04/12/2008
Michael Johns
Saturday, April 12, 2008: Michael Johns out? How can this have happened? Sometimes I don't know what the American Idol voters are thinking. Even if his song choice wasn't great this past week, doesn't he still have a great voice? Isn't he a singer who appeals to the women in the audience because he is a very attractive guy? I believe Michael Johns deserves to be a star. There is no question in my mind that he will become one in spite of this apparent setback. When he sang in front of the American Idol audience for the last time, he gave more than his all. Michael Johns proved that he has class and courage as well as great talent.
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10/07/2007
Museum Night
Sunday, October 7, 2007: Last night, starting at 7 and ending today at 3 in the morning, the residents of the city of Buenos Aires got to visit about 102 museums for free. This annual event was inspired by Berlin, Germany. It has held museum and gallery nights for quite a few years.
Among the museums I visited were the MALBA (the museum of Latin American Art in BA), the Museo Sarmiento and the Museo Larreta. The MALBA is in the aristocratic Barrio Parque section of the city. There were long lines to get last night and while I waited, I admired the beautiful high rises and mansions all around me. The MALBA has works by Diego Rivera, Frieda Kahlo, Covarrubias, Berni, Guttero, Minujin and Douglas Gordon.
The Museo Sarmiento is in the barrio of Belgrano and houses the personal effects and furniture of Domingo. F. Sarmiento, one of the country´s most admired presidents. Museo Larreta, also in Belgrano, has beautiful mosaics and furniture as well as paintings. It was the home of Enrique Larreta, a famous Argentine writer. This museo has a beautiful patio and garden. This year Noche de Museos attendance went up 50% from last year.
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09/22/2007
Spring Day
Friday, September 21, 2007: Today is another big day in Argentina. The first day of Primavera is always celebrated by young and old alike, mostly by teenagers and college students. The parks around Palermo are crowded with kids and policemen and women watching the kids. Flowers and happiness and beer and condoms everywhere.
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09/11/2007
Palermo Viejo
Tuesday, September 11, 2007: Yesterday afternoon took me to Palermo and Palermo Viejo again. It was raining, not much, just a little bit, and I walked from the 6000 block of Calle Soler to Calles Honduras, Costa Rica and El Salvador. Some of the houses are really beautiful, and I jotted down the addresses in my notebook. As is the custom in Buenos Aires, there is a new house next to a 1900 building. Many of the old houses have the architect´s name written on the wall, while others tell you who contructed it or who the civil engineer was.
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09/04/2007
Gallery Night
Tuesday, September 4, 2007: Last Friday´s monthly Gallery Night in Buenos Aires was one of the best I have attended. The art, highlighting contemporary and past local art, was extremely good. There were paintings by Berni, Splimbergo among others, and it was usually very well displayed. The prices are no bargain, but they they are cheaper than they would be elsewhere. Musicians played jazz on the sidewalk and, while tourists and residents enjoyed the paintings, pink Chandon champagne was served in tall glasses. Women wearing mink jasckets and coats chatted it up with friends and acquaintances.
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06/11/2007
Tony Awards
Monday, June 11, 2007: I cried last night when I watched the Tony Awards here on TV. New York City and Radio Music Hall--everything--seems so far away, so unreachable! The tears did me good, but my homesickness persists. Argentina is not a bad place, it´s just not where I need to be.
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12/11/2006
Tango
December 11, 2006: Today is International Tango Day. Hundreds of events to celebrate today are scheduled throughout Buenos Aires and the rest of the country. Many of them are free.
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10/08/2006
La Noche de los Museos
October 8, 2006: Last night Buenos Aires celebrated the third annual Noche de los Museos, an art event with the participation of 76 museums and art houses. The idea comes from Berlin, which began it in 1977. Museums like el Museo de Arte Decorativo on trendy and posh Avenida Libertador and El Museo de Bellas Artes, also on Libertador, stayed opened their doors from 7 P.M. Saturday night till 2 A.M. or later this morning. The Museo de Bellas Artes was jam packed last night. It´s got a great collection of Argentine and Uruguayan art. Painters like Fernando Fader. Antonio Berni, Raul Soldi, Emilio Pettoruti. Priladiano Pueyrredon have some of their best works on display. The museo also has a pretty ggod European collection, with a Renoir, a Rembrandt and a couple of Degas.
The Museo de Arte Decorativo once belonged to a very wealthy family. They went to Europe to get their art pieces in the early 1900s. There was a beautiful commode from the 18th century, an 18th century/early 19th lady´s boudoir and Chinese vases as well as beautiful European paintings and Flemish tapestries.
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08/02/2006
Montecristo
August 2, 2006: The hit show of the year--the one that starts late (at around 11 P.M.) but has the rating jumping through the roof. It´s a story frrely based on The Count of Montecristo by Alexandre Dumas. A story of revenge, power, sex, love, betrayal--the usual. Very well made. A soap opera for both men and women for a change.
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05/15/2006
Desperate Housewives
May 15, 2006: The Argentine version of Desperate Housewives will air after the World Cup (around July or August). The role of Gabrielle will be played by Araceli Gonzalez, a top sex symbol here and once married to one of the top TV producers in the country.
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04/27/2006
Fiestas
April 27, 2006: A new trend is making the rounds in Buenos Aires. These are the so called fiestas light: no beer, no alcohol. Just sodas, mineral water and good things to eat. People still stay up till 4 or 5 in the morning, like those enjoying other types of parties, but these seem to be more wholesome. Clean cut forms of entertainment.
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04/22/2006
The Internet
Saturday, April 22, 2006: In Argentina, using the services o f a locutorio, is cheap. At these Internet cafes, for $1.50(pesos) or sometimes $2, you get 60 miutes of computr time. Years ago, an hour used to cost $3. It is a pretty good deal--the equivalent of 50 American cents to check your email, write blogs, whatever. Locutorios also have publ ic phoes, faxes, scanners and even Messenger services.
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02/25/2006
Desperate Housewives
Saturday, February 25, 2006: 4 different versions of Desperate Housewives will be made by Disney, Sony and Pol-ka. This last production company is from Argentina. The versions of the American hit TV series will be shown in Argentina, Ecuador, Brazil and Colombia. It´ll be interesting to see the Marcia Cross, Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman and Eva Longoria characters played by hot Latin American actresses.
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