Marty Kaplan's Blog

A Lazy Week

Posted on June 10, 2013 by martykaplan

Monday, June 10, 2013

Last week, for the most part, was uneventful. We returned home from Lisbon close to noon and unpacked. We tacitly decided that the week should not be one full of activities because, in truth, in our week in Lisbon we had walked more than thirty-five miles and climbed the equivalent of one hundred and seventy-five flights of stairs. Wednesday morning our thighs confirmed that we had indeed accomplished all the foregoing.

Thursday we stopped by Carosel in the hopes of catching up with Jordi, but he had gone off to Javea with a friend to chat with some of the local fishermen. We decided to skip the main course and just enjoy the table de entremeses and that was a good decision because we were full by the time we finished all the appetizers that included a coca with marinated vegetables, a brandade, a deconstructed gazpacho and a salad with butterfish. There was, of course, room for dessert and when we finished our coffee we headed back home.

The veteranos met on Thursday night and the discussion, as usual, was very lively. Afterwards we made our way to El Museo de la Tortilla where we had pre-ordered a special meal. We started off with a salad with tomatoes, onions and red and black olives. Next came a plate of pollo y conejo al ajillo. To be honest, I have tasted better and the dish was warmish rather than hot. There was also a platter of potatoes and green peppers. We finished the meal with our usual coffee and then we all headed to our respective homes.

Friday we did some shopping in preparation for Rachel’s visit. She arrives tomorrow and we are trying to stock up on products she can eat. We found a few things and added them to our expanding larder. Since we were close by The Ginger Loft and it was approaching lunchtime, we decided to drop in and have some lunch.

We discovered that the first ever Salón Erótico was being held at the Feria Valencia and that five of the restaurants in town were offering a special menu that focused on food that are reputed to be aphrodisiacs. The Ginger Loft was one of the five participants. We enjoyed a salpicón de mariscos along with an avocado and asparagus salad, a rather lively Thai beef curry and for dessert a shimmering panacotta and some chocolate. The meal was outstanding, as usual and we discovered that that organizer of the event and two companions were dining at the table next to us. I later discovered that the young woman seated at the table was none other than Sophie Evans who is or was a rather notable porno star.

Saturday we finally caught up with Jordi in the afternoon. He has been given a clean bill of health and that is good news. After enjoying a cup of coffee with him, Susan and I took a rather long walk that took us down Calle Baja and then on to the Turia. From there we walked to the Torres de Serrano and ended up in the Plaza de la Reina where we stopped for an ice cream. When we got home it was 8:30 and that turned out to be our activity for the day.

Yesterday we walked to the IVAM and saw a couple of exhibits and from there we walked to the Corte Inglés where we picked up a couple of things for Rachel’s impending visit. From there we walked back home and, in the process, completed our five-mile walk. We took life easy for the rest of the evening by watching some TV and doing some reading.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Carosel, Marty kaplan, The Ginger Loft, Valencia, Vistas de Vida | 1 Comment

Lovely Lisbon!

Posted on June 4, 2013 by martykaplan

Lisbon, Portugal – Day 1 – May 28, 2013

We were up rather early on Tuesday, May 28, because we were afraid that we would oversleep and miss our flight. As it was, we were an hour and a half early for our 11:40 flight. We were flying on Portugalia, which is owned by TAP Airlines and appears to fly the shorter routes with smaller planes. Our plane was an Embraer Jet that seats 57 passengers. As you can imagine the interior is rather small and banging your head seems to be one of its most prominent features. The flight took off on time and in a mere seventy minutes we had made the trip from Valencia to Lisbon.

The airport is rather large and the good news is that it is well signed. We easily found the correct baggage carousel and fifteen minutes later we were on our way. The cab ride to our hotel took fifteen minutes and it was our first opportunity to take a glimpse at the layout and the architecture of this capital city. As is the case with many European cities the buildings are a mix of the old and new. Wide avenues lead you into the city center and the old quarter of the city is a maze of narrow streets and seemingly endless hills.

Check in was painless and we went up to our room and unpacked. We are staying at the Hotel Heritage Avenida Libertade and we have a very nice room with a queen bed, a writing desk and a balcony. The wooden shutters on the inside of the windows effectively shield the sound from the foot and vehicle traffic below. The bathroom has older style tub, but a modern shower with abundant amounts of hot water and excellent water pressure. We have discovered that the staff here is most attentive and willing to make suggestions when asked for them. The lobby lounge is filled with sofas and comfortable chairs and it is an ideal place to have breakfast, as well as an evening nightcap. Breakfast is rather extensive and includes cereal, eggs, breakfast meats, salmon, ham, cheese, jams, yoghurt, fresh fruit and juices and a variety of breakfast rolls and pastries.

It was close to 2:30 when we had finally put everything away and decided to go in search of lunch. We asked for a recommendation and the front desk recommended a nearby restaurant called El Solar Dos Presuntos. It appears to attract a business clientele judging from the number of suits we saw in the restaurant. We were seated promptly and proceeded to study the menu. Even before we ordered they delivered a plate of charcuterie, a plate of chees and a plate of olives. This appears to be a tradition in most restaurants we have visited here. In some cases they present you with choices from which you can pick and in other cases they just put them on the table. There is a charge for these pre-meal treats. For lunch we ordered codfish cakes that were outstanding and a shrimp curry with rice. For dessert we shared a typical Portuguese pastry and then it was time for coffee and a glass of Port. Since it was our first meal in Portugal we opted for a 20-year-old Port that was exquisite.

After our meal we went back to the hotel to rest up a bit and later that afternoon we began our exploration of the city. We walked from our hotel to the Praça do Comercio that is an enormous square that house a multiplicity of government offices and countless restaurants with outdoor tables. We strolled along the riverfront for a bit looking at the ferries and boats that dotted the water and passed by a number of larger boats that were moored to their slips. On our way back to the hotel we stopped for a coffee and watched the world go by. Before retiring for the evening we stopped at the hotel lobby for a nightcap. We went to bed rather early in preparation for what would be our first full day of sightseeing.

Lisbon, Portugal – Day 2 – May 29, 2013

After a rather delightful breakfast we followed the direction we were given that would take us to the stop for Tram 28. Tram 28 is a star attraction for tourists since it winds its way through narrow and steep hills and gives you sort of an overview of a number of Lisbon’s neighborhoods. The trams look exactly like the streetcars that were part of my growing year in Dorchester, Massachusetts. My mind easily morphed into the ride along Blue Hill Avenue when I was five or six years old. We caught the tram close to the riverfront and took it to its terminal at a rather large cemetery. The seats on the tram were quickly filled and as we made our way up the hills the car became more and more crowded with passengers pressed tightly together. There are signs all over the walls of the tram alerting one to be aware of pickpockets because as you stand holding on for dear life to the leather straps above, you are a prime target for having your wallet lifted.

When we reached the terminus of the uphill trip, we looked around and boarded the very same tram for the downhill adventure. It was less crowded on the way down and in less than fifteen minutes we had been delivered to our starting point. Our stomachs were starting to growl and that was an obvious and clear sign that we needed to find a restaurant. Our friend, Brian, Had recommended several to us and we decided to try one of them out. We hopped a cab and he delivered us as close as he could to A Travessa, a restaurant housed in a former monastery. When we walked in, we were the only diners and that did not change while we were there.

We started the meal with a series of small plates that included marinated mussels, a little purse of goat cheese with a pumpkin jam, an octopus salad and thinly sliced pieces of pork loin. Susan chose the lamb for her main course and I had the veal. Alongside the mains we were served mashed turnips, new potatoes, spinach and a medley of cooked vegetables. We enjoyed a lovely bottle of Portuguese white and we were happy campers. After dessert, a slice of orange cake for Susan and a wicked chocolate praline for me we went on our way and headed back to hotel for some R and R. Our evening was uneventful and once again we enjoyed a nightcap in the hotel’s lobby bar.

Lisbon, Portugal – Day 3 – May 30, 2013

The sun is out in full force for the first time during our visit. After breakfast we hailed a cab and had him take us to the Mostero Dos Jeronimos (Monasterio de los Jerónimos) in the Belém neighborhood of Lisbon. Located near to the Tagus River it dates from 1502 to commemorate the voyage of Vasco da Gama thanks to the intervention of the Virgin Mary that insured the success of that most difficult voyage. The monastery was built so that the monks could pray for the well being of the king and the safety of all sailors. It is built in a style that is called Manueline that features a wide variety of columns, each of which appears to have a different motif. There are a number of marine elements present in the columns most notably shells and rope similar to that used on ships. It does have many Gothic elements and it occupies an amazing amount of acreage. I think the most impressive part of the visit was the church, which although simply decorated conveyed a sense of peace and tranquility that one might hope to find in God’s house. There is an amazing view of the church from the choir that sits above it. Our visit ended a little after 2:30 and since we had more ground to cover in the Belém area, we searched for a restaurant.

We ended up at what was a rather popular spot, judging by the fact that just about every table was occupied by both tourists and locals. It is called Os Jeronimos and, as we discovered later, it gets high marks from Trip Advisor. We looked briefly at the menu, but were drawn to a main dish that was being devoured by a diner across the way from us. It is called Porco a la Alentejana and is made with pieces of pork, clams, potatoes and coriander and that is what both of us ordered and thoroughly enjoyed. We passed on dessert and coffee because we already knew where we were going for dessert.

The Café de Pastéis de Belém was founded in the year 1837. It is know for its pastéis de Belém, which is a very delicate shell that holds an unbelievably creamy and delicious custard. If you so desire, you can sprinkle cinnamon and powdered sugar on it. Our timing was perfect and we found a table and thoroughly enjoyed this newfound treat. Many different pastries are for sale, but just about everyone is there to get the specialty of this place. When we passed by later in the day there were about seventy-five people in line waiting to make their purchase.

Properly fortified, we struck out again. Our first stop was The Coach Museum that displays a goodly number of the horse-drawn coaches that were used by Portuguese royalty on any number of state occasions. The two words that come to mind when viewing them are ostentatious and obscenely expensive. However, I guess you had to do something with all that gold that was pouring in from the New World. There are also a couple of sedan chairs on display. Our visit lasted thirty minutes and we had a very pleasant experience at the ticket booth. When I asked for two tickets the gentleman selling tickets asked me how old I was. I told him I was 72. He then inquired why I didn’t ask for the Senior discount and I replied that I did not have my Spanish ID on me that proves I am 72. His reply was most enlightening. He said, “What good is the world if you cannot take someone’s word for something?” From that moment on we asked for and received the Senior discount for all our entrances.

Our next stop was the Belém Tower that looks like the world’s biggest sandcastle as it sits on the water. From there we made our way to the Discoveries Monument that pays tribute to the Portuguese explorers. The figure in the forefront is of Henry The Navigator who organized and funded those voyages. Given the fact that we had already walked some five miles, we decided to stop at a nearby oasis and have a cold drink. That pause helped us decide that it was time to head back to Lisbon and the comforts of our hotel room. We waited for the streetcar that would take us back to town, but we grew impatient and took a cab back to the hotel.

After a brief rest, we geared up again and headed out for dinner and some Fado. Parreirinha de Alfama is one of the best know Fado houses in Lisbon and is owned by the legendary Argentina Santos. We had an 8:00 o’clock reservation and arrived a few minutes late. We were escorted to a small table for two at the rear of the restaurant. As we looked around we noted that most tables were empty, but it was early and as the evening progressed the tables filled up. We were seated next to a retired German couple that was on a seven-week holiday traveling through Spain, Portugal and France before returning back home. They were traveling in what they called a bus and from their description it sounded like it was a Volkswagen camper.

Brian had told us that the food at a Fado house was not the main attraction and we were not disappointed. Susan ordered baked cod and I had a veal dish. Both were unremarkable. At 9:00 the first performer of the evening took the center of the room and accompanied by two musicians, one on guitar and the other on a traditional 12 string Portuguese guitar, she sang three songs. There were twenty minutes pauses between each three-song set and that night, in addition to the first performer, a rather attractive young woman, there were two other singers, one male and the other female. We sat through six sets and by 11:30 our energy was flagging so we paid our bill and headed out into the night. The songs we heard bore a strong resemblance to the Havaneres that we had heard in Calella a number of years ago. The songs were of sadness, love and longing for the homeland.

Lisbon – Day 4 – May 31, 2013

We made our way to the train station by the river and bought our tickets for Cascais, a small seaside town located on the Atlantic. The trip lasted about forty minutes on a commuter train that looked a bit tired, but got us to our destination with no problems whatsoever. The train station in Cascais is in the center of the downtown area and there are a myriad of shops and small restaurants everywhere you look. Some of the restaurants look out on the sea and others are a short distance away. We wandered through the streets for a bit, but, truth be told, we are not big souvenir buyers. There is no table space or wall space left in our home.

When it came time to look for a restaurant, I asked a local for a suggestion. We followed his instructions and found ourselves in front of a restaurant that was absolutely empty. Walking back down the hill and turning to the left, we spotted a nautically themed restaurant called Cervejaria Marisqueira Camoes. There was a large aquarium filled with crab and lobster, as well as a refrigerated display case of all their freshly caught fish. We went light on appetizers to leave room for what turned out to be an enormous stew of macaroni and all kinds of shellfish cooked in a savory tomato based broth. We extracted dozens of peeled shrimp, clams, mussels, lobster, pieces of crab and crawfish and when we had eaten all we could the stew pot was still one-third full.

After lunch we explored the area that is called the Boca do Inferno, but I think we missed the real deal. The cab driver dropped us off at the top of the hill and pointed off in the distance and although we did encounter an extensive rock formation, we did not see the hole in the rocks where the ocean enters in a rather turbulent and violent cascade. It was still a pretty view from atop the rocks. We caught a bus back to the center of town and walked along the water stopping at an ice cream store for a cold drink.

Then it was back to the train station and the forty-minute return trip to Lisbon. We rested a bit in our room and since we were still full from lunch we limited our dinner to a beer for me, a gin and tonic for Susan and a small bowl of mixed nuts for the two of us.

Lisbon – Day 5 – June 1, 2013

We devoted Saturday to exploring more of the old quarter of the city, specifically the Alfama that was the old Arab quarter. We took a cab up to the Castelo de Sao Jorge for a panoramic look at the city, as well as the treasures that live within the castle itself. Susan had lots of photo opportunities and I was able to add yet another castle to my list of castles I have visited. From the castle we made our way down the hill stopping at a scenic overlook for yet another view of the city. Further down on our journey we entered the Sé Cathedral built on the site of an old mosque in 1150. Its interior is primarily Romanesque with a Gothic choir and ambulatory. The interior is both simple and tranquil.

We had worked up quite an appetite as we discovered that going downhill could be more taxing on the knees than going uphill. When we reached the base of the Alfama we spotted an outdoor café called Café Dos Bicos. It was close to full and there were a lot of locals dining there. That’s always a good sign so we took a seat and studied the menu. We began the meal with some complimentary cod fritters and an empanada. We shared a salad and Susan then attacked her dorade and I my swordfish. Susan had a whole fish and I had four big pieces of a smaller Portuguese version of swordfish that resembles an eel in terms of size. The white flesh was cooked to perfection over a wood fire and I enjoyed every single bite. We passed on dessert, but did have a coffee.

We continued on our way to the Praça do Comercio where we stopped at an outdoor café for an ice cream concoction. There was too much ice in the ice cream and that made it less than enjoyable. The good news is that it was cold and went down easily. From the plaza we made our way back to the hotel and rested up for an evening excursion.

I was having a sudden urge for a hamburger and I was not quite sure why. I checked out possible places in town that served a good burger and the name Café do Río kept popping up and since it was rather close to the beginning of the Alfama we decided to walk there. We arrived around 9:00 only to discover that every table was reserved, but if we wanted to check back in an hour or so there might be an open table. We thanked the owner and continued our search.

We ended up going to a restaurant called A Travessa Do Fado, which is located right next door to the Fado Museum and is owned by the same people who own A Travessa where we dined on Wednesday. The concept here is different. The meal is served tapa style with shared plates in the center of the table. We ordered some cod fritters, some clams, broad beans with sausage, goat cheese with a pumpkin jam and the Portuguese dish called an açorda, which is a riff on Garlic Soup with the difference being the use of cilantro here in Portugal. We shared a piece of cheesecake for dessert and finished our meal with coffee. It was late so we took a cab back to the hotel.

Lisbon – Day 6 – June 2, 2013

Our goal for the day was to visit Sintra, another forty-minute train trip from Lisbon. This train leaves from the Rossío station and we just managed to catch the 11:38 train. We arrived a little after 12:15 and exited the station heading for the center of town. As you make your way to the center of town there are a number of sculptures that are treats for both the eye and the soul. When we reached the center of town, we stopped for a cold drink and then moved on to our first destination, The Sintra National Palace. It is the only surviving palace from the Middle Ages and, at the moment, is undergoing extensive exterior and interior reconstruction.

The visit was most interesting and the palace contained what I have come to expect when visiting palaces. I did not ice that there were not many canvases, tapestries or mosaics on the wall. A lot of the stained glass is in the process of being replicated. There is a great deal of Moorish influence throughout the castle and my favorite space was the kitchen with what must have been sufficient space to have five or six wood fires burning simultaneously. Having completed out tour of palace number one, we headed off to palace number two, the Palacio da Pena.

The palace rests atop what must be the highest point in Sintra. It is a six- kilometer trip up a winding road that will lead you to the entrance of this palace. There is a tram that then takes you up another winding road to the very entrance of the palace. Be prepared to do a lot of climbing to reach the various levels of this palatial beauty. You can walk all around the castle by way of the surrounding walls and the view from the top of the castle is absolutely breathtaking. This view alone makes the trek itself worthwhile. When we finished our visit we took a bus back to the center of town.

It was time for lunch and we spied a restaurant called Paris that in addition to its extensive interior had a number of tables on its terrace. We were shown to a table and proceeded to study the menu. We started our meal with a warm goat cheese salad that was topped with a variety of fresh berries. Susan had some baby goat for her main course and I opted for the pork and clams dish. Both entrees were extremely tasty. The good news is that we still had room for dessert so Susan and I shared a crepe that was topped with a raspberry coulis and a healthy scoop of pistachio ice cream. When we finished our coffee, it was a little after 5:00, so we gathered up our stuff and walked back to the train station.

When we got back to the hotel we collapsed. We had walked close to 6 miles and, according to our Fitbit statistics, we had climbed the equivalent of 30 flights of stairs. We managed to drag ourselves down to the lobby bar for some liquid refreshment and a bowl of mixed nuts.

Lisbon – Day 7 – June 3, 2013

We were feeling the after effects of yesterdays visit to Sintra, as well as the effects of having covered close to 30 miles in the last several days, so we decided to be kind to ourselves and take one of the many tour buses that circle the city. We found one that went to a number of places that we had yet to see. The tour was both informative and interesting. We got to see the site of the 1998 World Exposition and all the magnificent buildings that had been created expressly for that event. The buildings now house a multiplicity of museums and concert venues. The Aquarium is reputed to be one of the world’s best. There is also a Science Center that is worth visiting.

It was close to 2:30 when we got off the bus and we stopped for some liquid refreshment. We then hailed a cab to take us to the spot we had chosen for lunch. It turned out that it was closed. We then headed for our second choice and after we were able to locate it, we discovered that it was closed, too. It turned out that there was an Italian place close by so we lunched on some Arancini, a refreshing salad that included both smoked salmon and orange slices, and a pizza. The meal was enjoyable and the price was right.

Back to the hotel we went and we began to get things in order for packing our bags. Around 9:00 we went in search of a bite to eat and discovered a small place on the Avenida de Libertade called El Café Imperial. Our waiter was extremely personable and he recommended the steak served on a burning hot stone and we accepted his suggestion. It was a good call. The steak was tasty and tender and you got to cook each slice to your desired degree of doneness. The steak was served alongside an enormous plate of fries. Susan had rice pudding for dessert and I helped her finish it. Then it was back to the hotel to finish the task of packing.

Lisbon – Day 8 – June 4, 2013

We were up at 6:00 so that we could be at the airport in plenty of time for what I thought was an 8:40 flight. Susan’s calendar alerted us to the fact that it was an 8:25 flight. We reached the airport an hour before the flight. We entered and searched for signs of intelligent life or just a simple sign letting you know where one had to go to check in. We found neither. We stumbled across a check in desk, but it turns out it was only for those travelers in possession of a frequent flyer card that was either gold or platinum. We were directed up stairs where there should have been a sign that said PANDEMONIUM.

It appears that check in for all airlines happens at a bank of check in desks. There are lots of check in desks, but there are way more travelers. We snaked our way slowly through the airport and we were still a goodly distance away from the front of the line. I tapped a supervisor on the shoulder and asked if we were going to make our flight. He let us break line and personally checked us in. He then directed us to security, which would then lead us on to our gate.

I set off the alarm and was patted down. It was something in my wallet that set it off. When we had repacked our things we increased our pace and headed to Gate 10. However, before you can get to any gate you have to navigate your way through a plethora of stores and cafes that occupy the center of the airport. We successfully slalomed our way through and kept on walking and walking and walking until we finally found Gate 10. When we arrived we were told that the flight was delayed for technical reasons. That’s just what you want to hear when you are about to board a 57-passenger plane.

As promised they made an announcement at 8:25 and that announcement was to board the plane. The seventy minute flight was very smooth and without incident. The touchdown was perfect and, to make things even better, our luggage arrived on the carousel three minutes after we walked off the plane. It was a quick cab ride back home and we were greeted by our doorman, Antonio, as we exited the cab. A quick trip up the elevator and a double turn of the key and we once again discovered that there’s no place like home.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Cascais, Lisbon, Marty kaplan, Sintra, Vistas de Vida | Leave a comment

Fun In The Sun

Posted on May 26, 2013 by martykaplan

Sunday, May 26, 2013

This week has been a typical week. We have done nothing out of the ordinary, yet we have been busy both in and out of the house. Susan has been occupied with photography and has worked on a couple of projects. My magic focus this week has been on magic that can be done in the hands. I know that sooner or late I will be asked to do some walk around magic at one of Jordi’s restaurants and so I want to be prepared.

Speaking of magic I went to the CIVAC meeting on Monday evening and to the meeting of the veteranos on Thursday. Both were mainly social events with a little magic thrown in. The theme for tomorrow’s CIVAC meeting is “your favorite trick” and I already have something prepared.

We went to the Restaurante Levante on Thursday after having talked about getting there for a couple of months now. Having dined at the one in Benisanó we decided to give the one in Valencia a try. We were pleased to discover that Rafael Vidal who is usually found at the restaurant in Benisanó was in Valencia subbing for his son, Javier, who normally is in charge. We had a good time catching up and then proceeded to enjoy some stuffed piquillo peppers and an esgarraet made with cod and mojama. The piece de resistance was an arroz a banda that was perfectly cooked in a seafood stock that made the dish along with the variety of seafood in the rice itself. For dessert we both had the fig ice cream, which we have only found at both Levantes and nowhere else.

Friday turned out to be movie night and we went to the Cine babel to see “The Great Gatsby”. We both enjoyed the film and when the film ended we were surprise that the two hours and fifteen minutes had gone by so quickly. It is, in our opinion, good entertainment, but it is far from being a great film. On the way home we stopped at The Ginger Loft and had a couple of tapas along with a drink and then slowly made our way home.

Yesterday we had lunch at Carosel enjoying a number of appetizers that include a brochette of fried chicken along with a gazpacho salad. Jordi had taken the traditional gazpacho and added some chopped vegetables and a variety of lettuces. It featured both great texture and great taste. Our main dish was a paella made with chicken, rabbit, meatballs and egg plant that also included broad beans and garrafón. We discovered that Jordi was in the hospital with what they believe is an infection and die to the swelling he was told by is doctor that, as a precaution he should admit himself to the hospital where they could give him an intravenous cocktail of antibiotics to reduce the swelling and to do an x-ray or two to make sure that it was only an infection. He should be released in the next day or two.

Last night we went to a guitar concert courtesy of Los Amigos de la Guitarra de Valencia. The featured artist was Alessio Nebiolo and his concert ran the gamut from classical to jazz. It is no wonder that he has won many top honors and has played with a number of symphony orchestras worldwide. After the concert we walked home and although it was a little past nine it was still rather light out.

Tonight we are going out to dinner with Ofelia and Brian. It has recently opened and is called El Rodamón. The menu is international in nature and it looks interesting. We shall see.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Carosel, Marty kaplan, Restaurante Levante, Valencia, Vistas de Vida | Leave a comment

Oh, What A Week It Has Been!

Posted on May 18, 2013 by martykaplan

Saturday, May 18, 2013

The weather here continued to be both strange and unpredictable. Tuesday started out rainy, followed by several hour of sun and then several hours of rain. It has been rainy and cool for most of the week and although the sun is shining now, rain is supposed to return at the beginning of the week. Normally May is very warm and it is a time when the beaches begin to get crowded. That is not to be the case this year.

We returned from Madrid on Saturday on the AVE and as soon as we set Judy and Gerry up in the guest room we paid a visit to the Central Market. Around 3:30 we made our way to La Comisaria where we had a very lovely lunch. For the first time ever, we sat upstairs and discovered that the TV camera that we always see downstairs is used to televise the chef’s activity to a TV monitor upstairs. The rest of the afternoon was very low key and we had a light dinner at home and we headed to bed kind of early.

Sunday was my birthday and we celebrated the event at Carosel. The gathering was small since many of my magic friends were busy performing at First Communion parties. November and May are the months of greatest activity and so magicians try and take maximum advantage of that fact. It is not uncommon to book two or three performances on the same day. Pepe and Brian joined us for the event and the six of us enjoyed a spectacular meal. Jordi had prepared an arroz con bogavante for us and the lobster was perfectly cooked. Gerry had a prime steak since he is not a big fan of shellfish. The good news is that we were all feeling happy when the meal ended with a celebratory bottle of champagne.

Monday was a time to do some sightseeing and we made our way to the City of Arts and Sciences to take a look at the stunning architecture that is on display there on a daily basis. From there we walked to Gulliver’s Park that is always filled with children climbing up and sliding down the giant Gulliver that just about fills the interior of the park. At lunchtime we headed on over to Mercat Bar where we sampled seven our eight different tapas. We took a cab back home and in the late afternoon Judy and Gerry packed their bags in readiness for their trip to Avignon on Tuesday morning.

We were all up early on Tuesday and at 7:30 AM Judy, Gerry and I made our way to the bakery so that they could pick up some sustenance for their rather long train trip. At 7:45 they hailed a cab and they were off to the railroad station. Susan and I took it rather slowly on Tuesday and we did the same on Wednesday.

Thursday we decided that we would try out a new restaurant and for that reason we walked to a restaurant that is called Asador La Vid whose specialty is beef. It is owned by the father of one of the young magicians of the CIVAC and since our friend, Leandro, is no longer in business we were on the lookout for a place to have steak. Our walk lasted no more than fifteen minutes and the restaurant was nearly empty when we entered. That would change very quickly.

When you enter the restaurant you first pass by the bar and then a rather extensive bodega with some two hundred bottles of wine. There are two sections to the dining room and the kitchen, which is rather large by Spanish standards, is visible from both parts of the dining room. The table is set with cloth napkins and tablecloths.

We ordered the menu of the day, which consisted of four different appetizers, steak, dessert, a beverage and coffee. They started us off with a plate of tender Iberian ham, followed by a tomato and tuna salad. Next came a pair of croquetas and our final appetizer was grilled squid. When our steak came we were rather taken aback because it was enormous. It had been cut off the bone and sliced and it filled the entire plate. The waiter disappeared and returned with a plate of fries and pimientos de Padrón. We tried our best, but we were unable to finish the steak. However, we did have room for dessert, which was a plate of fresh fruit and other goodies. We finished our meal with a cup of coffee and deemed our bill for 66 Euros as rather reasonable for our experience.

Thursday evening the veteranos met at Jerito’s house and we chatted about this and that. The discussion was lively and lasted until 9:45. When we left we headed to Carosel where we would celebrate Paquito’s birthday. His actual birthday is at the beginning of the month, but this was the first time when we were all available to help him celebrate. After several appetizers out came a plate of grilled vegetables and, you guessed it, sliced steak. I picked at the appetizers and the main dish because, to be honest, I was still stuffed from lunch.

Friday was uneventful. We did some shopping at the Central Market and Susan made a killer mussel dish for lunch. Since it rained off and on the day way most conducive for curling up with a good book and along with several episodes of Bones that was the our activity for the rest of the day.

This morning we got a phone call from Jordi asking if Susan could come by the MuVIM to take some pictures. Today is Museum Day in Valencia when every museum offers free admission and Jordi has scheduled a number of activities at the restaurant both today and tomorrow. Tomorrow there is a food drive to benefit an organization called Caridad De Valencia and there will be music and entertainment for both old and young. I have volunteered to do balloons for the kids. They are heart shaped smiley balloons that I attach to a plastic holder so that the little ones can hold on to them. I have no idea how many kids there will be tomorrow, but I think I have enough for those who show up.

We ran a few errands and then returned to the MuVIM for lunch. We had a corn soup, a tomato salad, a little fried fish and some ribs. Fresh apricots with a chocolate foam were our dessert. We got back home at 3:30 and I woke up from my nap about thirty minutes ago to write this blog entry.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Asador La Vid, Carosel. La Comisaria, City of Arts and Sciences, Marty kaplan, Mercat Bar, Valencia, Vistas de Vida | Leave a comment

Madrid And Toledo With Judy And Gerry

Posted on May 12, 2013 by martykaplan

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Happy Birthday and Happy Mothers’ Day, too! We are back in Valencia after spending a few days in Madrid with my brother and his wife. We arrived in Madrid early Tuesday afternoon so that we could be at the hotel when Judy and Gerry arrived early on Wednesday morning.

We had made reservations at a recently opened hotel that is currently in first place on Trip Advisor, the Artrip. It is a very small hotel with only seventeen rooms and the owner, as well as all personnel, is very welcoming and hospitable. Our room was on the fifth floor with a view of the street and a very small balcony. They have made maximum use of the space dedicated to the room. You walk into an area that contains a desk and the elements that make up a bathroom and a closet. To the right of the desk there is an enclosed shower with a wooden floor that has the best water pressure that I have ever experienced in Spain. To the left of the door is the sink and to the left of the bathroom is the commode. To the right of the sink is an open armoire where you can hang your clothes and a shelf where you can lay out those items that one would not hang. Below that is another shelf that houses a safe and a mini refrigerator. The bedroom consisted of two single beds and two small nightstands. There was an air conditioner for the bedroom and a separate room for the desk/bathroom area. There are wooden shutters that close off the windows and effectively dampen the street noise. The hotel is located on Calle Valencia and is a short walk away from the Atocha railway station. The rate is reasonable for Madrid and the cost/value ratio is just right.

Judy and Gerry checked in around 10:00 AM on Wednesday and we were having our breakfast when they arrived. Their room was not quite ready so they left their luggage in our room and we headed for the railroad station so that they could validate their Eurail Pass and get their tickets for the train ride to Valencia and then from Valencia to Avignon. When we got to the station the line for advanced purchases was loooooong. You had to take a number and we were 219 and they were calling numbers in the 160’s. We waited a while and then I suggested that we find a travel agency and have them do all the work. We left the station and finally located one, only to learn that they could not validate a Eurail Pass. So, we headed back to the station where they were calling numbers in the high 190’s. We waited another twenty minutes and we were finally able to accomplish what we had come to do.

We decided to have lunch at O’Grelo, a Galician style restaurant that is located in the Barrio de Salamanca. Since we were right by a Metro station we decided to go there on the Metro and little did I suspect the adventure that awaited me there. Since there was no direct train to the Goya station we needed to change lines at the Sol station. When the train arrived I was closest to the door and I activated the door opener. As I was about to enter, a young woman brushed past me and entered the car first. The car was very crowded and she was hanging incredibly close to me, bumping into me frequently. I was in a state of alert realizing that one of the two possible scenarios was that she was an extremely rude young lady or that she was getting ready to lift my wallet. Our stop comes, we all push forward to exit and she is following right behind me. I feel her hand go into my pocket, I turn around and confront her and she quickly drops my wallet to the ground playing the innocent. We need to get off the train and I look at her and at all the people around her and I say in a very loud voice, “She was trying to rob me. Be careful with her!” As the doors of the train closed she had been detained inside the car and I do no know how that drama ended, but the good news is that I did not lose my wallet. I have been riding the Madrid Metro since 1974 and this was the first untoward incident that I had ever experienced. As it turns out, there are a number of Rumanian gangs that ply the Metro looking to relieve riders of their possessions.

With that incident behind us, we made our way to the restaurant and had a very lovely meal. I had not eaten there in years, but the Maître D seemed to recognize me and the waiter assumed that we were a friend of the house so he was very generous in his treatment of us. When we finished we headed back to the hotel and rested up a bit. We ventured forth at 9:00 PM and had a pizza at a nearby Italian restaurant.

We slept in on Thursday morning. Our plan was to visit Toledo and our train was to leave at 12:20 so there was no need to rush around in the morning. The trip to Toledo lasted all of thirty minutes and from the station we took a cab to the cathedral. We toured it for an hour and then made our way to a restaurant called El Brocal that is just around the corner from the cathedral. We had a lovely lunch and from the restaurant we made our way to The Museo del Tránsito and from there to a church called Santa María La Blanca, which started out life as a mosque, was transformed into a synagogue and later became a church. Since it was rather warm sunny day we made a couple of stops to rehydrate ourselves and we later took a cab back to the station and waited for our 7:20 train. We were back in our rooms by 8:30 and when Judy and Gerry decided to call it a day, Susan and I headed out to a nearby bar for a tapa or two.

Friday morning we headed to the Reina Sofía Museum where there was a Dalí exhibition. There was a long line waiting to purchase tickets and when we finally purchased ours at 12:30 we discovered that our entrance time to the exhibit was at 1:30. We took advantage of the delay to tour the other rooms of the museum and that afforded us the opportunity to see Picasso’s Guernica, a most powerful canvas.

The Dalí exhibit was quite extensive and we saw examples of all the media in which he worked. We spent a good hour touring the various rooms and around 2:30 we left the museum for a 3:00 o’clock lunch date with our friends, Ramón and Juan Diego. We met each other at Casa Parrondo where we had yet another outstanding meal and when we left they were closing the place down. We headed back to the hotel to rest up a bit and around 9:30 we went to a couple of places to sample their tapas.

We returned to Valencia on the 11:40 AVE and after getting settled we made a quick tour of the Central Market where we picked up some fruits and vegetables and after dropping them off at the house we made our way to La Comisaría for a delightful lunch. In the evening we decided to give our legs a rest and so Susan prepared a delightful salad and we sat around the kitchen table and chatted until it was close to midnight. Lunch is called for 3:00 at Carosel where we will celebrate my birthday along with Pepe and Brian. This is the month of First Communions and since it is a Sunday most of my magician friends will be working the parties that follow the church service and we will gather at a later date to celebrate my birthday.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

It’s Raining, It’s Pouring, This Old Man Is Snoring

Posted on April 29, 2013 by martykaplan

Monday, April 29, 2013

Rain, rain go away. Suddenly April became January here in Valencia and the temperatures have plummeted and it has been raining for the past three days. The inland cities of the province have awakened to snow covered roads and fields. Things are supposed to improve as the week goes on and next week things are predicted to return to normal with temperatures in the mid-80’s. That would be nice sine we will be catching up with Judy and Gerry next week in Madrid before they spend a few days with us in Valencia.

Planning for Rachel’s birthday celebration is now complete. On June 19^th we will take the AVE to Madrid and have lunch in Madrid’s only kosher restaurant. In the evening we will go and see The Lion King. We will spend the night at the Palace Hotel and return to Valencia on the 20^th.

We have been taking life rather easy the past few days. The weather is not very lending itself to long walks through the city. We have eaten out several times and thoroughly enjoyed our meals at QTOMAS and CAROSEL. On Wednesday Susan and I had lunch at Carosel and on Thursday I paid a repeat visit with Paquito, Pepe, Juan Luis and Gurrea to celebrate Giocodimani’s birthday. Our Friday visit to Qtomas was also very enjoyable and you will find several photos of our visits and the end of this post.

I received a Facebook message from Molly Mosher, an ex-student of mine at Foxcroft School, telling me that Bryan York was in town with her husband. They are visiting various countries in Europe and are in Spain for about ten days. Unfortunately Bryan had her purse stolen in Barcelona and lost some cash and her passport. Today they have taken the AVE to Madrid to solve the problem at The US Embassy. Last night we caught up by phone and we met up at 8:00 and went in search of some dinner. We ended up at El Molinón and we had a great time sampling five or six different dishes.

Bryan and Davis are currently living in Vancouver where both of them are gainfully employed. Truth be told, I have not seen Bryan since she graduated in 1978, but boarding school ties are very strong and it was great to catch up with her. We talked about the boarding school experience and the bond that it creates among the various class members. We wondered aloud whether the advent of the Internet and all its social media have had an effect of the relationships that students establish at a boarding school. That would be an interesting topic to explore.

I have been very busy translating magic. I finished Dani Da Ortiz’s 3500 word column for Genii on Friday and I have also finished the six articles that were mine to translate for the third issue of El Manuscrito. There is a meeting of the CIVAC tonight and although I am not sure of what the topic is for tonight’s meeting, I know we will have a good time.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Carosel, Marty kaplan, QTomas, Valencia, Vistas de Vida | Leave a comment

Komori

Posted on April 20, 2013 by martykaplan

Saturday, April 20, 2013

Spaniards are an interesting lot. There are those who see the glass half full and there are those who see the glass half empty. Then there are those who don’t even see the glass. Monday night at the CIVAC we did a post-mortem on LAS 24 HORAS. Instead of starting with the positive elements of the past weekend – 90 diners Friday night at the MuVIM, a sold-out evening show on Saturday, a sold-out Sunday morning show and 80 local registrants for the magicians-only events – the focus turned to what could be improved for next year. As is the wont in Spanish get-togethers, everyone seems to talk at once and one begins to wonder who is listening. The good news is the event was a financial success and we succeeded in raising some much needed funds for the club and the younger members who did the yeoman’s share of work for the event have volunteered to shepherd it next year.

Thursday night the veteranos met after a brief hiatus. For the most part we shared with Jerito the pictures that Susan had shot at the event. They occupy two CD’s and Susan has taken the best of the best and has turned it into a book thanks to Shutterfly. The newer pictures of me served as motivation for me to make up some new business cards using the services of moo.com. They should be here next week.

Yesterday Susan, Klaus, Zahava and I walked over to the Westin Valencia to try out the new Japanese restaurant, Komori, located in the hotel. We stopped by Zahava and Klaus’ apartment and from there we walked to the hotel. There were a number of diners enjoying their meal when we walked in. To be honest, the meal did not have a good beginning. Klaus and Zahava are vegetarians and there were a couple of items on the fixed menu they could not eat and that began what seemed to be a very strange discussion with the hostess who was to take our order.

We were told that the everyone at the table had to order the same set menu with the alternative being to order a la carte of the menu. This made no sense to me and so I said to her, “What you’re saying is if we sit a two separate tables we could order two different menus of the day, but because we are sitting at the same table we cannot do that?” Finally things got straightened out and we all had the same basic menu with Klaus and Zahava getting two vegetarian substitutions.

The menu consisted of: fried prawns with a corn flakes coating, finely cut white fish in a ponzu sauce, salmon tartar, nigiri selection of the day, California roll with shrimp, Iberian pork dumpling with ramen soup and fruit sashimi. The cost of the menu was 33 Euros per couple with wine, beer and coffee being extras. All dishes were fresh and tasty and it will be worthwhile to return and explore the regular menu to see if there are more complex tastes present in other dishes.

Since it was a lovely sunny day we made our way to a nearby outdoor terrace and had an after-dinner drink and just chatted. Around 5:30 we paid our bill and left. On our way home we stopped at Nespresso to pick up some coffee and once we walked through the door of our apartment we stayed put for the evening.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Komori, Marty kaplan, Valencia, Vistas de Vida | 1 Comment

24 HORAS MÁGICAS

Posted on April 15, 2013 by martykaplan

Monday, April 15, 2013

It was a little more than a year ago that Paco de Andrés passed away. Paco was the dean of Valencian magicians and I wrote the following piece the day after his funeral. I wrote:

“Yesterday’s funeral for Paco D’Andrés was a very sad event on many levels. As you may already know from previous posts, Paco was one of the fathers of magic here in Valencia. He was part of a group that came to be known as the veteranos and there Thursday meetings were dedicated to the discussion of magic. They studied, they read and they traveled far and wide to increase their knowledge and their skill. Of the original members only two are still with us – Jerito who is in his 90’s and Gurrea who is 70.

Paco was a quiet and unassuming man. To look at him you would never know that this gentle man was a walking encyclopedia when it came to the history of magic in both Spain and Europe. He had seen many of the greats of his day perform. He took Juan Gurrea under his tutelage and helped him design a prize-winning act at FISM many years ago. Paco also played an important role in Nacho Diago’s development as a magician and Nacho acknowledged that in a very heartfelt post on his Facebook page. Paco invited Pepe to join the tertulia of the veteranos some thirty-three years ago. I know it was Paco who instilled in Pepe the love and passion that he feels for magic. Without Paco the state of magic in Valencia would be very different. I think it is safe to say that without Paco there would not be a CIVAC today, the world would have never seen some world class magicians develop and the Magic Agora project never would have seen the light of day.

I always looked forward to Thursday evenings with Paco whenever I was in Valencia. I always had some effect to share with the group, as did he. Paco would usually wait until all the others had performed and then he would make his contribution. Paco often complimented me on the effects that I presented. He especially appreciated the patter that created for each of my effects. At one point he compared me to Padre Ciuró who was one of the fathers of magic in all of Spain and whose publications became the bible of magic for many Spaniards wishing to learn magic. One moment that stands out in my mind was when I presented an effect that is known as the Driebeck Die.

The Driebeck Die is, just as its name implies, a die that is oversized and red in color. It also involves a black box. Inspired by a presentation in rhyme that Terry Elton created, I came up with a presentation in English that borrowed heavily from Terry’s presentation and then I set about creating a presentation in Spanish that used rhyming patter. The presentation went over well and several of the members present insisted that I needed to present it in a number of different venues, which I eventually did. I offered Paco my patter and he turned down my offer. He looked at me and said, “This is obviously your effect and there is no way that anyone else could do it as well as you.” Thank you Paco for your kind words and your inspiring me to be creative as I try to improve and increase my repertoire in Spanish.”

The members of the CIVAC had promised to organize a memorial gala in his honor and this past weekend was when that promise was kept. The memorial gala was part of the 24Horas Mágicas celebration, which like Tops somehow continued to grow and grow into a 48-hour event. Our committee, which was responsible for both planning and executing the celebration, met on consecutive Thursdays for close to three months. Each event had a committee head that was responsible for organizing and coordinating that event. There were other who were in charge of publicity, program design, technology and communication with the theater where the event was to be held.

The first event, which was an added extra, was a dinner at La Terraza del MuVIM, followed by a presentation of Miguel Gómez’s close-up spectacular called La Antología de Cartomagia Española. We had planned for sixty people to attend, magicians and lay people alike, but as it turned out there were close to 90 people present. Jordi put together an outstanding meal that included salad, bunuelos de bacalao, croquetas and a bean stew filled with all kinds of sausages. The beer and wine flowed freely. The meal ended with coffee and dessert. We started the meal at 9:00 and we didn’t enter the museum’s salón de actos until midnight. Miguel Gómez, one of Spain’s top card magicians, spent the next seventy minutes amazing us with feats of magic done with a deck of cards. By the time we said our goodbyes, it was close to 2:00 AM.

We slept in a bit on Saturday and headed to La Rambleta a little before 2:00 PM. We got our accreditation and headed downstairs to the dealers’ room. There were five different stands that did moderate business because many of them had been at Almussafes the previous weekend and they were selling to the same audience. We sat down at a table with a number of friends and ordered a sandwich and a drink and we spent the next hour or so chatting about this and that. It was a lovely sunny day so Susan and I took a little walk and had an after-luncheon drink at an outdoor café. We made it back in time for the close-up gala.

The organizer and presenter of this gala, Juanma González, was also the first to perform. He did a very expert and entertaining routine of dice stacking. We were then treated to the magic of Miguel Gómez, Pedro Bryce, Lionel Gallardo, Vincent Ginés and Javi Benítez. Doing comedy magic, which was in direct contrast to the expert and serious routines of the other performers, Javi stole the show. In truth, this was of the best close-up galas that I have seen at any convention I have attended.

At the end of the gala we left the theater in sear of a breath of fresh air and a cup of coffee. The next gala was scheduled to kick off at 8:00 PM. We took our seats at 7:45 and the curtain rose promptly at 8:00. This was to be the gala memorial and most of Spain’s top stage performers were on the bill and all were appearing out of gratitude to Paco de Andrés for the help and counsel that he had given them on their personal road to stardom. With Jorge Blass as both emcee and magician, we spent the next seventy-five minutes being entertained by the likes of Jandro, Yunque, Nuel Galán and Juan Gurrea. Outstanding!

Next was a dinner that was to be followed by a midnight cabaret. The catering service at La Rambleta catered the dinner and it was the only weak point of the weekend. Service was sloppy and inconsistent. The food was of variable quality, but we all persevered and made our way through the meal. While we were finishing our meal, the Seda Jazz Quintet took the stage and entertained us with a variety of musical stylings while we had our coffee. The midnight cabaret started a bit early and that was when Susan and I took our leave of the day’s activities. I needed to be at the theater at 9:00 AM for a sound and lighting check and that meant that I needed to be up at 7:00 so that I could be functional at 9:00 AM.

We arrived at La Rambleta a little before 9:00. We were the first to arrive and the security guard accompanied us to the backstage area of the theater. The theater at La Rambleta has close to 700 seats and since seating was not numbered for this gala, there was no way to judge how many seats had been sold by the online ticket seller, entradas.com. Slowly but surely the other performers began to arrive and we started with lighting cues and sound checks. To my dismay, I discovered that the wireless microphone that I had purchased on Friday was defective and I went into a mild panic. Since I was one of the two emcees, it was essential that I have a working microphone. The tech guys at La Rambleta came to my rescue and provided me with one of theirs. I then set about preparing the effects that Sofi and I were to do.

Sofi and I had performed together in a school auditorium back in December. Our audience that day was close to 100. In an LA school, whose name I cannot recall, I performed for an audience of 125. However, before yesterday I had never performed magic in a formal theater setting where there was the potential for seven hundred spectators. This was to be an interesting experience. Everyone is in his or her seats at 11:05 and the show is about to begin.

Sofi enters and welcomes everyone. Our opening shtick is that she thinks that she is there to give an English lesson and has wandered on stage by mistake. I then start calling out her name and enter on stage to find out what she thinks she is doing there. I have my cell phone in hand. It is gimmicked to produce flames. I pretend to end my call by saying to the party on the other end of this call that I will convey their message. This is a set up for a gag. The Spanish verb apagar means to shut off something electronic. It also means to put out a fire. I press the switch, the fire appears and I say, “Favor de apagar los móviles”. It gets a big laugh, as well as applause. The nerves settle and I am at home.

One by one the magicians take the stage and do their thing. Mag JJ starts things off, followed by Selú and Nuel Galán. G Alexander closes the show. In between acts Sofi and I do our bits with a magic paper bag, rising wands and a card with dots on it. Sofi gets to do a solo spot with an effect called Hippity Hop Rabbits. I am supposed to do a solo spot with my dog puppet, but the show is running overly long and I give up my effect. The show was scheduled to run 75 minutes and we were at 100 minutes with one act to go. G Alexander finishes to great applause, I take the stage and have all the performers come out and take a bow and announce that we will be in the theater lobby to greet our audience. The theater lights go up and I discover that we were playing to a packed house.

On the way out of the performance space I was asked to pose for pictures and in the lobby I posed for pictures and signed autographs. That was a new experience for me. When things quiet down, I go backstage and pack up my gear and head for the bar downstairs for a well-deserved beer. Pepe invites a group of us to go out for lunch and we enjoy a paella, along with several appetizers and he pays the bill. Susan and I gather up my gear from Manolo’s trunk – Manolo had driven us to the restaurant – we hail a cab and head back home where we stayed for the remainder of the day. We missed the last show of the 24 HORAS, but by then both Susan, the official photographer of the event, and I were completely done in.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Almussafes

Posted on April 7, 2013 by martykaplan

Sunday, April 7, 2013

We are back from a cold and rainy weekend in Almussafes where we attended a magic convention. Almussafes is about 20 miles away from downtown Valencia and its claim to fame is the Ford plant that is located there. It is a small town, not particularly attractive and in the rain it is less so. We decided to go because a number of the members of CIVAC had planned to attend and they did, but a number of our friends including Pepe, Paquito and Gurrea were among the missing.

We left on Friday, a little after 2:00. When we stepped outside our door it began to rain. In spite of the rain we decided to walk to La Estación del Nord and our timing was perfect because we boarded our train two minutes before it left. The trip lasted some twenty-five minutes and we exited the station looking for a taxi. There was none parked outside. I went back inside and asked the ticket vendor for the number for a taxi and he pointed me to a nearby sign. I called the number only to be told by the driver who answered that Friday was his day off and his suggestion was to call the hotel and have them send either a car for us or a cab for us.

I called the hotel and they provided us with the number of a taxi service in a nearby town and some ten minutes later he showed up at the station. The ride was brief – less than ten minutes – and he dropped us off at the front door of the Hotel Bartos. We checked in and from the front desk we headed to our room and unpacked. It was now a bit after 4:00 and we had not eaten lunch. We went downstairs, exited the hotel and stopped at a bar on the corner. The grill was closed so the only ting they could offer us was a sandwich. We were hungry so we accepted the offer. When we finished we opened our umbrellas and walked the ten blocks to the Centro Cultural to pick up our credentials.

From the Centro Cultural we made our way to the Pabellón where the dealers’ room was located, as was the room that was to be the site for the lectures and the close-up gala. We spent a good half hour in the dealers’ room and while there caught up with a number of our friend from the CIVAC, as well as our friends Carmen and Antonio, Miguel Puga and Carlos Hampton. The one item I had hoped to buy was unavailable and there really was very little else that called out to me. Antonio invited us to have a paella tomorrow and we gladly accepted the invitation. We slipped into a nearby bar and had a drink while we waited for the first gala to begin.

Friday night’s gala featured a number of the young magicians from Valencia and it was my first opportunity to see them. They were most impressive. They all had good stage presence, their acts were very magical and they had paid close attention to all the necessary details of lights, sound and staging. In addition to the young magicians there was a professional female magician on the bill, Alana, and I was not very impressed with her act, which featured continuous productions of earrings that did not show up well from our vantage point of the thirteen row and multiple hands protruding from her leather jacket. The presenter was a comedian named El Gran Barragán and he was an unmitigated disaster. His humor (?) was entirely inappropriate for a family magic show and none of his so-called humor was original. So in the end we got to see a gala with classy magicians and a comedian with no class.

Saturday we slept in and had a late breakfast. Afterwards we headed to the dealers’ room where we caught up with a number of people and I ended up making a couple of purchases. We skipped the magic contest and explored what little of the town there was to see. At 2:30 we met up with Antonio, Carmen and two of the friends and we enjoyed a paella valenciana. From the restaurant we made our way to a 4:00 PM lecture by Dani DaOrtiz where he proceeded to explain the foundation on which a number of his effects were based. The bad news is that, for the most part, you have to be Dani to do Dani’s effects.

Saturday’s gala was a mixed bag. The first three acts were quite forgettable, but the final two performers, Miguel Puga and Norbert Ferré, saved the show and demonstrated why they are two of the finest performers in the world of magic.

This morning we slept in a bit and went down to breakfast. We asked the front desk to call for a cab to take us to the train station. Fortunately or unfortunately there was a miscommunication and the cab driver was taking us to the AVE station in Valencia and we wanted the train station that was ten minutes away from the hotel. In the end, we struck a bargain and he took us to our front door at a very reasonable price. Tomorrow is another dia festivo here in Valencia and we will use to rest and recover from what was a cold and rainy weekend.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Marty kaplan, Valencia | Leave a comment

Our Most Memorable Food Experience Ever!

Posted on April 4, 2013 by martykaplan

Thursday, April 4, 2013

How do you describe an experience that is indescribable? In this case, the text needs to be brief and the pictures abundant. Last night Salva, Raquel, Pepe, Jaime, Susan and I had dinner at Quique Dacosta Restaurante in Denia. It is a restaurant that has earned 3 Michelin stars and when one dines there it is more of an experience than a meal.

Quique Dacosta owns three restaurants here in the city of Valencia – Mercat Bar, Vuelve Carolina and El Poblet with El Poblet being the most formal dining space of the three. I would guess that all three restaurants are revenue producing, given the fact that they are almost always full and reservations are a must. Restaurante Quique Dacosta is a both a restaurant and food lab and is not open year-round. When it is closed that is when new ideas, new concepts and new dishes are perfected. The staff is enormous and the restaurant is not. There are two dining spaces, one that accommodates fifty diners and the other that seats forty. The wine cellar is enormous and holds some five thousand bottles and its monetary worth is close to incalculable. The sommelier, Antonio, was recently voted Spain’s best sommelier.

Pepe came by the house a little after 6:30 and the three of us headed to La Estación del Nord to catch a train for Algemesí where we would meet up with Salva and Raquel. We drove in Salva’s furgoneta to Pedreguer where we picked up Jaime and then it was on to Denia. We arrived a little after 8:30 and we finished our meal a little after 2:00 AM. In the course of the evening we sampled 45 dishes and I honestly cannot remember the number of different wines we sampled. I am attaching a copy of the menu and as you will no doubt surmise, this is probably the most expensive meal that we have ever had. That being said, this was the best food experience that we have ever had. Every dish was pleasing to the eye, as well as the taste buds. There indeed were a number of conceits that deceived the eye. For example, what appeared to be a black stone amidst a pile of black stones was in fact a gel filled with a Parmesan cream. The rose with which we began the meal had an edible center that one extracted with tongs. Many objects of nature accompanied the food on the plate and so it is fair to say that each dish had its own setting. It was like taking a trip through an enchanted forest of culinary delights.

In the course of our meal we had the opportunity to chat with Quique for a while and we discovered that his services are much in demand and that there are not enough hours in the day for him to do what he has to do. Pepe was the driver for our return journey. We dropped Jaime off in Pedreguer and Raquel in Algemesí. We were the third stop and when we walked through the door it was a little after 3:30. Today will be a day when we take life easy and I am sure we will be eating light all day.

Here is the menu and Susan’s pictures follow the text.