The inevitable happened. The 21st century Black Plague, otherwise known as Gluten Intolerance, finally infected this self-confessed bread lover. Perhaps my body started rejecting wheat once I began regularly pounding a baguette a day since moving to Spain—who’s to say. All I know is ...Read More

After a year living in the Catalan capital, I finally feel confident enough, and have tried enough places, to publish a compilation of my favorite restaurants in Barcelona. The list favors the hole-in-the-wall rather than the Michelin star type of joints, since these are the places ...Read More

Imagine a Valentine’s Day that wasn’t universally scoffed. Where you don’t have to pretend to hate the holiday while really wishing someone had sent you a box of See’s Chocolates. Where single ladies also feel loved, and men don’t feel pressure to propose atop the ...Read More

El calçot. /əl kəl.ˈsot/ Language: Catalan. Meaning: The most beloved little onion in the world. Well, Catalonia, at least.  I’ve put down roots in a region that boasts some of the best cuisine in the world. I’m not just talking Spain, but Catalonia in ...Read More

In August I moved to Barcelona, accepting a part-time teaching job with Meddeas (that’s how I live here legally!). That means 20 hours a week, 850 euros a month. Which equates to about 950 USD (while the euro is still this low), meaning in ...Read More

Quaint. /ˈkweɪnt/ adj. The most important English word, in my book—and one with no direct Spanish translation. Maybe that’s why Spain has no tea tradition; there’d be no words to describe it!  It’s my third year in Spain, and I’ve begun to accept what I first ...Read More

Meddeas. /mə.ˈðeɪ.əs/ Acronym: Multilingual Education Development and Support. My golden ticket to residency in Barcelona.  I’m not married to a European. I wasn’t hired by a multinational corporation in the States. Spain’s main English teaching program, the one I did last year in Bilbao, ...Read More