Barzelette

There's something about the elderly that I have always been drawn to. Maybe its their cute little wrinkles, maybe its how jolly or spunky they are, or maybe its just the life and experience that is so evident with just one look.

When I was little, while all my friends used to run off and play with each other during family events, I used to sit and listen to my grandparents and there friends about their life stories, old folkish jokes and views of life. In park Guell, a little abuela from the Canary Islands shared her life with my friends and I over lunch and Gaudi.

Look Around

I am pretty sure I fell in love with the city of Barcelona at least 30 times over and over again within the span of three days. And each of those three times was like an epiphany. There is a sense of magic and nostalgia in this quaint beach-side city. Yes, there is a sea of tourists, probably more tourists than people who live there, but yes there is this communal excitement that has the city buzzing 24-7. Imagine NYC village just expanded and speaking in spanish really fast. Imagine NYC just a bit more laid back with the Mediterranean at its side. Imagine whimsical people, young artists, and well-dressed grannies all in one street. Imagine.

this pic was of a bachellorete party taking up some tasks for the bride in the middle of a medieval plaza right by las ramblas. imagine.

America's Cup 2010

So i don't really know why America's Cup isn't in America, but i will say that I truly enjoy it being in Spain anyway. For a week, we watched boat races and people from all over the world enjoy Valencia's coast and the games on it. the energy itself was great. Everyone for a week was a huge boat fan, even those people who didn't even know how to swim. There was people, music, free concerts, free acts everywhere.

Basically, I've come to a conclusion that Valencians try to find any reason to have a celebration. Ay que bueno!

Ramon the Real painter.

Fallas is taken very seriously here in Valencia. Ramon, a faller painter has been painting Fallas pieces, or ninots, for over fifteen years. Within a half hour, he will have painted an entire ninot with the utmost detail and layering in bright colors. The paints, made of a plastic medium are for the ninots that are displayed on the streets of Valencia during the two week festival.

When watching Ramon, he painted with such ease and relaxation. In one hand, he had his paint brush and in the other a cigarette, while he listened to the radio. For Ramon, and for many Fallero artists, this is a passion that gains lots of respect from the Valencian community.

She Sang it, He played it, she danced it..

We went to a Flamenco show where the passion of the artists spread to the audience and seeped through through their pores. The lights were dim, the audience was still, and the sound was just right.

The guitarist, he either looked high on drugs or high on the music. Whatever it was, he was still into it. Though he was performing in a little black box space, in front of no more than 60 people, he managed to bubble himself out of that the little space and export himself into a world where only he and his guitar existed. This sense of passion and isolation was all the singer needed to sing the romantic yet heartbroken notes that made the audience sense the same pain and passion with her. Her voice was raspy, strong and intimidating, but it was also addicting- you didn't want her to stop singing, not even to just take a drink of water.

The dancer was strong. In her dance, in her passion, in her art. She stomped hard on the floor, her steps sharp and extravagant.

Its no wonder that the people in the crowd sang a long, clapped with the singer and cheered for the dancer. And like the guitarist who managed to isolate himself from such an intimate setting, the people in the audience too were all transported to their own worlds with the sounds of Flamenco, at least for a little.

Canzion of the day: Pretty Lights : The time has come

Paco the Painter

For the past 2 weeks, my roommate and I visited a Fallas factory where artists work year round in creating the caracatures for the Fallas festival. These immensely large paper-mache statues of different sizes and colors are displayed in the streets of Valencia during the 2 weeks of festivity in March. At the end of the celebration, over thousands of these large monuments are burned to crisp. Crazy yes, but feo no. Valencians wait the year for these 2 weeks of an explosion of culture, fireworks, mazcletas, people dress in folk outfits and lots and lots of paella.

Paco is ones of the many hundred fallas creators and artists. They simply start with an idea and then turn it into a three- dimensional creation sometimes larger than buildings. A sketch turns into a paper mache model, coated with gesso, sanded down, and then painted with bright colors that leave your mouth open wide and your eyes left in amazement. Paco, however, is not the only man of the hour. Santa's little helpers have just as much importance of the process in creating a Fallas creation. With the help of Ramon, Miguel, Javi and many more, he manages to make over hundreds of littte ninots year round that are then all then worked into a cohesive whole installed into the main streets in and out of the city of Valencia.

Paco is most certainly a visual genius. His creations are a cross of live cartoons painted with finery. It boggles my r that on the 19th of March, every thing he worked on all year will be burned. Ay caray!

far from aburrida

Spain has been keeping me extremely busy. the days are becoming fuzzy though i dont want them to be.

ive already been here for 5 weeks! what? how in the world did that happen?

this week is the America's Cup in Valencia, the world's most prestigious boat race! que bueno. we've been taking advantage of the free concerts and events that this event brings.

have done some exploring of the city and out. went to Benifayo to a Fallas factory to paint some Fallas- id show you some pictures but they are top secret- so they will be released after march/

went to a flamenco show and a capoiera show- so much passion and grace in both exhibitions.

went to the sickest zoo ever- Bioparc- where rhinos were just feet away in an open space!!!! (stay tuned for sick pix)

and went to a legit Drum and Bass party where we danced till 7am. spain my darling, i am crushing on you.

canzion: Zenet: Un beso de esos

Tagged

i spent this weekend exploring valencia through a different lens. besides calling new york the big apple, its also known as the big onion- this is because you constantly are peeling off layers and layers to get to the core. it doesn't matter how many days months and years you spend on that little island- you still will not know it fully. this weekend, i felt like i got past the first layer of valencia and moved onto the second.

we wandered through the maze-like streets of carmen with no designated end point and found killer graffiti that needs its own museum........ran into italians who we partied with later in the night.....

we ventured outside of the city to Albufera, where Valencia's king used to live- boated and ate paella and drank sangria until we begged for siesta.

we climbed the 207 steep steps of an iglesia's campanile in order to see a gorgeous panoramic view of valencia that will stop your heart... (the steps have something to do with that too)

we watched street performers from different countries like Paraguay, Ecuador and Bolivia.

this weekend.... we lived like Spaniards.

......when in the car- my roommate commented that spanish people are not as angry drivers as new yorkers...perhaps this smooth lifestyle calls for much happier drivers.....qui sas!

Canzion del dia: Merry Blues by Manu Chao .....

Sol, dame sol

Hola todos,

Valencia is a completely different place when the sun is shining. the people, the music the ambience is as light as it is during summer. I can just imagine this place a few degrees warmer. Today i went to a mercado right by my casa. It ran for blocks and blocks with abuelitas bargaining for a pair of zapatillos and little perros dressed in sweaters. I got in trouble by a gypsy woman for taking a picture of her stand. apparently i have to ask permission to make art---or sahe was illegal. no se but the second one sounds more accurate. Its about 67 degrees right now and i just want to bath myself in the sun- i have a feelin ill be leaving this place with a killer tan.

yesterday my roommate and i went out with the intention of learning espanol. we went to a lounge place thinking there was a student exchange party only to find a group of people on a pub crawl....so what do we do? heck we join the pub crawl! lol the night started off quietly, as you know the valencians like to start the party at 4am- us americans are already in bed and probably hungover by then..... we went to this club called radio city where it was truly poppin...the crowd was interesting- abuelitos and hipsters....strange but very very fascinating. we danced our hearts out til 3am and moved onto the next location- MUSICBOX....these spaniards really like the 60s and the 90s ...i dont really get it yet- when i get an explanation as to why- i will let you know...

anyways thank you valencian nightlife once more ....tonight no se? possibly mexican night at la indiana- but first i will go to my first hip hop dance class in spain- hope culture shock has trained me well enough!!!!

Canzion del dia: Kerri Chandler : Bar A Rythm

....because house is a feeling......

i cant wait for the weekend to beginnnn

Holaaaaa todos

so Valencia boasts about its nightlife and weekends, and well they def dont lie!!! This weekend was the official first totally in Valencia filled with local concerts of 30 something rockers in fros and angel wings, brazilian funk and lots and lots of cerveza.

ayer we went to a bar where they served free delicious Valencian Paella and cheap sangria.

not only are we in the process of learning spanish but every other European language in one little shack of a place, we met people from Germany France Brasil and Spain of course, all studying to be someone and trying to take advantage of the world and their youth as much as possible. These are the kind of people that everyone should meet once in their lives to grow.

mia michaels once said- in order to grow- you must step into the unknown. she also said that we must Build our own Empires- mia girl im on it!!!

Off to build my first castles.

with that said- song of the day is Crystal Castles_ Magic Spells.......enjoy my little Cinderellas

biking in spain is like a cup of iced tea in the summer- cool, delicious and so worth it

Hipsters in Valencia

Last night we had tapas and sangria. lived like the spaniards- partying until the sun came up.

valencia has got a good rep for being party central- and i am surely getting that vibe.

we went to a club called MUSICBOX in the historical center of Valencia, Barrio del Carmen. the night started out softly- a couple of hipster locals in the large space with colorful lighting, ornate wall decor and lots and lots of smoke- not all cigarette smoke either. as the night progressed and hit the 430 AM mark, people flooded in- music changed from classic rock to contemporary electro and the party got started. we danced all night until our feet could not bear it any longer. met some valencian singers in renaissance outfits, hospitality majors from florida who swore they werent creepy spaniards, and of course some creepy spaniards as well.

today we took a long walk in the rio turia park that runs for 6 miles. we ran into beautiful fountains- the sickest playground in the world and an awesome skatepark with legit graffiti. stay tuned for photoshoots that will take place in all these places. valencia, my darling- i have a hugeee crush on you!

Song del dia:

Whitney Houston, Million dollar bill

bc im feelin inspired....

theresss a she wolf in the closettt

AOOOOOOOWWW

free salsa class on a weds night followed by fab spaniards and delicious mojitos- god bless

met kids from all over the world

brazil switzerland canada fkin north carolina poland

study abroad is beyond beautiful

canzion del dia : Wolfmother: Woman (mstrkrft rmx)

tapasss and sangria tonighttt

canzion del dia

merry blues by manu chao

Valencia

i am officially in espana

gorgeousss
went to madrid and toledo-

the people adorable-especially the viejo abuelitos y abuelitas

we started first in madrid and toledo, both truly magical.

as of right now, we are still settling- but i can tell that i have met some great people- full of life love and culture- so i am eager to share unimaginable experiences with them

party every day

If i could get paid to party professionally. i would do it.



song of the day:

cut copy: Saturdays

- if you dont feel like dancing when you hear this- who are you?



ps- took an african dance class at djoniba dance and drum center- WOW- do it

Diez Dias

Ten Days till i leave for Spain and so much to do!

Today I just ordered a fabulous camera to make my trip complete. It takes videos too so stay tuned!!!

its hard to pack for 8months while still trying to look fabulous

my friend had this awesome idea that i think will be awesome for my blog and trip

a picture a day: Bina's visual journey through Europe. (thanks drew!) gonna add some music too- maybe a lil cool thing i saw or didnt= a good story or not- some need to be told in person

anywho= a visual journal

pictures will come.. but for now enjoy this song- so far ive played it 5 times in a row


mstrkrft heartbreaker. featuring john legend