Woo hoo I made it and it rocks! >Flight -- easy. However, those of you traveling together - I would opt to risk sitting separately to have a window seat if you are on a large plane. It makes it much easier to sleep (resting your head on the window). And whatever you do, don´t get stuck in any way shape or form in the middle section!EW! (4 ppl across). I made sure not to sleep too much the night before and so I managed to basically pass out from about 12ish until about 9 a.m. local an hour before landing (slept thru breakfast). Getting out of the airport takes a while -- customs LONG and slow. For those of you traveling on a weekend, factor in some delay mainly at your initial airport (Mtl, Van) since you are flying thru the US. And a bit more in the US but that one was much quicker. I met a guy on the flight from Mtl, recently relocated from Venice Beach to Chelsea in NY, who had been up at Trem-blah-n-T skiing. Of Cuban origin and likes to travel so we had fun chatting about places we´d been or would like to go. He works for yahoo in marketing so I felt a little guilty when we traded emails but I was sure to point out that several of my friends use yahoo as their primary email hahaha. On the flight to BA I met a girl (21) who is moving here for 4 months (semester abroad) from Chicago, studying studio arts & design.
I was still pretty tired when I got in so napped a bit and then went out around here (Palermo) and Recoleta. We went to the fine arts museum for a talk about Klimt and then to the Design Centre (Argentine designs and generally just high end design (home) stores. Saw the botanical gardens and zoo from far and the entrance to Evita´s tomb but it was closed. The parks are huge and really nice, lots in this area. Crazy thing about the parks - there are TONS of stray cats in them they live there, just kinda hanging out and suntanning. I saw at least 20! Some are quite cute, some look like strays.
Did other walking around - Recoleta is really nice, reminds me a bit of the upper east side in NY - nice tall buildings, trees, narrow streets, wide sidewalks - although a little bit edgier not quite as pristine but really nice. People remind me of Montreal - everyone has a style, just not always the same style! Some ppl look like they could be anywhere - young casual, or funky, others are chic in that ubersimple the French can do (but bronze!), and others look like they are literally chanelling Donatella Versace (long blonde hair, orangey skin, tight clothes, lotsa makeup)... there is no one ¨look¨ per se. Not sure what we will do tomorrow. It is a bit cool today (20s) as it was raining in the morning and remained a bit overcast until about 5ish. It is totally warm though. Kinda tired. anyhow time´s up gotta go but will be in touch tomorrow probably.
Day 2
Not much time but it´s cool again (20ish) and a bit overcast. Just went to the zoo and saw the baby white tigers - sooooo cute! Now off to lunch, loving it! OLE!
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Monday, February 12, 2007
If I had to turn 30, I was going to do it in style. Allow destination weddings, this is the first of destination birthdays. Two years in the making, and we're finally about to kick off the madness.
d30a was born on a table in Montreal, with sassy maracas, too much red wine and in the company of amazing friends. I was dancing on a table, shaking my maracas (not like that boys, get your minds out of the gutter) with one of my closest friends- Alim -and we thought, "We have to outdo this party!" The obvious location for our fiasco was South America, and without much ado chose Buenos Aires.
Nothing is ever fun without the involvement of like-minded and fellow crazy-people, and soon my mad-sister-with-the-big-voice and two really good mates, Puja & Hafeez, were planning this along with us. We booked an entire hotel, looked into chartering a plane, alerted the media, put together the invites and the website and then we were off! Late additions to the birthday people included Mel, who taught me to drive in Kuala Lumpur and offered to sponsor any family I might find in India.
Feez, I'm sorry that you won't make it in the end. I bet this would have been your most memorable game of blackjack ever.
Thanks to Dan P for his fab invite (5 Legendary Party People, 1 Defenceless City- priceless!); Miss Bling for this excessively fabulous blog; Alim for finding us Jimena, Facundo & Daniel, Jenney S for the tango lessons; Pedro, Esther & Monica for the Spanish lessons; Mum & Dad for your Air Miles; Dario for all the local insights; Agent Bling's operatives on the ground for your investigating and reporting; and the invention of Skype that enabled round-the-world conference calls. And the trip wouldn't have happened without the superior-planning skills of the Magnificent 7.
Buenos Aires, brace yourself! Tomorrow morning, Miss Danger, Miss Chaos, Miss Bollywood, Miss Hollywood, Miss Punky and Miss Bling descend on Pistarini airport and we don't make any promises from there on.
Lock up your sons
Hide your brothers
Keep an eye on your boyfriends
We're coming to town.....
d30a was born on a table in Montreal, with sassy maracas, too much red wine and in the company of amazing friends. I was dancing on a table, shaking my maracas (not like that boys, get your minds out of the gutter) with one of my closest friends- Alim -and we thought, "We have to outdo this party!" The obvious location for our fiasco was South America, and without much ado chose Buenos Aires.
Nothing is ever fun without the involvement of like-minded and fellow crazy-people, and soon my mad-sister-with-the-big-voice and two really good mates, Puja & Hafeez, were planning this along with us. We booked an entire hotel, looked into chartering a plane, alerted the media, put together the invites and the website and then we were off! Late additions to the birthday people included Mel, who taught me to drive in Kuala Lumpur and offered to sponsor any family I might find in India.
Feez, I'm sorry that you won't make it in the end. I bet this would have been your most memorable game of blackjack ever.
Thanks to Dan P for his fab invite (5 Legendary Party People, 1 Defenceless City- priceless!); Miss Bling for this excessively fabulous blog; Alim for finding us Jimena, Facundo & Daniel, Jenney S for the tango lessons; Pedro, Esther & Monica for the Spanish lessons; Mum & Dad for your Air Miles; Dario for all the local insights; Agent Bling's operatives on the ground for your investigating and reporting; and the invention of Skype that enabled round-the-world conference calls. And the trip wouldn't have happened without the superior-planning skills of the Magnificent 7.
Buenos Aires, brace yourself! Tomorrow morning, Miss Danger, Miss Chaos, Miss Bollywood, Miss Hollywood, Miss Punky and Miss Bling descend on Pistarini airport and we don't make any promises from there on.
Lock up your sons
Hide your brothers
Keep an eye on your boyfriends
We're coming to town.....
Thursday, February 8, 2007
36 Hours : Buenos Aires (New York Times, Feb. 4 2007)
"IT is better to look good than to feel good,” the Argentine actor Fernando Lamas once remarked. He could have been talking about Buenos Aires after its 2002 peso crisis. The financial meltdown emasculated the Argentine economy, but it also made Buenos Aires, the expensive cosmopolitan capital, an attractive and suddenly affordable destination. Now largely recovered from “La Crisis,” the city is being energized by an influx of tourists, expatriates and returning Argentine émigrés, and its glamorous night life and conspicuous consumption have reached a fever pitch. While inflation is now reappearing, Buenos Aires, at least for the moment, not only looks good but feels that way too.
Friday
2 p.m. 1) UNDERGROUND CITY
For a fascinating peek into Buenos Aires's history, start at El Zanjón de Granados (Defensa 755; 54-11-4361-3002), a 175-year-old mansion that leads to a series of underground tunnels that go back to the city's early settlements. (The city was founded in 1536.) Now a museum, El Zanjón offers intriguing one-hour tours (20 pesos, or about $6.30 at 3.16 pesos to the dollar) through a cross section of the city's archaeological layers.
4 p.m. 2) ICE CREAM AND ART
Explore present-day Buenos Aires in the cobblestoned district of San Telmo. While best known for its weekend antiques market, the neighborhood now has plenty of cool shops and restaurants. The ice cream parlor Nonna Bianca (Estados Unidos 407; 54-11-4362-0604) balances rustic Patagonian décor with adventurous flavors like kumquats in whiskey (small cone: 3 pesos). San Telmo is also home to a growing gallery scene including the swank Wussman Gallery (Venezuela 574; 54-11-4343-4707; www.wussmann.com) and Appetite (Chacabuco 551; 54-9-11-6112-9975; www.appetite.com.ar), which specializes in punk-rock-style art.
9:30 p.m. 3) LITTLE ITALY, ARGENTINA
More than a third of Argentina's population is of Italian descent, and Guido's Bar (República de la India 2843; 54-11-4802-2391) fulfills all the Little Italy tropes, from “Volare” on the stereo to the New York City skyline on the ceiling. But the crowd is Argentine and the food is varied and tasty. There is no menu and after one question — “Red or white?” — the waiters bring a seemingly random assortment of plates, like a cold appetizer of spinach and red bell peppers in a paprika mayonnaise sauce, followed by Spanish tortillas, stuffed eggplants, penne in red sauce and pignoli nuts. How the waiter figures your bill (45 to 60 pesos a person) remains a mystery.
11:45 p.m. 4) PLAY IT AGAIN, CARLOS
The spirit of Carlos Gardel, the godfather of Argentine tango, lives on in the Almagro neighborhood, where Bar 12 de Octubre (Bulnes 331; 54-11-4862-0415; www.barderoberto.com.ar) offers weekly music shows. Started in the mid-90s when the famed tangoist Roberto Medina stopped in to play a few songs, the shows run Tuesday to Friday nights between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m. Arrive early to get a good spot, before the crowds of tattooed 20- and 30-somethings jam the tiny, grungy space.
Saturday
11 a.m. 5) CAFE CULTURE
With its prime location and literary clientele that included Jorge Luis Borges, Café Tortoni (Avenida de Mayo 825; 54-11-4342-4328; www.cafetortoni.com.ar) is the most famous of the cafes from Buenos Aires's belle époque. But more magnificent is Las Violetas (Avenida Rivadavia 3899; 54-11-4958-7387; www.lasvioletas.com), a 123-year-old French-style cafe. After closing briefly in the late 1990s, Las Violetas's interior, including its gorgeous stained glass, has been restored. The white-jacketed waiters serve the classic breakfast of café con leche with three croissants (5.40 pesos), but the shocker of the menu is the María Cala tea service, an eye-popping pile of cakes, scones, finger sandwiches and pan dulce pastries (29 pesos for three people).
1 p.m. 6) DON'T CRY FOR HER
To most visitors, the Recoleta Cemetery in the upscale Recoleta district (intersection of Junín and Guido) is known as the place where Eva Perón's body is buried. But the graveyard is also the final home of several presidents, scientists and other influential Argentines. Urban Explorer (54-11-4813-0385; www.urbex.com.ar) offers a history-filled recorded tour through the Art Nouveau, Art Deco and Modernist-style mausoleums ($20 for 90 minutes). Highlights include the tomb of Luis Ángel Firpo, an Argentine heavyweight who once knocked Jack Dempsey out of the ring.
3 p.m. 7) THE LAND OF POLO
To marvel at Argentina's longtime obsession with horses, head to the Hipódromo Argentino de Palermo (Avenida del Libertador 4101; 54-11-4778-2800; www.palermo.com.ar; entrance fee 5 pesos). Opened in 1876, the elegant racetrack has a French neo-Classical grandstand, the Confitería París restaurant and a basement casino. For up-close action, sit at the wooden tables that dot the flowery lawn. There are 10 race days a month.
7 p.m. 8) DRINKING AND NOT DRIVING
Malba, short for Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires, is considered to have one of the finest Latin American art collections in the world (Alcorta 3415; 54-11-4808-6500; www.malba.org.ar; entrance fee 12 pesos). In addition to a permanent collection that includes Frida Kahlo, Xul Solar, Diego Rivera and Guillermo Kuitca, the cavernous museum has also had traveling shows by Lichtenstein, Stella and Warhol. Afterward, head next door to the Museo Renault (Alcorta 3399; 54-11-4802-9626; www.mrenault.com.ar) for one of the city's best martinis and one of the city's weirder new trends: car-branded bars. Audi, Ferrari, Maserati and Mini Cooper have opened up their own boîtes nearby.
10 p.m. 9) MEAT, MEAT AND MORE MEAT
In the shopping-friendly district of Palermo Soho, La Cabrera (Cabrera 5099; 54-11-4831-7002) is a French bistro that takes Argentina's amazing steaks in a new direction. The chef, Gastón Rivera, serves classic beef cuts like juicy ojo de bife (30.50 pesos), but serves it alongside an impressive array of untraditional side dishes including mashed pumpkin with raisins, beet purée and baked pearl onions in red wine. Arrive early to take advantage of the free champagne at the sidewalk waiting area, while you listen to tango-themed electronica music and watch the beautiful crowd of jet-setting locals and trendy visitors.
12 a.m. 10) HASTA LA MAÑANA
If you're looking to dance, head to the consistently trendy Niceto Club (Niceto Vega 5510; 54-11-4779-9396; www.nicetoclub.com), a multistory venue on an industrial strip lined with auto repair shops. Local bands like Los Alamos and the French Kid Loco play before midnight; afterward, D.J.'s play psychedelic trance and dance music. The crowd peaks around 3 a.m. If you prefer places that get going before 1 a.m., head to Mundo Bizarro (Serrano 1222; 54-11-4773-1967; www.mundobizarrobar.com), a night-life mainstay decorated with 50s pinup posters and a stripper pole. For other hot clubs, check out WhatsUpBuenosAires.com (bilingual) and BuenosAliens.com (Spanish).
Sunday
10 a.m 11) ROSES AND ROSAS
For a break from the careering colectivo buses and bumblebee-colored cabs, go to Parque Tres de Febrero (also known as the Bosques de Palermo) on the city's northern edge. The 965-acre park fills on weekends with runners, cyclists, sun worshipers and the odd club kid unwilling to let Saturday end. Stroll past the placid lake, the whiffle ball-shaped planetarium and the Rosedal garden, which has about 12,000 roses. Those club kids are heading to Arkos (Avenida Casares and Avenida Sarmiento; 54-11-4804-2512; www.clubarkos.com.ar) an after-hours party inside the park that starts Sundays at 7 a.m.
1 p.m. 12) LUNCH + DINNER = BRUNCH
Sunday brunch at Olsen (Gorriti 5870; 54-11-4776-7677; prix fix, with champagne, 27 to 39 pesos) has become a mainstay of expatriates, filmmakers and wealthy Argentines by offering two Buenos Aires rarities: brunch and ethnic food. The décor is pure Scandinavia, with curvy plywood furniture and 60 types of vodkas. Dishes include herring and smoked salmon with Argentine bondiola (pork tenderloin). Call ahead to get an outdoor table on the heated deck, or on the couches around the fireplace (avoid the frenetic tables near the kitchen). In a concession to Argentines' overheated night life, brunch goes on until 8 p.m.
The Basics
Many major American and Latin American airlines fly to Ezeiza International Airport near Buenos Aires from Kennedy Airport in New York. A recent Web search showed round-trip fares starting at around $900. The 20-mile taxi ride to the city's center runs about 60 pesos.
The Art Hotel (Azcuenaga 1268; 54-11-4821-4744; www.arthotel.com.ar), opened in 2004, was among the city's first boutique hotels. The 36 rooms are housed above an art gallery in exclusive Recoleta. Room rates, quoted in United States dollars, start at $65.
The Scandinavian-style Home Hotel (Honduras 5860; 54-11-4778-1008; www.homebuenosaires.com) has become a de rigueur stop for the Wallpaper* magazine set and the place where the rock groups U2 and Franz Ferdinand held concert after-parties. On summer Fridays, Tom Rixton, a co-owner and English record producer, spins what he calls “stupid party music for girls to dance to.” The 18 rooms start at $115.
**looks like we're taking over the right place!**
Palacio Duhau-Park Hyatt Buenos Aires (Avenida Alvear 1661; 54-11-5171-1234; www.buenosaires.park.hyatt.com), opened in July 2006, has 164 rooms split between the renovated 1934 Duhau family mansion and a recent wing. Rooms start at around $370.
Friday
2 p.m. 1) UNDERGROUND CITY
For a fascinating peek into Buenos Aires's history, start at El Zanjón de Granados (Defensa 755; 54-11-4361-3002), a 175-year-old mansion that leads to a series of underground tunnels that go back to the city's early settlements. (The city was founded in 1536.) Now a museum, El Zanjón offers intriguing one-hour tours (20 pesos, or about $6.30 at 3.16 pesos to the dollar) through a cross section of the city's archaeological layers.
4 p.m. 2) ICE CREAM AND ART
Explore present-day Buenos Aires in the cobblestoned district of San Telmo. While best known for its weekend antiques market, the neighborhood now has plenty of cool shops and restaurants. The ice cream parlor Nonna Bianca (Estados Unidos 407; 54-11-4362-0604) balances rustic Patagonian décor with adventurous flavors like kumquats in whiskey (small cone: 3 pesos). San Telmo is also home to a growing gallery scene including the swank Wussman Gallery (Venezuela 574; 54-11-4343-4707; www.wussmann.com) and Appetite (Chacabuco 551; 54-9-11-6112-9975; www.appetite.com.ar), which specializes in punk-rock-style art.
9:30 p.m. 3) LITTLE ITALY, ARGENTINA
More than a third of Argentina's population is of Italian descent, and Guido's Bar (República de la India 2843; 54-11-4802-2391) fulfills all the Little Italy tropes, from “Volare” on the stereo to the New York City skyline on the ceiling. But the crowd is Argentine and the food is varied and tasty. There is no menu and after one question — “Red or white?” — the waiters bring a seemingly random assortment of plates, like a cold appetizer of spinach and red bell peppers in a paprika mayonnaise sauce, followed by Spanish tortillas, stuffed eggplants, penne in red sauce and pignoli nuts. How the waiter figures your bill (45 to 60 pesos a person) remains a mystery.
11:45 p.m. 4) PLAY IT AGAIN, CARLOS
The spirit of Carlos Gardel, the godfather of Argentine tango, lives on in the Almagro neighborhood, where Bar 12 de Octubre (Bulnes 331; 54-11-4862-0415; www.barderoberto.com.ar) offers weekly music shows. Started in the mid-90s when the famed tangoist Roberto Medina stopped in to play a few songs, the shows run Tuesday to Friday nights between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m. Arrive early to get a good spot, before the crowds of tattooed 20- and 30-somethings jam the tiny, grungy space.
Saturday
11 a.m. 5) CAFE CULTURE
With its prime location and literary clientele that included Jorge Luis Borges, Café Tortoni (Avenida de Mayo 825; 54-11-4342-4328; www.cafetortoni.com.ar) is the most famous of the cafes from Buenos Aires's belle époque. But more magnificent is Las Violetas (Avenida Rivadavia 3899; 54-11-4958-7387; www.lasvioletas.com), a 123-year-old French-style cafe. After closing briefly in the late 1990s, Las Violetas's interior, including its gorgeous stained glass, has been restored. The white-jacketed waiters serve the classic breakfast of café con leche with three croissants (5.40 pesos), but the shocker of the menu is the María Cala tea service, an eye-popping pile of cakes, scones, finger sandwiches and pan dulce pastries (29 pesos for three people).
1 p.m. 6) DON'T CRY FOR HER
To most visitors, the Recoleta Cemetery in the upscale Recoleta district (intersection of Junín and Guido) is known as the place where Eva Perón's body is buried. But the graveyard is also the final home of several presidents, scientists and other influential Argentines. Urban Explorer (54-11-4813-0385; www.urbex.com.ar) offers a history-filled recorded tour through the Art Nouveau, Art Deco and Modernist-style mausoleums ($20 for 90 minutes). Highlights include the tomb of Luis Ángel Firpo, an Argentine heavyweight who once knocked Jack Dempsey out of the ring.
3 p.m. 7) THE LAND OF POLO
To marvel at Argentina's longtime obsession with horses, head to the Hipódromo Argentino de Palermo (Avenida del Libertador 4101; 54-11-4778-2800; www.palermo.com.ar; entrance fee 5 pesos). Opened in 1876, the elegant racetrack has a French neo-Classical grandstand, the Confitería París restaurant and a basement casino. For up-close action, sit at the wooden tables that dot the flowery lawn. There are 10 race days a month.
7 p.m. 8) DRINKING AND NOT DRIVING
Malba, short for Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires, is considered to have one of the finest Latin American art collections in the world (Alcorta 3415; 54-11-4808-6500; www.malba.org.ar; entrance fee 12 pesos). In addition to a permanent collection that includes Frida Kahlo, Xul Solar, Diego Rivera and Guillermo Kuitca, the cavernous museum has also had traveling shows by Lichtenstein, Stella and Warhol. Afterward, head next door to the Museo Renault (Alcorta 3399; 54-11-4802-9626; www.mrenault.com.ar) for one of the city's best martinis and one of the city's weirder new trends: car-branded bars. Audi, Ferrari, Maserati and Mini Cooper have opened up their own boîtes nearby.
10 p.m. 9) MEAT, MEAT AND MORE MEAT
In the shopping-friendly district of Palermo Soho, La Cabrera (Cabrera 5099; 54-11-4831-7002) is a French bistro that takes Argentina's amazing steaks in a new direction. The chef, Gastón Rivera, serves classic beef cuts like juicy ojo de bife (30.50 pesos), but serves it alongside an impressive array of untraditional side dishes including mashed pumpkin with raisins, beet purée and baked pearl onions in red wine. Arrive early to take advantage of the free champagne at the sidewalk waiting area, while you listen to tango-themed electronica music and watch the beautiful crowd of jet-setting locals and trendy visitors.
12 a.m. 10) HASTA LA MAÑANA
If you're looking to dance, head to the consistently trendy Niceto Club (Niceto Vega 5510; 54-11-4779-9396; www.nicetoclub.com), a multistory venue on an industrial strip lined with auto repair shops. Local bands like Los Alamos and the French Kid Loco play before midnight; afterward, D.J.'s play psychedelic trance and dance music. The crowd peaks around 3 a.m. If you prefer places that get going before 1 a.m., head to Mundo Bizarro (Serrano 1222; 54-11-4773-1967; www.mundobizarrobar.com), a night-life mainstay decorated with 50s pinup posters and a stripper pole. For other hot clubs, check out WhatsUpBuenosAires.com (bilingual) and BuenosAliens.com (Spanish).
Sunday
10 a.m 11) ROSES AND ROSAS
For a break from the careering colectivo buses and bumblebee-colored cabs, go to Parque Tres de Febrero (also known as the Bosques de Palermo) on the city's northern edge. The 965-acre park fills on weekends with runners, cyclists, sun worshipers and the odd club kid unwilling to let Saturday end. Stroll past the placid lake, the whiffle ball-shaped planetarium and the Rosedal garden, which has about 12,000 roses. Those club kids are heading to Arkos (Avenida Casares and Avenida Sarmiento; 54-11-4804-2512; www.clubarkos.com.ar) an after-hours party inside the park that starts Sundays at 7 a.m.
1 p.m. 12) LUNCH + DINNER = BRUNCH
Sunday brunch at Olsen (Gorriti 5870; 54-11-4776-7677; prix fix, with champagne, 27 to 39 pesos) has become a mainstay of expatriates, filmmakers and wealthy Argentines by offering two Buenos Aires rarities: brunch and ethnic food. The décor is pure Scandinavia, with curvy plywood furniture and 60 types of vodkas. Dishes include herring and smoked salmon with Argentine bondiola (pork tenderloin). Call ahead to get an outdoor table on the heated deck, or on the couches around the fireplace (avoid the frenetic tables near the kitchen). In a concession to Argentines' overheated night life, brunch goes on until 8 p.m.
The Basics
Many major American and Latin American airlines fly to Ezeiza International Airport near Buenos Aires from Kennedy Airport in New York. A recent Web search showed round-trip fares starting at around $900. The 20-mile taxi ride to the city's center runs about 60 pesos.
The Art Hotel (Azcuenaga 1268; 54-11-4821-4744; www.arthotel.com.ar), opened in 2004, was among the city's first boutique hotels. The 36 rooms are housed above an art gallery in exclusive Recoleta. Room rates, quoted in United States dollars, start at $65.
The Scandinavian-style Home Hotel (Honduras 5860; 54-11-4778-1008; www.homebuenosaires.com) has become a de rigueur stop for the Wallpaper* magazine set and the place where the rock groups U2 and Franz Ferdinand held concert after-parties. On summer Fridays, Tom Rixton, a co-owner and English record producer, spins what he calls “stupid party music for girls to dance to.” The 18 rooms start at $115.
**looks like we're taking over the right place!**
Palacio Duhau-Park Hyatt Buenos Aires (Avenida Alvear 1661; 54-11-5171-1234; www.buenosaires.park.hyatt.com), opened in July 2006, has 164 rooms split between the renovated 1934 Duhau family mansion and a recent wing. Rooms start at around $370.
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
The Argentine Grape Rush ... we're on it.
From this weekend’s Globe & Mail :
I am trying to savour this innocent period in South American wine history while I can. It won't last, I know.
Unlike most other grape-growing regions, Chile and Argentina seem to be in a weird economic vortex where the quality of the wine is rising faster than the prices.
I know what some of you are thinking. As regular imbibers of more popular wines from Bordeaux, California and Australia, you are under the impression that such a scenario is not possible. After all, the tried-and-true Bordeaux economic model -- much copied in California and to some extent Australia -- dictates that a 10-per-cent improvement in quality from one year to the next justifies a 50-per-cent price increase. Conversely, when quality drops, well, prices continue rising, only not as sharply -- say, by a modest 10 to 20 per cent.
Meanwhile, Chile and Argentina continue to go from strength to strength each year while managing to keep a snug cork on prices. There are adjustments, of course, but they tend to be very modest. How ironic in the case of Argentina, given its infamous recent history with hyperinflation across all other areas of the economy. But hey, wine prices often make a mockery of conventional economics.
The result: Adventurous consumers won't find a bigger selection of exciting values, particularly in the $12-to-$18 range, from anywhere else in the world.
But there's a downside. The value vortex won't last forever. Clearly, the word is out about Chile and has been for some time, evidenced by big-money investments of blue-chip players such as Robert Mondavi from California and the Mouton Rothschild clan from France.
And now the Argentine grape rush is in full swing, led by three illustrious names from, yes, inflation-happy Bordeaux: the LCF Rothschild Group, superstar consultant Michel Rolland, and the dynamic hemisphere-hopping duo of Jacques and François Lurton. I suspect it won't be long before these shrewd Old World explorers will want to earn back more than just air miles for their trouble. Indeed, the Lurton brothers have already come out with a $50 Chilean red based on carmenère, a grape many connoisseurs scoff at.
The moral is, if you haven't hoisted your share of underpriced gems from South America yet -- or laid down a few cellar-worthy beauties for sharp-buyer bragging rights in a decade or two -- you might want to do it now.
I am trying to savour this innocent period in South American wine history while I can. It won't last, I know.
Unlike most other grape-growing regions, Chile and Argentina seem to be in a weird economic vortex where the quality of the wine is rising faster than the prices.
I know what some of you are thinking. As regular imbibers of more popular wines from Bordeaux, California and Australia, you are under the impression that such a scenario is not possible. After all, the tried-and-true Bordeaux economic model -- much copied in California and to some extent Australia -- dictates that a 10-per-cent improvement in quality from one year to the next justifies a 50-per-cent price increase. Conversely, when quality drops, well, prices continue rising, only not as sharply -- say, by a modest 10 to 20 per cent.
Meanwhile, Chile and Argentina continue to go from strength to strength each year while managing to keep a snug cork on prices. There are adjustments, of course, but they tend to be very modest. How ironic in the case of Argentina, given its infamous recent history with hyperinflation across all other areas of the economy. But hey, wine prices often make a mockery of conventional economics.
The result: Adventurous consumers won't find a bigger selection of exciting values, particularly in the $12-to-$18 range, from anywhere else in the world.
But there's a downside. The value vortex won't last forever. Clearly, the word is out about Chile and has been for some time, evidenced by big-money investments of blue-chip players such as Robert Mondavi from California and the Mouton Rothschild clan from France.
And now the Argentine grape rush is in full swing, led by three illustrious names from, yes, inflation-happy Bordeaux: the LCF Rothschild Group, superstar consultant Michel Rolland, and the dynamic hemisphere-hopping duo of Jacques and François Lurton. I suspect it won't be long before these shrewd Old World explorers will want to earn back more than just air miles for their trouble. Indeed, the Lurton brothers have already come out with a $50 Chilean red based on carmenère, a grape many connoisseurs scoff at.
The moral is, if you haven't hoisted your share of underpriced gems from South America yet -- or laid down a few cellar-worthy beauties for sharp-buyer bragging rights in a decade or two -- you might want to do it now.
Thursday, February 1, 2007
!Bienvenido!
Welcome to the adventures of the excessively fabulous.
One Southern Hemisphere
Two Countries
Three Modes of Transportation
Four Drink Minimum
Five Destinations
Six SPF Maximum
Seven Excessively Fabulous Girls
No matter how you do the math, it's infinite Trouble.
* buenos aires * colonia * montevideo * punta del este * mendoza *
One Southern Hemisphere
Two Countries
Three Modes of Transportation
Four Drink Minimum
Five Destinations
Six SPF Maximum
Seven Excessively Fabulous Girls
No matter how you do the math, it's infinite Trouble.
* buenos aires * colonia * montevideo * punta del este * mendoza *
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