I was in Spain last October visiting my friend Pamela (that sounds so jet-set!). She’s American, or El Salvadorian or some shit like that. Anyway, she lives in Madrid now. Pam is an absolute delight. She’s youthful, fresh, full of energy and funny as fuck. She’s always laughing. And you want to be around people like that because then you’re always laughing. Pam was the first mamacita who told me about El Salvadorian Pupusas. The yummy stuffed corn masa goodness. Make it, buy it, eat it. You can thank me with a cash donation.

So, back to Madrid. One night Pam took me out to show me the amazing, fabulous, incredible ‘La Tabacalera’. It’s in the Lavapies neighborhood of Madrid, which is a very cool, vibrant part of the city. Not unlike the Mission District in San Francisco. La Tabacalera is a century old abandoned tabacco factory that has been taken over by artists in an artist/hippie commune/make stuff/smoke/drink/listen to live bands/fuck/chill kind of place. The space is wonderful. It truly is the funkiest most amazing ad-hoc space I’ve been in. It’s multi-level, multi-room raw (gross!) industrial openness filled with artists and musicians doing their thing. It’s free and anyone can enter. When we went the first night a punk band was playing in the big room. Outside and in other rooms people were painting, skateboarding on ramps, planting in the gardens, and just hanging out. If you are ever in Madrid, you must go. And tell Jorge I say, “hi”.