fall. in may.

adjusting to the opposite seasons, but still enjoying fall

the best empanadas in ba.. so far

I've only been here for 3 weeks so obviously I haven't tried all the empanadas the city has to offer, and there are a lot, and usually at around AR$3 each (less than US$1, how can you beat that?) But out of all I've tried so far, Tonno Pizza & Cafe in Palermo are by far the best. Empanadas at Tonno were actually my very first meal in BA and they set the bar high. Some I've tried have been lacking in the filling or were obviously frozen and stuck in the microwave in the back.




Not Tonno's. Deliciously flaky, browned, and full of... filling. I've tried the pollo (chicken), espinacas con queso (spinach with cheese), jamon y queso (ham and cheese), and queso y cebolla (onion and cheese). Obviously cheese is a key factor to deliciousness.




Taste testing other empanadas won't be a problem..
but until I find ones as good as Tonno's, I'll keep returning..

Tonno Pizza & Cafe is located at the corner of
Thames & Charcas, at Charcas 4400

submarino

how it arrives: hot milk and a chocolate bar (this one is even shaped like a submarine!)

stir it up

enjoy the delicious Argentine hot chocolate

This one happens to be from the cafe right on my corner, Halina Cafe

breaking plates

When we decided to go to dinner Friday night, who knew breaking things was on the menu??

Although we called to delay our reservation at least twice, Mykonos welcomed us when we showed up at midnight. The first thing I noticed, besides the murals of Greek on the wall and the staff dressed in costumes, were broken plates on the ground. We figured we had missed the fun but when we sat down, they handed us each a plate. Not for our appetizers... but to break during their dance show. A few minutes later, the lights dimmed and 2 of the servers worked their way into a dance right in the middle of the dining room floor. This was our cue to get up and break some plates! Opa!



Of course the food was also a highlight of the evening at Mykonos.. the hummus with the warm pita was delicious, as was the tabule, pasta, stuffed grape leaves, and my pita a la pizza - pizza with feta, tapenade, cured ham, and basil.

Mykonos is located at Olleros 1752

a rare thing in this city

stop sign

cementerio de la recoleta

Speaking of the Recoleta Cemetary, my dad and I did have the pleasure of briefly visiting it last week. Walking along the outside, it's impossible to see what you're headed towards, with the high walls blocking any glimpse of the cemetary. Once inside, prepare to get lost wandering around this beautiful mini-city of tombs and statues. If you follow the crowd like we did, you'll find Evita's grave, probably the most famous one there, but take time to check out the rest of the cemetary also.

If you're here on the weekend, check out the Feria Artesanal Plaza Intendente Alvear, a market with crafts, jewelry, souvenirs, food, and more.




The Cemetary is located at Junin 1790 in Recoleta. Admission is free, but there's a charge if you wish to purchase the guidebook. The Feria is located right outside the Cemetary's entrance.

don't cry for me argentina

Before Museo Evita was opened in 2002 in Buenos Aires by Eva (or Evita's, as she was affectionately called) Peron's grandniece, the mansion had been a shelter for homeless women and children, Hogar de Tránsito. As Eva spent many of her last years on projects dedicated to helping the less fortunate citizens of Argentina, it only seems fitting that this is where the museum dedicated to her is now housed.

Through photographs, original artifacts, videos, and quotes, the museum depicts Evita's short life, beginning with her early poverty filled childhood in a Buenos Aires province. Once a teenager, Evita traveled to Buenos Aires to not only escape poverty but to also pursue an acting career. From here she gained great success as a radio actress and even had a short film career.

Walking through room after room we learn of Evita's relationship with Juan Peron and her move into politics as the First Lady of Argentina. From a poor childhood with no formal education, and coming right out of an acting career, she had her fair share of critics but quickly became a popular figure in Argentina. With her own money, Eva started the Eva Peron Foundation in 1948. Through a video, we learn of the many beneficial programs Evita initiated for Argentine citizens in need. She also had a great impact on women in politics, with a strong role in gaining Argentine women the right to vote.

In 1951, Evita was diagnosed with cancer and died a year later at the young age of 33. A video goes into detail of the people's mourning, her memorial, missing corpse, and final resting place in Recoleta Cemetary, here in Buenos Aires. I visited Recoleta Cemetary last week, shortly after her birthday of May 7th, and her grave was covered in flowers, showing that even to this day Evita remains a powerful icon and influence for the Argentine people.


Never having seen Madonna's film version of the musical of Evita's life, I honestly didn't know much about Evita. It was really interesting to see original artifacts such as newspaper articles, books, and even outfits worn by her. I loved learning about all of the good she did through her charity. Luckily, there were English translations of the descriptions and quotes, which certainly helped me be able to leave having learned a few things!

Museo Evita is located at Lafinur 2988 in Palermo. Admission is AR$12, and it's open Tuesday - Sunday from 11am - 7pm. The museum also holds a gift shop, library, and restaurant, all with different hours. Definitely worth a visit!

This article can also be seen on Argentina's Travel Guide.

apartment search

The apartment system in BA is fairly simple if you're just renting a room from someone. Rent is paid month to month, there are no contracts or leases to sign, no credit check, rent is way cheap (especially compared to Washington, DC!), the apartment is furnished, utilities are included in the rent, there's almost always WiFi, and there's almost always a cleaning service that comes once a week or so to not only clean but to also change your sheets and towels.


These pros outweigh the cons and the cons are also found in the US anyway, and I'm sure worldwide. Craigslist is used often here for housing. There are an abundance of postings, but unfortunately not all are quality. Some barely give any information, I was really only interested in the listings that gave information on at least the apartment, room, and roommates. These are all good things to know before moving in! If you're looking for a specific neighborhood, as I was, you have to check back often for new listings, as the listings are for all over the city. Some listings don't have pictures, and even the ones that do can be deceiving. I visited an apartment which, from the pictures, had looked bright and sunny. The reality was small and dark. I was also told the roommate was a 25 year old female student from Taiwan. It was a 70ish year old woman from BA. Go figure.


I found my apartment through Craigslist but it had been posted by In-Buenosaires, which is a site where you tell them what you're looking for and they provide options to look at. They're very helpful and I definitely recommend them. A lot of families or singles rent out unused bedrooms in their home as a way to earn money, so you could be living with kids or someone much older than you. This obviously has pros and cons but I seem to have gotten lucky with the senorita I rent from!

Overall, much less hassle than in the states!

1st stops in BA!

After a long (but nonstop!) flight from New York, we arrived at the Ezeiza Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) in Argentina. No one on the plane had been wearing a mask, despite the Swine Flu threats, but almost all the airport workers we first saw when we stepped off the plane were. We had to fill out a form asking if we had any flu like symptoms, and were then verbally asked the same question when we handed in the form. After that we passed by a thermal imaging camera which checked our body's temperature. Luckily, we passed all the tests with flying colors; no quarantine for us! Customs and exit security were fast. We avoided the offers of car services and "unofficial" taxis and headed to the taxi stand, where we told the woman where we were headed, and a cab driver came to meet us after just a few minutes. The ride, paid in advance, cost AR$98, which included tolls. An uneventful (but first glimpse of BA!) ride into the city brought us to our next stop - our home away from home for the week.

When we pulled up to Hostel Suites Palermo I thought we had written the address down wrong. There were no signs outside so I went up to the gate and pressed the buzzer. We were immediately buzzed in (you also had to be buzzed out as part of security) so gathered our luggage and entered the old mansion that had been restored into a hostel. The young front desk staff were extremely friendly and helpful. We were a bit early so we left our bags in the "luggage room" (read: small closet) and ventured out with a map and directions from the front desk on where to find some coffee, lunch, and an ATM (the hostel only takes cash, in pesos). Lunch at a little restaurant on Charcas and Thames in Palermo (drawing a blank on the name) was the first of many but the empanadas here set the bar high and it hasn't been met yet, even a week later. After several attempts at ATMs (closed or no cash), we were able to withdrawl part of the payment and the hostel was kind enough to let us pay the rest later.

Returning at check in time, 2 PM, we were led upstairs to our private room which consisted of a desk, 2 twin beds, a nightstand, a sink and mirror, and a bathroom. It was just what we needed for the week. Coffee and water were available around the clock at no charge downstairs, as well as breakfast from 8-10 AM each morning. The only catch being you had to do your own dishes! Beer and bottled water were available for purchase. Outside alcohol drinks are not allowed. Next to our room on the 2nd floor was a common area with a table and couches. Downstairs was a common area with several tables, a TV, magazines, and tourist information, and downstairs was also a terrace with a couple of tables. The whole hostel had WiFi but if you hadn't brought your own computer there were 2 computers available for use. The sign read "everyone wants to use facebook, please limit time to 10 minutes!"

I would definitely recommend Hostel Suites Palermo.
It's a couple blocks from the green/d line Subte,
and walking distance to several Palermo restaurants and shopping. The staff was very friendly, the building is safe, and we had no problems!