Bogotá, Colombia
Credit: gkr falcon
CULINARY CACHE ARTISTIC GEMS
From high mountains to coastal wetlands, Chef Leonor Espinosa sources
ingredients from across Colombia for the kitchen of her restaurant Leo.
Named Latin America’s best female chef in 2017, Espinosa keeps the
spotlight on the food. Pirarucú fish caught in the Amazon basin comes
scattered with sapphire-colored petals, while crushed leafcutter ants
lend an unconventional crunch to her signature dishes. A who’s-who of tastemakers touch down for the annual International
Art Fair of Bogotá, or ArtBo, an event that’s been called Latin
America’s Art Basel. It’s cemented the city’s rep as an Andean creative
capital, but even if you can’t make the autumn event, you’ll find cutting
edge artwork across Bogotá, and dozens of galleries mean there’s
always a fresh show to attend.
Espinosa is not the only chef at the forefront of Colombian flavors.
The Bogotá outpost of Juan Manuel Barrientos’ ElCielo anchors the
city’s “Zona G,” or Gourmet Zone, with lofty menus prepared in part by
former soldiers and FARC guerillas turned kitchen brigade. Artful 12- or
15-course meals blend local ingredients with avant-garde techniques
and a dash of theatrical service. Favorites include the women-run Instituto de Visión, which represents
conceptual artists from Carmen Argote to Ana Roldán. Established
artists such as painters Helbert Ortiz and Alejandro de Narvaez are
the draw at Galeria Baobab, while the airy gallery space at FLORA
ars+natura highlights contemporary art rooted in the natural world.
BOGOTÁ BLING
Ancient riches are on display at the dazzling Gold Museum, which
hoards the country’s most precious wares in glowing cases. Since
Indigenous peoples here crafted gilded versions of everything from
sea snails to delicate birds and human faces, the displays read like a
lustrous reproduction of the pre-Colombian world.
If all that glimmers leaves you coveting treasures of your own, walk a
few blocks to the city’s Emerald District. Colombia’s mines produce
65 percent of the world’s emeralds, and the gems are legendary for
their remarkable purity and jungle-green hue. Get some background on
the local market at the International Emerald Museum, which delves
deep into the country’s mining history and gem-cutting traditions.
But galleries alone can’t contain Bogotá’s simmering creative energy.
The city’s remarkable street art turns abandoned buildings, street
corners, and concrete into an open-air canvas that’s drawn global
acclaim. Street art walking tours take in the narrow lanes of the
historic Candelaria district, known for colorful pieces that blend graffiti
style with political themes and local pride.
GETTING THERE
Nonstop flights by Avianca link Dulles International Airport (IAD) to
Bogotá’s El Dorado International (BOG), taking you gate to gate in
under six hours. From there, continue to the center by taxi or bus;
connecting flights continue from Bogotá to Cartagena, Medellín,
Barranquilla, and other Colombian cities.
WINTER 2019/20 41 FLYWASHINGTON.COM