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158 posts about living from Discover Buenos Aires.
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158 posts
We’re having a moving sale! Lots of household items, furniture, appliances, electronics, baby items and much more are for sale at http://enventa.discoverbuenosaires.com Check it out! We’re adding more things daily… (And yes, we are leaving Argentina. More on that in a future post.)
I did something today that I haven’t done in over 4 years… I used the ATM in Argentina to withdraw money from my US bank account. That’s right, with Macri’s new government recently eliminating restrictions on buying dollars and devaluing the peso, the gap between the blue dollar rate and the official rate has dropped to only about 5-10% … Read more
I love globe squash. Said no one ever. Luckily, I did not even know what a globe squash (zapallito) was before moving to Argentina. I’m sure this is something my mother would have tried to force me to eat had they been in our local supermarket. Anyhow, hot on the heels of yesterday’s Fruit Seasons in … Read more
I love strawberries. Back in the US, you do not think twice about going into the supermarket and buying strawberries whenever you want – fresh, frozen, organic – they’re always there. In Buenos Aires, you quickly realize that fruit selection is seasonal. One day your local verduleria is stocked with strawberries, the next day they’re … Read more
Now that most tourists and expats know about the dollar blue, the question that often arises is “How much money can I bring into Argentina legally?” It’s pretty simple actually: For those age 16 and older, you can legally enter the country with up to $10,000 United States dollars For those under 16, you can … Read more
The Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao fight this Saturday, May 2, in Las Vegas is being billed as the fight of the century. It’s already set all kinds of records and it hasn’t even happened yet. Both Mayweather and Pacquiao will earn the largest payout in the history of sports. Mayweather was originally estimated to be … Read more
Ok, so we get things a bit slower here in Argentina… Yesterday, Google Maps released a mass transit update for Argentina that now includes subway directions! Yes, you can now use Google Maps to find out the best subway route to get to a specific destination. Unfortunately bus routes are not available, but give that … Read more
I’ve been a loyal Spotify Premium member ever since they launched in the US back in June 2011. I love the fact that I have millions of songs at my fingertips, can set up offline sync on my mobile devices and have the same playlists everywhere. Plus, their product has just gotten better and better over time – even if I … Read more
I could have sworn I wrote about this before, but after searching my blog I did not turn up any posts about finding maple syrup in Buenos Aires. I guess it’s only been in the back of my mind, and now finally time to give you the scoop… Maple Syrup is one of those more difficult to find … Read more
Let me start by saying, this is not an April Fool’s joke unfortunately… As of April 1, 2015, any foreign national residing in Argentina for more than 90 days will be required to present a CUIL or CUIT in order to pick up money from any of the money transfer services (Xoom, Azimo, Ria, etc.). This does not apply … Read more
Uh oh… About four months ago I wrote a blog post detailing the reasons I thought there was no Uber in Buenos Aires, especially when they were launching in other, smaller South American cities. That post generated some heated discussion in the comments from Argentine readers who took offense with some of my reasoning and pointed out what they thought … Read more
Check out Katy Perry’s “Roar” live from Argentina! I swear if I have to hear this song one more time I might kill myself… It’s only slightly better than “Let It Go“and “Libre Soy” but it’s catching up quickly. Not what you were expecting?
After many years here, I still do not understand why larger quantities almost always cost more. Can anyone explain? Am I paying more for convenience?
UPDATE (4/12/16): Uber has started operating in Buenos Aires today amidst fierce opposition from the taxi drivers. This past summer, we had a chance to use Uber (and Lyft) while traveling around Boston and New York, and it quickly became apparent why everyone loves the service. For less than the price of a taxi (in many … Read more
I haven’t even been back in Argentina a full day and the dollar blue hits a record high of $15! That’s immediately followed by American Airlines announcing that they are restricting ticket sales in Argentina. Ahh, financial uncertainty how I’ve missed you. American Airlines will no longer sell tickets to or from Argentina for purchase in pesos for more … Read more
We’ve now been in the United States for the last two and a half months and are quickly approaching the time of our return to Buenos Aires, so I thought it would be the perfect time to reflect on some of the things that I miss most about Argentina… Our nanny We had only recently found … Read more
We just finished negotiating our renewal lease and I’m very happy with the results – a 23.3% increase for the first year and an additional 24.3% increase for the second year. With inflation running at between twenty-five and thirty percent that’s a pretty good deal! As we pay building expenses separately, we’ll just have to … Read more
Buenos Aires gets in the Pharrel Williams “Happy” craze. Guaranteed to make your Monday better.
I’ve written about my obsession with collecting and using points and miles numerous times on this blog. Our family has been able to earn points from credit card signup bonuses and spend and then turn them into great travel experiences at places that we would never have been able to afford if we had to … Read more
One of the more annoying things about in Argentina has been the high volume of telemarketing calls. Even better, these calls all seem to be timed to come about 8pm or 9pm at night, which is especially great when you have kids that you just put to sleep. Well, no more! Buenos Aires now has … Read more
UPDATE: This event has been postponed until Saturday, April 12. The British embassy in Buenos Aires is once again hosting their fall fair on Saturday, April 12, 2014. This annual event is a good time for families to explore the British Embassy grounds, sample some food and let the kids run around.
Inflation in Argentina is terrible. Ever since the government allowed the peso to devalue on January 24, prices have risen dramatically. Even those who have dollars cannot keep up as the blue rate has not kept pace with inflation. Argentina is well on its way to hyperinflation. Living here, we see price increases on a … Read more
Following up on yesterday’s wildly popular “Time To Lock Up The Cheese” comes today’s “Now We’re Locking Up The Tuna?” Inflation is killing this country. Pretty soon you’ll need to leave a deposit before you even enter the supermarket and have to go through a full body scanner on the way out. – Hat … Read more
File this one under “Only in Argentina.” Looks like with all the inflation in Buenos Aires, shredded cheese (queso rallado) has hit $70 pesos a bag and this grocery store is worried about it being stolen – bags of shredded cheese have had security tags installed on them. I’m not quite sure what’s to prevent … Read more
Argentina allowed the peso to devalue by 17% on January 23, 2014, from $6.8 to over $8.0. Immediately, many merchants started raising their prices. The government decried these tactics as unwarranted and pushed to keep prices down. But, aside from the prices of staple foods which were frozen in advance of this, prices on most … Read more
Our friend Martin Frankel from Areatres posted two menus on Facebook that showed the prices of the same restaurant from Summer 2007 to Summer 2013. In 6 years you can see exactly how crazy the inflation in Argentina has been – a roasted chicken went up a whopping 445%, a liter of beer went up … Read more
So, my building has something new – a phantom parking spot. That’s right, we have a parking spot in our garage that is not assigned to anyone in the building. It’s purpose? I’m glad that you asked. This spot is reserved for when you might have a carjacker, kidnapper, murderer, rapist, etc. in the back … Read more
This awesome new Coca-Cola Life ad from Argentina really captures what it’s like to be a parent. If you have kids, you’ll totally understand… Just don’t ask us about a third!
Is this part of the new Buenos Aires taxi fleet? I’d imagine getting into the back seat is a bit difficult, and who would have thought they could make the trunk space in BA taxis even smaller? – Hat tip to /r/argentina
Halloween 2014 UPDATE: Like many things in Argentina, this year has proven nearly impossible to find a pumpkin… Either they did not sell well last year or there is an import ban that is preventing pumpkins from coming into the country. Ahhh…life in Argentina! In my 5+ years of living in Buenos Aires, this is the … Read more
UPDATE: Due to potential rain, the event has been moved to an indoor Palermo Hollywood location. Please RSVP below for full details. While Halloween continues to grow in popularity in Buenos Aires, trick-or-treating has not yet really caught on. That leaves the expat community to organize their own Halloween Trick-or-Treat Party for Kids, and we’re … Read more
Send a Child to School (SACS) is a great charity organization in Buenos Aires that helps to equip needy children with the educational tools they need for an education. They are an all-volunteer group that provides a custom built backpack with the supplies required for their grade level to children at the beginning of each school … Read more
UPDATE: This offer is over, but check out our main Azimo page for updated codes and deals. You can still get a £10 Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificate for your first transfer using the links here. —— For those of you who want to send money from the UK to Argentina at the blue rate, we’ve got good news! … Read more
UPDATE: Google Street View Argentina is now live! Argentina’s always a little late to the party… Google Maps didn’t launch here until November 2008, well behind its 2005 release and almost every other country. And, while we finally got maps, we did not get the popular street view feature. Five years later, Google Street View is … Read more
Spotify is, without a doubt, my favorite online music service. I have been a premium subscriber ever since it launched in the US two years ago and use it every single day. It’s completely replaced iTunes, which I rarely use anymore. If you’re not familiar with Spotify, it’s an online music streaming service for your … Read more
The US Embassy is hosting the third of their American night happy hours at The Hard Rock Cafe Buenos Aires on Thursday, September 19, 2013, from 5pm – 9pm. You’re invited to come out and mix with the expat community as well as Consular Officers who will be on hand help answer questions about services … Read more
Expat Connection used to be a great group for new expats to meet and take part in organized outings in and around Buenos Aires. I met a lot of great friends through them and took part in a lot of events that they had when I first moved here. Unfortunately, the group fell apart some … Read more
Anyone who’s been in Buenos Aires for any amount of time will quickly tell you that it is very hard to find reliable and reputable service people. It’s a fact of life that people here tend to over promise and under deliver – that is if you can get them to call you back at … Read more
Looks like Argentina is getting their own Lollapalooza festival in 2014. Perry Farrell confirms it in this video: No word yet on date, venue or lineup, but definitely something to look forward to!
Why does this sign even exist? I can guarantee that not one person pays attention to it…
I just had to point out my most recent discovery – supermarket sushi! (And yes, it is a big deal in Buenos Aires.) That’s right, no longer do I need to make the trek to Barrio Chino to get their subpar supermarket sushi, my local Disco has started carrying their own! Now, I may have … Read more
Back in 2010 I wrote about the best thing in Buenos Aires. Well, I’m happy to report that I now have the “next” best thing in Buenos Aires! That’s right – at 4:30pm yesterday, Milo David arrived into our lives. This has definitely been a great Buenos Aires experience!
I’ve been in Buenos Aires for some time now, so I typically know what prices are and also know what to buy and what not to buy here. Unfortunately today I was thrown for a loop when I went to buy ink for my HP inkjet printer. I walked up to the register with two … Read more
Flying from Buenos Aires to the US is expensive. Coach airfare routinely costs $1200 and up. With a family of three and a new one on the way, that means we’re looking at $3600+ for a simple trip ($4800+ when our son hits 2 years old) – and that’s just airfare! Add in a hotel, … Read more
Awhile back we were contacted by iFly Magazine from KLM looking for a local porteño perspective on Buenos Aires. We were happy to put them in touch with our friend Martin Lamelas and the video below is the result of that collaboration. It’s a great quick overview of Buenos Aires and some of it’s little … Read more
Come out and party with the US Embassy! That’s right, the US embassy is hosting the first of a series of American night happy hours this Thursday, June 13 from 5pm – 8pm at the Hard Rock Café in Buenos Aires. Yep, Americans partying at the Hard Rock Cafe – not cliché at all. No … Read more
Wow, you go away for a couple of weeks and so many new things happen… Sorry if you’ve already seen some of these sites and links, but I thought they were worth repeating. This might even become a weekly update… First, the very funny expat-humored Tumblr blog “When You Live In Argentina” launched. The site … Read more
SORRY! We sold the Dropcam, so no more video of Buenos Aires… Want to see what the weather in Buenos Aires is like? Want to gaze longingly at the city skyline? Hoping to catch a reflection of me working in my boxers? Ok, maybe not that last one… We now have our own Buenos … Read more
One of our more frequent topics is on the “dolar blue” rate in Argentina. This is the unofficial rate at which the US dollar trades in Argentina. Yesterday it hit a new record high of U$S 1 = ARS $9.40. That’s an 81% difference to the official rate and a great reason never to use … Read more
UPDATE: Added some new promo codes and rate info! Plus, use the links below and you’ll receive a £10 Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificate on your first transfer. —— Azimo is a new service that allows anyone from the United Kingdom to send money to Argentina – and get the blue rate! We’ve previously written extensively about Xoom, but that only … Read more
Many an expat’s lament about living in Argentina is missing the things from home. One of the things at the top of that list for American expats has been peanut butter. Check any expat forum or blog and you’ll undoubtedly see someone complaining about the lack of peanut butter in Argentina. Well, tell them to … Read more
The “dolar blue” has hit record highs for the past two days following new rules from AFIP (the Argentine tax agency) that imposed additional fees on the use of Argentine credit cards as well as on travel packages purchased in Argentina for travel outside the country. First, AFIP raised the surcharge that Argentines must pay … Read more
The “Mejor en bici” service is now available to tourists in Buenos Aires as well as locals. Renting a bike is a great way to see Buenos Aires, but up until now the service was only available with local identification. Tourists can now rent bicycles by presenting their original passport, a copy of their passport, … Read more
Netflix brought their streaming service to Argentina in September 2011. Unfortunately, what they failed to bring was the same large selection of movies and shows that is available in the United States. In addition, watching anything in English audio brings up subtitles that cannot be turned off – really annoying for native English speakers. Of … Read more
Scam City is a show on the Travel+Escape channel that follows its host, Conor Woodman, as he travels to ten of the world’s most popular cities to find out what scams are pulled on tourists. Of course, Buenos Aires is on the list and also probably one of the more interesting episodes. On his visit … Read more
Iconic British band, The Cure, have just announced their first Latin American tour in over 17 years. Luckily, the tour includes an April 12, 2013 stop in Buenos Aires – their first concert in Argentina in over 26 years! Tickets go on sale Monday, February 4, 2013. Here’s the press release and their other Latin … Read more
Xoom has consistently been the US expat and tourist’s best way to send money to Argentina and take advantage of the discrepancy between the official exchange rate and the blue market exchange rate. For example, today’s official rate is $4.913, the blue market rate is $6.780 and Xoom is paying $6.313 before fees. We’re seeing … Read more
With all the recent subway worker strikes, it’s hard to know what subway line is going to be shutdown when. Luckily for you, some ingenius web developers have put together a new site, ¿Hay subtes? This beautiful and simple site will give you 5 minute updates on each of the subway lines and their current … Read more
Unfortunately this year, it seems that the number of Thanksgiving dinner options in Buenos Aires are somewhat limited. While there have been a number of open expat events over the past few years, this year’s options seem more limited to the few restaurants that are offering turkey dinners. Here’s a short list: The American Club … Read more
Meeting for a coffee is a dating classic. Personally, I do not suggest meeting at your favorite café straight away just in case things do not go as well as you hope. Here are a few great date cafes for a casual encounter and, no, they did not pay me to write this. 🙂 Entertainment … Read more
UPDATE: Check out our 2013 Kids Halloween Party page! Halloween is growing in popularity in Buenos Aires, but it still has not caught on anywhere near to what it has in the States. While adult-themed costume parties are popular here, events for kids are sorely lacking. Kids in some of the suburbs and gated communities around … Read more
With all the currency restrictions imposed by the Argentine government, another one now comes into play – as of October 9, 2012, Argentine residents will not be permitted to use PayPal to transfer money between themselves. They will be restricted to using PayPal for international payments only. Here’s a copy of the revised terms: Amendment … Read more
UPDATE (12/17/15): This information is no longer accurate as the government has eliminated the blue rate. I know, I know… We’ve had a lot of posts about using Xoom to transfer money to Argentina (and here), but today they’re offering a rate of ARS $6.0213 to USD $1 which we had to write about. This is … Read more
A few weeks ago I wrote about using Xoom to transfer money from the United States to Argentina (from the UK, use Azimo) and I thought now would be a good chance to follow up on my experiences and the experiences of a few others. First of all, the rate has skyrocketed to 5.5357 dollars to 1 peso … Read more
UPDATE (12/17/15): The government has allowed the peso to float and everyone can now buy dollars. This has devalued the peso and caused the blue dollar rate to shrink to only about a 5% difference from the official rate. At this time, exchanging on the blue rate probably does not make sense. Quick Summary: If you … Read more
UPDATE (12/4/13): There are new regulations in place that stipulate that if you have a foreign driver’s license and wish to get a full Argentina driver’s license, you need to get a certificado de legalizacion before going to get your Buenos Aires driver’s license. Without this, you will only be given a “beginner’s license” which means … Read more
Yet another reminder of why it sucks to be a gadgetphile in Argentina… This was a “great deal” on a 42″ flat screen in Argentina last week: This was a “great deal” on a 42″ flat screen in the United States last week: And to rub salt in the wound, The Atlantic Cities also points … Read more
Starting on Monday, December 12, 2011, a new $2 peso coin will begin circulation in Argentina. The current $2 peso notes will still be used as well. Looks like the government is getting ready for more inflation though there is still no word on when $200 and $500 peso bills will be introduced. – Las … Read more
A really good article from The Argentine Independent that explains the utility subsidies in Argentina, how they’re going away and why gas and electric bills could go up by more than 400%!
Ok, so it’s not actually “Happy Put Up Your Christmas Tree Day” it’s the “Inmaculada Concepción de María” but still, everyone in Argentina uses this holiday to decorate their Christmas tree. Even better this year, since it falls on a Thursday, the government has made Friday a holiday as well, so that means it’s a … Read more
In Argentina, the Big Mac is an “off menu” item. Rumors have it that the government has asked McDonalds to keep the price of the Big Mac artificially low in order to hide the true inflation here, which is reported in the Economist’s Big Mac Index.
After selling out their London concert in 15 minutes, New Order just announced three South American dates for their reunion tour, including a December 1 stop in Buenos Aires. The band will play a 9pm show at Estadio Obras on Libertador and tickets are on sale now at LivePass and various ticket outlets. Prices for … Read more
Interpol is playing a free show at the Anfiteatro Puerto Madero in Buenos Aires. The concert is part of the Movistar Free Music series and over the coming weeks, Movistar will be running several ticket giveaways. However, a limited number of tickets will be given away tomorrow, September 30, 2011 at the following locations: La Trastienda: Balcarce … Read more
Fibertel is getting ready to launch Wideband, their new high-speed Internet service in Buenos Aires. From several posts on Twitter, it appears that several customers have been given the opportunity to sign up for the service before it has been released to the general public. The new Wideband connection will offer 30 Mbps for $300 … Read more
After some initial false rumors about Personal Fest coming back to Buenos Aires in February 2011, we now have confirmation that the music festival will indeed be returning for the first time since 2008. Personal Fest 2011 will take place at Estadio GEBA on October 2, November 4 and 5, 2011. The lineup is pretty strong: Sunday, … Read more
This video pretty much sums up many of our experiences dealing with Argentine bureaucracy (even though the video is from Spain). I cannot begin to tell you how many trips it takes to get anything done here – usually because some little piece of paperwork is missing. Here’s some recent examples: It took us 7 … Read more
When I started this blog, a lot of my initial posts were focused on all the differences I experienced in Buenos Aires vs living in the States for my whole life. Well, after 2+ years and now making this my semi-permanent home, these little differences have pretty much disappeared as I settled in from being … Read more
The Shankees is Buenos Aires’ own expat baseball team, and they’re closing out their season at the newly restored Shankee Stadium this Saturday, May 14, 2011. You can win tickets and transportation to the game by heading over to Yanqui Mike’s blog. If you’re interested in joining the team, head over to their website. The … Read more
In what is sure to be good news to many expat ears, the mayor of Buenos Aires, Mauricio Macri, today announced a comprehensive plan to eliminate dog poop from city sidewalks. While this may be nothing more than an election year maneuver to appease the many voters who have had to clean out the crevices … Read more
I am was a huge fan of the daily deal sites, and was especially happy when Groupon came to Buenos Aires last July. However, there are now at least 18 20 daily deal sites operating in Buenos Aires, and keeping up with that many emails on a daily basis is just a chore and no longer … Read more
Keeping up with the holidays in Argentina is a difficult task. First, as a foreigner, you’re already at a disadvantage because you did not grow up knowing what days are holidays. Second, they seem to have a lot of holidays (17 now). And third, they keep adding more! In fact, last year Argentina added five … Read more
We are now the proud new owners of a Chery Tiggo! And yes, I am the first of my friends anyone I know to own a Chinese-made car. How did we made the decision to buy a Chinese car, you ask? To get to the answer requires a deeper understanding of the Argentine car market. … Read more
The Pop Festival is coming to Buenos Aires on March 5, 2011 featuring Shakira and Ziggy Marley. They have been advertising this festival for months, but since I am not much of a Shakira fan, I haven’t paid much attention to it. However, I just found out that one of my favorite bands, Vampire Weekend, is … Read more
After nearly two years in Buenos Aires, I finally celebrated my first Christmas here. In the past, I had always made it back “home” for the holidays, but as this is now home, we celebrated here and I found that even after two years, I was still able to see differences between Argentine celebrations and … Read more
UPDATE: These were just rumors! The new lineup for Personal Fest 2011 has been announced! There are lots of rumors swirling around about Personal Fest 2011 in Buenos Aires February 26-27, 2011. Now, if these rumors are to be believed, the line-up looks amazing: Gorillaz Vampire Weekend The Strokes Arcade Fire Sonic Youth Marina and … Read more
UPDATE: This post is from 2010 and unfortunately, we’re not hosting a Thanksgiving this year. Check this list of places that will have a Thanksgiving dinner though! —- Ok, so other than the 90 degree heat, not having the day off from work, and the difficulty in finding turkey ($3.64/lb) , cranberries (impossible), marshmallows (brought … Read more
During my original “temporary” Buenos Aires stay, I really didn’t have to deal too much with the Argentine service companies – phone, cable, etc. I just left that up to my landlord. Unfortunately, now that I am here semi-permanently, dealing with them is making me realize why so many others have complained before. Let’s start … Read more
Nestor Kirchner, 60, the former president of Argentina from 2003 – 2007, died today of a heart-attack in the southern city of El Calafate. He had previously been hospitalized twice this year for heart problems and most recently had a stent inserted last month. Nestor Kirchner is the husband of Argentina’s current president, Christina Kirchner, … Read more
Need to know what a certain “código postal,” also known as a zip or postal code, in Buenos Aires is? Luckily, it’s pretty easy to find: Select “Consulte de CPA” on the Correo Argentina‘s web site Select the Provincia (Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires for Buenos Aires city) Select the Localidad (Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires for Buenos Aires city) … Read more
Based on Taos’ (The Argentine Post) successes in bringing both a 40″ and 55″ HDTV with him on flights to Buenos Aires, I decided to try my luck at it too. (This all happened in July 2010, but I’ve been really late in getting it posted!) Now, you may ask, “Why would you bother to … Read more
UPDATE: We found a studio apartment in Palermo and it is now available for rent. If you happen to know of anyone selling a nice studio or reasonably priced one-bedroom apartment in Palermo Soho or Palermo Hollywood, please let me know. Ideally looking for something new-ish, 30+ sq meters, lots of light, amenities, etc. Send … Read more
File this one under “I’m surprised it didn’t happen earlier…” Buenos Aires has a stray dog problem. You’ll immediately notice it if you spend any time here, especially since it is in stark contrast to most of the US. In all parts of the city, stray dogs roam the streets and it seems like the … Read more
With the amazing success of any new business, there’s bound to be plenty of copycats and that has certainly been the case for Groupon, the original daily deals site. We previously wrote about the Groupon launch in Buenos Aires and since then numerous competitors have popped up. Basically all these sites work the same way: you sign … Read more
All right, all right… I have been posting a lot of concerts, but the Hot Festival Buenos Aires is the one I am most looking forward to. The lineup is great and includes: Scissor Sisters Massive Attack Mika Thievery Corporation Pavement Stereophonics Hot Chip Phoenix Benjamin Biolay It takes place November 19 and 20, 2010 … Read more
I had previously written about the best thing in Buenos Aires, so now I found it only fitting to write about the worst thing in Buenos Aires. Crime? Nope. Lack of good sushi, peanut butter, pickles and spice? Close, but no. Inflation? Ridiculous, but not it. Dog poop on the streets? Annoying, but wrong again. It’s electronics. … Read more
The best thing about my entire time in Buenos Aires arrived on Monday morning at 11:45am local time, weighing 3.18kg and measuring 49cm long. I present Hannah Araxí… As a friend mentioned, this whole journey started while sitting out in the desert at Burning Man 2007 and realizing that I needed to make a change … Read more
The 2010 edition of the Pepsi Music Festival is coming to Buenos Aires on October 13, 22 and 23, 2010. This year the international lineup includes Rage Against the Machine with Queens of the Stone Age as well as Green Day in addition to a number of local bands. The event is being held in … Read more
In other big concert news, Dave Matthews Band is playing Luna Park, Buenos Aires on October 14, 2010. While I’m personally not a fan, it’s great to see a number of international acts scheduling shows here. Now, to get an alternative rock festival started! Tickets will be available from TicketPortal although the sale date has … Read more
Saw this while walking in Palermo the other day: I guess this is a pretty valuable wheel or someone just wanted it really, really badly. Seriously though, this was a busy street and someone managed to jack up the car, steal the wheel, remove the jack and take off. They did leave the lug nuts … Read more
Craigslist Buenos Aires is not yet as big and popular as its American counterparts. Aside from the short-term apartment rentals section, the other areas only have a couple of posts per day. Still, it is growing rapidly and as such, the wackiness of the Craigslist stateside version is starting to make its way to Buenos … Read more
Since Taos at the Argentine Post just posted about Bon Jovi coming to Argentina on October 3, I thought I would one-up him and post some even more exciting concert news. That’s right, the Jonas Brothers are coming to Buenos Aires! They’re playing River Plate with special guest Demi Lovato (whoever that is) on November … Read more
UPDATE: This page has been replaced by our new upcoming concerts in Buenos Aires list. Please go check that out!. PAST CONCERTS 2012 January 7: New Found Glory (El Teatro de Flores) January 14: James Blunt (Luna Park) January 18: Paul Van Dyk (Pueblo Límite Villa Gesell) January 26: Taking Back Sunday, We The Kings … Read more
Once again, Argentina has made a major change to their policies with little advance notice. The rentista visa, which is a popular option for expats wishing to live legally in Argentina, now has an income requirement of AR $8000/month per person. This represents a 333% increase from the previous amount of AR $2400/month. This law … Read more
I’ve long been a customer and fan of Vonage, so it was especially nice to get an email from them today announcing a number of rate decreases. While Vonage offers free calls to most foreign landline phones, they often charge for calling mobile numbers. With today’s announcement, they have reduced the per-minute rate from U$S … Read more
I had previously written about joining a gym in Buenos Aires, but now that I’m in a new neighborhood (and that post is almost two years old), I thought it was a good time to update it. This time around, I checked out three different gyms in my area. Two of them, Megatlon and Sport … Read more
I’m happy to announce that I have broken out of “the bubble.” Yep, as of last week, I am officially no longer a resident of Palermo Soho (also known as “The Bubble” for its large concentration of expats). I am now a resident of the lovely neighborhood of Belgrano. And, as you can see from … Read more
Groupon, the popular US-based group buying site, has just launched in Buenos Aires. Groupon is one of the hottest new startups in recent years and offers specials and discounts based on a certain number of people collectively buying the “deal of the day.” Here’s how it works: each day Groupon offers one special local promotion. … Read more
I’ve recently had an entirely new experience in Buenos Aires – the pleasure of having a car and driving around the city. When I was first here, I was limited to the subway and taxis as my only means of getting around. (Yes, I never figured out the bus routes.) Somehow, I have now become … Read more
Argentina meets South Korea in their second World Cup match tomorrow…at 8:30am local time in Buenos Aires. Now, if you know anything about Argentines, they are not early risers. You will see more people on the streets at 4am on a Sunday morning than at 10am. However, soccer matches are a completely different story. This … Read more
I’m happy to report that the Buenos Aires Registro del AutoMotor (the Argentine version of the DMV) is pretty much the same as its American counterpart – slow and inefficient. On the positive side, the Argentine DMV in Olivos had shorter lines than the NYC one. On the negative side, nothing is computerized and we … Read more
I had previously posted instructions about how to add credit to your Movistar pre-paid mobile phone via credit card, but I thought now would be a good time to talk about how to save some money on using your pre-paid cell phone plan. While I am covering Movistar in particular, these tips also apply to … Read more
If you’re like me (from the States), the World Cup is probably something you know about and might watch should you be channel surfing. However, if you’re Argentine, then the World Cup is something you’ve been waiting the last four years for. In fact, soccer is pretty much a religion here. (Seriously, there’s an actual church … Read more
I’m not quite sure where this video came from, but it seems to have been making the rounds on a number of video sharing sites. It shows a pretty brazen daytime car theft on the streets of Buenos Aires. Looks like a pretty good technique though I have no idea why they are stealing that … Read more
Hi, I’m Dave. I’m an expat. I live in Buenos Aires. Yes, I know that if you’ve been reading this site for any time now, you probably know a bit about me. But, to put it mildly, a lot can change in almost two years (and boy, has it ever). I’ve gone from being a … Read more
In the third post of our “Buenos Aires Contacts,” I wanted to highlight my personal trainer, Matias Vertone. While Matias does not speak much English, it has been a fun experience as my personal training sessions turn out to be both a workout and a Spanish lesson in one. Matias works out of the Always … Read more
Like everything in life, it all comes to an end. This post is the final post for the Discover Buenos Aires blog. I’m still in Buenos Aires, but this site about my experiences is being retired. I’ll be starting something new in the future, so look for that. Thanks for all your support and encouragement. … Read more
Good news for all Depeche Mode fans! The band is coming to Buenos Aires as part of their 2009 “Tour of the Universe.” They will be playing Club Ciudad de Buenos Aires on Saturday, October 17, 2009. Ticket prices have not yet been set, but they will be available from Ticketek on Tuesday, May 19, … Read more
UPDATE: There is no “legal” way to get dollars in Argentina anymore unless you plan to bring up to U$S 10,000 with you on the plane. The best bet for taking advantage of the parallel exchange rate is to use Xoom and transfer money from a US account into the country or use Azimo for … Read more
For the moment, there have been no reported cases of swine flu in Argentina, and the number of dengue fever cases seem to be on the decline. However, the Argentine government is taking no chances and has temporarily suspended flights from Mexico to Argentina. The U.S. Embassy in Argentina just sent out this alert: This … Read more
UPDATE (3/1/15): The fee for overstaying your tourist visa has been increased to $600 pesos as of March 1, 2015. This fee must be paid online in advance for any point of departure other than from Ezeiza, Aeroparque or Retiro. —- Without much fanfare, it appears that the Argentine government has increased the fee for overstaying … Read more
The U.S. Embassy has just issued a follow-up alert to their previous alert about the spread of dengue fever in Argentina. While previous reports had been limited to the north of the country, there are now at least 107 confirmed cases in Buenos Aires. While the government attributes those cases to people who have traveled … Read more
Seeing as how today is April 15th (the day taxes are due in the United States), I thought it would be fitting to finally finish the post I had been working on regarding some of the tax benefits to being an expat. When I decided to move to Buenos Aires last year, I wasn’t aware … Read more
I quickly realized that spending two months in Brazil, while amazing, definitely hurt my Spanish language skills. Add to that the additional time I spent in the States for Christmas, and I now find myself playing catch-up just to get back to the point I was at in December. It’s amazing how little time it … Read more
UPDATE: The fee has gone into effect. Please check out my newer post on Argentina’s new entrance fee. Good news for expats and tourists alike! Argentina’s proposed tourist entry fee which was scheduled to start January 1, 2009, and then re-scheduled for March 2009, has been postponed indefinitely. This means that those trips to Uruguay … Read more
Looking to have a friend or family member visit you in Buenos Aires? Now may be the best time to book your tickets as American Airlines is currently having an airfare sale on flights from the U.S. to South America. We found non-stop roundtrip flights from NYC (JFK) to Buenos Aires (EZE) in June for … Read more
I decided that like a lot of porteños, I would try and escape the heat of Buenos Aires in the summer, so next week, I’m off to explore Florianópolis, Brazil. Floripa has been rated as “best place to live in Brazil” and is also known for its beaches, surfing, and nightlife. It’s also supposedly full … Read more
If you’re looking for a personal trainer in Buenos Aires, let me recommend mine. His name is Adrián Di Domenico and he specializes in functional and kettle bell training as well as training for fútbol, tennis and contact sports, prevention and rehabilitation, posture re-education, and body building. He is also extremely knowledgeable about fitness and … Read more
Last week we had a chance to take our first trip in Argentina with my brother, John, and his girlfriend, Elizabeth, who were visiting from Michigan. It was their first trip out of the U.S., so it was quite an experience for them – actually for all of us. We flew from Buenos Aires to … Read more
Looking for something different to do? Need to get some aggression out? Have an old pillow lying around? Well, we may have just the thing for you – Pillow Fight Buenos Aires 2008 (Lucha de Almohadas – Buenos Aires 2008). Today, November 22, 2008, at 6pm in the Bosques de Palermo at the Dr. Benjamin Gould Planetarium … Read more
Quick Link: Get Boca Juniors Tickets. Now, onto our story… The one thing every tourist guidebook recommends that you do when you come to Buenos Aires is to go to a Boca Juniors soccer game. Well, Sunday was the first time we had a chance to catch a match, and it was pretty exciting. The crowd … Read more
While we love so much about Buenos Aires, we’ll be the first to admit that we have been less than enthusiastic about the sushi here. For a major cosmopolitan city, we expected more options and choices even though we realize that beef is the primary food here. Luckily, our complaining about the sushi is now over. Last … Read more
Like many expats, we’re here on tourist visas which are only valid for 90 days. Now, there’s a few ways to extend that time: Head to prorrogas de permanencia at the office of migraciones and pay for a 90 day extension. The cost is $100 pesos and you can only do this once per 90 … Read more
They certainly do things their own way in Argentina. We just wrote about the upcoming time change. (Argentina began observing Daylight Savings Time last year for the first time since 2000 and did it on only 4 days notice.) And now the government, after just declaring the entire country would be on the same time … Read more
We have a group of 30+ people meeting up for drinks tonight. If you’re around, come out and join us. It’s a good chance to meet some new people and relax after a long week. (more on that later) Here’s the details: Friday, October 17 – 9:30pm – 12:30am Godoy Paraguay 4905 esq. Godoy Cruz … Read more
“Spring forward, fall back.” – Yep, it’s that time of the year again, and even though it’s October, it’s officially the start of spring in the Southern Hemisphere, so it’s time to move the clocks forward by one hour. The time change happens this Sunday, October 19th, 2008 at midnight –the earliest it has ever occurred. This … Read more
Argentina’s Travel Guide is a site that I’ve had in my Google Reader for awhile now, but in recent weeks the site has really picked up the pace with a slew of interesting new stories and events happening in Buenos Aires (and beyond). Here’s a quick description from their site: Argentina’s Travel Guide is an online … Read more
Argentina Reciprocity Fee UPDATE: As of March 24, 2016, the reciprocity fee is no longer required for US passport holders. The Argentina reciprocity fee must now be paid in advance for all entries into Argentina – air, land and sea. We have a complete guide on how to pay the Argentina entrance fee as the form is a bit … Read more
Reuters is reporting that the Argentine peso has shrunk to its lowest level against the dollar in 5 1/2 years. The peso slid 2.39 percent to 3.315/3.320 per U.S. dollar, its lowest point since January 2003. The peso has slid 4.65% this year so far. So, the American economy tanks and the dollar gets stronger. … Read more
Buenos Aires is known for a lot of things – tango, beef, architecture, etc. They are not, however, known for their seafood. Salmon seems to be the most popular choice and in many restaurants the only choice. A salmon entree will also cost more than almost any beef entree. And yes, you can always get … Read more
The U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires is hosting a Voting Day Party on October 8, 2008, for those: Registered voters who miss the experience of going to the polling stations back home, you may cast their ballots from 9 a.m. to noon October 8th in a special Voting Day in the U.S. Embassy, 4300 Av. … Read more
One thing that you, as a foreigner, notice immediately about Buenos Aires is that men kiss each other on the cheek all the time. I wrote about this in my Week 3 Random Observations and noted how it takes some getting used to. (Ok, it takes a lot of getting used to.) The Denver Post just published … Read more
Last Saturday we headed over to Milion to meet a few other expats and bloggers. It was great to finally meet Jackson and Erika as well as some of their friends, including Anne, Anna, and Fred. Milion is a great bar, lounge and resataurant set in an old townhome with an amazing back yard. And while it … Read more
With this being the presidential election year, remembering to register for an absentee ballot seems even more critical. Luckily, the Federal Voting Assistance Program has a newly redesigned web site to help with this process. And this week the U.S. Embassy sent out the following email with more details: New Website for Overseas Voters We … Read more
Merco Press reported yesterday that Buenos Aires is more expensive than last year, due to inflation estimated at between 10 to 20 percent and to the drop in the dollar’s value. Luckily, it still ranks among the cheapest cities in the world for foreigners, though it may not be the value that it once was. The Argentine … Read more
Last Thursday, the message of change reached Buenos Aires as I joined Expat Connection and Democrats Abroad at Sugar Bar in Palermo Soho for the Barack Obama concert. Oops, I meant the Barack Obama award show. Sorry, I mean the Barack Obama presidential nomination acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention. About 250+ expats packed … Read more
It seems like a lot of my posts are starting to have a Part II to them… Well, the Learning Spanish post is no exception. I’ve been down here just over three weeks now and while I’m picking up the language in bits and pieces (I can almost read a full menu now!), I was … Read more
On Sunday, I decided to do the tourist thing and head down to the San Telmo Sunday market. San Telmo is the oldest barrio of Buenos Aires and is known for its bohemian charm and architecture. Every Sunday, they hold a feria (street fair) which consists of arts and crafts, antiques and random assorted items. … Read more
Last night I attended my first Expat Connection event, the La Plata National Wine Festival in La Plata, Argentina. About twenty people met at a wine shop in Buenos Aires for some champagne and picada before hoping on a chartered bus out to La Plata. Once there, 60 Argentinean wineries presented 350+ of their finest … Read more
A lot of people back home have been asking me about Argentine beef: Is the beef really that cheap? Is the beef really that good? Do they eat a lot of beef? The answer to all these questions is, “Yes.” Beef is definitely one of the staple foods here. I have been extremely pleased with … Read more
I don’t watch a lot of TV, but before I left for Buenos Aires, I decided it would be nice to watch some U.S. TV stations and shows while I was here. Watching my DVR would be great too, and I also wanted to be able to watch Michigan football games this fall. Luckily, The Slingbox comes to … Read more
Today I thought I would start a series of posts about technology solutions that I have found to help deal with a number of common problems that I have encountered. These are some technical ways I’ve been dealing with issues that I have run up against. One of my ongoing issues is not speaking or … Read more
It’s funny, but when you don’t speak the language, everything becomes a bit of an adventure. Tonight I decided to venture out to the movies – something I wouldn’t have thought twice about back in the States. I walked over to Cinemark 10 Palermo to catch The Dark Knight, also known here as Batman: El Caballero … Read more
Welcome to the second part in my series. 🙂 Remember, some of these may be huge generalizations, but that’s ok. Random Observations: Week 2 There is no sugar free Red Bull in the country. This was one of my favorite drinks with vodka in the US. There are (almost) no obese people in Argentina. There … Read more
Yes, it is with a heavy heart that I must announce some really horrible news that befell me recently.. I have not had an Internet connection at my apartment since Thursday! Yes, it is probably one of the worst things that could happen, and I’m starting to wonder if I shouldn’t have been so greedy. … Read more
Now that I’m here, I’ve been taking a look at what the best way to pay for things is – cash or credit? I’ve found that: using my Citibank Visa, I’m getting AR $2.9517 to the U.S. dollar after fees are calculated. using my Schwab ATM card I’m getting AR $3.0436 to the U.S. dollar with … Read more
I spent the afternoon today checking out a few different gyms in Palermo. I’ve been missing the gym since I left NYC, so today I finally had a chance to try and use my minimal Spanish and sign up for a six month membership at a gym. I had seen a few in the area, … Read more
I had my first Spanish lesson on Tuesday, and thanks to reading another blog, I found a great teacher, Marco Luccón who runs Hablar en Buenos Aires. He’s 24 and really loves languages and teaching. He has split his apartment in Palermo into a living area and a classroom (complete with whiteboard) and has prepared … Read more
I’ve been here for about one week now, and I thought I would start a series about some of my random observations as a new expat. Some of these will be expanded on in further posts, some are just random one liners. So, without further adieu: Random Observations: Week 1 Learning Spanish is going to be more … Read more