CHECK THIS CLIP
That's right, St. Patty's day Night, our cute little group of American touries headed out to the strip... Night was described a few posts back.
BUT!!!
I failed to mention that we were met at one point by a reporter... with a camera... which we naturally assumed was off... but then he started asking us questions...
Watch Da Clip!
Katie is the first to speak on camera, blonde-ing-ly introducing us with, "Somos de los Estados Unidos!" Haha love you Katie ;).
Then Tia is on the scene speakin' her sexy French to the reporter, sayin' "Zis is my fif-ss beerghhh" 'n shit. LIES it was her very first illegally bought (and over-priced) beer of the evening. HOTT
MY favorite part is when Katie leans in and corrects her on the "Fifth" with "EIGHTYTH" as only Katie could. Hahaha I'm dyin.
Also featured in video: Benedict (house British guy), Kayla (green sweater-ed momma), Danielle (brown hair, makes crazy faces), and Weird Creepy Guy Who We All Recognize From Our Program But Who Is Totally Weird And Creepy And Followed Us Around All Night (far right, blond hair, creepy gaze).
AND DON'T MISS: Danielle's cameo appearance at the beginning of the video, in which she starts off the news report's "Short Clips To Show How Crazy These People Be Gettin In The Streets" montage with some rap hands in the air and a trademark "Crunkface" WHUT WHUT WE IS ARRIVED
I, unfortunately, am nowhere to be found.
BUT CHECK IT ANYWAYS:
Number one in the hood, G.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Siamese cats are everywhere
One more: What is up with Siamese cats in this biznatch??
Anyone who has been to Buenos Aires, don't try and tell me you haven't noticed an Argentine fascination for these fuzzy oddly-shaded creatures. And also calicos. The cats are goddam everywhere, like the dogs, wandering about the streets with presumably no homes nor families. Lounging in shady spots. Asking for pets. Chilling out in old-ass tombs with dead guys... wait, WHAT
Yes, that is a Satan kitteh chillin in a broken ass crypt with a dead guy on some glass. In the words of a criminal psychology friend:
"OK, with my psychological experience, this one has antisocial personality disorder with depressive tendencies. This one experienced a troubled kittenhood. This one doesn't have buddies and enjoys the presence of tombs, laying on glass, and being behind bars... very troubled fuzzaaayy."
I couldn't have said it better mah-self. Pobresito little killing devil kitteh.
That was a lil detour from the real focus here: What's with Argentines loving Siamese cats. This is another of the little cultural issues that keep popping up... my Nona had a Siamese kitteh when we were growing up named Chirra (DECEIVING. I thought her name was Cheetah my entire life, because with an Argentine accent the two words are almost exact homonyms. 'Bout two years ago my aunt mentions her, and I find out it's Chirra, short for chirrola, which is slang for cash monayyy. That's another thing. What's up with Argentines and pet names. I mean, Colita? "Little butt?" How rude). Just one more odd connection.
This one's name is Domi.
And this is a video of me now that I'm settled in to life in Buenos Aires.
That's right. I like it here. And I've found a great fish place to eat at. And I have a twin. Oh, and I'm a cat now.
eNd.
Anyone who has been to Buenos Aires, don't try and tell me you haven't noticed an Argentine fascination for these fuzzy oddly-shaded creatures. And also calicos. The cats are goddam everywhere, like the dogs, wandering about the streets with presumably no homes nor families. Lounging in shady spots. Asking for pets. Chilling out in old-ass tombs with dead guys... wait, WHAT
Yes, that is a Satan kitteh chillin in a broken ass crypt with a dead guy on some glass. In the words of a criminal psychology friend:
"OK, with my psychological experience, this one has antisocial personality disorder with depressive tendencies. This one experienced a troubled kittenhood. This one doesn't have buddies and enjoys the presence of tombs, laying on glass, and being behind bars... very troubled fuzzaaayy."
I couldn't have said it better mah-self. Pobresito little killing devil kitteh.
That was a lil detour from the real focus here: What's with Argentines loving Siamese cats. This is another of the little cultural issues that keep popping up... my Nona had a Siamese kitteh when we were growing up named Chirra (DECEIVING. I thought her name was Cheetah my entire life, because with an Argentine accent the two words are almost exact homonyms. 'Bout two years ago my aunt mentions her, and I find out it's Chirra, short for chirrola, which is slang for cash monayyy. That's another thing. What's up with Argentines and pet names. I mean, Colita? "Little butt?" How rude). Just one more odd connection.
This one's name is Domi.
And this is a video of me now that I'm settled in to life in Buenos Aires.
That's right. I like it here. And I've found a great fish place to eat at. And I have a twin. Oh, and I'm a cat now.
eNd.
On Argentine plantitas
I haven't mentioned yet how this trip reminds me so much of home in a lot of ways. In coming to Argentina, something has happened which I never expected to in the way it has... Of course I knew I would recognize things in the culture from home, from my Nona's house and the rest of my dad's side of the family. But the phenomenon is totally manifesting in things I would never have guessed it to. Example: Everywhere I look, the plantitas on the street and in parks are ones I
recognize almost exclusively from my Nona's backyard in Pasadena, as well as in my Tio Alberto's (her younger brother's) front garden in Córdoba: geraniums, hoya blossoms, spider plants, particular ivys, crown of thorns, everything is the same. It's like when my Nona transplanted to California she recreated Argentine landscape in her own backyard.
Not to mention everyone has a frikkin crazy green thumb out here... every high rise apartment balcony has some kind of greenery on it, and looking up at Buenos Aires from the streets you would never know it was a tall place for all the tree-lined avenues. It's only when looking out on the city from the 19th floor of your university tower that you notice the height and amount of gray man-made all around and above you. Large patches of super low greenery mark the spots from which street-level masses do not notice the concrete rising in canyons all about them in the way New York City displays.
Interesting. So Nona's ridiculous green thumb springs from her culture and perhaps not her personal being. Maybe that's why it's not hereditary, and I have to stick to succulents if any green thing in my house is to survive.
Another observation: I always wondered why some people on my dad's side of the family took so many showers. Like, 2 and 3 times a day, my cousins are in the shower when they wake up, after they hit the gym, and again before they come over for dinner. Well that question was answered almost immediately when I arrived in sticky, hot, humid Buenos Aires. Seriously, if I didn't shower three times a day in this kind of weather and grime from living in the city, I would just want to kill myself. There have been times when I've waited in line at the doctor's, toured around with friends, or lounged at the RoadHouse just wishing I could take a scraper and slough off my own skin. Ugh then thought about having to ride the subte full of other grimy miserable people in order to reach an appropriate showering location. Mmmmmarinating in sweat. And I wanted to barf. So I now understand where the extreme showering cultural trait comes from.
Also: "Why is there rice in Nona's salt shakers?" three-year-old Ginita brain used to ask itself. Here in Argentina there are many variations of this trick, I've even seen coffee beans in salt shakers at some restaurants. It's so the salt doesn't congeal from the constant moisture in the air. Genius.
As I think of more I'll let you know, but these are interesting lil' factitos, no?
recognize almost exclusively from my Nona's backyard in Pasadena, as well as in my Tio Alberto's (her younger brother's) front garden in Córdoba: geraniums, hoya blossoms, spider plants, particular ivys, crown of thorns, everything is the same. It's like when my Nona transplanted to California she recreated Argentine landscape in her own backyard. Not to mention everyone has a frikkin crazy green thumb out here... every high rise apartment balcony has some kind of greenery on it, and looking up at Buenos Aires from the streets you would never know it was a tall place for all the tree-lined avenues. It's only when looking out on the city from the 19th floor of your university tower that you notice the height and amount of gray man-made all around and above you. Large patches of super low greenery mark the spots from which street-level masses do not notice the concrete rising in canyons all about them in the way New York City displays.
Interesting. So Nona's ridiculous green thumb springs from her culture and perhaps not her personal being. Maybe that's why it's not hereditary, and I have to stick to succulents if any green thing in my house is to survive.
Another observation: I always wondered why some people on my dad's side of the family took so many showers. Like, 2 and 3 times a day, my cousins are in the shower when they wake up, after they hit the gym, and again before they come over for dinner. Well that question was answered almost immediately when I arrived in sticky, hot, humid Buenos Aires. Seriously, if I didn't shower three times a day in this kind of weather and grime from living in the city, I would just want to kill myself. There have been times when I've waited in line at the doctor's, toured around with friends, or lounged at the RoadHouse just wishing I could take a scraper and slough off my own skin. Ugh then thought about having to ride the subte full of other grimy miserable people in order to reach an appropriate showering location. Mmmmmarinating in sweat. And I wanted to barf. So I now understand where the extreme showering cultural trait comes from.
Also: "Why is there rice in Nona's salt shakers?" three-year-old Ginita brain used to ask itself. Here in Argentina there are many variations of this trick, I've even seen coffee beans in salt shakers at some restaurants. It's so the salt doesn't congeal from the constant moisture in the air. Genius.As I think of more I'll let you know, but these are interesting lil' factitos, no?
Thursday, March 18, 2010
There's no way I'm Bohemian enough for this city
Having cultivated in the last few years a decidedly edgy urban look for myself, I realized as soon as I landed in this city that I was walking in a fashion-foreign land... If there is one word that sums up the trends mobilized in the streets of Buenos Aires, the word is bohemian. Bleach-blonde streak-chunks in one's hair, super dark grey skinny jeans, a wardrobe confined largely to black, greaser leather jacket, and way-too-many piercings translates to Ugly Duckling, Odd Man Out, Ostracized From Society in the hippie-chic naturally beautiful and above all bohemian world of Buenos Aires fashion. Pretty much the only accessory on me that would count toward rendering this California suburbanite "acceptable" is my toe ring. Edgy is not cool. Being super beautiful while wearing no makeup is cool, and I think that's cool. Probably the best way to describe the difference in fashion vibe here as compared with the United States, at least in the womens department, is to showcase footwear. I've provided examples:
And I'm not joking when I say this is ALL people wear here. If any womens shoe defers from the bohemian-chic sandal program, it is for this fashion gem right here:
That's right, Nike makes a SPLIT TOE sneaker. And it is ACTUALLY POPULAR in parts of this world. It is called the "Air Rift" and apparently, it is excellent walking gear. But it does look like you're wearing Ninja Turtle feet, or a camel toe, or a cow patty. Either way, it causes uncomfortable images and comparisons to emerge from the collective unconscious. But I guess that doesn't bother them here.
Really, I'm just jealous of Argentine beauty... Anyone who can do what they do they way they do it with their hair and clothes and shit can pull off Ninja Turtle feet, too...
:)
And I'm not joking when I say this is ALL people wear here. If any womens shoe defers from the bohemian-chic sandal program, it is for this fashion gem right here:
That's right, Nike makes a SPLIT TOE sneaker. And it is ACTUALLY POPULAR in parts of this world. It is called the "Air Rift" and apparently, it is excellent walking gear. But it does look like you're wearing Ninja Turtle feet, or a camel toe, or a cow patty. Either way, it causes uncomfortable images and comparisons to emerge from the collective unconscious. But I guess that doesn't bother them here.
Really, I'm just jealous of Argentine beauty... Anyone who can do what they do they way they do it with their hair and clothes and shit can pull off Ninja Turtle feet, too...
:)
Irish Liquor is Very Expensive Here
Happy San Patrick's Día! What is up, and who could have guessed that Argentines love to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day just as much as us immigrant-y Americans. Not a single Irish person existed on the streets besides perhaps a sixteenth of one here and there floating about within our group, but man, can those Argentines wear green, drink Quilmes, and have a very Argentine St. Patrick's Day or what. They close off an entire matrix of streets in the Retiro area and don't allow cars or outside beverages. Then, because drinking in public is NOT a crime (fuck yeah!), hoards gather in the strip between the bar-walk, centered around the Irish pub McKinney's. Street vendors secretly sell beer out of black plastic trash bags at horrifying prices (10 pesos??? whatttt that's like $4.... wahhhhhhhat are we whining about again? Oh ya, now that we've been living here two weeks we are spoiled by how far the dollar goes) and Argentine crazies climb lampposts and do strip teases on them. Also, when men realize that you are speaking English with your friends, they kangaroo-hop up to you with whatever English phrase they have stored in their brains (and it's surprising some of the random words they know. Among the awesome-est: "Americans, crazy!" "Beautiful!" "I have need" "What the fuck!") and the scene inevitably goes something like this:
Argentine man: "Ohhhhh hellllo Americans"
Gina, trying not to allow him into our friend circle: "Hola, como estás..."
Argentine man: "Ohhhohoho! Muy bién, American Lady! Helllooo"
Gina and friends: (laugh.)
Argentine man: "You! Have! Biiiiiig tits! Hahaha"
Gina: "What the fuck"
So that was funny. You know how those scenes go, you always replay them in your head the next day like, "Oh man, if a guy ever does that to me again, I'm gonna put on my hardest face and not say anything and then just... Imma just... Just gonna PUNCH him ya, so hard, and then when he's on the ground be like, 'Have some reSPECT'" But no matter what, the next time it happens, you just squish your face up like "ew" and kind of lightly push his body away and hope he stops harassing you. Dammit. When will Kung-fu Gina ever take over my body and do the things I wish I could make it do.
In other news, we were planning on having Irish liquor night in lieu of the holidayyyy but Bailey's is like $20 US here, soooo def ended up having Irish knock-off liquor night for $8 US! Hoorayyy for creativity and being broke! In the end, BOLS brand boasting "de año 1575" "Licor de Café" tasted fine to me. Huzzah!
Argentine man: "Ohhhhh hellllo Americans"
Gina, trying not to allow him into our friend circle: "Hola, como estás..."
Argentine man: "Ohhhohoho! Muy bién, American Lady! Helllooo"
Gina and friends: (laugh.)
Argentine man: "You! Have! Biiiiiig tits! Hahaha"
Gina: "What the fuck"
So that was funny. You know how those scenes go, you always replay them in your head the next day like, "Oh man, if a guy ever does that to me again, I'm gonna put on my hardest face and not say anything and then just... Imma just... Just gonna PUNCH him ya, so hard, and then when he's on the ground be like, 'Have some reSPECT'" But no matter what, the next time it happens, you just squish your face up like "ew" and kind of lightly push his body away and hope he stops harassing you. Dammit. When will Kung-fu Gina ever take over my body and do the things I wish I could make it do.
In other news, we were planning on having Irish liquor night in lieu of the holidayyyy but Bailey's is like $20 US here, soooo def ended up having Irish knock-off liquor night for $8 US! Hoorayyy for creativity and being broke! In the end, BOLS brand boasting "de año 1575" "Licor de Café" tasted fine to me. Huzzah!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Totally Irrelevant Post
I just want to take a moment to say that I have a serious history crush on Young Mutton-Chops Shirtless Physically Fit Teddy Roosevelt (see photo below and believe).
Hellllllls yeahhhhh
Hellllllls yeahhhhh
In other news
I dyed my hair black.
BITCHES!!! bahhhhh
I realize that's totally cliché, like I'm an American studying abroad in a foreign country for the first time, want a big change, so, like, AWWWIMMA DYE MAH HAIR! But seriously, eat my powder, because now I can wear colorful lipstick like I never could before and WHAT. Also, Danielle made me do it.
BITCHES!!! bahhhhh
I realize that's totally cliché, like I'm an American studying abroad in a foreign country for the first time, want a big change, so, like, AWWWIMMA DYE MAH HAIR! But seriously, eat my powder, because now I can wear colorful lipstick like I never could before and WHAT. Also, Danielle made me do it.
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