What do you love about BA?

[YOenBA]

I have as many days of pure frustration and homesickness as the rest of you I'm sure, but some days I am just so in love with this place. Here are some of my random things I love:

1. The public transportation. I refuse to accept too harsh of criticism about the public tranist here. It is comprehensive, affordable, and more or less dependable. Not having a car and being able to take a bus at any time of the day is awesome.
2. Fruit stands. - I actually love that they pretty much only carry what's in season. As long as it's a good fruit stand, everything in there is delicious.
3. Roasted nuts - I know this is super small but I just enjoy the hot roasted nuts being sold around the city.

What are some of your little favorites?

 

[AngelinBA]

1) The smell of the hot roasted nuts in winter (not so keen on the taste, but that smell is wonderful and for me so typical of BA at wintertime.

2) The large quantity of international shows (coming from NZ where big acts don't normally go, there is so much on offer here!)

3) There is something for everyone and at any time. Salsa class? Easy. Books at 12 in the morning? Done.

4) Jacaranda trees in bloom

5) Going out with a group of mates and sharing a litre bottle of beer between 4 - and this being enough for everyone (ie not getting rotten drunk for a good time)

6) Central BA (ie my neighbourhood) on a weekend afternoon - there's nobody round and after the noise and bustle of the week, it's wonderfully quiet.

7) The thunder storms! Always makes me want to go outside and play in the rain.

 

[tangobob]

Tango

The fact that nothing needs to be thrown away,whatever it is someone will repair it.

Tango

You can go down the street and get anything made by guys who care about what they do.

The cheap transportation.

Tango

The utilities that are so cheap, we would consider it free at home.

Oh! and did I mention the Tango. anything up to two dozen places you can dance any night of the week.

 

[callmecarrie]

My favorite thing was and always will be The Kiss - for hello, for goodbye, to strangers, to friends, to people you work with, to people who work for you, to men, to women, to children. I love it!

 

[NoseyParker]

Buying all different flavors ice cream in kilo or bigger polystyrene tubs...

Most people are so friendly and cheerful and often on my morning run will actually wave and speak to me.... Back home most people are too grumpy and miserable.

Parque centenario 6pm ish on a saturday, stalls, children playing, adolescents drumming, couples smooching, old ladies laughing, friends meeting up drinking mate... Such a cool place to chill and people watch.

 

[trennod]

Cheap public transport and good accessibility which means I dont need a car
Nightlife
Accessibility of everything - restaurants, cafes, supermarkets, shopping centres, cinemas, bakeries butchers etc and the fact they always seem to be open!
Gorgeous girls
The ice cream
The wine
The weather (I love the heat in the summer)
The number of parks
The fact there is always something on / something to do (culture, activities etc)
The outside eating culture at restaurants and the fact the weather makes it possible!

 

[mhenna11]

Capusoto, Patricio Rey, the Moreno tren at night (good material if you are artist or writer), critical mass at night, Bomplant market, Gorriti Bicisenda, my students, fall, aloe vera, tai chi in Juremento, achicoria, Pa kau, the lawlessness, the black market that allowed me to sell my kombucha, Amargro (for some reason I like this neighborhood), my friends, the possibilities and impossibilities of this broken place, and if you cry, believe it or not, the people, even the ones that want to get you, will have compassion for you. They know pain and loss here, everyone, and they will do anything to stop you from crying. This is what I will miss when I am gone.
I have a list of things that I won't miss either, but there is enough of that here! jajaja.

 

[Crema Americana]

Despite all the complaints about service... I like how they ask if something is a gift, and if it is, they go through the trouble of taking the price off and wrapping it or putting it in a bag with a box. That's a nice touch which isn't too common in the States aside from upscale boutiques. At mid range department stores in the US they just ball it up and throw it in a bag. I find people to be more friendly and willing to help in stores as well, but of course that varies.

The first time I came I was impressed at how they still use tablecloths and cloth napkins at mid range sit down restaurants... even pizzarias! Of course prices were cheaper back then, so it was even more impressive to get full service at less than $10 a meal.

And being able to afford a cleaning lady is nice... and a personal trainer. Actually most services/classes are very affordable. My husband has taken classes in rowing, kickboxing, shooting, etc and it's all very reasonable.

Honorable mention to alfajores, ice cream, and all the other sweets Argentina has to offer.

The Japanese Gardens are my favorite place in BA. And ah yes, those Jacaranda trees! (I had no idea that's what they were.) I love riding through Palermo past all the parks... you can always tell what season it is by those trees, something I didn't see in South Florida. Actually Palermo itself is quite pretty compared to zona oeste.