an estancia getaway

• for Jake's birthday (not until Feb 10th) I planned an overnight stay an an estancia (ranch) and polo club, Puesto Viejo, about an hour and a half outside of BA
• this was something we actually had not done yet, and after wondering out loud a few weeks back about how James would do at an overnight like this, Jake responded, "Oh, he'd be fine."
• so I took this as a go-ahead
• I wanted to surprise Jake by planning this, but also wanted him to be prepared for the weekend, so the week before, I had him unwrap a box that contained: James' toy horse, James' polo shirt, a pair of sunglasses and a swimsuit...he was supposed to guess where we were going...he first guessed a beach, and I was like, "Shoot! Maybe he'd rather go there!"
• then I showed him the Puesto Viejo website and said we were going to spend a weekend at this estancia for some R&R amongst all the stress of the move
• so about the clues...the toy horse was to represent horseback riding or polo lessons (we did each ride a horse)
• the polo shirt represented the fact that it was a polo club and hopefully we'd get to see a game (sadly, we did not)
• the sunglasses were meant for lots of time in the sun and vitamin d absorption! (sun peeked out for maybe 5 minutes...but we got some outdoor time in the country...always a welcome break from city life)
• the swimsuit represented some pool time in their beautiful infinity pool (Jake did jump in between rain storms)
• I checked the weather all week in anticipation and finally the night before, with an 80% chance of rain for Saturday, I accepted the fact that we'd need umbrellas and galoshes 

Sa 2.1.14

• sure enough, we were greeted with rain upon waking up this morning, but luckily we only had about a 5 block walk to Alto Palermo mall where we'd board the combi bus to Cañuelas, a small city a little over an hour away...James was a champ and slept most of the time

awake to asleep in a flash

• from Cañuelas, the hotel arranged a taxi to take us out to the estancia
• we were settled into our room by noon and without even asking, the estancia provided a complimentary bottle of bubbly and a little note for Jake's birthday...how nice!

• James loved sprawling out on the big bed...

dressed for the occasion

• but he was willing to share with us...

• after some relaxing in the room we had an asado for lunch (various cuts of meat along with empanadas, salads, wine, and desserts)
• after lunch, the rain had stopped for a while so we decided to take a stroll around the property

where meals are served on sunny days

door to the polo club house (taking notes for our future home ;)

one of three full-size polo fields 

• then we made our way to the stables...

hot water thermos, surely used for mate

riding boots...the real deal

how to play polo

• then Jake got a little horseback ride around the grounds...

• while I hung with James

• then we switched

• right at the end of my ride, the sun started to peak its way through the clouds and we were warming up quite a bit

check out my wild horse!

James' first time on a horse...don't worry mom, we'll let him sit on a horse for the first time with you!

• I wanted to jump back on the horse and gallop back to the hotel to throw on my suit and jump in the pool before the rain returned, but that didn't happen
• instead we walked back, grabbed some refreshments, and by the time we got to the pool and Jake jumped in...

good thing he doesn't roll yet

• ...the sprinkles started dropping...

• ...so back again to our room to read and nap while listening to the storm outside...which ended up being the perfect way to spend the rest of the afternoon
• before we knew it, it was dinner time

Jake enjoying a delicious mushroom, sausage tarta

James nicely napped most of the meal

bondiola with an amazing plum sauce and homemade fancy potato chips and tiramisu and brownie for dessert

•  then we went to the living room to check out the bookshelf full of good reads and board games
• we played the pub quiz game for a while, then went back to our room to play a mean game of LIFE...it's been a while for me, and Jake thinks it was his first time playing LIFE.  We had fun...I let the birthday boy win ;)
• all the while, this little guy slept pretty soundly in his little pack-n-play

Su 2.2.14

• we slept in then headed down to a continental breakfast

• then relaxed and played in our room for a few hours...

• ...and strolled around the close to 100 year home a bit more...

• ...then had one last quick bite to eat before catching the late afternoon bus back to the city
• I'm adding this photo of our lunch's dessert  to remind myself how delicious the poached pear in red wine sauce was and so I can try to recreate it...yum!

• the overnight stay, although rainy, provided a nice way to not only enjoy a bit more Argentinian countryside, but to more importantly celebrate a special someone's 29th year
• James and I love you mi amor!  Hope you enjoyed your weekend!

a day to play tourist and spend time with friends

Sa 1.25.14

• on the bucket list before the big move was to do the double decker yellow bus tour of the city
• so we were up bright and early, strapped James in the carrier, picked up some coffee and pastries, got our tickets and boarded the first bus of the day!

early birds!

• it was a cool, sunny day...which was such a tease since we'll be saying goodbye to BA (and hello to the frozen tundra up north) in less than 3 weeks!

• that's little Jamesito hiding under the blanket napping...he was such a champ today with his crazy parents carting him around the city

• this photo's for you mom:

• dad, do you think you can construct one of these?  would make a great little lawn ornament ;)
• the bus took us from our neighborhood, up north to Belgrano, Chinatown, through the center...

• ...then back down south to La Boca...passed the famous bombonera where one of Argentina's best futbol teams plays, Boca Juniors

• James kinda missed a lot of the action...really only waking to eat

a little kicking-on-the-lap action (isn't his little monster onesie great??)

• we looped around to Puerto Madero where we hopped off for a little bondiola lunch

• this sweet little face didn't last long...during lunch I was feeding James while pigeons peskily pecked around our table...I think James could sense my uneasiness...so we quickly fled this location and went somewhere more peaceful to finish up our sandwiches
• then it was back on the bus to complete the loop
• we had planned to hop off the bus to visit some friends, so we stayed on for another half a loop to head over to their place

this pic just makes me laugh...not sure why, but James preferred this hold on our walk

• we had such a nice afternoon spending time (and eating the most amazing lemon pie accompanied by delicious coffee...thanks guys!) with some friend who had their little son Maxim exactly one week after James was born
• we finally got some (pretty funny and super cute) photos of the two of them together:

first...not so sure, but then warmed up to each other

James saying "Hola...let's be amigos!" (James speaks Spanglish like mami)

• what funny little guys, huh?
• and here's James charming Cecilia a bit:

• LOVE LOVE all the babies being born in BA! 
• sadly, we'll be leaving, but Cecilia, Zdenko and Maxim move back to Sweden the day after we fly out...I have a feeling these two little guys will see each other again someday :)
• later that evening, we were invited to Jake's coworkers place for an Argentine asado...complete with all the cuts of meat grilled to perfection on the traditional Argentine parilla (see parilla to the left of the photo)

L->R Juli (the asador), Tere, Fede, Cedi, Jake
(Juli's fiance, not pictured, is Isi...don't you love all the abbreviated nicknames?  I do)

• Jake's coworker, Ceci came...maybe only to meet baby James for the first time :)
• she had a hard time letting him go, but James surely didn't mind!

James' fidgety little arms are always flying...cracks us up!

• sunny sites and fantastic friends...great way to spend one of our last weekends in BA!