Tucked away amongst the many bars and restaurants of Palermo is a slice of the old world. El Preferido is one of the 54 bars and restaurants notables of Buenos Aires and in my opinion it definitely deserves a place on the list. This family run business has charm, warmth and an extensive menu. Whether you’re looking for a quick bite to eat or a sit down meal, El Preferido will provide.

The Colección de Arte Amalia LaCroze de Fortabat is the latest and greatest display of art in Buenos Aires’ Puerto Madero – but don’t make the mistake of calling it a museum. The newest gallery of paintings and objects in Puerto Madero are a stunning portion of the wealthiest woman in Argentina’s personal collection of over a thousand works of art and an absolute must-see for any Buenos Aires visitor.

Puerta cerrada restaurants conjure up the idea of a hidden treasure behind the tightly closed large doors you see here in Buenos Aires. As my friends and I walked down Corrientes in Almagro to A Little Saigon, I wondered what we’d find. The brightly lit lobby, Ben’s eager greeting and the amazing smells us as we stepped into the elevator all gave a delectable hint.

“Está Porteñosiendose” assure musicians when they explain the presence of a Californian saxophonist turned bandoneonist in their tango orquesta. The cultural oddity they are referring to is Ben Bogart, who alongside playing for the high-profile Orquesta Escuela de Tango Emilio Balcarce, gives bandonéon lessons to students based in the US or Europe over Skype.

Each weekend, I am left staggered by Buenos Aires’ magnificent nightlife. The city swells with its plethora of restaurants, bars, clubs, galleries, theatres and live music spots. They pulsate, emitting beats which synthesise, composing the rhythm of the noche porteña.

Monday was just one of those days. Cold, dreary and idle. Too lazy to go to the store we decided to clean out the fridge. Utilising your semi-neglected contents can be a dangerous business. Our cellar was even more sparse than our pantry, making for some exotic combinations.

At 9.30pm the dimly lit courtyard of Ciudad Cultural Konex is filled with expectant silence. At 9.35, it is subsumed by an explosion of carnivalesque colour, wacky instruments, exuberantly Eastern sounds and theatrical costumes. This is Babel Orkesta, and they’ve just erupted onto the stage.

A stroll down the Rosedal in the Bosques de Palermo on a Sunday afternoon will almost certainly include an encounter with a group of freestyle slalom skaters practising their latest moves. Ultra-cool and strangely mesmerising, the slalom skater is hard to miss. With a row of miniature cones lined up on the pavement, he dances his way around them, snaking in and out with incredible ease and true skill.