Ludmila Plagiero

Photo by Raul Bolivar Seguel, Chilean photographer based in Paris.


Argentinian ballet dancer, Ludmila Plagiero is an example of a dream
well achieved.

If you are stuck in Buenos Aires like thousands of other people, unable
to get on a plane and fly cause the airports are a mess due to volcanic
ash activity, we suggest you get someone to drive you down to La Plata's
National Theater to see Ludmila star in the ballet "Sleeping Beauty".

Like many well known Argentinian ballet stars, Ludmila studied ballet
at the Institute of Arts of the Colon Theater. She had only taken six
months of ballet classes when she auditioned. She says luck had a
lot to do with her success, but we think she underestimates her
talent. When she finished her studies at the Institute of Arts, she
moved to Santiago de Chile to continue with Ballet there.

From Chile she started making choices. She won a contest that was the
ticket to an audition in the American Ballet Theater, where she was hired
for a year, but her true dream was to work in Europe. A friend of hers called
to invite her to audition in L'Ópera de Paris which generally gives starring
roles to ballerinas that have attended their school since childhood and have
dealt with it's bureaucracy . Many people told Ludmila that chances were little
of her making it in Paris, and that she should stick to the more "realistic"
options.

Ludmila figured she had nothing to loose, nobody new her in Paris and she already had a job. She figured she just had to keep calm while she was auditioning and give the best she had to give. Ludmila broke her own expectations and became a principal figure in L'Ópera de Paris. She knew her choice was risky (or so everyone told her) but it didn't matter to her because she was following her dream. Ludmila says all of her decisions "came from her heart" and that her key is "to work hard and to never stop dreaming".

We hope you can make it to Sleeping Beauty! we are sure you will be delighted by her performance tonight or on Friday. Enjoy! 

To Give

Why not take this idea of helping - even if it's through a small act, word or smile - into consideration, we all have the possibility of starting somewhere. 

Borges

As most Argentinian icons - Evita Perón, El Che, Perón himself, Gardel, Maradona, etc., Borges is also a controversial icon. Today, 25 years have passed since he died. Admired and loved by some people in Argentina and not so much by others, there is no question that international renown Borges was the greatest Argentinian writer in history.

“Si pudiéramos comprender una sola flor sabríamos quiénes somos y qué es el mundo”

"If we could understand one single flower, we would know who we are and what the world is"

- Jorge Luis Borges


Photo: emol

Zuccardi, Alma 4 cosecha 2010.


Argentinian Sparkling Wines

The Argentinian wine market has grown a lot in the past decade, making the choice of sparkling wines a bit difficult these days. But, no worries, we have taken the time to taste several and pick out a few bottles that we think you'll enjoy:

1) Rosel Boher Grand Cuvee Millenime: Made through Champenoise method using pinot and chardonnay grapes. Very similar to classic French champagne, it has a very complex and well developed bouquet that leaves a deep creamy taste in your palate.

2) Baron B Unique: It has a complex bouquet, fruits and toasted nuts, mainly. It delivers personality and freshness. It's fine bubbles leave a creamy taste in your palate. Not an easy sparkling wine to find, specially the 2000 version. Made with the same grapes and method of Rosel Boher.

3) Chandon: One could say a classic Argentinian, for all occasions, specially in it's Extra Brut version. Made of pinot, chardonnay and semillion grapes, under the Charmat method. It tastes fresh and fruity and has very well achieved bubbles.

4) Alma 4: The label translates as "4 Souls", it is made by four friends, actually by their four souls, we like to believe. We appreciate innovative people like them, you know? They got together to re think sparkling wines, broke a few rules of wine making and came up with a new sparkling wine. Instead of getting the grapes for the different labels from the same place, they get them from very different and geographically spread apart places and use a very interesting technique for producing it. Taste for your self and let us know if you liked it!

it's Friday!

Have a relaxed weekend!

Photo: Tati Cotiliar for Urban Outfitters

we love Coke

Pop Coca-Cola at the law school of Buenos Aires University. (Facultad de derecho)

home sweet home

Like many people, I have two homes in Buenos Aires and I love them both. I spend much time looking at interior design and architecture magazines, always in search of new trends in decor, furniture, wallpaper, textiles for walls, textiles for curtains, room decor for children, etc. I like giving my homes a "refresh" every now and then. Moving things around, hanging something new on my wall.

Often, when I flip through the pages of magazines, there is something that distracts my attention from the content that I'm interested in and that is how some pictures portray people's homes in such incredible order. Everything is always in it's place, everything looks so perfect, I sometimes wonder how they do it.

Quite frequently I visit people that live in houses like the ones portrayed in magazines. I think mine looked like that at some point, but that changed once I had kids. Lately, what I see in magazines, I see in real life: order and perfection. These magazine- like, family houses are so immaculate. One has to celebrate the ability some people have to have fun and keep such order.

I relate the word home to warmth and a little chaos, be it because you are single and your house is a cozy place where you rest or hang out with friends after a long day of work, because you have just moved in with someone you are learning about and developing close ties to, because you are raising a family and your house is full of children and noise, or because your children have grown up and left your house which now holds a lot of memories. For others, clean and neat better describe the idea of a cool, stylish home. Whichever way, the important thing is that you enjoy and live your house fully! no?

What about you? is your house orderly? a bit messy? in between? do you spend much time in your house? which is your favorite place in the house?




Post by Valeria Mendez Cañas
Photos: Mich

Horacio Lavandera

Argentinian pianist, Horacio Lavandera is performing with the Chamber Orchestra of Chile, tomorrow at 8:30 pm at Teatro Colon. Although the event has not had a lot of press, tickets are almost sold out. They will playing Beethoven's Overture "Prometheus", Emperor Concerto,"Eroica" Symphony.

If you have a chance, go, it's the type of experience one never forgets.

Horacio Lavandera is pure talent and he has put a lot of work into developing it. He was taught music by his father in early childhood. At the age of seven, he started taking piano lessons. He is currently 27 years old. He was a prodigy while growing up, has won innumerable prizes and has performed all over the world.

Many traits make Horacio Lavandera unique, starting from his passion and the enthusiasm he puts into his work as well as his ability to dominate any technically difficult score and to handle the piano keyboard with such detail that he can achieve any dynamic expression written in the score brilliantly.

The biggest difference between Horacio Lavandera and other pianists, we believe, is that when he plays, he really shows you his work, he chooses works that are long and complex and displays the dedication he has put into every piece. Others, perhaps leave you feeling they should have played more.

Again, if you can, go to the performance with an open heart. Horacio Lavandera, will get to your soul.

If this is too short of a notice for you, on June 23rd, you can see him at Teatro Coliseo. If you can't make either performance, do yourself a favor and buy one of his records.

Hope to see you there tomorrow!



Photo: revista Ñ

happy weekend!

“Baiser de l’Hotel de Ville” from 1950.

An exhibition of 137 original pictures by the French photographer Robert Doisneau is taking place at Centro Cultural Recoleta, Buenos Aires, curated by Agnès de Gouvion Saint-Cyr.

The exhibition, called "Simply Doisneau" is simply fantastic!

If you're around this weekend, this is a good plan.

Enjoy! xx

Mate

You can find this modern version of mates at 5800 Gorriti St. , Palermo


As some of you may know, mate is a traditional Argentinian drink. It was drank by the Indians in the Northern region of Argentina back in the 17th Century. The plant from which it's made, yerba mate, commonly grows there. The drink was later produced, consumed and sold massively by the missionaries. Slowly, mate made it's way into all of Argentina and to Buenos Aires in particular.

Mate is very popular because having it is considered a ceremony, and as in any ceremony, it has it's rituals. Having mate on your own or with friends, co-workers, relatives, etc., is a way to share good conversations and be in good company. Even if you are alone, you are in company of a "mate".

There are many types of mates nowadays but originally it was drank inside of a small pumpkin that was emptied and dried out. Yerba mate (or processed mate leaves) would go into the mate along with a straw and hot, not boiling, water (otherwise yerba mate gets burnt). As the bottom of the pumpkin was rounded, leather, silver, metal, and glass bases were created in order to allow for it to stand still. Historically, it's design has evolved many times, but not the way we drink it.

You need a mate set if you are interested in drinking mate. The set is made up of a container or mate, of course; a "bombilla" or metal straw (such as the one seen in the photos above) which has a strainer at it's end to keep yerba mate leaves from getting to your mouth; a "yerbera" that consists of two containers joined in the middle by a handle that is used to move it around. In one container you place, yerba, in the other, sugar; a kettle, with hot water.

If you are buying a traditional mate made out of pumpkin, ask in the store how you need to prepare it before having your first mate. There is a technique that assures your mate's taste will remain soft. No preparation is required if your mate is made out of metal, glass or any other material.

There are tricks to making good mate: fill up your mate with yerba, put it in hot water, wait for yerba to swell, insert the straw with out moving it sideways or in circles, and have the first drink or "fool's mate". It is called that way because first mate tastes very bitter and strong.

If you were the one who prepared the mate, then you are the person in charge of filling it up with water and sugar or honey (if you choose to add sugar or honey, although the custom varies from place to place) and, you're also the one that has to re- fill the mate's yerba when it's taste starts to fade. This makes you the "cebador". The mate ritual stops once you get tired of pouring mates for everyone, after mate has gone around a few rounds, and no one is supposed to take your place. If you are in the round and want to stop drinking, you can just say "thank you" and it will be interpreted as that. Otherwise, if mate is passed on to you, you take it and drink it and give it back to the person that is filling it who will do this and pass it on to person beside you.

Mate has its virtues. It stimulates circulatory, muscular systems a well as the central nervous system; it regulates digestion, works well as a diuretic and keeps you awake but, unlike coffee, mate does not accelerate your heart beat.

You can get yerba mate in any supermarket in Argentina as well as in some cities around the world such as London, NYC and Miami.

Enjoy your mate!

Current Exhibition

Emilio Pettoruti, Harlequin Portrait, oil on canvas.


Emilio Pettoriti is one of my favorite Argentinian artists. I first came in contact with his work at a friend's house who had started collecting some of his paintings. The painting I set my eyes on was one of his famous "Harlequins", it was very small, yet captivating. I came across another "Harlequin" at an auction house a few years back, and again, I was astounded.

What makes Pettoruti's work so unique? You should see for yourself. The Museum of Latin American Art (MALBA) is holding an exhibition of his work dating from 1914 to 1949. The curatorial work done by Patricia M. Artundo is excellent, she keeps you wondering and also answers questions regarding his work.

As it happens with some great artists, what has made Pettoruti stand out was his ability to research and experiment the technique of the Italian masters from an active point of view, extracting what he considered valuable and applying it to his work in his own way instead of being a passive student.

The curator says, and I agree, that Pettoruti's work is of such great level because he used compostion, light, color, intensity, shade, tone and definition of tonal keys to respond to different problems or subject matters while introducing other variables that created ambiguitity, something he loved to play with. He saw ambiguity in surface vs. deph, movement vs. static; stability vs. instability.

If you're around, don't miss the exhibition! and tell us if you liked it!

Note: I've always been curious about art. I studied art with Cristina Santander, toured a lot of art galleries and exhibitions with her and Marta Belmes and I've been lucky to meet a lot of local artisits and gallerists and continue to learn abour art, something I love!
-Vale

The great Outdoors

Arelauquen Golf and Country Club.

If you are looking for a mix of relaxation, romance and action for your coming vacation, Arelauquen Golf and Country Club is the place to go, specially if you have kids.

Arelauquen is conveniently located 15 minutes away from Bariloche's airport. The property is surrounded by the Andes mountains and the Nahuel Huapi National Park; it's close to Cerro Catedral, Bariloche's major skiing center and in front of Lago Gutierrez. No matter where you stand, there are magnificent views and the most breathtaking sunsets over Lake Gutierrez.

Arelauquen has an office that takes care of all your requests. You can either choose to rent a villa or stay at the lodge. Someone will always be waiting for you on the date of your arrival regardless of the time (I've tested this many times!). You can arrange to hire housekeeping service so you can go out and enjoy your activities, perhaps a romantic dinner with your soulmate? and have everything taken care of when you get back to the house.

There are so many activities in Arelauquen, we recommend you to plan ahead! If you like horses, you can go horseback riding up in the mountains, get ready for the views! they are something hard to describe or even picture. You can take riding lessons, polo lessons or watch polo matches. You can take gym classes or lift weights, choose the kind of massage or treatment you would like to receive at the spa, relax in any of their gorgeous common spaces, swim, rest and/or have a drink in their indoor-outdoor heated swimming pool, practice kayaking, windsurfing or fly fishing, go sailing, go mountain hiking, play tennis or golf and you can also arrange to send your children to the Kid's Club where a similar array of activities are organized for them by very experienced staff, including camping!

Arelauquen's Club House has a living room section, a quiet library "for adults only" (very important!), a TV Room, besides the spa, fitness area, pool and coffee-bar. There is a recreation area for children and teenagers that has ping pong tables, pool tables, "metegol" games (soccer), wii and wii games, and toys and games for little children and toddlers.

Keep in mind that you will need a car to move around Arelauquen and to explore Bariloche and its surrounding areas, such as Villa la Angostura. The villas offered for rent look good in the photos but are always better than that in reality.

Taking all this information into account, you can enjoy a two week vacation and go back home knowing that you'd love to come back for more Patagonia magic.

We've experienced Arelauquen and we highly recommend it.
Co-post: Vale and Mich

Photos 2 and 4: Vale's kids with their grandfather.

wishlist

In my mail today, the Carolina Müller look book. Nice collection of simple and timeless pieces, lots of red and a little animal print too, if you're not too tired of animal print yet.
Here are some of my favorite looks. I specially adore the booties cause they go so well with everything and the last little dress which is the one I'm running out to buy! enjoy xx

Special thanks to Mass for always sending me good stuff.

Figuring out Palermo and what's new

Palermo is the biggest neighborhood in the city of Buenos Aires (although some still argue it is Belgrano). Palermo is divided into so many areas that it is really confusing figuring out which is which.
There are many ways to see Palermo in the map of the city of Buenos Aires but let's just figure out the Northern area: Palermo Viejo. 

Palermo Viejo extends from Scalabrini Ortiz to Dorrego between Av. Santa Fe and Av. Cordoba. It used to be a typical, middle class neighborhood but it reinvented itself between 2002 and 2010 and has not stop growing since. The houses in the area got revamped, the neighborhood started to get a better look and a lot of restaurants and boutique hotels started springing up.

Palermo Hollywood is Palermo Viejo's neighbor to it's right, it stretches from J.B. Justo to Dorrego but it is North of Palermo Viejo, starting on Av. Cordoba. It has been baptized "Hollywood" because the offices of TV and movie producers and various TV channels are located there.

Palermo Soho is located to the left of J.B. Justo and starts on Av. Cordoba. It is the Buenos Aires version of NYC's Soho, full of clothing boutiques and big brands. It has home deco stores and is loaded with very nice restaurants and bars. It opens at noon but it starts getting noisier towards night time. There are a lot of boutique hotels in this area as well. 

Here is some funny information: the Real Estate boom in the area has been so big that the next door neighbors of Palermo, neighborhoods Chacarita and Villa Crespo have decided to call themselves Palermo Dead and Palermo Queens respectively. More TV producers have set up their offices in Chacarita, around the cemetery therefore restaurants and coffee shops started to get established bringing life to an area that used to be "dead"! Villa Crespo is a big stretch away from Palermo, whoever thought of the name was right! Palermo Queens! getting there is like traveling from NYC into Queens. This area is known for it's outlet stores, mainly.

Hope this helps you figure out the Northern part of Palermo, and here are just two new restaurants that we love in the area:


Unik - Soler St. 5132















Owned by an Argentinean architect who has lived in Paris and Shangai, Unik offers an interesting experience of sophisticated and original dishes produced by Fernando Hara, disciple of Francis Malmann. The atmosphere is hip, colorful and kind of 70's




Sipan - Uriarte 1648



































Peruvian - Japanese cuisine. If you were a fan of the other Sipan located in the city's center, this one is even nicer! We love the Pulpo al Olivo and the ceviche of course.

to do

I saw this painting the other day when a friend and I went to Puro Diseño and it made me think about those times when we have to make a choice that involves a bit of risk. Haven't we all done this? in love, work, etc. Isn't it great? Even those times when it does not work out, it's always best to try. The biggest risk is taking no risk.
Someone long ago said that glory comes from daring to begin. It's a good feeling to just dive into something new. That's how we learn and evolve. No?
Stay curious! xx

arteba

A work of art is such because it is beautiful in a way that needs no words, no explanations.

If you've never been to arteba, it's worth a visit. Some say that it's a bit like going on a little trip to Saks when there is a sale, there are many works on display, noise and many people. But, in my opinion, it's a great program and it does have the advantage of having everything in one place so if you are just visiting Buenos Aires or if you're not familiar with the art galleries and artists spread widely throughout the city, you are likely to enjoy a fun experience at arteba, just like you would at any other art fair in the world.

Arteba is brief and only takes place once a year, so if you missed it (it ends today) no worries. You can always visit next year, or, if you're not here during the fair, contact us. We'll be happy to recommend nice galleries, arrange meetings with some of our fave Argentine artists and take you to their ateliers where there is silence - sometimes a desirable condition to fully appreciate a work of art.


Photos: "Roto" by Belen Romero Gunset.
I wonder if her second last name has to do with her creative - destructive instinct? lol. No... seriously this was one of my favorite works this year: girl that breaks everything and makes a beautiful mess.

Pure Design

"Beer Table" at Sabrina Merayo Nuñez

Pet Furniture

Colorful retro chairs at Casa FAD.

Pure Design Fair is one of many interesting events taking place in BA during the month of May. It is one of the most important Design Fairs in Latin America. Here, new designers are discovered, new design products launched, trends established, and many design objects marketed.

This year, the fair has been structured in five different areas. Two of them are devoted to the environment and its care. In the "Pure Green" area there are works of designers that used organic raw materials and processes. The "Museum and Sustainable Store" features sustainable objects as well. The curators' idea is that designers and consumers should be more environmentally conscious. "The Art Walk" features colorful works of art from local,upcoming artists. "The Selection" features the work of the designers that are considered the best by the Fair's jury. "Prizes" will show the work of the winners in different categories.

If you are looking for design objects such as unique pieces of furniture, lighting, hand painted objects, toys, pillows, notebooks, a bed for your pet, clothes, jewelry, pictures, pottery, accessories, hats, sweaters, bags, belts,etc., Pure Design Fair is the place to go to. This year's topic is color so everything is colorful and lively.

You can visit Pure Design Fair til May 25 from 1 to 10 pm. at "La Rural", Pabellon Amarillo.

Babel's Book Tower

As mentioned in a previous post, Buenos Aires has been named "Book
Capital of the World" for 2011. To honour such a tittle, the government
of the city of Buenos Aires is sponsoring an art installation you shouldn't
miss: "Babel's Book Tower" by Marta Minujin.

Marta is a famous, worldwide pop artist that has brought to life many "crazy"
ideas. She, for example, created a Book Pantheon, in the begining of Argentine Democracy. The installation was located in the middle of the city, it's dimensions were incredible. It was constructed by all the books that were prohibited during the Argentine military dictatorship which had somehow been secretly kept by book agents and sellers.

Minujin's Babel's Book Tower illustrates the incapacity people sometimes have when it comes to understanding each other. The installation is located in Plaza San Martin. It is a 7 story high metal structure that has 30.000 books on it's
inside. The books are protected by plastic to avoid weather damage and come
from 54 different countries.

The Tower can be visited until May 28th. You can also visit the inside of the tower. Once inside, you'll hear the word "book" in every language. At the end of your visit you'll get a copy of Jorge Luis Borge's story "Babel's Library".

Art installations are like life itself, ephemeral, that's why it's
good to see them when they are taking place, to be a part of them.

Have a fun weekend! xx

beauty II

Photo: Nina, my niece.


Beauty: A Culturally Misconceived Idea?
Who Wants to be a superstar?

What's with this idea of "cultivating" your image? Is, by any
chance, your body, a plant? Seriously, we all know how
important image is. The thing is, how important?injectting an 8 year old with botox important? I'm not going to start a rant against
botox, I've covered my thoughts on this before.

What I also said before and which I insist upon is that there is a strong link
between the affairs of the mind and those that regard our bodies. The reason is
simple.

It is the mind that makes the body do the strangest things, specially if
we let ourselves get over -influenced by influencers, if our ideals are
too high, or if our partner has too many expectations.

When it comes to beauty then, the question is: How far are we willing to go in
order to be liked and accepted by others? how about loving ourselves first?

Who said that you need to get others to like you for anything other than who you ARE? lets go back to that controversial mom for a second: wouldn't her
daughter be much better off IF instead of botox her mother told her how
beautiful and special she is? would it not do her good to feel loved for what
she is and not for what she looks like? to replace an injection of botox for one
of confidence and love? she'd do great in those beauty contests but more importantly, as an adult she would be able to lead a life where she feels good about herself and life where she can BE.

There is a new, O.B. Tampons TV add in Buenos Aires these days
where a girls tells a friend she can't go somewhere because she has
her period and she's afraid that her pads will not work well or look bad.
Her friend asks: "why don't you use a tampon?" She replies that a
friend has told her it's not good to wear tampons all the time, so the
other friend asks who she got that information from. Off they go trying
to figure out the source of the information. She was told by another
friend that was told by the lady that did her bikini line who was told
by a friend that was a guy, ha, ha, ha! The add ends saying:
"DESMISTIFICATE" (demystify).

Was it Elle Woods in "Legally Blond" that came up with the idea that
you have to work very hard for others to like you? Was it Emily in "The Devil
Wears Prada?" Isn't it the other way around? Don't we have to feel good with
ourselves first? How many diets do we have to start? How many hours do we have
to spend at the gym for others? how about doing things for ourselves? When
do we start a biomolecular treatment as an attempt to deny our age? and
most importantly, when do we realize that we are all beautiful?

My Psychoanalysis teachers taught me that if we only focus on our image
(remember the Witch in Snow White?) we put ourselves in a very poor place.
Why? because the image of our own selves appears very early in our own
development and in order to keep evolving, we need to keep adding content
to our mind structure, we need to absorb things that matter from our environment,
to play and love, to nurture our souls, to surround ourselves with nice people, that is how our mind starts improving;
that's what makes us love ourselves, our lives, and that's what makes us beautiful.

Our best and perhaps hardest "exercise" is to feel good with and
about ourselves. It is to let ourselves shine with our own light, this
is what makes you, you. It is from the inside that one becomes
beautiful. It is by filling our lives with great memories, our minds with
meaningful content and our hearts with love.

Natural Selection

Photos: Florian Von der Fecht


About fourteen European countries could fit in Argentina and there would still be space left.

With over 210,000 acres of pristine land, Bahía Bustamante - a private farm in Southern Patagonia, is a good example of the vastness of land that Argentina is blessed with.

Upon arrival, one is enchanted by stunning views of magnificent landscapes and wildlife. The deep-blue ocean in front of you, the austerity of the accommodations which enhance the beauty of the vast, natural surroundings; the cold, crisp air that energizes. It's a gift of the Gods. Perhaps the answer to a crazy life in a modern world. The answer to a prayer for a bit of calm and connection with nature. An undisturbed view of the horizon: "look at me, I'm here" it says. Yes, Mr. Horizon, it's you that hides behind those tall buildings in noisy cities. It's you that I miss.

Bahia Bustamante is far, yes. It's also beautiful because of that. A desirable destination for those who have covered much of the world and are in search of a wonderful place to chill in peace and enjoy nature. A destination with no crowds cause nobody even knows this place exists. And, for those few lucky ones that do, know this: only 18 people are allowed there at once. Soriano, owner of the property, would like to keep it this way. He's very much into protecting the environment, and more so when it comes to his own heavenly land.

Bahia is quiet and breathtaking. It offers no more and no less than the great and simple pleasures of life: a sky full of stars, home-cooked meals, wine, comfortable lodging, beautiful sceneries, sunny mornings, penguins playing around you, attractive guanacos (kind of like a llamas) carelessly walking around; AND, when you get tired of sleeping, eating and reading, there are plenty of exciting things to do: horseback riding, kayaking, walking on the beach, or exploring the property's 65-million-year-old petrified forest.


Special thanks to: Bahia Bustamante