Mexico City

Je suis arrivée à Mexico City il y a un peu moins de vingt-quatre heures. La ville est exactement comme je l’imaginais, et l’appartement que j’ai réservé sur Airbnb est superbe! J’ai très hâte de découvrir les marchés et je suis prête à manger plein de tacos:)

Cela va prendre quelques jours avant que je m’habitue à l’air pollué de Mexico. Apparemment, hier, c’était une « bonne journée »…je n’ose imaginer qu’est-ce qu’une journée très polluée pour eux!

Dans quelques minutes, je pars explorer la ville. Avant de partir, j’ai demandé à Norma, la créatrice de Cara Carmina de me parler de Mexico City.
Les questions ont été posées en anglais, car Norma est arrivée récemment à Montréal et elle prend des cours de Français.

What do you miss the most and the least about Mexico?
Oh I miss many things but the two I miss the most are my dear friends and the food!!!! I miss having my best friends around… we keep in touch of course but it is not the same… I miss the markets and the availability of fresh fruits and veggies all the time! I would give half of my kingdom to be able to buy fresh avocados whenever I want!!!

What I miss the least is the traffic of Mexico City! I used to spend hrs. upon hrs. in my car! Now I don´t have a car, I don´t need one, I don´t want one and I love the public transportation in Montreal!!!

What’s the biggest misconception about Mexico?
There are many… but I still find people who think Mexico is a place where people go around using “sombreros” and sleep next to big cactus, this is the postcard view of the typical Mexican and they even say “oh you are Mexican? Andale, andale, arriba!!!!” It is absolutely not like that. Mexico has a lot of contrasting realities, there is certainly that reality in the country side, we have our roots are alive and vibrant all over the country!

Mexico has also a modern side to it! It is hip and happening!!! Just to mention an example of it there is Mexico City which is one of the biggest cities in the world and it has it all! You name it, architecture, great museums, amazing restaurants and bars, fashion, art, festivals, one of the biggest Metro systems in the world, it´s an incredible city! And Mexico is indeed an amazing country! (I love it!)

Your favorite places in Mexico City?
So hard to choose!!! My favourite neighborhoods are San Angel, Coyoacan, El Centro and La Colonia Roma.They are all very old colonial neighborhoods, full of old houses and history, markets and small coffee places, great restaurants and books stores, old churches and bars, there are hidden treasures all around!

The house were Frida was born “La Casa Azul” is in Coyoacan and the house with the bridge where she used to live with Diego is in San Angel. In San Angel I especially like “Plaza San Jacinto” where on the weekends you can see many painters exhibiting their works in the park, go into many wonderful stores that sell antiques and decoration items and also into the crafts market… full of colorful Mexican handmade crafts! Great restaurants all around… it is just a lovely place to spend the day!

A day in “El Centro” (downtown) is a wonderful day as well… From the terrace at the top of the « Hotel Majestic » which faces the « Zócalo » (main square) where you can see the archeological site of “El Templo Mayor” one of the main pyramids of the great “Tenochtitlan” the Aztecs city. After seeing that you can walk to the “Plaza Santo Domingo” (some blocks behind the main cathedral) and just a bit beside that plaza there is one of my favorite places which not everybody knows is the “Centro Cultural de México Contemporáneo” an amazing architectural space with palm trees inside old antique building… it´s a cultural space used as a library and a hidden treasure! The city is full of them!

Describe a typical Saturday in Mexico City?

Oh you could do so many things! Go to a Plaza with friends and eat some good food! Enjoy the afternoon in a museum! Go to the theater or to a concert! Walk around downtown and look into the many bookstores for old treasures, go to the many parks inside the city for a bike ride or a nice walk and in the meantime buy some ice-cream or eat an “Elote” (corn) and eat it while seeing the people go by…

You could go to any of the trendy neighborhoods for a beer with your friends and do some window shopping… You could go to the horse racecourse and enjoy the races while having some drinks! Go to the canals of “Xochimilco” and have a ride in a typical “chinampa” which are colorful gondolas decorated with flowers and hear some typical music from the mariachis which are all around and in the meantime you can eat delicious food from the many vendors in their own boats which are all along the canals!

The best Mexican dishes?

Mexican food is one of the best in the world! The simple food is my favorite though! And I mean the one you can eat at the mercados or in the many street stalls where the “señoras” will make you the food in front of you! This is the best in my opinion! “Tacos de Canasta” or “Tamales” are delicious… both you can buy from people in the street… you have to be quick because they will be over after lunch time! Some tostadas in the “Mercado de Coyoacan” are delicious!!! “Tacos al Pastor” from any taquería of the many that are all around the country! Or… “Tlacoyos” with “guacamole on the side at any Mercado or Tianguis (outdoor markets) will make me happy! (you just made me hungry!) Oh oh oh I miss my Mexican food!!!!

Do you have any fashion designers/artists from Mexico city that you like?

Yes! There are a lot happening in the indie scene in Mexico! It`s hard to choose but to mention some I love the clothing line of Malafacha. It´s so much fun!!! Amazing design! I like the jewelry of Holinka Escudero very simple and elegant with silver and enamel, all handmade and beautiful!!! I like the wonderful illustration work by the very talented and young Fernanda Arce aka Bukemina who makes lovely accessories, clothes and fun things with her lovely illustrations! *She just opened a store called Oso Pardo with other 2 Mexican designers!!! I love the cute work of Danita, she makes mixed media images and also has a line of handmade dolls that are incredibly beautiful! (I`m in love with her Frida dolls!!!!) oh oh oh there is a lot happening in Mexico right now! I am a fan of “Bazar Fusion” which is an indie bazaar with a lot of new designers of clothes, accessories, art, toys, furniture, etc… 100% Mexican and 100% indie! Check out their website to find out when is the next one coming, there is lots of talent there!

Mucho gracias Norma!

À surveiller: billets Mexico dans les prochains jours!

Écrit par Julia Vallelunga

Julia Vallelunga est l’éditrice et la fondatrice d’À la mode Montréal ainsi que designer pour sa ligne d’accessoires La Raffinerie. Passionnée par le vintage et les voyages, elle adore dénicher des belles trouvailles d’ici et d’ailleurs. Bachelière en économie et politique de l’Université de Montréal, elle a travaillé comme lobbyiste (pour des gentils) à Bruxelles pendant quelques années et comme conseillère en démarrage d’entreprise. À 30 ans, elle a finalement trouvé sa voie comme entrepreneure!