What and when is the Shakespeare Festival in Uruguay?

Today is the start of the the 2nd Shakespeare festival in Uruguay!  The 2016 edition includes plays for adults and children, some of them involving renowned British Actor George Irving.  For more information you can visit the Facebook page or the website (see links below).  Unfortunately all the information is in Spanish, so for all the Ask Annette non-Spanish speaking readers - good luck!

Shakespeare Festival Uruguay:
Facebook
Website

Looking for unique locally made products?

I love finding locally made products and found a seller called EM Bags at the Feria Maxima De Diseno in Carrasco.  EM Bags is a small business that makes plastic zipped bags.  I use these for putting cell phones/wallets in and taking to the beach or in a boat.  I also have two custom made bags with my children's names on for their pediatrician booklets/vaccination cards.  The bags come in different sizes, colours and fabrics.  They make great gifts too! Check out EM Bags facebook page (link below) for more pictures.  You can message them in English or Spanish via Facebook.

EM Bags
Facebook

Where can you find a great Taekwondo school for kids and adults?

I would like to give a big shout out to the Taekwondo school where my kids attend.  ATA-Punta Gorda Artes Marciales is an excellent Taekwondo school where my children have been attending for over 1 year.  The teachers have a great way with children and I really like the way they teach the children about respect, confidence, discipline, physical strength and the skills of Taekwondo.  I would highly recommend the school.  The fees for 1 person are around $1,500 per month for up to 3 classes a week, then it is cheaper for a second enrollment or if you pay for 2 full enrollments then the 3 enrollment is free!

ATA - Punta Gorda Artes Marciales

General Paz 1405, Punta Gorda

2606 0789

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More about American Taekwondo Association (ATA) here.

Looking for some delicious Mediterranean food in Montevideo?

I have been to this restaurant twice and thoroughly enjoyed the food.  The menu has a wide selection of Mediterranean food, the service is good, prices are reasonable and the setting is very nice.  In particular I found the homemade breads were delicious as were the shish kebab meats, lehmeyun, tabuleh and hummus.   I will be heading back for sure, there is much more to be tried on their menu!  This is a must-try restaurant, especially if you are craving something a little different than the regular Uruguayan cuisine.

Lassh

Av. Garibaldi 2181, Montevideo

Phone: 2200 5937 

Facebook
Website
Tues-Sat: 12:00 - 00:00
Sun: 12:00 - 15:00

Have you ever heard of a Food Truck Festival in Uruguay?

There is a Food Truck Festival next Sunday in Montevideo!  Sounds like a nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon.  More information on Facebook :)

Did you know there are two big yard sales coming up?

Yard Sale 1:

Mones Roses 6242 (Esq. Dublin) Sunday, Feb. 28 from 1500-1700. Many items are for sale: Toys, books, clothes, DVDs, shoes, furniture, etc. Make an offer on any item. Several items are new and still have the price tags. If the date/time are not convenient for you, email: mgoywilson@hotmail.com


Yard Sale 2:

Are you looking for some good German food in Montevideo?

I experienced some very tasty German food at Dackel in Carrasco last night.  I was very impressed with the service from the waiter, he was attentive, happy (even smiled!) and helpful.  All these qualities in a waiter in Uruguay can be very hard to find.  We ordered the 'Chucrat Genie' for $730 which was a meal for two people - it was delicious!  It included 2 large smoked pork chops, bacon, 2 German sausages, 2 boiled potatoes, and sauerkraut (as pictured below).  We got a plate of papa suiza too (it is like a giant homemade hashbrown).  After spending our last spring holiday in the German area of General Villa Belgrano in Argentina and eating German food every night we were keen to see if Uruguay could produce the same quality of food.  I can confirm that yes they can! we enjoyed our meal just as much as the German food we experienced in Argentina.  I would recommend a visit to Dackel :)  Unfortunately I was too full for desert but I would like to return to Dackel to try the apple strudel.

Dackel
Facebook

Gabriel Otero 6438, Carrasco

Phone: 2600 6211
Sunday to Thursday: 12-15 and 20-00 hrs
Friday and Saturday: 12-15 and 20-01 hrs

How to drive in Uruguay when your view is obscured?

Does anyone else find it completely crazy and unsafe that on almost every corner the street view is blocked by a bus station, tree or advertisement board?  or course you do, what am I saying....anyone who comes from a country where road safety is important will understand what I am talking about.  In part I understand that there might be a really old tree on the corner of a street so maybe that is ok but seriously what about the bus stops and advertisements??? they are placed directly on the corner of the street (main roads and otherwise) and you can't see anything coming along the road.  What do you do?  you either inch your car out so you take up half the lane and everyone coming has to go around you or you just pull out like a mad-driver and hope like hell that no one is coming - or at least this seems to be what most drivers in Uruguay do!  am I right?  

This was me today trying to pull across four lanes...

Look left:  can't see anything past the bus-stop/advertisement!

Look right:  can't see anything past the overgrown tree that is being carefully grown on the corner of the main road!

Have you used Woow lately?

Now that Groupon has closed in Uruguay, the Woow discount website is now covering the market in many ways.  I recently purchased an item from Woow and was very happy with the system and the item: 

• the website is easy to navigate (even as a non-Spanish speaker)
• if you live in Carrasco, like I do, and don't want to drive to the Shopping Montevideo area to pick up the item, you can select the free pickup in Carrasco option and collect your item from D.A.C in Portones - very easy
• the restaurant vouchers can be purchased and then the restaurant booked via the new online booking system
• prices are competitive with the market, although some seem to match MercadoLibre, however I would prefer to use Woow than MercadoLibre just based on security issues of knowing who you are purchasing from.

All-in-all I would recommend Woow as a place to buy discount items, restaurant vouchers and more - give it a try!

Wow website

Have you been to Lavender Tea Room?

I have been to Lavender Tea Room a few times and thought it was about time to blog about it.  Lavender is a nice little cafe in a lovely setting inside a garden Centre in Carrasco.  The salads, sandwiches and tarts are all delicious.  I have a mixed opinion about the deserts, the cheesecake on one hand is absolutely delicious and a must-try, but some of the cakes are hit-and-miss (they look fabulous but some look much better than they taste).  You can buy refreshing lemonade with mint by the litre and they serve various types of tea.  I would not recommend the coffee at all.  Also, it is important to note that children under 12 are not allowed at this cafe.  At busy times (i.e. Saturdays and holidays) it is important to book at Lavender Tea Room.  Enjoy!

Lavender Tea Room

Mones Roses 6605 (where it crosses Divina Comedia)

Monday 4-8pm, Tuesday-Saturday 12-8pm

2604 6575

lavender.tearoom@gmail.com

Website
Facebook

How do you find out what is going on for Carnaval in Uruguay?

Carnaval week is considered the annual national festival of Uruguay. While Carnaval is celebrated throughout the country, including events in many cities of the interior, the main Carnaval activities are in Montevideo.  

Although Carnaval is officially only given two days of public holiday for Carnaval Monday and Shrove Tuesday preceding Ash Wednesday, most shops and businesses close for the entire week. Homes and streets are grandly decorated,  humorous shows are staged at open-air theaters,  "tablados" or popular scenes (fixed and movable) are erected in the commercial districts. There are many competitions for murgas, black societies and lubolos, humorists, parodistas and magazines.

Check out more about Carnaval in Uruguay here:

Website
Facebook

Looking for a place to buy delicious meat?

Gourmeat Boutique Carnes is the place to go to buy delicious meat.  If you have been to the new Say Cheese Deli Market in Carrasco you may have noticed that Gourmeat is next door, or maybe you have been to  the Gourmeat in Punta Cararetas.  Either way, I am sure you would agree that their meat is a cut above the rest (pun intended).  They are very helpful in answering questions (in English too!) and although the prices are higher than the supermarket the taste and quality is well worth it.   

GOURMEAT Punta Carretas
Jose María Montero 3061
2710 6080
Hours:
Monday-Friday 10-2 and 4-8
Saturday 10-2

GOURMEAT Carrasco
Alberdi 6548 (where it crosses Jamaica)
2605 6778
Hours:
Tuesday-Friday 11-8
Saturday 10-6
Sunday 10-2

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