From one end to another... almost

Phew, who knew Lavalle Street was the fabric capital? As I began wandering down Lavalle, I saw all these fabric stores, and, as I am quilting again, my eyes began to roam the designs to see what might work with a brown, green, red and yellow quilt I'm making. Found it! Wouldn't you know the sucker was polyester - never work in a quilt...

Avanti, and onto the Lavalle and Palacie de Justicia where the handsomest man in the world stopped when he saw me pouring over my maps to ask if I needed help. I almost jumped into his arms and said, "You betcha," but I restrained myself and let him help me; however, when he said that Malba, the Museum of Argentine art, was over 50 blocks, and I'd have to take a bus, I just shook my head and said, "No, I'll walk, thank you." He said, "Oh, you're young." I assured him that I was "not necessarily young but strong," as I lifted my now sneakered right foot. I asked him about getting tix to go to Tigre on Wednesday, and he assured me I didn't need to get tix in advance; Tigre wasn't that far away. He lived there. We shook hands, and I said, "Gracias, gracias, mucho gracias," but, of course, I meant, "I love you dearly and when will we meet again?"

On my way I encountered all sorts of magical things, the least of which was a homeless man with a shopping cart or three, just to show you that there ARE homeless and poor people here despite appearances of riches everywhere. I kept walking along Avenue del Libertador until I got to the beginning of Avenida Figueroa Alcorta which goes along the edges of endless parks, BA University and finally Malba, which was terrific, but the first photo I took brought the guards, as it usually does. That was the end of the photographing, but I did capture a wonderful image of a piece I really loved. The museum startled me because the insides were the same colors that Oonie chose for her architects' firm - white and a delicious light, not quite lime green. Two of the finest works were hung on walls of that hue - Joaquin Torres-Garcia's Composition Symetrique universelle en blanc et noir, 1931, Wifredo Lam's 1943 La Manana Verde, and a piece of Fernando Botera's. From malba I walked to the Jardin Japones and enjoyed a sit down in the lovely sun and watch the ferociously famished fat carp come up to me bobbing and leaping for food. I felt sad that I hadn't brought some of that doughy bread that sits heavily on top on my microwave. Then I walked to the Subte and took a train to Juramento in Belgrano where the small BA Chinatown is located. And it was small, but the area itself was lovely, lovely, and I went to the Chinese market and bought some sickly looking peanut butter called "Mani Caviwa," whether Chinese or Spanish I do not know, and some grainy sliced bread. I sat on the bench outside the store with the oily peanut butter balanced on my lap and tried to eat a little bread with pb as I drank some green tea - a challenge but somebody's got to do it.
Then I noticed a multiplex movie theater and decided I HAD to go to the movies in Argentina; the choices were slim, but the price was right - 13 pesos, which is less than $5 - and I saw He's Just Not That Into You and, as always, wept copious tears of joy at the end. Ah, American films always hit the spot, no matter what country! I came home and then dashed out to my neighborhood Chinese shop and bought a big beer, some fruit, pasta and sauce in a bag. The meal came to just over $3. Now THAT's why we stay in an apartment! I scrounged around for a can opener and finding none, I went up to Federico's grandparent's apartment and got one. Federica was having a terribly day because he's an epileptic and hates taking his meds b/c they make him sleepy, so he didn't take them today. He was coming home from school with his "friend" and had an attack; his friend did nothing, people on the street tried to help him, but he said no to an ambulance. He was most concerned about his friend - aren't all guys at that age? I assured him to take his meds; nobody needs a friend who walks away when we are in need. He was very upset and missing his family, he said. He apparently is here with his grandparents to go to school, and his family lives outside of BA, far enough away for him to have to be here with his grandparents. I ached for the poor fellow, but I am glad to have a friend in the building. Tomorrow promises more adventures...