BUENOS AIRES
Happy Columbus Day from Buenos Aires! It's also an official holiday here as well, although I haven't really done the research to understand why Christopher Columbus is honored in this South American country. But I'm sure he "discovered" here, too.
Today has been really low-key because after days of sunny spring weather we're experiencing some light rain and overcast skies. And despite most stores and restaurants being open, the streets have been really quiet and it does feel like a Sunday. So I decided to just hang around doing nothing. But then I got bored so I packed up my laptop and went searching for wi-fi.
I've found that in Buenos Aires, wi-fi is widely available at certain bars. Sure, they're also available at cafes, but also bars. So I decided to see what that experience would be like, which is how I ended up here at Tazz Soho Entertainment Bar in Palermo Soho, a touristy, ritzy area that's just a few blocks from the bed and breakfast I'm staying at.
Tazz Soho looked really cool from the outside. And it is smack dab in the middle of the hip neighborhood (that tries to be New York by calling itself Soho even though there's no Houston Street around). Then I walked in and while there's a full bar, it really is more a Dave & Busters because upstairs is the entertainment section with billiards and games. So combined with the pulsating club music are kids screaming and video games sound abound. What fun. ;-)
Here's a view of the bar. BTW, I didn't mention that I'm blogging this live at 6:48 p.m. Buenos Aires time. Yes, this is considered the afternoon for the portenos (locals) because they're not really going to have dinner until after 10 p.m. So they're just hanging out having snacks and drinking wine. I'm actually the only one taking advantage of the wi-fi access and am the only one with a laptop. They must be thinking: strange American with his odd hours for wi-fi surfing.
So since I'm at a bar, I decided to get a glass of red wine, or Malbec, but ironically they only sell it by the bottle. At least, that's what my waitress told me. But then again, she doesn't really speak English so I had to try to talk to her in broken Spanish and the universal tourist sign language. She eventually said she'll give me wine by the cup, but I wasn't sure how much she was going to charge me for it, so I just got a mojito.
I also got the Tazz special dessert, which is pictured above. I wasn't expecting much, but it was really good. It's a warm chocolate cake with two scoops of dulce de leche ice cream and a sprinkling of nuts. I liked how the cake was fresh and warm and the ice cream was wonderful.
It does seem a bit weird working on a laptop at a bar, but this is the only way I can think of killing time until dinner in another four hours. I still really don't know what Argentinians are doing at this time since they're neither eating nor sleeping. Time for another mojito!
Tazz Soho Entertainment Bar
Location: Armenia 1744, Palermo Soho, Buenos Aires
Food: Sandwiches, salads, pizzas, pasta, desserts
Coffee: Yes, with Bailey's and more
Wi-Fi: Yes, free, no password necessary
Outlets: None
Restrooms: Yes
Seating: Lots in the front lounge area and in back on the first floor.
Cleanliness: Average
Dressed-For-Success Polenta with Herbed Oil
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6 comments:
We loev your blog, what an entertaining and informative blog! Do you have any good Italian recipe's so we could use you as a guest poster?
Thanks FOI, but not sure any of my recipes would work on your blog since they're often Americanized versions of Italian dishes made simple for the single cooks. But you can browse my archives. I often like to make risotto, etc. Email me if you want to chat more. Thanks for visiting! Ciao!
So Ben, why are you in BA in the first place? Vacation? Work? Just a cool place to blog from?
Agent713, yep, just on vacation, and it is a cool place to blog about. But even though I'm here for 10 days, I still don't feel like I've discovered everything about Argentinian food. I'm just getting a flavor of the food here.
Hi Ben!
I'm American too, I'm working and visiting Argentina for a few months. I have a cousing living here, and she took me to that place youu mentioned here. I liked it but I thing there are better places.
And of course, just like you, I really cann't understand how Argentinian people can manage to have dinner so late!! I'M HUNGRY!!
How long are you staying here? and Where? I'm staying in one of the Buenos Aires apartments that I found on the web, so I can invite you (it's my apartment, I can invite people, not like hostels, that's the advantage), you can come with more friends,.. Answer me! :)
Hope you to stay here in Argentina for more time!
Jess
Hi Jess
Glad you found my blog and my Buenos Aires posts! But if you read the date at the top of each post, you'll see that I was in Buenos Aires back in 2008. This is an old post of when I was traveling there.
I'm surprised you went to Tazz Soho after what I said about it because you're right, there are better places and I wrote about a few fun places I went to. Just click on the travel label on my posts and you'll get all the past posts, then you can see where I went while I was there (in 2008!). ;-)
It's so funny that you posted now because I have a friend who is visiting in May so he's planning his trip and I recently had to review my posts to gather up some tips for him. So Buenos Aires has been on my mind lately. Fun times! Hope you enjoy your time in Buenos Aires. Living in the apartments so like a smart move.
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