trip report 1 buenos aires
Feb 6th, 2007 | 05:30 PM
#1
Original Poster
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 20
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trip report 1 buenos aires
we went to buenos aires in October of 2006. Below is the first section of my trip report.
Writing trip reports is more time consuming than I thought! Will try to write a few sections at a time for our trip and in terms of topics not chronology. Below is the first installment.
Tour guides, taxi dancer:
Tour Guide:
We were extremely fortunate to have the services of Mariana Schweim, for several days, during our stay in Buenos Aires. I hesitate to call her a tour guide as that term seems so limiting considering her talents. She was much more than just a guide. She was concierge, advocate, planner, interpreter, driver, facilitator all rolled into one. In addition, she was calm, pleasant, funny and knowledgeable.
We began with meeting at the café Aroma, across the street from La Biela (after she and her driver picked us up at our hotel). So that we could have a lovely view of Nuestra Señora del Pilar and of the large rubber tree in the park, she insisted that the wait staff move a small table from downstairs to where we wanted to sit. We mapped out our day with her assistance which included shopping successfully for tango shoes with her, finding a store I had wanted to visit for leather goods, visiting MALBA, and touring Palermo Chico independently. We ended the day with her shopping with us to find soccer jerseys and helping us get a taxi back to our hotel.
When we wanted a restaurant with a view of the river, she recommended Rodizio, not far from the Jorges Newberry airport. We had a fabulous time with her there.
She always listened to what we wanted, offered additional choices, and was quick to grasp the kind of activity that would suit. Since I had already planned for tango escort etc I did not have her plan this for us but I understand she can make these arrangements as well as planning an entire 10 day trip.
She drove us to Tigre where we had coffee, visited the fruit market, bought tickets on a launcha to enjoy a view of life on the Delta, and had a glorious lunch at a restaurant with tables on the riverbank.
Lastly, she was a godsend in the airport for our departure flight. She drove us there. The lines were long and we found out that at EZE, with no signs to indicate such, you are supposed to get in the check in line for the city to which you are flying--Miami, Dallas etc. She helped us maneuver all of this, found out exactly where we were to get our tax refund (you go to not one but two places) and accompanied us until we got to security as she could of course not go past that . Now, I imagine we could have managed the airport ourselves, but it was so much more pleasant and efficient an experience with Mariana helping us.
She has our highest recommendations for anyone wishing to make their stay in Buenos Aires more relaxed, informed, and easier to manage.
Tango Dancer:
I hired tango dance escort, Juan Pablo Barbutti, through a tour company mentioned in a major travel guidebook. My experience with the owner of that company was less than stellar as I do not believe she put time or energy into finding out what kind of experience I wanted. I was not happy with the venues she chose. However, Juan Pablo was an excellent dancer, a perfect gentleman, a good and encouraging tango teacher, and fun. I went to a practica/milonga and a milonga with him. His English is very limited but on the dance floor that isn’t a problem. He gives tango classes as well as being a dance escort. He made sure we arrived safely back at our hotel as well, accompanying us to our door.
The "Real Buenos Aires Tour": We signed up to go with AVrooster on his real tour. Quite an experience and definitely a different kind of tour. Make sure you have your walking shoes on as you make the whirlwind trek following AV through the bus station and the train station. Correct change is a must but I swear I can't remember what the fares were. Don't forget to keep your ticket stubs. We picked up a free newspaper before our ride and on the train a very young, unkempt woman with a baby came by and we gave them to her. Apparently she could then sell them to later commuters since the free supply would no longer be available. Seeing her and the cartoneros train was very sobering. The information AVrooster provided regarding the life of the cartoneros and some economic history was interesting and helpful. After this tour it isn't difficult to write one's gratitude list.We then went to Acassuso to have dinner and had a nice time at a local restaurant with a wonderful salad bar and good steaks.
We also, at a later time, had an opportunity to visit a soup kitchen in a local catholic church and learn about its operation . My friend and I are social workers so the soup kitchen and the real tour was an aspect of life in Buenos Aires that was of interest to us.
Restaurants:
We ate at several excellent restaurants while in Buenos Aires. All wait staff was helpful with the exception of the waiter at Desnivel who seemed overwhelmed. We had trouble getting our steak cooked medium rare, trying to say media crudo (that got us medium) and finally when someone said order it jugoso (it might have been Mariana or the owner of Manso) we had the most success with that description of what we wanted. We were in almost all cases treated very well by wait staff. We even were given free champagne and limoncello and met a few restaurant owners. All in all a fabulous time.
Kozako, Junin 1621 we found quite by accident. On our first night we were trying to find a parilla named Las Lenas but when we arrived at the intersection (directions given by someone in the states) it was not there. Our taxi driver seemed a bit upset at this turn of events and as we drove down the block I spotted this very small intimate restaurant with only 5-6 tables, white table cloths, and good wine glasses. We said stop here, went in, and to our amazement had an absolutely delicious meal of salmon in puff pastry, borscht, and goulash. The dessert sampler tray was very tasty, we were given a complimentary glass of champagne, and the owner was very helpful with our selection of a delicious wine for our dinner. Since we were to attend the opera Boris Godunov at Teatro Colon the next evening, it seemed fitting that we had accidentally discovered a Russian bistro.
Alvear Palace we ate two meals here, both for lunch.
La Orangerie ( buffet)--Let’s just say the Alvear Palace lives up to its reputation. The dining room was exquisite with cut cattleya orchids on the tables. You feel like you have landed in Versailles. The buffet offered many more delicious selections (both hot and cold) than someone with a moderate appetite could consume. And the dessert table was a dream. We had an absolutely delicious white wine, Torrontes from Salta. I didn’t order it or pay so I can’t be sure of its exact name.
La Bourgogne -- This dining room is stunning as well, but with a contemporary feel with red roses on the tables and red leather chairs. We ad “degustation de saumon” and prawns for the appetizer, and for the entrée we had lamb, rabbit, beef, and salmon again. There were four diners but we shared all the dishes to get a taste of each. All were delicious but I preferred the lamb and rabbit entrees over the beef and salmon. We had a variety of desserts. We began the dinner with champagne and had two different wines with our meal, suggested by the sommelier. A Luigi Bosca 2002 cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, and merlot and an Andeluna Reserva Chardonnay 2004 from Tupungato. Both were (I am running out of adjectives) fabulous. Our meal cost per person was $100 argentine pesos ( amazing value for the meal we had) but I do not know the cost of the wines as I did not pay for them.
Rodizio Costanera--We asked our lovely guide/trip coordinator Marianna Schweim for a recommendation for lunch at a restaurant with a view of the river. She obliged with this recommendation. It is a large restaurant. not far from Jorges Newberry airport. Again an enormous delicious buffet, with the absolute best empanadas of our trip and very tasty limoncello. In addition they bring large skewers of grilled meat to the table as well to slice off bits or hunks if you prefer. We were delighted to be able to observe a large Argentine family reunion celebration here.
Manso, Amenabar 2920-- this Belgrano parilla had the best Bife de Chorizo of our trip. We had a simple meal of steak with spinach and mushroom salad dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The meal was fantastic in its simple goodness. We had a Don David Cabernet franc and a late harvest white wine whose taste was memorable but I forget the name. Our desserts were also delicious. The restaurant has an open air section and very friendly wait staff. I would go here again and again for the steak.
MALBA (museum)--we had an acceptable lunch here, often it seems museums aren’t known for the quality of the food. It was very crowded but we could observe no American tourists which surprised us. We had bife de lomo, potatoes gratin (these were delicious), tuna, and salad, champagne and red wine. The cost was about $14 each relatively expensive for the quality.
Como en Casa-- a small restaurant near our hotel. We had breakfast here of huevos riviultos, fruit tart and good coffee. We had tired of the same breakfast offerings from the Recoleta Guest House and ventured out. We were not disappointed. The cost was minimal.
Appia Way-- this was a tiny takeout restaurant very near the Recoleta Guest House. We got empanadas and diet cokes one night before Tango. Also observed other take out dishes that were delicious looking -- tomato and cheese tarts/quiches and pizza’s.
Miro Cafetina--one block over from Laprida, on Puerrydon. We had a very late dinner here (11:30 pm) of tasty lemon chicken, salad, and spaghetti with Bolognese sauce. I wouldn’t order the spaghetti again but the lemon chicken was very good. We had half a bottle of red wine and some coffee. With the coffee came delicious chocolate meringues. The waiters were very nice. Our dinner total was 10 dollars. The next morning we had breakfast there, toast and medialunas with coffee for less than 4 dollars total.
More later.....
Writing trip reports is more time consuming than I thought! Will try to write a few sections at a time for our trip and in terms of topics not chronology. Below is the first installment.
Tour guides, taxi dancer:
Tour Guide:
We were extremely fortunate to have the services of Mariana Schweim, for several days, during our stay in Buenos Aires. I hesitate to call her a tour guide as that term seems so limiting considering her talents. She was much more than just a guide. She was concierge, advocate, planner, interpreter, driver, facilitator all rolled into one. In addition, she was calm, pleasant, funny and knowledgeable.
We began with meeting at the café Aroma, across the street from La Biela (after she and her driver picked us up at our hotel). So that we could have a lovely view of Nuestra Señora del Pilar and of the large rubber tree in the park, she insisted that the wait staff move a small table from downstairs to where we wanted to sit. We mapped out our day with her assistance which included shopping successfully for tango shoes with her, finding a store I had wanted to visit for leather goods, visiting MALBA, and touring Palermo Chico independently. We ended the day with her shopping with us to find soccer jerseys and helping us get a taxi back to our hotel.
When we wanted a restaurant with a view of the river, she recommended Rodizio, not far from the Jorges Newberry airport. We had a fabulous time with her there.
She always listened to what we wanted, offered additional choices, and was quick to grasp the kind of activity that would suit. Since I had already planned for tango escort etc I did not have her plan this for us but I understand she can make these arrangements as well as planning an entire 10 day trip.
She drove us to Tigre where we had coffee, visited the fruit market, bought tickets on a launcha to enjoy a view of life on the Delta, and had a glorious lunch at a restaurant with tables on the riverbank.
Lastly, she was a godsend in the airport for our departure flight. She drove us there. The lines were long and we found out that at EZE, with no signs to indicate such, you are supposed to get in the check in line for the city to which you are flying--Miami, Dallas etc. She helped us maneuver all of this, found out exactly where we were to get our tax refund (you go to not one but two places) and accompanied us until we got to security as she could of course not go past that . Now, I imagine we could have managed the airport ourselves, but it was so much more pleasant and efficient an experience with Mariana helping us.
She has our highest recommendations for anyone wishing to make their stay in Buenos Aires more relaxed, informed, and easier to manage.
Tango Dancer:
I hired tango dance escort, Juan Pablo Barbutti, through a tour company mentioned in a major travel guidebook. My experience with the owner of that company was less than stellar as I do not believe she put time or energy into finding out what kind of experience I wanted. I was not happy with the venues she chose. However, Juan Pablo was an excellent dancer, a perfect gentleman, a good and encouraging tango teacher, and fun. I went to a practica/milonga and a milonga with him. His English is very limited but on the dance floor that isn’t a problem. He gives tango classes as well as being a dance escort. He made sure we arrived safely back at our hotel as well, accompanying us to our door.
The "Real Buenos Aires Tour": We signed up to go with AVrooster on his real tour. Quite an experience and definitely a different kind of tour. Make sure you have your walking shoes on as you make the whirlwind trek following AV through the bus station and the train station. Correct change is a must but I swear I can't remember what the fares were. Don't forget to keep your ticket stubs. We picked up a free newspaper before our ride and on the train a very young, unkempt woman with a baby came by and we gave them to her. Apparently she could then sell them to later commuters since the free supply would no longer be available. Seeing her and the cartoneros train was very sobering. The information AVrooster provided regarding the life of the cartoneros and some economic history was interesting and helpful. After this tour it isn't difficult to write one's gratitude list.We then went to Acassuso to have dinner and had a nice time at a local restaurant with a wonderful salad bar and good steaks.
We also, at a later time, had an opportunity to visit a soup kitchen in a local catholic church and learn about its operation . My friend and I are social workers so the soup kitchen and the real tour was an aspect of life in Buenos Aires that was of interest to us.
Restaurants:
We ate at several excellent restaurants while in Buenos Aires. All wait staff was helpful with the exception of the waiter at Desnivel who seemed overwhelmed. We had trouble getting our steak cooked medium rare, trying to say media crudo (that got us medium) and finally when someone said order it jugoso (it might have been Mariana or the owner of Manso) we had the most success with that description of what we wanted. We were in almost all cases treated very well by wait staff. We even were given free champagne and limoncello and met a few restaurant owners. All in all a fabulous time.
Kozako, Junin 1621 we found quite by accident. On our first night we were trying to find a parilla named Las Lenas but when we arrived at the intersection (directions given by someone in the states) it was not there. Our taxi driver seemed a bit upset at this turn of events and as we drove down the block I spotted this very small intimate restaurant with only 5-6 tables, white table cloths, and good wine glasses. We said stop here, went in, and to our amazement had an absolutely delicious meal of salmon in puff pastry, borscht, and goulash. The dessert sampler tray was very tasty, we were given a complimentary glass of champagne, and the owner was very helpful with our selection of a delicious wine for our dinner. Since we were to attend the opera Boris Godunov at Teatro Colon the next evening, it seemed fitting that we had accidentally discovered a Russian bistro.
Alvear Palace we ate two meals here, both for lunch.
La Orangerie ( buffet)--Let’s just say the Alvear Palace lives up to its reputation. The dining room was exquisite with cut cattleya orchids on the tables. You feel like you have landed in Versailles. The buffet offered many more delicious selections (both hot and cold) than someone with a moderate appetite could consume. And the dessert table was a dream. We had an absolutely delicious white wine, Torrontes from Salta. I didn’t order it or pay so I can’t be sure of its exact name.
La Bourgogne -- This dining room is stunning as well, but with a contemporary feel with red roses on the tables and red leather chairs. We ad “degustation de saumon” and prawns for the appetizer, and for the entrée we had lamb, rabbit, beef, and salmon again. There were four diners but we shared all the dishes to get a taste of each. All were delicious but I preferred the lamb and rabbit entrees over the beef and salmon. We had a variety of desserts. We began the dinner with champagne and had two different wines with our meal, suggested by the sommelier. A Luigi Bosca 2002 cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, and merlot and an Andeluna Reserva Chardonnay 2004 from Tupungato. Both were (I am running out of adjectives) fabulous. Our meal cost per person was $100 argentine pesos ( amazing value for the meal we had) but I do not know the cost of the wines as I did not pay for them.
Rodizio Costanera--We asked our lovely guide/trip coordinator Marianna Schweim for a recommendation for lunch at a restaurant with a view of the river. She obliged with this recommendation. It is a large restaurant. not far from Jorges Newberry airport. Again an enormous delicious buffet, with the absolute best empanadas of our trip and very tasty limoncello. In addition they bring large skewers of grilled meat to the table as well to slice off bits or hunks if you prefer. We were delighted to be able to observe a large Argentine family reunion celebration here.
Manso, Amenabar 2920-- this Belgrano parilla had the best Bife de Chorizo of our trip. We had a simple meal of steak with spinach and mushroom salad dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The meal was fantastic in its simple goodness. We had a Don David Cabernet franc and a late harvest white wine whose taste was memorable but I forget the name. Our desserts were also delicious. The restaurant has an open air section and very friendly wait staff. I would go here again and again for the steak.
MALBA (museum)--we had an acceptable lunch here, often it seems museums aren’t known for the quality of the food. It was very crowded but we could observe no American tourists which surprised us. We had bife de lomo, potatoes gratin (these were delicious), tuna, and salad, champagne and red wine. The cost was about $14 each relatively expensive for the quality.
Como en Casa-- a small restaurant near our hotel. We had breakfast here of huevos riviultos, fruit tart and good coffee. We had tired of the same breakfast offerings from the Recoleta Guest House and ventured out. We were not disappointed. The cost was minimal.
Appia Way-- this was a tiny takeout restaurant very near the Recoleta Guest House. We got empanadas and diet cokes one night before Tango. Also observed other take out dishes that were delicious looking -- tomato and cheese tarts/quiches and pizza’s.
Miro Cafetina--one block over from Laprida, on Puerrydon. We had a very late dinner here (11:30 pm) of tasty lemon chicken, salad, and spaghetti with Bolognese sauce. I wouldn’t order the spaghetti again but the lemon chicken was very good. We had half a bottle of red wine and some coffee. With the coffee came delicious chocolate meringues. The waiters were very nice. Our dinner total was 10 dollars. The next morning we had breakfast there, toast and medialunas with coffee for less than 4 dollars total.
More later.....
Feb 7th, 2007 | 12:44 PM
#5
Original Poster
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
Please email me at [email protected] and I can give you the information regarding the guide we used.
Warning, I don't check it every day so be patient in awaiting a response.
thanks.
Warning, I don't check it every day so be patient in awaiting a response.
thanks.
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Mar 26th, 2007 | 07:03 PM
#8
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 69
Likes: 0
Well, before we visted we asked for (among other things) information for Classic pool rooms/billards establishments... just in case we had some extra free time, and Dr. D, and Av, and Raquel, and others were right there with info on some really cool places to visit in different parts of the metro area...
I also believe Av is going to check my spelling and grammar...
I also believe Av is going to check my spelling and grammar...
Mar 27th, 2007 | 04:41 AM
#9
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 6,523
Likes: 0
Great Trip report momssk.
Lots of great tips for us.
Raquel, , yes sounds like a good idea. It would be fun to actually have a tango escort. I can just see me!!! After watching Dancing with the Stars last night, I think we all fantasize about twirling around in a beautiful gown... just like the stars!! Oh, if only!! But perhaps with a good guide, I could have a chance of at least learning a bit of Tango!
momssk, although you were less than pleased with the tour company, all things considered, would you go with them again? What tour company was it? Or should I look elsewhere?
Lots of great tips for us.
Raquel, , yes sounds like a good idea. It would be fun to actually have a tango escort. I can just see me!!! After watching Dancing with the Stars last night, I think we all fantasize about twirling around in a beautiful gown... just like the stars!! Oh, if only!! But perhaps with a good guide, I could have a chance of at least learning a bit of Tango!
momssk, although you were less than pleased with the tour company, all things considered, would you go with them again? What tour company was it? Or should I look elsewhere?
Apr 22nd, 2007 | 07:27 AM
#17
Original Poster
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
Our meal cost per person at La Bourgogne was 100 argentine pesos ( amazing value for the meal we had) but I do not know the cost of the wines as I did not pay for the wine. As to the buffett I was a guest and also do not know the costs. As to Kosako, I just can't remember. Always when dining I felt the value for the meal was excellent.
