A little of this and a little of that

This blog is kind of a cluster of random stuff we’ve been meaning to write about, hence the seemingly unrelated topics.

JOBS! What a strange thing, to have a job that you trained for. Jesse and I both have teaching jobs with a few different English Academies. We’re working with adults only, and most of our classes are less than 6 students. Our students are generally professionals: managers, executives, etc. Many of our lessons will be centered around business related English and some will be general English lessons. We’ve been joking around that we feel like big shots, because our Academies have some really big clients. Jesse is teaching mostly at the FOX News affiliate in Buenos Aires during the week. One of my students is the Argentine executive of Shell. I know, right?! Real, grown up jobs with other grown ups!

We’re not making much money (approx. 35 pesos per hour = $9 American), and we will probably only work around 25 hours per week (poor us, wah wah). So we’re not rolling in cash, but we’re not poor. We’ll make plenty of money to live, eat and drink well, and have a plethora of adventures.  

Mine on the left: Choclate hazelnut and pistachio.
Jesse's on the right: Panna cotta and chocolate w/ orange

Yesterday was my birthday, so now I am officially 25 years young. I think I can say I’m in my mid-20’s now. Jesse and I celebrated quietly. However, we went out to dinner at this little Italian restaurant and it was de-freakin-licious. We started with a meat platter, then had beef involtini and osso bucco. The part of the meal that stood out the most was the gelato for dessert. Jesse accurately described that it was like eating a cloud.

Last night, I had a momentary lapse in judgment and suggested we just stay in.  Luckily Jesse told me to cowgirl the F-up and get dressed to go get some beers. We went to this place called Bullers, a brewery by the Recoleta Cemetery just a few blocks away. It’s not the best place because the beer is overpriced due to it being in a touristy location, but good beer is really hard to come by in Argentina, and I hadn’t had an IPA in a long time. I know, some of you were hoping we’d burn this place down. But that will come in time, my friends.

Beers at Bullers Brewery

Our food of the week is Alfajores! Alfajores are probably the most popular sweet treat here. They’re little cakes, separated by dulce de leche, and then dipped in chocolate. Dulce de leche is basically caramel, only it stays soft and gooey. Porteños are obsessed with dulce de leche. It is in and on everything.

Generally, alfajores look like little candy sandwiches and are sometimes double decker style. The “cake” inside can sometimes be a little chalky for my taste, but Jesse loves it all. However, Jesse has never met a cookie/cake/candy/mostly sugary treat that he has not liked. I’m surprised I haven’t ever caught him just spooning refined sugar into his mouth before.

So, we’ve been doing lots of “research” on different alfajores. I, of course, like the ones with a really thick chocolate coating. Jesse loves the brand “Cachafaz” (the white one and one in the back mostly eaten)...and pretty much all alfajores in general.

In case you were wondering, he is indeed licking the crumbs off the plate.

One day we’ll send some home. J