Beautiful sunset in Mallorca from Sa Foradada. | VICTOR GENESHA

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Last week we celebrated Saint Valentine, in a normal year the newspaper would be full of special Staycation offers. This year for obvious reasons the takeout dinner was the top seller. My family had our first take out dinner for this year on Saturday and really enjoyed it. A new concept that has been born this last year is ‘The Coordinated Zoom’ dinner event. You have a dinner theme for example “gala dinner” and all participants dress up and set the table the same way, and then you eat together on Zoom. Now if you want other courses, I have seen companies that offer the whole kit. Dinner pack delivery with aperitif, 3 course menu, wine pairing and even matching table decorations and a special playlist that goes well with the type of food all as a package, all you have to do yourself is reheat the food and connect to Zoom, very 2021.

So, Tuesday the Scandinavians had our famous “Semla dag” or Fat Tuesday, and as I walked through Santa Catalina I saw a large queue outside the Palma Bread outlet. I must admit I did have one and it was amazing. After the fluffy bun I went straight to my Speed fitness class. Just like me most people need to have a balance between discipline and leisure, to feel good and this is where the Swedes would say we need Lagom. Lagom should be translated to “not too little not too much, just right” and that is what we would like to suggest as the life lesson of today. Have your Semla and then do some exercise and you will be alright.

For the north of Europe, the challenge has always been the connectivity to the rest of the world, we have been spoiled for years with direct flights to most European destinations. The news this week that Vueling will start to fly from Denmark to Mallorca and other destinations from June, was the happiest news I have seen for a long time.

Just as I sat down with the news, I got a call from Denmark; “Jessika what is going on with the restrictions in Mallorca? Can we book and come to see you now?” This guy is a new client, so I had to take a few minutes with him to sum up what is happening on the island. It is confusing even for me, despite speaking the language close to perfectly and having heaps of experience, the rules keep changing every week and it is a jungle. Things are getting better; Yes, shops are opening but some businesses are being completely discriminated against by the Government. No, I do not recommend someone to come over to Mallorca right now for holiday. The way things are here now is not the way I want to welcome visitors to Mallorca. It is so sad, but how can you suggest to someone to go to Palma on a restricted visit where we cannot even offer a public toilet in these conditions. The only thing I know for sure, is that no matter what the Government inform on next BOIB, we still have our 300 days of sunshine a year.

It’s been a sad couple of days in my village, as I’ve seen one of my friends locking up her life dream a cute little restaurant for the last time and returning the key. Another place that has been a part of her and our life for a few years going to the grave. Before she left she made sure to donate all the leftover food and drinks to a local charity that help all the families in need. I have volunteered for several different Associations in Mallorca even before this pandemic hit. Some of my fellow volunteers comment about the current situation, that its true that the queues for a food packages have never been this long as they are right now. Never have we have so many helping hands, volunteers and companies that involve helping others. According to the national standard Mallorca is on the top for the ratio of help organizations. No other place in Spain has as many helping hands as us. That is something I feel very proud about.

Lorenzo Torrens and Frida Gårby from Simple Smart Food

Simple Smart Food in Santa Catalina in Palma

Simple Smart Food in Santa Catalina is owned by the entrepreneur couple Frida Gårby (Swedish) and Lorenzo Torrens (Mallorcan) their café offers a new concept of smart fast food. Healthy, easy, tasty and balanced handmade in front of you. The Scandinavian designed local is under normal circumstances frequently visited by locals from all over the world. Best sellers are smoothies and the poke bowls. You can find Simple on Instagram where you also have an updated menu.