When a day ends with a full stomach and pain all over my feet from hours of walking... it's a good day in the city:
Morning. I get up. Then go back to sleep. Then go up again. Then go back to sleep again. And now I'm up, for real. Up and going to get a coffee from the nearest place I find: a small coffee shop in a tree lined street. The coffee shop is having a 'promotional day.' A photographer is snapping pictures of the cafe's cookies, croissants and cappuccinos. I intrude - unintentionally - and struggle ordering a cup of coffee without Spanish at my disposal. I succeed - whew - and proceed to sit outside. No one else is there, just me and my craving for a cup of coffee. The minutes are passing along, and no coffee. Still. I turn to see the barista making latte after latte... but none for me. They are all for the photographer to snap pictures of. I wonder if perhaps this is happening on purpose. I learn my lesson NOT to intrude again. In the afternoon, I start walking. I don't have a clear direction, but rather a point of focus I'd like to reach to, and my instincts to help guide me into whatever streets I want to explore in. I find a few art galleries, boutiques, and many restaurants and bars. People here like to experience things rather than to own, I think to myself. How refreshing is that? Coming from the states, I've normalized materialism and consumerism so much... a visit to another world, the outer world... helps unblind me from the emptiness of all of that. But - I am a human and full of nuance and at times even a hypocrite, and one of my highlights of the day was a visit to a boutique where I utterly fell in love with a piece of clothing that will do nothing to my life but be another thing I own. BUT it's so pretty! And it fits me perfectly! And I should treat myself! No. All those reasons are poor attempt to convince myself that it's okay to consume. But the one reason that convinces me, is that if I own this piece - I have a souvenir from my visit in this city. In this outer world. This piece represents this outer world. What would it be like to have a little piece of the outer world with me at HOME when I am back in my own little world!? I turn around and announce to the sales person that I shall come back tomorrow to probably purchase the piece, and I continue exploring the streets of the duchess neighborhood of Mexico City. (La Condesa) After more walking, more exploring, and more shop browsing, I indulge in a chille relleno and shrimp taco in one of the best taco restaurants I've been to. Every bite into the soft tortlla and the batterred shrimp made to perfection... gets me closer to admitting to myself that this may very well be the best. taco. I've. Ever. Had!!!! The night started and ended with a night stroll with my boyfriend. Both full. Enjoying a Valentine's night togetherness that is at times boring (after all, it IS a 6 year relationship lol) and at times comforting. Comfort that is our and our alone. And intimacy shared, a knowing, that is only gained when one knows someone that well. I snap a picture of the moon lurking between the top of the trees, and we make our back for our home away from home. The night ends with a full stomach, a full heart and a question: 'will I buy that piece of clothing tomorrow...?'
0 Comments
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorIn April 2020, while experiencing her first ever global pandemic, Tamar Pelzig pledged to write something every day, even if it's only a word, so she welcomed to the world a daily blog to keep her creative writing wheels rolling. Categories
All
Archives
July 2023
Header Art: Daniel Landerman |
Photos used under Creative Commons from chocolatedazzles, Jocelyn777 Love Europe, ONE-MILLION