Chicken Feet

Who said that you had to go somewhere international to feel like you are in a foreign country? Right here in Oakland you can go to the The Legendary Palace where there are no menus and all you will hear is Mandarin and maybe some Cantonese, but who I am kidding there is no way in hell I would no the difference. Luckily, my two co-workers are from Hong Kong and they speak fluent Cantonese and Mandarin.

The Legendary Palace has amazing Dim Sum and it is so chaotic and busy that you hardly would think that you are in Oakland CA. The last time we went to Dim Sum they were out of Chicken Feet and although I was slightly relieved, I was determined to try it this time, bones and all!

At first glance it is not so appetizing, the claws dangle down, and you can see where they just chopped the foot off at the ankle. I gingerly put one on my plate and begin to gnaw on it and am kindly advised to eat the claw side first, naturally! I managed to eat two claws and spit out the bones and I am feeling very proud of myself until I look over and see that in the same amount of time my co-worker has eaten two and spit out all the bones!! Very impressive!! My two co-workers are just laughing at me without respiration, but they are quite impressed that I insisted on trying it and all the other Dim Sum was sooo Yummy! At least now I can officially say that I have eaten Chicken Feet!

2011

How time flys! It has almost been a year since I have been back in the states..... and in less than 3 weeks I will be going back down to Chile for a month to work down in our office in Santiago and I could not be more excited!! One of my good friends is getting married and I get to go to her wedding. I don't know how I got so lucky to have landed what could quite possibly be my dream job at 23, but those of you who know me, know that Travel, spanish, and negotiating have always been passions of mine and now I get to do those things for a living! What do you do..."You know, I am an Importer/Exporter" :)

I am not sure what to think, and sometimes I need to pinch myself, because, I live in the most amazing city, with the most incredible friends and have the most loving family that one could ever ask for. So I guess the only thing left to say is "Gracias a la vida."