Madrid Musings: Mercado de San Miguel
One of my favorite "foodie" experiences during my trip to Madrid was visiting the Mercado de San Miguel. In fact, I enjoyed it so much, I went each day while I was there. The market reminded me of the West Side Market in Cleveland, but with serious Spanish flair. There are a variety of vendors (over 30, I believe) serving different tapas dishes, meats, sherry, and seafood. I didn't even know where to begin, so I just started wandering.
Madrid Musings: El Club Allard
Everyone has a story but I find the story of a chef to be particularly interesting. After reading several articles on El Club Allard, I knew I had to meet Chef Maria Marte. Her display of tenacity and perseverance is one for all to admire.
Madrid Musings: Street XO
As you all know by now, I am notorious for planning all of my vacations around food. Before I even made flight or hotel reservations for Madrid, I checked to see what Michelin star restaurants were in the area. Imagine my excitement when I discovered that there were 14 different restaurants with Michelin star rankings, and that doesn't even include the World's 50 Best list! Seeing how Diver XO and Alinea recently collaborated, it was one of the first places to research.
There’s no shortage of recommendations from Paris. The coveted reservations, the celebrated boutiques, the familiar addresses that seem to appear on EVERY social feed. And while many deserve a spot on the itinerary, some of the most memorable discoveries happen when you venture off the well-beaten path. For me, part of the pleasure of returning to a city is finding somewhere new to linger, an unexpected treasure to bring home, or an experience that offers fresh perspective on a place I thought I knew. After all, the best trips aren’t always defined by how many places you check off a list (something I have to remind myself of often), but by the discoveries you make along the way.