Flamenco Show at El Cid

My favorite gift to give to a friend or family member is something we can DO together.  Yes, purses and earrings are lovely, but memories of an experience are simply enchanting.  In the last several years I've tried to step up my planning game for my mom's birthdays, Christmas, Mother's Day, etc.  It's been wonderful…we've gone to many fabulous plays, musicals, concerts, tea on the Queen Mary, museums, exhibits, excellent restaurants, etc.  For her birthday a couple of months ago I was scouring L.A. Weekly and every other entertainment guide I could get my paws on and I just didn't see a play or musical that looked interesting.  I was starting to fear I'd have to resort to the old "lunch and a movie" routine (which of course she would love) when I remembered something I had seen during my month in Los Feliz.  There is a restaurant in Silverlake called El Cid that features live Flamenco shows.  I checked out the website (check it out here!) and looked into the shows.  The prices were great, $15 per person, and they had a variety of times available.  I opted for the Sunday show that started at 5:30 p.m.  We arrived a bit early to have cocktails and tapas on the patio before the show.  I love the set up of the restaurant.  Upon entering, you have to descend several uneven brick stair cases, which lends to the feeling of being lost in another world.  My mom and I felt it was charming and tranquil and we felt swept up in the whimsy of the occasion.  The tapas menu was fun…we ordered crispy brussels sprouts that were flash fried and dressed in a lemon vinaigrette and topped with sliced Spanish almonds.  We snacked on artichoke and boursin cheese beignets, mini spicy shrimp po' boys, and topped it off with crisp white wine from the Rioja region of Spain.  After enjoying our delicious tapas we headed in for the show, which was equally delightful.  If you have not yet seen a Flamenco show, go.  Now.  Flamenco is a dance performed with unparalleled passion and intensity.  It tells a story, and typically the musicians are also phenomenal.  We loved out experience and I would highly recommend adding El Cid to your "To Do" list.  We all have one of those in the note sections of our phones, right??  

xx