Owning the city

There are moments while living in a big foreign city that everything clicks and you just feel like you’ve figured it all out.  They are usually sparked by the simplest accomplishments.  First, I needed to get some art supplies to make Christmas cards.  I followed my instincts and went down the right block to find everything in one fowl swoop in a papelería (paper store) (which is very uncommon – usually multiple destinations are necessary).  Next, with the warm weather upon us, I needed a corpiño (bra) to wear with strapless shirts and dresses.  Only a block away, I found a lingerie store with exactly what I was looking for.  Then, the most difficult task, according to friends’ experiences: finding a paper cutter.  Not sure if it’s a safety risk or just the fact that there aren’t many paper cutters in the city, but Meri had an awful time trying to find a paper cutter once.  I decided to try my local locutorio where I had become friends with the older gentleman who ran it.  Lo and behold!  He pulled through!  Three successful tasks completed in a short distance and with time to spare.