Third row in at our Guadalupe cemetery is a substantial, Federal-style mausoleum for Oratorio priests. The Oratorio church in centro, run by said priests, is twofold unique. One is the founder’s preoccupation with the notion that joy, laughter and song bring one closer to God. …
The Model for Mexican Masculinity
St. Joseph is mentioned only eight times in the New Testament. Prior to the late medieval period, Church doctrine rarely noticed him. However, in 1555 this humble carpenter, Mary’s husband and foster father of Jesus, was made patron of the conquest and conversion of Mexico forever influencing favored Mexican …
Disturbingly Delightful Ditty
As bad, but still, luck would have it, the week before the virus hit town a year ago my favorite dance student stumbled breaking her leg and hip. Hips heal somewhat fast, but in your 80s major bone breaks take a bit of time and she’s been …
The Dancer in the Kitchen
This week was the feast day of St. Paschal Baylon, a lad featured in most every San Miguel de Allende restaurant and kitchen that during the 18th century was a major cause for celebration for those that worked in orchards. Paschal (also known as Pasqual, Pascual and alike) tended …
Fossil-Hunting in San Miguel
The best area for exploring Mesoamerican sites in San Miguel de Allende runs from the border of colonia San Luis Rey out to Las Canas, a community on the road to Dolores Hidalgo behind Los Labradores. This same area features an abundance of fossils giving insight to what the San Miguel de Allende area was …
Colonial Nuns – Where Feminism Met It’s Match
When I was a child my father would dress up as a nun to be Master of Ceremonies at local churches’ roasts of their priests. Dad was introduced as the visiting Sr. Virginia allowing him to add “Virgin for short, but not for long.” Since apples …
Nuns – Paradise’s Flowers
Gambol into the lobby of the Hotel Real de Minas, cross the courtyard of the Allende Institute or visit any antique store in town and you’re bound to view a painting of a 18th or 19th century nun wearing a crown of flowers. Who is she? What does she represent? Is she …
Town’s Bugs in Old World Masters
In the past painters got their pigments from nature. For example, raising a family in the Low Country, indigo was the in demand blue dye raised on plantations. Here in the San Miguel de Allende it was red cochineal, a cacti-dwelling bug that expanded scarlet’s appeal. This particular shade of red reached …
Unicef Sponsors Maria’s Coloring Book!
Following recent jumps in popularity as the Mexican Maria doll has floated around the world to international landmarks like the pyramids, Big Ben and the Sydney Opera house, Maria’s popularity continues to soar. This month both the Smithsonian and Unicef have sponsored the locally made Mexican Maria Doll Coloring book. Each coloring book sale through Unicef provides vaccines …
The Most Popular Leaf (No, Not Pot)
Recently on a tour was an antiques collector that I asked “Out of all the vintage items she collected over a lifetime what was a unifying design element?” Without missing a beat she replied “Acanthus”. Acanthus is a flowering plant that does well here in …