Decor For Pleasure

A fantasy room at The Magnolia Mansion
A bed and breakfast in New Orleans

How would you decorate a love hotel? A house of pleasure? A pleasure pagoda?


The pleasure house is as an ancient edifice. The Chinese and Japanese had pleasure pavilions and pleasure pagodas.

The western world had its own version of pleasure houses too.



As it’s common in Argentina to live with your parents until your mid- to late-twenties-or until you marry-a trip to a love hotel is more than just a rite of passage: it’s the only way for many young Argentines to have a sex life.
Officially known as “temporary lodgings,” and in local slang as telos, there are countless hotels renting rooms by the hour, discreetly located in every neighborhood, with less subtle names such as You & I, Dreams, and Venus. Sometimes only a discrete red light designates a telo is behind an ordinary looking door.
Varying wildly in interior design—from chic, modern, and minimalist to twee, floral, and tacky—telos may feature overblown Egyptian-themed chambers or flashy Vegas-style boudoirs with mirrored ceilings.
Around $45 (pesos) buys you three hours of fun, porn on the TV, and access to all manner of toys, gels, and oils. The more expensive hotels boast luxurious suites, fully equipped with plasma screens, saunas, and complimentary champagne, while other, specialist establishments offer kinky vibrating beds and more technical apparatus such as sex chairs.

The neighborhood we live in when we are in Buenos Aires is upscale and trendy.

One day I peered into this garage and saw all these lighted votive candles. It was two in the afternoon and the garage was very dark, and the candle light intriguing.

Sitting on a ledge at the garage entrance is this retro looking sculpture.

The front of the building looks like a trendy boutique.

The crest on the front of the building is odd.

And so are the architectural brackets.

But I love the colors! Very retro and girly!

La fusta. Let me get out my Spanish dictionary:

whip [wɪp]

sustantivo

1. látigo (m) (for punishment); fusta (f) (for horse)

verbo transitivo (pt & pp whipped)3. azotar (lash, hit) (británico); fustigar (horse)

Ah! We live in the neighborhood where the polo field is located, and there are a dozen fancy shops selling polo things, including fustas! So this little love hotel, this chic telos takes inspiration from polo!

Ignacio Figueras and Prince Harry
Inspirational poster boys for polo

On our way to the airport to fly home, I saw another telos with the sign (in English): Quick Love $45 (pesos about $12.50 US). Our cab was whizzing by, so I couldn't get a photo.
I just love a country, especially a Catholic country that is so open about love hotels.
I think La Fusta is decorated (at least on the outside ha ha) so cute.
I got to thinking about decorating a love hotel.
I wouldn't do it all Lady Marmalade, but maybe playful and chic like La Fusta.
You can buy a fusta HERE.
There's also an Argentine restaurant in New york called La Fusta HERE. I wonder if they know about their namesake in Buenos Aires?!

Fusta chic?

Click on images for larger view

Tango History Lesson: Osvaldo Pugliese

This week had so many things going on: my birthday, Aaron's birthday, Steve's birthday, Steve and Vicky's wedding, and the anniversary of the death of a great tango composer and musician Osvaldo Pugliese.
This date means something to Alberto and me, because it's when we met, and when Alberto wrote and published a valentine to me and Pugliese in the magazine El Firulete The Argentine Tango Magazine, called "Tangoman and The Dancing Butterfly". Ever since then I have been known in the tango world as La Mariposa (Spanish for The Butterfly).
In addition to being a designer, I am, along with my Alberto, a tango historian and archivist, a published author at large on the subject, and of course, a master teacher of the dance.
We have a great web site Planet Tango HERE
You can read about Pugliese there, and get a sample of his great music too. I never intended Visual Vamp to become a tango blog, but every once in awhile I would like you to indulge me, and let you know about the other very important part of my life.




From the Buenos Aires daily newspaper The Clarin:

The figure of Osvaldo Pugliese that had been robbed last year was replaced on July 25 by the municipal authorities of the City of Buenos Aires at one of the most traditional corners of the neighborhood of Villa Crespo, the intersection of the avenues Corrientes and Scalabrini Ortiz with Luis Maria Dragon tree. The ceremony counted on the participation of Lidia Elman, widow of Pugliese; the Minister of Culture, Hernán Lombardi, and scores of neighbors who in addition, enjoyed the performance of the guitars trio of Horacio Avilano and the Imperial Typical Orchestra. Lombardi emphasized that the repair of the monument "is to make amends for the memory of Pugliese after the act of vandalism which a year ago." The act was carried out in coincidence with 13th anniversary of the death of the author of "the Yumba". "To replace this monument it is to do what people wanted", affirmed the Minister of Culture. And he added: "we are going to continue honoring the members of our culture".
http://www.clarin.com/diario/2008/07/25/um/m-01723436.htm

Alberto and I were fortunate enough to be in Buenos Aires for the opening ceremony when the monument was unvelied to the public. So we are very happy to see it restored, and will visit it again in October when we take a group of students and dancers to Buenos Aires on a guided tour.

Bed And Tango 3 Weeks Left In June - Book 4th of July Now

Private tango lesson with guests John and Judy
at Bed And Tango, in the dance studio

Tango, You, AND New Orleans - A perfect fit!

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Food In Buenos Aires-The Four P's

One of the 4 P's - Parilla

Chimi Churi the official veggie of Argentina
Actually it's a condiment for meat, the green one a parsley pesto

Lunch being set up at our friends' B & B

Chicken and chorizo on the grill

Picada - often a meal in itself

.
Hot off the grill onto the serving platter

The food in Buenos Aires is great. There is something for everyone. But the four P's rule: Parilla (grilled meat, chicken, fish, veggies), Pizza, Pasta, and Picada (a platter of cheese, cold cuts, olives, etc.).
The food is very fresh, and simply prepared. Salt and sugar are the main "spices."
Recently sushi has taken hold in many trendy restaurants.
Also a staple are empanadas, delish little meat or veggie pies.
Ice cream is fantastic, closer to gelato than regular ice cream.
Bakeries have a dizzying array of pastries and breads
Bon bon shops sell world class hand made chocolates, wrapped in the most exquisite European style packages whether it's a gift, or just to take home.
Vegetarian fare is excellent, from salads to pasta to quiche like pies called pascaulina, to grilled veggies. Some ex pats have opened Thai and Indian restaurants.
Though you might miss Starbucks, the coffee is excellent, especially cafe cortado jarrito, a kind of mini latte or capucinno without the cinnamon. It is always served with a tiny cookie on the saucer and a small glass of water, and sometimes a small glass of orange juice.
You cannot get a bad meal in Buenos Aires, or a bad botttle of wine at any price point.
Most people don't ask "what restaraunt do you prefer?", because the same food is prepared almost eveywhere, from a humble corner cafe to a fancy place in Porto Madero. Apartments are small, so people meet socially for a meal in neighborhood restaurants. Service is good everywhere, as being a waiter is considered a profession here.
After spending a month here, we are fat as ticks, and cannot wait to get home to get fit again.

Palermo Soho-Buneos Aires

Beautiful hand painted store front

Of course Polo Ralph Lauren all over Buenos Aires, including Palermo Soho

Apple trying to get in on PC monopoly in Argentina

A peek into an empty Palermo Soho apartment for rent

Chic ex pat in Palermo Soho

Damask print wall paper in courtyard of a store

Design and Passion - it says it all about Palermo Soho

The trendy neighborhood Palermo Soho in Buenos Aires started to really take hold about 3 years ago. It had been gradually up and coming as an enclave for artists, very much in the same way Soho in New York City came to be. Now it is a major world class shopping destination, and hot real estate for many ex pats from the USA and Europe. There is an excellent blog Trendy Palermo Viejo that tells you all about it HERE
We spent a couple of days walking around this beautiful and huge neighborhood, with dozens and dozens of great shops, each one more cute and better than the next. The much touted Mercer store looks much the same as it did a couple of years ago HERE
Plaza Serrano is great for well priced clothes. I like the huge Verbo (1545 Serran0) store, kind of like Filene's Basement or Loehman's for hip, trendy clothes, by a myriad of Argentine designers. I got a dress, a jacket, 2 tunic tops, and a pair of purple leggings for around $100. US The pieces are unique and very cute. I didn't think I would fit into anything. Argentine women are super thin. I am a healthy American size 6-8, and have a hard time finding something LARGE enough!
The things I got at Verbo were actually one size fits most. I don't have a picture of the store because I didn't bring a purse or my camera. I wanted to be free to try things on. Verbo is great because it takes credit cards. Alot of the flea market style vendors only take cash.
For more great photos of Palermo Soho, check out Decorno HERE
Another great link with more info about Plaza Serrano HERE

Last Days Of Shopping: Eterna Cadencia - Palermo Soho Buenos Aires

Old world charm at the book store Eterna Cadencia

A cool lounge on the restaurant patio of Eterna Cadencia

A shelf of design books

Page from the book Los Livings (living rooms)
I love the ottoman covered in coffee bags

There is a wonderful book store in Palermo Soho in Buenos Aires called Eterna Cadencia HERE
It has the feeling of an old English Library. Antique chandeliers, old leather chairs, tables stacked with books, libray ladders, floor to ceiling wood book shelves, all add up to a place you can wile away the hours.
It has a very nice restaurant too, with very moderate prices, and very good food. There is also one section of books in English.

Last Days Of Shopping In Buenos Aires - Palermo Soho - Calma Chica

Iconic futbol game

Knock-off of Eames chair comes in 4 colors, about $90.US

"Amigos" and bean bag chairs among cow hide rugs

Rows of penguin pitchers

Calma Chica is a kind of hip emporium of typical Argentine things. The snappy displays make a plastic dish pan look uber cool. Cow hide rugs and chairs, ceramic pitchers in the shape of penquins, table top parillas (BBQ grill) - the most common kind they use in restaurants and at home, leather place mats, an iconic futbol (fusbol) table, and crazy amigos (large dolls) and bean bag chairs with a head rest (that everyone here seems to love), along with a knock-off of the Eames potato chip chair (in 4 colors), toys, thermoses, and tote bags. Prices are moderate. We bought a ball for our dog Cholo.
I snapped these "illegal" photos of the inside of the store...

For Dog Lovers Only - The Dogs Of Buenos Aires

Our dog Cholo back home

C'mon smile for the pretty lady

Hat dawg!

Junk yard dogs

I saw only one Cav King Charles

,
"Pinky" is the name of this store mascot

One of the famous dog walkers of Buneos Aires

How cute is this

The Maltese is a very popular breed in Buenos Aires

This sign is for real - a doggie eye doctor!

Street dogs in La Boca

After one week in Buenos Aires we started to really, really miss our dog Cholo.
Buenos Aires loves its dogs. Big ones, little ones, muts, pure breds, so we got to get some doggy love.
Hundreds of dog walkers are employed to walk apartment dwelling dogs during the day while their owners are at work. Hundreds of pet stores, vets, dog washing parlors, along with the usual dog departments in grocery stores and big box stores, put porteños right up there with Americans in the doggie love category.
Dogs are allowed nearly everywhere. It's okay to have them in the outdoor section of any cafe or restaurant, and you can often persuade them to let you take a tote bag size small dog into the restaurant itself.
Woof. We're coming home soon Cholo.