IT WAS MY BDAY, AND I PARTIED LIKE IT WAS MY BDAY

36? OMG! I know, I know, you can't believe Im 36 either!! One more year of my mid-thirties...now that is something to relish, right?

The last 36 years have been wonderful. I feel lucky to have traveled the world as much as I have, that I met Ernesto 10 years ago in the Columbus airport, and that my friends and family are the best that a girl could ever ask for.

Yes, I have some grey hairs now, and I have noticed more wrinkles in my face, but the bright side of this is that I know they are from laughing so much throughout my life. Ernesto is so silly (like me) and my family is all about humor. We are always laughing at/with each other and if there is a sad moment I can count on them to make me smile....every. single. time.
I am really excited for the future as it's sure to bring more excitement and surprises my way!

Speaking of my awesome family, I had this idea that my brother and sister should come celebrate my birthday with me. Jenny flew in on Delta Thursday night and we got some serious girl time Friday with coffee talk, eating lunch at Taqueria del Sol and doing some thrifting. Can you tell that we are sisters? A few people told us they saw a resemblance??????My great birthday weekend got even better when my brother Brrrian drove to Atlanta from Asheville Friday night! I was so excited when he got there. Smita was cooking, Jenny was chatting and having a drink, Nester was showing off his mask. (which Brrrian loved!!)

Brrrian always brings his guitar, and so after dinner, and many drinks, the entertainment began. This picture alone makes me crack up: the masked man with the guitar....

Once he started singing [impromptu as he often does] we really were laughing. The cackles sometimes overpowering the music. (also the Rihanna interview was playing on tv)

I don't think I need to say anything else about Friday night. Too. Funny.

Brrrian woke up Saturday morning wanting to adopt a dog. We perused craigslist and saw so many cute dogs. That got us excited for him! We looked up Atlanta Humaine Society and it was actually just a few miles from my place. I can see how someone turns into a cat lady or maybe has too many dogs. If you go in here be prepared to feel some sadness. This is a great facility though, very clean and you can see the animals are well taken care of. They have a huge yard where the dogs get to go outside and run. Brrrian immediately fell in love with this little guy:

Brrrian paid the $50 adoption fee and they put a sign up in his kennel "ADOPTED" . We had to leave him there while we got some supplies. Here is the proud new father taking the first picture (of many). Im so excited for Brrian and also that this cute doggie has a home! Bruno is the name and I think it fits his Dutch Shepard looks!

Later that day we went to Smita's house. She wanted to make my birthday dinner. I had requested a pie instead of a birthday cake and Smita did not disappoint. She made the crust from scratch and I must say it was the best I have ever tasted. The recipe is from Tyler Florence and can be found on her blog .

Blackberries, raspberries and mango! Oh my!!

It was a great night. We were laughing so hard the whole night. I love mis hermanos!!

We must have been making a lot of noise. Smita's neighbor Wesley sent a text message to shut up. We told him to come over. It was obvious that he had already started partying, as you'll see on this video. Although it's sideways and quality is not the best, I guarantee a chuckle.

For more laughs we decided to head to Clermont Lounge.

The Clermont is a very seedy bar that is also an Atlanta landmark. Not everyone has been there, but they have probably heard of it. If you don't have a sense of humor, don't even think about stepping foot into this basement dive bar.

Yes, it is an "adult club" as the sign says above, but there is somethin' different. The women who dance there are older, fatter, and less rhythmic then would ever be allowed in a "normal" club. Like I said, a sense of humor is needed. Brrrian had actually been there before with Neto a few years ago, but it was Smita's first time and I thought it would be so funny to take Jenny and not tell her anything about it. When we walked in her face was like a deer in headlights. ha! I was laughing so hard. I let her take it in for a few minutes before asking what she thought. "Stunned, I am Stunned!" I knew she would like it! You do find yourself asking...where are we? Who does this? ha! Somewhere along the line, the Clermont turned a bit trendy, clearly for the trashiness that you won't find anywhere else. The clientele is a huge mix of young/old and blue/white collar.

You can only watch for so long. We were lured over to a small dance floor though and danced to a good mix of 80's that the DJ was spinning. On the way out we asked the parking attendant to snap a photo with the infamous fluorescent sign. Not surprising the lounge is in the basement of a disgusting motor hotel that rents by the hour!

We walked to Virginia Highlands and hung out at Hand in Hand for a while.

We look a bit "worn out" and that is because....we were. Come on! Im 36 now, I don't usually stay out that late anymore.

To wake us up, Nester decided we needed a full on breakfast. Where do you go for breakfast at 2am in Midtown? Another Atlanta landmark, the Majestic Diner.

Since Sunday was my actual birthday and it was 75 and sunny, I wanted to have a picnic at Piedmont Park.

Nester brought the party hats, Smita brought the blanket and we picked out some great picnic foods for munching.

Neto also brought my birthday present, beautifully wrapped in turquoise paper with a big bow. I was a tri-pod for my DSLR camera, a gift I had requested. Thanks mi amor!

Even better than the gift though, was the card he picked out for me. I really like gifts from the heart, and this card, I can tell, he thought was perfect for me.

{front and inside of card}

We needed the afternoon to relax after our fun filled weekend , and that we did. A special thanks to everyone who shared such a special weekend with me!

This was Bruno's first day out of the Humaine Society and boy did he get a treat in the park. There were dogs everywhere and he was so socialable with all of them. He's just a sweet dog.

He so lucky to have Brrrian. I am too!

This is my beautiful friday post being shared over at the Inspired Room

Atlanta Christmas Lighting

This year's Christmas lighting season is about to get crazy here in Atlanta. The Christmas Light Pros are ready. Ernesto has already been working two weeks now, putting up his repeat customers lights.
As the business manager, I am in charge of marketing/sales and I have been doing my part. I put roughly 150 flyers on people's houses in my favorite neighborhoods, Inman Park, Morningside and Virginia Highlands. Starting monday we have a commercial running on Comcast Cable for 3 weeks. That is pretty exciting! This was my beautiful life week!



ps. If you remember Ernesto's red truck, you won't believe his "new model" Thanks Maaco!

Día de los Muertos

Día de los Muertos (or Day of the Dead) is an annual holiday in Mexico celebrated on November 1st and 2d. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. It celebrates the dead with joy and humor rather than mourning. It coincides with the Catholic All Saints Day. Family graves are cleaned and decorated, and home altars are embellished with offerings like candles, photos, foods, flowers. Special holiday breads and sugar skulls are baked, and charmingly colorful folk-art skeletons engaged in a variety of activities.

I still have not been able to experience this tradition while in Mexico, and who knows when I would be able to since this time of year is prime time for The Christmas Light Pros

We saw the Day of the Dead stuff everywhere in Mexico. The Skeletons that are dressed up [fancy] were so cool. Ernesto were on the hunt to bring one home with us. However, the best one we saw would have been a little hard to transport. It was made of paper and stood about 4ft tall. Usually the males are wearing a tux and the women have fancy dresses. This particular one wore a blue dress, feather boa, and huge hat. Ernesto was really inspired by these katrinas, as they are called in Mexico, so he decided to make his own mask and wear it for Halloween. I was so impressed by his creativity. I always knew he was good at drawing, but he just doesn't do it very often. He started a few weeks ago with a balloon. He did paper mache over it, and then painted a traditional design on it. So cool!

When he put on the mask, along with the tux [I bought him at a consignment shop] it was one of the best costumes I have ever seen. Here he is standing with Cleopatra.

Smita gets great outfits every year; she loves Halloween. She takes time to think of what she wants to be, and I like to not think too much about it. That is why I wore her Cleopatra outfit from last year. She was a geisha this year and her outfit was great. In addition to the kimono and face paint, she added the accessories, which really made it authentic. (sandals with socks, paper umbrella, and fan.

We were invited to a party Friday night and it was so fun. There was a DJ outside and we danced the whole night. It felt exciting to dance with this new mysterious man.

VIVA MEXICO 9 - MAZATLAN

Mazatlan was the 9th stop in our Mexican tour. It was such a relief too when we arrived on our bikes. We had no agenda and I really had no desire to explore. I wanted to relax on the beach. period. Ernesto's family was there for a couple days with us and we enjoyed hanging out and eating (the main focus of every Mexican family).

Normally I would want to walk everywhere, especially in a beach town, but after the 200 mile bikeride I was happy that no one in Ernesto's family wanted to walk. ha! We got around on the little open air taxi's called pulmanias. It was HOT there and they were refreshing in the humidity.

I do get some attention in Mexico when walking the streets. This guy whistled at me while I was walking in front of his restaurant. I usually don't respond to this, but I went straight to him.

There were 10 tios from ernestos family and his cousin Lucy. Traveling in a group of 13? for two weeks? I must say it's really impressive that they all get along so well, most families can't do this at their age [or any other]. We patiently sat on the sidewalks while some tias went shopping. Nobody cared. There was no agenda. No one was in a rush. I married into a Mexican family.

All the Espinoza's were already checked in to the Hotel San Diego (how appropriate!) It was a great location, right across the street from the beach on the main drag in "new" Mazatlan. The beach is beautiful there. White sand and very blue water. Water that looked so inviting, but due to side effects of biking 200 miles, certain parts of my body would not react well to salt water. (do I have to say it?) I still enjoyed it though. Im a beach girl in any way, shape or form. There are several rocky islands as you see in the background. There are many boat tours or "booze cruises" that take you for the day to explore. Ernesto's parents and tios went one day while Lucy Neto and I did absolutely nothing on the beach. And loved it.Tourism is the bread & butter of Mazatlan and all the vendors cater to the tourists on the beach. You can shop right from your lounge chair. Jewelry, sunglasses, sarongs, baskets, pottery, braids, or henna tattoos. My favorite beach shopping is for the food. Ceviche anyone? Oh yes! You know we had to buy a couple ceviche tostadas go with our beers. Mazatlan is in the state of Sinaloa, and is known for it's seafood. We took full advantage of this, eating seafood everyday and eating it on the beach. Welcome to Mazatlan! I was also introduced to a delicious vanilla soda from Mazatlan called ToniCol. I had this on the home stretch of the bikeride and think it may have been the sugar kick that got me to the finish line. So sweet, so good! Gracias ToniCol! Lucy, Neto and I took a pulmania to "old" Mazatlan for dinner one night. The old town was so cool, this is where you'll find all the Mexican charm of the city. (new Mazatlan can feel a bit too Americanized with the huge hotels with cheezy tourist shops) The old part has gone through a major revival in the last 10 years, and is, in my opinion, the best part of the city. There was a concert going on that night in the center and all the restaurants had outdoor seating, it was great for people watching.We ate at a restaurant called Pedro y Lola, which is named after 2 beloved Mexican singers Pedro Infante and Lola Beltran. It was featured in Food & Wine Magazine in October 2008. Im not sure if it was sitting under the warm glow of the lights in the square that evening, or the 3 peice band playing on the sidewalk, but it was there that I ate the best pulpo alajillo (garlic octopus) I have ever had. No, wait, I am sure. It was the best pulpo ever, the best! Oh, and the young girls were flirting with Neto so he would buy us flowers. After dinner, we wandered the cobblestone streets, and hung out on the benches of the plazas. The next day the whole family 13 of us took a couple taxis back to the old town. They were all leaving that afternoon and we told them how nice it was and that they had to see this area of town before they go. We walked to a couple plazas and just poked around the streets taking pictures. Here is Ernesto with his dad and 2 tios.

...and again with his mom and 2 tios

The next pictures are of the Catedral in the center, and some of the old colorful buildings and streets of Old Mazatlan.
Later that afternoon, after the family had left, we were invited to a carne asada by a couple new friends we met on the bikeride. Eliazar and Abraham are in their late 50's to early 60's and do the bikeride every year. They live in Durango and have this condo about 20 minutes down the beach from crazy Mazatlan. The beach was pristine and the beach less crowded. Their condo is a 2bd/2ba is in a high-rise and has a huge pool and grills outside, it's really like a resort. And by the way we were told to come stay when ever we want...anyone need a vacation?? The cookout was fun. Lots of food, tequila and beer. One lady tried to "get the gringa" by giving me a really hot pepper because she thought I couldn't handle it! ha! I think she thought I was going to cry, but I just got up and put another on my plate. I love hot peppers I told her. (and hello? Im married to a Mexican) Eliazar had this little muscle stimulater thingy. Have you ever tried this? You wire yourself up and then adjust the strength of the electromagnectic waves. It makes your muscles contract. It was such a weird sensation, but after I got used to it, it felt good. Eliazar uses it to relax and I could see how that helps. I had it on my back and Neto tried it on his leg. We turned it up full strength.

The day ended with fun in the water and a beautiful sunset. Ay, la vida mexicana!

The next day we visited the tiny pueblo of Quelite, one hour outside of Mazatlan. It was so cute and quiet. Eliazar and Abraham invited us. They said we had to eat at this restaurant called:

They were right, it was the most unique place. An experience. They had birds everywhere, so of course I loved it right away.The most charming part was the decor. Open air, full of lush plants and Mexican history on the walls. The urinal in the mens baño was a huge ceramic pig. In the womens baño, the sink was a copper pot and with the water spilling out of two old trumpets. There was so much to look at, all while eating amazing food too.

This is one of my favorite pictures that I took. The colors and simplicity. I say this only from an artistic standpoint, since I know the actual conditions for the bird are not the greatest. Unfortunately, you will see this all over mexico. Cages are hung by a nail on the outside of houses. Im a total bird lover, but would never put a parrot in a cage this small. (just so we are clear)

I am also loving this picture. Classic. Mexico. Everyone in Mexico was preparing for Independence day celebrations on Sept 18. I had to stop this young girl on the street in her awesome outfit to get her picture. She was going to be perfoming in cultural dances later that day.

This is cool. As we were sitting on the front porch of the restaurants in rocking chairs, I noticed that the roof accross the street had cacti growing out of the tiles?? Do you see?

After lunch we stopped for a respado (ice slushy) made with fresh mango and tamarind at a little outdoor shop. Here is Neto with our new Mexican buddies! On to Guadalajara! The last stop on the tour. To be continued..................

Great Weekend in Atlanta!

What a great weekend! Ernesto and I had a great idea to visit the Dekalb Farmers Market in our old stomping ground of Decatur. We actually drove by our old house and I got a little teary eyed [although Im not sure why]. Ernesto wanted to stop at a thrift store to get some xmas light work clothes. He was also looking for a tux too for his Halloween costume (post coming up on that soon, I can't wait to show it to you). We stopped at Finders Keepers, a consignment shop on College Ave in Avondale Estates. I can't believe I had never been there before, I would say it was an upscale consignment shop. I saw a lot of name brand clothes and all were in good condition. This beautiful coat to the right is what I found....and had to buy! Im so excited about it. Vintage blue leather, satin lining and real fur trim, in mint condition...all for.....wait for it...$62!!! yeah! Oh and Ernesto found his tux for only $20!!

Sunday morning was great! Smita and I attended our first photography "meet up". I found The Decatur Digital Photography Group at meetup.com. (It's an awesome website to meet people interested in the same things you are. Type in your interest and your zip code and there is probably a group to join near you.) I have been wanting to learn more about my SLR camera I got last year for xmas. I have been using it on the "auto" mode and felt that it was time to learn what f-stop, shutter speed, white balance, and ISO have to do with taking great pictures. Smita just bought hers about a month ago and was ready to learn more about it too.

The meetup was at Sweetwater Creek State Park about 25 miles west of Atlanta. The park, which covers over 2500 acres, has a beautiful lake, hiking trails, hundreds of ducks and geese, and luckily for us, a lot of trees that were starting to turn colors.


It was a bit chilly at 10am when we met, but sunny and pleasant, perfect for taking pictures.


There were about 25 people that showed up and everyone was so friendly and helpful. Smita and I were so glad we went, and ended up meeting some great people and learning a lot about "lighting and portraits" which was the topic of this particular meet up. Some of the professionals in the group brought lighting equipment and were going around answering any questions. We each took turns modeling and everyone shot pictures. Here is Smita modeling: Here is one of my better portraits I shot of her: Keep in mind, we did not make up these poses. Portraits are generally more formal shots and so we did what we were told:) This picture Smita took of me.
Im looking forward to attending many more of these photography meetups and getting really good at using my camera. It's exciting! What did you guys do??

VIVA MEXICO 8 - BIKERIDE FROM DURANGO TO MAZATLAN

200 miles! Do you realize how far that is? I didn't! When we committed to riding our bikes from Durango to Mazatlan I don't think I knew what I was getting myself into. Yes, they said it was a "beautiful ride through the mountains" but I guess I chose to only hear the "beautiful" part. Our group left for this grueling 2 day ride at 730am September 11. There were reporters there interviewing people and Ernesto and I were even featured on the front page of the local newspaper, Contexto de Durango. {Neto, me and the guy who got us into this mess, Jordi! haha}

Funny enough, they interviewed me, and I was misquoted [in Spanish mind you] saying that we have been training for a long time for this ride! ha! This pic was taken at the start: excited....fresh....full of energy....all smiles...in other words: CLUELESS!

Jordi and Yasmin said we had to dress the part. Being the professionals that they are, they dressed us in all the cool gear: gloves, leg warmers, jackets, padded shorts and shirts with the cool pockets in the back. 30 minutes into the ride I was thinking "Oh my God, Im going to die...but I look good!" (On a side note, I was the only cyclist I saw in two days that was not wearing biking shoes that clip on to the pedals. the. only. one)

The following is a picture I took in the morning on the first day. I was sweating and had my camera in the back pocket of my shirt so it got damp and didn't open all the way. I like how it turned out. This is when we were still traveling in a tight group....like I said, at the beginning.

The ride was unbelievably gorgeous. Landscape like I had never seen in Mexico. I always knew it was there, and I was in awe finally seeing it. I tried to focus on that instead of the fact that the mountains were never ending.

It was a bit discouraging because you didn't get to climb a hill and feel like "Yeah! I did it!" because after that hill there was another and another and another.

bottom line: the first day was totally climbing except for one downhill in the 2nd hour. It did not help when we passed signs like this along the way.

230 MILES? No, it was kilometers, but I couldn't make myself think in kilometers. No importa, it was still a HUGE number. Can you get encouragement by telling yourself, "come on, only

230k to go, you can do it!" That's ridiculous, no?

Everyone kept saying "no es carrera, es paseo" ("this isn't a race, its just for fun" ) But let me ask you something. Would you ever do a strenuous bike ride for 8 hours straight and only take TWO breaks??? Im not kidding! This is an example of one tired biker on a break.

There were about 18 people in our group (and a lot of different groups that go. The biggest being VEGABUNDOS) Each group has a car in front of the group and a car in back of the last cyclist, which happened to be me 99.9% of the time. Memo was driving our truck in back and lets just say we got to know each other.

There were many times that day when I thought I was going to have to stop. Only 2 breaks in 8 hours? I would be so tired, starting to slow and then all of a sudden I would feel a strong hand on my lower back, pushing just enough to give me a short break. I may have also held onto the truck several times for some help up a mountain or two, ha! I am not too proud to take help when it is offered. Never have been. Only when we finished that first day after riding 8 hours and 30 minutes did we feel a sense of accomplishment. We arrived to Mexiquillo, a small town at the top of the mountains at 415pm.

The cabins were very cute and cozy. Since the "professionals" arrived about one hour before us, they already had a fire going in our cabin.

After taking a hot shower and eating a big pasta dinner, we followed the others walking on a trail (not that we weren't tired enough) but they told us there was a cool rock garden and a waterfall not too far from the cabins. It was really a beautiful area.

El Jardin des las Piedras was so cool! Huge boulders stacked on top of each other. I had never seen anything like it. It reminds me of pictures I have seen of Stonehenge in England. (0nly with rounder rocks)

The waterfall was a beauty too.

I wanted to get a good night sleep, but didn't get to bed until 1030p. We woke up at 5am to start the 2nd day and were out on the road by 6a. Surprisingly my legs were not sore, but when we started up the first hill, they felt so TIRED. 2 Hours into the ride we arrived at the Espinazo del Diablo, o "devils backbone". It had the most amazing view. It was also break number one, 2 hours into the ride.

All of the bikers stop here. Its in the middle of nowhere, but someone was smart enough to set up a big taco stand. (this was the only time that I can remember that I was not in the mood for tacos) Someone was handing out fruit & nut bars, so I opted for that instead. We also had Power Bars, bags of dried fruits, and lunch consisted of tuna salad sandwiches. Eating all day, but small amounts as to not weigh us down. (I had my ass for that!)

Like I said earlier, day 1 only had one down hill, the rest was all climbing. Everyone told us that day 2 is EASY (coming from the "professionals" I didn't really believe that) Day 2 had shorter climbs with longer downhills. Many downhills. One mountain at the halfway point of the day took us 45 minutes to go down. Now that was a break! It happened to be the most fun I have ever had on a bike too. We were careful, but I let off my brakes a few times and was speeding around those curves, it was so exhilarating! We were cruising fast the whole way down. That was the only time on the ride that I was glad I had a mountain bike instead of a road bike [with the skinny tires]. It would've been way more dangerous with the bumps and random gravel on the road. My hands were really sore when we got to the bottom from holding the brakes for so long.

As soon as we reached the bottom of this mountain we hit a wall of humidity and the group planned a break just so everyone could peel off layers of clothing. What a change! I was hot before,but after we descended the mountains I was dripping with sweat. I probably lost 10 pounds of water. We were drinking a lot [of Gatorade], and I only peed 2x. TMI?

OK, break time again. We actually had 4 that day. Here we are with only 15k left to reach Mazatlan. We were passed all the mountains and had a relatively flat route to the finish. The group decided that we should all ride into Mazatlan together. That meant we had to keep up with the "professionals" for the last 10 or so miles. They were the hardest yet!

I have never been so exhausted in my entire life and now I have to "push it" to the finish?[located on the beach at some fish statue called El Pescador].
I was so ready for it to be over. I was really excited that Ernesto's family was going to be there waiting for us. I think this is the ONLY reason I was able to make it. Once we reach the city of Mazatlan, we had to ride through it to the GDF fish. I was so emotional. I was getting so frustrated that I started to cry. "Donde esta este pinche pescador???" Which means: Where is this damn fish statue?) When I told my mother-in-law this story, she laughed a lot. I don't really curse to her in Spanish. She thought it was really funny and kept repeating it to everyone all the aunts and uncles. 11 family members were there waiting for us at the pinche pescador- all cheering us on, it made us feel so good!

I have never been so happy to finish something, and I have never felt pain in my crotch like I did that day [or for the 6 days after that]. One word for you: RAW.

Thanks again to Jordi and his wife Yazmin for inviting us to "paseo" with them, taking care of all the arrangements that were needed for this 2 day trip and most of all for encouraging us the whole way. That last part goes for everyone on the team. The amateurs thank you!

Only now, one month later can I say that I would do it again [with much training], and I think its because of my selective memory. I only choose to remember the good stuff. I do this often.

ZAFIRO JEWELRY DEBUT

WELCOME TO ZAFIRO JEWELRY!

With a new name, logo and booth design, I was ready for my first show of the year!  My business cards were a joint venture between a graphic designer in San Diego and one in Mexico! (thanks Mario!) I told the designer that I am obsessed with peacocks and turquoise (did you know that?) and he ran with it.  Mario is Ernesto's cousin and he made some adjustments and helped me a lot in general. I can be a bit indecisive! surprise!

Printing was done in Mexico as well. Just in time for the show, I received them [and my little price tags] via FedEx. Whew! They are really cool. They are printed on both sides and have raised lettering. They also are smaller than standard business cards and have rounded corners, all of these details make them unique. I received many compliments.

Here is a look at my booth at the Candler Park Fallfest this past weekend.

I must say, in spite of the weather, it turned out to be a nice show.  I was a bit worried when the first day passed with very few festival goers and ZERO sales. I wasn't upset at all actually, I think its because I was so excited about my booth and after talking with several other artists, it seemed it was slow for everyone.

{new tags on every necklace}

Sunday proved to be much better. It was a beautiful day. There was a huge crowd this time and I managed to make it worth my while! It was no Inman Park Festival, but it was a repeater!

Below is the booth shot that I will be submitting for future shows. You can't have the name visible. I would love to hear any feedback you may have. (especially if you have been a judge before in a juried show)

Kelli, my niece told me about a great DIY website called WIX, You can use it to build your own flash website, it is easy to set up even if your not an expert.  They have designers too if you are not brave enough to try it.  They have 4 different packages for web hosting, one of them with e-commerce. That means having a "shopping cart" on your site and it is only $15/month!  The sites are professional [as you want it to be] and you are able to cut out the WIX ads for only $6/month. It even includes Google Analytics.  Below is the temporary page I set up for Zafiro Jewelry. Since I was having a show, I wanted to give customers a place to contact me. (plus the website is written on my business cards already. ha!) I will be working on it and loading pictures soon.  Trust me, this is not the final look I am going for, but its simple and to the point.  "Contact me here while me site is under construction"

The address is www.zafirojewelry.com

Here is a screen shot of the page . I would like your preference on this one, or the one below it with the wood texture as the background.  Please please leave your choice in the comments below.  This is only temporary, so not such a big deal, plus I plan to have the "new look" up and running before my next show. 

Now that I am all set up, I am looking for more venues to sell before Christmas. I am too late for many of the holiday shows, so I will have to get creative. You know that is what I like to do anyway!  Stay tuned for jewelry pictures and updates of where I am selling Zafiro!

WEEKEND OF FAMILY & ZAFIRO JEWELRY

Well, I am happy to say that I am back on wheels.  I felt a bit stranded the last 2 weeks in Atlanta with no car.  Last Thursday my mom flew here to help me prepare for my jewelry for Candler Park Fallfest,  and my dad drove my car from Ohio, where it had been sitting fro the last year and a half.  Don't feel bad, my dad loves to drive, and he volunteered!  Thanks Daddy!!

My parents and Smita were our first guests in our new apartment, it is only about t 600 square feet and as you can see from the pictures below, it is painted BRIGHT ORANGE!  I was in shock at first, but I really like it now.Maybe it is because we just came from Mexico and it is all about bright colors there.  (Ernesto wants to paint over it-a green, which would be fine with me too)  Thursday night my dad arrived at 830pm.  Smita and I were drinking a bottle of wine, and Ernesto had bought some tequila for his new Mexican shot glasses.  

As you can see, my mom really liked it. 

I had a long list of things to do before my jewelry show.  Much of it was getting crafty, so my mom and I had fun with it.  First on the list was to transform this wood frame that I bought at TJMAXX for $20.  I wanted to cover  the existing cork board with a cream burlap fabric so I could pin my earrings on it. 

{before}

  

{after}  

I love how the fame turned out!  

Does it remind you of a patina?

Remember these letters that I bought at Joanne Fabrics? 

Well, we painted them the same way.  They are hollow cardboard, so they are very lightweight.  We glued them onto a burlap banner with wood scrolls at both ends. 

 I had 2 unfinished pine boxes that Ernesto had built me a couple years ago.  We stained them a rich chocolate brown.  (our apartment is up the staircase, over the garage)

No trip to Atlanta is complete for my Dad unless we go to Taqueria del Sol for fish tacos, or Ernesto cooks his famous fish tacos at the house.  Friday night we went to the Taqueria.  Here we are standing in line to order.

  Funny enough I think this is the only restaurant that my dad doesn't mind waiting.  There is ALWAYS a line, but the food comes out within 10 minutes of you sitting down...and its always so good! (Plus you can order drinks while you wait)  On this trip, not only did my dad get the taqueria tacos, but as a special thank you for driving my car down,  Ernesto made his delicious fish tacos  (recipe is posted on Viva la Cocina)

The show was Saturday and Sunday, and the weather forecast was looking dismal.  My assigned time to load my tent into my space was Friday afternoon.  I was really happy about that because it was my first time setting up my new booth design, so I didn't want to be rushed arranging things the morning of the show. 

A few weeks ago when I went to Ohio my mom and I worked on my new tables.  We [more she] made fitted slipcovers out of an indoor/outdoor fabric.  The have slits in the back easy for storing things underneath.  The tables are raised 12 inches [with PVC pipe] and without the grass the material is flush to the ground. 

The bust/mannequin that my mom picked up at a garage sale was a great find!  It is a heavy plastic or fiberglass and we used a spray adhesive to cover it in fabric.  I am happy with it. Its a great showcase outside the tent to draw customers in.  The tent looked very monochromatic, so we added turquoise fabric panels on the walls. Sticking with my turquoise theme (I know I need to stop with the turquoise, but I can't!) I featured two turquoise necklaces on the bust. 

After our mock set up on Friday we had some ideas and Saturday morning did some last minute changes to the booth.  

I was so excited to be set up for another show, they are really fun to do, and my new design made it even more exciting.  I am ready to break out my new jewelry designs now.  Most of my pieces are from before my Costa Rica stint, and I know my style has evolved with my Latin America experience.  More to come on that...and photos of ZAFIRO at the show! 

One last "thank you" to my wonderful parents, who are always there for me.

RARE II

I don't know if it is fate or what, but our new neighbor has a soft spot for cats.  He has several in his house, but he also feeds 6-7 neighborhood cats. Ferril cats. I have tried calling them. "come on rare rare, come here you little ti ti" and and they are too scared to come close. 

Until one day..... hehe

Those of you that know me, know that I can be very very persistent.  I'd like to introduce you to Rare the 2nd

I'd like to think my charm won him over, but it may have been the good cat food I offered Rare. When I got home from the grocery store that night I went right out and started calling him. Nester took a picture.

VIVA MEXICO 7 - DURANGO

Back in May of this year, when the idea of the Mexico trip was born, we knew that we wanted to include a visit to Durango. Ernesto's mamita lives there and he had never been to visit her. Before I tell this story, I must give a bit of family history: Mamita, and her daughter Veronica lived with Ernesto's family while he was growing up. Mamita was his second mom. Mamita even took care of Ernesto's mom when she was growing up too, so she is part of the family and Veronica is like his sister. Pepe is Veronica's husband and they both are from Durango.

This summer while in San Diego, we met Jordi. He is Pepe's cousin and lives in Durango. We went bike riding with him there a few times and he told us about this bikeride from Durango to Mazatlan in Mexico. "You have to do it!" "yes, that sounds great we'll do it!" A plan was made.

We arrived to mamita's in the afternoon and I was so pleasantly surprised that her house was turquoise!!

Mamita was so happy to see us. We visited for just an hour before Jordi and his wife Yasmin picked us up and took us straight to "el rancho" where there was a carne asada going on. Only 15 minutes outside the city of Durango and you are in the mountains in the middle of many ranches.

As you can see we were welcomed by Pepe's family and they were so nice and accommodating. They even offered us the ranch to stay later that week if we wanted to. The house has the best mountain view.

It was our longest stop on the Mexico trip. We stayed at mamita's for 5 days. We thought we would relax for a week, after moving around so much the weeks before. We were wrong. We were booked solid with family gatherings and bike appointments and dinners. Not relaxing, but so much fun!

We had committed to the 200 mile bike ride called "la ruta" and were quite excited about it. Jordi is a big time cyclist, and told us before we arrived that everything would be ready for us. Early in the week, he had us over to his house to pick out which bike we would ride to Mazatlan that Friday. His garage was like a bike shop with 9 or 10 bikes and all sorts of gear. We test rode a couple and found a good fit. Ready to go at 7am Friday!

One morning Jordi and Yazmin drove us to Las Ventanas. This is a site not listed in the LP guide. Only the locals know about this they said. It is very special place for them, as they were married here almost 10 years ago. It was so beautiful.

Once we got a little higher, we weren't able to see past the clouds into the valley, but if you look down you can see the steep drop.

Also out in the direction of Las Ventanas, there is an archaeological site of the Chalchihuites. It is believed that this site was occupied AD 100 to AD 1400.

Back in front of mamita's house the corn man rode by yelling "eloteeeeees" and I asked Neto to run out to get me one. I just love the convenience of good food on the streets of Mexico. I am used to an ice cream trucks, but corn, tacos, fruit, nuts etc.? It's a wonderful thing.

Although at first mamita protested this, one night we took her with us out to el rancho to spend the night. It was great, because she doesn't get out much and I know she was so happy to see something new. She is a really funny lady and the relationship between she and Neto is so sweet. She laughs at everything Neto does. She loves to hear all his shit talking and teasing. She was so happy he was there with her.

We bought beers and stuff to make a pico de gallo. We sat in the kitchen laughing and chopping.

We moved our chairs to look out over the mountains and watched an amazing sunset.

The day before we were leaving for Mazatlan, we went to the centro to see the historic zocolo. 

The Plaza de Armas is one of the nicest we saw, but I have to say that the city of Durango is not very attractive outside of this block. (outside the city is a different story) It was my least favorite city [looks wise] BUT the people we met an the "family time" spent made it one of our best stops. Our week there was all about the people...and we have never been treated so good!

Our last night in Durango we stayed at Jordi and Yazmin's house because we were leaving on La Ruta (aka: the bike ride from hell) the next morning.  To be continued......

VIVA MEXICO 6 - ZACATECAS

Bienvenido a Zacatecas!

Zacatecas is a beautiful colonial city, and again one of Mexico's famous mining cities.  It has a rich historic center packed with opulent buildings, an amazing cathedral, interesting museums and steep winding streets and alleys.  There were a lot of nice hotels and restaurants and plenty of shops, all of which I think made it a great place to visit.   Arriving at night to Zacatecas gave us a great welcome to the city.

This view was the gem of Hostal Villa Colonial, the only hostel we stayed at on our trip.  It was recommended by Lonely Planet and they were right about the owner, Ernesto, being friendly and helpful.  The room was nothing attractive, but the roof top terrace and great location made this a great choice.   We had our own bathroom, the room was clean, there was coffee in the morning and wireless internet. All for the bargain price of $18. We stayed there 2 nights.

{Catedral, a classic example of Mexican baroque}

Of all the museums, the one I really wanted to go see was the Museo Zacatecano, which is mainly devoted to Huichol art.  I have been obsessed with Huichol [indian] artwork ever since I first saw it....their specialties are making designs with beads or as in the picture below, making intricate pictures with yarn.

I was on a hunt to find one that I really liked, but unfortunately nothing struck me at the shop in the lobby of the museum, only some of the pieces featured in the museum.  

{huge Huichol wall art in the Museo Zacatecano, made from tiny beads}

Zacatecas has a lookout point above the city called La Bufa.  The easiest way to get there is by riding the teleferico (cable car) which takes you over the city in less than 5 minutes.

As you can see the view from the top was phenomenal.

Besides the view, there are a few interesting monuments and a cathedral.  This parade started from the bottom and climbed to the top of la Bufa , all the while the band playing music and what seemed to be hundred of people following behind.

  

The parade ended at the cathedral and where everyone gathered for an outdoor ceremony. 

These cute little girls were watching the parade too. Ernesto tried to get cozy with these little kids. I was able to snap this picture but one second after all of the kids scurried off. He just didn't fit in.

One of the main things that attracted me to Zacatecas was the Quinta Real Hotel, which was once a bullring (now a luxury hotel). We went there for drinks, and unfortunately it was rented out for what looked to be a very big, expensive wedding in the middle.  It was disappointing that we couldn't see the hotel au natural. 

The day that we arrived marked the opening day of the "Feria de Zacatecas" - I would compare it to a state fair in the US, but way more elaborate.  Restaurants were set up, not just food stands.  Most of the city shuts down at night while this is going on because everyone and their brother heads to the site which is a few kilometers out of the city. As much of the nightlife in Mexico, things do not get hopping until 11p (at the earliest!) Ernesto and I got there right around that time.

There was so much food offered, it was hard to decide where to eat. Chile shrimp on a stick anyone?

Ernesto bought what everyone seemed to be drinking.

For 20 pesos ($1.50) you could pose with this monstrous boa constrictor, and no one was doing it, so I stepped up. Im not a big snake fan, as a matter of fact, I don't like them at all, they scare me. But sometimes you need to confront what scares you, right? The guy wrapped him on my neck and Ernesto snapped a few shots. Im smiling here, but I let out a few yelps whenever the snakes head slithered in my direction. 

We met some fun locals and had a great time.  The guy in the red had a flask of tequila and every 5 minutes thought everyone should have a swig.  I could only hang in for a couple of rounds.  Tequila just isn't my drink. Does that mean I'll never be Mexicana? 

  

We were planning to leave for Durango on a bus at 8am, but stayed out until 4am that night!  Needless to say, our plans changed.  11am seemed more reasonable. 

Need Christmas Lights in Atlanta This Year?

You may see this commercial in the Atlanta area.  Please spread the word to all of your friends in the area. 

 

Residential Spot from Christmas Light Pro's on Vimeo.

Mexico Food Pics up on Viva la Cocina!

During our Mexico trip we tried a lot of food and being the picture-a$$ that I am, took some photos that I think you may enjoy and posted them on  Viva la Cocina.  Many of these recipes will be made in our "test kitchen" in Atlanta (ha!) and posted so you can make them too! Buen provecho!

ps. I also added a new banner on the site, what do you think?

pss. Apologies for the duplication to those of you who have already visited my food blog.  Just trying to get the word out. 

VIVA MEXICO 5 - GUANAJUATO

You must go to Guanajuato! 

 

Guanajuato is an old mining town with a lot of character; it was designated a UNESCO world heritage site in 1988.  It was founded in 1559 due to all the silver and gold deposits and it became one of the world's richest silver mining towns.  The silver barons  of Guanajuato used that wealth to build many mansions, churches and theaters.

{la Basilica de Nuestra Senora de Guanajuato}

{Templo de San Diego}

{Teatro Juarez , built between 1973 and 1903}

Walking around the city center you will see all the opulent colonial and baroque buildings, tree-filled plazas and the brightly colored houses are crammed onto the steep slope of a ravine.

{beautiful colonial building in el centro}

{University of Guanajuato}

{Jardin de la Union, surrounded by a "wall" of laurel trees}

{Plazuela San Fernando}

The "roads" to get to these houses are called cellejones, tiny streets, but really they are just alleys, not accessible to cars. 

The "main roads" (used by cars) twist around the hills and plunge into tunnels, which were once rivers.

It was too cool.   Again, I found myself saying, "I could live here."

We picked the Hotel Molina del Rey to sleep, which is a short stroll to the center.

It was quiet, yet convenient to the action, had a friendly staff, a lush courtyard, wireless internet access, and my favorite ceiling. It makes an ordinary room extraordinary. Not bad for $30.

There is a funicular, or incline railway right behind the Teatro Juarez that takes you up to El Pipila monument overlooking the whole city.

This view is what really made me fall in love.  Just look at it!  This picture doesn't do it justice.  It can't capture all the colors of the houses, the shadows of the sun on the mountains or all the little alleys meandering through the city, but let me tell you, it was spectacular.

Here is El Pipila statue high above the city. It honors the war hero who lit a Spanish fortress on fire enabling Mexico to win the first battle in the war for independence back in 1810. Below sits a tourist and his guide book.

When I read about the Museo de las Momias (mummy museum) I was interested. I know that Mexico has an obsession with death, and this is just one bizarre example. Although I thought it grotesque, I found myself laughing due to some of the facial expressions of the mummies.

The laughing ended when I saw a baby mummy. pobrecito!  That made me sad.  Do you want to see it? ok

Think of something positive.  That is a cute blue sweater, isn't it?  I wonder if her mom knit that.

One great place we ate, which was recommended in Lonely Planet, (I second the recommendation) is called Clave Azul, a very atmospheric cantina hidden on a callejon off the Plazuelo San Fernando.   We were there for a few hours.  They serve botanas (tapas-like) for FREE from 1-5pm when you are ordering drinks, and surprise, we were! Their micheladas were so good and cheap! 

There was also a band playing the whole time.  They were really good and said they were students at the university. Ernesto gave them 100 pesos ($8) in "the hat" and they were so grateful, and kept asking us for requests, like we were the only ones there. 

ps.  I love the accordion.  

**side note for my brother Tim and his son Tyler: there was a guy playing the flute in the band - you know what I'm talking about.

This band member was not from the university, but I love his classic outfit and the beautiful building.

 

We had heard about the Callejon del Beso (Alley of the Kiss).  As the story goes, a young girl from a "good family" falls in love with a common miner.  They were forbidden to see each other, so the miner rented the room across the alley from the girl.  Since the balconies are so close they were able to see each other...and presumably kiss, hence the name.  Ay love!

{the alley}

{me on the balcony of "the kiss" blowing a kiss to Neto}

Well we were in a mining town, so we had to go to a mine, right?  We visited both Valenciana y Boca Mina.

At Valenciana we were able to climb down and see all of the big equiptment.   Even though it was old and not running, I could tell that the working conditions would be horrible down there. 

Neto pretended he was running the show. 

We were the only ones there that morning and the guy was really thorough in explaining what each of these machines did.  There was a lot of new Spanish vocabulary for me.  

This drilling shaft at Valenciana went so deep that it took 20 seconds to hear a rock that was thrown in.

Over at Boca Mina San Ramon we were able to descend 60 meters (197feet)  into the mine shaft, this is not for the claustrophobic. 

What is cool about San Ramon, is that they kept the "museum" part, but restored the outside buildings and now hold parties and weddings here.  Its beautiful.  (I'm sure the mine workers didn't get to enjoy this)

Close to both mines, high above the city is the Templo La Valenciana.  A beautiful baroque style church made of pale pink stone and adorned with elaborate carvings.  (known as one of the best examples of baroque architecture in Latin America)

 

The inside is just as lavish with  gold gold gold.

There are 2 stories of how it came to be built back in the mid 1700's.  Here quoted from the site WhatGuanajuato.  I like to include some meaningful history on VIVACINDY sometimes. 

"There are two theories as to the construction of the church so close to the mines. The first is that the Spaniard who founded the mine made a personal vow to San Cayetano that he was construct a church honoring the saint if the silver mine - perhaps with the Cayetano's helpful intervention - made him rich. It did, and so up went the church. The second story tells the tale of the mine's silver baron who had the lavish church built to in an attempt to make some moral ammends for having sat in the lap of luxury while exploiting the laborers who worked the mines."

Ever since seeing the movie Frida, starring Selma Hayek  [about Frida Kahlo, a famous mexican painter and her husband Diego Rivera, also a famous painter] I am loving both of there work.  Diego Rivera was born in Guanajuato and his childhood home is now a museum. 

Maybe you recognize this painting of his called "nude with calla lilies"?  It's pretty famous.

Like I said at the beginning of this post, you must see this fabulous city.  It hard to pick favorites, but I would definitely  call it a repeater! 

Preparations for Zafiro Jewelry's Debut

I don't know how many times I can say this, but my mom is THE BEST!!  While in Mexico this past month,I learned  I had been accepted to the Candler Park Fall Fest art show in Atlanta October 10-11.  My parents helped me out by mailing the application  while I was traveling and low & behold, I was accepted!  My first jewelry show of 2009!!!  Actually, it will be my first show under my new name Zafiro Jewelry.  

While I was in Mexico, I met Gonzalo.  He has a printing business in Guadalajara and with my design that was partially done by a designer in San Diego/and then finished off by Ernesto's cousin Mario, I was able to get them printed for a great savings (compared to US prices)  He is also printing matching price tags for my pieces. 

(stay tuned...pictures of cards, booth design and website coming soon)

So much preparation needs to happen before the show, and when I want to get things done, my mom is my perfect partner.  I can bounce my ideas off her, and she always, always comes up with great ways to make them happen.  Her energy never dies, I always get so much done with her.  We are great at brainstorming, and together we designed a new booth for Zafiro Jewelry.   I flew to Ohio last Wednesday, after returning from Mexico, and we worked for 2 days straight.  Here is my mom sewing a key piece for my booth.  (final pictures will be posted from the show) 

My mom bought me this bust at a garage sale for $5.  Here we use spray adhesive to add cream colored burlap cover.  It looks really nice with the new texture.  Very professional!  

I bought several of these necklace displays from NILE.  They were inexpensive, so I was able to experiment.  My mom and I covered them with a linen material, and Im so happy with how they turned out.

While at Joanne Fabrics looking for curtains [for the tent] I saw these cardboard letters.  

I thought I was going to sew a sign on my tent, but then I started thinking...wouldn't these letters be cool if I painted them to look like a copper patina? I like the old world feel of aged copper and I love those colors too! 

Ernesto said he would help me, so we will see how they turn out.  If you have ANY tips for this faux painting, please leave in the comments.  Pictures and progress updates coming your way soon. 

VIVA MEXICO 4 - SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE

I had been wanting to visit San Miguel de Allende for years.  People had always told me what a picturesque city it is, and they were not exaggerating. Besides the gorgeous pink church in the centro historico (la Perroquia in pic above and below), there aren't many official "tourist sites" in San Miguel, in fact, the city IS the site.

During our 2 days there, we did what most people probably do there, shop [for great artesania], eat and take pictures. Everyone had said it is Gringolandia there (full of Americans) but we didn't find that. In fact San Miguel de Allende was oozing Mexican charm and we were smitten almost immediately. Around every corner was a great picture. For example:

{la Perroquia at night}

{the front door to some lucky person's house}

{a man selling roasted pumpkin seeds on the corner...yes we bought them}

{police on a horse? in this outfit? so classic. love it.}

{fuchsia bougainvillea, aged turquoise door, cobblestone street, yellow & orange wall, mexicana wanna-be}

{side entrance to the pink church, la Perroquia}

{woman selling handmade dolls...outside Starbucks}

{someones beautiful courtyard, pic taken though gate}

{crazy Mexican with mustache and sombrero}

We stayed at the Hotel Sautto, as recommended by Lonely Planet, and were quite happy with it. It was only 500 pesos (about $35 dollars) and had a great central location only a couple blocks from the zocolo.

The Sautto is an old hacienda that now needs some updating, but the Mexican charm still shines through.

The building was old stone and the walls that surround the lush courtyard were painted bright colors.

My favorite feature of our room, actually the only feature I really liked, was the domed brick ceiling that we saw so often throughout Mexico. (The pic below is that of our guest room at Aileen's house in Tepotzlan, but the ceilings at Hotel Sautto are just like this) So cool.

For our purposes (park bags and sleep) Hotel Sautto was perfect. If you want to spend more money, there are numerous haciendas in mint condition that offer luxury amenities in San Miguel, as it's main industry is tourism. For this reason you also find some of the nicest restaurants and shops around. We did experience some great restaurants, for example we had afternoon drinks, tacos and pulpo (octopus) at the rooftop restaurant La Azotea, a very chic spot, with an awesome view over the city.

One morning we enjoyed cafe, churros (Mexican donuts) and huevos rancheros at San Augustin, a very european-ish cafe, popular with foreigners.

Being the adventurous eaters that we are, the majority of the food we ate was on the street, in the markets and in little places we walked by randomly. Here is one of my favorite street treats: the corn lady (sometimes a man) shaves fresh corn off the cob into a cup, adds lime, spicy chili powder and salt. Many order it still on the cob with mayo and cheese but as often as I was eating it, I might have gained 20lbs.

One day we were craving pozole. Its a chile based stew that can be made with chicken pork or beef. Its one of my favorite Mexican dishes. We make it at home with pork, but we had to try in in Mexico right? We saw an ad for a restaurant that specializes in pozole, but when we got to the door it was closed on Wednesdays. Ernesto asked a man on the street if he knew of another place, and he pointed us to Al Borada. We ordered our drink of choice, micheladas (beer, hot sauce, lime, salt) and knew this was going to be good after our first sip. The freshly ground chile powder was already on the table, and Neto had picked some chiles off a tree earlier that day in case any of the food wasn't spicy enough! yeah right. We are in Mexico, hello?!

It was a small restaurant in a small courtyard with folding tables and red [coca cola] chairs and plastic tablecloths. We were seated in front of lush plants and a fountain.

The pozole came out and it was AMAZING!

Before leaving for Mexico, I knew I wanted to find a piece of Otomi Indian embroidery.  I was inspired by this headboard that I saw on one of my favorite blogs, Design Sponge.  Mexican artisans are known for their wood crafts, and so I asked around at a couple furniture stores and are you ready to hear the price quote I got for this monstrous headboard?  wait....wait for it.....$250usd!!  That's right folks, you can't by a plywood headboard for that much.  Did I mention that I love Mexico?

The material is pretty expensive, but worth the price due to the intricate work.  I bought a bright gold piece (as big as a bedspread for about $120) which I will use for my headboard.

I also bought this multi colored (a lot smaller, possibly to be framed.  Im in love with these.

All around Mexico you will find tightly woven wool rugs, called tepetes.  Ernesto liked this "tree of life" design, and since he hardly ever picks decor for the house, we bought it.  (I like it too)

Here is the mask I first saw at my friend Aileen's house and fell in love.  It has a place for a candle behind it.

 Over the last couple years, I have bought more art for my house when I travel.  I wish I had done this starting 10 years ago.  I might have made up for it in Mexico this trip. Ha!  I want a "well traveled" house.

ChrisTal Ball for Chris Kids

Saturday night, Smita invited me to the annual ChrisTal Ball, a fundraiser for the non profit  Chris Kids.  I sat at the Delta table with a couple people I knew and met a few new people.  It was a great event put on by Tony Conway, owner of A Legendary Event.    I had heard of the organization before, but really knew nothing about it. 

From their website:  

"Our mission is to heal children, strengthen families, and build community. Our core values are Creativity, Honor, Respect,Integrity and Safety: CHRIS."

They offer so many services to  youth and families.  There were different success stories posted on each table. Stories of how Chris Kids have turned around kids lives that were heading in the wrong direction and of kids who had already past that point. 

A man named Thomas spoke at the dinner last night and his story of how Chris Kids played a part in his life was so touching it brought me to tears.   This organization has made such a difference in so many lives.  I walked away wanting to learn more.  If you are interested check link above.  Its a worthy cause. 

VIVA MEXICO 3 - TEPOTZLAN

I met Aileen about 2 years ago when I was doing a build for Habitat for Humanity in India. She worked with Habitat then and was helping organize the build. We connected I year later when I wrote to her asking about volunteering for Habitat in Costa Rica.
Another year passed, and when she saw on Facebook that Ernesto and I were coming to Mexico, she invited us to her house in Tepotzlan, where she lives with her husband Jay.  I think she was surprised that I actually took her offer.  WARNING: Friends and acquaintances beware, if you invite me somewhere new, I will come.

I am glad for so many reasons that we decided to take Aileen up on her offer. We were there only a couple days, but immediately the 4 of us hit it off. They are such generous and genuinely nice people. I know that we will meet up with them again. (hopefully in South Africa, where they are moving next year)
Tepotzlan is a small town surrounded by soaring jagged cliffs just one hour south of Mexico City. It is one that has kept its true Mexican feel with small cobblestone streets, a bunch of charming hotels and restaurants, a great crafts market. Its has also retains its old traditions, and protests new ones. (no Starbucks here)Tepotzlan is the birthplace of Quetzalcoatl, the serpent god of the Aztecs over 1200 years ago. It is known as pueblo magico (magic town) and is a destination for many creative types coming for the energy.  There is a pyramid Tepoztocal built here on top of a mountain that leaves you wondering ¨How in the hell?¨ 

It also leaves you out of breath after the steep 30 minute climb to the top.

So worth it! Check out this view overlooking the town. 

Can you see me sitting on the edge up there?? 

I´m not very new-agey, but I definitely felt the energy in this town, a peacefulness that I didn´t want to end.  This also could have been a result of staying with Aileen and Jay in their beautiful home.  Here is the gorgeous couple in their backyard .  

Yes, the jagged cliffs of Tepotzlan are in their backyard, and because it had been raining the last week or so, there was a waterfall running. I wanted to stay there forever! Here are just a few pics so you can see what I mean.  My. Dream. Home.  

The bathrooms were gorgeous as well, so many details.  I love this color blue on the walls.  I also loved this painted aluminum mask...and that is why I copied her and bought the same one. 

The kitchen is a beautiful mix of modern and rustic.  Ernesto made us breakfast.  I asked him if he could get used to cooking in this kitchen.  His answer? Heeeeell Yeah!

 The 2 terraces come with spectacular views. 

OK, Have I sold you on this house yet?  Well, unfortunately it´s not for sale, but we would be interested buyers if the opportunity arises. (hint hint Aileen!) 

Something I love about Mexico is that you never know what you are going to get when you go beyond the tall walls that surround the houses.   The one night we stayed in Tepotzlan, Aileen & Jay took us to a wonderful hotel (where their whole family stayed when they got married a couple years ago)  called  Villa del Tepoz Fuego.  It was rated the no.1 hotel in Tepotzlan and I understood why.  As soon as we walked in I was imagining my  whole family relaxing there.  

The owner, Bruce and his wife´s personal attention gives this hotel a bed B&B feel.  There are only 8 rooms and each one is decorated with a different feel, although distinctly Mexican. 

There is a spa, they do tours and there is a full restaurant with wonderful chefs cooking up a wide range of food.  (my chile relleno was superb. Ernesto had the mole and it was great too!)  I told Bruce I would be sure to pass on Villa del Tepoz Fuego  to all my friends, as many of them are travelers and would appreciate this!  Thanks Bruce! 

** special thanks again to Aileen and Jay for the wonderful couple days.  We really fell in love with Tepoz and could see ourselves living there...really, we just want to be your neighbors! 

VIVA MEXICO 2 - TEOTIHUACAN

Just one hour northeast of Mexico City lies a complex of awesome pyramids that is Mexico's biggest ancient city. Teotihuacan (teh-oh-tee-wah-kahn) is known for it's two vast pyramids Piramide del Sol y Piramide de la Luna (pyramids sun and moon).  Sol is the world's 3rd largest pyramid.  It measures 222m long on each side and is just over 70 m high.  (729 feet long and 230 feet high)

 

We wanted to get there early, #1 to beat the crowds and #2 to beat the heat.  I was happy for the cloudy day.  Climbing to the top, 248 steps (thanks Lonely Planet for the count), in the blazing sun would have been hard. 

Here I am sitting atop the Sol pyramid looking off at the Luna pyramid. Besides the other tourists, it was really quiet up there. 

 

Teotihuacan was built between 150 and 600 AD, the city was made up of residential compounds, some of which had alfresco paintings.  And yes, some are still in tact for viewing.  Amazing! Can you even put my head around AD time period??  and to think there are still paintings?? 

The area where Neto is standing has been restored and looks a little too new, but it was cook to be able to make our the carvings, many of the quetzal bird, a hybrid of the bird and a butterfly and serpents.

The was a garden on the grounds to explore.  Im not sure if it was ancient too, but the plants were big.  Here Im standing by an agave plant, which is used to make tequila.

In Mexico City, the most popular fruit is a tuna (this is my assessment after seeing the amount of vendors selling it on the street) Im not sure what it is called in English, but it's the fruit that grows on a cactus like the one below.  Ernesto loves this fruit, so when we past this monstrous cactus full of the fruit, he picked one for me so I could try it. 

Quite tasty, although I prefer the ready to eat kind served on the street.  When picked straight off the cactus you have to worry about getting stuck with all those little prickly things while trying to get to the fruit inside. 

Teotihuacan has an interesting  museum; small and informative. (just how I like them.  I can't spend hours in a museum)

There was information about the different carved stone heads that you see all over the site. This came in handy because we bought a piece of 3D artwork with about 18 different little carvings (replicas). 

Hmmm, new jewelry ideas?

Also interesting were the skeletons that were found in the ancient city. 

If you get to Mexico City, I highly recommend you take some time to see this! I have been to several Aztec and Mayan ruins and they are just mind boggling. What? How? When?  The museum explained that the largest pyramid, Sol, was built around 100 AD, from tree million tons of stone, without the use of metal tools, animals, or the wheel.  Wow! 

VIVA MEXICO 1 -MEXICO CITY

The first post in my Viva Mexico series is about Mexico City, where we started our tour. I had not visited Mexico City in many many years. (this was Neto's first time) It was even better than I remembered. I was so impressed by...everything.

{art installation in Centro Historico}

Unfortunately our time there was short. We stayed only 5 days 4 nights, not even close to having enough time to uncover this fabulous city. We did the best we could and let me tell you, our feet were sore.

I was able to use my starwoods hotel points and we stayed at the Sheraton Centro Historico in a perfect location across the street from Almeda Park. They upgraded us to a huge suite on the 22nd floor with a spectacular view.

Probably like many other visitors to Mexico City, we started our explorations at the Plaza de la Constitucion, or Zocolo. This is the main square of Mexico City’s historic center. (fun fact: also the second largest public square in the world next to Moscow’s Red Square)

{Catedral Metropolitana en Zocalo}

Like many of the buildings in the historic area, the Catedral Metropolitana is sinking. You can't see in the above picture, but when you are standing in front of the cathedral, you can see the right half has sunk down significantly. (supposedly due to water issues)

Because Mexico's independence day is on September 16, they we decorating the plaza for all the festivities.

Special vendors were set up all month selling flags and other Mexican decor to celebrate.

Mexico City has a population of about 23 million. (not a place for the claustrophobic) We often rode the metro and it was packed like sardines every time.

If you can handle that, try the Mercado de la Merced, the bigges market in Mexico City. It's a never ending maze of clothing, household goods, fruits, veges, spices, food vendors cooking up great food (cheap too!) and my favorite part, neon chicks. what??

Ducks too. 30 pesos each (that's about $2) for this little duckie, look how cute!

It's not my usual mode of transportation on a trip, but we hopped on the TuriBus (you know the red double decker tour buses that every big city has) so we could cover more area.

{El Angel de la Independencia}

{Palacio de Bellas Artes}

A 20 minute metro ride south of the city center is a beautiful suburb called Coyoacán. It is a beautiful neighborhood with narrow tree lined streets.  This caught my eye. The house color, those wood windows, the yellow flowers growing up the tree.  I want a garden so bad!

It is here you will find La Casa Azul [the blue house] where Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera lived together. (2 very famous Mexican painters) If you saw the movie Frida (starring Selma Heyek) you will remember this awesome house, painted a very mexican blue color. If you haven't seen it, rent it today, it's a wonderful movie.

{La Casa Azul, Coyoacán}

One thing that we really wanted to check out was the Aztec "floating gardens" of Xochimilco, 40 south of the city center (on metro)

Colorful painted boats cruise along the extended series of canals, which is all that is left of the ancient Lake Xochimilco.  Vendors come around in separate canoes. Mariachis float up to your boat to serenade you (for a tip, claro!) there were boats selling blankets and other souvenirs. This guy has a nursery on his boat.

This lady was selling micheladas and beers. She way overcharged us, but the convenience was undeniable. Note: bring your own beer [and friends] to Xochimilco.

Xochimilco is really a party on water.  It is a great way to spend a day, and athough Neto and I really enjoyed our boat ride, but we decided that it would be better to have a boat full of family and friends with you.  

 What do they eat for breakfast in Mexico? This street vendor was set up a few blocks from our hotel This condiment line up and the smell of beef lured us over. Tacos for breakfast! Sure, what the hell.

Chapultapec Park is a huge park in the middle of the city. (similar to central park in NY) There is a lake where you can rent little paddle boats, the Zoo is there, and there are miles of walking trails with vendors lining the way.  The Turibus dropped us right at the entrance and we spent a few hours there exploring.  Outside the zoo there was this beautiful wall that I had to climb for a photo. 

There is so much to write about Mexico City, and one of my favorite things is the food.  Besides all of the street food, which is where we ate the majority of our meals, there are tons of great restaurants.  

Taqueria los Paises- a streetside restaurant serving delicious tacos.  Made fresh in front of you, the chef flips the meat onto your tortillas and you can stand at one of the few small bar height tables on the sidewalk, or stand on the sidewalk eating with the rest of the crowd sans table. Very busy place. Cheap too. 

El Diez- an Argentine steakhouse with outdoor seating in Condesa.  Good meat and great prices. 

La Botica- a very cute and tiny mezcaleria serving...you guessed it, mezcal. A popular alternative to tequila.  I thought it was similar in taste, but Neto could tell a difference, and prefers it to tequila. It's smoother. It is also made from the agave plant, but a different variety. It was here that we tried champulines (grasshoppers) along with 2 shots of the 50 or so types of mezcal on the menu. They were served like peanuts and tasted like wood.  Also in Condesa neighborhood.

El Regiomontano - Recommended to us by Lonely Planet, this restauant, only a few blocks from our hotel in Centro Historico cooks up kids on a spit.  Haha, baby goat is the specialty, and they are on display in the window of this tiny eatery with card tables and plastic tablecloths. The service was good and the goat delish! Not on a well lit street, take a taxi at night. 

Probably one of the best dinners in Mexico was when we met Barbara and her husband Roberto. We were set up on a "blind date" with them at Villa Maria in Polanco, by Neto's sister Veronica. The decor was cozy and the food delicious. Notice the tamarind margarita as big as my head.  

I ate two things I had never tried before.  Escaroles, which are ant larve and huitlacoche, which is a fungus that grows on corn, they cut it and serve it in quesadillas.  So. Good. 

Barbara ended up giving us the keys to their apartment that night. They were leaving for the weekend and insisted that we stay in there home.  It was nice. We pretended that we lived there and we liked it.  We liked Mexico City. A lot.