Suzanna

I tried all day long today to make a reservation from New York for the milonga at Confiteria Ideal.

Their website has a reservation form that doesn't work and the following phone numbers:

Tel. (054)(011) 5265-8069 / 4328-7750 / 15-4526-7580

I tried dialing 011-54-11-5265-8069 and 011-54-15-4526-7580 but the call doesn't go through.

Can one of you help out with a number that works for them? Maybe they just didn't update their website or I am not calling correctly. I know that NO zeros should be used in front of the country code or city code when dialing from abroad and I assume that these numbers are land lines but I have no way of knowing...

Your help would be much appreciated.

avrooster

Hi, Suzanna!

The fact that the reservation form doesn't work doesn't surprise me, as this is, after all, good ole Argentina! LOL!!

You have to dial whatever gets you into long distance (00?) and then 54-11-5265-8069 or 54-11-4328-7750. The other number is a cell phone.

I just talked to some fellow out there who did not seem too bright (LOL!!!) and he said you don't need a reservation, because it is very large. He said they are open every day (I think) from 3 until 10 PM. So I told him, what if Suzanna wants to call to reserve anyway (you know how Americans are, LOL!!), would there be someone to take a call in English and he made some funny noise, followed by a flat NO. LOL!!

So, Suzanna, I wouldn't worry about reserving. Maybe drop in to take a look as soon as you get here and ask at what time things really get moving, because 3 PM sounds awfully early to me for that kind of thing. Even too early for a children's matinée! LOL!!!

Have a great time in our town.

Suzanna

Avrooster, I tried the numbers but I give up. You are right, after I get there I will validate the time, etc.

But yes, you are right, some us like to plan, particularly when the guide books keep re-iterating that reservations are needed in many places... I do not want to miss out on anything just because I didn't make a reservation in this "hot and jumnpy" place where everyone is out every night for the whole night . I am always wondering how people can get up and go to work after the long nights out. Obviously they have a lot more energy than we have around here (or everyone is forever young).

I wanted to ensure a table close to the dance floor in a non-smoking area but in person hopefully it will work better.

Thanks a lot for calling them and for the quick reply.

I am all packed and looking forward to a fun vacation. I will jot down my experiences and share them after we return on the 27th.

avrooster

I had a LOT of trouble getting through to them. Got a busy signal most of the time and a recorder on the cell, until I finally got our not-too-bright pal. LOL!!

Don't worry so much, you'll have a great time!

Scarlett

OK...you can't take Everything a guide books says as Gospel.
You don't have to make reservations here for restaurants or milongas unless there is something special going on, time, number of people, such a posh place that they insist...you most likely will not eat out as late as they do here, you can walk in at 9 pm and be the only person there ( not everywhere) so toss that guide book!
(Did someone actually call Confiteria Ideal a "hot and jumpy place" ?? lol)

We go to Milongas, we have never EVER made a reservation. We went to Confiteria with a big bunch of friends, one was photographing .. we were there at 5... it was great, not crowded, a lot of very elderly couples dancing..the young'uns like to come in late..like midnight..most milongas go all night .

The classes at Salon Canning are before dancing begins, they are as large as the number of people wanting a class, I have not heard of limits..so don't think you will lose out on a class if there are a lot of people..

All Milongas are non-smoking now.
The smoke if you smell it, will be by the front door..where people pop out to have a puff ..

Now here is the <<maybe>> bad news.
If you are not a dancer or planning on dancing, do not expect a table close to the dance floor.
Those are held for those who dance ..
Tourists and watchers sit farther back ..

Hope this helps~

Suzanna

Scarlett, thanks. I am VERY glad to hear that we will be fine without reservations. I do not like to have to plan out things to this level of detail.

I am disappointed however about the fact that if I go to Confeteria Ideal to watch the dancers I will be sitting far away. The only reason I am going there is to watch the dancers.... So maybe that's not the place to go to.

Since you are going to milongas, is there any place that you would recommend that maybe is not that big and would allow us to be closer to the dance floor even if we are not dancing?

I was looking for a milonga where dancing doesn't start too late on a Friday or Saturday evening, where we can sit together as a couple.

I found La Glorieta de Belgrano which supposedly is on Saturdays at 7pm and Viejo Correo that on Fridays starts at 6pm.

Any suggestions or comments? Thanks again.

Scarlett

These places are not so large that you cannot see them if you sit in the back.
The way the milongs works is that the men on one side and the ladies on the other, sit at tables and give each other the &quot;eye&quot; ( to signal <i>do you want to dance?</i> and the &quot;nod&quot; <i> yes</i> ...
Couples sit behind them, whether they dance or not..we go with serious Tango dancers as well as friends who watch/photograph and that is the way it is wherever we have been.
We never felt like we missed something.

We arrived around 10 one night to one of the bigger milongas and they weren't even dancing yet.


From my Frommers guidebook..
<font color="blue">
La Glorietta opens in the afternoon, perfect for people who want to tango but not very late. Slightly touristy..but it is outdoors.
</font>

I think you need to go to the book store and read some more guide books and read up more on the milongas and their &quot;rules&quot; etc.. it will be helpful, and you will enjoy it more.

Scarlett

One more!!
El Arranque..
looks like a Knights of Columbus hall but authentic and one of the few places with afternoon dancing.
The quote is &quot;Tangos usual late-night events can drive even a vampire crazy &quot; lol so this is perfect to watch and still get a nights sleep afterward.

But the rules here also apply, couples cannot sit together.

and look into El Beso and find a Tango Map..which is also a very very good city map..

Magellan_5

Suzanna - I've also had trouble (and ultimatley, no success) with making a reservation at Confiteria Ideal. No answers, no responses to web site reservation or to my emails. So I'm just following advice from Scarlett and avrooster, and I'm going to relax, show up, and hope for the best. If I don't get in there, I'll try one of the other 20 places listed in my guidebook - LOL!

Suzanna

Thanks to all of you. We will take one day at a time and locally probably it will be easier to figure it out. 2 more days and we will be THERE !

avrooster

Suzanna: take a look at the &quot;BA forum members' dinner&quot; thread.

Suzanna

Scarlett, on a second thought.

If I decide to live dangerously and go to a milonga when everyone else does (after 11pm), which one would you recommend as one where the VERY good dancers go (a place where it is acceptable to just watch (dressed up &quot;by the book&quot?

There are just too many of them and life is short. Thanks again.