Living La Dolce Vita

Photo by -Dons'

My step-sister didn't get to come in to Austin for a meeting this week, but last week she came and I took her to Dolce Vita in Hyde Park. I'd never been before, but I like any place that uses fairy lights as decor. When we walked in, Courtney and I were instantly enamored with the display case full of gelato. The original quest for coffee was quickly forgotten.

Courtney was a bit wiser than me in ordering a small, whereas I opted for the medium, which must translate in Italian to oh-my-good-lord huge. It was worth it though. That's a giant glass cup of Mexican Chocolate flavored gelato with m&m's on top. It was spicy. And delicious. And spanked my mouth so bad I went through two cups of water before finishing. She had Nutella-peanut butter, but it tasted more like peanut butter with wisp of Nutella.

When I was in college I worked for a gelataria called Teatro Scarpino, and I got to cook and mix the gelato every day, so I consider myself a connoisseur.

The counter I got to hang out behind for twenty hours a week and the kitchen behind it. The whole dining room was pink with fairy lights. It was the perfect job for my undergraduate self.

This week I had no Courtney to entertain me, but making the short leap from the coffee shop and gelataria Dolce Vida, the joy of classic cinema quickly came to mind, and I was happily reminded that Tuesdays are free beer night at the I Luv Video on Airport. There's not much that free beer can't make up for, even a 9.5 hour work day on a five hour work day salary. Luckily, I like my job. Although today I had to present to teachers at a faculty meeting, and I felt the need to constantly remind the group that I used to be in their teacher club. I think I miss it, a lot. But then I went back to my office and started writing curriculum for a literary magazine program that incorporates the cultural history of zines and salon, as well as a Culture Club (pun intended) curriculum about the Mexican Dia De Los Muertos while looking up sugar skull recipes to do with my kids, and I realized that my new job pretty much rocks.


I'll simply have to find new ways to exert my inner scholarly snob. Luckily, I Luv has a vast documentary section, which I've only taken a two video nibble of. The snobbery can continue.