Category Archives: friends

out with da boyz

20 Friday Jan 2017

Posted by in food & drink, friends, gastronomy, getaways

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da-boyzGraeme, Peter & Andrew

Where would I be without Twitter? After finally meeting Andrew @undertheflor on our first night in Madrid, we also got to see Graeme @graeme_SoW, who I first met during a social web conference here in Sevilla back in 2010. Andrew had arranged a special lunch at one of his favourite spots, Territorio ERA, in the newly renovated Barceló Market. And then one of my favourite things happened… chef and co-owner David just brought us food – delicious dishes, all paired with fabulous sherries. Didn’t have to think about or decide anything. It was wonderful. Great company too.

territorio-era

adiós christmas!

06 Friday Jan 2017

Posted by in birthdays, christmas, friends, holidays, home, sevilla, spain

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adios-christmasSo no more fairy lights in the orange trees… well, until next December anyhow. The Three Kings came last night and today (Epiphany / Twelfth Night) marks the end of the holiday season. But it is also BIRTHDAY EVE! And boy am I ever excited. 🙂

Tomorrow there will be cava (of course) and a special lunch has been planned (more on that later), then who knows? Very likely a nice late afternoon walk and perhaps meeting up with friends for a drink in the evening. It’ll be quite low-key and lovely. And I will be 60. Wow!

 

hope 2018

03 Tuesday Jan 2017

Posted by in cancer, friends, hope, life stuff

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hope-2018

My first Photohunt entry was on January 3rd 2009 . The theme that week was “hope” and I put up a photo of my battered old daybook turned to January 3rd 2010 with the words “STILL HERE!” written on it. After having just finished a second stint on chemo a few months previously this felt like a very bold thing to do.

Since then I have continued this “tradition of hope” and have posted a similar photo on this date each year. So, as always, here’s hoping that I will still be here next year on this date, and will see this page… and smile just like I did this morning.

25th on the 29th

29 Thursday Dec 2016

Posted by in 25th anniversary, birthdays, friends

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25-29

So I woke up today (December 29th) thinking about my upcoming (60th!) birthday next month and also how next year will be my 25th (silver!) anniversary of arriving in Spain. And I realized that it’s going to be quite a special year in terms of personal milestone moments. And so after visiting the fabulous Murillo-Velasquéz exhibit at Hospital de los Venerables I found myself having a glass of wine at La Azotea (aka The Office) and I decided to start taking this anniversary thing seriously. As in… it was time to plan A PARTY!

So far I have a first draft guest list and a possible venue. But the date was clear – I shall celebrate this very special anniversary on May 29th. I think the actual day I arrived in Spain was May 23rd 1992, though that may have been the day I left Bristol. And as there was no Internet back then, I cannot check back to confirm this. But May 29th is a Monday – great for my friends who own or work in bars and also easier for booking the venue I want. And well really, it’s close enough. And also exactly five months from the day I decided to do this. So there.  🙂

and just like that…

28 Wednesday Dec 2016

Posted by in christmas, food & drink, friends, tapas

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just-like-that-1… they were gone! But not without one final tapeo, finally setting straight the serious omission of Crackburgers in the Cheeky Pigs vast tapas repertoire.
just-like-that-3And of course what tapeo would be complete without a penúltima at one of our usual haunts, the bar at Gourmet Experience?
just-like-that-2

It was a great Christmas and I loved that these guys came down to spend it with me. Hope to see them again soon. xx