lahabana magazine

TRENDING HAVANA

JAN 7 INCLUDING GUIDE TO THE BEST PLACES TO EAT, DRINK, DANCE AND STAY IN HAVANA lahabana. com magazine

JAN 2017 2 lahabana. com magazine

LA HABANA.COM is an independent platform, which seeks to HAVANA GUIDE showcase the best in Cuba arts & culture, life-style, sport, travel and much more... The ultimate guide to Havana with detailed reviews of where to We seek to explore Cuba through the eyes of the best writers, eat, drink, dance, shop, visit and play. Unique insights to the photographers and filmmakers, both Cuban and international, who place that a gregarious, passionate and proud people call home. live work, travel and play in Cuba. Beautiful pictures, great videos, opinionated reviews, insightful articles and inside tips.

HAVANA LISTINGS

MAY 2016 3 lahabana. com magazine magazine

EDITORIAL

It’s 2017 and we’re back with brand new exciting contents and pictures in What’s On La Habana—the definitive cultural and travel guide to Havana.

This month we have focused on what’s trending in Havana from restaurants, to people, to nightlife, to places to visit and more. Read all about Javier Sotomayor, who after having received the Prince of Asturias Award became the Prince of Heights to all Cubans. And discover why Cuban meteorologist José Rubiera is not only a great scientist but a great human being as well. Not to miss is the celebration of the Epiphany at Plaza de San Francisco on January 6, 2:30pm. Evoking an old tradition, the Afro- Cuban Council will tour the principal plazas of the Historic Center of Havana, including performances by the Tambores de Bejucal and the traditional comparsa Los Componedores de Batea. Dance-wise, the Gran Teatro de La Habana Alicia Alonso, whose grand reopening took place exactly one year ago, starts the year off with The Nutcracker (January 1, 8, 15 & 22, 5pm; January 14 & 21, 8:30pm) with the performances, among others, of stars Anette Delgado, Viengsay Valdés, Sadaise Arencibia and Grettel Morejón.

If you’re a lover of Cuban folklore dances, then you should not miss the two-week-long-event FolkCuba (January 16-290, which is held with experts who will teach you Cuban dances and music of African and Spanish origin, including mambo, cha-cha-cha, rumba, mozambique, pilón and conga. Meanwhile, the International Workshop on Cuban Modern Dance, Cubadanza (January 2-13), is aimed at professional dancers and students who will learn the Cuban technique of modern dance. The Fine Arts Museum (Edificio de Arte Universal) exhibits throughout the month a retrospective of the work of Michelangelo Pistoletto (considered one of the great representatives of Arte Povera) from the 1960s to the present. The LaHabana.com Team wishes our faithful readers all the best in 2017!

Abrazos!

JAN 2017 lahabana. com magazine

JAN 2017 5 lahabana. com magazine

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JAN 2017 6 CONTENTS JAN 2017 lahabana. com magazine

Trending Havana issue

10 places to visit in Havana 08 HAVANA LISTINGS 10 famous Cubans 19 VISUAL ARTS PHOTOGRAPHY DANCE Songs inspired by the city 23 MUSIC THEATRE FOR KIDS EVENTS Havana nightlife 33 HAVANA GUIDE Dining out in Havana 37 FEATURES RESTAURANTS BARS & CLUBS Paseo 206 Restaurant 42 LIVE MUSIC HOTELS PRIVATE ACCOMMODATION For the New Year 45

56th Cuban Baseball 47 Series

JAN 2017 lahabana. com magazine

FUSTER’S HOME AND STUDIO

José Antonio Rodríguez Fuster is a world-renowned ceramist, draftsman, painter and printmaker whose TEN PLACES TO home and studio draw a steady stream of tour buses and private visitors coming to marvel at the extravagant ceramic sculptures that adorn his home and the surrounding neighborhood—colloquially called VISIT IN HAVANA ‘Fusterlandia.’ Fuster has made a major contribution during almost two decades of work to enliven the humble fishing village of Jaimanitas, on the western outskirts of Havana. He has decorated over 80 buildings with murals, paintings, sculptures, etc.

photos by Mene and Lorena

JAN 2017 8 lahabana. com magazine

PLAZA DE LA REVOLUCIÓN

The Plaza de la Revolución (until 1959, called Plaza Cívica) is Cuba’s political center. The awesome Memorial y Museo a José Martí constructed during the 1950s is the centrepiece of the square. At the top of the tower is a mirador (reached by elevator), which is the highest viewing point in Havana, allowing visitors an unrivalled panorama of the city. Attracting as much attention as Martí’s memorial is the bronze silhouette of Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara on the façade of the offices of the Ministry of the Interior on the north-west side of the square.

JAN 2017 9 lahabana. com magazine

MUSEO NACIONAL DE BELLAS ARTES

The Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes is a world-class cultural center. Its collections are housed in two separate buildings—one is a very satisfactory modernist edifice (Palacio de Bellas Artes, 1954,) containing Cuban painting and sculpture, whilst the International Collection is housed in the jaw-dropping former Centro Asturiano. With nearly 50,000 pieces, this is Cuba’s most comprehensive art museum.

EL CAÑONAZO DE LAS NUEVE AT LA CABAÑA FORTRESS

From the late 17th century, cannon blasts were fired “at sunrise and sunset” to announce the opening or closing of the bay and the city gates. In 1898, it was decided to fire only one shot at 9:00 pm. With the restoration of La Cabaña in the late 20th century, the firing of the cannon became a ceremony, albeit somewhat eclectic given that the soldiers are garbed in 18th- century military garb but whose commands belong to the 19th-century Spanish Infantry Regulations. As always, opinion is divided--some people regard the ceremony as a continuity of a longstanding tradition, while others describe it as the apotheosis of kitsch.

JAN 2016 10 lahabana. com magazine

PLAZA VIEJA

The 16th-century Plaza Vieja was the last and the largest of the four main colonial plazas to be laid out. Almost completely restored during the past decade, it is today an absolutely beautiful art-filled space. Many of the restored buildings now house fashion boutiques, small museums, photo galleries, cafés, and even a popular brewpub—Factoria Plaza Vieja, on the southwest corner. This brewpub has been phenomenally successful and is now something of Ground Zero in the search for a comfortable place to sit, eat, and drink in Havana’s busiest square, the gorgeous Plaza Vieja.

LA LANCHITA DE REGLA

Passengers of the popular lanchita de Regla might be unaware of the fact that sailing and rowboats were being used right from the nineteenth century to connect today’s Avenida del Puerto to Regla and Casablanca. But the lanchita de Regla is no mere pleasure craft. Hundreds of people living in Regla and Casablanca use it on a daily basis to get to work and then to return home. On weekends the ferry has a whole different aspect. Passengers seem to enjoy looking at the waters and the splendid view of Havana receding into the distance as the imposing Christ of Casablanca gets closer.

JAN 2016 11 lahabana. com magazine

FINCA VIGÍA

Finca Vigía was the magical place that the Bronze God of American Literature, Ernest Hemingway, discovered for writing. After his suicide in Idaho, his fourth wife, Mary Welsh, donated the house with most of their belongings to the Cuban Government. Since then, Finca Vigía has been a museum, which houses more than 9,000 books, magazines and booklets, as well as personal items, such as his Underwood typewriter, hunting trophies, the “I never write letters” rubber stamp on his secretary’s desk, or the Glenn Miller record he left on the record player.

JAN 2017 12 lahabana. com magazine

PLAZA DE LA CATEDRAL

The exquisite Cathedral of Havana, which serves as the seat of the Roman Cathloic Archdiocese in Cuba, dominates Plaza de la Catedral, perhaps Cuba’s most intimate square and definitely one of Old Havana’s most beautiful spots. In addition to the cathedral, which gives the square its definitive appearance, the other three sides are taken up by the façades of 18th-century aristocratic baroque mansions, all built within a 40-year period and showing a defining architectural harmony.

JAN 2017 13 lahabana. com magazine

EL MALECÓN PLAYAS DEL ESTE

The Malecón begins in Old Havana. The sea front drive is Barely a 30-minute jaunt by car from Old Havana, the sugary lined with 18th- and 19th-century stately homes, followed white sands and crystalline turquoise waters at Playas del by a row of 20th-century buildings. But beyond the Este more than hold their own against those at the slicked- architectural values of the buildings, its greatest charm lies up resorts elsewhere in Cuba. Come here in the winter and in being somewhere to stroll or hang out on a stiflingly hot the place often has a timeworn and slightly abandoned air. day. It is a place where casting a fishing line may be more At other times of year, for those who dislike modern tourist important than actually catching a fish; where the breeze development or are keen to see how the Cubans get out and joins nostalgic old couples and young lovers. It is Havana’s enjoy themselves at weekends, Playas del Este is a breath of outdoor lounge. fresh air.

JAN 2017 14 lahabana. com magazine 10 FAMOUS CUBANS

ALICIA ALONSO

Known as the Grand Dame of Cuba, Alicia Alonso was voted one of the most beautiful women in the world by Harpers and Queen Magazine in the 1950s. At 16, she got married and moved to New York, but determined to promote ballet in Cuba, she set up the Alicia Alonso Ballet Company in 1948. But by the mid-fifties, the company had run into financial difficulties and political problems. Alicia left Cuba once again to return after Batista’s government had been overthrown by the Cuban Revolution in 1959. With generous funding from the government, she founded the Ballet Nacional de Cuba. Cuban ballet, while influenced by Russian and Soviet styles, is now recognized the world over as having its own unique form.

JAN 2017 15 lahabana. com magazine

CARLOS ACOSTA

Of mixed Spanish and African heritage, Carlos Acosta was the eleventh and last child of an impoverished family in one of the roughest areas of Havana. He grew up with no toys and didn’t even have a birthday cake until he was 23. Fearing his youngest hyperactive child would soon land in trouble, Pedro Acosta enrolled his son in a government- funded dance school hoping it would teach the boy discipline. He studied ballet at the Cuban National Ballet School, and before joining England’s Royal Ballet in 1998, Acosta had danced with esteemed dance companies in North America and Europe. At present, Carlos Acosta has his own company and his ballet Tocororo—A Cuban Tale has received worldwide plaudits.

BUENA FE

Israel Rojas (lawyer) and Yoel Martínez (musician) formed Buena Fe in Guantánamo Province in 1999. Their music has a unique sound, with trova, pop and rock influences. Although experts classify their music as pop, they prefer to avoid categories. Their lyrics are a means for the authors to express their opinions on contemporary life. In the words of Israel himself, “We try to make an art that doesn’t silence truths, that doesn’t hide shadows, that points to the light. For that, you have to take risks.”

JAN 2017 16 lahabana. com magazine

CHUCHO VALDÉS

Revered as one of the world’s greatest jazz pianists, Jesús Dionisio “Chucho” Valdés has won three Grammy awards (1978, 2000 and 2011) and four Latin Grammy awards (1997, 2001, 2002 and 2011), and was nominated Good Will Ambassador of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). His compositions are complex and can be described as narrations which could be summarized into a single story. According to Chucho himself, the kind of jazz that they play can be described as contemporary Cuban music.

CARLOS DÍAZ

The renowned director of the Teatro El Público theater company wanted to be an actor since he was a child. The first group he founded gave him the opportunity to experiment and begin to explore the path that his future company would travel. For Carlos Diaz, the most important thing in theater is communicating with an audience. He believes that theatrical art should be made to entertain the public. A carefully chosen repertoire and a consistent style of work are responsible for the long lines outside the Trianón theater.

JAN 2017 17 lahabana. com magazine

FERNANDO PÉREZ

Movie maker and screenwriter Fernando Pérez Valdés started out as an assistant director before directing his first documentary. His films Clandestinos (1987), Madagascar (1994), La vida es silbar (1998) and Suite Habana (2003) are considered masterpieces of the Cuban cinema, with the latter being regarded by some critics as the best Cuban film in decades. Martí, el ojo del canario premiered in 2010 and earned several awards in the Film Festival circuit. Also a writer, his book Corresponsales de Guerra won the 1982 Casa de las Américas Prize.

FÉLIX SAVÓN

A former amateur heavyweight boxer, Félix Savón Fabré is considered a boxing legend, winner of three gold medals at the Olympic Games, six world titles, three gold medals at the Pan American Games and four gold medals at the Central American and Caribbean Games. During his career, in which Savón never turned professional, he held a record of 362 wins and 21 losses, with all of his losses avenged.

JAN 2017 18 lahabana. com magazine

JAVIER SOTOMAYOR JOSÉ RUBIERA

Currently the world record holder in high Former Director of Cuba’s National Weather jump, Javier Sotomayor was the dominant Forecast Center, José Rubiera’s areas of expertise high jumper of the 1990s. He is regarded include weather forecast, hurricanes, early warnings as the best high jumper of all time and is and the impact of hurricanes on society. He is the only person to have ever cleared 2.45 the author of some fifty scientific articles and meters. At 19 years of age, Sotomayor was reports, a textbook and several brochures on the already raked No. 5 in the world. He set weather in the tropics. He has also given lectures his first world record at 2.43 meters in in over sixty scientific events and meetings both Spain in 1988. Then raised it in 1989 and in Cuba and overseas. However, he is probably again in 1993, with the 1993 record taking best known for his work as weather forecaster on him only four jumps. Only 12 men have national television. His life work has earned him jumped 2.40 meters or higher, with only numerous decorations from the Council of State three repeating the feat: C. Thränhardt and an Honoris Causa Degree in Physics from the did it twice, P. Sjöberg did it four times University of Las Villas. and Sotomayor did it 24 times. And of the 24 all-time best high jumps, 17 are his.

JAN 2016 19 lahabana. com magazine

LEONARDO PADURA

Padura was born in the outlying Havana district of Mantilla where he still lives. He studied Spanish American Literature at the University of Havana, and in 1983 published his first novel. He spent considerable part of his life writing journalism, an experience that most probably led him to explore and understand the mentality of large audiences. To a considerable extent, Leonardo Padura has made significant contributions to the notion of rethinking the prototype of writer that has historically prevailed within our tradition. He is one of our intellectuals who have defended the right for Cuban writers and artists in Cuba to regain real prominence in public spaces so that their views and ideas do not continue to be diminished by different types of censorship.

JAN 2017 20 lahabana. com magazine

SONGS INSPIRED BY THE CITY:

NOSTALGIA, PASSION, LOVE, AND SOCIAL CRITIQUE

Havana. Many a love song has been composed dedicated to this unforgettable city, from authors born and bred in its heart, who took their first steps in Guanabacoa, Vedado, Marianao, Luyano and Old Havana to musicians all over the world who admire its lively residents. Most foreign visitors arrive by air and make their way to the city’s heart travelling down Boyeros Avenue, past landmarks like the Ciudad Deportiva stadium complex where Cuba’s world class athletes train and the Plaza of the Revolution with its towering monument of Marti and the government ministry buildings from which the portraits of Revolutionary leaders Che and Camilo assure us with their well know words. For people arriving to Havana from other parts of the island they are welcomed at the city limits with a sign that declares “Havana: the Capital of all Cubans”. This city full of charm has inspired wistful songs full of nostalgia, love songs full of passion, and lyrics full of insightful social critique. We invite you to sample a small selection of the diversity of the city as sung by its resident musicians.

“SÁBANAS BLANCAS” BY GERARDO ALFONSO

Iconic images of the city: regal lions, the capital building, the Malecón, and the Virgen del Camino. Gerardo’s sonic portrait of the everyday life of the city presented in the rhythm of rumba, a fusion of different elements that make up the genre of guaguancó, naive to Havana. A lover of the city he declares that he “I swear I’m going to die of love and of desire to walk your streets, your neighborhoods, your places…” The image of the city’s avenues and the white sheets that flap in the wind above us from balconies of buildings that continue to defy gravity. The same author takes on the subject of the overcrowding in in the song “Habana llena de gente”.

JAN 2017 21 lahabana. com magazine

“HOY MI HABANA” BY JOSÉ ANTONIO QUESADA

In this song Havana is personified as a flirtatious woman sitting on her balcony, the architectural feature that seems to define the old city. The balconies of old Havana are like boxes in the opera from which one can observe and become part of it all. The voice of Xiomara Laugart has made this song legendary for its ability to make you feel part of this Havana, allowing you to observe yourself through her eyes, looking towards the sea and waiting for love.

“HABÁNAME” BY CARLOS VARELA

In this love song to the city Varela’s unique voice, usually rough and rasping, adopts a sweetness that will make you fall in love as well. It is a love story in which the Spanish and Cuban intertwine and the Morro serves as a witness. Full of nostalgia as he watches “every wall of the illusion” fall before him, it is an aging photograph of the old colonial city Varela’s voice resonates with the impotence of one who dreams in vain of returning the city to its former glory.

“ANDAR LA HABANA” BY IRENO GARCÍA

Dawn in the capital, two lovers walk the city in this simple song. Ireno accompanied by his guitar leads us by the hand down the streets of the city on a tour that lasts from dusk till the dawn of the new day. “Havana has moved to the Malecón”, this could be any day this year, or the last, or years from now as the city’s residents attempt to escape the heat of overcrowded city and look for perspective. This place where the waters beyond our coasts slam against the reefs and reminds island dwellers that there is nothing more beautiful than the blue of that ocean on our shores, while simultaneously reminding us that those waters connect us with far-away lands.

Ireno’s voice is like a whisper and we follow him through the most important streets of the city: G, 23, looking for that blue, Zanja, that ocean, Galiano, Central Park, Obispo, the Cathedral and once again we find the balconies of the city waiting to be bathed by Havana’s first light.

JAN 2017 22 lahabana. com magazine

“HERMOSA HABANA” BY LOS ZAFIROS

A love song in five-part harmony. The Prado, the sea, the streets. Despite its flattering name (Hermosa means beautiful) the languid rhythm of the violin’s lament in this quintet’s song is full of longing. How can an ode to such a beautiful city be sung with such deep sadness?

“MI VIEJA HABANA” BY LIUBA MARIA HEVIA

The habanera, is a genre of song with a distinctive rhythm. Danzón with the city’s distinctive stamp. Liuba sings a habanera dedicated to Havana full of love to the city and symbols of colonial past: the light streaming through stained-glass windows, wandering musicians, and cobblestones. This city lives deep within those who love her and even in death those who have lived and loved Havana will never be parted from her.

JAN 2017 23 lahabana. com magazine

“LOCOS POR LA HABANA” BY MANOLITO SIMONET

This song shows the joy of the island capital that comes to life after dark, where social status is not important and workers and intellectuals mix on the corner around a good game of dominoes. Havana is a city where the lack of resources has never limited the joy of the people who can make an orchestra good enough to dance to by banging on an empty can and a with just one bottle can bring together a group of friends. Havana is a crazy city and its residents are crazy for it.

“LA CAPITAL” BY GEMA AND PAVEL

This infectious tune paints a picture of Havana at the advent of the 20th century when Gema’s grandfather came to Havana, then a bustling cosmopolitan city inhabited by people from all over the world looking to prove themselves and make a life in this new frontier. A city in which the diverse cultures that its inhabitants brought with them from Spain, Africa, and China mix to become something new, Cuban.

JAN 2017 24 lahabana. com magazine

“HABANA” BY EDESIO ALEJANDRO

Havana’s rumba played to the beat of the clave by a man leaning over a conga drum in the entrance to a colonial building transformed into a tenement, full of clothes lines, tanks of water and women dancing in flip-flops. These are the images that cross your mind as the voice of the singer and the beating of the percussion enter your body, shaking your shoulders and making its way to your hips. “Havana, my Havana is so beautiful!”

“LA HABANA A TODO COLOR” BY HABANA ABIERTA

With a touch of rock ‘n roll, the lead voice begins “Blessed be Havana, city of my emotions”. The song is an invitation to discover the city at a contagious rhythm, homage to the coast, the neighborhoods, the people and the monuments which we find around every corner of this bewitching city. There is a connection between the city and the natural elements: water, earth, light and air. The singing voice speaks to the ambivalent relationship that many people in Havana have with their beloved city that oscillate between deep love, suffering, and joy.

“HABANEANDO” BY X ALFONSO

This artist is known for his fusion and his music is always nurtured by the most contemporary rhythms. In this song he gives birth to a new verb: Havana-ing. He suggests that there is a hidden Havana present in the sound of the guitar, and the rumba that spills out of the homes in humble working-class neighborhoods. Although everyday life might be difficult, one must maintain a sense of humor. In the end, despite its problems, the city will seduce you. Another great song about the city by X Alfonso is “Habana Blues” which makes lyrical poetry from everyday stories of families separated by immigration.

JAN 2016 25 lahabana. com magazine

“HERMOSA HABANA” BY ALDO

Aldo uses the emblematic song written by the Zafiros as a background for a song that helps us to discover the beautiful city underneath the one damaged by immigration and misunderstandings. The malecón, which in other songs is highlighted for its beauty, is to this rapper a “immigration office” through which people from poor neighborhoods forgotten by bureaucracy pass. Also on the surface the city is beautiful Aldo sings about what is beyond the façade, the heart of the city which is slowly decaying.

“LA HABANA MÍA” BY AMAURY PEREZ

To close the list of songs is a song that is itself a list. Havana, the capital of Cuba emerges as a place full of possibilities: both the place of past sorrows and the place that allows you to forget them. The city that gives us the reasons to move on, to start over. Havana teaches us to hope, a place where dreams can come true. This city that gives us so much is a city that also inspires our loyalty. My Havana, Our Havana.

JAN 2017 26 lahabana. com magazine

HAVANA NIGHTLIFE—WHAT’S TRENDING

By Sophia Beckman

JAN 2017 27 lahabana. com magazine

The drinking scene in the city often disappoints tourists inspired by Ernest Hemingway, Graham Greene and Havana’s decadence of long- gone decades. The classic Hemingway haunts have become tourist traps and after midnight, Old Havana largely shuts down even while the Malecón is packed six-deep with locals and there are large queues outside some nightclubs. What Cuban bars do have, however, is great music. And in many places, there is a rich architectural heritage and a relaxed easy-going atmosphere. Generally, drinks selection is relatively limited but you will almost always be able to get a great mojito. In recent years, a number of more European-style lounge bars have opened, as well as a microbrewery in the heart of the old city. Throw in some comedy options and a thriving gay scene and there are plenty of options.

The best Cuban salsa clubs host world-class Cuban bands on a nightly basis. The energy is infectious and dancing, spectacular. Having come to Cuba, you must see a top salsa/timba band. Discos cover a multiplicity of scenes, from the glitzy tourist venue to a smoky, hectic real Cuban locale. The music often varies from night to night. In recent years, a thriving nouveau trendy Cuban party scene has emerged, giving you a glimpse of a possible future Havana. Held at different locales, this is the place to be if you want to be seen by and mingle with the Cuban cool set. There is also a blooming alternative scene where brilliant Cuban musicians improvise to a very local beat.

From Grammy winners to surprisingly accomplished minstrels plying along the Malecón, Cuba is a music Mecca. I think it’s fair to say that if you don’t experience music that moves you in the hips, heart, or elsewhere in your island travels, you’re missing the point. Unfortunately, not all the venues around town match the quality of the music being made, not to mention the technology and people hired to run it—audio equipment and lighting design can be nothing short of horrendous. Then there’s what we call ‘ambiente’ in these parts, the atmosphere of a place, which can make or break a venue in terms of audience experience.

JAN 2017 28 lahabana. com magazine

Music is everywhere in Havana. Locals joke that Cuba is the only country in the world where you have to pay musicians not to play. Most bars and restaurants feature trios, quartets and septets. The level of musical training is very high and one of the consequences of the US embargo is that, rather than being overrun by American pop, Cuba has nurtured its own unique blends of African and European rhythms—from rumba to bolero, from cha-cha-cha to timba—and kept its level of creativity high. The best Cuban jazz is magnificent; unfortunately, you never quite know how good it will be. Experimental, daring, improvised, brilliant, terrible. Even as the actual members of Buena Vista Social Club succumb to old age, the number of events promising a ‘Buena Vista’ event seems to multiply.

Some personal tips and recent news:

1)Bars walk a thin line Some of the hottest and trendiest bars and private clubs have been closed in recent months. Reasons vary and there probably is no conspiracy, but it is of note that the favorite haunt of the Havana farándula, Sangri-La, now seems permanently closed, following Las Piedras and Kpricho. As of now, the ever popular, if somewhat cheesy, Up and Down remains open, as does the more edgy Bolabana—both places attracting a friendly local clientele. Newly opened Sarao in El Vedado is beautiful in a slightly pretentious Miami style, while Essencia Habana and Kings Bar attract a more mixed crowd of Cubans working in the private sector. My favourite bar remains Espacios, which has just extended its garden and attracts a trendy crowd of mixed age making an effort to have something for everyone!

2)Salsa is a niche activity—Pick your night! While visitors to Cuba love learning the appropriate pasos to the latest Havana D’Primera song, ideally with some expert assistance from a Cuban teacher, the reality is that salsa is played only in a few places now—look for Casa de la Música, Club 1830 on Thursday and Sunday evenings, Hotel Florida (most nights) and La Gruta (Wednesday nights).

JAN 2017 29 lahabana. com magazine

3)Old Havana shuts down early Don’t be surprised when Old Havana shuts down early—all is quiet by midnight as there are strict restrictions enforced. Apart from Hotel Florida, there are very few places to dance the night away and you may want to Uber up to El Vedado or Miramar by witching hour.

4)FAC is the death star of Havana’s cultural scene Fábrica de Arte Cubano (FAC) is the death star to the Cuban cultural scene. The fact that it is a force for good (except if you are a fan of reggaeton, which is banned!) does not diminish its increasing power. This is Havana’s defining scene. It is here that stories will be written, lives lived, lovers loved and songs played. Both rough- hewn and refined, it is unique not just for Cuba but really globally, given the cultural space it occupies. It provides a venue that proudly showcases the most authentic and daring artwork produced in Cuba today and it proves to us that it is possible to combine recreation with spirituality.

There are four large naves that have been perfectly thought out for four different specific activities. In the first one, the focus is on the visual arts, graphic design, fashion, architecture and small-format music performances. The second is reserved for photography and video-art. The third nave belongs to dance, cinema, theater and classical music, and it also has a digital library. Finally, in the fourth nave, we can enjoy pop music concerts.

The “soul” of Fábrica de Arte Cubano is a sense of style and wit that draws visitors in and allows them to feel free. There is a unique manner in which the various creative processes interact and crisscross, something that is really quite rare. The underlying spirit of the place has the physical structure framing the lovely idea of having art come together with art consumers in an intimate, dynamic and exciting way. The guiding force of this process has been X Alfonso, musician, composer and top Cuban music promoter, with the support and collaborative energies of a number of Cuban artists and cultural institutions.

From 8pm to 3am, from Thursday to Sunday, Fábrica de Arte allows us to discover a very special Havana to be part of something very special which is happening right now.

JAN 2017 30 lahabana. com magazine

5)The best of the rest (clubs) When a good band is playing, it is difficult to beat El Sauce as a venue to see Cuban pop and trova artists such as Raúl Torres, Polito Ibáñez, Frank Delgado, Buena Fe, Kelvis Ochoa, Diana Fuentes, David Torrens, and Descemer Bueno. The crowd is somewhat older and more Cuban middle class than in places such as La Cecilia or Don Cangrejo, which attract a much younger crowd.

And if you are feeling adventurous, don’t miss Salón Rosado de la Tropical on a night when they have a popular event on. This was once known as the legendary beer garden where Arsenio tore it up in the 40s. It’s still a big part of the live music scene today for large concerts, parties and other special events, which by their nature tend to be somewhat sporadic. Typically, there will be a salsa/timba gig on a Saturday night and a Sunday matinée with an older crowd, but you should check before heading out there.

Elsewhere, Don Cangrejo continues with its popular Friday night parties, La Cecilia with its Saturday night extravaganza and Salon Rojo (Hotel Capri) with popular bands. All these places are fun if you are in the mood and want to get noticed.

JAN 2016 31 lahabana. com magazine

Dining out in Havana By Sophia Beckman

Eating out in Havana used to be something of a struggle, a choice between a dozen private restaurants (paldares) which managed to obtain and keep a license and a few state run restaurants which occasionally would rise from mediocre to average. Today I probably still only regularly go to a dozen places but at least it is my choice! At their best these are cute owner managed businesses which have bags of personality, great food and attentive service. At their worst they are overpriced, pretentious with annoying service rubbish food and full of tourists disgorged from the latest tour bus – so be picky!

MY TOP 10 CHOICES ARE:

1.CORTE DEL PRÍNCIPE (Sergios)______Italian (Expensive)

Simply the best food in Havana bar none. This is Sergio’s place who most nights is to be found fussing around the kitchen, tinkering with new dishes and welcoming regulars with his own version of Italian Spanglish. While there probably is a menu I have never seen one, ask for the specialties of the day. The best starters are eternal including baked eggplant, shrimps, beef carpaccio and focaccia with jamon serrano. The home made pasta main courses are spectacular, try the tagliatelle al fungi porcini/gamberi and zucchine/alla marinara.

This is not a fancy place, and is tucked away in a residential neighborhood; but is typically packed with a regular expat crowd. They manage to avoid the large tour buses. This is somewhere where no one comes in a hurry, the service is attentive but not in your face. Splendido!

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2.BELLA CIAO ______Italian (moderate) 3.EL ENFRENTE & O’REILLY 304 ______International (moderate) Bella Ciao lies a little off the beaten tourist track and doesn’t look that special from the outside. It is not so much a well-kept secret as inhabiting its own ecosystem O’Reilly 304 opened a couple of years ago and soon which once you have acclimatized to, you find yourself to keep going back, for lunch established a firm reputation as the best place to go while with business colleagues for a quick bite, with the kids for an early evening pizza and in Old Havana, indeed one of the best locations in the for a booze up with a group of friends late at night. city as a whole with the best cocktails and service to die for. Always a little small for me however imaginatively the This is somewhere where you are made to feel at home – where the service is so space was used I was delighted when the owners opened attentive and friendly you want to send your partner for finishing classes there! The up a new place opposite, literally El Enfrente. Situated on food is great without being spectacular – reliable quality. Steak, fish, pastas and pizzas, multiple levels in part of a larger building space there is all served as large portions. as long as you can book a table since this is now probably the trendiest restaurant in Havana attracting a clientele of tourists and expats. The food is good, think tacos, seafood, cerviche (again) and an excellent fillet. On the drinks front if they have a passionate fruit daiquiri take it and another.

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4.EL COCINERO ______International (moderate)

El Cocinero opened in February 2013 and soon become a smash hit, now, situated next to the FAC it has become a staple on the good food gravy train. Located underneath the imposing brick chimney of the same name (which used to be a vegetable oil factory). The second floor, designed for more formal dining, is in black and grey tones, with minimalist paintings hanging and a nouvelle cuisine approach to food. Outside, an open patio surrounded by lush plants has a distinctly bistro vibe. Personally I like the third floor terrace which is where the real buzz is although bear in mind you need to go up another couple of floors of spiral staircases. The rooftop terrace is used for dining and drinks. The décor is more modern, casual and pop. Its menu has been expanding under Chef Ramon Manuel Lopez Alarcon, who aims to provide inspiring, organic and fresh food. Tuna tatar and tuna tataki are his signature dishes. Maybe the food could be better and I get never get comfortable in the chairs but the service is so good, the atmosphere so cool without being pretentious that these are forgivable sins!

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5.LA GUARIDA ______International (expensive)

Open on July 14, 1996 La Guarida (also known as Fresa y Chocolate after the film), has been in expansion mode. But before we get to that – the basics. This is the best known restaurant in Havana, this is where Madonna recently held her 50th Birthday party. It is the must go to place when the glitterati come to town from the Queen of Spain to the Queen of American pop (Beyonce).

The building, originally known as La Mansión Camagüey, is both showing its age and its former grandeur. Some structural issues to the building have seen a major repair job undertaken on the original dining area and guests sent through the belly of the building to the back staircase. This being Cuba there is little cause for concern – just go with the flow. Given this disruption and a simply massive demand from tourists as the fame has grown the solution has been for more parts of the building to be taken over, more dining areas to be opened up. The result is a megaplex which still manages (just) to retain its charm and authenticity while being incredibly efficient and professional. Personally I like the outdoor terrace on the third floor and I love the top floor bar. Inside a little less these days but it is all good.

The food remains consistent and it is reliable. How good, I blow hot and cold. Although the kitchen has been refreshed over the years with international experience, [currently the head chefs are Manuel Cio & Pedro Rodriguez] there is a practical reality to serving two sittings every night from a very small kitchen. Things have to be prepped, dishes have to be standardised, and the show must go on.

Try the seviche, gazpacho or their signature appetizer of eggplant caviar. Caimanero (fresh grouper) might come in a white-wine, orange, or sweet-and-sour sauce--all are good, as is the honey-mustard chicken and pork medallions in mango sauce. The new menu has introduced many new dishes including an eggplant tart with parmesan cheese, seafood lasagna, watermelon with grilled shrimps and chicken curry amongst others, which have refreshed what had become a little predictable fare.

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6.STARBIEN______International (expensive)

Starbien serves some of the best food in Havana. For starters try the ceviche, deep fried cheese and my absolute favorite the tuna teriyaki. For mains the roasted snapper in lime juice and ropa vieja (slowly cooked shredded beef), is superb. Desserts were unavoidable once we had seen the neighbors’ chocolate torte (with dried fruit). The attractive multi-story 1930s house, with original tile floors and walls, is cool Habana in every sense of the phrase for its décor and style.

Service is typically excellent with the young dynamic owner a steady presence. Indeed they are looking to expand to an adjacent place which gives an idea as to the popularity of this place where reservations are essential. My only gripe is with the indoor areas where the lighting and atmosphere is a little stale. The outdoor terrace is the place to be on the bottom floor.

7. Santy Fish (moderate)

Santy has expanded. Having hidden away for so many years – a friend once begged me not to write a review lest his personal favourite be over-run. And then there was Anthony Bourdain in Parts Unknown eating sushi on CNN spilling the beans. What was once a clapboard single story wooden house now has a major upstairs terrace. The neighbourhood may be tough to find, located in Jaimanitas on the Western outskirts of Havana just shy of Marina Hemingway, but the odd tour buses may give away the exact location once you get close.

The atmosphere upstairs has changed, it is less intimate, less exclusive. Not worse, just different. Personally I like the new vibe. Less preening diplomats and more “normal” Cubans enjoying the food. And if you like seafood, this is the place. Absolutely the best fish restaurant in Havana Starters include fresh sashimi, home-made smoked fish and a tuna tataki. Look for the baby lobster if they have it and ask for the whatever fish has been caught that day for a main course.

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8.RIO MAR______International (expensive)

Amazingly for a city by the sea Havana has precious few places to eat with a view to the deep blue ocean. Río Mar has a whole terrace overlooking the spot where the Río Almendares flows into the sea, opposite the historic 1830 Club (watch out for nights where reggaeton blasts across the bay!). This little bay is sheltered but gives you a sense and smell of the ocean without the waves.

In the past year Rio Mar has expanded its outdoor terrace and even in the sweltering summer this is the place to be. Service is excellent and this is a well-run and swish establishment. Almost too much at times, it can be too pretty and not gritty enough for some with upscale prices.

The food is excellent, baby Chateaubriand, lobster cocktail, spicy pork, garlic grilled fish—the menu is short but good. Drinks are reasonably priced, cocktails nicely made and the wine selection limited but with some good options.

9.DONA EUTEMIA______Cuban-creole (expensive)

Booking is imperative at this diminutive paladar in a cobblestoned alleyway off Plaza Cathedral, one of Havana’s most iconic colonial squares. Over the past year other places have opened next door giving this whole alleyway a cosy and happening feel. We still prefer the original – so keep walking to the final place on the back right.

Dona Eutimia feels like it’s been here forever; its walls are crowded with decorative antique clocks, paintings and local artwork and its rooms are divided by a splendid stained-glass window. The food is classic creole chicken, pork and fish, cooked well, and there are decent fresh juices (pineapple, guava, orange and papaya). The fried malanga (a Cuban root vegetable) appetiser is not to be missed.

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10.NAZDAROVIE______Soviet (expensive)

For the ultimate in Soviet retro we bring you Navdrovie, from the usher, dressed in a Russian sailor suit, greeting guests at the front entrance, to its vintage Soviet propaganda posters hung all over the walls, to a Valdimir Lenin bust flanked by tall vodka bottles, and all the way to the matryoshka dolls sitting on the shelves, Nazdarovie takes USSR nostalgia to a whole new level.

Since its opening in 2014 this place has established itself as a home from home for Russian tour groups, the Russian Embassy, foodies and tourists. It has appeared in countless articles in the international press and has features in various food shows on Havana. It is consistently near the top of Trip Advisor’s rankings.

Apart from the Soviet nostalgia guests on the outdoor tables have an outstanding view of the Malecon – catch cocktails there at sunset. Food wise, there is an eclectic mix from the old Soviet republics, not just Russia – think Georgia and the Baltics. Classic caviar sits alongside salade olivier and homemade Russian style raviolis filled with ground beef in sour cream to pan seared spicy chicken. Each dish is well thought out and presented with exquisite garnish.

VIVA LA UNION SOVIETICA!

JAN 2017 38 lahabana. com magazine PASEO 206

by Ricardo Alberto Pérez.

Paseo 206 opened just a few months ago but it seems to have already gained quite a following. The first thing the new owners did was to undertake a well thought- out restoration of the building, bringing back the soul and beauty of a former residence and turning it into the incredible boutique- hostel and restaurant it is today. This process made sure that future employees would acquire a sense of ownership about the premises and thereby improve the quality of the service.

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The hostel looks after all the arrangements of travellers, right from pickup at the airport in perfectly restored and functioning 1950s vintage cars. What a wonderful start for a visit to authentic Cuba.

The heart and essence of the project has the warmth of a home and the facilities of a hotel, all at the same time. There are eight rooms; four of them are more spacious than the other four, but all of them have the same degree of comfort. Two of the rooms are extra-special: one is a glass-walled room surrounded by plants and the other is located in the dome at the top of the house, boasting a splendid view that extends right out to the sea.

Paseo 206 has been described as “a warm embrace between Cuba and Italy”, an effort to preserve the spiritual strength of the two countries as embodied by the current owners Andrea Gallina from Italy and Diana Sainz from Cuba. But Andrea admits that most of the spirit of their project comes from Diana.

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The hosts pride themselves on their concept of experiential-travel and so they organize excursions for their guests to the fruit and vegetable markets to pick out the produce they will be eating later on. They also visit the fish market and participate in the cleaning of the fresh fish. It is an original way to explore daily life on the Island. Other excursions are also popular with foreigners: following the Hemingway Route in Cuba or exploring the neighborhoods of Centro Habana and Habana Vieja.

The Paseo 206 restaurant is called Eclectico: the name reminds us that the district where it is located, El Vedado, is an eclectic one. It also alludes to the fact that Cuban products are used to create Italian cuisine. The Cuban dishes which are served are cooked in a healthier manner, going light on the oil. Pasta is home-made as is the paté de foie gras. The motto of the restaurant is “from the field to the table”: nothing could be fresher.

Among the main dishes are pasta: Fettuccine alla Bolognese (tomato, ragout); Spaghetti alla Pescatora (tomato fresh seafood from local fishermen) and Gnocchetti all’amatriciana (tomato sauce, tiny Italian dumplings). Main dishes include El Cochinillo asado with market vegetables and chicken breast cooked in white wine sauce and served with baked potatoes. As an appropriate ending to the meal one can choose a delicious home-made gelato created from incomparable Baracoa chocolate.

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On one of Havana’s loveliest avenues, the tree-lined Paseo, this ideal spot awaits so that your adventure in Cuba can be a perfect one.

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For the New Year...

Here comes December 31st and along with it season’s greetings and best wishes for friends, relatives, neighbors or acquaintances, looking back over the year ending and projecting our hopes and dreams for the coming year.

Generally speaking, we always wish for health, love, peace and success…but every one of us interprets these in their own way.

Some think health means having abundance in the food department (including lipids and carbohydrates) on every one of the 365 days of the year. Others think of strict diets, going on walks and working out at the gym. Yet others “firmly” promise to stop smoking or drinking. And there are those who remember, at least for a few seconds, those postponed visits to the dentist, the low-heeled, wide-toed shoes (not at all fashionable!) recommended by their orthopedic specialist and eliminating those chocolate or sweets they ate like crazy at the end of the year parties, all in preparation for future abstinence.

In matters of the heart, it also gets rather complicated. Unmarried people, especially the spinsters, dream about their Prince Charming coming to get them: every year brings on a less idealized version. I have girlfriends who have some pretty strange methods such as using red underwear on New Year’s Eve and waiting for the striking of midnight on December 31st holding on to a lit red candle: not only is that uncomfortable, it’s just plain dangerous especially if you have had one too many. Married people wish for “happily ever after” even though perhaps more than a few are wishing for a quick divorce instead, the birth of a long-desired child or, in a hushed sotto voce, a small home so that they can finally leave their mother-in-law’s. And the lovers among us are promising that they will be married by the time next December 31st rolls around.

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Peace depends on so many external factors so it’s probably better to As for me, I hope that next year my son starts not even mention it. But some will tell you that “inner peace” can be working on his thesis, that my partner gets to achieved by taking up meditation, being in harmony with the universe or see his two new books (already being edited) subscribing to some religious faith. published, that Cuba’s GDP grows, that wars end, that transportation improves, that I will And what about success? It’s all a matter of your perspective. For some always have work (but not too much!). And this means ascending the ladder at work, for others it’s being satisfied once again, I promise to stop smoking. with whatever they are doing whether it is a heart transplant or fixing a carburetor. For a few it means buying, buying, buying…and letting others see that. For many others, they want to see their children move forward in their lives, have a happy home life, enjoy their aging parents, be surrounded by friends, to love and to feel loved. As the clock strikes twelve on the last day of the year, you may see someone running down the street with a suitcase: obviously success for that person means taking photos by Ana Lorena a trip. Where? Who knows?

JAN 2017 44 lahabana. com magazine

56th CUBAN BASEBALL SERIES

by Ricardo Alberto Pérez The afore-mentioned changes to the format of the photos: Mene competition are linked to the need for adapting to and fitting in with the international schedule of sporting events such as the important Caribbean Series, which takes place With changes to its structure and especially to its schedule, the 56th in February, and the World Classic in March. By doing this, Cuban Baseball Series is now in its post-season stage with four teams the training for each of these events can be done properly. remaining in the competition: Matanzas, Ciego de Ávila, Granma In pointing out some of the outstanding moments in and Villa Clara. The elimination of three legendary teams such as this championship series, I would like to emphasize the Industriales, Santiago de Cuba and Pinar del Río during the first stage emergence of very young talent, which leads us to think of was very exciting. Without a doubt though, Pinar del Río has the best the next generation of our baseball stars, ready to play in group of pitchers on the Island. the most demanding leagues.

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Among these youngsters we have Yoenis Céspedes’ brother, Yoelkis Céspedes, from Granma. He has impressed us with his batting skills and running speed, which has made him the number one With changes to its structure and player for triples. In terms of especially to its schedule, the 56th pitching, we have athletes coming Cuban Baseball Series is now in its out of the youth league, such as post-season stage with four teams Yosbel Zulueta from Villa Clara. remaining in the competition: In spite of his tender years, he Matanzas, Ciego de Ávila, Granma shows remarkable steadiness on and Villa Clara. The elimination the mound and combines a great of three legendary teams such as curve ball with an even greater Industriales, Santiago de Cuba and fastball. Pinar del Río during the first stage was very exciting. Without a doubt Once again the characteristic though, Pinar del Río has the best explosiveness of the manager group of pitchers on the Island. of Matanzas, Victor Mesa, has The afore-mentioned changes to brought home good results, the format of the competition are placing the team at the top in linked to the need for adapting to total points and giving them an and fitting in with the international impressive record of 42 victories schedule of sporting events such and only 3 losses during the first as the important Caribbean Series, stage. The most valuable men which takes place in February, and on the team are pitchers Yoani the World Classic in March. By doing Yera (leader in strikeouts) and this, the training for each of these Yonder Martínez, and Jefferson events can be done properly. In Delgado (leader in hits) and pointing out some of the outstanding Yordanis Samón. One of the moments in this championship characteristics of team of the series, I would like to emphasize Matanzas Province is that they the emergence of very young talent, have players from around the which leads us to think of the next country. generation of our baseball stars, ready to play in the most demanding leagues.

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Mesa frequently repeats the “stealing home” tactic that made him famous as a player. Sometimes this turns into a suicidal move but it revs up the excitement of the game. Even in the most adverse games, Matanzas has been seen to lead by at least 5 runs. They play a tactical game, calculated to take advantage of their opponents’ weaknesses.

The other team showing character and stability is the current national champ Ciego de Ávila under the coaching of former catcher Roger Machado. He is a manger who has matured quickly and shows us his ability to go for the wins. Placing it in second ranking, Ciego’s most valuable players include pitcher Vladimir García and catcher Osvaldo Vázquez (leader in homeruns).

As for Villa Clara, two of their most stellar figures in the last twenty years were let go during this series: legendary catcher Ariel Pestano and first-baseman Ariel Borrero, who is known as the “Remolcador” [Tow Truck] for his many RBIs and who was responsible for an amazing hit at the First World Classic against Dominican Bartolo Colón.

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At this moment in time, the four managers are planning their strategies, faced with the possibility of requesting three more reinforcement players so that each of them can round out their rosters and thereby shore up their weaknesses and provide the Cuban fans with the exciting show they are hoping for.

JAN 2017 48 lahabana. com magazine HAVANA LISTINGS

VISUAL ARTS PHOTOGRAPHY DANCE MUSIC THEATRE FOR KIDS EVENTS

HAVANA GUIDE FEATURES RESTAURANTS BARS & CLUBS LIVE MUSIC HOTELS PRIVATE ACCOMMODATION lahabana. com magazine

BIBLIOTECA PÚBLICA RUBÉN MARTÍNEZ VILLENA THROUGH Varios segundos sin pestañar, by Nelson JANUARY 5 Jalil, will present small and large format VISUAL pieces, along with objects that have served as inspiration to the artist for his most recent work, which is marked by a sense of abandonment and annulment expressed by ARTS representing everyday elements. OPENS Cubanos, curated by the renowned designer JANUARY 13 Pepe Menéndez, seeks to show key Cuban elements of appearance and form, through pieces of diverse origin and time. MUSEO NACIONAL DE BELLAS ARTES. EDIFICIO DE ARTE CUBANO

THROUGH JANUARY 16 CASA DE LAS AMÉRICAS Las cosas como son, solo show by Glexis Novoa, specially conceived for the OPENS En el espacio: de lo escultórico a lo instalativo, institution, exhibits large-scale paintings recently made in Havana, and JANUARY 23 pieces by Luis Arnal, Sandu Darie, León Ferrari, graphite drawings of wall fragments, presented under a novel sculptural Rodolfo Krasno, Julio Le Parc y Edgar Negret, perspective. among others. Also opening is an ancillary exhibition of posters on sculptures and sculptors. THROUGHOUT JANUARY Abstractivos, exhibition of the most representative work of Pedro de Oráa, CASA DE ARTES Y TRADICIONES CHINAS National Visual Arts Prize 2015, master of Cuban abstract art. OPENS El renacer del ave fénix, by artist José Ignacio JANUARY 13 Sánchez Rius (Josignacio), recreates the Chinese EDIFICIO DE ARTE UNIVERSAL. MUSEO NACIONAL DE BELLAS ARTES horoscope and other figures and legends like the THROUGH MARCH 13 Phoenix and the panda.

Michelangelo Pistoletto, first solo exhibition in Cuba of this artist, CASA DEL MARQUÉS DE ARCOS who is considered one of the great representatives of Arte Povera, in a THROUGH Miradas inéditas, never before seen drawings by retrospective of his work from the 1960s to the present, including mirror- JANUARY 16 artists from the late 19th century and early 20th paintings dedicated to Havana. century from the private collection of Jorge Luis FACTORÍA HABANA del Busto. OPENS Diógenes y la luz, brings together artists Octavio Cesar JANUARY 20 Marín and José Ángel Toirac, in an exhibition, which inspired by a passage from the life of the Greek philosopher Diogenes who is said to have toured Athens under the light of the sun holding a burning candle, searching for an man Honest.

CASTILLO DE LA REAL FUERZA THROUGH Huellas sobre la ciudad, by painter Ileana Mulet, occupies photos by Alex Mene DECEMBER Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes. 17 the railings and the temporary exhibition hall of the old Edificio de Arte Cubano castle, in a loving tribute to Havana.

JANOCT 2016 61 lahabana. com magazine CENTRO DE ARTE

CONTEMPORÁNEO CENTRO DE DESARROLLO DE LAS ARTES VISUALES THROUGH- Verbum II, solo show by Iván Capote. OUT WIFREDO LAM JANUARY CASA JUAN GUALBERTO GÓMEZ THROUGH Muestra personal de Jannis JANUARY 28 THROUGH- Al rescate del grupo Espacio 1965-1972, dedicated to the Kounellis. This exhibition by OUT Jannis Kounellis, founder, FEBRUARY work of Yonny Ibáñez Gómez, will exhibit the faces of young along with Michelangelo painters of the Espacio group, which he was a member of , Pistoletto, of Arte Povera along with paintings from some members of this group of in Italy, and whose work Cuban visual arts. incorporates objects and everyday materials (animals, CASA OSWALDO GUAYASAMÍN: plants, carbon, rocks, steel OPENS Fragmentaria Tomo I, by the renowned Peruvian-Cuban JANUARY 12 sheets, wool, pieces of artist Patssy Higuchi, focuses on the defense of women appliquéd textile folk art by questioning the dehumanizing stereotypes imposed on fire, smoke) to refer to the society through painting, drawing, photography, engraving, course of life and its transitory mixed media and ceramics. condition. CENTRO PROVINCIAL DE ARTES PLÁSTICAS Y DISEÑO THROUGH XXI Salón de la Ciudad opens under the premise that JANUARY 22 “Havana of 2016 is unfolding in a framework in which diverse and new socio-political and economic scenarios coexist, and in which the defense of the utopias that marked several generations of Cubans are beginning to be obsolete.”

GALERÍA DEL CENTRO DE INFORMACIÓN ANTONIO MOREY THROUGH Ele Nussa, su letra, su arte, su música is a collection FEBRUARY of prints, drawings, publications, newspaper articles, photographs and personal objects as a tribute to the Cuban intellectual Leonel López-Nussa on his centenary.

ESTUDIO ARES JANUARY Alta fidelidad, caricatures made of Fidel Castro between 1954 and 2016.

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GALERÍA ARTIS 718 PALACIO DEL THROUGH Muestra personal, by Aluán Argüelles, who through JANUARY 27 photography and installation art explores deceptions and SEGUNDO CABO the loss of expectations of present day society and its repercussion in interpersonal relations.

GALERÍA HABANA THROUGH In(mobiliario), collective exhibition with works by Marcio JANUARY 16 Almeida, Alexandre Arrechea, José Bechara, Ivan Capote, Yoan Capote, Lissette Castillo, Humberto Díaz, Glenda León, Los Carpinteros, Ernesto Neto, Wilfredo Prieto and Esterio Segura. As Diana Cuéllar Ledesma has pointed out, they explore “the relationship of artists with the living space and its articulation through domestic furniture and interior architecture; of early Paleolithic hearth (which give rise to the term “home”), evoked here through the performance of Ernesto Neto, to the drives between aesthetics, functionalism and necessity in contexts of scarcity and poverty.” GALERÍA VILLA MANUELA THROUGH Non Places, is a collection of works by Juan Carlos Alom, JANUARY 2017 Nadal Antelmo, Aluan Argüelles, Alain Cabrera, Humberto Díaz, Rigoberto Díaz, Felipe Dulzaides, Antonio Gómez Margolles, Ricardo Miguel Hernández, Liudmila y Nelson, Linet Sánchez and Alfredo Sarabia Fajardo.

VITRINA DE VALONIA THROUGH Habana, ciudad maravilla shows the Cuban capital with JANUARY graphic humor in a retrospective of over half a century de humoristic creation by caricaturists and contributors to the humor magazine Palante.

PALACIO DEL SEGUNDO CABO THROUGH Naturalezas del Art, organized by the Réseau Art Nouveau THE END OF THE YEAR Network, an international institution responsible for the documentation, research and protection of the World Art Nouveau heritage, aims to introduce the viewer in this style through its main features, associated with nature.

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FOTOTECA DE CUBA THROUGH JANUARY 11 Eyeife, exhibition by artists Harold Ferrer and Ronald Vill.

CASA VICTOR HUGO

THROUGH In Situ en la Ópera de París, by Pierre-Elie de Pibrac, offers JANUARY 20 a selection of photos that illustrate the life behind the scenes of dancers, among other topics.

SALA DE LA DIVERSIDAD DE LA SOCIEDAD CIVIL PATRIMONIO, COMUNIDAD Y MEDIO AMBIENTE

JANUARY Entre líneas, luces y sombras, group show whose guiding 6-20 thread is the beauty offered by the lines, lights and shadows in different cities.

photos by Huberto Valera Jr. PHOTO GRAPHY OCT 2016 64 lahabana. com magazine DANCE

THW NUTCRACKER SUITE JANUARY 1, 8, 15 & 22, 5PM; JANUARY 14 & 21, 8:30PM GRAN TEATRO DE LA HABANA ALICIA ALONSO

The National Ballet of Cuba, as it is tradition in the New Year, dances Alicia Alonso’s adaptation of Lev Ivánov’s The Nutcracker with music by Tchaikovsky. In the leading roles: Anette Delgado, Viengsay Valdés, Sadaise Arencibia, Grettel Morejón, Ginett Moncho, Dani Hernández, Patricio Revé, Raúl Abreu, Rafael Quenedit, along with Chanell Cabrera, Adarys Linares, Mareen Gil, Cynthia González, Claudia García, Yankiel Vazquez and Daniel Barba, accompanied by the company’s corps du ballet

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The contemporary fusion and electronic music scene has expanded recently as new bars and clubs have opened party promoters have organized events in parks and public spaces. Good live music venues include Bertolt Brecht (Wednesdays: Interactivo, El Sauce (check out the Sunday afternoon Máquina de la Melancolía) and Fábrica de Arte Cubano which has concerts most nights Thursday through Sunday as well as impromptu smaller performances inside. In Havana’s burgeoning entertainment district along First Avenue from the Karl MUSIC Marx theatre to the aquarium you are spoilt for choice with the always popular CONTEMPORARY Don Cangrejo featuring good live music with artists of the likes of Kelvis Ochoa, David Torrens, Interactivo, Diana Fuentes, Descemer Bueno, David Blanco, just FUSION to name a few, Las Piedras (insanely busy from 3am) and El Palio and Melem bar—both featuring different singers and acts in smaller more intimate venues.

BALNEARIO UNIVERSITARIO EL CORAL EN GUAYABERA HAVANA HARD ROCK FRIDAYS & SATURDAYS / 1PM-1AM SUNDAYS / 5PM EVERY OTHER FRIDAY / 6PM Electronic music with rapping, DJing, Discotemba Soul Train, a show of Vjing, Dj-producers, breakdancing and soul music graffiti writing, among other urban art BARBARM PEPITO’S BAR SATURDAYS & expressions. SATURDAYS / 6PM SUNDAYS / 6PM Rock cover bands CAFÉ CONCERT EL SAUCE Milada Milet SUNDAYS / 5PM La Máquina de la Melancolía, with Frank Delgado and Luis Alberto García

CASA DE LA AMISTAD SUNDAYS / 9PM Rock ’n’ Roll with Vieja Escuela.

DIABLO TUN TUN SATURDAYS / 11PM Gens

SUBMARINO AMARILLO MONDAYS / 9PM Miel con Limón

JARDINES DE LA TROPICAL. SATURDAYS / 9PM Sarao Audiovisual Project

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CASA DE LA MÚSICA DE MIRAMAR

ALL DAYS Popular dance music 5 PM, 11 PM

MONDAYS Sur Caribe 11 PM

FRIDAYS NG La Banda 11 PM

SATURDAYS Lazarito Valdés y 5 PM SALSA Bamboleo TIMBA

CABARET PICO BLANCO. HOTEL SAINT JOHN’S DIABLO TUNTÚN WEDNESDAYS / 10PM MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS / 8PM, 5PM Popular dance music (Vacilón) Popular dance music (NG La Banda) THURSDAYS / 9PM CAFÉ CANTANTE. TEATRO NACIONAL Popular dance music (NG La Banda) MONDAYS / 11PM FRIDAYS, SATURDAYS / 9PM, 5PM Popular dance music (Manana Club) Popular dance music THURSDAYS / 5PM Popular dance music

JARDINES DEL 1830 CASA DE 18 FRIDAYS / 10PM FRIDAYS / 8:30PM Azúcar Negra Iván y Fiebre Latina SUNDAYS / 10PM SATURDAYS / 8PM Grupo Moncada Ahí Namá

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MUSIC Jazz Café Café Jazz Miramar Mellow, sophisticated and freezing due to SHOWS: 11 PM - 2AM extreme air conditioning, the Jazz Café is not only an excellent place to hear some of Cuba’s top jazz This new jazz club has quickly established itself musicians, but the open-plan design also provides as one of the very best places to hear some of for a good bar atmosphere if you want to chat. Cuba’s best musicians jamming. Forget about Less intimate than La Zorra y el Cuervo – located smoke filled lounges, this is clean, bright—take opposite Melia Cohiba Hotel. the fags outside. While it is difficult to get the exact schedule and in any case expect a high level of improvisation when it is good it is very good. UNEAC A full house is something of a mixed house since on occasion you will feel like holding up your JANUARY 25 La Esquina del Jazz, hosted by own silence please sign! Nonetheless it gets the 5 PM showman Bobby Carcassés thumbs up from us.

CAFÉ MIRAMAR 10 PM Havana in the Grand Manner, with Tamara Castañeda (vibraphonist), Oliver Valdés (percussionist), Jorge Reyes (contrabass player), Jorge Luis Chicoy (guitarist) and Ernán López-Nussa (pianist), and guests singers Daymé Arocena and Kelvis Ochoa.

ASOCIACIÓN CUBANA DE DERECHOS CASA DEL ALBA CULTURAL DE AUTOR MUSICAL

JANUARY 14 Ruy López-Nussa y La JANUARY 25 Alexis Bosch (pianist) and 6PM JAZZ 8 PM Academia Proyecto Jazz Cubano

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EL JELENGUE DE AREÍTO TUESDAYS / 5PM Conjunto Chappottín MUSIC WEDNESDAYS Trova / 5PM THURSDAYS Conjunto Arsenio BOLERO, / 5PM Rodríguez FRIDAYS / 5PM Rumberos de Cuba FOLKLORE, SUNDAYS / 5PM Rumba SON AND GATO TUERTO FRIDAYS / 5PM La Hora Infiel, with music, visual arts, TROVA literature and more. FRIDAYS / 9PM Osdalgia

CASA DE 18 CABARET EL TURQUINO. CENTRO CULTURAL FRESA Y CHOCOLATE HOTEL HABANA LIBRE WEDNESDAYS Héctor Téllez THURSDAYS / Trova with Frank / 8PM FRIDAYS / 11PM Mónica Mesa 4PM Martínez HOTEL TELÉGRAFO THURSDAYS José Valladares / 8PM SUNDAYS / 6PM Singer Leidis Díaz FRIDAYS / 9:30PMPM SUNDAYS / 8PM Leidis Díaz Ivette Cepeda

CAFÉ CANTANTE, TEATRO NACIONAL CLUB AMANECER ASOCIACIÓN YORUBA DE CUBA CASA DE LA AMISTAD MONDAYS / 5PM FRIDAYS / 5PM FRIDAYS / 8:30PM SATURDAYS / 9PM Proyecto Lírico Conjunto de Arsenio Rodríguez Obbiní Batá (folkloric group) Roberto Javier

CASA MEMORIAL SALVADOR ALLENDE DELIRIO HABANERO HOTEL NACIONAL DE CUBA PABELLÓN CUBA DECEMBER 30 / 6PM SATURDAYS / 10PM Sonyku SATURDAYS / 7PM FRIDAYS / 4PM Trovador Silvio Ángel Quintero and guests Los Indómitos Alejandro. DIABLO TUN TUN CASONA DE LÍNEA THURSDAYS / 5PM SUNDAYS / 8PM Trova with Ray Fernández Trova HURÓN AZUL, UNEAC LE SELECT CASA DE ÁFRICA DOS GARDENIAS SATURDAYS / 9PM FRIDAYS / Grupo Moncada DECEMBER 10 / 3PM WEDNESDAYS / 10PM 9:30PM Bolero Night Obbiní Batá (folkloric group) Haila María Mompié

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CLASSICAL MUSIC

BASÍLICA MENOR DE SAN FRANCISCO DE ASÍS CASA VICTOR HUGO JANUARY 14 Concert by the Dúo Cáliz, with Luis Manuel Molina (guitar) JANUARY 7 Concert by the renowned pianist Frank Fernández. 5PM 6PM and Vicente Monterrey (clarinet). JANUARY 14 Leonardo Gell will present the album Piano ritual, with 15, 6PM music for piano by composer Marvin Camacho from Costa SALA COVARRUBIAS. TEATRO NACIONAL Rica. SUNDAYS Concerts by the National Symphony Orchestra. 11AM JANUARY 21 Performance by the National Choir of Cuba of Cuban and 17, 6PM international works. CENTRO HISPANO AMERICANO DE CULTURA JANUARY 7 Concert by Ana Martin (piano) and her orchestra Habana Concert on occasion of the 18th anniversary of Habana 5PM JANUARY 28 Martin and guests. 23, 6PM Radio. JANUARY 28 Johana Simón and Cristina Rodríguez (sopranos), 5PM accompanied by Yanner Rascón (piano), will perform songs CASA DEL ALBA by Ernesto Lecuona with verses by José Martí and Juana de JANUARY 8 En Confluencia, dedicated to guitar. Ibarbourou. 5PM JANUARY 15 Young Composers. TEATRO MARTÍ 5PM JANUARY 12 Concert by the National Symphony Orchestra of Cuba 7PM JANUARY 22 De Nuestra América. conducted by Jin-Hyoun Baek from Korea, one of the most 5PM famous Asian orchestra conductors. JANUARY 29 Seis por Derecho, with guitarist Bárbara Milián and guests 5PM JANUARY 28 Recital by Cuban pianist and composer José María Vitier. 8:30PM

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THEATRE

Playback El diccionario Ivona, Princess of Burgundia TEATRO KARL MARX ESPACIO IRREVERENTE TEATRO EL PÚBLICO / PRODUCTION: CARLOS DECEMBER 22, 4PM PRODUCTION: EVA GONZÁLEZ DÍAZ LICEO ARTÍSTICO LITERARIO DE LA HABANA NOVEMBER-DECEMBER, SUNDAYS AND MONDAYS, 7PM FRIDAYS AND SATURDAYS, 8:30PM; SUNDAYS, 5PM SALA TEATRO TRIANÓN The piece by Spanish playwright Manuel Calzada Theatrical performance of the Gigantería Group, addresses the vital conflicts of the philologist Play by Polish dramatist Witold Gombrowicz, the stilt walkers who dance all around the streets and lexicographer María Moliner, author of the which, according to Carlos Díaz, director of El of Old Havana’s Historical center. Diccionario de uso del español, who at the age of Público, “No adaptation is needed because it 70, discovered the first symptoms of Alzheimer’s deals with Man, with the world today, although disease and begins the definition of the concept it was written many, many years ago. It also of freedom, according to what it has meant in the speaks of how we are and the mistakes that are different dilemmas of her life. made on a daily basis with injustices, which is what happens to Ivona, leading her almost to extermination.”

JAN 2017 71 lahabana. com magazine FOR KIDS

Gigantería JANUARY 27, 3PM CENTRO HISPANO AMERICANO DE CULTURA Performance by the Gigantería theater group.

Clowns MUSEO NACIONAL DE BELLAS ARTES SUNDAYS, 11AM Clowns, music and other attractions.

Zona de juego MUSEO DE ARTE COLONIAL THROUGH JANUARY 22 Group exhibition of contemporary art especially designed for children.

photos by Huberto Valera Jr.

JAN 2017 72 lahabana. com magazine EVENTS IN HAVANA

XX Taller Científico de Antropología Social y Cultural Afroamericana JANUARY 5–8 HISTORIC CENTER OF OLD HAVANA The opening of the cultural year at Havana’s Historical Center will be marked by the 20th Workshop on Afro-American Social and Cultural Anthropology with the presence of academicians and researchers.

CASA DE ÁFRICA

JANUARY 4 Opening of the Workshop. Show JANUARY 4 Launching of Imaginarios JANUARY 6 Opening of the exhibition Gelede 9 PM Cuentos y cantos de vida, by 5:30PM socioculturales cubanos, by 6:00PM Havana, the first exhibition of ContArte, and guests Daisy Irina Pacheco Valera. Opening of gelede art and culture in America. Brown and her group Owa Memoria emotiva, an exhibition by Opening speeches by Eusebio Areanle. Opening of exhibitions Nancy Cepero Dominico. Leal, Historian of the City of Tataranietos de dios, by Osvaldo Havana. Ferrer, and Peregrinación, by photographer Elio Delgado Valdés JANUARY 5 Launching of Robaron mi cuerpo and students of the Academy of 5:30PM negro, a book by Rodolfo Alpízar Photography. Castillo. Opening of the exhibition Las muerteras y los ancestros, by Itaian artist Maria Giulia Alemanno.

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COLEGIO UNIVERSITARIO SAN GERÓNIMO

JANUARY 4 Work of the commissions Tráfico JANUARY 5 Master lecture La cultura JANUARY 6 Work of the commissions Cultura, 11AM- Ilegal de Esclavos en Cuba y 9:30AM mandinga y su repercusión en 9:30AM- Identidad y Otredad, and El 5:30PM África. Procesos de Resistencia América, by Masanneh Nyugu 1:30PM Papel del Museo en el Trabajo en Esclava y Cimaronaje, and Cultura, Kinthe, ambassador in Cuba of Comunidades en el Rescate de Identidad y Otredad. Gambia. Tradiciones.

PLAZA DE SAN FRANCISCO

JANUARY 6 Epiphany: Recalling an old tradition, the Afro-Cuban Council will tour the principal plazas of the Historic Center. Performances by children and 2:30PM youth ensemble under the Quisicuaba Sociocultural Project, Tambores de Bejucal and the traditional comparsa Los Componedores de Batea.

PLAZA VIEJA

JANUARY 6 Cultural gala with the performance of Pablo Menéndez and his band and guests from Johannes García’s folkloric company JJ. 4:30PM

CASA DE LA POESÍA

JANUARY 6 Volver a la Raíz, dedicated to the promotion of oral narration and poetry, with guests Georgina Herrera, Michelle Ricardo, Tato Quiñones, Iveth 10AM Hernández, Elier Álvarez Arcia (El Brujo), Arugbo Ashanti, Irene Emilia and the Mimo Clan Teatro Group.

JANOCT 2016 74 lahabana. com magazine EVENTS IN HAVANA Taller Práctico Internacional de la Danza Moderna Cubana, Cubadanza JANUARY 2–13, TEATRO NACIONAL DE CUBA The two-week long International Workshop on Cuban Modern Dance, Cubadanza, aimed at professional dancers and students, teaches different Cuban popular rhythms and dances from which Cuban modern dance draws on and shows how the pelvic region and the undulation of the torso, among other characteristics, are the fundamental basis of the Cuban technique of modern dance. According to the availability of the company for the period in which the workshop will take place, it will possible to attend rehearsals and demonstrative lessons with first dancers of Danza Contemporánea de Cuba.

FolkCuba JANUARY 16–29 TEATRO NACIONAL DE CUBA Sponsored by the Conjunto Folklórico Nacional de Cuba, the two-week long FolkCuba, International Folklore Laboratories is held with experts in Cuban folklore dances teach Cuban dances and music of African and Spanish origin, as well as the principal Cuban percussion instruments. The “secrets” of mambo, cha-cha-cha, rumba, mozambique, pilón, conga, and dances and drum beating related to African religious rites are revealed by outstanding figures of the Conjunto Folklórico Nacional de Cuba.

LVIII Premio Casa de las Américas HAVANA AND CIENFUEGOS , 16-28 DE ENERO Initiated in Havana in 1960 to draw attention to the most significant literary production in Latin America—and at a later date, the Caribbean, too—in the genres of poetry, novel, short story, essay, theatre and testimony, as well as works in other languages spoken in the region, the Casa de las Américas Literary Award has gathered outstanding figures of contemporary writing. Throughout the years, many of the prize-winning works have become classics of the continent’s literature; thus, each year’s announcement creates great expectations among the public, who also have the opportunity to attend collateral activities programmed during the event. Se concursará en novela, poesía, ensayo de tema histórico-social, literatura testimonial, brasileña y premio sobre la presencia negra en la América y el Caribe contemporáneos.

As usual, jurors will travel to Cienfuegos to read the works in competition and exchange with writers and artists from the province, and the awards will be announced on January 25 and 26, at the Sala Che Guevara of Casa de las Américas.

OCT 2016 75 lahabana. com magazine EVENTS AROUND CUBA

XXI Encuentro Nacional de Trovadores Longina JANUARY, SANTA CLARA In remembrance of one of the greats of traditional Cuban trova, Manuel Corona, and his immortal song “Longina,” trovadores of different generations and from all over Cuba have shared the stage for several years during the Festival de la Trova Longina. The program includes concerts, the usual pilgrimage to the grave of Corona and impromptu performances characteristic of bohemian environment.

JAN 2017 76 lahabana. com magazine

HAVANA’S best places to eat

CASA MIGLIS

EL ATELIER BELLA CIAO CAFÉ BOHEMIA CAFÉ LAURENT LOS MERCADERES OTRA MANERA EXPERIMENTAL FUSION HOMELY ITALIAN CAFÉ SPANISH/MEDITERRANEAN CUBAN-CREOLE INTERNATIONAL

Beautiful colonial house.Polpular Beautiful modern decor. Interesting décor, interesting Great service, good prices. A real Bohemian feel. Great sandwiches, Attractive penthouse restaurant place whit great food and good menu. Interesting menu and good home from home. salads & juices with breezy terrace. service. service. Calle 5 e/ Paseo y 2, Vedado Calle 19 y 72, Playa Calle San Ignacio #364, Habana Vieja Calle M #257, e/ 19 y 21, Vedado Calle Mercaderes No. 207 altos e/ (+53) 7-836-2025 (+53) 7-206-1406 (+53) 7-831-2090 Lamparilla y Amargura. H.Vieja Calle #35 e/ 20 y 41, Playa. (+53) 7861 2437 (+53) 7-203-8315

CASA MIGLIS MEDITERRÁNEO EL COCINERO CORTE PRÍNCIPE RÍO MAR D.EUTIMIA SWEDISH-CUBAN FUSION HAVANA INTERNATIONAL INTERNACIONAL ITALIAN INTERNATIONAL CUBAN/CREOLE Contemporary décor. Great sea- Oasis of good food & taste in Interesting and diverse menu. Industrial chic alfresco rooftop Sergio’s place. Simple décor, with a buzzing atmosphere view. Good food. Absolutely charming. Excellent Centro Habana Beautiful terrace. spectacular food. Cuban/creole food. Ave. 3raA y Final #11, La Puntilla, Lealtad #120 e/ Ánimas y Lagunas, Calle 26, e/ 11 y 13, Vedado. Calle 9na esq. a 74, Miramar Calle 13 #406, e/ E y F, Vedado. Miramar Callejón del Chorro #60C, Plaza de la Centro Habana (+53) 7-832-2355 (+53) 5-255-9091 Catedral, Habana Vieja (+53) 7-832 4894 (+53) 7-209-4838 (+53) 7-864-1486 (+53) 7 861 1332 http://www/medhavana.com

LA FONTANA IVÁN CHEF EL LITORAL SANTY NAZDAROVIE SAN CRISTÓBAL INTERNACIONAL SPANISH INTERNATIONAL SUSHI/ORIENTAL SOVIET CUBAN/CREOLE

Consistently good food, attentive Authentic fisherman’s shack Well designed Soviet décor Deservedly popular.Consistently Brilliantly creative and rich food. Watch the world go by at the servicing world-class sushi. excellent food & service. service. Old school. Malecón’s best restaurant. great food. Kitsch décor. Calle 46 #305 esq. a 3ra, Miramar Calle 240A #3023 esq. a 3ra C, Malecon #25, 3rd floor e Prado y Aguacate #9 esq. a Chacón, Habana Malecón #161 e/ K y L, Vedado Jaimanitas Carcel, Centro Habana (+53) 7-202-8337 San Rafael #469 e/ Lealtad y Vieja (+53) 7-830-2201 (+53) 5-286-7039 (+53) 7-860-2947 Campanario, Centro Habana (+53) 7-863-9697 (+53) 7-860-9109

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TOP PICK Style of food: Sushi/Oriental Santy Cost: Expensive Type of place: Private (Paladar)

Best for wonderful ambience overlooking fishing boats heading out to sea.

Don’t Miss Fabulous sushi

Calle 240A #3023 esq. 3raC, Jaimanitas (+53)5286 - 7039

Style of food: Soviet TOP PICK Cost: Moderate Nazdarovie Type of place: Private (Paladar)

Best for Getting a flavor of Cuban-Soviet history along with babuska’s traditional dishes in a classy locale. Don’t miss Vodka sundowners on the gorgeous terrace overlooking the malecon.

Malecon #25 3rd floor e/ Prado y Carcel, Centro Habana (+53) 7-860-2947

TOP PICK TOP PICK Style of food: International Otra Manera Cost: Moderate Type of place: Private (Paladar)

Best for Beautiful modern décor and good food.

Don’t miss Pork rack of ribs in honey. Sweet & sour sauce and grilled pineapple

Calle 35 #1810 e/ 20 y 41, Playa (+53) 7-203-8315

JAN 2017 78 lahabana. com magazine

TOP PICK Style of food: Contemporary fusion La Guarida Cost: Expensive Type of place: Private (Paladar)

Best for Authentic, charming and intimate atmosphere in Cuba’s best known restaurant. Great food, professional. Classy.

Don’t Miss Uma Thurman, Beyoncé or the Queen of Spain if they happen to be dining next to you.

Concordia #418 e/ Gervasio y Escobar, Centro Habana. (+53) 7-866-9047

Style of food: Traditional TOP PICK Cost: Moderate Café Bohemia Type of place: Private (Paladar) Best for taking a break from long walks and seeking shelter from the stifling Cuban.. Don’t miss location in the cool inner courtyard of the colonial building.

Ground floor of the Palacio de la Casa del Conde de Lombillo, Calle San Ignacio #364 (+53) 5- 403-1 568, (+53) 7-836-6567 www. havanabohemia.com

TOP PICK Style of food: Spanish Iván Chef Justo Cost: Expensive Type of place: Private (Paladar)

Best for Spectacular innovative food. Light and airy place where it always seems to feel like Springtime. Don’t Miss The lightly spiced grilled mahi-mahi served with organic tomato relish. Try the suckling pig and stay for the cuatro leches. Aguacate #9, Esq. Chacón, Habana Vieja. (+53) 7-863-9697 / (+53) 5-343-8540 JAN 2017 79 lahabana. com magazine

TOP PICK Corte del Príncipe Sergio’s Style of food Italian Cost Expensive Type of place Private (Paladar)

Best for Cozy atmosphere, excellent service.

Don’t miss spectacular homemade Italian pastas.

9na esq. 74, Playa (+53)5255 - 9091

TOP PICK Casa Miglis

Style of food Swedish-Cuban fusion Cost Expensive Type of place Private (Paladar)

Best for The beautifully designed interior, warm ambience and Miglis’s personality create the feeling of an oasis in Central Havana.

Don’t Miss Chatting with Mr Miglis. The Skaargan prawns, beef Chilli and lingonberries.

Lealtad #120 e/ Ánimas y Lagunas, Centro Habana www.casamiglis.com (+53) 7-864-1486

JAN 2017 80 lahabana. com magazine

HAVANA’S best Bars & Clubs

Corner Café

TRADITIONAL BARS EL FLORIDITA 1950S TRADITIONALS SLOPPY JOE’S BAR CERVECERÍA ANTIGUO ALMACÉN DE LA MADERA Y Hemingway’s daiquiri bar. Guest performers include BUENA EL TABACO Recently (beautifully) renovated. Touristy but always full of life. VISTA SOCIAL CLUB MEMBERS Microbrewery located Great cocktails. Full of history. Popular. Lacks a little ‘grime’. overlooking the restored docks Sociedad Rosalía de Castro, Egido 504 e/ Monte Simply brilliant. Obispo #557 esq. a Monserrate, Habana Vieja y Dragones, Old Havana (+53) 5-270-5271 Ánimas esq. a Zulueta, Habana Vieja (+53) 7-867-1299 Avenida del Puerto y San Ignacio, La Habana (+53) 7-866-7157 Vieja

CONTEMPORARY BARS EL COCINERO ESPACIOS TABARISH FAC

Fabulous rooftop setting, great Laid back contemporary bar with A comfortable place to chat / X Alfonso’s new cultural center. service, cool vibe. a real buzz in the back beer- hang out with your friends. Great Great concerts, funky young garden. service. scene. Calle 26 e/ 11 y 13, Vedado Calle 26 e/ 11 y 13, Vedado Calle 10 #510, e/ 5ta y 31, Miramar Calle 20 #503, e/ 5ta y 7ma. (next to the Puente de Hierro)

(+53) 7-832-2355 (+53) 7-836-3031 (+53) 7-202-9188 (+53) 5-329-6325 www.facebook.com/fabrica.deartecubano

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CONTEMPORARY BARS/CLUBS

TOP PICK DON CANGREJO BOLABANA CORNER CAFÉ SANGRI-LA Sangri-La CONTEMPORARY BAR/CLUBS Love it/hate it—this is the Packed night after night with For the cool kids. Basement oldest Friday night party a young dressed-up clientele Great live music every day. bar/club which gets packed place and is still going wanting to party. Don’t go very frequently by locals. at weekends. Good tapas. Best for Hanging out with the cool kids on the strong. Outdoor by the sea. looking for Buena Vista Social Club! Havana Farundula in the most popular bar/ Calle B e/ 1ra y 3ra. Plaza de la Ave. 21 e/ 36 y 42, Miramar Ave. 1ra e/ 16 & 18, Miramar Calle 39 esq. 50, Playa Revolución (+53) 7-264-8343 club. (+53) 7-204-3837 (+53) 5 -294-3572 (+53) 7837 1220

Don’t Miss The best gin and tonic in Havana.

Ave. 21 e/ 36 y 42, Miramar GAY-FRIENDLY (+53) 5-264-8343 CABARET FASHION BAR CAFÉ BAR LAS VEGAS HAVANA MADRIGAL

Can get dark and smoky but great A superb example of queer class Pop décor, fancy cocktails, and the drag show (11pm) from Divino—one meets camp, accompanied by a staff’s supercilious attitude, this is a of Cuba’s most accomplished drag fantastic floor show. gathering spot for all types of folks. acts. San Juan de Dios, esq. a Aguacate, Ave. 21 e/ 36 y 42, Miramar Habana Vieja Calle 17 #809 e/ 2 y 4, Vedado (+53) 7-264-8343 (+53) 7-867-1676 (+53) 7-831-2433

Corner Café TOP PICK CONTEMPORARY BAR/CLUBS

Best for Frequently by locals. Great tapas.

Don’t Miss Live music every day.

Calle B e/ 1ra y 3ra. Plaza de la Revolución

(+53) 5-264-8343

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TOP PICK Espacios CONTEMPORARY BAR/CLUBS

Best for Laid back lounge atmosphere in the garden area which often has live music. Good turnover of people.

Don’t Miss Ray Fernandez, Tony Avila, Yasek Mazano playing live sets in the garden.

Calle 10 #510 e/ 5ta y 31, Miramar (+53) 7-202-2921

CONTEMPORARY Bolabana TOP PICK

Best for Trendy new location near Salón Rosado de la Tropica.

Don’t Miss Hipsters meet the Havana Farándula.

Calle 39 esq. 50, Playa

TOP PICK BAR / TRADITIONAL Sloppy Joe´s Bar Best for Immense original bar lovingly restored. Good service, History.

Worst for Not quite grimy. Too clean.

Ánimas, esq. Zulueta La Habana Vieja, (07) 866-7157

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TOP PICK Fábrica de CONTEMPORARY BAR/CLUBS Arte Best for X Alfonso’s superb new cultural center has something for everyone

Don’t Miss Artists who exhibit work should demonstrate ongoing creativity and a commitment for social transformation.

Calle 26 e/ 11 y 13, Vedado (next to the Puente de Hierro)

GAY FRIENDLY Fashion Bar TOP PICK

Best for A superb example of queer class meets Havana camp, accompanied by a fantastic floor show.

Don’t Miss The staff performing after 11pm

San Juan de Dios, esq. a Aguacate, Habana Vieja (+53) 7-867-1676

CONTEMPORARY BAR/CLUBS TOP PICK Bertolt Brecht Best for Hanging out with hip & funky Cubans who like their live music.

Don’t Miss Interactivo playing on a Wednesday evening.

Calle 13 e/ I y J, Vedado (+53) 7-830-1354

JAN 2017 84 lahabana. com magazine HAVANA’S best live music venues

CONCERT VENUES

KARL MARX BASÍLICA SAN FÁBRICA DE SALA THEATRE FRANCISCO DE ARTE COVARRUBIAS ASÍS TEATRO NACIONAL World class musicians perform X Alfonso’s new cultural center. A truly beautiful church, which Recently renovated, one of Cuba’s prestigious concerts in Cuba’s Great concerts inside (small and regularly hosts fabulous classical most prestigious venues for a best equipped venue. funky) and outside (large and music concerts. multitude of events. popular!). Calle 1ra esq. a 10, Miramar Oficios y Amargura, Plaza de San Francisco de Paseo y 39, Plaza de la Revolución. (+53) 7-203-0801 Asís, Habana Vieja Calle 26 e/ 11 y 13, Vedado (next to the Puente de Hierro)

SALSA/TIMBA CAFÉ CANTANTE CASA DE LA CASA DE LA SALÓN ROSADO MI HABANA MÚSICA MÚSICA DE LA TROPICAL CENTRO HABANA MIRAMAR Attracts the best Cuban The legendary beer garden where musicians. Recently renovated A little rough around the edges Smaller and more up-market than Arsenio tore it up. Look for a with an excellent new sound but spacious. For better or worse, its newer twin in Centro Habana. salsa/timba gig on a Sat night system. this is ground zero for the best in An institution in the Havana salsa and a Sun matinee. Cuban salsa. scene. Ave. Paseo esq. a 39, Plaza de la Revolución Ave. 41 esq. a 46, Playa (+53) 7-878-4273 Galiano e/ Neptuno y Concordia, C. Habana Calle 20 esq. a 35, Miramar (+53) 7-203-5322 (+53) 7-860-8296/4165 (+53) 7-204-0447

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CONTEMPORARY

CAFÉ TATRO DON CANGREJO EL SAUCE TEATRO DE BERTOLT BRECHT BELLAS ARTES

Think MTV Unplugged when Love it/hate it—this is the oldest Great outdoor concert venue to Friday night party place and is hear the best in contemporary & Small intimate venue inside musicians play. Hip, funky and Cuba’s most prestigious arts still going strong. Outdoor by the Nueva Trova live in concert. unique with an artsy Cuban museum. Modern. crowd. sea.

Calle 13 e/ I y J, Vedado Ave. 1ra e/ 16 y 18, Miramar Ave. 9na #12015 e/ 120 y 130, Playa Trocadero e/ Zulueta y Monserrate, (+53) 7-830-1354 (+53) 7-204-3837 (+53) 7-204-6428 Habana Vieja.

TROVA & TRADITIONAL

BARBARAM GATO TUERTO TRADICIONALES SALÓN 1930 PEPITO´S BAR DE LOS 50 COMPAY SEGUNDO Late night place to hear fabulous Some of the best Cuban Nueva The 1950s traditionals, a project Buena Vista Social Club style set Trova musicians perform in this bolero singers. Can get smoky. created over 10 years ago, pays in the grand Hotel Nacional. small and intimate environment. tribute to the Golden Era of Calle O entre 17 y 19, Vedado (+53) 7-833-2224 Cuban music: the 1950s. Hotel Nacional Calle 26 esq. a Ave. del Zoológico. Nuevo Vedado Calle O esq. a 21, Vedado (+53) 7-881-1808 Sociedad Rosalia de Castro, Egido #504 e/ (+53) 7-835-3896 Monte y Dragones, Havana Vieja (+53) 7-861-7761

JAZZ

CAFÉ JAZZ JAZZ CAFÉ MIRAMAR

Clean, modern and atmospheric. A staple of Havana’s jazz scene, Where Cuba’s best musicians jam the best jazz players perform and improvise. here. Somewhat cold atmosphere- wise. Cine Teatro Miramar 10:30pm – 2am Galerías de Paseo Ave. 5ta esq. a 94, Miramar Ave. 1ra e/ Paseo y A, Vedado

LA ZORRA Y EL CUERVO

Intimate and atmospheric, which you enter through a red telephone box, is Cuba’s most famous.

Calle 23 e/ N y O, Vedado (+53) 7-833-2402

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JAN 2017 87 lahabana. com magazine

Hotel Nacional de Cuba HAVANA’S Best Hotels

SIMPLY THE BEST…

IBEROSTAR SANTA ISABEL SARATOGA TERRAL PARQUE CENTRAL Luxurious historic mansion facing Stunning view from roof-top pool. Wonderful ocean front location. Luxury hotel overlooking Parque Plaza de Armas Beautiful décor. Newly renovated. Central Narciso López, Habana Vieja Neptuno e/ Prado y Zulueta, Habana Vieja (+53) 7-860-8201 Paseo del Prado #603 esq. a Dragones, Habana Malecón esq. a Lealtad, Centro Habana (+53) 7-860-6627 Vieja (+53) 7-862-8061 (+53) 7-860-8201

BOUTIQUE HOTELS IN OLD HAVANA

FLORIDA PALACIO DEL HOSTAL VALENCIA CONDE DE Beautifully restored colonial MARQUÉS... Immensely charming, great value. VILLANUEVA Cuban baroque meets modern Delightfully small and intimate. house. Oficios #53 esq. a Obrapía, Habana Vieja minimalist For cigar lovers. Obispo #252, esq. a Cuba, Habana Vieja (+53) 7-867-1037 (+53) 7-862-4127 Oficios #152 esq. a Amargura, Habana Vieja Mercaderes #202, Lamparilla (+53) 7-862-9293

JAN 2017 88 lahabana. com magazine

BUSINESS HOTELS MELIÁ COHÍBA MELIÁ HABANA OCCIDENTAL H10 HABANA Oasis of polished marble and Attractive design & extensive MIRAMAR PANORAMA professional calm. facilities. Good value, large spacious Cascades of glass. Good wi-fi. modern rooms. Modern. Ave Paseo e/ 1ra y 3ra, Vedado Ave. 3ra y 70, Miramar Ave. 5ta. e/ 70 y 72, Miramar Ave. 3ra. y 70, Miramar (+53) 7- 833-3636 (+53) 5-204-8500 (+53) 7-204-3583 (+53) 7 204-0100

FOR A SENSE OF HISTORY AMBOS MUNDOS MERCURE SEVILLA HOTEL NACIONAL RIVIERA A must for Hemingway Stunning views from the roof Eclectic art-deco architecture. Spectacular views over wave- aficionados garden restaurant. Gorgeous gardens. lashed Malecón

Calle Obispo #153 esq. a Mercaderes, Habana Trocadero #55 entre Prado y Zulueta, Habana Calle O esq. a 21, Vedado Paseo y Malecón, Vedado Vieja Vieja (+53) 7-835 3896 (+53) 7-836-4051 (+53) 7- 860-9529 (+53) 7-860-8560

ECONOMICAL/BUDGET HOTELS BOSQUE DEAUVILLE SAINT JOHN’S VEDADO On the banks of the Río Lack of pretension, great Lively disco, tiny quirky pool. Good budget option with a bit of Almendares. location. Popular. a buzz

Calle 28-A e/ 49-A y 49-B, Reparto Kohly, Playa Galiano e/ Sán Lázaro y Malecón, Centro Calle O e/ 23 y 25, Vedado Calle O e/ 23 y 25, Vedado (+53) 7-204-9232 Habana (+53) 7-833-3740 (+53) 7-836-4072 (+53) 7-866-8812

HAVANA’S Best Hotels

JAN 2017 89 lahabana. com magazine HAVANA’S best private places to stay

Sueño Cubano

MID RANGE - CASA PARTICULAR (B&B) 1932 MIRAMAR 301 HABANA JULIO Y ELSA Visually stunning, historically LUXURY HOUSE Beautiful colonial townhouse with Cluttered bohemian feel. fascinating. Welcoming. great location. Hospitable. 4 bedrooms private luxury villa Campanario #63 e/ San Lázaro y Laguna, Calle Habana #209, e/ Empedrado, y Tejadillo, Consulado #162 e/ Colón y Trocadero, Centro Centro Habana with swimming pool Habana Vieja. Habana (+53) 7-863-6203 (+53) 7-861-0253 ( +53) 7-861-8027

UP-SCALE B&BS (BOUTIQUE HOSTALS) SUEÑO CUBANO LA RESERVA VEDADO VITRALES CASA ESCORIAL Old palace carefully restored, 5 luxurious rooms in a renovated Hospitable, attractive and reliable Attractive accomodations with a colonial mansion . The tropical seven rooms, suites with boutique B&B with 9 bedrooms. panoramic view of Plaza Vieja garden in the courtyard, ideal to bathrooms and featuring 24 hour eat, drink and relax. Mercaderes # 315 apt 3 e/ Muralla y Teniente service. Habana #106 e/ Cuarteles y Chacón, Habana Rey, Plaza Vieja, Habana Vieja Calle 2 entre 21 y 23 numero 508. Vieja Calle Santa Clara número 66 entre Oficios e (+53) 5-268 6881; 5-278 6148 Inquisidor. Habana Vieja Vedado, La (+53) 7-866-2607 Habana 53 78660109 [email protected] 39 339 1817730 (53) 7 8335244

http://lareservavedado.com/

JAN 2017 90 lahabana. com magazine

APARTMENT RENTALS BOHEMIA BOUTIQUE CASA CONCORDIA TROPICANA SUITE HAVANA APARTMENTS Beautifully designed and spacious PENTHOUSE Elegant 2-bedroom apartment Gorgeous 1-bedroom apartment 3 bedroom apartment. Spanish A luxurious penthouse with huge in restored colonial building. beautifully decorated apartment colonial interiors with cheerful, roof terrace and breath-taking Quality loft style décor. overlooking Plaza Vieja. arty accents. 360 degree views of Havana and San Ignacio #364 e/ Muralla y Teniente Rey, the ocean. Lamparilla #62 altos e/ Mercaderes y San Plaza Vieja Concordia #151 apto. 8 esq. a San Nicolás, Ignacio, Habana Vieja Centro Habana Galiano #60 Penthouse Apt.10 e/ San Lázaro y Trocadero (+53) 5- 403-1 568 (+53) 7-836-6567 (+53) 5-829-6524 (+53) 5-254-5240 www.havanabohemia.com www.casaconcordia.net (+53) 5-254-5240 www.tropicanapenthouse.com LUXURY HOUSES VILLASOL CASABLANCA MICHAEL AND RESIDENCIA Rent Room elegant and well- Elegant well-equipped villa MARÍA ELENA MARIBY equipped. Beautiful wild garden formerly owned by Fulgencio This leafy oasis in western Havana A sprawling vanilla-hued mansion and great pool. Batista. Beautiful wild garden. has an attractive mosaic tiled pool and three modern bedrooms. with 6 rooms decorated with Calle 17 #1101 e/ 14 y 16, Vedado Morro-Cabaña Park. House #29 colonial-era lamps, tiles and Louis Calle 66 #4507 e/ 45 y Final, Playa (+34) 677525361 (+53) 5-294-5397 XV furniture (+53) 7-832-1927 (+53) 5-360-0456 www.havanacasablanca.com (+53) 7-209-0084 Vedado. (+53) 5-370-5559

Bohemia Boutique TOP PICK Apartments Red

Best for 3 small balconies (facing the Patio of the Palace), 1 spacious bedroom with air conditioning

Don’t Miss The apartment is fully furbished, plenty of light and very well ventilated.

San Ignacio #364 e/ Muralla y Teniente Rey, Plaza Vieja, Habana Vieja [email protected]

(+53) 5 4031 568: (53) 7 8366 567 www.havanabohemia.com

JAN 2017 91 lahabana. com magazine Bohemia Boutique TOP PICK Apartments Blue

Best for i1 internal balcony, 1 spacious bedroom on the mezzanine with air conditioning.

Don’t Miss The apartment is fully furbished, plenty of light and very well ventilated.

San Ignacio #364 e/ Muralla y Teniente Rey, Plaza Vieja, Habana Vieja [email protected] (+53) 5 4031 568: (53) 7 8366 567

Sueño Cubano TOP PICK Best for Old palace carefully restored, seven rooms, suites with bathrooms and featuring 24 hour service.

Don’t Miss Relax at any of the four terraces, feel the mellow touch of antique and original Cuban furniture.

TOP PICK La Reserva Vedado Best for 5 luxurious rooms in a renovated colonial mansion recently Vedado. Don’t Miss The tropical garden in the courtyard, ideal to eat, drink and relax Calle 2 entre 21 y 23 numero 508. Vedado, La Habana [email protected] (53) 7 8335244 http://lareservavedado.com/

JAN 2017 92 lahabana. com magazine THANK YOU lahabana.com Wishes to thank all of the following entities for their support and involvement with La Habana.com

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