I Got My Hair Did

There are a few things I have never understood about Dominican culture, and the booming salons have always been one of them.  What is referred to in the States as a blow out, something you would only have done if you had a big event to attend, is done here weekly or biweekly.  The salons are always packed, and walking in to one is like walking into a cloud of hair spray - they are seriously foggy, and its a miracle if you leave one without feeling lightheaded.  

The place I get my nails done has weekday specials, so its not uncommon for me to see more than 50 women getting their hair done in one small room on a Thursday afternoon.

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Yesterday I finally had the blow out experience.  The "shampoo"-ing was the longest hair wash of my life.  They scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed, they even washed my forehead.  After the fourth and final rinse, I was content to find that my scalp was still intact.

After the drawn out shampoo, as I sat there with my feet soaking in a pedicure tub, with a woman drying my hair stick straight, while another was working on my manicure, I realized this is nice, and I guess I began to understand.  Who doesn't love to be pampered?  

I'm glad to have found a mini luxury that I can treat myself to just because.  

The perfect mid-week pick-up.

The Colonial Zone

This Sunday was boyfriend's turn.  

Colonial Zone

We've managed to strike a deal.  One Sunday he goes to play futbol (soccer) for a brutally long 3.5 hours.  The following Sunday he takes me to the beach.  Personally I think I deserve more out of the deal, but that I'll save for another post. 

Balcony View

So Sunday morning, Ana took me to the Colonial Zone to do some touristy things.  We visited Diego Colon's house (Chris Columbus' son).  I had no idea that back in the day they slept in a half sitting position.  Why?!  Don't you wonder why they didn't try our sleep position and realize its 100x more comfortable?  There has to be something I'm missing here. 

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We visited an amber shop.  Did you know that if the stone has an insect inside it becomes a lot more expensive? In the same amber shop we sampled Mama Juana (a Dominican alcohol made of rum, wine, honey, and marinated tree twigs and bark).  

Dulce de Leche

We went to the Casa de los Dulces and bought Dominican sweets.  We finished the morning with a trip to the market Mercado Modelo, where every stall is filled with the same souvenirs, and where every stall owner will try to convince you that his is extra special.  I left empty-handed. 

Hope you all had a phenomenal pre-Thanksgiving weekend. 

Perks & Peeves

I can't believe its already the 19th!  I feel like November just started.

Just summing up my week..

Perks:

Holding out to buy produce until Tuesday (its 30% off on Tuesdays), and adding more veggies to our diet.

Free tennis courts, because at my pace, its going to take me 5 years to learn how to play the sport.

Strengthening my friendship with Gary, the Haitian cocero (AKA the man that pushes a coconut cart around to sell coconut water).  Now Gary comes by my work every day to ask if I want agua de coco, and he makes it just how I like it - without sugar and with the "masita" (coconut flesh).

Peeves:

Sleeping on a sheetless bed for 2 nights in a row because rain = wet laundry.

Firing someone for the first time.  Boyfriend had warned me to be ready incase they "threw a punch" [they are feisty in this country], so naturally I was petrified.  But it went much better than expected and I came out bruise free.

My plan to fatten up boyfriend not working at its maximum potential.  The other day his mom looked at his belly and told him that he wasn't eating enough rice.  Great. Time to restock on the Nutella.

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Running in the Dunes

When leaving Las Salinas on Sunday, the most adorable toothless old man told us how to get to the sand dunes.  It was just us, the sand, and lots of baby lambs.  

Pictures from last Sunday. 

Recipe of the Week: Pumpkin Sage Pasta

I love pumpkin.  

Pumpkin lattes, bread, pie; it is what I miss the most when I'm not home for Thanksgiving.  Last week I came across this recipe and I knew we had to make it.  

It only took 20 minutes!

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1)  Boil pasta for two.

2) Sauté 2 diced garlic cloves and 8 chopped sage leaves in 3 tbsp olive oil and 3 tbsp butter (or I Cant Believe its Not Butter! like us).

3)  Add 1 cup canned pumpkin and 1 cup pasta water to the pan.  Season with salt & pepper.  Season with red pepper flakes if you're fancy (not like us).

4) Whisk together until mixed.

5)  Pour sauce over pasta and top with parmesan cheese.

*Chop your sage leaves better than I did.  I'm impatient.*

Please Note: Our end result tasted much better than it looks in this picture.  

Use your left over sauce as a cold dip for crackers.