I love Madrid and I’m lucky enough to visit the city once every year or so, making actresses red-carpet friendly and generally keeping noses from shining.
On this occasion I stayed at the lovely Westin Palace (NY Times review here) on Plaza de Las Cortes.
I have happy memories of the hotel having spent a wonderful time promoting Salma Hayek’s movie ‘Frida’ years ago. It’s also next door to the Prado, which is presently housing a huge Chagall exhibition.
My journey to work on the first day of press with Jennifer Lawrence involved me walking a mere 2 doors right down the hotel’s hallway to Jennifer’s room where I was joined by Hairdresser Johnny Sapong (3 doors down) and our Spanish manicurist.
Jennifer was given a subtle ‘daytime-Bardot’ for her final day ever of answering Hunger-Game-related questions….and whilst waiting for her nose to shine and lips to dry, my I-Phone was a very welcome distraction from the sugary, refined carbs that surround every press junket.
Yikes, save me from the below
After post lunch touch-ups, Johnny & I were free to roam Madrid for a couple of hours, where more sins against my thighs merrily flaunted their deep-fried-beige-ness.
Thankfully there were other, less artery-busting points of interest on our leisurely stroll.
A vertical garden.
Before long it was red carpet time again so touch-ups, cars, cameras, security and vast crowds shouting ‘JENN- IF- FER’ ensued before she did a good 50 minutes of signature writing and smiling.
Well let me tell you, that was a whole lot of signing and smiling, which meant a whole lot of waiting for hairdresser Johnnie Sapong and I. Needless to say, calories were burned and we were all in need of some good old fashioned Spanish sustenance.
We headed straight to El Lando on the Plaza Gabriel Miro, a restaurant that, apparently, must not only be frequented by every actor visiting the city but also, a place they cannot leave until they’ve had their photo taken with the charismatic proprietor, Angel Gonzalez. Subsequently, the walls are literally lined with the mugshots Hollywood’s finest.
After eating about four dinners at once and allowing ourselves to be convinced by our Spanish hosts that numerous, traditional shots of liqueur were ‘digestifs’, we sailed next door to the unofficially-titled ‘Casa de la Flamenco‘; Corral de La Moreria.
Suddenly we entered the dark hush into a large dining room with a stage. The silent reverence given to the flamenco musicians sobered us into immediate attention, and we sat, intoxication relocating it’s mischievous spell from alcohol, to the delights of the dance.
Here’s a very LOW-FI film shot on my I-Phone, but you can still see these ladies busting some majestic moves..
You always post inspirational blogs. Beautiful dancers and in this summer fashion shades x