Dance the night and morning away

So if you’re a party girl or boy like I am, you’ll appreciate the social network for partiers, Tilllate.com, TILL LATE in English, TEE-YAH-TAY in Spanish, just so you don’t get blank stares like I did. You can see photos taken at the hottest clubs throughout Europe. I’m in one of the pics, but I look a little odd so I’m not going to tell you where to look. I’ll just say May 8.

My favorite clubs in Barcelona are: Space (best on Friday unless you’re a tater-tot – then go on Thursday), La Madame (only on Sunday nights if you’re not a gay man), and Apolo (famed for its inventive Monday mix but great all week). The above crappy pic is one I took at Apolo, but at least it’s authentic. Pacha was my favorite till it shut down but can be found in other international hotspots including Madrid, Ibiza and Manhattan.

Unfortunately, I can’t tell you my favorite clubs in Madrid because I was essentially taken to places and just went with the flow. Ten days out of thirteen I stayed up till 6 or 7 a.m. Yeah, Madrid! Not as fashionable or vain as Barcelona, but they know how to live it up and do it in a laid-back way, kind of like San Francisco with hotter people. It’s a city where beer is a food group. I think I ate one meal a day the whole time I was there. Ask for the drink Tinto de Verano for a beer-substitute – weak, girly, and refreshing. Kapital is worth a visit; it’s the largest meat market I’ve ever seen with its seven floors and as many themes. Just don’t go during a Spanish holiday like I did. Trust me on this.

Clubs in Spain open around 1 a.m., get busy after 2, and close at 5 or 6. Then, you hop on the the metro and you’re good to go. There are after-parties but they’re not for the faint of heart or for the gullible. Lots of drugs, some errant knives and wasted people wielding them – I’ve seen the scars – so beware. Both Madrid and Barcelona are pretty compact and I was in the center of each, so getting to and from wasn’t a big deal or expensive like it can be in Los Angeles and Paris.

I know I need to add a travel section. I’ll get to it, give me some time. Ciao!