What is your most unforgettable escape? Right now my most unforgettable escape is my recent trip to Mexico. I spent ten days in Mexico City, Puerto Escondido, and Oaxaca City.
What was the purpose of your travel? To celebrate our thirtieth birthday with my childhood friend, and to finally visit the mounting list of art, architecture, and nature to see in Mexico!
With how many people did you travel? We were five girlfriends, and two friends from New York joined us for a few days.
Where did you stay? We stayed at an Airbnb in Roma Norte in Mexico City, followed by an incredible open-air Airbnb in Puerto Escondido. Later at Casa Antonieta in Oaxaca (much recommended!) and Hotel Carlotta in Mexico City on the way back.
What did you most like about the trip? Mexico is magical, so many unique places, colors, tastes. Puerto Escondido is truly one of a kind. We stayed in a compact but stunning open-air retreat immersed in the jungle and just a stone’s throw away from the barren beach also home to Hotel Escondido and Casa Wabi. Casa Wabi was a true highlight. One of the other most enjoyable days was spent visiting all of the Luis Barragan sites in Mexico City.
Could you share an unforgettable memory about the trip? Too many to choose from!
We were lucky enough to visit Casa Gilardi for an evening tour of the home, with cocktails in the courtyard and a traditional Mexican meal poolside indoors.
Endless mezcals on a rooftop in Oaxaca city overlooking the Church of Santa Domingo and watching the last new moon of the decade rising.
Driving around Puerto Escondido through little markets close to our beach-side Airbnb to find tomatoes, lime, avocados and tequila to make our own feast to enjoy in the moonlight by the pool. Eating there together in isolation with only our music and the sounds of the frogs. Cooking up the leftovers for breakfast.
Your most surprising find during the trip? That mezcal is the most amazing elixir, that goes down like water, causes no hangover, but will black you out at once if you’re not careful. That grasshoppers are quite tasty.
I took a class in pre-colombian art and architecture in university that already enlightened me to the fascinating culture of the Mayans and the Aztecs, but this trip, understanding the country and its nature, and the opportunity to visit museums like the Rufino Tamayo museum in Oaxaca and the incredible anthropology museum in Mexico City just brought to light once more the incredible connection and appreciation for cosmic forces, for nature these cultures had, and I found there mythologies endlessly interesting.
Favorite restaurant(s) or food you have tried during your trip? Contramar
Pujol
Casa Oaxaca
What are the must tries of the city? Mezcal! A stroll through the Roma and Condesa neighborhoods, and Coyoacan.
Any hidden gems you could whisper to us? When down in Coayacan in Mexico City to see the Casa Azul and Estudio Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, don’t miss the chance to go by the UNAM campus and see the striking Juan O’Gorman designed building. 4000 sq meters of murals adorn both facades of the Central Library, with mosaics of millions of stones of different colors which the architect gathered from all around Mexico. The north side of the buildings murals depict Mexico’s pre-Hispanic past and the south facade its colonial one, while the east wall shows the contemporary world, and the west illustrates the university and contemporary Mexico.
Would you go back? I can’t wait to go back. And there are so many other places in the country I want to see, like Merida, San Miguel de Allende, Isla Holbox, Baha.
I’d also go back to Mexico City, Oaxaca and Puerto Escondido in a heartbeat.
Could you list a few of your favorite finds you came back with? A pair of earrings from the lovely Mexican jewelry designer Aaron Changpo’s label VARON.
Is there any tip that might be useful to know before going there? If you’re interested, set aside plenty of time for museums, the city has tons, and you need a good amount of time to explore them. Booking in advance for the Frida Kahlo musuem and for the Luis Barragan sites is advised. It’s completely worth it to try and arrange private tours to the Barragan homes that aren’t open to the public!
Next stop you would like to visit? Anywhere in South America, over and over again.
What does traveling mean to you? Everything! Gaining new perspective, new ideas, new inspiration. Understanding new and different cultures and ways of life. Appreciating nature and the different corners of this beautiful earth.
