Guest Post: "I Survived Fallas 2013!"

This year I sat Fallas out, and joined the Valencian vacation exodus, visiting Sevilla. (More on that in future posts to come.) But I didn't want my readers to miss out on the fun here. So I asked Katlyn, an exchange student from Pennsylvania who's staying in Valencia this spring, to take notes about her "first Fallas experience" and write it up for the blog. Here's her account of surviving the whirlwind ride that was Fallas 2013!

20 March 2013

This morning I woke up to the sound of the birds chirping. The streets were clean, not an empty bottle or beer can in sight. However, yesterday, just ONE day ago, the scene was quite the contrary. During the last few days of Las Fallas, I woke up to the sound of people shouting and throwing petardos (the equivalent to fire crackers) and orchestras parading along with hundreds of falleros. The city of Valencia was overflowing with culture, pride, and excitement. If Google Earth were to have taken pictures this past weekend, they would be able to see the city of Valencia illuminated by the hundreds of thousands of fireworks, fires, and lights. I am sure the noise could have been heard from outer space as well. The amount of people in Valencia doubled, and the amount of trash that accumulated in the streets, who knows? But, I’m telling you, while walking to the Plaza de la Virgen today, there was not one empty San Miguel beer can or petardo shell to prove that just a few days ago the biggest fiesta in the world was taking place in this amazing city.

Although the “official” day of Fallas began over two weeks ago with La Cridà, the real Fallas (the date where you really want to be here) begin on March 15th (La Plantá). On this day, the Fallas (a.k.a. HUGE, colorful monuments made out of Styrofoam, wood, and a lot of talent that virtually do not exist anywhere else in the world) were erected in various locations throughout the city. You can tell which barrios have a lot of money because their falla is massive and typically has more detail. Each falla is surrounded by various ninots, which are smaller structures that typically have some sort of political or pop culture connotation that goes along with them.

This was my personal favorite, located in the Plaza del Pilar. 
The plaza is so small, and this falla is HUGE. It is not far 

from the main public library and is definitely one worth seeing.    

This is the Falla de Convento Jerusalén, and it was nominated as the Mejor Falla de 2013.    

The falla in the center of the Plaza de Ayuntamiento.
Looks like a bunch of stereotypical tourists that you would find in
Valencia on a daily basis. Obviously, I am the blonde
American chick scarfing down the churros con chocolate.

This is a Falla Infantil because it is smaller and directed towards the younger audience.
It depicts the classic family favorite Mary Poppins, or as some Spaniards say “Marí Poppis”.

The ninot indultat of 2013. This precious gem (from Falla Na Jordana) will go
 along with the other ninots indultats in the Museo Fallero. The window in the background
had some sort of operating system that made the snow fall!

The fallas were my absolute favorite part of the entire event. During the nighttime, and after the music was cut off at 4am, many people could still be found in the streets admiring the fallas. It was absolutely admirable to see these pieces of art and to consider the amount of effort, talent, and time that goes into making them possible. It is really heartbreaking (but somewhat enjoyable!) to see them go up in flames at the end.

Some of the light displays that went up in the streets were also really impressive. In my opinion, the best and the most light displays can be found in Russafa.

Everyone was in awe at this globe of bombillas in Calle de Cuba.

I feel like I am at Disney World!

La mascletà is definitely something for those who love really, really loud noises. La mascletà is more for the sound, not for the big fireworks with a lot of colors (those are called castillos). This firework show takes place everyday during las Fallas at 2pm sharp in the Plaza de Ayuntamiento. Each day, the pirotécnico changes and the most skilled are saved for the last few days of las Fallas. Towards the last few days, you have to be in the Plaza an hour earlier in order to get a closer spot. I am not going to lie, but you have to prepare yourself to be packed in like a sardine and smell everyone’s body odor. I typically went an hour earlier and got a great spot, but only with a lot of pushing, shoving, and telling people “Mi amigo va a vomitar.” The closer you are, the more impressive the show will be. The mascletà can be seen live on TV, but nothing compares to the sensation of feeling the earthquake that is created by these traca (fireworks stringed along a line) that send pulses through your entire body. It is even more exciting to see the crowd get crazy as the noise becomes so intense that the surrounding buildings shake and your eardrums start ringing!

Probably the closest you will ever find me in a scene from Call of Duty.

I am from the United States, and just like most Americans, I love seeing the fireworks on July 4th. NOTHING can compare to the fireworks that I have seen this past week. There are fireworks to be seen every night during las Fallas. Again, if you want a good spot, you have to plan on arriving at your desired location an hour before. I preferred sitting near one of the bridges farther away (el Puente de Aragón) to be able to see the entire show and to avoid the massive surf of people leaving el Puente de Exposición. The environment before the castillos could be compared to a tailgate party. The majority of the young people could be found haciendo botellón, while the future pyros could be found with their parents throwing petardos. The most impressive show happened at 1:30 am during La Nit del Foc (March 18th). To put this spectacular show into perspective, imagine the grand finale of a firework show that lasts for 20 minutes. ¡Increíble!

... Some pics (and a video) of the AWESOME fireworks from La Nit del Foc ...

 

This is the last two minutes of the show from La Nit del Foc. 

I really could have used a pair of sunglasses and earplugs towards the end.

If you are interested in seeing una Corrida de Toros, there are many opportunities to see one during the week of Fallas. I was able to go to one, and it was quite the experience. If you want to see the traditional, what-you-had-pictured-in-your-mind corrida de toros, you have to purchase tickets for the corrida, not los recortes. They are two separate events, and almost always the corrida happens at night. Everyone will have his or her own opinions about this subject. However, I feel that there is a need to respect what is and has been a part of the Spanish culture for many years. I think my favorite part of the evening was when a group of young guys blew up an inflatable "doll” and tossed it down to the arena, expecting the matador to throw it back towards the crowd. And he did. 

The verbenas are definitely something that the Spaniards look forward to during Fallas. A verbena is an outdoor concert or DJ where everyone catches up with friends, drinks a couple (or a few more!) beers, and dances the night way. I was able to go to two verbenas, and both have gone into the “Things I don’t tell Grandma” region of the memory. My friends and I were able to find verbenas directed towards younger crowds, but there were many throughout the entire city. At one point, we ended up in a verbena that had a lovely mosh pit and some melodic dubstep. We didn’t stay there for too long. Other than that, the atmosphere was fantastic, and everyone was having a blast. By law, music had to be cut off by 4am, but the crowd doesn’t clear until well after sunrise. I called it a “morning” at around 6:30 am, but my fellow Spaniards kept chugging along and went to see some fallas and got breakfast. 

The aftermath of a great verbena! I always feel so bad for the limpiadores after I see sights like this.

As I mentioned before, parades could be heard (and seen) throughout the entire day. There were three parades that I was able to witness. On March 16th, I saw La Gran Parada Mora. This parade is very small in comparison to the others, but it is totally worth seeing. The costumes are amazing, and from what I saw, it seemed that they were worth a lot of money. In previous years, there were camels that participated in the parade, but this year the only animal was a horse that cantered and behaved very well. If you want to sit in one of the white lawn chairs, you have to pay five euros. But, you can perfectly see the parade from the street. I was lucky enough to be able to sit between two dumpsters! :-) 

Before the night of La Cremà, I recommend going to Calle Colón to see La Cabalgata del Fuego. Women dressed in traditional outfits from different parts of Spain (and Europe) led the procession, flaunting their gorgeous dresses. Then, the fun part came. Men dressed like devils were riding on bicycles that were spewing fire into the crowd. People on stilts were whipping around fireballs. Fireworks were being let off in the middle of the street. It was an awesome sight that pepped everyone up for the “burning events” of the following evening.

Could you imagine what the sidewalks of Valencia would be like if all of the Valenbisis did this?   

Definitely did not expect that!

Perhaps the most emotional part of Fallas is La Ofrenda a la Virgen. Thousands and thousands of bouquets of flowers were carried to the Plaza de la Virgen by the falleros. A week ago, a wooden structure was mounted in the Plaza with the heads of Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus. I had no idea that a week later (and TWO days of parading falleros), it would become a grandiose statue of thousands upon thousands of white, red, and yellow flowers that brought tears to the eyes. The Plaza is still covered in flowers and it is definitely an impressive, moving sight. 

La Virgen all decked out with thousands of beautiful flowers.

The back of her dress. It still amazes me that this can be done with flowers.

La Cremà is considered the closing ceremony of Las Fallas. At midnight, all of the fallas (with the exception of the falla in la Plaza de Ayuntamiento) were engulfed by flames. Before heading out, you have to choose which falla was your favorite, or the one that you think will be worth seeing burn down. We chose to see Na Jordana (aka HUGE Trojan horse). At first, I was expecting a huge explosion and I stood behind a larger man, obviously so that he could be my shrapnel shield. But, it was not like an explosion from an action film. Fireworks (Yes, more fireworks!) set off at once and the falla went up in flames. It was so HOT because it was like a giant bonfire, and the huge crowd of hundreds of people stuffed into a small plaza did not help either. But, I managed to keep my eyebrows! 

Before...

... After

Directly after the burning of Na Jordana, we headed over to the Plaza de Ayuntamiento. We then watched the burning of the falla with the all of those tourists. Just when we thought the fireworks were over and done with, the sky, once again, filled with castillos. I teared up because that signified the end of what came to be the biggest fiesta of my life. Valencia sure does know how to party!

The last hoorah of Fallas 2013   :-(

I hope everyone has enjoyed reading my post. I had an AMAZING time during Fallas, and I feel that I was able to make the most of my experience. Everyone needs to experience las Fallas at least ONCE in his or her lifetime. Here are some pointers for those of you who will be here next year:

    • Forget about public transportation. The buses cut their routes, certain streets are blocked off, and the amount of people is just insane. The fastest way to get from place to place is definitely by walking.
     • You will not look like a tourist if you wear the blue/white tartan pañuelo. The majority of the people wear them, and it is really interesting to see the various ways that people rock them. Plus, they are really cheap, and in some bars, you might be able to get one for FREE with a beer logo on it. Do not pay more than 1 euro for it if you find someone selling them in the streets!

    • Plan to not sleep. You have to try to see as much as you can. You never know if you are going to be back for the Fallas. But, taking naps between 2:30-6 will definitely help you survive through the week. 

    • The majority (if not all) stores close on March 19th (the celebration of San José). If you need to purchase food or beverages from the market, make sure to do it the day before. If not, El Corte Inglés is there to be your saving grace.
    • Keep your mouth open during la mascletà. If not, there is the chance that your eardrums will ache for the remainder of the day!
    • Be sure to eat a lot of buñuelos and chocolate con churros! Live it up! Try to see and do everything that you possibly can! #YOLO

Kat, wearing the Fallas pañuelo, in fiesta mode!

Happy to say that I survived Fallas 2013! I cannot wait to do it again in the future!

    —Kat

Guest Post for Chic Soufflé: The art of oranges and advertising

Any of you who know me well, or, that is, who know my blogger-self well, will probably recognize my close friend and fellow Valencian blogger's name, Chic Soufflé. Last year she wrote this great guest entry for me on "Valencia as a Modern Consumerist's City" (worth a second look right now, what with Reyes and Rebajas shopping about to start). As her blog attests, Chic Soufflé writes on an eclectic mixture of fashion, food and recipes, and art. And why not? The blog is a class act, and what unifies her wide variety of topics is a sense of good taste and a delicate, friendly writer's touch. And frankly, the recipes are mouth-wateringly delicious!

This week I was finally able to return the favor and write about one of my favorite subjects, oranges! Or really, orange labels and advertising. Yep, as it happened, thanks to another blogger friend of mine La Cuchara Curiosa, I had access to a bunch of old, vintage orange crate labels and ads, which are fun to look at, and even more fun to try to imagine what the designer was thinking when he or she created them.

∞ Click here to read the guest post (in Spanish) ∞

This just gives you a taste of the kinds of imagery you'll see
on the guest entry I wrote for Chic Soufflé 

I encourage you to take a look at the entry on her blog and enjoy some of the beautiful, intense, whacky, and zany images used to sell Valencian oranges in the first half of the 20th century.

Guest Post: "Horchata de Chufa" (a.k.a. "Orxata de Xufa") – Valencia’s Liquid Gold!

There are few things more Valencian than horchata. Which was why at some point I had intended to blog about it. That is, until I met Neima Briggs, a fellow Austinite (i.e. from Austin, Texas) and recent Fulbright fellow to Valencia, but most important, perhaps the world's biggest chufa fan. Here is a guy who practically bleeds horchata. I was so impressed with his personal passion for the topic that I invited him to write an entry on it himself. Neima first came to Spain (to San Sebastian-Donostia in the Basque Country) back in 2009. But he returned to the horchata heartland, Valencia, in 2011-2012 on a Fulbright Research Grant to study —no, not horchata— antibiotic resistance development in bacteria residing in the gastrointestinal tract of humans, and how that resistance transfers between mother and infant. But he still found time while he was here to explore all aspects of Valencia's most famous refreshment. Below he provides you with a window into the long history and local love of the chufa, and even his own recipe! Following his year here, he will return to the United States to begin his studies on an MD/PhD at the University of Texas School of Medicine at Houston.

Two large glasses of horchata without sugar (left) and
horchata granizada (right), which has a frozen slushy
consistency. The dessert shown is a tart made with a
cream from tigernuts.

From corner vendors to centuries old horchatería’s, it’s hard to walk anywhere in Valencia on a warm summer’s day and not be tempted to indulge in the cold, sweet horchata de chufa ("orxata de xufa" in Valenciano).

It is unknown precisely when Valencianos first started squeezing the milk from the tigernut ("chufa"), but written records have accounts of the drink existing as early as the end of the first millennia during the Muslim occupation of Spain. The name orxata, is believed to derive from the Valenciano word ordiata, ordi meaning barley in Latin. However, ask a local vendor at an horchatería in Valencia and chances are they will tell you the local folk story of its origin.  It is said that when James I of Aragon (a.k.a. Jaume I) came to the Kingdom of Valencia to help solidify relations before the impending Muslim invasion, he was approached in Alboraya (a small town on the outskirts of the modern Valencia capital city) by a small girl carrying the drink. After sipping the drink, he told the child, "Açò és or, xata!" ("That's gold, darling!"). Whether or not this is the true etymology of the word, for locals the drink is as precious as gold.

Shown here is the tigernut plant
(photo from tigernut.com),
a small tuber plant with the tigernut
itself growing in the ground. Harvested
between April and September every
year, fields and fields of it can be seen
on the northern outskirts of Valencia.

On average 10mm long, tigernuts are small tubers that make great snacks, but are predominately grown to make horchata. My Valencian coworkers, themselves health scientist and doctors, have told me on numerous occasions about the health benefits of the tigernuts. High in minerals such as Phosphorous, Potassium and Vitamins E and C, tigernuts are currently under study for health benefits with improving blood circulation and prevention of heart attacks. The high fiber content combined with the highly soluble glucose content have many Valencian doctors recommending the drink to help reduce the risk of colon cancer and to help with normal day digestion. [Editorial note: If you are curious to read more about the Valencia "chufa" denomination of origen standards, click here.]

A name familiar throughout most of Latin American, up into the southern United States, horchata exists in many forms. Known as horchata de arroz (white rice) to Americans and Mexicans, although similarly prepared, the milk extraction from rice creates its own distinct flavor. The source of the milk varies greatly worldwide, ranging from ground almonds, sesame seeds, rice, barley, or tigernuts. To make local varieties even more distinctive, spices and flavors are commonly added, including an 18 herb infusion in Ecuador, cocoa and nutmeg in El Salvador and jicaro seeds and spices in Nicaragua and Honduras.

Basket of cleaned tigernuts made available for consumption for patrons at Horchatería Daniel.
Sold in small packs for individual consumption or in larger bags for making horchata.

Given the regional craze for all things chufa, there is naturally
a local organic beer brewed from the tigernut, too.

Exterior photo of Horchatería Daniel from Hola Valencia

You can find horchaterías (sit-downs dedicated to making fresh horchata) all over Valencia. The most famous among the locals is Horchatería Daniel, located in the heart and birthplace of horchata, Alboraya on aptly named Avinguda de l’Orxata (right next to the Machado metro exit on the red Line 3). [Editorial note: the people of Alboraya even jokingly call each other "chuferos".] Many Valencian city locals will flock with the family to this small town north of the city on a lazy Sunday afternoon to drink various concoctions Horchatería Daniel makes using horchata – including with coffee, without sugar for diabetics and non-sweet lovers, and different flavors of ice cream - and desserts made of chocolate and sometimes the tigernut, too! A traditional snack to have with the ice-cold horchata is fartons, a light pastry with a light glazing on top or powder sugar. (Don’t be surprised to see everyone around dunking their fartons into the horchata!) While you’re out in Alboraya be sure to walk along Avinguda de l’Orxata to the Museum of Horchata! 

Two traditional glasses of horchata with fartons (pastries in between the horchata) and
churros (fried bread with sugar on top), the latter of which is usually eaten with thick melted chocolate.
A delicious and filling Valencian treat at Horchatería de Santa Catalina!

Horchatería de Santa Catalina: Beautiful and typically Valencian hand-painted tiles encompass
horchata drinkers as they enjoy it inside one of Valencia's favorite establishments.

Its iconic exterior façade.

Two other equally worthy establishments where you can also try horchata are right in the cultural heart of Valencia in the Plaza de la Reina. The first, Horchatería de Santa Catalina is an establishment with over two hundred years of horchata-making tradition and its history encompasses you, literally. With ornate carvings in the ceilings on the second floor and beautiful hand-painted tile work in the entrance and walls, the building is as much of a treat as their incredible horchata. Although the choices are limited compared to Horchatería Daniel, the horchata and fartons are nothing short of perfection on a Valencian hot summer day. Right across the walkway is Horchatería El Siglo, another horchatería with two hundred years of tradition, but smaller in size. Worth a visit for the horchata alone, Horchatería El Siglo also has nice outdoor seating, perfect for a sunny day.

The Falla de Santa Catalina even included a miniature rendition
of the Horchatería El Siglo in its 2012 falla.

So now that you are addicted to Valencia’s liquid gold, you'll want to know how you can get more when you go home. Luckily, bottled horchata is sold all around Spain in grocery stores. Before you leave Valencia, you might also consider the fact that many horchaterías (and at the airport) sell a condensed horchata, so at home you can turn a one liter bottle into five liters worth of delicious enjoyment. Do you think bottled horchata is just not the same as that overwhelmingly delicious fresh-made hortchata? For those returning to the United States or anywhere in Europe, there is a Spanish food distributor LaTienda.com where you can order food to fill all your Spanish cravings (no need to stuff your suitcase with tigernuts!). They sell a bottled brand of horchata, Chufi.

Neima Briggs, today's guest author, showing his love of Valencia
at Sevilla's Plaza de España

That said, I have found making the horchata myself fun and without question well worth the effort. At $18 a bag, you can treat yourself to four liters of horchata spread out over the course of months. Although once made the horchata will go bad after a week, the nuts stay good for two years when placed in a well-ventilated dark space (best in a dry portion of the refrigerator). The recipe is quite simple and, building from years of practice, I have include my recipe below for those adventurous enough to try it. If you are interested, click the link below and keep reading...

Guest Post: Chic Soufflé on Valencia as a Modern Consumerist's City

Good taste is a difficult thing to have or acquire, but an invaluable attribute in the modern consumer society. Today I'm inviting a very good friend and fellow Valencia blogger, Chic Soufflé, to provide you a consumerist's geography of Valencia, a roadmap if you will. I follow her blog avidly—it being a blend of musings on international fashion and design trends and cross-cultural (US-Spain) exchange—knowing that it will always be in good taste.

Chic Soufflé's blog, "an eclectic mix of fashion, gastronomy and art. Why not?"

In the last year or so, Valencia has seemingly had a consumerist revival, with the grand opening of 3 (of my favorite) international stores. It is the third largest city in Spain, and one where it feels like shoppers never stop shopping. (Crisis, what crisis?) For those of you who are not familiar with the “shopping layout” of the city —I’m not talking about malls—, I will attempt to give you some tips on how to shop til you drop.

Valencia's new Apple Store on Colón

Probably the most well known shopping area in the city is Calle Colón. The area on and around this major street includes a couple of locations of the ubiquitous department store El Corte Inglés (not the only ones in the city), plus a good assortment of franchises and brands popular in Spain. Here you can get your fix of Inditex stores (Zara, Massimo Dutti, Oysho, Uterqüe, Pull and Bear, Stradivarius), or other Spanish classic fashion stores like Mango, as well as the popular H&M, shoe brand stores like Camper, cosmetic stores like The Body Shop, jewelry stores like Tous, etc. It is also on this street where at the end of 2011 two of my favorite stores, Muji and Apple, opened. I’m sure all of you know Apple and there’s not much I can say there that will be news to you, but if you don’t know the Japanese store Muji, I recommend you stop by to check out what I can only describe as minimalistic and pragmatic merchandise (and travel-conscious!)

Elegant Japanese design at Muji

Uterqüe, higher end of the Inditex stores

Around Calle Colón there’s a small area of pedestrian shopping streets packed with stores, cafés, and restaurants. One of them is Pasaje de Ruzafa, where the lovely British store Lush opened in 2010 (yay!). They have amazing handmade cosmetic products (their bath bubble bars and soaps are to-die-for), so I recommend a shopping stop here if only to smell their products.

Delicious smelling bath salts from Lush

Right on the other side of Colón, beginning with—and centering around—Calle Jorge Juan, there is an area of smaller boutiques and brand name stores as well as a nice pit stop for the weary shopper, the Mercado de Colón. This beautiful historic building now hosts cafés and restaurants on their ground floor, a perfect open space to take a break from the busy Colón area. 

El Mercado de Colón at dusk

It’s around Jorge Juan where you can find more exclusive boutiques, and some Spanish designer names, but also international brand stores like the classic American Kiehl’s or the French furniture and design store Habitat. This last one is actually located in a very cute galleria called Galería de Jorge Juan. And around this area, you can also find some of the best pastelerías to buy fancy and delicious cakes and pastries, such as Monplá or La Rosa de Jericó. There is also one of Cacao Sampaka’s fine chocolate shops nearby, highly recommended for chocoholics. And if you are missing American cupcakes, do not worry, in the last few years they have become really popular and are popping up everywhere in Spain. Here there are a couple of chains that serve this sweet treat, among them the local Cupcake Valencia. 

Old and new pastry shops: La Rosa de Jericó (left), Cupcake Valencia (right)

Cacao Sampaka

Having covered one of my favorite shopping areas, it is now time to switch directions and go towards the small pedestrian Calle Don Juan de Austria. By the main exit of the Colón metro and one of the El Corte Inglés buildings, this street has mostly shoe and clothing stores, but also another shopping galleria, the Galería Don Juan de Austria, and a couple of international cosmetic stores, Sephora and L’Occitane. And of course, it’s yet another place to find the Inditex usual suspects, but hosts other popular Spanish clothing stores like Blanco. If you are hungry, visit Bar Casa Mundo, one of the famous places in town to stop for tapas and their famous bocadillo de calamares (OK, maybe not the best anymore, but certainly a classic).

Pedestrian shopping street of Don Juan de Austria

At the end of this street, crossing the Calle de las Barcas, is Calle Poeta Querol or, what some of us refer to jokingly as the “Valencian golden mile” (la milla de oro) because a lot of the luxury brands have stores on or around this street. Unlike in other cities, our so-called “golden mile” is not in one of the city’s avenues, but instead on quite a small street that does not get as much foot traffic. I guess that’s because if you can afford to shop in these stores, you know where they are and just go there, but it’s interesting that there’s not a lot of window-shopping in this area. You will find international designer names such as Louis Vuitton, Bulgari, Hugo Boss or Salvatore Ferragamo, and Spanish designers like Loewe or Purificación García. The famous (and the only international) Valencian porcelain company Lladró has a store on Poeta Querol. But there are also moderately priced stores on this street, for example Intermón (the Intermón-Oxfam store) or Nespresso (if you like coffee you probably have heard of this company—the store looks expensive but the coffee is not!) This streets ends at Calle de la Paz, which also has some designer (Carolina Herrera) and jewelry stores.

Loewe storefront on a corner of Poeta Querol

Fine ceramic gifts made by Valencia's Lladró

In the old city, there is a hipper area where you can find plenty of restaurants and bars, and that comes alive at night. Barrio del Carmen is an excellent place to go out for dinner or drinks, but you can also do some cool shopping that you can’t find elsewhere. One of my favorite clothing boutiques is called Envinarte Fusión, on Calle Serranos. They also own a wine shop two doors down on the same street with an excellent variety of national and international wines. I like the clothing store Monki and, although not technically in El Carmen, but in El Mercat neighborhood, Bugalú is a fun place to score some cooler accessories and clothing items. But the list of places is definitely longer than this, and it’s worth walking around the narrow streets of this old neighborhood to discover them.

Plaza del Tossal, one of many quaint plazas in El Carmen
great for taking a break from boutique shopping

Inside Envinarte Fusión

Oh my, how I’ve gone on! And I haven’t even mentioned another neighborhood that has in the last few years really taken off: Russafa! I encourage you to explore it, because it deserves another whole post. Great restaurants, great bars, and some very special shopping too. 

Future pursuits... the Russafa neighborhood runs along the
east side of the North Train Station tracks

It’s been fun writing about my city, and I hope this mini shopping guide has been helpful!

—Chic Soufflé