Scouting tour from Buenos Aires extended another month...

Hola tangueros!

I´ve decided to take some of your advice and extend my stay, by another month! The outlook for financial services layoffs and mergers looks pretty gruesome from a job search perspective, and rather than hit my head against the wall pounding the pavement fruitlessly, I´ve decided to kick back for another month here in Buenos Aires, take a class or 30, and hit the local milongas.

March 22 (Saturday)
I tried to go to the Curchirulo milonga (Maipu 444) but they would not let me in. They said there was no room, no tables, but they seemed to let other portenas in after me. When I saw Roberto Riobo at a milonga later that evening, he said that the place was a bit red-necky and hostile to foreigners (though the dance level there was quite high). I was bummed out, but I just hopped in a cab and went to Sunderland (Lugones 3161) again, and had a wonderful, wonderful time. They greeted me as if I were an old friend, even though I had only been there once before (the prior weekend).

March 23 (Sunday) & March 25 (Tuesday)
Afternoon milongas at Confiteria Ideal. I had a blast. Everyone there was extremely friendly, and the crowd was a nice mix of portenos and international folks. Seating was formal with women on one side of the room, men on another side of the room, couples on another side of the room, and random stray singles on the forth side of the room. Dancers used both the cabaceo as well as the tap on the shoulder and verbal "Bailamos?" My roommate Gail, who is a newbie to cabaceoíng, did well there and danced quite a lot -- which goes to show how open to international folks and friendly the portenos there were. The afternoon milongas are a great way to get your last BsAs tango groove on while waiting for the evening flight.

March 23 (Sunday)
Dinner show at Confiteria Ideal (150 Pesos = $50). My new porteno friend Adolfo is one of the dancers in the show, so he comped me in. Good thing, because the dinner portion of the show had extremely poor, maddening slow service and just average food. The show was OK but not fantastic. There are other dinner shows on other nights; I think Thursdays would be good (Eduardo Saucedo and Marisa, maestros from CITA, are dancers that night).


Ana de Buenos Aires