Sunday, May 30, 2010

Scenes From A Brunch: bBlue

One of the first things I did when I arrived back in Buenos Aires was email Norma to arrange brunch. In fact, our Sunday brunch tradition is one of my new Favourite Buenos Aires Activities (tm). This morning we met at bBlue, one of about a zillion new organic-slash-brunch joints located in - you guessed it! - Palermo.

Confusingly, bBlue's weekend menu doesn't include the same breakfast fare they offer on weekdays, however, you can order toast with scrambled eggs and smoked salmon (yes, please), and a regular lunch menu of sandwiches and salads. Happily, the aforementioned scrambled eggs bruschetta and our grilled veggie salad (with goat cheese! hooray for goat cheese!) were both delicious, and bBlue's prices are quite reasonable. As an added bonus, the coffee is strong, and I do like to kick off Sunday afternoon with a strong cup of coffee.

For the record, I won't turn down a glass of Malbec, either.

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Where in the World is Gillian?

I know, I can't keep up, either.

Monday morning I arrived back in Buenos Aires. Despite only an hour time-difference, I blame jetlag for my tiredness since I've arrived. Strangely, it's fall here. Strangely, I lost five whole hours of daylight. FIVE HOURS. Per day! Canada may be cold, but its northernness has some benefits. Strangely, I have already shifted from waking up to the sound of toddlers (or, as I like to call them, Nature's alarm clocks) at 7 a.m., to dining at 10 p.m. and sleeping until 10 a.m.

I've been all hedgy about writing our plans and things regarding our whereabouts here, because the Internet has stalkers and predators! And also, what if someone thinks that my plans might have any validity at all? We've already discussed that. Finally, I've started to think about ways I might convince someone to give me money in exchange for goods and/or services, and I certainly don't want to deter any potential offers by mentioning that I might be moving to India next Tuesday.

My recent sojourn to Canada wasn't all babies and bacon and cakes and kitties. I also did some investigation into housing in the Waterloo region. Because, yes, we're planning* to move to Canada, and it appears that starting in September, we'll be renting an entire house. With a driveway and an upstairs and a downstairs and a backyard and even a front yard. And laundry. And, get this, a deep freeze, which means that we can play Communist Russia and stock up on meat every time it goes on sale at Zehrs.

To further aid in our transition to suburbia, I signed up to collect points at Shopper's Drug Mart and Petro-Canada. Apparently suburbanites love to collect points, and stores love to reward loyal shoppers with points. City people always say that life in the suburbs is boring, but that sounds just like a video game to me!

All this is to say, if I missed you while I was in Southern Ontario, I'll make it up to you with a backyard barbeque in September. You guys in NY are invited, too. If everything goes according to plan, we'll have plenty of room for guests.

*The usual caveats apply.

P.S. I'm not moving to India next Tuesday. Probably.

Sunday, May 09, 2010

Happy Mother's Day!

Thursday, May 06, 2010

7 Days to Domesticity

I arrived in Waterloo last week and took up residence in my BFF's basement. I wake up daily at 7 a.m. to the sound of kids having breakfast (unfortunately, toddlers don't come with snooze buttons). I drive around the 'burbs in a station wagon with child safety seats in the back, and at lunchtime I let the dog out in the yard. I unload the dishwasher. I know who Fireman Sam is.

To think, a few months ago I thought Bolivia was surreal.

I also thought that climbing mountains was exhausting, but even hiking to 4600m is nothing compared to preparing for (and attending) a 1- and 3-year-olds' birthday party.

I was pretty sure that Salvador de Bahía, Brazil, was the happiest place in the world, but that was before I attended a toddler music class. Pure joy, people. Pure joy.

And I didn't know anything could compare to the natural beauty of glaciers and penguins at the end of the world, but Springtime in Southwestern Ontario might just be in the running.