Jueves, part 2: Coyoacán y comida

After the Caza Azul the kids and I strolled through Coyoacán (“place of Coyotes”), a gorgeous neighborhood that was once México City’s historic center. We ate in a nice cantina on Jardin Centenario, a lovely plaza square with a fountain featuring two coyotes at its center. Our quesadillas with squash blossoms and pozole verde were fabulous.

We visited a baroque church, walked the squares, ate ice cream and ended at Mercado Coyoacan which was SO much better than la Ciudadela in that it’s clearly where the locals shop, too. We breathed through our mouths while walking through the butcher rows (my #1 carnivore said it was enough to turn her vegetarian)  and picked up a few little trinkets.

Back at the hotel we rested up before a STELLAR dinner at Maximo Bistrot, co-owned by Chef Eduardo García ans his wife Gabriella. The restaurant showcases produce frowned and foraged from the city and beyond. We sampled some great Baja wines, including some chardonnay, brunello and Sangiovese.  We had such a lovely evening that we’re going back on Saturday for our last dinner.

Jueves, part 1: Frida gets her own post

We slept in this morning and had a late and lazy breakfast. Elsa was feeling MUCH better and I had to stop her from eating everything from the breakfast buffet.

We took an Uber 6 miles South to the Frida Khako Museum in Coyoacàn.

Also known as “La Casa Azul”, the house is where Frida Khalo was born, in 1907, and died, in 1954. It is also her permanent resting place - her ashes rest in a simple urn on top of her bedroom dresser. While none of her more recognized works are shown, there are countless pieces from the artist that, together, paint a very clear - and troubled - portrait of the pain and suffering she endured, particularly towards the end of her life when she has undergone 22 surgeries and could barely stand up.

The house wraps itself around sumptuous gardens and terraces which showcase Frida’s passion for native plants and flowers and her husband Diego Rivera’s love of pre-Colombian art.

We took the audio guides and proceeded through each carefully curated room, from the living room, to the upstairs bedrooms, passing through the kitchen and, most impressively, Frida’s studio which brought me to tears. I only found out 30 minutes in that I had to buy a special photography pass in order to take photos so I have very few shots  of the artwork and interior.

Some of Khalo’s latest works are featured as well as paintings of her family and photos of her and Diego. The house and its collection paint a very accurate portrait of who she was not only as an artist but as a woman, a wife, a daughter, a political activist and a human who endured a lifetime of suffering. The temporary exhibition featuring her corsets and dresses really opened my eyes to her disabilities and to the many efforts she made to keep them hidden. It’s obvious how much her disabilities defined her art.

Little tidbits:  I knew about Frida’s  affair with Leon Trotsky but I had no idea that she and Diego Rivera orchestrated his asylum to Mexico and housed him in the Casa Azul.  I did not know she had had an affair with Isama Noguchi. He gifted her a beautiful framed collection of butterflies which is hung on the canopy of Frida’s deathbed, facing down. It could be the last thing she saw in the minutes before she died at the young age of 47. Finally, although her relationship with Rivera was fraught and complicated, he was clearly the great life of her life. After she died it was his idea to turn the house into a museum to her memory.

Miercoles: tranquilos

Wednesday was a very low key day compared to Tuesday. Elsa woke up with some tummy troubles - luckily nothing too terrible, but enough that we decided it would be wise to take it easy. We took an Uber to La Ciudadela, an arts and crafts market near the Centro.

We walked through dozens upon dozens of colorful rows looking for that something special but ended up leaving empty handed  and a little overwhelmed...The kids did get to try on some cute sombreros, though.

Elsa went back to our room to get some rest and Enzo and I hung out in the hotel courtyard.  Enzo continued to live his best life.

We freshened up and went out to dinner with two of Luigi’s consultants. We had reservations at Rosetta in Roma Norte, an unbelievably hip neighborhood that feels like Williamsburg and The Marais had a baby.

Rosetta, a woman-owned and operated restaurant, is located in a gorgeous early 1800s colonial townhouse. We ate on the third floor, up a stunning grand colonial staircase, in a room with at least 15-feet high ceilings. The walls are white washed and subtly hand painted with intricate vines and flowers, the tables and chairs are rustic and mismatched as are the beautiful ceramic plates. Let’s just say that I was already smitten before even looking at the menu.


Ahhh...The menu. Elena Reygadas is a México City native who studied in NY and worked at Locatelli in London. While her cuisine is classified as Italian I really think it should be described as Elegant Mexican with Italian methods. Her home made pasta *is* exquisite but her food wouldn’t be the same without México and its native plants, herbs, seeds, seafood and spices. My mole blanco was outstanding as was the fish I ate (I’m kicking myself for not taking a photo of the menu). For dessert I had rosemary ice cream with olive oil and herbs (I tasted sorrel and mint but there was also something like lovage).  It was absolutely superb and the perfect way to end the day.

Martes: museo y comida

Our first full day in Mexico City (CDMX) was incredible.

We took our time in the morning and had a delicious breakfast at the hotel. I ate my weight in mango, guava and papaya and Enzo really enjoyed the tamale once he realized he wasn’t supposed to eat the husk. 

We walked from our hotel to Bosque de Chapultepec and strolled through the park on our way to the Museo Nacional de Antropologia. The Bosque is a 1,695 acre ecological space that serves as the city’s most important “lung”. It felt as though we were the only non-Mexican people there, which was nice! It’s summer vacation in Mexico, too, and there were many summer camp groups visiting the Bosque - in addition to its popular castle it houses a zoo and botanical gardens -  as well as families enjoying the day together. The paths were lined with vendors and food stalls selling everything from drinks and snacks (takis, my new obsession) to leashes for children (only 10 pesos!).

There are recycling stations everywhere throughout the city where one can toss compostable matter, recyclable items and trash. This puts México City light years ahead of New York...

We made it to the Museum of anthropology and after only a short queue we were on our way. The expansive interior courtyard right past the museum’s entrance is breathtaking. 

We toured all the exhibits starting with an introduction  to anthropology, evolution and human migrations. We were then treated to a vast collection of pre-Colombian anthropological and archeological artifacts. After careful deliberation with the kids, here were our top five: 


1. The giant Olmec Heads!

The kids loved the colossal Olmec heads which are, to date, two out of only seventeen that have ever been discovered. The Olmec came and went BEFORE the Mayans and Aztecs and have been dated all the way to the Stone Age. How this ancient civilization managed to carve and transport 20 tonne sculptures is beyond me. Maybe that’s why they look so grumpy. 

2. Aztec Sun Stone, or « Piedra del sol »:

 Featured on the back of the 10 peso coin, this 24 tonne carved basalt stone is truly a sight to behold. There are many theories about its origins and purposes, but the kids stuck to the most awesome story which is that it was a ceremonial altar to the Aztec sun god, Tonatiuh, who is featured in the center of the stone holding a human heart. That’s right, folks, the Aztecs were big on human sacrifices! Enzo tried ripping his sister’s heart out but only succeeded in grabbing her boob. 

3. The fountain 

The Paragua (umbrella) fountain stands tall at the entrance of the internal courtyard. It’s no wonder it has become the symbol of the museum as it is truly magnificent. The carved bronze  column at its center depicts Mexico’s rich history beginning with the integration of the indigenous people and the Spanish conquistadors.

4. Mesoamerican bloody ball game 

This “sport” was played in keeping with the movement of the sun. The players had to bounce a heavy rubber ball off of their bodies (not their arms and not off the floor)  and ultimately get it through elevated stone rings that were placed along an upper case I shaped court. Betting was also a big part of the game.  Word on the street is that the losing team was decapitated. Mesoamericans were messed up!

5. Pakal’s funerary mask and tomb

Although the tomb at the museum is a replica of the original Mayan tomb that is located in Palenque, Chiapas, Pakal the Great’s funerary mask is showcased and it is spectacular.

...

After the museum we walked to La Condesa and had a lovely late lunch at Lardo followed by delicious Ice cream at Neveria Roxy (it’s been around since 1946!). We then walked through the Tanguiis del Martes (Tuesday's Farmers market) where all the locals do their food shopping. I got suckered into buying more fruit than we will manage to ingest before we leave, but I like to think that I’m supporting the local agricultural  economy.

By the time we made it back to the hotel we had walked 10km/6 miles and it was time for a nap. We waited for Luigi to return from work and hit the hotel pool before heading out for a lovely (but perhaps overly rich) dinner at Merotoro where I continued to explore my new found love of Mezcal.