la kellykellykelly

It's Time to Break Up...I've been seeing another blog

2011-04-15T06:29:00.000-07:00

I'm breaking up with this blog and moving on to this one. I've been tinkering with the new blog for a while now but haven't been willing to fully commit. But I guess it's time to stop playing games and break things off with the old blog -- 'cause it's really not fair to be involved with both at the same time (I don't want to be a two-timing hussy).

It's probably obvious that the theme of my writing has been slowly heading in the food direction and so I'm going to concentrate on that for most part in my new blog. But I also don't want to limit myself to just that (since I'm a moody person and often change my mind), so I didn't change my blog title to something foodie related (and goodness, I still don't like the word "foodie"). And besides, I like La Kelly Kelly Kelly. So that will remain.

I originally chose the title "La Kelly Kelly Kelly" for two reasons. The "La" does not stand for Los Angeles - I've never even been there. "La" is included in the title because of my first experience in South America staying with a host family. The whole family referred to me as "La Kelly" or "The Kelly" -- which is apparently pretty typical. New to the Spanish language at the time, I thought it was cute and a sort of ego boost. I am THE KELLY, I am the original, I am important. Heh.

The repetition of Kelly comes from the sitcom "Cheers" when Woody writes a birthday song for his girlfriend, Kelly. The lyrics are ridiculous and the bulk of them as just "Kelly Kelly Kelly Kelly Kelly....." Check it out:

Silly. But it puts a smile on my face.

So yeah. I'm keeping my title because I love it. Bam. (Come on, you know you keep souvenirs from previous relationships.... right? don't people do that?)

I'm nervous about this new blog, I think it could be *the one* .... but ya know, I'm not going to get my hopes up just yet. Only time will tell if this is true blog-love.

Come visit me at the new blog! Leave comments, advice, suggestions, recipes!

It's Go Time

2011-04-01T07:13:00.000-07:00

Waiting is over.

Stress is down.

Positivity is up.

Excitement is awesome.

Nervousness... is included.

It's go time.

The Waiting Game

2011-03-21T11:04:00.000-07:00

The first week was a much needed vacation. Time to relax, time to de-stress, time to cook, time to clean (ha! yeah right!), time with Z, time to be happy. Lovely.

The second week was for getting down to business AKA finding a job. The day before operation "get job," a promising job ad popped up during an internet search. Wait no, it was more than promising - it was ideal. Applying and interviewing ended with a positive feeling (on both sides, I believe).

So I put off searching further because I didn't want to run the risk of settling for something less ideal. (This might seem crazy, but if I could tell you the details of what this opportunity has to offer then you would understand)

And now I'm waiting. And waiting. And hoping it's worth this awful exercise in patience.

I don't like being unemployed. Besides the lack of money, I'm unbearably bored! I'm restless and sick of the inside of my apartment. But I'm trying to stop myself from spending unnecessary money. I'm even sick of watching re-runs of Law & Order!

I also miss people. Going from bartending to hanging out at home alone all the time is shocking. I need some social interaction! I'm afraid I'm going to turn into that crazy woman who talks to everyone at the grocery store about which melon is the ripest.

Help! I need advice about how to not go insane!

TKP Month 2: Two weeks

2011-03-07T08:00:00.000-08:00

I didn't forget about the month two of TKP. I just had a delicate situation that I had to get out of the way in order to progress and I didn't want to blog about it.

But now I can.

I put in my two weeks. Those two weeks passed. I'm now blissfully unemployed.

My job was a good-energy sucking, motivation smashing, soul killing pile of negativity. Obviously, I had to get out.

Now to clarify: I don't hate the restaurant business. I still love it as much as always. I also love bartending. The problem comes when the specific place you're working is slowly killing your love for what you do.

My goals for this month don't include finding my "dream job" because that is unrealistic (and I honestly don't even know what my dream job would be). But I do want to find a job with good energy, where I'm excited to come to work, and where I feel like I'm inspired and learning.

I wish I could post a reverse job ad: Got buena onda? Believe that positivity and encouragement create the best working environment? You could be my future boss!

Maybe I'm incredibly naive. I hope not.

What's on my Mind?

2011-03-02T07:50:00.000-08:00

Something has been bothering me about the food business (slash MY business): Fancy-ness.

You know, the whole super famous chef and his a billion star restaurant with penguin dressed servers silently anticipating your every want. The entrees that are 15 word descriptions of the dish (with words that I have never even heard) and the desserts look like mini sculptures.

Why is this the top? Why is this desirable? Is this where I'm supposed to want to be?

I'm sure there is a place for these fancy-shmancy restaurants in the world. But I refuse to let define and set the standard for food in the world.

I want my world of food to be a simple, beautiful, social experience.

And so, I'm starting a children's books about food collection. My list, so far, includes the classics like Green Eggs and Ham, Strega Nona, Stone Soup, and Chicken Soup with Rice.

Know any others? Please send me titles! I want to inspire my inner child to be excited about food again... To see the magic and wonder in cooking and cuisine.

The Great Coffee Storage Debate

2011-02-23T09:01:00.000-08:00

Mmmm coffee. There is absolutely no better way to start a day. And it is the greatest drink to share with a friend in the afternoon (unless you're getting the party started early with some mid-afternoon brewskies).

Coffee is a part of my morning meditation. Even the smell of coffee makes me smile and wakes my brain from a dreamy haze.

I wouldn't go so far as to say that I'm a coffee snob. But I'm definitely picky about what coffee I drink.

In general, Starbucks coffee doesn't impress me. It's not bad but it's also not amazing. So not worth the price for me. This opinion was only further solidified after living in Guatemala. Guatemala has GREAT coffee and numerous different coffee shops on every corner. None of them are Starbucks. Yup, Starbucks does not exist in Guatemala. I would also venture to say that Starbucks would FAIL in Guatemala because the coffee chains that already exist in the country are so much better.

When I buy coffee for making at home I usually go with one of two options: (1) Mayorga coffee - a local company (DC area) that is all about socially conscious coffee production. Oh and their coffee is excellent. Their tagline Good Coffee. Good Karma makes perfect sense. (2) Trader Joe's coffee - weird psuedo-hippie grocery store with a free trade angle as well. Not only do they have a wide variety of types of coffee from different regions of the world, all their coffees are extremely reasonably priced. Oh and I can use their coffee grinder for the appropriate courseness/fineness for my drip coffee maker or espresso maker.

Once I get the coffee home, the real question becomes: How do I store coffee? My roommate in college put hers in the refridgerator. Another friend hides his in the freezer (I must mention that he drink Folgers .... I'll leave it at that). My mom keeps hers on the counter next to the coffee maker.

Who is right? I've heard some wild tales about how refrigerating your coffee sucks out all the flavorful goodness. And I've hear that putting coffee in the freezer makes the grounds take on the taste of the frozen shrimp piled next to it (or whatever you keep in your freezer). Oh the horror!

I try to keep my coffee in a cool dark place in my kitchen (and easily accessible so I'm not Angry-Kelly in the mornings). This seems reasonable enough for me. But since I LOVE coffee beyond description, I figure I need to know the right way to do things...

How do you store your coffee? And can you point me towards a coffee expert?

(I think I know my next book genre obsession)

Light Bulb! aka Realizing the Obvious

2011-02-16T10:44:00.000-08:00

Ugh I'm so stupid sometimes. I've been looking for something to write about (not just on this blog but as a topic to focus on in order to improve my writing) and also for an area of interest to explore in terms of career potential. I've been super distressed about not being able to figure something out.

Ding! Hello, Kelly. You work in a restaurant, you're dating a culinary manager, you love grocery shopping, the highlight of your days off is cooking, you watch food related TV shows, you search the internet for recipes for fun, and you (semi-recently) read a book about food and history that left you giddy.

Write about food, silly girl.

Now I just need to tell myself that all it takes is passion. Because I'm far from the expert on food. I'm definitely a cook-in-training who ends up eating some botched recipes (ideas for cooking always sound better in my head....). And I'm definitely not rich enough to eat at super fancy restaurants all the time to do research on foods. I've thought about culinary school, but decided it wasn't for me (as much as I enjoy the restaurant business, I don't want to cook all day for streams of anonymous customers. I want to cook for ME damnit!).

On top of it all, I dislike the word foodie. First of all, no one seems to have the same definition of the word. Secondly, it just sounds obnoxious.

I like food. I like smelling food. I like eating food. I like cooking food. I like the feeling of peace I get when chopping vegetables for soup. I like the way flour feels when you stick your hand completely into a fresh bag. I like watching Anthony Bourdain travel around the world eating and talking about nonsense. I like Top Chef as well as Worst Cooks in America. I like to read about food on blogs. I like to read about food in books (the book that made me giddy is this one). I like to look at pictures of food. Z and I go out to restaurants on our days off together - not because we're a boring couple, but because we LOVE food (oh and we cook together on occasion as well). I like the fact that Hamburger Stroganoff brings me back to my childhood, the thought of French Onion Soup brings me immediately to a tiny condo dining room with deep red walls belonging to one of the best cooks I know, the smell of corn tortillas takes me to Guatemala, and the taste of an empanada transports me back to Chile (provided awesomely in the DC area by Julia's Empanadas).

All this leads to the question: How am I not supremely fat?

Just kidding. The real question is: How can I learn more about food (other than experimenting in my closet-sized apartment kitchen) and discover my food destiny?

Oh great, something else to stress about now!

Are Pies The New Cupcakes?

2011-02-13T10:56:00.000-08:00

Cupcakes have been the "it" dessert for a while now. Cupcakeries have sprung up everywhere, producing little cakes with picture-perfect frosting swirls and charging outrageous amounts for these bite-sized desserts. There is even a reality show about a cupcake shop in my own backyard.

So the question now is: what is the next big thing in fashionable desserts?

Answer: Pies.

Or so I heard a while back from a completely forgotten source. Or maybe I just dreamed it. Perhaps it is actually my own theory afterall!

So in an attempt to not miss the wave, I'm going to give pie making a try.... this could be disasterous....or hilarious.... or maybe, delicious?

Sick Day

2011-02-10T10:03:00.001-08:00

My head is pounding, I can barely swallow, my whole body hurts. And yes, I'm whiny.

Conclusion: being sick sucks.

And I have to work.

Boo.

My Vicious Cycle or How I've Frozen Myself into Inaction

2011-02-02T09:51:00.000-08:00

I've been researching a lot lately. I'm discovering a large range of things I want to try out - new hobbies, old hobbies, career options. And I'm excited about them all.

However, I can't start any of them.

Why? Because my apartment is messy. My messy apartment is a mental roadblock to everything else I want to do. It's also my excuse for NOT starting some of these things (because sometimes new things are a little nerve-wracking. And so my fear has created this thing to prevent me from doing something new). But I don't like cleaning, so I put it off by doing more research about things I want to do once I've cleaned my apartment. Oh. My. God. I'm psycho.

I've trapped myself in a self-made vicious cycle. I have frozen myself into inaction.

Wasn't one of my resolutions for this month to clean-up and maintain? Oh yes it was. But I hadn't done much of that until my fit of anger last night. Apparently angry energy makes me a cleaning machine (this is not a good sign, methinks!).

Within 45 minutes my apartment looked MUCH better. So hopefully I can use this cleaning-fit as an example of how easy it is to just DO IT.

Why am I SO Angry?

2011-02-01T18:25:00.000-08:00

I'm angry.

Again.

But I don't know why.

It's my day off and I SHOULD be relaxing. Well I guess I did relax earlier. I woke up late (well that's normal... haha - oh yeah oops, what about my sleep patterns improving again.....), I drank coffee and read, I went shopping for kitchen toys (my new favorite things to buy), and then went grocery shopping (which is, oddly enough, my favorite type of shopping).

And then I got angry when I came home. I felt like I had wasted my day. I never see my friends anymore. All I do is work, come home, hang out with Z, and grocery shop. God, it sounds like I'm having a midlife crisis and I'm not even 30 yet!!!

Even though I have quite the social job - being a bartendress means constantly conversing with guests and whatnot - I still feel disconnected with people. I love (most) of my guests though. They are hilarious and talk about interesting things (or they talk about boring things which ends up being hilarious because it's SO awkward). But talking to my customers at my bar while I'm working does NOT equal a social life.

I'm bad at making time for people, I admit it. I usually blame my weird restaurant-job schedule but that is just a wimpy excuse. I could definitely do better about making plans with people.

And then I wouldn't be so ANGRY! And I would have other things to talk to Z about. Since usually I just bitch about work ---which usually just leads to an unnecessary argument about nothing.

I should figure out what activities prevent me from angry episodes like this one.... hmm.... ideas?

Snow Lesson: Corporate America Sucks, But People in general are cool

2011-01-27T10:11:00.000-08:00

It snowed last night in the DC area. And everyone freaked out like usual.

Go ahead and make fun of us, all you wintry Midwesterners. We freak because we don't get snow that often and we don't know how to deal with it. That's my excuse.

On top of our usual disorganization when it comes to handling snow, the snow came fast and heavy during rush hour. It was snowing buckets by 4pm. Yes, buckets.

I worked yesterday and at 4pm when the snow started, my manager reassured me that I would be able to get home later that night "no problem." He left within the hour before the accumulation got to be significant, driving his extremely large SUV/truck thing (I know nothing about cars.... but I do know that his car can definitely take on the snow).

My car is not an SUV or a truck and doesn't have 4 wheel drive. In fact, it's basically a sports car. So it's low to the ground and light as a feather. Oh and it's over 10 years old.

We didn't get the OK from the higher ups to close up the restaurant until almost 8pm. I finished cleaning the bar and waiting for a few guests to finish up and leave.

The road directly in front of the restaurant was decently plowed.

Hmmm, I can totally make it home. I thought. Just sloooow driving, Kelly.

WRONG ! As soon as I pulled out onto the main road - aka a road that hadn't been plowed by a private contractor - it was a nightmare!

Slow and steady. I repeated, even when the car next to me fish-tailed dangerously close as we stopped at a red light.

I was inching my way down the road when I suddenly saw a back up of cars. As I got closer I see that there IS A FLAMING CAR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD.

While the sight of flames coming out of the snow is rather impressive, I decided it was time to turn around. In attempting to make a u-turn, I got stuck in a pile of snow. Of course. Just my luck.

Eventually a truck pulls up and two men jump out and run around my car. As they start to push I hear them yelling, Go go go! This was rescue #1.

A little ways down the road. I get stuck again. This time a guy walking down the street comes over with some advice (aka stop spinning your tires, crazy lady). And then he pushed me out. Rescue #2.

As I tried turning into the parking garage by my work (yup, headed back to square 1), guess what?!? I got STUCK, AGAIN! Another truck pulls up and offers to tow me into the parking garage. That's right, he hooked up some rope and pulled me across the intersection. As he unhooked the line, I asked him if this is what he always does when it snows - ya know, rescue people. He said, "Yes. It gives me an excuse to play with my big truck." You are a superhero, my friend. Rescue #3.

I got back to my restaurant as my (other) manager was leaving.

Whatcha gonna do, Kelly? He asks.

I don't know. I can't get home.

That sucks! See ya! Oh yes, my company truly cares about their employees.

Luckily the Chinese restaurant next door was still open. So I sat with the other stranded people, wondering if I was going to end up sleeping on the floor next to the bar (There ARE worse things, right?).

But then I called Z. and as soon as he heard the sound of defeat in my voice, he found a solution (you know men and their need to fix things). His 'rents live close to my job and they also have a 4-wheel drive vehicle, hurrah! 20 minutes later my ride shows up. Rescue #4.

So the two things I learned from this snowy experience:

1. Corporate America Sucks. I work for a corporate restaurant. And like any corporation, they care about one thing: MONEY. Keeping the restaurant open just in case the snow isn't that bad seems like a good money-making decision. However, it also put my life at risk and left me in a tough situation. What if I hadn't been so lucky? I could be in my car in a snow pile along the side of the road. Or sleeping on the floor of a Chinese restaurant. Or trying to walk through deep snow in my restaurant work shoes to get to my (not within reasonable walking distance) mom's house. Sometimes profit is NOT worth it.

2. But People in General are cool. Thank you to all my superheroes! Gracias to the latinos with the truck who quickly pushed me out of the snow. Thanks to the random dude walking through a snow storm who basically told me to stop driving like a dumbass and pushed me out of yet another snow trap. And the crazy truck guy who towed me to safety (I'm sure he had a grand ol' time rescuing others just like me). And to Z's 'rents! Who not only rescued me from the Chinese restaurant, they also fed me, gave me a glass of wine, a bed to sleep in and a ride back to my car in the morning!

Oh and guess what? It's supposed to snow more tomorrow....

Eat Pray Love: The Book vs The Movie

2011-01-26T09:20:00.000-08:00

I finally broke down and rented "Eat Pray Love." I had read the book a few months back and really enjoyed it, but I was nervous that the movie would ruin the story that I had loved.

It didn't ruin it. BUT it was only a shadow of everything the book was for me. When dealing with a person's journey to self-discovery, it is supremely difficult to show all the reflection and self-realization accomplished along the way. And that is the whole beauty of the story!

The highlights: Julia Roberts was surprisingly good playing the role of Elizabeth Gilbert. The scenery of each country visited was gorgeous and inspiring. The basic essence of the story remained intact

The problems: Too many noticeable changes for "the sake of the movie." Trying to subtly show the changes happening within the character (I really felt like they needed a narration to help clarify the self-reflection). Too much emphasis on the love story at the end --- the story is about the WHOLE journey, not just to find a hunky Brazilian man in Bali.

So the way I feel about the book/movie comparison remains the same..... the book wins.

More about TKP (the kelly project) in the next post.

Month 1: Clarity and Simplicity

2011-01-21T08:36:00.000-08:00

For this month, my focus will be on clarity and simplicity.

When I first started considering this project, I felt myself getting overwhelmed with the amount of things I wanted to accomplish all at once. I wanted each month to build on the previous month's focus. But I began to realize that all my focuses intertwined! Which is good! Not bad! Stop stressing, Kelly!

So in order to make my project and my life more manageable, I chose clarity and simplicity for the first month. Now, what does this mean.

- Sleep routine: Sticking with some previous posts, I will continue trying to get better rest. This doesn't necessarily mean more. Just better. I will stick to a "Go to bed" routine and a "wake routine." And stop staying up late to watch Adult Swim with Z.

Get up earlier - give yourself a time of stillness. Use it to cultivate awareness. *

- Reduce clutter: I definitely don't need to throw out half of my closet like Gretchen Rubin did. But I do need to organize myself. I always use the excuse of "I'm too busy" when I see my dining room table covered in CRAP. I obviously need to MAKE the time to reduce clutter because - let's be honest - clutter sucks. Physical clutter creates mental clutter. I always feel flustered and that I can't get things done when my house is a wreck.

Let small chores serve as stop signs for you: Breathe, relax, and experience peace. *

- Minimize Anger: This will be ongoing, I'm sure. But step one is to get my temper under control. But that is such a broad idea too! I must first identify when I am angry and what triggered that anger. To take a PAUSE and reflect on this will help identify the problem but also prevent me from diving striahgt into anger. I must remember to greet anger with serenity and understanding.

When confronted by an angry person, simply observe his unhappiness and breathe in. Breathing out, try to understand and empathize. *

Establishing a sleep routine will simplify my schedule and reduce stress around what should be a restful time.

Minimizing clutter will simplify my personal space and create a more manageable place to work. Without clutter, I will be able to clearly focus on what I need to do.

Reducing anger will help me focus on clarity of LIFE. Anger creates fuzzy-ness and distraction from positivity and growth (cue Darth Vader's breathing...).

Three simple things. To ease my way into more changes to come.

*All three quotations are from Self-Meditation: 3,299 mantras, tips, quotes, and koans for peace and serenity. By barbara ann kipfer.

One Word

2011-01-20T08:02:00.000-08:00

In addition to a book, Gretchen Rubin also keeps up a blog about the Happiness Project to further inspire people to make life resolutions.

Her post yesterday was about picking one word to set the tone for the year.

My word is: LEARN.

I feel this word fits well with It's not about how much you know, it's about your willingness to learn.

But it's not simply about the type of learning that takes place in a classroom or with text books. I want to be more open to new experiences, to listen more, and observe and be in the moment. All of these things will support learning. Learning more about the world and people around me as well as myself.

What word would you pick for yourself in 2011?

The Kelly Project

2011-01-19T08:23:00.000-08:00

A while back, I got around to reading Eat, Pray, Love (By Elizabeth Gilbert) and I really enjoyed it. (No I'm not planning on running off to Italy, India, or Indonesia). I decided I wanted to find more books about peoples' personal soul-searching journeys for my own personal inspiration.

The next book I picked up was The Happiness Project (By Gretchen Rubin). This story of one woman's quest to be happier over the course of year did not involve traveling around the world. Instead it focused on finding the happiest version of oneself in everyday life.

I appreciate both books and methods of self-discovery - and I would not say that one is better than the other. Both have inspired me equally.

Unfortunately, I'm not in the position to run off and travel around the world (yet.... ). So I've decided to give Gretchen Rubin's "Happiness Project" a try. (She is quite encouraging when it comes to others starting their own versions of the project. And I love the fact that she acknowledges that everyone's Happiness Project is different.) I'm calling this "The Kelly Project" though (how deliciously self-centered!). I plan on using aspects of Rubin's project, as well as take inspiration from Gilbert's journey and find more stories to help motivate me in my attempt to be... well, Kelly.

I love Rubin's 12 Commandments. So I will start with my Commandments (some I have borrowed from Rubin or others, some are my own):

Do it now.
Greet anger with understanding and serenity.
Get out of my cave and cast a net into the ocean.
Act the way I want to feel.
Make mistakes.
Help is everywhere.
Minimize clutter.
Soak it in.
Be silly, be light.
Be Kelly.

Rubin also has a list called "Secrets of Adulthood." I have yet to really think about this in terms of my life. BUT I do have a very important personal statement that I have kept in my mind for a long time.

First, the back story. My final year of undergrad, I had the fortune to take a Graduate level class. My mentor in the Department of Anthropology happened to be the Director of Graduate Studies as well and she felt that I would benefit from one of her Grad classes (the topic of the class was Immigration... Of course). I loved the class and the discussions with these "older" people. But sometimes I felt very small around these Grad students with their more "adult lives" and their "real jobs." One day during a class discussion I made a statement - just one simple sentence - and I knew that I had never felt more sure of anything I had ever said before. This sentence hung in the air for a moment and I could see it sinking into the minds of my classmates and my mentor. "I think you've really hit on something important there, Kelly" my professor said. And it was extremely important. After class, I wrote the sentence down on a scrap of paper and hung it on a bulletin board in my room. I kept that scrap for a long time and read the sentence over and over.

The scrap of paper is long gone (lost in my multiple moves around the world), but that one single sentence remains clear in my mind:

It's not about how much you know, it's about your willingness to learn.

So simple. So true. And yet it's something I struggle with everyday. Why is it that as adults, we all want to pretend to be experts about everything? Like if we admit that we don't know something that it makes us LESS of an adult? This is truly idiotic. And yet, I fall into that trap constantly.

Well, no more. This is my year of learning. Of admitting there is SO much I don't know. Of asking people to explain new things. Of just living MORE.

And with that. Cheers!

(Oh yeah, and it's my Birthday today. Perfect time to start this project).

Rocky Start

2011-01-12T09:41:00.000-08:00

So I made two goals for myself recently. The first was to change my sleeping habits so I can wake up easier. The second was to control my anger in various ways.

As they say: Easier said (or Blogged) than done.

Major setback #1: During a stressful bartending shift on Friday, I took out some of my frustration by snapping at some of my co-workers. This was obviously not well received. I had TWO anger-charged confrontations with those co-workers. Afterward, even though I felt partially justified for my outbursts, I also felt BAD. I had disrupted my working environment in a negative way instead of trying to encourage people positively.

Major setback #2: As a result of my awful Friday shift, I self-medicated with Jagermeister. This of course made me stay up later than I should've and sleep later in an attempt to avoid a hangover.

Major setback #3: I randomly got into a huge fight with an important person in my life. I let my anger get to me and I fed the fire. I definitely did not greet anger with serenity and understanding. In fact, I made myself so angry that I had to leave the place and conversation all together. This almost ruined the rest of my day completely with bad energy. Fortunately, I was later given an unexpected opportunity to repair the damage. All is well.

Major setback #4: I have neglected creating a good nighttime ritual to get ready for bed. And so, I fell asleep with my contacts in last night and woke with crusty eyes early this morning. I immediately removed my contacts. Seeing that one eye was extremely irritated and red, I decided sleeping more was the best way to solve this. But waking up late today didn't solve anything. It just made me feel lazy. And my eye is still bloodshot which means I will have to wear my glasses today. Bummer.

Now that I have a clearer understanding of the hurdles I must overcome, maybe I can make real headway on my resolutions. Yes?

Angry Redhead Syndrome

2011-01-10T07:55:00.000-08:00

My "Wake Up, Kelly" Project hit a few bumps this weekend due to work ... and the necessary liquid therapy after work (should probably address this "cocktails to reduce stress" issue I seem to have... hm..). But I got it back on track this morning. Last night I went to sleep at 12:30 and woke today at 9:00 am....

I know. That isn't most peoples' definitions of going to sleep early or waking up early. However, I'm still a bartender and I work all PM shifts. I normally don't leave work until after 12:30. And when you're up until 2 am, waking up earlier than 9 is not easy.

So with my sleep habits changing, I've decided to add a new personal goal for myself.

First let me say. I'm a redhead. And I (obviously) have a temper. I definitely fit this stereotype completely. I have a short-fuse. And it can be a problem.

Part of this I have adopted willingly as "just a part of my personality." I can sometimes tone down my angry snaps into witty sarcasm --- which most people seem to appreciate... once they get used to it.

I also tend to come across much like an ice cube or maybe a porcupine when people first meet me. I can't even count how many times I have heard "You know, when we first met I didn't really like you. But now that I know you better, you're really awesome!" I see this as a good thing. I mean, come on. It's better than the opposite! "We clicked right away when I met you! But now I can't stand the person that I have gotten to know..."

I've also been told that I have an "angry resting face." This means that the way my face naturally is when I'm feeling neutral is.... um.... ANGRY! I have people constantly ask, "Kelly! What's wrong/" To which I reply, "Nothing. Why?" They follow up with "oh! You just look angry or upset!"

I also have "the look" (as my friends refer to it). "The look" is a death stare of icy pissed-offness. I have perfected this glare over the years and I can put it on without even being angry (just for fun.... no joke I actually get, "Hey Kelly, do the look!") And I'm almost proud of this look that scares the shit out of most people.

Despite my good humor about being an angry redhead ... I don't like playing this role at all. I will admit, having an angry outburst gives a rush of energy ... it's almost exhilirating! But it is always followed by a crash. An overwhelming feeling of guilt. Because I honestly don't like making people feel bad.

I don't know if I can really change peoples' intitial impressions of me. I'm not a friendly, out-going, meet-new-people type in general. On the other hand though... I am a bartender. So everyday I talk to complete strangers and I'm generally friendly and warm and engaged in whatever insane topic they wish to talk about. Of course, that is a bit like acting and I don't want to "fake it" in real life. But the fact of the matter is that I am capable of being warm right off the bat. (Of course if you try talking to me for 30 minutes straight about your love of organ music, I will bring out the bluntness and tell you I don't care).

When I'm in a good mood and smiling, it scares people who know me well. Since my "normal face" isn't a happy one. I think if I made an effort to act happier then I can change my "normal face" --- at least a little. And with acting happier, I would be happier and LESS ANGRY! Bingo!

As for "the look." As entertaining as it can be (and fun to try out on my future children - mwahaha), I need to learn how to control it. So in the moments that I am actually angry, it doesn't just show itself without my even knowing it.

So my goal is this: Greet anger with serenity and understanding. Whether the anger is from myself or from someone else. I will not feed the fire until it grows into blind rage.

Any anger control advice would be appreciated!

Wake up, Kelly!

2011-01-07T09:40:00.000-08:00

I will admit it: lately I have been supremely LAZY. I've been sleeping more than is necessary (or healthy, I believe) and yet I'm still exhausted. I keep putting off errands that need to be done. I'm not even doing the activities that I normally enjoy!

And I'm beginning to become frantic about my birthday and MY "New Year" . Stress and anxiety over the new year is not a good way to start out. Where is that good energy that I am searching for?

Today I made an important (and obvious) discovery. I was pulled out of my normal routine of sleeping disgustingly late (some might call it luxurious... but honestly, it's just embarrassing) by my boyfriend, Z. He was running late for work and asked me for a ride (his car is out of commission so he usually walks to work). I painfully pulled myself out of bed, completely groggy and wishing for another few hours of sleeping. However, as soon as I was outside in the light of day and moving ... I was perfectly fine! How incredible!

You see, I had gotten into the bad habit of: A) Sleeping late B) staying in my PJs while I drank coffee and did nothing productive (justified as "waking up") C) Made excuses to myself about not accomplishing ANYTHING by saying "this is me time. I need this."

Pure BULLSHIT. I was making myself more tired and more lazy and generally more unhappy.

So I need a new morning routine. Getting in the habit of waking up early will take some effort and practice. But apparently all I need to get going it a shower and some sunlight (like I've always said, I am like a plant).

I know I will always indulge in my morning coffee. but this should not be an excuse to do nothing. Drinking coffee does not take an hour. And even if I do manage to stretch it out for that long, there is no reason I can't be taking care of other things at the same time. (Note to self: practice not spilling coffee so often. This will help).

And so this is step one in preparation for my new year..... WAKE UP!

My January Limbo

2011-01-02T14:09:00.000-08:00

News Flash! Apparently the thing to do for New Years is make these things called resolutions! They are always positive and well intentioned, but they rarely survive the first month of the year.

I don't make New Years resolutions. I enjoy my New Years Eve and my New Years Day hangover without feeling like I need to make big changes in my life come January 1st.

You see, I have the wonderful gift of being born in the month of January. So the time between New Years and my birthday is my limbo time. It is a time to digest the previous year and meditate on what is important in my life. (It is no surprise that the vast majority of break ups in my dating history have occurred between New Years and January 19th.)

I can be as lazy as I want, drink whole bottles of wine every (other!) night and indulge in fancy cooking adventures that I would normally claim I don't have time for. All the while I mentally prepare of the upcoming year --- which obviously truly begins on my birthday (because I'm that self-centered. Yup. :o) ).

Don't misunderstand though. I don't really plan ahead that far. I usually grasp hold to one thing that I KNOW I want to do in the future and won't let go. These things usually don't make much sense (example: randomly moving to Chile to teach English. Not really a great career move, but totally satisfying). So I rarely make yearly goals or any such things. It's more like emotional and mental centering. I feel as if my energy is good then my whole life will go in the right direction (no matter how random).

So I am in limbo right now. Enjoying a glass of wine (Chilean Carmenere) and planning for my next cooking masterpiece. Centering my mind and reassessing my emotional needs.

So cheers! and Happy New Year!

Oh and no, I'm not planning on any break-ups during my limbo this year. I want to keep him for my next chapter. :o)

The Ghost of New Years Past....

2010-12-31T09:49:00.000-08:00

It's the usual time for reflection I suppose. But instead of focusing on the events of the past year, I'd rather look back on how I celebrated the New Year over time (if I can actually remember).

2010: In Guatemala City in Zona Viva with my then-fiance. The weather was delightfully warm (compared to Gringolandia) and we sat at some small rickety tables outside a bar. We bought buckets of bottled beers and smoked hookah while waiting for midnight. Midnight struck and fireworks went off all around us and throughout the city. Despite the noise of the New Year, I had a moment of clarity: I would not marry the Chapin sitting next to me and I would not be staying in Guate very much longer. (4 days later, I flew back to the US)

2008: Celebrating New Years and one of my last nights out before leaving for Chile. Despite frigid weather, my Chapin and I met up with some friends downtown and bar-hopped til midnight. I was determined to enjoy the company of my friends while I could, not knowing how long I would be staying in South America. My boyfriend had other ideas. Even though we discussed how we were going to stay together even after I left, he was getting pouty and accused me of ignoring him that night. Maybe "You're not the only one I'm going to miss" wasn't the right thing to say to him. I almost threw in the towel that night --- how different my life would've been if I had....

2007: My boyfriend at-the-time (foreign but not latino) and I threw a super short-notice New Years celebration. We bought booze and noise-makers and confetti. A handful of people showed up and we danced in the kitchen. All I remember about this New Years was all the confetti stuck in the carpet for the next few months.

2004: My best friend in college (and future dorm-mate for the next semester) invited me to a New Years party with some of her high school friends. It was a typical college party in a college house with crazy drunkards everywhere. I developed a crush on one of her HS friends and our DD for the night. We chatted about all topics as I downed cocktails and he sipped on soda. At midnight, we kissed (I guess I wasn't TOO drunk). This was my first true New Years kiss and the beginning of a short-lived college relationship. (My best friend warned me it would never work. I even remember her crying out "No!" when she saw us kiss that night).

Sometime in the '90s: I have no clue the exact year of these memories and actually retelling them is going to show-off what I NERD I was as a child, but whatever. My older brother and I had set up camp in front of the TV for New Years. My mom brought out the usual New Years snacks and sparkling cider. As she pestered us to keep the TV on the count-down to the ball drop, we had other ideas. We had found a Star Trek The Next Generation marathon on one network and since we were really that dorky, all we wanted for the New Year was non-stop Star Trek. And so my mom gave up and we watched countless episodes and missed the countdown and the stroke of midnight.

And looping back around....

2011: Since I have to work this evening for a bit and I have no firm plans whatsoever, my New Years eve will be a surprise.... Either insanely out of control funny or super tame, we shall see!

(It is kind of funny that the New Years I remember usually revolve around a guy and some crazy romance. This year will be no different. Whether crazy or tame, I already know who I will be kissing at midnight. :o) )

Happy New Years! Cheers!

Book Club: Service Included, By Phoebe Damrosch

2010-12-28T16:31:00.000-08:00

It's worth repeating: I love food. So obviously, the majority of my reading lately has been about food and the restaurant industry.

Also, I currently work in a restaurant as a bartender. So I love accounts of the industry. The ins and outs of serving guests. The little facts that only people in this business truly know and understand. No matter if you serve in fine dining or at the corner diner, there are common truths about the food business.

"Service Included: Four-Star Secrets of an Eavesdropping Waiter" by Phoebe Damrosch is a re-telling of her life and experiences while working a Per Se in New York City. My personal serving experiences in restaurants is nowhere near the level of this author. Her descriptions of her job make me salivate with jealous at the level of food quality and sweat with anxiety at the thought of the caliber of service required for such clientele. I day-dream of working for a restaurant like hers where I truly respect the food and chefs. This statement is not meant to bash the establishment which currently employees me. I work for a super corporate chain restaurant ---and, for what it is, the food is above par. But, needless to say, there is no caviar, truffles, or bone marrow. My knowledge of such things in limited to drooling over shows in the Food Network and Travel Channel. In short, my job has not provided the food education that I crave.

Damrosch's telling of the attention to detail in the service at Per Se is overwhelming. It makes me realize how easy I have it at my restaurant .... and yet also to understand the type of service I wish that every guest could receive (even at my casual dining chain restaurant). Eating out at a restaurant is an all around experience of the food, atmosphere, and service -- which should be (positively) memorable and deeply enjoyable whether it's bone marrow or diner pancakes.

Despite the obvious differences between Damrosch's life in "Service Included" and my current life at Nameless- corporate-chain, there are also amazing similarities. The odd pace of life, the comments from friends and family about your job not being "real," the restaurant romance, the eccentric customers, the camaraderie with coworkers, etc.

I could go on forever about how many ways this book touched me but I won't for fear of revealing too much about my employer and for boring non-restaurant-industry folks. Whether or not you work in a restaurant, this book still tells a lovely and fun story. But if you DO work in a restaurant, you will definitely find a kindred spirit in Damrosch.

Cheers

Jumping Back into It

2010-11-12T08:02:00.000-08:00

So once upon a time, long long ago this crazy girl was a serious athlete. Yes my friends, I was a competitive swimmer. I did the insanely early morning swim practices. I practiced for hours and hours a day. I lifted weights, did push-ups, crunches, lunges, pilates etc etc etc. I found the smell of chlorine comforting. I hung goggles from my car mirror and had an insanely large collection of swim suits in my closet.

Looking back on it. I can honestly say, I was INSANE. Most swimmers are pretty looney though. You have to be to put yourself through all of that.

My insanity was focused though. There was a time when I truly wanted to swim in college. I didn't even care about what I would major in, I just wanted to swim. As luck (or fate) would have it, this was not my future. I went through knee surgery my senior year of high school and had a forced (but much needed) break from swimming. This is when I finally made normal friends in high school because I actually had time to just "hang out." The friends I made are still amongst my closest to this day (thank you, knee surgery).

I went to college and joined the casual club swimming team. Most of us were formally nut-so training swimmers who didn't really know what else to do and were comforted by vaguely continuing our swim routines. Needless to say, we partied a lot.

When I graduated and no longer had "free" access to a swimming pool, I put a pause on swimming. Then I moved out of the country and probably got into a backyard pool ONCE in over two years.

Lately I've been have swimming dreams, so I started researching indoor pools close to my apartment. But frankly, I'm terrified. Terrified to start the insanity again. Wondering if I'm even capable anymore.

So I'll blog about it. And I hope some of you reading can keep me on track (in other words, I need cheerleaders).

Step one: buy a training suit and a sweet new pair of swedish goggles. Oh and a cap since I have too much hair.

It's Raining Cans

2010-10-21T08:09:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I heard a whimsical story on news radio and I can't get it out of my head.

So, a recycle truck driving on the highway had some sort of trouble (the details were a little sketchy here) with keeping their precious cargo inside the truck. As a result, a TON of aluminum cans flew out over the highway. Of course they were then smashed by the angry commuters speeding along the road.

But wait, it gets better.

This day happened to be VERY windy. So windy, in fact, that I had to drive with my windows up (I suffer from chronic windows-down-at-all-times-despite-the-weather). So, as soon as the cans were squashed flat by the cars, they were then picked up by the wind and tossed around the road like some crazy tin can rain storm.

I thought it sounded magical. Although I'm sure not all that safe for drivers. The End.

How Food Made Me Appreciate World History

2010-10-19T10:04:00.000-07:00

So I have a degree in Anthropology. But I generally find history rather boring and confusing. Too many dates and names to remember and sort through. I realize history is important when talking about Anthropology and culture since we must look to the past to understand why we are what we are today. This doesn't change the fact that I always wanted to fall asleep in history classes.

Well, I finally found a way to make history interesting and engaging for me. FOOD. (Let's face it, my entire life revolves around food. I day dream about it, I love grocery shopping and new restaurants, I work IN a restaurant, I love new recipes and cooking... ).

I have Linda Civitello to thank for my new love of history. She is the author of the book "Cuisine and Culture: A History of Food and People." It's the history of the world but based around FOOD (totally genius, I tell ya). The book explains how food influenced important historical events, how different foods migrated across oceans, how and why cuisine changed over the years .... awesomely delicious to read.

I had to pause numerous times when reading this book and run to the grocery store to cook up something amazing. Reading about food is dangerous (kind of like watching the Food Network or Travel Channel).

I now understand why I love potatoes so much. I also learned why the US is such a coffee addicted culture -- so I don't have to feel bad about my java addiction, it's really not my fault. And I have a renewed sense of wonder about how diverse the US is and how that diversity if reflected in our cuisine and restaurants. I love being able to choose from American burgers and fries, Vietnamese Pho, Japanese Sushi, El Salvadoran pupusas, Chilean OR Argentine empanadas, Spanish tapas, Italian pastas, Indian curry, Irish corned beef and cabbage, etc etc etc. (It's no wonder Americans are obese! Too many things to eat! (and yet most people here just go to McDonald's and never explore the fabulous options available. Sad face.))

Damnit, now I'm hungry. Time for lunch.

In conclusion: Read this book.

Says ME

2010-06-16T11:03:00.000-07:00

"I think his work ethic is sexy."

VIVA CHILE

2010-06-15T15:23:00.001-07:00

Definitely waking up early tomorrow for the Chile versus Honduras World Cup game.

(And yes, I am more excited about the Chile game than I was about the USA game... deal with it)

CHi CHI CHI LE LE LE VIVA CHILE!

That is all.

Bartender Tales: whoa there racism

2010-04-30T10:12:00.000-07:00

Working as a bartender allows me to observe the strange behaviors of people and as an anthropologist I find this fascinating and amusing. I have the usually drunk people insanity stories, but sometimes behavior truly shocks me.

First some background. The restaurant where I work is located in a highly diverse neighborhood. The neighborhood is largely hispanic, but also includes plenty of other minority groups. If you're into ethnic food, it's like heaven. There are El Salvadoran, Mexican, Italian, Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, etc etc restaurants all over the place. I love diversity and so I naturally thrive on the mixture of cultures that surround me.

About a week ago, a middle-aged white man came to my bar and order a beer. As I brought his oh-so-delicious Miller Lite draft to him (seriously? you want to drink water beer?), he made a comment: "So you're American, right?"

(In my head: um... what? we ARE in the US!)

Kelly: um, yeah I'm from here.

Guy: I haven't seen an American in a while!

(In my head: WHAT?!?! Do you think we're in France or something? Surprise! there are Americans everywhere IN THE USA)

Kelly: um...ok?

Guy: Well, you know because you ARE a minority around here....

(WHAT THE F-BOMB!!!! Sooooo because I'm white that means I'm American ... and since the majority of people in this neighborhood are not white that must mean they AREN'T American?!?! Holy shit ! On top of that... if I'm a random white girl working in a place full of minorities why would you even think that I would agree with or appreciate your statement?!)

Kelly: ..... *and walks away before I punch him in the face*

Immediately following this I told my Latino manager the story. He was furious and about to kick the guy out of the restaurant. Fortunately the guy was gone and there was no angry scene.

But seriously? How are people soooo stupid and insensitive?

Driving a Man Magnet

2010-04-09T08:46:00.000-07:00

After being a car-less wonder for two-some years, I finally have some wheels again. Since my current plans are to stay-put in gringolandia for the sake of my education, I figured having a car would make life much easier (I live in the 'burbs ... we have public transportation but it takes me an eternity to get anywhere worthwhile).

At first I researched basic used cars that wouldn't cost me an arm and leg in car payments. Just when I was about to give into taking on a sizeable amount of debt in order to buy a car, a great deal landed in my lap.

So what landed in my lap? A late-90s Acura Integra. The catch? It's stick. Kelly doesn't drive stick. Kelly is a girl about cars. I know nothing. If it gets me from point A to point B then I'm happy (a functioning radio is nice). But considering the price (or lack of) tag, I took on the challenge.

And now, Kelly drives stick! (Look out world!)

Since getting my car I've discovered that guys LOVE this car. When I tell them what I drive I get immediate respect. Then they point out that it's a stick and I'm a girl AND I can drive it! Whoa, impressive-ness!

Stopped at a red light, I frequently get a glance from the driver stopped next to me. The guy checks out the car ... then the driver ... BAM, look of shock. Tiny redhead driving a sweet car, whaaaa???

So I officially can drive a manual. AND I officially drive a MAN MAGNET.

(Obviously this is what I have ALWAYS wanted in life. SUCCESS!!)

Rules of margarita-making

2010-03-26T08:04:00.000-07:00

So I have split personalities somewhat. I'm an ESL/EFL teacher by day and a drink slinging bartender by night (I need a superhero name, quick!). Strangely enough though, teaching and bartending have an awful lot of similarities which is probably why I enjoy both so much. But that is a story for another day. Today the topic is MARGARITAS.

So I have worked in two types of restaurant bars: Anonymous American fare and Anonymous Tex-Mex fare. Each one had a different recipe. As you can probably guess, the Anonymous Tex-Mex fare restaurant made them better. This fact and numerous experience drinking margaritas at other location has led me to the conclusion that one should only drink margaritas at a Mexican, Tex-Mex, or Latino style restaurants.

The Anonymous American Fare restaurant I work at now makes HORRID margaritas. Besides the typical 3 to 1 tequila to triple sec ratio, we have to mix in some weird combination of Orange juice, splash of lime, and sour mix. I guess this doesn't sound so bad, but trust me it is. First off, there is too much juice mixer added in general. Second, a REAL margarita doesn't use SOUR MIX!!! YUCK. (on top of everything, we use an extremely cheap sour mix which tastes extremely watered down.

Kelly's Rules about Margarita Making:

- Never use sour mix

- only use lemon and lime (OK, throw some sugar or simple syrup in there if it's too tart for your taste) (Orange juice is OK only if it's a Gold margarita - gold tequila and Grand Marnier)

- always drink margaritas on the rocks, never frozen. Frozen margaritas are for wussies. But leaving the name calling out, putting a margarita through the blender melts the ice excessively then waters down and destroys the taste of the tequila. If you want a frozen margarita please don't waste your expensive bottle of tequila, grab that plastic one that smells like hangovers and spring break parties.

-salt the rim. It's not a margarita without the salt. Sorry.

OK now close your eyes and imagine you're on a warm beach with beautiful blue water. Margarita Mission: successful.

Beer O' The Week

2010-03-21T12:13:00.000-07:00

And the Beer O' The Week is............ Tyskie! I discovered this beer thanks to my mother. She ran across it in the supermarket and naturally had to buy it due to our Polish heritage and our shared love of brewskis (yes my mom is cool).

It's excellent. Buy it. Drink it. Love it.

So cheers to Poland and a shout out to Karina, my Polish "sister."

(Despite the name of the post... I am in no way promising a new awesome beer every week. But if I find another delish beer, I will post another beer o' the week.... although that could be 2 months from now. :) )

I'm NOT Irish

2010-03-17T10:15:00.000-07:00

News flash people (for about the 587th time). I'm not Irish. Yes, I know I have red hair. And I know that the 1 Kelly is an Irish name. My name is some cruel joke thanks to my parents. The hair is (as far as I can tell from family tree information) from my Norwegian heritage. (Go vikings! Go!)

St. Patrick's Day is always a frustration for me when I'm in the US. People are always thinking I'm some insanely Irish leprechaun or something. And I know that a lot of people say "well everyone is Irish on St Patrick's Day!" But I just want to make it clear that I. Am. Not. Irish.

I probably add more to the confusion because I love corned beef and cabbage. And I have a strange addiction to potatoes (but seriously, other countries besides Ireland eat lots of potatoes - that is to say the people in the countries... not actually the countries themselves... err, ok sidetracked there for a sec). And my favorite color is green.

Point being, despite the signs - the hair, the name, the color, the food - the Kelly of this blog is not Irish.

But Happy St. Patrick's Day to you all anyway. Drink your green beer and whatnot. I'll be bartending all night and grimacing every time someone shouts, "hey red! You must LOVE this holiday, right? Cause you're sooooo Irish!!"

Mi querida Chile

2010-03-02T14:38:00.001-08:00

No, I'm not in Chile right now. I'm in the US.

OK, now that that's over with....

As of this morning I've heard some type of news from everyone I know in Chile. Including one friend in Concepción (which was one of the harder hit areas).

My friends and family here in the States have all expressed relief that I am not in Chile right now. For me though, Chile is the only place in the world I want to be right now. You don't run away from those you love in times of tragedy and need. And I definitely love Chile. I have an unexplainable strong connection to that country. I know that I cannot be in my second-home at this very moment, but my heart is there supporting the strength of the people and the country.

For anyone in the DC area interested, the Chilean embassy is having a mass in remembrance of the victims of the earthquake this coming Sunday at a church in NoVa. Check out the details here. I have to work Sunday afternoon so I'll be unable to attend, but I hope others will show their support.

Snowtography

2010-02-06T11:17:00.000-08:00

The DC area has gone insane with the new "snowcabulary." By far my favorite thing so far has been the Snowtorious B.I.G. stuff. I've seen people on twitter saying, what about 2Pacalypse Snow? As well as, "I love it when you call me big doppler." Insane amounts of snow makes DC awesomely amusing.

Last I checked, we are up to 20 inches of snow and it's still coming down....

So here's some of my snowtography...

In the beginning... some light melty snow on the car.

Last night's light snow on the trees

Light snow foot print.

My boots in snow.

Heavy snow makes tree branches snap...

Through the snowy bushes...

Telephone line down???

(Our phone works and the power is good...

so apparently that wire isn't so important).

If you're snowed in like me, stay warm, watch movies, and relax. If you're not snowed-in... you're lucky. that's all. haha.

snowtoriousBIG/snowpocalypse/snowmageddon or how DCians are winter wimps

2010-02-05T13:37:00.000-08:00

The snow has started. Yes, it will probably be a lot (the experts say 30 inches). But seriously, DC ... it's not the end of the world!!! I guess since we can barely survive the 3-ish inches we got a few days ago, 2.5 feet might feel like the end of the world.

All I have to say is that WE ARE RIDICULOUS.

http://snowpocalypsedc.com/

Prepare yourselves for the SNOW-IN FREAK OUT!

That's all for now. Snow photos to follow... chau!

The Foodie Label

2010-01-29T12:10:00.000-08:00

What is a foodie?

I can't seem to get a straight answer on this at all. And like pretty much every trendy/newly-invented-word*, everyone has their own definition.

When I first started to hear/read the word foodie I was like, "ok, these are people who really like food..." But seriously folks, who doesn't like food? So is there a higher degree of like-age here or something???

Then I started to hear that it's basically the same thing as a "gourmet" - but that people think that gourmet = snobby, so they made up foodie to imply something more down-to-earth.

Digging further I found that a lot of people HATE the term foodie AND think that it implies plenty of snobby-ness (I came to this conclusion after reading far too many message boards discussing the definition of "foodie" - made my head hurt honestly). It seems that these "foodies" get obsessed with reading up on every new restaurant, going there and critiquing their dishes based on whatever article/book/blog they just read (these readings generally telling them what the new trends are for ingredient pairings and which newly discovered wines go best with them). Some of the foodies actually get into actually cooking things themselves in order to substantiate their expert knowledge of food.

This description of foodies kind of reminds me of those "sports fans" who get all their information from Sports Center and PTI and proceed to repeat the opinions of these television personalities instead of actually watching the games and coming up with their own opinions.

I'm definitely not pretending to be better than these types of people AT ALL. With my constant moving around for the past two years, I've done a piss-poor job at keeping up with my favorite sports teams. Sometimes I like to pretend I'm still a dedicated fan, but I will quickly admit that I know nothing these days about the players, stats or what-have-you. And since I'm just getting into this whole cooking/culinary thing, I know I have plenty to learn - and I will read articles and books about food in order to do that.

I guess my conclusion here is that I still don't know what a foodie is and so I will never call myself one. I'm not an expert on food or cooking and even as I learn more I will take everything with a grain of salt (BAM! food idiom!) and try my very best to stay true to my personal taste.

* according to my research, the term "foodie" was coined in 1981. So maybe no-so-new. Depends - like always - on your perspective.

Help save Kelly's bacon (and other food idioms)

2010-01-12T07:06:00.000-08:00

As I have hinted at before, this blog is going to take a turn in the foodie direction. Fun! I'm still working out the specifics along with a blog name change... which is where you come in! I'd like some input on new blog names. I don't want to try to force this blog into being something that I'm not. So I'm embracing all aspects of my interests in order to incorporate them into something entirely and uniquely me. So I want the title to include an English food idiom.

So think up your favorite or pick one from what I have found and leave a comment. Explaining why you like it would be helpful as well!

cool as a cucumber

with a pinch of salt

in a nutshell

easy as pie

a piece of cake

spill the beans

nutty as a fruitcake

in a pickle

(etc etc .... yes I'm a language nerd - and I'm hoping all my fellow language nerds will add to the selection)

And so I'll leave you with the sandwich I had for lunch yesterday...laugh all you want, it was delicious.

And I have to say, buying the right bacon totally makes a huge difference. Being poor and so, in turn, rather frugal with my food purchases, I always opt for the cheaper alternatives. Obviously this will change the taste quality but I got used to it. Now with the help of my financial backer (thanks mom!) I can get my hands on slightly better quality and slightly more expensive food items. In conclusion, this bacon was awesome. (in case you're wondering, it is Oscar Meyer bacon. no joke)

(turkey lunch meat, bacon, spinach, colby jack cheese, pickles, banana peppers, mayo, and spicy mustard on whole wheat bread. Accompanied with Utz Maryland Crab chips - the best potato chip ever created! - and a pickle)

La Peliroja en Guachinton

2010-01-11T06:41:00.000-08:00

That's right, my friends...I am back in the US of A. Which means the title of this blog has got to change... but that will come in time...

For now, I'll procrastinate the next step in my life by posting a photo wrap up.

The unwanted boy puppy. We named him Otto. He likes to bite everything at the moment.

Me drinking the national beer, Gallo. And of course, that's the Guate flag on the side.

Otto again. Very young and tiny. He is much bigger now...almost as big as his wimpy father.

The man looking somber. I just like this photo.

Maybe I will visit Guatemala again someday and have a more positive experience all around. But for now I'm content to have a happy stomach and calm nerves (although both have been a processes to change).

both sides of the coin or my love/hate relationship with travel

2010-01-04T06:46:00.000-08:00

Like always when I leave a country to return to the US, I have a list of things I cannot wait to have when I get "home."

- a shower with hot water AND water pressure

- a fully equipped kitchen with lots of awesome kitchen tools (thanks mom!)

- a diet with far less pork

- a washer and a dryer

- drinkable tap-water

But there are also things I will miss....

- amazing coffee.

- freshly made corn tortillas

- chocobananos

- the man

- the academy (aka my place of work)

- spring-like weather always

I love/hate this feeling. It always starts when I begin to pack. It's this sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach (that has nothing to do with food poisoning). It's feeling like you're losing something important but at the same time it's excitement to move on. I think this feeling is exactly why I like flying. It's a rush of emotion and energy. It's intense.

I just wonder when after this I will have this feeling again..... we shall see.

my "guata" is "mala" or how my life is shifting...again

2010-01-03T11:48:00.000-08:00

So I'm completely done with "stomachache"-landia. (in case you didn't catch that from the previous post)

(Side story... when I first got food poisoning here, a Chilean friend of mine said to me, "well obviously! I mean you're living in Guatemala! Get it? Guata - mala?!? jajajajaja!" In case the Chilean Spanish humor goes over your head, let me explain. In Chilean Spanish "guata" means "stomach" and "mala" means (everybody all together now...) "bad" --- so to a Chilean "Guatemala" is basically the equivalent of "stomachache." Awesome huh?)

My life has been pretty insane the past few years. Last year I lived in three different countries (and never stayed longer than 4 months in any of them). It's been an emotional roller coaster to say the least. And career development-wise, I feel like I've been lost at sea. With my birthday this month I feel as though I'm getting too old to mess around like this and I need to focus on something specific for work and settle down a bit. The problem is, I don't really know what that means....

I have a project in mind at the moment. I'm excited about it, but it's still in the early stages. I'm hoping it works out and I can make into my life. I'll explain that a little further later when I start making changes to this blog to go along with said project.

oh and PS I'm flying into the US late on Tuesday night. Surprise!

There's no place like....????

2010-01-02T14:15:00.000-08:00

News flash! News flash! Guatemala is NOT Chile. *SURPRISE!*

OK OK... Obviously I knew that Guatemala isn't Chile before I came here. I understand that Latin America is not one big country. In fact I've had to explain numerous times to other people that I in fact did NOT drink lots of tequila and eat burritos everyday while living in Chile. But after having a successful "living abroad" experience in Santiago, I naively assumed that living in Guatemala would be a snap.

I feel bad constantly complaining about this country so I want to say that everything I'm about to write is totally based on my personal and limited experience living in Guatemala City for four months. So take from this what you will and judge me as a wimpy gringa if you so wish.

Never ever ever in my entire life have I had so many stomach illness than I have had in the past four months. I have had four CRUCIAL (what up DC slang?) cases of food poisoning. And by crucial I mean curl up in the fetal position, feel like I'm going die, and getting to know the porcelain god waaay better than I ever wanted kind of super duper crucial food poisoning. Don't worry, I won't elaborate further. I think you got the point.

I never had these issues in Chile. I got mild food poisoning ONCE from a sandwich with bad mayo. My stomach was a little queasy while adjusting to the tap water, but nothing that painful. I ate street food constantly and never had an issue. Dear Chile, Despite your rather bland and not so interesting food, I love and absolutely miss all of it at this very moment.

I severely miss my independence. Due largely to the safety issues here, I cannot go anywhere alone. And since I don't know a ton of people here, I rely heavily on the man to escort me everywhere. So if the man is working, I am a prisoner of my house. I miss walking around outside!! (and feeling relaxed while doing so). I miss being able to do normal errands, shopping, taking the bus, etc etc ALONE! I want to be able to hail a taxi on the street and not worry if the driver will try to mug me (not try to rip me off - THAT I can handle. I'm talking about gun totting cabbies). I seriously dream about wandering the streets of Santiago by myself.

I feel as though people here walk out the door in the morning and think "I wonder if I'm going to get mugged today?" Whenever I talk to a Guatemalan they are talking about the shooting that happened down the block yesterday, how their friend/aunt/cousin was mugged recently, their past robbing experiences, and warning me not to go ANYWHERE without someone (preferably male and Guatemala ... muscles wouldn't hurt either).

Although nothing (knock on wood) has happened to me, I've heard so much about crime and violence in this country that I am legitimately terrified to walk ONE block by myself. When I started to work at the Academy I was happy to learn that there is a mall one block away. Malls are the safest place to walk around and I thought oh good! I can go window shop if I have a break in classes during the day. Nope. Wrong wrong wrong. One of my co-workers told me a story of being robbed at gunpoint as he walked to the mall to grab some lunch (male, guatemalan... not muscle-y, but not wimpy looking either. So how would a gringa do? I don't even want to know). Needless to say, I've never walked the one block from my work to the mall ... I was sufficiently scared by the story.

Maybe I am a wimp. Maybe I am taking all of these stories too seriously. Who knows? All I know is that I live everyday scared of doing anything and everything. This is not mentally healthy.

I know that going back to the US is an option. And it's one that I'm considering. But oddly enough I find myself day-dreaming about that skinny little country at the end of the world: Chile. I know it's nowhere near perfect... but I've realized that I feel safe there and that is a very big deal, believe you me.

I still have a lot of soul-searching to do before I decide where to plant myself for a good long while (i'm starting to feel the urge to settle down... am I getting old?). But this is just a small glimpse of where my head is at right now.

'Twas the night before Christmas and I was eating crackers...again...

2009-12-25T14:39:00.000-08:00

I have never had this many stomach viruses in my life. Thanks, Guatemala.

Merry Christmas Everyone.

And now for the ever-so classic SPANGLISH 'twas the night before Christmas:

'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the casa,
Not a creature was stirring - ¡Caramba! ¿Qué pasa?

Los niños were tucked away in their camas,
Some in long underwear, some in pijamas,
While hanging the stockings with mucho cuidado,
In hopes that old Santa would feel obligado,
To bring all children, both buenos and malos,
A nice batch of dulces and other regalos.

Outside in the yard there arose un gran grito,
and I jumped to my feet like a frightened cabrito.
I ran to the window and looked out afuera,
And who in the world do you think that it era?

Saint Nick in a sleigh and a big red sombrero,
Came dashing along like a loco bombero.
And pulling his sleigh instead of venados,
Were eight little burros approaching volando.

I watched as they came and this quaint little hombre,
Was shouting and whistling and calling by nombre:
"Ay Pancho, ay Pepe, ay Cuco, ay Beto,
ay Chato, ay Chopo, Maruco, y Nieto!"

Then standing erect with his hands on his pecho,
He flew to the top of our very own techo,
With his round little belly like a bowl of jalea,
He struggled to squeeze down our old chiminea.

Then huffing and puffing at last in our sala,
With soot smeared all over his red suit de gala,
He filled all the stockings with lively regalos,
None for the ninos that had been very malos.

Then chuckling aloud, seeming very contento,
He turned like a flash and was gone como el viento,
And I heard him exclaim, y ¡esto es verdad!

Merry Christmas to all, ¡y Feliz Navidad!

(from http://www.spainview.com/xmas.html)

Despierta!!!!!

2009-12-18T07:32:00.000-08:00

The age old questions: Which is better - Coca-cola or Pepsi-cola?

Everyone has their answer and their own personal opinions about taste to back it up. For me the answer is Coke. It's classic and to me, Pepsi tastes too much like sugar syrup.

Unfortunately, Guatemala is Pepsi country. The vast majority of restaurants here serve Pepsi, most of the ads I've seen are for Pepsi, etc. Sad times for Miss Kelly.

The newest Pepsi product to hit Guatemala is Pepsi Kick. From what I understand Pepsi Kick is an energy drink version of the soda (as if soda didn't already have a good amount of caffeine in it). There have been Pepsi Kick promotions all over the place. Weird commercials on TV and even weirder street team promoters.

I few weeks ago I was waiting for my taxi outside of my work on a Friday evening. It was about 8pm, so the drinking was already getting into full swing - and since my work is across the street from a few bars, I was witnessing the beginnings of Friday night mayhem. As I'm observing, a Pepsi Kick truck pulls up in front of a crowd of party-goers waiting to get into the bars. The sides of the truck were clear plastic and inside were two scantily clad females ready to hand out free samples of the new energy drink AND..... drum roll please.... a mariachi band.

Now the slogan of Pepsi Kick in Latin America is "Despierta!!" (meaning "wake up!")... and trust me, nothing wakes you up quite like a mariachi band. Needless to say, I had a good laugh and some decent entertainment while I was waiting for my ride.

And now to leave you with some very strange Pepsi Kick advertisements...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HC_mz3gV7Pg&feature=channel#watch-main-area

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJhP_acAXao&feature=channel

These were two of my favorites...but there are plenty more to watch. Gotta love Latino insanity.

Oh, and no - I haven't tried Pepsi Kick... I'm sticking to coffee, thanks.

*This and the next few posts will be based on my experiences within the past month or so. I'm behind on the times, but I don't want you all to miss out on the Guate fun. *

Thanks You! (or how the security guard made my day)

2009-11-19T20:28:00.000-08:00

So I live in a gate- community. Sounds fancy, but it's not really. It's just plain necessary in order to be semi-safe in this entirely unsafe country. So we have a gate that is guarded by our nice security guys with big bad guns (seriously, these guns are huge). The security guards know me now ... at first I got weird looks since I am most definitely the ONLY gringa in our pueblo. But now they know I'm here to stay.

When I have to take a taxi home from work sans the man, sometimes some of the newer security guards stop my taxi to ask questions. This recently happened with one new security guard and one of my favorite security guards who definitely knows who I am. The newbie stopped the taxi and looked at me and asked: "What's your last name?" "J___" I responded, glancing over at my security buddy. He was grinning like he wanted to laugh. I paused before saying quickly, "But I live with the B____ family." My security buddy's grin got bigger - he was obviously enjoying the entertainment - since he could've easily told the newbie hey, she's cool. Let her pass. The newbie nodded when he hear the man's last name. As the taxi driver was pulling into the community, I heard my security buddy call after, "THANKS YOU!"

BEST THING EVER. I've never heard him speak English before which makes this extra adorable. He was already my favorite security guard and now he has no chance of losing that position. :o)

Round One: Transportation

2009-11-16T19:34:00.000-08:00

**Since I've been working like a machine lately, I haven't had a lot of time to write posts. So I've decided to write some short posts about the differences between Guatemala City and Santiago. This is Round One of the Smackdown.**

ahh, public transportation... One of my favorite topics EVER. (that was actually NOT sarcasm, by the way). So let's see how Guate and Stgo measure up...

As you read in previous posts, Guatemala's public transportation system has some serious problems. There is no subway (big bummer) and the buses are interesting to say the least. The alternative to the buses are taxis. Taxis aren't exactly safe either though. Taxi drivers will rob you - whether it's just scamming you into paying more or by threat and force. Walking isn't much of an option either. Ask any Guatemalan and they will tell you that nowhere is safe. So what's your option? Stay at home, locked into your little safe haven and pretend the scary Guatemala doesn't exist? Yeah, you get hungry eventually.

And then there is Santiago with Transantiago. Subway - check. Although overcrowded at times and with it's fair share of pick pockets, the metro system is clean and consistent. The metro stops are even pretty, with artwork and such. Now, I have to admit that I didn't really take the bus all that often in Stgo. But the few times that I did, everything went smoothly (expecially in hindsight now that I've experienced lovely Guate buses). Taxis in Santiago will try to swindle you, especially if you're a foreigner - but I always felt like I could handle those situations. Oh and you can walk (imagine that!). I walked home alone numerous times late at night (gasp!) and all was well.

Ding! Ding! And the winner of the first round is..... SANTIAGO (duh).

Yeah, that's right, Stgo, I gave you an easy one for the first round... don't expect every win to be that easy....

Stay tuned for Round Two.

The Gring@ tax

2009-11-08T19:50:00.000-08:00

All Latin American countries seem to have this wonderful thing called "the gring@ tax."* This is when you are charged above normal prices for things only because you are a gring@. Guatemala is no exception.

Generally I'm always accompanied by the man (yes, I miss my independence, but have an escort everywhere is a good thing here where armed robbery is frequent), but lately I have had to take a taxi home alone since the man gets out an hour later from work. We had been lucky in finding a cool cat taxi driver to drive me home. He is nice and friendly to me without being inappropriate. And most importantly, he charges me a reasonable price for the ride. Unfortunately his taxi had to go into the shop at the end of the week and he was unable to drive me home. The man called another taxi driver who he promised was good also (he had caught a ride with him before and the charge was fair**).

Here's where the gring@ tax comes in. The charge was fair for HIM, the Chapin, the Guatemalteco ... This does not mean I - the redheaded gringa - will have the same luck. When the taxi driver got to my house I handed him a 100Q bill. The driver's response was " oh I'm sooo sorry. Pardon me! But I don't have ANY change! I left it all at home!" This was accompanied by a large grin. Obviously the man had made sure I would be charged a low fare, but since my Chapin escort was not with me the rules had changed. Of course the taxi driver assumed he could rip me off with his sad story of having no change at all. PUH-LEASE. He had change, the little liar. My response to his little show, "OK wait" - Kelly digs through her purse and comes up with exactly 35Q - "Here ya go!" The taxi driver's face just fell as he said, "Oh thanks. I'm sorry for the bother."

HA, sucker! Thought I would give you 65Q more than I was supposed to?!!? Guess again, dummy!

Needless to say, I will never call this driver again. And I informed the man that he is a very bad judge of character.

*gring@ is being used as gender neutral. So it means gringo or gringa. got it?

**In case you're wondering... No, there are no meters in the taxis here. It's purely based on what the driver wants to charge you. So when taking a taxi in Guate, ask for the fare BEFORE you get into the car!

no more peliroja????

2009-11-01T16:48:00.000-08:00

Sooo I might have to change the title of this blogs because there is a good chance that I won't be la peliroja (the redhead) for that much longer. Say what??!? Yes, that's right... I'm considering dying my hair. OK make that more than considering... I actually purchased hair dye today (it was onsale...I couldnt say no).

I've always said that I would never dye my hair... I love my red hair and the uniqueness of it. But it makes me stick out WAY too much in this country. I also stuck out a lot in Chile, but I never felt like this fact put me in any danger. In Guatemala, I feel like I need to play down my gringa-ness as much as possible so that I wont make myself more of a target for robbery. And since robberies here tend to involve firearms.... yeaaaahhh.

I feel like I should have the experience of dying my hair once in my life at least. And now I have a legit excuse for changing my lovely red locks for something a little bit more common - BROWN.

The man is excited about it (much more than I am... I'm a little more freaked out). Of course, he wanted me to dye my hair BLACK... I said no. I dont want to look emo, gothic, or like a walking corpse. So I bought a color called "Rubio Cenizo Oscuro." I have no idea what this means or how it will turn out! I'll probably give it a shot next weekend... so you all have a week to talk me out of this!!!!

The darkside of buses in Chapinlandia

2009-10-27T20:59:00.000-07:00

This is part 2 of my experiences in Guatemalan public transportation. (read part 1)

The buses, despite the brightly colored exteriors and the steady pulse of reggaeton playing from within, are not always so cheerful and a perfect example of crime and violence in Guatemala City.

A few weeks ago, we were out running an errand (buying a new shower head so the poor gringa could have a hot shower) and we got a ride back home with el suegro. As we got closer to the house, traffic started to back up big time. While sitting in the stop and go traffic, el suegro leaned out the window to ask the opposite traffic what had happened. There was an "accident" involving a bus. "Accident" -- meaning the bus was robbed. What bus number? Number 75. Ours. The bus route we take almost everyday.

The next day on the front page of the paper was a gruesome photo of the bus driver and his assistant (the guy who collects the money when it's super busy) shot dead on the floor of the bus. Apparently, some guys had demanded money from the driver - and he had refused. The worst part about this experience for me (aside from the fact that this was MY bus route) was that I recognized the face of the driver. I'd ridden on his bus many times. I knew a US flag hung from the ceiling of the bus and that the assistant was a persistent flirt with all the young ladies. The driver was 21, and the assistant was 16.

This is most definitely NOT an isolated incident here in Guatemala. Bus driver deaths happen frequently (which makes me wonder WHY anyone would want to be a bus driver). Most people here are numb to this fact. They are constantly afraid of what might happen while riding a bus, but they also think of it as a fact of life. Thieves and gang members rob buses, people get killed, items are stolen, people are hurt. Welcome to life. End of story. I can't get used to this way of thinking ... but I guess it's easy to think this way when this has been the reality for your whole life.

Count your blessings, folks. Things could be worse. And that statement definitely applies to my situation too.

(you'll be happy to know that the shooters involved in the bus incident were caught shortly after the shooting. They ran, but the po-po have cars - imagine that!)

((to friends and family -- I'm not writing this to scare you. In fact, I almost didn't publish this post at all. But this is what happens here and I'm not going to hide it from anyone. Just know that I'm very careful when I have to go to work or anywhere else in the city.)

It's Monday: pass me the alcohol and let's pass out on the sidwalk

2009-10-26T21:37:00.000-07:00

So here in Guatemala, the land of classy-ness, some people go to extremes to get a buzz. Ok, that's an understatement. By buzz I really mean, GET WASTED. Instead of just buying a small cheap bottle of some disgusting vodka or whiskey (as the bums in the states do), people here choose to go with the ever-so flavorful rubbing alcohol. Mmm Mmm. Sounds delish, don't it? I imagine drinking rubbing alcohol would taste like ...um.. drinking fire? maybe? I know I would totally be willing to painfully burn my throat in order to get drunk (sarcasm, people, sarcasm).

Today we walked past two shoeless individuals passed out on the sidewalk with some empty bottles of rubbing alcohol next to them. The were there last week too and they will probably be there again tomorrow. This is sadly, a typical sight.

Please, Guatemala, buy yourself a nice bottle of Chilean wine, enjoy it (and it's non-throat burning quality), and then pass out at home in your nice comfy bed. Salud!

The bright-side of buses in Chapinlandia

2009-10-18T21:41:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things to talk about is public transportation...I haven't had a car in almost 2 years, so public transportation is a part of my everyday life. Washington DC has a great public transportation system (complain all you want, DCians, you've got it good). Although I do wish the metro was a little less drab and depressing. Santiago also has a great public transportation system (despite what Santiago residents might tell you). It's cheap, pretty consistent, and has pretty artwork at the metro stops (yay! DC, please take notes)

And then there is Guatemala. The public transportation system here is awful.

First, there is no subway. OK, fine. Plenty of cities have no subway. So we have to rely on buses. ahh, the buses of Guatemala city... how to describe them? They are like traditional US yellow school buses - redecorated by the bus owner in order to add some... character? maybe? The buses on my line are generally painted red, but I've also seen some blues and greens out there. Many buses have religious inspired paintings on them (Jesus watching over the bus or some saying like "God is love"). The buses usually have names like Princesita or Josefina painted on the front of them (apparently all the buses are women and ita (tiny)). The insides of the buses are decorated with flags (Guatemalan and oddly enough, US flags), stickers, and old stuffed animals. And the best ones are.... the buses. that BLAST. REGGAETON. Oh yes, buses are like rolling dance clubs (even more similar with the help of overcrowding and foul body odor). I don't know about you, but there is NOTHING I want to hear more at 6am on my way to work than dame mas gasoliiiiinaaaa.

Then there is the crowdedness (and this is why they are so fondly referred to as "chicken buses"). Much like the old yellow micros in Santiago used to work, bus drivers in Guatemala earn money based on the number of passengers. So naturally they try to cram on as many people as possible. Gringos, throw your personal-space-bubbles out the window please. Once all the sits are filled, people begin to to find a spot to stand in the aisle. Always stand as close to the seats as possible because if you're standing in the middle of the aisle, the bus driver will yell at you to keep walking back (always with a polite por favor and "Sorry to bother you). Once the aisle is full, people begin to fill the steps at the front and back doors. And I mean fill. As long as you can hold onto the bars along the outside of the door - it doesn't matter if your body is completely outside of the bus. Just don't expect the driver to drive less recklessly for your benefit.

In order to get from the zona where I work back to our pueblo the bus must travel up up up a "mountain" (or so-called by Guatemalans. To me, it's a small hill - somewhere between the size of Cerro San Cristobal and Cerro Santa Lucia is Santiago) and then down down down the other side. On one side of the hill, they - wisely - made "elbows" in the road so that it winds back and forth up the hill (although the buses have a difficult time making those sharp turns, and often slow traffic for the cars in order to do so). On the other side though, the road is a straight shot. This caused an issue one morning when going to work... the bus, jam packed with people and engine weezing like asmatic, was chugging up straight up the hill... it almost almost made it to the top. But, alas, the little engine could NOT. So we had to roll all the way back down to the bottom to try again. (All was well though, the poor exhausted bus made it up on the second try).

Coming soon: The Dark-side of buses in Chapinlandia ... stay tuned!

PUPPIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES!

2009-10-07T19:37:00.000-07:00

But first a run through of the days that I've been missing in action ....

- dodged drunken Guatemalan rockers and raindrops, then smuggled cigarettes into an Enrique Bunbury concert

- started working at a language academy and I've had some amusing conversations with my students.

- cursed the public transportation system repeatedly... then stopped and cursed the government of Guatemala for not doing anything about the horrid situation here.

All there are blog worthy, BUT there is way more important news.... PERLA HAD HER PUPPIES!!

So far there are two. I say "so far" because we think there might be one more coming... ack!

They're so super tiny....

Aaaand we tired to make a video. The lighting is pretty bad and since Perla and her puppies are black.... errr, yeah. We managed to get a video with a decent amount of movement so that you can pick see the puppies a bit, rather than just a black blob.

Perla and her puppies from Kelly Jacobs on Vimeo.

Ahahaha, she gets stuck! Poor girl.

Edit: aaaaand there is a third one. Fourth? hmm? maybe?

Photo Wednesday: The Braid Experiment

2009-09-30T12:57:00.000-07:00

This is how my lovely profile picture came to be... haha.

And just for kicks..... the dogs again. :o)

The Hot and Cold of taking a shower

2009-09-28T22:17:00.000-07:00

As I've previously mentioned, we "live without" in many ways. This is compared to my cushy-US-lifestyle -- because, let's be serious, there are people out there with much tougher lives than me. Since I grew up with having access to a shower with good water pressure and no lack of hot water, my shower situation now is a little shocking.

Let me describe. We have a strange nozzle for a shower head. There is a switch on the shower head for either cold, warm, or hot. I enjoy my hot showers, so I turn the switch to hot and then turn on the water. If you turn the water on full blast (meaning wonderful water pressure), you will only get freezing cold water (even if the switch is on "hot"). But, if you slowly turn the water down down down... until the nozzle starts making a "gurgling sound" .... then you will get hot water... and no water pressure. That's all good though. I can handle that. I will take my hot water, and forfeit my water pressure.

Oh wait, the fun doesn't stop there. This lovely shower head decided to - how should I put it? hmmm- uh, crap out. So now I have one choice only: freezing cold shower. I just can't do it. How do people live without hot water? I know plenty of people around the world do it, but geeeeez. They're all much stronger than me.

Now I did have a brief experience with no-hot-water when I was living in Chile. I suffered through by boiling hot water, pouring it into a bowl, and then washing my hair in the bowl. Awkward, but it worked.

I mentioned this water-boiling solution to the man as well as my absolute aversion to taking cold showers. He says "OK" and immediately goes to fill a bucket full of water. I watch him curiously because (A) the bucket is being filled with cold water (obviously) and (B) a plastic bucket cannot be heated on the stove. Then he grabbed a long cord with a oddly shaped orange contraption on the end. He places this thing in the bucket and then plugs the other end of the cord into an outlet. "Don't touch anything," he says. "I'll tell you when it's ready." A little while later, he carefully disconnects the cord and removes the orange dealy from the bucket. "Hot water."

And indeed it was hot water. And plenty of it to wash my massive amounts of (red!) hair. Oh you clever little guatemalans! (although, is risking electrocution really worth hot water?)

Seriously though, can't we just fix the shower head? (says the spoiled gringa)

Cooking with Kelly: Cheesy Bacon Potato Soup

2009-09-27T18:48:00.000-07:00

Sorry that I've been lazy about writing posts for the past few days. I've been busy with a few job leads (yay!), so all my energies have been focused on that. I have also been cooking a lot. I've made cilantro-lime rice, Kelly style chopped salad, red rice and chorizo, and more! I've mentioned my cooking adventures to a few people and have gotten some recipe requests. So todays post will be an awesome foodie post.

If you know anything about my eating habits and addictions, you know that I love baked potatoes. I'm talking a baked potato with the works: butter, cheese (usually cheddar), sour cream, etc. Yes, it's exceptionally unhealthy, but it tastes oh so good.

Unfortunately, I don't have an oven or a microwave for making my awesome potato goodness. So I have to be more creative.

One of my favorite things to cook is soup. I think I like the fact that there is a lot of knife work involved -- chopping veggies is oddly relaxing for me. Within the soup category I tend to make classic chicken soup a lot, as well as Chicken Tortilla soup (an awesomely zippy tomato and chicken broth concoction topped with cheese, avocado, and tortilla chips).

Today I had a craving for a baked potato with the works -- so I decided to branch out with my soup making and have a try at Cheesy Bacon Potato Soup. And man oh man was it successful. And now, I'm sharing the goodness with you!

*please keep in mind that I tend to "eye" things a lot when cooking. So a lot of the measurements here I'm just guessing at. Just listen to your gut :o) *

4-5 medium to small potatoes thinly sliced

4-5 leeks chopped (depending on size of leeks)

4-6 pieces of bacon

water - enough to just barely cover the potatoes

2 chicken bouillon cubes

8 oz Velveeta cheese (or something of the sort.. Velveeta is a little expensive in Guate, so I used something similar but more reasonably priced)

1 cup of cream (I guess this would be heavy cream ... I got mine from a corner store where you ask for crema and get cream in a small plastic baggy tied in a knot at the top. You could probably also use sour cream, although that would give it a slightly different flavor ... possibly more "sour" haha)

Slice potatoes and put in pot. Fill pot with water to just cover the sliced potatoes. Add chicken bouillon. Boil potatoes until soft (do not throw out the broth). While the potatoes are boiling, fry the bacon and set aside. Do not discard the bacon grease, use the same pan to quickly fry the chopped leeks (I added a little butter to the pan as well). Add the leeks to the potatoes and broth. Mash the potatoes in the pot along with the broth and the onions (I wish I had one of those mashed potato mashers, but I managed to get the job done with a spoon and knife) Stir cheese and then stir in the cream. Chop bacon and stir into soup. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve and enjoy!

Let me know how it goes if you try out the recipe!

Photo Wednesday: The Pregnancy

2009-09-23T18:25:00.000-07:00

As requested (and because I'm too tired to write a real entry today)....

Pregnant Perla!

And evidence that Terry is indeed and evil evil little chihuahua (and he is actually smaller than Perla and has a girly-er bark -- both of which I find funny)...

Look close. There are two bite marks; one on the left wrist and the other on the right arm. Don't worry though, the man is fine - though slightly bruised at the moment.

The case of the monster-fridge

2009-09-22T08:29:00.000-07:00

So I went through a pretty nasty case of food poisoning about a week ago. I got food poisoning about two weeks after moving to Chile as well - so it seems to be a pattern. Maybe that's how long it takes my body to realize the food is different and react negatively, or maybe it's just an odd coincidence. This time I figured out that the culprit was the pork made for a BBQ for B's birthday. Now, pork is a dangerous meat since, as many people say, pigs are dirty animals. I, however, do not blame the pig. I blame the refrigerator.

My suegro (father-in-law) had the interesting idea of buying a cheaper fridge to save some money. OK OK, not a bad idea. The problem is that this cheaper fridge is not your normal kitchen fridge. It's one of those soda display fridges that people put in their mini-marts, which also tend to consume a ridiculous amount of energy. Buy cheaper fridge, spend super duper amounts on the electric bill.... hmmmm. Ever the money-saver, el suegro decides to periodically unplug the fridge throughout the day. Lovely! Keep the fridge monster from eating all the electricity while making the temperature in the fridge fluctuate throughout the day. Food gone bad is a waste of money. Even worse, food that causes sickness could end in a hospital visit which is a LOT of money.

Now let's all ponder what might be one of the worst things to leave in the fluctuating-temperature-monster-fridge.... hmmm... let's see... need another minute? ..... ok ok, I'll tell you: RAW MEAT. Guess how long this raw meat was marinating before we cooked it! -- Roughly a day and a half. UFF.

And TA-DA! Miss Kelly has food poisoning like nobody's business (followed by B and el suegro not feeling so hot either...). I won't go into the nasty details of my suffering... but just know that it was exceptionally awful. I will offer one bit of advice though. If you ever have food poisoning, please know that dehydration usually comes along with that - so drink tons and tons of water. If you don't, you will experience the worst stabbing pain in your side (which after everything you went through with the food poisoning just feels like karma is being unnecessarily mean).

And about a week after this whole incident, I'm feeling much better............ and the monster-refrigerator has been happily devouring electricity without any breaks for the past few days. :o)

Introducing my roommates...

2009-09-21T12:25:00.000-07:00

So I live with 2 dogs - chihuahuas, to be more exact. I love dogs- really, I do. But I never thought that I would be living with chihuahuas. In fact, I remember wanting to laugh when my Latino boyfriend told me he has pet chihuahuas (oh all the stereotype jokes you can think of!)

People seem to know chihuahuas for two things.... #1: the Taco Bell dog and/or #2: being vicious angry little purse dogs. As far as I know our chihuahuas do not prefer Taco Bell more than other human food nor do they say clever Spanish phrases. And only one of the two is vicious and mean.

So here are Terry and Perla.....

Terry is an evil evil dog. He's male and quite possibly has multi-personality disorder. One minute he is sitting calmly on the sofa next to you and then the next he is snarling and snapping at your hand. B. has bite marks on his arm now for simply sitting down next to him.

Terry is about 8 years old and has some issues jumping. He also tends to prance when he walks. The most bizarre thing about Terry is his nicotine addiction. If anyone is smoking a cigarette near him, that person is immediately his best friend. He will wait patiently until he can get to the smoking hand and then lick all the nicotine flavor off the hand. Seriously weird, right?

Perla is the lady of the house. She's about a year and half and she also has some issues jumping up onto the sofa -- this is due to the fact that she is PREGNANT (thanks to Terry, uff).

She is a sweetheart and only snaps at Terry. She has become my guardian. She will sit next to me on the sofa all comfy and then bark and snap at Terry if he tries to come anywhere near me. She seems to be rather scared of the camera (I think it might be the flash) - so we're lucky to have this photo of her. Perla is well along in her pregnancy, so we should be seeing chihuahua puppies very shortly!

I don't want to become one of those people who blogs about their pets too much, but there will definitely be some more blogs about Perla and Terry. :o)

Dear Chile, Happy Dieciocho!

2009-09-18T11:39:00.000-07:00

Fiestas Patrias. Funny to think that one year ago I was in Chile going to fundas, eating obscene amounts of empanadas and drinking delicious Chilean wine (sorry, not a fan of the chicha).

And now I'm in Guatemala, missing Chile like it's my job. In honor of this nostalgia for my 2nd home and for the national holiday being celebrated, I bought a bottle of Concha y Toro Carmenere (on sale today for only 50Q!!*) and I made my own version of pebre using Guatemalan ingredients (which will probably mean the pebre will be super spicy, but I love it!). (OK OK, I also bought a bottle of Pisco. It's Capel. But come on now, it's pisco in Guatemala...wtf, that's awesome!)

Completely unrelated to Chile, we're also making pan-fried chicken wings. Neither of us has ever done this before and most wing recipes online call for some amount of baking. Unfortunately, we don't have an oven (! oh yes, we definitely "live without" in many ways). This should be interesting (at this very moment I can hear the chicken sizzling). Hopefully we don't burn down our kitchen in our attempt to satisfy the craving for US style Happy Hour hot wings.

Pictures to come. And with that, I'm off to make sure the man isn't burning anything!

Viva Chile! Enjoy your chicha/vino/pisco!

* 8Q = 1 USD

Hello World.

2009-09-17T14:54:00.000-07:00

So I'm finally starting up the blog. I know it's been a few weeks since I moved to "the land of the trees," but I've had my hands full with things like eating more beans than I have in my life so far, the unnecessarily difficult process of setting up the internet, surviving rides in brightly colored buses blasting reggaeton, the painful experience of food poisoning, and spoiling a cute pregnant chihuahua. I will expand on all of these fantastically entertaining topics in the next few days for your reading enjoyment. For now this is just a "hello world!" post in order to let everyone know that I am here!