FAQ — Dining Out in Argentina
Q: What is the ‘cubierto’ charge that shows up on my restaurant bill? Is this a service charge? Am I a jerk if I don’t leave a tip since I’m paying this seemingly random cubierto charge? The cubierto is the ‘cover charge’ for the fork, knife, placemats and (often) stale bread you receive at the [...]
Crazy Fist — The Life and Tragedies of Boxer Carlos Monzón
I made the whole world talk, their hearts beat. I made them see that everybody has blood. –Leon Gieco, Puño Loco The exemplar of calculated aggression in the boxing ring, Carlos Monzón was at times a blazing, uncontrollable menace out of it. He was Argentina’s über-celebrity of the 1970’s. He dated the most famous movie [...]
Jewish Argentina
A trip to McDonald’s may not be the first item on a Jewish traveler’s to-do list when arriving in a new city. But there is something special about Buenos Aires: it is home to the only kosher McDonald’s outside of Israel. The kosher version of the golden-arched fast food chain is found in the Abasto [...]
Domestic Cricket in Argentina
Argentine Cricket may not be soaring on the international level but the domestic scene suggests more promising times ahead. The introduction of a Twenty20 competition is one boost. In a test match, the most professional version of the game, there are ninety overs in a day, and there are five days of play, thus the [...]
Cricket: The Gentleman’s Game in Argentina
Cricket is a quintessential English game that should be enjoyed on a pleasant summer’s afternoon, broken up by breaks for Earl Grey tea and cornered sandwiches. To a first time viewer the best way of describing Cricket is as a warped game of baseball, where everyone plays with much straighter arms and bats, whilst wearing [...]
Gay Tango in San Telmo
Gay milongas, (tango dance parties) have popped up everywhere in Buenos Aires in recent years. Queer tourists have known Buenos Aires is one of Latin America’s best destinations for years, but since 2010’s legalization of gay marriage even more gay travelers and expat residents have descended upon the city. One of the best neighborhoods to [...]
Lionel Messi — Argentine Soccer’s New Messiah
Argentina’s Lionel Messi has once again won the Ballon D’Or, the ‘Golden Ball’ award given to the best footballer in the world over the past 12 months, yet one gets the feeling that the humble, self-effacing Messi would have been just as happy to pass the baton to another player. This is the third time [...]
0800 VINO — Premium Wine Tastings
Wine guru Nigel Tollerman may be British, but he knows an awful lot about Argentine wine. Why else would renowned wine buff Francis Ford Coppola trust him to look after his Argentine collection? Attending one of his tastings at 0800-VINO wine cellar is bound to be a learning experience, whether you’re a wine nut or [...]
Maradona — Life After Soccer
←cont from: Maradona: The Scandals The most famous man in Argentina has not been able to settle down to a quiet life of retirement since leaving football. Drug and weight problems have continued to dog him. He underwent gastric bypass surgery in 2005 and has been to rehab on numerous occasions, most notably in 2000 [...]
Maradona — The Scandals
(← cont. from: Maradona: Goal of the Century) Diego Maradona’s life, like others who have fought their way out of extreme poverty to stand with the world at their feet, has followed a story arc that has included many profound lows to go along with the highs. Daniel Arcucci, sports editor of La Nacion told [...]
