I’m heading out to Barcelona for Mobile World Congress this weekend, and after a Sunday evening cooking class with Harris Stratex Networks (now THERE’s a good idea), TaraBytes will be hitting the ground running. And the show looks to be a deliciously chock-full of goodness as those tapas I’ll be making.

Already the advance buzz is tantalizing. High profile appearances from everyone from Robert Redford to John Chambers sets the editorial tone for the show. And then there’s the product news that’s sure to spark the imagination. For one, it looks like we’ll see a prototype mobile phone based on Google's Android platform at the show from Purple Labs, a mobile Linux solution company. It has teamed up with Philips spin-off NXP Semiconductors to introduce a sub-$100 3G smart phone. Yummy.

And Motorola Inc., despite the rumors it may spin off its devices division, will be out in force on the handset side, showcasing prototypes, WiMAX devices and more.

Meanwhile, Yahoo! sent a cryptic last-minute press outreach missive today scheduling a press conference. I wonder if they’ll have some news for us on the Microsoft front. Microsoft is having its own press conference at the show too. Actually, a lot of big wigs are having press conferences, sure to provide plenty of food for thought.

Speaking of food, there’s the food to consider too — the real food. Barcelona is a culinary wonderland, but the locals eat dinner at 10 pm at night. Before that you can grab a bite of tapas — if you’re lucky enough to snag a seat in one of the busy tapas bars, that is. Otherwise your Catalonian better be pretty good lest you end up ordering something of the sweet meats variety. The press room featured a lovely spread of cookies. So suffice it to say, I spent most of last year’s conference starving and a bit light headed. And after walking and walking and walking — miles on the rail, as they say —it wasn’t a pretty sight. So this year I’m pleased to note the plethora of press luncheons, dinners and cocktail plus tapas receptions at the show, guaranteed to keep my energy up, and that of the other beleaguered and dedicated press corp denizens.

Thanks to whoever decided to let the food flow.