I want to start this post off by saying that Mexico is the sh*t! And I’m only going to highlight certain things because if not, it’ll take you three days to read through this. So to my Mexican brothers and sisters, if I have left something out, please don’t be upset, I just couldn’t figure out how to fit it all in. There’s so much!

As some of you know, specifically those who follow me on insta, I was in Oaxaca recently and before I went there I had already tasked myself with writing something about Mexico upon my return. So this post is going to have a little about Mexico City and a lot about the food in Oaxaca. I’ve also been to “beach Mexico”, but admit I have to go back for more experiences before I can fully write about it. And although being from an island makes it pretty difficult for me to justify spending money on beach trips, for Mexico I can make an exception and go back because the diving and fishing is 100.

CDMX

aka DF, is one of my favorite cities ever! If you haven’t been, GO. You won’t regret it. I like to describe Mexico City as one big museum. Whenever I’m there I always walk to everything that isn’t too far or uber. As you stroll around the city you see monuments, statues, and art everywhere. It’s almost impossible to go a block or two without seeing something beautiful just sitting there that probably goes unnoticed due to heavy traffic and fast city life. Just keep your eyes peeled, it’s amazing. Below is by no means everything that that there is to do in CDMX. This is more of a weekend guide. Everything listed you can do in a few days/short trip.

Places to visit –

• El Museo Nacional de Antropologia – One of the dopest museums I’ve ever visited, a MUST see.

• Museo Soumaya – Very cool architecture and a museum with over 66,000 pieces of art. Check it out.
• Museo de Frida Kahlo – located in Coyoacan. Also known as La Casa Azul. This is a must and you should buy your tickets in advance because the line for non-ticket holders wraps around the block. Coyoacan is also a super cute town. When I left the museum I walked a few blocks up to a small market and got some good food and cute little gifts. They have beautiful parks and a botanical garden as well.

• Palacio de Bellas Artes – located in the historic district. It has a lot of art by Diego Rivera and is also a music hall. They also have a pricey, but good gift shop.

• Torre Latinoamericana – caddy corner to the Palacio de Bellas Artes, is Mexico City’s most famous skyscraper. Besides history, there’s not much to it, pero el flow es to go to the roof top and get a 360 view of the city. It’s breathtaking.
• Zocalo – As in most cities, is the big central square, surrounded by churches, with tons of people everywhere. Central squares are always cool, so give it a gander and then go east a little bit to Mercado de la Merced. Which again, as in most cities is a market. Eat all the food.
• Arena Mexico – because, LUCHA LIBRE!! DUH!! This is the BEST! I bought my tickets in advance, because it’s only on certain days and I didn’t know how packed it would get. I did see people buying tickets there, so it may not be necessary, but I just didn’t want to miss the opportunity. You seriously have to do this, it’s just like the movies. It’s the coolest thing ever and so much fun. Don’t leave Mexico without going to one of these shows. Don’t!

Food! –

• Tacos Al Pastor – I had some at El Tizoncito, but you can eat these anywhere that looks good. And don’t just eat tacos al pastor, eat all the tacos you can get your hands on.

• Guzina Oaxaca – a little fancier place in Polanco that serves, you guessed it! Oaxacan food. I tried all of their moles and had some tostadas with chapulines (grasshoppers), surprisingly good. They also serve some Mezcal cocktails out of ceramic gas cans. It’s just a fun way to have a Mezcal drink, but they were delish.

• El Bajio – located in Polanco. This was one of the best meals I had. It was suggested by a friend. I ordered the Tortitas de Huazontles con mitad pasilla y mitad sala roja. No words. It was everything. They also bring out tortillas and different salsas before your food comes, the salsa negra was on point.

• El Cardenal – located in the historic district. From what I was told is usually packed, but when I went I was able to get in easily and eat some amazing enchiladas.
• Churreria El Moro – also in the historic district, is about a block from La Torre Latinoamericana. Here you will eat CHURROS!!! They’re sooooo good. Def go, even if you’re not hungry, there’s also room for dessert. Also the Aztec Hot Chocolate.

Aside from those places, while walking around the city, I also went to a lot of street vendors and ate whatever they were offering. As well as en el Mercado de la Merced. You can never go wrong in food markets.

All in all, I will visit CDMX visit over and over and over again because there’s so much to do and see. It’s such a dope a** city with such good food, there’s no way you can go just once.

OAXACA

I spent most of my time in El Centro and also went out to a couple Mezcal distilleries. This trip aside from being there during Dia de los Muertos, was definitely more centered around food, as Oaxacan cuisine is known to be some of the best Mexico has to offer. If you followed my insta story, you know that I ate all the food and drank all the mezcal. During my visit, I went to two different Mezcal distilleries, one was more of a tasting and walking through the fields of agave, the other was a very detailed and educational tour of how Mezcal is actually made. There is a lot here that I didn’t highlight; the art, the churches, the museums. I did all of that too, and was left completely enamored by Oaxaca.

Here is a breakdown of the restaurants that I visited and what I ate –

• The first thing I ate when I got to Oaxaca was something I had been craving for weeks before my trip; Elote. Elote is corn on the cob, covered in butter, mayonnaise, cheese, chile, and lime. I can’t express how good they are, but can guarantee that you’ll love them. Eat one and sit in Mexican street corn bliss until you’re done. You can get these from any street cart that sells them en El Centro.

• Go to the rooftop bar and restaurant of Los Amantes Hotel for some dranks. I had the Mezcal con chile, Mezcal con mandarina, and Mezcal con petalos, rosa de jamiaca y limon. All were delicious, my fave was the one with chile. The atmosphere at Los Amantes is super chill and the staff is great. They also have a killer view of La Iglesia Santo Domingo; day or night, it’s beautiful. My only regret is that I didn’t get a chance to eat there, which really is a shame, because their menu looks delish. Oh! they also have local beers. Try them!

• Casa Oaxaca – I had Mezcal with ginger, hierba buena, limon, and rimed with chile to start while I read the menu. I realized that the menu looked familiar to me and it’s because they are the same restaurant as Guzina Oaxaca in CDMX! I ordered the Tamal de Muerte and the Pato Frito. It was a great dinner on the rooftop of the restaurant, with a bright half moon and music from the comparsa.

• Los Danzantes – is a small courtyard restaurant with a big fountain. It’s beautiful and the vibe is tranquilo. There I drank a Sr. Pepino and ate some Mogo Mogo. Their water has rosemary, cucumber, lemon, and orange in it; super refreshing. And they serve some mushroom bread and tortillas with a red onion/chile butter that I could’ve just scooped into my mouth. Come to think of it, not sure why I didn’t.

• Pitiona – I got a lot of mixed reviews on this place from locals. Everyone said it’s an either ‘you love it or hate it’ type of restaurant. In my opinion, the menu doesn’t read well. When I was looking over it, I was a little bummed because I felt like I wasn’t going to like anything. I spoke with the waiter and asked him for suggestions/told him to bring me what he liked best, and he didn’t disappoint. The Tamalitos de Frijol en Mole Chichilo…OMGGGG! It surpassed my expectations. Give it a try for sure.

• Itanoni – Blue corn heaven. Go with an appetite and try everything, but especially try the Tetelas, Memelas, and De Eses. Oh, and get a bowl of the Aztec Hot Chocolate.. mmm.

• Fonda Florecita – located in Mercado de la Merced en la Zona del Pan. I ordered the Enchiladas en Mole Colaradito Picante con Tasajo. The flavors!!!! Sooooooo good!

• Yu Ne Nisa – Comida Istmeña. Este restaurant esta en la marquesina de una casa, and the owner/chef, Ofelia and her family are there to make you feel at home. Ofelia sat down with me for my entire meal and we just chatted about everything while she fed me. She gave me a tasting of almost everything she had available in her kitchen at the time that I went. It’s a pretty popular spot and she cooks with what she has, so she had run out of a few things by dinner time. I was so full and she just kept feeding me. Like any hispanic home you go to, you’re not allowed to turn down food.

• Mercado 20 de Noviembre – is another local food market. Try the Tlayudas and Enfrijoladas. Delicioso! You can also buy chapulines and guzanos de maguey to eat on spot or to take home to cook with. When you’re done here, hop right next door to El Mercado Benito Juarez for local gifts and souvenirs.

The Mezcalerias I went to the most were Los Amantes and Mezcalito. Mezcaloteca is cool, but more of a wine bar. Oh, and a great bar to visit is Casa Estambul, they have FANTASTIC cocktails. I only had Mezcal cocktails and they were sabroso. The two distilleries I visited were Don Agave and Los Amantes. (fotos are from Los Amantes Mezcaleria and some of the property of their distillery)

Dia de los Muertos –

The celebration starts days before Dia de los Muertos. Todas las noches en casi todas las calles, pasa una comparsa, which is like a parade, where everyone walks around dressed in traditional costumes, faces painted, setting off firecrackers, and fireworks, playing music, and dancing to celebrate their loved ones that have passed. This was one of the things that I found so beautiful and drawing about the Dia de los Muertos; death is celebrated with so much life. But it makes sense. Dia de los Muertos is when the souls of those who have passed make a trip from the land of the dead to the land of the living, and of course when you receive someone after a while of not being with them, it’s with great happiness. The living make altares and decorate the tumbas of their loved ones that have passed with cempasúchil, candles, and offerings, such as; water, hot chocolate, mezcal, bread, mole, etc. On the night of October 31st, the offerings are for Los Angelitos, which are the souls of the children. Here you see tumbas decorada mas con jugetes y dulces, and on the night of November 1st, is when they put out offerings to receive the souls of the adults. There are certain offerings that are standard and they all have a purpose, other offerings can be what that persons favorite food was, if they liked to smoke cigars, etc. It’s very important for them to make these altares and receive the souls of their loved ones, because they believe that if their loved ones travel to the land of the living and find nothing/no one, that they will get sad and leave forever. It’s so important to some, that many people stay the night in the cemetery sleeping next to the tumbas of their loved ones.

I visited four Panteones. Walking through the cemeteries was a feeling I can’t describe. It wasn’t like a normal cemetery feeling. It wasn’t eerie, it wasn’t scary, it wasn’t dark. It was calming, it felt clean, and light. It made me my heart feel things that I’m not sure I’ve ever felt before. I remember standing at the entrance of the Panteon de Aztompa, and being 100% stunned. I literally froze. My jaw dropped, I put my hand over my heart and I just stood there taking it all in. It was fascinating. Pictures will never do it justice and will never transmit the vibe that’s in the air.

AAHHH MEXICO!!!!! There’s so much I left out. (And so much I haven’t even seen!) With all the info and pics that I have, I really could have done one post for CDMX and one for Oaxaca. It’s crazy. Feel free to shoot me a message if you have any questions that require more detailed answers. I wish I could share more, but I no lie have like 700 files between pics&vids, and it’s just impossible. Which means… you’re going to have to go and see everything for yourselves 😉

xo,

mangó

Instagram: @sheicab