April 2012 American Way Magazine (2) - page 42

thebuildings overgrownwith vines. Next
to these, you’llfindmeticulouslyrenovated
structures like theHotel Babel, a labor of
love forpartnerConyersThompson.ANew
Yorker,Conyerssayshe likesSanTelmo for
its“uniquebohemianfeelanddiverserange
of bothporteños and foreigners youwon’t
findelsewhereinthecity.”Conyersishereto
work,butBuenosAires,hefinds,hasa“freer
paceand,certainlyforme,abetterqualityof
daily life”thanNewYork.
SanTelmo is synonymous with tango,
performed in showhouses likeLaVentana
BarriodeTangoorElQuerandíTanguería.
The latter is intimateandauthentic, evolv-
ingoverdecadesfrommendancingtogether
inbrothels tocurry favorwith the ladies to
today’s leggy style,withexaggeratedkicks
andflourishes. Even thesemovements are
groundedinhistory,withstilettoheelssafely
echoingtheirnamesakes’violentbiddingina
younger,gangster-runBuenosAires.
Free tango, though, is everywhere you
look, especially Sundays when antique
TAKEATANGOLESSON: For under $25aperson,
takegroup tango lessons at EscuelaArgentinade
Tango inside theGaleríasPacífico shoppingmall ( -
- - - ,www.eatango.org). Or go for private
group lessonswithHelenHalldórsdóttir, an Icelandnative
nicknamedLaVikingawhose studiohas abeautiful turn-
of-the-last-centuryparquet floor ( - - - - ,
www.lavikinga.eu). Stockupon tango clothingat Tango
Moda, runby JorgeArias ( - - - - ,www
.tangomoda.com.ar).
GOONAWINESAFARI: Argentinahas several
regionswhere thesedeliciousgrape libations are
produced. Thebest known isMendoza in the shadow
of theAndes, whereMalbec takes center stage. Book
awine-tastingadventurewithTrout &WineTours, run
by IrishmanCharlieO’Malley—who’s alsopublisher
of Argentina’s English-languagewinemagazine Wine
Republic —andexplore several winerieswithanexpert
guide ( - - - - ,www.troutandwine.com ).
SKIMPONTHEVEGGIES: Whendining inArgentina,
make room for thebeef that is knownaround the
world. You’ll find thick, juicy slabs at great prices ina
family-runatmosphereat decades-oldEl Obrero in the
LaBocaneighborhoodof BuenosAires ( - - - -
,www.bodegonelobrero.com.ar).
5
ARGENTINA
MUST-DO’S
Inacountry likeArgentina,
therearedefinitemust-do’s
onyourtrip.Someofthemost
ICONICACTIVITIES center
onwhereto learntodancethe
tango, tastethebestwines,
overdoseon juicybeef,getyour
soccerkicksorshop
forthebest leathergoods.
LEFT: BohemianexpatriateConyersThompson
INSET: The impressiveTeatroColón
SEEASOCCERGAME: Argentina’s favorite sport is
soccer, locally knownas fútbol. In-season, catcha
game in legendaryDiegoMaradona’s home stadium, La
Bombonera (EstadioAlberto J. Armando), homeof the
Boca Juniors ( - - - - ,www.bocajuniors
.com.ar). Theenthusiastic spectatorsput ona showas
engagingas theathletes on thefield. Evenout of season,
visit the stadium’sBoca Juniorsmuseum, Museode la
PasiónBoquense (www.museoboquense.com).
SHOPFORLEATHER: Ina countrywherebeef is king,
leather is thebeautiful byproduct. Leather stores
aboundonCalleFlorida, thepedestrianized shopping
street indowntown, or head to theneighborhoodof Villa
Crespo’s leather district onCalleMurillo, where the store
Murillo666 is oneof the largest outlets
( - - - - ,www.murillo.com.ar).
46 APRIL 15, 2012 AA.COM/AMERICANWAY