Saturday, August 31, 2013

Rob and Deb take on BA!

MOM AND DAD arrive in BA after a two hour delay at 7am! We had ambitiously planned to go to a work out class but after 15 hrs of travel they had to nap and I didn't meet them til 1230. 
She's here!

Thankfully they brought the sunshine with them and it was 75 degrees put! We had a great lunch at an outside cafe and enjoys a bottle of wine to celebrate us being together finally! We walked around the cutest area called Palermo Soho and went shopping (got a leather jacket woo!). 

Lunch time toast!
The Cutest parents!
Such a midge 


After a long day of shopping we ended up going to a work out class called Localizada. It was basically old fashioned aerobics and mom and I were hysterically laughing the entire time as i learned that dad has ZERO rhythm. Although it wasn't the hardest work out it was quite entertaining! 
For our first dinner it was only appropriate to go to a steak house. This was te first time I saw my mom eat meat!! Huge day!  
Now thats a sausage


It was such a fun dinner and after Jenna and I met friends at Alamo. Unfortunately I had a sore throat and lost my voice so had to go home early. 

Monday, August 26, 2013

San Isidro

After getting home at around 6am the night before, we had to wake up for a tour of San Isidro at 1030am the next morning...it was sooo rough. It was a really long day and to be honest not that fun, but we got some good pictures and did see another part of Buenos Aires. It has a very gothic look to it and at some points reminded me of Duke! 
cute parts of the city
The city center- with cobblestone streets


At the "Mirador de los tres eombues"- an amazing view of the river

The gothic architecture- this chapel made me feel like I was back at Duke!

After a tour of the city we had a tour of the Villa o Campo mansion. It is an old home of a wealthy family that was built in the city with many different styles of influence from Europe. It was beautiful but the tour was extremely long and boring and in spanish and extremely hard to understand.

Our tour guide

The beautiful mansion!

After we were taken to get tea on the river. It was a beautiful site to be at but it was freezing so we could not really enjoy the outside. We were also still exhausted and just wanted to get home. 



We make it seem like we are really enjoying ourselves...

That night I took a 4 hr nap and did not go out to recover from the crazy friday night we had. I was very impressed when all my friends rallied for another night but I was happy to be feeling not hungover and healthy for a very productive sunday spent working and enjoying my day. 







Cooking Class and Argentine Birthday Party

Friday was an amazing day/night!

After finishing spanish class we went to a cooking class taught at one of the best cooking schools in Buenos Aires. We learned how to cook for four straight hours! 
We started off by making empenadas- for one simple empenada is a lot of work!!
We learned how to cut onions, tomatoes, potatoes, and peppers really small put them into a pan and cook them with the ground beef and some sort of corn. Then we wrapped the empenada skins around them in cool designs. 

We had to cut every vegetable into tiny pieces!

Then we cooked everything together

You can really see the detail/hardwork that goes into one simple empenada


The meat empenada stuffing


Teaching us how to put the empenada stuffing we had cooked into the actual empenada with cool designs!

We then cooked steaks yumm. 



SO MUCH MEAT



We seasoned it only with olive oil, salt, and pepper and it was so delicious!

We made two different types of desserts 



A three layer cookie with double layer of dulce de leche filling and a merengue top..WOW


Our second dessert- gooey dulce de leche filling wrapped and then eventually fried

Making our desserts!


The finished dessert! YUM

And like all cooks...we eventually had to clean our mess...


At the end of the class we were presented with certificates saying we had mastered the "Argentine Cuisine". It was a cute last touch to a 4 hour cooking class!

Us with the head chef!

Getting my certificate...very important moment


"This is more important than my high school graduation" -Roberto



 That night was the best night yet! Our mom invited us to join her at her dinner party. At first we were hesitant and were not sure if she actually wanted us there but after she insisted we come we were excited! It was me and Jenna, Gioia and her boyfriend, and another couple. The entire time they were talking about their 26 year old son, showing us pictures of him and raving about him. We started off with appetizers in the living room and the most amazing Malbec wine I have ever tasted. We then moved to the dining room table where the chef had prepared a meal of fish, creamed spinach, and mashed potatoes. All the while we were taking glasses of wine to the face! It was delicious! Right before dessert we heard a knock on the door and to our surprise it was their 26 year old son they had just been raving about! (we think this was a total setup). We end up having dessert finishing 8 bottles of wine between the six of us and then sit in the living room for coffee when she opens two more bottles of champagne!! CRAZY.


The dining room table set up for our dinner party...sadly the only pic from this epic night

The son's name was maximo and was reallllly nice. He would speak in broken english and we would speak in broken Spanish. He invited us over to his friends birthday party which we ended up loving! We walked in all 30 people stopped talking and stared at us as he said "Welcome the Americans!". It was hilarious and we ended up staying at this party drinking amazing white wine sangria and playing drinking games until 4am when we left to go to a club til 6am! What a night! And unfortunately no pictures...









Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Uruguay day four- Colonia

For our last day in Uruguay we took a bus in the morning for 3 hours to the town of Colonia. It was such a cute town that was located right on the water and so small and navigable and even had cobblestone streets!

Such a cute town!

Such cute shops

We had lunch at the cutest restaurant where we went inside to someone's garden and Jenna and Janelle got the "best sandwiches of all time".

At the restaurant!

The delicious fresh squeezed lemonade

We then explored the town!!

Ruins of the city

Buying from locals

We climbed to the top of a light house!

View from the top

We were right on the water

Top of the light house!

We then went down to the water and watched the sunset. It was really one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen. The photos do not even truly capture what I saw before my eyes. It really was a moment to just be. No worries in the world and witnessing the most beautiful sunset in the world. It was really moments to be cherished and remembered.


The sun was literally a full circle setting in front of our eyes


Little boy frolicking the beach!...artsy

Love



Sad teddy and pardee are having bro time...

breathtaking




We went to dinner, rode the ferry, and returned home after an incredible weekend!