Cruisey

Posted on January 13, 2012 by la_florecita

I’ve never wanted to go on a cruise. I’ve backpacked through Europe on my own and developed a distaste for people who travel with tour groups or had set schedules. I thought cruises were for lazy Americans who were too scared to get immersed in a different culture and just wanted to eat buffets on the ship all day.

I was wrong, it’s also for lazy Puerto Ricans.

I kid! I do think that there are some people who go on cruises who fit my stereotype, but it certainly doesn’t apply to everyone.

My cousin chose to get married on a cruise and it was to places I’d always wanted to go–Virgin Islands, St. Maarten–so I made damned sure we were on it. Which included getting Dave his passport mere weeks before our departure.

The cruise set off from San Juan, Puerto Rico on January second. Because of the holiday, it was cheaper to get airplane tickets for 2 days earlier. And, hey, why NOT spend New Years in San Juan?

I don’t want to make this a novel so here are a few highlights from each place we visited.

San Juan Antiguo

  • There are NO New Year’s parties in Old San Juan. You would think there would be, what with the scenic buildings, cobblestone streets and all the different plazas. What there are are a bunch of lost Americans asking each other where the New Year’s Party is.
  • It’s in Condado, in various beach front hotels. We did not go. In fact we didn’t leave Old San Juan for the 3 days we were there.
  • Aguaviva is an overrated restaurant. Marmalade is not (warning: music on that link). It IS expensive but just like Uchi or Uchiko, you’re getting what you pay for.
  • Waffle-era is an underrated restaurant. We stumbled upon it on accident and it was one of my favorite meals on the whole vacation. I had a mini Belgian waffle topped with Greek Yogurt and tomatoes and cucumbers, followed by another mini waffle, this time topped with cream cheese and spicy honey. And a glass of fresh made iced green genmaicha tea.

The Adventure of the Seas

  • The ship was huge. And the food was better than expected. We only ate breakfast and dinner on the ship, lunch was on the various islands.
  • Asking for salsa for my eggs was a fun adventure. After the waiter mistakenly brought me a saucer instead of salsa, we got it cleared up and I learned to ask for the Sambal hot sauce.
  • Drinks are expensive. I also only like rum, apparently, when I’m below the tropic of Cancer.
St. Lucia
  • St. Lucia (pronounced Saint Loo-sha) is a lovely little island with 2 big mountains on the south called the Pitons. We scheduled an excursion at 12:30 that was going to take us to “snorkel beneath the Pitons.”
  • But first I needed a book about the Caribbean fishes so I could know what I was looking at. So we walked 10 minutes to the market and I found a bookstore and bought an overpriced tiny book. Also bought some spices, some cinnamon sticks and a magnet of St. Lucia’s flag, which is the best designed flag ever.
  • Also ate some yummy food which might be the reason Dave had to run out and get me some Pepto the next morning. (Probiotics weren’t cutting it.)
  • The snorkel trip description stated, “If tired, the sands beckon from The Jalousie Plantation.” However, when we arrived at the beach, yes, we were next to the Jalousie Plantation but our guides pointed us toward a bunch of rickety lawn chairs off to the side and told us we weren’t to cross the sidewalk that separated us from the plantation’s restaurant/bar/bathrooms/comfy beach chairs. So if you’re looking at this photo and see a tiny dock, we had to stay to the left of it if your back is to the ocean. All 50 of us.
  • Misleading copywriting aside, snorkeling was very nice and might have been very very impressive if we hadn’t been to Hanauma Bay less than 6 months ago. (First world problem.) I did see a baby Moray eel, so that was exciting!
  • On the way back, they fed us endless amounts of rum punch so that by the time we got back we had 3 new best friends (Long Island, Toronto and Sarah) and we told everyone it was the best snorkel trip EVAR.

Antigua

  • Pronounced An-tee-ga. I know, it goes against my sensibilities, too.
  • My cousin got married on Ffreyes Beach and it was disgustingly beautiful. I guess all those photos you see online of the Caribbean aren’t photoshopped after all. Here’s a completely un-color-corrected, no-filter picture of my cousin April swimming after the wedding.

  •  After the wedding, we went back to the little port town and had lunch and I ate cockles for the first time.

Philipsburg, St. Maarten

  •  We had previously booked an excursion on a catamaran that would take us snorkeling and get us drunk. But it was pouring down rain so we cancelled. Instead I really wanted to see Maho Beach, famous for images like these but due to the storm the beach was little more than a seawall and the road was covered with wet sand and nobody could get across. Most expensive cab ride ever.
  • We spent the rest of the day chilling on the beach of Great Bay, a 20-minute walk from the ship.

 Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas

  •  Magan’s Bay is what everyone talks about- that it’s the best beach and is consistently on NatGeo’s Top Ten Beaches, etc. I suspect it’s a scam because it’s the only beach that’s big enough to handle over 500 tourists (at least) a day. If you go to St. Thomas, go to Cokie Beach. My cousin went there and it’s less crowded and at least on that day the water was much clearer.
  • Naturally we didn’t leave the island without buying a new watch for both of us. Shopping is HUGE in St. Thomas.

And that’s the cruise. I thought we’d have time for more of the cruise activities, like shuffleboard or yoga or working out or bingo. But we only had one day of sailing and you know I spent that day at the (adult, saltwater) pool. 

 

Posted in fishies, food, la familia, non-/consumerism, the boy, travel | Leave a comment

Vacation, in beers

Posted on January 9, 2012 by la_florecita

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Not pictured: Carib. But it was had.

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Vacation, in beers

Posted on January 9, 2012 by la_florecita

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Not pictured: Carib. But it was had.

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Oh hi!

Posted on December 20, 2011 by la_florecita

How about how I haven’t updated in over a month? It’s pretty awesome. I mean, unless you want to know what’s going on with me, in which case, not awesome.

So after my birthday it was basically Thanksgiving, more or less, and we went to McAllen to see Dave’s fam. We stayed there 4 days and when I got back I applied for a job. Same company, different type of position.

I spent weeks and months (years, one might argue) telling anyone who would listen why we needed this position on our team. And then someone asked if I’d want to do the job. It’s not a design job, it’s more of a leadership role, and certainly one I felt capable of. I decided to apply for it.

The job posted and then I felt like a deflated balloon. Two weeks went by. I waited until the last minute to apply and even then didn’t officially chat with anyone about the position until a week before the interview. And then, like a snowball into an avalanche, I got more and more excited. I was excited about the ways in which I could help the various aspects of my team, my coworkers, the stores. I was excited about how I could grow, leadership aspects of myself I could develop and hone. I was terrified of the responsibility of certain parts of the job. It’s a new position on our team and there’s a giant chunk of chaos that’s been existing on our team for a while and it’s this new person’s job to organize it and make it better for our team. But even that was an exciting challenge.

And if I didn’t take this opportunity to challenge myself in these new ways and instead chose to stay comfortable, how could I respect myself professionally?

I had been out of town every weekend for some reason or another- wedding, wedding shower, etc. for the 3 weekends leading up to the interview and so I was a bit of a wreck before the interview. At home anyway. At work I was nervous, anxious but still confident. I’d prepared enough and I felt like I had my shit in order and was ready for the challenge.

And I got the job.

Like I said, it’s not a design role but I’m kind of okay with that. I’ll have to become a master at spreadsheets (thank baby jesus for Apple’s Numbers because Excel makes me twitch) and it’s more of an organization/communication role. I can find other ways to be creative in my life, not super worried about that. (Oh, and it involves a lot of travel, so baby-making plans are on hold. Might even go back on the pill so I don’t-surprise!-get my period and end up doubled over and groaning while I’m in a meeting or worse, throwing up between listening/taking notes/giving advice.)

I’ll be in my current role until January 9th, after I get back from my cousin’s wedding Caribbean cruise trip. (Also, holy crap, I’m going to Puerto Rico in 11 days!) THEN I get to start saving the world, one spreadsheet at a time.

Posted in workahol | 2 Comments

Appled Up

Posted on November 16, 2011 by la_florecita

Remember how a few weeks ago the iPhone 4s was announced? Well, Dave and I both upgraded. AND got the $99 buy-it-now-or-never accidental coverage because I apparently don’t believe in savings accounts. We both got white and I loved the sexy shape of the phone so much (it was new to me as I’d had the 3GS for 2 years) I thought I would just not get a case. The only thing I was even halfway serious about was some glow-in-the-dark decals for the front and back that would keep it from getting scratched. That I was too lazy to even buy.

Then for my birthday, Dave bought me a case. This case.

At first I was just like, HUH? Because of its price and because I’d decided I liked my phone naked. To be a team player I decided to try it out. Well, guess what. It’s disgustingly sexy. And I’ve never trusted an iPhone case so much. Even the Speck candyshell that I used for so long and LOVED broke near the mouthpiece. I just kept using it anyway. But this thing feels solid. And people (with good taste) are jealous!

So props to that guy for surprising me with something I didn’t know I wanted.

Also on that day when the iPhone 4s was announced, they announced they’d made a few changes to the nano. I’ve never actually had a nano before and the main draw for me was that they’d made the Nike+ stuff better. My old armband wouldn’t fit my new phone and I’d rather run with a nano anyway. And it turns out that I got it for free because I’d never checked my “rewards” thing on our credit cards. I had way more than enough points to get an 8 gig nano, so I did.

Except when it came in, it was the old one. I called my brother (who works for Apple) and he confirmed that the changes were all hardware, I couldn’t just do a software update. (Although I just ran across a website that said the opposite.) So I took my new nano and the Best Buy receipt it came with to the store so I could exchange it. But THEY only had the old ones, too. So I got the amount put onto a gift card and went back a few weeks later. And they didn’t have the new one in the color I wanted. So I went to another Best Buy and ta da! They had it. But my gift card was in another purse. (But our princess is in another castle!)

So Monday night, finally, everything aligned and I got my nano. One thing I didn’t expect to be fascinated by is the pedometer. I wore it all day yesterday and only went 5,000 steps. And that included a mile run, and walking to bus stops and volunteering. Right now I’m at 2,934. Pathetic since the preset goal is 10,000.

Another thing I like on the nano better than the iPhone is that I can set up a Nike+ run and then listen to whatever I want, whether that’s an audiobook, music, the radio or a podcast. It’s super annoying to do that on the phone. You have to set the Nike+ app to “No Music” and then navigate over to your ear-filler of choice and then navigate back to the workout app to see your stats. And if your music/Spotify/podcasts/Audible apps are in a folder? And your Nike+ app is in a separate folder? And the whole thing is awkwardly velcroed to your shoulder?

Yeah, this is better. Plus I won’t get my sexy new iPhone case sweaty.

Posted in beats, design, manzana, non-/consumerism, npr, product, running, the boy | 1 Comment

Birthday Notes

Posted on November 15, 2011 by la_florecita

1. I realized this weekend that on my birthday, date + month + 2-digit year will always = my age. So while 11+11+11=33 is pretty fucking fantastic, it was pretty fucking fantastic last year, too when 11+11+10 equaled 32. And next year when 11+11+12 will equal 34.  It started in 2000 when 11+11+00 equalled 22.

I just didn’t notice for 11 years.

2. You can’t have more than one Irish Car Bomb without throwing up. I learned this vicariously.

3. Our parents are good people. Both sets showed up and took me out to a late lunch to treat me. We got our drinks just before 3:43pm and did a toast (to me, duh) at the minute I was born 33 years ago. Good drinks and good food were had by all.

4. Dave wanted to take me to the DPS in the morning so we could both get our licenses renewed. Well, he’s been trying to get his ever since it expired and he’d had to pay off all those tickets and mine expired on my birthday. Maybe no one else thinks that’s romantic, but I loved the idea. Until Dave realized that the DPS was closed for stupid Veterans day (kidding, veterans! You’ve just been ruining my birthday what with no mail and no libraries for my whole life! But yay freedom and shit!) so we couldn’t do that. Brunch with friends instead.

5. A birthday wish list is awesome. So are all other gifts. Lululemon giftcards, Steve Jobs biography (2 actually, one came with a gift receipt from Target, so basically it’s a Target gift card- WIN!), lavender infused vodka, soy candles, fake Gucci scarf, real Anthropologie scarf, soaps, hen and chicks succulent plant, Radiohead tickets, handmade leather wallet, picture of IKE printed on canvas, boudin, looseleaf tea, incense wood, lotion, wine, a coffee mug… Yes, I do love presents.

6. I also love people and if you’re reading this and came to my party or tweeted to me or wrote on my wall or sent me a card or called or emailed me- thank you!! You helped make my day awesome.

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It’s My Party

Posted on November 10, 2011 by la_florecita

One day when I was 9 or so, my great-grandma (Nannie) called me to tell me that she’d just figured out that on 11-11-11 I would be 11×3. I thought it was cool and stuff but 2011 sounded really far away and 33 sounded ancient. I’d bring it up in conversations every now and then over the years and now here we are. Tomorrow is the magical birthday.

I’ve normally had low-key birthdays since being on my own. Dinner with friends at a restaurant, brunch with family, nothing major. I’ve had a few small parties but I didn’t plan them or put much effort into them.

This year is different. And I’m not even entirely sure how different yet! I’m taking the day off. Dave has told me to make no plans that day and I have no idea what’s in store. My parents are even involved somehow because they’ll be in town around noon but no one’s telling me anything. I’m simultaneously flattered/excited and completely frustrated.

That night we’re hosting a party. Inviting everyone we know in a 100-mile radius (more, in some cases) and . . . well, that’s pretty much all we got. Yesterday I did decide to order a pony keg (Real Ale coffee porter because I like it and it’s my party and I don’t care if you don’t like dark beers) and ordered my tres leches cake (it’s on theme). I might make a 3-bean chili since it’s easy, on theme and I don’t feel like making 5 or 11 kinds of appetizers. It occurred to me too late that it would be cool to have 11-11-11 fake tattoos–that’s one thing I wish I’d thought of earlier.

There will be a fire in the fire pit (I read the burn ban laws and this kind of fire container is legal) and Christmas lights strung up and that’s basically it. Adults + alcohol = party, right?

Let’s hope so.

Something else I’ve done differently this year is actually make a birthday present wish list. That wasn’t a tradition in my family growing up- at least not for me. My parents would get you what you really wanted if my dad found a great deal on it, or they might get you something close to what you really wanted. In junior high I really wanted a Starter jacket (what? I’m gangsta) but my dad got me an Apex jacket. Womp womp. I still wore the crap out of it, but that’s not even the point. It was never like my friends’ birthday experience wherein you just submit a birthday list and wait for the presents to show up (I see you, Brittany).

This year I’ve taken the bull by the horns and made a birthday present Pinterest board and posted that on facebook and twitter. Maybe people will buy me stuff. Maybe they won’t. Maybe people will all bring a bottle of wine and we can have wine for months. I love all of those things.

At the very minimum I will have good friends/family, good food and good beer. Happy birthday to me.

Posted in food, la familia, non-/consumerism, product, social media, the boy | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Things I like this week

Posted on November 8, 2011 by la_florecita

Animals being dicks

13 movie poster trends

Rob Delaney is suing Kim Kardashian (whatever) but his letter is worth reading for his phrase “stay the fuck married for longer than 20 minutes…”

My sister in law is brave and skinny.

 

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SO inconvenienced!

Posted on November 2, 2011 by la_florecita

So I hate watching full episodes of shows on cwtv.com and here’s why.

Wait. I should explain. I heard Ringer was going to be a good show to watch, not just from Brittany (aka girl who got me into Gossip Girl) but from NPR. But I wasn’t sure so instead I watched an episode online. I thought the pilot was intriguing so I watched it with Dave who thought it was terrible. I was on my own. I keep forgetting to DVR it so I’ve been forced to undergo the television-viewing equivalent of waterboarding that is watching a show on the CW website.

Reasons why the experience is so terrible, in no particular order.

• You have to click on 3 or 4 different pages labeled “episodes” to get to the one with the full episodes.

• There used to be one commercial between segments, now there are 5. One for Verizon, the rest for other CW shows. It must be a requirement that one commercial be a repeat within each commercial break.

• Sometimes you will see THE SAME EXACT COMMERCIAL three times in a row. Really? Just for that I’m NEVER going to watch Hart of Dixie.

• This one is going to sound crazy but it’s happened to me twice so I’m not just losing it. You’ll be in the middle of an episode and during the commercial break it will switch to another episode. Yes. You’re on, say, minute 34 of Episode 4. Cut to commercial. You’re folding laundry, you walk away to put it away. Still commercial so you take out the trash. You come back in and it’s on but why is Gemma talking about the contractor again? Didn’t they just switch contractors? Wait, this is a recap. WTF? Oh, Episode 2 just started. Naturally.

• To make matters worse, you can’t fast forward. If you click on the segment you think you were on (5th), it will play 5 commercials and just go to the second segment. You click again and it plays 5 commercials and goes to the third segment. So basically if you’ve watched 50 minutes of show and get cut off for whatever reason you then have to watch 20 commercials to get back where you were.

Come on now! This is ridiculous.

On the other hand, I’m watching the CW.

Posted in npr, product, stabby, the boy | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Give Up.

Posted on October 31, 2011 by la_florecita

Yesterday I made a not-too-ambitious to-do list, or so I thought. It included yoga, buying a shower curtain, buying succulents/cactus since apparently this drought is going to last 10 years, planting them and going to a group meditation (my first since moving here).

All that’s doable, right? Unless you’re in a Philadelphia [one documented here]. I went to yoga, a class I hadn’t been to before, arriving 1 minute late and I went into the foyer-room and peeked into the class. Everyone was laying in savasana with blankets and blocks as props. Wait, I thought I was late, not coming in at the end of class. No one was moving. I crept out and checked the schedule. Yup. Right place, right time. Two more people went in. I waited and looked in again and there still seemed to be no sign of an instructor and everyone was laying still. This was unlike any yoga class I’ve ever been to and it freaked me out and I left.

My friend texted me before yoga to see if I wanted to buy new running shoes today. I said sure and that I’d pick her up after yoga. Or, I thought I said that.

Since I was now skipping yoga, I decided to go to Whole Foods Market and get a smoothie and some cactus in their garden section. But I didn’t want to park underground and make a big ordeal out of it, using escalators and whatnot. I wanted to zip in, zip out. I circled the lot 5 times and got no spots but did notice they’d replaced all the cactus with pumpkins.

So I left and went to pick up my friend, who was all, “Why are you here?” I scrolled up through my texts and sure enough, never said I’d pick her up, just that we could go after yoga. At any rate, we did go shoe shopping and the girl was super helpful and I got a new pair of running shoes. (You’re supposed to replace them every 8 months… ooops.)

 

This was the first and only productive thing that would happen.

We left the running store and went a few blocks over to West Elm where I was going to buy a shower curtain I’d already picked out. Which they didn’t have. Not even a display version. Every other shower curtain? Yes.

So I gave up and we went and had lunch on the lake and I had a giant michelada in a Mason Jar. It’s all you can do, at that point.

I dropped my friend off and on the way home decided I did have control over one more thing and I could at least do something productive that I needed to do this weekend. I went to the metro station to buy my bus pass.

No lie. I came home and knew better than to do anything else on my list. If I tried to go to the group sit, I’d get lost. If I tried to pour myself a gin drink, the bottle that’s been on our fridge wouldn’t be there. Dave suggested we have sex (surprise!) but I’m sure even that would have gone wrong somehow and I didn’t want to find out how.

So we ate cereal and watched Halloween Simpsons and today is a new day.

 

Posted in Austin, bleeding heart, design, food, gardening, green, maybe, meditation, non-/consumerism, product, running, stabby, the boy, yoga | Leave a comment