Tapas Thursday - Los Coloniales

Eating - it is one of my favorite things to do. Luckily, I have a few months stay in Sevilla, where food is one the highlights of the city, and it is a host to more than 3000 tapas bars. Here in Sevilla, the very essence of getting tapas is something not to take lightly. Many tapas bars are very crowded and it is very intimidating being the sole tourist in a local bar trying to get inside. But, once you have a caña, sherry, or a vino in front of you, the focus becomes entirely on the food. A common practice here in Sevilla is to bar hop, simply slip into one bar and grab one or two tapas and a drink, then on to another bar. This of course, can go on for multiple hours and it is always fun to have some friends to come along. We have not quite gotten into the habit of going to multiple place because it is always so hard to pull away from a place that has so much to try. I am sure that we will have plenty of time to work on this in the upcoming months. 

For the first Tapas Thursday post, I am showing you a few plates from one of our favorite places so far, Los Coloniales. 

Signs of France 3

On we go with the third installment of French signs. These four signs are some of my favorites and they made me smile when I saw them. I hope you enjoy the creativeness and uniqueness as much as I did.

Les Patates-A simple lunch in Monaco

Food is always a easy thing to get excited about for me, especially when it is my favorite, potatoes. On a recent visit to Monaco, I stumbled upon a classic food staple, made in a French (well Monaco, really) style. A baked potato with French cheese melted on top. Literally, two days before coming into Monaco's Christmas village and seeing this kiosk, I turned to my husband and said, "I think that I am hungry for a loaded baked potato." Now, I did not get a loaded one, but, believe me this may have been better.

Eze Goddess Sculptures

One can reach Eze from Nice in a matter of 20 minutes by bus. The winding road that leads you up the steep mountain, twists and turns, giving different views of the mountains and the Mediterranean with each new bend. When the bus drops you off at the bottom of Eze Village, you still have a small upward climb to reach the city itself.

Signs 2

In my second segment of signs, there is a strong theme of animals. The French seem to take their animals seriously, whether it is eating them, having them as pets, or even for decoration in their home.  I hope you enjoy the signage below. 

I know that this sign is one of my favorites of my husband. Not only does he love charcuterie, he also loves signage that draws him into them. This sign is so simple, yet refined. We did not go into this charcuterie because it was closed for the afternoon when this picture was taken, but it will always be remembered by both our stomachs and our minds with this appropriate signage.

Stained Glass of Carcassonne

Most visitors that come to Carcassonne come for a look at the life back in medieval times. This is possible with the fortified walls and ramparts that bring the millions of visitors here each year. We were equally impressed with this medieval village, but for the sake of my stained glass theme, I will skip the traditional pictures of this UNESCO site and show you another view of equally beautiful stained glass that Carcassonne provides. I will show you the stained glass in the church inside the fortified walls and then a counterpart, one from outside the fortified walls.

Signs 1

Signs are meant to catch our eye and draw us inside the store to spend money on their products. A lot of time and money used to be spent on signs and sadly, it is a dying art form in the States. Here, in France, there are not gigantic shopping malls where every store is plastered on one gigantic sign. Each shop has their way of getting your attention, whether it be a sign hanging from the storefront or a painted sign nearby. Some of these signs have been used for years and I hope, will continue to display the store's name proudly. I have been drawn to these signs and cannot help but take pictures of them. In a series of blog posts, I will take you through the signs of France. Enjoy!