Marty Kaplan's Blog

Thursday, May 8, 2014

Rachel arrived Monday night at 10:00. Her plane was delayed because other connecting flights were running a bit behind schedule. Either way, it was no big deal. We cabbed home and chatted for a couple of hours before we retired for the evening.

Our activity of the day on Tuesday was a concert at the Palau de Música featuring the BBC Symphony Orchestra. The main attraction for us was Bartok’s “Concerto for Orchestra”, which is one of Susan’s favorites. Julia Fischer playing Mendelssohn’s “Violin Concerto No. 2 in E minor. Op. 64” was breathtakingly amazing. She thrilled the audience by favoring us with two encores. The orchestra also played an encore by Turina, which, needless to say, thrilled the Spanish audience. On our way home we stopped at Aquarium and had a libation or two. All in all, it was a very enjoyable evening.

Yesterday I spent most of the day waiting for a package that never arrived. It was from DeliKosher and contained a number of items that Rachel needed for her stay here. That being the case, Susan and Rachel explored the city a bit and tried out a vegetarian restaurant in the Carmen. Since Rachel is glucose intolerant they really had very few choices for her. We had dinner at home and Rachel and I played Monument Valley, an iTunes app. Truth be told, I watched while she played. It was fun just spending the time together.

Our only plan for today is to go to Jimmy Glass this evening to listen to a little jazz. Alberto Sanz is playing and he is one of our favorite pianists.

Monday, April 28, 2014

It is yet another día festivo here in Valencia that follows close on the heels of the long weekend generated by the events of Semana Santa. Today’s día festivo is the one of the two celebrated this week. Thursday, May 1, is Labor Day so, once again, just about everything will be closed.

We have had a series of sunny days with temperatures in the high 70’s and low 80’s. It has been a bit windy, but that appears to be the new normal here in Valencia. The streets are filled with natives and tourists taking advantage of the lovely weather and the spring crop of fruits and vegetables are on display in the Mercado Central. The price of locally grown strawberries and tomatoes is ridiculously low. At one stand four pounds of fresh tomatoes were prices at the equivalent of $2.00. The added advantage is that the tomatoes and the strawberries taste like real tomatoes and strawberries.

This past weekend Susan and I attended a two-day fourteen-hour workshop focused on the presentation of magic. Our teacher was Miguel Muñoz, a prize winning Spanish magician who has had a variety of performing experiences that include circus, magic and theater. Miguel seemed like a familiar face when I met him Saturday morning and it turns out that I saw him perform at The Magic Castle during Spanish Week of 2011. He did an impressive routine that involved contact juggling that was magical in that clear crystal balls kept appearing and disappearing.

Each day’s activity consisted of two sessions. The morning session began at 11:00 and lasted until 2:00 when we broke for lunch. We resumed at 4:30 and ended our sessions a little before 7:00. In addition to Susan and myself, the other participants were Gioco, Pepe, Sofi, Oscar and Magnolo. We dealt with a variety of topics and did a number of exercises that taxed our creativity and our improvisational skills. We did not learn any effects. We focused on those elements and techniques that one can use to make their effects unique and unlike those of other magicians. Topics included focus and concentration, use of space and texture, movement and pauses, status, relaxation and tension and making clear and unencumbered the magic moments of a performance. The sessions were quite draining because of the physical, mental and emotional energy that were expended during each session.

Lunch on Saturday was at Carosel and yesterday’s restaurant of choice was La Fórcola. Our conversation during lunch was very animated and, of course, was focused on magic, although not necessarily on the elements of the workshop. We did learn to be in the moment, to be aware of what our body is doing and that the body is an important element in the presentation and creation of magic. We also learned that less is more and that the magical experience is not created by the effect itself but rather by the magician who performs the effect and truly involves his audience in the magic experience always remembering that magic when it happens, happens in the mind and imagination of the spectator. The money spent on this workshop was much more valuable than any DVD or effect that is on the market. We took steps in learning how to be unique performers and not copycats who all do the same effects in the same way with the same presentation.

Monday, April 7, 2014

There are many reasons why we like Valencia and I have mentioned many of them before. The Mercado Central is a treasure and the fact that it is only a block away makes it even more attractive. The weather is rather ideal with over 300 sunny days a year. The city itself is rather compact and you can walk just about anywhere. If it’s too late or too far there is an excellent and affordable public transportation system. We are on the Mediterranean and the beach is a 20-minute bus ride away. Because it is a city of one million inhabitants you can find just about everything that you might need to make your life easier or more complete. However, Valencia’s best selling points are the people that you meet in going about your business.

Last week I had occasion to visit the main post office. I had purchased a pair of sneakers and I had cleverly ordered the wrong size, so I needed to mail them back. They had come in a large plastic envelope that was unusable once opened so I hoped to find a similar envelope or box at the post office in which I could place the rather large shoebox. The post office functions with a number system with a different numeration for the different types of transactions that can be performed there. I pressed the appropriate button and out popped my number. No sooner did I have it clutched in my hot little hand when that number was called. I quickly approached counter number 8.

I showed the clerk the box and asked if she had an envelope in which it would fit. The box was too big for the largest envelope she had. She then suggested brown wrapping paper as the best solution and produced a little kit that contained wrapping paper, tape and stickers. My immediate reaction was to look at the package and think that I would need to return home to have Susan wrap it for me because when it comes to wrapping anything I am an absolute disaster. The clerk proceeded to open the package, extract one of the two pieces of wrapping paper and handed me the remainder of the kit for another use another day. She then proceeded to wrap the package for me.

If that were not enough, she even generated the label that would take the package to its destination. We chatted during the entire process and I discovered that she and her family were originally from Cadiz and when she was quite young the family had picked up and moved to Valencia. Andalusia has always been plagued by unemployment and it still is in modern times. Back then the only hope for the children of the poor was to be either a farmhand if you were a male or a servant if you were a woman. The move by the father was intended to give his children better opportunities in life. Blessed with a good education, my newfound friend performed well on the entrance test for post office workers and was originally assigned to Madrid. She was later able to transfer back to Valencia.

The conversation was not all one-sided. I shared with her how we ended up in Valencia and all the reasons for our move. I next paid for the kit and the appropriate postage for returning the package. When I walked out I did so with the feeling that this had been a one of a kind experience that never could have or would have happened in the rush, rush United States.

Yesterday another of Valencia’s positive attractions was on display. On a Sunday afternoon everyone gets out of their house and does whatever floats their boat. Sidewalk restaurants are filled with diners, the Turia is filled with walkers, bikers, soccer players, picnickers and young lovers and one needs to pick their way through the baby carriages that command most of the sidewalks. There is a two-month long festival of food and music that is taking place on the terrace of the MuVIM. It is called Espai Mediterrani and it is intended to be a taste of the Mediterranean just like its name says.

Yesterday’s performers were a small flamenco troupe consisting of a singer, a guitarist and a box player. The beer and the wine were flowing and the food choices included hand slice Serrano ham, a variety of cheeses, tabbouleh, falafel, pincho moruño, croquetas de bacalao and other goodies. There were about 200 people in attendance and the mood was festive. Susan was a busy taking photo, as you will see and I found a variety of ways to busy myself. The party ended at a little after four and there were other events that would take place later in the day. This was our major outing for the day and we spent the rest of Sunday at home.

Monday, March 31, 2014

The weather continues to be changeable. There were strong winds on Thursday and Friday and we had rain on Saturday and Sunday. Today it’s sunny with temperatures in the mid 70’s. It feels like spring in New England.

I have been very busy proofreading the final copy of Juan Tamariz’s The Magic Way. It is the revised and expanded edition that has been translated into English by Rafael Benatar. I am about two-thirds of the way through the process and waiting for the final third to come across my desk late today.

We did a lot of eating out last week. We visited Mood Food on Tuesday, had lunch with Jordi on Thursday and Saturday was a double header with lunch a QTomás and dinner at Cuinar-te.

Friday evening we attended symphony. For a change of pace we sat in the coro behind the orchestra. We were seated in the first row directly behind the percussion section. There were five different percussionists for the first half of the concert and only one for the second part. The acoustics for the most part were fine with the exception of the guitar solos for Nocturnos de Andalucía. The soloist was Pepe Romero and it had been ages since we last saw him perform at the Ambassador Theater in Pasadena ages ago. The gem of the evening was Frank’s Symphony in D Minor, which was given a majestic treatment by the orchestra. Our seats cost us 10 Euros apiece and were a bargain given the marvelous experience we had.

Afterward we went in search of a bit of sustenance, however every single restaurant we tried was booked and only had outdoor tables available. It was too cold to sit outside, so after going 0 for 7 we decided to return home and forage.

Saturday afternoon we headed out to the Palacio de Congresos for a magic gala that was a fundraiser for the Proyecto Lázarus that hopes to find a cure for medullar lesions that confine its victims to wheelchairs. There were over 1,000 people in the audience when the curtain rose at 7:00. We enjoyed the magic of Jandro, Jorge Blass, nacho Diago and Nuel Galán. Brian had joined us for the magic performance and afterwards we went in search of Ofelia so that the four of us could have dinner. We went in search of a restaurant that could accommodate us and we were happy to discover a new restaurant, Cuinar-te, a good choice for a burger or a brochette.

Sunday we just stayed home and did not even manage to get out of our pajamas. We watched an episode of Sherlock and that was the highlight of our day!

Thursday, March 20, 2014

            Fallas have come and gone and the streets and the city have returned to normal.  It is amazing how quickly everything disappears.  The stands selling food and beverages are gone and so are the tent-like structures that house all the mercadillos.  If you came to Valencia today, you would have no idea that Fallas ever happened.

            We headed down to the casal at 9:00 PM yesterday to witness the burning of the children’s falla, followed by tapas in the tent and, lastly, the burning of the main falla. We learned that the children’s falla had cost some 4,000 Euros to build and the main one came in at just under 7,000 Euros.  The money to build these as well as the cost of food and drink during this period comes from dues and a variety of fundraisers.

            One of the most frequent questions that I get is why the fallas, which can be very expensive sometimes running into the hundreds of thousands of Euros, are destroyed.  The simple answer is that is their destiny.  Fallas are built knowing that their fate lies in a fire that will totally destroy them.  To a degree, the fires are symbolic and are rooted in the pagan past.  The fire is meant to fortify the sun and hasten the arrival of spring and one cannot fail to notice that spring arrives today.

            Additionally, a falla is built in such a way that it is temporary and would be subject to eventual decay when attacked by the elements.  The comparison to the Rose parade floats is an excellent one.  Time, effort and money are invested in the building of a float that is pleasing to the eye and meant to be admired.  After the viewing days in the park, the flowers have died and the life of the float has come to an end.

            When we arrived preparations were being made to prepare the children’s falla for its demise.  Holes were cut in the structure to facilitate the burning, as well as to serve as a receptacle for some additional fireworks and/or gasoline.  Fireworks are strung on nearby posts and their terminus is the falla itself and the fuse that will begin the conflagration.  The president of the casal is allowed to keep one of the ninots of the falla as a reward for all his hard work.

            At 9:30 the fuse was lit, the fireworks exploded and the falla caught fire.  Given the fact that this falla has such a low profile the Fire Department does not need to be present for the burning.  There are however volunteers standing by with fire extinguishers just in case.  The destruction of the fallas is a very emotional event for a variety of reasons and as I looked around I could see that many people, both young and old, were in tears.  It took less than twenty minutes for the flames to do their work.

            We then gathered in the tent for the last meal.  One of the guiding principles of this casal is waste not and want not, so tonight’s tapa meal was made up of leftovers from the past few days.  We enjoyed a variety of cold cuts, cheeses, salty treats, tortilla española, ajo arriero and longaniza. When the meal was over, all the chairs were stacked, the tables folded up and the tent at the ready to be taken down by the rental company early next morning.

            We all gathered around the remaining falla as it was prepared for its final act.  There was a rapid succession of aerial fireworks and then the string of fireworks that encompassed the falla was lit and up it went.  People gathered round to hug each other and congratulate one another for a job well done on this year’s event.  We felt very privileged to have participated in the festivities as an insider and to see and experience things that others only get to read about.

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

            As soon as I posted yesterday’s blog entry commenting on the dearth of bands and casals passing by the house, the parade began and did not end until well after 11:00 PM.  Today is father’s Day in Spain, El Día de San José, and it is the official end of Fallas.  Tonight is the Cremat when all Ninots will be burned to the ground, with the exception of the two winners that will enter in the Falla Museum.  Things will begin to return to normal for a while and before we know it, Holy Week will be upon us.  Be that as it may, we will enjoy the pause in activity.

            I stayed home yesterday to work on several projects that needed completion and Susan headed off to the casal around 2:00 for lunch followed by a rather intensive photo shoot of the preparation involved in getting the falleras mayors dressed and ready for their participation in the ofrenda. The photos that accompany this brief post will help you understand what is involved in the process.

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

            This year our stretch of Barón de Cárcer is not a formation point for the casals that are participating in the ofrenda.  That means the unintentional battle of the bands that took place outside our windows last year is a missing element in this year’s iteration of Fallas.  In spite of the missing music, the decibel level outside our building is still rather substantial.

            The streets were almost deserted as we made our way to our casal yesterday at 2:00.  Part of the reason is that many people were in place to watch the mascletá, but the more pertinent reason may be that the out of towners have returned home. WE covered the two-mile journey in about twenty-five minutes and arrived a few minutes before lunch was served.

            Yesterday’s lunch was a fideuá prepared with an abundance of seafood.  It was so delicious that I needed to have a second helping.  After coffee we made our way back home to rest up and relax a bit.  We decided that we would take a cab down to the casal for last evening’s event.

            That event was the president’s dinner and it was preceded by a brief presentation that emulated the presentation made by the flight attendants on a flight before take off.  It was funny and well received.  After the presentation we turned our attention to the food, which consisted of a variety of tapas followed by pork chops.  Dessert consisted of fresh strawberries and a variety of homemade pastries.  When midnight rolled around we decided that it was best for us to return home and we did just that.

            Today is the day when the casal participated in the ofrenda and Susan will be taking a number of pictures as the falleras get ready for the event and will then take pictures along the route.  I will share those pictures with you tomorrow.

Monday, March 17, 2014

            The forecast for today is sunny and 80 degrees.  Many of the out of town tourists have returned home and walking through the streets last night was a bit easier and that was the case this morning when we went to take a look at some of the nearby fallas.

            Yesterday we passed up lunch at the casal to visit The Ginger Loft.  This is their last week of operation and we knew that the only chance we would have to visit with them was yesterday.  We got to experience, hopefully not for the last time, the best Eggs Benedict in existence, a green Thai curry and a ceviche to swoon for.  We chatted with Mike after our meal and, at the moment, everything is up in the air.

            We made our way to the casal last night at 7:30.  The evening’s events were a tapa fair and a live performance by a rock and roll group.  The concert was scheduled for midnight and that made two reasons to not stick around until late.

            The tapa fair is a fundraiser and all drinks were 1 Euro and tapas were either one or two Euros depending on what you ordered.  It seemed that all fish tapas were two and all others were one.  The selections included tortilla española, salmón, ajo arriero, foie, jamón, bocadillos de morcilla, longaniza y chistorra, calamares, puntillas y pescadito. There was a good crowd on hand and it looks like they made enough money to amortize some of the costs of what is a year-round task.

            Today the ofrenda begins.  Because there are some 44 casals, it is a two-day event.  The ofrenda is an offering of flowers for La Virgen de los Desamparados.  There is a large wooden structure where the flowers are placed and atop the structure is a statue of the Virgin.  The structure when filled with flowers becomes her dress.  It is estimated some 60,000 flowers will be part of the offering. Our street is part of the route to La Plaza de la Virgen and that means that most of the casals and their bands will be passing by our building.

            Lunch today is a fideuá.  It’s a good thing that the casal is two miles away from our place.  At least we can walk off some of the calories.