La Casa de Carlos y Alison

Life is made up of details.  At times the details can be so tiny that they can't be seen. This doesn't make them any less important. This blog today is about shining a light on details and events that were definitely a significant part of my trip and did very much make up the journey.  For this story, I'll be taking you into the home of Carlos & Alison. I took lessons with them from the middle of Sept until the end of Oct. After that they went off to toronto form two months to teach at some workshops as well as to perform. I didn't get a chance to see them again or take lessons before I left Buenos Aires but just because I've spent little time with someone doesn't give them any less place in my heart.

Being in their home and chatting with them before, after, and during my private lesson helped shed light not only on tango but on the culture of Buenos Aires. Carlos is a succesful lawyer who is native to Argentina and Alison is a filmmaker who's roots are right here in Victoria, B.C.  I met them while taking one of their workshops here at Cafe Casablanca in Victoria. It was during the summer and at that point, I already had confirmed plans to go to Buenos Aires so I let them know I was coming.

Even though we had only met for the first time and didn't know each other well, in the coming months I got messages on my facebook wall from them that gave me a sense that they were welcoming and anticipating my arrival to Buenos Aires. Messages like "Much love Angelina! We await you here in BsAs".  Already I could feel the openess and the hospitality which very much makes up the Argentine spirit.

Often in our society, success often means that life gets complicated.  People feel the urge to create busy schedules and to get caught up buying things and trying to add things to their life. That's why it was such a joy to have the chance to meet Carlos & Alison. It is such a pleasure to be interacting with people who do obviously have success but have made keeping life simple and uncomplicated a high value in their lives. Their home is decorated tastefully with art pieces and tango memorabilia. But what got my attention wasn't the things in their home, it was the rich energy and vibe that you can feel the moment that you walk through those doors.

Taking tango lessons with them in their home was one of the best investments I ever made. Not only did my tango progress in leaps and bounds in just 6 weeks, but being with them and chatting with them really helped introduce me to the Argentine culture and way of life.  One of the greatest things that they've taught me about tango and about life is about the beauty in simplicity.

Their encouragement to me was that it was better to learn a few moves really well and to get the fundamentals down pat than to try and do a whole repertoire of fancy moves that I really don't know how to do well.  I definitely plan to make private lessons with them a part of my life and schedule whenever I am in BA. The next time I am there, I hope to see them at Plaza Dorrengo dancing tango like they do every Sunday night.

Alot of tourists and people outside the tango community have this idea from watching TV that tango always has to be something dramatic.  What people need to understand is that here in Buenos Aires, there is a difference between the type of tango done for performances and the type of tango that is danced socially. Both are beautiful in totally different ways. And Carlos & Alison demonstrate such a fantastic example of a tango done with class, elegance, beauty and simplicity.  Watch.....



http://www.carlosyalisontango.com/

 "More and more I am finding that tango is not just a dance, it is a way of life in this city even for those that don't dance tango.  The city has a way of wrapping it's feathers around me to comfort and ease all loneliness and thoughts of home and the people there.  Like a mother hen, it soothes me safe and & warm under it's wing."

  -Angelina

The Bandoneón

Have you ever in your life done some cooking or baking which you thought was coming along good or great? Then you innocently throw in an ingrediant that you knew would be good for your concoction but it isn´t until after you´ve thrown it into the mix that you realize how much life and flavor this one ingredient has added. And in that instant, your concoction has gone from good or even great all the way to............UNBELIEVABLE!!!!

That is exactly how I've been feeling the past few days after getting the fabulous opportunity to post Vanessa Winn's "The Immigrant's Tango". The poem was already strikingly beautiful in itself. But now seeing it added to this blog which has the theme and backdrop of Buenos Aires and tango, the sight of the poem there leaves me breathless every time I read it. Vanessa´s poem is like a dream ingredient or spice that unexpectedly has brought a whole new flavor and life to "Making the Same Difference". Not to mention the fragrant aroma too!

My favorite part of the poem is the line about "echoing the bandoneón's pull, push" And I want to add another layer of depth to the experience of reading the poem by explaining to our non-tango readers what a bandoneón is. A bandoneón is an instrument that is used in milongas and tango music. At first glance, one might think that it is an accordion but a closer look reveals that the the bandoneón comes from a very different family of instruments.

I found a really neat article on the history, use, and purpose of this instrument as well as it´s significance. The article is called "The Bandoneón, tango´s breathe of life". I recommend reading the article and then reading "The Immigrant's Tango" once more. There is no doubt in my mind that doing that would add another layer of depth to your experience of reading the poem. There is a quote from the article that nicely sums up the bandoneón's role.....

"The bandoneón is not only an instrument. The bandoneón is the intangible, raw passion of tango encapsulated in an inanimate object. It’s the lungs that fill and empty in cadence with its dancers."

The Immigrant’s Tango

Sitting amongst refrains of nostalgia
rooted in past shadows
A walled flower
waiting

Eyes meet,
in trespass or invitation?
Her vined legs unwind
from the seat of familiar
Uprooted

Facing,
With one arm they embrace,
their other stop-sign hands clasp
marking a joined border
of resistance

Transplanted onto this dance floor
soiled with memories,
they negotiate the boundary
of their new, shared space
With each haunting call of the bandoneon,
compelling their circling steps
into now

The insinuating rhythm
unites them with one pulse
and yet
the eternal push, pull
hiding, enfolding
Clinging to the music’s strains
drawing them together, apart
this tensile arrival, separation
never quite pausing
in past or future

Just a timeless heartbeat
of sinewed silence
before the music propels them on
Moving as one,
the dancers seek freedom
through their locked embrace,
escape without departure
Echoing the bandoneon’s pull, push
Leaving, returning
Mourning, uniting

Into a finale flourish.
Then the tango begins anew.
(dimly remembered past seasons
litter their feet)
yet they dance on
singing for freedom
calling for home


(this poem was written by writer, tango dancer, and author of "The Chief Factor's Daughter" Vanessa Winn)

Miriam Larici & Leonardo Barrionuevo

So it looks like my new skill for the day is learning how to add YouTube Videos directly onto my blogsite. I've already posted a spectacular nature video of Dolphins making bubble rings to play with. But I'm going to add another spectacular video to this site. World reknown Tango dancers Miriam Larici & Leonardo Barrionuevo participated in a televised dance competition called "Superstars of Dance" last year. The video I am posting here is their performance in week 2 of the semi-finals. All I can say is that it is absolute "eye candy" and simply one of the most breathe taking performances I have ever witnessed. As well I think this video is an awesome representation of Argentine tango at it's finest. Enjoy!

From Conception to Birth

Jan 10/10

The dance floor flies underneath my feet like swirls of rushing water ready to engulf me at any second. Beneath me, the wooden floor boards creak and groan with utter delight at the sound of the fancy footwork being played on them like notes on a keyboard. Above me, music notes dance around my head, weaving a web of magic, mystery and music. With every pulsating beat it slowly reels me and invites me to succumb, an invitation in which I have no choice but to accept gladly. In a flash, past, present and future blend together in mysterious symphony as I begin to lose myself in the embrace of the mesmerizing Milonga beat.

As the enchantment strengthens it's grip on me, the people all around me on the dance floor become nothing more than blurred images. For a second I wonder if my eyes are deceiving me because they seem not unlike moving statues. In one moment, I find them circling all around me on the dance floor full of life and laughter. But in the next moment they seem still as statues, frozen in time completely like they had never lived or breathed. Yet even as statues there seems to be a quality about them that seems rather "life-like", as if any given moment they could burst into peals of laughter and resume their lively movement once again. But my thoughts and attention turn less towards the moving mass of humanity swarming beneath me as the hypnotic harmonies rapture my soul high above the dance floor and the melodies whisk me away into brief but everlasting state of euphoria.

Bit by bit the enchantment loosens it's grip and when I finally come to, I find myself standing on the wooden floorboards of Kikki and Eduardo's brand new studio, having just successfully finished a tango with a gentlemen. He smiles and nods at me as we finish our tango whilst in another room off to the side, peals of laughter can be heard as people got reaquainted with old friends while at the same time making new ones. Once more, I close my eyes and breathe in the positive vibrations in the atmosphere.

It has once been said that the Amazon rainforest the planet's lung. Ridding the atmosphere of the toxins while pumping out good clean air. If the Amazon rainforest was like a lung, then I would say that the studio was more like the chamber of a heart. Taking in all that tired oxygen-deprived blood and not only renewing it and enriching it with full of life giving oxygen but pumping it out to bring life to the rest of the body. The studio is a place that no matter what life has brought your way, the moment you walk through those door you start to become renewed with energy and life so in turn you can go back out into the world bringing positive vibrations with you.

I myself remember my first visit to the studio for a lesson one week after I landed here. My heart was tired, broken, and almost on the verge of collasping. But in the same way that the chamber of a heart enriches blood with oxygen, there was something about being amidst friends and being in that positive environment that began to wash away the negative affects of all I had been through. Life and hope began to pour back into my weary soul and everything started to work backwards......

If there is one thing I LOVE about Kikki and Eduardo is that they always bring their best to the table. Whether you are taking a private lesson with them in the studio or on the dance floor of a tango party (and I hope they will have many), the one thing that is guaranteed is that they give you their finest and their best every second that you are with them. When I visited the studio for the 2nd time, it was clear and obvious that they put special effort to make the studio a place where guests would feel at home. Planning and detail was given to the decorations. Food and drinks were were placed out to welcome all that walked through those doors. The atmosphere was one that was elegant, yet easy going and casual at the same time. But they certainly weren't casual or blasé about preparing and creating a welcoming environment

I have a Chinese friend who I met here named Silvia who asked me if I knew a good instructor that she could take private tango lessons with. I got her connected with Eduardo. And I want to comment here that in the Asian culture, we are taught to just save money and use it on things that are tangible and practical. So private tango lessons aren't something that would be highly thought of as a wise use of money in our culture. For her, it was a big step. After her first lesson, she got back to me and said that she loved it and could not be more pleased. And she told me all the things I already knew, that he listens carefully to your needs and wants and is very detailed in helping you correct and improve your technique. That one lesson led to many more lessons that she has had during her time here which has resulted in significant improvements in her steps. But I believe that Eduardo isn't just a great teacher. He is a great person with a big heart. And really what is happening is that the character that he has in his daily life just flows into everything he does whether he is doing lessons or making party preparations or having a chat with you. In everything he does there he listens carefully, pays attention to detail and make sure he is bringing nothing less than the best.

This country may not have alot financially but they never fail to offer me their best on a silver platter. This is one thing that I love about this culture. No matter what walk of life people are from, they do their very best to bring you their finest. I was reminded of that yesterday when I was having a pizza at one of the most amazing spots in this city for pizza. Literally, each ingrediant of that pizza was doing a tango on my tastebuds. I never thought eating pizza could be an experience in itself. I also see in action people giving their best everytime I go to church at CCNV. This is a church that for many years now, has learned the art of loving people and loving the people in the society around them. They have a good relationship with all levels of society, from the government all the way to the people on the street. Every single time I turn around, it seems like they are starting some new program to bring healing and hope to the people of Argentina.

When I started to attend the church, for many of them it was a new situation to have a friend or church member who was from North America and to whom spanish is a second language. But having practiced the art of loving people for so many years, they didn't miss a beat in welcoming me in. They always made sure I was taken care of and that I understood what was going on. They were (and still are) overly protective and nurturing of me. It is funny because in my life, I have attended churches (and I'm not meaning LOJ) who spoke my native language of english but I've not felt welcome in that church. And here I am attending church in a foreign language and they have created a space for me. There have been some other girls who are local Argentineans who have started to come to this church and initially they felt nervous and shy but the church members as well as myself welcome them right in and make it easy for them to make friends. I can see the church "setting a table" and create space for everyone who walks through our church doors.

They have the most amazing love for people. And they do have one of the biggest networks in Argentina with more than 30 000 members. The only problem is that they cannot translate their love for other people outside the spanish speaking world. This is where I come in. I recently announced to many of them that in my heart, Buenos Aires is my home and North America is only for visits. Not the other way around. And while in north America, everything that I am doing is to help their church down here. Whether I'm in North America one month or 6 months, Argentina is ultimately home.
And one of the visions for my life that have been birthed on my heart is to give them the gift of english. The next time I come back to Argentina, I'm going to be bringing back a ton of things to help them with the english lessons. And maybe setting up a system where they can have lessons with me. It is one thing to touch one persons life with the gift of english. It is another thing to bring english to a whole network of people who already have strength and resources. Together it would be an unbeatable combination :)

Having a vision is important. I think for me that was the best part of being there that night. I loved the food and the company and the dancing. But the greatest pleasures of all was seeing a vision that Kikki and Eduardo had become realized. I remember clearly one day when I logged into facebook. I had not heard or seen Kikki for a number of weeks. she had out of the blue sent me this message asking me now that I've been a few weeks in the city, what was my dream for my life. And I love it that she did that! I love conversations that make me think. I replied that my dream was to teach english. She replied back that she wished the very best for my dreams and dreams are important. Because that is where everything begins.

If you've ever gone to Kikki's website and read her past diaries about Argentina, there is a mention of the studio over and over again. And the vision of the studio wasn't just a place where dance would happen, but also a place where memories get made. But it all began in someone's heart just the way the humble beginnings of a child begin with a microscopic sized egg in the womb of a woman. For them, their vision has gone all the way from conception to birth. For me, my vision may not be realized yet but like a pregnant woman, it is fast growing inside of me. I think I just felt another kick.......

From Iguazu to "Ideal"

Dec 17/09

I could still hear the sound of waterfalls crashing against the rocks over and over again as I sat on the bus from Iguazú to Buenos Aires. It would be a sound that would haunt me yet invite me every single moment of the day for the rest of my life. On the 16 hour bus ride, there would be plenty of time to reflect on my 4 day adventure and contemplate having other adventures in this country. My mind kept thinking about how amazing it would be if I could say that I've been to the ends of the earth.....literally. For those who want to journey to the ends of the earth, Patagonia is the place to begin. I guess you could say that Bariloche, Argentina is the entry port for that adventure to begin. A city known for it's crystal clear lakes, well preserved forests, mountain ranges etc. From there as you head south, the voyage to the end of the earth will eventually lead you to an encounter with the famous Perito Moreno glacier where you will never be the same again.

But for now, my thoughts turned towards my very next adventure. For this adventure, I wouldn't need to travel very far. It was Eduardo Saucedo's birthday bash happening that same nite at "Confiterial Ideal". What a life I live......going all the way from Iguazú to "Ideal" all in one day. This was going to be interesting. At least it would be a comfortable bus ride. I still cannot get over how luxurious buses are in Argentina and how little of a difference you have to pay to upgrade and get a better level of service. The ticket there and back cost about $135 CDN and the chairs are massive, especially for someone like me who is short. It is equivalent to business class on a plane. And with the class of service I had booked, there is an on board movie and you get a hot meal, breakfast or lunch and a drink to go along with it.

With that thought came another thought about how far our money can go in another country. The total amount I spent on this trip came to about 1200 pesos which is $300 CDN. And $300 CDN covered EVERYTHING. My tickets there and back, accomodation, food and drinks both in Iguazú national park and in the hostel. Included in that $300 was my admission to the park for both days, special excursions like horse back riding through the jungle and wet & wild boat ride at the falls. It covered souvenirs and extra spending. $300 was the total amount that I ended up spending on this whole trip and it covered all that I needed or wanted. It simply blows my mind what is considered little in one country is alot in another. This experience helps me to see that there is a whole world outside North America and I can do very well in another country. I don't necessarily have to spend my life chasing the "Canadian Dream" in order to live well. There are tons of options for me in other country's if I'm just willing to think outside the box.

Anyway, back to the bus ride. After being an 1.5 hrs late, my bus finally pulled into the bus station in Retiro. Upon getting back to the residence, I got a much needed shower and dropped my clothes off at the laundromat. Another thing I love about this country is that here, in the laundromat, they do the laundry for you. All you need to do is just bring your clothes in and you can forget about it and go on with your day. Your clothes will be ready later on that same day or the next day. After a day of traveling, I cannot tell you what a heavenly feeling it was just to be able to pass my clothing off to someone else for 18 pesos ( just a little less than $5 CDN!!!!)

After freshening up, I grabbed my tango shoes and slowly began to make my way to "Confiteria Ideal". Not many people actually know that Eduardo and I, our birthdays are next to each other. Mine is on Dec 15 and he is on Dec 16. But might have shared the same birthday with him if my mother had not gone to the hospital to try and induce me. Apparently, an unborn child I had a very stubborn refusal to come out. Maybe for me, I was finding the womb of my mother to be as comfortable and luxurious as the coaches here in Argentina. After all, in both places I was getting food and drink brought to me on a silver platter and I also got to sleep whenever I wanted. Although the one advantage of the coaches is that you get to watch a movie but if you are unlucky, you may get stuck with a movie that is about as boring as watching amniotic fluid go by in the walls of of a woman's womb :P

Upon arriving at Confiterial Ideal, it was quite obvious that the place had been nicely decorated and well prepared for Eduardo's birthday. A couple of tables were put together so what eventually happened is that there were three full length tables side by side that sat about 10 people. These were where the friends and family of Eduardo could sit apart from the other tourists who were simply visiting for the lesson or the milonga. The lesson proceeded as normal, but not without tons of birthday wishes to Eduardo. As always, Eduardo Saucedo and Marisa Quiroga always give the very highest quality of teaching whether they are doing a group or a private lesson. For those of you who are non-tango people, if you are looking for something to do, just go to YouTube and type in their names. You'll be in for a real treat watching them dance and perform and it is an excellent way to get introduced to what Argentine tango is. And no, Argentine Tango is NOT fluttering around the floor like a silly idiot with a rose in my mouth. I want to comment that as part of the decor for Eduardo's b-day, there were rose petals and roses on the tables where the food was being served but at no point did Eduardo or Marisa or ANY of us pick up one of those roses and stick it in our mouths while dancing Argentine tango.

When the lesson ended, it was time for the party to begin. Plates of sandwiches and picadas got brought out for everyone. For those of you who are unfamiliar with what a "picada" is, I will explain. Have any of you been to a buffet where there is a block of wood often with meats or cheeses and olives etc on it. You are suppose to take something and put it on your plate if you desire it. Here in Argentina, people can actually order a "picada" and have a block of wood with meats, cheeses, olives etc brought to them personally and they will eat it as a meal. There are many different types of "picadas" you can order and you can order it for an individual or a group. I had a picada once for myself when I was in a rush and I was really hungry and wanted something to eat but I wanted something that I could eat that would be fast and filling. The word "picada" literally comes from the spanish word "picar" which means "to pick". Because you are literally sitting there "picking away" at meats, cheeses, olives etc. The concept is extremely European and also makes for a very sweet and delicious meal :)

People who know Eduardo know that he is a very generous big hearted person who loves life and loves people. There is an Irish proverb that says "There are no such thing as strangers, just friends we haven't met". I think that proverb describes Eduardo perfectly. All were welcome to the food at the tables, friends, family, and tourist and visitors who happened to be there that night for the lesson or the milonga. Eduardo and Marisa and Kikki laughed and chatted with the folks who were there, and it was such an enjoyable evening that nobody noticed when Eduardo and Marisa quietly slipped out to go get changed and ready for the performance that they would be doing around 12:30.

After the people had gotten a chance to do some regular dancing, Eduardo and Marisa then re-emerged dressed from head to toe, completely ready to perform. It constantly amazes me how these two people who are internationally known and well sought after all over the world, can be completely professional and yet totally personable and approachable at the same time. One minute, Eduardo is taking plates of picadas and humbly offering it to guests and the next minute he is poised and ready to go. Marisa, this same woman who I was laughing with last week about the time she made her cats miserable when she tried to give them collars as a Christmas gift (a gift they did NOT appreciate LOL), now stands there elegantly dressed and ready to demonstrate tango perfection.

The crowd cheered as the two of them took off like a rocket. Their feet memorizing the beat and moving in complete harmony with the music and with each other. And it was clear when you watch the look on their faces that they were enjoying every single moment of being able to perform. Eduardo's countenance showed as being gentle yet firm as he led the steps while Marisa closed her eyes and let her legs do the rest. One thing I love about the Argentinean culture here is that there is a love of life that comes in everything that these people do. Whether they are sharing a maté in each other's homes, or lazing around on a park bench, or dancing tango, Argentineans soak up every minute of life and live it to the max and Eduardo and Marisa are no different. Each dance that they did had a newness to it and they made it look totally fresh, as if they were doing it for the first time ever. It is a rare mix to see people in our world who are perfectionist and professional. Yet with all the pressure and busyness that they face, they have a complete balance and their faces radiate with joy every beat and every step.

When the performances were finished, Eduardo thanked everyone for coming. He was simply beaming at seeing everyone show up for his b-day. He reminded us once gain of the things that were important in life, respect, freedom, joy, peace and most importantly LOVE. These things form the basis of every aspect of his life, both personally and professionally and these are qualities that radiate out from him in everything that he does- whether you are having a simple chat with him or while he is doing a class or performing. You can feel the energy permeating from Eduardo and you can feel that the presence of other people makes him come to life.

Later that nite we were treated to Argentinean folk dancing. I had seen some of this dancing when I was in San Antonio de Areco and it is fun to watch a different type of dance that goes on in Argentina that shows yet another side. This country and culture is rich with traditions. Speaking of traditions, there is a tradition in the tango community that when someone has a birthday, what happens is the birthday person would get in the middle, then someone would start to dance with them. Then another person would come and the other person would leave and the next person would continue the dance. This keeps happening where the birthday person dances with person and after person until the music was finished. And Eduardo would not be exempt from this tradition. Dressed up in his fancy clothing, all of us got to have a chance to dance with him. When it was my turn, he was so sweet, he immediately told me "Happy birthday" as the two of us were on the dance floor.

There were so many ladies there who wanted to dance with Eduardo that I think he went through 2 songs before all the ladies who wanted to dance with him had the opportunity to. Marisa was one of them. Now she was dressed back in her regular casual clothes. It was fun to see Eduardo and Marisa dance again and it is here that I will tell you something very interesting about the dance culture. Here in Buenos Aires, the difference between tango for performance and tango that is danced in a milonga social dance. The difference is like NIGHT and DAY!!!!! Of course their moves are just as elegant and beautiful and technically perfect as the performance they had did earlier that evening. But they looked just as stunning as ever doing movement that was gentle and subtle. Which goes to show you that in tango, you can be just as beautiful doing something light and subtle as you are doing big dramatic moves. Sometimes, people who are joining Argentine tango for the first time think that the only way to look beautiful is to do the dramatic moves they have seen on TV. And those are the moves they want to learn. But once they start dancing for awhile, they begin to see that tango is something that is danced from the heart, even if you are performing in front of crowds of people. The tango community values both dancing that is done for performance and dancing that is done socially in milongas. And some milongas (depending where you go in the world) the moves that are done for performance gets mixed into a social dance at a milonga. It gets interesting to watch how the culture of tango varies from country to country.

At the end of the nite, it was time for cake as well as time for us to surprise Eduardo with a gift that some of us has pitched in to buy for him. He was pleased with the cake and pleasantly surprised with the gift. The celebration continued with people dancing into the night. Having been a long day for me, I bid good night to the three of them and went on my way. That night I drifted off to sleep to the mysterious melody of waterfalls but this time, the sound was mixed with the enchanting milonga beat that now danced within my soul as well :)

Chocolate Churros & Croissants

Sept 22/09

I stared doubtfully at the tray of objects placed before me and counted again one more time. ONE......TWO......THREE.......three churros to be exact accompanied by a cup of chocolate, some milk to go along side of it and a small jug of water. But this time there was a foreign item that had not been present at my last visit to Cafe Tortoni. A media-luna, an Argentinean croissant. A series of events was what got me here in Cafe Tortoni staring at a croissant. Namely being a lesson in english that got cut short as well as an email recommendation from a friend requesting a blog on this exquisite Argentinean treat. Looks like in my somewhat budding career so far as a writer, the only pieces I'm getting commissioned to do are to write about eating croissants. And I get absolutely no royalties either! But we all have to start somewhere right?


I toyed with the croissant playfully for a moment or two, probably much to the disdain of the elegantly dressed but overworked waiters as well as the upper class crowd of both locals and tourists. Being not only an outsider but having a more bohemian edge I do admit that I feel somewhat out of place in this high end environment. Finally, without further adieu, I poured some chocolate into the tea cup provided and added some milk to water down the sweet thick taste. Then I gracefully took a churro and ever so gently dipped it in the chocolate drink. When the drizzling hot brown liquid had soaked through the churro, I placed it between my lips and let my taste buds do the rest.


Ahhhhhhhhhh........no wonder this café is so famous. The lightly sugared churro and the sweet thick liquid chocolate did a tango dance together on my tongue that brought a smile to my lips. Not wanting the dance to end, I quickly took another piece and repeated the same motion. Churro to chocolate and then churro to mouth. With plenty of drinks of water in between to wash down one's palate properly to keep the sweet taste from being overwhelming.


But it was then I noticed the media-luna was still sitting there alone on my plate. Not wanting to leave my precious media-luna out on the action, I gently broke a piece off and pretty soon it too found itself first being dipped in that glorious sweet brown liquid and then beginning it's journey into my mouth. The moment the croissant touched my lips I knew I was in for something special. If Cafe Tortoni was like the garden of eden then that chocolate dipped croissant would have been the forbidden fruit. Simply stated it was sinfully delightful. Although this time my sins against me were being counted in calories rather than penances. And this sinful deed would be something I would be repeating again and again for the next 3-5 mins until all that was left now of that media-luna was a plate of crumbs.


I stared hard at the plate of crumbs, wishing that instead sitting there was a whole croissant. No matter, I can always come back. After all, I only live a block away. I have to admit that I have never been one for croissants and pastries. But there is something about this country's ability to redefine even the most mundane of everyday foods into something extraordinary. A blast of the cold night's air once again hit me as found myself walking through the great double doors of Cafe Tortoni. I couldn't help but feel like I had just somehow taken a visit to the garden of eden and back......

Of Shoes and Souls

Sept 18/09


Today I had a little time to kill before having to walk over to Glady's house for the lesson in english. So now that I've seen alot of the touristy sites, my goal is to begin looking and finding some of Buenos Aires best kept secrets. I found myself wanting to get in touch with my tango side so I wandered into Darco's a local tango shoe and clothing store. I have a little list of things that I would like to purchase while my time here in BA and one of them is a classy set of tango shoes. I browsed around and explained to the lady what I wanted and soon I was looking at some classic black shoes that I could use with any one of my clothing. It cost $200 ARS which amounts to $50 CDN. I told her that I would think about it. I have 6 mos here and there is no rush. I also saw some lovely tango clothing and was thinking about how nice it would be to get decked out in full tango clothes one day and go dancing.


Then an interesting thought came to my mind that it's funny how such a value gets placed on the outside. In my tango lesson their other day, an emphasis came that I need to get grounded in the basic tango walk and get that right. For all my non-tango friends, this may sound simple but it is not. The tango walk is something that takes long to master and even after you've mastered it, sometimes you need to review the basics. It's been more than a year since I started dancing and sometimes on the dance floor, I have a great ebb and flow and people have a good time dancing with me. But sometimes I do slide and I do need to get grounded on the basics. In figuring out my finances here, I realize that as much as I want to spend money on things that are exterior and look nice, it is much better for me to spend money on classes and get grounded in my walk. And it's interesting because society places such an emphasis on the looks and the outside but in all things in life, it's really how you walk that matter and what is inside your heart.


What gets interesting is that growing up in Christian circles, alot of Christians do not smoke, drink, or swear (we'll we're not suppose to!!!!) And people get really judgmental on people who are lighting a cigarette and doing something we've deemed doesn't look good to others and is unhealthy. Addiction is an interesting topic for me because although I am not a smoker, let's just say that I'm no stranger to addictive patterns. People who know me very well and know about my past, know that there are extremely dark things about my past that I am attempting to leave behind that attempt to surface every so often. Looks are definitely deceiving in my case!


One of my biggest frustrations on my path is that it seems at times growing up in the background that I came from, looking good was what mattered most. As long as Angelina didn't go to bars do any of those "un-christian" things then all is well. Nobody cared to check on the inside to make sure that my soul was actually healthy or that things were all in working order on the inside. And there was a time period which I did do the "church" act and tried to look good and only do things that were considered good. That got me nowhere except becoming totally miserable! So decided to do a massive reno on my life and now I try to take care of myself from the inside out. Today, I may not fit the mold of what everyone considers to be a "proper" Christian. But ask anyone of my friends and they will tell you in an instant that Angelina is one of the most real people there is. She is fun and easy to talk to and can totally be someone who is spiritual and do spiritual things and church activities. But she can switch modes in an instant and doesn't think twice about going out for a drink and a laugh. In short, I'm not in any kind of a box!


You should have seen the look on Glady's face when I told her about the time that I had dinner with church people and then went to hang out a a local gay bar afterwards. And YES, Gladys is a Christian. On a side note here, the pentecostal/evangelical movement has strong roots in Argentina. Gladys goes to a church o 30,000 and in fact, her church will be hosting a conference by the people of Hillsong church, Sydney Australia here in BA in November. We always have interesting discussions on the Christian faith and theology. As a result, at this point I think that I've learned enough Christian vocabulary in spanish to be able to start my own church in any spanish speaking country haha Anyway after telling her what I did, I said "I'm a really different Christian aren't I?" To which she replied "Yes, indeed you are!" LOL


But what my point is that society puts the emphasis on things that are very exterior. Like I said previously, there are many ways to be unhealthy, not just one. People can hold unforgiveness, have deep childhood issues, have addictions and are emotional and psychological. I have seen people who pride themselves as being very "clean cut" degrade and go to such a level of darkness and deception and they've gone further than any one puff from a cigarette will ever take them! Things look good on the outside but when you look inside the heart and soul what you find the is REALLY scary.


At the beginning of this year, several of my friends came to me saying that they would really love to quit smoking. And I wish them the best with all my heart and will do everything I can to be a supportive friend. In fact, I would say that almost all of my friends actually do smoke. And I want to tell you guys something, you guys are actually some of the healthiest and most beautiful people in my world right now. It is because when I have conversations with you guys, there is a very pure, positive energy that is there.You guys are incredible, mentally, emotionally, and internally all over and there is so much that you bring into my life when we are together. I think there are many people stuck in religious circles who could learn from the way you guys live your lives. In fact, I think there whole circles in society and whole church congregations that would benefit from spending a day with you.


And I want to encourage people on this list to put your emphasis on the inside and everything will follow. Just like in tango, once my walk is right it sets the stage for anything else that happens on the dance floor. Yes it's good to want to look good. And keeping the body healthy is of vital importance. But it is more important that your soul be healthy. Because it is from there that everything flows out. At the end of the day, that's all you need to live well. If your soul is healthy, then you will want to keep your body healthy, and you will want to look good and feel good. As for me, all I can say is that for now, I'm taking what time and resources I have and using it to better what matters most- my tango walk. But there is a day coming that I will be at a milonga here in BA with nice shoes decked out in full tango garb with a beautiful walk and stunning moves to go with it........

From Alto Palermo to a Tango Studio

Sept 17/09

Estoy mojada! That's spanish for "I'm wet!". When it rains it pours here in BA! I've just come back from walking in the rain after talking the Subte all the way back from Palermo after taking a private tango lesson with Eduardo Saucedo and Marisa Quiroga. I'll tell you all about that in the moment after catching you up on my day.

It was my day off today, I don't have to teach English. So I had scheduled a private lesson with Eduardo Saucedo. My adventure today would take me into an area of BA called Palermo. The area is known for it's restaurants, parks, and shopping centres. Today I would experience a little bit of modern day Argentina with a tango twist.

Having a little bit of time before my lesson, I made my way to one of BA's premier modern art museums named Malba (the name not to be confused with "Malbec" which is an Argentinean red wine). The moment I walked through those doors, it was love at first sight. Definitely a very temporary design, the museum showcased modern art by up and coming latin-american and hispanic artists. I managed to get a few shots of the museum before I found out that I wasn't supposed to take any pictures at all. Oh well, at least the shot of a wooden bench unravelling is going to make an awesome facebook profile photo.....

After I was finished there, I still had a little time to kill so I headed towards Palermo Alto, Palermo's premier shopping destination. Walking in there made one's jaw drop. Argentina is definitely not in the dark ages when it comes to fashion! All around me were stores with designer brands just like you would find in any main street in New York. Coupled alongside these big name brands were hip clothing stores for the modern women by home grown Argentine designers.

One in particular is called Rapsodia and I had read about their stores in my guidebook but this is the first time I had ever seen and been in one. And I must say that within minutes of walking into the store, I was quickly becoming a fan. Normally I'm not into shopping, fashion, and clothing but it is a rare moment when you click with a certain designer. And this was one of those moments. Rapsodia is unique in that it was created for women who love music, art, and travel and are looking for modern clothing with a bohemian twist. Perfect for a girl like me!

I quickly proceeded to tell the girl what my body type is and what my needs were and it wasn't too long before I found myself with a pile of clothing in the fitting room as I tried on Rapsodia for the very first time ever. It wasn't too long before I found a set of jeans and a top that I am very close to falling in love so I had the girl write down what it was and it's price. The jeans would be $448 and the top would be $328 ARS. $776 pesos which would equal $200 CDN if I decided that I AM truly madly in love. Or maybe I should save that money for more private lessons with Eduardo. Hmmmmmm..............

Speaking of Eduardo, after my fitting it was then time for me to go for my class. Kikki gave me some directions on how to get to the new studio and it wasn't long before I found myself having a lovely chat with Kikki at their brand new place just a block away. And although I didn't get a chance to know Kikki or Eduardo while they visited Victoria every year, I count myself richly blessed to have this opportunity now.

Kikki has been simply wonderful. She has such a wonderful nurturing and generous spirit about her. Even during the busyness of getting ready for Eduardo's group class on Tuesday, she still found time to take a few moments to check in with me to see who I was doing and to make sure I was adjusting well to the city. I assured her that other than a few bumps in the road, everything was fine and she has made it clear that the doors or her heart are open to me if I needed any help during my time here.

Soon it came time for the lesson. It constantly amazes me that here we have these two world renown tango masters who are totally professional and totally down to earth at the same time. Before the lesson, Marisa and I had a brief chat. When we first met a year ago during a milonga, english was a language that was very new to her and all I had was my broken spanish. All the work I did during this past year to learn spanish made it worth it when we got to have a little chat and catch up on how things have been. And it looks like she's grasped more of the english language during this past year as well.

One of the ultimate perks about learning a new language is being able to have open doors to friendships with other people that you otherwise might not have that opportunity. Gladys is one of those people. She is friendly and sweet spirited and every nite that I'm at her place teaching english and dining together, we can be sure that our talks are none other than stimulating. I haven't had alot of time to get to know Marisa but there is something about this woman. that I really enjoy seeing her, being around her and talking with her.

Have you ever met someone who at just the right moments can be quiet, and gentle natured and observant at times but at other times is full of energy and life with plenty of interesting things to say? From the few conversations I've had with her, I think Marisa is a fantastic balance of both and is no doubt in my mind is another one who is worth learning another language just to be able to get to know.

Then the lesson began and it was time for an in depth evaluation of my tango skills. Taking a deep breath, Eduardo turned on some music and we did a simple walk to see where I was at. The results of the tango lesson bore much fruit in my life. At the beginning of the lesson my tango walk was definitely more on the rough side and by the end of that hour, it had become obvious that under the guidance of both of them, those rough edges started smoothen out just a little bit. It took only 1 hr with Eduardo and Marisa for me to seeing the results I needed, results that would normally take 4-6 weeks or more with regular group instruction. And it helps that I'm with people that I love being with!

For those of you in our tango community, I don't need to tell you that Eduardo is one of the most big-hearted people you will ever know. Whether he is doing his group class or doing a private lesson, he is not only caring but also a tremendous amount of fun to be around. Even when he is correcting my technique, he does it in such a caring, down to earth manner that makes learning fun. His mission and message of love, hope, the embracement of life and putting out positive vibrations into our world are evident in his character and person whether he is on the dance floor or off of it.

The lesson finished beautifully and after the lesson was over, I got to have another lovely chat with the three of them. The combination of their three distinct personalities blending together in harmony when they are all together makes me want to not wait too long before booking my very next tango lesson...........

After kisses good-bye, it time to hop back on the Subte to go back to the residence. Somehow, even though I had to stomp through the rain soaked streets of BA, the journey home didn't seem so long. In a big city, where things can feel somewhat cold and foreign, there is nothing that warms you up in no time like a fantastic set of people who's hearts are open to you at all times.