Vamos : Viveros de Ulía + #1870LaRubia

Fairy lights, twinkling in the dust of the San Sebastián evening.

Colorful banderitas, stretching across the panes of a gaping greenhouse.

Last Thursday, some of us lucky folks lived an incredible evening at the Viveros de Ulia, a spot I had never visited, right on the outskirts of the city. The park is dotted with greenhouses, with an area of about 14.500 m² that holds over 40 species of trees alone.

The occasion? The presentation of a new beer, 18/70 La Rubia. It’s only fitting that the party was in a recently refurbished institution of San Sebastián. 18/70 got its start with a limited production, sold in barrels only to select bars across the city.

This party marked its debut in the bottle. Check out the video:

The night was buzzing, with over two hundred people in attendance. Imagine the coolest wedding reception ever, and you get an idea of the vibe.

We walked up to live piano playing, the lights twinkling and rubber gardener’s buckets filled with ice cubes and bottles of 18/70. Loved the blonde beer, with a whopping 6.2º alcohol, and malty flavor and dark color that makes it a pretty great everyday lager.

Food was abundant, as well. Spaced out over three zones of the party, there was the picoteo corner, with makis of causa limeña (YUM), quinoa salad, potatoes (all from Ekeko), and also the classic gilda, catered by the even more classic Casa Valles. A fusion of old-school San Sebastián with a touch of global modernity. On the other side, there was an area with ceviche made to order.

The best spot was the grill, staffed with a parillero during the whole event, manning kebabs with octopus, beef heart, and potatoes.

As the natural light faded, Izaro Andrés took the stage. This young singer-songwriter is worth checking out—her music in Basque, Spanish and English is influenced by both her upbringing and her teen years spent in the United States. She’s a bit like Lana del Rey meets contemporary dance meets Basque folklore.

An incredible night that left us with a new spot to frequent, a new beer to drink, a new artist to listen to and a ton of new friends.

Stay tuned for upcoming events…I have the inside word that #1870LaRubia is planning more special events throughout the city, featuring its people and places, and that this is just the beginning.