60 Hours in Buenos Aires: Blue Dollar Heaven
Nov 14th, 2013, 09:26 PM
#22
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Thanks to all for following and sticking around. Sorry for sloppy editing in the first installment. Hi to Marija, my pal from the Asia board. And odie1, hope I can help plan your one day. Sorry about your reciprocity challenges, but at least, unlike me, you were aware that you had to get it done.
A NIGHT WITHOUT AMBIEN:
Because of my plane delay, I arrived at the hotel at about 11pm and was greeted with a complimentary glass of excellent Malbec and some nuts. Finally fell asleep at 2:00am, certain that I'd be exhausted in the morning and especially tired later on for my midnight tango tour. But when I got my wake-up call at 8:45, I felt energized and ready to go. I packed a few items in a string backpack, strapped on my money belt, had a yummy hotel breakfast with a great hot/cold selection and lots of fresh fruit, then headed off in a taxi.
---
THE ULTIMATE CITY BIKE TOUR:
I'm not a tour person, but when I read the glowing reviews for Biking Buenos Aires on tripadvisor, their seven-hour offering ticked all the boxes: a way to be outdoors, see the iconic neighborhoods, learn some history and get some exercise. I liked that the city was described as 'completely flat' and somehow missed that most of the riders pictured on the website were half my age. Paid in advance by paypal, although my guide later said I could have left a deposit and used my bargain pesos to pay the balance.
The morning rush hour traffic was bad, though not nearly as horrendous as in LA where I live, and I got a good sense of the city by the time I arrived in San Telmo where the tour originated. The 'Paris of South America' cliche is somewhat merited, mainly because of the architecture. BsAs is not nearly as drop-dead gorgeous as Paree, but it is just as alluring. A mysterious edginess draws you in, and it's easy to see why it's a favorite of artists and poets. The place inspires and beckons.
The 14 mile, seven-hour tour ended up surpassing my expectations, even though I was the only participant. My guide, a young woman from Belgium, said that others had signed up but canceled at the last minute....Were they worried about the rain that never materialized?
As everyone knows, you never forget how to ride a bike. I found out that luckily you also never forget how to ride in city traffic, a skill I had honed as a young girl in NYC. 70% of the tour was on well-delineated bike paths, but the other 30% took us through bona fide urban boulevards, including the widest in the world. But because the physical part was so easy, and my guide was so confident, I didn't mind occasionally sharing the road with giant buses.
We started in Lezama Park in San Telmo, and by 5pm had visited Boca Jr Stadium, Caminito, the memorial to the Disappeared, Puerto Madero, the Ecological Reserve, the Women's Bridge, the Metal Flower, Recoleta Cemetery, la Casa Rosada, Wall Street, Plaza Dorrego, Calle Florida and Plaza de Mayo. I had taken along a cheap camera because I was warned about crime, but after seeing many locals taking photos with iPads, I ended up using both my iPhone and my Canon. (My best photo: a dog walker with 14 dogs - a huge hit on instagram.)
Learned a LOT of history, drank maté, ate asado, bought soccer jerseys for my sons, saw street art and street tango galore, was blown away by the cemetery, and even had my first blue dollar exchange experience at a cambio place in Caminito. (My guide told me where to go and said I would find an 'interesting' rate.) All in all, a stellar day: I'm convinced that there is no better way to see the city and hope to go back and do the art and architecture tours.
NEXT: DINNER WITH A STRANGER FROM THE INTERNET
A NIGHT WITHOUT AMBIEN:
Because of my plane delay, I arrived at the hotel at about 11pm and was greeted with a complimentary glass of excellent Malbec and some nuts. Finally fell asleep at 2:00am, certain that I'd be exhausted in the morning and especially tired later on for my midnight tango tour. But when I got my wake-up call at 8:45, I felt energized and ready to go. I packed a few items in a string backpack, strapped on my money belt, had a yummy hotel breakfast with a great hot/cold selection and lots of fresh fruit, then headed off in a taxi.
---
THE ULTIMATE CITY BIKE TOUR:
I'm not a tour person, but when I read the glowing reviews for Biking Buenos Aires on tripadvisor, their seven-hour offering ticked all the boxes: a way to be outdoors, see the iconic neighborhoods, learn some history and get some exercise. I liked that the city was described as 'completely flat' and somehow missed that most of the riders pictured on the website were half my age. Paid in advance by paypal, although my guide later said I could have left a deposit and used my bargain pesos to pay the balance.
The morning rush hour traffic was bad, though not nearly as horrendous as in LA where I live, and I got a good sense of the city by the time I arrived in San Telmo where the tour originated. The 'Paris of South America' cliche is somewhat merited, mainly because of the architecture. BsAs is not nearly as drop-dead gorgeous as Paree, but it is just as alluring. A mysterious edginess draws you in, and it's easy to see why it's a favorite of artists and poets. The place inspires and beckons.
The 14 mile, seven-hour tour ended up surpassing my expectations, even though I was the only participant. My guide, a young woman from Belgium, said that others had signed up but canceled at the last minute....Were they worried about the rain that never materialized?
As everyone knows, you never forget how to ride a bike. I found out that luckily you also never forget how to ride in city traffic, a skill I had honed as a young girl in NYC. 70% of the tour was on well-delineated bike paths, but the other 30% took us through bona fide urban boulevards, including the widest in the world. But because the physical part was so easy, and my guide was so confident, I didn't mind occasionally sharing the road with giant buses.
We started in Lezama Park in San Telmo, and by 5pm had visited Boca Jr Stadium, Caminito, the memorial to the Disappeared, Puerto Madero, the Ecological Reserve, the Women's Bridge, the Metal Flower, Recoleta Cemetery, la Casa Rosada, Wall Street, Plaza Dorrego, Calle Florida and Plaza de Mayo. I had taken along a cheap camera because I was warned about crime, but after seeing many locals taking photos with iPads, I ended up using both my iPhone and my Canon. (My best photo: a dog walker with 14 dogs - a huge hit on instagram.)
Learned a LOT of history, drank maté, ate asado, bought soccer jerseys for my sons, saw street art and street tango galore, was blown away by the cemetery, and even had my first blue dollar exchange experience at a cambio place in Caminito. (My guide told me where to go and said I would find an 'interesting' rate.) All in all, a stellar day: I'm convinced that there is no better way to see the city and hope to go back and do the art and architecture tours.
NEXT: DINNER WITH A STRANGER FROM THE INTERNET
Nov 16th, 2013, 01:38 PM
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STEAK OUT:
I am a regular on the Asian and Africa boards - not really in with the in crowd here. So I was quite touched when I asked on my planning thread about restaurant recs and the renowned avrooster hinted that I could have dinner with him and his wife. I had the chance to dine with the relatives of friends that night, but I became curious about av when he posted a 2008 Fodors thread called "Beware of the Offer You Can't Refuse." (Bizarrely, the whiny OP complained that av had squished him into a car and then overcharged him for a hardboiled egg salad. And inexplicably, av seemed eager to publicize this negative review.) At that point, intrigued by the controversy, I decided to spend my one free evening with the witty, self-effacing Fodorite Ambassador of Buenos Aires.
NEGOTIATIONS:
I let av know by email that I was up for a GTG, but I had a very short window in a ridiculously overscheduled day between my 7-hour bike tour and midnight tango tour. He said that a short earlyish meal would be fine and proposed the following: He and his wife would pick me up and drive me to Recoleta where we would dine in the leading French restaurant in South America. I felt awful declining this offer, but told av that a) I needed to stay in the 'hood and that, b) even though I rarely eat meat, I craved a famous Argentine steak at a neighborhood parrilla for my one meal out. av said that would be fine, but gave me the intimidating task of choosing the restaurant. I checked out the food blogs and decided on Don Julio in Palermo. My hotel made a reservation (which proved essential) and we were good to go.
LOGISTICS:
av is almost like a tour guide...in fact he used to be a self-appointed guide. He emails. He calls. He confirms. He re-confirms. He shows up promptly. He's gracious in an understated familiar way, like a relative who knows you already, and is brutally honest about his likes and dislikes.
For some reason I expected a suave 'businessman,' but av was dressed casually in a red plaid shirt, wearing a lanyard around his neck with the key to his mini-van. As mentioned often here, av's esposa is warm, charming and clearly a great sport about continually meeting random visitors from the web. The most mindblowing part about the rooster family’s generous habit of entertaining Fodorites is that they commute from FORTY miles away, no doubt in heavy traffic, for these encounters.
We set off a few blocks toward the restaurant, where we had good parking karma and met up with the Rooster family’s cool, smart, lovely daughter, who lives in BsAs, where she’s a resident at a top hospital.
THE MEAL:
Don Julio’s was the perfect spot for a quintessential old school AR meal, and av seemed to be reasonably okay with my selection. Friends had recommended more cutting-edge places, but this was a good choice because everything about this establishment screamed classic Argentina: the open grill, the exposed brick walls, the high ceilings, and the hundreds of wine bottles (signed by guests) on display. We arrived at about 8:45 and by 9:15 the place was packed. I thought that the crowd seemed local, but av said that many of our fellow diners were tourists (if so, they were European). av ordered for all, and three of us shared several appetizers (including an empanada I’m still dreaming about) plus a melt-in-your-mouth steak, cooked to perfection (after we sent it back). We also shared a bottle of excellent Malbec (label: Septima, which I have since spotted for a great price at Whole Foods).
I found it amusing that av’s slim daughter was on the Dukan diet, hugely popular in LA. She had already lost ten pounds for her upcoming wedding and this was her all-protein maintenance day, so she got to have a full yummy steak to herself. Clearly a practical diet for Argentina!
The meal flew by. We discussed the economy (surprise, surprise), the wedding details and the circumstances leading up to the banning of av on a certain travel planning website. The Rooster family would not let me pick up the check and I am still somewhat in awe of av’s generosity on many levels – truly extraordinary that a local would go to such great lengths to entertain people he doesn't know beyond their screen names. Not to be missed, if you have the chance.
NEXT: Last Tango in Palermo
I am a regular on the Asian and Africa boards - not really in with the in crowd here. So I was quite touched when I asked on my planning thread about restaurant recs and the renowned avrooster hinted that I could have dinner with him and his wife. I had the chance to dine with the relatives of friends that night, but I became curious about av when he posted a 2008 Fodors thread called "Beware of the Offer You Can't Refuse." (Bizarrely, the whiny OP complained that av had squished him into a car and then overcharged him for a hardboiled egg salad. And inexplicably, av seemed eager to publicize this negative review.) At that point, intrigued by the controversy, I decided to spend my one free evening with the witty, self-effacing Fodorite Ambassador of Buenos Aires.
NEGOTIATIONS:
I let av know by email that I was up for a GTG, but I had a very short window in a ridiculously overscheduled day between my 7-hour bike tour and midnight tango tour. He said that a short earlyish meal would be fine and proposed the following: He and his wife would pick me up and drive me to Recoleta where we would dine in the leading French restaurant in South America. I felt awful declining this offer, but told av that a) I needed to stay in the 'hood and that, b) even though I rarely eat meat, I craved a famous Argentine steak at a neighborhood parrilla for my one meal out. av said that would be fine, but gave me the intimidating task of choosing the restaurant. I checked out the food blogs and decided on Don Julio in Palermo. My hotel made a reservation (which proved essential) and we were good to go.
LOGISTICS:
av is almost like a tour guide...in fact he used to be a self-appointed guide. He emails. He calls. He confirms. He re-confirms. He shows up promptly. He's gracious in an understated familiar way, like a relative who knows you already, and is brutally honest about his likes and dislikes.
For some reason I expected a suave 'businessman,' but av was dressed casually in a red plaid shirt, wearing a lanyard around his neck with the key to his mini-van. As mentioned often here, av's esposa is warm, charming and clearly a great sport about continually meeting random visitors from the web. The most mindblowing part about the rooster family’s generous habit of entertaining Fodorites is that they commute from FORTY miles away, no doubt in heavy traffic, for these encounters.
We set off a few blocks toward the restaurant, where we had good parking karma and met up with the Rooster family’s cool, smart, lovely daughter, who lives in BsAs, where she’s a resident at a top hospital.
THE MEAL:
Don Julio’s was the perfect spot for a quintessential old school AR meal, and av seemed to be reasonably okay with my selection. Friends had recommended more cutting-edge places, but this was a good choice because everything about this establishment screamed classic Argentina: the open grill, the exposed brick walls, the high ceilings, and the hundreds of wine bottles (signed by guests) on display. We arrived at about 8:45 and by 9:15 the place was packed. I thought that the crowd seemed local, but av said that many of our fellow diners were tourists (if so, they were European). av ordered for all, and three of us shared several appetizers (including an empanada I’m still dreaming about) plus a melt-in-your-mouth steak, cooked to perfection (after we sent it back). We also shared a bottle of excellent Malbec (label: Septima, which I have since spotted for a great price at Whole Foods).
I found it amusing that av’s slim daughter was on the Dukan diet, hugely popular in LA. She had already lost ten pounds for her upcoming wedding and this was her all-protein maintenance day, so she got to have a full yummy steak to herself. Clearly a practical diet for Argentina!
The meal flew by. We discussed the economy (surprise, surprise), the wedding details and the circumstances leading up to the banning of av on a certain travel planning website. The Rooster family would not let me pick up the check and I am still somewhat in awe of av’s generosity on many levels – truly extraordinary that a local would go to such great lengths to entertain people he doesn't know beyond their screen names. Not to be missed, if you have the chance.
NEXT: Last Tango in Palermo
Nov 16th, 2013, 02:00 PM
#26
Yes indeed, dinner with av and spouse is a (arguably the) high point of a visit to BsAs.
I ate at Don Julio's without a reservation, but there was only one of me, and it was earlier in the evening.
I ate at Don Julio's without a reservation, but there was only one of me, and it was earlier in the evening.
Nov 17th, 2013, 01:11 AM
#27
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Surprise, surprise, Crosscheck's "STRANGER FROM THE INTERNET" turned out to be yours truly! LOL!!
After the http://www.fodors.com/community/sout...ant-refuse.cfm episode, I became rather choosy about these GTGs, but JD (crosscheck) sounded like someone you'd really want to meet. And I was right.
JD says I am brutally honest about my likes and dislikes, which could explain why I was banned from TA. I usually say the reason was that I "tell it like it is".
Don Julio was a good choice, for local food (meat). The "good parking karma" thing was unbelievable! I had been wondering where on earth we would be able to park and found a place right in front of the restaurant!
Yes, JD, many of our best wines are sold in the US.
Now, when do we get to read about your "Last Tango in Palermo"? Was Vito Corleone there? LOL!!
After the http://www.fodors.com/community/sout...ant-refuse.cfm episode, I became rather choosy about these GTGs, but JD (crosscheck) sounded like someone you'd really want to meet. And I was right.
JD says I am brutally honest about my likes and dislikes, which could explain why I was banned from TA. I usually say the reason was that I "tell it like it is".
Don Julio was a good choice, for local food (meat). The "good parking karma" thing was unbelievable! I had been wondering where on earth we would be able to park and found a place right in front of the restaurant!
Yes, JD, many of our best wines are sold in the US.
Now, when do we get to read about your "Last Tango in Palermo"? Was Vito Corleone there? LOL!!
Nov 26th, 2013, 07:48 PM
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We all know TA has no idea they've lost a National Treasure from their forum.
Nice writing from Crosscheck who has said it much better than I ever could.
Nice reporting all.............weather must be getting nice there. (14F presently in Minnesota)
Holiday greetings to all of the Rooster clan.
tptr
Nice writing from Crosscheck who has said it much better than I ever could.
Nice reporting all.............weather must be getting nice there. (14F presently in Minnesota)
Holiday greetings to all of the Rooster clan.
tptr
Nov 27th, 2013, 01:12 AM
#30
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Oh, Oh, I missed something here!
tptr: if you saw the removed post, would you please e-mail me telling me what it was?
If by "nice" you mean warm, the weather IS getting nice here.
Happy Holidays to all, be it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsCp5LG_zNE
or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmiGBOqlK18
tptr: if you saw the removed post, would you please e-mail me telling me what it was?
If by "nice" you mean warm, the weather IS getting nice here.
Happy Holidays to all, be it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsCp5LG_zNE
or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmiGBOqlK18
Nov 27th, 2013, 07:37 AM
#31
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What a fun report to read. Now I deeply regret not doing the BA bike tour last January. We were staying right around the corner, went by and checked it out, but didn't end up doing it. Oddly my husband, who is the REAL biker of the two of us, was reluctant. Think he now knows too much about what "might" happen. Oh well, next time. Also loved that Paris/NY video you posted, crosscheck. . . .
Dec 29th, 2013, 10:44 AM
#33
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MIDNIGHT TANGO:
Sorry for the LONG delay in finishing this report. I was overloaded with work, then went on a too-short, but relaxing vacation in Mexico. Time to wrap this up, considering I'm only reporting about two days of my trip.
I left off at the end of dinner. At around 10:45pm, the Rooster family dropped me off at my hotel. Can't wait to meet up with them again at some point...an unsurpassed level of hospitality from strangers on the internet.
---
Cyrena of Narrative Tango Tours was waiting in the lobby for my private milonga tour. I knew I was slightly insane to sign up for a two-hour midnight tango tour on the same day as my seven-hour bike tour, especially because on my first full day in Argentina. But because I had planned to go to a puerta cerrada restaurant the following night, this was my only time for tango. I was looking for an anthropological, rather than physical experience, and it turned out to be not exhausting at all...in fact truly enlightening, provocative and non-touristy.
Cyrena is a professional tango dancer and scholar from NYC, but has been in BA long enough to seem right out of central casting. I had been slightly disappointed that a group tour was not available, but this turned out to be a good thing because I could ask endless questions. I started by warning Cyrena that I might not make it to 1:00am, but in fact we returned even later than that. And I was energized on the walk home, rather than tired.
We walked to a tango club at a community dance hall about 10-15 minutes from my hotel. On the way, Cyrena shared insider secrets about the complex, emotional world of tango. The club was pretty empty when we arrived, but soon filled up with dancers from all walks of life. The ritual was fascinating to observe - among the best people watching ever and I loved the music, although it was recorded. Seeing Cyrena dance exquisitely was a big bonus, like watching a friend. No costumes or dramatic dips at a milonga, but the authentic glimpse into the culture makes up for the lack of glitz.
On the way back to my hotel we ran into Cyrena's friends - an international crowd of beautiful twenty-something dancers, just setting out for a night of adventure.
All in all, a highly recommended foray into the pulse of the scene that would be hard to find or comprehend on your own. Going with Cyrena was worth every peso, even though I missed out on the blue rate by paying in advance by Paypal.
NEXT: THE PERFECT PURSE
Sorry for the LONG delay in finishing this report. I was overloaded with work, then went on a too-short, but relaxing vacation in Mexico. Time to wrap this up, considering I'm only reporting about two days of my trip.
I left off at the end of dinner. At around 10:45pm, the Rooster family dropped me off at my hotel. Can't wait to meet up with them again at some point...an unsurpassed level of hospitality from strangers on the internet.
---
Cyrena of Narrative Tango Tours was waiting in the lobby for my private milonga tour. I knew I was slightly insane to sign up for a two-hour midnight tango tour on the same day as my seven-hour bike tour, especially because on my first full day in Argentina. But because I had planned to go to a puerta cerrada restaurant the following night, this was my only time for tango. I was looking for an anthropological, rather than physical experience, and it turned out to be not exhausting at all...in fact truly enlightening, provocative and non-touristy.
Cyrena is a professional tango dancer and scholar from NYC, but has been in BA long enough to seem right out of central casting. I had been slightly disappointed that a group tour was not available, but this turned out to be a good thing because I could ask endless questions. I started by warning Cyrena that I might not make it to 1:00am, but in fact we returned even later than that. And I was energized on the walk home, rather than tired.
We walked to a tango club at a community dance hall about 10-15 minutes from my hotel. On the way, Cyrena shared insider secrets about the complex, emotional world of tango. The club was pretty empty when we arrived, but soon filled up with dancers from all walks of life. The ritual was fascinating to observe - among the best people watching ever and I loved the music, although it was recorded. Seeing Cyrena dance exquisitely was a big bonus, like watching a friend. No costumes or dramatic dips at a milonga, but the authentic glimpse into the culture makes up for the lack of glitz.
On the way back to my hotel we ran into Cyrena's friends - an international crowd of beautiful twenty-something dancers, just setting out for a night of adventure.
All in all, a highly recommended foray into the pulse of the scene that would be hard to find or comprehend on your own. Going with Cyrena was worth every peso, even though I missed out on the blue rate by paying in advance by Paypal.
NEXT: THE PERFECT PURSE
Dec 30th, 2013, 07:25 AM
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What a wonderful trip report crosscheck!
Are you sure it was only 60 hours???? (Images of the Energizer Bunny come to mind.)
We will be lucky if we accomplish that in the entire week+ that we will be in BA!
I appreciated your info about the night at the tango club. I loved your line, "I was looking for an anthropological, rather than physical experience,". We will definitely look into doing that during our stay.
How wonderful that you manage to fit in a visit with the Fodors Honourary Ambassador, His Excellency, avrooster, during such a short visit.
Hats off to you for fabulous organizing on the fly. Thanks for sharing.
Gee.
Feliz Año Nuevo a todos!
Are you sure it was only 60 hours???? (Images of the Energizer Bunny come to mind.)
We will be lucky if we accomplish that in the entire week+ that we will be in BA!
I appreciated your info about the night at the tango club. I loved your line, "I was looking for an anthropological, rather than physical experience,". We will definitely look into doing that during our stay.
How wonderful that you manage to fit in a visit with the Fodors Honourary Ambassador, His Excellency, avrooster, during such a short visit.
Hats off to you for fabulous organizing on the fly. Thanks for sharing.
Gee.
Feliz Año Nuevo a todos!
Jan 5th, 2014, 05:24 AM
#37
Well, the rest of your report did not disappoint,crosscheck.
You wrote as you toured...with an excellent eye; describing, with wit and color, an interesting and very well-planned short visit. Glad you had the good fortune to meet AV and his wife (the epitome of 'the better half' no ?) In addition, you provided some excellent, specific ideas for those planning their trips to this wonderful city. We are headed back for our 7th visit to BsAs - truly feels like coming back to our 2nd home. And the friends we have made there make that so.
You wrote as you toured...with an excellent eye; describing, with wit and color, an interesting and very well-planned short visit. Glad you had the good fortune to meet AV and his wife (the epitome of 'the better half' no ?) In addition, you provided some excellent, specific ideas for those planning their trips to this wonderful city. We are headed back for our 7th visit to BsAs - truly feels like coming back to our 2nd home. And the friends we have made there make that so.
Jan 9th, 2014, 11:39 AM
#38
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Gracias, everyone! I appreciate the kind words. Marnie, you are so lucky to have gone so many times. Can't wait to return with the rest of the family.
LA BOLSA PERFECTA
For my final day, I had planned to go to MALBA (the Latin American art museum), the Evita museum and, for dinner, to Casa Saltshaker, a puerta cerrada restaurant (dining experience in a private home, where I had made a reservation). But my entire day ended up getting screwed up because of a work crisis that lasted on and off for several hours.
MONEY FOR NOTHING
Right after breakfast, I headed to a serious blue dollar exchange place, recommended by my hotel. I was very motivated because the hotel said they would accept US or Argentine cash as payment, even though I booked on the Tablet site w/ a credit card. (They offered a 20% discount for US cash, so it made sense to get pesos, which were a 40%+ discount.)
The hotel people gave me a map which directed me several blocks away, to a small storefront with a real estate sign in front. Inside, after being buzzed in, it felt like a normal Cambio booth; in fact, there was even a handwritten sign with various exchange rates for Euros as well as US dollars. Not as official-seeming as the place in La Boca, but still not very clandestine.
The official rate that day was 5.8, but this place listed the exchange as 9.5 for $50s and $100s and a whopping 9.7 for $10s and $20s. I had brought mostly larger bills, but I happily did have a few $20s.
The process was straightforward and friendly, but with a touch of intrigue: Even though the transaction is benign on the 'living dangerously' scale, you are, in a way, crossing over the line into quasi-lawless territory.
But who can resist the chance for extra purchasing power, especially in a place with so much cool stuff for sale?? In all my travels, I have never before had an opportunity like this, except years ago in Cuba, which had a true black market, but with merchandise, like paté in a tin, that didn't interest me.
After the successful exchange, I headed back to my hotel and put about $600US in pesos into my safe. This would cover my lodging expenses for three nights, which otherwise would have been over $1000.
LA CARTERA PERFECTA
I then set out to Prune, recommended by my neighbor as an ubiquitous leather chain where I would find a good purse. When I googled the closest shop, the address of an discount outlet popped up and I decided it was worth a visit.
On the way, I got a desperate Facetime call and had to stop in a cafe and deal with work stuff. I also got a text from the Saltshaker owner, who said that there had been several cancellations for that evening's dinner, but I was still welcome to come. Suddenly feeling lazy (and hassled by my work crisis), I decided that I needed an entirely free day...and I never made it to the dinner or either of the museums.
The Prune outlet was a bit overwhelming, especially because it was on a street with dozens of other outlets, but I did get an amazing purse. Large, tannish grey leather, with a nod to the croc Birkin, more fashion forward and less funky than my usual look. Has been a source of many compliments back home, and when I got to Chile and saw the prices there, I was very sorry that I didn't snap up a smaller black one that I had also eyed.
PALERMO EXPLORER
In between Facetime calls, I walked all day through the Palermos - Soho, Hollywood and Viejo, taking lots of photos and stopping into shops and galleries, marveling at the street art and the design aesthetic.
In keeping with the BLUE theme, for lunch I had an excellent salad at bBlue Deli, comfortable natural juice bar with an inviting outside patio. Later on had coffee at a cozy no-name cafe near the street art gallery Hollywood in Cambodia, where I almost bought a print - again, I have severe non-buyer's remorse...I REALLY needed another day to figure out a shopping plan and visit the museums.
Felt entirely safe the whole time, especially because there were security guards everywhere.
THE MATCH
By 8pm I was back at my hotel, having a glass of Malbec and watching an exciting Peru vs. Argentina world cup qualifying soccer game in the lounge.
My intention was not to have dinner because of my early flight the next morning, but when the game ended, I ended up sharing the best steak ever with some fellow guests...
NEXT: EL FIN, I promise
LA BOLSA PERFECTA
For my final day, I had planned to go to MALBA (the Latin American art museum), the Evita museum and, for dinner, to Casa Saltshaker, a puerta cerrada restaurant (dining experience in a private home, where I had made a reservation). But my entire day ended up getting screwed up because of a work crisis that lasted on and off for several hours.
MONEY FOR NOTHING
Right after breakfast, I headed to a serious blue dollar exchange place, recommended by my hotel. I was very motivated because the hotel said they would accept US or Argentine cash as payment, even though I booked on the Tablet site w/ a credit card. (They offered a 20% discount for US cash, so it made sense to get pesos, which were a 40%+ discount.)
The hotel people gave me a map which directed me several blocks away, to a small storefront with a real estate sign in front. Inside, after being buzzed in, it felt like a normal Cambio booth; in fact, there was even a handwritten sign with various exchange rates for Euros as well as US dollars. Not as official-seeming as the place in La Boca, but still not very clandestine.
The official rate that day was 5.8, but this place listed the exchange as 9.5 for $50s and $100s and a whopping 9.7 for $10s and $20s. I had brought mostly larger bills, but I happily did have a few $20s.
The process was straightforward and friendly, but with a touch of intrigue: Even though the transaction is benign on the 'living dangerously' scale, you are, in a way, crossing over the line into quasi-lawless territory.
But who can resist the chance for extra purchasing power, especially in a place with so much cool stuff for sale?? In all my travels, I have never before had an opportunity like this, except years ago in Cuba, which had a true black market, but with merchandise, like paté in a tin, that didn't interest me.
After the successful exchange, I headed back to my hotel and put about $600US in pesos into my safe. This would cover my lodging expenses for three nights, which otherwise would have been over $1000.
LA CARTERA PERFECTA
I then set out to Prune, recommended by my neighbor as an ubiquitous leather chain where I would find a good purse. When I googled the closest shop, the address of an discount outlet popped up and I decided it was worth a visit.
On the way, I got a desperate Facetime call and had to stop in a cafe and deal with work stuff. I also got a text from the Saltshaker owner, who said that there had been several cancellations for that evening's dinner, but I was still welcome to come. Suddenly feeling lazy (and hassled by my work crisis), I decided that I needed an entirely free day...and I never made it to the dinner or either of the museums.
The Prune outlet was a bit overwhelming, especially because it was on a street with dozens of other outlets, but I did get an amazing purse. Large, tannish grey leather, with a nod to the croc Birkin, more fashion forward and less funky than my usual look. Has been a source of many compliments back home, and when I got to Chile and saw the prices there, I was very sorry that I didn't snap up a smaller black one that I had also eyed.
PALERMO EXPLORER
In between Facetime calls, I walked all day through the Palermos - Soho, Hollywood and Viejo, taking lots of photos and stopping into shops and galleries, marveling at the street art and the design aesthetic.
In keeping with the BLUE theme, for lunch I had an excellent salad at bBlue Deli, comfortable natural juice bar with an inviting outside patio. Later on had coffee at a cozy no-name cafe near the street art gallery Hollywood in Cambodia, where I almost bought a print - again, I have severe non-buyer's remorse...I REALLY needed another day to figure out a shopping plan and visit the museums.
Felt entirely safe the whole time, especially because there were security guards everywhere.
THE MATCH
By 8pm I was back at my hotel, having a glass of Malbec and watching an exciting Peru vs. Argentina world cup qualifying soccer game in the lounge.
My intention was not to have dinner because of my early flight the next morning, but when the game ended, I ended up sharing the best steak ever with some fellow guests...
NEXT: EL FIN, I promise
