Thursday night, my mom and I went to the Palau de la Musica to listen to and watch a lovely guitarist named Ekaterina Zaytseva. By her name alone, you can tell she’s of Russian descent, but she studied Spanish guitar for years in Barcelona. She played mostly Catalan composers and threw in one French piece called “Fuego” (Fire) at the end of her second encore that was more like Flamenco guitar. She was fabulous.
If you’re interested in her music, go to her website at http://www.ekaterinazaytseva.com . As my mom said about her performance, “There’s a little something for everyone, from 10 year old boys to professional musicians.” If you see the pictures of Ms. Zaytseva, you’ll know why. She’s a knockout and she wore this lovely dress that was perfectly revealing when she bent over 15 times to take her bows. My mom’s hilarious.
What was also a knockout was the inside of the Palau. At top is one view of the ceiling over the audience. Below is another ceiling, this one over the stage.
More pictures follow.
The ceiling and steps of the entrance:
A picture of the cafe, which also serves as the back entrance:
The stage, the organ pipes, and ceiling above the stage:
From these just okay pics, you can get a good idea of just how gorgeous the place is. There’s not a bad seat in the house, so if you’re in Barcelona or planning to visit, this venue is a must. You can buy tickets online. They have special discounts for people 65+, people with disabilities, and the young, as with many of the sights in Barcelona.
So, the Palau de la Musica building has now become one of my new favorite “things” in Barcelona. Here’s a quick list of 5 other, new favorites in no particular order (I have a ton of favorites, and you can go back through my blogs to see what things I love in Barcelona):
1) Milk, which is heralded as a great hang-over restaurant. I would describe it as a great brunch spot a la American style. It has lovely french toast with a creme fraiche-vanilla greek yogurt sauce, excellent eggs benedict, and a mean hamburger with some tasty onion relish on an artisan bun with good potatoes and ketchup. Milk can be found at Career d’en Gignas, 21, at the corner of Carrer d’en Groc.
2) A lovely little dress shop called Suno on Career dels Cotoners just off Carrer de la Princesa. The maker/tailor of the dresses is in the shop and she’s happy to make you one if she doesn’t have the style you like in your size, and you’ll be in Barcelona for a few weeks.
3) Cosmo scooter, which rents electric scooters and wheelchairs for people with disabilities. See cosmoscooter.com . The owners are a husband and wife team and they are so very nice. I tried out the scooters and wheelchairs and told them what I was thinking my mom would use them for. They had great recommendations and they delivered at the time I requested. See a pic of my darling mother on her electric scooter. The thing is fabulous.
4) The best, natural gelato in Barcelona can be found at Maracuya. See a pic below. The passion fruit is one of the best gelatos I’ve eaten, period. Their coconut rivals the best I’ve eaten. I highly recommend them. You won’t find the electric blue and other neon colored gelatos served at so many other places in Barcelona.
5) La Botifarreria at Carrer de Santa Maria, 4, in El Born district. Essentially, it’s a charcuterie house. It’s right across from the Santa Maria Cathedral. In addition to some great llonganissa, they have beautiful looking sausages that you won’t find anywhere else in the city. They had vegetable curry stuffed sausages, escalivada sausages, goat cheese and sundried tomato sausages, and 5-7 other very creative ones. This is the place to go if you are a sausage fan.
Mom on a cosmo scooter:
Lovely gelato store:
Of course, La Sacrada Familia is always on the top of my list of favorites, and I went there again today with my mom. Although there are some great pics online, here are a few for those who have not visited. Gaudi was amazing.
Sometimes I feel like I’m in the Matrix when I look up in La Sacrada Familia. See what I mean:
The stained glass windows are mesmerizing.
A view from inside the top of one of the two finished facades:
Wow, wow, wow. I’ve been there 3 times (once was 20 years ago) and each time is more amazing, as I see a bit more I missed the time before. Pure genius.
Okay, off to bed to read my trashy novel which shall remain unnamed, but suffice it to say it’s an HBO mini-series and I know some of you are reading it, too 😉
Buen Provecho!
Salty Apron 
More amazing sights; we’re sorting out pics and creating a slideshow and we’re having lots of laughs about the fun we had. Yes, La Segrada Familia was unbelievable. Your mom’s scooter looks great – I think you could do a road trip to Montserrat…..
Miss you! XXOO, Dad and Maren
I’m so glad you are enjoying my beloved Barcelona. El Palau de la Música Catalana is still a knockout for me whenever I go to a concert. Did you go inside the library? A must! Do you remember out sneak into the gorgeous Ateneu’s library? ; – )