Tag Archives: twitter

katie parla

30 Saturday Jul 2016

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

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katie parla (1)I continue to meet wonderful people thanks to Twitter. This time it was Rome-based food goddess Katie Parla. On Friday morning I was doing my usual social media stuff and attempting to catch up with my massive To Do list of reviews, photos and blog posts before the big #LondonGetaway next week, and up popped a Twitter notice from @jengonroff suggesting that @katieparla get in touch with me. I’d heard of Katie and was keen to help out, thinking she might be coming to Sevilla soon. Turned out she was in Sevilla in that exact moment and was STARVING, so we made plans to meet up later in the evening. What followed was a fun (and sherry-filled) impromptu Sevilla Tapas Tour...

katie parla (2)I immediately felt at home with Katie and was pleased to discover we share a similar philosophy when it comes to our food & wine tours (Katie also offers Art History & Archeology tours in Rome), which is to keep it simple and real. We’ve both noticed the recent influx of food tour opportunists showing up where we have lived and loved and worked for so long. It’s sad to see these people ruining what we have helped to build with them scheduling regular touristy-scripted tours that clog up and destroy the natural ambiance of the places we love. Progress? I don’t think so.

But we had a great time, starting off with sherry and jamón at Las Teresas, then moving on for some fusiony-fun at La Azotea in barrio Santa Cruz (with unexpected guest appearance by Ania – see silly selfie). Then a quick stop at Casa Morales – Katie had to see the tinajas! – before finishing up at Bodeguita Romero. And finish up we did, closing the joint sometime just before 1.00 am! Loved watching Katie experience her first pringá, and we were totally spoiled by Alejandro, offering special sherry pairings. Pretty much a perfect night out.

It’s always such a pleasure to meed kindred spirits like Katie and I look forward to visiting her in Rome soon.

elbah

08 Friday Jul 2016

Posted by in food & drink, friends, instagram, sevilla, social media, spain

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elba

I’ve been following Elbah on both Twitter and Instagram for ages. She is not only as obsessive about posting fab food pics as I am, but a lot of her photos are taken in Sevilla and Málaga. So a few days ago I left a comment under one of her Sevilla food pics that we should meet for a tapita one of these days, and she agreed that this would be a great idea.

Then, when I was walking home from the Sherry On Top event on Wednesday evening, Peter and I decided to stop into Tradevo Centro for a penúltima. On the way in I spotted a spectacular looking fish dish and asked the people sitting at the table if they would mind if I took a photo of it (yeah, I know…). And one of the women said “Are you Azahar???” and we both went a bit crazy then, laughing and hugging like old friends. Of course, it was Elbah. And it turns out we are actually neighbours! So plans are now afoot to do some serious Tapas Research together. LOVE social media…

thane & bob

09 Thursday Jun 2016

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

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with jamonAnother reason to keep on loving Twitter. After at least a couple of years, maybe more, of mutually following the fabulous Thane Prince @ThanePrince on Twitter we finally got to meet up. Which only seemed right after I actually stayed at Thane & Bob’s fabulous Málaga flat last December. Which obviously also came about via Twitter, and because we have so many Twitter and RL friends in common.

Anyhow, since Thane & Bob are in Málaga this week they decided to do a short getaway to Sevilla, spend the night, and basically eat loads of tapas with me. And drink sherry. And then eat and drink some more. Which we did.

So much fun. I felt immediately at home with them… two very distinct personalities, but somehow perfectly matched. And both funny as hell. I especially felt like I’d scored big points every time I made Bob laugh. So it was a wonderful day of lunchtime tapas, followed by a siesta, and meeting up again later that same night for more tapas and wine, finishing off with midnight drinks on the rooftop of Gourmet Experience. And then a farewell jamón snack the next afternoon (because you can never have too much jamón).

Now I can’t wait to repeat this in Málaga with our mutual friend Victor @welovemalaga. We also might meet up in London this summer! More on that later…

a virtual tapas tour

14 Saturday May 2016

Posted by in friends, internet, tapas tours

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kiwiSaturday morning dawned bright and sunny after two long weeks of solid rain, and I woke up feeling great. But after my morning coffee I felt a bit odd, and at lunchtime I didn’t have much appetite. Then I started feeling all weak and woozy, so around 4 o’clock I thought I’d better lie down for a bit, because in the evening I had a special tapas tour lined up with Twitter pals @EricBurgess and @LauraWBurgess (and their new mascot Kev the Kiwi), something we’d planned months ago. Well, when I woke up again at 6 o’clock I was shivering and nauseous and knew there was no way I was going to make it. So I did my first ever Sevilla Tapas Tour from my bed!

First of all, Peter met up with Eric & Laura a half hour before his own private tour started, brought them to their first stop and got them set up with starter tapas and sherries. After that I took over and, staying in touch by Twitter DMs, I helped them find Bodeguita Romero after previously getting in touch with Alejandro. Luckily I’d just had a sherry-filled afternoon the week before with José & Peter, so Alejandro knew what to do and he took very good care of them. It was kind of fun, doing a virtual tour, and better than not being with them at all. But I do look forward to finally meeting them in person when they come back in September.

twitter is 10!

22 Tuesday Mar 2016

Posted by in social media, twitter

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twitter birthday

Twitter has just turned 10 and it turns out that it is also my 9th Twitterversary today (as @azahar). To be exact, I signed up at 12.36 pm on March 22nd, 2007. Since then I’ve had various other Twitter accounts and still have these 5 active ones. I know that a lot of people don’t “get” Twitter, but for me it’s been the most amazing social media experience. I’ve met friends and biz contacts, connecting with people all over the world. And I still learn something new every day by reading my various feeds. It’s good to be here.

family christmas

25 Friday Dec 2015

Posted by in christmas, food & drink, sevilla, sherry, twitter

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becky

With someone else’s family! A few weeks ago I started chatting with Becky @withpaprika on Twitter, as I saw she was planning a trip to Sevilla. I offered her some advice on places to eat and she ended up taking a We Love Tapas Tour with the fabulous Delia. Everyone had a great time and the next night I saw Becky and family at the Flamenco Museum. They were having problems getting a booking for Christmas lunch and so I helped them with that, and said I’d stop by and have a drink with them on Christmas afternoon. Which turned into – ahem – more than one. In fact, I sat with them through most of their lunch (mine was mostly prepared and waiting for me at home) and it was so much fun. The kids were inquisitive and charming, and Becky, Scott and I really hit it off (next visit Scott wants a sherry tour!). It was a lovely way to spend my Christmas afternoon, and I came home much cheered and enjoyed my own (late) lunch and an evening of Christmas films.

So, a little Twitter magic helped make this Christmas extra special.
How was yours?

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carl

08 Tuesday Dec 2015

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

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carl

Twitter does it again! Or rather, a Twitter-Instagram alliance in this case (we have a lot of virtual friends in common). As a result, I ended up meeting Carl for a quick fino, which then turned into an impromptu 7-hour Tapeo Extremo. It was a great afternoon (and evening) and Carl has even offered to be the first victim guest on this week’s preview of the new We Love Tapas Craft Beer & Tapas Tour. Stay tuned!

mrs o

21 Saturday Nov 2015

Posted by in friends, tapas, tapas tours, travel, twitter, twitter friends, wine

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mrs o-001

Meet Mr & Mrs O (aka Ana and Simon O’Reilly). I’ve been Twitter pals with Ana @MrsOAroundTheWorld for ages and have enviously watched her post gorgeous travel pics on Twitter and Instagram. And finally, after twenty years, she returned to Sevilla for a weekend getaway to celebrate Simon’s birthday. They flew in with two friends on Friday evening and I was there to meet them at their hotel and whisk them off for a seriously fun (and delicious) tapeo. What can I say? I even ended up drinking gin cocktails! And rolled home some time after 2 am…

So once again the ol’ Twitter magic has brought more new and interesting people into my life. LOVE Twitter.

sherry twitter tasting

24 Saturday Oct 2015

Posted by in sherry, wine

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palo cortadoOn the heels of receiving my Sherry Educator Certificate I was also chosen to participate in one of two Sherry Twitter Tastings, being held during International Sherry Week. And I got chosen for the Palo Cortado tasting – bonus! Here is my set of samples, which I got in the mail this week. Including the one that inspired my sherry ephiphany – the VORS from Bodegas Tradición. Apparently that little one in the middle is especially rare. Anyhow, really looking forward to taking part in this.

If you want to follow along pop onto Twitter on November 3rd at 19.00h CEST and look for the #SherryTT hashtag.

milli & family

05 Monday Oct 2015

Posted by in andalucia, food & drink, friends, twitter, wine

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milliThe Twitter magic continues… with a surprise visit by Milli @milliskitchen and her family who run the gorgeous @rancherdelingles near Málaga city. I’ve known Milli and mum Miyuki (on Twitter and Instagram) for awhile now, and got to meet Milli in person when I was in London last June. So it was an extra special treat to meet the whole family, including dad David and brother Cameron. We were just going to meet up for a drink after I’d finished a lunchtime tapas tour, which somehow ended up segueing into an impromptu evening tapas tour. Fun times.