Located in a bit of Scottish paradise on the shores of Loch Dunvegan in the Isle of Skye, The Three Chimneys is one of those sweet spots to dream on.  Privacy is key here, the food amazing, and the six romantic rooms in the next-door crofter’s cottage, The House Over-By, are incredibly romantic.  And the views over the open sea are an escape in themselves.

The Three Chimneys began as a restaurant, and it is renowned as one of Scotland’s best.  It’s been described as The French Laundry of Scotland, with people traveling from around the world to dine in Chef Michael Smith’s kitchen.  All the food is harvested locally, and the menu changes weekly.

The Isle of Skye is a gorgeous place, rugged and wild, shaped by the winds and the sea.  With The Three Chimneys as your base, you can spend days exploring the white sand beaches and inlets, the ridges and valleys, tiny villages and historic keeps.

http://www.threechimneys.co.uk/

I had a serendipitous encounter yesterday in Buenos Aires.  Walking along the street, my eye was drawn to a little “boîte” of a shop, dark and lush with a center table set with gorgeous glass, dramatically spotlit.  Enchanted, I stepped through into a magic kingdom of scent.

Fueguia, I was told by Julian Bedel, the “nose” and one of the world’s great perfumers, was a Patagonian Indian who joined an indigenous resistance to colonial powers and jumpstarted independence – at least that is what I remember of the story.  What stayed with me was that Fueguia changed the score.  And Bedel seems to have done the same.  With scores of scents composed of 800 or more essences, this is a remarkable man of obvious talent but, on top of that, a man of poetry, of vision, of heart.

Start with the scents.

They come as extract of perfume, eau de parfum and room scents atomized in beautifully Japanese designed atomizers or burned with his gorgeous candles.  And what scents they are!  Mixtures of odd ingredients (think pink peppercorns) and usual ones, the strands are layered atop and alongside each other so that you can journey with the scent along olfactory pathways that lead to destinations that are pure feeling, ambiance, dreamscape.  Along with each scent purchased comes a private letter to you describing, in a few poetic lines, the feel of the scent and then the ingredients.

Unbelievable.  Beautiful.

How could I have been so fortunate as to enter the shop just when a charming guy in straw hat was on the floor?  It took a while until I realized that this was the force, Julian Bedel, and then we spent almost an hour together.  He guided me through the world of scent and then we talked of other things:  the boxes which are made in Patagonia by a community they support; the other philanthropic work he does; the Latin American initiative he has launched to promote sustainable building practices; his vision to encourage local communities to understand, use and thereafter protect their botanical resources; his brand strategizing for individuals and companies.  The man is a creative force.

http://fueguia.com/ 

Casa Sur is a really good, reasonable alternative to the grand hotels of Recoleta, the Alvear, Park Hyatt, Mansion Algodon and Four Seasons.  Located on Avenida Callao just down the street from the big boys in a pretty 10-story house, this small boutique hotel has decently sized, peacefully decorated rooms, good service, an in-house restaurant, a tiny spa and, best of all, this great location.  The rates are half those of the others and, while the entry level executive room might feel tight for two, there are other categories upwards from there.  Regardless of the category, however, all rooms are well designed, contain everything one needs, have top of the line soft furnishings, and balconies that brings the outdoors inside and widen the vista.

http://www.casasurhotel.com

There is this unusual aspect of my village in Uruguay..it is Sunday today and the two general stores in the village that offer any food are closed. I have pasta to cook..I am not without. Yet I have been asked by my neighbors to have dinner with them..a Sunday night simple kitchen dinner. Neighbors watch for neighbors.

Before I left for dinner I fed my visiting cat, Maxine, from a dinner I had last night..she tip toed over the wet grass (we had a huge storm today and are flooded) for her twice daily meal.

This is life as most people in the world live but we, from the capitals of the world, have only  a distant memory of.

The best.