Golden

Leaves litter the sidewalks now–golden and curled. The scuttle of dried leaves even scared the tender greyhound I walked today. As I dashed through them, chasing after the lithe hound on my leash, the leaves brought to mind part of one of my favorite poems by Marvin Bell, “These Green Going to Yellow”–
This year,
I’m raising [...]

Sirop Restaurant

Some expat friends and I met in Recoleta to chat over lunch last week. We stumbled into Sirop Restaurant at Vicente Lopez 1661. It is a lovely bistro, and I highly recommend grabbing a bite or enjoying a dessert there.
Pastries appear to be Sirop’s specialty. For an appetizer, my friends and I shared a plate of mini [...]

Valzhyna Mort

Please indulge me in some non-Buenos Aires related news. One of my friends, an enormously talented and humble poet named Valzhyna, has a new book entitled Factory of Tears. Her second book of poetry was published by my all-time favorite press, the well respected Copper Canyon.
The press has published some of my writing “mentors” and [...]

City of Smoke

On Wednesday late evening, I looked out my window and saw smoke. The city never ceases to surprise me. I thought I was imagining things, to see a thick and sulpherous cloud in the courtyard, but it’s just pollution. Farmers are burning off their fields outside the city for bovine grazing. We get to experience the [...]

The Custom of Mate

Tomás mate? “Do you drink mate” Is a question I hear often as a norteamericana.
The photo is of a bombilla (the sifting straw) in grapefruit. The dry yerba mate (leafy substance similar to tea) sometimes has citrus added. V. suggested that we try the yerba mixed with the meat of the pomelo, grapefruit, from her [...]

Serenade in La Boca

Tengo Suerte here. I am so very lucky. I pinch myself every day.
On Malvinas Day, V. had a holiday from work. We took a collectivo (bus) to La Boca, the colorful and poster ready Buenos Aires neighborhood. At the Barberia Tango Show cafe, we sat outside and watched two tango dancers strut on a small [...]

Introduction to Tango

I did not think I would be so lucky to tango while in Buenos Aires.
Tonight, I visited La Viruta with V. and another barrio amiga. The bar appears a dance hall for beginners, but it was probably the best place for me to learn. I can dance salsa, merengue, swing, waltz, and foxtrot. I had [...]

Estancia Don Silvano

There is something delicious about a tourist trip. The kind of tranquil trip where a small van picks you up and you can watch the world rush by as someone else drives. Everything is arranged.
Last week, my German classmate suggested that I accompany her to a large working farm, what Argentines call an estancia. This [...]

Barrio Exchanges

Ricardo sat on a vegetable crate across from me with a wide, cheshire grin.
“I would love to practice my English with you. I am traveling to New York in the week after next.” I mustered a half smile.
I answered in slow, methodical Spanish, “You will love it there. Are you going to the theatre? You [...]

Erasing My Track

 
In St. James Walkway in central New Zealand, E. and I had a trail all to ourselves in March 2005. We were ushering in the break of fall. The first morning of the trail when we clambered out of our camper van to start the four day hike, the frost and the searing cold air [...]