Boca, Boca, Boca!

I have officially survived my first every Boca Juniors Game!
But let me start from the beginning of my week, so that everything stays in perfect order. With the end of my second week of school, I found myself exhausted and very much looking forward to sleeping in and resting up. Friday is pizza night at the Resedencia, so me and a few other girls decided to hit up Janio an uber trendy restaurant that serves an amazing veggie burger. (Yes I know, so "Liz" to find a veggie burger in the meat capital of the world...but it is an amazing burger...) Anyways we enjoyed our meal, and around 1230 finished up at Janio to walk across the street to this Brazilian restaurant. We met up with some of the other guys on the program, and had very tasty passion fruit cocktails. (The name escapes me- not a very important detail so I will continue). Anyways the night found us at Azucar, a salsa club that we have heard a lot of buzz about. We show up and although the Salsa dancing was amazing, we weren´t really feeling it. We later found out that there is a third floor, and we were on the second floor where the professionals dance! Ha ha, no wonder it had been so difficult to follow-
Saturday I woke up early to catch a yoga class with a girl from the program at my new favorite yoga place- ValleTierra. We hit up Mark´s Cafe after, which is also now one of my favorite spots (maybe I will go there for lunch today...) Fast forward to the interesting part (surprise, surprise): the night. My new argentine "amigo" (-name will be revealed very soon, maybe in the blog title?), picked me, Morgan and our other girlfriend up for a ¨vino and queso¨party at his friend's apartment. It was basically a way to kill time before we went to dinner at 12. (Yes we ate dinner at midnight). The argentine apartment we went to was very fancy, located in Belgrano and littered with fancy art and travel photos. We ended up eating at a sushi restaurant, where I felt very safe eating the sushi (a very, very good thing!) The sushi place was in Palermo Hollywood, and our sushi came served on little bridges.
Anyways I feel like this whole entry is in anticipation of the title of the blog..."Boca, Boca, Boca!" So I will give the important details from the game. It was amazing! Even more energy/enthusiasm than I could have imagined (when I am back to my own computer I will post a photo from the game...so check back all you futbol fans!) Despite the pouring rain, our nosebleed seats and the fact that my lips turned blue, the futbol game was definitely one of my highlights thus far. The fans are actually FANATIC. One man was swinging from a pole, rallying the crowd another woman had stripped to her bra despite the FREEZING rain just to show she was loyal! It reminded me a lot of a Harry Potter Quidditch match (I am not embarrassed to make this reference, I am not embarrassed...) as Boca banners were hung from the stadium, as were the opposing team´s banners. THe fans were cheering almost the entire game, but they had so much more rhythm than fans in the states. Also you thought they were cheering their hardest until a goal was scored and than the stands would literally ERUPT. I can´t believe that was against a mediocre team, and in horrible weather. I can only imagine the fans when it is against River Plate (their biggest rival). I can easily see how things could get out of hand... The other team had to be escorted off under riot shields when they received a red card etc.
The great Sunday adventure made up for the fact that I spent all Monday morning in Migrations, trying to get my Visa (no fun) and than straight to class till 10 pm. I think I will save my exciting first art class for the next entry as I am thinking more and more about some lunch from Mark´s Cafe...
Boca! Boca! Boca!

Alfajor mi amor

So I am decidedly eating my way through every type of Alfajor that Argentine has ever made.
For those not in the know (and you all should be in the know...these things are amazing) an alfajor is two wafer-like cookies filled with oozing dulce de leche (I think Argentines would drink, sleep, bathe in, breath dulce de leche if they could) and then dipped in chocolate. Of course there are variations on this great creation, but this is the general idea. I will upload a photo of one once I get passed my fear of carrying expensive things (it took a lot for me to take my computer out of the saftey of my locked closet...)
That being said I should say a quick note about a not so sweet subject. Morgan and I were walking home from ice cream one night (it was Sunday night because we had Monday off) when we had an attempted purse snatching. Now little old Liz here, did not fare so well but Morgan however has some inborn hero genes, and she fended the man off and ended up saving my purse. Not to worry though, the petty crimes have just increased because of how cheap it is here. Also I almost feel like it was a good "rattling" warning to just be more cautious (or to just always travel with someone as I am obviously no good under pressure).
Once I moved past my fear that even the little old lady with her blind dog was an attempted purse snatcher, I have been able to explore new areas, finding some great book stores and the joy of reading the Argentine newspaper (and I can't lie, cosmo in Spanish is pretty enjoyable as well).
So Wednesday nights are a very fashionable night to hit the town (mainly before all the tourists head into the city) and a way to get through the week. That being said, last night a bunch of kids went to Museo, a place in San Telmo known for their after office drinks and open dance floor. Previously mentioned argentine 'date' (I'll reveal his name once my dad has done all governmental background checks etc) drove me and Morgan there. Museo is not the place you want to arrive at with another guy as the male to female ratio is 5:1 (not an exageration, it is literally a sea of business suits...) However since my early morning Spanish class was cancelled today (Thursday) Museo was a good way to celebrate. I'm starting to warm to my Spanish teacher as I found out that she had to cancel class to give a speech on Truman Capote.
Museo almost distracted me from recounting my favorite experience this week. Post-street trauma I was really in need of some relaxation, so I found another yoga studio. There were only three people in the class, and it was a great Ashtanga class (all in Spanish). The instructor was really nice and I think I have finally found my "studio". It is very california-esque, very serene.
It is Buenos Aires fashion week, so some girls from the program and I are hitting that up (for $15 pesos you gain access to the most beautiful clothes, people etc. of buenos.- this city is even more image conscious than LA! who knew that was possible).
One last note to give this blog a little bit of setting: I am sitting in Piacere, a cafe two blocks from my Residencia filled with portenos watching the soccer game on TV. Anytime someone scores every becomes seriously subdued or seriously rowdy, depending on there team. It is almost as if everyone quit there work and found a TV to catch the game. Pedestrians are even peering into the window to catch the score.

I wish I could share a little bit of this Alfajor...

Milon...a Buenos date

So I have been absent from the blog circuit long enough to have millions of things to catch the internet world up on.
Let me continue from the nails on Wednesday night. The said "friend" took me to Milon on Thursday night. Milon is an old conveted french mansion. It is the creme of the buenos aires nightlife...(not to brag or anything).
Anyways I was able to practice my spanish on my first ever argentine date. The amazing thing is because of the language barrier, I had no room to be nervous etc, because there was honestly so much else to concentrate on (like how do you flirt in another language...and tell funny long intiguing stories?) However Milon is a three story (four including the bottom floor...which leads to this great outdoor garden) manision with a black cat to its name which sits on the bar, sipping water out of a martini glass.
Friday I was able to learn more Spanish, as I had class from 1-5 (can't figure out when to eat during this time, as 12 is way too early here for lunch...) The classes on Fridays are conversation (where I learn even more words de la calle- of the street) and culture class which is a tad dry but hopefully will pick up once we start going on field trips to polo matches, futbol games and tango shows...
Friday night we went to dinner with some other Argeninte friends (one of which is american but is living here). We explored Las Canitas a little which is another little area filled with trendy cafes/bars. (Side note a bar in Buenos Aires is also a cafe, so please don't get the wrong idea that I am just always in Bars, drinking sometimes we are eating alfajors: AMAZING sweet treats).
Saturday Morgan and I ventured to El Tigre via a train that travels along the coast. Very scenic, very liberating to get out of the hustle of the city. We even tried "wafalitos" a waffle on a stick, filled with chocolate and dipped in dulce de leche. Mmmm it was literally out of this world (literally meaning I would never have imagined such a sweet). There was a quaint mercado de frutos (however there were few vendors actually selling frutas...) We went out to dinner at Kansas an "American" resturant for our friend Russlle's birthday (he is from Texas so Kansas was the closest we could get him to home...)
Then I met all of the prior mentioned "amigio"'s friends and hung out with them for the rest of the night. It was just me and all these Argentine chicos, and they were fascinated with the fact that I was from Californina. It was hilarious their misconceptions about a foreigner from California. One guy was certain I looked just like Marissa from the OC, but he said maybe that was a bad thing since she ended up getting killed off- (I can't believe how meshed our cultures are). They thought it was fun and shocking that I played soccer (no chicas play soccer here) and they asked me endless questions about weather or not I surfed, knew movie stars etc.
However they all knew about both Palo Alto and UCLA, and shared a lot of the same taste in music (Jack Johnson among the favorites). They spoke to me only in Spanish (and they tried to speak slower so I could understand) but most of them speak pretty perfect english.
Yesterday passed as a weekend day in Buenos Aires should (half of it slept away...) spent eating and wandering the cobble stone streets of Palermo... speaking of which I should probably get off my butt and walk the two blocks to the gym.
More to come on the unnamed amigo of buenos, and these lucky nails of mine.

beso.

Choc Cafe

I am currently waiting out the hours before class (this 6:30 pm class really stinks, the whole day just drags in anticipation for my class in the evening) but I have a few good updates.
First last week I forgot to write about the famous tango lessons! In the basement of the old fashioned brick school (where we have our Spanish classes) we learned the basics of the art of tango. Even though it was 11 am (definetly not the romantic hour of tango) it was tons of fun. There are eight steps, that vary with whichever move you are doing...but I really do need to take a professional class, maybe late in the evening with an outfit matching my deep red nails (just to set the mood, you know?)
Speaking of these sexy nails of mine, Morgan, this boy Russell, Cassidy (from UCLA) and I went to this bar called Gran Bar Danzon last night, and I think the nails really added to my Argentine look. The bar was supposed to have live jazz music, but we had apparently arrived to late and what was left was a mix of expats and argentine business men (and apparently some "swingers" that we ended up running away from- not quite as dramatic as it sounds...but we were still a little out of our element). We spoke Spanish all night with some portenos, and I realized that really is the way to increase my language ability. I made my first Argentine "friend" (besides Sebastian from the gym who I technically pay to be nice to me). This guy was an accountant and knew all about UCLA, and had even been to San Francisco with his family. It was good to speak with a non-american. I'm not really sure where the nails come in anymore but I initially thought I would share more than I am willing on this public blog, but I am constantly reminded that anyone can read things on the internet (thanks to the parental unit).
Alright so I had Spanish class early this morning (a little painful after the "early" night of being home by 2 am) and now I find myself in Choc Cafe, and Cafe with WiFi and (surprise, surprise) a great assortment of CHOCOLATE. Very intersting dulces, that I was obliged to try...
The table next to Morgan and I is a huge group of "sex and the city"-ish women and their babies, in what I think is a baby shower. I wonder if they would mind if I sampled their chocolate too...

Burbujas!

It is amazing when even the ordinary is extraordinary.
Two doors down from my residencia is a laundry place where for seven pesos (two US dollars) they wash, dry and fold my laundry in less than a day. I love the little lady that works there, and the fact that she already knows my name. It makes me so excited walking down my street, Paraguay, to see the big blue bubbly sign "Burbujas" meaning bubbles and knowning that I have my clean smelling clothes waiting me inside.
Classes started, and so far they are going really well. It is nice having Spanish class again to get me back on my grammatical game. The major downside is the fact that it is at 9 am each morning. Meaning a very crowded, groggy commute via the subte.
I have officially signed up for a painting class at UMSA one of the local universities (side note: it is located almost across the street from La Bodeguita! a small resturant that Emily reccomended to me, not to mention the same name of my Palo Alto work place...) I got the list of materials, and I am afraid for the first time I will have to break the bank with this purchase.
Speaking of purchases, for 12 pesos (four US dollars) Morgan and I got our nails done on our lunch break today. In order to really try to pass for a porteño I got a deep red on my nails. This is very new and exciting for me as I rarely (if ever) paint my nails. I look down and feel slightly older... The whole finding a nail place was quite an experience as the one reccomended in TimeOut no longer exists so Morgan and I asked all the shop ladies and got their favorite places. We ended up going in a place on a small side street (anyways I don´t know where I am going with this...I am quite distracted writting this in the IES office. Plus I have class in half an hour, about a half hour walk from here).
I hope to post photos very soon, once I have a free second to do so.
Oh really quick (anything really quick is very not porteño style) last night we had an amazing little night cap, where in the pouring rain (and los rayos, or lightening) me, Morgan, Sam and Jason walked to this little resturant for some "suave" dessert.
Last update is that the parental unit has departed buenos aires, but luckily we shared one last amazing meal at Las Cabreles, definetly my number one resturant of choice.
I must run to class...
un beso enorme

Even my Dad wasnèt reading my e-mails...

Hola mis amigos,
I have had a change of heart, and thus a change of address for where I will be posting my tales of the city of clean air. (The real question is if any city can actually have clean air...)
Speaking of clean air, on Friday we visited an estancia, or campo. Basically we left the city of Buenos Aires for the first time for some fresh air, horse back riding, biking, soccer playing and of course meat eating.
After taking an early morning Spanish test,( so that I will be able to take an art class at the local university), we took a bus an hour away from the smog. Even through the biting cold, the air felt so much better in the campo. A horse drawn carrige brought us to the food hall, where we ate, and ate and ate. Meat followed meat which of course followed meat. (I am sure you get the idea). Anyways after this major feast, we played a scrappy game of soccer on a big open field. It felt very argentine, especially with our local university orientation helpers playing too.
Anyways after this day outdoors, it was followed by an adventure indoors. My mom and dad had just arrived, and we were eating at the only organic place around, Bio, in Palermo Hollywood. Unfortunately the wonderful Californian meal was ruined by the robbery of my popès backpack (including the very valuable HP computer...) Anyways the evening ended in the local police station, where I put my argentine accent to use (not quite sure why the officer kept asking me if I was married or single, but the page long report seemed to satisfy my dad).
The next day things imporved, although it was another grave experience as we visited the Recoleta Cemetary (can you pun on a blog (question mark), oh and this computer does not have a question mark key so...)
After seeing where Eva Peron was burried we took a cab to her museum, in this old converted french mansion. Than we caught a tango show at CafÉ tortoni. Very entertaining although these sensual dancers seemed to be lacking a little bit of the sensuality (could have been the wrinkles tugging on their sex appeal).
Than I left the parents to get some sleep while I headed out on the town. Morgan, Sam (another kid from high school) and I ventured to Asia de Cuba, an uber hip club in Puerto Madero, which is right on the water. We were able to weasle our way past the 50 peso cover charge, which was a good thing as it was definetly not worth it. THe majority of the crowd was pushing 50, with money oozing out of their balding heads. However there was some fairly entertaining acrobats, although I am certain the girls who were performing very sexually were only about 14 years old.
Today (sunday) I did a bici tour of the city, where my hands froze to the handles, and I learned that it is possible to bike in Buenos Aires and not get killed. I met up with my parents in San Telmo to check out the antique fair, and the street tango dancers after a fabulous parisian meal.
Classes start tomorrow (yes I will actually be attending classes!) and then I will hopefully fall into a wonderful routine...
Despite the 'bad' air the city is still buenos buenos to me.
beso
liz