anoche

la boca, buenos aires

certain things require no translation. our evening began with an off-curcuito play, Sucio (dirty), featuring my professors son. true to buenos aires form, the play started shortly after the advertised 11 pm hour and i can claim to have had a complete understanding of the play. before you overestimate my ability in the spanish language, i figure it may be worthwhile to note that the play featured a rendition of whitney houston's 'i will always love you', a portly man wearing a television on his head, and a 3-minute sex scene between a 25-year old man and a 4-foot tall stuffed bunny. it was odd, zany, and to label it as brilliant does not do it enough justice.

after the play was over, it was off to avenida 9 de julio for some drinks before we went to a massive club. we made sure not to get there too early, and were glad the place was half-full when we walked in at 2:30. got a taxi back to la boca around 5, though we would have returned sooner if the headlining deejay would have gone on before 4. while few have labeled me as a club-hopper, the house music was good and definitely enjoyed myself (as did the rest of the gringos).

one thing to note, and to note respectfully, is a certain style that is quite apparent. it didn't take much of a survey to conclude that people care about the way they look: their clothes are quite fashionable, their jewelry and accessories are de moda, and many appear to see the gym quite a bit more than yours truly. that is why it is all the more perplexing to look at the top of many of the young men and see a little something trickly down their necks: the mullet.

that's right, mullets are here and they are plentiful. not quite as aggressive as the appalachian variety, they take many forms including the rat tail, the mohawk mullet, small descending lobster claws, and just full-on mullitude. you can't claim to have seen it all until you've stared at the same head and seen dolce gabbana sunglasses and a mullet. but still, to be fair, if anyone can pull it off, it is the porteno (someone from buenos aires). i anticipate a return to the states with an appreciation for argentine beef, wine, and custom, but you're all free to shoot me if you see me donning the iguazu falls on my dome.

until then, buenas noches y buena suerte

p.s. BA architectural fun fact: not sure exactly when, but recent legislation said that for apartment construction all residency units must be provided with a balcony. me alegra, giving me the impression that this not only makes the city more aesthetically pleasing, but perhaps translates into a more open and outward orientation in the citizenry.