Ten words that change their meaning in Madrid

Here are 10 words that have a completely different meaning when you live in Madrid:

1. "Gazpacho"
Used to mean: A little used Spanish dish, noted for being served cold.
Now means: Heaven.

2. "A regular job"
Used to mean: 30 - 40 hours each week located in the same office or classroom.
Now means: Travelling to obscure parts of Madrid, and varies between 9 hours and (often) zero hours, when a cancellation or puente takes place.

3. "Invite"
Used to mean: A nice present or entry to a party.
Now means: A sign that you are going to leave a particular bar legless - you have been "invited" by the bar owner to another drink.

4. "Sol"
Used to mean: The big yellow thing in the sky.
Now means: The epi-centre of heaving humanity in the central area of Madrid that any sane person strives to avoid.

5. "Morning"
Used to mean: Sometime before noon, often 9 or 10 o'clock.
Now means: Sometime before 3pm.

6. "Coffee bar"
Used to mean: A place people went to drink coffee
Now means: A place you still go to drink coffee, but watch other people drinking brandy, anis, beer etc. At 9 o'clock in the flipping morning..

7. "Seasons"
Used to mean: 4 seasons.
Now means: It's either winter or summer.

8. "Vegetarian"
Used to mean: No meat involved.
Now means: Contains ham.

9. "Do you want something to eat?"
Used to mean: Do you want something to eat?
Now means: Do you want to pay extra for a big plate of something? (we'll still give you a tapa of something to eat)

10. "Rush hour"
Used to mean: Those two times a day when public transport gets packed, and streets are full of people rushing everywhere.
Now means: Five or six times a day when public transport gets packed, and streets are full of people not rushing everywhere

Madrid syndrome

When you've lived and worked in Madrid for a while, you tend to develop what I call "Madrid syndrome". There are various symptoms, and I list some them here:

i) Wearing a jacket or pullover even when the daily high reaches 25C

ii) Feeling disappointed when ordering a beer or wine, and only getting olives or crisps as a free snack

iii) Going for lunch at 3pm and thinking it unexceptional.

iv) Feeling sorry that anyone has to live in Barcelona.

v) Realising you just don't watch television any more. Even if you had the time, you wouldn't.

vi) Feeling some kind of strange pride that the tap water is far better than in the home town.

vii) Thinking that Madrid has the best in most things, including potato crisps and imported sea-food.

viii) Using the word "Sol" to describe a district, and expecting others to understand.

ix) Thinking breakfast consists of a coffee, with perhaps a specialised doughnut (churros) on the side.

x) Getting annoyed that one night a week the bins aren't emptied.

Is there a cure? I suspect not...

Flamenco book night in OffSide

Earlier this week we were privileged to have the English author Cherry Radford come over to Madrid and present her latest book "Flamenco Baby". Cherry's books are inspired by dance and music, and she also has a new book in progress, "Bailamos!" which should hit the shelves later this year.
It was certainly not as crowded as the Kurdish literature night last week (almost as if the English-speaking community are the least interested community in culture here in Madrid), but those that attended were treated to a fascinating presentation; Cherry explained the influences and desires that took her into writing on dance-related themes.
For me and certain people in the audience, the most interesting part was when Cherry explained certain elements of getting one's books published, and also the means of getting endorsements from famous celebrities that can make a big difference to book sales. For anyone who's got the desire to write a book, and wants to get their work published, a book presentation night like this with a published author should have been an absolute must. Some great conversation over wine afterwards with the author and special guests, so it was definitely an enjoyable as well an informative night.
One other bonus from the night was that we now have 20% discount cards in the bookshop for the acclaimed flamenco venue Cardamomo when anyone buys "Flamenco Baby" - if people take the dinner option they'll actually save more than the cost of the book!

Large turnout for a Kurdish literature event in Madrid

We recently had a very successful book presentation take place in our bookshop.
It was not our normal target audience, indeed it was aimed at a small (for Spain) niche; we hosted a "night of Kurdish literature". In terms of numbers attending it was probably our most successful night (although the opening launch night with Sid Lowe was also a crowd puller), and additionally many great contacts were made that should lead to future ventures.
So why did this event draw so many people? I think one important reason is that there was a community (Kurds in Madrid, and indeed in Spain) that appreciated the chance to access books on their culture in Spanish, and we were able to get the help of Kurdish people and friends in spreading the word about the event.
It also helped that we had such good guests to do the presentations. Yashmina Shawki is an established writer, historian and analyst on Kurdish and also Middle East affairs, and it was illuminating listening to the background behind her novel "Kurdos, destino libertad". Equally it was fascinating listening to the two translators (Pepa Baamonde and Irfan Guler ) explain the importance and background of the influential Kurdish poet Ahmed Arif, whose book they presented “Desgaste cadenas añorándote” ("Shackles worn out by longing").
Lastly, it has to be said that the organisation KRG (the Kurdish regional government in Spain) did an excellent job in promoting the event, and in so doing raised awareness of Kurdish writers within Spain.
Of course, as always on these nights, we did our best in the bookshop to ensure everyone was able to realax and enjoy the night with free refreshments and nibbles, - and we were very grateful to the donation of pinchos and mezzes made by the owners of MOD restaurant (on calle Orense 22, near Nuevos Ministerios). Nevertheless the biggest factor that drew the crowds (in my opinion) is that getting someone to collaborate and help with publicity and Press Releases (as the KRG did) is invaluable for this type of event. Much as I am a fan of social media, it's still supremely important to use traditional methods - face-to-face contact, press releases, personal networking etc when publicising an event.

Peaked...

We've had some great book presentations already in our Madrid bookshop - but Monday's event probably surpassed them all. Guillem Balague, the Sky Sports presenter and As columnist, was in town to promote his authorised book on Messi. Although OffSide Books helped to organise this, the actual presentation was held in the CloverHouse pub, in northern Madrid, who provided superb hospitality.
I believe that if you ask anyone who attended, they'll honestly tell you it was an amazing event. Guillem really knows his subject, and switched effortlessly between English and Spanish. Moreover, he stayed around for hours after the actual presentation, to chat with the guests. It's a cliche, but if you're in Madrid yet failed to come to this event, you missed out big-time. I can't wait now for his next book (I'm currently reading the English version of "Messi"); he told us on the night what the next subject will be. But that, I'm afraid, will be our little secret! ;)

Muchas Gracias Richard Baxell !!

On April 30 I was very fortunate to have Richard Baxell in the bookshop, presenting his book "Unlikely Warriors", about the British and Irish volunteers in the Spanish Civil War. Richard is an acknowledged academic and expert on this part of Spain's history, and his talk was universally described by those who attended as brilliant. From a personal view I was captivated by his knowledge of the volunteers' background at the time. It turns out that most volunteers were not the writers and journalists we assume, but people from working class backgrounds in Glasgow, Liverpool, Ireland and Wales, often with poor diet and health yet with a hunger not just to oppose fascism but also to educate themselves.

Perhaps I should say I was doubly fortunate to have hosted this event, as the book itself is a gem. I won't go into a full book review here - I'm certain I could not do it justice - but I will link to an excellent review by the writer and Spanish Civil War nerd (in her words) Caroline Angus Baker. Caroline summarises the book as follows:

"Baxell has created a book where those new to the subject can learn and understand, but at the same time, give more knowledgeable readers a more personal and vulnerable perspective to the battles. Many books on the war can read as stiff or academic, but Baxell has created a marvellous account which humanises but does not romanticise the role of international volunteers in a complex war. The book breaks down the struggles in Spain, to give a realistic account of what life was like for those who sacrificed for a cause which did not succeed in victory. Unlikely Warriors is a must-read for anyone interested in Spain and its recent history."

We do have other events coming up in the near future, for example "An Evening with Guillem Balague" on May 12 (the venue is in the Clover House pub, calle Almansa, in north Madrid), but if I were to meet with the proverbial bus tomorrow, I can honestly say that the Richard Baxell book presentation was the highlight of my year (well decade). Many thanks, Richard Baxell!

Terrace life

It's meant to be one of the attractions of living and working in a sunny country. Eating and drinking out on a terrace (terraza). I'm one of those who doesn't find it such a draw. You're charged more (mainly because the council taxes bars and restaurants) and you're less likely to get a free snack with your drink. But there's no doubt it appeals to many - on a sunny afternoon you can see packed terrazas all over Madrid.