BA Insider Magazine - Issue 2

What’s Inside Eat!

See!

03 Lunch al Aire Libre

30 Flowers and Trees

Sip!

Buy!

05 Expat Sipping Schedule

34 Santa by 747: Presents for Home

Get!

Go! 08 Barrio Once 14 Life’s a Beach: Get to the Coast 18 Walk in the Woods:

36 Parcel Logic: Sending and Receiving 38 Waxing Lyrical

the Ecological Reserve

Ape!

Out!

40 Festive Foods

20 Musical Movidas:

Ojo!

Behind the Scenes 23 How to Have a Feliz Año Nuevo!

48 The Yogurt Toss & Other Scams

Do! 24 Splashing Out 26 Moist Mayhem in Zona Norte 28 Saddle Up: Biking in BA

Staff Publishers Stefan Bielski Graham Hatch Editor David Labi editorial@bainsidermag.com Assistant Editor Hannah Shanks Advertising Sales Manager Marc Nieto ventas@bainsidermag.com Advertising Sales Sarah Braun, Alison Marra

Regulars 42 Community - Embassies 44 7 days Outside 46 Calendar DEC-JAN

Art Director Estefanía Giandinoto

Celeste Leeuwenburg, Gabriel Reich, Ian Spink

Additional Graphics Andrew Knox, Laura Nowydwor

Cover Photo Manuel Archain

Web Guru Kamani Yanez

Cover Girl Anna Fedullo, courtesy of: www.civilesmanagement.net

Writers Marcelo Ballve, Lucy Cousins, Mara Duer, Caroline Frauman, Sasha Ingber, Alexandra Lazar, Mariana Mazer, Molly Malone, Rachel Morison, Clare Nisbet, Gabriel Reich, Gabriela Widmer Illustrators Ana Carucci, Fernando R. Vilela Photographers Manuel Archain, Christian Denes,

Warm hugs of gratitude to: Ismay Atkins, Will Carr, Oscar Gallo, Jane Hallisey, Magdalena Nadar And a belated one to: Faith Marden

Distribution: RB&M, 4301-3315 Santo Domingo 2618 Printer: Casano Gráfica, 42495562 Ministro Brin 3932 Remedios De Escalada, BsAs

Issue 2 . BA Insider . 1

EDITORIAL ISSUE 2 GET OUTSIDE! As you pass the elaborate façades and carved doors of Buenos Aires you are hardly aware that behind them stretch patios and terraces opening it out on another level. Plastic swimming pools on roof terraces amid large-scale construction: the outdoor spaces are saturated in the sensation of being in a big city.

In our second issue we have focussed on things to do al aire libre, among the spectacular flowers of the season. Argentines are natural congregators, and wherever there is a whiff of an event, there will be masses of people eating choripans and chatting. But we have provided some options for quieter outdoor experiences as well.

As we approach the summer months, the city has traditionally organized a program of outdoor parties and festivals. At the time of going to print we are waiting for the new city mayor to take the reins, and none of these plans are certain. So keep checking online at the sites we have included to keep abreast.

Thanks to everyone who sent feedback on issue 1.

Even porteños seem to have found at least something useful in its pages, and we hope to provide even more tools, tips and strategies in this one.

Everyone at BA Insider is striving to produce a truly useful, editorially independent guide to better (and easier) living. If you want to comment or contribute, or just declare your undying love, please get in touch. editorial@bainsidemag.com

oto final!!!

2 . BA Insider . Issue 2

Edition No 1 Vol. 2 (December/January).

Copyright 2007 Insider SRL Directors Graham Hatch and Stefan Bielski. BA Insider Magazine is published bimonthly by Insider SRL. Edición Nro. 1 Vol. 2 (Diciembre/Enero) Copyright 2007 Insider SRL Directores Graham Hatch y Stefan Bielski.

Propietario: Insider SRL Perón 1685, 5ºA, Buenos Aires, Capital Federal, Argentina +54 11 5917-8236

Eat! Al Aire Libre

By Hannah Shanks

Get outside for your midday meal!

‘Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun.’ If you are either of those, you might consider our options below for lunching in the patios, gardens and terraces of the city. If you’re neither, ask for a seat in the shade.

-> La Rosalía San Telmo Eat traditional parrilla fare here in the lush trellised garden, along with some wine from their extensive cellar.

Estados Unidos 482 | 4361-6887 | www.larosalia.com.ar | Daily 9am-12am | Major cards | AR$35

*Average price per person at the end of each listing.

-> El Claustro (Sta. Catalina) Centro An isle of calm in the urban chaos, this former convent offers Argentine specialties alongside uncommon fare like sesamebreaded camembert. Lunch in the peaceful garden between white adobe cloister walls.

San Martín 705 | 4312-0235 | www.santacatalina.org.ar | Mon-Fri 12:30-4pm | Major cards | AR$25

-> Roxie Diner

-> Croque Madame

Costanera Hamburgers, onion rings and milkshakes complete the classic 1950s U.S. diner experience. Chow down in the ample outdoor space, and then head next door for carting, golfing or an expo.

Barrio Norte This winsome little place is inside the Museo de Arte Decorativo. Naturally, you should try the signature croque madame of ham, gruyère cheese, poached egg and toast by the pond on the outside terrace.

Rafael Obligado & Salguero | 4805-0655 | www.americandiner.com.ar | Daily, lunch and dinner | Major cards | AR$25

Libertador 1902 | 4806-8639 | www.croquemadame.com.ar | Mon-Sun 10am-12am | Major cards | AR$35

Issue 2 . BA Insider . 3

Get outside for your midday meal!

Milion Recoleta This converted mansion boasts a happening night-time vibe, and a gorgeous garden for a day-time visit. Order their executive menu, including a starter, main dish and dessert with a glass of wine, and relax in the shade of the níspero (medlar) tree, among aromas of jasmine.

Paraná 1048 | 4815-9925 | www.milion. com.ar | Mon-Fri only for lunch | Major cards AR$30

-> Jardín Japonés Palermo Chico Dine overlooking the sculpted gardens. The cafeteria-style restaurant also has two traditional Japanese booths you can reserve, to dine shoeless on tatamis. Excellent sushi, and super-fresh fish.

Casares 2966 | 4800-1322 | www.jardinjapones.org.ar | Wed-Mon lunch & dinner | Major cards | AR$45

-> Club de Pescadores Costanera Norte The noise from the neighboring Aeroparque airport can drown out conversation as you’re lunching at the club’s restaurant. But as this 1937 building, recently declared a national monument, is one of the few places looking directly out onto the estuary, it’s worth packing your earplugs.

Obligado and Sarmiento | 4773-2216 | www. club-pescadores.com.ar | Tue-Sat lunch & dinner, Sun lunch | Major cards | AR$60

-> La Ventola Martínez You’ll be forgiven for eschewing the nautically themed interior of this restaurant in favor of the river-view from their outdoor tables. Have a seafood lunch here on your way along the Tren de la Costa – see page 26 for more Zona Norte activities.

Elcano 1700 | 4793-5364 | www.laventolarestobar.com.ar | Tue-Sun all day | Major cards | AR$35

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D.I.Y. Picnic Provisions -> Granix Centro This vegetarian paradise is quite claustrophobic inside, but its fabulous hot and cold veggie buffet is cheap by the kilo to take away. Eat it in nearby Plaza de Mayo while carnivorous locals walk by.

Florida 165, 1st floor in shopping center | 43434020 | Mon-Fri 11:30am-5:30pm | AR$10

-> Al Queso, Queso Various Stop in to make a custom sandwich with delicious fiambres (they even have turkey), and pretty much every cheese you can imagine, among other deli fare. Tubs of Haagen Dazs are sold for a good picnic dessert option.

0800-555-78376 | www.alquesoqueso.com | Daily, lunch and dinner | Cash only | AR$15

-> Fleur de Sel Recoleta This swanky gourmet boutique sells highclass ingredients such as French cheeses, pâté, quiches, and cherry-picked wines. Try the excellent Malbec jam and Valle Verde smoked goodies from Patagonia.

Arenales 1721| 4811-6705 | www.fleurdesel. com.ar | Daily | Major cards | AR$15

For perfect picnic locations – see trees and flowers page 30 and the Reserva Ecológica page 18!

Expat Sip! An Sipping Schedule

Round-the-clock boozing is not really part of the porte単o culture. So where can you go to drink with impunity at inappropriate hours? Pickled Insider Marcelo Ballve supplies you with his sipping schedule to weather those long, dry hours.

12pm-2pm Martini Lunches The elegant and comfortable bars and restaurants at the Marriot Plaza Hotel (4318 3000, Florida 1005) and the Caesar Park (48191100, Posadas 1232) can set you up with your midday drink fix, shaken or stirred.

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2pm-6pm Afternoon Tipples For porteños, the afternoon is for caffeine, not alcohol. But don’t be shy: a pm beer in summer is not looked down upon at any café or restobar. As a bonus, some cafés deliver tin dishes piled with salty snacks (if the chips aren’t stale, the place is a keeper). Some bars and pubs open from midday onwards for something stiffer.

Two sure bets are Sullivan’s at Borges 1702, Palermo (offering michelada, a hard-to-find Mexican beer-based drink), and old favorite the Alamo Bar (4813-7324, Uruguay 1175) in Recoleta. A good way to refresh yourself in the microcentro is with a chopp of draft beer at the Florida Garden café (Florida 899). Drink it at the bar among the coffee slurpers and be on your way. For more vitamin C, try the draft apple cider (sidra tirada) at Hipopótamo (4300-8450, Brasil 401) in San Telmo.

6pm-9pm Aperitifs Forget happy hours crowded with office guys prolonging their water cooler talk. The classic aperitif experience is at Pink Gin (Riobamba 1173) in Recoleta. Though frequented by a stodgy older clientele it is a great place to begin a night. The atmosphere is plush: dim lighting and deep leather-seated booths. Don’t order drinks considered exotic over here, like a bloody mary. Stick to local standards like a negroni (gin, campari, red vermouth) and you won’t be disappointed.

The drinks aren’t cheap, but come with a huge spread of finger sandwiches and other hors d’oeuvres. It’s a good way to calm your stomach while waiting for the dinner bell, and a fairly convenient pit stop just off Santa Fé if you’re crossing town. For another Recoleta old-school spot, try Las Delicias on Quintana 380, notable for a very generous pour and a fine Fernet and coke. The scene at the new Home Hotel’s poolside bar in Palermo is also promising; see the weekly calendar on page 42 for more details.

9pm-11pm Liquid suppers Upscale Vietnamese restaurant Green Bamboo (4775-7050, Costa Rica 5802) in Palermo has a masterful bartender, a handful of bar stools, and a wonderful selection of signature concoctions (green grass, purple geisha). Ideal for those who like to order a few appetizers and plow through the drinks menu. Ølsen (4776-7677, Gorriti 5870) is a classic for the liquid supper. The drinks are made by such an able hand you may forget solid food altogether.

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11pm-2am Post-Prandial Cocktails Is it de rigeur in Buenos Aires to fill a puny glass with two ice cubes and a couple of fingers of Albanian vodka– and a can of Red Bull to go with it? Here are some post-dinner spots with knowledgeable, friendly and serious bartenders: Diamante in Palermo (4831-5735, Malabia 1688), Soul Bar in Las Cañitas (Baez 246), and the new Achtung in San Telmo (Estados Unidos between Bolívar and Perú).

2am-? Early Morning Booze On weekends most places are open pretty late anyway, though some charge cover (with a drink). On weeknights Bangalore will serve you up a house ale or jug of gin and tonic (Humboldt 1416), while Kim y Novak (Godoy Cruz and Güemes) is always filled with camp underground frolics and well-made cocktails - both are in Palermo.

If home and your local kiosco’s illegal 24-hour delivery service is still not attractive, every neighborhood has one or two 24-hour burger joints, notable for their garish paint jobs and crudely designed logos. One franchise is called Pancho 95. They all sell cold tall-boys of beer, which you can take with you. And eat a pancho or paty too after following this sipping schedule, your blood-sugar level probably demands it.

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Go! Barrio Once Anyone who claims that Buenos Aires lacks diversity should get acquainted with Once: a bustling barrio crowded with textile shops, specialty businesses and wholesale garments. You can find almost anything you need – and plenty you don’t – at very low prices. But don’t just shop here; eat, drink and absorb the street life of an area in which the city’s cultural minorities live together in deafening harmony. Mara Duer and Alexandra Lazar bring you the Insider perspective.

Welcome to Once Technically part of barrio Balvanera, this neighborhood acquired its name from train station Once de Septiembre (Plaza Miserere), which commemorates Buenos Aires’ 1852 rebellion against the federal government. Though recent history has seen the area setting to two of the city’s biggest tragedies – the 1994 bombing of Jewish center AMIA, and the 2004 fire in nightclub República Cromagnon – Once is as irrepressibly full of life as ever.

Many culturally disparate communities contribute to the kaleidoscope. Jewish immigrants first arrived in the 1870s, with many more flooding in after World War II, and the 1980s and 90s saw an influx of Bolivians and Peruvians when Argentina was the dollar paradise of Latin America. It also provided the perfect stopover for many Koreans saving money en route to the USA. The Once shops are typically the domain of Jews, Armenians and Koreans, but the streets are 100% Latin America: think chipa paraguayo (Paraguayan cheese bread), cumbia music and bootlegged Playstation games sold by micro-businessmen carrying their stock stuffed into jacket pockets.

Get!

Real Estate

For those keen on living close to the center in a neighborhood full of buses, trains and subways with an array of international food and cheaper services, Once could be worth a closer look. The cheapest locations 8 . BA Insider . Issue 2

are from Av. Rivadavia to Av. Belgrano; but the location here is less accessible and even dangerous, especially around Plaza Miserere. A few streets away, however, it’s a different world. Ideal to buy or rent is between Rivadavia and Córdoba, where historical buildings abound, with tall ceilings and secret gardens, terraces and patios. An apartment with one bedroom and a living room (dos ambientes) can be rented from AR$500–800, but this would be for a minimum of two years, unfurnished and usually only if you can find a local guarantor in Capital Federal. You can find one or two-bed apartments to buy from around US$60,000 to US$90,000. Without a guarantee, temporary rental figures tend to be similar to those in Palermo and San Telmo, though groceries and other local expenses are cheaper. However, note that Once isn’t the most pleasant area to walk around; it can be dirty and badly lit at night. The new H-line of the subte now links Once directly with Retiro, Barrio Norte and the Zona Sur, which could affect housing prices in the future.

Jewish Once From the first Jewish immigration to Buenos Aires, Once has been the focus of one of the largest Jewish populations in the world.

Though many non-orthodox Jews have moved on to other barrios, a strong presence can still be felt among Once’s synagogues, schools, markets and restaurants.

In 1994 the building of the Asociación Mutua Israelita-Argentina (AMIA) was bombed, killing 85 and injuring hundreds more. The

building (Pasteur 633) has been rebuilt and is surrounded by dense crowds every year on July 18, the anniversary of the terrorist attack. Walk down Pasteur from Tucumán to Córdoba to see trees dedicated to each of the victims. Security measures were tightened in the aftermath, so take a passport and phone ahead to visit any religious or cultural establishments, including the AMIA building itself (www.amia.org.ar). One of the oldest synagogues in Argentina, El Gran Templo Paso, built in 1929, has been declared part of the city’s heritage. In addition to traditional religious activities, the temple has performances by the Jewish Tango Orchestra, courses in Yiddish, Torah study and conferences, at Paso 423 (www. grantemplopaso.org.ar). And of course no Jewish presence would exist without food; see EAT! to find out more.

Eat! The floral print décor at Bi Won (Junín 548), resembling your great aunt’s kitchen circa 1988, won’t distract you from the delicious Korean food. Meals come with kimchi (fermented vegetable dish), along with small dishes like sautéed tofu, fried fish, spiced cabbage and baked seaweed chips sprinkled with sugar. Sharing is recommended.

Nihonbashi (Moreno 2095) is an authentic Japanese restaurant offering plenty besides the huge boats of sushi, such as shabu shabu (thinly sliced beef cooked in a pot at the table), made with Argentine-

Japanese cow breed Wagyu. Try to reserve the Tatami Room. Flavors from the Peruvian community can be found at Sabor Norteño (La Rioja 186), in the remarkable ceviche mixto, containing shrimp, crab, squid, mussels and clams. Check www.sabornorteno. com.ar for details of live music on weekends.

Club Oriente (Gral. J D Perón 1878, 43717151), located in a Sephardi community center, offers all you can eat (tenedor libre) on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for AR$30.

Book ahead to sample Middle Eastern favorites such as tabouleh, mamoul, hummus, babaganoush and baklava. Around Tucumán and Paso are Jewish delis, supermarkets, bakeries and restaurants. For traditional Argentine food, but kosher, head to Mama Jacinta (Tucumán 2580). Kokush (Tucumán 2663), a family-owned panadería with a few tables, sells fresh challah (traditional Jewish bread) alongside their medialunas on Thursdays and Fridays. One block towards Córdoba find La Quesería Kasher (Viamonte 2438), a market packed with kosher goodies from pickles and pretzels to matzo ball mix. Imported Israeli products are also in stock, along with frozen falafel.

Carne Kasher Chamen (Ecuador 742) is another solid option for kosher meat – just ask for Alberto.

Beto’s cafe, Tucumán 2409, is the place for a cheap, delicious and quintessentially local lunch. Whatever it might be, their plato del día is always the best bet, at about AR$9.

Issue 2 . BA Insider . 9

The Ultimate Once Shopping Directory

Sip! For daytime sipping, sample one of the finest cappuccinos around at the Café Pinon, next to the Hebraica center (see DO!) on Sarmiento and Uriburu.

Red lights, velvet and classic porteño food and drink can be found all through the night at Bellagamba (Rivadavia 2183) – always hopping to a local crowd. Despite claiming to be 24/7, it sometimes shuts with no warning. How Argentine.

Out! In 2004 a fire in Once nightclub República Cromagnon killed 194 and injured more than 700. New government safety regulations were brought in and many bars and clubs in the city were closed down. Once was left bereft of some of its classic haunts. However, cumbia fans can indulge their filthy habit at Fantástico Bailable (Av. Rivadavia 3475): arrive before 1am to pay a fraction of the cover charge. Fantástico is like an enormous neon-lit spaceship, selling 10 . BA Insider . Issue 2

beer in three-quarter-liter cups and gallons of fernet. www.fantasticodeonce.com Angel’s Disco (Viamonte 2168) is perhaps the most ethnically diverse gay club in the city. Multi-level and packed with Peruvian, Paraguayan, and Bolivian locals, witness transvestites dancing to Latin and electronic beats till dawn. Saturday is mayhem, with hour-long waits after 1:30am. Entrance is AR$10 with two drinks or AR$15 with three. www.discoangels.com.ar

Ojo! Take care walking around Once at night, especially in the area around Plaza Miserere, which is frequented by prostitutes and drug dealers.

Buy! They say you can buy anything in Once, and at half price. Every block has a specialty, so it pays to know where you’re going. The Insider braved the bustling streets to provide you with the definitive Once shopping map (above).

For the best deal, remember these rules: • Haggle. Especially if you are buying more than one item. In Once this is part of the accepted law of commerce.

•Compare prices. Plenty of shops have the same products a different prices.

• Ask before entering! If it’s wholesale (por mayor), they won’t sell by item.

Ojo! For shopping in peace, walk ten blocks to Abasto shopping center (Corrientes 3200). Otherwise wear comfortable shoes and be prepared for an intense experience in Once!

The Ultimate Once Shopping Directory For one-season clothes, try between Mitre and Rivadavia, from Pueyrredón to Larrea.

Expect rock-bottom prices but lower quality. The galerías (arcades) around Paso and Corrientes stock high-quality clothes, e.g: - Micorazón, Lavalle 2603 (corner Paso) - Accesorias X-T, Paso 530 - Bubba, Tucumán 2602 (corner Paso) - Épica, Paso 572 - Akita, Paso 542 - Kaizia, Asian clothes, Paso 482 Clothes for children and babies (by block) - Castelli 300 - Corrientes 2500 and 2600 - Larrea 300 - Sarmiento 2600 Electronics (by block) Most products are from China and very cheap, but with no guarantees or returns.

- Sarmiento 2300 and 2400 - Pasteur 500 DVDs and videos (by block) - Junín 500 and 600 - Lavalle 1900 and 2000 Accessories (accesorios) specialize in making jewelery and selling precious stones, chains, beads, etc. Find them on Lavalle, between Pasteur and Tucumán, e.g: - Nº1 Componentes, Lavalle 2202; other branch Lavalle 2199 Issue 2 . BA Insider . 11

Party supplies (cotillón), including masks and costumes, carnival equipment and decorations, are mostly on Lavalle from 23002400, but there are more all the way from Pasteur to Pueyrredón.

- Ticoral. Lavalle 2328 www.ticoexpress.com.ar Haberdashery (mercería) - Arirang, Lavalle 2561, classic tailoring - Lavalle 2646, button specialists - Lavalle 2611, for fine dresses You might not find a spouse, but all other wedding needs can be resolved on Pasteur (between Corrientes and Lavalle). Of shops selling gifts, flowers and cards, one of the biggest is Rub-ly (Uriburu 469). For souvenirs try pretty Neshama (Lavalle 2223).

Do! Local services include social club Sociedad Hebraica (Sarmiento 2233, 4952-5886) with a swimming pool, theatre, public library with internet and activities from yoga to Jewish dance (rikudim). It’s a Jewish club, but open to all (www.hebraica.org.ar). The Guesher Sephardi community center (see Club Oriente in EAT!) offers tango classes and other activities (www.guesher.org.ar).

Fabric of two kinds – couture and upholstery – spills out of shops on Azcuénaga between Corrientes and Lavalle.

Add Professional Balloon Artist to your CV, after a course in globología (balloon modeling) at Globos Tuky (Pasteur 549). If you can’t wait, then commission them to balloonify any event, send a PBA to your party, or even print balloons with the face of your lover to hold up when you are waiting at the airport (just an idea...).

4952-9267, cursos@globostuky.com.ar, www.globostuky.com.ar

Missed your kid’s birthday? Go to Gema, Azcuénaga 677, and assemble a unique doll from random parts. Missed your dad/ husband’s birthday? Wigs can be made to measure at Pasteur 500-600.

Lanas de la Patagonia (Pasteur 609) run loom weaving (telar) courses.

4952-8089 lanasdelapatagonia@yahoo.com.ar

Most shops on Tucumán are wholesale fabric shops, with a few retail options mixed in. The pick of the block is Largamarsino (Tucumán 2435), a milliner making fabulous handmade hats to order for 100 years.

Río Azul del Cairo (Tucumán 2305) will sort you out with belly-dancing courses, and sell you everything you could possibly need for Arabian dance. 4953-1515 www.rioazuldelcairo.com.ar 6

12 . BA Insider . Issue 2

Should I Stay Or Should I Go Now?

*Useful Phone Numbers:

Still here?

Last minute

911: General emergency

holidays Cooling off in the city Fresh fish Feeling yellow?

A tour along the

H-line Is it a crime to swig fernet in the middle of 9 de Julio?

Carnival City.

MAKE SURE YOU GET INSIDER #3!

Subscribe now.

101: Police 107: Ambulance Mastercard: Peru 143, Tel: 4348-7000/70

American Express: Arenales 707, Tel: 4312-1661

Diners: P. Pueyrred贸n 2989, Villa Adelina, Tel: 0-810-444-2484

Visa: Corrientes 1437, Tel: 4379-3400 or to cancel, collect call +44 20 7937 8091.

Behind Closed Doors like canteen format. This means that even a medium-size party can all sit facing the open kitchen space, to watch the community of chefs chop parsley and arrange the immaculate presentation of your dishes, while you munch on wonderful bread and creative dips.

Providencia

The dishes change daily, but expect some kind of delicious vegetarian curry with cracked wheat and sesame chutney, a stirfry (salteadito), or a colourful polenta concoction, among other healthy options. The big main dishes cost around AR$17. Drinks are cheap at AR$3 for a homemade lemonade or porr贸n of Warsteiner, and the excellent coffee makes a perfect finish.

Perhaps the orangeness of this door denotes some kind of affiliation with Buddhism, because once you are inside among the seeds, grains and wholesome surroundings of this vegetarian restaurant and bakery you will feel a certain herbivorous Zen descend upon you.

But perhaps the best part is that you can buy wholegrain bread to take away with you.

The restaurant is moving to a nearby location at the end of the year, call 4772-8507 for reservations, and to find out exactly where it is...

This ample, airy warehouse in Palermo Hollywood has tables arranged in a bench-

Open Mon-Fri 12:30-4pm and 9pm-12am, Sat 12:30-4pm. Cash only.

Issue 2 . BA Insider . 13

a Go! Life’s Beach If you find yourself wading in the fountains at 9 de Julio or building dust castles in the Plaza de Mayo, maybe it’s time to find a beach. Here are a few alternatives to Mar del Plata and Punta del Este.

Gabriel Reich

LA COSTA DEL URUGUAY One week + Beyond ultra-trendy Punta del Este, whose astronomical prices are only matched by the quantity of people you’ll find there, a drastically different beach experience is offered along Uruguay’s Atlantic coast. Whole villages on the beach offer tranquility and the ideal climate for a alternative holiday, beachhopping towards the Brazilian border.

Still rather undeveloped and only recently equipped with electricity, Valizas is a small settlement by the mouth of the tributary of the same name. Pitches cost no more than a couple of dollars at campsites meters from the white sand beach. The village itself is little more than an area of grass with wooden huts and houses, for rent from US$15 a night (for 2+ people). The people who live there are young families and hippies, who take pride in their natural lifestyle. At a few little restaurants you can eat fish that might not be cheap, but is as fresh as they come. The beach at Valizas has large dunes ideal for

14 . BA Insider . Issue 2

sandboarding, and the transparent water contains several shipwrecks of interest to divers, though you have to bring your own equipment for both activities. During the summer, bands play at small bars on the beach. On moonless summer nights, it’s common to see locals fishing encandilada: shining a light into the water to mesmerize their prey.

One hour’s walk east through the enormous dunes, the next settlement is preceded by an awful rotting stench.

Here on the beach is an area where sea lions come to die. Birds pick at their eyes, and soon nothing is left but a decapitated corpse: a powerful, fascinating sight. Continue to the village to spot some living specimens.

Without electricity, gas or phones, Cabo Polonio preserves its rustic origins. Its small population is spread over this wide point, graced with a lighthouse and facing three islands where you can glimpse living sea lions, with heads attached. The village has a few little restaurants serving more sea produce, and a variety of camping spots and cabins for hire. At night the lack of

electricity, except in a couple of locations with private generators, causes a mass lighting of candles with a magical, otherworldly effect. One bar, run by a blind man, is a crepuscular plant-filled cave, with little halos of light at each table. And without any light pollution, Cabo Polonio offers a startling panorama of stars.

A further climb up the coast is Punta del Diablo (Devil’s Point), another fishing port that each year attracts more visitors to its quiet, unspoiled beaches.

It’s more developed than the other villages, but still retains its charm. Eat fresh fish in the various restaurants or cook it yourself on the parrilla in little cabins you can rent from US$20 per day. Owing to a big increase in the market, there is a range of options, from designer villas to rudimentar y huts for the more bohemian of visitors, and even campsites with pools. In the summer, parties pepper the beach and further up the hillside. Quite close to Brazil, find limes and cachaça for next to nothing and drink home-made caipirinhas on the beach. Uruguayan, Argentine and Brazilian musicians pass

through the village and give impromptu concerts.

These are just three places on the coast of Uruguay, but there are other little destinations that you can take in as well, like Las Piedritas, another beach village.

And just an hour from Punta del Diablo on the border is the split town of Chuy (Uruguay) and Chuí (Brazil). This place is a great commercial stopover with a duty free zone in the center of the main street both countries share. In February the two sides come together to host their ‘Carnaval Sin Fronteras’.

Info: The distances between these places are short, and can be hitchhiked safely - a great way to meet different people. Or take a bus to La Paloma from Montevideo, and then the small buses traveling between these coastal towns.

Alternatively, hire a car from Montevideo or Punta del Este.

Accommodation & Info: www.balneariosderocha.com.uy www.portaldeldiablo.com.uy

Issue 2 . BA Insider . 15

LAS GRUTAS Weekend Just outside the province of Buenos Aires, Las Grutas could be a great stopover on your way down Ruta 3, or a weekend destination in its own right. It is a small resort town separated by cliffs from a rather bizarre beach.

Sheltered in the San Matias Gulf, the water is warm, at 20º, and clear, unlike the freezing waters of Mar del Plata.

And the tide ebbs and flows at a crazy rate: the 500-1000m beach completely disappears every six hours, leading to shoe loss for heavy sleepers. Ask the tourist office for a leaflet with times of the tide, and keep a watch on you to be safe.

Activity of the sea on the cliffs has created a whole system of caves (grutas); but activity of tourism has led to construction on top, making most of them prone to collapse. In some areas of the coarse beach, man-made pools fill up and drain with the tide. Take some kind of sun shelter, as there is no shade.

stay in neighboring San Antonio Oeste for less. The cheapest way is to camp at one of the many sites (about AR$10/ day). Southward down the coast are white sandy beaches not subject to the crazy tides, for uninterrupted relaxing and even unofficial camping.

When the tide goes out locals race down the beach collecting stranded pulpo (squid), mejillones (mussels) and almejas (clams). This fresh seafood is sold at the same price as in Buenos Aires, but there’s no doubting its freshness.

Horse riding, diving, fishing, sandboarding, and other activities complement an artisan fair, a few nightclubs in the summer, and plenty of informal cultural performances.

Sometimes during evening low tides, a giant screen is brought to the beach to show movies.

Getting there: Train is the cheapest way: from Constitución to Bahia Blanca to Carmen de Patagones, then bus to Viedma to Las Grutas (20 hours). Buses from Retiro take 12 hours and cost about AR$130, with companies Don Otto, El Condor, La Puntual y TAC.

In summer Las Grutas is a top beach spot for Patagonians. It is much smaller and more homely than Mar del Plata, but the place can get crowded in the height of the summer.

Accommodation:

Cabins and apartments must be booked early (from AR$20/person/night), or

www.lasgrutas.com.ar, www.argentinaturistica.com/ informa/grticircuitostur.htm

16 . BA Insider . Issue 2

MAR DE LAS PAMPAS Weekend

by Lucy Cousins Only 11km along the coast from Pinamar and 5km from Cariló is the quiet resort town of Mar de Las Pampas. Despite its location (close to some of Argentina’s loudest, party-filled coastal towns) it is small with an intricate network of dirt roads, and a myriad of designer houses.

The stretch of beach in front of the town is wide, unpolluted, and has a series of sand-dunes separating the houses from the water. This small design decision is what makes Mar de Las Pampas really special - there are no huge apartment buildings, no boardwalks with Coke machines, nor any loud music or packs of partying teenagers. In fact, from the beach it’s hard to tell that there are any houses near by at all.

In the shadow of the sand dunes are lowrise wood and stone houses, surrounded by tall pine trees on large blocks of land.

The shopping center is sprawled out over a few blocks, and includes essentials such as Havanna and the Coffee Store, as well as the standard boutiques.

Expect to see expensive cars, Lacostedressed children, and pedigree dogs.

Swap around any of those adjectives.

Mar de Las Pampas is definitely the perfect place to rent a house with friends. Share the costs and spend a weekend reading, watching DVDs and walking the 10km to the lighthouse.

Sound too relaxed? Well, this is how Mar de Las Pampas is for most of the year – then, at high season, it’s packed with families and asados. Nearby coastal towns of Pinamar and Villa Gesel are just as popular with teenagers and families.

Nightclubs fill with 18-year-olds and supermarkets run out of beer. If you’re not 18 you might want to avoid that part of the coast during school holidays.

Getting there: Car: 4 hours drive from BA (357km). Take La Plata road and follow signs.

Bus: 5-7 hours depending on stops.

Take Plusmar (Phone: 4315-3494) bus from Retiro to Villa Gesell, then local bus El Último Querandí (Phone 2255-454-580) or a 15-minute taxi.

Accommodation: Apartments and houses (up to 10 people) for around AR$100-120 a day in low season. High season is January, February and long weekends. See www.mardelaspampas.com.ar for accommodation and general details (English and Spanish).

Issue 2 . BA Insider . 17

Go!

A Walk In The Woods

By Marcelo Ballve

Most urban parks in Buenos Aires follow the 19th-century Parisian landscaping ideal where nature is trained and pruned like a French poodle.

Despite existing on land reclaimed from the river by humans, the Ecological Reserve feels like nature run wild.

Christian Denes

The Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur has a dark history. During the 1976-1982 military dictatorship, thousands of buildings were demolished to make room for highways, and the debris was dumped in the river to push back the water and expand the city’s central core. After the return of democracy work by civic activists led to the Reserve’s creation in 1986; but nature had already done the groundwork, colonizing the rubble with plants and trees. Today, the Reserve is the best place within city limits to glimpse what the riverside Pampas might have been before being covered with cement and dog droppings.

To avoid crowds, visit the Reserve on weekday mornings, between 9-11am (before school groups arrive), or afternoons in the hour or two before it closes, when it’s possible to walk for 10 minutes on the silent trails without seeing a single person. Spring 18 . BA Insider . Issue 2

and early summer is a great time to see one of the Reserve’s more interesting inhabitants, the lagarto overo, a humongous, black-and-white, marbled lizard that suns itself on paths near the Brasil Street entrance. But this is only one of the hundreds of wild species that live in the Reserve: turtles live in the lakes and guinea pig-like cuis (cavies) scurry along paths. It’s a paradise for birdwatchers but even the untrained eye can spot emblematic Argentine birds like the cardenal común, the hornero, the benteveo, the chingolo, the calandria, the burrowing owl, and the carrion-eating, eaglelike carancho. There are also beautiful water birds; roseate spoonbills can be seen in the central lake, their pink and red coloring vivid against the green background of palm trees, spiky ceibo trees and droopy sauce criollo (willow).

Keep in mind that the far southern end,

marked on paths as Camino de los Sauces, is a homosexual cruising area. There’s no reason to avoid the area altogether, but it’s the scrubbiest and least attractive portion, located by the power plant.

If you go in summer and it smells bad, don’t be deterred – the stench is caused by natural bacterial waste uncovered by evaporation among the landlocked lakes. You’ll quickly stop noticing it. Runners should avoid the noonday summer sun; white dust on the paths reflects light, making the heat unbearable. However hot it might be, it is not advisable to swim in the Río de la Plata, as some locals do at the rubble-strewn beach. Instead, sip mate, or whatever’s your poison, on a bench facing the river.

Mosquitoes are not usually too bad, though a bottle of repellent is handy for when infestations occur.

Bikes can be hired with Bicicleta Naranja in San Telmo (see our article on biking page 28) and pedaled downhill to the Reserve, as part of their most popular tour, Buenos

Aires al Sur. Alternatively, rent a wobbly, more rustic bike for AR$6/hour from the gray trailer parked by the Reserve’s south entrance on weekends and holidays. You need to leave original ID (not a photocopy), or a AR$200 deposit. These guys will also fix your bike for you while you wait.

After building up an appetite on the trails, there’s no better way to end the morning or afternoon than by ordering a vacíopan (steak sandwich), bondiola (pork steak), or choripán (sausage in French bread) just outside, from the famous carritos (food carts) along the promenades of Costanera Sur. Arguably the best carrito is on the corner of Peñaloza and Calabria, but try them for yourself.

Info: Closed Mon, except holidays. Open Apr-Oct: 8am-6pm; Nov-Mar: 8am-7pm.

Subte to Alem, or any bus on Libertador/ Alem to the intersection with Córdoba. Then walk east towards the river, past the docks.

You can also take the new tranvía from Retiro to Independencia, the last stop. 6

Issue 2 . BA Insider . 19

Movidas: Out! Musical Behind the Scenes It’s not all mullets and Depeche Mode. There’s plenty of musical and cultural movidas (scenes) bubbling in the Buenos Aires background, you just have to sniff them out. Underground navigator Gabriel Reich provides you with a couple of hints to get you going.

Tango Orchestras Bottoms whirling through flashing lights in a sea of electronic sounds is just one current incarnation of this worldfamous music from the Río de la Plata. The barrio of Almagro is home to diverse contemporary tango orchestras, similar to those that flowered in the early 20th century, but with a special touch brought by the new generation. The Orquesta Típica Fernández Fierro has carved its own place in the legendary Gardel neighborhood, where they collaborate with other prestigious musicians and offer dancing and singing lessons. Imperial (www.orquestaimperial.com.ar) and Fervor de Buenos Aires (www.fervordebuenosaires.com) are two other new orchestras revamping tango without the commercialism of the touristy tango shows.

Info: Find contemporary tango gigs on www.orquestodromo.com.ar.

Fernández Fierro have their own club CAFF, Sánchez de Bustamante 764, Abasto, tickets AR$10. www.fernandezfierro.com

Jazz Jams For jazz in a more informal environment, try Casa Pedraza in Belgrano, where cheap drinks and jam sessions can be enjoyed in the open on their roof terrace (free entry). For more jam and budget beverages, check La Ratonera in Villa Crespo, which also doubles as a theatre. For a more traditional jazz club, Thelonious has fabulous cocktails and regular shows from WedSun, various prices. At Notorious each table has a screen allowing you to select your dinner music from their collection, as you dine from a wide menu including snacks, sandwiches and more gourmet-style fare. See live jazz most days from 9:30pm, tickets AR$15-40.

Lord Gaita

Info: Casa Pedraza: Manuela Pedraza 2630, Belgrano Thelonious: Salguero 1884, Palermo 4829-1562 Notorius: Callao 966, Recoleta 4813-6888, www.notorious.com.ar La Ratonera: Corrientes 5552, Villa Crespo, 4857-2193, www.laratonera.com.ar

insider . Sept-Oct 20 . BA Insider Issue 2 2007

Ska Reggae Ska Ska For jumpers and swayers and lovers of the leaf, Karamelo Santo (www.karamelosanto.com) mixes Columbian cumbia, hip hop and ska. Another big band on the scene is Dancing Mood (www.dancing14.blogspot.com), a 15-piece collective playing old dub classics, led by trumpeter Hugo Lobo. Flavio Mandinga, from BA ska legends the Fabulosos Cadillacs, runs a show on independent station Radio Atomika, on Tuesdays at 9pm. Ska/reggae site www. ladedios.com.ar will give you links to the right places, and a calendar of events: look out for underground bands Riddim (www.riddim.com.ar) and Nonpalidece (www.nonpalidece.com.ar).

Info: Comprehensive weekly calendar: poesiaurbana.com.ar Radio Atomika: www.alsolnet.com/stream/radioatomika Underground parties: www.fotolog.com/genteclandestina Also try jamming.com.ar or elsilenciorock.com.ar for news and opinion.

All sites in Spanish.

Beats and Whistles In the mid-90s dance music exploded onto the porteño scene, with an outpost of legendary Ibiza club Pacha springing up in Costanera Norte. Still around, Pacha costs AR$30-70 to get in, on a no shorts, caps or sandals basis. Apart from famous dance festival Creamfields (now in its seventh year), there are plenty of other beats being beaten. DJ Bussola (www.javierbussola.com) runs Magic trance parties a few times a year, often in Club Niceto, which is also the venue for various other key nights in the dance calendar. World famous Hernán Cattáneo is rarely in BA these days, but other homegrown talent like drum and bass specialist Bad Boy Orange (www.djorange.com) and techno trooper Romina Cohn (www.rominacohn.com) are well worth seeking out.

Info: www.nightclubber.com.ar and www.buenosaliens.com.

Clubbing news and message board at http://clubber.com.ar.

Pacha: www.pachabuenosaires.com Club Niceto: www.nicetoclub.com

Issue 2 . BA Insider . 21

From Folk Rock to Plain Folk Fresh out of the Escuela de Música Popular, Arbolito (www.arbolitofolklore.com.ar) is part of a new generation mixing folk with rock and Latin influences. They use traditional instruments the charango (tiny guitar) and the quena (Andes flute) alongside violin, electric guitar and drums. Karavana is another good exponent of this genre (www.fotolog.com/musicamestizada). For a classic folk experience, the city is filled with peñas – informal folk concerts accompanying hearty food and wine. A pick is the Peña de la Ribera (www.delariberafolklore.com.ar), that happens in Olivos every week during the summer, regardless of rain. Dine and dance outdorrs on the banks of the river, amidst magical lighting.

Info: Find your peña at www.elfolkloreargentino.com/penas.htm Or at the city website at www.bue.gov.ar/actividades/?menu_id=90&info=penas

Out!

Feliz Año Nuevo?

By Rachel Morison

In Buenos Aires, forget street parties, champagne toasts and mass countdowns.

Most porteños spend midnight of New Year at home with the family. As on Christmas Eve, fireworks light up the sky at 12am, so get up high for a good view, and hit the streets from 1am for the next phase.

comfortable shoes for walking, or avoid big moves across the city. Big clubs like Rumi (www.rumiba.com.ar), Club Niceto (www. nicetoclub.com), Crobar (www.crobar.com) and Amerika (www.ameri-k.com.ar) will be full – call ahead for advance ticket or guest list possibilities.

To join in with the local tradition of fireworks and floating lanterns, buy fuegos artificales online at www.fuegosjupiter.com.ar. Also, Cienfuegos has branches throughout the city (www.cienfuegos.com.ar).

Unlisted smaller parties happen in every barrio. Chat to neighbors and ask your favorite places what they’re planning. Events tend to happen in the Konex (www.ciudadculturalkonex.org) and outside Radio de la Tribu (www.fmlatribu.com). Check the sites below during December for info on these and other ‘secret’ parties outside the city.

Midnight in a bar is a lonely affair, but most restaurants will be open, and packed – book in advance. Taxis are in demand, so don’t ring in 2008 tramping the streets trying to flag one down. Find a lift, take a bike or phone ahead for a radio taxi (though don’t count on reliability). Failing that, wear

If you’d prefer to join the exodus of locals to the beach, ensure you book now. See page 14 for some ideas beyond Mar del Plata and Punta del Este. 6

Partysites! w w w. n i g h t c l u b b e r. c o m . a r - w w w. w h a t s u p b u e n o sai res.com -www.vu en osairez.com -www.wipe.com. ar-www.buenosaliens.com-www.nobordersound.org 22 . BA Insider . Issue 2

Classify!

Get your message heard!

Small ad, small price. ventas@bainsidermag.com

Issue 2 . BA Insider . 23

Do! Splashing Out Feeling like carne asada? Buenos Aires might not have Ipanema for repose, but there is the occasional watering hole to help you cool off. Sasha Ingber delves in, naturally head first.

Celeste Leeuwenburg

Feeling (a hot) Flush?

Many hotels sell a day pass when their occupancy is low. If you have water on the brain, you might consider paying US$300 for a day pass at the Hotel Faena (Martha Salotti 445, Puerto Madero, 4010-9000), including a free drink and access to their gym, spa, and Turkish bath, though you might as well pay US$450 for a room. The Hilton (Av. M. Guemes 351, Puerto Madero, 4891-0000) grants pool and gym admission, complete with robe and slippers, for a relatively tame US$40. At the Four Seasons (Posadas 1086, Recoleta, 43211200), the 26.5ºC pool awaits you from 6am-10pm for US$75. If you’re resourceful, tr y negotiating a week-pass with the hotel, and if you’re creative, tr y slinking past the staff. Hey, if you’ve got a foreign 24 . BA Insider . Issue 2

accent, you might as well use it to your advantage.

Water Workout Some fitness centers contain piletas to cater to your aquatic needs. Club Náutico Buchardo (Av. Mitre 1631, San Isidro, 4702-9770) opens their pool from December to March, for AR$30-40/day. The prominent Megatlon has locations all over Capital and Zona Norte (www.megatlon. com), typical price AR$42/day and AR$92/ month (Caballito branch). Natación@Gym (Juan B. Justo 1423, Palermo, 4771-7591) charges AR$20 a day to use their 25m pool and between AR$60-70 per week. At Sport Club Unicenter (Unicenter, Panamericana y Paraná, 4836-3737) pay AR$30/day to

swim freely or take a class. The YMCA (Reconquista 439, Microcentro, 4311-4785) also contains a 25m pool for AR$20.

A week pass is AR$75, and a month is AR$150 with gym access. Peak hours may affect your swim. The earlier the better – by 6pm you might feel like you’re whirling in a school of fish. Also, many of these pools require medical documents before you can jump in, so don’t be vexed if they inquire about your health condition.

Off a Duck’s Back Aquario (Blanco Encalada 3610, Belgrano, 4543-3661) has been educating swimmers for 10 years. Local bohemians drop by for a dip in its warm, tranquil atmosphere. Attend one class a week for four weeks at AR$70, or double the frequency for AR$100. You can also pay AR$10 per hour to swim freely.

The Centro Acuatico Quilmes (Dorrego 54, Palermo, 4253-5542) offers lessons for kids, classes for pregnant women, physical therapy, swim tournaments and more.

Prices vary according to frequency of attendance, day and time, but during their promotions you can attend a class for AR$5.

Be warned, long hair must be sheltered in a cap, so don’t come here for a first date.

Pool and Sundry Take advantage of friends who live in ritzy buildings with private pools. And look twice at city monuments if you subscribe to the art of wading. Lola Mora Fuente de las Nereidas (Puerto Madero) is currently closed off, but perhaps that’s for the best: according to some porteños, taxi drivers once used the fountain’s water to rinse their cabs. However, Monumento a Los Españoles (Libertador & Sarmiento, Palermo) is often inundated with crouching children in the summer sunlight. If you simply want to admire open water, recline in the grass overlooking the Rio de la Plata in Vicente Lopez and Olivos. It’s packed with people on the weekends, and you can dine and drink in nearby restaurants and bars. For more adventurous activities in the Zona Norte, see page 26. 6 Issue 2 . BA Insider . 25

Do!

Moist Mayhem in Zona Norte

By Molly Malone and Mariana Mazer

Half an hour from Retiro, running through the Northern suburbs, is the Río de la Plata. In summer, its waters swarm with watersport junkies and its shores with pleasure-seekers. Cruise through the following activities: just a dip into the huge number available.

Getting There Tren de la Costa: Built in 1887, this scenic coastal train links Belgrano to Tigre’s port. In Tigre, peruse the outdoor handicraft market, eat an asado at a riverside restaurant or take an AR$5 boat ride around the islands. Most places are closed on weekdays. Cost: AR$16 roundtrip There is a bikeable route alongside the tracks, see page 28 for more.

Maipú 2300, Vicente Lopez www.trendelacosta.com.ar

open-air yoga. Cost: US$150 two people/ two nights; US$39/person boat fare Arroyo las Cañas, Delta del Río Paraná | 4378-0982 | www.lapascuala.com

Puerto Tablas: This swimming pool on a huge deck doesn’t tend to get too crowded.

Also has kitesurf and windsurf classes, kayak rentals and a dive school.

Cost: pool AR$15 day use El Cano 854, Acassuso | 4793-2115 www.puertotablas.com

TBA Train: A less scenic and much

For Sealegs

cheaper train goes from Retiro to Tigre for AR$1.90, every 10-20 minutes. Bikes are welcome aboard in the furgón carriage.

Schedule: www.tbanet.com.ar

Wakebeach: This wakeboarding school on San Antonio River provides day or weekend classes, plus waterskiing and knee-boarding for all levels. Cost: AR$100-AR$150 San Fernando | 4539-2710 www.wakebeach.com

For Landlubbers Land & Boat Tour: This English tour visits San Isidro’s upscale neighborhoods and President Kirchner’s Olivos residence.

Then you are hopped aboard to get a sail-by view of the Delta lifestyle. Cost: US$25 www.byt-argentina.com.ar Fish, Golf & Volleyball: At Sarthou Is-

Kite Beach School: Kitesurfing lessons for all levels, plus kayak rentals, laser (single-sail, 4.2m boat) classes, WI-FI and a restaurant with a terrace.

Cost: AR$170/hour El Cano 1700, Acassuso | 4798-2963 www.kitebeachschool.com

land choose between fishing for the Delta’s local pejerrey (silverside), some beach volleyball or golf lessons. Facilities include a restaurant, parrillas for hire, and powerboats and jet skis to rent. Reserve.

Cost: Varies with group size Alvear & Río Luján, San Fernando | 47445658 | www.sarthou.com.ar

Peru Beach: The destination for loud music and young people. More kitesurfing, plus kayak rentals, a hockey field and a climbing wall. Cost: From AR$390 for six classes; AR$30/hour kayaking El Cano 772, Acassuso | 4792-2532 www.peru-beach.com.ar

Romantic Getaway: Jet across the Paraná River Delta on a private powerboat for a weekend at La Pascuala Delta Lodge.

This private island resort has 15 cabañas on stilts with river and jungle views and daily

26 . BA Insider . Issue 2

Gently Like a Dream Delta Rowing School: Guides take you out in three-person rowboats and twoperson kayaks. Book ahead for 1-1/2 hour weekend classes. Hiking and asado pack-

ages available.

Cost: Varies with group size Lavalle 945, Tigre | 4971-9342 www.escueladeremo.com.ar

Puro Remo School: This rowing and kayak school has delta excursions and overnight trips. Cost: Contact for details Nahuel Lavalle 235, Tigre | 15-5808-2237 | Daily 10am-7pm | www.puroremo.com.ar

Escuela El Ombú: Catamaran classes by the hour, along with other water-sports.

Cost: AR$100/hour El Cano 994, Acassuso | 4733-4942 www.windkat.com.ar

Learn the Ropes

associated university Dársena Norte, Puerto Madero | 43140505 | www.yca.org.ar

Navemoción: Based in Nuñez and Puerto Madero, this company’s courses also run August and March. But in the meantime, they offer weekend trips to Mar del Plata and Colonia, Uruguay and at full moon you can sail out to the water to gaze at the city with a glass of champagne. Cost: courses AR$170/month, trip to Colonia AR$185 return, full moon city view AR$120 Crámer 39804701-4410 www.navemocion.com

Wet and Wild See page 24!

Yacht Club Argentina: Their 4-month yachting course (sail and motor) starts August and March, with 3 hours practical and 2 hours theory per week. But YCA also runs an intensive 2-month summer course from January to March. Cost: AR$840 nonmembers, AR$420 members or through an

The One That Got Away Drop us a line: if you want to write about fishing in the Río de la Plata: editorial@bainsidermag.com

Issue 2 . BA Insider . 27

Do!

Saddle Up this Summer Biking in BA

As your bus bounds cheerfully along the cratered roads of our beloved metropolis, you feel a bump that jolts a little more than the average pothole.

It’s probably a cyclist. If you have a sense of adventure and delusions of immortality, you could be a BA biker. But read this Insider guide first.

ManuelArchain.com

Routes Cycling is permitted on any road or avenue in the city, except pedestrian streets, and the big avenues like 9 de Julio, General Paz, Lugones and Cantilo. Not that you’d want to give those a try. The Microcentro, with its narrow streets and impatient driv-

Bike Tours La Bicicleta Naranja, Pasaje Giuffra 308, San Telmo, 4362-1104 www.labicicletanaranja.com.ar Panda Bike & Tours, Ruggieri 2778, Palermo, 4804-6654 www.pandabikeandtours.com Citi Bike, Hipólito Irigoyen 1782, 8th Floor, 4372-2245/15 Baires Biketour, Libertad 860 8th floor, Retiro, 5811-3861/4012 28 . BA Insider . Issue 2

ers, and big avenues like Corrientes and Córdoba, are only for the adept.

There are three networks of biking routes in the city. One is around Parque 3 de Febrero (Palermo, Belgrano), one winds its way from Parque Centenario to Parque Rivadavia (geographical centre and north of city), and the other is in Zona Sur (la Boca).

Then there are also carriles preferenciales – these are routes where cars must give priority to bikes on the left side, from 7am9pm Mon-Fri. These can be found on parts of Avenues Corrientes, Belgrano, Rivadavia and Independencia.

The problem is that most of these routes are given short shrift by Argentine drivers, men with trucks, pedestrians and acts of God.

Check a map of all bike routes on the city government website at: www.buenosaires.gov.ar/areas/com_social/moverse/bicisendas Find out which routes are actually good, and other places to ride freely at: www.infobiker.com.ar/rel_bicisendas1.htm (Spanish)

Buying bits Buy a bike in your local bicicletería for AR$150-400 or online, e.g. at www.mercadolibre.com.ar. Ask in the shop about used bikes, which are sometimes less than AR$100.

Every neighborhood has a bicicletería (bike shop), usually open every day except Sunday, where you can pump up your tires for free, and get any repairs done. Bicicletería folk are some of the finest in the city, and if it’s something minor they might not even charge you.

You can also get your lights and helmets there, and locks. As in every city, there is plenty of bike thievery, more or less depending on the area. Pay about AR$70 for a serious, thick cable, or AR$20-30 for one that’s really only useful as a short-term deterrent. D-locks remain the best, but even then it’s not advisable to leave your bike out overnight.

Survival Here are some tips to avoid getting massacred: • Stay on the left side of one-way streets to avoid being crushed by a bus. On two-way roads you’ll have to go on the right, so careful when coming up to bus stops, because the colectivos heave right in.

• Watch out for the infamous BA taxi sideswipe. And they go slow when empty!

• Beware opening car doors – good advice for life.

• Keep an eye out for ubiquitous potholes.

Road maintenance is not what it could be.

• Safety in numbers – three bikes are easier to see (and more imperative to avoid) than one. See what saps you can sign up to cover your back.

Links www.infobiker.com.ar: portal for all things bikey (Spanish) www.triatlon.org.ar: Argentine triathlon website (Spanish)

Two wheel idylls Every overland train (not subte) has a carriage marked furgón where you may travel with a bike at any time for no extra cost.

This is a great way to explore quieter, safer areas. Here are some gorgeous places to ride without the constant four-wheeled threat: Bosques de Palermo: lovely smooth track round the lake, go in the evening to check out impressively endowed transsexuals.

Costanera sur (Puerto Madero): rent bikes here for a trip along the water’s edge.

Reserva Ecológica: rent bikes here too, see Reserva article page 18.

Tren de la Costa: cycle to Tigre alongside the tracks of this vintage tourist train.

Quiet side street routes: the further out the better. Around Parque Saavedra, in Saavedra, for example, are plentiful peaceful cycle spaces. Also in the wider cobbled streets of Villa Urquiza and Belgrano (near train station Belgrano R), find relatively traffic-free nooks. 6

Issue 2 . BA Insider . 29

See! Another Blooming Tour At this time of year the spectacular flowering of several varieties of tree is sure to lift the head of even the most gloomy city dweller, especially if you are spending your first spring in Buenos Aires. Caroline Frauman leads you up the garden path.

The following trees can be found throughout the city, but the best place to see them is Plaza San Martin. All are present there, and they flourish almost in succession, filling the plaza with flowers throughout spring and summer.

In Recoleta, near Plaza Francia, marvel at three trees in particular: the jacarandá, the ombú and the agarrapalo (also called the higuera brava or brave fig, among other names).

If you find yourself hypnotized by surreal lilac splotches then you’ve encountered the jacarandá. Flowers gather in ears, or seedbearing heads, and cover the entire tree. Its flat, ligneous capsules – filled with winged seeds – make fabulous earrings, so keep an eye out at artisan markets, make your own, or save a fallen pod as a keepsake.

Fruition doesn’t occur until late autumn, long after the flowers have carpeted the ground beneath these hardy trees.

30 . BA insider . Sept-Oct 2007

While the jacarandá is most remarkable for its flowers, the ombú and agarrapalo have magnificent trunks. Green year-round and with large foliage, the ombú is graced with dangling white clusters, while the agarrapalo has figs. What makes the ombú exceptional is that its roots develop above ground in a mound, with its trunks spreading out above.

With its thin roots enveloping the host tree, the agarrapalo’s name perfectly describes its nature as a parasite: agarra and palo mean ‘grasps tree’. Once its roots reach the soil, it gathers strength and transforms itself into a single trunk, eventually developing its own branches and strangling its

benefactor. Spot this tree by the hollowed victim locked in its grasp.

The tall tipuana, or tipu, lines wide avenues such as Bullrich and Colonel Diaz, branches reaching towards each other to form immense shady archways. Countless small yellow flowers sink and rise among deep green leaves, providing a fine contrast seen alongside the jacarandá’s vivid lilac.

The drunken tree, or palo borracho, might make you reconsider that afternoon drink, as its pear-shaped trunk resembles a beer gut. However, this squat tree with white flowers is not the only palo borracho – there is another, strikingly tall and thin, which produces pink blossoms. Although neither flowers until late summer, beginning in early spring you can see the fruits’ capsules when spheres of cotton fibers burst forth from green pods. The cotton eventually drop, to cover the ground in a light rug.

If you’re out and about in San Telmo, stop

by Plaza Dorrego to admire the slender palo borracho; otherwise peek onto the land surrounding the military base on Bullrich and Santa Fé (Palermo) to get an eyeful of the short, fat variety.

One last great place to appreciate the city’s flora is in the Bosques de Palermo. There you can’t help but notice the ceibo – Argentina’s national tree – surrounding the lakes, where heart-shaped carmine blos-

soms vie with the vibrant green leaves.

While the legend behind the ceibo varies, one version tells the story of a young indigenous woman, Anahí, who lived on the shores of the Paraná during the time of the

conquistadores. Physically ugly enough for it to be mentioned in the tale, her voice, however, was renowned for its sweetness and expression of love for the earth.

When the invaders arrived, Anahí was held captive with the rest of her people. One day she managed to escape, killing the sentry in the process.

Only able to hide out in the jungle a short while before she was recaptured, Anahí was sentenced to death. The conquistadores strapped her to a tree and set her alight, but her voice rose above the fire. Before their terrified eyes Anahí was transformed into the ceibo, with its velvety crimson flowers thriving like flames. 6

Sept-Oct 2007 . BA insider . 31

Further reading (in Spanish) or chat to an expert at these botanical libraries: Jardín Japonés, Av. Figueroa Alcorta y Casares, Palermo. Tel: 4804-9141. www.jardinjapones. org.ar/biblioteca/instrucciones.htm Jardín Botánico, Armenia y Santa Fé.

Parks and Plazas Buenos Aires is peppered with green plazas and parks. Here are a few good ones you might have missed:

Plaza Roma (Alem and Tucumán, Centro): a small green square amidst towering skyscrapers.

Tribunales (Córdoba and Libertad, San Cristobal): in front of the Supreme Court, Colón theatre and Libertad synagogue. Sometimes has concerts.

Parque Houssay (Córdoba and Uriburu): by the Facultad de Medicina in the student district. Always filled with students.

Parque Centenario (Díaz Vélez and Marechal, Caballito), the geographical centre of the city, surrounded by a big junk market and books, with a museum and fountains.

Parque Rivadavia (Rivadavia and Doblas, Caballito): recently rebuilt, used book fairs and bootleg software.

Parque Lezama (Martín García and Defensa, San Telmo), on the border of La Boca, contains sculptures and a multicolored amphitheatre.

Plaza de las Naciones Unidas (Austria and Alcorta, Barrio Norte): has walking trails. You must have spotted that big metal flower.

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Issue 2 . BA Insider . 33

by 747 Buy! Santa Taking presents home Heading back for the Holidays? Perhaps swarms of consumers and complex decisions regarding color, size and appropriateness make you feel as sick as a reindeer. If you want to arrive with souvenirs in your luggage, Gabriela Widmer provides you with some ideas to help you with the chore.

For women:

For kids: Don’t pay three times what you’d pay at home for a made-in-China toy. Instead, buy some creative wooden toys at El Pequeño Puercoespín. There are puppets (AR$18-28), mobiles (AR$10-80) and boxes and bags with beautiful animals (AR$38-60). (Uriarte 1308, 4774-0753, www.pequenopuercoespin.com.ar) Kids don’t hate receiving all clothes– just boring ones! Get some t-shirts with funny monsters, soccer balls, princesses (around AR$50) and also polka-dot skirts (around AR$100) and see what happens.

(Grisino stores in shopping malls. Outlet store: Av. Córdoba 4878) For little cousins and nephews, go to a nearby kiosco and fill a bag with Cabsha snacks (chocolate filled with dulce de leche, AR$0.50), Mantecol (peanut paste, AR$1.80 for 40g) and little bags of garrapiñada (caramelized peanuts); all authentic Argentine sugary snacks.

34 . BA insider . Sept-Oct 2007

Whether it is for your friend, lover, mother or daughter, don’t think twice – get her a leather handbag or purse. Black or medium brown are always a winner. (Handbags AR$130-340; wallets about AR$120.

Prüne stores in shopping malls and Gorriti 4812. Outlet store: Gurruchaga 861) In case you want to make a bold statement – or you’d rather not charter your own plane to carry the presents – try some jewelry. You need to know a little more about her taste but any woman will feel flattered to receive a designer necklace in a pretty box. Sold in Dubai, New York, Madrid and Saudi Arabia, Julio Toledo’s pieces are colorful, modern and feminine. (Necklaces from AR$250, Fahoma store: Libertad 1169, 4813-5103) For younger relatives with serious style, get a stunning one-off design piece from a unique local designer (jackets from AR$200, Ropa Doceñada, Niceto Vega 5067, 4777-0952, www.12-na.com.ar).

You can also find creative accessories – necklaces, bracelets, rings, pins and also scarves – handmade with crystals, stones and metals at Los Vados del Isen (necklaces AR$45-300. Aráoz 2918, 4802-8969, www.losvadosaccesorios.com.ar)

For men: Metrosexuality is still in. Chaps unconcerned about their macho image will appreciate a gorgeous leather bag (La Martina, AR$1850) and smaller everyday ‘manbags’ in soft leather (Key Biscayne, AR$440). All stores in shopping malls.

Local sports shirts are apt for fans (in sports gear stores, from AR$150) – especially from Boca or River. Football freaks the world over know about the Superclásico. Also, you can browse the galerías in Lavalle st. between Suipacha and Esmeralda, where they sell the shirts unofficially, and custom-print your name and number on the back.

Alternatively, grab some CDs with local flavors: Soda Stereo, Gustavo Cerati, Charly García, Miranda, Andrés Calamaro, or electronic ‘new-tango’ from Bajofondo.

For your male boss / business associate / father-inlaw: Try something typical with a twist, and go for a beautiful leather box-set from www. losllanosdenovoa.com.ar. These thematic boxes – mate, barbecue, Patagonian fishing, hunting sets – are manufactured with native materials and include books, wines, knives and/or flies, depending on the theme. Los Llanos de Novoa also sell custom-made knives and leather articles.

(Box prices start at US$400. Order a month in advance. Call 15-5637-0505 or email info@losllanosdenovoa.com.ar)

For your female boss / mother-in-law: Even the most steely will melt in front of beauty. Browse for the perfect multi-pocketed wallet or an elegant necklace. 6

Stock(ing) fare: Wine: Go to a winery or just buy at the supermarket and wrap appropriately. Malbec is the typical Argentine grape, but there is good local Syrah and Tempranillo too.

Alfajores: Get boxes for everyone at any Havanna coffee shop (AR$12.75 for box of 6) or in Jumbo, or the ubiquitous dulce de leche (AR$15 for 850g jar).

Mate: For friends with open minds and adventurous palates, get them a mate cup (AR$30) in a market and a pack of yerba (tea leaves, AR$2.50 a pack) from any supermarket. You’ll have to show them how to do it though. Tell hippy friends it’s psychedelic.

Fernet: Introduce people to the medicinal taste of this Argentine addiction. Some central kioscos sell miniature bottles; great if you have lots of friends to keep happy.

Handicrafts: Fairs will have cow-horn jewelry or other quirky easy-to-carry tidbits.

Sept-Oct 2007 . BA insider . 35

Tips: Organize: Create a list of the people you are going to meet so you’ll avoid the risk of facing your new nephew emptyhanded.

Don’t wait: There are no big Christmas sales, so don’t wait for mid-December.

Start shopping now in almost empty stores.

Outlets: Outlet stores sell out of season goods: good for changing hemisphere.

Walk the area around Córdoba and Scalabrini Ortiz to save some money.

Stay away from trouble: Unless you are absolutely sure of sizes, keep your distance from shoes, jeans, suits, rings or anything else that might need to be changed.

Get!

Be creative: Even if you are not concerned about your budget, there are ways to tell someone he or she is special to you. Gathering tiny presents in a box is like offering a taste of your experiences away. A crystal liqueur glass you’ve bought at a San Telmo fair, little pebbles from your trip to the mountain, a picture of jacarandás in full bloom... anything can be part of the treasure chest.

Separate: Fancy carrier bags and wrapping paper travel badly, so lay them flat in the outside pocket of your suitcase and arrange unwrapped presents inside. You’ll need to work a little when you reach your destination, but you are going to give away wrinkle-free gifts. 6

Parcel Logic

By Rachel Morison

If you’re not migrating for the Festive Season, you might be planning on sending some encomiendas (parcels) home, or better still, receiving them.

Here’s how:

Sending the love Parcels less than 2kg and smaller than 90x60cm can be posted from any branch of Correo Argentino (Central office: Sarmiento 151, Mon-Fri: 8am-8pm, Sat: 9am-1pm).

Buy a box (starting at AR$3) from bigger post branches. If you use your own box it MUST be wrapped in paper and sealed with glue NOT tape or string.

Post parcels heavier than 2kg from Correo Internacional (Antártida Argentina, by Retiro bus station, Mon-Fri, 10am-5am). If it’s smaller than 105x200cm buy a box to put it in (AR$4) or follow the above wrapping requirements.

36 . BA insider . Sept-Oct 2007

Your package is then subject to customs rules (no explosives, plants, animals etc.) and you may be asked to declare what it contains.

Ojo! Bring your passport when sending or receiving international parcels.

Correo Argentino offers two options. By land takes 15 days+ depending on destination and blind fate, and by air 24 hours-1 week. 1kg costs about AR$50 to Europe and the US, and by air around double.

For security, send parcels certificado or aviso de recibo (registered post), for AR$6.

If the gift is valuable get insurance or valor declarado at 50% of the item’s value.

Pay more for speed and security, e.g. with Fedex, Avenida Maipú 733. Prices vary widely dependent on where it’s going, what it’s worth, whether it’s pick-up or drop-off, etc, but expect US$100 at the very least.

Their site, www.fedex.com, has a quote generator. Other reputable firms are DHL International (www.dhl.com.ar) and OCA (www.oca.com.ar).

The Santa-man cometh When receiving parcels customs may require you to pay tax. Books, CDs, used clothes and personal effects can be shipped duty free. Other things like electronics are taxed at 50% of the value of the item if it’s valued from US$25-US$999. Above that it’s classed as a commercial import.

Medical goods sent here MUST include a signed document from a doctor stating

where the medicine is from. Used clothes MUST have a certificate of disinfection.

A fee is charged to certify electronic items as they must meet Argentinean standards.

The item is stored at the central post office until you collect it and you are charged for this on top of tax and certification fees. 6

Useful sites: Correo price lists: www.correoargentino.com.ar/precios/ pre-inei.php#1

Find your branch: www.correoargentino.com.ar/consulta_ sucursales/sucurcapital.php

Correo customs rules: www.cor reoar gentino.com.ar/sucursales/lega.php Customs information at Fedex’s Argentina profile: www.fedex.com/us/international/irc/profiles AFIP (Argentine tax body) official customs regulations: www.afip.gov.ar/ aduana/envios.asp#finnocom

Sept-Oct 2007 . BA insider . 37

Get! Waxing Lyrical

By Lucy Cousins

As you get outside, and feel that sun on your skin, you start to shed your clothes with abandon. Suddenly you notice that everyone in Plaza de Mayo is staring at you. With a shock you remember the layer of hair still coating your body after those months of hibernation. Fortunately nearly every hairdresser and beauty salon in the city offers some form of depilación.

This picture has been removed for reasons of decency.

Fast and affordable, waxing is the most popular form of hair removal. Most body parts run at AR$5-16; tipping is not customary unless your waxer did a mammoth task, which is not to imply you are hairy as a mammoth.

There are really only two things you may find different from your homeland parlor. First, the most common waxing technique here is the española: painting large dollops of wax onto the body (to peel off when dry), rather than using fabric strips as in some other countries. This might be a tad more painful, but it staves off ingrown hairs more effectively. If that doesn’t convince you, specify (and pay more) to have it done your way.

The second difference is that some salons ask you to remove ALL your underwear before splaying yourself naked on a plastic bench. It takes a while to get used to this: the plastic is cold, there is usually a breeze, and, well, you’re naked – but once you do, you’ll never look back!

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The Professionals * Monica Brenta is one of the most respected salons. They are dedicated solely to hair removal, with branches all over the city and in the northern suburbs. Call to find the closest. Phone: 4372-6291. www.monicabrenta.com

* Milenium: Unisex Insitute de Belleza is a San Telmo favorite. They offer just about everything and have lots of rooms, so they nearly always have space for lastminute appointments. Venezuela 613, first floor. Phone: 4342 7960.

* Lulus of London is the brainchild of expat Jude who has been conducting beauty treatments (including waxing, massage, reflexology and Reiki) from her apartment in Recoleta for the last two years. She is professional, affordable and in demand. By appointment only. Email jude@luluoflondon. com.ar or phone: 4815 8471. www.luluoflondon.com.ar

* Mi Espacio might be cheaper, but they still work to the final hair. Choose their ‘all you can wax’ special for AR$32; plus each peso spent earns you reward points for free stuff later on. Branches everywhere.

Phone: 4772-5050 www.estilospa.com/miespacio.htm

D.I.Y. Not keen on stripping in front of trained experts? Your supermercado or farmacia will carry a variety of options. Farmacity has the biggest range; find your closest branch at www.farmacity.com.ar. Nair is a wellknown brand that makes hair-removal cream and wax, and local product Dermogreen with Aloe Vera is a cheap (AR$4.89) home-use wax made out of natural products.

Words Of Wax Don’t learn the hard way – make sure you know what you’re asking for: Pierna entera cavada Pierna entera Media pierna Axilas Cejas Bozo Cara/Rostro Entrepierna Cavado profundo

---- Whole leg and bikini wax ---- Whole leg ---- Below knee ---- Underarms ---- Eyebrows ---- Upper lip ---- Face ---- Bikini wax ---- Extension of bikini wax (can include between cheeks) Media Pelvis ---- Stomach Glúteos/Cola ---- Derrière Brazos ---- Arms Espalda ---- Back

Permanently hair-free Some extranjeros exploit their time on the peso to opt for laser hair removal (depilación definitiva). This usually involves six to eight sessions starting at around AR$120 per session for a small area. Despite its name, it’s not quite ‘permanent’ unless you have repeated procedures, though it does drastically reduce hair growth. A few suggestions are: Medical Laser in Belgrano (47722152), Barrio Norte (4821-1394) and Villa del Parque (4504-7799), www.depilaciondefinitiva.com Clider in Acassuso, 4798-1759, www.clider.com.ar Lasermed in the Center, Uriburu 1471, 4805-5151, www.lasermedsa.com.ar

Issue 2 . BA Insider . 39

Foods Ape! Festive Mayo Christmases be white Argentine seasonal fodder is derived from European traditions, but as JC’s birthday in BA is usually greeted with a seething wall of heat, the recipes have been tempered accordingly. If you’ve secured an invitation on the night of the 24th, here are some dishes to expect.

Hard boil an egg, slice it lengthwise, remove the yolk, mash it up with some other stuff (i.e. mayo) and replace. Essentially similar to deviled eggs, though meat and tuna are sometimes added to the filling in a bid for extra protein. Tomatoes are sometimes subjected to a rigorous stuffing instead.

In Spain pionono is a cakey cylinder originally created to resemble the head of Pope Pius IX. The porteĂąo version is effectively a Swiss roll filled with mayonnaise and chicken (or ham, cheese, palm hearts, and more), used as a starter or accompanying dish. Apparently the Pope never authorized this transubstantiation.

Had enough mayo? The Russian salad is like a Great Mayo Sea, over which the air-forces of the Carrot and Potato armies have been having a dogfight. Sometimes a tuna or pepper swims among the debris. The aristocratic alternative is Waldorf Salad; containing apples, walnuts and celery immersed in guess which creamy condiment?

40 . BA Insider . Issue 2

Vitel Thonné

used to be a cold slab of cow tongue lavished with a creamy tuna and anchovy mayonnaise sauce. Sound appetizing? Nowadays you’ll mostly get a cut of meat called peceto (round steak), lavished with a creamy tuna and anchovy mayonnaise sauce. Better?

This almond nougat with Moorish origins, often garnished with dried fruit and nuts, is so brittle and sticky you might remove it from your mouth with a front tooth attached. Look out for fancy Spanish import El Lobo at the table of big budget porteños. Another classic dessert item is pan dulce (sweet bread), like Italian panetonne but... well, exactly the same.

Look out for these other Christmas Classics!

Cold pork or chicken: Too damn hot for anything else.

Melón con jamón: Melon with ham; the sweet, the savory, the power, the glory.

Matambre arrollado: Meat: rolled, cold and filled with goodness.

Sidra: Apple cider is the alcohol to toast as midnight fireworks fill the sky. Ooooh!

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Ojo! The Yogurt Toss

by Clare Nisbet

The Target Even the most porteño specimen is not immune to a practiced scammer. But those carrying expensive backpacks, people standing too close to the curb at 9 de Julio and women with open purses are just asking for it. The Insider has exclusively spoken to a repeat target who, for reasons of anonymity, shall be called ‘Liberty’ (though her real name is Susan Ramchester, 22, from Santa Barbara, CA). She’s been living and working in BA for years, but for some reason this tall, blue-eyed, blond-haired girl just manages to attract all the con-artists. Can you puzzle it out?

The Spillage Liberty is sitting peacefully on the subte, earphones in, on her way to work. During one of those terrifying lurches common to this mode of transport, a middle-aged woman standing in front upends her Ser drinkable yogurt all over Liberty’s Carhart jacket. Mortified, the woman is only too happy to help our hapless victim get cleaned up. Liberty pops her handbag on the side as she dabs and is dabbed at, when someone sweeps in and snatches it.

Clumsy Yogurt Lady is doubly mortified, of course. Or is she?

Street smarts: This scam is often used by women on other women. Good advice is: brave the mess and odor of curdled yogurt and wait to clean yourself up in a controlled environment. At least you won’t have to give up your seat.

The Rest

The loop-de-loop: Opportunist taxistas

Although the big spill is the current stylish scam, here are some old favorites:

take clueless foreigners or drunk partiers on unofficial tours through the city to run up the fare.

The flirt: This attractive stranger makes heavy eye contact and occasionally touches you, all while quickly and quietly relieving you of personal effects.

The switcheroo: Careful with ‘kindly’ strangers when getting on or off the bus.

Alerted that you’ve dropped something, you’re too busy thanking them to realize you’ve been robbed.

The motochorro: This thief whizzes by on a motorcycle or bike, speedily snatching your stuff.

The tango: It takes two – one to bang into you while an accomplice robs you from behind.

The fake out: The taxi driver examines your AR$100 bill in the front seat and rejects it as a fake; or he realizes he has no change and hands it back. Unbeknownst to you, the real note has been switched for a counterfeit.

48 . BA insider . Sept-Oct 2007

The amBush: If it can happen to George W’s daughter in San Telmo while surrounded by Secret Service, it can happen to you.

Keep your purse off the back of your chair at restaurants, and for that matter off the floor. You were born with a lap – use it.

Been the victim/near victim of a scam or other crime?

Email the insider hotline on editorial@bainsidermag.com so we can put out a warning!