Tag Archives: getaways

birthday month

02 Monday Jan 2017

Posted by in birthdays, getaways, travel, trips

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birthday-monthI have been thinking about where to go for a big 60th BIRTHDAY TRIP, since I reckoned that making it to my 7th decade on January 7th was indeed something to celebrate. But my first choice (San Sebastián) fell though because my friend Gabriella is going to be away all month, and one of the main highlights of going to SS would be to hang out with G. And then I thought about Lisbon, but direct flights are difficult to find, so I may hold out on that one until I can go by car. Also, both places are iffy weather-wise in January, especially as I was planning to spend a week wherever I went, and a week in the rain anywhere would not be pleasant.

And so I have come up with a new plan, which is to celebrate my birthday all month long (!!!) with a different overnight getaway each week. Four destinations that immediately came to mind – Cádiz, Ronda, Córdoba, Granada – are all places I haven’t visited for a couple of years (or more) and so I thought this would be a nice way to “catch up”. Also, since I’ll be travelling by train or bus, I can pretty much book last minute, and avoid rainy days.

So… first stop Ronda!  🙂

arte de cozina – menú cervantes

29 Tuesday Nov 2016

Posted by in andalucia, food & drink, friends, gastronomy, getaways, restaurants

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arte-cozina-gangGood times in Antequera with @welovemalaga @svqconcierge @tomatours @thaneprince @larosillacomida. This was the highlight of our very RAINY weekend, meeting up at @artedecozina on Sunday afternoon for Charo Carmona’s La Cozina en Tiempos de Cervantes, recreating dishes from the book of Francisco Martinez Montiño, chef to Felipe III (circa 1611), and paired with local Málaga wines.

We were also thrilled to find out that Charo had just received her first Guia Repsol sun (Spanish equivalent to a Michelin star). Well deserved.

menu-cervantesThe Menu…

  • garbanzo cream
  • fried cod skin
  • aubergine with honey and spices
  • cardoon pastel
  • retinto beef “scotch egg” with quail egg
  • podrida stew
  • tuna and egg omelette
  • pigeon in mandarine sauce
  • almond quesadilla
  • sugar melindre with apple
  • chocolate “lecture”
  • vintage muscat 2015 (white)
  • igualado 2016 (red)

london getaway 2016 | day 8

10 Wednesday Aug 2016

Posted by in food & drink, friends, gastronomy, getaways, london, restaurants, travel, trips

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london day 8This was the second BIG EVENT in terms of friends meeting up for a special meal in the evening, but first I was meeting my friend Thane @thaneprince for a quick bite at Calcutta Street, a new place that has been getting rave reviews.
london day 8 (4)

Unfortnately we found nothing to rave about, the food was plain at best, mediocre at worst. Nothing horrible, just not tasty. And we were served some cloudy Italian “natural” white wine, which didn’t help. Apparently the dinner menu is more extensive – at lunch we only had the choice between 4 wraps. Meh.

london day 8 (1)

Undaunted, Thane took me to a pub just around the corner, built on the grounds of the old Middlesex Hospital. Nothing remains of the hospital other than the church, which is now a freestanding bulding (before it was enclosed within the hospital) and you can see the church from inside Percy & Founders, which is where we went for a restorative glass of “unnatural” wine.

london day 8 (5)

After that I did a bit more shopping and general roaming around, looking for some gifts to take home. And once again I GOT LOST and only just made it in time for dinner at one of London’s newest spots – Pidgin – which offers a set menu (just the one) that changes weekly. On this occasion there were eight of us…

london day 8 (6)

london day 8 (2)John @cityjohn Robin @HERMANOPRIMERO Mark @marcooth Oli @cotedupy (Hugh – not on twitter) Phoebe @plemess Nicola @shedlikesfood

london day 8 (3)Delicious tasting menu, though with cocktails and several glasses of wine we certainly drank more than we ate. We finished the evening at a pub around the corner, which is where things go a bit fuzzy for me, other than the boys putting me into an Uber after the pub closed.