My apologies to the non baseball-playing world.

Four of us visited Hisop a while back. The restaurant is one of Barcelona's most respected ''bistronomic'' restaurants and, on this at bat, they whiffed.

I hope that the kitchen just had a bad day. Likely, it also illustrates why a good dish takes time to perfect.

A shelled oyster amuse gueule was bathed in some sort of vodka tonic with lime and horseradish mixture and I just wished that they would leave a good thing alone. A first course of gazpacho with mussels was a similar misfire. Fresh ingredients wilted into the soup and, combined with the mussels, the whole thing got a bit mushy.

Both dishes reminded me of the beautiful, submerged roses in the bathroom.

Things started going the other way with a warm, salty sardine with strawberries, soy sprout, and salt flake dish. It was a product-first design; someone spent a lot of time thinking about how it would taste, look, and feel.

I had a great dish that combined white beans, anchovies, and pork jowl. "Salt fiesta! Yum!" read my notes … right next to "Why don't they warm the plates?"

One of us had the most beautiful lamb shank and … well … it was burnt.

I really wanted to like this meal. The lunch prix fixe is a bargain at 25 euros and at that price, I should probably be told off for nitpicking a meal that is an incredible value.

Maybe I'm just a little frustrated. I can see where the chef is heading, know how well his colleagues are doing, and want to be there when he hits a home run.

Lunch prix fixe: 25€
Dinner tasting menu: 48€

Hisop – MAP
Passatge Marimon 9
Barcelona
+34 932 413 233

**********************

Globe travel correspondent Joe Ray writes his own blog, Eating The Motherland and contributes to the English language version of Simon Says! the French food and lifestyle blog run by French food critic Francois Simon.

Photo by Joe Ray for The Boston Globe

Basketmakers from Maine’s Maliseet, Micmac, Passamaquoddy, and Penobscot tribes will be selling their handmade ash splint and sweetgrass baskets at the Maine Indian Basketmakers Sale & Demonstration.

At this annual event, not only can you purchase baskets directly from the makers, but you also can see them demonstrate their craft. In addition, programs include a moose-calling demonstration, children’s storytime, traditional Passamaquoddy medicine, and drumming, and singing and dancing by the Burnurwubskek Singers. Traditional foods will be available, as well.

The event takes place from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 5, at the Collins Center for the Arts, on the University of Maine campus in Orono. Admission is free.

For the best selection of baskets, go early. Collectors tend to scoop up the best finds (and often the priciest) in the first few minutes of the show. Even if you don’t have any plans to purchase a basket, this is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about Maine’s native cultures.

New Hampshire's one crazy place on Black Friday. Why not consider staying off the roads after a full day of shopping and take advantage of many package-deals for lodging in the Granite State? Some properties even offer shuttle service to the malls so even the hassle of traffic won’t get in your way of boundless deals. Here's a quick sampling:

In Manchester, the Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, Manchester Airport, is offering accommodations in a one-bedroom suite, $50 gift card to Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse, as well as shuttle service to the Mall of New Hampshire and a welcome gift bag. Call 603-666-4600 ext. 1.

In Concord, the Courtyard by Marriott is offering an overnight stay at the Courtyard by Marriott, full breakfast for two, and a $25 Tanger Gift Card to Tanger Outlets in Tilton. Packages start at $119 per night. Call 603-225-0303.

Or head a bit north to Bartlett and visit the Attitash Mountain Village. Enjoy a shopping bag full of discounts & coupons to some of the areas favorite shops and restaurants. Also enjoy samples, water bottles, and other shopping essentials. Call 800-862-1600 or 603-374-6509.

In North Conway the Cranmore Mountain Lodge is located just five miles from Settlers’ Green Outlet Village Plus. Package includes a two night stay for two, full country breakfast cooked to order each morning, afternoon refreshments, purse, and a shopping survival kit, full of coupons, small gifts, energy bars, samples and more from stores and area restaurants. And don't forget how great their outdoor hot tub will feel after long days on your feet shopping! Packages start at $198 per couple.

Wherever your stay might be, ask about Black Friday deals, as New Hampshire is full of them.

Get into the spirit of the holiday season with a tour of Portland’s Victoria Mansion all dressed in holiday garb. The National Historic Landmark, a Victorian treasure, opens for self-guided tours on Friday, Nov. 27, and remains open through Jan. 3.

This is the mansion’s 25th year of offering holiday tours, and the theme Let the Christmas Bells Ring: Celebrating 25 Years of Christmas at Victoria Mansion honors that, right down to the silver anniversary accents. Each year, local designers, decorators, and florists transform the mansion into an over-the-top Victorian holiday showcase.

For a real wing-ding, attend the annual Holiday Gala, on Dec. 3, from 6 to 8 p.m., when you can nibble and sip your way through the mansion for $50.

No reservations are necessary for the self-guided tours, offered daily, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., except Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Admission: adults $15; AAA/senior (62 and over) $13.50; $7 for Victoria Mansion members; $5 for children (6-17); free for children younger than 6; or $35 family ticket.

Toast a little wheel of bread, pour a liberal dose of olive oil on top, add a few spoonfuls of crushed tomato and a sprinkle of salt for good measure. Watch the city wake up as you down a café.

Later, have your idea of freshness brought up to date at the Mercado Central de Abastos where you sell fish or play second fiddle.

Perhaps due to most stalls' paintings of Jesus, the big-eyed redfish stare out, looking forlorn and guilty.

All I can think of is following one of these little ladies home so I can see how she cooks her fish.

Mercado Central de Abastos MAP
C/ Doña Blanca
Jerez de la Frontera, Spain

**********************

Globe travel correspondent Joe Ray writes his own blog, Eating The Motherland and contributes to the English language version of Simon Says! the French food and lifestyle blog run by French food critic Francois Simon.

Photo by Joe Ray for The Boston Globe

Haven't gone shopping yet for all the traditional Thanksgiving trimmings? Then why not go French for the holiday! All three Petit Robert Bistros will be serving from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. on Thursday, offering their full regular menu, plus 4-5 holiday "specials" like roast turkey, beef bourguignon, pot au feu, and more. Chef Jacky Robert guarantees his usual prices, with entrees ringing in around $20 and a children's menu for the wee ones. His wallet-friendly wine list completes the meal. Call for your reservations - 468 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, 617-375-0699; 480 Columbus Ave., Boston, 617-867-0600; 45 Chapel Street, Needham, 781-559-0532.

Photo courtesy Petit Robert

Yup, you read that right. The Captain Lord Mansion, a posh B&B within easy walking distance to Kennebunkport's Dock Square, has a midweek holiday package geared to shoppers (valid until Dec. 23).

The $149 Shopping Survival Getaway Package includes:

• King or queen room with fireplace

• Discount coupons to Kennebunkport's boutiques and nearby factory outlets

• A "shopping assistance kit" comprising notepad, pen, and aspirin

• A complimentary gift wrapping station stocked with everything necessary to tie up the perfect package

• Afternoon bubbly by the fire in the living room (to enjoy while wrapping presents)

The Captain Lord is a AAA four-diamond inn and was recently included on Conde Nast Traveler's Top 30 Small Hotels for 2009.

The drugstore lunch counter is a dying breed all over the country, but it's alive and well in Albuquerque, N.M., where Duran Central Pharmacy (1815 Central NW, Albuquerque, 505-247-4141) has been around for 45 years and in the same location since 1975. It's close to the tourist-haunted Old Town, yet locals make up most of the clientele. The food isn't fancy, but it's definitely special, highly local, and because it's full of chile peppers, it's good for you. Not only does the red chile sauce here have no beans, it also eschews such adulterants as cumin. The green chile is likewise a straight-ahead stew of chopped green chile peppers with just a little sautéed onion and garlic. Those sauces alone would keep me coming back, but I'm even more impressed with the freshly rolled and griddled flour tortillas. On Thursdays, the drugstore even serves carne adovada, the chile-laced New Mexican dish that's a spicy cross between pork barbecue and roast pork. Arrive early to get a seat.

Globe travel contributor Patricia Harris also writes about food and travel in the Hungry Travelers blog.

Photos by Patricia Harris for the Boston Globe.

For a great change of holiday shopping scene, head to Providence's Downcity arts district where everthing and everyone is an original. RISD students are holding their holiday sale called RISD Exposé right now until Dec. 11 at 232 Westminster St. (Daily 11 a.m.-6 p.m. except Mondays.) Right close by, the artists of Craftland will open their holiday show at 235 Westminster on Dec. 4, running through Dec. 31 (Open 7 days, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Thursdays and Saturdays to 8 p.m.) Segue to 265 Atwells Ave. for an Italian deli fix at Venda Ravioli, and take your first skate of the season on the Kennedy Plaza ice ($6, skate rentals available).

Posted by Patricia Borns, Globe correspondent

Photo by Patricia Borns for The Boston Globe

Portland’s Dean’sSweets is celebrating its one-year anniversary by giving visitors to its 82 Middle St. store between now and Dec. 12, a free champagne truffle. No purchase is necessary, but wouldn’t truffles be the perfect ending to a Thanksgiving meal?

Can’t get to Dean’s? Then place a phone or web order before Jan. 1 and Dean’sSweets will tuck in a free two-piece box of those champagne truffles.

All Dean'sSweets truffles are nut free.

Want to get the low down on what's up in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India? That challenging region is the focus of Crossroads of Conflict, the 2010 Camden Conference, slated Feb. 19-21, in Camden, Maine, and streamlined to venues in Rockland and Belfast.

This year's program features specialists discussing the area’s history, culture, current situation, and prospects. It will offer both specific and overview presentations devoted to the broad array of issues raised within this turbulent region as well as the role of US policies and programs.

Keynote speaker is Ahmed Rashid, journalist, author, and noted commentator on the Taliban, the Afghan war, and the increasingly unsettled state of his native Pakistan.

Other confirmed speakers include:

• G. Whitney Azoy, National Geographic filmmaker and 40-year student of Afghanistan and the Muslim world

• Paul Pillar, former chief National Intelligence Officer for the Near East and South Asia

• Samina Quareshi, award-winning designer, artist, educator, and author of the upcoming book “Pirates and Princes,” tales of travelers from Italy to India

• Nicholas Burns, under-ecretary of state for political affairs in the administration of George W. Bush, with authority for US negotiations with Iran and India, and currently professor of diplomacy and international politics at the Kennedy School, Harvard University, will preside.

If you want to be assured a seat in the Camden Opera House, become a member and you can purchase tickets now. Otherwise, tickets go on sale to the public on Nov. 30. Tickets for the Opera House (general public) are $220 this year, while attending at the satellite venues costs $150. Special student rates of $40 are available at satellite venues.

The 25th Annual Faneuil Hall Marketplace Holiday Lighting Ceremony will be this Saturday, Nov. 21, for those who want to witness a magical moment. The largest Christmas tree in Massachusetts takes center stage as 15,000 ornaments and thousands of tiny lights are lit, making Faneuil Hall an even brighter spot on the Boston landscape. The celebration goes beyond the lighting and spills into the streets with dancing, caroling, magic, live music, confetti and of course, the area's trademark food and drink. Celebration starts at 11 a.m. and tree lighting happens at 5:30 p.m. Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Burlington's hopping this weekend with art, craft and sugary confections for everyone. Come to the Doubletree Hotel in Burlington, Vt. this weekend for the Festival of Sweets that'll satisfy your sweet tooth and give you a jump on your holiday shopping. The Festival celebrates the region's cake makers, chocolatiers, pastry chefs and confectioners and includes hands-on cooking demonstrations, vendor sales, and cake competitions. The tantalizing Festival of Sweets runs from Nov. 21-22 and admission is $10. Call 802-244-8354 for details.

Photo courtesy of Festival of Sweets

The newly opened Quahog Republic Retail Hut in Plymouth, Mass. will host its annual food festival during the town's Thanksgiving Celebration. Twenty Plymouth eateries will dish out chowder and other goodies to the thousands who plan to visit. Judges will include Chef Michael Beriau of White Cliffs Country Club; Chef Jack Chiaro, an associate professor from Johnson & Whales University; and John Rega, host of the local television program Fooding Around. As always, the public will also be asked to cast ballots for their favorites.

“What better way to get involved in the Plymouth community and its rich tradition than by participating in its signature annual event,” said Quahog Republic Owner Erik Bevans. “We’re thrilled to have a new store located in town and to be a part of this fantastic celebration.”

The Quahog Republic New England Food Festival will take place on Saturday, Nov. 21 from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Plymouth’s historic waterfront. For more information on the Thanksgiving celebration, visit online. For more on the Quahog Republic, visit here.

It's literally called the Artful Gift Show, and it's in my favorite area of Maine this weekend - Camden. The Artful Gifts Gift Show runs from Nov. 20-22 and is Maine’s premier invitational show for unique Maine-made holiday gifts. Be sure to catch the Gala opening on Friday, Nov. 20, from 5-8 p.m. which allows a sneak preview, cash bar, light snacks and live jazz. The show continues throughout the weekend and is an event that welcomes guests of all ages. Admission for Gala and weekend is just $10, and admission to just the Gift Show is $3. Those under 16 get in free. Call 207-763-3433 for details.

Photo of ring by Etienne Perret

Running late after a break, one student rushes into Ataguttaaluk High School, while two other students are unconcerned about being late.

It's mid-afternoon at Ataguttaaluk High School in Igloolik. Michele and I have parked ourselves by the desk of Lucie Tapardjuk, the school's secretary. She's 55 years old, a warm and friendly woman who also works as a translator, and she's generously shared her life story with us. She grew up in an outpost camp on the land, even as the traditional nomadic way of life was starting to disappear. She lived in an igloo. She had her own dog team. “They were the happiest days of my young life,” she said.

We've been listening to people's stories for days now, and could predict what was coming next. Lucie and her sister were deposited on an airplane – she'd never even seen one before – and shipped down south to a residential school in Chesterfield Inlet, which forbade the speaking of Inuktitut, and where she recalls being physically abused. She was 5 years old. No warning, no goodbyes. “No questions asked,” she said.

At this point in her story, a student stopped by and reached for a notebook on her desk: It was the sign-out book for kids who were leaving in the middle of the school day. In the “Reason” column he listed: “Hunting.”

“Bring me a seal!” Lucie cheerfully called out as he left the office. He was one of half a dozen students to have signed the notebook that day. Their reasons included:

“Too tired and stressed.”
“Go make lunch.”
“Falling asleep.”
“Sick.”
“Mad.”

The notebook gave us some insight into of the challenges of being a teacher here. It also underscores the degree to which Nunavut -- created 10 years ago as the result of the largest aboriginal land-claims settlement in Canadian history – continues to be a work in progress.

It wouldn’t be Christmas without a trip to the New York Botanical Garden’s magical “Holiday Train Show” in the Bronx. The “Big Apple” tradition that began 18 years ago features garden-gauge trains rolling past an array of more than 100 city landmark buildings, museums, bridges, and ballparks re-created using plant materials. Considering the scale and variety of materials, the details in each landmark dazzle.

Paul Busse of Applied Imagination in Kentucky adds more landmarks each year. Among this season’s additions, he and his team bring back the original Pennsylvania Station and its Beaux Arts architecture complete with the Grand Concourse, clocks, and statues. That station at W. 34th and 8th streets was torn down in 1964. The train show opens tomorrow and runs through Jan. 10 in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. t’s most popular on weekends, so consider a weekday visit.

New York Botanical Garden, Bronx River Parkway at Fordham Road, The Bronx. 718-817-8616. www.nybg.org (cq) for hours and admission information.

It’s a wonderful feeling to know you’ll need to come back to a place before you sit down.

Eyes wide and fresh from the plane, we head to Bar Juanito in Jerez De La Frontera, Spain, for a crash course of a menu of the good and the local.

We try langoustines and mushrooms in a deep, sherry-laced sauce with bits of shell that give away some of its secrets. Then we dig into a little plate of fried fresh anchovies that, matched with a glass of the salty counterpart--loving fino wine, was toe-tapping goodness.

The bar’s signature artichokes slip by unnoticed -- our fault for trying them offseason. The show stopper is an Andalusian native that arrives with our drinks for free: chicharonnes -- bite-sized cubes of pork that are like bits of crispy, fatty pork roast from heaven. My friend who’s on a diet takes one look and groans. I pop another and my heart skips a beat.

Count on 5-15 euros, depending on how peckish you feel.

Bar Juanito
C/ Pescadería Vieja 8-10
11403
Jerez De La Frontera, Spain
956-33-48-38


**********************

Globe travel correspondent Joe Ray writes his own blog, Eating The Motherland and contributes to the English language version of Simon Says! the French food and lifestyle blog run by French food critic Francois Simon.

Photo by Joe Ray for The Boston Globe

Belle Brooke Barer’s bracelet.

The tough part about attending this weekend’s Paradise City Arts Festival in Marlborough, Mass. is deciding what to buy because the 175 exhibitors from around the country create enticing and original work in clay, glass, jewelry, fiber, paintings, photography, and sculpture.
Thirty-five of these juried artists make their Marlborough debut, among them California jewelry artist Belle Brooke Barer, Minnesota sculptor James Borden, New York photographer Ted Tatarzyn, and Vermont glassblowers David and Melanie Leppla.
The three-day event (11/20-22) also features a sculpture garden with imaginative pieces in a landscaped setting. Gift wrap and coat check proceeds benefit local schools’ music programs.
Nov. 20-22, Paradise City Arts Festival Royal Trade Center, Rte. 20, Marlborough. 800-811-9725.

Artcirq rehearses for the Olympics

The other day, on a bitterly cold morning in Igloolik, Michele and I suited up in four or five layers and started walking to the airport to meet up with Artcirq, the Arctic circus. They were heading to Iqaluit to rehearse the show they're performing at the February winter Olympics in Vancouver.

As usual, we lost our way. There are no street signs here or well-defined roads, for that matter, and travel seems to be something of a free-for-all, skidoos speeding randomly across the snow. With broad expanses of snow everywhere you turn, it's easy for city-dwelling qallunaat (non-Inuit) to lose their bearings.

Luckily, people are friendly here so we flagged down a passing skidoo and asked for directions. The driver spoke only Inuktitut but his passenger told us he was going to the airport too, and offered us a ride in his qamutik, a sledge with wooden runners. (These were traditionally used for hauling behind sled dogs, but now they're commonly towed by snowmobiles.) He took off at full throttle, with barely enough time for us to toss our gear on the polar bear skin and throw ourselves on our knees, hanging on for this unexpected white-knuckle taxi ride.

At the airport, the English speaker told us he was pretty new in town himself. He introduced himself as a pastor of the community's new Seventh-day Adventist Church (Igloolik's already got Catholic, Anglican, and Pentecostal churches, and someone told him the other day, “there are Mormons around.” The missionaries keep coming … but that's another story.)
He asked what we were doing in Igloolik and I told him about the circus. “Did you say a circus?” he said, dumbfounded.