My Adventures in the southernmost of Nations: ARGENTINA

Che! I just LOVE Argentina! It's a beautiful country with so many varied landscapes, welcoming people, bustling cities, dulce de leche, tango, & parillada! What's not to love!
Well, there are several things but I won't focus on that for now. Getting there is kind of difficult in the sense that you don't accidently have a layover in Argentina, like Argentine TV Host Susana Giménez likes to point out. To go to Argentina--the Latin Down Under-- you have to want to! I traveled about 14 hours from the U.S. to Buenos Aires.

Arriving there is an interesting experience. The international airport, Ezeiza, is in need of repair. To make matters worse, there are problems with the airport radars in Argentina so basically the way flights land and take-off is with the old-fashioned look-at-your-watch routine. Air traffic controllers just time sufficient time between flights to make sure there will be no airliner accidents. So yeah, that's a little unnerving but the city is extremely exciting.

The international airport is to the south of the city. The Autonomous City of Buenos Aires is divided into many different barrios. To the east alongside the Río de la Plata are the downtown neighborhoods of Microcentro, Monserrat, Retiro, La Boca, and Puerto Madero. Towards the northwest of the city are the upper-class neighborhoods of Recoleta, Palermo, and Belgrano. Past Belgrano are many beautiful suburbs such as Olivos and San Isidro.
Buenos Aires has been known as the Paris of South America and in some ways it´s quite deserving of the title. The city definitely has grandiose buildings, heritage of its past as the 8th super power. Times have definitely changed and unemployment and poverty are on the rise but the buildings are still there--and that attracts tourists.

The traditional heart of the city is downtown´s Plaza de Mayo. This is where the mothers of disappeared men and women from the time of the military dictatorship rallied and still do. The plaza is home of the Casa Rosada, the Pink House, where the President´s offices are located. One of it´s balconies is where Eva Perón would deliver her speeches and where Madonna sang ¨Don´t cry for me Argentina.¨


Avenida 9 de Julio is deemed the widest avenue in the world and is home of the Washingtonian Obelisco. Running perpendicular is Avenida Corrientes; Buenos Aires´Broadway. This is the home to all major theaters. Buenos Aires has, perhaps, Latin America´s most active theater scene. Plays, Broadway musicals, and major national and international stars perform every night there. Currently, there are Argentine versions of Cabaret, Sweet Charity and Victor Victoria in the city.

Beyond is the Microcentro where all the businessmen are busy in tall skyscrapers. La Boca is a neighborhood very popular with tourists but quite poor in reality. There´s a street loop very famous with tourists because of it´s colorful houses. The houses were painted all the colors of the rainbow from leftover boat paint almost one hundred years ago. These homes look picturesque on the outside but are actually tenement homes for the poorest of Argentines.

Puerto Madero is an ultra-modern, trendy district of Buenos Aires that resembles more Miami Beach than the rest of the city. There are several hip clubs there, restaurants, hotels, and a beautiful modern bridge named El Puente de la Mujer, the Woman´s Bridge.

Retiro is home to the main train station so it´s place where many tourists end up going one time or another. It´s definitely a place where people have to be careful with pickpockets. I mean, nothing happened to me, but even Bush´s daughters were stolen from in Buenos Aires--even with the Secret Service. So just be careful like you would be in any major city.

Recoleta is a stunning district with beautiful high-rise apartment buildings, restaurants, museums, and shopping centers. This is also the home to the famous Recoleta Cemetery. Usually people don´t schlep to another country to see a cemetery but this is a must-see if you´re down there. The tombstones and mausoleums are a sight to behold. This is also where Eva Perón was buried.

Palermo is the largest of all the neighborhoods and also one of the trendiest. Palermo is divided into three different districts; Palermo Viejo, Palermo Hollywood, and Palermo Soho. The first one is the oldest of the districts and the most picturesque and the latter two are more trendier with excellent restaurants, smart boutiques, and fun night spots. The area is also home to the gorgeous Palermo Park.

Belgrano is the last of the northern Porteño barrios and the most calm. It´s main thoroughfare is Avenida Cabildo, filled with stores, restaurants, theaters, and much more. Beyond this barrio are many different suburbs that are beautiful and of interest. These are places that people who are going to spend several weeks in the city should visit.

The city has a very extensive public transportation system. There are several subway lines throughout the city and most of the northern portion of the city is linked with the D Line. There are also hundreds of buses throughout the city, named colectivos that can take you anywhere. It´s a smart idea to buy a Guía T as soon as you get there at any kiosk. Taxis are also readily available. It is best not to hail a cab at night. If you do hail a cab at any time make sure it says Radio Taxi. Remise service is also available by calling a host of different numbers. This service can be more expensive for short cab rides but is better for longer rides because the price is fixed from the time you call.

Buenos Aires definitely has a mall culture. There are many malls throughout the city that are very famous with locals and tourists alike. Some of the more famous ones are Galerías Pacifico, Patio Bullrich, Alto Palermo and Abasto.

The city is aesthetically very European but has all the Latin American charm. The city is suffering from many problems the developing world faces such as unemployment, poverty, insecurity, and theft. The situation is slowly getting better and Argentina is using the increase in tourism to their advantage. As long as people have common sense they should be fine--there are no guarantees--but you all should be fine.

The country is also very affordable. Currently $1 USD is equivalent to $3 ARS (Argentine Pesos.) All your dollars are worth triple that and euros and pounds stretch even farther. Everything is cheaper from restaurants, shopping, plays, movies, and taxi rides.

I had a great time there mingling with the locals, enjoying a great cultural scene and eating delicious food. Argentina is the country with most cows and the meat is to die for... not to worry if you´re vegetarian though-- there are many alternatives.

Remember, that in the southern hemisphere the seasons run opposite. In the North American-European summer, Argentina is in the pains of winter.

Anytime you go down there is fabulous time though and you´ll be glad you did. You´ll discover a unique side to Latin America that´ll be sure to call you again and again.

Darfur needs our help

People are suffering in alarming numbers in Darfur and we can all do our part to help solve the issue. Some people argue whether it is a genocide or not. Regardless, people are suffering and it's so blatantly obvious that we should all do something. People always like to talk about how the Holocaust could have taken place or how slavery went on for so long. It's because people don't take a stance and let things happen. People don't think things are happening, don't want to think about it, are apathetic, are too busy with their own lives, or feel there's nothing they can do about an issue. Perhaps, we can't all change the world but we can change a part of the world, make a difference in someone's life, or make things etter little by little. If we all positively contributed to the world little by little, what a world it would be!

As a college student let me tell you:

Darfur Benefit Concert are being held on college campuses throughout the country. Usually all proceeds from the event are donated to UNICEF's Darfur Fund. A modern-day genocide is going on in Darfur and students can make a contribution, albeit a small one by attending small events like these.
It can become important for students as constituents to let their politicians know about the issues they care about. If people show more support to the crisis in Darfur with events like these, letters to Congress, or otherwise, the U.S. government could provide more aid and put more pressure on the Sudanese government.
STAND, formerly known as Students Taking Action Now: Darfur, helps Darfur refugees who are solely dependent on international aid. The organization also advocates spreading the word of the genocides in Darfur and try to stop it through political action. The organization is the student division of the Genocide Intervention Network. There are more than 600 high school and college chapters nationwide and in several foreign countries. STAND chapters will come together and hold its annual student conference in Washington D.C. at the end of the month.
If your high school or college does not have a chapter visit the STAND website and contact the organization to create your own chapter--become involved in causes YOU believe in. The power lies in you, sounds cheesy, I know.--but it's true.
Someone told me recently that some refugees from that region feel that people around the world don't care because they are unimportant, because they are not a famous part of the world. Let's show these people that we care.
Darfur is a western region of Sudan, an eastern African country, about the size of France. The crisis has been going on for years but the situation became particulary tense in 2003 according to Save Darfur. The situation is extremely complex but essentially the alleged genocide is caused by an internal conflict between an Arab militia and the Sudanese military. The government allegedly gave the militia money and supplies. More than 450,000 Sudanese have died because of the genocide, according to the UN. More than 2.5 million are now displaced and their only subsistence is humanitarian aid. Some groups have not described the killings in Darfur as a genocide because of a lack of certain factors, such as intent. Nonetheless, many governments and groups have labeled it a genocide, thousands have died, and millions are displaced who need the world's aid.
If you have a desire to help go find out if there will be a Darfur event in an area near you, visit Save Darfur or the STAND website, make a small donation, write your congresional representatives, and if you don't have a STAND chapter, organize one!

The Emmys

The 59th Primetime Emmys aired tonight on FOX a week after taping and a week after Kathy Griffin made her ¨Jesus¨ remarks.

Prior to the airing of the ceremony there was time on the red carpet with the hosts of Entertainment Tonight. Most women saluted the golden age of Hollywood in their choice of dresses for the evening´s ceremony. Many dresses were shorter and more cocktail-like. Anyway, enough with the fashion-talk for now.

The awards ceremony began with two Family Guy singers singing a fun number and they were quite comical, especially when they referenced the Sopranos.

Ryan Seacrest then suddenly appeared from out of the ground and began to talk in his self-deprecating brand of humor, while at the same time showing the audience his fashion expertise and his multi-tasking abilities. Seacrest bantered with Eva and Hayden--both who looked stunning might I add--and some other celebs. Seacrest also noted FOX was now hosting the Emmys and that he was not as funny as previous hosts--but that was a good thing.

Ray Romano then came out and the Emmys began to have some real jokes. The routine was mostly about his life after television. Somehow, it's easier to be married when you're on television and now his wife, allegedly, doesn´t stand him.

Jeremy Piven won Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy for the second time.

Vanessa Williams and America Ferrera presented the first win for Terry O'Quinn. Vanessa Williams looked as gorgeous as ever and Ferrera looked considerably thinner and elated to be on the show.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Tina Fey were the second female duo to present and both were genuinely funny. Jaime Pressly won her first Emmy and delivered an emotional speech.

Kyle and Katherine Heigl presented supporting actor in a miniseries and Thomas Haden Church won that award. Church delivered the second emotional speech of the night. It was a night of much emotion.

Ellen DeGeneres presented after the commcercial break and was wearing an interesting purplish-black outfit and was funny as usual but we did not see enough of her. More Ellen next time! She showed a hilarious montage of one-liners with all the late night hosts making fun of Bush.

Things turned emotional again as the ceremony made a tribute of the legendary Tom Snyder who died this year.

Entourage cast and Eva Longoria presented the nominees for supporting actress in a Drama.
Katherine Heigl one her first Emmy and delivered a heart-felt speech about her 17 years working for that moment. She looked divine in her dress thanking her mother, family, cast members and others. Sandra Oh and Chandra Wilson, also of Grey´s Anatomy fame were among the nominated.

John Pryor and Jennifer Love Hewitt presented the next award. Pryor was quite hilarious and pointed out that two CBS people were on the FOX network and that such mixing of networks could be a model for peace in the Middle East or the View. (Remember Rosie? Note: I´m not a Rosie hater but I do admit it was a controversial year.)
The Late Night with Conan O´Brien team won and thanked OJ for being able to tape a show tomorrow. We all know Conan will have lots to talk about.



After another commercial break, Tony Bennett Christina Aguilera sang a big band number great vocals that preceded a string of Tony Bennett Special wins.


Alec Baldwin then presented an award for directing on a variety or musical program. The director of the Tony Bennett took the Emmy.

Lead actor Robert Duvall then won his first Emmy for his miniseries. Duvall acknowledged the value of Americana in the western genre.

Queen Latifah presented an emotional and thoughtful tribute to the Roots miniseries of 1977. Latifah called the television special another "revolution" after the bicentennial and that Roots helped establishe the miniseries as a genre.

The Roots cast then presented the award for Best Miniseries, Broken Trail with Robert Duvall.

The show for me then took a turn to boredom and I just never fully recovered. The show seemed somewhat original at first, not as great as other years, but tolerable. After a while though, it was just too much.

Many different awards were presented including one by Heroes´ Hayden Panatierre.



The Jon Stewart show won an award later and Steve Correl from 40-year-old virgin was quite funny.

Tony Bennett then won an Emmy!

An interesting turn was when the President of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences began to talk about the tradition of charity in service in television since its inception. He mentioned celebrities have been generous on television for decades.

Glenn Close, Kyra Sedgwick and another woman I do not know by name presented Outstanding made-for-TV movie. They all looked great and mentioned how great it was television was offering more intelligent and dramatic roles for women.

Things all of a sudden went retro--without warning. There was a tribute to Frankie Vallie and the Four Seaons with ¨Walk like a Man¨ and ¨Can´t take my eyes off of you.¨ The songs were well sung and sounded like they belonged in a different era.

After that, I totally zoned out. I feel the Emmy´s were somewhat dragged out and the host was hardly even there. Then again Seacrest is really good at hosting Idol but he´s not really the funniest guy ever. I can think of so many other guys who would have been hundreds of times funnier, but I mean... he wasn´t awful.

I guess that´s all... I got my awards show fill for now!

Let's post religiously now!

So are weany of you surprised OJ is back in the headlines--arrested--at the same time the Goldmans are releasing his new book? I'm not and I don't think you're all either. This is from the same man who paralyzed a nation thirteen years ago. This is a man who craves attention and that perhaps is wanting to get caught. A man who perhaps cannot live with the guilt of his previous transgressions who now may spend years in jail for a robbery. It's definitely an interesting turn of events. I mean--going in to rob a hotel in Las Vegas for sports memorabilia--armed. Could he not make a phone call? I guess it's in the OJ tradition.

In any event, that "if-I-did-it" book is already out even when the special was cancelled last year and no one was going to publish the book. The Goldmans definitely have an interesting way of thinking to say the least. Denise Brown is still vehemently against the book but there's nothign she can do at this point. So some morbid people will read the book and the evil thoughts of a messed-up man will be made public, but at least OJ will not get a cent off that book. Hopefully, the Goldmans use all the funds for their foundations and don't end up pocketing some of the revenue for themselves.



Apparently, according to a new study the heavier you are the more it costs for airline companies to make you airborne. Big shocker there! Do we really need these kind of studies. They're just insulting and don't give anything intelligent to comment on.

In a related story, my heart goes out to the families of the dead of the Thai airliner crash today that left 87 people dead. As a somewhat nervous and frequent flyer, news like this always shakes me up a little bit. I can only hope their deaths were quick and that their families and loved ones may find peace and comfort in a sudden and unexpected death.



Tonight are the Primetime Emmys and you can take it to the bank that I'll be watching and blogging. Oh, and it'll be interesting how they cut-up Kathy Griffin's acceptance speech.

Viva Las Vegas!

Blackjack, poker, roulet wheel are probably the first things that come to mind when people think of Sin City. This may have been true fifty, maybe even twenty years ago, but today's Las Vegas is so much more.
Sure, these things are still part of Vegas but today's Vegas is also a place with excellent shows, restaurants, and shopping.

If you haven't been to Vegas lately, allow me to quote Kathy Griffin and "get yourself a plane ticket and see the biggest freakshow ever." Well, it's not a freak show but it's actually one of the most spectacular shows you will ever see in Vegas or elsewhere. I had the opportunity to see Celine Dion's show "A New Day" or should I say Céline and let me just tell you it was fantastic. Dion's voice is incredibly powerful in person and the raw emotion she transmits is compeltely palpable. Dion really connects with the audience as she's surrounded by 70 incredible dancers. The giant IMAX screen behind her creates visions of backgrounds that seem so real.

Besides that, there all these awesome flying objects and people that make absolute no sense but add to the visual appeal of the show. There are flying pianos, angels, swinging people, dancers riding bycicles up in the sky a la Wizard of Oz. It's a must see and the show will run until Dec. 15.

Besides, that show there are so many others that are must-see; ranging from the family-friendly to the burlesque. Las Vegas has some of the highest concentration of excellent restaurants. Places to dine from the five-star to the bargain basement. Lastly, you can shop 'til you drop--sorry for the cliché. From high-end designers in the hotels in the Strip to high-end designers and cheaper brands at the outlets, Las Vegas is a shopping mecca.

The big downer is the scorching oven-type heat. It's a dry heat but at that point it's too much. At 105 no one cares that it's a dry heat. Anyway, Las Vegas is definitely a happening place and absolutely never boring.