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Ask The Locals

Berlin: Truevagabond x The Locals

Ask The Locals, Berlin |  February 19, 2013 | By Duane Bobbsemple

NAME: Julia

RESIDENCE: Berlin

AGE: Mid 20′s

Q: To Eat?

A: Well, my favourite is a french restaurant named Trois Minutes. The prices are pretty reasonable and the food is excellent. This would be my first recommendation for anybody who’s new in town.

Q: Favourite Area?

A: My favourite is the Prenzlauer Berg Area. It’s cozy, relaxed, and it has an international feel. I like to say it’s one happy bubble.

Q: One must do?

A: Everybody should go to Kater Holzig, especially on a Thursday night. It’s like an outdoor club/restaurant/bar and it’s a playground for adults. It’s really fun.

Buenos Aires: Truevagabond x The Locals

Ask The Locals, Buenos Aires |  January 21, 2013 | By Duane Bobbsemple

NAME: Cecilia (right) + friend (And yes, that’s a dog pulling that leash)

AGE: 20

RESIDENCE: Buenos Aires

Q: Any helpful tourist tips?

A: Oh yes, on Saturdays and Sundays you can get a free Tram tour of the city. An historic streetcar line in Caballito operates the Tram rides, but I’m not sure what the hours of operation are. You’ll have to use google to find out the rest of the information yourself (click here for more info).

Q:Favourite festival?

A: My favourite festival in BA is Creamfields. It’s an electronic festival that happens in November that features a ton of international DJs. It feels like the whole city comes out for this one festival and it’s always a good time.

Another festival that people should check out, is Carnival de Gualeguaychu. It’s doesn’t happen in BA though, it takes place in Gualeguaychu, which is about a three hour car ride from here. It’s a carnival that similar to Rio’s Carnival but it’s nowhere near the size. There’s a lot of drinking and women wearing practically nothing and the people sleep out in tents. It’s really fun. It happens every Saturday during the summer until the first Saturday of March.

Q: A good area for night life?

A: Las Cañitas – Is a great area to grab drinks and party. It’s always packed with people and there are a lot of places to choose from. Just tell your cab driver that you want to go there and he’ll know exactly where to take you.

Buenos Aires: Truevagabond x A Local

Ask The Locals, Buenos Aires |  December 26, 2012 | By Duane Bobbsemple

NAME: Daniela

AGE: Late 20′s

RESIDENCE: Buenos Aires

Q: Any Tips?

A: If you’re going to be travelling around on Public Transportation then purchase a Sube Card. Trust me, it’ll save you time and money.

Q: Best area to explore?

Q: Recoleta – It’s a great representative of Argentina and there’s so much to discover. Make sure you walk along Alvear St and check out Plaza Francia. Seriously, just get lost and explore all of Recoleta. It’s worth it.

Q: Places to Eat?

A: Check out La Brigada, it’s a very famous restaurant for it’s Argentinian meat. To me, it’s the best of the best. Like, when Bono and other famous stars come to Argentina they go there. Everyone eats there. While you’re there you should try Vacio, Matambre, and Asada.

For sushi, go to Osaka. It’s a very good Japanese restaurant. And there’s a cool twist to the food, it’s a fusion of Japanese and Peruvian food. For Vietnamese try Bamboo, and for French food check out Croc Madame. I recommend these spots just in case you want a little more variety.

Q: Favourite Event?

A: If you can, YOU MUST check out a River Plate & Boca game (Soccer/Football game). The energy in there is insane! After the game you go for drinks and everybody is out.

Buenos Aires: Truevagabond x The Locals

Ask The Locals, Buenos Aires |  December 5, 2012 | By Duane Bobbsemple

NAME: Arturo (on the left)

AGE: Late 20′s

RESIDENCE: Buenos Aires

Q: Favourite Area/Street?

A: My favourite area is in the Barrio of Palermo and it’s called Plaza Armenia. It’s a very nice area with lots of bars, shops, restaurants, and pubs. There are also a lot of clothing shops and music shops, and it’s great for people watching. The best time go is on the weekend when the area is at it’s best.

Q: Any Tips?

A: Pickpockets are everywhere in Buenos Aires so keep your wallets/valuables in your front pockets and where your backpack in the front of you. Some of these guys are extremely skilled. So be cautious and you’ll be fine.

Q: Events?

A: Le Bomba de Tiempo (The Time Bomb) – everyone should go to this event. It happens at the Ciudad Cultural Konex building in Abasto neighbourhood. It’s a great show and it’s the best thing to do on a Monday night.

Q: To eat?

A: Cumana – It’s original Argentinian food, and it’s not Argentinian BBQ. They serve traditional Argentinian dishes from all of the provinces. There is always a line, but it’s worth the wait. And it’s not overly expensive either.

A: Must See?

You have to check out a Boca Juniors game (A football game). It’s an amazing experience. The earth is literally shaking at your feet while you’re in the stadium. If there is one thing that you must do while in Buenos Aires, this would be it.

Buenos Aires: Truevagabond x The Locals

Ask The Locals, Buenos Aires |  November 26, 2012 | By Duane Bobbsemple

NAME: Valeria

AGE: 29

RESIDENCE: Buenos Aires

Q: Best place for drinks?

A: For drinks, I recommend two places. The first would be Leopoldo and it’s located on a really nice boulevard (google it). They have the best appetizers and it’s a really nice place. The other would be Skybar (or Pulizter Roof Bar) on Maipu 907. It’s a really nice roof top bar and during the summer months it’s a good place to be.

Q: To Eat?

A: There is a place in San Telmo that you should go to for lunch called Rivas Cafe. It’s on a street near Balcarce street. It’s not cheap, but the food is amazing and so is the atmosphere.

Q: To See?

A: The Jardin Japonés (Japanese Garden). It’s lovely, and it’s a great place to take pictures and escape from the city life for a bit.

Toronto: Truevagabond x The Locals

Ask The Locals, Toronto |  October 23, 2012 | By Duane Bobbsemple

NAME: Simon

AGE: 32

RESIDENCE: TORONTO

Q:Favourite Street/Area?

A: My personal favourite area is Dundas St. West area, between Bathurst and Lansdowne. It’s low key, and it has a really nice chill vibe to it. There’s a lot of cool shops in the area; record shops, vintage shops, and coffee shops. There’s also a lot of cool bars. My favourite bar is the Communist Daughter but there are ton of other bars in that area to choose from.

if you want to explore there’s a bunch of other areas to check out. I would recommend that people check out areas such as the Junction, Roncesvalles, Bloordale, and Leslieville just to name a few.

Q: What’s one thing that everybody should see before they leave Toronto?

A: Definitely a show at Massey Hall. The acoustics at that venue are incredible. And I’ve had a lot of happy musical moments at that spot. It’s definitely a religious experience for me whenever I go there.

Q: Anything else?

A: Yes, check out Dakota Tavern it’s a great place to see musical acts. A lot of country, folk, rock, and bluegrass bands play there. And it’s just on the corner of Ossington and Dundas.

Chicago: Truevagabond X The Locals

Ask The Locals, Chicago |  October 16, 2012 | By Duane Bobbsemple

NAME: Amara

AGE: 29

RESIDENCE: Chicago

Q: Favourite Event?

A: My favourite event is the Silver & Black Party. It’s an outdoor event that happens in July and it’s a community fundraiser (Block Party). It usually takes place on Milwaukee & Potomac. There’s dancers, live music, and art. It brings out a lot of members from Chicago’s creative community. It’s always a good time.

Q: Best night of the week to go out?

A: Tuesdays & Thursdays. You can avoid a lot of the crowd that way, but then again if you’re visiting you probably want the crowds. But for the locals the best nights are during the week. Two spots that I recommend that people check out are Rodan & People Lounge. They’re bars/food spots, the perfect spots to grab a drink and listen to good music with some good company.

Q: Best spot to eat?

A: Oh, definitely Cumin. It’s a little pricey but it’s sooo good. It’s Nepalese/Indian Food. Not your typical Chicago food experience, but it’s definitely worth checking out.

Chicago: Truevagabond x The Locals

Ask The Locals, Chicago |  September 27, 2012 | By Duane Bobbsemple

NAME: Jeremy

AGE: Late 20′s

RESIDENCE: Chicago

Q: What’s one thing that everybody should experience while visiting Chicago?

A:

Everybody needs to check out ‘To Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind’. It’s an improv show that’s done by the Neo-Futurist. It’s a long reigning show that has 30 premises and they change it up every show. So it’s always a new experience. Their skits are hilarious and they’re really relatable. You will not leave disappointed.

Q: Favourite Bar?

A:

I like Beechwood. It’s a bar in the Wicker Park area. It’s a bit of the radar, so you can always get a seat. They serve cheap stiff drinks, so it’s really good place to start of the night.

Q: Favourite Street?

A:

Check out Sedgwick Street – It’s walkable and it’s also very scenic. It’s also a little bourgeois but it’s still around a lot of things.

Chicago: Truevagabond X The Locals

Ask The Locals, Chicago |  September 19, 2012 | By Duane Bobbsemple


NAME: Mariah (pictured right)

Age: 20′s

Residence: Chicago

Q: What’s your favourite street in Chicago?

A:
State Street – It’s downtown. You can do a lot of shopping on State street and basically everything you would ever need is there.

Q: Favourite festival in Chicago?

A:
My favourite festival would have to be the House Music Festival. It’s a really good vibe, just people bugging out to good music. I also like Taste of Chicago. It’s great because you can taste everything that Chicago is known for in one place. And there’s a lot of free entertainment and live acts as well.

Q: Favourite place to eat?

A:
Loooooove Bongo Room. Everybody needs to check out Bongo Room. It’s a brunch spot and they serve RED VELVET PANCAKES, yes, Red Velvet Pancakes! It’s so good.

Another spot I like is Harold’s Chicken Shack. They serve up some great chicken, and pretty much everything on their menu is delish.

Montreal: Truevagabond x The Locals

Ask The Locals, Montreal |  September 6, 2012 | By Duane Bobbsemple

NAME: Didi

AGE: 23

RESIDENCE: Currently Montreal (Studying in Montreal)

Q: Favourite event/festival?

A: Pop Montreal. It’s a music, art, and culture festival. Mostly music though, and it usually happens at the end of Sept. The Mile-end neighborhood is usually exploding with activity around that time. And a number of different genres of music are also represented as well.

Q: Favourite Street/Area?

A: Hmmmmm, my favourite street? It would have to be a tie between Bernard St & St Viateur. I like them because them because there is a lot happening on those streets. Bernard has a lot of great places to eat and a really nice charm to it.

St. Viateur has really nice vintage stores. Really nice coffee shops. And there’s this gorgeous church on that street as well. I love to grab a bagel and coffee and just sit on the church steps.

As for areas, this is the best piece of advice I can give to anyone from out of town. They’ve invested a lot of money in the downtown neighbourhoods, but really, the best areas are not downtown.

Stay away from the Old Port, it’s super touristy, and super expensive. Check out areas like the Mile-end, Park X, Plateau, Verdun, and St. Henry.

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