#BCN late night

[herstoryheaven]

Pablo Gavira x Reader: A Thousand Miles To Love

Request: Could you do a fic with Gavi x reader, where they have a long road trip from bcn to seville (his hometown) and there’s loads of fluff??

Reader: Female

Word count: 2082

Average reading time: 7 min 35 sec

Category: Fluff

Warnings: None

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Disclaimer: All events portrayed in my stories are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events is purely coincidental. Any actions or behaviours portrayed by the characters may differ from reality and cannot be connected to any actual person. This work is purely fictional and intended for entertainment purposes only.

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The sun was still hiding beneath the horizon when you and Pablo loaded the last of your bags into the trunk of his car. The early morning air wrapped around you like a cool, crisp blanket, a perfect complement to the excitement bubbling in your chest. As you watched Pablo carefully arrange everything, ensuring every item had its place, you couldn’t help but smile at his focus, the way his brow furrowed slightly, the way his lips pursed in concentration. He had always been like this, careful, thoughtful, and utterly dedicated to making sure everything was just right.

Finally, after a few more adjustments, Pablo seemed satisfied. He turned to you, his eyes gleaming with excitement and something deeper, something that made your heart flutter in your chest. “Ready for our trip, mi amor?” he asked, his voice carrying the kind of eagerness that you couldn’t help but respond to.

“Ready as ever, Pablo.” You tried to keep your voice steady, but the excitement slipped through, making your words sound lighter, brighter.

Pablo’s grin spread across his face, a boyish smile that made him look even more handsome in the soft morning light. He closed the distance between you in two quick strides, wrapping his arms around your waist and pulling you close. You could feel the warmth of his body against yours, the steady beat of his heart, and it made you feel so safe, so loved. He leaned down, his lips brushing your forehead in a kiss so tender it made your breath catch. “You look beautiful, hermosa. Even this early in the morning.”

You laughed softly, the sound mingling with the gentle breeze that rustled the leaves around you. “You’re just saying that because you love me.”

Pablo tilted his head, his eyes locking onto yours with an intensity that sent shivers down your spine. “That’s exactly why I’m saying it.” His voice was a whisper, a murmur that sent warmth flooding through you just before his lips captured yours in a kiss that was soft and slow, but full of promise. It was the kind of kiss that made time stop, that made everything else fade away until there was nothing but you and him, standing there in the first light of day.

When he finally pulled away, it was only far enough to look into your eyes. “After you, princesa.” he said, his voice playful as he opened the passenger door for you, his hand guiding you into the seat with a touch that lingered just a moment longer than necessary.

You settled in, feeling the softness of the seat beneath you, the warmth of Pablo’s gaze still on you as he jogged around to the driver’s side. He slid in beside you, and the car roared to life, the sound breaking the quiet of the early morning as you began to leave the city behind. Barcelona slowly faded in the rearview mirror, the streets growing quieter, the buildings giving way to the open fields and rolling hills that stretched out before you. Slowly leaving the familiar behind to visit Pablo’s hometown, Seville.

The first part of the journey was filled with light conversation and laughter, the kind of easy banter that only comes with knowing someone so deeply, with loving them so fully. The car’s radio played softly, a mix of songs that had become the soundtrack of your relationship, each one bringing back memories of late-night drives and stolen moments.

As the miles rolled by, you noticed Pablo kept glancing at you, a small, mischievous smile playing at the corners of his lips. His eyes sparkled with that familiar teasing look, the one that always made you blush, even after all this time.

“What?” you asked, your voice filled with mock suspicion as you feigned innocence, even though you knew exactly what he was doing.

“Nothing.” He tried to keep a straight face, but his grin broke through, making his eyes crinkle at the corners. “I just love looking at you. You’re even more beautiful in the morning light.”

You felt your heart skip a beat, a warmth spreading through you that had nothing to do with the sun climbing higher in the sky. You reached out and playfully swatted his arm, trying to hide your blush. “Keep your eyes on the road, Romeo.”

He laughed, the sound rich and warm, filling the car with a joy that made everything feel right in the world. “Don’t worry, mi vida. I’d never let anything happen to you.”

A comfortable silence settled over you after that, the kind of silence that wasn’t awkward but was instead filled with a sense of peace, of contentment. You watched the scenery pass by, the fields of wildflowers and vineyards that stretched out on either side of the road, and you felt a deep sense of gratitude for this moment, for this man who had become your everything.

Every so often, Pablo would reach over and gently place his hand on your thigh, his thumb tracing soothing patterns on your skin. It was a simple gesture, but it spoke volumes about the depth of his feelings for you, about the connection that had grown between you over the months, the kind of connection that felt like it was meant to last forever.

As the morning turned into afternoon, the sun climbed higher in the sky, casting a warm glow over everything it touched. The air was filled with the sweet scent of blooming wildflowers, carried in through the open windows, and you sighed contentedly, leaning your head back against the seat.

“Feeling tired?” Pablo’s voice broke through your thoughts, filled with concern.

“A little.” you admitted, closing your eyes for a moment, letting the warmth of the sun and the sound of his voice wash over you. “But I’m happy. This is perfect.”

“Why don’t you rest for a bit, amor?” he suggested, his tone soft, as if he was trying to coax you into it. “I’ll wake you when we’re closer.”

You smiled at his thoughtfulness, but you shook your head. “I don’t want to miss any of this. Besides, I love talking with you.”

Pablo’s expression softened, and he reached over to tuck a loose strand of hair behind your ear, his touch gentle and affectionate. “I love talking with you too, mi amor.”

The miles continued to pass by, and you and Pablo fell into a rhythm of sharing stories, memories from your childhoods that made you both laugh until your sides hurt, and dreams for the future that made your heart swell with hope. The more you talked, the more you realized just how deeply connected you were, how perfectly your lives had intertwined in a way that felt so natural, so right.

At one point, you decided to play a game of “20 Questions.” taking turns asking each other random things. The questions started off light and silly, making you both laugh, but as the game went on, they became more intimate, more revealing.

“If you could spend a day anywhere in the world, with anyone, where would it be and who would you choose?” Pablo asked, his eyes focused on the road, but his attention clearly on you.

You didn’t even have to think about it. “Right here, with you. This is all I need.”

Pablo glanced over at you, his eyes filled with so much emotion that it took your breath away. “You always know the right thing to say, hermosa.” he murmured, his voice thick with affection.

“Only because it’s true.” you replied softly, reaching over to place your hand on his thigh, feeling the warmth of his skin through his jeans.

He covered your hand with his own, giving it a gentle squeeze. “I feel the same way, princesa. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be than right here, with you.”

As the sun began its slow descent in the sky, you suggested stopping for a break when you spotted a picturesque overlook. Pablo agreed, pulling the car into a shaded spot. The view was breathtaking, with endless fields of sunflowers stretching out before you, their golden faces turned towards the sun. The scene was so beautiful, it almost didn’t feel real, as if you had stepped into a painting.

You both got out of the car, and Pablo immediately wrapped his arms around you from behind, pulling you close against his chest. “This is perfect.” he whispered, his lips brushing your ear, sending shivers down your spine.

You leaned back into his embrace, feeling the steady beat of his heart against your back. “It really is.” you whispered back, your voice filled with awe.

You stood there together for a few minutes, just enjoying the peacefulness of the moment, the world seeming to fade away until there was nothing left but the two of you, wrapped in each other’s warmth.

After a while, Pablo turned you around in his arms, his hands resting on your hips as he looked into your eyes. His gaze was intense, filled with so much love that it made your heart ache. “You have no idea how much you mean to me, Y/n. You’re everything I’ve ever wanted and more.”

Your heart swelled at his words, a lump forming in your throat. “Pablo, I feel the same way. I’ve never been happier than I am with you.”

He smiled, that boyish grin you loved so much, and leaned in to kiss you. It started off slow and sweet, but soon the kiss deepened, filled with a passion that made your knees weak. You wrapped your arms around his neck, pulling him closer as his hands roamed up and down your back, holding you tight.

When you finally pulled away, both of you were breathless, your foreheads resting against each other’s. “I can’t wait for you to meet my family.��� Pablo said, his voice husky with emotion. “They’re going to love you.”

“I hope so.” you replied, your voice shaky with emotion. “But as long as I have you, I know everything will be okay.”

“It will be, mi vida. I promise.” He kissed you again, softer this time, but just as full of love.

With your break over, you both got back in the car, Pablo driving on with renewed energy. The sun was beginning to dip lower in the sky, casting long shadows over the landscape. The closer you got to Seville, the more excited Pablo became, pointing out landmarks and telling you stories from his childhood that made you laugh and feel even more connected to him.

By the time you reached the outskirts of Seville, the city was bathed in the golden light of the late afternoon. Pablo turned off the main road, taking a route that led through a quiet neighborhood with narrow, winding streets lined with white-washed houses and vibrant bougainvillea. Finally, he pulled up in front of a charming house with a small garden out front, the kind of house that felt like it was filled with memories, with love.

Pablo turned off the engine and took a deep breath, his excitement tinged with a bit of nervousness. He looked over at you, his eyes searching yours as if looking for reassurance. “This is it, mi amor. My home.”

You smiled, reaching over to take his hand in yours, feeling the warmth of his skin against your palm. “I’m ready, Pablo. Let’s go meet your family.”

He squeezed your hand, his expression softening as his eyes filled with love. “Thank you for being here with me, Y/n. I love you.”

“I love you too, Pablo.” you whispered, leaning in for one last kiss before stepping out of the car.

Together, you walked up to the front door, hand in hand, ready to take on whatever came next. As Pablo rang the doorbell, you felt a rush of anticipation, but also a deep sense of contentment. This road trip had been more than just a journey to Seville, it had been a journey that brought you and Pablo even closer, a journey that had shown you just how much you meant to each other.

When the door opened and you were greeted by the warm smiles of Pablo’s family, you knew that this was just the beginning of many more adventures to come. And as you stood there with Pablo by your side, you couldn’t help but feel incredibly lucky to have found someone who loved you as deeply as he did.

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Copyright: All stories contained herein are the intellectual property of the author. Unauthorized copying, reproduction, or distribution of these stories, in whole or in part, without explicit written permission from the author, is strictly prohibited and may result in legal action. Respect the creator's rights and creativity. For permissions or inquiries, please contact: herstoryheaven@gmail.com.

Request Guidelines: When submitting a request, please ensure that your request does not contain any explicit sexual content or graphic depictions, and avoid any form of extreme violence or graphic descriptions of violent acts. I appreciate your understanding and cooperation in maintaining a respectful and inclusive environment for all readers. If you're unsure about your request or want to request about someone I haven't written about yet, feel free to ask me anytime.

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Requested by: Anonymous

[sugarushsuga]

2022 End of Year Writing Recap

Rules: post the top 5 works you're most proud of that you released in 2022 (not necessarily your most popular), your top 4 current WIPs that you're excited to release in the new year, your top 3 biggest improvements in your writing over the past year, your top 2 resolutions (ways you wish to improve your writing/blog) for the new year, and your number 1 favorite line you've written this year!

Tagged by: @bangtanintotheroom

Top 5 works you're most proud of (not necessarily your most popular)

1- In Your Own Words - This series was so long and hard to write, also it brought me back to writing fanfics after such a long time having a falling out with writing because of adulting.

2- I don't mind - Because it's short it's cute, and i wrote it all at once as soon as the inspiration hit me, something rare to happen.

3- Stay there, I'm coming to get you - I can never stress enough how hard it is to write smut, when my first language isn't english. Seems like whenever I try, sunddenly I don't know english anymore. And this one was easier than any other, I just couldn't figure out how to make them get there.

4- Grand Slam - This is my most popular fic, but what made me the proudest was that I managed to step out of my confort zone with some part of the smut, and that made me very unsure of it.

5- New Year's resolutions - For me is so, so hard to write Jimin and portray him, that i paused this fic so many times and even now I'm not sure about it, but I put it out to the world and that's what matters.

Top 4 current WIPs that you're excited to release

1- All Night - I was supposed to post it on Christmas but adulting and a lot of other things got in the way. This fic came out of my obsesion with the song and the idea of keeping each other warm during a cold night of winter - Because honestly I'm very tired of Christmas durring summer.

2- Paper Flowers - This is part of the Summer Time Wedding colab from BCN. I need to sit down and finish of this one, but I'm happy with how the story is comming along.

3- PJ's and RJ's - Because Kim Seokjin, Pajamas and RJ are the perfect combo.

4- I'd love to - Because is the fic im currently working on and probably the next one I'll be posting.

Top 3 biggest improvements in your writing over the past year

1- Outlining the story doesn't mean things can't change. The pieces not used can turn into another fic or used at another one.

2- I can post fics with more basic and simpler grammar. There is no need to stress over making the story more "sophisticaded" using hard words that takes me forever to find and make me lose/dread writing. - People don't care about it, they don't even notice the effort.

3- Writing needs to be fun. There is no need to write a lot and post a lot when people don't care about giving feedback or talking to you about your work. I need to write because I want to tell the story and I'm doing it for me.

Top 2 resolutions for the new year

1- Read and write more, as well as give better feedbacks.

2- Improve my banner skills.

Number 1 favorite line you've written this year

(Is not a line but a few pragraphs from IYOW-CH.10)

“I went to visit my grandmother! She lives in the countryside.”

Sabrina lifts her thumbs and stretches out her arm, making sweeping movements back-and-forth with clenched fists. Suddenly she stopped with a theatrical grimace of astonishment and twists one of her fists, muttering a nhem-nhem-nhem-nhemnhem.

“Then my car broke down!” you tell Jungkook excitedly.

Sabrina jumps up and down in celebration, then goes back to mime. She puts one hand to the ear, thumb and little finger stretched out, and slides the finger of the other through the throat, sticking out the tongue.

“Then I got a death threat!”

“What?” Jungkook and Sabrina asks at the same time.

For this part I have to thank my eternal Roommate Julia and her terrible mime reading skills. I love her to death but I can never be her partner on mime games.

I'm late on doing this, beacause there was only so much my mental health allowed me to do last month.

All i can say is that I'm thankfull that 2022 is over, it was a really stressful year and I hope 2023 will be much kinder to me.

Tagging: @egocypher @babiekaykes @temptaetions@ressjeon

[randyswanderlust]

BCN > FRA > CPH

Despite all the globalization going on, I love that local culture still asaerts itself in airport food offerings. Barcelona (BCN) offers variety of cured meats, and Frankfurt offers… pretzels! And in all different shapes, sizes and flavors.

Arrived late to Copenhagen Airport, which was packed, and where the baggage claim area was absolute mayhem. Took over two hours just to get my luggage. Traveling in Europe on August 1 is basically like traveling in the US the night before Thanksgiving- an invitation to frustration!

[only-johnny-deppp]

TOMORROW!!! Johnny in Spain!!!

Tomorrow, April 16, Johnny and the director Andrew Levitas will be attending the Spanish premiere of “Minamata” set to start around 19:35h (Local hour) at the 5th Barcelona Sant Jordi International Film Festival (BCN Film Festival), at the Cinemes Verdi, in Barcelona, Spain. 

Different from most of the festivals, the movies screened at the BCN Film Festival are selected movies based only on book adaptations or related to historical events and biopics about relevant figures. As we know, “Minamata” is based on the 1975 book by W. Eugene and Aileen Smith, the real events of the “Minamata Disaster” in Japan and the work of W. Eugene Smith. As usual the title of the movie changed to “El fotógrafo de Minamata” (The Photographer of Minamata) and was chosen to be competing for awards, such as “Best Movie”, “Best Actor” and “Best Script” on the “Official Selection”. During the festival, that started today (April 15), the movie will be screened four times: Today (April 15) the movie was screened only for the press. Tomorrow will open to public for the premiere featuring Johnny and Andrew Levitas, and a second screening late at night. Then, on the next day (April 17), “Minamata” will be screened for the last time on the Festival. And as expected, with no surprise all the tickets for the four screenings are officially SOLD OUT!!!

[andreawetzels]

Andrea's guide to Barcelona

I spent the past 5 months living and working in the beautiful and vibrant city that is Barcelona. I have written all my favourite spots in a small notebook, but I thought it would be a good idea to write it down once more. This time in the online world of Tumblr (so I can find it too in the future).

Favourite neighbourhoods:

El Born (lots of cool shops, think of concept stores and gift shops)

El Raval (a bit alternative, you can find various graffiti paintings)

Barrio Gótico (basically the heart of the centre)

Touristic Things:

La Rambla (not very special to me, but it’s nice to have seen it)

Placa de Catalunya (if you want to see the busiest square and shopping streets of Barcelona, then definitely go here!)

La Sagrada Familia (the most famous church in Barcelona of course, if you are under 30 and go on a Sunday after 16:00, you’ll get a discount, which means you can visit the church, go up on one of the towers ánd get the audio guide for 15 euros)

Park Güel (there’s a free nature park, which is great to walk around, but also make sure you visit Park Güel and take a photo on the famous bench)

Placa d’Espanya (walk up the stairs for a view of Barcelona)

Magic fountain (near Placa d’Espanya, fountain show with lights and music)

Camp Nou, FC Barcelona game (even if you don’t like football, it still is cool to watch a FC Barcelona game and experience the atmosphere)

Do the Gaudi houses tour (on your own, for free, look it up on the web and give yourself a tour!)

Swim & Chill

Favourite beach: Playa del Bogatell (bit more quiet, more locals there, less annoying people who want to sell stuff and a cleaner sea)

Piscines municipales Montjuïc (the olympic swimming pools of Barcelona, great way to cool off and get an amazing view of the city. Make sure to bring your own drinks and food because there aren’t really food places nearby. It’s also a good idea to bring a hat because there aren’t many shadow places.)

Parc de la Creueta del Coll (beautiful parc with small pool/lake, a lot of locals with small kids go there)

Vintage shops and markets:

Lost & Found Market (basically a big flea market, I wasn’t a big fan of it)

Two Market (everything only costs 1 euro, but the entrance fee is also 1 euro, if you go early you can definitely find something cool and cheap)

You will find most vintage shops on Carrer Tallers, like: Holala vintage, Flamingo, Flamingos vintage kilo, etc.

If you’re looking for new and second hand vinyl or cds, go to Revolver Records on Carrer dels Tallers 11. They also sell band shirts.

Palo Alto Market (great market every Saturday and Sunday with food trucks, clothing, lifestyle goods, live music and much more!)

Nature & Sights

Ciutadella park (a lot of green, also a lot of people who do work-outs there)

The Montjuïc (one of the most famous hills in Barcelona, there are also a lot of touristic things to visit there, my recommendation is to go to the Teleferico Barceloneta and take the cable car to the Montjuïc)

Tibidabo (visit the Basílica and go up on the tower for a fantastic view)

Bunker El Carmel (it is quite a walk, bring some food and drinks, go in the late afternoon and have a nice picnic while watching the sunset)

Parc del Laberint d’Horta (nature park to walk around, which also features a maze!)

Food & Drinks

En Ville (very fancy menu del dia, if you’re into that)

La Tagliatella (good and cheap chain Italian food)

UDON (cheap fast food, asian style, go for their variation of the menu del dia)

Spice cafe (best carrot cake in town, seriously!!! Also try their homemade raspberry lemonade, it’s very refreshing)

Federal café (great for brunch, nice poached eggs, also a good place to work at)

Surf House (especially great in summer, after an afternoon at the beach, have the burger, fries and mayo-mango sauce or the phi phi salad!)

Eyescream and friends (very cute shaved ice cream with little eyes on them, you can choose the ice cream flavour and two toppings. It’s super yummy, they have cute branding and it’s very instagrammable!)

Bacoa (if you like eating burgers, this is the place to go to!)

Maka Maka (also a great burger place, with a very nice looking exterior)

La Boqueria Market (thé food market in Barcelona, definitely worth a visit, buy a cup of fruit or a smoothie or try a macaron ice cream sandwich from MIMA Ice Cream)

Brunch & Cake (delicious and extremely good looking brunch food! They have two locations, one by the sea and one in the city. Be sure to come early, because it gets very busy and you’ll have to wait in line to get a table)

FOC BCN (great latin food and cocktails, but make sure to tell the staff if you don’t like coriander)

Cosmo bar (very hip and trendy looking bar with great food, amazing cakes and nice coffee & juices)

Café Cometa (same owners as Cosmo bar, same hip-trendy-quirky restaurant, but with more light and it’s a bit more relaxed. Try the munch brunch, you can assemble your own brunch plate)

Chök the Chocolate Kitchen (amazing donuts and cronuts, they have two locations, but not a lot of seats, mainly focused on take-away, try the Kinder bueno donut)

Trópico (healthy and tropical foods and AMAZING juices and smoothies, try the smoothie with pink dragon fruit!)

Ice Wave (they take cream, add your toppings and create it into ice-cream rolls, which is already a show to watch on its own, they also sell fantastic ice-cream crepes)

Gaudí Bakery (incredible cakes, also great to take-away, try the Red Velvet!)

Can Dendê (Very cute little brunch/lunch place, try the pink lemonade, bagel with salmon and waffle fries)

El Nacional BCN (bit more expensive, but definitely the most beautiful eating place with multiple restaurants inside, especially magical around Christmas time)

Granja Petitbo (restaurant with a vintage and hip looking decor, try the waffle with cheese, chicken, spinach and strawberries)

Syra Coffee (brilliant coffee, kind baristas and amazing sweet goods from Lukumas)

Flax & Kale (worth a visit for the healthy food lovers, try the pink salmon burgers, coconut yoghurt with fruit and granola or the banana bread, or ALL OF THEM)

Tapas tour (book yourself a tapas tour and learn more about the history and culture of Barcelona, while eating tapas at various places)

Museums and Art

MACBA Museu d’Art Contemporani (Keith Haring mural

Museu Picasso (

Disseny Hub Barcelona (if you’re into design, then go here! From graphic design to furniture, there often also are cool exhibitions)

Google online for a free street art tour (or find a tour yourself and go explore the city!)

CCCB (museum with contemporary art, last time I was there, they had three exhibitions going on, very interesting!)

On Placa d’Isidre Nonell, there’s a mural of two lips kissing each other, made out of small photos: “The sound of a kiss is not as loud as that of a canon, but its echo lasts a great deal longer.”

Clubs, bars and parties

Brunch in the park/Brunch in the city (in the summer, there’s brunch in the park on the Montjuïc, which is really cool, in the winter it’s in the city, most of the time in Poble de Espanyol)

Sala Apolo (a lot of events, but especially concerts, I went to Allah-Las for example, very authentic venue)

Paradiso (if you go through the vintage fridge doors, you’ll find yourself a secret bar with amazing cocktails! Try the pineapple one)

Shôko (club which often has R&B, hiphop and classics playing)

The Lime House (cheap and strong mojitos)

The George Payne (Irish bar for a night of karaoke, they also sell a cheap black-out tray for 20 euros you’ll get: 2x Sex on the Beach, 2x Sangria, 1 caraffe of Vodka + Redbull, 2 shots Jäeger, 2 shots Tequila and 2 shots Sambucca)

Pacha (club if you’re more into techno/deep house)

[abitterlifethroughcinema]

         #ABitterLifeThroughCinema’s WOKE! Film Reviews

     The Top Ten (+1) Best Movies of 2018 and where to find them!

                                                          by

                                           Lucas Avram Cavazos

+1…11. Overlord  Having its premiere at this year’s Sitges Int’l Film Fest, Overlord not only happened to be one of the fave films screened there this past festival, but this cinematic fantasy is an all-too-real and stark portrayal of a horror that actually occurred, and it deserves a nod from the Barcelona film critic family, so here it goes. Duly noted, I’d say. It starts with an insane aerial combat mission on the night of D-Day, one which goes awry and sees only a handful of paratroopers surviving the drop when enemy fire rains hell. They land in provincial France and the plot sets out to detail some of the inner workings of the Third Reich in reference to the insane, gruesome experiments done on captured Europeans and Jews. Those stories you’ve heard about turning these poor people into guinea pigs for super soldier intent using potent, injected serums…yeah, those? They’re true, if you believe the words of JJ Abrams. Are they as utterly brutal and horror/zombie film-like as displayed here? I sure as hell hope not. (now available On Demand and DVD)

10. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs There once was a film called O Brother Where Art Thou? While this is not its sequel, there is a sharp-witted vein to this film that could only be crafted and gifted to us by the Coen Brothers. What a hoot it is, even if it is a rather darkly-tinted hue of that hoot and humour. It is also one of their finest in years. Revolving around the singing cowpoke Buster Scruggs (Tim Blake Nelson) and five other tales brought to us with the commonly-threaded theme of death in often brutally funny ways, this film is a fine return to oddball form from two of the finest sibling directors of all time. Starring Liam Neeson, James Franco, Zoe Kazan, even Tyne Daly and so many in its vignettes, and that acting star power fuses this Western comedy into new territory for the brothers. Their previous works set in the west always seemed to be re-hashing works of years gone by but here, with their usage of almost comic-book-like details and witty banter make this much more enjoyable than their other historical works like O Bother and their remake of True Grit. Best western in absolute years! (available on Netflix or VOD)

9. Eighth Grade This poignant little film, which should have been wide-released everywhere the world over, is given fierce and bittersweet star power by Elsie Fisher, protagonist and student at the heart of this film. Comedian Bo Turnham has brought us the quintessential coming-of-tweenage story and along with Fisher, everyone in this film is so perfectly placed in their roles, especially Josh Hamilton as her dad, who deserves some nominations for this film but is unlikely to get any. Telling the story of 13-year old Kayla, we the audience get a sneak-peek into the minds and lives of today’s young adults. From her simple YouTube videos made to encourage other young kids to her obvious desire to fit in with older kids to her insecurity with boys, this film paints a stark reality that too many have lived through and this little indie film deserves aplomb from anywhere it can get it! (now available On Demand and DVD)

8. A Star is Born I skipped the critics’ screening of this film for the mere fact that I couldn’t bear to see if the acting and plot lines were another torrid take on a much-redone film. Even into the holiday season, I had not yet seen it and then when I did, I certainly took back any reservations. Bradley Cooper’s update of the film starring himself and Lady Gaga is just about as good as everyone said it was, and that was beyond refreshing to note post-viewing. In many ways, I feel that Cooper is likely revealing a few things about himself with the guise of “it’s a movie” being a nice cover; in some ways, he gives us what I believe are hints of his covert life, and it’s with Gaga’s turn as Ally that we really see him shine beyond the shtick of his character, country-rocker Jackson Maine. In a tad corny-tad, gripping way that takes hold the moment you see Gaga, let’s be frank and real, this film goes on to detail a Diet Coke version of the grim realities that often detail too many a tale of celebrity in Hollywood. Without revealing too many details of the film’s plot and denouement, we are looking at a necessary conversation about alcoholism, drug addiction and fame (plus a lack of ’NO’ men/women in many relationships) that needs to addressed for all ages. Well done, Mr. Cooper Goes to the Oscars. (At select screens, On Demand & DVD)

7. El Angel Incidentally, this may be the first time in a rather long time that I say something good about Argentinian men, so do take note. Telling the true story of fresh-faced boy killer Carlos Robledo Puch, played to Oscar-worthy perfection by newcomer Lorenzo Ferro, the masterful detail to which director Luis Ortega has crafted this arthouse meets dramedy-thriller is astounding and easily touches heights set by dePalma and even, dare I say it, Scorcese. We follow young Carlitos Puch, who is just nearing the edge of seventeen, as takes up with a rough and tough family of his devilishly attractive school chum Ramon, played by the spirited Chino Darin, son of Ricardo Darin. But as Carlitos comes to find out, his street crimes can easily be paved to real ones and his sadistic tendencies suddenly yet gradually paint a picture of someone who is in part desperate for attention and tacceptance and in part a fairly smart, well-to-do young adult. He parlays his sociopathy at pubescence into psychopathy with time, and this film will likely be, but should definitely not be, forgotten come awards and Best Of lists time.(available On Demand and DVD)

6. Black Panther As Oscar season comes to a head, it is worth talking about one of the most striking films that you’ll see for a while. Black Panther is that good, not only because of its genre but also because of its message: that seeking freedom through recreating systems of oppression will only extend the ill-treatment and broken nature we find ourselves in nowadays. Set in the fictional African nation of Wakanda, protagonist King T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) brings us the first real black superhero from the Marvel universe. With a cast including Lupita Nyong’o, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker and Michael B Jordan, the acting is beyond impressive. What is even more amazing, however, is how the plot power-plays many elements of our world’s current political climate. (now available On Demand and DVD)

5. Chappaquiddick Another film which is nothing short of striking in its relevance to the current political situation in the USA. Senator Ted Kennedy was the only remaining Kennedy that I was familiar with throughout my adolescence and early adulthood. Jason Clarke as the Massachusetts senator is astounding, as is the cut of his jib and chin, although the accent was a tad weak, to be ever sincere. This is a complete revelation on the many details that were only gingerly touched upon during the course of the week following the death which this movie is detailing . As the facts are laid out in the film, it astounds me that the American people continued to vote and elect Kennedy for decades after. This is a study on arrogance, class and governmental ambiguity. And if that was the case with liberals in the Sixties, how much more so with conservatives in this digital age? My favourite film of last year’s BCN Film Festival. (now available On Demand and DVD)

4. Private Life Good Lawd this is such a heartwarming/breaking story with the finest elements of believable comedy and situational realism that define the art of the classic Gen X film from the 90s to now. May we never forget that it was Gen, and even those a few years before them, who gave us the digiverse-Netflix-instant oatmeal www.orld in which we live today and when I see a very NYC film like this one, it makes it a true reality check. Being the age that one should be married with kids, I watched Kathryn Hahn as Rachel absolutely slay the silver screen and am eager to see if she picks up any more accolades throughout the current awards season. Simple plot…she’s in her early 40s and her hubby Rich (played by Paul Giamatti) is entering his late 40s and they are fully entrenched within the confines of every single way to conceive a baby. Following the couple through their trials and tribulations really get pushed up an ante when sort-of relative Sadie (the lovely Kayli Carter) decides she will be the surrogate mum for them as things get a tad pear-shaped. This could easily be dubbed a dreamed, for in effect, it is; what needs to be known is that this is also a morality tale for a new age. The old-fashioned ethics of yesteryear just do not apply anymore, at least not in big cities, and the less is more factor easily makes this one of the finest films released within the last year. (available on Netflix)

3. BlacKKKlansman Without a doubt, this is the finest work in all too many years by Spike Lee, and he takes no prisoners in letting you know that the spilled essence of blaxploitation all over this celluloid is to egg you into knowing that this story is 100% true…and crazy. The mere fact that David Duke is literally cheerleading for the current President of the United States should scare us all and wake those who are not. Watching actor John David Washington portray Ron Stallworth, the real-life cop who slyly infiltrated the inner workings of the Klu Klux Klan 40 years ago. After signing up for the Colorado Spring PD, he realises the lack of trust in the 98% Anglo-Saxon workforce, as he’s thrown into monitoring the goings-on of any Black Panther student situations. Eventually, he takes up with a guy on the force that he can dig called Flip and played to skilled excellence by the oddest of lookers Adam Driver. Basically, the plot follows the twosome, as they tag team the aforementioned white supremacist movement, Ron being the voice and Flip being the wingman as they start an investigation on grand wizard bastard himself David Duke, played to troubling perfection by Topher Grace, evoking all of the calmness and utter sociopathic tendencies of a man reviled by most yet revered by still too many. And watching this taut film and how it rolls through such a daunting story with comedic aplomb and vicious realness gives you goosebumps. That said, as the film gets toward its ending, is when Lee gives you the goods when he flashes to scenes from the crazy Charlottesville, Virginia, riots, AntiFa protesting and subsequent death of Heather Heyer, may she rest in peace. God Save the World…and Amerikkka.

2. Fahrenheit 11/9  Premiering a few weeks ago here in Spain at very select cinema screens across the country, this is the first documentary in some time by Michael Moore that could play across an international landscape and should be required viewing on any critic’s or person’s list. The titular oddity refers to the day after we all woke up across the world in shock and awe that Donald J Trump had won the Presidency of the USA. Even if this is not Morre’s best film to date, it is undoubtedly the one that holds the viewers’ feet to the fire and calls for them to fight the nasty funk of this administration. But, it’s when he takes it back to his roots, to Flint, Michigan, and ends up involving all local and state politics, that we start to see the more sinister undertakings happening amongst conservative parties, ideals and societies. When you add in the fact of the Parkland High School shooting and the way Moore later fuses footage of Hitler and his minions and followers with a rally speech made by the current occupant of the White House, it becomes all too obvious that things are exactly as we think they are (A HOT MESS!) and we have very little recourse rather than claiming truth. (now available On Demand and DVD)

1. ROMA There are tender moments of realism that are permitted to happen with the rise of instant cinema on VOD and direct-to-home films, and it has been a pleasure to see that sites like Netflix and Amazon and Canal+ have truly added to the foray in which great celluloid can be brought to the masses. Case in point comes the finest piece of dramatic celluloid that graced the silver screen in the last year. Being a Mexican whose father is a naturalised citizen of the US and a mother who is Chicana from the US, like myself and my siblings, the sentimentality ran deep with this film. One of the differences I experienced was the fact that we were the only Mexican-American family in a stately US country club…and we had an entire childhood spent with loving housekeepers, which is what this film inherently is honouring and depicting, using the backdrop of Alfonso Cuarón’s take on growing up in 70s-upper middle class Mexico City in the neighbourhood of Roma. Depicting the life of the house assistant Cleo (first-time performer Yalitza Aparicio in a J.Hud moment, frankly) and the family of Sr. Antonio (Fernando Grediaga), a doctor in the Mexican capital, what Cuarón has called his most personal film to date, is also a B&W modern tale in the vein of Gone with the Wind, and the fact that he centres around a privileged Mexican family is poignant for several reasons: it not only takes a focus away from how Donald bloody Trump has painted Mexicans, in general, to the world, but it also highlights a very human element to how many classes of society function and live there in the frontier regions of North America and, more importantly, EVERYWHERE…easily put, this is a sweet, oft-times simple, oft-times brutal story on humanity. What binds so many critics together on this film’s merits is that fact that Alfonso Cuarón has crafted the past year’s most enigmatic movie, leaving us to make our own answers to what happens to Lady Cleo, her best mate Teresa, and this beautiful family. Absolutely and quietly stunning! (available on Netflix and selects screens across the country)

[thedjmusic]

Beatport Dj Charts 2022-05-02

DOWNLOAD: https://thedjmusic.com/music/beatport_dj_charts_2022_05_020

DATA CREATED: 2022-05-04 TOTAL: 101 GENRE: House, Tech House, Afro House, Jackin House, Deep House, Soulful House, Funky House, Organic House / Downtempo,  Progressive House, Nu Disco / Disco,  Melodic House & Techno, Techno (Raw / Deep / Hypnotic), Techno (Peak Time / Driving), Dance / Electro Pop, Indie Dance, Nu Disco / Disco

Almost Time Chart - James Dexter

Jaen - Ensemble (Original Mix)

James Dexter - Almost Time (Original Mix)

James Dexter - She Looks

James Dexter - Vertigo

Liroy, Matu - Dah (Original Mix)

MANT - Subconscious (James Dexter Remix)

Nayve - Prysma

Shonky - Kombattant

Terence :Terry: - Just a Small Thing (Cosenza Remix)

Thomas Andrew - Pura Vida

Ben Rau Calling Out Your Name ( I can't sleep ) Chart

ANOTR - Dancing In Secret (Original Mix)

Ben Rau - Calling Out Your Name (I Can't Sleep) (Extended Version)

Charlie Banks - Sleep It Off (Original Mix)

DJOKO - Rapture (Original Mix)

Locklead - A Gloomy Morning in the Red Box (Original Mix)

Lucas Alexander - Tomchenko (Extended Mix)

M-High - Enchant me (Original Mix)

Project89 - Dim The Lights (Original Mix)

Saktu - Foker Plat (Mathijs Smit Remix)

Sota (NL) - Serial Position (Original Mix)

Dj Hell - Top 10 Radio Hell Chart

Christopher Just - I'm a Disco Dancer (John Tejada Remix)

IM KELLAR - im your master

Pfirter - Altered States

Poni Hoax - Hypercommunication (Alter Ego Remix)

Radio Hell, Radio Slave & DJ Hell - Lost Souls (Extended)

Radio Hell, Radio Slave & DJ Hell - Radio Hell (Extended)

Radio Slave, DJ Hell, Mistress Bella Lugosi - Latex Lover (Original Mix)

Radio Slave, DJ Hell, Mistress Bella Lugosi - Let's Misbhv (Original Mix)

The Hacker - Tension

edetto - Hustler

Frankyeffe On Fire Chart

Avision F. & Strafe - Party Started (Set It Off)

Better Lost Than Stupid - Inside (Andres Campo Take A Trip Remix)

Dubfire - Sound Bath (Luciid Remix)

Frankyeffe - Snare

Frankyeffe_Resonances (IT) - Maniacal

Frankyeffe_Resonances (IT) - On Fire

Gary Beck - Renegade

Inafekt - D.Y.L.B.

Julian Jeweil - Reverse

Lilly Palmer - Don't Look Back (Original Mix)

Lucas Aguilera - Acid Ental

M.I.T.A. - Saturday Night Cleaver

Push - Till We Meet Again

Reinier Zonneveld_Speedy J - Oldskoolweg

Ugur Project - After Space

V111 - Ball Gag

Xavi BCN - Imagination (Roentgen Limiter Remix)

exos - Time To Time

Hot Since 82's OUT THE DOOR CHART 2022

Burnski, Kepler - Want It (Original Mix)

Carlita - Everybody (Original Mix)

Coeo - I Can Never Be Yours (Original Mix)

DC Salas - Hidden Dancefloors (Original Mix)

Harry Romero - Tribal Jazz (Original Mix)

Hot Since 82 - Out The Door (Original Mix)

Javi Bora, Richard Ulh - Mondays In Ses Salines (Original Mix)

Late Replies - Second Nature (Original Mix)

Lis Sarroca - Barcelona 92 (Original Mix)

MADVILLA - Gelato Dream (Original Mix)

Manoova - Listen (Original Mix)

Ricky Chopra - I'm Yours (Extended Mix)

Sasha Carassi - Dream Factory (Original Mix)

Sean Miller - Together (Original Mix)

Syap - Energy (Original Mix)

Tom Bug - Going Home Chart

ANOTR - TALI

Antonio Rossini - Relax

Austin Ato - When Love Is Tender

Capriccio - Everybody Get Up (Capriccio Extended Retro Tech Mix)

DJOKO - Odyssey

Danny Snowden - Where The Heart Lies (Original Mix)

Dirty Channels, Debbie Jacobs - Let Love In (Extended Vocal Mix)

Franky Rizardo, KiRiK - Diamond

Luca Olivotto - Your Love

M-High - Tomorrow Is Another Day

Max Dean - Loving Saturday (Original Mix)

Payfone - Day & Night (Extended Mix)

Peggy Gou - I Go (Soulwax Remix)

S.A.M., Sarah Ikumu - Spotlight (feat. Sarah Ikumu) (Club Mix)

Soulfreq - Disco Ride

Spencer Parker - Kiss (Extended Mix)

Tom Bug, Kid Code - Going Home

Tonis, Narda - Palo Santo (Original Mix)

Top March Chart - TGW

2Shades - Miss Your Touch (Original Mix)

Ashen (SI) - Mental (TGW Remix)

Evil Acorn - Push Me (Evil Tech House Mix)

LV - Never Look Back

Meglajon - Come To Me

Pieter Openshaw - Instigate (Extended Mix)

Sean Luiz - Look At Me Now (Extended Mix)

TGW - Take A Little Trip (Dub Mix)

TGW - Take A Little Trip

Travisfaction - So Real (Tech Mix)

Vibes All Over Chart - Rich Nxt

Andrew Soul - Boyz 'n Da Hood (Rich Nxt Remix)

Antss - Serum 4

Djoko - Inside of Me

James View - Growler

Locklead - Era (Original Mix)

Markus Fix, Dorian Paic - Crawling (Original Mix)

Okain - Green Mousse

Project89 - Impress Me

Rich NxT - Different (LaRosa Remix)

Samu.l - Skyline

[slainteimeansalud]

Mall was legit cold, and had no sunshine. Did not last long. *For the future- look up if aquarium has free days. Although I think that's a thing I want to do with friends. (Hi, future Monica here! Don't think it does. Met a dude named Chandler at intercambio that said it's good, but small and thus probably overpriced. But might be cool in the distinct possibility I run out of other museums) Also: Monica's tour of bcn. Start at plaza cataluña, walk down Las ramblas, get a juice or chocolate covered strawberry or something at boqueria, walk to end and enjoy the sea and sun at port vell. And then...? Actually this isn't a bad place to hang out just down here. Walked to barceloneta beach, it was a bit of a hike. Got totally lost, jumped on the bus going the wrong way, ended up in the Olympic village and apparently next to a zoo. Must check out later. *Someone asked asked me if the locals thought I was a tourist or how to not look like one. The answers to both are I don't know. But they can probably tell. Today at the stretch between Port Vell and Barceloneta, I got called madamoselle. So at least if I look foreign they don't know what kind of foreigner? Idk.

The best advice I have is don't look lost or scared, use common sense. I know, hopefully will think of something better later. But don't have your phone blasting directions, in English, while walking past the sagrada familia. Seriously, who would do that? Especially late at night. I am a seasoned traveller and know so much better than that. Saying "shut up shut up shut UP" at it probably also didn't help.

The best advice I have is don't look lost or scared, use common sense. I know, hopefully will think of something better later. But don't have your phone blasting directions, in English, while walking past the sagrada familia. Seriously, who would do that? Especially late at night. I am a seasoned traveller and know so much better than that. Saying "shut up shut up shut UP" at it probably also didn't help.

(Future me here! With all the advice of another month. I wanted to add advice for the metro. Google maps is awesome and will tell you how to get to the metro, what line to take in which direction and what stop to get off. Check all of that before you go down the stairs into the metro. Also good to have your card out. This way you'll breeze through and won't be staring at your phone. Metro has lots of pick pockets, so you want to stay alert and it's especially important to not look like a dumb tourist. That said, this city has so many expats and people from all over, it's hard to tell who lives here and who's a tourist. And I legit was almost at my stop before a kind gentleman told me my backpack was wide open. With wallet and passport inside. So maybe I shouldn't give advice quite yet)

[theislandrolhq]

¿Qué pasaría si por estar encerrado, totalmente aislado del mundo, pudieras ganarte medio millón de dólares? 

Lo que parece un sueño, ahora es realidad. The Island es el nuevo reality show de una de las cadenas más grandes de televisión, BCN, reconocida por sus éxitos State of Emergency y The Late Night Show with Chloe Morgan. 20 participantes convivirán en una de las mansiones más impresionantes de la isla artificial, Star Island, en Miami, Florida. Los jugadores convivirán bajo el mismo techo y les tocará enfrentarse a numerosos desafíos con tal de asegurar su estadía allí.

Si te interesa el dinero, quieres tus dos minutos de fama o simplemente te atrapa la idea de un juego como este, no olvides seguir a The Island en su red social principal para estar al día con las novedades y saber cuándo comienzan los castings. 

La suerte en esto no funciona, debes demostrar que tienes todo para convertirte en el nuevo dueño de la isla. ¿Lo conseguirás?

[anotheruserwithnoname]

A great set of images of Jenna and Rufus at the fan screening event for Victoria tonight in NYC. Anyone watching NBC during prime time might want to keep an eye out for any trailers for Late Night with Seth Meyers, which would have been recorded earlier in the day so there might be sneak peek of Jenna.

The @masterpiecepbs Instagram story has also got a few additional images as they were live-posting from the event.

[glittertrail]

I am a walking cliche and take the 'life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall' quote seriously so there's quite a few things lol

one of my oldest friends moved to dublin and I wanted to visit her this summer but couldn't so I'm aiming for a visit this autumn before it gets too cold for me

I'm going to bcn next week to see the dres2 tour, I've been to bcn and to the dres1 tour but i'm excited

I'm on a quest to stop dressing like Jessica Day and that started with longer skirts and sweaters and I'm not used to it yet but i want to play around with it

I've been toying with the idea of customizing a jacket too

fall also means the comeback to a lot of my favorite things like small venue concerts and jazz jam nights and new museum exhibits to visit, particularly the Antonio Gaudí one

every year on columbus day I lock myself home bc it's widely depressing to see it being celebrated in madrid but lately quite more hispanic ppl have begun to use it to create events that celebrate cultural diversity instead of just racist ppl using it to celebrate their bigotry, I'd like to not disappear around that time of the year like I always do, i hope i can manage that

I've been meaning to try pumpkin pie bc I've never had it (it's just not a thing here) but I got a recipe from a friend that is both really good at baking and really into fall themed food so I'm baking one and having one for the first time sometime soon

so last week's q was about things you might have wanted to bring back... is there something new you want to try? it can be literally anything, clothes, an activity, a recipe, a hobby or a place/event you're looking forward to visit :)

Ohhh good question!

As someone who loves to travel that’s definitely my first thought. I would really like to do a west coast trip & hit Seattle, Portland, & Vancouver / BC

Seattle in particular just seems like a place I would really vibe with & I would love to explore

As far as Canada goes, so far I’ve only been to Quebec & Toronto / Ontario. When I was last in Toronto a couple months ago my friend mentioned wanting to go to Vancouver too. Granted the next time I go back to Canada will probably be Ontario again because we want to go stay at my friend’s lake house next summer

What about you, Sandra?

[energy-and-the-pimps]

"Late Night Finger Snapping" . #DoNotSleep #OffWeek #Techno #TechHouse #HouseMusic #OffSonar . #BCN #LaTerrrazza #BarcelonaNightLife #EventPhotography #ClubPhotography #NightClubPhotography #Canon #PhotoJournalism #TravelPhotography #Dancing #Vogue (at LaTerrrazza Barcelona) https://www.instagram.com/p/BzmDK6dHbhv/?igshid=1169mvbo42ls3

[2019dclmed]

Departure Day

Departure Day -Thursday, May 23, 2019

With my 16 year old cat, Kealy, having gotten sick many times throughout the day prior (even though she was already on antibiotics), I had another night of lacking sleep due to worry. 

I went to sleep around 11:30pm, couldn’t get to sleep, took something at 12:30am, and set my alarm for 6am - in case I needed to see the vet at 7am. Of course I awoke on my own promptly at 5:30am. Miraculously all seemed fine with Kealy (after checking the recordings on my Blink camera from overnight). So I set a new alarm for 7:15am. 

I was slow to get up & get in the shower since I didn’t need to leave until 10:30am. So I cleaned up the living room & kitchen, did the final prep & pack of the backpack.

I also made a couple of last minute swaps due to the (sad) decline in forecasted temps.

Grabbed some snuggles in my recliner with the kitty (watching the Rapunzel animated series to get in the mood), & pulled out by 10:35am. I stopped at a grocery near Kara’s to grab last minute gas, Wheat Thins, & caffeine pills in Indy. 

Our themed-luggage tags. We tend to make these for “big” trips!

This is Kara. I slept well, as I often do, and having finished nearly all packing the night before had a quiet, easy morning. I had even finished emptying my work inbox the night before so other than a few last small to do items, I got to just tidy up around the house, say goodbye to my plants and wait for Gayle.

We left by 12:05pm for lunch at Panera. Our flight was scheduled for 3:30pm. 

First it was delayed about ten minutes. Then delayed more. Then the news came: Ground Stop. Due to East Coast storms impacting Philadelphia, everything was stopped from even heading in that direction. 

We started talking about rebooking, as it seemed we’d miss our connection in PHL. However, the plane started boarding and figured we’d deal with it at PHL - at least we’d be closer to Barcelona and at an American Airlines hub. 

I ended up sobbing all the way to PHL. 

Huge Sidenote: Most people, including myself, would read all this and figure, “What’s the big deal? So you take a different flight? Maybe your luggage is late?” For me, this was 14 months of planning falling apart and we hadn’t even left our home airport yet. It was hours of work and planning for this flight, to find an option that would allow me to sleep (as I’m a terrible international/eastbound flier) and in a budget I could afford. 

That’s right folks, I mention that almighty dollar, as for some a trip like this can be a stretch. I have a great professional job, but I also chose a profession and position that can be lacking financial rewards. A “big trip” like this is something I need to plan years in advance, which I didn’t have this time, and wasn’t strong enough to tell Kara no. And putting it off just one year woudn’t work since I have to lead a study abroad next May. So this had been a YEAR of scrimping and saving, living somewhat like a “poor college student”, only to completely lose our business class seats. (Yes, I realize as I type this many are rolling their eyes, but in this moment my reality was crushed.)

We landed at PHL at 7:12pm; our connecting flight left at 7:10pm! We were sent to stand in line at a nearby customer service gate, while having learned from the past, I simultaneously called AA. I put in for a call-back as we waited in the line. The Customer Service desk tells us since we’re international, we have to “go over there” to get help - from C31 to A17! 

During the trek I didn't hear or feel my phone go off - twice! - of AA calling me back. We initially couldn’t find the international help desk tucked in a set-back cove past A17, but finally got ourselves into that line. I finally noticed the 3rd call-back attempt and after many minutes was told there were ZERO options for anything arriving before… SUNDAY! (Our cruise was leaving Saturday!) Another meltdown, now from anger, had set-in. The phone agent told us to stay in the line we were standing in, that the in-person agent might have more options. What? How?

Finally at the front of the line at 8:30pm we were offered two Economy (not our booked business) seats leaving in 30 minutes to…Paris with a 5 hour layover to Barcelona (BCN). (Trying to rebook us was so challenging, this flight would be via Air France, which is the SkyTeam-Delta, not OneWorld-American network.) It’s a testament to how desperate we were that we jumped at that option, with virtually no questions asked. 

When we arrived at the gate to get our seats, they were already boarding! To get any seats together, we were in the very last row- 35 G&H (which gave me deja vu for the very first time I went to Europe). I was able to shoot off a quick email to Barcelona Chocolate Tours, letting them know we couldn’t make our noon tour, as we wouldn’t be landing until nearly 6pm and respectfully requested a refund. We had a suitable Economy dinner and took ALL the drugs we packed to try to get even a little sleep. I think I maybe slept through 2.5-2.75 Harry Potter 1 movies.

This is Kara. Gayle did a good job recapping this crazy set of events.  I’ll add in here that we posted a photo to Facebook to commemorate the crazy turn of events as a last notification to our friends and family of what our status was. This specific photo is very important later in the story.

Breakfast on the plane was yogurt & figs - gross. So I had my packed protein bar. Deplaning we certainly asked for help knowing where to go next. As we suspected, there was no luggage when we got to Paris (CDG). Went to Baggage Service and was told to wait until we got to BCN to put in a luggage inquiry. What?! This makes no sense, especially for how long all this might take. Kara called AA and was again told to wait until BCN.

The small bit of “raging idealist” in me thought our luggage should be waiting for us in BCN. That AA knew we were going to BCN via our original ticket and the Air France ticket showed the same. So throw them on whatever the next BCN flight is. Period. 

After enduring the long layover at CDG (in a new beautiful Air France, but packed terminal), I put my headphones on to BCN because 1) Chatty Kathy was next to me, 2) Kara and I were 2 rows apart, 3) the aisle dude commandeered the armrest, and 4) Kara & I were both in middle seats.

Arrive at BCN - no luggage. We wait in line at the American luggage desk only to be told to go to the next bay to stand in line for Air France, as apparently it’s the final airlines responsibility to deal with the luggage. So yes, there I am again having a meltdown. Why? We’re told to put in an incident report, which requested our entire cruise port itinerary and that our bags haven’t left PHL! At this time I also got email offering us a chocolate tour for Sunday, but at this late time no refund would be given. Talk about adding insult to injury.

Meltdown Sidenote: Again, many might question the freak out. Here was a much bigger issue. They were now giving us indication they had no idea when or if we might get our bags and we were about to embark on a 7 night cruise with nothing but the literal clothes on our back and whatever snacks & tech we had in our small carry-ons! We knew our same PHL-BCN flight was leaving that night at 7:10pm with an arrival at 9am Saturday morning and basically begged to get our bags on that flight! As it was currently only about noon PHL time, we knew they had plenty of time, but all we were told was they would put in the inquiry (via tele-text?!) and PHL would have to act on it in time. If our bags didn’t arrive on that flight, we’d have only a couple of hours to try to go to unfamiliar stores and buy everything we’d need for PJs, toiletries, dinner clothes, port adventures clothes, and much more. 

From Kara - this is where that photo we posted on Facebook came into play.  Some might call my family intense. Nearly all the time I call them loving and incredibly supportive. We use an app called GroupMe and we also use Google Location Services to keep track of one another.  Gayle and I had difficulty getting on wi-fi at CDG so while my family knew we’d made it there okay because my phone had connected and updated my location, I didn’t really share an update.  When we got to BCN and were dealing with the aforementioned request being sent by tele-text, I noticed in the GroupMe app that my aunt mentioned that she’d let a cousin in Phoenix who works for American Airlines know about our plight.  My cousin found our record using the photo we’d posted with our boarding pass and, thankfully, our luggage was on the same record as we had actually booked this as one reservation which is not our norm.  

Before leaving BCN we somehow had the wherewithal to request the luggage be held at BCN if it arrived, as we didn’t trust and couldn’t take a risk of passing it or a delay in delivery to the hotel &/or ship. We’d determined no matter what we’d return to the airport seeking our luggage Saturday morning, as it was the only real strategy we could take control of. 

We finally got to our hotel, AC Hotel Marriott Diagonal D’Illa,  around 7:30-8pm and just like in all telling TV shows & films - yes, it was raining. It was fatefully connected to a mall. We ended up with basic chicken sandwiches (and by this I mean crustless white bread with shredded chicken) and water for dinner. I did pick up a piece of chocolate cake, more out of habit than want. 

That I couldn’t even bring myself to visit the Disney Store tells you how despondent I was. 

Our hotel room was like a “camp version” of a hotel room - just the bare basics. We showered (using every amenity kit we could from the hotel), put our same clothes back on, and borrowed electrical adapters to charge our phones. 

By absolute fate we had initially posted a photo of ourselves with our boarding passes on Facebook. I thought I’d covered our confirmation number, but apparently not. Via the “Monroe Family Network” (Kara’s family), her Aunt Idris sent our confirmation number to a distant cousin who happens to work for… American Airlines Customer Service! Through Idris we were told Cousin Kimberley spoke with a supervisor at PHL who had located our bags and would “do their best” to put them on our requested evening flight to arrive at 9am Saturday morning. Another follow-up re-affirmed. 

Friday night we also logged onto the Air France baggage site as instructed. The only thing it showed was “luggage found - awaiting confirmation”. At some point I decided trying to apply my social media knowledge (as I’m also a known blogger for a popular TV series). I sent the AA Twitter account a Direct Message with our confirmation number begging them to put our bags on the PHL-BCN 7:10pm-9am flight. Around 10:30pm we got a positive response that yes this would happen! 

Between this & Kara’s cousin’s messages, there were more hesitant and slight tears (of relief?), as we feared getting our hopes up.

Continuing to pile on, there was loud party music raging outside our room from somewhere we couldn’t see. So Kara looked for some brainless TV. With my experience in Europe I assured her if she looked long enough she’s probably find NCIS &/or Big Bang Theory. Sure enough Gibbs & the team gave us a slight calm in the midst of our storm. We tried to go to sleep by 11pm (which was only 5pm back home).  

I woke up just past 2am. On the AA app it showed our confirmation number to check-in for our PHL-BCN flight - yay! But for a Saturday departure/Sunday arrival - NO! I figured this was our bags and was again defeated. I freaked-out internally while Kara slept. But the AA website showed our bags were loaded onto the requested flight at 3:20pm? Huh? So I took more drugs to get back to sleep.

This is Kara. There isn’t much I can add to this day other than a little more about my, as my niece Ashley said in a Facebook post commenting later on in the week, “creepy” family. Yes, sometimes we are remarkably creepy in how we keep up with each other.  But, when push comes to shove, having a team of people in your immediate circle who are always in your corner is reassuring. I’d been checking in with them each time we got a network connection and giving them updates. I got to “meet” my cousin’s wife Kimberley for the first time through this situation and look forward to meeting her in person someday. The family was also watching my Google Location icon pop up all over the world all through the trip.  It truly is a good thing to know you’ve got people and they’ve got you too.

Disclaimer: Gayle is a travel agent with Authorized Disney Travel Planner agency - Off to Neverland Travel. Contact me today for a no-obligation quote!

Next up: Embarkation Day! Would the luggage actually arrive?

[ukdamo]

Bb is for Book. Cc is for Cleaning

One of mine, just written...

Me and cleaning.

We're acquainted, you know; we meet in the street, there's a nod of recognition - but we don't put our shopping bags down and chat for five minutes. Still less, adjourn to Costa for coffee and tiffin. It's not that I'm dirty. Or lazy. Or enjoy mess. The nexus of our tenuous connection isn't to be found there. 'It's complicated', people inevitably say of irregular relationships. So say I about me and cleaning. If I was pushed to name names, I could legitimately point the finger of blame at mum. Not that she was a slattern, you understand.

Our house was ever spick and span. The ancient hoover used to rumble and clatter from room to room, and clunked on each and every step of the stair (there were thirteen to the landing, then a turn, and another one). The cupboard under the sink was full of relevant paraphernalia. We stocked Lanry, Vim, Brillo Pads, Windowlene, Swarfega, Pledge, and a forgotten tin of ancient lavender funiture polish. Dusters were ever old pillowcases, torn up - but there was a purpose bought floor cloth. And there were always J-Cloths for kitchen messes.

I've mentioned Vim. Now there was a product. It scoured everthing scrupulously clean – and left a film of white residue on every surface it touched. What on earth was that about? I think it was deliberate. You had to use another product and wipe everything over in order to get rid of the residue. In effect, you had to clean up twice. There was the Protestant Work Ethic and the Capitalist Profit Motive writ large, in bold, and underlined. That we were Catholics and Socialists didn't alter the outcome – we still had to clean up twice.

Next to the Brillo Pads (in the old, handle-less, cream and gilt-patterned teacup) were the donkey stones. One yellow, one white. They've been consigned to history now, along with most of the other products and mores of my childhood. God forbid, back then, that your backyard wasn't swilled and your front / back steps not mopped and donkey-stoned. Not to have that chalky white or yellow edge marking on each step was tantamount to admitting you lived in a hovel. Our donkey stones were sourced from the rag-and-bone man (also consigned to history). Periodically, this affable character would jingle along back streets on an old, wooden, flat-bed cart, pulled by a comfortingly-scented horse, and give out a timeless call; “Aag-Bow!”. You could hear him half a street away, which gave your mum time to rummage about and find some booty. You gave him whatever salvageable detritus you had and he'd give you a donkey stone. It was a sort of anti-bacterial barter arangement. Everyone was a winner. He had stuff to recycle, you got rid of clutter, and your mum was not labelled a brothel-keeper.

You might think I'm undermining my assertion that mum is responsible for my ambivalent relationship with cleaning, since I've given a long litany of cleaning products and house-proud moments worthy of an article in Lancashire Life.  But no. Not so. She is the prime culprit.

She encouraged me to read. You know – Aa, Bb, Cc: the alphabet, books... She was a reader herself – she'd always have a magazine or book to read in the evening after dad had gone to bed. Her magazines were of the era: the People's Friend (with its watercolours of Scotland); the Reader's Digest; or a slim novel. Later in life, her reading was more devotional and always included the Daily Office for the Secular Franciscan Order. I associate mum with magazines, books, puzzles: word searches, crosswords, arrow-cross. She kept her brain exercised long after she'd allowed her body to take more ease: ever a force to be reckoned with if you watched Countdown together. Switched on to the very last, mum.

So, there was mum with her familiar pile of books and magazines and there was dad, saying goodnight and heading off to bed (being a wagon driver, he had to be up early). Now, as I cast my mind back, I see that he had a hand in my aversion to cleaning, too. Not that he, too, was a reader: I can only recall him reading three books in my lifetime: The Robe, Lloyd C Douglas; Cherrill of the Yard, Fred Churrill: and a book about the Border Regiment's campaign in Burma (that was his war). Dad made a more subtle contrbution: the morning routine at 89 Napier Street was built around his need to be up and out early. That routine was instrumental in binding me indissolubly to books.

But I started the story with mum and the fact that she signposted me to the written word.

Not a sporty child, not interested in sport (except for Wimbledon fortnight), I was a devotee of Hollywood musicals, and books. The literary devotion started early. I was a member of the local public library as soon as I could hold cards in my own right. I held six in my name; I was voracious. I was one of the (few) kids who learned to read using the ITA system – the idea being that you if you taught children to read using a phonetic method, where words were written as they were pronounced, it would speed up learning. Then, at age seven or so, you'd switch to regular spelling and ditch the ITA alphabet. Some adults schooled in ITA, I have read, have never been confident spellers, as a consequence of not using the standard alphabet at the beginning of their schooling. As you can see, that is not my story. But, I digress.

I'd walk down to the library almost every Saturday morning, scooping up books  before heading home to devour them through the coming week. When I was eleven I sat the 11+ exam. I was one of the last kids to do that (it was phased out in the late 60's and early 70's as Comprehensive Schols supplanted the Grammars and Secondary Moderns). Having pased the exam, I was enrolled at St Thedore's RC High School in Burnley, and the shape of my life was definitively cast.

Mum and I would sit up and read late in the evening, after dad had gone to bed. Then, in the morning, I'd read before getting the bus to St Ted's. Dad would wake me at about 6:15am, as he left the house. (Thinking about it now, I have no idea why he didn't wake either of my elder brothers. Well actually, I probably do – they would have been unrousable. They didn't need to be up, and would have resisted any attempt to stir them into premature activity. I was more pliable.) My job then, by default, was to get up, light the coal fire, and wake up the rest of the household at the appropriate times. The bus I used to reach school was BCN Transport's 60. It wended its way from Nelson to Burnley via Halifax Road, Hill Place, Marsden Road, Briercliffe Road, and Eastern Avenue. I used to get on at Hill Place:if I left the house at 8:10am, I could reach the stop in good time. I'd be joined there by Andrew Thornton and Keith Haydock - classmates at St Ted's.

So, now you see me - solidly located in the 70's, on any given weekday morning. Dad's up and gone, the fire's lit, and I am aged eleven and I have nearly two hours to fill before I go for the bus. What is there to do but read? No such thing as Breakfast TV back then. Nowadays, when there is breakfast TV, I still prefer to read. In fact, I get up 90 minutes before I'm due at work so that I can read. By doing so, I invite another snag: I can't put the bloody book down! I'm usually 'last minute' or marginally late, arriving at work. But we're talking books... What can you do? The setting conditions for my literary efflorescence were present throughout my adolescence: mum was promoting literary explorations and dad was affording me ample opportunity to stick my nose where it belonged.

All of this may appear to be but tangentally related to my allergy to cleaning up but the two are, actually, inextricably bound. In my universe, Books and Cleaning are binary stars; suspended in the vacuum of space, locked in an eternal embrace.

The incomparable Quentin Crisp had an unique perspective on cleaning. He said, “There's no need to do any housework at all. After the first four years, the dirt doesn't get any worse”. Now, that's a sterling silver quotation – great to deploy if the Aggie and Kims of this world ring your doorbell, step into your home, and proceed to look snootily down their noses at you, whilst pinching their nostrils firmly closed. So, thank you, Quentin.

But don't think this lets you off the hook. I haven't forgotten how you died the night before I was scheduled to see you on stage in Manchester, in November, 1999. You owe me for that lack of consideration. When we meet in the heavenly (diabolical?) Cage aux Folles in the sky, I expect you to obtain a corner table for our exclusive use, with mood lighting. If push comes to shove, we can always drape one of your pink chiffon scarves over the table lamp. I'll stand us drinks but I anticipate, from you, a cavalcade of hilarious and outre anecdotes. Don't disappoint. Though I appreciate Quentin's contribution to the debate, we're not allies. We may both be Friends of Dorothy but I don't subscribe to his philosophy of detergence. I like clean and neat. I like minimalist.

I am my mother's son, after all. She liked elbow grease and order, and knick-knacks were strictly regulated; few in number and of weight and moment. We're similarly constituted, she and I. I readily confess that this outlook on the house beautiful lends itself well to spick-and-span, clean and calming. I sign up to that: I love it when my space is elegantly muted, crisply orangised, dust-free and soft-sheened. But the truth is, my impulse to clean always defers to my impulse to read.

Some people say that when food whispers to them, Eat me, they are helpless to resist. I sympathise. Books, I tell you, are equally invidious.They beckon, invitingly. They murmur, insistently, Read me. I try to be motivated by hoovers and mops. I urge myself to be excited by Mr Sheen. It'd be great if Cilit Bang raised my blood pressure. But it doesn't. I struggle. Even the most jaundiced comentator will acknowledge that Descartes' aphorism states Cogito, ergo sum not Expurgo, ergo sum. Still, I'm no slothful coward. I am not one to admit defeat easily. I've devised a graded cleaning routine to spur me to action.

I'm not one to boast, but the USA has adopted something similar to grade their national preparedness to defend against threats: they call it DEFCON. The Yanks and I share an ordered sequence of alert settings. You can find theirs on the internet. For simplicity's sake, I decribe mine below.

DEFCON 4: There's visible dust on flat surfaces. Response: SCOWL DISAPPROVINGLY OVER THE EDGE OF THE BOOK

DEFCON 3: Visible dust, an assortment of specks / crumbs on the carpet. Response: PAUSE MOMENTARILY IN MY READING. CONSIDER HOOVERING, at some unspecified future date

DEFCON 2: As above, plus fluff balls near skirting boards. Response: SET BOOK ASIDE, WITH ILL-GRACE. QUICK HOOVER and a bit of DAMP DUSTING

DEFCON 1: Imminent arrival of guests (particularly transatlantic ones) or,  threat levels as detailed above, plus shower cubicle and bathroom sink clouded by soap scum. Response: BLITZ EVERYTHING

Sometimes, for reasons I don't quite understand, the C-in-C seems to initiate DEFCON 1 without adequate justification. I mean, if book precedes clean in the dictionary, by how much more does it precede deep-clean? Ah well. Fits of absence of mind have been know to happen. Or maybe it's the breath of God blowing through me - a burst of genuine enthousiasm? Of course, it's possible, too, that (in the depest bunker of my brain) there is some unimagined Stellar Intelligence Service that continually monitors the binary stars Book and Cleaning and detects perturbations in their orbit. Once an aberration is discovered, the agency leaps into action to rectify any threat to the creative tension that holds them in equilibrium. A bit like NASA, but with Marigolds and a pinafore. If so, it's effective.

The upshot of DEFCON 1 – however it's triggered - is a mad two hours; every resource is allocated. There's a burst of frenetic activity which I sustain until, sweat dripping off my nose end, I have successfully transformed my homely abode into a showpiece. I must admit, the sense of statisfaction arising therefrom is a natural high. It's lush. I beam, inwardly. And what is it that I do next, when I hit this high? I'll tell you.

I make a pot of tea, get comfy on the sofa, and pick up my current book.

© Damian, June 17th, 2019.

[abitterlifethroughcinema]

WOKE! THEATRE REVIEWS by Lucas Avram Cavazos

Double Take Theatre Company and Sala Fenix BCN Presents

Dealing with Clair

By Martin Crimp

Direction by David Adeane

Last week, Barcelona’s own Double Take Theatre premiered their interpretation of Martin Crimp’s 1988 play Dealing with Clair at Sala Fenix in Raval. The play itself was inspired by the still unsolved cold case of Ms. Suzy Lamplugh, a London estate agent who disappeared in 1986, at the age of 25, after leaving her west London offices to meet a client known only as Mr Kipper. Eight years later, she was officially declared dead, presumed murdered, but no one has ever been brought to justice. That very fact sets the energy level at a stronger dial when a spectator knows that fact, but assuming most don’t, as the play is now three decades old, it is undeniable that Crimp’s unique jargon and sardonic sense of wordy humour makes even more pertinent sense today in the age of ego and selfies.

The intimacy of a cozy venue like Sala Fenix puts everyone directly into the affair, and with the sparest of furnishings, director David Adeane assembled the camaraderie of a tight group of actors who kept their characters’ voices on fleek and by any account, embodied them to sometimes creepy aplomb. In that vein, I must also add that there were moments where an overreach of acting crept in, usually from the two male leads, but considering the unexpected thresholds suddenly crossed in the play’s last act, it was also fairly easy to emotionally attach to (or not) the characters, which is always the mark of a skilled dramatic creator/interpreter. Anarosa de Eizaguirre Butler masterfully plays the titular character of Clair, easing her way through subtle nuances of naivete and awareness, smoothly endearing herself to the audience with her ‘every-girl’ niceties and easy-on-the-eyes looks. She is also in complete change of life mode when we meet her, lazily chatting on the phone, new real estate job in tow and with a small little flat just above a train line. The city is London…the time is the late 80s, and perhaps that is exactly what makes the script come alive, where witty banter and knowing cheap shots are easily sewn into the fabric of an already-lived time, so we know, just as Thatcherism was coming to an end, that everything was going to be okay…right?

Meanwhile, Mike and Liz (actors Billy Jeffries and Margo Ford, respectively) are a young, and somewhat restless couple, embodying the image we all recognise as somewhat WASPy and wannabe bourgeois, as clearly middle class tendencies loom large. But those social norms don’t end there, as flirtation flits its way here and there, as when husband Billy does so with their live-in, Italian au pair Anna (Julieta Moras), who literally assists in baby care whilst always bedecked in loungewear. Meanwhile, Liz, played with ease and almost Meryl-like certainty by Ford, seems casually aware yet non-plussed with her husband’s artless, sometimes lackadaisical, manner of house-selling with wink-wink nods to his wandering eye, all the while trying to score a nice deal that may see them selling their property to the tune of a cash-buy option, which may or may not come to fruition.

As any home buyer/dealer knows, cash options (perhaps less so today but still…) always ring in more joy to any interested parties involved, so when the dapper and seemingly charming James (Edward Joe Bentley) enters the scene with a suave lean, it’s hard not to notice the beguiling way in which the play takes a seedy turn into egotistical fortitude. James’ lush way of speaking in almost bemused tones, while often dancing around a subject, is quasi-sociopathic in its nature, so the actor must have either taken great leaps to touching that character’s surface or it resides safely tucked away within, bringing its lively self to the surface once the act is required. Either way, the performance is, at once, chilling as it is repugnant, and yet its foreshadowing in its own right to the rest of the story is, in a word, brilliant.

I shan’t give away any spoilers here, for also a hope of a continued run later this year will certainly draw a host of other spectators, as this quick-run was a sold-out success every night. Add in the trifecta performance of Samuel Sargeant in a variety of roles, and under Adeane’s astute direction, what we have here is a well-executed thought piece of a play. This is one that gives credence to the fact to how the state of the world in which we now live in is a mere symptom of many years living in a squandered element, often glossed over with a fine sheen of capitalistic, usually feigned, purity. What stuck with me as I left the theatre Sunday night is that, like most plays or films I love, it gave the viewer the chance to establish what they think happens at story’s end…Such is life. ###-1/2

[clubjaks]

Walking around looking at stuff

Which is everyday, but specifically June 22-24  I love all lightposts/street lamps in Europe, but these in the Gothic Quarter in BCN are my favorite.  I’m going to make earrings like this one.

Emergency lunch stop on the Passeig de Gracia.  Good moods return.

Friday, June 23 is San Joan Day.  A Catalan holiday with lots of fireworks.  On our way to this spot we passed many people sitting in plazas drinking cava and enjoying the festivities.  We walked through one small plaza where neighbors set up tables and had a potluck block party, reminiscent of our street at home. This plaza had a band playing too. Bonfires are also common in neighborhood plazas like this one. However the fireworks became too loud/too close for the kids so we left and got a late night gelato, 11pm.

On our way to gelato we found a familiar site!

July 2015.  Looks like they have both grown “two slats” in two years.

June 24, Saturday we went to an awesome traveling exhibit on David Bowie.  He was so multi talented, fearless and creative.  There was a lot of music throughout the almost 2 hrs we spent there and afterwards Sean was humming Starman for days.  Then we headed to the beach to let the kids play and we sat and relaxed.  This tower, ahem, is the subject of a lot of debate in BCN, but I have to say it’s pretty cool at night when it displays it’s multicolored light show.  This is where we exited the subway to head to the Bowie exhibit.