Queer Women of Color Visit Barcelona

In partnership with Delta Airlines.

Just as we got on the road to head for the airport, we received text message notifications that our flight was going to be delayed. We both brushed it off, joking about the fact that we would have more time to stuff our faces and sip a little wine in the Delta Sky Club before take off. The newly renovated Delta Sky Club at JFK Airport-Terminal 4 is the most relaxing preflight atmosphere that I’ve ever experienced. The renovations include an outdoor sky deck with a fabulous view of the tarmac, which allowed us to kick back, relax, drink some wine, and watch the planes take off into the sunset. It was dreamy and what seemed to be the perfect start to our first trip to Barcelona, Spain. That was until we received another flight update notification stating that our flight was canceled. Wait, what?!

It was surreal – we couldn’t believe this was happening. I will say though – one of the perks of being a Delta Sky Club member is being able to resolve flight issues inside of the club versus having to go all the way to your gate. The Delta Sky Club representative was as helpful as she could be. Unfortunately, there wasn’t another Delta flight leaving for the night. So, she offered to put me on one of Delta’s SkyTeam partners, Air France, but that would have meant that my fiancé and I would be flying on separate airlines and days. That was out of the question, leaving the next best option, which was a complementary roundtrip taxi ride home, returning to the airport the next day for their first direct flight to Barcelona. Sadly, this meant one day less on our trip, but I was thankful for the representatives efforts and hospitality.

The Delta One Experience

The next day was hilarious. It seemed like everywhere we stopped, someone noticed me like “weren’t you here yesterday.” Even the Delta Sky Club team was shocked to see us again! Someone mentioned that a perk to having our flight cancelled was being able to kick back on the outdoor sky deck again, sip some wine and enjoy the sun. They were right, and that was exactly what we did!

I was super excited for this trip. Not only was my fiancé and I going to visit a new place, but it was also going to be our first time experiencing the Delta One cabin. Y’all…talk about luxury! The Delta one flight attendants spoiled us from the time we got on the plane until we got off. Don’t judge me, but I don’t think I can ever fly main cabin again 🙈! Okay, I’m lying, maybe I just won’t fly main cabin internationally. I think that’s fair, right? I mean, the experience was everything! Delta One offers curated-chef meals (yep, multiple meals), a wide selection of alcoholic beverages (including wine from Delta’s Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson), a Tumi amenity kit full of skin care products and travel essentials, and my favorite detail, the reclining turned 180-degree flat-bed seats. On top of all of that, my designated POC (person of color) flight attendant, Shanti, was awesome! She was super friendly, checking in on me throughout the entire flight. We chatted and cracked a ton of jokes, making the experience that much more enjoyable.

Inclusive Destinations

My fiancé and I were so excited to be exploring a new city and country together. It’s kind of becoming our thing to close out the summer with a trip to somewhere new. Not to mention, it is our life’s mission to find safe and inclusive destinations for queer people of color to visit. We’d heard so many great things about Barcelona and Spain that it seemed like the perfect escape from our busy work schedules.

It’s no surprise that Spain is an LGBTQ+ friendly destination. Almost 15 years ago, in 2005, Spain joined the fight for LGBTQ+ acceptance by legalizing same-sex marriage. In 2017, Spain celebrated the 40th anniversary of Spain’s first Pride Parade and Madrid hosted the 24th World Pride. In fact, Barcelona and Madrid are well known for being two of the most progressive cities in Europe when it comes to LGBTQ+ rights and cultural acceptance. Even though the cultural climate and laws in Spain are some of the most liberal in Europe, our experience made me realize that it doesn’t necessarily mean that the community would be as endearing to the QPOC community. Please understand that this was not our experience with everybody, it seemed to be our experience with the older generation. Our generation and younger were incredibly kind and welcoming.

Queer Women of Color Visit Barcelona

Queer women of color… I’m going to be completely transparent with you, Barcelona is LGBTQ+ safe and friendly, but it didn’t feel as welcoming to QPOCs. My partner and I constantly felt those intrusive stares. I completely understand how hurtful, frustrating, and draining it can be to receive these looks. But like Mama Obama says “when they go low, we go high!” My best advice to you is, smile, say hello, and keep living your life. Unfortunately, some people may never change, but that doesn’t mean we need to stoop to their level or let them consume our energy. With that said, I have a ton of recommendations for your first trip to Barcelona.

Safe Hotels

We entered the hotel with a slight smirk on our faces. It was as if we were thinking the same thing, like ummm, is this an LGBTQ+ hotel? You see, I let my fiancé book our first hotel, and of course, she had no idea that the ‘adults only’ hotel was a gay hotel that was “hetero” friendly. It was hilarious, but also kind of serendipitous. While we were extremely happy to be staying in such an inclusive space, we would quickly learn that the LGBTQ+ establishment catered mainly to gay men; I think we saw two women there our entire stay. This didn’t end up being much of an issue as we spent the bulk of our trip out and about, exploring the city. Albeit, it was a safe, inclusive, and inexpensive space for the community.

Our next hotel was the W hotel, a slightly more expensive hotel, located about 15 minutes outside of the center of town, located on the edge of the Barcelona beach. The 26 story hotel is truly one of a kind, equipped with everything you need to escape the typical tourist attractions. If the beachfront, pool, restaurants, and shops aren’t enough, there’s always the rooftop bar with the most spectacular view of the city at sunset.

Where to Eat

By now, you should know that my fiancé and I are huge foodies and quickly becoming wine snobs. Our go-to source for quality dining is the Michelin Guide and Eaters Top restaurant list. My partner found two breakfast gems that became our go-to’s – Flax & Kale and Bohl. Flax & Kale is a planet based vegan friendly restaurant with one of those menus that will have you struggling to decide what to order. Everything we tried on the menu was delicious! There’s also a sister restaurant, Teresa Carles, that offers a healthy and tasty planet based lunch and dinner cuisines. My favorite was the 5 Layers Lasanyuki (lasagna). I’m telling you, this was one of those restaurants where all you do is stare at other people’s plates like “oooo, that looks delicious! What is that?!” We ended up chatting with the couple next to us, commenting on each other’s dishes, giving the same response every time a plate was set on the table, saying, “I was going to order that!”

Now, onto Bohl. The modern, minimal decor made me feel like I was in a cafe on Melrose Ave or somewhere in downtown LA. The ambiance was mellow, chill, and welcoming. The wholesome cafe is known for their fresh juices, coffee, and smoothie bowls. As a lover of smoothies and açaí bowls, let’s just say that I inhaled mine. There were so many delicious options to choose from, but I went with ‘Sophie’s Chunky Monkey Bowl’, which I will definitely be recreating at home. My lady, on the other hand, went for the ‘Scramble Bumble’, which she chose every time lol! I have to admit, it was really good.

Okay, so we don’t only seek out breakfast spots; we love dinner – well, because with dinner comes wine 😁and Barcelona is known for tapas and wine!

More Eats – Fine Dining

Every year, I try to do something special to close out the summer in conjunction with my partners birthday. So, for this trip, with the help of her brother, I arranged two surprise dinners, the first at a Michelin recommended restaurant and also at a Michelin-starred restaurant – Bar Mut and Dos Palillos, respectively. Both experiences were amazing in their own ways.

Bar Mut…where do I begin?! We met the dopest waiter and Sommelier, Mathias. Apart from recommending a delicious, local Catalonian wine and curating a unique tasting menu full of his favorite dishes, over the course of the night, we spent hours chatting about all of our culinary experiences and life experiences. So, if you make it to Bar Mut, tell him we said hi and we’ll see him soon! I must warn you, the restaurant is always booked, so I recommend booking a table well in advance. Oh and one last important tip…at the end of your meal, request the staple desert that has been on the menu since the restaurant first opened. It was the highlight of our evening! I promise you, you won’t be disappointed.

The following night, we enjoyed a unique “show cooking” experience at Dos Palillos. There are two gastronomic focused tasting menu options – the 12 or 18 course menu. We chose the 18 course menu, I mean, duh lol. Honestly, my mouth is watering just thinking about each dish, so you’ll just have to trust me and try it out for yourself. Let’s just say, we left satisfied and stuffed!

Until Next Time…

I don’t want to share every detail about our trip, but if you’re interested in seeing more, check out Instagram ‘highlights.’

There’s always that bittersweet feeling at the end of a trip. On one hand, you’re ready to get back to your own bed and home, but, on the other hand, you feel like you didn’t see and do enough. But, I guess there’s always a next time.

Our flight home was just as pleasant as going. The only difference was that we experienced different Delta One seating, which I thought was cool because we were able to see all the changes that Delta made in Delta One. Just as before, the flight attendants spoiled us throughout the flight. In case you haven’t yet experienced Delta One, one flight attendant is designated to each side of the plane. On this flight, we were attended to by the Purser – an extremely nice and personable POC woman. To be honest, it felt like the Purser was there just for us! She checked on us frequently, making sure that we were okay and had everything we needed. She really went above and beyond. When tea and coffee time rolled around, she made T a tasty hot tottie, which we shared, as she had a bit of a heavy pour 🙂 The entire flight crew were extremely nice, but her extra service sealed the deal.

Seeing POC representation is really important to me. Whether these individuals hold executive roles, are the face of the company, or in Purser’s case, the head of a cabin, to me it shows that the company I’m flying with has equal opportunities for people who look like me.

—