el campo te llama

 

The distinct smell of animal s**t in Palermo means only one thing– it’s Buenos Aires’ annual Exposicion Rural!

Entering its 121st year, the Exposicion Rural is the agriculture show not just of Latin America but, arguably, of the world. Besides livestock, there are fruits, vegetables, and even the cultivators of said products on display. Last year the New York Times showered the exhibition with praise, saying,

There are livestock fairs all over the world from Fort Worth to Paris, but nothing quite compares to the pageantry, historical magnitude and pure fun of La Rural, which attracts more than a million spectators — Argentines and foreigners — many of whom crowd the viewing stands to watch the judging of the champions.

 

The show, opening today and continuing through August 7, demands a $10 peso entrance fee. But imagine all of the bovines, birds, and broccoli you could see! Judging won’t begin until later in the week, so if you want to see some ribbons handed out, you best be checking the schedule. Otherwise, plan to go on any day but Saturday or Sunday, since it will be a total zoo (haha) on the weekend and these types of shows bring out pushiest people.

And in case you’re still on the fence about going to the Exposicion Rural, this quote from the New York Times article should convince you:

Señor Sol’s father, Satán, a past grand champion, commands a $35,000 price tag, and will earn more money than that from frequent sales of his sperm. When Satán was declared the best-in-show in 2004, his gaucho attendant, Fernando Pondovila, burst into tears. “After all those months spent with the animal and to have him recognized as the greatest of his breed — well, I was so happy that I just couldn’t contain my emotions,” Mr. Pondovila said.

Let’s hope for a repeat performance this year.–REBECCA

transvestite travesty

Prostitutes and transvestites are nothing new in Palermo– in fact, prior to the recent gentrification of Palermo, it was one of Buenos Aires’ main red light districts– but the recent lifting of a prostitution ban in the area may give them more visibility.

Pagina 12 reports that the suspension of Resolución 38 (“declaraba ‘el Rosedal de Palermo y su entorno’ como ‘espacio no autorizado para la oferta o demanda de servicios sexuales”) by a new resolution, Resolución 43, was done in part to increase awareness and reduce transmission rates of HIV/AIDS.

Basically, making prostitution illegal doesn’t stop it from happening. Instead, prostitution will still go on, but the government can’t officially talk about it or do any sort of outreach, like HIV/AIDS prevention, because it’s supposed to be illegal! So by lifting the ban on prostitution (although not outright repealing it), the government is attempting to address the problem rather than sweep it under the rug.

Despite yesterday’s protest by a transvestite organization pushing for the resolution’s complete repeal, it looks as though the government has actually been including sex workers in its discussions. As was reported,

‘Decidimos entonces convocar a una amplia mesa de diálogo.’ Se decidió ya incluir a la Asociación de Travestis, Transexuales y Transgénero de la Argentina (ATTA); la Federación Argentina de Personas Gays, Lésbicas, Travestis, Bisexuales e Intersexuales (Fagltbi); la Asociación de Mujeres Meretrices Argentinas (Ammar); la Asociación de Amigos del Lago de Palermo, otras entidades vecinales y vecinos interesados; el Inadi; por parte del gobierno porteño participarán los ministros de Medio Ambiente, de Gobierno y de Derechos Humanos, así como la Procuraduría General.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that the government will actually listen to what any of these groups have to say, but at least there was some effort to talk to sex workers before making a decision.

Prostitution doesn’t exist just because it’s legal or allowed; instead, it exists because we live in a society where sexuality (and sexual expression/desire) is repressed, where objectifying and treating people (specifically women) a certain way is promoted, and where increasing rates of poverty (especially among women) forces people to take certain jobs. So making it legal doesn’t necessarily deal with the root of the problem, but it at least addresses safety and health concerns for sex workers.–REBECCA

toing, toing, gone

MySpace may have the American music scene in a choke-hold, but My Toing is attempting to give it a run for its money here in Argentina.

Through My Toing, bands can create their own pages with songs, videos, photos, blurbs, and tour info. Language options currently include Spanish and Portuguese.

Despite copying half of MySpace’s name, My Toing doesn’t seem poised to mimic the site’s success. There are currently only a handful of bands registered, and of those, only three seemed worth checking out. And none of those three bands impressed me with their music. In fact, I did a quick search, plugging in the names of some indie bands we’ve recently covered here at soy so lindo, and not a single one of them showed up. Not to be a total snot, but would you really want to buy an album from one of these bands?

 

Which could of course be because the site was only recently launched. MySpace was around for years before it actually became the cultural phenomenon that it is today. At this point, it’s a matter of My Toing getting enough buzz to draw in more (interesting) bands. What will it take? A smart ad campaign? An aggressive marketing? Being bought out by a conservative Australian?–REBECCA

street art sunday

Rivadavia y Esmeralda, July 2007

mi querido diversión

Still hungover from last night’s Dia del Amigo festivities? soy so lindo’s got the cure: more parties!

Saturday, July 21: Lugar Sonado

Our favorite indie gallery, Belleza y Felicidad, is throwing a party this evening. Think pretty art on the walls, sweet sounds courtesy of DJs Pareja, Aldo Benitez, and Ismael Pinkler, and (unlimited?) drinks to help wash it all down. Belleza y Felicidad, Acuna de Figueroa y Guardia Vieja, 19hs puntual, $5.

Sunday, July 22: Sombras Chinas

No more lazy Sundays, now that Villa Diamante’s throwing a new Sunday evening party. Straight from the horse’s mouth: “Conversar, bailotear, con una copa en la mano. Tomar un impulso, antes de empezar la semana.” Right on. El Nacional, EEUU308, San Telmo, 19-23 hs, entrada libre.

uruguayan invasion

 

Like the Brits crossing the Atlantic, Montevideo’s Astroboy came over to Buenos Aires to play at Unione e Benevolenza’s ciclo Music is My Girlfriend. The band has developed since their previous album “Automatica,” going from Brit-mod to Brit-pop. Which is fine by us, because who doesn’t live a Pulp or a Suede inspired band? For more photos, check out soy so lindo’s flickr page.

this is a show

British invasion indeed.

The Magic Numbers, yet another band from the mother country, will be playing a free show in Buenos Aires on July 27 at The Roxy. The rub? Bacardi is throwing these indie folk-pop darlings the party, and not everyone is invited.

Tickets are ostensibly available from Bacardi’s website once you give away all of your personal information and answer a couple of inane questions (like “De que material son los barriles donde reposa y gana su inconfundible sabor el ron Bacardi?”). But for three days I’ve been trying to get tickets, all for naught.

Anyone who actually wins tickets will get an extra set to bring a friend so…dear soy so lindo readers: invite me if you get tickets, okay?–REBECCA

down with dia del amigo

Call me scrooge, but I’m not buying into Dia del Amigo.

The basic premise of the holiday is decent enough: a day to re-connect with old friends and express to new friends how much they mean to you. Like an anti-Valentine’s day, Dia del Amigo attempts to position the role of the friend as equal, if not paramount, to the role of lover.

The day was created by Enrique Febbraro, who felt that July 20th befitted celebrating friendships because it was the day of the first landing on the moon. It’s hard to follow this logic, I know, but according to Febbraro the entire world became friends with these three astronauts.

But like most holidays (Valentine’s Day, Christmas, Mothers/Fathers Day, etc.), Dia del Amigo has become one of consumption. Stores remind you to buy your friend a gift, restaurants remind you to make a reservation for an overpriced meal, bars remind you to buy your buddy a couple of drinks.

And then it becomes a day of hurt feelings and broken friendships. You ask a “good” friend to dinner, just to find out that he/she already made plans with someone else; you receive a gift from a friend, but don’t have anything to give them; you party all night with your friends just to make your wife mad (or so complains a student of mine). Why all the added stress? If you’re friends with someone, you don’t need a special day to take them out to lunch or buy them a drink. It should be natural.

And unlike in some other countries, portenos take their Dia del Amigo very seriously. Cell phone networks momentarily shut down on Dia del Amigo in 2005 because they were  overrun with calls and text messages, and most restaurants are totally booked at least a week before the holiday.

So rather than drive myself crazy over Dia del Amigo, I’m taking it easy and celebrating the accomplishments of friends, rather than the friendships themselves. Specifically, the store Arriba, located in Galeria 5ta Avenida, is celebrating its 2nd Anniversary this evening with wine and discounts. With Arriba’s handmade purses and t-shirts, it would be the perfect place to pick up a Dia del Amigo gift. But you didn’t hear it from me.–REBECCA

diferencias y repeticiones

 

Gallery shows may be a bit of a mixed bag here in Buenos Aires, but if Juan Dolhare’s paintings don’t impress you, at least the space will.

The bright colors and political tones of Dolhare’s paintings (nearly a dozen) underscore the desolate warehouse in which they’re shown– think lights illuminating old wooden barrels, paintings mounted on crates, and a dirty porcelaine bathtub adding to the ambiance.

Similarly, the works themselves revolve around the the corruption of capitalism and the perverse beauty that comes out of it. Faceless men in suits stand below a shimmering red silhouette of Cuba; a pair of legs lean against a warm cloudless shade of blue. Yes, it’s all a bit eerie and disheartening, but like a Lynch film, you just can’t turn away.

 The soy so lindo team was lucky enough to be invited to a special viewing of the show yesterday, where we spent the evening exploring the building and clinking wine glasses with the artist. What follows here (and on our flickr page) is an abreviated account of the show.

If you haven’t yet seen “Diferencias y Repeticiones” (or have, but are into art parties), there will be a closing reception this Thursday, July 19 at 8 p.m.

Juan Dolare: “Diferencias y Repeticiones”

Bolivar 1670, Barracas.

los pelirrojos son peligrosos

 

If there’s anything to learn from Clarin today, it’s that being a redhead in Buenos Aires sucks!

 Oh, and if you’re not a redhead, you can add the taunts “Fideos con tuco,” “fosforito,” “ketchup,” and “mufa,” to your anti-redhead arsenal.

Clarin wondered outloud what it’s like to grow up with red hair and concluded that as bad as things are here in Argentina for pelirrojos, they’re not nearly as bad as in England. Which struck me as a bit odd, since there seem to be plenty of flaming redheads from England (Kate Winslet, Ginger Spice, or Ron from Harry Potter, if we’re just talking big names), and yet few from here. But maybe I’m just color blind and can’t see the full spectrum of rainbow colored heads in Buenos Aires.

Regardless, I’m looking for redhead taunt retorts in Spanish for when my dear redheaded friend from NY comes to visit in August. Any suggestions?–REBECCA