This morning I arrived in Madrid. I’ll be here for work for the balance of the week and then plan to stay the weekend so I can explore the city as this is my first visit to Spain’s capital (and Spain for that matter). Definitely a beautiful morning to start off the trip...
The hotel that I’m staying at for work is a bit of a trip. It’s called the Puerta America and each floor was designed by (and named after) a famous architect / designer. (Given my complete lack of knowledge with respect to architecture / interior design, I’m not familiar with any of them.) I’m staying on the floor designed by Richard Gluckman, an architect from the U.S. Here are some pictures of the room.
Tonight I went out to dinner with colleagues and feel pretty comfortable confirming a claim that I had heard about Madrid prior to my arrival – i.e., that it has the best seafood in Spain. Given that Madrid is at the heart of the Iberian peninsula, I was a bit surprised to learn that the city is often referred to the “best port in Spain.” Apparently, the historical need to supply the city’s wealthy elite with fresh seafood has catapulted Madrid past its coastal rivals (e.g., Barcelona, San Sebastian).
We ate at a restaurant called La Trainera, which was recommended by a colleague who is from Madrid.
Over the course of the night we had tuna, mussels, clams, prawns, shrimp and many other delicacies from the sea that I’m forgetting. Everything was very simply prepared -- often with nothing more than a little butter, olive oil and lemon -- which allowed the natural flavors of the ocean to take center stage.
And the highlight: freshly grilled langostines – the “meat” from the tails was unbelievable. Unfortunately, I was too distracted by my hunger to take picture of them...
The hotel that I’m staying at for work is a bit of a trip. It’s called the Puerta America and each floor was designed by (and named after) a famous architect / designer. (Given my complete lack of knowledge with respect to architecture / interior design, I’m not familiar with any of them.) I’m staying on the floor designed by Richard Gluckman, an architect from the U.S. Here are some pictures of the room.
Tonight I went out to dinner with colleagues and feel pretty comfortable confirming a claim that I had heard about Madrid prior to my arrival – i.e., that it has the best seafood in Spain. Given that Madrid is at the heart of the Iberian peninsula, I was a bit surprised to learn that the city is often referred to the “best port in Spain.” Apparently, the historical need to supply the city’s wealthy elite with fresh seafood has catapulted Madrid past its coastal rivals (e.g., Barcelona, San Sebastian).
We ate at a restaurant called La Trainera, which was recommended by a colleague who is from Madrid.
Over the course of the night we had tuna, mussels, clams, prawns, shrimp and many other delicacies from the sea that I’m forgetting. Everything was very simply prepared -- often with nothing more than a little butter, olive oil and lemon -- which allowed the natural flavors of the ocean to take center stage.
And the highlight: freshly grilled langostines – the “meat” from the tails was unbelievable. Unfortunately, I was too distracted by my hunger to take picture of them...
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