Several Things at Once

Have you ever heard of St. Germain Liqueur? It's made in France from the extract of elderflowers. I once had a cocktail made with it in some place..maybe on 59th and Lexington (?), which was delicious, but truth be told, I probably like the bottle it comes in better than the drink itself. It's sculptural, sleek, and elegant. It reminds me of Cafe Tortoni, in Buenos Aires.

It also reminds me of New Orleans (maybe the French influence?), but I've never been there. From what photos on Flickr tell me, it looks like the La Boca neighborhood of Buenos Aires, with brightly colored two story homes with double story front porches. La Boca, meaning "the mouth," is where the majority of the initial wave of Italian i

mmigrants came to Buenos Aires. Now, it's a tourist area. Tango dancers sway through the streets as tacky postcards peer out from souvenir shops. In 2008, when I visited, I had the most delicious bowl of gnocchi at a restaurant on one of the side streets. It's funny how you remember food.

Some of my photos from Buenos Aires:

Right now, I have a (North American) friend living/working in Buenos Aires. He's taking classes at UBA as well. I spoke to him the other night and two sentences into the conversation, he had already convinced me to go back. Buenos Aires truly is the Paris of South America. It is a beautiful, cosmopolitan city filled with interest and culture. I'd love to return.

Since I don't three trips to Argentina in two years in my future (well, maybe I do), I would like to travel to New Orleans, at least. After all my thesis research and coursework, I would love to experience the practices of Voodoo firsthand. Is Louisiana part of my summer vacation? :)