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Museo Experimental El Eco

December 30, 2015 Jennifer Saracino
  Photo by Pablo León de la Barra via  Guggenheim.org blog

Photo by Pablo León de la Barra via Guggenheim.org blog

  Photo by Jennifer Saracino

Photo by Jennifer Saracino

  Photo by Jennifer Saracino

Photo by Jennifer Saracino

  Photo via  xalapo.com

Photo via xalapo.com

  Photo by Jennifer Saracino

Photo by Jennifer Saracino

  Photo by Pablo León de la Barra via  Guggenheim.org blog     Photo by Jennifer Saracino    Photo by Jennifer Saracino    Photo via  xalapo.com     Photo by Jennifer Saracino

by Jennifer Saracino

While living and studying in Mexico City last spring, I decided to take a break from my research and went outside for an evening stroll. I headed towards the Jardín del Arte, a peaceful and colorful park nearby in my neighborhood, San Rafael. 

I decided to walk the perimeter of the park, which I had never done before, and stumbled upon the Museo Experimental El Eco. Founded in 2005, the museum presents contemporary art projects by both Mexican and international artists. It comprises part of a group of museums run by UNAM (the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México) and was designed as an interdisciplinary space where artists are encouraged to present projects that draw from an array of diverse media including film, dance, poetry, and music. I peered past the door held ajar, intrigued by the long dark hallway and a sign that advertised free admission. 

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In PLACES OF INTEREST Tags Museo Experimantal El Eco, Mexico City, Mexico, Art, Museums
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MicroTeatro México

December 10, 2015 Maleeha Sambur
 MicroTeatro México | photo by by Coral Ortiz via  Chale Madame

MicroTeatro México | photo by by Coral Ortiz via Chale Madame

 MicroTeatro México via  Glits

MicroTeatro México via Glits

 Photo by Roberto Rojo

Photo by Roberto Rojo

 MicroTeatro México | photo by by Coral Ortiz via  Chale Madame   MicroTeatro México via  Glits   Photo by Roberto Rojo

by Jennifer Saracino

One night soon after I had moved to Mexico City, my friends announced that they had a surprise for me. They took me down a little alley in Santa Maria la Ribera, and we stopped just outside a nondescript building with a sign that read 'Microteatro.' In the Microteatro, you can watch a 'Micro Obra' (mini play) that's just 15 minutes long with 15 audience members. 

For our first show, we entered a tiny room with a bed that took up most of the space. Suddenly, an actor beside me started speaking to another woman in the room. She played a prostitute, eager to begin, but he, instead, began to recount a past memory. He spoke softly, gazing down at the floor, but then looked up . . . directly at me! 

The actor moved towards me and grabbed my hand. I looked at my friends in panic. He motioned for me to lie down in the bed. I prayed that I wouldn't have to speak - fortunately, I didn't. I was more of a prop, and the actor recounted the memories of his mother's funeral, while looking down at me, clasping my hand. 

I was mesmerized by the Microteatro. The owners fully optimized the entire building, making every room an intimate stage. The proximity to the actors themselves gave each of us a voyeuristic feeling - like we were privy to a conversation we shouldn't be hearing. 

The lobby of the Microteatro was filled with contemporary art and the laughter and lively discussions of its visitors. The first floor boasted a bar and antojitos, or little snacks, for purchase. 

If you're interested in experimental, accessible theater, I highly recommend the Microteatro even if you're not fluent in Spanish. The shows are short and direct, so they are easier to understand than a longer production. I'm not completely fluent, and I burst into quiet tears after one particularly poignant play.  But be warned: you might just get pulled onstage. 

MicroTeatro México
Roble 3
Santa María la Ribera, Cuauhtemoc, 06400
http://www.microteatro.mx

An earlier version of this post appeared on my blog, Something to Write Home About

In CULTURE Tags Mexico City, Mexico, Theater
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Verana | Yelapa, Mexico

November 15, 2015 Maleeha Sambur
  Photo via    verana.com

Photo via verana.com

  Photo via    verana.com

Photo via verana.com

  Photo by    Sabrina Ko

Photo by Sabrina Ko

  Photo by    Jillian Mitchell

Photo by Jillian Mitchell

  Photo via  Verana.com

Photo via Verana.com

  Photo via  Verana.com

Photo via Verana.com

 Photo via  Verana.com

Photo via Verana.com

  Photo via    verana.com     Photo via    verana.com     Photo by    Sabrina Ko     Photo by    Jillian Mitchell     Photo via  Verana.com     Photo via  Verana.com    Photo via  Verana.com

Located on Yelapa Island, off Puerto Vallarta, Verana is the vision of film industry veterans Heinz Legler and Veronique Lievre, and their cinematic sensibility was put to great use in creating this uniquely beautiful retreat. Surrounded by lush jungle and perched over the deep blue Bay of Banderas, their mountainside hideaway would be a magical place for a romantic retreat.

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In HOTELS Tags Mexico, Verana, Yelapa, Puerto Vallarta
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Coqui Coqui | Valladolid, Mexico

November 3, 2015 Maleeha Sambur
 Photo via  coquicoqui.com

Photo via coquicoqui.com

 Photo via  coquicoqui.com

Photo via coquicoqui.com

 Photo via  coquicoqui.com

Photo via coquicoqui.com

 Photo via Lonny

Photo via Lonny

 Photo via  coquicoqui.com

Photo via coquicoqui.com

 Photo via  Club Monaco blog

Photo via Club Monaco blog

 Photo via  coquicoqui.com

Photo via coquicoqui.com

 Photo via  coquicoqui.com   Photo via  coquicoqui.com   Photo via  coquicoqui.com   Photo via Lonny  Photo via  coquicoqui.com   Photo via  Club Monaco blog   Photo via  coquicoqui.com

by Maleeha Sambur

Though all four of the Coqui Coqui boutique hotels are stunning, it's the Valladolid location that tops my list of dream accommodations. Centrally situated on the oldest street in town, the one-room hotel's beautifully appointed guest house is located directly above the Coqui Coqui perfumery and comes outfitted with a private terrace, stone plunge pool, and freestanding tub. In addition to the perfumeria, where you can stock up on the popular fragrances or play at concocting your own, the property also features a restaurant, an open air spa, and a library. 

If you've got a trip to the Yucatan planned, Valladolid is well worth a detour, and a nice escape from more scene-y Tulum, offering quiet, picturesque streets dotted with colorful facades, delicious authentic cuisine, and proximity to ancient ruins and glittering turquoise cenotes. 

 

In HOTELS Tags Coqui Coqui, Valladolid, Mexico
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Casa Wabi

October 21, 2015 Maleeha Sambur
Casa Wabi - photo by Nicholas Alan Cope for WSJ.jpg
Casa Wabi walls - photo by Nicholas Alan Cope.jpg
Casa Wabi artist residence - photo by Nicholas Alan Cope for WSJ .jpg
Casa Wabi garden - photo by Nicholas Alan Cope for WSJ.jpg
Casa Wabi pool - photo by Nicholas Alan Cope for WSJ.jpg
Casa Wabi - photo by Nicholas Alan Cope for WSJ.jpg Casa Wabi walls - photo by Nicholas Alan Cope.jpg Casa Wabi artist residence - photo by Nicholas Alan Cope for WSJ .jpg Casa Wabi garden - photo by Nicholas Alan Cope for WSJ.jpg Casa Wabi pool - photo by Nicholas Alan Cope for WSJ.jpg

by Maleeha Sambur

Ever since I read about Fundación Casa Wabi in this 2014 WSJ story, my heart has been set on visiting. The stunning arts center situated along Mexico's Pacific Coast, not far from Puerto Escondido, is the result of the combined efforts of a formidable team of talent: Conceived by artist Bosco Sodi and designed by Tadao Ando, its 66 tropical acres also feature a contemporary art collection within a botanical garden designed by Alberto Kalach, and Patricia Martin serves as Director.

The foundation functions as both an artists residence and a haven for members of the neighboring communities, and Sodi has launched an arts education program with the aim of connecting resident-artists with locals - particularly children and young adults - through collaborative, socially and environmentally beneficial projects. 

The structures (a mix of residences, studios, and mixed-use spaces) meld modernist design elements with natural materials and native techniques. The buildings are a beautifully complementary hybrid of Ando's signature concrete walls with the traditional palapa-style thatched roofs that are common throughout the region, and open-sided rooms allow indoor and outdoor spaces to blend seamlessly. The convergence of art, architecture, and nature in this particular setting - between the rough surf of a windswept beach and the Sierra Madre del Sur mountains - makes for an otherworldly and truly unique atmosphere.

Photos by Nicholas Alan Cope for WSJ

In PLACES OF INTEREST Tags Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, Mexico, Bosco Sodi, Tadao Ando
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Hueso | Guadalajara, Mexico

October 2, 2015 Maleeha Sambur
Hueso+Restaurant+by+Ignacio+Cadena+at+Cadena+and+Asociados+-+photo+by+Jaime+Navarro.jpg
Hueso+Restaurant+by+Ignacio+Cadena+-+photo+by+Jaime+Navarro.jpg
cadena-asociados-bones-collector-hueso-restaurant-guadalajara-mexico-designboom-041.jpg
Hueso-restaurant-by-Cadena-Asociados-Guadalajara-Mexico-06.jpg
Hueso+Restaurant+Interior+-+by+Ignacio+Cadena+++Associates+-+photos+by+Jaime+Navarro.jpg
Hueso+Restaurant+by+Ignacio+Cadena+at+Cadena+and+Asociados+-+photo+by+Jaime+Navarro.jpg Hueso+Restaurant+by+Ignacio+Cadena+-+photo+by+Jaime+Navarro.jpg cadena-asociados-bones-collector-hueso-restaurant-guadalajara-mexico-designboom-041.jpg Hueso-restaurant-by-Cadena-Asociados-Guadalajara-Mexico-06.jpg Hueso+Restaurant+Interior+-+by+Ignacio+Cadena+++Associates+-+photos+by+Jaime+Navarro.jpg

by Maleeha Sambur

Mexico-based architect and designer Ignacio Cadena and his firm, Cadena + Associates, built Hueso, a restaurant in Guadalajara's Lafayette design district, for his brother, chef Alfonso Cadena. It's aptly named, given that thousands of cast aluminum animal bones line the walls. The theme is echoed in the bone-white painted brick of the interior, as well as the gorgeously tiled exterior. While it sounds a bit morbid, the result is actually a wonderfully light, airy, awe-inspiring dining space. More images here and here, and interview with Ignacio Cadena here.

Photos by Jaime Navarro

In EAT & DRINK, PLACES OF INTEREST Tags Hueso, Mexico, Guadalajara, Ignacio Cadena
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