Estancia El Rocio

Photo: Courtesy of Estancia El Rocio

Welcome to the Estancia El Rocío
After a (ten-hour!) flight to Buenes Aires, Argentina, our crew arrived at this magnificent inn and working polo ranch for the 2-day shoot. Owner Patrice Gravière and his wife, Macarena Llambí, built the hotel from the ground up; they knocked down an old cottage and repurposed the bricks for this stunning new house.
The pool at Estancia El Rocio

Photo: Courtesy of Estancia El Rocio

A True Getaway
Only an hour and a half outside Buenos Aires, the estancia is worlds away from the bustling city. "It's the Hamptons of Buenos Aires," O's creative director, Adam Glassman, says.
Estancia El Rocio galleria

Photo: Courtesy of Estancia El Rocio

Welcome to Summer!
While the rest of the O staff shivered in New York blizzards, Adam and crew were basking in the summer sun in Argentina. When the weather's right (and it was!), meals are served here, outside in the galleria.
The dining room of the Estancia El Rocio

Photo: Courtesy of Estancia El Rocio

Colors of the Pampas 
Meals at the estancia are an authentic combination of Pampa and Argentine flavors. Think empanadas, locros, carbonadas (meet and vegetable stew), pollo al disco, mil hojas de dulce de leche.... They're also served here in the equally charming "La Matera"—the dining room, and traditional gaucho break room. Macarena personally decorated every nook and cranny, inspired by the colors of the natural landscape, peppering the rooms with exclusive pieces she has collected from her travels.
A suite at the Estancia El Rocio

Photo: Courtesy of Estancia El Rocio

A Look Inside
Adam slept here in the Suite Las Rosas. The entire property has 5 rooms (2 suites, 2 twin, 1 loft) and a maximum capacity of 12 guests, for a truly intimate experience.
Gauchos at the Estancia el Rocio

At Home on the Range
The suave gauchos of Estancia El Rocío do everything from branding cattle to training horses, fixing fences to presiding over barbecues.
Estancia el Rocio grill

On the Grill
"Argentina, you know," says Adam, "is known for its meat." Our crew sat down for a traditional Argentine barbecue in the galleria, prepared by one of the gauchos at the estancia. "They cook outside in a campfire style, and you eat outside, al fresco," he says.
Behind the scenes at the Estancia El Rocio

Can You Smell the Flavors?
Adam, model Jessica Clark, and the rest of our crew relax in the galleria after a long day of shooting. (You'd never know they were up at 4 a.m., to start shooting at 6!)
Model Jessica Clark and Todd Marshard

Picture Perfect
Jessica works the camera for photographer Todd Marshard in this charming gingham skirt (Michael Kors). "Everywhere you looked, you could see all the way out to the horizon, with those beautiful puffy clouds," says Adam.
Behind the scenes at the Estancia El Rocio

Getting It Just Right
Hair and makeup artist Deycke Heidom touches up Jessica before a shot.
Juan Jose Galarza at the Estancia El Rocio in Argentina

Traditions Kept
Juan Jose Galarza drinks yerba maté, a caffeine-rich herbal infusion that's a staple of the gaucho diet, using a wooden cup and metal straw (bombilla).
Polo players at the Estancia El Rocio

All for Sport 
O's fashion editor, Jenny Capitain (second from left), takes a time-out with Macarena (middle), and the Estancia El Rocio polo players.
Model and polo players

Score One for the Team
A trio of players (the two on the left are owner Macarena's sons) surround Jessica, while Todd angles for the perfect shot.
Polo equipment

Forget England!
"You can actually take polo lessons here," says Adam. "The estancia has its own team." There are two fields, 60 horses, and guests also have access to the stables and tack room. 

From the Cutting Room
This shot, taken on a hammock in the galleria, didn't make it into the magazine. Why not? Easy: "You can barely see the dress!" says Adam.
Gaucho on the Estancia El Rocio with Jenny Capitain

 

A True Gaucho
The quintessential lonesome cowboy, Don Mellizo, 79, lives in a cabin with only his dog and horse for company. El viejo hombre (the old man), as the crew playfully nicknamed him, relaxes here with Jenny. "A lot of the locals dress like this," says Adam. 

Field of Dreams
This field of sunflowers were the perfect backdrop for the story's boho-chic styles. "I've always been obsessed with sunflowers," says Adam. "They're just happy flowers." It's obvious Todd heartily agrees.
Model Jessica Clark and a Gaucho on the Estancia El Rocio

Equine Elegance
Jessica's not faking comfort with those horses: "She knows how to ride," says Adam. "She's a real athlete."
Lan Airlines airplane

Photo: Courtesy Lan Airlines

Getting There
Our crew flew to Buenos Aires on LAN airlines, via Santiago, Chile. LAN flies daily to South America.