Europe and America Unite in New Orleans

Pictures by Laura Vaillard and Lucia Tissone (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

New Orleans is the place where the New World and the Old World meet, in a city that has no resemblance with any other American city: French-style town houses, musicians playing jazz in the city corners, and people drinking coffee at petit coffee bars.

At this city, African slaves, indigenous people and European colonizers shared their cultures and mutually influenced each other, motivated by the French government, until New Orleans became a peculiar city with unique history. From its foundation in 1718 until Napoleon sold it to the US in 1803, New Orleans remained a French-Spanish colony.

Between 1920 and 1870, New Orleans continued to welcome immigrants from Germany, Ireland, Croatia, Italy, Greece, the Phillipes, and Haiti, who continued adding diversity to the city.

During carnival and Mardi Gras, the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, each afternoon people in New Orleans demonstrate the city's diversity and strong Creole heritage through the colorful carnival celebrations.

While during the night, Bourbon Street is covered by colorful beads that people throw from the balconies in exchange for a little fun: a dance, a smile, or a daring flash, depending on how adventurous you are that day.

Behind this energetic and crazy New Orleans, there are parts of the city that still display leftover damages from Hurricane Katrina; a sight that saddens the city's festive and jovial ambiance.

Nevertheless, the sounds of jazz that emerge from the city's main arteries are able to give back the happiness to tourists.


In one of the extremes of the French Quarter, at Jackson Plaza, you can find Café du Monde, where you can try the famous vignettes, typical of New Orleans.

Despite its name, the café was originally Spanish, and not French. Regardless of the place's popularity, the cleanliness and tidiness of the place lag behind (especially the kitchen, which you have to walk through on the way to the restroom). Nevertheless, the place is still ideal to rest and recharge batteries to continue to sightsee this beautiful city.

Mexican food is more than tacos and fajitas in Houston, Texas

Mexican food is more than tacos and fajitas, and Mexican Restaurant Hugo's in Houston, is an excellent place to experiment the diversity of Mexican cuisine.

Mexican chef, Hugo Ortega, is in charge of making sure that every dish at Hugo’s is as authentic in the United States as it would be in Mexico.

To begin the evening, I had spicy peanuts and empanadas made with plantain dough filled with cheese: the sweetness of the plantain invaded my mouth with each bite, and the cheese melted throughout my mouth preparing it for the next dish.

The menu offered a large variety of tempting dishes like: Tampiqueña BBQ meat, huachinango a la Veracruzana, duck with mole poblano, stuffed chilies, shrimps with black sauce, among others. I finally decided upon cochinita pibil, one of Mexico’s most typical pork dishes. The cochinita was so tender that I didn’t even have to bite it, since it melted as it touched my lips.

For dessert, I decided to venture myself with an interesting dish: chocolate cake with chilies. The strong taste of chocolate and the spicy chilies made an explosive combination: curiously, first you tasted the sweetness of the chocolate, while after a couple of minutes, you felt a spicy after-taste that enabled the taste to remain in your mouth for a long time.

After tasting the food at Hugo’s it is no wonder that the restaurant won several awards: Sante Award for the excellent traditional menu, "Houston Branch of The International Wine & Food Society Award", a mention as "Best Mexican Restaurant" according to Best of Houston-Host Press 2005, and an Award to the Restaurant of the Year in 2003 according to Houston Press.

For that reason, if you find yourself in Houston, stop by Hugo’s, it is a good option to escape the typical Tex-Mex food, and enjoy authentic Mexican food in a cozy and familiar atmosphere.

HUGO’S RESTAURANT
1600 Westheimer Houston, TX 77006
Phone: (713) 524-7744
Fax: (713) 521-7719

Working Hours:
Monday to Thursday and Sundays: 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Friday and Saturday: 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.

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What better partners to visit NASA?

Written by Laura Vaillard with Carlos Crespo (Quito, Ecuador / Houston, TX, EEUU)
Pictures by Laura Vaillard and Nuria Minces (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

What better partners to visit NASA in Houston, than a guy who always dreamt to become an astronaut and a young lady who is not afraid to act out the girl she carries within?

Even though NASA was not far from where we were living, rockets and astronauts never interested me enough to motivate me to visit the Space Center.

However, due to my never-ending curiosity and my interest to see new things, these two individuals convinced me to drive up to NASA with them.

I did not expect much from the trip. Yet, I came back fascinated after seeing astronauts live from the Space Center and comparing models of how astronauts lived in space in the 70s versus how they live now in the XXI century.

I returned excited like a little girl, after balancing myself of a string and weighing myself in different scales that showed how much I would weigh if I were to live in Mars or Jupiter, instead of Planet Earth.

I was overwhelmed after looking at the size of Saturn V, and amazed after looking at pictures of the different mission crews, including Apolo XI, Mercury and Gemini.

It was a wonderful experience and I am very glad my friends made sure I did not miss it.
This time, Houston, we had no problem.

Machismo in Argentina: International Woman’s Day

People say “in ancient Greece, Lisistrata began a sexual strike against men in an attempt to end the war.” This way, she demonstrated the power women are able to acquire in a society.

During the Socialist International Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, 1910, the proposal to celebrate the International Working Woman’s Day was approved unanimously. From then on, different countries started to celebrate that day.

From that moment, the gap between men and women has begun to decrease little by little. According to the investigation about the place that women occupy today in Argentinean society, conducted by MindShare to 300 individuals in Argentina, “more than half of the people interviewed said that machismo is not as dominant as before, since people have been able to free themselves from ‘old prejudices.’”

However, the study also found that “37% of people interviewed said machismo in Argentina continues to be a reality.”

“On top of that, 27% of the 300 people interviewed by MindShare stated that men and women have equal labor rights. But 64% considered that in this field, ‘differences still exist’.”

MindShare also conducted a more detailed study about “how women perform in positions of power.” In this analysis, “52% thought that women are stricter than men, and almost an identical percentage said that both genders are able to perform their tasks with equal efficiency.”

“Regarding decision making, almost half of people interviewed (43%) considered that men show more security (firmness) and speed.” While, “40% considered that women are more competitive than men, and 33% attributed this trait equally to men and women.”

This study shows promising results, since it demonstrates that society’s perception towards women at work has been positively affected, even though women and men still have to be treated equally at work.

Enjoy and celebrate International Woman’s Day!

Dreaming to be a Carnival Dancer in Gualeguaychu

Pictures by Marina Paron (Buenos Aires, Argentina) and Laura Vaillard

When I was small, I dreamt to become a carnival dancer when I grew older, and last weekend I almost accomplished my dream.

Friday night, after work, we drove my friend’s car through Route 12, also known “Death Route”, towards Gualeguaychú, Entre Ríos, Argentina.

“Take care.” “Drive safely,” people frequently told us before we left. Luckily, despite spending long hours crammed into a car with huge trucks speeding next to us, the drive was very smooth; there were only few cars driving through the emergency lane.

As soon as we arrived, we went to pick up the keys for “our house”, or “piggery”, a small room with two bunk beds, a kitchen set and a bathroom with faulty plumbing: to use the WC we had to open the water valve, but not for too long, because the sink had a leak and the bathroom would overflow; to take a shower, we had to wash our hair in the kitchen sink, because the shower only delivered a few drops which made it impossible to wash ourselves properly.

To take advantage of the night, we decided to go for a walk in search for a place willing to serve us dinner at 1 a.m. Luckily, we found an opened pizza place. We cooled ourselves down with cold beers and tamed our appetite with delicious and crispy clay-oven pizzas. That way, we prepared ourselves to start the night and dance until sunrise to the rhythm of murgas, rock, and Latin music at the birthday party of a local friend.

The next day, we woke up with our swimsuits practically on, ready to continue partying on the beach: we danced on the sand under the sprinklers with Spider Man, a doctor and Wonder Woman, we drank beer and fernet on the beach and swam in the river with “Maradona”.

The good vibe that people irradiated at Solar del Este was unbelievable! Everyone was willing to collaborate to make sure everyone had a good time.

The good vibe was extended throughout the entire night to the Corsodromo, where we danced to the rhythm of O´Bahía, Ara Yeví y Mari Mari, three “comparsa” that spread energy and colorful happiness. It was amazing to observe how the shinning and slender bodies danced with elaborated suits in between colorful feathers and floats with intricate designs.

Even though O´Bahía was the first “comparsa” , which is supposed to be the most memorable, it passed almost unnoticed with less energy than the other “comparsas” under the theme: “From the Initial Chaos to Enegy, I am O’Bahia, Mother Water, Creator of Life.”

On the other hand, Ará Yeví surprised everyone with its cooking theme: its designers were able to harmoniously integrate olives, strawberries with cream, cheeses and other cooking elements to the dancers’ suits. In its “Recipe for a Carnival Celebration”, choreographers and artists were able to dignify culinary elements in a dance filled with colorful elegance.

Finally, Marí Marí demonstrated why it has received so many awards, with suits that made reference to “Alexander the Great.” Even though it was the last “comparsa”, it was the group with more energy and presence in the Corsodromo. Marí Marí’s murga, dressed as warriors, provided the perfect closing to the night showing that this year they had also come to win the battle.

How to get there:

According to turismoentrerios.com, the best way to get there from Buenos Aires:

Take Zárate-Brazo Largo Bridge from Nacional Route N12 until Ceibas, where it connects with Route 14 until you reach Gualeguaychu.
TOTAL: 248 Kms.

Costs:
General: $30
Minors: $10

Dates:
January 2008:
Saturday: 5, 12, 19 & 26

February 2008:
Saturday: 2, 9, 16 & 23

March 2008:
Saturday: 1

Nicolas Cabre y Soledad Fandiño

Why say goodbye, if I am always coming back?

I have said goodbye so many times that I have lost count of how many there have been. However, there are less and less tears shed every time I leave, because I always end up coming back.

Two year ago, I said goodbye to Spain, a couple of months back, farewell to Argentina, and now, I say good-bye to Houston and “hello” again to Buenos Aires, the city that always awaits me with open arms, this time for longer (I hope).

I still have a couple of pending stories from the US: the trip to NASA, the adventures through the streets of New Orleans, my experience at the ice hockey game…

But I will intermingle these remaining articles with other stories in Argentina and stories from my collaborators, since that is the way our memory works: it continuously mixes the present with past experiences.

This way, with a letter that says “good-bye” and “hello” at the same time, I open a new chapter to this Surrealistic Life, this time, from Argentina.

Hope you continue to enjoy it!
Best wishes,

Laura

Dancing like a Cowboy in Texas

Yijahhhh. Two. Two. Oooone. Two. Two. Oooone.

We started the night dancing "two-step" in Wild West, a country bar in Houston, Texas.

We danced in circles around the dancing square along with men with boots, checkered shirts, and cowboy hats, and women with tight clothes and exaggerated make-up (a look that enhanced their beauty despite being outrageous).

We observed the cowboys and their peculiar clothing with amazement (we had only seen people dressed like that in cowboy movies). They also looked at us, our sober clothing and our lack of rhythm as we attempted to dance that type of intermittent vallenato called two-step.

With time, we got used to them, and they got used to us. Together, we continued to enjoy $1 drinks and the good vibe of the place as we uncovered a side of Houston we hadn’t explored before.


How to get there:
6101 Richmond Ave.
Houston, TX 77057
Promo: 713-266-3455
Happy Hour: 713-266-2282

Hours of Operation:
Monday: CLOSED
Tuesday: 6:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Wed-Thu: 7:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Friday: 5:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Saturday: 7:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Sunday: 4:30 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Dance Lessons: 4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

San Antonio: Speckled Attractions

San Antonio is located about 200 miles from Houston, and it is one of the most popular destinations within Texas. It is well known for its various attractions: the attractive River Walk, “El Alamo” (that represents the battle where Texas became independent from Mexico, March 6, 1836), and its cultural and historic museums (El Alamo Museum, Wax Museum, Ripley’s Believe it or Not Museum, among others).

Its historic district is very picturesque due to the Spanish architectonic influence. The Alamo Plaza is located in the heart of the historic district, where the Spanish Mission, and the chapel that hosts the Museum of Historic Artifacts are located. At the Plaza, one can also find a gigantic Alamo, whose smell is so pungent that it does not go unnoticed. In fact, one can probably reach the plaza by trying to find the source of that strange aroma.

“A block away from the Alamo Plaza, you can relive the historic Battle of the Alamo in the IMAX Theater of San Antonio’s Rivercenter and in the special effects theaters watching ‘Texas Adventure’,” according to Mile Leco from USA Tourist.

After visiting the museums and the historical part of the city, one should move over to the River Walk to take a break and relax while observing the boats floating down the river (if you happen to visit San Antonio during Christmas, you might be able to hear the chorus signing Christmas carols from the gongolas). If you happen to have time, it is a great idea to have a drink in one of the bars right on the Riverside or to take a boat ride down the river.

It is important to highlight, that San Antonio is not just a touristy destination. It also has a very active night life with various bars and live music.

Even if you travel in July or August (when it is very hot), or December (when it is simple chilly), San Antonio is a great destination with wide-ranging attractions that meet various tastes and all ages; it is almost an obliged destination for anyone visiting Texas.

How to get there:



From Houston, take I-10 West
From Austin or Dallas, take I-35 South