a little tip for hosts

Hey, hosts!
Do you have a visitor coming? Is it winter? Does your guest know your apartment/house is actually a sauna/kept at 88 degrees? Why not let her in on that? Because maybe she won't pack that long sleeved T-shirt and flannel pajama pants, which, when she wears them at night, will cause her to perspire so much that when she wakes, she will be 70% smaller and shriveled-looking for lack of water. Inform your guests that they will be sleeping in what amounts to a tropical greenhouse! It's the polite thing to do.

Thanks,
Kati's sweaty neck

report from Buenos Aires not so much about Buenos Aires

I am presently in my friend's fun little loft apartment in Palermo Hollywood. I love the mild late winter weather of Buenos Aires, but I'm going to take this moment while my friend sleeps (she wears ear plugs and is a bitch to try to wake up) to talk to the literary young men out there.

Dear literary young men,
What is the deal with Philip Roth? Every one of you is madly, truly, Savage Garden-ly in love with Philip Roth. Granted, I've only read the semi-crappy Plot Against America, so all the rest of his books might, together, be as blessedly wonderful as a hot bath after a long day of walking cobble stone streets... still, I wish one guy would say that he loved something less obvious. Arundhati Roy, for example, or Chimimanda Adichie. Raymond Queneau. Pat Barker. Geraldine Brooks. Hell, Charles Dickens would be more of a surprise than Roth (or Pynchon or Foster Wallace, for that matter). So, please, literary young men, broaden your horizons. Take a risk in your reading. Because, right now, you all sound the same.

Okay, with that done, I will say a few things about Buenos Aires. Dulce de leche is in everything. Everything. Also, there is almost as much helado here as there was in Italy. Argentinian men wear the most adorable, uncool sweaters, and it is incredibly sexy. Submarinos sound more indulgent and delicious than they are. The capital of Montenegro is Podgorica. Also, this seems to be the only place in the world where I have good fashion sense.

Will update later. Chau.

into winter

Nomads, unite!

I'll be in Mexico City by tonight (it's just after midnight on August 19) and Buenos Aires tomorrow. My first foray south of the Equator. My third continent. Three countries (Uruguay, Argentina, and Mexico) in one go. All very exciting. I may or may not post updates/photos during my trip. I am hoping to write some kind of a travel piece--anything that gets published will get a link here.

Bringing more books along than I will probably need. Have been reading a lot of travel literature lately in its various forms. Has the ability to both ignite and dampen wanderlust. Lucky that I'm not heading off to North Africa or the Middle East because my latest read would make me dread it fully.

Now am off to bed. Long flights tomorrow and the day after. Adios!

No Eric

So today on my way home from work, I was stopped at the intersection of Whitsett and Magnolia and I noticed a sign in the window of the photo lab/camera shop. A simple sign that said "No Eric."

Which begs the question, who's Eric? And why would anyone expect him to be there? Is he a celebrated, sexy former employee whose trysts with customers got him fired? Is he a guy who owes some shady North Hollywood thugs money? Is he a type of camera? Or are Erics prohibited from entering the store? Maybe the owner lost his wife/partner to a lothario named Eric or maybe his partner was named Eric or he found out that the man his mother left his father for is named Eric or some guy named Eric stole his parrot or maybe Eric was his parrot and the parrot called the store owner something unsavory?

Really, I find the "No Eric" sign sad and mysterious, but not so surprising. Erics are often too attractive for their own good. Eric Stoltz, for example, or, um... Well, wasn't the prince in The Little Mermaid named Eric? I think I've made my case. So beware, my friends. Though Eric may no longer be lurking around Whitsett and Magnolia, he is out there. And God knows what he's capable of.

Addendum: Eric Pakurar is also an
almost annoyingly good-looking and awesome human being with an equally good-looking and awesome family. I wouldn't want him in my camera shop either.

Finally being nomadic again--any suggestions on Argentinean activites?

So I've been working super-hard and, combined with my friend's decision to spend the next month in Buenos Aires, I bought a ticket today. I'll be taking spectacularly inexpensive Aeromexico to Buenos Aires on the 19th (getting in the 20th) of this month, and then coming back late on the 26th (arriving on the 27th) for super-cheap thanks to my American miles (having to pay taxes on that is bull, btw), via Miami. I was tempted to spend a little more and go with LAN, which would mean a layover in Peru. But my cheapness won out.

My friend is staying in Palermo Viejo, which is exciting. I'm particularly excited about going to Colonia, which is in Uruguay and a hop, skip, and a ferry ride away from BA. Three countries in seven days (and possibly flying over the Andes?)! I could not be more excited if I tried.

If anyone has been and has suggestions of what to do, or if anyone wants to donate to the Kati goes to Buenos Aires cause, please comment below. Gracias!