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Antonio Banderas’ party in Huerta del Conde Málaga: flamenco, confidences, gin-tonics and a poem

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The Malaga actor, newly appointed ambassador of Larios – our most mythical gin – has been surrounded by friends such as Jon Kortajarena, Cayetana Guillén Cuervo, Estrella Morente, Pablo Puyol, Laura Sánchez or María Esteve

Antonio Banderas, brand new ambassador of Larios gin and owner, literally, of a life of cinema. (Courtesy)

The views are impressive. From the southern slope of Mount San Antón, in Malaga, the panorama is complete: You can see the set of buildings of the Historic center, the bay and the Mediterranean. But it will be enough to turn 180º to enter a parallel world: the private party that celebrates The appointment of Antonio Banderas As ambassador of our Iconic ginebra Larios.

The stage? La Huerta del Conde, an impressive Mediterranean-style villa surrounded by an exceptional botanical garden strewn with fountains, cypresses and a spectacular Andalusian-style patio inside the house.

Whoever has a friend has a treasure. (Courtesy)

Our movie starts a few days ago with A message from Banderas as an invitation:“¿Cómo estás? As always, here, in Malaga, Enjoying the good life.” And then, after a short silence: “This, listen to me one thing, And then, after a short silence: “This, listen to me one thing, We have a few drinks of Larios 12 that I have things to tell you.”

The hosts of the party: Antonio Banderas and Azahara Margon. (Courtesy)

The next scene, after an express getaway by AVE, takes place under the notes of A chamber quartet And between trays of Appetizers and cocktails Of evocative names: Water of Malaga, Mediterranean Bougainvillea, Sunset Breeze… From the first glance, the number of celebrities is surprising: the actresses Cayetana Guillén Cuervo and María Esteve, the Malaga-born Pablo Puyol, the Huelva model and businesswoman Laura Sánchez, the model and actor Jon Kortajarena… And at the center of everything: Banderas, the perfect host.

Returning home

The collaboration between Antonio Banderas and Larios is An invitation to celebrate the ‘good life’ And enjoy its small pleasures, something that is very natural in Malaga, the city of origin of Mediterranean gin – with more than 150 years of history – and also of the Hollywood actor, who has regained happiness after settling back in it.

“The poet Kavafis talked about a man who had lived adventures all over the world and had decided to return to his land: Ithaca. (…) Somehow for me Malaga has always been Ithaca, to return home. Especially after the circumstances I faced, when life hit me with an important warning – it refers to the heart attack he suffered in 2017 -,” Banderas explains during the subsequent lunch on the spectacular terrace of the property.

And he adds: “Probably, that heart attack was one of the best things that have happened to me in my life. From time to time it’s okay to be shaken.”

“The heart attack allowed me to understand what I wanted at that time, which was to return, simplify things,” Antonio Banderas

Among the VIPs, actress María Esteve and model and businesswoman Laura Sánchez shone. (Courtesy)

Dear Mr. Ambassador

The relationship between Banderas and Larios is not new. After returning to Malaga, in 2019 the actor fulfilled his dream of opening his own entertainment center: the Soho CaixaBank Theater, in addition to founding the Larios Pop del Soho Symphony Orchestra, which today animates the cultural life of the city. And all this thanks to the sponsorship of this brand of gin. “I needed allies and the possibility arose thanks to an incredibly Malaga name: Larios. All of us who live in Malaga know the people of Larios. They have been part of our day-to-day life since 1866, when they founded the company and brought the industry. There’s a reason why our main avenue is Larios Street,” he says.

Estrella Morente, pure flamenco. (Courtesy)

A collaboration that It also works in the other direction, since the actor was the protagonist, just a few months ago, of the last campaign of this gin, ‘Living well is an art’, In which I invited you to enjoy the Larios Sunsets. Sunsets, sunsets, good music and the flavor full of nuances of Larios 12 are the real protagonists.

A theater in Madrid?

After lunch we chatted with the artist, who confesses to us that he is considering “opening a theater in Madrid. That would give us the possibility of not having to negotiate with other rooms. Every time we have gone to Madrid or Barcelona we have lost 30 or 35 percent just because of the rental of the theater,” he says.

One of the snack tables in the botanical gardens of La Huerta del Conde. (Courtesy)

As for its project for a performing arts educational center in Malaga, the Sohrlin academy, assures that it will be at the end of November when it will be launched, and that it will include 90 rooms that students and teachers will be able to use. “It has been delayed due to technical and permit issues. The courses will start next year, but first we will do a masterclass,” he announces.

Meeting Meryl Streep

From the Award-winning actress Recently with the Princess of Asturias Award, Flags He confesses that they don’t have “much relationship”, although on October 18, the day they offered a joint talk in the Asturian capital, “they prepared a meal for the two of us alone, They put us in a corner and let us talk for four hours. It was very beautiful.”

Meryl Streep, Princess of Asturias Award for the Arts 2023, during her meeting with the public in Oviedo moderated by Antonio Banderas. (EFE/Paco Paredes)

And he adds: “Meryl Streep is a very intelligent woman, always alert, and very alive. There are more people like that in Hollywood, for example Glenn Close… There are also idiots — (laughs), but most of them are small. The real great ones are grateful to life.”

His new life

Before saying goodbye, we asked him what success is for him today. He is clear: “Feeling good doing what I want and feeling physically better after leaving stupid things like smoking and freeing myself from some material nonsense that was in my head.”

“If you die and still have money in the bank, it’s because something has gone wrong,” Antonio Banderas

The sunset, according to Larios

After the hypnotic dance of gin-tonics and with the sun declining, we meet on the panoramic terrace of La Huerta del Conde, where Estrella Morente appears by surprise with her guitarist, both dressed in black. “We look like two crows, but we had to put on the best clothes because there is no more real theater than this one behind us,” said the singer in reference to the priceless views of Malaga.

His performance, in which he performs songs like ‘Volver‘ or ‘Adiós, Málaga‘, is dedicated to Antonio Banderas: “I have met many people, but I am convinced that there is no one like you. It’s special what you do for your city, for your profession, for your colleagues. You can’t have more category,” he says.

With the guitar chords still sounding, Larios’s new ambassador takes the microphone to read a poem in his own handwriting.

“I wrote a little thing about Malaga that says like this: I hear you, transparent metropolis / pouring unloaded sounds / of a time neither future nor present / that returns those expired kisses. / The waves come to your coastal face / the lines of forgotten poems / those that talked about jasmine and poppies / already memory of crazy people / in love. / Today I get lost in the hidden corners / in case there is any uncontrolled memory left / and through renovated streets I am lost / resisting getting rid of the past.”

The applause of those present marks the beginning of another different evening on the top of Malaga: one of confidences, gin-tonics and that cheerful feeling of ‘good life’.

Source and credit: Vaninatis El Confidencial By Guillermo Reparaz