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| FANTASTIC SNACK FOR KURT |
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| SALAD FOR LYNN |
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| MY HEALTHY MEAL |
Meanwhile my friend Tom who forgot our dinner plans one night and left me standing, joined me after apologizing. He had a shipment of furnishings arrive at his newly completed home remodel and the workers just dumped it all where ever there was floor space so for the following week his life was upside down. I could understand. We agreed to meet at the same place then take a taxi to Mexita in Col. Reforma for dinner. I heard about Fiero Bistro that recently opened in the same area and proposed we try something different. He agreed and we had a great dinner there instead.
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| MY COMBO CEVICHE WITH OCTOPUS, CALAMARI, ETC |
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| TOM'S CEVICHE WITH SWEET POTATO |
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| TOM'S RISOTTO (BUT RICE INSTEAD!) WITH SHRIMP |
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| MY PORK BELLY ON POLENTA |
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| TOM PLAYING WITH HIS SHRIMP |
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| MY FANTASTIC GUAVA CHEESECAKE WITH BALSAMIC ICE CREAM...WHICH I ATE BEFORE TAKING PHOTO!! SO GOOD |
I still have the problem of my condo in Scottsdale. I want to maintain ownership so when I do pass on, my children will have something of value to liquidate and enable them to have more opportunities to achieve their goals. If I just sell it, I have to pay substantial taxes on the gains and feel there would be less for them in the long run. So my goal is to rent it out furnished and full time. To accomplish that, I need to remove my personal clothes and things of sentimental value that I wish to keep. To do that, I either have to get a larger place here in Oaxaca or make the place I now have more spacious by getting rid of some furnishings and making more space with custom storage that be multipurpose.
That is where Don comes in. He has made three very practical pieces of furniture that fit my needs here and now I need a large wardrobe and additional storage unit that will enable me to bring all necessary items to Oaxaca and rent my condo furnished. We met the other day at the Zocalo with his wife Pat and her brother Darcy. He was receptive to the idea so I started making my plans but still need to return to Scottsdale and do an inventory of those items I want to bring, then sell or give away the rest, before I can finalize the plans for Don.
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| DISTILARIO'S GUACAMOLE AT HAPPY HOUR.
I returned to Distilario's happy hour after such a good meal there the week before. I had Rabbit Raviolis with pickled carrots with my Mezcal cocktail last time. This time I had another special Mezcal cocktail with just the Guacamole. Great place.
My cannabis has arrived in sealed foil pouch delivered to local Miscellaneous Store (like our 7/11). It tested out to be good but not like USA high grade. Very good for here.
 
I purchased two Chicken in Green Salsa Tamales on the way home a few days ago and heated one up then unwrapped it and added sour cream with black pepper. I don't know how fattening these are but will buy more from this lady on the street. I saw her the next day and complimented her.
Oaxaca is in bloom year round but different plants and trees at different times.
 
Lynn and Kurt emailed me for dinner Sunday near my neighborhood so joined them at the "Jaguar" for Pizza. Lynn had the seafood pasta. Kurt and I each had and ate a whole pizza on our own. We shared a bottle of wine and agreed the service was not friendly and the food not outstanding.
CAN YOU TELL WE WERE NOT HAPPY
We walked over to my condo so I could show them where I lived, then took a taxi to Convivio for a Lafayette, Louisiana Blues Festival with Mezcal and Gumbo. There was a good crowd and we stuck around for the first set which was great. Eric, the band leader and organizer of the first of it's kind in Oaxaca, did a great job of welcoming everyone. He cooked and served the Gumbo before kicking off the celebration with a great band. I left after the first set as I was tired and supposed to play pool with Kurt the next morning.
   
I left the next morning to buy an HDMI cable to connect my computer to my SMART TV so I could connect to the internet with Virtual Private Network and hopefully be able to broadcast the Super Bowl on my TV through Sling TV that I subscribe to in the states. I got the cable and made the pool hall for 4 wins and 4 losses with a great group of gringos.
Kurt and I walked to the Pachote Market so I could try Ramblas del Mar, a new seafood restaurant that Deke, my condo manager, recommended and for good reason.
Kurt's Fish Taco's were gone before I could get a photo of them but also was half of my Mahi Mahi with buttery rice, organic veggies cooked to perfection and a tasty beet green salad with vinaigrette dressing.
  
My ink ran out on my printer while trying to do my Taxes so I know how much I owe this year. I had to go to Office Depot to replace it and Chepiche, a highly recommended Breakfast place, was near by so I hike into Colonial Reforma to try it out. Very good.
     
The next day I decided to have lunch at Ramblas del Mar where Kurt and I had such a great lunch. This time I ordered the Shrimp Hamberguesa after trying Aquacate Cameron..
that was sort of a Ceviche with Sliced Cucumbers, Serrano Pepper, Onion and Celentro with Lime Juice.
 
Lots of Shrimp, Tomato, Pickles, Lettuce and Oaxacan Cheese on and giant fresh Toasted Hamburger Bun with lemon, jalapeno pepper, and an Olive. It served as dinner that night.
A couple of days later, I returned for Breakfast.
Poached Eggs on Avocado served on Belanc Bakery Sourdough Whole Wheat Toast, with a Salad and Organic Vegetables to round out a great start on the day. I think I fail to mention the cost.....$4.
Saturday I had a ticket for the Opera "Carmen" that was Simulcast from the Met to our beautiful Opera House in Oaxaca. Elaine passed me while I was resting my legs cramps and didn't even notice me. She was going to the Opera. Others followed. They came in from all directions with their tickets in their hands. It was a SELL OUT. When I bought my ticket, the seller explained there were few tickets left. I picked out one I thought was good but he took me in the empty Opera House to let me see what I ordered....it was right behind a post.
He then pointed out another that had a better view and the post wasn't right in front. Well too bad he didn't do that for the guy next to me who looked directly into the post. It was fun watching everyone (mostly Gringos) filtering into their seats. This is a once a month event and so a good chance to catch up on what's been going on with your friends. My seat didn't afford me the opportunity being tucked away in the back row.
  
Marga, an elderly friend of mine whose cast off New Yorker magazines I read, sat on the end with help of the usher and her cane. When the first break came, I got up left my seat to the poor guy next to me. I saw Marga outside as I was leaving for the Zocalo. I asked why she is leaving and she replied I can't read the subtitles fast enough and think it was repetitious dialog and not my cup of Tea. I was just falling asleep.
SILK WORMS AND THE SILK THEY PRODUCE
  
A FAMOUS CERAMIC SCULPTURER THAT MY CONDO MANAGER INTERVIEWED
   
I took the short cut through San Pablo Cultural Center where a gathering of Artisans from Oaxaca and 3 near by States were selling their creations. This was really high quality
Textiles, Carvings, Ceramics, Jewelry, and Clothing.
  Donna was from Rochester N.Y. I told her I was hoping to spend my summer there. Why would you want to spend it in Rochester, that awful city. Then she said she attended school in Boston. I said I Managed three of the Pewter Pot Muffin Houses there before leaving to live in Scottsdale. She said I must have been stalking her because it couldn't be coincidence. Take heart Donna, I have never been to the Hampton's. She was staying at the Hotel and was going to move to St Augustine Etla? You mean San Augustine de Etla? Yes that's it. I don't like an Urban environment and don't want to be around Gringos. Oh then you speak Spanish? How will you tell your maid what to do? I had to leave so finished my Guava Toast and was out the door.  
A REAL SIDEWALK CAFE...FAN THE FIRE.
I arrived around 5 pm and enjoyed front row seats in front of the TV with Kurt and Lynn. I couldn't bring myself to order the New England Shrimp Roll so had the Rams Cold Crab Stew on an Avocado with Lettuce and Tomato.
  
Now I was feeling it but the meal helped stabilize me. The Half Time show sucked.
Halina, an good Polish friend I met 5 years ago, arrived for her annual visit with her friend Barbara and two Polish ladies they had been entertaining the last week. I went for hugs and introductions then returned to watch the game. Later one of the ladies came over to ask about the game with Halina following her. Halina grabbed me and kissed me on the lips....a first. I didn't let go. They were leaving and shortly after the game ended and so did we.
There was festivities everywhere this weekend for one of many Mexican National Holidays. Everyone was out but my street on the way home was empty.
It's Monday and I've had a sore throat for a week and started worrying it might be throat cancer so headed for Dr Z to have it checked out. It was early so I stopped at the Ramblas del Mar just to give them a copy of my review that got published in the Library newsletter yesterday. I would be shopping and going to their home tomorrow for Cooking lessons with Kurt and Lynn. They were very pleased. I was walking toward the library and noted another Health Food store so stopped in to see what they had and ran into Sharon, another snow bird from Chicago that I have know for a couple of year. She had been here a month and was heading home next week. We chatted and I left and decided to stop at the library for a Peanut Butter Bagel with water. Mark, a former Coffee Plantation owner who lost the farm when the Blight arrived. As I was eating my Bagel (1/2 Chunky Peanut Butter, 1/2 Creamy Style) Mike from Southern California stopped by to chat and say hello. He does a lot of volunteer work and invited me to one of his fund raisers coming up...a Cello Concert.
Pattie was been the Host at the Library so I stopped to chat about Helen's upcoming visit this month. Then the owners of Ramblas del Mar surprised me and came walking in. I introduced them to Pattie but she was already a regular customer and knew them well. They said they wanted to be familiar with the Library so stopped by to visit it the first time. She speaks English and he is learning so might come back for the Exchange with Mexicans and Gringos on Saturday.
I arrived at Dr Z's and after a short wait he checked me out and gave me three scripts after looking at my throat. He talked about Climate Change was not Global Warming but Global Cooling and explained this occurs every 500 years of something. Crops are dying because too much snow made the ground too wet to plant and those that did died and the same is going to happen this spring and we could be in for rising food prices and a recession.
He plays in a band and had his drum in the office to practice when he closed for the Siesta.
I ran into Peggy my new friend while I was headed to the Pharmacy and she with a bag of pastries for her group Spanish lessons. We hugged and talked a bit before getting me scripts and taking the bus home where Adelina was just finishing cleaning my apartment.
Life in Oaxaca full of friends and activities. It makes a difference when you walk instead of ride your car to run errands. Google is screwing with me...discontinuing Google + ,Plus 1, and MY FOLLOWERS. So I am ending this blog and may switch to new venue??? I will send this to as many of you as I can.
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