2/27/10

How to Order the Perfect Coffee In Argentina

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If you're a coffee drinker, this handy list of coffees will help you order the perfect cup of joe while in Buenos Aires. It's written and published by this fun Argentinian English Blog you may want to visit, called "beyond empanadas".

The list, according to them, goes as follows:

.." a cafe - is a small expresso in Argentina
...a cortado - is a small expresso with a few drops of steamed milk
...a cortado jarrito - is a cortado in a larger cup
...a lagrima - steamed milk with a few drops of coffee
...a lagrima jarrito - the same, but in a larger cup
...a cafe con leche - an expresso shot with steamed milk
...a capuccino - an expresso served in a large cup dusted with cocoa powder and cinnamon
...a submarino - steamed milk served with a bar of dark chocolate..."

If you want to read more Beyond Empanadas blog posts, click on the following link. beyond empanadas...: How to order coffee

A Little Bit of India at Maharaja Restaurant - Moscow

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On my last trip to Moscow, I joined the crew at The Maharaja, a fantastic Indian restaurant near Red Square. I learned about this restaurant from Phil, our first officer. He found Maharaja the previous week while he walked the streets of Kitai Gorod. At the time, he decided to eat his dinner there and loved it, so much, that he couldn't wait to get back there for more the following week and invited us to come along.

Well, Phill was right! the restaurant was wonderful. Thanks Phill! The service was attentive and welcoming ( a rarity in Moscow), and the food was really tasty. In a city best know
n for hard staring waiters, difficult to read menus and high prices, The Maharaja was such a pleasant surprise. They served great food, had a friendly staff and the prices were reasonable - We spent about $30 dollars each (excluding alcohol).

If you want to eat at The Maharaja, it's not hard to find. About a 20 minutes walk from our layover hotel, it's just off Red Square (about 6 blocks away). Make a left on the street right at the end of the GUM Department store. This street turns into Pokrova Utilisa. Maharaja is located right off Pokrova, in a tiny street that crosses Pokrova Utilisa called Starodsadski. This street is between a Gourmet Supermarket on the right side of Pokrova and a light blue church. Turn right into this small street, walk about 10 steps and on your left, you will find the entry door for Maharaja.

Passport to Moscow food critics claim that the Maharaja serves the best Curry west of Dubai! I can tell you that my Chicken Tika was delicious!

Maharaja's address is: 2/1 Pokrova, Kitai Gorod. Make sure the concierge writes the address in Russian before you leave the hotel so you can ask for directions in case you get lost. To get there, you can either walk from the hotel or take the Metro to the Kitai-Gorod stop.

The Maharaja accepts credit cards, their staff speaks English and they have English menus (what a relief!). A major plus for Moscow, I promise!

Have a great meal!

The Maharaja Restaurant
2/1 Pokrova
Kitai Gorod
921-9844
(open from noon to 11pm)

Great Gloves for Cold Trips

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My hands froze on my last trip to Moscow. It was 40F degrees below zero when I got there and I was wearing leather gloves lined in cashmere. Big mistake! They looked good, but they were not sufficient to bear the brunt of a Siberian winter blast. Every other part of my body was covered in sheep skin wear, so I was warm and toasty - hat, boots and coat. An excellent choice of clothing by the way, for beating the extremely cold Russian winter temperatures.

For my next winter trip to Moscow, I decided to replace my old gloves with something more "substantial" to protect my hands. I found a reasonably priced pair of sheep-skin lined gloves at Lili's, a Buenos Aires leather shop located in San Martin Avenue, for $20.00 dollars. They were the perfect solution for my problem and for the perfect price.

If you're interested in a pair of these gloves from Lili's, they have a whole trunk filled with them in black or brown and in all sizes for men and for women. I recommend you try them on first though, because their sizing is irregular.

With my brand new gloves in hand, I'm now eager to get back to Russia to try them out. They promise to be just as cozy and warm as my other sheep skin wear.

Lili's Leather Shop
San Martin 960
Buenos Aires, Argentina
4515-1211

Ps- Lili's owns a leather factory so their leather is reasonably priced. They also carry leather jackets, fur hats and coats, etc. Also, if you tell them you work for an airline, they will give you a discount.

2/21/10

The Bolshoi Theatre of Russia

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Check SpellingCheck SpellingDo you want to see the The Bolshoi Ballet perform in their home turf next time you're in Moscow? If that's a yes, have the hotel concierge call to reserve your tickets, as soon as you arrive at the hotel from the airport. You may also purchase tickets via the official Bolshoi website, an option that I have not explored.

If you're serious about going to one of these shows, have your credit card ready and be prepared to cough up $90 to $120 dollars per seat. Last minute seats go fast over the phone and if you take too long to think about it the seats and price you were quoted, will be gone. Remember, the Bolshoi Ballet only performs at home in Moscow during the winter months because during the summer months, they tour the world, so it's best to see in the winter months.

The Bolshoi Theatre is located a short walk away from our downtown layover hotel. Check before you go, which theatre will hold your performance because they have several performance sites for the Bolshoi in Moscow. If you're not familiar with the layout of the city, be sure to get clear directions from the front desk attendants for your assigned theatre before you leave the hotel or take a cab so you won't get lost. One last thing, please, don't be late!

For additional information/schedules for The Bolshoi Theatre performances for 2010, please visit the official Bolshoi Theatre website (in English) in the following link: The State Academic Bolshoi Theatre of Russia

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