Becoming a doctor… no, not me. Just because I’m recently unemployed doesn’t mean I’ve lost my mind. Besides, I’m too old. Seriously. But at one time I was on my way to becoming a doctor. Instead, I decided to use my biochem degree to get a job… & the rest is history. But this post isn’t about me. It’s about Gabriel.
Read More »buenos aires: becoming a doctor
Although the architecture department at the Universidad de Buenos Aires officially opened in 1901, local students had already developed a habit of going abroad to study. Returning graduates brought with them the latest trends from Europe. At the same time, many experienced European architects arrived in Buenos Aires. There was more than enough work to share between locals & immigrants; landowners wanted to increase the value of their property & the city was growing exponentially. No doubt it would have been a very exciting time to be in Buenos Aires.
Read More »buenos aires: art deco barrial
[Below is an amalgam of various posts published under the old version of Line of Sight in 2007 & 2008. This tree is usually a big topic of conversation in January & February when it blooms, much like the jacarandá in November. Plan your visits accordingly! ]
Read More »buenos aires: palo borracho
After finishing the Conquest of the Desert in 1878, the Argentine upper class began to develop all the land forcefully taken from the indigenous population. An extensive coastline, lined with pristine beaches, proved ideal for summer getaways from Buenos Aires. Escaping malaria outbreaks in the city also motivated the rich to leave the big city temporarily. Rail arrived in 1886 to Mar del Plata & two years later the Bristol Hotel opened, catering to all the major landowning families. National tourism was born.
Read More »mar del sur: boulevard atlantic hotel
In a previous incarnation of this blog, over 500 images of stencil graffiti were posted… most of them found in Buenos Aires. Although the glory days are gone —stencils have since been replaced by other types of street art— many of those images provided a social outlet for fed-up people in the aftermath of the 2001 crisis. Messages ranged from social commentary to advertisements to political activism. Naturally, I don’t necessarily agree with all the opinions of the artists, but disagreement is not a bad thing. A lack of expression for dissent is much worse. Spray on.
Read More »buenos aires: stencil graffiti 2004
Over the last month, I’ve read more about the Argentine electricity sector than I ever thought possible. Two things surprised me most during this investigation: a large amount of misinformation across the board & huge gaps in scholarship. Fact checking does not seem to be very important nor does consulting original sources, so errors propagate throughout books & journals. For example, something as basic as the year a company was purchased or the amount of time a concession was extended should be easy to verify. I’m not writing a thesis, but it’s difficult to form opinions with so much misinformation floating around.
Read More »buenos aires: ciae bibliography
