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20 signs you’re becoming a madrileño

December 13th, 2011 | Posted by Stephanie Dosch in Lifestyle | Stephanie D. - (3 Comments)

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about a few things I’ve learned during the time I’ve lived in Madrid. The soul-searching was revealing, but it also made me examine the madrileños themselves. I’ve always been concerned with fully adopting my home city—as well as adapting to it—so I’ve become very aware of their particular behaviors, and have even assimilated some myself over the years (I’m not telling which ones). Wondering how well you fit in? Here are twenty telltale signs you’re becoming a madrileño, in no particular order.

  1. You frantically open your umbrella at the tiniest drop of rain. Bonus point if it’s broken.
  2. Crappy bar napkins don’t faze you. Neither does throwing them on the floor.
  3. You take the “de” out of place names, sticking with “Casa Campo,” “Plaza España,” “Calle Serrano,” etc. (Thanks to my friend Joanne for this one!)
  4. You jump up from your seat and elbow your way to the door a full stop before yours when riding the Metro. Bonus point if you also didn’t let people off the train before you got on.
  5. You don’t make evening plans before 22:30, you show up at least half an hour late to those plans, and you consider going home at 3am “leaving early.”
  6. You know someone named Almudena. Bonus point if you call her Almu.
  7. You always know which way is “up” and which way is “down” when giving directions, even in a flat part of the city. (Thanks to my friend Marc for this one!)
  8. You swear (“curse” for you east-coasters) a lot.
  9. Sundays are all about getting drinks with your friends, rather than staying home or doing errands.
  10. You carry your lunch in a high-end shopping bag, as if to say, “In reality, I’m rich enough that I don’t need to be taking the Metro.” Bonus point if it’s from Harrods or Tous.
  11. You never hold doors open for anyone. (Thanks to fellow guiri Erin for this one!)
  12. You have a pueblo, even though you definitely weren’t born there. The fact that your parent/grandparent/significant other/significant other’s parent or grandparent is from there is enough to make it “yours.”
  13. You have definite opinions about who should win football derbies. Bonus point if it’s Atleti, since mostly only madrileños follow them, whereas people all over the world watch Real Madrid.
  14. You also have definite opinions about where to find the best croquetas, cocido, and chocolate con churros.
  15. You instinctively preface your BS with, “Es queeeee…” Bonus point if you pronounce the “s” like a Spanish “j.” (Shout out to Marc for this one too.)
  16. When you visit a smaller city, it feels like everyone is walking at a snail’s pace.
  17. You think that any cabby who actually adds the airport fee to the meter, rather than just pocketing it, is either too honest or simply a schmuck.
  18. You routinely use the words “mola,” “mazo,” or “mi keli.” (One point for each.) Mega bonus points if you’ve ever said, “Mi keli mola mazo.”
  19. You have a chulapo/a outfit in the back of your closet.
  20. You can sleep through the shouts of drunken revelers, no problem, even though the sound of a jackhammer still wakes you up every time.

I got 16 points (still not telling which ones). How about you? And what typically madrileño things did I miss? Let me know below!

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Going to the doctor in Spanish

December 7th, 2011 | Posted by JLynch in Jamie | Medical - (3 Comments)

Last week, like many other people, I was really sick and completely bedridden for almost an entire week.  After two years in Spain, it was finally time to go to the doctor for the first time.  Luckily for me, Raúl took care of finding the number of the nearest Sanitas doctor. This was great, except for the fact that it did not occur to him that it might make sense for me to see an English speaking doctor. I did not have the strength to undo what was already done nor could I fathom waiting any longer to get treated, so I sucked it up and made the appointment.

While the experience was positive overall, there are a few things I would have done differently to prepare myself if I could do it all over again. Even though my Spanish is strong, I still felt a bit lost. For better or worse, I am not used to discussing flu-like symptoms in Spanish, so those words just were not part of my vocabulary. I tried to tell the doctor that my ears hurt by saying “me duelen las orejas” but apparently that direct translation from English is just not a correct way of describing this symptom in Spanish.  I quickly reverted to hand gestures, and before long the doctor did as well since it was clear to him that I was just not following.  Looking back, my advice would be as follows:

  • As a heads up, when you call to make the appointment, they are going to ask you what type of doctor you want to see. I did not know what to say (a doctor doctor, I was thinking). Try to have this one figured out before you call.  In the end, I needed Medicina General, which makes sense in retrospect, but I have never had to make such a distinction when calling to make a doctor’s appointment back home.
  • Write down a translated list of your key symptoms using an English-Spanish dictionary before you go.  This is especially critical because I have noted there are several “false friends” in the health arena, such as costipada (hint: it has nothing to do with your digestion).
  • Do not hesitate to ask the doctor to repeat himself several times; at the end of the day this is our health we are talking about. I left the doctor thinking that he prescribed me some sort of throat gargle that I needed to mix with hot water twice a day, only to find when I went to the pharmacy that he really prescribed me anti-biotic pills. I still have no idea how I got so mixed up.
  • If you are on any other medications before you go, have the names written down along with that they are and what they do, translated into Spanish. The doctor is clearly going to ask you this, and if you are not sure, for example, what the words for insulin and what it treats are in Spanish, you could be putting yourself at risk.

All in all, this experience was not nearly as scary as it sounds, and I am lucky that I only had a throat infection (I think?) and not something more serious.  The doctor could not be any nicer and more patient, and I am happy to report that the prescribed treatment worked and I feel so much better. Although I am proof positive that this can be done successfully without making these advanced preparations, in the end I think they can help quite a bit.

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Brunch Fix in Madrid

November 29th, 2011 | Posted by JLynch in Food and Restaurants | Jamie - (0 Comments)

After several years in Madrid, one of the things I really miss about home is Sunday brunch. There are a few places I have tried out in Madrid that serve this delightful meal, but they are either far too expensive or only serve brunch on Saturdays.  I am happy to report that this past weekend I found my new go-to brunch spot in the Conde Duque neighborhood in the form of Toma, a cute little American-inspired café (the chef is a fellow American).  It is refreshing to see a place with an American touch that is not in the heavy-handed form of a 1950´s hamburger diner (we have much more to offer to international cuisine, Spain).   

The deal is this: for €18 you get a generous plate of assorted pastries (think Danishes, mini doughnuts, etc.), a choice of coffee or tea, a choice of a mimosa, orange juice or bloody mary, and a choice of main dish. Main dish options include (among other things), eggs Benedict, breakfast burritos, French toast, an omelet, and something called a “Mountain Breakfast.” I had the breakfast burritos (two corn tortillas filled with scrambled eggs and cheddar cheese topped with guacamole…YUM), and Raúl had the eggs Benedict. The eggs Benedict were good but had a distinctly Spanish flair that my American brunch palette was not expecting (jamón serrano instead of Canadian bacon, and a hunk of regular pan instead of an English muffin); true brunch-purists might want to opt for another plate.  With the exception of the French toast (which comes with a side of fruit), all of the other plates come with these absolutely delicious roasted potatoes which, together with the bloody mary, were the highlight of our meal.

Rounding out the experience was the great overall feel of the restaurant. It definitely had a bit of a Williamsburg, Brooklyn vibe, from the chill music and laid-back retro décor to some of the clientele, which when I was there included several customers sporting the popular Williamsburg accessory of ironic nerd glasses. It felt just like home and I loved it!

Next time you have one of those Sundays that only a bloody mary can cure, I highly advise a trip to Toma.  Sunday brunch is very popular there, so reservations are highly recommended. 

 Toma

Calle Conde Duque, 14

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Getting Halloween Ready in Madrid

October 18th, 2011 | Posted by JLynch in Jamie | Shopping - (3 Comments)

Even though it still feels like summer in Madrid, Halloween is fast approaching.  Like many an American, I have been thinking about and planning my costume for quite a while now, so this past weekend I set out to get some supplies in order. Through the power of the internet, I was lucky enough to discover a store in the ABC Centro Comercial on Calle Serrano called PARTY FIESTA.

Knowing Spain and its general lack of Halloween costume culture, at least in the 12 and over set, my expectations were pretty low going in.  In the interest of giving credit where credit is due, I have to say I was genuinely impressed with the size of the store and the selection.  There was not the same “let’s turn a current event or viral video persona into a costume” thing as there is back home, but the basics were more than covered. I was particularly impressed with the make-up/fake blood/wig selections (I was told approximately 1 in 2 Spaniards is either a witch or a dead person, so this comes as no surprise).  There was also a decent assortment of Halloween party props and accessories, such as the multi-color strobe light of some sort that the couple in front of me in line was purchasing.

PARTY FIESTA, as the name implies, also has lots of supplies for parties in general (kids’ birthdays, holidays) such as decorations, paper goods, balloons and the like.

As I head back to the world capital of Halloween next week to attend the big parade (er, and also to get married), I can safely say that Madrid did not let me down.  This “Bride of Frankenstein” to-be will not be any less spooky than if I purchased my garb in the belly of the beast itself.

Party Fiesta

Calle Serrano, 61 (there are also many other locations throughout the city)

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La Candelita – a new Latin restaurant comes to Chueca

October 4th, 2011 | Posted by JLynch in Food and Restaurants | Jamie - (0 Comments)

One of the most exciting things about living in Madrid is that there seems to be a new shop, bar or restaurant opening up every single day. In order to support local merchants (and/or because we get lazy sometimes), Raul and I are always keen to check out the latest additions to the neighborhood. Recently we discovered a new Latin restaurant on Calle Barquillo in Chueca called La Candelita.

Our first impressions of the place were extremely positive. We had been there before when it used to house El Diablito, and the change is extreme. I cannot even begin to imagine the investment that was necessary to achieve such a drastic and stunning makeover to the large, long space.  Decorated in lush, tropical colors with soft lighting and vibrant details, the setting could not be more inviting.  The large bar area in the front leads to a sizable dining area in the back with plenty of tables to accommodate both large and small groups.

Upon being seated, we were provided with a drink menu and a food menu, noting that the former was significantly longer than the latter. With its lengthy, creative drink list and its Venezuela-inspired food selection, Raul and I knew we were onto something.  Instead of getting entrees, we ultimately decided to share a few of the appetizers (there was a much larger selection of tapas versus main dishes, and they all sounded good). We particularly loved the degustación de arepitas (an assortment of baked cornmeal “pita-like” pockets with various fillings, including black beans and rice, and shredded beef) and the tequeños (loosely translated from the menu by me as rods of white, Venezuelan cheese covered with crunchy pastry dough, aka a sort of Venezuelan mozzarella stick), accompanied by a nice sweet and salty dipping sauce.

Upon reflecting on our meal, we decided we will undoubtedly return (and soon), but given our affinity for copas and tapas, we will likely opt to sit in the bar instead of the main dining area. Since we were more drawn to the starters (and have been known to enjoy a good cocktail now and again), and the bar has such a great vibe, our whole experience could be enhanced from that end of the spectrum.  I have also requested one of my Venezuelan friends to try it out and give me the always-appreciated native authenticity verdict, so look out for further feedback on this place down the line.

La Candelita

Calle Barquillo, 30

 

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