I left my heart in San Francisco

-But found plenty of replacements in Buenos Aires-

Carazones Vivos

After checking the box of which meat I wished to eat for lunch (I will once again state, as it cannot be said enough, Argentines certainly enjoy their Carne), I stepped of the bus to be pleasantly greeted by hint of home.  200 painted hearts decorate the city of Buenos Aires, many concentrated in the Plaza de San Martin.   As if I wasn´t falling in love enough with this buzzing and curious metropolis, These hearts sprang from the concrete to, for a fleeting moment, take me to Embarcadero, Market and Castro, areas of my home city San Francisco CA, which is also sprinkled with the frequently used yet still warming symbol of the heart.

Curious, I researched the two similar projects: 

“Hearts in San Francisco was a Bay Area-wide “heart installation” that debuted in the spring of 2004. While similar to Chicago’s “Cows on Parade,” the San Francisco version used a heart icon, appropriate for a city that is recognized for its acceptance and tolerance, as well as being perennially open-hearted. The goal of this project was to become a unique hybrid of fund-raising, compassionate community involvement, and a positive nurturing of artistic expression at a time when it is sorely needed. The financial beneficiary of Hearts in San Francisco is the San Francisco General Hospital Foundation, whose sole purpose is to fund projects that will enhance patient care and comfort at San Francisco General Hospital Medical Center (SFGHMC). The goal was to raise $1 Million for SFGHMC. As of February 2005 nearly $2,000,000 in funds have been raised” 

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The Buenos Aires project, “Corazon Vivos,  transformará a Buenos Aires en una Muestra de Arte a Cielo Abierto dándole vida a sus rincones.”

That is to say that the Project Corazon Vivos  would transform Buenos Aires into an open-air exhibition giving life the city´s the nooks and crannies, while at the same time raising money for the Favaloro Foundacion which is currently one of the largest institutions dedicated to cardiology in Latin America.

Check out the included links to the official sites for more information.