Spain Is My Happy Place

Wordless Wednesday #88

noreply@blogger.com (Ashleigh) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:38:00 +0000

Staying Connected...Through Football!

noreply@blogger.com (Ashleigh) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 19:31:00 +0000

Although we live in Spain and we LOVE it, it is nice to commune with our fellow Americans, even if we have to do it across the big blue ocean. This was third Super Bowl that has taken place since we've lived in Spain, but its the first one that we've watched live. It's really tough to watch prime time sporting events that take place on the east coast of the United States when you love in Madrid because they don't even get started until midnight. The Super Bowl always takes place on a Sunday night, so that makes it even harder because the kids have to get up and go to school on Monday and they don't do it all on their own. So each year, I have begged off, until now...

I told the boys that if they got everything ready for school and ate dinner before we went to church AND went to bed right afterwards (we like to attend 7pm mass on Sunday nights), then I'd wake them up at midnight so they could watch the game live. As a military family, we watch American broadcasts on American Forces Network. According to Wikipedia, "The AFN worldwide radio and television broadcast network serves American service men and women, Department of Defense and other US government civilians and their families stationed at bases overseas, as well as U.S. Navy ships at sea. AFN broadcasts popular American radio and television programs from the major U.S. networks. It is sometimes referred to as the Armed Forces Network. AFRTS, American Forces Network and AFN are registered trademarks of the U.S. Department of Defense." AFN does a great job of keeping us from getting too homesick. Many of the most popular programs and sporting events are shown love or the next day. We really appreciate it too, because all the programming is donated by broadcasters.

So while the shows are the same, there is one major difference...No Commercials! Normally, this is a good thing, but when it comes to the Super Bowl, you do kind of feel like you are missing out a bit. Still, the kids really enjoyed waking up in the middle of the night and watching the game. It was a good one, for sure, and our team won! Content with our victory, we were all back in bed by 4am for three more hours of shut eye. Can't wait to do it again next year! Hasta luego...

Wordless Wednesday #87

noreply@blogger.com (Ashleigh) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:50:00 +0000

Wordless Wednesday #86

noreply@blogger.com (Ashleigh) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 20:02:00 +0000

Wordless Wednesday #85

noreply@blogger.com (Ashleigh) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

My Day Alone in the City!

noreply@blogger.com (Ashleigh) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 19:30:00 +0000

I almost chickened out, I have never gone into Madrid all by myself. I've always gone into the city with one of my friends or family. It's not that I was afraid to go by myself, I just prefer to go with other people. I'm a talker, and if you walk around the city talking to yourself...without a blue tooth device...people think you're nuts. Plus, when I'm with someone else who knows their way around, I don't pay any attention to where places are in relation to one another. I'm just along for the ride, enjoying what I'm doing, but caring not at all about how we got there. I had my final visit to the orthopedic surgeon at 3pm, so I figured this was the perfect opportunity to venture into the city alone and see something new. So with my metro map in my bag, and some sites in mind, I made my way into Madrid.

I got off at the Opera stop, which is so named because it's right next to the Opera House. From there I walked down to the Royal Palace, and was hoping to have some coffee at an outside table at Cafe Orient and do a little people watching, but it was a little too early. They were only serving inside, so I decided to wait until later.

Over by the Palace, the street performers were getting ready for the daily throng of tourists.

This group of tourists must be from Russia, or at least somewhere considerably colder than Madrid in October. It wasn't freezing, but a tank top, skirt and sandals???

Especially when the Spanish student in the city for a field trip are dressed as they are below...

Leaving my coffee break for later in the day, I set out on foot for the Temple of Debod. It's an old Egyptian temple in the heart of the city. I've always wanted to go see it, but it isn't that close to anything else we normally do when we go into the city, so this was my chance.

I love the architecture in Madrid. It truly is a grand old city. And anywhere that has palm tree lined streets is all right with me.

You can't see the temple from street level because it's up on top of the hill. So up the stairs I go. I don't know what the significance is of the sculpture on the wall.

When I get to the top of the stairs, I see a group of people being led through an exercise routine. They are being led by trainers (see the young guy in the red and white track suit) who are employees of the Communidad de Madrid. You will see these groups in parks all over the city. I saw one over by the Palace on my way back. I love it! What a great idea. I don't know for certain, but it looks like anyone can join...but I am a foreigner here and could be totally wrong! Hahaha...So after snapping a few pics, I was off to the temple.

The Temple of Debod was originally built in the 2nd Century BC in southern Egypt and dedicated to the Goddess Isis. In the 1960's, this temple and three others were threatened by the building of a dam. UNESCO put out an international call to try to save this rich history.

From the guidebook, Frommer's Egypt, it is written that "In an act of gratitude for their support during the UNESCO-led Save the Monuments of Nubia campaign the Egyptian government gifted four small temples to other countries' goverments. Temple of Debod now tops the [Parque del Oeste] in Madrid, Spain, while the Temple of Taffeh is now on disply in Rijks Museum in Leiden, Holland. the Temple of Lessya is exhibited in the Museo Egizio in Turin, Italy, and, finally, the Temple of Dandour is now a part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art." It was rebuilt and open to the public in 1972.

I love this shot because it shows you how this ancient Egyptian temple has been rebuilt right in the middle of the city! I'm so glad I finally got to see it in person.

Once I toured the inside of the temple, I came back out and watched these old men talking and playing fetch with their dogs. So cute!

This is the view from the back side of the temple.

More pics from my walk back to the Palace...

It's very hard to take good pictures of yourself in front of what you are seeing...

More people exercising...I know it looks like the guy in a track suit, but it is not, I assure you!

Here are some people taking a break on what looks to be the base of a statue, but...no statue is there, so i don't know what the purpose of it is, unless it is a modern park bench...

Finally time for breakfast...I have been wanting to go to Cinco Jotas, the restaurant owned by Osborne, whose winery we visit in Malpica de Tajo. Below is their menu for tapas, but I was here for breakfast...

A little people watching while I wait for my delicious breakfast of pan y tomate, cafe con leche and orange juice. I will definitely miss the orange juice in Spain. It is the BEST juice i've ever tasted in my life!

More street performers getting ready for the day. These are over near the Plaza Mayor.

After breakfast I walked down to the Caxia Forum, a museum in Madrid with rotating exhibits of all kinds from classic to modern. One of it's best known features is the living wall on the outside of the Caixa.

On this particular day, there were two temporary exhibits, one was of the work of French painter, Eugene Delacroix...

...And the other of the artifacts from Teotihuacan, City of the Gods and Aztec culture in Mexico. they don't allow photographs in the museum which is nice, sometimes, because then you just get to enjoy the art...

After a walk through the museum, it was time to head over in the direction of my doctor's office, and get some lunch at one of my favorite little pasteleria, Mallorca. A glass of cava and bufala mozzarella, tomato and basil croissant hit the spot! And I was even able to snag a window seat...After that, I was off to my doctor's appointment, then back on the metro and home in time for the kids to get off the bus...It was a great day in Madrid! Hasta luego...

Guest Blogger's Top Ten Tips for Moving to Spain

noreply@blogger.com (Ashleigh) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 13:28:00 +0000

1) British families who move to Spain with school-age or pre-school children should register at their town hall, who will advise about schools.

2) Spanish families place high priority on giving their children a good education; consequently places at private schools are filled well in advance, and there are waiting lists.

3) Upon successfully completion of four years of secondary education they are awarded their ESO (certificate of secondary education, Educación Secundaria Obligatoria). This may take more than four years since failure to make satisfactory progress can mean repeating the year.

4) Some fiestas are location-specific, based on a local legend or a real historical event. A good example of this is San Sebastian, in the Basque country, which holds a festival each January to celebrate their liberation from French rule by Lord Wellington in 1812.

5) Many aspects of the Spanish lifestyle are extremely easy to get used to: the sunshine, the wine and the sangria, the paella, the tortilla and the tapas, and the uplifting rhythms of the bossa nova and the flamenco as the sun goes down and nightlife begins.

6) Spectacular fireworks are a popular feature at fiestas, and probably the most spectacular of all are the ones that light up the skies at the Summer Solstice, when bonfires are lit to celebrate the longest day. This tradition is especially strong in the south of Spain.

7) The Spanish healthcare system works well, and it is often even possible to find English speaking medical staff. However, before moving to Spain you need to be sure that the costs of future medical treatment will be covered.

8) Spanish healthcare is not free, but individuals who are covered by the State system pay only a small contribution towards the cost, depending on their personal circumstances.

9) For those looking to embrace a traditional Spanish lifestyle, inland Spain has plenty of attractive villages where life is not seasonal, property prices are lower, and you will be able to join in local community life.

10) A common pattern is for people to move from the UK initially to their Spanish holiday home, and to relocate to a different part of Spain a few years later after exploring the country in greater depth. There is probably a richer variation in regional cultures in Spain than in any other European country. Each region has its own history and its own traditions, and regions such as Galicia, the Basque country and Catalunya still retain their own languages alongside Spanish.

Bio: Our guestblogger, Armishaws, are one of the leading removals firms in the UK. They regularly move to Europe, including Spain.

Wordless Wednesday #84

noreply@blogger.com (Ashleigh) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:51:00 +0000

Wordless Wednesday #83

noreply@blogger.com (Ashleigh) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 15:12:00 +0000

Feliz Año Nuevo a Mis Amigos Españoles!!

noreply@blogger.com (Ashleigh) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 20:45:00 +0000

I'm sure all my Spanish friends have these party supplies on hand for tonight's New Year's celebration! Cava and twelve grapes to ring in the new year..a grape for each of the 12 dongs of the clock at midnight. from experience, I can say it's hard to eat twelve grapes that quickly! I'll be drinking champagne and eating Chinese food with family tonight! Happy New Year to all! Wishing you all peace and happiness in 2012!

Merry Christmas!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Ashleigh) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 08:48:00 +0000

Wordless Wednesday #82

noreply@blogger.com (Ashleigh) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 13:39:00 +0000

Wordless Wednesday #81

noreply@blogger.com (Ashleigh) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 13:58:00 +0000

Look What the Drinking Girls Are Up To...Spanish Cazuela Giveaway!!

noreply@blogger.com (Ashleigh) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 23:10:00 +0000

As many of you know, I am one half of a dynamic duo known as the The Drinking Girls who are all about cocktails, food and fun! Some of you may also have seen on our Drinking Girls facebook fan page, we are giving away a 25cm Spanish Cazuela, a $30 value (cost & shipping from an online Spanish goods provider). This clay cookware is fired at extremely high temperatures, making it very durable. Once immersed and soaked in water for six hours, you can use them on an electric or gas stove, as well as in the oven or microwave. It's also dishwasher safe. We'll send you everything you need to know about how to use your prize should you be the lucky winner.

Cazuelas filled with our yummy Pollo Loco Asado & Ga-Ga for Garlic Potatoes

So what do you have to do to qualify? Well, that's easy, just buy one of our cookbooks in the month of December and you are entered in the drawing on January 5th. The more books you buy, the more chances you have to win. Order it for yourself, or to have on hand as a hostess gift or for a friend's birthday. It's a beautiful book anyone would be happy to have for the cocktails alone. One of our customer's recently posted on our fan page that our sangria was "to die for!" So really, it's a win/win! Order your copy of "The Drinking Girls' Guide to Spanish Food" by Thursday and Tiffani will send it out to you or your special someone by priority mail on Friday! Here's a look at what you could be doing with your cazuela if you win...

We like to use them to roast garlic cloves

Cazuelas also make lovely serving dishes for our Gambas al Ajillo
or for olives, tapanade, and dips!

A House Divided for El Clásico!!

noreply@blogger.com (Ashleigh) — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 10:33:00 +0000

Tonight at 10pm, Central European Time, much of Spain will be glued to their TV sets, and we'll be among them! While three of us will be routing for Real Madrid tonight, my youngest will be routing for FC Barcelona! For the past couple of days, GolTV has been running hightlight and preview shows of the game that is simply known as "El Clásico" or "The Classic." Last year's game in November was very one-sided with Barca beating Real Madrid 5-0 in Barcelona! In our living room, we saw a lot of this...

Goooooooool!!!! Baaaaaaarcelooooooonaaaaaaa!

My oldest got sick of the carrying on and I almost became referee in our own El Clásico! The rivalry is pretty intense, even for transplants like us! At my kids' school, my youngest plays soccer at recess nearly everyday and it's almost always Real Madrid vs Barca! One of the greatest players in Real Madrid history, Hugo Sanchez, coached my youngest's team, fan favorite Raul used to live two doors down from us (this was before we were fans, tragically), the son of Real Madrid's coach goes to their school and we see him regularly dropping off his son and attending assemblies, and let's not forget that Iker Casillas lives down the way from us! All of these things, being a part of Spain World Cup fever and the kids both playing soccer have turned us into HUGE soccer fans...and don't even get me started about the amount FIFA 11 being played in the this house. It is out of control! Here's a bit of what we've been seeing in the build up for tonight's game...

If Real Madrid wins tonight, I know we will be hearing fireworks going off in the neighborhood and horns blowing with every goal! I don't know what's going to happen, but I anticipate horn blowing by us Madrid fans and shirt twirling by our resident Barca fan...I just hope Real Madrid comes out on top this time! Hala Madrid!

Go Army!!! Beat Navy!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Ashleigh) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 21:43:00 +0000

As these guys prepare for their epic nerf battle, they want to make one thing clear...Go Army! Beat Navy!

For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, here's a brief history about the Army-Navy Game from Wikipedia...

"The Army–Navy Game, commencing in 1890, has been held at several locations throughout its history, but has most frequently been played in Philadelphia, roughly equidistant from the two academies. Historically played on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, the game is now played on the second Saturday in December and is traditionally the last game of the season for both teams and, until the recent advent of conference championship games, it was the last regular-season game played in Division I-A football. With the permanent expansion of the regular season to 12 games starting in 2006, many regular-season games join the Army–Navy Game on the same weekend. In 2009, the game was moved from the first Saturday in December to the second Saturday; this means that it will no longer conflict with conference championship games and once again is the last regular-season contest in college football.^[5]

This game has inter-service "bragging rights" at stake; in past decades, when both Army and Navy were often national powers, the game occasionally had national championship implications. However, as the level of play in college football improved nationally, and became fueled by prospects of playing in the National Football League (NFL), the high academic entrance requirements, height and weight limits, and the military commitment required has reduced the overall competitiveness of both academies. Since 1963, only the 1996 and 2010 games have seen both teams enter with winning records.

The tradition of the game has ensured that it remains nationally televised to this day. Arguably, one of the great appeals of this game to many fans is that since few, if any, of the participants will ever play in the NFL, they are playing solely for the love of the game. Due to commitments to serve in their respective branches of the armed services after graduation, many players are simply deemed too old to even consider playing competitively again, much less in the professional ranks. Many have other post-service ambitions that would preclude such a career, or they simply do not want to pursue one. Nevertheless, some participants in the Army-Navy Game have gone on to professional football careers. Quarterback Roger Staubach (Navy, 1965) went on to a Hall of Fame career with the Dallas Cowboys that included being named the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl VI. Wide receiver and kickoff/punt returner Phil McConkey (Navy, 1979) was a popular player on the New York Giants'squad that won Super Bowl XXI. Running back Napoleon McCallum (Navy, 1985) was able to concurrently serve his commitment to the Navy and play for the then-Los Angeles Raiders. After satisfying his Navy commitment, he joined the Raiders full time. Sadly, his career was ended by a gruesome knee injury suffered in a game against the San Francisco 49ers in 1994.

The game is especially emotional for the seniors, called "first classmen" by both academies, since it is typically the last competitive football game they will ever play (the games in 1996 and 2010 were aberrations, as both Army and Navy went to bowl games afterwards, and Navy has played in a bowl game in each season since 2003). During wartime the game is even more emotional, as some seniors will not return once they are deployed. For instance, in the 2004 game, at least one senior from the class of 2003 who was killed in Iraq, Navy's J. P. Blecksmith, was remembered. The players placed their comrade's pads and jerseys on chairs on the sidelines. Much of the sentiment of the game goes out to those who share the uniform and who are overseas.

At the end of the game, the alma maters of the losing team and then the winning team are played and sung. The winning team stands alongside the losing team and faces the losing academy students; then the losing team accompanies the winning team, facing their students. This is done in a show of mutual respect and solidarity.

The rivalry between Annapolis and West Point, while friendly, is intense. Even the mascots (the Navy Goat and Army Mule) have been known to play pranks on each other. The Cadets live and breathe the phrase "Beat Navy", while Midshipmen have the opposite phrase, "Beat Army", dinned into them (even the weight plates in the Navy weight room are stamped with "Beat Army"). They have become a symbol of competitiveness, not just in the Army–Navy Game, but in the service of their country, and are often used at the close of (informal) letters by graduates of both academies.

Occasionally, the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy, awarded to each season's winner of the triangular series between Army, Navy, and Air Force, will be at stake in this game. For most of the 1970s, Navy had held the trophy. After a period of flux for most of the 1980s, Air Force dominated the competition until the early 2000s. Navy has been the dominant team in the rivalry for most of the 2000s, winning every game in the triangular rivalry starting with the 2002 Army–Navy Game and ending with a 2010 loss to Air Force. If there is a tie in the Commander-In-Chief Trophy competition, the trophy remains with the incumbent team.

The rivalries Army and Navy have with the Air Force Academy are much less intense than the Army-Navy rivalry, primarily due to the relative youth of the Air Force Academy and the physical distance between Air Force and the other two schools, with Air Force Academy being located in Colorado Springs. The Army-Air Force and Navy-Air Force games are played at the academies' regular home fields, rather than at a neutral site, although Navy has occasionally moved its home games with Air Force to FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland."

Wordless Wednesday #80

noreply@blogger.com (Ashleigh) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 20:06:00 +0000

Art and Science...You Can't Have One Without the Other!

noreply@blogger.com (Ashleigh) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0000

My youngest's self-portrait done in the style of Chuck Close

One of the things I love about living here in Spain, is that the kids's school has a great art program. Our school district in Texas had dedicated art teachers in only 3 out of its 32 elementary schools. Teaching art was the responsibility of the classroom teachers. They did a great job, but what it speaks to is the importance the school district places on art. Obviously, given the numbers, art was not our former school district's top priority. Since resources follow priorities, it stands to reason, they probably weren't given much to work with. I'm of the opinion that even this ever increasing tech-loving world, there is still a place for art...maybe now more than ever. Advances in technology, innovations and medical miracles, require us to think outside of the bounds of what is already here...sometimes creating something out of nothing! A perfect metaphor for this is the creation of a work of art. A blank canvas becomes a Starry, Starry Night...and something that never existed before is born! What is so wonderful about art, is that you don't need much of anything to create it. The only thing absolutely required is your imagination! I don't think art is so much about about what is created, but rather creation itself. All creation requires inspiration...and what is more inspiring than art itself!

Through the study of art, and the chance to create it, a sense of openness is born...an opening of the mind, the heart, and often the soul! Obviously, we've all looked at something in a museum...a painting, a sculpture, a rope hanging from the ceiling in an empty room...and said, "That's art???" The same was said of the works of so many of the people we consider to be masters today...Picasso, Matisse, Serrat, etc. But they were allowed, and even encouraged to create...to share their imagination with all of us! This same theme can be seen when you look at the Leonardo DiVinci, Wright Brothers, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and many more...So art and science aren't really so far apart at all, in fact I think they are intrinsically linked. Two and three year-olds don't know how to write a computer program or build a robot, but they do know how to tap into their imagination and put crayon to paper! That is where it all begins at the most basic level. That's why I love art teachers! They open our kids minds to a whole new world, and if they learn how to tap into their imaginations as children, who knows what they'll create in the future...maybe something that will change the whole world!

I'm a Guest Blogger on GapDaemon!

noreply@blogger.com (Ashleigh) — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 16:27:00 +0000

Here's a little about Gap Daemon from their site, "Gap Daemon is the community and advice site for gap year travellers. [You can] meet other backpackers, keep in touch with friends and family, share travel tips and get advice from the experts. Gap Daemon's name never fails to get a reaction. It's a bit of a tongue twister: many of our backpacking friends go through a few different spellings - gap demon, gap daimon and the like - before hitting on the right one. We don't blame you for typing in 'gap demon' at all. The "ae" is in the Ancient Greek spelling for a demon, a friendly advisor, which is what we're aiming to be!

I'm super excited to have a post on their blog. It's called "How to Learn Spanish When You're Surrounded by English Speakers." I love all this guest blogging stuff. They have a lot of good articles for lots of great bloggers...Hasta luego...

DECEMBER COOKBOOK SPECIAL!

noreply@blogger.com (Ashleigh) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 22:18:00 +0000

For every cookbook you buy in December, you receive an entry in our Drawing for an awesome cazuela. There is something about these Spanish cooking dishes that make Pollo Loco Asado, Ga Ga for Garlic Potatoes, or anything you roast taste delicious! Someone bought 2 cookbooks today...will you be next! Use the drop-down menu at the top right of this blog to order if you need your shipment mailed to you. Posted rates apply to US deliveries, and additional shipping charges may apply to locations outside of the US. Good luck! If you've been thinking about ordering this fun, colorful cookbook, now would be a really good time to do so! You might just wind up winning a Spanish cazuela for your very own! The drawing will be held on January 5th! Good luck, or as they say in Spain...Buena Suerte!

Wordless Wednesday #79

noreply@blogger.com (Ashleigh) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 18:18:00 +0000

Wow! We Really Have Done A Lot in Spain!

noreply@blogger.com (Ashleigh) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 14:18:00 +0000

Living in Spain provides such a great jumping off point to other European countries. When we found out we were moving to Madrid, we made a promise to ourselves to travel as much as possible. I really didn't want to come back to the US for at all over our three year assignment because that would mean a missed trip somewhere in Europe. I love the good ole US of A, but I'm going to live there for the rest of my life. Once back in the States, it won't be as affordable to travel to Europe. So with this in mind, we made the commitment to set aside money for travel. It's a great opportunity for us and our kids. There is a military adage that says "Resources follow priorities" and we've made it our priority to set foot in as many new countries as possible. I did a blog entry about the World map we have hanging up in our kitchen called "Where in the World?" We log our travels and love to look at it when we hear of some interesting current event going on in the world or to dream of places we'd like to visit in this lifetime.

When we think about places we still want to visit before we move back to the States, there are many, and many of them are in Spain. Sometimes I worry that we will wait to long, thinking we will always have time to visit places in Spain because we live here, kind of like how I have never been to the Statue of Liberty when I went to Jr High, High School and College about 60 miles north of New York City. Since it won't be so easy to get back to Spain once we return to the US, I want to make sure that we're not short changing Spain in our European travels. That's why we are planing to go to Córdoba and Sevilla over Thanksgiving.

We still haven't been there after two years in Spain, nor have we visited the North of Spain yet, though we definitely want to walk part of the "Camino" to Santiago de Compostela. We were supposed to this Spring, but my knee injury got in the way of that. Fearing I hadn't giving Spain it's due in our travel adventures, I decided to take stock and see just what we have done in Spain while here in Spain...and what I discovered was that we've done a lot...take a look...

We've been to the FB Barcelona fútbol stadium in Barcelona...

We've been to the top of Montserrat to see the Black Virgin just outside of Barcelona...

We met former US President Jimmy Carter at the Old Silk Exchange in Valencia...

We've watch kite surfers on the beaches of Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands...

We've sipped Sangria, seaside, in the sleepy town of Rota, outside the Naval Base in the South of Spain...

We've been to El Escorial, the Royal Palace built by Felipe II, which houses the remains of 24 "dead kings and queens" to quote my youngest son...

I've been to mass with my in-laws at the Valley of the Fallen, just north of Madrid. It's an understandably controversial cathedral built into a mountain where dead from both side of the Spanish Civil War, as well as Franco are buried...

We walked along the top of the medieval wall in Ávila...

We've been to Osborne's Malpica Winery, Osborne is the 2nd oldest family-owned business in Spain, established in 1772, and made friends with their Marketing Director, Carolina...

We've visited an Olive finca (farm) and learned how some of the best oil in the world is made from Spanish olives...

I've seen famous Spanish ceramica being made in the famous pottery town of Puente del Arzobispo...

We've toured the incredible cathedral in Toledo, where popes and cardinals are buried and a mass is said in arabic once a week...

We've walked under the Roman Aqueduct, that has stood for over 2000 years, and toured the Castle where Ferdinand and Isabella bid farewell to Christopher Columbus before he sailed to what became know as the "New World..."

Walked among the monkeys on the only British territory on the Iberian Peninsula...

We've hiked La Pedriza, the mountains just north of Madrid...

Attended a Misa Rociera, or Flamenco Mass, at the Spanish Church in our neighborhood...

And Madrid...we've had so many good times in Madrid...people watching in the Plaza Mayor

Sampling terrific tapas at one of our favorite bars, The Magister, just off of Plaza Santa Ana...

Eaten lunch and dinner at Botin, the oldest restaurant in the world...

Watched Flamenco at Corral de Moreria...

Bought espadrilles from the world famous Casa Hernanz, just off the Plaza Mayor...

Standing at Kilometer Zero at Puerta del Sol, the point from which all distances in Spain are measured...

We posed in front of the Bear and Strawberry Tree, the symbol of Spain...

We've had churros y chocolate at the famous San Gines, and at our favorite, Churrero Maestro...

We toured the Royal Palace...

Visited the Cathedral...

Toured the Royal Gardens...

Visited the Prado and the Thyssen museums...

Marveled at Picasso's Guernica at the Reina Sofia...

Toured the home and studio of Spain's most famous impressionist, Joaquin Sorolla...

Celebrated Spain 2010 World Cup win with the rest of Madrid...

Spent the afternoon walking through Retiro Park...

Enjoyed the Turtles of the Atocha Train Station...

Watch Real Madrid defeat the Dutch Team ,Ajax, at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium...

Witnessed a riot of rowdy Dutch fans in the metro...

Listened to opera live while drinking wine from Spain's Rioja region at the Mercado de San Miguel...

Learned how to a Traditional Spanish Tortilla in my Spanish friend's home...

Which led to my writing a Spanish cookbook with my friend, Tiff...

All and all, I'd say that's not bad...still so much more to see...but not too shabby!

More to follow...Hasta luego...

Wordless Wednesday #78

noreply@blogger.com (Ashleigh) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Looking for the Perfect Christmas Gift for $15???

noreply@blogger.com (Ashleigh) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 14:30:00 +0000

Friends share good times, bad times...and sometimes, they share recipes! Mari Luz is just such a friend. She's also our massage therapist. She only speaks Spanish and French, so she's also our Spanish teacher! We feel so fortunate to have her as our friend! Last year, she invited Tiff and I over for brunch and to teach us how to make a traditional Spanish tortilla.

I blogged about it in my entry entitled, Cooking with Mari Luz. Once we master that, we decided we should try to figure out how to make all the Spanish dishes we love, so when we get back to the States, we wouldn't have to do without our Spanish favorites. Our friends and family who had visited us in Spain said they wanted to know how to make them too and suggested we put our results in a cookbook. So in January, we started spending days in the "Test Kitchen" and had finished files to the printer in Connecticut before we went on the "Last Hurrah" cruise in April. It was quite an undertaking and we loved every minute of it. We are so proud of our book and think it would make a great additional to your kitchen. All the recipes are in US measurements, with substitutions for hard to get Spanish food items, and all the recipes are easy to make! Unlike Tiff, I don't like to spend a ton of time in the kitchen, so we take shortcut where ever possible without sacrificing flavor. We developed five original cocktails, including red and white sangria. Frankly, it's worth the $15 price tag for the cocktails alone. So you don't even have to cook to get your money's worth out of this book! And it's a good read too, with 75 beautiful color pictures (at least one for every recipe), a "decoding" Spanish wine section, an Olive Oil piece, a little information about Spanish cooking culture, what to keep in your Spanish Pantry, as well as wine proverbs and sayings throughout the book.

The Drinking Girls' Guide to Spanish Food is organized for your party planning purposes. We started with an appetizer section, five tapas that we call Tasty Little Starters!

"Hammered" Olives

Pan y Tomate

Cheese & Chorizo Plate

Patatas Aiöli

Fried Manchego

After the Tasty Little Starters section, we have organized recipes into five fun menus, each with an original cocktail. If you don't have time to make the special cocktail that goes with the menu, we also offer wine pairings that work well with each menu.

First up is our "Tapas Anytime Brunch" which includes Spanish-style brunch selection that can be served with our Valencian Sunrise or nice, crisp Chardonnay!

Valencian Sunrise

Gazpacho A-Go-Go

Traditional Spanish Tortilla

Malpica Mixed Greens Salad with Sherry Vinaigrette

We call our next menu "Pollo Loco Asado," Spanish comfort food that's "crazy" good. It is delicioso with our version of white Sangria, but pairs well with a good chilled Cava (Spanish Champagne) or a Tempranillo.

No Secret's Safe Sangria

Velvety Cream of Mushroom Soup

Pollo Asado (Roasted Chicken)

Ga-Ga for Garlic Potatoes

Our next menu is called "Oh My Gambas." Gambas or shrimp is the main course on this menu which includes a creamy asparagus soup, and sautéed green beans, as well as strawberry and mint infused white wine spritzer. Pair this menu with a Sauvignon Blanc or Sparkling Rosado if you don't have time to make this yummy cocktail...

Strawberry Blush

Bet Your "Asparagus" Soup

Gambas Al Ajillo

Sautéed Green Beans with Pine Nuts

We call our fourth party menu "Not Your Abuela's Paella" which includes our version of Red Sangria, garlic and almond soup, and sautéed mini-sweet jalapeños. This menu pairs well with a Sauvignon Blanc. If serving the paella with tapas selcetion and not the Ajo Blanco, serve with a Cabernet Sauvignon.

Stumblin' Home Sangria

Ajo Blanco

Tossed Paella Mixta

Pimientos de Padrón

We call our final menu "Got Scallops? Si, Claro!" Of course, we do! Scallops, aspargus wrapped in Spanish ham, and succulent sautéed mushroom. Serve with our Lemony Cava Cooler or Cava alone. This dish is really impressive and great for when you are having company.

Lemony Cava Cooler

Gone in 60 Seconds Sautéed Mushrooms

Sea Scallops with Cava Cream Sauce

Roasted Jamón-Wrapped Asparagus

No party is complete without a nice dessert. Here are some tasty Spanish-inspired desserts that will have you spending more time with your guests and less time in the kitchen. Keeping with our theme, we called this section "Drunken Desserts."

Tempranillo Poached Apples & Peaches with Vanilla Ice Cream

Sherry-Spiked Sponge Cake with Ice Cream and Berries

Cafe con Leche Shooters with Assorted Chocolate & Fruits

Arroz con Leche (Traditional Rice Pudding)

We hope we've tempted you into buying our cookbook, The Drinking Girls' Guide to Spanish Food. We guarantee that you won't be disappointed. We developed, tested, photographed and ate every single one of these recipes and we loved every single minute of it! Miss you, Tiff! Wish you were here...in Spain! Order your book at the top right of this blog...we accept paypal and all major forms of credit. Buy one for yourself and your family and friends! They also make great teacher and office gifts! It's a delicious Book Club selection too. Are you part of a gourmet or cooking club? Again...perfect selection as well! Buen provecho!

Wordless Wednesday #77

noreply@blogger.com (Ashleigh) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 13:41:00 +0000