7 Days in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

Back to Pennsylvania

2008-03-16T12:51:35-04:00

We have returned to Pennsylvania, safe and sound. Back to all things familiar and ordinary.

Thanks to everyone who helped make our visit to San Miguel turn out to be a terrific adventure.

And an extra big thanks to Lola, the cook at Susurro bed and breakfast. Now I wish I had photographed her and her kitchen, to add to these pages. I planned to do that, but I suppose I was too busy eating her breakfasts to photograph them.

Thanks also to Robert and everyone else at Susurro bed and breakfast, for all their assistance.

Images of Lola's culinary creations, and Robert's Susurro bed and breakfast are Here, on the Susurro website.

Above: Kitchen stuff I saw for sale at an Aurora antique shop. For make-your-own tortillas y salsa.

I am sure we will return to Mexico.

Finito.

Another Terrific Art School. Another Terrific Art-School Cafe.

2008-03-12T19:26:48-04:00

Above: The courtyard fountain in Instituto Allende.

San Miguel de Allende is filled to the brim with art, culture, and colonial architecture. And art schools. Each school is better than the next. Each school has its own courtyard cafe. So you can have an Americano coffee while studying about Frida Kahlo.

Above: Someone relaxing in the couryard cafe at the Instituto Allende.

Above: Clarke pretending he's an art professor at the Instituto Allende, with the Parroquia church in the background.

Actually, Clarke did write a book about Mennonite art. Not Mexican art. And there are Mennonites in Mexico. (They make Menonita cheese in Chihuahua.) Clarke's book is Here.

A Wine and Food Festival Knocks my Socks Off

2008-03-12T18:50:44-04:00

For 3 extraordinary days, San Miguel played host to its first-ever "Festival Sabor" (Flavor Festival). This was the best food festival I ever attended.

This 3-day extravaganza of Mexican food and wine was brilliantly planned and beautifully presented. The galaxy's best-known authorities on Mexican cuisine were star performers. Mexico's best vintners also had star billing. It was all very glamorous.

In addition to being lots of fun, this festival also raised lots of money for the local "Feed the Hungry" organization.

Above: The Food Festival program and a wine brochure. And a very-spiffy ring-binder wine diary, compliments of Mexico's Banamex bank, for recording your thoughts about each wine you taste at the festival.

Above: Two chefs and their shrimp paella, hot off the fire. These guys are with Los Secretos: a catering-wedding-party company in San Miguel. Their beauteous website is Here.

Fifty-some local restaurants and Mexican wineries served up their best recipes for this event. You could taste them all.

Above: Oscar, a pastry guy with Petit Four pastry shop.

Above: Mexican wine expert Deby Beard. She is president of Beard & Asociados. She also imports Riedel glassware from Austria. Deby's blog is Here.

Deby is interviewing a wine guy from a vineyard named Vinicola Salinas. (I think he might be Gilberto Salinas.)

A Sunset Dinner Buffet to Benefit a School

2008-03-09T04:15:14-04:00

Above: Parents, teachers, and / or friends of the San Miguel Waldorf School.

Above: Buffet Dinner / Cocktail Party / Music Festival on a sunset terrace to benefit the local Waldorf school. Parents, teachers, and friends brought the food.

Everyone danced. The elegant, young Mexican hostess dragged me onto the dance floor to dance with her, even though I insisted I forgot how to dance. And even though I only met her one hour earlier.

This was NOT a boring buffet dinner.

Indians Dancing all Day in the Jardin

2008-03-09T04:09:10-04:00

Above and below: Indians danced all day in the jardin today. To celebrate being converted to Catholicism. For them, the conquest was a good thing, according to this day of ceremonial dance.

Fajitas (and a Really-Nice-Little Speech) in a Bullfight Restaurant

2008-03-07T09:33:46-05:00

The Ole Ole Restaurant is not for vegetarians. Or for people squeamish about bull fighting. The walls are smothered with stuffed bull heads. And with bullfighters. The restaurant is known for fajitas. The beef fajitas are brilliant. Perfectly grilled / charred / carmelized bull meat, with the best smokey ancho salsa I ever ate.

Above: This anonymous guy (ex-bullfighter?) was host of a large table of his family and friends. Apparently his friends at the table were saying really nice things about him, because he stood up, gave a toast, and said "Muchas Gracias" a lot. He got sort-of teary-eyed while thanking his table. Maybe from all the chili dust.

Cocktails and Popcorn on a Rooftop

2008-03-07T09:24:18-05:00

Above and below: Margaritas (strawberry and tamarind) high above the jardin plaza, in the Portal 8 rooftop lounge. Some of the popcorn blew away in the late-afternoon wind. Clarke poses in front of the Parroquia.

Above: Dyana and Thor pose for a portrait. We met them only a few minutes ago, here on the rooftop lounge. This is San Miguel...everyone chats with everyone.