Call For submissions

Call For Submissions: Anthology on black women living in Buenos Aires

Hola Morocha: Black Girl Tales from Buenos Aires

Submission Deadline: Open
Hola Morocha will serve as a companion for any black women planning a trip to Buenos Aires or just wondering what it would be like to take one. Part titillating read, part guide book, Hola Morocha will be made up of two parts. Part one Black Girl Tales from Buenos Aires will include real life stories written by black women from around the globe on an array of topics. Part two A Black Girls Guide to Buenos Aires will be a mini resource guide including information on where to shop, go out dancing and how to get around the city on the buses and trains.

Writer Jennifer Poe seeks first person narratives for this upcoming anthology from women living or who have lived in Buenos Aires. I want stories that are hip, fresh, sexy, humorous and intriguing. Please visit http://blackgirlsguidetobuenosaires.wordpress.com to see the blog that birthed this project and rough drafts of some of the memoirs I will contribute to the book.

Each essay should reflect a particular moment based on one of the following topics: culture shock and arriving in Buenos Aires, hair stories (including any nightmare or funny hair stories) dating, nightlife and going out dancing, sex, racism and changes (how Buenos Aires has changed you as a person). For example if you choose the nightlife topic tell the story about a particular moment when you went out dancing. Bring your essay to life. Make the reader believe they are there and excite their five senses. Take yourself back to that moment and bring the readers too. Or write as if you were retelling the story to a close friend. Remember, “Everybody is talented, original and has something important to say” Brenda Ueland. Please feel free to submit more than one essay.

Please include with your Submissions:

Your name

Age

Geographic location

Email address

Phone number

Submission title

Mini biography

Please only submit writing that has not been published unless you own the rights to your previously published work.

Send submissions to:

holamorocha@gmail.com

Last Thoughts and Reflections On Argentina

If three years ago my future self traveled in a time machine and told me

“In approximately 36 months 3 days 5 hours and 26 minuets. You will live in Buenos Aires, be able to communicate in Spanish, will stumble home at six in the morning drunk numerous times from partying, have a Latin lover and come out of the whole experience a stronger woman.”

I would look around, check for ecstasy, dancing teddy bears and reply.

“No way would I be brave enough to do something like that in the future. Travel all the way to another country without speaking the language? So far away from home, my friends and my family? No way could I do that.”

However I did do this and it was a decision I will never regret. Before I left my old job to come to Argentina. My former boss sat me down and gave me some sound travel advice. He explained the term “walk about” to me. From what I remember he explained to me that a walk about is taking a span of time to wander the world and discover it and yourself. You don’t know what you are going to do but you will seek that out along the way. As he told me this I realized that a walk about was exactly what I was doing, and the place I chose to do this was Buenos Aires Argentina.
I arrived in Buenos Aires an unsure timid girl who was afraid to be alone and who constantly needed to feel loved and to hear she was loved. I had so much anger and sadness in my heart from issues I was going through in New York, which was part of the reason I ran away. I was falling apart and I did not know who I was anymore and lost almost all of my self-esteem. The moment I came I wanted a boyfriend and to fall in love to escape into romance. I thought this would solve all my problems and anxieties with loneliness and low self-esteem. I realize now that would have made me more messed up because it would of stopped me from dealing with the real issues at hand which was me. One of the most valuable things I learned from this whole experience is how to be alone. It’s okay to be alone. In fact this is when you find the greatest discoveries of yourself. It wasn’t easy. During my discovery I cried so many times and lost myself, but in the end I always found me again. I now understand what the saying you can’t be with someone else until you learn to be alone means. I believe I have come full circle with this. I am no longer seeking a boyfriend. Don’t get me wrong if the right guy comes along I am not going to be stupid and push him away. I will give him a chance. However I would be fine with or without a guy in my life. I always thought the best way to get over someone you loved strongly was to fall deeply in love with someone else, Hence the reasoning for me wanting a boyfriend here so bad. In a way this did happen, but instead of falling in love with another man and building more scare tissue. I fell deeply in love with myself. It’s a hard thing to get over someone without another person being involved, but I managed to do it and it’s the best feeling in the world. I no longer have the yearning for a boyfriend because I don’t need anyone to tell me they love me because I love myself and have respect for myself. I don’t need anyone to tell me I am beautiful because I tell myself this everyday.
Buenos Aires has also made me discover my sexual peak. I am no longer the innocent little virgin that was deflowered almost two years ago. I know what I am doing now. I also now understand that you are not always going to love the people you have sexual relations with. Sometimes you just act out of lust, and there is nothing wrong with that. I will miss some things about Buenos Aires. I will miss listening to the young kids singing below my balcony as I brush my hair in the bathroom. The old men singing and ode to my skin complexion as I walk by. The way they sing with such passion and with the melodic charm of their Italian ancestors.

“oooooooooh Mooooreeeeeenaaaaa”

As it they were in love with a morena in their youth. I will miss hearing Depeche Mode Enjoy The Silence playing in the clubs and blasting in the cars driving by. I will miss the family and intimate atmosphere. How when you walk in a room even if you don’t know a single soul there, you give everyone a kiss on the cheek and say hello. You do the same when you leave. There is no wall build up between people. I remember when my friend and I were in Mar de Plata shopping the sales people where really friendly and not in the I am only being nice to you to get you to spend money kind of way. It was the I actually want to know your name and want you to enjoy my country kind of way. They even gave us goodbye kisses on the cheek!!!!! In New York I am use to snooty sales people who don’t want to work. You most certainly would not get a kiss on the cheek. Sometimes I wish North America had the same type of intimate laid-back feel South America has. For example my last weekend here I stayed over my close friend Marian’s house. Two other friends came by to tell me goodbye before I left the country. We enjoyed white wine in the nice summer breeze that blew through the balcony. I plan to continue to adapt this type of life style back in New York.
Buenos Aires is a big part of my development into an adult. I did a lot of growing here. If anyone ever says to me hey have you ever been to Buenos Aires? I would reply yeah I grew up there. Not literally but emotionally, spiritually, and metaphorically speaking.

Mi ultimo dia en Buenos Aires and a marriage proposal

January 24th 2008

Yesterday was my last day in Buenos Aires, although it still feels like yesterday because yesterday ran into today and I am sitting in the airport as I write this. The day started like a usual day in Buenos Aires for me only there was this tinge in the air to enjoy every bit of Buenos Aires as I could. Every little thing that use to annoy me began to taste sweet. I threw on a silk baby blue tank with beaded lace, and a tight pair of jeans. I completed the outfit with the pair of chatitas (sandals) that I bought here and through my hair into a ponytail. The argentine men in the street must of loved this outfit because I noticed they were super cat calling. That’s when I realized I would miss being desired by so many men, sometimes 15 or more in one day. I will miss them telling me the unique things they love about me like my lips and smile. I was not too sad over this because I knew this would always be something I will always take with me. I had a few hours before I needed to meet Eugenia at a bar called Shamrock for an after work thing. She told me I could not have a last night in Buenos Aires without going out one last time.
Before I headed to meet Eugenia I decided to stop in to say one last goodbye to Raf. You guys remember Raf right? The chef I befriended in the French restaurant below my apartment. We chatted for a half an hour and Raf told me he would mail a silver chain to the United States to me as a gift.
I hoped on the D line in the subte and it wasn’t as crowded as it usually was because in January most of the Argentines go on vacation, but I enjoyed my last ride on the subte. I met Eugenia at her job and we walked to Shamrock. When we walked in it was dark and smokey. We went to the bathroom to freshen up and I noticed the bathroom doors had black and white pictures of eccentric naked men (for the men’s room) and women (for the women’s room) like you would find in old art house films. After we emerged from the bathroom we headed down two flights of steps framed by black velvet curtains that simulated doors. Eugenia and I picked a table downstairs and began to chat. That’s when Eugenia dropped a bomb that I was not expecting. She said to me

“Do you know Heath Ledger is dead?”

That’s when my heart and jaw dropped.

“What????? When?????? When did this happen????? How????? He just finished the new batman movie.”

I had been without internet for a week and a few days and did not know what was going on in the world.

“He died yesterday.”

She said. We both expressed our respect for his acting and expressed how sad his passing was. Then a friend of Eugenia came so we changed the topic to a brighter one. We began to talk about life, guys, sex, vacations, New York, guys, sex, work, guys and sex. I pulled out my camera and yelled

“Phoootooo!!!!”

That’s when Eugenia’s friend sang

“Phoootooo photo photo photo Phoootooo photo photo photo!!”

A famous song they sing here when a photo opportunity is present. I will miss that.
Shamrock began to fill as it became later. The guys there that night were cute and I wished I knew about Shamrock earlier. That’s when Eugenia said out loud as if she read my mind

“I should have bought you here in the beginning. I am sure you would of found a boy here.”

I believed her. There were a lot of potential playmates and I thought damn just my luck on my last day. I noticed a group of three guys staring in our direction for an hour. Another friend of Eugenia came to join and we talked more and shared laughs. When it came close to 11:30 one of the guys from the group of three pulled a table over to us and joined it with ours. With boldness he took the first initiative to flirt. While his friends fell back a little shy. By the way this was carried out I suspected they were plotting this bold move for an hour. Later we discovered two of their names were Juan and Hugo. Hugo introduced Juan to me and told me Juan wanted to communicate with me but his English was not strong enough. So he did not know how. Juan had a very youthful face but was still handsome. His face reminded me of a ken doll. I spoke with Juan in a mix of Spanish and English. He was picking my brain on what type of guys I liked and tried to find out if I thought he was handsome. That’s when Eugenia and I explained to him and his friend that it was my last night in Buenos Aires, and this saddened them. Then another friend of theirs came to join us. He was from Brazil and when he saw me he thought I was from Brazil as well, like everyone thinks of every black person in Buenos Aires. I said the usual

“Noooooo Los Estados Unidos.”

The Brazilian guys name was Ricardo. He immediately became the life of the party, making jokes, taking my camera to take pictures of all of us together. He spoke very little English as well. Hugo then said to me

“Brazilian boys are sex maniacs. All they do is sex sex sex.”

I said

“Argentine men as well!!!!”

Juan and Hugo just laughed. Eugenia and Ricardo took a picture together and when I pointed out how cute they looked in it Juan said
“They will get married in two months.”

Then he said

“You and I in one month.”

I rolled my eyes and laughed. As it reached 11:00 o’clock at night I wanted to start heading back home so I could finish saying goodbye to friends, pack and take a shower. My taxi was coming to pick me up at 3:00 in the morning. Juan was sad and tried to persuade me to stay by saying

“Please don’t go.”

He then told me to marry him again. I said no. He then asked when was I planning on visiting Buenos Aires again? I said maybe in two years. He then said

“When you come back in two years marry me.”

Juan then took my email and gave me a gift. It was a small whistle. I forgot what he called it but it was a famous kind of whistles that young Argentines use at parties. Now it was 11:30 and Juan was pushing for a kiss. He wanted to take me upstairs to kiss me because he felt that because there were more people upstairs they would be less likely to stare. I told him he ruined the moment because

1. He was pressuring me for a kiss

2. He planned it.

I tried to explain in as much English and Spanish as I could that a kiss should never be planned. It should be unexpected and passionate. Anyway at about 11:40 they walked us outside of Shamrock. To satisfy Juan’s urges I gave him a few Pigeon Kisses sin lengua y nada mas. He was a little bummed about this but he took what he could get. Eugenia asked how I wanted to get home and I chose by collectivo. I wanted to ride one to my apartment one last time. Juan, Hugo and Eugenia walked me to the 152. When it came I hoped on and hurried home. Once there I was rushing about. I gave to good friends of mine in Argentina a call because they had called me when I was at Shamrock to say goodbye and wish me a safe trip. They gave me such warm wishes and thoughts of love. Marian was like the big sister that watched over me here. She took me to the doctor once when I needed someone to go with me, because I could not speak Spanish that well. She is the person who taught me Spanish. Her three-year-old daughter Luna is like a niece to me. I was glad she called because I was missing her and Luna already. She said she had been thinking about me too a lot so wanted to call and say goodbye. It was beautiful sentimental moment I will never forget. I was going to try and run out to see her and Katrin but it would have been cutting it close. After I hung up with Marian I ran upstairs to see Nestor. I could not find him earlier that day but could not leave without saying goodbye. Nestor was sleeping but I rung the bell three times and he finally heard me. I gave him a hug and thanked him for everything he has done for me and thanked him for being there for me in the beginning when I was alone. I skipped down his steps and waved my hand bye like I did so many times before, but this time instead of saying Chau Luego or until tomorrow like before I could only say Chau. Once back in my apartment I finished packing the last bit of things I needed to pack and showered. I through on a new set of clothes and waited for my taxi to come pick me up. While waiting I made sure to stand on my balcony for a little while. I breathed in the night air while gazing at the stars and moon. Half-hour later my taxi rung my bell and I took one last look at my apartment and shut the door. Now as I complete this writing I am on a plane one and a half hours from New York. The mixed emotions have already started to hit me a little and as I heard a man speaking English on my flight, I realized I would miss hearing a lot of Spanish. The whole day of traveling I forced myself to speak mostly Spanish even if someone was speaking to me in English. Luckily I flew with a Spanish-speaking airline so it was not hard to do. I know once I see those city lights and walk into the arms of my loving family it will officially mark the end of my Buenos Aires journey. A Journey I am happy you all kept reading about and took along with me.

Jordin Sparks Tattoo is the song that I am recognizing as my official theme song for my Argentina journey. The song sums up where I am in my life right now and how I feel about Buenos Aires and the whole experience. To hear the song click on this link

http://free.napster.com/view/track/?id=22138283

New posts and photos coming soon

Sorry for the delay in new post. Tomorrow I will post the entries of my final moments in Buenos Aires with photos. There will also be an entry with my final reflections. Some cool stuff so stay stuned.

Baila Morena 2

Baila Morena

The guys here love to say this. “Baila Morena Baila Morena!!!!!” So I decided to put two videos up for fun titled Baila Morena. Perhaps this is were the guys get their inspiration from. I like the first song from the first video. However I am not feeling the whole hoodo slave master watching the slaves dance on the plantation feel of the video. Enjoy!!!!!

Happy New Year!!!!!!!

January 2, 2008

Wow, my first entry for the New Year. Well I am glad I am starting 08 off abroad. While everyone in New York brought in the new year bundled up with a cloud of breath escaping their mouths, I rung in the New Year in flip flops. Tell me that’s not cool!!!!!! Any way the night started off calm and hot (I believe it was in the 90’s). I had dinner with Eugenia and her family. Then at about three in the morning Eugenia and I headed over to a party a friend of mine was having. Once there we felt a little weird because

1. We were tired from the heat

2. Everyone there seemed to know each other so they kept in groups chatting away while Eugenia and I chatted to ourselves.

So after about an hour Eugenia and I decided to head out. We walked along avenida Santa Fe trying to figure out what to do. Eugenia told me a friend of hers texted her and that we could either go home or check out her friend’s party. So when Eugenia heard back from her friend we headed to the party in a taxi. Once there we rung the buzzer to the apartment and the guard let us in. We took the elevator to the ninth floor and were greeted by Eugenia’s friend. As she opened the elevator to let us out I noticed a little stager in her step and realized she must be drunk. She had dark red her and a face resembling Irish ancestry. She led us up one more flight of stairs to her apartment. Once she opened the door it was like a party universe was revealed. Music was blasting as people quickly moved about with alcoholic beverages in hand. Some of the party guests were dancing on the balcony. A girl with dreads and a green head ban screamed to me as she passed

“Feliz ano Nuevo!!!!”

Eugenia’s friend introduced each person that rushed by to me. With each introduction came a quick

“Hola.”

followed by a peck on the cheek. Eugenia and I joined her friend in the kitchen and she pulled out (what we call a 40 oz) of Heineken and told Eugenia and I to have some. Eugenia drunk some then passed it along to me. Her friend then introduced me to her two brothers. I then found out the rushing about was because some of the partygoers were moving on to another party. Eugenia’s friend was going too so of course we were going to join her. Before leaving the apartment Eugenia’s friend grabbed another 40 oz of beer from the fridge and headed for the door. Once back down stairs we hung out in front of her friends building with other party goers for a little bit. The 40 oz was passed around for everyone to take a sip. Some took the opportunity to enjoy a cigarette. Eugenia’s friend screamed

“Feliz ano Nuevo Whooooooo!!!”

into the night. After about ten minuets one of the brothers of Eugenia’s friend emerged from the building with another guy. The first thing I noticed about the other guy was that he was extremely drunk. So since I can’t remember either of there names. I will refer to the drunk guy as drunken boy and the brother of Eugenia’s friend as brother. We all walked to a car parked outside of the building. Laughter and words were exchanged between Eugenia’s friend, her brother and drunken boy before the keys to the car were snatched away from drunken boy. Eugenia then informed me that they did not want drunken boy to drive. Her friend’s brother opened the door of the car and push the drivers seat forward so us girls could climb in the back seat. Eugenia got in first. As I was about to get in drunken boy leaned into me and held my face and began kissing my cheek, but then I noticed he was lingering there a little too long and I began to move away. He then pulled my hips closer into his and began kissing my neck. That is when I began to laugh hysterically. I could not help it. The situation was too funny. Eugenia’s friend pulled him apart from me so that I could get in the car. Once drunken boy and brother got in we quickly pulled off. Brother popped in a cd of oldie rock and began blasting it with the windows rolled down. The wind blew through the car as brother danced and tapped his stirring wheel while singing along to the song. Soon his sister and drunken boy joined in screaming the lyrics and dancing. Eugenia’s friend began to scream towards the window

“Whooooo!!!!!!”

The singer in the song had a voice similar to Mick Jagger and was screaming

“Rock Sugar!!!!”

Then Eugenia’s friend quickly pulled Drunken boy over the passenger seat and began making out with him while the guitars wailed from the car speakers. She pulled him over the seat a couple of more times and had a few more make out session. I leaned a little towards Eugenia as I was getting a little crushed by them. After Eugenia’s friend let drunken boy go. He began to dance again. He then climbed over his passenger seat a little and began to scream

“Rock Sugar!!!!”

along with the male singer in the song. A few seconds later a new rock song came on. There was more screaming and dancing as a 40 oz was passed back and forth. Then as we were driving along, drunken boy begins to climb out the passenger window and onto the top of the car. As I watched this happen I put my hands to my mouth and began to laugh hysterically

“Oooooh my God!!!!”

We stopped at a red light and that’s when we seen drunken boy sliding down the window shield. He then sat on the hood of the car on his knees and began to dance. He twisted his hips in circles as he began to strip of his t-shirt. I was laughing uncontrollably while brother dance and pumped his fist from inside the car leading drunken boy on.

“Gimme Gimme Money!!!!!”

Were the lyrics that were blasting from the speakers when this was taking place and I thought that to be very ironic. Drunken boy hopped off the hood of the car and ran across the street to take a picture of something. Brother parked at a corner and waited for drunken boy to get back in the car. Once he did we continued to drive until we reached our destination. Once we arrived at the other party we were let into a long hall stretching into a courtyard. The hall was dark and all you could see were flashing lights that looked to me like the number three. We entered the courtyard and everyone scattered about into different directions. There was more dancing and drinking and I decided to take pictures. While I was taking pictures a few people stopped to talk to me. As I was talking to another brother of Eugenia’s friend, drunken boy came up and put his hand up the back of my shirt. I shooed him away like a child and began smacking his hand as he began to attempt to pinch my thighs and butt cheeks. He then said something to Eugenia’s friend’s other brother about my cheeks (I mean the ones on my face) and began to pinch them and give them a kiss. He finally left me alone and I began to take more pictures and talk to more people. I found a spot by the pool and took more pictures and chatted some more. Drunken boy returned and try to sit on my lap, but I had my legs cross and he could not. He began telling me that he could not sit and for me to uncross my legs so he could. I said no. (I swear I felt like I was dealing with a child) When he began to try and smooch my neck again I began calling for Eugenia, but her friend came and a little peeved pulled him away from me. I then took that opportunity and ran by Eugenia were it was drunken boy free. Eugenia then told me it was a wise choice to keep running from him because she does not want any problems with her friend because that is whom he was with. We both laughed and agreed we did not want any trouble. I moved on to talk with a guy I was talking with earlier. He told me I should come dance with him to the salsa that was playing. I told him I did not know how to dance to salsa and did not want to make a fool out of myself. He then convinced me it would be ok and to follow his lead. He spun me around a few times then we began to twirl our hips together and move our feet in a circular motion. He twirled me around again and than dipped me towards the ground, quickly brought me back up and twirled me again. I was laughing and was glad he forced me to dance because it was a fun five minuets of dancing.
The sun began to rise above the courtyard and Eugenia informed me that we were heading out. We walked back through the long hall and onto the street. It was now 7:30 in the morning. Eugenia’s friends were heading to another party in the suburb of San Isidro an hour away. Eugenia and I decided to terminate are partying instead of moving on to the next one. We said chao to everyone and headed home. So those are the events that took place New Years Eve. It was a pleasure because I have not experienced a good New Years in a long time. One thing I will miss about being in Buenos Aires is the unpredictability of the city and the joy of not knowing how your night will end. I will remember this as I enjoy my last three weeks in January here.

Mar Del Plata

Sucky rainy cold day in Mar del Plata. Of course it was sunny the day I left. Here are some pics.

<img src=”” alt=”MY FAKE TATTOO” />

<img src=”” alt=”THE WEATHER THE DAY I LEFT” />

Christmas in Summer.

December 26, 2007

Spending Christmas in the summer is the new black. I enjoyed it. Christmas in Buenos Aires is just so much more chill and relaxing then what I am accustomed to back in the states and especially New York. I am still not a big fan of Christmas but I still had fun. I spent it with the Heyacas, and by the way I am convinced they are some of the coolest Argentines in all of Argentina. We ate dinner, then three or five Minutes to midnight the TV was flipped to a channel were a clock was rolling as the hosts on the tv show began to countdown the seconds. We waited with champagne in hand and as Soon as it hit midnight everyone toast and yelled

“Feliz Navidad!!!!!!”

After munching on a bit of desert we moved to the Christmas tree where the presents hung from the branches. Norberto plucked each present from the tree and called out the name of the person it belonged to. I received the cutest gifts ever. I got an organizer for 2008, (which I need especially when I get back to New York) a beautiful heart shaped music box, a mug, and a hot tee shirt with a key hole back from Eugenia. After gift sharing, Eugenia and I went to pick up another friend of hers before we headed to another party. The night was perfect with a well-behaved summer breeze, as firecrackers rung out into the night. The firecrackers had been going all day but there was more once midnight hit. So Christmas kind of felt like the Fourth of July, New Years and Christmas all in one. When we arrived at the house to pick Eugenia’s friend up, her friend peeked over the roof of the house and threw some holas our way. When I seen the sliding square white roof of the house. It immediately reminded me of the roof tops of the houses in Greece you see in travel magazines. Her friend and her friend’s uncle (the owner of the house) invited us to the roof for some champagne. The house was immaculate with perfectly spiraled staircases leading to the roof. I swear I wanted to own this house!!!!! We had champagne and cherries on the rooftop. Then Eugenia, her friend and I headed to the next party. The next party is wear I became completely borracha (drunk) which in turn made my Spanish way better. I feel its good when I am drunk. Not perfect but not so bad either. I was proud of myself as I spoke a lot of Spanish that night. Anyway I made it home safe in a taxi at 4:00am. Lets pray I don’t drink so much I pass out on New Years :0)

<img src=”” alt=”Abuela with the Whiskey” />

<img src=”” alt=”Boop Boop Bie Doop” />

Taste Of Luxury

December 22, 2007

The other night was one of the best nights I have ever spent in Buenos Aires. My friend Eugenia and I went to Rojo Tango at Faena Hotel + Universe. The Faena is one of the most exclusive places in all of Buenos Aires catering to the rich and famous. It is located in the lush Puerto Madero neighborhood of Buenos Aires. How did I get to enjoy such a luxuries experience? Well it was a gift from my wonderful friends at Absolute Travel. Absolute Travel is a Luxury travel tour operator I use to work for, and when they send their clients to Buenos Aires. Rojo Tango is one of the experiences they have. So before I left the job this was their gift to me. It was the sweetest thing!!!! The night started out with a private car coming to pick Eugenia and I up from my apartment. A man with grey hair and glasses waited across the street for us while holding the back door to the car open. On our way to the Faena traffic was heavy but I was too excited to let that bother me. About half hour later we pulled up in front of the Faena. Two body guard like bouncers in suits stood on opposite sides of the split brick wall entrance. Before we left the car our driver asked us how would we like to pay for our ride. Eugenia and I looked at each other confused because we knew everything was paid for. We pulled out our voucher to show the driver that we had proof but he refused to listen and insisted that we had to pay for our ride. I wasn’t about to give him anything. There was another man outside dressed in a suit. He had an earpiece in his ear and chart in his hand. Eugenia told me to hold tight while she asked the man with an earpiece if we had to pay our driver. Eugenia returned and told me that we did not need to pay our driver because indeed everything was covered. The man with the earpiece then told the driver we owed him nothing and the driver began to act all innocent like he did not know this information before. The man with the earpiece then politely told us we may enter. We walked through a long hall with tall brick walls on either side of us. Long leather benches sat on top of a red carpet stretching about the hall. A pretty girl dressed in a black dress greeted us. She wore a huge smile and was at our service. When we told her we were here for a tango show and dinner she politely escorted us to the reservationists standing outside the cabaret room were the dinner and show would take place. While she escorted us down the hall Eugenia and I caught a glance of some of the other areas in the hotel. One I noticed was a brightly lit fancy boutique. The girl left us with the reservationists and they asked how could they help us. I then said

“Tengo una reserva para Jennifer Poe”.

The woman Reservationists pulled up my name. She then grabbed two menus wrapped in red velvet and led us inside the cabaret room which glowed a crimson red. She sat us at a one of the round tables that filled the room, placed our menus down and then parted. Not to long after, a male waiter walking up straight with one hand behind his back and the other holding champagne came over to us. He asked us if we would like champagne and began to pour some in our glasses. Another waiter came over and asked what we would like for our starter and principal meal. I chose caramelized onion sprinkled over goat cheese with thyme for my starter. And for my principal I had duck. Our starters came five minuets later and Eugenia and I began to eat while we continued to scope out the room. While we were enjoying our food another group came in and sat at the table in front of us. When the older woman from the table looked over into our direction I noticed she looked extremely familiar to me. I leaned over to Eugenia and whispered

“That woman in front of us is famous and from the states. I can’t think of who she is right now, but I will get it later.”

The woman was there with what looked like her family and husband. Her son looked familiar to me too, and was there with what appeared to be his wife. When we finished our starters the waiters came and cleared our plates. Soon came my duck and Eugenia’s lomo. Whenever our champagne glasses were low they were quickly filled back up to the top. In the middle of enjoying my duck (which was moist and flavored well) I had a realization. I turned toward Eugenia and said

“That’s who the woman looks like to me Jane Fonda.”

“Really.”

Eugenia replied. After we finished dinner desert came on a plate. Three different deserts sat neatly in front of us, which included frozen lime cake with coconut sauce, Dulce De Leche cream with coca crispys and chocolate cooked cream with caramelized almonds. It truly was fine dining. After we finished eating our desert the show began to start. Musicians in white suits filed into the room. There faces were serious as they made their way to the back of the room. One sat at the piano and the other two sat to the right of the pianist. I found the pianist cute and he reminded me of a tall skinny Christian Bale. The serious mug he wore made him even more attractive to me. The lights dimmed and the musicians began to play their instruments. One on the piano, one playing the accordion and the other playing a violin. The curtains lifted and two tango dancers began to do fancy footwork. Before the curtains fell again the male tango dancer began to spin the female dancer in circles above his head as she lay horizontally. I am not going to describe all of the show just in case any of my readers plan to see it in the future, but I will say I enjoyed watching the male dancers with there slick back jet black hair and olive skin. I wanted almost all the dresses the female tango dancers wore. I particularly loved watching the dancers expressions. Especially one of the male dancers who seemed to have a permanently arched eyebrow painted across his brow. The show was so sensual (including one of the scenes were there was partial nudity) that it made me want to reacquaint myself with the Argentine male. I almost forgot how good of lovers they could be. My favorite act was the performance of El Tango de Roxanne. I believe the one they performed at Rojo Tango was the version from Moulin Rouge. However the male singer in the show had such an amazing voice. The music started and the room became a little darker and smokier. Three female tango dancers dressed in old period clothing danced around the male singer. Two of them helped him out of his blazer revealing a white tank top under his suspender trousers. He stood in the middle of the stage as three male tango dancers dressed similar to him took the stage along with the female dancers and they all began to dance around him. The male singer than began to belt out

“Rooooooxanne you don’t have to turn on the red light.”

My skin filled with goose bumps towards the end as the Roxanne performance grew more intense and the male singers voice began to echo through out the room as his Roxanne bounced of the walls. Not too long after that the tango show ended. Then an announcer informed the room that Ms. Jane Fonda was in attendance celebrating her birthday. They presented her with a gift and a cake. I then patted my self on the back for being right about it being Jane Fonda. Eugenia and I clapped for her and then took more pictures of ourselves. We then headed back to the hall to look for the bathroom. The bathroom was beautiful. The doors to the stalls were mirrors with floral patterns carved into them. The sink faucets were birds made of silver. While in the bathroom Eugenia ran into two Argentine celebrities. We left the bathroom and walked slowly down the hall peeping into other areas of the hotel. My favorite room was one of all white with two huge unicorn heads with glowing eyes. It was like something out of a fairy tale. I felt like Alice in wonderland being exposed to a whole new world.
As we headed for the front a guy walking with his friend spotted us and his eyes lit up. It was the familiar look in his eyes that the men here get when they see a Morocha. He offered us a seat as his guests at his private table in one of the other luxuries parts of the hotel. He was sweet but Eugenia and I were tired. Besides our private car was waiting for us outside. So we declined his offer and thanked him. The hotel was beginning to buzz with important rich and beautiful people. On my way out I spotted a girl on the phone. What caught my eye was that she had a beautiful dress on; similar to one a celebrity might wear to an important celebrity event. I thought to myself she must be famous. Eugenia and I were escorted to our private car, which I noticed was more nice than the first one, and shiny and black. We headed home with memories of a good night I will never forget.

If anyone wants to check out the beautiful Faena + Universe on the web, here is the link:

http://www.faenahotelanduniverse.com/

Also I discovered the son of Jane Fonda that was with her at Rojo Tango looked familiar to me because he is an actor. He played the character of the white barber in Barbershop. The character that the black guys did not want to cut their hair. I also noticed his wife there that night was black. I thought that was cool. She was real pretty too.