New York City beckons its Madrid-loving denizens!!!

Posted by: Bobster

New York City beckons its Madrid-loving denizens!!! - 11/26/02 07:26 PM

ALRIGHT YOU LAZY PEOPLE- it's time for me to get you all motivated again

I was thinking that we should have a dinner at the beginning of January. I know it's early but with people checking this message board infrequently (I haven't checked it since the beginning of September!) and holidays, I figured I'd give you all a heads up.

What do you guys think? Xunta was fabulous, but maybe we can try something else out in the city... give me some feedback guys, and I'm sure we can get even more than the 15 or so people that came last time!

Hope to hear from you all soon!

Best,
Bobby
Posted by: caminante

Re: New York City beckons its Madrid-loving denizens!!! - 11/26/02 10:21 PM

Bobster - thanks for getting it started again. I'm in!!!
Posted by: esperanza

Re: New York City beckons its Madrid-loving denizens!!! - 11/30/02 03:16 PM

sounds wonderful...let's start planning! BTW: has anyone heard from Jill? How is she doing in Madrid?
smile
Posted by: JoeSambuca

Re: New York City beckons its Madrid-loving denizens!!! - 11/30/02 09:12 PM

Hey guys I'm also in, I've been to a nice tapas place on the west side called Riazor
(I believe its on W16 or 19th)

Foods great and they can fit large groups easily.

SO what dates are we talking about really?

I saw Jill in Madrid in October. She seemed well but she was still adjusting. Haven't heard from her since then????
Posted by: Bobster

Re: New York City beckons its Madrid-loving denizens!!! - 12/01/02 06:17 PM

I've heard good things about Riazor- actually passed by it a couple weeks ago- it's on W16th Street. Definite possibility...

Christmas and New Year's is a very uncertain time for me, predominantly because I am considering exploring other career opportunities. I'm sure other people also have hectic beginning-of-year schedules. I would say that the best time to have the get-together would be the end of Jan/begining of Feb, possibly Jan 25th or Feb 1.

In the meanwhile I look forward to hearing more about spanish-related events in NYC like the exhibit and wine store that esperanza posted info about. BTW, I went to Divine Bar on E51st last night- great wine selection and amazing beers!

What do you guys think about those weekends?

~ Bobby
Posted by: Melinda328

Re: New York City beckons its Madrid-loving denizens!!! - 12/08/02 07:37 PM

I'm new around here, but I would LOVE to meet other people in New York who love Spain as much as I do. My friends literally turn away when I speak about it... I miss it so much!! But I'm going to be there in 11 days so I'm not going to complain to much... I come back December 31 and with the exception of Monday nights (I do volunteer work teaching English), I'm pretty free until the second week of January.

Melinda
Posted by: Bobster

Re: New York City beckons its Madrid-loving denizens!!! - 12/12/02 02:46 AM

Welcome to the group Melinda! How did you fall in love with Spain? Did you study or travel there?

Ok well I'm definitely going to be moving either to NYC or a lot closer... I just quit my job with Pepsi in Connecticut!!! (actually gave 2 weeks notice), so I am looking to be nearer to NYC while I search for a job- my friends think I'm insane for quitting in this economy, but hey, I'm 22 and I can't let myself stay in a dead-end job...

Anyway, how does January 25th sound to all of you? Joe Sambuca and I will arrange everything, we just need to get some more interest around here!!! Caminante, you're in charge of PR!!!

~ Bobby
Posted by: Melinda328

Re: New York City beckons its Madrid-loving denizens!!! - 12/12/02 10:59 AM

Hello!
Though I've been interested in Spain for years, my true passion for it came after studying there a semester last year.

My best friend is Galician and lives in a small village outside Vigo (you can actually see it on the Baiona webcam!). She helped me through every step of getting ready to go there and I spent two and a half weeks with her before the semester started and another week in the middle.

When I came home, I missed Spain so much. I found the people so friendly, so eager to accept me and just so in love with life in general. I loved everything about the country and I miss it so much. I go back in 1 week for a trip I really can't afford, but it's important to my personal sanity so I'm going.

I support your decision in quitting!! My friends all think I'm insane for leaving the country to attempt to teach in Spain when the city is desperate for teachers - especially teachers with a bilingual extension. But happiness should always come before money! At least for me it does... I'd rather be making $100 a week and walking along the coast of Cantabria to get to work than $1000 a week and shoving through tourists in Times Square. Good luck with finding a job here!!

Melinda
(Oh, I'm 22 as well)
Posted by: JoeSambuca

Re: New York City beckons its Madrid-loving denizens!!! - 12/12/02 10:10 PM

Melinda,

All I can say is Ole!!!
life's short... lets enjoy it. right Bobby R!!
Posted by: Bobster

Re: New York City beckons its Madrid-loving denizens!!! - 12/12/02 10:40 PM

Ok Rich, quick thought- remember when you mentioned a couple weekends ago that you were planning on going to Madrid over New Years? Is that still happening or was that just the result of too many rum and cokes? (oops, I mean rum and pepsi!) Call me crazy (and believe me a lot of people do) but I seem to be free at the end of the month... tell me what you're thinking and maybe we can paint the town roja together...

Melinda, I'm with you 100. What cities are you planning on visiting? I loved the north of spain when I went with my friends on a road trip during my study abroad... I completely understand how you feel... Have a great trip- salud, pesetas, y pulpo a la gallega!
Posted by: fmiketheman

Re: New York City beckons its Madrid-loving denizens!!! - 12/13/02 04:23 AM

bobby

pesetas?just to correct you there called euros now
sadly the money currency in spain has lost its identity but what the heck at least were better off with euros.right?oh and melinda i feel the same way you do though i have forcedfully learned more patience for visiting spain because of the fact that it costs a fortune to visit spain or any part of the old world for that matter from here in new york.
bye now you notice that im a new yorker(only by residence)i was born in cuba came to butternut wisconsin in 1981 eek then in 1990 came to new york to queens to be more specific.my father is from ortigueira,galicia,spain and my mom is cuban and my grandmother is from the maragateria region of leon in astorga i also have asturian and FRENCH blood in me too.STILL i cant come to this party because of strict parental control in my home(only to the point that i cant go to another borough by myself)though one time i rebelled and went to brooklyn by myself and returned at night. eek eek laugh
adios from new york city wink laugh
Posted by: Melinda328

Re: New York City beckons its Madrid-loving denizens!!! - 12/13/02 09:18 AM

See I hoard all my money and never go out so I can go to Spain. And I've made a lot of Spanish friends in the past year or so that are always offering me a place to stay so basically it ends up that I only have to pay for the plane ticket and whatever I want to do there, which isn't much if you go in this off-season. But I paid a fortune to go on the 19th, due to Christmas smirk

I'll be in Madrid and surrounding areas for a few days. I really want to get out to Segovia and Toledo, but it really depends on the friend I'm staying with because I feel kind of bad ditching her for half my time there when I'm staying in her apartment. Then I'm going north to Galicia to visit my best friend who lives in Nigran. If you go to the Galicia webcams, open the Baiona Bay one - her town is that beach on the right - Praia America. We'll spend Christmas in Ourense and visit with friends in Vigo and Santiago as well. We were going to take a trip up to A Coruna and el Ferrol, but I think we'll wait until next time due to la marea negra. Then it's back to Madrid for two more days. My friend from Sevilla is coming up to visit me so that should be fun... And on Nochevieja I travel back to New York to be with my godmother at midnight.

As for cities I've already visited in the north:
Galicia: more towns in southern Galicia than I could possibly name... Just take out a map and circle everything on the coast LOL.
Cantabria: Santander, San Vicente de la Barquera
Catalunya: Barcelona, Lloret de Mar

One day I'll learn how to drive and do a roadtrip across the north of Spain... I'll just have to find someone to drag with me!

O, and no pulpo a la gallega this Christmas... Or any seafood... too expensive now frown

Melinda
Posted by: JoeSambuca

Re: New York City beckons its Madrid-loving denizens!!! - 12/13/02 09:17 PM

Dude!
I'm about to buy the tickets just waiting for the bonus check to clear.....oh just come Bobby!!!

Everyone that thinks Bobby should go say so !!!!!!
Posted by: Bobster

Re: New York City beckons its Madrid-loving denizens!!! - 12/15/02 06:15 PM

la marea negra? Is that the petroleum leak, or is it something else? I gotta start reading spanish news... any good sites you guys recommend?

A Coruna is awesome- definitely go there when you get a chance. I think that was the highlight of our Northern Spain drive... maybe if we end up in Spain at the same time one day, we can do that drive. What do you mean, learn to drive? You mean stick shift or just drive in general? We taught our friend how to drive a stick in 10 minutes, and he drove for the next 150 miles, so it's pretty easy to learn.

If you go to Segovia, make sure you get the cochinillo... the roman aquaducts there are amazing too...

Richie Rich, Madrid seems tough right now... I have to move apartments at month-end and my sister is in town as well around New Years. I'm going up to Boston tomorrow for a couple days on business, but I'll keep you updated. Awesome mojitos last night, tried to ring you up- you got a cell phone?