Following on from the December Totana Tales, Rob has been out and about busily getting more information about this lovely, typically Spanish town.
Cine Velasco
Without doubt one of Totana’s greatest treasures is Cinema Velasco. Situated in the heart of the town, Cinema Velasco is a throwback to when cinemas were great places and not 100 seater plastic living rooms like so many modern multiplexes are. Opened in 1982 and privately owned and family run, this is a real cinema and it comes rather like a good Christmas dinner… with all the trimmings that make it special.
When you first walk into the cinema you are greeted with images and memorabilia from the early days of the moving picture. Charlie Chaplin seems to peep around the edge of a door and Audrey Hepburn is resplendent in her iconic cocktail dress. The next massive throwback is the pricing of the seats. No longer do you need to sell a body part to fund a trip to the movies; €5 gets you in, a bucket of popcorn costs €4 or €4.50 (salted or toffee) and a beer or alcohol-free beer is a mere €1.50. Add this to the amount of petrol you’re going to save against going to Lorca……well….you can see where I’m going with this.
The assault on the senses continues when you finally enter the auditorium itself. Cinema Velasco smells like a cinema, looks like a cinema and it feels like a cinema. The first thing you notice is the 750 seats; every one of them complete with bum and leg room (I’m 6’3” and no stranger to a pizza and I fitted in with plenty of room to spare!) and a comfortable design; the sort of seat you’d want to sit in for a couple of hours as James Bond kills baddies around the globe. The border of the cinema has gaps left for wheelchair users and individual seats for their partners. Let’s throw in air conditioning too just to make you more comfortable when the weather gets warm.
The screen is how I remember cinema screens from my youth – huge, 60 square metres to be precise which makes this cinema the largest in the Murcia region in terms of seating and the biggest screen too. From 23rd January 2020 on a Thursday night you will be able to watch a movie in English (with Spanish subtitles) and enjoy this wonderful venue. It’s an experience not to be missed and something we need to support as a community so keep your eyes on www.totana.net in the New Year for details of the films showing the following week.
Platea Burger Club
In order to make the English community feel really welcome in Totana the Platea Burger Club is putting on two special Menu Del Noche offers to round off your cinema evening. Owner Juan Daniel has put together a €10 and €12 deal which means that you can have a night out for as little as €15 including a movie.
If you haven’t found Platea Burger Club yet it is located in the main plaza, opposite Trastavere Ice Cream parlour. There is no sign outside (due to town planning), but it is truly worth finding. The food is every bit as good as any American style diner and the deal on offer is fantastically good value for money.
Platea Burger Club Cinema Night Deal
€12 Menu Del Noche
Starter
- Camembert Bites (Camembert bites with tomato jam)
- Chilli Nuggets (Chilli balls with cheese and a ranch sauce)
- Onion Rings (Onion rings with tartar sauce)
- Hummus (House hummus with pickled onion and flatbread)
- Yakatori Chicken (Yakatori chicken skewers Thai-style)
- Rockers Salad (Rockers salad with bacon)
Main Course
- Doble Cheese Burger (Double matured beef burger and double cheddar)
- New York Original (The authentic New Yorker. Double beef burger, quadruple cheddar and double bacon)
- Chato Murciano (Chato Murciano pork, aldeano bread, ranch sauce, tomato and mixed leaves)
- Bollywood (Segureño lamb, pitta bread, yoghurt, cucumber, tomato and mixed leaves)
- La Sexy (40 day matured beef, mollete bread, caramelised goat’s cheese, blueberry jam, crispy onion tomato and mixed leaves)
- Tex-Mex (40 day matured beef, mollete bread, cheddar cheese, chilli con carne, sweetcorn, tomato and baby leaves)
- Caesar Salad (Mixed lettuce leaves, breaded breast of free range chicken, crispy bacon, parmesan flakes, cherry tomatoes, croutons and our homemade Caesar sauce)
- Mediterranean Salad (Mixed lettuce leaves, tomato, cucumber, red onion, carrot, sweetcorn, hard-boiled egg and chunks of tuna)
- Platea Salad (Mixed lettuce leaves, caramelised goats cheese, cherry tomatoes, red fruits, crispy onion and balsamic dressing)
- Pork Ribs (half rack) Barbecue, Spicy Honey or Salt and Pepper
Plus a drink of your choice
Available only on Thursdays 7pm-11pm
€10 Menu Del Noche
Starter
- Camembert Bites (Camembert bites with tomato jam)
- Chilli Nuggets (Chilli balls with cheese and a ranch sauce)
- Onion Rings (Onion rings with tartar sauce)
- Hummus (House hummus with pickled onion and flatbread)
- Yakatori Chicken (Yakatori chicken skewers Thai-style)
- Rockers Salad (Rockers salad-with bacon)
Main Course
- Classic Burger (Tomato and lettuce)
- Cheese Burger (With cheese)
- Bacon Burger (Bacon and cheese)
- Chicken Burger (Breaded free-range chicken, tomato, lettuce, cheddar and ranch sauce)
- Chato Burger (120g) (Chato Murciano pork, aldeano bread, ranch sauce, tomato and mixed leaves)
- Chicken Wings (Hot wings – 6 crunchy chicken pieces with a spicy devil sauce)
- Chicken Fingers (Chicken fingers- crunchy strips of free-range chicken with a mustard and honey dip)
- Quesadilla (Mayan tortilla- mozzarella, bacon and caramelised onion)
- Hot Dog (Chato Murciano pork bratwurst sausage, cheddar sauce, crispy bacon, mozzarella and crispy onion)
- Caesar Salad (Mixed lettuce leaves, breaded breast of free range chicken, crispy bacon, parmesan flakes, cherry tomatoes, croutons and our homemade Caesar sauce)
- Mediterranean Salad (Mixed lettuce leaves, tomato, cucumber, red onion, carrot, sweetcorn, hard-boiled egg and chunks of tuna)
- Platea Salad (Mixed lettuce leaves, caramelised goat’s cheese, cherry tomatoes, red fruits, crispy onion and balsamic dressing)
Plus a drink of your choice
Available only on Thursdays 7pm-11pm
Badminton
Christmas is now behind us and we’re just getting over the New Year celebrations. Consequently our thoughts inevitably turn to losing some of those additional unwanted kilos that we gained over the festive period and even perhaps, getting a bit fitter! If, like many of us, the thought of pounding along on your own on a treadmill fills you with dread, or queuing to get on the cross trainer winds you up, or wiping someone else’s perspiration from the rowing machine turns your stomach, then we can offer an alternative. How about a game of badminton?
Badminton, like all racket sports, can be as strenuous or as gentle as you want it to be. We have players of all standards, from beginners to ex-county players, so you will always find someone to have a good game against. Whist we are predominately British, we can also boast a few nationalities within our ranks and we are delighted to report that a large proportion of our members are female, many of whom are our keenest members. Although our aims are fitness, we do try to make it fun. It is also not uncommon that we are treated to the odd ‘sticky bun’ to celebrate someone’s birthday and we organize an informal get together each Christmas plus the odd small social event from time to time.
For some, a couple of hours of Badminton is a really tough but enjoyable workout. Many of us wear fitness watches and it is not uncommon to achieve your 10,000 daily steps in just a two hour session. If you do not have a racket please don’t worry, we have many spare rackets. We provide all the shuttlecocks. All we ask in return is €3 for a two hour session. Go on, give it a go, what do you have to lose? If you have never played before or haven’t played since you were at school or were once a good player then you’re the sort of person we’re looking for.
So for the important bits:
Who to contact?
Tony on 0044 7907 568 912
Martin on 699 044 742
When? Tuesday 5pm-7pm & Sunday 10am-12pm
Where? Complejo Deportivo Valle del Guadalentín, El Pareton
In conjunction with our Badminton editorial this month, we are also introducing a fitness system founded in the 1920’s.
In a world inundated with multi-faceted gymnasiums that cover every aspect of sport known to man, from butt pump, taekwondo, calisthenics, kettle belling, spinning classes, speed rowing, apple racing, toe wrestling, shin kicking and clog cobbing, the activity lists are endless!
What a breath of fresh air it was to talk to an experienced and highly skilled female entrepreneur and her successful Pilates studio in Totana. Mi’a Pilates Studio, strangely does and only does what it says on the can – Pilates! We were invited to talk with the owner Carolina Clemente in her studio to find out more information about her journey, her work ethic and the benefits of Pilates.
The moment you walk through the doors you are immediately struck by the amount of time and effort it has taken to create this beautifully designed studio. The space is bright and airy with a genuine sense of calm. Long clean modern lines draw your eye through the large reception area into studio itself. It’s safe to say you could easily be forgiven for thinking that you’ve just walked into an exclusive health spa.
“Carolina, tell us what Pilates can do for us?”
“Pilates is a full-body exercise method that will help you do everything better! Regardless of fitness or injury, we can assist the process of returning you back to physical health using a low-impact exercise system. The aim of Pilates is to strengthen muscle while improving your posture and flexibility. Within 30 days you’ll notice improved flexibility, increased muscle strength and tone, particularly your stomach, lower back, hips and buttocks. Your stress and anxiety levels will decrease and your energy levels will increase.
We offer a ‘try before you buy’ Pre-Pilates class where we will assess your needs and capabilities and explain the basics of the practice. If you decide it’s for you, I guarantee it will change your life forever!”
If you want to know more about Carolina’s incredible story, visit www.totana.net and find out the reason why you need to sign up and change your life!
Call or Whatsapp 642 457 402
Email miastudiopilates@gmail.com
Who? To book your Pre-Pilates class contact Norberto (English speaking)
Where? Mi’a Pilates Studio, Calle Vicente Aleixandre 1, Totana
When? Mon-Fri 7am-12.30pm & 5pm-10pm