Class & Burritos

Within a few minutes of talking with the other attendees at the start of today Holistic Pelvic Care Provider Class, I realized that as a Physical Therapist, I was in the minority. And I liked that.

There are lots of natropaths, massage therapists, midwives and only a small handful of physical therapists in this 4 day class. Don't get me wrong, I love my profession but it sure is nice to be around women healers of other sorts (and especially to have the knowledge of so many natropaths in one room!).

I chuckle at myself for being nervous, or not excited about going last night.  I think I was nervous about unknowns…finding the class, a new teacher and style of treatment. And a class which steps away from looking at things from a strictly medical approach. 

 I left class today completely energized and so excited for tomorrow. 4 days of class in't seeming like a long time anymore…not with this group of incredible, thoughtful ladies. 

                                                                -

A Bean & Cheese Chimichanga :)

After class, peers dropped me off at my new favorite Portland digs… a little Mexican restaurant called Santeria. I discovered it yesterday from a google search-it got rave reviews for being a small little restaurant. In searching for Santaria, I walked around several blocks slightly disheartened, as I wasn't able to find it. Finally I asked some people walking down the street and they pointed me in the right direction. It was then that I realized why they didn't have pictures of the restaurant on their website. 

"Oh, its right on that corner, two doors down from the strip club" the two strangers informed me. I looked to a spot of real estate on a block which I had totally avoided on the prior search.  A strip club, a small grocery mart and then several unmarked units adjacent.  There wasn't any markings on the outside of the building for a Mexican restaurant. 

I backtracked, and upon closer inspection, I realized I had in fact walked right by the little hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant. It had only 6 small tables in it and a small bar and a goth style decor to it with a few black curtains on the top part of the tall windows. 

The same waitress was behind the bar again tonight. She sings along to songs and occasionally goes over to her phone and changes the tunes playing overhead. She turns the music down, and then a new song comes on and she belts out confidently with the lyrics. 50's and 60's style peppy ballades. I can see it feeds her soul.  She wears a very see through through sleeve blouse top which is barely buttoned up and her bosoms are seriously flowing out of her shirt. In this city, with her neighbors next door, I suppose anything goes. Especially since this little Mexican joint is open till 2 am. I shudder slightly to think of the scene she must have to put up with at that time of night. 

Her tattooed arm compresses the lemon squeezer with vigor over a mixed drink. Lemon juice pours down her arm and some of the juice makes it into the cup. She zests the lemon in a beautiful curl on the edge of glass after glass.  She  takes care to  sweep up any drops of freshly squeezed lemon juice off the side of the glass before bringing it over to the customer. 

And the food….it exceeds my Google expectations. I love Mexican food and especially this style of Mexican food where the meats are marinated there and the spices have an authentic taste to them. Mexican spices which make my taste buds come alive with curiosity.

Glad I have a few more nights in Portland to enjoy Santeria!

Zoya