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VIWF
Last seen in Vancouver; QJ and Hal Wake, director of the International Writers’ Festival.
Question
This is one of my favourite buildings. What and where?
Cap d’Any
http://www.hostalempuries.com/en/environmentally-friendly-hostel-in-costa-brava/new-years-eve-2013
If you happen to be in the L’Escala area on December 31, you could do worse than this.
Long may they run
A few years back Don Winslow, one of my favourite writers, published a novel called The Dawn Patrol, about a group of surfers near San Diego. This is the St Marti equivalent, on a Sunday morning. The Beach Boy on the extreme right is Dom, my step-son, who is old enough to know better but doesn’t: a lot like I was with five-a-side football. I hope he lasts as long in the water as I did in the sports centre.
How to embarrass oneself
Som
e guys invite you to play in a bounce game, and you’re photographed in their shirt, something your Barça pals will never let you forget.
Star of the show at Muirfield
This nice little number (the car) is on the Mercedes stall at the Open this week, but I won’t be asking for a test drive. It costs a cool £177,000 on the road, and I bet Mercedes Benz won’t even throw in a free tank of petrol
Luuuke
Luke Donald was alongside Rors at practice, working away as unspectacularly as ever. Low ball flight could be an advantage this week: hit it under the wind and get lots of run off hard, dry fairways.
Unfancied
The second greatest golfer on the planet on the practice ground. I will not be having a wager on young Rory McIlroy. He didn’t look very impressive. Go on son, prove me wrong.
Under way
The greatest golfer on the planet, on the ninth green at Muirfield, early afternoon, Sunday July 14. And that’s Jason Day behind him. I didn’t expect Tiger to be there today. Last time the Open was in Gullane, he didn’t turn up until the second practice day. By the way if you’re wondering why the great man is putting with the flag in, it’s because he, Jason and Dustin Johnson were merely pissing about. They couldn’t have been playing for money. Then it would have been serious.
Big girl
That’s it, our Mia is now officially into her fourth year, and sadly, (but not for Frida who wore herself out organising it) there won’t be another party until next year. I had no idea what a piñata was until yesterday; this is one with our girl doing her best to burst it and release the sweets inside. Full marks to La Zoe, who saw that one little girl had missed out in the scramble that followed, and gave her one of hers.
Up and running
Bigger and better than ever, Arrels de Vi 2013 is up and running in St Marti d’Empuries. One session down, three to go and the weather is holding. See you there?
Arrels de Vi
What do you do when you find yourself freed from the daily necessity of creating a couple of thousand words of priceless prose, and maintaining a couple of diverse but complex story-lines? To be honest, I don’t really know, but this time a solution has fallen into my hands.
Saturday and Sunday, May 18 and 19, see the annual Arrels de Vi wine fair, in the historic village of St Marti d’Empuries, near L’Escala. It was created by my step-son, Dominic, and has become a hugely popular local event in a very few years since its inception. It’s put together by friends and family, and we all know our roles, from building the tents, to setting out the tables, to looking after the grandchild when necessary. For the last three years it’s been blessed by weather that has been, if anything, too good, but this weekend’s forecast seems to be saying that keeping the wine at optimum temperature won’t be quite as difficult this year.
What is a wine fair? In this case it’s upwards of a dozen of the finest producers in Catalunya, gathered together in one place to show off their best product, with one modestly priced entry ticket giving you access to them all. There are tapas, there’s music in the evening, there’s a creche for kids, and this year there’s an art stall, where Manolo Sierra, one of Emporda’s leading pintors, will be selling original work. If you’re planning a surprise, short-notice weekend break, or if you’re in the area, it’s the place to be.
Will I be there? Wouldn’t miss it.
Hola Teresa
A word to the wise in and around L’Escala. VaiVe, home to the best sandwich in town and our favourite xiringuito, is open for the 2013 season. Tragically, I am on a diet and so the Chickenpig is off limits but I will get along well enough on the
salad.
Alien spy in UK Cabinet!!!
Question. Which is the impostor?
Answer: The Sontaran is disguised in spectacles and a blue tie. The other one is Eric Pickles, MP.
Lunch in St Marti, January 16.
This is what tapas look like in Meson del Conde; esqueixada, a salad with marinaded salmon and prawns, come croquettes, and of course, patatas bravas.
Quintin Jardine's blog 