#2: Finding beauty in the flop

I’d be lying if I said things here weren’t feeling a bit… intense lately.

OK that is perhaps the understatement of the century. Let’s be honest: shit has hit the fan.

It’s hard to ignore the constant economic doom and gloom, the ever-increasing level of aggressive discourse, and the existential fear that we’ll never pay less than 8 dollars for a tube of toothpaste again. 

To be honest, it kind of feels like Argentina has entered her flop era. 

But I refuse to let that get in the way of a good time!

My loyalty to Argentina stems from a deep belief in its ability to persevere. Either that or I have a nasty case of Stockholm syndrome. It’s too hard to tell at this point (and honestly, probably a little bit of both).

When I think about why it took me so long to start this newsletter - after all, I’ve been yapping about the country’s food, wine, culture, and lifestyle for years - I wonder if it’s because now more than ever, we (I) need to be reminded of just how great this place is.

Who knows. Although I am certain that my current routine of alternating between anxiety and panic isn’t doing much for my mental health.

So much of my fascination with Buenos Aires revolves around the aesthetic realm.

All I have to do is close my eyes and I’m flooded with dozens of images and snapshots: bluebird skies on a crisp, sunny May afternoon; imposing Brutalist behemoths sat squarely next to Beaux-Arts palaces; perfectly-coiffed octogenarians enjoying a cheeky lunchtime bottle of wine at their local café. 

To me, this city has always felt like a series of moments. Fleeting glimpses and flashes that elicit an emotional response unique to each person but also something to which we can connect universally.

So, in that vein, here are three of my favorite Instagram accounts that capture this essence and keep me inspired.

✨ @cecimdq70

Photographer Cecilia Grondona has an impeccable knack for pulling back the veil on quintessential moments of Argentine life.

Her work, which features both Buenos Aires and coastal city Mar del Plata, finds beauty in the mundane and taps into the collective nostalgia of Argentine identity. It harkens back to a time and place that I’ve never actually known, but to which I feel so deeply connected.

I particularly love her predilection for photographing older Argentines, catching them as they go about their days - meditating on the beach next to a sea lion, picking up the day’s paper from the newsstand, catching up with phone calls. I come from a place that tends to cast aside people once they’ve passed a certain age; observing them in their quotidian glory is somehow comforting to me.

✨ @thewalkingconurban

I’m just going to say it: calling Buenos Aires the “Paris of South America” is bullshit and does more of a disservice than anything, both to the city and the people who visit it. Now that we’ve gotten that disclaimer out of the way, we can focus on the omnipresent, brilliant absurdity of la argentinidad. 

Crossing into the conurbano - the outlying suburban neighborhoods beyond city limits - the glitz and glam of touristy areas like Recoleta and Palermo fade away, revealing a somewhat ~rough around the edges~ side to life. 

This Insta-homage to a “post-apocalyptic paradise minutes from the Obelisco” lets the ingenuity and irreverence speak for themselves.

From bizarre architectural flourishes and curious characters to witty signage outside local shops, the photos shared here are certified deep cuts™️ that serve as a reminder to never take things too seriously (or you’ll never make it out alive).

✨ @buenosaires.alpaso

Maybe it’s just me, but few things are as exciting as a good home snoop. I absolutely love seeing what apartments look like on the inside, how they’ve been decorated, and what kind of views they’ve got. 

Whizzing down Av. del Libertador in a taxi after a night out provides plenty of window-peeping opportunities, but it’s not enough to scratch my perennial itch. Neither is scouring online real estate listings, which often leave me sifting through horrendous, outdated bathrooms and blurry photos in hopes of landing on a real gem.

This account, run by 24-year-old landscape design student Joaquín, is a meticulously-written love letter to the buildings and stories of Buenos Aires. His photos and videos are the beginnings of a modern archive, documenting the cultural relevance and historic importance of the city’s architecture.

Here you’ll find everything from a roundup of fabulous staircases, a peek at the doors of Villa Devoto, a private residence/time capsule with its own bowling alley, a mini-tour of the Clorindo Testa Foundation, and and more.

Even if you’ve lived in BA forever, you’re bound to discover and learn something new every time you scroll through the feed. In a time when protected buildings are being demolished to make way for soulless and structurally unsound towers that most often sit half-empty, accounts like @buenosaires.alpaso serve to remind us what we all stand to lose - and why we should care.

Thoughts? If there are any other accounts I should have on my radar to keep the vibes running high, I’d love to know.

We’ll be back in two weeks. In the meantime if you’re feeling chatty, drop me a line 📞

See you then,

Paige

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