more little dates with the husband

W 5.15.13

• this week we had a few little dates
• first, after my Wednesday 7-9pm adult conversation class, we went to a burger place that is sort of on my way home, and that we heard was really good

• and I had been craving a good juicy cheese burger and fries off and on for the past couple weeks...despite the little Korean BBQ incident from Saturday (too much beef = 2 hours of vomiting...it was so painful)
• well, unfortunately, I think baby doesn't like beef in the burger form either
• I didn't get sick, but I definitely didn't feel well afterward...no more beef for a while (and I'm in the land of it!)
• I know what you're thinking: Becky, you ate a burger, fries and milkshake!  SO not healthy!
• I know, I know...but sometimes it hits the spot, ya know?
• Jake enjoyed his Be Frika burger and fries...but with these pregnancy hormones flying, I can't say I'm a fair judge...
• but I'll judge anyway...take it or leave it
• burger seemed a bit dry and very thick (like equivalent to 5 McD's burgers stacked up)...maybe would opt for their mini-burgers next time...their fries were fries...usually can't go wrong (funny side-note...many places here, including burger and fries joints, don't give you a bottle of ketchup or have one on the table...only packets...so you can imagine how many packets we went through...yikes! us 'mericans like ketchup with our fries ya'll!)
• oh, and the teen-lookint employees working behind the counter (both servers and cooks) seemed to be more interested in their cellphones than the guests/food (I really shouldn't sit so close to the kitchen...I'm getting old)

Th 5.16.13

• Thursday was a double-date kind of day for us
• Jake and I got to see all kinds of each other!
• first, we ran a few miles together to start off our day (don't be impressed, it was only 3 miles)
• then we took the bus together (que romantico!) and made our way downtown to the police station to get our fingerprints re-done, then to an office to sign some papers (all part of the glorious DNI renewal...my fave)

• but ya know, there's kinda something about being downtown amongst the hustle and bustle of a work day in a big city on a sunny day...and spending a few moments of that with a loved one is sort of nice...it's like you're not supposed to be together, like you're skipping class (or work) or something...hehe
• ...later that night after my evening class, we met at the Puerto Madero Cinemark for BA's premier of The Great Gatsby in 3D (been dying to see this movie...it was my 7th graders' reader last year and the book we based our end-of-year play on as well)
• here are the terrible photos I tried to take with my super sad Blackberry camera phone:
• first, our delicious dinner and a movie menu: Coca-Cola (what? never drink this stuff, but for some reason, it sounded good), sweet popcorn, sweet/sour gummy worms, and a Snickers bar...dinner of champions folks!

•  another terrible shot...but here's me at the end...haha...loved the modern-ish style and Jay-Z music throughout

• book/story still isn't my favorite (think it's a little weird) but the movie followed the book very well and had fun twists and over-the-top party scenes and wardrobes to keep it interesting
• one last little thing...I gotta give a shout out to Jake...the whole online ticket-purchasing has been  faulty lately (or always), so after I tried and failed to buy them online several times, then in person at our neighborhood Cinemark, Jake hiked his way over to the PM location to get our tickets the day in advance...it was the premier you know! sure to be sold out in a jiffy!
• ...but...as it turns out...I think there were maybe 5 other couples in the theater...hehe
• THANKS husband for getting the tickets, and especially for a fun week of mini-dates!!!

a bit on cafes

• favorite part of BA is the cafe culture...hands down
• I can safely say that this is definitely one thing (maybe the only...haha jk) I'll miss about living here

this photo has nothing to do with cafes...it's just a mural that I pass on my way to different jobs...kinda like it

• I often find myself getting work done/checking e-mail/recharging at cafes in between schools and classes...which is fun for me, because I get to try out a variety of cafes in the city...and compare how good their medialunas are (DANGER!)
• on that note...I have some shots to share
• if you haven't noticed yet, I have this thing for photographing food...I should really take a class on it or something to improve my skills...
• but anyway, some things are just too good not to document
• like this one:

DO NOT go here! corner of Paraná and Tucuman; Tribunales

• let me explain
• I was early to an interview, so I stopped in the cafe on the corner to try out their medialunas, I think it's called Paraná Cafe or something...
• most cafes have some sort of medialuna combo deal like "cafe con leche con dos medialunas por 20 pesos" or even better "cafe con leche, dos (or tres!) medialunas, y jugo de naranja por 22 pesos", or "cafe con leche, una medialuna, jugo de naranja y agua por 12 pesos" (you get the idea)
• this place offered the 12 peso combo^^^...what a steal!
• and if you can't tell...my water glass arrived at the table empty
• I got a kick out of this, but was not too surprised when observing the waitress a bit closer...she was literally talking on her phone while delivering people's food and checks...no surprise that she forgot to fill my water glass

• another day, I had a private lesson followed by an adult institute class...the private student cancelled so I found myself here ordering tea
• it came out like this:

• how fun! the little rooster was actually a pot holder, which you used on the kettle's handle to pour out your tea...nice!

• then there are sometimes when you get really pretty coffee, like at LATTEnTE in Palermo Soho (Thames 1891)

• moving on to churros, which happen to be popular here...so of course, I expect something similar to the delicious, hot, gooey ones at Taco Bell
• but when you buy them at a bakery here, they're cold...and since they were fried, they taste awful
• but after reading this review of the magical "churro/hot chocolate combo", I thought I'd better give it another shot
• so last week I hit up the #1 churro/hot chocolate place on the list, La Giralda
• OMG...

• it was exactly what you want in a fatty, greasy churro...perfect temperature, perfect filling, perfect amount of sugar...and combined with uber-rich, quality hot chocolate...
• I think my blood sugar level sky-rocketed...better cut out sugar for the rest of the week!
• this place is conveniently near two of my work locations...we'll see if I can stay away

• last, a note on the cafe menu in BA
• your most common beverages are:
• cafe con leche (basically a latte...half milk/half coffee)
• cortado (more coffee than milk)
• lagrima (milk with a tear drop (lagrima means tear) of coffee...who really gets this?...oh, I did, the pregnant lady over here decided to try it out...trying to cut back on caffeine, you know)
• here you can see all three next to each other...can you tell which is which?

• well, that's all I got for now...I'm sure you'll be seeing many more of my cafe photos in the future...
• there's just something about non-chain cafes...and coffee served with a little treat...(I think they do it to compensate for their not-so-tasty-coffee)...but really, just gets me here!

Mother's Day

• HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Christmas 1983...every mother's hair-do in the early 80's

• we are so grateful to have mothers who have always been kind, loving, and generous...
• Happy Mother's Day Ann Feauto and Mary La Liberte!  We love you both so much!

• we're kind of sort of celebrating Mother's Day a little bit over here...and...
• we are extremely thrilled to announce that we are expecting a little bundle this November!

5 weeks

• a mini porteño/porteña is quickly growing inside my tummy...and we could hardly wait to share the news!

7 weeks

• as of today, I am 12 weeks, 5 days according to our first ultrasound two weeks ago

1st ultrasound! 10 weeks 4 days

lil' nugget fist pump

10 weeks 5 days ...first lil' outfit

• we celebrated a bit today by heading to Felicidad for brunch

12 weeks 5 days...can you see the little bump? I promise it's very prominent after eating a large meal ;)

future daddy

amazing apple crumble with vanilla ice cream and Oregon Chai Tea!
(had to slip this one in)

• we're thinking of and praying for all the mamas and future mamas out there...
• and especially thinking of our own moms today...we promise someday soon we will get to celebrate mother's day together...
• and until then, we will keep in mind all you have taught us about being a good parent through your amazing example and unconditional love
• hopefully our little nugget will have a mother that is just like its grandmas :)

kumquats and moths

W 5.1.13

• today is International Workers' Day, so we didn't have to work
• I've recently started teaching an adult conversation class on Wednesday evenings, but it was cancelled tonight due to the holiday
• last class I mentioned this, and that I didn't know what the day off was for exactly, and my students embarrassingly pointed out that it's International Workers' Day and that it  began in Chicago...how silly of me
• all I know about is Labor Day and May Day (where we'd get and give baskets of candy from/to neighbors)
• anyway, we'll take another feriado
• today we discovered two things:

• the culprit, or as Jake calls it, "that hot-damn cotorra", who's been picking, peeling, and sort of eating our kumquats!

• Jake's gotta get out his ol' sling shot to scare them away
• and the second thing...

• moths in our 1 kilo, $96 peso bag of walnuts

• again, what's with our apartment and infestations...or our bad luck with food purchases down here?!
• aside from dealing with pests, we had a great day of sleeping in, running, and getting some work done around here...we should definitely have Wednesdays off every week...sure is a great way to re-energize mid-week!
• p.s....last thing...our friend Adam was in town for work a couple weeks ago...was so nice of him to invite us over to his fancy hotel pool to relax our Sunday away (meanwhile it is still snowing in the midwest...what's going on back home?!?!)

• THANKS ADAM!  LOVED HANGING OUT WITH YOU! ;)