Truly Julie high on life in front of the famous La Mano sculpture on Brava Beach!
Punta del Este is 5-stars!!! Or more like 5-fingers…given the obsession I have with the La Mano sculpture on Brava Beach. Punta is Argentina’s version of the Hamptons. From
January through March…Argentinians pour into this little Uruguayan beach town for some posh yet rustic fun in the sun. My sister Grace and I went late March…so we missed the sceney peak season…but we were totally OK with that because we got to meet really cool locals; and there was no reservation stress for restaurants and popular activities. Speaking of…it was activity galore in Punta. From riding a thorough bred palomino on a secluded beach like she’s my “Seabiscuit”…wine tasting on a charming
vineyard…visiting an island carpeted with seals…taking in the architectural marvel of Casapueblo…Punta del Este definitely lived up to if not surpassed its hype. We also explored the quaint surfer town of Jose Ignacio. While Punta at times has a hint of Miami…Jose Ignacio is rustic and unpretentious like Montauk. But in a splendid contradiction…Grace and I discovered the most futuristic hotel in Jose Ignacio. Playa Vik is a property that looks like something from the year 3000. It only has 7 or so “rooms” (which are more like mini-townhouses)…and every inch of this place rivals the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA). Every 
painting…sculpture…furniture piece…tile in the bathroom…fork…is a conversation piece. We discovered Playa Vik as well as the Alto de Ballena Vineyard and Haras Godiva Horse Ranch through the one and only, Ryan Hamilton. I now call him “mi hermano”…simply because his warmth…genuine spirit…and dedication to show us all that Punta has to offer was soooooo “family”. Ryan runs The Wine Experience…and folks…I will not steer you wrong: this is a must-do. With a population of just over 3 million…and one of the lowest crime rates…and so much natural beauty…Uruguay is an absolute South American gem. I hope you get to see some of its sparkle through my picture gallery.
