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  • Atmosphere
    Senior Member
    • Jan 2010
    • 120

    Mexico thread

    So, it turns out that I'm going to spend the coming autumn in Mexico City. Therefore, I'd like to know your best suggestions of things to do (mainly interested in activities that involve eating and/or drinking) and see! I would also like to know if there are any good techno clubs in el DF (apart from Rioma and Sudaka?).

    Anyway, since a lot of the members of SZ live in the US, I guess this thread could be used as a thread for recommendations for Mexico as a whole, as some of you guys probably go there for vacation quite often.

    ¡Saludos!
  • petricor
    Junior Member
    • Mar 2015
    • 21

    #2
    I like taking my friends for dinner to El Bajio on their first night in Mexico. It's right next in front of the W hotel in Polanco half a block away from Reforma Ave. and Chapultepec Park. Their menu covers a wide range of typical mexican food from several regions. You can try barbacoa from hidalgo, mole from oaxaca, ceviche from veracruz or cochinita pibil from yucatan among many, many other things.

    Another fantastic option is the Mercado de San Juan in downtown. It's a short walk away from the Palacio de Bellas Artes right on the most congested pedestrian crossing in the country. It's a traditional neighborhood indoor market, and as such it carries a variety of produce, meat, food products and even some kitchenware. However its specialty is exotic meats (think lion or armadillo). A couple of stands in the market offer food prepared with these. They also have a great selection of cured meats, cheeses, and even insects.

    I'm not really into the clubbing scene, but one of my favorite places is on Julio Verne street half a block away from Lincoln park in "Polanquito." The place is completely unassuming: you walk into the restaurant and walk toward the restrooms. There is a big white door that looks like the entrance to some walk-in freezer. Ask any waiter about "Jules," and they'll buzz you into the secret basement club hidden behind the decoy door. The music depends on who is djing that night, but they are pretty progressive.

    Feel free to message me if you have any specific questions. I've been touring foreign friends in Mexico City for the last seven years.

    Comment

    • fncyths
      Senior Member
      • Apr 2010
      • 775

      #3
      saludos atmosphere y petricor!

      Polanco is nice and El Bajio is a great spot!

      When i'm in DF I spend most of my time in Roma / Condesa. I love Hotel Condesa DF. This is my spot. I can recommend some AirBnB's as well. Just let me know.

      Here are my go tos when I'm in the city:
      Broka.

      Romita Comedor


      Contramar

      also had a lovely dinner at MANDUCA BISTRO in Hipodromo. Don't think they have a website... great people.

      There's tons of good dance clubs. Grab a Time Out. I spun at this great indie club a few years back. Not might be your scene but tons of fun:

      COVADONGA!!!

      Last time I was there Quentin Tarantino was all tequila sweaty playing dominoes with a group of angry old chilango men, some hipsters , and a gaggle full of trannys. Covadonga is amazing!!!

      I'll edit this post later. Traveling now. I lived in DF and Oaxaca for some time and frequent those spots throughout the year.

      cheers,
      j
      Originally posted by Shucks
      it's like cocaine, only heavier. and legal.
      Originally posted by interest1
      I don't live in the past. But I do have a vacation home there.

      Comment

      • petricor
        Junior Member
        • Mar 2015
        • 21

        #4
        So a friend of mine is visiting Mexico this summer and I wrote this mini guide for him. I thought I could share it here too (sorry for the wall of text):

        " I would generally recommend at least five days to see most of what is worth seeing. When showing people around, I group stuff in day long promenades.

        Day 1: Downtown
        Zocalo, Museo del Templo Mayor, Metropolitan Cathedral, walk down Madero St. to Bellas Artes. Make a stop at the Sanborns housed in the Casa de los Azulejos (maybe get a piece of sweet bread and a cafe con leche). Head to Bellas Artes. See the murals that line the 5 story tall atrium by Rivera, Orozco, Tamayo and others. See also the subway station designed by Guimard in Art Nouveau style right next to Bellas Artes. There is a cafe with a terrace in the Sears in front of Bellas Artes. And, on the opposite corner, there is a restaurant on the 50th floor of the Torre Latino. Go to the Alameda. Find the Diego Rivera museum on the North West corner. See the Paseo de una Tarde Dominical. It's a must see. Visit the Patio of the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Hemiciclo a Juarez on the Alameda. Keep walking on Juarez St. Cross Reforma Ave. You'll be heading toward the Monumento a la Revolucion. It's been retrofitted with a glass elevator. Take it to the top for a panoramic view of from downtown. If you're hungry, go the Mercado de San Juan for cold cut sandwiches or traditional mexicna food (including some insects or exotic meat such as lion).

        Day 2: Reforma and Chapultepec
        Walk down Reforma Ave. toward the west. You'll see the monuments to Christopher Columbus and Cuauhtemoc. You'll also see the Independence Angel and the Diana Cazadora. Keep walking till you reach the Lions' Gate of Chapultepec forest. Go in, walk by the Ninos Heroes monument and take the train to the top of the hill to visit Chapultepec Castle. Great views, landscaping, and exhibition of how the Emperor of New Spain used to live. Come down the hill and exit the park by the Museum of Modern Art. Cross Reforma and walk into the Museo Rufino Tamayo, easily my favorite building in Mexico. There is a promenade that cuts through the forest and leads to the entrance of the Museo Nacional de Antropologia. Try to catch the show by the Voladores de Papantla right outside. It takes place twice an hour. When you go into the Museum, try to catch the audiovisual show in the lobby screening room. They have some really detailed models of all the archeological sites in the country. The museum has a monumental fountain shaped like an umbrella. It's breathtaking if it's on when you visit. Head straight to the last hall right in opposite end of the courtyard if you want to see the model of Tenochtitlan, the Sun Stone and a replica of Moctezuma's feathered head piece.

        Day 3: Teotihuacan
        Teotihuacan was abandoned even before the aztecs settled in the valley of Mexico. The sun pyramid is the second largest in the world (the largest is in Cholula). The whole city is quite amazing in its layout and architecture. Teotihuacan is a must see. Driving back and forth and walking around the ruins will take around 7 hours. Get a guide, they should charge you around 30-40 bucks for the whole group for a 90 min tour.

        Day 4: San Angel, Coyoacan, Ciudad Universitaria
        Try to visit San Angel on a Saturday. Get brunch at Saks, ask for the Huitlacoche omelette. Head to the bazaar sabado to get the nicest crafts from all across the country. Prices are reasonable and quality is top notch. The bazaar was started by american expats residing in the neighborhood. Visit Diego and Frida's houses by O'Gorman. The visit Ciudad Universitaria. It was designated as world heritage site recently. The murals that cover the national library building (also by O'Gorman) are the biggest in the world). Head to the Museo Universitario and have lunch at Azul y Oro. Then drive back to Coyoacan. Visit the two connected plazas at night for a taste of street life (there are always shows by folkloric dancers, mimes, open air plays, music bands, etc) get drinks on any of the bars lining the bigger plaza or try the "antojitos" at the mercado a block away from the smaller plaza. Frida's house, a few blocks away from the plaza has also been turned into a museum exhibiting some of her work and personal belongings.

        Day 5: Polanco, Roma, Condesa
        Some of the most exclusive residential neighborhoods close to the city center (there are way more exclusive residential areas in the suburbs). All the hip restaurants, bars, and shops are located here. You'll probably be staying somewhere nearby and will probably be having dinner / drinks around the area almost every night. You could also save this day to visit some of Luis Barragan's work. It all works by appointment so plan ahead of time. You should visit casa gilardi and barragan's own house. they are not too far from each other. visiting barragan's house is 20 usd per person and gilardi is free i think, but you have to call the family who lives there. you can also visit the convento de las madres capuccinas down south (a little farther away than san angel). it's a truly spiritual experience on par with zumthor's or scarpa's work. there's also a ranch up north. i've never been to it, but it's a classic. i'm sure you've seen pictures. the info to all the barragan sites is on the barragan house website. "

        Comment

        • Atmosphere
          Senior Member
          • Jan 2010
          • 120

          #5
          Thank you so much for your replies guys! Exactly the kind of stuff I wanted to know about!

          Petricor: Seems like following your guide would be ideal for me during my first couple of days in Mexico. I'll probably use it if I have any friends visiting while I'm there as well

          Fncyths Thanks for recommending Stella BB! I looked it up, and have decided to probably stay there for a couple of days before moving in to the room I'm gonna rent in Roma :)

          Also, Covadonga sounds fun... Will definitely go there!

          Comment

          • the-orb
            Senior Member
            • Jun 2009
            • 137

            #6
            I really enjoyed some of the suggestions in this thread so I wanted to provide a few suggestions of my own.

            If visiting the Bellas Artes museum, don't miss the Russian Avant-garde expo, going on until the end of January. Seeing Malevich's Black Square in Mexico City was a surreal experience, just like the work itself.


            The Museo Rufino Tamayo is absolutely worth a visit for the SZ crowd. Beautiful modern building that you should check out even if you aren't that interested in the artworks. My only complaint is that it only had one Tamayo mural at my time of visiting, easy to miss - it's between the coat check and the museum store entrance. However, the whole museum was filled with giant mural-type artworks and other large scale art installations that were impressive and fit nicely with the concept and architecture of the museum. There is a small garden in the rear part of the museum (you have to go outside first) with a grill/kitchen/sink that is a perfect place for a relaxing picnic away from the bustle. The museum store is also worth checking out. It has a careful selection of modern Mexico-inspired artifacts, magazines/literature and clothing, which I enjoyed more than most museum stores. Next to the store is one of my favorite places to get lunch in DF, the museum restaurant with an outdoor terrace with a view of the park greenery and unusually good food for a museum restaurant.

            The Sears terrace cafe mentioned above seems to be closed permanently. But if you are in Centro Historico near the Zocalo, go to the Museo del Estanquillo (free entrance), the museum of artifacts collected by Mexican writer Carlos Monsivais. I did not get a chance to actually explore the works at the museum, but go up to the top floor and you will end up at the gorgeous terrace with a view of all the colonial buildings around you, away from the street noise below.

            I also second the recommendation for getting food at the Coyoacan market. The deep fried quesadillas and beef tongue tacos with salsa verde were extraordinary and cheap. Getting a spot to sit down will be a challenge on the weekend though, so you might want to take your food to go and sit at the nearby plazas.

            The Casa de los Azulejos is absolutely worth a visit, especially the view from the second floor. However, I had a full lunch there this time and do not recommend it. There are so many much better food places in that area that I kind of regret it now - it tasted and felt like going to a fast food restaurant. You could instead check out one of the other recently pedestrianized streets, such as Calle Regina. While there, check out the Convento de Regina and a block away, a superb "vertical garden" installation. A good place for a snack or a drink on that street is Mezcaleria Al Andar:

            Comment

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