Monday, April 9, 2012

My life in Panama so far...

Well, it's been almost a week.  So far nothing is really moving smoothly and honestly why am I surprised? :) This is Panama.

On the plus side we are staying in a lovely little house on a hill overlooking the jungle. Birds are everywhere and I can hear the monkeys from the deck of the screened in porch.  Because of a typo in the bank contract we can't get in our house quite yet so that is really frustrating.  Our architect, Dustin, is here, attempting to get some work done although the woman we are buying the house from is making this super difficult for everyone.  We all want the same thing and you would think she would want to work with us instead of against us. It's a bummer. Hopefully it will all get sorted in the next week or so and we won't have to deal with her negativity. The container arrives on April 23 so we MUST close on the house by then. Fingers, toes and every body part  is crossed.

My amazing friend Sorah arrives next week and I'm sure there will be many drinks in my future. Perhaps even a night of drunkenly falling off barstools. I think I could use that.
Yesterday, Dustin and I spent our Easter Sunday at 3 different bars on the water, drinking fruity, rum filled beverages. It was really terrible ;) Can't wait to do it again.
Since I do have a buncha down time right now, I fear I may do it everyday.
I have none of my cooking tools, books, notes etc to start getting the menu down....I'll have all that with the arrival of the container. I've scouted out the local fish sellers, know whats available at the markets but still would like to talk to some local farmers about produce. All in time I guess......

Soon enough I will start making travel videos from here!  I have so many fun things to put on video, just wait people, my own Bocas travel show!  In the meantime, I eat. I write. I lounge in the hammock. I go to bed at 9pm. Plenty of work to come soon enough, though.

Keep checking back now that I'm starting to adjust. This hot, beautiful, no makeup, frizzy haired life. Once we move in to our house and the container comes, we will have many videos for all 5 of you to enjoy! Lots of documenting to be done.

Now, I must walk down the street to enroll myself in the Spanish school.  I can't continue to be the ignorant American that can't communicate. I hate it.

Adios for now :)



Sunday, February 26, 2012

My new home

Sunny Spot Venice

As you all know, I am trying to hone my caribbean cooking skilllllzzzz.  One of my fav neighborhood joints is called Sunny Spot.  Roy Choi, the man behind the Kogi food truck phenomenon, has opened a restaurant that draws inspiration from the caribbean. The menu is pretty much perfect and yes, I intend to steal from it. The menu is full of dishes that make me feel like I'm on vacation including plantains, jerked goat, a pork chop marinated in red stripe, prawns in a perfect habanero sauce.....so yummy. The cocktails pair perfectly with the food and when I close my eyes, the flavors really conjure up that last trip I took to a tropical locale.  Heaven.

Here are some pics from a recent visit......and yes, that's my pal Jordan, who until his recent move to Oz was a bartender extraordinaire at Sunny Spot.




Squid with passion fruit

Fried pigs feet

Some of the tastiest prawns ever

Red Stripe Pork chop


goat that just melts in your mouth




Sunny Spot
822 Washington Blvd Venice, Ca 90292
www.sunnyspotvenice.com