Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides – A Review

If you haven’t heard of the Pirates franchise you must have been living in a rock. The first three films were some of the highest grossing movies ever. Johnny Depp has gone from underground and weird to overground and still a bit weird.

The plot of this instalment is a lot easier to understand than the last two films. In fact, I would go as far as to say that this film could be viewed as a self-contained entity, which is rare praise for a blockbuster in the past five years. It is left open for a squeal but there doesn’t have to be one for it to make sense.

Basically, there is a race to find the fountain of youth and everyone has their motivations. Geoffery Rush is Captain Barbossa and is amazing, as is Ian McShane as Blackbeard. Johnny Depp’s portrayal as Captain Jack is even more over the top and quite predictable but that’s okay because Captain Jack is fantastic. As a side note, I was very impressed by Keith Richards’ acting chops in his brief cameo.

What I found most disappointing about the film is the typical portrayal of the damsel in distress. As the story of Grainne O Malley shows, a strong woman pirate isn’t too far fetched but Penelope Cruz’s character fails to live up to expectations.

However, all in all this is an exciting swashbuckling adventure. And what else would you expect when you go to see a pirate movie.

The Rebound- A Review

When a movie starts with an idiotic continuity mistake then you know you’re in for a rough ride. To be honest I went in with low expectations. I can’t even remember the last movie that Catherine Zeta-Jones was in (Death Defying Acts-for anyone who cares) let alone that I enjoyed. That’s not forgetting the male lead is that guy from The Hangover, not Bradley Cooper.

The movie starts with Sandy (Catherine Zeta-Jones) leaving her kids at school in a silver SUV. On her drive home in a red SUV she sings along to Meredith Brook’s Bitch. Oh, you see that’s to show that she is not your regular suburban mum. She’s a little cool and she likes sports as we will see later in a very unnecessary, lengthy exploration of her working life.

Long story short, and this movie is long, her husband is cheating on her so she moves to Manhattan, blah Blah Blah finds herself attracted to the much younger male babysitter, Aram (Justin Bartha).

The movie continues in the most conventional manner possible. They took the latest trend of cougars and threw in some stereotypes and references to MILF’s. Oh, it is hilarious to see the differences between younger people and older people. Don’t forget to throw in some very annoying kids who are the greatest example of what is wrong with youth today- bratty and uncontrollable.

I’m not really sure why this movie made it to cinemas. It is perfect for gaggles of middle aged women swilling down a bottle of wine each per hour in front of their flat screen TV on their ‘girls night in’, thinking what it is like to have their very own toy boy.

Avoid this disaster at all costs. However, saying that, it does deserve one award- the longest, most pointless montage in movie history. Congratulations makers of The Rebound.

Mexican Food in Buenos Aires

If you have spent any amount of time in Buenos Airs you will have realised that almost every menu is the same. The parilla restaurant is King. If you really like steak and chips then this shouldn't be a problem but if your used to a restaurant culture where you can have Mexican one night, Creole the next you might get bored very quickly.

You don’t have a hope of finding Creole but there are a few Mexican restaurants that will satisfy your craving for something different. It is no surprise that the greatest concentration of these restaurants are in Palermo where you will find the most expats looking for a spice fix. The Argentines aren’t big fans of spice so in almost all the restaurants the food is toned down or you will get a stern warning about how spicy (picante) the mild salsa is.

Here are four of the best in Palermo Viejo:

La Flor Azteca (Thames 1472): This place has atmosphere, good food, spice, and extremely friendly staff. The food is as spicy as you would expect from a Mexican meal. I particularly recommend the Tabla Mexicana to share between two as it comes with a side of refried beans and Mexican rice that are to die for. Depending on how busy it is the service can be slow but they are never rude. The décor is nice,the tables are well spaced and the music can range from Mariachi to Radiohead.

Averge Main Course: ARG$28-32 Drink: ARG$18-20

La Fabrica del Taco (Gorriti 5062): If you are looking for cheap and cheerful then La Fabrica del Taco is the place for you. Some of their menu is very expensive but if you stick with the basic tacos then you should be fine. They offer different combinations of beef, chicken, cheese, lettuce etc. served in a soft taco. They then provide you with bottled sauces of varying degrees of picante. Unlike some places the muy picante is indeed very spicy. Depending on your appetite two or three of these will fill you up.
The décor is great with a wall full of Mexican wrestling masks. You get plastic plates and cutlery but this fits in with the fast, young atmosphere.

Average Main Course: ARG$ 14-20 Drink: ARG$ 12

Cielito Lindo (El Salvador 4999): The staff are very friendly and will do their best to help you through your bad Spanish. It is quite expensive but they don’t hold back on the spice. If you have an Argentine friend they also do more traditional parilla style offerings. The tables are close together and it can be hard to get in without a reservation-literally as you are not allowed to go inside until they find you a seat/your reservation is ready.

Average Main Course: ARG$ 30-35 Drink: ARG$ 15-20


Xalapa (El Salvador 4800): If you want to eat here at the weekend you have to have a reservation. The line can be half a block long. It is extremely popular with the Argentines. One reason for this might be because they take the spice out of everything, not to mention serve everything quite dry. The only thing to fire up your taste buds is a small bit of sauce that is served with the nachos when you sit down. The qality of the food is excellent, however, so if you really need that spice fix I recommend holding on to the nacho sauce and using it as a sauce for your main dish. The staff can be very hit and miss but the décor is nice and the tables are well spaced.

Average Main Course: ARG$ 28-35 Drink: ARG$20

Going out in Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires is famous for it’s nightlife; clubbing all night in chic clubs or illegal underground dens.

But what if you just want to go out for a drink with friends?

Here are the best traveller/expat friendly bars in Buenos Aires and in particular the Palermo/Recoleta areas- haven of us foreigners.

Best for drinks with friends:

Bar El Taller: This place is a gem on Plaza Serrano. It is very laid back; the staff have no problem with you sitting with your laptop for an hour or three with the same coffee. The beer is the cheapest you'll find on the plaza.

Da Da Bar: Another bar on Plaza Serrano. It is a bit more hip than El Taller but it’s rooftop terrace can’t be beaten. You can sit there of a weekend night and watch Beunos Aires' nightlife going by- taxi men drinking mate together, party boats and trains and buses and even impromptu dancing in the Plaza.

Cronico: This is a solid favourite (once again on Plaza Serrano) at any time of the day or night. Although the later in the night the less quiet your drink will be. They have a great Happy Hour on certain cocktails until 11pm.

Janio: Moving down to Plaza Palermo/Plaza Armenia there is Janio on the corner of Malabia and Costa Rica. This is more of a restaurant but great for drinks too. It’s very upmarket but their cocktails are amazing and there is plenty of space.

Bar 6(Armenia 1676): This has been featured in many a guidebook so it attracts every kind of person you can imagine. The waiter/esses are friendly and all speak English. The décor is great but it is a little pricy outside the Happy Hour time.



Best for food:

Casa Bar (Rodriguez Pena 1150): This is definitely an expat haunt. If you are craving a bit of flavour in your food then you have to stop in here. The prices went up in recent months so it’s not as great as it used to be but definitely worth a try. The music is also a treat here with everything from the Doors to Hanson.

The Bangalore(Palermo Hollywood Humboldt 1416): This is the sister pub of one of the only British pubs in Buenos Aires, The Gibralter in San Telmo. The food is very expensive and the portions are small but the flavour isn’t seconded anywhere else in Buenos Aires. Make sure to tell them you would like it spicy as they seem to cater to local tastes (the tika masela is spicier than the vindaloo)


Best for football:

Sugar (Costa Rica 4619): Sugar deserves a special mention as the only place in Buenos Aires that you can watch European football with the sound on without fear of them playing some awful music over the top. It is very cave like but it is worth it for the football.


Best avoided:

The Alamo (Uruguay 1175): Avoid this place at all costs. This can be difficult if you are a fan of American sports but see CasaBar above as an alternative. The music is obnoxious and the beer disgusting.

Sullivans: This is in tourist trap heaven on Borges right beside Plaza Serrano. It is overpriced and they will try their best to gouge an unsuspecting tourist at every opportunity. It is one of the many fake Irish bars in Buenos Aires. If pubs in Ireland were like this then I would never go out. (For a half decent Irish place see The Shamrock Rodriguez Pena, Recoleta.)