Much to the dismay of my bank manager, it’s a given that I spend pretty much all my cash on fashion and food. (Sorry if you’re reading this folks, I promise the odd tenner gets bunged into savings). My monthly bank statement often reads like a roll call of where to shop and where to eat, but having bought a pad last year, there’s definitely been a shift in my spends – from fashion to furniture and more noteworthy, given the theme of this post, now to flowers.

Over the past year I have gone hard on nesting. There’s no such thing as too many cushions or candles in my book, and blooms have become a weekly indulgence that I now pick up with the same level of regularity as I do milk, almond of course. This has largely been encouraged by the fabulous florist that’s now within walking distance of my casa, Botanyco.

In a city which is often lacking in much other than fairly insipid-looking florals, Botanyco is a haven for flower fans and has real pavement appeal. For a start, the shop itself is stunning. You almost feel like you’re entering into someone’s gorgeous garden thanks to the patio area at the back that’s cutely concealed from street view.

Now if you like your flowers, this is your one-stop shop. They whip up bouquets, stock insta-friendly blooms such as peonies (it can’t just be my ‘gram feed that’s littered with them come May time) and there’s a collection of cacti that wouldn’t be out of place in the desert.

I’ve often nipped in to pick up a last-minute gift that always surpasses the price tag. Don’t get me wrong, the flowers aren’t cheap, but this is a swish little spot where you can sit and enjoy a coffee post shop on the house.

I’m often berated by friends and fam for what on the surface might appear to be a rather frivolous and costly habit, my response – stop and smell the flowers, quite literally. Who doesn’t love walking into their piso to find a pretty little posey and of all the things that I splash the cash on (of which there are a few), a bunch of blooms that spark joy is not what’s going to break the bank.

In addition to being your neighborhood florist, Botanyco supplies flowers for events – weddings and the like. And if you fancy yourself as a frustrated florist in the making, they even do classes on weekday evenings where they’ll teach you the tricks of the trade. It’s a blooming lovely spot (sorry, couldn’t resist the pun) and I urge you to not leaf it out on your to-do list.

Botanyco

• Website, Facebook & Instagram: @botanyco_
• Address: Calle Santa Engracía, 59
• Metro: Iglesias

The Shave Club can be described in three words: quality, expertise and rejuvenation.

This gentlemen’s club aims to provide the modern and fashionable men residing in Madrid with an upscale and personalized experience. With three locations in the Spanish capital (Chueca, Moncloa and Salamanca), each and every barbershop offers top-of-the-line services and treatments—you’re guaranteed to leave looking fresh on the outside and refreshed on the inside.

The Shave Club’s mission is to create a warm and welcoming place where customers can relax and feel rejuvenated… and they undoubtedly have done this. Specializing in shaving and haircuts, this barbershop goes above and beyond by also offering spa treatments, which include facials and massages, as well as body-cleansing and anti-aging treatments. Their English and Spanish-speaking staff is nothing but friendly, ready to treat your every need and give you an experience like no other. 

Aligned with its dedication to quality and excellence, the barbershop also has its own e-store, where customers can purchase the products used during their treatments, shaves and haircuts. These products are one-of-a-kind, as they are made with all natural products and ingredients in a laboratory in the U.K. Not only do they make you look and feel better, but your body will thank you for using all natural, paraben- and sulfate-free products. Your animal friends will thank you too, as these products are cruelty free.

I was fortunate enough to visit The Shave Club location in Chueca, right on Calle Libertad. The quaint space is sleek, with welcoming decor and an even more welcoming staff. I also was shocked by the smell of cleanliness that made its way throughout the shop, only to be later informed that the air is specially treated implementing the same chemicals used to clean towels as well as equipment.

Alejandro, the barber who provided me with my experience, was not only professional, but he also used his expertise to provide me with the best haircut for my hair type and head shape. Apart from some small talk and a few laughs, it was a relaxing experience, which ended with the use of The Shave Club’s own coconut-infused hair wax.

Looking ahead, The Shave Club has big plans. They hope to continue opening locations in Madrid, throughout Spain and beyond. Their goal: to establish a network of men’s social clubs where customers can go to relax and enjoy different treatments, reflecting the traditional gentlemen’s clubs of yesteryear.  

If you’re looking to get a fresh cut and to take a step back from reality and forget the stresses of work and life in general, then you need to check out The Shave Club, which definitely ranks in my top-5 barber experiences here in Madrid. 

It may not seem like a top priority to treat yourself with high-quality spa, hair and facial treatments; however, it’s more than simply making sure you look good. It’s feeling good from the inside out, knowing you took the time to step away from your everyday schedule to spend time on yourself—and there’s no better place to do this than at The Shave Club.

The Shave Club

Follow the Shave Club on Facebook and on Instagram (@shavemadrid). You can also check out their online store and book your next appointment on their website.

By Kyler Canastra (IG: @k_canastra)

When people ask me what it is that I miss the most about living in Paris, my surprising answer is always this: its Vietnamese food. The banh mi sandwich was the base of my diet when I was a broke student and NGO intern, due to its budget-friendly and savory nature.

Banh mi sandwiches are a product of French colonialism introducing the Vietnamese people to the baguette, who then proceeded to stuff it with julienned daikon radish and carrots, cucumber, pate, cilantro, mayonnaise, sriracha, and, of course, chicken or pork belly with the latter option being the most traditional version.

Hand model: James Stiles

These gems are served at hole-in-the-wall establishments that I noticed would often go unnamed and without any branding. For the longest time, the monopoly over my beloved sandwich in Madrid was controlled by a sleek and modern hipster eatery in Malasaña called the Big Banh, which has since closed its doors. The Big Banh prioritized the presentation of its product to justify it being costly. After they shut down operations, there was a baguette-shaped void in my heart until one day when walking to La Latina from Lavapies I walked by what looked like a normal Asian-owned alimentación and panadería that caught my attention for a sticker on its windows that said: “Traditional Banh Mi Here.”

Juan assembling banh mi for hungry consumers

I investigated the next day with high hopes and was not disappointed. The owner and sandwich artist is a long-term resident of Madrid who has adopted the name Juan during his 40 years of living here. Juan hails from Hoi-Ann, Vietnam and opened this shop in July 2019 and is excited to introduce Madrid to Vietnam’s flavorful bocadillo. 

He offers the chicken and pork belly varieties of the sandwich for €3. I sampled the pork belly sandwich and a €1 shrimp spring roll and was full and incredibly content with this discovery and decided to share it with my community in order to empower this new business. It is important to note that this shop is cash-only.

Noteworthy for its absence of branding, this unassuming bakery situated at Calle San Milan 6, near La Latina metro station, should not be overlooked! I want to see this business thrive and stay open, and I can see it appealing to Madrid’s community of English teachers who search for cheap and filling eats in the summer.

Banh Mi sandwiches with no name

• Location: Calle San Milan 6
• Metro: La Latina
• Cash only

Atlanta native Tara Brown was teaching English in Madrid for three years and noticed an essential piece of American culture was missing from the rapidly globalizing Spanish capital: the classic Southern-style brunch. And that’s why she created Atlast Alitas, her very own pop-up feasts in the heart of Madrid.

Recognizing this vacuum prompted Tara to give notice and resign from the school where she was teaching in order to pursue her passion: cooking and creating a community around food. Tara used the popular hospitality platform Workaway to volunteer and train in the culinary arts in Haifa, Israel and brought the knowledge gained during this stay back to Madrid.

In collaboration with La Pasa Gin Bar, Tara hosts pop-up “Wing & Beats Nights” that are DJ’d by local artist Profesoul on Friday nights. On select weekend days you can come to her pop-up all-you can eat “Chicken & Waffles Brunch.” 

This mouth-watering feast is the real deal, and can offer the American abroad a taste of home. Alternatively, to people from outside of the United States who have never before experienced the blend of sweet and savory that is chicken and waffles, Tara offers a heartfelt window into the gastronomy of the southern United States. Tara creates her own sauces from scratch: Lemon Pepper, Jack Daniels BBQ, Honey Sriracha and Buffalo Hot.

Tara’s culinary ambitions do not end there as she seeks to expand to catering events and to eventually open her own restaurant in Madrid. The pursuit of an international experience in the culinary world was what brought Tara to Haifa, Israel. There she studied under the chef Koby Carolla, co-founder of the social vegan restaurant Robin Food, whose team rescues discarded fruit and vegetables from Haifa’s central market every day at 6am. The rescued produce are adapted into various dishes in an ever-changing daily menu. Patrons here pay as they please, deciding for themselves the value of their meal.

Chef Carolla taught Tara how to lead by example in the kitchen and how to be spontaneous and innovative with whatever ingredients are available. After three months of cooking with and living alongside an international team of Workaway volunteers, Tara returned to Madrid from Israel, empowered to begin her project.

The owner of La Pasa Gin Bar,  Adolfo Lorenzo, agreed to collaborate with Tara without much convincing. In addition to granting her access to the kitchen and space of their two locations on Calle San Bernardo and Calle Huertas, he has been sponsoring the costs of the events, which has allowed Tara to reduce risk as she grows her brand.

Tara was the first to introduce the combination of fried Chicken and Waffles to some of her international patrons in Madrid and Haifa, who had never before fathomed such a combination. Tara’s expert opinion on the best way to actually eat this meal is to use your hands to make sure both the sweet and savory flavors are equally represented in each bite.

Atlast Alitas

You can stay up-to-date via her Facebook page at Tara Brown and her instagram: @brownskin_mochadiva and be sure to come to her next pop-up brunch party at La Pasa Gin Bar!

If you would like Tara to cater your next party she can be contacted at Tara.brown93@yahoo.com. 

Photography by Joel Potter

Soft lights. Greens. Pastels and contemporary art. Not something you expect of a hair and styling salon! Thus you’re greeted by a surprise which then transforms into an inexplicable comfort – a place as delightful and friendly as its kind and charismatic owners.

As you walk in, you have the beautiful exhibit of contemporary artist Tomas Gracia. This particular one has been designed around the concept of chaos seeking its own natural order.

The more you reflect on it, the more lost you seem. Lines and hues seem to be in search of their own destinies. Maybe that’s the exact point of the exhibit – to have your internal chaos muse over the edgy lines and vibrant tones of Tomas’ artwork.

The exhibits are temporary and will include all categories of art and literature in the future, they tell me. The open patio will also house many interesting events.

The area of the salon is beautifully decorated with lively greens and flowery tones, immediately transporting you into a spring-like feeling. The collection of books on display and the smell of freshly-brewed coffee add to the urbanism of the ambience. 

The serene patio at the end, of course, completes the place beautifully.

As distinct as its name, Ara Crinis (which literally translates from Latin into ‘a beautiful lock of hair’) is the delightful service and experience you receive here. The salon works with the concept of aromatherapy and organics around every service they offer. The cherry on top are the very artful Neo and Carlo, who are the heart of the place.

Hop on over either for a walk around their artful decor, a pleasant cup of coffee with the owners, an exhibit of the next talented artist of the month or an indulgent hair experience – this little spot in Chueca is unlikely to disappoint.

By Arabdha Sudhir

Photos by Carlo Calzolari

Ara Crinis

• Website Facebook & Instagram: @ara.crinis
• Address: Calle San Lorenzo, 5
• Metro: Tribunal or Alonso Martínez