The Life of Brad: January 2014 - Food, Fun and TA in BA

January 2014 - Good times and lots of good food to get in to 2014. The second half of the month was spent hanging with my first visitor to South America, Tom A, who decided to take a break from the cold, dark Calgary winter and join me for a few weeks. As well, more random oddities in Buenos Aires. Enjoy.

The very beginning of the month God (and the baby living next door) had to cry a little, Holy Crap! Check out this downpour.

Drops or Splashes? Would you prefer to have drops of water from the overhangs of building above hit you in the head or would you rather step on a loose "floating tile" on the side walk that will splash you with what ever water has settled under it?

Out to Pilar and Sole's mother's house for her birthday. Nice day for an asado and the pool! Sole's father Jorge is the master of asados/ BBQs. Typically cooked over wood or coal for about 1 hour with a good amount of salt on the meat. The cuts of meat used are not the types you would cook rare so asados are mostly fully cooked, but still tender and delicious.

Cooked over a wood fire

Salting the meat is key

Nice group of friends

Why not bring out the guitar

Dinner time!

Check out these views from Sole's apartment building on a windy day. Spectacular! You can see all of the city.

Facing South away from the river

Listen to her! A friend of mine who's friend is a lovely singer, Lucia doing a cover of Elvis' "Can't Help Falling in Love with You"

Lucia accompanied by a
great sounding guitar

Some other moments in BA before the arrival of TA.

Writing my 1st movie script

That just doesn't seem safe

MRI for my busted knee only
$150 here vs $800 in Canada
or you can wait 1 year for $0.

Last class party for my spanish class. Getting there.

tight parking

Passing 60,000km at Plaza Italia

Won't make 65,000 km if I keep
leaving the
keys in it for someone to take!

Professional rider

Manuel installing chain kit
for a grand total of $200

TA IN BA. Tom Anderson arrives in Buenos Aires for a 2 week vacation. Welcome.
My life is never certain enough for people to pin me down and come for a visit, but Tom figured it out. Let's have a look at his two weeks that began mid January. First week - Buenos Aires.

Put to work for a welcoming Asado. Good fire buddy.

Day 2 - Buying Allergy meds
already!

Ice skating in BA? Wow!
Tom and I did not partake.

Paella negra - Black from the squid's ink. Tasty!!!

Teeth tinting like red wine

Awesome guitar, great sound too!

Las Cabras

Tom driving in BA! Not easy.

Another asado, this one cooked by Junior
and enjoyed by lots of apartment people.

After a week hanging in BA we rented a car and hit the road for the beach or at least hoped to hit the beach. First stop was Mar del Plata about 400 km southeast of BA. Unfortunately the good weather did not want to join us for the trip. Not sure how two engineers got so focused on the details of the trip rather than the actual destination and weather never bothering to look outside to see a storm coming. Ok, I can see how that would happen. But hey in bad weather you can always go eat something right?

Tonnes of Rain!

Not a pretty night

Inside one of the bars at Samsara Beach

Main beach close to city centre

Lots of daily cabanas to rent

Main plaza up from the beach

Nice Ceviche at
La Antigua Rambla

Beautiful Standing Asado

Tommy likes it

Taking in a great beach area in Pinamar (100 km North of Mar del Plata) - UFO beach. Unfortunately we were unable to get a place to stay in this lovely area so we headed back to Baires to give Tom a day break before he was off to the Northeast and the Iguazu Falls. Definitely a spot I will come back to someday soon.

Last days in BA for TA. The very lively and early evening Rose Bar on Thursdays for so called "after works drinks" which begins at 8pm and has a minimum age of 25. I love it because on the inside you can dance like a night club, and on the outside you can take a drink and chit chat which is more my speed.

Me, Nati, Tom, David, Fede

Great outdoor area

Other friends
Julie, Mario, Yanine

Hawks watching bait

Success!

Thanks for stopping by Tommy, I hope you enjoyed your trip to Argentina. Be sure to tell all your friends. See you in Venezuela in a year or two! Oh, yeah and don't bring your huge radio then either!