Bike ride

The past weeks have been crazy for me, lots of work. I am still struggling with some but a little more relaxed. So Saturday morning we decided to take a bike ride, since we have given my sister Luli a baby chair for Valentín and she has not have tried it.
So, we went over to the gas station in the corner to put air into the tires ....
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Las semanas pasadas fueron un poco extremas para mi, mucho trabajo. Aún estoy lidiando con cosas, aunque un poco más relajado. Entonces el Sábado por la mañana fuimos por un paseo en bicicleta, ya que desde que le regalamos a Luli una sillita para Valentín, todavía no la había probado.
Fuimos a la estación de servicio de la esquina para ponerle aire a las ruedas...

Heading towards the "Parque de los niños" at Vicente López : Yendo hacia el "Parque de los niños" en Vicente López.


A stop in "Carlitos" a place to eat hamburgers facing the river... : Una parada en "Carlitos" un lugar para comer hamburguesas frente al río...

and dessert!!... a Great pancake with Dulce de Leche, whipped cream and strawberries : y postre!!!... un panqueque con Dulce de leche, crema y frutillas.

Getting prepared to go to the park : Preparandonos para ir al parque.

We had so much fun! : Nos divertimos un montón!


After so many emotions, Valentín fell asleep : Luego de tantas emociones, Valentín se durmió.

Great Saturday : Gran Sábado

in.spi.ra.tion

noun

1 the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, esp. to do something creative.
ORIGIN: Middle English (in the sense [divine guidance]): via Old French from late Latin inspiration (-n), from the verb inspirare (see Inspire).

This is my post number 100 and I decided to make honor to the blogs that inspire me. To all of you thank you, you usually put a smile in my face every morning.
They are a lot, but I asure you that they all worth it!
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Este es el post número 100 y me pareció adecuado hacerle honor a los blogs que me inspiran. A todos ustedes gracias por ponerme una sonrisa cada mañana.
Son un montón, pero les aseguro que todos valen la pena!

Here they go, no order in particular, just how they are in my bookmarks.
:
Acá van, sin orden en particular, como están en mis favoritos.

Una flor de papel . Maintenant/Ahora . Camilla Engman . Triathletemom . Shim + Sons . Inside a black apple . red.house . Mecozy . Karin's style blog . allbuttonedup . the glass doorknob . Tamansari2 . simply photo . Lisa's Musings . design sponge . Muerto de risa . design sponge guest's blog . Deep thoughts by Turd Ferguson . noodle was here . 3191 . Elsa Emily . Dwell blog . Apartment therapy . Design spotter . The Sartorialist . Shop my closet . Chocolate à chuva . Tea note . On my desk . twelve22 . angry chicken . coolhunting . Designer's library . Style court . o . sew green . the paper pony . Lisa Congdon . Funky finds . Some girls wander . The Daily Green . Indie Fixx . 'Round the world . Cupcake blog . Milk and Cookies . she who eats . Salt Shaker . Cupcakes take the cake . the red kitchen . not martha

Corte marcial

This Saturday morning we went over to support our friend Susana because she was taking the exam to get the yellow belt in Kung Fu.
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El Sábado por la mañana fuimos a apoyar a nuestra amiga Susana, ya que tomaba el exámen para pasar al cinturón amarillo en Kung Fu.


Congratulations Su!! : Felicitaciones Su!!

Soup season

Cold weather, hot soup
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Clima frio, sopa caliente


Homemade beet and apple soup
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Sopa casera de remolacha y manzana



Freezing the leftovers
:
Congelando las sobras

International Worker's day

is a celebration of the social and economic achievements of the international labor movement.
:
una celebración de los logros sociales y económicos del movimiento laborista internacional.

happy day!
:
feliz día!

Friday . Saturday . Sunday

La Chapelle exibition at the MALBA . Rain . Dinner at Pat . Rain . French Toast . Rain . Tira de asado at the Gallegos . Rain . Walk at the Dorrego . Rain . Mexican delivery + Snakes on a plane + popcorn (could not be other way!) . Rain . More new music . Rain . Waiting . Rain . Submarino + homemade cake . Rain . Lotus neo Thai with Lari and Josefina . Rain .


After a great weekend, I am suffering the consecuences, actually my hang over comes from the food side... to much.
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Luego de un gran fin de semana, estoy sufriendo las consecuencias, mi resaca proviene de la comida... demasiado.

Monday in bed, haven't ate anything, I can barely keep water inside...
:
Lunes en cama, no comí nada, ya que apenas tolero el agua.

pal.y.nol.o.gy

the study of pollen grains and other spores, esp. as found in archaeological or geological deposits.
ORIGIN 1940s: from Greek palunein "sprinkle" + -LOGY.

The past week I've been taken a class about palynology in the Cuaternary at the Natural History Museum (MACN).
It was an intensive course of 8 hs. each day. The classes were very interesting and it was fun too, 'cause I got to do them with some of my collegues friends that work at the MACN: Carolina (Paleobotanist); Oti (Paleoxylologist - studies fossil woods) and Luis (palynologyst as me, but specialized in the Tertiary, more recent stuff).

Anyways, the idea is not to bore you with scientific stuff, but to show you some of the museum. I was not able to make a tour neither take lots or good pictures (I had not time!!), but here is something...
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La semana pasada tomé un curso sobre Palinología del Cuaternario en el Museo de Ciencias Naturales (MACN).
Un curso intensiov de 8 hs. por día. Las clases fueron muy interesantes y diverticas, ya que tuve la oportunidad de cursar con algunos de mis colegas amigos que trabajan en el MACN: Carolina (paleobotánica del Terciario); Oti (paleoxilologo: estudia los troncos fósiles del Terciario) y Luis (palinólogo como yo, aunque especializado en el Terciario también).

De todas maneras, mi idea no es aburrirlos con cosas científicas, sino mostrarles algo del Museo. Aunque no pude hacer un tour ni tomar muchas fotos (no tuve tiempo!!), acá va algo...

The Museum's facade : La fachada del Museo

Roberto and Luis at the Paleontology room : Roberto y Luis en el cuarto de Paleontología

Some dinosaurs : Algunos dinosaurios


Some mammals : Algunos mamíferos

Malacology room, better known as the Molluks's room : La sala de Malacología, mejor conocida como la sala de los Moluscos

updating the ipod

Some new music, Keane for the easy mornings, JT to update the party music listing and an old debt that I had to myself: Get ready!
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Algo de música nueva, Keane para las mañanas fáciles, JT para actualizar los listados de música de fiesta y una vieja deuda que tenía conmigo: Get ready!

Martinis

Last night we went over to have dinner to a new place called Mosoq.
A restaurant inspired by the Peruvian cuisine. The food was OK, beyond average Palermo places but still not great.
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Anoche fuimos a cenar a un lugar nuevo llamado Mosoq. Un restaurante inspirado en la cocina peruana. La comida estuvo bien, más allá del promedio de los lugares de Palermo, aunque no excelente.

Another story were the drinks, specialized in Martinis, this place had a long list of them. Each of us tried a different one and we were all happily satisfied. I could not resist to try the Sex in BA, based in passion fruit... (who would?)
:
Otra historia fueron los tragos, especializados en Martinis, este lugar tenía una larga lista deellos. Cada uno de nosotros probó uno diferente, y todos quedamos felizmente satisfechos. Yo por mi parte, no pude resistir la tentación de probar el Sex in BA, basado en maracuja... (quién no?).


My dessert: "un pellizcón" (a pinch) based on coffee, specially to get ready to the night that was ahead of us
:
Mi postre: "un pellizcón", hecho a base de café, especial para prepararme para la noche queteníamos por delante.

and back to reality...

These next weeks are going to be crazy with work. I have to finish a revision of a paper; write a new one before May, prepare something for a meeting next month , assist to the class that I am already attending and next week I am taking a n intensive course of actual palynology...
Let's see what I can do with this blog :)
:
Estas próximas semanas van a ser bastante atareadas. Tengo que terminar la revisión de un paper; escribir uno nuevo antes de Mayo; preparar algo para una reunión también el mes que viene; asistir a la clase que ya estoy tomando y la semana que viene voy a tomar un curso nuevo sobre palinología actual...
Veremos que puedo hacer con este blog :)

See you soon!
:
Nos vemos pronto!

What a birthday weekend!

Colonia Uruguay Asado Friends River Clouds Sun Sand Coffee Brunch Reading
Borat Rain Water Pool Bloody Mary Cheese Candles Champagne Cake Tequila
Music Dancing Photos Wifi Walking Will Ferrel Sleeping Buquebus full moon...

more photos here

Thanks Larissa!

New project : Nuevo proyecto

My friend Adrienne, who lives in Paris, and I are developing a new project. We are writing a new blog called "Cartas interpuestas" in collaboration. A blog dedicated to post more confidently about recipes; decoration stuff; shopping... in paralell.
So you are all invited, take a look and we would appreciate your comments!
I am sorry to say that by now the blog is written only in spanish .
:
Mi amiga Adrienne, quien vive en Paris, y yo estamos desarrollando un proyecto nuevo. Estamos escribiendo un nuevo blog "Cartas interpuestas" en colaboración. Un blog dedicado a publicar más confiadamente sobre recetas; cosas de deco; shopping... en paralelo.
Están todos invitados, den una vuelta y sus comentarios serán bienvenidos!

New habitants : Nuevos habitantes

It has been raining since the begining of the week, the clothes does not get dry, and everything smells awfully : Estuvo lloviendo desde el principio de la semana, la ropa no se seca y todo huele horrible.

Nevertheless it was a nice surprise to find these new habitants of one of my planters : Sin embargo fue una linda sorpresa encontrar estos nuevos habitantes en una de mis macetas.

Welcome then, for all the time that you may stay! : Bienvenidos entonces, por todo el tiempo que puedan quedarse.

New address : Nueva dirección

My brother and my parents moved from the appartment across the street to a place in Palermo. A ph with a little garden with trees, a deck and a pool!!! : Mi hermano y mis padres se mudaron del departamento de enfrente a un lugar en Palermo. Un ph con un pequeño jardín con árboles, un deck y pileta!!!

This was Sunday, Scott and little Valentín cleaning up the pool : Esto fue el Domingo, Scott y el pequeño Valentín limpiando la pileta.

First try : Primer intento

one of the morning's routine is to read all of the blogs that I have in my bookmarks, a list that is continuously increasing, friend's blogs; craft's blogs; art's blogs; crazy blogs and food blogs among others, and is in one of these that I got inspired to bake these gingerbread cupcakes with cream cheese frosting... I must say that they turned delicious... if anyone wants the recipe do not hesitate to ask!... : Una de las rutinas de la mañana es la lectura de todos los blogs que guardo en mis favoritos, una lista que crece continuamente, blogs de amigos, de manualidades, arte, blogs locos y blogs de comida entre otros, y es en uno de estos donde me inspiré para preparar estas cupcakes de jengibre con cobertura de queso crema... y debo decir que resultaron deliciosos... si alguno quiere la receta no duden en avisar!...

Due to my inexperience the cupcakes were not that symmetrical : Debido a mi inexperiencia las cupcakes no fueron tan simetricas.


Cupcakes ready with frosting and some color : Cupcakes listas con cobertura y color

Nice weekend everyone : Buen fin de semana

Autumn

New haircut : Nuevo corte de pelo

C.o.i.n.c.i.d.e.n.c.e.s

last night we went over to have dinner to a new closed door restaurante: Casa Felix : Anoche fuimos a comer a un Nuevo restarurante de puertas cerradas: Casa Felix.

Talking about signs, coincidences, and things… I can not let pass the fact that the chef’s girlfriend and coowner of the place, is a girl that we saw 3 years ago in Brazil, when Scott and I started dating. We didn’t meet her actually, we just saw her once in a boat sailing to an island near Barra da Lagoa, and thought she was the kind of person that a friend of ours would like (she is really pretty)… weird : Hablando de signos, coincidencias y cosas… No puedo dejar pasar el hecho de que la novia del cocinero, y co-dueña del lugar, es una chica que vimos 3 años atrias en Brasil, cuando Scott y yo empezamos a salir. Nunca la conocimos, solamente la vimos en un bote yendo a una isla cerca de Barra da Lagoa, y pensamos que era el tipo de persona que a un amigo nuestro le gustaría (es muy bonita)…loco.

They only have 12 seats and of course you can get there by previous reservation. It is a single table which force you to socialize with the other guests. We had the luck to share dinner with Adriana, the Spa manager of Home and a cuisine teacher (with no animal derivates, pretty strange in these lands) and his wife. It was a great night, talk and food… : Solamente hay 12 lugares y por supuesto solamente se puede acceder previa reserva. Es una sola mesa la cual obliga a socializar con los otros invitados. Nosotros tuvimos la suerte de compartir la cena con Adriana, la spa manager de Home y un profesor de cocina (sin productos ni derivados animales) y su mujer. Fue una gran noche, comida y charla…

The menu : El menú



Dinner consisting of a couple already set dishes with the option to accompanie them with different wines or a wine tasting. They offer a selection of wine glasses for each plate. Larissa and I picked that option : La cena consiste de una serie de platos elegidos los cuales pueden acompañarse con diferentes vinos o una degustación de vinos. Ellos ofrecen una selección de copas para cada plato. Larissa y yo elegimos esa opción.

We ended up having a drink at Zanzibar to toast for St. Patrick : Termonamos tomando un trago en Zanzibar para brindar por San Patricio.

Cheers!

belive in signs?

I want to know . Quiero saber

I might be getting a little monothematic, still...

dinner last night, Pork with plum and rice and some home made apple chutney : la cena de anoche, Cerdo con ciruelas y arroz además de chutney de manzana casero.


Granny Smith apples, sugar, ginger, onion, cinammon, nutmeg, pepper, wine vinegar : Manzanas verdes, azúcar, jengibre, cebolla, canela, nuez moscada, pimienta, vinagre de vino


Pork, plums, onions, mustard : Cerdo, ciruela, cebolla, mostaza

Chutney done : Chutney terminado

and game over : juego terminado.

What a week . end

cooking cranberry-oat cookies : cocinando galletitas de arándanos y avena

last Saturday was Zanzibar's birthday, a bar whose specialty is rum. Located in downtown Buenos Aires, between too much concrete, the sanguine walls draw you in to this cozy place to have a drink with friends and may be with some new arrived from abroad, in the mood to meet some locals. Attended by the colorful Leo and the different owners which are in turns during the week, I can guarantee that you would have a tasty drink and exquisite company... : este Sábado fue el cumpleaños del Zanzibar, un bar especializado en ron. Localizado en el centro de Buenos Aires, entre tanto concreto, sus paredes sanguineas the invitan a este cálido lugar, para tomar algo con amigos y quizás con algún recién llegado de afuera con ganas de conocer algún local. Atendido por el colorido Leo y los diferentes dueños, que están en turnos durante la semana, les puedo garantizar que van a tener unos tragos sabrosísimos junto a una excelente compañia.

homemade flavored rums : rones saborizados caseros



So the party was crowed with friends and great ambiance! : La fiesta estaba llena de amigos un ambiente súper agradable.

Alfonso, Justo (my cute brother), Sebas and Pat

t-shirts for the habitues : remeras para los habitues

It is always Christmas

Our friend Pat came back from Paris this week, where she had to visit our common friends Adrienne and Gustavo, who sent us some great presents: White tea (which I have never tried yet!); some Spiced salt; a Clementine-cinammon candle; a Felt heart; a couple of tiny too cute to eat Candies and of course their always warm Words.... Who could ask for more?! : Nuestra amiga Pat volvió de Paris esta semana donde visitó nuestros amigos en común Adrienne y Gustavo, quienes nos mandaron con ella unos regalos increíbles: Té blanco (el cual todavía no tuve la oportunidad de probar...hasta ahora!); Sal especiada; una Vela de mandarina-canela; un Corazoncito de felpa; un par de Caramelos chiquititos demasiado lindos para comerlos y por supuesto sus siempre cálidas Palabras... Quién puede pedir por más?!

Thank you so much : Muchísimas gracias
Y

Ci vediamo presto, Antonio!

A flower day : Un día en flor

Passiflora coerulea L.

Rainy afternoon

I tried a new recipe, carrot muffins : Probé una nueva receta, muffins de zanahoria.

Great with a Smoky Russian tea : Muy buenos con té ahumado, Smoky Russian.

Weekend treats

Some gardening : Algo de jardineria

(more pictures soon : más fotos en breve)

The new Jardín with Cecilia's drawing : La nueva Jardín con ilustración de Cecilia.

340 million years ago...

One of the thousand things I am peeking in the microscope... isn't it amazing??
Una de las miles de cosas que estoy mirando en el microscopio... no es maravilloso??

A forest

The Argentine phytogeographic province called Espinal deserves its name due to the high proportion of thorny deciduous trees and shrubs that inhabit these regions. It is located in central Argentina extending from central Santa Fe through the province of Córdoba to the north of San Luis. In the northern section, the climate is warm and wet with summer rains. It is a mostly flat plain with low hilly areas. Soils are loessoid or sandy.
The vegetation is characteristic of deciduous xerophytic forests, palm groves, grassy savannahs, grassy steppes, bushy steppes. Espinal is characterized by the dominance of arboreal species of the genus Prosopis in the climax communities, accompanied by species such as Jodina rhombifolia (“sombra de toro”), Celtis tala and C. pallida (“Tala”), Geoffroea decorticans (“chañar”), Acacia caven (“espinillo”) and in some areas there are still Trithrinax campestris (the local palm “caranday”) which are isolated or in colonies occurring now as relicts.
It is believed that the only the agricultural expansion is the only threaten that this forest has, but the invasion of exotic species like Morus alba (“mora”); Broussonetia papyfera and Ligustrum lucidum (“ligustro”) between others, may replace completely the native species.

La provincia fitogeográfica del Espinal debe su nombre a la alta proporción de árboles y arbustos deciduos espinosos que habitan esas regiones. Se localiza en el centro de Argentina, extendiéndose desde el centro de Santa Fe, a través de la provincia de Córdoba hacia el norte de San Luis. En el sector norte, el clima es cálido y húmedo con lluvias durante el verano. Es mayormente un terreno llano con areas poco elevadas y suelos loesoides o arenosos.
La vegetación es característica de bosques xerofíticos deciduos, pequeñas colonias de palmeras, pastizales, estepas graminosas y estepas arbustivas.
El Espinal está caracterizado por la dominancia de especies arbóreas del género Prosopis en las comunidades climax, acompañados pore species tales como Jodina rhombifolia (“sombra de toro”), Celtis tala y C. pallida (“Tala”), Geoffroea decorticans (“chañar”), Acacia caven (“espinillo”) y en algunas areas aún se conserva Trithrinax campestris (la palmera local “caranday”) las cuales pueden aparecer aisladas o en colonias.
Se cree que solamente la expansion agrícola es la única amenaza que estos bosques poseen, pero la invasion de especies exóticas como Morus alba (“mora”); Broussonetia papyfera y Ligustrum lucidum (“ligustro”) entre otras, podrían reemplazar completamente las especies nativeas

Who is conquering who?? The expansion of the agriculture and the chañares facing it : Quién conquista a quién? La expansión de la agricultura y los chañares enfrentandola.

A couple of caranday,the local palm : Una pareja de caranday, la palmera local

It is easily observable the tops of the exotic trees : Es fácilmente observable las copas de los árboles exóticos

A comon ivy of the forest, Ipomoea : Una trepadora común Ipomoea

de . lurking?

The term de-lurking refers to when people introduce themselves on someone's else's blog through commenting. this is my attempt at coming out on my own blog to introduce myself to each of you new...and encourage all of you to do the same.

I started this blog because I was inspired by people I run into the web and by friends who had been blogging for years. I thought it would be a fun way to keep in touch with family and friends that are living away from Argentina.
I am a Biologist, and I am currently getting my PhD in Paleobotany. I live with Scott, who is living of acting in commercials (you can check on the label "blog sponsors") and now, by giving English conversation classes. Thai, our cat, lives with us, he is a pretty happy cat as he gets to go to the terrace to look for mice and to the hall to play with the other cats. We live contently almost all the time in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of Belgrano. It is close to school and to my family, which by the way, live just next door: my sister: Luli, her fiancée: Nico and their little Valentín, the one recently incorporated to the family. Justo, my youngest brother lives across the street, but unfortunately he is moving farther to Palermo. My parents live in a farm in Córdoba, a province in the center of Argentina, but they come often... and more since little Valentín was born.
Scott's family lives in the US, he has a sister: Kelly, which is married to Chris, they both live in a place close to San Francisco with their dogs: Nali and Nesta, as well as their parents: Keiko and Steve. They are such a great family as well and we are lucky because we get to see them pretty often.
The Monte (the farm’s forest) would be my place in the world. I love collecting plants and catalogue them. I love art expressed in any way. I love objects with history. I spend a LOT of time with my computer, by the way, called Clementine. I don’t like going to movie theatres on weekends. I like all kinds of music but in my I pod I have lots of metal-Goth-doom-heavy-punk rock, which I listen with the maximum volume. When I go out at night I cannot make it through more than 3 am. I try to swim 3 times a week and I do yoga once a week. I like to take buses everywhere, specially when they detour and I get to see different streets, if I have two ways to go I will take the longest one, for sure. I drink tea every morning. I love all kind of teas. I love to cook and I love to eat. I love red wine and Absolute Vanilla. Pasta would be my favorite dish and Passion fruit my favorite flavor. Paris would be the place to come back, again and again….and live?. I love cold and dry weather. I like wearing coats and scarves. I am very tidy and organized, chaos freaks me out. I am cold blooded; when I am cold I can only get warm if a take a hot bath. I take a shower in the morning and before going to bed. I don’t talk much and I don’t laugh much either. I have a tendency to see the glass half empty and I am strongly melancholic, even though I truly enjoy being alone. I thought about publishing this post A LOT… yes, I go to therapy.

oh those sweets...

Adrienne and Gustavo sent us some new treats!!...

Thank you guys!!