Tag Archives: friends

debbie love love

15 Wednesday Oct 2025

Posted by in friends, sevilla, social media, tapas, tapas bars

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So I finally got to spend time with Debbie Love Love! We’ve known each other online for years, and have briefly met up twice at two of our mutual friend Jeanine’s (then) bars, but we never really had a chance to sit down and talk until now. A lunch date was set and it HAD to be at Barra Baja in “our corner” at the bar – by chance both Debbie and I have adopted the end of the bar at BB as “ours”, so this time we shared. 

Debbie’s is in the process of ending one chapter of her life and beginning a new one, closing her business Cookie Love Love after 11 years. She is still unsure about what lies ahead but I am sure she’s going to find her new passion before too long. We had a great time talking non-stop for ages and it was great getting to know each other a bit. 

Anyhow… lunch. You guessed it…

It went on a while, ending with a penúlitima at another favourite place, Bar Rioja La Esquina, where we were joined by Jeanine. A good day. 

deb’s in town

09 Thursday Oct 2025

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Deb’s back again for about ten days, between Sevilla and Cádiz, with friends Clare and Nina, whom I know from previous trips, and we made plans to meet for lunch. I asked if they were willing to do some Tapas Research with me and visit somewhere new that I hadn’t been to yet and of course it was Game On. Well, I say new… it just opened last week and it’s the second restaurant of Javi Muñoz (aka The Sherry Chef), whom I’ve known for years. His La Carboná is excellent, so I had high hopes for Amarío and it did not disappoint.

As usual Debs brought me some treats from home, including mince pies (I can freeze them!), a Decanter magazine, and this lovely red post box biscuit tin (full of lovely biscuits) to put up on the Dan Jamón London Christmas Shelf, a  tradition that began with what would be Dan’s last visit here, though of course we didn’t know it at the time.

It was great seeing the girls again and, as usual, we ended up going for a penúlitima afterwards and, as always, it carried on so long that it became clear I was being held hostage (I couldn’t leave without them because I couldn’t carry the bag of treats on my own and they showed no signs of wanting to go anywhere). So I called Peter to ask if he would come and rescue me, which he did, though they made him stay and have a beer. So it was close to 9.00 pm by the time I finally got home from “lunch”, but it’s fun having girlfriends for a day! I miss them already.

euen & sue

07 Tuesday Oct 2025

Posted by in friends, gastronomy, restaurants, sevilla

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They’re baaaack. Back in November 2021 Euen & Sue booked a  Sherry & Tapas Tour (a tour! not a tasting, back in the days when I could still walk) and have been back to visit a few times since then. But in January Euen was planning something special for a big group of his golf buddies (16 in total) and basically wanted to show off his knowledge of great places to eat and drink here, so he got in touch with me to plan a food itinerary. And well, every place I chose for them was a hit, with a couple of them totally new to Euen.

Anyhow, the are back for about a week or so and invited me out to this fabulous lunch at Ivantxú. So nice to see them again and catch up. I think they will also be coming to a special sherry event with me this week, more on that later.

emilio

26 Friday Sep 2025

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I’ve known Emilio Vara Dorado forever… well at least as long as I’ve known the fabulous Casa Moreno (approx 2008 when I finally got up the nerve to walk into what looked like an almost exclusive “neighbours only” spot and, even though I was actually a neighbour, I still felt a bit intimidated). I needn’t have worried. I was immediately made to feel welcome and the Morenos and Emilio have been like family ever since.

Anyhow, it’s Emilio’s birthday today and so, as I had to go to my bank nearby, I decided to hobble over and wish him a happy birthday in person. You may remember him from my previous posts about his lovely personalised “napkin art” (ie handwritten bills) I’ve posted here, and also that time he made a special one for my 30th Sevilla Anniversary.

Well it turns out that 2 pm on a Friday afternoon is not the best time to try and get into Casa Moreno, especially not these days since it’s become an instagram phenomenon (queues of tourists are lined up every opening time). But working my “crutch magic” suddenly everyone was letting me pass to get inside. When Emilio saw me he stopped everything and came over to hold my hands and I wished him the happiest of birthdays. Then we had a little argument about who is the more charming person, me or him (obviously HE is, but he insists I am) and then I had to go. Way too crowded.

With more than 35 years behind the bar Emilio IS Casa Moreno, now into its third generation of the Moreno family. And I don’t know… I just love that I know him. And the Morenos. And all of it.

a day in the life…

17 Wednesday Sep 2025

Posted by in casa azahar, friends, home, sevilla

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Me: I can’t find the new envelopes.
Peter: I didn’t touch them.
Me: They were in your shopping bag.
P: I don’t remember seeing them.
Me: Except you TOOK THEM OUT OF YOUR SHOPPING BAG.
P: Then what did you do with them?
Me: I didn’t do anything, you must have put them somewhere.
P: I don’t remember putting them anywhere.
Two hours later…
Me: I FOUND THE ENVELOPES.
P:
Me: They were in my office drawer. I had already put the cards inside.
P:
Me: Well you still took them out of your bag and put them in the office.

Long long years of two (most of the time) friends living together. And now mostly bumbling along with bad memories, various dodgy joints and other ailments, and almost daily farcical spats. But it kinda works? Like we’re family by now so put up with each other… and even sometimes like each other 😉 To be honest a lot of 65-70+ peeps would probably do better in this set up than being “looked after” somewhere. At least for the moment what one of can’t do the other one can, and vice versa. But if Peter kicks the bucket before me, goddamn I’ll be annoyed! Who will take out the rubbish and drive me crazy a hundred times a day?? And be that one person I can rely on.