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Two Sexy Bars For Valentine’s Day In Barcelona

By Nancy Todd

Soft lighting.  Good drinks.  Music.  Sofas for snuggling close.  The Spain Scoop recommends two bars  that offer cozy places to celebrate Valentine’s Day in Barcelona as ideal choices in which to whisper sweet words to your love.   Regina and I love going to these bars with our friends.  For very cool books on Spain for a Valentine’s Day Gift, check out ‘Books We Love!’    Let us know how you are spending Valentine’s Day.

Art Nouveau Woodwork, Casa Almirall Bar in Barcelona

Art Nouveau Woodwork, Casa Almirall Bar in Barcelona

1.  Casa L’Almirall - Walking through the front door made of swooping bands of wood becomes your intro to this Art Nouveau bar. This style of architecture is called Modernista in SpanishDating from the late 1800’s, original swirling floral hand carved woodwork adorns  L’Almirall.  Leather sofas, a marble bar, painted garlands on the walls, and softly lit wall sconces provide a romantic background to celebrate Valentine’s Day.  A bronze muse from the Univerasal Exhibition of Barcelona, 1888, sits on the bar to greet customers.  No food.  Open till three.  More Valentine’s Day tips……

Where:  Joachim Costa, 33

Metro:  Purple Line, Universitad Plaza or San Antoni. 

2.  Les Gens Que l’Aime  – The name means:   friends that I love.    This is an intimate bar in which to spend time with your date.  To enter,  step down stairs into a lower level that is not a basement but feels more like an oasis from the noisy streets of Barcelona.  The central location is in the Art Nouveau neighborhood, L’Exaimple.  Les Gens sells good martinis.  Red velvet love seats with fringed hanging lights, stained glass, quiet murmuring voices.  No food.  It is pleasant to stroll in the area to take in the beautiful architecture of this barrio. 

Address:  Valencia, 286

Metro:  Passeig de Gracia, Green Line.

 

 

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Animac – Catalunya’s Animation Festival in Lledia 2010

By Regina Winkle-Bryan

Lleida is about an hour and a half from Barcelona by car and about the same by fast train. It is one of the larger cities in Spain’s Catalunya region, and hosts many cultural events throughout the year. The Spain Scoop on Lleida is that this February 22 – 28th, the city will host the international animation festival, Animac. In its 14th year, the festival offers an exciting line up of films which you can check out here.

Lleida makes for a great day trip or a base to explore inland Catalunya, and Animac is all the more reason to visit.

More on Animac: http://www.animac.info/animac/CAT/

Animac International Animation Festival 2010

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Steam With a View: Six Senses Spa Barcelona

By Regina Winkle-Bryan

The scoop on hot waters in Spain is that there are many spas and thermal springs to choose from in Catalonia (NE Spain). Spain’s spas offer scrubs, massages, wraps and sauna options for all budgets, but for something high-end head to Barcelona’s Hotel Arts on the waterfront.

Hotel Arts

Hotel Arts

Hotel Arts is one of the city’s main offerings for luxury digs and its Mediterranean location offers something that most hotels in the city cannot (aside from the new W Hotel): endless views of the sea. On the 43rd floor of Hotel Arts, providing the best views the hotel can muster, is Six Senses Spa.

Enter Six Senses Spa

Enter Six Senses Spa

Six Senses the company has luxury spas set up in exclusive locations across the globe, and certainly Barcelona is no exception. On my visit to Six Senses in Hotel Arts, I arrived stressed. I was late for my appointment, had too much work to do that day, and arrived thinking, ‘I really don’t have time for this.’

You know you have lost perspective on life when you are complaining about a free massage in a luxury spa. Luckily, I got a reality check as I walked into the low-lit lobby  to be greeted by four smiling faces. ‘Good morning Ms. Winkle-Bryan, would you like a green tea?’ Don’t mind if I do!

Hotel Arts Spa Barcelona

Hotel Arts Spa Barcelona

Good service goes a long way in my book and I love attention to detail. Some of the aesthetic details that I think may have been overlooked at Six Senses are made up for with their superb customer service. At a five-star, good service should be a given, but I was so impressed by this at Six Senses that I feel it is worth mentioning.

Hotel Arts is on Barcelona's boardwalk

Hotel Arts is on Barcelona's boardwalk

I was taken to a round massage room, fitted with ceiling lights that changed depending on the mood that the therapist was going for. This was color therapy in action. As usual in spas, meditative flute music played in the background, and I was asked to select a natural essential oil for my massage. I went with orange blossom and lavender. Throughout the massage my therapist would stop, and rub lavender oil just below my nose release its scent and setting my mind at ease.

Water Works Area at Six Senses Spa Barcelona

Water Works Area at Six Senses Spa Barcelona

Twenty minutes into the massage and I was in a different place than I had been coming in. I realized that I had been wound up tighter than  clothesline and that I needed to seek out professional massage and relaxation more often in my life. Who doesn’t? My massage was an hour, and was above average.

Afterwards I was escorted back to the changing rooms, where I slipped into a bathing suit and had some more tea. I took a towel and headed to the top floor to the water works area at Six Senses, which are small but complete. The room is surrounded on three sides by windows and overlooks all of Barcelona, the Mediterranean for miles, and the coastline to the north. The water works area is appointed with a sauna (wet and dry), an ice machine for closing pores and a large jacuzzi with a massage waterfall.

Waterfall Massage at Six Senses

Waterfall Massage at Six Senses

After a good long while staring out ever the sea from the bubbling jacuzzi I felt much refreshed. Besides massage and the water works area, Six senses offers other treatments such as:

Spa Menu Index

Massage Therapies – The Heart of Six Senses

Facial Therapies – Nurturing with Six Senses

Body Therapies – Sense of Renewal

Spa Beauty (Head, Hands and Feet) – Sense of Touch

My complaints about Six Senses are few. However, I will mention that when I went to shower off in the changing rooms, there were a couple of flaws. One: none of the showers had hot water – it this was in November! Two: there were not enough hairdryers and I was rushed along while trying to dry my hair by some impatient spa goer. In a five-star there should be two hairdryers if there are more than two guests in the place. These are small details, but that is what makes luxury: details.

More attention to detail needed in changing rooms

More attention to detail needed in changing rooms

Overall I’d give the experience a 7, and would highly recommend the massage for visitors staying at Hotel Arts or anywhere else in the city.

More:

Book your massage with Six Senses here !

Address:

Marina 19-21, Barcelona

Hotel Arts Web here : http://www.hotelartsbarcelona.com/

* Do you have a spa story for us? Write us at info@thespainscoop.com. Or, would you like us to review your spa? We’d love to. Drop us a line.

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The Scoop: Five Great Events in Spain – February

By Nancy Todd

1. MADRID FASHION WEEK February 18 – 23.  For more events in Spain, join the fashionistas who clamour to get in the door to view 384 manufacturers and 600 brands.  Fall, winter fashions for 2010, 2011 for men and women will be shown.  Cocktail galas.  New designers.  Display fixtures plus fashion shows will have you wish listing for new clothes.  30 euros entry fee.   

2.  “I HAVE A DREAM” EXHIBITION, Sitges. -  The Cultural Delegation of Sitges City Hall organized an exhibition honoring Dr. Martin Luther King.  Opening February 7 and continuing for one month, this show features artists from many countries.  The show has traveled in major cities in the States.  Sitges is location a shell’s throw from Barcelona right on the Mediterranean Sea. 

3.  CANARY ISLANDS FESTIVAL – The Canary Islands are more than beaches, discos, and dramatic landscape.  Classical music including opera will reign on the Islands late January and into February.  A great way to be in the sun and relax with music.

4.  ARCO MADRID INTERNATIONAL CONTEMPORARY ART FAIR -  March 6 – 8.  Over 3,000 artists will take part in 200 galleries and in an exhibition center.  Following the art is an unusual way to get to know Madrid.   Sculpture, photography, paintings, installations, video, etc.  Los Angeles is a theme for the Fair. 

5.  COSMOBELLEZA AND WELLNESS FAIR – Barcelona.  March 6 – 8.  Enjoying strolls by the Mediterranean Sea can add to your relaxation in Barcelona while checking out the Fair.  Hundreds of exhibitors will promote spa, wellness, make up, hair, and many extras in live.

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Sexy Valentine’s Day Bash: February 2010

By Regina Winkle-Bryan

Got a hot date for Valentine’s Day? No? Planning to spend the evening eating bon-bons and cursing love gone wrong?

Well put the breaks on the pity party and head out to this Valentine’s Day concert the 13th of February! Drown your sorrows at the bar on cerveza and ron con coca-cola and then shake your tail feather until the wee hours of the morning to Volpina and The Gangsters of Love.

Who needs a boyfriend when you’ve got music, strong drinks and a room full of attractive Spanish men? Happy Valentine’s!

The Gangsters of Love Valentine's Day - poster thanks to the Gangsters

The Gangsters of Love Valentine's Day - poster thanks to the Gangsters

The Gangsters of Love with Volpina

Sidecar Factory, Placa Reial number 7, Barcelona, Spain

13 Feb 2010, 10pm

(P.S., Valentine’s Day is not a Spanish holiday…but that doesn’t mean its not celebrated).

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