Buenos Aires - Attractions/ Restaurants
Nov 5th, 2008, 06:03 PM
#42
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eveningcrane, we stayed at the Hotel Madero (it was a Sofitel until Sept) which is located a few blocks from the main entrance to the Reserve. There is another entrance at the north end, not too far from the Hilton.
We used the Reserve's main entrance and did not feel uncomfortable at anytime. But we were there on a weekend and it was crowded with portenos, even early morning. The Reserve opened at 8am (but you can bird the areas outside the Reserve before they open) and closed at 6pm.
The trail up the middle was the birdiest. Unfortunately, BA has had a bad drought, so the lagoons were dry with virtually no waterfowl or shorebirds. Hopefully they will have had some rain and the lagoons will be more productive.
We also birded a couple of areas not far from BA (1-2hr drive), Entre Rios and Otamendi. These areas still had a little water so we saw more birds there. We used a local birding tour company for these places. A word of caution...do not leave the city and return on Sunday evening. The traffic is horrendous coming back!
Good birding!
Marsha
Some birds seen at Costanera Sur Ecological Reserve: Whistling Heron, Long-tailed Reed Finch, Epaulet Oriole, Solitary Cacique, Maguari Stork, Southern Crested Caracara, Chimango Caracara, American Kestrel, Masked Yellowthroat, Redcrested Cardinal, Brown and Yellow Marshbird, Southern Lapwing, Picui Grounddove, Monk Parakeet, Guira Cuckoo, Glittering-bellied Emerald, Spectacled Tyrant, Rufous-bellied Thrush, Creamy-bellied Thrush, Masked Gnatcatcher, White-rumped Swallow, Black and Rufous Warbling-finch, Black-capped Warbling-Finch, Yellow-winged Blackbird, Fork-tailed Flycatcher, Roadside Hawk, Green-barred Woodpecker, Rufous Hornero, Vermillion Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee,House Wren, Chalk-browed Mockingbird, Rufous-collared Sparrow, Bay-winged Cowbird, Shiny Cowbird, Hooded Siskin.
We used the Reserve's main entrance and did not feel uncomfortable at anytime. But we were there on a weekend and it was crowded with portenos, even early morning. The Reserve opened at 8am (but you can bird the areas outside the Reserve before they open) and closed at 6pm.
The trail up the middle was the birdiest. Unfortunately, BA has had a bad drought, so the lagoons were dry with virtually no waterfowl or shorebirds. Hopefully they will have had some rain and the lagoons will be more productive.
We also birded a couple of areas not far from BA (1-2hr drive), Entre Rios and Otamendi. These areas still had a little water so we saw more birds there. We used a local birding tour company for these places. A word of caution...do not leave the city and return on Sunday evening. The traffic is horrendous coming back!
Good birding!
Marsha
Some birds seen at Costanera Sur Ecological Reserve: Whistling Heron, Long-tailed Reed Finch, Epaulet Oriole, Solitary Cacique, Maguari Stork, Southern Crested Caracara, Chimango Caracara, American Kestrel, Masked Yellowthroat, Redcrested Cardinal, Brown and Yellow Marshbird, Southern Lapwing, Picui Grounddove, Monk Parakeet, Guira Cuckoo, Glittering-bellied Emerald, Spectacled Tyrant, Rufous-bellied Thrush, Creamy-bellied Thrush, Masked Gnatcatcher, White-rumped Swallow, Black and Rufous Warbling-finch, Black-capped Warbling-Finch, Yellow-winged Blackbird, Fork-tailed Flycatcher, Roadside Hawk, Green-barred Woodpecker, Rufous Hornero, Vermillion Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee,House Wren, Chalk-browed Mockingbird, Rufous-collared Sparrow, Bay-winged Cowbird, Shiny Cowbird, Hooded Siskin.
Nov 5th, 2008, 06:05 PM
#43
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Todd: people put in a bookmark on the page so that later they can click on their own name at the top of the page and it will bring up all the posts that they have contributed to. It is just a way to find the posts that are important to you. Another way to do this is to email the tread to yourself, then you can click on and read any new information.
Thanks Kavey, great thread, I too am going in a few months and reading everything.
Thanks Kavey, great thread, I too am going in a few months and reading everything.
Nov 5th, 2008, 11:52 PM
#44
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Thanks everyone,
AVRooster, will cross that one off the shortlist. Would welcome your input on the other of my posts, above in terms of potential itinerary and also feedback on the other dining choices.
AVRooster, will cross that one off the shortlist. Would welcome your input on the other of my posts, above in terms of potential itinerary and also feedback on the other dining choices.
Nov 6th, 2008, 02:13 PM
#45
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So, with more web surfing, generous email help from AVRooster and much abortive brainpower on my part I am STILL dithering about our choices.
Don Julio is still on my list, I know, I know it's getting recommended in more and more places, which means it's on the beaten track BUT even recent reviews I'm reading are good and it's sooo well-located from our hotel.
Pura Terria, recommended by both AV and Saltshaker, is also appealing.
So is Fervor, though I'm taking that on trust from AV since I'm not finding reviews or even an online menu!
And Rodizio has been put forward as an alternative to Marini. I mentioned to AV my memories of a different type of "tenedor libre" that we visited when I came to Argentina as a kid. No stations for different food types that you had to go and queue at, in these ones you put flags on your table to indicate rare or well done and to show whether you wanted more meat or were admitting defeat. The staff came and carved delicious meat onto your plates until you could eat no more! AV proposed Rodizio as matching this memory of mine, so it's high on the list. (Which branch did you mean, by the way, AV?)
So those 4 need to come down to 2 for the two main nights we're there.
The first night I'm pretty sure we'll arrive late so, if we're hungry at all, we'll still go for something local. I still like the sound of La Cupertina, though no feedback from any of my BA pals here, other than AV (by email).
OH OH OH and I have found a FANTASTIC map resource to share with you all.
I said earlier that I was struggling to place addresses onto the maps I had found online. I had a low-level map showing me the barrios. I had a detailed map of Palermo. And another of "downtown". But without indexes, street maps are pointless. I usually use Google Map which allows me to create a personal map, enter postcodes/ street addresses and then add digital pins for each one, with my own labels to remind me what each pin represents (restaurant names etc.). But, according to Google Maps, BA is empty!
Well, this doesn't let me save the map or label the pins BUT it does let me enter addresses one by one, adding them all to the map and lets me zoom in and out!
http://mapa.buenosaires.gov.ar
Check it out!!!
Don Julio is still on my list, I know, I know it's getting recommended in more and more places, which means it's on the beaten track BUT even recent reviews I'm reading are good and it's sooo well-located from our hotel.
Pura Terria, recommended by both AV and Saltshaker, is also appealing.
So is Fervor, though I'm taking that on trust from AV since I'm not finding reviews or even an online menu!
And Rodizio has been put forward as an alternative to Marini. I mentioned to AV my memories of a different type of "tenedor libre" that we visited when I came to Argentina as a kid. No stations for different food types that you had to go and queue at, in these ones you put flags on your table to indicate rare or well done and to show whether you wanted more meat or were admitting defeat. The staff came and carved delicious meat onto your plates until you could eat no more! AV proposed Rodizio as matching this memory of mine, so it's high on the list. (Which branch did you mean, by the way, AV?)
So those 4 need to come down to 2 for the two main nights we're there.
The first night I'm pretty sure we'll arrive late so, if we're hungry at all, we'll still go for something local. I still like the sound of La Cupertina, though no feedback from any of my BA pals here, other than AV (by email).
OH OH OH and I have found a FANTASTIC map resource to share with you all.
I said earlier that I was struggling to place addresses onto the maps I had found online. I had a low-level map showing me the barrios. I had a detailed map of Palermo. And another of "downtown". But without indexes, street maps are pointless. I usually use Google Map which allows me to create a personal map, enter postcodes/ street addresses and then add digital pins for each one, with my own labels to remind me what each pin represents (restaurant names etc.). But, according to Google Maps, BA is empty!
Well, this doesn't let me save the map or label the pins BUT it does let me enter addresses one by one, adding them all to the map and lets me zoom in and out!
http://mapa.buenosaires.gov.ar
Check it out!!!
Nov 7th, 2008, 03:03 AM
#48
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Hi Kavey,
Restaurants:
<b>Croque Madame</b> is on Callao and there is one at the Museum of Decorative Arts on Libertador.. just inside the gates of the museum property ( you can go without going to the museum itself)
The one at the Museum is in a nicer looking area, both are excellent! Really nice.
<b>Cluny</b> is really nice, you can sit outside or inside, everything we have had there from meals to just drinks has been perfect .
Last night we celebrated our anniversary at <b>Amici Miei </b>.. in San Telmo.. I mentioned it before .. this place is just so very good!
http://www.amicimiei.com.ar/
Definitely try to get to <b>Purra Terria</b> ..
Belgrano is a short ride and a pretty barrio to take a walk in after or before dinner.
The Ecological Reserve is fantastic!
It is getting very warm here so you may find it a bit too hot to walk around there much, hope for a cool few hours
While there, have drinks or lunch along the water and see the amazing difference in the way Puerto Madero looks compared to the rest of the city. I have this amazing photo taken from the Reserve, of the city in the distance.. the city looks like Oz ( the Emerald City far away )
ovenbird, that is some list !! I liked the tiny birds that would come right in our faces, no fear at all, as if we were the attraction for the birds lol.
Regarding the Cemetery.. unlike the vast Pere LaChaise, Recoleta Cemetery is smack in the middle of Recoleta, in the most Touristy part of the barrio. It is not even close to the size of Pere LaChaise and is easy to walk around, being all paved and level is part of the ease of wandering there. The mausoleums are much better kept and most of them are really works of Art, whether Art Nouveau or Modern, they are wonderful. Since this is my neighborhood, we have spent time here and there, wandering around and discovering .. and it is right next to the Cultural Center and the park and the Hippie Feria..
I have to add that I got almost every recommendation for restaurants when we first came here, from Dan/ Saltshaker.. and what he did not actually recommend, I look up on his website for reassurance lol.
Restaurants:
<b>Croque Madame</b> is on Callao and there is one at the Museum of Decorative Arts on Libertador.. just inside the gates of the museum property ( you can go without going to the museum itself)
The one at the Museum is in a nicer looking area, both are excellent! Really nice.
<b>Cluny</b> is really nice, you can sit outside or inside, everything we have had there from meals to just drinks has been perfect .
Last night we celebrated our anniversary at <b>Amici Miei </b>.. in San Telmo.. I mentioned it before .. this place is just so very good!
http://www.amicimiei.com.ar/
Definitely try to get to <b>Purra Terria</b> ..
Belgrano is a short ride and a pretty barrio to take a walk in after or before dinner.
The Ecological Reserve is fantastic!
It is getting very warm here so you may find it a bit too hot to walk around there much, hope for a cool few hours
While there, have drinks or lunch along the water and see the amazing difference in the way Puerto Madero looks compared to the rest of the city. I have this amazing photo taken from the Reserve, of the city in the distance.. the city looks like Oz ( the Emerald City far away )
ovenbird, that is some list !! I liked the tiny birds that would come right in our faces, no fear at all, as if we were the attraction for the birds lol.
Regarding the Cemetery.. unlike the vast Pere LaChaise, Recoleta Cemetery is smack in the middle of Recoleta, in the most Touristy part of the barrio. It is not even close to the size of Pere LaChaise and is easy to walk around, being all paved and level is part of the ease of wandering there. The mausoleums are much better kept and most of them are really works of Art, whether Art Nouveau or Modern, they are wonderful. Since this is my neighborhood, we have spent time here and there, wandering around and discovering .. and it is right next to the Cultural Center and the park and the Hippie Feria..
I have to add that I got almost every recommendation for restaurants when we first came here, from Dan/ Saltshaker.. and what he did not actually recommend, I look up on his website for reassurance lol.
Nov 7th, 2008, 03:44 AM
#49
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Thanks Scarlett!
And happy anniversary!
Amici Miei does look wonderful BUT I think I'm going to avoid Italian whilst we're there, simply because we really do have such excellent Italian restaurants in our area of London, not to mention that we'll likely be back in Italy again sometime in next couple of years.
Pura Terria is definitely getting a lot of excellent feedback... looks very nice.
The ecological reserve also appeals, you know already how much Pete and I love our wildlife watching!
I am worried about the heat - neither of us enjoy very hot weather and we'll be coming from the opposite extreme down in the Antarctic. Will pack extra-strong sunblock and no-doubt hide in cafes rather often for cooling drinks!
My guidebook is on the way but would be ever so grateful if you could have a think on shopping ideas. I've now checked and our two full days are a Tuesday and Wednesday. Am I right in thinking all the fairs (antique/ craft/ flea market) are only on weekends? Are there any that would be open on our days? If not, what about shopping areas/ streets/ centres that focus on that kind of item? I'm not into clothes or shoes or handbags (I know, a traitor to my sex) so the normal malls that people usually love may not be for us... Any ideas? Food markets are also of interest!
And happy anniversary!
Amici Miei does look wonderful BUT I think I'm going to avoid Italian whilst we're there, simply because we really do have such excellent Italian restaurants in our area of London, not to mention that we'll likely be back in Italy again sometime in next couple of years.
Pura Terria is definitely getting a lot of excellent feedback... looks very nice.
The ecological reserve also appeals, you know already how much Pete and I love our wildlife watching!
I am worried about the heat - neither of us enjoy very hot weather and we'll be coming from the opposite extreme down in the Antarctic. Will pack extra-strong sunblock and no-doubt hide in cafes rather often for cooling drinks!
My guidebook is on the way but would be ever so grateful if you could have a think on shopping ideas. I've now checked and our two full days are a Tuesday and Wednesday. Am I right in thinking all the fairs (antique/ craft/ flea market) are only on weekends? Are there any that would be open on our days? If not, what about shopping areas/ streets/ centres that focus on that kind of item? I'm not into clothes or shoes or handbags (I know, a traitor to my sex) so the normal malls that people usually love may not be for us... Any ideas? Food markets are also of interest!
Nov 7th, 2008, 04:08 AM
#50
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Hi Scarlett:
Thanks for the tip of Amici Miei. We will have lunch there when we wander around San Telmo.
Four of us are going this trip. Two are staying at the Art Suites. Shall we try Erin for lunch or dinner?
Happy Anniversary!
Thanks for the tip of Amici Miei. We will have lunch there when we wander around San Telmo.
Four of us are going this trip. Two are staying at the Art Suites. Shall we try Erin for lunch or dinner?
Happy Anniversary!
Nov 7th, 2008, 07:27 AM
#51
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Hi Weekender!
Go to Erin for dinner.. if you like gazpacho, they do it well... and the grilled salmon.
Kavey,
The Ferias are all weekend deals
The Malls ( Alto Palermo, Paseo Alcorta, Patio Bullrich and Galleries Pacifico ) ALL have the same shops in them..and those shops can be found on streets here and there in BA.. so if you went to one nice mall, you could be cool, shop and have a nice lunch .. they all also have nice cafes and restaurants.
Otherwise...
In Palermo Viejo/Soho/Hollywood, you will find the individual boutiques, where you can get something much more unique to this place .. although the malls have shops that are Argentine designer shops and they can be unique in their way too.
Recoleta has pretty shops but then Hermes was never an ugly shop anywhere, was it? lol
If I think of any more particular shops , I will post back here but December will be pretty hot and you might just enjoy the boutique wandering, with lots of cafe stops in Palermo the best.
I understand regarding Italian .. really ...
Go to Erin for dinner.. if you like gazpacho, they do it well... and the grilled salmon.
Kavey,
The Ferias are all weekend deals
The Malls ( Alto Palermo, Paseo Alcorta, Patio Bullrich and Galleries Pacifico ) ALL have the same shops in them..and those shops can be found on streets here and there in BA.. so if you went to one nice mall, you could be cool, shop and have a nice lunch .. they all also have nice cafes and restaurants.
Otherwise...
In Palermo Viejo/Soho/Hollywood, you will find the individual boutiques, where you can get something much more unique to this place .. although the malls have shops that are Argentine designer shops and they can be unique in their way too.
Recoleta has pretty shops but then Hermes was never an ugly shop anywhere, was it? lol
If I think of any more particular shops , I will post back here but December will be pretty hot and you might just enjoy the boutique wandering, with lots of cafe stops in Palermo the best.
I understand regarding Italian .. really ...
Nov 7th, 2008, 08:05 AM
#53
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Thanks Scarlett, much appreciated...
(Drop me an email if you fancy meeting for coffee whilst we're there, btw).
Now, whilst Hermes was never an ugly shop, no ma'am, it's definitely not my kind of place. Good to know Palermo Vieja is a good boutique area... we're based in Palermo Soho!
(Drop me an email if you fancy meeting for coffee whilst we're there, btw).
Now, whilst Hermes was never an ugly shop, no ma'am, it's definitely not my kind of place. Good to know Palermo Vieja is a good boutique area... we're based in Palermo Soho!
Nov 8th, 2008, 09:46 AM
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Thank you ! yestravel, we have been there on weekends and it is pretty busy, so make a reservation.. the later you go the more people will be there.. I did make a reservation, just to be sure..
Kavey, I think you will enjoy Soho . .
Kavey, I think you will enjoy Soho . .
Nov 10th, 2008, 06:57 AM
#58
Weekender - how quickly did you get a confirmation for your res at Amici? I haven't gotten anything back yet and am wondering if my limited Spanish failed me in filling out the requested info. thanks! When r u in BA?
Nov 10th, 2008, 06:58 AM
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Kavey - we meet again! Thank you for asking many questions that I would have asked had you not beat me to it! I'm reading all the recommendations with great enthusiasm. We'll be in BA the week before you are. We're spending 3 days there before our Antarctic trip.
Happy travels.
Happy travels.
Nov 10th, 2008, 07:20 AM
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Yestravel:
I booked the reservation on their website: www.amicimiei.com.ar
It is in Spanish but I was able to figure it out. Reserved on Friday and received email confirmation on Saturday.
I booked the reservation on their website: www.amicimiei.com.ar
It is in Spanish but I was able to figure it out. Reserved on Friday and received email confirmation on Saturday.
