My love affair (such as it is) with Anthony Bourdain began last summer when I discovered the wonderful world of hulu.com. Also known as the most amazing website in the world, where you can watch episodes of practically every TV series under the sun, as well as choose from a constantly growing archive of movies. What does this have to do with Anthony Bourdain, you may ask? You also may find yourself asking, "Who the heck is this guy and why am I reading a post about him?" Good question. As for the former, he's a pretty famous chef and author from New York City - you may have seen his show "No Reservations" on the Travel Channel. As for the latter, why you are reading this post right now, it's probably because you're really bored. I can't blame you, so am I.
Anyway, last summer I started watching episodes of the now-defunct "Kitchen Confidential", a show based on the book of the same name, which I am currently reading. Basically, after watching one episode of the show, I found myself wondering why it had ever been cancelled. It was hilarious, and basically details the career of Bourdain, including his many shenanigans involving booze, drugs and women. Oh yeah, and also cooking. The point is that I absolutely loved the show, and am loving the book, and am loving Bourdain. Not in that I-want-to-marry-him kind of way, but he just seems like a pretty kick-a kind of guy. And he's not afraid of playing a practical joke, which I like. One time, in a restaurant he was working in, he and another line cook wrapped one of their co-workers in plastic wrap (he was willing to do it, don't worry), covered him in fake blood, and put him in the deep freeze. Then, they called the General Manager of the restaurant over the intercom, saying that they were really busy and that they needed him to get something out of the deep freeze for them. Well, you can imagine what ensued. The poor guy, upon discovering one of his line cooks in the deep freeze, thought he had been murdered and almost had a heart attack. Bourdain and his friends were laughing all the way home.
So basically, I was pretty excited the other day to hear that Bourdain is coming to Chile. One of my students told me about it, knowing I was reading Kitchen Confidential. Supposedly, he's coming in March to give kind of a seminar that's open to the public. Sadly, I don't think I can afford tickets, but I'd love to go. I bet he'd be entertaining - if he's half as funny as his book, it'd be worth the price of admission for sure.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Saturday, February 14, 2009
6 Months in Chile
Yesterday made exactly 6 months since I arrived back in Chile. It´s kind of crazy thinking that I´ve been here for that long now... sometimes it seems like forever, and other times it seems so short. A lot of things have happened in those 6 months, some bad, but most good. As far as how much longer I´ll be here, that´s still up in the air. But for now, I´m just happy to reflect back on the time I´ve spent in this beautiful country. :) Longer post to come later...
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Missing Home
Well, I knew it would happen. Last semester I was loving life in Chile (not without my bad days, but for the most part loving it), but I figured that once I came back from my visit to the U.S. in December, I´d hit a low. And so I have. It´s part of culture shock that everyone goes through, and is magnified a little bit for me just because I´m so very close to my family. But either way, I´ve been feeling quite homesick lately. Not only that, but also kind of directionless... the thing is, I have really enjoyed my teaching job so far, but I know that´s not what I want to do for the rest of my life. The question is, what DO I want to do? I have no idea. I´m also not sure how long I want to be in Chile, although I still really do love the country and people. I´ve really been getting the itch lately to go back to school... my DREAM would be to return to UNC-Chapel Hill, the place where I spent the best 4 years of my life. Of course, it´s pretty hard to get in there, so I don´t know that grad school there could be a reality. Who knows.
Another thing that really made me miss home, and even miss high school (shocking, I know) happened the other day. A guy I´d had one class with in 9th grade (and hadn´t really seen since) messaged me on Facebook, saying, ¨Do I know you?¨ ... he quickly realized I´d been in that class with him, and we started talking. It was seriously great to talk to him, because I realized what a nice person he was. And this is something I had no idea of back in 9th grade. Because in 9th grade, I was incredibly shy. I´m still a pretty quiet person now, but I´ve come out of my shell a lot more. But back then when he was in my class, I was too scared to talk to him. For one, because I was shy, but also because he had this bad boy image that was completely the opposite of the people I hung out with. So basically, I judged him based on his appearance. Looking back, I kick myself for doing that. That´s someone I never want to be, someone who judges on appearances and consequently misses out on some really great friendships. And that´s exactly what happened back in 9th grade - I missed out on knowing a really great person because of my prejudices. Luckily, 11 years later, I have another chance to be his friend, and it´s great. Anyway, this whole episode has just made me miss high school, old friends, and home even more. I miss my parents, my brother and sis-in-law, my nephew, my Boston Terrier dog, North Carolina BBQ and people and weather... the list could go on. But here´s to hoping that I find direction soon!
Another thing that really made me miss home, and even miss high school (shocking, I know) happened the other day. A guy I´d had one class with in 9th grade (and hadn´t really seen since) messaged me on Facebook, saying, ¨Do I know you?¨ ... he quickly realized I´d been in that class with him, and we started talking. It was seriously great to talk to him, because I realized what a nice person he was. And this is something I had no idea of back in 9th grade. Because in 9th grade, I was incredibly shy. I´m still a pretty quiet person now, but I´ve come out of my shell a lot more. But back then when he was in my class, I was too scared to talk to him. For one, because I was shy, but also because he had this bad boy image that was completely the opposite of the people I hung out with. So basically, I judged him based on his appearance. Looking back, I kick myself for doing that. That´s someone I never want to be, someone who judges on appearances and consequently misses out on some really great friendships. And that´s exactly what happened back in 9th grade - I missed out on knowing a really great person because of my prejudices. Luckily, 11 years later, I have another chance to be his friend, and it´s great. Anyway, this whole episode has just made me miss high school, old friends, and home even more. I miss my parents, my brother and sis-in-law, my nephew, my Boston Terrier dog, North Carolina BBQ and people and weather... the list could go on. But here´s to hoping that I find direction soon!
Thursday, February 5, 2009
El Techo
Has anyone else noticed that in the metro station Pedro de Valdivia, down where the metro actually is (not up near the boleterìa or anything), the ceiling is filled with what looks like scattered pieces of stained glass? Either they just put that in, or I´m REALLY not observant (I´m betting on the latter) - but either way, I love it. It looks like a planetarium ceiling almost, except with stained glass tiles instead of stars. I love noticing little things like that around the city, things with character. Even things as boring as the metro can surprise you sometimes. :)
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
All Over the Place
Let´s see, I´ve been in ... 4 different comunas today. I honestly feel like I´ve been running all over Santiago since 8:30 this morning. I started out the morning in Ñuñoa, where I live. From there I took the micro and then metro to La Florida, specifically Mirador station, for a class. Then at 12:00 I took the metro to La Moneda to go pick up some mess I needed for another class. Then at 1:00 I took the metro to Tobalaba, technically Las Condes, for another class. Then at 3:00 I took the metro and then micro again to get back home to Ñuñoa. Maybe it won´t be so bad in the fall, but running around like this right now, in the heat of the Santiago summer = craziness. I´m now exhausted.
Monday, February 2, 2009
25 Things
I know you´re all just dying to know 25 random things about me (note the sarcasm), so I won´t keep you in suspense any longer. I´m sure you´ve seen this floating around on the internet, so here´s my own contribution:
1. I used to HATE my middle name (it´s a family name), but now I absolutely love it because I think it´s unique.
2. I started working when I was 14 years old (I did babysit before that, but I´m not counting that) at the concert pavilion in Raleigh, as a parking attendant. My favorite question posed to me by drunk people at the end of the night, ¨Can you tell me what parking lot my car is in?¨ ... (then, after asking them to describe it some more, location, etc.), ¨Ummm, it was in a big parking lot with gravel.¨ That was when I just started shaking my head.
3. I (like Abby) saved up money all on my own to buy my own horse. I even had a name picked out (Sierra), but when it came down to it, my parents said I could get a car or a horse, but not both. It was a tough decision, seriously, but I opted for the car.
4. I took English riding lessons for 5 years, and tap lessons for 5.
5. I took piano lessons for 10 years - my best moment was when one of my piano teachers told my dad he´d only had one other student like me, and that student was now at Juilliard. (did I make it to Juilliard? no way haha)
6. When I was a sophomore in high school, I saw The Silence of the Lambs for the 1st time and wanted to be an FBI Special Agent after that. Seriously.
7. For 2 years in college, I worked as a volunteer at John Umstead Psychiatric Hospital, working with schizophrenic patients. Amazing experience that I truly miss.
8. I took 2 semesters of German in college, but hardly remember anything now.
9. My secret (or not-so-secret now) dream right now is to learn Portugese.
10. When I was 10 years old, I chipped my tooth on the side of a swimming pool, and then later that same day, broke my arm falling off a horse. A day hereafter referred to as ¨Black Wednesday.¨
11. My favorite food is macaroni and cheese, and I think I could eat it every day.
12. After graduating college, I spent a summer in Salamanca, Spain.
13. That summer changed my life - before I went, I was enrolled in law school and had an apartment lease and everything. After I came back, I decided I didn´t want to go to law school anymore.
14. The one country I´ve really really wanted to visit for as long as I can remember is Italy. Specifically, Tuscany.
15. My dream job would be to write for Rolling Stone magazine.
16. I once dated a guy who was 11 years older than me. For like, 2 months.
17. I´ve also dated a couple of my brother´s best friends. Not a good idea.
18. My favorite flavor of ice cream is strawberry.
19. I have a Boston Terrier named Maggie, the sweetest dog on earth. Before that, I had a BT named Buster, also the sweetest dog ever.
20. I only have one living grandparent left, and she is unbelievably crazy and mean, unfortunately.
21. The first time I went anywhere with D (just me and him) was to buy strings for my guitar. That was over a year and a half ago!
22. I´ve always been very close to my parents and my brother - when we were in college, we used to go on road trips together to Tar Heels basketball games.
23. While at UNC, I met Ben Stein one night when he came to give a speech, and he told me I was pretty (probably told ALL the girls that!) ;)
24. While I can be flexible on many issues, one I won´t ever compromise on is abortion. I think it is absolutely wrong.
25. I really do love reading comments left on my blog, I can just be incredibly lazy when it comes to responding to them. But keep leaving them, I love em!
1. I used to HATE my middle name (it´s a family name), but now I absolutely love it because I think it´s unique.
2. I started working when I was 14 years old (I did babysit before that, but I´m not counting that) at the concert pavilion in Raleigh, as a parking attendant. My favorite question posed to me by drunk people at the end of the night, ¨Can you tell me what parking lot my car is in?¨ ... (then, after asking them to describe it some more, location, etc.), ¨Ummm, it was in a big parking lot with gravel.¨ That was when I just started shaking my head.
3. I (like Abby) saved up money all on my own to buy my own horse. I even had a name picked out (Sierra), but when it came down to it, my parents said I could get a car or a horse, but not both. It was a tough decision, seriously, but I opted for the car.
4. I took English riding lessons for 5 years, and tap lessons for 5.
5. I took piano lessons for 10 years - my best moment was when one of my piano teachers told my dad he´d only had one other student like me, and that student was now at Juilliard. (did I make it to Juilliard? no way haha)
6. When I was a sophomore in high school, I saw The Silence of the Lambs for the 1st time and wanted to be an FBI Special Agent after that. Seriously.
7. For 2 years in college, I worked as a volunteer at John Umstead Psychiatric Hospital, working with schizophrenic patients. Amazing experience that I truly miss.
8. I took 2 semesters of German in college, but hardly remember anything now.
9. My secret (or not-so-secret now) dream right now is to learn Portugese.
10. When I was 10 years old, I chipped my tooth on the side of a swimming pool, and then later that same day, broke my arm falling off a horse. A day hereafter referred to as ¨Black Wednesday.¨
11. My favorite food is macaroni and cheese, and I think I could eat it every day.
12. After graduating college, I spent a summer in Salamanca, Spain.
13. That summer changed my life - before I went, I was enrolled in law school and had an apartment lease and everything. After I came back, I decided I didn´t want to go to law school anymore.
14. The one country I´ve really really wanted to visit for as long as I can remember is Italy. Specifically, Tuscany.
15. My dream job would be to write for Rolling Stone magazine.
16. I once dated a guy who was 11 years older than me. For like, 2 months.
17. I´ve also dated a couple of my brother´s best friends. Not a good idea.
18. My favorite flavor of ice cream is strawberry.
19. I have a Boston Terrier named Maggie, the sweetest dog on earth. Before that, I had a BT named Buster, also the sweetest dog ever.
20. I only have one living grandparent left, and she is unbelievably crazy and mean, unfortunately.
21. The first time I went anywhere with D (just me and him) was to buy strings for my guitar. That was over a year and a half ago!
22. I´ve always been very close to my parents and my brother - when we were in college, we used to go on road trips together to Tar Heels basketball games.
23. While at UNC, I met Ben Stein one night when he came to give a speech, and he told me I was pretty (probably told ALL the girls that!) ;)
24. While I can be flexible on many issues, one I won´t ever compromise on is abortion. I think it is absolutely wrong.
25. I really do love reading comments left on my blog, I can just be incredibly lazy when it comes to responding to them. But keep leaving them, I love em!
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