South America

ARGENTINA:  Mendoza

COLOMBIA:  Cartagena   Medellin

CHILE:  Santiago   Valparaiso

URUGUAY:  Carmelo   Jose Ignacio

Jose Ignacio, Uruguay

Jose Ignacio is one of the greatest places on earth. Described as "St. Tropez meets the Hamptons" by many, the glamorous but casual beach vibe can't be beat.  High season is mid-December through January. You could also go late November / early December for a more relaxing time (and much lower hotel rates), but many restaurants and shops will not be open.  (That said, Playa Vik (hotel) and La Huella (restaurant) are both open then - and what more could you really need in life?!).  If you're going for the scene, only go during high season.

GETTING THEREDon't plan to spend any time in Punta del Este when you land (it has turned into 'Cancun'). Rent a car at the airport, stop in La Barra for lunch (perhaps at El Chancho y la Coneja), and arrive in Jose Ignacio ASAP! It's about an hour drive along the coast.

RESTAURANTS
Always make dinner reservations (and for La Huella, you'll even need lunch reservations).  Dinner is 10:30pm or later; lunch is 2-3pm. The food in this town is fabulous.  As is Uruguayan wine.

• La Huella - Heaven on earth!  Rivals Gjelina in Venice Beach and Pamela Popo in Paris for best restaurant ever.  "a restaurant famous foodies are making the pilgrimage to, operates from a humble beach bungalow (T Mag) ... Social life for the region revolves around Martin Pittaluga's restaurant, which serves sumptuous grilled fish, sushi and dulce de leche dessert on a deck overlooking the sea. Attire is relaxed—flowing linen and leather sandals are de rigueur—and lunches drift into the early evening."

• Naam - "Even with a map, you'll likely have to stop for directions before arriving to a dirt road leading to NAMM. Its name is synonymous with haute high season dining where celebrity locals scoop-up their favorite table for lavish feasts under the exposed sky. The restaurant is located within a dense pine forest on the rim of Jose Ignacio. More supper club than high-end eatery, a bamboo and teak-theme dining room features an open-plan kitchen as well as makeshift wine bar popular of late weekends and holidays."

• La Olada - great for dinner, candlelit patio with delicious food from a husband & wife team

• Jardin by Sarava

• La Susanna - beach club restaurant by Vik Resorts. Open from lunch through late evening, the club manages to transition from lively brunch spot to sunset cocktails and evening dinner with additional beach lounger service available by day.

• Marismo - "A few miles from Jose Ignacio up a dusty road sits Marismo, a Jose Ignacio gem. Candles are the main source of light and pines the only source of cover in this fully al-fresco restaurant that serves up slow-braised lamb and seafood. Prepare to get lost a few times trying to find it, no signs mark Marismo’s presence nor does it have a real address"

• El Garzon - outstanding food from the great chef Francis Mallmann in a cool and unique town of the same name (a drive from Jose Ignacio ... and very expensive ... but worth it).

HOTELS

House rentals are extremely popular, but Vik retreats are to die for.

• Playa Vik - one of the best hotels on earth, from the views to the lawn to the pool to the food to the service. We stayed at a Four Seasons immediately following our time at Playa Vik, and it was a let down!
• Bahia Vik - Playa Vik's sister property (a short stroll along the beach between the two); also fabulous. More rooms than Playa Vik.

MISCELLANEOUS

• La Caracola - "beach club on shores of Laguna Garzon, only accessible by boat & super VIP (T Mag), a private club opened by La Huella. You take a short boat ride and arrive on a tiny, deserted island. Only approximately 20 people can be there at once. Each party has their own beautiful tent. You lay outside on the beach by your tent and are served the most incredible drinks and snacks all day. They do an authentic, divine asado (Uruguayan barbecue) with everything cooked over the fire — lamb, fish, meat — along with the most amazing array of salads. It was pure indulgence. ... La Caracola is a dining club set on a tiny island ten minutes drive from José Ignacio. Space is limited to 30 guests, who are boated across a lagoon to a private beach and plied with as much clerico, seafood and meat as they’d like for a set rate of $180. A whole day affair, guests normally arrive around 2 p.m. and leave around 8 p.m." RESERVAS@PARADORLACARACOLA.COM

• The Shack Yoga

SHOPPING

• Santas Negras - store of local fashion & housewares, also has restaurant (T Mag)

• Mutate - Tucked behind Jose Ignacio’s most popular coffee shop, Mutate (meaning “astound yourself”) sells a curated mix of men and women’s clothing, vintage accessories and trinkets. José Ignacio Town. Café de la place.

• El Canuto - Located steps from Playa Vik near Jose Ignacio’s iconic lighthouse, El Canuto stocks an impeccable collection of easy-breezy beachwear and handmade jewelry in a beautiful rustic environment.

• Manos del Uruguay (Punta del Este) - "Buy a hand-woven wool shawl from Manos del Uruguay, one of several local-designer boutiques on glitzy Avenida Gorlero. Down the street at the Hippie Market, sift through handmade jewelry, textiles, and baskets to find the perfect mate—a bulbous goblet made for sipping yerba maté, a strong tea as ubiquitous in Uruguay as Starbucks lattes are in Manhattan. The souvenir doubles as an objet for your coffee table back home."

Carmelo, Uruguay

Coming Soon

Valparaiso, Chile

HOTELS

• Hotel Fauna

RESTAURANTS

The food is not very good in Valpo. The restaurants are fun, though, and the Chilean Sauvignon Blanc is fantastic!

• La Caperucita y El Lobo - quaint eatery with views of the city
• Pasta e Vino - "A smoldering waitstaff works the city's most coveted tables, while the Chilean-Italian duo behind the scenes serves gnocchi (30 types) and surprising ravioli concoctions"  Note, the gnochhi is big, and weird - it's not the Italian gnocchi you're used to.
• Casa Cuatro Ventos - eagle's nest view of the seaport

COCKTAILS

• Antonia Wines Boutique wine bar - tiny bar with tiny patio overlooking the city; friendly owner brings amazing charcuterie with wines by the glass or bottle
• Hotel Fauna - fantastic, hip rooftop bar. Get a pisco sour!
• Cafe Vinilo - for cappucinos in morning or wine in evening

SIGHTS

• Lautaro Rosas - street of trendy shops,
• Plaza Matriz - The historic heart of the city, which is watched over by Iglesia La Matriz . Begun in 1837, it's the fifth church to occupy this site since the construction of the original chapel in 1559. In nearby streets, luridly lit 'cabarets' (read: brothels) and liquor stores testify that port life in Valpo is still very much alive.
• Plaza Sotomayor - main square
• Ascensor Concepción - The creaking ride is a must, even if it is disorienting: the 45-second descent takes passengers from the quiet hills and deposits them on the city’s flat, traffic-clogged business corridor.
• Cerro Concepcion - ride the ascensor or for some excercise walk up hill from Bella Vista metro station. cafes & views at top

WINE COUNTRY

Santiago, Chile

Coming Soon!

Mendoza, Argentina

The city of Mendoza is not all that fabulous during the day. At night, Avenue Arístides comes alive and the bustle is quite pleasant.  The wine region surrounding Mendoza is gorgeous, and the wine fabulous. Our tour with Mendoza Wine Camp was fantastic!

RESTAURANTS

• Don Claudio - "Think of the lomo as Mendoza’s answer to the Philly cheesesteak — a grilled sirloin sandwich with melted cheese, fried egg and mayo. At this old-school city institution, the dish is served in a bright, canteen-like space, with large bottles of ice-cold Quilmes, the country’s favorite beer."
• Anna Bistro - "This hip lounge-restaurant, opened by two French brothers, serves small plates like salmon empanadas and local wines. It has many tables inside, but if you are dining on a summer evening, their pretty, leafy garden or under the vines on the patio is the best spot for a meal or a cocktail. Food is well-presented and flavorful including meat and fish dishes as well as big, healthy salads (which should be taken advantage of – these are rare in the land of the steak). There is a quality wine list but the cocktails are not to be missed. Stylish classic cocktails come in lots of colorful combinations, but the most popular is the Mojito."
• Ituzaingo - In South America, this is what they call a 'closed door dining experience' (dinner in someone's home).  Located in a "lofty home that doubles up as Ituzaingo Restó, the living room and green back patio are designated dining areas, where musicians gently ply their wares in summer. There’s no better welcome than that from a hanging cava, which is swiftly followed up a glass of wine and appetizers from friendly staff. Although the eight-course paired tasting menu covers the spectrum of Argentine cuisine, Ituzaingo also injects criolla, gourmet, fusion and molecular techniques to its dishes."

After your (10pm) dinner, stroll down Avenue Aristides and stop at any of the bustling cafes for a cocktail. (El Palenque, PH Bar, etc.)

ASIA

CAMBODIA:  Siem Reap

CHINA:  Beijing    Hong Kong     Shanghai

INDONESIA:  Bali

JAPAN:  Tokyo

LAOS:  Luang Prabang

MALAYSIA:  Kuala Lumpur     Langkawi     Penang

THAILAND:  Chiang Mai     Phuket     Bangkok

NORTH AMERICA

United States	Central America	Canada
Austin, TX	Santa Teresa, Costa Rica	Toronto, ON
Chicago, IL	Panama City, Panama
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Key West, FL New York City, NY
Santa Fe, NM
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