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W W W. I N M A D R I D . C O M
T H E E N G L I S H - L A N G U A G E M O N T H LY
7 BARE ESSENTIALS
features arts &culture
Where to go naked in Spain and its capital city!
14 Month Ahead
8 LONG DISTANCE LEARNING
Art & theatre listings
ad index AIRLINES RYANAIR, back cover
BARS CAF´É GALDOS, p9 MI MADRE ERA UNA GROUPIE, p6
Living in Madrid, studying in the UK
16 Concerts
9 MADRID, MADAGASCAR, BIN LADEN AND NAZIS
Our pick of this month’s gigs
TABERNA CHICA, p8 TERRA NOVA, p15
16 Album reviews
Interview with best-selling author Guy Saville
Givers, Igloo, Sr Chinarro, About Group
10 SPORT: PROGRAMME NOTES Real´s surprising past encounters with British clubs
PICNIC, p17
16 Nightlife
TUPPERWARE, p17 SIDERAL, p6 STEREO POP, p6
CINEMAS YELMO CINES IDEAL , p6
The most up-to-date clubbing guide
11 MADE IN MADRID
18 Movie reviews
The city behind the film, King of Kings
New releases on the big screen
11 LOOK WHAT YOU’VE SAID
DENTISTS CISNE DENTAL, ENGLISH DENTIST, p8
18 Book Buzz
The origin of the phrase “Once in a Blue Moon”
New titles for your shelf
11 THE OTHERS
JOB OFFERS See Service Guide for job offers, p21-22
Anglos working beyond the realms of English teaching LANGUAGE SCHOOLS
12 FROM MISO TO MAKI
outandabout
Where to buy Japanese ingredients in the city
15 ANDREA CORR: FROM OLD CARDIGANS TO VIBRANT NEW COVERS
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Scene WHAT’S NEW IN TOWN
5
Mad World MADRID
IDIOMA PUNTO DE ENCUENTRO, p9
LANGUAGE SERVICES See Service Guide, p20-21
RANDOMNESS!
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Another Fine Mes THE MONTH’S NEWS DIGESTED
Interview with the Irish songstress about style, Spain and her solo album
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DJ Jorge “DJ Nece” Lara talks about travels, music and Madrid
UNIDAD MEDICA , inside front cover
5 Great Places... TO FIND UNUSUAL WAYS TO SEE MADRID
17 ”NECE” AS IN NECESSARY
MEDICAL SERVICES
11 Streetwise
PUBS DUBLINERS, p9 IRISH ROVER, p5 O’CONNELL ST, p9 O’NEILL’S, inside front cover
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
13 Food & Drink RESTAURANT e have to confess that there’s been a lot of editor’s note hacking in the office this month—nothing to do with telephones, it’s just that several of the interns have had very chesty coughs. However, they have tel: 91 523 30 91 still managed to help put together this issue, and in email: fact the number of volunteers to do photo research editor@in-madrid.com for Vicky Knill’s revealing article about going naked in Spain (P7) was unprecedented. We also have Liz Ellis’s interview with best-selling author Guy Saville (P9), whilst Tom Garton meets Andrea Corr to talk about her remarkable new solo album and her foray into acting (P15). MacKenzie Elmer discovers the pros and cons of distance learning (P8), and the story of Madrid’s DJ Nece is told by Richard Lewington (P17). Finally, did you know that Real once played Plymouth Argyle? If not, check out page 10 for that and other curious Real Madrid games. And of course, have a great August!
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InMadrid
REVIEW PLUS ¡POUR FAVOR!
RESTAURANTS ARTEMISA, p8 EL ESTRAGÓN, p13
regulars
MIL Y UNA NOCHES, p13 See Restaurant Guide, p19
19 RESTAURANT GUIDE 20 SERVICE GUIDE 23 CLASSIFIEDS Want to contribute to InMadrid? Or how about being an intern? If you’re interested in collaborating, send your CV, samples of journalistic writing and ideas for articles to editor@in-madrid.com
Want to advertise in InMadrid? Quieres anunciar en InMadrid? Email us! ¡Escribenos! marketing@in-madrid.com Call us! ¡Llamanos! 91 523 30 91
PUBLISHED BY: CITYSCOPE S.L. (UNIPERSONAL) MANAGING DIRECTOR: NICK HAUGHTON • EDITOR: JEFF WISEMAN • DESIGN: KNIC • MARKETING AND SALES: marketing@in-madrid.com • ADMIN: ELENA ORTIZ • ART: ELENA RODEMANN • MUSIC (REVIEWS): RUSSELL PARTON • MUSIC (GIGS): HARRIET SMART • NEWS: MARTIN DELFIN • NIGHTLIFE: RICHARD LEWINGTON • SCENE: LAURA EDGECUMBE-ANSDELL • THEATRE: HARRIET SMART • INTERNS: VICKY KNILL, MATT UNHJEM, MATTEA CUSSEL, TOM GARTON, GUILLERMO ULIBARRI, LUCY WILLIAMS, MAGDA GAMEEL, HARRIET SMART • THANKS TO: LAURA EDGECUMBE-ANDSELL, NICK FUNNELL, NATALIA DIAZ • WEBMASTER: KNIC • PRINT: IMCODAVILA • DISTRIBUTION: RAFA PÉREZ
STAFF
Views expressed in InMadrid are the opinions of the writers and are not necessarily endorsed by the publishers. Although we make every effort to quote the correct prices and opening hours for establishments mentioned in the magazine, it is possible some may have changed since we went to press. All advertisements are published in good faith. InMadrid cannot accept responsibility for errors or omissions in individual ads or accept responsibility for work, service or goods. InMadrid is published by CityScope SL (unipersonal), c/Marqués de Valdeiglesias, 6-4ºA — 28004 Madrid. Unsolicited manuscripts, photographs and artwork will not be returned unless accompanied by sufficient postage. D.L.: M-11696-96.
T H E E N G L I S H - L A N G U A G E M O N T H LY
W W W. I N M A D R I D . C O M
AUGUST 2011
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scene
Catch “En Riesgo” at the Mexican Institute, C/San Jeronimo. Great paintings of endangered or extinct animals. See www.fernandoaceveshumana. com/
■ BY LAURA EDGECUMBE-ANSDELL
Polish Festival Until December, Madrid is hosting the I, Culture festival, a programme of more than 50 cultural activities to celebrate the Polish presidency of the Council of the European Union. An exhibition, Polonia, Tesoros y colecciones artísticas (Poland, Treasures and Art Collections) runs at the Palacio Real until 4 September. The collection comprises of 195 works of art, from paintings and sculpture to installations and tapestries, including da Vinci’s famous Lady with an Ermine. There are oil paintings by renowned artists such as Cranach and Rembrandt, and even German and Italian armour. It provides a great insight into the history, geography and traditions of Poland too. I, Culture festival, various venues in Madrid until December. See www.culture.pl/. For Palacio Real exhibition, see www.patrimonionacional.es
Fiesta Virgen de la Paloma, La Latina The 15 August is a national holiday in Spain and what better way to celebrate than to attend a traditional madrileño fiesta in La Latina. The celebrations will be in honour of the barrio’s patron saint, Virgen de la Paloma. Streets are decorated, locals dress in traditional costumes and there is a feast of live music and dance. The climax of the event is the religious procession in which a statue of the Virgin is paraded through the streets to cries of “Guapa!” Fiesta Virgen de la Paloma, La Latina (Metro: La Latina). Mon, 15 Aug. Free. See www.fiestas-de-madrid.com
Rosvita will be playing the Espacio Fringe at Veranos de la Villa
Veranos de la Villa—one last chance
Getting social with your Embassy
August is the last month of the Veranos de Villa festival, Madrid’s annual summer culture fest. Espacio Fringe (Fringe Space) is an Open Music festival, from 22-27 August, comprising of a series of concerts from artists, bands and DJs such as Cream Revolution B, Jvera Quartet, Watch TV and the Primetimes, Luis Brea, Warrior Poet and Rosvita. All concerts are free, and take place in the Auditorio Pilar García Peña, Parque Pinar del Rey, Calle Lopez de Hoyos (Metro: Canillas). Buses: 9, 72 and 73 serve the venue. The festival also continues in the Jardines de Sabatini throughout this month, including Russian Cossacs from 4-8 August, Flamenco from the 10-14, The American Spiritual Ensemble on the 15, and the opera The Barber of Seville from the 18-28 August. Veranos de la Villa 2011. For full details see veranosdelavilla.esmadrid.com/index.php
Facebook is not a medium you would immediately associate with finding out useful information from an Embassy, yet the British Embassy’s Facebook page has just attracted its 2,000th follower. The page provides the latest news from the Embassy and the Foreign Office, travel advice, news on property issues, and can also offer passport information and advice about living in Spain. “We’re committed to communicating directly with our followers. If you post a reasonable question, we’ll do our best to respond to it as quickly as we can,” says Ben Giddings, the Embassy’s Digital Communications Officer. The British Embassy and the Consulates across Spain are a resource for nearly one million Brits who live here and around 15 million who holiday here every year. The US Embassy also has a facebook page of its own too. See www.facebook.com/Britishembassymadrid and www.facebook.com/madrid.usembassy
September Launch Party No matter how much joy and relaxation this month may bring, InMadrid is already thinking about keeping your spirits high in the longer term. The launch party for next month’s edition will take place in Thursday 1st September, at Taberna Elisa, C/Santa
World Youth Day and visit of the Pope Between 16-21 August, Madrid will host World Youth Day. Organised by the Catholic Church, the six-day event includes activities such as concerts, exhibitions and plays. The World Youth Day celebrations start with an Opening Mass in Cibeles, led by the Archbishop of Madrid. The Pope himself will arrive in Madrid (Barajas) at 12am, on Thursday 18 August. During his few days in the city he will preside over various mass celebrations and meet with charity volunteers, as well as visiting El Escorial. A full day of celebration will take place at Cuatro Vientos aerodrome on Saturday 20 August. For the full programme of events and the Pope’s schedule, see www.madrid11.com Photo (CC) flickr: c_catholic_church
MMDDMM—Madrid Menu del Día Martes Madness Since most barmen (or women) have to cater for all the socialising that the rest of us get up to, their day off is probably going to be Monday or Tuesday—not the most exciting days of the week for a social life. What do they do? Marc Kildea (Triskel Tavern) and Dave Shields (Ulysses Pub) hit on the idea of exploring the Menu del Dia scene in Madrid, where a reasonable midday meal can be had (wine included) for about 10. Their group, MMDDMM, has gone from strength to strength over the years, and the forthcoming venue is posted on their facebook page. The objective is a cheap and cheerful dining experience with good company and lively chat, and their executive committee post a review after the event. Membership is growing and the group attracts all kinds of people who work “unsocial” hours—promoters, event managers, chefs, people “between jobs”, or teachers with that big mid-afternoon gap in their timetable. Everybody is welcome and everybody pays their own way. To join this noble culinary circuit, check out the facebook page MMDDMM-Madrid Menu del Día Martes Madness
Ready, steady, go—the last launch party
Maria, 42 from 8.30pm. There will be an opportunity to win tickets to the Yelmo Ideal cinema, as well as drinks offers, live music, and the chance to exchange your summer stories—ripping yarns about wild romances, beach parties, mountain treks, or for those who headed to the UK—inclement weather. Come and tell us your tales!
Tips from the Tower Helpful monthly advice from the British Consulate office in Pº de la Castellana’s Torre Espacio Looking forward to a well-deserved break this summer? Sun, sea, sand, expensive hospital bills—hold on! Expensive hospital bills? If you’re unprepared, they’re a possibility. Did you know that British tourists spend an average £12 on sweets and magazines at an airport, but one in five won’t spend less than that on a decent travel insurance policy? Take a homemade bocadillo with you when catching a plane, and invest the cash you save on travel insurance. It could be the best financial decision you ever make! Also, for Europe, get your EHIC (European Health Insurance Card)—it’s free and entitles you to emergency treatment in any of the member states. (Don’t forget that as a Spanish resident you’ll also need it to access healthcare when you visit the UK). See www.seg-social.es. Did you know too that from April 2009 to March 2010, more than 27,000 Brits reported a lost or stolen passport whilst abroad? That’s 27,000 people who suffered stress, expense, spoilt plans and even travel delays. What can you do to minimise the risk and hassle? The good news is that a lot of these cases are preventable. Keep your passport and valuables safe at all times, storing credit/debit cards separate to cash, and a copy of your passport separate to the original. Don’t forget to check out our travel advice for your destination (see www.fco.gov.uk/traveladvice) and, of course, keep the nearest Consulate number handy!
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T H E E N G L I S H - L A N G U A G E M O N T H LY
mwoarldd
Top Ten Commandments for Modern Madrid
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A few years ago the Pope unveiled ten commandments for motoring in the modern age. But what about some rules for life in Madrid? We suggest eternal damnation might be suitable if individuals break any of the following:
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Thou shalt not take up a free seat on the Metro with thy bag in rush hour.
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Thou shalt not stand in the Metro turnstiles, trying to find your abono for ten minutes whilst two hundred people pileth up behind thee.
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Thou shalt not complain that it is cold, and thou shalt not wear thy winter clothes, when the temperature is 35 degrees.
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Thou shalt not, when thy colleague comes in soaking wet and with an umbrella that hath been completely destroyed, ask “Is it raining?”
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When walking thy dog, thou shalt not walk it on a long leash, thereby making innocent bystanders jumpeth in the air or falleth on their hindquarters.
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Thou shalt not walk against the general flow of customers at Ikea on a Bank Holiday, or indeed at any weekend.
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Thou shalt not, being a madrileño, complaineth about the hot summer weather. This weather cometh every damn year. What do you expecteth?
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Thou shalt not walk five abreast with thy friends down the street, blocking the way of those who want to get by. (Especially if those blocked are late for their class.)
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Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife’s ass.
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Thou shalt remember to be humble about all things regarding Spain and Spanish culture—especially football, and especially if thy conversation partner is English. Does this belong to your neighbour’s wife?
(CC) flickr: pmarkham
WIN TICKETS TO MADRID’S PREMIER V.O. CINEMA PLUS 2 FLIGHTS TO THE EUROPEAN DESTINATION OF YOUR CHOICE!!! Just send us a photo of someone reading InMadrid in an unusual place to have the possibility of winning one of FIVE pairs of tickets to the Ideal Cinema in Plaza Benavente, Madrid’s premier VO Cinema where you can see all the latest flicks in English. There are two ways to enter: to our email address (competitions@in-madrid.com), to have the chance of winning cinema tickets only, BUT the competition can also be entered on our facebook page, where your photo will also have the possibility of winning the tickets and Ryanair flights to the European destination of your choice too!
T H E E N G L I S H - L A N G U A G E M O N T H LY
By Leo “Majo” Drape
Christian Guilt Trip (Part 1) As a child I was innocence wrapped with white ribbons. I did my chores without being asked and helped old ladies cross the street. I went to church every Sunday and I confessed my sins on a regular basis. Sins which mostly involved watching too much TV and lying about brushing my teeth but sins nonetheless—even though I never thought of mentioning the blasphemous hard-ons that regulated my days—and so my penance would be to recite the required amount of Hail Marys and Lord’s Prayers. At thirteen, I knew the entire mass in Latin by heart. I was bathing in God’s light. Thank you, Sunday school! Until, that is, I discovered cocks and henceforth my inevitable demise punishable by an eternity in Hell. I decided that being agnostic was a safer way to go. But it was too late: I was guilt-ridden for life. From now on, everything bad that would happen to me was a reminder that God hated fags. I blot it out as much as I can but it’s there: a nagging guilt that slithers its way through my cynicism, rendering me helpless. Damn you, Sunday school! Pride 2011 promised to be one for the record books: Jerome had gone on a yoga retreat for the weekend (wanting to realign his chakras! Loser!) but clever little me had made a copy of his keys so as to take over his nicely located flat overlooking the never-ending flow of studs making their way to Chueca. Once the parade was over, my minions and I regrouped at the flat and stood, eagle-eyed, weighing up the pros and cons of every passing hunk before inviting them up. The place filled up faster than expected and soon enough: shirts were ripped, nipples were licked and all Hell broke loose. Fabulousness! I woke up the next morning, my limbs cleverly intertwined in a couple of naked Brazilians, ready for more. Three hours later, I did to the boys what I did to the condoms: I threw them away. It was only when I brushed my teeth that I realized I had disgusting white ulcers all over the inside of my mouth. I freaked out: what were they? How did I get them? God! Not an STD! I lit a cigarette to calm down, but I started coughing uncontrollably and my mouth dried up, as if all its moisture had been sucked out. That’s when I panicked. I kneeled to the floor and started reciting a Hail Mary. Had I had a whip, I would have flogged myself; I used a wet towel instead. Jerome finally got home and, seeing how livid I was, took me to Emergencies. After hours of waiting in a badly lit room, I was introduced to a grumpy looking woman doctor who rolled her eyes and made it clear that we were not the first ones here from Pride. She examined me and without an ounce of compassion, announced that I had Hongos (mushrooms) before disdainfully asking me when I had last been tested for HIV (the two being apparently linked). Oh, God! Lord, have mercy! To be continued… For more FAIRY TALES, check: www.jerome-apolda.com Or join me on facebook.
Find us on facebook: www.facebook.com/InMadrid.magazine
Fairy Tales
Fun and completely armless
W W W. I N M A D R I D . C O M
Photo: InMadrid
AUGUST 2011
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Another fine mes
Head to the Bernabeu on 14 Aug for the Super Cup- Real Madrid (Cup winners) vs Barcelona. (League Champions). If you can get a ticket, that is!
Marty Delfín dissects the past month’s news headlines dozen families have avoided being kicked out of their homes with the help of the PAH. They are media events, which is what the PAH organisers want: to get lawmakers attention that something must be done about changing the country’s unfair mortgage laws. In Spain, foreclosures mean the home must be given up but the outstanding debt also has to be paid off, even though when the person finally settles it they will get nothing in return. In other words, the lender wins, and wins again. Dozens of leftist lawmakers have demanded that the government of Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero put a stop to this unfair practice. Zapatero has balked saying that if the rules are changed now, it could create financial chaos among Spain’s relatively stable lenders.
Playing with the copyright
Worst case scenario?
Photo (CC) flickr: ibm4381
A rebellion in the making Like many protest movements, this one started out at the grassroots level late last year in Catalonia and has since skyrocketed to other big cities such as Madrid, Valencia and Seville. It works like this: the day a family is going to be evicted from their home because they can no longer keep up with the mortgage payments, a group of citizens, around 100, gather outside the residence waiting for the court bailiffs to arrive. When the time comes, the bailiff reads the eviction notice to the family giving them a period of time to gather their things so that the accompanying judicial committee can change the locks and close up the place. Then a spokesman for the PAH (Plataforma de Afectados de la Hipoteca—Platform for those Affected by a Mortgage) steps up and proceeds to read out the pertinent clauses contained in international treaties such as the Universal Human Rights Declaration, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and even the Spanish Constitution. The articles refer to the belief that every person has the right to have a home. The duelling documents confrontation usually ends when the bailiffs back off and leave. There will be another attempt on another day but that will be for the courts to decide. Since this unusual campaign began, 50 evictions have been prevented and more are scheduled to be stopped. In Madrid, a
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Law enforcement authorities on 1 July exposed a scheme involving the massive diversion of money allegedly orchestrated by the directors of the contentious copyright organisation the Society General of Authors and Editors (SGAE) and its obscure sister group the Digital Society of Authors and Editors (SDAE). SGAE chairman Eduardo “Teddy” Bautista and eight others were arrested in raids and hauled before the High Court after investigators determined that he and the other defendants may have misappropriated as much as 400 million. The SGAE is the puritanical organisation that for years demanded that storeowners and dealers pay as much as one euro on every CD, DVD or computer disc they sold “to protect” intellectual property. The costs, of course, had to be passed on to the consumer. It appears from the allegations that SDAE’s director general José Luis Rodríguez Neri was the mastermind behind the scheme. For 10 years, he allegedly came up with ideas to divert the money by setting up shell companies which, according to High Court Judge Pablo Ruz, Bautista had “authorised, went along with and even encouraged”. The investigation began in 2008
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and apparently Bautista and the others knew that the police were on their trail last week so they ordered the liquidation of the SDAE just one day prior to their arrests. The co-defendants are family members and personal friends of Neri’s. Both Neri and Bautista were allowed to post bail, and Bautista stepped down from his post on 12 July.
A turn for the Socialists Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba was proclaimed the Socialist candidate for next year’s general elections on 9 July, and the now-former deputy prime minister has taken the reins of the Socialist party as he prepares for his campaign. Among the proposals he has presented is a demand that the banks and other institutions that received government bailout money set up a special fund to create employment by offering low interest loans to start-up businesses, as well as improved government transparency, and changes to the electoral laws. Rubalcaba appears to want to put pressure on the big bankers and those who want to keep archaic ways intact. The elections are months away, but some lawmakers in Congress, especially those with the opposition Popular Party (PP), expect the Socialist government to hold them early. Nevertheless, it appears that Prime Minister Zapatero will push through his term until March unless things take a turn for the worse.
Rubalcaba
Photo: (CC) flickr: psoe
T H E E N G L I S H - L A N G U A G E M O N T H LY
Bare essentials In the scorching sunshine, do you ever want to go that little bit further than just taking off your t-shirt? Vicky Knill fleshes out some options
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Barcelona Passes Ban on Public Nudity” proclaimed news headlines recently, as the Catalan authorities reacted to the number of naked people walking round the city centre. Spain usually takes a highly liberal attitude to nudity, but if Barcelona is clamping down, can Madrid or elsewhere in Spain provide an alternative? Where should you go if you want to run around as free as nature intended? A casual and innocent glance below will reveal all.
Bathing in your birthday suit Spanish people are generally not shy, but as recently as the late 1980s it was illegal to be naked on a beach that did not have a permit and nudists could be arrested for Escandalo Público. However, since then a number of nudist resorts have “sprung up”. Many are located on the south coast, including Spain’s oldest naturist resort, Costa Natura, a village near Málaga. It opened in 1981 and is situated next to a nudist beach. Activities include table tennis, petanque, yoga and volleyball. If size matters, Spain’s largest nudist resort is El Templo del Sol, near Barcelona. Clothing is forbidden if you’re on the sand, but mandatory in the supermarket, and especially, we would suggest, in the frozen food aisle.
zone is upstream. Full details can be found on its website: http://nudismo-naturismo.com/l_i_pedriza.htm.
Feeling the wind in your hair Of course, naturism is not all sunbathing, swimming and volleyball. In 1999 a man called Patxi Ros dreamt of combining his two great passions: running and being naked. To this end, he started the annual Sopelana Naturist Race, since renamed the Patxi Ros Trophy. Participants, wearing only caps, sunglasses, running shoes and a look of determination, run a 5km course along a beach situated 14 miles from Bilbao. “He embraced the idea that in the first Olympic competitions in Ancient Greece, athletes competed completely naked,” says Jesús Iglesias from the Basque Naturists Association. People compete for a variety of reasons. “Some people simply want to know how it feels; some declare that running naked has a special sensation of liberty; others just run to support a nudist event in order to obtain greater acceptance for nudity among the general population. There are also those who are interested in the prizes.” There are men’s, women’s and male veterans’ (over 40) categories, along with, perhaps surprisingly, a children’s category too. (There was a female veterans’ category, but sadly there were no entrants.) This year’s race, held on 2 July, was a great success, with a large number of participants and spectators.
Dressing down to dress up Need some incentive to strip off? What about free clothes? Quirky fashion chain Desigual holds a promotion, usually in the winter, called Entra casi desnudo, sal vestido (Enter almost naked, leave clothed). The first 100 customers to turn up in their underwear receive a free outfit, assumedly if they can cope with the countless strange looks they receive on the way. Keep an eye on the Desigual blog for details of future promotions— http://blog.desigual.com/category/promociones/?lang=es.
Laying bare the issues Madrid, June 2011
Photo: InMadrid
Alternatively, those seeking a mountain retreat should check out Sierra Natura, the country’s first mountain naturist resort, near Valencia. Visitors can “enjoy nature in freedom during their holidays, without clothes and without hurry,” says its website. The resort features small houses, as well as caravanning and camping facilities and is modelled on a kind of “Neo-Flintstones” style. Facilities include a jacuzzi, a sauna, “a biological garden”, a club and a swimming pool with a waterfall. Another mountain option can be found in La Pedriza near Madrid. Here, at the heart of the Parque Regional de la Cuenca Alta del Manzanares, naturists can frolic in the clear, blue, cool river amongst waterfalls and pine trees. Clothed bathers swim in a pond called Charca Green, while the naturist
There are also those who go naked to give a serious message special exposure. Pamplona, home of the famous bull run, hosts an event formerly known as the Running of the Nudes. Starting in 2002, PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) decided to take action against Spain’s controversial bull-running tradition. Spokeswoman, Sandra Smiley, explains “Activists ran through the streets of Pamplona wearing little more than red scarves and horns. The event attracted international media attention and gave the public something more pleasant to look at and participate in.” However, the protest proved “too popular”, bringing in more tourist money which might conversely have been financing the bull run. Recently PETA has concentrated on smaller-scale events such as last year’s protest, with Spanish animal rights group AnimaNaturalis, which
Staking your terri-tree
Photo (CC) flickr: womEOS
involved 100 body-painted protesters lying down in the main square. “Our humane demonstrations have given local people and tourists alike a fun, festive and cruelty-free alternative to the Running of the Bulls,” says Sandra. “We have offered the people who want to celebrate the Festival of San Fermín a chance to meet people, have fun and get a thrill in a compassionate way.”
Out of gear Animal rights activists are not the only ones stripping off to draw attention to a cause. Several years ago, an organisation called Manifestación Ciclonudista felt that it was time to do something about pollution in cities, dependence on oil and the vulnerability of cyclists and pedestrians. The result was the birth of the Naked Bike Ride. In 2004, MC teamed up with Canadian group Artists for Peace and since then their protest has become an annual, worldwide event. On 11 June, several hundred cyclists took to the streets in Madrid alone, protesting about the lack of bicycle lanes and the danger they encounter. How does it feel to ride down Gran Via in the buff? “I don’t think anyone feels self-conscious,” advised Jeff, a participant from Birmingham, although it was clear that many cyclists opted for a cushioned seat. Perhaps the protest is also not as shocking as we imagine—in my own effort to witness it, I asked a street performer if hundreds of naked cyclists had recently passed by, to which she replied “I can’t remember!” Nevertheless, why not take the opportunity to shed your inhibitions, as well as your swimsuit, this summer? It’s strangely liberating and can be a great way to meet people while getting that all-over tan. The final word goes to naked cyclist Jorge: “On a bicycle you feel free,” he confirmed prior to his Madrid ride, “On a bicycle and naked, you feel doubly free!”
Five great places to..... find unusual ways to see Madrid
By Camino Martínez
Tired? Plodded as far as you can? Rest your weary feet—there are other methods to explore the city!
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GO CAR TOURS. Founded in San Francisco in 2004, this company, which also has branches in Lisbon, San Diego, Miami and Barcelona, came to Madrid in April 2010. Since then it has been possible to see the city in these small, fun twoperson yellow cars. They are three-wheeled, look like minicars, and have two loudspeakers and a GPS fixed into them, which guides the driver around the city. There are two tours: Old Madrid and Cosmopolitan Madrid. In order to drive one, you just need your driving licence. C/Ferraz, 26. (Metro: Plaza de España/Ventura Rodríguez). Tel: 91 559 45 35. www.gocartours.es. Mon-Sun, 10am-9pm. From €35 per hour.
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SEGCITY TOURS. Close to C/Huertas, just in front of the charming Lope de Vega museum, you can rent segways, the famous, simple and pollution-free method of transport, to see Madrid. The company has several tours around the city, with different timetables and itineraries, that include the Puerta del Sol, Plaza Santa Ana, the Retiro, Plaza Mayor, the Almudena Cathedral, Plaza Cibeles and T H E E N G L I S H - L A N G U A G E M O N T H LY
Gran Vía. A guide accompanies you on all tours and, of course, will also show you how to operate and keep your balance on the segway! C/Cervantes, 22 (Metro: Antón Martín). Tel: 91 127 43 93 and 653 870 493. www.segcity.es. From €50 for 2 hours. SE RUEDA. This shop, primarily aimed at sporty people, is a place specialising in rollerblades, so it has absolutely everything you need to spend a day rollerblading around all the beautiful places in the city. It offers different styles and models for both adults and kids, in all sizes, and a wide range of accessories (clothes, gloves, wrist guards, knee pads, elbow pads, helmets, bags, backpacks) to rollerblade safely and comfortably. Customers can rent a pair of rollerblades or, if they prefer, buy them. C/Carranza, 17 (Metro: San Bernardo/Bilbao). Tel: 91 591 52 10. www.serueda.es. Mon-Sat, 11am-2pm, 5.30-8.30pm.
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TRIP CHIC! Looking for a glamourous way to go sightseeing? This could be the perfect option for you. “Trip Chic!” rents motorbikes, but not your average model. All of them are special kinds of vintage Vespa—for example, the lovely Vespa Special 60th Anniversary Edition, influenced by the swinging 60s. The company deliver and pick up the motorbikes whe-
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rever the customer wishes, and the rental cost includes two très chic helmets. They also offer tours (personalised, if requested) and even a personal shopper service—by motorbike, of course! C/Ana de Austria, 13 (Metro: Virgen del Cortijo). Tel: 91 718 56 13 and 650 167 727. www.tripchic.es. Mon-Sun, 8am-10pm. From €55 per day. TRIXI. Sport, health and keeping fit are becoming more and
associated with ways to visit a city. This company, loca5 tedmorein the very heart of Madrid, gives you the chance to see the wonders of the capital by bike. Trixi offers guided tours in small groups, or self-guided tours if you wish to go independently. In addition, the firm also has fun scooters to rent. Although not currently available, in the future it also plans to use “trixis”, a kind of electric bicycle for three passengers, driven by a trixidriver! C/Jardines, 12 (Metro: Sol). Tel: 91 523 15 47 and 660 091 644. www.trixi.com. Mon-Fri, 10am-2pm, 4-8pm; Sat, Sun, 10am-8pm. From: €4 per hour. AUGUST 2011
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Long distance learning Just because you live in Madrid doesn’t mean you can’t study with a university in the UK. MacKenzie Elmer speaks to some “long distance” students to discover the pros and cons
VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT WHOLE FOOD
Expenses Declan from Dublin, Ireland Age: 33 Course: BSc in Business Administration University of London
Ventura de la Vega, 4 (In front of “las Cortes”) Tel: 91 429 50 92 Tres Cruces, 4 (Metro: Sol) Tel: 91 521 87 21
LA TABERNA CHICA VINOS, TAPAS, COCKTAILS & LOUNGE MUSIC FABULOUS CAIPIRINHAS
“I had always wanted to get a degree but never got around to starting as I have been teaching English in Madrid for six years. But I thought it was time to do something to improve my career options for the future. The only distance courses I knew about were Open University. I thought they were expensive, but this course is proving expensive also. It’s a BSc, even though it’s in Business Administration. There are registration and exam fees, plus the British Council charge 31 per hour of exam, so this year I will have spent nearly 2,000 in total. There are online forums to interact with other students and to ask the teacher questions, which work quite well. Assignments can be sent in online, but they don’t count for grades—they are just to make sure students are progressing and are not compulsory. The exams are at the start of May and most students receive their books at the start of November; I would prefer more time. Time commitment is the hardest part; I’m in my first year so it’s all new to me. My free time mostly goes to study. I am working a lot also. I try to do two hours studying per day, but often don’t.”
Virtual realities Jack from Wellington, New Zealand Age: 24 Course: Managing— Organisations and People Open University
c/Costanilla de San Pedro, 7 (Metro: La Latina)
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“My programme is with the Open University in the UK, which has a great reputation. For me the only problem is that your learning can never be as rich. Without being in a physical classroom, you miss that personal interaction. Virtual sessions are a good substitute but you don’t strike up the same friendships or relationships with people; nothing compares to the experience you would get by actually being there. Time management is key. You need to make some sacrifices but they generally affect your personal rather than your professional life. You need to dedicate about 8-10 hours a week although some courses require more. For me, Spanish life is too good to leave!”
Labour of love Hannah from Galway, Ireland Age: 27 Course: Journalism—Freelance and Feature Writing London School of Journalism “I knew people who had done the distance learning courses so I decided to do one. I was working full time in Madrid, having moved here in April last year, and I couldn’t spare the time to attend a university. I chose W W W. I N M A D R I D . C O M
Photo (CC) flickr: skippyjon
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istance learning is the trendy track that permits students from around the world to live abroad while earning a degree from a Motherland university. The courses often sell themselves: it’s usually cheaper than traditional on-campus learning and the material is self-paced. However, cross-border study puts students in unusual circumstances: books are sent through the post or are placed online and some courses offer tutoring via Skype. These can be a dream come true, but are there drawbacks when the professor’s office door is hundreds of miles away? A handful of Madrid-based English-speaking distance learners let us know how they’re getting on balancing full-time jobs in the city with a full academic workload from the UK.
the London School of Journalism because I wanted to do the course, and because it was short and cheap. It’s 12 lessons and the maximum duration is two years. The cost is £300 in total, but it’s not a degree. It is not that time-consuming because of the two-year spread. No deadlines, no exams and the 12 assignments cover things like interviews, feature writing, media law and marketing your work. I haven’t used any tutoring programmes and materials are sent to you by pdf. Professors send feedback after each assignment. I’m doing the course out of personal interest, low expense, and because I have already been to university.”
The lonely road Sonja from Kent, UK Age: 25 Course: MSc in Food Policy City University, London “I discovered distance learning because the course I was interested in offered it—it wasn’t something I specifically set out to find. My course is supposedly part-time, over two years, and the time I’m meant to spend on it varies each week. My guidelines for this term are 23 hours per week. I am paying for the course whilst I study, so I have to work—I work on a website for artesan foods, 30 hours a week, and I’m a financial translator, 10 hours a week. Obviously, that adds up to 40 hours, and then with the MSc requirements, it’s 63, which I basically never manage. I would love not to have to work as much, but otherwise I have no funding. Sadly, the jobs have to take the first priority, so the MSc often ends up taking more of a back seat than I would like. Hopefully, I will be able to pay the MSc off by the end of the year, and then cut down on work hours by the time I do my thesis. Difficulties learning outside of the classroom definitely involve items coming late because of the post, especially the Spanish post! Also, my access to materials in general is pretty crappy—there are very few books I can access as e-books, so I end up either reading on Google books, buying loads of them on Amazon, or not reading them at all. Also, sometimes tutors have forgotten Skype dates, and they seem to take ages to reply to emails. I enjoy studying alone very much, and at my own rhythm, but it is a little frustrating not to be able to talk to classmates, especially as my course is so specialised. Blabbing at friends falls on deaf ears. I have Skype chats with the other distance students, but there are only three of us. For a distance course to be worthwhile you have to be very motivated and proactive; being further away comes with a whole different set of challenges. I am considering moving back to London for the second year because I feel that for my thesis, the challenges of limited book access and hardly any support will be a bit too much. We’ll see what happens.” For further details for the above see www.londoninternational.ac.uk/ (University of London), www.open.ac.uk/ (Open University), www.city.ac.uk/ (City University) and www.lsj.org/ (London School of Journalism).
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culture
Madrid, Madagascar, Bin Laden and Nazis On his recent visit to the city, writer Guy Saville tells Liz Ellis about the struggles and adventures that led to his best-seller, The Afrika Reich
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here were five words that my old History teacher banned me from saying: “Yes, sir, but what if...” There were, he said, no “what ifs” in History. It happened and for my exam, that was all I needed to know. How I wish he could have met Guy Saville. This quietlyspoken 38-year-old has a best-seller on his hands thanks to “what if”, with the hypothetical question being “What if the Nazis had won the Second World War and carried out their plans to take over Africa?”
Cairo caper It is this book which has brought the Essex-born lad to Madrid, part of a whirlwind tour of Spain promoting his debut novel, The Afrika Reich. But while it might be the first time he’s visited the city, it’s not his first time exploring strange new worlds. The former freelance journalist has lived in Brazil and Egypt, ending up in Cairo on a very auspicious date: September 2001, “literally a couple of weeks after the Twin Towers attack.” It was to bring him a strange encounter. “The Daily Mail found out that one of the Bin Ladens is married to a minor British aristocrat so they asked me if I could go and doorstop her.” In other words, he was to find the family and knock on their door, asking for an interview. “Their house was on a big estate with lots of villas so we asked this guy which was the Bin Laden one. ‘Oh,’ he said, ‘They have 54—one for each sibling.’ It was literally the Bin Laden Street.” “She was really shocked when we turned up on her doorstep and asked if we could have a chat—you know, ‘What’s it like to be part of the family of the world’s most wanted man?’” In the end, they invited Guy in, but only to talk about anything except Osama. Have they kept in touch? “Unfortunately not!”
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Winning idea Although Egypt was ten years ago, an African connection is very much on Guy’s mind again at the moment. His novel deals with the concept of the Nazis invading Africa, and his interest was sparked by a simple line in another book. “I read The Man in the High Castle, by Philip K Dick, which is a revisionist history book about the Nazis occupying America, and there was this throwaway line about the ‘Nazi experiment in Africa’. That was the germ of an idea which grew and developed.” The idea developed into The Afrika Reich, which sees Britain and Germany laying down their arms after Dunkirk and splitting up Africa between them. It was a complicated idea, requiring lots of research in obscure history books, but eventually the opening chapters were ready to go into an online competition, which netted Guy first prize of an Arts Council grant worth several thousand pounds. It allowed him to give up work and write full-time.
Lucky sixth It was something he’d wanted ever since he was a child, “telling anyone who’d listen” about his ambitions. But as often happens, life got in the way. “You leave university thinking, ‘I want to be a writer’ but you drift into a job and then a couple of years later, you realise that you wanted to be a writer, not a worker.” Unlike many, he took positive action. “I stopped working, just did part-time stuff, and wrote in earnest,” he says. “Writing, getting rejected, writing, getting rejected...” Were there many rejections? He answers with a very sheepish “Yes,” then adds “Loads and loads and loads. There gets a point where you stop counting them. Somewhere at home, I’ve got a big folder filled with rejections.” Carefully eeking out the Arts Council grant, subsidised with a little freelance journalism at times, Guy finished The Afrika Reich and sent it out. But for a long while it looked as if history, far from being rewritten, was repeating itself. “It got rejected by everyone,” he admits. “It was sent out to 17 publishers and over nine months, 15 rejected it. But just when I thought it was never
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Guy Saville
going to happen, within 48 hours the last two publishers said yes. It went to auction and they bid against each other. I’d genuinely thought it was never going to happen.” He continues: “The Afrika Reich was actually my sixth book. The other five were rejected. They never followed a theme, I just wrote whatever came into my head. It was one of the things I had to learn: to write for a particular market, not just following a whim.”
Next step A follow-up—The Afrika Reich is the first of a planned trilogy—has the one-time foreign correspondent globe-trotting again. “It’s set in Madagascar,” he reveals. “The Nazis planned to export all the Jews there and make it one giant concentration camp. “I went there last year, plotted out the journey they take in the book and followed it. Madagascar’s not visited very much and the infrastructure’s still very basic so it was an adventure. You just thought, if you were an educated Jewish doctor, for example, what would it be like to be thrown out of your house and then shipped thousands of miles away to end up on this African island. You just can’t imagine what that must have felt like.” Oh yes, I can imagine quite well, using the imagination that had me asking “what if?” in history. And after seeing the success that Guy has had, and no doubt will continue to enjoy with book two, I have only one thing to say: my old History teacher has a lot to learn.
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sport
Programme notes A collection of old football programmes inspires Jeff Wiseman to look at some of Real Madrid’s surprising past encounters with British clubs
FIXTURE FIX ■ Compiled by Keith Miles
Football Internationals 10 Aug 9pm—England v Holland 10 Aug 8.45pm—Scotland v Denmark 10 Aug 8.45pm—Ireland v Croatia 10 Aug 8.45pm—Wales v Australia 10 Aug 9.45pm—N Ireland v Faroe Islands European Super Cup 26 Aug 8.45pm—Barcelona v Porto Spanish Super Cup 14 Aug 10pm—Real Madrid v Barcelona 17 Aug 11pm—Barcelona v Real Madrid La Liga 21 Aug Real Madrid v Athletic Bilbao 21 Aug Rayo Vallecano v Mallorca 21 Aug Real Sociedad v Atletico Madrid 21 Aug Racing v Getafe 28 Aug Zaragoza v Real Madrid 28 Aug Athletic Bilbao v Rayo Vallecano 28 Aug Atletico Madrid v Osasuna 28 Aug Getafe v Levante Community Shield 7 Aug 3.30pm—Man Utd v Man City Premier League 20 Aug 1pm—Sunderland v Newcastle 20 Aug 1.45pm—Arsenal v Liverpool 28 Aug 5pm—Man Utd v Arsenal
F1 28 Aug 2pm—Belgian Grand Prix
Tennis 29 Aug-11 Sep US Open, Flushing Meadows
Athletics 27 Aug-4 Sep World Championships, South Korea
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f you think Real Madrid have never played Plymouth Argyle, think again. They played each other as recently as 2006, even though Argyle, as their most ardent fans would likely admit, are not one of the most glamourous clubs in England. In fact their highest finish was fourth in the old Second Division, in 1931-32, and to be fair, in 1952-53 also. So how did they end up playing Real Madrid? It’s just one story that arises from a bunch of old football programmes, some dating back almost 50 years, that throw up famous names, curious motives and an occasional surprise result.
10 April 1962 Crystal Palace 3 Real Madrid 4
Real Madrid’s first visit to London wasn’t, as you might imagine, to play Arsenal, Chelsea or Tottenham Hotspur, but rather a friendly at Selhurst Park against Crystal Palace. Apparently the Palace Chairman at the time, Arthur Wait, had a lot to do with bringing the fivetimes European champions to South London, and is still held in very fond memory by Palace fans. “Forgive us if we throw our chests out a little for being able to arrange such a fixture,” Arthur writes in the programme, “it needed quite a lot of courage.” Given that Real fielded Puskas, di Stefano and Gento, there was every reason for Palace to stick their chests out a lot. Despite poor weather, around 25,000 people enjoyed the spectacle. The reason for the game? To officially open Selhurst Park’s new floodlights.
13 September 1962 Arsenal 0 Real Madrid 4
Just five months after Palace, this friendly fixture was the first meeting between Arsenal and Real. (It would be 1999, 37 years later, before they would meet again.) Puskas, di Stefano and Gento were once more on the field, as well as Santamaria. “We need hardly stress that our players are very keen to beat Real,” comment the Arsenal programme notes, “and there seems little doubt that the game will be a thrilling spectacle, perhaps of contrasting styles.” And a contrasting number of goals conceded too, as it turned out. A young Terry Neill, who was to have a long career with Arsenal and Northern Ireland, appeared for the Gunners. The teams played in shirts, shorts, and stockings (as socks were termed in the early sixties.)
22 November 1966 Chelsea 2 Real Madrid 0
Basketball 31 Aug-18 Sep EuroBasket 2011, Lithuania
Rugby Union 6 Aug 11.30am—New Zealand v Australia 6 Aug 3.30pm—England v Wales 6 Aug 3.15pm—Scotland v Ireland 13 Aug 11.30am—South Africa v Australia 13 Aug 3.30pm—Wales v England 13 Aug 8.45pm—France v Ireland 20 Aug 11.30am—South Africa v New Zealand 20 Aug 1pm—Scotland v Italy 20 Aug 6pm—Ireland v France 20 Aug 3.30pm—Wales v Argentina 27 Aug 12.05pm—Australia v New Zealand 27 Aug 3.30pm—Ireland v England
Cycling 20 Aug-11 Sep Vuelta A España
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It was four years until Real played in the capital again, this time going to Stamford Bridge for a charity game against Chelsea. Gento and Pirri turned out for Real, and remarkably so did Puskas, who must have been almost 40 years old. The Chelsea line up boasted Peter Bonetti, Ron Harris and Charlie Cooke, and the club were top of the First Division (now Premier League) at the time. Perhaps the most curious aspect of the programme is the chariW W W. I N M A D R I D . C O M
ties that benefitted from the game. One was British ORT, the largest Jewish education and training charity in the world, whilst the second was the Jewish National Fund, established in 1901 “for the purpose of acquiring the historic land of Palestine in order that it should become the inalienable property of the whole Jewish people.” Thirty two thousand people attended.
19 September 1973 Ipswich Town 1 Real Madrid 0
This was the UEFA Cup, first round, first leg, and despite an unconvincing performance Ipswich came out on top courtesy of an own goal by Real defender Rubiñán. The Ipswich line-up included Mick Mills, who would win 42 caps for England, and Kevin Beattie. Real’s star player was German, Gunther Netzer. With such a small winning margin, Ipswich’s hopes of progressing looked slim, but they exceeded all expectations at the Bernabeu and won the tie through a 0-0 draw. They went on to reach the quarter finals. For the record, the name of the club’s young manager who oversaw the triumph was Bobby Robson.
5 March 1980 Celtic 2 Real Madrid 0
The first leg of a European Cup quarter final saw countless big names on both sides, including Danny McGrain, Roy Aitken and Bobby Lennox for Celtic, and Camacho, Pirri, Santillana, Stielike and Cunningham for Real. Real were managed by Yugoslav Vujadin Boscov, who according to the programme notes was reported to be on a win bonus of £5,674! Despite the major triumph, heartbreakingly Celtic lost 3-0 in the Bernabeu, with the third goal coming in the 86th minute. Real lost to Hamburg in the semi-final, in a season when the trophy was won by Nottingham Forest. Incidentally, also turning out for Real that night against Celtic was Vicente del Bosque. I wonder if he went on to greater things?
21 July 2006 Plymouth Argyle 0 Real Madrid 1
In what may be the only time that Ian Holloway and Fabio Capello are likely to appear on a programme cover together, Holloway’s Plymouth Argyle took on the Galacticos in a preseason friendly—not in Plymouth or Madrid, but in the Franz Fekete Stadium, Kapfenberg, Austria. Real fielded Ivan Helguera, Jonathan Woodgate, Guti and Thomas Gravesen, but Argyle lost only to a penalty scored by Brazilian Julio Baptista. The Real players may have been a little confused in the second half, as Holloway opted to substitute every Plymouth player at half time, putting out an entirely different eleven after the break. The offer of the friendly was apparently made after Real decided to hold a last-minute pre-season training camp in Austria. Argyle were staying in Real’s favourite hotel in the area, but agreed to move out so it could accommodate them. Two hundred Plymouth fans made the trip to witness a fixture which, we feel, is unlikely to be repeated any time soon. T H E E N G L I S H - L A N G U A G E M O N T H LY
Why did you decide to move to Madrid? I was asked to move here by my company to work on a special short-term project and I jumped at the chance. I’d heard a lot of great things about Madrid and so it was a M J. Newman, 29, USA perfect opportuger Mana eting Product Mark nity for me. What do you do here? I am Product Marketing Manager for a major technology company, which basically means that I develop large scale programmes for developer outreach in emerging markets. Gotta love the buzz words!
Spanish can get in the way as English is not necessarily common in day to day life. I often have to resort to a wonderful mix of English, French (which I speak), my basic Spanish and gesturing. It’s got me by well, so far! Has it worked out as you planned? No, I really expected to get here and fall in love with a Spaniard who played a guitar and live happily ever after, but I’m still waiting. Having previously lived in France, there was a big culture shock; the Spanish are very different from the French. But I’ve really enjoyed learning about the Spanish culture; a highlight has been running with the bulls in Pamplona for San Fermin—one of the most exciting but terrifying experiences of my life! But no, it hasn’t been what I expected.
How did you get the job? I already worked for the company and it was an internal opportunity, so I didn’t really have to do a lot. My boss supported me in the move and basically the rest fell into place.
What are the major differences in work environment/culture compared to home? I don’t eat at my desk, you have to go for lunch and have a break from your work. In the US, eating at your desk is a total norm and lunching with your colleagues is generally reserved for special occasions and birthdays! But here you get to know your colleagues away from the work conversation and it gives your brain a good break in the middle of the day—very useful when you’re having one of those stressful ‘everything is going wrong’ days.
What’s been difficult about moving to/living in Madrid? Adjusting to the late dinner! I’m used to the American timings and so going to dinner at 11pm still seems a little crazy for me, but I embrace the culture difference. Also, not speaking fluent
What are your long term plans? Sadly I’m on a temporary contract so I will be returning to the USA soon, but I will go home a happy camper and I’m sure I will be back on vacation or maybe to live again. ■ TOM A BURGESS
In the city centre is a street named after José Echegaray, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1904. But quaint little Calle de Echegaray wasn’t always named so, and the story behind its original tag is a bit more interesting. Sorry José! The street was actually once named La Calle del Lobo. Legend says a hunter lived there, feared by the surrounding neighbourhood, and known for his collection of animal trophies—heads of wild boars, fangs and tusks. His most prized possession, however, was the skin of a wolf (lobo) which hung from his front door. One day, a poor young boy, dressed in rags, happened to pass by the hunter’s home and was drawn to the warm-looking wolf fur. The boy threw the skin over himself, only to come face to face with the hunter moments later. In one swift motion, the hunter slashed the child, cutting deep into his chest and leaving him lifeless on the ground. The boy’s mother soon arrived, howling in sorrow at the sight of her dead son. With all her strength, she carried her child to a statue of the Virgin Mary, and cried for help. In a miraculous act, the boy was resurrected. It’s perhaps a little surprising that after such a miracle they decided to dedicate the street to the animal, but apparently the confused hunter later claimed he was just trying to keep the wolf from the door. (He didn’t really—we just made that bit up.)
■ TOM INKLING
T H E E N G L I S H - L A N G U A G E M O N T H LY
In conjunction with www.silver-screenspain.com, each month we focus on an English language movie made in the comunidad. Whether you want to follow in the footsteps of the stars or play scene-spotting with a DVD, the clues start here. And...action!
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King of Kings Release date: 1961 Writer & Director: Nicholas Ray Stars: Jeffrey Hunter, Carmen Sevilla, Siobhan McKenna Believe it or not, the Sermon on the Mount once took place at Venta Frascuela, near Chinchón, on the outskirts of Madrid. It was, of course, for a movie, in this case a biblical epic called King of Kings, when many locations in and around the city substituted for Holy Land scenery. Made in 1961, the film tells the story of Jesus. There was nothing in director Nicholas Ray’s track record to suggest a flair for this type of movie. He had directed John Wayne in Flying Leathernecks (1951), and famously James Dean in Rebel without a Cause (1955), but according to critics King of Kings has stood the test of time rather better than other biblical sagas. Its cinematography and score are particularly notable. Spanish actress Carmen Sevilla flitted effortlessly from her role of Mark Anthony’s second wife in Anthony and Cleopatra to that of Mary Magdalene in this film, although her voice was dubbed, whilst the narration of the story was an epic in itself—it was written by Ray Bradbury, the science fiction writer whose work includes Fahrenheit 451, and read by Orson Welles, who was always a great The river Alberche Photo (CC) flickr: m_peinado fan of Spain. Nazareth was brought to life by Manzanares del Real (although they managed to keep its enormous castle hidden), and the River Jordan, where actor Robert Ryan baptises the faithful and suffers manfully behind his ample beard, was in fact the River Alberche at Aldea del Fresno just west of Madrid. One of the significant hills, Golgotha, where Christ meets His maker, was filmed at Navacerrada, a popular ski resort 45 minutes north of the city, whereas the Mount of Olives was to be found at Añover de Tajo in Toledo province. The part of Jesus went to Jeffrey Hunter, on the recommendation of director John Ford, but Spain did not prove a fortunate location for the actor. He returned here in 1969 to film Viva America, but was accidentally injured in an explosion on the set. Soon afterwards he began complaining of dizziness and headaches, and was briefly hospitalised upon his return to Los Angeles. Sadly, on 27 May 1969, he suffered a cerebral haemorrhage on a stairway in his home, falling and striking his head, and died during surgery to repair the skull fracture at the age of only 42. So anxious was King of Kings producer Sam Bronson to please the authorities that he actually achieved an official Papal blessing for the film from Pope John XXIII on 8 March 1960.
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From Miso to Maki In the fourth of our series about where to buy international ingredients in Madrid, Janel Torkington takes a Japanese jaunt Photo (CC) flickr: mr wabu
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ark brown buckwheat soba noodles coiled throughout chilled savoury dashi stock, dotted with colourful summer veggies and bits of fried egg. Never-ending, overflowing sake cups. Miniature, edible works of knife art enveloped in a sweetly vinegared rice blanket. Earthy floral steam emanating from hot green tea. Grab yourself a pair of chopsticks: today we delve into the deliciously complex world of Japanese cuisine, and we’ve investigated the city’s best resources for putting together your own impressive Japanese feast. Itadakimasu!
Staying sharp Absolutely key to the success of any Japanese-themed meal are the tools at hand, the most important of which is definitively the knife. Professional Japanese chefs distinguish between many distinct varieties of blade depending on the task; the average home cook needn’t be as discerning. What’s critical is at least one high-quality kitchen knife that feels good in your hand, along with an accompanying sharpener. The Spanish city of Albacete is famed for its knife production, and one vendor we particularly like for its wide selection and reasonable prices is Zapaexpress in Mercado de Santa María de la Cabeza (Puesto 149, Pº Santa María de la Cabeza, 41. Metro: Palos de la Frontera). Tell the storekeeper what you’re hoping to use the knife for, and ask how to use a sharpener—it’s one of the most significant investments you can make in your kitchen arsenal, since it keeps your blade at the ready for slicing and dicing. Plain wooden chopsticks can be located in practically any general store; you can find much more interesting designs along with accompanying cute plateware at Galería Cultural Dinasty (Plaza Santa María Soledad Torres Acosta. Metro: Callao). Also sold here are bento boxes—Japanese-style compartmentalized lunchboxes designed to keep different elements of your lunch separated and attractive.
Grains and strains It’s impossible to talk about Japanese cuisine without talking about rice; in fact, the Japanese word for the starchy staple is interchangeable with the term for “meal” in gen-
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eral. Yet all rice is not created equal; the well-known sticky sushi rice, for example, is a very specific strain prepared with rice vinegar to give it its distinctive tang. Calrose is a well-known and trustworthy brand of short-grain sushi rice, and can be picked up along with the vinegar in IberoChina (Calle del General Margallo 4. Metro: Tetuán).
Fish or fishy If making your own smorgasbord of sushi appeals to your inner fish fanatic, know that you’re in for a challenge, and investigate your seafood accordingly. Madrid tends to get the bulk of the best Spanish seafood products due to demand — yes, even better than Galicia, from where much of it originates. However, what day you purchase your Gallego goodies is seriously important: fish and other ocean edibles are shipped into the city each and every Tuesday, making that
Photo (CC) flickr: cainho
the best possible day for buying seafood at its freshest. Consequently, Monday is the worst—anything you see has been sitting somewhere for almost a week, including a Sunday when everything is closed, so be quite wary of any fish vendors you see hawking at the beginning of the week. Sushi grade fish can definitely be found at El Mercado de San Miguel (Pza. San Miguel, 1. Metro: Sol); however, just as in any good sushi restaurant, you pay a significant price for quality. One economical alternative is the smoked salmon available in the large majority of supermarkets.
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Pairing it with cream cheese and avocado is an excellent non-traditional option to play at the art of sushi without breaking the bank. The trickiest form for the budding home chef is maki, or roll sushi; the acquisition of a bamboo rolling mat is helpful, available at Aitor Importación (General Margallo, 9. Metro: Tetuán). Simpler are nigiri, which layer ingredients atop the same characteristic sushi rice. Add an authentic touch by topping either variety with furikake, a condiment typically consisting of sesame seeds, chopped seaweed, dried and ground fish, sugar, and salt; several brands can be found at Aitor Importación as well.
Dicing with protein Of course, if you want to go Japanese, sushi is not your only option! Beginning any meal with miso soup is an ideal way to lightly open the appetite; you can find both dry instant mixes and wet miso paste at Destino China (General Margallo, 20. Metro: Tetuán). They also carry a staggering array of soy sauces, ranging from salty Kikkoman to citrus-spiked or darkly mushroom-y; experiment to discover which match your preferred flavour palette. Several different kinds of tofu are sold here as well; tofu is not only one of the cleanest forms of protein out there, it’s also extraordinarily delicious when prepared correctly —and the Japanese know their tofu. It’s useful for vegetarians, but ought to be well within the general domain of all gastronomical fanatics—try pressing and draining one-inch cubes of the firm variety onto paper towels for half an hour before frying, or slicing rounds of silken tofu into hot dashi stock with veggies for a light and healthy lunch. For Japanese-lovers on the go, instant ramen is not a terrible option. Huan Lian Food supermarket (c/Leganitos, 33. Metro: Plaza España) stocks several shelves full of interesting ramen flavours and brands—inundate them with shrimp and vegetables to make them more flavourful and healthy. Perhaps more intriguing Japanese fast food is their take on curry, available in paste form at Huan Lian. A block of curry paste combined with carrots, potatoes, and your protein of choice makes for a quick and hearty dish. Wash it down with a cold Kirin, Sapporo, or Asahi beer (yup, you can find them here too!): fast food doesn’t get much better than this.
T H E E N G L I S H - L A N G U A G E M O N T H LY
food&drink
A roaring success Tom Garton pays a visit to La Posada del León de Oro, a newly renovated hotel and restaurant in Madrid’s famous Cava Baja
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What’s Madrid like?” This banal question arises in almost every dying conversation I have with a friend or relative back home. If, like me, it irritates and bores you, then I suggest pretension is the best way to deal with it. Respond with “Madrid, my friend, is the sensuous love-child of Spain’s past and present,” and an already dying conversation is quickly killed stone dead. You may be asking yourself what this has to do with a new hotel and restaurant, and the link is that just occasionally there is a hint of truth in that pretentious yet fun comment. Sometimes a loving renovation does combine past and present Spain, even if a “sensuous love-child” may be stretching metaphors a little too far. A recent addition to Madrid’s hostelries which brings together the historic and the modern is La Posada del León de Oro, mingling with countless other gastronomic delights along Cava Baja. The Posada dates from 1893, and the management has paid close attention to its past during its renovation. Its Cava rooms have balconies which open out onto the famous thoroughfare and if you visit when the sun is shining down on Old Madrid it makes a warm shiver rush through your blood. Being in a building which has housed guests for more than one hundred years, you feel like you’re a part of its history. The inn’s original courtyard has been retained, and where possible the building’s timbers have been kept too. But the cherry on top of this wonderful slice of past and present is to be found in the hotel’s restaurant, Enotaberna. It sits above an old Christian city wall, preserved under a glass floor, so that even while dining you are immersed in Madrid’s history.
¡Pour favor!
Fine wine I drop in to Enotaberna one Friday afternoon to meet Jana, who has invited me for a leisurely lunch. In typically Anglo-Saxon fashion I arrive a little early, which gives me time to have a look around. For lunch, the place is devoid of any affectation; the metal tables are left bare and the lighting is neither too bright nor too dark. Particularly pleasing is the distance between the tables; unlike so many restaurants on Cava Baja you’re not constantly pushing your chair into someone else’s back, nor are you worried that other people can hear your intimate whisperings. When Jana arrives I am in my seat, making careless smalltalk with my knowledgeable waitress; a particularly lovely white Valdepeñas is already open and an already half-drunk glass is in my hand. Enotaberna prides itself on its wide selection of wines, and visiting its bar for a few glasses, even if you don’t have time for dinner, is highly recommended.
Content continuation Jana and I begin with Salmorejo con helado de Parmesano, which is topped with a sweet, light, velvety, bread sauce and a crispy jamón serrano crouton, adding an elegant touch of modernity to the rustic Andalucian classic. We are then swiftly and attentively moved on to the Carpaccio de foie con sal de humo. The foie is pleasantly mild and also succeeds in providing gastronomic interest before the arrival of our crisp Ensalada de tomate. I love continuity, and I find it in abundance here, for
What to drink this month
Taking a break from our summer rosado programme, we’re drinking another white from one of Spain’s best white wine growing regions: Galicia. Such a climate is ideal for white wine grapes, where cooler air preserves the freshness and promotes the higher acidity for which whites are prized. Valdeorras is a small region (one per cent of the size of La Rioja) in the southeast corner of Galicia, inland from the sea and less influenced by it than Rias Baixas. There the growing season is predominantly dry and sunny, with a little occasional rain. The grape, godello, is an indigenous varietal found nowhere else in the world (stuff of wine geek dreams!), and has been vinified there since Roman times, when Pliny the Elder wrote of
its delight. Here’s to carrying on tradition. Appearance Yellow gold with greenish tints, appearing richer and more saturated than fresh albariños or loureiros. The winery notes “nacreous glints”, but we’ll let you decide. Aroma The nose, on the other hand, is drier and less fruity than aforementioned varietals. Along with lemon rind there’s a stoney minerality, and light flower aromas mixed with a bit of wheat. Taste Medium bodied with a bright, racy acid tang like candied fresh lemon. Other flavours include ripe peach and nectarine, but the wine is taut and dry, with flavours well integrated and hard to ID separately. It’s also quite textural, feeling cloth-like on the tongue. There’s a strong, underlying mineral-
every dish at the Posada is a reflection of the place as a whole—a delightful fusion of old and new; an enchanting anachronism. In the case of the tomatoes, rather than being tossed with a bit of oil and salt, they are placed circling a gorgeous, grilled goat’s cheese which itself nestles upon a bed of soft, sweet caramelised red onion. As Jana and I indulge, the Valdepeñas starts to diminish, and my sense of time begins to disappear, perhaps understandably given the surroundings.
A tail to talk about Before I know it, the white has gone and the waitress, who I’d been chatting to/up beforehand, glides over to our table with the red. Imparting her impressive knowledge as she pours, it’s a superb, rich Ribera del Duero which perfectly accompanies the restaurant’s speciality: Rabo de Toro deshuesado con Parmentiere de trufa negra. This bull’s tail, as the name hints, is anything but average. Head Chef Juan Gabaldón adds a gastronomically modern twist to the quintessential Spanish main course by deboning the tail and serving it with a parmienter of black truffles. Delicate, delicious and easily devoured. Although more than content, the best is saved until last. Infusión de frutos rojos con helado de yogurt y naranja caramelizada—a red berry fusion topped with candied orange peel is served in a dainty jug, alongside which comes a creamy white chocolate cheesecake. Jana and I look up from our time-warped bliss, and shake our heads in spellbound disbelief. “Qué rico!” we exclaim. But rich in only one sense, for Enotaberna doesn’t break the bank, and, most importantly, it’s not pretentious. It serves interesting and modern interpretations of Spanish classics in a typically and notably stylish Spanish surrounding. Simple, and highly satisfying.
Enotaberna, Cava Baja, 12 (Metro: La Latina). Tel: 91 119 14 94. Average three course price: 25-30. MonThurs, 8am-11pm; Fri-Sun, 8am-12pm. See www.posadadelleondeoro.com
2009 Viña Godeval Godello DO: Valdeorras. 100% Godello. 12.5% ABV
ity, representing the character of the slate-covered soils in that part of Galicia. That minerality lasts through the finish, balanced with acidity and citrus fruit flavours. Nectar or honey is in there as well. Try it with Food of the region. We drank it with cornbread mussel empanadas and it made an excellent maridaje—a Spanish food/wine pairing. The texture matched the cornbread with perfect pitch. The medium body and dry flavours also go wonderfully with juicy pulpo. And, as we always say, white wine and cheese make a glorious match. Another option: omit food. The wine is fine alone. Final thoughts Try it! Aside from the long history, regional exclusivity and worldwide rarity, it’s simply
a good wine. It does what wine drinkers look for—it shows varietal character (exemplifies the inherent grape flavours and aromas in a clear and focused way), it expresses terroir (the effect of land, air and climate in a specific region), and it acts as a structural wine with integrated flavours that goes well with or without food (while there are many wines that go well only one way or the other). Finally, after being a good wine with all the above qualities, it’s delicious! Would the Romans have kept it around if it were otherwise? ■ THOMAS SPAETH
(Yes, this ad is upside down on purpose!M)
Oriental tea house Arabic cuisine and cakes –Delicious Couscous– Tues-Sat, evenings: belly dancing Classes: belly dancing Arabic percussion Poetry circle– –P c/Martín de los Heros, 28. Tel: 91 559 57 85
T H E E N G L I S H - L A N G U A G E M O N T H LY
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Month Ahead art
Pi CK
■ BY ELENA RODEMANN
o’ the month
James Castle: Mostrar y Almacenar. Centro de Arte Reina Sofía C/Santa Isabel, 52 (Metro: Atocha). Tel: 91 774 10 00. Mon-Sat, 10am-9pm; Tue, closed; Sun, 10am-2.30pm. General admission €6, temporary exhibition €3. Free Mon; Wed-Fri, 7-9pm; Sat, 2.30-9pm; Sun, 10am-2.30pm. This progressive Idaho-born artist used saliva, carbon and cardboard as mediums for his artwork. His collection lacks chronological order and none of his pieces have any titles, which is a somewhat unorthodox and enigmatic way of presenting work. But Castle was unconventional; he didn’t care about professionalism, couldn’t read, and never sympathised with people who valued aesthetics over meaning. He enjoyed drawing old barns, abandoned factories, empty bedrooms, and anything else that mimicked marginality. While he clearly embodied the idea of “outsider art” (a term used to describe artists who transcend the boundaries of their own culture) he nonetheless demonstrates a disposition towards structure and orderly composition. Perhaps Castle hints at his own need for stability in the midst of his chaotic mind. Until 5 Sept.
Museo del Prado Po del Prado, s/n (Metro: Atocha). Tel: 91 330 28 00. Tues-Sun, 9am-8pm. General admission €8, students under 25 €4, permanent exhibition free Tues-Sat, 6-8pm; Sun 5-8pm. Fortuny y el Esplendor de la Acuarela Española. Watercolour proved to be the artists’ medium of choice during the 19th century, and Mariano Fortuny was its biggest representative. He asserted himself amongst Spanish painters and demonstrated an illustrious passion for landscapes and portraits. This exhibition gathers his best works. Until 4 Sept.
Buoninsegna, and The Pool at Bethesda by Giovanni Paolo Panini, as well as Dürer’s Jesus among the Doctors and Jan Brueghel I’s Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee. The admission for this exhibition is free. 2 Aug-4 Sept.
tors deep into a world of mystery and imagination. Biblioteca Nacional de España, Paseo de Recoletos, 22. (Metro: Colon). Tel: 91 580 78 00. Tues-Sat, 10am-9pm; Sun, 10am-2pm. Until 4 Sept.
La Casa Encendida C/Ronda de Valencia, 2 (Metro: Embajadores). Tel: 90 243 03 22. Mon-Sun, 10am-10pm. Free. Paloma Gámez: Carta de Color. Using colour as her tool, Gámez communicates the impact and influence that sensorial and visual elements have on space. Until 4 Sept.
Bajo el influjo de las Magdalenas
Photo (C) BNE
Other galleries
Menipo, Fortuny
c Museo del Prado
Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza Po del Prado, 8 (Metro: Banco de España). Tel: 91 369 01 51. Tues-Sun, 10am-7pm. General admission €8, students €5.50. Encuentros. Escenas religiosas de los siglos XIV al XVIII. The Thyssen displays the work of different artists dating from the 14th to the 18th centuries who used Christian themes and scenes from Jesus’ life as the basis for their paintings. Examples include Christ and the Woman of Samaria by Duccio di
Pepe Botella: Very Nice. This internationally renowned photographer has been working for almost forty years in the fashion industry. He currently lives in the United States where he is constantly acclaimed by top fashion models and designers. This exhibition is hosted by the Hotel Westin Palace and displays highlights of the early stages of his career. Galería Espacio Palace, Plaza de Las Cortes, 7 (Metro: Atocha). Tel: 91 360 80 00. Until 1 Sept.
La magia en la BNE. Over 100 literary works, photographs, engravings and audiovisuals are presented to illustrate the history and evolution of magic and illusions. Themes include memory tricks, cards, fortune telling, magnetism, hypnotism, spiritualism and wizardry, and take visi-
Troncos Manu
Bajo el Influjo de las Magdalenas. “Magdalenas” are a typical breakfast, dessert or snack item here in Spain and are similar to muffins or cupcakes. Children are likely to eat them with ColaCao (chocolate milk) and will most likely stuff a few into their backpacks for later. They are cheap, easy to find, and delicious. The connection with this exhibition in this new and alternative gallery is that it seeks to retrace artists’ childhoods, remembering when life consisted of magdalenas and other simple things. Galería Mad is Mad, C/Pelayo, 48 (Metro: Chueca). Tel: 91 391 43 11. Tues-Sat, 5.30-9.30pm. Free. Until 31 Aug. Consonancias, Disonancias (Una Imersión en lo Emergente). The works of four very different artists are gathered in order to expose their desire for self-identification and assurance. Despite their thematic differences and aesthetic juxtaposition, they tell stories and present the world as harmonious and dissonant. Galería Cero, C/Fuenterrabía, 13 (Metro: Menéndez Pelayo). Tel: 91 552 99 99. Mon-Fri, 10am2.30pm, 4.30-8.30pm. Closed 5-22 Aug. Until 7 Sept.
Photo (C) BNE
theatre
■ BY HARRIET SMART
Zoo
dance La Caída de los Dioses
Yllana is back with a mime show for all the family. This new show takes place in the depths of the jungle, as we follow a group of ill-fated explorers who embark on their most foolish adventure yet. Their mission? To capture an exotic animal on the brink of extinction and bring it to the city’s zoo. The mishaps that ensue create a visual spectacle of epic proportions. The apparently idyllic environment soon becomes an exotic trap full of strange animals and creepy-crawlies that conspire to make our protagonists’ lives impossible. The show uses Yllana’s unique brand of comedy and applies it to explore the relationship between humans and their surroundings. Audiences who have enjoyed other Yllana shows (Sensormen, 666) will be familiar with their antics, and this time the company goes a step further in attempting to recreate a natural wilderness whilst pushing the boundaries of mime. Teatro Alfil, C/del Pez, 10 (Metro: Noviciado). Tel: 91 521 58 27. Tickets: (entradas.com) From 18. Wed-Fri, 8pm; Sat, 6pm, 8pm; Sun, 6pm. 3-28 Aug.
Julieta & Romeo
Slovenian director Toma Pandur’s La Caída de los Dioses (The Fall of the Gods) is a theatrical adaptation of Academy Award winning director Luchino Visconti’s celebrated film of the same name. The play takes place in the years when the Third Reich was gaining power, and the plot centres on the decline in social status of the Essenbecks, a powerful, aristocratic family who own a large steelworks. The family is torn apart by their stance towards Hitler: some support him, others despise him. Suddenly, they become embroiled in a bloody struggle for power after their patriarch is murdered. Teatro Español, C/Príncipe, 25 (Metro: Antón Martín/Sevilla). Tel: 91 360 14 84. Tickets: (telentrada.com) 22. Tues-Sun, 8.30pm. 25 Aug-23 Oct.
Director Marc Martínez takes a philosophical approach to the most famous love story of all time. This production, in Spanish, focuses on love and hate, rivalry and violence, and friendship and passion. Teatro Español, C/Príncipe, 25 (Metro: Antón Martín/ Sevilla). Tel: 91 360 14 84. Tickets: (telen tr a d a . c o m ) 2 2 . T u e s Sun, 8.30pm. 11 Aug-4 Sept.
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■ BY HARRIET SMART
Ciclón Ciclón claims it will transport the audience to a place where the sun and the moon are obsolete and even time does not exist. This is no ordinary contemporary dance show. It combines dance with acrobatics and theatre to create a mesmerising spectacle that will fascinate and delight the audience. Teatro Triangulo, C/ Zurita, 20 (Metro: Lavapiés/Antón Martín). Tel: 91 530 68 91. Tickets: (entradas.com) 13. Thurs, 10.30pm. 25 Aug-29 Sept.
Entre Mares Brazilian dancer Stefano Domit exhibits his unique style of flamenco in this original show that aims to highlight the personal side of the dance. Entre Mares (Between the seas) also seeks to prove that as flamenco grows in popularity across the world, its essence remains unchanged. Another exciting prospect is that María Juncal, one of the most famous figures in modern flamenco, participates. Teatro Pradillo, C/Pradillo, 12 (Metro: Alfonso XII/Concha Espina). Tel: 91 416 90 11. Tickets: (entradas.com) 12. Wed-Sat, 9pm. 10-13 Aug. T H E E N G L I S H - L A N G U A G E M O N T H LY
music
Andrea Corr: from old cardigans to vibrant new covers On a visit to Madrid, Andrea Corr talks to Tom Garton about dressing down, The Corrs in Spain, and her latest solo album I went in there with no make-up, hair all back, and actually had a housecoat on, so I was basically from the 1930s,” says Andrea Corr, explaining her audition for Brian Friel’s play Dancing at Lughansa. But it’s difficult to imagine her as anything other than glamourous—having appeared in FHM’s list of the 100 Sexiest Women in the World four years in succession, she shouldn’t have a penchant for dowdy apparel. She’s obviously lying. “A housecoat?” I ask. “Yes. You know. You must know. Those aprons that mothers used to wear over their clothes? I also had a very old cardigan over it!” She laughs. I remain shocked. Her foray into theatrics happened during a break from recording after her first solo album. The play was staged at the Old Vic in London. “It wasn’t a planned part of my hiatus,” she adds, “but I’ve always been passionate about acting and always hoped that I would get a chance to do it. Brian Friel is the greatest playwright in the world. I auditioned for it but I knew that it was a long shot.” The objective with the clothes was to dispel any thoughts the producers might have of seeing her only as a singer in a band, and the unusual image must have worked, as she got the part.
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wasn’t interested; it took our second album for us to make it there. But when we first recorded it was Ireland, Spain and Australia that were our biggest fans. Spain loved our first album.” Can she identify the reason why The Corrs were such a hit in Spain? “I don’t know why the Spanish went for it. Maybe it’s a cultural thing—the lust for life, the passion in the music and our mix of the traditional Irish music into that. Maybe there’s some kind of affinity.” I quip that both the Spanish and the Irish are keen on potatoes. Thankfully Andrea eases the awkwardness by chirping “Patatas bravas!”
Cover story Her latest solo album is called Lifelines. It bucks a trend, as it contains covers rather than original material. She usually writes her own songs, so was it odd to put her own interpretation on others’ work? “I never imagined doing a record which I hadn’t written, or written with my family. But it was so liberating just to be a singer, and just to be the interpreter. You can also bury your own feelings and call them somebody else’s,” she comments. “Every song is each of ours. You are your own perception of it. To me a song, even my own songs and my way of singing, has always been about telling a story. I’m telling you a story and I’m telling you the truth when I sing it.” Lifelines was produced by John Reynolds (U2, Sinead O’Connor), with Brian Eno co-producing various tracks. The song list was selected as intimate and personal, and includes versions of Billie Holiday’s “I’ll Be Seeing You”, John Lennon’s “No 9 Dream” and Velvet Underground’s “Pale Blue Eyes”. The album title derives from Harry Nilsson’s “Lifeline”. “These are covers; more hidden gems in a way,” explains Andrea. “And so once I’d set out to do a record full of hidden gems I immediately thought of Harry Nilsson. After I’d watched Midnight Cowboy for the first time, which became my favourite film, they showed a rare performance of Harry and in it he plays “Lifeline”. The most flattering thing that I’ve found can be said to a writer is that your song helped me through something, or I fell in love to your song. And I thought about music’s power, that it can allow you to revisit what you felt if you listen to a recording again. Nilsson came into that as well, with the line ‘Throw me down a lifeline, save me.’ I know that sounds dramatic, but it’s about memory; it’s about songs that have helped me.”
... it was so liberating just to be a singer, and just to be the interpreter. You can also bury your own feelings and call them somebody Corrmedy moments As we draw to a close, I mention a famous sketch, a send-up else’s”
El Corr Frances In order to avoid touching on the footwear and possible hats she may have drawn upon, Andrea introduces the other interest that she undertook away from the limelight. “I stepped out of things a little, and actually learned French,” she admits. As our chat is taking place in Madrid, the next question occurs spontaneously: why not Spanish? “Well, you know what,” she grins again, “we’ve got that one covered. My sister Caroline lives in Mallorca and is pretty much fluent. She’s lived there for years. But I love Spanish too so maybe I’d like to learn it someday.” The Corrs were a huge success in Spain, and even though the group have taken time out since 2006—sisters Sharon and Caroline, and brother Jim, are looking to raise their young families—Andrea recalls the attention their first album received. “At first the UK, although it was our neighbour, T H E E N G L I S H - L A N G U A G E M O N T H LY
of The Corrs by two English comediennes, French and Saunders. “It was so funny, that sketch,” Andrea giggles, “I actually remember the first time we saw it. I was sitting in our kitchen, and we had a small TV there, and it happened to be on. I was talking to my Mum and Dad and all of a sudden the music comes on and I know that it’s similar to “What Can I Do To Make You Love Me”, one of our songs. And it was so hilarious, that we actually used to play it before we came on stage at our gigs, as people were coming in, and you could always hear people laughing.” Corr is not averse to humour. Just before I leave I explain that my father was a great fan of The Corrs, and I was forced to listen to their songs in the back of the car. This prompts Andrea to imagine my current adult head on a baby’s body, tucked up snugly in a pram; and I fondly imagine her in her housecoat pushing me along. Lifelines is available now. See www.andreacorr.com. W W W. I N M A D R I D . C O M
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■ BY HARRIET SMART
Nicole Henry Quintet Fri 5 Aug and Sat 6 Aug. Sala Bogui, C/Barquillo, 29 (Metro: Chueca). Tel: 91 521 15 68. €10. www.boguijazz.com
Russell Parton gets out his olives and tells us what we should, or shouldn’t, be listening to
Givers In Light Glassnote Music
Igloo
8
Who said melancholia was the default setting for making music? Not Louisiana indie pop quintet Givers that’s for sure. The group’s breezy début album In Light bubbles in its own giddiness. Foremost it’s a brazen pop record with points of reference outside the normal sphere of things, channelling zydeco and cajun roots with a hint of bouncy Vampire Weekend-style world pop. The restless energy of album opener “Up Up Up” pulls no punches, creating a dance vibe that would sweep you along if it weren’t for the group’s tendency to play with their music; to rip it up, break it down or turn it into something else. So the off-kilter beats of “Ripe” abruptly give way to a swing section that halts mid-song, while in “Meantime” a change of pace is announced with a snappy ‘Go’. With both Tiffany Lamson and Taylor Guarisco sharing vocal duties, there’s no dominant focal point to the music, which for the most part sounds like a bunch of friends having a great time. While there is a point at which In Light’s heady exuberance can become annoying (if so, then avoid listening to it all at once) for the most part I’d say the positive— albeit relentless—energy of Givers wins out.
3 Ernie Production
To call your album Infinito 3 could leave you open to claims of grandstanding. It begs the question: where do you go from infinity? Luckily, for Galician group Igloo this album, their fourth, leaves a fair bit of room for improvement. Sure, it’s more ambitious than previous efforts, with soul-baring lyrics and an ambient sound that for a fleeting moment while listening to opener “Nanomedicos” put me in mind of Brian Eno, but there the similarities ended. Igloo are all about guitars, whether they’re crunching, rasping, distorted or ones that feed back. There’s a definite whiff of the kind of guitar music folks can dance to about this opening number, but too soon it’s deserted in favour of a more all-out-rock style, reminiscent of fellow Spanish rockeros Havalina only not as good. The line, “Todas las palabras huecas que me han hecho sangrar” from standout track “Cientos de Motivos” is not unrepresentative of the general melancholic mood of the record, which plays out with “Zumo V”, guitars blazing in a barrage of distortion.
Check out Gruta 77’s tribute night on 17 Aug, inc. tributes to Rory Gallagher (The Gallagher Band) and Neil Young (Heart of Gold).www.gruta77.com
Jazz singer Nicole Henry brings her sophisticated voice and stunning stage presence to Madrid. Having released her debut album The Nearness of You in 2004 to critical acclaim, Nicole has gone from strength to strength winning a number of jazz awards, among them “Best New Jazz Artist” in 2004 nominated by HMV in Japan. Her latest CD release, The Very Thought of You reached number seven on the US Billboard Jazz Chart,, and featured romantic love songs, originals and gems from the great American Songbook. Billboard wrote that “Henry is a jazz vocalist on the cusp of bigger things”, and with critics drawing comparisons between her and Diana Krall this concert is bound to be a treat for jazz fans.
Rototom 2011 Thurs 18-Sat 27 Aug, Recinto de Festivales, Benicàssim. Tickets: 10 days (festival area only, camping not included) €180; 10 days with camping €210. Tel: 964 305 220. www.rototomsunsplash.com The Rototom European Reggae Festival is once again at Benicàssim, and it’s the perfect escape if Madrid gets a little too hot for you in August. This year the line-up is better than ever, with the likes of Stephen Marley, Jimmy Cliff, Ali Campbell, and Shaggy gracing the stage. The 2011 festival pays tribute to Bob Marley, with concerts, talks and exhibitions in his honour. In addition, there are many smaller stages featuring up-and-coming artists such as United Flavour, Train to Roots or Jamafrica. Aside from music, Rototom hosts other events, such as debates about the death penalty, violence, respect for nature and renewable energy. These are presided over by some of the world’s most influential speakers: Nobel Prize winner Shirin Ebadi discusses world peace, and there’s even a Mayan priest to speak about the environment. For any reggae fans, this is an unmissable festival. Jimmy Cliff We do our best to keep these listings up to date but clubs come and go so if you see anything incorrect in here, please let us know by sending an email to editor@inmadrid.com. You’ll automatically be entered in a draw to win a free pair of cinema tickets
nightlife
■ COMPILED BY RICHARD LEWINGTON
: Cheap,
Calle Arlaban, 7 (Metro: Sevilla). Thurs 11 Aug, from 00.30am. www.web-mondo.com. €15
If you are not an avid follower of dance music but are tuned in to popular culture then you’ve more than likely experienced music touched by the hands of John Digweed. Originally hailing from England, but having arrived on the global scene nearly a decade ago, John has long since cemented his name in the pages of dance music history. His list of achievements is groundbreaking to say the least. From the nights he has either created or been a part of (Bedrock, Northern Exposure, Renaissance) to his world renowned mix CDs (Global Underground, Communicate) he has consistently produced characteristic products that stay in demand, himself included. Even with his global travelling he has still been able to hold down two monthly Bedrock residencies in both London (Heaven) and Brighton (The Beach). His Kiss100 radio show is quickly approaching its second year as one of the most successful dance music shows in the whole of England, with internet broadcasts to the rest of the world. Expect a night of the finest electronic house from a living legend.
: A bit more pricey,
: Damn! That’s expensive!
Nightlife Spotlight
John Digweed @ Mondo
Funk Kombat @ Serrano 41 Calle Serrano, 41 (Metro: Serrano). Every Sunday, from 9.30pm www.serrano41.es. €10
DJ Nuno
for the record
concerts
If you’re looking for a funky disco with a bit of Eminem 8 Mile freestyling in Madrid, then head to Serrano 41 where the Funk Kombat sessions are held every Sunday night. The event has rapidly become Madrid’s most well known funk and hip hop event and celebrates its 10th birthday this year. Prepare for a musical and lyrical face off as DJs Nuno, Kanzer and Taï duel against each other behind the wheels of steel to create a unique atmosphere.
Sr Chinarro Presidente Mushroom Pillow Under the moniker Sr Chinarro, Spanish indie veteran Antonio Luque and his pals release Presidente, Luque and the group’s eleventh album. “His place of honour in the history books of Spanish pop is reserved,” parps the fawning press release. The band’s first record came out in 1994 but there’s no sign of them becoming stale, with Presidente, both musically and lyrically, a lively beast, to the extent that the variation in styles may disconcert. Of the opening three numbers, “Llamada A La Accion” is a romantic stomp (if such a thing can exist), “El boxeo” is all stabbed guitars, while “Vacaciones En El Mar” mixes references to Google Earth and Todo a Euro shops with banjo playing and a surge of strings just as the song is playing out. So far so indie. But then, just as your ears are adjusting to the sound approximating Echo and the Bunnymen, comes “La Leccion”, a kind of zany, jazz-tinged number featuring loads of references to Spanish cultural life and with a chorus that warns: “Solo portate bien en el recreo.” If you’re not confounded, then try “San Borondon”, which uses a pedal steel to create a kind of Hawaiian, or at least ‘island’, flavour, doused with a liberal smattering of flamenco guitar, por supuesto. It seems there’s something for everyone, with even Bossa Nova covered in the melancholic “Babieca”.
About Group Start and Complete Domino With his band Hot Chip, songwriter Alexis Taylor manages to mould his soulful, melancholic vocal delivery around their good-time beat-making and sharp, studio-refined arrangements. With About Group, Taylor’s new jazz improv troupe, the singer’s instinct for contrast and juxtaposition again pays dividends. Debut disc Start and Complete blends order and chaos, like an experiment that ends up with some miraculous Eureka-like discovery. Taylor presented the rest of the band with a bunch of tightly structured, supremely melodic songs, which they immediately set to work recording during the course of a single day in Abbey Road. The results may not have you dancing in the aisles, but they certainly make for some fascinating ear candy. More raw than even a live performance, Start and Complete features a group of musicians who are discovering the songs while they play and record them, guided by their own visceral instincts. While fuzzy guitars with blues inflections, 70s soul licks and a distorted organ sound are nothing particularly new, they do work a treat with Taylor’s haunting vocals and with lolloping drums, loose and expressive, providing even the softest ballad with a simmering energy that threatens to boil over.
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dance & mixed CLUB COLORS, Laydown, Plaza de los Mostenses, 9 (Plaza de España). First & third Fri of the month, 12.30am-3am. www.myspace.com/clubcolors Dance, sit, or even lie down while listening to the beats inspired by different electronic and dance genres at this “sexy groove session”. COPOLACLUB, c/San Hermenegildo, 7 (San Bernardo/Noviciado). Wed-Sun 11pm-3.30am. www.copolaclub.com Funky disco-bar with jazz, soul, pop and chilled house upstairs and electronica and techno downstairs. Test out your DJ skills on weeknights. € FOROCIO.COM FIESTA DE INTERCAMBIO, Sala Torero, c/Cruz, 26 (Sevilla). Wed. www.forocio.com. Meet people from all over the world at this awesome international party. € JOY ESLAVA, c/Arenal, 11 (Sol). Daily 11.30pm-6am. www.joyeslava.com. Hosting lots of guest bands and DJs, Joy attracts a mixed crowd who get all dolled up to dance to an eclectic mix of music. €€ KAPITAL, c/Atocha, 125 (Atocha). Thur-Sat midnight-6am. Overthe-top seven-floor macro-club playing everything from house to hip hop to Spanish pop. €€€ NEU!CLUB, Sala Galileo Galilei, c/Galileo, 100 (Islas Filipinas). Sat 9.30pm-5.30am. myspace.com/neuclub. Electronica, bluegrass, Motown, 60s, rock and pop during the musical, cultural and audiovisual nights, plus live music and DJ sessions. €€ OCHO Y MEDIO, c/Mesonero Romanos, 13, corner of Gran Vía, 34 (Callao). Fri 1-6am. myspace.com/ochoymedio. Popular night featuring electro-disco, bastard-pop, punk-rock, new wave and postpunk. €€ OUI MADRID, c/Jorge Juan, 99 (Goya). Thur-Sat midnight-3am. www.ouimad.com. Start the night off right at this chic restaurant which turns into a nightclub around midnight. Take the elevator to the top floor and dive into the crush of people. Don’t forget to dress to the nines! €€€ PACHA, c/Barcelo, 11 (Tribunal). Thur-Sat midnight-6am. www.pacha-madrid.com. Ultra-classy Pacha, a major force in Madrid since the 80s, now plays house, hip hop and commercial music on three floors. Worth a try, but leave those Converse at home! €€€ REINA BRUJA, c/Jacometrezo, 6 (Callao/Santo Domingo). FriSat 11pm-5.30am. www.reinabruja.com. Well-mixed, popular hip hop and R&B for the fashionable youth of Madrid. €€ YA’STA, c/Valverde, 10 (Gran Vía). Thur-Sat midnight-6am. www.yastaclub.net. Thursdays are jazz, funk and soul, Fridays are dirty rock and electro, and Saturdays are techno and psychedelic trance. Talk about a complete weekend! €€
indie pop & rock ESPIRAL POP, c/San Andrés, 23 (Tribunal/Bilbao). Wed-Sun 11pm-3am. myspace.com/espiralpop. Pop and electro pop at this funky café with featured DJs. € INDEPENDANCE CLUB, c/Santa Engracia, 26 (Alonso Martínez). Thur-Fri-Sat midnight-6am.
W W W. I N M A D R I D . C O M
www.independanceclub.com. Enjoy popular, danceable indie-pop and rock at this excellent indie club. Email info@independanceclub.com with your full name, number of people and day attending for free entry! € SALA TABOO, c/San Vicente Ferrer, 23 (Tribunal). Thur-Sat 11pm-5.30am. www.taboo-madrid.com. Hosting both concerts and DJs, this Malasaña venue has it all, from funky electronica to punk-rock to trip-hop by upcoming artists. Watch out for its indie night, Dots Club, on Thursdays. €€ TRANSMISSION CLUB, Sala Star Studio 54, Plaza del Carmen, 3, lower floor (Sol). Fri 11pm-3am. myspace.com/transmission_club. Here’s a bar with a heavy musical focus, even mixing up the styles—post-punk, gothic, 80s and more—depending on the night. € TUPPERWARE, c/Corredera Alto de San Pablo, 26 (Tribunal). Wed-Sun 10pm-3am. myspace.com/tupperwarebar. Super-kitsch design and an indie-pop vibe that gets everyone dancing. € WILD THING BAR, c/Martín Machio, 2 (corner Padre Claret) (Alfonso XIII). Sun-Thur 9pm-close, Fri-Sat 10pm-close. www.wildthing.es. DJs rock this artsy bar with 90s and indie greats every night of the week. Make sure you take advantage of its happy hour on Thursdays from 9pm to 1am, when beers are only €2! €
electro, house, techno & drum’n’bass CAPOTE, c/Santa Teresa, 3 (Alonso Martínez). Tues-Sat 10pm5am. This little gem of a bar puts on a good show with resident DJs Timo and Roberto Jean. Enjoy some tasty house music to whet your appetite. €€ CASSETTE CLUB, Sala Boite, c/Tetuan, 27 (Sol). Sun midnight6am. myspace.com/clubcassette. Electro to help ease you into the working week with a smile on your face. A cool night for a cool crowd. €€ DARK HOLE, Sala Flamingo, c/Mesonero Romanos, 13 (Callao/Gran Vía). Sat 1-6am. myspace.com/darkholegothicclub. Madrid’s unofficial gothic headquarters. Listen to dark ambient, electro and goth music until dawn. €€ DOMINION CLUB, Sala Jala Jala, c/la Puebla, 6 (Callao/Gran Vía). Fri 10.30pm-3am. www.myspace.com/dominionclubmadrid DJs Fran Raven and guests spin a dark mix of EBM, dark electro, synth pop, industrial electro and future pop. FREE DU:OM, Sala Heineken, c/Princesa, 1 (Plaza de España). Fri-Sat midnight-6am. www.duomclub.com. Dress to impress and dance the night away to house and progressive house provided by some truly talented DJs: Hugo Serra, Iván Pica and Pombo. €€€ ELIXIR, Changó, c/Luchana (corner of Covarrubias) (Iglesia/Bilbao). Sat midnight-6am. A classy venue with goodlooking people, hot go-gos, decadent design and dance music till dawn. €€€ LOW CLUB, Sala Pirandello 1, c/Princesa, 3 (Plaza de España). Fri-Sat midnight-6am. www.intromusica.com. Spend your weekends dancing away to resident and international DJs spinning the latest electro and techno beats. €€€ MI MADRE ERA UNA GROUPIE, c/Amor de Dios (Anton Martin). Thur-Fri-Sat. 10pm-3am.
www.myspace.com/mimadreeraunagroupie Enjoy the very best of britpop mixed in with a few rock and indie and Spanish pop oldies for good measure from DJs Double L, Rewind and Forward. Get in before midnight for the two drinks for 9€ entry deal. €€ MOMA 56, c/José Abascal, 56 (Gregorio Marañon). Wed-Sat midnight-6am. www.moma56.com. Dance to resident DJ Koke’s tunes at this disco bar. €€ MONDO, Sala Stella, c/Arlabán, 7 (Sevilla). Thur-Sat 0.30-6am. www.web-mondo.com. Funk and electronica feature in this fantastic venue located smack dab in the centre of town. Fridays lean more towards house, techno and electro under the night’s pseudonym, The Room. This is a place you night-owls won’t want to miss! €€ OHM, Plaza Callao, 4 (Callao). Fri-Sat midnight-6am. myspace.com/ohmclub. Great house DJs, great people and a great vibe. And don’t miss Weekend on Sundays, which features funky house. €€ 69 PÉTALOS, Avda Alberto de Alcocer, 32 (Cuzco/Colombia). Fri 11pm-6am. www.grupo69petalos.com With a shake-up of funk, RnB and popular house, plus cabaret, ludicrous outfits and general debauchery, the totally fabulous 69 Pétalos will leave you begging for more. €€ TWIST CLUB, @ Sala Pirandello, c/ Martin de los Heros 14 (Plaza de España) With the new year, a new chapter unfolds for Twist Club, Madrid´s N*1 weekly drum&bass night: the club moves to a new venue, still in the centre of Madrid though with more capacity and a bigger sound-system! The music policy stays true to its roots, with a selection of (inter) national dj’s playing across the full dnb spectrum. €€
reggae, funk, jazz & world music BERLÍN CABARET, c/Costanilla de San Pedro, 11. Mon, Tue, Wed: shows 1.30am; Thur: shows 1.30am & 3.30am; Fri, Sat: shows 1.30am, 2.30am & 3.30am. www.berlincabaret.com Located in La Latina, Berlín Cabaret attracts a diverse audience spilling out from the many bars in the area. It offers a lively, funky atmosphere with eclectic music ranging from the Jackson 5 to “La Lambada” and live cabaret shows, such as Psicosis Gonsales and In Drag. €€ LA BOCA DEL LOBO, c/Echegaray, 11 (Sevilla). Wed-Sat 10.30pm-3.30am. www.labocadellobo.com Rock, funk, electronic jazz and rare groove served up four nights a week, plus live music. €€ COSTELLO, c/Caballero de Gracia, 10 (Gran Vía). Daily 6pm3am. www.costelloclub.com. Everything from funk and electronic jazz to pop, rare groove and rock music. €€ EL JUGLAR, c/Lavapiés, 37 (Lavapiés). Daily midnight-3am. www.salajuglar.com. Get your daily dose of funk, house, reggae and breaks at this neighbourhood hotspot. € MARULA CAFÉ, c/Caños Viejos, 3 (La Latina). Daily 10.30pm6am. www.marulacafe.com. Come and get your funk on at the palace of funk, also known as Marula Café. € SWEET FUNK CLUB, c/Doctor Cortezo, 1 (Sol/Tirso de Molina). Thur-Sat midnight-6am. sweetfunkclub.com. Feel free to get a little dirty at this hip-hop club near Sol. €
T H E E N G L I S H - L A N G U A G E M O N T H LY
live listings COMPILED BY ULIBARRI, SMART & GAMEEL
Rock/pop
CONTRA CLUB, c/Bailén, 16 (Metro: Opera). Tel: 91 523 15 11 www.contraclub.es
17-20 Aug: Lou Marini & Red House 24-27 Aug: Pedro Iturralde 29-31 Aug: Ara Malikian – Fdo. Egozcue Quintet
7 Aug: Christina Rosevinge
SALA JUGLAR, c/Lavapiés, 37 SALA GALILEO GALILEI, c/de (Metro: Lavapiés). Tel: 91 528 43 81. www.salajuglar.com Galileo, 100 (Metro: Islas Filipinas/Canal). Tel: 91 534 75 5 Aug: No Dogs (Electro- Rock) 27 Aug: Talkin’ About (Pop- Rock) 57/58. www.salagalileogalilei.com 2 Aug: Face 2 Jazz SALA TABOO, c/San Vicente 4 Aug: El Cencerro Eléctrico Ferrer, 23 (Metro: Tribunal). 5 Aug: Fabrizio Rende Tel: 91 524 11 89. www.taboo6 Aug: Coco Malangao madrid.com 9 Aug: Antonio de Pinto 10-11 Aug: Septeto Santiaguero 12 Aug: Sometimes 13 Aug: Alassane Camara et le Baobab 15 Aug: Jose María Alfaya 17 Aug: Tontxu 18 Aug: Luis Ramiro 19 Aug: Andrés Lewin 20 Aug: Abdou Guité Seck 22 Aug: Migueli 23 Aug: Paco Bello 24 Aug: Marta de la Aldea y Antonio Toledo 25 Aug: Rafael Amor 26 Aug: Ndono Herencia en Evolución 27 Aug: Franco Luciani 29 Aug: Francisco Espinosa y Carlos de Abuín 31 Aug: Marwan
5 Aug: Afrikantastique + Gilbert Le Funk + Dudu Drums + Dreamlab 6 Aug: Fun Fuck Funk + Biscuit + Font + Dudu Drums + VJ La Presidenta 12 Aug: Ibiza Conexion Party + Javi Kalero + Rakatakata + Game Over VJ 13 Aug: Sounderground + Bobby Campbell + Dudu Drums + Game Over DJ 19 Aug: Magnetic Vibes + Gilbert Le Funk + Krunchi Drums + Dremlab 20 Aug: Amaizing `+ Javi Kalero + Dudu Drums + VJ Elen 26 Aug: Afrikantastique + Gilbert Le Funk + Dudu Drums + VJ La Presidenta 27 Aug: Sounderground +Bobby Campbell + Dudu Drums + Game Over DJ
GRUTA 77, c/Cuclillo, 6 (Metro: Oporto). Tel: 91 471 23 70. www.gruta77.com WURLITZER BALLROOM, c/Tres 5 Aug: Festival Undergranizado Cruces, 12 (Metro: Gran Vía). 6 Aug: Festival Undergranizado 11 Aug: Festival Undergranizado Tel: 91 522 26 77. www.wurlitzerballroom.com 12 Aug: Skainhead + The Sunhoppers 17 Aug: Tribute Night: The Gallagher Band (Rory Gallagher) + Heart of Gold (Neil Young) 19 Aug: Interceptores 20 Aug: Pan de Higo + Dulce Neus 26 Aug: Tribute Night: Ramons (The Ramones) + New York Uppets (New York Dolls) + Seis Pistolas (Sex Pistols)
SALA CLAMORES, c/Albuquerque, 14 (Metro: Bilbao). Tel: 91 445 79 38. www.salaclamores.com 1 Aug: Zen 110 2-5 Aug: Dave Samuel and Jorge Pardo Quintet 6 Aug: Primital Brothers 10-12 Aug: Albert Bover – Javier Colina
11 Aug: The Stanleys 31 Aug: The Subfobias + Tears From Mars
Flamenco LAS TABLAS, Plaza de España, 9 (Metro: Plaza de España). Tel: 91 542 05 20. www.lastablasmadrid.com CARDAMOMO, C/Echegaray, 15 (Metro: Sol). Tel: 91 369 07 57. www.cardamomo.es CASA PATAS, C/ Cañizares, 10 (Metro: Antón Martín). Tel: 91 369 04 96. www.casapatas.com
Celtic/folk The Irish Rover. Tel: 91 597 48 11 Taberna Elisa. Tel: 91 369 74 263
booking ahead Owl City Mon 19 Sept, Ramdall Music Live, C/Ferraz, 38 (Metro: Arguelles). Tel: 91 435 48 70. €20 from www.ticketmaster.es Josele Santiago Fri 23 Sept, Joy Eslava, C/Arenal, 11 (Metro: Sol). Tel: 91 366 54 39. www.joy-eslava.com. €15 from www.ticketmaster.es George Michael Sun 25 Sept, Palacio de Deportes de la Comunidad de Madrid, Avenida Felipe II, s/n (Metro: Goya/O Donnell). Tel: 91 444 99 49. www.palaciodedeportes.com. €41.50 from www.ticketmaster.es
“Nece” as in necessary Some of Madrid’s hottest remixes and sets come from Jorge “DJ Nece” Lara. Richard Lewington meets him to discover the roots of his success
t
he arena lights dim over the sea of clubbers as the trance soundtrack breaks down into a synth driven melody. Strobes flash and multicoloured scanners chase around the arena while pyrotechnics burst from each side of the stage, which is filled by a single spotlight that highlights a lone DJ with his arms spread out. A white glow surrounds him, providing an angelic aura. Then the bass kicks in. Swaths of people jump up and down, imitating him as he bounces behind the decks to the rolling beat. He is Jorge “DJ Nece” Lara, and in just four years he has flown through the ranks to become one of Madrid’s hottest new Producer DJs. As he mixes in the next track, he turns to me with a wink. “It wasn’t always this easy,” he says.
Violent intro Born in Guayaquil, Ecuador, Nece moved at the age of seven to the United States, where his family settled in New York’s notorious Bronx neighbourhood. “It was just like the movies,” he says in his broad Manhattan accent as he recalls his earliest memory. “One day, a building right across the street from me was cleared out. Inside, they found bodies, guns and grenades. I mean, who the hell keeps grenades in their home?” Surprise was not the only thing young Nece found as he tried to settle into his new home. “I found it very hard to be accepted. All around me were African-Americans, Puerto Ricans and Mexicans and I didn’t really fit into any of those groups. Sometimes I had to throw a punch here and there to find my footing.”
Across the waves In 2007, Nece moved to Madrid, initially following the steps of many expats by teaching English. “It was very difficult,” he recalls. “There are a lot of English teachers here who are musicians.” Unmotivated by his new job, the dance beats still pumped through his heart. “There just weren’t enough hours. Teaching is survival here. It’s not a living and it wasn’t easy so I needed to keep at the DJ thing. I found the Madrid scene phenomenal and I really wanted to be a part of it!” But desire wasn’t enough to break into the scene. “I got a lot of knockbacks. When I approached bars and clubs, people looked at me with raised eyebrows and wondered if this ‘Sudaca’ [a derogatory term for Latin Americans] was really serious. There’s a lot of discrimination here. If you’re from South America then you’re quickly pigeonholed as a cleaner or in another low-level job.”
Ear to ear He needed a new route to his dream which he eventually found through podcasting. “I decided to upload a few mixes to the internet and before I knew it, I was being heard in England, the Czech Republic, Japan and India amongst others.” As a result of this multinational listenership, he chose to play on his international appeal. By recruiting help from foreign friends and attendees at local intercambios, he decided to incorporate the message “You’re listening to DJ Nece” in as many languages as possible. “People were asking who this guy was, so I needed to get my name out more.” As his listeners grew, so did his reputation. With some of
Necessary changes He soon became influenced by his local “crew” who quickly turned him into a budding graffiti artist. “The name ‘Nece’ was my tag. My friends used to ask ‘Where’s Jorge? We need him’. I just became nece-ssary to them.” Whilst scribing on neighbourhood walls, a chance encounter with a DJ called Mauricio Rojas set Nece’s fate into motion. Rojas worked by day, but at night gained a steady reputation from mixing under the name DJ Morris. It was Morris’s ability to mix any genre that impressed young Nece, inspiring him to jump behind the decks himself. Slowly, under Rojas’ watchful eye, he mastered the essential skills. “The name Nece became a natural choice when I started DJing,” he says. “It gave me an ‘international appeal’ as it works both in English and Spanish— from ‘necessary’ and ‘necesario.’” He started to buy his own vinyl and began to mix his first love—Hip Hop.
My party By the age of fourteen Nece had acquired turntables of his own and had begun to DJ in his local area, at which point he met Alfredo Viacava aka DJ Froze, who introduced him to the freestyle and house genres. The pair began to play back to back and were regularly contracted for house and block parties in the Bronx. Soon, however, Nece’s style changed. “I was inspired by Hip Hop—the songs were like poems or stories,” he admits, “But now it’s just crap. Dudes talkin’ about how much stuff they got and how they belittle women. When I was DJing Hip Hop, I always had to stop the party to stop people fighting. It wasn’t real, so dance music became my jam. When you go out you just wanna get up, and dance and scream. It’s more realistic—you’re not listening to people talking about their bling bling. You’re listening to people’s emotions and the producer who made it.”
the biggest names in the industry, such as John Digweed, picking up on the Nece name, remixing and eventually production became a natural progression. By last summer, Nece’s Montanita remix of GR-OY’s Lost in Dub was signed to Incense Records Spain, and now he’s set up his own label, K Pro Records. The wide catalogue of tracks is filled with deep dark sounds, rolling percussions and a bassline you really feel. “I wanna be different. It may isolate me from the mainstream but it opens a new realm,” he declares. “My style is not flamboyant; it’s just about understanding me.”
DJ Nece’s productions, remixes and DJ sets can be heard at www.djnece.podomatic.com and at www.soundcloud.com/djnece
The Baseballs Fri 30 Sept, La Riviera, P° Bajo de La Virgen, s/n (Metro: Puerta del Ángel/Príncipe Pio). Tel: 91 365 24 15. www.salariviera.com €27 from www.ticketmaster.es The Kooks Sat 22 Oct, La Riviera, Paseo Virgen del Puerto, s/n (Metro: Principe Pio/Puerta del Ángel). Tel: 91 365 24 15. www.salariviera.com. €25 from www.ticketmaster.es Wilco Tues 1 Nov, Teatro Circo Price, C/Ronda de Atocha, 35 (Metro: Embajadores). Tel: 91 528 81 22. www.teatrocircoprice.es. €45 from www.entradas.com Rihanna Thurs 15 Dec, Palacio de Deportes de la Comunidad de Madrid, Avenida Felipe II, s/n (Metro: Goya/O Donnell). Tel: 91 444 99 49. www.palaciodedeportes.com. €45 from www.ticketmaster.es Red Hot Chili Peppers Sat 17 Dec, Palacio de Deportes de la Comunidad de Madrid, Avenida Felipe II, s/n (Metro: Goya/O Donnell). Tel: 91 444 99 49. www.palaciodedeportes.com.
T H E E N G L I S H - L A N G U A G E M O N T H LY
W W W. I N - M A D R I D . C O M
AUGUST 2011
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moviereviews
Gabrielle Easter previews the big-screen releases heading to Madrid this month
Ironclad (Templario) It is 1215 and England’s King John (Paul Giamatti) has been forced by the country’s barons to sign the Magna Carta, a document stating that a monarch’s will is not arbitrary, and no man can be punished except under the law of the land. No sooner is the ink dry, than John attempts to bring the country under his tyrannical rule once more. Standing in his way is Baron Albany (Brian Cox) who defends the strategically important Rochester Castle with his motley crew of fighters: the brooding Templar Knight, Marshall (James Purefoy), the impulsive and irreverent Beckett (Jason Flemyng) and a naïve young squire named Guy (Aneurin Barnard). Into this mix comes Isabel (Kate Mara), the beautiful mistress of Rochester Castle who seeks to tempt Marshall to break his sacred Templar vows. The excruciating lack of chemistry between Mara and Purefoy makes for awkward viewing, and renders Mara’s performance a little irritating. Although entertaining, not least when Giamatti brings John’s anger to the fore, this is certainly not for the faint-hearted—tongue and limb severing feature prominently. With British stalwarts Charles Dance, Mackenzie Crook and Derek Jacobi all joining the fray, Ironclad is dynamically and engagingly shot, although it might fail to grip some viewers for the full 121 minute running-time. Out now
Bridesmaids (La boda de mi mejor amiga) With a dismal love life, no job and the looming prospect of moving back in with her mother as an over-thirty year old, Annie (Kristen Wiig) is down and out and not having fun. When her best friend Lillian (Maya Rudolph) asks her to be her maid of honour, leading a motley crew of bridesmaids through all the pre-wedding events, all
Bridesmaids
goes well until seemingly perfect Helen (Rose Byrne) steps into the picture. Tensions run high as beautiful, rich and sociable Helen tries to out-do clumsy, broke Annie in organising Lillian’s wedding, from one-upping
Paul After hit Britcoms Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost make their US movie debut together as two sci-fi nerds touring American UFO sites in a camper van who bump into Paul (voiced by Seth Rogen), an alien with attitude who’s on the run from the feds and trying to get back to his mothership. Written by the two stars, it’s directed by Superbad’s Greg Mottola and also features Jason Bateman, Kristen Wiig and Sigourney Weaver. Out now Ironclad
each other at the engagement party speeches to getting the claws out over the perfect bridesmaid’s dress. Including a food poisoning scene with enough vomit to rival Team America and Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life, Bridesmaids pulls all the gross-out comedy strings with varying success. It’s a little predictable and heavily reliant on stereotypical jokes, but still manages laughout-loud moments that are to be expected from director Paul Feig, especially with his track record of Knocked Up and Bad Teacher. Little Britain’s Matt Lucas as Annie’s strange housemate brings more fun to the goings-on that makes Bridesmaids an entertaining comedy for the summer. Out 12 Aug
Mr Popper’s Penguins (Los Pingüinos del Sr Poper) Jim Carrey stars as the titular Mr Popper, a rich New York businessman whose life is turned upside down when he takes delivery of a box of six live penguins with seven-dwarf-style names—Stinky, Captain, Loudy, Bitey, Lovey and Nimrod. Watch out for now 85-year-old Murder, She Wrote actress Angela Lansbury in a supporting role. Out now
In the summer of 1979, two best friends Joe Lamb (Joel Courtney) and Charles (Riley Griffiths) band together to produce a zombie movie in a small Ohio town. Enrolling the help of two classmates and Joe’s crush Alice Dainard (Elle Fanning) they begin filming on an 8mm camera. Things get complicated when they inadvertently capture a train crash while filming their first scene, only to discover that there is more to the accident than first appears. Finding their high school biology teacher behind the wheel of the car that crashed the train wreck, the kids quickly learn that something is amiss. Soon after, the military shows up and strange things start happening— people are disappearing, power begins to fail and even loyal pet dogs start running away from home. Joe’s father, Deputy Jackson Lamb (Kyle Chandler) suspects all is not right when the Air Force puts the town in lockdown and refuses to cooperate with local police. Directed and written by J J Abrams and produced by Steven Spielberg, this sci-fi blockbuster ticks all the boxes for a summer hit, whilst not quite sparkling in its originality. Out 19 Aug
Ryan David Jahn Macmillan “Gripping.” “Addictive.” “I walked into a tree reading it.” So say the reviews for The Dispatcher—the third book by Ryan David Jahn. They’re not wrong; I had a few nearcollisions with people on the Metro whilst ploughing through this fast-paced crime thriller. Pick it up and you’re soon lost in the regretful world of Ian Hunt, a police officer whose grey existence is snapped back into colour by a single phone call: it’s from Maggie, his daughter, missing for seven years and recently declared dead. Now 14, she’s been kidnapped, and she needs his help. But the call is abruptly terminated with a scream before she can tell her father who is holding her captive. Jahn’s background as a film-maker shines through and his deep characterisation gives this novel a real edge. It’s impossible not to hate one particular individual, Henry Dean, a sadistic man who justifies his hateful acts by feeding off the weakness of his wife Beatrice. You’ll find yourself thinking about this book at strange moments of the day and pondering what really drives people to do things that others consider evil. Katherine Robinson
Before I Go To Sleep S J Watson Doubleday S J Watson’s debut novel Before I Go To Sleep is a thriller that will make you constantly ask yourself if you still have time to read a couple more pages. The novel’s protagonist,
Mr Popper’s Penguins
Green Lantern (Linterna Verde) In this adaptation of the DC Comics series, Ryan Reynolds fights to save Earth as test pilot Hal Jordan, the first human to be recruited to the Green Lantern Corps and granted the powers of its ring, which enables members to mould the physical world with their thoughts. New Zealander Martin Campbell, best known for James Bond flicks GoldenEye and Casino Royale, directs, while Blake Lively, Peter Saarsgard, Mark Strong, Tim Robbins and Angela Bassett also figure. Out now The Smurfs (Los Pitufos) “Where the smurf are we?” In this 3D live-action/animated bigscreen adventure Les Schtroumpfs, as the little blue Belgians are known in the original French (Smurfs is the Dutch translation), find themselves in the Big Apple after they’re
Christine, is a woman with a problem: as a result of an earlier car accident, every time she wakes up she has no memory. The problem also means that she faces the daily trauma of waking up in bed next to a man called Ben (her husband) with a wedding ring on her finger! Edmund Nash is the doctor in charge of this curious patient, but Christine’s true ally is her journal, which she reads every day. The twist begins when the first words in the journal are “Don’t trust Ben”. The amazing aspect here is that all the events take place in one day, because Christine’s brain will erase her memory after 24 hours. The journal guides both Christine and the reader, answering one set of questions whilst giving rise to others. How much of Christine’s journal notes are true when people around her tell her otherwise? It’s a gripping novel, from which even the temptation of a few cañas on a terraza will not distract you. No wonder the book is being translated into more than 30 languages, and the film rights have been bought by Ridley Scott. Guillermo Ulibarri
Sr Citizen Charles Olsen Amargord As the title would suggest, Charles Olsen’s latest collection of poems explores what it means to be a citizen of Madrid. Born in New Zealand, Olsen moved to England in the early eighties, and then to Spain in 2003. The title is reflective of the sense of disconnection that Olsen feels at living in a foreign country, but how simultaneously he has learnt to appreciate the country’s charm. The poems, written in Spanish and presented in English too, are testament to Olsen’s sensitivity to Spanish culture and the nuances of its language. There’s a great variety of subject matter, but they all share a common theme of a love for Madrid and its resi-
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chased through a portal by evil wizard Gargamel (The Simpsons’ Hank Azaria). If you find people saying things like “smurf happens” particularly amusing, it should be a smurfin’ riot. Out now Captain America: The First Avenger (Capitán América: el Primer Vengador) I know what you’re thinking: if only Hollywood just made a few more superhero movies. Well, you’re in luck as here’s another: the first big-screen version (let’s forget the straight-tovideo 1990 adaptation) of Marvel’s Captain America. Directed by Jurassic Park III’s Joe Johnston, the film focuses on the character’s early years when an experimental World War II army programme turns weakling Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) into a supersoldier and sends him to fight against arch Nazi villain Red Skull (The Matrix’s Hugo Weaving). 5 Aug Rise of the Planet of the Apes (El Origen del Planeta de los Simios) After Tim Burton’s not very imaginative “re-imagining” of the original Charlton Heston movie about an earth ruled by apes, this aims to reboot the franchise by heading right back to the beginning. James Franco is a scientist who accidentally gives a chimpanzee, Caesar, humanlike intelligence while testing an antiAlzheimer’s drug. Promptly escaping, Caesar administers the wonder serum to his primate pals who start using their superior strength and newfound brains to challenge humankind’s dominance on earth. Perhaps— perhaps—the smartest blockbuster of the summer. 5 Aug
Super 8
The Dispatcher
AUGUST 2011
Also out
■ BY NICK FUNNELL
bookbuzz
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Hide in a cupboard until somebody finds you.
Conan the Barbarian (Conan el Bárbaro) Rather than have anything to do with the two 1980s Arnie films about the beefy Cimmerian warrior, this new 3D adaptation claims to go back to the roots of 1930s pulp writer Robert E Howard’s original character. Mr Muscles Jason Momoa (Stargate Atlantis) stars as the brutish barbarian battling to save the kingdom of Hyboria from malevolent supernatural forces, while Rose McGowan and Ron Perlman offer support. 19 Aug Mammuth In this French comedy Gérard Depardieu stars as a long-haired slaughterhouse worker revisiting his former employers on his trusty old motorcycle—the “Mammoth” of the title—in order to collect the paperwork he needs to retire. Gustave de Kervern and Benoît Deléphine direct. 19 Aug
dents. Poems such as Urban Landscape and Street Portraits have the city’s idiosyncratic barrios as their theme, whereas I Won’t Call and I Wait are about Olsen’s emotional experiences. It is hugely difficult to write prose, let alone poetry, in a language that is not one’s mother tongue, and yet Olsen manages to string together some beautiful and evocative phrases about what it really means to be a citizen of Madrid. The text is accompanied by Olsen’s photographs, sketches, drawings and paintings, making it a charming volume. Harriet Smart
Mythical Tales of the Everyday World Mercedes Aguirre Éride ediciones Aguirre’s latest work is a collection of short stories with echoes of classical mythology, a field in which she specialises. She employs remarkable ingenuity and originality, making the tales more than just a straightforward reproduction of classical models. Popular locations so often used in mythology, such as Argos, Athena or Troy, are cunningly transposed to the urban landscapes of romantic Madrid, gritty Bilbao or glamourous Los Angeles. The themes are undoubtedly contemporary, but also recognisable as issues with which classical heroes grapple. One can draw a parallel between the complexities of sexuality in The Race, set in Madrid in 2006AD, and the relationship between Iante and Iphis in Ovid’s Metamorphoses, set in Rome in 8AD. Another allusion is to the struggle of women to assert their own identity in a male-dominated world, which is apparent in The Quest and Let Me Die For You. Aguirre has skillfully updated her theme to create an innovative, engaging, and entertaining collection. The book is a bilingual edition, with the Spanish originals translated into English by Richard Buxton. Harriet Smart
T H E E N G L I S H - L A N G U A G E M O N T H LY
Eating & Drinking great ideas for eating out in Madrid
Thai Restaurant The authentic taste of Thailand in Madrid c/San Bernardino, 6. Metro: Plaza de España. Tel: 91 559 83 15
VEGAVIANA Vegetarian restaurant in the heart of Madrid
Bangkok
Daily Menu 9,70
Excellent Thai Cuisine
c/Pelayo, 35 (Metro: Chueca) Tel: 91 308 03 81. Open Tues-Sun 1:30-4pm. Tues-Sat 9-midnight. Closed Sunday & Monday
c/Arenal, 15 (esquina Bordadores, 13) Tel: 915 591 696. Metros Sol or Ópera.
service guide service guide service guide service guide service guide Books & Coffee
Beer & brewing
Counselling
Counselling Computer Services
Need help with your computer? ! Effective and professional staff ! Secure and reliable service ! YOU are in control Whether you need some help with a program or have a problem with your Windows or Mac system, we can help you remotely or come to where you are.
902 24 64 24 www.benn.es
FAMILY INTERNET SECURITY SERVICES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE B2B NETWORK AND COMPUTER O&M
PSYCHOTHERAPIST COUNSELOR David Hugener MSW US Trained/Licensed
Help in relationships, emotional distress, problem solving. Brief or longer-term therapy for individuals and couples. Sliding Scale Free Consultation Tel: 91 594 22 08 or 626 16 00 24 Argüelles area
US Trained & Licensed
Find out how you can reach our 66,000 readers Call marketing on 91 523 30 91 Obstetrics & Gynecology
Psychotherapist Maite Martinez MSW
Individual, couples and family therapy. Solution-focused therapy. EMDR. Therapy in English, French and Spanish.
Phone: 637 753 264 Therapies
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Mediation
Care for the Elderly
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service guide service guide service guide service guide service guide Language Services
Language Services
C.E.E. -Idiomas Spanish Language School - All levels - Preparation for DELE Exam - Cultural activities
Also ENGLISH - FRENCH GERMAN - ITALIAN
Spanish for foreigners 1 Small groups 1 All levels (D.E.L.E. Official Exam) c/Fuencarral, 13-2º, 28004 Madrid Tel: 91 522 31 22. Fax: 91 532 85 09. e-mail: info@carpemadrid.com www.carpemadrid.com
89E 20 HOURS MONTHLY
148E 40 HOURS MONTHLY * Groups or private classes * Special classes for companies c/Carmen, 6 — 28013 Madrid 91 522 04 72 - 91 521 10 04 91 522 18 57 - 91 531 38 56 e-mail: info@cee-idiomas.com
Find out how you can reach our 66,000 readers Call marketing on 91 523 30 91 20
AUGUST 2011
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service guide service guide service guide service guide service guide Work Offered
Language Services
Work Offered
Salespeople We are looking for experienced freelance sales people. Very attractive commissions and bonuses and a permanent position for the right person. You should be highly motivated, enthusiastic and have a high level of English and Spanish. Please send your CV to work@in-madrid.com T H E E N G L I S H - L A N G U A G E M O N T H LY
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service guide service guide service guide service guide service guide Work Offered
We build mutually beneficial relationships between people in the UK and other countries and increase appreciation of the UK’s creative ideas and achievements. In Spain, the British Council undertakes a wide variety of cultural activities and exchanges and manages a large examinations programme, a school and over a dozen teaching centres. The teaching centres in Madrid and the surrounding area wish to appoint teachers of English as a foreign language for the academic year starting in October 2011. The post holders will teach young learners (between the ages of 5 and 18) and/or adults. Our minimum requirements are: ● ● ● ●
English to the level of, or a level comparable to, a first language English communicator education to degree level or equivalent a recognised, relevant teaching qualification two years’ relevant experience post-qualification
Letters of application, together with an up-to-date curriculum vitae in English, should be emailed to: Recruitment.Madrid@britishcouncil.es or mailed to EFL Teacher Recruitment, British Council, Pº del General Martinez Campos, 31 28010 Madrid
Given the large number of applications normally received, we will not respond to those applicants who do not clearly meet our minimum requirements. The British Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and a policy of equal opportunity and diversity, and expects all staff and stakeholders to share this commitment. www.britishcouncil.es The British Council is the United Kingdom’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We are registered in England as a charity.
Find out how you can reach our 66,000 readers Call marketing on 91 523 30 91
Custom metal-work
CERRAJERÍA ORBAMA Cerrajería Artística, Escaleras, Rejas, Barandillas, Puertas de Comunidades , Cerramiento Vallas, Estructuras metálicas , Mobiliario Urbano
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C/Batres, 21 Local - Getafe 91 681 54 45 - 667 545 101 - 649 930 112 T H E E N G L I S H - L A N G U A G E M O N T H LY
The InMadrid classifieds section is the perfect way to reach the English-speaking international community. To place an ad, visit inmadrid.com and click on classifieds. Obtain the best response from your ad in the shortest time by choosing one of our economical, combined print&online packages,
from as little as 8,33 / month. online-only ads in many categories are
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Visit inmadrid.com and click on classifieds to create your account. DEADLINE FOR NEXT MONTH’S ISSUE IS 22ND OF THIS MONTH. Ads received after this date will be published in the following issue. NOTE: InMadrid is not responsible for the contents of its classified ads. It is the reader’s responsibility to investigate the authenticity of advertisers.
accommodation accommodation-offered FURNISHED CENTRAL FLAT FOR RENT, 3 bedrooms, bathroom, kitchen, living room and dining room, with all amenities, 5 mins tube, would suit English teachers. €390 each bedroom. Call Margaret on 634 801 575. BIG ROOMS CENTRO MADRID Big rooms for rent in a house, Centro Madrid easy walking distance to 2 metro stations cercanias,bus,free parking rooms are bright and airy as there are lots of windows,All mod cons in huge kitchen and an outside patio,internet,musical thread,Soils radiant 290€ .680653202 carlosgasanz@yahoo.es. ROOM PER WEEK IN THE HEART OF MADRID ROOM PER WEEK IN MADRID CENTER - DOWNTOWN / CHAMBERI. Room per week in downtown Madrid. METRO LINE, 2 QUEVEDO, CANAL, 7 and MONCLOA 6 and 3. At this time available. The room is used for Spanish courses, university practices, or to live the first week while looking for a room or apartment you like. The apartment is at the heart of the city (Metro L2, L3, L7 and L6, three stations of the Sol, and buses) Price 125 € per week individual Telefono: 677 82 81 76 MARIA Mail: mdoloresrac@hotmail.com.
babysitting WE ARE LOOKING FOR AU-PAIRS We are looking for native english speaking people as au-pairs. Call 91 277 97 30 / 662 369 112 http://www.cuidadorasbilingues.com.
classes
SPANISH CLASSES I am a Spanish teacher with 25 years experience. I am looking for “One to one “ classes (All levels). Role- play conversation, grammar, business,DELE examination. Also there are Openings for a shared class at any level FOR FIRST MONTH YOU PAY FOR ONLY 3 WEEKS. Maria : 699331505 91.7736471 gretachic@yahoo.es. SPANISH CLASSES Qualified native teacher with experience. One to one or groups. Grammar, conversation. DELE.Revision text. Zone: Moncloa or in your place. From 15 euros negotiable. Cristina 656 634 343. Email: cristina_dom@hotmail.com.
english EMILY’S ENGLISH EXPERIENCE will improve your communication skills in English. Lively interesting conversation and language tuition with Madrid-based journalist and writer. Oneto-one residential weekly courses in peaceful rural village near Zamora. English TV, radio, books, newspapers, films, music and typically English home-cooked food. Continuing tuition hourly in Madrid also available. Tel: Emily 915348984 / 609048846.
clubs clubs-general-social PARENT AND CHILD GROUP Parent and Child Group in Madrid. If you are new in town or a single parent looking to meet other parents with kids or simply want to expand your child’s network of friends then join us for walks and outings with the kids. All nationalities welcome. Write to roseantrobus@yahoo.es or call 626 065 482. Thanks!.
clubs-sports language-classes spanish CLASES DE ESPAÑOL/SPANISH CLASSES My name is José Luis and I am Spanish. I am a certified Spanish teacher for foreigners. I help you to develop your skills in conversation, reading, listening and writting while you have fun in class; forget about boring traditional grammar classes without learning anything useful. All materials included. First class for free. email: ort_sor@yahoo.es.
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MADRID LIONS RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB, EST. 1997 Madrid Lions Rugby Football Club welcomes new players of all levels and nationalities. Pub night Thursdays from 8.30pm at Finnegan’s, Plaza de las Salesas (Metro Alonso Martínez or Chueca) where you can find out why we are Madrid’s most popular and successful social rugby club. Check out www.madridlionsrfc.com, email info@madridlionsrfc.com or ring Charlie on 636 067 716 or Paul on 679 225 067. MADRID CRICKET CLUB Madrid Cricket Club
is always looking for new players of all levels and nationalities. We hold regular training sessions and friendly matches in Madrid from March to November and we have two teams in the Spanish Cricket League. For more info contact Joss (663 395 058) or Jon (655 069 9 11), send an E-mail to cricketinmadrid@yahoo.co.uk or visit www.cricketinmadrid.com.
counselling COUNSELLING MADRID Counselling Madrid is devoted to the international community in Madrid. We provide confidential counselling services to students, expats and spouses. Visit our website for more details: www.counsellingmadrid.org. PSYCHOLOGY/PSYCHIATRY/SPEECH& OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY Counselling, Psychology, Psychiatry, Speech and Occupational therapy services in English and Spanish (some services also available in other languages) for all ages. Our staff of professionals has vast clinical experience helping adults and children in the Englishspeaking community in Madrid with depression, anxiety, cultural adaptation, couples/relationship problems, sensory impairments, language disorders and more. www.sinews.es.
for-sale 6 IN 1 RETRO NOSTALGIA MUSIC CENTRE WITH MP3 6 in 1 Retro Nostalgia Music Centre with MP3 record function (to USB 2.0 or a SD Memory card) with built in turntable, CD Player, Radio & Cassette Deck - Nostalgic Real Wood Veneer Cabinet Music System email at: ibrahim.almarashi@gmail.com.
health-and-fitness ASHTANGA YOGA ,THAI MASSAGE &THAI COOKING CLASS My name is Amorn from Thailand. I live in Madrid almost two years now. I am Ashtanga Yoga teacher and also offer Thai Massage (certified from Wat Pho Traditional Medical School in Bangkok Thailand) and Thai cooking classes at home and outside. My place is located in the center of Madrid, metro Goya and Principe de Vergara. For more information about me and price for Yoga, Thai massage and cooking class, please kindly check at my website: www.BAAN-AMORN.COM or write me at: BRIESELANG70@YAHOO.DE. ENGLISH PERSONAL TRAINER Fully qualified English Personal Trainer in Madrid offering training sessions at your home and outside. You will benefit from individually designed sessions for greater results. Claim your free consultation now! Visit www.madridpersonaltrainer.com for more information or email greg@madridpersonaltrainer.com.
intercambios english-offered CONVERSACION INGLES-ESPAÑOL Joven ingles de 30 años, Sebastian, busca cualquier persona, hombre o mujer, para conversacion y amistad. Yo ya hablo español, pero estaria dispuesto a ayudarte con tu ingles dentro de un plan amistoso. escribir a: sebcp5@hotmail.com.
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groups MULTILINKUAL INTERNATIONAL FRIENDS IN MADRID Multilinkual.com Meet new people and practice languages, FREE. Tuesdays (O’Neill’s, Príncipe 12, 22h), Thursdays (Beer Station, Santo Domingo square, 22h), Fridays (o.v. movies at Cine Ideal, 4D pub, Jacinto Benavente square), ask for David. Also dinners, trips... puestres@yahoo.es, Facebook: Multilinkual. MADRIDBABEL: INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES IN MADRID!!! Meet people from all over the world, practise languages absolutely FREE & make new friends through our wide range of international activities: EVERY WEDNESDAY > International Evening from 20:30 at The Quiet Man (Valverde 44 metro Tribunal or Gran Vía). EVERY SUNDAY > International Afternoon from 19:00 at The Quiet Man (Valverde 44 - metro Tribunal or Gran Vía). EVERY WEEK-END > Films in o.v., international dinners, tapas evenings, excursions, sports, wine tastings, cultural visits, parties & many other activities!! For more info contact Fran (madridbabel@yahoo.es) or visit www.madridbabel.es.
jobs jobs-offered AUXILIARY ENGLISH TEACHER Classroom Language Auxiliary. This job position is from September 2011 to May 2012 working alongside the class teacher of infants(3 to 6 year olds). You will work directly with the children speaking to them in English, reenforcing and expanding on content learned in class. You will work for approximately 16 hours a week mainly in the mornings but some afternoons. You MUST be a native English speaker and be legally entitled to work in Spain. Send CV to info@oceanlanguage.es. PR PERSON FOR SURF CAFE Looking for a fun and outgoing person Marketing and social relationships skills required Possibility of increasing the salary www.angletcafe.com http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/AngletCafe/173020582718497?sk=wall 670 88 68 77. FILIPINO COUPLE WANTED Filipino Couple Required to work in Villa on Ibiza. Responsibilities include full care for house and gardens. Full time position with live in accommodation and use of a motor scooter. Looking for couple to work for 3 to 5 years. For further information e-mail: ibizazone@aol.com. NATIVE SPEAKERS NEEDED FOR COMPANY CLASSES In English seeks experienced native speaker teachers for incompany classes starting in September and October. We offer a stable timetable and calendar, block hours and good rates of pay. Send CV to profesores@inenglish.es tel: 91 402 94 99 mobile: 620 46 11 28. ENGLISH & GERMAN SPEAKING SALES CONSULTANT Environmental Expert.com is the industry’s leading web-based information resource and marketplace. Full-time SALES CONSULTANTS are needed to join our international professional sales team based in Madrid, Spain. Candidates must have European residency, work permit (where applicable), fluent English. You will need strong organisational skills with previous telephone sales experience, demonstrating the consistent delivery of results. You must be self-
motivated, results focussed and have a strong desire to succeed & improve. Email: pwe.ee@environmental-expert.com.
services LIVELY CELTIC MUSIC Talented Irish musicians available for concerts, functions, weddings and parties. Tel: 654 225 305. COMPUTERS / NETWORKS / WEBSITES System administrator offers professional service. Computer / laptop repair, data recovery, password recovery, IT infrastructure planning, software installation and maintenance, network administration, resolving email problems, IT security, backup solutions, web pages. Windows, Linux/UNIX supported. I speak English and German. email: info@jjaeger.fastmail.fm or Mobile: +34 65 335 11 36. FOODSMITHS MADRID British, Irish and American food and drink. Suppliers to bars, restaurants, shops and NOW the general public. Fully registered with Health authorities. We keep overheads low so that we can offer you great prices. No website, no shop but we do have a collection point in the heart of Madrid. For amazing quality food from home at very low prices then Foodsmiths is your best place to buy in Madrid. Wholesale prices available for businesses dependent on volume. email: foodsmiths@ymail.com.
teacher-training INTENSIVE TEFL TRAINING. Oxbridge is based in Barcelona and Madrid. We teach English to more than 800 students and 150 clients. We also offer: - Intensive TEFL Training Course in Madrid with 20+ hours real teaching practice. - Subsidised 499€ course price (1,250€ full price) after a successful interview online or in Madrid. - Employment opportunities for some of the best graduates. All applicants for the TEFL course need to pass through the interview process and will then be able to be offered sponsorship. For further info and to book an interview, please visit www.oxsite.com or call +34902500100.
travel-adventure TRAIN TO BE A TOUR MANAGER/ GUIDE 3 day residential training course in Sherborne, Dorset, UK. 28 - 30 October 2011. Must speak fluent english, foreign languages an advantage. For further information email: claireh@casterbridge-tours.co.uk.
Hundreds more ads online in many different categories at inmadrid.com AUGUST 2011
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