"Buenos Aires 2011"

Here goes my list of presents from Argentina that I recommend ;-)

1- Un mate, there are some with silver that are nicer and more expensive and also there are others more simple totally unexpensive. You can buy it

2- For someone who likes football, a T-shirt from Boca Juniors is a great present as these is the best team of Argentina, where Maradona used to play. Or the Argentinian T shirt with the number 10.

3- A key holder from El Cardon (made with leather and silver). I didnt find any nice pic but they are really nice.

4- A silver pendant necklace (El Cardon have some really nice as well)

5- Havanna Alfajores, typical candy!

6- Dulce de Leche!! La Salamanca is a very good brand.

7- Carlos Gardel Cd´s.

8- Electro Tango cds, a mix between electronic music and tango.

9- Poncho Salteño

10- Alpargatas (typical gaucho shoes, unexpensive, nice and comfortable)

11- Folklore cd of Los Chalchaleros (traditional) or Los Huayra (the group of the moment)

12- Some nice pics/paintings of Buenos Aires that you can buy in the street market of Recoleta/San Telmo/La Boca on the weekend.

I hope this is usefull for you!

Tradition Day in San Antonio de Areco

Hollywood Suites & Lofts recommends Buenos Aires Concierge!

Hollywood Suites & Lofts change their recommendations for their guests month by month and this month they choose Buenos Aires Concierge! :D

"IGUAZU FALLS ARE WONDERFULL"

The Iguazu Falls are 1 of the New 7 Wonders of Nature :)

Iguazu Falls, in Iguazu River, are one of the world's largest waterfalls. They extend over 2,700 m (nearly 2 miles) in a semi-circular shape. Of the 275 falls that collectively make up Iguassu Falls, "Devil's Throat" is the tallest at 80 m in height. Iguazu Falls are on the border between the Brazilian state of Paraná and the Argentine province of Misiones, and are surrounded by two National Parks (BR/ARG). Both are subtropical rainforests that are host to hundreds of rare and endangered species of flora and fauna.

"Best Restaurants in BA"

These restaurants were chosen by the argentinian restaurants´guide like the best ones in each category:


Best Japanese Cuisine – Sushi : DASHI
Best Author´s Cuisine: CHILA
Best International Cuisine: ROSA NEGRA
Best Barbecue: LA CABRERA
Best Spanish Cuisine: Centro Asturiano
Best Pizza: EL CUARTITO
Best Italian Cuisine: CUCINA PARADISO
Best Wine List: LA BOURGOGNE
Revelation 2011: SIPAN CEVICHERIA PERUANA
Gold “Oleo” Award: TOMO I

"Cinema with a local flavor"

In Buenos Aires when you go to the cinema, you can ask for pop corn, hot dog or mate! :)

Buenos Aires: Top city for artistic inspiration.

Buenos Aires was choosen by Lonely Planet travel guide like one of the top 10 cities for artistic inspiration.

This is what they said:


It’s easy to tap into BA’s surging literary vibe: mainly because it’s so cheap to while away hours in the elegant cafes where the city’s best writers hung (and still hang) out. The San Telmo and Palermo coffeehouses are ideal for espresso-sipping with the artsy in-crowd today whilst the city centre’s glam Café Tortoni was formerly frequented by famed Argentinean author Jorge Luis Borges. Borges’ house lies in Recoleta; his fictional El Aleph, the spot encompassing all other points in the universe, is supposedly located on San Telmo’s Juan de Garay St. Finish your literary tour at Palermo’s Garden of the Poets, bursting with writerly busts from Borges to Dante.

Treat yourself to San Telmo’s tangothemed Mansion Dandi Royal Hotel, and learn Argentina’s national dance at the attached Tango Academy.

To see the whole article, you can click here:

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/england/london/travel-tips-and-articles/76217

"Craziest party in B.A birthday"

This Thursday 20 th. is the 13 rd.anniversary of the craziest party in Buenos Aires: Club 69.
For further details you can check the web site:
www.club69.com.ar

"New apartment to rent"

• Studio with attached kitchen, bathroom, balcony
• 470 square feet / 44 square meters
• Recoleta, near the corner of Las Heras & Austria
Welcome to Buenos Aires finest studios in Recoleta. RentinBA is offering you brand new studios in a brand new building located in a key spot within Recoleta. The studios are tastefully designed and offer great comfort and atmosphere. From LCD screen, DVD, sound system in your room to a fully equipped gym, pool and more. No doubt about it, Recoleta Square is one of our finest exclusive properties to offer.

Pricing
Daily: N/A
Weekly: US$600 (1-week minimum)
Monthly: US$1,500
Swimming Pool
24-hour Doorman
Gym
Jacuzzi
Laundry Facilities

FRIEND'S DAY!

Last Sunday, July 10th, we start talking with my friends to see how we will celebrate the friend´s day next July 20th. This is a really big celebration in Argentina and as most restaurants/coffee shops/parrillas in your building (mine is already taken!) and parks get crowded for that date, you need to plan in advance.

It is said that the idea for Friend's Day goes back to Argentine teacher, musician, and dentist Enrique Febbraro, who lobbied to turn the anniversary of the first moon landing into an international day of friendship, along his Rotary Club de Once, in Buenos Aires. He argued that on this particular day, the whole world had been friends of the three astronauts. The first official recognition of the day came with decree No. 235/79 by the government of the province of Buenos Aires, which authorized the celebration and gave it official nature.

In the Argentine TV its possible to see several commercials about friendship, this is a new one that I really like:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_Ri9LkqWg4&feature=related

It says something like: "Like the good beers that refuse to use artificial ingredients, so the good friendships. From a friend we dont expect money, or contacts or vip passes. Or that they laugh if we werent funny or that they tell us that we are always right. The only thing that we expect is that they are there when we need a sincere opinion, a hug when we feel like crying or that they go for us to the airport at 4 am. A beer, that, like real friends dont need to add any artificial to be choosen."

I swear I dont work for Isenbeck, in deed, I dont like beer haha, I just love the message! I hope my translation is not too bad and you can get the meaning!

HAPPY FRIEND'S DAY FOR ALL NEXT JULY 20th! :)

LOCRO, the choosen dish to celebrate Patriotic Dates

Locro (from the Quechua ruqru) is a hearty thick stew popular along the Andes mountain range. Its origin dates to before the Spanish colonial times.

The defining ingredients are corn, some form of meat (usually beef, but sometimes beef jerky or chorizo), vegetables, beans, squash or pumpkin. It is mainly eaten in winter.

It is considered a national dish and is often served on May 25, the anniversary of the May Revolution and July 9, the anniversary of our Independence Day.

My mother is from the province of Tucuman, where the Independence of Argentina was declared and where Locro its a very common meal. She use to prepare Locro and Empanadas for special ocasions, like birthdays, as she did on July 4th for my youngest brother birthday. Here you can see the Locro in the pot, being prepared:

If you want to know how to do it, in this link, its explained how to do it, step by step and with pictures:

http://www.encontrarse.com/notas/pvernota.php3?nnota=26149

My mother served it in earthenware bowls:

And here is the final product :)

In this video, you can see my mother serving it and explaining which are the main ingredients:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9NqbGfZHk4



Buen provecho!

Tomorrow Im going to the Teatro Colon! :)

I have been invited to assist tomorrow to a special play at the Teatro Colón. This theather located in the City of Buenos Aires, is considered one of the best theaters in the world. Acknowledged for its acoustics and the artistic value of its construction, it turned 100 years in 2008. Im really excited to be there again!

Le Ble Restaurant & Coffee Shop

This cozy place located in Colegiales has its own bakery. Everything looks delicious as you can see, so I decided to give it a try. They also offer a brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 am to 2 pm.

In this coffee shop, I had the LARGEST coffee with milk that I had in my life and I LOVED IT! I loved the cup, the inscription on the cup with the name of the place, and also it was very tasty. I also asked for toasted bread with cream cheese, I swear, when they brought everything I start laughing, it seemed a joke, everything was hugemongous...the coffee, the bread, I could just eat 1 toast, and there were 5, each of them had the size of 1 1/2 of my hands (they have their own bakery, so it was home made). At least 3 people could have eat and drink from my order ha. I didnt complain, of course! :P

My hugemongous coffee with milk + home made toasted bread + cream cheese + marmelade was $ 26 ars, not expensive at all for the size and quality. Also, I think its a great place to go to work with your laptop as the tables are big, there are several tables...so nobody is going to be watching at you if you stay for hours (and also w/ that sizes, you need at leaaast 1 hour!), and there is Wi-Fi of course (although I forgot to check if there was plugs).

From Palermo to Colegiales by bus, it takes 30 minutes to arrive and the 93 bus leave you exactly there! Its in Alvarez Thomas corner with Cespedes. (there is also another one in Chacarita, but I havent been there!) You can check more in their web: http://www.leble.com.ar/

CRIZIA Restaurant

Yesterday, I went with my mom to try Crizia, an author kitchen with Mediterranean tendency. To begin I had the "Grill camembert over porcini and portobello mushrooms". My main dish was "Braised pork bondiola with mango chutney" and to finish, I had an "Italian Mascarpone". The food was delicious and the attention was great. The mood light and canddles make it perfect to go with your couple.

The bread was incredible, there was at least 5 different varieties: with olives, with aniseed, etc.

The dishes are generous, so to ask (as I did) starter, principale and dessert is way too much. Next time, I would share a starter and the desert (what I did too ha).

The quality of the pics is really bad, because I took them with my blackberry and there was not enough light, but all the food tasted great. You can check it out here: http://www.crizia.com.ar/crizia/