Category Archives: home

I give in!

15 Wednesday Jun 2011

Posted by in home, sevilla, summer, tapas, twitter, weather, work

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It’s too darn hot…

And yes, I know it’s not nearly as hot as it’s going to get (and bear in mind that when it says it’s 36º it’s usually a good 5º hotter than that in the centre of town) but Nog and I just got back from his first “dress rehearsal” Sevilla Walk, with our twitter pals @annalibera and @jorgeguitian, and I finally put on the AIR CONDITIONING. Because I can.

And man, does it ever feel good. Even taking the inside temp down from 31 to 28 feels amazing, especially after a nice cool refreshing shower. But I mostly did this because when I got in I saw that Azar had thrown up on my bed (just “water” but all over the clean sheets I’d just changed last night) and then I found him hiding underneat the bed  looking decidedly floppy. So I decided he needed a little cool down time, during this hottest part of the day.

I had hoped to hold out until July, but oh well. I shudder to think what every hour of centrally cooling down all 90 square metres of this place will cost, but I reckon that an hour at lunch time and an hour in the evening before bed should help get us through the worst of it. And I have to say that it feels so luxurious to be able to come home and be comfortable! I expect to feel just as amazed next winter when I don’t have to wear four layers and shiver in front of a space heater. Now I just have to figure out how to pay for this luxury.

To wit… the first run of Nog’s Sevilla Walk went well. Still some editing and fine tuning to do, but over-all I think Anna and Jorge enjoyed themselves. Afterwards we had some great tapas at La Giganta. Cheap too! All that food and two drinks each for just 8 euros a person…

first casa az bbq

12 Sunday Jun 2011

Posted by in food & drink, home, wine

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Had the first (but definitely not the last) rooftop BBQ at casa az last night. In fact we started a bit too early (8pm) and it was still pretty hot up there so I had to bring out an electric fan to cool off a little. But I’m getting ahead of myself…
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I have a bbq!

02 Thursday Jun 2011

Posted by in food & drink, home, retail therapy, summer

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The deed is done … I have bought a BBQ.

I had wanted one with a lid, as friends told me that I would then be able to BBQ things like legs of lamb and whole chickens, but the store I went to this morning (long bus ride out to the burbs) mostly had the typical open style ones. At first I had my eye on this covered one, but not only was it expensive (110€) it seemed more like a BBQ oven, was kind of small, and you couldn’t adjust the grill height. Then I thought I wanted this one for 50€ because it had a nice cart attached to it, a grease catcher and air vent, and was on wheels. But no lid. In the end I went for the cheapest one on offer. It cost 15€, is basically a large metal bowl on a tripod, and will probably not last the summer. Or it may last ten years.

The reason for going with this very basic “starter model” was because it occurred to me that I have no idea if I’m going to end up even using the thing much. I mean, I love food cooked on the BBQ and I love the concept of cooking outdoors and enjoying meals up on the terraza. But how often will I actually do this? What with having to lug everything upstairs, then deal with all that messy charcoal and the even messier cleanup.

So I think it makes sense to spend this first summer with a terraza using a cheap basic model to discover what my BBQ habits will end up like. I mean, it’s going to do the job for simple things like meat, burgers, ribs, sausages, kebabs, etc. If I find it lacking then I’ll look for something better either next year or during the summer sales.

Also, because it only cost 15€ I could also get a new microwave (49€) and an extra fan (needed for the small bedroom), all of which will be delivered tomorrow morning. Along with a big bag of charcoal. I’m thinking the first BBQ will be on Sunday – join me?

enough!

29 Sunday May 2011

Posted by in home, sevilla

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So this is the sight I came home to this evening…

This is the same bar in my building that recently reopened after having been closed for years… the same bar that caught on fire in the middle of the night and sent all of us outside clutching our most treasured possessions. And the same bar that promised they would be serving tapas and be a “family style” place. Bullshit. It’s a cheap drinks bar and they reopened (again) this week, after doing repairs from the fire.

Well, I’m not having it. Don’t get me wrong. I used to love the “hum of humanity” sound from all the tapas bars on my old street, and even found it comforting. Listening to people chatting and enjoying good food and conversation. But those bars all closed by midnight and the bar owners made sure they cleaned the outside areas. Trust me, the sound of young hipster types drinking to excess is not pleasant, and the mess they leave behind is appalling.

This bar owner also has the sleazy after-hours bar just down the street, which is so tiny that everyone ends up taking their drinks outside, mostly under my bedroom window – from 6 to 9am! – which is irksome beyond belief. It’s not been too unbearable up till now as I’ve had the double-glazed windows closed. But basically, I’ve had enough. I’ve spoken to the bar owner and clearly nothing is going to be done as all he seems to be able to say in his defense is that he has a licence.

I happen to know that he does not have a licence to make noise all night and disturb the neighbours so I am starting to organise the neighbourhood to sign a petition and take it to city hall. Enough!