A busy couple weeks!

It seems like I have not had time to do anything lately!  With Birthdays, going aways, dinners and the arrival of someone very special I have not had any downtime!  So this is just s quick update of my goings on, and remember this is only like the last 2 weeks!  

Myself, Jules, Ramona and Christine wanted to go for a nice dinner a couple weeks ago, and Jules, knowing the best restaurants picked La Décima in San Isidro.  Delicious and we had the whole place to ourselves.  On the urging of me, Ramona decided to try Absinthe for the first time.  She wasn't a fan so guess who got to drink it?  Good thing I love it.  Here are our dishes.  Sooo good and this is one of the only places I have seen real souvlaki in Lima.  

The girls... Ramona, Jules, Chris and myself.

After dinner we weren't ready to go home, so we went down the street to Sukha Buda Lounge.  Such a cool place.   If you go, try the Strawberry Sake Mojito.

On the 19th, Myself, Josh, Jules and Matt decided to go see Metallica.  I had seen them before by this was quite the experience!  The stadium is huge and open air.  It is also where we had watched the soccer match a few days before.  It was fantastic!  Love Metallica and always an amazing show.

This pigeon had obviously just finished his chicken and was on the way out of Popeyes Chicken.  Funny how no one here really bats an eye.  I think it is hilarious.

On the Friday before Jules left, we decided to have a "See you Later" party.  We started out at our place with a couple of the girls.  

We then headed back to Sukha (we really liked it there!) for a Japanese fusion dinner with a few other people.  Terri, Jules, Ramona, Sandy, Matt, me and Humberto.

After dinner we met up with a few more people.  Carla, Uchi and Pepe.  We went to check out Gotica in Larcomar but it had been a packed week and it was an early night.  We had a great time, but were sad to say goodbye to Julie!

Josh and I decided to go to Jockey Plaza for me to get an Alianza Lima hat from the Nike store.  We found this.  Its a hat kind of contraption that stimulates hair growth.

Jules and I made sure we spent as much of her last couple days together as we could.  We had lunch while she took a break from packing and did a little last minute shopping as well.

Her last night dinner at Larcomar.  

Jules had given me several bottles of booze that she had left, I put them on a shelf in our kitchen and the next morning I woke up to a huge crash!  Needless to say, I ended up cleaning that entire day and had to deal with 10 smashed bottles of very sticky alcohol.  I laughed, cried and swore.  A lot.

I headed back over to Jules one more time on her last morning.  I said bye bye to my boyfriend Tonka and to one of my best friends here.  I eon't post the picture of the two of us.  We don't need people seeing us big, crying messes.

The rest of the week was fairly quiet, preparing for Nicole to come and doing some things I hadn't had time to do for a couple weeks.  I went to get my hair done....

It turned out a lot darker than I wanted but I really like it!  

Ramona and I decided to go to the inter nations Luau that night for a couple hours.  Always a good time, but I couldn't stay long because I had some precious cargo to pick up from the airport!

YAY!!!!  My darling love Nicole arrived and I met her at the airport.  With champagne of course.  I missed this girl so much!  Where ever we are we are always inseparable.    Jason is here for 3 weeks for work and what better opportunity to see each other.  Stayed tuned for our first few days of adventures soon.  Everyone enjoy your Sunday :)

My Birthday Celebration(s)

So, I am well aware that my birthday was 21 days ago, but I was looking to get some more photos, which I have failed at.  So here it is.

We started out the days of celebration, the day before my birthday, with a lovely dinner at Maido, my favorite Japanese restaurant with some fantastic friends.

Eimear, Julian, Chris, Tiffany, Amanda, Andrew, Jules, Chris, me, Sandy.  The majority of the birthday crew.

2 of my favorite foods, tempura and sashimi

Stairway photos, still missing some people  but got most of them!

Following dinner (it was like the longest dinner ever I think), we went to Barranco, the bohemian district next to Miraflores to a Mardi Gras style party, as it was Fat Tuesday.  We got beads and had a jazz band.  It was over pretty early, but it was fun, and I got sung happy birthday at midnight!  There were more of my friends here too so it was even more fun.  Apparently I only have 2 pictures from the entire night?  Help me out here folks!

Jules, my Canadian friend Tom, my wanna be Canadian friend from New Jersey, Christian and Sandy.

Chris with my feather boa as a wig.

On my actual birthday, we woke up with a sick cat.  Jinx was grumpy and didn't want to be touched.  We had plans to go out, so we waited, but right before we left it was obvious he needed medical attention.  So we rushed him to his amazing vet, Animal Place and found out that he had an infection, likely from playing with wasps that I had seen him bothering the day before.  So we got him on some meds, and left him for the afternoon.

Still very worried, and thinking, "of course this would happen on my birthday" we caught a cab to Camacho to Nilma and Dom's for my birthday party.  Nilma was sweet enough to offer up her pool and home to me for the afternoon.  And although most of my friends work, there were a great bunch that were able to make it.  We enjoyed the pool and some great food and drinks.  I also got one of Nilma's to die for espresso chocolate cakes.

29 years old and I still get embarrassed when people sing me happy birthday.  Weird. 

Pool soccer/volleyball.  I only hit the kids in the face a few times.

Lovelies!

Man I look tired!

After the pool party, we went to pick up my baby Jinxy, who was feeling much better after a few hours of antibiotics.  Josh and I decided we were hungry and that we would try El Hornero in San Isidro.  Best decision ever.  Top 10 steaks I have had in the world for sure.  

It was a fantastic day, well two days, and thanks to all that came out, and brought me gifts and made it so amazing!  I also am including the following photo because Jules got me this super cute Panama hat the day after my birthday, for my birthday.  Also, this was one of our last shopping trips :(  Miss you beautiful!  (She left to go home to Dubai yesterday forever)

The Day in Cieneguilla /Ericka's Birthday!

My lovely friend Ericka's birthday was last week, so she invited me to her place in a district of Lima called Cieneguilla.  Cieneguilla is on the far east outskirts of Lima and it took almost an hour and a half for me to get there from Miraflores.  I was pretty sure I was getting punked, because at one point, I was pretty much just in the middle of the desert with no one else around.  I was shocked when I arrived to her town and it was probably the most gorgeous area of Lima that I have been to.  Lush and tropical, the Lurin River running through the middle and big sprawling yards with restaurants, hostels, adventure parks and hotels.  Ericka's family own a hostel with some small bungalows and fruit trees everywhere beside there family home. 

 I arrived and my friend Nilma, and her baby Josha were already there.  Ericka made us a delicious drink, made with Pisco and the maracuya fruit that grow in her yard.  After a quick visit, we decided to go for a walk around to see the river and the town.

We arrived back and were greeted by Ericka's family.  Her two kids, her mom, an aunt and her hilarious and adorable grandparents.  Her mom had prepared from scratch one of my favorite Peruvian dishes, Aji de Gallina.  It is basically shredded chicken in a mixture of spices and then slowly cooked.  Served with rice and potatoes.  It was the best I have had!  I love the food in Peru!  Nilma also prepared another fantastic espresso chocolate cake. So amazing!

After lunch, I wandered around and took some photos in the yard.  They grow some of my favorite fruits!

This crocodile is real, but dead and Ericka's grandfather brought it back from the jungle when he was in the war.  It scared me so bad when I saw it that I almost peed myself.  He thought it was HILARIOUS!

 We also did a bit of a mini photoshoot .  This is me and Josh.

Isabella, grandma, Nilma and Josh and me.

Late in the afternoon, Ericka, myself and the kids took the long ride (even longer at rush hour) back into Miraflores.  We went to IK Restaurante, owned by Ericka's friend Franco.  Ericka runs a company called Delectable Peru Tours that does private tours and, tastings and parties all over Lima, so she knows all the best places and knows all the chefs.  Actually she was in charge of the tour when I learned to make Ceviche and Pisco sours.  Ik restaurant was amazing!  

After a fantastic meal, we got a tour of the restaurant and kitchen with Chef Franco.  He is such a nice guy and a talented chef.  

I hope Ericka enjoyed her birthday, because I know I sure did!  Hope you had a great one darling, and many more!