santigirl

The pearls and perils of life in Santiago

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Dreamy video. Sexy voices. 

Angels by The XX

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In the age of the Britpop war, I was always more of a Blur fan. However, I´m not going to be able to resist checking out their rivals, Pulp on the 24th November.

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Give your feet a little bit of love with these handmade boots from Z&D Makers.

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Mala Rancha have really raised the bar a notch with their new line. Head down to drugstore, to check out the whole collection. 

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Lack of direction

Picture the scene. You are lost in Santiago. Every street looks the same, the smog is giving you a headache and you have just passed your thirteenth Castaño. Things are desperate. You spot a responsible looking old gentleman and decide to bite the bullet and ask him for his pearly, geographical wisdom. He looks at you, smiles gently and tells you to go east and follow a distant sign. This distant sign, I should make clear, is the longest mountain range in the world.  

No. This is not a ancient biblical tale, but a confusing reality for any gringo/a in Santiago. It's very common, when you ask for directions, for people to direct you to or way from, the mountains. This is all very well and good, if there was say...one mountain. However, as many locals seem to forget, the Andes is a mountain range. That means there are lots of mountains. Lots. Admittedly, they do tend to be directed towards the eastern part of the city, but telling me to go east, west or any other cardinal point, will only inevitably lead to one very lost and confused gringa. 

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A taste of real Italy in Barrio Italia

Photo by Fernanda Muñoz

With so many Italian restaurants serving up bland carbonaras and bologneses, I was intrigued to stumble across Da Noi in Santiago's hippest district- Barrio Italia. The decor is reminiscent of a dodgy roadside cafe; with it's plastic chairs, worn tablecloths and wide screen televisions adorning the walls, this place is easy to miss.

However, as with many of the best restaurants, the food speaks for itself. The food, dripping in all the things the doctors tell us to eat in moderation, is fresh and authentic. All the pasta is made at the restaurant, and the sauces, although simple, are all worth a try. The pesto was one of the best I've ever tasted and the quantities are fit for a king. Prices vary between $5.000- $7.500 depending on how luxurious you like your pasta. If you would rather eat your pasta in the comfort of your own home, you can make your order online and go and pick it up at the restaurant. Either way,  Da Noi is the perfect way to send your taste buds into a dizzyng, coma-like bliss. 

http://www.danoi.cl/