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Vacation

Barcelona

Barcelona is one of those rare cities that captures the essence of beach and urban life in equal measure, with the added temptations of great art, style, architecture, and fabulous cuisine. Regrettably, my Barcelona trips are all too often for work. Nevertheless, I have spent enough time there to be able to make some recommendations for your weekend away. It is a city I love, and, as far as I am concerned, compared to other European cities it is too often overlooked. Usually I like to stay in the center of Barcelona, often along the Passeig de Gràcia, where my favorite hotel is the Mandarin Oriental Barcelona. A converted bank that retains much of the original character, it is one of the best city hotels I have ever stayed in. The breakfast buffet is fantastic, which is crucial for a good hotel. Blending modern and quirky Catalan touches, the rooms are smart but comfortable at the same time. A room or suite with a terrace is a must. The lavish spa offers the added bonus of a Bastien Gonzalez mani-pedi studio, and the massage therapist, can do wonders for your hands and feet. Before the Mandarin opened, the other place to stay on the Passeig de Gràcia was Casa Fuster. More Gothic and Gaudí-esque in its design, it is equally comfortable, and is known for excellent service. A new contender is the recently opened Soho House Barcelona, which overlooks the Port Vell Marina in the Gothic Quarter. This would be my choice if I were in Barcelona for leisure. The hotel is very Soho House, but it manages to capture the Catalan essence very well. Their signature rooftop swimming pool and patio are first-rate, as is the in-house Cecconi’s restaurant, one of the best I have been to.

Restaurants

One has to be careful with Barcelona restaurants. As a major tourist destination that commands huge numbers of international visitors, Barcelona has an abundance of restaurants that are tourist traps and must be avoided. Below is a list of my go-to places.

For authentic tapas…

Bar Mut: Excellent tapas and seafood.

Cal Pep: Legendary tapas institution, which has been copied several times around the world but never to the same standard. Their tortilla with aioli is to die for.

Tapas 24: The tapas are average but their breakfast bocadillos are fabulous!

Cerveceria Catalunya: Consistent tapas and very popular with locals and tourists alike. The restaurant always has a buzzy atmosphere.

Alternatively…

Boca Chica / Boca Grande: Great restaurant and bar with a very lively terrace, where, after a superb meal, I usually smoke my cigars. The baked gambas is an absolute must.

Botafumeiro: A Barcelona institution—it’s like the Scott’s of Barcelona. The seafood is exemplary and the choice is phenomenal, with everything caught and served fresh every day. Their percebes (goose barnacles) and espardenyas (sea cucumbers) are out of this world.

Barceloneta: A fantastic seafood restaurant in the Barceloneta area and by the beach. The party atmosphere makes for great people watching.

One Ocean Club: A very stylish restaurant and beach club on the water. Perfect for long cigar lunches on the outdoor deck when the weather is good.

Cigars

I generally avoid Las Ramblas, but for more than twenty years I have ventured there to visit Gimeno’s (100 Las Ramblas), the best place to buy cigars in Barcelona. From outside, the shop looks like one of the many unassuming tourist souvenir shops you see on Las Ramblas. But once you are inside and the staff realize you are after some serious cigar action, they will take you to the Cigar Vault in the basement—a cavernous cellar lined with boxes of vintage Havanas, including regional and limited editions. A truly tantalizing experience!

Shopping

Bel y Cia on Passeig de Gràcia: This menswear institution is Barcelona’s answer to Charvet in Paris or Turnbull & Asser in London.

Santa Eulalia on Passeig de Gràcia: A well-curated selection of multibrand clothing for men and women. I always find some fantastic buys there from brands very difficult to source elsewhere. They also offer MTM and bespoke services.

Carmina: The legendary Mallorcan shoe brand has a new store on Passeig de Gràcia. Always worth a visit.

Further Reading
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SEPTEMBER GRAY
Proprietor of September Gray Fine Art Gallery

BIO 

Gray’s life’s work is a reflection of her enduring passion for the arts. Following a noteworthy career in the performing arts, Gray launched a successful fine art consultancy practice wherein she was celebrated for her ability to assist corporate and private collectors with articulating and executing single acquisition and long–term collecting strategies. Gray’s career in the arts and decade as an art consultant inform her role as gallerist. An avid collector, Gray has a talent for “speaking the language” of both artist and collector and a knack for connecting the gallery’s clients to works by artists whose vision and methodologies resonate with their individual tastes, complement their existing collections and honor their overall investment strategy and appetite for risk. Gray holds a B.A. in Art History from DePaul University. A committed art education advocate, Gray serves on a number of non-profit boards and is co-founder of The Gray Foundation, an organization committed to building a world of enriched life options for youth through the promotion of art and education. Gray shares art news and collection strategies in her electronic quarterly journal, The Gray Book.

https://septembergrayart.com/

JUSTIN SULIVAN, CFP
Senior Vice President Market Leader

BIO 

Justin oversees a team of professionals striving to achieve the highest level of client satisfaction. His top priority is that the team not only meets, but also exceeds the client’s expectations. Through Justin’s leadership and commitment, he helps ensure that the client benefits form a full complement of investment, trust, financial planning and private banking services to help them achieve their financial goals.

XAVIER DANIELS

BIO  

Paintings are influenced by his experiences with brotherhood at both Morehouse and as a firefighter. In creating his art, he is actively thinking about the perception of black men and attempting to be a catalyst for a different view on the black male experience. According to Daniels, the conversations happening in popular culture about black males leave them invisible in discussions about themselves. The portraits of black men Daniels creates are large in an effort to symbolically assert black male presence into those conversations. His work has been shown around the world through Almine Rech and Richard Beavers Gallery. Xavier lives and works in Atlanta, Georgia.

https://xavierdaniels.com/

MARRYAM MOMA

BIO

A Tanzanian-Nigerian visual artist based in Atlanta, GA, is renowned for her prolific exhibition history. Moma’s dedication to her art has earned her prestigious residencies at The Migration Artist Residency, Atlanta, GA, and a blended residency and teaching opportunity at The Swimming HoleFoundation in Upstate NY. The Hambidge Center for the Arts awarded her a Distinguished Artist Fellowship, enriching her narrative-driven solo exhibitions like “ICONoclasts.” This showing intertwines paper cut elements to celebrate and empower revolutionary Black figures. Moma continues to innovate within her practice, expanding her presence through murals, public art installations and exhibitions including an indoor mural for Clark Atlanta universities student innovation lounge sponsored by Dell Technologies and Home depot, ICONoclasts Atlanta building-wide public installation sponsored by Dashboard and If Not Us then Who public digital art mural sponsored by A&E Atlanta. 

https://www.marryammoma.com/

DL WARFIELD

BIO

Atlanta-based artist DL Warfield, a veteran artist who has consistently proven himself a talent of the highest caliber – one who has delivered at the highest levels repeatedly throughout his life and career. Yes, many artists are talented; DL Warfield is prolific.

Warfield’s body of work proves his instinctive knowledge and understanding of pop culture and has given him a permanent place at the cutting edge of the new and next. From St. Louis to New York City, Atlanta and worldwide, his talent, skill and endless creativity have taken him to the top of his field again and again, and he intends to push forward wherever a path to artistic excellence can be forged.

The following is a snapshot of his works and clientele. 

Nike, Sprite, Heineken, Anheuser-Busch, Geffen Records, Sony Entertainment, DreamWorks, Sony Music, OutKast Inc., Universal Records, Boys & Girls Clubs, HBO, Virgin Records, Coca-Cola, Adidas, Vibe Magazine, automotive giant Ford Motor Company. He designed the branding for the City of Atlanta’s Film and Entertainment office and at the same time, His fine art has been featured at national landmarks, including the Time-Life Building in New York City, and the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, KY, which he loaned two original pieces for three years.

https://dlwarfield.com/

EDDIE FONTNO

BIO

A native of the Bronx, New York, is most inspired by the brilliance and uniqueness of excellence within the African American culture. The subjects of his work have all possessed a transformative greatness, which paved the way and changed the lives of many, providing a guiding light for the world around them. Fontno takes a subtle approach and focuses on that “light” to capture the detailed nuances through his usage of graphite and oil paint (black and white) that enhances the contrast between light and dark. Fontno’s never-ending quest to find truth and beauty in its most natural form is reflective in the choice of figures in his pieces; paying homage to those who have in some way shaped his view of the world and positively affected his evolution as an artist, father and man. Fontno attended the High School of Art & Design in New York, New York and Howard University in Washington, DC. His work has been displayed in the White House (Madam Vice President Kamala Harris’ private office) and the much-acclaimed October Gallery in Philadelphia, Pa. He has also been commissioned for portraits throughout the Northeast region. 

www.eddiefontno.com

RSVP

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9:30PM to 11:30 PM!

ROBERT KOOL BELL| LE KOOL CHAMPAGNE

BIO

For many years, Robert Kool Bell, Leader and Co-founder of Kool & The Gang, sought out Grand Cru Vineyards from owners that have been selling for generations and decided to work with Paul Berthelot a Multi-Vintage producer since 1884. Voila The Celebration Champagne was born! 

https://lekoolchampagne.com

EDDIE FONTNO

BIO

A native of the Bronx, New York, is most inspired by the brilliance and uniqueness of excellence within the African American culture. The subjects of his work have all possessed a transformative greatness, which paved the way and changed the lives of many, providing a guiding light for the world around them. Fontno takes a subtle approach and focuses on that “light” to capture the detailed nuances through his usage of graphite and oil paint (black and white) that enhances the contrast between light and dark. Fontno’s never-ending quest to find truth and beauty in its most natural form is reflective in the choice of figures in his pieces; paying homage to those who have in some way shaped his view of the world and positively affected his evolution as an artist, father and man. Fontno attended the High School of Art & Design in New York, New York and Howard University in Washington, DC. His work has been displayed in the White House (Madam Vice President Kamala Harris’ private office) and the much-acclaimed October Gallery in Philadelphia, Pa. He has also been commissioned for portraits throughout the Northeast region.

Website: www.eddiefontno.com