First Impressions of an American Girl Living in Buenos Aires

Jaime Jensen is an American expat living in Buenos Aires, Argentina. As she learns her way around this exciting city, she will be sharing with us her experiences and discoveries.

Buenos Aires is a continuously changing city with an innate magnetism. It is filled with an eclectic mix of people from all over the world; trendy new buildings blended with European inspired architecture; stylish worldly restaurants next to traditional hot-spots; and all are inspired by a unique Argentine charm.

h3. Wear flat shoes and tread with care

When traveling, one normally expects to walk a great deal, and Buenos Aires is no exception. Any trip to Buenos Aires will certainly require a pair of flat, comfortable shoes and a healthy dose of caution when walking the streets. Here in the city often referred to as “The Paris of South America”, it’s so easy to get distracted by the beautiful buildings (and people!), that I advise men and women alike to keep one eye to the ground and stroll with an acute vigilance which exceeds the normal caution of long days and cobblestone streets.

This advice is two-fold. Firstly, one must avoid the hundreds of landmines that line the streets (yes, I mean dog poop!); and secondly, because it is difficult to find a significant stretch of sidewalk with a remotely level surface.

After five months here, I am slowly getting used to the abundance of flat shoe styles, and regrettably my towering Italian favorites are slowly making their way to the back of my closet. I have finally learned to carefully avoid the stinky brown piles and to step with caution off the uneven sidewalks.

Now, having mastered the fine art of walking, I find myself helplessly drawn into the unique character each of the central neighborhoods or barrios. As a real estate professional, I was immediately intrigued by the vast amounts of construction happening all over town. Every neighborhood I have visited has dozens of historic buildings being transformed or restored and many new ones being built.

h3. Unique neighborhood character

Palermo
Palermo Hollywood is filled with chic structures of exposed brick, new loft style apartments, and fun hip clubs. Palermo Soho has maintained the beautiful period details on almost every corner and has added dozens of cute outdoor cafés, stylish shops and elegant restaurants.

Recoleta
The neighborhood of Recoleta is probably one of the most picturesque neighborhoods in the Southern hemisphere, and it gives Buenos Aires that particularly Parisian feel. Recoleta offers beautiful, tree-lined streets, upscale European and Argentine designer shops, darling bistros, and some of the most expensive real estate in town!

Puerto Madero
The newest addition to Buenos Aires is the growing waterfront community of Puerto Madero. Filled with swanky hotels, luxurious high-rise apartment buildings, and corporate skyscrapers, it is an area of pride for Argentines as it is one of the world’s most successful recent waterfront renewal projects.

So while I know it wasn’t the perfect sidewalks that first attracted me to this city, it was impossible not to be deeply enchanted by the charismatic neighborhoods of this constantly evolving and vibrant city of Buenos Aires!

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Jaime Jensen

Jaime moved to Argentina in 2010 and is currently enjoying living and working in the heart of the cosmopolitan city of Buenos Aires. After over 12 years in the San Francisco real estate market, she desired a change. Craving a shift in professional focus Jaime decided it was time to make a move, learn a new language and offer her years of real estate expertise to the local sometimes ambiguous local Buenos Aires market. Jaime is now working with traveling foreigners, expatriates and locals alike in finding the perfect Buenos Aires residence, as well as writing about her life and experiences in Argentina from an expatriate's point of view.

Latest posts by Jaime Jensen (see all)

• Finding A Buenos Aires Apartment – The Real Argentina Guide - August 23, 2010
• An American Girl in Buenos Aires Learns to Speak Spanish - July 9, 2010
• First Impressions of an American Girl Living in Buenos Aires - June 8, 2010