Look of the Day: Cliche

Posted on December 17, 2013 by Abril

Blazer: Forever 21 – Dress: vintage – Bag: from Nordstrom Rack Shoes: aldo – Quarts Bracelet:artisan work made in Mexico

For all those people who think of Mexico in terms of that old cliche image of a guy with a big hat, a poncho and a donkey, you ought to visit many of Mexico’s modern cities, including the very cosmopolitan Mexico City, and realize this beautiful country is so much more than the old cliche. Now, that said, if you visit some of the smaller more traditional towns, you might occasionally find bits and pieces of that old cliche here and there. Case in point, the donkey. Though I didn’t run into any guys wearing big hats, canvas clothing and ponchos, I did run into a very lovely picture perfect donkey, and of course couldn’t miss the opportunity for a snapshot. Isn’t he the cutest donkey you’ve ever seen?

Anyway, donkey aside, Look of the Day is back!! This look was shot months ago in Mexico, and it is one I really love. I am a sucker for ladylike looks, so pretty much any outfit including this midi-length, fuller skirt dress is gonna be a favorite for me. Plus the black and white color palette give the whole thing a classic yet modern feel. Just the kind of outfit that can come to the rescue on those “don’t know what to wear” kind of days. It truly requires minimum effort.

Wishing you guys a great week!!

Travel: Route of Independence

Posted on December 9, 2013 by Abril

Hello blogosphere! I might finally be ready to start making a comeback into this virtual territory of mine. And no, I don’t have any new wedding pictures to share yet… but I figured we could start catching up right where we left off before all the last minute wedding madness and honeymoon phase happily took over my life. So, as embarrassing as it is to admit that I’m this far behind on blogging, we pretty much left off with me sharing about my travels in Mexico, which happened 2 months ago already!! Geez, feels like it was forever ago.

You might remember I already shared with you my photos of lovely Pátzcuaro and gorgeous San Miguel de Allende, and today I bring you my photos of two very historically important towns in Mexico: Dolores Hidalgo and Querétaro . In the south of Mexico, not too far northwest of Mexico City there is something we call The Route of Independence, and Dolores Hidalgo is a key part of it. You see, back in 1810, when Mexico was still under Spain’s dominion, a war broke out to free Mexico from it, a war that lasted 11 years and ended with Mexico being proclaimed an independent and sovereign nation. That war is known in our history as the War of Independence and it officially broke out in Dolores Hidalgo, when a priest stood on the steps of his parish calling the town to raise in arms against injustice and oppression. The town followed his lead and they got on their way to nearby towns asking everyone to join in their cause, thus forming an improvised army that was headed to Mexico City to try to take over. Well, all those towns they visited on their way to the country’s capital is what we now call The Route of Independence.

Dolores Hidalgo is where the war officially begun, but Querétaro is as equally important in our history and to this war, even if it’s technically not part of the The Route of Independence. Querétaro is where the insurrection was planned, where all the meetings conspiring against the Spanish government were held for months, before that priest stood outside his parish calling the people to raise in arms. Besides the historic sites, Querétaro also happens to have one of the largest old aqueducts in the world. Another little fun fact, it’s the city that I always thought I would live in, at least all of high school I claimed I would live there when I grew up…that is how much I love it!

Now, I don’t know if it’s because I might be a tad emotional and sentimental, but visiting these historically significant places, standing by those walls and on those streets that have witnessed such important moments, I can’t help but to feel a certain connection to all that history. To add even more to that feeling, I happened to be visiting all those places on the exact weekend that we were celebrating the 203rd anniversary of the start of our War of Independence. And let me tell ya, it’s a powerful feeling to be reminded where I come from, where my roots lay, what my country has been thru.

Of course these towns are full of that well known Mexican folklore, full of colors, traditions, colonial architecture and monuments erected to commemorate our history’s heroes. I got to photograph some of that, and here are the results. I hope you enjoy them!

Travel: Mexican Countryside

Posted on October 17, 2013 by Abril

Ok, I’m back with some more photos of my trip to Mexico. This time I’m sharing some of the Mexican countryside. Like I mentioned in this post, while in Mexico I took the opportunity to tag along with my friend Arte to visit her parents in Pátzcuaro, Michoacán.
This town might be mostly known for being located by the lake of the same name, but there is so much more to Pátzcuaro than that.

It is one of those quintessential Mexican towns that can make you feel like you traveled back in time to get there. It has a charming town center with a big plaza surrounded by Spanish colonial buildings with big arches. Behind the arches, before entering the buildings, one can enjoy the front halls full of tables from little cafes and restaurants as well as improvised establishments of artisans selling their handcrafted goods. Many of these artisans come from families who have been doing the same craft for generations, and their creations are some of the most beautiful things you’ll ever see, and can include works in clay, bronze, hand-carved wood, textiles, vegetable fibers, toys, miniature sculptures, and cantera.

Other than that, the town is pretty rural. Most streets are paved with rock or not at all. As soon as you leave behind the town center, you start seeing corn fields, cows out in the open field enjoying the pasture, horses and, yes, the occasional donkey. Men still work the fields with their own hands, preparing the soil for planting with a pickax, no fancy tractors or machinery here. Many women still wear the traditional clothing from the ancient tribe they might descend from, which includes handcrafted skirts and blouses, usually embroidered and very colorful.

Gastronomy is yet another reason to fall in love with this area. Handmade corn tortillas can be found everywhere, ready to accompany some of the traditional dishes. Among these are uchepos, the name given to corn tamales served with cream and cheese; corundas, another type of tamal that comes in a triangular shape, stuff with cheese and occasionally some vegetables, also served with cream and cheese, these happen to be a personal favorite and I ate way too many of them while I was in Mexico; sopa tarasca, a soup similar to tortilla soup but the broth is mixed with a bean soup; charales, a type of fish about the size of anchovies but served fried; nieve de zapote, a handmade ice cream that you can find in almost any flavor you can think of and many you never would thought of; different types of mole, galletas (cookies), pan dulce (pastries), typical candy, and much more.

I could go on and on about all the wonders of Pátzcuaro, but I‘m short on time as I’m sure you are too, so I’ll let the photos speak for themselves.