City Matters
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Ball dels gegants at Festa de la Mercè, photo courtesy of Ajuntament de Barcelona (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
La Mercè, Barcelona’s Second Patron Saint
Just like every neighborhood has its "festa major," nearly every town in Catalunya has a city-wide festival in honor of its patron saint. Barcelona has two patron saints: Santa Eulàlia and the Mare de Déu de la Mercè—known simply as La Mercè. Read more
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Climate Scientists: Concept of Net Zero Is a Dangerous Trap
The concept of net zero helps perpetuate a belief in technological salvation and diminishes the sense of urgency surrounding the need to curb emissions now. Read more
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Can’t Go Abroad This Summer?
Familiar assumptions about what vacations should look like are overdue a reset. Our current model contributes to climate change; it confines the benefits of tourism to a few positives, while the negative impacts are felt by many. Read more
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The Idea of "Green Growth" Is Flawed
If we don’t focus on reducing consumption and energy waste, and instead fixate on replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy, we are simply swapping one race to destruction with another. Read more
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Coca tovada d'albercocs. Photo by Tara Shain.
Recipe: Coca Tovada d'Albercocs
This unusual "coca" from Mallorca is very popular when apricots are in season and has a couple of rather surprising ingredients: potatoes and sobrasada. Read more
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The "ou com balla" tradition at L'Arxiu Històric de la Ciutat de Barcelona in June 2021. Photo by Pandora Domeyko.
"Ou com balla" a Corpus Christi Tradition
On a warm afternoon in early June, should you find yourself wandering the streets of Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter, you might come across an unusual sight: an egg, balancing and bouncing atop a stream of water in an exquisitely-decorated fountain. Read more
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Taken from the www.bubó.es website
Coca de Sant Joan, a Catalan Tradition
Get into the spirit of the Sant Jaon celebrations by trying out some new takes on the traditional Catalan coca, with Tara Stevens recommending creations by the pastisseria Bubó Read more
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Rémi Parmentier. Photo by Pierre Gleizes.
Rémi Parmentier: Saving the Seas
Climate change has recently become a hot topic, but some have been fighting for change for decades. We spoke with climate activist Rémi Parmentier, who has been passionately driven member of the international environmental movement for over 40 years. Read more
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The ocean is the architect of all life on Earth. It provides nearly all the rain and snow that falls on land, and regulates the climate.
World Oceans Day: We Cannot Meet Sustainable Development Goals with a Sick Ocean
The UN declared the start to the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development earlier this year. Its aim is to promote science-based ocean and coastal management, making healthy oceans one of the pillars of progress for all of humanity. Read more
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Coca amb cireres is popular in southern Cataluyna when cherries are in season. Photo by Tara Shain.
Recipe: Traditional Coca amb Cireres
You may not often come across this tasty "coca" in Barcelona, but as you head south you'll find it in most bakeries once cherries are in season. It's particularly popular in the Baix Camp where it's traditionally eaten for Corpus Christi. Read more
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