Hi,
I leave for Madrid in some insanely short amount of time, I think 5 days. Anyway, a couple of very important questions/pleas for information:

1) Where can I hear live poetry readings in Madrid? Coffeeshops? If so, which ones?

2) Names of good bookstores (preferably those with a focus on modern writings, poetry, or women (or all 3!))

3) Anyone happen to be or know anyone interested in modern Spanish poetry written by women?

4) Where are some Internet cafes located?

5) Any information about hostels called Horizonte, Conchita, Mirentxu, or Pinariega? Or any other hostels where I can stay for 16 euros a day or less and be in the center of an artist's (well, writer's) scene, or just in the center of everything?

Alright, for any of you wondering where these bizarre questions are coming from, a little background info. to dispell some of the mystery:
I'm a student visiting Spain for the first time on a research grant given to me by my university. My research deals with local poetry by women. Anyway, I'm nervous but nonetheless very excited about my trip. If only I had reservations at a hostel for my stay, I might feel a little better! My goal is to not be homeless in Madrid...

Hi amberlynne! Welcome to our Spain-loving group!

I can't answer the questions on bookstores, poetry, or cybercafe (might try the "Spain Related Media" forum for that one) but as for the hostels, I know some has been posted on hostels Horizonte & Mirentxu and maybe even Pinariega , but don't think we've yet seen anything on Conchita . Be sure to use the SEARCH link above/right to find those.

I've visited and toured both Mirentxu and Horizonte though. Both in great locations and are family owned/operated hostels. I just love hostels and meeting and talking with the owners. They're (almost) always such REAL, down-to-earth, hardworking people that you have to admire them.

Be sure to sift through the other previous postings about other hostels in Madrid as well as throughout Spain if you're going outside the city. Have a great time!

Saludos, MadridMan

There is a marvelous women's bookstore, just off the Plaza Mayor on Calle San Cristobal 17--it's called, appropriately, Libreria de las Mujeres. In addition, to having a solid selection of female-authored texts and books on women's history, etc., I think it also serves as a kind of bulletin board/posting place for women's/feminist events. Enjoy!

Amberlyn,

There are a number of cybercafes everywhere in Madrid. I've been to two:

1. Just north of Puerta Sol, the easyEverything Internet Cafe is just south of Gran Via Metro and Calle Hortaleza on Calle Monterra, 10. It is open 24 hours, 7 days a week. I found it safe to walk in this area even late at night.
www.easyeverything.com

2. BBIG is on Calle Alcala, 21 also close to Sol. It is off Sevilla Metro.
www.bbigg.com

I hope this helps!
wyndyl

A couple more cyber cafes:

Cafe internet:
C/ luchana (the area of bilbao) if your walking towards the Plaza Chamberi (to the C/ santa engracia) it will be on your right hand side.
You pay for the time you use once you've finished. They have things posted in english there, but I don't know if anyone there actually speaks english-I don't need to know, so I never tried! Sorry! But they are nice and I don't know about now, but they used to give student discounts. Doesn't hurt for asking.

Cafe Carmen: Its close to the Corte Ingles music store and Zara on the Calle Fuencarral. If you're walking up, like to get to the movie theaters, its on again, the right hand side.

Cafe Comerical- a well know old-time cafe from back in the day, now has internet upstairs! Its on the corner of c/ fuencarral and C/ luchana. Right around the glorieta of bilbao. You can't miss it. You only pay for the time you're on (last time I went, it had coin machines-so you pay as you go, and don't have to go to anyone to pay when you're done. That could have changed, but I doubt it.)

Mercado Fuencarral- this next cyber cafe is on the bottom floor of the every trendy and cool Mercado Fuencarral. Its full of shops and puestos that have all sorts of unique and wonderful artisan crafts, clothing, jewlery.. also a good place to pick up pamphlets and papers on things that are going on with that crowd. Its located on the C/fuencarral between Luchana and Granvia. If you're walking towards the Granvia, it will be on your right hand side. Its in the building next to the Banco Santander and the mini plaza that has sprung up with your regular cafes and is a popular hang out. (I'd go to the Mercado Fuencarral just to check out the other shops too, its a pretty neat place! ) In this cafe you have to buy a drink or coffe though.

Oh! I forgot! You can always go to one of the work centers. There is one in San Bernado (right around the glorieta. again, you can't miss it, on one corner you'll see an IBERIA office and across the street is a Work Center.

Work Center is a chain kind of like a Kinkos.. people go there to use the computers, internet print and get things binded. There are several of them, you can always ask for where more are located. Its kind of expensive, but its all relevant to how much time you're going to be on... and you can print things out if you need to (which at many other internet places, you cant) usually there's a bit of a wait to pay once you've finished, but its fine. I think they're open 24/7 also, I don't know about all of them, but the one in San Bernardo is.

Also, look at Hostels in the Tribunal/ Chueca area. Its very artsy and trendy (but also so you know it is a homosexual friendly area- just letting you know so you won't be surprised or anything.) I don't know much about the hostels around the area, but there are LOTS of them. I have family that lives nearby and can tell you that aside from so much going on, the area although had been abandoned for some time, but they have made a huge effort the last few years and isn't bad like some people may remember it to be like say 10 years ago.

Hi, Amberlynne,

I sent you a private message but I'm not sure if it worked . . . I'll be in Madrid 5/23-26, and would enjoy having tapas with another English-speaking person--it's my first time in Spain, and I wouldn't mind company in a foreign country! Your research sounds interesting, and as a survivor of grad school in English lit., I can relate!

Xacara

FOR XACARA
Hi,
Please check your private messages, I responded to your message once I figured out how they work.
Cheers,
Amberlynne

[originally posted by amberlynne on 05-25-2002 at 07:50 AM...]

Well, as some of you may know from my previous post, I am in Madrid and currently studying comtemporary Spanish feminist poetry (as well as the museums, parks, shops, food, etc!!) The bookstore La Libreria de las Mujeres was great, found just what I needed. However, I really need to find local live readings. This would complete my project. I´ve come up empty handed so far on live poetry readings, any suggestions would be much appreciated.
Cheers,
Amberlynne