The Baires Insider's Guide

Description:

This art gallery, dedicated to promoting independent thought in Latin American art, showcases the paintings and mixed media work, primarily of local artists. The works convey the feelings and thoughts of the artist, with a variety of themes. The gallery showcases Manuel Ameztoy, whose paintings depict situations that are a departure from reality. In contrast, Eloisa Ballivian's work depicts real life situations which give an insight into a woman's identity in society. Other important artists include Sibyl Cohen, Cristina Schiavi, Max Gomex Canle, Chino Soria, and Manuel Ameztoy.

Our Local Expert Says:

Located just a few blocks from the bustling Plaza Serrano, Nico Alligator is a rare no-frills gallery space that could interest everyone from the art connoisseur to the unknowing wanderer.

Description:

If you manage to get by the pit bull chained near the entrance (he seems to be more bark than bite), you will be pleasantly surprised by the quality of found-object artworks inside this huge, no-frills warehouse, which houses both the artist's studio and exhibition space. From materials such as old pipes, rusted hubcaps, and broken glass, Nico has formed figures that are wonderful positioned together or alone; choose from a twelve-inch dog-walker to a five-foot cupid, complete with bow and arrow. Prices are quite reasonable, but even just browsing is an entertaining event.

Description:

Azema Exotic Bistro has been recognized by Travel and Leisure as one of Buenos Aires' more spirited restaurants contrasting the typical Argentinean steak-and-potatoes routine. Chef Paul Jean Azema's noted bistro combines crisp regional wines with tangy French-Indian seafood and Southeast Asian spices in a classy North African-inspired setting. Azema encourages diners to taste some of the lesser-known Andean white wines, usually overlooked in this strictly malbec region.

Description:

When your usual café and bar routine starts to get a little old, vary the repetition with an evening at Crack-Up, a tiny yet ambitious bookstore/café in hip Palermo Soho. Most books are in Spanish, but the collection of quirky art books and independent travel guides (many bilingual) is impressive, and the ever-present owners are quick to suggest a great read or tasty wine. Check out the events schedule to find out about the variety of happenings, such as live jazz or special fixed-menu dinners.

Description:

Go-go dancers with afros, the drag queen Statue of Liberty, bands of sailors dancing on platforms moving through the crowd, and break dancers decked out in all-gold sweat suits. Guest DJs spin hip-hop while foreigners and locals alike flock here for the one night in the week when fringe counter culture hits the mainstream. The party doesn't get into full swing until around 3am, but come earlier if you want to avoid the line outside that wraps around the corner. Check out the website to get your name added to the list, which can bump you to the front of the line and perhaps get you out of the entrance fee.

Description:

If it's the tango that is your obsession, you definitely must visit La Viruta Tango. This café-cum-bar and nightclub is a livewire. Every night you'll find young clubbers swaying and dancing to the tunes of tango or milonga numbers from the '60s, '70s and '80s. Also, you can register yourself for some classes that are held by professional dancers. Enjoy occasional performances by local bands, and take part in competitions that happen almost every week. If you feel the need to take a break, eat at the restaurant that serves up Italian snacks, wines and a whole lot of vegetarian choices. Then return to burning up the dance-floor!

Our Local Expert Says:

Home has lush gardens around its courtyard pool and is one of the most relaxing respites from the blazing heat in the summer months. Plan to spend a leisurely morning over breakfast in the garden.

Description:

Home Hotel is a hip guesthouse originally constructed as a place to host the friends of the owners. With 14 single and double rooms outfitted in an eclectic mix of vintage and contemporary furnishings, and located on a wide, quiet residential street in Palermo Soho, Home features lively common areas such as the lobby library, cocktail lounge, outdoor barbeque, courtyard garden, heated pool, tapas bar, and full-service spa.

Our Local Expert Says:

The dining area at Freud & Fahler is tiny, so make reservations and beat the set of fashionable (yet hungry) Palermo lunch-breakers.

Description:

Freud & Fahler features a great bargain lunch menu, allowing guests to choose a set-price a la carte combination meal and choose from a variety of tasty and creative soups, pastas, salads, and desserts. This corner restaurant, situated in part of an old, massive warehouse, is tiny, stretching around the central kitchen and seating only about 10 small tables at a time. Contemporary works by local artists cover the walls and ceiling.

Description:

The museum and headquarters of the Pan Club Foundation is what used to be the residence of the late Xul Solar. It houses a permanent exposition of much of his works. The building's architectural layout is outstanding; it was especially designed by Architect Pablo Beitía with the aim of displaying the artist's work. The uneven back yard coincides with the house's old garden, while the interior communicates with the terrace and with the second floor, where Xul used to live. The simple furniture was designed by the artist himself. There is also a piano, some puppets, and an enormous library.

Xul Solar developed a versatile, eccentric personality, of great genius. This personality led him to perform on many disciplines: inventions, chess, astrologically-based tarot, a fuller-sounding piano with 3 rows of textured keys for people with sight impediments, architectural ideas in urbanism and landscaping, and even linguistics by creating the "neocriollo": a humorous mixture of Spanish and Portuguese. He attempted to found pan-universalism as a base in which people of every nation and religion could meet.

His greatest achievement was in painting. In this field he is renowned as predecessor in surrealism in a Latin American reality. With his small, colourful watercolours he uncovered a mysterious world of symbols (represented, for example, by arrows and stairs) and unveiled the path of surreal culture.

Description:

This imposing building decorated with English ceramics, is a palace of pure baroque style. Except the shale which was imported from France, the other elements were shipped from England. Originally this structure was built as a water tower to provide clean, drinking water to the locals after the yellow fever epidemic of 1877. Today it is the headquarters of the water company Aguas Argentinas and also houses a waterworks museum that has hundreds of toilets collected from across the world over the decades. There is also a library containing books and other material on waterworks across the globe.

Description:

Chefs Mariana de Rosa and Flavio Pop have created their own dream-world eatery in Sifones & Dragones, whose slogan states that "it is not a restaurant, but rather a kitchen with tables." With just a few tables and ecletic decor, Sifones & Dragones is an intimate gem of a restaurant and a local favorite of the creative crowd. Choose from the number of tasty a la carte options that include gazpacho, pate, Thai shrimp, mushroom risotto, and gnocchi, among other options. For a romantic evening, Sifones & Dragones is not one to be missed.

Description:

Although Buenos Aires is home to tons of discos and clubs where you can boogie the night away, the music tends to be fairly limited in terms of variety. So when you tire of the standard electronic, techno, and house, enter Zizek, the resident "urban beats" party in BA, albeit on a very irregular basis. Each fiesta features guest DJs and performers churning out an endless stream of reggaeton, hip-hop, dancehall, and cumbia mash-ups like you've never heard. Check them out online for sound clips and to see where they're turning up the beat next.

Description:

This is a locals-only happening nightclub that features something for all music-lovers—either the DJs are spinning high-voltage tracks from rock standards you can groove to, or there are live jam sessions by local artists for the listening pleasure of hard-core rockers. You will find that the crowd is friendly and easy-going, so grab a drink from the bar and get ready for some good times!

Our Local Expert Says:

Home has lush gardens around its courtyard pool and is one of the most relaxing respites from the blazing heat in the summer months. Plan to spend a leisurely morning over breakfast in the garden.

Description:

Home Hotel is a hip guesthouse originally constructed as a place to host the friends of the owners. With 14 single and double rooms outfitted in an eclectic mix of vintage and contemporary furnishings, and located on a wide, quiet residential street in Palermo Soho, Home features lively common areas such as the lobby library, cocktail lounge, outdoor barbeque, courtyard garden, heated pool, tapas bar, and full-service spa.

Description:

Federico Klemm's Foundation exhibits retrospectives and group shows and is active both locally and internationally. With a view to joining the philosophical and aesthetic theories of art, Klemm has set it upon himself to stimulate young talent through announcing different cultural events and activities through his television broadcasts and publications. The foundation has a permanent collection of works including Botero, Rivera, Forner, Picasso and Xul Solar, among others. There is a large space in the back for auctions and seminars. The facilities, lighting and ventilation system are optimum.

Description:

Located inside the Japanese Association of Argentina building, this gem of a restaurant offers traditional Japanese cuisine in a clean, bare dining room off of a main hall. The menu is quite extensive and the sushi is a bargain, as is the sake. Wander farther down the hall to peek into the martial arts classes, or watch some Japanese satellite tv programs. The tables fill up quickly on weekend nights, so call to make a reservation if you want to be sure to hold a spot. Request a menu in English if you have trouble reading Spanish translations of Japanese dishes. Since it's located on a shadowy block in San Telmo in a windowless building, you could easily walk right past the door. Keep your eye out for the huge wooden doors adorned with unimposing Japanese characters.

Description:

Music is the queen at this bar-music shop. This paradise for music fans allows them to listen to any band in computers with headsets while savoring a hot cup of coffee. Its modern aesthetics constitute a unique place. There is a natural garden in the back that features nice little tables under the sky, a perfect setting for warm, starry nights. Indoors, the carefully arranged tables harmonize with the dim light, candles, and selected music. Live music performances are on Fridays and Saturdays from 11:30p.

Our Local Expert Says:

Boquitas Pintadas features an impressive rooftop terrace and small swimming pool, things that are valued (and hard to come by) in any season in Buenos Aires.

Description:

Formerly known as Youkali Kultur Hotel, Boquitas Pintadas is one of the most unique hotels in Buenos Aires. It is an exotic boutique hotel designed by architect Pablo Castoldi. The décor is minimalist and the lines, simple. It has five rooms that are named after classic films. Two terraces, halls, a bar, an art gallery, a library and a restaurant are also within its pristine confines. So, when in Buenos Aires, reserve a room here.

Our Local Expert Says:

Visit on Sundays for a half-off entrance fee.

Description:

Just when you think you've had enough of looking at antiques and crumbling, faded-glory buildings in San Telmo, El Zanjón proposes a refreshing, unusual look back to the past. Enter this historic mansion, built over 150 years ago, through the unassuming entrance on Defensa to inspect the restored house, after which you will be whisked underground into the amazing labyrinth that once contained an arm of the Rio de la Plata, and, later, tenement houses. Artifacts recovered from these passageways are on exhibit both above and below ground, showing the evolution of the city over the past several hundred years.

Description:

This restaurant belongs to the centennial Swedish Association's Club where good and hearty cooking is an old tradition. The casual and quiet atmosphere is ideal for extended after dinner conversation and socializing. Favorite dishes include marinated beef, the chicken with lemon au fricassee, the lamb of chicken with eneldo or the rustic and delicious Swedish yellow pea soup. For something a bit less "ethnic" but equally satisfying you may try the panqueques (crepes) stuffed with smoked salmon or the traditional and tender top sirloin with a side of French fries. If you crave variety, ask about the Smorgasbord buffet which includes 35 dishes with cold and hot dishes, a great variety of fish platters, cold cuts, cheeses, salads and the famous albóndigas (meatballs). Reservations are a must. Credit cards are not accepted.

Description:

Gibraltar is one of the most popular watering holes in San Telmo, drawing an international crowd to this small space for the pool tables, TV screens showing local soccer games, and, oddly, the spicy Indian and Thai-inspired menu. The green curry is a local favorite, as are the cheeseburgers, which tend to be a commodity in Buenos Aires. The good selection of already cheap beers on tap and drinks are half-price during happy hour, which stretches into a healthy 5 hours on week nights. Gibraltar, like most bars in Argentina, accepts cash only, so hit the ATM before showing up.

Description:

647 is a unique space in the Porteño night map, that adds a new concept: the dinner club. Trendy in the main European cities, the dinner club is an integral proposal to dine and share the pre- and after- dinner, within an exclusive, elegant and sophisticated atmosphere; where music, cocktails and gastronomy know how to shine. The restaurant introduces the tailor-made haute cuisine of chef Guillermo Testón, perfectly accented by the crafty cocktails at the swish bar.

Description:

A place for eating and dancing exclusively in the best Brazilian style. On Wednesdays from 10:30pm onwards a fixed menu of Bahian cuisine is available. If you only want to go dancing, the dance floor gets under way at 12:30am. On Fridays and Saturdays you can enjoy live performances of Brazilian music. Also, Lambada and Zouk dancers will teach some basic steps to the public on Fridays at 10pm. and Sundays at 9pm.

Our Local Expert Says:

Boquitas Pintadas features an impressive rooftop terrace and small swimming pool, things that are valued (and hard to come by) in any season in Buenos Aires.

Description:

Formerly known as Youkali Kultur Hotel, Boquitas Pintadas is one of the most unique hotels in Buenos Aires. It is an exotic boutique hotel designed by architect Pablo Castoldi. The décor is minimalist and the lines, simple. It has five rooms that are named after classic films. Two terraces, halls, a bar, an art gallery, a library and a restaurant are also within its pristine confines. So, when in Buenos Aires, reserve a room here.

Our Local Expert Says:

This might be the most authentic "del campo" Argentine experience available (not to mention that leather and silver is cheapest here) within city limits and shouldn't be missed if you have an extra Sunday. The long bus or taxi ride is well worth it.

Description:

This traditional fair located across from the cattle market (Mercado de Hacienda) brings a little countryside to the city. Artisans offer traditional crafts made from silver, wood, textiles and ceramics, as well as regional food like empanadas, tamales, tortas fritas (sweet fried pastry), alfajores and mate cocido, a local infusion. There is also a small music and dance festival and skilled demonstrations of horsemanship and "gaucho." Visitors should try their luck at the game of sapo, climbing a lathered pole. Admission is free.

Description:

'El Gato Negro' is a traditional bar and restaurant playing live music. This place sells not only tea and coffee but also spices. Camila Ferro, the art director of this eatery delights customers with music, dance and food. You will find locals and tourists swarming this place during peak hours. In addition to all this, it provides tango, folklore and various other dance shows. The cuisine is deliciously Argentinian and the wines are also the best!