Last words

So I have been back in Blighty for 4 days now.

I am staying with my parents till Tuesday when I get back into my flat.

So far the weather has been good,  and it is genuinely lovely to be home. Fish and chips never tasted so good - nor did Heinz beans.

Fish and chips you are divine

I met up with a number of friends at a pub in London yesterday and that was great. So nice to see and catch up with everyone (although as ever with events like this I didn't get to chat to anyone nearly enough). I have been making a number of dates to go out to dinner with people and have a proper catch up. I am sure that will keep me busy over the next couple of months.

Oh beautiful pie I have missed you!

People have been asking me what the best bit of my trip was, and it is genuinely hard to pin point. The central coast wine country was super, as was Palm Springs both times I went. But overall it was all a fantastic trip, and I am so pleased that I did it.

If you get the opportunity to have an extended time away from work I would highly recommend it. Spending months in one place really helps you get a sense of what it is truly like, and what it would be like to live there. 6 months in LA (and surrounds) hasn't put me off the place at all.

I don't know what the future holds, but for now I am really happy to be home and am looking forward to spending the summer in London. I will start looking for work next week, and I'll let you all know if I am still so enamoured by our capital city come September...

Thanks for reading my blog, and I hope you have enjoyed reading it as much as I have enjoyed doing all the things I have been up to! Now I am off to enjoy the rest of my birthday!

Final week in DF

So my final week in DF was lovely! Apart from spending as much time in the swimming pool as possible, I:

Went to St Regis for their unlimited Veuve champagne brunch again. This was lovely and by mid afternoon there were around 20 odd people there in our group! I was restrained yet again with the unlimited bubbles, and I can't thank Zantac enough for their pre-emptive qualities!
Next time I will make it to the Four Seasons who have better food apparently, but also have unlimited Tattinger which I am rather partial to! It was another fun afternoon, particularly the part when a friend who was a bit squiffy slid under the table, and another friend said as quick as a flash: " 'X' has literally drunk himself under the table!" Good times!

The best chilaquiles in Mexico

white chocolate and passion fruit mousse and some blackberry thing (that wasn't nearly as nice!)

smurf flavoured macaroons

Tuesday was my friend's birthday and we went out for lunch at a lovely French cafe right near where we live. It is a training facility, so the service was very very slow, but the food was pleasant enough, and the wine lovely. The outside space was super. Cakes and beer followed back at the apartment, with a few friends popping round for a catch up.

Then Wednesday was time to go. I had bought my leaving date forward a couple of weeks to help my friend out on the flight (more of later).
May 1st was Labour day which had the biggest demonstrations I have seen so far in the city. It shows some dedication to march on your day off work! The first wave in the morning went on for about 2 hours and thousands of people marched down Reforma towards the Zocolo. It was pretty darn noisy. Our shopping mall downstairs had riot police lined up all the way along it, in case things got a bit out of hand I guess...

I met some friends for my final brunch of chilaquiles. These are my fave food thing from Mexico. Tortilla chips drowned in a green slightly spicy sauce with cheese, sour cream and shredded chicken over the top. Delish! I will miss them.

Then off to the airport early evening to try and get an upgrade so I could sit with my friend and her 8 week old baby to help them out. Alas there was nothing doing. They wouldn't upgrade me for free, and I couldn't afford the £250 to pay for an upgrade to premium economy, so I sat back in cattle, whilst my friend had to struggle alone in Prem. 

I went to check on her a few hours into the flight, and there was an empty seat right next to her, along with a number of other empty seats available! Bad form from BA for a silver and a blue loyalty customer. They were kind enough to let me sit up there for landing, but I think that was only so I could help my friend with her bags and they wouldn't have to! I have always loved BA, but a letter will be written. On this occasion I felt they were pretty mean. The reason they gave for not upgrading me was catering needs. As if I would have complained about getting an economy meal in premium if they had upgraded me for free! Food was not good in economy, but film choice was pretty good. Alas I had seen a lot of them.

And then after a sleepless flight we touched down, and as is BA's habit, they said those words: "..and if you live in the UK, welcome home!" I am a bit soppy about this, and it always makes me tear up!

Mum and dad were there to greet me at terminal 5, which was lovely, and I said goodbye to my friend and headed off to the majesty of Watford in glorious spring sunshine...

Frida

So in a distinct change from last Friday afternoon, this week, after a Japanese lunch we headed off to Coyoacan, a largely residential district in the south of the city.

The reason for us battling the DF traffic and getting 8 miles in an hour?! Friday Kahlo's house.

Frida was one of the most famous and iconic of Mexican painters. She was also married (on and off) to another one of Mexico's famous painters, Diego Rivera. I would say watch the movie ('Frida') to find out more about her, but despite having a fascinating life I found the movie rather dull!

Her house was beautiful. I don't know if it was its current shade when she was a resident, but it is an amazing blue.

It was 80 pesos to get in (about £4) but they then charged you another 60 pesos to take photos without a flash! I know it wasn't a lot of money (just over £2.50) but the principle of paying to take photos annoyed me. Charge everyone 100 pesos for entry and let them all take photos!!!

Anyway rant over. The first couple of rooms had some of hers and Diego's works:

Not one of Frida's but I kinda liked it anyway!

Rivera

Rivera

We then went along to the kitchen, which was very old fashioned but all rather lovely, followed by the studio which was great. You could see how the natural light in the room would inspire both of them:

The bedrooms were a little 'out there', with lots of strange things hanging off the beds. The bedroom where Trotsky stayed (downstairs) was probably the most normal!

The outside space was very large and there was an amazing terrace where I hope they had some amazing parties (Frida was known for her love of wild parties!) There was also a rather large pyramid...Not really sure why that was there...

In the other part of the grounds (which looked like an extension rather than part of the original), Vogue Mexico had put together a small exhibition of some of her clothes, her harnesses (she was left disabled by both Polio as a child, and a horrific tram accident when she was 18) and clothes by modern day designers that were inspired by her. 

It was too dark in there to get truly fab photos, but I did the best I could without a flash!

Some of Frida's dresses

Frida

fabulous necklace in silver

fabulous headress

Frida by Frida

Dresses by Givenchy inspired by Frida

I am glad I went, but as the return journey was 2 hours in DF traffic, it was a rather long way to go! 

Coyoacan itself is very cute. The main square is flanked by cafes selling churros and crepes and a rather impressive church We stopped and got some deep fried goodness with my two finger doughnuts being stuffed with cajeta (like caramel). 

Very sweet but very good, and my first churros in DF!

Ferrero Roche?!!!

So I was lucky enough to visit the Ambassador's Residence here in DF for a reception. 

It is in Lomas, the most chi chi part of town, which is very residential, but also quite a way from the Embassy in the legendary DF traffic. 

With the Embassy being so colonial looking, I was expecting the Residence to be the same. Certainly the Ambassador's residence in Moscow was very traditional looking and rather beautiful.

The residence was not what I was expecting at all! It was very cube like from the outside, rather grey and a bit austere!!!. 

However inside was lovely, with furnishings that made it much warmer. The gardens are fabulous, and the staff there do an amazing job of keeping them tip top. 

Unfortunately the rainy season has started in earnest a week early here, and it rained before we arrived (7ish), and it didn't stop for almost 4 hours...

view from the balcony

view from the ground

So it meant that we were standing under a marquee whilst listening to the speeches and drinking lovely G and Ts. However that didn't dampen the spirits of me, or the many other guests there who were networking and enjoying the DJ's mix of Brit hits ( I could have done with a bit more 'Muse' and a bit less Shirley Bassey personally...)

There were no Ferrero Roche. I am not going to lie to you. I was a little disappointed. However the canapes were rather good:

• Sausage rolls (of course)
• Tuna ceviche on tortilla chips
• Lobster in mini bread rolls
• Chicken empanadas (the winner)
• Mini cheese and cranberry tarts
• Goat cheese mini pizzas
• Some pork things

Dining Room

They were very generous with the canapes, and not matter where we stood, the staff kept coming to us. And how could we resist? (ahem!!!)

Of course this left me rather full for my dinner in Lomas...

We went to a lovely restaurant that was surprisingly busy for a Thursday night.I couldn't spot a bottle of wine under £25, so settled for a glass (or two). I had some kind of white fish from the Pacific that I had not heard of, with capers, black butter, olives and a crushed pots. Lovely! 

A super end to a lovely evening!

More roaming in Roma, and a spot of rain...

So with the weather being as lovely as it is, it's the perfect excuse to go for a walk with the pram.

Where we live, borders the neighbourhood of Roma, so we trotted round the block and joined the leafy streets, old colonial buildings and pavement cafes of this artistic area.

We walked through Place Rio de Janeiro where I caught up with my old friend Dave (or David).
This is a massive statue and looks rather impressive in the beautiful square.

Casa Lamma a rather lovely spot. It is a cultural centre and a restaurant, with Moet umbrellas outside. Alas this was not yet open for lunch (at 12.30pm) so we went back to Rio square for a libation, and my friend some eggy sustinence. 

True to form, The Weather Channel got it right, and at around 6ish we had a thunderstorm. This is the most rain I have seen since I got here 2 months ago! You can also hear some thunder on the video. 

The rainy season normally starts in May, so it is a week early, but as long as the sun remains during the day, I am happy for it to rain for around 10 minutes each night. It makes the place feel fresher, and certainly makes it cooler at night. I only woke up 3 times in the night last night!

Boozy Fridays and a big old roast

So part of the beauty of not working is being able to drink with impunity on a sunny afternoon. As all the afternoon's here are sunny this could end up being pretty lethal. 

However I try and save it just for Sunday Brunches and the odd Friday afternoon.

This Friday a friend took me up to Roma, a lovely neighbourhood just over a mile south west of where I am staying. The plan was to go to Contramar, a rather chi chi Parisien looking restaurant that was absolutely packed by the time we got there (2.30ish - Some Mexicans finish at 2pm on a Friday!)

Neither of us wanted to wait an hour to be seated, so we had a mooch around, and found another pleasant restaurant the other side of the roundabout. The wine was flowing, and my salmon and rice was delish, if a little greasy and not remotely Mexican!

Their desserts didn't tempt us, so we went over to Crepes and Waffles, where they did have a plethora of puddings, AND more importantly 241 on Prosecco for 69 pesos! Brilliant! So I had to have 4 glasses (obviously) 

mini nutella waffles, with my friend's white chocolate crepes in the background, and our Lychee prosecco

Very cute Boxer with an underhung bottom jaw - puddum!

 I then went home and proceeded to drink more alcohol, which was amateurish quite frankly! 

Saturday was spent recovering from Friday's alcohol intake, and making a key lime pie ready for a Sunday roast round a friends.

I have had one Sunday roast since I got to DF at a restaurant. It was nice, but rather small, and limited vegetables. However these guys know how to make a roast! It was help yourselves (bit lethal for me) and I piled my plate with chicken breast, roast potatoes, minted peas, roasted carrots, broccolli and sprouts, cheesy leeks, stuffing and gravy. It was immense!!! So good I went up for more spuds (of course!) and all the crispy bits from the potatoes as well.

We needed a breather before dessert, but my key lime pie went down pretty well, as did the trifle the hosts had made (something else I hadn't had in quite some time).

Started eating it, before realising it needed a photo!

Again the bubbles were flowing, and I went home absolutely stuffed, but very very satisfied!!!

Then onto another gathering upstairs where I met an ex nun, and we had a bit of an earthquake.

Lovely, lovely weekend!

Did the earth move for you?

DF is  is one of the most active areas in the world for seismic activity, or 'earthquakes' as we non geologist foks like to call them!

Apparently small ones (that we don't feel) happen pretty much all the time, but I have felt 3 since I have been here, and in the valley where we are is one of the worst places to be, along with Roma, Condessa and downtown near the Zocolo.

My first a few weeks ago was rather confusing as I wondered if the strong winds were making the couch move. No one else felt anything, so I assumed it was my imagination, before a friend received a text from someone else talking of an earthquake around 5. something!

Then one before Easter weekend. I was watching TV and thought again the wind had picked up, as the blinds had started moving in the flat.  My friend's fiancee came out of their bedroom and asked if I could feel it, and that's when I realised this was another earthquake - again in the 5s. The couch moved again, but it was the fish tank where it could be most noticed.

I barely felt either of them, but that is mainly to do with the excellent way that this very tall building has been designed.

Last night was the biggest so far. I was sat in a friend's apartment, two floors up from where I am currently staying and we were out on their rather large balcony. The lights and music went off in the apartment, and another friend's phone started making an awful racket - turns out he has an app that warns you of impending earthquakes. The balcony then started to sway from side to side. Don't misunderstand me, it wasn't a violent jerk, but a very real, very definite swaying. It went on for a quite a while, around a minute and my motion sickness began to kick in.

Fortunately it stopped, but not soon enough for my balance, as I felt like it was still happeneing for at least 10 minutes after it had stopped. The lights came back on after around 20 odd minutes and all was well with the world again.

I am pleased to say I have had an earthquake experience, but am in no hurry to have another one!!!

Museo Soumaya

The Soumaya had been somewhere I wanted to visit from my last trip to Mexico City.

The silver tiled building in Polanco is beautiful, although it would probably look more dramatic if there weren't two shopping centres flanking its two sides. Built my Carlos Slim, the richest man in the world as a tribute to his wife, Soumaya, who passed away in 1999.

Inside you are greeted by a large white vestibule with wooden floors. This is dominated by a massive version of Rodin's The Thinker and two Rivera murals. 

The wooden floors then lead you up onto a white spiral, which winds it's way up 6 floors. It was the most fluid thing in an otherwise rather strange museum experience. There are no windows other than a sky light on the top floor. 

I started at the vestibule  and slowly walked upwards, saving the best for last as it would turn out.

I read some professional reviews of the place after I had been, and I would have to agree with them . The two main criticisms are 1) the layout: It isn't curated well at all, and it is hard to know where to go next on pretty much every floor. I remember glimpsing a painting of a horse through a gap, thinking 'oh I must go back to that, it looks like a Stubbs', and then not being able to find it again!

2) the collection: there are some super pieces in here, but mainly it is lesser works by fabulous artists. There were approximately 12- 15 Renoirs and I didn't recognise one of them (although I hasten to add that I am not an art expert by any stretch of the imagination!)

 Some floors I skimmed over as they didn't massively interest me: the coins and artefacts floor, the religious paintings and crucifixes, and the Mexican floor (mainly with artefacts that are much better at the Museum of Anthropology). 

However the top floor is worth the visit alone! You are rewarded for shlepping all the way up that spiral with literally a plethora of Rodin and Dali statues. I spent almost an hour up here and 1.5 hours on the other 5 floors! There were some really great statues, particularly from Dali of whom I am a big fan. I got a bit carried away with the old camera...

I have been to much better art galleries around the world, but I am glad I visited and hey it was free!

I had worked up quite an appetite after all this art appreciation and went downstairs where they have a Samborns cafe. Samborns is a department store here, and their cafes are pretty darn good. The cafe in the museum was white, with bright orange and white chairs. It looked like the space station waiting room in 2001: A Space Odyssey.

I bravely ordered my first enchiladas of the trip. And they were delish!!! Chicken in corn tortillas with a green sauce and melted cheese. Washed down with a Coca Cola Light, I was very proud of myself for ordering and paying in Spanish.