If you’re anything like me you can’t stand watching a dubbed film. Nearly all foreign films that arrive in Spain are dubbed, allowing the audience to sit back and pretend that the film actually is in Spanish, even though the voices are all off and the lips moving don’t match up with the sound. But [...]

As a general rule and as Julie suggests, when grocery shopping frequent the small shops, after all they’re part of what gives a big city its charm. However, sometimes, especially when trying to assuage the occasional bout of home sickness with a tried and true home-cooked meal, you need ingredients that go beyond the shelves [...]

SPECIALTY SHOPS: For fresh, affordable fruit, meats, seafood and bread, compare prices at competing fruterías (fruit and veg), charcuterías (delicatessen, ham, cheese etc), carnicerías (meat), pescaderías (fish) and panaderías (bread) in your neighborhood and at local mercado (market) stalls. Check the euro/kilo price at the specific supermarket section, but know that fruit is always cheapest [...]

Like to drink? Know someone who does? Then you should probably get to know Bodega Santa Cecilia. You won’t be sorry you did. The Bodega is essentially your one-stop alcohol shop. And more. Basically, it’s a very classy wine store, which also sells all kinds (literally) of liquors and liqueurs, mixers (including cranberry juice!), beers [...]

Another one that may be more useful for new residents than visitors to Madrid, but certainly worth knowing about! The Calle Barquillo is all about cheap TVs, stereos, microphones, DJ equipment, video cameras, mp3 players… just about anything you could want to watch, listen to or record with at home is here. There a are [...]

Madrid has more suitable venues to get steaming drunk in than the whole of Belgium… or Norway… or the rest of Europe put together (depending on who you listen to). And more ways to get plastered, as well. A night on the Fino? Rounding off the evening with one glass too many of Vermut de [...]