Memories of Casa de Campo: Altos de Chavon’s Zanzibar

This post is also available in: Inglés

In this week’s memories of Casa de Campo post, Carol Burke our weekly writer brings us photos and the story of Altos de Chavón’s Zanzibar Restaurant – from more than 20 years ago!

“A house is made of walls and beams; a home is built with love and dreams.”
— unknown author
“I long, as does every human being, to be at home wherever I find myself.”
— Maya Angelou (American Poet b. 1928)

Altos de Chavon was my home from August, 1987 through December, 1993.

Altos, as everyone who has been there knows, is a most remarkable place. It is a contemporary village that looks like a 16th century Italian cliff town. It was designed by Roberto Copa, a former Paramount Studios set designer, and by Charles Blüdorn, founder of Gulf+WesternIndustries in 1976.

I recently found a poster of Altos among my old photos. It is from a photo taken by New York-based architectural photographer, Peter Loppacher, and used to be at the Altos gift shop, La Bougainvillia.

Altos Poster by Peter Loppacher

Altos de Chavon is a cultural and artistic destination. For the performing arts, there is the amphitheatre.

The inaugural performance featured Frank Sinatra with the Buddy Rich Orchestra, Heart, and Santana on August 20, 1982. Since that time there have been many spectacular events and performances.

Usually there would be a reception at the ZanziBar to celebrate the event.

Near the front door was a welcoming food table.