The author Isabel Allende was born in Chile and worked there as a journalist between 1964 and 1974, before she went on to write such highly regarded and successful books as The House of the Spirits and Ines of My Soul–which takes place in Chile. Here newest book is a memoir, The Sum of Our Days.

Geographic Expeditions runs an online literary travel publication called Reece and they recently ran an article where Allende discusses her homeland: My Chile.

She gets right to the point as to why this is a good country for travelers. “Good coffee and clean bathrooms and clean water everywhere. No scorpions or poisonous snakes or gorillas.” She notes that the food is not all that sophisticated, but that’s because “we have so many great raw materials. Everything is fresh and wonderful.”

In the conversational article, she describes some of her favorite places in the country, including spots in Patagonia. “The full moon between the two incredible mountain towers of the Cuernos del Paine, reflected on the lagoon, is an unforgettable sight. The air is crispy, like paper, so that you feel you can cut it with scissors.”

And here’s something you won’t hear from many Chileans: you get better wine for the money in California. “In Chile you can get excellent wine, but you have to pay more for the very good ones, and the other ones are not that good.” We can assume Ms. Allende will not become a corporate spokesperson for Concha y Toro anytime soon.

Francis Mallman is a well-known figure in both Argentina and Uruguay. He is a chef, the owner of several restaurants, and the person who gets most of the credit for making Uruguay’s Jose Ignacio beach area the hip and happening place for celebrities and international playboys (and girls). We’ve just posted a review of his small inn in a small town: Hotel el Garzon.

In Luxury Latin America, we try to go beyond the big splashy places, which can often be impersonal and uninspiring. Hotel El Garzon is a great example of a gem where you can expect great service, interesting furnishings that don’t come from a hotel catalog, and cuisine served with a flourish.With a winery nearby supplying el vino, you’ll surely drink something new and interesting as well. Check out the full review.

If three makes a trend, then Peruvian cuisine is definitely becoming trendy. I’ve seen three articles on Peruvian food in the major media lately, including this piece from Reuters: Peru Lures Culinary Tourists.

You didn’t used to hear much about Peruvian food unless it was something about the nasty things they eat there, including the cuy guinea pigs. Most people who visit are pleasantly surprised at meal time, however, with more complexity and variety than expected. Who thought alpaca could be so tasty?
It used to be pretty tough to find a Peruvian restaurant outside Peru too, but that’s changing. More are popping up around the U.S. and one of Miami’s highest-rated restaurants in Zagat is Francesco, in Coral Gables.