Reopening: the largest rooftop pool in Madrid where Ava Gardner used to bathe
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Before becoming Doña Jimena every day,
Sofia Loren
woke up between the silk sheets of her suite, waved at the
statue of Neptune
through the window
and went down to breakfast with chocolate and churros (or whatever was available at that time) in the Lounge of what was (and still is) one of the most emblematic hotels in the capital, the
Palace.
Of all this, just now 60 years ago, the ones that are completed of the filming of the mythical film
El Cid,
directed by
Anthony Mann
in Iberian lands.
From Valladolid to Cuenca or Valencia, passing through the Madrid towns of
Colmenar Viejo, La Cabrera, La Pedriza or Cabanillas de la Sierra
and at the Sevilla Films and Chamartín studios, already in the city.
These were the scenarios in which the Italian actress and Charlton Heston in the role of Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar saw each other's faces every day.
And at night, back to the currently called The Westin Palace, belonging to the Marriott chain.
Under the dome of the hotel
Recalling those times, two of the original costumes that both actors wore in the film can now be admired in the exhibition that the hotel dedicates to the costumes of the 60s, the
golden age of Hollywood.
It is a careful selection of garments, pieces and images that will remain under the famous dome of the building until August 27.
It is also accompanied by a
gastronomic proposal
inspired by
El Cid
and four other films from that time (
55 days in Beijing, The Fall of the Roman Empire, Doctor Zhivago
and
Nicolás and Alejandra
), which includes the menu
Comer de cine
, served in the restaurant The Rotunda.
The Russia tartar (left) inspired by 'Doctor Zhivago'.
There is also a selection of the favorite cocktails of the artists staying at the hotel, available at the 1912 Museum Bar. As an example, the
Ava
combination stands out
,
in homage, of course, to Ava Gardner, with vodka, coconut shake, curaçao and sugar. There is also the Negroni by
Orson Welles
or the margarita by
Rita Hayworth
.
Not just any article participates in the exhibition, but those made by the
Cornejo tailor shop
, specialized in period clothing and one of the oldest in the capital, founded in 1920. Not only did the
five protagonists of the show
of the Palace, but other more current films such as
Shakespeare in Love
or
Gladiator
, which won an Oscar for best costumes.
The history of the Cornejo tailoring shop
And all by the work and grace of a visionary, the patriarch Humberto Cornejo, who after spending a
period in Cuba
at the beginning of the 20th century returned to Madrid to perform military service.
Once here, he dedicated himself to creating costumes for plays in his tiny house in the central
Cava Baja,
in the
La Latina
neighborhood
.
The demand grew to the point of being hired for the aforementioned international productions.
Today,
his descendants maintain the business,
with several workshops spread throughout Madrid.
The clothing worn by Sofia Loren and Charlton Heston in 'El Cid'.
Some of the most interesting costumes in the dome show are those worn by Ava Gardner,
David Niven
and (again) Charlon Heston in
55 Days in Beijing
, directed in 1963 by Samuel Bronston, who transformed La Rozas into
China. Imperial.
The Palace exhibits garments that move to the East such as
silk kimonos
or the embroidered uniform that Niven wore on the ribbon. Not forgetting the original 1900-style body worn by the most beautiful animal in the world to embody the Russian baroness
Natalia Ivanoff.
The Fall of the Roman Empire
(1964) also sneaks into the exhibition with
details of the cuirass
and uniform of a centurion and different dresses with which personalities such as the aforementioned
Sofia Loren, James Masin,
Alec Guiness,
were adorned.
Christopher Plummer and Mel Ferrer.
All of them frequently visited the Palace bar where they enjoyed their famous
Dry Martini.
Omar Sharif's coat in 'Doctro Zhivago'
The cinematographic route continues with
Doctor Zhivago
(1965), awarded an
Oscar for Cornejo's wardrobe
that managed to transfer the viewer to
Bolshevik Russia.
Omar Sharif, Julie Christie and Geraldine Chaplin slept at the Palace and today their stunning outfits can be enjoyed under the dome.
There is no lack
of Sharif's
characteristic
gray coat,
one of the jewels in the show's crown.
So are the military uniforms and tsarina dresses of Nicolás and Alejandra (1971), whose costumes designed by
Yvone Blake
also won an Oscar.
Garments from 'The Fall of the Roman Empire' and octopus wheels.
Among the dishes that can be tasted in the
Eat in Cinema
menu
, the Russian tartare inspired by
Doctor Zhivago stands out,
with smoked sardines, beetroot, cabbage and trout caviar.
The
Pekín 55 roll
is a nod by chef José Luque to the 1963 blockbuster with delicacies already enjoyed at the
Chinese Imperial Court.
The octopus wheels with polenta porridge,
garum sauce
and unleavened bread flakes, meanwhile, evoke the culinary techniques of
the Roman Empire
, while the roast lamb shoulder recalls the land of Castile, the protagonists of
El Cid
.
Missing the Russian cake with raspberry cream vodka in clear allusion to
Nicolás and Alejandra.
More information
.
Cinema Eating
Menu
: 60 euros per person (VAT and drinks included).
Available for lunch and dinner, except Sunday lunches.
Cocktails: 12 euros.
The hotel also offers the
Pásalo de cine
experience
at El Palace
, which includes accommodation for two, breakfast, two cocktails from the stars and a 20% discount on the
Eat at the movies
menu
.
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
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