I feel like taking a red-eye from NYC to Europe is a gift and a curse.  In my mind, getting there first thing in the morning is like cheating an extra day out of the trip.  I always have these grandiose visions of getting to the hotel, showering, and heading out for a day of adventure.  This almost never happens.

My first day in Barcelona, I ended up spending half the day waiting for the room to be ready because the hotel wouldn’t let us check in “early”…arghhh!  I felt trapped, sleepy, and un-showered…not a great combo.  And as I waited, I watched as the sun clouded over, the skies turned a deep gray, and then opened up…a thunderstorm our first night in Barcelona.  I was told it only rains 28 days out of the year…. what luck!

That said, I heard about a cute, local, uber-authentic spot in an area called Poble Nou.  The name of the place was Can Recasens, and I trekked (through the rain!) for dinner.  Family-owned, this place was a butcher shop until 2003 when it was converted to a full restaurant.  As you enter the front, you are surrounded by shelves of different olive oils, vinegars, and spices and a case full of cured meats and cheeses (all of which are for purchase).  Why do the shelves in shops like these look so elegant whereas in my apartment kitchen, it’s just clutter…in any case, it was more reminiscent of a quaint, Catalonian specialty shop than a restaurant, incredibly warm and vibrant.

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