Hotel Barcelona Universal: In praise of your staff

Dear Roberto:

My fiance and I stayed at your hotel the week of 12 July; between the two of us we have stayed in many hotels around the world over the years. We expressed our thanks to several members of your staff during our week-long stay, but Taru and I wanted to tell you personally how much we enjoyed our stay and how pleased we were with the attentiveness of your staff. To a person they were polite, helpful and responsive, and met any request quickly and thoroughly. Because we stayed at your establishment more than a few days, we encountered many members of your team, so we know this wasn’t a matter of one or two “stars” but indicative of the culture at the Hotel Barcelona Universal.

We have already recommended your hotel to some of our friends and will certainly continue to do so, and we will be happy to share our recommendation on travel sites. Please extend our thanks to your staff members, and congratulations on providing your guests with such a professional and obviously well-managed team. We look forward to a return stay — Room 906 was the height of comfort — as this was just our first visit to Barcelona. Because we became engaged our last evening there, I’m sure we’ll be back to relive (already) many happy memories.

With best regards,
Rob Kinslow, experience written in July 2010.

www.hotelbarcelonauniversal.com

Hotel Granvia: Character & Beauty of Europe

I stay in the Hotel Granvia every time I go to Barcelona, and have for the last 15 years.

It is a beautiful little gem hotel. The rooms reflect the character and beauty of Europe. The location is wonderful and the staff very helpful.

They offer a magnificent breakfast and have a beautiful dining area.

I highly recommend this lovely hotel.

Experience posted by Sandra Ulloa, July 2010.

14th ISAAC: International Society for Augmentative & Alternative Communication

The 14th Biennial Conference of the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC) in Barcelona, themed Communicating Worlds. ISAAC focuses on people anywhere in the world who communicate with little or no speech. Thousands of members in 60 countries, with 15 ISAAC Chapters work together so that everyone can communicate.

Each conference includes families sharing success stories, exciting breakthroughs, fun social activities, scientific paper presentations, and demonstrations of assistive equipment.  During each global gathering, families, therapists, professionals, children and adults with complex communication needs, and researchers from the fields of education, rehabilitation, health sciences, government and industry come and learn the latest information about augmentative and alternative communication.

Barcelona is calling all together in 2010 to continue to communicate around the world. We extend a heartfelt welcome for you to join our circle of friends and advocate with us to improve communication for all people with speech difficulties.

Location -> International Convention Center of Barcelona (Rambla Prim 1-17 - Fòrum).

Gracia Festival: Barcelona’s biggest and most colorful street party

Probably Barcelona’s biggest and most colourful street party, the Festa de Gràcia gets underway on August 15th and, during one week, seventeen streets will be decorated for the celebrations, on another year of this historical event. The first reference of this festivity dates back to 1817, when Gràcia was a small village, and not yet absorbed as a neighbourhood by Barcelona.

Gràcia was established in 1626, in the surroundings of a convent called Nostra Senyora de Gràcia (Our Lady of Grace). Gràcia was an independent municipality until it was annexed to Barcelona in 1897 along with other villages in the plain of Barcelona. The expansion of the Eixample  district in the 19th century eventually led to the northward expansion of Barcelona, connecting Gràcia to the growing metropolis.

Given the confirmation that some two thirds of the event’s visitors will be attending its morning, afternoon and early-evening activities, it will hold its main family-interest shows and cultural events at those times.

Still, the night party may stretch out to 2 am during the week and 3.30 am during the weekend, with concerts and music.

The first event of the Festival was the poster contest. Aina Cordoncillo, local illustrator, has been selected among 268 participants, and her poster will be the Official Poster of the Festival.

Shared Services, Cutting Costs & Innovative Strategies at Hotel 1898 Barcelona

Axiom Groupe, leader in production of conferences and communication, delivering business intelligence and strategic information, continuing their partnership with Hotel 1898 in Barcelona, announces its 3rd annual event: Shared Services.

From this event, September 22nd - 23rd, you will learn:

• Shared Services: insourcing versus outsourcing
• Global Sourcing, Expected Behaviours, Team management, Leadership
• Global Service Delivery Model combining efficiency and value added
• Meeting transformation targets through outsourcing and Offshoring
• Getting your Top Management support for the Shared Services Centre
• From Efficiency to Effectiveness in Shared Services
• People and culture
• Tax and control of SSC
• Getting the internal control framework right
• Key technologies in your SSC
• Creating a winning culture of SCC
• Re-ajusting your BPO to gain cash flow
• Managing complex reorganisation projects of the planning stage

A conference specially designed for General Managers, Presidents, Vice Presidents, Directors & Managers of Finances and Outsourcing.
Further information can be found at this PDF file.

VI Busker’s Festival Barcelona

Busker’s Festival Barcelona is an internacional street music festival wich objective is to spread the cultural diversity of Barcelona through music. This time, the festival will take place in August, from 5th to the 8th, in the well-known neighbourhood of Barceloneta; four nights of music for all tastes and for the whole family!

Busker’s Festival Barcelona has the peculiarity of being a “hat’s pass” entrance festival. It means, artists don’t receive any fee to be part of the festival; the audience is who gives the money directly to the artists, according to his abilities, tastes and preferences. During the show, artists “pass the hat” and you can also buy their CD. Busker’s has positioned itself as the only festival of it’s kind in the whole area and the only international street music festival in the city.

This festival aims to banish the idea that buskers play in the streets because they can’t “become professional“. Coming to the festival, you can enjoy over 50 music shows of a great variety and quality, above all!

Organizer: La Casa Amarilla

Sardinas & Rumba in La Caseta del Migdia, Montjuïc

The summer invites you to enjoy the open air. And there’s nothing better than a good meal with some good music out in the open to while away the hot days. These are the ingredients for “Sardines&Rumba“, the new culinary event on Montjuïc mountain this summer.

Book a Wednesday night during July and August (from 9 pm on) and enjoy a big public sardine barbecue, accompanied by the best of Catalan Rumba, and extraordinary views of Barcelona harbour from Montjuïc.

These culinary nights are a new initiative from the La Caseta del Migdia (Marc Ros, co-organiser) and Moritz.

Besides sardines, anyone going to “Sardines & Rumba” will be able to savour a first dish and some very refreshing desserts. The full menu includes a salad, six barbecued sardines and a melon and watermelon shish kebab.

As for drinks, in addition to beer you’ll find a Catalan-style jug of wine, to make it an especially traditional menu. The total cost per person is €19. For further information make a booking, please call 934 235 434.

Where: La Caseta del Migdia (Mirador del Migdia-Montjuic)

2011 Euroleague Final Four in Barcelona

Euroleague Basketball is pleased to announce Barcelona as the host city for the 2011 Euroleague Final Four. With conversations between Euroleague and the Municipality of Barcelona for a future Final Four being at an advanced stage, both parties are confident that the city is ideal to host the final of the top European club competition on the weekend of May 6-8 at the Palau Sant Jordi.

It will be the third time that Barcelona’s Palau Sant Jordi will host the Euroleague Final Four. In 1998, Kinder Bologna lifted its first Euroleague trophy by downing AEK Athens 58-44 in the title game behind 14 points from Antoine Rigaudeau. In 2003, FC Barcelona seized the Euroleague crown at home with a 76-65 victory over Benetton Treviso. Barcelona also hosted the 1969 European Cup final.

..:: Euroleague Barcelona ::..

Sala Montjuïc: open-air cinema this summer in Barcelona

A Barcelona summer evening classic is back. Sala Montjuïc is here again with more films and music in one to the city’s most spectacular settings, Montjuïc Castle.

This year, with sessions every Monday, Wednesday and Friday between 5 July and 6 August, it has a new, bigger screen. It is 16 x 9 metres, that is, 32 square metres more.

This year’s programme is a varied one that includes popular classics like Stanley Kubrick’s Clockwork Orange and Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday by Jacques Tati.

However, the “main dish” consists of more recent films, namely a selection of independent films popular with critics and the public, like the vampire movie Let Me In, the “anti-romantic” comedy In Search of a Midnight Kiss and the acclaimed French film The Class.

Apart from that, there will be a concert cinema session with The Gold Rush, by Charles Chaplin, accompanied by live music played by an orchestra conducted by Guerassim Voronkov.

The programme also includes animated films like My Neighbour Totoro from Japan and the documentary Waltz with Bashir. As for the closing film, you can vote for the one you like best out of three Catalan films.

The Sala Montjuïc programme is complimented by live concerts, prior to the film session, and there is also the chance to have a picnic. You can hire a deckchair too, so you are more comfortable.

Castell de Montjuïc -> Ctra Montjuïc, 66 | Sants-Montjuïc

Tony Hawk & Friends will come to Barcelona during Euro Tour

Legendary skateboarder Tony Hawk and the Birdhouse team will be heading to Europe this summer for a skateboarding tour that include stops in the cities of Berlin (Ger), Rome/Ostia (Ita), Barcelona (Spa) & Brighton (UK).

Tony is a role model for fans of all ages. He was named Choice Male Athlete at the Teen Choice Awards 2004 and had won the same in 2001 and 2000. He is an active participant in the Make-a-Wish Foundation, which honored him as its Favorite Male Athlete in 2002. With the creation of the Tony Hawk Foundation in 2002, Tony has also been helping others experience the same excitement he did as a young skateboarder, learning to skate and building the self-confidence that resulted in his success.

The monumental vert ramp - Europe’s biggest - will be set on the recently inaugurated Plaza del Mar, facing the Mediterranean Sea with an unobstructed view guaranteed of San Sebastián beach.

On the music side, the Quiksilver presents Tony Hawk and Friends tour in Barcelona will gather two major US artists: Joey Cape, founder and voice of Californian punk rock band Lagwagon and Tony Sly, founder, guitarist and voice of California’s No Use For a Name. Exclusively for the show, Joey and Tony will turn themselves into Dj’s before playing a live acoustic session at the After Party, Playa del Masnou (from 9:30pm at ‘El último Xiringo’).

Sunday 18th July - Free entrance at 18:00pm

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