Radar COMMENT CARD
Dear Concierge. Can we take a moment? Because lately our arrangement has been feeling a bit stale. Positively outdated, even. When we asked you to suggest a great local spot for dinner, we didn't mean your hotei's "signature fine-dining outlet" or the white{inen relic you've probably been recommending for a decade. We meant where you would go for a casual night out. Do you still read the local papers? Maybe start skimming the blogs, too. We even know a concierge who started
his ownblog! The point is, we're here to actually get to know your town, andyou're our advance scou.t. We shouldn't have to tellyou about that great new gallery downtown or the cool cocktail joint that just opened. It's okay to have a folder of harmless standbys. But trust us: we can handle something offbeat and authentic, like that great Indonesian spot your colleague in Amsterdam sent us to. Indeed, many ofyour brethren go above and beyond, like the London concierge who selected a gift at Harrod's for our friend's wedding, or the guyin Tokyo who mapped out a complicated
ChileHeats[Ip
trainjourney for us. So please, don'tjust feed us the same rote script. Wouldn't a little creativity make yourjob more interesting? Respectfully,
"-f lw
SNACKS Head to the buzzy Barrio ltalia neighborhood for an espresso and Chocolat6n (a wickedly rich chocolate cake) at Cafd Emporio Da Noi (7776 Avdo.
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l*l , 6 MIISEIiMS Yo{r DtDN'T
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Ito li o ; cof ee mp ori o d o n oi.cl).
WERE SMITHSONIANS On Sept. zg, morethan t,4oo U.S. museumswill offer
free admission
as
part of a program hosted by the venerable
Washington, D.C., institution (visit smithsonian.com
for tickets), including
t: ffi
these
fficial
Smithsonian Afiliates.
American llluseum Lowell,
National
Museum of Dentistry Bahimore
Wisconsin l
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Museum ilIanitowoc,
,
Massachusetts
tl
Maritime
Wisconsin
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BisbeeMining&
Historical Museum Bisbee, Arizona
4A
SEPTEMBER
CAFAirpower
Museum I\idland,Texas
grilled foie gras shares the stage
with Easter lsland tuna.
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emi na ri o; ciu do do norestouro nt,
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2O12 TRAVEL+LEISURE
Avda. Sonto lsobel; cincominutos. cl) offers a small but standout menu, including a gloriously oozy
steak-and-cheese sandwichoften called the city's best. DINNER
l
BuffaloBill Historical Center Cody,Wyoming
Noble (3872 Nuevo Costonera; ti erro noble.cl; $$$) where
charcuterie platters, wait it out at the scene-y Ciudadano (4OO
tough score. The local music spot Caf6 Bar Cinco Minutos (451
r-
di o restora n.cl; $t$) puts artf ul spins on such classic dishes as chupe de joibo, a buttery crab pudding. For gussied-up Chilean barbecue, check out Tierra oso
For pizzas and generous
c[ $$) where reservations are a
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TextileHistory
Watch out, B.A.-santiago is South Amel'rca's new culinary capital. Our tip sheet.
At Sukalde (3457 Nuevo Costonero; suko/de.cL ggg) El Bulli alum Matias Polomo focuses on unsung regional ingredients such as Patagonian mushrooms. Osadia (3677 Nuevo Costonero;
DRINKS
Pisco has acquired a posh new
identity. Ultra-premium takes on the Chilean and Peruvian botanical spirit are the draw at the sleek Mestizo (4O5O Avdo. B i ce nte n o r i o ; m e sti zo re sto u r o nt. cl) and Tramonto Terrace & Bar (3736 Nuevo Costonero; noivitacura.cl), on a minimalist rooftop pool deck.
-CONNIE
MCCABE
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