Shakira Arrives

When someone clearly deserves their star status and has their head stuck on straight, I pull for them and hope they carve their place in history. There really aren't too many people who fit that bill, but one who does is Shakira. It's hard to believe this young lady has only just tuned 31; she has been at the top for over a decade. How "top"? Well, in 2007 she was the fourth highest earning female performer in music, trailing only Madonna, Barbra Streisand, and Celine Dion. She made U$S 38 million last year.

Shakira has been coming to Jose Ignacio for inspiration for about seven or eight years, first staying with a friend (the guy who developed Narbona, the subject of my last post) and then buying her own "finca" a few years ago. She arrived at her finca again two days ago for a 21-day stay to write new songs and produce her next album in her rustic recording studio. There have been rumors she would marry her Argentinean boyfriend during this stay, but she squelched those in the interviews she granted to the world press yesterday. She spent the whole afternoon dealing with the press, in hopes they will leave her alone for the rest of her stay. The picture above was part of the press's haul yesterday.

If anyone reading this doesn't know who Shakira is, and if the phrase "Hips Don't Lie" doesn't ring a bell (that's a pun --the song is one of, if not the most downloaded ring-tones in history), go to http://www.shakira.com/ and read all about her.

Bodega y Granja Narbona, and Lo de Miguel

The Punta del Este area offers several "destination" restaurants a few miles inland from the coast, the most famous of which is Garzon, owned by the well known Argentinean chef Francis Mallmann. In late December 2007, a restaurant that easily rivals Garzon opened in the beautiful, gently rolling, and ridiculously peaceful countryside about two miles inland from La Barra. This inland strip running from La Barra all the way to Jose Ignacio, unknown to the vast majority of tourists, is home to "fincas" (large farms) belonging to some of the richest and best known people in South America, among them Shakira, Julio Iglesias, and Valeria Mazza.

The new restaurant is called Lo de Miguel. It is part of a small complex developed by an Argentinean financier that also contains a bar, an "almacen," and an art gallery, all housed in separate buildings surrounding a central courtyard and fountain. The complex is located on a gently sloping hillside in the middle of the vineyards and vegetable fields of the local extension of Bodega and Granja Narbona. This bodega's main operation is in Carmelo, Uruguay, where its estancia dates from 1732 and wine has been produced since 1909.

The complex, though brand new, looks as if it had been constructed in the 19th century and lovingly preserved. The buildings are essentially one-room masonry constructions with exposed brick walls and ceiling beams and plank flooring, and all furnishings are rustic, some dating from the early 20th century. All have covered breezeways opening onto the central courtyard, where groups can sit and chat over drinks and cheeses. Tranquility reigns throughout. We were there for lunch yesterday. Part of the charm of going during the day is observing the workers going about the business of tending to the vegetable gardens and vineyards, or bringing provisions to the almacen (which is a small retail store stocked with crackers, breads, wine, liquors, cheeses and preserves produced at Narbona).

The lunch was simply fantastic. We shared a "fritata," which is a large starter of lightly breaded shrimps, fish bits and calamaris, after which my wife had salmon and I had brotola (the local fish) in blackened butter and capers, both accompanied by ratatuille. We decided to pass on the Voignier "Finca Valeria," made from grapes grown on Valeria Mazza's finca (which either orders or almost borders Narbona), and opted instead for the Voignier from the Narbona vineyards in Carmelo. Our co-diners were mosty young families from the surrounding fincas, both parents and children looking like models straight from Ralph Lauren catalogs. After lunch, we browsed the art gallery and picked up some crackers and preserves in the almacen. We agreed we should return another day for late afternoon drinks in the bar, when there is supposed to be live piano, and yet again for dinner, when the illuminated courtyard no doubt is spectacular.

Overall, this development merits an A+. I strongly recommend an outing to Narbona, and a meal at Lo de Miguel.

More Boutique Hotels in Jose Ignacio

In an earlier post I mentioned that the Setai Group had obtained final approval and presumably would start construction soon on their luxury boutique hotel and bungalows along the beach right at the entrance to Jose Ignacio. Now the Spanish hotel groupVik has announced, at an international tourism fair in Madrid, that it will construct two more boutique hotels in Jose Ignacio. One will use an existing estancia of 44 hectares on the Laguna de Jose ignacio, while the other will be built on the beach near the "faro" (the lighthouse, pictured above, courtesy of Vivapunta.com). Both will make extensive use of Uruguayan art and Uruguayan decorators.

The Vik group has several hotels in Spain, the Canary Islands, the Dominican Republic and elsewhere. Some are luxury, some are ultra luxury. The two in Jose Ignacio will qualify as ultra-special, super-duper luxury: According to the announcement, rates are to be around 1000 Euros per person per day. At today's exchange rate, that would be just a little under U$S 3000 per day for two people.

No word yet on where they stand in the approval process, nor on when they hope to open. I'll update if more information comes my way.

Drinking Clerico at Le Club

Everyone retains memories of perfect summer moments from their childhood, scenes that were repeated often during long, languid afternoons when all seemed well with the world. Somehow, adulthood doesn't lend itslf to creating such memories. But in the 2+ years we've been in Punta del Este, at least a couple of recurring images have already become imprinted in my mind. One is eating lunch at La Huella, the seaside restaurant I wrote about in an earlier post. The other is drinking clerico on the deck overlooking the beach and the ocean at Le Club, in La Barra.

Le Club is an interesting small hotel-cum-restaurant that merits a post of its own one day. But today is about clerico (there's an accent over the "o," so it's pronounced "kler-i-KOH"). Clerico is the universal summertime drink in Punta del Este, seen on almost every table in every restaurant on every day. It's basically dry white wine and fruit, just as sangria is basically red wine and fruit. In fact, in some Latin countries and in Spain it is sometimes referred to as "Sangria Blanco," but something that translates more or less as "white bleeding" doesn't sound very appetizing. Why the Argentineans and Uruguayans named it clerico is anyone's guess, but it does have a better ring.

While it's basically dry white wine and fruit, that's only the beginning. There are a number of "recipes," in which champagne might be substituted for wine, soda water might be added, any variety of fruits might be listed. We've had it many different ways, and my wife's version (in which Triple Sec plays a large role) is itself a standout. But the clerico at Le Club is famous all over Punta del Este, so famous that the restaurant printed up postcards with the recipe to give people when they ask what makes it so good. The picture heading up this post is our jar of clerico at Le Club this afternoon, and herewith, a free translation of the recipe:

"No more than approximately 200 grams of a variety of seasonal fruits (apple, peach, pineapple, strawberry, grape, banana) cut into very small pieces, placed in a "generous" glass jar. We add about 11 pieces of ice and two tablespoons of white sugar. We then pour in a touch of rum and banana and peach liquors, half a glass of orange juice, and a bottle (750 ml) of white wine. [They always use a specific brand of wine, San Felipe Caramagnola.] With a long spoon, preferably a wooden one, we mash the fruit, mix all the ingredients together, and enjoy. After a little while, we ask for another."

Amen.

Classic Cars

This Ford belongs to a house three blocks from ours; I've passed it every morning for a month on my walk to buy the newspapers. Later in the day it's often missing, suggesting the owner has it on the roads.

Every January, seemingly hundreds of classic cars appear around Punta del Este. Corvettes from the 1960s, Mercedes coupes from the 1950s, tiny Fiats and Peugeots, original Jeeps from WII, Morgans, MGBs, old Porsches, really old examples like this Ford, and on and on. I do not know who owns them, but I have a theory. My wife tells me that in the 1930s, before marrying, her father owned one of the handful of Bugattis in Argentina, and that he took it to Punta del Este for the season. He eventally sold the Bugatti (yikes!!). My theory is that many men like her father did not sell their favorite automotive toy, but passed it down in the family, and these cars that show up on the streets every year are these old family treasures, now kept in garages in Punta del Este and brought out each year for a few weeks of pure joy.

I know of at least two classic car dealerships in the area. One, only four blocks from our house, keeps rotating the cars sitting out front. Whether they are buying and selling these cars all the time, or whether these are cars they are maintaining for the owners in the off-season, I don't know. Whatever the full story, one of the little pleasures of Punta del Este is happening upon one of these classics along the side of the road or, more often, tooling along.

San Vicente de Cocineros

On an empty stretch of about four miles along Ruta 10, the coastal road, on the way to Jose Ignacio from La Barra, there's nothing but ocean on one's right and fields and forests on one's left. Except, that is, for the incipient barrio of San Vicente, marked by a simple wooden gateway and one large house visible from the road. The idea is that this will be an exclusive enclave of large estates. For now, the only reason to visit is to try out a restaurant, San Vicente de Cocineros, built entirely of wood, glass and stone and nestled unobtrusively into the woods along one of the interior dirt roads in the barrio. This I strongly recommend, as for my money this is one of the very best restaurants in the Punta del Este area.

We were lucky enough to hear about this restaurant before it was built, as a friend of my wife's cousin was involved in its creation. In early December 2005 my wife was attending asados (cookouts) on the vacant lot where the restaurant was to be built. (She had gone down early to oversee renovation of our house; I had not yet arrived, yet.) Then, within three weeks the entire place was put together for a grand opening before the New Year.

It is very hard to learn about this restaurant, as it does not advertise as far as I know and doesn't even participate in many of the listings of restaurants that are handed out during the season. There's no sign along the road to announce the restaurant's presence, just a beat-up pick-up truck parked on the side of the road at the entrance to the barrio with a hand-lettered chalkboard sign propped up in the truck bed saying (in English) something like "open, grill, sushi." The picture above is the simple sign that greets you as you start to enter the restaurant.

Those I know who have gone during the restaurant's three seasons of operation share our view of its quality. There's a resident chef, but the restaurant also brings in "star" chefs from Buenos Aires and other South American cities for guest runs of a week or so. Because of the rotating chefs the offerings change, but there usually are choices of beef, pasta, and fish dishes at a minimum, and often lamb, chicken and pork as well. This year they have also added a extensive selection of sushi.

The restaurant grows its own vegetables and herbs (one enters the restaurant by walking through the herb garden), and even raises some of the animals used in the cooking. The atmosphere is rustic chic. The service is a bit more attentive than normal in Argentina and Uruguay, but still unobtrusive. There's an open parrilla and also an attractive bar area. In addition to regular tables, there are a couple of seating areas with sofas, low tables, and fireplaces. One of those areas is pictured below.

For the first two years the prices here were probably the highest in the area, or certainly close. This year they have dropped the price of the food significantly (ever heard of that before?), but if anything they have ratcheted the wine list up a notch. It's quite possible two people will spend more on their bottle of wine than on all the food they consume between them. This is not because the wines are over-priced, as they definitely are not, but rather because the wine list contains only the best of the best.

We went again last night. The resident chef was in charge. We shared calamari rings (called "rabas" here), my wife had a rather fancy chicken dish prepared in a wok, and I had beef with ratatouille. All excellent, as on all previous occasions.

Fundacion Pablo Atchugarry

An Uruguayan sculptor, Pablo Atchugarry, made a name or himself in Europe over the last three decades, working mostly from his studio in Italy. Now, he has decided to give back to Uruguay. Toward the end of 2007 he opened a new gallery/studio combination about two miles inland from the beach at Montoya (just outside La Barra),where he will work about 5 months of the year and also present rotating exhibitions of (primarily) Uruguayan sculptors, painters and photographers.

We checked out the complex yesterday, and found it well worth the effort. The buildings are located on several acres, with huge metal and stone sculptures spread throughout the property. One can actually watch Atchugarry carving on large marble blocks inside his workshop. The gallery is divided between rooms with a presumably permanent exhibition of some of Atchugarry's smaller works (both sculptures and paintings) and others with the temporary exhibitions. All are very well presented.

It Took a Nobel Laureate

In an earlier post I discussed the "chivito," the national sandwich of Uruguay. Here I'll talk about another food that's ubiquitous in Punta del Este, although it is usually associated more with Argentina. By the way, there's nothing unusual about an Argentinean food being found all over Punta del Este; after all, the history of Uruguay's founding supports the oft-stated concept that Uruguayans and Argentineans are "brothers separated at birth." Moreover, historically most vacationers in Punta del Este have been from Buenos Aires, although that is changing.

The food for today is "salsa golf," which any upstanding denizen of Punta del Este will aways order to accompany his or her appetizer of grilled or lightly fried seafood. What is it? Well, the recipe has been a closely guarded secret until now, but I'll blow the lid -- it's ketchup and mayonnaise, mixed together. Some people will contend that there must also be lemon juice, but that's just an effort to make the recipe more "refined" than it really is. Mix ketchup and mayonnaise and you have salsa golf. Or buy it already "prepared" in any grocery store in Punta del Este.

Why does this simple mixture even have a name? Ah, because there's a story behind the mixture. An Argentinean named Luis Federico Leloir won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1970. Leloir was also a golfer who summered, not in Punta del Este but in the Argentinean beach resort town of Mar del Plata. People say he was addicted to the fried seafood at his golf club in Mar del Plata and would while away the time nibbling and reading and chatting in the clubhouse before or after a round of golf. One day in the early 1970s, he asked the kitchen at the club to bring to the table all of their sauces, as he was looking for something new to try with his usual snack. He proceeded to spend hours trying out various mixtures, until he finally hit on just the right combination of, yes, ketchup and mayonnaise to make the perfect sauce. Others tried and liked it and took the "recipe" back to Buenos Aires for the winter, and soon "salsa golf" was being manufactured commercially.

Although Leloir developed salsa golf to accompany seafood, and it is still the preferred condiment for grilled or fried seafood, it has actually become identified even more with a different dish: fresh hearts of palm. I defy anyone to eat hearts of palm with salsa golf once, and thereafter eat hearts of palm without salsa golf ever again. There's just something about the combination that is irresistible.

My Favorite House

The houses in the Punta del Este area reflect the different styles that predominated in beach and resort housing across the 20th Century and the first decade of the 21st. There's everything from two-story whitewashed stone with red tile roofs (the style of the 1920s and 1930s, when many of the remaining houses on the peninsula were built) to the stone, metal and glass (lots of glass) style that is ubiquitous among the multi-million dollar mansions going up all over Jose Ignacio. And everything in-between is represented in at least a few houses here and there.

Among all these houses and all these styles, I am constantly drawn back to the house pictured above. I don't know what an architect would call the style -- Mediterranean? Bermudian? modified Spanish cortijo? Whatever the style, for me the lines of the house, the blazing whiteness of the walls and the light wood of the shutters, the open spaces of the lawn with low pines accenting but not dominating the structure, and the setting right on the water all combine to make the perfect coastal home.

This house sits with three others right on the beach between Punta Ballena and the beginning of the Pinares neighborhood of Punta del Este; it's easily viewed from the main coastal road. The view from the house itself must be one of the best in the entire area, as it stretches from the high rises at the entrance to the peninsula of Punta del Este in the distance off to the left, takes in Isla Gorritti offshore and the sweeping expanse of La Mansa beach, and then continues on to Punta Ballena off to the right.

One thing the picture doesn't capture is the beauty of the roof. It is made of small, flat tiles that appear to be composed of some mixture of seashells, although I'm not really sure. Whatever the composition, the roof reflects light ever so gently and has a soft, silvery blue hue that accentuates the blues of water and sky.

I have no idea who owns this house. If we live here long enough, maybe we will meet them and merit (or just beg!) an invitation to see the inside.

The 2008 "Season," Part II

As I mentioned in Part I, the peak season runs from about December 20 to about January 15. According to the local press, the peak season was a big success in terms of hotel bookings, a continued increase in the number of Brazilian and "non-regional" (i.e., European and North American) visitors, a tick up in the number of Argentineans (whose numbers had been significantly diminished the last two years by blocking of bridges linking Argentina and Uruguay), and the per-visitor amount spent. The fact that the Punta area continues to attract more wealth visitors but perhaps fewer of the middle range was reflected in the market for house rentals. Houses at the high end, those going for U$S 20,000 to $100,000 for the peak season, were all rented. But in the middle and lower price ranges, it seems about 40% of the offerings went unrented.

The farther up the coast from the peninsula one goes the more one notices an increase in visitors over previous years. For instance, Jose Ignacio, the northernmost and least developed part of the Punta area and where almost all of the houses are high end, is busier than ever. And the very undeveloped areas even farther toward Brazil, places like Punta del Diablo and La Paloma, are overflowing with young backpackers; it's only a matter of time until those areas become much more developed.

Perhaps the biggest news of this season in terms of new developments is that final approval was given in December for The Setai Group to build their luxury hotel and ocean-side bungalows along one of the pristine beaches in Jose Ignacio. This development will be right at the entrance to Jose Ignacio and probably will change he first impression one receives upon reaching the village. The development is sure to be tasteful and luxurious, but many are already bemoaning the loss of wide-open beaches.

Every year various international celebrities pass through the area. One who returns annually is Naomi Campbell, pictured below in the garden of the house where she stayed this year with friends (the Cipriati family). The tiny picture below Ms.Campbell is the retired French soccer
star Zidane, arriving at the airport with his wife and one of his sons. There have been many other "notables."

As for the yacht pictured above, it's Le Grand Bleu, the sixth largest private yacht in the world at just over 370 feet in length. It's been parked about 300 yards offshore near the port since Sunday. Launched in 2000, it has passed through a few hands, including those of the Russian exile Roman Abramovich, coming to rest last year in those of Eugene Shivdler, one of the new Russian oil barons. According to the local press, the yacht is here with eight passengers and a crew of 37. It also carries a 72-foot sailboat, a 68-foot power cruiser, a mini-submarine (primarily for mine sweeping, according to the crew), a helicopter and a Land Rover. The staterooms have fireplaces, so there are also five tons of firewood on board.

The View(s) from Punta Ballena

Although the Punta del Este area can be said to start earlier as one drives in from Montevideo, it really announces itself when one reaches Punta Ballena. The road curves more toward the water and climbs toward the crest of the peninsula that is Punta Ballena, and suddenly one gets panoramic views of water, beach and sky in two different directions, back toward Montevideo and ahead toward the peninsula of Punta del Este. I took the picture above last Sunday afternoon from this spot looking back toward Montevideo, and a few minutes later took the picture below from a spot 200 meters away looking ahead toward the peninsula.

Gallery Nights Opening Party

For most of the year an organization called Artealdia sponsors Friday night "open houses" at art galleries in various neighborhoods of Buenos Aires; it's known as "Gallery Nights." In January, Gallery Nights moves to Punta del Este, mostly in the area known as La Barra. About 25 galleries are open from around 8 p.m. until after midnight each Friday evening, with free champagne and some of the artists available to discuss their work and chat. On January 2, the kick-off party for the 2008 version of Gallery Nights was held at Lasarte Gallery, an artist-owned gallery in La Barra. We are friends with the artist, Mercedes Lasarte, so we went and mingled with the two hundred or so other invitees. Here's a shot of part of the crowd.

There's a locally famous modeling agency, Dotto Models, run by a 50-something year old guy named "Pancho" Dotto, that is based in Buenos Aires but has installed itself with many of the current models in a ranch along the coast a few miles from Jose Ignacio every summer for the last 20 years. Website: http://www.dottomodels.net/. (There are pictures of many of the current models, male and female. Gives you some idea of what Argentina and Uruguay have to offer for the younger set.) Dotto and about a dozen of his models were at the party. I picked out my favorite and asked for a pose, and got the following (one of Mercedes Lasarte's paintings as background):

Finally, the Weather Cooperates

After a solid week of clouds and intermittent rain, yesterday was a picture-perfect day in Punta. The beaches were packed, the restaurants were over-flowing, the people were smiling everywhere. The season was jump-started. My wife, her mother and I spent the day lounging by our pool, drinking "clerico" (white wine, lots of fruit, lots of ice), and thinking about where to eat dinner. We settled on Citrus, a second-floor restaurant on the point of the peninsula near the port, with excellent sushi, interesting fish and meat dishes, and sterling views both out to sea and back toward the port and the high-rises on shore. The picture above is yesterday's sunset, as seen from Citrus. The one below is a terrace at Citrus, looking toward the port.

David Nalbandian at the Conrad

Every year the Conrad Punta del Este Resort and Casino presents a tiny little tennis tournament right before New Year's, always four players over two days, always a headliner with three in the supporting cast. This year the headliner is David Nalbandian, the Argentinean ranked third in the world as recently as March 2006 and recently back on his game with a vengeance: he defeated Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal twice each, and rather easily, while winning the last two Masters Series tournaments of 2007 and climbing to ninth in the world rankings. The supporting cast members are the Argentinean Mariano Zabaleta, the Ecuadoran Nicolas Lapentti, and the Uruguayan Pablo Cuevas. The matches are tomorrow and Saturday, December 28 and 29.

Acqua

In an earlier post I discussed the dozens of new luxury condominium buildings that have been started in Punta del Este since 2004. The most spectacular, in terms of amenities, size of units, and price, is Acqua, which is taking shape rapidly at Parada 19 of Playa Brava, facing the Atlantic Ocean. This rambling, 4-floor building will have 33 units, all huge, all containing every amenity known to an architect. The largest penthouses will measure 17,750 square feet, with private infinity pools of nearly 4000 square feet, and sell for U$S 7.4 million.

The design is by Rafael Vinoly, a native of Uruguay who moved his architectural studio to New York City about 25 years ago. Among his credits are the new Cleveland Museum of Art (under construction), the Neurosciences Center at the National Institutes of Health, University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, the Children's Hospital at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Samsung Tower in Seoul, the football stadium at Princeton University, the International Forum in Tokyo, and the Fendi Boutique and Jazz at Lincoln Center (among tens of other buildings) in New York City. Acqua will be his first project in his native country (although it will be closely followed by the redesign and renovation of the international airport in Montevideo).

At the 2007 International Real Estate Convention in Madrid (SIMA), generally regarded as the leading such convention in the world, Acqua was named "Most Attractive International Project" from among more than 800 entrants from 50 countries.

http://www.acqua.com.uy/

Casa Suaya Opens Near Jose Ignacio

Route 10 is the main road that runs along the water for 25 miles from Punta del Este to Jose Ignacio. At Jose Ignacio the road turns from pavement to dirt and continues on for several more miles to a ferry that crosses an inlet. About half-way along this dirt road beyond Jose Ignacio, Adolfo Suaya has opened the latest and hottest "boutique" lodging in the Punta del Este area, Casa Suaya. The picture pretty much explains the attraction of the location. One building is Suaya's own vacation home, the other is the boutique. That's the Atlantic Ocean at the top. If you walked from the boutique to the beach and took a right, you could stroll along the water

for a few miles to Jose Ignacio.

Suaya is an Argentinean (occasionally described as "Brazilian born," but he's Argentinean) who went to Hollywood around 1985 hoping to become a movie star. He has a filmography, but he really made his name and his money combining shrewd real estate investing and inventive restaurant development. His first restaurant venture, the Gaucho Grills, became institutions in the Los Angeles area, and he moved on to have interests in more than 15 different eateries where the Hollywood crowd loves to be seen. As far as I know Casa Suaya is his first venture into lodging.

You can learn all about the boutique, both as it exists and as Suaya plans it to grow in the future, at the official web site and in some of the write-ups it has already garnered in the press:

http://www.casasuaya.com/

http://travel.latimes.com/articles/la-trw-uruguay2sep02

http://www.jetsetreport.com/hotels.php?

articleId=143&PHPSESSID=9b6b831a58dc7270ff445e546d923cb8

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9903E3D91139F931A35751C1A9619C8B63

The 2008 "Season," Part I

Over the next couple of months I hope to give a flavor of the "season" in Punta del Este through periodic posts about both what happens this year and what has occurred in seasons past.

High season in Punta del Este runs from about December 20 through about January 15. After that, there's a marked fall off to a lower plateau of activity, which continues until around the end of February. There's still a fairly strong pulse in March, then the area pretty much goes into hibernation until around mid-November, when things begin building slowly toward the next high season. The tourist industry -- which is to say, everyone, since the area (and much of the country of Uruguay) lives on tourism -- keeps trying to extend the season, but so far without noticeable success.

Historically, it was fair to say that Punta's fortunes rose and fell with those of Argentina, as a very high percentage of summer visitors came from Buenos Aires. In the late 1990s, as Argentina's economic fortunes once again went into decline, to culminate in the horrendous crisis of 2001-2002, the tourism leaders of Uruguay began marketing Punta del Este heavily throughout Mexico, Central and South America, and in Spain, Italy and other parts of Europe. Simultaneously, Brazil's growing middle and upper classes began looking for something a bit more sophisticated than their own (admittedly beautiful) beach resorts, and discovered Punta del Este right next door, and knowledge of the special attractions of Jose Ignacio also began spreading by word-of-mouth around the world.

As a result, the number of Argentinean visitors declined because of the economic crisis, the number of Brazilian visitors rose dramatically, and there was a slow increase in visitors from the rest of Latin America (particularly Chile, whose economy has been strong), from Europe, and even from North America. Then, in 2005, Argentinean environmental protestors began blocking international bridges linking Argentina to Uruguay, even more severely reducing the number of Argentineans who have come to Punta del Este the last two seasons. Official Uruguayan statistics show that Argentinean visitors are off over 30% in the last two years, and close to 50% from their levels before the economic crisis, while at the same time Brazilian visitors are up an even higher percentage, and visitors from the rest of the world keep increasing steadily. Punta del Este has a much more international flavor than even a few years ago.

All of these trends are reflected by some interesting "data points" about the last two seasons and the high season just starting:

-- While the absolute number of visitors has declined (the increase in Brazilians and others has not been made up for the dramatic fall-off in the number of Argentineans), the income from the season for hotels, shops, and restaurants has risen significantly over the last two years and is expected to do so again this year. Speaking in broad generalities, Punta del Este has begun changing out some of the Argentinean middle class, with lower buying power, for more of the international crowd with higher buying buyer.

-- There is a crying shortage of both high-end hotel rooms and high-end restaurants. This is because of the transition from Argentineans, who usually came for at least two weeks and often a month, rented a house and ate most meals at home, to the more international set which comes for shorter periods and is accustomed to staying in 5-star hotels and eating out all the time. At least in season, the demand could probably justify double or even triple the number of both luxury hotels and "gourmet" restaurants that exist now; but the Catch-22 is how to make new ventures economically viable given the extremely short high season.

-- While the local municipal authorities made topless sun-bathing legal throughout the Punta del Este area around 1999 or 2000, the practice has been limited almost exclusively to the remoter beaches in Jose Ignacio, leaving aside the clothing optional beach called Chihuahua. Earlier this month, however, a couple of young Europeans doffed their bikini tops right at Parada 1 of La Mansa, which is in the heart of restaurant and condominium row at the start of the peninsula, and several other women, including some Uruguayans, quickly followed. This received a write-up in the leading Montevideo newspaper, with the conclusion of the writer being that this shows the increasing "Europeanization" of Punta del Este!

-- Whereas in earlier years the social events of the season with the largest impact have almost always been exclusively Argentinean-led, this year the biggest event is shaping up to be the wedding of Shakira, the Colombian pop music star, to the son of a previous Argentinean president, at her chacra (ranch) outside Jose Ignacio. It's sort of a "transition" event in the development of Punta del Este: half-Argentinean, half-not, with the high-wattage media interest clearly supplied by the non-Argentinean part. The Uruguayan press has also written about various other multi-tens-of-thousand-dollar private events to be hosted by high-spenders from a smorgasbord of countries, including Abu Dhabi.

When a "Chivito" Is Not a Little Goat

From time to time I'll post a little about the local culture (broadly defined) of Punta del Este, to explain some of what one will see and hear on a visit. What better place to start than the unofficial "national dish" of Uruguay, the "chivito," which was invented in Punta del Este. This is, essentially, a steak sandwich, and is omni-present on restaurant menus throughout Uruguay and the star of an entire assembly-line operation near the port of Punta del Este called Chiveteria Marcos.

Behind every classic dish lies a legend about its invention, and the chivito is no different. In this case, the legend may actually be true, as it appears in virtually the same form in all the books on Punta del Este history that I've seen, as well as in various Montevideo and Buenos Aires newspaper articles over the years. El Mejillon Bar was a 24-hour bar located right at the beginning of the peninsula, opened in 1945 and for decades the most popular meeting place in the entire area. One day in 1947 or 1948 (the accounts vary) a client stopped by on his way back to Buenos Aires at the end of the season and requested something "fast" to eat, preferably something with the meat of young goat, or "chivito" in colloquial Spanish. The proprietor was temporarily out of goat meat, but desiring to please, whipped up a substitute on the spot: a bun toasted in butter, and inside a slice of steak half the thickness of finger, a much thinner slice of ham, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise. The client was enchanted with this different type of "chivito," as he and the proprietor jokingly called it, and spread the word among all his friends in Buenos Aires. The next season the sandwich became such a hit that El Mejillon was selling over 1000 "chivitos" per day.

Every classic dish gets modified by would-be improvers, and in this the chivito also is no different. Today, most restaurants serve at least two variations, the "classic" chivito and the "Canadiense." The "classic" chivito will actually vary from place to place, as many add cheese or sliced boiled egg or some other ingredient to the original simplicity of steak, ham, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise. The "Canadiense" can approach the dimensions of a "Dagwood Bumstead" concoction, with bacon, olives, cooked red peppers, sliced chicken and many other ingredients added to the classic ones. (I have no idea why it's called the "Canadiense.") A few menus include several other variations with creative names. Most places also will serve a "chivito al plato" or "Canadiense al plato," which are the ingredients without the bun, usually with a bit more salad-type ingredients added. Both the sandwich and the "al plato" version can be accompanied by french fries or chips.

The chivito can be either one of the best foods you've ever eaten, or a disappointment; it all depends on whether the restaurant uses the best cut of steak and fresh ingredients and takes the preparation seriously, or instead just views the dish as "fast food" and throws it together.

By the way, the bun on which a chivito is served also bears an animal name: it's called a "tortuga," which means "turtle."

Automobile Races in Punta del Este This Weekend

The rambla (the street beside the ocean) along La Brava and nearby streets are blocked off and lined with cement barricades. Grandstands are in place at strategic viewing spots. Auto racing aficionados are streaming into town, and huge transport trailers began arriving this morning to unload over 60 very fast-looking cars in all colors of the rainbow (and covered in advertising), some of them modified touring cars, others low-slung "formula" cars very similar to the ones seen in Formula One races. All this because three races will be held in Punta del Este over the next three days: the season-ending race of the Argentinean series "TC2000," a race in the Renault Formula 1.6 series, and one in the Copa Megane series.

TC2000 is the leading "touring car" race series in South America, dating back to 1979. It's more or less like the Nascar series in the United States, with official teams sponsored by different automobile companies and others by private syndicates. Drivers are internationally famous, many of them also drivers of Formula 1 cars in Europe. Most races are held within Argentina, but the series does venture into neighboring countries like Brazil and Uruguay. The race in Punta del Este will see cars from over 30 teams, including official teams from Honda, Volkswagen, General Motors, Renault, and several other companies.

The Renault Formula 1.6 series, which is run all over the world, features a totally different type of vehicle -- low-slung, bullet-shaped cars that could pass for the Formula One racers seen at Monte Carlo and other venues. The Copa Megane, also run over the world, is limited to one brand, Renaults.

This will be the first event like this in Punta del Este in over 20 years, but my understanding from at least two people here who profess to now these things is that the intention is to bring serious auto-racing to this area if not annually, then certainly every three or four years. There's even a fleshed-out proposal to construct a Formula One track just down the coast from Punta del Este toward Piriapolis (that's in the direction of Montevideo), in hopes of attracting a stop in the premier racing series in the world.

The picture is from a previous race in the Renault Formula 1.6 series, in a different location.

"From the Sea to the Woods"

There's a major concentration of restaurants near the port on the peninsula in Punta del Este. This year, three long-running members of the group are gone. El Mejillon folded and the space is for rent. Kika's sold out and there's a new restaurant, Guappa, already open in the space. The third disappearance is a little more interesting, as it involves not a death but a reincarnation.

For nearly two decades Blue Cheese was a fixture along the "rambla" right before one reached the port. With its covered terrace out front overlooking the water; its blue-and-white decor; its excellent takes on the traditional Punta del Este fare of seafood, pasta and steaks; a fine wine list; and an extensive salad bar (unique, or virtually so, in the area), Blue Cheese was always filled and mostly with veterans of many summers as opposed to one-time tourists. Then, last year, the owner sold the low-slung building (which previously had been a summer cottage) to developers who will tear it down and build a 5-story luxury condominium. It easily could have been the end of another institution. Instead, the cook and all the long-time waiters banded together and moved their entire production a few blocks inland to a nice residential street, taking over another old summer cottage that had housed a so-so parrilla. They painted it blue and white a la Blue Cheese, put in the same 15-item salad bar that had graced Blue Cheese, recreated essentially the same menu as Blue Cheese, procured most of the same wines, and named the place -- no, not Blue Cheese, but "Beef Eaters." As a subtle hint at the connection to the old Blue Cheese, however, their logo out front and over the door includes, right below the name, the phrase "del mar al bosque," or "from the sea to the woods."

I don't know if they will make it, but they deserve every opportunity, so please spread the word that folks should give them a try. My wife and I had dinner there a few days ago, and I can say, without exaggeration, that my green pepper steak was among the very best pieces of meat I have ever eaten, the salad bar was as good as ever, and it was a pleasure to see all the familiar faces in a somewhat new, somewhat old setting.