merry sherry

yesterday's travels may have shown me that sherry is not my beverage of choice at all, but all in all, jerez de la frontera is one of the most beautiful and quaint spanish cities I have visited so far. although a bit on the touristy side with signs for the numerous bodegas (sherry vineyards) pointing in all directions for visitors, the small churro stand outside el mercado de abasto and lounging at a café in la plaza del arenal were lovely...as well as running into a french biker gang on our tour of la bodega tío pepe.

new york, i miss you

que bonita córdoba

córdoba is the type of city that makes you wish you could just stop time for a mere few hours, and wander throughout the world, utterly unattached and uninhibited.

meanwhile in madrid...

Madrid has officially become one of my favorite cities in the world. I don't know quite what about it I'm attracted to, but I would pick up and move into the Prado in a second if possible, living on the delicious pesto paninis from the museum café and on tapas and bucket-sized mojitos from el tigre. My friend once told me he had spent 9 hours in the Prado and it is only now that I understand...Nonetheless, I have some incredible memories from my second trip to add to my first, and I can't wait to hopefully go back for a third.

after a caffeine boost at el café de la ópera as soon as we arrived on friday, we wandered around los jardines sabatini next to el palacio. facing the gorgeous plaza del oriente and hemmed in by gold toned gates, the palacio stands graciously over the scattered madrileños and tourists resting on the greenery. the night followed with decadent red peppers stuffed with beef at la cervecería santa ana in plaza santa ana, more sangria at cuevas de sesamo, and dancing at pacha.

saturday followed with visits to the prado and the botanical gardens, and tapas at la tres manolas taberna across from the palacio (not to mention a four hour siesta). post dancing till the early morning and stuffing our faces with heaping plates of tapas and gallons of tinto de verano at el tigre (one of my favorite places i've been to in spain so far), we revisited the mercado de san miguel on sunday. this is my first of three fresh-squeezed juices that I bought there, in addition to creamy croquetas de espinacas (crispy fried dough balls filled with spinach and cheese). ciao madrid, te extrañaré.

cádiz

beaches, tapas, gothic architecture, what more could I ask for?

sevilla

So I've found myself about to spend four months in one of the most enchanting places in the world. As much as I miss New York City--my yoga studio on 83rd, ginger lemonade afterward on 82nd, Hungarian coffee and croissants on 110th, I'm glad that I have come to feel so connected to a place that I know will change my life. I'll be continually adding restaurants, bars, clubs, historical sites, shopping streets etc. through the coming months, but here are some highlights thus far:

Bars, Restaurants, Pastelerías:
bodega de santa cruz, "las columnas" (c/rodrigo caro 1, delicious red wine, croquetas caseras, flamenquín)
bar las teresas (drinks and tapas- amazing fried shrimp tortilla, spinach with garbanzos, fried calamari)
bar alfalfa (to die for red wine, toasted baquette w/ cheese, salmorejo, topped w/ olive oil and bacon)
café altamira (plz. santa maría la blanca, cute romantic atmosphere, gorgeous plaza)
café T de Triana (offers very good "agua de sevilla,"milky drink typical of sevilla topped w/ heavy cream)
diablito (sweet butterscotch vodka shots for un euro y pico)
o'neils (irish pub that I also went to in Madrid, enormous "gin tónicas")
boss, riolatino, antique teatro (discos in los remedios and triana)
la campana (antiquated bakery run by nuns; unreal cañas de chocolate and croissants)
los angelitos (chocolate croissants, and see cupcakes below)

Additional Sites and Activities:
running in parque maría luisa
drinking organic wines from córdoba by the river guadalquivir ("botellón")
shopping at el mercadillo in plaza nueva and at the feria de las nacionalidades (a food/gift fair with booths representing different countries)
flamenco show at casa de la memoria (c/ ximénez de enciso, 28, santa cruz)
los baños árabes (ancient arab baths/spa, a perfect way to spend an hour...or two or three....relaxing)
museo de bellas artes and el hospital de la caridad (to immerse yourself in baroque art and architecture)
los jardines alcazáres (bello bello bello)


I'm dying to get my disposable camera photos back, but here are some of my favorite shots in sevilla from this past month...

summer in madrid

One of the hundreds of cups of café con leche that I've had so far in Spain. So much for trying not to tempt my caffeine addiction... 

After spending the whole plane ride there planning our four days in Madrid (with help from an amazing guide from my friend who spent last semester there), I outlined a quite daring itinerary. Here are some of the highlights:


THURSDAY:
café in Plaza Mayor
tapas at Lateral in Plaza Santa Ana (brie with sweet pepper spread on toasted banquette was my ultimate favorite)
sangria (10 euros/pitcher) at Cuevas de Sesamo and underground piano bar
mojitos to die for at the rooftop terrace bar of Midnight Rose in Pl. Santa Ana
dancing at Joy (discoteca near Puerta del Sol)
then capped the night off with churros con chocolate at the Chocolatería San Ginés, Pl. San Ginés (we went 2/3 nights that we were there....)

FRIDAY:
Mercado de San Miguel (incredible indoor market, olives stuffed with cheese, miniature bowls of paella, fresh oysters)
walking around Chueca
dinner ar Bazaar
attempt to go to El Tigre, supposedly they give you free tapas with all of drinks but they're closed during August
Pacha (club with a mixture of spanish music and old school rock)

SATURDAY:
shopping and crepes at La Rue Creperie in Malasaña ( try the crepe with nutella and banana, utterly heaven)
flowery green tea at Oita Café
boat ride in Parque del Buen Retiro
blue neon-colored gin and tonics ("gin tónica") at Tupperware in Malasaña
dancing at Kapital (atocha metro)

SUNDAY:
snacking at the Mercado de San Miguel again
El Rastro (enormous flea market)
café at our lovely hotel, La Posada del León de Oro, C/ Cava Baja

can't wait to be back there next weekend!