09 Monday Nov 2020
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I am virtually visiting Mallorca over the next week or so, and so far it’s been quite interesting. If you’ve been there and have any stories to share, especially about wineries and great places you’ve visited, fun experiences you’ve had, let me know. š
02 Monday Nov 2020
Posted in sherry, sherry week, spain
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Yay, #SherryWeek is here at last! And since this is 2020 it will be a largely virtual affair, so this week I am going to take you through one of my Sherry & Tapas tastings, one wine per day (7 in total) with some of my favourite pairings. Hope this gives you a little inspiration for trying sherry as it was meant to be enjoyed, with good food and good friends.
Follow me on Instagram to see the pairings this week. And feel free to ask any questions about the wines and the food. Ā”Salud!
30 Friday Oct 2020
Posted in casa azahar, change, coronavirus, covid, home, lockdown, lockdown sevilla, sevilla, spain
āSorry for the inconvenience,
we are doing the impossible to open as soon as possibleā
Since Sunday we have been put back into a State of Emergency, which apparently will last through to next May, though it’s not a total lockdown like in March and the situation will be reviewed every two weeks. This time there is a curfew between 11 pm and 6 am, which means bars and restaurants had to start shutting at 10 pm from last Sunday evening. We were told that regional governments (we have 17 of them) would have the option to move the curfew start time one hour either way.
And so while we were waiting for the first two weeks to pass and everyone was busy complaining about not being able to go out LIKE WE USED TO (I soooo want to just slap these people) we found out on Wednesday that beginning today (Friday) various municipalities throughout Spain would be shut in, meaning there would be no travel allowed in or out save for the following exceptions: to work, study, receive medical care, or care for a family member.
26 Monday Oct 2020
Posted in casa azahar, coronavirus, covid, home, hope, sevilla, spain
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I remember when I used to like Mondays because l loved my job, enjoyed my life. I always loved that āfresh new weekā feeling, so full of possibilities. But now Monday is just a reminder that another week has passed without work or friends or plans. I mean I need a plan at least, in order to have some hope again.
And okay,Ā l do have some plans, but not any l can move forward with at the moment (so l need new plans). And l have friends, but l canāt see them, or when l do, l canāt hug them. And the financial stress situation doesnāt allow me the luxury of boredom. Anyhow, Iāve never been good at being bored. So I am in a constant state of WHAT TO DO NEXT?? without being able to do much. Other than try to come up with a plan.
Thing about making plans is that, wāhen youāre out and about in the world meeting people and doing things, other stuff often happens as a result, and inspiration or luck can be around the next corner. āTrust me, I now know every corner of this apartment better than I ever wanted to and… nada. There’s nothing waiting around any of them.
Anyhow, Iām sure if it was Tuesday l wouldnāt be feeling like this.Ā š
I just miss my old Mondays, which then reminds me how much Iām missing everything else. And learning yesterday that weāll be in lockdown now until May… ufff.
Today was also a turning point when I learned that a friend of mine in Sevilla has Covid. Symptoms and all. It’s the first time someone I actually know has come down with the virus. Until now it’s been someone’s friend, family member or co-worker. But this is my friend. Someone I love very much. And so now it’s personal, Covid. Fuck you. And also fuck every anti-masker and idiotic herd immunity whack job, because you are why things have gone this far, and for so long. I despise you all.
How’s your Monday going?
19 Monday Oct 2020
My PA Morcilla loves sitting on my shoulder while I sit at my desk “pretending” to work. And she makes sure that we don’t start netflixing until at least 7 pm. š
Truth is, I am working. Just not getting paid for it atm, so in that sense it’s kind of pretend work. I keep updating Sevilla Tapas, and my various social media accounts. I’m staying in touch with people in the biz and am working on getting a couple of new projects started. And I’m helping out my many friends with tapas bars by promoting them as much as possible.
Frankly, I’m worried about losing my home (don’t tell the cats!) since my landlord has not made any offer to lower my rent. The thought of moving (where?? how??) is too stressful to even consider at the moment. I see so many FOR RENT signs up in my street and around town, that have been up for months. You’d think my landlord would prefer to lower my rent than end up with an empty apartment for six months, or maybe longer. But all he has said to me is that if I want to move then that’s fine with him.Nice, huh?
Thing is, moving for me isn’t just an inconvenience. It rips me apart, because for me my home is my refuge and I really work hard to make each place I live in feel like that. In the case of the present Casa Azahar, it took almost a year after moving in before things were set up “just so” and I really felt at home. Okay, there are a few changes I’d still like to make, but present circumstances prevent that. But it’s actually the place I have felt the most at home in my 27 years in Sevilla. The thought of having to leave this home… honestly I can’t even think about it. It’s just too upsetting.
So I don’t know. Each day is another day. And starting today I am going to begin with self-isolation again. Our Covid numbers in Sevilla and AndalucĆa are WAY UP THERE, and with Madrid and Granada now shut down, it seems we will be next. But you know, I thought I’d get ahead of the game and shut myself down to stay safe, because for sure once our government gets around to doing this it will already be at least a week or two too late.
Today a friend told me his brother may be dying of Covid in the UK. And another friend in Sevilla has told me they had to shut down their bar because one of the staff has tested positive. These are my first “first hand” experiences, from friends who are suffering through this personally. They are not statistics. They are my friends.
And while shut downs are not the answer for many reasons, until we have a proper testing and tracking system in place, what other option do we have? And seriously, don’t get me started on the “herd immunity” idiots who don’t care who else dies because they want their old lives back.
What are we going to do? My cancer training has me just focusing on the day to day stuff… but I really want to do more. Don’t you? Also, we need to stop thinking about GETTING OUR OLD LIVES BACK. Because that just isn’t going to happen, esp since our old lifestyles were in part what created the situation that we find ourselves in now. And so, now what?
casa azahar 