With the wind in our hair... (and in our fur)

The land between the river and the sea...

2009-12-13T06:47:00.001-08:00

Here I am posting again, and yet I'm in another part of the world, Barranquilla. Not only it is in another part of the world, sometimes it feels like it should be it's own separate world from civilization. Since I left, 5 years ago, things seem to be in a stand-still. Don't get me wrong, things have changed. The people who were once my school friends, are now doctors, lawyers and architects. People that had no children, now have one or two...and so on. But everyone's minds and manners haven't changed. I come back after living in one of the most liberal cities in the world, and the tradicionism is shocking me a bit. Boy, if they thought I was weird before, I wonder what they think of me now!
On the other hand, there is a great underlining of this all...I feel loved. I have never hugged family and friends so tight as I do now. I understand now that even though they might think I'm strange and different, they seem to love me this way. I wish I would have known that when I lived here.

Yesterday's ceremony

Orlando and Lilibeth

Cool Giveaway!

2009-11-12T16:59:00.000-08:00

Check out this awesome giveaway for the "L Letterpress Tool kit" valued at 149.99!

For a chance of winning, leave a comment on this page.
I hope I win it!! :)

Inside

2009-10-11T15:24:00.000-07:00

Repurposing an old kitchen cabinet

2009-10-11T15:22:00.001-07:00

I found this on the street, and it seemed pretty sturdy and useful.
With a couple of coats of paint (that I already had in my house) and
some hardware that was on sale at anthropology... Voilà!
The birds were inspired from some wrapping paper I have, and I
freehanded them. In hindsight, I should've made a stencil, but I have
no patience.

More details to follow...

2009-08-25T18:53:00.001-07:00

We are back in the real world, and it is busy... No more fun and games!

Us

2009-08-25T18:47:00.000-07:00

Pretty things at our wedding

2009-08-25T18:41:00.000-07:00

Calmness

2009-08-07T19:32:00.000-07:00

It has been crazy, and for some moments there I felt we couldn't pull
it off... But with the help of beautiful friends and family, I feel
only hapiness and calmness. This feels right.

Alexandra Alquati

Less than 2 weeks to go!

2009-07-27T11:37:00.000-07:00

Exactly 12 days to go, and everything is starting to shape up. My dress is almost done (needs the zipper and hem), and I've got a lot of shopping to do. Today I am going on one of the biggest shopping trips for ingredients and materials. Yesterday we went outfit shopping for Andrew, and we found awesome clothes on sale! He will look very dapper, very handsome.
The two weeks in New Zealand were great to destress and not think about all the wedding things, but the last few days I was starting to freak out. Last Friday was my birthday, and Andrew got me a dress form, a couple of t-shirts, a DVD, and a massage! I think I will be getting that right before the wedding. Saturday was awesome too, my Alexorette was a blast. I danced salsa all night, and was twirled around the dance floor.
So...I'm off to get a bunch of stuff I need for the big day. Here's a preview of the dress!

New Zealand Adventure

2009-07-04T13:44:00.001-07:00

In a few hours Nikki and I will be on our way to New Zealand, and tomorrow Estrella will meet us there. This is the first time I've on a place for more than a few hours....17 to be exact. It should be a long ride, but I'm excited to see Naty again!
Here we go!

Favor bags

2009-06-18T14:53:00.001-07:00

We will have little treats for guests. Brownies or lemon cookies... Or
both?

Plates and arrangement ideas

2009-06-16T11:11:00.001-07:00

Thanks to Kelly, we have acquired enough plates and glasses for the
wedding. It will kinds look like this.

My practice dress

2009-06-13T23:27:00.001-07:00

I made a quick version of the dress, with some cheap fabric. I still
need to hem it and put a zipper on the back. I am also getting
crinoline so it poofs up. I think my colors will be yellow with a
turquoise sash.

Wedding date is getting closer

2009-06-11T20:34:00.000-07:00

Last Monday was two months before the wedding, and I still am looking for more inspiration. Here are some cool inspiration from great weddings:

Kelly has offered to design some for the wedding!

If anyone has a pretty sheet or sheets, I would really like to place a backdrop for photos.

Table inspirations. I love the messy coordination.

At some point I'm going to have to stop looking at wedding porn, and just sit down with Andrew and decide what we are taking or leaving.

Photos from Once Wed

Fundraising is hard work

2009-05-19T23:35:00.000-07:00

For our final project at school, we are working to set up a fundraiser for an Orphanage in Mexico. We will be selling pinatas, flower pins, and horchata. If anyone wants to contribute to this wonderful project, please let me know. We are raising money for kids that need medical assistance. You can buy a pinata!!! ;)
Flowers: $3.00
Pinatas: $5.00

Fun, fun, fun!

The downside of not having a wedding party

2009-05-19T23:14:00.000-07:00

We decided not to have a wedding party. We feel that everyone that is part of our wedding is just as important and cherished by us, and it does not feel right to assign "roles" to people. It also feels like we are assigning people responsibilities, and everyone has so much going on.

This being said...after looking at my list, we realize that we need help. There is sooo much to do, and so little time. Fortunately, some people in our families are coming a few days early, father-in-law to be has offered to pay for food, and many friends have offered to make decorations and cupcakes. The problem is, we have not figured out who is doing what. We are sure it will come together at the end...but I still like to plan things.

I have realized that we need to ask for help. It takes a community to make a wedding happen...no matter how small it is.

So many things to do!

2009-05-19T22:54:00.000-07:00

It has been a long time since Ive written...it has been a busy month. I have not only traveled, but turned in a crazy amount of papers, fund raising in school, and so on. Nevertheless, I now have time to start focusing on the wedding again. Here is part of my to-do list:

- Get invites mailed-thus getting RSVPs
- Add information about hotels on our website
- Start making my wedding dress (mother in law to be will be helping!! Yay!)
- Buy-find more mason jars
- Buy-find table cloths
- Make practice centerpieces (still deciding on which one I want-twigs or flowers)
- Find more plates (we have around 40 so far...about 20 more to go!)
- Make napkins with all my fabric
- Decide on ceremony spot decoration: twig circle and flowers, paper cranes, or pom poms
- Wedding ring for Andrew (I am blessed to get his grandmothers ring, a beautiful, vintage, gold ring)
- Find shoes! (fun!)
- Practice recipes for cupcakes (so far I have decided on lemon cupcakes with cream cheese frosting)

For silverware we have settled for plastic. Hopefully I will be able to wash them and reuse them in school or for next parties. We will also have some paper napkins for cupcake holding.

More things to do:
- Ask friends to lend us blankets (seating for the ceremony and laying in the sun)
- Choose games to take
- Bubbles and pinata!
- Start stocking up on wine and beer
- Ask for lemon contributions (so many lemon trees!)
- Make head piece
- decide on whether we will have a photobooth (how can we make it work???)
- Start sorting through pictures for our picture display
- Music playlist
- Most important of all!!!! DECIDE ON OUR CEREMONY AND WRITE OUR VOWS!!!

Although the list is long, it feels good to write it down. Now we can start checking stuff off. (Dont you love to-do lists???)

SF living

2009-04-25T15:17:00.000-07:00

I LOVE the Picasa collage button.

The Bart in Mexico city

2009-04-20T18:05:00.001-07:00

At the "auditorio" station

Plastic bag pushers

2009-04-20T07:58:00.001-07:00

Visiting Mexico ha been a lot of fun. The food is incredible, the people are warm and welcoming, and it has the chaos I remember from growing up. After all, it's Mexico!
There is one thing that annoys me (other than the ridiculous traffic). I went to the neighborhood Superama (which is owned by Walmart, I found out later), and the girl at the counter could not, would NOT take my word that I didn't need a bag.
I did forget to take my trusty "Chico-bag", but I still had my huge purse. This was the conversation:
Me: I don't need a bag, thank you
Her: You don't?
Me: No, thanks
Her: But you need one for that..
Me: No thanks, I got it
Her: Definitely for that too (pointing at a paper bag full of bread)
Me: No thanks, I can carry it.
I run out of the store before I'm broken into taking a bag

One of the reasons I enjoy living in the Bay Area. When you tell them that you don't need a bag, they take your word for it.
Adios!

More info about nasty bags, go to here

Colombian food

2009-04-07T19:09:00.000-07:00

I went to the Mission last Sunday to meet some friends for dinner. While we waited for a table, I spotted a little Latin mart, and ....lo and behold! They had Masa Pan! This is a corn flour used to make arepas. Tonight, I made a delicious Colombian meal. (Or Venezuelan too.)

Masa PAN

Grilled Arepas de Queso- I couldn't find Queso Salado, so I used Feta...
it's just as salty

Fried Plantains

Tomato and Onion Sauce

Complete meal

wedding sites are the new black

2009-04-07T17:31:00.001-07:00

Everybody has one. Some are pretty elaborate, and actually sort of cool. Andrew spent a few hours making ours. It's pretty simple and to the point, making it easier to navigate for our family and friends.We decided to stick to the following tabs:
- Map of the location
- Date and time
- RSVP box
- Registry
- Link to the blog
We still need to add information about hotels and hostels nearby, but it's basically finished.
I think it's super cool....

Check it out!

Spring Time

2009-03-29T17:15:00.000-07:00

It is that time of year....Spring! I can't believe how amazing the weather has been! Andrew and I have spent so much time outside, listening to the birds, looking at flowers, and eating. Eating is always involved.
I picked a bunch of wildflowers growing by the side of the road, and made arrangements for the house. I put them in Mason Jars...I wish there were this many flowers in August. I could have Mason Jars full of cool and FREE flowers, without feeling guilty about it.

Funny Dr. Seussish plant

My Summer

2009-03-19T20:16:00.000-07:00

So many plans! This is definitely going to be the best summer ever. I'm not only getting married, and going to Paris, but I'm also going to New Zealand for 2 and half weeks!

The only downside is that I will be away from our cats for nearly 6 weeks. Will they know me when I'm back?

Our Home

2009-03-18T20:34:00.000-07:00

We decided to paint our apartment orange a few months ago and have been decorating with things found at flea markets and thrift stores. I love the amount of space we have, especially because we can have a craft room.

Our living room. I got these chairs at Target for 20 dollars each! We are planning to use them for our dining room when we get a nicer table.

Dining area. Notice the "chandelier". I hate that lamp and I tried to make it pretty with jewelry.

Bottles from flea markets. We are collecting them for the wedding.

Bedroom

Living room

Our new green couch

Chair found in the street, I made the cushion. My plants are sprouting!

Craft computer area

Pom poms Vs. Cranes

2009-03-12T15:41:00.000-07:00

This is what we want our wedding to be! It looks like a fun, warm, happy day. Nobody looks stressed, and everything just kinda fits together.

And check out the decor... so beautiful, and so simple! I'm totally rethinking the pom poms...or maybe do both.

Photos from Once Wed, Nancy and Ethan's wedding

I need to brag

2009-03-08T20:32:00.000-07:00

Today Andrew surprised me with brunch in bed. :) He actually woke me up with a plate of eggs, tortillas, and freshly squeezed orange juice. How great is he or what!
Then... he walked with me to all the thrift shops to get wine glasses and plates for our wedding. After getting some stuff, we went to Dolores Park and enjoyed the much anticipated sun. It was a great day!

Oh, so true!

2009-02-24T15:31:00.000-08:00

This is probably one of the funniest wedding-related things I have read so far...

"…when you mention you're getting married, strangers, store clerks, and vendors give your bare ring finger a long look mixed with pity and suspicion".

Yup...they do!

on offbeat bride

Fun times!

2009-02-22T21:10:00.000-08:00

Everyone in costume:

All dressed up:

Making a mod dress- update

2009-02-20T13:18:00.001-08:00

I finished the dress! I should have taken a "before" picture, but this is what I did:
1. Pulled the over sized dress apart. It had horrible long sleeves, it was way to big at the waist, and way too long (it went down under my knees).
2. I kept the top part together. I like how it was constructed.
3. I cut the skirt to make it shorter. Since I wanted to keep the lines at the bottom, I cut the skirt at the top.
4. Took the top in about 1 inch on each side. Hemmed the sleeve holes.
5. Took in the skirt, keeping an A line shape about 3 inches on each side (It was huge!)
6. Connected the top to the bottom. Since I took it in so much, it was a little hard to match all the seams and lines, but it's not too obvious.
I am definitely not the kind of person who "measures twice, cuts once". Maybe I should start doing that.

Anyhow, here is the result:

Living in the Bay Area

2009-02-20T10:53:00.000-08:00

There are many things to love from the Bay Area. It's an awesome place to live in, with great people, beautiful views, and endless possibilities.
Yesterday I took myself on a day trip. I started my day at Crissy field, eating lunch and reading a good book next to the Golden Gate.

After that, i explored the "Exploratorium". It was huge, with a lot to see. This is me in a giante Kaleidoscope.

Finally, I went to Sausalito, where I had a cup of coffee next to this view, and then Andrew met me for dinner.

I'm excited for the people visiting for my wedding. I think they will love it!
Fun times!

To favor or not to favor

2009-02-20T10:36:00.000-08:00

I love the idea of people taking a little something home from the wedding, but it can get really expensive. I also hate giving people more stuff, especially when I know they already have too much stuff to begin with (cough cough,,,,you know who you are!). Bay area apartments are way too small, and half of the people are flying from out of town...so....you see my conundrum.
My first thought was having a bucket with soapy sponges, so people can wash and take a plate or a wine glass that they like from the wedding. I think this could work out, but I'm sure some people are not interested in having one-of-a-kind table ware. So, my thoughts were on making something edible. I love the heart brownies featured on 2000 Dollar Budget Wedding, or maybe some fun chocolate. My goal is to keep it simple, transportable, budget friendly, and yummy. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

Back to school, Part III

2009-02-14T18:15:00.000-08:00

I am officially in school. I go to classes, I read texts, I analyze them, I write stuff, and I eat greasy campus food. This last part really makes me feel like a Grad student... greasy fuel for a 7 hour class. At the beginning I felt a bit overwhelmed, but as the time goes by I am feeling more confident about it. My classes are interesting, and my classmates diverse (although we are still analyzing "what is diversity, REALLY?)".
Even though it was a crazy week, I'm glad it was over. I'm also glad I have pursued my master's...even though it seems like too much sometimes.

How could I NOT post this!

2009-02-13T21:27:00.000-08:00

I'm sure you have already seen this, but if not... watch the glorious:

Kittens inspired by kittens!

Making a mod dress

2009-02-09T21:33:00.000-08:00

Here is another one of my sewing adventures...more like reconstruction. My wonderful friend Kelly is having a super cool Mod/factory/Andy Warhol party, and we are dressing up. We spent most of our Saturday shopping at the Haight, and came across a really fun vintage store.
I ended up buying two dresses. On of them fits pretty well, but the one I really like was too big, too long, and had long sleeves. I love the pattern on the bottom...very Mondrian-like. Here is a detail of the pattern:

So far I have cut the skirt, cut the sleeves, and pinned it together. It looks pretty frumpy right now, but I assure you it will be fabulous! I'm so excited!

Wedding dress- Part 3

2009-02-09T21:08:00.001-08:00

My pattern arrived in the mail a couple of days ago, and it looks a bit more complicated than I thought it would be. I have never lined a garment, and much less made a cummerbund.

Today I bought some cheap fabric to make my practice dress with. I got about 6 yards, in case I mess it up. It has a pretty, retro looking pattern, but I really wasn't too picky. I just chose something from the sale rack that didn't involve seasonal prints!

I also saw my dream crinoline at a vintage store in the Castro. Puffiness supreme! I hope they still have it when I am not so broke, and I actually have a dress to put it under. My goal is to look like a cross between a ballerina, and an upside down cupcake.
:)

We can't escape being stereotypes...

2009-02-05T20:39:00.000-08:00

Browsing for cute Valentine ideas, I found these buttons on Etsy. At least they are titled "Buttons for Cool Couples". I guess that makes us cool? They are pretty cute, though!

All we need to do know is get married to completely fit in the stereotype.

Hello Super 8 Wedding films and Guestbooks

2009-02-05T10:47:00.000-08:00

I saw this in Offbeat Bride, and I fell in love with it. Maybe it's because I loved watching my family's old movies when I was a little girl. They were so magical!

They also made me cry. If there is anything I would splurge on, it would be this. Check it out:

Hello Super 8 Weddings from Megan Hill on Vimeo.

Hello Guestbook from Megan Hill on Vimeo.

One year in the bay area

2009-02-04T16:43:00.000-08:00

Grumbles and I ready to move to San Francisco. Everything I owned was in this car. Grumbles does not look like he is enjoying the ride...

I arrived at San Francisco on Feb. 4, 2008. It's been officially a year! Time flies....

Wedding dress ideas- Part 2

2009-02-04T15:26:00.000-08:00

I have ordered a beautiful, easy, retro-looking pattern to make my dress. I will try to make a practice dress with a cheaper fabric, to make sure I don't completely ruin my nicer fabric. I'm thinking of a higher-end cotton, with some turquoise applications. I love the neckline applications on this dress:

I also love the waist sash and the flower, so I think I will be including that. The skirt will be super poofy, like this dress from www.vintageous.com:

If my dress-making abilities fail, my back-up plan is to buy a vintage dress, or maybe just a really fun summer dress. The only downside is that most vintage dresses have a 24'' waist! Where ARE these tiny people?!

LOVE cards

2009-02-01T10:46:00.001-08:00

So much fun!

Flowers vs. twigs

2009-02-01T09:41:00.000-08:00

As much as I would like to have flowers at the wedding, it's not so great to cut flowers to have them die in a few days. Plus, it would be hard to have things ready in advance, and I would have to scamper around to buy affordable flowers the day before. Instead, I was thinking of combining flowers in jars, grass grown in pots, and these awesome twig arrangements. The flowers glued on are miniature versions of the pom poms which I will also have hanging from trees.

To see more of this awesome reception and the making process, go to Crytal's Fiesta on the Prarie

I am "ohhhh so happy" the day is over!

2009-01-30T18:57:00.000-08:00

Let's just say that all the massage did for my relaxation, the car undid. Battery is DEAD. Soooo DEAD.
Damn.

First day of school

2009-01-28T19:18:00.000-08:00

This is how I felt, minus the blond hair.

Picture from http://www.minneapolislongfellow.com

Making my own wedding dress

2009-01-27T12:14:00.000-08:00

I'm not great at sewing, but I do take pleasure and stand in awe after I put a few pieces of fabric together and made it into a garment. So far this year I've re sized t-shirts, made a skirt, a dress, and a shirt. Now I'm moving to the big leagues, since I am thinking about making my own wedding dress.
Why?...you might ask. It's as simple as this: it would be more meaningful, cheaper, and it would be so much fun to reply "what..??! this old thing???....well, I made it myself!".
The only problem is that I haven't found a pattern I like. I'm looking into tea-length poofy dresses, and use a fabric other than satin. I cannot sew satin! It is the hardest fabric to work with. Instead, I am thinking about making a cotton dress with some lace.

Here are some inspirations:

Yet another tradition I'm unsure of...rings?

2009-01-26T13:58:00.000-08:00

I usually run away from traditional wedding rituals, not because they are traditional, but because I don't totally believe in them. Some things we are cutting out of our wedding are:
- wedding party (everyone is the party!)
- performing the ceremony at the church
- having a traditional religious ceremony
- rehearsals (dinner and ceremony)
- first dance

The one tradition I'm still debating is the exchange rings. A lot of people plant trees, make quilts, or even get tattoos. None of those fit well with our lifestyle, so I'm leaning on a ring to symbolize the celebration of our love. Here are a few that I found on etsy.com.

flea market finds

2009-01-25T18:18:00.001-08:00

An interesting bottle

Pretty wine glasses

Awesome made into a plate

Table arrangements

2009-01-24T18:17:00.000-08:00

Inspired by the beautiful wedding arrangements on A backyard wedding, I have started collecting jars and bottles for the table arrangements. We will be putting summer wildflowers in them.
Check all of these out at Once Wed.

Happy times pom poms

2009-01-22T17:41:00.001-08:00

I just made these, inspired by Martha Stewart weddings. I made them with some old birthday paper, anthropologie wrapping, and other tissue I found around the house. We plan to put these hanging from trees. They are a better alternative to paper lanterns (cheaper), and easy to recycle. I will try to post them on Craigslist, maybe the could be reused?...

Wedding update- we have made a reservation!

2009-01-20T11:27:00.000-08:00

I have discovered I am terribly addicted to wedding blogs, forums, and websites. They are not your regular wedding sites, with lavish centerpiece vendors, crazy expensive gowns and venues, and ridiculous ceremonies. These are more of a reflection on the wedding ceremony, it's real meaning, and how not to get caught up with what they call WIC (wedding industrial complex). Never the less, I need to stop looking at them until 2:00 am.
In some ways, they help me stay focused on what I truly want: a beautiful, simple, ceremony, followed by a fun, informal party with our friends and relatives. It makes me realize that we are not the only couple that want to spend less than 10k on their wedding, and don't want to fuss over monogrammed aisle runners (whatever those are!). On the other hand, these couples have so many great ideas, it's impossible to think I can do them all! So, for now, I'm will measure myself and not stay up late reading them. My rule is to stop reading them at 8:00 pm, so I can actually spend time with the person I'm going to marry.

All this being said and done, I am so happy to say we have reserved the place we are getting married. It is in a nearby Regional Park, Tilden Park. It's a beautiful picnic area with tables (yeay, no rental), a Bar-b-q grill, and a beautiful field surrounded by trees. It is also cheap...very cheap!

So, now we can relax and let things take care of themselves. It will be such a special day, but every day with Andrew is such a special day too!

Back to school, Part 1

2009-01-07T15:20:00.000-08:00

I applied to San Francisco State for my master's program. It is a pretty good school,and affordable, so I decided to go that way. My Berkeley goals will have to wait (PHD, full time!)
I was a little worried I wouldn't get in, due the the California budget problems. They have been cutting out a bunch of classes and programs, but thankfully, I got in. I'm thinking my program isn't very popular: "Equity and Social Justice in Education". I think it will be fun, and also very useful in the Bay area.
Today I registered for my first two classes...! I am a bit scared, but I guess I will have to bite the bullet. Thankfully, I have a wonderful proofreader living with me. He can help me turn my hispanic sounding, half translated essays to actual coherent lines of thought!
And...I have the coolest notebook...it has kitty cats on it! Bring it on!

Engaged?! Really....?!

2009-01-07T14:46:00.000-08:00

Andrew and I are getting hitched! I could have not gotten a more romantic and unexpected proposal. On Christmas Eve we went to see "Phantom of the Opera" at the Orpheum theatre. It was a great show, although a bit sad. We went home and opened our presents. He insisted on leaving the one he had handmade for last!
At this point I must say that I am very good at figuring out surprises. I can usually guess what each present is, just by looking at it. I think Naty and I posses this "superpower". As we got to the last present, I totally thought it was going to be a cute book or something like that. Of course, all the clues were there...he asked me to play romantic Christmas music, wanted to leave it till last...but then again, he was in his pajamas! So, I took a sip of my wine, and opened it...
They were invitations to our wedding! He designed them himself, and had 50 printed. For date it said: ?????? We are still trying to figure that out, but the cards were beautiful! They are also kinda funny and casual...no "curly" font or cheesy pictures. And, no ring! I specifically told him so. I like cheap, fun jewelry, and I rather spend money on life experiences with Andrew. I love the cards!
So, now we are engaged. I am very excited, and very, very happy to celebrate our lives together. We are planning a fun, casual ceremony at the beach (Baker Beach), and a fun reception or party somewhere. This is still to be decided, but we know for sure Andrew's mom will be marrying us. This is making it so much more special.
My family will be here (my mom, her husband and Naty), and his too. We will be surrounded by loving friends and family...and....I GET TO BUY AN AWESOME DRESS!! Yay!! What more could a girl want...?

From Christmas Break

What do they do while I'm gone?

2008-08-29T16:17:00.000-07:00

I'm working everyday now. This is what the cats do while I'm gone.

Lo que pasa

2008-08-29T15:57:00.000-07:00

First week of working full time. I am very excited about the new school year, and everything is coming along nicely. Not only I have been organizing my class, but our new apartment instead. We are now living in the beautiful Oakland hills, and the cats are enjoying the new smells. Our apartment is soo much bigger, and that is a plus. Another plus is that I am 5 minutes away from work, and that works great for me.

This summer was a blur. We went to Mexico, I went to Vegas, and lots of people visited. In a few words:
- Mexican Riviera - as awesome as ever!
- Vegas- met cool people, but hot as hell
- People visiting- I became official bay area guide, lots of sightseeing!

I am very excited about this weekend. Andrew and I will be driving to Mendocino, a town 3 hours north. We are staying in a B&B, and relax a little. We will come back refreshed to tackle the school year.

Here I go!

Update, ya'll!

2008-04-03T10:37:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy two months, busier than I thought it would be. I have been subbing and six different schools, and have mixed feelings about it. Tracey visited for a week, and Andrew and I have planned an awesome vacation to Playa del Carmen. Things seem to be coming along smoothly.
Today I voted as a San Francisco resident, hoping my vote will help raise teacher's salaries. It's incredible how low they are, especially taking into account the cost of living. I plan on going back to the Public School system at some point, working in inner city schools. Hopefully in a year or two, the school budget will be in better shape. I know we will never make a six figure salary, but at least enough to live a decent life in this city.
On a lighter note, I have discovered the Bernal Heights flea market. I went with the SF girls, and found a super cool vintage lamp. I restored it and placed it in the bedroom. I'm on a home-making kick!
I have also stumbled upon a wonderful, beautiful beach...Baker beach. The cons are that there is a little bit of nudity, mostly of the male kind, and it's usually cold. Sometimes when the weather is awesome, I feel like I'm on vacation. Oh, the joys of lying on the sand with a good book....niiiiice.
Summer is coming up (although you wouldn't know it, in this cold!) and I will be working on a Spanish summer camp. After that, it's Mexico, baby!!! I'm super excited.

More updates coming up soon!

Maxin' relaxin'- Cat's motto

2008-03-17T16:01:00.000-07:00

Ohhhhh, the life of a cat!

7:00 am : Wake up with owner and complain because:

a) Not enough food in bowl
b) Bathroom door closed, which is completely is unacceptable

7:10 am: Lie in bed with other owner and sleep

9:30 am: Wake up with owner #2 and demand petting. Proceed to complain about door to bathroom being closed.

10:00 am: Stare longly and owner's bowl of cereal. Creep up closer and closer, very slowly.

10:15 am: Owner taking a shower....lick the milk off the bowl...run away when owner notices....

10:25 am: Lie on the small strip of sun. Sleep.

3:00 pm: Move to:

a) The couch
b) Owner #2's pillow
c) the closet

Proceed with napping

7:00 pm- Run away from strange noises from elevator and strange looking 2 wheel object. Hide.

7:10 pm- Greet owner, once the threat has been removed.

7;20 pm - complain and demand petting.

11:00 pm -Sleep with owners in bed

11:30 pm - Eat

12:00 am- play with other cat in a very noisy way, so as to disturb owner #1 and #2

3:00 am- Complain about something loudly

5:00 am- Eat

6:00 am- play loudly

note: Use litter box and constant intervals.

Living in SF

2008-03-17T15:41:00.001-07:00

It's been a while since I last updated this blog, and I guess a lot of things have happened since. I have been to a gazillion interviews, events, and "visits" at different schools, of which I am still waiting for response (of the good kind). I took a part time job, which i had to quit for personal reasons, but I learned a lot about myself and met really cool people as well. The weather has been great, and Andrew and I have become an "outdoorsy" couple, going to the park and markets. In general, it is starting to actually feel like home (but on a summer break).

The cats are adapting well, Grumbles is getting fat, and Whaler thin (stress?). I flew back to Dallas for Kristi and David's wedding, and that was a bittersweet moment. It was great to see everyone, and I had lots of fun (moments with Jessica I will never forget!), but at the same time, it reminded me of when life was so much simpler. Dallas was a good place to me, the most rewarding and stable part of my life I spent there. A good job, awesome friends, economically stable, and I met wonderful Andrew there. Never the less, I was glad to be back in San Francisco.

Naty is here visiting, and we have done many things. She has been upset because it's "cold", but then again, she also felt it was cold in Barranquilla. It's been a great visit, minus the radiator incident, where she became scared of the noises the radiator made at 2 AM, and came shouting into our rooms that it was going to explode!! She will resume her voyage to New Zealand tomorrow, and that seems exciting. It's a 23 hour flight, I DO NOT envy that!

Exciting things are happening...

My way of procrastinating...making cat berets

2008-02-12T11:07:00.000-08:00

This first week in San Francisco has been fun and busy at the same time. I've had 3 job interviews, and two more to follow up. They seem to be really good schools, and I am excited about these openings, although the process seems to take a while. It also involves lots of work and preparation, which has kept me busy most of the day.

As much as I should be preparing for the follow up dates, I find many different ways to procrastinate. I occupy myself with cleaning, cooking, grocery shopping, crochet classes, lying on the beach, scanning and posting old photographs, going to belly-dancing concerts (thanks Kelly), and whatever I can imagine.

This city has so many cool things to do, I can always find something better than answering essay questions for job applications. As much fun as that can be, I rather sit in the beach and watch 9 dogs play.

Obviously, I have found this blog a way of procrastination as well. I should probably go do something: fill out previous employer information on applications, answer why underprivileged kids don't do to well on math, make the bed...I need to get it all done before my knitting group meeting!

Cat update- BUSTED!

2008-02-11T21:25:00.000-08:00

Grumbles (my cat) and Whaler (Andrew's cat) have become good friends! Andrew and I walked in on them while they were lounging on the couch, and (I suspect), watching TV. We have seen them playing together, which is something I never thought it would happen so soon, since Whaler constantly hissed and tried to scratch poor little Grumbles.

Grumbles also loves watching the birds out the window. I leave the window open, maybe he'll catch one someday and bring to us as a present! (yuck) He seems to be adapting well to his new routine of pouncing on Whaler, then pouncing on the window, then pouncing on my leg, and sleeping for 10 hours.

As the cat lover I am, this seems interesting to me. I will not feel insulted if it is not to some of you. (je je je)

;)

I am the only natandra again!

2008-02-11T19:37:00.000-08:00

I managed to remember my other passwords at the attempts at keeping a blog, so I deleted the other random ones I had. In a day or two I will be www.natandra.blogspot.com again. I will resend the link when I write a new post.

Peace!

I'm in the Interwebs!

2008-02-06T16:08:00.000-08:00

Check out my online portfolio, thanks to wonderful Andrew!

www.langleycreations.com/alexandra

We have arrived!

2008-02-06T15:41:00.000-08:00

We finally arrived in San Francisco Sunday night. It was a very, very, very long ride, but I'm so glad I did it. I must say, the US is a beautiful place! I went through deserts, mountains, beautiful rock formations, rolling hills, and some interesting cities. Grumbles was amazingly good on the trip. He didn't cry or come out of his box, only to go to the litter box (my car got kinda smelly sometimes). He is such a traveler!

Leaving DFW was a weird experience. It didn’t really feel like I was moving, it felt more like a short trip to the Lake house. At the same time, I felt a little nostalgia about leaving a place where I experienced so many changes in my life. As I drove westward, that nostalgia faded, and excitement began. If you have never been on a trip with me, let me tell you; I talk a lot (this time to my Grumbles), sing all songs with made up lyrics (I can never remember them!) and try to drive really fast without getting caught.

Drive across west USA is a liberating and beautiful experience. The first phase of my trip was a two hour drive to the lakehouse, west of Fort worth. I spent the night there at Mary’s house, getting to know her new kitten, McFluffy. After a relaxing evening, I drove the next day to Las Cruces, NM. Driving through west Texas is very interesting. It is mostly desertic, and very warm. Closer to El Paso, the landscape changed. It was full of very interesting rock formations.

I arrived in Las Cruces to my friend Tracey at her dorm. I really enjoyed spending time with her, and the town seemed pretty nice. Food is cheap! We had some awesome sushi and "jammed" in her dorm room. I met a lot of college kids, and I am glad I'm out of college. Life seems more complicated than it is to these kids! (says the 26 year old...)

the rest of the trip was great! i stayed in a Motel 6 near the Grand Canyon. It was a lot better that what I expected, although I did take my own pillow (thanks Tracey!). The grand Canyon was stunning, incredible, amazing. Pictures do not do it justice. It was fun being in the snow as well, especially knowing I would not be in it long.

The last part of my trip took me to Vegas to meet with Andrew. I have to say I was not impressed. Although it is very showy and colorful, I really think it's the tackiest city ever. I had fun at the shows, and gambled a little (almost doubled my money!), but I prefer another type of city. I had a lot of fun with Andrew, though.

Finally, we drove back to San Fran. It was a beautiful ride, lots of green rolling hills and orange tree fields. The most beautiful are is around Tehachapi. It looks like Switzerland, with snow capped mountains in the background, and beautiful hills. I would love to go back!

I still don't feel at home in San Francisco, and I'm sure it'll take some time. I am very happy to be here, though, and I love this city. Today, I ran all my errands walking! I can actually walk places! I still miss everyone in Dallas, and I hope they visit soon!

The big day

2008-01-28T17:06:00.000-08:00

As I said good-bye to friends today, I was wondering if I was actually going to stay in touch. Honestly, even though I always have the best intentions, I am terrible at it. Every friend that has moved away complains about me not keeping in touch.
This is why I have decided to enter the cyber-keeping-in-touch world. I have never had a blog, my life just does not seem that interesting (although there is a natandra out there...maybe an early attempt to start a blog? I can't remember), but with the moving around and the people moving around, I thought it might be a fun idea.
Something really exciting is coming up: my first real road trip. I will be traveling to San Francisco from Dallas, TX. It is a long drive, and with the price of gas the way it is, I decided to make the best of it. Not only the ride itself is challenging enough, but I will also be taking my weird, crazy cat, Grumbles.

I hope to see a lot on my trip. I will be making stops, and driving through lots of desert. I'm excited about the grand Canyon, and sightseeing along the way. I not as excited about the less-one-star motels I will be staying in, but I'm young, I can manage (I hope?).
More information about my "adventures" coming along!