Cool Halloween Window Display at La Bolsera

Maybe it's the influence of classic 80's movie Mannequin or the way my Dad always used to take us to see Jessops window in Newcastle at Christmas, but I'm a big sucker for really well done window displays in shops. One such place in Barcelona with a pretty big window (for central Barcelona sizes) and always making an effort is La Bolsera. This is a great stationary/paper/party/fancy-dress place and has a few locations around the city.

The shop in Carrer Xuclà (just behind Carrefour on Las Ramblas) never disappoints and themes their window display around the seasons and the various traditions Barcelona has.
                     
This year, they've done a great Halloween display, closing one of the shutters and making a small "cave" of freights. It's got a chilling soundtrack of creepy screams and wails and groans, and cobwebs all the way through.

 A creepy moving Jason greets you inside, and specially positioned spotlights light up the faces of some of the gruesome masks on display that you can likely buy inside.

Hello, gorgeous. My camera phone seriously doesn't do this justice. It's mutant Hills Have Eyes kind of scary.

They even have Predator in the window for God's sake!!

This little lady's waiting for you on the way out.

 Clowns are always scary. Check out the Google maps of their shop, by the way, where they've taken advantage of the street view option and you can "go in" the shop and have a look around. Very cool feature.

If you in town, go and check it out, it's really cool. Hats off to the guys and gals at La Bolsera!!

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Mango Outlet Barcelona

It's not often I'll call out a specific shop or brand here on the blog, but I wrote an article a few years ago on another site which receives an enormous amount of traffic for the search phrase "Mango Outlet" and I only mentioned that in passing when talking about the various bargains Barcelona can offer for the thrifty shopper.

I think it's fairly easy to find a bargain in Barcelona, with central shops such as Lefties (Zara Outlet) in two very strategic spots in the city, Celio is another with an outlet (although not that great for bargains IMO), and many more (please ask me in the comments or leave your own) but the actual information out there about the Mango Outlet is a bit poor. There is a store in central Barcelona - Carrer Girona, 37 - just below Gran Via and another massive warehouse which has an open sale I believe every 2 years. That one is just outside Montmelo - where the the racing circuit for the Formula 1 Grand Prix is - and is difficult to access with public transport. That one is really cheap  - like boxes and boxes of stuff and it's a proper free for all. My wife has been a few times, and people go at 5am to queue up outside, and just buy up whole boxes!

This central one is a fairly decent sized shop and you can see from the pics here, it's a nicely managed place, not just a mad rush with loads of mounds of messy items. Although it should be noted that it was an early mid-week morning ! The store is mainly women's fashion, but there is a really small section of men's stuff if you fancy prancing around like Gerard Pique.

Any readers got some more tips? Fans of Primark for more bargains? Please let me know in the comments! And if you're looking for Barcelona accommodation this Autumn, check out BCN Rentals Apartments for some great, late deals. And for a quick look at the rest of the city sights, their guide to Barcelona is another good read.

Barcelona Shopping Night Kicks Off Christmas

I wasn't sure I'd be writing practcally the same as I wrote last year regarding the expectations of the nation (practically) on two upcoming events - the Christmas shopping campaign and the Christmas Lottery - but it appears that not a lot has changed in 12 months (save a president). Press releases all week have been praising the sales of the lottery tickets as per usual, and despite the cyber Monday plodding along yesterday and the fact that the 23rd December is the best day for retail in Spain, the initiative to get people digging deep early starts tomorrow night in downtown Barcelona.

Yes, for those fortunate few with rather deep pockets, many of the city's most exclusive (read expensive) shops open from 20h till "the early hours" of the morning to participate in the shopping night. Don't be fooled by the link, people, the site is in Catalan or Spanish, not English. There are also many of the chain stores dotted along the same streets (this year Caspe and Rossello join in, too) to pick up some late night bargains, too, don't worry ;o)

Heavily concentrated around the city's most chic street, Paseig de Gracia, almost all of the shops and hotels have activities going on to entice the locals into the shops. Bands, cooking, Tapas, etc. all co-inciding with the turning on of the Christmas lights, too. Similar to last year, you can get a Passport to travel around the shops - only this time you can download one from their facebook page, and tying in nicely with my recent post on Android apps for visiting Barcelona, the shopping night even have their own andriod app too.

If you're coming to Barcelona this winter, check out BCN Rentals for their selection of last minute barcelona deals. And for a quick llok into the neighbourhood where the event is happening, see this guide to Eixample.

Las Arenas Finally Opens its Doors - Or Does it?

If you believe the publicity slapped across many of the buses flying round Barcelona over the past week or so, tomorrow should be a pretty important launch day in Barcelona. The white elephant that is Las Arenas Bull Ring at Plaça Espanya is (allegedly) opening it's doors tomorrow to the public.



If there's one thing that Spanish building companies do well, it's being very late with everything. Palau Güell's restoration seems to be taking longer and longer. The project over at Las Arenas was supposed to be finished years ago, too, and work was actually paralysed there for months while one company blamed the other at the height of the crisis.

So is it actually opening tomorrow? Well, according to the buses, yes, but there is almost no information online about this at all. In fact, I've been preparing this post for a few days due to me running out of time and having to go somewhere whilst researching. No images can be found of the launch publicity. And a google search throws up more job opportunities for new shops inside the place than anything else. I found the actual website by pure chance (it's not ranking for its own name which is bad news).



The place looks like it'll be great, with tons of shops and floors, cinemas, restaurants, gym, direct metro access and a rock and roll museum (?) amongst other things. The facade has been maintained, but is not actually the facade of the building and there's some kind of running track up on the roof if reports are to be believed.

Perhaps they want to quietly launch, in case it all goes wrong/isn't really ready. I've driven past there on a few occasions recently, and it certainly looks nowhere near being ready to be opened to the public (and let's face it, health and safety is not a HUGE deal over here). With a cost of over 80 million Euros and an already overdue date, maybe it's better just to keep it quiet and leave the fanfares for later? Anyone shed any light on the topic? Please let me know in the comments...

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Christmas Shopping til late 2nd December

If the recent chilly weather hasn't been getting you ready for the upcoming Christmas festivities, then this coming week also sees the Christmas lights being turned on and a good excuse for you to stay around to admire them with The Shopping Night Barcelona on the same night. The elegant (read expensive) shops along Passeig de Gracia are opening from 8pm till midnight for the event. Shoppers can join in the fun with a "passport" which is stamped from shops participate in the scheme and then the passports are entered into a prize draw for 5 pretty decent prizes - just for doing a bit of Christmas shopping!

As mentioned, this also co-incides with the Christmas lights being turned on, and I'm sure the Christmas Street Pasta from last year. And if that's still not enough to get you in the mood, then you can check out the giant Caganer at Maremagnum, or head down to the Christmas market in front of the Cathedral for the essentials to decorate your home and nativity scene.

Are you coming to Barcelona this Christmas? Think about renting Barcelona apartments instead of a typical hotel room, and have a family Christmas away from home! Also, for a quick look at the must-see attractions, see this Barcelona Guide.

Star Wars at El Corte Inglés - Photo Update!

As I mentioned the other day, Plaça Catalunya's El Corte Ingles Department store has dedicated part of their 8th floor to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Original Star Wars Trilogy. I actually went last weekend but ill health has prevented me from updating (first the kids then mine!). Obviously I wasn't sure what it was going to be like, so the pics here are from phone cameras and therefore not of the highest quality, and most of the stuff on exhibition is in perspex cases with spotlights, which doesn't really favour a decent photo, either...but it's just a taste, too!




There is some really good stuff on display apart from the collecter-style scale models in fighting poses, etc. - signed posters, an amazing set of the complete original Hasbro action figures (which must be worth a fortune), many toys in their original boxes, and a couple of life-size storm troopers on a speed bike with yoda to keep the kids happy. Some interesting chunks of history as well such as the unbelievable demand for toys that the manufacturers in the 70s and 80s were not prepared for and their ways around this, and how the genre has even crossed over into other fantasy worlds (like Mickey Mouse!) for example.





The various films are on a loop around the store and of course there's plenty of merchandise, lego, t-shirts and models to buy.



If you're in the centre of town, it's well worth a 10-minute trip if you're with kids (mine loved it), or if you were born in the 70s ;o) like me!


Ever wondered what's under the mask??




Finishing touches for one of the best baddies of all time...



Newer Baddie Robots just don't have the same effect, right?!



Every kid's dream - Red leader anyone?!



I took loads of photos, but you should really head on down yourselves for a look, it's free, central and on until the 6th November.

Coming to Barcelona soon? BCN Rentals has some great deals on accommodation and also a very digestible Barcelona Guide.

Star Wars Extravaganza at Corte Ingles.

Now, forgive me for a bit of indulgance. I was born in 1977, so clearly have had a Star Wars childhood. Yes, I've gone through marathon box sets at university and even tried to convince myself that Episode I was good when it first came out by seeing it in New York City before it had reached UK (obviously not the sole purpose of my visit, just a happy co-incidence).

My little boy is also into Star Wars. Obviously me sitting him in front of the TV every Christmas from the ages of 0 to 4 (he's 4) telling him "Watch this bit son, it's class" has nothing to do with it, but there you go. I even took him to see a small collection of dressed up storm troopers and darth vader at the Sagrada Familia when he was 2 to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Star Wars.



It was allegedly "for the kids" but was nigh on impossible to get my lad near, and at best I got a few photos out (see above). People as old as me (and older) pushing their way through the young-uns to get a good view!

So imagine my surprise when I discovered that El Corte Ingles has dedicated almost all of the 8th floor to a Star Wars exhibition!! It's open at the moment at running until the 6th November, so I shall certainly be heading down with the kids (great excuse) shortly and will report back!! Hahahaha!!

Barcelona Rentals offer a great solution to your accommodation needs. And for a quick look at the city sights, check out their Barcelona Guide.

Wasting Your Money on Fun

I had to travel urgently this month home to the UK, and as always, used EasyJet to fly (fortunately avoiding the bloody Volcanic Ash cloud, twice!). I'm always keen to have a look at the in-flight magazine which has a page for each destination, and I always lñook at Barcelona's page, to see if there's anything new, and if I still have my finger on the pulse, so to speak.

So this month's had a great little article about Barcelona-based vendor, mitemite. MiteMite - means look look in Japanese, apparently - is described as "an unecessary objects lab" and is the brainchild of Ana Marti. She has designed just a handful of products, really, which aim to bring a bit of a chuckle into the mundane life we lead. With the very useful newspaper bag/laptop case, surely inspired by the terrible petty crime rate in the city making Paris Fashion Week and the New York Times, there are some which are not quite as practical but just as fun.



The lazy Sunday pants are great, with big pockets for the remote controls and tablecloth right on the lap for your dinner in front of the box (even velcro removable - how cool is that?!). I also like the crime scene duvet cover and the Mother Teresa towel, but by far the coolest invention is the paper plane hanger for the walls! With only 3 shops in Barcelona stocking mitemite goods, you'll have to snap them up when you see them!



Thinking of visiting the city this Spring? The weather has taken a turn for the better and it's great to wander the streets in the sunshine. Why not rent an apartment in Barcelona for a real taste of the city life? And for a great look into the best Barcelona parks and gardens to relax in, follow the link.

Second Hand Clothing Heaven

If second hand clothing or alternative items is your thing - instead of some of the mainstream high street brands - then you're in luck. Tucked away in a side street of the Raval is a haven for those who like second hand clothing, original print items and new designer stuff with thank funky feel. The street is Riera Baxia - click the link for a map.


There are of course many shops of this ilk in and around the town, but this is a particularly high concentration of shops all in the same street, so you're really spoilt for choice.



This can also be combined on a weekend with the funky market on the Rambla del Raval - just a short stroll away. The market is the main photo at the top of this blog. Again, the market showcases local designers who are only allowed to sell their own wares - no labels or brands here. There are some great items of jewellery, original bags, prints and graffiti clothing as well as fridge magnets, and other pictures to adorn your home with a lasting memory of the city. The market is on Saturdays and Sundays and also has a Moroccan tea tent with different snacks such as olives, sweet cakes and the like. It's well worth a wander around.

Do you know any other great places for second hand clothing? Share them in the comments. And if you're coming to Barcelona soon, then try apartments for rent in Barcelona as a great money saver between friends. For a digestible read-up on the city's sights, also see this Barcelona Guide.

Barcelona Bargains - La Roca Village

I've posted previously on ways to save money whilst visiting Barcelona, but sometimes you just want to shop, right?!


Barcelona is a great city for shopping, and many of the shopping areas and central, with the council designating a "shopping line" (there used to be a Free Shopping Line bus for God's sake!) starting at Plaça Fransesc Macia and finishing over the bridge at Maremagnum. However, a short ride out of town is where the real bargains can be found.

La Roca Village is a purpose built village with over a hundred shopping outlets of famous brands and home wear shops with prices of up to 60% discount. It's a great day trip for those bargain hunters with endless labels and brands such as Versace, Levis, Vans, Diesel, Tommy Hilfiger, to name just a few.

La Roca Village is about 30-40 minutes from Barcelona in a car (the website offers a 10% discount on hiring a car), or 50 minutes on the bus leaving from Fabra i Puig station in north east Barcelona. There are plenty of benches to sit down and relax in the sunshine and a couple of restaurants and bars as well as fast food outlets so you can really make a day of it. Just outside La Roca Village itself (over the roundabout) there's also a great Nike outlet store, where even more bargains can be picked up. It's well worth stopping in here after you've been through the shops at La Roca, as there's usually always something you didn't think you'd need on offer!!

Image rights La Roca Website.

Coming to Barcelona soon? Check out this Barcelona Guide for a good introduction to the city's sights, and check out apartments for rent Barcelona for your accommodation needs.