Barrio Brasil (but we're still in Chile).

We took a stroll through Barrio Brasil yesterday. Apparently it used to be a pretty well-to-do neighborhood, but it hit hard times in the 1950s. The architecture is really cool. It's a bit gritty and bohemian, but it probably was quite snazzy back in the day.

"Down with the dictatorship of money!!!" (Looks like this block is getting 'Sugarhoused'.)

This mural was done by a collective that tries to recapture the identities of pueblos. Check out their blog if you're interested in seeing more of their work.

Our current neck of the woods

We're staying in an apartment in downtown Santiago in a historic neighborhood called Lastarria. We like Santiago a lot, but this neighborhood has been our favorite. The next few pictures show some streets just beyond our apartment. This is our street. There are always antique vendors during the day.

This mural was dedicated to the poet Gabriela Mistral. It's right below the hill called Cerro Santa Lucía (more photos of the hill to come).

This is the national library, where I have been spending most of my work time, finding old texts about the scouting movement in Chile. Amorette and Simone go off on adventures while I geek out.

Bubby has learned some new tricks here. She can drink a juice box, say "hola" sometimes, oh yeah, and she just started to walk!!! It must be the yerba mate.

Simone's 1st birthday

simone got a (sort of) tricycle for her first birthday. of course, we had to check out each others' single speed bikes and do a mini critical mass ride.

she's really good at ringing the bell and going backwards. we still need to work on the mount, dismount, riding forward and turning.

chile-bound

parker's been busier than usual preparing for his dissertation proposal and applying for grants and scholarships. we just found out that he was awarded a scholarship to do some research in chile for his dissertation, which means we're headed for santiago this summer. woot woot! we're looking forward to getting together with some friends, enjoying an extra fall this year and eating too many empanadas.

*do you know anyone who wants to rent a sublet house for a couple months in pittsburgh?

(photo by fahrenheit75)

lately...

enjoying some freakishly warm weather last week in the northside.

"the raft"--installation outside the mattress factory by cuban artist armando mariño.

out and about in morningside.

Simone & I went apple-picking with our good pals the McAffees this week. We braved the rain and thunder and enjoyed the entire orchard to ourselves. This was my very first apple-picking (*see Stuff White People Like #132). I had never been a huge fan of the apple until just this last fall when a coworker gave me a freshly-picked apple from a nearby farm. And wow, I was swept off my feet. Not to put Utah-grown apples down or anything, but seriously--have you ever tried a Honey Crisp from Pennsylvania? Well, you should.
I also got to cut an impromptu bouquet of wild flowers. Here's a little shout-out to Linus for helping me! I heart those whimsical cosmos.

Grandparents Shaw Visit: Over the River and through the Woods

If you've ever been curious about Frank Lloyd Wright's 'Falling Water', well, this is some of that water. (They don't let you take pictures in the house, so you'll have to enjoy this one instead.)
Hanging out with grandma.
Hanging out with grandpa.
Caution: Some of the Pittsburgh dinosaurs are starting to assemble.
One of the sources of my great looks. (My dad's the other one, of course.)