Following a recent visit to the house of Naguib Ciurlizza, the Aracari team was delighted to learn that the distinguished host will soon receive our guests for lunch in his private home.
Located close to Lima, his property contains perhaps the most remarkable garden in Peru, which has been designed with immaculate attention to detail and that makes for a peaceful afternoon relaxing and dining in the company of a captivating conversationalist and story-teller.
Gardens:
Flowing with colour and a blend of endless shades of green, the garden at Naguib’s is a breathtaking feat. Every last detail has been determined by the visual effect of plants; the smells they create; the effect of the sun, the moon and the seasons; and the placement and allocation of water. The arrangement of plants is so done so that there is colour all-year-round, creating different appearances determined by the leaves and flowers. This meticulous and careful planning has been implemented by masterful Naguib to create the ideal setting for relaxing, reading, reflecting and, most importantly to him, hosting his friends.
The garden is split into three sections: a higher Andean garden at the top end; a Peruvian garden around the house in the middle; and a Colonial Garden at the bottom. These all have their own style, with regard to the respective cultures on which their design is based. The Andean garden, for example, utilizes stone terracing and chiefly native plants while the Peruvian garden has a flat grass lawn that was incorporated due to British influence on Peruvian gentry. The colonial garden, meanwhile, has organized stone walkways separating colourful flower beds, Romanesque statues and makes creative use of fountains and water features.
Lunch:
Mr. Ciurlizza was notably the first ever male chef to appear on Peruvian television, and the exquisite taste of his fare comes both naturally to him and through his experience. He was proud to tell us that he designs a new dish every week, and the result for his guests is a most unique meal that combines a diverse range of ingredients to encapsulate a rich and sophisticated flavour; this is not least ensured by the fact that the host is hands-on in the kitchen to make sure that his dishes are prepared to a very high standard. This is a sign of his being the most attentive and caring of hosts, making sure that every one of his guests is catered for to the fullest extent.
In the build up to the meal, a tasty assortment of Naguib’s own aperitifs are accompanied by house cocktails in the environs of the garden. Guests are then led to the dining area, which is naturally surrounded by plants and has a grand wooden table with comfortable seating. Dinner is accompanied by fine wine of the host’s selection, served in antique Mexican goblets. Afterwards, coffee is enjoyed in whatever part of the garden is most suited, and accompanied by sweets, of course crafted by Mr. Ciurlizza.
House and Art Collection:
If enough has not already been said about why a visit to Naguib’s house would be a pleasure to those who travel to Peru with Aracari, then an expose of the protagonist’s house itself is definitely an order. This colonial style building is far from being of pretentious grandeur; on the contrary, nothing but its refined and modest attire would fit in better with the surrounding nature of the gardens.
But it is the contents of this country house that are particularly intriguing: Mr. Ciurlizza holds a small part of his art collection here including some fantastic originals from the likes of Picasso, Salvador Dali and Gauguin. There is also some pre-Columbian ceramics and art from many notable modern Latin American Artists such as Bolivian sculptor Marina Núñez del Prado. Mr. Ciurlizza takes great pride in showing his collection to guests, and recounts many stories of how it has been acquired and compiled.
Logistics:
If you are interested in a visit to this house and garden, then this exclusive opportunity will be available through Aracari beginning in January 2011. Please get in contact with us if your luxury tour of Peru falls in 2011 and onwards and you want to pay a visit.
The journey from Lima will be approximately 35 minutes by private transportation and Naguib will be able to receive groups of up to 12 people; please note that prior arrangement is mandatory so get in touch as soon as possible.
Needless to say, if Aracari guests require an expert eye to help them pick out artwork in Lima, they should contact us to enlist Naguib’s expert assistance during their luxury Lima tour. Please also visit Naguib’s website at www.naguibciurlizza.com to dip into some of his poetry.