Here it is: The Buenos Aires Guide!

Buenos Aires is a great city. One of the joys of spending more than just a few days here was getting to really know how the city works, how to get around, where and what to eat, and where to go out at night. That being said, most people don't have the chance to spend more than a few days traveling in a new city, so I'll try and impart some of the knowledge that I've attained with a 4- or so day trip in mind. I'm more into the details of daily life than specific tourist attractions, so this is more of a broad guide than a list of how you should spend your time.

Arrival: You'll probably fly into Ezezia, the international airport. From here you can either take a cab ($30) or a bus ($13) to the center. The bus (Manuel Tienda Leon is the company) only goes every half an hour and drops you off in Retiro, a shady and somewhat inconvenient spot in the city, although I think the $13 includes a free cab from the bus station to your destination. Either way, I'd go with a cab straight from the airport, you can't beat the convenience, especially if you have luggage.

Where to stay:

Buenos Aires has really four main neighborhoods that attract tourists. The largest (and best, in my opinion), is Palermo. Runners up include Recoleta, San Telmo, and Centro. All four have hostel options, although most upscale hotels are in Recoleta. If you're more the backpacker type, I'd recommend the Palermo House in Palermo Soho. It's perfectly located in the middle of trendy Soho near bars and daytime shopping/walking around, and has a very, very social atmosphere. If more upscale is your thing, go with the converted convent Malabia House, an intimate 15-room boutique also in Soho. This hotel comes highly recommended from Erika and her mom.

Besides Palermo, I would consider recommending San Telmo. San Telmo is the oldest neighborhood, and has a very romantic feel, partly due to the sidewalk tango performers and artisan markets. It's touristy and a bit kitchy, but also enjoyable, so if you're into that, it's not the worst choice. That being said, it's quite a hike (close to an hour by subway including a transfer) to the best nightlife, and even though cabs are cheap (San Telmo to Palermo would run you less than $8), it's not ideal.

Recoleta is upscale but less convenient to transportation and quieter at nighttime. is The Centro is busy, hustle-bustle during the week with suits running around from bank to bank, with narrow streets and nearly non-existent sidewalks.

Getting around:

First of all, if you're only here for a few days, splurge on cabs. The flag drops at $1.20, and most rides are between $2 and $6. There are stories of cabs doing bad things ranging anywhere from going a few blocks out the way to full on kidnapping and robbing of passengers, but I think they're blown way out of proportion. Either way, keep your wits about you, and don't let a drunk girl get in a cab by herself.

Let me reiterate: Buenos Aires is huge. Distances may look short on the map, but trust me, they're not. Each block is more or less 100 meters, also known as a football field. If somewhere you're headed is 10 blocks away, that's a kilometer, and 16 blocks is a mile. They're not quite Manhattan crosstown blocks, but they're long.

After getting used to the peso's 3-to-1 exchange rate, most of us that have been here become awfully frugal, opting instead for buses or subway ($0.25 a ride). The subway is pretty easy to figure out although not incredibly helpful. The Green Line (Line D) goes from the Centro through Recoleta and Palermo before terminating in Belgrano, and is certainly the most useful line. For the subway, you can get a pre-paid card called Monedero which also works at the "Open 25 hs" chain of newstands.

Buses, however, are their own beast. There is no centralized system, and each bus line is run by an independent compay. The closest to a bus map the city has is a small booklet called the Guia 'T', in which you can look up where you are and where you're going, and cross-reference the bus lines that pass through both areas. Then you go to the back of the book, and try to follow street-by-street descriptions (in words) of the bus route to find out where you might actually get on. Sometimes, a bus goes from where you are to where you're going, though, mostly you rely upon locals to tell you which bus goes where. It's always a pleasant surprise to learn a new bus with a particularly convenient route.

Once you've found the bus and arrived at the stop, getting on requires flagging the speeding bus down. Make sure you have change, which can be hard to find in Buenos Aires, because the bus only accepts coins. Even commuters who ride the bus every day pay with coins, it's really a backward system. As you get on tell the driver, which street you're getting off on so he (they're all men, at least all that I've seen) and deposit your coins in the machine behind his seat. Then hold tight because the drivers are fearless, and keep your eyes peeled for your destination so you can get to the back door and request your stop with the buzzer.

Eating, Drinking, and Shopping in Palermo:

Palermo, for me, has really been the center of it all. Palermo Viejo is roughly defined as the rectangle defined by Santa Fe (also subway line D) on the bottom, Scalabrini Ortiz and Dorrego on the sides, and Cordoba on top (if your map is aligned with the river on the bottom, as most are). Palermo Viejo is bisected by train tracks, with the left called Soho, and the right Hollywood (seriously). Soho is more chic, with most of the shopping and classy places, while Hollywood also has its fair share of great bars.

Gorriti and Honduras are parallel roads that cut through both sides of the neighborhood and are covered with bars and restaurants for the entire length. In Soho, Honduras passes through Plaza Serrano, a young, hip square jumping at nighttime. Plaza Armenia is just two blocks away, and has a bit more upscale vibe, with a family friendly park and a weekend bazaar.

Between the two plazas, perpendicular to Honduras and Gorriti, Armenia and Gurruchaga are some of the best shopping streets in Buenos Aires, with lots of upscale boutiques. I particularly liked Airborne, on Gurruchaga close to the corner of Costa Rica.

Eating, in general:

Palermo is great because it is the most cosmopolitan section of Buenos Aires. However, if you're looking for something more typically Argentinian, look for one of close to a million Parrillas the city has to offer. Each will sell you a steak for around $8, and although it won't be amazing, it won't be bad either. Bife de lomo is the prime cut, so start there. In my experience, the steaks here aren't really that amazing so much as they are ubiquitous and cheap.  A great place to get good-sized portions at backpacker prices is La Cholita on Rodriguez Pena 1165.  They don't take reservations so expect to wait a bit, but you'll be hapy. If you're after a fantastic steak at American prices, La Cabaña is fantastic and authentic (although maybe a bit touristy).

When the meat got to be too much, I ended up eating a lot at Buenos Aries Verde, a vegetarian organic place only about 8 blocks from my apartment. For all of your eating questions, the Guia Oleo is certainly the place to go, and has listings, hours, and reviews of basically every restauarnt int the city.

Tango:
Sure, there are plenty of tango shows in Buenos Aires, and most are probably good. They're tourist-oriented, though, so if you're looking for a more authentic experience head to a milonga. Milongas are neighborhood social halls, and it is common to show up at one alone seeking dancing partners. They're all over the city, ask around to find one near you. Any given milonga is probably only open one or two nights a week, starting at around 9pm with a class and then officially starting around 11 with live music. Tango culture is a bit old-timey, with many of the recreational dancers in their later years, although the classes especially attract a younger crowd. If you're looking for parters of either gender and the chance to swap roles, check out Tango Queer, if you're more "traditional", try La Catedral at Sarmiento 4006.