One day in Madrid

just walk...walk up the Gran Via and make sure to look up at the roofs of the buildings, madrid is a place to look up, look up at the sky, look up at the statues raised over its buildings...my favorite is the angel over the building that separates the calle Alcala and the calle Gran Via... and since you're walking, walk over to calle Fernando VI,•4, and just look at the building that houses the Spanish Society of Authors Composers and Publishers (SGAE)...the building was drawn by a pupil of catalan architect Antoni Gaudí...if the fairytale like gothic structure inspires you write something, you're in the best place to copyright it... if you want to shop,do it in a small boutique just up the street, Pez...just meeting (Patricia and Beatriz) the beautiful girls that set up this very special shop is worth the trip, a french country house woodsy decor,woman's fashion and furniture,there is a personalised almost vintage feel to everything in the store, and if you're lucky a golden retriever named (Polo) might say hello... very near by, on Paseo de Recoletos 31, you can stop in the Cafe del Espejo, one of my favorite places in the city,a quaint Parisian style café with an impressive glass pavilion influenced by Art Nouveau.Old school europe at it's best...sit inside the cafe, or outside on the terrace...and eat... and now for an alternative turn, head of over to trendiest culture house in Madrid,La Casa Encendida,Ronda de Valencia...most visitors come to Madrid for the Prado,and Reina Sofia, which are musts, of course, but: "La Casa Encendida is an open and dynamic social and cultural centre of the Obra Social Caja Madrid (Madrid Savings Bank Friendly Society), where you can find anything from the most avant-garde art and theatre to courses and workshops on subjects like the environment or solidarity. The cultural programme offers dramatic arts, cinema, exhibitions and other displays of contemporary artistic creation." i like to spend my entire afternoon there: have fun checking out it's temporary exhibit,these days it's "Life and activities of Arthur Rimbaud (1854-1891)"...i like to buy a ticket for one the screenings, the Urban TV 2007 documentary festival has a showing almost everyday, shop in its fair trade gift shop, (i'm down with guilt free consumerism) and then hang out if there is a late night dj session...make sure you take the program schedule with you when you go... if you happen to go to the Casa Encendida on one of those nights where there isn't a concert or any kind of party,la latina quarter is very close,where you can eat some great tapas, just walk up Cava Baja, and choose the place you like the most... finally, to end the night stop at the Marula Cafe,what can i say,the best funk soul house djs + in the city,a sophisticated lounge bar,cocktails and concerts and just the definition of cool... and if you really want live Madrid, stay until six...