Buenos Aires, Argentina

Buenos Aires is a huge city with thirteen million people living in the greater metro area.  While it is low on the list of the top 20 largest cities by metropolitan area, most people don’t know that it’s the second largest city in South America (after Sao Paulo).  In many big cities with urban sprawl of this kind people often create enclaves to escape the hustle and bustle of the centro (downtown).  Palermo (like the Sicilian capital) is one of these that stands out for its’ vibrant originality and in your face style quotient.

Savvy travelers have known about Palermo for awhile. It’s the epicenter of red hot BA and it’s not about to cool off any time soon.  Situated adjacent to Recoleta, the most well-known of the BA neighborhoods, there is a plethora of boutique hotels, high-fashion stores, art galleries and great restaurants, not to mention endless bars (restos) and nightclubs (boliches) lining the streets.  It’s enough to fall prey to a self-indulgent lifestyle of shopping, eating and partying.

Although Palermo spreads across a massive cross section of town, it actually has the feel of a real neighborhood with wide tree-lined streets defining a hip Boho barrio (another word from the Latin vocabulary) that’s a welcome retreat from the busy city center (Microcentro). Divided into four distinct neighborhoods: Palermo Soho, Palermo Hollywood, Palermo Viejo and Palermo Chico, it’s home to an eclectic mix of artistas and fashionistas offering up the best of sleek, subliminal Argentine style.  The style nucleus and meeting point of the area is the Plaza Serrano in Palermo Soho, which has an open-air crafts market on the weekends filled with fantastic local art, accessories and young designer fashion.  There’s so much to explore but it’s wise to stretch it out over several days with occasional coffee breaks and nightcaps of Malbec from the country’s many vineyards in Mendoza and other regions.  A fine glass of wine costs as little as $5 U.S. dollars here whereas a very good bottle bought at the market costs a mere $3.

Nowhere in Palermo is the prevailing design aesthetic more pronounced than in the uber-cool boutique hotel scene which is all the rage.  We’re talking minimalist and sexy with the accent on sexy.  Interestingly, many of the hotels’ designers have taken a cue from the leafy avenues in the neighborhood integrating feng shui landscaping into their schemes bringing nature full frontal on rooftop terraces, in garden courtyards and around intimate pool spaces.  Standing out is The Ultra Hotel on Gorriti Street with just 20 designer rooms and an idyllic rooftop pool and terrace while the Soho location of the Esplendor Hotel boasts a fantastic view from its’ rooftop garden.  Widely covered in the media, the Home Hotel blends vintage Scandinavian furniture with ultramodern details that makes quite a statement in their Garden Suite while the Vitrum is a magnificent environment of trendy decor, technology and art.  Over thirty boutique hotels in Palermo alone really put it on the map, making every visitor to Buenos Aires keenly aware of this neighborhood’s convergence of avant-garde design with urban culture and nightlife.

Taking to the streets for some shopping is more than a cheap thrill here, it’s an adventure.  It’s common knowledge that Argentine leather goods are irresistible and here in Palermo you have a pick of the litter. Retailers abound like Muro Guerberg where a custom-made jacket is ready within 48 hours at a fraction of the cost of one bought at Barneys New York for example.  Zapaterias (shoe stores) are everywhere as well and typically there are unbelievable sales at the end of summer in March and April.  As for fashion, BA has its own eccentric style maintaining a strong independence rooted in an almost artisanal tailoring ethic.  Take the precision of the tango and put it in cloth. Talented local designers here are not compelled to replicate the runway looks often creating something distinct rather than following the mainstream.  Fine artists often aspire to surreal heights in their work.  Take Poupee Tessio, an Argentine painter who exhibited recently at Galleria Thames.  Her famous dress series is a bold statement on femininity that transformed the female body into a message, one that still surprises observers because of its’ hiding places and secrets.  The dresses are at once profound but also chic.

All the frenzied shopping and the infamous late dinner hour in BA makes even die-hard locals weary for siesta time and in Palermo one can easily find a place to collect all the data and process it while relaxing.  On a sunny day, people will linger in the cafes sitting comfortably outside for hours, enjoying conversation with friends over a café con leche and a couple of medialunas (Argentine croissants).  Most coffee shops and restaurants offer free Wi-Fi with the promotion of the day that includes coffee, fresh-squeezed orange juice and tostados for 18 pesos (just about $5 U.S.).  American visitors accustomed to vanilla lattes to go from Starbuck’s will need to acclimate to these extended coffee breaks but when they’ve consented to go with the flow the Fitz Bar in Palermo Hollywood is the place to hang.  It’s outfitted in modern French décor and attracts a trendy crowd.  Taking time to reflect, indulging in conversation, and simply enjoying life is one thing we all need to do more of and surely the reason everyone seems so calm here.

For travelers spending some time in Buenos Aires the biggest decision of the day can be whether to enjoy dinner at a traditional parilla or at one of the numerous ethnic restaurants concentrated in Palermo.  La Cabrera is a tourist haven but serves a divine filet.  Las Cabras, a more casual neighborhood parilla in Palermo Hollywood, is always packed with locals proving that Argentinians never tire of their precious commodity.  “However, let me clear the air … Argentina is not all about steak.”  With 60% of the population of Italian descent, pasta is equally worshipped and fresh noquis, raviolis and canelones, can be bought in specialty markets all over the city.  Seafood, although not as abundant, is available in a few sophisticated restaurants such as Meridian 58 in the heart of Palermo Soho, for example, where it is just caught and infused with Mediterranean seasonings.

Porteños, as the Buenos Aires locals are called, have European origins and live life with a zealous and almost poetic passion.  Their insistence on eating later than any other Latin American country attests to their reluctance to let the night end.  Nothing embodies their emotions more than the tango.  To know their tango is to know the heart and soul of these people and every Argentine has an intimate appreciation of it.  In fact, in recent years, there’s been a surge of popularity with mainstream “nuevo tango” bands like Gotan Project & Bajafondo and there are scores of tango bars all over the city.  At La Viruta in Palermo, the venue itself in the basement hall of a community center may not be fancy but the moves certainly are.  With a hectic pace and loud music, the focus of this late night “milonga” is on teaching the seductive skills of the dance and everyone gets the chance after a lesson to practice.  This authentic experience among a mixed crowd of locals and foreigners of all ages will make you feel like you’re ready for your own spot on So You Think You Can Dance.

A stay in Palermo has to have an outdoor component.  Head to Palermo Park for long runs, bike rides, roller blading and romantic strolls.  The park houses a rose garden (El Rosedal), a Japanese garden, the Buenos Aires Zoo, and charming ponds where adventurous types can rent paddleboats and botes (small boats).  Live music is not unusual on the weekends with local bands like Aqualactica, (http://aqualactica.com/) a fusion of ethnic, jazz, rock and chamber music, jamming by the pond on sunny days.

Whether it’s decor, art, fashion, or dining, there is a sense in Buenos Aires that life must be lived stylishly.  Thankfully, a life cloaked in style here can be lived for much less than in other world class cities like New York, London, Paris or Rome … and who doesn’t want to enjoy life this way especially wearing smart Argentine leather?