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We at La Matera are inspired by the culture of “la estancia,” the Argentinian countryside ranch, but we take pride in making stylish products that look great and withstand any test on the city streets, at the ranch, or anywhere in between. La Matera makes goods for men and women who are explorers, comfortable immersing themselves in any culture and any setting, no matter how unexpected or dynamic. For that reason, we wanted to show you some of our favorite parts of Buenos Aires, the complex Argentinian capital of three million people and seemingly as many lifestyles and backgrounds. The city combines the beauties of European architecture, cafe culture, and art with immense diversity, warmth, flair, and thriving nightlife. Like La Matera, these destinations are unexpected, distinct, and meant for the free spirit. Follow us and see more of the culture and country that inspired our timeless products.
San Telmo
Buenos Aires’ San Telmo neighborhood hosts a charming Sunday market that offers trinkets and souvenirs to tourists along its nearly endless stone thoroughfare. Just off that street however, we find the more culturally relevant parts of the neighborhood that we are looking for. We skip the tourist market and dive into one of the area’s storied antique shops, where the adventurous shopper can find all sorts of strange, one-of-a-kind items. We decide that it might not be practical to lug a sword or painting along for the day, but just the experience of digging through decades of history and art is worth the turn off the main street.
Then, we follow the smell of sizzling grilled meats to one of the roadside vendors selling lomito, Argentinian steak sandwiches and Quilmes, the omnipresent beer of Argentina. The meat is incredibly fresh, fresher than anything we can find at home, and it dwarfs the bread it is served on. There is a band playing for tips, and diners stand and dance and clap and throw change into the band’s bucket. The beer is admittedly nothing special, but it is cold and refreshing. We eat on paper towels and we welcome the relaxed, local nature of the meal that cost just a few pesos. The sellers are proud to suggest their homemade chimmichurri sauces. One is hotter, one is sweeter, but they both go well with the perfectly cooked steak. Back on the street, there are chocolate churros being hawked from carts. They are sweet and as rich as the meat, and we are almost too full to keep walking. Fortunately, the weather, milder here in Buenos Aires than the cold Patagonia or the heat of the plains, seems to always be just cool and sunny enough for a stroll through the city.
Speakeasies
After a long day in the city, we need to find a place to have a drink. Nightlife in Buenos Aires starts late. Bars don’t fill up until after midnight and the city’s club scene, though vibrant and world-renowned, doesn’t kick off until around 2 AM. We’re looking for something a little different and unique to the city, so we settle on heading to a speakeasy. Argentines might have stolen the concept from American establishments that harken back to the days of Prohibition, but they’ve perfected it in Buenos Aires. The city is dotted with “secret” bars that rely on word-of-mouth and underground hype to build their clientele. Some still require passwords that change daily. We’ve heard that La Floreria Atlantico is a great place to start a night. It’s hidden beneath a flower shop in the Retiro neighborhood, and the florists let us down a stairway that leads to a long, narrow room with loud music and paintings of Poseidon on the wall. One of us is wearing a San Martín watch and gets a compliments for the bartender. We’re happy to have found a place with bold style and its own independent spirit beneath the bustling city.
As we spend more time in Buenos Aires, we are struck by the cosmopolitanism, sophistication, pride, and openness of the porteños, Buenos Aires natives. It is are to find people in such a pst-faced, cultured city who are friendly and eager to share with newcomers. Perhaps they know they are lucky to live in a city of such beauty and diversity with incredible history and culture.
Iguazu
We’re itching for some time outdoors and an extended adventure, so we head to Iguazu Falls, the world’s largest system waterfalls, on the border of Argentina and Brazil. It’s a quick flight to the closest town and a short bus ride to the national park. We’re still getting used to the Latin American custom of loud appease and cheers when a flight lands, but we join in a bit late this time. There’s a train in the park that takes visitors to the falls, but we opt for the hike. It’s another day of perfect weather, though it is a bit humid and we work up a sweat. We’re glad to be carrying our passport wallets, as losing valuables is always on a concern when hiking long distances.
The falls themselves are difficult to explain. The mass of water that moves over the falls at any one moment is overwhelming and breathtaking. There’s an option to take a boat ride beneath the falls, and, of course, we hop on board. The sound of the water from beneath the falls is crushing, and attempting to communicate becomes useless as we stare up at the tower of water. The stunning natural scenery is in such stark contrast to the massive urban center of Buenos Aires, which we left just a couple of hours ago. That contrast is one of the most stirring things about South America and one of the reasons we connect with the region so deeply.
After a bit more wandering through the park, we’re physically exhausted. It’s been a full, action-packed day, the type of thing we love at La Matera. We spend the night in a hostel, where we speak with other travelers from Brazil and the United States who are citing the falls. Hostels are great places to spend a cheap couple of nights while meeting other adventurers from all over the world, so we jump at the chance to spend a night here.
Street Art
By now, we’ve seen so much of Argentina that many people miss when they visit the country. Our time has been filled with exploration and bold experiences that will provide inspiration going forward. Now want to understand the design and arts culture of Buenos Aires. Our products lean on the culture of Argentinian ranching, but they are also contemporary and relevant pieces of design, so we’re always searching for the newest source of inspiration. Buenos Aires is famed for its street art and graffiti, so we join a tour of the city’s most notable pieces. From futuristic cartoon characters to humanoid cacti to gauchos wielding cans of spray paint, the city is covered in paintings and images that can’t be seen anywhere else in the world. We appreciated the culture of creativity and and emphasis on art that allows these works to be commissioned and to remain for years and years rather than being removed as they are in so many places in the world.
Street art blend some of the timeless and moving aspects of more traditional artistic modes with the radical aspects of graffiti to produce work that is lasting, impactful, and rooted in bold individual style, much like the goods La Matera strives to produces. We can take so much from Buenos Aires that can inspire our brand and our work going forward. Like La Matera, the city is not one thing. It is not only Latin American and it is not only European. It is not only wealthy and historic but also growing and artistic. It is not only timeless and classic but also distinctive and forward-thinking.
Thank you for joining us on another La Matera adventure. Stay tuned to this page for more of our travels, style recommendations, and updates. We hope to take you with us wherever we go as we search for La Matera inspiration in the cultures, goods, and people we encounter all over the world.
Brian Aubrey Smith 