At this point in Shirleyfest, I usually find myself asking, “Why is this city so appealing?” It’s been a different answer every year. About 10:30 last night, I am sitting at Alimentacion Quiroga when it really hit me. It’s the little things that happen in Madrid. This is a cheese and wine shop from the 50s that is also a local hangout for a glass of wine and small plates, especially cheese tastings.

It is about a 25 minute walk from my apartment and it is a beautiful night.

I arrive and the place is alive with people. The manager, Leonardo, makes room for me at a community table up front. I know I want a glass of Trus, a Tempranillo wine from the Ribera region, but what shall I eat? Beside me a man sitting with two women gently moves his cheese tasting plate toward me and offers for me to try what they have chosen. He tells me his name is Robert and he owns a tequila bar in this neighborhood. It is such a small gesture, but given with a broad encouraging smile. It’s the little things. I realize that this type of joyful encouragement has happened day after day to me in Madrid. People here seem very happy and more than willing to share that happiness generously in small quiet ways.

So what have I been up to since I last posted? First of all, you need to know that I found my “first thing in the morning” and “last thing at night” places. As I have explained in prior year’s posts, these two touchstones are really important. My morning place in Madrid is happily directly across the street from my apartment. It’s called Las Columnas de Recoletos. I go there for my coffee and to say hello to Alfredo, Jose and Manuel, get the latest neighborhood news and any ideas for the day.

My goodnight place is Delivinos, on my corner and owned by Jacinto and his wife Magi who happen to also live in my building. I can stop in at the end of my day, have a drink and a snack and I feel like someone knows I’m home.

Thursday I was at the Prado Museum. The Prado is widely considered the world’s finest collection of European Art and one of the greatest art museums in the world. Having spent my career in mathematics, science and law, my left brain got a constant workout. My right brain not so much. One of the driving forces of Shirleyfest is to pump up my right brain. Madrid with its amazing art museums is the perfect prescription. Because I am here a month, I buy a membership to the major museums so I can visit in many small spurts.

I get a lot more out of the art if I spend 45 minutes there many times than all afternoon at once. Today I hung out with the Goya, Hieronymus Bosch and Ruben for a little while.

I stop for a snack of iberico ham on toast at Verso y Veta to sustain me until dinner. As I’m leaving, I study the various types of hams hanging for people to purchase and the man in charge stops me and offers to let me try all of them so I will know the difference. Yes, please!

I stop into the beautiful Parroquia de la Concepción de Nuestra Senora.

Later it’s dinner at Mudra with my favorite server Mayte.

Friday, I am over by the Royal Palace which is crowded with people in the square. In the corner though, there is an entrance to something new. It turns out it is the brand new Royal Collections Museum. I have heard this was to open in 2023 and here I am, one of the few people who knows it actually is open. No line, many smiling helpers to guide you in. It is a historical narrative running through fifteen centuries of the evolution of Spain as a nation. It’s all underground, beautiful curated and except for my general rule to not spend too long inside a museum , this is one where I could stay all day.

I see a lot and then the rumblings of my stomach make me leave. I know that there is a well regarded tapas restaurant called Juana la Loca nearby. I go there and it is very busy and smells amazing. Fortunately a table opens up quickly and I am soon diving in to my best tapas yet.

I notice a beautiful woman who is talking to everyone and I’m guessing she is a local.

Later I leave the restaurant and I see her on the street. We smile at each other in recognition. “ Are you associated with the restaurant?” , I ask, in what I think is a clever way of finding out her role. “ I’m the owner”, she says. We then talk on the street for quite a while about Madrid, Uruguay ( where she was born), Shirleyfest and politics. It was another warm interaction.

Speaking of warm, I really couldn’t pass up the warm chocolate and churros at San Giles.

Later I need to buy a toaster and my new friend Chris tells me I can buy one at Corte Inglés nearby. I put it into Google Maps and it’s a 40 minute walk. It reveals my personality to say that I said, “oh that is nearby.” But then I see the metro only takes 6 minutes. I have a metro card and I’ve already walked 22,000 steps today so I head to that metro station. When my card doesn’t work, the stationmaster says, “this is not a metro station, this is a Train Station”. oops. Ok I buy a train ticket and 6 minutes later, I emerge from underground and I am at the largest department store I ever been in. Where am I? It’s like I went to California’s East Bay suburbs. In the basement it’s like Harrod’s food hall and then floor after floor of everything you could imagine from Chanel to Creuset. Amazing! By the way, I later learn that there was in fact another location of this department store a 10 minute walk from my apartment. Oops again.

Saturday I go a little west to have brunch at Golda, in the Justica neighborhood. I meet Caterina and Vivian who go out of their way to make me feel at home.

Shopping later in the neighborhood, I am struck by how many eco-friendly stores are located there.

I pass by the Cathedral of Santa Barbara and stop in. On my way out I see this beautiful lady coming to mass.

Walking home I see an auto show and go in to take a few pictures for my car loving brother, John.

I spy Quintin for lunch and am able to get in thanks to the lovely Belin who can tell I’m starving. It’s a happening place. I am surprised when a man with a large dog ( named Google) asks for a table for two.

That night I want to see the photograph exhibit at Círculo de Bellas Artes. I approach and there is a really long line. I go up to ask how long the wait is for the exhibit. The man says there is no wait at all. Come right in . He tells me my 5 euro ticket to the exhibit is also good for me to go to the rooftop lounge when I am finished at the exhibit. Wow! “So what are the people in line for?”I ask. Oh they just want to go to the rooftop lounge. I have to stop myself from going back to the line and telling the people, “ the skip the line move here is to see the photography exhibit”……but I don’t. I would have created an insurrection.

The rooftop is so much fun. People were super friendly and I joined them and good conversation ensues.

I stop in at Divalino’s for my nightcap and Saturday is a wrap.

Sunday, I attend mass at Iglesia de San Manuel y San Benito a few blocks away.

Afterwards I walk to Retiro to attend a classical concert in the park.

I head across the park to the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum. I’m going to commit heresy and say I prefer this museum to the famous Prado. It has a wide variety of artists and a special exhibit that was breathtaking.

Time to try what I’ve heard a lot about since I came to Madrid…Vermut! I don’t think of Vermut ( Vermouth to us Yanks) as a cocktail by itself. Well it is here! I go to the 1907 Vermut bar Elisa for my first taste. I learn from bartender Laura that there’s a special vermut on tap. She and I have a great conversation and I learn so much about vermut ( and her!). Such an enjoyable experience.

Monday, I stroll through the vintage shops as my Laura is coming to visit this week and I know she’ll be interested.

I stop at the historic Bodega de la Ardosa established in 1892 for tapas. Then later at Misión Cafe for coffee and dessert.

I have a ticket for a guided tour of the Royal Palace. Thankfully I bought my ticket online which allows immediate entrance. Theresa gives us a terrific 2 hour tour of the main rooms of the Palace….we see about 30 rooms and there are 2,300 rooms in the palace. The current king of Spain, Felipe VI, and his family do not use this Palace except for State dinners and certain National events. They live in the Prince’s Pavillion on the grounds of the Zarzuela Palace on the outskirts of Madrid.

Which brings up back to the beginning…my enjoyable evening at Alimentation Quirgoa. These last 5 days have been such a treat of food, art and most of all meeting people and learning about life in Madrid. I’ll continue my explorations and update you again. Thanks for reading. It’s the little things.