September/October 2015
Category Archives: September & October 2015
Editor’s Letter
By Jane Bauer
I have always loved stories about how small businesses started out. I recently read about the growth of the popsicle (paleta) industry that started out as a mom and pop shop in Tocumbo, Michoacan. Today there are over 15000 off-shoots across Mexico and the U.S. There is something so honest about doing business with someone who is earning for themselves. Living in Huatulco, it is easy to conduct the daily business of buying food and goods and deal mostly with small businesses. By contrast, when procuring groceries in Canada or the US, it is very difficult to do so without shopping at corporate-owned businesses. Continue reading Editor’s Letter
Day of the Dead Recipe
By Jane Bauer
The Day of the Dead falls on November 1 and 2 of each year, coinciding with the Catholic holidays All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. It is a festive and joyous celebration for remembering and honoring those who have passed. Continue reading Day of the Dead Recipe
Fall Federal Holidays in Mexico
By Marcia Chaiken and Jan Chaiken
The fall calendar in Mexico is filled with holidays. At least 10 holidays occur during September, October, and November. Perhaps the best known to tourists are the religious holidays, especially the Day of the Dead. Continue reading Fall Federal Holidays in Mexico
Mezcal Bars in Oaxaca: Where to Imbibe in the State Capital
By Alvin Starkman, M.A. J.D.
Mezcalerías, or mezcal bars specializing in artisanal mezcal, began opening in Oaxaca at a furious pace last year. The meteoric rise in the popularity of the iconic Mexican spirit continues to spell more mezcal tourism to the state, in particular to the capital to which many visitors make pilgrimage; to sample, learn, visit the distillery of their favorite brand, and buy. Continue reading Mezcal Bars in Oaxaca: Where to Imbibe in the State Capital
Don’t Let the Smoke Get in Your Eyes
By Geri Anderson
I knew this was going to be a different kind of day when Aome and I squashed into a four-seater pickup truck with three young engineering students from IBERO University in Mexico City. At our first stop out of town, I watched as Oaxacan workmen with muddy feet and bulging muscles sloshed through the brickyard emptying buckets of sand and dirt into the pickup. The university guys added armfuls of bricks to the truck’s load, which already included lengths of PVC tubing and shiny aluminum piping, some elbow shaped for chimneys. Continue reading Don’t Let the Smoke Get in Your Eyes
A New Season in Mexico City and Environs
By Carole Reedy
September, for me, has always felt like the first month of the year. In our formative years, it’s the month when school begins, which signals many things new: classes, clothes, shoes, school books, and Sfriends. September’s also the month for new activities and variations played on tried-and-true themes. And we begin to plan for the holidays ahead. Continue reading A New Season in Mexico City and Environs
New Fall Selections: A Hit Parade of Good Reading
By Carole Reedy
Though falling leaves and dropping temperatures bring our thoughts to the end of another year, ironically autumn signals a beginning for many events: the school year, the opera, symphony, theater seasons and the award seasons. It’s also the season when new books begin appearing on lists everywhere, perhaps in anticipation of the Pulitzer Prize and the Man Booker and National Book awards. In 2015, we hit the jackpot, with a world of new choices for fall reading. The top writers of our time have outdone themselves. Here’s a sampling of fall titles. Continue reading New Fall Selections: A Hit Parade of Good Reading
Canicula, Mar de Fondo, and other weather phenomena
By Julie Etra
Canicula, canicular period, canicular days or the season of canicula refers to the hottest part of the year. My neighbor Larry Woelfel and I were chatting about the lack of rain and heat this summer in Huatulco and he exclaimed, “Canicula! Look it up, Julie!” Easy assignment for this lover of language and etymology. The Latin root of the word is canis, or dog and is a 14th century Old English word pertaining to the dogstar Sirius. It also pertains to dog days, or the dog days of summer, common in English-lingo. The canicular period lasts four to six weeks, depending on precise location relative to the equator and declination of the sun. Technically it begins when at midday or noon the sun is at its maximum height over the horizon. Continue reading Canicula, Mar de Fondo, and other weather phenomena
How To Get a Temporary Resident Visa
By Erin May
If you have fallen in love with Mexico’s beaches, culture and lifestyle and have decided you want to stay longer than a typical vacation it is important you understand the country’s immigration and residency policies. Continue reading How To Get a Temporary Resident Visa
