Love @ Nevada
This story dates back to the Spring of 2004. It was a typical weekend at Nevada Smiths, filled with dozens of soccer matches. Barça, in the midst of its famous 15-game unbeaten streak in the second half of the league season, was playing against Malaga. And Nevada was packed with its usual crowd of culés.

A Catalan girl (Rebeca) on a visit to New York City, walked into Nevada Smiths and was astonished to find a crowd of people wearing FC Barcelona jerseys and chanting the Barça anthem with such passion.

Among the crowd at Nevada, a die-hard American culé (Blase) detected by the style of Rebeca’s clothing and her mannerisms that the girl was European, and based on her amazement to see so many Blaugrana jerseys, became convinced she was from Terres Catalanes. He broke out a few Catalan words that he knew and after confirming her loyalty for Barça, all he could think about was her beauty. A nervous Blase then checked with Rebeca about her plans for the following week’s derby against Real Madrid. When Rebeca said that she would be in New York for the match, Blase couldn’t believe his luck! But the excitement of meeting and talking to Rebeca had left him so tense and dry, that he walked away and asked Nevada Smiths owner Jack Keane for a pint.

At the bar, Nevada’s Barça regulars (Pete Grbic and the Garriga brothers, Victor and Daniel) convinced Blase to get Rebeca’s phone number. Their motivation (coupled with the immediate effects of a few big gulps of beer) equipped Blase to ask Rebeca for her phone number and when she gave it to him, he thought he could fly! Before they left the bar, they made plans to meet an hour before the following week’s Superclasico. The following week was probably the longest week in Blase’s life: to add to the normal anticipation of a Barça-Madrid match, Blase had to wait for six days to meet the Catalan girl who was well on her way to stealing his heart! But in the end, it was all worth the wait. Barça was playing in Madrid and they came from behind to beat Madrid with goals from Kluivert and Xavi, and there was also time for Figo to be red carded!

All in all, the Madrid match became the perfect backdrop for Blasé to ask Rebeca out on a date to the next big event: a Yankee game!

Blase and Rebeca both remember that they went to Yankee Stadium for a match against Oakland A’s, but they were more interested in getting to know each other better than who won or lost that match. They decided to continue seeing each other and meeting up at Nevada Smiths to watch Barça games. There, they met and became friends with many culés.

In October 2005, they left New York City for Barcelona. And not just to visit Barcelona, but to move there! And not just anywhere in Barcelona, but to a newly bought home just 400 meters from a place that is very close to their hearts: the Nou Camp, where they enjoy hearing the cheers from the Estadi each time that Barça scores!

On September 8, 2006, Blase and Rebeca were married at Barcelona’s Santa Maria Del Mar cathedral. Our Penya"s attendees to their wedding included fellow co-founders Daniel Garriga, Victor, Garriga, and Christina Velez. Penya FC Barcelona New York City Nevada Smiths wishes Blase and Rebeca the very best in their married life.
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 


This is the story of Blase and Rebeca’s love: love for each other, love for Barça, love for the Penya, and love for Nevada Smiths.


And you thought that Nevada Smiths was just a place to watch soccer games!

Photos courtesy of Blase Cunningham, Daniel Garriga, and Darko Majstorovic.