Posted in Creativity, Culture, Sports & Recreation, Travel & Tourism, tagged baseball, California, Ex-Vandals, graffiti, North Beach, photographs, photos, San Francisco, San Francisco Giants, street art, urban art on February 13, 2013| Leave a Comment »
It may not be Oaxaca, but there is some major league urban art celebrating Major League Baseball’s 2012 World Series champion, San Francisco Giants. The mural, by the Ex-Vandals, currently can be seen at Columbus at Union Street in San Francisco’s, North Beach neighborhood.
But, did the city’s Planning Commission have to deface the mural with its Notice of Public Hearing? Couldn’t they have posted their notice in a more discrete location? Honestly, have they no respect?!!
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Gardens, People, Travel & Tourism, tagged ceramic pottery, de barro, Dolores Porras, Dolores Porras DVD, Mexico, Oaxaca, Oaxaca Lending Library, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, potted plants, Santa María Atzompa on February 10, 2013| 2 Comments »
One of the biggest challenges of the recent move was carrying 150+ potted plants down two flights of stairs, across the driveway, and up a flight of stairs. They ranged in size from eight to eighteen inches across and ten to twenty-four inches tall. Needless to say, major respect was given to the cactus and their perilous spikes. However, I also gave special care to my two pots by the late potter, Dolores Porras.
Growing up and spending her life in one of the villages of Oaxaca known for working in clay, Santa María Atzompa, her style was unique in the use of color and imagery — a touch of whimsy wherever her pots are found.
If you will be in Oaxaca tomorrow (Feb. 11, 2013), be sure to stop by the Oaxaca Lending Library to see Michael Peed discuss and show his documentary, Dolores Porras: Artista Artesana de Barro. And, if you’re not lucky enough to be there, check out the website for the film’s trailer.
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Exhibitions, People, tagged art, artists, arts, exhibitions, Juan Alcázar Méndez, mexican consulate in san francisco, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, San Francisco, The Magic Surrealists of Oaxaca on February 8, 2013| Leave a Comment »
Oaxaca is mourning the loss of painter, Juan Alcázar Méndez, who succumbed to complications related to diabetes yesterday.
Juan Alcázar Méndez. Photo from Consejo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes
Alcázar was born in Guadalupe Etla, Oaxaca in 1955 and entered the School of Fine Arts at the University Benito Juarez of Oaxaca at the age of 13. He became known for his unique magic realism style.
Painting from fundraising auction by the Oaxaca Lending Library, 2010
He was the founder of the Taller Rufino Tamayo, el Taller de Gráfica en la Casa de la Cultura, and the Taller Libre de Gráfica Oaxaqueña. He was also one of the artists exhibited in the The Magic Surrealists of Oaxaca show at the Mexican Consulate in San Francisco in 2012.
“El Rapto” from the The Magic Surrealists of Oaxaca exhibition 2012, San Francisco, CA.
RIP, Juan Alcázar Méndez. You will be missed but your magic will live on.
Posted in Buildings, tagged abandoned buildings, buildings, dangerous, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos on February 5, 2013| 3 Comments »
43 houses at risk of collapse, the October 2012 Noticias headline screamed! This is up from 23 dangerous old buildings discussed in my July 2011, Old and dangerous post. The “high degree of deterioration” of properties in the historic district of Oaxaca seems to be an annual topic.
The most recent article came at the end of the 2012 rainy season and the article noted that in the preceding week the walls of two abandoned houses had collapsed due to the softening of building materials. I’m pretty sure the bottom right photo is of one of those walls. And 6 months later, it’s still in the same state of disrepair.
Picturesque? Yes! Dangerous??? Oh, yes!!!
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Sports & Recreation, Travel & Tourism, tagged football, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, red and gold, San Francisco 49ers, sports, street art, Super Bowl, urban art, wall art on February 3, 2013| Leave a Comment »
Super Bowl madness in the Bay Area. Can’t find any San Francisco 49er-Oaxaca connection, except scores of fanáticos. So, here’s a little red and gold from the walls of Oaxaca…
¡Vamos Niners!
Posted in Animals, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged books, children's books, dogs, guard dogs, Mexico, Oaxaca, perros de techo, photographs, photos, Pipiolo and the Roof Dogs, roof dogs, rooftops on February 1, 2013| 7 Comments »
Female and male, big and small, menacing growlers and annoying yappers, the roof dogs of Oaxaca are on the job patrolling rooftops in the city and in the countryside. They are so ubiquitous, San Pablo Etla, Oaxaca is the setting for an illustrated children’s book, Pipiolo and the Roof Dogs.
But sometimes one has to ask, “Is it real or is it Memorex?”
What do you think?
Posted in Buildings, Challenges, Food, Renovation, Restaurants, Transportation, Travel & Tourism, tagged airport shuttle, airports, convenience stores, Mexico, Oaxaca, Oaxaca Xoxocotlan International Airport, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Transporte Terrestre on January 30, 2013| 4 Comments »
After the 3-day moving adventure, Monday morning I walked down to the Transporte Terrestre office (next to Oaxaca’s Post Office, across the Alameda from the Cathedral) to buy an airport shuttle ticket for my Tuesday morning, bordering on crack-of-dawn, flight to California. At 55 pesos (less than $4.50 US) from my apartment in the Centro Histórico (more outside the historic district), it’s a bargain.
The driver pulled up at 6 AM on the dot. Unfortunately, instead of ringing my buzzer, he began banging on the massive iron front gate and shouting, thereby waking my neighbors with apartments closer to the gate. Then, of course, there was the fact that, in my physically and (apparently) mentally exhausted state the night before, I’d set my alarm for the wrong time, and had only awakened 20 minutes before his noisy arrival. So, with teeth brushed but no shower, no make-up, and probably irritated neighbors, I set off for el norte. This trip was not off to a promising start!
The other two passengers and I were dropped off at the Oaxaca Xoxocotlán International Airport’s new departure terminal. Modern, light, airy, signs and announcements in Spanish and English, mezcal and gift shops (but no food!) — everything’s up-to-date in Oaxaca’s new departure terminal.
However, one still must walk outside to get to the old terminal (now dedicated to arrivals) where the only bathrooms, before going through security, are located — a minor hiccup for passengers, but a major inconvenience for airport staff! Renovation connecting the two terminals is in the works.
There were only a couple of other people lined up at United’s desk and my turn came in less than 5 minutes. Hoisting my suitcase up on the scale, handing over my passport and flight information, I was prepared to be on my way through security in no time.
Dream on… for some unexplained reason, the United customer service agent did not like what she saw when she ran my passport through the scanner. Conversation with the other agent, calls to a superior (who I could see standing in a doorway on the second floor balcony), more computer input and passport scanning, and the line behind me began growing. Did I mention, this trip was not off to a promising start?
After twenty minutes, whatever problem my passport possessed was miraculously unraveled and I was on my way through security. It was at this point, ravenously hungry, I began silently chanting to the cocina goddess, that a food stall or at least the convenience store would be open. In September (my first experience with the new terminal) I sat, with stomach grumbling, at my gate for an hour before the convenience store opened its doors.
This time around, I and other early morning passengers were in luck — various puestos were open to satisfy hunger pangs, snack food cravings, and caffeine withdrawal. I opted for a generous and delicious cup of coffee and a ham and quesillo torta, topped with tomato, avocado, chile pepper, and lettuce — filling and yummy.
With a happily satisfied stomach, I walked out into Oaxaca’s warm winter morning air, boarded the little Embraer, and, after a brief delay on the tarmac (mechanical difficulty rapidly solved), we took off into the wild (and clear) blue yonder. Circling twice over the city to gain altitude, the pilot provided us with a couple of bird’s-eye views of Monte Albán and the newly opened Atzompa archeological sites. Not a bad beginning, after all — the journey northward was definitely looking up!
Posted in Culture, Health, Signs, tagged articles, emotional struggles, Marisa Gerber, Mexico, Native neuroses: sharing their emotional struggles in Spanish, Neurótios Anónimos, Neurotics Anonymous, Oaxaca, photographs, photos on January 27, 2013| 1 Comment »
In the city and in the villages, the signs are everywhere…
The recent article, Native neuroses: Sharing their emotional struggles in Spanish by Marisa Gerber, gives a little background on the popularity of Neuróticos Anónimos, south of the Río Bravo del Norte (aka, Rio Grande).
After two days spent cleaning the new apartment and schlepping the small stuff (boxes, plants, furniture, etc.) down two flights of stairs, across the driveway and up one flight (with a lot of help from my friends), today the moving crew is coming to do the heavy lifting. For some reason the above topic resonates!
Posted in Culture, Food, Travel & Tourism, tagged Cachetada, candy, haiku, Margarita Shubart, mexican candy, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos on January 25, 2013| 1 Comment »
Last week, my neighbor Marga gave me a cachetada. No, not a slap on the cheek! A cachetada is also a Mexican candy — similar to the dried fruit roll ups my kids used to eat, though I have a sneaking suspicion these may just be dried, dyed, and flavored sugar water. Here is mine, hanging out in Oaxaca.
Cachetada – slap
A Mexican long candy
Red, green, lick or bite
– Haiku by Margarita Shubart –
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Parks & Plazas, Travel & Tourism, tagged artists, arts, graffiti, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, street art, urban art, wall art on January 21, 2013| 2 Comments »
The packing begins — this is “big move” week. In the meantime, a little more graffiti…
… from under the fútbol (soccer) stadium.
Posted in Animals, Parks & Plazas, tagged animals, Charles M. Schulz quote, dogs, happiness is a warm puppy, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, puppies on January 15, 2013| 2 Comments »
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Politics, Protests, Travel & Tourism, tagged art, equality, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, politics, street art, wall art, women on January 12, 2013| 5 Comments »
Old news, I know, but couldn’t resist… Mitt may have had his “binders of women,” but Oaxaca has her walls of women and they could kick some serious @#$!!!
Liberty ~ Equality ~ Respect
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Exhibitions, Travel & Tourism, tagged art, Ma (yo) en Oaxaca, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, public art on January 9, 2013| 3 Comments »
I’m moving in a few weeks… not far… just across the driveway… so much to do… so many details to deal with. And, how in the world did I accumulate SO much “stuff” in such a small apartment in only 3-1/2 years??!!!
My sentiments, exactly!
*** Photos are of an art installation on the sidewalk of M. Bravo during the Ma(yo) en Oaxaca 2012.
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Food, Holidays, Parks & Plazas, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged carnival rides, Día de Reyes, Epiphany, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Rosca de Reyes, Three Kings Day on January 6, 2013| 1 Comment »
Today, Mexico is celebrating Día de Reyes (aka, Three Kings Day and Epiphany). It is this morning, not Christmas, that children wake up to find gifts brought during the night not by Santa Claus, but by the Magi.
Melchor, Gaspar, and Baltazar have had plenty of time and places to shop. Several days before December 25, in the aisles of my local supermarket, toys had already replaced Christmas decorations. Llano Park was turned into Oaxaca’s version of a pop-up Toys R Us. Puestos (stalls) filled the park, selling everything from dolls to sports equipment, balloons to books, and even something for the family dog. There were (dicey looking) carnival rides and food stalls offering the usual bounty of street food and the traditional Rosca de Reyes.
And, that’s not all! Early last night, there was a giant festival in the Plaza de la Danza, to entertain and distribute a kilometer of donated toys to disadvantaged children. Stay tuned…
Posted in Churches, Environment, Geography, Nature & Science, Science & Nature, Travel & Tourism, tagged El Picacho, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Templo de la Preciosa Sangre de Cristo, Teotitlán del Valle on January 4, 2013| 4 Comments »
No Danza de la Pluma, no convite, no patronal festival. The Templo de la Preciosa Sangre de Cristo in Teotitlán del Valle on an ordinary day…
El Picacho up close and personal…
And, the hills where my young Zapotec friend, Sam, “grew up… looking after [his] crazy goats!” He is currently finishing a PhD in Sustainable Manufacturing at the University of Liverpool. I see a connection.
Even unplugged, the hills were alive with the sound of music — a banda could be heard in the distance — a Teotitlán del Valle soundtrack.
Mexican Peso Converter
View From Casita Colibrí 