2. Today I had a meeting with a French chef that I met in a butcher shop last week. Pierre has worked in restaurants in Paris, NYC, London and somewhere in Ireland, but he landed in Rio 19 years ago to work for the Meridien Hotel here. He's worked for several other restaurants since then and has married and divorced a Brazilian woman, but still finds himself drawn to Rio. He's now a consulting chef who does event catering and special projects. He was hired by friends to teach their housekeeper how to prepare the meals they like to eat. That housekeeper is helping me find someone to housekeep/cook. I have a first interview with a prospect next Tuesday. Wish me luck.
3. Pierre told me today that when we first met last week, he thought I was from England. So I'm obviously winning in the going incognito competition.
4. Feeling like I needed to impress Chef Pierre, I served coffee and blueberry muffins on a pretty silver tray when he arrived. I had the china coffee pot, creamer and sugar dish plus I dug out the little silver demitasse spoons. It was very pretty and I felt like I was living on the set of Dynasty or some other old-school tv show where the lady of the house serves coffee from a pretty serving set. Pierre told me that the coffee was delicious three times and finally asked if I'd made it (knowing full well that I don't have a housekeeper yet). I said, "of course". He looked shocked as if I wasn't supposed to know how to make coffee or like I was hiding a secret barista in the kitchen. He told me there's an expression in Brazil that says "if a lady can make good coffee, marry her." Clearly Jimmy's a lucky man.
5. When discussing my housekeeper requirements, I said that I wanted someone who either knew or could be taught how to, for instance, serve coffee to guests. Or how to correctly remove plates between courses. Or could discreetly work a cocktail party to remove used cups, plates, etc. He indicated that we'd just have to hire extra people to work parties. I explained that I hosted a coffee yesterday for 20+ people and I did all the cooking, all the serving and all the refilling of coffee pots and food trays during the coffee so surely a housekeeper could do those few things I mentioned. (I did hire a friend's housekeeper to help me clean up afterwards, but she came as the party was winding down.) Again, he was shocked and I had to repeat that in fact, nobody helped me cook or serve the party. Chef Pierre must think that American women are either lazy or incapable because he could not believe that I would or could do all that on my own. It was a very good lesson for him to learn that I'm not a slouch in hard work so don't tell me I need a whole bunch of people to work a party and expect me to pay for it blindly when I know good and well the effort that goes into parties since I've cooked for and hosted my own parties for years.
6. Today I had lunch with a new private-sector friend that we met at middle school orientation last week. Super cool lady from Mexico who, besides Mexico, has lived in NYC, Belgium, Atlanta, and Costa Rica. They also just arrived and should be here for the 3 years we're here. We ate at an adorable restaurant that I've had my eye on for weeks. It's called Formidable and I had their special lunch where you pick an appetizer, main dish and dessert. I chose a wonderful green salad with warm goat cheese croutons for the appetizer; gnocchi with tomatoes, olives and spinach for the main dish; and profiteroles which they surrounded with the most decadent hot chocolate ever for dessert. The meal was divine and I will go back early and often.
7. Today is the one-year anniversary of Leo's adoption so we went to the dog park as a special treat. We went last Saturday for the first time and he's tried to steer me back there every day since on our walks around the lake. I've avoided going back in because he comes out filthy and I haven't had time after these early-morning walks to bathe him again. The park was way less crowded than when we went last Saturday so he didn't run as much, but it tuckered him out completely anyway. He has been such a good dog since we got here. Rio seems to have mellowed him - he doesn't complain or bark or whine when we leave him at home, he sleeps very well at night, and he's great around other people. He was the hit of the coffee yesterday morning and allowed the few little children who were here to play with him and love on him. (And yes, he did get a nice bath today after the visit to the park.)
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| Leo posing in front of Dois Irmoes and the lake in front of our temporary apartment |
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