#126 Chairs, Chairs and More Chairs.

I'm just starting to recover our Josef Hoffmann dinning chairs. We tracked down some Hoffmann designed material (couldn't get the original design), bought foam rubber, felt, glue, staples, tape and got to work.

On the left is the first one recovered - only seven more to do!

















I'm a bit worried about the condition of our two Le Corbusier Dossier Basculant easy chairs (they were designed in 1928 but ours are a bit newer). I think they are covered in pony skin, which is, apparently, not permitted these days - are ponies an endangered species?

MANYA: (Angry) When I was a little girl in Poland, we all had ponies. My sister had pony, my cousin had pony . . . . . So, what's wrong with that?
JERRY: Nothing. Nothing at all. I was just merely expressing. . . . . .















Our Charles Rennie Mackintosh Hill House chair seems to be all right - that's 'cos no one ever sits on it :-)


















. . . . and finally, some bird - said her name was Venus - came round and said Diego Velázquez sent her, and could she lie on our Hoffmann sofa for a bit and look in the mirror.

#125 Luncheon

We went to lunch with Sally's Dad and Sister to our mate Phil and Hazel's restaurant called Al Gusto. Their lunchtime Menu del Dia is excellent - and just under 10 euros (six english quids, a dozen us dollars).

Pictured here, Phil with his microwave
(which he doesn't use, at all . . . . . )

#124 Riding on the Ramblas

Riding on the Ramblas
Biking in Barcelona
Cycling in Catalunya
. . . more Artful Alliterations?

#123 Crevé, set, go!

In this issue of Crevé 7.

All Change! Mind the gap - extra care when changing wheels.
Clinchers? Its a cinch - we used to call them "high pressures"
Compression Punctures - How to spot that double devil.
Alternative Tyre Levers - *Fork handles - No! don't upset Mother.

*Fork Handles or Four Candles - say it out loud
(if there's no one else in the room)

#122 Arthur

This is a mate of mine, Arturo.
He doesn't always walk round with a stick.

#121 trains & boats & planes

No planes to Dénia, but we do have a narrow gauge trainet that comes all the way from Alicante. The ferry terminal receives boats from the Balearic Islands; Ibiza, Majorca and Formentera. And arriving by car? take the AP7 and exit at junction 62.

#120 Want your car fixed?

Spain still has a lot of small family-run businesses where they prefer to repair broken bits and not fit factory-fresh, boxed replacements. They know their customers by name, they usually do a good job and you won't get ripped off. . . . . . . (ojalá).















Our local garage of choice is run by the Gimen's family; dad, various brothers and sister.

'Sis' doesn't wield a ratchet, as far as I know, but attends to the profit and loss accounts.

So if that clunking noise is really getting on your nerves,
pop round and Gimens'll fix it!

#119 more schoolboy humour

This chinese restaurant is called WanKe Long,
its obviously . . . self-service!

#118 Crevé seas

In this month's Crevé Liz Hurley says "No Thanks" to a spare tyre and we ask why slow punctures should take so bloomin' long!

We also look at anti-puncture claims made by leading manufacturers and ask them why some of their inner tubes seem to come apart at the seams?

#117 Fish for Tea

Our fishing industry has just started after an enforced month long break - for biological reasons!

At about 5 o'clock the fishing boats come in, unload their catch, which they have sorted into trays while still at sea. The trays go on a conveyor belt and the buyers have a dutch auction (they wait as the price goes down).

Here are some 'unsworded' swordfish. You can just about read that they have come off the boat called L'Andrago, the fish is/are identified as Emperador and have been sold to a Benidorm fish merchant.

You can buy the just-landed fish from one of a dozen or so fish mongers next to the auction house. Then the fishermen have a fag, mend their nets, and do it all again the next day.

#116 Norwegian Blue?

Our next door neighbour, Pepe (seen here with his dear old mum), is worried about his little caged bird. It's not doing much. He thinks it's pining for the fjords.

We think it's a deceased bird. In fact, this bird is no more! He has ceased to be! 'E's expired and gone to meet 'is maker! 'E's a stiff!

Poor old Pepe, he'll have to have pizza again, tonight.

#115 Crevé sank

In Crevé 5 this month:
More Ups than Downs - as luck would have it
top triathletes talk about changing tubes

Pumps - and we don't mean dance shoes
not even those nice shiny patent leather ones

Low Pressure - the soft option?
OK for beach cruisers

Readers Forum - air your views

#114 Addict Clothing

In the UK end of October? Anywhere near Southampton?
If so, you could go to the Addict Clothing Sample and Warehouse sale. You'll need an invite and preferably not be in my age bracket, although I've happily toted one of their dj record case bags around the world (filled with old clothes and not 12 inch vinyl) without being too embarrassed. In fact, you can see the very same bag back in February's posts, item #3.

And I've got a pair of Vans with their logo print (viewable post #71). Oh yes, and a khaki coloured Addict cap I wear when bike riding. However, I think I'm probably a bit too old to wear their trademark camouflage hoodie.

Late News:
Dave at Addict says not to make too much noise if you come - as he's recovering from a hard night - poor chap.

#113 Jay on the cover

Our oldest boy made the front cover of the Sunday Times Magazine.
(October 6th 1968 edition). As you see, he wasn't that old.

Back then you could still buy things with shillings :-)

#112 We've got a Sub Woofer, Baby!

Our new sub woofer loudspeaker enables us to hear those low, low bass notes that previously only the local whales could pick up. We've got Hz so low, you can't even hear them! With this much bass you'd think you were at the Notting Hill Carnival.

Now - where's that Yellowman vinyl LP; going to get plenty of respect from the yardie boys in St Paul's - Yes.

#111 konichiwa koto!

More Kulture. Thursday night we went to a Japanese music concert, Yoshie Sakai played a Koto and Horacio Curti (above right) a Shakuhachi (when he wan't having 40 winks).

A koto (pictured below) is a 13 string sort of zither and a shakuhachi is a bamboo flute. An hour was enough . . . . . . .

#110 we all live in a spanish submarine

My friend Eduardo Pla has just published a book.
Its a photographic guide to whats underwater between where we live (the Marina Alta) and the island of Ibiza. Now we have to be extra careful when we go paddling in the sea.

#109 sea swimming

Its October 2 and not cold at all, at all.























George: "The sea was angry that day, my friends.
Like an old man trying to return soup in a deli."

#108 New pics for old posts

I got some more Bali pics in the post so I've added them to the relevant reports #10 and #11 (March). Here is one with nobody in it, just a load of paddys :-)

Q. How do you confuse an Irish gardener?
A. Offer him two spades and let him take his pick . . . . . . . .

ha ha

#107 a-weemaway, a-weemaway, a-weemaway,

. . . . the lion sleeps tonight, etc, etc.
a group of choristers fetched up in our square and started singing! and its only 86 shopping days to Christmas.

#106 Fornasetti

I've got some nice ties in my wardrobe, but they never get seen because I'm not that formal these days. I rarely wear a shirt and tie, in fact, at this very moment, I'm not even wearing a shirt! (sorry, is that too much information?).

This is a detail of a Fornasetti designed tie. He was a Milanese man who liked to draw faces (mostly the same one).

#105 Crevé Cat

When you edit your own magazine, you can do anything you want.
Like put yourself on the front cover.
I must admit this is not a recent picture.
You can tell 'cos its black & white.

#104 On the Beach

I took this picture of my friend Carol (she's the one with the muscles) taking a picture of the morning strollers on the beach at Santos in Brazil in February 2002.

#103 A la Recherche du Temps Perdu

Plus de photos de les archives:












Cette image a été prise il y a quelques années, (à gauche à droite) moi avec mes amis du vélo Dave Lancaster et Brian Wilkins.

Je pense que cette photo de nous (au-dessous) au fin d'une course cycliste en France, a été prise en 1962, mais Dave exige que c'était '63. Il devrait connaître bien parce qu'il la a gagné! - Vas-y les gars!

#102 La Cuidad de las Artes y las Ciencias

The other day we went to Valencia and passed by the City of Arts and Sciences. Here you can see the new Opera House (looks a bit like a martian fish) and the Hemisphere (which looks like . . . a hemisphere!)

Not shown is the Oceanographic Park and the Prince Phillip Museum or even the car park which has a futuristic garden on the roof. The whole 'city' is built in what was once a river running through Valencia. The river is no longer there but they still have lots of water around the place.











This man decided it was much too far to walk all the way round the lake to get to the Prince Phillip Museum - so he waded straight across!

#101 Local Gossip

Mánia, our neighbour from the cafe round the corner, explains to Sally how to put a big white bandage on her arm - then hold a packet of Marlboros and a half smoked ciggy - all at the same time!

#100 = One Hundred Posts!

This Applause picture has been on various walls of ours for nearly 25 years.

When I bought it, it was really, really expensive ( about 115 of your English pounds) and at the time we couldn't afford it, but I bought it anyway - and we've enjoyed it ever since :-)

#99 Crevé 3

Issue #3 just back from the printers.
Subscribers: you should be getting your copies in the mail very soon!

#98 Coup en Thailande

Jay and Carrie support Thai produce - by drinking their Singha beer and and eating their beef curries - albeit in Battersea and not Bangkok.

#97 Jazz - nice

Thursday, we went to see some jazz - nice :-)

#96 Call the Plumber!

. . . . or Do-It-Yourself.
Wednesday spent the morning repairing leaking toilet cistern.

This entailed four! trips to the plumber's shop to;
(1) Check availability
(2) Buy replacement
(3) Take back faulty bit - after I'd fitted it - grrrr
(4) Return to buy different plunger guide
Now we don't have a leaking cistern, hurrah!




















I would have shown you a picture of the old one, but it wasn't that pretty. So here is a pic of Kate Moss instead :-)

#95 Mates round for Dinner

Friday night we had some mates round for dinner:
Sushi to start then Thai fish curry, plus wine (quite a lot) . . . . . . .

Pictured (above) on our terraza: Sally, Lorena, Chelo (my intercambio compañera), Maria Luisa and Jaime. They all work together at a travel agency Viajes Halcon (except Sally, of course).

Then they left - good job we have a dish washer :-)

#94 Tapas

On thursday we went to El Marino for tapas. We had Tellinas, Mejillónes and Pulpitos.

Our waiter is standing by the bar, wondering if he should, ever, bring us the bill.

#93 Poulet au Estragon

Chef Carbo Load explains how to cook Chicken Tarragon.
You will need a pan with a lid.

Ingredients:
Chicken thighs
Garlic
Small onions
Very sweet wine or sweet sherry
Tarragon vinegar
Crème fraîche
Tarragon
Salt
Pepper




















Method:
Slice garlic.
Peel onions. If you have lots of onions boil them briefly first - it makes peeling much easier.

Trim any fat, skin or broken bone bits from the chicken pieces. Dust with salt and black pepper. Then, with the garlic, fry for a few minutes either side.

Add onions and wine/vinegar mix (about 400ml wine - 100ml vinegar) plus some tarragon.
Bring to boil, cover and turn heat down to a simmer.
Cook for 25 minutes, turn chicken occasionally, take off lid.
Cook another 20 minutes or so, uncovered, so that the liquid reduces.

To make the sauce; remove chicken and onions (keep them warm) and boil the remaining liquid furiously! When reduced to a creamy consistency stir in a couple spoons of crème fraîche.

Pour the sauce over the chicken, add a bit of tarragon for show, and - Voilà !

#86 Thai Fish Curry
#73 Hot & Sour Prawn Curry
#69 Captain's Chicken Curry

#92 I was a bit of a blur!

Last Sunday we went and ran an evening 7k running race. Very picturesque route round Las Rotas, all the way beside the sea, and back to a nice restaurant called Mena. After that we got on our mountain bikes and rode back home (its not that far).

Our friend Christine was 3rd Lady vet (right on podium pic)
I think I was 4th . . . . . . (Lady vet).
Sally was 5th Lady vet :-)