Category Archives: wine

gourmet tapas tour review!

04 Friday Nov 2011

Posted by in food & drink, spain, tapas, tapas tours, wine, work

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Remember back at the end of August when I had that freak operation? Well, one of the reasons I was keen to get home and back on my feet was because I had a Gourmet Tapas Tour booked for the following weekend and I really didn’t want to have to cancel it. Nog had helped me out by doing three tours during the week, but this was a Gourmet one and, well, it had to be me.

So that Saturday night – about ten days after the op – I headed out to pick up Lucy and Dave, with my “faja” firmly wrapped around my middle. It turned out that we were “neighbours” as the holiday apartment they had rented was about a three minute walk from my place, and so I was able to let them know about the best places in the barrio for coffee or a quick snack, along with the list I gave them of other wonderful tapas bars that weren’t on the tour. And, in spite of initial doubts about my stamina, I made it through the evening no problem and had a wonderful time. Nog came to pick me up at our last stop – the rooftop bar – and had a beer with us. Then we walked Dave and Lucy back to their place and headed home.

And so I was very pleased the other day when Dave sent me a link to a post he’d written on his blog The Wine Mule about our tapas tour and their other Seville gastronomical adventures. I already knew a bit about these as we’d been in touch by email during the rest of their visit, and a bit afterwards, but it was great to see the photos and read about what fun they had. And of course it was wonderful to read such a glowing account of their tour with me.

Thanks guys – it really was a great night!

impromptu trip to málaga

25 Tuesday Oct 2011

Posted by in Malaga, tapas, trips, wine, work

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The last time I went to Málaga was in August for the Botani vendimia tour. Since then I think I’ve only seen Victoria twice, not really often enough as we still have to finish off a few projects as well as keep the blog and website updated properly. So, as Victoria had no plans to come to Sevilla again soon, and I didn’t have any Sevilla Tapas Tours booked until Thursday evening, this week seemed a good time to make some time to get together.

And so, after a quick phone call yesterday to confirm our Wednesday meeting I went out to buy my tickets and will be leaving for Málaga bright and early this morning on the 7.30 am train! Aargh. I prefer taking the 11 am train, which gets me into town at 2.30, but that means having to wait around, with luggage, until the porter at Manolo’s building gets back from his lunch break – at 5 o’clock – so he can let me in to the apartment.  This way I’ll get there around 10.30 and will have a whole day in Málaga on my own, which will be nice. The plan is to come back on Thursday afternoon, arriving just in time for a Gourmet Tapas Tour.

Quite like this mixing business with pleasure thing!

the nag’s gourmet tapas tour

19 Wednesday Oct 2011

Posted by in food & drink, friends, sevilla, tapas, wine

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[click to enlarge, but only if you’re not hungry]

Last night I had the pleasure of finally meeting the fabulous Marilyn Bellamy (aka Nag on the Lake) and her dashing husband Harold, and taking them out on a tapas tour. That is to say, they thought they were just booking a regular tapas tour back in September, but I had decided to sneakily surprise them with an extra special Gourmet Tapas Tour, which meant I took them wherever I darn well wanted to and hang the expense. And what a great time we had!

Meeting hitherto “virtual” friends in person for the first time is always a bit anxious-making for me. I’m always worried that they may not like me or be shocked at my BIG FAT appearance. But all fears were laid to rest when Marilyn threw her arms around me as soon as we saw each other, and the evening just got better from there. Conversation flowed as freely as the wine, and I felt so at home with these two guys, once again wishing that I knew more people like this in Sevilla.

And so, we visited three very special tapas bars, two traditional and one very modern and chic, with a stop-off in between the last two so Marilyn and Harold could try a glass of my beloved Botani, which they also loved. Nog met us at our last stop and helped us polish off the final tapas – at that point we were just ordering so as to try a bit of everything (we hadn’t had any meat dishes yet!) – as hunger had pretty much left us after the second place where we’d had some excellent fish. But really everything we had was excellent, starting with succulent jamón ibérico de bellota and crumbly manchego cheese with fat garlicky olives, followed by a couple of exquisite tapas. Then we had our “fish course” at a lively bar at the edge of the barrio Santa Cruz before heading back to the centre for some superb designer tapas. In between stops we wandered through the maze of old cobbled streets and I got to show off my beautiful Sevilla.

I am indebted to Harold who, in his wisdom, vetoed the suggestion that – in true Gourmet Tapas Tour style – we finish off with cocktails at swish new Lab4. Marilyn and I were ready to throw caution to the wind and Nog was all “I’m easy!”, but in the end Harold won (yay!) and we wandered over to The Mushrooms so Mr & Mrs Nag could get a taxi back to their hotel.

They’re here until Friday so we may still meet up for a drink and a tapita before they leave – at least I hope so. Can’t remember the last time I enjoyed an evening out so much.

a good evening

11 Tuesday Oct 2011

Posted by in sevilla, tapas, weather, wine, work

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After a very hectic week with nine Sevilla Tapas Tours in eight days (Nog did three of them) it was nice to just relax and spend yesterday evening out walking around. The weather was perfect – still warm enough for sandals but with a lovely breeze – and the streets were pleasantly busy. Lots of people out for tapas.

Actually, my first stop was a “business meeting” with Juan to discuss some new ideas for his Vineria San Telmo blog, though it was really more of a social visit and chat over a glass of Botani. Nog came too as he is becoming more involved with my tapas stuff and it’s good for him to see what I do and to know the people I work with. After a pleasant hour with Juan we were on our way out and I spotted the group of six people I’d taken out the night before having dinner on the Vineria terraza. I went over to say hello and then sneakily got Juan to surprise them with a bottle of rosado from me – the looks on their faces made my day!

After checking to see if an ex-client of mine was at her restaurant (she wasn’t, as usual, which is kind of why she’s an ex-client) we wandered through barrio Santa Cruz on our way to stop number three, Albarama and Puracepa, to speak to the manager who’d asked me to translate their new menus. Then we decided to have a small snack at Puracepa, the amazing ensaladilla and pretty glass of rosado you can see above.

The ensaladilla is always served with these really cool forks that I’ve been coveting for years, so last night I asked the manager if I could buy two of them. He said they were actually running short of them because that design had been discontinued and they can’t get any more. So I said no problem, I’d just swipe a couple the next time I came. And then when I paid the bill Juanma brought my change on a tray with two forks wrapped in a napkin. Ha.

On the way out we ran into Juan Carlos, the owner of Albarama, Puracepa and the fabulous new cocktail bar Lab4, who was sitting outside on the terraza with a group of friends. He called me over to introduce me to the fellow who owns the building that Puracepa and Lab4 are in, saying that he wanted English classes(!!), and he also confirmed that he wanted to get two groups together for Nog’s Restaurant English classes (!!!). Then we chatted a bit with José Manolo (“call me Joseph”), the doorman at Lab4, who is lovely. And I thought – wow, I’m really in like Flynn with this whole gang now! – and all just because I’m chatty and show a real interest in what they’re doing.

It also ocurred to me walking home that I’d just spend my “day off” evening out working! And well, what better work to have than exactly what you’d want to be doing anyhow? This has been a dream of mine ever since I first left home at age 15 and started working – whew! Have finally made it! Now just have to get it to pay a bit better…