Sevilla Blogfriends Meet
Confirmed date is the weekend of October 22 – 24
Please sign up over here…
Sevilla Meet Sign-up
last call!
12 Tuesday Oct 2010
Category Archives: friends
cata de jerez
08 Friday Oct 2010
Tags
[click to enlarge]
Last night Jessica and I went to a fabulous sherry tasting (cata de jerez) at La Azotea Vinos & Más, which was both fun and educational. I’ve never known much about Spanish sherries and so it was great that José Argudo from Bodegas Gonzalez Byass took us through the whole sherry-making process while we sampled ten – yes that’s right, ten!! – different sherries. From the palest driest mosto to sweet musky fino/oloroso blends, we sipped our way through it all, even sampling some lovely 30-year-old wines.
Afterwards Juan brought over a jamón from their La Azotea restaurant across the street and we all had a bit to eat, though not nearly enough for the amount of wine we’d had, so Jessica and I went off to the Alameda for a late night snack, ending up at Al Aljibe.
We had a great time catching up on all our news and I’m really glad that Jess is going to be in town for awhile and not out doing field work in Doñana so much. It’s nice having her “home” again.
[also posted on azahar’s sevilla blog]
save the feeling
29 Wednesday Sep 2010
Posted in friends, life stuff, retail therapy, travel
Tags
A while ago I talked about longing for some Diana Porter Jewellery and it did cross my mind that I might drop into her shop in Bristol while I was there, but what I hadn’t imagined was that it would be a fast very last minute in-and-out visit and that I would actually end up buying something! (I blame Lizzie) What happened was that we were hanging out in Lizzie’s charming Folk House Café when she suggested I might want to take a walk along Park Street before we went to the train station. It turned out that Diana Porter’s shop was right across the street and so…
bristol sunday
27 Monday Sep 2010
Posted in food & drink, friends, restaurants, retail therapy
Tags
Had a lovely Sunday in Bristol with Lizzie. We got up quite late and then enjoyed some coffee before heading out to The Maul and M&S where I stocked up on the basics. Then we took a nice car tour through town and I got to see my old hood and lots of familiar places, and ended up at the waterfront to have lunch and – I was assured – the very best chips in Bristol, at the River Station. And they truly were amazing. Later on we took a walk over to the Avon Gorge Hotel hoping to see the sun set behind the Clifton Bridge, but clouds rolled in and so we headed home for cava and snacks.
This morning I am off to pick up a prezzie for Nog and to visit Lizzie’s Folk House Cafe (can’t wait!), before packing up and getting on the train to Paddington, and then making my way to Heathrow to fly home again. I’ve had a wonderful time – especially meeting with friends old and new – and I hope you’ve enjoyed me sharing my trip with you.
london – bristol
26 Sunday Sep 2010
Posted in food & drink, friends, london, travel, trips
Yesterday I said goodbye to Clare & Joe and their pretty Hackney flat where they really made me feel like home. But before heading off to Bristol, Sara & Steve took me out for my first ever Vietnamese meal – it was amazing! Then they even came with me to Paddington and saw me off so I could be there in plenty of time without worrying about missing my train, and so I wouldn’t be there alone. We had one final drink and chat at a bar there and then I headed out to Bristol, where Lizzie picked me up at the station and took me to her very comfortable house. A couple of old friends were there for a quick visit before heading back to London, so we all had dinner together. Then Lizzie and I sat up drinking wine and chatting until well past midnight. Today we are planning a trip out to the HUGE Marks & Spencer here, but other than that I am happy not to have to plan anything or be anywhere at any specific time … just happy to be here. Haven’t seen Lizzie since the summer of 2001 and it feels like no time has passed at all. It’s so nice to have these couple of days to just relax and catch up before heading back to Sevilla.
casa azahar 