Travel with Mona to Argentina

I went to Argentina twice and enjoyed it tremendously. Often described as the Paris of Latin America, Buenos Aires owes its reputation to its wealth of beautiful Belle Epoque buildings. Many of Buenos Aires’s architectural landmarks were built in the early decades of the 20th century when the city exploded from colonial outpost to one of the wealthiest metropolises in the world. 

I loved this lively city so much that I described it in my most recent book, LAST CHANCE PLANS. Although the novel is set in Fort Lauderdale, one chapter takes place in Buenos Aires. Madison Howell, a flight attendant, is flying there on an assignment, and billionaire, Rick Lambert, joins her for a business trip that soon brings a lot of fun.

Plaza de Mayo

The Plaza de Mayo is a city square and main foundational site of Buenos Aires. It was formed in 1884 and became the political center of the country. Surrounded by the Casa Rosada, the Cabildo and the city’s main cathedral, Plaza de Mayo is the place where Argentineans gather in vehement protest or jubilant celebration.

Casa Rosada — from which Eva Peron addressed adoring crowds of workers.

The Plaza de Mayo is decorated by the Pyramid de Mayo (built in 1811 to commemorate the May Revolution a year earlier) and a grand statue of independence hero General Belgrano as well as towering palm trees and soothing fountains.

<<From time to time, Rick caressed her palm with the pad of his thumb as he glanced out of the window and listened to their driver, Mario, who took them to the famous Plaza de Mayo. “Tomorrow, you should walk in the square and take pictures,” Mario said as he waved at the May Pyramid, their oldest national monument.

“We will,” Madison promised.

Next, Mario drove along the Rio de la Plata waterfront at Puerto Madero, explaining that all streets in the district were named after women. They passed in front of the Museo Nacional de Belles Artes and the Teatro Colon. As he continued along 9 de Julio Avenue, he pointed at the obelisk that was built to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the founding of the city, and he insisted they should have lunch or dinner at the famous Café Tortoni.

“Tonight we’re just getting an overview. Tomorrow we’ll walk and visit all these places and more,” Madison declared.

Rick smiled at her enthusiasm, determined to spice up their visit with his own brand of excitement.>>

The Monument to the Carta Magna and Four Regions of Argentina is located in the intersection of Del Libertador and Sarmiento Avenues, a landmark site in the Palermo, a neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is commonly referred to as the Monument of the Spanish. 
The Equestrian monument to General Manuel Belgrano is a landmark of Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is located at Plaza de Mayo, in front of the Casa Rosada. It depicts General Manuel Belgrano holding the Flag of Argentina, and it is made of bronze over a pedestal of granite.
The Pyramid de Mayo, located in front of the Casa Rosada, or Pink House, in the Plaza de Mayo, location of many historic and political events.
El Obelisco
Built by Alberto Prebisch in 1936 to commemorate Buenos Aires’s 400th anniversary, this pointed needle is the city’s unofficial center, and a useful landmark for getting one’s bearings. Standing 222 feet tall, the obelisk has four sides on its shaft that represent moments in the city’s history, from its founding in 1536 to being named as Argentina’s capital in 1880

La Recoleta Cemetery

La Recoleta Cemetery
Argentine aristocrats were known to sell all their worldly possessions to pay for a spot in the country’s most exclusive cemetery. A maze of splendid mausoleums and dramatic crypts, it’s where the country’s most controversial figures (including, most famously, Eva Perón) sleep. 

The Abasto Mall

The Abasto shopping center was built in 1930s in the Art Deco architecture.
In 1999, Abasto was reborn into a shopping center as it was refurbished completely on the inside, and with additional structures at the back and side, but keeping the original beautiful Art Deco façade.

Café Tortoni:

You’ll know you have reached this legendary fin de siècle café located halfway along Avenida de Mayo from the lines that snake out the door. Modeled on the Parisian coffeehouses of the 19th century, it’s been a meeting point for artists and intellectuals since it opened in 1858 and still hosts regular jazz and tango nights. 825 Avenida de Mayo.

<<Around seven, just after sunset, Mario dropped them at the tango restaurant. “I’ll be back for you at 10:00 p.m. You have time for dinner, the show, and a tango lesson.” Apparently, the dancers taught the patrons a few steps after their show.

<<Inside the restaurant, where long tables faced a stage, they were seated next to each other with other patrons. After sampling various bits of meat from a tray a waitress passed around, they ordered the local steak and a bottle of wine. They toasted, chatted, laughed with the other guests at their table, and enjoyed their meal.>>

Caminito

Caminito is a well-known pedestrian-only street in Buenos Aires, famed for its brightly colored houses built from scrap metal and painted with leftovers from the shipyards. The street is also known for being the birthplace of tango, which originated here in the late 19th century. Nothing beats the tour of the old city and the lunch in restaurant offering Tango shows.

 The Best Tango Shows In Buenos Aires: The authentic tango that you’ll see in these Buenos Aires tango shows is very different than what you’ve seen in the movies. It tells a passionate story. The movements are complex. The man signals to his partner with subtle cues that they’ve practiced religiously.

<<The music filled the air and the lights dimmed. Bright spotlights focused on the stage where a couple glided in, the man in a black, silk shirt and satin pants, the woman wearing a sexy, short, tight, sparkling dress that molded to her figure. The loud tempo of the music focused their attention as the man splayed a hand on the woman’s back and held her other hand in a tight grip.

The dance started with sharp, staccato movements, the male dancer bringing his partner against him, pulling her in with a passionate attitude. The music’s frenzy escalated, prompting more sensual steps in the dance while the dancers maintained their sober expressions.

Lips parted, Madison seemed totally mesmerized by the dance. Rick wrapped an arm around her waist, slowly pulling her back against his chest, needing to share the dramatic dance with her. She melted against him, her fingers clenched on his arm.>>

A tango show
My husband posing for the picture.

<<The server entered, set the tray on the desk, accepted his tip, and left with an “Enjoy your drinks.”

“All that?” Madison stared at the two giant ceramic mugs, miniature replicas of the famous Obelisco adorning the center of town.

“Here, they say that Buenos Aires is the city that never sleeps. The Buenos Aires Zombie is the perfect drink for a night meant to go on until dawn.”>>

Last Chance Plans, Love Plans Series, book 10

Today is the Release Day. 99 cents to celebrate its release.

At twenty, Rick Lambert ran away from the US to escape the accusations hurled at him. Fifteen years later, he returns to settle in Fort Lauderdale. His mother agrees to live with him and take care of his two sons who have been raised by nannies and boarding schools.

Flight attendant, Madison Howell loves nothing more than her job. During a flight from Dubai to Miami, she meets the authoritative businessman and his mother. The sweet old lady befriends her, and Rick doesn’t hide his attraction. When his children come home, Madison finds herself entangled with the Lamberts way too often. As she helps the young boys adapt to their new life, she falls in love with their gorgeous father, but she’s not sure she really knows Rick, her charming lover. A loving son and dedicated father but also a womanizer and tough businessman with a hidden past.

When people from long-ago cross his path, secrets are revealed, threatening to ruin their romance. Now mature and powerful, Rick confronts his enemies to clear his name, but will it cost him the woman he loves?

Love Plans Series #1

To celebrate the release of LOVE PLANS SERIES, book 10, Last Chance Plans, the Love Plans Series #1 will be half-price during February.

Heal My Heart

To celebrate the release of Last Chance Plans, Heal My Heart will be FREE on February 7, 8, 9 and February 21 and 22

Word of Wisdom

“Women who seek to be equal with men lack ambition.” ~ Timothy Leary

“Energy and persistence conquer all things.” ~ Benjamin Franklin

“Success isn’t permanent, and failure isn’t fatal.” ~ Mike Ditka

“We must believe in luck. For how else can we explain the success of those we don’t like?” ~ Jean Cocteau

“Courage is the price that life expects for granting peace.” ~ Amelia Earhart

“It’s choice — not chance — that determines your destiny.” ~ Jean Nidetch

“Remember that happiness is a way of travel — not a destination.” ~ Roy M. Goodman

“I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.” ~ Bill Cosby

“The most wasted of all days is one without laughter.” ~ e. e. cummings

“Only passions, great passions, can elevate the soul to great things.” ~ Denis Diderot

“Always laugh when you can. It is cheap medicine.” ~ Lord Byron

“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.” ~Anonymous

Here are two recently released novels that will take your breath away and have you read the whole book in one sitting.

Healing Plans

Love Plans Series, book 8

Melissa Blake, a bright young surgeon, worked long hours to gain a remarkable experience. Fed up with her controlling mentor, she interviews for a better position.
After his wife left him, Dr. Jason Randal raises their two small kids on his own. Although he’s carefully avoided dating, he’s attracted to the lovely Dr. Blake he’s just hired. He gives her a tour of the city and a taste of the passion she’s missed.
When her mentor needs open-heart surgery, Melissa leads a team of surgeons, including Jason, all through the delicate operation. Life gets complicated when she becomes dizzy during the surgery, but Jason discretely takes over and saves their famous patient.
Will this unforgivable weakness cost her a medical career and Jason’s love?

No Vacation Plans

Love Plans Series, book 9

Denise Lambert fell in love at first sight with Damien Booker, a biracial law student. They danced the night away, and she welcomed his passionate kiss. But then he disappeared.
Five years later, she can’t believe her eyes when the pizza delivery boy sporting a long frizzy mane and a bushy beard is none other than Damien. He kisses her and runs away. She manages to get his phone number and reconnect with him. For weeks, they chat on the phone, until she bumps into Zorro, the exotic male dancer, at her friend’s bachelorette party—Damien again who kisses her senseless. But Denise is fed up with the jack of all trades, working long hours at three low-paying jobs. She’ll have to break it off with him unless…
Determined to be worthy of her love, Damian set aside his resentment against discriminating lawyers. Clean cut and well-groomed, he applies to various firms, until he garners several interviews and finally lands the right position in the right firm. Will his effort pay off? Or will he have to fight her friends and relatives to bring Denise into his arms?

Travel to Kiev, and pray for the Ukrainians

As we follow the terrible news on TV and pray for the Ukrainians, I pulled my picture album and reminisced about my business trip to Ukraine in April 1997.

Located on the Dnieper River. Kiev (or Kyiv) is the capital and largest city in Ukraine with a population of three million inhabitants. It dates back to 560 AD and enjoys an authentic Eastern European culture.

Independence Square (Maidan Nezalezhnosti) is on the historical boulevard Khreschatyky. It is the focal point of the Independence Day celebrations every August to celebrate Ukraine’s breakaway from the former Soviet Republic but it is also remembered for the Orange Revolution of 1994.
The Dnieper  is one of the major rivers of Europe, rising in the Valdai Hills near Smolensk, Russia, before flowing through Belarus and Ukraine to the Black Sea.

As the program manager for a contract in Ukraine, I flew to Kiev with three people from our lab in Ohio, and met with our Belarusian driver, Sergei, who had driven from Minsk, Belarus, with two chemists we previously trained on analytical equipment.

We spent our first evening in Kiev, strolling through the main avenues, discovering the city, and admiring the beauty of the colorful cathedrals with golden domes, churches, statues and monuments.

Marinskyi Palace that serves as the official ceremonial residence of the President. The palace lies on the right bank of the Dnieper River in Kyiv.

Some of you may remember the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986. Two explosions resulted in radioactive dust spread around the area, mainly to Belarus which is at 20 km north of Chernobyl and to Kiev at about 130km south of Chernobyl.

In 1997, my company was contracted by the DOD to equip and deliver a mobile laboratory to a military base in Uman, in Central Ukraine, about five hours away from Kiev. The two GC/MS—gas chromatogram/mass spectrometer—and other smaller instruments we installed would allow the detection and analysis of toxic substances in hazardous waste samples.

After a week of work installing and testing the equipment, I left the staff to continue the training and returned to Kiev to fly back to Munich, and then to New York. For my bad luck it was May 1st or Labor Day in Ukraine and Europe. Little did I know that the big avenues were blocked for a military parade with the President heading it. Sergei and I had to use the backroads. I had the chance to visit St. Sophia Cathedral and a fabulous monastery, but I almost missed my plane.

Kyevo-Pecherska Lavra, is a monastery’s cluster of gold-domed Orthodox churches built on top of a labyrinth of ancient caves. 
Closer view of the green dome church in the monastery.
Motherland Monument on the Dnieper River. We could see it from far away.
Saint Sophia Cathedral is a unique monument of
architecture and monumental art of the early 11th century having the biggest preserved collection of mosaics and frescoes of that period.

Kiev is such a beautiful city. The pastry is delicious and the amber jewelry out of this world. I bought amber necklaces, brooches, bracelets.

Pray for the Ukrainians’ safety and for peace.

HEAL MY HEART is set in Belarus. In a far away country, a baby girl, four little boys, and a handsome doctor may teach Dr. Jillian the true meaning of Christmas.

AMAZON

Car Troubles

I’ve never been able to handle car problems. They make me seethe, curse and cry, and call for help. Whenever I took my car for repair, my husband would reassure me with, “It’s not a big thing. They’ll probably charge you $150 to $ 200.” The mechanic would find four or five defective parts to be changed for a total of $500 to $800. If I protested, I was treated to a patronizing lecture from a well-muscled hunk with tattoos and dirty nails, who ended his speech with, “If you don’t want to fix it, it’s up to you, but I wouldn’t want my mom on the road in a car so messed up.” Sure enough, I would panic and beg him to fix it. At home my hubby would throw his arms in the air. “What? $800 for this? How do you manage to let them cheat you like that?” Do I need to add that my self-confidence about car repair had often hit rock bottom?

When my daughter graduated from college she dragged me to a How to Handle Car Problems three-hour seminar with hands-on experience.

We learned how to interpret the warning lights on the dashboard, change a flat tire and replace a battery. We understood that weird odors indicate an issue under the hood — a coolant leak or mold in the vents. Strange vibrations such as a shaking steering wheel could be caused by unbalanced tires, warped brake rotors and damaged or worn suspension system parts. By the end of the long training, I felt so knowledgeable and confident. Our instructor concluded by saying, “Listen ladies, despite all I taught you today, the best thing for you to do if you run into car problem is to immediately call AAA, Geico, or any other insurance, a mechanic and your husband.”

I was driving from Columbus, OH. to Cincinnati when my car burped and shook. I pressed the brake pedal, waited a few seconds, and slowly raised my foot, steering to the side of the road. The car rolled a few yards along the emergency lane, and then shuddered, thumped, and hiccupped. A light on the dashboard indicated tire problems. I cringed and pushed down on the brakes, knowing I had a flat tire. For two minutes I debated on changing the tire myself. I remembered the theory well, but I also remembered our instructor’s conclusion. To be on the safe side, I called AAA, the insurance and my husband.

How do you handle car problems?

In LOVE IN THE ER the hero and heroine meet during a tropical storm as she’s stuck in her car with a flat tire. “The path to happy ever after is not a smooth one. Both have a lot of problems to solve. This is a good story, my favorite by this author. Lots of drama takes them to different places.”

http://www.amazon.com/DP/B08HKRVY8M


DOCTORS IN LOVE 2 – Sexy and Determined, the docs alleviate suffering, protect life and health, and restore respect for human beings. http://bit.ly/DocLove2