Holidays and Parenting

Thanksgiving

We were really lucky to get invited to some Thanksgiving parties to help us feel less homesick over the holidays. The first party was on Thursday night – it was a potluck and Jeff made one of his family’s staple dishes, spinach pie (SO good – and not easy to make since the ingredients were hard to hunt down), and some of the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever had. I took a risk on a new cookie recipe and made “soft ginger sandwiches with creamy ginger-orange filling.” Pretty fancy, right? They actually weren’t too hard to make (which is a good thing, cause I’m not really a baker) and looked like huge spice-cookie versions of oreos (in a good way). It was our first party with Amalia, and it went okay…I have to say it was a great group of people — everyone offering to hold her, and tons of kids who were really gentle and sweet with her — and the food was definitely yummy. The downside was that it was one of the hottest days in Buenos Aires that we’ve experienced so far, and the host’s air conditioner broke. Within the first 10 minutes we were drenched in sweat and I kept trying to make sure Amalia didn’t feel like she was in an oven. Also, we stayed ’til almost midnight – which was fun, but either the heat or the bustle of the party kept Amalia up the whole time. Considering she usually conks out after being up at most for two hours, being up for almost 6 was not fun. Poor thing.

The second party was a little more mellow (and airconditioned, whew). The host took on most of the cooking, so we just brought a potato and squash combo as a side and some vino. Amalia loved being passed around again amongst the guests, and this time she passed out after 8 pm. Swaddled and snug in her chair in the host’s bedroom, she didn’t stir until we got her to leave around 11:30pm. Overall somewhat more of a successful fiesta.

Part of the spread at the Thursday party

Victoria and Jon - our hosts for Saturday's party

Christmas in Buenos Aires

Since Christmas is in the air here (well, sort of, I feel like I have to actively look for it, as opposed to SF where you can’t escape it) I thought I’d mention a few fun things about the holiday down here. From what we’ve heard, families typically spend Christmas Eve together for a big dinner, but then after that they all disperse to go party until dawn (even the older generations☺). It’s just what everyone does. They even call it “Fiestas” instead of “Navidad.” Also, fireworks that night are a big deal – from an official city fireworks show to people shooting off rockets from their balconies or running around with sparklers and flares in the streets. We even got a warning from a local friend that we might not want to be in the city ’cause of how crazy it gets. Must be the fact that it’s summer here over the holidays…people get a little more fiesty. I think that part of celebrating down here would be fun. The part that isn’t as fun? The lack of decorations. I’ve heard that because of the heat, no one gets “real” Christmas trees, only plastic. And I haven’t really seen anyone decorating the way they do in the states either. No lights in the windows, decorated windows in restaurants and shops, etc. Basically, I’m trying to get in the mood by playing Christmas songs and baking Christmas cookies in my apartment while avoiding going outside to avoid the 90 degree plus temps…just doesn’t feel right.

Some notes on parenthood so far

First – having a kid in BA has been a positive experience in a lot of ways. If I thought Argentines were ridiculously nice to pregnant women, they’ve surprised me again with how nice they are to new moms and their babies. I get to cut lines with her (not always, but sometimes), I get lots of help (from nice cab drivers as I fumble with the car seat and stroller, or from other moms offering an extra hand in the waiting room at the doctors office when I’m lugging around all my baby stuff), and I can’t go anywhere with her without strangers cooing at her and wanting to get a peek at the “hermosa chiquitita.” They’re also way more laid back about babies. I’m definitely the only mom with a diaper bag, a changing pad, a cover for breastfeeding, etc. We’ve been in some restaurants where, when I’ve asked if they have a changing table in the bathroom, they look at me funny and ask why I’m not just changing her at the table. Little kids and babies are also out and about with their parents at all hours of the night. You’ll be out ’til midnight, eating dinner like a normal Porteño, and you’ll see kids passed out in their parents’ laps while the adults drink and have fun with their friends. I don’t get the sense that having them on a strict schedule is a big deal here – kids adjust to the parents lives, which isn’t totally a bad thing in some ways. Last random BA observation – baby girls here have their heads shaved (to grow stronger, prettier hair – and, well, they do have great hair here) and ears pierced right after birth, so people often guess Amalia’s a boy.

In general, being a parent has been almost what I expected in that it’s been hard and life altering, but the highs have been way higher than we would’ve thought. It’s hard to describe, and I probably shouldn’t attempt it in a blog post (I can tell Jeff is already going to say this is too long as is), so I’ll stick to some simple observations instead:

1. I’m getting really good at doing things one handed

When you wake up for the fourth time early in the AM, it’s pretty impressive how fast you can make a cup of coffee, like your life depended on it or something. So, yes, I’m totally addicted to it again, love it☺. Making anything else in the kitchen, also easy with Amalia in one arm. Dropping stuff on the floor (pen, phone, burp cloth, money, fork, etc.)? That’s what toes are for, quick pick-ups. Germ-a-phobes don’t worry, I don’t reuse the fork or burp cloths if they’ve been on the floor and then picked up by my feet (at least haven’t been tired enough yet to say “f’* it” yet). The worst one handed activity I’ve picked up though? Surfing the Internet. If I’m tired and braindead, it will suck up a LOT of my time. Even though I don’t write much (I get frustrated writing one handed, probably cause I always want to write too much), I definitely waste more reading and wandering around. I check Facebook way too much. I’m actually reading the news everyday for the first time (wow, that’s embarrassing to admit I didn’t before). Pintrest is also slowly consuming my soul. I even have picked up reading blogs now. I know, REALLY late to that game, and not to sound like an old person, but it’s friggin crazy how many there are out there – dangerous how many, in fact. At least I’m reading my Kindle a lot more now too though. I guess I can feel a little less guilty about that one.

2. You can’t do everything with one hand though…

A funny thing about time management after having Amalia – I’ve had to be a little more deliberate about my choices. I realize most adults have already mastered responsible time management by my age, but I think I may be used to just having comparatively way more free time than most people? Now, it’s simple. As soon as Amalia goes down for a nap or to sleep at night, I immediately think “Ok, you only have hours, or you could have 15 minutes…what will you be pissed at yourself that you didn’t do if she wakes up and you have to put it off for another hour or two?” It’s obvious, but it’s just funny to realize all the things you “want” to do, and sometimes picking the boring but essential ones, like brushing teeth, washing face, making food, emptying trash/diaper genie, cleaning up the randomly strewn stained burp cloths or clothes (hers and mine), nap, etc. Again, most of you adults know this. I’m still getting the hang of it, hence being constantly behind or absent on email, sorry everyone, but I’m hopeful I’m getting better.

3. I’m learning more about myself

I think of myself as pretty introspective and (almost too) self-preoccupied, but I’ve surprised myself in some ways with this motherhood thing. For example, I don’t generally think of myself as a self-conscious person, but now I realize how often I left the house with makeup on, somewhat styled hair, and a clean/nice outfit (even to the gym). Now? Not so much. It feels good, in some ways, to be able to just throw on a pair of shoes to pick up more diapers at the store and not care that you’re wearing pj pants in public for the first time since high school. That being said, I’ve also realized the importance of taking a little care in looking presentable (realizing I have a drool stain on my cheek after being up in the apartment for four hours was kind of a wake-up call). I feel better when bring a little attention to my appearance, and I’m sure Jeff and Amalia appreciate it (at least the brushing the teeth and washing the face). I’ve also found I have more patience and reserves than I previously realized. Getting spit up or pooped/peed on? My reactions have almost always been to laugh or shrug. Getting next to no sleep night after night after night? Well, ok, that did get to me early on — I broke down and cried maybe two or three times those first couple weeks when I was so tired it just hurt — but for being SUCH a whimp before about sleeping, I’m amazed that I’ve weathered it and accepted it really well so far. It just seems dumb to focus on when I have such an important job and such an awesome kid to hang out with. As cheesy as that sounds, that’s just the way it feels. I even realize that before I used to put off hanging out with people until I was more rested. If I had to guess why, I’d say it might be for fear of what I would say or how I might act. I tend to spew sometimes embarrassing and random stream of consciousness type stuff when I’m tired…clearly…yikes, maybe I should’ve picked up the blog again a few months from now when I’m more rested… Now, I just roll with it and just accept how I’m feeling and what might happen. In general it’s just nice to realize people/friends are way more forgiving and understanding than you’d guess.

4. Lastly, having a kid definitely makes you re-examine everything

Hmmm – this is probably more interesting to talk about than my other simple and random observations about the last couple weeks, but I have a feeling I should save existential discussions for when I hang out with friends and family. It’s not that I don’t want the blog to have more intensely introspective posts (with a name like “with intention” I’d hope I wouldn’t avoid digging a little deep once in a while), but I’m gonna wait a bit on this one. This is already way longer than I meant it to be, and if I get on a tangent about life? Wow. Forget about it. Even those of you that managed to read this whole thing would give up (from exhaustion, confusion, boredom, annoyance, etc.). Better to wait till my “responsible time management” starts to affect my writing. Trust me.

Back on the wagon

I feel like enough time has passed that I can’t just drop a random blog entry without some acknowledgement about the 3 month haitus. It’s pretty incredible. Incredibly negligent. I wish there was a good explanation — and I say this as much to try to understand it myself — but there’s really not. Life is always busy, and somehow this fell down the priority list. Given this is more or less a friends and family reading destination, many of you know there have been a lot of changes. Since our trip to Punta, as told in our blog last entry, there have been 5 different visitors here from the US, trips to Mendoza, Carmelo (Uruguay) and Rio de Janeiro, job changes for both Laura and I, and…most importantly…a new addition to the family with the birth of our daughter, Amalia.

Aside from the big stuff, there have been lots more smaller developments, new friendships, interesting (and often odd) cultural experiences and realizations, and just a general feeling of being more and more settled here. So, having said all this, I feel like the air is cleared. I’m ready to dive back in. I know Laura is, too. For now, a few recent observations:

Pray there’s not a fire. One interesting phenomenon here in Buenos Aires is the abundance of fire hazards. The one that disturbs me the most is the one closest to home. Literally. In the same way Bush II traded personal liberties for the need to “secure” our homeland after 911, I think the Argentines have traded one kind of safety for another. All apartment doors here lock with a key from the inside AND the outside. So, for example, when I enter our apartment I need 3 keys to get in — the front door, a middle door that leads to the lobby, and the third door that leads into our apartment. Likewise, when I leave our apartment, even just to get empanadas from the delivery guy, I need to use those same 3 keys to first unlock my apartment door, the unlock the middle door, and finally unlock the door to the outside. If there were ever a fire, or an axe-murderer in your BsAs apartment, your chances for survival do not look so good. But, on the plus side, if someone manages to follow a neighbor into the apartment building and breaks into your apartment, he may be stuck in the lobby with your laptop, ipod and digital camera in his hand waiting for someone to open the door and let him out.

Everything here is smaller. Okay, okay. I had trouble even writing this one. Of course the Americans think everything is smaller here. Yes…well…it’s actually true. And I’m not even talking about the food. And I’m speaking as someone who lived in a studio apartment for years, never had a washer, dryer or dishwasher, and literally slept in a closet. Ovens barely fit a cookie tray (note: this is a huge problem for expats trying to have Thanksgiving celebrations, as you might imagine). Stack a few sets of dishes in your average sink and it’s filled to the top. Our furnished apartment has one of the largest TVs I’ve seen here…and it’s maybe 37″. I have yet to see a full-size refrigerator/freezer. Washing machines are tiny enough that you’d spend your whole weekend doing laundry for a small family. Paper towel rolls all seem to be about 3/4 size. It makes me feel like a giant when I unroll some. And to get what I would call normal kitchen-size garbage bags, we literally have to buy the largest bags available at our grocery store, they cost about $1 per bag, and they are labelled “GIGANTE” in large black letters.

Kids adapt. This is one that is near to my heart now that we have one of our own. I’ll never forget how, soon after I started my first job here, I was making small talk with my assistant. I asked her about her family, and she mentioned she had a couple kids. I asked her how old and she said “Oh, my one son is actually turning 3 this weekend.” Naturally, I told her that was great and asked if she was planning a big party. She looked back at me like I asked her to derive number Pi to 6 decimal places, and said “Why would I do that? He’s only 3. He’s not going to remember it anyways.” I, of course, was struck by the rationality of it and could not have agreed more. It’s a gross generalization — well, like pretty much everything I write in these observations — but that’s one small example of how kids here bend much more to their parents’ lives than the other way around. Seeing children in restaurants is a common thing, even at midnight (and even on a Sunday). Nobody minds, but instead they smile, say hello, and want to see the baby. Parents generally just seem to add kids into the mix of their own lives, in a form not too different than they were before kids, and the kids seem to more or less adapt.

Punta del Este

Punta….I’d heard about this place after the first time we visited BA back in 2007. Our friend and his girlfriend were working down there, and Jeff got to visit them for a crazy week of clubbing and hitting the packed beaches. I’d heard it was where everyone in Buenos Aires went to vacay, but that it was also really pricey – you’d only find big beachside homes, ritzy high-rise apartment buildings, luxurious hotels, and a town filled with fancy restaurants, clubs, and a beautiful yacht harbor. Our guidebook even described it as “one of South America’s most glamorous resorts and easily the most expensive place in Uruguay.” I gotta say I was a little worried about going. Jeff and I were getting away for one of our last vacations before the baby, and we just wanted to relax…I really didn’t want to go somewhere that was overly pretentious and showy.

sunset from punta

Luckily, from the start, we had a good experience — well, if we count “the start” starting after a short rental car debacle. Punta was randomly hit with amazing weather that weekend (perfectly sunny and pretty warm considering we’re in the middle of winter), and it was the winter off-season, so we felt like we had the city to ourselves (which I know some people wouldn’t like, but for me it made Punta seem less intimidating and more peaceful). The first night, we checked into a cute little hotel on the La Barra side of Punta, and met up with our friends Matias and Astrid (this is the couple that owns Bahia Bustamante, that awesome place we visited a few months ago in Patagonia). Matias and Astrid spend some of the winter months each year vacationing in an apartment in Punta (where they also tend to a farm outside of the city). They’re so laid back and easygoing, and it felt like we were getting shown around by old friends (even though, yes, we’ve only met them once before). They came by our hotel and we followed them to the neighboring town of Maldonado for an awesome parilla experience – awesome because it felt like we were way off the tourist grid, getting to enjoy a really good (and reasonable☺) meal at an off-the-beaten-path local’s joint. It was nearly a perfect start to the weekend, but there was just one sort of hiccup…Matias’s brother and wife were there that weekend too. The brother is a lawyer and he had to come to help Matias with an accident he’d had earlier that week…Matias had crashed into (and basically exploded) a horse on the way back from his farm — seriously…a sad, kinda weird event — and since his wife only spoke Spanish, Jeff and I tried to catch up with our friends for a few hours in Castellano. A great way to put these last few months of Spanish classes to good use right? That’s what we thought, and we should’ve been more than able to get through a dinner conversation, but I blew it. Big time. I’m going to blame it on being pregnant (mainly cause I can’t think of anything else to blame it on), but I sounded like I had literally never learned Spanish. Maybe that I had skimmed the tourist “phrase” book on the flight or something, but I could barely get a normal, coherent sentence out. After a few somewhat awkward attempts at speaking, I had to accept it was just going to be a night where I sat back and Jeff would help do the talking for the both of us (which he did, very well☺).

on the beach outside La Huella

The next day we went to Jose Ignacio, a town about a half hour away that has supposedly become the new hotspot to vacation for those in the know (since some people think that Punta’s gotten a little too crowded). It’s a small, relaxed town with not much to do – but it had a great beach and a really cool (and really packed) beachside restaurant called La Huella (“the footprint” in Castellano). We spent the day eating, then walking and napping on the beach, checking out the cute lighthouse, and cruising around the neighborhood to check out the pretty incredible houses. We went back to Punta that night for another good dinner with the amigos (this time my Spanish was better – not great, but better), and we spent our last few hours on Sunday walking the main boardwalk through the city. Overall it was just a really restorative weekend, and we felt lucky to hang out with Matias and Astrid – and I felt lucky to dip my toe into Punta. I feel like I’ll be ready to come back sometime during the high season, ready to navigate the crowds and join in the party scene. For now, for this pregnant lady (7 months at the time of the trip), this was a perfect introduction to a great place.

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Estancia La Bamba

A few weekends ago we decided to get out of the city for some relaxing and a change of scenery. As much as I love the city and can’t imagine living in the suburbs, in my mind the key to any happy city-dwelling life is frequent trips out of the city to spend some time in nature. Or at the very least in places that feel like nature when compared to urban life. In SF we’d go up to wine country, down to Monterey, or over to Tahoe; or, more likely, to friends’ houses in Marin, Berkeley, Livermore, Woodside, etc. Their houses. Our vacation houses.

A lot like many big cities, once you drive about an hour outside BA the landscape totally changes. Pretty quickly you find yourself out in the pampas…and here I will quip from Wikipedia… The pampas, meaning “plains” in Quechua, are the fertile South American lowlands, covering more than 289,000 sq miles in Northern Argentina, most of Uruguay, and Southern Brazil. Please feel free to read on. If the pampas are analogous to the plains in the US, then the gauchos are the cowboys and the estancias are the big ranches where they work. Except they’re very much still around and a big part of modern day Argentine culture. Again, you can read on here.

Estancia visits are a great way to experience the pampas and the gaucho culture, and at the same time get a breather from BA. It seems like the wealthier families here have farms that have been in the family for generations, which they go visit on weekends to get the estancia experience. For us extranjeros, the best option is to get a room at an estancia for a day or two. There are many to choose from, and most are more or less all inclusive resorts in old refurbished estancias with activities like horseback riding, swimming, hiking, watching different horse performances where the gauchos show off their skills, and lots and lots of eating. Since it was our first estancia trip and our travel options will probably be limited in the near future by the arrival of the kid, we decided to splurge and head to an estancia called La Bamba de Areco.

If you want a laugh, take 2 minutes and watch the first part of this professionally-produced video on the estancia…it sounds like it was narrated by Will Ferrell playing Robert Goulet.

La Bamba — Ritchie Valens jokes aside — was an unbelievable place. We had a car pick us up on Saturday morning and we got to the estancia around 11:30am. Because it was low season, we were the only people there for the night so they upgraded us to an awesome stand-alone cabin. The surroundings were amazing, as you can tell from the pictures below. After getting the full tour and settling in our room, they served a picada (Argentine meat and cheese plate) in one of the living rooms. Starved, we pretty much gorged ourselves on it. About half an hour later we walked outside to a nice little table set up in the middle of one of the lawns for lunch. The chef rolled out an impressive variety of salads with fresh vegetables and some potatoes. He had prepared an asado…so…he began circulating plates and plates of grilled meat — chorizo (sausage), morcilla (blood sausage…don’t knock it if you haven’t tried a good version…), chicken, beef ribeye, beef ribs. It was all pretty mind-blowing…as most meat here is. After that, dessert was coffee and a traditional panqueque (an Argentine version of the crepe filled with dulce de leche and topped with chocolate and ice cream). We. Were. Stuffed. One other guest, an American, had come to the estancia for the day. We had lunch with him, as well as two hosts from La Bamba. Eating with some of the people that worked there helped to give the place a comfortable, family feel — but in a good, non-intrusive way.

After lunch, we took a siesta for a bit before I went off on a horseback ride and Laura on a walk around the property. The owners of the estancia also support a polo team, so there were two polo fields on the property as well as a bunch of polo horses grazing in the fields around the house. After the ride, we had some time to sit outside and read for awhile…then it was time for more food. Meriendas, as they call it here. It’s the tea time / snack time that helps tie you over to the late dinner. The chef had prepared some amazing house-baked cakes and pastries, along with homemade jams, preserves and dulce de leche. We tried to hold back, as dinner was only a few hours away, but it was tough. No, impossible. The post-meriendas break gave us enough time for some more relaxing and wandering around before it was time to meet back in the main house for a three course dinner, once again shared with our host. We capped off the night watching an Argentine movie in their movie room — yes, this place was truly over-the-top and had a movie and billiards room. The next morning, after yet another great meal and a horseback ride with one of the gauchos (for me), it was time to head back to Buenos Aires. It was an amazing 24 hours, and we were lucky to have the opportunity to visit such a great place. The surroundings alone were more than enough to make anyone feel relaxed, and the services and amenities just made it that much better. In retrospect we might not have wanted to set the bar so high for our first estancia visit…this one is going to be impossible to beat I think…

Check out a bunch more pictures by scrolling through the album below:

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Aramburu (and the worst food blog entry everrr)

Welcome to what is sure to be the worst food blog entry you’ve ever read.  This entry will not attempt to regale you with delicious bites eaten.  Worse, it will not even be able to tell you exactly what we ate.  The pictures were not shot with some fancy…or even average…digital camera.  They were shot with a blackberry camera-phone.  But, despite the lack of details about this meal, it was good.  Really good.  Damn good.  The best we’ve had in Buenos Aires, and the second best is pretty much not even close.  We heard about this place from some expats we met at Casa Mun and, even though we knew they were foodies I somehow didn’t take this place seriously before we arrived.  Even while we were there, I was so surprised by the quality of food and was so occupied just enjoying the meal and the company that I didn’t even think to take note of exactly what the waiter told us we were eating to remember later (unfortunately my mind does not automatically remember these kinds of things about food, though I wish it did).  There were no menus, and thus no other permanent record of the particulars of the meal.  The place itself was small — only 6 or so tables.  At the end of each group’s meal, chef Gonzalo Aramburu made his way to personally talk with everyone there.  His resume speaks for itself…having gone to culinary school at the École Lenotre (París) working under Joel Rubuchon, before moving on to restaurant Daniel Boulud (New York) and Charlie Trotter (Chicago).  He was incredibly friendly and humble.  He talked about how hard it was to open and run this kind of restaurant in Buenos Aires, in part because of the cost (though incredibly reasonable by American, Brazilian or European standards) and in part because his style of food was not readily accepted by the more conservative Argentine eaters.  He said most of his guests were tourists and expats.  He readily gave recommendations for a few of his favorite restaurants in BA, which I’m now incredibly excited to try.  By the end of the night, more than a few hours after we arrived, we had eaten 12 courses of incredibly delicious, fairly inventive food and had the first official “must go” restaurant for when friends visit from out-of-town.

Aramburu

Salta 1050

Buenos Aires

table centerpiece

first course

second course

third course

fourth course – “american breakfast”

fifth course

sixth course – prawn served on a steaming hot rock with lobster broth

seventh course – pork belly

eighth course – best piece of lomo in BsAs

tenth course – a box…

…revealing some desserts after a palate cleanser

eleventh course

twelfth course…seriously…full

coffee. much needed.

Our new apartment!

I could write a ton about our new place, but I’ll try to keep it simple. Really, just posting the pictures and leaving it at “I LOVE it” would sum it up, but here are a few details:

1)   It’s the first apartment I’ve/we’ve had that is super quiet. It may sound funny to tote that as the best part above all else, but I’ve always craved a quiet place while still being in a fun city neighborhood. It’s almost as quiet as the house I grew up in – the only occasional noises you’ll hear are the kids upstairs, or there’s this neighbor that takes his dog out four times a day and the thing barks its head off through the huge lobby, but that’s way better than hearing the whole city outside your window like we have in our last few places.

2)   It’s so nice and spacious. It’s one of the only apartments we’ve seen in BA that has a huge kitchen (where Jeff and I can both comfortably cook at the same time) that also opens up slightly to the dining room. The whole apartment has super tall ceilings, and there’re two bathrooms and two bedrooms, so it’s more than comfortable (and pretty perfect for the extra Levinsohn that’ll be arriving soon).

3)   We really like the neighborhood. Our front door opens up on a quiet (for the city) neighborhood street called Larrea. We’ve got everything we need real close, so in addition to fun shops and good restaurants, there’s the baiscs: a super casual traditional Argentine restaurant two doors down, a café on the nearest corner, a convenience shop a half-block away, a dry cleaning/laundry place next door, and a supermarket a block away. And we’ve been here long enough that we’re already on a friend-like basis with some frequently visited shops (mainly we’re tight with the ladies at the next door laundry place, and we have an awesome favorite waiter at our neighborhood parrilla – anytime we see these people we’re greeted with Argentine kisses and lots of catching up).

It feels so good to be in a place that I couldn’t be happier with! And it helps to really settle into a place so we have a base and feel more at home while we’re down here. I’m trying not to get overly attached (just because Jeff’s commute isn’t exactly the best from here), but I am definitely excited that it sounds like we’re gonna stay here til maybe March or April 2012. AWESOME.

– Laura

Living room

Kitchen

Nice appliances

Guest bedroom

View from the dining area into the living room

Master bedroom

Bathroom

Patio runs the length of the apartment

Brunch & Oui Oui

Near the top of the the list of things missed from SF and, well, the US in general, is definitely brunch. (I said “things” which in my mind is entirely separate from people) Brunch here is definitely not the same. Brunching is one of my favorite things. I associate brunch with getting up late on a weekend, often after a night of drinking, and using it as more or less the sole excuse to leave the house…kicking off a relaxing day swapping stories with friends and eating some delicious food. Or, in some cases, having a weekday “breakfast meeting” before work and rolling into the office around 10 or 11. In either case, you really can’t go wrong. What I guess I didn’t realize about how much I love brunch was the food itself. A big stack of pancakes with fruit, granola and syrup, like at Kate’s Kitchen. Spicy eggs, cheese, meat and veggies, with a side of potatoes and toast — baja scramble at Savor. A breakfast burrito — hello, Pork Store. Maybe something sweet to start, like the beignets at Brenda’s French Soul Food. Coffee and a breakfast sandwich — Blue Bottle and 4505 Meats, at the Ferry Building. The yogurt, fresh fruit and homemade granola bowl at Boulangerie on Union. Or pretty much anything at Dottie’s True Blue Cafe.

You can find basically none of those options here in BsAs. In keeping with European tradition, breakfast is typically a couple of Argentine croissants (medialunas), an espresso or latte, and maybe, if you really stretch it, some fresh fruit juice and yogurt. “Brunch” generally means those options on a menu alongside whatever the restaurant would usually serve for lunch or dinner. Eggs are very hard to find, and if you’re lucky show up in one brunch option. They are usually a couple of sadly scrambled eggs in a little dish by themselves. Salmon has made some in-roads here and there, so you can sometimes find a bagel with salmon and cream cheese. Even though that’s enough to scratch your bagel itch, it’s more or less a poor imitation. Waffles show up a lot, too, but from what I can tell they generally treat them like pastries, make them all in the morning before the restaurant opens, pile them up alongside the other baked goods, and serve them room temperature (and hours old) when ordered. Coffee is almost always served at the end of the meal, not right when you sit down and need it most. In any event, the situation is not good. I have no idea what’s going on here, but if reading this is motivating you to open a restaurant in BsAs and really show this culture what they’re missing out on…I have most definitely had that same thought. Who knows if you’d succeed, but it would be a noble effort.

Pleasant anticipation...

Thankfully, a few places seem to be giving it a try. Sunday, on a tip from a coworker, we headed to Oui Oui in Palermo Viejo to check out their brunch. It was the closest thing we’ve found to satisfy that craving. The scrambled eggs were cooked nicely and, though missing the cheese and vegetables, were served with bacon. Side note: though the staples of the Argentine diet are some of the most unhealthy I’ve seen, for some reason bacon is oddly missing and hard to come by. There were potatoes on the side, which did the job. Though in an odd twist they had some lemon in them or at least squeezed over the top. The coffee was stronger, but not bitter, and served at the beginning of the meal without any odd looks. The french toast was solid and, while more or less on par with something you could make at home, won points for even being on the menu. The pastries were all made fresh, and laid out in a pretty display. We tried the pain au chocolat. It wasn’t a chocolate croissant, as expected, but was flakey and not filled with too much chocolate. The prices were definitely a bit high for Argentina, but the atmosphere was busy, lively and cheery like all good brunch places should be. Overall, the quest for that true US brunch spot continues on, but this is for sure a place we’ll be going back to.

– Jeff

Hungry, yet happy

Eggs, bacon, toast, salad, potatoes

French toast, side of pain au chocolat

Fresh baked goods