Tropical Storm Francine formed over the Gulf of Mexico on Monday and is taking aim at the Texas-Louisiana border. (NOAA)
Tropical Storm Francine in the Gulf of Mexico brought extreme weather to Mexico’s northeastern coast on Monday, and is expected to become a Category 1 hurricane by the time it hits the north-central Gulf Coast of the United States on Wednesday.
As of 12 p.m. Mexico City time on Monday, Francine had maximum sustained winds of 95 km/hour and was located about 200 kilometers off the coast of Tamaulipas according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC).
After nearly a month without a storm in the Atlantic Ocean — the longest streak since the 1960s — Tropical Storm Francine formed over the Gulf of Mexico on Monday and is taking aim at the Texas-Louisiana border.
Early Monday, the NHC still classified the system as Potential Tropical Cyclone No. 6, a designation that allows the NHC to issue tropical storm watches and warnings before the system becomes an officially named storm.
That changed quickly, however. As it strengthened into a named tropical storm, Francine began affecting Mexico’s Gulf coast. Mexico’s National Meteorological Service (SMN) issued a statement reporting “extraordinary storms” in Tamaulipas, “torrential rains” in Veracruz and “intense storms” in several other states.
Prior to that, the SMN issued its daily weather forecast still referring to Tropical Cyclone No. 6, explaining that the storm in the western part of the Gulf was being fed by weather front No. 1 (a cold front) and Tropical Wave No. 21, the latter of which had traversed southern Mexico, dumping considerable rain on Chiapas and Oaxaca.
Interacting with humid air from the Caribbean, the storm was poised to drench the Gulf coast and make it a rainy day across Mexico, according to the national weather agency.
The SMN warned Gulf Coast residents that high winds associated with the mass of cold air could potentially lead to storm damage in Tamaulipas, Veracruz and Tabasco.
The NHC also warned that Francine was generating surf swells along Mexico’s Gulf coastline , forecasting that they would spread north-westward across the coast through midweek. The swells pose life-threatening surf and rip current conditions, the NHC added, and minor coastal flooding in Tamaulipas is expected.
Tropical storm conditions could impact the northern coast of Mexico and extreme southern Texas beginning Tuesday, with total rainfall forecast between 101 mm and 203 mm, as well as along portions of the Texas and Louisiana coasts on Wednesday.
The NHC forecast shows Francine intensifying into a Category 1 hurricane before landfall, which is expected by Wednesday evening.
Two other areas in the open Atlantic have a moderate chance of developing into storms in the next seven days, according to the NHC.
There has been an increased presence of the Mexican armed forces in Culiacán since the arrest of Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada in July. (Cuartoscuro)
Two soldiers were injured and one other person was reportedly killed during an outbreak of violence in Culiacán, Sinaloa, on Monday morning.
Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha Moya said on X that soldiers came under fire at around 6 a.m. after detecting the presence of armed civilians in the La Campiña neighborhood, located east of downtown Culiacán. He said that two soldiers were wounded.
The governor of Sinaloa, Rubén Rocha Moya, has called on the population to remain calm as violence has erupted in Culiacán, the state capital. (Cuartoscuro)
Rocha said that security forces from all three levels of government responded in “a coordinated operation” and seized two vehicles abandoned by the aggressors “in their escape.”
The governor said that the situation had been brought under control, and called on citizens to remain calm. As a precaution, classes were suspended at schools in the area, Rocha said.
Citing unofficial reports, the Culiacán newspaper Río Doce reported that one person was killed and another wounded in clashes in the eastern sector of the Sinaloa capital. It said that confrontations first occurred between rival criminal groups, but did not identify them or the person believed to have been killed.
Videos have been posted on social media showing abandoned vehicles and footage of the clashes in Culiacán.
Río Doce said that armed men were seen traveling in at least 40 vehicles equipped with weapons. The Milenio newspaper reported that armed men were also seen in the north of Culiacán, a stronghold of the Sinaloa Cartel.
No deaths or injuries were reported as a result of the chaos that unfolded Aug. 29 in a rural area north of the Sinaloa state capital where accused drug trafficker Ovidio Guzmán López — one of the sons of convicted drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán Loera — was arrested in January 2023.
There have been numerous incidents of violence in Sinaloa since alleged Sinaloa Cartel leaders Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada García and Joaquín Guzmán López, another son of El Chapo, were arrested in the United States on July 25 after flying into an airport near El Paso, Texas, on a private plane.
One couple has made it their mission to visit every Pueblo Mágico in Mexico. This is their story. (All photos by Mexico Living The Dream)
What are Pueblos Mágicos? In a word, they’re where you can see the real Mexico: the diversity that truly represents this incredible country. The Pueblos Mágicos — Magical Towns — program is a two-decade-old initiative by the federal government designating towns that offer visitors an outstanding experience through their traditions. There’s magic for everyone in the form of gastronomic delights, incredible arts and crafts and stunning architecture.
I love the Pueblos Mágicos, which is is why I loved meeting Robin and Marty, two fellow adventurous souls who love getting out exploring and seeing the beauty of Mexico, then sharing it with the world.
Intrepid explorers Robin and Marty.
Robin and Marty are based in Cozumel, in the Mexican Caribbean. But summers are hot, so they travel around Mexico exploring as many Pueblos Mágicos as they can.
The couple started the YouTube channel Mexico Living the Dream, where they share their visits exploring and experiencing different towns, encouraging their audience to support these communities and the businesses in them. Robin blogs about the material that doesn’t make it into the videos on theMexico Living the Dream website. She shared her experiences as a Pueblos Mágicos devotee with Mexico News Daily.
There are 177 Pueblos Mágicos. Spread through all 31 states and the capital Mexico City. In fact, that’s the most Googled phrase about them: “Pueblos Mágicos near Mexico City.”
The scratch map that started it all.
It can seem like too much ground to cover, but Robin had a great idea: getting a scratch map ofall the Pueblos Mágicos across Mexico.
“So far we’ve explored a lot on our map,” Robin told me. “Scratching off a Pueblo Mágico each time we visit one. I also have the travel log to take notes so we don’t forget anything.”
Which is your favorite Pueblo Mágico so far?
Our favorite Pueblo Magico so far has beenJanitizio. It’s in Michoacan and has such a fascinating history. It’s a lake town in one of the little islands in Lake Pátzcuaro. The Routa de Vasco, named after early Spanish missionary and colonial master Vasco de Quiroga, is located around the lake and is a beautiful hike.
Lake Pátzcuaro and the island of Janitzio at sunset (Depositphotos)
Robin is an Oneida person, a Native American nation from what is now upstate New York. “We loved the message of how [Quiroga] supported the Indigenous populations. He was a positive change that is lasting to this day.” Which is why they decided to support and shine a light on the Pueblos Mágicos.
Each town is unique enough to qualify as a Pueblo Mágico. The regional specialties are what interested them most. “We want to see as much of the real Mexico with real traditional connections as we can,” Robin says.
The other reason they liked Janitizo is that it has three other Pueblos Mágicos nearby, so visitors can easily see four of the towns in a week.
What do Pueblos Mágicos offer?
Robin has a long list of fun things they’ve done visiting the Pueblos Mágicos. Her highlights include hot air ballooning over the ruins of Teotihuacán, meeting Groot and the Mad Hatter in the Christmas village at Tlalpujahua. And ziplining from one island to another in Lake Pátzcuaro — “where I got stuck and had to be rescued,” Robin tells me, laughing.
It’s not just the towns that are colorful – the people there are too!
In Santa Clara del Cobre, Michoacán, Robin and Marty learned the process of hammering out copper. Music lovers will enjoyParacho, the guitar town, where Robin got to help make a guitar.
Pueblos Mágicos mean relaxing in nature too
Nature watching is one of Robin’s greatest passions, which meant that visiting Michoacan for the annual monarch butterfly migration was at the top of her list. Another highlight was ziplining down a waterfall in Palenque. Another great nature adventure was repelling into an underground cavern in Ocozocoautla de Espinosa, Chiapas. “Green parrots nest there, and we camped overnight watching them leave in the morning,” Robin recalls.
Where to next?
“Coming soon will be a Querétaro trip,” Robin says.” “We’ve loved the wineries and tastings in that region — as well as Jalisco and the tequila tastings.”
But ultimately, for the next video, the “Top of our list is a train adventure through Copper Canyon. Starting in Sinaloa and ending in Chihuahua. Tune in and enjoy our adventures with us!”
I know I’ll be looking forward to seeing that one!
Mexico Correspondent for International Living, Bel is an experienced writer, author, photographer and videographer with 500+ articles published both in print and across digital platforms. Living in the Mexican Caribbean for over 7 years now she’s in love with Mexico and has no plans to go anywhere anytime soon.
The decline in Mexico's annual inflation rate came after the headline rate hit a 14-month high of 5.57% in July. (Galo Cañas/Cuartoscuro)
Inflation in Mexico declined for the first time in six months in August, falling to an annual headline rate of just below 5% as fruit and vegetable prices eased.
The national statistics agency INEGI reported Monday that consumer prices were 4.99% higher in August than in the same month last year.
La #inflación anual en agosto de 2024 fue de 4.99%, una reducción respecto al 5.57% observado en julio.
The 4.99% rate in August — just above the 4.98% reading in June — was lower than the 5.06% median forecast of banks, brokerages and research organizations surveyed by Citibanamex.
Mexico’s annual core inflation rate also declined in August, falling for a 19th consecutive month to reach 4.00%.
The Bank of Mexico board will hold its next monetary policy meeting on Sept. 26.
Inflation for fresh produce almost halved in 1 month
Prices for fruit and vegetables increased 12.61% annually in August. While inflation for fresh produce remained high, the rate declined significantly last month from a 23.55% reading in July.
Andrés Abadía, chief Latin America economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, said that the impact of adverse climatic conditions on consumer prices, primarily drought, is gradually easing.
Prices for fruit and vegetables increased 12.61% annually in August, down significantly from a 23.55% reading in July. (Galo Cañas/Cuartoscuro)
Annual inflation for the broader agricultural products category — which includes fruit and vegetables, and meat — was 9.45% in August, down from 13.72% in July. Inflation for meat ticked up to 6.12% from 5.36% in July.
INEGI data also showed that annual inflation for services was 5.18% in August, while energy prices, including those for electricity and gasoline, increased 6.58% compared to the same month last year.
Processed food, beverages and tobacco were 4.13% more expensive than a year earlier while prices for non-food goods rose 1.71% on an annual basis.
Inflation outlook in the second semester
Abadía predicts that the annual headline rate in Mexico will continue declining to reach 4.4% in December, while core inflation will end the year at 3.9%.
“Lower private demand, the improvement in supply conditions and delayed effects of stricter financial conditions will support this trend,” he said.
“However, upside risks persist, derived from volatile external conditions and internal political uncertainty,” Abadía said.
September is the final month of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s six-year term in office. Claudia Sheinbaum will be sworn in as Mexico’s first female president on Oct. 1.
Inflation approached 9% in the second half of 2022, reaching its highest level in more than two decades. The headline rate declined for nine consecutive months last year, but the trend since late 2023 has been mostly upward.
From the Pacific ocean to the Yucatán peninsula, which Mexican cities have made the cut in our series highlights? (Get Your Guide)
As our Where to Live in Mexico Guide moves towards its final handful of cities, now is a perfect time to stop and consider the highlights that we’ve seen so far. To help you get a feel for everything we’ve covered so far, we’ve selected five of our highest scoring cities — and what you thought about them.
Each of the five cities covered here is in a different Mexican state and only the Bajío region sees more than one entry on the list — although Chapala, not included here, scored highly in its own right. Surprisingly, only one beachside destination makes the cut, with the rest of our cities set in the highlands, plains and jungles instead.
The picture painted by our ranking so far is one of a country that is truly diverse but also unapologetically Mexican, with four of five cities being major cultural centers. All benefit from great transport connections and a variety of big box stores to satisfy even the most homesick snowbird.
So, without further ado, we present the Mexico News Daily Where to Live in Mexico Guide 2024 highlights:
Mérida
Mérida ranked highly thanks to great food, culture, history and connectivity. (Like Where You’re Going)
With a score of 4.33, Mérida is the second highest-rated city on our list so far, thanks to full marks in the Culture and Costco areas of our rating system.
Increasingly considered Mexico’s best city — sorry, San Miguel de Allende — the “White City” offers colorful markets, lively music and delicious Yucatecan cuisine. Its safe, friendly atmosphere and proximity to stunning cenotes, ancient ruins and beautiful beaches make it an ideal destination for history buffs, food lovers and nature enthusiasts alike.
We said: “A uniquely Yucatecan look and feel permeate the historic downtown — parks, plazas, the once palatial Paseo Montejo, French and Italian-styled mansions, and leafy ‘colonias.’ Some call it ‘criollo,’ a syncretism over centuries of Spanish-Mayan cultural mash-up laced with a 19th-century flood of wealth from an agricultural boom that bejeweled the city with exquisite European architectural gems.”
You said: “I’ve had to use healthcare in Mérida, and the experience and care was phenomenal in every aspect.”
Puebla
In a way, Puebla is the ultimate suburb of Mexico City, and its score – especially for shopping access – reflect that.. (City of Puebla)
In some ways, Puebla feels like an extension of Mexico City — albeit a smaller, more charming one. History, culture, art and a sense of the real Mexico mix here, giving residents the chance to enjoy big city living with a small city feel.
With easy connectivity to the capital, Puebla affords a sense of isolation without having to deal with the consequences of it. A 1.5 hour drive returns Pueblans to Mexico City International Airport and the litany of connections that it provides. This proximity also means that shopping options are plentiful and Puebla scores a 5 for Costco access, marking the proliferation of big box stores available.
Puebla is also renowned for its vibrant festivals — most famously, Cinco de Mayo. The city combines traditional and modern elements, with contemporary museums like the International Museum of the Baroque and lively nightlife. Nearby, visitors can explore the Great Pyramid of Cholula and charming surrounding villages known for artisanal crafts. All of this adds up to a very respectable and richly deserved total of 4.0.
We said: “Puebla city is Mexico’s most agreeable urban landscape, home to almost three and a half million, but without the clogging traffic and urban chaos that characterize Mexico City. Its Historic Center — a Unesco World Heritage Site — has hundreds of cataloged historic buildings, English-language interpretive signage, museums, clean streets and ample public parking. The compact downtown is well preserved and conveys a distinctive decorative and architectural impression that sets it apart from other Mexican cities.”
You said: “Puebla has an eclectic mix of modern living and cultural heritage, without many of the hassles of living in Mexico City.”
Querétaro
Querétaro is going places, and that brings security, prosperity and a connection with the real Mexico that is hard to beat. (Turismo de Querétaro/X)
Querétaro is a historic city in central Mexico known for its well-preserved colonial architecture, vibrant plazas and charming Historic Center, a Unesco World Heritage site. It offers a blend of modern amenities and rich history, with landmarks like the Aqueduct, stunning churches and lively cultural festivals. Surrounded by vineyards and natural beauty, Querétaro is a dynamic, safe and growing city.
We said: “Querétaro holds several treasures, and a friendly sense of civic pride prevails. The historic city center is filled with lovely colonial mansions, immaculate pedestrian walkways and quaint plazas little changed since colonial days. Its 18th century Acueducto of 74 towering arches (some standing 100 feet tall) are dramatically lit at night, stretching for miles across a broad valley on the City’s eastern edge.”
You said: “Mexican-Americans who’ve never traveled into the colonial cities or so far into Mexico, are stunned by the beauty of the City, its place in history, and its booming economy. They are always very impressed.”
Los Cabos
Luxury living and hedonistic partying can be yours in Los Cabos. (Los Cabos Tourism Board)
The twin cities of San José and San Lucas, which together make up Los Cabos, are not known as a beachside paradise for no reason. Whatever you’re searching for — be that Michelin starred food, the best golf in the world, partying with celebrities or just kicking back on the beach — you’ll find it in Los Cabos.
Iconic landmarks include the Arch of Cabo San Lucas and beautiful desert landscapes. Los Cabos offers a blend of relaxation, adventure and upscale dining experiences. While Cost of Living scores are low, this is largely a reflection of the luxury now available to those looking to live in the Baja California Sur paradise.
We said: “There’s truly world-class golf, dining, sportfishing and desert and ocean living that nowhere else in Mexico can match.”
You said: “Cabo is really two cities, San Lucas, the heart of booming tourism, known for big time sport fishing, world class golfing and partying. Its sister city, San Jose, is more relaxed, smaller and less touristy with an artist colony.”
Guadalajara
The leader of the pack so far is Guadalajara, with a massive 4.50 out of 5. (Enrique Alfaro/X)
With a bold 4.50 out of 5, Mexico’s second city makes a bid for the top spot in our rankings. The birthplace of mariachi music, tequila, sombreros and charrería rightfully occupies the number one position — for now, anyway.
A good public transit network and well-connected international airport mean that getting around and out of Guadalajara is much less of a chore than other similar sized urban areas. Never scoring lower than a four out of five, Guadalajara takes full marks in the Care, Costco and Culture categories.
We said: “Who needs stuffy museums, when tapatios can rejoice at outdoors events and venues that host Mexico’s most diverse and robust monthly happenings: film, fashion, tequila (of course), microbreweries, sports — most notably soccer and baseball, but motorsport, athletics and even rugby have long traditions in the city — music, dance, books (the world’s second largest book fair), along with secular/religious happenings in stadiums, parks, expo centers, and historic buildings across the city.”
You said: “I’m very proud to call this city home. The weather is fantastic. The entertainment options rival any big city: it has excellent restaurants and bars, great shopping, and a vast cultural offering.”
Do you disagree with any of our rankings? Want to see somewhere else covered in our Where to Live in Mexico 2024 Guide? Let us know!
Your next beach escape isn't in Sayulita: It's down the road in San Pancho. Here's the only itinerary you'll ever need. (Project Expedition)
Sayulita is the Riviera Nayarit’s crown jewel. But I’ll be the first to admit that the Sayulita I fell in love with a decade ago is long gone, replaced by the infinitely trendier and more bougie Sayulita of today. Whether you’re on the same page or you’re looking for a chill beach town in Mexico to explore away from the fray, San Pancho always delivers the throwback vibes and laid-back energy I crave.
San Pancho — short for San Francisco — is just a 10-minute drive up the road from Sayulita. Its tiny grid of streets is even more pocket-sized than Sayulita, though its sweeping swath of Pacific coastline is much bigger — and arguably more beautiful. You won’t find raucous bars or parties in San Pancho. The village swaps stylish boutiques for barefoot yogis and leathery surfers. That’s not to say there isn’t style in San Pancho: it has fantastic, low-key restaurants and a modest cocktail bar or two. But the energy here is decidedly dressed down, with lights out shortly after 10 p.m. and a soundtrack that is dominated not by DJs but by the waves.
San Pancho is still a beach town where the focus is on the beach, rather than the party. (Casa San Pancho)
When I want a little dose of beach paradise along the Riviera Nayarit, I turn to San Pancho, the quieter, cooler cousin just a bit up the road from Sayulita. Whether you’re a sun-seeker, taco lover or just in need of a break from the everyday, San Pancho is where you go to swap buzz for bliss.
Friday afternoon
Arrive in San Pancho and check into one of its many lovely boutique hotels. Whether you’re staying at the boho-chic Hotel Cielo Rojo, the treehouse jungle style of Agua de Luna or the ocean-view Ciye Hotel, Friday afternoon is the time to get settled and soak in the peaceful energy.
After checking in and getting settled, I like to head to Playa San Pancho for the first taste of town. The long, uninterrupted stretch of golden sand along Playa San Pancho is, in my opinion, more beautiful than the beaches in Sayulita — and a lot less crowded, too. Grab a spot on the sand and spot the surfers, or post up at one of the many casual beach bars and restaurants for people watching.
Friday evening
It doesn’t seem to matter what everyone has going on in their lives: everyone in San Pancho meets on the beach for sunset. While you could opt for upscale, design-forward cocktail bars in Sayulita, I prefer the simplicity of La Perla. This palapa-topped, toes-in-the-sand beach bar is the perfect no-frills local hang for a cold beer or margarita.
Just because San Pancho is laid back, that doesn’t mean you can’t get outstanding food while you’re in town. (Barracuda Cocina del Mar)
For dinner head over to Barracuda Cocina Del Mar for a delightfully fresh seafood experience. Most restaurants in San Pancho are extremely casual. Barracuda is as close to fine dining as the town gets, but even that is a stretch of a description. What are we ordering? Any of the tostadas are heavenly, but the Serrano tuna tostada is my favorite. You also can’t go wrong with the tacos or burritos.
Saturday morning
San Pancho is a haven for yogis and you’ll find many places to practice around town — even more if you hop over to Sayulita. In San Pancho, the most popular yoga studio is El Estar Yoga and Healing Center. The space sets the perfect mood for a therapeutic yoga session underneath a soaring palapa.
After yoga, head over to Maria Bonita for breakfast. Keep it light with omelets and fruit or dive into their fluffy pancakes. They can accommodate vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free diners, too.
While the crowds duke it out over the waves in Sayulita, you’ll find a little bit more space along Playa San Pancho. If you’re not new to surfing, you’ll find the winter season has the perfect waves for experts. The summer season — running from May to September — means softer waves, which are better for beginners and intermediate surfers. The area’s main surf spots are found along Playa San Pancho, La Lancha, El Faro, Burros and La Caleta. You can visit Santa Madre Adventures for surf lessons and gear rental.
Surf, skate or bike around town with Santa Madre. (Santa Madre Adventures/Instagram)
Saturday afternoon
Lunch is on at Yasmina’s Itzalanyasayan, one of the funkiest, freshest and tastiest restaurants in San Pancho. The menu is vegan and full of deliciously colorful ingredients that will fill you up after a morning of surfing. Try the Pacha Mama Veggie Ceviche or the Mex Pad Thai. Their aguas frescas are incredible, too. After lunch, return back to the hotel for a dip in the pool, or head over to Angelical Spa for a massage.
Saturday evening
For dinner, keep it casual at Taquería Los Arbolitos, one of the most popular taco restaurants in town. Simple, affordable and no-frills, this is the spot to find seriously good tacos when the sun goes down.
Sunday morning
Breakfast at San Pan is the perfect goodbye for a perfect weekend. (Rodrigo Duarte/San Pan/Facebook)
For your final morning in town, you have to head to San Pan for breakfast near the beach. This cafe has a feast-worthy menu of fluffy pancakes and omelets, green juice and excellent coffee. If you’re interested in brunch food, you can also get enchiladas, tostadas and salads. Or, you can keep it quick and pop over to The DoughJoe for a decadent doughnut or their awesome blueberry pancakes.
Before you hit the road, you can browse some of the smaller boutiques in town to find a souvenir, jewelry or clothing. Clavellina Collections is one of my favorites in town for their boho designs and funky, handmade jewelry: a little something to remember your time in one of the Mexican Pacific’s most beautiful — and underrated — beach towns.
Meagan Drillinger is a New York native who has spent the past 15 years traveling around and writing about Mexico. While she’s on the road for assignments most of the time, Puerto Vallarta is her home base. Follow her travels on Instagram at @drillinjourneys or through her blog at drillinjourneys.com.
After fleeing the deprivations imposed by Hitler and Stalin, Mai Onno built a seven-decade career in San Miguel de Allende that tracked the city’s rise as a center for the arts. (Mai Onno/Facebook)
At age 90, Mai Onno is still painting. The Estonian expat artist who first moved to San Miguel de Allende in 1957 can also still tell fascinating stories from her extraordinary life, one which began dramatically with her escape from Europe before developing into a successful career as one of Mexico’s leading artists.
Escaping from the Soviet Union after Stalin took over Estonia
Born into the chaos of Europe in middle of the 20th Century, Estonia’s Mai Onno found haven and success in Mexico, spearheading the international artistic movement in San Miguel de Allende. (San Miguel Art Loft)
In 1940, the Soviet Union annexed Estonia, along with Latvia and Lithuania, and in the process, murdered many members of the intelligentsia and anyone else who stood in the way. When the Nazis invaded in 1941, the situation only worsened. The Soviet Union reclaimed control over Estonia in 1944, after the fall of the Third Reich. Onno fled her homeland for Germany, living as a displaced person in a camp where she received her early education. During this time, Onno’s family splintered and her education was repeatedly disrupted, but she survived. Finally at age 14, with the help of two aunts she hardly knew, Onno was able to leave in 1948 “on the last boat left in the harbor,” as she describes it. She never saw most of her family members again.
Onno found refuge in Canada, where she discovered her passion and talent for art at the H.B. Beal Technical School in London, Ontario. In 1957, she earned a one-year scholarship to study under noted muralist James Pinto at the Instituto Allende in San Miguel de Allende. Although Onno could not have guessed at the time, this decision would lead to her spending most of the next seven decades in Mexico.
A life in the heyday of San Miguel de Allende’s international art scene
Recognizing Onno’s talent, the head of the Instituto Allende extended her scholarship for a second year, and then a third. There Onno met renowned German sculptor Lothar Kestenbaum. The two eventually married, and with the exception of two years in Rome on a fellowship and several years when Kestenbaum taught in Santa Barbara, California, and at the University of Wisconsin, they lived in San Miguel.
Expat artists Mai Onno, Lothar Kestenbaum, and David Kestenbaum thrived in the artistic milieu of San Miguel de Allende for decades. (Mai Onno)
At the time of Onno’s arrival in 1957, San Miguel de Allende was a town of only 15,000 people. Yet it already had a thriving international art scene, thanks to the efforts of visionaries such as the Peruvian Felipe Cossío del Pomar, who founded the Escuela Universitaria de Bellas Artes in 1938, and American Stirling Dickinson, the first director of the school, who promoted it to expatriate artists, including American WWII veterans who studied for free under the GI Bill. Famed Mexican muralist David Alfaro Siqueiros was one of the generational talents who lectured at Bellas Artes, which produced some of the finest artists of the era.
Both Onno and Kestenbaum taught at Bellas Artes for many years themselves, before shifting to teaching private lessons out of their home studios. The couple, and later their son, David Kestenbaum, were influential in the San Miguel art scene for decades.
As Onno explained to M.B. Paul, author of “Conversations with Artists,” she has in some ways always felt displaced, ever since the initial ruptures of her childhood. “I have been displaced in so many ways, through the Second World War, losing my country, being shoveled into a detention camp in Germany, with great difficulty being allowed to immigrate into Canada, and then coming to Mexico where you can live a lifetime but still be a foreigner. I belong here and yet deep down I don’t belong here.”
But a powerful connection grew. “Over these many years,” she continued, “I have absorbed the influences of nature, the explosion of light as it hits the trees and flowers, the glow. What Mexico brought to me was the tremendous natural world, the sunlight, the plants, the landscapes, the enormous contrast between light and dark, the sun and shadow, the intense color; these have been my inspiration and my life here. I have absorbed it. It has become a part of me completely. So in this way, I belong.”
Onno credits San Miguel’s creative atmosphere and lower cost of living — at least in previous decades — with enabling her family to live their desired artistic life. “It made it possible for us both to pursue the creative life. We could live comfortably on a small income, the climate is good, and there were fellow artists close by, people of like minds with whom we could exchange ideas. Especially in the ‘60s and ‘70s, there was a nucleus of foreign artists who in turn attracted eccentrics, odd but brilliant people, so it was a wonderful milieu.”
Triumph and tragedy marked Onno’s seven-decade career in San Miguel de Allende
Onno emphasizes that she, her husband and eventually their talented son, who both sculpted like his father and painted like his mother, inspired each other and often exhibited their work together. “It was always the three of us, as equals. Oh, of course sometimes one or another was creating stronger work, but we didn’t let that bother us. We loved to exhibit together and let the pieces live in conversation with each other. We inevitably played off each other.”
Estonian artist Mai Onno is best known for her abstract landscapes that emphasize distance and space. She has been deeply influenced by the sunlight, flora, and intense colors of Mexico. (Mai Onno)
Her husband was a larger-than-life figure whose work often garnered intense attention. “Mai reminds me of Leonora Carrington in the sense that she is a European artist who spent a lifetime in Mexico after World War II and despite producing work of incredible depth and quality found herself somewhat overshadowed by the men in her life,” noted Debra Broussard, Onno’s current gallery representative and friend. “Women’s art was often undervalued at that time.”
Onno’s work first earned public attention in the 1960s after one of her paintings won a competition judged by famed Mexican painter Rufino Tamayo.
Onno is best known for her abstract landscapes that emphasize distance and space, featuring organic forms and strong brushstrokes. As she explained, “Decades ago, as I started on my creative path, I had to find a world that belonged to me. I found it in nature, in the biomorphic forms, an inspired field of awesome beauty, power and intelligence. [While] my paintings have been labeled lyrical abstractions, they really are nature in all its diversity.”
Lothar Kestenbaum developed Parkinson’s disease in the 1980s and passed away in 1995. Sadly, their son, David Kestenbaum, known in particular for the iconic metal bull that stands at the entrance to the Instituto de Bellas Artes today, also died in 2013 at just 48 years old. When asked how she survived these losses and continued to celebrate beauty in her art, Onno replied simply that she had no choice. “You take in the pain,” she said, “you absorb it, and then you force yourself to keep going. There is no other option.”
Still exhibiting her work and that of her remarkable family
Moreover, Onno encourages readers to dive in and explore the rich art scene that is currently thriving, just like Mai Onno herself, in San Miguel de Allende.
Based in San Miguel de Allende, Ann Marie Jackson is a writer and NGO leader who previously worked for the U.S. Department of State. Her award-winning novel “The Broken Hummingbird,” which is set in San Miguel de Allende, came out in October 2023. Ann Marie can be reached through her website, annmariejacksonauthor.com.
Patriotism on a plate, as red, white and green combine to form an Independence Day special — this time without the aliens. (Aceites de Oliva de España)
September, known as the “mes patrio” — the patriotic month — has begun. This is the month when Mexicans commemorate the consummation of our independence, which took place in 1821. During the official celebration on the 15, the president reenacts the way the independence movement began with what we call the “grito” — the cry of independence.
We also celebrate the “grito” at home, accompanied by family and friends. We dress up to look even more Mexican with sombreros, fake mustaches and braids. We drink tequila, sing Mexican songs, shout “Viva México” and, of course, eat. We’ll discover September’s most typical dishes over the course of this month. However, I want to start with the dish that has the most fame, and that generates the most intrigue for me: chile en nogada.
September means hats, Mexican flags and wild celebrations. It also means Chile en Nogada season is upon us. (Chris Havler-Barrett)
The dish is essentially a stuffed poblano pepper covered in a walnut sauce. The stuffing is a mixture of beef with fruits such as apple, peach, banana and pear, along with almonds, pine nuts, walnuts, onion and garlic. Its flavor profile, combining sweet and salty, is outstanding.
And now, the intriguing part
As a historian, I am fascinated by how official history is shaped, and I find it puzzling that chile en nogada is included in this month’s menu as the quintessential Mexican dish. According to information from an official government page, on Aug. 28, 1821, the Augustinian nuns of the Convent of Santa Mónica in the state of Puebla welcomed the first Emperor of independent Mexico, Agustín de Iturbide, with a newly created dish that represented the colors of the new national flag: green, white and red. This, the tale goes, is how chile en nogada came to be.
The historical records, however, tell a different story: Agustín de Iturbide did travel to Puebla in 1821, but he arrived on Aug. 5. The list of supplies purchased for the emperor’s reception shows that the ingredients needed to make the chile en nogada weren’t acquired, so it is highly unlikely that he ever tried the dish. Nevertheless, he did enjoy a splendid banquet. The idea that the nuns created the dish for Iturbide is a myth: historical records indicate that the recipe was already being prepared in the early 1800s. Researcher Lilia Martínez has discovered that nogada is a European sauce with documented origins going back to the 15th century.
Chile en nogada is to Mexico what William Wallace is to the Scots: an enduring symbol of freedom… which actually has nothing to do with freedom. (20th Century)
It’s important to note that without the Spanish Conquest, this dish would be impossible, since most of the ingredients used in chile en nogada originate in Spain or were brought over in the intercontinental trade of the time. These ingredients include the English walnut, a protein option of pork, beef or chicken, pomegranate, almonds, apples, pears, peaches and bananas. The poblano pepper is the sole ingredient native to this land — a huge and vital contribution, if I may add.
So why is it considered the quintessential Mexican dish?
“Je ne sais pas,” the French would say. Wouldn’t it make much more sense if we ate a mole madre or a “tlacoyo”? Or maybe we eat it because it’s the conjunction of two great culinary traditions. Regardless of the reason, I can promise you two things: first, it is one of the most delicious dishes in Mexican cuisine you’ll ever try. Second, once I find out at what point it became the quintessential Mexican dish, I will create a video and write an article about it.
Any Mexican restaurant will have its version of chile en nogada. However, in my opinion, the best chiles I’ve had are found in Puebla. If you can’t go there, look for a thick, ivory-white sauce on your plate, and you’ll probably have an amazing chile en nogada.
I considered sharing the recipe, but every family has its own version, and I don’t want to offend anyone by claiming that mine is the ultimate recipe. This recipe is over three centuries old, from a time when people had the luxury of peeling walnuts with their fingernails and taking time to appreciate the landscape, so it requires a lot of time and patience; as in, two whole days. My parents had two comadres who prepared chile en nogada for the entire family, a party of 80 including us. A group of six women had to spend a whole week in the kitchen. We were fortunate, no doubt. Do you have a good chile en nogada recipe to share with us, or if the one you use a family secret? Do you know where the best chile en nogada can be found? Share in the comments below.
María Meléndez is a Mexico City food blogger and influencer.
Tamanna Bembenek captures her husband Travis living a day in the life of Mexico News Daily. (Tamanna Bembenek)
As my wife and I celebrate the two-year anniversary of purchasing Mexico News Daily, I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting. We also spend a lot of time as a team discussing what we have learned so far and how we can keep improving.
As a reminder, our mission at MND is to bring you a front-row seat to Mexico by providing balanced, unbiased news and information about the country. We strive not to tell you what to think about a topic, but rather arm you with information that allows you to determine how to think about and analyze it.
One significant lesson learned (and a major underestimation on my part!) was just how much work it takes to put together a digital newspaper each and every day. I guess now I get why movies about newsrooms have characters who are stressed out, smoking, and drinking all the time!
I am often asked how we at MND are able to accomplish what we do every day. Especially considering we are a mostly remote team of over 50 people scattered across 13 states in Mexico and around the world. With that question in mind, today I’ll give readers a window into what happens behind the scenes at MND.
Quite literally, the sun never sets on the MND team. Every day starts around 6 a.m. San Miguel de Allende time (where we are headquartered), with starting to look for the news topics we’ll cover that day. By 8:30 a.m., our chief news editor is starting to set up assignments for our writing team, using multiple Mexican and international media sources, as well as government press releases and relevant social media posts.
The editorial team works throughout the day on copy editing and fact-checking the drafts from writers as they are completed, as well as searching for the best photos and media to use for each story. Once the first copy edit is completed, then the stories get set up by editors in our WordPress CMS and then get a final review prior to publication.
Why is this important for you?
Our team is dedicated to reviewing multiple sources and doing our best to verify information as reported by other media outlets and by businesses and governments. Our goal is always to provide our readers with clear and accurate reporting.
Did you know that when you ask AI tools like Google Gemini, ChatGPT, and Meta’s LLaMA, to name the best source of news on Mexico, they list Mexico News Daily as the first option? This is because search engines recognize our 10+ years of publication, 16,000+ articles and our consistent track record of producing quality content.
We start publishing the day’s news stories usually starting by late morning to early afternoon, and publish them continuously until around 6 p.m. Members of the editorial team assure the evening email newsletter contains all the day’s news and features, with the goal of having it land in your inbox by 7 p.m. Mexico City time every day.
The features (non-news) team has a parallel workflow every day, publishing culture, lifestyle, travel and other stories that have been worked on for weeks in advance by our team of 50 plus freelance writers around the world. Once a writer’s pitch is approved and a draft is submitted, the team follows the same process as with the news articles — editing (less urgent than news, but sometimes with more passionate discussion!), photo selection, social media preparation, etc.
Why is this important for you?
We are continuing to expand our content on MND, with MND_local bringing new formats, events, reviews and more. Our expanded Food & Drink section is another example of our team’s dedication to always growing and improving.
The whole production is really a beautiful, inspiring symphony to witness every day.
Our team is located in North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. We have multiple nationalities and we are all seamlessly working together both in Spanish and English. Our team is passionate about getting the news right. Our team wants to inform and educate you on everything from food to culture to the best travel tips. And our team shares a strong bond, united by our love for Mexico.
Why is this important for you?
We are a purpose-driven team passionate about informing, educating, inspiring and entertaining you.
Travis Bembenek is the CEO of Mexico News Daily and has been living, working or playing in Mexico for over 27 years.
Hello my friends, and welcome to the weekend! This week, we’re going to laugh, have fun and generally put the stress of the week behind us. To top things off, “su servidora” — yours truly — has prepared a delectable collection of Mexican cultural memes to down with your Mexican coffee.
So sit back and enjoy some homegrown humor, complete with translations — linguistic and otherwise. This week, we’re looking at some honest-to-god Mexican humor. You’ve earned it!
Meme translation: “I lied, I don’t have Netflix. We’re going to make book covers for my kids’ notebooks.”
What does it meme? Can you smell it in the air? At the very least, you can see it in the traffic, I bet. Back-to-school season is upon us at last!
Yes, after a summer spent neck-deep in their respective electronics, the time has come for schoolchildren to return to their classes. And with that, the time-honored tradition of covering notebooks and textbooks alike to protect them from the wear and tear of being mostly ignored. At least in my house. At my kid’s current school, we have mercifully not been asked to do this.
That means that I will be the one getting suckered by other parents to help “forrar los libros.”
Seriously though, “Actually I don’t have Netflix, we’re going to…” is one of my favorite meme formats, so ripe with possibilities! This is one of its best iterations, if you ask me.
And yes, I extended this translation a bit to make extra clear what the task was — forgive me!
Meme translation: “The World Health Organization announces a new health emergency due to #monkeypox.”
“It’s time to unleash the beast.”
What does it meme? Once, when walking with me into the grocery store in face masks, my partner, a very serious person, saw a bone-dry mat at the entrance and said, “See? This is why we’re still stuck in this pandemic.” He stared at my shocked face for a few beats before saying through his classic flat affect, “That was a joke.”
If you happened to be in Mexico during the early COVID-19 years, you’ll no doubt recognize the setup above. In addition to having one’s temperature taken through no-touch thermometers of dubious effectiveness and getting a squeeze of hand-sanitizer you’d be instructed to use two mats: one filled with water and some sort of disinfectant and another to dry your feet off.
How effective was this at preventing germs from getting inside through the bottoms of one’s shoes? Well, I’m not sure. But hey, we weren’t being asked to bathe in it or anything, so I was happy to comply.
Meme translation: “It’s get-in-the-way day at the gym.”
What does it meme? I go to a gym near my kid’s school after drop-off in the mornings. Every time I walk in, it seems fuller than the day before of abnormally tall, buff dudes.
Alas, I am not abnormally tall or abnormally buff, but I am pretty good at getting in the way of people who are. To be fair, we all get in each other’s way in lots of places in Mexico, because spaces are just kind of small.
Perhaps it’s by design? The voice of Doris Day when she hops on a horse with her crush when she could have taken her own in the 1953 classic film “Calamity Jane” comes to mind: “It’s cozier this way!”
Meme translation: “The gas delivery man sent me this sticker:”
“I’m outside.”
What does it meme? The late, great Juan Gabriel is one of Mexico’s most iconic musical artists, complete with a true rags-to-riches story and a loyal following of what might as well be the entire country of Mexico. Though he fathered a child and adopted four more, he was widely assumed to be gay — at a time and place when talking about being gay could be a career-killer. Once, responding to a journalist who asked if he was gay, he famously quipped, “Lo que se ve no se pregunta” — “Don’t ask questions you already know the answer to.”
The above meme is from a photo shoot with another artist — the tank of gas replaces a palm tree on the beach in this one — and can be explored here.
Meme translation: “Do you know the joke about the kiss?”
“I don’t know the joke about the kiss. Tell it to me so we can share a fun moment.”
“Let’s do this again, but this time you respond, ‘What kiss?’”
“A classic! Whose kiss?”
“No, bro. You have to respond, ‘What kiss?’”
“This.”
What does it meme? This one is complicated, as it’s a joke that really only “works” in Spanish. But it cracks me up, so is worth explaining! It’s similar in form and punchline to the classic Office joke that Jim tells: “Does it smell like updog in here?” “What’s ‘updog’?” “Nothing, what’s up with you?”
A couple of months ago I wrote about Mexican “albures,” and this is one of them. And in this case, AI seems to have played the fool, biding its time so that it could deliver the punchline itself!
Scary and hilarious.
“¿Cuál beso?” can mean either “Which kiss?” or “What do I kiss?” thanks to the fact that “beso” as a noun and “beso” as the present form of the first-person verb for “kiss” are the same word and “cuál” can be either “which” or “what.”
So careful with saying “Cuál ____?” my friends, lest you be invited to do that verb to… well, usually it’s a penis. And to a sizable portion of the population out there, there’s no funnier joke.
