Bogota Brilliance: the most informative and widely viewed website around the world about beautiful Bogota, Colombia.
Welcome to the most comprehensive multilingual source of information about Bogota, an extraordinary world centre of culture now also becoming the business capital of Latin America.
Find information about Bogota culture, business, restaurants, travel, tourism, hotels, fashion, and much more.
For a listing of exciting events in Bogota, visit the Events tab and December Events in Bogota
Bogota Brilliance in El Tiempo - Colombia's Leading Daily Newspaper
http://www.eltiempo.com/colombia/bogota/bogota-paraiso-para-dos-neoyorquinos_12452170-4#panel-1
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Christmas in Bogota: Ho-Ho-Ho or No-No-No?
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Delights of Usaquen
If you haven’t been to Usaquen lately, there is so much happening in that wonderful and historical district that you should really check it out! Here are some the hot places that you don’t want to miss:
Paseo de Cantores – Serving French-inspired classics like Onion Soup and Steak Bordelaise in a romantic and eclectically decorated setting. Perfect for a date.
Calle 120 A No. 5 – 61
Tel.: 612.9940
ArtTe – White, Blue, Red and Black loose-leaf teas from carefully sourced and selected China and Japan, served in a relaxing and surprising space.
Tel.: 320.851.0653
More Local – Experience Colombia by taking tours that introduce you to the culture through encounters with local people and experiences that you might not have otherwise.
BakedByAna – Delectable homemade cupcakes, cookies and chocolates.
119 B No. 5 – 31
Tel.: 317.538.6379
It is definitely time to revisit Usaquen and discover its charms all over again.
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Drama! – Festival Internacional de Teatro Rosa
Smokehouse Splendors – La Fama
Once you enter the barbecue haven of La Fama you are immediately immersed in the scent of savory sweet smoke emanating from the open kitchen. La Fama aims to please with authentic US barbecued meats with comforting sides – and they succeed.
Get all the delicious details here
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Nuevo El Dorado Airport is the Most Technologically Advanced in Latin America
Source: Airport Business
In 2012 Bogotá’s El Dorado International Airport handled nearly 310,000 national and international flights – and almost 23 million passengers – and growth shows no sign of slowing. With throughput increasing at a rapid rate, its modernisation is both well timed and well considered.
The expansion programme has already seen the rigorous rejuvenation of the airport’s existing facilities, as well as the inauguration of the state-of-the-art new International Terminal 2 in October 2012. Work is currently underway on the final phase of the project – an extension of the remodelled terminal, which will begin handling domestic flights when it is completed in July 2014. The transformed El Nuevo Dorado International Airport will undoubtedly form the largest infrastructure project in Colombia’s capital city, and, while, already one of the largest air travel hubs in South America, the airport promises to become the most modern in the region.
Click here for the complete article
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New Website Promises Lowest Airfares
Escapar, Colombia’s first metasearch flight comparison website, to launch new website and promotional video
Finding the best airfare can be challenging at best. Who likes to sift through different airline websites and create a cost-comparison chart, especially for a quick get away? The founders of Escapar, Colombia’s first metasearch flight comparison website, believe they have provided the solution for local travellers who are trying to find the right option when flying within the country and abroad.
Unlike services such as Despegar, which is a travel agency, Escapar searches the web to find the best price, whether that be directly from the airline or an agency. The traveler is then redirected to the website of the provider where tehy can purchase the ticket.
The new website includes an ultra-fast search interface, filters to customize results based on price, flight duration, time of departure and arrival so that travelers can find the flight that perfectly fits their requirements. Escapar also boasts a similar function for hotels, meaning clients can quickly organize their trip, be it for a vacation or business, according to their personal budget and schedule.
“What we’re doing is unique in Colombia,” said Founder and CEO Thomas Allier, “and we hope that with our new site design, we can become the go-to site for Colombians when they want to find the best fare for their flights.”
A quick video illustrating how the service works can be viewed here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4ImFm5TJCM
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Top Shelf Dining at Plaka
Plaka is the type of restaurant that makes you feel special from the moment you approach the front door. The modern, yet welcoming, décor sets the stage for a world-class dining experience. The international menu offers hot and cold appetizers such as Terina de higado jerez, a silky smooth and sumptuous chicken liver terrine that simply melts away on the tongue. Accompanied by lovely mushrooms, sweet – but not overwhelming – caramelized red onions and a surprising rhoubard marmalade, this dish is one of the perfect ways to start your dining experience. Other cold appetizers include Prosciutto and Melon, Ceviche and Causa limena - a delightful Colombian creation of yellow potato puree, avocado, shrimp and yellow aji (a type of chili).
Read the Entire Article Here
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Unmasking Philanthropy
Do you care about social issues and improving the quality of life for all Bogotanos? If so, don’t miss an opportunity to show your support in a fun, festive and effective way by attending the black tie Masquerade Charity Ball, hosted by the American Women’s Club (AWC), on May 4. The AWC is an organization with more than 65 years serving the neediest people in our city as well as uniting women in the expatriate community with Colombian women.
“Your attendance is a wonderful way of supporting many deserving Colombian charities,” said AWC President Tiffany Kohl, “This year we are pleased to honor US Ambassador Michael McKinley and Fatima McKinley.”
The evening starts with cocktails at 7:00 p.m. when attendees will be able to place bids on the silent auction lots such as an evening of fine dining and wine, art, jewelry, designer clothing and round trip airline tickets to Cartagena. Following the cocktail hour guests will enter the ballroom for a sumptuous dinner, exciting entertainment, and after-dinner dancing!
Your ticket and auction purchases will help to directly support the more than 1,150 persons that benefit from the food, educational assistance, and hands-on attention the AWC provides to 14 private non-profit organizations. You can reserve and purchase your ticket by emailing awcbogota@gmail.com
Personal donations or corporate sponsorships are also gratefully accepted.
For further sponsorship information and a summary of available levels of sponsorship opportunities and benefits, contact Sponsorship Chair Bridget Brennan, at bridget.brennan@yahoo.com or Tiffany Kohl at (57) 314 346 1354 / tiffanykohl@gmail.com
Tickets are $180.000 COP per person
Cosmos 100 Hotel
Calle 100 No. 21 A - 41
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Bogota is Music!
Photo: Mark Firth
Congratulations Bogota on your one-year anniversary as a UNESCO designated Creative City of Music! In assessing Bogota’s candidature, the world body considered the city’s vast history of fostering all musical genres including opera, salsa, folk, rock, pop and hip-hop; the number of music festivals such as Rock al Parque, Festival Centro, Festival de Vallenato, the International Jazz Festival and Opera al Parque; and the amount of music schools, orchestras and associations throughout Bogota. With this honor Bogota joins an elite group of cities comprised of Seville, Bologne, Glasgow and Gant that make up part of UNESCO Network of Creative Cities.
Read the entire article here
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LARA: Latin American Roaming Art is an annual project wherein eight Latin American artists are invited to participate in a two-week residency in a specific Latin American location. The location is meant to serve as an inspiration and to stimulate the creative process, while also spurring debate and artistic reflection on themes of aesthetics, politics, social issues, anthropology and ethnography. For the inauguaral experiment, the artists shared living and working space in Honda, one of the oldest cities in Colombia. Through the use of video, drawings, light and shadow, sculpture and fabric, the individual pieces examine such themes as geographical positioning, depletion of natural resources and community. One artist, Nicolas Consuegra from Colombia, was selected for a residency at the Manila Museum of Modern Art. The project has been supported in full by the Asiaciti Trust.
March 16 to April 27
Carrer 5 No. 26 B - 76_________________________________________________________________
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Major City Discovered! Finally, the Information Gap about Beautiful Bogota Has Been Filled!
BOGOTÁ, COLOMBIA; March 5, 2013 – Just imagine if no one had ever written a guidebook about New York, Paris or London – that’s what happened to Bogota, Colombia. Thousands of people travel to Bogota annually and search in vain for a guidebook – their search is over.
The creators of http://www.bogotabrilliance.co, the most viewed website about Bogota, have entered into contract with the world’s largest publisher, to write the first bilingual guidebook about this exciting South American capital. The Bogota Brilliance book will be an insider’s look at Bogota’s vibrant culture, history, gastronomy, hotels, nightlife, business, sports, nature and much more! The guidebook will also include an overview to the bio-diverse Bogota region which offers more ecotourism options than whole of Costa Rica.
Modern Bogota, founded nearly a century before New York City, is racing into the 21st Century as a sophisticated metropolis that has everything to offer for tourists and business travelers. It is a progressive city that has set urban development standards worldwide, a warm and welcoming city that truly is the Capital of the Happiest Country on Earth.
The book will be the most important tool with advice and information for people who are moving to, or living in, Bogota.
The Bogota Brilliance book is scheduled for release and worldwide distribution in print and e-book formats in October 2013.
Visit http://www.bogotabrilliance.co
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The MAMBO Turns 50!
Congratulations to the Museo de Arte Moderno de Bogotá (MAMBO) on its 50th Anniversary!
Created from the vision of Marta Traba, the MAMBO has staged over 800 exhibits and has a permanent collection of 4300 pieces of Colombian and international art. Works by Goya, Rodin, Miro sit alongside Colombian masters such as Alejandro Obregón, Fernando Botero, Édgar Negret, Eduardo Villamizar and Juan Antonio Rodas. Under the stewardship of Gloria Zea for the last 44 years, the MAMBO has of course had its critics, but it has also earned an international reputation for housing some of the most important art in Latin America.
To celebrate 50 years of the Museum, Zea has organized an exhibition that opened on February 28 and includes one hundred works divided into six chapters: the academy, modernism and the landscape, the history of photography, printmaking from the ‘60s; photorealistic drawings, and works of contemporary artists.
MAMBO
Calle 24 No. 6 - 00
Tel.: 286.0466
www.mambogota.com
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ANATO - Attracting Tourism in Colombia and Way Beyond
More than 30 countires will be represented at the Vitrina Turistica Anato 2013 tourism expo being held in Bogota from April 27 to March 1. The United States is the guest of honor and 32 tourism related companies will be showcasing the best destinations in the country. It is expected that 23,000 buyers and sellers from the global tourism industry will attend Colombia’s biggest tourism event.
During the event attendees and exhibitors will have the chance to meet
contacts, generate new business relationships and strengthen their relationships
with regular clients. A program of academic
and business conferences is also scheduled.
Among the key objectives of Anato is to encourage tourism in Bogota and in the
country by placing Colombia firmly into an international context. The Instituto Distrital del Turismo (IDT)
will launch its new promotional video “Bogotá infinitas posibilidades” or
Bogota – Infinite Possibilities on Thursday – February 28 at 11:00 a.m. in
Pavillion 4. The video was made with the
participation of Andrea Echeverry, lead singer for the Colombian rock band
Articiopelados and rising singer / songwriter / performer Esteman.
Corferias
Carrera 37 No. 24 – 67
Tel.: 381.0000
Bogota Brilliance welcomes celebrated Chef Pâtissier Raphael Haasz, former Executive Pastry Chef of the famed Daniel Boulud in New York, to the Bogotano culinary scene with his incredible new patisserie Grazia in the Zona G. While breaksfast, lunch and brunch are served, the stars of the sleek space are the master’s artfully crafted French pastries, chocolates and breads. We recommend that you get there soon before it becomes impossible to find a table – or a crumb!
More delicious details to come....
Grazia
Calle 69 No. 05 – 04
Tel.: 702.1115
RONNER and EQUITANA – Always Classic, Ever Unique
Inspired by the love their mother Ines has of all things equestrian, and her store Equitana, Carin and Jessica Ronner pooled their respective interests and talents to create fashions that are at once classic and contemporary which are showcased at the Eqitana boutique in the high-end El Retiro shopping center. Carin took time from her incredibly busy schedule to talk about the family’s passion for fashion, making every women feel beautiful and the timelessness of the Equestrian lifestyle.
Read the entire article here
A Step Back in Time with Modern Conveniences
There are many hotels in Bogota, and more being built every day, but one shines with Art Deco opulence and service excellence as Lancaster House Suites, which was voted Traveler’s Choice 2012 on Trip Advisor. Constructed from the ground up, with great attention paid to every detail, from the sleek façade, the polished marble lobby, the custom made furniture and specially commissioned art work, the hotel evokes the grandeur of Art Deco palaces, but feels like a home-away-from-home.
Read the entire article here
Lure City Guide launched the fifth edition of their guide to Cartagena's best restaurants, sites, hotels, shopping, bars and clubs at the historic colonial house José Fernández de Madrid. The evening’s festivities were sponsored by Makro and Diners and lively gypsy jazz was performed by Los Locos del Ritmo, the house band of El Bandido restaurant in Bogotá. Special guests included professionals from the entertainment, hospitality, hotel, restaurant and diplomatic communities. Be sure to get your copy of the new and improved guide by writing to: info@lurecityguide.com
Happy Travels!
Theatre Review
Escenas para un diario Takes a Page From Life – and Death
From the moment the lights come up on Fernando and Adrian, the emotions are already running high and the audience cannot help but become invested in their story before one word is spoken. The main them of the play is not an easy one, talking about HIV / AIDS is never easy, especially when looking at the early days of the global epidemic in the 1980s, when so little was known about the mercurial virus and people were running scared, including lovers.
Read the complete review here
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For details, please visit: http://www.oilcouncil.com/event/latam/agenda-2/
Or contact one of Bogota Brilliance’s most important business allies at www.colombiaenergia.com
Colombia is the happiest country on earth! …According to results released in January 2013, from the Global Barometer of Hope and Happiness poll, conducted by WIN/Gallup International Association.
More than 55,817 men and women in 54 countries were asked, “As far as you are concerned, do you personally feel happy, unhappy or neither happy nor unhappy about your life?” 53% said they felt happy; 13% said they felt unhappy; 32% felt neither way and the remaining 2% did not answer. Colombians, the survey results show, are almost twice as happy as the global average.
Although the survey didn’t look at specific happiness factors, those of us living here can attest for the many reasons: incredible weather and light in most of the country, unmatched biodiversity, a huge variety of fruits, vegetables, meat, fish and dairy products that are available to most people, accessible healthcare, the unity of families and friends, a joy of life that finds people dancing in supermarket aisles, on buses and in the streets to wonderful music, the number of public holidays, and a collective spirit that does not give up.
Bogota Brilliance congratulates Colombia on this distinction and we are honored to be part of spreading the good word about the country that has made us very happy!
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New Recycling Requirements
Did you hear about the new Decree passed down by Bogota’s Mayor to better organize recycling efforts? As of December 18, 2012, all garbage needs to be separated as follows:
Black Bags: Organic and biodegradable such as fruit peels, food residue and egg shells. Other non-recyclables such as toilet paper, paper towels, light bulbs and medicine bottles should also go into this bag.
White Bags: Inorganic, non-biodegradable items such as clean paper, newspaper, books, plastic cups, aluminum cans, glass jars, bottles and packaging for cosmetics and creams.
Please participate and help with Bogota’s recycling efforts.
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Armani Takes Bogota
Young. Urban. Sexy. Those adjectives describe A|X Armani Exchange where fashion conscious Bogotano’s, and visitors, can get a piece for themselves at the newly opened location in the Zona Rosa. The brightly lit space offers two floors of the signature fashion label’s latest casual, yet sophisticated, designs for men and women.
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Colombia won the award of 'long distance destination revelation'
during the London Travel Agents Choice Awards in recognition of its
advances in tourism during the World's Fair in this sector. The award
was given by the British magazine Selling Long Haul, based on feedback
from travel agents and industry professional.
"Receiving this award from the same travel agency tells
us that we are on track and we
ratify the potential of Colombian tourism products and destinations
in the British market," said
Maria Claudia Lacouture,
president of Proexport.
In 2011 Colombia received 25,473 from the UK. In
the first six months of 2012, travelers from the UK to Colombia reached 11,340,
representing 7.5 percent of total European arrivals
to the country.
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Colombia's Economy Outpaces Argentina
Congratulations Colombia!
Outgoing Minister of the Interior, Juan Carlos Echeverry, in an interview with
Portafolio announced that Colombia’s economy had now surpassed that of
Argentina.
With the Colombian nominal GDP weighing in thus far, in 2012, at $362 billion
Dollars, and the Argentine GDP at $347 billion Dollars, Colombia has become the
second largest economy in South America, after Brazil, and third largest in
Latin America after Brazil and Mexico.
It is particularly interesting to note, that Colombia’s economy is also expected
to continue to grow much faster than those other two for many years to come.
Portafolio is Colombia’s leading business periodical see: http://www.portafolio.co/economia/el-pib-colombia-ya-supero-el-argentina-echeverry
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Starwood Hotels to Open W Bogota
On July 23, 2012 W Hotels Worldwide announced it has signed an agreement with Terranum Hotels to debut a new W Hotel in Bogota. Slated to open in 2014, W Bogota will be a part of a larger mixed-use development, which will also include premium office space and high-end retail. W Bogota will be located in the heart of the fashionable Usaquen district in the northern part of the city, just steps away from the neighborhood's trendy restaurants, cafes, and shopping.
"We are delighted to expand our partnership with Terranum Hotels to launch the W brand in Colombia," said Osvaldo Librizzi, Co-President of the Americas, Starwood Hotels & Resorts. "Bogota is one of the fastest growing economic hubs in Latin America and is also renowned for its fashion, music, tremendous gastronomic options, and historical significance in the region."
"This signing underscores our commitment to expansion in Latin America and marks an important milestone in our overall growth strategy to introduce our world-class brands into burgeoning cities around the globe," said Ricardo Suarez, Vice President of Latin America Acquisitions and Development for Starwood Hotels & Resorts. "Colombia, at the crossroads between the Americas, draws a diverse set of cultures for both business and leisure travel, and provides an ideal foothold as we continue to grow our pipeline in the region."
"Our vision is to create a hotel which will set a new lifestyle standard for Colombia," said Javier Pimienta, Managing Director of Terranum Hotels. "Selecting Starwood and its innovative W Hotels brand for this development was an easy decision. We have no doubt that W Bogota will become a must-see for both locals and international visitors to Colombia."
W Bogota will be designed by New York-based Studio Gaia, who has drawn inspiration from Colombia's famous El Dorado legend. According to the legend, during the pre-Colombian period, every time the indigenous Muisca tribe had a new Chief, the people would make offerings to their god by throwing gold, emeralds and semi-precious stones into the Guatavita Lake. The mystery and adventure of the El Dorado legend will come to life in the design of the hotel in innovative and unique ways, using color, light and texture to bring in the vibrancy and glamour of Colombia's varied landscape.
"The W brand's expansion into Colombia is another milestone in bringing the global design powerhouse to the world's most exciting cities and vibrant resort destinations," said Vincent Gillet, Global Brand Leader, W Hotels and Le Méridien. "W will offer a completely new and distinctive experience to the hotel market in Bogota, providing a stylish escape and innovative design in one of the city's most premier districts."
W Bogota will provide an integrated contemporary lifestyle experience, offering 168 stylish guestrooms, including 20 suites and one Extreme Wow Suite (the W brand's interpretation of the Presidential Suite), the signature W Lounge experience (the W take on the traditional hotel lobby), destination restaurant and nightclub, Away® spa, and 3,000 square foot Workout fitness center. The hotel will also be an ideal venue for meetings with more than 12,000 square feet of function space, including a Great Room and five state-of-the-art meeting rooms. Guests will also be treated to the W brand's iconic Whatever/Whenever® service philosophy, providing guests with whatever they want, whenever they want it.
W Bogota will be located only seven miles from the El Dorado International Airport in one of the premium areas in Colombia's capital city, where many of the most prominent companies are based.
For more information, please visit www.whotels.com or www.facebook.com/whotels.
