Holiday Magique

This is cotton candy stuck to the tree. Vendors shoot it out of their machines into the air for kids to jump and grab. It's all over the place.

It's too bad the holiday season has come to an end, because they really know how to do it. The police close off big chunks of downtown every night for pedestrian pleasure, something U.S. cities should do more often. Families are out late, neon light-toys zip around, and there are so many sweet treats to snack on (like gooey plantains with condensed milk, crema, and strawberry jelly). My favorite activity is snatching cotton candy out of the sky before all the short children can reach. It's actually quite mesmerizing how it floats in mid-air. These photos show bits of evidence from our nightly magique in the streets.

Every kid except me had one of these 6ft. pencil balloons. I wanted one in the worst way...

Last night we, along with the rest of the world, celebrated New Year's. A friend was telling us about the Mexican tradition of shoving cash in your right shoe, standing on your left foot, and popping grapes in your mouth and making wishes during the countdown. It sounded like a pack of lies to me, but sure enough, when the moment arrived, our host passed out prepared cups of 12 grapes each (one for each month). We gathered around the TV, and it was funny how the "Happy New Year!" moment was kinda quiet because everyone's choking down grapes. The newscasters just stood there trying to smile and swallow. In the next few minutes, everyone at the party greeted everyone else saying "feliz ano". (I didn't have the heart to tell them that they were missing a word. )

-PJ

upstairs birds

cooks illustrated

For hangover mornings we like making chilaquiles con todo.

Huachinango al Ajillo: Snapper baked with lots of butter, garlic, and dried guajillo peppers. PJ had this at a seafood restaurant La Veracruzana and its his favorite.
It went well with a cold, raw chayote salad.

Quesadillas Fritas
Our favorite food stand is on the corner of Colima and Morelia streets in the neighborhood called Roma. A lifeless white monolith by day, it folds out into a bright oasis from seven to eleven pm, eminating light, warmth, and delicious smells. Inside the stand a mother and her grown son make warm comforting food for the hungry crowd. During the holiday, hot Ponche (a fruit and cane drink) is served from a bucket over fire. The stand specializes in quesadillas fritas skillfully crafted by the mother always with a calm friendly face. The experience is magical and we are mesmerized by the performance for the entire thirty minutes of waiting.

The other night, we made our own. We would first press a ball of fresh masa dough into a disc with the tortilla press and then add the filling of oaxaca cheese and rajas. The tortilla is folded and sealed in a half-moon shape and then fried in vegetable oil. The familiar sensory experiences made us feel as if we were huddling near the hot fryer of the quesadilla stand.

FELIZ NAVIDAD

Shoe Leather

A few notes about my favorite way to get around...

Subway- For some reason, I was programmed to feel nervous about taking the Metro in Mexico City. I have some news... It's the cleanest, most efficient joy ride you can imagine. We've never had to wait more than 20 seconds for a train. At certain times of day, they reserve the front half for women and children. Vendors come onto the cars, no surprise, but yes surprise to what they sell: Algebra textbooks, rubix cubes, and laminated copies of the Periodic Table. I love science and math, I'll take five of each! I also love the music vendors (usually blind) who walk in with a stereo strapped to their chest blasting Ace of Base or No Doubt. The whole system must move millions of people through the city per second, and it only costs 2 pesos a ride (15 cents).

-PJ

Teotihuacan

Kenny, just being himself

Ashland sits on "The Moon Pyramid" and wonders why none of the structures have rooms

Bad boys enjoy an off-limits side of the pyramid

Man basks while we catch our breath and talk about Michael Jackson

The sun as seen from "The Sun Pyramid"

Our friend Ashland was in town for the week and encouraged us to take a trip out to the pyramids (something we'd been meaning to do). The chachki vendors were out in full force, of course, and one guy followed behind Kenny while massaging his back with a polished obsidian ball. They also gave us quite a fright blowing these whistles that actually sound like growling jaguars. The pyramids are breathtaking and the atmosphere is strangely quiet and serene. It was a well-needed escape from our busy city-life. Haha, yeah, we're real busy...

"The biggest X-mas tree in the world!"

Brought to you by PEPSI

Just to clear up some rumors... This is one tree that cycles through many colors and displays.