So accidentally cool . . .

Yes, of course it's me, Kikita. Who else would be accidental in their coolness? =D

Now that I've turned 25, I swear something is different about me. I spent 25 years saying, "This is not my real life," because my life really is a novela and I always find myself in "movie-like" situations (Meaning: "If I saw this in a movie, I would not believe it could happen in real life"), but I have finally come to terms with this and now embrace my novela/movie-like life.

So when a girlfriend of mine who lives in L.A. calls and invites me to go wine tasting with her on a Tuesday evening, I didn't hesitate.

A few disclaimers: I am really not that into wine and have never been interested in "going wine tasting." The only reason I so readily agreed was because I rarely see this friend, and am still trying to get to know her better, and because I did not mind the activity so long as I could enjoy her fabulous company.

So she emailed me a link to the event and said all I had to do was buy my ticket and meet her there. Fair enough. I got the link and was buying my ticket when I found that this event I was going to was a fundraiser for Women's Cancer Research. AND it was Argentinian wines so you know what that means . . . there will be Argentinos there!

As I pulled into the parking lot of the Skirball Cultural Center I was already starting to feel very cool . . .

I mean, I was at a fundraiser. In L.A. Tasting wine. Does it get any cooler than that?

I must confess, I had NO IDEA what I was doing. And when my friend called to tell me she was running late I was TOTALLY freaked out.
I kept wondering, "Where is that confidence I'm so known for?"
The answer I gave myself was, "I'm surrounded by wine and I'm a cute blond so how hard could this be?"
Let me tell you, it was not hard at all.

I started by walking by each table and just people watching. It was fascinating. Finally I started tasting. I know I didn't do it right, but I had been watching, not everyone was doing the "swirl and smell" technique so I elected not to. I would let people explain things to me that meant nothing to my world . . . like how this one was aged in oak barrels and this one was in steel and this has a fuller body while this was . . . it all became a blur.

Until I found The Empanada Man. He brought three kinds of empanadas with him: pollo, carne, & espinaca (chicken, beef, & spinach). As I had with the wine, I started slowly.

Just one empanada de pollo please.

Ahora una de carne por favor.

Otra de pollo . . . (I couldn't help it, they were DELICIOUS!)

When my friend finally arrived and it was like starting the whole evening over again, but this time I had a pro by my side so I learned so much more! And then I told her about my favorite table - The Empanada Man.

THIS time he introduced himself and then said, "Eres Cubana, verdad?"

We were surrounded by Argentinos, so HOW DID HE KNOW?!?!

Did I really care how he knew? Not at all. All that mattered was that a non-Cuban at a non-Cuban event actually thought I was Cuban (instead of just some blond girl who could speak Spanish).

GLOWING, I told him he was right.

I was a Cuban at an Argentinian Wine Tasting Fundraiser for Women's Cancer Programs in LA.

If you saw that in a movie, would you believe it?