bar lento

Tags

, ,

bar lento

Last July I finally got to meet Sarah and Ian in person. Sarah and I had been online pals for years so it was great to finally get together and go out on a full-on Sherry & Tapas Tour. At the time Sarah was telling me about her plans to open a tapas bar in Winchester, UK called Bar Lento. And guess what? It opened in May! And by all accounts it’s going very well, with locals and visitors alike showing an interest. So this most recent trip back was to do a little research and hook up with some sherry suppliers. And I was very happy they made some time to meet up for lunch during their quick visit. We started off at Taberna Manolo Cateca (Sevilla’s sherry temple) and then went to one of my new all time faves Augurio. A fabulous afternoon.

If you’re in the Winchester area, check out Bar Lento.

staycation (stage 2)

Tags

,

stacation 24 pt 2

After buying that cool veg chopper yesterday I realised that not only was it really going to up my food prep game, it was also going to help with stage 2 of my Staycation. This was the same moment that I realised there was actually going to be a stage 2. I think this is kind of the “transition week”. Who knew?

Since the Staycation officially began on July 8th I haven’t missed one daily chair workout, and I have to say I’m a bit proud of myself about that. Because it’s now to the point where the day wouldn’t feel right without one and that’s kind of what I wanted to happen. It’s how things used to be. Am also getting a walk in most days, though this is getting more difficult because my damn knee is getting worse by the day, so walking is no longer a pleasure (basically it hurts like fuck).

Anyhow, this means that after this week I still have four more weeks (Staycation officially ends on September 1st). This doesn’t mean I haven’t been working. I spend several hours a day on my websites and social media, updating stuff, editing photos, creating content etc. It just means I’m not doing work I’m being paid for, which was the work I needed time off from. I already know this was important, though still vague about what, if anything, will come of taking this break. And although I really can’t afford to be doing this financially I also can’t afford to not do it.

And so next up after getting myself hooked on the workouts… some diet changes. I have already made a few, and I’m still taking the fish oil and vitamin supplements. What I’m going for is another “habit”… a way of eating that feels just as natural in my daily life as the new workout routines do now. So this “transition week” I am working towards getting that started, and also having fun with it.

Don’t get me wrong, I eat well, always fresh food, nothing over-processed, etc. And no, I am not out eating tapas every day (that’s the magic of social media). But after multiple operations, chemo-menopause-ageing etc my weight increased without me changing any habits. I wasn’t eating more or doing less. And so now, instead of feeling a bit helpless about all this, as I have felt these past 15 years, I am motivated to find what works for me. So let’s see what August brings. How’s your summer going?

pico de gallo time

Tags

, ,

chopper

Getting a bit hooked on Instagram recipe reels lately, so much so that I now have a whole list of links in a file for me to get back to (eventually). Most of the ones that catch my eye tend to be vegetarian (?) but the other day I came across one for simple pan-grilled squid with pico de gallo. If you don’t know pico de gallo it’s a chunky “sauce” traditionally made from finely chopped tomato, onion, red & green peppers, with salt, olive oil, lime juice, and fresh cilantro. And it’s delicious. Anyhow, I was both looking forward to and dreading making this squid dish because I have no patience for dicing veg. And then I remembered having an “onion chopper” back in Toronto and wondered if they still made them, or something similar. And look what I found at trusty El Corte Inglés. On sale too! Now just have to find some shelf space…