Almostttttt

Almost There

A Great Day

After an especially difficult and exhausting week ... Things are slowly starting to look up.

My FBI papers, translated, have arrived !!! Hooray !!

Tomorrow at 10 A.M. I have my appointment at the Consulate. I agree with my friend Nick, and that if I wear my stupid head flower I am guaranteed better service. Will do.

I am also now taking Vitamins E, B-12, B-6, Omega-3 / Fish Oil, and L-Cysteine in hopes of making my hair wonderful and shiny and beautiful and flowing and mane-like. Like Frau. I went to Whole Foods the other day and I once again was thisclose to wanting to move back home solely for this store. Honestly. I love it. Well, the refrigerated vitamin section kind of weirded me out, I don't know why, but it's fine. I want to be able to buy 3 different kinds of Chard. THREE. And limes, and avocados, and weird random things I'll never need, but still be able to get in a normal clean and happy supermarket. Le sigh.

Last night I had mexican food at my Arlington favorite, El Paso, and now Deb thinks I'm going to get Swine Flu. I almost ordered the carnitas but then realized that I'd be better off with chicken or steak. I had some amazing margaritas and even better conversation. I felt better after. Well, until I almost cried when I drank a Sam Adams Boston Lager. Boston. College. Boston College. Life goes on. :(

I can't believe that in a week I'll finally be coming back to Buenos Aires. It's so strange - I have been home for a month but I still feel like there is so much left to do, people to see, places to eat, movies to watch, etc. I am stressing a lot about what I am going to bring back. I have so much stuff - But at least I have a couple of friends coming to visit in the next month. Maybe I can send them some random things and just pay them to be my mules. Can't wait to arrive at Ezeiza with 3 giant suitcases, it will be grand. Why does winter clothing have to weigh so much ?

Hmmmm what else. Anthropologie Home is my life. MY LIFE. I need to import ALL of it to Argentina. Maybe I can do that.

I Enjoy

Listening to Johnny Cash and staring at the orchids next to my bed.

Joy

Please

Give everyone you love and everyone in your family an extra big hug today. If you live far away, call them and tell them that you love them. You never know when you won't get that chance again.

Things I Love

Finding amazing Michael Kors shoes that make me feel and look like nuclear energy

I Died

I love Pua, the anteater who wears a sweater.

An Open Letter

Dear FBI,
Please send me back my paperwork so I can get this visa craziness under way
Thank you. I would appreciate it if they arrived tomorrow morning.
Have a lovely day,
Paige

Rainy Tuesday

So Deb and I went back to this amazing Vietnamese place for lunch today. Oh man, I'm in love. Seriously. $3.95 for a bowl of Pho, honestly, is the most amazing thing to happen to me. I want to bring them to BA with me. Please. Nothing would make me happier.

After lunch we went to Michael's, the giant craft-store cracked-out paradise that I haven't set foot in since high school. Deb was looking for some ribbon to match another kind of ribbon that someone's daughter used on a wedding invitation ... To make a long story short we were on a miniature quest for the perfect shade and texture of ribbon. Basically I realized that if I come to stress over such tiny details about my wedding, which clearly will not be anytime soon, I would rather run away and live in the jungle. It just seems to be an unnecessary stress builder.

Speaking of stress, I finally found vitamins that will help me not feel like a dog or cat that sheds. I found this B12 Stress Complex and some other thing, L-Cysteine, that are supposed to help my hair not fall out like a crazy person and make it happier and healthier. JOY !!!! I hope it works. I also hope that my diet of chocolate Easter candy helps as well. It can't hurt you know ?

I would really love to be able to buy and ship the wonderful things from Anthropologie's Home section back to Buenos Aires. Everything is so lovely and beautiful and whimsical. Anything I buy there will go well with the amazing Egyptian cotton sheets that I just got today for my bed at Gorostiaga. I LOVE BEDDING. I love comfortable beds. I need like giant down blankets and pillows and incredibly soft sheets and lots of things to be covered with. It's the best feeling. Especially on a cozy winter day.

I'm extremely pleased with my Theory top that I got yesterday. Originally $445, I got it for 50 bucks. Honestly. Amazing. I am in love. I can't wait to find a reason to wear it.

I think that's all. I would like some Indian food now. And I would like to be able to pause Real Life Time so I could have time to sit and re-read all of my favorite books. Do you think that would be possible ?

Happy Easter // Felices Pascuas

Happy Easter !!

It's an amazingly beautiful day here in DC, albeit too cold for my liking. No matter. I am enjoying a nice family-filled Sunday and trying not to eat the entire chocolate bunny that is staring me in the face in one sitting. Le sigh.

I kind of had a crazy weekend - lots of running around and seeing fun people. On Saturday morning I saw I Love You, Man at 11.30 AM. It's the only time movie tickets cost less than $12, so whatever. Despite the myriad ( intentional ) awkward Paul Rudd moments, the movie was hilarious. Tons of funny one-liners ( my favorite: "Broseph Goebbles" ) , as could be expected.

Today I went to Harris Teeter, aka heaven on earth. Seriously. I am not joking when I say that my trip there made me want to move back to the U.S. Honestly. I was really overwhelmed though by the whole thing ... I forgot that you can buy home goods, foreign/imported foods, fresh produce and prescription medicine all in one place. It was amazing. Everything is SO CHEAP. And delicious. I was really freaked out by the giant strawberries though. Not natural. Not healthy. They should NOT look like this:


I was not a fan of that. But I loved that they have all the "weird" aka normal ethnic foods next to the boring basic foods. I know I sound like a freak but you need to understand that I struggle severely in the grocery stores of BA. I have a hard time not exploding into a fit of rage when I just want to buy SOME CILANTRO IN THE SAME PLACE I BUY MILK. It's not that difficult.

Maybe I will start a rare-food imported delightful emporium in Argentina. That would be a good business venture. I could market to the sad ex-pats who just want to make guacamole the right way, with some lime and cilantro, or who want to make basmati rice but not pay 45 pesos for a box.

I rediscovered my long-lost thesis while cleaning today. I sat down to read it again, just browsing the pages, and I must say, I was surprised. Wow. I wrote that ? Not too shabby. I guess I was so sick of it by the time I submitted the little bugger I had it basically memorized. Maybe someone will actually read it from start to finish one day. I can only hope so.

I have a serious urge to go shopping. Help. Take me somewhere to do this. It would also be nice to stop my eating spree that has been going on since my arrival. Or I could just go running more often.

Anyway, Happy Easter / Felices Pascuas to everyone. I hope the Easter Bunny brought you lots of candy, surprises and snuggles today. Yes, I just said snuggles. Deal with it.

Friday

So I am now a new woman with my new toes. Well, they look new after the miracle job that they did to me yesterday. About 50% of the tension is still living in my shoulders but the massage did a wonderful job of putting me to sleep while being rubbed. It felt amazing. I woke up and had weird markings all over my face from that open-face hole thing but I didn't really care. I slept like a rock last night.

Today I should continue my manic organizing spree that I started a couple of days ago. I have so much stuff. Stuff stuff stuff stuff STUFF it's too much. I need to just get rid of the things that will never make it down to Buenos Aires with me. It's hard though, I have so many books I want to bring with me ( too much valuable space in the suitcase though ) and great photographs, or random things that I have picked up over the years. Not all of my stuff is junk. Not by a longshot. But I just need to know how to say CHAUUUUUUUUUSki to the things I really don't need. Help.

I also DVR'ed a lot of The Real Housewives and Hello I'm hooked again. Love it. Need to watch more Anthony Bourdain though, I'm so in love with him it hurts. I need more Intervention in my life, and maybe even a dash of The Hills. See? When I'm at home I sound like a total couch potato. I can't help it. Bella and I love sitting on the couch together, doing crosswords and watching a couple of hours of boob-tube every day.

I need a nap. Stat. And a Personal Organizer.

Finally

Getting a massage today. Yes, I need it. Yes, I deserve it. And I will enjoy every minute of it.
Also painting my toenails because I guess that's what ladies do. Paint their toenails. Too bad my feet look like they've been to war and back since all I do is traipse all over town in Havaianas all day, complete with trash, dog poop, smog and other lovely things that are all over the sidewalk in BA.

I had a delicious Peruvian lunch for 7.95 today. God bless America.

Thanks To O'Hern

HAPPY NATIONAL EMPANADA DAY !!!!

Also

I love "The Real Housewives of New York City", aka I love Bravo. I miss that.

I love making fun of Alex and Simon and his speedo-wearing sassiness bitching about the beaches at the Hamptons and how they are JUST not like the beaches of St. Barths. She is a sickly skeletor who is wearing black socks and sneakers on the sand. Ooooh now they are whining because the ocean water is too cold.

I love this show. I love America. I love trashy tv and watching Australian men running around in Speedos on national television. There really is nothing better.

I also had Pietanza for lunch and it was soooo delicious for my belly. Give me pasta and give it to me now.

Today was successful on the visa front. I managed to get the sought-after Apostille for my Birth Certificate which was not nearly as difficult as I had thought. However, there is still a long way to go as my FBI report needs to be processed, translated, notarized, apostilled, made into a bedspread, woven into a poncho, etc. Miserable.

Wow

So I just got home from Safeway and as I unloaded my groceries I started to save the plastic bags and fold them into little bundles. Then I realized, people don't live for plastic bags from the grocery store here. They actually BUY trash bags. Because trash cans are bigger and taller and require something that is not a little white plastic bag with handles. It was weird. I didn't know what to do with it.

But on the flip side, I do have Ghiradelli brownie mix. Heaven. And Acai Berry juice. Yeeeee

What I Do At Home

Listen to Shakira "Inevitable" on repeat.

Home

So I have been way too busy to really write anything important and/or interesting, but it's just such a nice feeling to be home. And happy. And to frolic in April's wonderfulness.

So far I have eaten a ton of curry, had Sweet Green, shopped at American Apparel, enjoyed cocktails with lime instead of lemon, had Korean food, been given coins with my change at a store, played in the Paper Source, and the list goes on .... It's great.

Home really is such an amazing little place. Today I have my Indian cooking class and am soooo freakin' excited. Carolee is coming into town and having dinner with us tonight.

I am stressing out about this whole visa paperwork ordeal since it's basically the least easy process in the world. Not because it's actually difficult to obtain certain papers or whatnot, but because it's just so much back and forth insane legwork that I'm afraid that combined with Argentine slowness and the Semana Santa holiday, things will not be moving as quickly as hoped.

I want to buy some stirrup pants. Yes, they're back in style, at least in Buenos Aires. I want them. Now. I also still want my boots from Huija. Blast.

Bye.

Who Knew I'd Be This Happy ?

Homeeeeeeeeeeeeward Bound

i leave for DC toniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight
yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay
i can't wait for bella and dc and my bed
and haandi
and america
and springtime
and zippy
and DEB
and hernie
and convenient things
like
customer service
and quick-moving lines

but i will miss buenos aires
and belgrano
and my house
and my plants
and helado
and katie
and this amazing weather
and santa julia tempranillo
and everything else that comes along with
this insane life