26 Monday Dec 2011
Posted in quizzes
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| You Are Butter |
 You’re the type of person who works behind the scenes, making sure to bring out the best in everyone else. It’s likely that people don’t appreciate you for who you are. But people would sure miss you if you were gone. A little of you goes a long way. You have a very powerful impact on the world, even if it’s a bit subtle at times. Some people may avoid you out of fear, but there is nothing wrong with you… in moderation, that is! |
25 Sunday Dec 2011
24 Saturday Dec 2011
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This has been one of the most relaxed and pleasant Christmas Eves I can remember. Got up a bit later than usual and had some coffee and breakfast. Luckily I got all the supermarket shopping out of the way yesterday, so today just had to pop over to the market for the fish and veg. I couldn’t believe my flatmate Peter! He was Feliz Navidad-ing everyone and being all chatty. I think maybe my delight of Christmas has rubbed off a little…
After getting back from the market I wrote a few Christmas cards and we went out again, this time to just stop by a few places – well okay, tapas bars – and say Merry Christmas to everyone. Of course we stopped for tapas at some of them, and I also got to pick up some amazing blue goat’s cheese (cabrales) and a strong cured sheep’s cheese at our second stop, to go with my Victoria Nº2. And then we took a walk through the Christmas Market. My friend Pablo showed up at our last stop and we went next door with him for yet another drink while he had a tapita. And then the owner Carlos invited us to a glass of cava…
So just got home about an hour ago. Have been getting things ready little by little. Going to roast some small potatoes in garlic and olive oil to go with the salmon steaks with jamón and cava sauce. Some simple steamed broccoli to go with that. As a starter I’m going to deep-fry some gorgeous langoustine tails we got at the market today and serve them with alioli. For afters Peter has his chocolate cake and I’m sure he’ll also partake of the three cheeses (the two bought today and also the famous and fabulous cranberry wensleydale). And then we’ll get cosy with the cats and watch a Christmas movie or two…
I hope you are all enjoying your Christmas Eve too!
23 Friday Dec 2011
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The other day after I picked up my loaner iPad, Peter and I stayed at the Vineria San Telmo to enjoy a drink outside in the sunshine. I mean, sitting out in the sun in mid-December is pretty special. And then I saw my old buddy Justo. I’ve known him as long as I’ve lived in Sevilla. He used to do the shoe-shine thing outside my old home until the “powers that be” decided it was bad for tourism to have gypsy shoe-shine guys pestering the tourists. And to be honest, the majority of them were pretty obnoxious. But not Justo. He was always charming and chatty. I remember once, maybe 15 years ago, splashing out to have my shoes polished on my birthday.
And so when I saw Justo again we had a chat and, as usual, he pointed out the bad state of our shoes. Well, mine are suede so he couldn’t do anything about that, but Peter never takes care of his shoes and Justo said he would add two years of life to them for just 4 euros. How could I resist? So I bought Peter a shoe shine, and also about ten minutes of Justo’s time. We chatted and caught up a bit – Justo told Peter about how he’s known me forever – and I found out that he has been made the official shoe-shine guy for Restaurante Modesto! He even has a little badge saying so. All of which made me think about how much all our lives have changed over the years. And also about how “connected” I feel here, to all kinds of people and to all sorts of memories.
I told Justo I would put his photo on Twitter and make him famous, and he made me promise I would say he was the best shoe-shine guy in the Puerta de la Carne. Which I did. Because he really is. Peter’s two-year-old shoes look brand new.
22 Thursday Dec 2011
Posted in christmas, fiestas, food & drink, wine
So there I was working away on the laptop this morning when the doorbell rang…
Then a messenger came upstairs with this! A surprise bottle of Victoria Nº2. I don’t usually like sweet wines all that much but the first time I tried this wine I just went “WOW”. Because it’s not only sweet but also very complex. Lots going on there. And it’s naturally sweet, not fortified like sherrys are, so it isn’t cloying. Made from Muscat Alexandria grapes, the oldest grape variety in Spain, they are picked late in the season and air-dried in the shade. It’s such a beautifully balanced wine.
So, that takes care of Christmas dessert. Now I just have to decide on what wine to have with dinner. I think perhaps that surprise Chardonnay I’ve been saving.
What are you having for Christmas dinner?
casa azahar 