Gabriela Hearst, born and raised in Uruguay, left her homeland to pursue fashion in New York. She continues to pay homage to her roots through her designs and recently partnered with woman’s nonprofit Manos del Uruguay for her fall 2016 collection. She believes that growing up in Uruguay has helped transform her into the person that she is today. Here, Hearst gives us the inside scoop on Uruguay’s capital.
FAVORITE THINGS: Chivito—a type of filet mignon sandwich which is typical of Uruguay and impossible to replicate. My favorite is from el Tinkal restaurant.
LEAST FAVORITE THINGS: Getting there. It is such a long flight from New York. The fastest route involves a Miami layover that is painful, and then 10 more hours to Montevideo from Miami.
MUST DO: Go to the Mercado Del Puerto for a wonderful lunch and use the rest of the day to digest.
MUST SEE: The old city. Montevideo was a fort informally founded in 1724. We call the area that used to be inside the fort La Ciudad Vieja. Our national theater, El Teatro Solis, is inside the same area. It is a must see and they have great performances.
WHERE TO EAT: Mercado Del Puerto or, for our version of comfort food, La Passiva.
WHERE TO CHILL: La Rambla is the place to chill and drink Mate, a traditional South American caffeine-rich infused drink. The esplanade next to the River Uruguay is another great place to hangout. People are often seen going for a run, exercising or watching the sunset.
BEST STREET STYLE: People carrying hot water thermoses with their Mate that they drink throughout the day.
