Itinerary Writer Spotlight: Ryan Keller – Buenos Aires

In our “Itinerary Writer Spotlight” series, we interview our newest Unanchor writers and find out more about their city. Enjoy!

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1. Who are you? Where are you from? What do you do?

Hey, I am Ryan. I am 31 and growing up too fast. I am from everywhere because I’m a child of the world (no, I’m only kidding). I am a proud St. Louisan and will forever be a die-hard Cardinals fan, even if I continue to live as I do now, a mile away from Wrigley Field and the hated Cubs in Chicago.

I love to explore: new cities, neighborhoods, cuisines and peoples’ personalities. I am curious, passionate and get really fired up about all of the following: food (all of it, but I’m especially partial to encased meats), clever syntax and diction, craft beers and the processes behind them, great architecture and design, and politics.

2. In 4 sentences or less, how would you describe Buenos Aires?

I’ll try it in 4 words (hyphenated words counting as one).

Pulsating, sophisticated, smart and self-aware.

3. What are the top 3 things to do/see in Buenos Aires?

The decaying splendor of Recoleta Cemetery, final resting place of Argentina's greatest export - Evita Peron

All do’s, no see’s, and I’m stealing a fourth since there are only two tourist traps to avoid.

1. Feast on the city’s energy by drinking and dining your way through an evening. Start with drinks at a fancy bar in ritzy Recoleta, followed by a 2.5 hour meal of gluttonous proportions at a packed parrilla (steakhouse) in the trendy neighborhood of Palermo SoHo and topped off with more drinks/dancing on Calle Baez in the uber-hip Las Canitas barrio.
2. Cafe-hop. There are thousands of cafes in the city, ranging from the classic, timeless and traditional with bow-tied waiters to the chic, hipster havens of new. One thing they all have in common – impossibly good coffee.
3. Architectural walking tour. Trust me, there is no better way to capture the essence of this teeming city than by pounding the pavement and walking off the pornographic number of calories you consumed after #1. Buenos Aires possesses an unfair amount of literary, political and financial history that can all be experienced through its stunning architecture.
4. Outdoor Markets. The San Telmo Antique Market is, at a minimum, impressive and an easy way to let loose some pesos. The weekend “ferias” in Plaza Francia near Recoleta Cemetery and on Plaza Serrano in Palermo Viejo reek of “cool” and you will, too, after buying your way through them.

4. What are the top 3 tourist traps to avoid in Buenos Aires?

1. Tango dinner shows for tourists. This is not to say that the tango is just for tourists. But there are free tango shows in every corner of the city (La Boca, San Telmo, Recoleta, Calle Florida) that are just as entertaining and also weave in the very fascinating origins of the exotic dance. Save your money and a mediocre meal and splurge elsewhere.
2. Buying leather on Calle Florida. In its heyday, Calle Florida was the shopping experience for Portenos (Buenos Aires residents), much like Macy’s, Marshall Fields or other upscale department stores were to Americans. But that was then. Now, it is an over-commercialized mess of hawkers and money changers looking to cash in on unsuspecting tourists. Tread with caution regarding pushy leather salesmen.

5. What made you fall in love with Buenos Aires?

The palpable energy of the city and the people. No other metropolis, save maybe New York, possesses the perpetual cadence of a 24-hour carnival as does Buenos Aires. Where else can you come out of a play at midnight and decide you’d like to peruse a still-open bookstore before going to dinner! at 1am and then head to an elegant cafe for a medialuna (croissant) and espresso at 3am, served by a handsomely-dressed waiter?

The people of Buenos Aires are perceived as arrogant by other South Americans. They are. It’s true. But they are so engaging, curious, smart and sophisticated that I find even their arrogance charming.

6. Where else can we find your work/writing?

I write and share adventures of my travels over at http://RoundWeGo.com, @roundwego and http://facebook.com/pages/Round-We-Go/229243793839

As Ferris Bueller once said, “Life moves pretty fast. You don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

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Visiting Buenos Aires? Make sure to check out Ryan’s B.A. in 3 Days – An Insider’s Guide to the Best of Buenos Aires.

Other awesome posts:

1. Itinerary Writer Spotlight: Hwayen Lin – New Orleans
2. Itinerary Writer Spotlight: Sofia Bournatzi – Thessaloniki, Greece