Buenos Aires — DOWNTOWN streets bustle with blonds, brunets and redheads wearing the latest European fashions. People talk on cellphones, smoke cigarettes over cappuccinos and greet one another with kisses on the cheek.
This Parisian-style city, renowned for tango and steak, has become downright cheap since the devaluation of the peso. A gourmet dinner for two with a bottle of local wine goes for $20.
I took my first trip here in 2000, when food, hotels and clothing were more expensive than most fashionable spots in Manhattan. A year later, Argentina's economy collapsed, the peso plunged and this swank city became affordable for Americans.
I moved here from Los Angeles three years ago to get a master's degree at a private university. Now, I never want to leave.
You don't have to live here to experience the Argentine passion for life. It lurks in every corner. But Buenos Aires lacks a comprehensive list of up-to-date places where locals go for happy hour, a night of live jazz or a bite of gourmet cuisine. So with the help of my cost-conscious, fashionable Argentine friends, I compiled my own list.
Barrio Norte
ONE neighborhood that has become a recent craze for Argentine yuppies is Barrio Norte. Its cobblestone streets are filled with chic clothing boutiques, corner bakeries, funky bars, small dance clubs and stylish restaurants.
A great place to eat is Parrilla Tabare on Charcas Street, where you can enjoy a complete lunch, typically served from 1 to 3 p.m., or dinner, which starts at 9 p.m. It has a warm ambience with white linen tablecloths and salmon-colored walls.
Parrilla Tabare specializes in grilled beef -- almost every part of the cow. \o7Bife de lomo \f7(filet mignon/tenderloin), \o7bife de chorizo\f7 (T-bone), \o7asado de tira\f7 (side ribs) and \o7entrana \f7(center cut) are just some of the dozens of options. Fish lovers should try the white salmon from the coastal town of Mar del Plata or the freshwater trout. A three-course dinner for two with a bottle of fine Argentine Malbec wine will cost about $19.
Two blocks away is a major shopping thoroughfare, Avenida Santa Fe. Between Calle Bulnes and Avenida 9 de Julio, you can find bargains on leather shoes, handbags, lingerie and clothing and shop at Alto Palermo, a trendy mall. Prune, on the mall's second level, is an excellent place for high-quality leather purses and wallets. (When shopping for clothes, be prepared for a struggle if you wear anything larger than a medium or a size 8 shoe. Argentine women are petite, and much of the clothing is skintight and extra small.)
