APRIL-MAY 2014 | Free magazine | N 1

BUENOS AIRES GUIDEPOLO IN ARGENTINASAN TELMOALTERNATIVECITY TOURS

4844 Restaurant Guide

Eating in Buenos Aires

Bar Guide Drinking in Buenos Aires

42 San Telmo in Focus Antiques and eats

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Getting Hungry for BAs Food Whats hot in the kitchen right now

A Runners Guide to BAThe best spots for jogging

Argie Drinks A guide to the local faves

Polo in ArgentinaGetting to grips with Argentinas sport

26 Riding Through the History BooksA theatrical experience in BA

24 Wine Scribbles from a SommRecommended bottles to take home

16 Football MadMad about the game in BA

18 Destination GuideMendoza

23 Where to Drink Wine in BATop spots for a glass or two

HELLO!

12 Artist ProfileFernando Rosas

Empanada EmpireA journey through its history

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CONTENTS

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Dear Reader,

Thank you for picking up a copy of Playground Buenos Aires! This is a new, free English magazine for people enjoying BA and the rest of Argentina. We aim to help you get some inside tips, see a new part of the Argentine experience or just use our fantastically useful map. The choice is yours.

Inside our first edition weve got all the alternative tourism routes covered in Take a tour on the wild side, from graffiti to getting your tache trimmed. If you are here for sports you can check out our guide to visiting an Argentine football match in Football Mad and how to begin playing the sport that has made Argentina top in the game, polo. Those whose heart can be reached through the stomach will be keen to find out where to eat the best empanadas in Empanada Empire and dont miss our Restaurant and Bar Guide. Also if you are looking for a next destination, take a peek this editions Destination Guide in Mendoza - a divine spot for March and April.

Finally, we invite you to peruse through the works and thoughts of our artist of the edition, Fernando Rosas. He designed the cover of our magazine earlier this year especially for Playground BA and it is an honour to have him as our first Artist in Profile. Dont miss our next edition for a new artist to inspire your creative side.

As we are new (this is our very first edition!) we want to get around as much as possible, so if you do like the magazine, pass it onto a friend, or a neighbour, or anyone that looks like they want to read a little English, the more hands on us the better! We are a little bit trampish in that way. Or if you want to pimp us out yourselves in your own restaurant or hotel, please drop us an email and well get some copies to you, we are free for everyone! We are also keen to hear from people who want to contribute in the future or potential advertisers. And if you simply want to email us some feedback or some of your own favourite playground game ideas, wed love to hear from you.

Un beso!

Playground BA

Editoreditor@playgroundba.comDesigndesign@playgroundba.comDistribution & sales office@playgroundba.com

Playground Argentina S.A., Alicia Moreau de Justo Oficina 2, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

www.playgroundba.com

Alternative City ToursTake a tour on the wild side

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If the idea of lining up to take pictures of the obelisk fills you with dread, and youre desperate to find out what the citys really about, one of Buenos Airess funky new alternative tours could be right up your street.

SNAP TRACKING BUENOS AIRES

A photography tour with a twist, Foto Ruta Weekly is a sociable and eye-opening way to explore the city on foot (www.foto-ruta.com, 6030 8881, Saturdays, location varies, US$32). After a short workshop on creative photography, participants take to the streets armed with a map of the area and a list of clues. The quest: capture the clues on camera. On the unguided hunt for sneaky pigeons, the ultimate temptation and automobile apocalypse, groups notice things they normally wouldnt, experiment with different shots and interact with local people. The porteos are incredibly open to having their photo taken, says Becky Hayes, co-founder of Foto-Ruta. If you ask someone in the street, 8 times out of 10 theyll say yes, and sometimes theyll even get a comb out and do their hair for you. The afternoon ends with a relaxed photo review over a glass of wine: a fantastic chance to get photography tips from a professional and marvel at the citys visual contrasts and various means of interpretation. The location for Foto-Ruta Weekly varies, but whether you choose upmarket Recoleta or more down-to-earth areas like Villa Crespo, youll end the day feeling inspired and equipped to explore elsewhere on your own. Other photogenic spots in the city are the antiques market in San Telmo, roller-bladers and family picincs at Parque Tres de Febrero, and the dilapidated grandeur of Recoleta and Chacarita cemeteries.

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Foto-Ruta also run customized private tours (on demand, price varies) an iphoneography tour (Tuesdays, Palermo, US$65) and their latest venture Comida-Ruta (Thursdays or on demand, San Telmo and Costanera Sur, US $125). At the latter, expect to stuff yourself silly on the best street food in the city, pausing between bites to take pictures of sausages bursting from their skins, smoking barbeques and the rotund owners of vintage food trucks. Tour designer and guide Allie Laazar, who was vegetarian until she arrived in Argentina and realised what she was missing, is an expert on local cuisine and happily shares food and photography tips. Her food blog Pick Up The Fork (www.pickupthefork.com) is a favourite among locals and expats and is packed with reviews, recipes and copious amounts of food porn.

THE WAY TO BUENOS AIRES IS THROUGH THE STOMACH

Its not just the meat that excites foodies in Buenos Aires. Other must-try local delicacies include stuffed pastries called empanadas common fillings are meat, ham and cheese, and chicken, alfajores, two biscuits sandwiched together with dulce de leche, and the glorious Argentine ice cream, which can be bought by the kilo and even delivered to your door. To try it all, The Argentine Experience (www.theargentineexperience.com, Fitzroy 2110, 38967552, dinner: US$ 85, dinner + wine cocktail mixology class: US$115) have scoured the country for its best ingredients, flown their team in from across the globe and rolled private-dinner party, cooking class and crash course in Argentine cuisine into one fun-filled evening. Guests at the Palermo closed-door restaurant make their own empanadas and alfajores, sample the nations favourite tea mate and even learn how to gesticulate like a local. Add that to unlimited silky smooth Malbec, attentive and energetic staff and a heavenly tender fillet steak, and its no wonder satisfaction is absolutely guaranteed. Before dinner, a wine cocktail mixology class is an optional extra and is well worth it for the chance to don a bow tie and shake that cocktail mixer.

Alternatively, the lovely ladies of Fuudies (www.fuudis.com, 31433159, see website for dates, from AR$250 for aperitif tours, AR$360 for lunch/dinner tours) guide an international crowd through a whirlwind social dining experience: three courses in three restaurants over three hours. Diners should expect top-quality ingredients, upmarket restaurants they might otherwise not discover and a meet and greet with charming local chefs. Fuudies draws a large international crowd, roughly 25 people per tour, and is also popular with locals. To ensure the best of both worlds, guests switch seats at each restaurant. Fuudies also run aperitif tours, where drink fanatics can sample typical Argentine spirits like Campari, Cinzano and Cynar in various stylish cocktail bars.

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Foto Ruta Tour

The Argentine Experience

The Argentine Experience

Cocktail Shaking at The Argentine ExperienceFoto Ruta Tour

7Aires, that they immediately sought out the artists. On discovering the stories behind the artwork, including how one street artist laid claim to a spot by getting his mother to ask for permission, they began doing tours to promote the urban art scene and have since developed the project to include art fairs, workshops and a documentary about the scene (www.whitewallssaynothing.com). Although anyone wandering BAs streets will come across graffiti, Graffitimundos bilingual guides are experts at putting enormous tortoises seemingly coming out of walls and gauchos holding spray cans into a social, political and historical context. The highly organised tours can be done on foot or by bike and all explore at least three different areas of the city, taking tourists to spots they would unlikely discover alone (a minibus provides transport between them). Groups also get a chance to meet local artists and check out the latest exhibition at hip stencil art bar Post Bar in Palermo. Hot-spots for street art include bus-depot in Chacarita (Fitz Roy and Castillo), Plaza Matienzo in Colegiales (Matienzo and Cramer), and around the Mercado de Pulgas in Palermo (Alvarez Thomas and Dorrego).

THE HOLY GRAIL

So youve travelled the streets and ticked off the basics: wine, tango and meat. What else are the Argentines proud of? Ah yes. The Pope. Seeing as youve not got much chance of actually meeting the guy in his homeland, the next best thing is to learn all about him on one of the free Papal tours (4114 5791, Tues, 3pm, walking tours from Plaza de Mayo, Thurs, 3pm, walking tours around Flores: booking not necessary. Weekends and holidays: bus tours from Flores, 9am, booking essential) run by the city government. You can either take a short walking tour in Bergoglios barrio Flores or around the Plaza de Mayo or go the whole hog and get on the Pope bus for a three-hour trip. The tour bus may be traditional, but visiting the stand where Bergoglio used to buy his newspaper? Thats one to write home about. Tours are currently Spanish language only.

TILL YOU DROP

If at the end of all that culture you feel in the need of retail therapy, Yorkshire lass Sophie Lloyd of ShopHop BA (www.shop-buenosaires.com, mobile: 15 3921 0460, shopping by the hour US$40 per person, half day US$150, full day US$250. Discounts for groups) will happily take the stress out of shopping for you. Her custom-made tours take shoppers exactly where they want to go and help them find unique workshops, shops and pieces. A fashion writer and professional shopper, Lloyd knows all the best boutiques including the appointment-only showrooms can diffuse the rudest of shop assistants and speaks English, Spanish and French. A questionnaire before you go will help her suss out your style and steer you and your pesos in the right direction.

ITS A MANS WORLD

Youve only got to be in Argentina for five minutes before you realise that despite the female president its a mans world out there. For the worst of Argentine macho culture, jump in a taxi or try and cross the road, for the best, book yourself on The Man Tour (www.landingpadba.com, 6963 7259, Tues Fri 2.00pm, Sat 11.00am. 6 hours, US$ 215, discounts available for groups or couples). The gentlemans tour has been showcasing the refined masculinity of the early 1800s since 2011. Highlights include a family run hattery which has been in business for over a century, a straight-razor shave at a traditional barber shop and a stiff drink and a smoke in top cigar bars VIP room. The Man Tour was created when tour company owner Jed Rothenberg noticed that it was females who most contacted his tour company. It seemed wives and girlfriends were the ones doing all the organising and Rothernberg felt that men were always getting tricked into going shopping all day for shoes and purses. He wanted to give the blokes something else to do, with or without the girls, and so The Man Tour was born.

Aside from the tour, other manly activities visitors may want to try are: eating a traditional parilla or barbeque, going to a football match or asserting their manhood on the tango dancefloor note: not being able to dance may have the opposite effect.

TAKING TANGO STEP BY STEP

To learn the tango rules properly, sustainable tourism company ANDA responsible (www.andatravel.com.ar 3221 0833, tango walking tours AR$1275, AR$1798 by bus, discounts available) operate highly recommendable and personalised tours of local tango halls. The tour kicks off with an hour-long tango class and then heads to the milonga. Here, friendly local tango experts explain the dancefloors complex social codes such as the cabecito a little nod of the head a man gives to a woman when he wants to dance with her and other rules about how many dances its acceptable to dance with one partner and how long youre required to dance with them once youve started. ANDA responsable also have a number of other appealing tours, including one of La Boca, which visits social immersion projects happening in the area, a tour of Jewish Buenos Aires and the least traditional, an hour-long chat with a charming and knowledgeable local where any question is acceptable, be it about economy, politics or Argentinas chances in the world cup.

START WITH STREET ART

Also socially responsible, Graffitimundo (www.graffitimundo.com, 3683 3219, group tours US$25, bike and hidden walls tours US$35) is a non-profit organisation set up by two London girls who were so taken with the street art when they arrived in Buenos

GraffitiMundo

GraffitiMundo

GraffitiMundo

GraffitiMundo

Man Tour photos taken by Jocelyn Mandryk

Man Tour photos taken by Jocelyn Mandryk

Man Tour photos taken by Jocelyn Mandryk

Where did the empanada come from? We immediately make the assumption by its name it comes from Spain. But there is a longer trail of empanada crumbs to follow

This bundle of warm comfort can be traced back to Persia in the ninth century, where a poet first wrote in praise of the sanbusaj: a stuffed, savoury pastry that was becoming popular across the Persian, Arab and Turkish foodie circles, and most likely originated in what wed consider ancient Iraq. Filled with meat, onions and sometimes raisins the sanbusak would come pastry wrapped in a triangle or a half moon. Sound familiar? The sanbusak is earliest traced ancestor of the empanada.

As the sanbusak gave birth to samosas and boraks it spread

around the Middle East and North Africa and its innards began to broaden to spinach and feta, cheese and potato, and even fish filled pastry pockets always either baked or fried.

When the Moors moved into the Iberian Peninsula they brought their trusty mini meat pies with them and the Spanish also took a fondness for the primitive empanada, which first appeared in cookery books in Andalucia as early as the 1200s.

After a couple hundred years perfecting the empanada the Spanish conquistadores brought their tasty tuck with them and so the Argentine empanada was born. After a few hundred years and a couple billion taste tests later the Argentine empanada has settled into a few classics that youll find here and all over the country:

THE EMPANADA. An essential for any peckish backpacker, lazy party food contributor and Argentine restaurant menu. A simple, stuffed savory pastry that looks innocent enough but carries within its golden pouch one of the longest and richest culinary histories.

Although it translates as meat, carne really only means beef most of the time. Empanadas de carne will be stuffed with either ground beef or chunks of beef (carne al cuchillo) in a baked or fried pastry case and usually in a half moon shape. Depending on the region youll find onions, chili pepper, boiled egg, olives, raisins, cumin, herbs or potatoes. Look out for arabian meat empanadas that carry a little more spicing and come in an open triangle. Carne is the king of empanadas with everyone having their own particular version (beef fat in the pastry dough) with pureed corn in a creamy and sometimes cheesy white sauce.What it does on the tin!

Chicken is a pretty great staple for when youve had enough beef. Usually quite juicy with a bit of onion, olives and red pepper mixed with shredded chicken.

Coming from the north of Argentina, this is the only mainstream vegetarian empanada (but beware of beef fat in the pastry dough) with pureed corn in a creamy and sometimes cheesy white sauce.

The next most popular empanada on the list, ham and cheese pops up everywhere. Sometimes the empanada will be filled with chunks of ham and other times sliced ham roll, the cheese may be stringy mozzarella or a smooth bchamel, there might even be a sprinkle of oregano in there but it almost always comes in a rounded shape pinched at one end.

EMPANADA POETS CORNER THE LIFE CYCLE OF AN EMPANADAby F Uda Dict

An empanada no es nadaIts got what its got, its usually hotBut when I finish it, its often forgotApart from on my hips.

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EL SANJUANINOA restaurant known for its great, classic empanadas and always very busy with diners. Otherwise serves simple food, but the empanadas tick the box alright!

NA SERAPIAA bit of a hole in the wall place in Palermo, this is an authentic spot for unpretentious empanadas. A proper bargain basement, also serving wine by the jug and other local food including humitas.

LA AGUADASpecialising in Tucuman empanadas you can expect just a little more spice in your bundles of joy here. If you are really hungry try an empanadota (a massive empanada) and this place does delivery.

EL ORIGEN DEL SABORWith one of the biggest selections of empanadas, this 32 strong menu means there is something for everyone whe ther you like yours with cherries, cheese and ham; or perhaps carrot, mushrooms, pancetta and port; or for a romantic night in try the aphrodisiac empanadas.

SOLO EMPANADASA chain store specializing in just empanadas this doesnt look fancy from the roadside, nor inside, but they are one of the best options for empana-das on the run and even have sweet dulce de leche empanadas to win you over.

Verdura, or vegetable, can often be misleading as it is usually just one vegetable - swiss chard. Occasionally with onion but always a firm pinch of salt. The best empanada for getting your greens in!

During Easter in particular youll see a lot of these tuna empanadas filling the bakeries as people try to steer clear of meat for a short while. Quite a dry empanada normally with canned tuna and a bit of spicing.

The four cheese empanada is a gooey mess that says what it does on the tin!

El Sanjuanino, Posadas 1515, Recoleta

Na Serapia, Av. Las Heras 3357, Palermo

La Aguada, Billinghurst 1862, Palermo

El Origen del Sabor, Marcelo T. Alvear 1589, Recoleta

Solo Empanadas, across the city and delivery.

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THE EMPANADA OF LIFEby Adreyopoetry

Resting at a restaurant, the poetbit into an empanadaand sought to find in its vividnesssomething of the meaning of life.Life resolved itself not in the meaty

survivorsof his thoughtful disemboweling,but in the amazed faceof the perky Latina:2$ empanadas could not be bought

with a credit card.Ah, cried the poet,oil running down his chin,one conquers one pathto find oneself yet again closed in.

Yes, youve read correctly: the silence.Buenos Aires is described as the city that never sleeps.

But, believe me, there is silence amidst the noise, problem is, nobody ever listens to it.

You must listen carefully, thats the key.From my 6th floor, four blocks away from the first tube station,

line D, I listen and observe my surroundings,as if I were a tourist or an outsider.

Im enchanted by the sound of the run-down buses,the shrieks of drunkards uttering the most truthful words,

the typical Porteo bar round the corner, opened 24/7, same waiters with vacant looks all day long;

my walls witnessing my neighbours from, as they call it here:el interior, quarrelling and the Italian old lady across the streetalready thinking on what to cook for Sunday when her whole

family comes to visit her.And sometimes, if I stay up really late, I can hear my buildings caretakertrudging his way down to wash the sidewalk and start his daily gossiping

with other caretakers of the street. Their lives are a mystery to us all.Ive heard the most amazing stories about him, none of which I actually believe.

People love making up stories here! Maybe it is a way of living in fiction,reality is not that fun after all...

How can I forget the Chinese supermarket right behind my building!?A life-saver actually. I always get to see the owners reading a book called

How to Speak Spanish in 10 days by some unknown author to me.The things is, Ive been living here for a couple of years

and they are still reading that dog-eared book. Determined people they are!Back to silence now.

Oh, Im in love with the silence of my city!I have lived in different provinces of this country,

but I finally found the silence here, quite odd for most.The silence protects me. In fact, I write on a piece of serviette at a coffee bar

at rush hour; I write on the tube, while Im offered all kinds of products;I write while I observe the silence. Its not the silence of the a sunset on a beach,

or a night in the countryside, its another type of silence...Theres a book Ive read by Jon Mcgregor, it says, The whole city has stopped.

And this is a pause worth savouring, because the world will soon be complicated again. Maybe the Porteos are just used to chaos and noise,

but being a Portea myself, I can assure you, there is silence everywhere.Just listen carefully.

Sit down, relax, and observe.Our Spanish and Italian roots are visible in the way we hug,

in the way we kiss, in the way we are; the voice of our ancestors is there, but silent.

Couples having dinner stuck to their cellphones,the loners, the ones sitting and thinking, just thinking.

The soft voice of the group of old ladies in their finest clothes,going for a coffee before crossing the street to watch a love story.

The silence of wisdom.Silence here works in a different way,

hearing it, is only up to you.

Photograph by Adrii Romo https://www.facebook.com/FotoAiRo

The Silence of the City

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Tell me about where you grew up and your childhood.

I had a very normal childhood with lots of games and friends. My parents were separated and I lived with my mum. When I visited my dad I realised that he had a very strange house... [his father Roberto Rosas is also an artist, and lives in his workshop] (See photo p17) When I was with him we didnt play football or anything like that, instead we made things from wood... we made boats and animals together. That was the only difference to a normal childhood.

Have you always wanted to be an artist?

For my secondary school I went to a technical school as I was interested in engineering or architecture. At 15 years old I changed to an art school and from there I started art and have been an artist since.

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This editions artist is Fernando Rosas from Mendoza. A painter and sculptor who dabbles a bit in digital art too, Fernandos first exhibition was at 16 years old. Twenty years in, he now has a legion of fans and collectors in Argentina and abroad. The inspiration for this editions cover was of the seductive eyes of a woman and a myriad of dreams and experiences running through her mind. Her thoughts symbolise Argentinas culture: seduction and tango, the athletic prowess of polo and the delicious lubricant of society - vino Argentino. I wanted it to be like an invitation, he says.

We talk to the artist to find out what is going on in the mind of Fernando Rosas.

Artist profile /// FERNANDO ROSAS

Interview by AMANDA BARNES

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What are the advantages of having a well-known artist as a father?

The climate in which I grew up. Any sculptural idea I had, you can do without any problems. I didnt need to create a space for creation as it was already there ... I dont think I have aesthetic influences from him though.

Are there any disadvantages?

Comparison maybe, but I never suffered it as a problem really.

What has the path been to finding your own style?

Working. And then letting myself have different influences from artists, some of which are friends, and some of which are international. There you start to experiment with things that you didnt know existed. By doing art more and more, you start get your own style.

You do painting, drawing and sculpture, do you have a preferred format?

I used to feel like a painter, three years ago. But then I discovered woodwork and now I dont know what I prefer. But there are levels of suffering when you work which is different. In painting I suffer more, I dont know if that means it is worth more. Sculpture is more like a game, it is more like a construction and you achieve more constant levels of pleasure. Painting is more physically simple work but there is more of your head involved, more cerebral. I wouldnt say I enjoy either more though, and I couldnt just pick one. I will continue doing both.

And what about digital art?

I started trying because I was curious and I am still in

a courting period, I dont feel like a digital artist but it allows you to experiment.

Have you ever had a period where you just havent felt creative at all?

Yes! Sometimes I have longer periods and sometimes shorter. Then I just do something else like writing, taking photos or doing audio-visual work. This year has been very intense because I have worked all year. This exhibition [currently at the ECA in Mendoza] forced me to work and it was a marvelous creative period like being in a state of permanent fascination.

Do you create more under pressure then?

Yes, for me it works. It focuses you and you focus into this energy. It is very interesting to have this objective - to complete a cycle. An exhibition is a piece of art in itself.

Have you ever looked at a piece of art and just thought: this is rubbish?

Yes!

What do you do then?

I look at them coldly as if they are done by someone else, and look if they are ok if they wont break, wont fall etc. And I just leave them. Ive had many of those! Even though no artists will tell you this, the truth is that

there are very few pieces that you look at and really say what a great piece of art. The rest are part of the process.

When are you most creative?

For sculpture during the day, and for painting I dont think there is a better time than the night. You can control the light easier and I also feel that painting is more bohemian its not physical, but intellectual. Nighttime is ideal for contemplation.

Where do you get the inspiration for your art?

Well the world positions you. But the history of art is a very important part of inspiration. Other art and solutions you find within them art is very contagious. Also your own art. When I am in a period of work you also get influenced by your own work, when you are making a piece it influences you.

What is life like as an artist in Argentina?

Complicated. I dont know if I am very lucky, but I have been able to live from this career. Not just from my art but sometimes working in peoples houses doing murals etc.

What are the difficulties of being a working artist here?

The law* is a big challenge I was three months trying to send a piece of art once... It costed me a fortune and

I dont even know if it arrived. You have to study customs not art to survive! But now it is advancing a bit to be more practical.

** Argentina has a heritage protection law making it difficult to take art out of the country, or selling it to foreign buyers.

When you arent with a paintbrush or putty in your hands, what do you like to do?

I like to read, I like the cinema and to share with friends. But I dont think I am ever not doing art. Its as if you are always charging yourself with images. Maybe you are sorting out your house or garden at the time, but I am always charging myself with art.

If you were cast away to a desert island what is the one food you would eat for the rest of your days, the one item you would bring and the one person you would take?

The person is my girlfriend, if she would accept! The item would be tools so that I could do a sculpture but also make things to survive. And asado I think, lots of beef!

What do you see when you look in the mirror?

I see a person in constant conflict, existential, but a person who tries to be noble and honest. A person who decided their career and has dedicated their life to it, but things dont always end up easy. I see a person still in construction.

In the end, what really matters?

Obviously I am going to say love. But I also think desire ... desire is the motor for everything. The desire for a woman, for being a father, to be a good friend.

For more on Fernando visit his blog and email.fernandorosasartes.blogspot.com.ar rosasarte@yahoo.com.ar.You can also visit his workshop in Mendoza to see more of his work.

If you are interested in being one of our future artists in Profile please contact editor@playgroundba.com Si estas interesado en ser uno de nuestros artistas en Perfil en el futuro por favor escribir a editor@playgroundba.com

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Watching football in Buenos Aires is unique. No other city can match the sheer number of teams here or the passion of the Porteo fans. There are twenty-four clubs within the Capital and goodness knows how many more in the Greater Buenos Aires area and the locals knowledge of and love for the game goes above and beyond anything Ive seen anywhere else.

Each of Buenos Aires Big Five clubs Boca Juniors, River Plate, Racing, Independiente and current champions San Lorenzo has a long and storied history, full of impressive achievements and events that would seem unbelievable were they to have taken place anywhere else. It goes without saying that if the chance comes up to see any of them for a reasonable price, you have to take it.

When a big match is coming up, it seems like nothing else matters. The build-up goes on for days and as the match gets closer it often gets so intense it becomes ridiculous. By the time the game finally kicks off, it is almost impossible to think of it as anything other than the most important event in human history.

The Superclsico between Boca and River remains the most widely-covered match of every season and every guidebook will tell you to head to either Bocas Bombonera or Rivers Monumental, but it is well worth expanding your horizons and looking for matches away from the typical tourist spots.It is a widely accepted fact that the fans provide the beauty in Argentine football and while the noise made by the

full hours before kick-off. When the teams came out, huge firework displays immediately outside the ground made the already electric atmosphere exponentially more impressive. Returning to the sedate and refined surroundings of English stadia is decidedly unappealing.

While I would recommend a Buenos Aires football odyssey to any interested party, it would be dishonest to say that everything here is hunky-dory. Antisocial behaviour and violence in and around stadiums is endemic and safety remains the number one concern of every visitor on match-day.

The vast majority of the time I have felt perfectly safe, but I have on occasion suffered xenophobic abuse, had objects thrown at me due to my appearance and been caught in a mad crush that instantly brought the word Hillsborough to mind.

Additionally, the standard of play has dropped in recent years. Argentinas footballers have left in unprecedented numbers to take advantage of higher wages on offer around the world and the players that remain tend to be has-beens and never-will-bes. There remain an ample number of promising youngsters who may catch your eye but the first to show the slightest bit of real quality will most probably be whisked out of the country on a lucrative contract within a few months.

Despite these problems, watching football in Buenos Aires is an incredible amount of fun. It is possible and even affordable to take in two or three matches every weekend and the more I go, the more I appreciate everything about it: from the chants,

which range from puerile jokes at the oppositions expense to epic poems about unity and the joy of suffering together, to the genuine connection between fans and players, to the unique variety of swearing that I hear in the stands.

The best aspect of football here is that it brings people together. On one occasion, I journeyed out of the city to watch Banfield, none the wiser as to the route the bus would take to get to the barrio. Having driven past and through areas that are most politely described as low income, I was dreading having to exit alone and on foot to find my way to and from the game. It is not always easy to feel safe when one is very clearly a Westerner in Greater Buenos Aires.

I entered Banfields stadium planning on remaining in-conspicuous and not even opening my mouth, lest my heavily-accented Spanish land me in life-threatening trouble. Imagine my surprise, then, when the nearest locals began speaking to me as though I had been coming to watch Banfield all my life, jovially discussing the match as it happened and asking with genuine interest how it happens that an Englishman ends up coming to watch their team. It was a brilliant evening and one typical of my experience in this city.

Cheap tickets, great atmospheres and welcoming locals: if you love football, then Buenos Aires is paradise.

Bombonera crowd can admittedly reach deafening levels, the reality is that it is possible to find something similar at every reasonably-sized ground and for a much better price.

One of the first matches I went to was at Independientes Estadio Libertadores de Amrica. It was a strange experience for three reasons. Firstly, because the stadium itself remains unfinished there were signs of ongoing building work everywhere I looked. Secondly, because from my vantage point I could see a distant explosion and fire in La Boca which left a plume of smoke trailing across the sky.

Thirdly, and most importantly, I had been told by unimpressed locals that Independientes fans are famously quiet. After spending ninety minutes in their company, I can honestly say that they would consistently rank among the loudest crowds in Europe.

Even more impressive was San Lorenzos Nuevo Gasmetro. When we arrived two hours early for their potential title decider against Estudiantes de la Plata, we found the stadium already packed to the rafters and in full voice. It seemed next to impossible at the time, but the chants continued to get progressively louder until kick-off, culminating in a spectacular din the likes of which I have never heard before or since.

The best overall experience so far was probably at Lans, for the Copa Sudamericana final second leg against Ponte Preta of Brazil. As we now expected, the stadium was more or less

It is a widely accepted fact that the fans provide the beauty in Argentine footie

Returning to the sedate and refined surroundings of English stadia is decidedly unappealing

The more I go, the more I appreciate everything about it

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DESTINATION GUIDE / MENDOZA

If you are looking for a destination for a long weekend outside of Buenos Aires, cast your glance to the West and on the other side of the country youll find Mendoza. The aptly named land of sun and wine, you cant really go wrong with Argentinas wine capital this time of year. The Harvest Festival kicks off in the month of March (4 11th) and the grape pressing and parties continue on through to the beginning of May.

MENDOZA: LAND OF SUN AND WINEProducing the large majority of Argentinas wine, Mendoza is a region characterized by its vineyards. There are vines as far as the eye can see and one of the best pastimes here is taking it slow and enjoying a big glass of wine, or three. The city centre has a very small town feel to it with just 8 blocks by 8 blocks that really count as the centre, however what makes Mendoza the fourth biggest city in Argentina is the wide spread of suburbia all around the city. As a tourist though you arent very likely to wander more than a few blocks out of the centre, unless you are heading out to the vineyards or mountains. Mendoza is known as the greenest city of Argentina and the logic behind that reputation is simple it has a lot of trees. What you might not realize on first glance though is that almost none of them are native. Mendoza was flattened in the 1861 earthquake and when French architect, Carlos Thays (who also designed most of BAs parks) redesigned the city, he built into it wide, tree-lined avenues and a massive park (Parque San Martin) that makes Mendoza the emerald city of Argentina.In the city there isnt a huge amount to do, it is the sort of place that you will most enjoy by taking in the sunshine (no less than 330 days a year), indulging in some day time drinking and letting the world slowly pass by

WHAT TO DO

Giddy up cowboy!As a seriously agricultural spot, youll find your far share of gauchos in Mendoza and where there are gauchos, there are horses. Head down to the Uco Valley to get on some trusty criollo steads and set out into the stunning Andes mountains.

Recommended: Visit the breathtaking Estancia La Alejandra with Cordon del Plata, www.cordondelplata.com (261) 423 7423.

White water babyMendoza may be a desert but there is a bit of water to keep the adrenaline flowing, and the water is so cold that it will take your breath away if for some reason the class IV and V rapids dont. The rapids for rafting, kayaking or riverboarding (basically bodyboarding though the rapids) are located in Potrerillos about 1.5 hours from the city.

Recommended: Argentina Rafting www.argentinarafting.com and www.potrerillosexplorer.com both offer great rafting expeditions.

Get high on AconcaguaOne of the coolest attractions in Mendoza by far is Mount Aconcagua at a stomach turning 6.960meters above sea level. We are coming to the end of the season for attempting to summit, but you can still do some awesome climbs and struts around the park where, on a good day, you can see the peak from the park entrance on the side of the road.

Recommendations: If you are planning to get in shape for a summit attempt next year contact www.inka.com.ar, if you want a good hike, climb or walk any time of the year and in any of the surrounding mountain ranges try www.andes-vertical.com You can also venture up into the Andes without doing any leg work with a chauffeured day tour from Mendoza and a decent wine lunch involved with www.troutandwine.com

Relax to the maxSome of us have the philosophy that if it aint broken, dont fix it; and if it is sore, soak it. To ease any aching bones, the most therapeutic way to unwind and enjoy the gorgeous scenery is by taking a long soak in the natural springs in Cacheuta. Cleverly designed stone pools channel the different temperature waters of the springs ranging from the rather damn hot, to the pretty darn cold. Take your pick, but make sure to slather yourself with mud and dry off in the sun a couple times in between.

Recommendation: For the full termas experience book into the Hotel and Spa for the day, for a more economic choice and child friendly try the water park www.termascacheuta.com Or if nature isnt your thing but spas are, go for full-on modern spa glory with Entre Cielos Hammam & Spa which is all inside and based closer to the city in Vistalba www.entrecielos.com

Fly like a birdLike the condor swoops Mendozas skies, so do some paragliders. A large hill a couple kms from Mendoza Cerro Arco is the perfect launch spot to

Mendoza giddy up cowboy by Izabel Kapteyn

Cachueta Hotel & Spa

Cerro de la gloria by Izabel Kapteyn

Mendoza plazas by Izabel Kapteyn

Kayaking in Potrerillos

Written by Amanda BarnesAmanda is a British journo who has been delighting in Mendozas wine scene and vineyards for longer than her liver would like to admit. www.amandabarnes.co.uk

Mendoza - Aconcagua

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tour group like Trout and Wine (www.troutandwine.com) Ampora (www.mendozawinetours.com) or Mendoza Wine Camp (www.mendozawinecamp.com) for around $200US. The next thing you need to do is pick between Lujan de Cuyo and the Uco Valley.

Lujan de CuyoOne of the biggest wine production regions in Argentina, Lujan de Cuyo what locals call the home of Malbec. A large area that hosts a suburban sprawl as well as countless empty plains only populated by vines. You can reach Lujan within about a 30 minute drive from the city but some wineries are almost an hour away. Top of the list of recommendations is Pulenta Estate (www.pulentaestate.com) for its fun blind aroma guessing game and its fabulous Cabernet Franc; Ruca Malen (www.bodegarucamalen.com) took the crown last year for having the best winery restaurant where you can tuck into five wine paired courses; and Catena Zapata (www.catenawines.com) is the one all the Brazilian tourists go for and is one of the biggest household names of wine although book ahead as the scheduled tours book up quick. There are at least 30 wineries in Lujan that are worth your time so this is by no means an exhaustive list! More wineries can be found on www.thesqueezemagazine.com.

Valle de UcoThe Uco Valley is the word on every winos lips not only for its supreme quality high altitude wines but also for the awesome scenery: jawdropping mountains frame the vast vineyards and infinite blue skies it is any oenophiles idea of heaven. The wineries are top notch too with some of the biggest investments and ergo the most impressive architecture. Reining high in the architecture race is dutch owned Salentein (www.killkasalentein.com) with its cathedral to wine, art gallery and sculpture garden, closely followed by avant-garde O Fournier (www.ofournier.com) that resembles a Star Trek creation and hosts a stellar restaurant. Or you can try more humble, down to earth wineries like family-run Gimenez Riili (www.gimenezriili.com) or the small cube shaped winery La Azul (www.bodegalaazul.com.ar) There are less wineries in the Uco Valley worth visiting (around a dozen, see

do paragliding over the city and swooping over the foothills of the Andes. Everyday (weather permitting) there are a few companies of professional instructors that will happily launch you off the hillside and into the clear blue skies for beautiful birds view experience.

Recommendation: Acro Fly have trained flyers and include a pretty cool 4x4 journey up the hillside www.acroflyparapente.com.ar

MENDOZAS HARVESTAND VISITING WINERIES Every Autumn the citys population swells as tourists from all around Argentina and abroad pack into Mendoza for the largest wine festival in South America and to enjoy the experience of harvest. The Vendimia (meaning grape harvest) is a world-class wine festival that lasts almost a month with parades, live music, performances and, of course, plenty of wine tastings during late February/early March. The highlight of the festival is the four day outdoor performance in the local greek-style ampitheatre where an audience of 25,000 are treated to three hours of performance art, music, a light show, fireworks and the all- important beauty queen election. Pencil it into your diarys next year, as it is usually the first weekend in March. Although if you visit Mendoza any other time, you may have missed the processions and pomp, youll still be in time to see what the festival is all about the grape harvest. Visiting wineries between February and May is a spectacular experience as you can see the grapes being harvested, sorted, pressed and processed into

wineries ensuring that you can get three visits in on the rather long day. Recommended wineries on the route are: small boutique operation Montequieto (www.montequieto.com), fabulous lunch at Terrazas de los Andes (www.terrazasdelosandes.com), learning about llamas and tank tastings at Tapiz, or a step back in history with Clos de Chacras (www.closdechacras.com). This works out at around $500 per person with the bus, a decent lunch and two wine tastings.

By BikeThe classic backpackers tour of Mendozas wine scene is by peddling your way between wineries in Maipu, but be warned although the ride is flat and easy, it is hot and the trucks and lorries swinging around you makes a few of your neck hairs stand on edge, at least until youve had a few glasses of wine to not notice anymore.Practically a rights of passage for budget travellers in Mendoza, getting on a bus to Maipu (take the 171, 172 or 173 from Catamarca and Rioja streets) is the first stage to the bike shop where on Urquiza street youll find a few different places touting their two wheelers (try Mr Hugo www.mrhugobikes.com, $50). Each bike company will give you a map, but peddling between bodegas is not that hard with plenty of signs and a couple other slightly pissed cyclists leading the way. Stop by at Familia Di Tommaso (www.familiadetommaso.com) for a spot of history, Carinae (www.carinaevinos.com) for the best wine en route, Tempus Alba for a nice lunch in the sunshine (www.tempusalba.com) and try La Rural for the impressive wine museum (www.bodegalarural.com.ar) After a couple stops youll be quite merry on the experience and the tourist police have a tendency to follow foreigners bikes to make sure they manage to trundle their way back to safety later in the evening.The whole experience will set you back around $320 pesos with tastings and a bite to eat.

By CarForget about driving yourself, it isnt worth it. Youll get lost, wont be able to drink and will spend pretty much the same as a private tour. The only way to go is either by hiring a privately chauffered car or going with a small

the tanks. Some wineries will also let you taste the grape juice as it slowly transforms into wine. This is the ultimate time to visit Argentinas wine capital for any wine buff.

There are a few ways to get out and visit wineries from the city. If you choose to stay on the outskirts of Mendoza in Lujan de Cuyo, Maipu or the Uco Valley then chances are your hotel will be a walk or bike ride from the closest winery, but staying in Mendoza city youll need to either brave the bus, bike, car or taxi to get where you want to go.

BusPublic buses are by far the cheapest way to go, although their span is rather limited. You can access a few wineries by public bus which are within walking distance from others: try the 850 line from the bus terminal to Agrelo and stop off at sparkling wine house Chandon (www.chandon.com.ar, Km 29 on Ruta Ruta 15, Agrelo) where you can do a tasting of their bubbly and eat a sparkling wine paired lunch in their pretty restaurant. Next door you can visit Dolium (www.dolium.com Ruta 15, Km. 30) a smaller winery with underground architecture where you can try wines with the winemakers or the owner. Or head to Mayor Drumond in Lujan on the same bus or the 1.19 bus where you can visit three wineries all within a stones throw of each other: the larger winery Luigi Bosca with its long history and good variety of wines (www.luigibosca.com.ar, San Martin 2044); historic and quaint Lagarde with a handsome, old vineyard and a good restaurant (www.lagarde.com.ar, San Martin 1745); and the original garangista in Mendoza and a real gem of a character Carmello Patti (San Martin 2614) wholl take you through his small winery and show you his press clippings with adorable pride. Youll probably spend around $350pesos on the bus, a decent lunch and two wine tastings.Another bus option has recently opened up and makes visiting wineries a more affordable option for many the Bus Vitivinicola (www.busvitivinicola.com). With subsidies from the government and wineries involved, the bus costs only $150pesos and takes you door to door on a circular route between 5 or 6

Vendimia Queens

Mendoza winery by Izabel Kapteyn

Biking in Mendoza by Izabel Kapteyn

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Paragliding in the foothills Mendoza streets by Izabel Kapteyn

them on www.thesqueezemagazine.com) but the spectacular valley is certainly worth the extra hour in the car.

Pick your ownIf you want to get a little dirty and have a true harvest experience you can spend a day picking grapes followed by a hearty Argentine asado lunch experience at Zuccardi winery in east of Mendoza (www.casadelvisitante.com) You can also taste wine that has been pre-harvested, fermented and aged for you!

USEFUL INFO

Mendoza is just over 1000kms west of Buenos Aires and you can reach it by bus (from Retiro, 12 hours, $600pesos) or by plane (daily flights from Aeroparque, 1hr, starting at $150US return). The bus station is about a 25 minute walk from the city centre through some less desirable streets however it is generally safe, a taxi would only cost $20pesos though. The airport is a 20 minute taxi ride from the city centre, $80pesos, and is located in the worlds only airport vineyard!

Mendoza vines by Izabel Kapteyn

www.thesqueezemagazine.com/app

A free app guide to Mendozas wineries, wines and regions !

ALDOSRun by a well-known sommelier, this wine bar, restaurant and wine shop has different wine-related events each day of the week and has one of the biggest collections of Argentine wines (over 600 labels) with the highest number of sommeliers per head in Argentina (there are 6!) If you are overwhelmed by the wine list you can try out the 3 glass wine flight with 3 tapas that will give you a good flavour of what Argentina has to offer, but dont be afraid to ask the somms to recommend one of the fabulous wines on the list which pull together some of the best wine in Argentina and soak it up with fresh and fun cuisine: cold soups, indulgent salads and the renowned steak. Open all day long for a cheeky glass and a bite to eat, or check out their daily happy hour between 5 and 9pm.

Aldos Vinoteca, Moreno 372 (between Defensa and Bolivar), San Telmo (011) 4334 2380.

PAIN & VINAs the name suggests, the focus here is on wine and bread one of the most heavenly combinations. Sommelier Eleonora and her husband Ohad opened this wine bar to serve up glasses and bottles of Argentinas finest alongside and hunky chunk of proper homemade bread. There are also regular wine tasting nights.

Pain & Vin, Gorriti 5132 (between Thames and Uriarte), (011) 4832 5654.

GRAN BAR DANZONA cool bar and restaurant with an impressive wine list that will give you a taste of different wines produced around Argentina. They also have a pretty good Martini bar.

Gran Bar Danzon, Libertad 1161 (between Santa Fe and Arenales), Recoleta (011) 4811 1108

LA CAVA JUFREA traditional wine bar and cava where tasting and finding unusual wines is more the aim of the game. Located in a historical corner of Villa Crespo, youll find a wine bar filled with little gems and there is the occasional wine tasting to boot.

La Cava Jufre, Jufre 201 (on the corner of Julian Alvarez), Villa Crespo (011) 4775 7501

BAR DU MARCHEA French-chic bistro with around 50 wines by the glass. If you are a solo diner, or someone that likes to taste a little bit of everything this is your place. And not only for Argentine wines but also for a nice (but obviously small) selection of foreign wines. Ideal for winos who like a bit of cheese on the side as they also serve some of the best artisanal cheese in town, and the staff will happily pair it for you.

Bar du Marche, Nicaragua 5946 (between Arevelo and Ravignani), Palermo (11) 4778 1050. Next door there is a great wine shop, Siete Spirits, worth checking out.

MIRA VIDA SOHO WINE BARA boutique hotel that does wine tasting on the side, this chic little wine bar has plenty of wines by the glass and some tasty tapas to keep you happy. Private wine tastings can be arranged.

Mira Vida Soho Wine Bar, Darragueyra 2050 (between Guatemala and Soler), (011) 4774 6433

WHERE TO DRINK

WINE IN BA

If you cant make it out to wine country, dont fear there is plenty of good vino to drink here in the capital. Heres a little guide to some of the top wine bars to visit.By Amanda Barnes

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Colonia las Liebres Reserve 2011, Bonarda, Altos las Hormigas, $180pesosLa Bonardita, warmly labelled by my friend (one of the winemakers) Leo Erazo, is a wine from Ugarteche, Mendoza. A fresh, fruity wine that is not over oaked (something they take care about). Argentine Bonarda is already on the lips of wine drinkers and here you have a very nice example to stuck into.Caelum Reserva 2010, Chardonnay, $150pesosThe truth is, I met this loveable wine when I moved to Mendoza, so maybe it is a bit difficult to find, but it is worth finding. It is a chardonnay from Tupungato (Mendoza), which has a good complexity while preserving its freshness. It is a wine that I have recommended many times and for which people have always come back and said thank you! Ah! If you are visiting the winery, do not miss trying their homegrown pistachios!

La Espera Reserva 2010, Malbec, Bodega Funckenhausen, $100pesosSouthern Mendoza also exists, and if you still have not heard about it as a wine region, try this Malbec. The grapes are from San Rafael, a favorite spot for adventuresome tourists, where Marcelo Lorca transforms them into this interesting Malbec. Any sanrafelino would be very proud of it. Great structure, combining balanced fruit and oak. A very interesting project, which unites different generations of the family...Gimenez Riili 2012, Torronts, $65pesosMade by a very nice Mendocinean family, the grapes are actually from La Rioja. A perfumed and fresh Torronts, with delicate citrus aromas. It is a good example for the variety. Torronts wine is called a liar due to its misleading sweet nose but dry mouth. An ideal option to take with you on a hot summer evening.

Alma Negra 2010, Blend Tinto, Ernesto Catena Vineyard, $186pesosA real enigma ... what is in it?! It is a mystery, but I am sure it is wine. You can think of it as a game and try to discover the varieties... Or, as I prefer, just to enjoy its harmony, complexity and delicacy. How do they achieve it?? ... Oh I dont know, you have to ask Ernesto that.RD 2013, Sauvignon Blanc, Bodega Tacuil, $110pesosA Sauvignon Blanc from Salta ...What? Dont you mean Torronts? No, a Sauvignon Blanc from Salta, right in Valle Calchaqu, a particular feature that has been in many conversations with my former boss and friend Norberto Suarez. At a high altitude where the Sun is most extreme you can find this Sauvignon Blanc with marked descriptors of peas and asparagus. Delicately soft, and keep it a secret, because there are only 6.000 bottles of it!Chamn 2010, Malbec, $180pesosArriving quietly on the market last year, this is a gentle Malbec from Mendoza that reminds me of black berry jam and honeyed fruits. It is easy drinking with a little bit of mischief. If you buy just one bottle you might run short, so it may be a good idea to buy two. You wont be disappointed. It is brand new and already turning heads.

De ngeles 2011, Gran Cabernet Sauvignon Via 1924 De ngeles, $330pesosThis is one of my beloved favourites. My friend Jose Bahamonde introduced this memorable wine to me. If I could share with you one feeling, it would be the marvellous way I feel every time I drink this wine. If a wine could ever be defined as round, this is it. A deep, buttery, smooth cabernet, with a beautiful aroma of plum. Its worthy of admiration.Nmade Reserva 2003, Syrah, $170pesosA gem from La Consulta (Uco Valley, Mendoza). This wine is like an old man who gets more eccentric with age. Drink it at the right moment (now!), and it is expressive and totally enjoyable. It is a wine to drink unrushed, similar to talking with a grandparent, and stay in your mind forever. A wine that shows that Argentine wines can age more than 10 years and not have an exorbitant price.Linda Flor 2009, Malbec, Bodega Monteviejo, $282pesosIf the subject is flowers, it is violet that we find this beautiful Malbec that Marcelo Pelleritti made. Captivating, elegant and consistent year on year. A convincing wine which I am proud to recommend. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, if you want to meet the real Argentinean Malbec, I present to you Linda Flor.

Wine scribbles from a SommLots of articles like to talk about a Top 10 of wines. This is not one of those articles. I do not know if they are the Top or the Best, but I do believe that all they have something special. This selection is not determined by price or variety, but by the fact that they have touched me at some point in my life. Let me share with you why

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motionless and disguised behind adapted comedy tragedy masks and a sheet tied between two trees. They were already attracting considerable interest from perplexed bystanders. Summoned from our bikes, Misrahi led us to a clearing before explaining the events of 2001. Sadly, due to the pact I signed earlier, I am unable to describe what passed in more detail. However, I will say that it involved making a hell of a racket and chanting at the top of our voices.

Our group seemed to be growing as dozens gathered around, the public confused and curious in equal measure, but the rambunctious outdoor theatre continued.

As expected, there was also the odd jeer and insolent remark thrown in our direction throughout the afternoons performances, but Misrahi and his colleagues shrugged these off with aplomb: water off a ducks back.

Parque Lezama was only the beginning of the four-hour, six scene tour. Next, we cycled to Puerto La Boca and 1894 before transporting a few years later to 1902, also in La Boca cue comfort zone extraction. A trip to 1942 followed, and a chance to meet one of Argentinas leading ladies as she shot to fame. Time for a mate and alfajor pit-stop.

Not all Argentine history is so light-hearted though, and Misrahi was quick to remind us of the unforgivable acts that befell Argentinas last military dictatorship. Outside Club Atltico the former torture and detainment site of abducted civilians a distressing scene panned out before our eyes, brilliantly acted out by both Peluffo and Bursuk.

One moving, Puerto Madero dance routine later and we arrived in Plaza de Mayo to be met by an eerie sight, lit against the backdrop of the Casa Rosada, much to the astonishment of locals and tourists alike. I wish I could tell you more; it was quite a climax to the tour. Misrahi then took centre stage, recounting the words of Spanish novelist, Miguel de Unamuno, his six foot three frame vanishing in a heartbeat behind the Monumento Al General Manuel Belgrano to wild applause. We were then left to contemplate Argentinas fascinating backlog.

Running for a limited time only, Caught in the Act: Theatrical bike Tour will be unravelling Buenos Aires history every Sunday until April 20. The tour starts at 4pm in San Telmo. For more information visit www.bikingbuenosaires.com.

THEATRE COMPANY TEAMS UP WITH BIKING BUENOS AIRES TO PAINT ARGENTINE HISTORY IN A NEW, INTERACTIVE, AND SURPRISING LIGHT.

Your bike is a time machine and youre going to journey through the pages of Buenos Aires incredible history, said tour guide Jonathan Misrahi, the porteos Theodor Geisel inspired hat sagging as the afternoon sun further illuminated his dazzling waistcoat. A self-styled inventor, entrepreneur, and actor wannabe, Misrahi captivated the group as he explained what was to unfold: a voyage through the capitals vaults, acted out by both a trained cast and ourselves apparently.

Caught in the Act: Theatrical Bike Tour a new collaboration between tour company Biking Buenos Aires and theatrical group Compaa Fr delivers a fully interactive series of encounters, designed to leave you impacted by the experience just as fellow Argentines have for centuries. We had been warned to expect the unexpected, that we would be drawn into the performances and dragged out of our comfort zones while soaking up the sites of the city.

Additionally, we were asked to sign a confidentially agreement, in the air, promising to keep stum about all that was to occur for fear of spoiling it for future guests. Slightly mystified and a little worried, our seven-strong gang cycled from the garage on Peru to Parque Lezama, and Argentinas economic collapse of 2001.

Actors Osvaldo Pefluffo, Vernika Ayanz, and Claudia Bursuk were waiting for us in the park, standing

The three actors stand motionless in Parque Lezama, waiting to recount tragic tales of

Argentinas economic crash of 2001.

Tour guide Jonathan Misrahi narrating the history of Buenos Aires.

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George Nelson is a British freelance journalist who has been working in San Francisco and Santiago before settling down into the irresistible charm of BA again. He loves to write on environmental and social issues, as well as peddling through history.

P olo. For most the word conjures up a mindful scene, fine fillies in heels and hats, sipping champagne whilst strong handsome men perform an aerobic fight on horseback, chasing a ball around a field. For me, growing up riding horses I knew a little more about the sport, but I had never had the opportunity to play it, that was until I moved to Argentina. I decided a month into my move that I really wanted to start riding again and being in a country that is known to be the leader in Polo throughout the world I thought now is the time to finally experience it

A little prematurely I decided whist visiting a saddlery that I had to have some real polo boots: the knee high custom made soft leather boots were the real deal and I just had to have them. This decision was swiftly regretted when on arrival to my first lesson my boyfriend decided to inform my new teacher and his two handlers that I had already ordered my polo boots even though I had never swung a mallet in my life. Smirks and laughs soon followed and I felt like the Aussie gringa with no idea. It was time to attempt redemption!

There is much debate to the origin of Polo itself, both Iran and China claim to be the first players of the Sport of Kings which even had a place in the Olympics up until 1936. Thereafter the Brits popularised it throughout the world including Argentina where the British settlers started to practice it in their free time in the Argentine pampas. Fast forward to the 20th century and Argentina is considered the mecca of polo, having the largest number ever of 10 handicap players (the highest handicap one can obtain) in the world. Australian ladies dont have the same reputation sadly (in fact no ladies do) Although I was willing to give it a go.

Back on the polo field, mounted on horseback with mallet in hand, I began learning how to swing correctly and hit the ball. I soon realised it was not going to be as easy as at looks! My years spent learning the English way of riding were skills rendered useless here. Holding the reins and steering is a different technique and even for the most seasoned of equestrians, it is a very new action to swing a mallet on horseback. One thats very important to learn correctly or youre likely to do some seriously damage to your unassuming mount!

After 40 minutes of chasing the ball around the field, manoeuvred by my enthusiastic and patient teacher Leopoldo, my efforts paid off and I was managing to connect with the ball at a faster pace. After 50 minutes I was beginning to take notice of the weight of my mallet and we slowed down to call it a day.

Those enthusiastic efforts I would pay the price for later in soreness but nothing that a (another) good glass of Malbec and a hot bath couldnt fix. But before the sourness subsides and my fancy new polo boots arrive I am already planning my next lesson, because thats the thing with Polo, its genuinely a lot of fun, made even more special by the Argentine all consuming passion and a picture perfect back drop, even if you dont have the riding experience you will come away with a true appreciation of the skills required and learn something about yourself, the horse and the sport.

CASSANDRA Langbien is a lifelong horse

rider, but when she arrived to Argentina

and picked up a polo mallet, it was like learning a whole

other game.

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While being a polo player usually involves vast amounts of cash, a legion of lithe horses and a partiality to butt pain, you can also get a flavour of being a polo player within just an hours journey from BA and with just a hundred or so dollars in your hand.

All around Buenos Aires are estancias where people come to play polo from all over the world. Many polo players will come and stay for weeks, months or years on end to train and improve their game living and learning from the worlds top polo players and instructors who, for the most part, are Argentine. But if you just have a day, you can also get your polo fix, even if you are a first-timer.

I was heading out for my first time recently as I caught the air-conditioned Lobos Bus to Cauelas (www.lobosbus.com.ar, Bme. Mitre 1760) one morning. Arriving to the

beautiful flat-land estancia at Puesto Viejo (www.puestoviejoestancia.com.ar,

Ruta 6), you couldnt feel further from the city with green fields as

far as the eye could see. We were welcomed to a country breakfast and sat down for a chat with our teacher for the day (and international polo player), Gaston.

Heading out to the stables afterwards, we got kitted out in chaps and a horse helmet but not before spying some players darting across the fields with a thunderous clap of hooves following them. I was beginning to worry that this wasnt really a beginners sport

I have to confess, I am disastrous with hand-eye coordination. Sometimes I fail to correctly lift a glass up to my mouth, so the thought of managing a ball and mallet while on a moving object was looking pretty hopeless from the outset. The fact that that moving object was a horse, made it even more despairing. Playing hockey on horseback I suddenly realized, was not going to be easy especially considering I barely knew how to do either.

But Puesto Viejo had told me anyone (including me) could. So there I was, kitted out and ready to play with a couple other clueless visitors. Fortunately our first part of training wasnt actually on the horse, but on a wooden stool. Stood up on a stool we practiced with the mallets in our hand to try and strike the grass in the right direction. While this was surely the best way to learn how to manage a mallet first, taking a look around our small group wavering sticks in the air stood in a field on stools, Im sure Gaston does this for his own amusement too. But stools felt like a welcome baby step before trying to ride a great beast at the same time.

Amanda Barnes is a British journalist living in Argentina and while she might have British blood, she will need a full transfusion to ever look halfway confident on horseback. www.amandabarnes.co.uk

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Photos taken at Puesto Viejo

My horse experience is limited to being sat on a Shetland pony and led by a trainer walking around village fetes as a child, and later trundling up mountainsides on sturdy criollo horses with gauchos as an adult. The horses at Puesto Viejo were an entirely different breed: handsome, muscular and so very tall in comparison. Sitting on them was already a very different experience alone, now add the bat and the ball and all of a sudden it felt like trying to ride a bike for the first time.

Riding around the field just trying to hit the ball and not the grass was the first task, and then it becomes a case of aiming to go in one direction. The horses were all well trained, it was more a case of re-training ourselves and in the meantime getting the best side abdominal workout you can imagine.

After an hour or so, we were well and truly in the flow, and it was time to take a break and have lunch. God bless Argentina. A full asado of roasted meat followed with some salads and sparkling water, chased down by a mug of coffee to re-awaken the ass muscles and then we were back to our horses for our first chukker.

More than a chukker (which is theoretically only seven or so minutes), this was continuous play with some of the local pros to bolster our game. After an exhausting and exhilara-ting hour of play, I had scored twice, found new muscles I couldnt have imagined and discovered a new interest in a sport I will probably never be able to afford to play seriously. I could see why people get addicted to this game.

Sweat glistening and smiling, we went to watch a game with the professionals who were having a friendly on another one of Puesto Viejos impressive polo fields. As we looked on watching, with a couple of the wives, the players moved around the field with dexterity and speed. As each chukker finished, theyd be off to swap horses (it is really ex-hausting work!) and mop up their sodden brow. Underneath the sweaty helmet though almost everyone had a big grin, even those who play all the time. Although some might have a pre-conception that polo is an elite and hard to reach sport, what surprised me most was to learn that at the end of the day - polo is just darn good fun.

PUESTO VIEJOYou can book a polo day or polo stay at Puesto Viejo Polo Club where they also have a small ranch to stay overnight and a swimming pool looking over the polo fields. Visit www.puestoviejoestancia.com.ar for more details, or call 11 5279 6893.

OTHER ESTANCIAS NEAR BALa Candelaria (www.estanciacandelaria.com)Argentina Polo Day (www.argentinapoloday.com.ar) Estancia Los Dos Hermanos (www.estancialosdoshermanos.com)

FAST FACTS: POLO

You may know that polo is one of Argentinas most impor-tant sports, but how many of these can you get right?

How many are in a polo team?The simple answer would be four. Four players are requi-red, but usually with each round (chukker) the players will swap their horses that means 24 horses are required per team in the standard six chukker game, and so in one game you have between two teams 8 players and 48 horses. Now you can see why it is expensive!

Who invented polo?Most believe it came from Persia (todays Iran) from before the 5th century BC, which makes it over 2500 years old. It spread through Asia and Indians taught the British to play polo in the mid 1800s. Nowadays the British are credited with spreading the sport to the West. British settlers in Argentina are thought to have brought the game over here in the late 1870s. Argentina is now considered to have the worlds best players and the three most important polo tournaments are played here (la triple Corona).

Why do polo players where white trousers?The tradition to wear white trousers is thought to have come from India where players preferred to wear light trousers in the heat. The tradition has continued, as has the traditional name of jodhpurs for the tailored riding trousers - they were named after the city of Jodhpur in India.

Can amateurs play polo?Yes. So long as they have a lot of money. Polo is a pretty unique sport as it is actually the amateur players that pretty much fund it. One wealthy amateur player will hire the rest of his team three professional players to play in a tournament. The more you pay, the better your players, and the more likely you are to win.

Can women play polo?Yes, they can. Female players arent as common, but theoretically they can play in the same matches.

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when most of the locals will have gone home. To put it simply, use your best judgment. Although youre unlikely to be robbed on your run in Buenos Aires, its better to play it safe.

ROCK YOUR BEST RUNNING ATTIREPorteos like to look good whether theyre sipping mate in the park, eating at their favorite parilla, or sweating their faces off. With that in mind, feel free to wear coordinating sneakers, Lululemon racerback top, and high-tech breathable fabric cropped leggings for your run. I personally prefer these to shorts, since Argentine men frequently like to shout, compliments at women as they run by. The men arent dangerous, just annoying. Of course, if you forgot to pack your running clothes you can also purchase running gear at the Nike store on Avenida Santa Fe or at one of the many sporting goods stores in the Outlets de Aguirre section of Palermo/Villa Crespo.

1 BOSQUES DE PALERMOThis scenic park features lots of long, winding dirt paths free of pedestrians and poop (most of the time). Its a bit hard to get to if youre not from the neighborhood, but its worth the bus ride to run alongside the lake and towering trees. The number and variety of trails allows one to explore a new route every day. Its also just a nice place to sit and enjoy a picnic with friends.

Perfect For | The Oh, Im just training for my next Marathon runner

2 PARQUE CENTENARIO Centennial Park is a beautiful little park, ideal for short runs, on the edge of the Palermo and Villa Crespo neighborhoods in Buenos Aires. The parks paved paths are well maintained and clean. They encircle a large pond, which features a picturesque menagerie of ducks, statues, and fountains. Families and friends flock to its grassy spaces on the weekends, so the park is best for running during the week, in the morning, or late afternoons when there are fewer people. Finish, ruin, or celebrate your run with an ice cream cone from one of the many vendors in the park.

Perfect For | The I only run if a Bear is chasing me runner

3 RESERVA ECOLGICA COSTANERA SURAt home, wed call this the boonies. Its far, but before you get discouraged, the Reserva is definitely the place you go to get out of the city without actually leaving the city. Open from 8am-5pm Tuesday-Sunday, except on days following rainstorms, the Reserva is an 8km or 5 mile loop which curves along the coastline, through sun-lit pastures and wooded terrain. The unpaved trails are flat and firm, but also give runners, cyclists, and walkers great views of Uruguay and the Buenos Aires skyline. It might be a hike to get to, but the beautiful views, peaceful atmosphere, and vehicle-free trails make it worth the trek.

Perfect For | The Granola-muncher, one-with-nature runner

4 BARRANCAS DE BELGRANOHidden away behind the citys tallest buildings, youll find this little gem. Quiet and removed from the usual Buenos Aires hustle and bustle, this park features paved paths that casually loop around the park. Old men play chess under shady branches and lovers kiss passionately between manicured flowerbeds. For US citizens desperate for even the smallest taste of Americana, keep your eyes peeled for the miniature replica of the Statue of Liberty. Totally odd, but cool...I guess?

Perfect For | The Ill take some culture with my run please runner

5 PUERTO MADEROPuerto Madero is perfect for running because the entire area is set up like a racetrack. Two paths run on opposite sides of the Ro de la Plata riverbank and are connected by 4 bridges. Its a very versatile space and lends itself to making running goals in terms of distance, speed, and time. Here you can enjoy views of old Buenos Aires and new Buenos Aires. Though the entire loop is only about a mile in length, the clean streets and light traffic make it ideal for running without impediment.

Perfect For | The I will cut anyone who interrupts me runner

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After traveling 5,000 or so miles to eat your way through the land of empanadas, choripan,

carne asadas, and dulce de leche you may feel the need to run off the extra calories that

have made their presence known along your waist-line. But as you step outside, eager to put those pounds in check; you may find that 1) you

dont know where to go and, 2) Buenos Aires is an absurd obstacle course comprised of crazy

drivers, meandering pedestrians, loose sidewalk tiles, and dog poo.

Do you give up? Not a chance. Because, despite how it looks, Buenos Aires has quite a few

options when it comes to running. So whether you are interested in enchanting cityscapes or luscious gardens, adventure or sightseeing,

there are numerous routes to satisfy runners of every variety... while minimizing doggie-doo

incidents. To get you in your stride, below are some tips and tricks for running in Buenos Aires.

TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY If youre running in Buenos Aires during the spring and summer months (when most tourists visit), youll immediately notice the heat and humidity. Its oppressive. Remember to bring a water bottle or a handful of pesos to buy a bottle of water on your run. As you probably can guess, since the temperature is so hot, the UV index is also extremely high during the daytime, so wear sunscreen and shades. Just think how miserable youll be dancing the Tango later if you dont.

RUN WHERE THERE IS LIGHT AND PEOPLEIf its that hot, cant I just run at night when its cooler? Buenos Aires is a very nocturnal city and there are people out at all hours of the day, so yes you can; but keep in mind that you may not know the area very well and not all streets will be well lit. Only run where there is plenty of light and people around. Avoid the parks in the evening

TOP F VE RUNNING SPOTS IN BA SECTOR MAP (Page 50-51)

Does not appear on the map

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Cant decide what type of runner you are or which park is best for you? Check outwww.urbanrunningtours.com.ar for guided running tours every day of the week in Spanish and English. Great if youre nervous about running on your own. The Buenos Aires Hash House Harriers aka The running club with a drinking problem (find them on facebook) in Buenos Aires is another great option as well. They meet every second Sunday in a new part of the city and stop to drink at stations along a planned run route. Youll get to run, drink, and make friendswhat could be better than that?

FERNET CON COLAAfter wine and beer, Fernet must be the most consumed alcoholic drink in Argentina. All across the country, people ranging from teenagers and senior citizens consume this bitter at very different times and occasions. The most common way to drink it is mixing just a couple of fingers of Fernet in a glass of coke: that way, the bitterness is balanced out by the cokes sweet flavour. Some people, especially older men in Crdoba (an Argentine province famous for its high Fernet consumption) like to drink it with club soda or even straight up. You can find Fernet con cola pretty much in any bar in Argentina.

COLORADITO Aperitivos (drinks made out of diverse combinations of bitter, vermouth and juice or club soda, usually taken before a meal) are part of Argentine history and popular culture: they come mostly from Italy, and were brought to the country and consumed by the large amounts of working class immigrants that arrived to the country around 1920. While the Italian Garibaldi (Campari bitter + Orange juice) is the hottest aperitivo right now, the Coloradito is one of the most authentically Argentine. The basic recipe includes Campari bitter, Dry Vermouth and a lemon twist (some bartenders add a spike of Gin). A great place to taste it would be the bar at the Hotel Plaza, a true Buenos Aires classic.

CYNAR JULEP The Cynar Julep is a modern classic: a drink invented in the last decade (authorship is disputed) that became popular when bitters made their big comeback and can now be found in almost any bar. Cynar is sweeter and less alcoholic than Campari and it has artichoke as one of its main ingredients. The basic Cynar Julep recipe includes Cynar, grapefruit juice, sugar and mint. In some places, such as 878, one of Buenos Aires best bars, a spike of Gin is added. It is definitely recommended.

CLARITOThe Clarito is a classic Argentine cocktail: it was invented by Pichn Policastro, probably the most famous Argentine bartender of all times (theres even a bar in London, Galante, which pays homage to his legend and recipes). It was long forgotten and it is experiencing a sort of revival now, as a consequence of the comeback of classic cocktails. The recipe is very simple: its actually just a very strong Gin Martini (90% Gin, 10% Dry Vermouth) with a lemon twist. One of the best places to have one is Verne Club (Medrano 1475): the bartender, Fede Cuco, is a long-time fan and Clarito Ambassador.

EL PATO El Pato is, just like the Clarito, another classic drink invented by legendary bartender Pichn Policastro. The recipe is more complex but actually more palatable to the Argie taste, that prefers bitterness to a high alcoholic content. It includes Campari, Gin, Cointreau, Dry vermouth, Red Vermouth and Kirsch. Not many places serve it but theres a great one that does: Florera Atlntico, the speakeasy owned by Tato Giovannoni, who actually supervises the Galante Bar in London. They have a whole section of classic argie drinks, so it is definitely worth the visit.

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When you see two prices next to a drink with p/compartir (to share) or preparado (prepared), the menu is not asking you if you want two straws or one, but rather the quantity of booze that you like in your glass. Order a G&T for example and preparado will arrive as a single glass with a single shot mixed with tonic, para compartir will arrive in two glasses, both with ice but one filled to the top with gin and a bottle of tonic on the side. Even by the time you have split this into two glasses you can end up with a drink pretty heavy on the alcohol side ideal for getting the night started or for finishing it off, not ideal for a hangover (especially if you are looking at gin nacional).

There are definitely a lot of great bars in Buenos Aires where you can have a perfectly made Martini or Margarita: but what would be the fun in that? When in Rome, do as the Romans do: have a sip of one of these tasty local drinks. You might even acquire a new favorite.

PARA COMPARTIR

- VS -

PREPARADO

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YOUNG GUNSWhile the hottest chefs in BA have their own private members club, thats not to say they dont share the love. Team GAJO (Gastronoma Argentina Joven), which adheres to the nueva cocina argentina concept by applying elaborate techniques to local ingredients, often gathers for one-off events at each others restaurants, dispelling the myth that too many cooks spoil the broth. Given that most of the members ranked in the 2013 edition of Latin Americas 50 Best Restaurants list, it would be a sin not to familiarise yourself with at least one GAJO restaurant.While one lady chef, Soledad Nardelli from Puerto Maderos Chila rules the male-dominated roost thanks to her presence on the small screen on El Gourmet, other young guns to watch out for include Paraje Arevalo and Local Rests Matas Kyriazis, Hernn Gipponi from Fierro Hotels HG Restaurant, Gonzalo Aramburu from Aramburu and Astor Manduque Porteos Antonio Soriano. A fixed menu will whet tastebuds at bistro style Paraje Arevalo (Arevalo 150, 011 4775-7759, on Facebook), while the more contemporary HG (Soler 5862, 011 3220-6820 www.fierrohotel.com) specialises in five-, seven- and nine-course paired tasting menus. An intimate evening at Aramburu (Salta 1050, 011 4305 0439, www.arambururesto.com.ar), whose wine pairings are

put together by one of Argentinas top sommeliers Agustina de Alba, is a breathtaking culinary show that lasts for 12 epic courses. Astor (Ciudad de la Paz 353, 011 4554-0802, www.astorbistro), meanwhile, takes great pleasure in showing of seasonal ingredients and changes the menu up on a weekly basis. As for the first lady of nueva cocina argentina, TV chef Nardelli is extremely dedicated to cooking exclusively with Argentine ingredients at Chila (Alicia Moreau de Justo 1160, 011 4343-6067 www.chilaweb.com.ar) expect Paran river fish, prawns from Chubut and rice sourced from Entre Ros.For more specific fare, El Baqueano (Chile 495, 011 4342-0802 www.restoelbaqueano.com) does an excellent job specialising in native meats think yacar alligator, wild boar and llama while the self-proclaimed bistronomie menu that has a strong French focus applied by Daro Gualtieri at Casa Umare (362 Billinghu