Let's change the subject

Gotan Project - Rayuela @ Rome 2011

2011-06-21T12:58:00.005Z

The Gotan Project performs one of their hits of their latest CD, Tango 3.0, Rayuela at Atlantico Rome, Italy.

Rayuela's lyrics are recordings of one of the most influential Argentinean writers, Julio Cortazar

Miro Exhibition at Tate Modern

2011-05-05T17:23:00.003Z

I went to the Miro Exhibition at the Tate Modern a couple of weeks ago, and although the collection covers all the stages in the productive live of the artist -which is quite remarkable, I found extremely frustrating some of the masterpieces. I know I shouldn't look for hidden meanings in some of them but it kind of helps to understand better the artist and his/hers historic moment when you do.
I wouldn't recommend it unless you have a fascination for the artist and his work.

Visiting the London Dungeon

2010-09-20T22:37:00.003Z

I recently went to the London Dungeon where I had a great time while learning about some of the scariest moments/characters of the history of London –it now makes sense why this place is considered amongst the iconic London attractions.

I particularly enjoyed the Jack the Ripper ride, as they introduce the subject with loads of facts about the infamous assassin to then take you to the pub where it is believed he used to pick up his victims. The Sweeney Todd show was also very interesting and the final moment unexpected and terrifying, a good laugh overall.

Mykonos from a hill

2010-09-20T22:18:00.002Z

Mykonos from a hill
Originally uploaded by juancamilovargas

It does live up any expectations, Mykonos is one of those places where time seems to have stopped. It was quiet, white and blue... I am definitely coming back soon.

The Acropolis before sunset

2010-09-20T22:14:00.002Z

The Acropolis before sunset
Originally uploaded by juancamilovargas

When wandering around the observatory in Athens, I ended up attending to a free classical concert at Pnyx hill - it was the official launch of UNESCO women on that day.

The background was no other than the Acropolis -as seen in the picture.

Athens, chaotic, busy, hot...

The Sotheby's exhibition at Sudeley Castle

2010-08-30T21:23:00.002Z

Pouring vase
Originally uploaded by juancamilovargas

This exhibition presented fine pieces of contemporary art in one of the most beautiful locations, the Sudeley Castle.

The perfect excuse took us to immerse in the very hearth of the British country side, 25 pieces randomly located around the gardens of this castle from the 10th century, very enjoyable indeed!

Picnic at Kenwood House

2010-08-23T22:00:00.003Z

What could be more British than having a picnic at Kenwood house listening to the National Symphony Orchestra playing the National anthem while the attendants waved the union jack flag??
It was the last of the Proms, a bit cold, a bit cheese, a bit romantic, very relaxing!

Electric milk float

2010-08-17T14:32:00.007Z

I saw this super-cool electric milk float this morning and couldn't resist taking a picture! The driver was very friendly and told me they offer some online grocery shopping services, which sounded quite handy.

I will keep an eye for more of these and will take pictures when possible :)

My Europe's map (on the iPhone 4)

2010-08-09T11:41:00.008Z

This is how my camera roll's places map looks like on my new iPhone 4 -it obviously imported some of the data from the pictures taken with my previous iPhones. I guess I should write a proper review one of these days, however, I am enjoying the phone and trying to take advantage of the new features of the OS update.

Dóm svätého Martina, Bratislava

2010-08-09T11:30:00.004Z

Dóm svätého Martina
Originally uploaded by juancamilovargas

As part of our trip, we landed in Bratislava, which is very close to Vienna (only 40 mins by car) and Budapest (2 hours and something)...
The historic city is very small, compared to the other two, but we enjoyed its quietness! Also, our trip coincided with a music festival (Viva Vida Festival) and we were very lucky as we got to see a symphonic orchestra live in a square (they played great tunes)
A nice stop when travelling around Central Europe!

A carriage in Vienna

2010-08-09T11:25:00.003Z

A carriage in Vienna
Originally uploaded by juancamilovargas

Comparisons are hateful, and after visiting Budapest, it is going to be really hard to write something unbiased about Vienna (I was probably expecting too much out of it). Basically I had heard Vienna is the best place to live these days, and you can tell as it looks very clean and organised; however, it lacks somehow of emotion, and it is also very expensive.
We stayed in a very nice hotel -mainly frequented by business people, and it was very well located... we were literally 10 minutes from Museumsquartier and same to the channel. I am sure we missed a lot of things and we should have done more research to take advantage of the city (in fact, I regret not having visited the cemeteries and had a coffee in one of those famous cafes) but we covered as much as we could during our stay.
Love the carriages and this cliche picture would be the best example of what you can expect of Vienna!

Matthias Church, Budapest

2010-08-09T11:17:00.003Z

Roof of Matthias Church
Originally uploaded by juancamilovargas

Went to see the Formula 1 in Budapest (End of July/Beginning of August), and had the chance to wonder around with a couple of friends.
I loved the character of the city, it reminded me somehow Istambul, full of colours, textures and chaos.
I took loads of pictures but only uploaded few to my Flickr account, and this is probably one of the most beautiful you will find in the Budapest set, it's the rooftop of one of the churches (located at the top of one of the three hills in Buda).
Top place!

Polo in the Park, London

2010-06-30T09:55:00.002Z

Team New York vs Team Geneva
Originally uploaded by juancamilovargas

Team New York vs Team Geneva playing at Hurlingham Club, London

Wimbledon 2010

2010-06-30T09:51:00.003Z

Rafael Nadal @ Centre Court, Wimbledon 2010
Originally uploaded by juancamilovargas

Action shot of Rafa playing @ Wimbledon Centre Court, on June 26th

Rage Against the Machine, London 6th June

2010-05-27T21:08:00.002Z

Just got my RATM ticket today and am really looking forward to the 6th!

Coolest Summer songs (500 days)

2010-05-24T07:55:00.004Z

311 - Amber

Jason Mraz - I'm Yours

Detail of rooftop at Hampton Court

2010-05-24T07:53:00.003Z

Tudor architecture
Originally uploaded by juancamilovargas

The Tudor rooftop at Hampton Court palace on a lovely summer day. The picture was taken from the front side garden.

Florence Dome detail

2010-05-18T22:14:00.002Z

Florence Dome detail
Originally uploaded by juancamilovargas

A minimalistic shot of Florence, taken from one of the small windows of the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore.

Siena Cathedral

2010-05-18T22:12:00.002Z

The Cathedral of Siena
Originally uploaded by juancamilovargas

The impressive dome of Siena Cathedral, a Gothic church featuring several works from the greatest Michelangelo.

Siena is one of the most representative towns from the Renaissance period.

Tuscany from 'la Rocca'

2010-05-18T22:08:00.002Z

Tuscany from 'the Rock'
Originally uploaded by juancamilovargas

This picture was taken from 'la Rocca' -a small fortress within the heart of the medieval town of San Gimignano, Tuscany; some vineyards can be seen in the background.

The leaning Tower of Pisa

2010-05-18T22:03:00.002Z

The infamous Leaning Tower of Pisa
Originally uploaded by juancamilovargas

B&W shot of the leaning tower, taken on my recent trip to Italy.

Love the intensity of the background.

My Father, Pablo Escobar

2010-05-17T08:32:00.002Z

This documentary captures the brutal history of my beloved Colombia in the time of the cartel wars, a time that deeply changed our culture and the way the world perceived our country. Sad but true...

Demasiada Presion - LFC

2010-05-13T10:14:00.004Z

Tomaste el vaso aquel
aquel que no debes tomar
saliste a caminar
y decidiste irla a buscar

Mil veces y una más
juraste no volverla a ver
la fiesta terminó
ya no podés tenerte en pie

Esta noche es hora de que pienses en cambiar
el tiempo pasa pronto y todo tiene su final
Pasa, pasa, pasa, pasamé un vaso más
volvamos caminando pero elijamos el lugar

Noche de calor en la ciudad
ella te dejó y todo sigue igual

Mil veces y una más juraste que ibas a crecer
y solo una vez más
creciste hasta morir sin ver

La fiesta terminó no te pudiste controlar
mil golpes y uno más
la noche te volvio a pegar

Esta noche es hora de que pienses en cambiar
el tiempo pasa pronto y todo tiene su final
Pasa, pasa, pasa, pasamé un vaso más
volvamos caminando pero elijamos el lugar

Noche de calor en la ciudad
ella te dejó y todo sigue igual
Quisieras volver el tiempo atrás
pero lo que vuelve es esta noche y nada más

Noche de calor en la ciudad...

(You are) Just like heaven

2010-05-12T07:36:00.002Z

(You are) Just like heaven
Originally uploaded by juancamilovargas

Although it may look as if I were advertising Ryanair, the truth is the end of the wing gives some balance to the picture.
Love the contrast of colours...

Banksy @ Cargo, London

2010-05-03T23:05:00.003Z

Had lunch at Cargo last week and couldn't resist temptation to take a picture to this Banksy.
More street-art to come...

Space Invader @ Shoreditch, London

2010-05-03T22:56:00.002Z

Found this Space Invader in a little street between Curtain road and Charlotte Road (Shoreditch, London).
More street-art to come...

Los Fabulosos Cadillacs @ Troxy, London

2010-05-03T22:49:00.003Z

On Thursday 29th April, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs performed at Troxy, east London. They play for almost two hours all their most famous singles: Matador, Mal bicho, 5to centenario, Manuel Santillan el Leon, Siguiendo la luna, El satanico dr Cadillac, Demasiada presion, Calaveras y diablitos, Carnaval toda la vida, amongst many others...
The place itself was packed with young South Americans and the atmosphere was really cool!

L'Impossible at Chamonix

2010-03-22T23:52:00.002Z

L'Impossible at Chamonix
Originally uploaded by juancamilovargas

One of the few shots taken at Chamonix as part of the skiing holidays

Newcastle by the riverside

2010-01-01T13:37:00.003Z

Newcastle by the river side
Originally uploaded by juancamilovargas

The Newcastle riverside featuring the Millenium bridge, the new concert hall and the Tyne bridge in a lovely Winter sunset.

The Colony at Miami South Beach

2009-12-06T14:43:00.003Z

Miami South Beach - The Colony
Originally uploaded by juancamilovargas

I have just uploaded few pictures to my Flickr account of a recent trip to Florida, US.
In the picture, the Colony at Miami South Beach Art Deco District.

Qype: Sabor Restaurant in London

2009-10-27T18:12:00.002Z

London - Eating & Drinking - Restaurants - Latin American - Eating & Drinking - Restaurants - International

Sabor is simply my favourite South American restaurant in London! The ingredients are top quality, the dishes very creative, the vibe is just great and the selection of Argentinean and Chilean wines perhaps one of the most complete in London. I normally go for the ceviches, followed by Argentinean steaks, and never missed a classic caipirinha or a pisco sour and an Argentinean Malbec. Finally, as Colombian I should also point out that this is not the traditional Latin American restaurant, but a very well thought and vibrant concept.

Check out my review of Sabor Restaurant - I am juancvargas - on Qype

Qype: Ruby in London

2009-10-27T18:02:00.002Z

London - Eating & Drinking - Cafes & Coffee Shops

Ruby is always full -a very good sign of quality/value for money. For a fiver you can get massive sandwiches –it’s hard to make up one’s mind as the beef, chicken and chorizo sandwiches are all very good, and my colleagues also say the pastas and other dishes are equally good. Strongly recommended!

Check out my review of Ruby - I am juancvargas - on Qype

Qype: Me-N-U in London

2009-10-27T15:09:00.002Z

London - Eating & Drinking - Restaurants - European

Go to Me-N-U on a weekly basis for take away lunches, and I'd say it's one of my favourite places in the area. For a fiver you can get a decent portion of pasta, a pizza or a daily special, plus dessert or drinks. Bread is also free! They also do breakfasts and sandwiches but I haven't tried them yet. Honestly, a must in the area.

Check out my review of Me-N-U - I am juancvargas - on Qype

Coldplay @ Wembley on 18th Sep

2009-09-19T09:40:00.001Z

Although I am not a big fan of Coldplay, I could not say no to Kristoff's invite. The show was actually great, they played songs from all their previous albums and the atmosphere in general was cool.

Coldplay @ Wembley 18/09/09

Thames festival fireworks - 13th Sep

2009-09-13T09:45:00.001Z

Met up Felipe and Andres from Colombia, and spent a great night seeing the fireworks and then catching up on our own lives. Overall the fireworks were good, but my flatmates did not enjoy them. Anyway, the picture does not make justice to the event.

Thames Festival @ Waterloo bridge

My new Brompton M3L

2009-08-26T07:38:00.003Z

I have recently changed my old Specialized City Globe, for this beauty, comfortable and versatile Brompton M3L; and am proud to be part of the 1w2w movement!!

Bowling in Bricklane

2009-08-21T07:32:00.001Z

Have not been bowling for ages, but last week we had such a fantastic afternoon at All Star Lanes in Bricklane. The place itself reminds a 60's American place with well presented American fast food and a wide variety of cocktails. A good laugh... :)

Serpertine Gallery Pavilion, Hide Park

2009-08-02T07:26:00.001Z

Lovely Summer afternoon, in the background the Serpertine Gallery Pavilion 2,009 -designed by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa of leading Japanese architecture practice SANAA.

Then afterwards, a visit to the impressive Jeff Koons' exhibition, could not believe the masterpieces were not made of plastic!

Vortex Jazz Club, Dalston

2009-07-26T07:22:00.001Z

Few weeks ago, Stephanie invited me to the Vortex Jazz Club in Dalston - a place with personality. Totally recommended!

Zeta Bossio in London

2009-06-19T07:20:00.001Z

Zeta Bossio (former Soda Stereo) djing @ Zoo Bar in London

Tania Maria @ Ronnie Scott's. London 2009

2009-05-27T07:57:00.004Z

What a great night, went to see Tania Maria @ Ronnie Scott's last Friday with Esnayder & Tim. Although she seemed to be a bit tired, the performance was still very good.

Click to listen to Come with me (not from the show)

Fito Paez in London

2009-05-05T13:14:00.007Z

Fito in London's Union Chapel!

Here playing London Calling, a cover version from The Clash famous song!

Fernando Botero in London

2009-03-04T07:17:00.001Z

After 25 years, Botero came to London to attend a Q&A session at the Prince Charles Cinema

Italy Vs Brazil - Friendly match

2009-02-12T07:14:00.001Z

Match: Brazil - Italy
Score: 2 - 0
Location: Emirates Stadium

Cirque du Soleil - Quidam

2009-01-09T12:45:00.002Z

Went to see Cirque du Soleil's Quidam on Wednesday. Mind blowing! :)

York - Liverpool

2008-12-30T00:04:00.002Z

York - Liverpool
Originally uploaded by juancamilovargas

The motorway

The Liverpool waterfront during the day

2008-12-29T23:39:00.002Z

The Liverpool waterfront during the day
Originally uploaded by juancamilovargas

Playing with a filter, I took this picture from the Albert Dock, Liverpool.

Live from the Cavern pub @ Liverpool

2008-12-29T23:29:00.002Z

A band playing live 'Strawberry fields forever' @ the Cavern pub @ Liverpool.

Manu Chao @ the Forum - 17/12/2008

2008-12-29T23:27:00.003Z

Manu live @ the Forum, London.

Gotan Project @ Roundhouse - 11/12/2008

2008-12-29T23:24:00.002Z

Gotan live @ Roundhouse, London.

Chicks wrestling in jelly - Dec/08

2008-11-29T23:49:00.003Z

Nice pub though... Octoberfest @ Fulham, London

Seu Jorge - Rebel Rebel @ Roundhouse

2008-10-31T10:48:00.003Z

Went to see Seu Jorge @ Roundhouse yesterday and had such a great time! The gig was great and so the vibe and obviously the girls!!! Loads of Brazilians dancing samba.

Seu playing Rebel Rebel!

mewithoutYou - January 1979

2008-10-28T07:51:00.004Z

Am listening these days to this awesome band, mewithoutYou; not only are the lyrics profound but I have also found the music very powerful.

Sound session for Virgin

2008-10-28T07:11:00.002Z

Recording some incidental voices for a documentary.

Sun (27/07/2008)

2008-07-27T20:24:00.004Z

Long and productive Sunday… beat Luis at squash this morning for the first time :) Then cycled back home on my Specialised Globe. Watched the corporation for a second time and had a nap. Gotta read a manual on XML and prepare for some job interviews… arggg

Fri (25/07/2008) - Windsor castle

2008-07-26T20:15:00.002Z

Met up quite a few friends on Friday, Panos, Luisito and Cynthia, it was kinda nice as they also came along with some other friends. Had a couple of pint at the Champion and Panos realised how difficult picking up Spanish is, only thing is the Uruguayans were speaking extremely fast. Panos left and so we did. Diego suggested the Winsord Castle and the atmosphere was fab, though it was extremely busy. Nice selection of beers, hot girls a great chat about San Fermin with Luis’ mate. Two more beers with the Mexicans in a depressive pub by the tube station and finally a kebab. Worst thing, fell asleep in the bus on my way home.

More iPhone and streaming tv

2008-07-26T20:01:00.002Z

Upgraded to iPhone 2.0 and lost all the applications I have previously downloaded, therefore I have been trying to find good replacements. Found BookReader and got again three books on the phone, the NES emulator, a decent paint app, the facebook one –which isn’t impressive and a Sudoku for the long tube trips! Need some suggestions on good apps though.

Have also been spending some spare time watching TV -mainly sports, the reason, found Justin.tv and cannot get enough of it. Watched the tour, tennis, F1 and have been catching up on heroes!

Thu 24/07/2008 - News from Panos

2008-07-25T19:58:00.002Z

Met Panos on Thursday for a chat and a couple of pints; we ended up going to Bricklane for South African burgers @ Vibe Bar along with some Magners. He told me he’s got a job offer in Athens and may leave by the end of this summer and despite it means I will see him even lesser, I know that is something they have been planning to do for a while now. Then we headed to the Big Chill bar and came across this little wonder -Back to the future's car. Had two more ciders, a shot of tequila and a long conversation about films. Hangover on Friday, arggg…

Sat 19/07, Lovebox, Manu Chao

2008-07-20T00:00:00.004Z

Went to the Lovebox @ Victoria Park with the only intention of seeing Manu Chao and again what a gig... almost two hours of pure energy!!! By far the best band on stage (will have to see RATM though), in any case I am sure Manu is amongst the best performers... Groove Armada was OK

iPhone apps

2008-07-08T22:17:00.005Z

Last weekend for some reason I could not sleep properly, it could have been the uncertainity of the job hunt or the joy of knowing I am staying longer in the UK. In the end, I decided to play around with my iPhone.
My top five apps:
- Books, an ebook reader
- weDict, a dictionary, I also installed the Merrian-Webster plug-in
- NES, a NES emulator
- OpenSSH, alows you to connect the iPhone via FTP
- PDFviewer, guess?

Sunday (06/07/2008) - The snooty fox

2008-07-08T22:00:00.006Z

Had Uriel, Eva and Vlacho round on Sunday afternoon, who were keen to see the Wimbeldon male final so I took them to my local, the snooty fox. The excuse was the match and Vlacho's visit, but we ended up talking about the latest Colombian news and also made some predictions on the sake of the protagonists of those news, Ingrid, Uribe and the guerrilla. Nice talk, great company, fantastic place. Then dinner at Little Bay, Eva's joy for another Spanish achievement and another farewell.

27/29 June, Wochenende

2008-06-29T21:40:00.002Z

Last I saw Israel was around six years ago, when he went to see me off in Berlin. Ever since we have kept in touch and was a great surprise to see him again in London; he has not changed that much though you can tell he is deeply in love. On Friday we had some Guiness by the Thames and then went to see a DJ by the south bank, who used statics to produce some interesting sounds, we finally headed towards Soho. On Sunday we had lunch in Camden Town, at Arepa & Co, then few beers at Israel's sister's place and obviously could not miss the Euro's final at the Abbey Tabern, great atmosphere and live music. It was nice to hear about politics, life, gender, love, Germany, Mexico, Italy, etc...

Midsummer Madness Ride

2008-06-22T21:33:00.001Z

On 21st June, Maria, Panos, Zicos and me took part on a bicycle ride along some of the main London spots. The main purpose was to see the sunrise of the longest day of the year, but unfortunately the weather did not help much as it was very cloudy.

Into the wild

2008-06-15T19:00:00.004Z

Happiness only true when shared... WTF? Love the song though, Eddie Vedder, Guaranteed!

Schmap - Trinity College, Cambridge

2008-06-11T19:10:00.004Z

The below picture was published in the Schmap England Guide, it was taken on October 2004 at the back entrance of the Trinity Collegue, Cambridge.

Stokey Fest

2008-06-09T19:17:00.004Z

Popped in Clissold Park last Sunday to have a feeling of the Stokey Fest and man, what a funky atmosphere!!!! Will definitely stay longer next year.

Fear or laziness?

2008-06-04T23:01:00.003Z

Fear or laziness?
Fear or laziness?
Fear or laziness?
Fear or laziness?
Fear or laziness?
Fear or laziness?
Fear or laziness?
Fear or laziness?
.
.
.

Random thoughts 25/05/2008

2008-05-25T18:05:00.001Z

Stay focused. Happiness, where are you? What are we pursuing in life? Isn’t it love? ‘Ignorance is bliss’ ‘Life teaches you’re always alone’ It’s not 42, it’s love. Surpass comfort zone. ‘Know your enemy.’ Happiness, where are you? Stop competing, enjoy; stop acting, live; stop presuming, feel; stop assuming, love. ‘There is no if’. Fight your inner demons, stay focused.

The Istanbul series IV

2008-05-07T05:38:00.005Z

The Istanbul series IV. Topkapi palace, Spice Bazaar, Orient Express station, Blue mosque, Istanbul

The Istanbul series III

2008-05-07T05:25:00.005Z

The Istanbul series III. Haghia Sophia, Blue mosque (int), Crossing the bridge Europe-Asia, Domabahce palace (at the gates)

The Istanbul series II

2008-05-07T05:14:00.005Z

The Istanbul series II. Sea of Marmara's bank, Sufi's dance, Blue mosque, Rustem Pasa mosque

The Istanbul series I

2008-05-07T05:04:00.008Z

The Istanbul series I. Blue mosque, Sultanahmet - Old city, Spice Bazaar, Galata bridge

Oh yes! This is Islington, London

2008-04-19T12:50:00.002Z

Sideways - monologues

2008-04-19T12:47:00.005Z

If you ever asked me, I'd probably say this is the most romantic scene I've seen on the big screen; the way they approach each other by talking about wine is not only unique and intelligent, but extremely moving. The music, gestures and words are magic... Mia & Miles in Sideways

Friday (11/04/2008) - Jose Gonzalez

2008-04-12T12:33:00.004Z

Went to see Jose Gonzalez on Shepherd's Bush Empire with Uriel and had such a good time. To start with, we dinned in a Chinnese place and bought the cheapest red wine ever, curiously not too bad at all. Then the gig, which was OK because I reckon, Jose didn't managed to comunicate with the public. Don't take me wrong, every single song sounded as if it were played straight from the CD, his voice was impressive but to a certain extend it wasn't touching enough. After the gig we headed towards Notting hill and had a couple of beers in the Champion, which was packed with the most fantastic girls. Back to Central London where we took a rickshaw around Soho streets. And couldn't finish it anyway different than in my place listening to old records and talking about the old good days!

Paraiso travel, Fonseca

2008-04-06T22:47:00.002Z

Yo te sigo si me dejas todo vale maybe it's better to let go
Pa' donde se fue tu amor
De haber sabido que en las buenas saltarías sin pensar de este vagón
Si caminamos en la mala y olvide pegarte el corazón
Fue mi error

Acuérdate acuérdate (acuérdate)
Que fuimos uno y caminamos en la misma dirección
Ya no me dejes solo en este mundo por favor
El paraíso sabe amargo sin tu amor (x2)

Reina que te adueñaste de mi vida entera
De dos colores son tus ojos nena
Y hoy llevo el miedo aca bien adentro
Aunque tu no entiendas de eso candela (x2)

Acuérdate acuérdate acuérdate...

Reina que te adueñaste de mi vida entera...

El lado oscuro del corazon

2008-04-06T11:53:00.004Z

No se me importa un pito

No se me importa un pito que las mujeres
tengan los senos como magnolias o como pasas de higo;
un cutis de durazno o de papel de lija.

Le doy una importancia igual a cero,
al hecho de que amanezcan con un aliento afrodisíaco
o con un aliento insecticida.

Soy perfectamente capaz de sorportarles
una nariz que sacaría el primer premio
en una exposición de zanahorias;

Pero eso sí! -y en esto soy irreductible- no les perdono,
bajo ningún pretexto, que no sepan volar...

Oliverio Girondo

Táctica y estrategia

Mi táctica es mirarte
aprender como sos
quererte como sos

Mi táctica es hablarte
y escucharte
construir con palabras un puente indestructible

Mi táctica es quedarme en tu recuerdo
no se como, ni se con qué pretexto
pero quedarme en vos

Mi táctica es ser franco
y saber que sos franca
y que no nos vendamos simulacros para que entre los dos no haya telón ni abismos

Mi estrategia es en cambio más profunda y más simple
mi estrategia es que un día cualquiera
no se como, ni se con qué pretexto
por fín me necesites.

Mario Benedetti

Wednesday Night (26/03/08)

2008-03-27T11:58:00.001Z

Tedious, the only adjective which comes up to mind when describing the Brazil vs Sweden match... the Emirates fantastic though!

Thursday night (20/03/08)

2008-03-21T12:59:00.004Z

I always wanted to see The Cure live, so when I knew they were playing in Wembley Arena I thought it was the perfect chance. They have not played in London since 2006 and despite me having felt unwell the past two days thanks to something I ate, I ended up going to a remarkable gig. The lights, the stage, the music, everything was perfect! They played every single classic from their repertoire: Pictures of you - Lullaby - Just like heaven - The walk - Friday I'm in love - From the edge of the deep green sea - Never enough - Love song - Killing an Arab - 10-15 Saturday night - Boys, don't cry - Jumping someone else's train - A forest - Let's go to bed - The lovecats - Close to me - Fire in Cairo, etc... It was a trip through different époques of their music career and somehow of my own life. A dream come true!

Monday night (17/03/08)

2008-03-18T10:05:00.001Z

Camilo has been playing table tennis since he was 16 y/o, he participated in several local tournaments back in Colombian and has followed some big stars of this sport for years. He invited me to the Dunlop’s Table Tennis Championship at the Royal Albert Hall without knowing that some of the top players would be there. In fact, the biggest fish of this sport, Jan-Ove Waldner, also played though with no much success as he was eliminated in the quarter finals. In any case, it was very entertained and we had a great time in this magnificent venue.

Sunday (09/02/08)

2008-02-09T12:04:00.001Z

London is not beautiful after all... shame!

Sunday (27/01)

2008-01-28T11:04:00.002Z

I don’t understand why I hate so much Camden Town, it’s always busy on weekends due to the market wich makes wandering around almost impossible/unbearable. I went there to meet up Luis & Emy in order to discuss some facts related to my legal status; we had first a cup of tea in a beautiful place, cannot remember the name now but I'll make sure to update my notes for future reference… Then later we headed towards the Hawley Arms; well, it was just another pub, packed with wanna-be rockstars. There were loads of pictures on the walls on sale signed by regulars such as Pete Doherty, etc. A week later it caught fire and ever since it has been closed.

Space Adventure Cobra

2008-01-21T16:57:00.001Z

Space Adventure Cobra, or just Cobra, was my favourite cartoon during my childhood. I barely remember the plot but certain images are still strongly attached into my mind; in fact, in one of the most memorable episodes Cobra takes part in an extreme game named Roughball, which is a mix between American Football and Baseball. I have found it on YouTube, -unfortunately only in Spanish- but anyway, it brings back really good memories.

Friday (18/01)

2008-01-19T10:47:00.001Z

Vanessa organised her birthday party in a jewel, the Prince George in Hackey; and although we did not have much of the chance to catch up, I really enjoyed seeing her and meeting her friends. On my way to the pub I hesitated because the road seemed to be very residential, but then once inside you get caught by the great atmosphere amongst a very stylish crowd. Rare beers, I can remember what everyone was drinking but it was a Czech lager, I was doing ales as I am into that these days. I ended up talking about the Colombian conflict with Faghma and then we moved on to racial issues. The pub itself is not that big and gets quite busy; what is more, getting served turns out to be a nightmare. I will definitely come back!

Run Panos Run

2008-01-17T10:58:00.001Z

My friend Panos is to run the London Marathon this year and this post is just a way to support him -hope he does not mind me publishing his picture. Well, in fact, I would like to do it once in my life but have not found the appropriate moment yet.
Please visit his justgiving page at: Run Panos Run in order to support this noble cause.

PS. Will be by the finish line cheering him up with my pom poms to get a beer he has promised.

Sunday (06/01)

2008-01-07T10:45:00.001Z

I met up Luis and Emi and what really impressed me out of seeing them is the fact that they look very tranquil and happy. I was helping them to get a new laptop so we studied a few models before carrying out the purchase. Then they took me to this Mediterranean restaurant called Little Bay which I found extremely good and at a very convenient price. I started with some pig cheeks and then had the salmon, all very well presented and extremely tasty.

A three-course menu before seven o’clock is just £9.50

Saturday (15/12)

2007-12-15T19:27:00.001Z

My day in pictures (from top left clockwise): Stopped by Bricklane to have an early dinner (an Indian curry), notice my bicycle parked by the light post. Then went to visit Doris Salcedo’s Shibboleth at Tate Modern; it is a crack on the turbine hall which represents the gap between rich and poor societies. On my way home passed by the City and took a picture to the Leadenhall Market.

Zeitgeist (the documental)

2007-12-12T23:25:00.001Z

You may want to see this documental!

Zeitgeist
When the power of love overcomes the love of power,
the world will know peace.
Jimi Hendrix

See more at: http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com/

Friday (7/12)

2007-12-07T23:29:00.001Z

The King’s head, on Upper Street, has become one of my favourite places to have a beer and meet friends. At first glance this Victorian pub seems to be smelly and dirty but by the time you have had a couple of house ales, your perception would have dramatically changed. At the back there is an entrance to a small theatre and there are some pictures of the people who have performed there. What I really like is the fact that on a daily basis, there are bands playing live and for free! Reasonably good service, although at certain times, it is quite hard to get served. Love the voice of the blues singer who performs on Sundays.

12 recommended films (I've seen recently)

2007-11-30T10:00:00.001Z

The Godfather: Part III - The Good Shepherd - Goodfellas - Rain Man - Science des rêves - Superbad - The Bourne Ultimatum - American Gangster - Annie Hall - Cocaine Cowboys - Control - Eastern Promises

Monday (29/10)

2007-10-29T20:59:00.001Z

This year, Sabor’s staff party was earlier than normally, but we also celebrate different other things, Laurent's birthday and Roberto's official farewell. Esnayder & Tim picked this stunning Asian restaurant by Camden Town, Gilgamesh, which is beautifully decorated with traditional artefacts that make you feel as if you were somewhere else in the world. Although the food was rather interesting, the portions were a bit too small and I have got the impression that the bill did not represent what we factually had. On top of everything, it was a rather pricy and the service was a bit too pushy, which makes it hard for you to enjoy the night. Despite everything, I did enjoy and had a good laugh.

Weekend 19-22/10

2007-10-23T14:16:00.001Z

Long weekend the last one, Roberto was leaving East London and we partied till we died. On Friday I got so hammered after few ‘Bohemias’ -a premium Mexican beer- and some tequila shots obviously at Mercado; as usual cool ambience, nice girls –specially an Argentinean one- and great service –not just because we know all the staff.

On Saturday night we went to the King’s Head on Upper Street were we met Andres, a Chilean who works for Green Peace. He had just come back from a protest in France where they were trying to close down a Nuclear plant. There was a band playing live and it was just incredible apart from the fact that it was packed. Then afterwards he headed towards Mercado where I met Kathy and spoke till I barely remember… Some tequila shots and finally we spent the rest of the night at Green Peace’s headquarters (UK).

Sunday midday, breakfast at ‘el aguajal’ a tangy sea-food ceviche and a beer, a visit to a restaurant shop with Roberto and the owner of the restaurant where he will be working and finally Hammersmith. We first had lunch at this very promising Argentinean restaurant ‘Lola and Simon’, a nice bottle of an Argentinean blend between Merlot and Malbec which went very well with the two fillet steaks. Then afterwards we ended up in a pub near the tube station having ‘ales’ while watching the F1 race. Gosh, after all this I will not be able to say that I had a terrible Monday…

Tuesday night (9/10)

2007-10-10T21:33:00.001Z

On Tuesday night we visited Cubana, a Cuban restaurant by Waterloo station, thanks to one of my ex-classmates; I had some mixed feelings based on the comments I have come across on the Internet about the place but at the end I thought we should give it a go. A great location, always full, decent prices and the perfect occasion to catch up with my former MBA mates; it was nice to hear from each of them, after a long while and I am glad they all are doing very well. Mona’s father seems to be quite ill and we hope the best for him, she was done after all the partying she has been on. Kary was the most punctual and I must say the one who drunk the most, did not stop talking about her City job and the things you see in that stressful environment and Ale, although a bit late, was a bit down because of his girlfriend’s absence. I enjoyed the drinks, we had five jags of different cocktails, and I would say the food was OK; at the beginning I had an argument with of the waitresses because of the table’s location but at the end we were reallocated to the nicest one.

Manu Chao - London, Brixton academy

2007-10-02T10:00:00.001Z

Do I need to add that this is by far the best gig I have ever attended to? I bet Pau, the mad Chilean, enjoyed by far more than me; haj, and we thought we would not be able to get us tickets…

This small video was not recorded by me, but I found it on YouTube by rgpietro

Saturday (03/09)

2007-09-04T11:12:00.001Z

Last I met Francisco and Stefanie we dinned out in an authentic German beer-garden in Richmond, Stein’s –near where they live-. The food was good but what really stands out is the size of the beers, huge jars filled with Paulaner -which you can have when eating something. We spoke about many things, prospects in our lives, jobs, trips and that sort of boring topics. Anyway, it is nice to see good old friends doing very well!

Facebook, nostalgia vs. gossip?

2007-08-26T12:18:00.001Z

I’ve been catching up with old mates all these days thanks to Facebook. Joined the network about a month ago and ever since, I’ve found a bunch of those high-school mates I haven’t seen for ages. Some of them are married, others about to get married, some have been and lived in places where I’ve been without knowing each other, which is kinda funny and sad because we never met. I’m not quite into the games, but really enjoy reading comments in certain groups. Business wise, Facebook it’s mental; the owners estimate its value in billions of dollars!!! A good friend of mine said, Facebook is successful just because people like gossip, but on the contrary, I reckon it is quite popular because people are so nostalgic. Long life to Facebook!

Friday night (24/08)

2007-08-25T10:55:00.001Z

Haven’t been to a cool place for a while, so finding the Dalston Jazz Bar was a great thing. I used to live by the area and always wanted to pop in but tiredness or penniless stopped me from making it. OK, I admit, it is quite small and was extremely packed, it takes you ages getting the loo, is located by one of the dodgiest corners of London, but the music is cool and although there are hundreds of these wanna-be-artists-Hackney dwellers, you will find real characters to spend a moment with. Kascha was having some drinks with her colleagues there so Roberto and me decided to pop up and have some fun, in fact, Ro got so carried away that he barely remembers a thing about that night. Funnily someone pointed out that I resemble a British comedian and I was telling her that I’m fed up of people saying that I look alike to this or that. Anyway, look forward to the next time.

Thursday Afternoon (23/08)

2007-08-24T10:16:00.001Z

Went to see my dissertation tutor last week and met up some classmates, we all were worried about finishing the dissertation on time; despite that, we ended up having a drink in the jewel of the area, ‘The George Inn’. This lovely pub is a bit too small and gets really crowded but used to be frequented by Shakespeare and Dickens; what is more, someone said Shakespeare used the premises to set up some of his plays. The funny thing about that day is that we talked about the weather -a very traditional English topic- but just because the hurricane Dann, just passed near by Mexico and Trinidad, where Oscar and Greg come from respectively.

Dali & Film

2007-08-19T22:24:00.001Z

Saturday morning, rainy day. Haven’t been to the Tate Modern for a while but wanted to see this exhibition, so la poderosa took me to the museum. The whole thing is about Dali and Film, how this relationship influenced his works. Short films like Buñuel's Un chien andalou and L’age d’or and Walt Disney's Destino, as well as some of his most known masterpieces were in there, The Persistence of Memory, Autumn Cannibalism, Metamorphosis of Narcissus, Young Virgin Auto-Sodomized by the Horns of Her Own Chastity, Dream Caused by the Flight of a Bee around a Pomegranate a Second Before Awakening among many others. I didn’t miss any, read every single description and were quite into it as I used to love Dali. The paintings are a bit small but very colourful and although the explanations are in certain cases irrelevant, it is worth seeing it. I would recommend avoiding L’age d’or as it is too long and not really exciting.

Found Destino on YouTube.

Friday night (17/08)

2007-08-18T21:56:00.001Z

I haven’t seen my friend Panos for ages and as it was his Name Day last Friday we found the perfect excuse to catch up. He’d reserved a table in Apollonia, a Greek restaurant by Tottemham Court Road, but we came to know at the last minute that they’ve moved from there a while ago. Anyway, we ended up in Elysee, another Greek restaurant where we were also promised some Greek customs such as smashing plates and live music. The food was fine, the wines acceptable, the service a bit too pushy, smashing plates is extremely funny, the live music very nice, so overall we had a good time. Then we headed towards Freedom in Soho where we had several rounds of ‘mojitos’. Esnayder and Maria took control of the dancing pole and we just had a laugh out of it. I’m really glad Panos and Maria are staying in London for another year and so is Zicos… look forward to Panos’ birthday in a few weeks’ time.

With regards to the Greek custom of smashing plates, I was told it hasn’t happened in Greece for the past 20 years, and used to be an expression of men’s pride and wealthy after the dictatorship’s times.