In Mary Oliver’s poem, The Summer Day, she asks,

Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”

Some might interpret this as a call to action, to get busy ticking off that list of “1000 Things You Must See and Do in Mexico in Seven Days”.  But no, to Oliver that line of poetry meant being idle, getting to know a grasshopper, strolling through the fields, enjoying the moment, the now.

And that’s the approach I took to Mexico. I only did what I felt like. I lived in the now. I didn’t  look at those notes much. For me, enjoying the now translated into taking long daily baths and calling the hotel concierge a lot because I could. And saying olà to everyone because my voice had returned and because the people in San Miguel are very friendly. Sadly, that was as far as the conversations could go.

I thought of Oliver frequently on this trip- what would Mary, who lived in New England, do  if she were in Mexico? She’d have a margarita. She’d take a nap. She’d have a taco, maybe some ceviche. She’d lie in the sun by our pretty hotel pool. She would not spend 5 hours in Mexico City’s mammoth National Anthropology Museum, the Louvre of Mexico, if her guide was offering her the 45-minute whistle stop tour. No she would not. She would use those precious hours to wander through the neighboring Chapultepec Park. No wonder Mary won a Pulitzer.

If you’re looking for the Outsider’s Guide to Mexico, one that will leave you feeling well-rested, happy and a little more knowledgeable about Mexico than when you started this blog, read on. This guide’s for you. And for you eager beavers out there, I’ve added a not conclusive and not lengthy list of must-sees at the end.

Where to stay in San Miguel?

Included in those reams of notes that I ignored were suggestions of  cool places to stay, boutique hotels, even an airbnb in a hip neighborhood. But I learned many hotels ago that while I wish I was adoring of that minimalist one chair, one lamp look, I’m a 5-star gal. I want to know that—tsunami, kidnapping, earthquake, nuclear war, vicious seagull invasion, take your pick—our hotel can helicopter us out of that disaster in 0.8 seconds. I like a hotel to know that as smiley as I may be when I check in, I am not an easy guest. I’m not as bad as a White Lotus character, but I can often see their point.  I mean, he did request the newlywed suite.

The centrally located Belmond’s Casa de Sierra Nevada is a very pretty hotel comprised of several restored haciendas with bougainvillea filed courtyards, an inviting pool, Mexican tiles, and big copper bathtubs. Beyond looks, the hotels gets a 5* for service. Read on.

Stretch can sleep through a tornado. I get woken by a drip two rooms away. On day one in the Belmond as we were just dropping off for our daily nonnegotiable nap, a passing mariachi band convinced me that this was not the room for us. I dialed 0 on the hotel phone and was impressed with the quick pick-up. Always a good sign. I explained our dilemma and got us an even nicer room.

Once we left our new room after a refreshing nap, I discovered that San Miguel is a charming, hilly (and I come from SF)) town paved in cobblestone, 7,000 feet elevation. Unless you’re an Olympic athlete, expect to be breathless walking uphill and leave your stilettos at home.

The weather in San Miguel was perfect; warm, windless, blue skied. I was told residents  complain if the temperature climbs above 90 degrees or drops below 70. Prepare to undress and redress throughout the day. Mornings in January require a warm jacket and scarf. By lunchtime you’ll want a sombrero and sunglasses. By 5pm, you’ll be back in that jacket and warm scarf. Great rooftop restaurants like Zibu, La Dona  and Pégaso offer wonderful views, but little heat so dress accordingly.

Apparently, there are tons of expats in San Miguel who like to socialize a lot. So, the key to the social scene is knowing a few. We knew none. So, by day three, I was reading the news aloud at dinner. Instead of making friends, we hired a tour guide. It’s another person breaking up the Stretch and Elena repartee. We could talk about things like how avocado, chili, and tomato were originally Aztec words. I developed a real hatred for Spanish explorer Hernán Cortés over dinner who I hadn’t thought much about since fifth grade history.

It worked out well. I couldn’t hate my husband (who else was I going to talk to for the next week?) so Cortés was the best option available.

Stretch insisted we travel carry-on only, so I chose my outfits with care. Early on in our trip Stretch told me that it was good I had packed two particular outfits because I could leave them behind in Mexico.

They do you no favors. Wear them on the long car rides, or when we see the pyramids and it’s really dusty.”

Should we talk about Cortés again?  On our way from San Miguel to Mexico City we visited  Teotihuacan, some very impressive, very old Mayan pyramids.  I have a fear of heights but am also uber competitive. Even if I must slide down on my bottom, which I did, Stretch was not going to be the only one who scaled this ancient rock. Whoever designed these steps was not thinking of comfort. These steps would never pass muster in a NYC planning meeting. No siree.

Below I can be seen wearing one of my gifts to Mexico. “It did me no favors’…

Next, we went to Mexico City, where we stayed at the Four Seasons, which suited me just fine. The hotel has an expansive courtyard for breakfast and lunch, is very well-located to the hip hoods of Roma Norte and Condesa and the concierge answered the phone just as quickly as at Sierra de Nevada. And Stretch liked the gym.

We loved Mexico City. It’s big and bustling with lots of cool neighborhoods, people watching galore, culturally rich, and full of great restaurants. It’s only an hour time difference from Manhattan but feels a world away. The only thing we didn’t love was the altitude sickness. Stretch was light-headed and I was nauseous for about two days.

We had fully recovered in time to visit the stunning Museo del Palacio de Bellas Artes (better with a guide to explain the murals)…

eat a long late lunch (Mexicans eat lunch around 2-3pm) at buzzy Contramar, visit Diego Rivera’s house and see a Ballet Folklorico in the park at sunset.

One of my favorite nights was when we decided to stay home and binge Netflix’s Treason. (The Mary Oliver equivalent of watching a grasshopper) Part of the joy of travel is rebelling, defying expectation, and eating junk food. We discovered just enough of the city to know we want to come back and see everything we missed.

Eager Beaver Guide of Must-Sees:

 San Miguel: I recommend hiring a history guide (so you too can talk  about Cortés at dinner), visiting the art and design hub Fabrica Aurora and getting yourself invited to an expat party. For the intrepid  Meson Hidalgo a two bedroom guesthouse boutique designed by Laura Kirar and set in an ancient old manor is very stylish.

Mexico City:

To stay- if you’re more adventurous than we are:

Hotel Condesa

Casa Olivia- airbnb

We missed all of the below but won’t next time. This was a rough draft trip.

Museo Anahuacelli was designed by Diego Rivera and has a collection of pre-Columbian art. Everyone raves about it.

Secretariat of Public Education- houses many well-preserved large-scale Rivera murals

Casa Luis Barragan- all Barragan sites are apparently amazing, especially the convent

Museo Frida Kahlo- it’s very crowded, but I guess it’s a must-see

A few restaurants to get you started  in Mexico City: Maximo Bistrot,  Lardo and Rosetta 

San Angel Inn– eat lunch or have a drink in the garden across the street from Rivera’s house

Shops: Unfortunately, Stretch is no fun to shop with. He hovers and looks bored.  So, I have zero tips. When we return, I will suggest that he take a half-day bus tour of this amazing city.

January, 2023

The post Holiday Part II- An Outsider’s Guide to Mexico appeared first on Elena Bowes.

Excuse me, did you just say ‘grated reindeer heart’? I ask our Swedish waitress, as she sets the plates down in front of us.

She speaks perfect English but with a heavy accent. I probably misheard her. She nods and starts talking again.

Excuse me, I interrupt once more. Did you just say ‘smoked neck’?

Yes, neck from the Swedish dairy cow, she says, as if maybe the Swedish dairy cow part makes it ok.

I am not on a dare. Stretch, his two younger sons and I are eating dinner at Agrikultur, a top restaurant in stylish, foodie heaven Stockholm.

It’s the last night of our Scandinavian spring break tour designed around visiting Stretch’s middle son who is doing a semester abroad in Stockholm. Stretch booked this gastronomic extravaganza months ago.

I shut my eyes, banish all thoughts of Rudolph, and chew. Surprisingly tasty, weird but good weird. The food at this restaurant and Stockholm in general is sublime. A bit like Japan only the locals are blonde.

Our petite waitress places a slab of filet on an ancient piece of thick oak and directs a 2000 degree blue-flamed blow torch at the meat.  This is happening at our table. Do not repeat at home. She then puts the meat in a glass jar to be smoked over juniper embers and served with black truffles.

We finish off the meal with a tart baked on celeriac with meadowsweet cream, rhubarb, strawberry compote and cardamom.

Until tonight my stomach thought Korean Barbecue was exotic.

After dinner, we go clubbing with the boys at Café Opera.

We are going to dance all night, baby! promises Stretch, who knows I love to dance but rarely get to.

Well, Stretch and I do dance- for about half an hour- then we slump onto a bench and stare mesmerised at the dancing crowd of good-looking, sneaker clad Swedes. House music isn’t really our thing. What, no Rolling Stones? Plus digesting neck from the Swedish dairy cow and smoked reindeer is hard work.  We leave – our ears ringing-  content that we tried something new.

That’s what I love about travel – the adventure, getting out of my comfort zone, trying new things – sometimes successfully, other times not. It’s all about the journey, right?

Our Scandinavian adventure started a few days ago in Copenhagen where Stretch, his 17-year-old son and I spend two nights. As soon as we had dropped off our bags,

– view from our hotel room at the Ski Petri

we walked over to Christiania, a hippie anarchist commune with a Sixties vibe near the center of town.

You would be correct in thinking this was not my idea.

Everyone there looks about twenty with red glassy eyes. The smell of marijuana wafts around us as we wander past  dodgy looking shacks, sketchy looking dealers weighing bags of pot on metal scales set on plastic crates (easy to disband if police come). I am hoping that the roaming rottweilers are high and feeling chilled… I see a pug and relax a bit.  I try and think back to when I was twenty. Would I have liked this place then? Probably. It certainly draws a big crowd – locals and tourists.

The Gasoline Grill in Copenhagen is a takeaway burger joint and gas station where they pride themselves on their gasoline sauce.

You would be correct in thinking this was not my idea. I order the cheeseburger with gasoline sauce. It’s excellent. Not a hint of petrol. We stand in the sun, dabbing gasoline sauce off of our faces.

One thing that was my idea is visiting the Louisiana Museum just outside of Copenhagen. Touted as one of the world’s most beautiful museums, it’s been on my bucket list for a while.

Interesting fact: The Louisiana Museum is named after the site’s original builder who had three wives, all named Louise.

The museum does not disappoint. It has a dazzling collection of Giacometti…

Picasso…

Rauschenberg…

Oldenberg…

and Warhol…

But even more spectacular than the inside is the outside, where 60+ large sculptures – Calder, Serra, Henry Moore – are dotted around a sprawling lawn bordering the sea, Sweden visible in the distance. The Louisiana is a must.

As we wander through the collection, I am reminded how good Stretch is to travel with. We occasionally stop to peruse the signs posted next to the paintings. I skim, Stretch reads. One display explains the Cobra Movement. As the art expert in the couple, I like to educate Stretch…

I think the movement is based on the serpent-like gestures in the abstract works.

No, it said Cobra stands for Copenhagen, Brussels and Amsterdam.

Right

We go outside and I admire the lovely red and white flag blowing down by the shore.

I love the Swedish flag.

Danish

Right

Getting ready for bed that night I am about to put the hotel lotion on my face.

That’s conditioner, he says helpfully from the bedroom.

Sometimes when traveling in a group, it’s best to split up. Like when it comes to shopping or looking at body parts.

Just so you know I have zero interest in the medical museum, says Stretch. That’s like going to a hospital.

Ok, what about walking around a shopping neighbourhood?

We did that yesterday.

Stretch is referring to our single foray into a shop to buy him a warm sweater.

So while Stretch and his son cycle around the harbour I visit the fab Design

and Medical museums

Warning: next two pics NOT for the squeamish, ie Stretch types

Repeat: Warning – next pic somewhat troubling!

Can’t say you weren’t warned.

I browse the vintage furniture and design shops in historic Nyhavn. I wish I had more shopping time here.

When traveling it’s important to stay open-minded. Just as the Louisiana was on my bucket list, seeing an old preserved ship  in Stockholm is on Stretch’s. I am not a boat person. But, being the wonderful open-minded traveler that I am, I grudgingly go along to the Vasa Museum.

And am pleasantly surprised – this massive 17th c. sunken ship was found perfectly in tact nearly four hundred years later

Life on board…

Final Scandi tips –

Copenhagen: Dine at Pluto where everything is yummy, even the green salad. Visit some of the old Danish seaside towns near the Louisiana where the houses still have thatched roofs. Try and get a table at the recently reopened groundbreaking Noma restaurant near Christiania. Bike around the city if the weather is nice. Copenhagen feels much smaller, quainter and more alternative than grand, elegant, sophisticated Stockholm.

Stockholm: Drink the tap water. It’s ice cold and delicious. Uber drivers charge half what a taxi does and often have nice cars. Dine at the modern bistro Matbaren in the Grand Hotel near the harbour. Don’t miss the Photography Museum’s café for a fika snack and stunning views of the city. Do miss the Nordiska Museet and Abba Museum – unless ancient table settings or ‘Dancing Queen’ is your thing.

And of course, shut your eyes and try that smoked neck – from a Swedish dairy cow.

March 2019

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So I spent a lot of my time in Austin – my first trip to Austin or Texas for that matter –  in the bath. I even had lunch in the bath (a ’why not?’ moment). In spite of all my time underwater, I still managed to see a lot, perhaps because my hotel was well located on South Congress Street, a quirky street that takes some time to warm to.

We’re here, said the cab driver.

Really?

I looked out of the car window at a bunch of unassuming, low built, bungalow style 1930’s buildings bordering a wind-blown deserted street.

This is it?” I asked, not sure I wanted to get out of the car.

Whacky doodle

is how architect and native Austinite David Lake of the talented Lake Flato practice describes South Congress Street. There’s an ad hoc, funky town element to South Congress that gives you a good flavour of the city and its unofficial slogan ‘Keep Austin weird’.

Austin is more tattoo than tiara, explained my sister Alexandra when advising me on what to pack. If only she’d mentioned tossing in some thermals. Weather-wise Austin – the fun, cool, hipster capital of Texas,  is nicest in the spring and fall. Don’t miss the April wildflowers at Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center),

If heat’s your thing, summer is ok too.

I grew up in Texas, so I like the heat,” says Lake. “The best thing Austin has going for it is this huge green canopy of trees and open space. There’s a commitment to linear trails and park systems. Creeks, rivers flow down into the Colorado river. There are all these swimming holes that are natural- Barton Springs– which is spectacular, 69 degrees (fahrenheit), very cold. Deep Eddy is another one.

Winter-time, my vote goes to the steamy bath option on South Congress.

The street itself is lined with independent shops, restaurants and clubs. Top picks include By George for clothes, Perla’s for oysters, the Continental Club for music and  Jo’s Coffee for …

Funky as it may be, Austin is also booming thanks to tech, low taxes and the University of Texas. Much of the city feels like the Pacific Northwest, the Seattle of the south. The city has a thriving music and restaurant scene. Plus this month’s unveiling of  the late artist Ellsworth Kelly’s sublime secular chapel on the UT campus has put  a luminescent feather in Austin’s cultural Stetson.

I had come to Austin to join my mother

and friends to see the Kelly sanctum, an ode to creativity.

“Austin” as the chapel is called is the only standalone Kelly building and  a must-see, must-meditate spot.

Read this excellent article in the New York Times to learn more about Kelly’s final masterpiece.

Here I am, learning how to signal the Texan Longhorn, UT’s mascot, at the Kelly gala

If you visit Austin this spring, don’t miss two Kelly shows –  “Form Into Spirit” at the Blanton Museum of Art adjacent to Kelly’s Austin on the southern border of UT’s campus and “Ellsworth Kelly: Prints” at the Lora Reynolds Gallery.

Other sites to visit now or in the future: Lake’s firm has just finished Austin’s Central Library and is working on a 3 block project on South Congress … including a new Soho House, a new hotel called the Magdalena, and an addition to the existing St Cecilia hotel, plus plenty more restaurants and shops.

The upcoming Magdalena, St Cecilia and San Jose hotels – all located within a few blocks of one another –  are owned by Liz Lambert and her Bunkhouse group of cool hotels. She also owns the aforementioned Jo’s Coffee.

We did the San Jose 22 years ago, says Lake. We didn’t have much money.  It was a motel, a dive, the entire site was asphalt. So we kicked out all the cars and did an enormous amount of landscape.

The more expensive St Cecilia is located on a quiet side street off of South Congress with lovely rolling terrain, live oaks and a pool.

The 100-room Magdalena will sit  somewhere between the two price-wise  when it opens in 2020. It will feature an 85′ pool, reminiscent of Austin’s beloved natural pools.

Music is everywhere in Austin – live bands play on street corners, clubs, even a chili cook-off on South Congress …

Last of what I did see when I wasn’t submerged  was the terrific Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum on UT’s campus.

Following JFK’s assassination, LBJ presided over a tumultuous six year presidency (1963-69) spanning Civil Rights protests to the Viet Nam War. Three hours raced by in this multimedia extravaganza as I dove deep into the sixties, Johnson and the slew of landmark legislation Johnson got passed during his short tenure.

Don’t miss the illuminating and entertaining taped conversations between LBJ and the First Lady, Ladybird Johnson, Washington Post Editor Katherine Graham and various congressmen Johnson  charmed, cajoled and bullied to get bills passed.

I wish I had had more time in this city. Next trip I want to visit when it’s warmer and trade my hotel bath for a natural one. I plan to explore the city trails around Ladybird Lake on foot or bike, check out Ai Weiwei’s bike installation, and follow Lake’s advice at the capital building:

I just love going in the dome and lying on the floor and looking up. It drives the guards crazy, but there are all these kids doing it. Why let them have all the fun?

Food-wise Austin is full of tempting food trucks. But which are the tastiest? Lake’s team at Lake Flato singled out their top picks:

Veracruz All Natural, Migas & Migas Poblanos Tacos
Micklethwait Craft Meats, BBQ
Dee Dee, Northern Thai
G’Raj Mahal, Indian (technically ex-food truck, they just opened a bricks and mortar)
Kebabalicious, Turkish (same)

And restaurant wise -I loved Lambert’s (owned by Lizzie’s brother) for its barbecued meats, and cocktails. Eat downstairs, but use the loo upstairs.  I was tempted to strut my stuff when I passed the live band on the way to the bathroom. ATX Cocina  is a trendy Mexican  with delicious duck tacos, buzzy bar scene and a youthful crowd. Others I did not try but will on my encore  are  Italian Red Ash, Japanese Kemuri Tatsuya and Launderette. This last one serves American fare in a converted gas station/laundromat.

And last, but so not least, is a souvenir like no other. Local artist Eliza Thomas raves about the hand-made cowboy boot shop  ML Leddy’s  in San Angelo, a pretty three-hour drive west from Austin. Eliza says the boots take ten months to make but are worth every second.

February, 2018

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Most of my blogs, I sweat over. But seeing as I have an 8am flight to Portugal and I haven’t packed (or even unpacked from my last jaunt), this blog will be short and sweet. Stop looking so relieved.

If you’re in Manhattan this month, I recommend two exhibits that couldn’t be more different or as enjoyable- from the Lower East Side to the Upper West.

Don’t miss British-Ghanian artist Lynette Yiadom-Boakye’s

thoughtful and soulful paintings at the New Museum. Under Song for a Cypher as the show is lyrically called is a quiet exhibit, 17 new paintings in one room to be enjoyed alone. The show ends September 3rd and then Lynette is going on a sabbatical so now’s your chance.

They look like portraits of real people  but come from Lynette’s imagination. Read my interview in The Women’s Room Blog with Curator Natalie Bell to learn more about how Lynette paints. And while you’re in the New Museum check out the Instagrammable-friendly views from the top floor.

Practically on the other tip of Manhattan just off Central Park and 79th Street is Eloise at the Museum at the New York Historical Society . Who didn’t grow up wishing they could wiz up and down the elevator of the Plaza Hotel with pug Weenie in tow? Eloise had her very own “fawncy” suite and bubbly “bawthroom”. In my next life, I know who I want to come back as.

And the cafe at the museum, while not exactly the Plaza, is charming…

August, 2017

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You sure that’s a good idea- we don’t speak Spanish? Stretch asked.

The place is supposed to be phenomenal. It’s the only fun thing I’ve booked. It’ll be great.

Not if we sleep through it it won’t. Never book a special meal – the kind you want to nonchalently boast about when you get home – after a long flight, especially where a non-refundable deposit and an inflexible maitre d’ are involved. Then Stretch evened things out by forgetting to rent a car. And then Stretch evened things out even more by telling the taxi driver in his best Spanish where to take us. Suffice to say that while the National Art Museum of Catalan on the outskirts of town was not where we intended to go, we liked it nonetheless.

It’s always good on a holiday to be prepared and have a just-in-case mantra – the one you learned when things weren’t looking so peachy.  ‘Life is a journey’ is my failsafe fallback. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve used it. Nora Ephron’s “Everything is copy” is another saviour.

Barcelona is a beautiful, vibrant city by the sea with glistening architectural eye-candy.  I really wish that I’d known Antoni Gaudí, genius master builder of Catalan Modernism – I think I would have really liked him. As he’s no longer around, I made do with his fab buildings which look as fresh and original today as they did a hundred years ago.  Below are a rooftop and a gate from Gaudi’s La Pedrera.

And that’s Stretch below, not Gaudi descending from the heavens.

The Cathedral of Barcelona began construction in 1298. Its central tower was not finished for another six hundred years. Builders!

The line snaked around the corner of  Gaudi’s most famous building, the Sagrada Familia. In the future we’re booking ahead.

Next stop was Mallorca where we stayed at one of those hotels that I’d go back to in a second. Owned by a Swedish-couple, Hotel Portixol overlooks the sea, has a stylish poolside restaurant, contemporary, clean, light-filled bedrooms,  and a laid-back, bohemian-chic vibe. Plus, it’s a pleasant 20 minute walk along the coast to Mallorca’s bustling capital city, Palma.  Be sure and request a room with a terrace facing the Mediterranean.

I had planned to do a bit of shopping in Palma in the the charming Old Town with its ancient buildings and leafy squares.

One shop leading  my list was Rialto Living, touted as one of Europe’s top lifestyle stores with 2,400 square feet of interior design, fashion, art, gifts, books and accessories all under one nifty roof.

Then Stretch told me about his five minute rule.

Why is it that straight men hate shopping, especially when it’s browsing, i.e. no set goal involved? Stretch looked like he should have been in Rio doing the 100 yard dash he was so speedy at Rialto Living. These pics were taken on the fly – literally. (try and spot lanky bf darting ahead.)

I pointed to a whole line of men waiting patiently outside a huge impressive looking Zara on Passei del Born. I’d heard good things about this particular Zara. Stretch glanced at the men sympathetically as if they were sad lions at the zoo.

When I saw how happy Stretch and his son were doing man things like bouncing behind a boat,

or hurling themselves off of a cliff  (Stretch’s back hurt from the boating adventure so he abstained)

I decided to channel my inner goodness from deep, deep inside me. As long as I didn’t have to commit hari-kari, I was happy to spectate. Life is journey, and here is the copy.

An area where our interests do align with the stars is the sport of eating and drinking. Our favourite night spot was La Bodeguilla, a chic wine plus food spot on Carrer de Sant Jaume,

the same cobblestone street as our next favourite dining discovery, Tast Club.

La Bodeguilla is a cosy restaurant with delicious food and an extensive, affordable wine list, while Tast Club (tip from my friend designer Willie Yeoward) is more about the chic interiors and hip atmosphere. The iberico jamon is delish at both.

While in Palma don’t miss the Miro Museum. Check out the Spanish artist’s perfectly preserved studio next door and contemplate how he created his magnificent works.

September, 2016

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