So I ask you, “  How do an ordinary  LA couple like Susan and Martin Kaplan end up at a “Cata de chocolate” at La Cuchara Mágica in Valencia, Spain?”  I guess that’s a long story that shows you never know just what will happen next.  In 1965, Marty and I got married in Salem, Massachusetts.  He was a graduate student at the University of Maryland and I took a job teaching Spanish at Hine Junior High School in Washington, DC.  As the completion of his studies neared, Marty received 2 job offers, one from Mount Holyoke College and one from Boston University.  While Mount Holyoke was the more prestigious school, we had both graduated from Boston University and both our families lived nearby.  Marty accepted the offer from Boston University.  To our dismay several weeks later the offer was withdrawn and the job search began anew.   We ended up in what I can only call “the armpit of the universe”, Buffalo, New York.

A typical Buffalo Winter Day

Marty accepted a position at the State College of New York at Buffalo and I began my graduate studies at the University of Buffalo.  After the birth of our daughter, Rachel, and a stay-at-home year, I was itching to get back to work, if only part time.  I accepted a job at Buffalo Seminary for girls.  (Yes, this all really does lead us to where we are today.)  At the end of 6 years with far too much snow and no tenure at the State College in sight, Marty was again looking for a position.  On the bulletin board at the Buffalo Seminary there was a listing of openings at private school.  We saw an opening at Foxcroft School for Girls in Virginia and Marty applied.  To our delight, 2 months later, we packed our bags and moved to 800 acres of Virginia heaven.

Foxcroft School

To be honest, almost anywhere would have been heaven after Buffalo.  However, Foxcroft in Middleburg, Virginia is really quite wonderful.  http://www.foxcroft.org/ Several years later Biff Smith, the new head of the English department arrived.  As it turned out Biff is an amazing pianist and magician.  Biff invited Marty to learn some magic. Marty, of course, was interested. I suspect you can see where this is going.

Ten years after our arrival at Foxcroft, we decided to move to California.  I came out first to do some job interviewing and look for a place to live.  One requirement, suggested in humor, was that we needed to live near a magic shop.  Well,  “Would You Believe” a costume and magic shop turned out to be a 10-minute walk from  our South Pasadena apartment.  Marty soon became a regular and met the local magicians.  Through them he was scheduled to audition for The Magic Castle membership.   magiccastle.com   Needless to say, the audition went well.  There he met a magician, Neil Lester, who produced magic cards.  Neil received an order from none other than our friend Pepe Monfort of Valencia.  Neil put Pepe in touch with Marty.  Thus a long friendship began.  Trips to Valencia became frequent and more extended. We eventually decided to apply for residency.   Marty is now an active participant in the magic scene of Valencia. This has given us the opportunity to enjoy several of the wonderful events at La Cuchara Mágica such as the Cata de Chocolate.

So I have two messages.  Thank you, Boston University for setting us on a different path.  And, enjoy each new event in your life.   You have no idea what unexpected experiences they may lead you to.

After a 2:00 AM bedtime, getting up for a Friday morning hair appointment was a bit of a challenge. Thursday evening we had a lovely dinner at the home of Brian and Ofelia and then made our way  to Café Mercedes to listen to some jazz.  www.cafemercedes.es .  The Jazzin Singers,featuring Teresa Luján, was excellent so we decided to stay for the 2^nd set that started at midnight.  Are we nuts or what?

Teresa Luján

Ofelia, Susan, Brian and Marty

After a quick coffee, I took a 40-minute walk to Espai Imatge to get rid of my very noticeable gray roots.  I just love Jorge, and the Salon.  It is so totally relaxing.  When it is shampoo time you sink into a white chair that gently massage your back as your hair is being washed.  It is quite, soft music is playing and nobody is in a rush.  Not only did I leave the salon 2 hours later with not a hint of gray, I was revived.  I then took another 40-minute walk home to meet Marty for a lunch.

Espai Imatge

Jorge

As it was nearly 3:00 by time I got home, we decided to just go across the street for a quick lunch at la Forcola.  When we got there, we got the last available table.  As we ate, a number of people arrived only to be turned away.  As always, the food was good and the staff attentive and good-natured.  After appetizers of a faro salad and a melted cheese with chorizo dish, I opted for simple pasta and Marty choose fish garnished with mussels and small shrimp.  We both had tiramisu for dessert.   With the hope that I’d go back to our place and take a nap, I had a cupito of limoncello.  Marty ordered a Sambuca, which came with an interesting coffee bean dispenser.  Who knew such things existed?

Queso Fundido con Chorizo

Coffee Bean Dispenser

Well, as usual, I didn’t managed to nap but did rest and read.  I finished 1Q84.  Enjoyed it, still not sure what it was really about.  Would love to hear what other people think.

At 10:30 PM we headed off to the Cuchara Magica for a Cata de Chocolate (Chocolate Tasting). Ruben da Silva Garcia, an award-winning bonbonero, spoke to us about the making of chocolate and demonstrated how to temper chocolate.  While listening to classical music, we then tasted a chocolate with passion fruit that was paired with a sweet wine.  Next was a chocolate with saffron and a hint of pepper paired with a dry white wine.  This was followed by the best turrón I have ever had paired with champagne.  And if that was enough we then had a mouse with layers of passion fruit, pepper, cherry.  What fun.

There is no such thing as too much chocolate!

Ruben Da Silva Garcia - Bonbonero

Passion Fruit, Pepper and Cherry

Bonbones

While I seem more than willing to shop for things for the house,  I am not crazy about clothes shopping for me.  However,  with the encouragement and company  of Zahava, I decided to meet the challenge of the day – finding a pair of boots.  It is clearly boot time here – whether for fashion or warmth.   Amazingly, I found the perfect boots on our second stop.  I decided to wear them out of the store and had them on my feet until past 11:00 PM.  No blisters, not pain –they really were perfect.  On to the Corte Ingles to find some tights.  What a selection.  We both finally made our choices and paid for our purchases.  At the Corte Ingles they generally give you an extra “receipt” with your purchase that entitles you to a discounted price in their cafeteria for the selected items of the day. I had always passed that up,  a mistake I will not make again.   Zahava and I went up to the top floor where there is not only a counter service area, a casual dining restaurant, a self-serve but also a fine dining restaurant and a child-care center.  They certainly have all the bases covered.  We sat at the counter and for 1 € apiece, Zahava and I had a caña (short beer) and 2 croquetas.  Just perfect for a little break.

Cañas y croquetas

We’d been at it for 2 ½ hours so I walked back to Zahava’s place, said my good-bye and called Marty to see if he’d like to meet me at Refugio.  He agreed and we caught up at La Plaza de Tossal.  We chose the menu of the day.  The salad held a bit of a surprise.  In the center there were chopped pistachio nuts, hazel nuts and walnuts.  Yummy!  We’d ordered tuna which  was served with soba noodles and a sauce with quite a zing to it.  Homemade vanilla and walnut ice cream and a very intense brownie were dessert choices.  We ordered one of each and shared – of course.  As we planned to go to a guitar concert in the evening we decided to go home and rest for a while.

Salad with a nutty surprise inside

Tuna with a Chipotle Sauce

We Shared

At 6:45 we were back on the street and heading to the Instituto Luis Vives where the concert was to be held.  On the way we noticed that the Christmas decorations were up at the Mercado Central and along the main streets.

The artist of the evening, Esteban Espinoza,  was a  very talented and award-winning young man from Chile.  His selections were varied, but mostly quite modern and from Latin America.  He played a Ginastera piece that was absolutely amazing.  Sitting in the front row gave us the opportunity to watch his finger work, which was incredible.

To end our day, we decided to stop by Ginger Loft for a drink, but stayed to chat with Mike and Santi and have a nibble as well.

Another Fabulous Santi Cocktail

Quesadillas