Umiko

by Mónica Rodríguez
illustrated by Daniel Piqueras Fisk

A few months ago, I saw it in the bookshop. Maybe it was put on display because it won the 2024 National Prize for Children’s and Young Adult Literature. I leafed through it, read the blurb — about a modern Japanese girl who wants to become an ama — got interested and... asked our library to purchase it. To my great surprise, thay actually did it, and even phoned me when the book arrived.

I liked the story and loved the drawings.

Love Lies Bleeding

a film by Rose Glass

Time: the news of the fall of the Berlin Wall are on the telly. Place: in the middle of nowhere. Well, somewhere in New Mexico, which is the same thing.

Starring Kristen Stewart, Katy O’Brian and Ed Harris, this Tarantinesque neo-noir thriller / Western / black comedy has got everything: lesbian romance, gruesome murders, bodybuilding competition in Las Vegas, you name it. Also, a couple of the most gross scenes I wish to unsee. All in all, pretty good stuff. Shame about the title though: couldn’t they think of something more unique? I prefer the Spanish Sangre en los labios, as corny as it is.

Love Lies Bleeding was shown as a part of the cycle Diversidad, Igualdad y Cultura by Filmoteca Canaria.

Free live music in Las Palmas, June 2025

This is what we’ve seen in June. Sketches by Tamara.

• 7 June: El Quinteto: «Un viaje musical inolvidable» @ Auditorio José Antonio Ramos, Parque Doramas, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
  From son and boleros to landó, tango, fado, Canarian folklore and back. Featuring Fernando García (drums, percussion), Francisco García (flutes), Candelaria González (vocals), Héctor González (vocals, guitar, cuatro) and Ruimán Martín (double bass).

  

• 11 June: Julia Rodríguez «Hacia la vida» @ Palacete Rodríguez Quegles, Calle Benito Pérez Galdós, 4
  Julia Rodríguez (vocals, guitar, timple, cuatro), a singer-sogwriter from Fuerteventura now based in Barcelona, accompanied by Franco Contreras (bass), Nuria Herrero (percussion) and Daniel Morales (guitar, tres).

  

• 14 June: Madama Butterfly @ Plaza del Tenor Stagno
  This year’s «Ópera para todos» was Puccini’s classic, featuring Hrachuhí Bassénz as Madama Butterfly, Giorgio Berrugi as Pinkerton, Pietro Spagnoli as Sharpless, Caterina Piva as Suzuki, Jorge Rodríguez-Norton as Goro, Isaac Galán as the Imperial Commissioner, Marina díaz as Kate Pinkerton, Julián Padilla as the Bonze and Manuel García as Prince Yamadori. Music director: Francesco Ivan Ciampa. Stage director: Carlo Antonio de Lucia. Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria and Coro del Festival de Ópera directed by Olga Santana.

  

• 20 June: Morgane Ji @ Plaza de la Música, Avenida Roberto Clemente Benijófar (next to Auditorio Alfredo Kraus)
  Six years later, Morgane Ji (lead vocals, banjo) returns to Las Palmas, with E.r.k. (guitar), Emeline Fougeray (bass guitar) and Michaël Frideloux (drums). What a show!

  

• 21 June: «Música en el corazón de Vegueta» @ Vegueta, various locations
  We went to see La Local Jazz Band feat. Miguel Ramírez (sax), Miqui Delgado (piano), Kervin Barreto (trumpet), Suso Vega (drums) and Abraham Ramos (double bass) in Casa de Colón and Yone Rodríguez Trio feat. Yone Rodríguez (timple), Néstor García (guitar) and Tana Santana (double bass) in Patio de los Naranjos.

  

Bring on July.