A more colorful Caminito, without the hordes of tourists

Calle Lanin is beautiful little street in the barrio of Barracas, in the south of Buenos Aires. If you are going to La Boca to see the colorful and historical Caminito street, then you might also consider taking the time to explore some of the neighboring barrio of Barracas, where you will find the quieter, shady, yet extremely colorful Lanin. (Don’t try this at night, it’s not really a safe place for tourists to be after dark). The murals there, created in the year 2000 by local artist Marino Santa Maria (who actually lives on this street), are definitely worth the trip to take a look.

Unfortunately I’m still pretty tight for time at the moment, so probably the most efficient way to give you an idea of what Lanin street is like, and to spare you my boring waffle, is through posting up a few more photos. Click below to see them!

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Note from Alan - Sorry once more for the long time since the last posting on this blog - I’ve been crazily busy for the past couple of months with my Buenos Aires Tours. Until I get some more time free to write something myself, here’s a great post from Kim on the Buenos Aires Zoo to keep you going:

It’s all happening at the zoo…

And it really is! The Buenos Aires Zoo is spectacularly charming for anyone with an afternoon to spare. Located in the heart of Palermo off the Plaza Italia subway stop, the zoo spans the distance between Avenidas Las Heras and Libertador. Home to over 350 species and known for some of its exotic breeding, the zoo is the perfect place for families, a romantic date or an afternoon alone.

On sunny weekends this attraction is packed full of children, which isn’t always entirely different from the weekdays, when many school field trips attend. Nevertheless, the best time to visit the zoo is on a sunny weekday afternoon, when you can lounge in front of the white tiger enclosure or elephant house with few others peering over your shoulder.

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Learn to play the guitar in Buenos Aires!

Occasionally I like to give a shameless plug to one of my friends in Buenos Aires that I think has a service potentially of interest to tourists and expats here. This is one such post.

My friend Cristian is a kick-ass guitar player. I’ve played with him and seen him live before, and both times left me feeling (in true Wayne’s World style) “I am not worthy”. So, I’m sure his lessons will be an excellent option for budding guitarists here in Buenos Aires, who want to learn from an expert musician.

Keep reading for more info (in Cristian’s own words), details and prices…

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[Photo Credit: jmpznz, under this CC licence]

Costanera Sur - a quiet nature reserve just a stone’s throw from the city

The hustle and bustle of the Microcentro are lost in the cooling mood of the only ecological reserve in the city, the Reserva Ecologica Costanera Sur. A stone’s throw away from the trendy, modern Puerto Madero and you find yourself walking along the park’s boardwalk littered with nuzzling couples, parrillas, and more pigeons than you can throw a stick at.

The Costanera Sur’s walkway borders the front of the reserve and from there you can see the greater landscape that opens up into the park. The boardwalk itself is entertaining, with beautiful architecture and sculptures, casual eateries and dozens of pickup games of futbol. Your initial examination of the swampy marshland is only an introduction to the many more birds and interesting views that await you upon entering.

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Just a quick note to let everyone know that, now we’re officially in Spring, I am once again offering private, guided, walking tours of Buenos Aires City Center. These sightseeing tours cover the main attractions in the historical center of the city, such as Plaza de Mayo, Avenida de Mayo, Plaza Congreso, the Casa Rosada, the Cathedral, Cafe Tortoni, and a whole lot more.

CLICK HERE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION AND TOUR BOOKING DETAILS.

Hope to see you soon!

La Milonga de los Consagrados - Useful information

Saturday afternoons 4.30pm-10.30pm; Entrance fee of 10 pesos; Reservations: 15-5892-2056.

Reservations are really necessary unless you attend alone, and then they can squeeze you in someplace. Usually this tango salon is full (more than 300 people) by 8.00pm.

La Milonga de los Consagrados is organized by Enrique “Gordo” Rosich, and although it is officially in the barrio of Constitucion, it would probably be referred to as San Telmo by most (official barrio borders are largely ignored in Buenos Aires).

Same venues, different milongas…

As I pointed out in my overview on Tango in Buenos Aires, even if a milonga is in the same salon as another, each milonga will still have its own character depending on the day of the week, the organizer, the crowd, and if it’s in the afternoon or at night.

Los Consagrados is in the same salon as the famous Nino Bien of Thursday nights (in the wonderful Centro Region Leonesa), but it is a totally different experience. And to my mind, the best afternoon milonga of the week. The fact that it’s held on Saturday afternoons, the traditional “difficult” day for singles, makes it even more of a plus…

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It’s a small world…

So, the other night I was ambling around Retiro with Maya, Tom and Carito at the monthly Gallery Nights event (failing miserably to score any free champagne on this occasion) and coming out of one gallery, I literally bumped into Stefan, one of the guys behind Buenos Aires Insider magazine. I say literally, because it was an actual collision, and just as I turned round to shout obscenities at him, I realized who it was, and instead said “oh, I know you, don’t I?” (I only shout obscenities at people I don’t know. At a safe distance, obviously).

Anyway, Stefan was kind enough to give us some copies of the first edition (September - October) of the magazine, which is currently slated to come out on a bi-monthly basis. After getting my greasy mitts on this beautifully designed, slim, brand spanking new magazine, I can confirm that BA Insider is indeed an excellent little read, with up to date listings and suggestions for great places in Buenos Aires to eat, drink, explore, buy stuff and so on, mixed in with helpful hints and tips for expats living in Buenos Aires.

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[Photo Credit: Paula Holt]

Note from Alan: Hello! We’re back! Sorry for the long break again, but this time the blog will be back for good, with more regular updates. We start off today with a post from a new contributor to the blog, Kim Winternheimer, who has written a great piece on the Feria de San Telmo. Look out for more posts from Kim, and maybe, just maybe, I might even start to write some stuff myself again soon. One more thing, I’ve started giving walking tours of Buenos Aires again, after my recent break. For now, over to Kim…

In case you didn’t know, and you really should…

The Feria de San Telmo is one of the most notable and popular events that takes place in Buenos Aires. Nestled in one of the oldest neighborhoods in Buenos Aires, the San Telmo fair is bustling with unique artisans and antiques every Sunday from 10am to 4pm. Perhaps its greatest qualities, besides the architecturally beautiful neighborhood which it calls home, are its exclusive goods and reliable nature. Never a Sunday will there be without tourists pouring into the cobblestone streets of San Telmo for one of a kind antiques, trinkets, art, tango and delicious food.

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Just a quick note to say that one of my friends has a fantastic apartment for rent in Buenos Aires, in the barrio of Caballito. I’ve been there a couple of times and I can confirm that it really is a stunning apartment [a lot more so than you can tell from the photos, I promise :)]

Here’s the details:

• US$575 per month
• Beautiful 1 bedroom apartment with lots of light
• Awesome, spacious, 65+ meters squared (plus a balcony AND a terrace)
• Two subway lines both very nearby, and lots of bus routes
• Completely equipped with very nice, stylish, modern furniture
• Separate study area.
• Living Room
• Laundry area
• Balcony
• Private rooftop terrace
• Super open layout
• Everything you could want!

To confirm, the asking price is US$575 per month, which can be paid on a month to month basis (or there are possible discounts for longer stays).

The address is Valle 142, in the barrio of Caballito, Buenos Aires.

If you are interested, you can contact Juan on telephone number 15 6491 7389 (from within Buenos Aires) or email jozino@motorpress.com.ar.

[Note from Alan: Sorry for the long gap in posting here at the Buenos Aires Argentina Guide. But let’s not dwell on that for too long, as here’s a brand new post from Tango Cherie - author of our excellent Guide to Tango Salons in Buenos Aires - reviewing Chique, one of her favorite milongas in the city]

Chiqué - Useful Information

Thursday afternoons 4pm-10pm (tango lessons from 2pm - 4pm); Entrance fee of 10 pesos; Reservations on 4201-7199 or 15-6140-7830

Organizer: Julio Auliel / DJ: Dany Borelli - “el mejor DJ de Buenos Aires” (and that’s the truth!)

Tango dancing in an authentic Spanish club

Chiqué is held every Thursday afternoon on the first floor of Casa Galicia, a Spanish club in Congreso (near the city center), and there is an elevator. A Spanish restaurant is on the second floor. The hall consists of a very old wooden dance floor in excellent condition, which is surrounded by tables with tablecloths, women sitting on one side, men on the other, and couples at the end in the traditional manner.

There is a small stage at one end where the DJ does his thing. The other end of the salon has big windows with a balcony. There is no physical bar, but waitresses (Pato and Vivi) take all orders to the kitchen where they are filled by bartender Armando just the same. There is a coat check, and a bathroom attendant. Julio, the organizer, and his wife, Mirta, are always there to welcome their guests. Patrons are expected to order drinks, from bottled water to champagne. Snacks are also available.

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