Sunday, March 27, 2011

Don't Wake Me Up...

...Until after the championship game on April 4th. I know I was planning doing South America posts before anything else, but this is really too good to be true. 

So proud of my CATS! So happy to be a part of the big blue nation this week! I am going to have to break down and buy a pair of jorts to watch the game in next week (don't worry, I already have the jersey...) because we're in the FINAL FOUR. YYYIIPPPEE!

[All pictures from the Herald-Leader]

Jorts, we are just as happy as you are (but most of us just can't jump that high)
I don't think people understand the love that I have for this man today :)

The boys
proof that I'm not the only crazy fan out there...here's Lexington today. A reported 13 couches were burned and they had to shut down traffic in parts of downtown. There are literally hundreds of people at the airport waiting to welcome the Team back to Lexington right now...all for the CATS!

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Buenos Aires

We just got back in the States, so I wanted to do a few blog posts with the pictures of our trip. And just for the update, we ended up getting our bags the last day in Buenos Aires, so at least we had them in Santiago.

First, here's a post with some of the pictures of Buenos Aires. Overall, we loved this city.  If you go, stay in Palermo for great restaurants, shopping and nightlife.  The dollar is also very strong in comparison to their peso, so definitely take advantage of the shopping prices!

But, be prepared to get a little ripped off.  Taxi drivers love to overcharge and we somehow managed to get counterfeit money out of an ATM. It is frustrating, but what can you do? At least we saved a ton of money shopping.

Cam said this was the best steak he's ever had in his life and it was HUGE (this is only half of it)

Recoleta cemetery was absolutely beautiful and unlike any other cemetery we'd been to.

Eva Peron's grave.

Entrance to Recoleta cemetery.

Their law school building is slightly more impressive than ours...


hydrolic metal flower that opens every morning and closes every night


Modern art museum

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Buenos Tardes de Buenos Aires (Alternative Title: Going on Day 4 In the Same Clothes)

Our big trip is finally here! We are sitting in the apartment waiting for our lost luggage to arrive (story of my life), so I thought I'd take a few minutes to say Hola and overload you with pictures of our trip.

After a very long flight Friday night, C and I got into Buenos Aires yesterday afternoon.  Our bags were left during our connection in Santiago, but we were not to worry--they would be here first thing in the morning.  Happy with that answer, we went to our apartment to get the keys and freshen up a bit. We are very impressed with the cleanliness and location of our apartment--we are in Palermo Soho, a part of Buenos Aires with all the restaurants, bars, and night clubs.
Living room and kitchen
View from the Balcony
C on the balcony enjoying a glass of wine
When we first got in, we wandered around Palermo for a while and got our bearings (and some groceries). We then grabbed dinner at a place called Sugar. It is a restaurant/bar that was started by American expats and came highly recommended. We had sandwiches (Cam had chicken and I had falafel) that were delicious!  

We had bought tickets to the DJ Tiesto concert for the first night in BA.  Because our luggage is missing, we had to go to Tiesto in the clothes we flew in (ahem, boat shoes, jeans, me: white tee, cam: green polo) and not the awesome, cool clothes we had packed for Tiesto.  Ces't le vie.  
Dear Tiesto, the boat shoes and polo have arrived.
Tiesto was the craziest concert C and I have ever been to.  It was held at the Autodrom, a racecar track. There were thousands of crazy Argentineans dancing, cheering and doing drugs.  These people know how to party--the concert started at 9, but there were several opening acts and Tiesto didn't even go on stage until 2 AM.  
The locals are the nicest people.  They tried to speak English with us and asked us all about what America is really like.  They loved telling us about how much the love American movies, music and TV.  No one yet that we have spoken with know what Kentucky was--the closest city that they had heard of was Chicago. 


This morning, we got up and fought with LAN about our baggage (come on people, we were on day three--and a DJ Tiesto concert later--of the same clothes).  They told us that our luggage would no longer be in first thing in the morning, but would instead be in at 4.  Satisfied that our luggage would be in, we then went sightseeing around Buenos Aires. 

First sight we saw may be the best of the trip because "Kentucky Rural" is clearly known for its pizza:


My high school was weird and didn't have just a US history course--we had history of the Americas. We spent one year learning South American history and one year on US history.  Thus, I'm a big nerd and wanted to go see the places that I learned about.  The first stop of course was Plaza de Mayo, were Eva Peron gave her famous "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" speech: 
And the Mothers of Plaza De Mayo (Las Madres de la Plaza) protested the disappearance/murder of their children by the Argentine government in the 70s (and later throughout the years):

C in front of the Casa Rosada (the Pink House--which is the presidential building).
We saw the Oblesik of Buenos Aires on Florida Street: 
And then headed down the San Telmo market--a famous market in the San Telmo district of Buenos Aires held every Sunday with antique street vendors, dancers, food, etc.  
I fell in love with the antique copper. C gave me the weirdest stares in the world, but I have decided to tote back a rather large 1928 copper milk jug so that C and make a lamp for me (it's nice to have a handy husband).  Thus, I am now the proud owner and airport mule of this copper jug:
I am desperately wanted these gorgeous cowhide rugs they have at the market, but we just knew pup would chew it up like she did C's sheepskin rug. Plus, a rug is a bit harder to bring back.
So, I bought this awesome painting instead.  I wanted the large (think 5 feet) one in black and white of a horse, but we don't that many bare walls and it's hard to carry something that big around another continent, even if it does roll up.  So, I settled for a much more manageable 24 inch square red version with a llama: 
I love my little llama and have big plans for him in our laundry room or downstairs bath.  

On our way back to wait for our luggage we stopped and got a local favorite: empanadas (these flour pastries filled with meat, veggies, and/or cheese).  
Action shot walking across the street before I chowed down.
They were absolutely delicious--we loved them.  

Well, it's 11 PM and we are still waiting on our luggage.  

Seriously--we are filthy. Here's our confession: we didn't want to buy new clothes when we have tons in a suitcase that is somewhere in this city. So, we've showered, but of course we don't have shampoo or conditioner--we had to use soap to wash our hair.  We are sans deodorant (apparently Argentineans don't use it because Lord knows the stores don't sell it, we looked).  We have been wearing towels all evening around the apartment so our clothes could air out on the balcony. We broke down and got re-dressed, but are wearing our underwear inside out. If one more person looks weirdly at our Sperrys, I might punch them in the face (FYI: everyone here wears high-top Chuck T's, converses, and Toms). I'm in my glasses because I left my contacts in with my other liquids (including my makeup, oye).  Thank God we have our toothbrushes and a hair brush.


They have one hour to come deliver our bags (after hours on the phone this evening, they've told us it should be before midnight) and then we are out to have dinner.  Thank goodness people don't think about eating dinner until 9:30 and happy hours last until midnight--we'll fit right in. 
Oh Hartmann, we will be so happy if I ever see you again...
 
Here's to finding our luggage so we won't have to go 4 full days in the same clothes! Okay, that's a lie. Tomorrow we will break down and buy more clothes.

Monday, March 7, 2011

Lazy Weekend and Giveaway Winner

Hope ya'll had a good weekend! I worked on school stuff all weekend and still didn't get as much done as I wanted. Oyi. 

I also looked up some genealogy when insomnia set in and I couldn't sleep. My mom's family in Maryland is fascinating, and I learned all sorts of cool stuff--including that most of the genealogy has been traced back to 1078 and that several of my ancestors were the original founders of Maryland, one was an early Governor, another was George Washington's stepmother, and we raced horses in the first few Kentucky Derbys (I even had a great-great-uncle named Derby).  Clearly, I'm a big nerd, but I love history.  
We also went and looked at homes to start thinking about backups in case the one we like sells before we can sell our home.  It is frustrating to have a house on the market.  I know, I'm whining and it's only been a month, but I like to be in control and make things happen, and I think our house is great and one people would want to buy.  In reality, there is nothing you can do about the situation and you just have to sit there until the right buyers come along.  Okay, enough whining. We found some interesting backups and are still going to see a few more. It makes me more at ease to think we don't have to rush as much to sell--there will be other amazing homes I'm sure. 

As the promised Monday-pick-me up, here is the winner of the CSN giveaway: 
The 12 comment is from Krissy at Dainty Chef. CONGRATS GIRL :) Be sure to email me at bluegrasslove @ gmail [dot] com so I can email you the promo code. 

Hope everyone had a good weekend and here's to a wonderful Monday! 


Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Jorts Day

Cam still hasn't uploaded the pictures from Rupp, but since today is Jorts Day, I just can't resist going ahead and doing the post with the pictures I have.  
Jorts Day you ask? Just in case you aren't up with the lingo, jorts are jean shorts (generally on men, but I don't discriminate).  Jorts are just not okay, people.  

On that note, tonight is Senior Night for the basketball team.  In honor of our only senior, Josh Harrellson, tonight has been dubbed "Jorts Day" in Kentucky because the boy wore jorts on his campus recruiting visit.  

Who is the man behind the jorts? This fellow here: 
Locally, the fans are planning a "jorts-out" and we are all hoping that Coach Cal does a throwback tonight to the denim uniforms of the (national champions) 1996 team: 
With all that background, here are the long awaited pictures of our trip to Rupp last week: 

Cam being awesome.
Close to dunking
 I actually made a basket on the floor of Rupp (although clearly not with as much style as Cam)

Us in front of all of the national championship basketballs in the locker room.
The boys with their momma















Cam in front of Brandon Knight's and Enes Kanter's lockers.
This is Christmas card material for next year...LOVE LOVE the banners in the background
 HAPPY JORTS DAY :)