Snapshot Wednesday

Head...in stuff...in Barcelona...

Agmac's Barcelona

Hey Y'all! I'm back! And I've got some tips for you on BarTHElona! First off, I LOVE this city. It's clean, laid back, and beautiful.

Here's what I'd recommend...

Cal Pep
It's in all the guidebooks, yes. But sometimes you never know if something is worth the hype. Well, this place is. Definitely the best meal I had in Spain. No reservations, so you have to wait in line. But the good part to that is that you can drink wine while in line AND you can see what the other patrons are ordering since it's all about what they have that do (no set menu). And if you are pretty and nice, they may give you a special place mat (each of them are different and done by different artists) and a Cal Pep beer glass.

DeSigual
Just found out they have this store in SOHO, but whatevs! It's way better in Spain. Awesome, colorful clothes, and there are like 4 stores on Las Ramblas. Worth checking out even if you don't buy anything. I myself bought a kick ass bag.


Park Guell and Gracia District
I know, I know, the Park is a no brainer. But again, it's worth the hype. Also close by is the Gracia district, which is this super artsy, super cool neighborhood with great vintage and boutique shopping.

Andu
Wine bar in the Barri Gotic, best area to go out in. Order the kava sangria. YUM!

Casa Batilo (Gaudi designed home)
The line for the more popular La Pedrera was ridiculously long, so we went to the Batilo instead and it has an extensive audio tour. You get to visit the spectacular roof too. And the line is much, much shorter!



I also really liked our hotel, the Market Hotel. Great location and great service. Only drawbacks are that it's located on a very small "Passei" which is like an alley and cab drivers can never find it!

In general, try to get an updated street map before you go to Barcelona because there are a lot of small streets that the books will tell you to go to that people have never heard of!!!

Places not to go:
Don't go to Aqua on the beach, despite the reviews in your guidebook. WORST. SERVICE. EVER.

And I skipped the inside of the Sagrada Familia and don't regret it.

Gone Vacationin'

I'm going to Barcelona.

And you are not.

But you can live vicariously through me when I get back and post about it.

Adios.

**Fine Art Friday**

This illustrator, Audrey Kawasaki, has such beautiful work.


I have a propensity towards dreamy illustrations of women. I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because I used to draw lots of lots of them when I was younger. Or maybe because I am one and can appreciate our beauty.


Either way, I discovered Audrey's work because she did a group exhibit in LA with another dreamy woman illustrator that I love, Stella Im Hultberg.


Her work is ethereal, poetic and just plain pretty. I like that most of her paintings are done on wood, it gives the work a subdued color palette and dream-like quality.



The women are either alone and naked, pensive-looking, or with another women, and often in the woods. This emphasizes the myth of woman as a creature of nature, a self reliant being that also values the bond with other women.


Or maybe all of this is because I've started watching the L Word on DVD and am all about woman power!

xoxo

p.s. She graduated from Pratt, shout out to Fort Greene!

Spring has Sprung

So this post is inspired by those wonderfully weird little things that happen in New York in Spring that you may or may not have heard of.

1. The Elephant Parade
This happens, apparently, every year when the circus comes to town! It's already passed, but keep it on your radar for next year. They walk the elephants from New Jersey to Madison Square Garden.

2. Perry Street Flea Market
Flea Markets abound in NYC, but they are usually over-run by commercial crap or tourists. However, I've got it on good inside info that this one is quality. An artist/photographer friend of mine sells there every year. It's for "collectors" she says. Check it out!

3. The Orchid Fair.
At Rockefeller Center. Tuesday April 20 thru Sunday April 23 2006.

4. Watch TV Shows being filmed
Gossip Girl is often filmed at The Palace Hotel, Central Park, and at a school in Brooklyn Heights. Some people stalk the locations. Other great shows filmed here are Law & Order and Flight of the Conchords.

5. A Train to the Aqueduct Race Track
Horse Racing. Fun for some, not for all. But still, pretty cool that you can take the subway to a race track, no? (Take the "A" train to the Old Aqueduct Station.). Only a few Saturdays left...

*Fine Art Friday*

Today's fine art friday is Aaron Ruell. You may know him as the mustached, internet dating brutha from Napoleon Dynamite.

But what you didn't know is that he's a fantastic photographer.


Much like his character, and I'm guessing his "real life" personality, his work is a little bit quirky. But it's also got an incredibly sweet personality to it.


Take a look at his work here. (He's rep'ed by Giant Artists). I particularly enjoy the random tea/ coffee cups set on cool backgrounds. The people are definitely "Napleon Dynamite-y," but unlike a lot of photographers that shoot weird looking people, his composition and lighting are fantastic.














I think he should shoot a portrait of Murray from Flight of the Conchords!

xoxo

**Wedding Wednesdays**

Well, in case you didn't hear me announce it at the rooftops, my best friend is getting married!!

And I'm the maid of honor, which means I get to put all my agmacs party tips to good use.

The wedding is in October so every Wednesday I'm going to dedicate a post to cool wedding tips, fun ideas, ways to do weddings, bachelorette parties, etc. on the cheap.

Today's post is just a starting point. I haven't been to too many weddings but the ones I have been to have been very very special. Below are some of my favorite little things from them:

• The coolest gifts to guests--a mix cd of the couples favorite songs, design of the mix matched the invitations and the colors of the wedding. A beautiful sentiment and way better than candied almonds.

• Rooftop photographer--so in addition to a professional photographer, my friend had a photographer on the roof for some candids, and all out goofy pictures that were then sent to the guests in thank you notes.
  

• Similar to the above, I just heard about a couple who tried to do everything on the cheap but splurged on a photo booth. People LOVE pictures of themselves and photo booths are so old school and fun.

• Vodka on each table--an homage to his heritage and where the couple spent a year of their life, my cousin put a bottle of honey vodka on each table for toasting. Such a great addition to the party.

• Personalized table numbers--instead of the regular, boring numbers indicating table numbers, one couple used photographs they'd taken, framed simply in some plastic stand alone frames. For example, table one was a picture of the Highway 1 sign. It was a great, personalized touch.

• And Duh, a conga line!
  

That's it for the first installment!

I hope you enjoy Wedding Wednesdays.

xoxo