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A treat for the tastebuds: International beers in Madrid

January 31st, 2012 | Posted by Shana in Food and Restaurants | Shana | What's Happening Madrid - (4 Comments)

Since I started living in Madrid, my family and friends back home often ask me what things I miss most about the US. Aside from amazing burgers and Mom’s macaroni and cheese, I really miss good, interesting beer. I feel a sad longing when I think about all the pale ales and porters back home. Okay, some Spanish beers aren’t that bad, but compared to the variety back home, the beers widely available in Madrid just don’t stand a chance. To combat my nostalgia and stimulate my tastebuds, I’ve scoured the city to find a few places that offer brews that are sure to please even the most discerning palate. The following three spots–two in Malasaña and one in the center–are definitely worth checking out with your favorite beer lover.

1. Casa de la Cerveza (calle Luchana 15, metro: Bilbao)
http://www.lacasadelacerveza.eu/

With a menu boasting hundreds of different beers from all around the world–ever wanted to try a beer from Thailand?–this place is the adventurous beer fan’s paradise. Casa de la Cerveza has the look of a German brauhaus and the feel of a casual sports bar. Come here to get your weird beer fix and try an assortment of bratwursts and other German delicacies while you catch whichever fútbol team is playing that night on the big screen. And for you partygoers, Casa de la Cerveza has a 10 euro open bar deal from 11pm to 1am, though the promotion does not include many of the higher-end beers.

2. Naturbier (Plaza Santa Ana, metro: Sol)
http://www.naturbier.com/

Can you ever go wrong in Santa Ana? Naturbier is another place that brings a bit of Germany straight into the heart of Madrid. This bar gets its name from the beer that they serve on tap: an all-natural, super fresh brew made in-house. When you walk into Naturbier be sure to get a seat where the tables have taps built-in and you can try your hand at pouring your own beer. They have three varieties: rubia (a lighter blonde beer), tostada (a darker, maltier beer), and a non-alcoholic version that are always served cold and fresh, either from the bar or from your own table tap.

3. Cervezorama (calle San Andrés, 29, metro: Bilbao)
http://www.cervezorama.es

Sometimes you’d rather sit at home with your tasty beer, and this is where Cervezorama comes in. This self-proclaimed “Delicatessen Beer Shop” in Malasaña carries beer by the bottle from a few different countries, most notably Germany, Belgium, and the United States. The staff there are extremely knowledgeable and can answer any of your questions, as well as suggest beers for you to try based on your tastes. Cervezorama also carries ingredients and instructional guides needed to brew your own beer at home, and often hold meet-ups with home brewers in the area. In addition to brewer meet-ups, the shop sometimes holds beer tastings, or catas, so for a small price you can sample different brews and get to know some other Madrid beer aficionados. While you’re there, try one of the new beers by Fábrica Maravillas, an up-and-coming Madrid microbrewery with a bright future.

Of course, there are many other places in town where you can find international beers on tap, including the many Irish bars in town. But when you’re feeling in the mood for something other than Mahou, Guinness, or Heineken, stop by one of the above bars and enjoy. If you have a favorite spot to try international beers that isn’t mentioned above, please let us know in the comments. Cheers!

Where to warm up in Madrid

January 27th, 2012 | Posted by Stephanie Dosch in Food and Restaurants | Stephanie D. - (1 Comments)

When the weather gets cold, sometimes you just want a cozy spot for a tea or a café con leche. So where do you go when the fluorescent lights and metal counter of the corner bar won’t cut it? Sure, there are lots of places with a long list of teas in every color and flavor. But for me, it’s all about ambiance—plush booths, peace and quiet, or a beautiful setting. Here are a few eight of my favorite places to warm up in Madrid (I think I drink more coffee than I realized).

Malasaña

Café del Ruíz

A lovely, though definitely cozy, spot—this one’s not for large groups. Great for a quiet carajillo, though.

Calle de Ruíz, 11

Pepe Botella

Lots of nooks and crannies, free wifi, plus they give you a cookie with your drink. Can’t argue with that.

Calle de San Andrés, 12

Chueca

Café Belén/Café Madrid

Either of these places, right next to each other on Calle Belén, is great for a cup of tea and a long conversation. Choose whichever suits your mood at the moment.

Café Belén is at Calle de Belén, 5; Café Madrid is at Calle de Belén, 7

Acuarela

Intimate and gay-friendly; make sure to get a window seat for people-watching.

Calle de Gravina, 10

El Espejo

One of those classic old spots, and a beautiful one at that. Skip the restaurant part and stick to the little outdoor pavilion.

Paseo de Recoletos, 31

La Latina

La Rayuela

Big windows, wood interiors and rotating art on the walls—I’ve whiled away many a Sunday afternoon here.

Calle de la Morería, 8

Café Monaguillo

Lots of seating and enough of a variety of tés, cafés, batidos and carajillos to keep everyone in your party happy.

Plaza de la Cruz Verde, 3

Lavapiés

Nuevo Café Barbieri

This place has the weirdest hours, but if it’s open, its 19th-century interior is a nice place to wake up from your Indian-lunch-induced food coma.

Calle de Ave María, 45

Do you have a favorite café in Madrid? Let us know in the comments below.

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Introducing a new guiri: Shana Solarte

January 24th, 2012 | Posted by Shana in Shana | Us: Author - (1 Comments)

In 2009, the summer before my last year of university, I went abroad for the first time and came to Madrid on a study trip through my school’s foreign language department. We discussed colloquialisms, studied art in museums and streets, and learned a whole lot about what the inside of Spanish bars looked like. Somewhere between my first incredible glimpse of Guernica and my last caña before heading back to the States in July, I realized that I was hooked. I couldn’t get enough of this city.

That summer was spent attempting to cover as much ground as possible. We took day trips to nearby towns and weekend trips to not-so-nearby towns. I ate a lot of jamón and learned that I really love salmorejo and huevos rotos. At the end of the program, I had a few days between the end of classes and my return flight to the States, so I found a cheap flight to Rome. When I came back to Madrid to spend one last day in town and catch my plane, I felt so at home that I cried from my window seat as we circled over the city.

Fast-forward about four months. A high school friend of mine living in Murcia sent me some information about her English teaching program and I immediately knew what my post-grad plans would be. In September 2010, after a long summer of work and anticipation, I once again set foot on Spanish soil and felt as if I’d never left.

Since returning, I’ve been working in a bilingual primary school outside the city with the sweetest students and coworkers I’ve ever encountered. I am certainly still as crazy about this place as I was just a few years ago–a sunset over Gran Vía still takes my breath away. I recently discovered this quote about Madrid in a Lonely Planet book, written by LP author Anthony Ham:

There will come a moment while you’re in Madrid when you will fall irreversibly in love with this beguiling city and wonder how you can bear to live elsewhere. It might strike you at 3am when you spill onto impossibly crowded streets from a bar in Chueca. Or it could happen as you wander amid the masterpieces of the Museo del Prado. But it will happen because this is a city that creeps up on you, weaves its way into your soul and then sings happily into your ear.

I couldn’t agree more.

Literature Discussion in Madrid

January 23rd, 2012 | Posted by Courtney in Guiri Guest | What's Happening Madrid - (0 Comments)

When I first got to Spain, I had a freshly minted English degree, and while I didn’t notice it at first, I missed the experience of reading interesting literature and getting to hear other people’s opinions on it. So when I saw a little advertisement in a library talking about a literature circle in English, I decided that it would be a priority to at least give it a shot. I emailed with one of the moderators of the group – having moderators seemed like a good sign of a thriving group – and vowed to arrive for the first meeting only a few weeks after I got off the plane.

After getting lost on the residential school campus where the meeting was held and seeing about seven black cats, I made my way to the cafeteria where they were meeting. I had gotten the texts for the month via the internet; all of the things the group reads are available online in some format so it’s easy for everyone to be on the same page.

I was surprised to discover that everyone but me was Spanish, despite having near-native levels of English conversation. We had a spirited discussion and I felt like I was listened to but not coddled. The group finished by discussing a play that they were going to go see together, and they encouraged me to join.

I’ve now been to three monthly meetings, and the things we’ve read range from Caribbean poetry to British short stories and everything in between. The amount of attendees ranges from 5 to 15, depending on the month, and recently the group abandoned the residential school campus in favor of the more central and easily located Café Comercial near Bilbao metro. Generally the meetings begin with conversation and drinks, and then naturally continue into the literary discussion.

If this particular group doesn’t seem like what you would want to check out, definitely visit a library near you, either in a university or even in your public library, and see if you can find a discussion group that reads English (or even Spanish) texts. If you are interested in this particular group, contact madshortsmadrid@gmail.com for more information.

 

Guiri Guest Laura is a recently-arrived English Language and Culture Assistant. She graduated from university in the Spring and is exploring the options that Madrid has to offer for her varying interests in fiction writing, Spanish, teaching, and Journalism. She is from the United States and is still figuring out all the little things that Guiris have to master to become true expatriates in this city.

Pareja de hecho: making residency easier one couple at a time

January 17th, 2012 | Posted by Erin in Erin | Government | Visas | Work and Employment - (47 Comments)
For many non-EU foreigners, living in Spain legally is debacle numero uno. No easy solution exists, whether it’s finding a company to sponsor you, or a significant other willing to fully commit to ma-ma-ma-marriage. Locating a street in Madrid without obras would be easier.

But recently, something very unexpected changed. As rare as the Spanish waiter that happily and eagerly takes your dinner order, a process here just got easier and tremendously more helpful. I’ll let you digest that for a moment, because I know it’s hard to believe.

Have you recovered? OK, good. Back to business.

The process I’m referring to is that of pareja de hecho. Roughly translated as domestic partnership, acquiring the status originally just meant you got a piece of paper saying “these folks are officially an item” (not terribly unlike that note you wrote your classmate in junior high school). Now, becoming pareja de hecho can actually grant foreigners residency. Crazy, right? And it’s not too good to be true!

Here’s a brief rundown of the requirements and steps:

Requirements:

  • Civil status certificate stating you’re single (must be validated for non-EU foreigners)
  • Empadronado(a) with your Spanish significant other for at least one year
  • Two witnesses
  • Three photos (for Comisaría when applying for card)
  • Copy of entire passport

Steps:

  • Empadronamiento with significant other at the Ayuntamiento
  • Obtain civil status certificate (foreigners go to their embassy/small fee required)
  • Non-EU residents must validate civil status certificate at the Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores
  • Become pareja de hecho at the Registro de Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid
  • Pick up certificado de pareja de hecho at the Registro de CAM
  • Apply for residency card at the Comisaría
  • Pick up card at the Comisaría (small fee required)

As with most things in Spain, there’s a good chance that funcionario 1 will say something entirely different than funcionario 2, so expect rules and processes to vary.

Now that pigs are flying, maybe the obras will stop and more waiters will become friendly. One can dream.

 

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