A House Without An Address
When was the last time I went on a weekend getaway? It was December 2020, I was in Puerto Varas for a week looking for an adventure to write about in my two-week-old blog Magnolia On The Move. Needless to say, it was time to get out of the city again. Fortunately, I was able to get away for a long weekend to Santa Cruz. The goal of going to Chile’s Napa Valley was to go to the famous Fuegos de Apalta restaurant. My partner and I were lucky enough to get reservations for two days so that we could experience it twice. Next was to find a house during a three-day holiday weekend.
Santa Cruz has a population of roughly 35,000 people and an economy that is based solely on two things: wine and tourism. There were numerous hotels to chose from but I wanted to take Bourbon with me for the first time. I found a place on Airbnb that had a heated pool, Wifi, a barbecue area, a complimentary wine cellar, a selection of complimentary wines, and most importantly was dog friendly. I booked it right away.
The drive to the house was roughly four hours. When I arrived I was shocked. The address sent me outside of a cow barn. Following a call to the owner, he sent his cleaning lady to meet me. She showed up roughly twenty minutes later and was incredibly kind. She asked me to follow her down a dirt road for about another 10 minutes to the house. It turns out that the house I rented, as well as the others around it, are so far out in the country that they don’t have physical addresses. What better way to start a weekend of relaxing? After the housekeeper left I began exploring. The pool was freezing (it was broken), there was no Wifi, and there was not a wine cellar, but there was a pleasant BBQ and loads of space for Bourbon to explore. After some thought, and a text from the owner promising to bring the modem down later for Wifi, we decided to stay. Looking back I’m glad we did. It was far from luxury but it was quiet and grounding. I quickly opened a bottle of wine to settle in next to the bbq.
The next day was our reservation at Fuegos de Apalta. I was beyond excited not to mention that the restaurant is dog friendly so Bourbon was going to go with me. Anyone who watches a Chef’s Table on Netflix knows Francis Mallman and his food. Francis Mallmann is an Argentine chef who specializes in Argentinian cuisine, with a focus on Patagonian cuisine and on various Patagonian methods of barbecuing food. He is known for cooking his food 100% on an open flame. When I first arrived I knew I was somewhere special. Situated in the middle of the Viña Montes vineyard, Fuegos de Apalta appears like a vision from the grapes. One long bridge connects the parking lot to the restaurant itself. Our table the first day was on the southwest side of the restaurant. Before I could even settle in the staff was already bringing over a bowl of water for Bourbon. Truly a dog-friendly location.
View of Fuegos de Apalta from teh entrance to Viña Montes
I ordered a glass of wine and a milanesa. As the sun sunk lower behind the mountains a chill settled across the vineyard. In true style, the staff gave out blankets. I was happy to snag one. My milanese arrived and I must admit it was…ok. Nothing fancy just ok. Internally I was grateful to have a chance to order something different the next day. The eggplant that I had ordered to go with it was more of a hit. When the question of dessert came up I asked for the check instead. Once back at the house we BBQed some more meat and enjoyed some more wine while watching the Chef’s Table episode on Francis Mallman.
Bourbon and I on our first trip to Fuegos de Apalta
The morning came too soon but I was truly excited to experience Fuegos de Apalta again. This time I was prepared. This time the table was on the north side of the building and overlooked the expansive vineyard. The view was stunning. It was also next to the large fire pit where all the dishes were prepared. Bourbon was thrilled to be able to lay under the grapevines. During the course of the meal, he would eat his entire weight in grapes.
View of the fire pit and the vineyard from my chair day 2
The sun shone directly onto me the entire time but since we were there in late fall the warmth was appreciated. After the first glass of wine, the waitress asked what I would like. This time I was prepared, I ordered the skirt steak. It was the right decision. As I took that first bite I smiled. Finally, I understood what the hype was. The sides of onion and eggplant were fresh off the grill. The smoke enveloping every bite. It was heaven. When I was asked about dessert I was quick to answer yes. You only live once! The cake I got was dry but perfect to go with coffee which I also ordered. That night I was full and happy. I had experienced Fuegos de Apalta right and couldn’t stop smiling. It was all I could do to keep my eyes open as we watched Netflix curled up under a mountain of blankets.
As the sun touched the mist in the morning, Bourbon woke me up to play one last time in the large yard. My partner was already enjoying the bbq for the last time having decided to put our remaining groceries on the flame for a modge podge breakfast. Looking over the hills from the side of the house I noticed the snow-capped top of the Andes. I stopped in awe. It was such uninterrupted beauty that the people who lived in that area everyday experience. My thought was that it is such a pure way to enjoy life. Once the car was packed and the house reset to how we found it we waved goodbye to Santa Cruz.
Ask me to show you where the house we stayed at is on a map and I could not tell you. That is the beauty and mystery of staying in a house without an address. It exists and at the same time is a figment of our imagination. Like smoke from a fire it is here, then gone.
