#19: It's giving... thanks

Hello there my little snickerdoodles!

If you’re wondering what I’ve been up to lately, it’s basically this:

I’ve also resumed my re-watch of the Sopranos and am wondering if perhaps there aren’t more balanced coping mechanisms out there.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours! I don’t care if you’re not from the United States; carving out space to be grateful is more than a worthy exercise.

Though I won’t be hosting this year — something I find both bittersweet (as it’s my last Thanksgiving in my current apartment) and a blessing (have you seen the price of peonies?) — I wanted to share a text that I usually read before sitting down to eat:

So without much further ado, esta es, acá está: A comprehensive yet incomplete list of Argentine things that make me want to give thanks.

🇦🇷 54 Argentine Things For Which I’m Grateful

For some reason the bullet formatting looks weird and wonky and I hate the font. After hours of fiddling (and swearing at nothing), I decided to leave it be and move on.

1. Sobremesa
   
   Once my avowed enemy (hey, a girl’s gotta get home and stick to her routine!), it’s now what I love most about a gathering with friends.
   

2. Feriados
   
   

   

   
   
   We should have more of these, in fact. Who doesn’t love a day off?
   

3. Sanguchitos de miga from Dos Escudos
   
   

   

   
   
   My love for these has been long-documented. Not all migas are created equal. Those from Dos Escudos are head and shoulders above the rest.
   

4. Late-night helado delivery
   
   Where else in the world can you get a full 2.2 lbs of ice cream sent to your apartment at 1 o’clock in the morning?
   

5. Argentine Twitter
   
   You wouldn’t last an hour in the asylum, etc. etc. Truly a cesspool, but one I don’t think I can ever leave behind. The acme of Argentine humor and irony.
   

6. Bus drivers that wait for you while you sprint toward the stop
   
   

   

   
   When they say “not all men,” this is who they’re talking about.
   

7. Taxi drivers whose cars don’t smell like ass and old cigarettes
   
   See above.
   

8. Mollejas
   
   Extra-crispy with fresh lemon and salt, muchas gracias.
   

9. Flan mixto
   
   

   

   
   
   My favorite bisexual icon™️.
   

10. Free universal healthcare and education
    
    

    

    
    
    You know, basic human rights and all that.
    

11. Canje
    
    Argentine celebrities and pseudo-celebs alike have taken the art of exchanging goods and services for Instagram publicity to an entirely new level.
    
    I’ve compiled some of my favorite examples here, so please enjoy.
    

12. Gilda
    
    

    

    
    I cry every time I think about her. Listen to this song and then watch the film starring Natalia Oreiro, OK?
    

13. Crónica TV
    
    

    

    
    
    Firme junto al pueblo. Their iconic “breaking news” red alert screens are the stuff of legend.
    

14. Meme culture
    
    I’ll never tire of Argentine memes. It’s nearly impossible to choose just a favorite, but I do (shockingly?) find myself nostalgic for the Macri era, which gave us ridiculous works of art such as this:
    
    

    

    
    

15. Friendship
    
    

    

    
    
    If you’ve made yourself an Argentine friend, consider yourself the luckiest person on the planet. They’ll be there for you (and also annoy you) in ways you never thought imaginable.
    
    From celebrating your highest highs to being there through your lowest lows, son de fierro. I love Argentine friendshpi so much I even did a whole podcast episode about it.
    

16. Mozos de carrera
    
    Entering the pantheon alongside compassionate colectiveros and tidy taxistas, these distinguished gentlemen bring a sense of order and meaning to an otherwise chaotic world.
    

17. Clorindo Testa
    
    

    

    
    The king of Brutalism, and someone I had the great fortune to know personally. His legacy lives on across Buenos Aires (and beyond), and I’ll always treasure fond memories of his orange cat, Bill.
    

18. Jacaranda season
    
    

    

    
    
    Do we really need to explain at this point? November provides us with the dopamine hit our anxiety-addled brains so desperately crave in the form of lilac blooms that blanket the city’s sidewalks and parks.
    
    No matter how terrible everything feels, the jacarandas are there to remind you to hang on just a little bit longer.
    

19. 24-hour kioskos
    
    Listen, sometimes you just need an emergency coquita at 4am. Or maybe something stronger. Your loyal kiosquero will never, ever, let you down.
    

20. Aerolíneas Argentinas
    
    

    

    
    
    Couldn’t be prouder of our flagship carrier and all of the incredible places that it’s taken me.
    

21. La Guía T
    
    

    

    
    
    Way before GPS and Google Maps, la Guía T knew what was up. She patiently showed me how to get from Puerto Madero to Palermo to Recoleta and out past Caballito, and if I got lost she’d always help me find my way.
    
    I used to have an entire drawer full of them and can still remember how it felt as I flipped the pages between my fingers. A relic of a bygone era, and one I still miss to this day.
    

22. Friendly encargados who love to gossip
    
    

    

    
    Because few things are better than spilling the tea with a 70-year-old man named Eugenio while he hoses down the sidewalk for what feels like an eternity.
    
    A good encargado will have your back, keep you safe, and fill you in on all of the local chisme.
    

23. When people argue in public and everyone goes out on their balconies to watch
    
    No shame whatsoever. My favorite spectator sport!
    

24. Angel di María
    
    

    

    
    
    Fideo, we love you 🥺
    

25. The bidet
    

    

    
    
    Once you go bidet, there’s no other way (?)
    

26. Dog culture
    
    

    

    
    Of course I’m going to love how pathological Argentines are about their dogs. Our amigos de cuatro patas are such a foundational part of the social fabric, it’s impossible to conceive of any other reality.
    
    I do think we’ve seen enough French Bulldogs for the time being, however.
    
    

27. The ballpoint pen
    
    

    

    
    
    That’s right, bitches. The ballpoint pen was invented by Hungarian-Argentine László Bíró in 1931 and was patented by 1938. Since then, over 100 billion ballpoint pens have been sold around the world 💅
    
    

28. Coronary bypass
    
    

    

    
    
    Gracias por tanto, René Favaloro, y perdón por tan poco.
    

29. Mirtha Legrand
    
    

    

    
    
    This tweet really sums it up. Mirtha is older than sliced bread (by one year), older than fiberglass, and older chocolate chips. Mirtha has been on this Earth for every single World Cup.
    
    Mirtha is older than the Obelisco and penicillin. Mirtha was alive to see Einstein win the Nobel Prize. Mirtha is 97 years old and still hosts a live TV show nearly every day. If this doesn’t impress you, nothing will.
    

30. La cultura de las marchas
    
    I never thought I’d cherish going to protests and demonstrations as much as I do, but here we are. The sense of collective solidarity, community, and the feeling that you belong to something much greater than yourself - I love it all.
    
    It’s sensory overload in the best way: the smell and sizzle of choripán being grilled up on makeshift grills, the sounds of coordinated drums and creative chants, the push and pull of the pueblo. Sign me up.
    

31. Plane-watching at AEP
    
    

    

    
    If it was good enough for Bourdain, it’s good enough for me.
    

32. El Diego y la Claudia
    
    

    

    
    I could (should?) dedicate an entire newsletter to them.
    

33. Marroc
    
    

    

    
    Do you love me and want an easy way to show it? Buy me a box of these.
    

34. Soda Morgade
    
    

    

    
    Your favorite restaurant’s favorite water brand.
    

35. Cine Lorca
    
    

    

    
    What’s not to love about a movie theater that harkens back to the golden age of porteño culture and glam? It’s a retro haven of indie and foreign films not screened at more commercial theaters, and just another reason why I love downtown Buenos Aires.
    

36. Lago Nahuel Huapi
    
    

    

    
    
    No explanation necessary.
    

37. James Turrell Museum at Bodega Colomé
    
    

    

    
    Everyone should visit at least once in their lifetime.
    

38. Ricardo Darín
    
    

    

    
    Silver fox, award-winning actor, and all-around buen tipo. Also the subject of one of my most-often used memes. In my eyes, he’s a national hero.
    

39. El Obelisco
    
    

    

    
    El lugar donde fuimos, somos, y seremos más felices. Also, it reminds me of home.
    

40. Bombachas de campo
    
    

    

    
    Probably one of the best-ever style of pants to ever be created.
    

41. Palacio de las Aguas Corrientes
    
    

    

    
    Only Argentina would construct a building so exquisite and elaborate to serve the essential function of delivering drinking water to its populace.
    

42. La Rambla
    
    

    

    
    Also needs no explanation. Scatter my ashes here.
    

43. Sharing culture
    
    Even though I remain a selfish-ass bitch, I love how Argentines are born to share. They’re so generous it should be studied by NASA (?). Even when there’s barely any to go around, they somehow find a way to ensure everyone has enough.
    

44. Meatballs from La Alacena
    
    

    

    
    My favorite Sunday lunch in all of Buenos Aires can be found at La Alacena. The fact that they always leave one special meatball just for Pocho is icing on the cake.
    
    

45. Xul Solar
    
    

    

    
    This guy was a 100% certified freak and I’m obsessed with everything about him.
    

46. Clapping when the plane lands
    
    I used to hate it, now I love it. That still doesn’t mean I actually participate in the applause, though.
    

47. El Hornacal de Jujuy
    
    

    

    
    Like, I’m sorry WHAT is this?!
    

48. Empanadas 
    
    

    

    
    The ultimate food group. I’ll take a dozen of pikachú from La Cocina, por favor.
    

49. La Coca Sarli
    
    

    

    
    
    Sex kitten icon. We have no choice but to stan.
    

50. Medialunas de jamón y queso
    
    Sweet, savory, sweet and savory! An ideal breakfast, lunch, or snack. A symphony of beautiful simplicity. No notes!
    

51. Domingos de asado
    
    How else would you want to spend a Sunday? Even better if there’s morcilla and a nice blue swimming pool in the mix.
    

52. Ensalada rusa
    
    Preferably from Mazzeo, and served alongside a crispy suprema de pollo.
    

53. The red soil in Misiones
    
    

    

    
    Few things are as captivating and lush as Argentina’s Atlantic Rainforest. Misiones is a truly magical place on this planet.
    

54. Fileteado
    
    

    

    
    So essential to our cultural heritage that it’s been recognized by UNESCO.

Are you feeling thankful yet?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!

As a treat, you can watch the entirety of one of my all-time favorite scenes from film here.

Now it’s my turn. Thank you for reading, for putting up with my verbosity and anxiety, and for indulging me on a bi-monthly basis. At a time when I’m really struggling to maintain a positive outlook, this space remains one where I can relieve myself of that burden - albeit briefly.

Until next time,

Paige

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