I bet you were thinking I was going to desert you and be another four or five months without posting, weren't you? Well, no, as you you can see. I had a terribly busy week-end, because everybody is back in town and it's like one has to meet and discuss the holidays, so it ends up in a string of lunches, dinners, Margaritas and Gin & Tonics (Hendrick's please, with a slice of cucumber)... yes, I know this sounds like something from
"Answered Prayers", only a little bit more prosaic, after all this isn't New York in the 50's...
It wasn't all that frivolous, I've also been watching
"Cries and Whispers" with a friend and being happy they didn't have botox back then because there's no way they could have had such richness of expression. You see the faces in close-up, the fine wrinkles around the eyes, the slightly crooked un-whitened teeth, but still these women were beautiful. Nowadays we've become so perfectionist it's artificial, there's no place left for being... human.
On saturday I also took a moment to visit the new H&M store that opened in what used to be the "Cine Avenida", one of the grand movie theaters that line the Gran Vía in Madrid. It was built in 1928 and the foyer and staircases have been preserved, but nothing is left of the auditorium itself, but because I think it was turned into a multiplex at some point in the 90's. I took the terrible picture above, sorry for the bad quality but I took it with my mobile phone without the security guards noticing. I was a bit disappointed by the store, but I must say the works were not completely finished -even the carpet looked like something temporary until they placed the real one- and they had clothes racks along the corridors. I suppose when it will be completed it will be pretty impressive.
Oh, and I am completely intrigued by the anonymous comment to my last post...
Apuesto que pensabais que os iba a abandonar y pasarme cuatro o cinco meses sin escribir nada, ¿verdad? Pues no, ya veis. Tuve un fin de semana tremendamente ocupado, porque todo el mundo ha vuelto y parece que hay que quedar para hablar de las vacaciones, así que acaba siendo una serie de comidas, cenas, Margaritas y Gin-Tonics (de Hendrick's por favor, con una rodaja de pepino)... si, ya sé que parece sacado de "Plegarias Atendidas" solo que un poco más prosaico, al fin y al cabo esto no es el Nueva York de los 50...
No todo ha sido frivolidad, también estuve viendo "Gritos y Susurros" con un amigo y alegrándome de que no hubiera botox en esa época, porque nunca hubieran podido tener tanta riqueza de expresión. Se ven las caras en primer plano, las finas arrugas alrededor de los ojos, los dientes ligeramente torcidos y sin blanquear, pero aún así esas mujeres eran bellas. Hoy somos tan perfeccionistas que resulta artificial, no queda lugar para ser... humanos.
El sábado también estuve viendo un rato la nueva tienda de H&M abierta en lo que era el "Cine Avenida", uno de los grandes cines que bordeaban la Gran Vía madrileña. Fue construido en 1928 y han conservado el vestíbulo y las escaleras, pero no queda nada de la sala en sí, pero porque creo que fue convertida en multicines en los 90. Tomé la horrible foto de arriba, siento que sea de tan mala calidad pero la hice con el móvil sin que se dieran cuenta los de seguridad. Me decepcionó un poco la tienda, pero debo decir que las obras no estaban terminadas -hasta la moqueta parecía provisional hasta que pongan la buena- y tenían percheros por los pasillos. Supongo que cuando la acaben será bastante impresionante.
Oh, y me intriga muchísimo el comentario anónimo a mi último post...
* Sr. Q., ya hablaremos de lo de la lima de uñas...
I've said already that I was a bit tired about the whole fashion trend thing. We are now almost through the spring runways and of course we've seen some interesting things (we still have to see what our dear Stefano has prepared for us this time) but... I just find it tiresome in a way. One designer though that reconciles me with clothes is Martin Grant, I love the way his collections are so real, new without being extreme, and always elegant. He's maybe not going to change the history of fashion, but he sure makes some beautiful clothes. And another thing I love is that he shows them not on a twelve year old Russian model but on a real woman: British model Susie Bick is fourty and fabulous.
