Category Archives: retail therapy

new red sandals!

10 Thursday Apr 2025

Posted by in retail therapy, seasons, sevilla, shoes, shopping

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Here are my wrinkly old feet wearing my brand new red sandals. And omg I am so happy. I haven’t been able to find cute red sandals for YEARS but suddenly there they were at the little shop across from my house. And cheap too. I mean, these are the type of sandals that maybe last one season but that’s just fine by me, especially after the past few years wearing the same (frankly not pretty) black Skechers because I couldn’t find anything else. Really, I was just buying the same model over and over again because I knew they fit and were comfortable. And well, I still have them because they are serviceable (and comfortable) but it’s so nice to have something else that’s cute. And red. And also sooooo nice to finally say goodbye to they tyranny of tights and shoes until next November.

adios m&s

09 Wednesday Apr 2025

Posted by in retail therapy, sevilla, shopping

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I remember when I first moved here and being thrilled to find that there was a Marks & Spencer right next to the main El Corte Inglés. After more than a year in beautiful but eensy Salamanca this felt like the height of cosmopolitan sophistication. Ever since my Toronto days M&S was always THE place for underwear and also comfy clothing in general. Sadly the M&S closed here after a few years and then I used to actually plan trips to Gibraltar to stock up. Then came online shopping – bliss! – and I had a steady supply of knickers and bras at my fingertips. But I dunno… the past few years both quality and selection has suffered, to the point where this week I was actually forced to go out and shop for new bras locally (!!!).

El Corte Inglés of course. Simply because I can take stuff home to try on and return it no questions asked. It was pretty slim pickings there too as I was looking for non-underwired but eventually a helpful salesperson showed me this one and I was sold. Front closure is a bit of a faff but once it’s on… wow, talk about comfortable. Bought one black, one cream and now I’m set for the summer. Sorry to see M&S go, but it seems to have gone the cheap “fast fashion” route, not for me.

papelería ferrer

11 Wednesday Dec 2024

Posted by in architecture, art, history, retail therapy, sevilla, shopping, welcome

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p ferrer

The oldest independent shop in Sevilla (founded in 1856) this gorgeous stationers is a wondrous Aladdin’s cave full of any possible thing you can imagine in paper form. I just popped in for a pedestrian order of a refill for my old agenda and was taken back to not-so-long-ago times when there were several such shops in the city, selling all manner of things. From books to toys, houseware and hardware items, fabrics, art prints and posters, jewellery, fans and shawls, hats and gloves, specialty foods and wines… each small shop brimming with charm and personality and often one-of-a-kind items. Sadly all but gone now as chains take over and push the independents out. Sigh…

papeleria ferrer

new printer 2024

21 Thursday Nov 2024

Posted by in gadgets, internet, retail therapy, sevilla, work

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printer 2024

I guess I got off easy as my previous printer lasted more than 11 years (!) and apparently the usual lifespan for a home desktop printer is 3-5 years (which clocks with others I’ve had before). Well okay, I say it lasted 11 years, but truth is it’s been printing like crap for ages.  What pushed me to look for a new one was that I needed to buy ink again and I saw that, for just 5 euros more, I could get a whole new printer! Not kidding. Also this model takes ink cartridges that cost half of what I used to pay AND it’s Black Friday Week (don’t ask) so it was 30% off. Truth is, I don’t use a printer a lot anymore, but when I need it then I really need it so it’s not a frivolous purchase. Unlike pepper mills, but that’s a whole other story. Stay tuned…

new kipling

26 Thursday Sep 2024

Posted by in retail therapy, sevilla

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kipling 24

Still in “back to school” mode… my every-day Kipling bag (the dark purple one) is about 8 years old now, possibly older, and is looking a bit worse for wear. Then while I was laptop shopping at El Corte Inglés last week I spotted this one and decided the ol’ credit card was already taking a beating so what the heck. The colour doesn’t show up well in this pic, it’s more of a deep raspberry red and it’s perfect. Aside from being cute, Kiplings are also lightweight, full of clever pockets and compartments and – my favourite thing – are machine washable. It wasn’t until I got it home that I realised it’s the same model as Peter’s (!!!) but his is two-toned (moss green with a black strap and contrast zippers) so we won’t totally look like bag twins when we’re out and about together. And now I am putting that card away! Lean times ahead…