Sinking Economy: A Restaurant Closes Every Day

[notebook.fix]

There's plenty to criticize here without having to use the anachronistic slur of "Marxist."

Anything else Ajo? Trying to impress with the English dictionary again- Is that your hobby? Have I offended your political sensitivities? Or are you a bit of a fan of Kicilof? Why on Earth would anyone waste their time defending these communist wannabe parasites I ask myself? You do know about him carrying the Marxist bible around don't you? Most of the time I like to read through your commentary, but you leave me scratching my head sometimes.


"The rise of Mr. Kicillof, whose writings use Marxist concepts to interpret the work of the British economist John Maynard Keynes, points to efforts by the authorities to assert greater state control over Argentina’s economy at a time when growth is slowing significantly and inflation is soaring."
http://www.nytimes.c...shift.html?_r=0

"Kicillof was a professor at the School of Economic Sciences at the University of Buenos Aires, a position he obtained through public contest. He was a professor of Microeconomics I and II, Macroeconomics and Political Economics, and Marxist Economics. "...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axel_Kicillof

 

[ajoknoblauch]

Anything else Ajo? Trying to impress with the English dictionary again- Is that your hobby? Have I offended your political sensitivities? Or are you a bit of a fan of Kicilof? What on Earth would make someone waste their time defending these communist parasites I ask myself? Most of the time I like to read through your commentary, but you leave me to scratching my head sometimes.

Name-calling is an exercise in sloth. Even when there were viable Communist parties, there were dramatic differences among them.

Marxism is something else entirely. There are some very perceptive Marxist analyses, even though their policy prescriptions are most often misguided or disastrous.

 

[ghost]

I pray every night that all the horrid US fast food and awful US coffee places close. Starbucks and all those other junk food places (starbucks is junk food for coffee with branding, fine if you like sweetened milk drinks) are poison.

No idea what a pizza pocket is, hopefully never have to find out. Sounds like dirt.

Good restaurants with diverse offerings are doing well, the herd is being thinned where the offering is over priced and poor.

A brilliant overview of gastronomy in th BSAS. Throw that man a banger.

 

[Davidglen77]

David I guess as a European we may have different views on wait staff. I don't need to know the name of my server or for them to tell me how delicious my food smells or how cute I'm looking in a dress of an evening. The food in Plaza Asturias is definitely tired and not reflective of modern Spanish cuisine but I've never found the staff grumpy. Old fashioned professional and warm, especially on a particularly lively new year's eve we spent in El Globo with my aged parents dancing with the waiter and other customers. As a lapsed perfectionist I am prepared to allow lapses of efficiency when they are replaced by authenticity and charm.

I've eaten at restaurants in major cities in Europe and all over the US, mostly in New York City though, my hometown. In good restaurants (I don't necessarily mean top of the line) the waiters and waitresses do not tell you their name, unless you ask. Nor do they say how delicious the food smells or make any comments about any patron's attire. They do subtle things that are akin to good customer service, such as...make eye contact when they speak to you, greet you when they come to the table, make reconmmendations, remember who ordered what dish, bring all of the dishes at once so people don't have to wait and let their food get cold while others have a steaming plate in front of them, bring you the check promptly when you request it, make themselves visible so that you don't have to chase / hunt them down if you need something. After 7 years in Buenos Aires, I can safely say I have very few times had good service, except from foreign waiters and waitresses, colombian mostly. As for Plaza Asturias, I literally live across the street from this place. I have eaten there enough times to know that the food is okay, not that great, and those stone faced waitresses with their hair pulled back in excruciatingly tight buns, while not rude are not especially pleasant either and have very little if any knowledge of how the food is prepared nor can they suggest wine pairings which you would expect at a restaurant whose price point is around $200-250 pesos per person for dinner. I've never eaten at El Globo and I walk by there often and I've never seen it full. The same goes for El Imparcial. These restaurants have been around a long time and have their following, however they will have to modernize their interirior, menu, food presentation and staff or they will die out just like I saw happen with the Greek Diners in New York City. If you want to see what Plaza Asturias should try and emulate, go around the corner from Plaza Asturias to Cerrito and Rivadavia. El Museo del Jamon....that is what a restaurant that will survive and thrive looks like.

 

[Matt84]

In fairness to Starbucks (I am not a fan), few places in Argentina know how to brew tea. A good cup of tea begins with tea LEAVES in a pot. Almost everyone in BA uses teabags nowadays though there are a few exceptions.

yes, but at least in other countries the tea bags contain shredded leaves. here they seem to contain factory sweepings.

 

[Matt84]

There's another good reason to stay away from Starbucks: http://tinyurl.com/qbmen55

Why do you assume I own a weapon? This is a city not the countryside...

 

[ajoknoblauch]

Why do you assume I own a weapon? This is a city not the countryside...

I never even implied you did, but Starbucks' policy on the issue is disgraceful by any standard.

 

[notebook.fix]

Name-calling is an exercise in sloth. Even when there were viable Communist parties, there were dramatic differences among them.

Marxism is something else entirely. There are some very perceptive Marxist analyses, even though their policy prescriptions are most often misguided or disastrous.

Just to remind you again..... Peronists are not the political equivalent of Republicans....just in case you forgot.
Namecalling? Did you even read the links? Marxist ideologies? is that name calling? Lets get the dictionary out please.

 

[ajoknoblauch]

Just to remind you again..... Peronists are not the political equivalent of Republicans....just in case you forgot.
Namecalling? Did you even read the links? Marxist ideologies? is that name calling? Lets get the dictionary out please.

Raising the spectre of "communism," which hardly exists any more, is hysterically anachronistic name-calling. And Peronists are indeed the political equivalent of Republicans, in their obstructionism and xenophobia.

 

[Rich One]

Raising the spectre of "communism," which hardly exists any more, is hysterically anachronistic name-calling. And Peronists are indeed the political equivalent of Republicans, in their obstructionism and xenophobia.

Ajo as you know that The Communist Party has gained 6 new seats in Chilean Parliament. Represented by the Student Leader Cmarada Camila Vallejo. (six diputados: Hugo Gutiérrez,Lautaro Carmona, Daniel Núñez, Karol Cariola, Camila Vallejo y Guillermo Teillier.)

Marx views on the Economy were adequate for the mid XIX century (1850's).