Tales of the Stylish Traveler

Crushing on The Presidio

By Grace Emery

I love nothing more than being a tourist in my own city. I’ve been in the bay area only about a year, so I find it quite exciting when I recognize intersections and feel like I’m starting to really get my bearings in my neighborhood. While I like having my regular coffee shop and my blissful and familiar morning commute (which I’m lucky enough to walk in a mere 15 minutes!), I love the chance to play tourist every once in a while and fall in love with this city all over again.

Today, I was fortunate enough to go on a hard hat tour of the under-construction Inn at The Presidio-- a new hotel in The Presidio that BMC represents. The Inn at the Presidio is slated to open in April 2012 (hence the hard hats) and will be the first hotel to open in San Francisco’s Presidio. It’s also the only new hotel to open in San Francisco in 2012!

 

I grew up in Northern California, so even before I moved here I had taken my fair share of day trips to Union Square or Golden Gate Park, but until today I had never been to The Presidio. Enter: my ridiculous tourist enthusiasm. On our drive over from the office, we passed through Pacific Heights. As I’ve gotten to know the city and met people here, I’ve heard “Pac Heights” thrown out here and there. I don’t leap at the chance to admit to my embarrassingly small knowledge of city geography, so I pull the “smile and nod” when people mention Pac Heights as a reference point. I can now add that to the list of places I’ve been to and can feign geographic savvy with a little less guilt in the future. Also, can I live in one of those mansions?

 

Long home to military residences, The Presidio is now a national park site at the Golden Gate, a National Historic Landmark, home to hundreds of small businesses, and ridiculously pretty. Crissy Field alone is inspiration enough for me to procure a bicycle. Before the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge in 1937 made flight through the area too dangerous, Crissy Field was a bustling aviation area, home to heroes like Amelia Earhart. In addition to its biking and running trails, Crissy Field’s historic airplane hangars and warehouses now house indoor recreation areas and restaurants. House of Air, The Presidio Bowling Center… how had I not been to The Presidio yet?!

 

Up close and personal with the Golden Gate Bridge

It's only minutes from downtown SF, but The Presidio feels like a forested oasis!

Upon hearing I’d never been to The Presidio before, our “tour guide”—Terry, the GM of the Inn at The Presidio—was kind enough to give us deluxe driving tour of the grounds. Highlights included: Andy Goldsworthy’s Spire, a view of the Walt Disney Family Museum, and some casual scouting for a future wedding venue.

Apparently a lot of people get married here. For views like that, I’m ok with getting on the bandwagon.

 

I think The Presidio might just have to be my new favorite place. It’s the perfect combination of tourists soaking up the Golden Gate, plus plenty of regulars and locals enjoying some pretty unreal views in some pretty unreal weather. 

Thanks, Terry!

A Dreamy Day in Instanbul

By Lindsay Katz

I spent just over a week in Turkey, and each day was wonderful and exciting in its own unique way – truth be told the particular day I am about to share with you was not necessarily the very best one I had in the country! Yet it was a delightful, unforgettable day nonetheless. And I can’t imagine an agenda with more amazing photo ops for the ancient and stunning city of Istanbul!

Since a wedding was the main inspiration for my visit, in addition to all of the must-do touristy things that I was sure to check off my list I also got to experience the country from a more ‘local’ perspective. The bride – having grown up in Istanbul – not only had a bounty of choice ‘insider’ suggestions for her visiting friends, but also set up some beautiful meals and special get-togethers where her American visitors got to have some fun mingling with her Turkish family and friends.

Our day began in the Ortaköy district. In a city that is (literally) 15 times the size of San Francisco in square miles, Istanbul feels like it is absolutely bursting with energy and history. Cobblestone side streets lead to several hundred year old bathhouses, gorgeous trellises of ivy drape over Victorian era flats with exposed brick, ancient ruins dot through the seven hills of the city. Long story short, Istanbul is breathtakingly beautiful and absolutely charming to boot, and the Ortaköy district is high on the list of super-cute areas that you must visit! We enjoyed a Traditional Turkish Breakfast with a view of the waters of the Bosphorus at local favorite Sade Khave – which in English translates to “black coffee.”

 

Figs, olives, eggs and feta can be found in any good Turkish Breakfast

 

 

Sade Khave - Proof that Ortaköy is super duper cute

 

To walk off our breakfast -and hangover from the previous night’s Raki & Nargile session (Raki is a Turkish anise flavored liquor, encouraged to be drunk in shots, Nargile is their word for Hookah) we took a hike around the ruins of the Rumeli Fortress.  Built between 1393 and 1394, the massive stone towers and staircases of the fortress jut out right in the middle of the city. Being thoroughly American I never cease to be amazed by 1) the mere idea of ruins and 2) the idea of them still existing in the middle of a major metropolitan area!

 

Imagine if THIS were in the middle of Northbeach!

 

After a few more hours spent strolling through the city we all reconvened back at… Ortaköy! This time to board a riverboat for a dinner cruise. Floating down the Bosphorus Strait affords you some amazing views of Istanbul that you wouldn’t be able to capture on land.

 

Chillin’ on the cruise boat gave us all some quality time to get to know each-other :)

 

All geared up with Dramamine (I can get pretty motion sick if I’m not careful) I was able to enjoy at least 2 (maybe 3) deliciously fresh plates of Mediterranean food:

 

Dolmas and eggplant and spinach – oh my! But really, this stuff is addictive.

 

After such a long, lovely cruise we were all pretty sleepy, and the scenery (apparently) started to look like this:

But we all managed to make it out for a quick Raki & Nargile nightcap before heading off to rest up for the big day.

Pretty dreamy.

 

A Very "Vegan" Thanksgiving

By Grace Emery

I come from a family of foodies. As a young child, it was customary to enjoy tempeh and artichokes for dinner, and I still remember the first time I ever tried—and for that matter heard of meatloaf at the ripe old age of 16. My sister and I grew up exploring weird and wonderful foods, and we have our enthusiastic foodie parents to thank for our adventurous taste buds.

Perhaps an overdue symptom of empty-nest syndrome, my parents have recently started going on themed culinary kicks for weeks at a time. These adventures typically reflect the cookbook they most recently acquired:  “Oh, did you know this is the national dish of Ethiopia!? Well, we’ve been eating all vegan this past week, you know.”  I look forward to their Sunday night check-in calls (with an admitted bit of jealousy), destined to be filled with tales of the dietary feats they have accomplished that week.

 

Enthusiasm for food and flavor runs strong throughout the family, and our holiday celebrations often go above and beyond a typical celebration, including a full out Iron Chef competition that occurs every Christmas Eve.  It then should have come as no surprise when I received a call gleefully informing me Thanksgiving would be vegan this year and isn’t that just so exciting!? Even within a family who more often than not has Christmas tamales rather than honey baked ham, this was quite a break from tradition. No turkey, no mashed potatoes, no gravy boat making its way around the table and the inevitable drama that ensues when it spills on the tablecloth? I at least found great comfort in the fact that wine passes as vegan.

These “vegan” meals are often accompanied by a quick disclosure that the meal is entirely vegan, except for just this little bit of cheese. Thanksgiving was no exception tothat rule, as we started off the afternoon with mini-quiche. Much like the gift-card as a last minute Christmas present, I turn to the Whole Foods frozen section in times of need. I’m also going to go ahead and consider this appetizer my personal contribution to the meal—I did put them in the toaster oven after all.

Diner started with pumpkin soup, topped with cumin-flavored roasted pumpkin seeds and parsley, and a salad featuring roasted beets, blue cheese, and pecans. In California, we tend to sing the heralds of summer vegetables that we can grow in our own backyard—but there is something to be said for the comfort factor of roasted fall veggies. We had a heaping pile of oven-roasted brussel sprouts, cauliflower, carrots, and onion, tossed together in olive oil and light seasoning.

The main event—or our turkey stand-in— was a vegetable wellington. After one bite of flakey puff pastry filled with butternut squash, mushrooms and the familiar “just a little bit” of goat cheese, I forgot all about turkey. I oh so generously offered to take a good portion of the leftovers off their hands and returned home with bursting Ziploc bags.  While I can’t exactly make a day after Thanksgiving sandwich out of these leftovers, I’d take this version any day.

 

Taipei by Whirlwind

By Lindsay Katz

 

It is a conundrum that every world traveler must face:  the long layover. That dreadful logistical puzzle… Do I make friends at the airport lounge whilst sampling every colorful cocktail on the menu? Should I be sensible and try to sleep (in the airport – ugh!) with one eye open, clutching my carry-on? Or do I take the plunge and run out in to the city, take a whirlwind tour in under 8 hours? I finally had the guts to make my long layover count in Taipei, en route to Bangkok, and I will never go back to boring airport-bound layovers again!

My boyfriend and I decided we had time for public transportation and hopped on an air-conditioned double-decker bus that sped us away from the airport along a stunningly lush tropical highway. We had landed around 6 AM and the city was still half asleep as we rolled into town. It was amazing to watch the transformation as one dusty store-front (or food stall) after another pulled up its metal door to reveal a bounty of richly colored textiles and steaming plates of food available all along the roadside.

After enjoying a tasty (if slightly odd) breakfast of mini hot-dogs-in-a-croissant-crust and cucumbers (it came highly recommended!) at an adorable café near the Taipei Train station we were free to roam for the next few hours. The heart of the city is beautiful, tranquil and safe. Like so many cities in Asia there is the feeling of constant traffic swirling all around you, but Taipei has a deeply calm undercurrent. Despite our time crunch the afternoon felt long and relaxing as we strolled through the humming downtown streets.

While we were enjoying a lovely afternoon in Taipei, we were technically in the process of a 24 hr flight to Thailand…So we had to cut our visit short and return to the airport. Luckily the food there is delicious, and the entire terminal was dotted with Duty-Free Scotch samples just waiting to temp you in their plastic thimble cups…

People often tell me “that’s not long enough to do anything in _____  <insert fabulous destination here>” But I have learned that any time at all is long enough to have an incredible travel adventure. Step out of the airport, inhale the curious smells, let that exotic air caress your skin, eat the first fried thing available on the roadside! I bet it feels (if ever so slightly) different. And you will leave different, maybe a little better.

 

My Stylish Home Away From Home

 

Within each city, there are people that make a difference in their neighborhoods. One of these people I call a friend, Lulu, and whenever I stay in Los Angeles, I come to her house. Essentially, her home, a modest three bedroom with one bath, about a block from Hauser and Venice, is located in an area deemed as “marginal” by both the real estate community and Los Angeles. It’s a mixed race location, of Mexicans, Afro-Americans and a sprinkling of homeless with shopping carts; she even had a criminal run through her backyard as the helicopters swarmed over her roof with blinding searchlights but it didn’t deter her by giving back in one of the simplest of ways. It’s her garden.

 

 

At its best when everything is in full bloom and showcasing its natural regalia, I feel that it can compete with some of the best organic vegetable and flowering gardens in Los Angeles, if not California. (I am not a gardener, by any means so my feelings are completely subjective.) In the front of the house, grow huge artichokes, corn, peppers, peas, tomatoes, and a variety of cacti and succulents meant for picking by the neighbors for canning and sharing with friends. It also provides a scene into farming for the local children. So, there is Lulu, on a hot sunny day, clearing out the weeds from the beds. Her very fair skin getting burned, after I told her to make sure that she had sunscreen rubbed into it. (She said, “I lost track of time.”)

 

 

  
In the backyard, is the true earth-friendly growth: wildflowers of every color proliferate, both small and large. Raspberries and fruit trees nurtured to ripeness. Cucumbers. Beans. More corn. Sunflowers, tall and strong. Red leaf and Bibb lettuce. Heirloom tomatoes. Rhubarb. More flowers such as California poppies, Salvia and Columbine. Basil. Rosemary. Thyme. Parsley. Onions. Roses. Squash of every variety. And from her guest room, I wake up every day to see a world in bloom. (She has placed her home-grown Sweet Peas by my head.)When I lived in La La Land, she would bring me some of her produce: spaghetti squash, melons, tomatoes, carrots and a variety of herbs.

 

 

 

 

For a guy who grew up not knowing, until much later that vegetables didn’t grow out of can I find her dedication stunning. Additionally, her art collection isn’t just relegated to the inside of her house but on the cement block walls lies, in graffiti fashion, an ode to Martin Luther King, which is about twenty feet long and in the joyous colors that make it urbane, citified and relevant. King’s face is sometimes framed by different wildflowers, too numerous for me to mention. But there he is; his wide eyes looking out,being mindful of her garden, like God. Big and bright are those orbs, in a mixed race neighborhood overseeing a white woman’s handiwork, giving back so that the community knows that vegetables do not come dressed in metal.

Here’s to Lulu, may she always have my secret garden.

#   #   #

Los Angeles

 

 

I arrived in Los Angeles and promptly made it to the BMC office. It was a warm day and I had to use the air conditioning in the car to keep from sweating, but it was lovely.  Then on to The Abbey in West Hollywood where Bonnie, Greg, Shelley, Jean, Kelly, Aaron, Kathy, Tara and Dan came by to shower their love and drink cheap margaritas and have three dollar tacos.

 

Then, four of us (Shelley, Greg, Bonnie and me) ventured over to 3^rd Street. First stop, Little Next Door which was packed. We decided to move down a few doors to Tasca, the Argentinean wine bar. That looked a little staid. Ultimately, we settled on a third restaurant that we came upon which was the new Burger Kitchen opened by the Saffron Family: Jen, the mother, Alan, the father and Daniel, the son. (Very Goldilocks.)

 

Opened only three weeks and with 22 burgers on the menu, it’s a real find and inexpensive compared to other places around the city. The beef burgers are made with two types of beef, freshly prepared buns. The turkey burger which I had was moist. A difficult thing to do with the large bird, especially when it is created out of the breast meat. This was juicy and flavored with dried herbs which made it savory and yummy. We also ordered sweet potato fries as well as regular. The sweet potato fries came with a creamy, thick aioli for dipping. Unfortunately, you can’t drink on the sidewalk so we got up and went back and forth from table to wine glass which were inside the restaurant. However, it was a small price to pay for the delicious sandwiches. I can’t wait to try the Australian Meat Pies.

 

 

* *   *

 

The next day (we will skip breakfast) I met two wonderful people Dick and Patti Pietschmann for lunch at Il Piccolino, one of those celebrity hotspots where Bruce Willis, Paris Hilton and the like eat. That day we were sitting next to producer Jerry Weintraub (Nashville, Diner, the remake of Ocean’s Eleven), when we were served the first of four items: This was three different types of meatballs. One was veal, the other beef and the last was a delicious composite of beans and spinach. It was followed by an amazing pan seared langoustine, mussels and spaghetti concoction with red pepper flakes. After that, an amazing lamb stew tracked it complimented with pureed pommes, so delicious with it’s butter and cream. Lastly, a massive mound of chocolate mousse, paired with raspberries, blackberries and the last thing I needed, whipped cream.

 

   
   Image courtesy of TMZ

 

I then went back to the office. (I wanted to sleep.)

 

In the evening, I met Kathy and Lulu for a presentation of Santosha Resorts, a Costa Rican development that will be a hotel and homes with a recording studio. The event was at Hollywood Hills home that was selling for $11 million. Way up above Sunset Boulevard, it had a screening room that sat 15 people and a lap pool that was about 50 feet long.

 

After that, Kathy, Lu and I went to the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel (for me, made famous by Marilyn Monroe and the first Oscars; for those, under the 30 year mark, made famous because they refused entry to Cher and LiLo) for the opening of a new app for iPhones called DayFly. (Thanks, Ghalib!!)

 

After a couple of free drinks, we departed. Kathy went home and Lu and I went to The Street, Susan Feninger’s place without Mary Sue Milliken. I love this place. It’s small plates essentially but the food is from around the world celebrating “street food” or things from carts. The concept is pretty fabulous with food presentations from Singapore, Brazil, Japan, China. As Susan states on her website, traveling around the world is an amazing experience and one of the best things to do is sample the simple pleasures of a culture with recipes, handed down from generation to generation. One of the big sellers is Kaya Toast from Singapore (which we ate); a concoction of toast spread with coconut jam and served with a fried egg for dipping. I had it in Singapore on a layover and it’s very unique. It’s also served with a little dark soy, so the flavor is bold with salty and sweet. Additionally, we ate the Burmese Lettuce Wraps. A mixture of Burmese lentils, peanuts, fried onions, toasted coconut and a sesame ginger dressing for a little bite on the finish. Loved the combination of flavors as well as the crispness of the lettuce. Looking like little tacos, again, it’s the Asian thing of sweet and savory.

 

 Courtesy: Los Angeles Times

I could go on as I also went to Serry’s for Filipino Bolognese, Toast on 3^rd Street with Lori, The Claim Jumper in San Bernadino for Mother’s Day and my mother’s birthday as well as Otto’s Diner in Acton with Teryann. At the last place, the omelettes are so large that three people could share. They look like they are made with a dozen eggs each.

 

(National Enquirer Moment: After Toast, Lori and I went to pick-up some flea medicine (Advantage ) at Urban Pet for her puppies. We saw Amanda Seyfried at Urban Pet. Really tiny girl. She couldn’t weigh more than 100 lbs, 5’0 and a minus 2 for clothes. Her sunglasses were also massive. She seemed nice but I just can’t fathom being that tiny. If she lived in Oklahoma’s “Tornado Alley”, she’d be flung to Asia by a twister.)

 

 

Last thought: Drove the 138 from Acton to my mom’s place as I did so I went through the San Bernadino National Forest and came across the mesmerizing and beautiful “Mormon Rocks” located in the Cajon Pass.  These enthralling formations are massive white rocks jutting out of the earth like skyscrapers. Nestled around them is a tiny mountain community called Wildwood. It’s one of those places like the Grand Canyon, where images just do not do it justice. Going through it, you realize how stunning not only our country can be but also the world. Breathtaking and I can’t wait to stop off there.  (BG)

 

 

*   *   *

Mexico Day 1

There are a lot of places in our world but few have experienced some of the penalizing rhetoric that our Southern border neighbor has experienced. However, Mexico is full of rich cultural experiences that once are experienced makes the country almost as eye opening as a trip to ancient Rome, Paris or Greece.

I have been to Mexico four times with the first time on a cruise (horrible), another time with Paul celebrating his 50th birthday to San Miguel de Allende, followed by another trip to San Miguel with a day trip to Guanajuato and then, most recently to Mexico City and then to San Miguel, again. This time was a special occasion to celebrate one of my dearest friend’s birthdays, Penny, along with her husband Tim. Neither had been to Mexico; however, both had been to Europe over 30 times and I wanted them to know why I thought Mexico, and more specifically, Cuidad de Mexico and San Miguel de Allende are two of my favorite places.

We arranged to meet at the arrivals terminal of Internacional Benito Juarez Aeropuerto and take a cab in together. They were staying at an eco-friendly hotel just down the street from FiestaAmericana and Paul and I were staying with our friend Miguel’s home in Lomas de Chapultepec.

Paul and I are a little spoiled, admittedly. We get the opportunity of traveling to a variety of places for work and the last time we were in Mexico, Distritro Federal, as Cuidad de Mexico is referred to at times, was when our friend Miguel drove us around the city acting as our tour guide and he knows the city very well.

Miguel said to us that traffic might be difficult at the time of our arrival, but Tim, Penny, Paul and I, all shrugged it off. Of course, we didn’t really think that traffic could be so bad that it would take 2 hours to get to their hotel. The other disparaging part was that the cab driver didn’t know where the hotel was located. This is a city of 28 million people (that’s a combination of New York City with Los Angeles), the largest city in the Western Hemisphere (Sao Paolo is a close second) and covers 573 square miles (1485 km). It’s a pretty massive place so why would the taxi driver know exactly were the hotel was located? (Travel tip: If you do go to Mexico City, make sure that you have your hotel send a taxi for pickup. Depending upon the location, it will be around 150 to 250 pesos, essentially $15 to $25USD. Trust me on this, it will save time and a headache.) It was our silly assumption but we got a great tour of the Polanco district.

Once we got to their hotel, we decided to make a quick change in plans. Originally, we planned going to Miguel’s penthouse first to put our bags away, but after 2 hours in a cab with four thirsty and hungry people, we decide to skip that part for the time being and head to Tim and Penny’s hotel; then to Café Tacuba, located by the Zocalo, Mexico City’s famous plaza. Café Tacuba opened in 1912 and was one of the premier spots to see and been seen, a favorite of Frida Kahlo’s and Diego Rivera’s, politicians and actresses such as Maria Elena.

After a lunch of tamales, enchiladas and sopas as well as plenty of margaritas, we headed to El Zocalo, the heart of Mexico City and one of the world’s largest squares. In this area, called the Centro Historico is a fascinating story of history of Mexico with plenty of museums, restaurants, shopping and other cultural activities to keep one occupied for several days. But, since this was Tim and Penny’s first trip, I wanted to at least walk and give them a brief overview of what to see and do. Palacio Nacional, to the south of the Plaza de la Constitucion (El Zocalo) houses one of Diego Rivera’s most important works as well as is considered to be one of the major architectural buildings in Mexico. To the northeast of the building and at the corner is the Temple Mayor, a large Aztec temple which was discovered as recently as 1978; El Cathedral, the largest and oldest cathedral in The Americas, El Portales de Mercaderes, a series of shops and offices built since the Spanish conquest and several other museums and edifices to numerous to mention in one sitting.

Right now, Mexico is getting ready to celebrate its 200th year of independence and in the middle of the plaza is an enormous, temporary exhibition complete with a movie about the history of the Mexico.
By this point it’s about 7:00PM and our quartet was getting tired. I wanted to make one final stop in the area to Casa de Las Sirenas for another margarita before we tried to locate their hotel and Miguel’s house. About one city block from El Zocalo, Paul and I discovered this beautiful bar and restaurant which overlooks El Cathedral and Templo Mayor. At that time, it was early in the day and we had lunch upstairs but they were closing when we got there so we satisfied our thirst on margaritas at the downstairs bar.

We made it to Miguel’s house about 2 hours later. The taxi driver didn’t know how to get there.

San Miguel de Allende (Day 2)

I explained to my Manhattan-ite friends Tim and Penny that San Miguel de Allende is a small city. Their big discovery of late night salsa dancing and margaritas in Mexico City would just not be found especially during the week before Easter Sunday. With that said, I told them that we should meet for breakfast at the hotel’s restaurant, El Andande, and have a breakfast before we explored the area.

Tim who was grading college papers had a late night working; so they slept in, but Paul and I ate. I had the chilaquiles with a poached egg on top. If you’ve never had them and I don’t mean a poached egg; chilaquiles are essentially Mexican lasagna which is a layer of tortillas, ancho salsa, and chicken and then you repeat the process. I topped it with a poached egg and found it to be irresistible and ate the entire plate. Paul did a basic American breakfast of Scrambled Eggs, Roasted Potatoes and “Jugo de Naranja” followed by a “Café de leche”. Of course, if you know me I still was drinking the coffee, along with a lot of water.

Once Tim and Penny joined us about 11:00AM, and they had a little café con leche, we went off to find Tim a belt. Yep, we were already shopping. Just like Buenos Aires, Mexico has amazing tanneries. There we are on a cobblestone street, with cars stopping at every cross section (there are no traffic lights) and us, “gringos”, searching for this artisan leather shop which on our first visit, Paul and I found. It was a leather tannery, full of the smells of leather, oils and such that make bags, belts; also, incredibly inexpensive. Tim bought two handmade belts, one black, and one brown with the buckle, each for $12.00.

From there, we walked to the Instituto Allende. The building houses art and Spanish to English classes, handicrafts, et al. It also houses one a huge mural created by one of the great Mexican painters of the 20^th century. (Of course, I didn’t write his name down.) Regardless, there is a painted pictorial of the history of Mexico. Colorful, sad, bloody and heartwarming.

We viewed several of the art galleries including a strange but interesting exhibit of a U.S. prisoner who created a multitude of paintings created out of M&M’s. Placed in solitary confinement, the artist would take the pigments off the non-almond variety and paint an interesting abstract series. He made it into the NY Times with a review but his crimes were pretty heinous including the killing of a prison guard. Once, reading the article which was placed on the wall, I couldn’t look at his images.

We, then, finally went to lunch at a place that Paul and I discovered called “Pegasus”. We had chili rellenos, enchiladas and of course, plenty of margaritas before we hit the pool and just chilled. Owned by an American woman from Mexican descent, it’s a casual dining establishment that has a full bar and serving up everything from eggs in the morning and afternoon to steaks and “Pollo Frito” in the evening. It was certainly a memorable meal.

***

After our leisurely afternoon of swimming both in our plunge pool and at the hotel’s main area, we went for dinner at “El Parque”, the other restaurant housed by Casa de Sierra Nevada. It’s closer to the major park in San Miguel called Juarez, a striking landscape park that holds a lot of public art, basketball courts, and children's’ playgrounds. The restaurant is located on the corner, along with more rooms at the main road that used to be the main road from Mexico City to San Miguel. It’s also in the stunningly beautiful area of San Miguel that houses more of the wealthy inhabitants. Stunning homes border the area, and like many Mexican homes, the front walls sit on top of the sidewalk, hiding inner courtyards and massive rooms. Anotherintriguing item about the area where “El Parque” is established; it’s located across the street from a traditional lavanderia. In this courtyard is placed a series of fountains where women bring their laundry. Open-air and scrubbing. It’s another time, place and still working. While watching the women, clean laundry outside their home, it’s a little embarrassing to witness as a North American because literally, it’s airing dirty and clean laundry at the same time. It’s a fascinating insight into what existed…whether good or bad. (I do prefer an indoor washer and dryer myself.)

For dinner that night, Paul and I ordered the Lime Soup. It’s a tart and spicy combination with chicken consommé and strips of fried crunchy tortillas for texture. Yummy. Tim and Penny had the Tortilla Soup, a Tortilla Soup which, is of course, a staple of Mexican culture. Tomatoes, chicken, rich chicken broth, corn, hints of a variety of peppers and garnished with the same crunchy texture of deep fried tortilla strips.

# # #

San Miguel de Allende - Day One

We picked up Penny and Tim at their hotel with a driver. We had a three hour drive in front of us, but I was looking forward to it, since it would really give us time to view the Mexican countryside. I love looking at the different types of terrain in the world. In a strange sort of way, it is what makes us separate by various foods that grow in the soil and the indigenous products that arise; however, it is also the reason we visit others not only to spend time with them, but also enrich our lives and taste-buds.

Small little aside: At San Angel Inn, I had asked Penny if she had ever had nopales (cacti), epazote (a Mexican herb) or huitalcoche  (corn smut: more on this later). I knew that she had but was surprised by the negative reaction. Nopales, when made correctly, is very mild in flavor with almost a citrus flavor. Epazote, an indigenous herb, is often called Mexican “tea” and is used in a variety of ways such as flavoring for quesadillas (cooked) to burritos (fresh) and is often paired with huitalcoche. All three were used by the Aztecs and for the Mexican truffle (the American gourmet term) is considered a delicacy. Of course, when used properly the ingredients offer unusual flavors not found in our American dishes.

As we drove through Mexico, it reminded me of New Mexico, with its high desert arid air, Joshua trees and cacti proliferating throughout. Occasionally, we would see ranches with goats, cows and horses. It was a week before Easter Sunday and on the highway’s curb, we would pass a procession of bicyclists. I yelled up to our driver, Victor,” What are they doing?”

Victor said, “That’s a pilgrimage for St. John and Easter.” There were hundreds if not thousands of people riding bikes, some of them with Saint John the Baptist literally carrying “Juan”. He was a small effigy encased in wood and glass tied to the many of their backs as they made their way to San Juan del Rio. I’m not sure why but it was interesting to witness as part of the Mexican culture.

After the long drive, lots of water due to the dry air, which resulted in a couple of stops, we made it to Casa de Sierra Nevada in San Miguel de Allende.

San Miguel is a small town, located in the “Corazon” (heart of Mexico) or Centro de Mexico. It holds an important place in Mexico’s revolution as Miguel de Allende, was one of the heads of the Mexican revolution and its independence from Spain.

First, we went to have lunch at the hotel’s restaurant Andande. The hotel is made up of nine buildings and truly is one of the most indigenous experiences one can have South of the Border. Six of them consist of rooms and and two restaurants, Andande and El Parque. The other three, house the administrative, a spa, a cooking school and gift shop.

 

Quite frankly, there isn’t a narrative to describe the hotel. Each room is different from the other as is each building. Unique courtyards, unusual fountains, and different layouts proliferate the hotel. Additionally,  the hotel is located about a five minute walk from the center of San Miguel or “El Jardin” (The Garden).

“El Andande” has a large courtyard and an area were the tables are placed with a soothing water feature and depending upon where you sit, guests can have a view of the fireplace, Casa Azul which is the bar, or a street view and watch residents promenade.

 Tim and Penny were ensconced in the area that former Presidente de Mexico, Victor Fox, stays. It has a small fountain outside, mini-bar and a large tub that fit two. (Never mind why I know that, it was a discussion over dinner.)

Paul and I stayed in one of the Pool Villas. It was a two story room with an outside patio that was on the second floor that included a plunge pool, a small living area and a dining spot overlooking the Cathedral.

Penny kept saying, “I have never been in a room so luxurious.” This is from a woman who has been to Paris thirty times.

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Mexico Day 2

On our second day in Mexico city, Paul who was sick before we started our trip and I chilled in bed at Miguel’s house. Our friend, Miguel, a former politicos’ son, lives in one of the upper class neighborhoods, Lomas de Chapultepec; a beautiful residential area full of embassies, massive homes and a lot of security on each corner. It’s where we have been privileged to stay each time we have been to our southern neighbor. With that said, there are many residential in the 573 miles of Mexico that are equivalent. (It is an American notion that Mexico is poor. Like many second world nations, it has its poverty, but in truth, it can be quite wealthy and many of the districts exemplify this.)

Thus, Paul and I started our day with eggs, ham and rajas (sautéed and roasted green peppers with olive oil and garlic) prepared by his cook, Dulce, as well as spending a little time with Miguel before we went out to explore the vastness which is makes up Mexico City.

Penny and Tim came to pick us up and to meet Miguel before we started off on our journey throughout the Distrito Federal. Of course, they loved his apartment which is a penthouse overlooking the Lomas de Chapuletepec, an area close to the main park of Cuidad de Mexico (it looks close but it’s really not. Everything in Mexico City seems close, but in actuality it’s about a 30 minute walk or about a 15 peso cab ride.)

After a little coffee, we went to Frida Kahlo’s House which is essentially a historical monument and not really a museum to the Mexican people. With that said, it’s not that interesting. Let me qualify that as a fan of Kahlo’s work; I was expecting how to see how she lived, not how Mexican people lived which I can observe at any number of museums. (Supposedly, there are more museums  in Mexico City then in Paris and I believe that. There seems to be one on every corner; at least, something of historical significance. )

I don’t want to discount the museum as one of the highlights of the trip were the photographs of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo in the house’s garden and also seeing two of the body casts that she painted whle bed-ridden, but I didn’t really need to read a Mole Poblano recipe when I viewed the kitchen. It didn’t make sense and wasn’t really necessary.

Regardless, it was nice to see and then, off to San Angel Inn, a long time institution of Mexican eating. Housed in an old Carmelite monastery, San Miguel Inn is just a restaurant that was formerly an inn and now serves middle and upper middle class Mexicans what is perceived to be an international menu. Truly, it is a place to see and be-seen, an establishment where Mexicans of high-profile come to dine for lunch or dinner in their Prada and Izods.

After we were seated and we had both an three English menus and one Spanish, the latter so that we could practice the language, we opted for margaritas to start with followed by a bottle of wine that needed to be chilled. In the large ice bucket, just like in any restaurant around the world, the Mexican Sauvignon Blanc that we ordered, sat chilling, while we sat and sipped our margaritas-up. All four of us ordered them for lunch ---we were on vacation, after all --- served to us in a silver pitcher, place in individual ice buckets. The only way to serve a drink up!

Then, it was followed by a series of soups…for Penny, Paul and Tim, tortilla soup, a spicy concoction with strips of fried tortillas, shredded chicken, and olives. Dished up tableside and then waiters came around with the hot chicken broth, avocado, cotija cheese and epazote ( called “the Mexican basil”, a prevalent herb in Mexico) to complete the serving; I ordered, for Penny and Tim specifically  huitlacoche enchiladas. (Huitlacoche is a corn fungus, or more prettily, a corn mushroom that grows underneath the husk; however, it is a dark aberration with a pronounced corn flavor than the kernels that it grows between. It’s a Mexican delicacy and can be found in the produce section of Spanish markets north of the border.)

More margaritas and a bottle of wine (it was a vacation) and off to the Diego Rivera museum which was located directly across the street. With a cactus fence and two buildings, the incredibly modern enclave is an interesting look into both Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo’s life, far more than the latter’s on home (that’s in my own opinion).  The first building, Diego’s own, with the entire enclave, fenced in by a towering cacti fence and painted in bright hues of blue and red. There is an outdoor staircase that would lead to his living space and to his studio. His  workroom featured many of the oversized paper maiche  figures that he created later on in life and before his death. Pretty much left intact, there were pastels in a box of every color as well as Spanish text art books throughout. On the next level, was a small built in bureau along with his original bed and a small room that had a bridge that extended to Frida’s studio.

Frida’s second home consisted of a bright studio and a separate room and was also on three floors but was as interesting as it didn’t really house all the artwork, dresses, clothing or furniture that was originally there. (There was a small exhibition on the art that Diego assisted with from children at a local school.

Regardless, Mexico City is a fascinating place with history, ruins, museums, booze and great food.

Next stop: San Miguel de Allende.