Retail Explosion in Cafayate!

I’m happy to say, there have been several recent additions in Cafayate that I’m very excited about! In the last couple of months there have been 3 brand new excellent retail locations with high quality crafts and products, and a few new restaurants. Take a look at the below information so you make sure and make it to these fantastic spots when you visit.

1. This place has the most character in all of Cafayate! The young owners (a nice couple with a young daughter) that live in San Carlos (nearby town) opened their doors in April 2010. This store shows the culture and imagination that I find expressed by the locals on a daily basis. The layout of the store is worth a visit, even if you don’t buy – when you step in, you feel like you have joined in the dreams and life of the figurines and dreamweavers that are sold. Congratulations for excellent presentation and fun atmosphere – and talk about a great gift at a great price and very easy to pack in your bags before you leave! Make sure you come at night, usually they are not open in the morning! It’s located on Guemes – just a few doors south of the plaza next to the Gran Real hotel. Don’t miss it!

2. My favorite retail store to visit on a weekly basis (they always have new things), and take all my guests (my Mom has dropped a pretty penny on their great quality products for gifts for all the family back in the States). Even when I went in and didn’t find exactly what I wanted ( I was looking for a nice leather computer bag), the owner ordered one for me and it was perfect! It’s open normal times, 10am to 1 and then in the afternoon after 7 until 9pm. It’s located on Guemes two blocks north of the plaza across the street from hotel Assembal. Make sure and check it out!

3. A brand new store that recently opened with high quality jackets and clothing is my next favorite retail location. Clothing and jackets that are unique and really nice quality are sold here and the woman is very helpful, and willing to order you something special if you just can’t find exactly the color or style you are looking for. This store is located on Guemes, a few more doors south of the Plaza, across from the Hotel Asturias.

I hope everyone enjoys the new retails locations in Cafayate as much as I have – they have already gotten me and my families business!

Welcome Willow!

We have exciting news. We welcomed Willow Maria Rutledge in to this world on May 11, 2010 at 5:15 a.m. She was born 3 kilos 150 grams healthy and happy. It's been 3 weeks since her birth and I won't say we are now accustomed to our new addition, but we are getting better at not sleeping and re-forming our lives around Willow's schedule of eating and sleeping. Mostly eating! Many people have asked over the last months when coming in to the restaurant and seeing me pregnant, how is health care here. I'll have to say, first hand experience, I'm pretty impressed overall. We had excellent health care coverage, no co-pays and 100% coverage. Also, we had great experience with our doctors. I was fairly nervous, this being our first child and having a large communication barrier, but everything went just fine. My doctor even provided a Reiki specialist (something I would pay $1,000 US for now that I know!) to help me through my 14 hours of contractions (every 2-3 minutes). We did decide to have the baby at a hospital in Salta so we rented a place in Salta about 2 weeks before Willow was due and my Mom and I stayed there while Charlie and my Dad traveled back and forth from Cafayate opening the restaurant. The hospital in Cafayate is new and I've been there several times and had pleasant experiences there. But, like any small town in the States, the majority of the doctors live in the big cities, so we found one in Salta we preferred and our insurance covered a private more comfortable room in a private hospital. The doctors and hospital staff were wonderful and helpful. We stayed an extra night so they could watch over Willow and I. There was a bed for Charlie after his 24 hour labor assistance, a big screen TV for Grandpa and of course, grandbaby Willow was enough for Granny! Needless to say, my doctor, the Reiki specialist Mary, and the anathisiologist all made my delivery and recovery a wonderful experience and we couldn't be happier with outcome, our beautiful, bald (they thought Willow was breech because she barely had hair on her head unlike all the other babies here, gave the hospital staff a great laugh!), precious baby girl - don't you all think she's the cutest thing you've ever seen (I'm her Mom, I have to say that!).