OS NHOQUES DO 29 (Por Hostel Buenos Aires)

Todos os dias 29, revive na Argentina uma estranha tradição de origem desconhecido mais amplamente estendida: comer nhoques (gnocchi) e deixar algo de dinheiro debaixo do prato enquato se comem. O pessoal podería esperar que a tradição venha da Italia, como outras tantas associadas às pastas, mais não. É um rito 100% argentino que, se você estiver de visita em Buenos Aires durante um 29, deve aproveitar.

Quando pequenos nos ensinavam que o 29 é o dia dos nhoques. Nossos pais também achan o mesmo, inclusive nossos avós associam a pasta italiana com este dia. Mais o realmente importante, além de comer nhoques, é pôr dinheiro debaixo do prato. Se supõe que esto nus garante prosperidade econômica para o mes seguinte. Há quens põem a nota mais alta que têm, outros a sua moeda da sorte. Algo importante é que essa soma não deve ser gastada no transcurso até o próximo 29. Os mais fieis ao ritual, sustentam que a falta de 29 em boa parte dos fevereiros é o que faz do março um mês difícil. Eles mesmos são os mais felices nos anos bissextos e quens sempre fazem reserva nas lojas de pastas dos seus bairros. Estos lugares, se supõe, são os geradores da tradição, numa bem-sucedida estratégia de marketing. Uma escusa simples para ter um bom fechamento de atividades cada mês.

Hoje, como cada 29, poderá ver ofertas de nhoques para o almoço ou jantar em diferentes restaurantes. As lojas de pastas teram grandes filas o tempo todo e esgotaram rápido o seu stock. Todo portenho com cábalas, ainda mais se o mês ou a economia cotidiana vêm complicadas, estará hoje deixando o seu dinheiro debaixo do prato e saboreando uns bons nhoques recheados de esperança.

BICENTENARY FOOD (By Hostel Buenos Aires)

Argentine food is an elusive concept. Our food doesn’t have a clear profile as thousand-year-old foods of India, Mexico, China or Peru. To those foreign observers, barbecue is our main dish due to the known quality of our cow meat. Inside our country, specialists argue about the influence of Mediterranean food (the Spanish and Italian immigration and its consequences) and the difficulty to define the “real” Argentine dishes. Maybe a good start could be rescuing those dishes that are prepared since the very beginning of our nation: the bicentenary dishes.

Next may 25th, when Argentina reaches 200 years of independent life, many people will be celebrating at home, in bars or restaurants facing –without knowing- historical dishes. The greater example is the “Carbonada” (rice, cow meat and pumpkin, sometimes including potatoes and seasoned with chopped tomato and sweet paprika) or the different preparations of corn (flavored corn paste wrapped in corn leaves, stewed corn). Undoubtedly, corn was the star ingredient of Argentine food in 1810.

Opposite to the popular belief, cow meat barbecue won’t become popular until the middle of the XIX Century, when the gauchos (typical Argentine country figures) expanded it. In the beginnings of the XX Century, the migratory influence consolidated other nowadays classical dishes as pizza, empanadas, pasta and other. But, back in the Bicentenary classics, we can’t forget about desert.

Corn was to main courses what milk was to deserts. Among these, you’ll find rice pudding, custards, sweet potato pudding and “Semita” (cornmeal tortilla). Another important desert was roasted milk, precedent of the Argentine favorite dessert, “Dulce de leche”.

REOPENING OF THE COLON THEATER (Por Hostel Buenos Aires)

In less than a month, along with the celebration of the Argentine Bicentenary, the Colón Theater will reopen. The largest and most important coliseum of our city will open -after four years of a complete refurbishment- next May 24th. The original date for reopening was May 25th (the very day of the Bicentenary) but the authorities didn’t want it to superimpose with the official celebration that will take place on 9 de Julio Avenue, right in front of the theater.

The theater’s refurbishment (built on 1908) preserved its acoustics, the most important emblem of the Colón, and the one that places it among the best theaters of the world along with La Scala of Milan and the Paris Opera. The chosen play for its reopening is one of the most played around the world and a public favorite: Giacomo Puccini’s La Bohème.

The changes inside the theater include: luminaries, French stained-glass windows, oak floors and teselas (small mosaics), the bronze overlays and ornaments, the stucco walls and the marouflages –canvas paintings attached to the ceiling and walls- of the Foyer (halls and stairs before the main room)- and the Golden Room. The update also renewed the water and electricity networks and the air conditioning and heating systems.

The biggest challenge was to refurbish the main room (with capacity for 2,478 people attendance) preserving the acoustics, as we mentioned. In order to achieve this, sound engineers performed approximately 20 acoustic measures before, during and after the process to be sure that there was no variation at all in the historical parameters. The Colón Theater is back and accompanies with its greatness the celebration of the 200 years of the Argentine Republic.

PALERMO OU PALERMOS (Por Hostel Buenos Aires)

Há 20 anos, para os portenhos só existia um palermo. Esse bairro tranqüilo, boêmio, cheio de árvores e alguns cafés tradicionais. Mais em meio dos anos 90, uma multiplicação de bares, restaurantes, lojas de roupa e desenho, começaram modificar o perfil do bairro. O marketing fez o demais e pronto Palermo, o que cantava Gardel, o que lembraba na sua poesia Borges, se fragmentou em múltiplos Palermos.

Primeiro, em torno à Praça Cortazar (Praça Serrano, segundo é conhecida popularmente), alí nasceu o Palermo Soho (uma homenagem ao bairro boêmio de Manhattan). Logo, crozando a Avenida Juan B. Justo para o vizinho bairro de Belgrano, nasceu o Palermo Hollywood (uma área mais fashion que homenageava a meca do cinema). Quens resistian estas novas tendências lingüísticas refugiram-se, paradoxalmente, criando uma nova classificação: Palermo Viejo (o Palermo Velho), na área perta da Rua Paraguay e para o bairro de Villa Crespo.

Mais tarde, chegaram tentativas frustradas como o Palermo Village (para Villa Crespo, ao norte, perto da esquina de Juan B. Justo e Corrientes); o resgate de velhas classificações que nunca se pretenderam oficiais como a Villa Freud (área perta da Praça Guadalupe, aonde moravam uma boa quantidade de psicoanalistas); e a recente proposta de um grupo de torcedores do Boca Juniors para homenagear ao seu máximo goleador histórico Martín Palermo, com uma seção do bairro que se chamaría o Palermo Martin.

Com seções ou não, classificações mais ou menos, Palermo é um dos bairros mais tradicionais e bonitos da nossa cidade. Palermo ou Palermos, da na mesma, o importante é conhecé-lo.

TRAIN OF THE COAST (By Hostel Buenos Aires)

A great option for a weekend in Buenos Aires is the Train of the Coast (Tren de la Costa). Located north of Buenos Aires, 50 minutes if you take a bus from Hostel Colonial, this touristic transportation is the most up-to-date environmentally-friendly railway of Argentina. Starting at Maipú Station, in Vicente López District, its final destination is Delta Station, in Tigre District. The train runs along 15.5 km, passing by the most picturesque places in the Northern Area of Buenos Aires, on the coast of the River Plate.

The Train of the Coast, closed since 1961 because of its lack of traffic, was reopened as a tourist attraction in 1995. Many stations were redesigned, maintaining the English railways classic lines and adapting them to its modern use. You can get to this train by train, from Retiro Station, Mitre II branch line changing in Maipú station, or by bus, lines 60, 152, 59, 19, 21, 71 and 203. (Ask in our Hostel reception for more details).

The trains operate from Maipú to Delta stations, Mondays to Thursdays, 7.10AM to 11PM, returning from Delta to Maipú, from 6.40AM to 10.30PM. Fridays, from Maipú to Delta, 7.10AM to 12AM, returning from Delta to Maipú, 6.40AM to 11.30PM. Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays, from Maipú to Delta, 8.30AM to 12.10AM, returning from Delta to Maipú, 8AM to 11.40PM. The ticket costs 24 Argentine pesos (approximately 6 American dollars). You can stop in any station you want with this ticket.

Each station is a destination itself. You can enjoy a full choice of entertainment, restaurants, varied services, cinemas, shopping malls and antiquarian fairs. There an amazing aerobic track between Libertador and San Isidro stations (you really should take it). Shopping mall and cinema in San Isidro. Restaurants and pubs in the stations Borges, Libertador, Anchorena, Barrancas, San Isidro, Punta Chica y Marina Nueva. In Delta, you can visit the Fruit Market (Mercado de Frutos del Tigre), the Trilenium Casino or try sailing in the River Plate (from Tuesday to Sundays and Holidays, 10AM to 5PM). More information in the Train of the Coast web site (available in English).

AUTUMN FESTIVAL: WORLD MUSIC (By Hostel Buenos Aires)

Continuing with the "seasonal" festivals organized by the Buenos Aires City Government, the "Autumn Festival" has arrived. Preceded by the successful summer edition, the subject of these next weeks’s festival is World Music. A variety of local and international artists that will take the public round the world with their combination of flamenco, Celtic music, Balcanic rhythms, jazz and Portuguese fado.

The event is taking place in different theaters from April 16th to 29th. On its program, the festival includes such artists as: Goran Bregovic, Diego El Cigala, María João, Celtic Legends and The Klexmatics. Some other bands, less known but valuable ones are: Tryo (music from the Pyrenees) and Arcángel, bringing the catchy rhythms of Puerto Rico.

The four stages prepared for the festival are located in: the Buenos Aires Lawn Tennis Club (the only outdoors stage with the larger capacity) and three theaters, the Gran Rex (857 Corrientes Ave.) and Coliseo (1125 Marcelo T. de Alvear St.), and La Trastienda (460 Balcarce St.). These will work simultaneously with different programs. Resides music, there will be other artistic expressions that will seek to capture the cosmopolitan spirit of the venue.

The Autumn Festival is a must for music lovers and for those curious people who would like to listen to the sounds of the planet. The full programming can be found on the Autumn Festival web page (only available in Spanish).

A NOITE BRASILEIRA EM BUENOS AIRES (Por Hostel Buenos Aires)

Os brasileiros sabem se divertir: ninguem duvida disso. E, como todos os latinoamericanos, ainda tirando férias, gostan de lembrar do seu pais. Por isso, Hostel Colonial lhes propõe alguns lugares para sair e desfrutar de uma noite brasileira. Samba, axe, blocos de carnaval, boas bebidas e verde e amarelo em todas partes. Evidentemente, se fala português.

Maluco Beleza: é um clássico da noite portenha. Um dos primeiros locais dedicados à música e dança brasileira na cidade. Localizado na rua Sarmiento 1728, perto do Congresso Nacional, Maluco tem uma pista de dança exclusiva para os ritmos brasileiros, com um staff próprio de bailarinos que anímam a noite e boas bebidas. Ademais, outra pista com música eletrônica, latina, funk e outros. Todas as sextas e sábados desde a 1.

Devenir Brasil: na área mais concorrida de Palermo, na rua Serrano 1327, o lugar oferece bebidas e comidas típicas do Brasil, suas danças, sua gente, sua música e seu perfume, todo mixturado para lograr um ambiente pessoal aonde reina a alegría. Música e vídeos numa tela gigante que podem se cantar desde as mesas. Os expertos dizem que tem uma das melhores caipirinhas da cidade.

Bar Pelourinho: em San Telmo, Balcarce 605 (esquina México). Se define como “uma porção do Rio de Janeiro em Buenos Aires”. Uma variedade de ritmos contagiantes e caipirinhas bem friozinhas, fazem do Bar uma verdadeira convidação à diversão. Podem se saborear pizzas caseiras e desfrutar do show do carioca paulo Sergio, que mixtura samba e bossanova enquanto a turma coreia os estribilhos e até dança as canções mais lentas.

ARGENTINA’S FAVORITE SPORTS (By Hostel Buenos Aires)

In our country, team sports have always been the most successful ones and people’s favorites. Undoubtedly, football (soccer) is the Argentines favorite sport. It’s hard to find an Argentine man (most of the women too) that doesn’t know about football. In many cases, fanaticism gets as far as becoming fan of a team in each world league (besides the own team in Argentina and, of course, the national team).

Anything else other than football? Well, the second place has been historically contested by several sports. The particular success of each one of them has made it more or less popular throughout the years. We’re talking about basketball (the second sport with more weekend attendance in its national league), volleyball, rugby and tennis (by far the most successful individual sport).

The most victorious team of these has been the basketball national team. First World Champion in 1950, current losing finalist and Olympic Champion in 2004. Although, the recent third place in the World Cup by the rugby team “The Pumas” is a major achievement, considering that rugby is still an amateur sport with no financial support (like basket and volley leagues). The Pumas have recently been included in the prestigious tournament “Three Nations” (along with world best teams South Africa, New Zealand and Australia). Volleyball has achieved a third place in the 1982 World Cup and a bronze medal in 1988 Olympics.

Curiously, the national sport is none of these, but “Pato” (Duck in Spanish). A traditional sport on horses where you have to put a ball with handles in a basket. The name of the sport comes from the lost tradition of placing a living duck inside the ball. Speaking of horses, the most successful Argentine sport in all our history is polo. For more than 40 years, Argentina has been the best team in the world. Our local polo league is like American NBA, with a superlative level that exceeds the specialty World Cup.

ARGENTINE BICENTENARY CELEBRATIONS (By Hostel Buenos Aires)

With a month and a half ahead to the Argentine Bicentenary, next May 25th, the official agenda and main events have been confirmed. To commemorate this special date, the Government has granted May 24th as a public holiday, with the idea of gathering 4 celebrations days in a roll. 200 years ago, May 25th of 1810, Argentina started the Revolution that ended in 1816 in its independence from Spain.

The main event will be an open cast walk in 9 de Julio Avenue (from the Obelisco to Belgrano Avenue) from Friday May 21st until May 25th. This will include debates and expositions about the Bicentenary. The traditional parades that accompany this celebration will gather different cultural and artistic collectives. There will also be thematic places dedicated to issues like Culture, Technology and Environment, with related activities.

Assistant might enjoy 24 stands representing an Argentine province each, which will show their most traditional customs. A particular stand will be that of the 25th province, dedicated to the Argentines living abroad. Along with this, 20 stands representing different countries which are also celebrating their bicentenaries as Venezuela, Mexico, Chile and Colombia, amongst others.

On May 25th, in the morning, a competitive race will open the celebrations. In the afternoon, hundreds of actors will represent in the streets of the city the patriotic day May 25th of 1810. Then, in the Government House, the Casa Rosada, the President of Argentina, along with other South American Presidents, will open the “Bicentenary Revolution Heroes Gallery”, which will honor the men and women that participated in the emancipation.

MUSEUS DE ARTE EM BUENOS AIRES (Por Hostel Buenos Aires)

A cidade conta com infinidade de museus e centros de exposição dedicados ao arte. Hostel Colonial te sugere quatro lugares imperdíveis para expandir teu espírito criativo.

Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (MNBA): localizado na Avenida del Libertador 1473, Recoleta, é o museu mais tradicional da Argentina. Aquí se concentra o mais destacado da história do arte argentino, desde 1800 até o século XX, incluindo um salão pre-colombino e outro de arte contemporáneo. Ademais, conta com um invejável patrimônio internacional que inclui obras de destacados como: Cézanne, Degas, Gauguin, Kandinsky, Klee, Miró, Modigliani, Monet, Pollock, Rembrandt, Renoir, Toulouse Lautrec e Van Gogh, entre outros. Mais informação no seu web site.

Museo de Arte Latinoamericano (MALBA): localizado na Avenida Figueroa Alcorta 3415, Recoleta, este museu da década dos 90, atrai cada vez mais visitantes. Suas virtudes: um ambiente único e uma ótima coleção de arte latinoamericano do século XX: Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, Alfredo Siqueiros, Emilio Petorutti, Xul Solar, Antonio Berni, Cándido Portinari, Roberto Matta, Fernando Botero,entre muitos outros. Mais informação no seu web site.

Museo de Arte Moderno (MAMbA): localizado na Avenida San Juan 350, bairro de San Telmo, este museu criado em 1956 é o lugar para os amantes da vanguarda. As exposições e instalações mais provocantes podem se encontrar neste espaço. Produções do arte argentino contemporáneo das décadas do 1940, 1950 e 1960, e obras do campo internacional que chegan até hoje. Más informação no seu web site

Fundación Proa: localizada no bairro La Boca, na Avenida Pedro de Mendoza 1929, esta fundação criada em 1996 em uma velha casa reciclada, oferece demonstrações orientadas ao arte contemporáneo e popular. Atualmente, há uma completa demostração sobre a vanguarda futurista italiana e seus vínculos com artistas argentinos como Emilio Petorutti. Mais informação no seu web site.

BEYOND PUERTO MADERO (By Hostel Buenos Aires)

Puerto Madero is one of the undisputable destinations of Buenos Aires. People enjoy the traditional walk by its docks, a dinner in any of its restaurants or the chance to grab a beer with some friends in its pubs. A walk through the parks, a picture along the old port cranes or in the famous Women’s Bridge is also a Madero classic. Nothing new we could tell about this place. But there’s something we must warn you, something you might be missing: what’s “beyond” Puerto Madero.

Puerto Madero is accessible from Downtown, four streets that will take you to the Alicia Moreau de Justo Ave., the main street. Crossing the docks, you’ll get to the area called East Madero. Lots of restaurants and offices, a contemporary art museum and the boutique hotel “Faena” are its highlights. Behind this line, towards the river, it’s the other side of Madero, called the Costanera Sur (South Riverside Path).

Once a privileged walk for the Porteños, the Costanera Sur has regained importance as it’s been renew by the growth of Puerto Madero towards the River Plate. The Boulevard de los Italianos, the Calabria Ave., Hernán Giralt St. and Achával Rodríguez St. are the paths, surrounded by parks that frame the area. The kings of those streets are the most famous street food stalls, the “chiringuitos” that sell great Argentine meat and the superb “choripán”.

Beyond Puerto Madero you’ll find the Nereidas Font, one of the most important sculptures of Buenos Aires, made by Lola Mora. An amphitheater that every weekend presents music and theater shows, a long concrete walk, the old city beach with its large streetlamps that lighten the grass lands that are occasionally covered by the river, and the City’s Natural Reserve. Beyond Puerto Madero there’s much to know, don’t you miss it!

ORDERING A “PICADA” (By Hostel Buenos Aires)

The perfect company for a gathering with friends in Argentina is the “picada”. It’s a food formed by many different elements that offers a variety of flavors and ingredients. Similar to Spanish tapas, Italian bruschetti or Mexican tacos and quesadillas, the Argentine picada is the best option to accompany a drinking session, usually involving beer or wine.

Among its traditional offer you can find: every kind of cold meats (generally traditional and Parma ham and salamis), cheeses (we prefer the solid varieties as the local “Mar del Plata cheese”), olives (stuffed and pitted), peanuts and all kind of chips. It usually comes with different types of bread and may include any other ingredient that can be presented in a reasonable quantity.

The main idea of the picada is to present food that doesn’t need a knife, a fork or a spoon to be eaten. Things you can grab with one hand (that’s why napkins are also needed!) while you hold your drink with the other. The presentation of a picada is done in many different small containers, some large containers with small divisions and wooden boards.

The picada is a ritual that you share with your friends in pubs, at dusk or at night. It’s also the most common invitation if you visit a friend house and a necessary option before eating the Argentine barbecue, the asado. There are simple versions, almost minimal, with salami and cheese; and more refined ones prepared by caterers in gourmet versions. The thing is that you Porteño experience will not be complete until you have order a good picada.

NOVO MAPA INTERACTIVO DE BUENOS AIRES (Por Hostel Buenos Aires)

O Governo da Cidade de Buenos Aires recentemente pôs à disposição um novo Mapa Interactivo da cidade. O Mapa, que está na fase de teste, é uma ferramenta ideal para se localizar rapidamente na cidade e obter informação relevante e precisa sobre destinos turísticos, edificios públicos e percursos possíveis, permitindo além disso sembrar dos seus lugares favoritos.

O mapa funciona de um jeito simples, similar ao Google Maps, pode se procurar uma direção ou lugar específico num buscador localizado na parte superior esquerda da tela ou pelo método de aproximação a áreas pontuais. No ponto máximo de aproximação, podem se acessar opções de alto detalhe como imágens de cada casa ou edifício e informação acerca do transporte público da área, entre outras.

Dentro da informação geral, o pessoal pode ver a localização de bancos, delegacias, bombeiros, hospitais, percursos turísticos, cinemas, gastronomia e inclusive fotos históricas da área. A seção “Cómo Chegar” permite encontrar percursos a pé, de transporte público ou de carro para ir de um ponto a outro (ou a vários) na cidade. Outra opção, na parte superior direita, dentro do mapa, permite enviar a uma direção de e-mail a vista atual do mapa, guardar o link ou imprimí-lo.

A ideia do Governo é ter o Mapa completamente funcional, logo do período de teste, no meio do ano 2010. Mais adiante, projeta-se a opção de pô-lo à disposição em outros idiomas (atualmente só está disponível em espanhol).

Ir ao Mapa Interactivo.