As Principal Pianist for the Vancouver Symphony my first love is classical music but since hearing Astor Piazzolla in 1988, my passion has been Argentine Tango. In 1999, I made my first pilgrimage to Buenos Aires , where I spent my days researching the tango repertoire and the nights exploring the city’s tango clubs. I’ve returned many times since, most recently a few weeks ago, when my tango trio, “Tangissimo”, came along as part of a documentary being shot by Infinity Films called “Chasing the Tango High”. I had already experienced the magic of dancing the tango in Buenos Aires with the Porteños, as the residents of Buenos Aires are called. This time, we wanted to capture the magic of Argentine tango music.

There were ten of us - including the production crew. In the post 9/11 world of air travel, musicians are no longer permitted to take their instruments on board under any circumstances - even if they purchase a seat for the instrument - so the trio’s guitarist, Ed Henderson, and bassist Miles Hill watched with trepidation as their expensive musical equipment joined the stream of suitcases on the conveyer belt headed to the baggage hold. The musician’s instruments arrived intact.

Porteños are very welcoming to tourists and visitors are treated wonderfully from the minute they arrive at the modern, immaculate Ezeiza Airport in Buenos Aires . Driving into the city from the airport, it struck me again how important to the Argentine people their families and way of life is. It was Sunday afternoon and people were enjoying picnics in the countryside - no structured picnic areas with tables or BBQ pits - just blankets spread out in the fields, kids running around and Porteños enjoying life and each other’s company. This joi de vivre is evident in every facet of life here from the food to dance and music.

While the crew stayed at the Ibis Hotel, Tangissimo stayed in the heart of San Telmo at Lina’s Tango Guest House. Her patio is my favourite place in Buenos Aires and I’ve spent many a morning here watching the sun come up after a night of dancing. This would be followed by a delicious breakfast of fresh croissants and steaming hot coffee. There are many tango guest houses and people who stay there are all interested in one thing - tango. The best thing about Lina’s place is Lina herself as she knows the tango scene intimately and can set up private lessons, organize taxi dancers, and tell guests which milonga (a place where people dance tango), to go to every hour of the day. The rooms are decorated with all things tango and guests have full use of the kitchen and laundry room.

That evening we met up at Nivels -  a restaurant in San Telmo’s which has the Best Steak You’ll Ever Eat in your Whole Life. It’s so tender you cut it with your fork. It’s not a fancy place but is very popular with the Porteños who line-up every night for a table. This is the kind of place that remembers you after a single visit and welcomes you back warmly with open arms. Generally, the food and wine in Buenos Aires are spectacular. The beef is the finest in the world and nowhere will you find bigger, better, juicier, tastier and more tender steaks than in the top Parrillas (steak houses) of Buenos Aires . The first Europeans who settled in Argentina brought their cattle with them, and the latter thrived on the rich, humid grasses of the Pampas . No hormone shots or special feeds have ever been necessary to make Argentine cattle the superb animals they are. The meat also tastes naturally salty because there’s so much salt in the ground.

The parrillada (mixed grill) and asado, the traditional Argentine barbecue, are a way of life and most steakhouses have an open fire of glowing coals around which a number of vertical metal crosses hold haunches of beef, lamb and pork. These slowly rotate to get the most benefit from the glowing embers, and the chefs, usually in gaucho outfits, will come over from time to time to slice off portions as they are ordered by the customers. Accompanying the grill is a bewildering choice of side-salads and mouthwatering French fries. No grill in Argentina is complete without a bottle of the country's magnificent red wine. Average wine consumption in Argentina is a whopping 60 liters per head annually, so not much wine finds its way to export. The finest cuts of beef with a spectacular wine are absurdly inexpensive by international standards.

A good way to work off the super size dinner portions is to dance the night away at a milonga. The neighbourhood milonga is where you’ll see the real tango being danced. The action starts around midnight and continues till early morning. To help sort out where and when the milongas take place and who’s playing at them, pick up the free monthly Tango review called "Tangauta". Each milonga has its own flavor or personality. Younger people are into Nuevo tango and will be found dancing to groups like the Gotan Project, which uses electronics and drums and is changing traditional tango to a more acrobatic exercise. Traditional milongas cater to an older crowd with established tango orchestras, made up of bandonion, violins, piano, bass and guitar, playing the classics.

One of the most traditional clubs is Los Bohemios, which is in La Boca - down at the docks where tango began. I had been there the year before and to me, it’s probably the most authentic and long lasting milonga in Buenos Aires . This is not a tourist spot but rather a place where the average age of the clientele is 75 and most have been coming here for 25 - 30 years. Some even have their own table reserved every Saturday night, year in and year out. When I first went last year, I was overwhelmed by the effusive welcome and affection these people showed Lina and me. They were so honored that we had come and made a huge fuss over us being there. This year I wanted to give something back, so I arranged for my group Tangissimo to play for their milonga since they can’t afford a live band. We played the traditional tangos we knew they’d like and it was a magical evening for all.

Another favourite tango club is Confiteria Ideal - housed in a glorious, turn-of-the-last-century building in the center of Buenos Aires . This “grand old lady” is all marble pillars and floors, intricate chandeliers and exudes an old-fashioned, tired elegance. It’s a film company’s dream and was used as a setting in the musical “Evita”. On this occasion they had a live band and Tangissimo was the warm up act. Don’t worry if you can’t dance - you are made to feel just as welcome if you simply want to watch and soak up the atmosphere. If you want to try your hand at dancing, lessons are usually available with outstanding teachers before the milonga and cost next to nothing.

There are strict rules regarding dance etiquette. A man will never just come up to your table and ask you to dance. The invitation is done through eye contact from the next table or across the room. This eye contact is called cabeza. If you’re open to the invite you nod your head, if not, you simply look away. Generally, men in Argentina still treat women like ladies. Doors get held open for you, flowers get given, and men walk on the outside of the sidewalk - all the old fashioned gestures that I love.

If you’re not feeling confident enough in your tango dancing skills to participate but would still like to experience the tango scene, there are many tango shows around Buenos Aires . Check Tangauta for the times and locations. If you’d simply like to hear tango music, my favourite place is Club del Vino - a supper theater and bar where you sit at little round tables close to the stage. The very best tango musician’s play here and it’s where I first heard the remarkable composer and pianist Horatio Salgan with his Quintento Rial. Horatio’s one of the most well known and beloved tango musicians and plays with an extraordinary unique style. The generous spirit of the Porteños carries through to the musicians, who play their hearts out at every performance because they are so passionate about their music.

There’s a lot to do in Buenos Aires by day, assuming you can get up after a night of dancing! I love to shop and the city offers an endless variety of boutiques, galleries, and antique shops. I always go to Zivals - a place that stocks every CD imaginable at reasonable prices. You could spend days there. Leather goods and shoes are a great buy and it’s possible to have tango shoes made to your foot size. Getting around Buenos Aires is easy as taxis are plentiful and very inexpensive.

If it’s Sunday, don’t miss the San Telmo Antique Market at Plaza Dorrego. Families come to the plaza with their carts piled high with family antiques and other wares. They arrange the merchandise in little booths - old and new clothes, paintings, strings of crystals from old chandeliers... Hundreds of Porteños crowd the market on Sundays and one thing you’ll notice is how everyone makes eye contact with you. People are not afraid to look strangers in the eye nor make physical contact. In the Oscar winning movie “Crash” a character says: “In L.A. , nobody touches you…I think we miss touch so much, that we crash into each other, just so we can feel something.”  It’s the opposite in Buenos Aires where you feel connected with everyone.

On our last Saturday in Buenos Aires , Lina took us to a traditional Feria (country fair) outside the city. It’s a colorful event where the gauchos (cowboys) display their horsemanship with racing games, archery and riding tricks. They dress in tight black trousers decorated with lots of sliver studs and adorn their horses beautifully as well. The rule mania we have in North America isn’t evident here as there’s a distinct lack of fences between the riding demonstrations and the public. It’s up to you to stay out of the way!

The Feria also has a flea market where locals sell all kinds of handicrafts like jewelry, leather goods, bridles saddles, and knives. There are folkloric dance demonstrations, singing, music and, of course, tango. Many booths offer traditional foods and home cooking in case you want to sample local cuisine. My favourite is empanadas - pastry stuffed with a savory filling - washed down with a robust red wine. For dessert I adore dolce de leche, a thick creamy, delicious caramel sauce served on flan or fruit.

Returning home, the trio’s guitarist, Ed Henderson, was getting ready to check his instrument as baggage, when the Argentine agent noticed and said: “You can’t possibly check an instrument as part of the baggage... you must take it on the plane with you.”  When bassist Miles checked his bass, the agent went right on the conveyer belt with it, to make sure it was delivered safely to the baggage hold. Those agents epitomize Argentina - their warmth, their delight in music and dance…. it’s why I love Buenos Aires !