So far today..

I was yelled at for "letting us run out of printer paper."

That's funny. Yesterday we had more than 300 pieces (enough to last 3 days. It is a law firm after all).

Maybe we would will have some if I weren't asked to make 5 sets of copies of sets of documents that are almost 100 pages each.

And of course I can't scamper off to the store to buy more because I am currently going blind while transferring data to an Excel spreadsheet.

Is it Friday yet?

Back to Normal

So D&D made it to Ezeiza without hysteria or incident, and as happy as I am to have a night "off" to eat tortillas and hot sauce while watching trashy Argentine tv, I am kind of bummed that their visit has already come to an end. We had such a wonderful time, bopping around during the Bicentennial, eating & drinking too much, enjoying the last two days of perfect sunny weather and crisp fall air.

It was a complete success! Miracle! The meeting of the in-laws could not have been better - despite the hilarity of the language barrier, Raquel and Lele were so kind and gracious to organize such events for my parents! Highlights: Dinner at Clorindo and Teresa Testa's (straight out of a Wes Anderson movie) and the asado at Martindale. Doug got to play golf, Deb did some serious shopping, and I got to indulge at all of my favorite restaurants in a 5-day period. Victory for all.

I have to give a special mention to José, who should be up for sainthood this year. Who manages to keep a smile on their face for a solid 5 days of schlepping around with your in-laws? Really. José = Saint. San José. I would be lost without him, and I only wish that I had an ounce of his patience and kindness.

We spent some good moments chatting about the wedding, and it is slowly but surely coming together! I have so much reading to do and I am beyond excited. It looks like lots of Argentines are hoping to come to DC for the celebration as well !!!! That really will be a special addition to the fiesta - I really would like the Argie influence to be present in the ceremony and the party so I have been coming up with some creative ideas...

What now? Hm.... Thanks to the 4 day weekend I am completely out of the work routine. It's getting harder and harder to get myself out of the house each morning when all I feel like I am doing is answering phones/the door and fiddling with Excel spreadsheets. Sigh.

As for pictures of the trip, Deb took a million and as soon as I have those in my possession they will be posted for your enjoyment!

Now that we're back to our routine, I want to plan a little Indian feast next week at the house. The time just flies by ... It's so hard to balance the different elements of life - the social element that involves seeing friends and going out (which I could do almost every night of the week if I didn't need solid beauty sleep!), sticking to a good gym routine of 3 times a week, and then just having off nights at home to relax and catch up on reading/blogging/random things. I really need to push myself to cook more and be creative in the kitchen. Help!

Now I am watching the news and José is at the gym (I was so exhausted from this week that the ought of leaving the house to do anything but check in to a spa for the next 2 weeks was too much to handle). The Bicentennial events were great! The opening of the Teatro Colón was so amazing .... I have to say that as we sang the Himno Nacional in the middle of Av. 9 de Julio with everyone else who was there (about 1 million people I think?), I felt as though I were just another citizen. It was a special but poignant moment as I started to have some realizations about my life and the reality that I will probably be here for longer than anyone would have planned! (More on that in another post).

Ok, I am rambling and haven't been able to provide any fun pictures to balance it all out.

More later, perhaps tomorrow from work as I smell the beautiful flowers that Deb brought me today!

D&D in Buenos Aires

On this foggy drizzly morning, D&D have made it to Buenos Aires! José (Saint) sat in horrid traffic for almost 2 hours to get them at the airport. Thanks to the fact that it's a long weekend, with horrible weather, and road blocks everywhere for the Bicentennial Festivities, it wasn't easy schlepping out to Ezeiza. But in a couple of hours I am leaving work and we are letting the fun begin!

So very excited. Made sure the house is more or less impeccable for their visit, have planned lots of fun events and am sure it will be a hilarious weekend. Deb is carrying at least 20 lbs of wedding magazines in her carry on. True story.

Medium Raw

Anyone who knows me knows just how much I love Anthony Bourdain. To the very core. I have (sigh, had) every episode of No Reservations on dvr at home in Arlington and have seen every episode .... twice. I loved Kitchen Confidential and Mere has even bought me his fiction works that are just as snarky as he is.

I am so excited for Medium Raw to come out, because I love reading how Tony chews out everyone that he hates in the cooking and restaurant industries. Greg Mortimer is my book savior (international book drops! I feel like a literary refugee) and has been sending me along teasers and articles about the upcoming release.

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Bo Obama

I'm not going to lie, I think Bo needs to live with me in BA. Look at this big face! Couldn't you just spend the entire day on the couch with him watching old episodes of 90210 and Project Runway?

We Love Miles Redd

Also from Fran Fontaine. Please enjoy the NYSD interview with the amazing and heavenly Miles Redd, my favorite human alive.

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Perfection

Via Frances Fontaine

What is a Philosopher?

I absolutely loved this opinion piece that I just read online at the NYT. It brings me back to my days at BC, reading the Great Books, writing writing writing. I miss those days terribly.

Read this article. I especially like the word used for "lawyers" - even millenia ago they had a horrible reputation!

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Updates from My Island

In reception.

What a wonderful weekend we had at Basavilbaso. After an insane week of too many social events, the hermit in me decided to take over and I ended up laying very low. It was fantastic!

Saturday we had a rare cloudy day, really cold (winter is slowly but surely making its way to BA) which was the perfect excuse to hit the gym (after way too much wine, this was imperative) and to get my closets in ship shape for fall/winter clothes. On the way home from getting a smoothie we stumbled on this amazing auction house that was full of incredible antiques, paintings, and random antique collections. I had to pick my jaw up off the floor! I died. I needed everything immediately for Basavilbaso. José has a hard time understanding my dire need to have very few modern/factory made pieces in the house, but only because the quality here is so bad. I cannot stand the idea of things made in mass quantities without any attention to details like inlay and pattern. I sound like a freak but I honestly don't care. Viva antigüedades.

Sunday I bought a new tree, a lemon cypress, and some purple cabbages (not edible, sadly) that are going to bring some new life to the balcony off of the living room. The lemon cypress smells incredible! I caress it always. And my cabbages look splendid. I am so happy with them. Pictures need to be taken.

Have lots to get done this week before D&D arrive. Hair cut, dermatologist, Indian dinner with Caroline, retail therapy (this was supposed to take place yesterday but I couldn't be bothered to leave the house after 4 PM). José is leaving me for Mendoza tomorrow morning so I will be abandoned but only for 1 night.

Random comment that I should probably let slide but need to get off my chest. I really have a problem with people who gossip about your life behind your back and assume/spread non-truthful things because they're idiots. I would prefer not to know, but when I heard about something like that over the weekend I was kind of dumbfounded. I will just say that "heard" is not a synonym for inaccurate FACEBOOK STALKING. goodbye.

TGIF

Honestly. What a fun-filled week it has been! But terribly slow .... Dragging on and on never to end! I had to crawl out of my warm bed this morning to face the day. Here we are folks, it's Friday!
My liver currently hates me as I have spent the past 3 nights drinking more than one should during the week! Dinners out, a mid-week trip to Rumi, and another epic happy hour(s) with Alix and friends. So much fun. Not fun for my sleep habits which are now temporarily destroyed. I need at least 29 hours of sleep this weekend. It's a decree.

Last night the lovely Katie Armour sent me this fabulous video from YouTube about Emily Haines (Broken Social Scene) writing in Buenos Aires. I think it's absolutely beautiful. I actually felt nostalgic for a city where I currently live. Please check out the video HERE
Dear it's just so frustrating! No time to blog and muse and write. This weekend I promise I'll dedicate more time and energy to that. STILL need to post the Place des Anges photos and video.

Tonight we are having dinner with José's family and aunt who lives in India. I am so excited to pick her brain and convince her to smuggle me back in her suitcase! Oh to live in the Land of Kings ...

Mini Salchicha

This weekend we spotted my favorite, a dapple dachshund, and I stalked it, photographed it, and drooled over it until the owners got freaked out and left. Pictures of that little dapple will be up shortly.

José just sent me this little pup to brighten my day.

In other news... Hm. Work is OK, I am so ready for D&D to get here. It will be madness. But in a good way. Have to post photos and video of the Place des Anges from Saturday night. It was incredible. There are feathers all over Plaza San Martín still.

Cupakes.

I know the whole sweets market is oversaturated with cupcakes these days, but I live in a land where a "cupcake" consists of blueberry muffins topped with that awful and artificial icing that you often find on supermarket birthday cakes (hideously sugary that gets right into cavity mode the minute it enters your mouth). So indulge me here and let me dream of one of my favorite cravings ever.

A perfectly delicious cupcake. I daydream from my island in reception, wishing that I could skip out the door just for moment, to pick up a little piece of heaven, just as others dream of getting their caffeine fix from Starbucks to get through the afternoon.

How perfect does this graham cracker cupcake with keylime icing look? Best website ever. http://mingmakescupcakes.yolasite.com/

I need this rug

Immediately.
I love Anthropologie.
Always.

People Flying Across Plaza San Martín

I had no idea what to call this post, so I went the literal route.

All this week, there has been a flurry of activity across Plaza San Martín, a half block from home and where I both begin and end my quick commute to work every day. There's always something going on, whether it be the curly haired fellow who plays his bagpipe every evening (gives me goosebumps I have to admit. It's a beautiful sight, strolling across one of the my favorite parts of Buenos Aires as the sun goes down) or the numerous commercials and movie bits that are shot here.

The troupe of crazypeople who have been stirring up nonsense and getting everyone buzzing are some ladies and gents who set up these aerial spectacles in honor of Pierrot Bidon. Not sure who that is but let's assume he was a pioneer of flying across cables in urban landscapes. I am really excited to see the final product on Saturday night, since José sent me this video from YouTube to get a better idea of what it's all about. VIDEO

Pretty wacky and fun. So glad it's just steps from our house!

What else? ah, we finally watched "El Secreto de Sus Ojos" last night and I could not recommend it more! It won the Oscar for Best Foreign Film and I have to say, I wish it could have been candidate for Best Movie! (I liked "The Hurt Locker" but they don't even compare). Ricardo Darin is one of Argetina's most prized actors and he is absolutely incredible in the film. It's based on a true story about a man plagued by an unresolved murder and rape case in 1974 Buenos Aires, on the cusp of an oppressive and corrupt military dictatorship.

25 years later, recently retired, he delves back into the memories of the case, and I must say I was beyond impressed with the script, the acting and the movie as a whole. Rent, buy or Netflix it tonight!

Hmmm ... Fall is nice and crisp, I cannot wait for the weekend, and I am even more excited to continue with the wedding plans ! A beautiful early summer night ... Ahh I am smiling just thinking about it!

Floral Love - Ginger Flower

Ginger Flower. This little blossom of joy will most likely be making an appearance at the wedding. So vibrant, bold and tropical. I love it!

Frances and I are teaching Liberation

We have decided that too many people are miserable or awful and need us to show them the ways of being free and happy.

Fran's easy to follow instructions:

how to be free

1. get a dog

2. quit your job

3. go to argentina

4. drink malbec by gallon

5. quote diana vreeland

DONE

Manic Monday

That's right. I'm quoting the Bangles.

How is it already 4 PM? Anyway, I have more to write but can we just say that two items arrived in my inbox today and are making it very hard to focus on work.

Anthropologie's May catolog -- Shot on location in India. Goodbye.
Cartier's Mother's Day gift ideas. I know I'm not a mumsy yet but who wouldn't want something in a small red box for Mother's Day?

Busy planning D&D's visit to BA ... so much to do in such little time. Wedding planning, sightseeing, celebrating, shopping, dinners with Lele and Raquel.... Not sure how we'll fit it all in....

Back later. Can't wait to read more of "Just Kids," Patti Smith's memoirs, tonight.