EZE, one of the unbeatable delights of Andrés Pérez
The old people of the place say that because of the Andres Perez Street could hardly walk. Such was the coming and going of people who recorded this narrow street in the center of Malaga . Time passed. The people, too. And it became a small abandoned desert. Don't look too far: just five years ago this narrow road was an ugly, dark, dirty and unsafe place. It is enough to walk through it through ** Google Street View ** to find a very bleak image from 2011 marked by the graffiti, chips on the walls and places closed to the ground.
That's how it was when, that same year, Paco Cano and his partner decided to open the antique shop ** La Casa del Cardenal **, a beautiful 17th century house marked by its Arab-influenced architecture. They cleaned the street, whitewashed the metal shutters and they began to create life where there was none . His bet was key: many other people followed his steps little by little to finally open a good bunch of businesses on the street. Six years later, it is worth exploring this alley that has become one of the most interesting in the city. And one of the cleanest: merchants themselves create cleaning teams to keep dirt at bay on the road and its surrounding alleys.
The Cardinal's House
The protagonists of this revival are new traditional businesses. Quite a respite from the franchises and big brands that have made the centers of the big capitals look too much alike . "This is a unique street and we want it to remain so" , underlines Francis Cano , who is also president of the Neighborhood Association of Carreterías and Andrés Pérez streets. The antiques establishment of his is an addictive place for nostalgics from all eras: lamps, kitchen accessories, women's accessories, jewellery, art, paintings from Malaga, watches, furniture... At La Casa del Cardenal there is absolutely everything, always in magazine condition, without a speck of dust and perfectly organized. The woman in charge of this work knows it well, who looks askance at every visitor so that nothing breaks. eye.
Scrappiel
Who also takes every step with care is Ahmed Smaimi, who runs a beautiful shop called ** Scrappiel **. His philosophy is summed up in that A creative adult is a child who has survived . For this reason, in a small space you can find a multitude of objects that can drive any lover of do it yourself . Binding, cardboard and many other techniques such as decoupage are the specialty of Ahmed, whose patience, calm and knowledge remind the wise craftsmen of yesteryear . Under the light of a lamp and with great care, he restores or creates elements of great beauty, something that you can also learn thanks to the workshops that he imparts. It seems impossible to get his skills, but his shop is full of little machines. "they help make everything very easy" , as recounted by this Moroccan from Tangier, who will soon occupy one of the eight workshops of the Plaza Painter Eugenio Chicano , just a few meters from its current premises.
A tiny alley that starts from Andrés Pérez leads to this unique square where they will also be installed, among others, an art gallery, a vintage clothing store or a leather craftswoman . The new headquarters of the legendary record store will also be located there Footlights , thus maintaining their struggle to survive in modern times of digital music and ambitious real estate.
Scrappiel
They also know a lot about them in one of the most unique places, without a doubt, on Andrés Pérez street: The Unseen House . It's about a social center of citizenship that next March 10 will celebrate a decade of life. Much has changed since that first occupation in full celebration of the tenth Malaga Film Festival , but time has not changed the spirit of the place: encourage citizen self-organization, critical thinking and collective creation . In its beautiful courtyard you can find a vegetarian restaurant with rich proposals, in addition to numerous performances and activities. However, it is in the rooms of this enormous building that the essence of the invisible lies. Workshops, assemblies, courses, concerts, reflection groups and endless activities have made this project one of the flags of Malaga culture. So much so, that although the Malaga City Council insisted time and time again on closing it, there were so many voices from inside and outside the city asking for it to remain open that, in the end, it was achieved.
back to the street and under a verse of Góngora , it is easy to be amazed at the large wrought iron windows that populate a stretch of Andrés Pérez. In them, the wide range of greens of the plants give color to a street that the sun has trouble reaching. Many of these plants, like the ribbons that their children throw into the abyss, live in clay pots from the now disappeared Morillo Brothers factory , one more example that everything in this pedestrian artery is special. as is also Mahatma Showroom , a space created for artists with a great soul, as its slogan says. A business launched four years ago by the team of architects that make up Mahatma Estudio and baptized in honor of the Lord of the great soul, gandhi . The place is very special. On the one hand, it has a room for flirty exhibitions where creative workshops are also held that approach our planet and its ways of inhabiting in an original way and that represent a more than interesting alternative to the classic ball park for the little ones. On the other hand, there is room for a lot of Educational games that you probably won't find in department stores. Soon, in addition, they will launch his own line of educational toys , which are still outlining.
Under a verse of Góngora...
In front of them is Bone Color , a store that opened three years ago thanks to the initiative of the mountain Angela and the cordovan Teresa . In 2013, the first was an unemployed psychologist and the second had not worked for some time after her last cooperation project in Guatemala . To change course, both decided to travel to the beaches of Cádiz and Almería to sell handicrafts during the summer. "And everything went very well" Theresa explains. So much so that they decided to open a store in the center of Malaga. His knowledge of the area due to his usual passing through The Unseen House , the charm of the street and its rental prices did the rest. Now, the establishment is a reference in the area for those who want find different clothes and accessories.
so is LadyBlue , which Montse has been in charge of for a couple of years. She is in love with the small ecosystem that make up the Small business that populate the area and the variety of people who pass through there, which are increasing thanks to the development of tourist apartments. In exchange for said private initiative, yes, there are fewer neighbors who can reside in the neighborhood.
Bone Color
Fashion is also the protagonist of three businesses that are close to each other both in distance and in their marked Italian accent, although each one in different shades. Quasipercase is the place where Luana Fazio has a beautiful vintage clothing collection of the period between the years 50 and 80 of the last century, in which his collection of headdresses , which are rented for weddings, events, movies and plays. This Sicilian arrived in Malaga fifteen years ago and she opted to start her business three years ago, when the street began to come to life. Since then, a regular clientele opens the door every day while curious, timid or doubtful people look out of the corner of their eyes through the window. It also shows jewelry pieces that, for six months, have also been part of the offer of a business with a lot of style and few square meters.
From the other end of Italy comes Eugenia, who traveled to Malaga from Milan following in the footsteps of her soccer player son. She is the owner of EZE , arts and crafts store where she lives with her mischievous cat Ágata . Her sofa is the perfect place to sit and chat and observe everything that Eugenia does with her hands; but also what the network of artisans that she has made for this particular business where you will find everything from Japanese kimonos to leather and silver bags, clothing or accessories. From her door, a row of cacti leads you to Amber Showroom , a business run by another Italian, Fausto, this time born in Empoli, in the heart of Tuscany. In his store you can find small collections of accessories created by designers from Malaga or based in Malaga. " Ambär is original fashion, for original people who like to express themselves in many ways ", according to Faust.
EZE
Of course, Andrés Peréz also offers you gastronomic alternatives to satisfy your appetite. There are three options. At the end that borders the Plaza de los Mártires, the vegetarian restaurant El Calafate He is an old acquaintance in the area. There they entertain you with great menus whose relationship between quality and price is more than balanced. Let yourself be surprised by a bean tabbouleh, a plate of porra, its different pastas with vegetables, the refreshing ajoblanco, the vegetable cous cous, its varied salads , the way they work seitan or tofu or the delicious elaboration of Andalusian-style lentils with raisins and walnuts . An oasis for people vegans, vegetarians and celiacs, but also for any lover of healthy food.
In the middle of the street is the Las Merchanas Tavern , which is soon to celebrate its first year based on classics: montaditos, Russian salad, flamenquines and croquettes from Grandma María . A picturesque bar full of references to Holy Week that must seem like a joke to any foreigner with little experience in this religious celebration. Just in case, those responsible for Las Merchanas explain - to any tourist who asks - the meaning of each of the images and carvings of virgins, saints and even legionnaires that decorate this brotherly establishment in Malagan ways. Very close to there, and like a good Andalusian street, Andrés Pérez also has a church built in the 18th century, that of the Aurora and Divine Providence , officially known as Saint Catherine and where the Sacramental Brotherhood of Viñeros has its headquarters. Which, by the way, goes out in procession every Holy Thursday.
El Calafate
Finally, and at the other end, on the corner of Calle Carretería, is ** Soca Restaurante **, one of the new neighbors in the area and where, this time, they worship the Japanese and Mediterranean cuisines . Both gastronomic cultures are united thanks to Ivan Rubio , a young chef from Malaga trained in the kitchens of the A sako restaurant. It is there that he discovered the secrets of sushi from chef Rui Junior, while he learned the Mediterranean flavors from Alejandro Salido, manager of the Misuto restaurant, located in the very Malaga neighborhood of scree . Rubio can be seen at work thanks to some windows that allow you to follow his production processes live. The results of this work whet the appetite just by reading them in a letter: Smoked sardines in glass pan with romescu sauce and basil gel, Russian salad with pickled quail with Iberian cheek with curry sauce and a touch of honey either Grilled scallop with truffled fried egg cream, mushrooms and Joselito jowls , are just some proposals, which combine perfectly with the dishes of the day based on seasonal products. A wise selection of wines with a leading role from Ronda round off the experience at Soca.
soka restaurant
For dessert, nothing better than house look . The historic firm from Malaga opened its premises in Andrés Pérez in April 2015 to revolutionize the art of ice cream and be included in the places of pilgrimage for anyone who passes through Malaga. In its careful decoration, old grocery pesos coexist with jars of colorful jellies, cones, nougats and biscuits. A range of products that is completed with candles, soaps, cava and a nougat liqueur, all labeled under the brand book . It is the way in which the owner, Ferdinand Mira , wanted to honor his father, Liborio Mira . Of course, tradition continues to rule and the most requested, by residents and visitors, continues to be that local delicacy called black and white: a coffee granita with ice cream that is already part of Malaga's culinary heritage.
As is the local culture of another of the corners that seems to have lived in Andrés Pérez all his life: the harem . A tearoom that opened its doors in 1999 and whose meaning goes much further: It is a shelter where to fall in love listening to storytellers , feel goosebumps thanks to live music or learn about art thanks to the exhibitions that usually fill its walls. El Kanka, Vanessa Martín or a very young Dani Rovira they know a lot about it because they became known, precisely, within the walls of this place full of stories. Like those that still remain to be told in the rebirth of this narrow street without complexes named Andrés and last name Pérez.
house look