Ein Prosit, ein Prosit ...

Last year, on the first weekend of October, I flew to Munich with a big group of friends. We had been planning this trip since June.

We saw monuments and the cathedral - the only pre-war building remaining (Munich was nearly razed flat by British bombs).

We saw beautiful gardens, despite the gloomy weather that was a world away from bright, sunny Barcelona.

But really, we were here for this. To experience the madness of Oktoberfest.

And what madness it was.

We brought a little bit of Catalunya with us to Bavaria ...

... but amidst the haze and singing ...

... toasting and napping ...

... we decided it would be more fun to make some new friends ... 

... and begin accumulating Maß ...

... after Maß after Maß ...

... until we (I) had drunk ourselves to oblivion. Ein Prosit, ein Prosit, Der Gemütlichkeit!! What a trip.

DF

David Fang, MBA

What a ride.

Growth. Development. Learning. All these buzzwords giving justification about why we moved to Europe, why we went deep into debt, why we called timeout on 2 years of our lives ... the endless questions about why in the f*ck would you go to Spain?! Well, at the end of this journey, you realize that all this, it's just noise. Because if not from school, then from Barcelona - the city changes you, changes your outlook on the things that are important (and just importantly, superfluous). Am I better person? Or simply a different person?

We graduated as IESE MBA's, Class of 2015 on May 15. What a day. Bright and sunny, perfect Barcelona weather. Prof. Lago held a presentation in the morning. A good idea, to explain to friends and family that no, despite what we've been posting online the past few months, we haven't just been partying/travelling/boozing. Graduation ceremony in the afternoon on the North Campus terrace, reception, and dinner. And then of course, a blowout party at Astoria and then Bling Bling, stumbling out at dawn. I stayed in town until the 27th - out of the sunshine, back to grey, muggy Toronto.

There will be plenty of time for reflection, I suppose. We've certainly had a few months already to reflect on what we've taken out of the MBA, what IESE has meant for us. At this moment, I simply feel gratitude and pride, for the experience, for the friends I've made, for truly giving all of myself to the program. It's been a precious two years that I will treasure forever. Many thanks to my teammates ... #LaFamiliaB5 forever.

And now it's back (hopefully temporarily) to Toronto. Slowly getting back to real life, to disconnect a little from our IESE bubble, and figure out our next move. Plenty of things I want to share though, about life in Barcelona. The food. The gin tonics. The travelling.

What a ride it's been.

DF

change and renewal

It's April.

My favourite month of the year. And you know why? Nah son, it's not just because it's my birthday, but because of what this beautiful month brings. Growth. Change. A start of something new.

It's semana santa again ... and let me tell you something. I'm the only person in our class who hasn't been back home this entire time. I don't feel homesick, I don't feel like I missed out on anything. What is there to miss out on? The snow? The routine? The depressingly sameness of it all, the fact that nothing ever changes?! I mean, the decided mediocrity of it all is just ... check it out, Europe and Spain, they certainly aren't perfect. But it's been a thrill to be here unlike any other. Whether they like it or not, I'm of Catalunya now. Deal with it.

I can't afford a gym here. And even if I could, I can't afford the proper food to keep on those gains. So what can be done then. In a word - run. I've got a route that I've been running for more than a year now. The exact same steps, facilitated now that I'm living in Gracia. Down to Diagonal, west to La Marina, straight south to Torre Mapfre ... east to Barceloneta, up Laietana, then onto Pau Claris all the way back home. A clean 10 km. Easy-peasy. A lot of sweat equity expended on this route ...  many, many hours and kilometres. It gives me peace, it gives me a lot of joy. I'm a little at the point now where big, life-altering decisions have to be made because like it or not, the MBA is done in a month, and well, what's next? Where do we go? All questions keeping me up at night, especially tonight. Not a wink of sleep, but guess what - will get some eggs, some milk in the system, and yes, go for a run. Clear the head a little, get focused again.

After all, it's April.

DF

L'Anima del Vi, delivering truth in wine

T: 2007 Coll de Sabater | DO Conca de Barberà

B: 2012 Lapierre Morgon

It's been a rough week.

There was a wine trade show last week in Düsseldorf called Prowein. I really wanted to go. And if I went, I would have most likely taken a Germanwings flight. I've flown with them before. It's a good airline, and although we are very used to these types of carriers here in Europe, I think it needs to be made clear for my fellow N. Americans that low cost carriers are in fact extremely safe, and (generally) very pleasant to fly with. As more details come out, this whole event becomes more and more unspeakably horrific. It hits close to home, and not because of me - because of the many German classmates I have, who I know have been affected by what happened. 

Monday's news hit like a thunderbolt. On Thursday I was hit by an earthquake. My neighbour (from back home) of nearly 20 years, has been given 6 months to live. He beat cancer once. It came back last summer, and now the doctors have stopped treatment. I don't know what to think. I don't know what to say. He is a good and kind man and doesn't deserve this.

With so much death and suffering around ... I can't handle it. I'd like nothing more than to get out of Barcelona for a few days, go to the beach, get some food, some good drinks ... but that doesn't make this past week make any more sense to me. No enlightenment possible, why these things happen. So I suppose we keep going, keep putting our heads down and charging forward. The only way to go.

L'Anima del Vi is one of my favourite wine places in the world. Yes. Todo el mundo. It's not particularly cozy, it's not totally comfortable, but it's totally honest, and totally unique. The man in the middle of it all? One of the greatest people in wine I've ever met, and someone I'm proud to consider a friend - even if we don't sometimes understand each other. The homie, Benoît, a Frenchman in Spain, bringing in some of the shining lights of biodynamic and natural wine, from his homeland and his adopted country. A while back, when my brother was visiting me over the summer, I took him here, for one boozy evening. We started with a Spanish wine, the Coll de Sabater, a Bordeaux style blend that was at once concentrated and rich, yet harmonious and pure. And then I had to show him the Lapierre Morgon (and share a few glasses with Benoît). Such grace and precision, reminding me why my life will be devoted to this magical, ethereal, mysterious nectar.

It's been a rough week. None of it makes sense. There are no words of comfort, no solace we can find. So for me, I go back and find inspiration in the things that mean the world to me. There is still good in this world, I'm sure of it. Just a little hard to see at this moment.

DF

being a cowboy in Barna

I've been away. 

It's hard to spend time on LCF when I feel like there's a million other more pressing things to apply myself to, but as we heard from the head of marketing of Haribo, there is time to do everything. Ok. Let's give it a shot.

He's right, you know. We do have time - maybe not to do everything, but at least enough time to do things we really care about. Do I really care about LCF? Perhaps not as much as I once did, but it's important to spend some time, in regular intervals, to do a bit of writing. Just for myself. 

So shit, what's been going on? Plenty of cool things, actually. Man, I will miss IESE - in a flash, it's been 18 months and suddenly, we have graduation rehearsals coming up Thursday. Having just wrapped our best party of the year in #MultiCulti2015, I'm not ready yet. I know it's time to go, time to move on and do other things, but I'm not ready yet.

Bourbon. We take it for granted in North America ... the selection, the availability. And then you come here to Spain, land of gin and terrible beer, and everything else becomes an afterthought. Will you ever reach the level of desperation needed to go for JD? I never imagined I'd be so happy to see Bulleit. Tears weren't necessarily shed, but I did stand in the middle of El Corte Inglés with the biggest shit-eating grin. Embarrassing, but when you deprive a man of bourbon, well, all bets are off, as they say.

What is it about bourbon? For the moment, forget about the actual drink. It could be that most cowboy of drinks, the mighty Old-Fashioned, a mint julep, or even a whiskey sour, but in whatever iteration, the character of that sweet, sweet nectar comes through. Siempre. Bulleit has that spice, that touch of honey, that big boom of alcohol. The bee's knees. This wino is grateful for a little taste of home, that reminder that while gin is dope, bourbon is the one and only for the throwback's soul.

At the Haribo session, our guest speaker continued. Did you know they managed to create a whole market for soft candy in Spain? That they not only built a brand here, but in fact changed consumer behaviour? Proving that people are endlessly malleable, despite protestations to the contrary - you just have to know which buttons to press. 9½ weeks left before I graduate as an MBA. 

DF

beginning the last chapters of IESE

After 35 days on the road, I'm back in Barcelona. A little weary, a little wary ... a little more grown up. A winding road that took me through Porto, Aveiro, Praja de Barra, Batalha, Lisbon, Cologne, Vienna, Friesach, Salzburg, Berlin, Frankfurt, and Shanghai. At times it was difficult. But it's been an absolutely unforgettable month of my life. And now we're back. 

The IESE schedule makers are trying to kill me ... 10 hours of class everyday, no lunch break in between. But before I start grumbling too much, I'm reminded that in a few months, I'll be reminiscing about this place. And I've been enjoying the classes - innovation, negotiation, project management, brands - great insights, all. I think this is it for me. I think this is the last time I'll ever be in a classroom like this for a formal degree. A masters degree is my upper limit, academically speaking, but the learning continues. The learning always continues.

So, here's to the final term, the final few months of being an IESE student. What comes next, I have no clue, but I remain hopeful and excited.

DF

on a hiatus

I'm still alive, in case anyone's worried. Just on a (not-so-brief) hiatus.

Travelling, mostly. Drinking, definitely. Making the most of the few months I have remaining as an IESE student, I suppose. Seeing new things, new places, but most importantly, spending this time with people I've come to deeply, deeply care about.

So. Bordeaux and Sitges in September. Munich, Islay, and Morocco in October. Alella in November, what figures to be a soft month because after all, we still do have classes to attend to. Still planning, but the north of Spain, Portugal, Austria, Germany, and the Czech Republic for the holidays. And in January, as Heineken so helpfully suggests, Shanghai.

It's good to still be alive.  

DF

behind the curtain in the Land of Oz

So after a few lovely days of resting, exercising, eating, and drinking in Barcelona, I'm back in Zaragoza to finish off this project. Three more weeks to go, before the 2nd half of the MBA begins. But let's stay in the present. Today was actually a special day, remembered on the train ride. Today marks one year of living in Spain.

What a year. What a year. So many life-changing moments and experiences, friendships made and strengthened through shared sacrifices and late nights in this most amazing city, doing this most amazing program. This picture here? This picture really defines the most important thing of my 12 months here. In a late night booze-fueled conversation I had with my visiting cousin last evening, I mentioned that while we're still young, we're not young ... the time to make something happen is now, and there's really no time for subterfuge. Focus on what's important and hustle. And so that's what I'm trying to do now. Focus and hustle.

I'm excited to finish out the last few weeks of this internship. The research portion is drawing to a close, and now it's time to start putting it all together. I've spent a lot of time this past week in Barcelona talking to people, brainstorming ideas, and just thinking. Some more of that required. When you lift the curtain and take a peek, sometimes it's not all pretty ... something about never seeing how your food is made. But this summer, these first few experiences that have allowed me to plunge headfirst into the wine industry over here - I'm ripping those damn curtains right off the rails.

DF

Bobal? Bobal!!

2012 Bruno Murciano La Malkerida Phinca Bobal

We talk a lot about opportunity here. Seizing the moment, as they say. How many times do we really get to see it played out, in real life though? Not that many. Today was one of those days, when things round out, when the viewfinder comes in focus. My summer is finally in place. I will work for IESE for the first half, helping a professor write a business case and teaching note about his winery. In the second half, I will be moving to a town called Zaragoza, to work with a wine exporter. Exciting projects all around.

I'm reminded that sometimes wine, like opportunities, isn't so much about what's obvious, what seems to be the most impressive. Whatever that means. It took me since January to really figure this internship out - what I really wanted out of this summer, what project (and company) would be my best fit. And I suppose it's a little unfair that I can afford to be a little picky at this stage, what with not having any real responsibility. But with patience, perseverance, and really, a lot of providence, sometimes things just work themselves out. So many jobs came up, that seemed interesting at first, but simply weren't right for me. Didn't feel right, and as much as we're taught to be analytical in business school, my intuition, my gut feel, is still a bit part of my decision making process. And so we make those decisions, and plow forward with hope and confidence, and as always, with an eagerness for the unknown and unexpected.

Wine. Let's get back to wine. Have you ever heard of this Spanish varietal called bobal? Did you know that it was the second most planted grape, after tempranillo? Surprises, always surprises and something new to learn. Jancis Robinson does a great job profiling this wine and the people behind it, so I won't repeat it, but I picked up this bottle after tasting the most amazing bottle of bobal, made naturally, from Valencia. This one was fabulous. Lithe and tensile, but with great juicy fruit, some herbal notes to keep it interesting. Gains in depth, broadness with air. At once pure yet seemingly profoundly grounded in the earth. An interesting, interesting wine.

We try to capture these opportunities that speak to us, that touch our heart ... the ones that bring out our idealism and motivate us to change how things are. Same with wine. There should be no status quo. Wine should constantly seek to surprise, to teach, to inspire. Too much to ask for? Not if we give back as much as we take, to contribute to this wonderful, beautiful industry. Here's to a summer of wine.

DF

La familia

I'm an excitable, emotional person. But I'll try to hold it together. We finished our finals today, and with that last Economics exam, our first year of the MBA. What an adventure, these last 10 months. But more than what we've done personally, it's what we've accomplished as a team. As a family. I've gained 7 brothers and sisters, the people who mean the most to me. We started as complete strangers - a little awkward, a little shy. And look how far we've come. 

That last team assignment we had yesterday, our final exam for Entrepreneurship - it was a culmination of our development as a unit. We had 3 hours to complete a business plan, a concept statement for a startup. From breaking down the report, to assigning tasks, to executing ... we've become such a well-oiled machine. Look how far we've come. So here's to us, to Team B5. So many thanks for the friendship, for the hard work, for the commitment. We party tonight.

DF

My Section B

Prone to sentimentality. That's what I am. What we all are, apparently. Today was our final day of first year classes. Two more days of final exams, and the curtain officially drops. Sad? No, how can it be - we've accomplished so much in our 10 months here. Bittersweet because this part of our MBA is over. And definitely a bit teary now that we won't be in the same class anymore, that I won't get to sit with my best friend up front anymore, that this is the end of 8:15 am weekdays. I'm proud of myself, my team, the special friends I made ... we've worked so hard, sacrificed so much to be here. And although this is an unofficial milestone, this is still definitely something to celebrate. To bed now, where I'll sleep on the incredible memories we've made, and think of something more eloquent to write.

We're Section B forever. All love.

DF

and a week passes

What a week. So many things going on, my brain is shot. And I still made it to Spanish class - a newly minted módulo 6 student(!). Undeserving? Perhaps. But we reviewed the exam results today, and the number's don't lie. I'm exhausted. And why am I still up? Because instead of going out with the Japanese guys to the beer fiesta at Drassanes, I stayed in to finish up an assignment for our Quantitative Methods class. Due just before we return to class from Semana Santa, but let's be honest, I'm not touching schoolwork in between. So let's get this wrapped up and submitted, and free our minds to worry about other things.

Lots of uncertainty man, lots of things I need to figure out still. But I'm getting better at it. 

DF

high and lonesome

What is bluegrass? Songs of sorrow, of weariness ... songs of salvation to salve the soul. A high and lonesome sound. That good old-timey music.

How's all, son?

Not too good. 3rd term's starting off on a rough note. Beat down after 8 months here. Still no internship.

Can't be all that bad. 

No it can't. We are, after all, in Barcelona. It's 23°C outside. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and runs on the beach clear the head and lift the spirit. But man, my ribs are getting sore. I don't know how much more punishment I can keep taking.

We're doers, son. Stop bitching and just get on with it. We do the best with what we have.

Big weekend here. School event and all, for business schools across Europe. Partied hard for 3 nights now. What a waste of time. It's all the same, no, no matter where you are?  How many drinks am I going to have? How late am I staying? How come the music is so bad? Who am I (trying to) taking home tonight?

Focus is key.

Right. So a big week ahead. Lots to deal with before Easter.

Take a minute, take a breathe. And then get to it.

Easier said than done. But yeah. Yeah. At least we have bluegrass.

At least we have bluegrass.

DF

settling in

Cervesa del Montseny Negra | Barcelona

First day of our 3rd term here - unbelievable how fast things are going. Yet, looking back, so many new things seen, heard, tasted, smelled, experienced. I'm a lucky, lucky man. Every term, the MBA Office likes to spice things up, and change our seating arrangement. And every term, I end up closer and closer to the front ... the hot seats. The professors all know about the (totally justified) 3rd term apathy among students, and have already warned us that we will be cold-called and quizzed mercilessly. And I've got the best seats in the house. But I'm happy. I'm sitting with my best friend in the program, and well, you take the good with the bad. 

Stout being brewed in Catalunya. Correct in every way, albeit a bit lacking in texture and roundness on the palate. But this is a good one. Satisfying. Started booking travel plans for the upcoming Easter holidays, and I'm debating whether to get my mother to bring Canadian wine or craft beer. Tough decisions.

But now that I'm all settled in here ... let's just keep seeing what Barcelona has to offer.

DF

brevity

Beer is good. German beer, even more so. Man, I'm so behind, and when I actually get to sorting out the photos, going over notes again, I lose interest and don't even bother actually writing about the bottles. It's all good though. My drinking life doesn't revolve around tasting notes. 

So, German beers from El Corte Ingles. Decent selection, I suppose, but it's all relative. Good, solid, satisfying brews - nothing terribly exciting, but like a good hug from an old friend, something to soothe the soul. 

Just like that, our short break is over. Second term ended last Friday, with the final 2 exams. Confident about how I performed? We all know the answer to that one, so yeah, let's move on. I tried my best though. A nice, relaxing weekend of going out to brunch, enjoying the weather, going for long runs by the beach ... fantastic. Got some culture too, seeing the Le Corbusier exhibit at the Caixaforum. Spent some time with buddies outside of class (finally!), and got to know some classmates better as well. And yes, drank copious amounts of gin cocktails. A long day today, dragging myself out of bed on 3 hours of sleep to go to campus, to film a video promoting the exchange program here. A fun day of shooting, and really, really excited to see the results. Will post it as soon as it's completed. Let's make me a Youtube star chicos. 

Is the worst behind us? Can I finally focus a bit, and figure out a plan to get a summer internship? Let's get it on!

DF

Heart and soul

I walked a tightrope during our last day of Operations Management class last week, and was rewarded for it. That thin line between honesty and stupidity. A fool I remain. But at least a brave one, to the end. At the beginning of the term, we were given the option of submitting a 'Show and Tell'. Something, anything we came across, experienced, whatever, that was applicable as an operations case. And so I submitted something about wine, to the surprise of no one. I know what I'm about son. 

I talked about sherry - specifically, the complexities of the solera system, and the scale of the number of botas these bodegas manage. The night before, I get an email from the professors asking me to prepare a short presentation for the class. Right. I had to make a choice. And I decided to go in a direction opposite of where I was probably supposed to go. At a fork in the road, and I went left instead of right. But hey, always be true to yourself, right. I went up there, in front of all my classmates and professors, and proclaimed that for sherry bodegas, operational efficiency was not important, and would destroy its heart and soul. Bold statements. Maybe not the best thing to say before the final exam. No, definitely not the best thing to say. But I said it, the class voted The Cask of Fino as the best out of the 3 'Show and Tells', and I walked out with a bottle of Cava. A good final day of classes.

I'm reminded of why I love wine. In a word, honesty. Because to begin understanding and truly appreciating wine, we have to first find that honesty. In wine, and also in ourselves. A wine will never lie to you - all the marketing, all the nonsense critics come up with - it's all for naught, because what is in the glass cannot hide. But to be able to see through the smoke and mirrors requires honesty from ourselves too. To put aside egos, to know that there's far more that we don't know than what we do ... to always be curious, to always have a sense of excitement, of mystery. To still be able to be stunned speechless in wonder by a glass.

In front of an MBA class, talking about heart and soul is, well, pointless. But if I can get one person ... just one person to see what I'm trying to get at, to feel instead of analyze ... I will be very happy indeed.

Heart and soul baby. Heart and soul. 

DF

on that treadmill

Perspective is important, no? That sense of purpose, the bigger picture. It's so easy to lose it here, amid all the hustle, all the (at times) nonsense going on, in class and otherwise. The schedule is packed, every moment micro-managed, and although we try to get out and diversify our experiences, try to cram it all in, at some point, the wick burns through and a moment is needed.

IESE hosted the Doing Good Doing Well Conference last weekend. Lots of interesting speakers, insightful panels, ending with John Bird, high on his perch. Excellent. Followed with our second team building event this week, spending a day in the woods doing fun-tivities. Including, well, partaking in that most dignified of traditions, the game of drink. A little drop on my collar, but no matter. My ass feels chapped lately. A little under the weather, a little burned out, a little in need of a moment. I think it's time to hibernate this weekend. 

DF

a little bit of age

2004 Irache Reserva | DO Navara

We get comfortable sometimes, we get complacent. We get stinky in our own scent, like a pig in shit, and we love it. So, as higher beings, we have to consciously recognize when we start experiencing those symptoms, to break out of it, to keep moving forward. Today was one of those days.

IESE organized a team building event today. A day in the woods, doing trust exercises with the team. And it was fantastic. A love fest. But it solidified that I'm so lucky to have these 7 teammates in my life ... my 7 life-long friends. Lucky. 

Old, familiar things give us comfort. And although I'm far from being Spanish (as Barcelona constantly reminds me), I've had a bit of experience with tempranillo blends. A simple wine, the Irache shows some good character with some age. Gritty, textural, full. A good, firm hug. I'm a simple person - I don't deal well with complications. As an emotional person, I just don't know what to do with myself sometimes. But some days, some wines ... they just feel right.

DF

fun things

2012 Lolo Albariño | DO Rias Baixas

Quality of the wine notwithstanding, Spanish wine labels have the most fun. As a North American, we're far, far too concerned with inane details, these minuscule bits of information that we demand, yet have no idea what to do with. We want to see all manner of things on a wine label - region, grape, vinification ... what type of oak was used, how long it was aged in barrel, what temperature to serve it at, with what to serve it ... and now (North American) winemakers want to print an 'ingredients' lists as well? It's been repeated infinite times, but chicos, less is more. 

This is a fun wine. Simple, charming, fresh and vibrant albariño. Bone-dry, great acidity, but with enough fruit to keep it all in balance. Fantastic. But more than that, it's a wine that picks you up, cheers you up. And friends, that there is what wine is about.

Finished midterms! Tough all around, but if I'm speaking honestly, I've divorced my learning from my grades. A good policy, no. So Thursday night, out to Astoria Club for a few drinks. Fantastic times, all love in the club. A big, warm IESE family hug. The weather in Barcelona has been, in a word, perfect. Not going out on the big ski trip this weekend, but enjoying the city, the sun, and getting some culture. Big things coming up in the next two weeks - now that midterms are over with, time to focus on career planning. Let's go get it. 

DF

the unfussy gin tonic

I'm a fairly simple guy. I like simple things, the small things. Like an unfussy, well-made, simple gin tonic ... truly a great pleasure of life.

It's been a rough 2 weeks. Second term courses have been very, very difficult, every which way you look at it - material-wise, workload-wise, stress-wise. But it's all good. It's what we signed up for, no? I'm currently in the depths of midterms, having finished 2 today, with 2 more to go tomorrow. It's good, to be learning all this great new stuff, and we have to keep reminding ourselves that grades are not necessarily in line with actual learning. Cool. So we've got that settled.

One of the most honest cocktails, the gin tonic. No, I haven't been drinking. But one can dream. One more day to go.

The 'unfussy' gin tonic

Tanqueray Rangpur Gin

Fever-Tree Premium Indian Tonic Water

Orange and lemon slice

Chill your glass down with big chunks of ice

Slight squeeze of orange and lemon juice

3-4 ounces of gin, whatever your pleasure

A quick stir, and slowly add the tonic water

Drop in an orange and lemon slice, and gently stir once to combine it all together.

DF