The Travel Chica

Live Simple. Consume Less. Experience More.

Mixing Business and Pleasure (Art and Steak) in BA

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After an amazing stay at the Viñas de Cafayate Wine Resort, I have made my way back to Buenos Aires via a long, yet comfortable overnight bus ride.

As you know, I have returned to this city for work.

Specifically, I am writing a Buenos Aires City Guide for Indie Travel Media.

(Note that if you sign up for my newsletter, you will get updates on big announcements like this sooner.  Just saying.)

I have also come back for pleasure.

Although some of my friends from BA have moved on to new cities, countries, or continents, there are still some people here I know and a few more I’m looking forward to meeting.

So we’ll start with pleasure.

Asado

My first day back, my friend Nigel from 0800 Vinos had an asado.

The asado is such an integral part of the culture here.

I always feel extremely lucky to get the opportunity to go to one.

Good steak, good chorizo, good wine.

Good friends.  Good times.

The next night I did another quintessentially Portena thing.  I went to a parrilla for dinner with friends.

Donca Parrilla

Donca is a new parrilla in Palermo Soho.  The owners are friends of friends, and it’s an intimate, well-decorated space.

Here are some food photo highlights.

Love that they have 4 different types of tasty chimichurris/ salsas.

Argentine restaurants typically offer about 6 types of potatoes as a side dish, but never baked potatoes. I am quite certain the last time I had a baked potato was back in Ohio.

Friends ordered these tasty super-thin fries. Crispy and much better than the usual soggy, flavorless fries you find in Buenos Aires.


Now that I have gotten my fill of steak and wine, it’s time to get down to some work.

There are quite a few tours I heard about when I lived in Buenos Aires for 6 months last year, but at a certain point living in the city, you just settle into a routine and just do most exploring on your own.

Writing this guidebook is a chance to be a tourist in Buenos Aires again.

San Telmo Art Walk

The importance, diversity, and accessibility of art is one of the things I love about Buenos Aires.  The San Telmo Art Walk is a great introduction to the street art and architecture of Buenos Aires, as well as the contemporary art galleries and museums in the neighborhood.

The owner of the company Rick is from the US but has lived in other parts of the world, settling in Buenos Aires for the past few years.  His passion for art and his knowledge of the BA art scene was obvious from the start of the tour.

In addition to having a knowledgeable guide, there are four things that make this tour stand out for me.

Number 1:  You spend a small amount of the tour in some of the grittier parts of San Telmo.

These are areas you probably don’t want to be walking around by yourself, especially if you’re newly-arrived to the city.  Having a guide and being a part of a small group makes you feel safer.

Number 2:  Because of #1, you see graffiti art you probably would never discover on your own.

I certainly didn’t see this stuff during the 6 months I spent here last year.

Number 3: You learn about different graffiti artists.

I have been on the Graffitimundo Bike Tour, which focuses on Palermo, Villa Crespo, and Colegiales barrios.  I loved it.

And what is great about the San Telmo Art Walk is that you are introduced to a lot of different artists. A few of the same names from the northern barrios also have work in San Telmo, but I also learned about many other ones.

Number 4: Lots of great tips for the art scene (and anything else you want to know about BA).

For those who are really into exploring the art of BA (especially contemporary Argentine artists), Rick shares his knowledge of which artists to check out and the local galleries that have some of the best exhibits.  He’ll share anything you want to know:  restaurant tips, bar tips, insights into the culture.

Anything.

So maybe work is pleasure sometimes as well :-)

If you are in BA or planning to visit, go to the San Telmo Art Walk website to make a reservation.  Tours are usually offered Tuesday through Friday afternoons meeting in Plaza Dorrego.

You can also check out Rick’s art blog Juanele AR to read up on the art scene.

Comments

  4. Argentina is a nice place and I agree with you and with people who have been there already.. It is so nice to have a tour there and your photos here are all awesome!
    Kazsandra recently posted..Overcoming Panic Attacks

  5. hey,

    great and awesome photos from your work and your tour.

    it looks like fun and good food and good wine.
    your job is ….. very cool!!!!!!!!
    Enjoy the time in Argentina and i hope, you write more about the country and the people. it“s so interesting.

    best wishes
    henry recently posted..Partnersuche nach Trennung

  6. I am loving your food photography- I’m not even a steak fan but those pics of asado have me drooling! Also, sorry to be really girlie, but I love your dress and earrings in that pic of you!

  10. This chorizo is definitely perfect for me and I am a big fan of it.. Looks delicious and a great place as well..
    Kathryn recently posted..WAVs

  12. Oh wow! BA (just knew this passionate abbreviation from this post of yours :)) seems to have so many interesting things to explore! Actually when I make my way to South America one day, the countries that I’d love to go are Peru, Colombia, Chile, Bolivia and Brazil. But never Argentina, I don’t know why. I think I need to think over it again since Argentina looks interesting as well.
    Bama recently posted..What an Exquisite Deli!

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    Velva recently posted..Velva

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