Aria Giovanni’s Blog

I thought you might enjoy viewing my new collaborative works with Hollywoodtuna.com. I have talked with quite a few different companies about having my own cooking show but I have not had much luck in the end solidifying a deal. Although “Bachelor Cooking 101″ is definitely a more tongue-in-cheek approach to a cooking show, I am definitely having fun producing weekly basic meal options for bachelors. Hope you enjoy the humor and of course the meals

I decided to go to Cyprus for a few days in my travel plans. It so happens that I booked a room in a small mountain village. I did not realize this beforehand but it was a perfect break from the go go go of traveling. Cyprus is an island and that should be kept in mind for when I arrived I was handed my rent-a-car without anyone checking my license or taking my credit card. The agent was going to meet me at my lodgings later that evening. When he arrived he sat down at the table in my courtyard and was working on the paperwork. I opened the door to the street and this cute dog came running up to me. Now, I am an animal lover but I am not usually so fond of dogs. Very few dogs have ever broken the barrier where cats can do it in a second. He looked like he had yellow lab in him mixed with a smaller breed. He wagged his tail and was so submissive and friendly. I petted him, which my girlfriends will attest to is unusual, and let him in the courtyard. The guy situating the paperwork for the car asked about the dog and I said I had no idea where he came from. He looked at me weird but the dog was sweet as all hell and I did not think it was weird to be casual with unknown animals. It was sad though because although he was very friendly and sweet he was obviously way too skinny like he had not been fed in awhile. You would think that such a friendly dog would find a home easily but I guess not. I know that if I found this dog in the states and I was able to give him a home I would of in 2 seconds. That is saying a lot since I swear I am not a dog person. I went out driving today on the island and ordered lunch. I packed my leftover chicken to bring back later for him. I waited outside my gate when I got back and called for him. He came out of nowhere and I had him come into the courtyard. I grabbed the food and he got so excited. I put it down before him and it was gone in a frenzy. It just broke my heart seeing him so hungry. He was in hysterics and I had nothing more to give him. I felt bad and decided to order more for dinner than I could eat so I could bring the meat back for him. I ended up ordering a salad to fill me up and a hearty beef with onion dish with cous cous. I had most of the main meal packaged to go and came back to the gate. I called for him but he did not come. I walked down the street in the direction he came from earlier and he was sleeping against a wall. I called to him and here he came tail wagging and head down to be pet. I coaxed him back to my courtyard and watched as he devoured ever last drop of food. It makes me sad that such a good animal is not cared for. He had such a great temperament and personality that I wish I could do more. I am already thinking how can I smuggle food out from breakfast in the morning?

I am going from LA to Frankfurt to Mumbai and then from Maldives to Singapore to LA. I thought it was cool that I would be flying around the world until I saw that my flight from Singapore to LA is 17-1/2 hours. What do you do on a plane for 17-1/2hours? Are you kidding me? Afterwards, my friend told me that I booked the 2nd longest commercial flight. I want to know what the 1st longest flight is so I make sure I don’t accidently book that one day. Needless to say, I don’t think it is so cool anymore.

So, I am in Europe now and it is my fifth time being here in the last 2 years. I remember being in London on one of these trips after a night on the town with friends following a shoot and all I wanted was some breakfast. I didn’t care that it would come with sauteed mushrooms, broiled tomatoes, and baked beans. I would eat around it. But, like every time that I ordered tea in London, I forgot to tell them no milk in my tea. It arrived with my breakfast and I was teetering on sending it back.  Finally I said “fuck it…drink the damn tea the way they want to serve it to you and like it.” At least that is what went through my head. I like to have my food a certain way. I am known for this in the states to go into a restaurant and change the menu according to the way I want it. Well, that doesn’t really fly here in Europe. It isn’t Burger King and you can’t always have it your way. So, I drank the tea and got over it. The funny thing though is that when I got back to the states on one of my regular trips to coffee bean in the morning I added some nonfat milk to my tea. I started to like it and I pretty much always add milk to my hot and iced tea when I order it now. I had the same problem with salami sandwiches I would get in Paris. They come on a baguette with butter and salami. I would order one and scrape off the butter which was a pain in the butt. Now, I just eat them the way they come and actually I was craving one on the plane ride over to Europe this time. I have a few more weeks here and I know I will have Bratwurst in Munich and maybe even I can make myself try french fries with mayonnaise in Amsterdam. One thing is for sure, nobody has to twist my arm to try Guinness in Ireland. I am definitely looking forward to that experience.

So, I woke up this morning and realized I was out of milk and had nothing to make my wonderful protein shake with. I went off to Ralphs and decided to pick up a few more items while I was there. I browsed the produce and grabbed some broccoli, asparagus, a sweet potato, a peach, some cherries, a tangelo, a couple of bananas and some grapes. I swung around the diary section and grabbed a gallon of organic non-fat milk. I picked up two tubs of hummus and some double fiber whole wheat bread. I wanted some Ito En green tea in a can but they were out. As I am swinging around to pick up a lemon herb rotisserie chicken for lunch I noticed this section of the grocery store. I hadn’t paid attention to it in ages, but I noticed it because a women with her 2 kids were going through the shelves and the little boy found some muffins there. Now, I bet most of you have never realized that there is this section in all major grocery stores, at least in the states, that has outdated food. The food is marked down and often hidden almost that if you didn’t pay attention you would never know that it existed. If you don’t believe this section exists ask someone the next time you are at the grocery store. I remember as a kid always loving this section. I liked when I found a surprise there of some sort that we could not normally afford but we would get if it was marked down enough. It made me stop and think how different life is now than when I was a kid. It almost seems like another life that I lived then. It makes me stop and remember how lucky I am and I appreciate all that my family has now. We have come a long way.

I have been sick for the last week and almost every time I catch a cold I get bronchitis. No need to go to a doctor to tell me so for I have asthma and ever since I was a kid the same thing happens the same way each time. Now I know I sound pretty bad when I cough but I guess I am used to it. To other people’s ears around me I must sound like I am dying. I don’t feel like I am dying I just have a cough. A bad one at that. Now a few of my friends have asked me if I have seen a doctor and of course I say no. They ask why not and I say because all they are going to do is tell me that I have bronchitis and give me antibiotics. They say that if you take antibiotics it will go away sooner and I say no thank you. I don’t like the idea of taking medicine that I don’t need. I believe that my body is well equipped to fight the infection itself. It might take longer than a few days but it will happen and I will be back to normal without messing up the balance of my system. I am not stubborn to the point of being ridiculous though. I do admit that there are times that I will succumb to the need of taking antibiotics. For instance, if a secondary infection occurs that shows me my body is not strong enough to fight on its own, anything in the “female” department, uti’s, and in case of a major surgery I would agree to take preventive antibiotics. So, I guess my question is antibiotics: what do you think, yeah or nay?

Why is that? You are out in public and you see someone across the room that you think is attractive until they open there mouth. You cannot believe what an idiot they become. Within 30 seconds they go from an 8 to a 2 just by talking. Unfortunately it does not work the other way around. If you see a guy that is a 2 on the attractive scale he doesn’t turn into an 8 by talking no matter how humorous and intelligent he may be. Of course he gains a few points but there is something about the initial attraction that is either there or not. I guess it works the other way too. I have had guy friends say they met a 10 and asked her out. On the date she can’t seem to carry a conversation and has a preoccupation with topics such as the new nail polish color that is out for the Spring collection. I guess there is someone for everyone but my friends have complained of a girl loosing all her points too from the same problem. It is always a bummer when this happens.