Vive la France!

There’s a big French cultural event going on in Buenos Aires over the next couple of weeks, and Venetia, Cecilia and I decided to take in the market at the French Embassy on Sunday. It turned out to be a beautiful early spring day, and the crowd was huge.

Even at an event like this, French food is always a treat. For a quick lunch on the move, I had an open-faced brie sandwich on yummy bread with walnuts and raisins; Venetia had a terrine of three different game meats; and Cecilia had a salmon mousse. All delicious.

Delicious chocolates and other goodies

It wasn’t all food. This lady was doing lovely pottery dishes

There was no shortage of sweets either. We all purchased little squares of rich, dark chocolate, alhough I was very strong and avoided the waffles!

The embassy itself is open on this one day every year for public tours, but the line-ups are so long it’s ridiculous. I did plan, nonetheless, to show up at 9.30 am and wait in line, but I have a rotten cold and just didn’t feel up to it. Next year!

I think I’ve said this somewhere before, but in a city renowned for its wonderful architecture, the French Embassy is one of the most beautiful. I can wander round it looking up so long I end up with a crick in my neck!

Christmas Day — and something new

Having celebrated Nochebuena with my Argentine “family”, I celebrated Christmas Day quite differently.

In the afternoon I went out to sketch. Not a great one I’m afraid, but I enjoyed sitting in Plaza Vicente Lopez making it. People were lying around in bikinis sunbathing, which was surprising enough that I had to record it!

In the evening, a small group of women from one of the expat groups I belong to got together for a potluck dinner at one of their homes. She has a beautiful apartment in Palermo, with a lovely little outdoor area filled with plants. We spent the evening out there chatting, eating and drinking — the perfect girlie night!

Standing waiting for the bus home around midnight, with the temperature still hovering in the high twenties, I actually said out loud, “It’s Christmas!” just to remind myself. We’re now looking forward to New Year’s Eve, and hoping the weather holds up because it will be an outdoor celebration.

Something different

It occurred to me that I could give you a better feel for Buenos Aires if I made some little short videos of some of the places I like to go. I won’t schedule them on any particular day, but just when I’m out and about and think you would enjoy seeing where I am.

In today’s video I’m on Avenida 9 de julio, near the beautiful building that is the French Embassy. I hope you enjoy it.