Meat and milongas

January 2, 2010 Had an uneventful Shabbat day. Went to an uncharacteristically unfriendly Chabad for services, then napped and wandered around the neighborhood we were staying in, Palermo Soho. An interesting neighborhood, trying hard to live up to its namesake. There's even a restaurant called Mott. It's a convincing facsimile, though it felt a little silly for us to be there, since the real thing is just a subway ride away.

That evening we finally satisfied Courtney's craving for a good steak. Went to El Gallope, a kosher parillo, or steak-joint, recommended by a friend back in New York. It's a no-frills place - you order a steak, you get a steak, and nothing else. But man, what a steak. And a very good kosher wine: Tariag. For a full cup of mitzvahs. No kidding. But the malbec was excellent.

Jones satisfied, we then went in search of Tango. We wanted to avoid the glitzy shows with tourists bussed in and out, and instead found a local Milonga, or dance hall, to attend. We got there at one in the morning, and the floor was packed, with lots of talented dancers. There was a good mix of couples dancing exclusively with each other and singles asking each other to dance. Fun to watch the dynamics -- how the men asked the women to dance, how people approached each other, seeing chemistry fail or succeed. The dancers were wonderful, ranging in age from early twenties to late seventies and beyond. A beautiful thing to do on a honeymoon.