Jesus Chairez

I found a lovely Japanese café in my Col. Santa Maria la Ribera

Jesus — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 02:18:28 +0000

In my neighborhood I have found several eating places that have never been mentioned in books or reviewed and this evening, I went to one of those not mentioned before: A Japanese café called Café King: Anime, Manga, Musica, juguetes y MAS!

Far away from México City’s China town in El Centro Historico and Korea town near La Zona Rosa sits a lone Japanese café called Café King in Col. Santa Maria al Ribera.

I know I had passed Café King several times but always thought of it as a store like the ones that in Mexico City’s China Town. I had never stopped to seriously inspect what was inside: until tonight. Tonight as I passed the place I saw people eating – a young mother and two of her very young children.

As I stepped into what I thought was a store, I asked the Asian looking fellow if they had food and he says, yea sushi and “onigiri.” I knew what sushi was but what was onigiri? He pointed to the boy eating what looked like rice ball wrapped with seaweed. Let me try one of those and so I did.

my tasty onigiri pictured below

Wow a not an Asian store but a Japanese Café here in my hood: As I waited for my onigiri with tuna, I looked at the television that was not too far from my table. On the TV was a Japanese game show – it was not live Japanese show but a DVD, one of 100’s that he sells in the shop.

As I was watched the game show, I couldn’t help but love that there big as life, on the screen, was a Japanese drag queen, dressed sort of like a geisha girl, but obviously a man. What I thought was cute was the mother eating in the café didn’t seem to mind that her children a boy of maybe seven, and girl of maybe five were watching a Japanese drag queen on television: or did she know?

My onigiri arrived and I bit into it. The rice ball didn’t fall apart, but held together because it was a made with sticky rice. It was good. As I ate I couldn’t help but enjoy and appreciate the small sumo wrestler providing me protection; see below.

As I ate, the owner talked to me. I could tell he found a curiosity about me for he had picked up on my Texas twang, observing that I was not from México. I loved his his Japanese Spanish accent too: Where are you from? Told him I was from Dallas Texas, had moved to México a little over two years ago. He said he was from Japan, being in México City for 16 years and being in his current location for two years; how could I have missed this café for the last year I that I have been living in this hood?

He asked where I lived. I told him: Said I lived was across the park and that I had a big terrace that overlooked the park. He said, above a café, I said yes, and he said, the one with the Chinese lantern AND I said that’s the one. I he said every time he passed that apartment, he always wondered who lived there. He thought it was a Chinese person or family. LOL. My friends often joked that my place looked like a Chinese buffet place with that lantern, they were almost right.

He said lots of young people come into his place to sit on the sofa and play the guitar; guitar and sofa is something I had already noted. He said the teenagers also like his anime and manga books too.

I picked up a sketchbook that was sitting on one end of my small table; he only has two tables in the whole place. I asked you like to sketch? Are you artist too? He giggled and said no, he doesn’t sketch. He said I was holding volume two. The volume one is already full. People like to draw and write in the notebooks he said.

I found the sketchbooks, school binder note books fascinating: Full of Japanese anime and manga sketches, poems and some scribbles of people just writing their names sort of like a guest book. Great documentation of visiting customers. Lovely.

The owner said he had good coffee and that I should come back and I said I would. Why not the food was OK and seemed like a delightful person – good heart and soul.

If you happen to be in Col. Santa Maria la Ribera stop by: Read and browse the books, eat sushi or onigiri and sketch in the book.

click photo above to see more pictures of my visit to Cafe King

Café King – Comida Japonesa, Anime, Manga, Musica, Juguetes y MAS

Jaime Torres Bodet 138 (1/2 block from the park – Alameda Santa Maria la Ribera)

Col. Santa Maria la Ribera

México City, MÉXICO

Monday – Saturday: 12 Noon – 8:00 PM

Life in México City: Nothing surprises me anymore

Jesus — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 00:45:27 +0000

Yesterday I woke up and walked outside on to the balcony, something I normally do every morning: Greeting the morning and trying to get a feel for the day.

Well this morning I looked out and saw a pair of pants right in the middle of the street, having been pressed by the morning traffic.

Just how does one lose a pair of pants? Was he drunk and got hit by a car and all that was left were the pants? Was he running away from someone and gave him or her the slip?

Yep, Nothing surprises me anymore in Mexico City.

This is what I saw on the street the other morning.

That is my door entrance showing.

If they had been my size, I might have picked them up!

My house contains a soccer field – no kidding.

Jesus — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 03:37:41 +0000

Life in my neighbor, Col. Santa Maria la Ribera, never seizes to amaze me; well really life in México: The real and surreal often side by side and inside one another.

Everyone knows that this county is just obsessed with soccer. I sit on my balcony and watch the park across the street, full of people walking their dogs, riding their bikes, jogging and kicking a soccer ball around. Almost everyday I see this one kid running home from high school, not to watch TV but to get his soccer ball so he can kick it around!

Kids don’t play catch here with a football like I see in Dallas but they do kick the soccer ball to each other or use their heads to bounce the soccer ball back and fourth.

Though my park across the street, Alameda Santa Maria, is lovely, there are no large empty spaces to use as a playing field. The park has too many trees, bushes, fountains, a BIG Moorish Kiosk in the middle of the park and too lots of walkways: really my park is a park to leisurely walk or sit and watch people.

I have often wondered, what a shame that my hood does not have a soccer field for the kids. BOY was I wrong.

Almost weekly I pass by these two houses on Salvador Diaz Miron #’s 80 and 84. They look like normal old houses but they are not, they are merely facades. The houses that were once homes is now a soccer field, no kidding. Today I passed by the houses and the door and windows were open and I could see inside: No rooms or furniture, but a SOCCER FIELD!

The facades of the homes liked nice and I could only wonder about the homes in my area: How many other homes in my neighborhood are not homes at all? Oh well, Welcome to Mexico.

Picture of the houses I pass weekly – doors and windows were open today.

AND this is WHAT I saw – a soccer field! LOL

Taking ones home with you

Jesus — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 03:27:34 +0000

Homelessness is all around me in México City, this is something I have blogged about before. But this morning I see a homeless guy that got my attention. This guy was across the street from my house, at the park across the street, like at 9:15 AM. I was on my way to get a newspaper to read while I ate breakfast and I couldn’t help myself from looking. This guy was sleeping on top of all his worldly possessions, dragging them on what looked like a big skateboard.

Was he a left over from last nights party? Had he been there all night? Had he walked so far that he was just too tired to push forward? Did he just want to camp out at this location because he liked the view? Whatever the case, this guy sleeps wherever he pleases – his home on wheels.

Marlboro Man delivering milk in Col. Santa Maria la Ribera

Jesus — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 01:45:05 +0000

The other morning I was again having breakfast at a café down the street from my apartment, in Col. Santa Maria la Ribera. I always like to sit up front of the café to people watch, people that are always in a hurry to get to work.

Well, the other morning I saw what looked like the Marlboro Man pushing a bicycle. The only thing missing was the horse and boots. The guy had the cowboy hat, the scruffy look and what looked like a badass attitude written on his face.

As the guy got closer to me I noticed he was a milkman and not selling cigarettes. Too, the guy was not driving a delivery truck but pushing a bicycle. This I had not seen before, a milk delivery bicycle that had old rusty trays at the front and rear of a bicycle to hold individual glass bottles of milk. I don’t think I have seen individual glass milk bottles in years for that matter.

I went to take a picture of the milkman with my pocket camera that I ALWAYS thought I carried BUT I had left it at home. Being that I have been living in Col. Santa Maria la Ribera for a year and half and this is the first time I have seen the milkman in person, I left my breakfast at the table and ran home to get my camera. I grabbed my camera and ran back to the café – but he was gone.

So I looked around and found him not too far away crossing the street so I ran and started taking pictures. The gentleman looked at me and he didn’t seem to mind me taking pictures, so I continued taking his picture and he continued pushing the bike. As he was walking away from me, I wondered if he ever rode the bicycle or did he just push it.

I ran up to the Milkman again and started talking to him and he never stopped walking. The first question I asked must have been stupid because he just stared at me. My question was: Do you ever ride the bicycle or do you just push it. He didn’t seem to what to answer such a question, so I asked another one. Just how long have you been delivering mike in the area using a bicycle? He said for 40 years.

I asked if he delivered in other neighborhoods but he said no, just this one (Col. Santa Maria la Ribera). The Milkman then added that his milk was special, not like that store bought milk. He proudly said that his milk comes from the farm and fresh out of the cow. He said he starts early in the day and works until the early after noon delivering milk.

The guy was never grumpy though he had a grumpy characteristic about him. I found him helpful – but he never stopped to talk, he just pushed his bicycle. Said he was on this way to get more milk, I guess trying to finish his day without any more interference.

Though this guy sort of looked crumpy and was acted serious about his work, he did enjoy the attention I was giving him. To answer the question: Did you buy any milk? The answer is no. He had sold out :-(

Click photo blow to view more pictures

Tres Piezas para Barrenderos

Jesus — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 04:37:40 +0000

The other day I got an e-mail from a lady friend of mine: I love getting those melodious invitations in the mail, “This is an invitation to you if you’re free” she wrote. My friend and her husband live in El Centro Historico here in México City. In fact on the new groovy street in el Centro Historico – Calle Regina.

My friend said, a “German artist named Pia Lanzinger is doing her final of three performance pieces with a group of sweepers. Friday they did the Rockettes, more like ‘pass the shoe from me to you’ in slow motion, passing brooms and batting around a ball made from recyclables taped together.” Sounded like fun and original, and this was their last performance, so off I went.

I most enjoyed hearing the sweepers sing. Though they mostly sang off key it was most enjoyable to hear their music, songs, that these sweeper created themselves. All the music and poetry conveying their lives on the street — working as sweepers. Afterward I spoke to a couple of the sweepers and they beamed when I asked questions – hell I beamed from their energy too.

The German artist Pia Lanzinger did a excellent job in working with the sweepers. Lanzinger’s work focuses on “social phenomena and their effect on the individual, her site-specific works are based on research conducted with the co-operation of people in their own social environment. In recent years she has devised a number of projects for the public realm,” México City being one of them.

It was a lovely day :-)

Here a short video of what I heard that day

And here are the pics: Pia Lanzinger sits with the crew

Click photo below to view a slide show.

My hood: Col. Santa Maria la Ribera, Mexico City

Jesus — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 18:13:40 +0000

I am pleased to announce that, Nicholas Gilman visited Col. Santa Maria la Ribera. Gilman is a food critic, editor and photographer for the book “Mexico City: An Opinionated Guide for the Curious Traveler”, and in 2007 published “Good Food in Mexico City: A Guide to Food Stalls, Fondas and Fine Dining,” which won the Gourmand Cookbook award. AND yes he does mention me in this article.

I have cute & pasted what Gilman wrote here for one’s convenience but be sure to visit and subscribe to his blog: Good Food in Mexico City.

On the Town: Santa Maria La Ribera

“It’s the new Condesa” exclaimed a giddy visitor. “More like the East Village, c. 1974” observed a more cynical martini-toting reveler. A dozen of us were sipping cocktails on a turn-of-the-century Italianate loggia overlooking the pretty Alameda of Santa Maria la Ribera. The host was re-pat Jesús Chairez , party-giver, blogger and indefatigable promoter of this, one of the capital’s oldest neighborhoods. (See: http://www.facebook.com/Col.SantaMariaLaRibera for more information).

Established in the middle of the 19th century, the area, north of the centro, was quite elegant in its day and home to many well known cultural and political figures. Now in a state of advanced disrepair and dysfunction, the neighborhood may have a brighter future. The Museo Univeritario del Chopo, an Art Nouveau steel-beam structure housing an alternative art and culture space, has re-opened to much fanfare. A Moorish fantasy kiosk reigns majestically over the central plaza, (here called the Alameda), it’s a leftover from a forgotten world fair, and the time-warp Museo de Geología, which sits like a set from a Steven Spielberg movie, has been spruced up. And a new generation of serious artists and wannabe bo-hos are discovering cheaper rents and cool spaces. Cafés, galleries, boutiques and alternative bars and restaurants are starting to appear. This not being New York, it will be along time before Santa Maria catches up with the Condesa. The neo-classical Porfiriato mansions lining its streets, which in theory cannot be torn down, still crumble or are painted pink and lime by oblivious residents. Crime is a problem. But at the same time, the Alameda and the streets surrounding it have a small town feel. And there are some good places to eat. While traditional Mexican is the cuisine of choice there are some ethnic surprises.

Getting to Santa Maria is easy: Take the metrobus or metro to Buenavista and walk 3 blocks west from Insurgentes. Alternatively, you can take the metro to San Cosme and walk five blocks north on Torres Bodet or Sta. Maria Ribera, until you arrive at the Alameda (you’ll see the Kiosko Moro). All the places I mention are within 3 blocks of the Alameda.

Black Sheep:

La Oveja Negra
Sabino 215, 2 blocks west of the Alameda, near the market
Tel.: 5541-0405
Open Saturday and Sunday only, from 7:30 AM until around 6 or when the meat runs out, whichever comes first.
No cards – bring cash; parking next door.

Feasting on barbacoa is a weekend tradition all over central Mexico; La Oveja Negra (see my earlier post), family-owned since the 1950’s, is where you’ll find the best I’ve eaten in Mexico. Barbacoa is best ordered by weight–I suggest a half kilo for four. The meat is served wrapped in a penque de maguey (its cooking wrapper), and accompanied by tortillas. The tender, juicy meat hits all the marks. Swathed in a smoky corn tortilla, doused with their earthy salsa, this is Mexican food nirvana. What’s their secret? Only the best quality sheep are used. The family has its own ranch in the state of Hidalgo, where they raise organic livestock, as well as producing cheeses and chorizos. How can you go wrong?

Home cooking:

Pozolería La Casa de Toño
Sabino 166, 2 blocks west of the Alameda
Tel. 2630-1084
Open Monday – Saturday 9 AM – 11 PM, Sunday until 10 PM
Two blocks west of the Alameda is the extraordinary Casa de Toño, a pozolería set in a 19th-century mansion. Thick, red pozole with all the garnishes is the house specialty, although sopes, tostadas and other antojitos are also offered. At $34 pesos for a grande, this is a bargain meal. Rooms decorated with murals and original mosaic floors create a festive, old-time atmosphere.

Mexico Cooks

La Granadita

corner of Eligio Ancona & Jaime Torres Bodet
Open Tuesday – Sunday until midnight
This “antojería” is the best in the area according to local residents. They do everything corn: sopes, huaraches, tacos and quesadillas. The quesadillas are superb: I order picadillo con queso. To quench your Jesús suggests an ‘agua de alfalfa’ containing alfalfa, pineapple, and lime; it’s not on the menu.

Russian Roulette:

Kolobok Restaurante Ruso
How (or why) this tow-headed Siberian family landed in Mexico City is still a mystery. But herethey are, running one of the few Russian restaurants in the city. This popular corner spot offers such iron curtain classics as borcht and palmeni (like the Polish pyrogi dumplings), but food tends to be bland, more an odd cultural experience than interesting ethnic eating.

Mangia!:
Ristorante Pronto & Ricco
Salvador Díaz Mirón 147-C, 2 blocks West of the Alameda
Tel.: 4334-3777
Open 12-8PM daily, closed Monday
This cute Italian venue is decorated with hip artwork and serves up Italian classics at very reasonable prices. They close early, however.

¡Salud!:
Salón París
Torres Bodet 152, corner Salvador Diaz Mirón, Alameda
This traditional and friendly cantina is supposedly the place where ranchera giant José Alfredo Jiménez got his start singing in public – although some say he was only a waiter here. It is a favorite with locals and still, at times, offers live music. Generous botanas are handed out free during comida hours, so a 33 pesos beer also buys you lunch. On weekends they put out a huge, and reasonably priced buffet.

Nuts to you!:

Restaurante/Bar el Paraiso
corner Eligio Ancona and Sabino
open daily

This friendly cantina offers a popular sidewalk ‘parrillada’ (BBQ) on Thursdays; for a three drink minimum, you can eat all the grilled meat you want and even sample criadillas (I don’t have to tell you which part of the bull that is, do I?)

¡Ojo!:
Pulquería La Xochitl
Eligio Ancona, between Jaime Trres Bodet & Naranjo
This is a traditional and low down pulquería. It is friendly but I don’t suggest that women go here if they want to uphold their reputations.

Postópolis! DF

Jesus — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 16:51:43 +0000

Went to Postópolis! DF last night, June 8, 2010, and it was great. I most enjoyed hearing and learning about the other bloggers. Some bloggers I was not even aware of: Ten of the best bloggers. If you are a blogger and want to stay informed or get inspired then attend Postópolis! DF, through June 12, 2010. And the best part is that is FREE.

Daniel Hernandez, presenter, Intersections, w/Ali Gadorki of Kumbia Queers founder

click here f0r a slide show of photos taken opening evening

Here is the information on Postópolis! DF that I picked up from their site: Storefront for Art and Architecture, in partnership with Museo Experimental El Eco, Tomo and Domus Magazine, is hosting the third edition of Postopolis!, a public five-day session of near-continuous conversation curated by some of the world’s most prominent bloggers from the fields of architecture, art, urbanism, landscape, music and design. Ten world-renowned bloggers from Los Angeles, New York, Turin, Barcelona, London and elsewhere have come to one location, Mexico City, to host a series of discussions, interviews, slideshows, presentations, films and panels fusing the informal and interdisciplinary approach of the architecture blogosphere with rare face-to-face interaction.

Postópolis! DF meets in the magnificent courtyard of Museo Experimental El Eco, designed by Matthias Goeritz, to conduct back-to-back interviews of some of Mexico City’s most influential thinkers and practitioners – including architects, city planners, artists and urban theorists but also military historians, filmmakers, photographers, activists and musicians.

If you are in México City attend, you will not be disappointed. AND if you can’t be in México City, follow the live stream on Postópolish! DF beginning at 4:00 PM CT.

Location

Museo Experimental El Eco

Sullivan 43, Col. San Rafael, CP 09470 Mexico City,

Tel. 5535 51 86

www.eleco.unam.mx

Below is a short video I shot with first blog presenter Daniel Hernandez of Intersections.

The most dangerous thing in México City – SIDEWALKS

Jesus — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 22:34:33 +0000

I know, I know, I already posted on this subject but I was doing some editing of my blog and I deleted the post by accident – so here I go again. But scroll down to the bottom too for an update. Yes an update!

The other day I started a FaceBook page titled, “Surviving in México City.” I have posted some items about living in the Big Enchilada but what was popular was the posting about the most dangerous thing in Mexico City is not the crime, kidnappings or population but SIDEWALKS.

The sidewalks are not only uneven and/or cracked where ones heels could get lodged in, but also some sidewalks have big holes, some evening looking like a Guatemalan sinkhole.

Some people agreed saying they had sprained an ankle, broken an arm or falling in a hole while carrying groceries. Yep, you can walk but don’t look at your friend in the eye or even read a note, you do have to walk and look down, always. This hole has been like this, without a barrier or warning for MONTHS!

I didn’t have to walk far or long to get these pictures for this post: I only walked one block in my neighborhood. As you can see, I am serious about watching where you walk and if it’s dark be even more careful.

Careful because you may be one of the disappeared and it has nothing to do with the drug cartel.

Stepping off the curb can be dangerous too. Again no warnings, no barriers.

and here is the UPDATE: I also posted pictures and a comment to my other FaceBook site, Col. Santa Maria la Ribera about the dangerous hole in the sidewalk, see above photo. Well I am sure that someone that lives in my neighborhood read this and took action. Because after MONTHS of the hole just being there, it now has been covered with a piece of lumber and with a primitive barrier – but a barrier that works. YEA.

Click pics above to see a slide show of Mexico City sidewalks

Laundry cleaned the old fashioned way

Jesus — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 04:08:35 +0000

My life in Mexico City is always interesting, and sometimes unexpected: A friend of mine, Emilo, came over last Friday, with his clothing, and worldly possessions, because he needed a place to stay – we agreed on one week.

Once Emilo got settled into my place he said he had to do laundry. I told him I didn’t have a washing machine and that I took my clothing to be cleaned and folded. I asked him to put his dirty clothing with mine so I could take the dirty laundry to the laundromat on Monday.

On Monday, I stepped out and forgot to take the laundry to the laundromat. Being that Emilo did not want to be a burden, he thought he would surprise me by doing laundry. I love it when a guest wants to be helpful, but washing clothes was unexpected.

Below is a picture of what I came home to: Emilo had washed the cloths by hand and hung the laundry all over the place to dry. LOL

Emilo’s laundry by Jesus Chairez