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Category Archives: work

bitesize sevilla

06 Monday Jan 2025

Posted by azahar in culture, food & drink, gastronomy, music, podcasts, recipes, sevilla, spain, substack, work

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

bitesize sevilla, sevilla, substack

bitesize

So remember when I started off the New Year last week by saying goodbye to Twitter and writing my first Substack post? Well, I am just now coming up for air. I had no idea that one post was going to turn into its own publication and brand and open up all kinds of ideas and possibilities. Also Substack is the most unintuitive platform I have ever participated on, and so a lot of time this past week has been spent just trying to figure it out. I think this is because it is trying to be too many things. Aside from being a publishing platform for writers it has various other features such as the aforementioned separate publication option, plus posts, notes and chats (don’t ask). And there is also a podcast option, which I have yet to look at.

As a result of all this STUFF there, there are at least three “HOME” pages and two “SETTINGS”… plus you have to set everything up, which is tricky to do when you can’t remember which home or settings page you need, or even where you last found them on your dashboard. Anyhow, things are pretty much operational now and happily it’s not tricky to navigate simply as a reader, so please have a look if you’d like to… Bitesize Sevilla (two posts up so far!). And if you like what you see you can subscribe for free.

And so how is this different from all the other platforms I am on? Well, I’m glad you asked, because although Substack may seem like more of the same, the hope is that it will start generating some much needed income. Not only because of still being sidelined due to THE KNEE, but also just because it’s exciting to have a new project and do something a bit different. The writing for Bitesize will overlap with my other blogs, websites and social media, but the aim is to create an essential guide to all things Sevilla… all in one place.

For the moment the posts are all free to read as I am getting started by publishing a series of basic info posts, but once I start researching and writing more in depth pieces then people will be able to access those by subscribing to one of the payment options (monthly or yearly). I’m also considering a podcast for a bit later on. My feeling about most podcasts I’ve been listening to is that they’re just too long. I plan to make mine “bite sized”, maybe half an hour. And again, some will be open and others for paid subscribers only. But first things first. I have a LOT of writing to do now and so I’d better get to it!

adios twitter, hola substack!

02 Thursday Jan 2025

Posted by azahar in articles, bluesky, sevilla, social media, substack, work, writing

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

sevilla, substack, writing

substack

New year, new stuff going on. Yesterday I bid farewell to Twitter, or what’s left of it. I’d been cross posting with Bluesky for the past year and a half but until recently I was still interacting more on Twitter. That began to change when Bluesky suddenly exploded in November after the US election. I noticed that even with far fewer followers on Bluesky there was a lot more engagement, and I was meeting a lot of new and interesting people. So it felt like time to move on and yesterday I tweeted for what will probably be the last time.

It’s a bit sad as I have been there so long, first with my Azahar account (March 2007) and then Sevilla Tapas (February 2009), and I’ve had so many great experiences and met so many wonderful people, but it’s also a bit of a relief. Because it hasn’t been Twitter since it was turned into X and, well, it’s time to go.

Meanwhile, I finally took the plunge and published my first Substack post yesterday. I’ve been lurking for ages and I’m subscribed to several accounts there, but so far I haven’t been sure what to do there. And well, I’m still not sure what I’m doing, but I decided if I didn’t get started then I’d just keep putting it off.

Substack is a platform that people use to promote their writing and to also monetise their content. Most offer a basic free newsletter and then “premium content” if you pay a small monthly fee. This is what I’m still thinking about, what I want to write about and if any of it would be considered “premium” by anyone. BUT I do need to move forward with both writing and making a living, especially as I haven’t been able to do the food tours since last summer because of my KNEE.

My good friend Thane Prince, renowned cookbook author and food writer, gave me some encouragement back in November, saying I need to just go for it. When I expressed all the usual insecurities she said… “Doesn’t matter, you can write about Seville, Sherry, Spain. Don’t do yourself down. Charge a modest €6 a month, get 100 folk, job done.” She suggested I could use the next month or so to plan for a launch in January.

And then suddenly it was January and I hadn’t done any planning (!!!) other than in my head. And so that’s why yesterday I just said FUCK IT and went for it. It’s an introductory post but it has made me visible and also holds me responsible to keep my word. And so, if any of you have any idea of what you think I should write about… I’m all ears!

 

sherry lovers unite!

12 Thursday Dec 2024

Posted by azahar in health, health & happiness, sevilla, work

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

health, life changes, sevilla, work

sherry lovers

Such a fun afternoon with these new sherry converts from Austin Texax. They came to me via a friend of a friend who I met here a few weeks ago. My ONLY paid work (so far) for the month of December. I honestly don’t know how I’m going to hold out while I wait (and wait and wait) to get the knee treatment I need so that I can walk – and work – again. It’s been months since I had to give up the walking tours, but I can still manage the sherry tastings as they take place in one spot, so I can hobble there and back again. Unfortunately there isn’t the same demand for tastings as for the tours.

Aside from missing the income… I just really miss THIS. Being me. Being out and about. Meeting and connecting with people, helping them enjoy their time here. And just having fun. For a couple of hours I feel in my element again and can forget about the pain. Anyhow, I’ve been looking for other ways to make a buck for some time now, simply because having all my eggs in one basket is not good for me either practically or emotionally. I wish I could say I had a couple of hot irons in the fire but I’m still stuck, spinning my wheels. Help? Any ideas?

latest decanter article… los baleares

29 Friday Nov 2024

Posted by azahar in decanter magazine, spain, wine, work, writing

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

decanter magazine, spain, wine

decanter nov 24 (2)

Here it is! My latest travel article for Decanter, this one written in tandem with my editor Ines Salpico (she wrote the wine reviews). It actually came out almost a month ago but it was only when Deb brought me a copy from London this week that I was able to hold it in my hot little hands.

Anyhow, it’s about 10 top wineries in the Balearic Islands and I had such a great time researching and meeting so many interesting people. And also getting to know my new editor Ines. I hope I never lose the thrill of seeing my name in print and especially when they stick me on the “experts” page. I am in some very serious company up there, it’s quite an honour.

decanter nov 24
The article should be online soon and you will be able to find it here…
Decanter Articles by Shawn Hennessey

new printer 2024

21 Thursday Nov 2024

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

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

hp printer envy, pinter, sevilla

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…

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