Conrad Roset: "In recent years I have been discovering it little by little and I like it more and more"

Until not so long ago, the relationship that Conrad Roset had with Girona was sporadic. The artist, illustrator and director of Nomad Estudio had been there a couple of times, and during the time his brother was studying his degree, he also went there to party at the stalls, during the Sant Narcís Fairs. That Girona has nothing to do with the one he now enjoys from a few years ago, as they go there often, taking advantage of visits to his partner's family in Santa Coloma de Farners: "I've been discovering it little by little and I like it more and more. We go for a walk, to a shop, to dinner... It has many things that have stolen my heart." He explains that if they ask his son Guim where in Catalonia he wants to go, he will surely always say Nomo, his favorite restaurant, a Japanese place in the old town. Girona is Conrad's favorite place: “It's beautiful and well-kept, culturally it's alive, things happen there”. He talks about the concerts he has attended at l'Estrenes and Festivalot or the exhibitions at Fontana d'Or. He also appreciates the specialty coffee, which he values more in this city where there isn't a place on every corner, and emphasizes the restaurants: “This year we went to El Celler de Can Roca, it's a spectacular experience”. Another incredible thing about the city is its proximity to the sea and a series of beautiful Romanesque villages, such as Monells, Madremanya, Púbol or Peratallada, with an architecture, he says, incredible and where there is a Mediterranean vibe that he really likes. Roset has also been in Girona for work, at talks about video games: “El Game Gi is a video game incubation program that is at El Modern, a former cinema. The place is fantastic”. He admits that on some of these visits he also considers the possibility of moving there and imagines living there: “We left Barcelona years ago, we are very happy in Terrassa, we have a better quality of life than in the capital, although sometimes it feels a bit small for me”. Nevertheless, he is convinced that if they moved to Girona, they would experience what many people from Girona do, who complain that the city is overcrowded, loses its identity, is full of cyclists and places designed mainly for tourists. A small-scale replica of what happened in Barcelona. “It’s surely happening, but from the outside it’s hard to see all that,” he assures.

The getaways to Girona are usually improvised. They park and go straight to the old town, where they usually take the same route. They love to repeat it, it’s a kind of ritual that goes through La 22, one of the historic bookstores or Zeppelin, a classic of the children’s universe full of games and toys. "It's like teleporting yourself to a magical place," he says with a smile.