Puerto Portals Christmas Market 2015

The eagerly anticipated Puerto Portals Christmas Market commences Friday 11th December 2015 and runs until Wednesday 6th of January 2016.

This is one of the most popular Christmas markets in Mallorca with a variety of stalls offering gifts for all ages.  Handicrafts, homeware furnishings, natural cosmetics, jewellery and original gifts.  In addition there is Christmas food and drink to get you into the festive spirit.   Daily performances by dancers, workshops and shows for children.

(Information and picture courtesy of Puerto Portals)

Puerto Portals Christmas Market 2014

A welcome return of the Puerto Portals Christmas market from 12th December to 6th January – a faithful recreation of the traditional Christmas markets of Germany and Austria, with wooden huts, carols, entertainment for young and old alike, workshops, music performances, food and plenty of fun.

On week days the market operates from 4pm to 9pm, and on holidays and at weekends it is open from 12 noon to 9 pm.

( Information and picture courtesy of  PuertoPortals )

Lila-Portals Beach Restaurant & Bar

Mallorca´s new “Place to Be” – Lila Portals Beach Restaurant & Bar. Enjoy fresh cuisine, best service and unique ambiance right on top of the beach of Puerto Portals.

Open daily from 1200 noon until midnight

Comfortable stylish seating in vibrant purple, both inside and outside on the terrace

Stunning sea,beach and marina views.  Well-designed terrace with glass partitions in order not to hinder your view.

The open kitchen showcases the cuisine being cooked, using only the freshest ingredients and herbs.  Jens is the German Chef de Cuisine with a passion for cooking.  

Flambés on show.

Gorgeous interior oozing style and modernity

The entrance of Restaurant Lila-Portals from Calle Marina, Portals Nous.  Also there is direct accss from the beach below.

Daily menus can be found HERE

Lunch menus can be found HERE

Evening menus can be found HERE

The main webpage for the restaurant is HERE

New bar in Portals Nous

Margie´s Bar is a delightful new bar tucked away in the rear of Portals Plaza, in Portals Nous.  Run by Margie from The Netherlands, the newly opened bar is located in a peaceful promenade area, ideal for have a quiet coffee and chat with friends and colleagues in a relaxing atmosphere.  

 The terrace is traffic free therefore great if you have little ones who can´t sit still!

Opening daily at 4pm til late, the bar offers food: tapas and also a "pot" in the evening, such as soup, chilli con carne, stews, casseroles, paella etc

 Music is a blend of 70s, and 80´s music

 Selection of magazines and books to sit and read as you enjoy your drink and conversation

Free parking in front in the customers car park.

Check out their FACEBOOK page Here 

GinTapa in Calvia

The first GinTapa event will be held in the municipality of Calvia starting the end of this month.

The Calvia Town Hall is organising this with the aim of promoting the area´s gastronomic offer and to attract potential customers both residents and visitors. The objective is to dynamise the catering trade through the creation of tapas and gin-tonic routes throughout the different areas of the municipality.  In addition a tapa and gin-tonic contest will be be carried out among the participants.

The event has attracted 73 catering establishments (bars, restaurants, cafes, pubs ...) to sign up for this exciting occasion. 

GinTapa will take place from Thursday 31st October until Saturday 23rd November from 2000 to 0000 hrs in the following areas:

Area 1 Son Caliu/Palmanova/Son Ferrer/Magaluf 31st October, 1st & 2nd November

Area 2 Santa Ponsa/El Toro 7th, 8th & 9th November

Area 3 Paguera/Calvia/Es Capdella/Cala Fornells 14th, 15th & 16th November

Area 4 Cas Catala/Illetas/POrtals Nous/Bendinat 21st, 22nd & 23rd November

Click HERE to download the PDF of routes

Gastronomic Food Fair comes to Palma this weekend

The biggest gastronomic event in Spain returns to Palma this week with more than 100 tons of seafood and 40,000 bottles of Albariño wine.   MarisGalicia opens from May 24th until June 16th in the capital. 

A 1,200sqm marquee is being erected to house the massive seafood fair on the Levante industrial estate near the site of the unfinished Palma Convention Centre.  Organisers are expecting around 150,000 people to attend the seafood spectacle which will offer 40 different traditional Galician dishes.   Also there will be a special menu of 43 euros for two people which includes lobster, crabs, crayfish, prawns, mussels cooked in vinaigrette and a crab platter.     

There will be seating for 1,000 people at any one time and a fleet of lorries is going to be bringing fresh seafood from Galicia to feed the thousands.     Visitors will also be able to win a free weekend in Galicia including a tour of the famous Pazo vinyeard.  

(iWith thanks to the Majorca Daily Bulletin)

Portals Nous - Fabulous New French Bakery!

Last week we welcomed the new addition to the Portals Nous village shops - a french bakery!  A fabulous one too.  Pascal and Michel are from Toulouse in France and have brought their experience and baking talents to Mallorca.

Their cakes and pastries are exquisite.  Also the quiches, croissants, apple tarts and creamy desserts are heavenly.    A top notch bakers on our doorstep ... or our roof, as the bakery is right above NASH HOMES MALLORCA.   We get the delicious smell of fresh bread wafting to the office in the mornings.    Definitely a must try when you come to the village.     

Pascal is opening his business slowly as he wants to see what the residents and tourists are wanting.  I think that once the superyachts in the marina know about him, he will be doing a roaring trade.  There is a little upstairs patio with comfortable modern white sofas and blue parasols to take a tea or coffee as you are enjoying your purchase.   

The bakery is open from 0830, Sundays too (closed Mondays). You can order your cakes for special occasions and skip away with them in a beautiful box too.

The San Sebastian Festival of Palma de Mallorca

Sebastian was proclaimed patron saint of Palma on the 20th of January, following the miraculous ending to the plague of 1523-1524. On the eve of San Sebastian (last night), concerts taking in various musical styles were held in the squares of the old quarter of the city with bonfires and barbeques; free for people to roast their own sobrassada and botifarrons (sausages).  The final night of the festival, Sunday 22nd of January, is a fiery affair, San Sebastian was said to have beaten the demons and the devils. It is celebrated with a fabulous 25 minute firework display starting at 8pm at Parc de Mar. One to watch out for! 

The official San Sebastian programme can be found here (PDF) - but is in Spanish and Catalan only. 

New Year 2012 and the good weather continues

Trattoria Italiana, Deia

Renovated house in the village of Deia

 Stunning sea views of turquoise sea at Estellencs

The coastline on the north west of the island near Estellencs

Our wonderful weather continues now into the New Year.  If you are here on the island now and fancy a drive around, do head to the north west coast over to Deia.  The roads are virtually traffic-free and a smattering of restaurants are open even now on January the 2nd. Lunch sitting outside on the balcony of the Trattoria Italiana was wonderful; basking in full sunshine with the spectacular views of the mountains.  Excellent food.  Highly recommended.