Moving to Merida

That big clock in the glorieta has been ticking down the days for over a year.  Before you know it, single digits will be on display.  Are the green, white, & red neon lights up yet?  And what about those festive banners fluttering against the walls of the Governor’s Palace?  

Around this time last year, I had a good time breaking in my then-new camera by shooting the square and a city street (my favorite pic), all decked out in celebratory flair for El Grito y Dieciséis.  I’m so ready to get back, but my countdown clock seems to be running in slow-mo.  So, for now, the photos I took will have to be the next best thing. 

I’ve been putting in some hellacious hours at work.  Thankfully, I have a very understanding and trusting husband.  Any other man might start to believe that his wife has a Sancho!  When I get home, I’m pretty much spent.  I’d like to be writing about the last two architects, because there are some interesting stories to share.  But I want to do both justice, so it will just have to wait until I can muster up the mental energy to do just that.  For now, I’ll share a little bit of my stress relief –  the 50^th edition of Ambientes.  I like to flip through the pages and daydream…if only I could pop inside page 62 for a quick siesta on that comfy looking rooftop lounger!  Click on the cover for a respite of your very own. 

Known for their yummy Argentinean grilled beef, we thought La Recova would be the perfect spot to celebrate our 12 year anniversary.   We had a 9pm reservation, only to realize that we were still too early to witness any of the scene and be seen action.  This, you’ll find, is a reoccurring theme in our world.  We just can’t seem to hold out long enough to eat when the locals do.  No matter, it was actually pretty romantic having the entire restaurant and attentive waitstaff all to ourselves.

La Recova - All to Ourselves

But let’s talk jugo!  Basically it’s the surf & turf of soup, and La Recova’s version is heaven on the taste buds.  They start by pulling up a cart and preparing the soup tableside, adding the items (shrimp, mushrooms, green onion, lime, etc.) you select, one by one, and plopping them into the soup.  I went for the works! 

The ingredients were fresh and delicious, but there’s no doubt about it, it’s the beef broth that makes this soup such a standout!  They use the renderings and savory juices from all of that beautiful beef to make a robust base that’s bursting with flavor.   The result is a jugo that ends up somewhere between a soup and a stew.  It’s just dark and thick enough that you can’t see the bottom of the bowl, making it so that each dip of the spoon produces a scrumptious surprise! 

The only negative of the night was the wine.  We selected a nice Pinot, but they didn’t have it in stock.  Our waiter, who also served as sommelier, brought two of his suggestions to the table.  One was a Syrah ($370) and the other was a Spanish red ($660).  Having heard of neither, we selected less expensive Syrah.  He unscrewed the top, and I decided to reserve my judgment.   Because these days, many good wineries are using screw caps to retain freshness and prevent cork taint, including one of our favorites (thanks to J&K), Clos Pegase.  But this bottle drank like the marked up $70 peso bottle it was.   All you could taste was the alcohol.  We should have turned it down after the sniff and sip.  But I’ve never had the nerve or need to do so before, and I wasn’t ready to begin on this night!   Let’s get back to the positive…

For his starter, TJ opted for the La Recova salad with spinach, sprouts mushrooms, red onion, and thin slices of yellowfin tuna topped with parmesan and served with a soy vinaigrette.  He gave his thumbs up, too.  I know this restaurant is all about the steaks, and ours were very good!  But fortunately for us, there’s no shortage of fabulous steakhouses here in Houston.  So in the future, I think we’ll skip the steaks, and focus our attention on the best broth-style soup around!  They also offer the beef flavored jugo by itself, but the addition of the shrimp sends it over the top!    The rich beef flavor, combined with the texture of the shrimp, makes it soooo delicious.   Plus sticking to the soup and salad menu makes La Recova an affordable anytime restaurant.  So don’t wait for a celebration, go get some soup! 

Still Smiling Exaclty 12 yrs after "I Do"!

We’re planning to have internet service hooked up during our next visit. As of late, we’re leaning towards Cablemas. It looks like it’s our best option, since one of their Doble Play packages will take care of  our internet and TV needs at the same time. And from what I can tell, it looks to be reasonably priced.  Even though the fine print price is slightly higher, I think we’ll go that route so we won’t have to do the monthly credit card autobill, and we’ll have the ability to turn on and off service as needed by paying a small reconnect fee.  Anyway, I haven’t been able to dig up much on my own as to reliability, so I tried Googling the topic. I must say, I didn’t have whole lotta luck there. So if anyone has some feedback, please do share!

While searching for Cablemas info., I came across a really cool new website chronicling a couple’s Centro renovation. Like us, they purchased their home in January of this year. I’m quite interested in seeing their place totally transform in just a four month period.  Even though it’s a smaller home, the timeline seems ambitious – especially considering all of the rain Merida’s had lately.  But they’ve already made such great strides in a short period of time!  It will be fun to watch their project unfold.  Plus, I really love that they’re using a sustainable approach.  And this is super cool too…when they can’t be onsite, they are Skyping their way through the renovation process.  What a brilliant idea!  Here’s the link to Casa de Toh! http://casadetoh.com/  Enjoy!

More and more frequently, people have been writing to me via the gmail account at the bottom of the page.  Some have also left questions on the “About” page.  But I find that I am repeating a lot of the same information, it’s just that no one else is seeing it, since it’s going back and forth through e-mail.  Therefore, I just added a “Q & A” tab at the top, precisely for these types of inquires – you know, stuff other people can benefit from reading.

I don’t plan on becoming Merida’s answer to Ann Landers or Dear Abby, but it is kind of funny.  Maybe this kind of thing runs in my family? Because at one time, my mom had an advice column of her very own, “Ask Alice”.  Since I couldn’t come up with something that sounded as snazzy, it’s simply called “Q & A”.  If you’re bashful, feel free to sign your name as anonymous.  I hope others who read will chime in with their perspectives, too.  Because I’m certainly learning new things all the time, and I do not consider myself to be the go-to girl for all things Merida!  Well, not yet, anyway!  But if you’d like my perspective or that of the awesome commenters popping in from time to time, please use the new “Q & A” tab at the top.

Here’s an e-mail that I received today, and it will be the first to be filed under “Q & A” :

Do you think I would be crazy to move to Merida as a single 50 something woman?  I am sick with love for these colonial houses.  Sick, can’t get them out of my mind!

I can totally relate to your sickness!  You have to remember that you’re writing to a woman who is in love with Merida.  With that said, I think you’d be crazy not to move to Merida!  Yucatan is the safest state in Mexico.  Although I’m not single, I feel like if I were, I would be perfectly content and secure living by myself in Merida.  The only time that I’ve ever felt uneasy was during a late night trek to the bus station.  If TJ hadn’t been with me, I would have taken a cab instead.  There were lots of unsavory characters hanging around the streets leading to the station.  But here in Houston, I would feel exactly the same way.  There’s no way you’d catch me walking to the Greyhound station by myself at 2am either!

I am retired, an artist, and well, I have been considering Italy and France and darn if these houses and the warmth of the weather keep jabbing at me.
I love France and Italy, too.  In fact, I have vivid dreams of a life in Sorrento.  But sadly, my pocketbook wouldn’t have enough Euros to keep me afloat during the retirement years.  One of the main reasons we selected Merida was for the lower cost of living.

Being an artist, Merida will undoubtedly meet your creative needs.  The city has such a rich cultural heritage – museums, art galleries, dance studios, opera, symphony, and so much more.  You won’t be short on inspiration in Merida!

Every realtor I talk to online of course says it is wonderful, etc.
They’re right, it is wonderful.  However, there are some downsides, but that’s with anything.  Some of them, in no particular order are:  Traffic, pollution, poverty, blatant animal abuse, abundance of bad drivers, petty theft, and all of the other things you would expect with big city living.  The benefits far outweigh the negatives.

But can you give me the nitty gritty?
Since I don’t live there full time, I don’t feel like I can really give you the true “nitty gritty”.  You should really read some of Theresa’s entries. She’s funny and endearing with lots of great topics covering day-to-day living in Merida.  Or go to an IWC meeting when you’re in town.  From my perspective, other than growing accustomed to the mañana way of doing things, the biggest adjustment is the heat.  I giggled to myself when you said that, “the warmth of the weather keeps jabbing” at you!  Because in Merida, it will punch you smack-dab in the face!  The heat is the one and only thing that may hold you back if you’re considering a life there full time.  If you can handle the heat right now, when it is 98 degrees with a heat index of 109 degrees, then you’ll have no problem adjusting to everything else.  We’re from Houston, where it’s very hot & humid, but the difference is that we have AC everywhere.  The heat in Merida saps the life out of you, but if you can adjust, then you’ll have it made.

Do you think you would ever do this as a single female?
Absolutely!  In a heartbeat!!!  I would just make sure I’m living in a house with protectores on all of the windows & doors, and take all of the same precautions that I take now.

Our house is smack-dab in Sol central.  The trouble is we’re Grupo Modelo people (gasp)!  The pic above was taken inside the Wal-Mart just a couple of blocks from our house.  Crazy, huh?  We go there mainly to buy Pacifico (for me) and some other products like Negro Modelo and Leon (for him) that are pretty much nonexistent at the cervecerias by our place.  These aren’t our favorite beers in the world, but they are some of our favorite Mexican beers. TJ’s employer’s parent company owns 50% (noncontrolling stake) of Modelo, so there’s some loyalty that comes into play, too.

Like Sol, Superior is a Cuauhtémoc Moctezuma (I had to look up the spelling!) or FEMSA brand.  Of course, their most popular brands NOB are Tecate and Dos Equis.  In the US, the latter is quickly gaining on the #1 MX import Corona, thanks to Heineken USA’s slick ad campaign featuring a Jewish actor from NYC, who plays a ruggedly-handsome Ricardo Montalban/Fernando Llamas Latin lover-type!  Damn, he really sells it, too! 

But Dos Equis isn’t my favorite from CM. I like Indio best, and TJ would probably say his fav is Bohemia Obscura.

I think I need a beer now.

With the advent of several remarkable new ventures, I figured it was time to update my links.  If you divert your eyes over to the right and scroll down a bit, you’ll see that four new sites have been added to the list, each deserving a nice little nod.  In alphabetical order…

In The Yucatan – Missing Merida?  No worries! Erich Briehl has created an entertaining new site featuring video clips of events, homes, people, food, and other cool happenings captured in and around Merida.  Of course, the renovation tours are my total favorites…please, please keep them coming!  This video site is a great way for people, like me, to get their Yucatan fix and feel connected to the place they want to be.  Here’s a recent clip from In the Yucatan.   Note: He did the MexicaChica clip, too!

Mercado Fresco de Slow Food – “Promoting Slow Food values by nurturing organic production and supporting regional culinary traditions”.  Here at home, one of my favorite things to do after my Saturday Weight Watchers meeting is to stop by the Farmer’s Market and pick up my weekly produce.  I love that I can talk to the vendor and find out about the products first-hand.  He always points me to the freshest fruits, hands me some samples, and steers me clear of the stuff that’s just so-so.

Naturally, I was excited to learn that whenever I’m in Merida, I can keep up my Saturday morning routine (minus WW) at the Slow Food Farmer’s Market.  But this market sounds way better then my regular place!  Monique Duval’s bakery hosts the event each week from 9am-1pm.  Duval specializes in organic, whole-grain baked goods – muffins, savory breads, sweet breads, cookies, and more.  She serves up plenty of prepared food items, too.  Recent offerings include mouth-watering Monte Cristo sandwiches, arugula pesto, goat cheese, yogurt, granola, waffles, crab cakes, and plenty of other delicious items.  In addition to the baked goods, there are a variety of booths outside offering up  locally grown/caught/raised items like organic produce, nuts, honey, fish, free range eggs and more!

MexicaChica Getaways – “inspired travel for women”.  Not your average tour operator, Claudette Elizondo is an amazing lady who’s living out her dreams in Merida.  She’s thoughtfully designed itineraries highlighting many of the cultural favorites that brought her to Merida in the first place!  Whether you’re looking to channel the artist within, brush up on your Spanish or enhance your cooking skills, MexicaChica has knack for putting together tours that immerse you in the best the Yucatan has to offer!

Travel is one of my favorite hobbies.  About once year, my girlfriends (aka “the crew”) get together to meet up somewhere fun.  And it just so happens, that we’ll be meeting up in Austin next week.  Let’s see if I can talk them into joining me on a MexicaChica getaway next year!

remixto - Bringing a super fresh perspective to Merida’s dining scene. The brainchild of Chef Brent Marsh and Stan Kahng, this monthly “culinary salón” is the taste of the town.  Remixto is putting a new spin on Mexican fare with an ever-changing brunch menu featuring dishes like chipotle chilaquiles, lechon benedict, piña poptarts, poblano and chaya tarts with chammorro, candied bacon, slushy sorbet mimosas and other scrumptious sounding treats.  But the thing I like most, is their commitment to providing creative meals, made from scratch, using the freshest seasonal items available with an extra effort of incorporating as many locally grown/sourced products as possible.  You gotta love that!

The only complaint I have (selfish, I know!), is that judging from July’s date, it doesn’t look like it will coincide with our next trip *pouting*. But if your timing happens to be better than ours, you’d better make your reservation just as soon as they announce the next one!  They sold out in record time last month.   Note: The monthly brunch is hosted by MexicaChica and held al fresco in the lovely Casa Mexilio jardin.

So, there you have it, four fantastic reasons to love Merida even more!

We found out the reason why our water didn’t work last time. At some point, between our January and April visits, someone stole the copper pipes from the exterior of our home! So, before we head back, we’re having some new pipes installed. This time, we’ll be going with PVC.

Okay, so the lyrics aren’t exactly the most uplifting, especially if you’re a sappy romantic. But I just have to share my favorite Julieta Venegas song.  I usually have a difficult time understanding songs sung in Spanish, but her words are crisp and easy to digest. Press play and get ready to start tapping your toes!