Top Place of Interest

Monday 27th April 2009

Recoleta Cemetary

You’re in BA and you’re on a time limit. What must you see? This week I recommend Recoleta’s Cemetery. Yes, it’s in all of the guide books and so I’m not telling you anything that you don’t already know, but if you’re in town on a quick schedule, I really do think this is a place you must not miss. I have never seen anything quite so extravagant. I felt like I was wandering around a lost city, what with all the trees and the lampposts inside. Also, some of the tombs resemble the tops of churches or cathedrals. One even reminded me of St Paul’s Cathedral in London! The place is also swarming with cats, which I’m sure the guide books don’t tell you, and it gave me a very eerie feeling. There was one cat that looked almost dead…..but it wasn’t, thank goodness!

I suggest spending an hour or so in the cemetery, followed by a spot of lunch at one of the nearby restaurants, an hour’s laze about on the grass in the sunshine (while you still can before the autumn really arrives) and, if you’re a cinema buff like me, slotting in a quick early evening film in the Recoleta Village cinema complex opposite the cemetery is a nice way to end the day. Then you can head back into the centre for a night out on the town. Now that’s a itinerary!


Monday 4th May 2009

Centro Cultural Ricardo Rojas, Avenida Corrientes 2038

Whether you live in Buenos Aires, are working or travelling here for a lengthy period of time, or you are simply passing through on one of your many travel spots in South America, I suggest that you check out Central Cultural Rojas. http://www.rojas.uba.ar/

There are many different cultural centres here in Buenos Aires and they all offer some excellent programs and services. However, I think that the Rojas is particularly impressive in terms of its variety and being situated on the roaring Avenida Corrientes puts it in a fantastically easy location for all. Therefore, recommend it to you strongly as a place of interest.

You can sign up for a number of different courses in language, art, cinema, dance, philosophy… the list ever. The people is endless. You can enjoy cinema evenings of rare showings of films from all around the globe. You can watch live theatre, dance and wander around a variety of interesting exhibitions. It is a gem of a place and well worth your time.

I also like the gritty feel of the place. It has nothing of the tourist world about it what-so-who make use of this centre live and work here in Buenos Aires and the centre works to provide services for those people. It lacks glitz and glamour, but the taste of real city life oozes out from its very pores. I passed by just this week to enquire about the dates for the next dance class inscriptions (of which there are a variety to choose from, including choreography, contact improvisation and tango for beginners, for example) and didn’t want to leave. I felt really inspired by the look and feel of both the building and the calibre of people circulating within its four walls. It reminded me (for those of you who may know of them) of The Place in London and The Merce Cunningham Studios in New York.

If you’re a culture vulture and want to get out of the tourist traps and into the heart of the city, deep into its heart, then just pass by and have a look. You’ll need to employ your Spanish though. Like I said, this is the real Buenos Aires!


Monday 11th May 2009

Arteplex Cinema and Cafe, Roque Saenz Pena and Cerrito

About two weeks ago, I went to see a German film entitled, ‘Nunca es tarde para amar’ and had a fantastic all round experience. Not only was the film well worth my 12 pesos, but the cinema, the in-house café and the history behind the development of the Arteplex Cinema here in Buenos Aires, all helped to make my Saturday afternoon one to remember. For that reason, I strongly recommend that you pay a visit to this cinema, located on Roque Saenz Pena with Cerrito (almost next door to the BA Clubhouse wouldn't you know!) and take a look for yourself.
The Arteplex Centro was slowly built into a cinema famed for its desire to show films that had been rejected by the mainstream cinema distributors by a man called Alberto Kipnis and today retains that same reputation. Kipnis began by working in the ticket office of The Lorraine Cinema, using the job to fund a career in music. However, by the age of 23 he had organised his first cinema cycle, presenting undervalued films and supporting the work of underrated directors who had met with resistance from the mainstream cinemas of his day.

However, in this week’s newsletter, it is enough to bring to your attention the cinema itself, which is this week screening a very interesting French film entitled, ‘Entre los muros,’ that documents the attempts of a secondary school teacher in a very difficult inner city school aiming to enthuse and interest a regular group of teenagers who are approaching a life of crime and misdemeanour. The children in the film are not played by actors, but are real children living in France who were allowed to improvise during the making of the film at a number of given points. This gives the film a real gutsy feel.

I also suggest you arrive a little ahead of schedule if you choose to check out what’s on offer, simply to enjoy the wonderfully eclectic cinema café before the screening itself. The café is located on the bottom floor, next to the screen entrance, and is adorned with huge cut-outs of famous film actors on every chair and film-orientated nick-nacks placed on each table. The coffee, it being BA, is also nothing to turn your nose up at and, therefore, not only does the cinema screen an excellent selection of foreign film, but the whole experience of submersing yourself within the cinematic world is just enchanting. I passed a good hour at the end of the film, making notes on what I’d just seen and enjoying a coffee in the café’s inspirational environment and if there are any more film lovers out there like me, you really should go. You’ll have a blast!