- Published on
-
-
- Published on
29 July 2017
30 July 2017
31 July 2017
It's been a busy few days at LoungeD. The bar has been open for nearly a week now and we have all had a fantastic time welcoming customers to Masa Squares newest bar. As well as a lot of familiar faces, from in and around Gran Alacant, we have also been lucky enough, to serve many new people; at least new to me; on holiday, enjoying the wonderful weather we are seeing at the moment.
Talking and chatting with our patrons is a delight. You learn so much from Expats and tourists alike. Currently, the unusually hot summer, is top of everyone's 'chatter' list. I am lucky enough to have acclimatised to the Spanish seasons, so am not finding working in this intense heat, as difficult as I otherwise would. Next week is going to be even hotter; Spain and southern Europe are expecting a heatwave. An ice cold beer in the Spanish sun, perfect for coping with the inclement weather!
See you at LoungeD soon!
-
- Published on
Today is my year and a half anniversary living in Spain and what a year it has been. In the past, I have reviewed my time spent in Spain, at important junctures; in this entry I want to talk briefly about the way I am feeling, the emotions in have and the future for myself and Darrell, living here.
The last eighteen months have been a rollercoaster ride. I have personally experienced more downs than ups. When you move anywhere to start a new life, you are greeted with an initial high, as you explore the delights of your new life; these first few months were akin to time spent on holiday; everything I did, was done with gusto. Like the story of my life, things never turned out the way I expected and my emotions changed, almost on a daily basis. The plans we sowed at the beginning of our journey, did not materialise in the way we hoped they would. The emotions involved in such a traumatic break with the past, should not be underestimated; when one adds into the mix the difficulties of establishing and constructing a new life abroad, I think it is safe to say, it has been an eventful eighteen months.
So rather than looking back today, I am finally looking forward in a positive way. LoungeD has finally opened its doors and the future looks better now than it did. Renewed energy and focus are now my priority; happy to be facing the challenges of Managing a bar in Spain, as so many Brits have done before. I have had my own experience of running a business in the past, whilst living in the UK; my grounding in the hospitality field, will be invaluable, as I negotiate the hurdles of the future.
It has been wonderful to see those we hold dear, coming out to stay with us in Spain. Many of the hindrances I experienced, during my first year, living in Gran Alacant, were born out of loss. Moving abroad, does create a great feeling of loneliness, even if you are surrounded by people, in your new chosen home. I spent a lot of time missing friendships that I had made over numerous years; many of them a generation old or more. Facing up to what had I left behind was a huge mountain to climb. The wonders of social media, has taken the edge off annexation, but this level of contact, still isn't the same as a face to face connection. Seeing people in the flesh, spending good quality time with them, has been a real bonus; I am grateful they came to see us. Other friends are still due to come and stay; personally, for me, the more the better; it has helped with my sense of well being, state of mind and the process of adjustment.
This has been a most life changing and enhancing period for me. I made mistakes after the move to Spain, who hasn't, when making the decision to move abroad. The complications, hitches, barriers and impediments have been truly burdensome. Darrell and I still have many more hurdles to cross; however the advantages and rewards of Spanish life, do outweigh all of the anguish and discomfort; As I am frequently reminded, what would life be, without challenges; testing times maketh the man, so today I am more of a man than I have ever been.
Thanks to everyone; friends, old and new, family and colleagues, who have been there with us, as we forged our new life in Spain; we couldn't have done it without you!
-
- Published on
Day two at LoungeD and things are going well. If I thought day one was busy, then day two was even busier; we had a great night. It's always good to see friends coming down for a drink; lots of familiar faces yesterday.
It's been a while since I worked behind a bar, but I can safely say, I am enjoying every minute of it. The customers have been fantastic, a joy to serve and very appreciative of what we wanted to achieve at LoungeD; giving your patrons what they want, is a must in this business.
Thanks again to everyone who came yesterday, we hope you enjoyed yourself; oh and don't worry, I wont be clogging up your facebook wall with a running commentary, on a daily basis; you can breath a sigh of relief!
-
- Published on
LoungeD opened its doors yesterday; all of us who were a part of Gran Alacant's newest bar, were pleased at the number of people who came, especially as we hadn't arranged an opening night, but discretely opened the doors at 11am.
I thoroughly enjoyed myself, despite working thirteen hours. It was great to see customers enjoying themselves. Everyone loved how Lou and Ged had renovated the popular 'Hole in the Wall;' it does look fantastic.
A big thank you to all of you who came, familiar faces and people I have never met before; you all made the start of LoungeD memorable; a wonderful day for us all!
We look forward to welcoming you!
-
- Published on
I wanted to talk a bit about television today; I have just started to watch a new comedy series from the USA; 'Superstore.' I think the show is based on the British version, 'Trollied' and is absolutely hilarious. To be honest it is unlike me to be watching any American television, but since moving to Spain, I have done a lot of things I have never done before. The truth is, I've had a lot of time on my hands and not a lot of money, having not been working in a year, so the cheapest option, is to stay in and watch the TV.
As banal as it seems, one of the most important issues for me, while living in Spain, is having access to British TV, without it costing a fortune. In Britain we paid a lot for television, about 70€ a month; in Spain I pay nothing and have access to far more channels than I did in the UK. Obviously things are done a little different here; as well as standard satellite, there are also a number of cable companies servicing the local area, including Grannet, Telecable and Gran Alacant TV. The costs are very similar but the standards of service do vary considerably. I choose not to pay for television at all, preferring to pay 22€ a month for wifi, through Grannet and streaming television through an android box.
I brought the box off a man in a pub about a year and a half ago, it cost me about 80€ and came preloaded with various applications to stream live TV from many different countries, including Australia, which is great for Darrell. Currently I use Mobdro and Kodi as well as Showbox to play all the latest movies and television shows from the US and UK; everything for free; costs me nothing. Watching TV via the internet does have its challenges, especially with the wifi as it is. We often lose signal, living at the edge of a ravine; speeds can be slow and buffering a problem. I am not sure if this is an issue across Gran Alacant and can only speak for myself and what I experience. There are difficulties with the television service I receive in Spain, but how can I really complain, when it's free. It does feel like stepping back in time in a number of respects, technology being one, but it makes this place home. I actually quite like the faults and complications that are part of the course; GA has character!
So today I am sat in front of my TV watching all 24 episodes of 'Superstore,' which is certainly putting me in touch with my American side. If you ever get the chance, give it a try and watch it and any of the four programmes pictured below. In my sanctimonious Englishness, I always refused to watch anything imported from the US; I was missing out. There are clearly some great shows out there. Wherever you are watching the box, enjoy it, never say never; If you are watching it free and gratis, even better!
