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April 27, 2015

Things to do in Buenos Aires: Neighborhood of La Boca

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Immigrants - Painting by Romulo Macció
La Boca is the oldest, most colorful, and most authentic neighborhood in Buenos Aires. La Boca is mostly a working-class neighborhood and it is known throughout the world as the home of Boca Juniors, one of South America’s top football clubs.

Mass settlement in La Boca began in 1840, with an influx of immigrants from Genoa, Italy. Coming from a port city, it was natural for the Genoese to settle along the Buenos Aires waterfront. The new arrivals constructed tenements made of scrap metal and painted the shacks with bright leftover paint to liven up the one-time wasteland. The Genoese proudly brought their unique identity to La Boca, and one of their old traditions was to paint the outside of their homes with the leftover paint from the shipyard – as nothing else was available or could be afforded. Here are the main attractions:


La Usina del Arte

Symphony Concert Hall - La Usina del Arte
From factory to symphony

Dubbed “the new home of culture” by Mayor Mauricio Macri’s administration, the Usina del Arte, an abandoned red brick electric factory near the Riacheulo, has been scrubbed up and turned over to the arts.

And culture fans have plenty to be excited about: boasting Buenos Aires’ first symphony concert hall, music, art, dance and theatre are just some of the plans on the agenda for the centre, which will also be home to the Buenos Aires’ Philharmonic and National Symphony Orchestras.

The complex is just between Puerto Madero and La Boca district. So it is possible that this space will work as a cultural corridor between the two and it will enhance the neighborhood.

The complex, designed by Juan Chiogna, was built between 1914 and 1916 by Martignone e Hijos and continued to produce electricity until the early-1990s. This was when Carlos Menem’s administration privatised utilities, and after its doors closed, the building was abandoned. From outside, the building is quite spectacular, standing out from its run-down surroundings. From the clock tower where the bell would be rung to call electricity workers in for their shifts, to the Romeo and Juliet-like balconies where orders would be called to workers in the front courtyard, each and every historical detail has been preserved.

Inside the grand, luminous entrance hall, many original parts of the building were also restored, such as the iron-cast staircases that wrap round the side areas of the structure as well as some of the old tiled flooring on the ground floor.

The Usina del Arte is currently not open on a daily basis to the public. However, from now until December, free guided tours are carried out on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, highly recommendable for those who have yet to visit the building. It will also be open for specific performances until the end of the year.

The Usina is open at specific times for concerts, for details check the CityGovernment’s culture website.*

The Museo del Cine, created in 1971, is now located in the building adjacent to the Usina on Caffarena 49. It is open from Monday to Friday 11am-6pm and on Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays from 10am-7pm.
 
 
 

El Obrero
Just across from La Usina del Arte, there is an old traditional restaurant where you can eat like a real “porteño”. You shouldn’t look for refined or exotic dishes but for plentiful and simple dishes of the porteño cuisine. This bar opened in 1954, used to feed workers who worked at shipyards and garages near it. Visit El Obrero for an authentic and memorable lunch. It is really worth it. Address: Agustín R. Caffarena 64.
 
La Boca Soccer Stadium
 
Visit the Legendary Boca Soccer Stadium and its Museum.

Boca Juniors is one of the biggest soccer teams in Argentina and happens to be one of the clubs that the soccer great Diego Maradona played for. Club Atlético Boca Juniors was founded in 1905, and has been known as the club for the working class. Their official nickname is Los Xeneizes (The Geonese after the Geonese Italians that founded the club).

Their stadium, La Bombonera, is not so surprisingly located in the La Boca barrio. It is possible to get tickets to most games and be a part of a truly Argentine experience.

Everything is intertwined and indivisible: not only is La Bombonera a part of a neighborhood which witnessed its creation but it also defines its identity. It was on this port suburb that football and Argentina were born.

Settled inside the football field building, this museum (with access through a gift shop with a wide variety of blue and yellow souvenirs) opens up through a long corridor where the pictures of all premier division players who have defended the T-shirt since 1931 are on display. This is how worship of the past begins.

At the end of the corridor, inside a huge football ball-shaped room, we could live the 360-degree experience of going into the football field and stepping on the lawn of La Bombonera in a unique spectacular audio-visual event.

Museo de la Pasión Boquense
Brandsen 805, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires
Tel: +54 11-43621100

Fine Arts Museum of La Boca

Once a residence and studio of the artist Quinquela Martin, this museum has a collection of early 20th century Argentine artists.Benito Quinquela Martin, an abandoned orphan who was adopted by a Genoese immigrant couple in La Boca, was the man to take action. He had become the most significant painter in Argentina, with his dramatic paintings of the port of La Boca, and achieved worldwide recognition.
 
But as La Boca was his inspiration, and had provided him with family, friends and shelter after having been orphaned at an early age, he felt he owed the barrio something in return. Quinquela Martín is considered the port painter and one of the country’s most popular painters. His paintings show port activity, vigor and harshness of daily life in La Boca port. He had to work as a child carrying bags of coal and these experiences influenced his artistic vision obras.


The permanent exibit consists of works of figurative Argentine artists from the late nineteenth century to today. Also includes a collection of figureheads, unique in Latin America, represented by interesting pieces from the late nineteenth century. In the room Sivori, temporary exhibitions of great masters of Argentine art, renowned contemporary artists and emerging artists perform; linking heritage with contemporary production works. The third floor is currently the House – Museum Quinquela where his great works and personal belongings are exhibited.

Museum of Fine Arts Quinquela: Av. Pedro de Mendoza 1835/1843.
Tuesdays - Fridays; From: 10 am to 18 pm, and Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 11 to 18 hs. Closed on Mondays.

Tango Dancers - Caminito  Street

Quinquela Martin, the creator of “caminito” street

In 1959, Quinquela Martin and his artist friends created the street of Caminito, as a means of recreating the way old La Boca used to look – a reminder of where everyone had come from, not just in La Boca, but Buenos Aires, and Argentina, because this barrio and its port had been the gateway for many immigrants into this city and country (up until Puerto Madero & then Puerto Nuevo were built as replacements in the early 1900s), who then went on to make Buenos Aires and Argentina what they are today.
 
 
What Quinquela Martin did was to rescue bits and pieces of the original immigrant conventillos that were being torn down and replaced, and used them to create a concentrated conventillo community around this small street, in what is essentially an uninhabited open-air art and history exhibit, and officially the world’s first outdoor pedestrian museum. There are also Tango dancers in the street and you can pose with them and just give them ten to twenty pesos. . Many artists also show off their work on the sides of the main street.
 
Staircase at PROA
 
Proa

Once you tire of the fútbol at La Bombonera and of the Maradona impersonators at Caminito you can head over to Fundación Proa at Pedro de Mendoza 1929. It’s an excellent modern and contemporary art museum that hosts international art exhibitions and has a gourmet café with river views on the third floor. It’s open from 11am to 8pm, Tuesday to Sunday.

Handcraft market

If you visit Caminito on weekends, you will also be able to go shopping at the Feria de la Ribera arts and crafts market, which starts at the front of Caminito and goes around in front of the Riachuelo river. Here you will find handmade crochet,scarves and shawls, traditional mate gourds and bombillas (the metal straws used for drinking mate), jewellery and lots of other interesting craft pieces, all at reasonable prices.


And if you work up a hunger after traipsing around Caminito and the feria, we strongly recommend an authentic Italian Pizzeria nearby in La Boca Banchero Pizzeria (Suarez 396 ). The restaurant also happens to have been a favorite of Benito Quinquela Martin, the architect of Caminito, so it is a fitting end to the outing – and delicious too!
 
Historical Bridges in La Boca - View from Caminito
 
Safety in La Boca

As in most places where a popular tourist attraction sits in the middle of an economically disadvantaged neighborhood, La Boca can be dangerous for visitors who stray off the tourist path.

 

April 22, 2015

Great Things to do in Buenos Aires: Neighborhood of Retiro

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These days, like Recoleta, Retiro is famed for its wealth which is noticeable in the wide leafy boulevards such as Avenida del Libertador and Avenida 9 de Julio. Furthermore, the architecture of this neighborhood defines an era of splendor and finesse.

Things to see and do

The barrio of Retiro is one of the nicest in the city for walking and offers some fantastic photo opportunities. At the barrio’s heart is Plaza San Martin, a popular hangout for local workers during their lunch breaks. The plaza houses two significant monuments; one dedicated to San Martin himself and another to commemorate the fallen heroes of the Malvinas War.
 
Within a short walk from Plaza San Martin are some of the finest examples of architecture present in Buenos Aires. Palacio San Martin on Arenales street is arguably the most celebrated and is today used as the offices of the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Relations. Originally home to the Anchorena family, tours are available of this Beaux Arts palace.

Brunch at Farinelli

The location is great: A bright, sunny corner of quiet Retiro with giant windows that are ideal for people-watching while you sit down and get settled. I like some booth action, but there are large tables in the middle that accommodate groups a bit better, though once the place is packed there isn’t a lot of room to spare. Fresh blooms from Florería Atlántico adorn the countertops and the day’s spread of fresh goodies – fruit salad, croissants, and the Bloody Mary bar (score!) – are poised to make your mouth water.

 
Lunch at Farinelli's
                            
So here’s the deal: Sunday brunch takes place from 11am-4pm only, with reservations available only for the 1pm time slot. Let’s not even mention the scene at 3pm – Tables bursting with hipsters and families alike, and sad people outside being told that they couldn’t be guaranteed a table before things wound down.

Address: Arroyo corner of Suipacha Street.

Admire the fabulous San Martin Palace
 
Palacio San Martin was designed by architect Alejandro Christophersen and boasts marble staircases, grandiose dining rooms and a garden containing a chunk of the Berlin Wall. A small but good museum displays pre-Columbian artifacts from the northwest, along with some paintings by Latin American artists. Free tours happen at 3pm on Thursdays (bring ID), but can be suspended at any time.

Originally built for the powerful Anchorena family, Palacio San Martín later became the headquarters of the Foreign Ministry; today it’s used mostly for official purposes.
Address: Esmeralda 1231.
 
Cour d' honneur and Main Staircase - San Martin Palace.
                        
Take a tour of the magnificent Paz Palace
Once the private residence of José C Paz – founder of the still-running newspaper La Prensa – this opulent, French-style palace (1909) is the grandest in BA. Inside its 12,000 sq meters are ornate rooms with marble walls, salons gilded in real gold and halls boasting beautiful wood-tiled floors. The pièce de résistance is the circular grand hall with mosaic floors, marble details and stained-glass cupola. Nearly all materials came from Europe and were then assembled here; there’s also a modest garden out back. Address: Santa Fe Avenue 750.
 
Magnificent Dome - Palacio Paz
 
Guided Tours:
In Spanish: Wednesday to Saturday, 11.00 am
Tuesday to Friday, 3.00 pm
In English
Thursdays 3.30 pm
 
Gardens - Palacio Paz
                            
 
Dating from 1921, this museum is in an old mansion of the neocolonial Peruvian style that developed as a reaction against French influences in turn-of-the-19th-century Argentine architecture. Its exceptional collection of colonial art includes silverwork from Alto Perú (present-day Bolivia), religious paintings and baroque instruments. There’s little effort to place items in any historical context, but everything is in great condition and well lit, and the curved ceiling in the main salon is beautifully painted. There's also a peaceful garden.

Also known as the Palacio Noel, after the designing architect, the museum building and its collections suffered damage (since repaired) from the 1992 bombing of the Israeli embassy, which at the time was located at Arroyo and Suipacha. The space where the embassy was located has since become a small memorial park; you can still see the outline of the building on a neighboring wall.

                          
 
 
Have lunch at El Federal

This traditional corner eatery is something of a neighborhood institution. You’ll find Argentinian comfort food – simple pastas, steaks and empanadas – as well as higher-end specialties like Patagonian lamb, ñandu milanesas (cutlets of the emu-like, flightless ñandu ) and northern river fish served here. Elaborate desserts top things off, and a rustic wooden bar adds charm.
Address: San Martin 1015. Retiro

Try the best Pizza of Downtown  

Filo
Filo Just off Plaza San Martin, this is a popular lunchtime haunt that fills up with workers from the nearby financial district who come to feast on pizza, pasta and salads. Opened in 1993 by six friends fed up with Argentina’s Italian cuisine, Filo has since succeeded in creating a cult following with those with a penchant for mushroom risotto, salmon carpaccio, tiramisu, and the like. Address: San Martin 975.

Pizza Piola
 
An Italian franchise, gone global, which first opened in Buenos Aires in the early 90’s. Pizza Piola claims to have revolutionized the Buenos Aires pizza scene and that local food critics talk of before Piola and after Piola pizza. Address: Libertad 1073.


Floreria Atlantico - Flower Shop and Bar
 
One of BA's hottest bars, this basement speakeasy is located within a flower shop, adding an air of mystery and likely a main reason for its success. Hipsters, artists, chefs, businesspeople and expats all flock here for the excellent cocktails, whether they're classic or unique – and the lack of gas lines means all of the delicious tapas and main dishes are cooked on the parrilla grill.


Dinner at Floreria Atlantico


If you're a gin lover, note that the owner, Renato Giovannonni, produces and sells his own brand – called 'Príncipe de los Apóstoles' – aromatically infused with mint, grapefruit, eucalyptus and yerba mate . Reserve ahead for dinner.
Address: Arroyo 872.
 
To Bear in Mind...
  • Retiro is also the starting point of Florida and Avenida Santa Fe, both of which are important shopping streets.
  • Just around the corner on Esmeralda street is the Estrugamou Building, a French Baroque residence commissioned by Alejandro Estrugamou who was a member of an elitist Argentina family.
  • Whilst in Retiro, be sure to check out the Kavanagh Building, an impressive 120-meter-high Art Deco skyscraper that stands out amidst the array of modern architecture that has since sprung up around it.
 
 
 


Private Walks and Group Bookings
 
Ideas tours are available for private bookings. Private tours can be arranged for a weekday or weekend, day or evening. We can provide multiple in-house trained guides for a more enjoyable outing. Walking tours are great for team building, special events, and entertaining clients. Contact Us for more information.
 
 

April 21, 2015

Best New Restaurants of Buenos Aires

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The rencently opened Casa Cavia in the Palermo Chico neighborhood of Buenos Aires.
 
Buenos Aires is full of great restaurants and seems like almost everyday there is a new one that has opened up. Time will tell if all these restaurants can stay in business, but at the present moment the demand for culinary options in the city is at an all time high. It is amazing to see so many of them that are always full.
 
CASA CAVIA
 
Over the weekend, a hybrid concept space called Casa Cavia opened its doors in the upscale Palermo Chico neighborhood in Buenos Aires. Casa Cavia is housed in what was known as the Bollini Roca residence, designed in the gilded age of the 1920s as a personal gift to the owner’s wife by the Spanish-born architect and artist Alejandro Christophersen of Norwegian parentage.
 
Courtyard at CASA CAVIA
Inspired by local cafes from the 1920s and 1930s, she recruited KallosTurin architects to integrate marble, brass, leather and terrazzo floors into the space, which now houses a restaurant and bar, patisserie, flower shop, perfumery, bookstore and publisher all under one exquisite roof.
 
A spacious room with high ceilings and gilded moldings, framed by the stately trees of Plaza Alemania, this is the perfect place to sample the delicacies of Pablo Massey, Próspero Velazco and Inés de los Santos. At the back of the room you will find an unconventional alcove, punctuated with a flock (yes, a flock) of books suspended in the air, as well as the bookshop of Ampersand, and some reading material to enjoy over tea or dessert.
Address: Cavia 2985, Palermo Chico, Argentina, casacavia.com.
 
Ralph’s
Fantastic food and ambiance in Palermo Soho
A space with several very different environments each other, and fires by Hernán Taiana, last chef Astrid & Gaston. Various Peruvian dishes, Asian , American influence. And very good cocktails.
Tapas dishes and desserts that bring influences of Peruvian cuisine , Asian, Italian and American . The letter is a journey through international flavors , but not emulated : the chef works with quality products and genuine , simple and not pretentious preparations. From the kitchen come options for all tastes in carefully presented . The offer includes skewers, ceviches, tiraditos , risottos , pastas and meats , which promise to rotate several times a year , adapting to seasonal ingredients and new trends.
A hidden gem, call to reserve, well well worth it.
Address: 1830 Gurruchaga Street.
 

ELENA
 
Four Seasons Buenos Aires
Dry Aged Beef, Rotisserie, Charcuterie and Argentinian Wine
 
The restaurant is named for Elena Peña Unzué, the bride of La Mansión, a historic building that houses the Four Seasons’ Hotel’s most opulent suites and hosts the city’s most glittering social events. La Mansión is visible through the skylight at Elena.
In a gorgeous double-height space bathed in natural light, gourmands and people who simply love to share a great meal with friends and family will come together at Elena. Modeled as a courtyard - a traditional gathering place for important events and celebrations - the space features a dramatic spiral staircase to the balcony level, where private dining areas are available. The look is fresh and open, yet a welcome escape from the busy city just outside. Rich interior furnishings - including a glass doored dry ageing case, marble butcher’s table manned by an expert chef and locally-sourced antiques - seamlessly blend South American and European cultures in true Buenos Aires fashion, with hand-crafted finishes by local artisans adding a unique character.
On the menu at Elena, guests will find a broad selection of the meats so beloved by locals, from precision-cut dry aged steaks and Argentinian kobe beef to the highest quality pork, chicken and other meats, and abundant fresh seafood. Expertly prepared on the rotisserie, mains are accompanied by lushly presented seasonal vegetables.
 
Elena - Four Seasons Hotel Buenos Aires
 
I Latina
Unforgettable dining experience
In a beautiful French-style house, in the neighborhood of Villa Crespo 3 Colombian siblings: Santiago, Camilo and Laura Macias, launched a project that involves a 7 course tasting menu that celebrates the unique and electric tastes of Latin America.
Some of the dishes part of the seasonal menu include corn arepas with anise and Colombian hogao; Duck confit in tamarind sauce with quinoa salad and patacòn ; Caramelized prawns with spicy pineapple and fennel; Barú style ceviche with seasonal fish, mango niche coconut and lychee; Peruvian Chupe with grilled octopus; braised pork in coffee and sugar cane reduction. And for a double dessert; Ecuadorian cocoa truffle with patagonian sea salt crystals and olive oil followed by Avocado and Aguardiente ice cream.
The menu changes every 2 or 3 months and is only accessible by reservation. If a diner has any allergies or is vegetarian they can inform the chef in advance. While i Latina is by reservation only, it is not a “closed door restaurant”. Just make sure to pick a date and make your reservation.
Address: Murillo 725 – Villa Crespo.
 
I Latina - Ceviche de Baru con pesca de temporada, mango biche coco y lychee.
 
BASA
With a distinctly New York feel, Basa Basement Bar & Restaurant is a cool upmarket place for a meal and a drink in Recoleta. The music tends to be fast and furious with lots of drum and bass and the gourmet food -- think tapas, pastas, grilled meats and heavenly desserts -- skews Mediterranean. Though their cocktails are good and the wine list is extensive, you can find many types of liquor there that other places in Buenos Aires lack. Once you descend the steps you'll find a dining area towards the front, seating with low couches in the middle and the bar towards the back, but this is one basement you won't want to leave.
Basa can get packed on weekend nights, but as long as you have a seat, it's all good. Dinner reservations are generally recommended; however, they are essential on weekends."
Address: 1328 Basavilbaso – Retiro. Buenos Aires.
 
Cynthia, Carola and Silvina, foodies at Elena- Four Seasons

CHILA
Chila is considered one of the best restaurants in Latin America. Chila serves modern Argentine cuisine, including steak from Buenos Aires, trout from Bariloche and vieras from Usuahia, but the menu changes each season, incorporating different local products.
Many of the dishes are beautifully presented. The restaurant's décor is modern and upscale; it is not minimalist per se but they keep it simple and classy, paying attention to textures. Ask to sit by the window to enjoy a view of the water. While Chila is only open for dinner, it is open every day.
Address: 1160 Alicia Moreau de Justo – Puerto Madero.
 
Table at Chila - Puerto Madero.
Tarquino
 
A leader in the Nueva Cocina Argentina movement, chef Dante Liporace does classic Argentine food a different way, especially with his inventive Sequence of the Cow menu: a tasting menu that features nine courses each paying homage to Argentina’s most prized food possession
Address: Rodríguez Peña 1967. Recoleta.
Feel free to contact us for recommendations and our opinion about great dining restaurants of Buenos Aires.