The word “socialite” is thrown around too loosely, just like the term “genius.” I have a slight obsession with socialites – the classic ones. I don’t favor the nouveaux riche girls – gold-digging, ostentatious and all too willing to use a sex tape to bolster them to very temporary tabloid fame.

At least socialites back in the day had a tougher time breaking into a man’s world. And those glass ceilings gave a lot of them gumption; one of the reasons why so many gay men adore them.

Take Millicent Rogers. An heiress to the Standard Oil fortune, she’s regarded as a fashion icon and art collector. All of these things are true. But she was also a pioneer. With art, she didn’t collect just the standard European classics. She was an early champion of Southwestern-style art and jewelry. In fact, she’s credited for bringing international attention to this style.

Most New Yorkers retreated to Palm Beach or Italy to get away from the city, but Millicent retired to Taos, New Mexico. Back in the 1940’s, Taos was but a small artist colony. It wasn’t yet the spiritual stomping ground for Julia Roberts and Dennis Hopper. She was ahead of her time. So ahead of her time, that she was one of the first celebrity activists for Native American civil rights.

But the thing I am most impressed by, is that she wasn’t a whiner. Her heart was bigger than the average heart. I’m not talking about kindness. At her autopsy, her heart was discovered to be four times the size of a regular human heart. She had rheumatic fever as a child, and doctors said she wouldn’t live past ten. While they were wrong, she suffered poor health the rest of her life. This included heart attacks, bouts of double pneumonia and by the time she was 40, she was mostly crippled in her left arm. She died following surgery for an aneurism.

That didn’t stop her from marrying three times, and having romantic trysts with the likes of Clark Gable and the Prince of Wales. She raised three children. She lobbied for civil rights in Washington. She was a hot item on the New York social scene and photographs of her were often featured in Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar.

She never dwelled on her ill heath, failed marriages and she certainly never tried blending in with the pack. Every time she veered off the reservation, she did something great she was remembered for.

mediterranean 014 — Exploring the cloistered Gothic streets

BUENOS DIAS!

Before we embarked on our Mediterranean cruise, we arrived in Barcelona early to explore a bit.

It was a sensual place – summer downpours that made the Gothic architecture slick and glittery under city lights. An azure sea that dotted our paella with its fresh offerings. And everywhere you went, locals were at leisure. At 10 pm you’d find them languid at sidewalk cafes. They’re laughing with their children, sipping sangria and enjoying a long dinner followed by a cigarette.

mediterranean 173 — One of the many courses in our “menu del dia” lunch

Whether you’ve been to Spain or not, you’ve likely enjoyed tapas at a restaurant. Eaters beware; Spain knows you enjoy tapas, and restauranteurs will charge an arm and a leg for the tiny plates. Darlings, put your menus down.

mediterranean 206 — Papas Bravas and more at Cal Ramon Braseria

Be savvy and do what the locals do. Order the menu del dia (daily special). You will be brought course after course of their freshest food and drinks, as the menu changes daily. You’ll enjoy just as much variety for a fraction of the price. In fact, you will never be able to finish it!

mediterranean 006 — La Rambla prepares for an intense thunderstorm

All tourists in Barcelona visit Via Rambla, the main strip of commerce that ends at the sea. While there’s plenty of shopping to do, I recommend ducking into the farmer’s markets. See the locals haggling and squeezing melons, enjoy street food from the vendors and buy gifts that are more authentic and reasonably priced than what you’ll find at a souvenir shop. I much prefer handmade Spanish chocolates or a tiny box of saffron to a porcelain bell with the word “Barcelona” on it.

mediterranean 008 — Exotic treats at the La Rambla Farmer’s Market

Of course, don’t forget to eat Papas Bravas (spicy potatoes) and drink sangria. In Spain, they like to add a kick to it and always add Sprite. In fact, when you order the menu del dia at any restaurant, it automatically comes with red wine and a Sprite, which is meant to be mixed.

mediterranean 208 — La Sagrada Familia – spooky and dream-like

La Sagrada Familia is spooky and ominous, a must-see. And while in the neighborhood, don’t miss Cal Ramon Braseria. The spunky owner is free in-house entertainment and his generous menu del dia will not disappoint.