I just got an email from American Airlines to help me prepare for my trip. I was perusing the baggage limits, when I came across this gem. Here are some helpful guidelines in case you're packing antlers...

Whenever I'm trying to figure out where to eat in Barcelona, I usually refer to my own website where I've got all the information for my favorite restaurants. The list is intended for guests and future guests to use, but it has wound up serving as my personal restaurant index. In an effort to add to it, I've got to start trying some new places (as much as I love Me and Tapac 24!)

Here are a couple articles about new spots in BCN...

http://www.travelandleisure.com/slideshows/37-affordable-european-restaurants/4
http://www.foodandwine.com/articles/go-list-2009-barcelona-city-guide

Now, which one to pick for lunch today?

I've been getting some flack recently for not posting too much to the blog. I've been using Twitter a lot more, because writing <140 characters and being able to do it from my phone is just SO much more convenient. I´ve added a little sidebar feature, where you can see the Twitter updates.

The summer is pretty much in full swing here in Barcelona. The weather´s been absolutely gorgeous the past few weeks. We´ve got a summer intern arriving June 15th to spend a couple months with us learning about the hostel business and entrepreneurship in general. Lee and I are doing our best to put together an orientation of sorts for him as well as a week-by-week list of projects/tasks for him to complete.

Sebastian, who worked here all last summer and fall before returning to Minnesota for school, is back for the summer. He´s going to helps us out filling in a few shifts while people take vacation time.

The search for hostel #2 is going slowly but surely. We were approached by a guy awhile back who wanted us to manage his nearby hostel. We went to visit this week, but it seems like he´s already got a manager in place for the summer and the place needs A LOT of work before we´d ever put our name on it. So that might not work so well. I also have the insider scoop on a really nice hostel in Madrid that is for sale. It might be a little bit pricey for us though, because they´re selling the property along with the business.

Lee and I are heading home next week (with my Grandpa´s cousin Ana Mari from Asturias in tow) for a huge celebration of our grandparent´s 55th wedding anniversary. We´re looking forward to catching up with relatives, some good meals, and of course, taking our family portrait.

We continue to have plenty of friends and friends of friend´s visiting to keep us busy. There are all kinds of fun summer activities going on in Barcelona including VisitUp on Wednesday nights, Picnics organized by the beer brand Moritz and TimeOut, free Jazz concerts on Sundays outside the Auditori, late nights at the Museum of Contemporary Art and plenty, plenty more.