December in Sevilla

 Went to the "theater" tonight for a magic show. The audience skewed much younger (many under ten in the front rows so they could see the show without tall people in front of them.) The magician was funny and his sleight of hand was very good. We got a lot of good laughs and some impressively executed tricks from a standard repertoire. Rings, cards, scarves, ropes etc.Turned out to be a fun ninety+  minutes. The photos are things seen along the way - starting with the carrousel in the Plaza Magdalena just four minutes from our house. 

One of our closest plazas now in holiday market mode. It is somewhat disconcerting to see oranges ripening on the trees when the chestnuts are roasting in the plazas. 

And we thought off-Loop theaters in Chicago ran on shoe strings. I think this one rents from the pigeons in the attic #uprootedtheaterSevilla

The magician was funny. His sleight of hand was well done and he worked well with the younger audience (it was billed as a family performance.) 

 above - poor Bethany... the person volunteered by her friends and children to be the one to perform with the magician LOL.

After the magic show we stopped for dinner at a place that had always looked too touristy to us. However we once had an excellent meal at its "sister" restaurant CUNA2 while here for language immersion, so we took a chance. The food was really great. So great we plan to return. Phil had the pork cheeks and langoustinos in garlic oil and foie to start. I had a salad and then calamari. No dessert as we were full. Then we walked home through the city - which is fully in holiday lights mode!

The lights are everywhere in the city center- these were just some from the walk home...

The next night - Monday - we went to La Brunilda and ordered way too much food- guess we were missing Spanish food after a week in Paris LOL (not!)  Oops missed the arroz con pato - the last course... Oh well. I'm sure there are other photos from a prior visit to La Brunilda. Standard ordering of queso costeño and tacos then went off pattern to get the ensaladilla and the chiparon and buñelos de bacalao. Phil finished with the arroz which is in his rotation.

Tuesdays are eat at home nights - I cook while Phil is in his 8-9:30 class and we eat afterward... tonight a new recipe for baked parmesan chicken - we'll see....LOL - later in the week we have Augurio and then to a new place to try YO. a little leery of this one as it is a replacement for a place we went in our first month during language immersion and found very disappointing. But Michelin just recognized it so we will give it a chance.... so  more to follow. 

into June

OK so sometimes I don't know how the days get away and I am always catching up here-

but then I see how it works out when I go back to the calendar and why it is so difficult to keep track of our lives - which I refer to as over scheduled....

So starting where the last blog post left off with Hannah & Martin... we had dinner with friends the following night (Mike & Leslie) at our place (carry in sushi) and then dinner at friends house (Kevin & Shari) for the holiday weekend where we had a magnificent meal -

caesar salad bites and fresh oysters (we had them with chipotle bourbon sauce too!

some of the wines

Thai spiced watermelon crab soup- OMG!

amazing filet and outstanding smashed fingerling potatoes!

the last slice of cake - with the dessert wine (above)

then we went to an annoying play at Northlight- called Into the Breeches - seriously lame vaudeville-esque not worth the time...

the next night we went to Georges Trois with friends (Ron & Mary) and had a lovely evening...

 then we went the following night to a Magic Show at the Palmer House

then the following night we went to hear John Flynn in concert at WFMT and out to dinner with friends (Ron & Mary & Nan) for pizza at Fat Chris'

then our next event was Jeong with friends (Sheila & Mary) another wonderful dinner at Dave Park's table!

Then on to another play - this one a cute and sentimental music based story of the 2016 Cubs Miracle team- world series champions!

Then the next night to 2C Chicago (with Paige and Sharad)  where we had a fun fun fun evening -

then the next night Phil went to a concert at WFMT and I met up with him and Ron & Mary at Jibek Jolu for a post concert dinner -

and then yesterday we went to NT Live for All About Eve - starring Gillian Anderson as Margo Channing -

this babe is Julian Ovenden - who played Margo's love interest Bill Sampson - a distinct improvement over Gary Merrill in the film...

so maybe you get it why I am not such a regular poster these days - my sincerest apologies if you are anxiously awaiting my every word LOL like that night ever happen- but I do my best to keep up... tonight dinner with Jenny at Chengdu Impressions nearby... and then tomorrow a new place with friends Todd & Evelyn (French food - seafood of Brittany and Normandy- we'll see.....) onward we go!