Anxiously Awaiting

It is currently 9:20 PM Buenos Aires time (yes, Argentina has finally decided to NOT do daylight savings), there is a huge storm going on outside, and Jessica and I are sitting here anxiously awaiting the arrival of our first two visitors: Greta & Ashley! Jessica and I have been so excited for them to come that we have created an extensive itinerary to ensure Greta and Ashley have the best trip ever (my next job: travel agent). To see what we will be up to for the next couple of days, see below:

Friday, October 23, 2009

9:00 PM- Land in Buenos Aires

10:00 PM- Arrive at Jessica and Karlyn's Apartment

11:30 PM- Dinner at Las Cabras (our favorite neighborhood dinner spot)

1:00 AM- Go to bar DUDUI, a bar here in the neighborhood that we have recently discovered

3:00 AM- CROBAR to see Steve Angello, a Greek-Swedish well known DJ

Saturday, October 24, 2009

11:00 AM- Breakfast at Oui Oui. Having deviated away from our usual Huevos Completa (Eggs, bacon, toast, lemonade, cafe con leche) for the past two visits, I am looking forward to going back to my original indulgence

1:00 PM- Spend the day in Palermo Hollywood, Viejo, and Soho visiting Jessica and I's favorite shops

10:30 PM- Dinner at Osaka, where celebrated chef Daniel Delgado Jitsuya fuses Peruvian and Japanese flavors into his dishes

12:00PM- Choosing between Shampoo or Jet for a fun night of dancing

Sunday, October 25, 2009

12:30 PM- Breakfast at Olsen, a Scandinavian restaurant that has been built in an old warehouse, that is well known for their Sunday brunch (and requires a reservation in order to enjoy!)

2:00 PM- San Telmo for the antique Fair

3:00 PM- (Optional) La Boca soccer match

10:00 PM- Asado at a friend's house

1:00 AM- SLEEP

Monday, October 26 -> Thursay, October 29: MENDOZA

DAY 1: MONDAY, OCTOBER 26

12:00 PM- Leave apartment for airport

12:30- 1:20 PM- In-Flight

2:00 PM- Arrive at hotel and check in

Almacen del Sur (http://www.almacendelsur.com/) CONFIRMED

4:00 PM- Lunch

“Enjoy a celebration of Mendoza's gourmet cuisine during a three or five course extended lunch in this tranquil setting. Gracious host Santiago Orozco Russo will give you a guided tour of the restaurant's vegetable gardens. Watch the chef prepare your meal from a charming array of country tables and chairs.”

- Recommended: The grilled meats

10:30 PM- Dinner at Don Mario (best beef in Argentina!) CONFIRMED (http://www.donmario.com.ar/)

“Ask Mendocinos where to find the best steak in town, and they will undoubtedly direct you to Don Mario. This no-frills Argentine parilla with a casual country house atmosphere is famous for its hefty portions of bife de chorizo (sirloin steak) and bife de lomo (filet mignon). The knowledgeable staff will help you select wines from the wide-ranging list. Request Cristian as your waiter.”

- Recommended: Bife de chorizo and the pears with Malbec sauce for desert

DAY 2: TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27

10:00 AM: Leave Hotel

+ 30 – 45 Minute drive

ALL DAY @ LUJAN DE CUYO

Achaval Ferrer (http://www.achaval-ferrer.com) CONFIRMED

11:00 AM: Bodega Tasting ($30 Argentine Pesos)

“In the words of its founders, Achaval-Ferrer is and will always be a small Argentine winery that is passionately committed to producing small quantities of fine red wine. As a testament to their approach, their 2002 Finca Altamira Malbec scored 94 points in the 2004 Wine Spectator weekly. The work at Achaval-Ferrer is built around producing what they refer to as two "ideas" of wine. The first "idea" is a testament to terroir. These are single-vineyard Malbec varietals, all three of them from very old, low-producing vines in very special places in the Mendoza region. The other "idea" they call the "pursuit of the ideal wine". It is a blended wine based on Bordeaux varietals grown in the Mendoza region. They have named this wine Quimera (in Spanish Quimera means an impossible ideal). Based on what we have seen from this winery to date, we doubt that perfect is impossible.”

- Recommended: Quimera Blend (malbec, cabernet, cab franc, merlot)

+ 30 Minute drive

Carlos Pulenta (http://www.carlospulentawines.com/) CONFIRMED

1:00 PM: Lunch @ La Bourgogne

3:00 PM: Bodega Tour + Tasting ($25 Argentine Pesos)

“We will start our tour with a walk around our fine vineyards, the origin of our wines. Then you will get to know how our wines are elaborated as we tour the winery, and we will finally enjoy a wine tasting session at Club Vistalba. After the tour, we will taste three of our wines: Tomero White or Rosé, Tomero Red, Vistalba Corte C, Vistalba Corte V - Olive Oil. “

+ 30 Minute drive

Haceinda del Plata (http://www.haciendadelplata.com.ar/) CONFIRMED

5:00 PM: Wine Tour + Tasting ($20 Argentine Pesos)

“Despite it's easy access from Mendoza in Chacras de Coria, Hacienda del Plata quickly envelops you in the history of the legendary Argentine gaucho and Argentine winemaking. On your first visit you will be pleasantly surprised by the remarkable transformation from the surrounding city to the vineyard that is hidden behind this unremarkable gate. Offering tours that focus on grape growing techniques on its 30 hectares of vineyards, this bodega insists that their personnel treat each vine with the same respect that the gauchos used to tame their horses. The bodega limits tours to one to two small groups at a time, insuring a relaxing, personalized visit. If you want to spend a leisurely afternoon at the Hacienda, they also serve a traditional asado (barbecue) lunch beneath a canopy of wisteria on the back patio.”

- Recommended: Mayoral Malbec

9:30 PM: Dinner at Azafron (www.bve.com.ar)

“From the garlic wreaths and bouquets of dried flowers hanging from the ceiling to the wood cabinets that line the walls, Azafrán exudes the warmth and exoticism of the spice that inspired its name. The eclectic menu draws products from all over Argentina: Patagonian deer and lamb, Tierra del Fuego crab, and, of course, beef from the nearby Argentine pampas. Chefs cook meat to perfection, lending a creative spin to their dishes with generous doses of herbs and spices. Don't skip the tapas (especially the crab croquets with ginger sauce and the spicy meatballs) or the venison raviolis. Visit the restaurant's wine library, in which wine racks replace bookshelves, to choose a bottle from the wide array of Argentine wines in all price ranges. The deli next-door features an excellent selection of Mendocino wines, olives, cheeses, and cold cuts - perfect for an al fresco picnic.”

- Recommended: Pork Tenderloin

DAY 3: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28

9:00 AM: Leave Hotel

+ 60 Minute drive

ALL DAY @ VALLE DE UCO

Salentein Winery (www.bodegasalentein.com) CONFIRMED

10:30 AM: Wine Tour + Tasting ($350/4 = 87.50 Argentine Pesos)

“ Situated in the middle of 455 hectares of vineyards below the eastern slopes of the Andes, Salentein is a massive, concrete and steel harbinger of the future of Argentine wine. With annual production exceeding 1 million bottles, the winery is known for classical varietals, old vine preservation, and European production methods that yield world-class wines. The 45 minute tour showcases the award -winning architecture of the magnificent, cross-shaped bodega, which uses a traditional gravity transfer system to allow wine to flow from French stainless steel tanks and wooden vats to the underground oak casks used for aging. The tour ends in the dramatic, low-lit tasting room, where guides pour wines atop a massive marble altar.”

- Recommended: 2001 Salentein Reserve Pinot Noir; Salentein 2002 Malbec.

+ 30 Minute Drive

O’Fournier (www.ofournier.com) CONFIRMED

1:30 PM: Wine Tour + Tasting

“Spanish company O Fournier built this temple to gravity-only winemaking in homage to its resident winemaker. It is worth the trip to Valle de Uco to see this marvel of architecture and technology and to taste award-winning Tempranillo blends. The winery has a capacity of 600,000 litres in stainless steel, oak and cement housed some of the most unique architecture in the Mendoza province. O Fournier is known for its "Alfa Crux" and "B Crux" wines - wines that are as complex and rewarding as the architecture where they are produced. The wines are named for the stars of the Southern Cross. This constellation is visible in the Argentine sky.”

- Recommended A & B Crux 2002

2:00 PM: Lunch @ winery

Jacques & Francois Lurton (http://www.francoislurton.com)

5:00 PM: Wine Tour + Tasting

“Jacques & François Lurton are the sons of a renowned French Bordeaux maker, Jacques and François Lurton founded their landmark Mendoza winery in 1988. Cultivating grapes in the Uco Valley and Maipú regions, the Lurton brothers draw on their 'old world' viticultural expertise to produce fine wines in 'new world' terroir (including their Piedra Negra 2002 Malbec, which earned 90 points from the Wine Enthusiast in 2004). The Lurtons' wood, concrete and stainless steel cellar - situated in the middle of the vineyard - showcases a unique system of freezing the grape must to extract maximum flavor. This tradition cum innovation approach yields uniquely balanced wines that can be enjoyed young or aged for several years.”

9:00 PM: Leave hotel

+ 10 minute drive

9:30 PM: Dinner at 1884 (www.1884restaurante.com.ar) CONFIRMED

“Some people come to Mendoza just to eat at celebrity chef Francis Mallman's restaurant, inside the Romanesque Bodega Escorihuela -- known, among other things, for housing the biggest wine barrel in the province. With fine Argentine meats and fresh local produce, his carefully presented cuisine combines his Patagonian roots with his French culinary training. Local go-tos such as lechón (young pork) and chivito (baby goat) are classics, and the huge outdoor wooden stove produces an incredible salted chicken. This is simple food prepared in a stripped-down style typical for Mallmann. Dishes are prepared with matching local wine selections, with Malbec and Syrah topping the list. In the summer, request a coveted garden table. For dessert, the chocolate fanático will blow your hat off. You can easily combine in the same visit a meal here with a tour of the bodega, which also has an art gallery. Tours are offered weekdays every hour from 9:30am to 3:30pm.”

- Recommended: Chivito (young goat) with grilled vegetables

DAY 4: THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29

10:00 AM: Wake up and have breakfast @ hotel

11:00 AM: Vines of Mendoza in downtown

12:00 PM: Leave for airport

1:20- 4:02 PM: In- Flight

SIDE OPTIONS:

Casa 3: Hip bar/restaurant that wouldn’t look out of place in Barcelona

De Un Rincon De La Boca: Best pizza in town (bring your own wine!)

Decimo: Wine bar in town

El Palenque: Downtown fun and exciting restaurant /bar (place to be seen)

Thursday, October 29, 2009

9:20 PM- Dinner at Il Ballo Del Mattone (best Italian restaurant in BA... in our opinion)

11:00 PM- Halloween boat party (don't worry- we have one clever costume in the works!)

Friday, October 30, 2009

12:00 PM to ?- Day in Recoleta: Cemetery, lunch at Voulez Bar, shopping at Patio Bullrich, topped off by a class of wine at the Alvear Palace!

9:30 PM- Dinner at La Cabrera (parilla deliciousness)

2:00 AM- ROXY! Rock music & dancing

Saturday, October 31, 2009

A sad farewell to our visitors, Greta & Ashley

PS: Jessica and I are in the process of updating our blog to create more information for our readers! One recent feature we have added are links, so when you see an underlined word you can click on it in order to visit the website!

Spring Showers Bring..... November Flowers?

As spring and the warm weather approaches, it’s a weird feeling to see the talk of snow and the cold weather among the Facebook walls of our friends from back home. Since both Jessica and I have now started working from home, we’ve really made an effort to enjoy this beautiful 70-degree weather. We occupy our days with long walks throughout the different neighborhoods, or with a book and a bottle of wine in one of the many nearby parks. With the warm weather comes an abundance of life that seems to be springing up all around the city…. And we don’t seem to be the only ones taking advantage of the sun and pleasant air; the parks and the streets are bustling with Porteños and other international folk like ourselves! (I’m starting to wonder when exactly the working population actually makes it to the office?) Restaurants and shops are constantly buzzing with people like us just enjoying this lovely month of October.

This past week has been one of a lot of activity, seeming as we have welcomed to new inhabitants to Buenos Aires. One of Jessica’s close friends from Tulane, Brett, and his best friend Tim have just moved from Pasadena to BA and are embarking on their six month living experience just like Jessica and I did almost a month and a half ago. Jessica and I decided it was our job to help integrate them to the city and show them what this place is all about. Thursday night we started with a typical Argentinean dinner at a parilla here in Palermo called Don Julio. A lot of delicious meat and a couple bottles of wine later we all headed to a nightclub here called JET. Judging from the state of everyone when we met up for breakfast the next day (yes, of course at Oui Oui) I think they had a pretty fun first night! Jessica and I had a very mellow Friday day and later ventured to our new favorite Friday night spot, ROXY. Unfortunately I think we showed Brett and Tim a little too much fun on Thursday as they decided to take Friday night off….

Saturday Jessica and I decided to venture to some places we haven't been yet. We visited Plaza San Martin, shopped at the popular shopping mall Galerías Pacífico, and then had lunch at a hip 80's decor Pizza joint called Filo's. With an extensive menu of over 100 different types of pizzas, Jessica and I decided to indulge in a veggie topped mozzarella and tomato pizza. After polishing it off I think Jessica and I would both have to agree that this is one of the best (if not THE best) pizzas we have both ever had! After our delicious meal we ventured on a 15 block walk, that actually turned into a 25 block walk after getting lost a couple of times, to the ever famous Alvear Palace Hotel in Recoleta. The Alvear Palace is a rather exclusive hotel here in Buenos Aires, and quite possibly one of the best hotels in the world. Opening its doors in 1932 when Argentina was one of the richest countries in the world, the Alvear Palace has housed a number of well known names: Antonio Banderas, Donatella Versace, the emperor of Japan, and Robert Duvall, to name a few. This classic French style hotel truly is a magnificent sight, and Jessica and I just couldn't resist enjoying a couple glasses of Sauvignon Blanc in the grandiose piano lounge. After be-friending the bar manager, we promised him that we would return..... however, we will have to be sure to make our visits sparse as the prices at this luxurious hotel don't come cheap! AFter an interesting effort to find a cab home in one of the most intense rainstorms we have seen since we've been here, we managed to make it home in time to get ready for a night out. Jessica, Brett, Tim and I concluded our night with a lengthy dance stint on the dance floor of CROBAR.

Sunday morning we all met for breakfast at a place called Cusic, another delicious restaurant that I think we are going to be adding to the top of our breakfast list! Located right around the corner from our house, Cusic has a delicious meal of scrambled eggs, toast, fresh fruit, fresh squeezed orange juice, and a café con leche all for the ripe price of 22 pesos (translated that’s about $6 USD)! After breakfast us four ventured to the Recoleta weekend flea market where we walked around and browsed the various trinkets. Jessica purchased a really beautiful photograph of her favorite street in Palermo and now we finally have something to hang on our very bare walls! A couple hours after walking around and sipping on some local beers, we met up with some fellow American’s at a place called Casa Bar to indulge in a little Sunday Football (and I'm not talking about soccer!). We actually had the privilege of watching the Arizona Cardinals beat the Houston Texans live on TV!

Last night Jessica, Brett and I had a rather amusing dinner at a place in Las Canitas called Las Cholas. Although the sister restaurant, Las Cabras, happens to be my favorite restaurant in town, I was a little disappointed by this particular location. After ordering a rather ridiculous plate of meat for 50 pesos, the food ended up becoming the subject of a bet rather than an actual meal! Brett dared Jessica to eat 1/3 of an unidentifiable (and rather bloody) piece of sausage in return for 3 bottles of champagne. Jessica, a former vegetarian and anti red-meat-eater actually took him up on this bet and WON! Truthfully I am still rather impressed that she went through with this bet as even watching her eat this made my stomach queasy.

Today we enjoyed a lovely breakfast at a restaurant called Bar 6 in Palermo Soho and I am currently taking a time out on the rooftop patio of our apartment. I’m definitely making it a point to enjoy the weather while it is still enjoyable…. We have had multiple warnings that within the next month we will find ourselves in some rather miserable heat! It sounds like an Arizona-style summer is soon to be upon us….

scrumdidlyumptious

When one thinks of BA a few common words come to mind: tango, nightlife, reggaeton, and many others. Little did we know that the number one thing that would constantly be on our mind is FOOD. We have literally been eating our way through the city, one bite or big mouth full at a time. Since we spend a vast majority of our time dining, we thought it would be worthwhile to document these culinary delights. Also, we can provide wisdom for all different types of people considering that Karlyn and I have very different eating habits. She likes red meat and I like fish. I like white wine and she enjoys red, it goes on and on.... However, we do always seem to share an affinity for desserts and they are never missed in our household! With this in mind, we think any fluctuation in our weight is completely necessary because we're doing it all for the sole purpose of documenting the hot spots for tourists. Therefore, we will just let it be known that no comments should be made upon our return to the States- especially since we're sacrificing ourselves on behalf of our avid viewers. From now on we will try to provide pictures of all dishes for future postings, so that you too can understand our fascination for Argentine dining.

Here are a few of the spots we have tried in the last few days:

Sottovoce: This is one of the incredible Italian restaurants of BA. It was a favorite of our two year veteran we met for dinner who ended up staying after a random visit to the city following her graduation from college. She now has her own real estate business here and dates a local. Who knows if we too will have the same luck? The staff was very attentive and the restaurant had a classic, elegant style. I had an amazing fish that was seasoned to perfection, nestled on a platter of vegetables and mushrooms. Karlyn enjoyed the "mozzarella, basil, garlic, yummy concoction" on a bed of penne pasta where she devoured every morsel on her plate.

Itamae Sushi: Enjoyed the Buenos Aires roll-salmon, lobster, cheese, mango and sesame sauce, and the Tex Mex roll- salmon, guacamole and some other deliciousness. Karlyn even gave the rolls a thumbs up commenting that she could barely taste the fish! Karlyn had the vegetarian roll and we shared stuffed chicken appetizers. We did not receive the girl's night out discount because our roomie came with us, but they did provide us with free champagne following dinner.

Miranda: Neighborhood joint that reminds us weirdly of Houston's. They have waffles here that we have yet to try, but are eagerly awaiting this culinary adventure. We did have the ricotta and spinach ravioli, which was very tasty. However, not the best we have had yet here. One must be critical with the abundance of Italian restaurants in our midst. We did relish every bite of our apple cobbler that was topped with vanilla ice cream!

Bakana: One of our favorite places for lunch or breakfast. They have an amazing breakfast menu, but we have yet to make it there for the special. All of their bread is freshly baked and could not be more incredible! They also make a delicious homemade berry lemonade that is to die for! Karlyn ordered a quesadilla (an Arizonan necessity) that was topped off with caramelized onions and some amazing cheese that featured a very spicy sauce (even for our spicy tastes!). I had a chicken sandwich that was on a crumbly whole grain with lettuce and fried tomatoes and a side of potatoes with a delectable spicing.

Las Cabras: This is a must see restaurant. It is nestled on a corner in our neighborhood and always seems to be jam packed. We had to wait 20 minutes before being seated, but it was well worth the wait. They have a beautiful setting that features candles throughout in a very simplistic environment. The restaurant is bustling with food and people and we were lucky enough to enjoy some wine by the kitchen in order to see a variety of the many amazing dishes they have to offer. I had a white fish on an avocado and tomato salad. The fish was good, but I think many things on the menu were better. Karlyn has an incredible lemon chicken that came with a Caesar salad. The chicken was cooked to perfection and the salad satisfied all our American desires! They also give you crayons to play with while waiting, so needless to say we had some very interesting designs at the end of our meal!

Besides eating, we are trying to become more active to combat our indulgences. We have found a great yoga studio here. It is right in Palermo Soho and reminds us of our favorite establishments back home. The only problem is that the classes are in Spanish, so you have to sneak the occasional peak to the neighbor to make sure you are in unison with the rest of the class. Luckily, we were able to make it through the class, unlike some of our neighbors, and are proudly feeling the effects of our hard workout today. On top of exercising, we have come across an amazing selection of stores right in our neighborhood. Both Karlyn and I were lucky enough to come across some amazing treasures. We now both have a mental note of the locations of all our favorites and even some gift ideas for friends and family for the holidays! At first we were a little disappointed in the shopping, but now it's a constant temptation as we stare adoringly into each store window. On top of all this, Karlyn has found a job! I will let her describe it in detail in her next post, but we are proud to now both be working ladies.

We are also helping to create a business plan for a company here and hopefully will be partners if we are able to acquire some funding and successfully launch the company. We are creating a company that manufactures advertising signs that you would see in supermarkets, streets, etc. The three men we are doing it with all come from a history in sales and manufacturing for a variety of the major name brand companies here. They have a vast contact list that we are going to bring together, organize, publicize, and sell for them on our down time. Since the peso is so cheap relative to the dollar, it offers a great competitive edge to American corporations. Not to mention, there is a huge need for these services since there are only two major companies here and they refuse to cater to smaller clients. It should be an interesting experiment and we are pretty sure this will be one of the many projects we take on while here. Argentina has a plethora of opportunities and it's our duty to take advantage of them!

Tonight, we are heading to an event at the modern art museum. It's a black party and Karlyn and I have already begun searching through our closets for the proper attire. It should be an interesting group and we are excited to meet some new people from the Buenos Aires social scene. Our friend who took us to dinner at Sottovoce, Ariel, invited us as the guest of her and her boyfriend. She also promised us that at some point we would receive introductions from the celebrity polo players here. Until then, we'll let you share in on our excitement for the night's activities and update you on our pending state of affairs. Adieuuu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1jmhbw3JHw