So we spent a quiet holiday mostly at home- it's been chilly and some days we have rain.
I came across this tidbit while reading various things over the holidays -
More operas have been set in Seville than in any other city of Europe. In 2012, a study of experts concluded the total number of operas set in Seville is 153. Among the composers who fell in love with the city are Beethoven (Fidelio), Mozart (The Marriage of Figaro and Don Giovanni), Rossini (The Barber of Seville), Donizetti (La favorite), and Bizet (Carmen). (From Wikipedia)
and I am headed back to school next week- here is my newest class - not in the media studies that I have been concentrating on for the last few years but sounded interesting to me-
VICTORIAN ART and ACTIVISM
In the Victorian period of Great Britain, many of the liveliest literary works were feisty engagements with or challenges to the monarchical “brand” of Queen Victoria in its many forms. In this course, we will discuss a set of writers and visual artists; how does their work fit into the political and cultural activism of the time?
Class 1 - "The Queen and the “Poetess”: Feminine Power in Victorian Great Britain.
Eighteen-year-old Princess Victoria was crowned Queen of the United Kingdom of England and Ireland in 1837. Two weeks later revered poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning immortalized her coronation in “The Young Queen.” These two women reigned in their separate spheres, were extraordinarily influential, and epitomize what is commonly known as the “Victorian era.” Discussing them together provides context for artistic and activist trends that we will focus on for the rest of the sessions.
and after Christmas Day we braved the crowds for a few dinners- one at Petit Comité, and then one at El Pinton.
those things that look like filtered cigarette butts are actually croutons made from bread sticks LOL
Chilly and rainy night. Coldest December in more than a decade. So we had a warm arroz and some excellent ribs with a Japanese style sauce coating them. Also some tempura avocado that read better than it ended up being and a very good (not fully shown) burrata salad with charred zucchini and cherry tomatoes dresses with pesto. The lackluster desserts did not get finished. A less than stellar tarta de queso and a strange chocolate "mousse" full of crumbs. So mixed review on the food but despite a completely full restaurant the service was very good and the server remained calm in what was clearly a stressful evening. This place has two restaurants on premises - the tapas place of tonight and the dining room of a prior visit, called A Fuego. They do not share any menu items so it's a hard call. I'd come to this place for the ribs but the other place for the fabulous salad they had. Life is full of "tough" choices.
So December 28th arrived and
In Spain - April Fool's Day is not a "thing" - they have their equivalent on December 28th - a long involved and somewhat horrible story of how this came to be that includes killing kids under two - so you don't really wan to know but here is a headline from today that I am sure every unknowing ex-pat rejoiced about LOL. so welcome to our new holiday "December Fool's Day!" Except here it's called Holy Innocents Day and people play pranks on each other than then shout INNOCENTE!
When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.
— Matthew 2:16[6]
so here is the headline- from Spanish News Today-
Spain decides Spanish is too hard, makes English official language
The government has decided to make English one of its co-official languages like Catalán and Gallego, after having recognised that Spanish is too difficult for foreigners to learn. LOL
https://murciatoday.com/spain-decides-spanish-is-too-hard-makes-english-official-language_1000253010-a.html?Banner=4#top
photo of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez making the "announcement" LOL
so on we go towards the end of 2025- Out Sunday night. Less crowded than a week ago. People preserving their strength for new years eve perhaps? Baco Victoria Eugenia was not mobbed as it was the last visit.
A new club around the corner from us on Mendez-Nuñez off Plaza Nueva. Far too hip for us but a cool design.
So it was big meat Monday night, P with the ribeye and me with the skirt steak. Crispy fries made in beef fat were also tasty. I had the salad with chicken and P had the shrimp carpaccio. No dessert as we brought home leftover meat.
Only one more night before New Year's Eve night. The last dinner out for 2025. We chose Desacato and were warmly welcomed by Daniel and Chef Pablo. We ordered some of our regular dishes, the shrimp tartaleta and the caramelized foie and cecina. Then we shared the scorpionfish Carbracho in Spanish (half fried and half grilled) - you can see from the carcass that we liked it. We thought we were finished but then Pablo brought us a regalo (gift) of fabulous cerdo ravioli that was on the menu but we were told they didn't have it tonight "no tienes" We ended with the tarta de queso. Daniel, our buddy who manages the FOH there said business has been booming since they became listed in Michelin. We couldn't be happier for them. He said every table has been booked every night they are open since December 1st. It means they can be open five nights instead of six or seven and that staff can be more efficiently utilized. All positive developments.
New Year's Eve is here and we will - as we always do - spend it at home with grazing from various gourmet treats we acquired for the evening - and we have our grapes!
We had a sad email from Lee two night ago - they have had to cancel their Spain trip (due on 1/1/26) as Merle had a stroke yesterday and will be rehabbing while staying at their place. So we will not see them here in Sevilla and possibly not even in Tenerife. Such a horrible way to end their year and to the extent Merle understands what is happening I am sure she is devastated as well. GO NOW- no one is promised tomorrow.
