CULTURE MIXED WITH NATURE: TETSUYA ISHIDA AND MATT COLLISHAW

Now that the weather is so good, in this post I'm going to recommend two cultural plans that also combine with nature breaks in the center of Madrid such as the Retiro park and the Botanical Garden. A fantastic 2X1 for free time whether you want to go with family, friends or alone:

Royal Botanical Park- blooming flowers

- Villanueva Pavilion of the Royal Botanical Garden. "Mat Collishaw. Dialogues" which is the first exhibition organised by the Sorigué Foundation in Madrid. Open until May 24th.

From sculpture, photography and films the exhibition shows the artist's interest in nature and the history of art, it is really surprising for its variety of styles and hardness while beauty reflected in his work.

This lamp in movement was super impressive

- Reina Sofia Museum - Palacio de Velázquez in Retiro Park. "Tetsuya Ishida- Self-portrait of another". Open until September 8th.

This Japanese artist who died very young in 2005 shows a Japanese society where humans are mostly automatons and provokes disturbing scenes where alienation is a major theme, although his disturbing works are also overwhelming and thought-provoking.

Palacio de Velázquez

Madrid ART Week! Our visit to the Art Fairs + Fortuny in Prado Museum

Young admirer in Urvanity , Swinton Art gallery

This week is one of my favorite weeks of the year and as every year I can't help but write a post about Art Week in Madrid.

CASA DECOR opening!

Casa Decor, the great annual decoration event in Spain has opened its doors yesterday in Francisco de Rojas number 2 until March, 25th.

HALL by EleRoom 62 with painting from Pictoclub (Art on-line gallery)

This year they celebrate 53 years of this original concept where they choose a singular building in Madrid and during a month, the best Spanish decorators show their proposals for all rooms of the house.

September in Madrid, Some Good Tips!

September is here. Are we back to routine? Not necessarily...

Holidays may be over but there are many things to do to extend holiday feeling. Madrid has lots to offer and the weather is still very good. I propose the following activities for the rentrée:

The Best Week for Art in Madrid

Last week has been by far one of my favorite weeks of the year! Art surrounded the city with such an interesting proposal of Art fairs: ARCOmadrid16, Art Madrid and Just Mad.

Madrid in Art, ARCO and More!

Juan Genovés a sure bet!

Awesome! These days Madrid is the place to enjoy contemporary art. On Wednesday, ARCO, the Spanish reference art fair for collectors, gallery owners and artists has been inaugurated. ARCO is always interesting.

Colección Abelló: Masterpieces of a Spanish Collector

One of the most important Spanish art collections is currently exhibited in the Ayuntamiento de Madrid; it is a privilege to have access to this wonderful exhibition. The Madrid City town hall, through the project ‘Mecenazgo al servicio del arte’, gives Madrid citicens access to some of the most prestigious private art collections – in this case provided by Abelló family: La Colección Abelló.

Lalabeyou - Buy or Create your Own Jewelry!

I made a nice discovery while walking the other day through Belen Street, doing some window shopping. At first, I was amazed to see many drawings displayed with original jewelry. I was not sure whether it was a shop or a gallery. A smiley lady inside informed me it was both, and also a jewel atelier: Contemporary Jewelry Galery Lalabeyou!

Our trip to La Tabacalera, discovering urban street art!

 Last Thursday 10th of July, we had the chance to meet some of our followers while discovering the inside urban art world of La Tabacalera. Thanks to Maddie, Connor, Eeron, Yonathan and many others for joining us, it was a great pleasure meeting you! Really sorry for the rest of followers that could not join us but places were limited…

El Huerto de Lucas, a new ecogastrocultural market!

I am so happy with this new eco trend going on in Madrid! Last Sunday I went to El Huerto de Lucas, in San Lucas 13, a covered market with a nice restaurant in the middle that is worth a visit, especially as walking down the Street you don’t seem to realize that there is a huge space of 450 square meters inside that can be considered as an eco-paradise! Actually their motto is ‘the first medicine is food’!

Madrid Urban Art Walk with Cultcards and My Little Madrid

FULLY BOOKED! no more places left!

This summer we have decided to innovate by offering our dear followers the opportunity to take part in our activities. This is our first activity: Urban Art Walk, Madrid, an event organised together with Cultcards.

Find Nature in the Middle of Madrid - El Olivar de Castillejo

Path towards the house surrounded by olive trees

Madrid has it! incredible surprises when you least expect it. Wandering randomly throuhg Chamartin district,  I discovered an amazing place: Fundación Olivar de Castillejo. A true olive grove with more than 100 olive trees in a hectare of land, located in the middle, but really in the hub of town. Between streets Alberto Alcocer and Enri Dunant with entrance through Menendez Pidal 11. Amazing! A smaill uninviting door without signs or indications, go through it and get literally teletransported into the deep countryside, one of those Andalusian "ventas" dotted with olive trees, flowerbeds and small paths ....

La Central - Much More than a Bookstore

We are big fans of the fantastic bookstore La Central in Callao! We consider it much more than a bookstore for many reasons. Firstly, they have more than 80 000 book references in several languages and many different sections that avoid the typical collection of best sellers you find elsewhere. It is a library within a 19^th century palace. If you feel hungry or want to take a rest, you can also try their great “Bistro” with very tasty food options for breakfast, lunch or tea time. You can even stay for drinks at night in their bar, "el Garito" , where many events and book presentations take place.

Millesime - Millweek My Favorite Gastronomic Event in Madrid

Millesime is a yearly appointment in Madrid, and luckily we haven’t missed it. A great gastronomic experience where you get the chance to taste some of the greatest creations of renown Spanish and international chefs.

Birkin or Kelly? difficult choice, get the answer at Palacio de Cibeles

Kelly or Birkin? if you know what I am talking about you cannot miss the exhibition Hermès - Essence of Leather  (until October 13) at the Glass Gallery of the Cibeles Palace.
A magnificent example of what Hermès represents through its own history and good work. It all started with saddlery for horses more than one hundred and seventy-six years ago. Today, however, Hermès has evolved to represent the essence of ultimate luxury.

Re-discovering the Prado Museum in August - Captive Beauty

As someone once said (Francisco Silvela in the XIX century) Madrid in August, without family and with money is "Baden-Baden". I would add that even without much money it is as attractive and relaxing as Baden-Baden used to be. This August I have been re-discovering the Prado Museum and I am enthusiastic about it. First: the exhibition "Captive Beauty: Fran Angelico to Fortuny", extraordinary small format works not seen on regular display, Second: the wonderful venue and display, fresh and quiet, Third: the price, free for all after 17:00h. I cannot imagine a better plan for a hot August afternoon, surrounded by beauty...

YellowKorner- Accesible Contemporary Art

One of the good things about traveling is to discover new concepts never-before-seen in Madrid. In one of my last trips to Paris I discovered a photography shop called YellowKorner and inmediately thought: why don’t we have a shop like this in Madrid?

They read my thoughts. Walking through Salamanca District, I got a nice surprise. Yellow Korner just opened a shop in Madrid! Sigue leyendo, en español más abajo

Casa Decor 2013 - A Yearly Appointment (we cannot miss)

Another year Casa Decor opens its doors in Madrid!! This time more challenging than ever. Designers need to transform a very 60's circular shaped office building, former british embassy, into residential spaces. Conceived as a diplomatic complex, the building is self-contained with its own system of security, electrical and water systems. And a very difficult layout. A real challenge and an extraordinary outcome! worth the visit!

Dalí Exhibition at Reina Sofia Museum

I have recently visited Reina Sofia for Dalí’s exhibition: All of the poetic suggestions and all of the plastic possibilities and gladly noticed that even if lots of people had had my same idea, the queue went very fast. And when I got to pay I had my first good news of the day; I got a free entrance because on Sundays, from 3 pm, no one has to pay. This is a good tip, isn’t it? Sigue leyendo, en español más abajo

Hotel One Shot 23 - sophisticated and comfy

This has been my last discovery: hotel One Shot 23 at calle Prado 23. I was wandering around calle Prado - a street I highly recommend, full of surprises - and without knowing I stepped into a hiper-cosmopolitan space that happened to be the reception of a hotel: One Shot 23. Brand new! En español abajo sigue leyendo.