We have spent a couple of pleasant evenings at La Casa Invisible, which one might describe as quirky or eccentric, with a rather eclectic cast of characters. It is not the closest place to get a drink (all of 130 m. or ~427 feet from our door, according to Google maps) but it is the cheapest (€1 for 250 ml, ~8.5 oz.) Spaniards seem to like small servings for beer and coffee; servings for wine are almost as large as for beer. Among the things they find odd about the US are the sizes of glasses and cups, free refills on anything, and, in the case of our coffee, why would you want one?

At least two cats seem to live here

The Bar

We aren’t such regulars at La Invisible that we’ve become part of the ambiance, but we may be part of the ethos. We have been invited to participate en el Manifestación en Sabado 10 Marzo. While I was fantasizing about Kurt Vonnegut and the manifestations in Slaughter House Five, it turns out the translation is “demonstration.” Why did they think we might do that sort of thing?

Rough translation of the banner, “The Mayor isn’t playing nice.”

The issue may feel familiar. I have talked about how well maintained the streets are, how frequently they are washed, the paucity of graffiti, all the rehabilitation in progress, and how well kept the area is por lo general. It seems there is another side to the story. We call it gentrification.

From what I can make of the flyer and the earnest young people who gave it to us, apparently La Invisible was one of the first rehab projects in the area, they have complied with all the requirements of the City, and now they are a much admired part of the City’s culture, sought out by locals and tourists alike.

In spite of all that, La Invisible is in danger! Either they don’t meet the new standards that are being imposed for the area or maybe they don’t pay enough rent. I’m not sure. Their English is orders of magnitude better than my Spanish but there may have been a failure to communicate. (Their ethos doesn’t find it is necessary to cater to all the British expats or their former colonists.)

I am sure they’re not happy about whatever it is. ¡No lo estaban felices! (maybe.)

We’re thinking about manifesting.