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Archive for the ‘Culture’ Category

Sabado sabroso

Posted in Culture, Food, Restaurants, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , on September 27, 2015| 4 Comments »

Yesterday, albeit with flagging energy, blogger buddy Chris and I climbed the narrow winding staircase that looks down into the tiny kitchen, making our way to the rooftop terrace of Casa Crespo for day six of our odyssey through Oaxaca’s Oaxaca Sabe restaurant scene.  However, we perked up when our personable and efficient waiter brought up the fixings for my starter course and a show began.

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Table side preparation of a Prehispanic soup unique-to-Oaxaca

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Hot river stone dropped into the broth

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Seafood cooks and vegetables wait to be added to bubbling broth

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Caldo de piedra (Stone soup)

Yes, it was as delicious as it looks, as was my entrée.

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Estofado de bodas con pure de papa istmeño (Wedding stew, accompanied by mashed potatoes in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec style)

And then came the divine dessert…

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Helado de chocolate de metate (Chocolate ice cream, ingredients ground using a metate)

You can check out Chris’s blog for the spectacular rooftop view and the alternate menu.  And, yes we shared!  Another day, another tasty  meal…

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But not forgotten…

Posted in Creativity, Culture, People, Politics, Tragedy, Travel & Tourism, Violence, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 26, 2015| 3 Comments »

It has been one year since 43 normalistas (student teachers) from the Escuela Normal Rural Raúl Isidro Burgos in Ayotzinapa, Guerrero were disappeared and several of their fellow students were murdered.

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They are still missing and the truth of what happened that horrifying night has yet to be revealed.  The question remains, What happened to the 43 Ayotzinapa students?

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Cristian Tomás Colón Garnica of Tlacolula de Matamoros, Oaxaca; his 42 fellow students; 215 other Oaxaqueños, and 26,000+ other Mexicans missing since 2006, are not forgotten by their families, their friends, the people of Mexico, and the world.

We don’t have weapons sir!  Why are you aiming at us?
— from the above video, narrated (in English) by Lila Downs.

And so, Mexico Marks One Year Since Disappearance of Students…

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Foodie Friday

Posted in Culture, Food, People, Restaurants, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on September 26, 2015| 4 Comments »

Yesterday was day five of Oaxaca Sabe and restaurant number five for your intrepid foodies.  Yes, we are still on a-restaurant-a-day pace.   Our choice?  Tres Bistro, or as the sign says, Tr3s 3istro.

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We had watched as this second floor space above Del Jardín was renovated two years ago and a visiting gal pal and I had eaten there in July 2014.  While the food was delicious, the cacophony coming from the occupied zócalo (pirated CDs blasting, amplified speeches blaring, etc.) through the balcony’s giant open sliding glass doors made it a less than pleasurable experience.

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However, currently all is quiet on the zócalo front, save for the occasional marimba players, and the menu beckoned.  Thus we decided to give it a try.  We climbed the beautifully designed curving wooden staircase under the portales and were seated at the second from the left table above.  Chips, salsas, and herb butter for our choice of flavorful breads soon followed.

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Choices made from the Oaxaca Sabe menu, the fun began!  My first course…

Laminado de pulpo con mojo verde, aceite de cacahuate, rábanos y cilantro (Rolled octopus with green sauce, peanut oil, radishes and cilantro)

Laminado de pulpo con mojo verde, aceite de cacahuate, rábanos y cilantro (Rolled octopus with green sauce, peanut oil, radishes and cilantro)

My entrée…

Risotto de gorgonzola con camarones (Gorgonzola risotto with shrimp)

Risotto de gorgonzola con camarones (Gorgonzola risotto with shrimp)

And, my dessert…

Panacota de frutos rojos y coulis de fresa (Panna cotta of red fruit with strawberry coulis)

Panacota de frutos rojos y coulis de fresa (Panna cotta of red fruit with strawberry coulis)

For Chris’s menu choices, see his blog post, Oaxaca Sabe – Oaxaca knows….. food!… Day 5 – Tres Bistro.  I’ve got to say, the portion sizes were more generous than we’ve become used to and we pushed away from the table feeling quite sated.

Many thanks to chef Fermín López Damián, who was born in the Sierra Norte region of Oaxaca, for a delicious, relaxing, and thoroughly enjoyable dining experience.

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Lunch at Luvina

Posted in Culture, Food, People, Restaurants, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on September 25, 2015| 4 Comments »

Another day another Oaxaca Sabe lunch.  Yesterday, along with a couple of friends, we celebrated the ## birthday of blogger Chris at Luvina.

The birthday boy!

The “gifted” birthday boy!

As you can see below, the menu chef Carlos García created was beautifully presented, imaginative and, I can assure you, muy sabrosa.  Our first course was out-of-this world, in my humble opinion.

Arroz cremoso con legumbres, calamares y mollejas asadas (Creamy rice with vegetables, grilled calamari and sweetbreads)

Arroz cremoso con legumbres, calamares y mollejas asadas (Creamy rice with vegetables, grilled calamari and sweetbreads)

Ahhh… Which main course to choose?  I chose the rabbit and, naturally, sampled a table mate’s sea bass.  Both were delicious.

Conejo chimeco con verduras rostizadas con manteca de pato (Rabbit with roasted vegetables and duck fat)

Conejo chimeco con verduras rostizadas con manteca de pato (Rabbit with roasted vegetables and duck fat)

Robálo al pastor con chichilo negro (Sea bass with chichilo mole)

Robálo al pastor con chichilo negro (Sea bass with chichilo mole)

The dessert got mixed reviews, but I liked the lightness of the brioche.  And, yes, the birthday boy’s came with a candle!

Espuma de requesón con bizcocho de pan brioche (Foam of ricotta with a cake of brioche)

Espuma de requesón con bizcocho de pan brioche (Foam of ricotta with a cake of brioche)

It’s somewhat out-of-the way location (off Republica on the block-long Mártires de Tacubaya and across the street from the Kiss the girl goodbye mural) shouldn’t hinder a visit to this light and airy restaurant. By the way, the service was excellent.

 

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Oaxaca Sabe Wednesday

Posted in Culture, Food, People, Restaurants, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on September 23, 2015| 4 Comments »

It’s Wednesday and day three of the Oaxaca Sabe restaurant festival.  Yesterday, we dined at Pitiona, one of Oaxaca’s most sophisticated and innovative restaurants.  Chris, my partner in blogging and food-fest dining crime, beat me to the punch in posting photos of our meal, so I will let his entry speak for both of us.

Today, our Oaxaca Sabe choice was La Olla, one of Oaxaca’s best known restaurants with one of her best loved chefs, Pilar Cabrera at the helm.  Here, we were offered an either/or choice for each of the three courses, so I ordered “either” and Chris ordered “or.”  Thus, I began with a salad that tasted as delicate and flavorful as it looked.

Ensalada de durazno y queso istmeño (Salad of peaches and cheese from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec)

Ensalada de durazno y queso istmeño (Salad of peaches and cheese from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec)

I’m a sucker 😉  for octopus and this was cooked to melt-in-your-mouth perfection and saucing it with the “usually reserved for special occasions” chichilo mole, provided the taste buds an unexpected flavor explosion.

Chichilo servido con pulpo y arroz (Chichilo mole served with octopus and rice)

Chichilo servido con pulpo y arroz (Chichilo mole served with octopus and rice)

And then there was dessert.  I opted for the tiramisu, which is an old favorite of mine.  It did not disappoint and its layers looked lovely served in a glass, garnished with coffee beans and a single viola blossom.

Tiramisú oaxaqueño (Self explanatory, methinks)

Tiramisú oaxaqueño (Self explanatory, methinks)

Our compliments to chef Pilar Cabrera and muchisimas gracias for a delicious dining experience.  We are sorry to have missed you!

As our meal came to a close, we poured over the Oaxaca Sabe list of restaurants and their menus.  More to come.  What can I say?  This is yummy and fun!

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Across the table

Posted in Culture, Food, People, Restaurants, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on September 22, 2015| 2 Comments »

Yesterday, Oaxaca Sabe kicked off a week of delicious dining; three-course meals, including beer, mezcal, or wine, for only 250 pesos per person at some of the top restaurants in the city.  As readers of Oaxaca-The Year After already know, blogger buddy Chris and yours truly couldn’t resist and we were first to the table at Las Quince Letras.  No sooner had we been seated in the lovely shaded patio, than chef Celia Florian came out to welcome us.

Celia Florian, chefWith every course, she continued to check in with us, explaining the ingredients and asking our opinion.  She also turned the tables on us and took out her smart phone to take our picture!

Sopa de tortilla de tomate de milpa (Tortilla soup with tomatillos and little balls of quesillo)

Sopa de tortilla de tomate de milpa (Tortilla soup with tomatillos and little balls of quesillo)

Camarones flameados en mezcal con mole negro de chicatana (Shrimp flambéed in mezcal on a bed of chicatana black mole sauce)

Camarones flameados en mezcal con mole negro de chicatana (Shrimp flambéed in mezcal on a bed of black mole made with the rainy season insect, chicatanas)

Helado de maracuya con buñelos con miel de piloncillo (Maracuya sorbet with buñuelos drizzled with melted piloncillo, which is similar to brown sugar)

Helado de maracuya con buñelos con miel de piloncillo (Maracuya sorbet with buñuelos drizzled with a honey of piloncillo, which is similar to brown sugar)

Every dish conveyed Chef Florian’s pride in her heritage — from the fresh locally sourced ingredients to her original interpretations of traditional Oaxacan cuisine — and then there was the love and joy she radiated.

By the way, this is what it looks like to sit across the table from a blogger…

Chile en nogada

Chris photographing his Chile en Nogada

If it’s Tuesday, it must mean another Oaxaca Sabe restaurant to try…  ¡Buen provecho!

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Wise old walls of Oaxaca

Posted in Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , on September 20, 2015| 4 Comments »

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Never silent and never dull.

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Showing the colors

Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Holidays, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , on September 15, 2015| 6 Comments »

September is El Mes de la Patria in Mexico (the month of the homeland) and Oaxaca is showing the colors.  Green, white, and red is everywhere — from the almost sublime to the downright ridiculous!

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¡Viva Mexico y salud!

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Dancing the dance

Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, People, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 13, 2015| 4 Comments »

After being rained out on Sunday, we picked ourselves and our rain gear up and returned to Teotitlán del Valle on Monday for the abbreviated version (4 hours instead of 8 hours) of the Danza de la Pluma — more of the multi-day fiesta honoring La Santísima Virgen María de la Natividad (the Sainted Virgin Mary of the Nativity).

As I’ve previously mentioned, the Danza de la Pluma is a ritual re-enactment of the Spanish conquest.  The full version is told in 41 bailes (dances) and lasts from early afternoon into the night.  It is danced by folkloric groups throughout the valley of Oaxaca.  However, in Teotitlán, Moctezuma, Danzantes, Subalternos, Malinche, and Doña Marina are selected years in advance and make a promise to the church and community to perform their roles for 3 years.  It is a great honor.

Malinche and Doña Marina

La Malinche (Juana Lizbeth Contreras Vicente), Doña Marina (Ailani Ruíz Ruíz), and Danzantes.

Moctezuma and the Danzantes.

Moctezuma (José Isaac Vasquez de Los Angeles) poised to dance the dance.

Moctezuma coming...

Moctezuma approaching… dancing the dance.

Moctezuma departing...

Moctezuma departing… dancing the dance.

Malinche (Juana Lizbeth Contreras Vicente) dancing the dance.

Malinche dancing the dance.

Doña Marina dancing the dance.

Doña Marina dancing the dance.

The Danzantes in action.

The Danzantes dancing the dance.

The rains came again and we missed the fireworks and castillo.  However, we are already plotting our return at the beginning of October for the Rosario de la Virgen María festival.

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Before the rains came

Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 10, 2015| Leave a Comment »

When last I posted, much-needed rains had come to Teotitlán del Valle, sending La Santísima Virgen María de la Natividad (the Sainted Virgin Mary of the Nativity) convite participants, spectators, and photographers dashing for cover and yours truly, home.  However, prior to the deluge, little boys patiently waited.P1130813 P1130772

The band led the Danzantes into the plaza in front of the Templo de la Preciosa Sangre de Jesucristo, where they, too, waited.P1130801 (1) P1130804 P1130815P1130819The unmarried women and girls, wearing their traditional red woolen faldas (skirts) and elaborately embroidered blusas (blouses), posed for friends, family, and strangers while waiting for the procession to begin.P1130825 P1130786 P1130791

And, Beatriz got her shot!

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Photographing the photographers

Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Exhibitions, Museums, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 7, 2015| 2 Comments »

Yesterday, we returned to Teotitlán del Valle for the convite in honor of La Santísima Virgen María de la Natividad (the Sainted Virgin Mary of the Nativity).  Alas, from our point of view, the gods were not cooperating and it threatened to rain on the parade.  The sky surrounding the Templo de la Preciosa Sangre de Jesucristo was getting grayer and darker by the minute and professional and amateur photographers alike were challenged to some up with good shots.

Bell towerThe lovely and accomplished photographer, Luvia Lazo was going to march in the procession this time, but couldn’t resist pulling out her cell phone for a shot or two.  By the way, I recently learned that the earrings she is wearing are traditional and unique to Oaxaca and the design is known as, gusano (worm)!Luvia LazoSome of the Danzantes also whipped out their phones for some photos.  Their 3-year commitment ends in December and I suspect most want to savor these last performances.

P1130823And, then there was the daughter of friends and budding photographer, 12-year old Beatriz Ruiz.  Here she is setting up a shot.

P1130788Doesn’t she look professional?  She’s been traveling from Teoti into the city to take classes at the Centro Fotográfico Manuel Álvarez Bravo for almost two years.  A photograph she took of her two kittens is currently part of a student exhibition at the museum and is included in the slideshow of photos on their website.  Blogger buddy Chris, who has known her since she was very young, has a very sweet blog post about Beatriz and her interest in photography.

Plastic covered canastasGiven the state of the corn crop, due to lack of rain during this rainy season, there have probably been many offerings and much praying to the gods Cocijo (lightning and rain) and Pitao Cozobi (maiz).  They won the day and the rains did come.  And we, being fair-weather fans, departed.  However, according to one of the Teotitlán del Valle Facebook sites, the show did go on!  We are returning today for the Danza de la Pluma and tonight’s fuegos artificiales (fireworks) and castillo.  Needless to say, we are keeping our fingers crossed!

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Variations on a Vocho

Posted in Creativity, Culture, Transportation, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on September 4, 2015| 1 Comment »

El auto del pueblo (the car of the people)…

P1130666The Volkswagen Beetle, known in Mexico as a Vocho, has been plying the highways and byways of Mexico since it made its debut in Mexico City at the “Alemania y su Industria” (Germany and its Industry) exhibition in 1954.

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Ambassador of embroidery

Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Textiles, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 23, 2015| 6 Comments »

The celebration of Día Internacional de los Pueblos Indigenas continues in Oaxaca this weekend, with music, dance, food, and an artisan expo-venta (sale) in Jardín El Pañuelito.  As I walked through the exposition, one woman’s embroidery drew me back for a second look.  I was especially drawn to a huipil that had been hanging next to the one below.  It’s not in this photo, because one of the “Diablos” from the Santiago Juxtlahuaca dance troupe (who were performing later) had already volunteered to climb up on a chair to take it down for her to show to me.

However, before I could get my money out, a delegation of dignitaries came by for a photo shoot.

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This popular and exceptionally talented woman is Carmen Vásquez Pérez, from San Mateo Yetla, Valle Nacional, located 172 kilometers northeast of Oaxaca city in the Papaloapan Region.  According to the article, Mujeres preservan bordado en Yetla, the village is surrounded by waterfalls and lush vegetation and is rich in Chinanteca customs.

P1130484Doña Carmen learned to embroider as a child and has been instrumental in an effort to preserve and promote the local traditional designs and techniques.  As you can see below, her workmanship is exquisite.

P1130489 After returning home and doing a little research, I’m even more pleased with my purchase.  And, by the way, I did not “bargain” — my new treasure is worth every peso of its 600 peso price tag, and then some!

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Canción Mixteca – the kids are all right

Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Food, Geography, Music, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on August 18, 2015| 4 Comments »

As I’d discussed in a previous post, August 9 was International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples.  That day, on my way to the mercado, a youth band had me stopping at the city’s cultural celebration on the Alameda de León.

This young girl, without accompaniment, brought tears to the eyes as she sang, “Canción Mixteca” by Oaxacan composer José López Alavez.  He wrote the melody in 1912 and the lyrics in 1915, expressing his homesickness for Oaxaca after moving to Mexico City.  It has since become an anthem for not only Oaxaqueños, but all Mexicano expats yearning for their homeland.

Yaa Savi (Mixtec language)
NDA XIKA NAKAI
NOO ÑO’O NOO NI KAKUI,
NDIKANO KUNDAVI INI
XI’IN MIA NTOONI.

TA XANDEI’MI TA ITOI
TA NDAVI NDEI NDAA NOO TACHI,
NDI KUNI KUAKUI
NDIKUNI KUI’VI XAA NDOI’ INI.

(Bis)
NOO ÑO’O ÑAA ÑU’U
XAKA INI KANDEI’YOO
TA VITI NA XIKA
YEE YOI NI ÑO’O, NI ÑAA MANI.

TA XANDEI’ MI TA ITOI
TA NDAVI NDEI NDAA NOO TACHI
NDIKUNI KUAKUI
NDIKUNI KUI’VI XAA NDO’INI

Canción Mixteca (en español)
Que lejos estoy del suelo
Donde he nacido.
Inmensa nostalgia
Invade mi pensamiento.
Y al verme tan solo y triste
Cual hoja el viento.
Quisiera llorar,Quisiera morir
De sentimiento.

Oh! tierra del sol
Suspiro por verte.
Ahora que lejos
Yo vivo sin luz.
Sin amor.
Y al verme
Tan solo y triste
Cual hoja el viento
Quisiera llorar,Quisiera morir
De sentimiento.

Canción Mixteca (English translation)
How far I am from the land where I was born!
Immense nostalgia invades my heart;
And seeing myself so lonely and sad like a leaf in the wind,
I want to cry, I want to die from this feeling.

Oh Land of Sun! I yearn to see you!
Now that I’m so far from you, I live without light and love;
And seeing myself so lonely and sad like a leaf in the wind,
I want to cry, I want to die from this feeling.

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Minions of transport

Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Holidays, Transportation, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , on August 12, 2015| 2 Comments »

As the announcer used to say, “And now for something completely different…”

Apparently, when the Minions went in search of their next evil boss, they must have stopped off in Oaxaca.  My first sighting was on the bus back to the city from the Guelaguetza in Etla two weeks ago.

P1130164Then, there they were today, as taxis paraded through the streets of Oaxaca, celebrating Día del Taxista.

P1130381P1130383Hmmm…  Is there something about the movie that resonates with the transportation workers of Oaxaca?

P1130396copyScarlett Overkill (the Supervillainess):  DO you know who this is?
[points at a British Royal portrait]

Kevin (the Minion):  Uh… la cucaracha? 

— Minions

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