things to do

Man, oh man, is my list long. This will be another mostly pictures post because (1) I don't have much time and (2) pictures are pretty :). In addition to the Sopa Minestrone, the family and I have been savoring our last few warm and comforting meals before the coming of spring when they'll be replaced with more light and refreshing dishes. I love this season transition, it's always so exciting for my palate, especially this year, can't wait to see what tastes Chile has in store!

One Horminga with three vegetable salads and green tea.

The final bowl of Sopa Minestrone, haha, yes, you've already seen it, and have heard me rave but I couldn't help myself! I love it... and would probably marry it if I could ;).

The bowl of perfection was accompanied by cucumbers drizzled with red wine vinegar and extra virgin olive oil.

This is the only thing making me sad that it's getting warmer.

Spaghetti "Bolognese" with Celery salad, I guess this is pretty seasonless but I don't crave heavy pasta in the heat.

Yesterday's dinner, fresh Pantruca. I helped my "grandmother" make it this time. There's carrots, red pepper, and potato sliced very thin with basil leaves and soy meat and followed by pieces of wheat dough placed directly into the pot of boiling water. Interesting. It's very stew-like and the cilantro adds a fun flavor to the creaminess.

Left-over lunch, good thing it's better the second day around!

And a tomato and lettuce salad for the side... no meal is complete without some raw veggies after all :).

Al fin, tonight's dinner. It's early afternoon but I have to go to the library at the San Joaquin campus (far commute), then Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino, write a 2-4 page review of it, and go to my "Chile, Chileans, and their culture" class... and thus the packed Hummus & Tomato sandwich with asparagus and broccoli. Did I ever mention what they thought of the hummus I made forever ago? Well, they loved it :). Now we have a huge container in the freezer , should last a while.

Oh and by the way, I've already gotten bored with running on the treadmill at the gym, even with my intervals, and as such I've decided train outside. So much harder, haha, so I've been using RW's beginners program, and it's been great. Mind you, it's only my first week but I think it's going to be a wonderful thing, by the time I get back I'll be 5K ready! Alrighty then, the lighting is super cool in the dining room right now (I'm such a nerd) so I got a little camera-happy, haha, enjoy.

another week

Time is moving a lot faster than I realized... I only have 3 and a half months left already! I've got to get planning, there's a ton of more places I want to see and things I want to do before I return to the land of the U S of A. Por ejemplo, this upcoming weekend's trip to the beautiful Cajón del Maipo. We're planning on hiking, horseback riding, and staying in an adorable cabin for three days and two fun nights. I cannot wait!

Here's last night's dinner, Ensalada de fiesta. It actually had no name I decided to do the honors bc was so visually fun, lol. "Mom" shredded red bell pepper, cabbage, and carrots then mixed the veggie with tuna, olive oil, and cilantro and topped the pretty pile with an avocado and an hard-boiled egg. It was so wonderful, I made sure to take my time eating so that I could savor every thrilling bite. Speaking of, I've decided I'm going to stick to posting the exciting meals. The morning oatmeal or basic breakfast PBBJ is getting old ;). Lunch today was another fantastic meal. My host-mom and I are basically the only fish-lovers in the house so we baked another fillet of fresh salmon with a little olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper and then served a generous portion along side a tomato, lettuce, and avocado salad. Delicious, salmon is the best and it kept me happy and satisfied all afternoon. As for now, my bed is calling and I must answer, gotta be well rested for the gym in the morning! I know I've got a bunch of recipes I owe you, and I promise to have them up as soon as possible, I'm sorry I've been so busy. Hope your week started off well, take care!

that's what I love about sunday...

I'm sitting here listening to country music (I'm one of very few people I know who like it, and I really like it), trying to convince myself that Sunday is going great. The weather is absolutely beautiful but I'm stuck inside working on homework for the upcoming week. I'm currently in the middle of writing 3 separate, although equally difficult papers, and then I still have some reading and drawing to do. As much as I love savoring the last relaxing day of the weekend, mí tarea is certainly putting a damper on it, but that's life I suppose. For now I'm going to focus on the positive, like taking a break to catch up on food blogs and update my own. Now that is what I call a good time :).

Friday didn't end up being all bad. For instance, dinner, a large piece of fresh Chilean salmon shipped express from the Southern coast. Oh my gosh, the best piece of raw fish I have ever had, I'm not even kidding. I also had a lot of green veggies alongside it, steamed broccoli, roasted asparagus, and chopped celery. My body felt so good after all of this and definitely started my weekend off right, despite the week's rough end.

Guess who tried Cottage Cheese Oats on Saturday morning?! I did! I'm sure you could tell how excited and anxious I've been to take the "plunge." Haha, I've been afraid of cottage cheese for most of my life due to the chunky texture and slightly off smell but I knew my fellow foodies would not steer me in the wrong direction so I put my faith in them and decided to put my prejudices aside and go for it. And I liked it! They only sell the cottage cheese with the curds in it, which I tried not to think about because I just hate the way that sounds. For "taste safety" reasons, I added some chopped apple to the basic banana to distract me and even more flax and cinnamon than usual. It added a similar creaminess that my yogurt usually took care of while keeping me full for, basically, ever. This packs quite the yummy protein punch!

Saturday's lunch was packed-to-go because I had class all afternoon. Yeah, class, ALL afternoon ;). My seminar class was meeting together and it fortunately ended up being really interesting, we discussed Art & Literature during the Chilean dictatorship. I had an incredible piece of Spinach, Corn, Pepper, and Salmon Quiche with a Carrot & Tomato salad... and then didn't take a picture. Sorry! Afterwards my friends and I went to Starbucks to chat which turned into a deep 3 hour conversation over Nonfat Cappucinos. I haven't seen a few people in so long since we have such different schedules so we got a chance to catch up and unwind. When I finally came home again my host-mom had made a not veg-friendly meal so we threw together a random platter for me in about 10 minutes: Lettuce & Carrots salad, White beans, Green beans, and Toast with a pat of Smart Balance (ish) butter. Delish!

I was done eating for the day but late last night my friends invited me out to Etniko, a japanese fusion bar. It was ultra-modern and had a sleek ambience, and, by the time we got there, a DJ and lightshow. So much for a low-key night, haha. I've been quite safe with my drinking habits so I decided to branch out a bit and try something new. Well, my simple, not fruity drink turned into 2 shots of tequila alongside ginger ale. I misunderstood when the waiter explained it to me O:) oops. But, alas, I figured I might as well, and while the table worked there way through a authentic Chilean Pisco Sour, classic Vodka Tonic, and "SATC" Martini, I paced myself through. I ended up not ordering food but the others had yet to eat so here's a glimpse of what we got-

Vegetable Tempura, a Special Salmon Avocado Tempura roll, good ol' standby California Roll, and a Dragon Roll. The first was a mistake on the waiter's part so we ended up getting free surprise and well, my friend Tim just wanted to be featured eating his Special roll, doesn't it look great?! I picked a bit and what I did taste was divine but enjoyed the food's presentation, the music, and the company more than anything. It was a great time and I didn't end up getting home until about 4 am this morning. It wasn't as much of a crazy night as it seems though, early morning returns are pretty standard according to South American nightlife. Of course, I'm still adjusting... so, I'm exhausted today, not hung-over though. I drank more but, like I said, I paced myself :).

For breakfast this morning I had some plain toast and some Green Tea to wake me up. I obviously slept in a but and you'd think I'd be starving after a night of dancing but my appetite was quite low. Weird. Anyway, I got some research and reading done and then before I knew it it was time for lunch. Time flies when you're having fun ;). As usual, Sunday lunch featured a new Chilean dish, Humitas, a boiled corn leaf filled with seasoned ground corn. I ate it alongside the traditional Tomato & Onion salad. Really delicious and flavorful, and very similar to a Mexican Tamale, although not nearly as creative with ingredients, this was exactly the kind of brain fuel I needed for the thrilling day I have ahead of me. Speaking of, I should really stop procrastinating and get back to work. Hope everyone had and continues to have (it's not over yet) a fantastic weekend! See you soon with the Pastel de Papas receta!

say hello to my little friend-

Soprole Yoghurt Natural. I haven't been able to simply have yogurt in over two months. I love yogurt, and as such, I'm very picky. The majority of yogurt I have encountered in South America (sans Hotel Quito) have been sadly disappointing, liquidy, too sugary, or flavorless. I had pretty much given up all hope and then... serendipity. As I was looking for the cottage cheese in the dairy section of the supermarket, I came face to face with this little guy. Hmm, I was hesitant, what would make me think that this one would be any better than the rest? Nothing at all really. But suddenly, in my yogurt-craving desperation, I decided to try it. What's the worst that could happen anyway? Well, I never got the chance to figure that out, because upon first taste, I was clouded by thoughts of: Wow. It's thick, it's creamy, it's plain with that delicate, tart taste too, oh my gosh, can it be, yes, yes it is, it's really yogurt." "Next to excellence is the appreciation of it." Very well put William Makepeace Thackeray, I couldn't have said it better myself. Thank you Soprole, and chance, and that one remaining cottage cheese that was oh so hard to find ;) I'll be back with Cottage Cheese Oats in the AM.

august showers bring september flowers

Chile has got their seasons a little mixed up ;). I had the most incredible time at the gym on Tuesday. I hadn't ran the day before because I figured sleep was more important (good choice) but I didn't want to miss the run all together so I decided to go early to the gym and get a quick one in before my class (great choice). Not only was I pleased with how much I enjoyed it but it's also getting easier! It's only been a week, so that may very well be mental, but I'd just prefer to think I'm improving already, lol, hope you don't mind. On top of that, Body Balance was even better than I had remembered. It felt amazing to tone and stretch. And then, the morning reached new heights as I was greeted by my first flowering tree of the season on my walk home. Spring is my total favorite, all thanks to these pretty little things.

By the time I got there my "mom" was in the midst of preparing dinner and I made it just in time to prepare the pebre, a Chilean salsa. I don't know if you've ever made homemade salsa before but this one is definitely a keeper in my book! We made a big portion, about 2 cups, and at this point there's nothing left. It all started with a cracker, a slice of cheese, and a spoonful of salsa... just to taste it... and I was hooked.

Pebre

Ingredientes

1 can of finely diced tomatoes with juices

4 stemmed and minced aji chiles*

1/2 cup of minced onion

Juice from 1 lemon

1 tbsp of red wine vinegar

2 tbsps of olive oil

2 minced garlic cloves

1/2 cup of fresh minced cilantro

1 tsp of oregano

Salt to taste

*If aji chiles are unavailable, substitute 1 jalapeño or 1 haberno chile

Direcciones

1. Combine the olive oil, vinegar, and can of diced tomatoes in a bowl. Beat with a whisk.

2. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.

3. Let stand for 2 hours to blend the flavors.

3. Serve and enjoy with whatever your little heart desires :) or more traditionally, alongside grilled/roasted meats. Lunch was a repeat of my beloved Sopa Minestrone as I expected and dinner was the medley you see above. Colorful, huh? Starting at the water glass, counter-clockwise... Lettuce & Pea Salad, Rice, sliced Tomatoes, and Baked Cauliflower. My host-mom literally took a head of cauliflower, grated the entire thing, mashed it, added spices, and then put it in the oven. Yum. Also, please keep in mind that this is my plate before I did any damage. Following the photo I basically added the hot and spicy Pebre on top of everything. It was sooo good! I grew up around authentic Mexican food so I have a high caliente tolerance and I can attest to the fact that my mouth was on fire by the end, the best. My lunch today went by very similarly and breakfast was Apple-Banana Oatmeal. I'm off to buy some cottage cheese so I can try it for the very first time with my oats tomorrow. I'm pretty excited. Take care all!

junior year: go!

I didn't mention it on the last post but Monday marked the first day of classes for my home university (along with numerous others across the U.S.). Never again will I be able to do what I'm doing but I hate missing those little things that always get me excited about going back to school: moving into my new "home" with my favorite roommates, catching up after a long summer, the first party of the year, getting together with my sorority sisters at the house, the first chapter meeting, reuniting with friends, even buying new school supplies, picking up my fresh books, going to classes with 'beginning semester enthusiasm'... I'm not going to lie, I'm school-sick. It's just been plain discomforting not being there when I know everybody else is :( I miss my girls!

Haha, okay, I know I said that I wasn't going to post all of my meals anymore because they're so repetitious but I made some alterations to old-time favorites so I couldn't help myself. It all started this morning. We're all out of green tea so I had a big mug of coffee paired with scrumptious (and messy) Breakfast PBBJ. Open-faced. Genius ;). Lunch's picture is note-worthy because of the lovely table spread that my host-mom set up. The main course was a bowl of Spinach & Garlic Raviolis in a Bolognese sauce (made with soy meat) with parmesan cheese, followed by a plate chopped Celery Salad with EVOO and salt, and dessert was a lucky apple from the fruit bowl. Oh and I obviously drank a big glass of agua alongside it all. If that's not a well-balanced meal, well, I just don't know what is ;) I love good stuff that tastes good.

My "mom" makes legumes once a week, usually on Mondays, but because she didn't have a chance to soak any yesterday, she made the chickpeas today. As usual, the darling beans were used to make a huge and delicious pot of soup, and thus, dinner was served. Sopa de Garbanzos with a Lettuce and Celery salad. A bit later on, I ended this delectable day of food with... a disc of 72% bitter Belgian chocolate, try saying that five times fast ;), it was such a perfect organic dessert! Okay, good night. But, wait, before I go... since I started the post with my girlfriends, I'd like to end it something for with the boyfriend, oooh I haven't called him that yet in the blog world, I like it O:). Anyway, he's currently in the last stretch of filling out medical school applications and, even though I'm sure he probably doesn't need it, I was hoping that you could wish him luck with everything. It'll get to him, he's a blog reader too :). Thank you darlings! Sweet dreams!

eat... seaweed?!

Well, for one thing, it's one of the World's Healthiest Foods. "They offer the broadest range of minerals of any food, containing virtually all the minerals found in the ocean-the same minerals that are found in human blood. Sea vegetables are an excellent source of iodine and vitamin K, a very good source of the B-vitamin folate, and magnesium, and a good source of iron and calcium, and the B-vitamins riboflavin and pantothenic acid. In addition, sea vegetables contain good amounts of lignans, plant compounds with cancer-protective properties." Plus, there has been countless studies to show that it may be the solution to nearly any health problem! These include, but are not limited to: cardiovascular diseases, high cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes, brain function, arthritis, neuropathy, weight loss, and erectile disfunction. Natural News even goes as far to claim that, "It may well be the most nutritionally-packed food on the planet." Wow, seriously? Where can I get some?!

Just eat your dinner, darling. Haha, yes, seaweed was the star of last night's Chilean meal, Esofado de Cochayuyo. In other words, I ate a stew with Antarctic brown seaweed found off the southern coasts of Chile... and it was delectable. The sea vegetable added the heartier brown color to the broth, a mild salty flavor, and the whole pieces themselves were incredibly suave. Besides the superfood that is seaweed, the stew featured potatoes, carrots, and red pepper.And here it is with it's friends Ensalada de Tomate, y Ensalada de Lechuga. I had two servings of everything, enjoyed every last bite, and never once felt uncomfortable full. I'd love to recreate it when I go home! Although I would assume they wouldn't sell seaweed in US supermarkets... perhaps an Asian specialty store? For now, my gosh was it good (for me,) I am so looking forward to the leftovers. Monday's lunch was another spin on the Sopa de Garbanzos. I think I liked it more this time. It was a mix of thick and creamy chickpeas, rice, and pumpkin. I'm going to ask my "grandmother" for the recipe soon, I think this would be another perfect soup for the North American autumn season! Until next time... have a wonderful Tuesday everyone!

confianza

Don't worry, that's the last of my c alliterations ;). Confianza is the English equivalent of it's cognate, confidence. Most often I think of confidence in reference to oneself, a quality that people are constantly struggling to obtain, or, at the very least, to appear as though they already have. What get's me though, is that confianza also translates to faith and trust, and are used frequently in that sense. Now, I'm sure you didn't wake up with intentions of brushing up on your Spanish nor do you care to read as I do so, but I promise I do have a point. A couple of posts ago, in response to my request for fitness tips, the insightful Caroline commented, 

"Wow, looks like you've gotten a lot of great advice already. My advice would just to be have confidence in yourself. After thinking that I could not be a runner, I finally tried it one day--and ran for 4 miles, no problem. You'd be surprised at what the human body can do." 

What she exactly meant by that and how I interpreted it may be two different things, however, I got a quite a lot of out of it, so I though it'd be worth sharing :). Confianza en sí mismo, or confidence in yourself, is more than believing that you can... it's trusting yourself to go ahead and do it, having faith that you will do it. I'm not anywhere near being overweight but I am definitely out of shape, and have been for too long. For me, the hardest part about getting back to an exercise routine, although it was unknown to me before, was believing  the mantra "I can and I will." I had allowed myself to become intimidated by others around me who were already regular gym-goers and because I hadn't gotten into the habit early on in my life, I thought it was too late for me. In other words, I was letting my head get in the way of my goals.

I say "was" because, as of today, I've proved to myself that having a mindset like that is crazy. Last night, as I was looking at the gym class schedule I saw that there was a Body Balance class at 8 a.k.a if I wanted to go I had to be up by 7 a.k.a. wake up much earlier than I had planned. I considered going, but basically decided I couldn't, no matter that I should, I simply would not be able to drag myself out the door at that hour. Then I thought: I love that class, I've had such a great time and workout when I've went, and I know that if I go tomorrow not only am I going to feel good but I'll be proud of my dedication. Ultimately, I needed to let myself get out of my own way. 

So I did. This morning I woke up to a silent house, eat a quick breakfast in a dark kitchen, and walked the rainy 20 minutes to the gym... to find it closed. Today marks a Roman Catholic holiday, the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, and Chile, like numerous other South American countries, views it as a public holiday. Thus, Club Arena, is on their holiday schedule, won't open until 9, and most likely is not going to have the same classes available. After all my revelation, self-reflection, and finally defiance of my own self-doubt, turns out that fate had other plans in mind for me. Haha, it's funny really, and as much as I felt disappointed, I don't mind anymore. Just by demonstrating that I had the willpower to go to the gym, first thing in the morning, extra early on my day off, simply because I wanted to, made it, well, worth it.

Wow, that was a lot :) I hope someone other than me got something out of it. Anywho, here's a recap from last night's celebratory dinner. As much as you and I suspected another one of my host-mom's fantastic meals, the real food part turned out to be rather plain for convenience purposes. In addition to "our family" of 5 we hosted about 7 other people so oven-toasted Tomato, Oregano, (Ham) & Cheese Sandwiches were quick and easy. I had my two made without meat and they turned out quite tasty. Nonetheless, dessert was still my obvious favorite.

The bakery-bought Torta Panqueque Naranja alongside my Chocolate-Chocolate Chip-Walnut Cookies, inspired by Veganomicon.

The birthday girl, in deep concentration, as she attempts to blow out the birthday candle and mark the beginning of a new year. She is being propped up by her mother, Carmen Gloria, while receiving encouragement from her siblings, Tomás and Isadora.

Teresa cuts the birthday cake. In the mean time, check out the delectable Chocolate & Almond Bon-Bons she brought! Julieta tries the first bite of the Torta Panqueque Naranja. Verdict? Not only was it the first of many pieces she enjoyed but she's already looking forward to the cakes to come!

And last, but certainly not least, I formally present to you, the beautiful, the incredible, the one and only, Chilean host-mom! I wish I could go into more detail about my first fiesta de familia but I'm afraid I've gotta run... it's gym time... go me ;). Have a wonderful Friday!

spring is in the air

There's been 2 whole days of nothing but sunshine! I know it doesn't sound like much to you all living in the northeast but we're still in the winter season down here and, until now, these nice days have been alternating with rainy ones. You can definitely feel my favorite season right around the corner! And this year it also marks the beginning of a life-long (fingers crossed) running routine. I've tried before, and failed because, of well, excuses, excuses, and more excuses. What's changed? Well, my host-mom. She runs daily in the warmer months and promised to "train" me, not for anything in particular, but just because I could use the extra push. Until then, I've been getting myself out there for at least 30 minutes a day doing a combo of walking and jogging. I'm not fast, I'm hardly in shape, and I think I've lost all endurance I had from high-school, but I'm pretty damn determined, so, baby steps it is. All in good time, my friends, all in good time :).

Lunch yesterday was eaten immediately following my daily outside excursion. I had worked up quite the appetite! I had a Celery salad with Avocado, left-over Zucchini frittata, and a whole lotta rice. I'm surprised I ate it all, to tell you the truth. I don't really like rice, never have, but man did I feel like I needed it, ha, I'm such a wimp.

Six hours after my filling lunch I was ready to eat again and my "mom" promptly replied to my growling tummy with brussel sprouts and another vegetarianized typical dish of the region, Charquicán. Although it is described by most as a Chilean stew,  I found that that it more so mimicked an old unhealthy favorite, mashed potatoes, while upholding an outstanding nutritional profile. But don't just take my word for it, try it yourself-

Charquicán

Ingredientes

1/4 kilo of ground soy meat

1 large yellow onion

4 large potatoes

1/4 lb of pumpkin

1/2 cup of peas

1/2 cup of grated carrot

1 cup of corn

1 egg per person

2 cloves of garlic

2 tbsp of EVOO

1 1/4 tsp of oregano

1 tsp of fresh parsley

2 tbsp of chili powder

salt & pepper to taste

Direcciones

1. Boil sliced potatoes in 4 cups of salted water for 10 minutes.

2. Add beans, and pumpkin, leave it simmering for 10 min.

3. During this time, saute the soy meat and onion in oil with the chili powder and oregano for 10 min.

4. Add the sauteed mixture to the pot with peas and corn and allow it to simmer for at least 5 min.

5. Blend the stew manually to combine the softened vegetables.

6. Top with a fried egg and parsley. Serve and enjoy.

Today started off rather disappointingly! Not due in any part to my good ol' bowl of oats, of course, but rather with the class I'm supposed to be in as we speak. Turns out that "Art History of Indigenous Chileans" is pretty popular among Chilean and foreign exchange students alike... and I hadn't registered quick enough. So now I've suddenly found myself with nothing to do, I guess we'll see where the day takes me. I do have to find a replacement class though, I was thinking of Latin American & Contemporary Cinema. Sounds interesting enough, no?

And just because I love you all so very much I thought I'd leave you with a photo from my friend's weekend ski trip. What beautiful mountains. Any snow-sport enthusiasts out there? The Andes is definitely where you want to be right now :) I heard it was amazing.

in a relationship...

Question. Is it odd to start dating someone half-way across the world? Of course. But as of last night it's not unheard of. Rather than wait until I got back to the states the boy and I have decided to make it official. Might as well! Just kidding, it's funny though, while fellow bloggers are getting married, I'm excited because a very special guy just asked me to be his girlfriend. Ha, needless to say I've been feeling quite happy since then so please excuse the optimism ;) I'm in an unnaturally good mood.

Sunday lunch was Pastel de Choclo and to be honest, it wasn't that impressive. Eh. It's basically a Corn and Chicken casserole made with milk, basil, onion, bell peppers, carrot, bay leaves, chicken breast, and parsley. There wasn't a whole lot of meat in it but it definitely had a chicken flavor about it, and being a vegetarian that didn't do it for me. I really didn't eat much. Ah well, you can't win 'em all!

I spent my afternoon exploring and enjoying the new gym. Oh my gosh, it's amazing. The facilities are great and I basically want to take every single class they offer. Too bad I have to go to academic classes sometimes ;). The one I'm most looking forward to is Body Balance, a genius combination of yoga, pilates, and tai-chi. I love it there, it's definitely going to become my new home away from home! I digress... so dinner. Nothing too special, just a rice mix with green beans and corn, and a salad of tomatoes and celery. For whatever reason though it tasted absolutely extra special, yum yum yum.

Neither waking up late nor even the miserable, hazy weather could of brought me down this morning. It did make my breakfast boring though, peanut butter toast and a banana, both eaten as I ran to the metro to make my first class of the day, Español. The class went really well and I got home just in time for a fresh bowl of Lentil soup, my absolute favorite. Soon I'm going to run to art supply store with a friend to pick up supplies for tomorrow. Tuesday is really coming together, huh? Body Balance, Drawing the Human Form, I can hardly wait! Before then though I have to get my Environmental Policy class out of the way, which should be another good one that I'm also looking forward to. Be back soon my dears, hope your week started off well!

club arena

Happy Childrens Day! What a wonderful concept Latin American countries have created, an entire day "to honor and celebrate the kiddies who represent the hope and dreams of every community." It's really too bad my studious brother and sister have to spend their day studying for upcoming exams, I hope we can do something fun later.

After my big breakfast yesterday I wasn't hungry for lunch for the longest time, nor was my family so we ended up eating in the afternoon. My mom and I broke out here huge copper wok and we whipped together some asian stir-fry to mix with pasta. There was all kinds of things in there, let's see, broccoli, carrots, bean sprouts, spinach, water chestnuts, mushrooms, and finally, spring onions. With a little queso, olive oil, and side salad it was another easy and delish meal.

Afterwards I went shopping with my "mom" and "sister." We went to a different mall from last weekend that was sooo much bigger. Crowded too but I liked the wider selection of stores. Half-way through we sat down for a Cafe Cortado. I adore good coffee, what a nice little snack! When we got home dinner was the last thing on my mind so I only ended up having a tomato salad and then was off to bed. I was supposed to have a Skype conversation with the boy but he was a no-show...

... due to circumstances beyond his control, which I found out this morning ;). After a wonderful and over-due conversation I got out of bed, and low and behold, found fresh bread, still warm, on the kitchen table. With some yummy French cheese and marmalade and alongside a piping hot mug of green tea it made for a sweet Sunday breakfast! I also ate an apple because it hadn't quite filled me up like my lovely oats usually do. In a few I'm going out to find Campus Oriente, one of the U.Catholica campuses that is supposedly 20 minutes from my house, and figure out where my classes (that begin this week, ahh) are. Next on the list is a visit to Club Arena, conveniently located directly right across the street and my soon-to-be gym. My host-mom gave a great review so I've decided to join. And on that note, thanks a million to everyone that commented on yesterday's post. I really appreciate all of your fitness advice and will definitely be using it soon! You girls rock :).

weird, just like everyone else :)

Glad to hear I'm not the only one with quirks! Haha, the wonderful comments really made my day, it was so nice to come back home after a busy day and laugh, thank you :). As for my mascara obsession, I'd just like to add that the reason take utmost importance in my makeup routine is due to the fact that I inherited my father's eyes. Don't get it yet? Well if you knew my mother you would. She has big blue eyes with long lashes, the same eyes my brother and sister have (my sister's are brown, but still) and so the only way I feel up to par is through artificial enhancement of my less-than-stellar eyes, thank god for mascara. Not to mention that if I didn't I wouldn't be able to have taken artistic pictures like this either...

Enough talk about maquillaje, let's get onto the food! Breakfast was peanut butter toast and an apple, nothing too exciting. This afternoon's pizza party was fun though. The 4 Chilean students I met were so cool, they are going to have such a great time in the states. I also had a slice of the vegetarian pizza. I was nervous about how it would taste since it was from Pizza Hut, the only pizza they have down here is made by chains, and I've been lucky enough to grow up with real Italian New Yorker pizza, but I was actually pleasantly surprised. By no means was it the best pizza ever but it was good, thin crispy crust lightly spread with tomato sauce and topped with the right amount of cheese, onions, peppers, and mushrooms. I didn't have enough much time to sit and chat though because of my film class, which is going to be sooo interesting btw!

Needless to say I was rather hungry when they let us out at 4:30. I had about a half a cup of plain yogurt, which I ate with a baby spoon because I love yogurt but also like it to last, and a small salad of cabbage, raddaccio, carrots and a little olive oil, I ended up having 2 servings. I'm still hungry but I need to wait it out a bit because I'm going to make myself an early dinner tonight before I go out. Where am I going, you ask? A Choripanada hosted by la Universidad Catholica! The little fiesta got it's name by the fact that they'll be serving this cross between an empanada and churro there along with a variety of alcoholic beverages. How funny this kind of thing is held by and at the school, huh? Anyway, all of the food is going to be greasy and meaty so I'm going to need to cenar beforehand and only stick to the drinks there 0:).

Before I go though, I just wanted to give you a re-cap of yesterdays eats. After breakfast I went with my mom the JUMBO, the largest grocery store in Santiago for Fruit & Vegetable Day, one day a week in which all the beautiful Chilean (and imported) produce is on sale! It took us 2 hours between choosing from the amazing variety and then waiting on super long lines. By the end I was beyond ready for lunch.

Ha, not a pretty picture at all! Lunch was left-over Chariquicán, tasting about a million times better than it looks, with a side of Cabbage salad and a tomato. I promise it was yummy! Afterwards I helped my "mom" and "grandmother" prepare dinner. So much chopping, I can't even tell you! It ended up being worth it though because by the end of the day I was able to enjoy...

... this, pantrucas. This is what I'd call a Chilean stew and it was perfectly warm and hearty, ideal for a cold night. I don't have time to post the recipe tonight (don't want to be too fashionably late) but it had probably about every vegetable you can imagine, pasta, and cilantro. Oh and the creaminess is due to the potato. Hope everyone has a fabulous night... woo hoo, it's the weekend!