I’m in the thick of it. That’s what I realized last night as I stood at my computer.
I’m trying to do the standing desk thing because I work from home. I work from home now. Did I tell you? Well, I do. And sometimes I watch Netflix on my computer at my standup desk after work because I work at home. In case that wasn’t as confusing as possible, my standup desk is actually a normal desk with a pile of books and a cardboard box on top. No, really. Look.
That is a sad picture.
Anyway, I was standing at my makeshift, standup desk at my home, and it happened. I crumbled. Me crumbling looks a lot like me stomping my feet and throwing imaginary chairs and sobbing, “¡Noooo! ¿Por qué, Ana? ¡Estúpido Ana! ¡Estúpido Velvet!”
Why am I speaking Spanish? It’s because I think I know Spanish.
Why do I think I know Spanish, and why am I crumbling at my computer? It’s because I’m addicted to the tv show,Velvet, a Spanish drama.
Velvet is like Mad Men meets The Notebook meets The Paradise meets the total fulfillment of my heart.
At first I was just looking for a new show. I wanted to see what Netflix had to offer. I bypassed The West Wing again–it’s been in my queue since the “Playlist” was called a “Queue”–and there it was. My beauty. My Velvet.
Netflix told me I’d give it a full five stars, but I was skeptical. After all, Netflix thought I’d give My Father the Hero 3 1/2, and that movie is a solid 0-how-did-this-movie-get-made stars for me. And I’m the Katherine Heigl fan!
But I took a chance. The show started, and it’s full of Castilian Spanish. I’m not a subtitles person, so I was just about to hit Back to Browse.
And then Alberto entered.
And life will never be the same. Alberto and I had a connection immediately.
Each episode pulled me more into the tragic and gripping story of Ana and Alberto, two people who just want to be together without ruining everything and everyone in their way. Is that too much to ask? Come on, Madrid department store investors and the entire Marquez family!
I didn’t realize I cared so much. I mean, it’s just a show. Sure, after two episodes I was saying my prayers in Spanish. (They were very basic. Lots of “gracias por” action.) And sure, I was searching for more information online. (Spain, do you have fan sites or what? Are they like speakeasies?! DO I HAVE TO BE ON THE INTERNET IN SPAIN AND GIVE YOU A PASSWORD?! TELL ME WHERE I CAN FIND THE ANA/ALBERTO GIFS, NOW! Please.)
So yeah, I was being totally normal.
And then, halfway through Season One, when Alberto finally puts everything aside and decides to marry his love, Ana runs out of the church in her (gorgeous) lace wedding dress, and my world fell apart.
No, that’s not right.
My universe fell apart.
That’s accurate.
¡No, Ana! ¿Por qué, Ana? ¡Estúpido Ana! ¡Estúpido Velvet! ¿Por qué??????
It was kind of like the real life version of this awful high school video project I did.
It put me in a real funk, guys. I didn’t want to watch more of the show. I didn’t want to be a part of a world where Ana and Alberto didn’t end up together. Cristina, you’re nice, BUT YOU’RE NOT HIS SOULMATE, SO BACK OFF RIGHT NOW.
Deep breath.
As this blog post shows, I’m so over it now. I mean, her dress was not even that pretty, okay. And Rita certainly isn’t funny, and I don’t identify with her at all. And that little paper airplane thing that Ana and Alberto do for each other is like so noooot cute.
But actually it’s really cute.
Okay, I’m still there, in the thick of it, trying not to go insane. Trying to take a little space to remind myself that I have a life outside of the Velvet department store and that I don’t live in the 1950s and that Spanish is not my native language.
But then… Alberto.
I told my Italian Rachel that I think this is what I’m supposed to feel about a future spouse. Look, everyone has their own idea of what is most attractive. I love that there’s someone for everyone. My someone just happens to look like this:
Am I insane? Yes. Yes. Okay. Immature and insane. And I know this, and part of me never wants to post something like this because it feels awfully close to my fifth grade diary.
But you know what? This is real life sometimes. This is real life when I’m consumed by unreal life.
Don’t worry. I’m taking a breath. I’m not watching Velvet today. I will not let this turn into the six-month I Love Lucy hole. (Someday I’ll talk about that very dark, but very happy, time.)
I will not go into a hole this time. This time I will keep the crazy under slight control. I will take a break, and realize that there is a sun shining outside. Real life has its incredible moments (and its Alberto) too. I will know this truth… and then I will watch the rest of the season and see if Ana can possibly make this thing work because she HAS to for everyone’s sake. He’ll never be happy with Cristina, not in the same way. And what would Ana do? Be a seamstress forever? Never open her own store or live in Paris or be a designer? She can’t bear to leave him, so she’s just stuck watching him complain about being a tycoon while he makes a family with his investor’s daughter. Gah! ¡No, Ana! ¡No, Alberto!
Breathing. Breathing.
I don’t want to blow this out of proportion. I really don’t. I’m just casually putting it out there that if anyone sees an Ana/Alberto pillow on Etsy, don’t be afraid to send me the link… unless I’m the one making the pillow because that could be on the horizon.
Hilly Miller 
this post made me smile a lot.
alberto kind of looks like a spanish channing tatum.
if you made the pillow, IT WOULD BE LIKE YOU’RE IN VELVET. because you’d be SEWING.
if i had netflix, i would give this show a whirl. but i don’t have netflix. because i’m living in the 80s. with my flip phone and no texting.
In love be obsessed too!!’n
Did you ever finish watching it? I want to know what happens. I just finished watching the episode where she runs out of the church, and I can’t bring myself to watch any more if I know they’re not going to end up together. 😩
Shay! I JUST started watching it again. I had to take a major break, but I can already feel myself slipping into obsession once more. Did you watch more?
BEST. SHOW. EVER.
#YASSSS
Glad to know I’m not the only adult out there freaking out about this show! But I keep shaking my head at the two of them, “You’re spoiling your great love by making it a love triangle! You’ll never be able to forget this and you’ll feel so guilty about hurting Cristina!!!”
Kudos to you for taking a break though. As soon as I get home from work I’m watching the next episode. The one after the one after the failed wedding episode.
I just started watching again. I *think* I’m ready. They are so frustrating. And they’re not even that mad at each other, which makes it even more infuriating. Grrrr. Maybe I’m not ready. ha
If you think Velvet is good (which it totally is) then check out Grand Hotel on Netflix! It also takes place in Spain, it’s also a period piece. You will fall in love, laugh, cry, gasp etc
That’s my exact thought process right now. I’m searching the web for anything that will give me a clue as to whether Ana & Alberto end up together. Instant gratification kind of girl here. I can’t bare continuing to watch if they don’t eventually end up together. 😭
Just get through the first season. The second becomes less frustrating. I know because I’ve already finished the entire second season… No will power.
Hey ladies. I’m a married guy, and in love with all the girls, and of course Ana. Man, I just can’t take it. This show is killing me. My guy friends can’t believe I love this show, because it is so girly. I guess that’s why I go crazy over it. True love guys. It’s real, and my wife and I watch it together. I’m lost in this show. But,,,,in the end, Ana MUST marry Alberto. I’m a macho dude, not to brag, but that’s the truth! Big time UFC fan, big into working out, all guy stuff, BUT. Ana must marry Alberto. Or I will go insane!! And the women in all those 50’s/60’s feminine clothes. Ladies, take note!…The writers and directors are genius!!
Ok, never in my life have I commented on any blog post but THIS IS A CRISIS AND I CAN’T GET THROUGH IT ALONE!
Ana! Are you kidding me? I’m not even to the wedding episode yet. I just finished the Paris episode. ANA, OPEN THE FREAKING DOOR!
I hate show spoilers, but this is different. I cannot continue to invest my heart in this relationship with Alberto if Ana is going to be so ridiculoso. And gosh Cristina, PLEASE stop showing up everywhere and being so likeable and everything. I seriously found this blog because I googled, “Does alberto marry cristina?+Velvet”.
As I read this entire post I kept thinking “did I write this in the future?” “this sounds like someone has been reading my diary” and you have no idea the relief it brings me to know that I am not alone.
BUT seriously, anyone, please tell me, can I enjoy the suspense of all these heart-breaking, gut-wrenching episodes (they literally make me feel nauseous and this isn’t even my life!) because I can rest assured that Ana and Alberto WILL be together some day? OR should I just give up now?
And I second the opinion about Gran Hotel. It’s the same people that made Velvet. Gran Hotel might actually be… better? Just trust me, you’ll meet Julio and you’ll understand. Julio was my first love.
I’m going to go dream in Spanish now.
I watch all the episodes not only once but 3times. It is addicting but I can’t help it. Each week I go on YouTube try to find the latest segments of the latest episode without subtitles and try to figure out what’s going on. Alberto and Ana is definitely the glue of the whole story but each season that I thought they will finally together and happy but “No” somethings happens. I am taking Spanish class in Adult School now! Can u believe it.
Yes!!! This sums up my life and feelings.
So glad I finally found someone who is freaking out as much as I am.
So I’m a little bit behind you in the Velvet world, but your post pretty much summed up everything that has been whirling in my head the past two hours after finishing season 2. I have been scouring the internet looking for anything Velvet related and most importantly Alberto related. I too connected with him instantly although let’s face it who wouldn’t want to grab those arms? Am I right? After a serious Velvet marathon (what did I feed my children this morning?) I pretty much just came to and realized I was laying in the floor, un-showered and hungry stalking Javier Rey’s instagram account for anything related to Velvet. I mean, seriously, what’s up with Spain keeping their goods so freakin close to their chest? Clearly they never learned to share. *sigh* Finally I settled for YouTubing scenes from season 3 and watching them intently as though I too fluently speak spanish which by the way, self, I do not. Oh well, glad to see that I am not alone in my little Velvet world. Here’s a toast to Anna and Alberto may they keep reliving that pool scene. Oh well, now I’m off to search Etsy for that damn pillowcase. Surely by now they have them…
So, I binged the first season of Velvet on Netflix way back when, got my daughter and sister hooked, couldn’t wait for S2, we binged that, now all waiting anxiously for S3. We love it so much we decided to go to Spain in late May, LOL! We will def go to the church where Alberto married Christina, which is next to the Prado. Love the music so much I ordered the soundtrack from Amazon Spain. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have my FAV song which is used in several episodes, including the scene where Raul (love him!!) reveals the second wedding dress to Christina. I have Googled the lyrics and apparently that song does not exist 😦 I’m thinking of writing a fan letter to the show writers – I’ll ask about that song, tell them they’ve inspired us to visit Spain, and they’ll contact us to come see a show taping and meet the cast – hey, it could happen!
Oh, and about Gran Hotel – I watched it, and the leads are gorgeous as are the costumes and sets, but I found it so much campier! I fast-forwarded through a lot of the scenes that didn’t include Alicia and Julio. Can you believe she is Barbara in Velvet??! I kept thinking there was SOMETHING familiar about her, but the difference in her looks was so great, it took me forever to figure it out!
When is season 3 going to hit Netflix is my only question!!!! Oh and can it hurry.
I just finished watching season 3, found a site with English subtitles. I will not give anything away, other than to say it’s more intense than season 1 and 2, I had read somewhere that the writers might have Alberto’s character die in the 3rd season, I thought okay I am going to quit watching this if they eliminate him, at one point while watching season 3, I thought this might happen, the final scene a real cliffhanger.
Lelit Tomlinson May 8, 2016
I watched 2 seasons of Velvet 5 times already (you would think I’ll be able to learn Spanish now, but they are all talking so fast it is hard to understand the words). I fast forward the church scene where Ana ran away from Alberto because she was soooo ridiculous. Get married now and celebrate with family later!! It is a very well acted series..better than Gran Hotel. I am looking forward to Season 3 in July (Netflix is waiting for the caption work). If Ana doesn’t marry Alberto, I will not watch the series anymore. You are right about Christina being so annoying. Does she have to show up at the store everyday? Please do 5 more seasons of Velvet.
season 3 is out as of June 1st. I am halfway through it. But am I the only one who finds Ana an awful person? I mean, she encouraged Alberto to deceive Christina, to actually lie to and marry Christina, just to get money for the store. She called it a “sacrifice” but then didn’t leave him, just carried on behind Christina’s back, not even giving him a chance to be happy with her! So Ana acts like a martyr, but didn’t sacrifice anything, just tricked another woman and used her without any thought to what that would do to her emotionally. To say nothing of the horrible person Alberto is. The way her treats Christina is so cold and he is unremorseful. Christina is smart and basically trusting and she is being turned into a harpy by those two manipulators.
Best show ever. I finished watching season 3 on Netflix and I’m in depressed mode. Season 4 is filming now so it probably won’t be on Netflix until 2017. Depressing!!
I’ve been watching that show for like one week and it’s alteady an obsession . I juste can’t stop wondering if Alberto will at any part of the show fall in love with Christina she’s the perfect woman and he can easily fall in love for her . Even if Ana and Alberto are not together we are glad to Know that there feelings are strong and réal . Please tell me he will never have feelings for Christina or fall in love with her ???
After just finishing all three seasons, I smiled all the way through this blog post. Can completely relate to everything you said. Not sure how this works or if they have subtitles, but ladies I did find this link which is suppose to put the episodes up as soon as they’ve aired starting September, 2016. http://www.watchepisodes.to/home/popular-series
P.S. I just want to say, “Nooooooo!” each time Carlos or Christina are on screen. Wonder how Alberto will react to Marco. Sigh . . .
I’m obsessed too. Watched all the eps more times than I care to admit. I just want Ana and that hot hunk of a man Alberto together for more than one episode. Carlos and Cristina can take a long walk on a short pier. Wish I can pick up more Spanish, but they do talk really fast.
I agree the comment about Carlos and Cristina, I watch the trailer on season 4, Alberto and Ana do finally get married, which drove Cristina crazy, she set the workshop on fire starting with the red dress that Alberto gave her,then noticed that Alberto Jr. was in the workshop in the midst of the wild fire,so Cristina started to go in to save him, as she entered a beam came down on her knocked her down. Alberto came looking for his son, when he did, he rescued him, leaving Cristina still lying there,never to save her. She should be charged and hanged,she is a monster.She went to the airport with her daughter, and told Alberto that it was his child,He said that she wasn’t his, and again that drove her insane, she started to yell at him, she also tried to kiss him, he just pushed her away,picked up his bags and left ., Ana was getting into the limo, when Rita and Clara came running out to stop her going to meet Carlos at the church, told her that Alberto was alive and coming to Madrid for her. She didn’t leave.Carlos came for her, she told him that she will not marry him,He was mad, but took off.Can’t stand him and Cristina. the 2 belong together.
PLEEEEEEEEASE Spain….get season 4 up and ready for our viewing torture ASAP!!! I totally agree with the emotions and upset of daily “normal” during my compulsive watching of all 3 seasons!! I was devastated, relieved, ecstatic and then devastated again…over and over again.
And then….the season 3 cliffhanger!!! Oh my, how will I function until the next season????
And those songs!!!! They ring in my mind day after day! I want them! I NEED them!!
And the Spanish—-oh yes, I am totally speaking Spanish in my sub-titled life….well, not so much, but I dream I can!! So it’s real, right?
Ana, Alberto….how can we live without you eventually being together? Doesn’t ‘love’ conquer ALL finally??? Please say it’s so!!
Just worked my way through Jane the Virgin , another telenovela .
And this popped on my should watch list , not one for subtitles so wasn’t sure I’d get through a whole episode!
well when Adult Rafael walk in , that was it 💛
Am working through s1 & am hooked !!
But had to Google to see if he, Rafael does end up with Ana . Or I am wasting my time watching .
Loving the music , I want to go to a jazz club just like that! oh those dresses are magnificent love love , how they dressed back then .
In New Zealand, we only have season 1&2 up , hope they sort 3 out soon !
I have a love/hate relationship with this show! I am on episode 11 of only season 1 and I want to stop watching. It’s so frustrating!!!!! SO FRUSTRATING!! So many misunderstandings and miscommunications! I really liked Ana, but now I just…don’t. All I want from that show is Alberto and Ana together. His face lights up at her in a way I’ve never seen before- great acting- it seems SO genuine and real.
I am teetering on the edge of deep despair or elation from one episode to another. I’m emotionally exhausted but I am obsessed and can’t walk away. This is my second time through the first 3 seasons (sans unnecessary sex scenes). I was told season 4 won’t be available on Netflix till June or July 2017. Whoa! I cant wait that long but I don’t speak Spanish so I need subtitles. The plot is gripping, (I should say plots) the actors are so well cast, the acting is great. I love the camaraderie, the family dynamics but most of all the love story between Ana and Alberto. It is disheartening that they haven’t gotten together (yet) however my obsession is leading me on in hopes that they do.. They have a palpable chemistry which tells me they have to end up together. I also love the music perfectly placed in the scenes. WOW! This is a great series. Is season 4 the end of the series?
Season 4 is now on Netflix. A few episodes in and still so obsessed. My husband is into it to. I have fantasies of sewing my own 50s dresses just like velvet, although I never do more than hem. I too get convinced I know Spanish.
Just when something wonderful happens…something crushing happens. So addictive!
It seriously is! I’m on summer break now, so I fear I will fall down the rabbit hole again.
I am reaching the end of Velvet, Season 2, and I think it is even better than Season 1. I try to limit myself to two episodes a day interspersed with chores, errands, and yoga. I love Clara and Mateo together! Really great series!