Tag Archives: sevilla

blasts from the past

12 Saturday Aug 2017

Posted by in casa azahar, life stuff, sevilla, spain, tapas tours, work

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

, ,

The other day I was wrapped up in all the IKEA nonsense, feeling abused by corporate bullshit, and then I happened to see that – once again! – one of the new corporate tapas tour companies in town had copied another of my tours. So I mentioned on Twitter how disheartening this is, to not only have people copy things I have created, but they even use the same bars FFS, as if nobody will notice that the bars no longer have actual clients in them, just food tour groups. As if bars don’t have their own eco-systems. Grrrrr…

Then the next day I got a mention on Twitter linking to this photo taken almost exactly 6 years ago (Sept 2011), with a great comment from Tim being very supportive. And I remember this tour! I almost didn’t do it because I was still getting over that emergency op but at that point I also really wanted to get out of the house. So I arranged it that I would meet them with Peter at the first stop, just to say hola, and that Peter would take it from there, since I didn’t think I could manage a whole evening out. But I actually made it to the second stop (this photo was taken at Bodeguita Romero) and I remember not only having a great time before leaving Tim and his friends in Peter’s capable hands, but also enjoying my first glass of wine in over a month.

Anyhow, what a great memory to be reminded of, and curiously this was my second “blast from the past” from 2011 this month, since Ross & Annie are also back in town. All of which is reminding me to enjoy what I have and embrace all the GOOD. Because sometimes I forget.

IKEA nightmare almost over…

10 Thursday Aug 2017

Posted by in azahar, casa azahar, cats, home

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

, ,

So this is basically what all the fuss was about. A simple cupboard 60 x 60 x 140 to serve as a pantry because the kitchen (to the right) doesn’t have enough storage space. It’s handy, just the right size, fits into a space I wouldn’t use for anything else, blah blah blah…

WHY it took over a week to organize the delivery and assembly is beyond me. The guy who showed up today to put the cupboard together said “August with IKEA is always like this” (leading to the obvious question… then WHY NOT HIRE MORE PEOPLE IN AUGUST???). But it wasn’t his fault. I’m sure places other than IKEA contract his company’s services, and in fact he was very friendly and helpful. I couldn’t have been happier with him.

One glitch (of course!). See that cardboard package alongside the cupboard? Well, that’s the cover I paid extra for. Turns out the covers need to be CUT TO SIZE depending on the order, and my guy wasn’t told this and didn’t have the right tools, so there it remains until IKEA sends someone out to do this. But at least it doesn’t affect how it functions. Which means that already three boxes are gone from the hallway and by tomorrow THERE WILL BE NO MORE BOXES. I almost can’t believe it.

Now that it’s (almost) over, I am so relieved that I (almost) can’t believe how upsetting all this was. I think that because moving is so stressful anyhow that when things get fucked up they feel even more stressful. Also, had everything been delivered and assembled last Friday – LAST FRIDAY!!! – as promised, the new apartment would have been pretty much set up over the weekend. Instead it’s been another week of BOXES and feeling disorganized. Yeah, I know, first world problem and all, but it still sucked. Especially as I’m supposed to be on holiday this week, and it sure hasn’t felt like a holiday. BUT… big deep breath… it’s all looking better now. How’s your week been?

so f*cking fed up with IKEA

09 Wednesday Aug 2017

Posted by in casa azahar, sevilla, shopping

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , ,

So FUCKING fed up with @IKEAspain, who have been dicking me around for a week over this one order. A cupboard for my hallway, which was finally delivered 3 days late, but they still haven’t sent anyone to assemble it. Three times now I’ve waited at home (4 hour windows) and nobody showed up, or even called to say nobody would be showing up. This is the shittiest customer “service” l have ever experienced.

No problem when l spent 1200€ at IKEA two weeks previously, but apparently this 250€ order (and my time) doesn’t matter to them. How about l invoice them for my 12 lost hours? Not to mention l wouldn’t still have fucking boxes in my hallway if this had all been done as promised. And I’m supposed to be on holiday this week, not dealing with this shit. At this point it’s feeling like abuse.

Ross & Annie

07 Monday Aug 2017

Posted by in food & drink, friends, sevilla, tapas, tapas tours

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , ,

Good times with Ross & Annie from Australia. They first went on a Sevilla Tapas Tour with me in November 2011, and are now back in Sevilla for an extended visit. Two weeks ago they did a We Love Tapas Tour with Delia (as a #tapas “refresher course”) and on Sunday we had lunch at La Sal. Really great catching up over tintos de verano and tuna Almadraba.