BOKA, which stands for Bold Original Kitchen Artistry, happily lives up to it’s name. Perfectly situated in downtown’s sleek new Hotel 1000, it is also perfectly staffed with Marc Papineau, who doubles as general manager and BOKA’s extremely talented wine director and Executive Chef Angie Roberts, a highly respected Seattle chef who has cooked at the James Beard House and was selected as a Gayot rising-chef for 2007. The two are in perfect sync, sharing a dedication for sourcing and working with Pacific Northwest producers to feature the best local, seasonal and sustainable ingredients.

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An agreement between the government and businesses in Buenos Aires means that 40,000 billboards around the city will be coming down.In what will be a big change in the aesthetic of the city, this agreement eliminates 60 percent of all billboards in the most populated areas.According to the Clarín, the plan to change Buenos Aires’s advertising laws began in May, when the Minister of Public Space proposed to divide the city into four parts and to create specific laws for each zone.This way, there would be different rules about advertizing on Avenida 9 de Julio—the major thoroughfare—than there would be about advertizing in a smaller barrio.Additionally, the government now plans to enforce already existing advertizing bans which, up to now, have been mostly ignored.

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In a few days, the zoo in Mendoza will release a crowned eagle into the wild after fourteen months of rehabilitation.Shampalwe, a female of the species, is one of less than a thousand crowned eagles alive, making her part of an extremely endangered species in South America.According to La Nacion,she had been captured in the countryside of Mendoza and was eventually handed over to the Mendozan zoo.It took patience and time to retrain Shampalwe to survive in the wild; experts made sure that she could fly with ease and hunt before they let her return to the eagle population.Now she will be released into the Reserva Natural de Biosfera de Ñacuñan, one of Mendoza’s beautiful nature reserves.

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Beginning today and going until August 15th, La Scala de San Telmo is having a chamber music festival.The festival brings together performers from Germany, Holland, Bulgaria, and Argentina, all playing either the piano, violin, or viola.According to My Buenos Aires Travel Guide, La Scala de San Telmo is a non-profit organization that was established in 1993.The purpose of the organization is to promote Argentine artists, giving them a chance to develop their art and play with talent from around the world.Located on Pasaje Giuffra 371, the event costs 30 pesos for a general entrance ticket and 15 for students and seniors.

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The Argentine woman’s soccer team played China yesterday in the last game of group play and lost 2-0.The third loss in three games for the Argentine women, it marked the end of their Olympic bid for 2008.A frustrating showing, their losses went remarkably unnoticed in Argentina, where men’s soccer is far more closely followed than women’s soccer.The Chinese victory meant that they finished first in Group E, having also between Switzerland and tied with Canada, and will continue into the next round of the tournament.There, they will play the United States for a chance to go on to compete for the gold medal.

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Cruises are a popular way to explore the southern coast of Argentina, and currently travelers can buy a cruise with Norwegian Sun at a large discount.According to MSNBC, the discount is for a 14-day cruise that begins off the coast of Argentina, goes through the Strait of Magellan, traverses the Chilean fjords, and ends in the town of Valparaiso, Chile.The cruise is currently discounted by 66 percent, meaning that by reserving a cabin now, travelers can potentially save around $1,600 off rack rates. This deal, promoted by Sherman’s Travel, is for cruises beginning in December and going though February of 2009, making them an excellent option for a summer vacation in Argentina.

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There are few things better than having the opportunity to visit beautiful parts of the world. What can make it even more satisfying is to stay in a place that is doing its part to help preserve the beauty around it. Below is just a sample list of properties taking extra steps to help sustain Mother Earth…

Las Casitas del Colca, Colca Canyon, Peru
www.lascasitasdelcolca.com
Opening April 15, 2008, the new luxurious Orient-Express property boasts 20 individual casitas offering supreme privacy and exclusivity in simple, unpretentious surroundings. Supporting the work of celebrated local figure Sister Antonia, Las Casitas del Colca’s surrounding land is lent to Mother Antonia’s Mission to grow crops to feed anyone in need. Guests can donate to this admirable cause or even volunteer at the soup kitchen.

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