There is an amazing aerial shot where the suspect is identified in a crowded soccer stadium – just THIS  is worth the price of admission -  it is incredible! A camera swoops in from high above and  descends seamlessly down into the stadium capturing the  energy of the fans, the crowds and the nervousness of the chase – it must have been a good 3 or 4 minutes of ONE TAKE, you are breathless as you watch  – it was outstanding! 

The other two things I really enjoyed were the bits of typical Argentine humor throughout and of course, the EYES, the looks, gazes - all that you see, interpret and read the IN the eyes of the two main characters.

Ricardo Darin was also in the “Son of the Bride”  again, directed by Campanella.

I hope you go see it while it's still in the theaters and tell me what you think!

Cheers!

Well hello there – Happy New Decade!
I’m back from our trip to Argentina and I must say that the lack of technology gave me withdrawals right at first. Then it hit me, I could actually function without my internet addiction and... I indulged in the freedom.

What I learned on my vacation to Argentina:

1. Drinking a bottle of Malbec wine with my husband by the beach (Mar del Plata) at 11:30am is fun, makes you sleepy and makes nap time easy….
2. Taking naps makes those pesky wrinkles go away – that or you don’t care anymore because you are rested.
3. My 12 year-old nephew made it clear to us all when he said “vacations are to sleep–in, play and do anything you want” – it does not get any simpler than that huh?
4. Not having a watch on vacation makes you realize that you don't always need to know the time.
5. Slumber parties are fun! One night it was cold (yes in the middle of summer) and we decided to have a slumber party with our two nephews (ages 10 & 12) – we talked and giggled all night in the dark - – loved it!
6. My menopause symptoms were gone while on vacation – or the fact that I was drinking at 11:30am made me NOT feel them! YES!
   
7. Hiring a personal dance trainer to teach my 4 sisters-in-law and I some “cool” moves for a Christmas eve show for the family – DID NOT turn us into “cool dancers” – but what a great way to let go, be fools and LAUGH!
8. The dollar exchange was TERRIFIC when it came to massages – I did my best to be spoiled…
9. Singing with the family “like no one is listening” - can be risky when everyone records you!
10. Staying up all night watching MTV in Spanish is a BLAST!
11. Reading all day long without interruptions is pure heaven! (had to include this one..)

I am glad to be back home and ready for 2010!  I am so excited to continue on my (our) wellbeing quest – I have so many ideas that I want to share!  Do you have any you want to chat about? 
Cheers!

My apologies for the silence, internet is a bit hard to get but I continue to try. We are in Tandil, Argentina – located about 250 miles Southeast of Buenos Aires with a population of about 170 thousand. It’s a charming countryside university town with beautiful cobblestone paved streets, with a lot of greenery, agriculture, mountains and lots tourism based on outdoor activities; hiking, camping, cabins, and spas nestled in the countryside.

For those who follow tennis, it’s the birthplace of the 21 year old “El Potro”, recent winner of the Tennis U.S. Open. And, for the Latin Americans in the group – Alberto Cortez lived in Tandil for many years and some his songs are about the town!

A few observations:

This town is VERY relaxed and mellow, and it's customary that everyone and everything is late, and there are no set plans for activities and no rushing. "Siesta" time is sacred and I say, "When in Rome" - I have fit right in :)...If you are too wound up you can get really stressed at the lack of stress here.

Remember the “charming” cobble stone streets? Well, those and the "lovely" ancient rock sidewalks are NOT suited for my fancy city feet. I guess I am used to those attractive concrete California sidewalks. I trip, stumble and slip – No alcohol is involved in this lack of coordination, but, in order to “save face” I am seriously considering being drunk all the time now…

One important thing to keep in mind is that pedestrians DO NOT have the right of way in Argentina. Needless to say, when I am out on my own, it can take me HOURS to cross a busy street. No, I don’t care that old ladies are better than me at this task; I just tell myself “they’ve here lived longer”. I eventually get to where I am going; I am, after all, going at my own “leisurely” pace. Yep!

The other day, when we were in Areco, and went to the Club de Pescadores Club for a brief visit I had a hilarious moment as we got ready. My sister-in-law started packing several bags with all the things we needed to take - change of shoes, water, fruit, cookies, towels – you get the picture right? A million things! I was so EXCITED because, if you remember the post “How not to Act Old at the Beach” – one of the items was to not pack the “whole house”, only old people do that. Well, it seems that over here the young and old over pack for a 2 hour stay. I joined her in the packing frenzy and enjoyed every minute of packing and taking the multiple bags of nonsense we took (and did not use).

I will end this post by sharing that I’ve had the most wonderful full body massages at the marvelous price of $12 US dollars. Cheers!

Happy Holidays!