have a nice fall

It's a perfect day. Perfect, perfect, perfect. I have spent a radical week. The summer is slowing blowing away. Sure, there will be a couple of days of pounding thunderstorms and blistering heat between now and winter in the predictable unpredictability of Buenos Aires but in general, these days are lovely.

Fall has fallen hard upon me. I have new ambitions, ideas, and projects. My first action was to going totally radical and join the local gym while trying to avoid the scores of tight, tanned-bodied porteñas staring at my pasty cottage cheese thighs and redeveloping my swim stroke to something akin to one-small-step-above-doggy-paddle. On Monday I am signing up for my next Spanish class at UBA and enrolling in DJ school. DJ Chuli on the 1's and 2's. Boo ya!

This morning the sun was shining and the breeze was a-blowin so I decided it was a fine time to take la banana out of retirement. Sure, on my long road from Almagro to San Telmo I was nearly killed by an ambulance (oh, the irony¡) and saw a man get stabbed (he's gonna pull through), but aside from a few typical city obstacles, I emerged unscathed. My poor bike is teetering on the brink of failure but if the city's delivery men are any proof, a janky bike is better than no bike at all. I hope the weather keeps up so I can keep on cruising.

They say that Buenos Aires is not a bike friendly city but I have to disagree. It's not a even a pedestrian friendly city and really, if you are brave enough to leave the house at all, you are throwing the dice. This may be the only place in the world where a Hummer would be justified. But the skies are blue so it's time to sack up and hit the streets. Grab your mate, head to the plaza, and enjoy it while you can.

the one and only

This photo was ripped and I hope they don't mind that I use it. Heather (on the left) playing city girl with her sister Alice (who needs no introduction). Gorgeous beings are all around.

Heather Christensen really is the one and only. I met Heather in high school, took one look at her, and decided that I was in love. She radiates buena onda, is trustworthy, creative, exciting, fun, endlessly inspiring, and just divine. Thanks to the unbreakable bond between her sister and mine, Heather and I are linked forever, whether she likes it or not.

A few weeks ago, Heather dropped the joy bomb that she and her partner in crime, Taylor, are coming to visit Buenos Aires. I could never prepare for Heather. She generally sweeps in, makes everything better, stays for too short a time, and jets of to the next adventure in life. I can't wait to see her again after (gasp. really?) years.

Before Heather arrives, she will be DEEP in the throws of her new project. I understand that she is curating her first exhibition at The Guggenheim in New York City. It's called Neither Here Nor Now and you can visit www.neitherherenornow.cow for more information.

I ask all readers to please check out the magic that is Heather, and that if you are in NYC that you stop by between March 16th and April 28th to see what she has creative. It's beautiful, full of light and energy and worth all of our time.

An excerpt from the press release:
Neither Here Nor Now: Transformations in Time, Space and Perspective features 16 prominent works by seven emerging New York artists. In this diverse show of painting, drawing, video and site-specific installation each artist explores transition, movement or an alternate reality. Presented by the Ise Cultural Foundation and curated by Heather Christensen, Neither Here Nor Now reflects issues of identity and transformation that are especially relevant to New York lifestyle: Who am I? What will I become?

We could all use a little more art in our lives. Well-curated art? Even better. Like Welsh Rarebit or toasted marshmallows. So yummy! I am so sorry to miss it, Heather. I am counting on more when I shuffle back to the USA. So... if you are in New York, are from New York, once met a guy from New York, have a second cousin in New York, keep a vacation home in New York, etc., then check it out and email all appropriate parties to check it out...and brush shoulders with greatness.

Empanaditas

My one and only, Paul Rivas, has started a blog just to bite me! After a year of various blog jokes, he has thrown in the towel and decided to see for himself what all the fuss is about. Like I told him, he'll be on MySpace in no time. Check him out at One Sorry Blog - great domain, and not just a clever name. It is indeed, pretty sorry.

The thing that will make his blog work better than mine ever has or ever will is his total dedication to sloth. Within 24 hours of setting up his own blog, he realized he could never maintain it on his own and has since recruited all sorts of weirdos to contribute on a regular basis. The result will be a sort of e-zine on a variety of topics. I decided to help him out and write a gringa's guide to cooking for him. You can check out my first rant about the wonder that is the empanada by clicking this link.

I hope you continue to check out One Sorry Blog, as well as mine which doesn't have as much going for it, or a cool name but is written with love. And I hope people reading sack up and leave more comments! Tell me how much I suck - I need to hear it once in a while.