Weekend news 2

* On Sunday we went to the feria artesanal at Plaza Serrano in Palermo, the neighbor barrio. Lots of leather products, bags and belts, and all kinds of jewelry. Clothes, some have a very clever design, some very bad fabric. Funny, I did not buy anything, maybe I'm sick; wait, I am sick, I have a flu.

* Between our barrio Villa Crespo and Palermo there is a huge area of outlet shops. Mostly Argentine brands, but also international sportswear like Puma and Nike. The funny thing is that the shop window says "vintage", and I get all happy and run for the vintage clothes, looking for jackets from 1940s and dresses from 1950s, but in these shops it means only "last season". So now they have the winter collection 2012 on sale, lucky for us! Pasi got these nice winter shoes! Good for the Finnish winter when we come back home...


* On Sunday night we went to the milonga at Villa Malcolm. At Villa Malcolm, there is a milonga every night with a different organizer, so all the nights have a very distinct atmosphere. Sunday night is the milonga Viva La Pepa, popular among young people and different styles of dancers. Before the milonga we took part in the advanced class given by Julio Balmaceda y Corina de la Rosa. They are beautiful tango salon dancers with a lot of experience. For us, their style is special because of the spiral they use in every movement. And we want to learn that! And their vals is so beautiful!!! Check this video, already some years old, but it is the classic where they do all the beautiful typical vals movements!!!! Go ahead boys, check those steps!!!

Their class was very very good, clear instructions, sometimes only one, and enough time to practice after every talk. We were happy. And planning to go again. And of course, we would LOVE to have them in Finland, they really are a big name in the tango world, everybody should know them, and their teaching would really give something essential for the Finnish tango dancers.

* Quinteto Real played at the milonga. Wow. Read about their history and about the founder Horacio Salgan. Very big and beautiful music, composed and played more for listening than dancing, usually played in concert halls, so it was a very special occasion to indeed be able to dance it LIVE!!! There was a beautiful show by Guillermo Cerneaz y Marina Kenny, and it seems that Guillermo's dream has been to dance live with Quinteto Real, so now this dream also came true! Read about this evening also from this blog!

* Best ever: we biked to the milonga!!! Thank heaven for the oneway streets of BA, only one direction at a time to look for danger. I was scared as anything, but still it was the best! 20 blocks to go, what is better than bike!!! And actually there are bike lanes, we have to learn the routes. And yes mother, I will go and buy a helmet.