{"id":352,"date":"2010-05-20T13:06:21","date_gmt":"2010-05-20T20:06:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lisaandtony.com\/?p=352"},"modified":"2010-05-20T13:06:21","modified_gmt":"2010-05-20T20:06:21","slug":"back-to-buenos-aires","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/lisaandtony.com\/travelblog\/2010\/05\/20\/back-to-buenos-aires\/","title":{"rendered":"Back to Buenos Aires"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/lisaandtony.com\/travelblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/BUENOS_AIRES_AEREA1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-457\" title=\"BUENOS_AIRES_AEREA1\" src=\"http:\/\/lisaandtony.com\/travelblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/BUENOS_AIRES_AEREA1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"592\" height=\"394\" \/><\/a>(photo credit: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sipiapa.org\/v4\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SIP-IAPA<\/a>)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Total Miles Traveled: <\/strong>14,773<\/p>\n<p>Since we&#8217;d been on the road for over two months (and stayed in 23 different places), we needed to camp out somewhere to decompress.\u00a0\u00a0 We decided to head to Buenos Aires and find an apartment so that we could experience the city as a resident and use BA as a base to travel elsewhere. After a couple of days of searching, we found a great deal on a 1 BR apartment in a centrally located high-rise on the border of Palermo and Recoleta (at the corner of Guemes and Coronel Diaz).<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a title=\"Our Apartment Building in Palermo by T. Chen, on Flickr\" href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/tony-chen\/4750745071\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4141\/4750745071_d71aefd64e_z.jpg\" alt=\"Our Apartment Building in Palermo\" width=\"480\" height=\"640\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">We had about 4 weeks in Buenos Aires &#8211; so what did we do? \u00a0 We became &#8220;portenos&#8221; (a Buenos Aires citizen)! We did everyday things like going to the supermarket and cooking, making trips to the pharmacy, working out, meeting new people, going to an asado (backyard barbeque) and riding public transportation. \u00a0 It&#8217;s the same kind of feeling you get when you move to a new city &#8211; everything is awesome and stimulating &#8211; before you (maybe) get jaded by big city life.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Here are some tidbits we&#8217;ll remember from our time there:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li> <strong>Stopping the bulge <\/strong>&#8211; Almost every day, we worked out in the building&#8217;s gym and started the <a href=\"http:\/\/hundredpushups.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">100 pushup<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.twohundredsquats.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">200 squat<\/a> challenges (which both have convenient iPhone apps by the way). \u00a0Why, you ask? \u00a0Well, we had packed on more than a few pounds from eating a bit too well (mmm&#8230; steak. mmm raviolis. mmm pizza) and &#8220;tasting&#8221; all the local wines.\u00a0 The pants were starting to feel a wee bit tight (or gasp! not fitting at all). \u00a0We now understand the appeal of &#8220;lose weight fast&#8221; advertisements, but know that they are too good to be true.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Riding buses and subways <\/strong> &#8211; The subway system is easy to navigate, but somewhat inconvenient to getting to some places like the restaurants in Palermo Soho. \u00a0So, you can take taxi (which can get expensive over time, but oh so convenient), or take a bus.\u00a0 But the bus system is MMUUUYY convoluted and you really have to invest in learning it by buying the guide at your local kiosco, learning the bus numbers, and seeing where they go.\u00a0 And you need exact change &#8211; by change we mean coins.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Moneda<\/strong><strong>, por favor<\/strong> &#8211;\u00a0 Portenos say that coins &#8220;moneda&#8221; are more valuable  than bills.\u00a0 We would do a little fist pump any time we got a peso or 0.25 centavo coin as change to use for the laundry machines. \u00a0Small victories!<\/li>\n<li><strong>The canine opera<\/strong> &#8211; Every time an ambulance came through the neighborhood, the local dogs (and there are LOTS of dogs) would start howling in concert because of the sirens.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Doggy doo-doo minefields<\/strong> &#8211; Speaking of dogs, you really had to watch where you stepped when walking around Buenos Aires because lots of owners don&#8217;t pick up after their pets.\u00a0 This was an especially interesting task since it was Autumn and trees were shedding their leaves.\u00a0 Beware the steaming leaf!<\/li>\n<li><strong>Argentines smoke a lot<\/strong> &#8211; Recently, Argentina has started banning smoking indoors at cafes and restaurants (though larger restaurants will have designated smoking rooms).\u00a0 So as a result, many Argentines sit outside.\u00a0 It really doesn&#8217;t matter if it&#8217;s cold or rainy or windy, you will always see tons of people sitting outside. These folks are truly committed to their smoking habit!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>So what else did we do, when we weren&#8217;t avoiding smoke and steaming leaves?\u00a0 Two things &#8211; shop and eat!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Shopping<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>You can find high quality and stylish handbags for a quarter of the  price of LV or Marc Jacobs. \u00a0You just have to get over being a brand whore. \u00a0  For example, check out Charles Calfun: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.charlescalfun.com\/english\/home-eng.htm\">http:\/\/www.charlescalfun.com\/english\/home-eng.htm<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Shoes\/boots &#8211; there are tons of stores!\u00a0 A girl could definitely  feed the addiction in Buenos Aires. \u00a0Guys, just fork over the credit  card. \u00a0Resistance is futile.<\/li>\n<li>Palermo reminds us of New York&#8217;s SoHo district &#8211; lots of boutique  designers and cool stuff. \u00a0But also way overpriced for the quality  you&#8217;re getting. \u00a0Same prices as in NYC.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Dining Out!!! <\/strong>Our number one favorite activity was dining out&#8230; below are some photos from our dining adventures.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a title=\"Ginger Restaurant, Palermo Nuevo, Buenos Aires by T. Chen, on  Flickr\" href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/tony-chen\/4750740285\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4140\/4750740285_8448b25820_z.jpg\" alt=\"Ginger Restaurant, Palermo Nuevo, Buenos Aires\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Argentina has way too many restaurants to mention, but we mostly ate in Palermo SoHo. \u00a0La Cabrera and Cabernet deserve a shoutout.<\/li>\n<li>Wanna learn the Spanish words on a menu?\u00a0 Just watch cooking shows on Argentine TV.\u00a0 They speak more slowly and will repeat the words often.\u00a0 Another option is asking for both an English and Spanish (or &#8216;castellano&#8217;) menu to compare and contrast.<\/li>\n<li>Argentine tap water is OK &#8211; perhaps a bit chlorinated &#8211; but totally fine to drink.\u00a0 Tony and I drank it everyday!\u00a0 But Argentines are muy picky about their water and so tap water is never an option at restaurants; it&#8217;s bottled water only!\u00a0 All will offer great flat water (from Patagonia) or &#8216;agua con gas&#8217; also from Argentina.\u00a0 We loved the agua con gas.\u00a0 For whatever reason,\u00a0 we found the Argentine agua con gas MUCH better than similar waters from other countries.<\/li>\n<li>One interesting thing we learned is that Argentine wine \/ alcohol consumption is on the decline (seriously!).\u00a0\u00a0 In fact, many Argentines don&#8217;t drink wine all that often &#8212;\u00a0 they prefer soft drinks instead.\u00a0 And if they do drink alcohol, the drink of choice seems to be Coke and Fernet.\u00a0 Fernet (if you haven&#8217;t heard of it) is a really nasty tasting &#8216;herbal&#8217; liquor (think <em>J\u00e4germeister)<\/em><\/li>\n<p><strong><br \/>\n<\/strong><a title=\"Entrana with herbed butter, Crizia, Palermo Viejo by T. Chen, on Flickr\" href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/tony-chen\/4750743893\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4077\/4750743893_4fe1d205a1_z.jpg\" alt=\"Entrana with herbed butter, Crizia, Palermo Viejo\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" \/><\/a><\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Meeeeeeaaaaaattttt (warning for Vegetarians)<\/strong>:\u00a0 Argentines eat pretty much every part of the cow and pig. \u00a0 They have cuts of beef and pork that don&#8217;t exist in the US.\u00a0 Our favorite cuts are the following:\n<ul>\n<li>Lomo de pimienta (tenderloin) at La Cabrera &#8211; probably one of the best tenderloin  steaks we&#8217;ve ever had with a black pepper crust. \u00a0We actually went back  to this place twice.<\/li>\n<li>The mollejas (sweetbreads &#8211; or thyroid glands) are also the best &#8211; seriously they are amazing!<\/li>\n<li>Asado (beef ribs) slow cooked over low heat, but not like Texas  beef ribs which are smoked<\/li>\n<li>Entrana (beef hangar steak &#8211; pictured above, with herbed  butter) &#8211; it&#8217;s a tougher cut, but beautifully done by Argentine parillas.<\/li>\n<li>Matambre (rib meat that doesn&#8217;t exist in the US)\u00a0 There is both pork and meat matambre.\u00a0 We especially loved the pork variety with fresh lemon juice. \u00a0Lip smackin&#8217; good.<\/li>\n<li>Chorizo &#8211; the sausages in Argentina beats the BBQ sausages you find  in the southern U.S. \u00a0No joke.<\/li>\n<li>Cordero\u00a0 (lamb) &#8211; slow cooked over the open fire &#8211; still the best is   found in Patagonia, especially Southern Patagonia.<\/li>\n<li>A not so favorite grilled entree:\u00a0<strong> <\/strong>chinchulines (intestines stuffed with a liver pate) &#8211; it feels like you are eating intestines with partially digested food still inside. \u00a0Gross&#8230;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Our next few posts will show a few of our outings in more detail, in the meantime, enjoy some dining out photos:<\/p>\n<p>&#8230; Dinner with Mike, who Tony knows from Yahoo, and Joey, who is Tony&#8217;s family friend&#8230;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a title=\"Dinner with Mike Manning and Joey Lin by T. Chen, on Flickr\" href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/tony-chen\/4751384734\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4120\/4751384734_41f8a4909e_z.jpg\" alt=\"Dinner with Mike Manning and Joey Lin\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; Dinner at La Cabrera Norte with Joey and Heather on our last night in Argentina&#8230;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a title=\"Dinner at La Cabrera, Palermo by T. Chen, on Flickr\" href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/tony-chen\/4751388124\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4136\/4751388124_c7e9d6879e_z.jpg\" alt=\"Dinner at La Cabrera, Palermo\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">And for all you foodies&#8230;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Risotto with Langostines and Mescarpone at Crizia &#8230;<br \/>\n<a title=\"Risotto with Langostines and Mescarpone, Crizia, Palermo Viejo by T. Chen, on Flickr\" href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/tony-chen\/4751387042\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4098\/4751387042_f8280264ce_z.jpg\" alt=\"Risotto with Langostines and Mescarpone, Crizia, Palermo Viejo\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">&#8230; Langostine Raviolis at Cabernet &#8230;<br \/>\n<a title=\"Langostine Raviolis at Cabernet, in Palermo by T. Chen, on Flickr\" href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/tony-chen\/4751384312\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4078\/4751384312_9e21b69b3f.jpg\" alt=\"Langostine Raviolis at Cabernet, in Palermo\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">&#8230; Bife de Chorizo at Ginger Restaurant &#8230;<br \/>\n<a title=\"Bife de Chorizo at Ginger in Palermo Nuevo by T. Chen, on Flickr\" href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/tony-chen\/4750739743\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4074\/4750739743_715101fc6a_z.jpg\" alt=\"Bife de Chorizo at Ginger in Palermo Nuevo\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">And we&#8217;d be remiss if we didn&#8217;t mention tango. \u00a0We went to see a tango band called Cuarteto de Julio Coviello (thanks to Heather who invited us to see this band!!).\u00a0 It&#8217;s a young band and they take a more modern approach to tango music. \u00a0Julio Coviello is the bandoneon (accordion) player you see on the far right in the video below.<\/p>\n<p><object classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" width=\"320\" height=\"400\" codebase=\"http:\/\/download.macromedia.com\/pub\/shockwave\/cabs\/flash\/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"data\" value=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/apps\/video\/stewart.swf?v=71377\" \/><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"intl_lang=en-us&amp;photo_secret=ab9ffb0583&amp;photo_id=4755821758\" \/><param name=\"bgcolor\" value=\"#000000\" \/><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" \/><param name=\"src\" value=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/apps\/video\/stewart.swf?v=71377\" \/><param name=\"allowfullscreen\" value=\"true\" \/><embed type=\"application\/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"320\" height=\"400\" src=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/apps\/video\/stewart.swf?v=71377\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" bgcolor=\"#000000\" flashvars=\"intl_lang=en-us&amp;photo_secret=ab9ffb0583&amp;photo_id=4755821758\" data=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/apps\/video\/stewart.swf?v=71377\"><\/embed><\/object><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">For more photos, check out the slideshow:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/tony-chen\/sets\/72157624272344021\/show\/\">http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/tony-chen\/sets\/72157624272344021\/show\/<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>(photo credit: SIP-IAPA) Total Miles Traveled: 14,773 Since we&#8217;d been on the road for over two months (and stayed in 23 different places), we needed to camp out somewhere to decompress.\u00a0\u00a0 We decided to head to Buenos Aires and find an apartment so that we could experience the city as a resident and use BA [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/lisaandtony.com\/travelblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/352"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/lisaandtony.com\/travelblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/lisaandtony.com\/travelblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/lisaandtony.com\/travelblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/lisaandtony.com\/travelblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=352"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/lisaandtony.com\/travelblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/352\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/lisaandtony.com\/travelblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=352"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/lisaandtony.com\/travelblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=352"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/lisaandtony.com\/travelblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=352"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}