Time move quickly.

I am here for 20 more days and time is moving incredibly slow. All I want to do is get home. I love El Salvador but this isn't where I want to be right now. Lately my life has taken a sudden jolt. This isn't the place to be. No where to walk around with headphones on thinking about nothing. Can't go hop in my car and drive around. No parks to lay in. Nothing. Just me, my bed, my computer and my refridgerator box (my office is so cold I think I burn calories because I shiver so much). One of my good friends told me that online shopping is the way to go. SO....

stay tuned for some updates on my favorite looks. If I can get the energy. My parents are coming on Saturday so that should help move the time.

Commitment.

"Anyone can give up, it is the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone would understand if you fell apart, that's true strength."

Life is numbing. It can bring about the most unforeseen circumstances and it takes strength to accept anything that life presents. Sometimes sad, sometimes happy, often surprising, and hopefully empowering. It is so easy to give up when times get hard. The loss of a life, health, career, and love can seem crippling. The weak would give in to lifes pressures but the strong are not afraid. The strong will take whatever life gives and overcome. But the hardest part is that it takes falling apart to pick yourself back up. Sometimes it takes everyone giving up on you and you giving up on yourself for you to come out on top.

Understanding commitment is key to being able to hold it together. No matter what one does in their life they must be committed with every aspect of their soul for it to work. Anyone who can give up something so easily was never committed in the first place and didnt truly love. It isn't possible to give up something you love because without that something, you are not yourself. And, if you do decide to give up something you love it better be because something you love more is waiting for you on the other side.

(sorry for the aside...we will go back to talking about fashion, food, and decorating tomorrow.)

or maybe now...

Alo "NO"estro.

I have been dreading writing this post all week. Tuesday dinner was a disaster. Alo Nuestro is supposed to be one of the best restaurants in El Sal. Well...think again. Rumored to have been taken over by new owners, Alo Nuestro was a MUST skip.

I had been looking forward to eating at Alo Nuestro since before I stepped onto Salvadorean soil. Frommers said, "It's so good, they don't even need to advertise". And I am pretty sure that Frommers was telling the truth...but Alo Nuestro is not what it once was.

With a beautiful ambiance as I sat down at our lovely table I expected a fabulous meal. 45 minutes...no butter on the table and a second request for my broccoli soup later I got just that. Broccoli soup. I can't explain the blandness. It was broccoli though, always edible. Next the main course...

Veggie Lasagne. Covered with melted, cooled... and then reheated and then probably melted and cooled again this lasagne had about an inch of cheese on top masked by vegetables. It was solid. No oooey Gooooey cheese, sauce, vegetables falling off your fork. I barely had to use my napkin and that was to keep the food inside and not on the outside.

Maybe this is dramatic but when you go into a restaurant thinking it is the best in the city...this is NOT what one expects.

Next tuesday we are going to a mexican restaurant that is on the cheaper side but supposedly yummy. I am expecting a hike in our chart of ratings because as of tuesday it plummeted.

Alo No...please dont go.

Backyard dreams.

First I want to say sorry to all who couldn't see my pictures last time. I am not sure what the problem was but in the meantime I have decided on a couch.(hopefully you can see these)

I cant exactly afford this beauty but I will sit on crates until I can! This piece will go with my clean, modern yet classic style that I am hoping to achieve.

My backyard is by far my favorite task right now. As I am stuck here in El Sal I have only been able to dream about what I want but I have a clear picture in my mind...and it includes the following:

Flowers EVERYWHERE. I would love have a wildflower garden in my new backyard which is supposedly HUGE.

Grill from Kamado that I am CRAZY about.

A bench if you will....

and a rustic chair.

picnic table...mine will include roughed up edges for a shabby chic feel.

And although this is pictured as an indoor piece, I think it will look wonderful in the backyard and will be a great place to sit during evenings of entertaining and grilling!

AND....my father (who spoils me too much) promised to make it for me...so on to search for an old bath!

And this hopefully will someday be the contents of my backyard. All of which I am pretty sure I can make myself!!!!

In need of a Sofa.

I am in desparate need of a couch and have quite a budget...

Here is what I am thinking.

from home decorators for only $429.00

this is also from Home decorators and only costs $999.00

or would be nice @ $599.00

maybe this...

made from recycled leather and costs $699.00

this one is from Ikea for $599.00

and Target for 579.99. Although I am not sold on the red idea...

Etsy has this lovely piece for $798.00.

All of these above are great looking couches. Some modern, some fluffy, some without fluff, some small and some tall. All under $1000.00.

and here my friends are some of what I REALLY want...(prices excluded for obvious reasons)

All showcased on Etsy

all 4 above are from Horchow.

And this list could go on and on and on....

Please let me know your thoughts!!! Im in need!

Review Dos.

The second place so far that my crew and I have gone on the restaurant tour was an amazing place called Il Buon Gustaio. Supposedly the best italian food in San Sal. And let me tell you...it was! It all began with a basket full of bread and appetizers. Plates full of prosciutto (none for me thanks.), olive tapenade, cheese, and a caprese salad plate.

The bread was wonderful. In my opinion (and the rest of the world) the best bread comes from France. In my short time there I went on a tasting tour of viennoiseries and fell in love with bread. My analysis is that the stickier the bread and the bigger the holes the better. The picture above (although it could use bigger holes) looks almost perfect. The bread at Il Buon Gustaio was wonderful...nice, sticky, and full of holes.

After a struggle to switch our minds from English, to Spanish, to Italian and then after making out the handwritten menus, we picked our dishes. I got the spinach, butter and sage ravioli. Wonderful and about 1000 calories (or more). I enjoyed every bite!

And of course we got dessert. Maggie and I split chocolate souffle and tiramisu.

AND GUESS WHAT...our group grew to 7 so we were seated outside at our own perfect table in the garden. This week Maggie's dad is going to make a guest appearance at Alo Nuestro so stay tuned!

Food Tour 2010.

So my friends and I have started a tour of El Sal's restaurants. We meet every Tuesday around 7:30. So far we have only met twice. It started out with just me, Maggie, Lilly, and a married couple that we love to hang out with but last tuesday our group grew by 2 so it looks promising that by the time I leave our group will be even bigger.

Review 1. (I am not a foodie but my cute boyfriend is so I [by osmosis] pretend to be one too)

Citron was our first stop on the tour. This restaurant was an incredible surprise. I have heard from many people that the food in El Salvador is world class without the prices and Citron proved this to me. We were welcomed by the Chef who is from D.C. and moved here and opened a restaurant. Being a vegetarian can be very difficult here but Citron overly accommodated. The chef offered me so many custom made options that I couldn't think straight. He also told me that I was free to design my own dish. My choice was the mushroom risotto.

I have not been much of a mushroom fan in all honesty but when he described the mushrooms I was sold. They were supposed to be one of the rarest mushrooms and the way that they grow and tip over seems magical so I went for it. Although I didn't get the mushrooms he described (because he actually didnt have any of that type) I got a mushroom found in El Salvador that looked a lot like the ones in the picture above. Let me tell you what....Im a mushroom fan. I LOVED them and I may never go back. Follow this up with a tasting of EVERY dessert on the menu and you have one of the best meals I have ever had. Absolutely wonderful. And dont forget the bread knots and fried yucca gnocchi with a pesto drizzle. Wonderful I tell you! I will be taking my parents when the visit for sure.