Tag Archives: sevilla

sherry & tapas at t

07 Wednesday Oct 2020

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sherry at t

So this is exciting! This past weekend I got together with brothers Ricardo & Javi, who run the fabulous Restaurante ConTenedor in Sevilla, to try a new venue for my Sherry & Tapas Tastings. You may recall they also opened a very unique space just over a year ago, simply called T, and this is where we held the event. There were six lovely people from the UK attending, all friends travelling together, who had initially asked me for a tapas tour. But as this is just not possible at the moment I suggested a sherry tasting and they went for it. And they were so lovely! I can’t tell you how good it felt to get “back in the saddle” again, after not having worked in almost 7 months. Well, if you can call it work. For me it’s always so much fun doing this (same with my tapas tours) that I can’t believe how lucky I am to have work I love so much.

Anyhow, this group was amazing, so inquisitive and open to anything, and the tasting went so well that I was keen on working out a way we could do more. Like me, Ricardo & Javi have been feeling the loss of tourism in the city, especially as a lot of their regular clientele tend to be visitors. So we have come up with this new offer and I couldn’t be more delighted. Luckily International Sherry Week is just around the corner and this gives us another platform to let the world know about us.

And so we now have Sherry & Tapas at T, which really is a unique sherry tasting experience. I first met Ricardo many years ago at ConTenedor, and later Javi when T first opened. But somehow if feels like we were meant for each other, kindred spirits. So wish us luck! 🙂

sherry t (2)

lola por dios

02 Friday Oct 2020

Posted by in 2020, friends, sevilla, tapas

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I am amazed at the number of new tapas bars and restaurants that have opened in Sevilla since we began our lockdown “de-escalation” at the end of June. This is optimism in the extreme, and of course I support it, but there is also a bit of trepidation there, hoping they will succeed in spite of the odds. I know that in some cases the restaurants had already invested in opening in the spring, so it’s now either make or break time. Others, like these crazy guys, looked for new ways to expand on what they already had going here, and make it even more fun and interesting.

I give you (L-R) Jota, Juan, Miguel and Esteban standing in front of their newly opened Lola Por Dios. I took this photo the day before the opening and, as usual in these cases, it looked like they would never be finished in time. But of course they were, and were immediately supported by friends and other happy locals looking for a nice place to enjoy amazing wines and Esteban’s singular sherry-based vermouths, along with delicious traditional tapas. Lola por Dios has been going for years, but this past year or so has also been going through some changes. It was a bold move to change locations and to also create this quirky “taberna vertical” with the bar distributed over four floors, with a small terrace outside on the pedestrian street.

Good luck my darlings! xx

la puerta de jerez

29 Tuesday Sep 2020

Posted by in health & happiness, home, hospitals

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So I had my CT scan today at 5 pm, which is a bit of an awkward hour because I always like to “treat” myself after a hospital ordeal, either going out for a tapita or a cold beer. But as I was in and out in fifteen minutes that meant that all the bars (or ones that I would want to go to) were closed.

So I walked home to get my steps in, taking photos along the way to send my friend Julie @woollygee, who was virtually walking home with me via Whatsapp. Anyhow, this photo op caught my eye because of the colourful flowers. I guess despite the pandemic city workers are still keeping Sevilla beautiful. Should have scan results late next week.

unravelling?

24 Thursday Sep 2020

Posted by in casa azahar, coronavirus, home, sevilla

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This is the awning over the lovely light-filled patio I share with my downstairs neighbour. Usually I leave it up to her whether to close it or not, since I would always leave it open (love the light) but I also understand that during the hot summer months it’s better to pull the awning closed at midday. So I was doing just that (while my neighbour was away on holiday in August) when I noticed that the cords on the pulleys were starting to unravel. And so of course I have turned it into a METAPHOR OF MY LIFE.   😉

Don’t get me wrong (and please don’t start worrying)… because this is kind of how I always feel anyhow. The pandemic has just, in a way, given me a REASON to feel this way. It’s like now I have an excuse!

Except of course it’s neither that easy nor simple (or funny!) since I now have extra things to actually worry about, like how I am going to make a living, pay my rent, etc and generally support myself. To be honest? I see no way out. To be equally honest? That’s never stopped me before.

If you’re anything like me you’ve also been riding the ol’ hope-and-dread roller coaster since March. I think all things considered I’m doing okay (you don’t have to agree). I still get up up every morning, for starters. But this week has been weird. It’s not like I’ve given up or anything, but I just can’t make myself go out. And I LOVE going out. For my river walks, to stop in at bars for a beer and say hello to my friends there, to do a little shopping. I love all that shit. But now it’s Thursday and I haven’t been outside since Monday afternoon. Weird.

So it feels a bit like I’m unravelling. The core things that have been keeping me going are still there, but the protective covering, like on that awning cord, has been breaking down. It leaves me feeling particularly vulnerable. And afraid. But tomorrow I am definitely shoving myself out the front door no matter what. It’s a plan. But I am also totally fine with having taken a few “days off” (whatever that means any more).

Years ago when I was writing all about my cancer stuff here I got so many responses from other people with cancer who said I helped put into words how they were feeling. That kind of blew me away, because I really don’t know why anyone follows this silly day-to-day blog. ANYHOW… that’s why I’m talking about the ups and downs re: fucking covid. I’m not asking anyone for help, or to make me feel better, I’m just saying how I feel, talking about what I’m going through. And so if there’s even one other person who takes solace in not feeling alone by reading this, then okay. It was worth it.

PS There is ALWAYS tomorrow