Tango in her eyes

The Face Of Tomorrow Project: Buenos Aires

2011-02-11T05:25:00.001-03:00

The Face of Tomorrow is a concept project that explores what the "average" person of various cities around the globe looks like. These composites are what the average porteño and porteña, citizens of Buenos Aires look like, when the photographer layered the photographs taken at the Retiro train station.
The face of tomorrow is an open source project, so anyone can participate in adding their city, for further details click here.

Well Done Macri y Juliana

2010-11-23T02:27:00.001-03:00

El jefe de gobierno porteño (the mayor), Mauricio Macri and his bride Juliana Awana tied the knot last week in a civil ceremony, and then had their second ceremony this Saturday in Tandil, Buenos Aires. I have to say I am impressed with both ceremonies (ok really I was impressed with her dress as I am a little anti-wedding dress person), very simple and elegant as well as having a spectacular dance floor! Well Done! Check out Macri´s Flickr account for party pics!

Tanguero Movie

2010-11-12T02:42:00.001-03:00

Tanguero Trailer from pescaproduction on Vimeo.

Come on. I know you are just dying to watch it and hoping for finally a great tango movie, because as we well know, there is yet to be one. Well regardless, I will probably watch it over and over again, just trying to figure out the locations. Villa Urquiza, no Barrio Norte, no Caballito!

The synopsis: Omar, a Tango instructor, is forced to return to Buenos Aires because of an important phone call. He discovers an unrecognizable city, meets relatives, old friends and meets Veronica, his childhood friend. They remember the time they had spent together years before and decide to take on a difficult challenge. That’s how Omar rediscovers himself in Tango.

Release: March 2011.

Thanks to Tina for posting this gem on FB!

Tango Collage

2010-08-24T03:30:00.003-03:00

The name of the milonguero depicted here is on the tip of my tongue...

found via deviantART

Katrina M. d'Autremont

2010-02-25T02:27:00.003-03:00

I came across these photographs some time ago. There were two things that spoke to me upon looking at them. The first there is something very distinctly porteño about them. The second, childhood memories of spending time with my mother while she taught the Saturday afternoon gymnastics classes. To my surprise and delight, my eyes did not deceive me and were taken by the talented Katrina M. d'Autremont, who was living in Buenos Aires and taking classes at Circo Criollo.

Katrina says, "When I was living in South America, I started taking circus classes. One thing that struck me was that the teachers of the trapeze classes were often women with young children. Often their children would be at the classes like at a daycare center, except the babysitters were the students of the classes. Each day these aerial mothers would train for hours as their children grew up into the world of circus arts. To these children what their mothers did each day was normal, and in trying to be like their moms, they fly through the air and grow up with a world most of us only imagine in fiction."

In her photographic essay, Si Dios Quiere... explores the specific roles developed over time within the family. There is something about the kitchen photographs that make me feel quite homesick for Buenos Aires and the Sunday family lunches.

Tango Couples

2009-12-04T05:37:00.000-03:00

Do you recognize any of these Tango Couples?

Tango In National Geographic

2009-08-20T11:27:00.003-03:00

Photographs by Pablo Corral Vega for National Geographic

This morning via my sitemeter I found a National Geographic link to an article on Tango published in the December 2003 issue. Sometimes when attending the milongas one can truly feel that they are participating in an episode of National Geographic with all the posturing, preening, drama and the beauty that happens in the microcosmic world of Tango. I wonder if the subjects of these photos even know that their images graced the pages of the world´s leading nature journal? I bet El Turco (middle photo) does!

"Tango has the habit of waiting".

2009-08-10T17:05:00.002-03:00

Aníbal Troilo once said, "Tango has the habit of waiting."

How to....

2009-07-22T13:30:00.001-03:00

Isa demonstrates how to take mate like a local.

Je ne suis pas là pour être aimé

2009-07-17T09:47:00.003-03:00

Have you seen this movie? Je ne suis pas là pour être aimé (Not Here to Be Loved), is probably one of the best "Tango" films I have seen so far. The Tango in the film certainly is not all about the steps, but about the embrace. As the story progresses, watch how the embrace develops between the lead characters, Jean-Claude (Patrick Chesnais) and Françoise (Anne Consigny). I will leave it at this, as not to spoil the movie for you, but enjoy the performance below of Geraldine Rojas and Javier Rodriguez.

Pugliese

2009-06-16T12:25:00.003-03:00

Tangri-lá wrote a sweet post today Introducing Pugliese. I can not think of any other orchestra who can make an entire milonga gasp collectively in excitement, as I once experienced at the magical milonga formerly held in Club Español.

Easy Peasy

2009-06-08T18:11:00.005-03:00

My friend C is in town and as our text messages were rapidly flying back and forth last night she ran out of credit on her cellphone.
She asked if I could help her add credit, by getting a new tarjeta and helping enter the magic numbers. Recrediting your cellphone in a foreign language can be a wee bit of a challenge, but when you are hearing impared and do not speak the local language fluently, this small task that most of us take for granted can be a little intimidating. I was happy to oblige, but could not help her out until tomorrow, but then I remembered Recarga Facil!

Located at most Pago Facil locations*, you can recharge the credit on your cellphone without the hassel of finding a kiosko that has the tarjetas to recredit. PLUS! You can add the whatever amount you need. Which is fantastic, when you only want 10 pesos versus being forced to buy a 20 peso card. Infact, you do not even need the cellphone with you! Just the number of the cellphone you want to put credit on.

If you are hearing impared or castellano challenged, just write the name of the service provider and your cellphone number down to give to the attendant. Along with the amount you want to pay. Check it against the receipt they will give you back and ¡listo! you are done!**

So now I am feeling smug, that I was such a smarty pants today, and I saved myself 30 minutes out of tomorrows to do list!

*sometimes the systems are down, and you have to wait an hour or so before they are up and running again.

** When paying a bill after writing this post, you can also get a tarjeta to keep your information handy at Pago Facil and make it easier for recharging your credit.

Tourist, Don´t Tourist

2009-06-03T15:23:00.006-03:00

I often receive emails from readers who are planning their trips to Buenos Aires, and often want information on various Tango teachers, which restaurants to eat in etc...etc...

I do love to share information especially about places I love and have often taken the time to write back. Funny thing is, 89% of these information seekers never say "Thank you".

So perhaps I will just send them a standard link, from now on. What do you think?

But one recent reader asked for some info, and she seemed like a fun and crazy gal after perusing her blog, and if I were her and wanted to see some non-tourist touristy places they would be:

Bar 12 de octubre , Bulnes 331. In this teeny tiny bar located in Almagro, it is often standing room only, but most of the patrons are very friendly and will offer you a seat, if there is a spare one about. The decor hasn´t changed much since the 30´s, although the clientele sporting body art and piercings may have. Go late in the evening around midnight or so and enjoy the live Tango music, often with the patrons singing along.

Clasica y Moderna ,Callao 892 - Buenos Aires - 4812-8707 / 4811-3670. I had walked past this café/library numerous times in the evening and it looked as though they put on marvelous shows, so finally when my friend Tracey came for a visit we went (yay for expense accounts). We had not made a reservation, but decided to sit at the bar, which if it is a party of one or two I would highly recommend, as you can flirt with the gorgeous man behind the bar. They also carry a excellent selection of wines.

La Catedral, Sarmiento 4006 y Medrano. I can´t say I have really had the best mind blowing tandas here, but have had lots of fun just hanging out and socializing. By the Time Out link, it appears as though La Catedral must be open on a regular basis then it was a few years ago, when you never knew if it was or if it wasn´t, which can be kind of fun as well, except for the wasted cab fare. A word of caution, if it is raining outside, it is also raining inside. Do not leave wearing heels, or risk death descending stairs.

Las Violetas corner of Medrano y Rividavía is a must, especially for the indulgent. This beautifully restored building offers some of the city´s most amazing selection of cakes and facturas. Casual dress is fine, but going for the glamour makes the experience even more exciting. Don´t forget to order some champagne!

The best mode of transportation is your feet! Get out and walk, walk and walk some more. And inbetween walk and walk, stop in at a café that catches your fancy and take a Gancia or a Martini Rosso, sit and observe while this magical city moves to its own inner Tango beat.

Gorda

2009-05-27T11:33:00.002-03:00

Gorda is one of my favourite Tangos. I first discovered the song through La Chicana interpretation on their CD AYER HOY ERA MAÑANA. I was hoping to find a version on Youtube for you either by La Chicana or award winning Argentine actress Rita Cortese, who sings a powerful rendition, but for you today I post for you the one below. What is so special about this song? It´s timelessness. Written in 1928, it is a song about the humiliations a woman puts herself through dieting, after being dumped by her lover. Not much has changed today almost 100 years later.

Gorda
(1928)
Letra: Camilo Darthes
Música: Luis Martino

Flaca linda... ¡que ironia!
era en la confiteria,
yo tomaba un copetin...
"Negrita, que bien formada,
estas hecha una monada
sos una papa, un budin!"
me diiste de pasada
hoy me dejas amurada
porque la lineaperdi;
¡nunca pude imaginarme
que despues de enemorarme
llegase a ponerme asi!

Che, gorda!
lo decis de una manera,
sin mirarme tan siquiera,
¡me dan ganas de llorar!
Che, gorda!
pensa un poco y se buenito;
¿que culpa tengo negrito;
si no puedo adelgazar...?

Lo que he llorado y reido,
lo que he penado y sufrido
en lo fisico y moral...
una faja me he comprado
y dos litros me he tomado
de vinagre artificial,
gimnasia sueca y flexiones,
baños turcos y fricciones.
masajes del esternon...
¡un mes que no como nada;
tengo la sangre arruinada
de tomar te con limon!

Artist In Residency

2009-04-14T16:00:00.000-03:00

We have an up and coming resident artist in house. His name is Tobías, and his preferred medium is ink and blank wallspace.

Double Rainbow

2009-04-09T11:00:00.001-03:00

Last Thursday morning I woke up to this. A full arc double rainbow. Faith restoring, no?

Insanely Cute!

2009-04-08T15:59:00.000-03:00

Little Obsessions

2009-04-06T13:28:00.000-03:00

Well, this obsession isn´t so little, but huge! I am obsessed with this, I don´t even know what it is called, Enamelled Yerba and Sugar holder? I love the colour.For whatever reason I have been obsessed with enamel since moving here.

Día de la Memoria

2009-03-24T15:04:00.003-03:00

Today is Día de la Memoria, which marks the anniversary of the coup d'état in 1976 that started the dictatorial rule of the Proceso . This seems like such a long time ago, but yes it still is strongly in the memories of the people here, and often crops up in the most unlikely places.

This weekend for example, I was walking with the children to their grandmothers house, when I came across the most beautiful garden. Quite English in design actually, lush and verdant. With loads of flowering trees. The house is on the corner, it is neither large nor small, but humble and proud, but it was the backyard that was impressive, as it was the length of half the block. What was even more unusual was the fact there are no bars on the window, to keep the burglars out. Nor was there razor wire on the low fence. "How optimistic of them." I thought. When the Pelado joined us later, I had been so entranced, I told him of my new favourite house in Villa Urquiza.
"Oh, that is house of the colonel under house arrest for the military crimes, did you not notice the guard box out front." he said. "What kind of punishment is that?" I replied, "Living in a house with that beautiful garden?"
So yes, this past shame still lingers in day to day life, in the most tragic and often beautiful ways.

Coming to an Understanding

2009-03-22T15:35:00.004-03:00

I answered the phone the other night. My mother in law was on the other end. We have had communication problems. She has decided she doesn´t understand me, on my end, it is better for my sanity (and I have witnesses), if I choose not to understand her.

Anyways I picked up the phone...she wants the Pelado to call her, about an event that we need to plan....with words such as boluda, poronga, la gente mierda...tossed about with "Entendiste?" Do you understand, she keeps asking me. "Sí, entiendo, perfectamente."
"No," she says, "you don´t understand me." then she goes back to her rant...naming names. and then I say la bruja (the witch) after she rambled off an name. "Ooooooh", she says as if Jesus came down and gave her a revelation, "you do understand me after all. Good then, have the Pelado call me."

A Little Respect

2009-03-19T13:42:00.003-03:00

I was reading Brent´s Milonga Blog this afternoon, his latest entry about Tango Etiquette had my head bobbing in agreement. These two particular gems stood out.

Like anything worth doing, tango has its codes that smooth the way to a good experience on the dance floor. The tango codes exist for the benefit of dancers, and like the rule of law in the larger society, they are not for the self-aggrandizement of enforcement agencies or a thing unto themselves. They have a purpose.

Respect is the operative word in all these suggestions. The tango grew up in a bad neighbourhood. Respect reflected the old Castilliano code of courtly behaviour, and that code was mirrored even more rigorously among the underclasses. Neglecting to show respect in those days could be fatal. In our time and place, the fatal is metaphorical but deadly in its own way.

I love the last paragraph. Tango grew up in a bad neighbourhood. People tend to forget this. The codes have a purpose, they serve to make the environment (milonga) pleasant for everyone, no matter what barrio (or country) you come from. They help to save face. And in the past, could help save your life.

The Secret Code

2009-03-17T14:55:00.008-03:00

But then, he was a tourist, and a tourist can’t help but have a distorted opinion of a place: he meets unrepresentative people, has unrepresentative experiences, and runs around imposing upon the place the fantastic mental pictures he had in his head when he got there.

Sometimes I just shake my head when I read or hear how a tourist sees things here. On occasion I give into a rant. Sometimes, I politely try and tell them they are wrong and share with them the point of view of someone who lives here. Regardless of how I say it they get upset with me, because how dare I break their happy bubble.

Recently I commented on a Tango bloggers post on how their friend, a local was poorly treated at a particular milonga. I did not disagree that the friend was poorly treated, by the sounds of it they were. What I did disagree with, is that the friends names and feelings were dragged into the posting, and I pointed out that their friends may not be too happy with their names splashed out over this particular posting.

Milongas have codes of etiquette. And yes, often the codes and hierarchy is broken, but one thing for sure is a poker face is always worn. Regardless of ones displeasure with a situation, things are taken care of with a smile on the lips and a cock of an eye brow, and names might be whispered behind a hand, but they are never screamed out loud...especially on the internet. Especially when the said friends earn their living in the Tango world. People here, have their own way of handling things. You may not like it, but one should, Respect it. The best way you can also sock it to them by taking your hard earned tourist dollars and spend them at the milongas you do enjoy. But please, respect the culture, respect the codes.

Quilombo

2009-03-11T15:36:00.001-02:00

We have been about a week without gas. No cooking, no hot water, while we waited for the various gasistas to give their estimates on the work to be done. Just getting the estimates was a bit of a disaster as well. Gasista number 1 illegally turned on the gas. Gasista number 2, an aquaintence did not even want to look at the job at hand, because Gasista number 1 illegally turned on the gas and did not want to deal with Metro Gas. Gasista number 3, had a huge smile on his face and was rubbing his palms together with $$ in his eyes. And finally Gasista number 4, went bolistic on the phone to Gasista number 1, about foolishily and illegally turning on the gas, when it was very dangerous, how could he be such a boludo, broken floors and walls and all sorts of other scary words.

The other day, our kind neighbour asked me who was the girl with the pretty smile staying with us? I told her, she is my American friend, and she came to stay with us because her house had gas problems. "Qué barbáro!" she exclaimed "The world is a diabolico place these days. Everyone is having problems with the gas. We need to call the priest and have the bad spirits removed!" Hey whatever works, I´m all for it.

Today was the big day. The owners of the house apparently are putting out around 2800 pesos for the repairs, which are to take about three days to complete. The Gasista, number 1 by the way, arrived around noon...two hours late. They hammered away for about 90 minutes. Left for lunch about 90 minutes, returned to sweep for about 20. Oh yes, I forgot about the water explosion, all over the kitchen. Tomorrow apparently they will return and replace the pipes and I am promised the gas will be turned on as well. I am hopefull, but I am not holding my breath.

Out of Gas

2009-03-09T13:59:00.003-02:00

I have been trying to write a witty piece about running out of gas. Tina cursed us, and brought her gas problems to us. Just kidding. She even stole my line...about fixing the problem with a rubber band. It is how I demonstrated to my Inmobiliaria about how crappy a job they did replacing the calefon when really it was a dangerous ventilation problem all along, but of course it was cheaper for them to try and replace the calefon, rather than the gas plumbing. So now we are out of gas, no hot showers, no hot food. Good thing the baby enjoys playing in cold water.

Normally I cope, by laughing about things, make a funny story about it. But I sit here and I feel livid and alone. I am out of gas, and need a push to the nearest station.

Lágrima Ríos

2009-02-28T12:20:00.000-02:00

In anticipation for tonights concert, we watched the documentry Café de Los Maestros. One of the singers featured in the film, was Lágrima Ríos from Uruguay. Sadly on Christmas Day in 2006, at the ripe age of 82 she died before the release of the film.

Fortunately for all lovers of Tango, this great singer and personality was captured for us to remember and honour, as Lágrima Ríos almost finished her career in relative obscurity. Although her career was active and spanned almost 60 years, it did not bring her the monetary riches she deserved. By chance in 2000 diva, actor and presenter Fernando Peña was performing in Montevideo. After his performance, he had gone to a parrilla, there were only a few tables in the small restaurant, and performing for tips in her sequined dress, accompanied only by a guitarist was none other than Lágrima Ríos. It saddened Peña to see this accomplished artist, reduced working for tips (and stingy tippers they were).

By this twist of fate, it reignited Lágrima´s career bringing her back into the limelight. Fernando Peña created and wrote the show “La Lágrima de la Mega” for Lágrima to star in, to showcase her talents worthy of the Tango Goddess she is.

Fernando Peña wrote a poignant obituary for Lágrima in Página/12.

Taking a Year Off

2009-02-26T12:18:00.002-02:00

I discovered the website Stuff White People Like this morning. I thought #120 was funny enough to share with you.

#120 Taking a Year Off

When someone goes through a stressful experience they usually require some time off to clear their head, regain focus, and recover from the pain and suffering. Of course, in white culture these experiences are most often defined as finishing high school, making it through three years of college, or working for eleven months straight with only two weeks vacation and every statutory holiday (”they don’t count because I had to spend them with family.”)

Though you might consider finishing school or having a good job to be “accomplishments” many white people view them as burdens. As such, they can only handle them for so long before they start talking about their need to “take a year off” to travel, volunteer, or work abroad.

It is most common for the person taking the year off to use this time to travel (see Post #19 for reasons why). Generally, they will start off with a set amount of money that will use to travel for as long as possible. This explains why a white person with an $800 backpack will haggle with a poverty-stricken street vendor about a $2 dollar plate of food.

If you work with this person, be sure to give them a FAKE email address on their last day on the job or you will be inundated with emails about spiritual enlightenment and how great the food is compared to similar restaurants back home. Also, within the first five days following departure, this person will come up with the idea to write a book about their travel experience. Sadly, more books about mid-twenties white people traveling have been written than have been read.

Some of the more enterprising white people will extend their time off by working abroad as a bartender, ski lift operator, or english teacher. Their stories, emails, and publishing plans will be identical to the previous white person but will include additional stories about working and complaints about “tourists.”

Finally, there is the white person who takes a year off to volunteer at home or abroad. Though they are equally likely to write long emails about their experience, these people are often using the experience as an excellent resume pad for their application to law school. This way they are able to put off real life without the crippling derailment of a career or education.

Regardless of how a white person chooses to spend their year off, they all share the same goal of becoming more interesting to other people. Sadly, the people who find these stories interesting are other white people who are politely listening until they can tell their own, more interesting story about taking a year off.

Thankfully, there is an enormous opportunity for personal gain. You see, whenever a white person takes a year off it opens up a valuable apartment, job opportunity or admissions slot. Consider it to be the most pretentious form of affirmative action.

Tortilla al Española

2009-02-15T19:43:00.002-02:00

Argentine food can often get a bad rap, perhaps because yes, it can be a little repetitive and sometimes bland. Now, thanks to the Pelado, I have a new food addiction. He introduced me to Tortilla al Española, which is basically an omelette made with potatoes, topped with chorizo. I have seen it on many a menu, but was never tempted to try it as I tend to order cuisine that I normally would not make at home, such as a lomito (steak sandwich). Now it has become our default dinner at least once a week.

So perhaps the next time you are stuck, for what to try...I would recommend the Tortilla al Española. If you happen to be in San Telmo, there is a café that serves a very wicked Tortilla al Española made with papa fritas. on the corner of the 500 or 600 block of Estados Unidos.

Sensory Memories

2009-02-13T13:13:00.001-02:00

Food is often a large part of my travel memories. The visual, olfactory, taste not to mention texture imbed themselves into our cellular memories and souls. Perhaps not all are gourmet; the sweet melty salty carmel and chocolate of a deep fried Mars Bar in Scotland. The crispy and soothingly greasy deep fried Curry Rice Roll in Ireland, while nursing an epic hangover. My first fresh fig, bursting at the touch, exposing its fertile and erotic flesh, plucked from the tree within 2 hours of landing in Athens. And while in Rome, to my surprise and wonderment that yes! Pine nuts do come from Pine Trees! Fed to me by little Gulia all of 5 years, pounding on the pine cone with a rock.

I was bemused when our Japanese student bawled like a baby melting her 7 step cosmetic layered Bambi eyelashes out, when we baked then ate with Vanilla Ice Cream, Blackberry pie, with the berries we picked together in the backyard. Something so common to me, that I took for granted, was part of her Great Canadian Discovery.

I will never forget eating Moras (Mulberries) both white and red, sweet but still firm, picked for us from the trees while trail riding in Salta.

Lately I have been making new sensory memories of my own. Imagine my excitment of inhaling the intoxicating fragrance of the Bay Laurel given to me from the garden of our lovely neighbour. I may just have to buy some rum and concoct my own version of Old Spice for the Pelado to wear. Although, the mint growing in the patio would beckon me to concoct a Mojito with the rum instead.

Discovering all the avocado trees lining the street in my barrio and to find an avocado ready to pluck! Now that is exciting! Guacamole! Although I am still waiting for the avocado-palta to ripen, and it may not be suitable to eat in the end, still it is exciting for me.

Last but least, is the lavender blooms foraged from the garden from the apartment we stayed at in Monte Hermoso. Lavender does not need to be strictly used to freshen up your panty drawer, it can also be really lovely to use in the culinary arts. I spontaneously threw in a couple teaspoons into the cheesecake I was making and garnished the cake with them as well. I must say, was very pleased with the results. The cake was aromatic, delicate and as light as a cloud, plus I was able to enjoy it with new friends and old, and remembered Monte Hermoso with every sensual bite.

Photo Tag Me Me Me

2009-02-08T13:07:00.000-02:00

Tango Cherie tagged me in this photo me me me.

This is my Pelado on the beach at an undisclosed location in Uruguay. Usually I am very giving and sharing with information, but this place is so special to me, that I think people should discover it on their own journey.

I love this photo, he looks like an alien vapourizing into the atmosphere.

I tag; Coog, Amazing BA aka Trendy Palermo and Frank.
Choose the 4th image on the 4th page of your online photostream (whichever service you use).

Deported

2009-02-05T14:52:00.003-02:00

I have never heard of anyone being deported from Argentina, except for creepy Leonard Schwartz, but I suppose it could happen. I am pretty sure this girl´s story wouldn´t happen here (a blessing in disguise, if I do say so myself). Equally heartbreaking and hysterically funny, the way she tells it.

Monte Hermoso

2009-01-30T11:45:00.001-02:00

After nine hours of driving through the sea of never ending pampas on the overnight bus, we arrived Christmas Eve in Monte Hermoso to spend our holidays. While ideally the Pelado and I would prefer to rough it on the Beaches of Uruguay, traveling with two children under three was a huge deterrent.

Frankly, I wasn´t quite sure what to expect. The beach was wonderful! There were tidal pools for the children to play in. The sand was relatively debris free. And the vibe was relaxed, not too many poseurs.

I was expecting jacked up prices, being a seaside resort town, but it wasn´t anymore expensive than Buenos Aires, except for dairy products at the super market. 1 litre of milk, 4 pesos! (fingers together, rocking under the chin here).
Nor can I say we really explored the city too much. Lugging beach towels, mate kit and two children, sort of put a damper on this. We pretty much stuck to our 4 block path to the beach and back. One purchase I do regret not buying, was a beach tent. If I had a beach tent I would have stayed there all day long. Although the gorgeous and colourful umbrellas were tempting, they seem awkward to carry back and forth.

One of our most memorable experiences was dinner Christmas Day at Patio de Campo, 200 block of Dufaur. The owners were the most lovely couple. Simply decorated, with Tango memorabilia on the walls, I asked the waiter if they held milongas here. "No," he said "but the owner sings Tango music." Sure enough, after polishing off his glass of red wine, el dueño picked up his guitar and sang for us. Not long after, a couple of traveling women, one from Columbia the other from everywhere...born in Uruguay to Belgian parents lives in the UK travels in Latin America, joined us. The Columbian must have been a professional stage actress, she was reciting poetry, singing, playing guitar, reciting monologues. We did not leave until 3am!

I think we will be returning again.

City of Monte Hermoso information.

Chau Miss Tango!

2009-01-29T11:11:00.002-02:00

Chau Miss Tango! And say "Hola Joli!" which is the spanish phonetic spelling of my name. If you want to say it in the French manner, this is fine with me. If it is good enough for Saint Angelina, well it is good enough for me.

After over a year at home with the little munchkin Nº2, it is time to hit the streets again, and creating something new. Stay tuned!

Objects

2009-01-23T17:41:00.002-02:00

I adore finding odd little objects in the street. Sometimes the Pelado gets irritated with me for "cluttering" the home with such things as the mannequin (he shouldn´t talk being someone who keeps gnarly stuffed animals from ex-girlfriends). I found this slide walking home from Barrio Chino. It was taken in the September of one of my favourite years; 1978. The Pelado believes the photograph was taken in Bariloche.

Magnificent

2009-01-09T00:54:00.000-02:00

If I had taken down the laundry earlier, I just may have missed this magnificent sunset. The skys are usually quite beautiful here in Buenos Aires, but tonight was absolutely breath taking! I felt as though I had stepped into a Maxwell Parrish painting.

We Have Moved!

2008-12-23T16:56:00.000-02:00

We have moved. It is only one barrio over to the side, but you would think we have moved to the wilds! This toad was outside our door after the rains, and there are white lizards that come into the house on occasion. Anyways it is off to the beach now. Have a lovely Christmas!

One Year and Thirteen Days!

2008-12-15T22:33:00.002-02:00

Today it has been one year and thirteen days since our little Isabella has come into our lives. The past year has been a never ending roller coaster ride, but it has been blissful despite all the monkey wrenches thrown our way at times.

Isabella is growing quite nicely with a button nose, long dark full eyelashes and pouty rosebud lips.

Isabella practices yoga, with her favourite pose being toes to the nose. She is also enjoying Happy Clappy Namaste. As well as yoga, she loves to dance and has an eclectic taste in music.

She loves to play fight with her papá and older brother, being tossed about. But when her older brother pushes her limits she gives it right back.

She is quite chatty these days and all her words have been in castellano, such as: fiesta, yá sta, acá sta, celular and F%$&! oops that isn´t castellano, but it is Internationally recognizable.

Glorious Bougainvillea

2008-11-22T09:07:00.003-02:00

Spring is turning to Summer, and I wanted to capture the flowers before they fade. The other day when I was walking home with the babe, there was an old woman paused in front of a house admiring the Bougainvillea. She put her hand on my arm and said "The Santa Ritas, are they not glorious? How magnificent!"
"Yes, they are very beautiful." I said in agreement. But at that moment in my mind I was excited to hear a different name for the flowers, as I have only heard of them being called Bougainvillea.

Corazoncitos

2008-11-20T10:47:00.000-02:00

Corazoncitos are my favourite little candies. I discovered them at the EZE airport upon returning to Canada my first time here. Now I give them as farewell gifts (if I can find them) to friends who are leaving Buenos Aires. I like to think that if they eat these tiny corazoncitos they will quickly return to this crazy magical Bi-polar city. Don´t you just love the Art Nouveau packaging?

Sandbox Finds

2008-11-11T09:42:00.001-02:00

Again I have no idea the name of this tree from where the seed originated. Found this seed while digging in the sand with Isa. The plaza we enjoy the most is several blocks away from home, and although there are a couple of plazas closer to our place, it is worth walking the extra blocks to enjoy playing in the plaza surrounded and sheltered by large trees. Thank goodness papá was with us yesterday, as I laid down in the sand lulled to sleep by imaginary waves.i

A Hundred Faces of Argentina

2008-11-09T13:13:00.003-02:00

Can I point you to the direction of `A Hundred Faces of Argentina´. I discovered it this morning. Diverse stories and photos of real people, their lives and dreams, by blogger Marion. It is a welcome change from "what trendy restaurant in Palermo I ate in" style of blogging that sadly, seems to be rather abundant.

Papers, papers here and there

2008-11-06T10:48:00.003-02:00

The pelado is making me go on a mission today. Bureaucracy is always fun here and of course to accomplish any sort of official paper work takes at least a minimum of three tries. Consider yourself lucky if it only takes two.

So I have to take his original birth certificate, make a copy, to take both copies to show the bearded man who will then take the photo copy to plug into the computer, to tell me which office (maybe) the original of the original copy will be. Super efficient, no?

Another day, pelado will have to go to that office to apply for another stamped copy, wait, then I will go to see if it is ready one day, then the pelado will go to pick it up. After that...the passport process, which from the last time I heard, will take about 4 months to process.

83 out of 100, not bad!....now 84!

2008-11-04T11:33:00.005-02:00

The Omnivore’s Hundred

The Omnivore’s Hundred is a list of 100 things
that every good omnivore should have tried at least once in their life. The list includes fine food, strange food, everyday food and even some pretty bad food - but a good omnivore should really try it all.

Here are the rules:
1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment here at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results.

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding (if morcillas count)
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar (Not together)
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal (A long time ago...)
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

I have also eaten bear and ostrich which I really enjoyed. deep fried Mars Bars should have been added to the 100 as well.

ewww....

2008-10-20T12:28:00.002-02:00

I know it all very natural, great for plants and all, but it is kind of shocking to find somebody´s hacked off locks in my soil. It just sort of disturbed me a little...well, alot.

Indulgences

2008-10-17T10:07:00.002-03:00

I have been absolutely spoiled this month! Tina plied me with Champagne and cake at one of our favourite institutions, and who am I to say no. Although I think the waiter was a little more than surprised for two ladies to order up champagne at 3 in the afternoon.

Because It Is Friday

2008-10-10T09:51:00.003-03:00

I can´t believe my youth was without Raffaella Carrá. The Pelado told me although she is Italian, Raffaella was as popular here as Madonna or Shakira is today.

Sweet

2008-10-07T13:32:00.001-03:00

Isa appears to be relishing her postre, dessert that her papá gave to her. Can you believe my mother in law, completely bitched me out when she saw these photos¿ Okkkaaaay?!

Purification

2008-09-25T15:59:00.000-03:00

A little purification for your mind after yesterdays post. This is the Hare Krishna Centre in Villa Urquiza. It is a little bright spot in an otherwise very pretty yet very restrained posh neighbourhood, at least in this neck of the woods.

You Know You´ve Been Living In Buenos Aires A Long Time

2008-09-24T15:28:00.005-03:00

It is a tough call, but you know when you have been living in Buenos Aires a long time when:

a) You start to think hmm....Susana Gimenez no longer scares me, and you know, she actually looks really good.

b) You start to recognize the culo of the month, not by her face...but by her culo, whenever you see the latest Mens Magazine Cover.

Ugly Tourist Footwear...Photo says it all.

2008-09-20T16:11:00.000-03:00

Imagine Dancing

2008-09-18T13:41:00.002-03:00

Imagine dancing in these babies. The unusual fishnet stockings first caught my eye, then my eyes were drawn down to the shoes. Image from the NYTimes.

Tengo Fiaca

2008-09-11T11:00:00.005-03:00

"Tengo fiaca, mi amor." I said to the Pelado pulling the bed covers up to my chin, and rightfully so. Isa and I walked all the way home from the Jorge Newberry Airport to Villa Urquiza, which took four hours including a stop for helado.
"No you´re not." he said.
"Yes I am...I walked four hours today!"
"No, your not Argentine enough (his words not mine). Do you get up in the morning, crack open a beer and sit on the doorstep all day long watching the world and life pass you by?"
"Mmmm...no. But if we had a balcony, maybe I would reconsider this option."

Chamuyo

2008-09-10T11:55:00.001-03:00

You know when you take notice of something, and then you start to notice it everywhere?
Chamuyo is my favourite lunfardo word of the week, and it seems to be popping up for me everywhere. It started off when the Pelado and I were sitting with a friend discussing someones odd behaviour, and the Pelado said "He has the face of a chamuyero. Ojo!" This led to a discussion of how chamuyo loosely translated means bullshit, chamuyero(a), a bullshitter leaning towards scammer. Often lunfardo words have a double meaning, depending on the tone and even facial and hand expressions used with the word. Or in gmail chat english from the Pelado "a non-sense talking to convince somebody" and also as a synonym to talk "hablar".

Then I remembered a particular blog title of the "Self appointed representive of the Milongueros".
Tell me. What do you think her title really means?

Just One Last Time

2008-09-08T14:37:00.006-03:00

Sometimes setting out to do a mundane task, such as making an appointment for the Pelado to replace his lost DNI document can reduce me to tears. This time not because as usual the task at hand could not be accomplished the way he had asked me to help him out, but simply because I had stopped to read the bulletin board while exiting the offices.

Maria, your documents that you may be using are .....

We are your paternal grandparents. You and your parents were taken from us in 1976, from La Plata. At the time you were only 3 months old, we have not seen any of you since the day you disappeared.... Your paternal Grandfather has dedicated his life to art. Painting and sculptures...... We are now in our 80s and we have never given up hope in finding you. I just want to find you, I need to find you and embrace you in my arms just one last time.

Tangos certainly are not found only in the milongas here. They are found everywhere in this city, and always in places you least expect them to be found.

Casa Sweet Casa

2008-09-03T09:55:00.004-03:00

We are looking to move. Our lease is up come December, so we have been frantically looking for a new home. Ideally something bigger than the current shoe box we live in. A home with a little space for the children to play outside. Enough to grow a small urban garden. Last night we found it. Living, Dining, 3 bedrooms, kitchen, two huge terraces with a parrilla, Kitchen, Playroom, Attic bedroom, Garage with Shower. The Pelado could even bike to work. It is a little over budget, but not too far out of reach. Lovely, perfect, a dream home.

Well we would have to think about this. Why is this beautiful huge, reasonably priced home sitting vacant? Near the train, I decided I needed a helado. The Pelado starts talking to the owners of the shop, telling them of our search for a new home, and the area of the house that we just looked at. Me, I am not listening at all, strictly focusing on all the choices of helado that lay before me. Dulce de leche, Frutas de bosque, Calafayte, Coco? What do I want?

We arrived home. The Pelado picks up the giant bibical Guia-T (Map book of all of Buenos Aires and the provinces, plus transportation), and starts marking away.

"Ah ha!" he says "This is why the house is empty." pointing to the map. "One of the most dangerous Villas is 5 blocks away from the house."
"Por supuesto! It could not have been that easy." I responded "But if they slash the rent by 50%, I would reconsider living beside the Villa."

Por El Amor De Gauchito Gil

2008-09-02T10:18:00.000-03:00

For many people here in Argentina Gauchito Gil is considered a saint. This parrilla located somewhere on Avenida Alvarez Thomas between 2000 and 2500 is dedicated to Gauchito Gil in name and decor. They were kind enough, actually very proud to let me photograph the shine.

The Legend of Gauchito Gil Wikipedia Retold by Miss T:

Long ago, at the tail end of the 1800s, legend has it that Gauchito Gil fell in love with and had an affair with a wealthy widow. When her brothers and the policeman; who incidently was also in love with the widow found out, Gauchito Gil to prevent capture, ran away and joined the army to fight against the Paraguayans. Later when he returned to his village he was forced to join the Civil War in Argentina. Tired of fighting, Gauchito Gil deserted and hid in the forest where the policemen found him. When captured Gauchito Gil, they tied him upsidedown to a tree and tortured him. When one of the policemen was about to kill him Gauchito Gil said "Your son is very ill. If you pray, and ask me to save your son, he will live, if not he will die." The policeman then proceeded to slit Gauchito Gil´s throat and killed him, but he was very frightened as his son was ill. The policeman prayed to Gauchito Gil and his son lived. The policeman then gave Gauchito Gil a proper burial and built a shrine to him, while spreading the word of this miracle. Here the legend of Gauchito Gil healing his murderer´s son was born.

When I read the story of Gauchito Gil and look at the prayer card, I was reminded of the Hanged Man card in the Tarot. Although Gauchito Gil on the card is represented right side up, the theme of his legend is not so disimilar to the Hanged Man. Sacrifice, Crucification, Renunciation, Loving the Enemy. ¿Sounds not too unlike another famous character from a book we all know?

Drumroll Please....

2008-08-31T13:39:00.002-03:00

The family says IT is supposed to be a chancho...otherwise known as a pig in English. Only one person voted it to be a pig. Congratulations! What an imagination you have!

La Casa De Abuela

2008-08-27T16:06:00.000-03:00

The Pelado took me to his Granny´s former home recently for the first time. She past away shortly before the first munchkin was born, so now his aunt has reclaimed the house. Many of Abuela´s things remain intact just as she left them. Pelado´s father was with us this evening. He explained to the aunt that I am always taking photographs of things such as the Christmas decorations at his house. From the tone of his voice, I picked up that he thought I was quite wacked out for doing this and secondly with quite some pride. Then he kept pointing out things for me to photograph. The post from yesterday shows one of the wine decanters I took a photo of. Can you guess what they told me it is supposed to represent?

¿What Is This?

2008-08-26T10:48:00.003-03:00

More Nature

2008-08-25T12:43:00.001-03:00

Again I have no idea what kind of seeds they are except they are from some sort of deciduous tree. I only collected a few, but I think I will go back for more, if I spray paint them gold or silver and shake some sparkles on them, I think they will make very pretty Christmas decorations. It is really strange for me to think of Christmas in summer still. I always feel very Christmas here in July when it is winter. I want to string up the rice lights, bake shortbread and sing Christmas carols and hang up twinkly things everywhere.

By Chance

2008-08-19T16:29:00.000-03:00

A couple weeks back we came home one evening to discover this dog wandering inside our building lost, whom we rechristened Mellow. Oddly enough she is a blonder version of the Pelado´s former dog who lives in his former home, Serena. The Brittany is Pelado´s favourite breed of dog so we took Mellow in to care for her.

I rather enjoy having a dog, going for long walks three times a day, meeting more of the other doggy neighbours. The house even seemed finally complete. But alas all good things come to an end. By chance we went for a birthday dinner at our Aunt´s house, Who lives far far away, and yet works 80 blocks away from us. We mentioned we had found a Brittany in our building, and she told us the people who lived across from her work lost their Brittany about the same time we found Mellow, who ended up responding to Sol, the name of the lost dog.

With heavy hearts we called the owners of the lost dog, who came to be reunited with Sol. As happy as we were to find the true owners, we were very sad to let her go. She looked very sad to leave us too.

Gustavo Santaolalla

2008-08-15T10:02:00.002-03:00

“We don’t consider what we are doing as tango,” he said. “We are doing contemporary music, music that expresses the urban landscapes of Buenos Aires and Montevideo. Obviously tango will be present there. But milonga, candonga, murga” — three other local rhythms — “and rock, hip-hop and electronica are also part of the genetic map of this place.”

Gustavo Santaolalla speaking on Bajofondo, in the New York Times.

Crazy Flower

2008-08-03T20:19:00.001-03:00

Found this crazy flower on our walk to Cementerio de la Chacarita, it came from sort of vine.

Safety In Buenos Aires

2008-07-28T12:00:00.005-03:00

Still Life In Buenos Aires wrote some excellent common sense safety tips on how to be less of a target to crime.

But I felt there were a few more precautions that needed to be added to the list:

1. Do not hang your bag on the back of a chair, beside you on the other chair or even on top of the table. Between your feet is best.

2. Do not leave your camera safety handle dangling out of your pocket. "Hello, expensive camera on my person! Please mug me!"

3. Do not walk through any plaza - park at night. Especially Plaza San Martín. Most likely you will get mugged.

4. Do not be cocky and place a bet of 100 pesos with those dodgy street "find the queen" dealers or what ever they are called. They are professionals and you are an idiot. Please just give the money directly to me instead, I need a haircut and colour, with someone who knows how to cut hair or better yet, buy the crib with bars, we keep putting off as my baby "Harriet Houdini" is escaping at night and trying to get up to no good.

5. Do not go for a massage past midnight and not expect the "ladies" to get you to strip nekkid, then take your clothes away and empty the contents of your pockets, while you stand there shivering, nekkid and defenseless, wondering if the "ladies" are ever going to return your clothes to you.

Last but not least:
6. Do not be so overcome by the sheer excitement of a protest that your common sense just leaves the your brain entirely and you take your lovely laptop out for a walk on the street to record it all. This is not smart. Not smart at all.

These are all true stories. De verdad!

If any of you do these things, and I hear about it and I will hear about it, I will take you over my knee and give you a good spanking. Then charge you 300 pesos for it, to be sure that you did indeed learn your lesson!

Oh yeah, one more thing. Is it really necessary to carry around your big fat bible of a travel guide, which ever your worship may be: Lonely Planet, Foder´s, Rough Guide? Are your ugly shoes; Birkenstocks with socks, Crocs. sport sandals, or Great White Hunter ensemble complete with safari hat not enough to indicate you are a tourist just waiting to be taken advantage of?

More Transit Woes

2008-07-28T10:00:00.003-03:00

The sad murder of a collectivo - bus driver has spurned a strike of sorts amongst the transit workers.

We now have no public transit between 10pm and 5 am for the collectivos, and the last chance to hop on the subte is 9:30pm. As far as I can tell, the trains are still on the same schedule, but then again they have a different union.

Bring enough taxi fare, with you if you are heading out at night. And don´t even think about trying to give the taxista 100 peso note to change.

Bishi

2008-07-25T15:00:00.002-03:00

I was revisiting Bishi´s myspace. I love this song, it has the elements of Tango fused with Bollywood, tossed with some Cockney. Could it get any better?

ON MY OWN AGAIN

SINGLE OUT: 07.07.08
'On My Own Again', one of the highlights from last years 'Nights At The Circus' album has been re-recorded and reworked in Buenos Aires with an authentic tango orchestra and mixed into a fantastic pop anthem by producer Matthew Hardern.
The Bside 'Flash Company' is a setting of a traditional English gypsy song warning young girls of the dangers of promiscuous sex and STDs. The words still have resonance and relevance for us all today.
The Cosmic remix by 'Dreamtrak' - downloadable from here - and an accoustic version from 'David Peters' make this single an exciting and multi textured release to reflect the different factes of Bishis musical creativity.

You Do Not Cry Enough

2008-07-24T12:17:00.004-03:00

January 2008

"Is she all right? What is wrong with her? She hasn´t cried enough. Not like other Argentine mothers." Said Dr. Pablo

"Argentine mothers go into hysterics when their children have a runny nose. " the Pelado told me.
"So because, Isa had such a serious illness, you are supposed to be crying more. He says you need to see a shrink."

"Tell him, I am Canadian. We don´t cry in public." I say crumpling the referral to the psychiatrist into my purse.

June 2008

"Why are you so upset? It is only a cyst on her liver. You should seek therapy." Said Dr. Pablo

"It´s her liver! I am supposed to be upset!" I say crumpling the referral to the psychiatrist in my purse.

July 2008

"The inflation is making me insane! I would go to the milonga to soothe my woes, but the inflation! It is giving me the craze! I think I need to see the shrink! At least it is free!"

*since moving to Argentina, I have cried in public places, such as Walmart, the middle of 9 de Julio, the subte, the train, the collectivo, just like a local. So frankly I think I have cried enough. But to really fit in, I need to start glaring at the Pelado in restaurants, as can be seen in this photo montage. note the poor guy clinging to his seat in fear
After this has been accomplished, I need to start leaving bigger portions behind on my plate when in the company of other girlfriends such as Tina, especially if it is a piece of 12 peso cake! And drinking Coke Light instead of downing a bottle...i mean glass of red wine. Naw! That is never gonna happen! We never order 12 peso cake, we prefer churros and aspartame makes you fatter.

How To Shop Like An Argentine

2008-07-23T11:01:00.003-03:00

Buy it now because tomorrow it will be more.

That sort of goes against my North American mentality. We usually wait until there is a sale, which in general for sure that sweater you have been eying at the GAP will be on sale like clockwork 6 weeks from the first day it hits the rack.

At the beginning of winter, I was coveting a cute little three quarter length sleeve sweater, with a swingy cropped body. Charcoal Grey. Price: 65 pesos. Went back last week, winter sales are starting to happen now. Price: 95 pesos! WTF?! Forget it. The damn thing was acrylic anyways!

¡Feliz Día del Amigo!

2008-07-20T10:55:00.005-03:00

The day I arrived in Buenos Aires happened to be Día del amigo, Day of the Friend. This day marks my anniversary of my arrival. How the time flies! Two years ago today I arrived for the third time to stay for an extended vacation and just never left. Third time was the charm I guess.

The first time was due to a conscious decision to break a friendship, the second time to recapture my insane love for the city, and the third was destiny, luck or fate. I won my ticket to be able to return. I guess it was in the cards, so to say.

So here is a cheer to friends, past, present and future that come and go in our lives and have participated in our own personal reality show.

More Tango Dreams

2008-07-17T10:40:00.003-03:00

Funny that these days that I rarely get the chance to dance Tango, Tango sure has been happening to me in the dreamworld. Or actually come to think of it it still isn´t happening.

In my dream less than a week ago, I was a personal assistant to Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. They had purchased a very opulent apartment, so it was called, but really it was a palace. They had a ballroom in which they generously let me have use of to hold my own weekly milonga, by invite only. The ballroom was spectacular. Oblong with a high vaulted ceiling that was decorated in gold, not just gold paint, but gold wrought with delicate designs and cut outs, actually it reminded me a bit like the ornate designs of the elevator cages. Then of course there were elaborate crystal chandeliers, windows surrouning all of the ballroom except the entrance, which overlooked the verdant and lush gardens of this estate. I was filled with awe and excitement, and I quickly made a list of all the people I wanted to invite to my milonga. While I was making my own guest list, I had to go and great and mingle with their guests, in their other salon. There were many foreign dignitaries and politicians, the party was quite the who´s who....but then I saw him, Crispin Glover. Ew, I thought, what kind of place is this if Crispin is here, I guess I should leave now.

A few years ago, I was working with a well known television actress, originally she was booked in for the duration of filming at The Sutton Place Hotel, but upon seeing Crispin Glover in the reception of said hotel, decided to stay at a less luxious hotel accross the street.

Then yesterday just before I woke up:

I was helping TangoBaby with buying new contact lenses. She was trying on a set of samples, but the liquid chemicals on the contacts were irritating to her eyes.

The funny thing about that dream, is that I cleaned the bathroom when I awoke and decided to bleach the walls. The bleach was really quite strong and irritated my eyes and nose! I guess I should have headed the warning!

Lo De Carlitos

2008-07-13T21:02:00.001-03:00

I seem to be on a food theme these days, more than Tango, but we all need to eat right? The Pelado insisted we go to Lo De Carlitos, located in Villa del Parque on Nogoyá (between Cuenca and Helguera). Most likely you will not find this institution in any of the guide books, but for sure I would recommend making the effort to go. Lo De Carlitos is famous for their panqueques, that would be crepes to us, and their fillings named for famous Argentines. As you can see Osvaldo Pugliese has a panqueque in his honour. Do you think he would eat a ham, cheese and pineapple filled panqueque? I ordered somesort of vegetarian filled panqueque, which was really tasty, but then I took a bite of the Pelado´s lomito, a very tender beef sandwich with tomato and lettuce, which I immediately regretted not ordering one as well. After that we ordered a dessert panqueque appropriately named for Diego Maradona; banana, dulce de leche, smothered in chocolate, and heavily dusted in white powder...I mean coconut. You can see how jacked up Toto became after eating this concoction, he even ran around the table in circles in top speed with a glazed yet very alert look in his eyes, just how Maradona used to run around the fútbol fields!

Sugar and Spice, And Everything Nice

2008-07-09T02:00:00.003-03:00

Did I mention we journeyed over to Sugar and Spice a little while back? If you haven´t been yet, you must go, NOW! Sugar and Spice is the equivalent of going to a Cookie Spa, heaven! Everything we brought home was really delicious. I especially enjoyed the Parmesan and Walnut Copetíns, crunchier and more stress releasing than a bag of chips! And we managed to make the Cantuccis last a little longer than 24 hours. But what I was really pleasantly surprised about were the brownies! I like brownies, but I certainly do not love brownies and they are not my first choice if given one. So I managed to keep them intact for at least three days before we gobbled them down, reheated and topped with maracúya helado - passionfruit ice cream and of course dulce de leche. Can you say ¨to die for!¨? I will admit, but am embarrassed to say, the Pelado and I both licked our plates, both times!

More Love From Peru

2008-07-08T00:11:00.002-03:00

Let me esplain you esomething en espanish...

With Love From Peru

2008-07-07T22:47:00.002-03:00

I am at a loss for words, for once...

Still Life

2008-07-07T12:58:00.000-03:00

The Pelado went wrinkled his nose and said "ick" when I brought this cone into the apartment. but I knew it would make for lovely photographs. I am not sure what sort of tree it belongs to, but I found it in the plaza across from my stepson´s jardin.

¡Olé!

2008-07-04T13:22:00.005-03:00

When I make Pelado´s lunch to take to work, the weirder it is, the more glee I get devising and scheming on what I am putting in his lunch. I take great pleasure in the locals freaking out on what he is eating. Por ejemplo; butter chicken, perogies and the sensational Vietnamese bun salad, rechristened as Andromeda Salad by a co-worker. Many of the things I make, I never even attempted to even bother to try back in Vancouver, as most of these things were cheaper to eat in a restaurant, than even to bother with trying to recreate at home. But here in Buenos Aires exotic cuisine comes with exotic prices. This includes the humble soft tortilla. You can find soft wheat tortillas here, or tortilla like flat bread, but I have never purchased any and now that I found a simple and easy recipe, I never have to.

So for Pelado´s lunch today, I packed him Fish Tacos. Brótola, a white fish marinated in Chipotle Sauce, with White Beans flavoured with cumin, Fresh Tomato Salsa, Red Cabbage and a little Mendicrim which we use in substitute for sour cream. And of course the soft wheat tortilla.

Well according to his co-workers today, these are not tacos. Tacos have only hard shells. Well yes, Gringo Tacos use the hard shell, but no true Mexican Taco would be caught dead using the prefabricated hard shell tortilla! Dios Mio, I don´t think an Argentine would even know a really taco even if it came along and bit them in the ass, but if they did eat one even if there were not a single chili they would be crying that it did bite them in the ass and hopping around on one foot fanning their ring of fires!

Ludwig Van Beethoven - Piano Sonata No.14

2008-06-26T17:36:00.002-03:00

Modern Tanguera asks what alternative music would you tango to? Sometime ago, I actually posted Beethoven´s Moonlight Sonata as my choice. My overactive imaginations sees two lovers dancing their final tango together, in his Gavito-esque embrace she slips away to the otherside, taken early from life by consumption.

Conquista

2008-06-26T16:30:00.002-03:00

Two of my other passions rolled into one. Bullfighting and The White Stripes! I don´t know why bullfighting intrigues me so much, but it does. I actually considered following a season of bullfights for a vacation, but then I started to dance Tango, and look where it lead me!

The video is quite amusing. Jack sings in spanish and Meg as usual looks ever so slightly amused yet bored with Jack´s antics.

¡Conquista!
él buscaba una conquista
No importaban los demás
Sólo quería ganar,
¿llenar?

¡Conquista!
Una más de sus conquistas!
No creía en el amor
No tenía corazón
Hasta que ella
Lo miró

Y extrañamente las cosas cambiaron
Ya nada fue igual para él
La presas se convirtió en cazador
El cazador se convirtió en presa

¡Conquista!
Ella gana esta conquista
Su destreza de mujer
Dominó todo su ser
Fue me fácil
La conquista

De pronto los cosas cambiaron
Ya nada fue igual para él
La presas se convirtió en cazador
El cazador se convirtió en presa

¡Conquista!
Ella gana esta conquista
Su destreza de mujer
Dominó todo su ser
Fue muy fácil
La conquista

¡Conquista!

Seventy Three Years Ago Today

2008-06-24T11:30:00.003-03:00

73 years ago today, Carlos Gardel died. If it were a sunnier and warm day, it could be kind of fun to go to the cemetery and observe his worshipers and maybe smoke a pucho (cigarette) in his honor. But it is cold and cloudy and Tina has some nice vino tinto and queso waiting for me instead, much more tempting I must say!

The Food In San Francisco Is Very Fattening, Apparently

2008-06-23T10:29:00.003-03:00

"I wonder why they are so big" Pelado commented in English about the couple hoovering up the second Mar del Plata cheese plate, which each had had at least 500 grams of cheese on each plater.
"Shhhh....they might hear you!" I hissed at him "
"They don´t understand english." he retorted
"Everybody understands English when you are talking about them!" I hissed back through gritted teeth.
"¿Quieres? ¿Es muy rico!" the woman offered some of the few stray cubes to us before inhaling the remainder.
"You are supposed to be complimenting the wine, not the cheese." Pelado said under his breath, "These people are scaring me!" horrified he wandered off to inspect the wine and said couple came over too me, to admire the baby, and speak some ENGLISH!

Later when we got home I told him about our conversation.

"So where are you from?" señora cheese Hoover asked

"Canada, and you?" I asked studying her Rosacea bloomed cheeks

"Uruguay. Have you been here for long?" she inquired as she tried to force feed Isabella some cheese.

"Two years."I replied taking the cheese away

"What part of Canada are you from?" asked her husband

"I am from Vancouver, sabes?"

"No, no. But I did spend 3 months in San Fransisco, for work."

"Oh! How lovely!" I exclaimed, "I have never been, but have always wanted to go. Did you enjoy it?"

"Well," the both of them said hesitantly, eying each other, shaking their heads gravely, "not really the food was terrible."

"Terrible? But they have some of the most amazing restaurants on the West Coast." I said, trying to look concerned.

"Yes," he said, "there are good restaurants, but most of the food is junk food, it is not high quality. I gained so much weight, and got fat."

"You gained weight?" I said trying to look surprised, how could you possibly gain anymore, maybe if you stopped shoveling food in your mouth every three seconds

"Yes, yes. He gained so much weight." His wife concured, "And at the end of three months I was sick in the hospital from all the bad food!" She said while polishing off the entire plate of Melba Toasts.

Rolling on the floor with laughter, trying to control our bladder functions we wondered how are we going to keep a straight face at the next tasting?

Historia

2008-06-20T15:31:00.005-03:00

I was asking my second cousin today about our family, as she is the family´s official historian.

My great grandfather, hailed from the United States; Louisville, Kentucky and moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba in Canada to pursue his profession as a boxer.

Grandpa Joe saw her, Maggie while riding a street car on the streets of Winnipeg wearing a rather stylish big rimmed hat with feathers and grandpa fell in love with her when he first laid his eyes on her I was told. He stopped the street car jumped off and began his pursuit of the Woman in the Hat he fell in love with. From the records I have seen, Grandpa and her married shortly after and started the infamous "Wilson" family they had 13 kids a majority of them were born in Winnipeg all but the last three.

So romantic....

Once I had a look at the scrap book, which my great uncle Baby Joe had of clipping of his father and other family mementos. A particular newspaper article caught my attention, as I heard about the story as a child, but wasn´t sure if it was true or not. Maggie was stabbed by a woman their neighbour. The cause of this stabbing was not printed in the paper, but I was told it was because of racism. The neighbour who was chinese did not like the fact that Maggie was married to a black man, I guess the woman was also kind of a lunatic as well. Luckily Maggie survived the stabbing, but succumbed to breast cancer not long after. Grandpa Joe never remarried.

Can you imagine my father´s white southern Mississippi and Texan born parents reaction when he brought my beautiful mocha mother home (she sort of looked like the love child of Christy Turlington and Halle Berry)

There has been some chatter about why we blog. I enjoy it, I have made some friends, some enemies, but really I want to leave my voice, little stories for my family. Life is short, memories fade, but at least the ones we leave behind can have a small little glimpse into our eyes and hearts.

This page has finally turned

2008-06-20T02:18:00.001-03:00

For now, the health dramas have seemed to officially close. We met with the liver specialist today and she said the cyst appears to be more of a characteristic rather than a health issue, but that for now just to revisit and check every six months. Thank you everyone for your prayers and virtual hugs and good wishes. The first six months have sure been a roller coaster ride!
Now we can go back to the good old regular Argentine dramas such as inflation, farmers strikes and a destabilized nation.

Today was weird, in a good way. We left very very late for the appointment. Like...at the time we were to be there, instead of 30 minutes before. But it ended up to be a good thing, because we missed walking into an armed robbery. Sadly at our favourite children's clothing store. I don´t know if you have ever seen how the the investigation is done, but the staff lock themselves inside after, and talk and give the details to the police through the door, as you may well or well not know sometimes they seem to help themselves to the merchandise, or whatever else they may want. It seems as though in the last year all of a sudden the neighbourhood became trendy, with not one but two sushi bars! So all of a sudden the barrio had a rash of robberies including an armed bank heist two weeks ago, in which the robbers made off with over 200,000 pesos. I guess the keepers of the peace are wanting their tips to match the rate of inflation, once that is done perhaps things will settle down again.

Strange Tango Dreams....

2008-06-14T09:55:00.003-03:00

A group of us tango students are in a basketball court like setting. I start to outline patterns on the floor with my feet, the others follow. We decide to partner up, I am finding it hard to get a partner, I would find one only to be beat out by another woman. Eventually I find one. All of a sudden Oprah Winfrey drives up in a mini bus and loads us in to take us around the US promoting tango, and Entertainment Tonight is giving live updates throughout the day. We decide to make a pit stop in Toronto, driving along we come across a car accident. The car is absolutely destroyed, but the passengers and driver are unharmed, just a little stunned. The man in the back of the car slowly emerges, feet first, then his hands. He has two things still in his hands, the first one to come out is a bag of Amanda brand Yerba, the second has the mate, fully intact. Unspilled. Everyone applauds and is joyful, that not only were the people unharmed, but the mate too.

Just For Fun and Diversion

2008-06-04T14:38:00.004-03:00

Tina has the directions.

My OM Is Being Challenged

2008-06-04T11:21:00.004-03:00

Normally this phrase is what I reserve to describe why I hate Florida, the street that is. I hate Florida Street or calle because as I said to Tina one day "It challenges my OM!" Generally I love people and am a very socialable, kind loving person, but once I enter this frontier, I hate all of mankind and turn into a murderous lunatic! I am afraid that one day I just may loose it.

Unfortunately it is like a black hole that sucks you in no matter how hard you try to get away from it, then between 5 and 7:30pm it finally expels everything and everyone, and the process is started all over again the next day.

Well these days my OM feels particularly challenged. Perhaps you may or may not know, Isabella contracted meningitis in her first month of life. Which not to alarm everyone, but Buenos Aires is actually experiencing an epidemic of Meningitis, B in particular. For our story, we in some ways are lucky that she was so young, because having a fever at her tender age is investigated immediately, therefore treatment was immediate. Sadly for a some of the children recently, they were not so lucky. There have been a number of deaths and many with brain damage. Isa, is doing quite well, she may have some minor hearing damage, but a recent procedure may have repaired it, we shall know more later.

Are your eyes glazing over yet? There is more. During her stay, during a routine ecografía a cyst was found on her liver. It appeared to be nothing, and it took a back seat to all the other things we had to deal with, another hospital stay, more ecografías, MRIs, x-rays, blood work...on and on. So now, step by step things were checked off the list. Then we had to revisit the cyst. Well apparently the cyst was fine, but the bloodwork was all over the map, it did not look very positive. This was the straw that broke this camel´s back. I finally had my big meltdown.

I hate crying in public, I look terrible, my head puffs up. I cried on Florida, I cried in the new and first Starbucks of Buenos Aires when Tina, Isa and I went. And I had a big old cry on the train home after gorging ourselves with cookies at Frank´s. I guess I must have been quite the sight, as a policia even took me by the arm and asked if I was ok.

So after 24 hours of having my nervous break down, what is wrong with my little babe? She has anemia! Let´s pray that this is all it is, and hope the specialist in the next two weeks doesn´t find anything more interesting.

In the meantime, I could use a new job for income. I was thinking, maybe I should rent out the babe for people who want to avoid waiting an hour in the Starbucks lineup. ¡En serio!

LOST In Buenos Aires

2008-05-22T17:45:00.004-03:00

I don´t know about you, but Pelado (formerly known as Mr.T) and I are addicted to the TV show LOST. Well one day a couple months back on our way to Isa´s pediatrician, I spotted a carbon copy of the actor and fellow blogger Jorge Garcia who plays Hugo Reyes, waiting for a collectivo. The Pelado took this photo, which somehow ended up as an uncredited photo on InfoBAE.com

Crazy Ideas

2008-05-14T11:09:00.005-03:00

Life has been extremely busy these past five months, and is going to require a completely different post.

Tango In Her Eyes, may be the title of this blog. Tango brought me to Argentina, but it is love that kept me here. Love for the country, love for a man and the love of my family.

Argentina holds a special place in my heart, and so does my homeland Canada, but more than specific countries the love for our planet, Earth the only home we have seems to dominate my thoughts these days. I guess a huge part of this is now that Isabella is in my life, she has rebirthed more profound thoughts within me and how I relate in the world.

I like to think that I am quite aware and do my part, in trying to recycle and be as gentle to the planet as I possibly can. Yet deep down, I simply am not doing enough. The information is out there but what can one do? Where does one simply begin? How can one step out of our Circle of Destruction and remain a part of society? Crazy ideas, eh?

My crazy 7th grade teacher told us in the early 80´s that stuff we used were designed and manufactured to be of poor quality and to be replaced so we buy more stuff. And get this...this is a really FUCKING CRAZY IDEA at the time Mr. R told us! We would be buying bottled water to drink in about 20 years! What! Are you nuts! What the hell are you talking about?! Sadly, everything stinky, crazy Mr. R said was true.

I want to get my hands on Naomi Klein´s* new book The Shock Doctrine, THE RISE OF DISATER CAPITALISM.

What kind of Crazy Talk is this?! Sadly, it isn´t. And I want to know more!

In a recent talk at the Canadian Centre For Policy Alternatives, Naomi gives a talk about the Disaster Capitalism. In the third part of the six videos it was interesting as what she says about Latin America is becoming Shock Resistant "because they understand where the current attacks fit into a 500 year history of taking advantage of crisis of violent imposition of capitalism..."

I am now very curious to know, which if any policies the K´s have pushed through congress without a ripple while all the attention has been focused on the non-inflation inflation, or during the Farmers Strike and Farmers smoking out the city with the field burnings.

What do you think?

*hehehe originally I had credited the book to Naomi Campbell, well please beg my pardon, I was temporarilly insane with passion, and well you know Naomi Campbell is totally interested in World politics, after all she "paid" a visit to Chavez in Venezula recently, to talk about what´s up in Chavaland.

Health Warning! This Could Save Your Life and Your Loved Ones!

2008-05-08T10:22:00.001-03:00

Greenspace

2008-04-24T11:50:00.004-03:00

Another cultural mystery of Argentina that I have had on my mind for sometime now has been related to food. Or rather the growing of it, that is in one´s own space.

Mr. T´s mother lives on the 10th floor of a high rise building. From her bird´s eye view one can look down upon all the backyards of the surrounding neighbourhood, which is mostly single family homes that have good sized backyards. What I have noticed and perplexes me somewhat, is it appears that given the size of the yards, nobody seems to grow anything edible. There are just some shrubs and trees. One can spot lemon trees, mulberry, oranges and even the occasional avocado tree but this is not the norm. As most Porteños have an Italian immigrant heritage, where did the green thumb disappear to?

In Vancouver, which had a small but thriving community of Italian immigrants, one would pass their homes, and see grow vast amounts of food growing zucchini, tomatoes, herbs, grapes, exotic figs, even in the tiniest plot of dirt. Was it due to the unavailability of these common Italian staples? Or were the Canadian Italian immigrants just more thrifty than their Argentine Italian counterparts?

What it boils down to though, is I am just envious. I just want a small patch of dirt to plant a thriving herb garden. My attempt in our laundry balcony was unsuccessful, the jade plant did very well. Alas jade isn´t edible.

Shades Of Language

2008-04-22T09:21:00.010-03:00

The traditional subject of the tug of war over language and perception is color. Because languages divide the spectrum differently, researchers have asked whether language affected how people see color. English, for example, distinguishes blue from green. Most other languages do not make that distinction. Is it possible that only English speakers really see those colors as different?

In the top ten things Mr. T and I argue about, it is definetley colour and all it´s nuances. He says pink, I say coral. He calls it blue, I call it lilac. What he thinks is yellow, I know it is called cream! Now you might understand why we get into such heated arguments while playing Punch Bug on the collectivo (bus)!

I thought it was a man thing, not distinguishing between shades of colour, but now as the above link suggests, perhaps it is because of language.

Another sssshhhhh....

2008-04-21T13:45:00.003-03:00

I am in confession mode today. Maybe it was seeing the Pope on the television in the Ecografía Reception Room Saturday. Only in Argentina would you have the Pope on the T.V. screen, and Death Metal music being played by the hospital staff all at the same time. Anyways back to me.

I have a confession to make, I get bored watching Youtube videos of Tango. I try to watch for technique, but either I become critical of the dancers, or my eyes glaze after 20 seconds and I go searching for something else such as this. Personally I prefer to Tango or to watch live Tango.

Am I alone? I hope I am not upgraded to the ninth ring in Tango Hell for this.

Ssssshhh....

2008-04-21T11:17:00.002-03:00

I have been secretly lusting after these Greta Flora Tango Shoes for months. I visit the site almost everyday just to look at them. But that did not stop me from joining

Comme Il Faut Tango Shoe Addicts Non-Anonymous Group.

And they can´t kick me off either, because I am the President!

The smoke is clouding my thoughts

2008-04-20T13:31:00.001-03:00

So it has been kind of smokey in our fair city. Fires apparently set by the "greedy" farmers. Personally I am not sure if I entirely believe that particular statement, maybe they were set by K-Thugs or maybe by farmers. Who knows really? But why are there not water bombers putting this thing out? Apparently they have them here, and the fire just happens to be conveniently located at the mouth of the river delta.

Personally, all employees of the Province of Buenos Aires except hospital and emergency staff should have done a massive strike until the fires were put out. But what do I know about politics. I am only a dreamer.

Yesterday morning we had to go for Isabella´s ecografía at the Hospital Italiano. It is a non-smoking building, ironically there was more smoke inside the hospital than outside! I was wheezing , Isa coughing, Toto, bleeding noses and Mr. T had a sore throat. There just does not seem to be an escape from it, except maybe the "Shopping" (malls which I despise) or a movie theatre. I woke up after a short siesta, and saw Tina´s photo of the smoke. I was a little inspired and took the one above, which doesn´t exactly show how smokey it is, but you can see how far the light beams from the street lamps.

Desperate Housewife

2008-04-11T16:04:00.001-03:00

When mami gets bored, she gets a bee in her bonnet and decides all slightly spotted white clothing needs to be refreshed in bordeaux. Which did not work in theory, and slightly spotted white clothing ended up being magenta. Her last batch purpura, ended up various shades of lavender, good thing it is Isabella´s colour as she will be wearing various items of this shade until she is at least two!

My creative energy obviously needs some sort of outlet, as there is not much Tango dancing at this time in my life. Just keep me away from the scissors! Thank goodness Mr. T is very talented at fixing my hair hacking home hairstyling!

Even The Backyardigans Tango!

2008-04-09T14:50:00.002-03:00

Seems like everyone is doing Tango these days, including the Backyardigans. Okay it isn´t exactly how Tango is danced in the milonga, but it is pretty catchy! Even Uniqua (the pink one)gives a Tango Lesson. But beware! As Isabella Azul explains, there is danger to watching the Backyardigans! ¡Ojo!

Those Were The Days

2008-04-04T15:33:00.002-03:00

Imagine three cousins a brunette, a blonde and a copper head, each three years apart 12, 9 and 6 sitting and legs dangling out of the hatchback of a silver Datsun Z28 singing this song, we really did not think those days would ever end.

Quote du jour 01.04.08

2008-04-01T16:50:00.002-03:00

“If your joy is derived from what society thinks of you, you’re always going to be disappointed.”

- Madonna

Why should you pay U.S. rates when you've invested in a trip to Buenos Aires??

2008-03-31T10:54:00.005-03:00

Frankly, I was taken aback reading this statement this morning, about what to pay for a Tango teacher here in Buenos Aires.
Tango teachers here can charge whatever they feel their value is and what the market will bear and will reflect the cost of living in their city. Secondly, dear Tango- Students- who -have- travelled -here -from -the -US -and- do-not-want -to -pay -US- prices, let me give you a quick and simple math lesson on the cost of living in Argentina.

You see numbers divisible by 3, and the cost of living is cheap to you. Porteños see the cost multiplied by 3, plus they live in pesos, not US dollars divisible by 3, Euros divisible by 4, or Pound Sterling, divisible by 6, not such a bargin anymore is it?

Oh! You still don´t understand. Well let me break it down for you into my registered Trademarked "Miss Tango´s Comme Il Faut comparative pricing formula".

Tango Tourist: Comme Il Fauts 300 pesos = 100 dollars US = 10 hours of work based upon 10 dollars an hour

Porteña: Comme Il Fauts 300 pesos = 300 pesos = 30 hours of work based on the average salary of 10 pesos an hour for an office worker

95% of Tango teachers from all over the World come here to Buenos Aires to learn from the masters and take that knowledge back to their home city, then in general charge more than what their master charges. So tell me why should the BsAs teacher charge less? Tango tourism high season is only about 6 months of the year, and not everyone is working back to back with students.
So perhaps next time consider these things. You have no idea what the true cost of living here is, so until you do, perhaps stay silent until you are more highly informed.

If you manage to get a private lesson for less than 100 pesos and it was the most wonderful lesson for you. Consider yourself blessed.

Well, thats my dos centavos for this morning!

Rubia

2008-03-29T21:56:00.002-03:00

Rubia (blonde) you are not. And just because you bleach your toddler´s hair, does not make you a natural blonde either. Since when did God make babies with dark skin and eyes and with hair peroxide bottle blonde with the texture of straw? Maybe in the land of Miss Clairol.

I thought I saw it all, but I guess not.

CHERIE Y RUBEN - Bailando en LOS CONSAGRADOS

2008-03-28T09:57:00.002-03:00

There was a big celebration in honour of Tango Cherie´s birthday Saturday at the milonga Los Consagrados. A good time was had by everyone. My Pelado and I were watching everyone dance the chacarera, and as he was watching Cherie dance, he said of her, " I just adore Cherie. Look at her move, she truly is a porteña. The real thing. She´s got it all. A star!"

Milonga Website Addition

2008-03-26T13:44:00.003-03:00

I have added the very comprehensive Buenos Aires Milongas website to my side bar. If my memory serves me correctly, the owner of the website was the hero of the hour back in January 2005 and beyond, when all the milongas were shut down after the tragic fire of the boliche Cromañón. Each evening we would desperately run to the internet cafés to access this website which was created to keep all the Tango Junkie´s informed to which milongas were open that evening. Many milongas at the time were shut down for months, sadly some never even reopened.

What Exactly Is This Creature?
	Bear
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	Argentina´s Elusive Inflation Monster

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