Category Archives: shopping

Buenos Aires Chinatown

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    What?  There’s a Chinatown in Buenos Aires?  Yes, believe it or not! And its growing bigger every day with more restaurants, asian supermarkets and trinket shops, its become a very busy neighborhood.  The main entrance starts right at the Belgrano train station at Juramento and Arribeños in the neighborhood known as Belgrano.  The supermarkets are great if you’re looking for imported ingredients or asian veggies not found in the local vegetable stand.  The freshest fish is also found in Chinatown as well.  I have to say most of the restaurants are very disappointing but I’ve found an excellent Chinese restaurant on Monteñeses between Juramento and Mendoza called Hong Kong Style.  Its probably the only decent dim sum in the city and you have to try the deep fried grouper (mero) with a sweet spicy sauce… excelente!  In Asia Oriental, the biggest supermarket, you can grab a bowl of hot noodle soup while you wait for you fish to be cleaned.  Enjoy Chinatown!

Buenos Aires Shopping

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    A vacation in Buenos Aires is not complete without shopping and with the favorable exchange rate visitors find amazing deals on Argentine made goods such as: top designers, art and crafts, semi-precious stones, silver, leather (especially calf skin, lamb skin, goat skin and furs), art, designs for the home, etc.  Here is a little guide if you plan to go shopping on your own:

Art and Craft Fairs

  • Plaza Francia Fair – located in front of Recoleta cemetery you’ll find handcrafted goods from knitted shaws to mate cups
  • San Telmo Antique Fair – located in the heart of San Telmo you’ll find antiques, crafts, knick-knaks (chandeliers, silver, murano vases)

Shopping Centers and boutiques are the mecca of high-end designers in Buenos Aires

  • Paseo Alcorta – located right next to MALBA (museum latin american art of Buenos Aires) in the neighborhood of Palermo Chico
  • Alta Palermo – located in the center of Palermo packed with local Argentine brands
  • Palermo Soho – boutique shopping in a new hip chic neighborhood

If you can’t manage shopping on your own or you just don’t have much time, BAlocal will customize a shopping tour for you.  Our tours can be shopping for gifts, Argentine fashion, cultural goods and interior design, you tell us about yourself and what you’re looking for and we take you there.  Check here to contact BAlocal: BAlocal contact page

Spalding University takes on Buenos Aires with BAlocal

Spalding University from Kentucky, USA, brought 60 creative writing grad students to Buenos Aires for inspiration and fun!  BAlocal’s lead guide, Chance Miller, took them on the Paris of South America walking tour that included uncovering the stories of Recoleta Cemetery, a stroll down Avenida de Alvear for eclectic architectural finds (10 different palaces) and monuments as well as beautifully and strategically landscape park.  He gave details to history and culture vividly painting a picture of how life was in Buenos Aires when it was considered the wealthest country (1870-1930) to today.

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4835322338_3d1bc547c0_b.jpgFor the beginning of the week long events, the group started an opening cocktail dinner at Sette Bacco, Buenos Aires’ exclusive Italian restaurant located in the heart of Recoleta.  The food was delicious and the group had an amazing time getting to know each other for their upcoming events.  As described by Katy Yokom, Spalding’s coordinator, “dinner was spectacular!  A smashing success!”Chance Miller, man-about-town, and Elizabeth Gleeson, artist & art connoisseur, hit up local sightseeing spots with two stops at major museums from the fine arts to contemporary work from local Argentine artists.   They finished up the tour at an artist house chatting about art while nibbling on cheese and sipping Argentina’s finest wine.4835324548_79463aa6b8_b.jpg

Up and Coming Argentine Artists in Buenos Aires!

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The BUZZ is Buenos Aires is breeding a good stock of avant garde artists and everyone wants a piece!  Elizabeth Gleeson, BAlocal’s new art gallery tour guide and one of BAs newest artists, takes visitors to top and off-the-beaten-path galleries exposing you to the world of contemporary art.   Well connected in Buenos Aires’ thriving art scene, Liz helps you find your very own precious artwork on her private gallery tour, whether it’s underground graffiti or traditional landscapes. She is also the ‘artistic eye’ voice on Urbana 89.5′s BAlive show every Thursday at 9pm.

BAlocal takes the NYTimes on Tour in Buenos Aires, Argentina!

In April, BAlocal took a NYTimes journalist on tour to discover an up-and-coming neighborhood, untouched by tourists yet is the talk of the locals.  That neighborhood would be Barracas – bordering San Telmo and La Boca, its packed with tons of history and is going through an enormous gentrification process.  We scouted out historical sights, new chic restaurants, B&Bs, shows, old factories turned into lofts and a huge bohemian art scene painted all over the streets and hard-to-find galleries.   Unfortunately, the editor cut out anything about BAlocal guiding the tour so I thought I’d mention the article.  Here you go, June 7, 2009 – In Buenos Aires, A New Revival:

  •  NYTimes – A Buenos Aires, In New Revival
  • Here’s BAlocal client infront of one a Barracas home-turned-atelier.
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    Buenos Aires Herald undertakes a customized city tour with BAlocal!!

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    Touring with BAlocal is like being shown around by ‘my cousin from BA!’

    Two different couples, two different experiences. Both uncovering the local scene with food, art, mate and just seeing the city from a local’s point of view.

        “Hi Christina! Thanks again for yesterday. Mayu and I had a great day with you and Daniel. I made the comment to Mayu that touring the town with you felt like being shown around by “my cousin from BA” – very fun, very comfortable :-) We are still on the move, so I wanted to drop you a quick note to say that today’s itinerary and the “bonus” suggestions below are a real hit so far. We haven’t made it everywhere yet, so some stops will shift to Friday’s schedule when we return from the falls. I’ll email again after we cross everything of our list! Take care…Michael”           

         

      “First I have to say that Matt and I really enjoyed our tour with you. You were so informative and we really felt that we got so much more out of the neighborhood tours with you than we could have ever done on our own, so thank you! Don Carlos’ restaurant was by far the best meal we have had here. It truly is a diamond in the rough! Thank you for sharing this with us and the mate! All the best, Christina”            


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    Lonely Planet’s Buenos Aires City Guide Book lists BAlocal as first listing for City Tours!

    In the new Lonely Planet Buenos Aires 2008 city guide on page 222, author, Sandra Bao, lists BAlocal as the very first listing under Organized Tours for its custom-made tours and itineraries.  Check out it here:   

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    Time Out Buenos Aires Highly Recommends BAlocal Tours!

    In Time Out Buenos Aires magazine’s Sep. 2008 issue BAlocal received a highly recommended review on city tours that connect visitors to local hangouts and shopping as they learn about the cultural and historical side of Buenos Aires.

       

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    Family Travel in Buenos Aires and great review!

    Just about everywhere in Buenos Aires you see kids out with their parents at tango shows, fancy restaurants, museums, art galleries, etc. BA is truly kid-friendly with beautiful parks in every nook of the city but also how Argentines embrace family life and incorporating their children in every activity is really something special…

      Recently, I had an amazing couple with their two children of 11 and 14. I set them up with private tango lessons and a excellent intimate tango show. They also toured with me on an Art gallery tour on the hunt for abstract landscape contemporary art…. and they found exactly what they were looking for. We also hit up the best leather jacket tailor and went on a historic city tour.
        Here’s what Roger Arar had to say from New York City:  
        “We are back in NYC and wondering if Argentina was just a dream — it was such a wonderful visit for us! We so enjoyed meeting you and spending some time together.  You were immensely helpful in helping us get to know such a big city.  We hope to see you again soon — whether here in NYC or on our next visit south!”

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