Tag Archives: sevilla

josé andrés

26 Wednesday May 2021

Posted by in tapas, tapas bars, tapas tours, we love tapas

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So there I was just doing the usual last week when I got a call from José Andrés asking about We Love Tapas and whether I was hiring guides. Well, up until then I had no plans re: rebooting WLT. I had been thinking about possibly starting with my own Sevilla Tapas Tours in September, depending on how things went during the summer re: Covid. But suddenly there was this guy saying he was vaccinated and ready to go, and in fact had already started doing some tours with another company. So we agreed to meet up and, well, say hello to my new WLT guide manager.  🙂

Today we had a tapas tour walk-through so I could introduce him to the bars, show him the route, etc. I’ve decided to start with the Traditional Tapas Tour and maybe start offering some of the others in Sept-Oct. Meanwhile José is going to contribute his ideas for tours (he has a lot!) and hopefully we’ll be incorporating them into WLT too.

So many coincidences with JA. He’s was born in France (parents from Sevilla) but raised in Canada (Montreal) later working in the fashion biz in Toronto, so we know a lot of the same people. I mean, talk about a small world. Plus he’s about 5 years younger than me, so not a “kid”, which is also refreshing. And he’s so full of energy – it’s great spending time around him. Anyhow, wish us luck. Since last week I’ve already booked one tour for late September. Yay!

about last night…

25 Tuesday May 2021

Posted by in sevilla, spain

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setas light show

I can’t even remember the last time I went out after dark. But yesterday I had spent all day inside (when I really wanted to go out) working on a possible reboot of We Love Tapas (watch this space!). So then about 9 pm I was still restless and got to thinking about recent photos I’d seen of the Setas lit up all deep cobalt blue and thought that was actually worth getting dressed and going out to see. Also, I quite fancied a cold beer. Well, instead of deep blues I got plaid! And an actual non-stop light show with the colours flashing and moving all over the place. Not sure how I feel about it yet, but hey it was something different.

alex update

21 Friday May 2021

Posted by in welcome

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So remember me telling you about my friend Alexandra del Bene’s crazy and wonderful new mural project the other day? Well, I had to go and see for myself how she was getting on. Turns out I showed up on the first day of actual painting. Previously the walls of these fifteen buildings had been freshly painted white to create her “canvases” and then, for each mural, one of her paintings is projected onto the wall at night (by Alex’s friend Fran), and she traces out the basic outline before starting the actual painting. Seeing it up close like this just floored me. I mean, the amount of work, the fact that Alex will spend all this time up in a cherry picker when it’s 35º in Sevilla… the sheer effort being put into of all this incredible.

The buildings are facing the Port and are mostly house university students. Apparently the paintings should last about four years and, with some upkeep, as long as eight. But what happens after this herculean task is finished is out of Alex’s hands. Apparently it’s also up for a Guinness Record.

Anyhow, I walked over to the site… a good hour’s walk from home (I’m still not using public transit). And I stupidly didn’t leave early enough so I got there when it was already super hot, BUT I also got there when Alex was finishing for the day and so we went out for a beer and a chat. I’ll be keeping an eye on this and visiting during its various stages of completion. But next time will leave early in the morning.

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it’s always something

18 Tuesday May 2021

Posted by in casa azahar, home

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spring spruce up

So after doing some spring time sprucing up this past week – cleaning the AC filter (don’t ask), storing away winter bedding, stuff like that – THIS happened. Happily my landlord is on the case and not only will I be getting a new water heater this week, but also a bright shiny LED ceiling light for my kitchen, replacing the old horrible fluorescent fixture.

This guy is really the best landlord I’ve ever had in Spain. Something goes wrong, he fixes it. No questions, no problems. And as a bonus he told me last week that he’s happy to have me stay on for another year, and even longer. He was kind enough to put my rent down a bit recently, though now that the State of Emergency is officially over and my contract date is coming up (July), it’ll probably go back to the original rate. Fair enough.

I love this place so much. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s attractive and comfortable, and it’s also the best home I’ve had here.  Fingers crossed I can keep on living here for a long long time.