A Tale of Two Cities... Ale's Style

You know what you get when you're friends compete with each other!? MORE PRESENTS!!!!

Hahaahaha. JUST kidding!!!

So my lovely New York girls Dulce and Wallstr showered me with wonderful birthday presents on Wednesday! Then we went out for yummy Mexican dinner with Margheritas and sizzzzling fajitas, chimichangas and my staple mexican food choice, Mole Poblano! (Yes, I like my meat with chocolate!)




















So here is the rundown of the wonderful presents I got:

1. Gorgeous white Kenneth Cole bag!
2. Front Row - Biography of Anna Wintour (The Vogue editor for those of you that are still in denial that Vogue is a publication that really has the power to fix a lot of world's problems... I'll elaborate one day.)
3. Moroccan cook book
4. Vietnamese cook book (So I can experiment with my own fusion cuisine that's so hot right now!)

I never like to make big deals about my birthday, I guess that goes back to my family who have never been big on any holidays or gift giving. Don't get me wrong, we give lots of presents to each other, its just never specifically for birthdays, or christmas or anything. If someone's birthday is coming we simply just assign "Birthday" tag to whatever presents we happen to give that person starting with 3 month prior to the actual date. So its not a big surprise if ON the actual date there isn't any present exchange. Its just how my family is. We are also not big on surprises, we tell each other who is getting what and when. And I don't mind really, gives you more magical anticipation time.

BUT! I have been trying to start my own traditions and I think gift exchange with pretty wrapping paper and the surprising gasps are all great fun. And I think my family is also keen on this new development... who knew!

Anyway, back to my lovely birthday month! Yes today is the last day of March, and my b-day is officially over. I was going all mushy and sentimental and my New York girls don't do mushy so they kinda gave each other knowing looks and decided to "explain" the gifts...

"Ale, you're forgetting! We're NOT your Chicago girls, who are sweet and nice and want to give you cute gifts because its sweet and nice to do..."

"... amm.... no?" I didn't think so...

"Please, how could you think that we turned sweet and cute, are you crazy!! Think about it...
first of all the white purse is so that you look cute enough to be seen in public with us..." said Dulce

"And the cookbooks are really so you can invite us over and cook dinners! HELLOO!!!!" said Wallstr.

"OH! And... I expect you to finish reading 'Front Row' sometime soon cus I want to read it!!!" Dulce added.

pause...

"I LOOOOOVE you guyyyys!!!!" By that moment I was almost on the verge of tears because THIS is my New York girls, now I know for SURE there's love!!!!!

And yes, while I love my friends from the two cities and they love me (!!!!!!!) we will express it differently. For example if a Chicago girl wears stilletos its to look hot, if a New York girl wears stilletos is to kick ass and be as far away from the nasty dirty pavement as possible. Its just a different dynamic.

When Chicago girls give you presents for your birthday its sweet, when New York girls give you presents its because really they're planning on using it AND to compete with the Chicago girls...

Of course I'm only joking. Friendship and love is NOT measured by presents! But I do know my friends love me from both cities because it SAID SO IN MY BIRTHDAY CARDS!!!!! And we have established earlier that HAND written cards ALWAYS tell the truth!!!!

Message to my Chicago girls: Love you! MUAHH!

Message to my New York girls: Love you! Ewwww, whatever shut-up, MUAHH!!!!!

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Nostalgia...

Ahhh... today we are having a bit of Costa Rica nostalgia... The Volcano Arenal. I am ready for a vacation! Better put: I'm ready for an adventure. Something that will make your blood circulate, make you sweat a bit... like I'll can't believe we went repelling of waterfalls! Can't wait to do that again, what a rush!

Where would you rather be right now!? If time or money was not an issue... anywhere... tell me!

Oh by the way, Kaya took that picture. She is just a visual genious! I believe it was from the porch at our cabana place while having breakfast. Desayuno "Americano"- two eggs, hot dog, fruits and toast... and coffee... of course! We would call it, our breakfast with the Volcano.

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My birthday weekend was fabulous! Well I should say my birthday month, since I've been receiving surprises all through out. On Saturday I got a few sweet ones in the mail!

A sexy card from la bella Cadiz, and a GORGEOUS bracelet from la bella Kaya! Orange is the new darling shade! Thank you thank you I love it girls!

The rest of the weekend was a perfet blur of hugs, kisses, flowers and fizzing champaign buzz!!! Better pictures than words...

More presents!

I made lunch on sunday for my grandparents and family.
Risotto with scallops in wine and garlic, baked tomatoes stuffed with crab meat and sesame seared tuna.
And for desert... I should say... Deserts, ice cream with wild berries in rum, and a cupcake tower! After an unsuccessful (downright dangerous) improvisation with banana flambeying... I decided to keep it safe and stepped out to a local Italian bakery for some birthday cupcakes.

Uff... I'm so glad the kitchen cabinets are somehow fire resistant...

Oh yeah, and a whole bunch of champaign... My grandma's glass bubbled the most and we decided it was simply another affirmation of my grandma's magical powers!

I was dying to tell her about the Nico developments... but for now its only a roller coaster which I don't want to take her on... since it's not suitable for babies, pregnant ladies or those over 65.

Cheers!

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Someone brought this site to my attention: www.americangirlsareeasy.com. Two American girls travel all around Europe keeping a diary of events; the result is what seems to be a pretty comprehensive guide on "how to find a guy in Europe, and leave him there". They basically profile different European guys and what its like to date them... including what kind of competition to expect from the local girls and how to get along with his mother. Very interesting... Some guys get pretty good reviews, however, the girls do recommend LEAVING them in Europe.

browse around, German guys get a hilarious review, we'll see if its true.. I love the suggestions on how to get in "good" with la mamma of the Italian guy.

I haven't dated any German boys before, but I've dated others profiled, and let me tell you, they're totally on.

Love it! Good job girls!

Side bar update: New section "Be Vogue Aproved" for some fashion inspiration...

ps: psst... happy b-day to me! yey! pictures of celebratory lunch manana...

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Ale the Travel Planner!

Spring "magic" is definitely in the air people!!! Sunshine, crazy birds are singing... clouds are on the run... love, romance, champaign.... its all here! See, I totally know what I'm talking about when I say I want it to be sempre primavera!!

So back to the current events at hand. The other day, as you might have noted from the rambunctious use, positioning and punctuation of a certain abbreviated frase... that perhaps I was a bit excited.

YA THINK!?!!

Right, well, excited I doubtlessly was, but not only that; I was also nauseous, nervous, lightheaded... and just about had an anxiety attack... I mean, I've been wishing this to happen for a bit now, I even ran through a little practice run of how it may play out if it happened, but wishing is one thing and for it to actually be happening totally different!!! Ya THINK!?!!

It happened around lunch time, thank goodness, because I immediately had to step outside for some fresh air. I got sea sick in the elevator... Once outside, I literally had to stabilize myself by death-gripping various building walls... It was pretty crazy I tell ya.

Needless to say, I did not eat a thing. I did have a Snapple (Raspberry Ice Tea) - you know, The Snapple Diet.

I've calm down by now (and had a full breakfast of eggs, cheese and sausage). Nico is all curious about the size of the red carpet and the stretchiness of the limo I'm getting him so I assured him all will be in top order and I'm planning everything for a super fun weekend!!!!

I didn't give him the details... but I'll tell you! Yes, I will surely be a really busy planning bee for the next few weeks, since there ARE so many things to plan to ensure he has the most fabulous time here in the city:

(not necessarily in order of importance)

1. My manicure
2. My pedicure
3. My deep conditioning treatment for hair at the saloon
4. My OUTFITS!!!!! (Will most likely involve shopping!)
5. A massage (I will be tired and stressed from all this planning!)
6. A few tanning sessions to get that perfect bronze glow!
7. A trip to Sephora to pick out the most seductive lip gloss so I can sexily re-apply all day long
8. Figure out when the heck La Perla is having a sample sale...

hm.... am I forgetting anything...??

Daaaam, he is SO LUCKY!! I'm SUCH a good travel planner!!!!!

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omg omg ...OMG! O-M-G!!!!!!!!!!! OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

O!

M!

G!!!!

OMG!!!!!!! OMG... OMG.... OMGOMG!!!!!!!! Omg... omg omg omg... o...m........g............... ___________________________ BREATHE!!!!!!! .... wooOOooh..... OMGOMG OMG OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nico is coming to town!!!!!

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DO YOU KNOW WHAT!? Mr. Highcontrast is here in NYC!!! I'm so excited! He'll be here for a couple of months on a work project. What a sight for sore eyes is he!!! So tomorrow we are going out for a bite of the big apple! If you see a super hot sexy guy and a girl that's totally happy and is hanging herself on top of him... yep that would be us!

Speaking of happily hanging yourself on guys... guess what!? I will now be quiet about ignoring Nico... because its TOTALLY IMPOSSIBLE!!!! I got his birthday gift for me... aaahhh. It was even wrapped in a pretty glittery paper! .... AAAHHhhhhh And to think that I read somewhere that guys from Germany are terrible gift-givers. NOT true!

PS: OH! and!!! Since Highcontrast will be in NY, that means I'll have arm candy date to bring to the wedding #2!!!!!!!!! YES!!!

(As you can imagine I choked the heck out of Luck this morning! See, told you it works!!)

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