New eats in town

The culinary capital od South America feature a dynamic range of restaurants. With tips from locals and resident experts, we offer a list of new and exciting dinning options in Lima, Peru.

LA PLAZITA
Coque Ossio, son of the great Peruvian caterer Marissa Guiulfo, oversees this eclectic eatery, which serves traditional dishes like lomo saltado (peruvian - style beef stir - fry) and international fare including carpaccio and steak tartare. The menu also boasts delicious sandwiches and desserts.
www.laplazitalima.com

IK
Ik is one of the top culinary attractions in Lima, despite founding chef Ivan Kisic´s untimely death a year ago, before the restaurant had even opened. Today, Kisic´s twin Franco runs the show, preserving his brother´s love of people, nature and sustainability. Some recommendations: the crispy fried fish called Chita 190º and the chocolate bonbon filled with lemon cream and pisco sour foam.
Facebook: ikrestaurante

LA BOTICA
In style that recalls an old-fashioned grocery store la botica is warm and inviting. Behind the wooden front windows, diners enjoy authentic Peruvian cuisine, with classic dishes like cau cau, escabeche and rocoto relleno. A chalkboard by the door entices passers-by with the daily specials.
Facebook: La Botica restaurant taberna

CONROY
Contemporary cuisine with international touches served in a pleasant atmosphere. Try the arroz con pato, a duck and rice dish served in a clay pot, and the lomo a la pimienta (pepper steak) with Parmesan risotto.
Facebook: Los Conroy

A turn of the page

In a world full of e-books, print still preserves finer points of reading that the electronic format can never hope to duplicate. Here are three texts worth having in hand.

It has been called the world`s strangest book. In 1981, architect, artist and industrial designer Luigi Serafini launched the first edition of Codex Seraphinianus, a sort of encyclopedia of the surreal and fantastic, with an oddly familiar feel even though the images are accompanied by text written in an unintelligible language. Over the years, the publication has developed a cult following, and now - thanks for the internet - more and more people are discovering this genuine artistic treasure. One fan even claims to have decoded the language that Serafini used in this almanac of an unknown world, but does is realy matter what the text say ? The book aims to present something beautiful, "to convey to the reader (...) the sensation that children feel in front of books they cannot yes understand", or so said the artist in an enterview published in Wired magazine in 2013. 

The latest edition, launched last October by publisher Rizzoli, alredy had 3,000 copies pre-ordered before its release, it`s longer, and included new illustrations. In the introduction, Sefarini also makes a curious atatement; he says that the real author of the book is a stray white cat found on the streets on Rome in the 1970s. 

STAR-STUDDED NIGHT

When dressing for The Oscars, not a single detail is left to chance. Who are the pros behind these glamorous looks?

For actresses walking the legendary red carpet at the Oscars on March 2, the decision about to wear is far from straightforward. Not only will millions of eyes be on them, analyzing each and every facet of their appearance, their personal stock will also get a boost if they end up on the night´s best-dressed list. When millions ride on your looks, only the best stylists will do.

For many of the Hollywood elite, the undisputed expert is Leslie Fremar. Her most loyal clients include Charlize  Theron, Scarlett Johansson an Julianne Moore, actresses whose stunning elegance on the red carpet is always a hot topic.

Younger stars with a trendier style who like to take risks trust themselves to Petra Flannery, whose exceptional originality ensures that her “creations” always come with a few surprises. Emma Stone, Mila Kunis and Megan Fox are some of her adoring clients.

Stylist Rachel Zoe won acclaim with her reality show The Rachel Zoe Proyect, which led to her own lines of clothing and accessories. At the 2013 Oscars, Zoe dressed Best Actress Jennifer Lawrence  and for 2014 she´s working with the loved Anne Hathaway.

The advice of this very select group of stylists may be gospel, but in the end, the decision belongs to each actress. Sandra Bullock, one of this year´s favorites, has confessed: her son and stepdaughter have the final say.

Professional Eccentricity

Looking for an unusual job? Try these on for size…

When we thing of hotel staff, what comes to mind are housekeepers, receptionist, chefs and bellhops.

But to give their guests an out-of-the- ordinary experience, some resorts have taken specialization to new are heights, creating some very original staff positions, like a horse whisperer or romance director.

And that´s just the beginning.  These unique positions are as varied as the imagination. For instance, the Hard Rock Hotel in San Diego, California, has a resident DJ  whose official title is Atmosphere Manager. His job is to make sure the hotel has a great vibe, literally.

Hotel soaps aren´t only souvenir items at the Viceroy on Mexico´s Mayan Riviera. To accompany the outdoor shower experience and enjoy your soak in the enormous tubs in every suite, the hotel hired a “soap concierge” to help guest choose the products best suited to their needs.  Off course, all the hotel´s soap are handmade from regional products and cut the order.

The Salamander Resort & Spa is nestled in the forests of Virginia, where horseback riding is de rigueur. The hotel set aside 25 acres and a 14,000-square-foot stable for this sport.  They also have a paid “horse whisperer”  on staff to pair horses with guest taking part in the Equine Connection program, which brings horses and humans together to explore the communication between them.

Whether you need a tequila connoisseur, romance director, shopping advisor of any other expert, a growing number of hotels aim to fulfill your every desire… Why not invent one of two specialties of your own?