24 Wednesday Dec 2008
Posted in blogging, food & drink, friends, games, holidays
Sautéed sprouts with pancetta & pine nuts.
Don’t these look fabulous? (click on image to enlarge) They were prepared by the lovely and talented Wandering Coyote as part of a sumptuous solstice feast. You can check out the entire dinner menu on Retorte , WC’s blog of culinery delights (warning: do not go there when hungry).
For those of you who (like Nog) would rather stick hot pins in your eyes than eat a sprout, knock yourselves out with these…
24 Wednesday Dec 2008
Posted in christmas, friends, health & happiness, holidays, home, life stuff
A few last minute Christmas gift ideas …
“… mend a quarrel. Seek out a forgotten friend. Write a love letter. Share some treasure. Give a soft answer. Encourage youth. Keep a promise. Find the time. Forgive an enemy. Listen. Apologise if you were wrong. Think first of someone else. Be kind. Be gentle. Laugh a little. Laugh a little more. Express your gratitude. Gladden the heart of a child. Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth. Speak your love. Speak it again. Speak it out still once again.”
22 Monday Dec 2008
Slow Travelers go to Europe to experience different cultures and lifestyles, but they do it differently than most tourists. Instead of staying in hotels or B&Bs, they stay in vacation rentals – apartments, cottages or houses that you rent by the week. Staying in your own temporary “home”, even if just for a week or two, lets you experience a place more intensely because you get involved in the community where you are staying. You shop for groceries and supplies in the local shops, stop at the same cafe every morning, see the people in your village or neighborhood each day.
About a year ago I was looking at the Live Traffic Feed on Sevilla Tapas and saw that someone had visited from a place called Slow Travel. So I went and checked it out …
05 Friday Dec 2008
It’s that time of year again!
This weekend is the official start of the Christmas season here in Spain. Some of you may recall last year when the residents of casa az elfed themselves. and Nog also made a fine dancing Scrooge. This year you will be entertained by myself and my best friends in Sevilla … (L to R) Pablo, Carmen, Nog and Pipocas.
Above is the Classic Christmas version. This year three new versions are also being offered, which you can see below. 
Be sure to have your speakers on!
(the links stay active until January 15th)
13 Thursday Nov 2008
Posted in friends, health & happiness, holidays, trips
Last month, after I was told I was inoperable and there was no chance of a cure, I was tempted to max out my credit cards and take dream trips to London, New York and the Greek Islands. I was especially wanting to go to London for Christmas, but now that I have been given the chance of having a future again, I’d rather not spend that future being up to my eyeballs in debt. And so, while London is sadly no longer an option, there are some inexpensive travel possibilities that have come up recently . . .
casa azahar 