Being Coeliac / No Gluten in Marbella

Hi Jo,

Just wanted to tell you about some really good Gluten Free products.   Look out for Mrs Crimble......she makes the best cakes and biscuits, Jam Tarts, shortbread, flapjacks, brownies. I was surprised when I found a good range in Iceland by the port and Fuengirola.

The best bread is called Genuis but its only available in the uk, I ask anyone coming this way to bring me some!  Mercadona have a good range, their chocolate chip cookies are the best and they have good ice cream, mayonaise and mustards, they do not have any good crackers or bread.  Al Campo have the best crackers and naan bread.......  great news that Mercadona have pizza now, I believe I heard that the son of the owner also has Celiac Disease thats why he has so many products and everything is so clearly marked.  Good luck with it, it gets easier and before you know it you will not miss anything.......... Morrisons have flour so you can also make your own cakes..........  I made a great birthday cake the other week using it, nobody could taste the difference!

Regards
J


Dear J


I had a really good look around Mercadona today and found that they have gluten free baguettes, bread, by the flour there is gluten free breadcrumbs, flour and rice flour which is brilliant.  It is also fantastic how everything is marked clearly sin gluten.  Alcampo have a great range of things too. 


I went to Iceland the other day in Puerto Banus and they have stopped selling Gluten Free products, they said they just weren't selling enough.


Its fantastic that this is all available, it seems to be a big problem here in Spain and its not until you start talking to people that you find out they don't eat gluten either.  I have met 2 other mums in the past week that don't eat gluten.


The health shop down the road from centro plaza is also brilliant for stocking lots of food and vitamins.


Jo

Help with Building a Website in Marbella

Dear Jo, I wonder if you can help me.  I receive your monthly newsletter and you seem to know a lot about the area.  I need to set up a website where people will be able to buy online.  I know absolutely  nothing about websites.  I can just about turn on the PC and email.   We will be based on the Coast but want to make it accessible for the whole of Spain.   Can you recommend anyone?  Thank you.  Julie L.

Data Protection & Telefonica

Everyday I get calls at home.  All day long, phone calls and messages left.  Generally the messages that are left, lead me to making a call directly through to some company.  Generally, every single call is a con. Don't give details, don't tell them anything.  Most of the time Im suddenly really English, don't understand a word of Spanish and generally they put the phone down anyway.

So I started to look on the internet and found that many of my details were on there.  Also a company that maybe once had my number was on there which explains some of the messages which really didn't make sense.  Details that shouldn't really be on there and could only have come from one company and that company is....Telefonica!

So, I have been going through the internet contacting some of these companies to remove my details.  So far, 2 companies that I emailed, asking to remove these details, emailed me back within 2 minutes!  Seriously, it was straight away.  Both saying that they haven´t done anything wrong but have removed my details.  I couldn't believe it.  Funny you would do something so quickly if you weren't in the wrong.

 I understand like in the UK if you have a company registered the information is on the internet, but, when they decide to add your personal details when you haven't given permission, this is another matter.  I do believe that our details are sold on and that the data protection act isn't exactly followed correctly.

So if you are receiving many calls, check the internet, Google in Spanish.   I still get calls asking if I am the Costa Del Sol Hospital on my mobile.  One lady said she actually has a piece of paper from the hospital with my number on it.

Have you had any dealings with Telefonica on this issue?  What did you do?  How did you get on?

Please leave a comment.

Sin Gluten Pizza Mercadona

Estoy haciendo una dieta sin gluten en este momento. Los primeros días fueron terribles. Era como dejar de fumar con los síntomas de abstinencia. Me sentí el dolor de cabeza mal, del infierno y, básicamente, peor de lo que inicialmente sintió. 

Pero después de 5 días el dolor de cabeza se fue y tengo que decir que los niveles de energía se elevó. La comida es algo difícil al principio. La clave es no tenerlo en la casa. Mercadona tiene una gran variedad de artículos que dicen que el pecado de gluten. Pensé probar la pizza sin gluten. Normalmente estoy comiendo principalmente alimentos frescos, pescado, carne, verduras, etc, pero me encanta tomar una pizza. 

 La pizza llevó a sólo 8 minutos para cocinar y tengo que decir, que era realmente bueno. Fue, con mucho, mejor y más sabroso que sus pizzas normales que ni siquiera se moleste en comprar más. La base era muy sabrosa y crujiente. Tuvimos cuatro queso para pizza sin gluten. Absolutamente brillante.

Sin Gluten Pizzas Mercadona - SIn Gluten Marbella

Im on this Sin Gluten Diet at the moment.  The first few days were awful.  It was like giving up smoking with withdrawal symptoms.  Felt lousy, headache from hell and basically worse than I originally felt.  But after 5 days the  headache went and I have to say energy levels did rise.

The food thing is tricky at first.  The key thing is not to have it in the house.  My weakness was biscuits and cakes.  I should really be the size of a house the amount I ate.

Mercadona have a great range of items that say Sin Gluten.  I thought Id try the sin gluten pizza they have.  Im am eating mainly fresh food, fish, meat, veg etc but I miss a pizza.

The pizza took only about 8 minutes to cook and I have to say, it was really good.  It was by far better and tastier than their normal pizzas which we don't even bother buying anymore.  The base was tasty and crusty.  We had the four cheese sin gluten pizza.

Absolutely brilliant.

Cheap Kids Clothes Marbella - Charanga

If you are on a bit of a budget, like most people nowadays, I thought I would let you know about the Charanga shop in Marbella.  Its just next to the big Zara Shop on Ricardo Soriano.

Charanga is normally quite good quality clothing and not particularly cheap.  But this shop I guess is selling old stock and at the moment there is nothing over 8.95.

Yesterday I picked up a cute little suit, linen jacket and shorts & 2 t shirts for about 22euros.  

There are quite a few items from baby up to 12 years old.  Coloured Jeans with matching tshirts, dresses, shorts etc.

Whats also good is you can return, get a refund or exchange which sometimes these sale shops don't do.

Staying in Marbella for the Summer

Its so funny how so many people who live here in Marbella, cannot wait to get out of it for the Summer.  Its too hot, its too busy, its too blah blah blah.

To be honest we were similar and often went away in the summer holidays.  Then we thought, all these holiday makers come here, spend loads of money on flights, accommodation, food, going out etc.  We are so lucky to live here, why are we leaving it?

So the past few years, we have stayed right here.  Instead of spending hundreds on holidays I get help around the house so we don't have to spend all my time cleaning, we go to the concerts that are on and enjoy being on holiday ourselves.  

Marbella is not as busy as it used to be.  It really is a case of just 6 weeks and if you accept you may have to queue a little longer in Mercadona or queue a  few minutes to get into Puerto Banus, then so be it.  We really are in a great place to enjoy the beach, the sunshine, to food without having to spend all our money on flights and accommodation.

Enjoy Marbella in the Summer!

Aldi in Marbella - Aldi In Estepona

I don't think there is an Aldi in Marbella, but yesterday, we drove towards Estepona and close to Laguna Village, on the right hand side an Aldi is opening soon.  There seems to be a new road going back into the mountains and also a brand new petrol station opening soon too.

If you are looking for similar in Marbella, then there is Lidl.  Lidl on the Golden Mile between Puerto Banus and Marbella.  There is also one in Estepona and also towards Elviria.

Adana Dog Show Estepona

I should have posted this earlier for people to know about.  Today there was a dog show at Estepona Palacio de Congresso.  It was by Adana, a charity in Estepona for animals.

It was a lot more busier than I thought it was going to be with lots of people with all types of dogs.  Lots of prizes for the different groups of dogs and tricks etc.

It was actually really good fun and everyone was very nice.  There were a lot of stall around selling items in aid of Adana and have to say we really enjoyed our few hours there.

Adana are an amazing charity and you can read more about them here www.adana.es  .  If you live here, don't work but have a few hours spare on your hands, Im sure Adana could do with your help.  Give them a call.

Review of La Sala

About a year ago we popped into La Sala.   It was late afternoon early evening for a quick drink to meet people.  It was ok, bit of a funny old atmosphere.  We hadn't been back until this week.

THE FOOD AT LA SALA

Monday we went for lunch.  I have to say, the service, food was very good.   The staff were polite, well spoken, well groomed.  The menu was very nice.  To start we had chicken liver pate, then mains a burger and a steak.  For pudding the trifle and a couple of drinks, bill was 60euros.  Everything tasted good, I absolutely cannot complain about 1 item brought to us.  

We sat outside on the front terrace, luckily we had shade, as it gets pretty hot out there, although the brits on holiday loved it, sitting there in the boiling sun drinking away at mid day.  

LA SALA BY NIGHT - PIANO BAR

We went out with some friends last night.  We wanted somewhere a bit lively and thought, ok, lets try La Sala at night.  My husband took quite a few quid with him as we were going out to eat first of all to Smallworld as La Sala was fully booked.  We also know how much drinks are here and normally about 60euros a round of 4...pretty ridiculous prices really.

La Sala last night was heaving.  It was a struggle to get to the piano bar.  when finally in, the atmosphere was pretty good.  Some of the usual  lot that go everywhere, the same old faces that you see in Essential and Society wearing the same smile and sometimes the same dress.   Paul Maxwell was playing and he was brilliant.  We got a round of drinks in, Gin Tonic, Beer and 2 waters and the bill was ..... 16Euros.

Well we were shocked!  16 euros for 4 drinks even though 2 were waters on a night out in Banus.  That was amazing.  Then there is dance music in the restaurant area where people were sitting, eating, standing dancing.  Still a good atmosphere.  There were a quite a few very pissed people, a couple of weirdos and some hookers but there was no bother and didn't seem to be a bad atmosphere.  Infact it was good.   What I love in Spain is you get everyone from the grandkids to the grandparents in these places all up dancing. Another round of drinks and then home for us.

The evening out cost us about 80euros..including the meal!

Now I understand why he is successful and people go there.  Drinks on the coast here are ridiculous.  It truly is 60euros a round of 4 in most places like Suite, and my favourite...old Maxwells which is now Golden Goose.  

Good luck to the guys at La Sala, good food, good service, good music and great to go somewhere with normal priced drinks.