Sofa and wine: what more do you want?
Of all the rites, ceremonies and religious folklore scattered throughout this Spain of ours so sulky, it is without a doubt that of Padre Putas my favorite. It is that he has it all: Deep Castile, tits, carnaza, ham, sin, whores, students, a river and a priest . The thing is more or less as follows, during the Monday of waters -which coincides with the end of Lent, Father Putas (who was so called because his mission was to watch over, care for and attend to the harlots throughout the year) crossed with the lumis el Tormes to bring them back to Salamanca. He ended the week of fasting, began the revelry.
In Lent you could not eat hornazo (a charro empanada stuffed with chorizo, ham and loin; cloth) or practice with the prostitute carnal scenes of a Castilian and vicious Game of Thrones. Just deprivation and obedience. And of course, then what happens happens.
During this Holy Week that is so ours, the streets are stained with steps, lamentations and processions of faith. Of capiruchos, costaleros, Nazarenes and foreigners freaking out with La Pasión (20 Holy Week celebrations are considered of Tourist Interest). Also — let's be real — it's time to celebrate the “clumsy and obstinate spring”, the flowers and the first incandescent afternoons on the terraces. Of go outside, **pack and plant a couple more pins on the map**.
SEVILLE
Sevillian Holy Week is the quintessence of the paradox of lent: penitence and revelry , everything at once. You have to sin very hard with the Iberian ham at Restaurante Jaylu, the cuttlefish and coquinas at Enrique Becerra, the ortiguillas at Barbiana, the tartar at Juanjo López (amen) at No Kitchen and the bar at Bar Americano at Alfonso XIII.
Interior of No Kitchen, in Seville
MADRID
Why not Madrid? The terraces of Juan Bravo to the flag of consultants and pretty girls with their Zara dresses; the 9th floor of El Corte Inglés in Callao —it all started here— and that perfect sky with its tiles and acacias . It is time to visit new openings or renew vows: El Apartamento (tables, bars and friends) in Las Letras, the artichokes —what artichokes— by Meating, Nakeima, Kena by Luis Arévalo in or that carrot cake on the cuqui terrace in Saporem .
Meating artichokes
Plus? La Perrera, the new Perrito Faldero cocktail bar, the coolness of Punk Bach, Paco Morales in Altrapo, the one that the Sandovals are setting up in the Madrid Casino or, why not, go back to La Tasquita. You always have to come back to La Tasquita.
Free range chicken Chupa Chups
BARCELONA
Barcelona is unleashed. Never has the city of Barcelona had such a wild offer of hotels, restaurants, gastronomic concepts, cafeterias, bars and taverns. A good base of operations is Barceló Raval ( these views ) and from there explore Barcelona —because Barcelona has to be explored: say prayers to Hideki Matsuhisa at the Koy Shunka bar, devour the Tear peas with black truffle and smoked eel from Igueldo, the rice dishes from Barraca, the cakes from Federal in L´Eixample or the manhattans from Massimo La Rocca in the Ohla Boutique bar.
The pumpkin, orange and raisin plumcake from Federal Café.
THE HAUTE CUISINE ROUTE
The new season of Aponiente has us all awake —never better said, eh, Ángel León?, also that of Mugaritz (today the course starts after four months of research) as well as the new Dani García restaurant in Puente Romano , which opens its doors on April 15. The route must continue with Tomorrowland by Quique Dacosta, Nerua by Josean Alija, Tickets by Albert Adrià, our Ricard Camarena, Paco Pérez's naked kitchen in Miramar and the intimacy of Fina Puigdevall in Les Cols (what a setting). And it is that at the forefront you have to eat it.
Ticket Lounge Bar
SNOW
You have to take advantage: the snow season is over, so put a hat, gloves and skis —or a board— in the trunk and burn the tire towards Grandvalira , the largest station in southern Europe. At Easter, his thing is skiing (yes) but also take advantage of the sun's rays in one of the five terraces spread over the 118 slopes : Solanelles, L´Abarset, Gall de Bosc, Red Tapas and Cala Bassa. Champagne in the snow, I say yes.
One of the terraces of Grandvalira
SOFA
Peli, sofa, a cheese board and two glasses of wine. What else do you need ?
Champagne and snow: we say yes