Category Archives: friends

the nag’s gourmet tapas tour

19 Wednesday Oct 2011

Posted by in food & drink, friends, sevilla, tapas, wine

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[click to enlarge, but only if you’re not hungry]

Last night I had the pleasure of finally meeting the fabulous Marilyn Bellamy (aka Nag on the Lake) and her dashing husband Harold, and taking them out on a tapas tour. That is to say, they thought they were just booking a regular tapas tour back in September, but I had decided to sneakily surprise them with an extra special Gourmet Tapas Tour, which meant I took them wherever I darn well wanted to and hang the expense. And what a great time we had!

Meeting hitherto “virtual” friends in person for the first time is always a bit anxious-making for me. I’m always worried that they may not like me or be shocked at my BIG FAT appearance. But all fears were laid to rest when Marilyn threw her arms around me as soon as we saw each other, and the evening just got better from there. Conversation flowed as freely as the wine, and I felt so at home with these two guys, once again wishing that I knew more people like this in Sevilla.

And so, we visited three very special tapas bars, two traditional and one very modern and chic, with a stop-off in between the last two so Marilyn and Harold could try a glass of my beloved Botani, which they also loved. Nog met us at our last stop and helped us polish off the final tapas – at that point we were just ordering so as to try a bit of everything (we hadn’t had any meat dishes yet!) – as hunger had pretty much left us after the second place where we’d had some excellent fish. But really everything we had was excellent, starting with succulent jamón ibérico de bellota and crumbly manchego cheese with fat garlicky olives, followed by a couple of exquisite tapas. Then we had our “fish course” at a lively bar at the edge of the barrio Santa Cruz before heading back to the centre for some superb designer tapas. In between stops we wandered through the maze of old cobbled streets and I got to show off my beautiful Sevilla.

I am indebted to Harold who, in his wisdom, vetoed the suggestion that – in true Gourmet Tapas Tour style – we finish off with cocktails at swish new Lab4. Marilyn and I were ready to throw caution to the wind and Nog was all “I’m easy!”, but in the end Harold won (yay!) and we wandered over to The Mushrooms so Mr & Mrs Nag could get a taxi back to their hotel.

They’re here until Friday so we may still meet up for a drink and a tapita before they leave – at least I hope so. Can’t remember the last time I enjoyed an evening out so much.

faraway friends

13 Thursday Oct 2011

Posted by in friends, internet, sevilla, twitter

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Yesterday was a bank holiday, though being a freelancer I was actually working most of the morning finishing off a restaurant menu translation. And then I met up my travel-writing pal Jeremy Head for some tapitas. We’d first met on Twitter ages ago, and then in person just over a year ago. This week he is back in Sevilla so it was great to get together and catch up and all that.

After saying “hasta luego” it got me thinking how much I would love to have all the wonderful people I’ve met in various ways and in various places on the internet live in Sevilla, or at least have them visit on a regular basis.

As another Twitter pal, and now dear friend, @AnnieBennett put it… “that’s the trouble with twitter, you make too many faraway friends!”

But I wouldn’t trade that for anything.

man about the house

08 Thursday Sep 2011

Posted by in friends, home

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A couple of weeks ago the tap outside on the terraza started leaking. At first I wondered if this might be the cause of my crazy water bills (not to be confused with my insane electricity bills) but it turned out that this leak wasn’t of much consequence. But it was still there. And while I’m pretty good at general home repairs and maintenance there are some things I’ve never had to do – like change a tap – and so I feel a bit out of my depth. I called the landlady’s handyman who’d recently done some work in my kitchen (and who also helped me move my washing machine), but he was busy on a job and had no free time for a couple of weeks. And I sure didn’t want to call in a professional plumber because my landlady had told me this was something that happened after I moved in so I’d have to pay for it…

Then my friend Pablo came to the rescue. He stopped by tonight and said the tap needed to be replaced and that he’d pick one up and do it for me sometime in the next few days. And it turns out he’ll also replace the crappy taps in my bathroom! Well, I’ll have to buy the taps, but he said he could do the work for me. I’m so happy because these taps have been driving me mental since I moved in and the landlady had her guy “fix” them while he was doing odd jobs, but basically they are old crappy taps and beyond repair.

Then, since Pablo seemed to know about these things, I asked about the possibility of changing the electric ceramic cooker (only 3 out of 4 burners work properly) to a gas one, and he checked around and discovered that the gas line was already in place so it would be a very simple installation. So now I’m all psyched about doing these few home repairs with Pablo’s help and advice. I’ll need to get a plumber to hook up the cooker (when that day comes) but meanwhile it’s so nice to have a “man about the house” who can help with these things. Even though he lives across town and I’ll end up paying him in carbonara dinners, it’s still a source of comfort.

Gracias Pablito!

jessica’s birthday night out

24 Wednesday Aug 2011

Posted by in birthdays, food & drink, friends, sevilla, summer

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Had a fabulous evening out with Jessica to celebrate her birthday (which is really on Saturday but, hey, she won’t be here then). In typical Spanish style I was invited out for a meal and we ended up at the most fabulous La Azotea, newly reopened after summer holidays. The food was amazing. And knowing it was Jessica’s birthday Juan brought us cava on the house as soon as we sat down. The original plan had been to go for dessert at Al Aljibe afterwards, but we were both so stuffed we opted for a nightcap cocktail at Roof, the new rooftop bar at the Casa Romana Hotel.

And now to bed. It’s Jessica’s last day in Sevilla tomorrow and we have to get up early to find exquisite olives for her at the market to take home.

pablito

05 Friday Aug 2011

Posted by in friends

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twelve years ago… two years ago

It’s funny about friends…sometimes they come and go, other times they just go. But with my friend Pablo, it seems we keep looking for ways to stay in touch. I first met Pablito when he called me (about twelve years ago – or more!) to translate his CV. One thing led to another and we became good friends. Then we became friends that really got on each other’s nerves a lot because – let’s face it – we are both quite strong and stubborn personalities. But after a bit of breathing space we always wanted to see each other again.

Anyhow, after not seeing Pablo for about a year – other than the two times he met me for coffee at the hospital during my PET scan appointments (which was so appreciated!) – he called me yesterday to ask if I wanted to go for a lunchtime beer. Which ended up being lunch (his treat) and then he came over to see the new casa az. And it felt like he’d never been away and that, somehow, he belonged. Because he is someone I can be myself with, and I hope he feels the same. And friends like that don’t happen every day… sometimes it takes twelve years or more.