The Wandering Foodie

The Airbus 320 began its steep descent into Buenos Aires, the turbulence bouncing the aircraft and tightening the air, my ears popping as the aircraft cut through the clouds heading into lower altitudes. Usually, my trips start off with more euphoria, an anticipation, an excitement and surreal feeling of finally being in a new destination. But, not this time. I was struggling to be motivated. Maybe part of this was the difficulty of the journey, going through customs, etc. But, that was mostly an excuse. It was all in my head. I reckon I’m not the only one. We all get into a funk…even on a vacation we’ve planned for months! So, how do we break this cycle? Here’s how I did it in Argentina.

Relax and Explore: your first day shouldn’t be heavy. Take it easy and be spontaneous. I stayed in the Palermo neighborhood of Buenos Aires (named for a southern region of Italy). Here, you can find a range of coffee shops, interesting wall art, beautiful old buildings and some of the best croissants I’ve had outside of Paris.

Be sure to grab some Empanadas for lunch and then check out the Ecoparque, a free zoo where animals roam freely amongst beautiful plant settings in the mist of a busy city. Top off the afternoon with a walk over to the nearby neighborhood of Recoleta and browse the upscale houses that are home to many foreign embassies.

Then, check out the Recoleta cemetery, named one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the world by the BBC. It is home to many of Argentina’s past presidents, military leaders and the famous actress Eva Peron. If you’re lucky, as you leave, you might catch a couple dancing Tango at the nearby cafe.

Eat and Drink: Buenos Aires has many Italian influences and the food is worth taking advantage of. Kick off your night with pre-dinner cocktails at Andante, an Italian bar and restaurant whose clean, yet rustic surroundings, with American pop tunes playing overhead, will remind you of the best parts of Brooklyn.

Then, have a leisurely dinner at La Parolaccia Casa Tua Palermo, an upscale Italian restaurant where the Argentine wine bottles line the walls and the seafood risotto will leave you satisfied.

Of course, you can’t come to Buenos Aires without a trip to a steakhouse. Skip the big names like Don Julio (very busy, reservations needed) and head to Parrilla Pena. This is an ole school steakhouse, where the menu is straightforward and they don’t even ask you how you want your steak cooked. It comes fresh and hot, straight from the grill to your plate.

Wash down that thick beef with drinks at the Backroom Bar. Set next door to an accompanying bookstore, this may be one of Buenos Aires’ best cocktail bars. If you’re in the mood to keep the party going, head to Uptown, an NYC-themed bar where you enter through a realistic NYC subway entrance to a speakeasy underneath the Palermo neighborhood where the vibes are high, the alcohol flows and “Empire State of Mind” is sure to be playing. For the next night, head over to enjoy a cocktail in the swanky environs of Presidente, named of the world’s 50 best bars.

Immerse in History: Argentina has a rich history and one of Buenos Aires’ most interesting museums is the El Zanjon. Restoration on this 1830’s house was begun by the owner in 1995 and now you can tour the spaces that once were home to a wealthy Argentine family in the 19th century. The house itself is built on the site where much of the original settlement of Buenos Aires was founded centuries before that. One will notice the original cisterns that held water, the watch tower the owner used to monitor the harbor and the back of the house which housed the slaves. Africans played an important role in the early years of the city and even some elements of Tango have roots in African music traditions.

For a different adventure, book your tickets in advance and arrive early (they recommend an hour-and-a-half) to board the ferry to nearby Uruguay. The historical town of Colonia was founded by the Portuguese as a military post in 1680 and many of the aspects of the city remain today. You can walk past the beautiful walls and houses of the old town, visit the lighthouse and convent ruins of the 17th-century Convent of San Francisco, and reflect within the Basilica of the Holy Sacrament, built of stone by the Portuguese in 1808.

We all get in our heads. But, we can make a choice to explore, enjoy and live. Whether in an old city thousands of miles away or right at home.

See you on the next journey.

HP