Our Time Is Short...

In less than a week we will be heading back to Washington, DC and the feeling is very bittersweet. It's amazing how quickly the months pass and we're trying our best to continue to take it slow and easy and savor everything around us. We've seen glaciers, penguins, whales, wine country, lots of tango, Brazil, Uruguay and more. We both agree that we spent our time here well and we're very happy with how everything turned out. Argentina just has so much to offer.

Sunday was my birthday so we hung out at the Four Seasons brunch for hours and hours. We had grappled with how to celebrate because I really don't like parties as much as Don does and so a lazy, food-filled Sunday turned out to be a perfect compromise. I feel like we're really part of the city here when we run into people we've met over time, which we did at brunch. It's funny how quickly strangers turn into familiar faces. It was such a beautiful day doing one of our favorite things here and soaking up the Buenos Aires weather. We have our fingers crossed that the DC climate warms up to welcome us back or it's going to be quite a shock! Not to mention it could take a while figuring out where all our winter stuff is packed away in storage...

So, I'm about to sit on the terrace and watch the water and read a book. Nothing more, nothing less.

Our new digs in Puerto Madero

So for our last 2 weeks in Buenos Aires we decided to switch apartments and try our hand at living in Puerto Madero. Our new building is directly across from the entrance to the Faena Hotel on a nice, quiet street. While we loved the charm of our previous neighborhood on the Palermo/Villa Crespo border, we were looking to change things up a bit. There's an ecological reserve nearby to this new apartment with a path for running and we have a beautiful view of the river from our terrace. One of the other major perks: we have a real, fancy adult pool on the rooftop with a fantastic view--not our kiddie pool for those who know. Here's how it looks:It was also a pleasant surprise when we went out today and saw a big Sunday fair like they have in Palermo Recoleta. There was the typical Argentine arts and crafts, singing, dancing, and junk food. It didn't even feel like we were in Puerto Madero, which is considered more sterile than other areas and principally filled with business people. Everyone was laying around the park talking and having picnics or roller blading or jogging. Sundays are a great day to get out and enjoy the fresh air and people watch. Puerto Madero is already growing on us.

Our Last Asado on Loyola

We put our parrilla to use and made our version of an asado on the rooftop in this apartment on Loyola for the last time last night. We check out on Saturday and move on to another place for about 2 more weeks before coming home. So, we decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather outside considering one of the top things we fell in love with about Buenos Aires is the way they grill just about everything. Tonight we made chicken with lemon, green zucchini, red bell pepper, corn on the cob, sweet onions...yum. Typically, we'd put a bunch of steak on there but Don had eaten that for dinner for the past two nights in a row so we went a little lighter and healthier. It was somewhat nostalgic being on the terrace snapping tons of pictures of Don and everything around us as I tend to do. We've had a lot of good times in this apartment---omelette and champagne parties at midnight, swimming in a kiddie pool on the rooftop, blasting Lil' Wayne until our neighbor below yelled at us that people don't do that on Sundays...But, alas, it's time to move on.

Getting a Glimpse of Uruguay

We just spent a very peaceful and relaxing four days in Carmelo, Uruguay at the Four Seasons resort on the Rio (River) de la Plata. While we had been wanting to visit for a while we held out until the bungalow we wanted was available and as it turns out, patience really is a virtue. The bungalow had a beautiful sunset view and it was nestled in the trees and very quiet. And, I was able to fill up on fish and shrimp! We took a short 15-minute private plane from Buenos Aires to the resort and they had loads of seafood and fish other than salmon. Why can't I get that from more than a handful of places in Buenos Aires I keep asking myself?

Our mistake was hitting the spa immediately upon arriving for a few hours even though it was a bright and sunny day. Wouldn't you know it, the next two days were full of rain and dark skies. We did get a tennis match in that was just too funny. Neither of us has played tennis in years and so we happily had the courts to ourselves until some couple showed up. Of course they played like they were semi-professional. Our tennis balls were going everywhere...into their court, over the fence. Good times.

Our one adventure for nightlife was quite hilarious when we showed up at the casino next door to the resort and we were the ONLY people there. I saw about 20 workers just standing around bored out of their minds in this bright, tiny wood cabin casino. Well, they opened up the BlackJack table for Don and I kicked back listening to the Best of the 80s that is quite popular in Uruguay it seems. We won a tiny bit of cash and it turned out to be a good night.

I don't think I've ever mentioned Don's fear of lizards on this blog. The way I feel about creepy, crawly nasty things like spiders is how he feels about lizards... He had a seen a "big" one--so he claimed--one day as we were heading to the bungalow but it got away before I could see it. I wasn't too worried about as we've been to many places with roaming lizard life. Well, on our way to check out on the last day, guess who was hanging out by our bungalow? This massive lizard who then promptly ran away from us right into the direction of our outdoor shower! Good thing we were checking out.

A Lesson in Tango Fusion

Tango is one of the true treasures of Buenos Aires and it's everywhere you turn. The other night we decided to try a "tango fusion" show, which purported to meld pure tango music and steps with modern dance and original compositions. The show was called Quintaesencia and performed by a new company under the direction of Leonardo Cuello. We had never been to the Centro Cultural Borges so we decided to give it a shot. From the start we were taken aback by the sophistication and skill of the dance moves. It really opened our eyes to the difference between a professional dance company and watching a dinner and tango show at the other places we've been. The show is divided into four short works that are the result of three years of development. We even recognized one of the dancers from a previous show we had seen and the choreography just made her appear more advanced by lightyears. It was fantastic and cost us about a quarter of the price of some fancy place.

Not to mention, the photography displays in the Cultural Center were excellent. There was one showcase on daily life in India that was full of vibrant colors and candid portrait shots. Another captured the faces and places of people going through abuse recovery, mental hospitalization, and illnesses. It sounds depressing but the photographs spoke volumes.

Here's Don posing outside the auditorium:

Art in the City

The Latin American Art Museum of Buenos Aires is a treasure trove of the region's artistic culture and we recently immersed ourselves in it. The Constantini collection was a favorite and it includes all mediums from paintings and sculptures to photograhps and engravings. I was itching to take pictures of the art but I respected the rules and resisted. So, naturally, I was so jealous when I saw a lady taking up close and personal shots of the Frida Kahlo self-portrait. Good old me, always following the rules. In any case, this here picture is just a photograph of the exhibit's brochure cover. We also particularly enjoyed the abstract and optical art pieces where you could hit a switch and lights and pieces on the art would move around as the artist intended. There was just so much to see and the museum has a nice little french cafe to rejuvinate you.

We definitely recommend this experience to anyone visiting Buenos Aires.

Valentine's Day

We hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine's Day. Ours was spent relaxing at the Faena Hotel pool and spa. We had foot rubs by the pool, massages in the spa, manicures, pedicures and lots of champagne. The weather held up beautifully and it was a perfect day. Ain't love grand?