Des d'aquí vull agrair a tota la gent que ens va acompanyar per ajudar-nos a crear una memòria realment entranyable.
Ara ja hi som de tornada. Després d'uns dies a la feina, Barcelona queda molt, però que molt lluny. I després d'uns mesos sembla que fins i tot el català se m'oblida... We will have to do something about that.
Des de llavors els estius no em van pertànyer, els estius durant el doctorat solen ser el temps més productiu, almenys en aquest país: no has de prendre classes ni de donar-les, així que s'espera que et passis els dies al laboratori. L'any passat vam passar una setmana a la platja, a Carolina del Nord, i tot i que veure platges que s'extenen durant milles i milles, era realment increible, jo segueixo anyorant les platges de la Costa Brava...
All this started last Tuesday, when I placed an order on the phone with Armani. I was trying to buy a watch and have it shipped to somebody else. Apparently that raised some red flag in the system and my order was put on hold until they called me on Wednesday to verify the information. That's fine, they are looking out for all of us, and making sure nobody uses a stolen credit card. Great. "So, the order should go through now, right?" "Oh, yes, it should go out this afternoon, no problem".
Now it's thursday morning and I get an email telling me to contact them regarding my order >Hmmm...< So I called them and I informed them that I was contacted the day before regarding the billing/shipping address, and they tell me
Armani - "oh, that's probably why you got the email, you can ignore the email then" >hmmmmm...< Me- "ok, could you just check that everything is ok?" Armani - "i'm sure it's ok, madam" Me - "could you just check, please?"
so, after being on hold for a while I discover that >surprise!!!< the order was not going to go out that day or ever, because the gift box that went with it was backordered!
Armani - "there is nothing we can do, madam, the order won't go out" Me - "how about we cancel this order, and we put on another one, that doesn't include a gift box" Armai - "yeah, i can do that for you"
Now bear in mind, I had placed the order with 2-day shipping, since I was hoping the watch would make it in time for somebody's b-day... so I requested this order to go with overnight shipping...
Friday morning: new email from armani... "Please call us at 1-800-449-3056 regarding your order. We are unable to process your order, Net-XXXXXXXX. Unfortunately your order was not assigned an Armani order number, beginning with ARM, rather than NET. If interested in the item, please replace your order at www.emporioarmaniwatches.com or by speaking to a representative." EXCUSE ME?!?!?!?! So, somehow the confirmation number that i was given when i placed order #2 was such that it voided the order. WHY WOULD YOU HAVE ANYTHING LIKE THAT IN YOUR SYSTEM???? Did anybody say IMCOMPETENCE????
>sigh< At this point I have searched for this watch through other vendors and I can't find it anywhere else (otherwise I would have dropped them already) and I really need to get this watch delivered.
No problem, let's call armani, yet again. To make a long story short, "the only thing i can do for you madam is place another order" "ok, but make sure you give it the right confirmation number, you don't include the gift box and you ship it overnight!" (as is, it's already getting there late...).
Ok, this should do it, no?
Just in case, Monday morning, I give them a call... what do you think? Armani - "madam, your order says it has been released, it should go out today" Me - "are you sure?" Armani - (with an impertinent tone) "yes madam, it says released" Me - "do me a favor, check what's the status" HOLD Armani - "Madam.... it's not going to go out... the gift box is back ordered..." WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!!? HELLO!??!?!?!?! Did I say alreday that they are a bunch of incompetent people!?!?!?!?
Breath in, breath out
Armani - "Madam, I'll place another order for you (mind you, this is # 4), and i will keep an eye on it to make sure it ships today" Me - "whatever, i better receive a tracking number by this afternoon"
Well, finally the watch was delivered on tuesday, but wait... THEY SEND THE WRONG WATCH!!!!!!!!
As I said, NEVER BUY ANYTHING FROM ARMANI!
El 1859, gràcies a les iniciatives de Víctor Balaguer i d'Antoni de Bofarull, els Jocs Florals de Barcelona foren instaurats amb el lema "Pàtria, Fides, Amor". Des de llavors,els Jocs es van celebrar annualment a l'Ajuntament de Barcelona fins al 1936. Del 1937 al 1978, els Jocs es van celebrar a l'exili, amb els noms de Jocs Florals de la Llengua Catalana. L'any 1978, restablerta la democràcia, els Jocs Florals de Barcelona van tornar amb legitimitat i solemnitat al Saló de Cent de la ciutat.
Els tres premis són: la Flor Natural (premi d'honor), l'Englantina d'or i la Viola d'Argent. El guanyador dels tres premis era proclamat Mestre en Gai Saber. Autors guardonats amb aquest títol inclu Àngel Guimerà, Jacint Verdaguer, Míquel Costa i Llobera i Joan Maragall.
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This past friday the 145th edition of the Jocs Florals de Barcelona was celebrated. The winners were Jordi Julià, who received theFlor Natural jor the book Hiverns suaus (Soft winters); Ernest Farrés, who won the Englantina d'Or for Edward Hopper; and Carles Solé, who got the Viola d'Argent for El sol es deslliga del jaguar (The sun unties from the jaguar). The Jocs Florals, also known as Jocs de la Gaia Ciència, were a literary contest celebrated in Tolousse from the late XIV century to the beginning of the XV century.
In 1859, thanks to the initiatives of Víctor Balaguer and Antoni de Bofarull, the Jocs Florals de Barcelona were restored with the theme "Pàtria, Fides, Amor" (mother country, faith, love). From then on, the Jocs were celebrated annually at the Barcelona City Hall until 1936. From 1937 to 1978, the Jocs were celebrated in exile, under the name of Jocs Florals de la Llengua Catalana. In 1978, once democracy was restablished, the Jocs Florals de Barcelona returned legitimely and solemnly to the Saló de Cent of the city.
The three prizes are: the Flor Natural, the Englantina d'or and the Viola d'Argent. The winner of all three was proclaimed Mestre en Gai Saber. Among the authors that won this title, we find Àngel Guimerà, Jacint Verdaguer, Míquel Costa i Llobera and Joan Maragall.
It is coming up, April 23rd is Saint George's Day. It is also the International Day of the Book. It is on this day that every woman gets a vibrant red rose from their "enamorat" (or, the younger girls, from dad). And it is the day when the girls give a book to their guys.
Saint George is the patron saint of Catalonia. The legend tells us that he was a knight that saved a princess from a fire breathing dragon, by killing him with his sword (and it was the dragon's blood falling on top of a white rose bush, that created the traditional red rose that is given on this day). The more historic Saint George, who had been a counselor to the Emperor Diocletian (284-385), died beheaded in 303 A.D. for professing his christian faith.
We have our own catalan legend: In the X century, the Count of Barcelona Borrell II was able to rescue Barcelona from the moors with only a few men, due to the intervention of Saint George, riding a white horse and with lightning as a sword (ok, remember here, it's a legend). I imagine this is when he became the Patron Saint of Catalonia.
It was in 1923 when this day also became the Day of the Book in Catalonia, to commemorate the anniversary of the death of Cervantes (which happened to coincide with the death of Shakespeare). It wasn't until 1996 that UNESCO declared April 23rd the International Day of the Book.
Esta es la iglesia donde Steve y yo celebraremos nuestra boda. La iglesia, dedicada a San Juan Bautista, es una obra románico-lombarda del siglo XII. Fue modificada en el siglo XVII, cuando se le añadió la torre del campanar. La foto fue tomada desde el coro.
This is the church where Steve and I will celebrate our wedding. The church, dedicated to John the Baptist, dates from the XII century. It was further modified in the XVII century, when the bell tower was added. The picture was taken from the choir.
Esta novela empieza una mañana en 1945, cuando el padre de Daniel le lleva a un lugar misterioso, oculto en el corazón de Barcelona: El Cementerio de los Libros Olvidados. El libro me enganchó y me llevó por las calles de Barcelona siguiendo a Daniel, quien intentaba averiguar la historia detrás de un estraño libro que encontró en aquella primera visita.
Puedes ver algunas fotos de la Barcelona de entonces y hasta leer los dos primeros capítulos del libro aquí.
I have been recommending this book to everybody I know. I finished it a while back and, since then, I have bought three more copies in three different languages as gifts.
This novel starts a morning in 1945, when Daniel's father takes him to a misterious place, hidden in the heart of Barcelona: The Cementery of the Forgotten Books. The book grabbed me and took me for a ride through the streets of Barcelona as Daniel tried to figure out what is there behind a strange book he found on that first visit.
You can see some pictures of Barcelona on those days and even read the first two chapters of the book here.
Casa Arbañil es la casa de mi familia en Eresué. De hecho, la foto que veis aquí arriba, no es la auténtica casa arbañil, sino "casa arbañil 2", y que aparece aquí simplemente porque no tenía una buena foto de la original. Eresué es un pequeño pueblecito en el Valle de Benasque y, como podeis ver, tiene una bonita vista de la Sierra Chía, que es la montaña en la foto.
Well, after a long absence, I am back. New Year, New Blog! The new design is a present from my husband Steve, thanks.
Casa Arbañil is my family's home in Eresue. In fact, the picture above is not one of the real casa arbañil, but one of "casa arbañil 2"; it appears here simply because we did not have a good picture of the original. Eresue is a small village in the Benasque Valley and, as you can see, it has a beautiful view of Chia, which is the mountain on the picture.
El sol ponent-se sobre el riu Hudson, des de Battery Park a Nova York
Sunset over the Hudson river, from Battery Park in NYC
Una de les vistes des del camí.
One of the views from the bike path.
No, jo tampoc. Però he trobat una pàgina força interessant: This week in the History of Chemistry. Presenta informació curiosa (naixements, descubriments, etc) referents a la química.
Did you know that 260 years ago today Antoine L. Lavoisier was born??
No, neither did I. But I've found this interesting site: This week in the History of Chemistry. It presents some information on births, discoveries, etc.
Les "gambas al ajillo", els "pinchos morunos" o el "pulpo a la gallega" són alguns dels meus plats preferits. Però sempre sempre en tenen de nous (ara acabo de veure les "Sardinas frescas a la parrilla" al seu menú... mmmmm....).
Ara, haureu de fer una mica de cua, el lloc és força petit i per sort o per desgràcia hi ha massa gent que el coneix. Però mentres esperes i et prens una sangria et donaran una mica de truita de patates o unes patates braves per fer l'espera més curta.
Tant la cua com els calers que hi deixaràs valen la pena per poder menjar plats de casa que estan boníssims. L'única cosa que canviaria és el fet que no obren els diumenges.
My favorite restuarant here in Boston is Taberna de Haro. The couple that runs it really know what they are doing, he has (or had) a restaurant in Madrid, she's american but speaks perfect spanish.
The "gambas al ajillo" (garlic hot shrimp), the "pinchos morunos" (marinated, grilled lamb on skewers) or the "pulpo a la gallega" (Octopus with paprika and extra virgin olive oil) are some of my favorite dishes. But they always have something new (I just saw grilled fresh sardines on their menu... mmmmmm...)
Now, you'll probably have to wait for a table, they place is a bit small and too many people know of it. But while you wait and have some sangria, they'll give you some potato omelette or some spicy potatoes to help make the wait shorter.
But both the wait and the money you'll pay are well worth the chance of eating some authentic and delicious spanish food. The only thing I would change is the fact that they are closed on sundays.
Antic pont ferroviari al Norwottuck Rail Trail
Old train bridge at the Norwottuck Rail Trail
És un trajecte força relaxat, la majoria és pla o amb molt poca pendent i els arbres fan ombra la majoria del camí. Hi havia una mica de gent, però no tanta com al Minuteman Trail a Lexington.
Vam fer unes quantes fotos (incloent-hi algunes en moviment, la majoria d'aquestes van sortir massa borroses, tot i que hi ha algunes força interessants). Ja les aniré afegint.
Yesterday we decided to enjoy the good weather and take the bikes out for a spin. We went to the Norwottuck Rail Trail. The part that we did has about 8.5 miles one way. It connects Amherst and Northampton out in Western Mass.
It makes for a very easy ride, most of it being flat or with a slight incline. The trees provide a nice shade throughout most of the trail. It was a bit crowded, but not as much as the Minuteman Trail in Lexington.
We took a few pictures (including some while moving, most of which came out too blurry, although some of them are quite interesting). I'll add them later.
Estàs passejant per Harvard Square i t'entra la gana. Mira, que probarem el restaurant aquest restaurant aquest, Iruña. Arribes i te'l presenten com a un restaurant espanyol, hi tenen vins de la rioja, la bandereta espanyola al menú i tot. La noia sembla centroamericana, així que, en castellà, l'Steve li demana un entrepà de truita espanyola (no està al menú, però la truita hi és i també hi tenen entrepans al menú... així que no tindria per què ser un gran problema). Ella li respon en anglés (això ja m'emprenya! si algú fa l'esforç de parlar la teva llengua, el mínim que pots fer és apreciar-ho!) que no poden fer un entrepà de truita... A la secció de tapes tenen "jamón serrano con pan y tomate", però no a la secció d'entrepans, així que li demano, si pot fer-me un entrepà de pernil: "No. No se puede" A més et donen una mirada buida, com si estiguessis boig per demanar un entrepà de truita o de pernil...
Així que he decidit crear una sèrie de regles que un restaurant hauria de seguir per poder dir que és un restaurant espanyol:
- S'ha de tenir com a mínim una persona espanyola treballant (així quan demanis per un entrepà de truita, almenys hi haurà algú que sabrà de què parles!)
- S'han d'aprendre certes definicions:
- pa francès: si dius al teu menú que els entrepans estan fets amb pa francès... assegurat que es veritat i no serveixis aquest pa prefabricat que trobes als restaurants italians més tirats...
- pa amb tomàquet no vol dir una llesca de pa amb tres rodanxes de tomàquet a sobre!
I altres regles que segur que se m'acudeixen més endevant! Quan tingui més estona hi afegiré un parell de fotos...
To make a long story short, if you are searching for food typical from Spain, Iruña is not the best place...
You are strolling down Harvard Square and, all the sudden, you are a bit hungry. Hey, let's check out this restaurant, Iruña. You get there and it pretends to be a spanish (from Spain) restaurant, they have wines from Rioja, and even the spanish flag on the menus. The waitress looks from central america so, in spanish, Steve asks for a spanish omelette sandwich (the item is not on the menu, but they do have the omelette and other sandwiches as entrees, so... it shouldn´t be much of a problem). She replies in english (that already pisses me off! if somebody makes an effort to talk to you in your language, the least you should do is appreciate it!) that they can´t make the sandwich... At their "tapas" section they have "cured ham with bread and tomatoes", but not as a sandwich, so I ask her I they can make me a sandwich with the cured ham: "No. We can't" she says with an empty look, like if you were crazy for asking a spanish omelette or ham sandwich...
So I have decided to create a series of rules that a restaurant should follow in order to claim themselves an spanish restaurant:
- You must have, at least, one spanish (from Spain!) person in staff (that way when you ask for an omelette sandwich at least someone will know what are you talking about!)
- You must learn certain definitions:
- french bread: if you say in your menu that sandwiches are made with french bread... you better make sure that´s the case, don´t use that stale, factory made bread that you find in the cheapest italian restaurant...
- bread with tomatoes does NOT mean a piece of bread with three slices of tomato on it!
I am sure I'll come up with more rules, but that's it for now. When I have some more time I'll add a couple of pictures.