What do you like here in BA?

[ssr]

Hey all,

I've been here in Buenos Aires for a while and, frankly, I'm not particularly thrilled by the city. My girlfriend needs to be here and and it's cheap to live here and I can work remotely so, eh, I stick around. But the bland sameness of everything here in BA is really beginning to get to me.

So, what excites you here in BA? I'd particularly like to hear from people from other big cities (I'm from New York myself). If you've got plenty of options but have chosen to live here in Buenos Aires, I'd like to know why.

Also, I haven't spent very much time at all in Gran Buenos Aires. There has to be some cool stuff outside of Capital Federal, no?

I'm looking for the strongest possible recommendations. And it doesn't have to be crazy expensive stuff. Just entertaining or cool or delicious or whatever. Just want to hear what you really like about this place.

Thanks a bunch,


ssr

 

[iStar]

I'm originally from Toronto, what I like about BA is the mix of people from different backgrounds. Similar to Toronto but on a much smaller scale.

There are parts of the city I enjoy more than others such as Palermo Soho/Hollywood because of the unique one of a kind shops, cafes and bars.

The fact that the cost of living here using CAD/USD dollars also helps take the edge off the backwardness at times.

BA isn't my ideal place to live, that would be Barcelona but the EURO makes it nearly impossible.

BA is like any other city in the world, once you spend enough time there some of the "shine" begins to wear-off.

 

[EliA]

It's hard to answer that question without an inkling about what you like to do in New York/in general. But, here's a very general survey of things I like to do.

Food:
If you like to eat good food: Cumana on Rodriguez Pena off Santa Fe
If you like to pay more for food in a beautiful, open air setting: Vietnam or Koh Lanta or Las Cabras or Two Brothers (not as beautiful but open air) in Palermo, or Milion in Recoleta
If you need a good 24 hour restaurant: Plaza Espana on Avda de Mayo (includes free booze!)
If you want something resembling street food: any of the stands in Costanera Sur will serve you a delicious sandwich (I recommend Bondiola al limon) at almost any hour of the day

Daytime:
Walk around or (on weekends) rent a bike and bike through the Costanera Sur ecological reserve; the botanical Gardens in Palermo are beautiful; the observatory is a worthy stop and there's an annual pillow fight in front of it; Chinatown is amusing and bustling on a Sunday; San Telmo's Sunday fair is worth checking out; Plaza Francia's weekend fair is always good for people watching; Mataderos weekend fair is an interesting place to watch local culture and traditional dancing.

Monday nights: La Bomba del Tiempo
Wednesday nights: Hype fiesta or Operatown happy hour
Any other night: there are so many bars and clubs to choose from I can't list them without knowing more of your preferences.

Sports: Futbol and polo tickets are all purchasable day-of and can be had for pretty cheap by US standards. What neighborhood do you live in? Each area has its own small-time futbol league and these are some of the most fun games to watch.

Noche de museos is coming up on November 14 (there are hundreds of museums in the city, some of which offer interesting and random events like the puppet museum's child and adult puppet shows), as are tons of other fun cultural events like the Indian festival November 5-15.

There is also a book available for sale called Buenos Aires Bizarro or something like that which details weird things to do in the city.

If you dig music or theater, stroll down Corrientes and get a monthly schedule from any place that looks interesting.

Or, if you're bored, take a class! Lots of institutes and schools offer one-time or multi-session classes on a whole range of things.

If any of this interests you a simple google search will reveal more information, or you can PM me.

Useful websites:

Restaurant reviews: http://guiaoleo.com/
How to get where you're going (by bus): www.comoviajo.com
Looking for something to do on any given day? http://whatsupbuenosaires.com/wuba2/
Want to see a movie?
http://www.lanacion.com.ar/espectaculos/cartelera-cine/index.asp

This is just the tip of the iceberg. If you look, not that hard, there is ALWAYS something to do.

Now get off your arse and find something to enjoy about this city or you're going to be one depressed fellow in a short amount of time.

 

[ssr]

BA is like any other city in the world, once you spend enough time there some of the "shine" begins to wear-off.

Well, Buenos Aires never had much shine for me to begin with. And do you really find Buenos Aires anywhere near as diverse at Toronto? Any small city in the US (and, I assume, Canada) has a great deal more diversity than Buenos Aires.

I appreciate the response, though. I ought to, perhaps, wander around Palermo a bit more (I do live here) but part of the problem is that, with the exception of a few highlights, there's an awful lot that's carbon-copied in Palermo. The cafes, for the most part, could save money on printing costs by just sharing their menus. I've been to lots of bars and nightclubs (in Palermo and elsewhere) and very few stand out in my mind; the DJs, in particular, are just god-awful here and may as well all just be playing the same CD.

Now, I'm sure I'm missing some cool stuff out there. If anyone's got a great tip or two, please, do share.

 

[ssr]

It's hard to answer that question without an inkling about what you like to do in New York/in general.

EliA, thanks for the lengthy response. I didn't include any specifics in my initial post because I just want to see what people toss out there. Also, I like pretty much everything except for those things I know I don't like. I'm a sampler. If someone tells me about some crazy thing I've never done before, I'll go check it out. I'm always just looking for something new and interesting.

I've been to most of the places on your list but there are a few things you mentioned that I'll definitely check out. And I'm going to keep my eye out for Buenos Aires Bizarro.

Soccer (er, futbol) is definitely one of things on my not-interested list, but is Polo really a cool thing to go watch? A day well spent? I'll have to go check it out. There are Polo fields over by Las Canitas, right? That the place to go?

Thanks again for tips!

 

[cricri58]

"the bland sameness of everything here" yes, on the surface, but Bs As is a "secret city", speaking Spanish is not enough. it takes years to try to understand the city.
No rationality here, Bs as is always unpredictable, showing off for the best or the worst ...
Cheap quality culture (theatres), avoid Palermo Soho

 

[ssr]

...but Bs As is a "secret city"

Well, have some secrets to share?

 

[kikedeolivos]

... There has to be some cool stuff outside of Capital Federal, no?...

Yes, there is.

We have a saying here: La Argentina NO termina en la Av. Gral Paz.

 

[ssr]

Yes, there is.

We have a saying here: La Argentina NO termina en la Av. Gral Paz.

Please, do tell...

 

[citygirl]

Hi to a fellow NYer!

Polo is fantastic and the Argentine Open starts mid-November. Better to buy your tix in advance. Best polo in the world and the party after is great fun. There are 7 days of games.

Things I love about Arg: Travel if you can (Salta, Mendoza, Bariloche, etc). Running (or walking in my case) in the parks in Palermo. Small art galleries. Spending an afternoon in a cafe (no, the food isn't great but it's still lovely to sit outside and know that the waiter will never rush to get you out of there). The sense of neighborhood (the other day, I forgot my wallet and the guy at the kiosko told me to just pay him tomorrow, no worries.) An afternoon at the racetrack on a sunny day. Lunch along the river in San Isidro. Weekends in San Antonio de Areco. Asados with friends in the campo. Jacaranda trees in bloom. Going to the theater.