what you must do in buenos aires

i was in buenos aires two years ago for christmas with a friend, and thought perhaps i should put down (a la blog) the must-dos from the trip. this started out as an email to friends going down south...

(apologies for all the missing accents and en-yays, my mac doesn't have the symbols)

lots of things in buenos aires are touristy but still wonderful: the big graveyard at recoleta, el caminito in la boca, and the tango show at bar del sur (not the other big shows, this one is
tiny and great). but here are places a bit farther afield. especially good if you travel in order to sip coffee and people-watch, like me.

spend lots of time (and find a hotel, if you can) in palermo viejo - it is adorable - a bit yuppy but the crazy thing is that even a yuppy neighborhood is pretty affordable here. check out the craft fairs in palermo viejo - we ran into a fair everyday, though it was christmas time. a brilliant idea i haven't seen in the states was turning nightclubs into huge craft fairs. expect great screenprinted t-shirts, hand-sewn bags and undies, plastic earrings, great prints.

papelera palermo is the one of the most amazing stores i have ever been in. it is full of handmade and recycled cards, journals, and paper. and the prices are totally reasonable. i came home with a duffel bag of stuff from here and still think i should have gotten more. and the aesthetic is totally different from anything i've seen before - bright and child-like with vintage imaging - crazy-cool.
Papelera Palermo
www.papelerapalermo.com
there are three locations now (one with classes!), i only visited:
Honduras 4945
Palermo
4833-3081

i got a great haircut at glam. i was super jetlagged and my spanish isn't that great to begin with, so it's amazing that i got what i was hoping for. know that the look in buenos aires is sort of mod, with lots of quasi-hipster-mullets, so a picture helps.
Glam
Quintana 218 y Montevideo
4812-4578

we had an amazing dinner and drinks at milion. it is a converted 19th century mansion with garden and terrace bars and dance floors and great food. the artwork all over the building is beautiful. plan to spend a while soaking it all in - incredible frozen mojitos and people watching.
Milion
www.milion.com.ar
Parana 1048
Phone: 4815-9925

the modern art museum, malba, is full of beautiful, mesmerizing things - from huge light installations to tiny wooden sculptures. the cafe and gift shop (yes, i am a museum cafe and gift shop afficionado) are great.
Malba
www.malba.org.ar
Avenida Figueroa Alcorta 3415
4808-6598

if you want to spring for a fancy, incredible meal (about $40 a person with
wine and all, expensive for buenos aires) go to cabaña los lilas on the waterfront. this is a place for carnivores, don't stuff yourself on the appetizers before getting to the steak. there are lots of other tourists here, but with steak this good i wasn't worried about authenticity.
Cabana Las Lilas
www.laslilas.com/restaurant.php
Avenida Davila 516
4313-1336

one of the best things of all is the cafe con leche and medialunas (croissants) every morning - you can find them anywhere - from fancy cafes in recoleta to quickie-marts.