Category Archives: Upcoming Events and Gigs!

Mente does the Buenos Aires Pub Crawl!

May 11, 2012   MenteArgentina   No comments

Buenos Aires is known for its thrilling and eccentric nightlife, but it can be overwhelming.  Which are the cool bars to go to?  If I go out at midnight, am I too early?  3 am, too late?  And what better way of getting a little preview than by going on the Buenos Aires Pub Crawl. Mente invites its Mente participants that are here in Buenos Aires– studying Spanish, interning or volunteering– to experience the Buenos Aires Pub Crawl at least once a month.

Friday, a group of ‘buena onda’ Mente participants got the Cliff Notes to going out with the Buenos Aires Pub Crawl.  We met up at the first bar, Kuantam on El Salvador in Palermo Hollywood. At this first bar we received free all you can eat pizza, beer and wine and warmed up for the rest of the night. It was a great opportunity for Mente amigos to meet other participants and also to loosen up and get to know others even more!

Some Mente participants!

Enjoying free drinks at Bar #1

After the meet-and-greet at the first bar, we moved on to the next two bars, where we received a friendly welcome shooter. In each bar, there were great discounted drinks only for Buenos Aires Pub Crawl participants.

After the last bar, we all got ready to head to the boliche (club), Crobar! Crobar is known for being a hip and popular club that is always packed on a Friday night. We arrived at Crobar at around 2am by private bus organised by the Buenos Aires Pub Crawl and skipped the queue to enter FREE!

A good time was had by all.

Mente amigos pulled out some groovy moves on the dance floor that night! We had a load of fun dancing till the wee hours of the morning and finishing off the night with a famous, greasy choripan.

Dancing at Crobar

Thanks again to all our friends at the Buenos Aires Pub Crawl! They did a great job of making sure we had a fantastic time.

– Andrea and Patricia

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Mente and Spanglish: The Perfect Activity to Practice your Spanish

January 25, 2012   MenteArgentina   No comments
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A great way to practice your Spanish while studying abroad or volunteering here in Buenos Aires is to go to Spanglish!! Spanglish was designed for foreigners to practice their Spanish skills while giving porteños the opportunity to practice English. Not only is it a language exchange, but it’s also a cultural exchange. You can learn about Argentine culture from an Argentine, and also share your cultural anecdotes.
Here at Mente Argentina we believe that cultural immersion is the most important part of your trip abroad and participating in activities that facilitate this immersion will only make your experience here that much more meaningful, which is why we have added Spanglish night to our monthly activities.
How it works: people arrive and there is a 45 minute check in. This gives you the opportunity to chat with everyone and maybe grab a drink at the bar. You are given a table number and when it’s time to begin everyone goes to their first assigned table. Here you chat with your partner for five minutes in English then switch for five more minutes in Spanish. During this time pizza or other snacks are passed around for munching. Then it’s time to switch!
Spanglish events are always held in super hip bars in some of the coolest barrios in Buenos Aires. Last week we went to Klan Bar in Recoleta, right across from the cemetery. This is a well known area for upscale bars and restaurants with a fun vibe. Afterwards people usually go to another bar with their new friends!
At Spanglish I started with a girl who is studying to become an English teacher. She was about 20 years old and just so sweet! She has been studying for about two years and when I asked how long the program is, she told me that it takes about 10 years!! 10 YEARS! Wow, I couldn’t believe it. What a commitment! It didn’t seem to faze her though. As an American, I feel like we are all so eager to finish our studies as quickly as possible, hopefully having a degree by 22 or 23. But, in Argentina it doesn’t always work that way. They have other obstacles to endure, but they still hold their education as the highest of their priorities. This young woman was extremely dedicated and by going to Spanglish she is able to have one-on-one interaction with native English speakers. This is surely one of the few opportunities that she has to speak with natives, so it has become a vital part of her ‘studies’. By going to Spanglish you are not only improving your Spanish, but also helping the locals with their careers, which in turn may help them improve their social and economic status. All in all, it’s a win-win.
One suggestion that I would make is to bring some topics for discussion. Telling five to ten different people the exact same things about yourself will get dull really quick. Think of some interesting questions and conversation starters before heading over. Some ideas could include: dating culture in Argentina, food, best restaurants, best boliches (off the tourist radar), ideas for traveling in Argentina, ask about favorite vacations or an interesting fact about the person. We all know that people love to talk about themselves, so think of something you would like to know about the porteño sitting in front of you (no matter how random) and ask. They can be a great resource for some insight into the city and the Argentine lifestyle.
Don’t miss the chance to immerse yourself into the bilingual community in Buenos Aires!  Whether you’re studying abroad or doing one of Mente’s many internships you will benefit from a night with Spanglish!

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Mente on the Music of Buenos Aires

October 31, 2011   MenteArgentina   No comments
creamfields Buenos Aires 2011

Buenos Aires is truly a city that never sleeps, so finding something to do is as easy as walking out your front door. It is a great city for study abroad students from all over the world because there is something for everyone, especially when it comes to music. It doesn’t matter where you are from or what you are into, you will find your niche here. In Buenos Aires you will find that you spend your days hustling to and from all those Photography or DJ classes, but at night you are free! And you will be surprised at the abundance of activities this city hast o offer. Check out Mente’s previous blog Buenos Aires Nightlife: 7 nights a week for the best bars and clubs in BA!

Creamfields—November 2011

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Creamfields, it is the electronic party of the year with locations all over Europe and Latin America. For those of you who have experienced the craziness of Creamfields, you know that it is the ’it’ place if you live for beats and bass. Buenos Aires continually draws the more guests than any other venue with more than 50,000 people every year. Luckily for us here in Argentina, Creamfields has been mixing dance beats in Buenos Aires for the last 10 years with headliners including David Guetta, Paul van Dyk, The Prodigy, Paul Oakenfold, Dubfire and many, many others.

 

In some countries Creamfields is a multiday event where you can spend the weekend camping. Here in Buenos Aires it is just a one day event, or more specifically, a one night event. It starts at 5pm and goes all night and well into the next day. DJs will be mixing all the latest tunes and their own dirty beats so don’t plan on sleeping that night! If you are in Argentina studying abroad, or perhaps doing the DJ program with Mente Argentina, this is going to be the most important concert of your stay.

Creamfields isn’t the only good electronic music that you will find here; Buenos Aires has an ever-growing underground electronic scene. Check out http://www.buenosaliens.com/ for information about upcoming shows!

Besides the huge electronic scene, there are also tons of local and internationally celebrated bands that come to rock the city in a way only possible in Latin America. Buenos Aires is a hotspot for music of all types and no matter what you are into, you will find it here. Recently the Red Hot Chili Peppers played a sold out show, next up is Interpol, The Strokes and Roger Waters. For those who love the poppy sounds, BA caters to you as well. Katy Perry, Mylie Cyrus and Madonna entertained us with their catchy tunes.

In addition to all the big names that come through Argentina, the local scene is also jam-packed with talented artists playing at a variety of great venues. So maybe it’s time to veer away from these popular artists and check out the local music scene. Argentina is famous for its tango and you can still hear it playing in the background of many restaurants, kioskos, and maybe even from your neighbor’s apartment. Its antique and tragic sounds are romantic in their own way, but if a slow, dramatic tango isn’t really your style, maybe you will enjoy the fast and always fun sounds of cumbia. Cumbia started in Colombia and quickly spread through Latin America, and Argentina is no exception. Most boliches, or clubs, play a mix of the top ten hits, reggaetone and cumbia, occasionally throwing in some rock n roll. But if live music– rock, indie, folk, and everything in between–is what you live for, this is the city for you! Cute cafes, cultural centers, nightclubs, and huge stadiums all host a variety of bands and genres from all over Argentina and the world. And if the weather is nice, you can even catch a band rocking out in the park on the weekend!

What’s up Buenos Aires (http://www.whatsupbuenosaires.com/wuba2/) posts a daily agenda of live music, as well as other cultural activities, and is an excellent resource for getting to know the music scene in BA. Also, check out http://www.vuenosairez.com/V2_1/ and http://www.latrastienda.com/  for even more ideas.

So what are you waiting for?? Get out there and enjoy every night to its fullest!

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Mente Argentina Study Abroad free cultural activities! La Bomba de Tiempo

May 17, 2011   MenteArgentina   3 Comments
konex

Yesterday night Mente Argentina had another great cultural outting to hear La Bomba de Tiempo play in Ciudad Cultural Konex. The band was bumpin, the crowd croonin, and the scene spectacular as always!

La Bomba de Tiempo is a group of percussionists directed by Stantiago Vazquez who mix stantard percussion sets with improvization  which makes every show a unique experience for the crowd and the band. The mixture of lighting, sound, video, dancing, and participation has made La Bomba the popular experience that it is, and an unforgettable show every time.
Aside for the show itself, part of the Bomba experience is the location. The building, originally an old oil refinary/factory, was reappropriated into a cultural center in 1992 with a ission to promote cultural expression in the community and offer an innovative, avant-garde space for artists and art lovers. It´s located in Abasto, a cultural center of Buenos Aires known for its art, tango, theater, and most of all its true barrio feel. Konex is host to a variety of rotating shows, performances, acts, all geared towards the same community building feel, which allows participants to truely feel conected to the works.

As always, we had a great time on our Mente outting! Need more proof? well check out those happy faces of our study abroad buenos aires participants! If you havent checked out La Bomba de Tiempo yet, let us know and we´ll make sure you get to experience the incredible vibe of Konex, la banda, la gente, y la buena onda en general!

Rachel Sherman

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Rock Nacional & Music Festivals in Buenos Aires

October 05, 2010   MenteArgentina   1 Comment

Brian Athey

Argentina has a rich tradition of Rock & Roll-what they call Rock Nacional.  Although most people think of Tango and Folklorico when they think of Argentina, Porteños have been creating alternative music since the 1950’s.  Similarly to the USA, Rock Nacional was heavily influenced by the Beatles, Little Richard, Elvis Presley, and Bill Haley.  Rock Nacional, or rock in castellano, began with bands like “Los Shakers” and “Los Mockers” who were both actually from Uruguay.  Los Shakers started by covering Beatles songs.  These bands opened the door for the early pioneers such as Los Gatos, Tanguito, Los Abuelos de la Nada, Sandro, Almendra, Manal, Arco Iris, Pedro y Paco, and the first female rock star of Rock Nacional Gabriela.

Today, Rock Nacional has developed into an integral part of Argentine identity.  Such greats as Charly García, Luis Alberto Spinetta, Litto Nebbia, Gustavo Cerati, Andrés Calamaro, Celeste Carballo, Pappo, Ricardo Iorio, León Gieco, Fito Páez, Soda Stereo, Miguel Mateos, Virus, Patricio Rey y sus Redonditos de Ricota, La Renga, Bersuit Vergarabat, Los Piojos, Los autenticos decadentes, Sumo and Divididos.

Día de Rock Nacional is celebrated on July 2nd.  Keeping this tradition alive are countless numbers of festivals and shows.  Below is a basic listing of popular music festivals that happen each year in Buenos Aires.

Quilmes Music Festival – http://exposebuenosaires.com/quilmes-rock/

Pepsi Music Fest – http://www.pepsimusic.com.ar/?gclid=CN2Q6bGzvKQCFa1a7AodUFO0Ng

Cosquín Festival – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosqu%C3%ADn_Festival

Personal Fest – http://exposebuenosaires.com/personal-fest-buenos-aires/

Buenos Aires Jazz Festival – http://www.buenosairesjazz.gob.ar/home/web/es/index.html

SAMC (South American Music Conference) – http://www.samc.net/blog/

Creamfields – This festival celebrates electronic music and has been happening the past ten years.  http://www.creamfieldsba.com/

Moonpark – http://www.taringa.net/posts/info/5340845/Moonpark-XX—El-regreso-de-la-felicidad.html

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Useful websites about Buenos Aires

September 22, 2010   MenteArgentina   No comments

Before and while traveling in Buenos Aires it would be helpful to have a collection of websites that explain where to go and how to get there.  Below is a collection of useful websites that many locals use when finding out about whats happening in BsAs.

-Brian Athey

http://mapa.buenosaires.gov.ar/ (website with colectivo and subte maps)

http://www.whatsupbuenosaires.com/wuba2/ (magazine about the arts)

http://www.buenosaliens.com/ (Electronic nightclubs agenda)

http://www.ticketek.com.ar/ (Online Ticket Portal to shows in town)

http://www.buenosairesmilongas.com/ (milonga guide)

http://www.malba.org.ar/web/home.php (great art museum)

http://www.guiaoleo.com.ar/ (Buenos Aires restaurant guide)

http://www.planetajoy.com/ (Dinning&Drinking recommendations)

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