Art/home/archi/food
You will need walking boots for this babe, the shops are spread out like a Brit on a beach, but luckily there is plenty of stunning modernista archi to take in en route. Start on the corner of Paris, following the traffic down pedestrian-friendly Enric Granados (EG). On the left at #114 Mavi Lizan / 93 217 1118 / mavilizan.com / stocks off-beat antiques; The Avant at #106 / 93 300 7673 / theavant.com / packs girly silk n’ wool essentials; and #70 Fins de Siècles (see Standout Stores) has sparkly deco to 50s furny. A right scoot onto Provença takes you to #230 Gresca (see Rest./ Smart). Otherwise, cont. down EG for up-n-comer art at #61 Galería N2 / 93 452 0592 / n2galeria.com; Ailanto opp. at #46 / 93 451 3106 / ailanto.com / carries snazz jazz frocks; and more contempo canvases await at #21 Tres Punts Galería / 93 415 2348 / 3punts.com. Last up on EG is the luxe shoe-dio of Norman José Vilalta at #5 (see Adv. Shopping). Now, for a spot of smart art, canter left along Consell de Cent and cross over to #290 Galería Carles Taché / 93 487 8836 / carlestache.com. You so deserve to replenish those calories you’ve burned, Babs. Go reward yourself next door at #292 Cacao Sampaka (see Coffee) with a rich choc box and a cuppa joe, or waddle down to #308 for slabs of handmade nougat at Vicens (see Standout Stores), and savoury snacks also at #308 deli-diner La Cuina d’en Garriga / 93 215 7215 / lacuinadengarriga.com. Cont. until the cnr of Gràcia and admire the gothicky façade of Casa Lleó Morera before meandering left up Gràcia to another architectural wonder #41 Casa Amatller, which houses old-time jeweller Bagués / 93 216 0174 / bagues.com, fusing Art Nouveau with en vogue bling. Next to that is Gaudí’s mosaic marvel Casa Batlló at #43 / casabatllo.es. Zip left into Aragó, past more fab frontage at the Museu Fundació Antoni Tàpies at #255 (see Activities), and when you hit Rambla Catalunya either cross over to old-school grocer #63 Colmado Quílez / 93 215 8785 / lafuente.es / for top Spanny pours, cheeses and gourmet gifts, or head right up Rambla Catalunya and left onto Mallorca for all-day morsels at #236 Cervecería Catalana / 93 216 0368, and mesmeric photography trove Kowasa at #235 / 93 215 8058 / kowasa. com. Retrace and left into Catalunya up to Provença, either ducking left for lifestyle-y Corium at #268 / 93 272 1224 / coriumcasa.com; or right for a crafty gargle in charming cellar #100 La Bodegueta / 93 215 1725 / labodegueta.cat. Cont. right past #284 Institut Saurina (see Spa), crossing over to #290 Cortana for beaut diaphanous frocks n’ knits; and also at #290 Magnolia Antic (see Standout Stores for both) has pretty threads and oddities. Exit left onto Gràcia, slink into #91 Galeria Loewe / loewe.com, a museum of mod art and trad crafts, or spruce up your wardrobe at #93 Santa Eulalia (see Adv. Shopping) before swinging left into Rosselló for haute espadrilles at #230 Cristina Castañer / 93 414 2428 / castaner.com, and demure lingerie at #222 TCN / 93 215 6005 / tcn.es. Retrace back to Gràcia and opp. at #96 is Vinçon (see Standout Stores). Here, head up to the 1/F terrace to view Gaudí’s astonishing La Pedrera (aka Casa Milà) next door at Provença, 261 / 90 220 2138 / lapedrera.com. The man was clearly dropping ‘shrooms.
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