Marty Kaplan's Blog

Pepe came by last night at 7:30 and we headed off to the Monday night meeting of the CIVAC.  CIVAC is an abbreviation for Círculo de Ilusionitas de Valencia, Alicante y Castellón.  It is the local chapter of the national organization, the SEI, which, in turn, is an abbreviation for the Sociedad Española de Ilusionismo.  This group meets every Monday in a space that they lease on a year to year basis.  Last night’s meeting was held at their new location.  Some of the participants in the 2007 Westridge Summer Intensive Program in Spain are familiar with the previous location.  As an honorary member of the CIVAC, I was entitled to be there.

The meeting was rather brief.  After the meeting was called to order, two applicants for membership did their audition.  Both of them presented brief programs involving a series of card effects.  They acquitted themselves well and were rewarded with membership in the organization.  After a series of announcements the meeting was adjourned.  Next week’s meeting will be significantly longer since it involved a lecture by Henry Evans, one of Argentina’s top magicians.

After the meeting, I had the opportunity to catch up with a number of my Valencian magic friends.  We spent a good hour chatting with each other and performing some of our newer or favorite effects.  A bit later, seven of us headed out to a nearby restaurant called Amadeus where we had a very lovely dinner.  After dinner we put on a mini-presentation for the staff and they turned out to be an exceptional audience.  Each of us did one effect and I was pleased with my performance, although I know that as I spend more time here I will be able to polish my Spanish presentation of this effect.  We left the restaurant a little after midnight and one of my friends, Alfredo Blasco, was kind enough to drop me off a minute or two from the apartment.  All in all, it was a very enjoyable evening with some of my Spanish magic buddies.

I have known Pepe for almost fourteen years.  We met each other via the Internet.  A friend of mine who does custom work for magicians was working on a special order for Pepe and, at some point, told Pepe that he had a friend who was both a Spanish teacher and a magician.  Our e-mail correspondence began soon thereafter.  In the summer of 1995 I made it a point to include Valencia as one of my stops and Pepe and I finally met face to face.

Pepe, at that point in time, was the founder and chief officer of La Cuchara Mágica (The Magic Spoon), which was essentially a group of friends who invited visiting magicians to spend a weekend in Pedreguer, a small town situated in the northeast of the province of Alicante.  The intent of the weekend was to spend the time eating good food, drinking fine wine and doing lots and lots of magic.  It was an unforgettable weekend and I was given a ceramic plaque to commemorate the event.  I know that some of you have seen it hanging on the wall opposite my bedroom.  In addition to the camaraderie of the group, the other benefit of my stay was the chance to get to know Pepe better.

Pepe earns his living as a media specialist for the government of La Comunidad Valenciana.  His magic specialty is mentalism and he is both entertaining and creative.  A number of his effects have been published in the journal of The Psychic Entertainers Association and a number of his effects have been performed by other mentalists on Spanish television.  Pepe and I published a trick in Genii magazine some twelve years ago.

Pepe has spent a lot of time organizing magical events for the CIVAC as their past president.  He was instrumental in setting up the first Internet magic lecture ever.  The guest lecturer was Alfonso, a professional magician who frequently performs at The Magic Castle.  He and I were in Glendale, California and the participants in an event called Las 24 Horas Mágicas were gathered in the CIVAC meeting space.  It was kick for me to be involved in that event.  Pepe’s latest triumph was his hosting of the 2008 Spanish National Magic Convention.  In an article that I published in The Linking Ring last March I remarked that it was by far the best magic convention I have ever attended.  If you are interested in reading that article, you will find it in my other blog http://martinkaplan.wordpress.com

Pepe has made it possible for us to be here in Valencia.  Not only did he find an outstanding place for us to stay, he provided us with good advice to insure that our stay would be a pleasant one.  He has also been very generous in making sure that we know about various activities that are currently going on and, on multiple occasions, has served as our guide in Spain’s third largest city.  You will find some photos of Pepe at the end of this entry.

Pepe is on the right. This photo was taken in China this past July.

Pepe with Lennart Green, a world class card artist.

Pepe and his son, Jaime, ready for a masquerade party 3 or 4 years ago.

Sunday evening turned out to be a time to just kick back and relax and so some reading.  The Kindles are getting a good workout and sure beat hauling around sufficient reading material to last until the end of October.  We went out around 10:00 and had a quick drink.  We got back home thirty minutes later and called it a night.

The sun was shining brilliantly when we awoke at 9:00 on Monday.  I was pleased to note that the weather forecast was wrong for the fourth straight day.  After breakfast we headed to the Banco Popular.  This is the bank that I used to deposit funds when we took Westridge students to Spain in the summer.  Now that Susan will be here with me for an extended period of time, she needs an ATM card.  We filled out the necessary forms and went about our business.

We once again returned to El Corte Inglés to add a few items to our pantry and after we put them away we headed out in search of lunch.  After going around in circles we finally found the little café where we had shared a drink with Pepe on Saturday and had a delightful lunch.  Susan had a beet salad with goat cheese, while I started with the ensalada valenciana – lettuce, tomato, onions, caper berries, olives and tuna.  We both then had the monkfish with the most delightful sauce that most certainly used tarragon, cream and tomato and several other ingredients.  We tried to talk the chef out of the recipe, but to no avail.  We had melon for dessert.  They had sprinkled cinnamon on top of the melon, something we had never experienced before, and it turned out to be a delightful addition.  We finished the meal with a café cortado and we went off to our favorite store and bought a vegetable peeler and a cheese slicer and made our way home, happy that we now had everything we needed for those times we will prepare our meals at home.  Pepe is coming by this evening and he and I will head out to a meeting of the local magic club.  Susan will have some alone time and that is what she feels she is in need of at the moment.

peek a boo!

At your sevice!

A Sunday stroll is always in order

Susan and I spent a good deal of time yesterday trying to figure out why our phones were not working correctly.  We both have Spanish SIM cards which we have inserted into our respective Blackberries.  Whenever we tried to dial a number from our directory we would get a voice message telling us that there was no such number.  When we looked closely at the display we discovered that the Blackberry was adding a “+” before the number and that was what was causing the problem.  However, we had no idea where the “+” was coming from.  Thanks to Google we discovered that the Blackberry has a function that is called Smart Dialing and you need to access that feature in order to change the country code to wherever you are abroad and adjust the number of digits that comprise the phone number.  Spanish phone numbers have nine digits.  American phone numbers have ten.  The Blackberry was adding the “+” to make up for the missing digit.  Who knew?

Pepe came by at 9:30.  His friend, Sara, was with him.  The four of us headed out, on foot, to a restaurant called El Asador de Leandro.  It took us about a half an hour to get there.  We had a lovely meal that started out with a plate of Idiazabal cheese slices accompanied by some rose petal jam.  That was followed by a salad of fresh tomatoes and the main course which was a sampler of sirloin steak, slices of pork loin and baby back ribs.  We sampled a bottle of red wine from the Ribera del Duero, which was good, but not exceptional.  Dessert was a fresh fruit sampler, which we followed up with coffee and after dinner drinks.  While we were finishing up our meal, Pepe and I did some magic.  We paid our bill and then we headed back to the apartment.  We got back home at 1:30 and by the time we made it to bed it was close to 2:00 AM.  That is unheard of for the two of us who are usually in bed by 10:30 back in the States.

We awoke at 10:30 today and put together made up of yesterday’s leftovers.  We feasted on bread, cheese, ham, sliced tomatoes, yogurt and a fresh peach.  We also used our new stovetop espresso pot for the first time.  After doing the dishes and putting them away we decided to go for a walk.  Most restaurants and businesses are closed on Sunday.  It is a day when you find families taking a walk, going for a bike ride or watching their children play in the park.  It turns out that today was the 13^th annual Bicycle Day and we passed a group of about a thousand people of all ages on bikes who were part of the celebration.  Our last stop on our morning walk was at a bakery where we picked up a loaf of bread and some other goodies and we proceeded to make our way home.

We rested about a half an hour and then headed out in search of an OPENCOR, which is a convenience store owned and operated by El Corte Inglés.  I would compare it to a Walgreen’s or a CVS store, except you can’t get a prescription filled there.  The range of products is quite similar.  As it turned out we had taken a rather indirect route, following the directions we had been given earlier in the day.  It took us about an hour’s worth of walking to get there.  We treated ourselves to a cab ride to get back home.  Once we had put the groceries away, we decided to go out for lunch.  We finished lunch at 5:00 and returned home.  That is where we are now.  There is a chance that we may meet up with Pepe tonight and have a drink.  If not, our Kindles will keep us occupied.

Today's breakfast.

A view of the bridge designed by valencia's most famous architect, Santiago Calatrava. The locals call it "The Comb".

The sign announcing BICYCLE DAY.

The participants in BICYCLE DAY.

A photo of my photographer taking a photo of me.

My official photographer revealed.

Valencia's Arch of Triumph

It was a little after 8:00 last night when we headed out to the supermarket at El Corte Inglés in search of those items necessary to set up housekeeping.  For the most part, we were quite successful.  We made it back to the apartment around nine and quickly put everything away so that we could go down to the nearby plaza to have a glass of wine and a tapa or two.  By 11:00 PM we had called it a night knowing that Pepe was coming by at 9:30 tomorrow morning to take us to El Mercado Central.

We got up this morning at 8:00 and Susan got dressed and went out to the nearby bakery to get some croissants and a small loaf of bread to have with breakfast.  We fired up the stove top espresso maker and had our first breakfast in Valencia.  True to his word, Pepe rang our bell at 9:30 and we were off to the market.

The building that houses the market has been recently renovated and the inside has received a fresh coat of paint.  Architecturally it is an exquisite building.  In terms of the treasure trove of all things edible that it is home to, it is absolutely amazing.  Pepe introduced us to several of his favorite vendors as we made our way through the market.  We ended up purchasing some serrano ham, two types of cheese, some olives, some peaches and nectarines, and a loaf of fresh bread.  You guessed it.  Along with a bottle of Spanish red we had all the ingredients for a perfect lunch.

Pepe was heading off to Pedreguer to have lunch with his mother and she had asked him to pick up a few ingredients for the paella she was going to make.  One of our stops was at the stand of a good friend of Pepe’s who sells all kinds of spices, including the best saffron that money can buy.

I learned that the best grade of saffron is called “coupe” and it is pure red in color and does not contain any of the yellow strands that one tends to find in lesser grades of saffron.  The saffron has already been toasted by the producers as part of the process of getting it ready to sell to vendors.  The toasting, which is done over low hear with the product being turned regularly to dry it out uniformly.  Unscrupulous vendors will add water to the finished product to increase its weight, as well as their profit margin.  Needless to say, Pepe’s friend, in addition to being very knowledgeable, is also very scrupulous.  Pepe purchased two grams of saffron.  Each gram was wrapped in a separate piece of paper and using what looked to be a tool similar to a ball point pen in shape, Pepe’s friend ground the saffron into a fine powder so that it was ready to be added to the paella.  Saffron that has had water added cannot be ground into a fine powder.  The cost of two grams of saffron of the finest quality was 10 Euros, which is roughly $15.  Also, keep in mind that it takes a little more than 28 grams to make an ounce.

We stayed on in the market after Pepe left so that we could look around a little more.  After dropping off our purchases, we made another trip to El Corte Inglés in order to pick up some bath towels and a table cloth.  When we arrived home again, we put our new cloth on the table, took out all the goodies that we had bought at the market and had a most wonderful lunch.

We are currently playing on our computers and will take it easy until around 9:00 when Pepe will come by again and we will then go out in search of dinner.

The fountain in the little plaza near our apartment

Frutos secos or "nuts" to you.

Spanish paprika

The scrupulous saffron seller

Last night we decided to grab a quick bite at the bar in the hotel.  A little jamón de bellota, some queso manchego , a few slices of pan con tomate and a couple glasses of wine later we made our way back to the room, set the alarm for 7:00 AM and called it a night.

I have found that it is easy to fall asleep the first night in Spain.  You are so worn out from your long travel day, you literally collapse in bed and you are fast asleep.  The second night is a bit trickier because your inner clock is still in the process of adjusting to its new rhythm. That’s the long way of saying that I was up well before 7:00.  We got ourselves ready and we were out of the hotel by 7:45 and at the train station by 8:00. We grabbed a quick breakfast and then headed for the waiting room.

I have become a bit spoiled in my old age and when I travel long distances by train in Spain I usually buy a seat in first class.  It gives you access to a lovely waiting room that offers comfortable chairs, an internet connection, a number of snacks, as well as coffee, cold drinks and beer.  When you are on the train they offer you headphones, your choice of newspaper and whatever the appropriate meal is.  They also offer you a little champagne to precede your meal, your beverage of choice with the meal – alcoholic or non-alcoholic – coffee and an after meal liqueur if you are in the mood.  Your seat on the train is wider with more leg room and it makes the three hour journey, in this case, a very pleasant experience.

Our train was scheduled to leave at 9:00 and at nine on the dot it began to move.  We were scheduled to arrive at 11:59 and that is when the train came to a stop in Valencia.  Scenically, the trip from Barcelona to Valencia is an interesting one.  For about half the trip you are following the Mediterranean coastline as you pass through Sitges and Tarragona.  Then the train moves away from the coast a bit as you pass through Castellón and an hour later you find yourself in Valencia.

We waited until our car emptied out so I could schlep the four suitcases onto the waiting platform.  We made our way to the mouth of the station and our friend, Pepe Monfort, was there waiting for us.  The walk to our rented apartment was all of five minutes and we were met there by a representative of the rental agency.  We rode up to the fifth floor on the elevator and walked into what will be our home for the next six weeks.

The apartment is relatively new.  I would guess it is about four years old.  It is bigger than I expected.  It is on two levels.  On the first level there is a kitchen and a sitting area.  The kitchen is a bit compact, but it has every appliance that one would want including a washing machine.  The sitting area has a small sofa and a beanbag chair, as well as a coffee table and a small round table that will be the perfect space for breakfast.  There is also a television set and a DVD player in the sitting room. The apartment also offers wireless internet.  A staircase leads you to the sleeping area and the bathroom.  At the moment there is sleeping room for four upstairs – a double bed and two twins.   We have asked them to remove the twin beds and replace them with another table and some chairs to create an upstairs work space.  They will take care of that at the beginning of the week.

We had lunch at 3:00 at a nearby little restaurant and then headed back to the apartment for a little down time and an opportunity for me to make this blog entry.  We will head out shortly and buy some necessary provisions for the upcoming week.  I can’t imagine leaving the house without my morning cup of coffee.  Tomorrow we will go to the Mercado Central with Pepe and buy some fruit and vegetables and pick up a few other things to stock the fridge and later that evening we will have dinner with Pepe.

The little plaza to the left of our apartment.

A picture of yours truly exiting our building.

We slept until 9:00 AM, which was not too surprising given the length of our travel days.  We hit the street at 10:00 and after a quick breakfast at a nearby bakery/café we began our Thursday adventure.

The best way to explore any European city is on foot and today’s adventure did nothing to change our opinion.  Our hotel is off the Gran Vía so we headed in that direction and within twenty minutes we were walking past the university and in another five we had made our way to the Rambla de las Flores y Pájaros.  It was jammed with both natives and tourists.  We made our way to the central market and did a quick cruise of its aisles.  I continue to be amazed at the variety of choices that the Spanish shopper has when visiting the market.  The variety of fish and shellfish is just dizzying and I am always dumbstruck when I see the varieties of cured ham that are featured in every market.  The price range often leaves me dumfounded, also.

We continued our journey through the maze of back alleys and slowly, but surely, made our way to Gaudi’s Templo de la Sagrada Familia.  We first visited what was essentially the skeleton of the building in 1974.  Progress was rather slow in the ensuing years when we visited, primarily because much of the building had to be hand carved.  However, with the advent of the computer that allows a stone cutting machine to precisely cut the needed size of stone time after time that rate of progress has been dazzling.  Although it is still a work in progress, he building is being used for daily masses.  We circled the building and took a number of photos from a variety of angles.  I will post some here and when Susan uploads her photos to Smugmug you will see some exceptional shots.

The skies were darkening as we trekked back to el Paseo de Gracia and made our way to one of our favorite restaurants, La Costa Gallega.  It was packed, as it always is.  We had a lovely lunch that consisted of pan con tomate, pimientos de Padrón, mejillones a la marinera and pulpo gallego.  We also enjoyed a bottle of Albariño, a crisp white wine which is just now being discovered by many Americans.  We finished off lunch with a café cortado and made our way back to the hotel and that is where I am writing this entry.

Tomorrow we take a 9:00 AM train to Valencia and take possession of our apartment.  We can hardly wait to get settled and unpacked so that we can continue our adventures.

We headed out for LAX at 4:00 PM and arrived a little before 5:00.  Check in was painless and we made our way through security rather quickly.  Our intention was to sit down and have a drink and maybe a bite to eat while we waited for our flight to be called.  Big mistake.  Once you pass security at the Bradley terminal the only place you can get a drink is at the Marina Bar, which has all of ten seats – 7 stools and three oversized uncomfortable arm chairs.  The only hot food available are hot dogs.  There is also a selection of pre-made sandwiches and salads.  I am sure that all our foreign visitors who are returning to their homeland are very impressed.

Our Swiss Air flight took off on time.  We were traveling on an Airbus 340 and it is just as uncomfortable as any big jet that plies the Atlantic.  Who ever it was that said that the designer of the seats for jumbo jets was someone who was four foot six and suffered from scoliosis was probably correct..  The service on the plane was very attentive and there were an infinite number of video options to entertain one during the eleven hour flight.  I dozed of briefly, but sleep is darn near impossible in such a small space.  We arrived on time to Zurich and quickly made our way through passport control and security.  We had made our connecting flight with an hour to spare.  We were too weary to explore the wealth of shops and restaurants at the main terminal, but not too tired to note the difference in the facilities available to the international traveler in Zurich versus that which we found at LAX.

The flight to Barcelona took an hour and we were pleased to discover that all our luggage had arrived.  We were very impressed with the new terminal at the Barcelona airport which opened two months ago.  We passed an abundance of shops and restaurants as we made our way to baggage claim.

Our taxi delivered us to our hotel in less than twenty minutes and after getting settled we headed out to a nearby bar where we had a nightcap and a tapa or two.  We were back in our room a little after 10:00 and called it a night.

We are five days away from takeoff and the packing has started getting serious.  We have made the necessary decisions about clothes, cosmetics, pills and electronics.  I still have to make some serious decisions about what magic effects to bring along.  I keep adding and subtracting items.  I know that i will make the final decision soon.

We leave LAX on September 15, 2009 at 7:20 PM on Swiss Air.  We fly into Zurich and then connect with a flight to Barcelona.  We will get to Barcelona in the early evening on the 16th and head for Valencia on the 18th.  October 4th will see us head to Madrid where we will spend the night.  Friday afternoon we head off to La Rioja with our good friends Carmen and Antonio.  I have known them since 1990.  We will spend Friday night in Ezcaray where we will eat at an outstanding restaurant called Echauren.  Saturday we will head off to el Ciego where we will visit the Marques de Riscal winery and spend the night at the Frank Gehry designed hotel.  We will head back to Madrid on Sunday and we will be there until Friday, October 9.

From Madrid we will head back to Valencia where we will stay until the 28th of  October.  We will head back to Barcelona the 28th and will take off from there on the 30th when we will return to Los Angeles.  My intent, at the moment, is to do my best to make daily entries into the blog.  I hope my net book is up to the task and I hope that I can find connectivity wherever we go.

I may make another entry before we leave.  Stay tuned!