AND The other morning I was going up to Portillo to go for a hike (more on this, soon) and I saw a man cycling to work in a full-on suit and a bright-green tie. Bad for the drycleaning bill, yet good for making me smile.
AND I have been afraid of the dentist since I don’t know when, but I have one now that I like. If you are in Santiago and need a dentist, send a message. She’s conservative on treatment, has a gentle hand, and is close to the Shangri La Supermarket, which now means I’m enjoying some pumpernickel bread for breakfast these days. Also, at the shangri-la supermarket, two items competing to be the most ridiculously overpriced imported food products on the Chilean market. Perhaps you would like four veggie burgers for fourteen dollars? Or maybe two french bread pizzas for eleven? If any Chileans are buying these, I would also like to sell them, well, anything, because clearly price is not a barrier.
AND I recently posted on FB that when life gives you 3 kilos of tomatoes, you should make tomato soup. Eighteen people commented on it. This either means, everyone is a huge fan of tomato soup, people like it when you change a saying, or no one was saying anything even remotely interesting on Sunday. I also suspect a possible south american tomato cartel. Any thoughts?
AND It has recently come to my attention that actual cheddar cheese has been right under my nose in Santiago and I never noticed. Not the Santa Rosa kind, which is peculiarly orange and is a bit too gummy. Thank goodness for Aussie friends who tell you about these things. Cost, about 2800 CLP (six bucks). Not the slices, the chunk. And oh yes, that is tasty, just like the cheese says. I choose it over Santa Rosa, which is hard to find, anyway. None of these items show up at my local supermarket, fwiw, though Lider did just start carrying Great Value brand chocochip cookies and mint chocolate chip icecream. I smell a chipwich party… Oh right, the cheese.
AND There should be a website called “is there anything screwy going on with where I’m going?” You could put in your start and finish points, and they could tell you that, for example, the trail up Cerro San Cristobal is under construction and dusty as hell and you will have to climb over a giant pile of rocks on your way up. Or that Parque Araucano is closed on Mondays and you will have to walk all the way around and thereby almost be late to your dentist. Whose office looks like this:
AND the Gap in Chile. It’s true. Open in Santiago, at Parque Arauco, downstairs. Prices are high, sale prices are better. I am slightly ashamed to say I felt a sense of consumer relaxatory bliss upon entering the store.
AND litre will give you a rash again if you do not, apparently, scour your litre-ridden socks with some kind of powerful blasting thing. Gads, that’s itchy.
AND I have been skating again, and I’m getting betterish at it, which brings me great, 40-year-old joy.
My brain dump is now complete. Now I have room for more minutiae. See you soon!
I keep meaning to ask (and then never do, because I get wrapped up in reading your posts 🙂 Don’t you ever get strange looks for snapping all the pictures of food (particularly in stores) on your SLR?
Not that I was not wrapped up in reading this post (and thereby able to remember to ask). I made a note when I thought of it at the beginning. And was then pleasantly surprised at the end.
well, as it happens, they don’t let you take pictures at all in supermarkets in Santiago. I have been asked to stop on many occasions. And also, these pics I took with my minicam. I figured I would say, but they’re to show my friends, to see if this is what I’m supposed to buy. Or something. But no one said anything up in Shangri-La. They’re accustomed to gringos, it would seem. Also, this is why I will never give up the point and shoot, though I love my DSLR an irrational amount.
Oh, and on whether people look at me strangely, well, of course. But I think it’s more of a spectacle when I, say, ride around with my recycling or skate around in circles amid a bunch of 20-somethings. I suppose I’m somewhat used to it. Thanks for dropping by. So glad you are home safe.
why don’t you have people ship you your food over. It might not work for chedar cheese, but i’m sure is worth it for something better than great value cookies: Yuck!
Have you tried the miami po box system?
Well, I kind of like a challenge, so it’s not a big deal. Plus really, I don’t eat much processed food, other than breakfast cereal and bread (oh, and cheese!). At least here in Chile. If I could get some frozen edamame shipped in, I’d be delighted! And I haven’t used the post box system, have you? I actually go to the states with some regularity, or see people from the states, or they come here. I try to keep it local, and then rejoice when things I like show up. We have so much more American food here than we ever did, but I don’t buy much of it. My last holdouts are definitely going to be Dawn dishwashing detergent and Scotchbrite sponges! Not that you can eat those. Thanks for commenting!
There’s frozen edamame at the Korean supermarket in Patronato!
which? I have been to China house market and not seen it on a number of occasions, though I do not always look. Tell me which, and I shall buy!
I’m surprised you haven’t seen that cheese..it’s been here a while. It’s good to quell the cravings but after a while it loses its edge..but I agree much better than that Santa Rosa stuff.
I have seen it, but have never bought it, because it doesn’t say Cheddar on it! Plus I only see it on occasion, when I venture out of my cave and the neighborhood where I pretty much always am. Santa Rosa is gummy. Gummy gummy.
My favourite shirts are pure cotton shirts from the GAP and I always bring a few extra down for my summer in Chile I have a bunch here now, I’ll have check it out and see if they are the same cotton.
I would think they would be, same sweatshop, same everything. I would guess. Oh. Now we all feel badly. Well, I tend to keep clothing for forever, and teeshirts aren’t top on my list of things to replace, but it just felt very peaceful and no one even asked me “le atienden?” It was like I was somewhere else for a minute. Didn’t buy anything though!
If I had facebook I would’ve liked the tomato post. I think I might be a member of the tomato cartel.
The Gap smells the same! I haven’t bought anything there yet, but just stepping inside makes me feel like I’m at home.
The park being closed on Mondays cramps my style on a regular basis, so I’m sorry that happened to you too.
AND (see what I did there)I don’t know who buys those products either. It’s like when I see Haagen Dazs for $5.000. People, it is just ice cream. It may be my favorite ice cream, but even I am not going to pay $10 for that tiny little pot!
It was even more expensive in the Falklands, believe it or not. Also, we get good icecream here, so whatever Haagen Dazs! They actually sell emporio de la rosa at the uptown Unimarc, though it’s much quicker for me to just pedal over or go to, you know, Opera (which I feel is superior).
It’s funny how much at home I felt in the Gap store. It messed with my mind a little. Maybe it is the smell!
Fun post. Can’t believe you hadn’t spotted Bega cheddar (pronounced “che-DAHR” of course). Has been around for 15 years of more. Used to be able to get it at my corner store in Provi–until Lider took it over and filtered out all but the most basic of Chilean household ingredients.
Dawn & Scotchbrite? Jumbo baby! I always stock up because those silly plastic sponge things couldn’t be more useless!
On expensive food products: Emily-when you’ve got a jones, you’ve got a jones! So the once-a-year zillion-dollar Haagen Dazs and ridiculous peanut butter (a regular in my cart) are just part of being a gringa in Chile!