My 25th Trip to BA: Recommendations
Jul 3rd, 2008, 06:02 PM
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My 25th Trip to BA: Recommendations
have just returned from my 25th (or is it 26th...I lose track) visit to Buenos Aires since 2001. This time we were in Argentina a little over two weeks and visited Buenos Aires, Salta and Iguazu. It was my sixth trip to Iguazua and my first time to Salta.
I continue to find travel agents, guides, hotels, and restaurants that will help make a trip to Argentina memorable and hassle free and would like to share some of my findings with TA readers. This from BA....
Isabel. Travel Agent: Isabel [email protected] arranged our flights within Argentina. We booked months ago and LAN changed flight times and numbers several times. My daughter and son-in-law traveled with us but booked using air miles. Isabel made certain my wife and I remained on the same flights during all the juggling of schedules and arranged our seats next to theirs. While we were in Salta and again in Iguazu, she phoned to make certain we had arrived safely and to update us about our return flights. When I told her I had checked rates on line for our hotel in Iguazu she was forthright about telling us to book online….that the rates we found were far better than she could arrange for us. Isabel arranged for us to attend Opera Pampa, one of the highlights of our trip and a venue I had never attended…. Booking through Isabel cost exactly the same as the LAN website, without the personal service. Amazing.
Isabel gets an A+, and I am a tough grader. I recommend her without hesitation or reservation!
Buenos Aires Historico. Tours of Buenos Aires My daughter and son-in-law had never visited Argentina before. We only had a couple of days in Buenos Aires and I wanted to be certain they hit the highlights so I arranged a city tour with Buenos Aires Historico. Carla and her partners offer a first class tour at a bargain price. I have had many tours of Recoleta Cemetery, for example, but Carla pointed out many local characters and historical bits of interest that I had never heard on previous trips….including information about the diverse backgrounds of the “residents”…including Jewish, Irish, Muslim and so forth…as well as colorful stories about the lives of various people buried there. She was just as informative as we toured the Plaza de Mayo, San Telmo and various other outlying barrios. Prices, which are posted on the website, are more than reasonable for what this agency offers! http://www.buenosaireshistorico.com/ I know you are probably thinking I am an easy grader by now, but another A plus experience.
Opera Pampa. What a spectacular show! 220 pesos for a pre-theater reception with wine and empanadas, a show that traces the early history of Argentina featuring dancers and spectacular horseback riding, and a post-show parrilla with all the food and drink you desire. This is an exceptionally well done production with up to 50 horseback riders and dancers per scene…fast moving…great for parents and kids….or for adults…The setting is la Rural, the agricultural exposition center in Palermo, near Plaza Italia. The narration is in Spanish but an English speaking program that describes each scene is available. Be sure and read the program before the show starts because after the lights are turned off it is impossible to see….I speak from experience. This said, the show is easy enough to follow without the program….I was struck by how similar the early history of Argentina matched our own settlement of the frontier in the USA. http://www.operapampa.com/
Calle Lanin, Barracas. Set In the otherwise drab working class neighborhood of Barracas, Resident Artist Marino Santa Maria has transformed Calle Lanin into a profusion of color and light by lovingly redoing the exterior of one home at a time with brightl multi-colored mosaics. He calls his method “Art Intervention,” and rightly so. A stroll down this two block long street lifts the spirits. Pride of home ownership and of one’s barrio is evident. Marino’s family home is located here and has been converted into a workshop where Marino teaches art…The day we visited he was instruction children up to age 12 to create mosaics that would eventually be displayed in the hundreds of soup kitchens that dot metropolitan Buenos Aires. Even if you are not a social scientist or an artist, you will appreciate the dramatic impact Marion has had on his neighborhood. buenosaires.gov.ar/areas/…callelanin.htm
Empanadas. Na Serapia. 3357 las heras (sorry, this is not the sort of place to have a web site). Traditional elegant restaurants have their place and I enjoy trendy restaurants with scored concrete floors and kitchens that allow you to observe chef-artists at work now and again….but when I want a good empanada I pass by elegant restaurants and trendy bistros in favor of neighborhood hole-in-the-wall joints. (I do the same in the USA when in search of good BBQ). Na Serapia is just the kind of dive in which you would expect to find great empanadas…and it does not disappoint! This place has been serving empanadas, humitas, locro, and tamales since 1945. I doubt that a single chair or wall decoration has been changed since the place opened. Soak up the local flavor and chow down on the half dozen or so different versions of empanadas served here….At two pesos each, a real bargain….If you are in the Parque las Heras area, Na Serapia is worth checking out….
Restaurant in San Telmo Antigua Tasca de Cichilleros Carlos Calvo 319, San Telmo.
antiguatasca.com.ar/videosweb/…inicio.swf A parrilla located in the oldest house in the city. Built in 1729 the structure that houses the restaurant is a national historical monument. You will probably be greeted by the owner and his wife who will insist on showing you around the restaurant before seating you in one of the comfortable dining rooms. The food here is typical parrilla fare. The bife de chorizo, provoleta, empanadas and homemade flan are all recommended. Come here to soak up a bit of historic charm on your way to/from the San Telmo flea market.
Buffet Lunch at L’Orangerie at the Alvear Palace Hotel. www.alvearpalace.com/v2/restaurants.php?id=3 The opposite of Na Sarapia in every way imaginable. The surroundings are elegant Old World. The service is flawless, even for a buffet. And the food is fabulous! Among the highlights…Smoked salmon appetizer, veal tenderloin in cabnernet sauvignon reduction, and a dessert sampler….
The buffet was 115 pesos per person…The Luigi Bosca Malbec Reserva was 90 pesos a bottle ( Not a bad restaurant price….the same bottle goes for 78 at a local parrilla). My daughter and son-in-law’s first ever meal in Buenos Aires and on their anniversary! We dined with Puntalugano and his wife and our hosts AV Rooster and his wife. Great food. Even better company!
TE at Las Violetas. http://www.lasvioletas.com/site/index.html Recently restored to its former splendor, this historic café is the pride of Almagro. Afternoon tea for four will cost about 200 pesos, with more food than you can possibly eat. We went here for tea in the late afternoon. The food was so plentiful we took some home with us and skipped our planned dinner altogether.
A late night game of pool at 36 Billares. http://www.los36billares.com.ar/main.htm Annother notable historic cafe on Ave. de Mayo. The restaurant upstairs offers a dinner show for a reasonable price. Downstairs play pool for an hour for less than 20 pesos.
Hotel Miravida Soho. http://www.miravidasoho.com/ Why has this newly opened tiny six room boutique hotel in Palermo Soho skyrocketd from obscurity to number six on the top 10 ranked hotels in all of Buenos Aires in its first quarter of operation? I decided to see for myself. I spent the better part of two hours sampling the wine and enjoying a sandwich for lunch before talking a tour with owner James Kings, a recent immigrant from Canada. James has spent the past two years renovating this old family home in preparation for its debut as a boutique hotel. He has not skimped anywhere, from the details you can see (tile, hardwood, moldings) to the things you will not notice right away(stairwells that meet the highest standards of fire safety and “soundproofing” between rooms to the standards of Four Seasons and other top hotels). Each room is distinctive, and all are very nicely appointed with fine linens, walk in showers and numerous other amenities. The wine bar downstairs features a select group of offerings in various price ranges…many outstanding wines from Achavel Ferrer and others are available by the glass. Future plans include a wine tasting area in the wine cellar. No wonder notables from Wine Spectator and various wineries in Mendoza have stayed here. Rooms currently go for $95 to $180 per night, well below the price in the area for high quality boutique hotels. As one TA observer wryly observed, book quickly before this place is “discovered” and raises prices to the level of other first class boutique hotels in hip Palermo Soho.
I continue to find travel agents, guides, hotels, and restaurants that will help make a trip to Argentina memorable and hassle free and would like to share some of my findings with TA readers. This from BA....
Isabel. Travel Agent: Isabel [email protected] arranged our flights within Argentina. We booked months ago and LAN changed flight times and numbers several times. My daughter and son-in-law traveled with us but booked using air miles. Isabel made certain my wife and I remained on the same flights during all the juggling of schedules and arranged our seats next to theirs. While we were in Salta and again in Iguazu, she phoned to make certain we had arrived safely and to update us about our return flights. When I told her I had checked rates on line for our hotel in Iguazu she was forthright about telling us to book online….that the rates we found were far better than she could arrange for us. Isabel arranged for us to attend Opera Pampa, one of the highlights of our trip and a venue I had never attended…. Booking through Isabel cost exactly the same as the LAN website, without the personal service. Amazing.
Isabel gets an A+, and I am a tough grader. I recommend her without hesitation or reservation!
Buenos Aires Historico. Tours of Buenos Aires My daughter and son-in-law had never visited Argentina before. We only had a couple of days in Buenos Aires and I wanted to be certain they hit the highlights so I arranged a city tour with Buenos Aires Historico. Carla and her partners offer a first class tour at a bargain price. I have had many tours of Recoleta Cemetery, for example, but Carla pointed out many local characters and historical bits of interest that I had never heard on previous trips….including information about the diverse backgrounds of the “residents”…including Jewish, Irish, Muslim and so forth…as well as colorful stories about the lives of various people buried there. She was just as informative as we toured the Plaza de Mayo, San Telmo and various other outlying barrios. Prices, which are posted on the website, are more than reasonable for what this agency offers! http://www.buenosaireshistorico.com/ I know you are probably thinking I am an easy grader by now, but another A plus experience.
Opera Pampa. What a spectacular show! 220 pesos for a pre-theater reception with wine and empanadas, a show that traces the early history of Argentina featuring dancers and spectacular horseback riding, and a post-show parrilla with all the food and drink you desire. This is an exceptionally well done production with up to 50 horseback riders and dancers per scene…fast moving…great for parents and kids….or for adults…The setting is la Rural, the agricultural exposition center in Palermo, near Plaza Italia. The narration is in Spanish but an English speaking program that describes each scene is available. Be sure and read the program before the show starts because after the lights are turned off it is impossible to see….I speak from experience. This said, the show is easy enough to follow without the program….I was struck by how similar the early history of Argentina matched our own settlement of the frontier in the USA. http://www.operapampa.com/
Calle Lanin, Barracas. Set In the otherwise drab working class neighborhood of Barracas, Resident Artist Marino Santa Maria has transformed Calle Lanin into a profusion of color and light by lovingly redoing the exterior of one home at a time with brightl multi-colored mosaics. He calls his method “Art Intervention,” and rightly so. A stroll down this two block long street lifts the spirits. Pride of home ownership and of one’s barrio is evident. Marino’s family home is located here and has been converted into a workshop where Marino teaches art…The day we visited he was instruction children up to age 12 to create mosaics that would eventually be displayed in the hundreds of soup kitchens that dot metropolitan Buenos Aires. Even if you are not a social scientist or an artist, you will appreciate the dramatic impact Marion has had on his neighborhood. buenosaires.gov.ar/areas/…callelanin.htm
Empanadas. Na Serapia. 3357 las heras (sorry, this is not the sort of place to have a web site). Traditional elegant restaurants have their place and I enjoy trendy restaurants with scored concrete floors and kitchens that allow you to observe chef-artists at work now and again….but when I want a good empanada I pass by elegant restaurants and trendy bistros in favor of neighborhood hole-in-the-wall joints. (I do the same in the USA when in search of good BBQ). Na Serapia is just the kind of dive in which you would expect to find great empanadas…and it does not disappoint! This place has been serving empanadas, humitas, locro, and tamales since 1945. I doubt that a single chair or wall decoration has been changed since the place opened. Soak up the local flavor and chow down on the half dozen or so different versions of empanadas served here….At two pesos each, a real bargain….If you are in the Parque las Heras area, Na Serapia is worth checking out….
Restaurant in San Telmo Antigua Tasca de Cichilleros Carlos Calvo 319, San Telmo.
antiguatasca.com.ar/videosweb/…inicio.swf A parrilla located in the oldest house in the city. Built in 1729 the structure that houses the restaurant is a national historical monument. You will probably be greeted by the owner and his wife who will insist on showing you around the restaurant before seating you in one of the comfortable dining rooms. The food here is typical parrilla fare. The bife de chorizo, provoleta, empanadas and homemade flan are all recommended. Come here to soak up a bit of historic charm on your way to/from the San Telmo flea market.
Buffet Lunch at L’Orangerie at the Alvear Palace Hotel. www.alvearpalace.com/v2/restaurants.php?id=3 The opposite of Na Sarapia in every way imaginable. The surroundings are elegant Old World. The service is flawless, even for a buffet. And the food is fabulous! Among the highlights…Smoked salmon appetizer, veal tenderloin in cabnernet sauvignon reduction, and a dessert sampler….
The buffet was 115 pesos per person…The Luigi Bosca Malbec Reserva was 90 pesos a bottle ( Not a bad restaurant price….the same bottle goes for 78 at a local parrilla). My daughter and son-in-law’s first ever meal in Buenos Aires and on their anniversary! We dined with Puntalugano and his wife and our hosts AV Rooster and his wife. Great food. Even better company!
TE at Las Violetas. http://www.lasvioletas.com/site/index.html Recently restored to its former splendor, this historic café is the pride of Almagro. Afternoon tea for four will cost about 200 pesos, with more food than you can possibly eat. We went here for tea in the late afternoon. The food was so plentiful we took some home with us and skipped our planned dinner altogether.
A late night game of pool at 36 Billares. http://www.los36billares.com.ar/main.htm Annother notable historic cafe on Ave. de Mayo. The restaurant upstairs offers a dinner show for a reasonable price. Downstairs play pool for an hour for less than 20 pesos.
Hotel Miravida Soho. http://www.miravidasoho.com/ Why has this newly opened tiny six room boutique hotel in Palermo Soho skyrocketd from obscurity to number six on the top 10 ranked hotels in all of Buenos Aires in its first quarter of operation? I decided to see for myself. I spent the better part of two hours sampling the wine and enjoying a sandwich for lunch before talking a tour with owner James Kings, a recent immigrant from Canada. James has spent the past two years renovating this old family home in preparation for its debut as a boutique hotel. He has not skimped anywhere, from the details you can see (tile, hardwood, moldings) to the things you will not notice right away(stairwells that meet the highest standards of fire safety and “soundproofing” between rooms to the standards of Four Seasons and other top hotels). Each room is distinctive, and all are very nicely appointed with fine linens, walk in showers and numerous other amenities. The wine bar downstairs features a select group of offerings in various price ranges…many outstanding wines from Achavel Ferrer and others are available by the glass. Future plans include a wine tasting area in the wine cellar. No wonder notables from Wine Spectator and various wineries in Mendoza have stayed here. Rooms currently go for $95 to $180 per night, well below the price in the area for high quality boutique hotels. As one TA observer wryly observed, book quickly before this place is “discovered” and raises prices to the level of other first class boutique hotels in hip Palermo Soho.
Jul 8th, 2008, 05:43 PM
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"We are all anxiously waiting for the Salta"
I hope it is a good review.
"BA is addictive! Your first trip may not be your last."
I can agree to that statement. My next visit will be visiting the Na Serapia.
Bill
http://www.WilliamBert.com
Jul 9th, 2008, 10:35 AM
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Happy B'day Dr. D! And yes, I agree BA is totally addictive, we're thinking of planning trip #3 there next March!
Hope you enjoyed Salta, looking forward to that part of your report too, it was one of our favorite areas of AR!
Hope you enjoyed Salta, looking forward to that part of your report too, it was one of our favorite areas of AR!
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