But a moment after ringing the buzzer, meeting my fellow wine tasters from Dallas and the founder and owner of Anuva Wines, Daniel Karlin, my mind is at ease. We enter one of those quintessential Argentine elevators with the manual-fold slide shut door and head up to Karlin’s apartment, office, and for the next hour or so, private wine bar. And it’s here where the dinner table is ready with our place settings for five wines and five food pairings ready to go.

Tonight it’s just the three of us plus our host, but an average tasting can have up to eight guests, though special events for 30-40 people can be arranged with anticipation. The entire experience costs U$40 per person, a great value. Any insecurities from the thought of it originally are quickly laid down as we chat and make ourselves comfortable–it’s clear from the get-go that this is a place for learning, differentiating, and most importantly, desgustación (tasting) of wine. Let the festivities begin.

Right away the presentation begins, but I really shouldn’t say presentation, because that doesn’t quite capture the essence of it. This is not a speech that has been rehearsed a thousand times or practiced in front of a mirror, but rather a conversation given from a man who clearly knows and loves his wine. For the next 90 or whatever minutes, we are not limited by a proprietor/client relationship, but rather it’s like a friend talking to old buddies who are visiting Argentina for the first time. Of course wine is the main topic of discussion, but at any moment the expat recommendation for a great restaurant or an explanation of politics is readily available.

The thing is, Daniel Karlin is an American who came here in 2004 with the intention to travel the world for two years, but somehow 36 hours into his trip met his wife and business partner Lourdes. Daniel fell in love and got married, but you see, it gets complicated from there with a little love triangle. That third party would include Malbec, the little grape that could from France which, like Daniel, found a new home in Argentina. And the rest, as they say, is history. Now, he opens his home to locals and visitors for an intimate and exclusive wine tasting in Buenos Aires as part of Anuva Wines, which is also a distributor to 32 states in the U.S., shipping wines that otherwise never would have seen the far north. This is the only service like this in Buenos Aires.

We start in on a sparkling wine, Hom, pronounced ohm like a Buddhist chant. This tart and fruity drink has strong reminiscence of green apple, which explodes on the scene in my mouth as I try the cream cheese and celery cracker pairing. We continue with information on the wine and its bottling, production, and taste. This is a boutique wine, and it seems as though hardly any is made at all. To taste it is to have a sneak peak into Argentine wine. Hom is produced by Cava La Carmela, and they’ve been producing sparkling wine since 2002.

Next is the Serrera Torrontes, another white wine with potential to bring up the taste of fruit and something sweet. They say it has aromas of orange blossom, jasmin and honeyed white peach, but since I’m not an oenophile, I just take Karlin’s word for it and enjoy the taste. Though it seems like it’s a dessert wine, it holds together on its own, and in fact this wine has been known to turn anti-white wine drinkers into Torrontes lovers. It’s just that good. And matched with a sorbet of two flavors, the berries and terroir are a part of it just as much as the history, originating in Spain.

Our third wine brings on the reds, and here we start in with the main character, the Malbec. Malbec got kind of a bad rep in France, but only because it never fit in until it found the Argentine terroir. Here it developed into what it is today, and those who know wine know that Argentina sits on a vast expanse of land in Mendoza, known as the Cuyo Region, which is maybe the best in the world for growing this grape. Thinskinned, Malbec requires the arid desert conditions to reach full maturity and grows into a stellar and supple wine with soft tannins.

Our first sample is the San Gimignano Malbec Roble, from the Mevi Boutique Winery. My first sensation is of butter, and breathing in air as I swallow and breath out of my nose, the bouquet opens up and a world of tastes pop in to my memory as if they’d been waiting to be tapped on. It hints of something special, but I just can’t put my finger on it. An assortment of cheeses and meats expand on this as we continue our conversation, and I really forget that I’m at a wine tasting. It seems like I’m just at a friend’s house, and he’s been kind enough to teach me about something he’s well versed on. There are no pretensions–this is very much so a house, and everything from the photos to the menorah on the bureau tell me that this is a family business, and not a faceless corporation. I’ve been to those large tastings where you, like a bottle in the assembly line, are pushed in and out so quickly that you don’t even have time to ask what you just drank. If that was odd, this is even. (HA!)

Mairena Bonarda is next, with an interesting history dating back to the dictatorship of the 80s, and for the first time tonight I taste a wine that belongs with steak, more steak, and potentially more steak after that. This wine speaks to me in terms of experience, with a full body and an after taste that doesn’t linger, but has the sense to know when it should slowly fade away. It’s a keeper alright. This one is paired with a delicious empanada stuffed not with just any old meat, but rump steak. That means it’s kind of like the Rolls-Royce of empanadas.

And last but not least we have Don Juan Reserve from Las Perdices, which matches with two kinds of chocolates, one from Ecuador and another from Cote D’Ivoire, which to me has a coffee taste to it, though it’s listed as having hints of vanilla, raspberry jam and tobacco as well. This is a sweeter wine and seems like a good choice for a night of light eating or munching. Once the five wines and foods are finished, we aren’t rushed out of the door. Instead, we casually converse and discuss options on joining the wine club and shipments of the wines, or whether or not even just one bottle is worth taking home in checked luggage. Because with Anuva, the idea is to bring quality wines to a market that is waiting for it. However, there is no sales pressure and no false pretense. If you didn’t like the wine, then no sweat.

Anuva’s website is set up user-friendly and with the X Generation in mind, aka for those who didn’t grow up with a lap top in their, well, laps. A helpful blog gives information on the company and wines in Argentina, and there are also sections on Argentine culture and life. In short, it ensures that you don’t show up, try wine, and then get left at the doorstep. Rather, you are taken through the entire experience and even given directions to a great restaurant to boot. These wines aren’t mass produced, and are rarely found on shelves or even in the best restaurants in Buenos Aires, so unless you know someone special, Anuva is the place to go for high quality, yet virtually unknown wines. And once the tasting is complete, you can look over options and see whether or not you’d like to receive the wines you tasted at home, choosing how many bottles and when to be sent to you.

Daniel travels around the three wine growing regions of Argentina (Cuyo, Patagonia, and Salta) four or five times a year, tasting and looking for the best wines to distribute and demonstrate. The theory comes across in their name itself. Anuva is not a word you’ll find in any Spanish or English dictionary. It’s a combination of both languages, using “An” from English and “Uva” from Spanish, meaning grape. A new word: Anuva. And from what I can see, a new way to present wine in a country that’s already known for the product. That goes down smoothly with me.

• An Expat’s Guide to Argentine Business
• Portland Porteno Preaches Argentine Wine
• Anuva Vinos Brings Argentine Wines to Select US Tasters
• Wine Tasting in Buenos Aires
• NY Wine Reviewer Gives ’07 Argentine Malbec Good Marks

Jardin Escondido

Not only is director Francis Ford Coppola the brains behind some epic works of cinema, he’s also the proud owner of one of Buenos Aires’ most exclusive boutique hotels, Jardin Escondido, in the heart of the trendy Palermo Soho district. Seven beautifully designed guest rooms are set around a luscious private garden that features a heated pool, terrace and outdoor kitchen for asados. A sommelier is on call throughout your stay to assist in your choice of grape. And there’s Coppola’s collection of classic movies to work your way through on a rainy day. The trend for those flush with cash is to hire out the whole place but it is possible to just get a room.

Gorriti 4746, Palermo Soho, coppolajardinescondido.com

Alvear Palace Hotel

This palatial, Louis XIV-style establishment, situated in Buenos Aires’s ritzy Recoleta district, is grandiose with a capital ‘G’ and is one of the city’s oldest and most famous hotels. The phrase ‘no expense is spared’ springs to mind. The deluxe rococo-style guest rooms, most of which are suites, feature antique furnishings and works of art from the hotel’s private collection. The hotel’s La Bourgogne restaurant offers some of the finest French cuisine in the city. What’s more, you get your own personal butler to pack and unpack for you and bath products custom designed by chic French brand Hermès.

Avenida Alvear 1891, tel: (+54 11) 4808 2100, www.alvearpalace.com

>>> Find Lowest Rates

Palacio Duhau – Park Hyatt

Just down the road from the Alvear Palace Hotel is another lap of luxury vying for your attention, albeit in a more minimalist fashion. The Palacio Duhau Park Hyatt is a slick, modern establishment offering state-of-the-art comfort. The opulent hotel has the choice of three fine dining restaurants, its own art gallery, the luxury Ahin Wellness Spa, a 25-meter indoor swimming pool as well as a larger than life vinoteca that will impress even the snobbiest of wine connoisseurs.

Avenida Alvear 1661, tel: (+54 11) 5171 1234, www.buenosaires.park.hyatt.com

>>> Find Lowest Rates

Faena Hotel + Universe

You may find yourself rubbing shoulders with rockstars and fashion designers at Faena Hotel + Universe, one of the city’s most-talked-about boutique hotels. The chic Philippe Starck-designed accommodation has picked up numerous awards, and for good reason. Located along the fashionable Puerto Madero strip, the converted factory is full of chandeliers and modish design features. During the day, people watch by the pool or pamper yourself in the Turkish style hamam before enjoying a very English-style afternoon tea in the Library lounge. Spend your evenings sampling the over 400 wines from the Cellar or catching a show in the hotel’s very own cabaret bar.

445 Martha Salotti, Puerto Madero, tel: (+54 11) 4010 9000, www.faenahotelanduniverse.com

>>> Find Lowest Rates

Legado Mitico

As the name suggests, this luxury boutique hotel is a celebration of Argentina’s legends and envelopes you in the history and culture of Argentina in a very tasteful, thematic manner. Each of the eleven smartly-appointed guest rooms is named after and inspired by a different character from the country’s colorful history, from ‘El Pintor’ Benito Quinquela Martin to ‘El Tanguero’ Carlos Gardel and, of course, ‘La Primera Dama’ Eva Perron. There is also a well-stocked library of books and objets d’art to further educate you and a wooden terrace and hot tub for sunning yourself while you read.

Gurruchaga 1848, Palermo Soho, tel: (+54 11) 4833 1300, www.legadomitico.com

• Boutique Hotels Grow Rapidly in Buenos Aires
• Hotel Room in Buenos Aires Named One of Sexiest in World
• Argentina’s Top Luxury Hotels… Outside of Buenos Aires!
• Buenos Aires is Tops on New Luxury List
• Leading Hospitality Group to Build New Luxury Hotel in BA

Best For Boho Chic
Local designer Nadine Zlotogora is highly regarded by the city’s fashion elite for her unique, boho chic aesthetic that she applies to men’s, women’s and children’s clothing. Experimenting with different fabrics, embroidery and textures, her designs have a whimsical charm. Her very feminine, layered dresses are a particular standout. Although some pieces are a little off the wall, her collections, for the most part, are very wearable and her rustic-style boutique is beautifully appointed. She also designs an assortment of pretty homeware.
Nadine Zlotogora, El Salvador 4638, tel: (+54 11) 4831 4203, www.nadinezlotgora.com

Best For Cutting-Edge Design
This bright, airy atelier-style boutique showcases the collections of some of the coolest home-grown designers in the country. Find funky jewelry, home furnishings, stationery, books and clothing. There is also a selection of contemporary art for sale and the space holds regular exhibitions as well as film nights in their cool, leafy courtyard outback.
Fabro, Nicaragua 4677, tel: (+54 11) 4831 8723, www.fabrolab.com

Best For Making a Statement
Girls with a kooky sense of fashion will find something for their wardrobe at Dam. The quirky local designer makes one-off threads out of loud, colourful fabrics, ranging from cartoonish prints to 70s florals. The collection features 50s style dresses, skirts, pants, shirts and even colourful underwear. There’s a selection of wacky accessories to match.
Dam, Honduras 4775, tel : (+54 11) 4833 3935, www.damboutique.com.ar

Best For Fabulous Heels
With such an abundance of leather shoe boutiques in the Palermo hood, indeed in the whole of the city, it’s hard to know where to look for a good pair of leather shoes. For something chic, colourful and oozing with sex appeal, check out Lucila Iotti’s small yet very on-trend collection. The designer works with leather, patent, suede, satin and vinyl for very feminine footwear, from evening strappies to smart stiletto boots. Some of her designs even appeared in the Sex & the City movie.
Lucila Iotti, Malabia 2212, tel : (+54 11) 4833 0206, www.lucilaiotti.com

Best For When it Rains
When it rains, it pours in Buenos Aires and Seco has all you need in the way of stylish attire to protect yourself from the rain and look cute as a button at the same time. Their collection features a range of dinky, colourful rain boots, umbrellas and reversible rain macs that come in a range of shapes and styles from cutesy floral and heart motifs to animal print patterns. One trip to Seco and you’ll be praying for rain for an excuse to wear your new purchases. On brighter days, you can sport their leggings, T-shirts and other trendy accessories.
Seco, Armenia 1646, tel: (+54 11) 4833 1166, www.secorainwear.com

Photo from Buenos Aires Hostels Argentina on Flickr!

• The Real Shopper’s Guide to BA’s Best Leather
• Sumptuous Leather Bags Beckon from Anahi M in Palermo Soho
• A Personal Shopper Makes Shopping a Fun, Fast, Non-Stressful Adventure
• Shopping in Salta is a Hidden Jewel for Travelers
• Best Luxury Hotels in Buenos Aires

At Comedor Nikkai, Ave. Independencia 732 in San Telmo, the sign is barely noticeable, a big wooden door with mysterious Konji characters. However, the sushi is fresh, hot entrées delicious, and the lot of it truly authentic. It is a scant surprise given that the restaurant shares a building with the Japanese Association of Buenos Aires. Serving Argentines, tourists, and expatriates (Japanese or otherwise) this non-presumptuous comedor has a relaxed atmosphere with soft green walls and the usual accents such as an aquarium behind the sushi bar and geisha paintings on the wall.

However, you may not get a chance to see the fish in the tanks or décor on the wall for all the fish on the menu and entrées listed. If you are out for sushi and nothing but a long list of sushi, nigri, and sashimi options are available. If you are a Japanese food neophyte, you have an array of hot entrées to choose from or the menu of the day which includes a teasing three pieces of sushi, and then a mixed match of other items such as a flavorful plate of mixed vegetables with white rice, small plate of pickled cucumber, goyza (dumplings), a udon soup I highly recommend, yakitori (skewers of spiced chicken), tonkatsu (a breaded and fried piece of pork with a sweet katzu sauce), salad, and more.

We went twice, the first time ordering the menu of the day #1 choice which featured the tonkatsu which got favorable reviews for $38 pesos. The second time we went all out and ordered a large combination plank that included seventy-five pieces of sashimi, nigri, and sushi of salmon, white fish (dorado), California, Boston, and other rolls as well as shrimp for $260 pesos. There was an obvious odd man out as the white fish (dorado) was the last sushi and sashimi standing after everyone had gobbled their favorites. It may be best to order salmon combinations, which are sure to please.

At the end of the meal, go with the exotic flavors of ice cream (ginger, green tea, wasabi) or cakes for dessert in lieu of the mysterious doriyaki and kurmimanyu, breads filled with bean paste, as they are a little dry, the only disappointment in an otherwise delectable meal.

• Business: Sushi Libre in Buenos Aires
• Weekend Buzz: Not Steak Edition
• Green Bamboo Restaurant has the Best Asian Food in Buenos Aires
• Relaxing at the Japanese Garden in Buenos Aires
• The Best Peruvian Restaurants in Buenos Aires

The concept is simple, members run, jog, or walk along a trail, as long as 10km or short as 6km, marked with mounds and dusts of flour and at the end of the trail several bottles of cold beer await attention at a host’s house. The host and trail are on a rotating schedule to ensure a unique experience every time. The drinking also has a wee bit of method and songs applied to the madness. Yes. Songs! At the last Hash meeting, we were ‘virgins’ which, of course, merited a downing of Ishenbecks and one (of many songs) that went something like this:

“Here’s to ‘the hasher’
He’s true blue,
He’s a Hasher,
Through and through,
He’s a pisspot,

So they say,
Tried to go to heaven,
But he went the other way,
So drink it down, down, down . . .”

While the group continues on the “down, down, down…” all the drinkers are to down their beer as fast as they can, only showing they’ve completed the task by upturning the cup over their heads. If you’re a bit too slow, the chorus of “down, down, down” turns to “whyyy are we waiting, whyyy are we waiting…” but do not let this unsettle you. The group is friendly and you can take your time. Or, dump the foam behind your back. One can notice that more tame or experienced hashers sit safely in the background while those more fervent, or new, are at the fore.

The best part of the Hash House Harrier experience is the hashers themselves. There is always a combination of friendly expats and locals alike, one may find themselves talking about futbol, politics, business (with a beer penalty of course), or the happenings about town. You’ll leave with a warm feeling, either from the beer, the new found friends, or both.

It costs $15 pesos to attend a meeting, which pays for all of the beer and some heavy snacks including, at the last meeting anyway, cookies, potato chips, potatoes, and a chicken curry. The best place to find out where the next Hash House Harriers meeting in Buenos Aires will be is to visit the ‘Expat Events in Buenos Aires’ Facebook page found at this link:

Expat Events in Buenos Aires

Happy hashing!

• Cumbia at Luna Park, Buenos Aires
• Tango Meets the Beatles in Argentine Group Tangoloco
• Olsen in Palermo – Scandinavian Cuisine and Fabulous Brunch in Buenos Aires
• The Argentina Soccer Game Experience Might be More than you Bargained for
• I hate Facebook but I love Fútbol

Peruvian cuisine is steadily gaining international recognition and even in beef-enamoured BA, you can find a decent fish ceviche and pisco sour bound to make you dream of nights in Cuzco.

Citrus, chilli and corn make up the main components of Peruvian food and are a welcome break from the usual empanada diet. Although Argentines may comment that Peruvian food is insanely spicy, don’t worry – it is usually watered down to cater for the more tepid local palate. However you will, perhaps to your relief, find some good sauces likely to knock the socks off of any of the usual chimichurri available. Most restaurants hold the hot stuff on reserve for home-sick Peruvian expats, so be sure to ask if you want it even hotter.

The real reason for coming to a Peruvian restaurant is usually the traditional fish ceviche (raw fish cut into small cubes and left to marinade and break down in citrus then added to onion and herbs). Many restaurants also offer seafood and mixed ceviche but if you can’t make up your mind which to try order the ceviche tasting menu and try them all!

Chan Chan (Hipolito Yrigoyen 1390) comes highly recommended for traditional Peruvian cuisine that will appease your wallet as well as your tastebuds. Always brimming with people, there is barely space to pull out your chair, however this small restaurant is worth the squeeze. Great ceviche and fantastic prices make Chan Chan a local favourite.

Nearby Status (Virrey Cevallos 178), Contigo Peru (Echeverria 1627) and Mochica (Aguero 520) also offer decently priced ceviche and all of them make good cracked corn, wicked papas a la huancaini (spicy potatoes covered in cream) and a variety of other traditional dishes.

You are usually advised to swirl down your meal with a cold beer or a jug of pisco sour (the national brandy mixed with egg white, lime juice and sugar into a refreshing and boozy drink).

Another element to Peruvian cuisine not to be overlooked is the increasing number of fusion restaurants. More commonly fused with Asian flavours and specifically Japanese (raw fish being the obvious common element), some restaurants are branching out and working the key Peruvian principles with other cuisines including Mediterranean.

Upmarket and good quality (although expensive) options include Astrid & Gaston (Lafinur 3222), Osaka (Soler 5608), Sipan (Paraguay 624) and Pozo Santo (El Salvador 4968). All of them are all great examples of chefs pulling out the best of the Peruvian and playing around with other flavours.

However if you really want to see what the fuss is all about over Peruvian restaurants in BA, it is best to start with something traditional and you are bound to walk away wanting more.

Thanks to aylwinlo on flickr.

• Contigo Perú, an Oasis of Soups and Seafood
• The Story of Gnocchi Day in Argentina
• Naturata, a Great Vegetarian Restaurant in Mendoza, Argentina. Really.
• Sushi in Buenos Aires: Dashi Restaurant
• Return to Kansas (the Restaurant in Buenos Aires)

Everyone knows that Palermo has the largest area of parks, but it’s not one park that makes this area well know. Instead, it’s a series of parks near each other, each offering something different and unique.

Parque 3 de Febrero
This is maybe the best known park in the city, located across from the U.S. Embassy and the Zoo. This park has the rose gardens, pond with paddle boats, and even a museum inside. Every day you’ll find the perimeter swarming with roller bladers, bikers, and runners. Yoga classes take place on the grass next to groups of friends and families drinking mate and having picnics. Street food like choripan and hamburgers are available at a pretty reasonable price, and you’re smack dab in the middle of the park network.

Though this park is beautiful, you might get tired of the crowds, so consider walking around to the Planetarium or Parque Jorge Newberry. It’s a bit farther away to the east, but quieter and less trafficked. The trade off is while you get a little more privacy, the people watching takes a dip as a result.

Botanical Gardens
Across from Plaza Italia and the Zoo are the Botanical Gardens, which you can stroll through for free at your leisure. Though it is flanked by Avenida General Las Heras and Avenida Santa Fe, it is surprisingly quiet and peaceful inside. The red clay paths lead to different species of plant life and areas where you can sit to meditate or read a book. This may be one of the more underrated parks in this part of town, but that just means it’s more peaceful. Just remember to bring bug spray.

Japanese Gardens
Small by comparison, the Japanese Gardens are a pretty place to spend an hour or so. At this time, it costs $5 pesos to enter during the week and $8 on the weekends and holidays. The gardens consist of a series of coy ponds, bridges, and pagodas. There is a sushi restaurant inside and a greenhouse where you can buy different plants, including bonsai plants. The catch is that if you go on a weekend you can expect a lot of people. This is the kind of place that is best served with peace and quiet, so if you can manage it, go during the week.

Parque Las Heras
A bit farther away from the parks of Palermo in Recoleta you find Parque Las Heras. This is another park that is peaceful and quiet, but has a lot of space to roam around. Buses pass by this area and it’s close to museums, shopping, and the Recoleta Cemetery. You might not want to spend all day here, but it’s good for an hour at the very least.

Ecological Reserve
Down next to Puerto Madero is the Ecological Reserve, or Costanera Sur. It’s really just a swamp that was gutted and has a track around it, but once you’ve been in the city for a while it’s pretty refreshing. Right next to the Río de la Plata, you can occasionally watch boats go by and get a nice breeze on hot days. There is a row of cheap street food by the entrance of the reserve that is worth checking out.

Parque Lezama
Located on the border of San Telmo and La Boca, this park is maybe more “authentic” in that not too many tourists wander here, yet doesn’t lose any points from a visitors point of view. There is a fair here on weekends and a museum is located within the park as well. The park has a lower level and a raised level where you can find a human sized chess board/amphiteater. It’s only a few blocks from the San Telmo fair and Puerto Madero, making it a good stopping point between the two on a Sunday stroll through the south side.

Plazas

It might say Plaza Cortázar on the map, but everyone knows it as Plaza Serrano. This hot spot in Palermo Soho has (expensive) bars and restaurants, and is close to shopping. On the weekends a crafts fair is set up in the middle, which is good if you’ve not feeling up to San Telmo.

Plaza San Martín is located at the northern end of Calle Florida, close to Retiro. This is a nice place to sit and regroup after walking through the mess of Calle Florida, or just to soak up some sun. For a plaza, it’s large enough to border on the side of a park, but to each his own. At the bottom of the plaza you find the memorial to the Islas Malvinas (Falkland Islands) War, with the eternal flame and soldiers standing guard. This park is a little haven in the hustle and bustle of the Microcentro.

Plaza Lavalle is deep in the Microcentro as well, down near Tribunales and Teatro Colón. While it’s not the prettiest place to be, there is some green space to relax and rest your feet if you’ve been walking around the center and have had enough. It’s only two blocks from Avenida Corrientes an Avenida 9 de Julio. Just keep an eye on your things as well once the sun starts going down, as the area can get a bit dodgy.

Of course, these are only a handful of the many parks and plazas that this city has to offer, and the longer you spend here the more you’ll find. Some of the best are the ones that have yet to be mentioned.

• Running: Buenos Aires Style
• Parque las Heras, a Little Palermo-Style Downtime
• Discover Parque Chacabuco, an Up and Coming BA Barrio
• The Weekend Buzz: Game On!
• Parque Nacional Baritú One of Argentina’s Best Kept Secrets

Buenos Tours

Hands down one of the most popular tour operators in Buenos Aires is Buenos Tours private walking tours. Choosing a walking tour is a great way to interact with the city like you wouldn’t normally be able to in a bus tour. Buenos Tours will take you to all the major attractions like Plaza de Mayo, and the Buenos Aires Cathedral, while entertaining you at the same time. Alan the founder has lived as a BA expat for 4 and a ½ years and knows the ins and outs of Buenos Aires. One of his customers said “ He shows you things you won’t access on your own and he tells you stories you can’t read in your guide book.”  If you’re looking for a introduction to Buenos Aires from a local’s perspective, you can’t go wrong with Buenos Tours.
www.buenostours.com

Buenos Aires Free Tour

No-one knows a city like its locals and this particular group of English-speaking porteňos (or locals) love their city so much that they’re willing to show you around it for free. The organization offers two walking tours every day, one at 11am (around the center) and one at 5pm (around Recoleta). They also organize trips to the see the famous Boca Juniors football team in action on the pitch and day excursions to a Matederos Fair, as well as private customized tours. www.buenosairesfreetour.com

Urban Biking Tours

Night owls can discover the city’s vibrant nightlife culture by bike with Urban Biking’s evening tours, taking in the sights and sounds of Puerto Madero, San Telmo and Recoleta. The group also offers various four-hour day tours around the city as well as a full day trip to Tigre. Group tours start at around US$35. Bikes, helmets and refreshments are included in the price as well as an initiation into drinking mate (the local tea). www.urbanbiking.com

Urban Running Tours

An even more novel way to see the city is on the run and some of the city’s trained runners are offering to show you the way. You can pick and choose your route from the secluded leafy paths around Palermo Woods to the upmarket streets of Belgrano. You don’t need to be an expert runner but it might be wise to go easy on the Malbec the night before. Group tours start around US$50. www.urbanrunningtours.com.ar

Shop Till You Drop Tours

Fashionistas looking for insider information on the local scene should contact BA Local. The company, run by a fashion-savvy New Yorker, organizes Shop Till You Drop tours as well as personalized shopping tours depending on whether you’re after a pair of stylish leather shoes or avant-garde threads. Art gallery tours and other specialized outings are also available. Pricing depends on individual requests, preferred mode of transport and size of group.  www.balocal.com

Graffitimundo

Unless you’ve been walking around Buenos Aires with your eyes closed, it will have come to your attention that some of the locals are big on graffiti. If you’re interested in seeing some of the best tagging in town, join Graffitimundo’s tour. These tours are led in English and often accompanied by an Argentine artist. www.graffitimundo.com

Buenos Aires Bus Tour

For sedentary types, the open-top Buenos Aires bus tour is just the ticket. The bus does a circuit of the entire city and stops at 12 major attractions. Rig yourself up to a multi-lingual audio guide and sit back and enjoy the two hour and 45 minute ride. Alternatively, you can hop on and off the bus at the designated stops as you please. A day ticket costs 50 pesos and buses run every 30 minutes. The company also runs night tours and dinner and tango show packages. www.buenosairesbus.com

• Interview with Alan Patrick of Buenos Tours (Part 1)
• Ditch the Tour Guide, Download a Walking Tour to Buenos Aires
• Hit Pop Group Teen Angels Goes on World Tour
• As Colder Weather Comes, Mar del Plata Lively as Ever
• Go Ahead Tours Offers New Tour in Argentina, Brazil

Nuevo tango (new tango) began to develop over twenty years ago with the adoption of different musical elements into the traditional orchestra-based tango music. Hints of jazz and classical were gradually introduced and at the same time dancers began to infuse the traditional dance steps with a combination of new styles including salsa and swing.

Nowadays you can catch all types of milongas in Buenos Aires where people dance to anything from electro tango to Elvis. Acoustic and electronic blend, dancing styles mesh and milongas are held in living rooms however even with new, alternative tango it is still not a case of ‘anything goes’. Before attempting to dance at a milonga make sure you know at least some of the basic steps, as the dance is still taken seriously and tradition prevails that those dancing in public should be good enough to warrant it.

Don’t let this put you off though as alternative tango nights are a great deal of fun and show a different side to this still dynamic dance that has been somewhat homogenized by poorer tourist shows.

On Friday nights in San Telmo, the humble Club La Independencia (Avenida Independencia 572) hosts an alternative tango night, Otros Buenos Aires (www.otrosbuenosaires.com). Here you can expect to see some of the city’s hot young dancers working themselves around the floor to anything from contemporary new tango to old jazz classics. Also recommended for a spot of new tango is Soho Tango (Cabrera 4849), which usually fills up with a young crowd, or La Catedral (Sarmiento 4006) for some alternative nights.

Another way to experience alternative tango if you aren’t quite ready to put on your dancing shoes is through the music. Electro tango is a widening genre and outfits including Gotan Project and Tanghetto are projecting it onto the international music scene. While groups such as Ultratango still regularly play in BA.

For listings of special alternative tango events keep your eye open for the bi-monthly Time Out Buenos Aires magazine and bi-lingual website www.whatsupbuenosaires.com

Whether you want to engage your feet or your ears, alternative tango offers you a different way into the nation’s cultural blood stream.

Image by zabara_tango

• The Beginners Guide to Tango in Buenos Aires, by Tangocherie
• Practicing Nuevo Tango at Villa Malcolm
• Gay Tango Breaks Boundaries in BA Dance Scene
• Another Tango in Paris: 4th Buenos Aires Tango Festival
• Take Tango on the Road With You, Radio Blog Tells You How

Anuva Wines

This is a great option for an affordable wine tasting of wines from all over Argentina. Anuva Wines is also a wine club and is the only company we know that affordably ships wine to the U.S. They host wine tastings in their Las Canitas tasting room and specializes in wines from boutique wineries that are largely only available in Argentina. The tastings are quintessentially Argentine with a focus on Malbec, Torrontés and Bonarda. The 40 u$d price is great for a tasting with 5 wines, 5 specific food pairings, a comprehensive presentation of the wines, Argentine terroir, history, local restaurant and sight seeing recommendations and refills on the wines you like. Anuva also offers hotel delivery, apartment delivery, handy reusable wine bags, and its wine club and shipping service. Anuva accepts requests for special tastings and can accommodate large groups is enough advance notice is given.

Casa Coupage

Casa Coupage offers one of the most unique wine / dinner experience in Buenos Aires. While not strictly wine tasting, it is definitely worth checking out. The venue doubles as the home of the owners, whose concept is to create a welcoming space, in which visitors can focus on their individual sensory experience and develop their palates through blind tastings. Their Bistro Innovacion happens on Thursday and Friday evenings by reservation only, and includes a generous seasonal menu – food is an integral part of Argentine wine drinking culture. Alternatively, you can arrange for a private tasting session for two to twenty people. In either set-up, the owners communicate wines in an incredibly dynamic and personal way that is truly special and authentically Argentine.

Terroir

This upscale vinoteca in Palermo, is a good option if you are serious about wine and are willing to invest time and money in a tasting. The slightly pretentious venue caters towards an upper class cliental and has a portfolio consisting of mainly high-end wines. Consequently, if you are budget minded you may find the vast cellar here a bit limited, not to mention intimidating. Tastings start at around AR$250 per person and a standard tasting for a group of around eight people will set you back between AR$450-500. The owner puts careful effort into tailoring the tasting to your preferences, but only as long as you have done your research beforehand and have given serious thought to the kinds of wine you want to try.

Winery

This vinoteca (wine shop)/resto-bar chain, offers wine tasting at three of their locations: Puerto Madero, Avenida Alem, and Avenida Libertador. For AR$98 you can enjoy a sampling of five AR$50-$70 bottles of wine (four red, one white), as well as an assortment of tapas. Winery is ideal if you enjoy drinking without chatting, as you are left largely on your own to taste wines with simply a sheet of paper on which you can mark your impressions. There is an option, however, to hire an in-house sommelier to guide your session if you prefer a more interactive experience.

Club 647

Club 647 is your best bet for a ‘walk-in’ tasting as well as for excellent wine-food pairing. One of the best new restaurants in Buenos Aires, Club 647 has put much thought into creating a wine menu that complements their amazing dishes. They have designed an extremely user-friendly and clever wine list that is categorized by character as opposed to more conventional varietal or regional groupings. For example, whites are dived in into dynamic sub-categories such as ‘fruity with medium suppleness,’ ‘elegant and supple with yeast notes,’ and ‘fresh, young and light bodied.’ Tailored tasting flights include 4-5 wines and cost between AR$100-$150.

Gran Bar Danzon

Buenos Aires’ only definitive wine bar, Gran Danzon is another solid alternative if you do not have time to organize or book a tasting in advance. Though the bar does not offer tasting flights, it has the most extensive ‘by the glass’ menu of wines to be found in Buenos Aires, from which you can create your own ‘tasting.’ Prices range from $8-$16 per glass for white wines and $10-$32 for reds.

• Portland Porteno Preaches Argentine Wine
• Anuva Vinos Brings Argentine Wines to Select US Tasters
• New Wine Tasting Club to Hold Event in BA
• Anuva Wines: A Special Introduction to Argentinean Wine
• The Doña Paula Winery Emerges onto U.S. Market