Category Archives: anniversary

casa azahar is 20!

01 Friday May 2026

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And just like that the most boring blog on the internets turns 20! For any newcomers, the reason for so much weird randomness here is that back in my cancer days I started putting up a post a day, no matter what (or what about), to give myself something to achieve, an activity, since I couldn’t do much else. So you might get a long heartfelt post about my treatment or a quiz or something about the cats. And then I kept on (and on) simply because if I stopped for a while then I’d feel like the next post would have to be about something important or even of interest. Also, whenever I want to know when I last bought sheets or went to Barcelona… well it’s all here!

Thanks for sticking around.
🥂 🥂 🥂 🥂 🥂 🥂 🥂 🥂 🥂 🥂
🥂 🥂 🥂 🥂 🥂 🥂 🥂 🥂 🥂 🥂

sherry educator – 10 year anniversary!

16 Thursday Oct 2025

Posted by in anniversary, sevilla, sherry

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10 years ago today I became a Certified Sherry Educator! 🥂 It was a very proud moment and it’s been a long and delicious journey ever since. Always learning and sharing, recruiting new sherry converts along the way. Many thanks to the Sherry Council for always being so supportive. And of course to all the amazing sherry bodegas 💛 ¡Salud!

(wine: La Gitana Manzanilla en Rama, copas: Lama La Uva)

ICYMI: How I Became a Sherry Educator

175 years

30 Thursday Jan 2025

Posted by in anniversary, friends, sevilla, spain, substack, tapas, tapas bars

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chef Óscar with Reyes

Today I spent the afternoon with my friend Reyes Morales. Nothing unusual there as some of my most pleasant afternoons are spent with Reyes. But this time was different in that I was there to interview her (!) for an upcoming Substack post on the 175th anniversary of Casa Morales. I mean, I already knew a lot about the bar and its history, and also a fair bit about Reyes, but I discovered there was so much more that I didn’t know. It was fascinating listening to her story as we sat at the bar with me scribbling notes while we enjoyed tapas and wine together. Hoping to get it published over the weekend. Stay tuned…

reyes & javi

19 Tuesday Sep 2023

Posted by in anniversary, friends, restaurants, sevilla, sherry, tapas

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javi reyes me me, Reyes & Javi

As this is ANNIVERSARY MONTH Reyes Morales (tapas bar royalty, owner of Casa Morales) and I went out to celebrate me being here all this time and the two of us being friends. Any meet up with me and Reyes inevitably begins with visiting our friend Manolo “Cateca” and asking him which sherry we want to drink, so we did that, and Manolo never disappoints.

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Lunch was… well just have a look. I’ve known Javi Abascal (chef and owner of Lalola Restaurante) since he started his first place back in I don’t remember when in Los Remedios and he is just one of the loveliest people. He also knows how to cook!

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While Reyes and I could have enjoyed La Penúltima at Lalola we decided a little post-lunch walk was in order. Eventually we made our way to the Plaza Magdalena near my house and the new posh hotel in that square. And look what they had! Gorgeous Brut Tortelló DO Corpinnat. We sat outside enjoying the early evening air and still talking-talking-talking until we finally decided it was probably time to go home! So yeah, got home from lunch around 8pm. I think that’s a record for us, though all my lunches with Reyes end up being experiences neither of us want to end. I am really so lucky to know so many amazing people here.

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30 years in spain

23 Monday May 2022

Posted by in anniversary, casa azahar, cats, sevilla, spain

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Thirty years ago this week I arrived in Spain. I can’t remember the exact date but somehow the 23rd sticks in my mind. This is me (age 35) with my first Spanish cat Lua in my first apartment in Salamanca. I still had no idea how I was going to manage to stay here or if I could make a living, but of course I adopted a cat! So many memories, many mistakes made, some achievements realised. And although there were plenty of tough times I never once doubted my choice to move here, to the first place that ever felt like home. So I’m glad I stuck it out. Thirty whole years. Wow.

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