Thanksgiving Dinner

We are pleased to invite everyone to join us for an authentic Thanksgiving meal! 

Where: Portland Alehouse, Calle Salamanca, 10
When: Sunday, November 18th
Time: 1:30 PM
Price: Adults 13 and up: 18 euros
          Kids 3-12: 10 euros
          Kids under three are free

The menu will include:
Turkey
Honey baked smoked ham
Potatoes and turkey gravy
Dressing made with ham and mushrooms
Sweet potatoes
Cranberry sauce
Green Beans

Bread

Assorted Desserts

Please note that this price does not include beverages. Drinks can be purchased for a reasonable price at the bar.

We are assuming kids will be eating from this same menu, but there will also be pasta with tomato sauce as a kids' option.

We need to know if you will be attending by Friday November 16th. Although everyone is to pay at the door, we need to know your attendance ahead of time, Please RSVP to americanclubvalencia@gmail.com

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Book Release Party

Ranabooks is hosting the book release party for Dana Gynther’s novel, “Crossing on the Paris”, a work of Historical Fiction which takes place on an ocean liner in 1921 (Simon & Schuster).   The author is from the US, but is a long time resident of Valencia and has worked at American Institute as an English teacher for nearly 20 years.  The party will be on Saturday, November 24^th, from 7-9pm. Cocktails and tapas will be served. 

Ranabooks is an English language bookstore located just off of Avda. Reino de Valencia
http://www.ranabooks.es/

Halloween Party

Come Celebrate Halloween with the American Club of Valencia

When:  Sunday October 28th at 1:00 PM

Where:  Andy’s Farm 

Directions are as follows: Unfortunately there is no address for GPS

From Castellon take AP 7 towards Valencia and get off at the exit for Ademuz /Feria (the first one after Bétera).  Bear immediately to the right towards Ademuz. And keep straight on the autovia towards Ademuz and Lliria.
Exit at Olocau and Marines (Exit A25). 

From Valencia take the CV-35, the Pista de Ademuz, straight to Lliria.
Exit at Olocau and Marines.

From both directions (Castellon and Valencia) once at the turn off mentioned above follow that road (passing on your right the Parque San Vicente) and also passing Marines on your left where there is a roundabout with a petrol station. Keep straight on towards Olocau.  You will pass the polideportivo on your right. At the next roundabout turn right towards Más de Capellá and follow the dirt track for 1 km until you come to the farm on your right. There is a big drawing of pigs on the wall.

Very Important:  We are very thankful and fortunate that once again Andy MacLeod is hosting the party this year at his farm.  Andy´s farm is completely disease-free
so it is very important that we obey his 2 requests:

• We must stay in the designated area for the party. No wandering off to see
  the pigs.
• Everybody must wipe their feet, children and adults on a non-toxic sponge
  pad before entering the farm. Therefore, do not wear sandals, Your feet will
  get wet.

 What to Bring:  

• This year we will be having a pot luck dinner again.  Please bring an appetizer, side dish, or dessert to be shared.  Each person, couple or family should bring an item.  If you are inviting anyone to the party please make sure they bring a dish as well.  Remember to provide a serving utensil for your dish if needed.  Very important, please bring enough food as all will come hungry.  Also, we would also like to ask each family to bring one package of hotdog buns.  The club will be providing hotdogs.

• Please bring a bottle of soda pop, a brick of juice and or water.  Bring all drinks chilled to share. If you wish to drink alcohol you are also welcome to bring your own and may want to bring a small cooler. 

• We also ask that you bring a bag or 2 of individually wrapped candy to be given out to the kids for tick or treating and  all children should bring a plastic pumpkin or bag for when they trick or treat

• If you would like to share a carved pumpkin you have made we would love to see it and use it as a decoration for the party, this is optional of course. 

• Because we have limited chairs you may want to bring your own and are welcome to bring a folding table as well to be used.

• Everyone dress up please: There will be adult and children prizes!

Price:  3 Euros per person or 12 Euros per family. If you are a couple and have more than 2 kids the price will only be 12 Euros.  All other family members such as cousins will need to pay the 3 Euros.  Children under 2 years of age are free.

RSVP  by email: americanclubvalencia@gmail.com  We will need to know not only how many will be attending but if you will be bringing a side dish, appetizer or dessert.  

***We still need more volunteers for the party.  Please let us know if you can help.  We look forward to seeing you all there!***

English Speaking Doctors in Valencia

Since we get asked frequently for names of English speaking doctors in Valencia, I thought that it would be helpful to keep a compilation of names that have been recommended to us from different members over time.  I will try and keep it as up-to-date as possible but since I haven't actually been to any of the doctors myself I can't guarantee they are still practicing or their addresses or phone numbers are current.

General Practitioners:
Dr.Ramia De Cap Salvatella - "Juan Jose" the name that I use when I make my appointments - on the first floor of the Millennium clinic is nice. You don't have to have a Sanitas card (they take cc - and don't worry, it's much less than in US) and he seems to take walk-ins. Also lived in Ireland so speaks English
Centro Médico-Milenium 
Antiga Senda de Senent 11
902 102 400 / 96 352 09 07

Clínica Sorolla has general medicine on a walk-in basis M-F 8:30am.-8:30pm. They also have a broad range of medical specialties and the director of the clinic, who also tends to general medicine, speaks English.
Dr. César Angeles
Clinica Sorolla
C/ Músico Ginés, 8
963 560 307

Dr. Antonio Domingo Valle
Dr. Vicente Mascarós Torres 
Clinica Quirón
Severo Ochoa 14
961 041 604

Dr. Rene R Guarnaluse Arce
He is a traditional MD and also works with homeopathy if anyone is interested. He takes Tricare and other insurances too. He has an office in El Puerto de Sagunto and also makes house calls.
664734097 scioho@yahoo.com

Pediatricians:
A Board certified pediatrician by the American Academy of Pediatrics, American trained at MIAMI CHILDREN HOSPITAL, Dr Juan A Hernandez TEL 646 930 941 , and he is an American Citizen

Clinica Westfalia Dra. Anne Bru c/Cavanilles 1 tel.963390372. She is great, worked in Germany in the children's hospital. Highly reccomended.

Dr. Pico at La Salud speaks enough English but his secretaries do not so get a friend to call to make an appointment...His office is across the street from the Hospital at Calle Puebla De Farnals 27, Valencia 46021. Tel# 963 603 434 

Gynecologists:
DRA. PINO MARTIN, ISABEL (PINO MARTIN, SL)
Avda. Aragón 38 2 3 9ª
96 361 7589

Nuria Sanz in the 9 de octubre hospital

Dr Colombelli (full surname Colombelli Zem) at Sanitas Milenium Centre is an English-sp. obstetrician/gynecologist (female)
Dr Blanes there also speaks English, male and bit more business-like

Dr. Millet, Policlínica Millet
C/ Justicia 1-46003 Valencia
Telf. 96 351 92 11
Speaks perfect English 


Also, AngloINFO Valencia provides this list of English speaking doctors although I cannot vouch for the accuracy of this list:
http://valencia.angloinfo.com/af/473/valencia-doctors-and-medical-practitioners.html

Psychiatrist
Dra. María Zarza
Adults and Children
Clínica Cabalta
http://cabalta.es/

Mar Grau-Escriva
A consultant psychiatrist based in London with a monthly international clinic in Valencia. In her Valencia clinic she solely focuses on English speaking patients.
Website:  http://drmargrau.com
Email:  mar.grau@doctors.org.uk

Telephones:+44 20 7373 3541- English Speaking

+34 96 342 05 25 – Spanish Speaking

Dentists
Puchades Calle Ciril Amoros 41 1F 96 352 18 72 Both Puchades sisters speak English

Dr. German Gomez.. he speaks English plus German and Spanish. Wonderful guy.
Av. Cortes Valencianas 39 E2-H
96 363 384 385 
http://www.sonrisabonita.com/ 

Dr. Javier Zaplana, c/Guillen de Castro,57,2 tel. 963529090. Accepts some Spanish insurance companies. 

Escuela Oficial de Idiomas

 We have many people asking where they can go for inexpensive Spanish classes, and the Escuela Oficial de Idiomas is probably the best place to go! The problem is that they aren't easy to get into and up until now the process that you would need to go through to get into one of these classes was completely unknown to us.  But thanks to one of our members who recently went through the process and was lucky enough to get in, we now have this information available! Here is her experience that she was so kind to share with us:

Escuela Oficial de Idiomas
Llano de Zaidía, 19 Valencia
96 340 5022
http://www.eoivalencia.es/

1. Continually check the web for dates to matriculate for the Prueba de Nivel en Espanol. Stood on the line that was for Matriculating. I looked around and saw that there was a form that needed to be completed. Don't be afraid to ask questions because many of the students are familiar with the process.
2. When I reached the front of the line they asked me for my ID. Gave my info and was given a paper with a bar code.
3. I was to take this form to a bank, pay the 24+ Euros and return to the same person. I went to a bank paid and returned to the chaotic school with 2 copies .....one that I handed to the person in the front in the "Secretaria". The date of the test was given to me. I must report to the 3rd Floor and look for my name which would be posted on one of the doors.
4. The was very orderly. I had to remember the number in front of my name and wrote that each time. All answers were to be written on the answer sheet.
5. First part was grammar...multiple choice. 60 questions. If you were trying for a spot in BASICO then you only had to complete up to a certain number....if you were going for INTERMEDIO...then you must complete up to a certain number ....same for ADVANCED.
6. This portion included a writing segment where you wrote at least 100 words on a topic. The topic (I'm sure it changes) was write about a happy time in your life and you must give details who what when where etc.
7. Listening was next. The audio spoke to questions on one page. It was a bit confusing at first but they gave one minute to scan the questions and the 3 choices for each question. About 5 questions for each segment. This audio was repeated twice which was very helpful. You were also permitted to write on the question page and make notes.
8. The text Comprehension had 3 separate topics and questions. So if you were trying for the BASICO....only needed to complete the first set of questions. If Intermedio...2 topics and questions and if you hoped for Advanced then you must complete all 3.
9. Next day the names and results were posted in the lobby or near the Dept.
10. Now you must look to see how many classes of your Level are being offered. Many experience that there are no spots but I was super lucky. This was easy for me cause there was only one class offered. This info was on the web. Again, asking, and reading postings in the lobby is impt. This part wasn't organized. After finding the posting and listening to others talking I learned that my time was 3pm to meet in the auditorium. Names were called in alphabetical order and you were given a small paper. Now the process repeated....stand on line....receive a sheet with a bar code and pay at the bank.....
IMPORTANT ----must have the bank form,a copy of your ID and a picture. Then go to class.

Tortilla de Patata

The Tortilla de Patata (Spanish potato omelet) is a staple of the Spanish cuisine and it is very easy to learn how to make.  Here are my step-by-step instructions:

Ingredients:
4 medium potatoes
1/2 to 1 whole onion, chopped
a healthy pinch of salt (1/2 Tbsp. or so)
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups olive oil

1. Slice up the potatoes into small slices.

2. Heat up the oil in a non-stick frying pan. It is very important that the pan is non-stick and in good condition otherwise you will end up with a mess! I have a special pan that I use for this recipe only and I never put it in the dishwasher.

 3. Add the potatoes, onions and salt to the oil and cook until the potatoes are soft and starting to brown. Cook over high heat stirring constantly or over medium heat stirring occasionally.  If you cook on high it takes about ten minutes, a little longer over medium heat. 

 4. After the potatoes are cooked, drain off the oil and put the potatoes into a bowl. Cool slightly and then carefully stir in the eggs. It should be slightly soupy and if it looks very thick you can add another egg.  You can store the excess oil in a jar in the refrigerator to reuse the next time you make this recipe.

5. Pour the potato/ egg mixture back into the pan (use a little bit of the excess oil in the bottom of the pan if necessary) and cook over medium heat until it is starting to set on the bottom, about five minutes. It should be golden brown. Now here comes the tricky part- flipping the tortilla.  You should put a large plate top down over the pan, fold a dish towel in half diagonally and lay it over the plate, and carefully pick it up holding it by the part covered by the towel, and very carefully flip it over so the tortilla is now on the plate.  Then slide the tortilla back into the pan with the help of a wooden spatula and cook for another five minutes approximately until the second side is also golden brown.

Flip the tortilla back onto the plate using the same technique described above and voila!

And a footnote from one of our members if you want to speed things up! Thanks Carol :)
...and if you're in a hurry, don't want to worry about getting the potatoes too brown, want to save on kitchen mess and amount of oil used: I cook the cut up potatoes and onions together in the microwave. Add salt to taste and a healthy squirt of olive oil--about 3T. Cover and cook at max until the potatoes are soft. (With the quantities listed here, at least 6-8 minutes on max.) Then add this to the beaten eggs and finish the omelette stovetop in the usual way.

Balneario La Alameda

We have received the following information from one of our members who works as Public Relations at the Balneario La Alameda, and who would like to make a special offer to the American club.  Their idea would be close the spa exclusively to a group of 15-20 members of the American club at a discount of 50% so that they can experience the beneficial qualities of their natural spring water, show them their installations, and treat them to an "almuerzo" in their new restaurant.  Anyone who is interested in finding out more about this offer can contact us at the American club at americanclubvalencia@gmail.com  You can find more information about the Balneario La Alameda at their website: http://www.ardemagazine.com/arde/?p=33272

 

Queríamos hecer un ofrecimiento al American Club Valencia, para que vinieran a conocer nuestras Aguas termales y mineromedicinales, así como nuestras instalaciones, tratamientos, etc. y nuestro nuevo restaurante "La Taberna de Las Monjas", dentro del mismo Balneario.

 

Primer Balneario Urbano de España, ubicado en el centro de una Capital, no existe nada parecido en toda España, nothing to do with a simple Spa. Uno de los primeros balnearios de aguas termales y mineromedicinales de Europa. Ocupa un palacio modernista de 1909, perteneciente a la Exposición Regional del mismo año, sobre un manantial natural de aguas termales y mineromedicinales declaradas de utilidad pública en 1930 y por Orden Ministerial en 1951.

 

We open 7 days a week 365 days a year, monday to friday from 9:00 a.m. to 22:00 p.m., saturday and sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 21:00 p.m..

 

Nuestra idea es cerrar la piscina del Balneario, en exclusiva, para el American Club a un precio del 50% Dto. para un grupo de entre 15 a 20 personas (máximo aforo), o en varios grupos para que experimenten el beneficio de nuestras aguas y luego enseñar nuestras instalaciones y servirles un almuerzo en nuestro nuevo restaurante. 

 

El Balneario está atendido por un equipo de profesionales que cuenta, desde médico (todas las mañanas), pasando por fisioterapéutas, masajistas, monitores de Yoga, Pilates, Gimnasio, saunas, etc.

 

Aguas idóneas para la mejora del estado psicofísico en general (No hay que estar enfermo para disfrutar de los beneficios de uestras aguas), tratamiento de afecciones dermatológicas (psoriásis, acné, dermatitis atópica), traumatológicas y reumatológicas (cervicálgias, lumbálgias, fibromiálgia reumática, etc), afecciones respiratorias crónicas, asma, bronquítis, sinusítis, etc.

 

Además de las aguas contamos con todo tipo de tratamientos y programas de belleza, salud y relax. Envolvimientos de lodos, algas, chocolate, masajes faciales de caviar, Oro y Rosa Mosqueta, masajes craneo-faciáles, podales, descontracturantes, relax, piedras volcánicas, Shiatsu, duchas Vichy, etc, etc.

Day trips in the Valencia area

Happy Sunday everyone!

This comes from our facebook group- one of our members asked for suggestions for a day trip, preferably within an hour of Valencia and that provides for a short nature walk as well and he got some great responses!

Navajas (hiking and beautiful scenery) http://www.navajas.es/portal/index.php

Peñiscola (castle)  http://www.peniscola.org/ca/

Albufera http://www.albufera.com/

Chulilla (hiking paths and a cave) http://www.chulilla.es/

Xátiva (castle) http://www.xativaturismo.com

Bocairent (caves, medieval town, snow caves) http://www.bocairent.org/

Vall d'Uixo (caves of San José have an underground river with a boat ride through it) http://www.lavallduixo.es/vallduixoPublic/portada/ciudad/turismo.html 

Alcalá del Jucar (about an hour and a half away, cave homes on the side of the mountain that you can visit, also the Jucar river runs through the town, hiking) http://www.alcaladeljucar.net/menu.htm

Chelva (Roman aqueduct) http://www.chelva.es/

Alcoy (hiking and parks) http://www.alcoiturisme.com/home/index.php

Morella (about two hours from Valencia) http://www.morella.net/

Vías Verdes near Segorbe http://www.viasverdes.com/ViasVerdes

Sagunto Castle (great little restaurants and spectacular views from the castle) http://www.saguntoweb.com/castillosagunto

Altea (beautiful beach town 1 1/2 hours from Valencia)
http://www.altea.es/ 

The best brownie recipe

Once you master this easy and delicious brownie recipe you will never again feel the need to buy a box mix! 

Brownies
1/2 cup butter, melted (125 g)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Valor makes one that you can find in all the major grocery stores)
chopped dark and white chocolate (optional)

Mix together the melted butter and the sugar.  Add the eggs one at a time mixing well after each one.  Mix in the vanilla.  Add the flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder and mix it together. Stir in the chopped chocolate, or you can use walnuts if you prefer.  Grease and flour a square 8x8 inch pan.  Spread the batter into the pan, and bake in a 350º (175ºC) oven for 25-30 minutes until the edges are firm and the center is soft.

American Club of Valencia Easter picnic

Easter Picnic

When:  Sunday, April 1st

Activities for kids will begin at 12:00 noon and will be followed by a picnic around 1:30pm

Where:  Turia River bed - We will meet next to the playground that is in between the Opera House and Gulliver park ( right next to the mini golf)

What to bring:  Please bring a picnic lunch for yourself along with drinks.  Also bring one food item of your choice to be shared (it is okay if it is store bought).  You may want to bring a blanket, chairs or table.

Lastly, the children will participate in an Easter egg hunt.  We ask every family to bring about ten eggs for the adults to hide and for the children to hunt for.  They can be dyed hard boiled eggs or they can be chocolate eggs.  Medium to large chocolate eggs can be hidden individually.  If you decide to bring small pieces of chocolate or other kinds of candy, please bundle them up in small bundles with plastic and tie them so that they can be easily found. 

Pancakes

Nowadays you can find pancake mixes anywhere in Valencia, you can even get the Bisquick brand at Taste of America!  But why use a mix when you can make your own delicious pancakes from scratch in a matter of minutes? Here is my recipe:

1/4 cup cornmeal
3/4 cup  flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg
1 cup milk
2 tbsp. melted butter

Mix together the dry ingredients and then add the egg, milk and butter, mix it all together and cook the pancakes in a hot frying pan sprayed with oil.
You can even buy dried blueberries in some health food stores and make blueberry pancakes by dropping the blueberries onto the cooking pancakes before flipping them over.
Enjoy!

BioCultura

This weekend in the Feria de Valencia (March 2-4) where you will be able to find all sorts of ecological information and products http://biocultura.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=183&Itemid=4

BioCultura Valencia 2012

biocultura.org

Tonight in the Sala Loca : Megafaun

Megafaun is a musical group from North Carolina, who are here in Valencia one night only.  Tonight at 22:30 h. 16 euros at the door. 

Megafaun

megafaun.com

You can find more information here:
http://www.lococlub.org/index.php/megafaun/
El Loco Club. C/ Erudito Orellana 12

John Gauer

Used books in English

If anyone is looking for used books in English, this is a really good shop: www.kandabooks.es Located at Calle de la tapineria, 18 (close to Plaza de la Reina) They have a nice taking back policy when you bring back your books.

http://www.kandabooks.es/

www.kandabooks.es

English speaking handymen

This is a recommendation to us from one of our members: Brett Richmond is wonderful to work with - from New Zealand living here in VLC, completely fluent in both Eng & Esp and able to do just about anything. Dependable and affordable - and an all around super nice guy.
Contact info: Phone Brett 622 128 632
richmondracing@gmail.com
Services include
• Locksmith
• Home appliance repairs
• Window shutters
• Plumbing and heating
• Removals
• Electrics
• Furniture assembly and repair
• Painting
• Tiling
• Air conditioning 

Here is another recommendation that we have received for a trust-worthy, honest and hardworking handyman who speaks English and Spanish

• Locksmith
• Plumbing
• Electricity
• Wooden floors
• Kitchen
• Bathrooms
• Works in wood and metal
• Garden and house maintenance

Goran 622 352 868  

Fallas 2012

Fallas are almost here!  Here is a useful online guide:

FALLAS FROM VALENCIA

www.fallasfromvalencia.com

Duty taxes on packages

Be careful if you receive a lot of packages coming in from outside of the European Union, because it appears that in order to bring in more money to pay off the government debt, they have decided to charge a duty tax on almost every single one of these packages.  Before there was always a small chance you would have to pay the duty tax, but now that chance has gotten much higher.  It looks like the charge is 18% of insured value plus the shipping cost, although it doesn't look like there is much rhyme or reason to which packages they are charging or how much right now.  So everybody watch out!

Taste of America

We are so lucky to have a new supermarket in Valencia specializing in American products!  You can find a wide variety of all those products we miss so much from back home: cake mixes and frostings, cereals, bagels, salad dressings, poptarts, different kinds of candies and candy bars, macaroni and cheese, soft drinks, snacks and much, much more! They also carry kitchen utensils that can be a little bit hard to find in Valencia, and a big cake decorating section.  It's a great place- let's support them so they can stay in Valencia!
Taste of America
Avenida del Regne de València, 6
http://www.tasteofamerica.es/

Food and Fun

This is a great place that offers fun food courses with professional chefs, in a variety of different ethnic cuisines.  If there is enough interest, the course can also be translated simultaneously into English. Check it out!
http://www.foodandfun.es/

Valencia Triathlon

The Valencia triathlon is on the verge of opening the registration period. We know from one of our members what an amazing experience it is, and you still have plenty of time to prepare for it!  Find out more information here:

Valencia Triathlon

www.valenciatriatlon.es