I've moved!

The time has come to merge my personal blog with my travel website. I will no longer be updating this blog as all of the old posts and further posts will now call Travelated home.

Please visit me on Travelated where you will find my blog as well as all kinds of other awesome stuff.

Goodbye blogspot! See you on Travelated, beloved readers!

Getting Locked Out: Human Perspective vs. A Dog's

Today I locked myself out of my apartment. This was literally the first time in my life I have locked myself out of a home or car. In fact, for about 5 years I had AAA lock out coverage. I used it exactly three times- once for my friend Abby and twice for my ex boyfriend. Sure, when I was a kid and not deemed responsible enough for a set of keys, I got locked out a few times. However, my brothers and I were masters at the art of breaking into our own home. A lockout might have been one of the few things that could fully unite us. For each house we had different plans. My favourite lockout plan involved the condo we lived in; Benjy and I would lift our oldest brother Billy high enough to reach the balcony so he could hoist himself up and enter the house that way. The reasoning behind this being that he had the most upper body strength which he built up over years of beating the crap out of us both.

But I digress. The point is, today was the day when I finally locked myself out. I was actually having a rather pleasant, dare I say lucky day. I came home to my dog Padfoot frantically throwing himself at my legs. I decided I should take him out immediately. I set the keys down so I could attach his leash and proceeded to exit and close the door. The second the door click I realized what I had done.

I stood there for a couple seconds, simply staring at the door. I tentatively pushed on it, as if it would recognize my touch and simply swing open. Not only were my keys inside, but also my cell phone and cash. I fell back against the wall and repeated to myself "no no no nooo"


I looked to my right to see the door of the neighbors who I am pretty sure do not like me. They have an incredibly annoying wiener dog who Padfoot seems to reserve a special amount of hatred for. I opted to go left to the apartment of a girl whose name I do not know and have seen maybe a total of 3 times in 10 months. Luckily, she was home and super friendly. She allowed me to log onto her computer so I could look up the phone number of my apartment agency. I had to call them to get the cell phone number of my landlady, who is the only other person with keys. She informed me she would be home soon and I could walk to her apartment.

I thanked next-door girl whose name I still have not learned and went downstairs to exit and begin my walk to my landlady's home. When I got to the door I realized you also need a key to exit the building. I was forced to ring another bell and asked to be let out of the building.

The walk took about 30 minutes, not too bad. Padfoot was thrilled, of course. He didn't even care when we almost got hit by a car. Honestly, I have never been that close to being hit before. I mean, technically the care came in contact with my body, that's how fucking horrible that driver was. It went down like this:

- Walk sign turns on, I begin to cross the street
- Taxis continue to turn with little regard for pedestrians
- I walk across after said taxis have finished being assholes
- Black mini van lady comes swinging around and plows towards me
- At the last second, I am able to jump and catch myself with my hands on the hood
- I see Padfoot under the car

For about 1.5 seconds, I though my dog was dead or at the very least, severely injured. Instead, Padfoot trotted out from under the car, untouched. The woman behind the wheel had a look on her face that said "Oh My God I had no idea people walked here! That seems dangerous!"


Honestly, in the end it was just an inconvenient situation with one mild near-car accident. I came home hungry and annoyed by the waste of time. However, I couldn't help but think how differently Padfoot must had viewed this whole situation.

I enter apartment
HIHIHI YAAAY HIIIII HOME HI!
I get out the leash
I LOVE LEASH! OUTSIDE! OUTSIDE OUTSIDE OUTSIDE!
I close the door and realize I have locked myself out
LET'S GO TO THE METAL BOX THAT MOVES! OUTSIDE! OUTSIDE OUTSIDE OUTSIDE!
We enter the neighbor's apartment
SMELL NEW THINGS! YES! SO MANY THINGS TO SMELL!
Arriving at the front door and having to double back to find someone to let us out
Why no outside? Why? NO PLEASE OUTSIDE PLEAAAASSSEE
Running into the dogs that live on the floor below us
I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE ARE BARKING ABOUT! I BARK LOUDER! LOUD NOISES! NO ESPANOL!
Walking to my landlady's apartment
I love you, mom. I love outside. This is great. Thank you mom. OUTSIDE I LOVE OUTSIDE!
Nearly getting run over by a car
It's dark under there let's find grass! More grass, mom! I love you mom!
Waiting in the lobby of my landlady's building were the glass reflects dogs from outside
Secret dogs! MUST GET TO SECRET DOGS! WHERE ARE THEY GOING?! SECRET DOGS! MUST BARK MUST PULL MUST RUN!
Arriving home
SUPER FUN AWESOME TIMES MOM! 


If only I could have enjoyed this as much as Padfoot.

Argentine Pick Up Approaches AKA Why I'm Single

You may hear "Argentine men" and picture smoldering hot guys whispering sweet nothings in Spanish, but I know the real deal. While I admit there are some good looking guys here, I tend to run into men that look more like this:

As for the sweet nothings, well, I'm not sold on that either. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that I understand the words, making them less exotic and thus losing their sex appeal, but I think the technique is the main issue. 

There seem to be a few different pick up approaches that Argentine men use. I'm not saying these are the only ones, I'm sure there are plenty of worthy Argentine males who are much classier than the men I'm about to describe, but I am a Creepster Magnet, and these are the types of pick ups I am exposed to each and every day. 

The Louder the Better Guy
"Hola, linda!" (hello, pretty girl)
"CHE, LINDA! HOLA!" (HEY, PRETTY GIRL! HI!)
"MI AMOR, COMO TE VA?" (MY LOVE, HOW'S IT GOING?)


Oh, Louder the Better Guy, you just can't take a hint, can you? I heard you the first 3 times you called out to me in such an abrupt manner. I was trying to be polite and simply pretend my headphones blocked you out, but you just had to keep on yelling, didn't you? Yeah, I heard you and no, I don't plan on responding to your poorly thought out greeting.

The Dog Wrangler
"Chi chi!"
"Chichichi!"
(Insert whistling and other weird noises used to wrangle dogs)

Really, dude? Really? I know making weird whispering sounds involving "ch"s works on dogs, but it turns out I am a human being. My instincts are a tad more advanced than a canine, so those weird noses are both incredibly annoying and wildly offensive. What exactly do you expect, that I will come bounding toward you like a loyal animal? Save your wrangling skills for your dog walking job and keep your distance.

The Hit and Run
This involves a guy whole walks past you, usually at quickened pace, and quietly mutters something like:
"Que linda que sos" (How beautiful you are)
"Que belleza" (What beauty)
"Que hermosa" (How beautiful)


Now, on their own those seem like pretty nice compliments. However, when they are being whispered in your ear as an unknown man rushes past you, it it more likely to send a chill up your spine than give you butterflies in your stomach.

The Horny Old Man
To be fair, these exist everywhere, but they seem to be a lot more verbal here. These men usually spring up while I'm out for a run. As I sprint past them, sweaty and in work out clothes, they yell out things like:
"Mira que cuerpo" (look, what a body)"
"Hola, mi amor!" (hello, my love!)
"Hermosa" (Beautiful!) *Usually said with a snake-like hiss on the S, upping creepiness about 50%.


The Honk-Happy Driver
These guys don't even bother with words, they just show their enthusiasm by blowing their horn at you, repeatedly. You might think you are about to be hit by a bus, but no, some douche bag driver just thinks you are hot and has decided to show this sentiment by laying on that horn as if his favourite soccer team just won the World Cup.


So, if you're wondering why I have not taken an Argentine lover, now you know.

(Still) Sick of Goodbyes

I think it's time to dedicate another post to saying goodbye to people. Being an expat means that I am constantly having to say goodbye to friends and try to make new ones. I wrote my first Sick of Goodbyes post only about a month after my arrival. Since then, many people have come and gone, but I'd like to highlight a few.

Jenny
I met Jenny my 2nd day in Buenos Aires. She was a fellow Au Pair and we seemed to click as soon as we met, even if she and I occasionally had trouble understanding each other's accents/slang. Turns out US Midwesterners rarely meet Northern Irish girls. We spent a couple months discussing playing Squash before she and I created Squash Wednesdays, a day dedicated to playing Squash and going out for lunch. Jenny left in December, we said goodbye as she climbed into a taxi. Very cliche, but sad all the same.

Jenny and I, so different but an excellent duo

Sara
Sara saved me from a painfully boring conversation at a yoga event. After she rescued me from a over the top hippie couple, we bonded over the fact that we had both brought our dogs with us from the US. We spent a lot of time walking our culture-shocked puppies together. She left just a few weeks ago and I still haven't quite adjusted to Buenos Aires without her.

Sara and I at the LCD Soundsystem concert

Phil 
Phil and I met in Boot Camp class. We quickly realized that we motivated the other by being slightly competitive. He kicked my ass in arms, I came out ahead in legs. He's been one of my key male-friends, reminding me that life in Argentina does not mean I cannot have a conversation with a guy who isn't trying to sleep with me. He'll be leaving Monday and he will be missed!

Nina
Nina and I also met in Boot Camp class. We are boot camp regulars and live only a few blocks away from each other, so between classes and our night runs together, we see each other almost every day. She is also my fabulous hair stylist. Nina will be going back to Sweden at the end of May and I will be very sad to lose a friend, running partner and the best hair stylist I've ever had!

Nina showing off her work when she cut Phil, Jenny and I's hair

I wish everyone would stop leaving! I also wish I could visit my friends back home. I miss you all!

Maraton del Agua: 6K in Buenos Aires

A little over a week ago I signed up for a 6K run here in Buenos Aires. I didn't really train for it at all, I was just doing it for fun with a group of friends. I ended up finishing in 36 minutes. I didn't have a set goal so I can't be unhappy with that. I really wanted to be in St. Louis today running the Go! St. Louis Half Marathon. This 6K just made me crave a half marathon, I'm dying to beat my Denver time and cross the finish line in under 2 hours. I know I can do it, I just need to train properly.

There is a half marathon in Buenos Aires September 11th. It's too soon for me to know if I will be able to dedicate the training time I'll need to beat my time. I will not run unless I can kick my old time's ass. I also might be traveling in September. However, I have already figured out my goal pace time in both miles and kilometers.

I now stare at a sticky note on my desktop that says "9min/mile=1h 57min. 5.5min/km=1h 56min". I don't think I'll be able to shake the need to make those times a reality.

That being said, today was a blast. I signed up for the race with girls who started out as fellow Boot Camp attendees (and the instructor) but have now become some of my best friends here in Buenos Aires. We ran the race and then enjoyed a delicious brunch together. Excellent day!

Boot Camp Ladies! Nina and I are pretending like Katrina and Nadine need our help.

Cute and candid at brunch.

Overdue Life Update

My apologies, I haven't written a proper life update in a while and it occurred to me that some of you might care what I've been up to. A lot is going on in my life!


I finished Fitness Challenge #2! That was awhile ago but I realized I posted a 50% finished update and never said I finished! I did skip 2 days total, but for 60 days and  fitness challenges, I think 2 days is a pretty good record, don't you?

I still have not started my job in Buenos Aires. This is probably one of the most frustrating things I have ever been through. I got the job at the end of December and here I am, 3 months later, still not working. All the papers arrived in the country a few days ago and were passed over to the legal translators and lawyers. I was thrilled, thinking I was almost there. However, my Missouri background check may or may not be accepted, I might need the FBI one which will take a good 20+ days more to arrive here. We're not sure, I'll find out at my appointment on April 6th. If they say no, I will probably burst into tears on the spot or punch someone. Perhaps both. Let's hope none of that is necessary.

I am not currently in Buenos Aires, I'm actually in the middle of a two week trip through La Pampa region of Argentina. I have officially started working on the Argentina Go! Girl Guide. I am thrilled, to say the least. In 8 months the Argentina Go! Girl Guide will be out and available for purchase, written by yours truly. Please buy one then come visit me!

This trip includes 5 cities (6 if you include the few miserable hours I spent in Paysandu, Uruguay, which I do not- see: Dear Uruguay).

My first stop was Colón. I know what you are thinking, but it's not pronounced like the body part! I did, however, humour Emily by purchasing her a keychain that says "Colon tiene magia" (Colon has magic).
It's a tiny beach town. The river beaches are pretty nice and the town is so small you can leave your stuff on the beach while you swim. However, I was unimpressed with Colón until I went on an ecotour that involved a boat ride to an uninhabited island between Uruguay and Argentina. The tranquility and natural beauty was stunning.

The beach in Colon

No people, no buildings, just me on an uninhabited island

Next was Santa Fe. I was very happy to get to a pseudo-city but quickly saddened to find they practice the "no work between 1 and 5" rule. That means you can do NOTHING during that time. No eating. No entertainment. Nothing. However, it was a city on the river with a decent night life and some cool sites.

I didn't stay here, I just enjoy the sign. Very Don Quijote.

Fountains near the river at night

I spent 1 day in Paraná. It's a cool town but in many ways just mirrors Santa Fe, which is only 40 minutes away.

Church next to Plaza 25 de Mayo in Parana

One of the many ice creams I have consumed during my trip.

Currently, I am in Rosario and absolutely loving it. Not only has this been my favorite city on this trip, it is one of my favorite cities I have ever visited. The architecture is beautiful, the monuments are amazing, I saw Che's birth home and the people are awesome. I'm staying with a married couple I found on couchsurfing, they are excellent. I feel guilty because they treat me so well. Tomorrow is my last day, I wish I could stay longer! I'll definitely be back.

Monument in Parque Espana. I climbed ALL those stairs.

At Che's birth home, holding a sign that says "(El Corazon de) Jose Velez estaba aqui. -the heart of) Jose Velez was here. 

The pedestrian walkway at night

In short: I am getting paid to travel and write a book and eating ice cream at least once a day. My life is wonderful.

  

Dear Uruguay

Dear Uruguay,

Your border towns suck. I mean, they really suck. I mean, I know some people think Colonia is a charming historical town but that is just code for "old and boring". Also, Paysandu is a shit hole. Your city center looks a paint store threw up on stone henge. We all know these border towns just get tourism because Argentina forces tourists to leave every 3 months. Your citizens are super nice, but that's really all your have going for you.

Unhappily yours,
Rease

Ps- Your pizza is disgusting and chivitos are only for fat people who can't make up their minds about what to order.

Why I Hate Meetings

Recently, I attended a meeting. I did this by choice. I love to volunteer and I have begun to search out organizations that I think are worth dedicating my time to. This has proved to be more difficult than I thought and while in a 2 hour meeting for a totally unorganized piece of crap organization, I was inspired to create the following drawings.

Do you have any not-so-wonderful meeting memories to share?

Dear Fitness Fakers

I went for a run today, as I often do, and found myself annoyed by the amount of Fitness Fakers I saw or nearly ran into. It was frustrating enough to inspire a rant.

Dear Fitness Fakers,

I hate to break it to you, but buying the fanciest workout clothes money can buy is not going to get you in shape. Your ass is just as wide in those Nike capris as they are in your jeans, perhaps wider. Also, I can see your thong, and anyone wearing a thong is clearly not planning on completing a legitimate workout. Furthermore, the latest Reebok running shoes are not going to enhance your slow trot enough to burn the calories as actually running.

I know the fitness trail is a great place to people watch but perhaps you could do that from the sidelines instead of zig-zagging slowly in front of me. Yes, I know, all those hot athletes are less likely to see you all dolled up in your cute workout shorts paired with hoop earrings and mask of make-up, but all of us that are using the fitness trail for well, fitness, sure would appreciate the extra space.

I know your cell phone is glued to your ear, but I think my labored breathing is loud enough to give you a hint of my approach. I especially appreciate when glance back at me just to give me a nice, long look over with a crinkled face only to turn back around, continue to block my way and perhaps even roll your eyes at my appearance. Yes, I am sweaty, and no, I did not bother to slip on any lip gloss.

No, Fitness Faker, do not mind me. I will simply take a detour around a tree to avoid you. You can continue to chat away while you waddle through the park in your fashionista workout gear, you work that look while you can. I'll see you tonight when I'm showered and toned while you sip on a 400 calorie drink and complain about your cellulite.

Sincerely,
A girl who is isn't afraid to sweat.

Mission: Give Rease a Hug

So, lately I have been missing hugs. I am always missing my friends, but Skype, emails, Facebook, this blog, etc. help me keep in touch with them. However, I am really, really missing hugs. So many of my friends give such satisfying hugs and sometimes after a really good Skype conversation, email, song I hear or whatever it may be, I just want to hug them. After posting on Facebook about this, my friend Jason (who gives excellent hugs, I might add) and I came up with the Give Rease a Hug Mission.

Pretend this is me.

Originally, I wanted there to be a Rease bear that would travel between people, each person would hug this bear and transfer as much love as possible into it. After it had absorbed hugs from as many friends as it can, it would be sent to me here and I would hug it and feel all kinds of love. However, that could get expensive with shipping, so I came up with this instead:

You must hug a stuffed animal or something of significance and take a picture of it. This is the budget version that saves you postage and trouble. Really, getting a photo album of you hugging things would make me just as happy as getting a bear.

I attempted something like this before with snow angels and I was pleased that I received 8 photos of snow angels made in my honor. Now I would like an album of hugs. Can you make that happen, please? I want to get all the love at once, so if you want to be involved, contact Jason. I love this game and it sounds like fun. I promise to send photo or perhaps video reactions to the final result.

Happy hugging!

Fitness Challenge #2- 50% Finished

Screen shot of my workout calendar. 50% complete!

As I mentioned in my final update in the 30 Day Shred and Yoga challenge, I started a new fitness challenge immediately after completing the first. This one is more intense. I didn't update last week but I wanted to do a quick post now to let you all know I am officially 50% through and I have not missed a single workout.

I don't have access to a printer so I had to forgo the stickers this time. Instead, I am using clip-art of gold stars to mark my progress. The calendar does not mention that I have to do yoga every night, but I still do. It also refers to workout numbers, as there is a separate workout reference sheet. (I told you it was more intense!)

I'll be honest, I'm not as enthused about this challenge as I should be. I don't have all the fitness equipment I wish I did nor do I have access to a treadmill, which would be very helpful. I'd really like to re-train for a half marathon but I really need a treadmill to get my pace back in check. After running on a treadmill for a while I could feel out my pace when running outside. I think I need to re-calibrate it, so to speak. I'm also kind of irritated with the whole fitness thing right now. Usually, working out is a nice escape from a worried mind, but it has not been working for me lately. I'm finding it harder and harder to force myself to keep up with this even when I'm not getting everything I want out of it. 

I think my lack of enthusiasm is disheartening, but at least my stubbornness keeps me on track. That's the beauty of the fitness challenge- I really hate failing. I don't say I am going to do something unless I plan to do it, so the challenge continues. 

Any suggestions for keeping motivation alive? Or stories of challenges of your own?

In case you want to read about the past Fitness Challenge

30 Day Fitness Challenge

Fitness Challenge: End of Week 1

Fitness Challenge: End of Week 2

Fitness Challenge: End of Week 3

Fitness Challenge: End of Week 4

The Problem with being "Exotic"

What is it with the whole idea of being "exotic" that people find so fascinating and attractive? No one wants to be found interesting or attractive just because of their ethnicity. Of course, that kind of stuff can play into it, but it shouldn't be the sole reason for anything.

I'm tan. Get over it. 

I am from a small suburb where most people wear SPF 50 if they plan to be in the sun for more than 30 minutes. Seeing as I tan easily, never burn and happen to have super dark eyes and hair, I tend to stand out. Of course, America is a melting pot, so people do not usually assume I am too different. However, a lot of people wonder about my ethnicity. I'll tell you right now- I'm 1/4 Japanese, 1/16th Native American and the rest is the typical American mess of European lineage. My strange Japanese and Native American mix really just means I have high cheek bones, slightly different eyes and dark hair. I could be a wide array of ethnicities. This is the problem.

Guys have a thing for "exotic" girls. During high school, I went mostly unnoticed. Not like weird girl with the stained hoodie unnoticed but, you know, just a girl. However, more than once, a guy found out I was part Asian and immediately found me more attractive. I get it, Asian girls are hot, I'm not here to argue about that, but I'm the first to (sadly) admit that I do not look Asian. I lost the awesome slanty eyes around age 10 or so. So please tell me, why does the mere fact, not physical evidence of my Asian decent result in a couple extra notches on the hot meter?

I now live in Argentina and thanks to my ethnicity mix, I blend in incredibly well. No one would suspect that I am anything from Argentine just by looking at me. In fact, because I learned my Spanish in this country, I can often speak without anyone knowing. It is usually not until further into a conversation that anyone will find out that I am actually American. I cannot tell you how annoying their change in demeanor is. Guys suddenly find me fascinating, ever so beautiful and, let's face it, a sweet trophy.

I'm proud of where I was born and where my parents were born. However, being foreign makes it difficult to see who is sincere and who isn't. It was much easier in the States but being here, I am a gringa and people love gringas. Not just guys and not just for dating. Everyone wants to practice their English and I am the perfect person to use. I'm glad to help, but I hate feeling like I am everyone's conversation partner.

Has anyone else ever felt like being "exotic" has resulted in extra, unwanted attention?

Knowing When to Say Goodbye

It was this time last year that I decided to move to Buenos Aires. Of course, it took me months to plan the move and actually leave, but I did it. I heard this song the other day and I felt like I could really relate to the lyrics:

I'm bored of this town, bored of this scene, bored of these people, yeah.
I'm an expert at pretending that everything is OK,
But I'm just a kid and it seems as if I've signed my life away.
I need to get out and see what the rest of the world is about.
This town ain't big enough for the one of me, I'm making a move.

My mom and cousin Jodi- 1/2 of the family I have in STL

The thing is, as much as I appreciate St. Louis as a city, the only reason I started seeing it as the place I wanted to end up was because of my ex and his family. I loved him and that family so much that I knew that no matter where I went in the country or the world, I'd want to come home to them. I'm not ashamed to say that and I definitely don't think there is anything wrong with that. St. Louis is a great place to live, especially if you have a family to stay for, but I don't anymore. Of course that's sad, but it is also liberating.  

Being away from St. Louis allows me to see my city for what it is. A place full of free activities, amazing parks, excellent food, open mic nights and the St. Louis Blues. I will always be proud to say I am from St. Louis, but I have no intention of living there ever again. 

Ryan (3) and I on my last day at St. Cecilia's

St. Louis simply wasn't enough for me anymore. I don't want it to sound like I hated St. Louis, the people or even my life there. In fact, it wasn't like that at all. I went to college in St. Louis and adored it. I will forever be a proud Webster graduate. I freed myself of terrible office life and landed a dream job as a bilingual preschool teacher and translator for an amazing school right out of college.  To this day I would still say it was the best job I have ever had. My time at St. Cecilia School is something I am so grateful for and I will never forget it. It was truly incredible to be able to wake up every day and always want to go to work. Those preschoolers needed me and I needed them back. I know I wouldn't have made it through all the miserable stuff I was dealing with this time last year without them. I felt so lucky to be a part of my students' lives. I also loved the community of the teachers. I adored being the youngest teacher and feeling both new and respected. Quitting that job was one of the most difficult things I have ever done. So, why did I do it?

As a teacher, you watch kids grow up. You tell them they can be anything. If they love Miley Cyrus (as so many of them did), you tell them that they can be as famous as her. If they love to draw, you tell them that they can be an artist. Children and Spanish are two of my greatest passions, so in some ways, I was living the dream. However, as you grow older, you realize that you may have more than one dream that needs to be realized. I had dreamt of moving abroad, speaking Spanish every day and taking on a whole new social and professional challenge. In the past, I had settled for trips abroad so I could stay based in St. Louis, but it was time to let go. 

I wanted to to earn a college degree.  I earned two.

I wanted to see another country. I saw 4. 

I wanted to get a job that used at least one of my degrees. I got to use them both. 

I wanted my job to feel like a honor. Nothing is a greater honor than to be a part of the life and development of such amazing children. 

Fishbowl Margaritas on Cherokee Street

No one could say I had failed. However, for me, success is continual. If I stayed, I'd never know if I could have done more. I had to show my kids that being drastic and dreaming big pays off. That is why I dedicated a half marathon run to them before I said my goodbyes. That is why I left a city, a job and memories that I loved so much. I had other dreams to conquer, and I still do. I miss St. Louis all the time. I miss my friends, college days, Cherokee street Mexican food and runs in Forest Park. I freaking miss the City Museum and it kills me to think my kids might forget who I am. But you have to know when to say goodbye, not matter how much it hurts. You have to know when you have accomplished all you set out to and when it is time for a new challenge. 

I need to get out and see what the rest of the world is about.
This town ain't big enough for the one of me, I'm making a move.

What bittersweet goodbyes have you been through?

Fitness Challenge Update: End of Week 4

I'm a little late on this update, but I thought I should let you all know the first month long challenge is complete and it was a complete success!

4 weeks straight. Nailed it.

Six days a week, 1 workout video and 1 yoga workout for 1 month straight. I did not miss a single one.
I am significantly stronger and super proud of Emily and myself.

I work out a lot and I am pretty good at keeping myself motivated, but I can honestly say that there were days I forced myself to get up and work out or take the time to do yoga before bed just so I wouldn't fail at this challenge. I knew that, in the short term, it only resulted in a sticker. I knew that I could tell Emily I skipped a workout and she wouldn't be mad at me, she would just tell me to do better tomorrow. However, I never wanted to do that. I didn't want to face Emily, my blog, or myself because I knew it would mean I chose to fail.

For that reason, Emily and I have started yet another Fitness Challenge. We didn't even take a day off, it started on Monday. This challenge is significantly more difficult. It is so complicated that I had to have several talks with my brother, Ben, who is a personal trainer. Together, he and I designed the next challenge. He provided me with 5 different circuit training work outs. I added in all 3 levels of the 30 Day Shred and running. I made a workout reference sheet and a corresponding calendar that lists 2 workouts a day. We never do the same workouts two days in a row. It is intense. Yoga is also still a  required portion, for recovery and relaxation.

I'm two days in and sore. However, I feel really, really good about this. Wish us luck for our next endeavor and keep up with the updates!

Fitness Challenge Update: End of Week 3

Week 3 of the Fitness Challenge has come to an end and I can declare it a success!


This week was pretty good, challenge wise. Emily and I switched to Level 2 midway through week 2. Somehow, I always thought Level 2 was the worst. Maybe not for the actual difficulty level but the combination of really annoying moves. I hate having horse-faced Jillian tell me to get into plank pose for the 5,222nd time in 20 minutes then point to her professional helper and say "If she can do it, you can do it!". Jillian, you are a moron. If I pointed to a doctor and said the same thing, would you magically be able to perform surgery? No, because you need training for that.

Emily and I tired of Level 2 quickly. We had originally planned to switch to level 3 today, but we started it yesterday. It is much more intense but I actually enjoy it much more. It seems to go by incredibly fast. I end every work out completely drenched in sweat, but feeling good.

Today was my biggest challenge of the week. I went to a party last night and went to bed around 4am. I didn't want to do anything, much less work out. However, I convinced myself to just suck it up, work out and then have a lazy day of nothing. Oh yes, I worked out, showered and put on comfy clothes, took out my contacts and  proceeded to have a do-nothing day.

So, I ran into an issue this week. I'm not even sure if it can be called an issue since that sounds negative. I realized that several of my shirts are now way too tight around my biceps. I put on one of my shirts and felt like Chris Farley trapped in a tiny jacket. I mentioned last week that Emily and I were both gaining a lot of muscle, but this seemed a little ridiculous. My shoulders and arms have rendered many shirts useless to me now. On one hand, I feel like a beast. On the other hand, I fucking liked those shirts, damn it.


Even though I earned my reward, I decided not to buy one this week. I want to save money and I also like knowing that this blog update was motivation enough to make me get off my ass today. I didn't want to let anyone, including myself, down.

3 weeks down, 1 more to go. Get after it!

Past Fitness Challenge Posts:
Fitness Challenge Update: End of Week 2
Fitness Challenge Update: End of Week 1
30 Day Shred and Yoga Challenge

Baking Myths (or What My Mama Taught Me)

My mother is a baker. I will never get sick of saying that. Some people may love saying their mother is an accomplished lawyer, doctor, accountant, etc. I, however, am so incredibly proud to have a baker as a mother.

Pretty much everyone's mother bakes, but can yours make a bouquet of flowers out of icing? Does she have maraschino cherries on hand at all times? Did you grow up not knowing that Chips Ahoy cookies even existed until you were forced to eat that at a friend's house? I doubt it. My mother went to baking school and she taught me everything I know about baking. Which is why I would like call bullshit on a couple of baking myths.

If you eat cookie dough or cake batter you will get salmonella poisoning from the raw eggs

That is ridiculous. That is something some woman who tripled her chin eating cookie dough made up so other women would live in fear of partaking in one of the most joyous parts of baking - licking the spoon clean. I'm not saying you should make a habit of eating raw eggs or choose cookie dough as a meal (though I have), but there is absolutely no reason you cannot eat raw cookie dough and cake batter. I have been anxiously awaiting the beaters from my mother's KitchenAid mixer since I was a small (abeilt incredibly pudgy) child. I eat at least a half dozen cookies in raw dough every time I make a batch. If you can handle the calories, you can handle the eggs.

You must be 100% exact with all baking measurements or your baked good will explode and/or taste like dirt

Okay, I'll be honest, baking is much more exact than cooking. You don't see a whole lot of "dash of this" or "add salt to taste" in baking recipes. However, people act as if without measuring cups, bakeries would shut down, birthday parties would be cancelled due to lack of cake and everyone would just have to eat Oreos for the rest of their sad, treat-less lives. Let me tell you a secret- I bake without measuring cups all the time. And you know what? My mom approves. Do you know how many times I have misplaced the cursed 3/4 cup measuring cup? Or the whole damn ring of cups, which is meant to be convenient but really just results in the loss of all the tools instead of just one? I have eyed many a measurement and I have never had anything explode or disappoint the hungry audience. Of course, my mom taught me how to do that and I definitely kept her on speed dial for these occasions, but the point is- it can be done. 

You cannot bake without the proper tools

While you are going to need some basics, you definitely do not need top of the line stuff. I was spoiled with my mom's fancy baking tools, the ever-present 10 pound bag of flour, the freezer full of butter and above all, her KitchenAid Mixer (insert photo of me hugging that beautiful piece of machinery here). However, I grew up, moved out and had to work with what I had. In college, I whipped up a batch of chocolate chip cookies with some dollar store measuring cups, 1 wooden spoon, a cereal bowl and a Halloween punch bowl. They were delicious.

I also conquered Cookie Day 2010 in my tiny Argentine kitchen. I made 300 cookies in a kitchen no bigger than a closet (seriously, see my Apartment Tour video). I mixed those babies by hand. Here's a list of the tools I used:

• 1 shallow but wide salad bowl
• 2 deep but narrow plastic bowls, both of which cracked during the mixing process
• 2 soup spoons
• 1 teaspoon
• 1 plastic pitcher with vague measurement markings
• 2 flimsy baking sheets

This was the result:

300+ Cookies. 1 Day. Limited supplies.

So, in conclusion, I call bullshit on the aforementioned baking myths. My mama taught me well. However, there is one thing she was never able to teach me and that is how to properly decorate with icing. 

Sorry Mom, some things aren't hereditary and cannot be taught.

Anyone else love to bake? Or perhaps just love to eat the tasty treats other people make?

No Ladro en Español

For those of you who do not know, I have a dog named Padfoot. Yes, like the Harry Potter character. He's a very special dog, the kind that involves a lot of explanation. He has always been special but moving to Buenos Aires has only made him more so.

After being shaved he tried to run from my camera.

Let's take a look at Padfoot's issues before we moved.
Padfoot was abused, left in a garbage bag in the woods along with his brother and mother. He was rescued and I received him as a gift when he was almost 9 months old. I later found out that if dogs do not socialize with other dogs and humans before 8 months, they will be slightly off, forever. Curses.
So, my little Padfoot has some oddities, such as his long list of fears:

• Cameras. Flash or no flash, he will run away and hide. He knows the sound of a digital camera turning on, he recognizes all camera like objects. That is why, in the 3 1/2 years I have had him, I have taken so few photos. The only ways around this fear are to use a cell phone, webcam, zoom in from far away, or ambush him and hope to snap one photo before he sprints away.
• Basketballs, Kickballs and Ping Pong balls. Please note that tennis balls, footballs and soccer balls are not on this list, he seems fine with those. My best guess is that the fear has something to do with the sound the balls make when they bounce. If he hears them, even in the distance, he will go absolutely apeshit and try to get close enough to destroy them.
• His reflection. He simply cannot grasp the fact that it is himself. He seems to become filled with confusion driven anger at the sight of his reflection. He is infinitely perplexed by his inability to smell or touch this other dog.
• The Drummer Boy. No, not a person with drums, but the song. He truly hates the song. It is amazing that I can turn it on, watch him bark like crazy, then turn it off and see him calm down immediately.
• Unfamiliar exit strategies. Seeing as he was abandoned, his whole abandonment complex is not all that surprising. However, it is not all exits that bother him. In all the places he has stayed and lived, he has understood that if I exit through the front door, I will return. However, glass doors tend to freak him out. If I exit through anything bur the front door, he assumes he is being left, forever and ever, with no hope. He also will not accept being tied up outside a store or even our own house, for that too equals infinite abandonment in his mind.
• Rain. This is a common fear among dogs. What I find interesting is his need to be in tiny spaces during rain storms. I also like to be in small spaces when I am upset, it was something I realized when I was a kid. Padfoot mimics this and follows me from room to room, hiding in closets and under beds.
• Falling Snow. Note the "falling". He's totally fine with it on the ground. In fact, he loves snow on the ground. However, if it begins to fall, he will bark at it and jump in the air, attempting to snatch it all from the air. 

Padfoot loves sledding with Abby and I.

Padfoot moves to Buenos Aires

All those fears remain now that we are in Buenos Aires. However, I believe his ride beneath the plane shook him up a bit but more than anything- it's the language barrier.

Yep, I said it, it's the language barrier. In the United States, Padfoot ignored other dogs. He did not want to play with them and if they attacked him, he would lay down in defeat. However, ever since our arrival to Buenos Aires he has become incredibly aggressive towards local dogs. He nearly chokes himself at the site of them, lunging toward dogs 3 times his size, growling and barking viciously.

Padfoot walking alongside Francis, his US buddy.

 I thought it was the plane ride, until I took Padfoot on a walk with Francis, my friend Sara's dog, who is also from the United States. Padfoot was 100% normal. He basically ignored Francis and was totally calm. 

On two other occasions, Padfoot has encountered dogs on the streets and taken a liking to them. When I began talking to the owners, I realized immediately that they, too, were from the United States. 

So now, I imagine Padfoot frantically barking at other dogs and the translation being something like "WHERE AM I?! WHAT ARE YOU SAYING? WHAT DOES IT MEAN?!". I imagine him, walking the streets of Buenos Aires, in a state of pure panic. My poor, lost puppy. I hope that after 7 months he has at least learned how to tell the other dogs "No ladro en Español!" (I don't bark in Spanish).

Do you think dogs have a language?

Fitness Challenge Update: End of Week 2

Week Two- Nailed it.

One more week down in the Fitness Challenge. I have some highs and lows to report but first I would like to let you all know that I can officially declare week two a success!

My proudest Fitness Challenge moment was at 9am on Wednesday morning. Why, you ask? Well, if you read my Rags to Riches post you would know that on Wednesday morning I was sleeping in a king sized bed in the fanciest hotel room I have ever seen.

I, of course, knew I was going to be at this hotel. I packed my yoga DVD for Tuesday night and my Shred DVD for Wednesday morning. I even brought empty 2.25 liters bottles so I could fill them up at the hotel and have weights. I was ready. However, you have no idea how much dedication it took to go through with it. First of all, I went to bed around 3am. I simply did not want to waste time sleeping in the awesome hotel room. However, at 3am I set my alarm for 9am and went to sleep. Sometime early in the morning I heard a thunderstorm brewing and smiled at the relaxing sound of the rain on my window and went back to sleep. At 9am, my relentless alarm sounded, breaking through the lovely sounds of rain. I hit the snooze and lay there, contemplating my options. I could trade my rest day, I thought. Yes, sleep now, work out on Friday. That's not against the rules, right?


The answer is no, it's not against the rules. However, we never mentioned any sort of rest day trading, so it would fall under the category of shady loophole in my mind. I pondered this, arguing with myself. In the end, I decided that if I could drag myself out of my glorious bed it would show true dedication, it would take my will power to a whole new level. I did it. I did it guys, I worked out in a 5 star hotel room on a few hours of sleep. Rejoice and be proud!

My lowest Fitness Challenge moment was this morning. I was crabby and pessimistic about the end of the week. I woke up and did my Shred, going through the motions. I knew when I measured my waist it would be the same. Here's the issue, Emily and I's muscles are sculpted and toned. We could definitely beat you up or at least give you a few bruises. However, the aim was not just to beef up, but to also slim down. We have realized our Fitness Challenge is giving us results, but not exactly what we want. Seeing as I was already crabby, this threw me into a very irritable mood indeed. However, one of our rules is no negative talk about ourselves, so I re-focused. I spent a lot of time going through workouts with my brother (who happens to be a personal trainer and badass boxer, in case you happen to need one) and devised a new plan for the next 30 days. Emily and I will be finishing out this challenge as planned, but in February we are taking it up a notch.

Last week's reward was Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford. I finished it today and I really loved it. This week's reward was Annabel by Kathleen Winter. No thoughts on it yet.

Past Fitness Posts: 
30 Day Shred and Yoga Challenge
Fitness Challenge: End of Week 1

Keep the positive thoughts coming, Emily and I are hard at work! Also, my friend Lexi joined our quest, though she has a slightly altered challenge. She started a week after us and will also be doing some running and doesn't have all the same rules. Go Lexi, Go!

Rags to Riches

A little while ago a PR rep contacted me saying that she understood that I was a freelance travel writer living in Buenos Aires. She offered me a free night at the CasaSur Art Hotel (one of her clients) so that I could do a review, if I was interested.

Of course, I was. On Tuesday I stayed in a 5 star hotel right here in Buenos Aires. I already finished my glowing review for Travelated, it will be up on the 27th and I will post a link here. However, I thought I'd post some of my non-travel writer thoughts as well as photos. I made an album on facebook with all the photos I took, feel free to check it out.

Let's just start off with saying I have stayed in a hotel room maybe 3 times in my adult life. I am frugal. A stay at this hotel was exciting enough, but seeing as I am a travel writer, I was treated to the absolute best. The hotel has 4 levels of rooms, the best being the Executive Suite which takes up the entire 12th floor and is over 700 square feet. Guess which room I got?

I could tell when I showed up at the desk that the employees were surprised to see me. Of course, they had been told a travel writer would be staying that night and checking in 3 hours early so she would have plenty of time to explore the premises. They had not, however, been told that writer was 23 and covered in tattoos. And hey, let's be real, I don't even look 23. To their credit, they hardly skipped a beat and they made absolutely no cracks about my last name which is, unfortunately, the same as the hated president.

When the bellboy, Gastón, took me to my room I did not immediately realize my room was the entire floor. When I entered, there was a huge bedroom suite. It had an LCD TV mounted on the wall, a desk by the window, a mini bar, and a massive king sized bed with endless pillows. There was also a pretty sizable bathroom with a sweet rain shower and mildly confusing bathroom fixtures. The decor was so modern that it took me a minute to figure out how to turn the faucet on.

Once I had seen the bedroom, he showed me the really awesome part of the suite, which was the lounge/business area. This side had another TV, bathroom and mini bar. Instead of a desk and bed there was a couch and a little table. Next to the couch was my own personal espresso machine with 4 different types of coffee. There were not one, but two balconies. The smaller of the two faced the main street, Callao Ave. It was a really cool view from 12 stories up, I spent some time sitting out there soaking up some sun. Of course, the back balcony was what truly amazed me. It was enormous, it had to be, it held a personal jacuzzi and 2 spa lounge chairs.

Once Gastón left I was able to drop my professional travel writer face and just show my pure, amazed joy. I walked through the suite with a huge smile on my face, already knowing I would have a very hard time leaving it the next morning. On the table in the business suite I found a plate of fresh fruit waiting for me. Second breakfast with some espresso you say? Don't mind if I do! It took me a while to figure out the machine, turns out I don't make coffee all that often either. Right as my first cup was brewing, I heard some weird musical tune. After a couple seconds I realized it was the phone. The manager, Mariano, was calling to welcome me. While I believed the welcome letters and even the free welcome drink at the bar were something all the guests received, I got the feeling only the 12^th floor guests got special phone calls.

After I enjoyed my fruit and espresso I changed to go to the Relax Room, which is a spa area in the basement of the hotel. I had my own private Jacuzzi but I wanted to check it out so I could review it for the readers. I also saw the pseudo gym, just a treadmill, bike and some free weights. Oh well, I got the feeling no one staying at that hotel had any intention of working out.

The spa room had the same spa lounge chairs I had upstairs, but also had a giant shelf of towels, robes and water bottles. Being a budgeter at heart, I made sure to grab several bottles of water for later. I saw two buttons by the Jacuzzi, I pushed one and the jets started. I chilled out in the water for about an hour, reading on my Kindle. (I had it wrapped in a little hand purse which I had looped around my wrist, my pseudo-protection from dropping it and destroying the latest love of my life). When I had had enough, I went to push the other button, which I assumed turned the jets off. Wrong. There was a giant shower head thing above me that I had not noticed. The button I pushed sent a powerful waterfall out of it. Luckily, I was not hit, but it certainly caught me off guard.

Pretty Liz on the balcony!

After the Relax Room I went and tested out my shower. Please keep in mind that at home I have a sad little shower with mediocre pressure and water that only gets to slightly above lukewarm. The shower was glorious and so was my discovery of the slippers and robe which I put on, for no reason other than I felt like I should.

I read and watched some TV, testing out all the soft surfaces and taking in the delicious smells of all the fresh flowers spread about the room. Eventually I ventured out of the hotel to check out the area. I already had a vague idea of where I was, near the famous Recoleta Cemetery. I noticed lots of other hotels, all with huge entrances and scary guards. I was happy to get back to CasaSur, which looked more like an apartment building and the only men around were the familiar bell boys. I picked up some medialunas while I was out and also stopped by the convenience store to pick up things that were in my mini bar. I knew I’d want them later, so I saved myself the money by buying the at a normal store.

The cheese spread management sent me.

I informed the desk that my friend Liz would be visiting. When I opened the door to her a little bit later, she exclaimed, "Oh my God you have the whole floor!". I had so much fun showing her around. We had some espressos and ate a few of the medialunas I bought while we got some sun on my balcony. After that we hung out on the comfy couch in the AC, another luxury I do not have in my apartment. It was lovely to have a visitor and pretend like I lived there.

After Liz left I watched some TV and started convincing myself to go back to my apartment for a bit to take care of my dog, Padfoot. While I was watching TV the turn down service came. A guy swooped in, put all kinds of new fluffly towels in the bathrooms, replaced the dirty coffee cups with new ones and handed me a fancy white chocolate. Less than 10 minutes later, there was another knock at the door. A woman stood outside with a huge platter of cheese, dried tomatoes and nuts with the biggest glass of red wine I had ever seen. She told me it was compliments of the management. This was a clear attempt to win me over and let me tell you, it was working. I sat down and gorged myself on fancy cheeses and some delicious Malbec. Cheese is outrageously expensive here, so I savoured every bite. 

After tending to Padfoot I returned to the hotel to relax in my giant bed and read a bit before heading down to dinner. I was given a free dinner as part of this deal, so I was planning on making the most of it. The cheese plate had served as my appetizer, which is good since all the appetizers on the menu had meat. I immediately ordered another glass of red wine and a bottle of water. I hate paying for water here, but during my meal I ordered 4 different drinks (wine, 2 bottles of water and an iced coffee) just because I could. For my main course I ordered Lobster Risotto. It was creamy, delicious and not at all lacking in lobster. For dessert I ordered -- you guessed it -- ice cream. The Crema Americana and Dulce de Leche were rich and creamy. I especially enjoyed discovering that the cone bowl was able to balance on the plate due to the layer of dulce de leche beneath it. Genius.  

I was absolutely stuffed after dinner so I didn't even want the snacks I had bought earlier. Instead I decided to enjoy the cool night outside in my jacuzzi. I spent the next hour and a half reading and relaxing, playing around with the water settings and looking at the night sky. It was amazing. 

My favourite photo of the night, playing in the jacuzzi.

When it got too dark to read, I went inside to do some yoga and get ready for bed. Of course, I never wanted to sleep because my room was too awesome. I ended up jumping on the bed, watching TV and reading some more. I fell asleep around 3am, though my alarm was set for 9am. You'll hear more about my 9am hotel room workout when you read my Sunday Fitness Challenge Update. Let's just say that when my alarm went off it was pouring rain and my bed had quite a firm grasp on me, but I still stuck to the rules of the challenge and did the work out. After working out and showering I hit up the free breakfast, where I had fresh fruit, medialunas, toast, coffee, orange juice and cocoa puffs. 

I had to check out at noon, which was so incredibly sad. However, the front desk held my bags and let me go down to the Relax Room to read in the jacuzzi for about another hour. Awesome. When I was leaving, Gastón made another appearance. He was in a rush to ask me some last minute questions, about where I went to school and how I ended up being a travel writer here. He said he had looked at my check in card and saw I was only 23 and didn't understand how that was possible. I am pretty sure he is in no way allowed to be looking up my info like that, but I was flattered that he was interested enough to look. 

It was definitely an excellent 24 hours. My full review will be up on the 27th, but I think it's clear the hotel will be a good review from me! I'll sign off with a few photos of me jumping on the bed. Sorry about the quality, keep in mind I had to set a timer to take these!