Tag Archives: wine

sometimes I despair…

31 Wednesday Oct 2018

Posted by in friends, sevilla, spain, tapas, tapas bars, wine

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Last week my friend and neighbour Esteban’s fabulous bar Vermutería Yo Soy Tu Padre was broken into in the middle of the night. The bastards made off with thousands of euros worth of wines, computers and other equipment. But Esteban and his family rallied and were up and running again in very short order.

So if you live in, or are visiting, Sevilla, stop by to show your support- and also to have some amazing house made vermouths and delicious tapas.

Esteban

andy & stella

21 Monday May 2018

Posted by in friends, gastronomy, tapas

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A few years ago I briefly met Andy Hayler @wyahaw at a Foodie Hub event in London. I had already been following him on Twitter because he is a very interesting guy, having eaten at EVERY 3 Michelin star restaurant in the world (as of 2016). The next challenge is to complete that same feat this year. Hence his visit to Andalucía to dine at Ángel León’s Aponiente in El Puerto de Santa María.

Happily he and his wife Stella decided to also spend a few days in Sevilla and we got to meet up a couple of times. First for a spontaneous “tapas tour” and then for a lovely lunch at Cañabota. Both times we ate and drank very well, and it was just so fun spending time with kindred spirits. Hope to see them again, perhaps in London.

chance encounters

24 Tuesday Apr 2018

Posted by in friends, sevilla, tapas, tapas bars, tapas tours, twitter, wine

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Pepe, Cinta & José María

Love when stuff like this happens. After a lovely “tapas research” lunch with my friend and We Love Tapas colleague Cinta @LaCocheraAbuelo (in this case the company was much better than the food) we stopped by Bodeguita Romero because I wanted to talk to Alejandro about a couple of special bookings coming up. And we walked straight into a group of guys from Montilla-Moriles (fortified wine region in Córdoba), as well as my pal Pepe, owner of La Fresquita.

I was introduced to José María from Bodegas Toro Albalá @toroalbala and told him that I was supposed to go to the big Montilla-Moriles tasting event in Córdoba last week, and meet up with my friends Erik & Laura @MMWinesUK but the only day I could go was the same day they were going to visit Toro Albalá! So in the end I didn’t go, and as soon as I mentioned knowing Erik & Laura he insisted that Cinta and I try their lovely Dos Claveles (Two Carnations).

Meanwhile, Pepe and I were “talking shop” a bit about food tour guides, and also about his brother Manolo who owns the most fabulous Taberna Manolo Cateca – a fact that Cinta hadn’t known before, although she knows both bars well.

So it was like a coming together of various parts of my life here, all in one chance encounter at one of my favourite bars (the Romeros are my family). And I ended up with an invitation to visit Bodegas Toro Albalá anytime. When I explained to José María that I don’t have a car so would have to go to Córdoba by train (the bodega is about 50 kms away, in Agullar de la Frontera) he said just let him know when and he’d come and pick me up. Bonus!  🙂

steve

19 Thursday Apr 2018

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So there I was just minding my own business and wondering what to do after a long day of photo editing and writing (catching up on my websites!) when I got an email from a guy called Steve from Australia, who asked if I was free to do a “last minute” tour that evening. And you know what? I really wasn’t up for it, so I said I wasn’t available for a tour but, because my friend Phoebe put him in touch with me, I suggested meeting up for a late afternoon drink.

Steve had just come from judging wine with Phoebe at the IWC in London, and then took a trip to Jerez to visit a few sherry bodegas. He was on his way home with and this was his last night in Sevilla, so he was in a very sherry mood. We met at Palo Santo for a nice chilled manzanilla and a chat and then – somehow! – one thing led to another and we ended up on a Tapeo Extremo. Well, sort of. We only went to two bars – Eslava and La Azotea – but there was definitely extreme sherry involved. And as always, lots of fun talking with the bar staff at both places. An unexpected treat.

ed & jackie & chip

09 Friday Mar 2018

Posted by in friends, gastronomy, sevilla, twitter, twitter friends, wine

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Most of you know how much my life has been enriched by Twitter. It’s not only a helpful social media business tool, but – more importantly – it has connected me with some of the most special people in my life.

A few weeks ago my friend Thane @ThanePrince (yes, I also met her on Twitter) put me in touch with her friend Edward @TimeToCook, saying he was planning a visit to Andalucía and that we should meet. That day finally came this week and the plan was that we would meet up for a drink before they headed off to dinner at Tribeca. As you can see, I ended up being invited to dinner, and what a splendid meal it was. Wonderful food and wine, and even better company.

It was like an evening out with old friends and I was sorry to see it end. But of course Ed and I are now keeping in touch via Twitter and, who knows, I may end up visiting them all in New York some day. Or maybe we’ll meet up in London with Thane. You never know…