Today, I want to introduce a a new topic related to my love for being pampered, addiction to travel and tranquil interiors – spa escape!
Booking a spa session is one of my must-do especially when I travel. I prefer to book a treatment as soon I get to the destination. Helps with the jet-lag, the sore-back from airplane seats , not to mention that post-spa glow for the rest of the vacation. Even when traveling on a tight budget, I highly recommend booking a session at a well rated local spa.
In buenos aires, I recommend checking out the spa at hotel alvear palace. Plan to spend at least half day there and dont miss the famous high-tea after.
A couple of things that are most important to me when selecting a spa.
Interiors: I feel most comfortable in spas that are designed to promote a sense of tranquility, comfort and relaxation.
Facility: Must be clean, hygienic and equipped with showers and lots of robes and towels. A wet-area {jacuzzi, pool etc} is also a must for me.
Hospitality: I appreciate a spa where staff add to the experience. Its the little details that matter! While most luxury spas offer you the basics and refreshments, I truly feel relaxed in a spa with where staff ensure you are well taken care of. organic products, decaf teas and perhaps champagne… 
Goes without saying – well qualified treatment specialists.
What adds to your spa experience? Do you have a must- have list? Know a good spa that should be featured here? email me! manvi{at}mochatini{dot}org
images: alvear palace + frank grimm
Peek into furniture designer + architect Alejandro Sticotti’s oasis in Buenos Aires. A refreshing contrast to the ornate European style baroque architecture in the city.
All the deets and more pics here.
Buenos Aires is a lovely city! I could spend a lot of time there. French architecture, dog walkers, cafe con crema, dulce de leche, bife de chorizo, art, fashion, tango, design..I could go on.. instead I put together a mini-guide to design shopping, good eats, and more.. Hope you find it useful.
getting around: BA is fairly walkable but you will need to hop on the subway {subte} or a taxi to go between neighborhoods. Taxis are relatively inexpensive.
EAT + DRINK
Did anyone say Parilla {grill}? Delish!
minga; costa rica 4528. tel:4833 5775. website
las huazas. website
lo de paka; congreso 2011. tel: 4701-3857 {we loved this neighborhood grill and ate there twice}
don bar. website
miranda; costa rica 5602 esq. Fitz Roy. tel: 4771-4255
dada cafe; san martín 941. tel:4314 4787
Night clubs in BA generally open late {1-2am} and are in full swing till about 7-8am. We went to Pacha and Crobar. For tango lovers, I recommend the Armenia cultural society in Palermo. You might find this link helpful.
tip: Keep in mind Portenos eat dinner pretty late, 9-1030 pm. We used this online guide to scout restaurants
SEE + DO
malba museo
recoleta cemetery
casa rosada
san telmo {oldest barrio in Buenos Aires, PLENTY of independent art galleries}
PROA
la boca – el caminito
polo match
soccer {La Boca stadium}
SHOP BA
buenos aires design; Recoleta
Shops in Palermo
Speciality
palermopaper
Fashion + Accessories
garcon garcia
jasmine chabar
objecto
Peter Kent
ezequielt
las oreiro
min agostino
nadine zlotogora
teran
lamerceria; armenia 1609. tel: 4831.8558
van domselaar; honduras 4802, palermo. tel:4832.5176
sathya; cabello 3849. tel: 4804.7935
Home + Office Design
augustina cerato
blvd
elementos argentinos
raval warehouse
interiorzate
manifesto
urbanovivendi
luz portena; goritti 4656. tel:4831.7178
tip: If you reside out of Argentina, look for the tax free sign in some shops. You get your tax back at the airport.
ps: I will keep adding to this list.
STAY
Palermo, Belgrano + Recoleta neighborhoods. BA apartments for rent.
AROUND BA
Colonia, Uruguay. Take a day trip to Colonia, Uruguay. We took a buquebus rapid boat and it took about an hour and a-half each way. We had plans to go to Tigre and Iguazu Falls but decided to spend more time in BA and leave those for next time.
images: MDH + PDH. dogwalker pic from here
I enjoyed shopping at Buenos Aires Design. BA Design is a furniture, fabric and appliance center housing several designers and brands. It is open to public {read not restricted to design professionals}. I fell in love with these cast iron teapots by Claudia Adorno. I like the Asian influenced style and the color, but what I really liked was the mesh strainer that lets the tea steep but keeps the leaves separate from the tea.
images: MDH
I BIG heart Elite chocolates from Buenos Aires. Especially the ones filled with dulce le leche. We had them at our wedding. {My father-in-law had them shipped here especially for the occasion} I just HAD to get some when we were down there. I cannot tell you how difficult it is to not eat them all at once. YUMMERS!!
images: mdh
We stopped by Raval Warehouse in Palermo, Buenos Aires. This design store refurbishes vintage furniture and transforms them into modern edgy pieces. I was impressed with how creatively their salvaged pieces, especially with this chest of drawers and the chairs.
images: Raval Warehouse
I heart the paper products at Paperlera Palermo. This store should also be under your MUST VISIT list for Buenos Aires. I got some very cool notecards and a journal. The notecards are already running out and I wish I had got more. Their website is in Spanish, but you can use this tool to translate.
No vacation of mine is complete without some retail therapy. I am one of those OCD people that just HAVE to shop when I travel. A memento or {few} of good times had. After years of bringing back junk, and sometimes paying $$ for excess baggage, I have become more selective of what I spend my money on and where. Instead of trinkets found in touristy shops, I have started to shop for unique collector items created by local designers. Shop where the locals shop.
For a style + budget conscious globetrotter like me, shopping in Buenos Aires was just what my wardrobe needed and wallet allowed. The portenos love sporting their local designers. Who wouldn’t? A stroll around the neighborhood of Palermo Soho and Belgrano will introduce to many lovely boutiques that until recently supplied to European fashion house. Many still do. Since it’s fall in Argentina right now the collections were mostly fall/winter ‘09, I got mostly accessories. My fav store is Prune. I love their leather handbags and belts. Here is the line up of designers/ boutiques you must visit on your trip to BA.
Palermo Soho, Belgrano {neighborhoods} and Patio Bullrich {mall} house most of these fashion stores. Look for the “tax free” sign to save more $$.
Prune, Rapsodia, Tucci, Wanama, Chocolate, Ayres, Allo Martinez, Paula Cahen D’ Anvers, Kosiuko
images: MDH and stores
Hola!
After recharging for almost two weeks in lovely Buenos Aires, I’m back! We had a fantastic time there ! It was hard to say Ciáo! to the vibrant BA, but am happy to be back. Back to my home sweet home, to Mochatini and to you! I am eager to share my experiences, inspirations, design, art and culture from this stylish city. As it goes after a break, I have lots of catch up on (emails, messages, posts, pictures, etc). It usually takes me a month to unpack but I surprised myself by getting that done yesterday! Hopefully, I’ll continue this momentum. Stay tuned for lots of posts and a mini city guide coming your way.
A huge THANK YOU to Anand, Elizabeth, Fiona, Henry and Rachel for the wonderful guest posts and keeping Mochatini active while I was away. I hope you enjoyed their posts and blogs as much as I did.
image: MDH
Guest Post by Rachel Follet from Dwellings and Decor
I am so excited to be guest posting for Manvi while she is away in Argentina! She has said that this was something she wanted to do before she turned 30 and she is doing it! I am so happy for her and I hope she has a wonderful time. I have to admit I am quite jealous so these photos from the beautiful book “Living in Argentina” will have to do for now until I can visit there myself. Taschen’s website is really cool because I was able to look at the complete 200+ pages of this amazingly gorgoues book. Here are my favorites
You can view the entire book HERE.
