A collection of my favorite places and travel notes from one of my favorite cities.

Hola—it’s officially 2026, and I’m writing this from Buenos Aires. One of my goals this year is to get back to writing and posting here.

Every year, we come here with my family for the holidays, my husband is from Buenos Aires. It’s part vacation, part work. It’s our place to decompress, slip into a slower pace, and eat 1,000 medialunas and empanadas. It’s also where I feel the most creatively alive. This is the city where I dream and plan for the year ahead.

I use the first two weeks of the new year—before we head back to New York and life gets busy—to get clear and map out HRD goals. So for my first post of the year, I’m sharing a few of my favorite spots here: the places that inspire me, the meals I still think about, and places that inspire and quietly shape who I am as a designer.

Restaurants + CafEs

I’m writing this from one of my newest (and quickly becoming) favorite coffee shops in the city. That’s saying a lot in Buenos Aires. But the combination of Parisian architecture, ample light, excellent Wi-Fi, and one of the best medialunas I’ve found has made its way to my #1 spot.

It’s Amayta—a pâtisserie and café, and the perfect place to work, dream, and people-watch over a café con leche and a medialuna.

Current view as I write this

Opened in 2024, Amayta is housed in a historic building in Recoleta, designed and constructed around 1906. The architecture combined with the renovations is a beautiful blend of old and new.

Next up is another restaurant that opened recently: Presencia. It’s still a bit unknown (for now), so reservations are easier to get. This one is a do-not-miss: the interiors, the location, the food. They also have a beautiful café on the first floor, visible from the street.

Lastly, another favorite is Mengano—a modern take on traditional dishes, and a can’t-miss. The wagyu milanesa sandwich is a plate I dream about.

Mengano

Art Museums + Galleries

One of the best things about this city is the amount of museums and galleries to explore—many of them free. A few favorites: MALBA, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, and a quieter hidden gem, Museo de Arte Hispanoamericano. We love to go their gardens with the girls, it’s like our own personal park.

MALBA has one of the most extensive permanent Latin American art collections (including Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera).

A Little Getaway

If you want to leave the city for a night or two: within a two-hour drive is a traditional estancia, La Candelaria. It began as a classic estancia—one of the large agricultural ranches that shaped Argentina’s 19th-century countryside—then, in the early 20th century, it was transformed into an extravagant, French-inspired palace in the middle of the pampas. We heard about it from local friends, and it didn’t disappoint.

A perfect one-night reset: horseback riding, a couple of memorable meals, and time to read by the pool. Just the two of us.

Dress is old Matteau, also love this one and this one.

Notes I’m Bringing Home

The architecture in this city is something I never tire of. I have a couple big projects beginning in early 2026, and so many of these places have made it onto my inspiration boards.

So many mental snapshots: the doorways, Spanish colonial beauty, minimal apartment lobbies with one classic statement piece. Taking notes.