Spanish Food and Drink Museums, Sherry & Tee-Shirt Souvenirs

 

Spanish food, including some containing sherry, from Camino in London. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

A sherry tasting was held at the Spanish embassy.

Afterwards we had Spanish canapes, including dark, thinly sliced Iberian ham. 

But my Spanish favourites were the tiny brick-shaped yellow, egg tortillas. Filling and satisfying.

The canapes were prepared by a company called Camino. If the name rings a bell, maybe you have in mind the Camino Real (Pilgrim's Way) in Spain, the pilgrimage route. Camino in Spanish means path, pathway or route. 

I looked at the Camino menu online and they have sherry in lots of dishes, the ham, and in peppery sauce.

Sources of Sherry

Where can you buy sherry? Everywhere, 

We buy from the Wine Society which cost only about £40 a year to join and will deliver as little as one bottle for free. Their sherry bottles range in price from under ten pounds for a half or full bottle, to over £100. 

You could hold your own sherry tasting, buying two or three dry sherries, and two or three sweet ones, including the ultra-sweet Pedro Ximenez.

You can also buy sherry vinegar in Waitrose supermarket.

SHERRY SOUVENIRS

Tee-shirts with the word Sherry

Tee shirts sold on line include, 

1 Christmas tee shirts with the message, 

GET MERRY WITH A SHERRY 

Long sleeved, various colours including black, burgundy called maroon, pink and more. 

From Baby Originals Ltd on Ebay.

£18.99, postage £2.99.

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/n8cAAOSwGqFlCa3Q/s-l1600.webp

A short sleeved version is £9.99, eg in red, plus 1.99 postage.

2 2 I love SHERRY

34.55 plus postage.

On Zazzle you can have a design created by somebody else or yourself printed on products including: invitations, mugs, key rings, paper plates, fans, cushions, caps, aprons, bottle openers, pens and tote bags.

3 Sherry, Sherry, Sherry, tee-shirt on Ebay from Tees on tap.

Luxury Travel For Less, Website Blips, Special Offers: Travel Blog Challenges

Problem
My blog includes every interesting and useful piece of travel information I come across which will entertain and inform me and you. It doubles as a record of my travels, a plan for a return trip, and a blog to keep me in the public eye as a journalist.

I want to increase my readers. How will you find me. How do I increase my f i n d a b i l i t y? I just made up that word. The spell checker keeps changing it back, with a time delay so that I correct it but the change recurs later. The technical jargon for what I have called f i n d a b i l i t y is search engine optimisation, abbreviated to SEO. My son has an SEO business and won an award. On his advice, I have made changes and focus and I am going to reveal how that affects me and you.

Popular People and Brand Names
I have to disregard all my training. As an independent journalist, I would act like the BBC, and be independent, not influenced by any commercial consideration. Now, to be more popular, instead of cutting out brand names and introduction generic terms, I should introduce references to famous people, alive and dead, and current events.

Wearing Advertising, Slogans and PR, Popularity and Fashion
I can see that over the decades things have changed. Nowadays, if you give a shameless plug, like Graham Norton on TV, or Jonathan Ross, you just grin and say, "I shall give a shameless plug!"

 In the 1960s, the only people showing slogans in public were weirdos marching up and down high streets (in the USA you say main streets) trying to persuade busy shoppers that 'the end is nigh'. Now everybody competes to have amusing slogans across their chest and back. Tee-shirts are worn by everybody, pretty PR girls, not just window cleaners.

Who Is Reading What Where?
My website's editing page gives me lists of statistics on the countries where I have readers for the day, the week and the year, and now, it's easy for me to see what's going on.

What's New To You?
All this is not new to me. The trouble with relaying knowledge is that as soon as you know something, it seems obvious and not newsworthy. I have to think as a reader, like a teacher of English to pupils who are either beginners, intermediate or advanced. The same goes for travel writing.

Many or Few Readers, Rich Or Poor?
My instinct is to look for more readers. I remember going to PR events when I would be greeted warmly by a PR lady. After five minutes, she looks over my shoulder and sees somebody of more urgent interest. He's from a national newspaper with more than a million readers. She has to rush over and greet him. Yes, of course I can't hog her attention all evening. But he has a million readers. I remember thinking that the last time a million readers read my name was when Kay Boyle recommended my book on Etiquette For Every Occasion in her column at the back of the TV Times. It was my success story for the week. I thought, 'if only I could have a million readers every day!'

Providing New Information
Sometimes I re-read my post and think, but everybody knows this. Do I need to say that Bucharest is the capital of Romania? Everybody living there knows that.

But when I re-read my article and realise that I have left it out, I remember that before I went to Romania I did not know the capital. So I have to introduce the fact subtly. For example I could write something like, 'More flight' or 'fewer' flights' go to the capital, but/and Bucharest also has many ... If you do arrive in Bucharest on the evening flight, head over to the restaurant district ...

Every sentence involves another five minutes of research. How many flights a day? Is there a night flight? Is there an accent on the name of the city or restaurant?

Accuracy
I also have to consider carefully what I say about prices so as not to mislead or raise hopes. I need to make it clear to the reader what they are getting for their money. As a reminder to myself, and for the reader for help and credibility, and for legal reasons, I should show if a price does not include sales tax, VAT, service charges and other extras.

Today I have a brochure from John Lewis Finance Team. It says 'Gifts For Them Mean Vouchers For you.' Then, "Apply for a Partnership Card and receive £20".

I remember debating that with the statistician in the family. What does 18.9% APR representative variable mean?  Would the amount I paid on interest offset the £20 gain? Who is going to pay the bill in the family and would they pay off the card in time to avoid charges?

Do I need to analyse it? Or can I just say, check out this offer and see if it suits you?

Newsletters And Personal Details
The title of my new blog Luxury for Less, tells the reader what to expect and also helps me focus. I want to avoid too much personal information.

However, I could add a newsletter. What do you do if there's no worldwide news? A newsletter can be chattier and more personal. A newsletter enables me to be more like Facebook. I could tell the world if had to shorten my posts because I fell ill, or went to an exhibition.

I usually get bored if I read a newsletter all about the writer's dog when I was looking for information on buying bargains (not bargains for dogs). Yet I can see that a whole load of people (Americans say bunch of people) have replied. So, I plan to start a newsletter.

Time Differences Around The World
Time is another factor. On Facebook I was aware that if I start work at 9 am in London but don't open Facebook until lunch time, the birthday greetings I send to friends in Singapore will not arrive until the day is over. So I adapted my birthday message to good wishes for the whole year.

Americans are west of England; when I am in America, the UK is east. It's like 'the far east' from the UK'. If I am writing in the UK, if I write a blog post at midnight in the UK it will reach early risers in the USA. If I want to be really precise, I must remember that the USA has a time difference between west coast, mountain time, east coast time.

Time-based Greetings
The fashion is to start emails to people in the same country with Good Morning. This solves your problem if they have long names you have forgotten, or too long to write, or type, or if you are not sure whether to address them by first name or more formally. However, that won't work on a website being read around the world.

If you watch international broadcasts of worldwide events such as the Eurovision Song Contest or the Olympics, you will see that the well briefed commentators will begin by greeting watchers according to the time of day. They say, "Good morning to everybody in  ... (such and such a country) and good afternoon if you are watching from ...'.

Pleasing Readers In Different Countries
A reference to Americanisms will increase my American readership. A reference to buying a Russian language learning system, or the delights of the Moscow's underground stations increases readers in Russia. Stories about Ukraine or Romania also increase readership in Russia or adjacent countries. Stories about Rome, the leaning tower of Pisa, Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci and learning Italian and balloon flights in Tuscany and truffles in Umbrian restaurants will increase readers in Italy.

Website Names
Blogger dot com's basic blog does not look as professional as a dedicated website. I buy a website name.  I go through my blogs and select subjects.

Going Live! When?
We put up our website but transfer it. The new site doesn't work. We can edit but the public cannot read it. We confer at midnight but have to wait until the working day starts to contact the websites support team.

Oops!
I get a lot of offers from major clothing catalogue companies as well as business start ups. I ignore an offer or miss an offer, then a day later in comes another offer. They say, 'Oops - a lot of people did not get our offer yesterday, so we are extending it by another 24 hours. Don't worry if you missed it, to compensate you and for those who wrote in saying you could not reply in time because you were on holiday we are extending it all week'.

I used to think, what is this. Is it a marketing ploy.

No, says my son. These blips happen all the time, in the top companies and experienced teams as well as newcomers to the business world. Every new venture on the internet is likely to encounter delays and broken links, mis-typing, hundreds of things which can go wrong. Most of them are double checked and fixed but with dozens of businesses contacting you, some of them are bound to have teething problems. That's life.

So, now you know.

Buying The Name Luxury Travel For Less
Why luxury travel for less? It is alliterative. The dot com was already gone, sold to somebody else. So I grabbed the UK version.

The Reduced Cost of A Website
A week later the website price was reduced. Why? I don't know. The prices of many things nowadays go up and down. If we had watched and waited - and risked losing out to some other buyer, we could have bought the domain name (website name) for less. We consoled ourselves with the thought that the extra we paid meant we had had another week to get started earlier.

Why Luxury?
I love five star hotels and gourmet meals and meeting, greeting, glimpsing famous people.If I can't go there, I like to read about them. To find out what I am missing. To live vicariously. To take a look. Do you? Most people do. The word luxury covers that.

Do I want fewer big-spending readers or many more bargain hunters? If you don't think you can achieve the huge readership, then go for the small, select readership. If you as a writer, a reader, or advertiser, want to network or sell to the people who are selling or buying in the upper end of the market, you are more interested in reaching 2,000 high spenders than two million low spenders.

Why Less?
But I also like the countryside, being anonymous, being with ordinary people. I like to splurge for a celebration, a birthday, a wedding anniversary.

But I love a bargain, which enables me to get more for my money, or not feel so guilty about what I have spent. The word less covers that. Less money.

Brides Magazine
When I first started writing for Brides magazine, UK, the then editor, a level, efficient lady called Sandra Boler, told to end with suggestions for three hotels, one in each price bracket, 5 star, 3 star and 1 star. That way every bride, every reader, should find something of interest. I have that in mind when writing for you.

Hotels, restaurants and consumers know that people spend more at Christmas and economise in January. That's when the hotels and restaurants are offering bargain. To tempt the richer and the poorer, appeal to everybody.

Now you know. Watch out for my new website and blog, Luxury Travel For Less (co.uk), written with your interests in mind, coming soon.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Making your holiday photo into souvenirs and gifts: tablecloths; mats, bedding

What can you do with your favourite holiday photos? I was walking though a supermarket car park when i spotted a postcard on the ground advertising something. I picked it up.

The company makes your photos into blankets, cushions, tablecloths at £50-£100. Artido.co.uk

Vistaprint also does lots of useful items such as hats and shirts. Their original business was printing business cards. I have had business cards, a business cad holder, a cap, a tee-shirt and a bag.

Vistaprint often have a 'free cards' offer. If you have no cards, and want them urgently for a conference or to boost your confidence and networking, it's worthwhile trying out a simple free design. They have lots of options. Anything is better than nothing.

Once you have ordered your first set, you will probably go back and re-order higher quality.

At checkout you are likely to be sold a business card holder or a second set of cards.

Checkout Mistakes
This website, like many, might also try to make you sign up for something which involves a monthly payment. If you notice, and are happy, fine. But some students have been caught out and ended up with a huge bill which they could not pay.

Endless Repeat Charges and Cancellation
I am not good at remembering to cancel and tend to get stressed out if I want to cancel something and it proves difficult. So I have learned to avoid anything which commits me forever on the basis of cancel any time. If you are one of those people who keeps good track of your finances and regular payment.

I wish I were highly organised. I have a friend who checks his bank balance daily. He is a do it now person. He devotes three hours every Sunday after noon to managing accounts.

I am a creative. I am the one who orders either no sets of business cards, then for the rest of their life ten sets a year in six colours and styles!

Order Early For Xmas
Here's a recap. A good idea for Xmas presents for business or family. I tend to find I need cards just before a conference or trip overseas. Then it's a rush. I underestimate how long it takes to order. Postage time is unpredictable. I've had orders of business cards and books which arrived within three days, just in time. Others took weeks. You have a choice of times and payments for postage at checkout. You save money if you order early and opt for the cheapest and slowest rate.

Allowing Ordering and Postage Time
To allow time to get your orders in for Xmas, get your plans made, then allow for postage times, so start checking out the websites now. Then make sure you know the room and place where you have hidden the gifts from others in the same household. You can wrap items when they are out of the house so the recipient does not rummage through a cupboard and come across a supposed surprise.

Travelling With Gifts
If you are travelling, you may have to unwrap parcels at security or the customs for inspection. So rather than sealing, you can make concertina folds of the paper, and pretty coloured elastic bands you can slide off. You might want to pack sticky tape and a ribbon or bow to add at your destination.

Re-Oordering and Updating
Vistaprint, once you have made an account, keeps all your past designs permanently available so you can go back and re-order without having to create again.

Seeing Samples In Supermarkets and Stores
In the UK at one time you could order photos on mugs and other items at supermarkets such as Tesco and some of the department stores such as Boots. This may be a seasonal offer, or they may run it until the market is saturated and then stop.

Checking Choices
The advantage is it gives you a chance to check out whether the product will suit you and the recipient. What is the quality of the fabric, the cut of the sweater, the size? Will you and the recipient consider the colours are pale/subtle/faded or shouty/lively/vibrant? Are the mugs are good enough for a gift, solid so they won't break, or too chunky and heavy.

Selling Your Photos
Another site allows you to sell your own photos or illustrations to others to decorate their cards, key-rings, hats and so on. You set up a site selling your designs within their system and they take a cut from the price of every sale you make. Some artists make a good proportion of their living though online sales.

Look at it another way. The hard work of setting a business is done for you. All the planning of the production of the standard items, the cards, key rings and so on, is done from the central ordering and factory. You are just adding your design to their collection and getting a share of their profit.

To sum up, poor quality, not suitable, or just right? Too expensive for the size you need, or must have it, ever mind the price, or excellent value? Check out the choices. I'll add more websites later, or you can add your comments and suggestions.

Gift Photoproducts Websites
artido.co.uk (High price tablecloths etc)
vistaprint (huge choice of business card designs and add the same picture to caps etc)
photoshelter.com (selling your work)

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and author.

Sherlock Holmes Museum & Shops

The Sherlock Holmes Museum is in Baker Street.
You will see people gathering outside during their opening hours, every day of the week.

The shop inside the museum sells tickets and has two rooms of souvenirs you can buy. These include tee-shirts, and bookmarks. I looked at the photos on TripAdvisor. If you have time, get a second photo to the left of the doorway, showing the Sherlock Holmes museum sign. You can also photograph a blue plaque.

Next door is Mrs Hudson's Old English restaurant and tea rooms, taken from the Sherlock Holmes books.

Over the road is a shop selling tee-shirts and deerstalker hats and capes.

The museum is in the section of Baker Street running north from Marylebone Road to Regents Park. You will probably see crowds outside during opening hours. It's worth looking in the shop.

On the way back, stop for a photo beside the Sherlock Holmes statue outside Baker street station. If you take a photo from one side you can get Sherlock's pipe silhouetted against the sky.

You'll find lots of reviews of The Sherlock Holmes Museum on trip advisor. (I typed that website as one word but the spellchecker insists on separating it.)

The Sherlock Holmes Museum
22B Baker Street
London NW1
Tel:0207 935 8866
Open 9.30-6 pm.
www.sherlock-holmes.co.uk

Angela Lansbury, travel writer, photographer, author, speaker.

Saving travel photos and memories

You can save souvenirs of your travel trips in many ways.

PHOTO SLIDESHOW

Make your photos into a slide show using Powerpoint or Keynote (on Apple Mac laptops or iPads) or Mosaic. Starting with a title page and map, ending with a photo of yourself at home or unpacking souvenirs. Add music. Or recipes. Or a page of websites and addresses at the end. Or list your future or all previous trips.

WATERCOLOURS, SKETCHES & CARICATURES
I draw pictures of people I meet. I carry watercolour pencils. (Less messy and less time consuming than watercolour paints or oil paints. You can also take photos and draw pictures in the evening or after you get home.

PRINTS & TEE-SHIRTS
A print of your family with the car is useful if you often lose each other. You can point to your tee-shirt and ask, have you seen my husband, children, car?

EMBROIDERY
A lady in Singapore makes embroidery pictures of the places she visits. How could you do this? Print photos onto a tee shirt.

PHOTOS of HOTELS, RESTAURANTS, TOUR GUIDES, GROUPS