Mother's Day in Los Angeles

Ruben and I miss our mothers every day.

But at least this year I am with my family in Los Angeles. Flowers, perfume, a night at a club where a friend is the musical director. Not bad to be a mom sometimes! Happy Day to all the moms out there and to all who have or have had mothers. (That's everyone!) Where would we be without them? 

Annual Thanksgiving Post

Just like Art Buchwald used to do with his Thanksgiving column explaining the custom to the French, here is a republishing of my annual Thanksgiving post. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone, even if this coming Thursday isn't your traditional day. We all have much to be grateful for.


Each autumn when the harvest is brought in, the people of the world throw a party. Here in Argentina the grape harvest is celebrated in March in Mendoza. But at any time during the year, somewhere in the world people are giving thanks for their blessings.

The biggest holiday in the U.S. is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November, and is also a harvest festival. Bigger than Christmas or the 4th of July, it is Thanksgiving Day. No matter the culture, race, or religion, on this day the salad bowl of American people are united by one tradition: a family feast of traditional foods (with ethnic specialities often added), and then football on TV.


Did you know that eight nations of the world have official Thanksgiving Days? -- Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Japan, Korea, Liberia, Switzerland and the United States. (But try as I might, I could find no information on Thanksgiving in Argentina.)

The ancient tradition of declaring a special day or period for giving thanks goes back to the time when our ancestors hoped that an ostentatious display of gratitude would placate their capricious gods - thus ensuring continued bounty. But these days of thanksgiving were also occasions for celebrating the year's plenty with feasts and joyful gatherings.

Proclaiming days of Thanksgiving for various reasons - success in war, a bounteous harvest, the recovery of a king from illness - was part of European tradition for centuries.

Modern North American Thanksgiving lore is associated with the Pilgrims. In 1621, a year after arriving in the new world on the Mayflower, and following a severe winter in which many of their numbers had succumbed to disease, the colonists celebrated their first successful harvest by organizing a thanksgiving feast to which they invited the neighboring Native Indians. On the menu for that first American Thanksgiving were almost certainly some foods that are staples of the holiday today - turkey and pumpkin - along with other wild fowl, venison, oysters, clams, fish, corn cakes, and wild fruit and nuts.

But enough about history! What's for dinner?


On most North American tables, a turkey still holds pride of place for the annual Thanksgiving feast. In the US alone, over 40 million turkeys are consumed on this holiday weekend each year!

In November 1997 the United Nations General Assembly unanimously declared the year 2000 as the official International Year of Thanksgiving.






That same year, an English writer and director, Gurinder Chadha, came out with the quintessential American Thanksgiving movie, called, WHAT’S COOKIN? In it, four families in Los Angeles, my hometown, celebrate Thanksgiving Day. The families are Mexican, Vietnamese, Jewish, and black, and show the dysfunctions and problems that all families have in common. On Thanksgiving Day, their commonality is also thankfulness.






We all have something to be grateful for, especially we expats, even though it's hard to be far from home and family on this most American of holidays.


Springtime in Buenos Aires is not turkey time, and last year we had a delicious Argentine barbecue on our terrace, but still, on Thanksgiving Day and every day, I am thankful for you, dear readers!

La Virgin de los Dolores

A repost from 2007

Today is Our Lady of Sorrows' special day.






















La Virgin de los Dolores is very dear to me. I really feel the pain of mothers who watch their children suffer.

On the Friday before Holy Week, in Mexico where I used to live in San Miguel de Allende, her day is celebrated with special, elaborate, and creative altars in homes and businesses. During the evening people solemnly visit as many as possible, always being offered a "fruit water" to drink that symbolizes the Virgin's tears. And the next day the altars are all taken down and preparations begin for Palm Sunday.

Four years ago I offered to build an altar in my friend Nelly's mail service office. I researched the symbols and spent the night before putting little flags into bitter oranges. Early in the morning I bought a bucket of fragrant fresh mint and chamomile to spread over the altar and on the floor. I used my purple satin Victoria Secret nightgown as a backdrop, because purple is her color of sadness.

Here are Nelly and me with the altar:

It was a fabulous experience for me, a time of much contemplation, meditation, and tranquility. How I miss the over-the-top spiritual life of Mexico! But you know, one Sunday three years ago after I first moved to Buenos Aires from Mexico, I was longing for the processions that used to move pass my window in San Miguel, and I looked out of my window in Congreso and saw a procession on its way to the nearby church. It was sort of raggedy and small, very simple: a priest and two altar boys, a small image of the virgin being carried by four men, and parishioners following with a few bouquets of flowers. But it was faith in the streets all the same, and an answer to my prayer. God usually provides.

To read more about processions under my balcony, as well as two years of other Mexican experiences, both spiritual and carnal, click the link to MEXICO DIARIES.

Holiday Greetings from Ruben y Cherie

National Day of the Tango

Sandra of My Buenos Aires Travel Guide is always up to date with announcements of interesting events in Buenos Aires. I wrote about this special tango day last year, but this year I'll quote Sandra. (For Ruben and me, every day is a special Tango Day!) Go to Sandra's blog for more information on the free live orchestra concert with tango superstars and dancing in the streets:

Buenos Aires celebrates National Tango Day on Saturday, December 11th, 2010, with an open air free concert at the Obelisco, at 7:00 PM.
 

The Tango, declared by UNESCO as World's Cultural Heritage, celebrates its days in commemoration of the birth of Carlos Gardel and Julio De Caro. The stage will be mounted on Avenida 9 de Julio looking towards the south, there will be 8000 seats available to the public, and two large screens will be installed for easy viewing of the show.

El Dia de La Inmaculada Concepcîon

by Murillo, Bartolomé Esteban

Today is a holiday:  el Dia de la Inmaculada Concepcîon, a Holy Day of Obligation for Roman Catholics, or Dia de la Virgen, or the Day to Put Up Your Christmas Tree.

Check out my last year's post here.  I had my Virgens wrong, but still it's the national day of decorating for Christmas. Everyone brings out there tinseled  plastic trees from the closet and plugs them in. Dress shops drape ornaments around the bikinied mannequins in display windows.

Just to let you know, my beautiful little pine tree lives on and today we will bring it in from the terrace and decorate it for another year.

Ruben--my Papa Noel and my Christmas present

A Harvest Festival Remembered

Just like Art Buchwald used to do with his Thanksgiving column explaining the custom to the French, here is a republishing of my annual Thanksgiving post. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone, even if this coming Thursday isn't your traditional day. We all have much to be grateful for.


Each autumn when the harvest is brought in, the people of the world throw a party. Here in Argentina the grape harvest is celebrated in March in Mendoza. But at any time during the year, somewhere in the world people are giving thanks for their blessings.

The biggest holiday in the U.S. is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November, and is also a harvest festival. Bigger than Christmas or the 4th of July, it is Thanksgiving Day. No matter the culture, race, or religion, on this day the salad bowl of American people are united by one tradition: a family feast of traditional foods (with ethnic specialities often added), and then football on TV.



Did you know that eight nations of the world have official Thanksgiving Days? -- Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Japan, Korea, Liberia, Switzerland and the United States. (But try as I might, I could find no information on Thanksgiving in Argentina.)

The ancient tradition of declaring a special day or period for giving thanks goes back to the time when our ancestors hoped that an ostentatious display of gratitude would placate their capricious gods - thus ensuring continued bounty. But these days of thanksgiving were also occasions for celebrating the year's plenty with feasts and joyful gatherings.

Proclaiming days of Thanksgiving for various reasons - success in war, a bounteous harvest, the recovery of a king from illness - was part of European tradition for centuries.

Modern North American Thanksgiving lore is associated with the Pilgrims. In 1621, a year after arriving in the new world on the Mayflower, and following a severe winter in which many of their numbers had succumbed to disease, the colonists celebrated their first successful harvest by organizing a thanksgiving feast to which they invited the neighboring Native Indians. On the menu for that first American Thanksgiving were almost certainly some foods that are staples of the holiday today - turkey and pumpkin - along with other wild fowl, venison, oysters, clams, fish, corn cakes, and wild fruit and nuts.

But enough about history! What's for dinner?


On most North American tables, a turkey still holds pride of place for the annual Thanksgiving feast. In the US alone, over 40 million turkeys are consumed on this holiday weekend each year!

In November 1997 the United Nations General Assembly unanimously declared the year 2000 as the official International Year of Thanksgiving.






That same year, an English writer and director, Gurinder Chadha, came out with the quintessential American Thanksgiving movie, called, WHAT’S COOKIN? In it, four families in Los Angeles, my hometown, celebrate Thanksgiving Day. The families are Mexican, Vietnamese, Jewish, and black, and show the dysfunctions and problems that all families have in common. On Thanksgiving Day, their commonality is also thankfulness.








We all have something to be grateful for, especially we expats, even though it's hard to be far from home and family on this most American of holidays.


I am very thankful that this is my #644 post on tangocherie. Time does fly!
Springtime in Buenos Aires is not turkey time, and we're going to have a delicious Argentine barbecue, but still, on Thanksgiving Day and every day, I am thankful for you, dear readers!

Feliz Primavera!

Here in the Southern Hemisphere, today is the first day of Spring! Called the Spring Equinox, the September Equinox, or the Vernal Point (you can read more about the celestial explanations here and here.)
 

Spring Tulips by Elizabeth Brinton


Spring is celebrated big time in Argentina, especially Buenos Aires, where there are special Primavera parties and milongas, and everyone salutes their friends with Feliz Primavera! Maybe because Porteños tend to love hot weather and the vacation and leisure that summer promises. It's a bit weird for me because my March birthday was always celebrated in springtime, along with Easter, and now suddenly it falls in autumn. But any occasion to celebrate is a good one, I say.


A tango print by Elizabeth Brinton illustrated my last post on the Embrace, and I'm using another one of her stunning prints from her beautiful new website now for spring.

Bicentenario en Boedo

We are almost at the end of the huge Bicentennial celebration here in Buenos Aires. A legal four-day weekend, it actually began one day earlier for many as they headed out to their "contries" or to the beach or Uruguay.





































Ruben and I did our part in celebrating Argentina's Bicentennial this weekend, and we began on Friday. The local colegio, Martina Silva de Gurruchaga in Avenida Boedo, had a beautiful historical pageant in which Ruben and I took part (the only adults.)

Maybe because the official Bicentenario only gave the tango a passing nod, the school pageant was all over it, and the show portrayed the history of social dance in Argentina from the minuet up to tango electronico.




































The kids portrayed early colonists, indigenous, immigrants from Italy fresh off the boat in La Boca, comparditos, and the beginnings of tango. One boy even danced with a broom, a long tradition in Argentina. When it came to the 20's and El Choclo, Ruben and I were honored to perform it (and I was also all decked out in Argentina's colors). Unfortunately, the video got erased by accident before I had a chance to download it, so you'll just have to take my word for it how the audience of students, parents, faculty and friends enjoyed it. :) And I was SO proud to take part.


After El Choclo, the kids went on the demonstrate Piazolla with rhythmic gymnastics and tango electronico, and traditional tango was left behind as an historical artifact.

Expatriate Holidays

Today is Easter Sunday. It seems like a quiet Sunday like all the rest. But it's on days like these that I miss my hometown and old life the most.

Easter morning in the olden days, there were egg hunts, church, and then a traditional lunch of baked ham or leg of lamb.









Easter Tree somewhere in Germany


All of that is literally and figuratively a world away. As an expatriate for ten years, I've spent many holidays alone and in other countries. But it doesn't get any easier.

Even when it falls in autumn and the days are growing shorter and the earth is getting ready to sleep, Easter is still the season of hope. I'm looking forward to the visit of my son Jason next week; now if only he could bring a honey-baked ham!

Buenos Aires for Kids

Occasionally we have a guest post on tangocherie in the spirit of community. As we are now in the middle of Holy Week, many people are on vacation here with their families. Samantha Lister from Tripbase.com offers the following advice on entertaining children in Buenos Aires.

Buenos Aires is renowned as a beautiful city seeped in history with many attractions, from gourmet food to designer boutiques and an exhilarating nightlife, including numerous tango clubs.

If you are planning a family trip here, you know it is important to consider everyone however, but what activities are there to keep children entertained? The answer: Buenos Aires is a great, safe city for children of all ages. Across the city, children are very much welcomed and there is a wide variety of vacation ideas to keep the whole family busy.

One attraction definitely worth considering is Palermo Zoo, with over 350 species of animals, including an elephant house, monkey island and a petting area. Palermo’s parks are also a wonderful place to take children, providing the perfect setting for walks, picnics and outdoor sports. You can even hire bicycles or a boat if you’re feeling particularly energetic!

If you’re looking to engage the children as well as entertain them, Buenos Aires also offers an array of educational visits, including a puppet museum, an interactive science museum and a purpose-build children’s museum with a wide range of fun learning opportunities.

You will also find there are a variety of restaurants with children’s menus and hotels that provide facilities for children of all ages, meaning you can enjoy a stress-free break with plenty to see and do for both adults and children alike.

So, whether you are 9 years old or 69 years old, Buenos Aires is sure to offer an array of .activities to suit all tastes and interests. The spirit of Buenos Aires awaits you and all the whole family for a vacation you will never forget…
For more travel tips and vacation inspiration, check out the Tripbase
Travel Blog.





From tangocherie: I agree that Buenos Aires is a great place for kids. In addition to the above ideas including the Children's Museum in the Abasto Shopping Center, I suggest colorful La Boca with street art and mimes (and tango dancing, of course), puppet shows in the parks, the fabulous historical Sarmiento frigate museum in Puerto Madero, AND, reopening this Sunday after 4 months, is the Feria de Mataderos--a kids' delight, what with all the horses, ponies, llamas, delicious street food and live music and dancing.

For tangophiliacs, Nocturna at the Centro Cultural Recoleta is tango and circus under the stars for the whole family.

And what could be more appropriate this week than a visit to the Holy Land, Tierra Santa, the theme park of three religions, where you can remove your shoes to enter a mosque, slip a prayer into the Wailing Wall, and see Jesus' Resurrection every 90 minutes.





Happy Passover!
Happy Easter! Felices Pascuas to you and your family!

Feliz Año Nuevo! Happy New Year!

I can't believe it's almost 2010!!
Sending wishes for joy, health, prosperity, love, and thrilling tangos in the New Year!

Felices Fiestas!

I had so much fun making this on Smilebox! (Please bear with me if you've seen it before.)

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Suffice it to say, from our home in Boedo, Buenos Aires, to yours wherever you are, in summer or winter, heat or cold, may you have joy and love and hope and blessings this holiday season!


Merry Christmas! Feliz Navidad!

A Few Favorite Papas Noel

A Santa tango in front of Esquina Homero Manzi
at San Juan y Boedo
































Ruben trying on his Papa Noel outfit in preparation for playing Santa Claus for his twelve grandchildren--and one great-grandson! That's our little living Christmas Tree (I hope it lives!)







Santa flying through the sky at the Grove in Hollywood last Christmas.






Christmas Eve 2008, son Jason and I went to a family party.










Jason and a Ms Claus at the party. No one seemed to know who she was.