On the last day of August, around a hundred guests met at the Little Beach House in order to celebrate the club’s 5th anniversary and everything that emanated from it during this lustre: the connection, delight and restoration it has brought tomany of its members. This place, however, wasn’t always the ravishing club it is now. Let me share how I witnessed it changing throughout the last few years.
I can remember, not so long ago, there was an old hotel, standing by the sea, in a village called Garraf. Its building was discreet, unpretentious: only two storeys high, a few green windows orderly framed by a white, run down façade. For years, every time I went past it, I would catch a hasty glimpse from the distance and, without failure, its vision would make me fall into a reverie provoked perhaps by its location, right on the beach. Impossible not to start dreaming about… for example, a sunrise swim?
Or, perhaps interest was also captured by the humane scale of its architecture and the perfect execution of that typical mid century Catalan coastal style: the simplicity of traditional fishermen huts contained in a tatiesque modernity. But above all, its entire state of decay made me wonder… When would its former splendour be restored? How? And, by whom?
One day, that old building appeared as the dusty pearl it was, all wrapped in an oyster scaffolding. It became obvious the above questions were eventually going get their answers. When I learned who had undertaken its renovation, I knew, reassured, the place’s original charm would not only be kept, but also creatively enhanced. In 2016 Soho House Barcelona had opened its doors and now, this old hotel, located 20km away from the city, was to become its little sister, if you will.
Most original elements would be polished and go on to serve as a starting point, setting the tone for the new improvements. For instance, green, already present in the windows, would expand in its many different hues and appear in awnings, floorings, tiles, upholsteries and even in the greenery that filled the rooftop. Then, other colours such as blue, mustard yellow or terracotta would be added to the décor’s palette creating a joyful, airy atmosphere that would feel both fresh and warm, vintage and trendy.
Space would be reinvented and rearranged: reception, sitting room, restaurant and seventeen bedrooms filled with wall tapestries by artist Maryanne Moodie, curated art, ceramics, and a selection of furniture that would often evoke the place’s earliest style. Finally, after every single detail was complete, a new addition to the Soho House club was ready to welcome its members and the old construction rebirthed as the Little Beach House. This happened already five years ago.
And a 5th anniversary needs to be commemorated in the most special way. That night, guests were pampered with an experience that went beyond just a dinner. In charge of the menu and ambiance, was a project called Food rituals (if it still doesn’t ring a bell, I am very happy make it tinkle for you). This team specializes in creating immersive celebrations uniting gastronomy, art and performance. For this event, they chose to summon the spirit of artist Santiago Rusiñol (1861-1931) who spent an important part of his life in the neighbouring town of Sitges.
His taste for vibrant colours, a romanticised perception of coasts, gardens and the symbolism present in his work were transferred over a set of tables arranged around the Little Beach House’s rooftop, their white cloths decorated with fishing nets, beaming cups, shells and candles. As the full moon rose, a lavish display of dishes began to emerge: crudos, lobster croquettes, grilled tuna surrounded by a fantasy of tomatoes, creamy rice and, as a dessert, a cake that looked as if it had been arranged by delicate mermaid’s fingers. All of it accompanied by the most indulging drinks: cava Juve&Camps, basil smash cocktail, red and white local wines… And, last but not least, various sorts of coffee infused sprits and Negroni.
The party reached its peak when live music began and flares started burning powerfully. They represented birthday candles, displayed over the building’s top as a way of greeting and honouring the house. And there was a toast for it. For all the years it has endured, for all the years to come in this new era, for people who keep it shinning and guests who arrive from all over the world with the intention of resting, sharing, working or dreaming: the intention of allowing themselves to shine further.
