The LaMothes have landed

Lyle, Kathy and Michael’s girlfriend Betsy came to town this week and I couldn’t WAIT for class to get out. I met the fam at Sol and we walked to La Latina to get off our feet and make the first of many toasts. Kathy asked me about living in Madrid and I was happy to dish about the city and the culture...the dog poop was mentioned in that recap. We made bar hopping an afternoon and caught up on work, school, and families. Kathy was telling us that when you get Lyle and Michael at the same table the conversation inevitable goes to business or finance. We took the opportunity to email photos to my parents to let them know what they are missing.

From 110407-12

Kathy wanted paella while in Madrid so we asked a local bar for a restaurant known for the dish. The restaurant was booked but we put our name in for dinner after they returned from Italy. We went to another dinner place and in our discussion of the life changing experience we realized Michael, Betsy and I are middle children who stepped outside our comfort zones in a significant way. Betsy moved to New York a couple years ago and Michael and I came to school in Madrid. We dissected this a little bit "What does that mean?" - our need to be unique? does having sibling to either end mean we’re just trying to remind everyone we’re here and we’re pretty fricken cool? I mean isn't it obvious?

The next day Lyle, Kathy, Michael and Betsy headed to Pisa and Florence for a long weekend. I took the opportunity to get ahead of my school work to keep my Monday and Tuesday evenings as free as possible.

Monday they were back in town and I met them after class to give them a tour of IE while Michael was in class. At the end of the tour we stopped in the bookstore and Lyle bought a souvenir hat. This transaction could have been told a few different ways involving stealing, chasing, dogs and police…he walked out of the shop carrying the sample hat, not realizing they had put a new one in the bag. One thing I do love about our family (friends) is they all have a way of finding the comedy in any situation. Unintentional stealing "buys" you an afternoon of not living it down.

Lyle, Kathy and I took the opportunity to walk around the city and let Michael and Betsy do the same. We strolled through different parts of Madrid and stopped for a drink at Plaza Santa Ana before meeting Michael and Betsy at Cock Bar before dinner. This swanky bar was right across the street from our paella restaurant and it was a recommended bar to visit in the airplane magazine on their flight over. May will mark retirement from B of A for Lyle and start a new chapter for the family. As we sat in Cock Bar, we discussed some options - potential bar ownership was on the list. Kathy said she’d get bored and drink the inventory. Next.

It was time for paella. MMMMMmmmmmmmmm. And Sangria! An authentic Spanish feast.

The next night, the last night, I met the clan near their hotel and we tapped into buckets of beer and nachos….the complete opposite of Spanish cuisine. It was perfect. Michael had to maneuver a group meeting that evening, so he and Betsy headed back to school and the Trouble Trio walked in search of a final supper. It was not to be an unmarked trip for Kathy, a dog owner left a bon voyage gift for her.

From 110407-12

The three of us parked it outside at a restaurant under an umbrella at Plaza Mayor. We ate tapas and enjoyed a concert that was taking place in the plaza. The LaMothes are another set of parents to me. This power couple was giving me advice on my own next chapter - the goals that you make, the (good) impressions you leave with people, the (high) standard that you have for yourself and the hard work that it takes to get you where you need to be. I can only describe the evening as magically sentimental. We marinated in the excitement about the future as the band performed covers, including a round of Michael Jackson. They ended with “America the Beautiful,” I had to do a double take - was I really in Spain?