This month, we dive into the world of trilingual artist, rockstar, educationist, mother of 3 boys (including twins) who has a deep interest in personal growth….Dolores Gage.
1. Where are you from and what brought you to Madrid?
I was born in London and attended the Lycée Français but spent my childhood travelling between France (visiting my Anglo-American paternal grandparents), and Spain (visiting my Spanish maternal grandmother and relations). Growing up trilingual has made me feel truly international.
A job in branding brought me to Madrid in 1998 although my husband Pedro was subsequently posted to Britain. We then spent 10 years as expats there and in the Netherlands, returning to Spain in 2015.
2. How did you become a ceramic artist?
Working with my hands has been my lifelong passion, whether it be photography, weaving, batik printmaking or woodcarving. When it came to designing and building our first home here together, Pedro challenged me to sculpt a unique basin that would fit in with our Mediterranean style. My first sculptural basin was born, “Hands”, inspired by a project I’d presented for my Diploma in Art & Design Studies in London. I now make sculptural basins, paintings, tableware and decorative objects and also teach creativity through pottery. As the INC members in my classes know, I love to put people back in touch with their own creative energy and working with clay also provides a great common theme around which expats/Spaniards alike can socialise together.
3. Tell us about the MA you did in International Education & Bilingualism
In this fast-changing world, education systems that focus solely on transmitting content are not serving our children or society effectively. Arguably, such systems stifle children’s natural curiosity, guiding them away from individuality towards conformity.
The M.A. was fascinating because it focused on educational best practices drawn from the latest research in neuroscience, psychology and education highlighting the need to develop students’ individual talents and interests, as well as their social, emotional and thinking skills, to become lifelong learners.
4. How did you get into a rock band?
Last year, I was approached by a talent scout looking for the next winners of the MTV Mothers of Rock Award! This led to a group of five ‘game for a laugh’ mums getting together and ‘Moms N’ Roses’ was formed! None of us had any prior instrumental experience; I ended up playing the bass guitar, which I now love. Admittedly, it can be both exciting and terrifying on stage so we “hide” behind crazy wigs and sunglasses!
5. You fit many passions into your life, are you a real life Superwoman?
Not at all! I think it’s more a question of my “Carpe Diem” attitude to life that has enabled me to make the most of opportunities.
Life has also taught me that it’s the sense of connection that gives meaning to life: spiritual connection to a higher power (our faith), internal connection to the source of one’s energy (our passions and talents), emotional connection to one’s support network (our family and friends)… So it is in fact the pursuit of those passions that gives me the energy to do what I do.
Ready for a restaurant that has a little bit of everything? Local friends of ours took us to dinner at El Jardín de la Máquina (http://eljardindelamaquina.es/#)where we were impressed by the atmosphere and the food. The restaurant is located at Avda. Victoria s/n – 28023 Madrid. And yes – there is valet parking and a coat check!! I highly recommend making reservations!
What I loved is that the restaurant is broken down into several areas so you never feel you are in an overcrowded restaurant. One glance at the kitchen though and the size and fast pace of the chefs lets you know that they are feeding a lot of people! We started off at the bar while waiting for our friends (we lucked out and the babysitter came early so we were out the door). The drinks were delicious and several people were enjoying tapas and drinks sitting around the bar.
We wandered around the restaurant with our friends upon their arrival and they gave us a tour from a small dining room for just your party, to a more intimate cozy area to enjoy your food and conversation to a larger lively area to laugh and enjoy the food. As it is still cold there was no one in the gardens or terrace but we ventured a look and both areas looked gorgeous. As a mother I was excited to hear that on Sundays the kids roam the gardens happily and are entertained in the kid’s corner (actually a large room with toys, face painting, video games and movies – you can be sure we will be visiting on a Sunday with kids in tow!) During the summer months I have been told that the upstairs floor turns into a bar with dancing – yes we will be going back and I will let you know!
The food was right inline with the rest of the restaurant – tasty and filling. We ordered several dishes to share and it seemed the food kept coming. They have many specials depending on the season – we greatly enjoyed the seafood dishes especially but they have a wide range from rices to meats too!
From the moment we were greeted until the moment they helped us with our coats and returned us to our cars – the service was impeccable. The staff was friendly and happy to accommodate our requests efficiently (including moving a spotlight so it didn’t hit our dear friend in the eyes). Enjoy!
So about a year ago I took a wonderful Middle eastern cooking class with Key2Spain (http://www.key2spain.com). A couple days later I hosted an INC coffee and served the Mint Lemonade. Since then I have been promising to share the recipe ….. so today is the day!
1/3 cup sugar
2 1/2 water
3/4 cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed is the best)
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
Directions:
On stove, combine sugar and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil. Stir until sugar has dissolved completely. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
Combine syrup (from step 1), remaining water, lemon juice and mint in a blender. Blend on high until mixture in completely combined and liquefied.
Serve over ice (if there are still large pieces of mint leaves you may want to strain them out).
I love going into downtown Madrid, but every once in awhile my husband and I prefer to have a quiet night close to home. Unlike Madrid, the restaurants start to fill up earlier and close a lot sooner. Luckily there are numerous restaurants and a few with nice outside dining too!
We recently tried En Copa de Balon (http://aravaca.encopadebalon.com), which actually has a few locations. We visited the one in Aravaca located at Av. de Valdemarín, 165, 28023 Madrid.
At lunch time you can walk off the street and normally find a table – although when the weather is nice the patio does fill up quickly. At night I highly recommend making a reservation. The tables are usually packed and even finding a place at the bar can be difficult. As the night goes on the music gets turned up and the atmosphere is lively.
The menu has a variety of delicious appetizers and meals to choose from to satisfy your cravings. I personally think very highly of their sushi and their hamburger – two very different meals but both equally appetizing. Their wine menu is quite extensive and their cocktails are not to be missed. Enjoy!!
I don’t have anything interesting to post this week so I’ve decided to post another recipe. This is one of those cheat recipe’s that’s easy but taste’s good. The “crust”, if I can call it that, comes from the crushed biscuits that have been soaked in milk. In Australia, we use Sao biscuits but here in Madrid I use, “Barber – Cream Crackers” but you can use any savory cracker that you wish. Also, you can change the ingredients to suit your taste. You can replace the bacon with tuna and add different vegetables. Serve warm or chilled – a great picnic dish.
2 cups grated tasty cheese (or you can use a different cheese)
2 tblsp chopped parsley
3 x 59g eggs beaten
Grease a 20cm x 30cm rectangular dish. Pour milk over crushed biscuits in a large bowl, cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until biscuits are softened. Mash with a fork to break up any remaining lumps.
Add bacon, grated carrot, grated cheese, chopped parsley (and any other preferred vegetables) and eggs to softened biscuits and mix well.
Spread mixture into prepared dish and bake in an 180 C deg preheated oven for 30-40 minutes or until set and golden. Stand for 10 minutes before cutting into squares. Serve with a leafy salad.
This week I’m posting a recipe. I make these sausage rolls often here in Spain for morning teas and cocktail functions. They are a very popular snack food in Australia. They’re sold at schools, at every sporting event, and in every bakery. I guess they’re a little like an Aussie version of an empanada – only different. Also, kids love these!
I wish I’d taken a photo the last time I made them, with the little Aussie toothpick flags stuck in (I know, a little kitsch but good fun). You can look up plenty of images on the internet if you want to see what they look like before you make them.
Olive oil
2 — slices bread, crusts removed
150g — minced pork (preferably twice-minced. It should be smooth)
1 Tablespoon — tomato relish, chutney or ketchup
Salt and black pepper
2 x 30 cm squares of pre-bought puff pastry (in Spain this is called “hojaldre” you can find it in the fridge section)
Egg wash
Poppy seeds or sesame seeds to sprinkle on top (optional)
METHOD:
Preheat oven to 200 Deg C and lightly oil a baking tray (or use baking paper).
Soak bread in water until soft, then squeeze out all moisture.
Mix bread with minced pork, tomato relish and season with plenty of salt and pepper.
Cut each pastry sheet into 3 x 10cm wide strips and brush edges with water.
Spoon a third of the pork mixture along each strip and fold over to enclose, pinching edges to seal.
Place on prepared tray and prick top with a fork a couple of times. Using a sharp knife, cut each filled pastry strip into four (or smaller if making for a cocktail event).
Brush tops with egg wash and sprinkle with seeds, then bake in the oven for 15 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool a little before eating. Serve with tomato and/or sweet chili sauce.
I hope everyone had a fabulous Christmas and you’re all gearing up for the New Year celebrations! I’ve taken a couple of weeks respite from the blog over Navidad as we’ve had loads of visitors and a house full for Christmas lunch.
We decided to take a little road trip between Christmas and New Year to visit friends in Portugal and take in some of the sights on the way. This week has us in Mérida, a lovely city in Extremadura. It was founded by the Romans in the first century B.C. and has some fabulously interesting Roman remains.
There is the Teatro Romano, which is still used today and is an impressive example of Roman architecture and general cleverness.
Visit the ancient Amphitheatre and learn about the various gladiators who entertained the crowd thousands of years ago.
The ancient Puente Romano, a 792m bridge spanning the Rio Guadiana is the longest Roman bridge still standing.
There are numerous temples and structures that demonstrate just how forward and industrious the Romans were.
A house located on what used to be the outskirts of town shows an impressive example of how the Romans used to live. You can also see the remains of some frescos and mosaic floors. About 500 meters from here is an ancient burial site!! This was extremely interesting. You can see various head stones, some of which still
bear the inscriptions and you’ll get a general idea of how the Romans used to prepare their dead for burial.
Alcazaba, built in 835 A.D. by the Arabs to control the city is also a must see!
There is a train station not far from the old part of the city and plenty of good hotels. We stayed in the Parador, which has been converted from an old convent and is in and of itself a historical delight.
I recommend purchasing the complete tour ticket, which gives you entry into many of the Roman remains.
Mérida is jam packed with history, fabulous architecture and beauty – it truly is a MUST SEE!
We have something a little different for you this week. Our fellow INC member, Marjorie Kanter is sharing with us some of her creative work. Marjorie is currently working on adapting some of her work into Spanish and in that process, she is working with native Spanish speakers who give input to drafts that she shares with them to help her get them just right. A number of Spanish INC members are currently meeting with her as well as other native speakers to participate in this process.
Many of these pieces are influenced by her time in Spain.
Periodically, Marjorie will be sharing other entries with us which are to be included in her projected book, Historias para la espera.
The Napkin
When he sat down he asked for a napkin.
He asked again when he ordered his meal.
He did it again when the wine and bread were served
and still again
when the first course was placed in front of him.
A glow formed on his lips as he began to eat.
He called to the waiter and asked (still) another time.
The shine spread and then began to drip.
He carefully took a look around the room
just before he picked up
a corner of the tablecloth and wiped his mouth
(more than once).
-Originally published in ‘I displace the air as I walk.”, 2004.
(La) Servilleta
Cuando se sentó,
pidió una servilleta.
La pidió de nuevo,
al elegir los platos.
Lo hizo otra vez,
cuando le sirvieron
el vino, el pan (y)
otra vez cuando
le sirvieron
el primer plato.
(Al-empezar-a-comer)…
apareció un pequeño resplandor
en sus labios.
Llamó al camarero.
Sin éxito… repitió su petición.
El brillo creció y empezó a gotear.
Cuidadosamente, echó
un vistazo por (todo) el salón
justo antes de levantar
la punta del mantel
y limpiarse
(más de una vez.)
-Originally published in “I displace the air as I walk” and a working version in Spanish-
Marjorie Kanter is an author of short literary pieces and trainer in creativity and writing. margiekanter@gmail.com www.elasunto.com/mkd.htm
As I’m away this week in Rome to attend some events and take a bit of cheeky time out with a couple of girlfriends with a trip to Florence, I have to post something quick. This is why I’ve opted to be a little bit lazy and post a recipe. Hopefully next week I’ll have some interesting things to post about my time in Rome (I seem to be spending more time here than in Madrid recently!).
This is a version of chow mien that I threw together one evening and have been making ever since. Don’t let the list of ingredients fool you, it is very easy.
I use metric. I have no idea what ounces and pounds are – sorry.
500 – 600g Lean pork, beef or chicken mince (pork is best)
1 tablespoon oil
1 onion diced
1 carrot grated
2 sticks celery diced
½ capsicum diced
Cabbage shredded
2 garlic cloves crushed
2 heaped teaspoons grated ginger
2 tablespoons sherry or Chinese rice wine
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
½ tablespoon sesame oil
½ teaspoon Chinese five spice powder (or to taste)
½ to 1 cup chicken stock
Noodles to serve (I use Chang’s long life noodles but any work well)
Brown mince in a wok or fry pan and set aside, add oil and sauté onion and celery until soft.
Add capsicum and carrot to onion and sauté stirring for 2 minutes then add ginger and garlic and sauté for a further 2 minutes. Add sherry or rice wine to pan and cook for 2 minutes then add mince and five spice powder.
Add all the sauces (except sesame oil) to mince and cook stirring for 20 – 30 minutes, add cabbage and sesame oil 5 minutes before serving, adding more soy sauce and stock to taste (you don’t want the chow mien to be too dry).
Cook your favourite noodles then top with the chow mien or add the ‘Chang’s Long Life Noodles’ to the chow mien before serving and top with some left over noodles to add crunch.
Okay, we have all seen those huge, noisy indoor playgrounds with a million kids running around screaming and shrieking. Before having kids I often wondered why parents would take their children to one of these places, now as a mother I completely understand. As I sit quietly at my table, as an experienced mother easily blocking out the noise but remaining tuned in for the shrieks of my own children, I look around myself and see other mothers and fathers doing the same. Some quietly sipping a cup of coffee, some with heads nodding as they are trying to makeup for a few minutes of sleep robbed from the night before by those now happily playing children, some working on computers, and others catching up with friends, family and spouses.
Now you may wonder why I am writing about one of these places, for the fast approaching Holidays I am giving you a gem of a place to give yourself a break. For your own children, nieces, nephews or grandchildren – go have a quiet moment (or not so quiet) or have an actual conversation with other adults while the kids get the energy out.
On the outskirts of Madrid, in Pozuelo, is the place for you. The Magic Forest (http://www.magicforest.es) is located directly next to the movie theaters in Cuidad de La Imagen. Important to remember when you are preparing to go, they highly recommend pants or shorts (no dresses or skirts) so the kids can happily go down the slides and toboggans. All kids must also have socks to enter – they do sell them there in case anyone forgets theirs.
They have two areas within The Magic Forest – one for the little ones (3 and under) and the second area for (4-12 year olds). And yes, you can even leave your children playing there while you go to the movies!
Or if you prefer to sit while the kids are playing, there are plenty of tables to relax in and even a restaurant located within the building. And what could be better then sitting and having a snack while being able to see your children on one of the big televisions playing happily?