I Make Myself

Cold Brew & two things.

Cold brew has become somewhat of a fancy term for something that is very easy, simple and uncomplicated.

One will need two things: A cold brewer and good coffee. 

Salvadorean Coffee is highly recommended basically because it is THE best. 

Granted, people are allowed to think I may be biased but just ask around and you'll see.

El Salvador is mostly popular for its not-so-good things but there are two things for which El Salvador should stand out: great waves and superb coffee. 

And it is about time my country starts standing solid on those two rocks. 

I don't think it's an overstatement to say that every Salvadorean has a relative living here in the States which I'll admit is just my general impression from having lived there almost thirty years. I grew up witnessing how, through these relatives, some of the American culture would make its way to Salvadorean lands. 

It is also not uncommon, when traveling to the States, to bring back certain products one simply cannot find in El Salvador. From organic shampoo to appliances -because there isn't a retailer that sells Vitamix-  the normal flow has been to bring stuff in.

But then I moved here.

I moved to L.A. in early April and now it is late November and I can confidently say that I am able to find everything I need, except one thing. This time it is from Salvadorean lands to the American culture, the one thing I can't get here is my favorite coffee in the entire world.

Coffee is the only thing that I keep asking for and bringing back. That can tell you two things, how good Salvadorean coffee is and how attached I am to it.  

Macchiato's Honey.

That's the one I use and if you are in El Salvador, you can too.

Now, on to the cold brewing part. 

I grind enough beans to make one cup of ground coffee. I put it on the strainer that comes with the brewer, fill it up and then I pour water until it is covered. 

I let it sit overnight.

The next morning I get a batch of chocolaty espresso-like coffee that I can be sure will not have any burnt after-taste that sometimes comes from brewing coffee with hot water. 

It's so easy that it makes me wonder, could all joys be this simple? 

I think my answer might be yes because if you give me two things, my favorite coffee and my favorite city, it makes me feel like I have it all. 

 

 

I got my cold brewer from Amazon, you can find it here

High up

For my birthday we decided to head out and spend a couple of days in Chalatenango.

A territory with the most beautiful, still unadulterated scenery and a personal favourite. It is what high altitude feels like, what we would call "the woods" here in El Salvador.

Archie was not allowed to come (he is not considered part of the local fauna) so it was a two-day trip, lodging in a human-only cabin for two. Time was spent reading books and having tea during quiet mornings. We drank wine out of paper cups, hiked trails for sunset and lit up the fireplace for long night-talks. 

Towards the end of our second day hike we were walking back to the cabin when in the middle of the open field I felt the urge to stop and look up. Just as the clouds cleared, the sky dimmed and lights of hovering stars were revealed.

An elaborate mise en scéne and a perfectly synchronised performance. The universe decided I would be its fortuitos spectator. 

I felt as if I was supposed to be there, that I was meant to be there! at  that specific moment, at that exact time, at that precise place. It was an experience of universal synchronicity, a birthday gift or one of the many things that happen when you are high up and closer to the sky.

Never in a million years would I have thought of myself as someone who shares, much less publicly, about cosmic insights. I could attribute it to all the hippy stuff I've gotten myself into lately. I can only guess that transcendence is contagious ;)

It feels like quite the milestone. Turning thirty-three got me all excited I even got a tattoo. It's about wandering and itinerancy and lightness. It's about me and it's about my grandfather too. An homage to traveling, exploring and freedom.

Uhm!...I guess I have become a tattooed hippy talking about universal magnificence. Who would have thought right?...not my old-church Pastor for sure. 

I also noticed that I have become the kind of person who will publicly acknowledge to have found the most perfectly written -and now current favourite- 'Acknowledgment' in a book. Do people even read those? But Capote will do that to me, In Cold Blood.

He had me at "The material".

Well, off to light up some incense and drink some organic tea.

Here are some pictures to go with.

 

A written but undelivered letter

 

It would be my grandfather's birthday today and I wrote him a little letter as an attempt to figure out why I have recently started to cry every time I think about him.

 

 ***

 

Somewhere after the sun goes down but before it gets dark.

When there's still light outside I find myself thinking of you.

Most times I cry. Usually uncontrollably.

I'm confused. I need to talk to you, we need to go over a few very important things.

Such as...Are you in heaven? What's it like? Can you see me? Can I hear you?

Maybe if you could speak to me in a way I can understand. I'm pretty open about trying out different media except the one where you scare the shit out of me. I hate being afraid so if we could keep it averagely transcendent I'd really appreciate it. This way I can guarantee I'll pay more attention than if I am terrified by some ghost. Ok, not "some" ghost  but even if it's your ghost I'd still be frightened. 

No ghosts, no random moving of things just a simple one on one conversation.

A dream would be nice.

I miss us. You and me talking. 

Did you know you were my first friend and that there were times when you were my only friend.

Kind of lonely, I know, but you were the one who taught me how to never feel alone even though I was by myself.

I was a precocious quiet little girl born into a family I felt I didn't belong to. No one would answer my questions and no one didn't  even seem to care that I had questions!

You were the only one who saw me differently, who encouraged and appreciated my curiosity.

You were the only one who spoke to me like a grown up even though I was only 7.

By 12 you had me reading all your must-read writers and by 18 I was confident I was going to become one. A writer you would read and hopefully be proud of.

I'm trying to become that girl you saw. I'm not sure grandpa I can see it so clearly. Maybe that is why I've been crying. Maybe I'm sorry. I still need to read The Alchemist. 

You are my favourite person in the entire world, did you know that? Did I get to tell you that I love you? That you are the most inspiring person ever? That everything I do I hope will honor the extraordinary example you gave me? 

People read epic stories about people like you.

The one where a far from privileged boy walked away from what everybody assumed would be his underprivileged destiny. Without knowing what he would find he chose to dive into the unknown for there was -as you said plenty of times- no greater regret than the regret of not trying.

The story of a brave man, an average man, a humble man.

I promise I'll try my best to live as fully as you. Refusing to limit yourself with walls of certainty. Confident on your quest. Unapologetically you. 

To call you my friend has been the highlight of my existence.  

Oh and P.S. I have a dog now. He is the cutest dog in the entire world. Objectively speaking. 

 

Book Club!

Oh, hi!

I've been a little MIA but that's because January is a very introspective time and I like to take things slow. I think this month sets the tone for the entire year so I take my time to reflect.

But here I am, ready to talk to you about something I love.

It is no secret that there are two things that I can talk about forever. One, food. Two, books.

Oh dear Lord and I just watched Into the Wild and it is my favorite movie of 2007.

I need to read the book ASAP but I can't because I'm currently reading Moonwalking with Einstein and it's taking me an embarrassing amount of time to finish it and it's not even a difficult read.

I'm half way through so I'm forcing myself into not buying Into the Wild before I finish my current book. 

If I ever wrote a book that I knew would get turned  into a movie with Sean Penn as a Director, it would be Into the Wild. 

But that's not what I wanted to talk to you about.

Drum rolls....A book club! (insert clapping hands here)

Together with the rad people from Contextos we are putting together this awesome event. Really it's them putting it together and me just being really enthusiastic about it.

If you live here in El Salvador and want to stop by...just do :)

You can email [email protected] to RSVP and I can't stress how important it is to let her know that you'll be coming because I want to make sure that we don't run out of wine.

This is the information for our first Wine-and-books book club. 

Hope to see some many of you there.

 

Gift ideas for the late Christmas shopper

 

Under $10

Socks are made for stockings.

Always-give-a-good-impression Card Holders (Business cards not included)

Far-from-ordinary set of placemats.

 

Under 15$

Snoods are for happy people.

Budha Bracelets that will make you go OM and/or WOW.

 

Under $25

Monday doesn't have to be blue anymore.

 

For a very special someone:

A freaking awesome camera strap (works for him or for her) 

A make-a-statement gift. The Backroom's own signature bag.

For all of you who live here in El Salvador you can find everything at The Backroom. I know right! everything is beyond cool and by the way this is not a sponsored post. I truly love everything at this store plus I am a firm believer in buying from local businesses.

Have a wonderful late Christmas shopping day :)

I'm trying

I'm back and it hasn't been easy.

I haven't made it easy on me so mostly it's my fault. Guilty as charged.

On top of it, it's hard for me to talk about it.

I shut down. That's like my thing. That's why I haven't been writing. That's why I feel like I don't want to see anyone. That's why I don't want to talk about anything.

I'm trying though. This is my attempt to deal with whatever and yes, there are things I have a hard time talking about but there are other things that will get me talking in no time.

So here are a few of those things...you know...so I can loosen up a bit.

Books.

I'm currently reading The wondrous life of Oscar Wao. By currently I mean I started the book before I left -two months ago- dropped it in Hong Kong at my friend's and picked it up on my way back.  

I'm also writing on a separate post my thoughts on the book. Spoiler alert: awesomeness on a stick. But then again you could see that one coming since I only write about books I like. 

Yoga -sigh-

Honestly it's what keeps me sane and that doesn't mean that I have to practice everyday but everything I've gotten out of yoga has taught me so much about myself that now, more than ever, I feel that I am in tune with my body (brain and heart included), and that for me is the ultimate definition of health -both physically and mentally-  I've become my own Q&A.

Music. 

I'm already working on this month's yoga playlist and even though I wasn't a crazy music fan before yoga, now I love me a good amount of good pump up songs.

I can't resist when a song I love comes up on the radio. I will turn the damn volume up and blast ma' steeeeeereooooooo and yes, throw in a few dance moves. If you see me dancing one day in the car next to you please don't be weird about it, just wave and say hi.

Hi.

I'm sorting out the nearly thousand pictures Heinz and I took. Well...he is. I haven't looked at the pictures. I don't want to reminisce. I don't want to feel that now it's all just a memory. I want to feel just as I did when I was at all those amazing places. I don't want to forget how alive I felt. How  much joy I can fit in my body. How far I can go. How in love Heinz and I can be.

Routine is a bummer. I wish I could thrive on a routine but I can't. I need new challenges, new places, new things and I had come to the conclusion that, on some aspects of my life, I had to settle. 

No, I DON'T need to settle!

I'm happier when I'm on the move and not in a particular geographical sense but I need to feel that I am moving forward, that I am going somewhere. 

Nowhere doesn't exist. 

So here I am. In sunny El Salvador, trying to make sense of how I'm back to where things didn't change a single bit but me...you know...I somehow came back feeling same, same...but different.

I am here

 

Gatsby the -great- movie

 

The Backroom

El Salvador | Part I

I met Tess and Tanis in Costa Rica. We were there for the Yoga Teacher Training at the Nosara Yoga Institute.

Even though we have three different personalities and come from different backgrounds (they are both from Canada and I am from tiny El Salvador) last november we spent a month together, walking the jungle path to the Institute, taking beach breaks and well...having a blast.

When we said our goodbyes in Costa Rica it didn't feel like a good bye at all. Somehow I knew I was going to see them soon. 

I never thought soon would mean this year! 

They both came to spend some time in El Salvador and I think we managed to see a lot. I've decided to break their visit into two parts because we also squeezed in a little visit to Guatemala that I think deserves a full post.

La Hola, Costa del Sol | La Hola restaurant at La Costa del Sol beach

 

This was our first stop. We drove directly from the airport to catch the sunset and initiate them on what would become the official drink for the trip: Micheladas.

We sat right on the beach and while I dodged the sun rays these two girls couldn't get enough of them. Totally understandable since they come from what I consider the north pole. 

We got so caught up in catching up that I forgot to take more pictures but believe me this place is beautiful, beautiful place.

Aguas Termales de Santa Teresa | Santa Teresa Hot Springs

   

It was my first time here and I absolutely loved it! You can either spend the day or stay over at their lovely hotel. They have different sets of pools that start at the hottest and end at the one I didn't like -yes, you guessed- the coolest one.

You can find more information here.

 

El Sunzal | Sunzal beach

     

There wasn't much sand to walk on but waking up to the sound of the ocean was more than enough. We spent the night here and when we came back to the city it was just to jump straight on the bus to Guatemala.

Guatemala coming up.

Related articles

The Canadians are here!

A day in El Salvador

You are here