EL BLOG DE AMPOWERFLOWER

Aventuras y anécdotas fuera de casa

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Party Rock Anthem 2

Si!! La boda llego y ya paso, pero nos quedara este maravilloso video del Party Rock Anthem de LMFAO bailado por nosotras :). Ya os enseñe mi preparacion coreografica aqui y ahora os dejo el video de verdad. Lo pasamos genial!!
Yes!! The wedding is over, but we will have this video of the Party Rock Anthem by LMFAO danced by us :). I already showed you my preparation for the dance here and now the real moment!! I had a blast!!
 
 
Everyday I'm shuffling!!!

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Victoria Secret

 
Victoria Secret, ademas de ser una tienda estupenda y con ropa que me encanta (no solo interior), es un lugar en el que se pueden pasar ratos divertidisimos, tanto si vas sola como si vas acompañada. Esta segunda opcion es aun mejor :)
El fin de semana pasado nos visito la hermana de Thomas, nos encanto verla y ademas, hicimos algunos planes en Chicago, entre ellos, ir a Victoria Secret!! :)
La tienda de Michigan Avenue es enorme, ropa interior en la planta baja y ropa de calle en la planta superior.
Victoria Secret is a great shop with wonderful women's underwear but it is also the perfect place to have fun if you go there alone or as a group activity with girl friends :). This last option is the best!!
Last weekend Thomas' sister visited us. We loved having her here with us! We planned many things in Chicago and a visit to Victoria Secret was included!! :) The store in Michigan Avenue is huge. It has all kind of underwear on the ground floor and the rest of the clothes are on the first floor.
El sabado, en la entrada de la tienda habia una dependienta que se ofrecia para medirte "el busto" y decirte tu talla. Despues le contabas lo que ibas buscando y te hacia una tarjetita con tu talla, modelos en mente, etc. He de decir que me parezco a una tabla, pero esta chica me midio y me dijo que yo tenia una talla "32 DD", jajajaja! Si yo no paso de la copa "B", jeje! Yo creo que lo hacen para que nos emocionemos :). Despues de medirnos, pasamos a los probadores, aqui os enseño algunas fotos. La luz no era exactamente asi, aunque he de decir que es una iluminacion que hace que no se vean mucho las "imperfecciones" jejeje!
Cada probador  lleva el nombre de algun lugar exotico del mundo como "Saint Tropez" o "Milano".
We went to the store last Saturday. There was a shop-assistant at the entrance of the store and she was there to measure us and tell us about our current size :) and give us advice about the different models of underwear we were looking for. I must say that I am almost like a board and this girl told me my size was "32 DD", WTF!! I've never had anything different than "B cup", ahhaha! I think they do it just to get us excited and think we have big b...:):)
After that we went to the fitting rooms, they are big, nice with comfortable chairs and sofas. The light was not as bad as on the pictures, but I think the illumination is designed so you don't see your skin "defects" :)
Each of the rooms has the name of an exotic place in the world such as "Saint Tropzz" or "Milano".

 
 
Probador Saint Tropez. Saint Tropez fitting-room

Probadores, se que esta lejos, pero en el espejo se refleja la sala. Picture of the fitting rooms outside, even though it is small, the mirror's reflection shows how is the place.
 
 
Una vez dentro del probador las dependientas nos trajeron varios modelos de la talla sugerida. Por supuesto, me tuvieron que traer una talla menor, ya que lo de la copa DD fue solo un espejismo, ajajja! Cada vez que te probabas algo podias llamar a tu dependienta pulsando el timbre que se ve en la foto :), empezaba a parpadear y ella aparecia al momento, jeje!
 Once inside the fitting room the shop assistants brough several bras of our suggested size. They had to bring me a smaller size because the double D size was just an illusion, hahaha! Everytime you try something on you can press a bell inside the room to call your personal assistant :), the bell starts blinking until she arrives. That's cool!

Probador por dentro. Inside of the fittim room.

El timbre, no lo pille parpadeando...The bell, I couldn't catch it blinking :)
 
 
En esta foto se ve lo grandes que son los probadores. Si, estoy probandome un camison, pero bueno, como no es muy sexy ni se ve nada indiscreto, planto la foto :)
You can see here how big the fitting rooms are. Yes, it is me trying something on. It is not very sexy and you can't see anything forbiden so I just post it :)

 
 
Tambien probamos los perfumes de Victoria Secret. Lo mejor es que habia una persona, un señor (si, tambien hay hombres que trabajan alli, entre mujeres que se vuelven locas entre montañas de bragas, jajaja) que se dedicaba a ponerte el perfume en un probador o en tu propia piel y te abanicaba el brazo hasta que el aroma era el adecuado :) No pude fotografiar el momento, pero me hubiera encantado hacerlo!
We also tried the VS perfumes. The best of all was that there was a guy (yes, there are also men working there, among millions of women crazy for buying panties and bras) whose job was to give you advice about perfume, put a sample on a piece of paper or just on our skins. Afterwards, he would wave until the aroma of the perfume was perfect. I couldn't take a picture of the moment, but I would have loved to do it!
 
Finalmente, una foto en la puerta de la tienda con nuestras bolsas cargaditas de ropa interior nueva y super "necesaria", de colores y formas especiales, jajajaja! Lo pasamos bomba!!
Finally a picture at the store's door with our bags full of new and super "necessary" underwear, with beautiful colors and shpes :):) I had a blast!!!


Caroline and I at the door of VS. Caroline y yo en la puerta de Victoria Secret.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Organic

Si, soy quimica organica, pero lo que es organico de verdad son las hortalizas que mi padre tiene en la huerta, jeje! Sus momentos de relax dan su fruto, despues del estres que ha tenido este agno en su trabajo y lo que le queda, al menos un momento de satisfaccion sale a la luz. Esto es para que aprendan los americanos lo que es organico de verdad y no lo que ellos venden en los supermercados :)

Yes, I'm organic chemist, but my dad's veggies from the land are the real organic stuff :) The relaxing moments are finally fruitful, after the stressing working year something nice comes to life. This is to show the Americans what organic means and not what they sell in the supermarkets :)



Llego la boda de Almudena. Almudena's wedding

Por fin el pasado sabado 11 de agosto llego la boda de Almudena. Vole a España el jueves por la noche, llegue a Madrid el viernes por la mañana y tuve tiempo de descansar y llegar fresca al evento :) Trabaje en el avion, escribiendo una beca Marie Curie, 30 paginas de solicitud en menos de 5 dias, para reventarse.
El viaje aunque cansado merecio la pena, la ida fue estupenda, la vuelta un infierno...De todos modos, quiero dejar aqui plasmado este dia, que recordare como un dia precioso mientras estaba en Chicago. Os dejo algunas fotos que resumen la boda.
Last Saturday August 11th, Almudena and Dani's wedding was celebrated. I flew to Spain on Thursday night and I arrived in Madrid on Friday morning. I had time to rest and arrive bright to the event. I worked in the plain, writing a Marie Curie proposal, with an application of more than 30 pages in less than 5 days. I'm happy Thomas helped me :)
The trip was worth it, going there was easy but the back was an odisey. However, I'd like to post about the wedding here to keep it as a nice memory of something that happened while I was in Chicago. Here are some pictures of the wedding.

La pareja recien casada. Just married couple.

Mariposas de arroz. Rice butterflies.


Grupo de amigos de la novia (ahora tambien del novio). Bride's friends (now also groom's)



Foto con la novia. Picture with the bride.

El jamon finiquitado, que pena!! The end of the ham, sad!!

Sevillanas :)

Party Rock Anthem by LMFAO


Disfraces en la fiesta. Costumes for the party.

El viaje me sento fenomenal, ver a mi familia aunque sea por poco tiempo es como mi gasolina :) El viaje no fue lo relajante que deberia por cuestiones de trabajo, pero teniendo en cuenta los tiempos que corren, no me quejo!!
La vuelta se trunco cuando tuvimos que hacer un aterrizaje de emergencia en el estado de Maine (USA). Hubo una emergencia medica, una chica sufrio un ataque de asma y los medicos que habia en el avion le pidieron al capitan que aterrizase. El vuelo se retraso dos horas y al llegar a Chicago tuvimos que hacer mas de 3 horas para pasar la aduana. Al final llegue a casa a las 9 de la noche, en vez de a las 2 del mediodia...Me perdi la presentacion de Haohao, un estudiante que ha trabajado conmigo este verano y que ya estara de vuelta en Francia. Ademas, no le dije a mi jefe que me iba a Espana y al final, no llegue a la reunion del grupo, pero buen, en peores plazas hemos toreado, jeje! Al menos, disfrute de la boda!! Felicidades chicos!!
The trip was fantastic, just the fuel I needed to continue some more months here, seeing my family :) The trip wasn't as relaxing as it could have been due to working issues, but considering the difficult economical moment we have right now I won't complain!!
The trip back went wrong because we had to land unexpectedly in Maine (USA) due to a medical emergency. A girl in the plain had an asthma attack and the doctors asked the captain to land asap, I hope she feels better wherever she is. The flight was delayed 2 hours and we had to wait 3 hours in Chicago to go through customs, I was absolutely desperate!! I arrived home at 9 pm instead of at 2 pm...I missed Haohao's presentation. He is my summer student and after 3 months working in Chicago I missed his presentation :(. Moreover, I didn't tell my boss I was coming to Spain and then he discovered I didn't show up for the group meeting...uff...whatever! worse things happen in life, hehe! Congratulations again to the couple!!


Wednesday, August 8, 2012

The bacon fest :)

Hoy va otra vez de comida rapida!! El domingo pasado fuimos a "la fiesta del bacon" :) uno de los 20 eventos que habia en Chicago ese dia. El plan era pasar por este festival que estaba de camino a un fetival cubano. Al final solo fuimos a este porque el cubano estaba mucho mas lejos de lo que parecia en el mapa, jeje!
Cuando lei sobre este festival "Edge Fest", como siempre, crei que seria algo mas gastronomico y cultural: diferentes tipos de bacon, como cocinarlos, como curarlos, ahumarlos, etc. Al final, resulto ser lo de siempre, un pequeño mercadillo y un par de puestos de comida rapida. Eso si, aun me puedo sorprender por lo que se sirve en estos sitios, desde luego no apto para nuestro estilo de vida de dieta sana y deporte (nuestro nuevo entrenamiento deportivo en proximos posts!), pero siempre se puede hacer una excepcion y vivir el momento, jeje!
I'll talk about fast food again today!! Last Sunday we went to the "bacon fest" ;) one of the 20 events happening in Chicago during that day. The plan was stop by this festival on our way to a Cuban festival. We finally didn't make the Cuban one because it was pretty far and it took almost two hours by train.
I read some stuff about the festival and to be honest, it looked more gastronomical and culinary than what it really was. Once we arrived there we found the same story again, a small street market with a couple of fast food tents. However, I was still surprised by the kind of food seved there, not really for our life style based on healthy diet and sports, but we can make some exceptions and carpe diem! (btw, our new workouts will be coming on next posts).

Llegamos al lugar en cuestion y en la entrada nos pidieron amablemente un donativo de 5$ por entrar :), todo voluntario claro...Habia un escenario de musica country a la entrada del festival, no tenian mucho ritmo y hacia mas de 30 grados, con lo que no tuvieron mucho exito...
We arrived to the festival and we were asked for 5$ "voluntary" donation to enter there :) There was a stage with a country music band. The rythm wasn't too good and it was more than 30C so I don't think they were very successful...

Escenario de musica country. Country music stage.

Continuamos explorando el lugar, que solo era una calle, jeje! Habia varios puestos de artesania mas o menos interesantes y algunos puestos de bisuteria y complementos. Todo normal hasta llegar a la parte central del festival, el bacon!!
Uno de los primeros puestos vendia "donuts de bacon" y todo tipo de frutas cubiertas en chocolate y con trocitos de bacon, asi como suena.
We started exploring the place, something easy considering it was located in only one street :) There were tents of art and paintings and other ones of cheap jewelry and accesories. Everything seemed normal until we reached the center of the festival, bacon!!
One of the first tents served "bacon donuts" and chocolate covered fruit with pieces of chocolate. I'm really NOT used to this, hehehe!


Carta de comidas :) Menu cart.

Fruta con chocolate y trozos de bacon. Chocolate covered fruit with pieces of bacon.

En el otro extremo de la calle habia otro escenario, por suerte este grupo sonaba mucho mejor. Thomas y yo nos quedamos un ratito a escucharlos mientras nos tomabamos nuestra "Coronita light", si chicos, la "Coronita" aqui es "Corona" y la gente la toma light. No sabe a nada y ademas, no tiene ningun sentido si la acompañas con comida con millones de calorias :) pero bueno, estaba fresquita, jaja!
At the other end of the street there was another stage and luckily the band playing sounded a lot better. Thomas and I stayed there listening to them while we drank our "Corona light". Corona is called "Coronita" in Spain because there is a brand of tobacco called "Corona" there, so I guess they couldn't name the beer Corona. I don't know why people drink light beer constantly, it does not have any taste and people drink it while eating food with millions of calories...Anyway, it was cold!!



Segundo escenario del festival. Second stage of the festival.

Thomas and I with our Corona light. Thomas y yo con "Coronita light"

A continuacion os muestro algunas fotos de los puestos, el tipo de comida y lo que alli se servia. Lo que mas me llamo la atencion fueron las patatas fritas. Hacian unos platos gigantes de patatas fritas tipo "chip" y luego les ponian queso por encima y bacon, claro. Demasiado, jeje!
You can see here some pictures of the tents, the food and what was served there. The most surprising thing for me was the plates of potato chips. They were huge and they had cheese on top and bacon. It was just too much!!



Puesto de comida polaca. Polish food tent.


Platito de patatas. Small plate of potato chips :)

Otra cosa llamativa fue el "Elvis sandwich", muy light :)
The "Elvis sandwich" was also surprising, very light too :)


Thomas se pidio un perrito caliente con la salchicha envuelta en bacon y yo me tome una hamburguesa pequeñita de bacon, que la verdad no estaba buena.
Thomas had a bacon wrapped hot dog and I ordered a bacon burger, but it wasn't very tasty.


 Esto fue todo lo que hicimos por alli, tampoco fue grandioso, pero lo pasamos bien. Terminamos la tarde yendo al centro de Chicago y disfrutar del ambiente. El fin de semana pasado fue el festival de musica "Loolapalooza", mas de 90.000 personas vinieron a Chicago, asi que se notaba el ambiente festivalero por la calle.
Aun tengo pendiente hacer un post de lo que se ve desde el tren cuando se va desde Evanston a Chicago, hay zonas que son de pelicula, entre ellas, la que veis en la foto, casas justo rozando la via del tren...Chicago tiene cosas impresionantes en todos los sentidos!! Adios!!

Eating was the last thing we did there. It wasn't really great but we had a good time. We ended up the evening going downtown and enjoying the nice environmente there. Last weekend it was the "Loolapalooza" festiva and more than 90.000 people came to Chicago to join the festival. The environmente was young and lively.
I still  need to write a post about what can be seen from the train when going from Evanston to Chicago. There are many different areas and some of them are just surprising, as for example the one on the picture where the houses are just freaking close to the railway. Chicago is amazing in every single sense!! Byee!!


Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Preparandome para la boda de Almudena. Getting ready for Almudena's wedding!!

El jueves por la noche cojo un avion con destino a Madrid y posterior llegada a Ciudad Real en tren para asistir a la boda de mi amiga Almudena!! Yuhuu!! Solo van a ser 3 dias en España, pero no queria que el estar lejos me hiciese perderme todos los momentos importantes, que bastantes me he perdido ya. Es una paliza, el año pasado ya lo hicimos para ir a la boda de mi prima, jeje! Pero lo vuelvo a hacer porque no me lo perderia por nada del mundo y siento en el alma haberme perdido otras bodas, cumpleaños y otros buenos y malos momentos por la distancia.
De momento, para irnos preparando, esperamos poder bailar o al menos mover los brazos cuando empiece el baile en la boda, jeje! La cancion, pues una de las mas animadas de los ultimos meses "Party Rock Anthem" de LMFAO :) Aqui me teneis practicando, jajaja!

I'm taking a plane on Thursday night to go to Spain!! I'll fly to Madrid and then take a train to Ciudad Real to go to the wedding of one of my best friends, Almudena!! Yuhuuu!! I'll be in Spain only for 3 days, but I didn't want to miss such an important moment. I have already missed many other nice events and being with people I love in important moments, so I decided not to miss absolutely everything. We already made a fast trip last year to go to my cousin's wedding :) and I'm doing it again because it was definetely worth it.
To warm up for the wedding I'm practicing a dance we are planning to do during the wedding dance :) if not all, at least we'll try to move our arms, hehe! For the moment you can see how I practice one of the most danced songs of the last months, "Party Rock Anthem" by LMFAO. Don't laugh at me! hehe!



Llevaba mi ropa de deporte porque he grabado el video despues de nuestro entrenamiento de "Asylum", todo ello en proximos posts :)
I was wearing my sports clothes because I recorded the movie just after our "Asylum" training. Everything in next posts :)

Saturday, August 4, 2012

4 de julio en agosto... 4th of July in August

Aunque llevo tres veranos en Chicago, nunca habia estado aqui el 4 de julio!! El dia de la independencia de los USA!! OMG!! La verdad es que siempre estoy en España por esas fechas disfrutando de unas cortas vacaciones, pero este año justo llegue a Chicago el dia 3 con lo que pude disfrutar del ambiente de ese dia. La verdad es que tenia un jet lag importante, pero por la noche subi a la piscina que esta en la planta 24 para ver los fuegos artificiales. Tambien fui al gimnasio que tiene un gran ventanal y desde donde se veian los fuegos artificiales que habia en la playa de Evanston.
No se aprecia bien en las fotos la cantidad de fuegos artificiales que habia en Chicago y que se veian desde la terraza. Habia celebraciones en cada barrio de la ciudad y al menos, pude divisar 30 fuegos artificiales distintos al mismo tiempo. Mi camara no es buena para captar este tipo de eventos, jeje! Yo tampoco soy muy buena fotografa :) pero al final os dejo un video de los fuegos artificiales de la playa de Evanston.
Even though this is my third summer in Evanston I had never been here the 4th of July! The independence day!! OMG!! The truth is I was in Spain in the last two years for the 4th of July enjoying my holidays at home, but this year I arrived here the 3rd of July so I could live the day here :) I had a huge jet lag but at night I went up to the swimming pool of our building, which is on the 24th floor, to see the fireworks in Chicago. I also went to the gym to look through the huge window and enjoy the fireworks of Evanston beach.
The pics are not very good, my camera is not the best to catch these kinds of things, but I could see at least 30 different spots in the city where there were fireworks. It was amazing! At the end of the post there is a video of the fireworks here in Evanston, at the beach.