Vivi Francia In Mendoza Argentina Lunch at Anna Bistro

This past Friday was the famous Vivi Francia lunch at Anna Bistro, it was part of the French week in Mendoza Argentina.

Anna is one of my old time favorite Bistro in Mendoza, and the food was amazing, have a look at the menu,
 Menú Viví Francia:
Tartine de Brie y Rucula
Tournedos de filet, salsa malbec y echalote, gratin dauphinois
Moelleux de chocolate
Incluye vino y agua
For 240pesos

It was fantastic, we arrived around 12:45, and as soon as we sat down the champagne was served with an assortment of appetizers including house smoke salmon.

Surrounding by the garden and listening to French music, it felt very good.

Most of the people were Argentine, except for us and Anna Bistro owner Jerome.

It's rare to go to an event and not hear any English only French and Spanish.

I was very surprise to not see any other expat!

This event is every year around the same time, if you are in Mendoza it's a must you should go!

The food and the wine were excellent, as soon as our glasses were empty they were filled right away, the service was excellent. 

Marc my husband and best friend for almost 40 years

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Mendoza Week 17

My friend Anne the Birthday girl, Rowena and I sitting at Soltiga before our excursion to Godoy Cruz

Monday I had to pick up my friend Anne arriving from Calgary, got there with my friend Craig to help with the luggage, her flight from Santiago Chile was delay for one hour, it’s a long trip but she was not too tired, she slept in her first flight a 10h direct flight from Toronto to Santiago. She will stay at Soltiga an apartment hotel in Mendoza Quinta section just 5 min walk from our house.

She will stay in Mendoza for 3 ½ months enjoying the Argentine summer.

Her flight landed at 5:30pm and by the time she passed customs and the ride to Soltiga it was already 7pm, to welcome her to our neighborhood we decided to have a beer at Leon and introduce her to David the owner, after what we had a light diner at our place.

On Tuesday I went with her to the “blue pesos exchange” she got a very good rate, around 12 pesos per US$.  

Wednesday was Anne birthday, and Craig had organized a visit to Godoy Cruz a city that is part of the metropolitan area of the provincial capital Mendoza to meet with one of his friend an artist muralist, and to show us one of the last mural project in Godoy Cruz.

Anne, Rowena, Craig and hi decided to meet at Soltiga for an early breakfast before our excursion to Godoy Cruz, we took a cab to the trolley that is going from Mendoza to Godoy Cruz, and we found out that there was a strike going on. The only way was to take a cab and that’s what we did.

We got there and meet with Enrique Moyano the muralist, he was our guide and showed us one of the last mural project that was done on the wall of a burned down winery, fantastic work, many artists from the last meeting of muralists in Mendoza, which is dedicated to artists in the Cuyo region, where artists from different latitudes of Latin American and other places “¡Quiero compartir este misterioso tesoro contigo!”( I want to share this mysterious treasure with you!).

Me, Anne and Craig in Front of one of the Mural that Enrique worked on.

The Murals

The Murals

 The Murals

The Murals being done, photo of Enrique Moyano

 The Murals being done, photo of Enrique Moyano

The Murals

The Murals

 The Murals

The Murals

 Enrique in front of his work,

 Enrique in front of his work with the girls, me, Anne and Rowena

Burned Winery

 To go back to Mendoza for lunch we had to get a cab but because we were 5 it was a challenge, finally we got one, it felt like being in a can of sardines, 4 of us in the back and Enrique in the front with the driver. It was not the most comfortable ride but we got to Anna Bistro in one piece and had a great lunch to celebrate Anne’s birthday. We finish the evening at our place with Anne and Rowena with Champagne that Anne had bring, it was a very interesting day a lot of fun.

Feeling like in a can of sardines 

 Feeling like in a can of sardines, 4 sitting in the back of a small cab.

Me taking the picture of the birthday girl at Anna Bistro

Anne looking at the menu,

Anna Bistro, so good,

Menu of the day, cod it was delicious!!!

The expedition group enjoying a great lunch at Anna Bistro.

Friday night was our first asado at our house, our neighbor Carlos invited us, we bought a lot of bottles of wine, a big chicken, and our friend Rowena came with an amazing bottle of Malbec and all the ingredients to do a giant Caprese salad, Anne, Rowena, Marc and I were very happy to finally learn how to do an Asado, even if we are not big meat eater, it’s a perfect way to celebrate, and we can cook a lot of lean meat and vegies too. Carlos had invited other neighbor and some of his friends too, he had a lot of meat and wine too. 

Our first Asado with friends and neighbor

 A lot of meat,

Onions roasting

Luis working hard, he is an expert!

 A lot of food,

Rowena Caprese Salad

What a great party, sitting outside all evening and a part of the night, sharing food and wine with friends. We will do it again, we have another one coming next week end at one of our friend house and we will try to do it ourselves during the holidays.

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Argentina Adventure chapter one "Mendoza"

Mendoza wine country 2009, Canon Rebel Xsi, Canon 24-105 at 55mm, f4, 1/400sec, ISO400

The first time I putted  my feet on Mendoza soil was April 17, 2007, at that time I had no idea, that this trip will change my life.

2009 Vendimia Celebration, Rebel Xsi, Canon 24-105 at 85mm, f4. 1/125sec, ISO200, software Fractalius by Redfield.

Mendoza is the capital city  of Mendoza Province,  located in the foothill of the Andes, 25 min. by plane to  Santiago Chile, the bus ride is another story, can take as long as 6 hours, The two  main industries of Mendoza are olive oil and wine hundred of wineries surrounding Mendoza the choice of great tasting wine is amazing and the price more than affordable "just that is enough to make me want to live there", every year early March is La Fiesta National de la Vendimia, the wine festival.

Mendoza is located very close to  the summit of America "Aconcagua" apparently this is a very dangerous ascension, the stormy weather at the summit  is a great challenge and every year climbers lost their life.

 2008 Mendoza General San Martin Park, I don't have the shooting details on this one, but for sure I was using my little Rebel and my 24-105, this is my husband walking under a row of sycamores.

One of the thing I love about this city is the nature, it's all over the place, flowers and trees, my favorite place to relax is General San Martin Park located in la Cinca neighborhood, this park is huge 393 hectare (971 acre) park has 34 sculptures decorating the paths and roads, that park included a zoo, a university, a theater where they do all the big celebration like the Vendimia, museum, football field, a lake with a sport club and rose garden all over the place.

Sitting in the Garden of Anna Bistro with friends, a great evening of 2008, I used my little Rebel for that shoot my DSLR, Canon 24-105 at 24mm, f4 1/4 sec,  to implied a bit of movement, ISO 100

 Anna Bistro 2008, almost time for the 10pm dinner, still warm the garden is full in an hour will move to the restaurant patio to experience some of the best food in South America, same little Rebel same 24-105 lens f9, 30sec, ISO100

If you saw the movie 7 years in Tibet it was filmed in Mendoza surrounding,.

Another thing that please us in Mendoza was the climate "arid" so dry warm and sunny, for people like us that are getting older, it means less arthritis and rheumatism pain, a lot easier to wheel  my husband in his wheelchair too!!! 

Mendoza Cinca neighborhood, 2009, still using the small Rebel with the same lens, 24-105, at 67mm, f4 at 1/125sec, ISO100, fruit stands all over Mendoza, this is close by our apart, actually there is another fruit store the other of the street. Mendoza is the place for fresh fruits and vegetables.

The best part in reality is the people, they love life, always outside, sharing whit others, the way of living, sleeping in the afternoon and having dinner after 10pm, cafes, terraces, fruit stands every corner plus an amazing farmer market close by, a perfect fit for us

 Mendoza Farmer Market 2011, Canon 5D Markii, 24-105 at 24mm, f4, 1/13 sec, ISO640, even with if I used a tripod, it was so dark inside that I had no choice and boots the ISO, this market is fabulous, cheeses, fresh fruits and vegetables, and a lot a lot of meat, we are in Argentina, they love their meat, perfect for an asado.

Mendoza Farmer Market 2011, Canon 5D Markii, 24-105 at24mm, f4, 1/25sec, ISO640, as you can see, this is a great place to shop if you're like me and love good food.

The first trip was an eyes opener, as soon as we came back we organized the next one, and in 2008 we bought a small apart in la Cinca close by the park, 20 min. walk from the core.

We were lucky to meet great guys, that took care of our place, it would of been impossible without them. We when back in 2009 and 2011, now we are ready to achieve our goal and move in before the end of 2014.