Hello!
Welcome to our seventh newsletter (slightly late)- June is upon us, the sun is shining and there are so many things going on this month, in the city and beyond, that you could yet again be very hard pressed to know what to choose!

Valencia is awash with the arts this month. With the amount of performers appearing in various venues you can't help thinking that every other person you bump into in the street will be one!

Here's a quick list of what's on:-
Paco de Lucia, Dulce Pontes, Joe Cocker, the Temptations and the Supremes all play live in Port America's Cup.
Elton John and his band play the only Spanish date of their world tour in Xativa
Miguel Bose plays live at the Plaza de Toros.
Lupe - La Gran Tirana, a European premiere of the play about La Lupe, queen of Latin soul - a great one woman show
Time is running out to see the fantastic Encuentro Entre Dos Mares (The meeting of two seas) an incredible exhibition at Centre de Carmen.
Muvim's major exhibition of the luxury Liners of the beginning of the last century.
This weekend is awash with the Corpus Christi celebrations
Cinema Joven begins on the 16th June - a week long celebration of young filmmakers
If the America's Cup has whetted your appetite for competitive sailing - head on up to Castellon this weekend for the Royal Yacht Club's regattas
Every Wednesday in the Barrio del Carmen this month you still have the chance to have a glass of beer and a tapas for 1.50 euros at a selection of bars, the tapeotour, not to be missed.
That's on top of all that's going on at Port America's Cup!!

And, amazingly, this is all in the next two/three weeks!
So read on by scrolling right.

On Summer Nights, the only way to go in the City is out. Outside. Most bars and restaurants fight for their rights to put their tables out on the pavements and "terrazas" (open-air nightclubs and bars) open up in all the surrounding towns to the city and even in the Centre itself. Valencia's latest terraza is in L’Umbracle at the City of Arts and Sciences. The public walkway over the carpark, under the huge, ribcage-like structure on the edge of the complex, has been transformed into a luscious chillout heaven with torches, huge cushions to lounge on, a dance floor, sexy lilac lighting and intimate four-poster beds scattered amongst the greenery. The Dockas building in the completely reformed Port is like a nightlife mulitplex, a decadent buddha-inspired venture with restaurant, nightclub and bars. The terrace on the top floor is well worth a visit for the views over the America's Cup, the beach and the stars. Venturing further out of the City will take you to Buddha del Sol, the hip spot all last Summer that promises much again this year - right in the middle of the rice paddies, dance until dawn with cocktail in hand to house and latin music with the coolest crowds of Valencia.

Paco de Lucia
08 June at Port America's Cup
One of the world's greatest guitarists comes to Port America's Cup

Joe Cocker
15June at Port America's Cup
The legendary rocker with the world's most odd stage moves comes to Valencia to promote his new album Hymn for my Soul.

Dulce Pontes
16 June at Port America's Cup
One time Portuguese entry for the Eurovision Song Contest, Dulce Pontes has a beautiful voice and is promoting her internationally best selling album. Expect Fado singing with a twist

Miguel Bosé
16 June at Plaza de Toros Valencia
The son of a famous bullfighter and an Italian Actress, his career has spanned 35 films as an actor, 21 Albums and work as a theatre director. Te multi talented singer is promoting his new album Papito - a journey through his back catalogue performed with stars of today's latin music scene.

Elton John
23 June at the Plaza de Toros in Xativa
Elton recently announced that th panish leg of his tour, which was to include Madrid and Seville was cancelled as the promoter could not guarantee to be able to handle the equipment for the massive light, multimedia and sound show. Local Promoter Enrique Ybarra has stepped up and taken up the challenge - in Xativa. Got to be seen!

The Temptations and the Supremes
30 June at Port America's Cup
Classic Tamla Motown. Need we say more

ADVANCE NOTICE
At Port America's Cup The Cult 01 July, Joan Manuel Serrat and Joaquin Sabina on 03 July - get your tickets now!
In Benidorm - 15 August Prince.

COOLTRA
Thisisvalencia.com paid a visit to the brand-new COOLTRA store on the Avenida del Puerto this week to check out their selection of motorbikes available for both long and short term rental and purchase. COOLTRA has been running successfully in Barcelona for a while now, and even run a motorbike tour service in conjunction with Barcelona Turisme up there. Their plans for the next two years are to open 30 more stores across Europe, starting in Valencia where they are just starting out, and their large, warehouse-style shop is already open for business. With a cosy area at the front complete with sofas, internet, and laptop computers and friendly and helpful staff on hand, rentals start at just 20€ a day. COOLTRA are unique in the rent-a-bike business in that they build their own bikes from scratch and they are pretty great to look at too.

COOLTRA's motto is Move Like A Local, and will do their best to help you do so. They offer three special services for a very different biking experience - Azafata, Pilot and Buddy. With Azafata, bikes are available for corporate events, Pilot is a crash-course in riding a motorbike in the City, and Buddy is an excellent way to get around - hire your own driver to escort you through the streets of Valencia if you're not sure of your way. A tour is also on offer, either personalised for groups or the standard tour.
You can book a rental through our main site, what are you waiting for, move like a local!

MORE on our leisure page

THE COOLTRA WEBSITE IS COOLTRA.COM

There's a great theatrical experience waiting for you at Teatro Flumen - a one woman show based on the life of the Cuban singer dubbed the Latina Judy Garland, who died in 1992.

Her death is the starting point for this production, a European premiere for the play. On a stage bare but for a musician, Miguel Angel Rodriguez, a few props - cases, trunks and picture frames, Yamilet Duran Sosa gives a powerful and moving performance as this amazing woman, as she sees her life flash before her in her last moments.

And it was quite a life, from humble beginnings in Cuba, she became a top selling artist in her own country until in 1962, she left to seek her fortune in the USA, there, through friends and contacts, she landed a job at the famous La Barraca club and became the first female Latin Singer to appear Carnegie Hall and alongside Tito Puente and his orchestra, Madison Square Gardens. She was flamboyant in the extreme, changing clothes during a performance from a bag she specially kept onstage in case she decided she was not comfortable, Or just walking off mid-song to return some minutes later as if she had never left.

Picasso once called her a musical genius, but drink and drugs, along with poor management took their toll and in the early eighties her popularity began to wane and she was virtually destitute, living on welfare when she died in the Bronx. In 2002, a street in The Bronx was named after her.

It's a powerful and enjoyable evening and if you are put off by an evening of theatre in Spanish, consider this, the play is directed by British actress Samantha Holland, now living here in the city, who spoke very little Spanish when she began this project and has thoughtfully provided a précis of the play in English, ask for it at the theatre when you arrive.
Unmissable - but go on youtube.com to catch old videos of the real La Lupe performing before you go for background.

Teatro Flumen (metro Turia) June 8, 9,10, 15, 16, 17
Espacio Inestable (metro Turia) June 29, 30 July 1

If you don't do anything else recommended in these pages this time, make sure you get to this...
ENDS 17 JUNE - HURRY!

This new exhibition is spread over four main galleries and thirteen smaller independent galleries throughout the city and also has part of it in Sagunto.

Luz ao Sul (Light in the South) Is on at the Centro del Carmen and is a wonderful exhibition, room after room of the best of Afro, American Indian, modern and pop art. It's an absolute feast for the eyes. One of the best exhibitions we have seen in this city. There are so many facets, that there really is something for everyone here. Unfortunately the photos we have been able to glean from the organisers don't do it justice.

Centro del Carmen: 10:00 to 20:00
Universitat de València: 10:00 to 20:00
Nau de Sagunt: 10:30 to 20:30
La Gallera: Tuesday to Friday 17:00 to 21:00; Saturday 11:00 to 14:00 and 17:00 to 20:00; and Sunday 11:00 to 14:00
Free entry to all

'The Cinema Jove International Film Festival has been committed to acting as a meeting point for young filmmakers from the Four Corners of the globe. Every month of June, Valencia becomes this meeting point as the most interesting and creative films are brought out into the limelight.
There are two sections films compete in:
one for feature films screened for the first time in Spain and another for the best, most consolidated shorts on the international scene; these constitute the thrust of a programme which also embraces tribute to veteran filmmakers, young “cult movie” directors, exhibitions, professional meeting points…

The Valencia event reflects the firm commitment to a cinema of quality for people from all walks of life; Cinema Jove is now among the top five most important international film festivals held in Spain.'

It all starts on the 15th of June at various venues around the city. the full ptogram can be seen on thisisvalencia.com or their website http://www.cinemajovefilmfest.com and includes some interesting films in version original, including Sergio Leone's early Spagetti Westrns and a season of films that animator Kyle Cooper has done title sequences for - including The Island of Doctor Moreau, Mission Impossible and Se7ven. Most of the foreign films are being shown in Original Version with English Subtitles.

TEM (Teatre el Musical) presents The Third Cabanyal Flamenco Music Festival, and this year it is bigger and better offering a host of Stars from the world of Flamenco music and dance, cinema and Television.

Some of the biggest names and families in Spain's Gypsy world are appearing. So expect the very best in Flamenco.

There is also the screening of a new film by young director, Isaki Lacuesta, which tells the story of a Japanese to study the art of Flamenco with Camarón and in turn becomes a leged in her own right.

Ricardo Pachón will also be presenting his television series El Ángél, now released as a 6 dvd set. The series is an exploration of the art of Flamenco in Seville and Cadiz.

All the concerts and screenings are free, a wonderful way to learn and experience this diverse and moving Music and Dance. From 15June for one week - full program on thisisvalencia.com

TAPAS
Every wednesday night there is a little tapas tour in the Barrio del Carmen, 1.50 euros gets you a beer and a tapas - at the following bars, La Caracola,La Somelier, La Rentaora and Al Cantonet from 20.30 every wednesday - more info
http://www.tapeotour.com/
AMERICAS CUP
Everyone by no knows that Emirates Team New Zealand won the Louis Vuitton Cup. Now it's the America's Cup on the 23june
NOCHE DE SAN JUAN
Head on down to the beach (any beach) on the night of hthe 23rd with enough wood to make a bonfire and join millions of Mediterraneans all along the coast celebrating Noche de San juan - jump nine waves at midnight and make a wish - MORE
NUDE BIKE RALLY ROUND VALENCIA
Yes Nude! leaves the Puente de Flores at 5pm this saturday at 5pm - more as we get it here
THERE ARE NEW COLUMNS ON THISISVALENCIA
Anita Darling, Barbara O'Neill on being a woman in Valencia, Mike O'Neill on the Racing at America's Cup, Gooru on the best books, tv and dvd... all updated monthly and well worth reading.
WE ARE CURRENTLY UPDATING OUR LISTINGS
So if you think we should add something let s know, and anyway we love to hear you feedback....info@thisisvalencia

NEWS
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BLOG
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Monuments, masks and floats.
The Corpus Christi celebrations have been held for centuries with different religious, cultural and festive events in numerous towns and cities throughout the whole of the Region of Valencia, and in some places with great splendour in their events and processional parades.

In the city of Valencia the celebrations go back to 1355. On Friday 08th June (tonight 8pm) the Traslado de las Rocas takes place, monumental and spectacular triumphal carriages, typical and exclusive to the Valencian celebration, are taken out of the house-museum where they are kept all year and are driven to the square known as Plaza de la Virgen where they are put on exhibit.

On Saturday afternoon another of the most significant fiesta events takes place: the Misteris (Mysteries), narrations of Biblical events written between the 15th century and the beginning of the 16th century, are performed on a stage set up in the Plaza de la Virgen.

At around 12 midday on Sunday, Corpus Christi Day, after the pealing of the bells from the Miguelete Tower and the Pontifical Mass, the Cabalgata del Convite (Invitation Cavalcade), leaving from Plaza de Manises, begins. In this cavalcade curious characters parade and the dances, such as Els Cavallets (The Merry-Go-Rounds), Els Pastorets (The Shepherds) or La Magrana (The Pomegranate), are performed, although the most original of all of them is the dance performed by the Moma and the Momos which symbolises the fight between virtue and the seven capital sins in which virtue finally prevails.In the afternoon the bells of the Miguelete announce the Solemn Procession that at 7pm sets off from the Apostles' Door of the Cathedral. In this procession numerous characters from the Old and the New Testament travel round the old quarter of the city in a colourful and imaginative parade accompanied by the monumental custodia of Valencia Cathedral.

More at thisisvalencia.com

WHAT'S ON AT THE CINEMA IN ENGLISH THESE NEXT TWO WEEKS ?

This month's selection of films in English this week, at Babel, Albatros and CineCite Espai.

El Buen Nombre (The Namesake), Mira Nair, who made Monsoon Wedding and Vanity Fair directs this film about American-born Gogol, the son of Indian immigrants, wants to fit in among his fellow New Yorkers, despite his family's unwillingness to let go of their traditional ways..

Tideland, Apparently even weirder than his last outing this isTerry Gilliam's latest offering. After her mother dies from a methadone overdose, Jeliza-Rose is taken from the big city to a rural farmhouse by her father. Her attempts to deal with what's happened result in increasingly odd behavior- mmmm

The History Boys A Based on the play by Alan Bennet. Shortly before graduation, the school life and world view of five British boys is turned upside down when a new teacher comes to their class to prepare them for their final history tests. Up to then the head of their studies and certainly the most flamboyant teacher is Hector, a middle aged man who teaches them to love and feel literature. A great film.

Memorias de Queens (A Guide to Recognising Your Saints) Robert Downey Jr stars in this coming of age drama about Dito,(Downey) a writer in L.A., goes home to Astoria, Queens, after a 15-year absence when his mother calls to say his father's ill.

Half Nelson An inner-city junior high school teacher with a drug habit forms an unlikely friendship with one of his students after she discovers his secret.

Then there is still Little Miss Sunshine(very funny) and Scoop, Woody Allen's latest.

More and links to the cinemas timetables here

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Valencia - it's all here this bumper issue of thisisvalencia Newsletter Number 7.

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