Today is not a holiday. Today is an entirely average Monday (sorry, Monday. I still like hanging out with you). Nobody told me that today was any different than any other Monday, yet when I arrived at work I noticed that the building was almost entirely empty. I chalked that up to heavy Sunday night partying on the part of my coworkers. When 11 rolled around and no one had showed up, I started to get suspicious. This was either a very elaborate and well-orchestrated practical joke on new guy Andrew, or I didn't get the memo that Tuesday happens to be a holiday (Pope Day, maybe they make Pope cakes!) and most people take Monday off as well. The language barrier strikes again! I stayed until lunch time and worked on some translation, but I am definitely not making the same mistake tomorrow. I am taking a very deserved Pope Day away from the office.
You might be asking yourself why I stayed at work instead of just going back to the Casona. Is anyone asking themselves that question? No? Well, bear with me while I ask the question no one particularly wants the answer to. The reason I stayed until lunch was that I wanted to eat at the restaurant in the lady's house. I believe I mentioned that in a previous entry, but if not, a lady has a house. She serves lunch in her house (and of course hides the kids), and it essentially becomes a restaurant from 11-4. Once the clock strikes four it's a house again. I really enjoyed my first meal there, and it's absurdly cheap, so I decided this would be my Pope Day Eve lunch spot. Eating in a person's house (with about 8 other customers, mind you) is very entertaining. First of all, it's very homey. The atmosphere, the food, the mom that treats you like her kids...all of these factors make you feel at home. Which you are. Just not yours. Also, because this is a living and breathing home, some domestic occurrences can't be prevented during restaurant hours. For instance, I chortled when I heard her neighbor ring the doorbell or when I saw the family dog escape and run through the dining areas. It certainly was not a difficult decision to choose to come back. I ordered the chicken soup (rather than the salad. Appetizer salads here don't blow me away, and it was cold today), followed with pork milanesa with garbanzo bean stew and rice, pear juice, and a comped free salad (which DID blow me away because it was free). Everything was homey and comforting, and I was touched that she didn't skimp on the chicken liver or chicken feet in my soup. Granted, I am a fan of neither liver nor feet. Feet are OK but the knuckles require more mandible dexterity than I possess. Either way, I felt like a special guest over to see the kids do a piano recital. She told me that she's putting together a special lomo saltado on Wednesday. I said "See you there!" She didn't understand. I then realized I shouldn't have been speaking English, particularly in a conversation where everything else I had said was in Spanish. Upon translation, she gave me the fist pound (recognizing my glaring American-ness) and we sealed the deal. On my way out, she was nice enough to offer me a ride to Ricky's house to play some N64. I politely declined, but again, it was really the thought that counted.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Two Weeks Down
I just hit the two week mark, and although that really isn't all that much time I feel as if I have been here a couple months. I usually get that feeling when I travel, and I'm not technically traveling out of Lima but I'm still experiencing a great variety of new things. Let's do a brief recap of the past week so everyone can get a feel for how I'm spending my time.
Thursday afternoon, a group of farmers and ranchers from Pachamac (I don't know where it is, apologies to the cartography enthusiasts) came to the GEA office to give a presentation of the organic/natural/sustainable products they are cultivating in the region. Apparently, a TV show was at the office to film the people with their produce and animals. This was an occasion when the language barrier definitely confused me. I can understand why there would be a TV segment about the Pachamac farmers and ranchers, but I really don't get why the backyard of the office was the chosen venue to discuss potato varieties and llama husbandry. Sometimes it's better not to ask questions and just pet the llama. Words to live by, those.
Twice this week my coworkers decided they wanted the menu at La Clínica Maison de Santé. To clarify, this place is a hospital. Maybe I'm old fashioned, but it seems a bit off to want to have lunch at the hospital cafe when there are numerous other options nearby. Besides being surrounded by doctors, patients' families, and the occasional ambulance, it was quite a normal lunch. And who is going to complain about 6 soles (~$2.15) for chicken soup, pork tenderloin with rice and lentils, and a fruit cocktail? Not this guy.
Friday night, Kike and Juan (the French guys that run the Casona), Jessica (an American who went to UCLA and is here for two weeks), and some of Kike and Juan's Lima friends (some French folks, a couple Limans, and one Belgium), and I went out to a really small bar....hold on one second.
"Unchained Melody" by the Isley Brothers is on right now. I gotta sing along. Back in a minute.
I think we can all agree that "Ghost" wouldn't be "Ghost" without that song. Anyways, we went to this bar where a group of about 10 guys were playing some variety of Latin music. Two trumpets, two saxophones, a trombone, a bass, a guitar, a drummer, and a guy dancing around who didn't really seem to be playing anything. The venue was fun because the band didn't have a true stage; instead, a space was cleared for them on the first floor. Because only 25 people or so could watch and dance downstairs, the rest of us were on the second level balcony. I'll post some pictures on Flickr, but it was neat to be able to watch the band from above. The less enjoyable aspect was the humid and smoke-filled air. Lima does not have any laws against smoking in bars, some restaurants, wig shops, etc. so it's been a smoky couple of weeks. I don't mind cigarette smoke that much except for the way it infiltrates your clothes. The non-smoking laws and larger size cups of coffee are several things that I definitely miss in the states.
Saturday night, before going out again, I went to Astrid y Gaston. It is supposed to be one of the best restaurants in Peru, and certainly one of the most upscale in Lima. The creator is Gaston Acurio, a celebrity chef who tries to raise the level of Peruvian cuisine and help it gain international attention. This is his flagship, and once I read that it has a 12 course tasting menu, I knew I had to go. The courses spanned all sorts of traditional Peruvian specialties (guinea pig, seafood, causa (potato puree thing), interesting root vegetables, lomo saltado, anticuchos) and the atmosphere, service, presentation, and taste was right up there with the best I've bad. Another bonus is that the cost is about 1/3 what you would expect in the US. I have also discovered that I enjoy Pisco, the national liquor of Peru. Most of you have probably had a Pisco Sour, but down here there are a whole mess of different Pisco drinks (and different types of Pisco). I'm glad the Pisco drinks are so good, because the beer...well it ain't a Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA if you catch my drift.
On Sunday I needed to procure a sweatshirt, an additional shirt for the gym, an additional shirt for work, and some sweatpants (turns out it's winter down here). I was referred to Polvos Azules, a mall of sorts in the center of Lima. The structure itself is like any mall in the US, and they sell items inside, but the similarities stop there. There are endless, categorized narrow aisles with minuscule stalls hawking their wares. I must have seen 75 stores selling shoes, 50 selling jeans, and I would venture to say 25 selling dog sweaters. It was overwhelming not only because of the volume of stores but also because you see the same products (or almost the same products) over and over and over again. I enjoy a good value, but I don't want to go to every stall, find the item I want, bargain, and then move on searching for the lowest price. I found a nice polo, an obnoxiously lime green t-shirt, a hoodie, and a pair of sweatpants and was out in 30 minutes. If you come to Lima, you can find great values for name brand stuff, but I don't plan to go back any time soon.
Tonight is shaping up to be pretty relaxed. As July rolls around more people are staying in the Casona, but fortunately Sunday is still low key. I am going to make dinner for Kike, Juan, and Jessica tonight. I love the familial feeling I get in the Casona (in addition to the immaculately clean bathrooms). For a nujack like myself, I couldn't ask for a better place to feel at home in Lima. Alright, I better wrap things up. "I Will Survive" just hit the airwaves, and I have been dying to show off the choreography I've been working on.
Thursday afternoon, a group of farmers and ranchers from Pachamac (I don't know where it is, apologies to the cartography enthusiasts) came to the GEA office to give a presentation of the organic/natural/sustainable products they are cultivating in the region. Apparently, a TV show was at the office to film the people with their produce and animals. This was an occasion when the language barrier definitely confused me. I can understand why there would be a TV segment about the Pachamac farmers and ranchers, but I really don't get why the backyard of the office was the chosen venue to discuss potato varieties and llama husbandry. Sometimes it's better not to ask questions and just pet the llama. Words to live by, those.
Twice this week my coworkers decided they wanted the menu at La Clínica Maison de Santé. To clarify, this place is a hospital. Maybe I'm old fashioned, but it seems a bit off to want to have lunch at the hospital cafe when there are numerous other options nearby. Besides being surrounded by doctors, patients' families, and the occasional ambulance, it was quite a normal lunch. And who is going to complain about 6 soles (~$2.15) for chicken soup, pork tenderloin with rice and lentils, and a fruit cocktail? Not this guy.
Friday night, Kike and Juan (the French guys that run the Casona), Jessica (an American who went to UCLA and is here for two weeks), and some of Kike and Juan's Lima friends (some French folks, a couple Limans, and one Belgium), and I went out to a really small bar....hold on one second.
"Unchained Melody" by the Isley Brothers is on right now. I gotta sing along. Back in a minute.
I think we can all agree that "Ghost" wouldn't be "Ghost" without that song. Anyways, we went to this bar where a group of about 10 guys were playing some variety of Latin music. Two trumpets, two saxophones, a trombone, a bass, a guitar, a drummer, and a guy dancing around who didn't really seem to be playing anything. The venue was fun because the band didn't have a true stage; instead, a space was cleared for them on the first floor. Because only 25 people or so could watch and dance downstairs, the rest of us were on the second level balcony. I'll post some pictures on Flickr, but it was neat to be able to watch the band from above. The less enjoyable aspect was the humid and smoke-filled air. Lima does not have any laws against smoking in bars, some restaurants, wig shops, etc. so it's been a smoky couple of weeks. I don't mind cigarette smoke that much except for the way it infiltrates your clothes. The non-smoking laws and larger size cups of coffee are several things that I definitely miss in the states.
Saturday night, before going out again, I went to Astrid y Gaston. It is supposed to be one of the best restaurants in Peru, and certainly one of the most upscale in Lima. The creator is Gaston Acurio, a celebrity chef who tries to raise the level of Peruvian cuisine and help it gain international attention. This is his flagship, and once I read that it has a 12 course tasting menu, I knew I had to go. The courses spanned all sorts of traditional Peruvian specialties (guinea pig, seafood, causa (potato puree thing), interesting root vegetables, lomo saltado, anticuchos) and the atmosphere, service, presentation, and taste was right up there with the best I've bad. Another bonus is that the cost is about 1/3 what you would expect in the US. I have also discovered that I enjoy Pisco, the national liquor of Peru. Most of you have probably had a Pisco Sour, but down here there are a whole mess of different Pisco drinks (and different types of Pisco). I'm glad the Pisco drinks are so good, because the beer...well it ain't a Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA if you catch my drift.
On Sunday I needed to procure a sweatshirt, an additional shirt for the gym, an additional shirt for work, and some sweatpants (turns out it's winter down here). I was referred to Polvos Azules, a mall of sorts in the center of Lima. The structure itself is like any mall in the US, and they sell items inside, but the similarities stop there. There are endless, categorized narrow aisles with minuscule stalls hawking their wares. I must have seen 75 stores selling shoes, 50 selling jeans, and I would venture to say 25 selling dog sweaters. It was overwhelming not only because of the volume of stores but also because you see the same products (or almost the same products) over and over and over again. I enjoy a good value, but I don't want to go to every stall, find the item I want, bargain, and then move on searching for the lowest price. I found a nice polo, an obnoxiously lime green t-shirt, a hoodie, and a pair of sweatpants and was out in 30 minutes. If you come to Lima, you can find great values for name brand stuff, but I don't plan to go back any time soon.
Tonight is shaping up to be pretty relaxed. As July rolls around more people are staying in the Casona, but fortunately Sunday is still low key. I am going to make dinner for Kike, Juan, and Jessica tonight. I love the familial feeling I get in the Casona (in addition to the immaculately clean bathrooms). For a nujack like myself, I couldn't ask for a better place to feel at home in Lima. Alright, I better wrap things up. "I Will Survive" just hit the airwaves, and I have been dying to show off the choreography I've been working on.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Hallowed Be Thy Name
I think that we have managed to establish a sufficiently vibrant group dynamic (not my words unfortunately, but let's be real, only about 3% of this blog is original material. This phrase finds its roots in the timeless call and repeat song 'Hey Li Lee Li Lee' by The Limelighters for those who are interested. And I know one person who is.) for me to create titles that have little or nothing to do with the subsequent discourse. The title also comes from a song, though instead of mid-20th century folk music, I have chosen a line from my favourite British metal band Iron Maiden. Phew! Now we're ready.
After announcing my plans to live in Peru for six months, people tossed around a lot of different words to describe me...
Brave
Noble
Courageous
Mustache
Hero
While I wholeheartedly agree with each of these descriptions there is an important one that was omitted...
Party Animal
Last night looked like it was shaping up to be another Casona party by way of Paris, but there turned out to be a decent mix of nationalities. And more importantly, people who speak English. I have no problem with speaking Spanish, but after using it all day at the office, it is relaxing to be able to revert to my native tongue. Anyhow, there were about 40 of us drinking in the bar and discussing: soccer, long tennis matches, the lion burger place in Arizona (?), and even the merits of keeping chicken eggs unrefrigerated (that's how they do it here). I enjoyed my first Peruvian Pisco Sour, and it was certainly delicious. Fresh squeezed lime juice, simple syrup, bitters, good quality Pisco, and of course an unrefrigerated egg white certainly makes for a frothy, suave concoction. We also consumed a fair amount of Cristal Pilsner and Cusqueno. Both are 5% alchohol pilsners, and nothing really to write home about. Irony alert!
Around Two Minutes to Midnight we all left the Casona to go to 'Help,' a warehouse-sized bar/music venue. Kike (Charles Eric) and Juan (Jean) wanted to see this band that was covering songs from another band they like. I immediately forgot both band names (and the bar name, in fact). A short taxi ride later we arrived outside Help, and fortunately we were already on the list because there was a huge line. I was puzzled...how could so many people be waiting for entry into this tiny door which must lead to a tiny bar? Well, after walking in the door, passing the hot dog grill on the right side of the hall, and brushing aside a curtain, the huge expanse that is Help was revealed to me. 1200 people fit inside the place, and about 1150 showed up on Thursday. The band was a lot of fun. They had a brass section (for some reason, brass sections always push all the right buttons for me) in addition to about 15 other guys on stage. Big band. The music was very upbeat with lots of jumping, hand raising, and enthusiastic lyric chanting. There were also two jester-like characters on stilts. You know, typical concert. I stayed until about 2am and then headed back with another American. Everyone else stayed until 5am but I had to get some rest for work. Before grabbing a taxi I bought one of the hot dogs I spied on the way in. They are nuclear red, and in addition to mustard, ketchup, and sour cream, they were served with the ever present 'aji,' the all purpose pepper sauce of Lima. The frank had a good snap, the aji a good kick, and the sour cream a smooth shimmy. That's really all you can ask for.
Today I will be translating a proposal for donations from Spanish to English. I find translating to be sometimes fun (when it feels like a puzzle) and sometimes tedious (when it feels like a puzzle with too many pieces. Corners first!). Fortunately, it's almost the weekend when I am sure there will be more good food, more French people, more dogs in sweaters, more smog, more napkins which are insufficient for adequate cleansing (ok, I have a beef with the napkins here. There seems to be only one variety of napkin. Envision a piece of one ply toilet paper. Increase its surface area by 100%, imprint a pebble texture onto the surface, and fold diagonally into a triangle. You receive one with most meals. Good luck with those ribs, Diego.), more near death experiences with drivers, more beautiful views of the ocean, more jam but not peanut butter (I thought it was universal), and surprises. And hopefully more material for the blog. Otherwise I'll have to Run to the Hills.
After announcing my plans to live in Peru for six months, people tossed around a lot of different words to describe me...
Brave
Noble
Courageous
Mustache
Hero
While I wholeheartedly agree with each of these descriptions there is an important one that was omitted...
Party Animal
Last night looked like it was shaping up to be another Casona party by way of Paris, but there turned out to be a decent mix of nationalities. And more importantly, people who speak English. I have no problem with speaking Spanish, but after using it all day at the office, it is relaxing to be able to revert to my native tongue. Anyhow, there were about 40 of us drinking in the bar and discussing: soccer, long tennis matches, the lion burger place in Arizona (?), and even the merits of keeping chicken eggs unrefrigerated (that's how they do it here). I enjoyed my first Peruvian Pisco Sour, and it was certainly delicious. Fresh squeezed lime juice, simple syrup, bitters, good quality Pisco, and of course an unrefrigerated egg white certainly makes for a frothy, suave concoction. We also consumed a fair amount of Cristal Pilsner and Cusqueno. Both are 5% alchohol pilsners, and nothing really to write home about. Irony alert!
Around Two Minutes to Midnight we all left the Casona to go to 'Help,' a warehouse-sized bar/music venue. Kike (Charles Eric) and Juan (Jean) wanted to see this band that was covering songs from another band they like. I immediately forgot both band names (and the bar name, in fact). A short taxi ride later we arrived outside Help, and fortunately we were already on the list because there was a huge line. I was puzzled...how could so many people be waiting for entry into this tiny door which must lead to a tiny bar? Well, after walking in the door, passing the hot dog grill on the right side of the hall, and brushing aside a curtain, the huge expanse that is Help was revealed to me. 1200 people fit inside the place, and about 1150 showed up on Thursday. The band was a lot of fun. They had a brass section (for some reason, brass sections always push all the right buttons for me) in addition to about 15 other guys on stage. Big band. The music was very upbeat with lots of jumping, hand raising, and enthusiastic lyric chanting. There were also two jester-like characters on stilts. You know, typical concert. I stayed until about 2am and then headed back with another American. Everyone else stayed until 5am but I had to get some rest for work. Before grabbing a taxi I bought one of the hot dogs I spied on the way in. They are nuclear red, and in addition to mustard, ketchup, and sour cream, they were served with the ever present 'aji,' the all purpose pepper sauce of Lima. The frank had a good snap, the aji a good kick, and the sour cream a smooth shimmy. That's really all you can ask for.
Today I will be translating a proposal for donations from Spanish to English. I find translating to be sometimes fun (when it feels like a puzzle) and sometimes tedious (when it feels like a puzzle with too many pieces. Corners first!). Fortunately, it's almost the weekend when I am sure there will be more good food, more French people, more dogs in sweaters, more smog, more napkins which are insufficient for adequate cleansing (ok, I have a beef with the napkins here. There seems to be only one variety of napkin. Envision a piece of one ply toilet paper. Increase its surface area by 100%, imprint a pebble texture onto the surface, and fold diagonally into a triangle. You receive one with most meals. Good luck with those ribs, Diego.), more near death experiences with drivers, more beautiful views of the ocean, more jam but not peanut butter (I thought it was universal), and surprises. And hopefully more material for the blog. Otherwise I'll have to Run to the Hills.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Suprises Still Life
I unfairly stated that only one person is aware of my legendary love for before-and-after phrases. In fact, there are at least two, one of whom goes by the moniker "Blake 'Brawny McTiverton' Holland." I apologize for this egregious omission, and I also apologize for using another before-and-after title which doesn't really fit the content of the entry. Now it's time for some housekeeping.
First, I created a Flickr page where one can peruse some of the photos from the trip. The service limits me to 100mb of photos before I have to pay. I will reduce the size of some of the photos, but I am going to restrict the page to highlights only. I know that MY attention span can sometimes resemble that of an Irish Setter so I'll try to keep the photos as dynamic and shiny as possible. Oooh, I see a floating piece of lint! Sorry, got off track there. You can find the link on the right hand side of the page. Let me know if you have any trouble accessing the Flickr page or if you are disappointed with the content.
Second, and this doesn't technically fit under 'housekeeping,' I just heard 'Who Let the Dogs Out?' the 2000 smash hit from the Baha Men (they hail from the Bahamas if you are curious, which I am certain no one is). I'm really surprised that the song is still getting radio play, even here in Lima, since it is less of a song than a butt of jokes. Of course, that is no reason I can't sing along and razzle dazzle the other Casona guests with my encyclopedic knowledge of pop music. And believe you me, these weary travelers were certainly razzled and dazzled.
Third, and this also definitely does not fit under 'housekeeping,' I went out to lunch with two coworkers for lunch today to a really rustic restaurant in Barranco. We walked in and I was struck by how cave-like the place was. It was dark, very long and skinny, had whitewashed adobe walls with lots of ancient pots and pans hanging, and there was a cookfire with a couple chefs tending the dishes at the very back. The long wood tables were communal and very worn, but they afforded a great view of the kitchen. Well, they afforded a great view of the kitchen because the kitchen and dining area were truly the same area. I was expecting a very basic fare but was blown away when they served (we all ordered the menu, choices were rabbit and ravioli, and I wasn't feeling like dealing with bones today) the freshest tasting spinach and ricotta ravioli I've ever had. The pasta was gossamer thin and perfectly tender, and a bright spinach flavor came through wonderfully. OK enough food critic cliches. It was served with tomato sauce and a small steak on top. Everything was very fresh, entirely homemade, and surprisingly Italian from a very traditional Peruvian restaurant (according to my coworkers). If you're in the Barranco area I suggest we grab a bit at Cafe Tostado. The lunch also came with Chicha Morada, a popular sweet purple drink in Peru. It is made from purple corn and has some spices and sugar added. Most Peruvians rave about the stuff, but I think you probably have to grow up with it to truly appreciate it. I like it about as much as I liked Robert Downey Jr. doing cameos on Ally McBeal. I mean, you start with a great product and then use it in an unexpected way to achieve unoffensive, but ultimately uninspiring results. Am I the only who thought of that comparison? I highly doubt it.
Anyhow, it's getting late, and once again the entry has been driven entirely by tangents and asides. I should probably apologize to those of you who wanted concrete information about my trip. Alas, I used up all my Tuesday apologies.
First, I created a Flickr page where one can peruse some of the photos from the trip. The service limits me to 100mb of photos before I have to pay. I will reduce the size of some of the photos, but I am going to restrict the page to highlights only. I know that MY attention span can sometimes resemble that of an Irish Setter so I'll try to keep the photos as dynamic and shiny as possible. Oooh, I see a floating piece of lint! Sorry, got off track there. You can find the link on the right hand side of the page. Let me know if you have any trouble accessing the Flickr page or if you are disappointed with the content.
Second, and this doesn't technically fit under 'housekeeping,' I just heard 'Who Let the Dogs Out?' the 2000 smash hit from the Baha Men (they hail from the Bahamas if you are curious, which I am certain no one is). I'm really surprised that the song is still getting radio play, even here in Lima, since it is less of a song than a butt of jokes. Of course, that is no reason I can't sing along and razzle dazzle the other Casona guests with my encyclopedic knowledge of pop music. And believe you me, these weary travelers were certainly razzled and dazzled.
Third, and this also definitely does not fit under 'housekeeping,' I went out to lunch with two coworkers for lunch today to a really rustic restaurant in Barranco. We walked in and I was struck by how cave-like the place was. It was dark, very long and skinny, had whitewashed adobe walls with lots of ancient pots and pans hanging, and there was a cookfire with a couple chefs tending the dishes at the very back. The long wood tables were communal and very worn, but they afforded a great view of the kitchen. Well, they afforded a great view of the kitchen because the kitchen and dining area were truly the same area. I was expecting a very basic fare but was blown away when they served (we all ordered the menu, choices were rabbit and ravioli, and I wasn't feeling like dealing with bones today) the freshest tasting spinach and ricotta ravioli I've ever had. The pasta was gossamer thin and perfectly tender, and a bright spinach flavor came through wonderfully. OK enough food critic cliches. It was served with tomato sauce and a small steak on top. Everything was very fresh, entirely homemade, and surprisingly Italian from a very traditional Peruvian restaurant (according to my coworkers). If you're in the Barranco area I suggest we grab a bit at Cafe Tostado. The lunch also came with Chicha Morada, a popular sweet purple drink in Peru. It is made from purple corn and has some spices and sugar added. Most Peruvians rave about the stuff, but I think you probably have to grow up with it to truly appreciate it. I like it about as much as I liked Robert Downey Jr. doing cameos on Ally McBeal. I mean, you start with a great product and then use it in an unexpected way to achieve unoffensive, but ultimately uninspiring results. Am I the only who thought of that comparison? I highly doubt it.
Anyhow, it's getting late, and once again the entry has been driven entirely by tangents and asides. I should probably apologize to those of you who wanted concrete information about my trip. Alas, I used up all my Tuesday apologies.
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