Living Like a Spaniard

Posted on April 29, 2011 by erinparker75

Spain is one of those unique places that vibrates consistently with life during the day as well as into the wee hours of the night. The lifestyle here is markedly more laid back than most Western countries. Whether you are living in Spain or just visiting, here are some tips to keep in mind to ease into Spanish life:

Continue reading →

Posted in MatadorU assignments, My Life, Spain, Thoughts | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Austin – 2

Posted on April 27, 2011 by erinparker75

Saturday morning in Austin we take Kim to get some breakfast tacos from Torchy’s. They’re her new favorite food. I recommend the Dirty Sanchez and Green Chili Pork.

Continue reading →

Posted in Austin, Travel | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Austin – 1

Posted on April 25, 2011 by erinparker75

Austin, TX seems to have this entrepreneurial epidemic. Most of my friends there work for themselves and set their own schedules. This bodes well when Kim and I roll into town around 2pm on a Friday and head straight to the pool, beer in tow. After all, what are Friday afternoons for if not sunning and drinking?

Continue reading →

Posted in Austin | Tagged , | 5 Comments

New Orleans – 4

Posted on April 22, 2011 by erinparker75

Frenchmen Street is THE place to go for music in New Orleans. Write that down. We hit up The Spotted Cat,  a tiny venue with silky music spilling out onto the pavement. The Jazz Vipers were playing that night, and their trumpet player is about 75 years old. He’s adorable! Check it out…. Continue reading →

Posted in New Orleans, Travel | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Madrid, mi amor

Posted on April 20, 2011 by erinparker75

First day in Madrid. I arrived around 10am after having spent the entire previous night awake at London Luton. Luton is NOT in London. Don’t let the name fool you. I advise anyone and everyone to stay away as the hassle of getting there (if you don’t have amazing friends with cars willing to drive you) isn’t worth the extra costs you will save.

Continue reading →

Posted in Madrid, Spain, Travel | Tagged , | Leave a comment

New Orleans – 3

Posted on April 18, 2011 by erinparker75

New Orleans gave us a very lazy second day. We didn’t get out of bed until midday and walked around the French Quarter trying to pull out of our haze from the night before.

“He’s got gold teeth!” Kim said in surprise, about someone who just got on the street car. Love it.  Continue reading →

Posted in New Orleans, Travel | Tagged | Leave a comment

New Orleans – 2

Posted on April 9, 2011 by erinparker75

First thing’s first: we take the street car to the shit show that is Bourbon Street. We immediately pop into a daiquiri factory and get our go-cups. Kim is appalled by the smell of urine and vomit and trash, at 6pm on a Monday night. She hasn’t learned the art of breathing through her mouth yet. In due time, little grasshopper. Due time.

We stumble upon this jewel of a drummer. He attracted a pretty big crowd, and you can see why…

We still have a bit of time before our ghost tour, so we head to Pat O’Brien’s to get her a hurricane and some [fried] alligator.

We join up with the New Orleans Ghost Tour at 8PM. It’s a walking tour through the gorgeous French Quarter which is cool, but this particular tour was a real let down. Don’t do it. I had wanted Lord Chaz, who is BRILLIANT, but he wasn’t available that evening. Sad. Lord Chaz is the only way to go guys.

And! We didn’t even see ghosts. I at least wanted a scary face in a window.

Post tour, I introduce Kim to the wonderment of beignets at Café du Monde. She fell in love. Here we scoop up a friend in from Baton Rouge and head off for Frenchmen St.

Posted in New Orleans | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

New Orleans – 1

Posted on April 7, 2011 by erinparker75

Kim arrives late on a Saturday night and I scoop her up from the airport and take her promptly home for a champagne initiation in the South.

She comes bearing gifts!


Then we head to El Tiempo for margaritas and fajitas – the second part of her initiation. I didn’t enjoy it at all. Mexican food? Gross.

We leave for New Orleans Monday morning, and on the drive there (that she thought was entirely too long and to which I explained in Texas, a 5 hour drive is short) I introduced her to phrases such as “baby mama/daddy” and “all up in my grill”. Crucial items for NOLA. She caught on quickly. I also introduced her to “You’s a Hoe” by Ludacris. Classic lyrics, that one.

…”hoe tell erryone, even the mayor. Reach up in the sky for the hoe-zone layer.”

look at that hoe. she so cute

We settle into India House, which turns out to be a pretty cool hostel, and proceed to have the following conversation with the front desk girl:

Me: What’s the easiest way to get to Bourbon St?

Girl: Girls, don’t spend a drunk night on Bourbon

Me: Oh definitely not. We’re just meeting our ghost tour there. (No one actually spends the night on Bourbon. No one who actually knows NOLA that is…)

Girl: Oh, you’re going on the ghost tour? You’ll pass right by my apartment!

Me: You have ghosts?

Girl: Yeah, like 28 people were killed and drained in the bathtub. But if you…

Me: (interrupting) Hold on. What?

Girl: Yeah a lot of people were killed in my apartment at the beginning of the century, then dissected and drained in the bathtub.

Me: What the..

Girl: Well, they were vampires.

Me: Oh. Well then the bathtub makes sense. And have you seen any of the ghosts?

Girl: Well I was raised pagan, so I’m a seer. I see things that most people don’t. (Kim is silent the whole time)

Me: Of course.

Pagan Girl: Well y’all have a good time!

I’m all smiles at this point. We’re off to a great start…

Posted in New Orleans | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Costa Rica – 5

Posted on March 31, 2011 by erinparker75

Our Costa Rica tour ends in Manual Antonio, home to one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen in my entire life. Towering rocks jut out of the ocean in the distance, obsidian against the cerulean sky. The Pacific beckons with lazy fingers, while I battle between swimming or lying under the thick palms from the jungle that backs straight up to the water. Are those monkeys playing above my head? Sure are.

I mean, their faces. Really?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I would love to tell you that we didn’t drink Rock Ice con Limon while we were there. But that would be a lie. God it’s awful. My tongue was not nearly refined at 24 as it is now 🙂

 

 

Always exhibit happiness when indulging in local libations

It was the end of our trip, so we spent the majority of it on the beach and dining out at night. Costa Rica, and especially Manual Antonio, is expensive y’all. Like, America expensive.

We spent one day wandering around the national park with a guide. The guides are good for pointing out all the wild life that a city girl like me would usually miss.

I had the strangest sensation while on the bus back to San Jose to catch our flight. It was like a million tiny hands were reaching out of the land and trying to make me stay. In a much less creepy sense, it was then that I knew that I wasn’t supposed to leave. I did anyway. And paid for it…

Posted in Costa Rica, Manual Antonio | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Costa Rica – 4

Posted on March 27, 2011 by erinparker75

From Monteverde we hopped a quick bus to Playa Hermosa – known for black sand beaches and that was reason enough for me to go. I had never seen a black sand beach before! Yay. Playa Hermosa is like Jaco’s little sister: for the more experienced surfer, not as much nightlife, hostels on the water, etc. The people who stay here usually only care about surfing. It’s totally groovy man.

The village is tiny and full of surfers, who never seem to wear shoes. I love that. We had banana pancakes on the beach for breakfast, along with delicious Costa Rican coffee while we watched them ride the waves. Remind me again why I don’t live here??

Take a look at the view from our room. It’s okay. You can hate me a little bit…

Posted in Costa Rica | Tagged , | Leave a comment