Click to find Obelisco Tango on Facebook

Click to find Obelisco Tango on Facebook

It’s new and purpose built for tango. The organisers are flocking to hold their milongas behind its doors. Reports about the onda (vibe — varies by organiser, obvio), the floor (said to be rather hard on the feet), and the convenience of the location (depends where you live!) are reaching my ever eager ears. I’ve yet to visit the place, but I will do soon. Meanwhile, so you can get there before me, here’s a glimpse of the current schedule:

Monday 5pm to 1am, El Abrazo Tango Club (also continues in Ideal on Fridays), organised by DiegoAlvaro y ZoraidaFontclara with DJ Gabriela Laddaga

Tuesday 6pm to 2am, Inolvidable organised by Juan Lencina (joint organiser of La Cachila in Gricel on Thursdays) and Nestor Astarita with DJ Carlos Rey

Wednesday 6pm to 1am, Milongueando organised by: Carlitos – Tito – Pepino with DJ Carlos Rey

Friday 5pm to 3am, Milonga de BsAs organised by Carlos Gallego with DJs Vivi La Falce and Dany Borelli

Saturday 8pm to 4am, Cachirulo (also continues in El Beso on Tuesdays) organised by Norma and Hector with DJ Carlos Rey

I’ll update this post as more milongas open in Obelisco Tango, watch this space! Meanwhile, it’s super we have a new venue instead of a venue closing, very positive stuff, and I wish all at Obelisco Tango and all the organisers great SUCCESS!

What Sallycat always says:
Thank you for buying Happy Tango.

The book is now available for Kindle (and any device that can run Kindle software) from Amazon, as well as in paperback. It is not available to buy in paperback in Buenos Aires, so real-book lovers please buy before travelling! Join the book’s Facebook page and follow this Updates Blog for updates to the 2nd edition; I will do my best to keep my finger on the pulse and to pass on any news to you.

Spread word of Happy Tango to your friends and encourage them to buy it too.

Enjoy using the book!

2nd Edition Happy Tango 9780956530615A few recent changes in Buenos Aires warrant a mention, in the interests of keeping Happy Tango 2nd Edition readers up to date. Here is the round up of everything I’ve heard about since the 2nd Edition of Happy Tango: Sallycat’s Guide to Dancing in Buenos Aires was published in November 2012.

Post updated with new news 6th April 2013.

If you prefer more immediate updates than these occasional round-ups, I usually post things as soon as I hear of them on the Happy Tango Facebook Page, here.

Happy dancing to you all!
Sallycat

Práctica X has closed after a presence of almost 9 years.

TANGOCOOL (Fridays, Club Villa Malcolm) has also closed after 9 years, but is replaced by ZUM Práctica de tango (Fridays, Club Villa Malcolm, práctica from 11.30pm after classes from 8.30pm) from Friday 29th March.

J.L. (Saturdays, La Nacional) has been replaced by El Maipú (Saturdays in La Nacional from 8pm). El Maipú also continues in La Nacional on Mondays, but NOT on Fridays in Casa de Galicia… those Fridays finished sometime ago.

Mi Refugio which closed on Wednesdays in La Nacional some time ago, returns ONCE A MONTH on SUNDAYs in La Nacional, second Sunday of the month, next one 14th April with live music from Orquesta Sans Soucí, con el vocalista Chino Laborde: see http://www.lanacionaltango.com/ for the details.

Cachirulo (Saturdays, Club Villa Malcolm) will be moving to a new home, Obelisco Tango at Entre Rios 1056 from Saturday 20th April with a new start time of 8pm, but until then it continues in Club Villa Malcolm on Saturdays from 9pm. Tuesdays in El Beso remain unchanged.

The new tango venue Obelisco Tango opens on Friday 19th April with Milonga de BsAs from 5pm to 3am. Various milongas including Cachirulo Saturdays (see above) are moving/opening there; watch this space for news!

Monday afternoons in Confiteria Ideal (the freshened up website has the complete weekly schedule of milongas) are on again with a new organiser from 3.30pm.

Saturday night in Club Sunderland is now Milonga Malena Sunderland Club organised by Liliana and Jorge Rodriguez, from 11pm.

Thursday April 4th is to be the last ever Niño Bien in Centro Región Leonesa… end of an era as this article from the blog of the newspaper La Nación explains: http://blogs.lanacion.com.ar/maldito-tango/sin-categoria/cierra-nino-bien-el-fin-de-epoca-dorada/

The El Amague Tango School now holds its classes at CAMPICHUELO 472 (between Aranguren and Avellaneda), CABALLITO, always keep an eye on the website for updates.

Devora M. tango clothing (mentioned in the book under ‘Dress for success’ in Part 2) for women is now closed.

What Sallycat always says:
Thank you for buying Happy Tango.

The book is now available for Kindle (and any device that can run Kindle software) from Amazon, as well as in paperback. It is not available to buy in paperback in Buenos Aires, so real-book lovers please buy before travelling! Join the book’s Facebook page and follow this Updates Blog for updates to the 2nd edition; I will do my best to keep my finger on the pulse and to pass on any news to you.

Spread word of Happy Tango to your friends and encourage them to buy it too.

Enjoy using the book!

Kindle edition Happy Tango

I originally intended Happy Tango to be an ebook… it’s only taken me about five years to get there!

I had the first idea for Happy Tango back in 2008. I published the 1st edition paperback in 2010 and the 2nd edition paperback in 2012. Now, finally, in January 2013, the Amazon Kindle edition is available! I hope that the e-version will soon be available on other e-reader platforms too, but I’m starting with the Kindle because it’s the most straightforward in terms of publishing method and it has an impressive almost-global reach.

Of course you don’t actually need an Amazon Kindle in order to buy the Kindle edition because you can also use Kindle software on iPhone, iPad or computer.  One cool thing with the Kindle edition is that we’ve made the A to Z topic list in Part 2 of the book clickable, so you can click and go straight to the subject of your choice. I’m grateful to eBook Architects for their work to re-format the book for Kindle, not an easy task with a non-fiction book like Happy Tango that has so many tables on its pages.

You can download a free sample, so you can try before you buy.

Click here for the link to download a free sample from Amazon UK.
Click here for the link to download a free sample from Amazon USA.

You can do the same from your Amazon Kindle Store wherever you are in the world.

Of course, there’ll be many of us who prefer the real book to the e-book! There’s nothing I like more than scribbling my own notes and updates in pencil all over the pages of any guide book I use. If you want the paper version of the 2nd Edition of Happy Tango, then just use the links on the right of this page to find it as before. But please do so before travelling to Buenos Aires as the paper version of the book is not available for sale in Argentina.

If you decide to buy any version of Happy Tango: Sallycat’s Guide to Dancing in Buenos Aires, thank you! It’s my ongoing wish that you find it enjoyable and useful. I couldn’t be more delighted that at last it is an e-book and can therefore potentially reach more readers.

Sallycat

Kindle edition Happy Tango

2nd Edition Happy Tango 9780956530615

It’s time for the annual Christmas post from Happy Tango: Sallycat’s Guide to Dancing in Buenos Aires.

Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day fall on Mondays and Tuesdays this year. If you’re visiting town over the festive period, and using Happy Tango (2nd Edition, published November 2012) as your guide, here are a few places from the book that are promising Christmas and/or New Year tango (but with some adjustments from their normal routine), plus some definite closures.

Remember that public transport and taxi availability will be reduced, especially on 24th and 31st (the nights of the traditional family meals and celebrations in Argentina), so you might end up having to walk a bit further than usual; do take care as you go, especially as there will doubtless be lots of fireworks going off in the streets and from surrounding rooftops and balconies. As always, make a phone call or check the organiser’s website before setting out, to avoid disappointment!

I’ll add info as I get more news, so check back over the festive period.

Aires Tangueros (facebook here)
Open Mondays 24th and 31st for reservation only dinner and/or milonga after.

Casa de Galicia (Nuevo Chique Milonga del Corazon, facebook here)
Open Tuesday 25th and Tuesday 1st from 6pm until you can’t dance anymore!

Salon Canning (Parakultural www.parakultural.com.ar)
Opens night of Monday 24th into 25th at 1am and opens Tuesday 25th at 11pm
Opens night of Monday 31st into 1st at 1am
The website doesn’t mention Tuesday 1st, but by then it’s probably business as usual, will update here if I get more information.

La Nacional (El Maipu de Lucy y Dany, facebook here)
Closed  Monday 24th and Monday 31st, reopens Monday 7th at 6pm. Please note that the Friday El Maipu de Lucy y Dany held in Casa de Galicia is also closed until further notice, announced during the past days.

Club Gricel (Lunes de Tango, facebook here)
Closed  Monday 24th and Monday 31st, reopens Monday 7th at 8.30pm.

Practica X (facebook here)
Closed  Tuesday 25th and Tuesday 1st, reopens Tuesday 8th for guided practica from 10pm.

La Viruta (www.lavirutatango.com)
Open for special dinners (reservation only, see website for full details) on Monday 24th and Monday 31st at 8.30pm then open to everyone else for milongas from 1am on both nights.

Plaza Bohemia (www.plazabohemia.net)
New Years Eve 2012-2013 tango in Plaza Bohemia

Night of 31st December: Milonga from 00.15am (after the toast); arrive before 11.45pm for the toast, doors closed between those times.

Milonga10 (facebook here)
Open Tuesday 25th probably (though unconfirmed time) from around 11pm.

El Beso (Cachirulo, facebook here)
Open on both Tuesday 25th and Tuesday 31st from 8pm.

In other milonga news, the J.L. milonga, previously held on Saturday nights in La Nacional has closed and we await news of a new venue. We wish Juan Lencina great success in finding a new home for his popular and much-loved milonga. Meanwhile he continues with Daniel in Club Gricel on Thursdays with La Cachila.

In my own news, I’m delighted to have received the ebook files of Happy Tango from the ebook architects this week; they will need some checking and a few revisions, but I aim to have them ready for sale as early as possible in January. Watch this space! Meanwhile you can buy the 2nd Edition paperback via the links on the side of this page.

May joy in tango and in life be yours over the festive season and in 2013!
Sallycat


2nd Edition Happy Tango 9780956530615 Happy Tango 2nd Edition Announcement

In some ways making a second edition of a book is easier — both the creative thinking and the problem-solving  re how to get it to market are already done. In other ways it’s a far tougher job, because, in all honesty, the creative work is almost all of the fun!

However, I always intended to try to publish an updated edition of  Happy Tango around two years after it was first published (June 2010), and so I have done it — all in the interests of keeping tango travellers up to date and my book as useful as possible. The advice stays pretty much the same, as it’s still relevant and current. The facts get a full refresh as of November 2012. I hope you will buy the new edition, and that you will have a wonderful time using it.

If you have enjoyed using Happy T. (as I call it), please consider writing a great review of it on Amazon or at the online retailer where you bought it. Self-published authors, like me, rely heavily on word of mouth to spread good word about their books. I’d like to wholeheartedly thank everyone who wrote a ‘five star’ review of the 1st edition of Happy Tango, and I’m absolutely delighted to have included snippets of many of those reviews in the front of the 2nd edition. You can read them here.

Buy your copy of the 2nd Edition (publish date 30 November 2012)  Happy Tango via the links in the side bar of this page. The Book Depository sometimes offers a discount as well as free delivery to most countries. Amazon UK usually stocks Happy Tango with a free delivery option. Barnes and Noble may offer faster supply times than Amazon USA. Links to the e-versions of the book will be added. The paper version of the book is not available in Buenos Aires, please buy before travelling.

Join the book’s Facebook page and follow the Updates Blog for updates to the second edition; I will do my best to keep my finger on the pulse and to pass on any news to you.

Spread word of Happy Tango to your friends and encourage them to buy it too.

Enjoy using the book!

Sallycat

Happy Tango: Sallycat’s Guide to Dancing in Buenos Aires 2nd Edition is on track for publication in paperback on 30 November 2012.
E-versions will follow in mid-late December 2012.

The second edition contains the same great advice as the successful first edition, but the new book offers a full factual update of the Buenos Aires tango scene and other essential Buenos Aires practicalities as of late 2012. Part 3: Where will you Dance in Buenos Aires? (including 20 Places to Try First, 11 More Places to Explore and The Week at a Glance) and Part 4: Buenos Aires Practicalities for Tango Dancers have been fully updated.

Be ‘in the know’ before you travel with the second edition of Happy Tango. Buy the book using the links in the sidebar of this page: please make sure you are buying the latest paperback edition with the ISBN 978-0956530615 and the words 2nd Edition after the title on the front cover. E-versions coming in December will make the book more readily available wherever you are in the world – more news on that very soon.

Happy Tango 2nd edition ISBN 9780956530615 Front Cover

Not sure if Happy Tango is for you?

9780956530615 Happy Tango back cover quote from Dance Today

Read a sample of the first 19 pages of the 2nd Edition of Happy Tango here.

How to buy the second edition

Pre-order or register your interest in a copy of Happy Tango via the links in the side bar of this page. The Book Depository sometimes offers a discount as well as free delivery to most countries. Amazon UK usually stocks Happy Tango with a free delivery option. Links to Barnes and Noble and to the e-versions of the book will be added when available. The paper version of the book is not for sale in Buenos Aires, please buy before you travel to Argentina.

What Sallycat says

Thank you for buying Happy Tango.

Join the book’s Facebook page and follow the Updates Blog for updates to the second edition; I will do my best to keep my finger on the pulse and to pass on any news to you.

Spread word of Happy Tango to your friends and encourage them to buy it too.

Enjoy using the book!

Postcard image of Happy Tango, the guide book for tango dancersTime to gather together a few of the more recent changes in Buenos Aires that affect the venues and milongas featured in the first edition of Happy Tango. Many of these have already been posted on the Happy Tango Facebook page — do join the page and check it regularly (as Facebook doesn’t always show page posts in your News Feed), I usually always post updates there first as it’s a way of getting news to you more quickly than waiting for enough updates to warrant an Updates Blog post.

The sad news…

The Monday afternoon milonga La Firulete in Confiteria Ideal has closed.

The Wednesday evening milonga Mi Refugio in La Nacional has closed.

The Friday evening milonga Entre Tango y Tango in Centro Región Leonesa has closed.

The good news…

Centro Montañés has reopened for tango: La Milonguita has returned there (Sunday from 8pm), and La Milonguita Palermo continues in Sala Siranush on Wednesday. The milonga Vida Mia has returned to Centro Montañés on Friday.

At last El Beso has a website at elbesotangobar.com.ar featuring its milonga and class schedules. Also, when I passed by the other day I noticed that its famous red door has been painted black and there is a new poster up on the wall outside detailing the current schedule.

The super-useful-for-dancers-planning-tango-travels-to-Buenos-Aires news…

The second edition of Happy Tango is now in the hands of a small group of test readers (real first-time and multi-time tango travellers) who are trying it out and checking its accuracy in the milongas of Buenos Aires. The new edition will be available to buy (and this time I plan to make it available in both paper and electronic formats) soon. More news on this as I have it, but my wish is that it will be out in the world in time for you to buy it for all your tango-travelling friends for Christmas 2012!

Hasta pronto and very many Happy Tangos to you all,

Sallycat

Buy Happy Tango and start planning your tango adventure to Buenos Aires, today.

Click a link to buy Happy Tango from:

amazon.co.uk
amazon.com
amazon.ca
amazon.fr
amazon.de
amazon.co.jp
barnesandnoble.com
BookDepository.co.uk
BookDepository.com

If you’re in the UK or Buenos Aires and need the book faster than the online stores can do it, use the Contact Us button and we’ll do our best to help.

Want to get updates between editions of Happy Tango?

  • Check the book’s Updates Blog, by clicking here.
  • Join the book’s Facebook page, here.

Need to know more?

  • Read an extract from the book’s Introduction, here.
  • See reviews of the book, here.
  • Get to know the author, here.

Happy Tango. Don’t leave for Buenos Aires without it!

El Beso is open with a full schedule of milongas:

Cachirulo (Tuesday),  Noche de Luna (the new Wednesday night milonga), Lujos (Thursday), La Marshall (gay-friendly) Friday, La Milonga de las Morochas (Saturday), La Milonga de los Domingos El Beso (Sunday).

La Academia Tango Milonguero have their weekly classes and Monday night practica in El Beso, as before.

La Bruja (previously in El Beso) continues on Wednesday night in Club Fulgor.

I’ll update this post with further news as I hear it.

It’s heartening that this much-loved Buenos Aires tango venue has returned to life after a temporary closure. I wish all the milongas and practicas great success in their favoured home, and very Happy Tangos for all who travel from far and wide to dance behind the famous red door of El Beso, first floor, 416 Riobamba (corner with Corrientes).

Thank you Polina Østensvig from Oslo for the photo of dancers inside El Beso at the top of this post.

Sallycat

Buy Happy Tango and start planning your tango adventure to Buenos Aires, today.

Click a link to buy Happy Tango from:

amazon.co.uk
amazon.com
amazon.ca
amazon.fr
amazon.de
amazon.co.jp
barnesandnoble.com
BookDepository.co.uk
BookDepository.com

If you’re in the UK or Buenos Aires and need the book faster than the online stores can do it, use the Contact Us button and we’ll do our best to help.

Want to get updates between editions of Happy Tango?

  • Check the book’s Updates Blog, by clicking here.
  • Join the book’s Facebook page, here.

Need to know more?

  • Read an extract from the book’s Introduction, here.
  • See reviews of the book, here.
  • Get to know the author, here.

Happy Tango. Don’t leave for Buenos Aires without it!

El Beso to re-open from 31st July 2012, so this post is now history. Check the latest here instead.

Post updated Tuesday 22nd May to reflect most recent changes in Buenos Aires.

Nobody is confirming the long term future of El Beso, but the milongas previously held there are on the move. They are finding new homes fast. I’ll update this page as I hear of each one. So far this is the news:

Cachirulo on Tuesdays is suspended (no longer in Boedo Tango as of Tuesday 22 May). It continues in Club Villa Malcolm on Saturdays.

From Wednesday 25th April, La Bruja is moving to Club Fulgor de Villa Crespo, Loyola 828, with a start time of 9pm.

From Thursday 26th April, Lujos is moving to La Nacional, Alsina 1465, 6.30pm start time.

From Friday 27th April, La Marshall is moving to Alsina 2540, the new Plaza Bohemia, with an 11.30pm start time.

From Saturday 28th April, Milonga De Las Morochas is also moving from El Beso to Alsina 2540, the new Plaza Bohemia. The milonga start time is 10pm.

Fresh starts — here’s wishing success to all!

Thank you Polina Østensvig, recently in Buenos Aires from Oslo, for the gorgeous photograph of the red door of El Beso at the top of this post. It’s a doorway that has welcomed so many from all over the world. I’m saying thank you tonight for all the times it has welcomed me since 2007 when I first danced there.

Sallycat

Buy Happy Tango and start planning your tango adventure to Buenos Aires, today.

Click a link to buy Happy Tango from:

amazon.co.uk
amazon.com
amazon.ca
amazon.fr
amazon.de
amazon.co.jp
barnesandnoble.com
BookDepository.co.uk
BookDepository.com

If you’re in the UK or Buenos Aires and need the book faster than the online stores can do it, use the Contact Us button and we’ll do our best to help.

Want to get updates between editions of Happy Tango?

  • Check the book’s Updates Blog, by clicking here.
  • Join the book’s Facebook page, here.

Need to know more?

  • Read an extract from the book’s Introduction, here.
  • See reviews of the book, here.
  • Get to know the author, here.

Happy Tango. Don’t leave for Buenos Aires without it!

Happy Tango travellers, alas I am very sorry to report that El Beso, one of the most well-known tango venues in Buenos Aires (and one of Happy Tango’s 7 Traditional Places to Try First) closed it doors at the weekend, and as of today Wednesday 18th April, it remains closed. The exact reasons I do not know, but it seems it’s to do with permits and paperwork relating to the requirements of the city government. Naturally we are all hoping that the matter gets resolved and that El Beso opens its doors again prontísimo. Meanwhile no classes or milongas are being held in El Beso.

I will update this post as I hear more news of El Beso.

Update! For news of where the milongas are moving to, click here.

On a happier note, La Milonguita opens a new milonga on Wednesday nights, starting 7pm tonight 18th April, at Armenia 1353, Palermo. Its name is La Milonguita SOHO (not to be confused with Milonga SOHO, by different organisers, in Villa Malcolm on Thursdays). La Milonguita was forced to move from its original home in Centro Montañes (also due to various bureaucratic matters outside of its control) earlier this year, and happily it re-established itself in La Nacional on Sunday nights. How great to hear that there will now be both a Sunday night La Milonguita in La Nacional and a Wednesday night La Milonguita in Palermo! For full details see milonguitabaile.com.ar

So, changes are always afoot in Buenos Aires. I will continue to keep you informed here and on the book’s Facebook page of any that affect the content of Happy T. so you need never be out of date. A second edition of the book is in the making, but the majority of the content will not change; my advice remains the same, only some of the hard facts require an update.  I am hoping that both El Beso and La Milonguita will be a part of it!

Sallycat

Buy Happy Tango and start planning your tango adventure to Buenos Aires, today.

Click a link to buy Happy Tango from:

amazon.co.uk
amazon.com
amazon.ca
amazon.fr
amazon.de
amazon.co.jp
barnesandnoble.com
BookDepository.co.uk
BookDepository.com

If you’re in the UK or Buenos Aires and need the book faster than the online stores can do it, use the Contact Us button and we’ll do our best to help.

Want to get updates between editions of Happy Tango?

  • Check the book’s Updates Blog, by clicking here.
  • Join the book’s Facebook page, here.

Need to know more?

  • Read an extract from the book’s Introduction, here.
  • See reviews of the book, here.
  • Get to know the author, here.

Happy Tango. Don’t leave for Buenos Aires without it!

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