Our blogger makes her 2023 societal debut to celebrate the launch of one of Ibiza’s most exciting new culinary destinations

Dear reader… have you missed me (and my endless Taylor Swift lyric references)? Well, OBVIOUSLY I’ve missed you, and I’ve also missed sharing my musings with you too, which is why an invitation to one of the hottest opening events of the season seemed like the perfect excuse to get dressed up in something sparkly and revive my little old blog. The place? La Mirada Rooftop at stunning Cala Carbó boutique hotel Petunia Ibiza. The occasion? The inaugural Ibiza Tastemakers Dinner, co-hosted by White Ibiza along with Petunia Ibiza and its wonderful parent company, Beaumier Hotels. They didn’t have to ask me twice, that’s for sure!

First, let me set the scene. The drive to Petunia Ibiza alone is enough to make one’s jaw drop – there’s nothing quite like that very first moment you catch the view of Es Vedrá that looks almost super-imposed on the horizon. Arriving at the hotel, we were greeted by the Petunia Ibiza glam squad, aka beautiful brand ambassador Anna, amazing hotel general manager Josep Sastre, and Petunia PR darling/guru Deborah Arantes along with organisational mavens Annalli Hamilton and Annabel Adams from AA Concierge, and guided like V.VIP to the recently revamped rooftop restaurant, La Mirada, where it feels, quite simply, like you’re in a blissful triangle between the sea, the sky and Es Vedrá. Within seconds, a lavender-infused cocktail seemed to find its way into my hand, and it tasted even better than it looked (mental note: must ask Josep for that recipe!).

Cocktails and bubbles were served as guests arrived – the intimate capacity of the venue makes the perfect destination for gatherings like this, with just 30 guests swanning and schmoozing around the rooftop to the laid-back sounds of Pere Navarro serenading the sunset, before DJ Andy Baxter stepped up to spin the soundtrack for the rest of the evening. People watching has always been one of my preferred social sports (as Taylor once said, I prefer hiding in plain sight) and with each new guest, each new outfit and each new accessory ascending the staircase, I mentally took style notes and could sense a long night on Net-a-Porter ahead when I eventually got home.

The thing I love most about Ibiza – and this has never changed, not in the entire *gulp* 17 years I have lived on this incredible island – is the fascinating melting pot of people it attracts, and the Ibiza Tastemakers Dinner was no exception. I could have spent hours and hours chatting to each and every one of the wonderful guests who joined us at the communal rooftop tables at La Mirada – from fashion, philanthropy and filmmaking to architecture and entrepreneurship, the conversations flowed so thick and fast we A-L-M-O-S-T missed the magical sunset moment. I say almost of course, because it’s impossible to miss when you’ve got Es Vedrá being being swirled by kaleidoscopic colours of the sky as the sun starts to say its goodnight.

Once we were seated, our guests were the very first people in Ibiza to be treated to the all-new La Mirada Rooftop Restaurant crudo menu (new for 2023!), served sharing-style, which added to the ambience of dining with old friends and new. The meal started with decadent oysters and caviar, followed by razor clams with olive juice, and a savoury boquerón and anchovy dish that paid homage to Spanish cuisine. The mouth-watering Wagyu tataki had my vote as the star dish, though the silky Hamachi tartare, or the plump scallops and saffron escabeche were also high on many other guests’ list. The delicate calamari ‘bocata’ was an elegant surprise, as was the shrimp and quail take on surf and turf – all dishes that were at once light and luxe, exactly the kind of dinner you want on a hot summer night in Ibiza.

Very special guest, Eric Dardé – CEO of Beaumier and a first-time visitor to Ibiza – shared some words of wisdom on the company’s vision for creating beautiful, exceptional experiences (starting with our dinner!) with the group, while soaking up the heritage, authenticity and sheer beauty around him. And that was in between talking Twitter with James Blunt (and maybe, quite possibly, a little bit about music), environmental awareness with IbizaPreservation board member Frances Lopis and comms manager Kate Benyon-Tinker, not to mention fashion with stylists Renu Kashyapand Jasmine Hamed, plus eyewear designer Sunshine Bertrand. 

Then there were tales of mezcal and magic from Pietro Cuevas, the real goss on the Ibiza social scene from Zeta Kearney, the ins and outs of island hotels with Dawn Hindle plus out-of-the-box ideas with creatives Barbara Bonnerand Eddy Beltrame. There was talk of global travels with Victoria Durrer-Gasse of La Galeria Elefante and comparisons of Australia and Ibiza with White Ibiza directors Kristie Rogers and Danni Landa (short answer – yes, Ibiza does it better!) and so much more*. 

*Please excuse me for dropping names like Alexis Rose, but how often DO you get to hobnob (do people still say hobnob?) with so many island movers and shakers (wait – do people still say that too?).

When the clock struck 12 (I think – I may have been in a Cinderella-esque lavender cocktail haze by then), our guests started to descend back to the garden, but before heading to their onward journeys (or their suites!), they were gifted a beautiful goodie bag filled with Ibiza-inspired treats. Delicious ginger and orange jam, handmade with ingredients from the Petunia Ibiza garden and quite possibly the best homemade cookies I’ve ever eaten (and yes, I ate them all for breakfast the next day). A full-size bottle of Ibiza’s vermouth du jour, Goldtooth (no I did NOT drink that for breakfast the next day – I saved it for the following sunset cocktail hour!) plus a rare-as-hens-teeth mini-bottle of cult island beauty product, SAENT skin oil.

When the clock struck 12 (I think – I may have been in a Cinderella-esque lavender cocktail haze by then), our guests started to descend back to the garden, but before heading to their onward journeys (or their suites!), they were gifted a beautiful goodie bag filled with Ibiza-inspired treats. Delicious ginger and orange jam, handmade with ingredients from the Petunia Ibiza garden and quite possibly the best homemade cookies I’ve ever eaten (and yes, I ate them all for breakfast the next day). A full-size bottle of Ibiza’s vermouth du jour, Goldtooth (no I did NOT drink that for breakfast the next day – I saved it for the following sunset cocktail hour!) plus a rare-as-hens-teeth mini-bottle of cult island beauty product, SAENT skin oil.

And last, but not least, we gifted copies of our collectible White Ibiza Magazines – perfect for holiday (or Ibiza lifestyle) inspiration, as a coffee table accessory, and, in my case, as a present for my driver, since (as you may have guessed) I have quite a few copies sitting here on my desk (and my coffee table, my bookshelf and erm, in the boot of my car)! I think I can safely speak for everyone at White Ibiza when I say a heartfelt thanks to everyone who joined us, and also to everyone who worked behind the scenes to create such a beautiful Balearic night. Let’s not leave it so long between blogs next time!