A Look At Peter Leventhal

Perfect setting for that sofa

When we go the Pocket Theater, I could hang around for hours studying the Peter Leventhals hanging on the walls. They just seem to fit here. Leventhal was from New York and lives in San Miguel de Allende.

San Miguel Events had a story about Leventhal, and here is a snippet: "I spent a decade and a half of my life working for political causes as an artist, I did posters and brochures. It just seemed like an inclined endeavor. It just seemed to be getting less and less productive. I wouldn't say that I wasted my time doing it, I met a lot of incredibly wonderful people, but in terms of the salvation of the American soul, if I can be pompous like that, it seems to have been negated. And that's why I'm here in a way. Somebody once said to me when I was young, the wonderful thing about living here in New York or San Francisco or Provincetown Mass., one of the places on the map of the outsider sensibility, is that you can live in exile in your own country. But you couldn't do that anymore as far as I saw, so I literally exiled myself here to Mexico. I've been coming to Mexico for 40 years, but as a tourist or for several months of the year. I first came to San Miguel 20 years ago. I'm not active. I'm not even particularly deeply interested in quotidian politics in Mexico. But for me there's a human quality here that I can't find any more in the United States. The way people hold their children, the way that they correspond with one another… I have a great affection for those qualities, and they seem to be erased from life in the United States. There are other things, but I don't want this to be a political polemic."

Hurricane Carlos

Tropical storm Carlos was upgraded this morning to a Category-1 hurricane Carlos, prompting authorities to issue a hurricane warning for parts of Michoacán and Guerrero, including Zihuatanejo and Ixtapa.

Maximum sustained winds are now 85 mph and landfall has shifted from Cabo San Kucas to Mazatlan.

The storm was located 190 kilometers south of Acapulco and 390 kilometers southeast of Lázaro Cárdenas at 4:00pm Central Time and moving slowly northward, with a swing toward the northwest expected by early tomorrow.

Learning Spanish

Bev's Spanish lessons are paying off for me. When I've met a Mexican, I have always asked Come se llamo? They look at me strangely and point to themselves with a questioning look on their faces. "Me," they seem to ask.
I say, "si."
"Jose," they respond.

I wondered what their problem was with my Spanish. Today I learned what I was saying was, " Come se llamo? What am I called? Well, that's a guessing game isn't it. How would they know what I'm called, other than crazy gringo. He has forgotten his name.

I should have said, "Como te llamas? What is your name or how are you called?

Me llamo, Miguel is correct for I am called Michael.

Now maybe I won't get strange looks anymore.

SAFETY IN MEXICO

When you talk to folks back in the States, always one of the first questions "Is it safe?" John Scherber once again writes on safety on his blog:

SAFETY IN MEXICO "The constant drumbeat from the US media and the State Department on the subject of risk to travelers or expat residents in México is a subject I’ve addressed before, both on this blog site and in my nonfiction books. Recently I’ve received more messages on my website...on this topic, ... It might be time to put up a few sane comments on this issue again."

Check out Scherber's blog for the rest of the story. Good Day!

Tropical Storm CARLOS

The hurricane center has a tropical storm on its radar named Carlos. The National Weather Center has the storm brushing the coast about where Puerto Vallarta is, then another possible track derecho straight ahead to Cab San Lucas.

It is predicted that Tropical Storm Carlos will become a hurricane between this Friday and Saturday. The storm is currently packing sustained winds of 50 MPH.

Ten Reasons to Love Mexico City Right Now

Ann Abel of Forbes, “Mexico City is the only city in North America that has a strong sense of tradition and a cutting edge,” says American expat Jason Fritz, who moved here last year after a decade in Tijuana and runs a roving supper club. “In the center, it’s very old-school, with people living as they did 60 years ago, but in other neighborhoods it’s totally contemporary.”

His business is booming. “Mexico City is the ‘next Berlin,’” he says, half-joking, a stop on the cool-seeking circuit. The DF—Distrito Federal, like the DC in Washington DC— is far safer, cleaner and more livable than it used to be, thanks to efforts to curb pollution and crack down on unscrupulous taxi drivers, among other initiatives.

DF native Samuel Leizorek, managing director of the chic Las Alcobas hotel, sees the city becoming more appealing to leisure travelers: “The gastronomy, archaeology and culture are great here. Mexico City is as good as many European capitals and easier for a long weekend from the U.S.” (Aeromexico has frequent service; New York is only about five hours away.)

Read the rest here for the ten reasons.

Los Sombreros chef Azucena Tovar looks to hometown in Mexico for inspiration

Karen Fernau, azcentral.com, writes "Chefs can be both informative and entertaining. Chef Q&A offers a peek into the kitchens and minds of top Valley chefs: Azucena Tovar.

Chef: Azucena Tovar, chef and owner of Los Sombreros Mexican Restaurant.
Photo: Photo provided by Girl Meets Fork Marketing & Media)

Who are your influences? 

My mother, my hometown, my country.

What's your new favorite ingredient? 

Tortillas, beans and jalapeños. Of all of my favorites, I cannot live without jalapeños. I would rather die.

Why did you become a chef?

By accident but I love food just about more than anything else in life.

Is there anything you would never eat?

Yes, real exotic animals like snakes, lions, etc., and insects.

What is your favorite quote or saying about food?

I prefer food over just about anything.

What's your least favorite food?

Bland food.

Which flavor profile do you prefer? Salty, spicy or sweet?

I like to play with sweet and sour both at the same time.

What's one ingredient everyone should have in their fridge or pantry?
Peppers.

What's the best city in the world for food?

I love Paris, Mexico City and my hometown in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. That's what I cook, Mexican food with a French twist. I love them both.