Cheating on your hairdresser

Carolyn will likely have a fit when she sees that I've posted this article because it reveals a secret: She has her hair colored. And not merely colored, but treated with two colors in a scientifically complex process that takes two hours, involves hazardous chemicals, requires a complete understanding of alchemy and employs aluminum foil. Of course, the result is that she looks stunning, so its worth every penny. Or in this case, every peso.

Because of the exchange rate, most services in Argentina cost about one third of what you would pay in the U.S., so Carolyn decided to save a few dollars and have some fun while on vacation. She found a suitable looking salon (Victor Rubenoff on Charcas), but the menu of options was not at all familiar or understandable (i.e. in Spanish). So during lunch, we enlisted our friend Fernando to call the salon to explain exactly what she was after. When she arrived, she was put into Marcelo's care, who, miraculously, did exactly what she wanted. The results were stunning, as always.

Need a drink?

The photo above captures a dining moment that is rare or virtually impossible to find in the United States. That is, having lunch and sharing a large bottle of beer on the sidewalk in front of your favorite little pizza joint.

We, in the U.S. (and Canada), are so incredibly up tight about so much, especially alcohol, it's amazing we all don't simply explode. In many other countries, beer and wine, if not stronger libations, are considered a part of the diet. Period. Nobody thinks twice about it otherwise.

I recall driving in Mexico about six years ago on the toll road that leads from Mexico City to Oaxaca. Enterprising "restaurantuers" set up shop in hastily built shacks, frying tortillas, grilling unidentifiable animal parts and serving cactus. Beverages available? Coke, beer, tequila. Just don't drink the water. Tequila on the toll road. Hilarious.

In the U.S., in contrast, having alcohol served anywhere on the the premises is subject to strict regulation and involves expensive and difficult to obtain licenses. I don't recall, exactly, the bizarre rules about where and when you can buy alcohol in Tennesssee, but it's so off the wall it's hard to believe it's the 20th century in that state. I understand other states also have such unfortunate weirdness. Just this last summer, Carolyn and I arrived at our favorite Thai restaurant (Yes Thai) in Chicago to find all the outdoor tables vacant (a first) on one of the most beautiful summer evenings imaginable. Inside we learned that the City suddenly decided to prohibit them from serving alcohol outside because they were too close to a nearby school. (I hate to be so cynical, but I think they simply don't understand that the guy telling them this was expecting an envelope.) Actually, I lied. I enjoy being cynical sometimes :)

The center and third photos show a wonderful tradition that we experience in Buenos Aires. After a meal, many restaurants (not the tourist places) bring a limoncello or other apertif as a thank you for your patronage. Imagine that happening at your local diner in the U.S.? I don't mean to complain, but we are made to believe that everything about the U.S. is ideal , and in many ways it is, but there is room for improvement. For example, having wine on sidewalk at Yes Thai.

In Buenos Aires, you can pretty much get a beer or wine (or something stronger) virtually anyplace that serves food. And the servers are almost always polite and helpful, albeit slow, but that's the culture. Eating and drinking take time. Take your time; chew your food. Relax. And by all means, have another glass of wine.

Buen provecho!

La Cava de Rovere

La Cava de Rovere
Honduras esq. Lavalleja
4833-6180

This posting is a plug for a new wine bar and delicatessen in Palermo Viejo; a short walk from Casa Palermo.

We came across this place on one of our many strolls. We were in the mood for a glass of red and asked the owner if any wines were available by the glass. He waved his hand at a wall of bottles. I no longer recall what we had, based on his recommendation, other than that it was tasty. There is a small deli in an adjacent room with lots of delicious looking hams, cold cuts, appetizers, etc. We noted that they prepare beautiful party trays (picadas).

Closed Sundays. Otherwise open 10 am -midnight.

For other wine tasting venues, see this link: wine

Dining In Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires is all about food. There are thousands of places to eat in Buenos Aires; over 700 in Palermo alone. In addition to the typical parrilla (steak house), Buenos Aires boasts Italian, Spanish, French, Scandinavian, Asian, French, Mexican, Middle Eastern, Polish and German restaurants . . . and many others. If you like, you can dine on dinner prepared with aphrodisiacs. Not your cup of tea? How about vegetarian or macrobiotic restaurants? The variety seems endless; staggering really. Something for everyone and at every price point. One of the nice aspects is that unlike the nonsense we experience in the states (i.e. liquor license that is expensive and difficult to get), you can get a beer, a glass of wine, or something stronger at virtually at any restaurant; even a tiny empanada shop or even a café.

Breakfast: Breakfast like we have in the U.S. is unheard of. It's all about pastries and coffee; or a sandwich. No eggs, sausage or bacon & hash browns! Media lunas are commonly eaten for breakfast. They are essentially a brioche shaped in the form of a crescent, like a croissant, and glazed. Oh, and about the coffee. They don't have coffee like in the U.S. either. Coffee is essentially espresso. I always order café doble (otherwise it's really a small portion) and Carolyn orders a café doble con leche (double size coffee with milk) or café cortado (espresso with a little milk). Cream is not used in coffee either. In fact, we could not find that they have cream at all. They use milk or steamed milk.

The café: The café is a “porteño” institution (porteño = people of the port). When we think of cafes, we usually think of Europe, but the porteños are real experts. Cafés abound everywhere and people sit in them for hours. Somehow, they have made a science of nursing an espresso for two hours. And we have fallen for it head over heels. Carolyn and I routinely wile away two hours or more, people watching in between reading magazines, blabbing and sipping. You will notice a wonderful tradition in cafes: The waiter will nearly always serve a small cookie with a cup of coffee.














Meat: Argentina has the highest per capita meat consumption in the world. Once you have a steak here, you will know why. The beef in better restaurants is outstanding. The cattle from which better beef is had graze on the pampas and eat actual grass, so the taste is better and the meat leaner. I have had tenderloin that literally tastes like it's melting in my mouth. Be aware that Argentina butchers cut up the beef into slightly different cuts, so some are similar to what you will find in the grocery store in Chicago; others are not.

My favorite cuts of beef:

bife de lomo (or simply lomo) = tenderloin
bife de chorizo = similar to top loin, sirloin steak, strip steak, N.Y. strip
ojo de bife or bife ancho = rib-eye cuts
bife con lomo = T-bone (or Porterhouse) steak

Note: lomito is a smaller serving of bife de lomo, typically a thin serving on a sandwich. At Pinot Cafe, a neighborhood restaurant at Plaza Guemes, near Casa Palermo, I order a sandwich called "Lomito Especial," which is very tasty, topped with cheese and a fried egg.
Note 2: Chorizo is a grilled sausage that can be found in every parrilla. It's got to be really, really bad for you, but I can't resist them; succulent and delicious. One of the best chorizos I've had is at La Dorita de enfrente. (note: Argentine chorizo is very different and nothing like Mexican chorizo).

Parrilla (pronounced pah-reesh-ah): A parrilla is a steak house and they are ubiquitous in Buenos Aires. Typically, an enormous grill is the centerpiece of the restaurant. Parrillas serve all varieties of beef, sausages, chinchulines (small intestines), riñones (kidneys) and morcilla (blood sausage).



Where to eat? To find restaurants in Buenos Aires, Óleo is the best guide available, short of personal recommendations. The Óleo database allows searches by a variety parameters: cuisine, neighborhood, price, etc. Not only will it provide the address and usually a photo of the restaurant, it will provide a location map. Particularly helpful are the ratings of the food, service, decor and price that are calculated by user votes. Indeed, vote after you've eaten someplace. Óleo is indispensable.

Gael Greene's "Buenos Aires Hot List" is noteworthy and Ms. Greene's credential's are impeccable. However, Casa Palermo guests receive our person list of recommendations. Recent guest Tom B. from Venice, Florida wrote, "The restaurant recommendations were amazing. While some were more enjoyable than others, there was not a bad meal to be had from your list." One of our recent favorites is the restaurant Bo Bo (at the Bo Bo Hotel) in Palermo.

Hours: Porteños dine later than people of the U.S. Dinner in restaurants begins at 9:00 p.m. and people take their time. Restaurants don't turn tables (except in some touristy restaurants; principally in Puerto Madero). Once you have a table, take your time and feel free to stick around until the place closes.

Pizza: There are loads of pizza places in BA. The pizza is a bit different that in the U.S., but terrific. Among our favorite's is Morelia. Order the pizza "a la parrilla" (grilled) and you will find yourself drooling over a thin, cracker crisp pizza. Indoor and outdoor seating.

Smoking: Buenos Aires went smoke free in January, 2007. No smoking in any restaurants. However, this has raised the popularity of outdoor seats.

Mate: You will notice people drinking and sharing mate. Mate is essentially a tea made with the dried leaves of a plant called yerba mate. Typically it's drunk from a gourd through a special metal straw called a bombilla. Mate is something that is enjoyed in someone's home or shop. It is not sold in cafes or restaurants.

Home made: There are many family operated restaurants in Buenos Aires. You won't find them in Recoleta or Barrio Norte, but they are hiding all over the other barrios. These places often look run down but serve excellent, truly home made food. Don't be afraid to try them.

Tips:

• Don't bother cooking at home: There are too many wonderful restaurants to try.
• Tipping: For excellent service, tip 10%. Average service: 5 - 7%.
• Tips: Be prepared. For some odd reason, you cannot add a tip to a credit card charge. You must leave the tip in cash, so come prepared!
• Reservations: Some restaurants don't accept reservations; many do. If you don't show up within 15 minutes of your time, don't be surprized if they give your table to another guest.
• Wine: Initially we ordered expensive wines, but a local friend taught us to stick to wines in the $20-35 Peso range. These are almost all excellent. No need to spend $60 or $80 Pesos unless you really want to splurge.
• Beer: Share by ordering "la cervesa grande" and ask for "dos vasos" (two glasses).
• Payment: Be prepared, some places only take cash. Only some places will accept U.S. dollars.
• Pepper: You will find salt on the table, but rarely pepper. Ask pimienta, por favor (pee myen tah)
• Hot: Forgettaboutit. Oddly, hot and spicy (picante) are not popular. We have found it difficult to find anything real spicy. Carolyn spotted Tabasco recently, only to discover it labeled "MILD" (!).
• Chimichurri: It's not spicy. It's got flavor and served with meat, but it's not spicy.
• Casera (kah-ser-ah): This means "home made" and is often a sign of good eating.
• Water: Virtually all restaurants serve bottled water, either sparkling (agua con gas) or still (agua sin gas), however, we regularly drink tap water at Casa Palermo.
• Picadas: Not all restaurant have these, but if they do, they are great to have instead of a meal. Picadas are simply a plate of tidbits. Usually cubes or slices of cheese, ham, olives, etc.
• A punto (ah poon-toh): Cooked medium (steak = pink)
• Cruda (crude-ah): Rare (as in very under-cooked), bloody center.
  
• Well done: I don't know (this shouldn't be done to beef unless you like it tough).
  
• Dulce de Leche (duel-say deh lech-eh): Caramel. People are crazy about it in Buenos Aires.
• Milanesa: beef, pork or chicken in a thick covering of bread crumbs.
• You want to sit outside? Ask "afuera, por favor." (Inside? Adentro.)
  

Area & Populations Statistics/Comparisons

Buenos Aires has more people per square mile than any U.S. city. The density is palpable and it gives the city a vibrancy that is reminiscent of Manhattan. There are stores and shops everywhere. Taxis are ubiquitous. The sidewalks on main avenues are crowded with people. It's a city that's alive.

Yet, Sundays are still quieter than in large U.S. cities. Many shops are closed and traffic is noticeably lighter. Christmas Day is the biggest surprise: Virtually everything is closed. One has to plan ahead for breakfast and lunch, or go hungry. Curiously, many restaurants re-open for dinner on Christmas Day.

The Tango Singer

My review of the book, The Tango Singer, by Tomás Eloy Martínez, appears here.

Far Away and Long Ago - a book recommendation

Far Away and Long Ago is the childhood memory of naturalist William Henry Hudson. He was born (1841) in the Quilmes Partido in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, son of settlers of U.S. origin, and grew up on the pampas of Buenos Aires. The account covers the period beginning about 1845 and ending around 1860, during Hudson's formative years. The book has a bit more about birds than I care to know, but they were Hudson's love. He is an excellent writer and offers a glimpse into a fascinating period in a fascinating place. Following is an excerpt, as a sample:

One hot day in December I had been standing perfectly still for a few minutes among the dry weeds when a slight rustling sound came from near my feet, and glancing down I saw the head and neck of a large black serpent moving slowly past me. In a moment or two the flat head was lost to sight among the close-growing weeds, but the long body continued moving slowly by--so slowly that it hardly appeared to move, and as the creature must have been not less than six feet long, and probably more, it took a very long time, while I stood thrilled with terror, not daring to make the slightest movement, gazing down upon it. Although so long it was not a thick snake, and as it moved on over the white ground it had the appearance of a coal-black current flowing past me--a current not of water or other liquid but of some such element as quicksilver moving on in a rope-like stream. At last it vanished, and turning I fled from the ground, thinking that never again would I venture into or near that frightfully dangerous spot in spite of its fascination.