My herbs…

To begin, my plants have taught me patience. I recall planting tiny seeds into small soil pods on an incubator. Every day, I would take a look through the plastic cover to check their progress. When I returned from a two week trip, I noticed the seeds had sprouted, tiny little green plants were born. As they grew, I transferred them to a pot. After four months, they just began to flower. Hopefully by the end of the summer, I will have eggplant and peppers. One of the things I acknowledge I need to work the most on is patience. It is in those moments when we stop micro-managing (or in my case, micro-observing) that the magical things happen.

Jalapenos from El Huerto

My plants have taught me that sometimes we need to cut excess in order to be abundant. It sounds like an oxymoron but it is true. Take herbs for example. In order to have tasty herbs, you have to cut the flowers from the plant. When I first saw my basil plant topped with flowers, I was thought it was great. I soon found out it has a negative effect on the production and taste of the leaves. In order to have leafy, tasty basil (or other herbs for that matter) you must cut these flowers. From my move from Brussels to DC, I have learned more possessions doesn’t necessarily mean more abundance. I have cleaned my closets and given away/thrown out things I no longer needed. The excesses took away from the abundance and flavor of my home and life. My basil plants reaffirmed this.

Waiting for my Eggplants

My plants taught me things can change for the better even when you think hope is lost. I planted two tomato plants in a container. After two months, they produced yummy roma tomatoes. Once the tomatoes grew, most of the plant dried up. I gave up on the plant, thinking it was some rookie gardening mistake, and set it aside in order to throw it away when I returned from my 9 day Eurotrip. Upon my return, I was surprised to see although most branches were dry, there was a long, strong green stem with beautiful leaves. I do not know yet if it will give me more tomatoes, but the fact that it was there standing tall made think about life. How sometimes when we think hope is lost, but we can be pleasantly surprised.

My Basil, all grown up…

This is my first time with a little garden. I find myself every morning on my deck, checking the progress of my plants. I water them carefully, smell the fragrant leaves, touch the soil, and rescue them when the sun has been too rough. At times, we complicate our lives so much with excesses we do not need when just like plants, a little water and sunshine can take us a long way!

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It has been now five months since my return to the United States from Brussels.  I’m slowly getting settled into my life in Washington, DC.  Many friends have asked me which city I like best and how can I compare.  I’ve had the amazing opportunity to live in both the capital of the United States and the European Union.  On the surface things may look slightly similar whether it is the suited people coming out of the Schuman or Foggy Bottom metro armed with an agenda.  Both cities serve as a rally point for a diverse set of expatriates working at embassies, international organizations, and private businesses.  Additionally, both cities can be very transient due to the jobs that are offered in the area.


Parc du Cinquantenaire, Brussels

I was under the impression that living back in the United States was going to be more economical.  I recall my wild shopping sprees when I visited the US for work or play.  If my goal was to save, I picked the wrong city to live.  As I began to look for places to live, I noticed rental properties are 50-60% more expensive than in Brussels.  Living in Place Brugmann in Brussels (compare to Logan Circle) cost me a 50% less of what the going rate is for a one-bedroom apartment in that area.  I ended up settling for Bloomingdale, an up and coming neighborhood in Northwest DC.  For those who know Brussels, I compare it to North Ixelles:  up and coming with some dodgy spots. 
Along with the expensive real estate, comes the dining.  DC has been gaining national attention for the surge of great restaurants with famous chefs but the prices (especially if you add wine) seem to be much higher than the Euro capital.   A bottle of wine starts at $30 compared to most restaurants in Brussels where it starts at 18€.  A beer in any brasserie in Brussels will cost you 3-4 €.  The only time you will find those prices for beer or wine at a respectable establishment in DC is during Happy Hour.  … And you must not forget to tip!  I had become used to the service charge being added to the price of the food and drink and not being coerced to give a 20% tip.  Between real estate and entertainment, DC is much more expensive than Brussels.  Aside from the 50% I save in auto/property insurance, I am definitely not saving on much else (and let me not get started on the high prices of vegetables).

I give points to DC for its public transportation system.  Taking the metro, tram, or bus is Brussels could turn into an odyssey at times.  I recall waiting for the bus for a hour to arrive on a rainy day to realize there was a grève (a strike).  Grève also seems to be some sort of national sport in Belgium. During the summer, buses smell and if you end up on the wrong tram line you risk encountering a dirty drunk Bruxellois or a group of young kids harassing women.  Maybe it’s my usual metro line (Yellow) but I feel very safe in the Metro in DC.  It runs on time, very clean, and friendly staff.  I also noticed when there is a delay, the management does a decent job of communicating it to the riders.  For those who do complain about the DC metro, trust me, there is worse!
I have also noticed people in DC are very friendly. When I first moved to Brussels I thought people were mean to me because I barely spoke the language or I was a foreigner.  I quickly came to realize after meeting many locals that is just the way it is. Very short pleasantries and minimal customer service.  It is nice to get service with a smile, especially in my neighborhood establishments such as Big Bear Cafe, Shaw Tavern, and Baccio Pizzeria.
To compare these two cities is like apples and oranges.  It is hard to decide which one I like better.  There are days I miss so many things about Brussels:  outdoor markets, great architecture, drinking wine at the park, and delicious food.  Then there are things I love about DC: positive mentality, sunny skies, clean city, and the convenience of living in a place where things are open late and on Sundays!  For now I shall continue to get settled into my new city and get my Belgian fix through  Hoegaardens and Cote d’Or.

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Toasting to a New Life Life… and Friends

On Friday, I hosted a dinner party in honor of Carlis, my new neighbor and fellow blogger of SpicyCandyDC.  I had to feed a table of 9 and wanted to create a menu both creative and simple to make due to the large group and short preparation time.  My Dutchman is a very good cook and told me of a delicious stuffed shells recipe he learned to make during his time in Italy.  I decided it would be perfect main course.  I wanted to add European elements to the menu while making it accessible to my guests.  I decided to start with mussels, as a homage to Brussels with white wine and cream sauce. It always warms my heart when people drink the whole broth after finishing the mussels.  The ricotta and basil stuffed shells followed with a spinach salad with cherry tomatoes, fresh sweet peppers, and pomegranate.  Instead of a dressing, I just squeezed a lemon and added a few tablespoons of my recent Austrian discovery, pumpkin seed oil.  To conclude, I made a chocolate mousse with Cote D’Or Belgian chocolate which a friend brought to me from the Kingdom and thankfully just discovered it is sold on Amazon. I topped the mousse with fresh raspberries.

These Ladies Can Drink!

 There are many beauties of a dinner party.  It all begins with the preparation.  While making sauce for the shells the evening before, I begin to envision the following evening, hoping my new guests enjoy the menu.  The evening of the dinner, Carlis, Kat, and Grace arrived early to help.  We collectively chopped, tasted, and cooked, making it a party with stories and music even before the rest of the guests arrived.  Finally, we serve the meal.  Sitting in a warm home, trading stories, drinking as much wine as we want (10 bottles to be exact), and feeling the positive energy of talented and diverse women secured the fact there will be more evenings like this to come.  I do enjoy from time to time a dinner at a fabulous restaurant but nothing beats a lovely dinner at home. All photos courtesy of SpicyCandyDC.

A Touch of Brussels in DC

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Yesterday, I went to the DC Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to change my driver’s license.  I officially became a New York State driver August of 1995 at the age of 17. Since then, I managed to keep my NYS license while living in Japan, South Korea, Belgium, and Germany.  In a way, it was a link to home. A home I left at the young age of 17 to pursue my dreams, see the world, and experience a life beyond the snowy hills of Western NY.  Yesterday, the DMV clerk made me shred my NYS license. He told me “just let it go”.  Although it was a tiny sliver of plastic, it meant so much more.  I was saddened to see this 17 year link to my past go through a shredder.  At the same time it gave me a sense of optimism.

It also made me reflect on how challenging it is at times to let go.  Some things are trivial such as a license or an item of clothing. Others are deeper.  It can be a friendship or relationship which does not fit anymore.  When I was planning my move from Brussels to Washington, I had to make a lot of decisions about the things I wanted to hold on to and others that needed to go.  At times, it seems easy to say “throw it out” until the moment of truth comes.  I recall carefully packing a Leffe beer glass my friend Jaime “acquired” at Place du Luxembourg in Brussels sometime in 2007. When I opened the box in DC, the glass was in pieces.  As I threw it away, I acknowledged the memories Jaime and I created that night did not leave with the broken glass.
It is symbolic that I am starting a new year with a new identity card. It is a permanent reminder not only I have moved back but I am part of a community here. I am part of the community of Bloomingdale, where you can see a diverse mix of social class, race, and ages.  A place where Wanda, my front door neighbor organized a holiday block party and introduced me to the neighbors.  Some neighbors have lived there all their lives and some have just joined.  As much as I miss Brussels, I have chosen not to have an attachment of my former life.  Just as the Leffe glass, I’ve chosen to remember the nice memories. Sometimes we get caught up on “back in XYZ, it was so much better” or “that place was so much nicer” or “that person was so much better” without taking the time to be present and truly appreciate what is in front of us.  The things I threw out or sold in Brussels gave me space to welcome the new things in my life.
In Puerto Rico, we have a tradition of mopping the house New Year ’s Eve and throwing the bucket of dirty water outside at midnight. It symbolizes cleaning out all the negative things of the prior year and starting the New Year free of bad energy.  This year, I performed my new take on the ritual. With my Dyson vacuum cleaner in hand, I vacuumed throughout the whole house. My Dutch boyfriend at first witnessed in curiosity (or maybe horror) but later joined me in ritual.  Shortly after midnight, under the cold DC sky we emptied the canister of dust on the street.  I figured it would be more civilized than a bucket of water. I don’t want my neighbors to label me as the “crazy Puerto Rican” just yet.  As the dust particles flew in the cold DC wind, I manifested  2013 will bring us good health, love, success, and fortune. 

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I arrived on a Sunday afternoon and was working the following morning. My place of employment does not have the best parking, but it has the most convenient perk: its own metro stop. Hans, my 3 series, is somewhere in the Atlantic, making its way home, and it’s comforting to know DC has a great metro system. That is one good thing over Brussels already!  I am glad I don’t have to stand in those unpleasant traffic jams on General Jacques and can catch up with my reading on the train. The walk to the metro is pleasant in the Bloomingdale neighborhood, with people actually saying hello to me as the walk by. The first few days I found it weird (as those who have lived in Brussels can relate), but now I’m with the program.

Snapshot of my new Neighborhood….

Assimilating to my new job was not that difficult.  I will definitely miss the booze at the NATO parties, though, and my multinational colleagues.  My place of employment is huge, but I am happy to say I made it to the gym without getting lost, which was progress from the last time I was there, where it took me an hour to return to my office! I’m glad to reunite with old friends for dinner and drinks and get more acquainted with the city. I went to El Centro for happy hour and was delighted to have mango margaritas for $6 with a friendly bartender and $6 tacos. It was no Place Chatelain, but it was a nice atmosphere to reunite with my blogger buddy Carlis from SpicyCandyDC and Kim, friends from my days working at Kenneth Cole in 2002. Moving can be emotionally challenging, but I’m grateful to have friends in DC giving me shelter, love, and emotional support.
Now this is my life in the Nation’s Capital.  I’m looking forward to discovering my new city, decorating my new home, making new friends, getting to know my country better (next stop: Austin), among other things. I hope you follow me along in this ride!

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