“Rio de la Plata, Florida, Avenida Nueve de Julio, all I want to know!” – from “Evita”
The minute my plane touched ground in BA, the soundtrack of “Evita” began to loop continuously in my head. Does everyone here really eat meat all the time and tango in the streets? Well, yes, sometimes. They also drink a lot of red wine and eat a lot of ice cream and somehow manage to look gorgeous! It is a city of paradoxes: a heady mix of glamour and grit, filled with warm and passionate people who are determined to overcome their troubled history and re-establish themselves as a world-class city.
And so I began my Argentine adventure with the hilarious New York firecracker, Queen of the Rockaways, as my traveling companion.
A Sense of Place
To give an idea of the character of BA citizens (who call themselves “Porteños” because their city was established as a port on the mighty Rio de la Plata), I will quote a tour guide: “We are Spanish-speaking children of Italian immigrants, who are English-educated and who want to be French.” Yep, that about sums it up!
The look and feel of the city is very European with a dash of Latin intensity. Central neighborhoods range in theme from upscale and leafy Parisian (Recoleta), reconstituted and glamorized industrial (Puerto Madero), bohemian and hip (Palermo Viejo), and gritty and commercial (Microcentro and Barrio Norte).
I should also mention that the whole town is stuck in a1980’s time warp. 80s music can be heard in taxis, bars and restaurants everywhere. Young men sport the mullet look (more generously referred to by some as “soccer hair”). The clothes, the shoes, all of it, right out of the 80s, which is kind-of fun!
=> Queen of the Rockaways says, “Eew. I don’t care how cute you are, I won’t date a mullet. Total deal breaker!”
By the way, no one really sleeps here. There’s too much living to do! These people just go-go-go day and night, fueled by coffee, Red Bull, and the ubiquitous Yerba Mate tea, served in gourds, sipped through metal straws and carried around by everyone, in the way Starbucks seems to always be in-hand everywhere in the U.S.
A Place to Lay Your Head
High-design boutique hotels are all the rage in Buenos Aires, and are an affordable way to sleep in style without breaking the travel budget.
We stayed at the sleek and modern boutique Hotel Design CE (in Recoleta). The rooms are comfortable with a sparse, minimal décor (think white walls and cement floors) but are made luxurious with comfy beds, a flat screen TV and a Jacuzzi! A generous continental breakfast is included, served at a long communal bar area in the internal lobby/lounge. Surf the ‘net and plot the evening’s escapades over a glass of Malbec in the tiny and mod subterranean bar. The very friendly and helpful staff will make sure you are headed in the right direction, so be sure to ask for suggestions and help with reservations.
Home: THE boutique hotel in BA, located in the hip Palermo Viejo district and therefore hard to reserve, so plan ahead! Run by husband and wife team Tom Rixton and Patricia O'Shea, this 14 room hotspot also houses a bar and spa.
Bobo Hotel: Another hot property in the Palermo Viejo district, this is a seven-room hotel contained within a renovated 1920s European-style mansion.
Buenos Aires also has its share of world class, ultra-luxury hotels. Here are a few of the notable ones:
Faena Hotel + Universe: This stunning Philippe Starck-designed hotel, located in the Puerto Madero district, is the only place we encountered that was set firmly in the 21st century – decadent, gothic, luxurious, industrial-chic. Located within a renovated factory, the “hotel” is comprised of 110 rooms that come complete with a personal “experience manager” who will see to it that your every need is met. The “universe” is a collection of high-design bars, restaurants, cabaret, theater, spa, business center and shops. Truly a one-of-a-kind property. We ended up there late one evening to survey the scene, taking our cocktails poolside and, inspired by the glow of red candles scattered throughout the space, decided that we were in the coolest place on earth.
Palacio Duhau Park Hyatt: A recently renovated, grand and palatial Beaux Arts mansion with restrained modern luxury located in the exclusive Recoleta district. Even if this hotel is out of your price range, treat yourself to a massage at the glorious Ahin Spa.
Alvear Palace: A gilded and grand hotel in the classic European tradition, and an Argentine institution, located in the upscale Recoleta district. This is the place to come for decadent high tea and a dose of classic luxury.
The Eats
The food in Buenos Aires is heavily influenced by its Italian heritage. Pizza, pasta and gelato-style ice cream can be found everywhere. The other food focus is on steak, empanadas and red wine. Portions are huge! Here’s a helpful tip – ask the concierge at your hotel to make you a reservation, as most good spots book up fast. Also, plan on having dinner no earlier than 9:30pm. Since you will be waking at noon, having lunch at about 4pm and having cocktails at 8pm, this won’t be problem!
The Steak: Here’s the deal with the meat. I wouldn’t say it was better than U.S. steak. It’s delicious, just different. Grass-fed, free range and hormone-free (and not aged), it’s leaner and has a more beefy flavor, with the most tender cut being the rib eye. They like to grill their steak over open flame, and steakhouses (or “parillas”) can be found all over town, ranging from cozy neighborhood hangouts to huge meat palaces. A properly grilled steak is taken so seriously here I saw construction workers setting up a grill to prepare their lunchtime feast curbside. There is an on-going debate about where to get the best meat in BA; there are many excellent options, so here’s where we decided to indulge:
* Cabaña Las Lilas: the famed steak palace for a classic Argentine meat feast, located in the Puerto Madero district. We were warned it was very touristy, but I didn’t think that was the case at all. Everyone around us spoke Spanish and if I covered my ears, I would have thought I was in a huge, bustling and sophisticated restaurant in Manhattan. The food here is delicious, and it’s worth noting that the meat served here comes directly from the restaurant's own ranch. It can’t get any fresher than that!
* Parilla Peña: A quality neighborhood parilla located in Barrio Norte not too far from our hotel.
Sweets: Porteños have a fierce sweet tooth and have been known to put the caramel-y sauce dulce de leche on just about everything. Try an “alfajor”, a dulce de leche filled sandwich cookie smothered with chocolate (the best are from Havanna). And don’t leave BA without trying the ice cream! It is Italian-style gelato and it’s some of the best I’ve ever had (even in Italy). The finest purveyor is Volta. There is also a strange dessert called “dulce y queso” I saw on menus everywhere, which is a slab of white cheese (sort-of a cross between mozzarella and feta) with another slab of either quince jelly or – shocking and strange – sweet potato jelly. Yes, that’s right. Sweet potato JELLY. Being a culinary explorer I had to try it, and can say it’s truly weird.
The Wine: You have probably heard of and tasted the smooth and mellow red Malbec (similar to Merlot). However, I thought their bold Cabernet was the better of the two.
Enjoy a Decadent High Tea: Indulge in this ritual at the Alvear Palace Hotel. We were escorted into the leafy and flower-filled Jardin d’Hiver Room of the L’Orangerie restaurant and seated next to the Porteño version of “ladies who lunch”, all gathered to celebrate someone’s birthday. The tea service was extraordinary, with silver platters and towers laden with pillow-y scones, pastries and delicate little sandwiches. The tea itself was very special; I chose the smooth and fruity “Alvear” blend created just for this hotel by tea expert Inés Berton (her shop Tealosophy is located just off of the lobby). As if that weren’t enough, they rolled around a cart with even more pastries to choose from and finished it all off with glasses of champagne! We vowed to never eat again (well, ok, maybe not never).
“Speakeasy” Dining at Casa Salt Shaker: This is one of a growing trend of ”puertas cerradas” or semi-secret closed-door restaurants that are cropping up in cities around the world and are booming in BA. You have to do a little research to find these, but it’s worth it for a unique, intimate and generally first-rate dining experience. American expat chef Dan Perlman runs Casa Salt Shaker, located in a neat flat in the Recoleta neighborhood. We were served a delicious five-course meal, expertly paired with Argentine wines and enjoyed the company of 10 adventurous and lively souls. It was the best meal I had during my entire week in Buenos Aires.
Good Pasta: Go to La Parolaccia for excellent pasta, risotto and Italian classics at this hot spot in Puerto Madero. Recommended by the bartender in our hotel, he said “this is where I would take a girl on a nice date”.
Café Tortoni: Go here for old world atmosphere & history, evening tango and delicious “chocolate y churros” (thick hot chocolate with a side of fried donut sticks).
Yerba Mate: As I’d mentioned above, Yerba Mate is a tea traditionally served in gourds and sipped through metal straws and carried around by everyone. It is part of a bonding ritual between friends and family to share mate and pass the gourd around in a circle, similar to the peace pipe. It also has tons of caffeine and, best of all, is an appetite suppressant! So of course I stocked up.
What to See & Do
Best Neighborhoods You’re Likely to Encounter: Recoleta, Palermo (especially Palermo Viejo), Puerto Madero and San Telmo.
A Three-Hour Tour: I highly recommend taking a three-hour bus tour of the city. It’s a great orientation and you’ll experience all of the “must see” sights (Casa Rosada, San Telmo, Recoleta Cemetery, La Boca). Your concierge can arrange the tour, and most tour companies will pick you up at your hotel. We took the “Live Buenos Aires” tour, which was extra fun because the bus turned into a mini-movie theater at certain points and showed brief films detailing a site we were about to encounter.
Spend a day away in Uruguay: Take the one-hour Buquebus rapid ferry across the Rio de la Plata to Colonia, a pretty and historic old colonial town in Uruguay. Walk or rent bikes, have a leisurely lunch, and be back in Buenos Aires in time to tango the night away!
Get a Luxurious Massage: Head over to the Palacio Duhau Park Hyatt to indulge in a massage at their magnificent Ahin spa. The luxury here is on an operatic level. Upon arrival we were presented with a menu of music to enjoy during our treatments, and a selection of therapeutic teas brought to us on a tray as we lounge on a chaise to relax at the end of our treatments. There are marble-lined private treatment rooms, complete with a shower and soaking tub. Also included with the price of a treatment is use of their gorgeous pool, sauna and Jacuzzi.
The Tango: Glitzy tango shows are everywhere, but we opted to experience pure unadulterated tango at the Confiteria Ideal, an elegant, dark, romantic and cavernous old dance hall that opened in 1912 and bears the patina of almost a century’s worth of passionate dancing within its walls. It’s not a tourist show, but rather a “milonga”, a public place were locals young and old come to practice their sensual moves. It’s a mesmerizing scene to behold. Show up early and they will teach you a few moves too.
Spend a day in the Park: Buenos Aires has a collection of sprawling, gorgeous parks located in the Palermo district. Stroll the lush botanic gardens, see giant South American rats at the zoo, have lunch in the Japanese gardens, stop and smell the roses and rent a rowboat in “Parque 3 de Febrero”.
Go Shopping!
* Made-to-order Leather Jackets: Go to Uru Recoleta to order custom-made leather jackets. Choose from a wide variety of styles and then choose the color and type of leather (antelope, kidskin, calfskin, deer, lamb, etc). They take your measurements and within 24-hours a “fits-like-a-glove” leather jacket is delivered right to your hotel. All very painless and surprisingly affordable.
* The Shops of Palermo Viejo – THE hip and happening place to shop (and eat) in BA, loaded with funky boutiques featuring original fashions and home accessories created by local designers. Fun shops to explore include Calma Chica for cow skin rugs and other fun home accessories; Papelera Palermo for handmade stationery, leather-bound journals and paper goods; and Humawaca for stylish cow skin and leather bags and accessories.
* Also worth investigating are Prune shops (locations all over town) for snazzy leather handbags, shoes, and jackets.
Getting There, Getting Around
* Flights: American Airlines flies non-stop from New York to BA, taking about 12 hours. (I did this in coach, people, so quit your bitchin'!) If you have to fly coach, I highly recommend getting yourself a special travel pillow to create a touch of first-class comfort back in steerage. No, no one laughed at me when I inflated it, they were jealous!
* Taxis: Black and yellow taxis are everywhere, extremely affordable and the best way to get around town. For safety reasons, be sure to have the hotel or restaurant call one for you. You may also hail one on the street, but be sure you get the one with the plastic box on top and see the phase “radio taxi” on the side. A “remisa” or car service is also a good idea, and your best bet when going from the airport to your hotel. These are conveniently located right outside baggage claim. To tip your driver, just round the total fare up to the higher amount – they don’t expect more than that.
* The Subway: BA has an extremely navigable, clean and cheap subway system. It also has a time capsule on wheels – many cars on the “A” line are the original wooden trains from when this line debuted in the 1930s and are worth a quick ride.
Helpful Hints
* English is spoken at most hotels and some restaurants, but not widely spoken throughout the city. It is best to know a few helpful and practical phrases, such as “Lo siento, no hablo Español. Habla Ingles? (I’m sorry, but I don’t speak Spanish. Do you speak English?)” Through a combination of broken Spanish, broken English and hand gestures, you’ll figure it out.
=> Queen of the Rockaways says, “Control the decibels. They can hear you, just can’t understand you. You don’t have to yell.”
* The mode of dress in Buenos Aires is relaxed and cosmopolitan. Steer clear of shorts, sneakers, t-shirts, loud colors and fanny packs and you’ll fit right in.
=> Queen of the Rockaways says, “Don’t wear green knee-hi socks with a plaid shirt and shorts with a camera case hanging off your belt and whatnot. You look like a tourist disaster!”
(Quite frankly, that’s a fashion disaster under ANY circumstances.)
* The dollar sign for U.S. currency is also the symbol for the Argentine peso. We were warned that some cab drivers will try to tell you that the amount on the meter is American dollars, but don’t fall for it – it’s all pesos. We didn’t encounter any problems like this, but just be aware.
* I felt generally safe in the main areas of town, but at night I didn’t feel comfortable in Barrio Norte and Microcentro, mainly because these are commercial districts and are deserted at night. Avoid the La Boca area at all times. While it is considered the “birthplace of tango”, it is a poor area with a colorful but tacky tourist strip, and we were warned not to be there at night. You will probably come here with an escorted tour and that’s the best way to see it. And if you don’t make it there you aren’t really missing anything.
* Beware of Pickpockets. This is as much of a problem here as it is in any big city around the world. Use common sense, wear a money belt under your clothes, keep expensive cameras and cell phones out of sight, make sure your bag has a zipper and only carry as much money as you need in your wallet.
So there you have it, just a taste of this fascinating town. Buenos Aires is a city filled with gorgeous, cosmopolitan, warm and friendly people who shun sleep and opt to live, eat and dance!
