Show & Tell with Lucky Fish in Spain

Jann Cheifitz’ clothing brand Lucky Fish adorned Marcelo’s back from the time he was born. And these days, little Lior aka #3 can wear his brother’s vintage tees & onesies with great pride. The prints (Jann’s forte) are as vibrant and original today as they were when no one else was doing interesting tees for children 7 years ago. Jann was also one of BozAround’s first contributor, you can read here her interview about her hometown Cape Town. She’s back today sharing her recent family vacation in Spain with a long stopover in Barcelona.

There’s a bit of a Spanish theme going on at BozAround I think! Last week it was my experience at The Ashram, Mallorca. Earlier this week it was about the new magazine 7h09 and its whole first issue dedicated to Barcelona. And now onto Lucky Fish:  travelling in Spain with the teenagers. Enjoy!

Hi Jann. Tell us again a bit about yourself and the family!

Both my husband and I are originally from Cape Town, South Africa, but we live in Brooklyn, New York, with our two children Gabe, age 16, and Milla 9. My parents are still in South Africa so we try to visit as often as possible, and occasionally we meet for a vacation in Europe because it’s in the middle of a long travel haul.

And about Lucky Fish. Where & how do you draw your creative inspiration?

LUCKY FISH creates clothing and housewares with the whole family in mind. Its imagery embraces the vivid colors and diverse visual inspirations of nature as expressed in the cultures of the global south, and nowhere are more of the cultures of the global south gathered in one place than in the giddy diversity of Brooklyn, where Senegalese fabric stores will share a single street with Mexican groceries and Jamaican accessories shops. You can travel the world on Brooklyn’s streets, and Lucky Fish has never lost its fascination with the many ways in which people across the planet respond visually to their environment, and the ways in which they express that response in everything from art and apparel to advertising and packaging.

VISITAR = VISIT

Last summer we spent a week  in Barcelona, and were seduced by the boundless playful energy in the city, a real sense of fun. We could spend a day brunching at Pinotxo in the Boqueria, exploring Parc Guell, visiting a museum exhibit on Ferran Adria (the kids are fascinated by molecular gastronomy – talk about playing with your food!) and then still have time for a couple of hours on the beach at Barceloneta because the sun set at 11pm.

Then because my daughter hates hiking and my husband had to return for work, Gabe, my parents and I went to Asturias in Northern Spain on a slackpacking trip!  Our guide Matt and his company, Benga Asturias, organized the trip for us. Our days were spent hiking the ancient shepherd’s and fisherman’s paths along the coast and through the mountains, swimming in the clear waters of its gorgeous beaches. These well-worn paths link up in parts with El Camino, the centuries-old pilgrimage route to the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in La Coruna.

Slackpacking means your luggage is carried by van from town to town, and you need only carry what you’ll need for a four-hour walk. We stayed in little inns and hotels along the way, eating in lovely tavernas.  Children are well-loved in Spain, so they are welcome at all the restaurants and hotels, and stay up late playing in the village squares and eating ice cream.

JUGAR = PLAY

We loved hiking in the mountains and the gentler walks along the coast. Swimming was fantastic both up in the north but even in Barcelona, we took Milla for a swim in the Mediteranean at Barcelonetta every evening after a hard day touristing! Gabe loved the Segway tour around the old Roman city around the port, with the brilliant Edgar and his Barcelona Segway Glides tour. Nothing like gliding around on this Star Wars-type device to keep a teenager from complaining of boredom!

COMER = EAT

The Adria Brothers’ tapas bar Tickets; Pinotxo, the legendary brasserie in the heart of La Boqueria, and at home in our self-catering apartment – because of the mind-blowing produce and meats available just minutes away in the stalls of La Boqueria. The children were also fascinated by seeing brains and other innards displayed on some of those stalls! And for just the 2 of us, we enjoyed the more serious Adria venture, 41 Degrees. Or the fabulous tapas at  Champagneria, the crazy cava and tapas spot that my kids would hate.

DORMIR = SLEEP

Whotells  (not to be confused with the W Hotel!) offers wonderful family apartments in various parts of Barcelona. We stayed in a large 3 bedroom in the Ravel neighborhood, just off the Rambla, and it was comfortable enough to cook a meal for the kids or buy in some tapas and relax for a bit, airy and well lit, at the very heart of the city.

COMPRAR = SHOP

My nine year old daughter was a sucker for any tourist items-she purchased a full flamenco costume for Halloween — she is planning to dress up as a Flamenco zombie/ghost!!!  El Ravel neighborhood was full of  lovely and local little designer stores. And shoes, shoes, shoes!!!

SUGERENCIAS = TIPS

Matt of Benga Asturias is the best Spanish guide, and he put together this walking tour in the mountains and on the beach for us. You can either choose self guided or he can show you around. This would be an amazing trip to do with a group of families and older kids, although if you have younger kids that like to walk,  the coastal paths are wonderful. Matt’s son, little Mateo walked about 12 kilometers with us along the coast with no problem. Along, the beaches are really beautiful –with lots of stops for swims and cervezas  (beer!) or coffees and picking wild flowers.

You can find the collections of Lucky Fish on their own website . The wonderfully edited e-shop nonchalant mom always has the best selection as well.