When I first visited Rompemoldes Creative Craft Space a couple of weeks ago I was told about the “Días Europeos” open house planned for this weekend and have been looking forward to going. Most of the workspaces will be open to the public so it’s a great opportunity to see this modern version of a corral de vecinos “in action”.
There are workshops and demonstrations planned both days and I’m very interested in seeing the Gastromoldes event on Saturday as that studio wasn’t open during my last visit. There will also be guest artisans showing their work along with the resident artists.
Looks like the weather is going to cooperate as well!
Yesterday I finally got over to visit Rompemoldes, which opened last November. It’s a bright modern space just off calle San Luís where local artists and artesans live and work, reminiscent of Sevilla’s old “corrales de vecinos”. The ground floor studios and shops open onto a large plant-filled patio, which is also used for special events such as concerts and workshops. Apartments are located on the first and second floors, some with rooftop terraces. I think it’s a great concept, having your workspace and home together, and also having like-minded neighbours. And the people I spoke to were all very enthusiastic about this new initiative.
There are general opening hours but individual studios may not always be open to the public. Some have shops to sell their art and crafts, others work strictly on commission. So each visit you can find something different.
There is going to be an “open house” weekend April 5-7 and I’m told that on Saturday the 6th most, if not all, of the studios will be open and there will be food & drink on offer too. Check the Rompemoldes Facebook Page for all upcoming events. You can also ask to be put on their emailing list to stay in the loop.
As some of you may know, I am in love with Málaga and consider it my second home after Sevilla, so I try to get down there as often as possible. And although I’ve been visiting on a regular basis since 2009 I know I still have a lot to learn about it.
I’ve been a Twitter pal of Victor @welovemalaga for a few months and had been hearing great things about his tours, so during a quick visit last weekend I decided to take one of his Malaga Walking Tours. We met on a rainy Saturday morning and, because of the weather, I had Victor all to myself.
A second-generation tour guide (his father and brother are also professional licenced guides) Victor is a natural story-teller. Charming, informed, and passionate about his native city, I was immediately drawn in and held captivated by his entertaining anecdotes and fascinating facts about Málaga. No dull routine “canned talk” on this tour! Places I had already visited many times took on new meaning and I also got to see a few “secret spots” that I didn’t know existed. The two hours flew by. Towards the end we were joined by Victor’s friend Tatiana and we were taken for the final surprise of the tour – a breathtaking rooftop view where we could look out over the port and also see the route we had taken.
By this time we were getting hungry and, because Victor also does tapas tours, we decided to do a mini-tapeo before I had to catch my train back to Sevilla. Just imagine! The Málaga King and Sevilla Queen of Tapas together at last. 😉 Not surprisingly, Victor took me to three places I hadn’t been to before and I remembered when I was in Málaga just before Christmas how he had also given me some great tips via Twitter on tapas bars I should visit. He certainly knows the tapas scene in Málaga and is open and generous in sharing his knowledge.
So the next time you’re in Málaga I whole-heartedly recommend that you take one of Victor’s tours. Even if, like me, you’ve visited the city before I guarantee you’ll see it with fresh eyes.
In case you didn’t already know, I am no fan of the mini-burger (aka slider). Which is strange because, in theory, it shouldn’t be any different than a tapa-sized version of a regular burger, and I LOVE tapas. But to me a mini-burger is just a squashed meatball on a small bun, usually being sold for 4 – 5.50€ a pop. Unlike montaditos, which are little hot toasted buns stuffed with fabulously flavourful fillings for about 2.50€.
I mean, if you tried to get away with selling a one-meatball tapa at those prices – with bread and maybe a few chips on the side – well, you wouldn’t. People would laugh in your face and rightly send the offending overpriced ball of meat straight back to the kitchen for the rest of it. Yet mini-burgers have become an unfathomable craze in Sevilla over the past two-three years. There are at least two establishments I know of that specialise in these things. And I keep asking myself… WHY??? As in, why do people go to these places and pay a stupid amount of money for a meatball in a bun?
bulltail burger from Manzanilla in Málaga
Some argue that these little burgers are worth it because of the “gourmet” toppings, but seriously, how much extra can you fit inside a mini bun before it becomes an unmanageable mess? At times I have ended up with more toppings than burger meat, such as the “forest mini burger” I tried last week. I was told it came with mushrooms, goat cheese, arrugula, cucumber & celery but all I could make out visually was “a bunch of stuff” on top and all I could taste was cucumber. And then I had to ask for condiments because the bun was so dry.
As with everything, if it’s worth making it’s worth making well. Also, there are always exceptions.
These three mini burgers pictured here are exceptional indeed. The bulltail burger by super-chef Dani García at Manzanilla in Málaga was the first time a slider blew me away (though I actually first tried it at La Moraga – Dani has since moved on but his burgers remain). It’s a gorgeous combination of slow-cooked oxtail topped with melted havarti cheese and – get this – mayonnaise made from the oxtail drippings. Sublime. Later on I got to try the langoustine burger at Al Aljibe, which some sticklers may argue isn’t a true burger as it isn’t served in a bun. I don’t care, call it a minimalist burger or whatever you like, but just go and try one. The grilled langoustine burger is perfection, served with a poached quail egg and spicy huacaína sauce on the side.
langoustine burger at Al Aljibe
Last but not least is the AMAZING beef mini burger at La Brunilda. The meat is lightly spiced (or herbed?) with I don’t-know-what and is served on a soft brioche bun with a dollop of soy mayo and a bit of sun-dried tomatoes. And it is heaven. I call it the “crackburger” because once you have had one you have to keep going back for more. Though the same could be said for all of these exceptional exceptions.
As for all the others you’ll find scattered about on Sevilla Tapas… well, I ate them so you didn’t have to. But if you have a favourite you think I should try let me know.
Last year around this time I started thinking about taking a trip along the northern coast of Spain to celebrate my 20th anniversary of living here, but various ‘life things’ came up and I had to put this dream on hold. This year I have decided to start planning this trip again in earnest and, if all goes well, I should be able to travel anytime during July or August.
I’ll fly from Sevilla to Santiago de Compostela and (so far) the plan is to go from there to A Coruña, Olviedo, Santander, Bilbao and San Sebastián. Then I’ll have to backtrack to Bilbao to fly home. I’ll most likely be travelling on my own by public transport and I hope to meet up with friends along the way.
So if you have any advice or suggestions about places to go, things to do, where to stay, etc. please let me know. Am happy to add places to my itinerary. And if you are going to be around any of these places this summer let’s meet up!
When I first visited Rompemoldes Creative Craft Space a couple of weeks ago I was told about the “Días Europeos” open house planned for this weekend and have been looking forward to going. Most of the workspaces will be open to the public so it’s a great opportunity to see this modern version of a corral de vecinos “in action”.
