Las Rozas Village

I've never really been big on outlet shopping, I find the whole business a little stressful having to fight to find something that ends up not even being my size, but I have to admit, I quite liked my evening at Las Rozas Village.

El Ganso there is pretty good and could this top in Pepe jeans be any more perfect?

It's open late therefore you can escape the crowds and the options for relaxing are pretty good too. Definitely go to Lobby Café where everything is all British-acristocracy themed and look at the view from this bar de copas, 

All in all, if you're around there - granted it is quite far out of Madrid - it's a lovely place to be.

Fuencarral

Germán, my boyfriend, studies architecture. Because creativity is one of the key attributes students should be honing to be an architect, they are frequently given projects providing them with a lot of creative freedom. Last weekend, his project was to put together a video portraying street architecture but from an alternative perspective. He chose to film different people or different shoes walking on calle Fuencarral in Madrid both at night and daytime, as well as surrounded by crowds or completely alone.

So that's what Germán, María, Jaime and I spent our day doing. We looked like such freaks... however, in Malasaña (Madrid's Camden) the hipsters and other oddballs didn't really seem to notice us. Having oh so professionally taped an iPhone to a metal pole, we set off.

That trusty palo...

 

I feel like a verb we really lack in English is the very concise Spanish aprovechar, meaning 'to make the most of'. Anyway, aproveché, I took the opportunity to photograph the counterculture of such a dynamic area. The graffitied narrow streets tightly pack old school Spanish matchbox-sized shops or traditional churches, with tattoo parlours, vintage stores, artsy bars and a place selling the next newest *thing* (I saw quite a few bike shops so look out pedestrians - you don't want to get run over by a hipster).

We then hopped right back on the tourist route with a walk to Sol and the Plaza Mayor and then for a (slightly over-priced) glass of wine - or two or three - in Mercado de San Miguel. It's one of my favourite places for tapas in the city (think Spanishified Borough Market).

TGIF

The gorditos of my route home from work.

This seems to have become a routine thing, a rant about my exhaustion but I promise it won't be all I post about.

This week has been another stressful one, involving two trips to the bank in Las Rosas (the end of the earth for anyone who knows Madrid) as we were told it was the only bank which opened late (banks here are only open until 14.30 and only on weekdays!), only to be told that the only place we could open accounts was the bank in Sol which only opens until 18.30 - tight but do-able. So Maria managed to sort out her account and yesterday I journeyed my way over there on the bus and then Cercanías from school. I waited in line, filled in forms, photocopied everything... but guess what? They didn't give me an account and what is more can't fit me in - it's just for a signature - until Wednesday. Felt so meh leaving with absolutely nothing and no way to be paid at the end of this month... Spanish bureaucracy is idiotically slow.

Right, now that I've stopped angrily prattling on, I think I'll tell you about my job. So for those of you who don't know, I'm going to be here in Madrid until June as an English auxiliar or teaching assistant at a school, Trinity College in San Sebastián de los Reyes. I'm really enjoying it so far, I've been put with the little, little ones who are ages six and seven. They're level for English is impressive. Well, of course, it is a school in the bilingual programme but still, I love how they can communicate more or less. I mean if it's about their family or summer or school. However, with French I've been doing it for years and years, and am still a bit iffy when it comes to my school supplies.

Oh and they looove me. They're still in that stage where they just want to hug me, kiss me, make me little presents. This morning alone I was given a paper airplane and a cut-out heart.

Only disadvantage of my working day? It's not the heat, oh no, the lack of air con in the classrooms has nothing on waking up at six in the morning every day. As you know, I love sleeping that is not enough sleep for me. It's pitch black when I leave home to get a lift with teachers. Although it does mean I enjoy the sunrise every morning. Here is an awful picture of the morning's beautiful sky (blame both half asleep photographer and dirty windscreen).

Mario Testino is a god.

I recently refound this Vogue España photo on one of the adverts for VFNO which line the streets of Barrio de Salamanca. I love it. The homage to Spain, the rich brocade, expressive colours, and powerful poses, paired with this incredible lighting.

This is my persuasion to you all. Come visit me in Spain - and perhaps you can bag yourself a bullfighter.

Roomie's here

So my beautiful compañera de piso has moved in. She's mostly been taking care of me in my exhausted state, bringing me Elle and Cosmopolitan from good old England, cooking for me, cleaning the flat and buying me treats. I feel we're only one step away from her having to peel me off the floor. Well at least it's the weekend (woop). When she starts work in October, hopefully I can return the favour - or we might both just be zombies.

We look super social right now in Starbucks on Juan Bravo, both ladened with macbooks, ipads and brandishing our iPhones. What extremes we'd go to for free wifi I don't quite know... For the sake of those around us, let's just thank God for Starbucks.

Follow her blog, mariainmadrid for any updates on that front!

VFNO

Last Friday I really felt myself flagging at five o'clock in the afternoon having woken up at my usual 6.20am - yes... I know - for school after having gone to bed past one the night before. However, I was happy in my tiredness, either I'd gone crazy, delirious perhaps, or it was because I had had a great Thursday night. So it was Vogue Fashion's Night out in Madrid and right on my doorstep in Barrio de Salamanca.

I met up with a prep school friend who happens to be out here for uni and some of her friends, who were lovely. We had such a good time. Imagine four girls being given free wine, champagne and cocktails in beautiful Spanish shops - yep, it was heaven. At one point we even found ourself deciding what to have in our future-houses in Zara Home. Oh my God, how had I never properly been in that shop? GO.

The only disadvantage? It was absolutely packed. Although that did at to the ambiente. I don't know what VFNO is like in other countries - never having been to the one in London - but I was very impressed. Un buen comienzo al Year Abroad chicos.

EAT

I'm loving my year abroad mostly for how having the excuse to eat out a lot. Being in Madrid there's an incredible variety of choice. Yesterday I went to Sushi shop on Serrano and that's definitely one to try for Japanese food that's pretty good value. But for tapas (we are in Spain after all), my favourite has to be Lateral.

This is a video I came across on thirdyearabroad.com and I love the style and editing, especially the very beginning. Click here and make sure you take a look at their other videos, Move and Learn, as well.

Two of my favourite Spanish expressions mean eating yourself silly (tehe)

ponerse morado - literally make oneself purple

ponerse las botas - literally put on own's boots

Hopefully I don't come back the size of a house...