During the summer, the Company for the Bussiness and Cultural Development for the Isle of San Juan, known as CODEVISA, does not sponsor this event since it works partnered with the Art School of Old San Juan. Still, some art galleries do open late on summers and keep the tradition alive.

Those of you who are not art fans or connoisseurs can still enjoy one of the favorite party nights in Old San Juan. Similar to the San Sebastián Street Festival, celebrated on January, Gallery Nights is characterized by the special appearance of many local musical guests, big party drinks, and gigantic crowds. It is mostly located in the San Sebastián Street, but other bars around the city offer a festive crowd. For instance, bars and restaurants in Cristo Street such as Don Pablo and Bodega Chic keep their music up and their drinks on with a different type of crowd (a little bit more chic). My favorite bars on this night, “El Batey” and “Karamelos” also put on a fiesta with more of a artistic and indie motif for those of you who want to enjoy the party, but not be part of the large multitude in San Sebastián Street.

As your day to day blogger, I’ll be sure to go tonight to my favorite bars mentioned above in order to do some “research” (by that I mean, drinking and partying) in order to comment on it tomorrow. Be sure to make a trip today to Old San Juan and have a few drinks. And if you spot a short guy drinking heavily, be sure to buy me, I mean him, a drink!

Sources: CODEVISA <http://www.codevisa.org/nochesgaleria.html>

*Picture(s) taken from Google Image.

I recently had seen on television a program where the characters play a game that they have to name the fifty states of the United States (redundancy excused) in a six minute time frame. Even though it is compulsory to take a United States History class in high school at Puerto Rico, I gave us a chance to break two rules: (1) it was a two player game (actually, three, since the bartender joined us), and; (2) there was a fifteen minute time limit. I though it was not going to be a challenging game, so I ordered another Rioja glass of wine and set the stopwatch in my cell-phone.

Seven minutes later, we were short on ten states. My father kept saying that we were missing “the tornado alley”, as if that would help me or the bartender. Still, I should give our friend the bartender (she has a name, it’s Jessica) for helping us with at least twenty of the states. Eight minutes later, we were missing six states only. I tried to argue my way out of my losing spree by saying that “those states were not important”, and we googled them. They were the following: Iowa, Oklahoma, Delaware, Montana, Oregon, and Mississippi. I couldn’t believe I had Maine, and not one of those!

It seems to me that in Puerto Rico we have forgotten the importance of history. I assure you many Puerto Ricans cannot name all fifty states, but then again, a third of Americans cannot locate the United States in a world map. Hence, what’s all the fuss about with the Fourth of July celebration in Puerto Rico? It seems to me we have found an excuse to lay in the beach, drink, and party. But, when in Rome, do as the Romans. So, come to Puerto Rico, and join me anytime at Rosa de Triana to celebrate any African country’s independence with a great glass of wine!