Posts

Showing posts with the label buenos aires

The Spoils of Buenos Aires: Found Photos

Image
RPPC: Circa 1910-1920: Origin: United States (Typical US RPPC back). Possible postmortem of a hospital patient. A soldier? Found at the San Telmo indoor Market. AR $2 (Pesos). Passport: 1922: Origin: BA/ Argentina: Found at the San Telmo outdoor Sunday flea market. AR $15 (Pesos). RPPC: Circa 1910-1920: Origin: Argentina / South America: Found at the San Telmo indoor Market. AR $16 (Pesos). RPPC: Circa 1910-1920: Origin: Argentina / South America: Found at the San Telmo indoor Market. AR $8 (Pesos). RPPC: Circa 1900-1915: Origin: Argentina / South America: Found at the San Telmo indoor Market. AR $8 (Pesos). RPPC: Circa 1922: Origin: Argentina / South America: Found at the San Telmo indoor Market (photo dealer). AR $15 (Pesos). Translated: "Maria B de Parilla: June 4th, 1922, aged 27 years old. Remembered by her husband and friends." These are just a few of the pieces I found duing our Buenos Aires trip. I came a cross a ton of beautiful RPPC (Real Photo Post Cards). From...

Dispatches from Buenos Aires: Part III (Final entry from BA)

Image
A BA City Bus... yes, we're leaving... 04/25:Saturday: We ventured out to see some of the City’s free museums, which are not huge, but definitely worth a visit to. The museum of Bellas Artes has a decent modern collection, with a Van Gogh, as well as some other heavy hitters. The BA cultural center features some great, yet small, exhibits by BA artists. (With the exception of a Martin Par exhibit.) After the museums, we meandered through surrounding vendor stalls set-up every Saturday, where local artisans sell their goods. As is typical, much of the items are tourist grade. However, there are a few artists who have items worthy of purchase. From the museums, we took a taxi over to the Japanese Gardens for some Sushi. It was a peaceful place, and, they had coy, but not on the menu. After the gardens, we headed back to our apartment and relaxed on the patio for a bit. For dinner, we went to a spectacular Italian restaurant. We too a very romantic private balcony seat overlooking ...

Buenos Aires: Slide Show

Buenos Aires: La Tierra de no Fotos de Cabinas

Buenos Aires: The Land of no Photobooths. I want to make it clear that we have searched high and low and have found NO photobooths here in BA. We have asked manyy people, and get nothing but puzzled looks. Only one person told us that he remembered BA having booths in the 80's, but I suspect he was mistaken. There are no chemical, or even modern digital booths in this city. Furthermore, in searching for photos, I have found NO photobooth images throughout my travels. I did find one Photomaton, but suspect it was from Spain, France, or somewhere else in Europe, transported back to BA. I spoke with a very well versed photo dealer here in BA, and he explained that photobooths were never popular in Argentina. He also noted that he had never seen a Photomaton piece before... which astonished me. I guess it makes sense... the photobooth is somehow a quintessential American (US) thing. After all, it was invented by a New Yorker. But I do find it strange... why did Hammer pants make it to ...

Dispatches from Buenos Aires: Part II

Image
A fragment of license plate found on the beach in Colonia, Uruguay Wednesday 04/22: Andrea and I heard about a less “touristy” flea market on the edge of BA, where local deals and artisans buy and sell. All I can say is that it was a big market with some great items. Unfortunately, it would require a shipping container, since most of the items we liked were furniture. I found a kick-ass Bally pinball machine from the 60’s, which we could have gotten for AR $1,600, which is about $400. That’s a steal! If it were in the US, I would have done it, but shipping from BA would have been a small fortune, not worth the bargain. Now, if it were a photobooth….maybe! We also met a really cool “outsider” artist there named Tony. He makes some insane art hats and other accessories. At the end of the flea market tour, I walked away with a few found photos for the collection, and a great experience. It was nice to find the real deal flea market! After the flea, we made out way back to Palermo for a ...

Dispatches From Buenos Aires

Image
Recoleta Cemetery Tomb Sculpture: Buenos Aires: 04/21 Recoleta Cemetery Tomb Sculpture: Buenos Aires: 04/21 Recoleta Cemetery: Drawing w/ Reversed Glass Foil: Cloisters Museum Collection: Buenos Aires: 04/21 Recoleta Cemetery:Cloisters Collection: "Figures of the Cloth..." Buenos Aires: 04/21 Me with Cemetery Gato... Recoleta Cemetery Gato... Yesterday , we moved to a new apartment about 5 blocks away. This place is great, living up to my “idea” of an Argentinean apartment dwelling. Pictures to come in the future…(orange walls, tall doors, brick & plaster, hardwood throughout, etc.). We’ve become accustomed to a good long brunch, probably by default, seeing as though food service moves very slow here. Sit down for a cafĂ© con leche and you just gave up an hour. Ask for some light food and you just tacked on a bit more…and getting the check, well, that’s another wait. With that said, I have no where to be, so I quite enjoy giving in. Yesterday, we also explored the down...

A day hunting for antiquedades

Image
Me, searching the goodies at the flea market. Local Street Scenery, San Telmo. Pieces by a local artsit. I bought a few from her on the street, but these are some samples from her Flickr site . We spent almost all day hunting for antiques in the markets and stores. I bought a great 1940's medium format camera which I've never seen in the States. I also picked up some odd postcards, memorial cards, and a decent mourning photo All in, $42 USD. Our dollar is going much further in the BA flea markets, as opposed to the ones in Europe. I have not yet found any prints (lithos, etchings, etc.) worthy of purchase, and light on the photos. Things are cheaper here, but I've been a little more descerning with my acquisitions. Also, my bargaining skills are hampered. As soon as they know my Spanish is poor, and that I speak English, it's over. It's like I'm a big fish... this was typical throughout Europe too. In the States, I can bargain hard... but here it's more dif...

Hotel Portrait

Image
A wall in our room. Buenos Aires: 04/19

San Telmo: We have Arrived

Image
A religious / antique shop in San Telmo, Buenos Aires. 04/18 After a long and VERY bumpy flight, we made it to BA early Saturday morning! So far, it's pretty awesome, and perfect, with respect to good old South American grit factor. We didn't sleep at all on the way here, so took a LONG nap today. We are staying in a a rented apartment, and moving rooms on Monday within the same complex (for variety). Without a doubt, it's full of charm and history. We had intended to book a hotel downtown, but found it much cheaper to rent a loft style apartment. We're staying in San Telmo, which from what we are told, was not so nice 10 years ago. Now, it's ful of artitsts, young hipster types, and AWESOME antique shops, markets, vendors, etc. It's kind of like Wicker Park / Bucktown in Chicago, only cooler.... and with better graffiti. This evening, I bought a liter of beer for $5 and a killer cheese/meat plate for next to nothing! It's not exactly inexpensive here, but ...