arteBA la Feria

Today I attended the 22nd edition of the arteBA feria in La Rural. The arteBA feria is one of the most important art fairs in Latin America, and is recognized throughout the art world as well. It's a place where art enthusiasts, dealers, exhibitionists, galleries, and anyone with even the tiniest speck of interest in art can find moments of inspiration, bid on a piece of art, socialize, or simply explore the creativity.

The location of the art fair, La Rural, is an expansive center used for hosting a variety of community events throughout the year. One of my students works for arteBA and had been working on preparations for the fair throughout the entire year. She was kind enough to give me two tickets to the fair earlier this week. Unfortunately the person I had invited told me the day before that they were unable to make it which, generally speaking, is often the case here in Buenos Aires, so I wasn't gravely disappointed.

However I also did not regret having to go alone. I often find artwork to be very meditative and, while I do enjoy talking about art with others, I find it just as enjoyable to walk freely through the artwork, stop at the pieces I wish to see, and pass over the pieces of little interest to me.

In many ways this exhibit reminded me very much of the Noche de Los Museos, except there was much more artwork in a single place. All the art was contemporary and the artists ranged from masters to up-and-coming artists, the artwork covered a wide range as well. All of the artists either reside in Argentina or are Argentine expats living abroad, and the artwork this year is meant to represent how art crosses physical and geographical barriers, without regard for country borders and boundaries.

The enclosure itself was much larger than I had expected. My student had brought a map to one of our classes and we went over the details of the layout, giving directions, and recommendations, but I have to admit it looked much smaller on paper. I browsed the artwork for more than three hours, but there was such a wide range that it seemed to take half that time.

On my way out I glimpsed a familiar face and realized it was my friend Kristina from the TEFL course. It had been nearly four months since we'd seen each other last so it was a wonderful surprise to see her and catch up. In all I think the fair was very well done and here are a few pics to give you a sense of what the fair was like.

The entrance to the arteBA fair. On the left is the entrance to a design fair.

Who's watching through the windows?

I spy a Mate gourd!

A good perspective of the size of the place.

A map of the arteBA

For more on the annual art fair, check out this article from the Argentine Independent.

As a final addendum, while examining one of my English textbooks I found an enjoyable and satirical little quote on the evolution of through the ages. I wish all English textbooks had this sense of humor.

From IELTS Masterclass p.45

How to appreciate art

"Appreciating art is very easy once you understand art history. Art started with two-dimensional cave paintings. Then came two-dimensional church paintings. In the renaissance, artists got perspective and started painting jugs. The Enlightenment brought us well-lit jugs with a side order of fruit. Romoantic art depicted the landscape cave dwellers would have seen if they'd looked out, had perspective and understood lighting.
Art then became what artists saw inside them, rather than outside. Impressionism was the world seen through a couple of glasses of vin rouge. Expressionism was impressionism after the whole bottle. Vorticism was when the room started spinning, and modern conceptual art is the throwing up stage."

Top Snack Foods in Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires may be the Paris of the Americas with its Art Noveau architecture, Parisian style tree lined streets, and cafes on every corner, but as a hungry traveler looking for a cheap snack, or as an employee on lunch break looking for something healthy, Buenos Aires can be a far cry from the rich and gourmet foods of Paris.

To be sure, Buenos Aires has it's own food culture, but this culture tends to consist of foods that would make any health nut cringe, or kill anyone with a sweet tooth. The following is my list of top must try snacks in Buenos Aires. Most are terribly unhealthy, but there are a few here that won't expand waistline, at least not very much : )

1. ALFAJORES: Snack number one is Argentina's famous Alfajor. These yummy dulce de leche filled cookies can be purchased at any kiosko or supermarket and are often reasonably priced at between $1 peso to $7 pesos for the more high end alfajores. I personally recommend the Havanna Alfajores which, while on the higher end of the price list, is very difficult to beat. A healthier adaptation of the alfajor made from rice cakes instead of cookies is called Chocarroz. These can also be found in any supermarket and will often satisfy any sweet tooth in less calories.

Havanna makes some of the best Alfajores in Bs. As.

Artesanal Alfajores from a confiteria located on Avenida Pueyrredon

Alfajores and tortas for sale at La Porteña

2.EMPANADAS: When one is looking for a more savory snack, or maybe even a meal, look no further than the empanada. Coming in flavors of pollo, carne, cebolla, picante, verdura, and more, there is always variety to choose from and they can be found ready to eat on nearly every street in the city. Reasonably priced at about $6 pesos each, empanadas can be a hearty snack or a meal substitute and, while not very healthy, they can be quite satisfying to an empty stomach.

Four varieties of empanadas offered at La Portena Confiteria y Panaderia

3. PANCHOS: What do you turn to when you're sick of the empanadas? Panchos! Yes, the Argentine adaptation of the American hot dog is as popular as ever and is offered in most kioskos. The pancho, often called the Super Pancho, is like an American hot dog but is usually longer. Toppings include onion, mustard, and a skinny and crispy version of the French fry. Panchos are usually priced at no more than $10 pesos and could be a large snack or lunch if you desire.

4. CHORIPAN: If you're looking for more than a small snack the choripan might be the way to go. This savory sausage wrapped in bread is a staple here in Buenos Aires. It is both filling and fattening so watch out. Choripan (a combination of the words "chorizo" and "pan") is a heavy snack for a meat lover with a big appetite. One choripan is usually priced between $15 and $20 pesos and are more of a meal than a snack. Nonetheless there are choripan shacks located throughout the parks of Palermo where you can find the perfect meal to cancel out all the calories you had burned running in the park.

Sr Choripan, located in the heart of Recoleta, is a one-stop place for chorizo, bondiola, panchos, empanadas, facturas and most other snack foods popular in Bs. As.

5. TREBOL BARS: Probably the healthiest and most reasonably priced snack food are the Trebol bars. These sunflower and mixed seed based bars can be found in all the Chinese supermarkets throughout Buenos Aires. They are reasonably priced at between $7 and $8 pesos
***The Chinese supermarket I go to has charged me $7, $7.50, and $8 pesos respectively each time I have bought Trebol bars there. I wonder if the price changes that much in one week or if they just arbitrarily decide the price based on the customer. Regardless, these bars are my replacement for the lack of cliff bars or any other type of health food bar in Bs. As.

6. HELADO: Of course there is always ice cream. While ice cream is on the pricey side, it is possible to find deals in even the chain establishments like Freddo, Persicco, and Volta. Freddo and Volta offer $16 peso quarter kilos of dulce de leche ice cream, while all three offer $9-$10 peso single scoop cones of any flavor. A refreshing taste of wine-flavored Sambayon or the vanilla and milk cream flavored Crema Americana on a hot day is difficult to pass up, especially since ice cream is one of the things Bs. As. does best.

A sign located on the Freddo window advertising the $16 peso 1/4 kilo.

7. TATUCA: Number seven is one of my all time faves. Tatuca is possibly the best snack I've found since moving to BA last October. While not the healthiest, this sweet and sugary popcorn is certainly not the worst food you could be consuming, and you could eat an entire bag and only feel as though you ate a light meal. The popcorn itself has a caramel flavor, a lot like caramel corn but without the sticky outer coating. This snack usually costs around $4 pesos, you should never pay more than $5, and can be found at most kioskos. Tatuca is also the perfect movie snack as it doesn't have the buttery and fatty flavor of normal popcorn but "tastes" just as good.  

There is a large variety of grab and go foods to choose from in Bs. As. Most are either high in fat and savory, or high in fat and sweet, with relatively few healthy options. Still, it is possible to find healthy snacks for those determined enough to look. Even now verdulerias are beginning to offer fruit salads to go, and many specify no sugar added. While the health food craze may have taken off in places like the
United States, it is only just beginning here in Argentina, and foods high in sugar and fat still have a strong cultural influence. McDonalds and other fast food is extremely popular despite being more expensive than in the states, and one would be hard pressed to find an "ensalada" as an entree at most restaurants. Still, healthy eating has begun to take root and restaurants are slowly beginning to offer healthy dishes. Only time will tell whether this trend will reach the magnitude it has reached in the states.

Personally, I think we'll only know for certain that this trend is here to stay when I start to see Clif and Luna bars for sale in the grocery stores. I do miss my Clif bars :  )

Cheers folks,

Melo get's an artistic makeover

Hey folks,

As I discussed in a previous post, Buenos Aires is full of street art. The street art is located primarily in the neighborhoods of San Telmo and Palermo, so it came as a surprise when some quality street art appeared on my street, Pacheco de Melo, in the heart of Barrio Norte. The art isn't you're typical street art, as the themes seem more academically grounded and depict scenes from the city.

For the past month or so crews had been renovating a sidewalk area a couple blocks down from my apartment. They only recently finished the work and soon after the artwork appeared. The street I live on is very nice and quiet, located two blocks off of two main thoroughfares in the city, Las Heras and Pueyrredon.

I was on my way to Parque Las Heras when I discovered the new street art, some of which had not been completed yet. I was so excited for this new artistic touch that I just had to run back to the apartment to get my camera. I never made it to the park.

Here are some photos of Melo's new look.

This one is of the botanical gardens in Palermo

An artistic rendition of the roof of the national congress building

Floralis Generica, the giant metal flower located next to the UBA Law School

I love the brickwork

Torre Ingleses in Retiro

A depiction of my favorite building in Buenos Aires. The gothic styled school of engineering.