Category Archives: welcome

out and about

21 Tuesday Jul 2020

Posted by in gastronomy, restaurants, sevilla, spain, tapas, tapas bars, welcome

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out and about (1)
Have decided to try and get out and about once a week to visit my friends and their bars and restaurants. This was basically the idea behind the Patreon page, and so far I’ve got 4 patrons! So this money will go directly into keeping Sevilla Tapas alive, allowing me to keep it updated. But it also means I get to see my friends! Bonus.  🙂

On this outing I stopped in at Lama La Uva to see Ana Linares and enjoy a glass of manzanilla while catching up on all her news. And she had plenty! That gurl does not stay still. She hinted at a new project that she says she can’t talk about yet, a bit like naming your baby before it’s born. Meanwhile, she has expanded the menu at her second location Lama La Uva Sol, so I will have to get back there soon. Ana has been active all throughout the lockdown, offering online wine tastings and home delivery. She’s an unstoppable force of nature that one.

out and about (2)

Next stop was lunch at the recently reopened Lalola Restaurante, run by chef Javi Abascal in the spectacular courtyard of the boutique Hotel Conde de Torrejón. Speaking of unstoppable forces of nature… Javi (aka El Rey de la Casquería) is a social media monster and reopened last week with a bang, with a new menu, organised tasting menu events and a take-away option.

As always, the food was exceptional and the courtyard is bright and airy, so proper social distancing of tables is not a problem. The only sad bit was not being able to get the usual Javi bear hug, one of my favourite hugs in the city.  😉

out about

  • Succulent tuna belly with tangy tomate frito
  • Sautéed rabbit kidneys with mushrooms, potatoes, reisling sauce
  • Abanico Ibérco, grilled to crusty tender pink perfection
  • Silky buttery dijony mash

haircut!

08 Wednesday Jul 2020

Posted by in casa azahar, hair, lockdown, sevilla, welcome

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haircut
Today was the day! My first post-lockdown haircut (last one was on February 20th in case you want to know). Anyhow, my hair was well below my shoulders, something I don’t think has happened since I was in my twenties. And although I dyed it at home last month it was really in need of a trim. But even with hair salons taking precautions I was a bit put off with the idea of sitting in a room with blowdried air flying all around the place.

But then today I was on my way home from a couple of meetings (more on those later) and when I passed by my hairdresser’s there was nobody inside! So I took advantage of the moment, got a quick cut, told my guy I would let it air dry on the way home, and that was that. So I guess I’m good now until October.  🙂

la vida sin besos (life without kisses)

07 Tuesday Jul 2020

Posted by in coronavirus, culture, films, sevilla, spain, welcome

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More Ennio Morricone from Cinema Paradiso… a montage of all the kisses that were cut out of film scenes by the fervent village priest, later spliced together for an unforgettable cinematic moment (floods of tears every time I watch it).

Life without kisses…

And I’m not talking about romantic kisses, though I do miss those too. The other day someone mentioned on Twitter that one of the BEST THINGS to come out of Covid was that she would no longer have to go through the trauma and social awkwardness of having to greet people with the Spanish “air kiss” on two cheeks. I should point out that she is British living in Spain, so the whole kissing thing has never felt natural to her. Then other Britsh expats chimed in saying much the same thing. Not me though.

I LOVE kissing everyone I meet! For me this is one of the BEST THINGS about living in Spain and very sadly for me it has come to a stop, at least for the foreseeable future. Though I have seen people in the street greeting friends with kisses, and even removing masks to do so. It’s like they can’t help it. For me it’s always been more awkward when someone sticks out their hand for me to shake. Like, eeeeeeewwww… I have no idea where that hand has been. Because let’s face it, a cheek is not going to come into physical contact with as many gross options as a hand does throughout the day.

How are you greeting people these days?

 

 

lights galore!

01 Wednesday Jul 2020

Posted by in casa azahar, home, sevilla, welcome

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lights galoreWell this is exciting! I have lights in my bathroom again. Brand new LED nice bright white ones. This was a bit of a saga because one of the old ones burnt out (or so I thought) quite some time ago. I tried changing the bulb but it still wouldn’t work, so my landlord sent over his handyman and I was told the connector needed replacing and he’d be back. As I say, that was awhile ago, and then one by one the bulbs started dying, until I only had two left. I thought that at this rate I’d soon by showering by candlelight.

Pablito had said he would change them for me (he had already come over to fix a faulty socket that had blown up my hairdryer) but then LOCKDOWN happened. Anyhow, today was finally the day and my landlord once again sent Antonio (AKA Tony Black Hands) to replace all the lights. I was concerned that he wasn’t wearing a mask, but he did take off his shoes as requested, and I kept my distance (and then spent two hours disinfecting the bathroom). I guess because there’s not much else going on I am feeling way too thrilled about having new lights. And tomorrow I will paint the bathroom ceiling because, well, Tony Black Hands.

Also just signed a new contract for Casa Azahar, so I am really feeling safe and happy in my lovely home. Except now I need 😎 to go into the bathroom.