Magic Fades From Buenos Aires's Magic Donuts

It's no secret that we love donuts! But Argentina doesn't have any Dunkin Donuts, and that's just sad. The donuts we've tried at local bakeries in Cordoba are AWFUL! Even the ones sold at Walmart are BLAH!

Then we found Magic Donuts during one of our Buenos Aires trips, and we were ecstatic. But recently, we went to Ayacucho 860 in La CABA, and what greeted us was like a slap in the face.

There was a shutter door with the words Don Us and a series of addresses. Where did Magic Donut go? Once we composed ourselves, we used our phones to find out what happened. Had they shut down? Did they rename their store? We weren't sure. The internet wasn't very forthcoming. So we decided to pay a visit to one of the addresses on the shutter door.

We headed to Florida Street, which is overcrowded and full of pickpocketers. I had one person fondle my behind looking for something to take, but I snapped at him and he walked away. Then, another person tried the same thing as I turned the corner, but I took out a screwdriver I carry for protection and he backed off.

Finally, we found the store called Don Us. It turns out that Magic Donuts had a name change and new address.

We weren't happy with the fact that they no longer had a place for customers to sit and relax like Magic Donut had. They didn't have a lot of variety either, but that was probably because we arrived after 5 p.m. So we ordered a dozen glazed donuts and left.

Were the donuts delicious? Absolutely! But Don Us lacks the friendly, welcoming environment that Magic Donuts had. I'm not sure if the other two locations on the shutter door offered a place for customers to sit, but this location was a total bust, and given its location, I probably wouldn't go twice.

Puerto Madero in Buenos Aires is Lit... Here's Why

I've written tons about my various trips to Buenos Aires over the last six years. My visits have always included the area known as Puerto Madero, where the Puente de la Mujer or Women's Bridge is located. It's a beautiful area to take photos in during the day, but it's even better at night.

I went full-on unicorn in this photo.

The ARA Sarmiento Frigate Ship is lit!

Puente De La Mujer (Women's Bridge)

Things tend to slow down quite a bit once the sun goes down, but not in Puerto Madero. Tourists and locals frequent this area to snap photos, go on dates, or just hang out with friends. 

Taking a stroll through this port is an unforgettable experience you hope will never end.

Best of all, there are various restaurants nearby in case you get hungry. The ones that obviously stick out for us are Johnny B. Good and T.G.I.F. 

You didn't think we'd miss out on a chance to eat at T.G.I.F., did you?

Guess who's ready for Happy Hour?

I'm ready to dig in.

Someone's not happy with their mash

As a writer who loves to travel, Puerto Madero offers three things I love a lot: beauty, water and food! If I lived in B.A., this would be where I would come to if I had writer's block.

The Bronx Pizza Brings Back Memories

It's been six years since I've had anything remotely similar to a huge slice of New York style pizza. Don't get me wrong. Ugi's is amazing! But the slices are still standard size. My husband and I miss those humongous, greasy, heart-attack inducing pizza slices we used to order from John's Pizza in the Bronx. Thankfully, we found a place in Buenos Aires appropriately named The Bronx Pizza, so we decided to check it out.

What can I say about the establishment's interior? It speaks for itself. The wall has pizza inspired messages and New York city skylines. 

The tables are wrapped in printouts of The New York Times newspaper headlines. And the overhead menu is all in English! But would the pizzas be the same as the ones we used to eat back home?

Overhead menu

The pizza slices on displays were certainly a lot bigger than the shrinky dinky sizes they serve in Argentine pizzerias. So that was certainly a good sign. They had a variety of menu options. But I was looking forward to a pepperoni pizza slice because pepperoni is virtually a myth here. The closest thing you can get to it here is Spanish sausage (not as dirty as it sounds), which is too expensive and no one really buys it.

The photo doesn't do the slices justice. I was holding the pepperoni slice while taking a selfie and half of the cheese fell off. My bad. Not theirs.

So we ordered a slice each and the pizzas did not disappoint. The slices were big and greasy. They even stuffed the crust with cheese. Alright so there wasn't as much cheese in the crust as the ones you'd get at Pizza Hut, but it was a pretty nice bonus. But did the pepperoni meet our expectations?

The pepperoni on the pizza was decent enough, but I think it was cut a bit too thick. The pepperoni slices in the States are usually paper thin. These weren't, but who cares? It tasted great, and our taste buds were satisfied.

So we got a little taste of home and friendly service all at the same time. The next time I visit B.A., I will definitely be making a stop (or two) at The Bronx Pizza in Ayacucho 1188.

SIDE NOTE: I know I said I was done with this blog. But when I spoke with my blog (yeah, I do that. It's really weird!), I quoted Jack from Brokeback Mountain and said, "I wish I knew how to quit you." But clearly, I don't know how. So expect more entries in the near future. See you soon!

Farewell 2018!!!

Wow! Another year has passed. I'm sorry I haven't posted in like forever, but I've been busy working on some special projects, which will carry over into 2019. But before the new year begins, I wanted to take a moment to say thanks for the life I have.

I turned 41 back in July and I have to say, I've managed to retain my youthful appearance. I hope I can still say the same when I turn 42.

We've had tons of fun celebrating birthdays and hanging out with our friends. I've also gone on movie dates with my hubby, and traveled!

I'm either doing my Trump impression or the flash is too bright!

Oh B.A.! We'll see each other again!

I've been pretty busy writing a bunch of stuff I hope to get published by 2019. But Zach beat me to the punch by publishing his novel, "Last Friend Standing." Click on the link to buy. It's one major thrill ride, and I'm not just saying that because he's my husband. Here's the synopsis.

Sex. Lies. Envy. Narcissism. Frienemies do it with class. This is not your ordinary "bff" story. You're invited to the best birthday party in the world. Everyone is guaranteed to have a blast.

Did someone say Halloween?

Those closest to me know that October is one of my favorite months because I get to celebrate one of the coolest holidays ever, Halloween. 

By Thanksgiving, I realized I had a lot to be grateful for. For starters, I haven't had a single health issue since I almost went t*ts up back in January. I have some amazing friends, and most importantly, someone to share my life with.  

I'm also glad I married a chef. I can't boil an egg to save my life, but he can do wonders, especially around Christmas.

Speaking of Christmas, I may have gone overboard this year when I bought my third, and biggest tree, yet.

We've been in Argentina for six and half years. That's longer than most people (including ourselves) predicted we'd stay. We've run into some obstacles and dealt with some shady people. But we also formed a surrogate family of our own. Although life and scheduling conflicts don't always allow us to get together at the same time, we find ways to celebrate as many special moments as possible.

So, as 2018 comes to a close, I look forward to the challenges 2019 will bring. I want to thank those who have followed me on my journey. But I've decided that this will be my final entry... at least for now. I just needed to drop by one last time to say goodbye properly and give my best wishes to all you travelers, potential travelers and travelers of the imagination.

Happy New Year, everyone!