CHICA DE MAZARRÓN

So, I've been dying to try out the steak night at The Blackbull, Camposol B and recently I finally got round to it... Steak is probably one of the most hit and miss meats here in Spain and often I avoid ordering it in restaurants for fear of disappointment. Booking in for steak night at the Blackbull however, was one of the best decisions ever! A group of us booked in, ordered almost the entire menu between us and had a fabulous evening! For starters we ordered paté and garlic mushrooms. All was nicely presented, tasty and the fact extra warm toast was bought to the table for the paté (without having to ask) was just one example of their great customer service.  At 3€ per starter the value was incredible. When it came to ordering our main courses, for a moment we feared we'd hit a snag.  As the words 'we've run out of fillets' rang out, a number of faces around the table dropped but our waitress picked up on the disappointment immediately. Sh...

    So to set the scene, it's a lazy Sunday morning and we have friends over from the UK.  We fancy a picky tapas lunch, a cool beer and a good old chatter in the sunshine, surrounded by beautiful scenery..... Where do we go? Well The New Los Balcones ended up being the perfect choice! Situated just off the RM3 between Totana and Mazarron, this venue has easy access but is tucked beautifully out of the way and surrounded by the most stunning panoramic views of the mountains.  On arrival there was plenty of parking, a beautiful terrace with a balance of sunshine and shade and several outdoor boulodromes for a game of pétanque . There is a large inside dining space and bar but visiting on a hot day we made the most of the beautiful L shaped terrace overlooking the pool, which was open for use, and the mountains.  One side of the terrace is covered with sails, providing enough shade on a hot sunny day or tables in the sunshine, if you wish.  The other side is ...

    When I moved to Spain one of the things I was most looking forward to was the array of local fresh fruit, veg and fresh fish but every now and again a little pang of homesickness can easily be cured with a few UK creature comforts and The Food Company (official stockiest of Tesco) is the perfect place to fulfil any craving. With all your favourite UK brands under one roof and at reasonable prices, it really is a great new addition to our shopping choices here in El Puerto de Mazarron.  When you first enter the shop there is a small section of fresh fruit and veg and bakery items, although I have to admit the Spanish supermarkets and local markets have a much wider range and at more reasonable prices but it´s handy to just nip in and get everything in one go. Next though we move onto all the good stuff and believe me there is plenty.       The store is well laid out, clearly signposted and labelled in English. The staff are really helpful and a m...

Last Night Vista Sunset This weekend marked the end of an era, not only for the bar itself but for Audrey, her awesome team, the customers and the acts that perform there and made it such a fun place to be.  After 3 years of blood, sweat, tears and way too many hangovers to count, Audrey has finally served her last Vista Fish & Chips, called her final last orders and performed her last Vista Coyote bar dance 💃😢 I for one, and I know all her customers over the years, would like to wish Audrey, Gary, Jayne and Julie all the luck moving forwards and I can't wait to see where you guys crop up and what you all go on to achieve next.   Keep an eye out here for the next instalment.... I will track these wonderful people down and I look forward to writing about them all again in the future.  Good luck Team Vista of 2020, see you on the other side 😘  Un saludo  Chica de Mazarrón xx

  This morning we were discussing what to buy a friend for her Birthday and that you don't see fresh flowers here in Spain, as much as you do back in the UK. A quick Google and we were heading off to El Puerto de Mazarron ... Situated in the center of El Puerto de Mazzaron is a cute little shop front, with plenty of parking and a beautiful array of fresh flowers.  On entering the shop there was an enchanting aroma of freshly cut flowers and two incredibly sweet ladies. With my limited Spanish and their helpful manner we had no problem at all understanding one another and putting together a perfect selection for our friend and at a reasonable price too.  The flowers were fresh, colourful and smelt amazing and I am confident they will last well and bring our friend lots of joy for her birthday. If you are looking for a pressie or just to bring some colourful joy into your home, please consider visiting these lovely ladies, sit...

For a friends birthday I decided that we needed to get away from our day to day lives, escape from the norm, push ourselves out of our comfort zones and have some fun!   Whether you're living here and want a fun activity right on your doorstep or holidaying and would like to explore and experience a bit of an adventure, then I highly recommend this package.  Based in the Sierra Espuna, in Gebas, are Espuna-Adventure . A company offering a wide range I'd activities including quad-biking, 4x4 tours, laser shooting, archery, river-rafting and more. Here is how our day worked out....  We set off around 8am, to arrive at Hotel la Mariposa by 9. A short drive on the RM3, through Alhama de Murcia and up the mountains towards Gebas and we arrived at our destination - about a 40 minute drive through absolutely stunning scenery! On arrival at the hotel we were greeted by our hosts Mark and Tom, ordered our coffee and soaked up our beautiful surroundings, whilst awaiting our briefi...

Chica de Mazarron is my pen name  As a girl in her 40's who moved to Mazarron, having spent all her life living in South East England, I wanted to create an alter ego who could share all of the experiences I've had in the process of moving to Spain and in the 15 months I have been living here. Chica de Mazarron, is not about bad mouthing or naming and shaming and is purely to give people recommendations and knowledge based on my experiences.  One of the things I've realised during lockdown is how taken for granted all our local businesses are and that whilst we all have our favourites and all like to try new things, rarely do we actually give them the praise they deserve. Chica de Mazarron is all about sharing the love, making people feel good about what they do every day and recognising the hard work, passion, dedication and hours they put in to giving us a good time.  You will never see a bad review on this site but when I visit anywhere I plan to blog about...

    So this is my first establishment review but I am really keen to include these in my blog. I feel it has never been more important to support local businesses and ensure their hard work is recognised and they reap the benefits of word of mouth and recommendations.  I am really lucky to have this cafe within walking distance of my office. The ladies there are super friendly and efficient, are fulfilling the Covid regulations without question and offer a diverse array of fabulous food and drink, at superb prices. Located on Avda. Doctor Meca in El Puerto de Mazarron this cafe offers specialist teas & coffees, a great selection of sweet & savoury pastries, pizza, tostada, pancakes, waffles and much more - you can even have a cheeky glass of vino 😉 They offer an eat-in or take away service and today a colleague and I ordered lunch which they prepared and delivered to our office. Prompt service, with a smile and great hot food for less than 2 euros!!!   ...