Thomas Locke Hobbs

Currently near San Francisco
 
Palermo SoHo



The part of Palermo Viejo that Marcos lives in has acquired the name Palermo "SoHo". When I first heard this I thought it was absolutely ridiculous. The area, tho, is ever more trendy with the neighborhood's houses converted into clothing and high-end design stores. On the weekend it almost feels like an outdoor shopping mall. So, in that sense, the process of gentrification is actually quite similar to NYC´s SoHo. Then there´s Palermo Hollywood, but that´s another post...
 
 
Cosas de Bs.As.
Pictures of some random, "typical" things of Buenos Aires that have caught my eye of late:
El Frutero de la Esquina

Cartel del Inmobilario

All the apartments and buildings for sale have these wedge shaped signs advertising their status. These days, as the economy has gotten better, a lot of them say "vendido" (sold). I don´t know why this building has four signs hanging off it.

Persianas

All the windows here have these exterior blinds (persianas) which roll down and form a nearly light-tight seal--a very useful thing when you come back from the disco at 10am and need to sleep until 4pm.

Cobble Stones

Lots of the streets here in Palermo Viejo still have the original cobble stones. In addition to being charming to look at, they slow down cars to a safe speed. In Manhattan the few remaining cobble stone streets are almost like landmarks. I have only a passing familiarity with the outer neighborhoods in Buenos Aires, but I wouldn`t be surprised if half the residential streets here still had cobble stones.

Medialunas

They call croissants "medialunas" or half-moons. Yummy!
 
 
Stencil Buenos Aires



Stencil graffiti in Palermo Viejo where I`m staying. A google search for "stencil buenos aires" led me to Nate Williams´ Buenos Aires photos, including a hilarious one with dancing empanadas (2nd picture down), which I`ve yet to see. Also interesting, Line of Sight, a blog by an American expat here in BsAs.
 
 
Un Dia en el Campo



Sunday we drove out to a "country" as they say here. A friend of Marcos has a small place about an hour out of Baires. We spent Sunday there, lounging by the pool and eating enormous quantities of grilled beef (mmmm..). Afterwards we washed it down with mate & cookies.
 
 
Edificios



Buildings here in Buenos Aires tend to occupy the entire footprint of the plot. The sides of the building abutting adjacent properties are plain, without windows, since someday there will probably be a building of equal height next to it. I like the boxiness of these concrete high rises. They don´t have the charm of old casas chorizo, but they´re very economical. I used to live in building like these .
 



photo of thomas locke hobbs For more about me, please go visit my old geocities page.


Friends
Luc Garcia, Bryan Chin, Vagner Cardoso, Aaron Holsberg, Jesse on the Brink, Overheard in NY, nblinks.

Other blogs I like
World Hum, Ted Gideonse, Subway Moblog, Philip Greenspun, Marginal Revolution, Made in Brazil, Joel on Sofware, Gothamist, GoodAirs, Gizmodo, Felix Salmon, Frank Malafronte, Cool Tools, CityRag, Brad DeLong, Beautiful Horizons, Bloggy, Amy Langfield, more.

Blog Highlights
Portraits [2004, 2005, 2006], Portugal, Sao Paulo Gay Pride, Sao Paulo Skyline, More Sao Paulo [1, 2, 3, 4], Buenos Aires [1, 2, 3], Mexico City, Curitiba, The Gates, Paris, Morocco [1, 2, 3, 4], NYC Gay Pride [2006, 2007], My Flickr Stream.

Archives
15.06.03, 22.06.03, 29.06.03, 13.07.03, 20.07.03, 27.07.03, 03.08.03, 10.08.03, 17.08.03, 24.08.03, 31.08.03, 07.09.03, 14.09.03, 21.09.03, 28.09.03, 05.10.03, 12.10.03, 19.10.03, 02.11.03, 09.11.03, 16.11.03, 23.11.03, 30.11.03, 07.12.03, 14.12.03, 21.12.03, 28.12.03, 04.01.04, 11.01.04, 18.01.04, 25.01.04, 01.02.04, 08.02.04, 15.02.04, 22.02.04, 29.02.04, 07.03.04, 14.03.04, 21.03.04, 28.03.04, 11.04.04, 18.04.04, 25.04.04, 02.05.04, 09.05.04, 16.05.04, 23.05.04, 30.05.04, 06.06.04, 13.06.04, 20.06.04, 27.06.04, 04.07.04, 11.07.04, 18.07.04, 25.07.04, 01.08.04, 08.08.04, 15.08.04, 22.08.04, 29.08.04, 05.09.04, 12.09.04, 19.09.04, 26.09.04, 03.10.04, 10.10.04, 17.10.04, 24.10.04, 31.10.04, 07.11.04, 14.11.04, 21.11.04, 28.11.04, 05.12.04, 12.12.04, 19.12.04, 26.12.04, 02.01.05, 09.01.05, 16.01.05, 23.01.05, 30.01.05, 06.02.05, 13.02.05, 20.02.05, 27.02.05, 06.03.05, 13.03.05, 20.03.05, 27.03.05, 03.04.05, 10.04.05, 17.04.05, 24.04.05, 01.05.05, 08.05.05, 15.05.05, 22.05.05, 29.05.05, 05.06.05, 12.06.05, 19.06.05, 26.06.05, 03.07.05, 10.07.05, 17.07.05, 24.07.05, 31.07.05, 07.08.05, 14.08.05, 21.08.05, 28.08.05, 04.09.05, 11.09.05, 18.09.05, 25.09.05, 02.10.05, 09.10.05, 16.10.05, 23.10.05, 30.10.05, 06.11.05, 13.11.05, 20.11.05, 27.11.05, 04.12.05, 11.12.05, 18.12.05, 25.12.05, 01.01.06, 08.01.06, 15.01.06, 22.01.06, 29.01.06, 05.02.06, 12.02.06, 19.02.06, 26.02.06, 05.03.06, 12.03.06, 19.03.06, 26.03.06, 02.04.06, 09.04.06, 16.04.06, 23.04.06, 30.04.06, 07.05.06, 14.05.06, 21.05.06, 28.05.06, 04.06.06, 11.06.06, 18.06.06, 25.06.06, 02.07.06, 09.07.06, 16.07.06, 23.07.06, 30.07.06, 06.08.06, 13.08.06, 20.08.06, 27.08.06, 03.09.06, 10.09.06, 17.09.06, 24.09.06, 01.10.06, 08.10.06, 15.10.06, 22.10.06, 29.10.06, 05.11.06, 12.11.06, 19.11.06, 26.11.06, 03.12.06, 10.12.06, 17.12.06, 24.12.06, 31.12.06, 07.01.07, 14.01.07, 21.01.07, 28.01.07, 04.02.07, 11.02.07, 18.02.07, 25.02.07, 04.03.07, 11.03.07, 18.03.07, 25.03.07, 01.04.07, 08.04.07, 15.04.07, 22.04.07, 29.04.07, 06.05.07, 13.05.07, 20.05.07, 27.05.07, 03.06.07, 10.06.07, 17.06.07, 24.06.07, 01.07.07, 08.07.07, 15.07.07, 22.07.07, 29.07.07, 05.08.07, 19.08.07, 26.08.07,

RSS Feed (let me know if it doesn't work)

Contact
thomas_hobbs at yahoo dot com

does spelling it out really prevent spam?