There is such a thing as a free lunch,

[mojosmom]

(if you don't count the tip). When I am going out to dinner, I often make reservations through Open Table. You get 100 points per reservation, and I had accumulated enough for a $20 certificate. I needed to use it, and so I decided to take myself to lunch today, between listening to a lutenist play by the Arms & Armor collection at the Art Institute


and seeing a film about Antonio Gaudí. I went to The Gage, a relatively new restaurant that I hadn't been to before. It's relatively expensive for dinner, but lunch is more moderate. In any case, the bill came to $19 and change, so other than the tip for the waiter, it didn't cost me a cent! It was a good meal, too. A sweet potato soup, with goat cheese and toasted pumpkin seeds, and a smoked salmon sandwich with a side of very good fries, and Earl Grey tea.

The movie, Antonio Gaudí, by the Japanese director Hiroshi Teshigahara was quite interesting. No narrative, except a bit towards the end of an interview with Isidre Puig Boada, one of the architects who carried on Gaudí's work on the Sagrada Familia. The camera describes the buildings, and the inspirations from nature and Catalan culture, accompanied by music of Toru Takemitsu. Seeing it has reinforced my desire to visit Barcelona.

Comments

[islandmomma.livejournal.com]

That lunch sounds delicious, and even at full price more than reasonable!

You will LOVE, without a doubt, Barcelona. I still haven't seen all of Gaudi's work there, partly because I like to linger and drink in the greatness, and not rush around. I once went on what I planned as a long-Gaudi-based weekend, but was sidetracked by Roman ruins, Picasso and the chocolate museum.....it's that sort of place! Ah, well, lots still to look forward to!

[mojosmom.livejournal.com]

Coincidentally, just after I saw the film, there was an article in the New York Times about another Catalan architect, Gaudí's teacher, in fact, whose work looks very interesting,too: http://travel.nytimes.com/2010/12/19/travel/19cultured-barcelona.html

And a chocolate museum? I am so there!