The Australian Way - November 2008 - Buenos Aires · passionate Latino city besotted with tango,...

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NOVEMBER 2008 QANTAS 131

UENOS AIRES has long thought itself part of Europe; much more

urbane than its Latin American neighbours. It is distinctly old-

world, its French-style mansions, wide boulevards and prim squares honouring national heroes ensuring its early desig-nation as the Paris of the Pampas.

But it has its differences. Scratch the surface and you’ll find a messy,

passionate Latino city besotted with tango, infatuated with food and having fun. Capricious, creative and – these days at least – inspired by all things Argentine.

Founded in 1536 by Spanish conquistador Pedro de Mendoza – who dubbed it Puerto de Nuestra Señora Santa María del Buen Aire (Port of Our Lady St Mary of the Good Air), abbreviated today to Buenos Aires – the city covers 200sq km and is home to some 14 million people. Its centre, however, is a beguiling series of barrios (neighbourhoods) linked by ribbons of frenetic traffic, flowering parks and plazas. At its historic heart lies the Plaza de Mayo, the city’s main square. Laid out in the 1580s, the plaza hosts the Casa Rosada (Pink House), seat of the Argentine government, and the neoclassical Catedral Metropolitana.

Styles diverge markedly a few blocks away in Puerto Madero, the regenerated port area. Grain elevators, giant cranes and 19th-century warehouses mix it with a 21st-century footbridge by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava and a chic hotel (Faena

Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires (above); Palermo Viejo (below)

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134 QANTAS NOVEMBER 2008

PEREZ SANZ1317 Posadas, Recoleta.(11) 4815 9190.Ring the bell then step into this tiny space filled with elegant Argentine mementos – silver bells crowned with cows, marble-crusted frames, boxes dusted with dragonflies, whimsical silver matés (pear-shaped teacups) and glorious leather passamenterie. The original store at 1477 Posadas is (almost) alive with lizard, snake and crocodile wallets, and clutch bags with flamboyant silver clasps.

SABATER HNOS1821 Gurruchaga, Palermo.(11) 4833 3004. www.shnos.com.arAt first glance this could be a stupendous lolly shop. Instead it’s choc-full of sweet-smelling handmade soaps in myriad

colours and shapes – stars, hearts, golf balls, baby dolls, petals and chunky stamped blocks perfumed with lime, coconut, wild orchid, lavender, mint and mango. Made by third-generation soap makers.

VASALISSA1940 Callao, Recoleta.(11) 4806 4158. www.vasalissa.com Come here for the perfect afternoon pick-me-up: a polished lozenge of Belgian chocolate filled with luscious raspberry and pepper. Choc-dusted truffles nuzzle chocolate chess sets, hearts and teddies in this creamy, dreamy shop. There are also boxes of deeply delicious drinking chocolate, and rainbow-coloured non-choc jellies. Vasalissa is all about sweetness and indulgence.

Simply savour the sweetness at Vasalissa (above and left); acquire ephemeral Argentine elegance such as necklace (below) at Perez Sanz (above right)

Recoleta and Palermo, the city’s most exclusive European enclaves ‘‘



STAYLEGADO MITICO1848 Gurruchaga, Palermo Viejo. (11) 4833 1300.www.legadomitico.comAn intimate boutique hotel with 11 sleekly decorated rooms inspired by Argentine icons, such as Che Guevara, tango singer Tita Merello, former First Lady Eva Perón, writer Jorge Luis Borges and comic-strip character Mafalda. Gadgets galore, stacks of style and bespoke breakfast instead of bulging buffet. From $240.

ALVEAR PALACE HOTEL1891 Avenida Alvear, Recoleta. (11) 4808 2100. www.alvearpalace.com The city’s grandest dame shows no obvious signs of ageing – much like the ladies who take tea here. Refurbished inside and out, this is a bastion of tradition, from the lavishly upholstered chairs to the butler at hand to unpack your bag. Technology isn’t forgotten, though, with in-room PC on request and a plasma TV over the bath. Masses of marble, Hermès toiletries and a legion of ready-to-please staff. The

spa has a vitality pool with ozonated bubbles designed to detox and relax. Impress business contacts and book La Cave for an Argentine wine and food tasting for anything from two to 12 people. A cigar and cognac bar opens in December. From $800.

FAENA HOTEL & UNIVERSE445 Martha Salotti, Puerto Madero. (11) 4010 9000. www.faenahotelanduniverse.com Designer Philippe Starck is not known for restraint. Why not golden swan heads on the taps and chairs, red-eyed unicorns sprouting from the wall, claw-footed armoires, bison heads mounted on velvet, alligator skin stools and enough etched glass and crystal mirrors to rival Versailles? There’s no concierge or receptionist, rather an “experience manager”. Spacious marble bathrooms with plate-sized shower heads, velvet curtains, white leather chairs, crisper than crisp sheets and wi-fi are standard room fare. Drop in for a cocktail just to walk the 80m red carpet and ogle the facelift to this 100-year-old granary. From $650.

Red-eyed unicorns sprouting from the wall, bison heads on velvet...‘‘

Faena Hotel & Universe (above); icons adorn Legado Mitico (below and below left)

BUENOS AIRES ARGENTINA



HOME5860 Honduras, Palermo Viejo. (11) 4778 1008. www.homebuenosaires.com A former Argentine PR supremo and her English DJ husband are the brains behind Home, a smart boutique hotel with a vintage bent. Quirky wallpaper, ’60s furniture, a tranquil garden and pool, plus a bar with an astounding array of vodkas add allure. From $155.

1555 MALABIA HOUSE 1555 Malabia, Palermo Viejo.(11) 4833 2410. www.malabiahouse.com.ar

This former convent now draws pilgrims intent on exploring nearby bars and boutiques. This diminutive designer B&B has 15 rooms, light-filled interior courtyard and living rooms ideal for lounging. From $240.

EAT & DRINKBAR URIARTE1572 Uriarte, Palermo Viejo.(11) 4834 6004. www.baruriarte.com.arTake a seat in the patio garden and order up duck confit with sweet shallots and mascarpone, or salmon and spinach lasagne fresh from the

igloo-shaped brick oven. The brushed-steel kitchen has a window so you can check out the cooks before committing. Great for a drink or a pastry-laden afternoon tea.

GRAN BAR DANZÓN1161 Libertad, Recoleta.(11) 4811 1108. www.granbardanzon.com.arBuenos Aires’ first wine bar is still one of the best in town thanks to the wide selection of wines by the glass and the attractive, satisfying food of chef Martín Arrieta. Start off on one of the black leather sofas

in the bar, then slide over to the casual, candle-filled dining room for sushi or lamb cutlets with spinach and almonds washed down with a glass of torrontes, a spicy dry white wine from Salta province, or sangiovese from Mendoza. Perfect for solo travellers after a non-self-conscious meal.

MOTT4685 El Salvador, Palermo Viejo. (11) 4833 4306.Set your shopping bags on a hessian-covered chair and pause for a salad of prawns, avocado, palm hearts and cherry tomatoes, or a hearty mushroom risotto dished up by Maria Lancio in this white box with lofty bar.

CASA CRUZ1658 Uriarte, Palermo Viejo.(11) 4833 1112. www.casa-cruz.com Upscale food courtesy of Buenos Aires’ best-known chef, Germán Martitegui. Polished wood, dim lights and a liberal spray of red give the room a theatrical feel, while the food is inventive without being overworked. Try the pork confit with red wine, quince and

Perhaps you’d rather stay at Home (above and below); Bar Uriarte in Palermo Viejo (above right)




mashed potatoes; or the grilled shrimp brandade with tomatoes, black olives and spinach; then finish with rhubarb tart with black pepper (honest!) ice-cream.

OCHO7OCHO878 Thames, Villa Crespo.(11) 4773 1098.Out of the way, but worth a detour for the cocktails (some, such as the Juan Collins, feature hesperidina, a heady local spirit tasting of mint and bitter oranges), the collection of single malt whiskies and the dishevelled private club vibe.

LA BRIGADA465 Estados Unidos, San Telmo. (11) 4361 5557. www.labrigada.com Football photos adorn the walls, barbecued meat is the staple: charcoal-flavoured blood sausage, sweetbreads, ribbons of tripe and ultra-tender steak. The moist, meaty empanadas are good, too.

SEE & DOBICICLETA NARANJA308 Pasaje Giuffra, San Telmo.(11) 4362 1104. www.labicicletanaranja.com.arExplore San Telmo, La Boca, Puerto Madero and the Plaza de Mayo, or coast the northern reaches of Retiro, Recoleta and Belgrano on two wheels any day of the week. If you have time, the Orange Bicycle’s themed tours – anything from following in the steps of San Martin (Argentina’s liberator) to discovering the city’s walls or its immigrants’ stories – are a great (and healthy) way to discover the city’s secrets.

FERIA DE SAN PEDRO TELMOPlaza Dorrego.www.feriadesantelmo.comOn Sundays, San Telmo’s main thoroughfare, Defensa, is closed to traffic as musicians, merchants and maverick artists take over. Plaza Dorrego hums with stalls peddling books, brass, linen, china, vintage

Top chef Germán Martitegui delivers for upscale appetites in the sophisticated surrounds of Casa Cruz (all images)

Finish with rhubarb tart with black pepper (honest!) ice-cream‘‘



For airfares call Qantas on 13 13 13 or visit qantas.com

For holiday packages to Buenos Aires call Qantas Holidays on 13 14 15.

silverware, art, antique seltzer bottles – and always an improvised tango show. During the week, browse the maze of antique shops without the mayhem.

MALBA – MUSEO DE ARTE LATINOAMERICANO DE BUENOS AIRES3415 Avenida Figueroa Alcorta, Palermo. (11) 4808 6500. www.malba.org.ar Drop into this luminescent, angular space for a crash course in 20th-century Latin American art: works by Mexico’s Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, Colombia’s Fernando Botero, Brazil’s Candido Portinari, and Argentina’s Xul Solar and Guillermo Kuitca. A guided tour of this impressionist, cubist and abstract stockpile assembled by tycoon Eduardo Costantini is worthwhile, as is the shop brimming with goodies made by talented locals.

MUSEO NACIONAL DE ARTE DECORATIVO1902 Avenida del Libertador, Recoleta.(11) 4801 8248. www.mnad.orgCatch a glimpse of one patrician family’s home life in the early 20th century. Parquetry, panelling, carvings, mirrors and marble were shipped in from Europe, along with portraits,

tapestries and furniture to ensure the Errázuriz-Alvear clan’s supreme comfort.

CEMENTERIO DE LA RECOLETACalle Junín, Recoleta.It’s only fitting that the Paris of the South has its own Père-Lachaise. The sprawling Recoleta Cemetery houses Argentina’s elite departed – presidents, writers, military men, sporting heroes, priests and poets – in stately, often over-the-top, mausoleums. Follow the crowds to Eva Perón’s tomb. Locals joke that it’s cheaper to live your whole life in Buenos Aires than it is to be buried in Recoleta Cemetery.

ROJO TANGOFaena Hotel & Universe,445 Martha Salotti, Puerto Madero.(11) 4010 9000. www.faenahotelanduniverse.com Among the many tango shows in BA, this is a standout. Four costumed couples stomp, snap and spin while a swaggering singer and his femme fatale counterpart trill in between. Aptly, in an intimate setting part-Parisian bordello, part-1930s Berlin cabaret, there’s even a guttural rendering of Roxanne à la Moulin Rouge. Proof that tango is simply the sexiest dance in the world. �

An impressionist, cubist and abstract stockpile at MALBA


The Australian Way - November 2008 - Buenos Aires · passionate Latino city besotted with tango,...

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