Steak and Ice Cream....oh no!

Now I know why I gained weight last summer.

I met a friend of Larry's today for lunch at El Sanjuanino, the little neighborhood place that is right across the street from where Larry stayed last summer. They have great empanadas, homemade pastas, good steaks, and delicious lentils. I had my first steak and it was yummy. It was grilled to perfection, had a really yummy taste and was perfectly done. I also had a salad. Last year the salads came with dirt. It got to the point that when we'd go Larry would ask for a mixed salad with no dirt. The servers would look confused and Larry would explain to them that their salads were dirty. Well, good news Larry - the salad had no dirt. It was really good. Nice clean lettuce, onions and yummy tomatoes. I usually don't like tomatoes in the winter because they have no flavor, but these were really good.

Larry's friend Richard was very nice. He's been here since the end of May and is staying a few weeks more. He's off to travel around Argentina for a bit and then back to NYC. It was good hearing his perspective on things and learning about some of his favorite places.

After Richard and I parted ways, I went back to the Buenos Aires Design Center in Recoleta, after first stopping at church. There is a really lovely little church next to the Recoleta Cemetary. I was there on Sunday, but it was mobbed, because the weekends are always mobbed there. I just wanted to stop in because it is a really pretty church. I bought a little souvenir and then went to the design center. It turns out that even though my apartment is furnished, it is not properly stocked for cooking. I bought some knives at the Design Center on Sunday and from what I've seen, they were a real bargain. And they are good knives too. Very strange that this very touristy place in the very posh Recoleta would have a bargain. So I went back today to see if I could find some pots and maybe some wooden spoons. I have one pot in my kitchen and a few small frying pans with no lids. If I really want to cook, I'm going to need more than that.

But I didn't find what I was looking for. The pots they had seemed expensive. I am hoping to find a set that is reasonable. I have a new project.

After leaving there I headed back home as I was feeling a bit worn out from having lunch. I walked down Pueyrredon Avenue hoping to find an ice cream store, and voila! There is was - Freddo.

According to my guide book, Freddo is not the best ice cream in Argentina. They say that there are smaller "artesan" shops that make their own. Freddo is a chain and is low on the run in terms of quality. I know that I like Volta better than Freddo, but since Freddo was there, in I went. I got a bitter chocolate and dulce de leche temptation (but think I got regular ddl). I went outside and too my first bite. Pretty damn good! The more I ate the better it got! I think they put something in it like nicotene that gets you addicted. Now I want more

I am trying to limit my ice cream and beef intake. I am tentatively saying no more than ice cream once a week. I guess I will have to limit the size too, because I could very easily eat a gallon in one sitting. Beef is easier to limit simply becasue I'm trying to budget as well and I don't like beef nearly as much as I like ice cream. Wow, Argentine ice cream is soooo good!

I'm sitting at my desk now and the sun is coming in through the window. According to the little weather notes on my desktop, it is one degree warmer here today than it is in San Francisco (59 here, 58 in SF). Funny that winter here is warmer than summer there.

I think I am going to take a nap and then either hook up with my new conversation partner (if I get back to him) or walk over to the tango school and pick up a schedule. I am sort of pushing myself to get out and join in some tango activities. I was invited to the queer milonga tonight by a guy I met online, but am feeling weird about going, first because I don't know this guy and second because my experience at that milonga was not the best. I am also having tango anxiety. Even though I really love tango, actually getting out there and dancing at the level that I am at, causes me a great deal of stress, especially if it involves dancing with strangers. The person I most love to dance with is my teacher Amy, in San Francisco, becasue she is always so patient and throws out compliments like beads at Mardi Gras (whatever that means). What I mean is that she is very encouraging and never critical, and she is a good tango dancer.

Tomorrow I have a busy day lined up. First I have my private tango lesson with Marcelo, my teacher from last year. I look forward to him saying "mas pivot" - telling me to pivot my hips more - or maybe he won't say that, a sure sign that I have improved. After that, I am meeting Juliana, Larry's ex-Spanish teacher who I met last year and really liked. I am going to have private Spanish lessons with her once a week. It looks like tomorrow will officially begin some of the routines I am setting up for me that will set the tone for my stay here.

Once things get rolling, I will be having Italian and Arabic once a week (two different days) and a private Spanish lesson and one private tango lesson, also once a week (probably also two different days). On top of that, I am trying to set up some language exchange partners and once all that is set, I will be taking tango classes at the tango school. It looks like I am going to be pretty busy. The nice thing is that with the exception of the language classes, everything else will be pretty flexible and I will be free to take time off as I need it, or if I want to travel.

Ok, this sun coming into my bedroom is too much. I need to get back into bed with a book and take a short nap before I decide what I am going to do for the rest of the day.