Tag Archives: restaurants

getting misty

14 Tuesday Jul 2020

Posted by in coronavirus, restaurants, sevilla, spain, tapas bars

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,

misty
My friend Thane once joked (?) that whenever she sees these mist jets over terraza tables it makes her think of Legionnaires’ Disease. Personally, I have never liked having water sprayed all over me, my food and drink, my table, which is why I never sit out at places that do this (and anyhow, I almost never sit outside to eat). But when I passed this terraza a couple of weeks ago I wondered aloud on Twitter if this mist could be driving Covid aerosol droplets onto our faces, food, tables, etc.

And then I saw THIS TWEET (and linked article) talking about the real risk of LD being transmitted via tainted water…

Hotels Worry About Legionnaires’ Disease as Buildings Reopen From Pandemic Closures

Smaller hotels face the most risk. They may not have kept water flowing during the pandemic and might have let dangerous bacteria build up in their pipes.

The article talks about hotels, schools, offices and gyms having this possible problem. But no mention of bars and restaurants. Why not? They have also been closed for three months, if not longer, and I don’t know how many – if any – thought to go into their bars and run the water to keep their pipes bacteria free. It seems that 2020 is just one thing after another.

let’s lunch!

13 Monday Jul 2020

Posted by in amigos, food & drink, gastronomy, restaurants, tapas bars, video

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

So we are just a week away from the first Amigo del Día campaign, called Let’s Lunch (Quedamos a Comer!), which I first mentioned to you all at the beginning of June. This is a non-profit initiative started by Chelsea Anton, with the aim of helping to promote independent bars and restaurants around the world as they begin to reopen after the Covid shutdown, and also while they recover.

The idea behind Let’s Lunch has evolved since its inception and is now simply a “challenge” to ask a friend to lunch at your favourite bar or restaurant, take photos and promote them on your social media using the following hashtags: #letslunch #quedamosacomer #amigodeldia. This is a global initiative and so you can take part anywhere you are. For some inspiration have a look at some of the places that have already registered for the event, which will tak place between July 20-30th.

AMIGO DEL DÍA – LET’S LUNCH

If you (or someone you know) have a bar or restaurant and would like to be featured on the Amigo del Día site, there is still time to register.  Meanwhile, who wants to meet me for lunch next week?  🙂

the new (illegal) covid tax

16 Tuesday Jun 2020

Posted by in coronavirus, restaurants, sevilla, tapas bars, welcome

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , ,

covid tasa

You know, there are always the bottom feeders who try to milk every opportunity for everything they can squeeze out of it. Look at this bill from a bar in the Canary Islands, charging a COVID TAX for serving beer. So you know, this is totally illegal, just like the dread Bread & Service Charges that show up on bar bills throughout Spain, and you are not obliged to pay it.

This has been a public service announcement.

amigo del día

01 Monday Jun 2020

Posted by in food & drink, gastronomy, restaurants, spain, welcome

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , ,

twitter header

So a couple of weeks ago my friend, and fellow sherry educator, Chelsea Anthon @chelsea_anthon got in touch to tell me about her new non-profit initiative Amigo del Día. It sounded like a great idea to me, so when she asked if I wanted to help out of course I was happy to get involved. For those of you who don’t know Chelsea, she is the founder and driving force behind Sherry Week, which has helped put sherry wines on the international map.

The idea behind Amigo del Día is to help promote independent bars and restaurants as they begin to reopen after the Covid shutdown, and also while they recover. The first campaign is called Let’s Lunch and it is based on the Spanish lunchtime set menu (menu del día) which traditionally includes a starter, main course, dessert, and beverage. Restaurants can register on the website and upload their own menu del día, which they will offer to the public between July 20-30. Registration is free of charge, as is the all the promotion provided, including material that can be downloaded.

For an extra fee Amigo del Día is offering restaurants the option of a menu app that their customers can access by scanning a QR Code with their phones. This digital menu is free for Amigo del Día participants from now until August 1st.

Within a couple of weeks hungry customers will be able to start searching on the Amigo del Día website for participating restaurants in their city, see the menus and check options available (takeaway, delivery, eat-in). They will also be able contact restaurants directly to either book a table or place orders.

It’s still early days but I remember the early days of Sherry Week too and believe that this initiative has legs. I think it’s a great way of not only helping our favourite bars and restaurants get back on their feet, but also to stay with us. Because the effects of Covid are going to be with us for some time to come. And remember that this is an international affair, so you can also look up great places to eat for once we get back to travelling again. I’m so happy to be a part of this.

If you’d like to help spread the word, and help get your own favourite restaurants involved, get in touch by emailing hola@amigodeldia.org and let them know you’d like to be a part of the Amigo del Día team of global ambassadors.

Meanwhile, you can follow @amigodeldia on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

shawn of the bread update

28 Friday Feb 2020

Posted by in restaurants, sevilla, tapas bars

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , , ,

It’s been almost five years since I was dubbed Shawn of the Bread by my friends Anna & Jorge @guitianmayer, due to my continuing battle against the unfair – and illegal – bread/service charges that first appeared on menus in Sevilla sometime around 2010-2012. I was reminded of this yesterday when Lucy @sparkybakewell & I were out for a drink at our new favourite “penúltima bar” and decided to have a snack. And there it was.

Even though we had sent back the unasked for bread basket we were charged 1€ per person for “service”. Well, they tried to charge us. When I explained to the waiter (lovely young woman really, wasn’t her fault) she took the charge off the bill and instead we left the 2€ as a tip. Because that “service” charge never goes to the staff. It’s simply a way of making extra money – illegally – for doing absolutely nothing. Like an admission fee. Not right. And they count on people not knowing it’s illegal, and also that they won’t make a fuss about it. But they never count on me.  😉

The regulations for this are clearly stated here…
Obligaciones de bares, restaurantes y cafeterías

Los servicios no solicitados no se pueden cobrar. Tampoco se pueden cobrar conceptos como, por ejemplo, reservas, cubierto o mesa.