criplomats

This was a really busy week! My friend and consular colleague Rachel flew in this week and is staying with us, along with her six-year-old daughter Scout. They’ve been busy exploring the city and filling us in on their adventures in the evenings. Lots of fun to catch up and have a young child in the house!

Thursday night we had a late (for me) dinner at the lovely Anchoita restaurant with colleagues and foodies Shawn and Angie. We ordered a lot of different things and shared – such good and inventive dishes!

We’ve watched a bit of the Olympics off and on this week – big fun! My friend is working at the embassy in Paris and I’m hoping she doesn’t have too many US citizens with problems during the week!

I read a book about domestic adoptions from the birth mothers’ viewpoints this week, “Relinquished” by Gretchen Sisson – I look forward to a good book club discussion about it next week.

Lea and I met for brunch today. On my walk home, I popped into the small popular arts museum to see what interesting textiles they had. I loved the big crocheted head above.

And I finally walked through the decorative arts museum near our house!

This sculpture of Diana reminded me of the lovely iron piece by Mary Cantrell that John gave me when we first met.

I forgot to post these photos from La Rural last week. I love to watch them vacuum the cows!

John and I are social sponsors for a newly arrived family – I took them grocery shopping Saturday morning, then they came for happy hour tonight. It was fun getting to visit with them and making their landing in Buenos Aires a bit softer.

It’s my favorite time of the year in Buenos Aires – the La Rural livestock expo! Lea, Megan, Sarah, and I went for lunch on Friday and did some whirlwind shopping, then John and I went back this morning. We bought wine from the north (Salta), rosemary-infused vinegar, salmon pate from the coast, lamb salame, smoked sheep cheese, olives (La Rioja), olive oil (Mendoza), honey (Santiago de Esteros) and a cool suede vest for John. It’s such a fun fair, and getting to see all of the cows, horses, sheep, etc is a bonus! Big fun.

We welcomed a new consular officer to the office this week – ‘tis the season for transfers.

John and I watched “Firebrand,” about Katherine of Arrogon, an Eddie Murphy “Beverly Hills Cop” sequel that was silly but fun, another episode of “Presumed Innocent” and “The Bear,” and the fabulous “Silence of the Snow.” Oh, and we bought a new TV this week, so it was fun to see movies on a new big screen.

I finished the disturbing “Under the Bridge” – now I want to watch the TV show about this murder!

Tuesday was Argentina’s Independence Day celebration, so we were off work for the holiday. Lucky for us, the presidential grandstand and band were right below our balcony, so we were able to watch parts of the military parade from our balcony. It lasted over two hours, with droves of men in all manner of uniforms marching for the most part, followed by a few tanks, then a few regiments of horses, including a mounted band.

I stayed home from work on Monday to continue nursing my cold (which I am still trying to shake off) and have tried to just take it easy all week. I ventured out yesterday to pick up my beautiful new black leather trench coat and meet Lea for brunch at Marti.

John and I finished (and enjoyed) “A Man in Full” and thoroughly enjoyed “A Suitable Boy,” set in 1950s India (watch it!). I finished the documentary on the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (oddly additive and fun), and we continue to watch “Presumed Innocent” and “The Bear.” I finished reading “Trainwreck” (liked it) and reread Maya Angelou’s “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” and just started “Under the Bridge.”

John and I were at the Embassy’s Fourth of July celebration Tuesday night at the Ambassador’s Residence – another really big event. Happy 4th!

We were at home on the actual 4th for the holiday – unfortunately, I’ve picked up a cold — but I’ve gotten a lot of reading done between the holiday and the weekend: finished “Entitled,” by Kate Manne; “Madhouse at the End of the World,” by Julian Sanction; and “Generations: The Real Differences Between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, and Silents – and What They Mean for America’s Future” (a really long title!) by Jean Twenge. I especially enjoyed “Madhouse,” the story of a Belgian expedition to Antarctica in the late 1800s. John and I started Season 3 of “The Bear,” and are enjoying “A Man in Full” while we wait for the next episode of “Presumed Innocent.”

Here are a few more photos from the party: