Buenos Aires in Photos

Young Argentine chefs trained in Europe’s top kitchens are returning home to reinvent their national cuisine. Dante Liporace, the el Bulli– trained chef of Tarquino is one of the leaders of the movement, known as La Nueva Cocina Argentina. His nine-dish tasting menu, La Secuencia de la Vaca, uses every part of the cow. In June, Antonio Soriano opens his anticipated Astor Manduque Porteño bistro. This appeared in the June/July 2013 issue.

One of the best ways to experience some of the most interesting food Buenos Aires has to offer is to follow the private dining trend going on now. There’s a few restaurants that offer top notch cuisine with a more intimate and authentic feel by providing set menus that have been carefully thought out and come straight from the chefs hands. Cocina Sunae explores different Asian flavors in an intimate setting. From the moment I arrived I was blown away by the decor in the house and the colorful artwork that was all around. The fact that I was in the chefs actual home made the entire situation incredibly charming. There were about 6 or 7 tables and they were, at one point, all full. We started with crispy and tasty beef and pork wontons. Then we got deeper into the hole with fresh Vietnamese hand rolls. By that point I was anticipating something amazing just based on how good the appetizers were. I had the Filipino inspired adobo chicken and Manny had the red curry shrimp with vegetables. The flavors we experienced last night were truly special and Christina herself would pop out of the kitchen from time to time to make sure everything was going smoothly or explain what the dish you were eating was. And what of the amazing fried banana with green tea ice cream? It was talking to me and blowing me kisses! The menu is pre-fixed and changes every 2 weeks, which gives you a perfect excuse to return with a smile and an empty stomach.

Buenos Aires is a city that brings together the finest elements of your imagination, and puts them in one perfect place for your real life enjoyment. Sadly, one of those perfect elements will soon come to an end. Dating all the way back to 1913, the 90 subway cars that make up the time warp that is the city’s underground transportation system will soon be decommissioned. These beautiful wooden relics represent the oldest running cars that still operate anywhere on the globe. I was in disbelief when I entered this empty car a few years ago. I felt like Harry Potter on his way to Hogwarts, and all I needed was to pick up a wand at the local market. In an age where we are constantly trying to make ‘throwback this’ and ‘vintage that,’ these cars are one of the last true bastions of historical public transportation. They won’t be running much longer, so now is the time to head down to Argentina and catch a ride before this train, sadly, makes its final stop.

While exploring the city streets of Buenos Aires, you will be delighted to find the occasional ‘pop up’ band along the way. There is no rhyme or reason to finding them, and compared to the usual ‘one man bands’ you see in the states, here you get the whole crew. People don’t just stop for a minute or two, they stay for a while, as these are talented individuals. And as you can see from the less-than-mobile instruments, they have rather elaborate and impressive musical arrangements.

Buenos Aires is hands down one of my favorite cities in the world. The eclectic mix of architecture, culture and history is enough to keep one happy for a lifetime. But as with all great cities, after dark (especially in Buenos Aires) is when you get to see yet another side of an already multifaceted land. Simply walking the huge arcades as the sun goes down, with your same-but-now-different surroundings twinkling and glowing around you, will fill you with awe and wonder, and you just may want to keep on walking and walking and walking . . .

While exploring Buenos Aires, I came upon a huge park (the name escapes me) where tons of people were just enjoying themselves and hanging out in the fine weather. There were vendors selling crafts, and your choice of different kinds of fun food that you only find at a park on a beautiful day. But the best part was the small puppet show that was going on amidst all this. I couldn’t resist the urge to take a behind-the-scenes photo, as it added just one more dimension of fun to the already great day.

As I stared at the piece of brightly colored wall in front of me created by the street artist Gaulicho – I did find it pleasing. It was bright orange and yellow with his signature psychedelic trademarks of hands and eyes. It appeared playful, and I felt like somewhere in all of those images and jagged lines there was a story. I thought to myself – maybe I am learning to appreciate this type of art after all. The Graffiti Art Tour In Buenos Aires turned out to be a great way to see and understand the often confusing street art around the city. But more importantly it was a great way to learn about the history and appreciate the stories behind these unusual artists and creations in their ‘open air galleries’. Our guide started in the Palermo neighborhood in front a piece of street art where this movement really began. She covered the history of how graffiti art began in Buenos Aires and how it has grown into a ‘culture’ in the city. We not only looked at art on the street, but we also went to a street artist’s studio and to an actual gallery that specialized in street art. They even offered courses on how to make your own if you really felt like getting hands on! More Information: http://www.ottsworld.com/blogs/buenos-aires-street-art/ http://www.viator.com/tours/Buenos-Aires/Small-Group-Buenos-Aires-Graffiti-Art-Tour/d901-5727BAGRFT

Copa America 2011

One of the reasons we loved the idea of going to Buenos Aires was the food. Meat and wine to be more precise. All day we debated which restaurant and what new delicacy. Dinner, however, doesn’t really begin in Buenos Aires until 9pm so my daughter frequently slept through some portion of dinner. Argentines love children. When she fell asleep in my lap at this restaurant they brought a big soft chair over so she could sleep while we enjoyed our impromptu date night. I gained some significant upper body strength carrying her sleeping body home every night!!

Watching a professional Tango performance whilst in Buenos Aires is a must-do, regardless of how touristy it may seem!!!

Amazing

Two statues bathed in moonlight, caught in the romantic embrace of the tango on a bridge overlooking a side street in Buenos Aires.

Tiny little fruteria’s packed with the freshest fruits and vegetables are on almost every corner in Buenos Aires.

This street art mural reminds passersby that you can’t have a revolution without love.

I bought this cow rug in Buenos Aires, Argentina to match my cat Kuta.

Taxis in BA are not cheap. They start at 9.50 pesos (almost $2 USD) and then go up. From Palermo Hollywood to San Telmo it cost about 75 or 80 pesos ($16 USD) - and it takes a long time. Instead learn the subway system and go anywhere for a flat 2.50 pesos ($0.50 USD) - now that’s what I’m talking about. It took less time for me to get from Palermo to San Telmo (Plaza de Mayo). But during rush hour, the trains get VERY crowded. So avoid the rush hour times (and besides, you’re on vacation, you shouldn’t be up that early!).

San Telmo has to be my favorite Barrio in Buenos Aires. It reminds me of another favorite in S.F., the Mission district. San Telmo’s charm lies in its almost bohemian vibe, from the cobblestoned streets, to the fantastic street markets, to great restaurants and to the tango hotspot it’s become. Impromptu tango performances can break out anywhere, anytime. I think some hostels even have a schedule of when these performances can happen. Watching this performance at a street corner, I was taken in by how these two dancers were oblivious to the crowds watching; they seemed completely lost in each other and the music. They imbibed the concept of being in the moment, a lesson that I took away from this experience.

Born in the immigrant quarter brothels of Buenos Aires, the Tango originally developed representing a duel between challengers for the favors of a woman. The early Tango was considered so obscene Pope Pius X actually banned the dance. The Tango is currently danced throughout the world and in 2009 UNESCO declared the dance part of the world’s cultural heritage. With just six months of lessons under our belts, my girlfriend and I traveled to Buenos Aires to study and dance the Tango. We attended several Milongas (Tango events) in the city. These were not touristy shows but down and dirty dance halls where locals hang out to drink, socialize, and dance. We rapidly found our dance improving, particularly after a few glasses of wine! Throughout our travels we often heard “Tango is not just a dance, but a way of life.”

Sunday morning in Buenos Aires in San Telmo. We went for the market and stayed for the Tango. This couple were adorable. What a fabulous cosmopolitan city Buenos Aires is!

Visit a tango show.