|
|
5 likes |
TICKETS
I always get the best deals at a travel agency named Carbone Travel. The
agent I always talk to is Lucy Chavez and their number is 1800
ARGENTINA. I also try LANArgentina directly, they have some great
specials too.
APT. & HOTELS
Some of the agencies my friends have used and had good experiences with are:
www.apartmentsba.com
www.vrbo.com
http://www.buenosairesapart...
Home Hotel: http://www.homebuenosaires.... (people love it! - Palermo Hollywood)
Five Cool Rooms: http://www.fivebuenosaires.... (Better located, I think - Palermo Soho)
Own Hotels: www.ownhotels.com (if you know me, Fernanda, I can get you a friends a family discount- Palermo)
Art Hotel: http://www.arthotel.com.ar/ (Nice & cheaper - Barrio Norte)
MUSEUMS & ART GALLERIES
- If you only want to do one museum, I'd choose MALBA, no doubt. It's the only private art collection we have in Buenos Aires and features mostly Latin American art, except for a Warhol now and then.
They also sell my line of handbags and notebooks at their shop, which is amazing for gift shopping and self indulgence.
Avenida Figueroa Alcorta 3415
Th - Mon 12pm - 8pm
Wed - 12pm - 9pm FREE
- The National Museum of Fine Arts (MNBA), located in Recoleta, has a pretty important permanent collection, and they play music all day long, which I've always thought is kind of funny and odd. It's very different from, say, the MET. It's more like a wealthy, somwhat rundown mansion than a museum.
Worth checking out, not a must.
Avenida del Libertador 1473
Tues. - Fri. - 12.30pm - 7.30pm
Sat. - Sun. 9.30am - 5pm
FREE
- The Centro Cultural Recoleta is a large space subdivided into several small galleries. The entrance is free, and even though there is a lot of bad stuff, I always find something good. It's close to MNBA.
Junin 1930
Tues. - Fri. 2pm - 9pm
Sat. - Sun. 10am - 5pm
FREE
- One of the top art galleries of contemporary art is Ruth Benzacar. Florida 1000 (right where the microcentro/city hall starts). Retiro Neighborhood.
Mon. - Fri. 11am - 8pm
Sat. 10.30 - 8
- Belleza y Felicidad is a alternative kind of gallery, very fresh and raw.
Acuña de Figueroa 900 (Almagro)
4867 0073
www.bellezayfelicidad.com.ar
- Wussmann is the gallery that used to rep me and they also have the most amazing paper store in the city.
Venezuela 570 (San Telmo)
Mon. - Fri. 10.30am - 8pm
Sat. 11am - 2pm
RESTAURANTS
- OSAKA is the best sushi many people I know have ever had, including myself. You MUST go if you enjoy sushi. You have to make a reservation with a couple of days- or more- in advance though. It's kind of like Nobu, also a fusion of Peruvian and Japanese, but at half the price. Oh, and they
only take cash and Amex!
Soler 5608 (Palermo Hollywood)
4775 6964
Mon. - Sat. 12.30pm - 4pm / 8pm - 2am
- SOCIAL PARAISO is a small restaurant with amazing food and a great selection of cheeses. It's rather intimate and with very minimalist decor.
Honduras 5182 (Palermo Soho)
- BAR 6 is one of my favorite places in Palermo Soho/Hollywood by far. It's specially good for lunch, afternoon drinks/cafe, and late night drinks. The architecture is over the top, the 'ensalada espacial' is the best I've ever had and they make good strawberry smoothies. A lot of local celebrities meet up there, though most likely you won't recognize them; many scriptwriters and film directors go there too. It gets really crowded at peak hours.
Armenia 1676 (Palermo Soho)
Open 7 days a week - 8am - 2am
- GRAPPA is well known among local celebrities and artists. The atmosphere is truly amazing, very Palermo style for Italian food. Hip and hard to get into. Their pizza is what makes them famous
El Salvador 5802 - (Palermo Hollywood)
tel. 5411 4899-2577
- IL BALLO DEL MATTONE is a great, very local, very Italian, very simple and extremely casual restaurant that combines the best of Palermo Hollywood's hippie-hipster style.
Gorriti 5936/5950/5893
http://www.ilballo.tv/
- MIRANDA is a great parrilla (BBQ) where everything they serve is good and the portions are very generous. It gets very crowded at both lunch and dinner. I love it especially at lunch time.
Fitz Roy & Costa Rica (Palermo Hollywood)
Open 7 days a week - 9am - 3am
- SUDESTADA is a good restaurant if you're in the mood for Thai food.
Guatemala 5602 (Palermo Hollywood)
4776 3777
- OLSEN is a must! The architecture is just stunning and their food is delicate and tasty. Good for both lunch and dinner. If it's a sunny day I highly recommend eating outdoors in their front yard. Make a
reservation.
Gorriti 5870 (Palermo Hollywood)
4776 7677
- MORELIA is a good place for Argentine barbecued pizzas. Traditional but modern.
Humboldt 2005 (@ Nicaragua)
- MARCELO may be the best Italian pasta place in South America. It's pricer than Palermo places, but it's definitely worth it. The portions are more than generous enough to be shared and still have leftovers. The papardelle are amazing! Make a reservation.
Alicia Moreau de Justo 1140 (Puerto Madero)
4342 8689
Open 7 days a week - 12pm - 4pm / 8pm - closing
- CABAñA LAS LILAS is probably the best place to get a good stake. It's a bit dressy and pricey, and more of a family place.
Alicia Moreau de Justo 516 (Puerto Madero)
4313 1336
Open 7 days a week - 12pm - midnight
- PIEGARI is actually MARCELO's family, and they've been around much longer. This is the spot chosen by celebrities and politicians (and by my grandparents for decades!). It's as expensive as Marcelo or even more, and their portions are also huge. Make a reservation.
Piegari Dolce is across the street and it's a milder version of Piegari, just not as crowded.
Posadas 1042 (Recoleta/Retiro)
4328 4104
Open 7 days a week - 12pm - 3.30pm / 7.30pm - 1.30am
- SARKIS is a great place for authentic Middle Eastern food. It's a very down-to-earth place, and food is simply delicious. You need to make a reservation.
Thames 1101 (Palermo)
4772 4911
Open 7 days a week - 12pm - 3pm / 8pm - 1am
- LOS LOROS is a great, chic yet local restaurant. Casual. Modern cuisine mixed with Argentinian/Italian influence.
EE.UU. 302 (@ Balcarce) - San Telmo
4361 5539
CAFES
- LA BIELA is one of the most traditional cafes in the city, and one of my favorite ones. They're open until 3 am! Lots of people in their 50's, 60's and 70's sit outside at lunch time on weekends to people-watch.
Quintana 596 (Recoleta)
- CAFE TORTONI is in every single guidebook on BA there is, and there is a reason for that. This is the Godfather of cafes, which makes it very touristy as well. It's absolutely gorgeous. Local intellectuals (like Borges) in the old days would hang out there and smoke their lungs away.
Avenida de Mayo 825 (Microcentro)
- OUI OUI is a bohemian/French kind of cafe. Small, cozy and laid back. They also serve a few dishes at lunch time.
Mon-Fri 8am-8pm/ Sat-Sun 10am-8pm.
Nicaragua 6068 (Palermo Hollywood)
www.ouioui.com.ar
- CUSIC is a cute cafe/restaurant with lots of plants, wood and hand-written menues. It's in an old Palermo house in Palermo Hollywood. The smoothies and cakes are a must!
El Salvador 6016
www.cusic.com.ar
- NUCHA is a chic and cozy chain of cafes that sells from the most delicious sweet pastries to kniches and spinach boios.
Parana 1343 (Recoleta)
Also at Patio Bullrich Shopping Mall
- EL FEDERAL is one of my favorite classic cafes, also good for local drinks, such as Sangria.
Peru and Carlos Calvo (corner)- San Telmo
Sun- Thurs 7 am-2 am / Fri- Sat 7 am-4 am
BARS
- MILLION is one of my favorite night spots for sure. It's a gorgeous, 4-story, former family mansion. It has an outstanding staircase in the back that leads in the patio of the house. They serve lunch and dinner too, but I've only been there for drinks.
Parana 1048 (Barrio Norte)
- EL GRAN BAR DANZON is on a second floor, and it's a very hip crowd. They also have a good menu for dinner, but it gets way too crowded to have a pleasant meal after 11 pm. There is also a DJ, though the place is not that big. This place was a pioneer before Palermo Hollywood restaurants/bars started to pop up all over the place.
Libertad 1161 (Barrio Norte)
WOMEN'S CLOTHING (my personal favorites)
- Trosman (Patio Bullrich - Recoleta)
- Tramando by Martin Churba (Rodriguez Peña & Posadas - Recoleta)
- Jazmin Chebar (Armenia & El Salvador/ Patio Bullrich)
- Cora Groppo (Armenia & El Salvador - Palermo Soho (by BAR 6))
- Tienda Tres (Various designers/ Armenia & El Salvador- Palermo Soho)
- Mariano Toledo (Armenia 1564, Plaermo Soho/ Patio Bullrich, Recoleta)
- Nadine Zlotogora (El Salvador 4638 - Palermo Soho)
- SHOES: De Maria (Libertad 1655 - Recoleta)
- KITCHENWARE: Reina Batata (Gurruchaga 1785, Palermo Soho/ They sell my line of illustrated porcelain kitchenware)
- Vicki Otero (El Salvador bet/ Armenia and Gurruchaga)
MEN'S CLOTHING
- FELIX (Gurruchaga 1670 - Palermo Soho)
- El Cid (Gurruchaga 1732 - Palermo Soho)
- Hermanos Estebecorena (El Salvador 5960 - Palermo Hollywood)
- Mercer (El Salvador & Armenia - Palermo Soho)
- Balthazar (Defensa 1008, 2nd floor/ San telmo - Gorriti 5131/ Palermo
Hollywood)
- Etiqueta Negra (Posadas 1229 - @ Patio Bullrich)
KIDS
- Sopa de Principe: they make very simple, yet super cool stuffed animals. Handmade and children-proof
Thames 1719- Palermo Soho
- Felix Chicos: Felix is a men's clothing store that makes very chic clothes for kids.
El Salvador bet/ Armenia and Gurruchaga
MISCELLANEOUS
- We don't tip cabbies, EVER, unless you have luggage. Don't let them keep the change just because you have an American accent.
- Tipping policy at restaurants is 10-15%
- Smoking in public spaces is now prohibited- only since October 2006.
- A cab ride from Ezeiza to, let's say, Recoleta is around 60-70 pesos on average, plus tip & toll.
- Try to hail taxis that have a Radio Taxi sign on them, it's a bit safer that way, and most of them have it today.
- Calling international & Internet: You'll find what we call 'locutorios' EVERYWHERE. These are places to make international calls and check email. They charge about 40 peso cents for every 10 minutes of high-speed Internet. If you have your laptop, many cafes have wi-fi though you have to ask or look for the little tiny sticker on the window. Bar 6 is on of them.
- Freddo is the most popular ice cream chain in Argentina, and the best ice cream ever. Try dulce de leche granizado. Persicco and Volta are two newer ice cream chains almost as good as Freddo. You'll see Freddo everywhere.
- The currency in Argentina is the peso and the currency exchange is 4 pesos to a dollar. Prices are in pesos ($) unless you see US$ or U$D, which mean American dollar.
- Patio Bullrich is an upscale shopping mall, very easy to do, and really enjoyable if you just want to go window shopping.
Avenida del Libertador 700 (Recoleta)
Open 7 days a week - 10am - 9pm
- You have to see the Alvear Palace Hotel, the nicest hotel in town and where everyone in my family gets married. Tea time is marvelous at their ground-floor, winter patio restaurant, though a bit pricey. Avenida Alvear & Ayacucho.
- You have to try an alfajor, or even an Havannet at the chain cafe HAVANNA. It's a classic; there is no person from Argentina who flies back to the States without a box of them.
- If you are into cheese, go to Valenti. There is one in Patio Bullrich on the top floor.
- Go to 'calle Arroyo', which is only a couple of blocks long, but it's really beautiful. On Arroyo and Suipacha you'll see the memorial for the Embassy of Israel after the bombing in the early 90's.
- There is s street fair in Recoleta on weekends. I love the energy there, especially from 2/3 pm on. Have a 'cafe con leche' (coffee with milk) from a cafetero (coffee cart man), it's pre-sweetened and very good.
- There is a very popular flea market in San Telmo on Sundays, the best day to go there. Walk around and get lost, or rent a bike if you into biking. Watch your bag though, that's where Bush's daughter's purse got snatched.
- Go have a cup of coffee at the outdoors restaurant at the new Hyatt Hotel/ Palacio Duhau, it's absolutely gorgeous! (Avenida Alvear & Montevideo)
NEIGHBORHOODS
I grew up in Recoleta, which is something between Park Avenue and Gramercy Park, so I love it. It's chic and upscale, but cool
for younger people too. I'd recommend anyone to stay there, it's a 20' cab ride to most places, including Palermo and San Telmo, and it's right next to Retiro on one side, and Barrio Norte on the other.
Palermo Hollywood and Soho are very hip, up and coming neighborhoods. There are people out ALL THE TIME, and you basically feel like you don't need to go elsewhere- it's kind of vicious that way because it's so
freaking cool.
San Telmo is the Next Palermo Hollywood but right now it's still a tiny bit shady at night and way too far from everything else for my taste. The architecture is worth checking out though.
Last piece of advice: Bs As feels very safe, but nothing happens until it happens. So watch your stuff ALL THE TIME, and don't carry anything you can't live without unless you really need it.
ARGENTINA BEYOND BA
- Mendoza if you enjoy wine, it's the wine country. I highly recommend renting a car and crossing the Andes to Santiago de Chile. I'd stay at Tapiz.
- Iguzu Falls if you enjoy nature, sensational beauty and lots of water. The Sheraton hotel is the best place to stay and have breakfast facing the falls.
- Bariloche: In Patagonia, ideal if you like mountains and lakes. I'd stay at Llao Llao, a pricey resort that's worth experiencing. Great for backpacking too.
- Colonia, it's in Uruguay, right across the river. You can take the Buquebus ferry and be there in 3 hours to spend a day or two. It's better when it's sunny. Small and picturesque.
- Punta del Este is the Hamptons of Buenos Aires though it's in Uruguay. Gorgeous, and super popular during peak summer season. Kind of empty but still gorgous otherwise.
- Salta is in the north of the country. I've never been but I've heard wonderful things. It's more influenced by Bolivia and Peru.
Post a comment|
CORKBOARD Home How Corkboard Works Corkboard.it Bookmarklet Site Map Contact |
DISCOVER What's new Popular Corkboards |
MOBILITY Corkboard Mobile iPhone App Mobile site |
LEGAL Terms of Use Privacy Policy Copyright Playing nicely |
