Category Archives: friends

deb’s back!

18 Thursday Jun 2026

Posted by in friends, sevilla, tapas

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

This week Deb and Claire were back in town and I was lucky enough to meet up with them twice! Last time Deb came in October and it was a bit too early for her to pick up her L’Armanaque de Sevilla for this 2026 so I managed to get them both a fridge magnet of the calendar cover from Alfredo (better than nuthin’).

We had two lovely lunches together, first at La Cochera del Abuelo and then Augurio. It was also Birthday Week for Claire so we toasted her birthday as well as Deb’s (almost) early retirement and, of course, Dan Jamón. Several times. It’s been great having them back again.

michelle & chris

12 Friday Jun 2026

Posted by in friends, sevilla, tapas, welcome

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

I can’t remember the last time I saw Michelle and Chris (they can’t remember either) but we reckon it was during a visit to Málaga (they live in Estepona) when we had cocktails on a rooftop bar and were entertained by a bullfighter strutting around naked in his hotel room, curtains wide open (he knew what he was doing). Last night we were also entertained by bullfighters, but fully dressed this time, when we stopped for a nightcap at the Hotel Colón on the way home.

But before that we had met up at Cafetería Donald and spent the evening catching up and just enjoying each others company, along with some lovely tapas and wine. Good times.

reggie!

04 Thursday Jun 2026

Posted by in friends, getaways, sevilla, sherry

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, ,

I’ve known Reggie (aka @winecasual) for YEARS. First of all virtually on Twitter and then last year at the Copa de Jerez this charming young man came up to me and said “are you Sevilla Tapas?”. At some point I asked if he’d also be going to the next Vinoble and… he’d never heard of it! So now I can honestly say that I have changed someone’s life.

Reggie had a great time at Vinoble and, being young and mobile, went to both the morning and evening sessions and also managed to attend a couple of tastings. We also had a memorable lunch together after he recommended a new place he’d tried called La Gloria Taberna, which is now on my top five list of favourite restaurants in the city. Then, on his way to another wine event in Galicia, he stopped over in Sevilla and we met up again for a glass (or three, maybe four?) of cava/corpinnat at a little bar near me.

Such a lovely guy and I’m so happy to have him as a friend now. Although wine is his “hobby” (or at least, not his main job) he also writes for Wine Enthusiast and travels extensively, mostly on sponsored trips to further his wine knowledge (which is already impressive, even intimidating). He was truly a bright spot in these past few days and I hope he’ll be back soon.

fiona’s first substack!

27 Monday Apr 2026

Posted by in friends, sevilla, substack, writing

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, ,

My friend Fiona has been lurking around on Substack for a while and this week she finally bit the bullet and published her first article. The subject couldn’t have been more perfect for her as the Duquesa of Alba has been a passion of hers for years. This year she would have turned 100 and there are several activities planned in Sevilla as well as a Netflix documentary (which is really good!). Anyhow, go say hi to Fiona and enjoy her Ode to the Duchess of Alba.

aracena getaway!

10 Friday Apr 2026

Posted by in trips, friends, travel, andalucia, getaways, writing, bitesize sevilla

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , ,

Excited and nervous. Last time I visited these little piggies in Jabugo was back in 2017, which was also the last time I went to Restaurante Arrieros in nearby Linares de la Sierra. And next week I’m going to do both again, along with quite a few other cool pig-related things. It all started when I ran into Adela & Luismi at Manolo Cateca in January and they told me they were retiring in July and so would be closing Arrieros. I made a mental note that I would have to visit again before then. Then I wrote my All About The Pig article for Bitesize Sevilla and thought a follow-up piece focusing on just jamón would be a good idea, and that I could combine a trip to the Sierra de Aracena to also do some research for the final part of the Bitesize Day Trips series. And THEN I was commissioned by Pellicle Magazine to write a piece on jamón cutters (!!). So aside from visiting Arrieros one last time I also had three articles to research, which (to me anyhow) totally justified taking a trip.

Gonna say it’s been complicated, especially trying to organise transportation (basically impossible to do this trip without a car). But with the help of friends and contacts it finally came together. I’ll be based in Aracena for two nights and during the three days I am there will be visiting my friends at Finca Buenvino, jamón producers in Jabugo and Corteconcepción, restaurants in Linares and Fuenteheridos, along with the Jamón Museum and Gruta de las Maravillas (Cave of Wonders) in Aracena. Stay tuned!