Bars for sipping

Three budget to mid-range options for sipping in the city:

El Celler del Nou Priorat:

This is a place that most tourists are not going to find, and a place that most locals, unless from the Sants neighborhood, don’t know about. The area around Sants train station is not a Barcelona destination, known for blue-collar housing and its slightly out-of-the-way-location. It’s overlooked and has become popular with artists and students in the last few years. El Celler del Nou Priorat is a basic wine bar in the heart of this neighborhood which serves simple dinners and Priorat wines, among others. It’s no secret that my preferred Catalan wine is a Priorat.

MORE: c/ Vallespir 19
Barcelona Tel: 934-905-952

Rita Rouge:

In the Raval area of the city, RitaRouge is a low-lit, funky bar, perfect for shooting the breeze over cocktails on a Friday night. Though it’s a bit chilly now to use Rita’s large terrace, it’s the spot to be in the spring and summer. Lunch and dinner are also served here.

MORE: http://www.ritarouge.com/english.html

Ménage à Trois:

First of all, let me say that I have NEVER had good service at Ménage à Trois. But, I keep going back. Why? Because the area it’s in has very little in the way of decent bars. Near it is the Rambla, teeming with crapy, overpriced bars, and further in there’s little apart from shopping. Despite mannerless staff, Ménage à Trois has a sweet terrace and full bar service.

c/ d’en Bot 4
Barcelona Tel: 933-015-542

Post by Regina Winkle-Bryan. See more of her tips on Barcelona at The Spain Scoop.

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/camkage/

One of the newest hotspots on the Las Vegas lounge scene is Hyde at the Bellagio resort, which had its grand opening on December 31, 2011.

Formerly the Fontana Lounge, this indoor/outdoor ultra-lounge features an upscale decor by design icon Philippe Starck and a posh terrace overlooking the Fountains of Bellagio.

There are two bars and a roving cart providing liquid libations, as well as table service available via reservations. If you’re looking for an unusual drink, try The Love Unit, a mixture of Stolichnaya vanilla vodka, Thai basil, pressed lime, grapefruit, and hand-extracted bell pepper juices.

Hyde is open nightly at 5pm and features a small menu of items to nosh on from neighboring Circo restaurant. Later in the evening, entertainment is provided by a rotation of DJs, with the occasional live performance.

Fridays and Saturdays, Hyde is open until 4am, making it a great place to stop for a nightcap.

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Hyde at the Bellagio Resort
3600 Las Vegas Blvd South
Las Vegas, NV 89109
Phone: 888-987-6667
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[Image courtesy MGM Resorts International]

Docs Barcelona

Something I always look forward to in the fall and winter in Barcelona are all the film festivals! InEdit took the city by storm before Christmas and now Docs Barcelona, a smaller festival, is on in select theaters around town.

The festival goes until the 5th of Feb 2012, so act quickly if you want to catch some of the shows. A 5-show voucher is just 25 €, or pay 6 € per film. Some of the events connected to Docs Barcelona are free, so check their web ahead of time (ENGLISH). Perhaps the most interesting showings are the films followed by Q&A with the filmmaker.

For example, VIVAN LAS ANTÍPODAS! by Victor Kossakovsky
 (Germany, The Netherlands, Argentina, Chile 2011 104 min.) shows Saturday the 4th at 9:45pm and is followed by a questions from the audience.

See what films are on when here: MOVIES

See ticket prices here: TIX

See trailers on Youtube here: TRAILERS

Post by Regina Winkle-Bryan. See more at The Spain Scoop.com!

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mpclemens/

Palau de la Musica

The prediction today was for snow! SNOW! In Barcelona! A couple years ago it snowed here and I ran out onto the beach and looked at the Mediterranean while the flakes fell. This is not normal though, and certainly locals are not used to dealing with ice and cold.

Snow or not, it’s best to stay indoors this month, opting for snug theaters instead of outside venues. For some warm music this February, consider the following shows in the city:

JIRAFAS EN LA INDIA

An intimate concert in Barcelona’s Born area featuring Roberto Kuczer (sitar), Masha Dubakh (violin) and Celeste Reyna (tambura)

10th of Feb 2012 at 8:30pm  – 5 €- WEB

Barcelona in the Snow!

DE CAJON ! FESTIVAL FLAMENC DE BARCELONA

Singer Rosario takes over the Palau de la Musica for a night of flamenco.

18th of Feb 2012 – 9:00pm – 48€ – WEB

ANTÒNIO FONT

A local group that sings in Catalan. Here’s your chance to experience some tunes that you’ve probably not heard on mainstream English radio. Joan Miquel Oliver, Pau Debon, Pere Manel Debon, Jaume Manresa and Joan Roca make up the band, which is from the Mediterranean Island of Mallorca.

22nd of Feb 2012 9pm – 18€ a 30€    - WEB

Photo & Post by Regina Winkle-Bryan. See more of her tips on travel in Spain at The Spain Scoop.