80s Music and Mojitos

I would like to add another cool-wandering to my list of places to visit in La Latina.  If you are into some fine 80s classics, good ambience, an open air terrace, and a minty mojito then El Viajero may just be the place for you.  It almost seems as if the cafe slash restaurant slash lounge slash bar does not vertically end.  Reaching three stories high,each level of El Viajero has something different and exciting to offer. 

Upon entrance, if you are still not in the mood to quite let your guard down and forget that it´s Sunday, then sit down and enjoy some classic Spanish tapas while partaking in people watching (at El Viajero all different types of characters come together.)  On the first story, that would be the second story in the states, get ready to try one of the best mojitos La Latina has to offer accompanied by a retro song from Journey.  To top off the night climb to the last level of the bar to find a charming cantina on top of an open air terrace that offers some of the best, most magical views of Madrid.  This terrace is a bit too cold to enjoy during the winter time, but during the summer it is theee place to be.

Calle de la Cebada, 11

Enchanting...Dreamy...Hip

In the heart of one of Madrid´s most animated neighborhoods, La Latina, exists a very enchanting cafe...Within this eclectic yet classical cafe, you will find a vertical garden, a maze, and art nouveau-like pieces all wrapped up and splashed onto a minimalistic architectonic backdrop...No wonder it is called LA MUSA (THE MUSE) ;). 

In the mood for a café con leche or a copa de vino tinto?  At La Musa, the ambiance maintains an informal setting as it plays host to groups of friends, couples and faithful Sunday La Latina locals.  Long iron lamps hang from the ceiling to produce a dim light, making the setting even more intimate than it already is.  The focal point of the interior is the vertical garden that lies to the left of the entrance.  The interior decor is so unique that I myself felt like a modern Alice in Wonderland while sipping a cup of coffee one Sunday afternoon.

Come get lost in La Musa yourself if you feel like some classic tapas or a casual dinner.  You can find La Musa at plaza de la Paja,one of La Latina´s most quaint and less hectic spots to be!

                                         

                                       

Dim lighting and Rare art

Naive art: the artistic art movement characterized by ingenuity and spontaneity; the style is characterized by contrasting colors and designs, surreal, dream-like world, representations of childhood fantasies that strike a nostalgic chord

What could this all be about?

NAIF is just the name of this hidden treasure on the street of Santa Barbara in Malasaña.  The dim lighting actually welcomes the curious window peeker to step inside and spend a whole afternoon into this cozy cafe slash bar by sipping on a big cup of cappuccino or green tea.  The walls of the high ceilinged cafe are dappled with works of art by local naif artists of Madrid´s most eclectic and friendly neighborhood, Malasaña.  

Owner Jose María told me that the typical customer is usually the hard working and ambitious university student who will tend to come and spend hours working away.  Let me not forget to mention that the MacBooks and iPads of the modern young customer also add to the decor.  Naif seems to be an incubator of creative thoughts and ideas that stem from its surreal yet comforting environment that the typical customer cannot help but adore.  As you let your creative juices flow, don´t hesitate and order one of Naif´s gourmet snacks to keep you thinking away...everyone respects each other´s quiet time so don´t worry about the noise becoming a distraction.  Do you have an assignment due tomorrow? Grab your MacBook and come join the creative thinking forces at Naif.  A strong cup of cappuccino is waiting for you!

Tastes like sophistication

Being classy never goes out of style.

Seems to me that now-a-days art can be found not only on a canvas but in the kitchen, on the street, or in a brand that masters the art of the expresso.  Precisely, Nespresso is the brand that represents this sort of peculiar way of describing and discovering a different type of art.  The product itself, the rich, bold, exotic taste of the coffee reflects the brand values.  Values where the brand represents the sophisticated, elegant, and ambitious human being in today´s day and age.

Apart from the face of George Clooney or the strong taste of a coffee bean grown, roasted, and delicately shipped from Brazil, Nespresso has a variety of shops in which the product itself can be enjoyed (without charge) or purchased to have in one´s home.  The interior of the shop echoes a Romanesque type style of architecture juxtaposed with Nespresso´s´s own touch of modernity.  A step into the store transcends you into this sort of surreal, cosmopolitan, sophisticated world.  Think of the ancient Roman baths filled with the many diverse matte colors and sharp architectonic aspects of the shop that so characterize the Nespresso image.

In Madrid two of my favorite Nespresso shops can be found on Calle José Ortega y Gasset and Calle Velázquez.  

Crêpes from Paris in Madrid

Crêpes with nutella and banana...coconut and butter...cinnamon and sugar? Have you walked the streets of Paris in the fall and tasted the simple delicacy of the crêpes?  If not La Rue in Madrid can give you that same experience.  Loyal to its name in French which means "the street," La Rue is a small cafe with an intimate ambience created by French artisan products and dim lighting.  French music is played in the background while sipping a coffee with a croissant or a vanilla milkshake.  As expressed before, the crêpes are the most prized possession of this charming French cafe, salty or sweet.  Perhaps your next rendezvous shall be to La Rue! 
Calle Espíritu Santo 18

   

Classy yet sassy? Books and wine?

A glass of wine, a good read, or both...? Tipos Infames is the name of this vinoteca and librería located in Madrid´s most funky neighborhood Malasaña.  Are you in the mood to discover a new author or join a book club while at the same time be able to discover one of Spain´s most prized gastronomical treasures, wine?  Tipos Infames has come up with the most ingenious evaluation of pairing a glass of wine with not only classical literature, but also the most up and coming young authors.  A place like Tipos Infames invites you to be adventurous, to put aside the kindles and iPads for a moment and enjoy the traditional way of reading literature with a unique cultural twist.  Come be the next connoisseur of how literature can be curiously read.  Calle San Joaquin 3 

Simplicity is art...

Alejandro Montes, winner of the best and youngest pastry chef in Spain has opened up his very own tea salon in Madrid.  Mamá Framboise is the name of the cafe where quaint French country side Provence meets chic cosmopolitan Paris.  This young pastry chef originally from the north of Spain, Asturias, says that his pastry making is both an art and a sacrifice.  The delightful pastries set out on display are evidence to what Montes says.  Hot cinnamon tea, lemon tart, or a simple buttery french croissant may be something to tease your appetite at Mamá Framboise.  The decor is very appealing, very whimsical, and oh so very French,  oooh lala!  Come enjoy it for yourself and escape into Madrid´s very own charming French getaway on Calle de Fernando VI, 23.