Latest news with #paella
The Sun
6 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
I moved to Spain for £10 3-course meals & £6 wine bottles – but no one warned me about hell of buying dream home abroad
SANGRIA by the pool, long siestas and balmy evenings eating mouthwatering paella – I had long dreamed of swapping grey British skies for the good life in Spain. So in the summer of 2023, I decided to make my fantasy a reality along with my husband, James, 41, a businessman, and, after a year renting in San Sebastian, I finally bought a property on Spain's Costa Brava in July 2024. 6 6 6 While it seemed like a great idea at the time, I quickly discovered the process would be anything but simple. For starters, the admin is utterly relentless and I soon became bogged down by residency paperwork – the nightmare of trying to open a Spanish bank account, confusion over healthcare and administrative appointments. For the first six months, it became a full-time job, but it was essential to begin my new life in Spain. Moving to Spain is not easy post-Brexit. Visas are required for full time living. Fortunately, James has an EU passport which allowed me to secure residency via the family reunification visa. Despite the endless red tape, the perks of Spanish living are hard to ignore. Day-to-day costs in Spain are up to 50 per cent lower than in the UK. A bottle of decent red wine is only £6, a three-course meal can be as little as £10, a cinema ticket is £5 and some gym memberships charge only £12 per month. Every year, thousands of Brits leave the UK for Spain's sunny shores, lured by warmer weather, a slower pace of life and comparatively lower property prices. Currently, there are 275,000 UK nationals living there lawfully. Although houses inland can still be bought for as little as €50,000, prices are set to increase by 7.3 per cent by the end 2025, followed by a 5.3 per cent rise in 2026. To afford the perfect location, I bought a three-bedroom renovation project for €320,000, located in a beautiful pine forest, a short distance from a picturesque village and the beach - complete with lurid 1970s bathroom, cracked tiles, cobweb-covered artex walls and a leaking roof. The kitchen was too small for an oven and washing machine, the swimming pool was essentially a pond and the garden a mosquito-infested jungle. My septic tank remains the great unsolved mystery of the house. It's not on any plans, no one knows where it is and at this point, I'm racing against time before it announces itself in a much messier way. I quit my job and did a complete 180 moving to Spain - beer is just $3 a pint and my life is so much better As if the renovation challenges weren't daunting enough, one of the biggest shocks was the buying process. Timeframes and legalities in Spain are considerably different to the UK. A 10 per cent deposit is required, plus a 10 per cent transfer tax, essentially Spain's version of stamp duty. The tax is paid to the local government. The purchase was set to complete in eight weeks, but the process was delayed due to missing paperwork and complex admin. I got the keys in October, but didn't legally own the property until December. For two months, I lived rent and mortgage-free, feeling like a squatter with fancy candles in my own home. I'm not alone in my buying experience. Irene Milsome, 70, a retired Brit from Milton Keynes, who moved to Alicante in 2020 with her husband for better weather, faced a distressing three-year ordeal to purchase her property. 6 She says: 'Our land and the house structure were impounded by the Spanish treasury department because a dishonest builder left the project incomplete. 'We then had to fight and pay for the land ourselves from the treasury and then finish the house build with a different builder and at a further cost. 'We were angry that this was allowed to happen, even with safeguards in place in the building contract. We felt helpless in a different country.' Irene advises people to buy a completed – or near-completion – new build from a reputable English-speaking estate agent only. Last October, as I pushed open the door to my new home, I was greeted with the previous owners' past life – piles of dusty, colourful furniture. Despite the house only having three bedrooms, I removed 14 beds, 45 chairs, five dining tables, 30 pairs of curtains and a variety of creepy animal skeletons - rodents, geckos and a cat. Quite often, Spanish houses are sold furnished. However, former civil servant, Janice Carter, 60, who moved to Alicante from London, got the surprise of her life when she walked into a decaying home. 'The house needed more work than we realised,' she says. 'The sellers gave us the impression they were living there, but they weren't. 'It was damp and the plaster just fell off the walls.' Janice had been sold by the beautiful, pristine swimming pool in the seller's listing. 'But the swimming pool was thick green algae and unusable,' she says. 'They'd sent us an old photo saying: 'You'll be swimming here this time next week'. 'We'd also purchased some items of furniture from them to see us through until our belongings arrived, but when we got there, nothing was left – only their cat.' 6 When renovating in Spain, everything moves in slow motion. My architect disappeared for so long, I feared he might be dead. The builder said he was popping to the Spanish equivalent of B&Q, only to return three days later. After hiring my sixth architect in a year, I've learned to embrace Spain's slow pace. One quote was so overpriced, it would have been cheaper to become an architect myself. Building materials and furnishings can cost almost double what they do in the UK, too. While the wine and bottled water might be cheaper, don't expect the same bargain prices when it comes to housing supplies. Those tiles? Twice the price. That tap? Might as well be gold-plated. Building quotes have no limits, either. It's not uncommon for builders to add a few extra zeros onto the price when they discover you're an expat. Surprisingly, it is mostly British or foreign builders working in Spain who are the culprits. Most Spanish local authorities have strict building regulations. It's often a difficult and lengthy process to obtain permissions for builds and extensions. For example, I have a strict exterior colour palette to choose from of bold pinks, yellows and oranges, in-keeping with the historic village, and my perimeter fence can't be higher than 1.2 metres and must include an element of transparency. We'd also purchased furniture from them to see us through until our belongings arrived, but when we got there, nothing was left — only their cat. Janice Carter, 60Moved to Alicante from London Finally, don't skip insulation. As Brits, we tend to think of Spain as having year-round warmth, but temperatures can drop below freezing in winter, even in the south. Spanish houses are built to stay cool, so in winter I could see my breath in the air as I snuggled on the sofa, under multiple layers and cuddling the dog for extra warmth – with a bucket collecting dripping rainwater next to me. Now, double glazing, efficient heating and insulation is top of my priority list. While life under the Spanish sun brings undeniable joy, from long lunches to laid-back living, anyone considering moving should be aware that this slower pace seeps into other areas – including property purchases and renovations. Learning to let go, slow down and trust the process (and the tradesmen) has become part of the adventure. Building in Spain may test your patience, and punish your bank balance, but the payoff is well worth it.
Daily Mail
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
MasterChef Australia contestant eliminated after 'daunting' challenge went wrong - as the cooking competition nears final weeks
MasterChef Australia is getting to the pointy end with just eight contestants left in the competition. On Sunday night, the latest chef from the Back To Win season to leave the kitchen was Audra Morrice. Audra, who first appeared on MasterChef Australia in 2012, saw her Spanish seafood paella deemed 'inconsistent' by the judges, and she was sent home. 'I actually feel really good. I came in to show the simplicity of cultural cuisine. And that food doesn't always have to be complicated' the chef said upon getting the bad news that she was out of the competition. 'This kitchen is addictive. I won't deny it was a bit daunting. It really put me out of my comfort zone, which I love' she added. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Speaking to website Draw Your Box, Audra said that she has relished reliving the challenge. 'I just kind of went into this and just cooked what came to mind and what I felt in the flow of the moment' she said. 'Sometimes it was an epic success, sometimes it was a disastrous fail, but all I wanted to do was cook wholeheartedly and put delicious food on the table.' Last week, an emotional Poh Ling Yeow struggled to hold back tears on as she bid farewell to contestant Andre Ursini. Andre appeared alongside Poh on the inaugural MasterChef season back in 2009. However, his second chance at success was foiled after he lost a Pressure Test that tasked Andre and fellow contestants Alanah Lowes and Snezana Calic with recreating an ornate dessert by renowned pastry chef Philip Khoury. When it came time for Andre to make his exit, judge Poh became emotional when reflecting on the journey that she and Andre had started together. 'Andre, we started this journey together – whoa – 16 years ago,' Poh said, with tears welling in her eyes. 'For the past 16 years, I've watched you not only become a really brilliant cook and an amazing entrepreneur, but an amazing husband and dad.' An emotional Poh added that having the chance to see Andre in the MasterChef kitchen again was a pleasure. 'It's been so nice and fun to be back in the kitchen with you,' she said. 'I love that you've always marched to the beat of your own drum.' Poh then lightened the mood, joking: 'And I hope that that never changes, even though sometimes I do – no I don't, I really don't.' Obviously touched by Poh's heartwarming tribute, Andre wasn't shy about returning the compliments. 'I was pretty inspired that first time I walked in – seeing my mate in the bright shining light where she belongs,' he said. Andre continued to heap praise on the MasterChef judge saying: 'Poh is a jewel in the crown of the Australian culinary scene.' 'She's one of the most genuine and unique individuals that we've all been around. 'She's basically going to start levitating any year now,' he joked. Speaking to camera after making his emotional exit, Andre was philosophical about his elimination, despite being 'devastated'. 'Being eliminated, I'm devastated, but I've come so far in the competition,' he said. 'It's taken me 16 years to re-emerge – I came in here with no expectations and got to top ten. 'I'm feeling pretty invigorated. I've rediscovered my passion for cooking after all these years and, from now on until the time I die, I'm going to keep cooking.'
Fox News
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
The Quiz #445 - 2A Or Not 2A
Originating from the Valencia region, what is widely considered the national dish of Spain? Play. Share. Listen with Chef & television personality, Chef Andrew Gruel.
TTG
18-06-2025
- TTG
The secret Spanish foodie haven that will leave clients hungry for more
However, fittingly, the final stop on my Gastronomy Route was another celebrated restaurant, just a stone's throw away on Sant Pol bay. Local legend Taverna del Mar was taken under Hostal de la Gavina's umbrella in 2013 and showcases the best of the region's seafood, including oysters, mussels, clams and fresh fish, served in a blue-and-white salon with stunning views out to sea. As I savoured my meal of paella cooked two ways – traditional with rice and fideua with short, thin noodles – I remarked to my host that my daughter would be going on her first school trip abroad in two weeks' time, quite coincidentally to a resort just 10 minutes along the coast. I hoped her voyage of discovery would be as memorable as my rediscovery of a region with so much to offer. How to book it Kirker Holidays offers the three-night Gastronomy Route package at Hostal de la Gavina from £1,886 per person, based on two sharing a classic double room with terrace. Price includes breakfast and the three included special meals (Esperit Roca, La Taverna del Mar and Candlelight – alcoholic drinks not included) plus a wine tasting at Clos d'Agon, flights to Barcelona and car hire.
