At the intersection of Avenida Libertador and Avenida Sarmiento in Palermo stands the Monument to the Spaniards. The massive marble sculpture honors the Spanish residents of Buenos Aires. CNS Photo by Athena Lucero.
For the next three months, Jacqueline's e-mails from her new home contained such intriguing descriptions of Buenos Aires that we decided it was time to see it with our own eyes. By late spring (Argentina's fall), we were bound for what I had read is the Paris of South America.
"It is," a friend said. "Only better."
Sure enough, Argentina's capital closely resembles the City of Lights, right down to the aroma of irresistible fresh-baked croissants wafting past my hotel in Palermo each morning.
It felt like Paris, and the overall sense was European. Giant monuments of national heroes stood at intersections of busy avenues. Architecture around the city, modeled after Paris, included baroque, neoclassical and colonial designs. The trendy port area of Puerto Madero mirrored London's Docklands with offices and upscale restaurants occupying redeveloped warehouses. The spoken Spanish has an Italianate accent, and the portenos (residents of Buenos Aires) keep Spanish hours — restaurants don't get busy for dinner until 11 p.m., which brought back memories of our last trip to Madrid.
Buenos Aires has 46 barrios, or neighborhoods. Each is distinct, Jacqueline wrote, which makes them fun to explore. Those of most interest to visitors, however, are Recoleta, Palermo, San Telmo, Puerto Madero, Retiro, Las Canitas, Monserrat and La Boca, where the traveler can find hotels, restaurants, museums, government buildings, shopping and entertainment.
The more we wandered the barrios, the more captivated we were by the friendly, sophisticated and fashionable locals. Even the dogs — purebreds, mind you — are civil. The cafe scene is an extraordinary institution that rivals only Paris as a true cafe society where people gather for hours, whether for business or to socialize with family and friends. The favorable exchange rate (three Argentine pesos to one U.S. dollar) was nice, too. A taxi ride across town cost $4. Our dinner tab, including wine, was $50.
A typical weekday afternoon in Recoleta, the most stylish neighborhood in Buenos Aires, is very cosmopolitan. International flags hang at the Alvear Palace Hotel on Alvear Avenue. CNS Photo by Athena Lucero.
The city's barrios are as varied as its landscape, from the widest street in the world — eight-lane Avenida 9 de Julio, lined with tall office buildings — to the narrow, tree-lined cobblestone streets and village atmosphere of Palermo Viejo. All of them are exuberant, exciting and progressive.
Jacqueline scouted out two styles of lodging for us in very different barrios so we could experience the uniqueness of each.
The elegant Alvear Palace Hotel in Recoleta, the most stylish neighborhood of Buenos Aires and said to best reflect the city's golden years (1880-1920), was a welcome first stop. After traveling through several time zones, the pampering — which has been enjoyed by royalty from around the world since 1932 — was worth it. Designed in classic French style, each guest floor has a butler. It is not every day that a white-gloved attendant pours my morning coffee. I knew I was in good hands, too, when I sneezed in the lobby bar and a gracious staffer offered me a tissue. Known as the finest hotel in South America and designated a historic monument in 2003, the friendly Alvear Palace employees erased the stuffiness that so often defines accommodations of this stature.
Any direction from the hotel led us to cafes, restaurants, museums and exquisite boutiques owned by local designers. We met designer Gabriela de Fernandez at her storefront a few blocks away. Racks of her lovely designs teased our fashion taste buds but delayed our city tour. Her thoughtful staff hurried us off, promising to deliver our purchases to the hotel by the end of the day.
Later we relaxed with a walk through nearby Alvear Square, a popular park where the stark white Basilica of our Lady of Pilar, built in 1716, is the backdrop for busy weekend flea markets and sits adjacent to the famous Recoleta Cemetery, the cornerstone of the Recoleta area. Often compared to the Pere Lachaise Cemetery of Paris, it is the final resting place of the well-to-do and leaders of Argentine history, including Eva Peron.
The last half of our 10-day stay was in Palermo Viejo, a 10-minute taxi ride from Jacqueline's apartment. Our accommodation there was Hotel Home, a charming change of pace. Like the Alvear Palace, it is pure Argentine. Unlike the historic 200-plus-room grande dame, however, it is a 17-room boutique in the hippest neighborhood in the city. True to Home's Web site, the area is "undoubtedly the creative heart and social pulse of Buenos Aires," boasting the largest number of bars and restaurants "to cater to the dynamic crowd of fashionistas, interior designers and media moguls."
Popular parrilla restaurants in Buenos Aires serve up asado meals where just about every cut of meat is grilled to savory perfection. It is customary for Argentine families to gather every weekend for delicious feasts. CNS Photo by Athena Lucero.
Small in size but big in offerings, husband-and-wife owners Tim Rixton and Patricia O'Shea did it right when their honeymoon brainstorm became a reality in December 2005. An intimate oasis in the neighborhood where Patricia grew up (Tim is British, they met in Ireland), Home's interior decor is an eclectic collection of retro furnishings, vintage French wallpaper and indigenous wool rugs. The unexpected pool garden creates a lush and peaceful atmosphere for its Resto Bar, which draws a local following for late-afternoon drinks and outstanding small dishes from a menu that rivals Los Angeles' best restaurants.
During the last decade the influx of the "cool set" — fashion designers, artists, musicians, media and chefs — has injected dynamism into Palermo Viejo. This new vitality resulted in many reidentifying the area as Palermo Hollywood or Palermo Soho.
The greater Palermo area is home to the largest park in Buenos Aires, the zoo, planetarium, botanical gardens, racetrack and polo grounds as well as art galleries and theaters. Our horse-drawn carriage provided a romantic perspective from which to view these attractions.
A book I purchased in Recoleta gave me insightful appreciation for Argentina's exquisite beef, one of the country's top agricultural commodities since Spanish explorers brought wild cattle to South America during the 16th century. The legendary gauchos, the "wanderers of the pampas (countryside)," are to thank for the asado (grill) style of cooking beef to juicy perfection. During their early history, gauchos roamed the land taming wild horses and cattle. They survived mainly on the meat of the cow cooked over giant fire pits.
Today, Argentines still honor this communal tradition of parrilla. On weekend afternoons, Jacqueline says, it's customary to see huge families gather at local restaurants that serve a bountiful asado.
At popular Alvear Park in Recoleta, dogs await the return of their dog walker. The Basilica of our Lady of Pilar (built in 1716) is a peaceful backdrop. Each Saturday, the park transforms into a busy flea market. CNS Photo by Athena Lucero.
Just as Buenos Aires beckoned Europeans from the Old World centuries ago, it enchants adventurers from around the globe today. Like the magic of Paris, the lure, I'm convinced, is in its soul.
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