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What a wonderful Monday evening I had last night in old downtown Madrid. About 2 weeks ago I get this email from a couple of Americans with the subject line, "Show us the ropes for free tapas and drinks?" Talk about intriguing! Of course, I opened it immediately.
Turns out they were a 30-something couple of New Englanders living in Kentucky and working a cattle ranch - but both had other day-jobs. They were such a beautiful couple, pleasant, funny, educated and open minded. The 5.5 hours we spent together on our Tapas Crawl in Madrid went by all-too quickly.
We'd arranged to meet at their hotel near Puerta del Sol at 7pm - an EARLY HOUR to start a tapas crawl in Madridl! But it was also a Monday and I assumed they'd want to make it an early evening as they'd just flown in to Madrid the morning before and would be tired. Man, was I wrong. They were READY TO GO!!
We walked toward the Museo del Jamón on Calle de Victoria and Carrera de San Jeronimo, thinking that might be our first stop but they'd told me they'd been there earlier in the day for a sandwich of jamón serrano. Hmmm... What if they'd visited the next Madrid tapas bars already as well?
The truth is, I'd spent the previous week somewhat stressed about this tapas crawl, deciding where to take them and memorizing the path, wanting to give them a good tapas experience in Madrid. Afterall, this was their first visit to Spain and, well, let's be honest, it's the least I could do as they were paying my way through the evening!
We continued up hill on Calle de Victoria, making our first stop of the evening at the La Casa del Abuelo on the corner of Calle de Victoria and Calle de la Cruz, where we enjoyed their typical "gambas al ajillo" (shrimp sautéed in garlic with a spicy pepper) along with drinks. Here, we men had a caña (a small glass of beer) while the lady chose a glass of Spanish wine, a slightly sweet red house wine which she liked. Here is where we started getting to know each other and discussing Spain and its customs. One topic of interest to them was the custom of throwing the napkins and shrimp shells on the floor - and this place, as well as the Museo del Jamón, is well known for the practice.
Next, we went through the Plaza de Santa Ana to the Calle de Huertas where I took them by a beautiful, historical bar, Casa Alberto, which we found closed on Mondays. I was afraid of this. Earlier, on my way to the American couples' hotel, I zig-zagged my way through Madrid and found a number of other tapas bars closed on Mondays andwondered feared we might encounter more of the same on our tapas crawl.
So we backtracked to our next stop, the Vinoteca Barbechera, on the southeastern corner of the Plaza de Santa Ana. We took a barrel table and stools near the door but there were few people in the establishment. Here, we three ordered a glass of the Ribera del Duero red wine, the recommendation of the waiter. We also ordered a two items from the menu; the morcilla and roasted apple on toast as well as the octopus and potato on toast. Both were good and we shared them while getting more into Spain and what to expect on their travels.
Crossing the street, we went to the Cervecería Alemana, on the south side of the Plaza de Santa Ana. It's a historic bar, in all the guide books, and made even more famous as being one of the places Ernest Hemingway visited most when he lived in Madrid in the 1920s, 1930s, and again in the 1950s. Here, we took a marble-top, wrought iron leg table in the front part of the bar and ordered, again, beer for the men and red wine for the lady, along with a plate of 6 ham croquets and another plate of 1 piece of fried cod. It was all good and we were already starting to fill up but time was passing and we were enjoying ourselves. The all-Spanish waiters worked busily around us as we talked.
Moving on...
They hadn't yet visited Plaza Mayor so I decided to take them through the rainy plaza to the tiny Torre de Oro - Bar Andaluz, a bullfight-inspired bar with walls covered with 6 stuffed bull-heads and accompanying plaques which describe the bull and the bullfighter which killed him. Also adorning the walls are hundreds of photos of bullfighters in action, photos of bullfighters being gored, surgery photos, and photos of famous people who've visited the bar. The wait staff is totally Spanish but their basic English is good enough for those whom don't speak the local language. Here, we simply had a glass of beer (for the men) and wine (for the lady) along with a plate of olives while we discussed bullfighting, its culture, popularity, and history in Spain. They really loved the olives and recounted a story where earlier that day a waiter gifted them a bottle of Spanish olive oil after they commented on how much they liked it. What a nice detail! Who says waiters in Spain are rude!?
By now it was surely 10:30pm but I didn't want to take them back to their hotel until we visited MadridMan's favorite bar in Madrid; Bar Postas on the Calle Postas, just one angular block northeast from the Plaza Mayor. So that's where we went. Still raining, we reached Bar Postas where we found only a handful of Spaniards enjoying some tapas, drinks, and lively conversation and we were there to enjoy the same.
Bar Postas is one of those old fashioned bars, probably been there in one form or another for 100 years but it looks like one which hasn't been renovated since the 1960s or 1970s. It's kind of old fashioned, kitsch, and definitely not "tourist friendly" in that there are only a few stools along the wall, its small-ish, its VERY Spanish in clientèle and wait staff, and the photos of plates of "exotic" food on the walls doesn't really give the average tourist a warm-fuzzy feeling. Why do I like it? Mainly for the reasons I've just given. It's VERY Spanish. You sometimes get tourists brave enough to enter but those eating here are usually those-in-the-know. Bar Postas is best known not only for their good prices but also their delicious "bocadillos de calamares" (fried squid sandwiches) and their "chopitos" (fried baby squids). It was the latter, the "chopitos" which we ordered along with a place of manchego cheese. We finished most of both, along with our beer/wine, as the wait staff pulled down the metal shutters with a startling roar, giving obvious notice to those still eating that they were ready to close as soon as the last guest left. So we did.
We walked through the Puerta del Sol and I explained a little about the Kilometro Zero placque and the Oso y el Madroño statue - Madrid's city symbol. We were all full but they agreed to my suggestion of going to just one more place for a final drink - but no food.
We found ourselves, mostly by chance, at the Café del Príncipe, a historic bar-restaurant on the southern side of the Plaza de Canalejas. Here, we had our last drinks and a plate of nuts at our window-side table. There weren't many people at this hour on a Monday night, and apparently we shut them down as they close at midnight, but since bars never ask you to leave we were comfortable to spend our last hour together quite leisurely. After much persuasion they let me pay for this round as a very small token of my thanks for a wonderful evening of tapas and wine in Madrid.
I walked them back to their hotel in the rain where we said our goodbyes at about 12:30am. It was so nice to meet them and we had a lot in common so conversation was never stagnant. Their adventurous spirits in trying new and exotic Spanish foods undoubtedly enhanced their Spanish experience. A fast calculation revealed we each had 6 drinks and shared 8 tapas/raciones at 6 different bars over 5.5 hours. NONE of us felt the affects of the alcohol after so much food, walking, and time. Better.
It was nearly the perfect evening. Even the rain didn't seem to matter. The bars were more than half-empty on this Monday night.
Thank you, M and P! And happy wedding anniversary!
Turns out they were a 30-something couple of New Englanders living in Kentucky and working a cattle ranch - but both had other day-jobs. They were such a beautiful couple, pleasant, funny, educated and open minded. The 5.5 hours we spent together on our Tapas Crawl in Madrid went by all-too quickly.
We'd arranged to meet at their hotel near Puerta del Sol at 7pm - an EARLY HOUR to start a tapas crawl in Madridl! But it was also a Monday and I assumed they'd want to make it an early evening as they'd just flown in to Madrid the morning before and would be tired. Man, was I wrong. They were READY TO GO!!
We walked toward the Museo del Jamón on Calle de Victoria and Carrera de San Jeronimo, thinking that might be our first stop but they'd told me they'd been there earlier in the day for a sandwich of jamón serrano. Hmmm... What if they'd visited the next Madrid tapas bars already as well?
The truth is, I'd spent the previous week somewhat stressed about this tapas crawl, deciding where to take them and memorizing the path, wanting to give them a good tapas experience in Madrid. Afterall, this was their first visit to Spain and, well, let's be honest, it's the least I could do as they were paying my way through the evening!
We continued up hill on Calle de Victoria, making our first stop of the evening at the La Casa del Abuelo on the corner of Calle de Victoria and Calle de la Cruz, where we enjoyed their typical "gambas al ajillo" (shrimp sautéed in garlic with a spicy pepper) along with drinks. Here, we men had a caña (a small glass of beer) while the lady chose a glass of Spanish wine, a slightly sweet red house wine which she liked. Here is where we started getting to know each other and discussing Spain and its customs. One topic of interest to them was the custom of throwing the napkins and shrimp shells on the floor - and this place, as well as the Museo del Jamón, is well known for the practice.Next, we went through the Plaza de Santa Ana to the Calle de Huertas where I took them by a beautiful, historical bar, Casa Alberto, which we found closed on Mondays. I was afraid of this. Earlier, on my way to the American couples' hotel, I zig-zagged my way through Madrid and found a number of other tapas bars closed on Mondays and
So we backtracked to our next stop, the Vinoteca Barbechera, on the southeastern corner of the Plaza de Santa Ana. We took a barrel table and stools near the door but there were few people in the establishment. Here, we three ordered a glass of the Ribera del Duero red wine, the recommendation of the waiter. We also ordered a two items from the menu; the morcilla and roasted apple on toast as well as the octopus and potato on toast. Both were good and we shared them while getting more into Spain and what to expect on their travels.
Crossing the street, we went to the Cervecería Alemana, on the south side of the Plaza de Santa Ana. It's a historic bar, in all the guide books, and made even more famous as being one of the places Ernest Hemingway visited most when he lived in Madrid in the 1920s, 1930s, and again in the 1950s. Here, we took a marble-top, wrought iron leg table in the front part of the bar and ordered, again, beer for the men and red wine for the lady, along with a plate of 6 ham croquets and another plate of 1 piece of fried cod. It was all good and we were already starting to fill up but time was passing and we were enjoying ourselves. The all-Spanish waiters worked busily around us as we talked.
Moving on...
They hadn't yet visited Plaza Mayor so I decided to take them through the rainy plaza to the tiny Torre de Oro - Bar Andaluz, a bullfight-inspired bar with walls covered with 6 stuffed bull-heads and accompanying plaques which describe the bull and the bullfighter which killed him. Also adorning the walls are hundreds of photos of bullfighters in action, photos of bullfighters being gored, surgery photos, and photos of famous people who've visited the bar. The wait staff is totally Spanish but their basic English is good enough for those whom don't speak the local language. Here, we simply had a glass of beer (for the men) and wine (for the lady) along with a plate of olives while we discussed bullfighting, its culture, popularity, and history in Spain. They really loved the olives and recounted a story where earlier that day a waiter gifted them a bottle of Spanish olive oil after they commented on how much they liked it. What a nice detail! Who says waiters in Spain are rude!?By now it was surely 10:30pm but I didn't want to take them back to their hotel until we visited MadridMan's favorite bar in Madrid; Bar Postas on the Calle Postas, just one angular block northeast from the Plaza Mayor. So that's where we went. Still raining, we reached Bar Postas where we found only a handful of Spaniards enjoying some tapas, drinks, and lively conversation and we were there to enjoy the same.
Bar Postas is one of those old fashioned bars, probably been there in one form or another for 100 years but it looks like one which hasn't been renovated since the 1960s or 1970s. It's kind of old fashioned, kitsch, and definitely not "tourist friendly" in that there are only a few stools along the wall, its small-ish, its VERY Spanish in clientèle and wait staff, and the photos of plates of "exotic" food on the walls doesn't really give the average tourist a warm-fuzzy feeling. Why do I like it? Mainly for the reasons I've just given. It's VERY Spanish. You sometimes get tourists brave enough to enter but those eating here are usually those-in-the-know. Bar Postas is best known not only for their good prices but also their delicious "bocadillos de calamares" (fried squid sandwiches) and their "chopitos" (fried baby squids). It was the latter, the "chopitos" which we ordered along with a place of manchego cheese. We finished most of both, along with our beer/wine, as the wait staff pulled down the metal shutters with a startling roar, giving obvious notice to those still eating that they were ready to close as soon as the last guest left. So we did.
We walked through the Puerta del Sol and I explained a little about the Kilometro Zero placque and the Oso y el Madroño statue - Madrid's city symbol. We were all full but they agreed to my suggestion of going to just one more place for a final drink - but no food.
We found ourselves, mostly by chance, at the Café del Príncipe, a historic bar-restaurant on the southern side of the Plaza de Canalejas. Here, we had our last drinks and a plate of nuts at our window-side table. There weren't many people at this hour on a Monday night, and apparently we shut them down as they close at midnight, but since bars never ask you to leave we were comfortable to spend our last hour together quite leisurely. After much persuasion they let me pay for this round as a very small token of my thanks for a wonderful evening of tapas and wine in Madrid.I walked them back to their hotel in the rain where we said our goodbyes at about 12:30am. It was so nice to meet them and we had a lot in common so conversation was never stagnant. Their adventurous spirits in trying new and exotic Spanish foods undoubtedly enhanced their Spanish experience. A fast calculation revealed we each had 6 drinks and shared 8 tapas/raciones at 6 different bars over 5.5 hours. NONE of us felt the affects of the alcohol after so much food, walking, and time. Better.
It was nearly the perfect evening. Even the rain didn't seem to matter. The bars were more than half-empty on this Monday night.
Thank you, M and P! And happy wedding anniversary!
Last night I went to the ballet in Madrid, performed by the Compañía Nacional de Danza with artistic director Nacho Duato. The Teatro Real was not sold-out on this cold, clear night but nonetheless was well-attended by both young and old alike, some wore furs, dresses, and high heals while others were in jeans, t-shirts, and tennis shoes. Several men wore suits - or simply blazers and button down shirts and jeans like me.It was 2 part performance but the principal part was the second, "El Jardín Infinito" or "The Infinite Garden", a 65-minute homage to the Russian writer, playwright, and physician Anton Chekhov on the 150th anniversary of his birth. This came after the 20-minute break - which was probably a good idea. Passages of "Antón Chéjov" (as is his name in Spanish) were read a times as were one-word comments throughout the part - and all in Russian. No subtitles were given and so I, and no-doubt the audience, was left wondering what was being related to the dance.
The first part, "Rassemblement", was a 25 minute dance collection to traditional slave songs by Haitian Toto Bissainthe, all dedicated to her homeland. Styles of dance included those obviously of African descent. Songs were those by slaves sung in voodoo rituals, telling of suffering and exile from Africa - not as a geographical place but of a land of freedom.
The contemporary dancing in both parts was excellent and expert. That was clear. But that of "El Jardín Infinito" was considerably more cold, barren, and far less emotional than that of "Rassemblement". But we really shouldn't compare the two but consider them unto themselves. For me, I would've preferred 65 minutes of "Rassemblement" and 25 minutes of "El Jardín Ininito" - but that's just me.
The evening got better AFTER the ballet - which is unfortunate to say. A Spaniard and I went to the beautiful "Taberna del Alabardero" next to the Teatro Real for some canapés, then to "La Taberna de las Tres Manolas" for pinxtos, and finally to "Toma Jamón" on the Plaza de Ramales for wine and croquetas.
In all, we had a good time and it was nice to be in downtown Madrid on a cold, clear night around the beautiful Teatro Real and the Plaza de Oriente gardens.
It's so nice to have a GOOD excuse to sleep until noon (or almost) and surviving a New Year's Eve in Madrid is a good one. Last night all of Spain celebrated the changing to the new year of 2010 and all television channels were fervently covering the event.
On TVE, the festivities started around 10pm with a 1-hour montage comedy hour by José Mota (watch 1-hour video via link) with dozens of short skits parodying countless politicians, stars, public figures, and news events of 2009. We laughed a lot.
About 20 minutes before midnight, the formally-dressed TVE countdown team of Anne Igartiburu, Spain's "Mira Quien Baila" host, and dancer-actor Manuel Bandera stood on their Puerta del Sol-facing balcony, with their breath perfectly visible in the freezing cold windy weather, constantly wrung their hands. Ms. Igartiburu was bare-shouldered but, from time to time, pulled her wrap more tightly around her to break the wind momentarily and Mr. Bandera frequently stuck his hands in his pockets. Poor things, freezing to death. Hope they were paid well.
The principal player on television is/was TVE (Televisión Española),
Spain's National Channel 1 whom, beginning today, January 1, 2010, will
no longer have commercial advertisements and no interruptions during
its specials, series, and movies. At least that's what they say. I have
to admit I don't see how it's possible to survive without advertising
income. But then again, it is a State-run entity. So does that mean our
tax Euros are going towards its maintenance? I predict within a year's
time they'll have commercials again. Besides, how are we going to
decide at what point in the movie we're going to go to the bathroom?
Oh sure, we changed channels for a couple minutes before midnight to TeleCinco to see Belén Estéban's new face after serious (and much needed) plastic surgery but that's all. She and some other guy were the official presenters standing in front of the open windows facing Puerta del Sol's Casa de Correos and its enigmatic bell tower from where the ball will drop to ring in the new year.
After the fireworks and ending statements were made, Televisión Española began a montage of scenes of the previous decade's festivities and personalities. The Spaniards with whom I was sharing the experience sang along to the songs, old commercials, and commented about how young they all looked in their day.
We shared a bottle of wine, sidra, and a simple selection of embutidos, cheeses, and patés. It was a good evening and I finally found my way home and to bed by 3am, sleeping this morning until 11am. It was a good, deep sleep in a new year.
Happy 2010, World! Be kind to one another, please. May we pull ourselves out of this "Crisis" and begin protecting the environment. We all have a part in this.
On TVE, the festivities started around 10pm with a 1-hour montage comedy hour by José Mota (watch 1-hour video via link) with dozens of short skits parodying countless politicians, stars, public figures, and news events of 2009. We laughed a lot.
About 20 minutes before midnight, the formally-dressed TVE countdown team of Anne Igartiburu, Spain's "Mira Quien Baila" host, and dancer-actor Manuel Bandera stood on their Puerta del Sol-facing balcony, with their breath perfectly visible in the freezing cold windy weather, constantly wrung their hands. Ms. Igartiburu was bare-shouldered but, from time to time, pulled her wrap more tightly around her to break the wind momentarily and Mr. Bandera frequently stuck his hands in his pockets. Poor things, freezing to death. Hope they were paid well.
The principal player on television is/was TVE (Televisión Española),
Spain's National Channel 1 whom, beginning today, January 1, 2010, will
no longer have commercial advertisements and no interruptions during
its specials, series, and movies. At least that's what they say. I have
to admit I don't see how it's possible to survive without advertising
income. But then again, it is a State-run entity. So does that mean our
tax Euros are going towards its maintenance? I predict within a year's
time they'll have commercials again. Besides, how are we going to
decide at what point in the movie we're going to go to the bathroom?Oh sure, we changed channels for a couple minutes before midnight to TeleCinco to see Belén Estéban's new face after serious (and much needed) plastic surgery but that's all. She and some other guy were the official presenters standing in front of the open windows facing Puerta del Sol's Casa de Correos and its enigmatic bell tower from where the ball will drop to ring in the new year.
After the fireworks and ending statements were made, Televisión Española began a montage of scenes of the previous decade's festivities and personalities. The Spaniards with whom I was sharing the experience sang along to the songs, old commercials, and commented about how young they all looked in their day.
We shared a bottle of wine, sidra, and a simple selection of embutidos, cheeses, and patés. It was a good evening and I finally found my way home and to bed by 3am, sleeping this morning until 11am. It was a good, deep sleep in a new year.
Happy 2010, World! Be kind to one another, please. May we pull ourselves out of this "Crisis" and begin protecting the environment. We all have a part in this.
Below: The countdown to 2010 with TVE Hosts Anne Igartiburu & Manuel Bandera
Real Madrid travels to very hostile territory in Barcelona's Camp Nou Stadium on Sunday, 29 November 2009 (7pm local time) to face FC Barcelona in "El Clásico: Part 1" for the current season. Real Madrid hopes to have their 29-year old would-be star, Cristiano Ronaldo, back on the field after a 11-game injury hiatus to make good on his status as "the most expensive football player in the world". Even if he returns for this important match it's not likely he'll be much of a factor until he's at 100% once again.
Image via Wikipedia
Barça will have its work cut out for them even though they claim home field advantage. No doubt thestands at Camp Nou Stadium will be filled to capacity as this is one of the greatest matchups in Spanish soccer's history, no matter the standing of the teams playing. Both Barcelona & Real Madrid are at the top of the Primera División statistics, Real Madrid with a slight lead over number two FC Barcelona.
"How can I watch the Real Madrid - Barcelona football game on TV?"Answer: Check GOLTV or Canal+. Chances are excellent that it'll be a Pay-Per-View broadcast as it was last season when they charged 12 Euros to watch on TV.
Who to cheer for? Who do you like? Who's your daddy? Or do you care at all??
Don't anyone tell me that Halloween doesn't exist in Spain. IT DOES! And the wave of popularity becomes higher and higher with every passing year - world economic crisis or not. A recent visit to Carrefour Supermarket/Store proved that Spain is very aware of the "holiday". There, they were selling artificial Jack-O-Lanterns with scary faces, Halloween makeup, costumes, loads of accessories and even some candy (although I didn't notice any candy corn).Nearly every day for the past week there have been daily reports on morning news programs about the upcoming "American Holiday" - as it's often described although it's also actively observed in Britain too. Haunted houses, shops carrying popular costumes, the release of scary movies around the date, and of course the holiday decorations are talked about daily. I've even seen a number of elementary school classes discussing how they're going to dress up on Halloween.
An elementary school teacher friend of mine and I spent hours carving Jack-O-Lanterns for the students, bought decorations for the classroom, and the teacher plans Halloween stories, songs, and projects for the kids - but not TOO scary, mind you.
The older "kids", teens, 20 and 30-somethings, have planned dress-up parties this weekend and no-doubt they'll have fun dressing-up as toreros, witches, ghosts, Frankenstein's monster, and undoubtedly LOTS of Draculas.
Trick-or-Treat doesn't exist here, which is logical to me, as so few people observe this part of the Halloween tradition - and even fewer are aware of it. Imagine the looks neighbors would give the solitary toddler dressed up as Winnie The Pooh, going door to door with his Halloween bag and asking for candy. I'm sure the neighbors might have a few cough drops lying around.
A recent article stated the following:
Spanish Catholic leaders lash out at Halloween
The growing popularity of Halloween is alarming Roman Catholic leaders who blame parents for encouraging children to celebrate death over life. There is a growing "risk" that due to commercial interests "pagan" customs which have been "imported" to Spain will place Christian customs like devotion to saints and praying for the dead. Hollywood is blamed for the spread of Halloween.
Many people are aware that in Mexico they celebrate "Día de los Muertos" ("Day of the Dead") on November 2nd and many believe this is where North America took and modified this ritual to Halloween (note: yes, I'm aware that Mexico is part of North America but I refer to North America north of the Mexican border), combining it with the celebration of the autumnal equinox the Irish immigrants celebrated there.
(Quoted from JackOLanterns.net)
In Spain November 1 has become a public holiday. On All Saints' Day ("Dia de Todos los Santos") Catholics attend church services in honor of the saints, the martyrs and those who have died for the Catholic faith. People may also visit their family's graves to beautify them with wreaths and small lanterns. Sometimes a mass is said at the grave site and the grave sprinkled with holy water.
On November 2 or All Souls' Day, Catholics attend a special Requiem masses, where they remember those who may be close to them that have died. Prayers for the dead are said and votive candles are lit to honor their memory.
In the past 10-15 years in Spain, however, this observance has waned as younger generations become less and less religious - or just want to avoid the traffic. For decades, particularly under the Franco regime, this custom was fervently exercised.
Personally, I'll be "observing" Halloween in my annual manner by watching the 1978 John Carpenter movie "HALLOWEEN" starring Jamie Lee Curtis, with the lights down, a candle lit, and popcorn at the ready.
Sunday nights in Madrid can be pretty relaxed. You know you have to get up early (or not) to work the next day but you still have some wonderful memories of a nice weekend fresh in your mind.
So how does one push forward past the midnight hour, making it officially a Monday morning? I guess it's not easy for many but, fortunately for me, it's never been hard. Sure, I have to go to the gym and catch up on emails and the usual administration stuff but I also have to prepare my 3rd quarter invoices for my accountant (he's Irish, thank goodness).
My mind swims with blog posting ideas, upcoming client contract renewals, and of course the shopping and other daily chores.
Friday afternoon I went to the Plaza de Oriente in Madrid to cheer on/support the 2016 Madrid Olympics Host City Bid, only to lose in the final stage to Rio de Janeiro. They deserved it, I think. The Madrileños were somewhat disappointed but they definitely weren't sulking. They seemed to simply say, "Oh well. That's the way it goes. Shall we go get a beer?" And that was that.
Saturday night I met some total strangers from the message board for drinks at the El Anciano Rey de los Vinos (across the street from the Almudena Cathedral) and from there we went to the Restaurante BelaLúa where we had 10pm reservations. We chose a table on their terraza and enjoyed some GREAT Rioja Reserva wine along with our meals. Some had grilled vegetables while others had the steak and potatoes. We started with some croquets and ham which was really good. After the great meal and the good conversation, we strolled over to the Chocolatería San Gines for some Chocalate con Churros. It was a good night and got back at 2:30am.
So Sunday nights are calm. I'm all alone, had leftover langostinos and Rueda white Spanish wine for dinner, watched NFL football live on Canal+ satellite TV, and now contemplating going to bed with a good book. Tomorrow's another day and it's a new week. Hope we have cool temperatures, too.
So how does one push forward past the midnight hour, making it officially a Monday morning? I guess it's not easy for many but, fortunately for me, it's never been hard. Sure, I have to go to the gym and catch up on emails and the usual administration stuff but I also have to prepare my 3rd quarter invoices for my accountant (he's Irish, thank goodness).
My mind swims with blog posting ideas, upcoming client contract renewals, and of course the shopping and other daily chores.
Friday afternoon I went to the Plaza de Oriente in Madrid to cheer on/support the 2016 Madrid Olympics Host City Bid, only to lose in the final stage to Rio de Janeiro. They deserved it, I think. The Madrileños were somewhat disappointed but they definitely weren't sulking. They seemed to simply say, "Oh well. That's the way it goes. Shall we go get a beer?" And that was that.
Saturday night I met some total strangers from the message board for drinks at the El Anciano Rey de los Vinos (across the street from the Almudena Cathedral) and from there we went to the Restaurante BelaLúa where we had 10pm reservations. We chose a table on their terraza and enjoyed some GREAT Rioja Reserva wine along with our meals. Some had grilled vegetables while others had the steak and potatoes. We started with some croquets and ham which was really good. After the great meal and the good conversation, we strolled over to the Chocolatería San Gines for some Chocalate con Churros. It was a good night and got back at 2:30am.
So Sunday nights are calm. I'm all alone, had leftover langostinos and Rueda white Spanish wine for dinner, watched NFL football live on Canal+ satellite TV, and now contemplating going to bed with a good book. Tomorrow's another day and it's a new week. Hope we have cool temperatures, too.
The Green Day concert in Madrid, Spain last Tuesday was a lot of fun - and just 1 day earlier I didn't even know I'd be attending the sold-out show. I'd seen Green Day 15 years earlier in the small venue of "The Newport Music Hall" in Columbus, Ohio USA for their "Dookie" tour. This time around, promoting their new CD "21st Century Breakdown", I wasn't nearly as close, probably just past the half-way point of the large Palacio de Deportes. I couldn't see their faces but their energy was no less evident.Green Day, and particularly its lead singer Billie Joe in his endless energy, jumped off short-stack speakers, leaned into hard-driving guitar riffs, and entertained the crowd for more than 2 hours which included two encores, the last of which featured only Billie Joe singing "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)". The place was packed with Spaniards and even a few English-speakers.
The band played several of their songs from the
new "21st Century Breakdown" CD which, surprisingly to me, MANY of the Spaniards surrounding me already knew the lyrics and sang along as best they could. Getting past those, and delving into the "classic" Green Day songs, was when the crown went wild.A mix of background skyline lights, epileptic-inducing flashing symbols & provocative video, and even some pyrotechnics kept the sold-out crown on their feet and, in many cases, standing ON TOP OF their fold-down chairs (like those annoying teenage girls directly in front of us!).
The music was loud, but not TOO loud from my place in the arena, and I didn't notice a VERY loud buzzing noise in my ears upon laying me down to bed that night. Live video of the performers gave an up close view of action on screen and in the crowds and it was only then that we can see Billie Joe's tattoos and how much he was sweating.
There was no warm-up band but that didn't seem to bother the crowd, waiting patiently until the the action started at about 8:30pm. They involved the fans too - probably a bit too much. During many songs the audience was invited to sing choruses - instead of Billie Joe doing so himself, which bothered me to the point that I was left feeling that we sang more than he did on some of my favorite songs. In addition, 4 different persons were invited onstage to "participate". Billie Joe found a girl near the stage, asked her if she swore she knew the words to the song, she swore, and was hoisted up. She got the microphone and preceded to shout nonsensical lyrics for about 2 minutes, after which Billie Joe took the microphone and sent her off the stage with a "You Suck!" The next girl also swore she knew the lyrics, and she did know more, but couldn't carry a tune to save her life. For honorable mention she was "invited" to do a "Stage Dive" into the huge mosh pit below. A small boy was invited onto the stage to simply swing his arms back and forth and I was thinking, "Oh my. I hope they don't ask him to dive off into the crowd too. Imagine the lawsuit." He didn't and was sent back to his daddy. For yet another song, Billie Joe asked if anyone could play the guitar, ALL HANDS WENT UP and I thought, "Oh gee. This is going to be a disaster!" A young, lucky Spaniard wearing an "American Idiot" T-shirt was chosen. Billie Joe shouted something into his ear and flung the guitar strap over the kid's shoulders and the band played on - AND THE KID ROCKED THE HOUSE! I was shocked, he played well, with passion and confidence, and really seemed to know the song by heart as Billie Joe sang.
What amazed me most was that these Spaniards surrounding me REALLY knew the lyrics to these songs and many of them were young! Who knows how fluent in English they were or if they even knew the meanings of the words, but they could certainly sing them! These were true Green Day fans, to be sure.
I, MadridMan, haven't "let loose" or "lost control" in the last 15 years, age and maturity taking their toll. But for a few sporadic moments at the Green Day concert I felt as if I'd left my body, lost control, and scraped the edges of those youthful days dancing like an inebriated wild man at college clubs. (The Newport Music Hall, near the Ohio State University campus, being one of them) It was a good feeling, somewhat scary, and quickly reeled myself back in. It was like a flash of light of what it was to be young, untethered, and rebellious once again.So HOW did I get so lucky to go to the Sold Out Green Day Concert in Madrid? The day before the concert I noticed a posting on a forum I frequent - but not my own. The woman from Liverpool (England) said she was flying to Madrid the next day and had an extra ticket that would go to waste if she couldn't find a taker. I was the first to reply to her posting. She contacted me via email and said she didn't want ANYTHING for the ticket! I met her the evening of her concert at her hotel and we walked the 8 blocks to the Palacio de Deportes venue, getting to know each other along the way. My Spanish came in handy in collecting the tickets, finding the line where we were supposed to enter, and finding our seats with the help of a nice usher. Being the gentleman that I am, I escorted her back to her hotel, thanked her for the 10th time for the ticket, and got home around 12:30am.
The serendipitous concert invitation was one for the books. When does this ever really happen to us? Rarely! But this time I won the lottery. (although I'd rather actually have won the lottery)
("Welcome to Paradise" video from independent videographer at the Madrid concert - NOT MY VIDEO)
Shortly after arriving to live in Madrid I discovered J & J Books and Coffee, a English-language book store on Calle Espiritu Santo, 47, just off the Calle San Bernardo & near the Noviciado metro station. I was thrilled when I "found" this goldmine. Buying (and finding) English-language books in bookstores are both scarce and expensive. J & J's has an immense collection of cheap secondhand English-language books for sale!Not only do they offer free Wi-Fi internet to their guests/clients, but they also have a small bar and seating area to read books, have a coffee, or chat with friends. They sell a small selection of American goods like pancake syrup and pancake & muffin mix - when in stock. They probably even sell Budweiser beer - but I wouldn't recommend ordering that at the bar. The bartenders and staff are all friendly and speak English and, for someone who may be new to Madrid, this can be a saving grace to get that "back home" feeling if you're having trouble assimilating yourself into the Spanish culture.
The used books, most of which are paperback books, are shelved by the hundreds downstairs in an extensive basement. Really, it's a BIG space! The books are mainly arranged by genre and then by author (if I remember correctly) and all books are roughly half-price their original retail price, but oftentimes they're much cheaper. They even offer a store credit when customers bring books in for "exchange". I have stacks of books I've brought from the USA, read, and ready to turn in - to get more books! Apparently, the even offer cash-for-books if they're books they want to buy.
J& J Books and Coffee organizes parties, language exchanges, happy hours, and other events so take a look at their website if interested. The husband-and-wife owners, (Spaniard) Javi and (American) Jamie, opened the store together in 2003. I have to wonder how hard their establishment is taking the economic crisis. Oftentimes secondhand shops do very well in this environment as people search for cheaper alternatives to buying retail.
MadridMan gives J & J Books and Coffee a big THUMBS UP for a HUGE selection of used English books at great prices in downtown Madrid, Spain.
And by the way, MadridMan has not been compensated for this blog entry - nor did J & J know I was going to write it. I'm sure they don't even know who I am! (can you believe that??) I like their bookshop and want to spread the word. Oftentimes such jems are hidden away, only learning about them by word-of-mouth.
Every year the City of Madrid hosts & promotes a number of summertime entertainment attractions. This year is no exception and includes a number of flamenco performances. I've never been to any of these attractions or performances but am going to try this year.
Flamenco performance ticket prices are 15, 23, 27 Euros and take place in "Jardines de Sabatini" - the gardens immediately north of the Palacio Real / Royal Palace. In these gardens you can be sure the after-sunset temperatures will be MUCH cooler than the surrounding city temperatures. And, as always, it's near certain you won't see a single non-Spanish face in the audience because it's not the "Flamenco Show" tourists generally seek. THAT'S how you know you're getting "REAL FLAMENCO".
So if you're Spanish - OR NOT - and would like to see some authentic flamenco performances, both dance and song, visit the Jardines de Sabatini and see of the genre's great talents. I've been fortunate to have already seen most of those performing and listed below with dates and times.
Informational Links:
http://www.esflamenco.com/scripts/news/ennews.asp?frmIdPagina=1169 (in English)
http://www.madridiario.es/2009/Agosto/.../veranos-de-la-villa-ciclo-flamenco-artitas-jardines-de-sabatini.html (in Spanish)
http://www.esmadrid.com/veranosdelavilla/en/index (in English)
Flamenco performance ticket prices are 15, 23, 27 Euros and take place in "Jardines de Sabatini" - the gardens immediately north of the Palacio Real / Royal Palace. In these gardens you can be sure the after-sunset temperatures will be MUCH cooler than the surrounding city temperatures. And, as always, it's near certain you won't see a single non-Spanish face in the audience because it's not the "Flamenco Show" tourists generally seek. THAT'S how you know you're getting "REAL FLAMENCO".
So if you're Spanish - OR NOT - and would like to see some authentic flamenco performances, both dance and song, visit the Jardines de Sabatini and see of the genre's great talents. I've been fortunate to have already seen most of those performing and listed below with dates and times.
Jardines de Sabatini
11 August. 22:00
El Cabrero ("Su Segunda Piel") & Rocío Márquez ("Aquí y Ahora")
12 August.. 22:00
Farruco ("Al Son de Farruco") & Antonio Rey ("Recital de guitarra")
13 August.. 22:00
Aurora Vargas & Luisa Palicio ("Tronío")
14 August.. 22:00
Calixto Sánchez & Milagros Mengíbar ("De los Alcores a Triana")
15 August.. 22:00
Capullo de Jerez & Julián Estrada ("Tierra de Cante")
16 v. 22:00
Carmen Linares & Guillermo Cano ("Encuentro")
From 17 to 19 August.. 22:00
Sara Baras (Juana V Centenario - "Juana la Loca")
21 August.. 22:00
Niña Pastori ("Esperando Verte")
22 August.. 22:00
Valderrama ("Moderna Tradición")
Informational Links:
http://www.esflamenco.com/scripts/news/ennews.asp?frmIdPagina=1169 (in English)
http://www.madridiario.es/2009/Agosto/.../veranos-de-la-villa-ciclo-flamenco-artitas-jardines-de-sabatini.html (in Spanish)
http://www.esmadrid.com/veranosdelavilla/en/index (in English)
"Tetro". It's a good movie. Maybe not a great movie but definitely a very good movie with lots of character. And better yet is that it's a SPANISH movie, although directed by the great Francis Ford Coppola. I'm confident that it'll be up for at least a nomination for best foreign film at the BIG awards.
The movie stars (unknown to me) Vincent Gallo as "Tetro", Spanish actresses Maribel Verdú & Carmen Maura, and Alden Ehrenreich. Vicent Gallo was great and, and always, so was Maribel Verdú. She's a true professional.It's shot totally in black and white and takes place in modern day Buenos Aires, Argentina. In many scenes you think you're watching an old movie, of course because of the black and white, but also because of the old-fashioned architecture of the apartments and old neighborhoods.
The language of the movie is English but there is a good deal of Spanish spoken throughout. I watched it in a Spanish theater in Versión Original but had English subtitles - the Spanish parts were, of course, NOT subtitled.
The Argentine music throughout the movie makes you want to run out and buy the soundtrack, filled with accordion tunes & lots of feeling. The scenes are nearly totally dramatic. There are very few lighthearted scenes but no laughs whatsoever. It's a serious movie with a serious topic, two young aspiring men whom have become estranged from their famous family back in New York City.
The story is both touching and wrenching, two family members struggling with their own memories of the past - and how they relate to one another. One's running away and one's searching for answers. They share a common thread.
I found myself teary-eyed at times, too. It's a good movie. And made better by one of the world's great directors; Francis Ford Coppola.
Internet Movie Database synopsis of "Tetro" is as follows:
Fresh faced and naive, 17-year-old Bennie arrives in Buenos Aires to search for his older brother who has been missing for more than a decade. The family had emigrated from Italy to Argentina, but with the great musical success of their father Carlo, an acclaimed symphony conductor, the family moved from Argentina to New York. When Bennie finds his brother, the volatile and melancholy poet Tetro, he is not at all what he expected. In the course of staying with Tetro and his girlfriend Miranda, the two brothers grapple with the haunting experiences of their shared past.
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