South America Surf Travel Wine

An Ode to the Off-Season in Punta del Este, Uruguay

Photography by Samantha Demangate When you think of lavishness and wealth, Uruguay hardly comes to mind. It’s a small, unpretentious, and nature oriented country where being flashy is far from respected by society. Yet, even though it’s one of the most humble places on the continent, the city of Punta del Este has become South America’s riviera. Every year, millions of people pour onto its sandy beaches and into its hotels and casinos, hoping to…

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South America

The Curious Markets of Montevideo

Built along the strategic natural harbor of Montevideo Bay, the city of Montevideo continues to be a South American urban jewel and hub for culture and cuisine. What a better way to experience this than to shop at its famous markets. Towering enclosed spaces and open air strolls; these are not just ordinary markets. They are the hearts of the city.  Feria de Tristán Narvaja (Sunday) Sunday markets fill an important communal role in city…

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South America

Neighborhood Profile: Palermo, Buenos Aires Part 1

Photography by Samantha Demangate Polo, parks, gardens, and high-rise apartments are what many first-time visitors to Buenos Aires associate with the Palermo neighborhood. In reality, Palermo is all of this, and so much more. Palermo is the largest of Buenos Aires’s 48 neighborhoods. The once sleepy, middle-class barrio became riddled with creative entrepreneurs, entertainers, restaurateurs, baristas, and other individuals, art collectives, and businesses that bolstered its ascension into hipsterdom.  Like every other corner of Buenos…

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South America

The Streets of Buenos Aires: Avenida Santa Fe

Photography by Samantha Demangate “You have to walk down Avenida Santa Fe while you’re here,” says our local friend. We pester her for her opinions about Buenos Aires’s must-do and must-experience things. The avenida, she tells us, is an avenue of fashion and architecture. This imaginary boundary between the unofficial Barrio Norte and the city center is, for many local Porteños, a walk through the past, present, and future of the city.  One aspect of…

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Food South America

Neighborhood Profile: China Town of Buenos Aires

Photography by Samantha Demangate Disembarking from the modern Belgrano C train station, you enter another world. Sights and sensations rarely associated with Buenos Aires surround you. As you step out of the station, a towering gate emblazoned with Chinese characters stretches above. The smell of grilled meat with sizzling soy-sauce and five-spice marinades caramelizing over open flames hits you like a ton of bricks. Loud street vendors shout various dialects of Chinese mixed with Porteño…

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