Category Archives: retail therapy

plugged in and protected

05 Saturday May 2018

Posted by in friends, iphone, retail therapy, shopping, twitter

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

The other day I read an article on my friend Ana’s (aka @MrsOAroundWorld) blog about essential iPhone accessories. When I first got my fabulous new iPhone X for my birthday I put off getting a screen protector because I am always so careful with my phones and couldn’t see how it would protect against anything but scratches. It was actually when Ana & Simon were here in March, and Ana told me she had already dropped her iPhone X twice, shattering two screen protectors (rather than the screen itself), that I was convinced it would be a good idea to get one. But which one?

Ana to the rescue once again with this article. I got the protector she recommended and also this other very handy accessory so I can still use normal headphones on the phone (and keep it charged). Since I only use headphones while travelling it didn’t make sense to splash out on wireless AirPods (180€!!!). I may also get the phone case mentioned in the post, but at least for now I am plugged in and protected. Thanks Ana!

diy pedi

20 Friday Apr 2018

Posted by in gadgets, health & happiness, retail therapy

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

,

While still on the lookout for a recommended place in Sevilla to get a professional pedicure I came across this baby on sale (30% off!) so I decided what the heck. Tried it last night and, although still a ways to go before my heels are “velvet smooth” (you’re not supposed to sand off too much at one time), it does seem to be doing the job. Anyone else have one of these?

table on the side

24 Saturday Mar 2018

Posted by in casa azahar, ipad, retail therapy, shopping

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

, ,

I admit it’s not my best habit, but I almost never sit at the table when I eat. Meals at home (unless I have company) are more likely to be snacky things, eaten either at my desk or sitting in my comfy chair with feet up while netflixing. Except I didn’t have a comfortable side table for doing this… until now! And look, it isn’t even IKEA. I needed an actual screwdriver to put it together.  😉 (that’s a stock photo by the way, not my sofa or books).

Anyhow, it’s practical and even has a little slot designed to hold an iPad. Which will come in handy if I ever start reading ebooks. But that’s it for furniture now… no more space – or need – for anything else.

post-ikea cañas

16 Friday Mar 2018

Posted by in retail therapy, sevilla, shopping

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

These post-IKEA cañas were much needed after another long (and largely fruitless) trip out to Tomares. In fact, the bus ride only takes 10 minutes, but there’s the hike to the station, and also to the store once you get there. This time I was armed with a LIST and was determined not to waste any time. Ha. It turned out that the tray-table I wanted looked quite different in person than it did online, so I ended up not getting it. And – even worse – the frying pan I bought for my new inducción cooker will have to be returned (long story, and even a longer trip just to return something).

My original plan had been to bus there and taxi back, using Cabify (thanks to Cinta for telling me about this service). But after not getting the table it didn’t seem worth getting a taxi, so we opted for the bus back, which of course we missed by 30 seconds and ended up having to wait half an hour for the next one. Which is where these beers came in, after arriving back in Sevilla. On the way home I said – as I always do – that I never wanted to go to IKEA again. But somehow we forget between trips how exhausting it is, plus there’s that damn frying pan I have to take back…

market targetting

02 Wednesday Aug 2017

Posted by in home, retail therapy, sevilla, spain

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, ,

This was not a good day. And not JUST because I had to go back to IKEA 😉 , but because things got off to a weird start and then got positively exhausting.

Woke up with tons of things to do in the new Casa Azahar, and also had errands to run before a lunchtime biz meeting. Errands such as going back to Emasesa (the water company) to change the contract to my name… FOR THE THIRD TIME. I had kept forgetting this or that document, but finally I was all prepared and got the deed done. While I was there I was told that there was a last-minute opening to “empadronar” (register for the census) which is necessary to prove how many people live at my home, and which is also important because the more people living at a dwelling means you get a cheaper water rate. BUT, I had the biz meeting planned so had to forfeit the appointment – next opportunity won’t be until September, and so until then I’ll be paying a higher water rate.

Got to the meeting point early and – not having had breakfast – ordered a tapita to keep myself going. But when the person I was meeting arrived, I was told our meeting was cancelled. So I not only didn’t get the meeting, I lost a chance to “empadronar” (and save money on my water bill!), and also ended up on a bus to IKEA at the worst possible time of day (for taking a bus – HOT).

Finally got to IKEA and somehow it took ages, even longer than my previous visit, when I bought half the store. I think I was just so disheartened about how the day had been going that everything felt like like a massive chore. There was no joy in any of it. In fact, I ended up forgetting a couple of the things I’d gone there to buy, but at least I got the most important thing – a nice storage unit to act as a pantry for the extra stuff that won’t fit in the kitchen cupboards.

Then home again… blazing heat… long wait at the bus stop… was EXHAUSTED when we finally got back to Sevilla. And so on the way home we stopped in for a snack at a place near the new house that I hadn’t been to in years, and that cheered me up. The guys were so friendly, the food was nice, we had some wine…

Anyhow, I also took this photo while at IKEA, which I found amusing. A dressing room display replete with feria flamenco dresses. So very Sevillano that it made me smile. They say that moving house is right up there STRESSWISE with having a death in the family. God knows it’s been a crazy few weeks, and at times I’ve felt stressed beyond what I thought I could handle. So it’s important to find those little things that make you smile.

downsizing???

21 Friday Jul 2017

Posted by in casa azahar, cats, home, retail therapy, sevilla

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , ,

For someone who is supposedly DOWNSIZING I sure bought a whole whack of stuff at IKEA today. Though as you can see, most are storage-type items, which will help at the newer, smaller Casa Azahar. And I did really need a new sofa, and so found a very simple one that I could make as “cat-proof” as possible, without arms (aka scratching posts) and easy to cover (PROTECT) with a nice cotton throw. It’s a sofa-bed too, so I can still have friends stay over. The only splash out was the new ergonomic wheelie office chair. Man is that thing comfy!

Another thing I discovered today at IKEA… if you are sending all your stuff by IKEA Transport you can go to an info-desk on your way out, show them everything you want to buy, and they will put it all on one bill for you. Including all the little (kitchen/bathroom etc) stuff you bought, and want sent with the big order items, which gets left at the info-desk for pick-up. AND THEN… you go to the cashier, pay for your stuff, and walk away.

I couldn’t believe it. No schlepping through the self-service aisles looking for your flatpacks, then painfully loading them onto the trolley, eventually arriving exhausted at the check out, and then having to go over to the Transport Department and organize the delivery. None of it! I was so happy. Well, until I was at the check out and saw that they actually charge 16€ for this “pick up” service (wtf?). At that point I couldn’t say no, but I also didn’t actually want to. For 16€ I saved myself from at least another hour of IKEA HELL and was outta there in record time.

But I mean, why even charge for this? If I’d ordered everything online I wouldn’t have been charged a “pick up” fee. At least, I don’t think so…

Anyhow, it was all fine. And for what I need now, IKEA works. Practical, affordable, and often quite cute designs (LOVE my new wheelie chair). AND… it will all arrive at the new Casa Azahar tomorrow morning.

drunk shopping!

20 Saturday May 2017

Posted by in retail therapy, sevilla, shopping, wine

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

,

You know how it goes… you have that one extra glass of wine at lunch and then on your way home you see something in a shop window that catches your eye. Luckily it wasn’t shoes (that never works out well – tipsy feet are much less fussy than sober ones) but these super cute, and totally unnecessary plates. Actually it’s a fish dinner plate, a fish soup bowl, and two smaller plain blue plates in between. They make me smile. What’s the best/worst thing you’ve ever bought while under the influence?