Day of the Dead: It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Expect  a lot more photos from me in the following weeks, as this is my third time to celebrate Noche de Muertos (or, alternately known as Dia de Muertos, De de Los Muertos, Day of the Dead) and I LOVE IT.

Today I went to the Mercado Jamaica — Mexico City’s gargantuan flower market — to pick up some zempasúchitl (marigolds) and the brain coral-like flores de terciopelo (cockscombs?)  Total cost: 30 pesos, or about $2.20. Check out this great photo slideshow to get an idea of show sprawling this mercado is.

When I got home, I made 5 bouquets from the two big bundles of flowers, including the centerpiece to my ofrenda, or altar:

You know you live in Mexico when you have spare calaveritas (mini sugar skulls) in the pantry, and whip them out for the altar.

Each marigold bloom is huge. I bought the type with more shredded like petals, but they have many varieties for sale. This weekend the flowers will bedeck altars, the cemeteries, and the entrances to peoples' homes, a way to welcome and guide back their dead loved ones.

I had two quesadillas at the mercado after buying my flowers. One had huitlacoche (corn fungus -- it's delicious!) and the other, continuing with the flower theme, was stuffed with squash blossoms.

These exquisite flores de terciopelo look great juxtaposed next to orange. Fuchsia and orange: so Mexican.

Of course, Halloween is popular here, too. Costumes and themed pinatas were for sale, like this witch, who waited on a bench while her owner had lunch.

It’s a Rough Life, Visiting Gorgeous Spas in Mexico

Once, while on vacation a few years ago, Brendan looked over at me swinging in a hammock and sipping a beer, and said “you’re so hedonistic when you’re on vacation.”

At the time, I really wasn’t participating in anything all that indulgent, but he was right: I’ll go the extra mile if it involves pleasure and beauty.

Hence, I like getting massages in pretty places. And Mexico is basically perfect for that, no?

The massage last year in Puerto Vallarta during a steamy rainstorm wasn’t so bad, and I enjoyed the Thai Massage at Mision del Sol in Cuernavaca, and I’ll never forget the avocado hair treatment/neck massage at Cabanas Copal…but none of those (nor the others) so far, have topped Ollinyotl Spa in Malinalco, Mexico.

Let’s let the photos speak for themselves:

Circles are the main architecture element at the spa. (You can click all of these for larger versions.)

The entrance to the labyrinth.

Chrissy, who visited us this past week from New York City, went with me to Ollinyotl. We got one-hour Swedish massages for 500 pesos each ($38). Then we sat under the hot Mexican sun in the labyrinth, soaking up the amazing good vibes that emanate from the place. This is definitely a photo to click on to view the large version!

New age-y drum music is piped in, and when you lie on the ground in the labryinth, the sky takes on a fish-bowl perspective. It's transcendent, as silly as it sounds.

They have yoga classes here - right here in the middle - and I hope to take one when we return to Malinalco for Day of the Dead. In the center, it echoes. How great is that for chatting om namah shivaya?

Yours truly in heaven.

Get here before its discovered. We were the only patrons at the spa on a Saturday afternoon. Otherwise, no, I don't normally take so many photos.

Sharing Mexico with Friends

It is SO fun having visitors, and showing them the sights. October is a busy month for us, right now our New York City amiga Chrissy is here. In a few moments, we’re taking a mini road trip to Malinalco.

Chrissy and me in the plaza of Coyoacan last night. It’s been beautifully restored.

Like Thunderstorms? Then You’ll Love Mexico City

This is when I first started to think "Hmm, maybe I'll get my camera."

And it grew.

And grew.

Then it started to get surreal, and I found myself staring at it, mesmerized.

So many shades of gray.

And blue.

It took over the entire sky.

This was at about 7 p.m., right before sunset.

A helicopter amid the storm (it's the tiny dot to the right of the tree and left of the building). What a view this pilot must have.

Tales from an International Jetsetter

Minutes before my afternoon flight from Houston to Mexico City on Sunday, I decided to buy a Jamba Juice smoothie, since I hadn’t eaten the entire day and am always leery of Continental’s “snack” offerings.

As I approach my seat — 17C — I realize I didn’t think this through very well. I’ve got two giant carry-ons full of books (I always bring back books to Mexico, and never check them to avoid overweight fees) and a paper cup full of smoothie. I have to set it down somewhere to get the carry-ons in the overhead compartments. Damn.

Without a lot of thought (“story of my life”), I set it down on the seat cushion of 16C, and prop it against the armrest, so it won’t tip over. Instead, it tips over. And spills all over 16C. The frozen purple blob oozes and starts dripping down to the floor.

I muttered — no, gasped — a few adult words and pressed the flight attendant call button as quickly as I could.

Thankfully, the attendant appeared quickly, made no attempt to humiliate me, and went off to find napkins.

“But we’re going to get a new seat,” she tells me as she walks off, as if I understand what that entails.

Moments later, the ticketholder for 16C arrives. My humiliation came in the form of jumping up and warning him “don’t sit there!!!!” I explained, sheepishly, that I spilled my smoothie. For some reason, had it been a Coke or a plate of nachos, I’d been less embarrassed. A smoothie? Even the word annoys me.

“Uh, OK….Someone left their passport, too,” he says.

And, of course, it’s mine, I dropped it in the confusion. “Oh, mine! I’m not having the best day!” I try to joke.

He doesn’t laugh. I know at this point he had to be thinking “oh no, next she’s going to start crying about her cat.”

The flight attendant re-appears with a fistful of napkins, and asks Mr. 16C to wait at the back of the plane while they wait for maintenance. I apologize profusely and explain I’ll take his seat if they’re not able to fix it. It’s my mistake, but he has to stand in the back, among the lavatories, while I’m buckled in and pulling out my iPod.

Thankfully, a large man in a Continental uniform eventually appears, hugging a seat cushion. The removal and installation takes only a few seconds. He’s gone, and Mr. 16C is allowed to come back and join his family members. I finally start to relax a little, but I spent a lot of time looking around to see if anyone was shaking their head in disapproval as I sucked down what was left of my smoothie. Of course, most people were completely unaware of what had happened, and the only thing they knew from the incident happened later when the pilot announced:

“Sorry, folks, we’re a little delayed, we’re just wrapping up a last-minute maintenance report.”

Sigh.

For the first time ever, the constant crying of an ear-infected toddler in the row across from us was actually soothing for me. Surely Mr. 16C found that more annoying than my smoothie incident?!

After a Busy Week, to Texas I Go

I’m spending this week in steamy, hot Corpus Christi, Texas, chillaxin’ with my folks and attending a wedding. This comes on the heels of a week-long visit from NYC BFF Concetta and her man H, both of whom showed tireless energy to see as much of Mexico City as possible. In a week’s time, they:

-ate tacos al pastor (moments after arriving from the airport!)

-toured San Angel’s Bazar Sabado conmigo, then later were happy to tag along to have Korean food and chelas with 10+ foreigners (and me), despite being on a Mexican vacation

-walked all over La Roma, then walked west on Reforma to the Anthropology Museum and then boarded the metro to the centro and ate cabrito — in one afternoon!

-as every good tourist should, visited the Zocalo, and later had Yucatecan tacos (so fracking good, people), panuchos and beers with me and B

-climbed the pyramids at Teotihuacan, then had more tacos

-took an overnight trip to the breathtaking mountain town of Taxco, stayed at romantic/quaint Mi Casita

-had a humongous Argentinian meal with us, including steaks, fries and two bottles of Casa Madero cab sav

-One day I got to hoard Concetta all to myself, and we spent the day in Coyoacan, visiting Frida Kahlo’s blue house, before some fierce shopping and eating chiles en nogada at El Morral. (THEY HAVE REALLY GOOD CHILES EN NOGADA, YA’LL!) We also squeezed in cafes from El Jarocho, and gabbed while sitting/people-watching on a bench in the plaza.

-We spent one evening at my favorite restaurant in Mexico City, La Embajada Jarocha (comida veracruzana), where we ate coconuts and plantains stuffed with seafood, and Connie and her man joined in w/ the crowd, and danced to tropical music provided by a string of rotating bands.

Now I’m in slow-paced Corpus Christi, enjoying American amenities like safe drinking water, Target and salad bars.

Life is good, people. I’m a lucky lady to have good friends, good times and a great life.

-

The Little Miracle on My Patio

On our Mexico City apartment patio, we have several geraniums, two weird succulent plants, and a very productive chili pepper plant.

Those are the survivors, anyway. We’ve managed to kill a few plants, too.

Amazingly, a week or so ago, I noticed a little green sprout in one of the cast-off pots that I had shoved into the corner and forgotten about. I had no idea what the little sprout was (it’s growing in a pot that used to contain basil), but surmised it was a weed that had shown up because the rainy season meant it was getting watered frequently.

But now, it doesn’t look so weed-like:

Anyone know what flower this is?

Adios, Rainy Season

I Finally Obtain Cheddar Cheese in Mexico City; Charlie Spazzes

A few weeks ago, I went to Costco with friend and fellow blogger Julie. I had heard the rumors that Costco sells certain food items largely unattainable in Mexico City, chief among them extra-sharp cheddar cheese. I have made it no secret that I get a little woozy in the presence of good cheddar, and since I am uber tired of Mexican cheeses (they are fairly bland), I could resist no longer. I bought a giant block of Vermont’s finest, AKA Cabot’s Vintage Choice white cheddar.

["Vintage Choice rests in our cellars until it reaches perfect maturity. It boasts a rich, full-bodied, extra-sharp flavor that is wonderfully delicious. Complex in taste and texture, opulent and full of nuances. Its powerful intensity lingers like a sweet memory." Editor's Note: Indeed.]

Everyday since then, I’ve sliced a little bit off and savored it. When done, I carefully place Saran wrap around the block and place it lovingly back in the fridge. “Tomorrow, we meet again,” I whisper to it. “Tenemos una cita, amorcito.“

Tonight, I decided to splurge and have a white wine (a Portugese vinho verde — another thing Julie introduced me, to, and tengo un mil gracias por eso)  and cheddar cheese dinner.

Normally, when Charlie is in the presence of anything that tastes even a smidge better than his normal kibble, he begins an elaborate begging dance to get a scrap. But if his humans ignore him, he will give up, eventually.

But not tonight. I had thoughtlessly left behind a tiny piece of cheddar and was settling into read a friend’s short story for my writing workshop. He kept bumping into me as I tried to read. WTF? Oh, the cheese, I realized.

He spent a very long time calculating the distance between the sofa and the tiny bit of cheese.

"I eat crappy kibble all day. Please, woman."

"SIGH. Just give me the fucking cheese already."

Finally, I relented and handed it to him.

He gobbled it up and then jumped off the couch and preceded to circle the coffee table.

"Just making sure it's all gone."

Later, I spotted him by the doorway, licking and sniffing his paws (he often holds treats with his paws before eating them).

Right now I think he’s retired to the bedroom, and will soon fall asleep, dreaming of cheddar.

My Patriotic Fruit Salad (Viva Mexico!)

Manana es Dia de Independencia, y esta noche vamos a celebrar con el grito “Viva Mexico! Viva!”

The national dish for Mexico this time of year is the exceptionally beautiful chiles en nogada, which happens to be red, white and green, como la bandera de Mexico.

But so is this, and whereas chiles en nogada has upwards of 19 ingredients (!!), this has just two:

The Ironic Corn Stalk in Parque Mexico

I am fortunate enough to live adjacent to Parque Mexico, one of the prettiest parks in Mexico City. I’ve sung its praises many times here, from the big fat banana flowers to the shabby beauty of the fountains to the cute signs posted on tree trunks.

The park is maintained by a giant fleet of workers who sweep the sidewalks and keep the plants/trees healthy. On the weekends, it’s insanely crowded with families and dog owners.

A few months ago, though, I spotted a strange sight: A gangly little stalk of corn. I thought that it was funny — was it a silly joke, to see if it would survive? Or something more meaningful, a historical statement on what was likely growing in the park’s area 300 years ago? Or a political statement that anyone who can live near the park can afford corn during a time of severe (and panic-inducing) drought when so many can’t?

I thought someone would uproot the corn stalk by now, or that it would wither away. But no, it’s gotten huge — all by its lonesome — and is now sprouting a little ear of corn.

I’d love to know who planted it, and why:

Delish & Low-Cal: Joy’s Vegetarian Tortilla Soup

As fall arrives, it’s cold and rainy here in Mexico City (seriously, it’s 55 degrees and raining heavily right at this moment). Meaning, I want soup. Steamy, spicy soup.

But because I try to cook vegetarian at home, my options are limited. Mexico is a meat-lover’s paradise (and trust me, I’m not judging: I’ve partaken of the cooked animal flesh many ‘o times here). But one fail-safe at home dish is tortilla soup, using Mexican ingredients.

Truth be told: I’ve been making this recipe for years now, borrowing heavily from this Epicurious recipe that was printed in Bon Appetit in 1997 – wow! The way I prepare it is really a hybrid between tortilla soup and sopa de lima. And it’s my favorite of any I’ve tried…

Ingredients:

• glug of olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped white onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced (or more)
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste (I use ketchup)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin (I use a lot more plus at least 2 tsp of chili powder)
• 4 cups canned vegetable broth, adding more water if needed
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (again, I use liberally)

• bag of good tortilla chips (totopos en espanol), crush some to sprinkle on top of finished soup
• 2 cups chopped tomatoes (I use canned whole tomatoes, a pantry item that’s always usable)
• 1 can black beans, rinsed, drained
• at least 1 cup chopped zucchini — or more depending on how much you like this veggie. I chop it into fourths.
• At least one jalapeno pepper (with seeds — we like spice, take ‘em out if you don’t) or any other spicy chile
• Can throw in a cup or so of frozen or fresh corn kernels
• Can throw in a 1/2 cup or so of fresh chopped carrots
• Limes — lots of em. I like the small sweet kind
• Shredded cheddar cheese to sprinkle on top (if you’re a bad girl)
• salt and pepper, claro

Pour glug of olive oil onto large nonstick saucepan. Add onion, cover and cook over medium-low heat until almost tender, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, stir 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste or ketchup, cumin and chili powder. Add broth and 2 tablespoons cilantro; bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until flavors blend, about 15 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Bring to simmer before continuing.) Can add water if this is too thick for your taste.

Add tomatoes, beans, zucchini, extra veggies (if desired) and chile pepper to soup. Cover; simmer until zucchini is tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. If broth is too laden with veggies, add little bits of water until you reach desired soup consistency. Add more spices if you wish to avoid diluted taste.

Squeeze in juice of 1 lime. Add desired amount of salt and pepper.

Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with remaining extra cilantro. Squeeze a bit more lime (depending on your lime preference — I like a lot). And you may want to shred a little Manchego cheese on top.

Tastes great as leftovers, btw. (I don’t know the exact nutrition breakdown, pero,  black beans have fiber, limes have vitamin c, carrots have vitamin A and fiber, tomatoes have vitamin C and lycopene, garlic is always good for you….and this has just a teensy bit of olive oil. So, it’s low-fat, low-cal, vegetarian and nutrient-dense. AND TASTY.)

A Trip Down Insurgentes (‘World’s Longest Avenue’) in Mexico City

To get to UNAM, the gigantic university in the southern part of our city, we drove down Insurgentes (en-sir-hen-tess), which is according to Wikipedia, “the longest avenue in Mexico City and said to be the longest in the world.” It’s an avenue we’re very familiar with, because it’s one of the few straightforward ways to get out of the city — it links up to the toll road to Cuernavaca (and eventually, Acapulco). Meaning, even panicked gueros can navigate it.

Nicely, it’s not just for car traffic, though; Brendan commutes to work via the Insurgentes Metrobus. The bus line is new, created a few years ago by devoting the inner lanes only to bus traffic. There are stations about every two blocks, making it super-easy to navigate Insurgentes on foot, too. And when we need to visit Wal-Mart (more often than we like), we head north on Insurgentes a few stops.

Because I was riding in the back-seat of an open-air car, I decided to take a few photos on Sunday:

The World Trade Center is a behemoth building, home to many offices and major conventions. There's a restaurant on top that we need to visit.

A few weeks ago we ate here, Restaurante Los Guajolotes ("turkeys" in Nahuatl), where they roast entire turkeys. I had a delish Thanksgiving-like platter of white turkey breast, gravy and mashed potatoes. I think the more notable thing, though, is their logo: A plucked turkey in a waiter's suit, jauntily carrying a cooked turkey on a tray.

Murals are one of the more delightful sights around the city, including along Insurgentes. This one was, I think, flanks a shopping mall. These are images of ancient deities of the Aztecs.

The same mural (the image above is over on the right, sort of.)

The World Trade Center may be the biggest, but there are lots of other skyscrapers along the way.

And, as with everywhere in Mexico, there are vendors and things for sale the entire way. Desperate for a bottle of water, or maybe a pinwheel (or four)? No hay problema!

Insurgentes also bisects UNAM. The Olympic Stadium is on your right as you drive south. Hard to miss, too.

Photos: We Visit Latin America’s Largest University, UNAM

The soccer stadium (go Pumas!) is also the '68 Olympic stadium.

Jesica, one of my good friends here in Mexico City, happens to be a tour guide with a degree in art history. Meaning, when you hang out with her, you not only have fun, you get smarter. A few days ago, I  mentioned that we hadn’t yet visited UNAM, Mexico City’s enormous university (the biggest in Latin America, and perhaps the world). The campus is in the south of the city, and itself is the size of a small city. So, she said, vaminos. And we did so today, turning it into a little mini-road trip in her convertible Tracker.

We attended the Orquestra Sinfonica de Mineria (the symphony — and I loved it. Does this mean I’m getting old?) at Sala Nezahualcóyotl, had lunch at the famed Azul y Oro (named after the colors of UNAM, blue and gold), then walked around a sculpture garden that contained — to my glee — lots of nature, and well, sculptures by Sebastian.

Jesica and Brendan hike down to the big blue M.

I was actually entertained during the entire symphony. It's really quite amazing.

It was one of those typically perfect days. 365 days a year, it rocks.

A bee doing what she does best.

"I'm a fat lizard sunbathing."

A poblano pepper stuffed with spicy pork and fruit, covered in a walnut cream sauce, and doused with pomegranate seeds. It's a rough life.

A Mondrian-style home sits behind a pesero.

What Is the World Coming to? (or Joy Discovers Justin Bieber)

I flipped on MTV just now to to try and keep up with what the kids are listening to these days.

Apparently, this is either a pre-pubescent teen boy or a twee lesbian rapper. Either way, it’s creepy and I feel officially old and completely mystified by the younger generation.