ARCO Madrid 2010, the must-visit event for contemporary art, opens its doors from February 17th through 21st in IFEMA. At this 29th edition of ARCO the city of Los Angeles is invited as a special guest and it’s the first time that a city has been invited, instead of a country, as was the norm in previous editions. The Californian city is very powerful regarding art and creativity, and with a selection from 17 major galleries, curated by Kris Kuramitsu and Christopher Miles, the art fair will give you the chance to get acquainted with the art scene from one of the USA’s major centres of production.

Besides ARCO, art centres such as the Instituto Cervantes, museums like Museo Reina Sofía and other venues in Madrid have programmed acts and exhibitions related to LA’s artistic activity.

A part from that, in ARCO you can see the works of more than 200 galleries and almost 3000 artists coming from all over the world, showcasing pieces of work from different disciplines, such as painting, sculpture, graphic work, performance, digital art, etc. – a chance to see some of the most experimental and innovative creativity.

For five days in February, Madrid will become a exciting centre of art. Beyond all doubt, you can’t miss it! To make the most of your leisure time in Madrid, take your time for visiting ARCO. If you are preparing your trip, reserve your Apartments in Madrid to get the best accommodation. A good dose of the best world’s contemporary art is the best way to immerse yourself in culture.

Finally the winter has arrived! The white season forces many children to stay home because of the bad weather. Probably it the saddest season of the year until the snow comes along! From then on the winter is synonymous with joy and fun for young and old alike.

Over the years, playing in the snow with the children has become one of the most popular entertainment activities for winter. Most ski resorts have been adapted to the young ones and have activities planned specially for them – thus parents can also enjoy quiet moments alone.

Most ski resorts have enabled nurseries for the young ones (children under 2 years). Babies from four months are also catered for. Fun for the older ones among us is guaranteed! The staff goes out to play with those who are old enough and look after the smallest ones (they are highly qualified personnel that guarantee the same attention and care as you would find in a normal nursery).

For children between 3 and 5 years of age, some ski resorts have “snow gardens”. Thanks to these gardens the parents can go skiing while the children are in touch with nature and learn how to behave on the ski slopes: there they learn to slide on the snow with skis specially designed for them, to mount on the conveyors and they participate in many other funny activities. They just have a first contact with the snow!

Children who are over 5 years old can start learning to ski (the experts recommend it). For the budding snowboarders it is advisable to wait until 7. But the best time is between 8 or 9 years old, because the children learn faster and they are better qualified both physically and intellectually. There are experienced instructors who teach ski courses. And remember, that even if you are an expert skier, you may not be ready to teach your children the arts of the white sport, as you may have acquired bad habits.

Many of the slopes also have a catering service in the nurseries. How wonderful! But what do you do with the children when the ski slopes are closed? Find out if there are special parties or activities for children at the ski resort. Some shows and games are organized for children to enjoy the whole day.

Do you want to go skiing? Take your children to Madrid to enjoy both the city and its beautiful mountains. The Madrid Mountains have large and formidable slopes for the whole family. Rent Apartments in Madrid for the best accommodation and enjoy the white season.

This Austrian filmmaker is fascinated by the calm and the silence that prevails before the storm. He declares that he is interested “in what happens before and after the violent act.” He develops once again this same topic in his latest movie: ‘The White Ribbon‘ (’Das Weisse Band’), awarded as the Golden Globe for best foreign film at the Cannes Festival in May 2009. This is the perfect occasion to talk about this filmmaker who became famous in 1997 with the movie Funny Games. Discover his disturbing style and his talent to reveal the human contradictions.

Michael Haneke’s movies usually touch on topics of the obscure human essence such as childhood, the sadomasochistic behaviour, violence and guilt. Originally from Munich, he was a former student of philosophy, psychology and drama and soon became passionate about the dark side of Mankind. His cinema has the reputation of asking questions without giving an explicit answer, putting in the viewer in an uncomfortable situation with the aim of provoking vivid and emotional reactions. “I think that art should deal with all subject matters. I suppose I did just think that we needed a sense of proportion”, revealed the filmmaker in January. The silences, the laughter, the movements, the events, the behaviours… all tend to be disturbing.

In ‘The White Ribbon’, a black and white film on which he worked for ten years, the protagonists are the children of a Protestant Village of Germany during the years 1913 and 1914. Why? Haneke wanted to show a group of children in this context to illustrate how values are transmitted via Nazism and Fascism, and how these children assimilate them. It has a social, political and religious message because he wants to demonstrate how it can turn innocence into something inhuman, even into terrorism. According to Haneke, The White Ribbon interrogates “the universal problem of the perverted ideal”. One should come to their own conclusions and find their own answers.

Other films by Haneke that received international admiration were Hidden (2005) which won the Best Director Award at the Cannes Film Festival and the Prize for best film and best Director in the European Film Awards (2005). In 2001, The Pianist won the Grand Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. This cinematographic work was developed in France and the United States, with actors like Juliette Binoche, Naomi Watts, Isabelle Huppert and Benoit Magimel.

We are not going to reveal all the talent of this Austrian filmmaker as you can see.There is no one similar to Haneke. We can compare him to the greatness of Madrid – there is nothing like it. Rent the best Apartments in Madrid and let yourself be dazzled by this amazing city.

Have you ever heard of the “telluric” concept? Do you think it is another strange buzz word in the world of art? No, telluric art is not a new or mysterious concept; in fact, it is the most basic description that can be given to an artistic creation: it refers to the earth, the origins and to primitivism. Pablo Picasso was the most passionate artist regarding African art, and many of his artist friends had statues or primitive masks in their workshops.

They represent the origin, the simplicity, the spirit and the natural force, which are some characteristics of the European artistic vanguards. Now you can visit the Reina Sofía Museum in Madrid where there is a wide Telluric Art selection from 1930 to 1936. While Europe was plunged into two world wars and traumatized by the atrocities, artists were looking for the humanity in the natural things: the Earth.

Alberto Sánchez, Benjamín Palencia, Julio González, Oscar Domínguez and Maruja Mallo are some of the artists that better represent this kind of art. Although their names do not sound as much like those of Picasso, Dalí and Miró, they were colleagues and they travelled to Paris when the city was the core of the European vanguards. There was developed the Surrealism, and the Spanish painter Oscar Domínguez is one of its major exponents. In his first creations, we can see the black sands of Tenerife and later he invented the painting technique of Decalcomania: a process that involves applying black gouache on the paper, which is then placed on the top of another sheet on which someone exerts a light pressure. They are separated before they dry and you get a similar picture.

The sculptors such as Alberto Sánchez and Julio González (a Catalan specialized in iron sculptures) are noted for their simple beauty and wild, the geometry of the volume, the strength of the expression, the dynamic forms and the severity that they can transmit. Their statues seem to be the incarnation of weight and lightness, two essential human states.

When it comes to painting, you have surely heard to talk about Benjamin Palencia or one of the few surrealist women artists, Maruja Mallo. She focused on very characteristic female portraits, pioneers of American pop art, and she had a cosmic period during which dedicated to the recreation of nature in her series of Marinas. Pottery was also one of her exploration avenues, like the genius Picasso. Palencia was fascinated by the Castilian landscapes, the dreamlike colours, Fauvism and Cubism.

In the other rooms of the Reina Sofia Museum, you will find the surreal and abstract creations, of the Spanish artists and the 27th Generation or the Noucentisme. Here you will see how much telluric art has been represented in twentieth century vanguards. Joan Miró, the Catalan artist was perhaps the most telluric artist with his infinite blue, his concern for detail and his strong symbolism of the coloured spots. The Animals, the nature and the cosmic world were his favourite subjects.

Come to Madrid to immerse yourself in the corridors of human nature and at night, discover the wilder side of the capital with the famous Madrid nightlife. To enjoy the best amenities, rent apartments in Madrid.

While some 40,000 visitors will attend the fifth edition of the Modern and Contemporary Art Exhibition in Madrid, a new exhibition will be presented: this is Just Madrid, whose goal is the promotion of international emerging artists. From 18th to 21st February, the Lonja and the Nave de Terneras, two industrial spaces made of metal, brick and glass will embrace this new cultural event. If you want to discover the new geniuses of the artistic creations, we recommend a stroll through its 25 galleries. If you are interested in contemporary art, you can not miss this first edition – innovation is always something fascinating.

The fair is focused and directed to the emerging artists on the international scene (70% come from foreign galleries) and the Spanish scene. This is a small fair, but with quality and careful artistic selection; Just Madrid invites you to stroll through some innovative and dynamic galleries. Maybe these new artists will become famous in the near future! The exhibited works will be specially designed for the stands of the fair, under three main concepts: innovation, risk and new formats.

Do not forget the Big Size Outside, a selection of sculptures exhibited outside. The fair will show about 32 exhibitors from 11 different countries and seven curatorial projects. Its interest for collectors, curators and other art world staff is indisputable. And for you, it’s a perfect opportunity to get close to the most contemporary art creations: it is the right moment to expand your artistic preferences.

In February you’ll have four days to discover the buildings of the Junta Municipal of the Arganzuela District, full of international art developments. They are located near the Matadero de Madrid, an experimental and creative space managed by the Town Hall of Madrid, close to the MNCARS (the National Art Reina Sofia Museum) and well connected to any areas of the city by underground (Legazpi) and bus. To not miss the other fairs that will take place at the same time, take advantage of the bus-shuttle service to the Arc-IFEMA exhibition.

Another visit you can not miss if you come to Madrid is the Museo Del Prado, whose visitors have increased by 4% in 2008, reaching around two and a half million visitors. But the Spanish capital not only has a varied cultural offer but also a lively nightlife: come and discover its lively nightlife. And for a truly memorable stay, rent Madrid apartments, they are cheap and comfortable and will allow you to relax after a hard day walking around the museums or a hard night of partying!

You lie in your bed and try to open your eyes. It’s difficult, because as soon as you open half an eye, you become aware of a severe throbbing headache. Your throat is sore and dry. Moaning and groaning you try to sit up. Wow, a little dizzy, but nothing compared to the sudden wave of nausea that follows. You stumble to the bathroom, and feel like you are going to die. And all you can think is: I WILL NEVER EVER DRINK AGAIN.

When we are celebrating, partying or just hanging out with friends, we like to have a drink or two – even three. And then the moment arrives when you go to the bathroom, sit down, and say to yourself: “Oh God, I am so drunk…” By then it’s usually too late anyway, so you keep on drinking, say some things that you know you’ll regret the next morning, and then (without knowing how) you arrive home where you fall into bed without bothering to take out your contact lenses or remove your make-up. And the next morning, you feel more dead than alive.

Unfortunately, even after all these years there still doesn’t exist a miracle cure for hangovers. But not all hope is lost; here are some tips and tricks to beat the monster! First rule: be prepared. Put a bottle of water and some painkillers on your night table. Leave the door open so fresh air can enter into your bedroom. But the most important is to drink a few glasses of water before going to sleep as alcohol dehydrates your body.

If you wake up with a headache, avoid ‘heavy’ painkillers like ibuprofen. Your stomach is empty and sensitive, so the best option is to take a tablet that you can dissolve in water. Try to eat something with it; the best thing is to drink some soup as you’ll feel much better afterwards. Don’t go back to bed, you’ll feel even groggier when you wake up. Better to spend a lazy afternoon on the sofa.

Some say a raw egg in the morning is the secret (because eggs contain cysteine, which is said to reduce the toxic effects of alcohol) but the idea alone is enough to make us vomit. The oldest trick in the book, however, is to drink more alcohol although we don’t advise you to try it out. Just trust us on this one, it doesn’t work.

Are there any methods to avoid a hangover? Sure, don’t drink. And if you do, don’t mix your drinks. ‘Beer after wine and you’ll feel fine, wine after beer and you’ll feel queer’ is what they say, but if you start with one kind of alcohol, stick with it. According to a study by the Brown University, dark alcohol (Bourbon or Whiskey) produces a worse hangover than clear alcohol (like vodka).

There’s no better excuse to get drunk than during a party night in Madrid! The Spanish capital never sleeps, and seduces you with hundreds of bars and clubs. Dance the night away, enjoy some free chupitos (shots) and have the time of your life. Rent the best Madrid apartments and beat that hangover!

Carlos Berlanga (1959-2002), Spanish singer and composer whose artistic streak was inexhaustible, was one of the biggest names in the Madrid nightlife. To mark the 50th anniversary of his birth, the Madrid art space El Águila pays him tribute with 260 personal items until 7th March. Come and discover some of his most curious facets and the origin of the famous Movida Madrileña – Madrid’s drug-fuelled artistic movement.

Posters, comics, photos, videos, songs and a variety of documents were rescued from some old friends, family and private collections for the exhibition “Viaje alrededor de Carlos Berlanga” (Trip around Carlos Berlanga). Up to 186 songs were played across Spain after Franco’s regime. Before 1975, when General Franco died, the people could not enjoy long party nights. After his death, the Movida Madrileña appeared in which the figure of Carlos Berlanga played an important role.

This multidisciplinary artist, who began his singing career creating the band Alaska y los Pegamoides (1979), later called Alaska y Dinarama (1983), was also a designer and painter. In fact, one of his most famous illustrations was the poster he created for “Matador”, a film by Pedro Almodovar (1986).His colourful style has a strong Picasso influence and traits of Salvador Dalí.

His song “Bailando” is one of the best known, since it even had success in other countries. Although it may seem tacky, this was the prototype of the classic Spanish Pop song and Madrid nightlife, a historic hit that you will hear in one of the rooms of the exhibition. “A quién le importa” is another one you can not stop listening to.

Alaska is now a solo artist and she continues releasing albums with this special style that characterizes her. She is a collective symbol for gays, lesbians and transsexuals.

Today, the “Movida Madrileña” nightlife can be enjoyed in many neighbourhoods: each one has its own identity. Discover the gay district of Chueca, Huertas, La Latina, Malasaña, or nightclubs such as Capital and Mondo, which are only some examples of the great Madrid nightlife. The clubs remain open til dawn so there’s no excuse to miss a party in Madrid!

Come to the old El Águila brewery to visit this unique exhibition and take advantage of your stay in the Spanish capital and spend a few unforgettable party nights. Rent Madrid apartments, the most economical and comfortable apartments online.

Once upon a time there were a lot of important personalities of the international political landscape who met first in Rio de Janeiro (1992) for passing the first United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Later they assembled again in Kyoto (1997) for negotiating the famous Kyoto Protocol and showing the world how brave they all are. After that the conference was held in The Hague in 2000 where the negotiations were a complete failure. A lot of more important conferences then followed where everyone tried to be the hero saving the world. What will happen at this year’s world conference on climate change in Copenhagen? Will those strange men in their black suits finally reach an agreement or will they just continue waffling on?

Each day we can see it in the press: natural disasters, flooding, increases in the sea levels, the poles are melting, hurricanes, tsunamis and earthquakes. Nature seems to be going crazy, but we aren’t as innocent as we may seem. Although we think about acting environmental friendly as we go by bike to work instead of taking the car, we don’t really help very much our nature with our behaviour. At the moment there seems to be only two little devils in the world regarding pollution: USA and China. Both countries are competing for the title for who can emit the greatest quantity of carbon dioxide into the earth’s atmosphere. The two countries produce together over 40% of the global CO2 emissions. Just looking at this scary figure makes it difficult for us to breathe!

And like in every bad Hollywood movie the villain denies everything and tries to escape secretly and silently out the back door. That was exactly what the USA and China tried to do at this year’s forum of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) where both states put the blame on each other and nobody dared to take the first step. The behaviour of the politicians was very similar to that of young children playing in the garden “Come on, you have to start, if not, I don’t want to any more”. Very embarrassing, isn’t it?

However, the debates are going on at full stretch in Copenhagen. And they aren’t really peaceful and pleasant. They are debating primarily about money and the level of CO2 emissions. The developing countries are apparently ignored and Barak Obama has to protect his new climate politics in his own country which criticizes and fears that its new president could promise too much at the conference in Copenhagen. As you can see, there is more aimless chatter on the agenda and a good and appropriate rescue plan for our planet seems to be very far away.

Don’t get depressed by those politicians and just try to be a good example for society. Although you may feel alone in this matter, each citizen of the world can participate immensely to stop or slow down the global warming. Don’t give up! What about some healthy and eco-friendly holidays in one of the most enchanting European cities? Rent the best apartments in Madrid and enjoy an economic and environmental friendly accommodation. Discover the green side of Spain!

Have you ever wondered what causes an orgasm? In general, we speak about the G spot or having a good knowledge of one’s body in the case of women; and about a long excitation and a large number of strategies in the case of men. But things are not as simple as they seem. There may be something – either an object or a part of your body that really awakes your sexual desire. If, for example, you need to look into the eyes of your sexual partner or wear special clothing or garments to achieve an orgasm, you are a fetishist.

You can not remove your eyes from her hips, the movements of her ankle hypnotize you, you like her hands, the smell of his clothes, the gesture he makes when he smokes a cigarette…fortunately, sexual arousal has many origins. But in fetishism, if the person does not have that particular object or does not see that thing that he or she likes so much to reach an orgasm, this can be a nuisance. The characteristic of a fetishist is that the excitement that comes from the outer element exceeds that generated by the couple.

If you need to wear, smell, or touch your partner’s clothes, see a certain colour or listen to certain music, you may be a fetishist… It is a paraphilia, a sexual behaviour where the predominant source is not the other person or the sexual relationship, but an outside activity. It has nothing to do with sexual toys, since a fetishist will feel really frustrated without his fetish. If there are no boots, no used panties or no feet, there is no orgasm!

The origin of this behaviour would be found in childhood and in the early sexual experiences. For example, if the fetishist began his sexual life playing with small breasts, this could quite easily become an obsession: from then, only touching small breasts, he will reach the orgasm. It is not considered a disorder if it occurs in a short period of time – about six months and it has no impact on ones private life. It may even be something good in your relationship, if you feel a special admiration for an object or part of your body, and you share it with your partner.

To find out, there is nothing better than to be with your partner in a comfortable and charming place. With its exciting nightlife, the Spanish capital will be an ideal destination for you and your loved one. Rent apartments in Madrid and get the best accommodation.

Some people argue that monogamy is an invention or, worse, an imposition of religious and civil institutions that goes against human nature. Should we think that those who say this use it to systematically betray their partner? Or are those with the most discreet manner the most unfaithful? Or as the saying goes: “his bark is worse than his bite!”… Let’s say you discover that he/she’s unfaithful!

It is not necessary to read hidden SMS messages as he/she may already have deleted the most embarrassing ones. Don’t try to access his email account or investigate all his Facebook contacts: it won’t be very effective. Concentrate on his/her behaviour: if he has changed his schedules and customs, if he gets nervous or he babbles when you ask him about the tennis match last Friday with a supposed colleague – instead of going to the cinema with you.

If your partner has never been indifferent, and suddenly he works for long hours or he alleges a lot of dinners with his colleagues, pay attention! Does he receive many SMS messages, or does he turn off his mobile phone? Maybe you should start to worry… But don’t think these distant attitudes can be the unique causes of a possible infidelity. Gifts for no reason or other details can be symptoms of a sense of guilt. A decrease in sexual desire is also a good indicator that there may be another important person in his life.

If you are thinking to persecute him furtively when he gets out of work, we would like to dissuade you. He can discover you and you will make a fool of yourself. You can hire a private investigator instead!

Do you want to win back your soul mate? Take her/him on a romantic get away from our routine and daily life! Maybe you’ll find the perfect connection again with some romantic and passionate moments! You can go to the vibrant Spanish capital: you just have to find an idyllic love nest, and renting apartments in Madrid you will find yours!