Category Archives: friends

pizza party

21 Monday Aug 2023

Posted by in casa azahar, food & drink, friends

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pizza paul (1)

The last time Paul was here we got to talking about the HOT MESS that is my website setup. I mean, it’s ridiculous really but, in my defence, when I first started building self-hosted websites I was learning as I went. But at this point anyone looking at my FTP file manager would just shake their head (as Paul did) and say “what the fuck?”. So, as this is actually his work, I asked him if he could help me with, ahem, tidying things up a bit. At first we tried this via WhatsApp but then decided it would be better to wait until he was back in Sevilla. Which is now!

We decided the best time would be on a Sunday afternoon (yesterday) when things are pretty quiet around here and, as it’s also back up to 42º, nobody really wants to be outside. To make it feel less like work for Paul I said that after we finished we could get some takeaway pizzas and he could help me with one or two of these lovely red wines from Mallorca and Valencia that have been hanging around for a couple of years. I’m more a white wine girl, so having company – the first time having someone over who wasn’t a handyman since 2019! – seemed a good time to crack these babies open.

pizza paul

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they’re back!

10 Thursday Aug 2023

Posted by in food & drink, friends, sevilla, spain, tapas, tapas bars

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ana simon sara (1)

What a surprise this was! Yesterday afternoon I was all cosy in my comfy chair reading National Dish when I get a message from Ana (aka Mrs O) saying they were heading to Lisbon from Sotogrande and decided last minute to stop off in Sevilla for dinner and spend the night. Four hours later Ana, Simon, little O and I were perched on bar stools at Cinco Jotas enjoying manzanilla and jamón and waiting for Casa Morales to open (I called ahead to Morales so when we arrived my usual table was reserved for us).

ana simon sara (2)

Their last visit was in November when they came for a weekend with Ana’s family and a family friend, and I was thinking how great it was to see them again so soon. THEN I found out that they are now living full time in Sotogrande and they’ve even started a new business down there called Collect Corner (check it out if you live in the area) and so we’re practically neighbours now. Anyhow, a lovely surprise and a lovely evening catching up with lovely friends in one of my favourite places. Really made my day!

kim & christian

04 Tuesday Jul 2023

Posted by in friends

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kim christian

About 5-6 weeks ago these two lovelies came out on a Sherry & Tapas Tour with me and another couple and, well, we really clicked. Being from New Zealand of course Kim and Christian were making the most of their time here and there were plenty of spots planned to visit, with a quick return to Sevilla before they went home again. And well, we ended up having lunch together on their last day in Spain. I mean, I knew we somehow had to meet up again, just like I think we are going to meet up again hopefully not too long from now. That rare thing when you feel you are talking with people you’ve known all your life.

Thanks for a fab lunch and a wonderful afternoon guys. See you soon!

hasta pronto nell!

15 Thursday Jun 2023

Posted by in friends, tapas, tapas tours, we love tapas

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nell

This lovely lady has been a part of my We Love Tapas team this past year and almost from day one she started micro-managing me (!!). And I loved it. Seriously this girl kept me on my toes! I loved it because it meant that she took her tasks seriously and she honestly showed a level of dedication and professionalism well beyond her years. On top of all that she’s been a wonderfully charming, knowledgeable and caring host for our tapas tour guests. Everyone who’s met her has sung her praises. So today we had a little lunch out as next week Nell starts on a new chapter of her life for the next year. Missing her already.

Best of luck Nell! I know you’ll excel at anything you put your mind to. And many many thanks to her mum and long-time friend Lynsey @larosilla for bringing us together.

maria m!

05 Monday Jun 2023

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maria m

Maria M is back in town and yesterday we met up for lunch. Maria lived with me at the original Casa Azahar during the summer of 1999 and is here doing research at the Archivos de Indias (just like back in 1999). Wow, talk about a blast from the past. Anyhow, it was great to catch up but some of her memories of our time living together left me wondering if I was even there! This has happened before when meeting up again with ex-lodgers and I think it’s because for them their time in Sevilla was a distinct “time and place” part of their lives, whereas for me, well, I was just living here, and almost always in survival mode. Also, my memory sucks!

It was a lovely afternoon and fun to reminisce over a fabulous Sunday lunch at La Cayetana. Hopefully we’ll be able to get together again before she goes home.