Barracas is big. It’s bulky. And this southern barrio has a reputation for being bad. But it’s one of my favorite areas of Buenos Aires. Hopefully this series of posts will dispel some of the misrepresentations about Barracas & encourage people to explore it. I walked just about every block in Barracas back in 2007 & recently returned to see what’s changed. Quite a bit.
Read More »buenos aires: barracas revisited, divisions
I’ll never forget my first impression of Plaza de Mayo —the main square in Buenos Aires & arguably the most important public spot in all of Argentina. Important buildings, including the Casa Rosada (the presidential office) & the Cabildo (the old town hall), are located there… in addition, the plaza witnessed the birth of a revolutionary movement which expanded to all of Latin America. Expectations were high. But on arrival I thought to myself, “This is it??” Living in Spain & frequent travels to México had apparently spoiled me. I envisioned a large public space, a knockout cathedral & lots of colonial architecture. Instead, Plaza de Mayo delivered a few palm trees, horrendous 1970’s-era fountains, random patches of grass & the feeling that I was in a basin. Hmph.
Read More »writing: prep for plaza de mayo
Don’t be jealous… although you should be.
The Kavanagh is a Holy Grail to architecture buffs worldwide, & I scored a visit inside today. The building administration was adamant about not taking photos in public areas. Did I listen? We were chastised several times, & I wouldn’t want the person who granted us access to get into trouble. She lives there after all. But how could I resist?
Read More »buenos aires: inside the kavanagh
Most people associate the Costanera Sur with choripan & a wonderful sculpture by Lola Mora. Todo bien. But there’s actually more of the old public bathing area which extends into La Boca. A dead-end on the map, I’ve always to explore that corner of Buenos Aires. Today was the day.
Read More »buenos aires: the other costanera sur
Let’s clear something up. This isn’t the English word “once” but the mini-barrio known as Once in Buenos Aires. Say OHN-say… now you’ve got it.
A 12-block walk through the heart of Once will be the next release for Endless Mile, nicely ahead of schedule. Text & layout are already finished. The only big task remaining is to create a couple of graphics. The walk should be available soon! It’s a treat to show visitors a part of Buenos Aires that is centrally located (about the same distance from both Recoleta Cemetery & Plaza de Mayo) but rarely visited. Hopefully we’ll change that. Our introduction begins with the following text:
Read More »business: why once?