Barrio Flores??

[Micilin]

Hello everyone,
I am coming down to BA in March from NYC and I have rented an apartment on Terrero in barrio Flores. I understand that this is not the trendy happening neighbourhood and I am very fine with that. I am looking forward to discovering the less well travelled streets of the city though no doubt I will spend a fair amount of time in Palermo, Recoletta, San Telmo etc.
Anyway, I am having difficulty finding out much about this barrio except that there is a big commerical zone. Are any of you familiar with Flores and if so do you know of any cool little neighbourhoody places?
Just trying to get a feel for it.
Thanks so much!

 

[nikad]

Hello everyone,
I am coming down to BA in March from NYC and I have rented an apartment on Terrero in barrio Flores. I understand that this is not the trendy happening neighbourhood and I am very fine with that. I am looking forward to discovering the less well travelled streets of the city though no doubt I will spend a fair amount of time in Palermo, Recoletta, San Telmo etc.
Anyway, I am having difficulty finding out much about this barrio except that there is a big commerical zone. Are any of you familiar with Flores and if so do you know of any cool little neighbourhoody places?
Just trying to get a feel for it.
Thanks so much!

Flores is a middle class neighbourhood, you shouldn´t be worried. I lived ther for a couple of years. There is not a lot going on though: you will find lots of stores, caffee places and some restaurants on Rivadavia Ave, also very cheap stores to buy directly from manufacturers ( clothing ) on Avellaneda ave.

A place to visit is the Flores Church, close to the train station, and the Korean neighborhood on Carabobo ave, although it is not touristy and you gotta avoid getting too far as the " Bajo Flores " is close and it is dangerous

Apart form these, you can always go to Caballito that is right next to Flores, there you have more places to see, the Rivadavia Park, Las Violetas for some coffee, etc. You will need more spanish that in the other touristy places ( like Palermo and Recoleta )

nik

 

[bigbadwolf]

Are any of you familiar with Flores and if so do you know of any cool little neighbourhoody places?

Both Flores and Caballito are okay middle-class areas (but not glitzy like Recoleta and Palermo). Congratulations for going off the beaten track.

 

[antupata]

real middle class in buenos aires is wonderful. handmade empanadas, pasta, asado for a fraction of the cost and, oh yes, great people. enjoy.

 

[VMSmith]

Although my time there has been limited, I like Flores. Once the weather cools down a bit, I'll probably resume my walks there. If you're coming here to experience Buenos Aires and meet porteños, you'll probably enjoy it, too.I've stumbled across some cool cafes in Flores, as well as one pretty cool club. You just have to walk around, and get off Rivadavia.
Good luck, and congrats on having gotten off the beaten path.

 

[Micilin]

Thank you everyone who responded.

From the jist of what was said, I think this is perfect for me.

Can't wait,
-micilin

 

[Moxon]

There is a lot happening in Bajo Flores:http://www.clarin.com/diario/2007/01/21/policiales/g-05415.htmwhich can spill over into the rest of the neighbourhood - gangs from Sendero Luminoso have established themselves there, just today there were disturbances there revolving around the policies of the mayor of Buenos Aires - they are very independent people and do not recognise the jurisdiction of the Capital Federal so please be careful.

 

[steveinbsas]

Obviously, Moxon was trying to be helpful, but there is a big difference between Flores and Bajo Flores, the latter being close to a villa de miseria and indeed very dangerous. Flores has its better areas and then sections like the "red zone"....a plus or minus depending upon your proclivities. Its always wise to be careful anywhere in the city, just like New York. An Argentine friend of mine was robbed at gunpoint in the grocery store just off Estados Unidos in San Telmo this past Saturday afternoon. I carry an old wallet with thirty pesos in small bills and a bunch of odd business cards (for volume) in case I'm ever confronted. I also wear a cheap watch and only have a copy of my passport (with photo and stamp pages) with me unless I need the real one for official identification, such ad renewing my visa or DNI. I only take my ATM card with me when I am withdrawing cash and always use due diligence. If you speak good Castillano and can "blend in" you will be much safer. But do be careful in the "less well traveled streets" as they present the greater dangers, especially to foreigners. When identified by our accent or appearance we can become instant targets for crime. "There were 3000 reported robberies of businesses (mostly kioskos and locutorios) in Capital Federal in January alone (Diario Pupular/10 February). Individual crime can happen anywhere, anytime. Recently, two elderly portenos were accosted on Arenales near Carlos Peligrini (the nicest, if not "posh" section of Retiro)). They were forced into an apartment in a robbery that turned into a homicide (one dead). The chance of being killed in a robbery here are far less than in NYC, but either scenario would not be pleasant. Please, just be careful.

 

[steveinbsas]

Obviously, Moxon was trying to be helpful, but there is a big difference between Flores and Bajo Flores, the latter being close to a villa de miseria and indeed very dangerous. Flores has its better areas and then sections like the "red zone"....a plus or minus depending upon your proclivities. Its always wise to be careful anywhere in the city, just like New York. An Argentine friend of mine was robbed at gunpoint in the grocery store just off Estados Unidos in San Telmo this past Saturday afternoon. I carry an old wallet with thirty pesos in small bills and a bunch of odd business cards (for volume) in case I'm ever confronted. I also wear a cheap watch and only have a copy of my passport (with photo and stamp pages) with me unless I need the real one for official identification, such ad renewing my visa or DNI. I only take my ATM card with me when I am withdrawing cash and always use due diligence. If you speak good Castellano and can "blend in" you will be much safer. But do be careful in the "less well traveled streets" as they present the greater dangers, especially to foreigners. When identified by our accent or appearance we can become instant targets for crime. "There were 3000 reported robberies of businesses (mostly kioskos and locutorios) in Capital Federal in January alone (Diario Pupular/10 February). Individual crime can happen anywhere, anytime. Recently, two elderly portenos were accosted on Arenales near Carlos Peligrini (the nicest, if not "posh" section of Retiro)). They were forced into an apartment in a robbery that turned into a homicide (one dead). The chance of being killed in a robbery here are far less than in NYC, but either scenario would not be pleasant. Please, just be careful.

 

[bigbadwolf]

"There were 3000 reported robberies of businesses (mostly kioskos and locutorios) in Capital Federal in January alone (Diario Pupular/10 February). Individual crime can happen anywhere, anytime. Recently, two elderly portenos were accosted on Arenales near Carlos Peligrini (the nicest, if not "posh" section of Retiro)). They were forced into an apartment in a robbery that turned into a homicide (one dead). The chance of being killed in a robbery here are far less than in NYC, but either scenario would not be pleasant. Please, just be careful.

Maybe the chances of getting killed in a robbery are (statistically) less, but what you're describing seems to put NYC in the shade. Seems like BsAs is converging towards Sao Paolo. I expect crime of every sort to increase as an influx of immigrants from Bolivia, Peru, and Paraguay creates an ever-larger and increasingly impoverished and desperate underclass. And I have scant doubt that the current prosperity is being had only by some, while others have to contends with stagnant wages and ever higher prices.