Written by:
Marjorie Wonham
» Order
this Issue of Curve:
Vol. 13#4
We met in the airport lounge in Punta Arenas, a storm-swept port in remote Patagonia. After three months of living and traveling in South America, we were both craving the company of women. Queer women. Out, queer women. Which is why, one week and 1,900 miles later, we met up in Santiago on a Saturday night. Our mission was clear: to assess the chica potential of every gay venue we could find.
The so-called “crazy geography” of Chile, a country some 2,600 miles long but averaging only 155 miles across from the Andes mountains to the coast, causes almost everyone to pass through the central capital of Santiago. Which, for the lesbian or gay traveler, is excellent news.
The heart of queer Santiago is the Bellavista neighborhood, nestled into a bend on the north bank of the Rio Mapocho. By day, its demure, turn-of-the-century streets are dappled with sunlight filtering through the leafy tree canopy. By night, it teems with a lively, alternative bar and disco scene hidden behind opaque, unlabeled doors. Most of Bellavista’s girl-oriented venues can be easily explored over a couple of nights — but plan on making them late nights if you hope to appear remotely hip.
On a cool April evening, my fellow traveler Ilissa and I met up outside the Baquedano metro stop and strolled across the river amid the throng on Pio Nono. The street was packed with bustling craft stalls that soon gave way to a string of busy outdoor cafés. At first, the mixed crowd appeared mostly hetero, and it took some gaydar adjustment to detect the hot femme look that predominates in much of lesbian Latin America.
Our first stop was the friendly and casual Amor del Bueno for a beer. Owner Gloria stopped by our table to greet Ilissa and introduce herself to me. First question: “¿Estas lesbiana?” Her direct manner belies the cozy atmosphere of her pub, where women chat and snuggle comfortably. The irreverent décor — particularly the upside-down mannequin legs posing on the vintage television set — only adds to the ambience. We would have loved to spend hours there with a book or journal, or perhaps communing with Simón the cat, the only male permitted entry without a female escort. On a scale of 1 to 10, we gave Amor del Bueno a full 10 in the coffeehouse/pub category. Gloria urged us to stay and eat — hers is the only lesbian restaurant in Chile, she claimed — but we were on a mission, so we skipped the sandwich-fare menu and headed out into the night.
After a short walk, we chose quiet and warmly lit Capricho Español for dinner. The buffed maitre d’ led us out to a covered terrace where, because the cow-print sofa was occupied, we selected a small table. The all-male wait staff were friendly and attentive, and they quickly brought fluffy rolls with garlic olives, herbed mayonnaise and a spicy tomato pebre. The menu looked tasty and reasonably priced, but after a few delicious tapas — the garlic mushrooms are divine — we were satiated. We would definitely like to return some day, especially to impress a dinner date, and we awarded the restaurant a 9 out of 10 for overall
ambience, despite the relatively few women patrons. When we left around midnight, our check came with a free pass for Bokhara disco. The night was young by local standards, so we saved it for later.
Stopping in at Dionisios, we found the downstairs bar empty and bleak (ambience: 2 out of 10). Upstairs the tables are tiny, the dance music loud (“¡Baila! ¡Baila! ¡Baila!”), and the packed crowd dressed to cruise. After an admittedly cursory glance we gave it a mere 5 out of 10 for ambience and girl vibe. It may feel more welcoming, though, if you’re a local.
We fared much better at Vox Populi, a funky old house on the corner of a tree-lined street. The nautical-themed bar was busy, so we wandered downstairs and admired the eclectic black-and-white photographs, old Singer sewing machine and assorted picnic tables and couches. Through the back door is a stone-tiled patio with a random collection of garden furniture clustered below spreading trees strung with fairy lights. We lingered comfortably, peering out the porthole windows in the garden walls and savoring the R&B music selection at our new favorite in all of Santiago.
Having just eaten, we sampled only the beverages (mixed drinks, beer, wine), although the snack menu (cheese plate, quiches, mushrooms, salmon) looked yummy. It’s discreet at Vox Populi and quietly dressy — wear black if you want to blend in — but fliers advertising the multiple DJs booked for the following weekend’s third-anniversary bash
suggested that this place can party, too. Overall, a stellar 10 out of 10 for the pub and restaurant, with a moderate 6 out of 10 for girl vibe.
By then, it was definitely time for some dancing. At the first disco, all-girl Sui Generis, the best feature was the naked blue breasts painted on the wall opposite the bar. Otherwise, we and the seven other patrons were studiously ignored by a sullen, curly blonde
bartender. It’s a 10 out of 10 for the girls, but only 2 out of 10 for the dark and uninspiring atmosphere. Maybe it was just a slow night.
The vibe was much better at Máscara, which was described firmly as “un lugar para niñas” (a place for girls) by the no-nonsense den mother at the entrance. She gave us a quick tour. Through the door to the right was a darkened bar, where we were coolly appraised by the locals who returned quickly to their pub grub. To the left, behind an astonishingly soundproof door, we were surprised by a writhing disco packed with the young, the hip and the sweaty, all grooving to a heavy dance beat. On Fridays, our chaperone admitted, it is “más tranquílo” (much quieter), and on Thursdays even more so, as just the pub is open. We liked the disco, with its luscious babes in tight jeans and tank tops (10 out of 10!), and the pub was the perfect place to shoot a game of pool with some friends. We wished we could stay, but the airport was beckoning, and we weren’t done yet.
At Drag Queen, unmistakable with its enormous pink neon sign, the dining room was filled earlier by a mixed crowd, but the dance scene is mostly male. Friend’s, Bunker, Fausto and Queen discos are similarly popular, boy-dominated discos where women would probably feel most comfortable coming with a group. Girl vibe: 0 out of 10.
Last on our list was the legendary Bokhara, a mammoth, multistoried disco. This clearly is where a jam-packed crowd of all-gender hotties comes to party the night away. At 2 a.m., the line to get in was long, and despite our free pass, the wall of sturdy bouncers denied us a quick peek inside. Ilissa, who had been there before, swore it is the dance place in town.
This being a Saturday night, we knew Bellavista would dance until dawn. Had we been able to stay, we would have returned to Amor del Bueno to satisfy our wee-hour munchies with a sandwich. They’re open until 6 a.m. on weekends; after 4 a.m. the door is locked, but Gloria showed us the secret bell pull.
“Now that we know you,” she said, “just ring the bell and we’ll let you in.”
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