Being in Buenos Aires is truly a breath of fresh air. “Buenos Aires” isn’t intended to mean “good air;” instead, it means “good winds” since it is a port city. For us, it meant a new life! After two months in Turkey, we eagerly welcomed the passion, freedom and never-ending wine of Argentina!
Meadows and I truly love being here. The food is incredible, the people are so helpful (and patient with our Spanish), the architecture is mind-blowing and our weekends have been phenomenal. We don’t even mind the fact that its winter!
Let me do a quick recap of the highlights during our first five weeks here…
WEEK 1:
We landed in Buenos Aires on a Saturday morning. Naturally, we slept off our jetlag and met Tamara for dinner! Our dinner in Palermo was fine, but we visited our first secret bar afterwards. Buenos Aires houses countless speakeasies that you would never know existed without the help of a local! This one is one of my favorites; you enter a beautiful, fragrant flower shop before taking a secret door to the bar hidden below.
As the team lead, Tamara has done an amazing job of planning fun team dinners for us. Our first week, we all got together for a meal unlike any other… the tasting menu at Baqueano. I cannot even begin to tell you how incredible all eight courses were, so I’ll let the photos do the talking!
- Mushroom soup, potatoes and goat cheese ice cream
- Llama tartar (this was my favorite!)
- Fried cod with spinach sponge cake and fried kale (it looks like charcoal, but it was delicious!)
Beans, tomatoes and goat tongue- River fish burger (they called it the pork of the river)
- Filet (lomo)
- Celery and mint palate cleanser
- Citrus ice cream with peanut wafers
During week one, we also had our first visitor! Our friend Brian was already scheduled to be in Argentina for work, but he tweaked his schedule to have a bit more time with us.
While Meadows worked, Brian and I explored Puerto Madero, an awesome area of the city on the water. The Puente de la Mujer (Spanish for “Women’s Bridge”) is an iconic, modern landmark in the neighborhood on the water. Plus, it rotates 90° to allow boats to pass. Even in the dense fog, the photos still look cool!
Later, we met up with Dows and the team for lunch at the best empanadas restaurant! Getting to spend some time with a friend from home was a rare treat. We loved getting to hang, Brian! Before we knew it, we were saying goodbye as he hopped on a plane for Atlanta and we flew to Salta.
WEEK 2:
Tamara planned a fabulous team dinner at Don Julio, a highly rated, traditional Argentinian steakhouse. This place lived up to its hype: our steaks were perfect, as was the wine!
Week 2 continued our exploration of secret bars. Tamara, Meadows and I visited Frank’s, which is supposed to feel like Frank Sinatra’s hangout from NYC in the 30s. To gain entry, you have to find a small, unmarked warehouse door and provide a password to the bouncer. Once inside this warehouse-like holding area, you have to enter a phone booth and dial a 4-digit code. When correct, the back door opens up to an unexpectedly lavish bar with bespoke cocktails. Needless to say, we loved it!
We’ve also had some pretty awesome sunsets in Buenos Aires. By hiding behind the curtains in the hotel lounge (and looking like a fool!), I captured the sunset over the city with the crescent moon overhead. And the next day, we were off to El Calafate!
WEEK 3:
We kicked off week 3 with the client dinner. The local Coke team took us to an incredible steakhouse in Puerto Madero, Cabaña Las Lilas. As always, Meadows ordered a giant cut of meat and ate the whole thing! The entire dinner blew our minds, from empanadas to fried cheese to an insanely delicious dulce de leche lava cake.
Week 3 also brought Tamara’s sister to town, so I had a friend to hang out with during the day! Although (terrible timing) I got sick, so I didn’t get to hang as much as I had hoped.
Together, we visited La Chicarita Cemetery, which is the largest cemetery in Argentina. The setup of Argentinean cemeteries differs greatly from ours back at home. The area looks more like a little city of mausoleums, each with its own personality and flavor to reflect the deceased.
We also explored Palermo, which is full of cute shops and restaurants! I could walk around Palermo for days.
Before we left for Ushuaia, I joined Tamara and her sister for a fabulous girls night. Most locals will say that Buenos Aires “turns its back to the sea,” meaning they focus more on the red meat than their seafood. This statement has some merit, but we dined at an incredible sushi/ceviche restaurant. The best part: one of the most amazing secret bars I’ve ever been to! It truly felt as if we stepped back in time to the Prohibition era.
The next day, we were back to reality and on a plane to the end of the world!
WEEK 4:
By week 4, we were ready for a weekend in Buenos Aires. We hoped to have some ATL visitors, but we made the best of it when the flight gods were not in our favor. The nightlife in Buenos Aires is awesome. Locals typically sit down for dinner around 10pm or later, so the nights go pretty late!
We went to an Amy Winehouse tribute (yes, Meadows loves her) in Palermo on Friday night. Then, we went to a bar (er… club?) with the fake Amy and her crew. We saw the best local band (with a full brass section!) perform – it was SO. MUCH. FUN. They brought such energy and passion!
The next day, we were lacking energy. Late nights in BA are draining… But we dragged ourselves out of the hotel for a bit of tourism. Our first stop: Casa Rosada, the office of the President of Argentina. It’s kind of like our White House, but it’s pink!
Next, we walked all of Puerto Madero. We had better weather for photographs this time!
On Sunday, we walked to Recoleta Cemetery. It’s smaller than Chicarita, but it’s nicer and more famous.
The very famous Eva Peron is buried at Recoleta. Meadows and I sang “don’t cry for me, Argentina” as we posed with her mausoleum. Surprisingly, her family’s grave is quite understated compared to many others in the cemetery.
Aside from Eva, there are many notable figures laid to rest in Recoleta. We tracked down some of the most opulent and interesting mausoleums. Meadows loved the tomb of professional boxer Luis Ángel Firpo.
We both could not believe the grandeur of one particular tomb; we later found out it is that of Nobel Prize in Chemistry laureate Luis Federico Leloir. Not only was it massive, but a lot of detail and planning went into creating it. Check out the painting on the ceiling!
I could write all day about the diverse and beautiful tombs. From trees to stained glass windows to intricate architecture, each one employs fascinating decorative techniques.
Photo credit to Meadows on this shot; he stuck his phone in one mausoleum and got this awesome panoramic shot of the inside of a tomb.
Afterwards, we visited the craft market outside the cemetery. Each stand offered something completely unique and handmade! We loved browsing the work of these talented artists. My favorite was the coin cutter, though. His business is called “the third face of the coin” because he hand cuts coins to give them a new look! I started by buying an Argentinean coin for a necklace, but ultimately bought a coin from every country in which we’ve been based.
WEEK 5:
In week 5, one of the Coke directors (who happens to be Meadows’ manager) visited Buenos Aires, so we went to another great dinner! I didn’t document this one quite as well though…
We went to Elena in the Four Seasons. My favorite part of dinner was dessert; specifically, I loved the chocolate lava cake (of course) and then these warm dulce de leche filled crepes. YUMM!!
It’s crazy to think that we have less than three weeks left in Argentina. The time has flown by! We have some exciting stuff to look forward to: a trip to Santiago and a visit from my brother and his girlfriend (which will include lots of touring, delicious food and a trip to Iguazu Falls!).
But for now… more sunsets!
As always, loving your writing! You might think about a charm bracelet with all the coins—but it might be too heavy after you finish all your adventures.
Hugs to you both!
Love this post! Y’all are having the best time!
Each blog I think is the best ! There are so many different interesting things in this one—–boxer Louis Fripo, Recoleta Cemetery, coin collection, interior of a tomb, and FOOD !
It is hard for me to believe that Ben is joining you two. Looking forward to that report. Grandmother
Ben is visiting with his GF!? WHO IS SHE?