Tile Art: Don’t You Love A Theme Day? And More Stuff That I Won’t Put In My Mouth

A few hours after our Spleen Adventure, we were driven to Park Güell by our driver Jordi along with our guide, Sonia

Sonia gave us the background of our destination; this is another project by Antoni Gaudi, who we learned about on our first day in Barcelona.

Park Güell is a sprawling wonderland of colorful mosaics and nature-inspired architecture. It’s famous for being one of architect Antoni Gaudí’s greatest creations. The park is full of whimsical sculptures and stunning examples of Catalan modernism. The park was originally part of a commercially unsuccessful housing site, the idea of Count Eusebi Güell, after whom the park was named. 

Basically, it was a failed housing project that Gaudi eventually purchased; he lived in one of the few completed homes for twenty years until his death. He added beautiful mosaics all around the property and can you see the marvel of stone columns in the pic below? AMAZEBALLS.

I’d been slightly nervous about pickpockets while traveling, and it appears I didn’t even trust my husband the way I was clutching my bag! He does look shady.

We finished our tour full of mosaic inspiration, and then we were treated to a workshop with Livia Garretta, an accomplished mosaic artist. Livia was so sweet! We were able to choose a shape to begin with; I love symmetry, so I chose a square, Coach loves fish, so he chose a fish. 🤔

We were able to choose our own tile colors, we had a handy dandy tile cutter and we went to work. Livia suggested that Coach use a marble/bead to add an eye to his fish.

WHY AM I LIKE THIS?

When she wasn’t listening, I added in my two cents: I wouldn’t add the marble eye, it will look childish.

Coach: Really? I think it will be nice.

Me: Ok, but good luck seeing that tile displayed anywhere in our house.

He’s a smart guy, he listened and the art is now residing at the little beach condo and not in the back of a closet.

Dinner Or Bed? And File This Under: I Also Won’t Eat That!

They eat dinner so late in Spain!

We’d arrived back at our hotel and inquired with the concierge about casual dinner reservations; a spot we could walk to.

Him: Oh, I know the perfect spot for tapas. He calls and asks us if we’d like a reservation for 8:30 or 11:30?

Huh? AM OR PM?

Coach said, how about 7:30? Which was wide open because the locals just finished lunch.

We only needed to walk about 10 minutes and we were inside one of the coolest little places ever. I wish I’d taken some pics, but it just had the sweetest vibe to it. The menu was all tapas and cocktails. I had to dig deep to find something to my liking that didn’t involve raw meat, raw seafood, olives, critter liver or spleen.

Kidding, no spleen on the menu today.

I chose a few vegetable based items and a cosmopolitan, surely this is how Carrie Bradshaw would have done it.

My adventurous husband ordered beef tartar, (gag me!) and the server came to the table to make the presentation. It looked like raw ground beef (reality!), then he cracked an egg yolk over it, then mixed it all together, then placed it on small crusty pieces of bread.

Can you believe the Coach asked if I wanted to try it? He raved about it and my stomach was doing flip flops.

Me, ever the doting wife, downing my cosmo: If you get sick, I’m still going to Madrid tomorrow.

We’ve been talking about food on the blog lately; can you do the raw meat thing? I just cannot wrap my brain around it, especially when cooked potatoes and mushrooms are so good.

Do you agree with me on ditching the marble eye on Coach’s fish? Validate me!

XOXO

29 thoughts on “Tile Art: Don’t You Love A Theme Day? And More Stuff That I Won’t Put In My Mouth”

  1. I love rare beef–every so often, a steak done “blue” really satisfies–so I’d have gone with the tartare as well. But I often eat lots of vegetarian things on vacation, too. They always look and sound so good, especially with a nice martini.

    The fish doesn’t bother me at all. I get your point, but since the tail is dark, it balances nicely.

    I just cannot eat a meal that late. (Who am I kidding? I can’t stay up past 9:30 these days!)

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I don’t fully understand how they eat dinner so late and still work regular business hours. It’s baffling to me. I’ve never heard of a blue steak before; that’s a new phrase for me.

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  2. LOL, I was cracking up at this whole post, but you stating you were still going to Madrid tomorrow, even if he got sick was 🤣🤣🤣 I would have said the same thing! Girl, I won’t eat Caesar salad if they use a raw egg in the dressing, let along mixing one with raw beef! How are people not getting salmonella, worms, listeria, mad cow, etc., etc.? No thanks!

    Love the stone and tile work. I was talking to my son about the late dinners in Europe. He claims people are just getting up from their siestas around 5 pm and going back to work, so that’s why dinner is so late. I couldn’t take a nap to save my life, so that lifestyle is a no go for me.

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  4. Beautiful photos!
    My husband ordered the same raw and stomach turning thing at some swank place we went to years ago. I did not join him. 🤢
    And yes, the eyeless fish is a triumph.
    But I have a question… if they eat dinner at 11:30, when do they sleep?

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    1. I don’t know when they sleep! Everyone seems to still start their day bright and early; it’s baffling to me.

      Ughhh to the raw dishes. NOPE!

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  5. I have no idea what happened to my post from this morning. It kept telling me I already submitted the comment! I will try again!

    This entire post had me laughing. You are a hoot! I especially loved your “I’m still going to Madrid tomorrow” comment. Girl, SAME! Not missing out just because my fellow travel partner makes a poor food decision! LOL! I cannot even eat a Caesar salad with raw egg in the dressing, let alone mixed in with raw meat! Have these folks never heard of salmonella, listeria, worms, or mad cow disease?? I give it the HAND! Just NO!

    The tile ‘craft’ looks like a lot of fun. I’d actually be okay with the marble eye, but we didn’t see the marble, so maybe not?

    Ok, my son and I were just discussing the whole late dinner thing in Europe. He claims it’s because their siestas last until 5 pm and then they head back to work. By the time they’re done working for the day, it’s dinner time at 9 pm (or later). I’ll stick with the American schedule!

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    1. I don’t usually have issues with comments—so sorry about that! I loathe starting over and usually lose my train of thought.
      No raw eggs nor sardines on my Caesar’s too!
      You’ll need to trust me on the marble—-who wants a fish eyeballing them all day? 🫣

      You know we asked a few people why they ate so late and no one fessed up to siestas as I’d thought they would. In one area that we visited, it gets so hot in the summer that people usually go out to eat at 11pm when it’s cooler. I would need 2 siestas for that!

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  8. I steer clear from raw food. Always. Sushi? No thanks. I’m not very adventurous that way. Cooked potatoes – yum.

    These are great pictures. I am dying at you clutching your photo so tight in case your husband wants to make a run for it.

    I guess I’d have him put a marble eye on it so we could see what it might end up like, and then I might say yeah or nay before it was complete. I’m glad it made it to a prominent display case. I love that you two get right in there and take classes from the locals. Let me know when you want to go to Ireland. I’ll show up and teach you some traditional dance moves. 😉

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    1. Just wait, dancing in Spain will commence shortly!
      I can’t do sushi either; just not appealing
      I looked at the marble eye and determined it wasn’t a good idea—-I’m quick like that!

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  9. I love that you got to do a mosaic piece. What a great memory of the trip! Guell Park is just spectacular- so unique. I like Seared Ahi Tuna- it’s just seared for a few seconds so basically the fish is raw- so good!!

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    1. Pat, the park was spectacular and I love that you know it as the truth.

      I wish I liked seared tuna; it’s such a great source of protein, but it does not appeal to me.

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  11. No beef tartar for me, either. A cosmo, yes. I do like how you’re clutching your purse while sitting next to your husband. I understand, a dude who’ll eat raw meat is by definition a little bit unsavory.

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  12. Hahahah no, I cannot imagine eating raw meat. Or meat! But your veggies and cosmo sound divine. I love the photos, it all looks so great. I have heard about Spain and their late dinners, to me your 7:30 dinner sounds like it’s in the middle of the night!

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  13. I won’t even go near a turtle (they carry salmonella), so HELL NO I will not eat anything raw. Is he brave? Is that what we call these kinds of people? Hmm…I KID.

    I would’ve left him to go to Madrid as well.

    BUT, I think an eye would’ve been fine. I would have called it an evil eye that watches over your home. Any shifty bitches will get salmonella.

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  14. I’ve had steak tartare and it was delicious. Even Tara liked it, and trust me, as picky as she is, that’s saying something! You just have to adopt a “mind over matter” attitude.

    We’ll occasionally eat as late as 8:30, but by 11:30, I’ve been out like a light for hours. Midnight snack notwithstanding (does anybody ever actually have one? must explore further and blog about), that’s just ridiculous.

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  15. Red meat is very challenging for me on a good day, so I’d say no thanks to the tartar, too! I don’t know if I’d risk being sick on vacation to eat it, even if I did like it. Coach must be very brave!

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