Stopping Through Santiago

Jocelyn
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Stopping Through Santiago

I fell in love with Buenos Aires in 2012, but hadn’t been back to South America since. Toby had spent 3 weeks mountaineering in Peru in 2011 – and we knew we were getting due for another trip down south. I had always assumed the next stop would be Rio, maybe somewhere in Colombia, until we scored $200 flights through an Orbitz error fare. We didn’t spend a whole lot of time in Santiago as we wanted to see as much of the country as possible (in a whopping 8 days) but we did manage to sneak in some great meals and sightseeing.

Where to Stay

W Santiago – We used points for most of our trip to Chile, which landed us at the W for the first two nights we were there. The W definitely didn’t disappoint (I’m a sucker for hotel rooms with balconies) and most of the Starwood and Marriott hotels were in the same neighborhood (Las Condes). The neighborhood seemed to have some restaurants but seemed to be more of a business district so we did spend time ubering back and forth to other parts of town, like Bellavista.

Hotel Loreto – an overnight layover seemed to be our only option between our time in Patagonia and the Atacama desert, so I chose somewhere that would be nice enough to sleep and shower in, and focused more on the neighborhood. We ended up having a 3-hour delay leaving Patagonia so I was even more pleased with my decision to not spend a large sum of money or points for about 6 hours in a room. The room was nice enough (small) and the location was great (and only about a block from the restaurant we had dinner reservations at). I’d recommend this hotel to anyone on a budget – after all, you’re probably spending most of your day out and about!

Where to Eat (and Drink)

Bocanariz – We landed in Santiago a bit before lunch time, so I was more than ready for some food (and wine) once we dropped our bags at the hotel. Bocanariz hit the spot. They had many different wine flights to choose from so we each ordered something different, and snacked on empanadas and their version of patatas bravas. It was also my first introduction to Chile being more expensive than Argentina.

Restaurant 040 – while I didn’t find many of our meals in Chile very inexpensive, Restaurant 040 was our splurge. We did a 10? 12? course tasting that was absolutely amazing. I mean everything. Was. So. Delicious. And worth every dollar. We booked in advance and were able to go to Room #9 (their speakeasy bar) after dinner. Even if you decide not to splurge for dinner, I recommend trying to check out Room #9 – I believe there is a new password every day, but the drinks and setting are amazing. The restaurant was located in the Bellavista area, so convenient to many other places.

Sarita Colonia – located a block away from Hotel Loreto in the Bellavista neighborhood, this restaurant was full of quirky, strange things, and delicious food with a Peruvian flair. We ended up getting to our reservation an hour late (thanks to our 3-hour flight delay) but they were still able to sit us. I’ve heard that the roof deck is amazing but we didn’t have a chance to check it out.

Barrica 94 – this restaurant and wine bar is located in the area named Patio Bellavista. What that is is really a collection of all different types of restaurants (including a steakhouse called Montana that I found myself facing the entire time we were sipping on wine). The idea of the Patio isn’t really my style – I felt like I was in some sort of outdoor restaurant shopping mall, but I can understand why people go there and the wine (and steak) at Barrica 94 didn’t disappoint.

Chipe Libre – Républica Independiente del Pisco – no trip to Chile is complete without taking in at least one (or many) Pisco Sours. I’m sure there are plenty of places to grab a great one, but we found ourselves enjoying our last of the trip at Chipe Libre – conveniently enough right next door to Bocanariz. The decor inside was great and they had a lovely outdoor patio as well. And of course, delicious empanadas to go along with your pisco. If you really want to get into pisco, they offer pisco flights there as well.

Mercado Central de Santiago – I would NOT recommend going here if you hate fish. While you may find something to eat there that doesn’t come from the sea, the entire market is full of stalls selling all kinds of seafood so the smell is undeniable. We settled on Augusto’s, which seemed to be the largest place there, and enjoyed some King Crab and shrimp. It wasn’t anything to write home about, but the experience was at least worth a walk through.

What to Do

To be honest, we didn’t DO a whole lot in Santiago. We walked around the city, stopped for food and drinks along the way, and basically used the city as numerous long layovers.

San Cristobal Hill – while there is probably a good chance you’ll have to wait in line for a bit, I decided it was worth it to take a funicular up to the top for great views of the apparently giant city we were exploring. You can hike to the top as well but it was a rather hot day when we were there so we opted for the lazy (but sort of fun) funicular ride.

Plaza de Armas – this main square wasn’t too far from San Cristobal or the Mercado Central, and I’m glad I didn’t go well out of my way to see it. There were some pretty buildings but I felt the area was loud, congested, and made me want to run back to the peace of the Atacama desert.

Buy Yarn! I had heard there was an entire street filled with yarn shops – and this is true. I hadn’t made a definite decision on whether I was going to buy an alpaca yarn, but when we stumbled upon the street leaving Mercado Central I felt like it was meant to be. Unfortunately, it was a lot hard to find Chilean alpaca wool than I would have thought, but I nabbed a few colors and shipped them off to my mom. Photos coming as soon as she finishes knitting me a scarf!

All in all, I thought Santiago had enough to offer for a couple of nights. I see it more as a city people live in instead of visit (which must be why I know more people who have lived there for a few months or years at a time than visitors) but the proximity to beaches, mountains, and wineries is also amazing (reminds me of a place I might live in).

Stay tuned to for posts on our day trip to Valparaiso and Vina del Mar and our time in the Atacama Desert.

Check out our trip to Patagonia here!

A Taste of Patagonia

Jocelyn
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A Taste of Patagonia

When we spur of the moment bought plane tickets to Santiago, Chile (thanks again Orbitz and your error fare!) I had no intention of going to Patagonia. Between cost and the limited amount of time we had, it didn’t seem like it was even an option.

After I did a little bit of research I quickly realized it was 100% possible (the fact that our flights from Los Angeles to Santiago were only $200 were definitely helping the budget factor).

We booked flights on SKY Airline – a budget airline in Chile that didn’t seem all that different from Spirit – but got the job done. We took an early morning flight from Santiago to Punta Arenas, grabbed some lunch at the airport and then set off on a two-and-a-half hour bus we had prebooked with the bus company, Bus Sur.

I know what you’re thinking. That’s A LOT of travel already. And it was. But the plane and bus both make great spots for extra naps (I can pretty much sleep anywhere) and the scenery was pretty great on the bus ride as well. Alternatively, you could rent a car, but the option for sleeping, gazing at the scenery, and a $10 bus ride appealed to me more.

Where to Stay

If you’re not doing one of the Torres del Paine treks it’s pretty expensive to stay within the gates of the national park. Most people stay in the town of Puerto Natales, about an hour and a half from the park. We opted to stay at a hotel right outside of town (about a $3 taxi ride) called Altiplanico Sur (thanks, Chase Sapphire Reserve points!). Every room had a beautiful view of the mountains and water, the bathroom had heated floors and a heated towel rack (some personal home dreams of mine), a standard breakfast was included, and all of the staff was overwhelmingly nice. I definitely recommend!

Where to Eat & Drink

Afrigonia – A yummy fusion restaurant located right in town. A mixture of Chilean and African food. Definitely on the pricier side but everything we had (including a bottle of Camenere) was delicious.

The Singular Patagonia – While located slightly farther outside of town than our own hotel, I feel like this is a must do, even if it’s just for a drink. It’s an old meat refrigeration plant that was converted into an amazing hotel a few years ago. They have a gorgeous restaurant and bar area with beautiful views. We went for a few sunset drinks and charcuterie board, relaxed, and enjoyed the views.

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Santolla – can you say King Crab? Our hotel recommended this place and we were not disappointed! Located in Hotel IF in Puerto Natales, the restaurant is actually made out of shipping containers that have been constructed together. But, in addition to the aesthetically cool factor, the food was delicious (plus some more wine, of course!).

Baguales Brewery – if you find yourself needing a break from wine and Pisco Sours, head here. Fun little microbrewery that seemed to be the popular place to hang out in town.

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Torres del Paine

Of course, one of the main reasons you probably flew down to Punta Arenas, and definitely the main reason you’re hanging out in Puerto Natales, is to go to Torres del Paine National Park. Many people opt to do one of the multi-day treks but with our limited amount of time, one day was all we could manage.

Although we typically try to avoid tours at all costs, this was one time where it seemed to be the easiest way to see the most sites in our limited amount of time. We went with Patagonia Adventure. Being outside of town we were the last pick up around 9am. We made a stop at a little country store on the border of Argentina to pick up snacks, lunch, coffee, and make a bathroom stop and off we went. We made it back to the hotel around 7pm. While we had incredibly wonderful weather, the scenery was magnificent regardless. I’ll let the photos below do the rest of the talking.

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Visiting Vineyards in Valle de Guadalupe

Jocelyn
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Visiting Vineyards in Valle de Guadalupe

There have been a variety of articles written about Guadalupe Valley being the next Napa – being that Mexico is a drive, walk, and quick uber away (and much less expensive than Napa) I was excited to check it out.

We walked across the border a little before 11am and called an uber. If you’ve never walked across the border into Tijuana, you should expect a little bit of chaos. There is one road where taxis, Uber, and friends and family are coming to pick up anyone and everyone who has just walked across the border so the traffic is constant. Buy a bottle of water or some street tacos while you wait – it could be a little while.

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I had read about UberValle (seemingly similar to UberWine in the Paso Robles wine region) but the option was coming up on my phone. Assuming I’d be able to utilize the feature later, I selected an UberX, and twenty minutes later Miguel pulled up in his red Chevy Spark.

Miguel was wonderful. And talkative. And a lifesaver. Once we got down to the Guadalupe region (we decided to start at the farthest winery we were interested in visiting, about an hour and 45 minutes from the border) I tried to pull UberValle up on my app to no avail. So, I’m not sure if this service never gained popularity and was discontinued, but I won’t assume it’s an option in the future. Miguel was happy to stay with us for the remainder of the day – even letting me end every ride and start up again between wineries.

The Wine

Our first stop was Vinos Las Nubes, which sat perched on top of hill overlooking gorgeous rolling hills and vines. They had two tasting options – one regular tasting of 5 wines for about $8 and a reserve tasting that was a few dollars more. We opted for the regular tasting and a cheese plate – we were in need of a snack after our two+ hour adventure to get there! Their wines are mostly blends, and all mostly delicious. I really enjoyed all of the reds and went home with a bottle of the Seleccion de las Barricas (for under $12!). I definitely recommend heading here, enjoying some wine, and taking in the gorgeous views.

Our second stop was Villa Montefiori, relatively close by. This winery focused on Italian wines – so if you’re not a big fan of Italian wines I would steer clear. They were smaller than Vinos Las Nubes, but had a nice outdoor patio and the same beautiful views. They had a few different tasting options for $10 and $15 so we did one of each. The wines were okay, but nothing special enough to buy a bottle of, and I don’t think I’ll plan on visiting them again (and, while I drank a bottle of Italian wine every night when I lived in Italy 11 years ago, it’s not usually what I’m drawn to these days).

At this point we were starving, so we opted for a winery that also had a restaurant, Corona del Valle. Corona del Valle had a bit of a rustic feel when you walked in, but then led out to a large patio. There wasn’t much in the way of views here, but the food was yummy (and necessary) and the wine was fantastic. We snacked on some delicious guacamole and fresh ceviche and did two different tastings. I really enjoyed all of the wine I tried here and went home with a bottle of the Merlot and a bottle of the Tempranillo/Nebbiolo. The Malbec was another favorite, but a little bit pricey for my wine-tour-on-a-budget plan in Mexico.

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After Corona del Valle we had time for one more stop, but since we were crossing the border back to the United States that evening, we decided to start our journey back. From our last stop it was about an hour and twenty minutes to the border.

All in all the day was wonderful. Next time I’ll probably plan to have dinner in Tijuana on the way back or stay the night in Ensenada or Rosarito. For more recommendations for dinner in Tijuana on the way back, read on here.

Our Uber for the day (for about 7.5 hours) was right around $100. Wine tastings were anywhere from $8-$15 and bottles of wine started as low as $11.50 a bottle. With those kinds of prices and the close proximity to San Diego, I’ll definitely be going back!

If you’re spending more time in Baja and want some other ideas of what to do, check out The Rolling Pack’s post on Gray Whale Watching!

And for other wine trip ideas in the United States, Carpe Travel has some great guides!

Making the Most of a Long Layover

Jocelyn
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Making the Most of a Long Layover

When I booked my first trip that had an extended layover in London, I knew I had to get out of the airport. One of my best friends from college had been living there for 8 years, and while we had traveled the world together, I had never been to London while she lived there. I started researching what I could do with an eight hour layover and came across many forums warning people not to bother leaving the airport, it’s too far, just stay in the lounge, etc. etc.

Well, I was determined, so I bought the more expensive Heathrow Express train ticket and found myself in Central London in no time. I had plenty of time to run around and quickly see the sights, have a delicious brunch, and enjoy some beers in Covent Garden.  After that I was sold on long layovers.

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These are some things I would consider when deciding if you’ll be leaving the airport or not:

  • What time is your layover? (a 12 hour layover during the day is far different than a 12 hour layover overnight)
  • How far is the airport from the city you want to explore?
  • How long does it take to get to where you want to explore?
  • Do you have to get your checked luggage and then recheck your bag?
  • Or if you’re carrying on, where is the luggage storage?

Once you’ve determined it makes sense to leave the airport and explore I always prefer to have some idea of what I want to see and do. On a 17-hour overnight layover in Tokyo I was overwhelmed by the sheer size of the city. We decided to explore just a handful of neighborhoods and felt like we saw a lot in a short amount of time.

Things we accomplished in 17 hours:

  • Took the train into the city (chose the neighborhood of Shinjuku due to it’s central location and ease of getting from the airport)
  • Ate sushi
  • Checked out the giant crosswalks and famous statue of the dog, Haichiko in Shibuya
  • Ate ramen
  • Wandered around the little alleyways and tiny bars of Golden Gai
  • Had some cocktails

On the way back we had a 6 hour layover so spent some time in much closer, Narita. We ate some sticky buns, more ramen, had personalized chopsticks made (tourist alert!) and checked out some temples.

  • Took a shower and got some sleep
  • Spent the morning at the Meiji Shrine near Harajuku
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A year later I was in a similar situation in Shanghai. An overnight layer on the way to Hong Kong and an afternoon layover on the way home. This time I was able to:

  • Take in the beautiful skyline at night and during a bright, sunny day
  • Head to 86th floor of the Hyatt Jin Mao for drinks and (some) views – it was pretty smoggy up there
  • Enjoy authentic Chinese food
  • Wander around The Bund
  • Visit Yu Yuan Garden
  • …and of course sleep and shower!
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Now I am not only determined to make the most of any long layover, I actually look for them when booking flights! Where’s your favorite long layover or stopover you’ve been?

Your San Diego Guide to Brunch

Jocelyn
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Your San Diego Guide to Brunch

Who doesn’t love a good brunch? Everyone in San Diego does. Whether you live here or are just passing through for a weekend, definitely make sure to indulge in some yummy brunch cocktails and food that might be a little bit more creative than your classic diner food (not that I am hating on a good diner!).

There are endless brunch spots in San Diego, but here are some we love and frequent (in no particular order).

Prep Kitchen – always a favorite of ours – for dinner and drinks as well – you can find locations in Little Italy, La Jolla, and Del Mar. They have your classic mimosas and bloody mary’s, but the rest of their drink menu is definitely worth exploring. Pair your chilaquiles with some ricotta donut holes for the table and enjoy!
Address:
Little Italy: 1660 India Street, San Diego, CA
La Jolla: 1044 Wall Street, La Jolla, CA
Del Mar: 1201 Camino Del Mar, Del Mar, CA

Fig Tree Eatery – another one with numerous locations, this place has a bit of an earthy crunchy feel. Order the breakfast sushi for something different, and definitely a side of man candy for the table.
Address:
Pacific Beach: 5119 Cass Street, San Diego, CA
Hillcrest: 416 University Avenue, San Diego, CA
Liberty Station: 2400 Historic Decatur Road, Suite 103, San Diego, CA

Great Maple – this is one of those few popular brunch spots I’ve found that actually takes reservations – major bonus. But their food is great too! Start with an order of beignets and then choose an entree – I’m a fan of their scramble melts. Then head over to the Hillcrest Farmer’s Market!
Address: 1451 Washington Street, San Diego, CA

Breakfast Republic – this place is so popular they’ve already opened numerous locations in San Diego. The wait can be long, but, hopefully, you’re able to grab a tasty cocktail while you wait. The entire menu is mouthwatering to me, so I don’t think you can really go wrong. I’d recommend going with a few people so you can try different things, and what’s an order or Oreo pancakes between friends?
Address:
North Park: 2730 University Avenue, San Diego, CA
Liberty Station: 2865 Sims Road, Suite 106, San Diego, CA
Encinitas: 251 N. El Camino Real, Encinitas, CA

Backyard Kitchen & Tap – definitely a favorite of mine for 10am NFL games. The food is good no matter what time of the year, but when you’re trying to get a group of different people together on a Sunday morning during football season, this is a great place to check out. The $15 bottles of champagne don’t hurt either. Chicken and waffles is always a favorite of mine (and I’d have to say, stay away from the donuts – too sticky for my taste!).
Address: 832 Garnet Avenue, San Diego, CA

Mission – another place you can expect a wait, I recommend checking this place out if you are looking for something slightly healthier. They even have a gluten-free menu. Some of my favorites are the chicken apple sausage and soy chorizo.
Address:
Mission Beach: 3795 Mission Blvd, San Diego, CA
North Park: 2801 University Ave, San Diego, CA
East Village: 1250 J Street, San Diego, CA 

Cafe 21 – Two words: mimosa flights. If that doesn’t start your brunch off right, they have a variety of delicious omelets and crepes!
Address:
Gaslamp: 802 Fifth Avenue, San Diego, CA
University Heights: 2736 Adams Avenue, San Diego, CA

Isabel’s Cantina – scrambles, hash and oh-so-good coconut french toast. Not to mention their lunch that includes single and double happiness (check out the menu to see what I’m talking about!). This place is great for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Address: 966 Felspar Street, San Diego, CA

There are many other great brunch spots out there – some that I’ve tried and others that I haven’t – this list really could be endless! Have a favorite brunch spot to San Diego? I’d love to check it out!

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