Tea & El Gripe

So today I am sick. I guess this is what happens when you ignore the sore throat and opt to go out to a house party where crazy argentines end up karaoking to the DJ spinning “Hit Me Baby One More Time.” Um, WHAT? All I know is that I now have (ominous music, please) “EL GRIPE,” which sounds totally better than the flu.



Anyways, after sleeping for 15 hours, I decided to get my pathetic self out of bed and go get some tea. A bit of a walk away is the Tea Connection in Puerto Madero. They also have a full menu, but I didn’t get that far. The tea menu was enticing - blacks, reds, greens, infusions, herbals, fruities, regulars, floweries - while the atmosphere was nice. Personally, in my current condition, I would have preferred a homier atmosphere, but I can still appreciate the clean, modern presentation provided. As I sat in fetal with a slight feverish aura about me, I waiting for the charming little hourglass to tell me my sancha cammomile was now worthy of my tasting. The tea was just what the doctor ordered, a piping hot pot of immune boosting green tea. Next time I’ll get a pastry treat, since it is an ideal place to bring a computer and linger.

All in all, I’m going to start drinking tea more often to help with metabolism and digestion and whatnot. I then I’m going to start exercising more, adopt a biomicrobic diet, get really spiritual and next time you see me I’m going to be glowing. But for now I am just plain sick.

Fotos from the 'hood

Today I was a tourist. I walked around and took some fotos. Here is some stuff around my current 'hood.

Plaza San Martin is very close, big and leafy.


















Monumento al Libertador General San Martín by Frenchman Louis Damas












More from Plaza San Martin


















El Obelisco = Buenos Aires : Eiffel Tower = Paris
















Avenida 9 de Julio is the widest street in the world. It's hard to cross.

Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band at La Trastienda (July 19)

Yippee! I love having a blog just so I can write about things of this nature (and food, of course). So around 2 weeks ago, we went to see Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band at La Trastienda as part of the Nuevos Aires Folk III series. Not sure if he would play Bright Eyes songs or be some totally new BAND that plays “música house” or something crazy like that (which I didn’t REALLY think), it turned out to be one of our best nights here thus far.

It was, to steal a word from Conor himself, “mystical.” First off, La Trastienda is a spectacular venue – cozy with a great reputation (I base this on their lineup of this band, Broken Social Scene in August and regular tango performances). The first two bands were both enjoyable, the first really folky and in the second band one guy wore a Dino Jr. tee (that’s all I got). As for the main event, the show was absolutely wonderful. One of those where you can hear, see and appreciate the songs and the words being sung. Conor Oberst is truly a great performer and extremely talented, obvi. He said little in between songs, but the way he sings his thoughts make you want to cry with nostalgia. Especially songs like First Day of My Life, Lover I Don’t Have to Love and Bowl of Oranges…

So I sat with him a while and then I asked him how he felt.
He said, "I think I'm cured. No, in fact, I'm sure.
Thank you Stranger, for your therapeutic smile."
So that is how I learned the lesson that everyone is alone.
And your eyes must do some raining if you are ever going to grow.
When crying don't help and you can't compose yourself,
It's best to compose a poem:
An honest verse of longing,
Or a simple song of hope.

Several times I wanted to run on stage, hug him and plead, “I KNOW! But what are you doing reading your diary to all these foreigners!” Then I decided listening and tapping my foot would be more appropriate. But those Argentines DO love the song Lua. I am curious to the whole “lost in translation” idea applied to music. I guess I don’t listen to gobs of Spanish music to compare the theory, but I realize music is a personal interpretation in any case. This night, it didn’t matter, Conor certainly did not disappoint.

Pitchfork just reviewed his new CD, so here.

And here’s a video of the night (Hit the Switch), not the best but the only one that didn’t give me motion sickness.

p.s. - sorry for the bad foto. hopefully the video makes up for it.

Bye Bye BitBox

Today is a dark day in Buenos Aires. Not because the one time I tried to leave our teensy “studio” it was raining and cold. No. It is because when I turned on the tele to my staple station it was not the killer euro-english-indie music i was expecting, but something in (GASP!) Spanish. How could I have forgotten! Today they turned my beloved BitBox into “Quiero música en mi idioma” (I want music in my language).

Since I am still a novice on googling in other languages, I have only found one good source on the subject of the change, which also praises BitBox for its awesome and spot-on selection of music. This blog says the first song they played at 00:00 today was “Beverly Hills” by Weezer. LAME.

So I am writing a complaint letter and it’s going to go something like this:

Estimado Sr. “Quiero”:

I am writing in request that you return to playing my favorite music videos instead of what you are currently opting for (aka Argentine music from Sony, Warner, etc). Not that I have anything against your special type of rock or your suave VJs, I just really appreciated a little Feist and Broken Social Scene mixed into my digest of Spanish culture. I mean they even played Calexico and Nirvana! Por Favor! I am not currently aware of anything so cool in the states even. My point is what about what I want and my language? Eh?

Gracias por su tiempo – chau – Lauren

In conclusion, here is what I learned from BitBox:

Travis is still awesome.


The Knife is the coolest.


And columbia is hoarding Mark Ronson's "Just" video.

Hola.

Welcome to my blog - an attempt to chronicle my days in Buenos Aires in a not so organized fashion.