I’ve been anticipating the arrival of the cool weather that accompanies autumn and winter. We seemingly have skipped fall and landed right in the midst of a Buenos Aires winter. That’s fine with me since my preference is for cold, gray days. (How did I survive living in Miami Beach for five years?) I like bundling up in layers of wool.

Recently, a trip to my favorite thrift shop on the southside of Buenos Aires resulted in the acquisition of an alpaca scarf and a great wool sports jacket for less than 50 pesos. (Don’t bother asking. I’m never revealing the location of that store. Despite the ridiculous inflation here, bargains can still be found if you hunt around).

This climate also gives me the excuse – not that I need one – to sit in a cozy cafe, sipping a hot cup of coffee. Since I have a very limited sense of taste or smell (an attribute that was handy for drinking copious amounts of alcohol in college), I have no need to quench an advanced coffee thirst with the recent opening of Starbucks in Palermo. Even when I lived in the U.S., I’m fairly certain my visits to Starbucks never exceeded half-a-dozen trips, most of which were in the company of a friend. Just call me bland and boring or blame my damaged taste buds. Meanwhile you’re more likely to find me in a cafe with water stains on the walls while happily drinking my murky coffee.