On the way in from the airport the taxi driver told us that many artists come to Madrid because of the beauty and quality of the light above the city. And it’s true.

Madrid has a most spectacular horizon because the center of the city lies at an elevation below the outskirts. In every direction it is as if you’re looking at the edges of a decorative ceramic bowl from the inside.

I was invited to speak at the Sustainable Brands conference here because the theme is Moonshots. The organizers graciously paid for travel and put us up at a hotel with a lovely rooftop bar that’s close to the coolest neighborhoods in the city.

Our favorite so far is Malasaña, just a five minute walk (Thank you Drew for the hot tip). Back in the 1980s it was the center of the so-called Movida Madrileña, a countercultural movement. Today it is considered one of Madrid’s hippest neighborhoods and features many vintage shops, small boutiques run by young designers and hip and cool bars and restaurants. The storefronts and restaurants have rolling shades decorated by graffiti artists.

We ate brunch at a cool juice bar where James ordered one of their spectacular açaí bowls.

Dinner was at one of the city’s best restaurants, La Mi Venta. We were seated in the cellar where the ceiling was covered with hooks they used to hang pork from the ceiling.