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A Special Corner of Retiro

June 15th, 2011 | Posted by AnneGA in Anne | What's Happening Madrid - (1 Comments)

I’ve been living in Madrid for over 6 months now and I was just recently introduced to a very special corner of Parque del Retiro – a gorgeous park near the center of the city that deserves exploring if you haven’t already!

In the southeast corner of the park, you will discover a lovely, well manicured area with walkways divided by splashing fountains and surrounded by overgrown trellises and cozy corners, perfect for sitting with a good book.  But this area isn’t just special for it’s paths and nice places to lounge on a warm summer day…  You will discover something even more amazing.  More beautiful.

Peacocks!!!

Somehow these gorgeous birds are contained in this area and seem quite at home with visitors gawking and snapping photos of their brightly colored feathers.

I hope you enjoy this surprise as much as I did and have a chance to sneak a peak at the lovely birds!

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Getting Fit in Madrid

June 1st, 2011 | Posted by AnneGA in Anne | Fitness | Health | Lifestyle - (1 Comments)

I don’t know about you, but when I first moved to Madrid I quickly realized that my exercise routine consisted of lots of walking and an occasional yoga podcast – enough to feel ‘active,’ but certainly not enough to make me feel ‘in shape.’

After six months of this level of activity I finally decided it was time to join a gym.  I realized that not only was I feeling less than thrilled about my body, I also needed something to get me moving and make me feel better mentally and emotionally.  It’s amazing how a little sweat and exercise induced endorphins can make such a difference!

I’d like to say I did a lot of research to find the best gym for me, but in reality I trusted the suggestion of a good friend and chose a place close to my house, with reasonable prices, and where I knew I’d have a “workout buddy” – something I highly recommend!  Having someone to meet you at the gym makes workouts feel like a social get-together and can be a good motivator to keep up the hard work of getting in shape.

I chose to join O2 Wellness at Manuel Bercera and have been really happy with the facility, class schedule, and especially the pool area (indoor and outdoor with lots of hot tubs and sauna options).  They have a  number of locations, including an all women’s gym (which happens to be WAY more expensive).

Living in Spain makes it easy to enjoy eating, drinking, and socializing, but I’ve found that O2 Wellness has been the best investment I could have made in “me.”  If you’re looking to add some routine to your life or want to feel healthy during your time here, I highly recommend checking out O2 Wellness or other gyms in Madrid.

O2 Wellness

Plaza Manuel Bercera, 17
914 449 7 60
manuelbecerra@o2centrowellness.com

Time for a Summer Shopping Spree

May 25th, 2011 | Posted by AnneGA in Anne | What's Happening Madrid - (1 Comments)

In Need of a Summer Shopping Spree?

After living in Seattle for the past 11 years, my wardrobe hasn’t had much demand for warm weather wear.  Seattle is truly one of the most beautiful cities on earth, especially when it’s sunny, but there’s a reason why most homes don’t have air conditioning – it just doesn’t get that hot except for a few weeks in the peak of the summer!

So what’s a girl to do when the temperatures in Madrid start creeping up and she finds her closet full of cozy sweaters and no sundresses?  Why, go shopping of course!

The only problems are that one; I’m not a huge fan of malls and prefer to shop in smaller, local boutiques.  And two; my husband and I are living tenuously on my non-profit salary and student loans.  Not the ideal situation for a summer shopping spree.

However, some girlfriends of mine helped me solve my warm weather woes with an outing to Centro Commercial Xanadu – a mall about an hour outside of Madrid by bus.  They turned shopping into a fun adventure as we caught the bus at the Principe Pio Metro/Bus station on a rainy Saturday morning and introduced me to Primark – a store similar to the American “Old Navy” with tons of summer deals to be had.  You can also find many other Spanish shopping stand by’s like H&M, Mango, Zara, Springfield, and much, much more.  We even topped off the day with Ben & Jerry’s ice cream cones from the food court!

It may not have been my ‘style’ of shopping, but it was really fun and I managed to get some great summer stuff without breaking the bank!

You can find driving and bus directions here – for those of you in Madrid, it’s easiest to catch the 528, 534 or 539 at the Principe Pio station.  It drops you off near the freeway, but you can’t miss the enormous, bright colored building – Centro Commercial Xanadu.  Oh, and they are even open on Sundays.

Happy summer shopping!

Centro Commercial Xanadu

Autovia, A5, Salida 22
Arroyomolinos, Madrid 28939

902 263 026

Madrid Foto

May 4th, 2011 | Posted by AnneGA in Anne | What's Happening Madrid - (0 Comments)

I moved to Madrid with my Nikon D5000 in hand and was committed to becoming a skilled photographer during our time here.  I’ve certainly taken a lot of photos, but sadly my camera is still stuck on ‘auto’ since I haven’t practiced and really learned how to use it!  I could use some inspiration and I think I may have found it…

Madrid Foto: Feria Internacional de Fotografia will be held at the Feria de Madrid, Pabellon 5 this weekend and is open to the public on May 6th through 8th for 12 euros (9 euros for students).

Madrid Foto will feature stunning exhibits of contemporary photography – just the kind of inspiration I need to learn how to use my camera and take some amazing photos of my own!  I’m looking forward to checking out the work of talented photographers from around the world.

Are you inspired?  Hope to see you at Madrid Foto this weekend!

Madrid Foto
Feria de Madrid (IFEMA), Pabellon 5 – Tel 913 697 537

Dog Grooming in Madrid

April 27th, 2011 | Posted by AnneGA in Anne | Logistics | Pets - (2 Comments)

My husband and I couldn’t imagine life without our 5 pound (2 kilo) dog, Abby, and I imagine many of you with pets know exactly how we feel!  Abby made the big move with us to Madrid and has settled in nicely with all the other Madrileno pups walking the streets.

I’ve often given her haircuts myself, but after months without seeing a professional groomer it was definitely time for her to get a ‘real’ haircut.

We discovered Pet a Porter shortly after arriving in Madrid and haven’t found another pet store that can compete with their selection of natural pet foods, shampoos, and adorable pet accessories.  It’s a little on the pricey side, but since we don’t dress Abby in fur lined puffy vests it works out okay – ha!  I even found her a new collar for 4 euros, which was perfectly within our student budget.

When it was finally time for her to see a groomer I went in to Pet a Porter and was pleasantly surprised to find that it was 29 euros (less than what we paid for grooming in Seattle, WA) and the groomer was incredibly thorough and sweet with Abby.  For those of you with dogs, you know that it makes a huge difference to know your furry friend is in good hands!

I would highly recommend Pet a Porter to anyone looking for a place to buy pet supplies or have your dog groomed in Madrid.

C/ Juan Bravo 21
28006, Madrid
Tel. 91-577-46-33