How is January over?

I am in awe of how fast time flies once you start to get older. It's really just nuts. Sometimes it helps when things aren't going your way and you really comprehend the meaning of "this too shall pass." Then there are moments where you feel like you got slapped in the face and have no idea where the past several weeks went.

We're still sweaty here. But talking about the heat in January here is like talking about the muggy days of August in DC. It would be newsworthy if it weren't happening. So unless we have a cold wave just assume that we're stuck under the a/c and avoiding any errands that involve being outside for extended periods of time.

Josey and I saw the film 50/50 yesterday. Wow, Joseph Gordon-Levitt is such an incredible actor. I hadn't forgotten about him, per se, but it just made me wish that there were more young actors like him in movies today. Not once did I think he was playing a part (the film is based on a true story about being diagnosed with cancer in your 20s). Seth Rogen, in his goofy glory, played the best friend ... and I loved him, although I wish he hadn't dropped so many F bombs. Kind of takes away after awhile. Beware, though: you'll end up in a puddle of your own tears at certain points and you'll even need a few minutes to compose yourself at the end. But it's worth it as it's an amazing story about the healing powers of friendship.

I think about getting a dog about every 5 minutes. I am wondering if this is normal or just some sad obsession I have that will never go away.

We have a wedding coming up - two months to be exact - and I was moaning and groaning since the bride wants the female guests to wear long dresses. In the US, perhaps not normally an issue - although I don't own a long dress and don't foresee myself ever needing to wear one again - but in Buenos Aires, clothes are expensive. Especially formal clothes. To top it off, the dresses here really aren't the same quality as what you'd find at Nordstrom or Bloomie's or whatever. Department stores don't exist. Most of these "elegant" gowns are made with feathers and pink sequins and aren't even lined. And cost upwards of $1,000 (dollars not pesos). I was not a happy camper. Thank the lord for Deb, who came through as always. She found a stunning RL black dress last week! It was priced at $174 but on sale for $43! Apparently it was mis-marked but since it wasn't her fault they let her have the dress at the reduced price. HELLO happiness. There was no way I was going to spend my hard earned money on some gross excuse for a gown here. Go Deb.

I have been trying to tackle one new recipe a week to expand my culinary abilities in 2012. I made some pretty good chicken empanadas and then tried to make some spicy beef ones too. Not a bad attempt! Although I ended up eating empanadas for about a week straight. They're just so practical. And when you slather them it hot sauce they taste good regardless. Will probably make another batch soon and freeze them so we always have a quick meal on hand. Upcoming recipes: Black bean burgers, and perhaps some more Asian-inspired dishes once I get my booty to Barrio Chino.

Happy Year of the Dragon, everyone!

If You Insist...

My mom has been begging (if not scolding) me to post a photo of this ridiculously expensive chocolate Santa that my sister managed to break with the slightest touch. Fourteen dollars. That's how much this puppy cost. Yikes. Anyway, the owners at the patisserie took pity on my clumsy hermana and said they'd use Santa's corpse for samples.

Amazing Meals So Far

1. Taco truck bliss
2. Bombay Club amazeballs of life
3. Haandi lunch buffet aka gluttony x 1000
4. Central bistro fabulosity
5. Farmers' market empanadas
6. Hot sauce made by a Liberian man (not a meal I know)
7. Whole Foods explosion of cookies, sushi and more
8. Zaytinya heaven on Earth
9. Patisserie Poupon

Still missing: Pho, Rasika, Pietanza, Thai Noy, Mandu

Mmmmm

I'm counting down the days/hours/minutes/seconds until I hop on the plane to DC and my stomach is also joining me in this endeavor. Part why I love going home is because I can eat my face off and indulge in things that just don't exist in Buenos Aires. Part of me actually doesn't love it because I always end up plumper than when I arrived - not a good thing to do when you're about to get married (Seriously, pre-wedding diet? Sorry Charlie, I've got an Indian buffet to tackle. Woops.)

Here is a list of the places / things I want to eat when I am home (take note):
1. Rasika
2. Heritage
3. Raaga
4. Zaytinya
5. Pietanza
6. Every Pho place in Little Saigon
7. Chipotle
8. The taco truck in Clarendon that's in that supermarket parking lot
9. Whole Foods hot bar
10. The Diner in Adams Morgan (preferably for brunch)
11. Cork
12. Jaleo
13. Central
14. Moby Dick
15. Liberty Tavern
16. Patisserie Poupon
17. Cafe Divan
18. Thai Noy
19. Peking Gourmet
20. Mandu

ok this list could - and will - go on but it's getting depressing. If anyone wants to book a food date let me know. If not, I'll just go there alone and eat until I pass out. Sounds like a nice plan.

Food Blog Update

Be sure to check out my new posts from La Panza Porteña to start the week off hungry!

Drumroll Please ...

Why don't you do yourself (and yours truly) a favor by checking out my BA food blog, La Panza Porteña? It's kind of an infant right now, but I promise that more content will be published on a regular basis.

After three years of eating my face off and writing little reviews in my head, I decided that I needed to put my time to good use and start another project that will clog up the Internets. We all need another time waster at work, after all.

Check it out ..... La Panza Porteña ..... I love you forever.

Dinner at Casa Mun

On Saturday night we dined at Casa Mun for the second time. Closed door restaurants are picking up a lot of steam here in Buenos Aires, and while Casa Mun has only been in business since March, they're booked way in advance and are already outgrowing their space. Not only does it make me so happy to see expats doing well (and doing what they love), but also to able to enjoy such incredible Asian food is a real treat!

It seems that every day another sushi place pops up, or perhaps some Asian/Latin fusion restaurant promising unique and distinct flavors. Most of the time, with very few exceptions, these places fall flat. They're missing something.

Casa Mun has all of that taken care of. You really do feel at home the minute you walk in the door, greeted by Agustina and Cary while Chef Mun is working his magic in the kitchen. The champagne starts to flow, you meet your dinnermates (no more than 16 people total), and the excitement surrounding the meal to come builds.

Crispy Rice ... mmmmmm

Albacore Sashimi - Crispy Onions were a real treat

Sushi Course -No cream cheese here

The Crown Jewel - Fiery Fish Tacos - Yes, please!

This month Casa Mun offered a totally pescatarian menu - Japanese Soba Noodle Soup (with homemade shiitake broth), Albacore Sashimi topped with Crispy Onions, Sushi Course: Chilean Salmon & Ecuadorian Shrimp Maki Sushi and Spicy Tuna on Pan Fried Crispy Rice (Crispy Rice = Paradise). The final course were the Fiery Fish Tacos - topped with an insane wasabi-jalapeño guacamole. My mouth is watering as I write this. Dessert was a perfect porteño touch - brownie with merengue and fresh fruit. (All photos taken from the Casa Mun website)

Each course is paired with wines chosen by Cary - the wine guru - and are served generously while you dine away. More wine is for sale, "If you get thirsty," which is basically the story of my life. 

Casa Mun has been written up all over the place now, and on Trip Advisor they're one of the highest ranking restaurants in the city! What I love the most is how welcome they make you feel: The first time we ate there, Cary and I got to talking about dogs and then suddenly Mimi the Goldendoodle (so beautiful - she reminded me of Bella!!!) came bounding down the stairs and we ended up rolling around together, fighting over her tennis ball. This was obviously repeated last Saturday night. I almost put Mimi in the car. No, really.

Chef Mun and Cary are really special people. They love what they do and that is reflected in every element of the Casa Mun experience. This past time, we were a large group celebrating our birthdays, so I didn't get a chance to meet lots of new people .... But next time I'd almost be tempted to go just with José and to sit at different tables. There's always an eclectic and interesting crowd gathered around the table at Casa Mun, and it's guaranteed to be an experience that you won't soon forget.

What Food Really Looks Like

Caren Alpert used to work photographing foods commercially, but her love for all things magnified led her to explore a different passion. She now has an impressive gallery of images - all things that most of us eat on a regular basis - taken at magnifications up to 50x (or more). It's so cool! Sun-dried tomatoes look like they were lifted out of a biology textbook, and the letters on an Oreo cookie suddenly look gigantic.

Fortune cookie

Table salt

A shrimp's tail

I saw her work linked on Gawker but her entire website is just incredible. I want a huge print of the brussels sprout (my current culinary addiction, I love that they're in season!) in our kitchen.

Cookbooks I love

We just received a shipment of some of the gifts we got at the wedding... It's like Christmas! So much fun to open up a small number of truly thoughtful things from the people we love. Some of my favorites:


-The New Brooklyn Cookbook - I will always think of my best friend Henry when I'm in the kitchen. Some of the dishes are more complicated (as in, I can't get a lot of these ingredients here in BA), but the photos, stories and details are so entertaining to read.

-How to Cook Everything (10th Anniversary Edition) - Extremely useful, amazing, all-encompassing. I worship Mark Bittman. The end.

-

Long Weekend - Here Comes the Easter Bunny

My liver is launching a rebellion. Mutiny against yours truly. I've been behaving like a complete disaster lately - I'll blame the 4-day weekend as well as the arrival of Jose's brother to BA. He lives in Monterey (Mexico) and we haven't seen him for several months. Since he's been here, we've drunk more wine than humanly possible, eaten gluttonous meals previously only seen in ancient Rome and generally abandoned any state of healthy/rational living.

It's been incredible!

My big vices are good meals and good wine. I can't really hold back when I'm at a fabulous restaurant with a tempting menu and an even better cocktail/wine list. We usually compensate with nice long runs and trips to the gym (well, we did go twice this week. Not bad...?) but lately that's been taking a backseat.

Two favorite moments from this week have been our dinner at Sipan & the day we went to watch the Argentina vs. England polo match in Palermo. Sipan is one of the most amazing places I've eaten ... ever. Over Christmas we ate at the one in Punta del Este (just next to Bikini beach ... impossible to beat) and Meredith and I haven't been able to stop talking about it since. It's a Peruvian-Japanese fusion spot (heavy on the Peruvian, unlike its quasi-cousin Osaka) loaded with tons of ceviche, sashimi and traditional seafood/rice combos typically found in the region. I wish I could have a video of our meal there that night in Punta. It was just spectacular. There is a Sipan in Buenos Aires, and the original location leaves much to be desired in terms of service and overall ambience (it's located downtown, off of the miserable Calle Florida, in what was once an indoor mini-shopping center ... aka horrible acoustics and poorly aging decor). Lucky for me they came to their senses and opened up another spot in Palermo, in the Palermitano boutique hotel (and conveniently next door to Casa Cruz + Bar Isabel).

Hello, paradise. Inviting and stylish decor with servers who actually know what they're doing .. Sipan finally got it right! There were 13 of us at this dinner and I can't even remember how we approached ordering; their main dishes are sized to share, and then some. At this point I had already had two delicious cocktails and just let the waiter take over, making only one small demand - that there be a tacu-tacu (as fun to eat as it is to say) with spicy shellfish included, preferably sent to my side of the table.

What ensued was a complete feast of some of the best fish I've had in a long time. Salmon and sole sashimi, with a drizzle of hot yellow pepper sauce .... A giant bowl of ceviche topped with heaping red onion and other little gems that were so good I think I blacked out for a second .... well-made and fresh sushi (side note: the only negative is that they put CREAM CHEESE in their sushi here ... It's an Argentine thing and it absolutely baffles/disgusts me) ... heaping portions of tacu-tacus (rice dishes with green onion and a random blend of things like octopus, scallops, calamari ...) all accompanied by an incredible wine and even better company. Luciano's friends from Mexico were joining us and I loved listening to their globe trotting stories (the majority of them have lived all over the world for work) and wishing that I too had my own private islands and 10km of private beach. Le sigh ...

After recovering from that food coma we spent the next day at Jose's cousin's house watching the Argentina / England polo match. Not on tv though ... His building is literally set on the polo pitch! Offers great views and the comfort of a nice seat and warmth (it's chilly now in BA) while you watch everyone bundled up strain to watch the match. Cayetano (cousin) is a wino, as are we, as is Luciano ... as were his friends who were watching with us. I lost count at bottle number 4 but we tried tons of strange and delicious types that kept appearing out of nowhere. We also had a mini Polish vodka tasting .... followed by some tardío (dessert wine) to round it out. Good grief. It wasn't even dinnertime yet!!!!

To make matters worse we made plans to go out for dinner with some other friends that evening. The responsible thing would have been to stay home, drink tea and eat something like a nice salad. Nope. Not us. Clearly we aren't capable of intelligent decision making. Let's run off to a restaurant known for its big portions and good wine list which HAPPENS to be next to one of the best boliches in town. Sure, good things will come of this. 2 bottles of wine and a few cointreaus later .... We're dancing at Tequila with the beautiful people of BA and toasting with some of the strongest g&t's I've ever had. The music was fantastic, the people watching even better ... and I figured that the following day we'd make up for our current excesses.

José and I have instituted prohibition in Basavilbaso and beyond. It's like we've been celebrating Mardi Gras / Carnaval at the end of Lent instead of at the beginning. Time for a little abstention. Time for a little non-alcoholic hydration. Time for a little r&r at home instead of this crazy social life we've been leading .... !

.... Although maybe we can make an exception tomorrow at Easter Brunch. Mimosa, anyone?

The Meal of a Lifetime

There are no words to describe how anxious I am to see the No Reservations episode of Tony's meal at El Bulli. None. I pored over every image he and Chef José Andrés tweeted during their trip to Barcelona and the subsequent time they spent in Ferran Adriá's lair. It was incredible. Pure and unadulterated lust for food, for innovation and for life. Nothing makes me sadder than to know that I will never be able to enjoy a meal there, as it closes its doors as a restaurant for good as of July 30th this year.


After waking up feeling more sluggish than ever (I blame multiple cocktails and an insanely lengthy and scrumptious dinner at Sipan Palermo last night), I was able to overcome the decidedly gray and miserable day with Tony's blog post about his experience at El Bulli and the episode we can all expect to be the greatest ever.

Here is the link - Read it. You will want to crawl through the screen, immerse yourself in the uber personal photos and drool over the 50-course menu that was designed specifically for Tony and José. It's just perfection.

cloudy sunday

We had massive rain & wind last night. I was up worrying about my plants (normal) but luckily they are OK.

Yesterday was an insanely successful retail therapy day. Since being back I've told myself that I will avoid impulse buys given that things are so expensive now, and given that I'll be back in the US so soon there is really not much need to buy things here that I can also get at home. So I caved. A little. I'm convinced that the shoes I bought can't be found in the US so whatever. It's fine. José was playing cards with his friends so I escaped the house and pranced over to Paseo Alcorta for some shopping with friends. It's been aaaaaaages since I've strolled around a mall, unhurried, with anyone that isn't either my mom, José or just moi. It was really nice! Anyway I picked up these amazing leopard loafers that have a little patent tassel on them. They're perfection. They were the last pair too. Or at least that's what the salesgirl told me to convince me to buy them. Easy tactic. It worked. Done.

After some drinks at the BA Design (to celebrate such a successful day, of course) we had dinner at this incredible little spot called Dadá right in Retiro. Once you cross Plaza San Martín toward downtown things get weird. The Marriott is right there but there are tons of little odd spots and bars that populate the otherwise deserted streets. I'd heard tons of stuff about Dadá but we'd never been -- I'm glad we did! It reminded me so much of a little place in the East Village. It was unpretentious (we celebrated that the menu wasn't 5 pages long) and original without having to conform to the oooooooverdone (x 1000) "trendy" places you see in Palermo these days. We showed up around 11 and it was packed! Granted it's a tiny little smidge of a restaurant but I loved that it was bursting at the seams. José and I shared an amazing prawn risotto, complete with full on prawn brains .... Good times. The bar was populated with some strange characters, but in the most perfect way. The place really lives up to its name in that sense!

Now we're off to a birthday asado and then meeting up with Josey's brother who has just arrived in from Mexico. I'm also looking on lovingly at my hot peppers .... One is seriously juicy and is going to pack a punch. I'm wondering why only one half of the plant is making fruit right now but maybe the other half will kick into gear in a couple of weeks. I LOVE PLANTS!

In one month I will be in DC for pre-wedding festivities .... wtf ?!

Hooray Hooray

I'm listening to the (not so new?) Rilo Kiley album and I love the first track. I miss the days when I was way ahead of the game when it came to cool new groups, hidden gems, and getting the music the minute it came out. I feel like when all of my other friends were being "normal" adolescents I was out frolicking at the 9:30 Club and the Black Cat, trying to befriend the local bands (and actually achieving some success on that front, ha. I thought I was so cool) and name-dropping obscure groups like it was going out of style. I spent almost every weekend at shows and really loved the DC scene. Yep, the "scene." Saying it now makes me cringe. But whatever. It was such a great time in my life.

Anyway. This weekend ... wow. So much fun. My liver hurts. Why do I do this to myself? We went out with friends last night - I haven't been to a boliche in months - and poured ourselves into bed around 6 am. It was totally worth it, sometimes there's nothing more fun than an insane dance party with your friends while you all drink champagne and jump around like nuts amidst models and men with ponytails. I just hate wasting the next day - and today was so perfectly sunny and warm - by waking up at 1 pm and basically being unable to function. Here's to hoping that next weekend is a little more low key (and involves more exercise as I have to get into fightin' shape for this darn wedding).

We did some spring cleaning today as well. Our laundry room is a mystery to us and we discovered all of these random things that have been there for who knows how long. There were lots of socks without their mates, a mini travel iron(?), an awning for the balcony, Christmas decorations, 5,000 cleaning rags, and some ant poison. I love throwing stuff away - it's so freeing. It makes me feel like I am making an honest attempt not to depend on material goods but we all know that's a big sham. Sorry I'm not sorry.

Ok so this week I start my event planning course. I am so excited, slash nervous that I won't make friends on the first day! Haha. But really - it's always weird like going "back to school" especially since I have no idea what to expect. I am excited to start using my brain again! Knowledge is power, kids.

I can't write anymore. My brain is shutting down.

Things I did in NYC

(don't worry that this post is a week late, whatever) I am also too lazy to put up any more pictures. Sorry I'm not sorry.

Dinner at Prune

Bazillions of drinks (my head...), starting at MPD

Dinner at Stanton Social

Also included:
Lovely Moet Rosé (oui oui)
Death by clubscene
Reviving manicure/pedicure (leading to a new favorite color)
A streak of awful service that did not impede our ability to enjoy ourselves
Obsession with the steam room at Equinox (but not with the naked meditator who was there)
Rumbles and grumbles thanks to Yoda
The worst hangover of my life
An incredible bachelorette weekend!!!

Tum Full O' Curry

Last night José and I went out to celebrate Valentine's Day (I was sick earlier this week with tonsillitis - huh? - so I spent Monday night eating soup and watching NatGeo). Since we're creatures of habit, there's no other place in the world for us when it comes to celebrating something special - Bengal! Surprise! Aka, my life. It's where we went on our first date, where we've celebrated birthdays and anniversaries, new jobs and quitting jobs, and it's where we go on a Monday night when we just don't feel like eating at home.

I'm reliving the meal right now, since I'm starving. There's nothing better than a gigantic serving of bangali chicken, mixed with turmeric rice and served in a huge clay bowl, to start the weekend off. In my mind at least. Anyway ... If it weren't such a drain on the wallet I would eat there 3 times a week, no joke. Luckily BA has other, more affordable but still delicious, Indian restaurants. However, none of them is as close to our house as Bengal. Two blocks and done. We had a nice stroll in the rain to the familiar faces who know what to bring us without even having to check the menu. It's a nice feeling.

In another belated Valentine's Celebration, I came home to the dining room table covered in jasmines the other night. José was out of town on a business trip, so for a little "welcome home" token of love I bought a huge bouquet of tuberose and left them near the front door along with a little note. I was still working when he got back, and upon seeing the flowers I'd bought, he ran out and got some more to add to the pile! The apartment smells insanely delicious and I smile every time I pass through the dining room. It's nice when every day really does feel like Valentine's Day. (Cheesy, yes. True, yes).

Anyway - We're off to see Black Swan. It was finally released in Argentina, and I cannot wait to see some creepy ballerinas get their rivalry on!

Happy Saturday & HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO REDMERE AND DEBSY my favorite crazypeople

Happy (Chinese) New Year!

This Sunday, Buenos Aires will celebrate the year of the Rabbit with its annual Chinese New Year festival in Barrio Chino. Due to my strong aversion to large crowds (especially crowds filled with slow walkers and inconsiderate/completely self-absorbed walkers - a common occurrence here) I've never actually been to the big party, but this year I think I've changed my mind. Once again the amazing photos taken by Beatrice Murch of last year's event really made me want to check it out.

Head on over to the Argentina Independent's page to see all of the photos. I am posting this one because I am so excited to get my hands on some greasy street food! Hooray.