Category: Stores

San Miguel Allende Mexico- The Photos

Posted in Architecture, Art, Day Trips, Food, Good Food, Historical, Mexico, Museums, Stores, TravelTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

One of the things I love about Sam Miguel is the cobblestone streets and the brightly painted homes.They put a smile on your face and make your day feel like it will be nothing less than spicy and sunny. It is just fun to drive and look around town and see the various neighborhoods..

One of the places we ducked into was the Cultural Center and I have plans to re-visit it so I can get a full tour of all that lays within its stone walls. But for now just some lovely photos to give you an idea of the place.

I love visiting the churches and seeing their rounded domes or tall spires no matter where I go. But here in San Miguel there is something about that type of architecture that just reaches in to connect with your very soul.

For lunch, Denise took me to this tiny hole-in-the-wall restaurant named Tostevere that served excellent food. The tostadas tasted different than any I have had before….smooth. How a tostada can be smooth with a hint of salt I have no idea…but it was. And the bananas foster dessert with homemade fresh fruit ice cream (maybe guava) topped with lime was amazing. But perhaps the most interesting thing that I had was the Smokey Mezcal which is brewed from the agave plant. The drink was concocted from several juices including cucumber, topped with fresh whipped cream, lime salted rim and then lit on fire with a pice of smokey sage. Sorry, Grandma…I had two!

Walking through the town is an experience that you won’t forget. Undoubtedly, you will see Mojigangas, the street puppets, who stroll the town. A few pesos is all it takes to have your picture taken with them. Quaint shops, wonderful food, warm people, lovely outdoor spaces and music that makes you want to get up and dance…these are just a few things you will take away with you when you leave this amazing enclave. And speaking of leaving… I now leave you with some of my favorite pictures of the day including more art, the ring I bought from a jeweler in the park and my $15 ride home on the bus. Wish an airplane was as comfortable as that bus!

If I could afford it, this Roberto Fuentevilla painting would hang in my future living room

Here is the bus. It was a bit expensive because I chose an expensive part of the day to ride it. Television sets and fully reclining extra padded seats for $15. Wish our airplanes were like this!

Oh and one more thing,,, this is what I saw riding home on the bus. I believe it needs a caption. Any Ideas?

San Miguel Allende – The Art Scene

Posted in Art, Gardens, Good Food, Malls, Markets, Mexico, StoresTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

I had such a wonderful day with Denise in San Miguel that I have decided to create two posts. This one is about the Art / Antique Scene in this lovely town. Tomorrow I will post pictures throughout the city…watch out there are some wild ones! Now onto the arts….

San Miguel became a haven for artists after the end of WWII. Many US soldiers who had a GI Bill came to the area to study and participate in the arts and in doing so they helped to create an artist haven. Much of this growth was attributed to an American named Stirling Dickinson whose connections allowed returning soldiers to attend Escuela Universitaria de Bellas Artes. Over 6,000 students had applied for admission by January 1948 and the San Miguel slowly made its way from near ghost town to the vibrant place that it is today. In 2008 the city was named as a UNESCO Heritage site and five times Condé Nast Traveler has deemed it “the Best Small City in the World.”

The first place Denise took me to was a consignment store named La Fina that I could have easily roamed through for an entire week. Because San Miguel is such a city of affluent Mexicans and foreigners this shop held treasures beyond belief. I loved the twelve foot high bookcases which towered like skyscrapers along with furniture from all over the world. Take a look….this is my kind of place.

From La Fina we ventured forth to La Aurora which is a former factory repurposed into an art gallery/wine bar/ food haven. The building is magnificent as are the gardens and there is something new to view around every corner. If you love all things artsy this is your place and you might even be able to meet some of the artists as they work in their studios.

From La Aurora we went deeper into town and visited some small galleries as we walked the streets. I love the beaded work (Huichol art) and the intricacy of these pieces is just amazing. I know I would never have the kind of patience it would take to set each bead into place. Same goes with the Mexican Tree of Life Sculptures which are made of clay usually featuring indigenous people and religious themes.

iThere you go a short tour of some of the best places to visit in San Miguel Allende for art/antiques and just plain wonderful finds. The day was memorable and the items I saw just spectacular. I want to go back again today…want to join me?!

A Few Interesting Things at the Supermercado

Posted in Cheap Ways To Travel, Food, Foreign Lands, Good Food, Mexico, StoresTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

I love the grocery stores here in Mexico. They range from the chains that we have in the USA down to small little mom and pop operations that don’t have a huge variety but their prices are often lower than in the big stores. I will say that the chain stores are clean and bright, so much so, that you could almost eat off the floor. That is what I will concentrate on today.

So here is something I discovered today. That must be some spicy bacon!

Another thing I love at the market are the fruits and veggies that you rarely see in the USA as well as the variety of juices that are available.

They also have a fresh vegetable roaster at the store. In the picture it is the cage behind the veggies.

The other day I had a taro root Frappe. It was DELICIOSO!!!! Smooth and creamy with a heavenly hand made whipped cream.Here are the juices I had this morning…melon cantalupo and a juice blend of apio, manzana, pina, cactus, naranja. I think you can tell from the containers what was in them!

One of the things that I have found very interesting in the various types of ceviche that is available here and at a walk up “bar” at the grocery store. Can’t beat that!

The bread departments are amazing and the varieties are endless. Check out this beet root bread! It’s it just beautiful. It’s times like these I wish I did not have to be gluten free!

Another thing I find quite quaint is how it appears that the Mexican people love their gelatin. I have never seen so many kinds prepared in such interesting ways. If you are a jello fan you must visit this part of Mexico.

And then you find some of the old relics from your childhood that you never thought you would find for sale again in your life! Tang comes in varieties that I never would have even dreamed of when I was a kid!

If you are looking for frozen foods in Queretaro the selection is limited. It consists mostly of ice cream, French fries, vegetables and frozen pizza. Some places carry frozen waffles and even fewer carry premade dinners like PF Chang in a bag.

There are also all sorts of speciality departments to discover in the store including san gluten, lactose free and best of all separate chocolate stores, wine shops within the store, sushi departments, jewelry, and like you can easily find in the USA…. take away meals.

I love going to the market here in Queretaro. Prices are a little lower than at home but not as much as I thought they would be. Yet, if you shop at places like the tienda de frutas you will find all sorts of fruits that are much lower priced than at the chain stores.

Here’s to shopping in Mexico. A great way to sample food and spend time practicing your Spanish! Oh and don’t forget to tip the bagger. They hire senior citizens with limited incomes who do not get paid by the store but survive off the generosity of the customers.