It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new.
But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful.
There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power.
Alan Cohen
"Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend.
Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read."
Groucho Marx
The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live.

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Happy Halloween

I love Autumn.
Halloween starts it off and Thanksgiving and Christmas come next and it is all Happy Holidays.

Here, down at the Bottom of the World, it is Halloween.
No one Trick or Treats, there are no children in costumes on the street, it is a warm Spring Day.

And while my brain is still saying I love Autumn, I am happy Winter is over and Spring is here.

Talk about confusing !

Happy Halloween.


Tuesday, October 30, 2012

The Important things

There is nothing like living on another continent and having family in harms way, thousands of miles away. We have been through storms and hurricanes and snow fall that buried us for weeks .. but being this far away when hurricanes threaten both children and the rest of the family is difficult.

One child is fine, no problems there.
The other just emailed to say that the electricity is still on and all is well.

Phew ~

Our hearts go out to all the people in New York who are waking up to a watery and damaged city.
I have never seen anything quite like this, not in the New York we used to know.

But knowing those people, the amazing people of New York, I am sure that this will be just another thing that they will overcome, that they will deal with and life will go on.

This Hurricane of 2012 will be something for them to talk about and refer to and have some good stories to share. As long as everyone is safe and sound .. that is what is important.

God Bless New York and all the people in it ... and New Jersey and all the other states that have been hit by this Hurricane.





photo: NY Daily News

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Monday, Look At This Blog

Bloggers In Argentina 

This is a fun blog to go through , if you are interested in being an ex-pat, interested in Argentina or just want something different to read.
There are bloggers there who live in amazing parts of Argentina and are very interesting.
Go look, see if you get the urge to be an Ex-pat somewhere :)
I never dreamt I would be able to call myself and ex-pat, let alone in Argentina !
When I was a kid, I dreamt of living in England, when I grew up I dreamt of living in Paris.
And here I am, all grown up and living in Buenos Aires.
The world is full of mysteries ~


Saturday, October 27, 2012

What is Saturday for ??

You know those days when you wake up feeling fine but you can barely move ?
After a good nights sleep, no late night partying, just waking up with zero energy.
This is how I woke today.

It took hours and copious amounts of strong and overly sugared coffee for me to have the energy to get dressed and go for a walk.
A short walk, not difficult, I could barely make it home.

I was walking through syrup.
Noooo, you couldn't see it, but it was in the air , the air is thick and very difficult to walk through.
Really !

OK , so there is no syrup in the air and it is   beautiful, sunny and a bit too warm out and I have zero energy.
So here we are.
Cooled off  and resting inside.
Where the possibilities of naps loom large and someone else is going to make dinner.

Isn't this what Saturday is for ? I mean, really ?


Thursday, October 25, 2012

Friday Photo

Photo taken Thursday in Palermo Soho at Pauls.

Today in Palermo Soho

Every day, I keep saying, Tomorrow we are going to Palermo. 
But each day comes along with something new to do and my plans are set aside.

Today, we went to Palermo.
Palermo Soho.

The land of cool people, fantastic architecture, art galleries, boutiques and shoe shops and bag stores and furniture stores and cafes, bars and more coolness.

I think it beats the Soho of NYC by a mile. 
Don't get me wrong, I used to go to NY Soho on Sundays and shop my little heart out. 
I had my favourite shops that were just for dreaming and then there were the places where they knew me by name.  
But here, I am just a shopper, an outsider, no one knows me by name.
And that is just fine with me. I carry my camera , no one bothers me, I shop if I see something I like and we stop in great little cafes for a break.
But what I love about this area is the way it looks.
"Old" Buenos Aires. 
I hate to see new buildings going up, big blocks that are square and ugly with no character whatsoever. 
The doors are great big blank things with locks on them.
 Here, a door is a work of art !
Enjoy the photos, imagine yourself here, warm sun, cool breeze, dry and comfortable for long, very long walks on cobble stone streets. 
Have fun ~


Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Shopping ?

Thanks to Little Pieces of Light, a fellow  blogger, I am going to be doing some shopping tomorrow in a shop that I have not been to before. .   de Maria 
I see a pair of shoes in my future, I just can't decide what kind.
I hope there might be a new handbag also.
I have a few "clutch" bags, I am not sure if it is a good idea here, where I sometimes feel the need for handsfree walking and shopping, do I want to carry a bag in one hand all the time ?
Do you carry a clutch ?
San Telmo Mkt,  Horatio Silva
I tried on shoes today and found that I am no longer interested in being tall.
These high platform shoes make me feel awkward.
I am so used to the totally flat shoes I have been wearing, my 'Doc Martins' have enough sole/heel for me.
I get around quickly with no turned ankles when wearing my flats.. do I want to wear something that makes me as tall as my husband ? Hmmmmm~

But then what about the clothes ?
Do I want a skirt that is long ? to my ankles ?
Will it make me look short ?
Will it require platform shoes ?
W magazine-


It has rained for the past , oh I don't know, year ?
It has been raining so much, I don't remember the last time it was dry for more than a day or two at a time.
Today was glorious ! Bright sun, warm enough to just wear a light sweater , we walked and walked.

There are all sorts of holidays and  birthdays  coming up.
Presents to be bought.
Secret shopping to be done.
Oh .. and an anniversary to celebrate.

A little glimpse  of the sky today ... more about the shopping later ..




Sunday, October 21, 2012

Monday Look At This Blog

Buenos Aires Foodies ! 

With a name like that, you know it has to be a good blog.  You might even say, tasteful .
Take a look, it will make you wish you were here ~

Sunday in the .... with ......

Sunday ... Whether you are walking through Autumn leaves or picking Spring flowers, I hope your day is a good one.
I plan to go exploring.. with my trusty sidekick .. chau for now ~

Friday, October 19, 2012

Friday Photo

                             Taken on a walk through one of my favourite neighbourhoods.
                                                Signs of Spring are everywhere .

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Lucky

We are waiting for a man to come to see about a computer.
This man is our Computer Wizard.
We rely on him for everything computer related.
He is also one of those people that you might wish to adopt.
He is polite and sweet and good mannered and also a smarty.

He is one of those strokes of Good Luck we had when we were settled in our apartment and going through all those computer/ internet related dramas .. carrying large desk top computers to stores in taxis or worse, carrying them for blocks to the nearest store that sells them and fixes them a little.
We are lucky.



When Pup needed a vet, we found one 2 blocks from our home.
She became a friend and his vet. For the 5 years that we needed her, she was there for us every day, coming to our home when he could not make the walk, arranging tests, cars to get to hospitals in outer area neighbourhoods and making sure that when the end came, she was there with us, weeping beside me, saying good by to our boy.
We are lucky.

We were house hunting and having to move from rental apartment to rental apartment and bringing our belongings and one large dog with us. No one wants to rent to people with dogs.
I called this rental agency and he said he had no one .
Then he called back and said his girlfriend was in Europe and she would rent her place to us while she was gone.
We were able to stay there until our home was bought and renovated.
We were so lucky.

While waiting for the plane to bring us to Buenos Aires on a vacation trip, we met a lady and her daughter. They were on the way to BA to celebrate a family members birthday.
She was so friendly and nice! She got the hotel number and said we would have coffee one day.
We figured that would never happen, people mean it when they say it, but they forget.
Right before we were coming home from our wonderful visit, she called and asked us out to coffee, her daughter and brother would be with her.
This is how we met R. Our realtor.
We were all lucky.

We were walking down the street with R one day after looking at an overpriced, total remodel, wreck of an apartment. R was telling us that we should just go for a walk and keep an eye out for For Sale signs. Call him and we would set up appointments, that is the way they do it here.
As we were walking, as he was telling us this, I looked up.
And there was this apartment building, with a For Sale sign on the balcony.
We were so lucky.

We live in it now.
There is a For Sale sign on the balcony.
We hope we are lucky.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

A Note About Last Night

We were sitting down to watch television.
All was quiet, anticipation in the air.
It began .. then we heard it.
Loud voices, screaming ! shouting !

Argentina played Chile last night in futbol..
Argentina won .
Yay, Messi.


Who needs television ? I heard every time they scored.
Grown men, coming out on balconies, yelling at the top of their lungs.
Even those who stayed inside could be heard, this low rumbling was in the air.

Reason number 2,968 .. Why I love Buenos Aires.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

A Windy Day in BA

The high wind warnings were not kidding !
The wind chimes on the balcony are banging away, good thing the noise of the wind and the rain and traffic mute them some, my neighbors would probably not be happy with me otherwise.
Of course, hearing wind chimes during the day, beats having to listen to high heels clacking along the bare wood floors over my head day and night so we are even .

For some reason I woke thinking that today would be a sunny Spring day with possibilities of walking, shopping, cafe stopping.

Instead, here I sit.
Eating my scone and drinking my Vitamin Water.
What a fabulous Ex-pat life I lead.
Stop the jealousy now.
You too can do this.


You know what this all means don't you?
I am putting off my chores.
Yes, I still have chores, life is not all scones and vitamin water. . I have to get my closets in better condition, I have to find shoes that were put away and somehow disappeared.
I have to decide which purses to pack and which to bring with me.

I think I might be one of the few people in the world who has a suitcase packed with purses .. I must be able to change them over after a period of time and I have trouble making decisions.
Which purse to carry has made me late for countless appointments.
We will not discuss this further.

Do people still say purse ?

We saw a film yesterday.
I think it was good. I have already forgotten what it was.
Oh ... yes ... how could I forget ... it was so cold in the theatre that I wished I had a fur coat or big woollen throw .. I will have to remember to bring a blanket next time we go to the movies.
The film ? oh yes, it was Red Lights with DeNiro and Cillian Murphy.
Good but ... well.... forgettable.

Now to leave the computer behind and go do something ... less fun but probably more useful.
But just think of all the fun stories I will have ... me and the closet and the shoes and bags, thrilling.. really.




Monday, October 15, 2012

Buenos Aires


The Hedonists Guide to Buenos Aires ... catchy title, no ?
HG2

I live in Buenos Aires.
I eat out quite often.
I walk everywhere and photograph everything.
I love the Fashions, the Music and the People.

Now there is a Guide ? Fun  !

Friday, October 12, 2012

Friday Photo

Plaza Francia in Recoleta.
This is my neighborhood. 
This is one of my favorite monuments. 
Actually this is in "Pup's Park" and we spent many a happy day lounging at the bottom of this massive fabulous monument to the French and Pup would do his best to steal the bread or scone crumbs that I would throw out to the pigeons. 
He thought it was all great fun, Mama throws food, birds come, Pup eats the food and chases the birds. What could be better ?  
You can see what a nice sky we have here. This is the color of the skies here, pretty much 80 % of the time.  
The parks are especially busy right now, parrots are building nests at the top of the Palm Trees.
Little bitty birds are mooching around, eating whatever little bitty birds eat in the grass and if you happen to be eating something, they will patiently wait at your feet for you to drop/throw them a crumb.
I admit I have been known to share a few scones and crumbs with the little feathered creatures in the park. They bring me pleasure, I bring them crumbs, we get along well.





Thursday, October 11, 2012

a Spring day

The weather has not been good.
It has been cold, wet, cold then sunny.

 Today came close to being a Spring day, sun, clouds, breeze and my wool coat got to stay in the closet.
I even laughed at the weather and wore my new shoes with no socks.
Yeah, I live on the edge.

No one has called to see the apartment in a couple of weeks, I comfort myself with reminders of how nice it is here in Summer time.
How warm it will be and comfortable it will be to walk from here to there with a few pounds less in clothing and boots.

My feet are confused, they don't understand where their boots went.
One day they were there, the next day they were gone.
Now those poor whiter than white feet have to go out practically naked.
They are upset.

My neck has it's own complaints.
No scarf ???
Why Not ??
But but , I am cold ? scrawny and in need of a scarf !!

I paid no heed to a whiney neck.

I put my face back and ignored the Dermatologist voice in my head and let the sun warm my face.

Just a minute, not a long time, no new freckles popped up, no wrinkles stepped out to mock me, it was just a moment of bliss when I closed my eyes, put my head back and just breathed in the sunshine and fresh air and warmth of Spring.

If it is rainy and cold tomorrow, you will hear my screams .. no matter where you are.





Monday, October 8, 2012

Monday .. Look at this Blog

Pearl, why you little .. 

I can only tell you that if you have not discovered her blog, you have missed something and now is your chance to set that right.
You will laugh, guaranteed.
You might even think a little or mull something over.
She does have that ability, to make you think sometimes.
In my case, I relate to this and that and still sit here and smile, it is pretty much impossible not to read her blog and not smile.
So go have a read, have a smile, tell her I said Hello. "Be a  lert , the world needs more lerts "

Saturday, October 6, 2012

The Firemen in Buenos Aires

The firemen here in Buenos Aires, are more like Federal police.
They stay in a walled in compound, they wear cool uniforms and they are all very muscular and handsome.
Much like most of the policemen here.
Yes, I notice these things.

When there is a fire, you can hear that siren coming ... they blow their horns and run a siren so even a deaf person can hear them.
What makes them a little different from the firemen I was used to in the US, is that they all ride inside the truck, you can't see them when they go by.

But I have seen them standing around the station that is not far from our home.

When that little girl says she wants to marry a fireman, do not discourage her.
When that little boy says he wants to be a fireman, encourage him.

Coming from New York, I have a special fondness for firemen.

Which all leads me to show you this video that might be old news to all of you in the rest of the world, but hey! I live at the bottom of the world, it is new to me.
Enjoy ~





Friday, October 5, 2012

Diane Keaton and Me

 Diane Keaton

I have always liked  Diane Keaton.
Her sense of humour, her way of dressing, her lifestyle,  all add up to a woman I wish I could have met and we could  been "girlfriends"   ... or at least been acquaintances .
We  could have had nice long chats about houses and design and all those architectural things that have become a great interest of mine.
No, I am not secretly some deranged groupie, I just think that it would be nice to know someone who has such a quirky way of seeing things and who shares the same interests. ( although I don't really care much for Warren Beatty anymore, but she probably doesn't either )..

Who knew that I, whose main interest in design used to be about clothes , would now be All About Houses and Architectural Design ??
Stranger things have happened .... but ....

I like the  idea of her  book so much that I am considering putting together one of my own.
I will save my photos ( over 1,000 now) and see if when we get back to New York, I might do something .. who knows, your coffee table may some day be graced with a nice big book full of photographs of architectural beauties in Buenos Aires.
Photographed by Me !

Hey ! Stranger things have happened !

In the meantime,  our  little architectural gem remains on the market and as we sit and wait for the buyers to show up , they must have taken a wrong turn last month, we continue to go exploring and shopping .
And I with my camera, continue to record everything, so I will at least have these photos one day when we are back in the United States, far far away from Buenos Aires .
And houses like this ....

Then Diane Keaton can tell people, Ahhh yes, she blogged about me once, way back, before she was famous !

Friday Photo

                                           Spring has finally come to Buenos Aires.

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Where I Live


Never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine I would be living in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

I am so glad, that my husband had a better , bigger dream than I did .. here we are, over 5 years later,
walking these streets, sitting in these parks, living in this amazing place with these amazing people.

Yo quiero, Buenos Aires.

Monday, October 1, 2012

Monday ... Look at this Blog

STOP ...This is getting very silly

It is ... silly.
There are days, one needs a bit of ... silly.
Go look, have a giggle, enjoy.
Happy Monday ~
Living in Argentina

Living in Argentina

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sunset in Buenos Aires

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