When one travels frequently, one then accumulates friendships all over the world. While I know this is a welcomed dilemma and thanks to inventions like Skype it is much easier to keep in touch these days, nonetheless there is nothing better than quality face-to-face time.
One of the friend’s that I unfortunately do not get enough face time with is Julie (my co-conspirator in this surprise trip). She and I met six years ago in my favorite Manhattan boutique Calypso. She was the manager there and on one of my numerous trip’s to the store she struck up a conversation with me. That conversation ended up lasting for several hours and then further blossomed into a a very deep and meaningful friendship sisterhood. The thing that bonded us immediately was we both had boyfriends (at the time) who lived in Buenos Aires. Soon after our initial meeting, she moved there to marry her Porteño, Seba. Thus, on my trips to visit my own Porteño, Lucas, I would make sure to plan extra time to spend with her as well.
Julie exudes fabulousness from every pore. Time with her is treasured and just like her name she truly is a jewel. She also happens to be my favorite chef. Whenever I receive an invitation for dinner at casa de Watson-Gomez, aka Julie’s house, I always accept!
While Julie went to work in the kitchen, Seba, Lucas, and I conversed about life with glasses of Malbec in our hands and electronic-tango playing in the background. I remember sitting on their couch thinking how grateful I am to experience these unforgettable moments of great food and drink with great friends; it is such a powerful combination.
We did have an unexpected guest though, Señor Hachi. None of us had the heart to tell him that it was an invitation only dinner.
As the food began to fill the table, I, of course, had to document every delectable dish with my camera.
On a side-note, most Porteños do not begin eating dinner until around 10PM. Even that is considered on the early side. Be prepared to dine very late while in Buenos Aires. We did not sit down to eat until almost midnight. Also, Argentinians are massive meat-consumers. So, a girl knows that she is loved, when two Porteños agree to a vegetarian meal for my sake.
Along with dessert, Julie created her own dulce de leche cocktail that was sinfully good. The recipe is quite simple: dulce de leche liquor, cream, three ice cubes, and dulce de leche and brown sugar to rim the glass.
Then it was time to play with our beloved Hachi. I cannot put into words just how much joy this dog brings to me.
As if the night were not special enough already, Julie presented me with a surprise present — continuing the theme of the trip. After my wedding, she took my wedding bouquet home with her and preserved it for me. In my mind I thought it had been thrown out! It was an incredibly touching moment and the perfect way to end the perfect evening.
Some of these photos, which have been credited, were taken by Seba. He recently became enchanted with photography and has created a website dedicated to it. I highly recommend checking it out, as he is very talented.
I love nights like this with friends, especially the ones you don’t get to see very often. Stay in and have a delicious meal, great conversation, and lots of laughs.
Exactly! Sadly, I don’t have enough of these nights. Maybe I should make it my New Year’s resolution to have more? 🙂
One of my favorite posts Andi (after the skinny dipping one of course :-D). Beautiful photos, beautiful words, beautiful sentiments.
Have a great week ahead 🙂
Awww, thanks a million darling! I like my skinny dipping in the Amazon River post too haha!!! So happy you enjoyed my words and photographs. Have a gorgeous week yourself!
The food looks delicious and the dog is adorable! What a great meal that you had prepared – and all before 10 pm! 🙂
Definitely delicious and definitely adorable!!! 🙂
What an amazing gift! And I never knew you were a vegetarian… dangerous territory in Argentina, indeed!
Yep, I’ve been one for over a decade now! Can you even believe that I married an Argie??? Thankfully, we never try to convert each other, though will be interesting when we have children haha! Julie is SUCH an incredibly thoughtful person!!!
Uhm… Wait a second. A DULCE DE LECHE cocktail??? I want to meet Julie! 🙂
Hahaha amazing right!?! You would fall head over heels in love with her!
Thanks for bringing us along on your journeys far around the world and those close to home. Great to see how much fun you can have, even on a “low key” night… These are the days I look back on and love.
Wow, you are SO welcome!!! I agree, it’s these days that mean the most! 🙂
I think it’s wonderful that you take so many photos of your food. It all looks delectable! Do you do this in restaurants too? I always want to but am afraid it would be rude.
I didn’t in the past, but I’m starting to now if the food is sensational. I didn’t have the right camera either for indoor shots with darker lighting, now I do. I’ve never been in a restaurant that seemed to mind, so I think if you feel inspired to take some pics you should!
The food looks so good! I didn’t know Julie was such a great chef.
OMG she is absolutely incredible in the kitchen! Wait until you see my next post about her cooking. You will want to invest in a restaurant where she’s the head chef!!!
Totally drooling over those olives!
They were yummy!!!
That dog is SO cute! The food looks delicious. Cooking tour anyone? 🙂
Isn’t Hachi precious!?! OMG I miss him more than words can express! And I would totally be up for a cooking tour!!!
That food looks delicious, I’m drooling!! If I lived anywhere near Argentina I would be on Julie’s doorstep begging for an invitation to dinner right now ;0)
And she would absolutely take you into her home in a heartbeat!!! I hope to one day live near her, so that I can invite myself over for dinner all the time haha.
Gorgeous photos – I’ll bet that food was every bit as delicious as it looks – I feel like I could take a bite out of those olives right now!!
Heidi
Thanks lovely! It was hard to take good photos, because I was SO distracted by the food and Hachi haha!!!
These photos are magical; what an ambiance they captured!!
Wow, thank you, what an awesome compliment!!!
I’m a big Julie fan too – and I only got to meet her twice! Señor Hachi is ADORABLE! I want that cocktail recipe!!!
Julie needs to start a fan club for sure! I’m blessed that she came into my life. I really should have had Hachi be a part of my wedding don’t you think? I’m totally going to make myself a dulce de leche martini tonight.
This is such a lovely meal! I love that dulce de leche cocktail – I will have to try to recreate it ….
Please try and send me pics when you do, you’ll LOVE it!!!
Between the dulce de leche cocktail and the darling puppy, I’m in love!!!
Jaja yo tambien bonita!!!
These pics are insanely amazing — you are SO gorgeous Andi!
THANK YOU SOOO MUCH!!!
How could I have missed this blog! Its incredible. Your design is impeccable, and you know exactly what to do to make people flock to your side! I also like the perspective you brought to this subject. It’s as if you have an idea that many people just have not seen before. It’s so good to read a blog like this.
Well, thank you from the bottom of my heart for this comment!!!
You are spot-on… 10 PM is an early dinner in Buenos Aires. I always keep a snack handy when visiting friends, because we might not eat until midnight (on a Tuesday no less)!
I couldn’t agree more! It takes me about 2-3 days to get used to it — I’m usually starving those couple of days, but then I end up loving it. I find it to be sooo unhealthy though!
Wow! That is a wonderful dinner!
Sooo wonderful!!! 🙂
GORGEOUS photos by you and Seba! Checking out his site now.
Thank you from both of us!!! I’m sure you’ll love his site!
Such portraits of intimacy and bliss. I love the photo of you taking a photo as well!
I totally treasure these photos, because they capture the love that everyone was radiating that night! Thanks for your kind words gorgeous!!!
I wish everyone had a friend like Julie!
I couldn’t agree more!!!
It makes my heart happy to hear of your dear friend. 🙂 I’m currently visiting one of my dearest and best, a true sister, in Germany. She doesn’t have a sweet dog like Hachi, but she’s got the cuddliest baby I love to pieces. 🙂
Oooooh a baby!!! That might beat a dog? Yay for adopted sisters! 🙂
1) I want that cocktail and 2) what an awesome surprise she had for you!!!
I want that cocktail every day haha and yes that bouquet was such an incredible surprise!!!
Julie is a chef!!! OMG, that meal looks like restaurant presentation, it’s gorgeous!
And Hachi is beyond adorable. BEYOND.
YES!!! She is beyond extraordinary in the kitchen. I wish that I would have taken better photos, but I was SO focused on eating, Hachi, and the wine haha! Oh gosh I miss Hachi sooo much!!!
Senor Hachi has such a distinguished name for a gentleman of such stature 😉 I hope you brought him home with you!
Scott was just saying last night, he wants to get a Yorkie so we can mate him with Ella and have Morkies (they’re precious)! Maybe Senor Hachi has a stud fee? HA.
The story behind his name is very touching! Julie needs to do a blog post about it some time. I believe that Senor Hachi unfortunately can no longer help in the baby making department, otherwise I would TOTALLY pimp him out to Ella, as she is certainly most worthy and truth be told I want to be Auntie to some Morkies sooo badly now!!! What a name!
Julie does have a knack for that stuff, such a talent. Like, you said, super-fab!
Her talent absolutely dazzles me on a daily basis! She needs to rule the world.
Good food and friends is an unbeatable combination. It also doesn’t hurt that there’s an adorable dog involved. 😉
Totally unbeatable, you’re right! 🙂
Gorgeous pics!
Thanks from Seba and I!!!!
What an INCREDIBLE evening!
It sure was!!!
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Gorgeous photos!
Thank you!!!
What a lovely evening!
It was indeed!!!
Dinner and dessert with friends and loved ones. What better way to spend the day? 🙂
AND alcohol! 😉
A dulce de leche cocktail?? That sounds incredible! Awesome photos.
Thanks so much! And yes, totally and utterly incredible!!!
Love this post and pics!
And I love hearing that!!!
I think this blog is great.
Thank you! 🙂
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