When in Marid, be sure and walk through the recently restored market near Plaza Mayor. “It’s a traditional market for the 21st century,” said Ana Martín, a publicist for the 33 vendors loosely linked side-by-side under a soaring wood-and-iron roof. By day the Mercado woos residents and visitors alike, with purveyors hawking everything from produce to fish, fresh pastas to pastries, cookbooks to cooking utensils. After hours, the crowd shifts focus to beers and tapas; the frutería closes; a wine bar draws a genial mob. (NY Times 6/26/09)