large public park called Paseo de la Alameda, […]
Barcelona is an undeniably beautiful city, full of bright colorful eye candy. The city reaches right down to the Mediterranean sea and stretches out to the surrounding hills. You can walk to the beach and port within minutes of the historic Old Town. Or get an overhead view […]
Barcelona is known for it’s abundance of tapas bars. It’s hard to walk a block without passing a few restaurants or bars filled with people standing at a bar, especially in the touristy areas. During our trips to Barcelona, we have discovered that it has a very different tapas […]
Clipping grape clusters from the vines in the morning. Lunching with friends around a big table under the trees in the afternoon. Sipping wine on a terrace with views out over the vineyards. I admit it. My vision of living in Spain included scenes like this, bumping more […]