Buenos Aires, Argentina

This is a post that deserves more time than I actually have, and I have been feeling guilty for not yet editing all of the pictures taken while in Buenos Aires. I wrote this up for our corporate attorney at work whose fencing coach is going BA soon and is looking for interesting things to do while there.

El Dorado Kayak- most certainly one of the highlights of the trip. Nice to spend a day out of the city. The guys who run it are extremely friendly and generous, the post-kayak asado that they prepare is absolutely delicious, but 10 miles of rowing might be rough for kids. They are a small company so maybe they could tailor a shorter trip for you:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g312762-d1596737-r92329609-El_Dorado_Kayak-Tigre_Province_of_Buenos_Aires_Central_Argentina.html

San Telmo Market- They have nice, cheap jewelry in either silver or Alpaca. Because we had never heard of Alpaca before, I had to do a little research so I knew what I was purchasing. Basically it’s a alloy of Zinc, Iron, Copper and Nickel. It has properties like stainless steel and will not tarnish or rust, so it’s a decent cheaper alternative to silver (plata).  San Telmo on Sunday is quite a busy area, so I would recommend keeping your belongings close. But the artisans are very nice and will be happy to help you.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g312741-d314020-Reviews-San_Telmo_Antique_Market-Buenos_Aires_Capital_Federal_District.html

La Bicicleta Naranja: Bike Rental in San Telmo- We rented bikes for about 4 hours after browsing the wares at the market. I would recommend avoiding the path along the water, because you can’t see anything but marsh and it’s not very scenic. Instead, ask the guys at the store to recommend a tour, or hire a private guide. If you head off on your own, steer clear of La Boca, which is the least safe areas of BsAs.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g312741-d1823704-Reviews-La_Bicicleta_Naranja_Tours-Buenos_Aires_Capital_Federal_District.html

MALBA- About the size of one wing of the MoMa, this museum had some really cool exhibits when we were there. Their restaurant serves up some pretty tasty sandwiches as well.  

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g312741-d312325-Reviews-Museum_of_Latin_American_Art_of_Buenos_Aires_MALBA-Buenos_Aires_Capital_Federal_District.html

I would be here for ages talking about the restaurants, but all of the meat is delicious. If you like your meat rare, be sure to ask for your steak “muy jugoso”. All of the salads and veggies in general were fresh and flavorful, which was a nice surprise.

LIVEBLOG: Double Hop IPA

Today my brewing partner, Seth and I are brewing a double IPA. I will be liveblogging our efforts!
The grains.

 The directions.

 The malt.

Pouring in the liquid malt extract.

 The wort.

 Hot wort tastes like an oatmeal-y sweet tea.

 The grains have been steeped.

 Adding the crescent hops.

 Adding the cascade hops.

 Hoppity hop hop!

  The wort chiller worked amazingly well. Cooled down the wort from 212F to 80F in about 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, we re-hydrated the yeast.

  80F!

Aerating the wort so the yeast can grow and reproduce.

 We then poured the wort into a mesh sieve and into a bucket so as to capture the sediment. We filled the airlock with vodka and put it into the closet for a week.

...To be continued in seven days!

Outlier: Tailored Performance

While I have yet to actually purchase any items from Outlier, I think their mens clothing, accessories and overall mission is totally cool and solves a major problem for city cyclists: comfort without sacrificing fashion. My only criticism is that I wish they would increase their line of womans clothing; give us some more tailored options like blazers, blouses, trousers. Stretchy jeans and tank tops can be bought anywhere. Looking forward to seeing this line expand to help out the sporty ladies of NYC in the near future.