Mexico City
This modern city is fast becoming a major player on the global culture stage. Even a wall couldn’t keep Brit-escapee Natalie Evans-Harding away
All eyes are on this cultural destination. Get there before the crowds do
When the news first trickled south that The New York Times had named Mexico City its number one go-to destination * , it took some Mexicans by surprise. Not because such a title was undeserved; it’s just that the residents of Mexico City had grown accustomed to foreigners’ preconceptions that their capital is all crime, pollution and Frida Kahlo – and not much else.
In reality, this vast metropolis – sprawling in the ‘basin’ of the Valley of Mexico, fortressed by volcanic mountains
– is a serious contender for many travellers’ favourite capital city. For starters, it’s distinctly Latin-American, but more delicately so than the all-singing, all-dancing flamboyancy of Cuba’s Havana or Brazil’s Rio. It’s as cool and cosmopolitan as London, New York and Berlin, but it’s a lot cheaper, and the people I met were all charming, friendly, generous and curious.
The world is getting an appetite for Mexico, too, from its award-winning cuisine by the likes of super-chefs Enrique Olvera and Elena Reygadas, to Oscar-winning directors Alfonso Cuarón and Alejandro González Iñárritu, plus A-list actresses such as Salma Hayek.
Since swapping London life for a globetrotting one two years ago, I’ve been spending a lot of time in Mexico, zipping in and out of its wild, frenetic capital. Originally called Tenochtitlán, Mexico City was founded by the Aztecs in 1325, making it the oldest city in all the Americas. And while Kahlo is an undisputed national treasure – her poised gaze is colourfully recreated on everything, from graffitied subways to taco stands – Mexico City’s cultural scene has come a long way since she walked its streets in the early 20th century.
Take Zona Maco, for instance: Latin-America’s answer to Frieze Art Fair, which attracts 48,000 visitors each February and September**. The fair welcomes galleries, the press and art lovers from all over the world, who come to peruse and purchase worldclass works from up-and-coming local artists and giants such as Damien Hirst and Salvador Dalí. London’s Lisson Gallery, which represents Marina Abramović and Anish Kapoor, for example, attends Zona Maco annually, and around 85% of exhibiting galleries are from overseas***. Works start at under a tenner, right up to £2m or more.
‘The Mexican art market has changed a lot over the past few decades,’ explains the
director of Zona Maco, Zélika García.
‘Our contemporary scene is wonderfully complex, and our galleries have constantly changing exhibitions of new artists.’ Lisson Gallery director Claus Robenhagen adds: ‘Mexico has a great tradition of making and collecting art that goes back generations.’
Mexico City fosters its own booming art scene, too, with names such as Gabriel Orozco, Daniela Rossell and Damián Ortega making the hotlist. Many of the new artists to watch graduate from the city’s revered National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes (INBA).
For a practical example of the impact local artists are having on the city, just stroll around the barrios (quarters) of Condesa and Colonia Roma and soak up the atmosphere. These leafy, gentrified neighbourhoods, adjacent to one other in the west of Mexico City, are awash with exquisite art deco architecture. Nowadays, you’ll also find hipster types in Céline sunglasses, chattering at street tables outside cosmopolitan hangouts and sipping micheladas (the Mexican bloody mary: a chilled beer of your choice, often seasoned with lime, salt, chili pepper, tomato juice and Worcestershire sauce), and enjoying cuitlacoche-and-courgette-flower tacos (cuitlacoche, or corn smut, is a Mexican fungus). These prosperous neighbourhoods have the progressive art community to thank for transforming once-sleepy areas into fashionable, exciting destinations, buzzing with independent boutiques, designer stores, bohemian cafes, juice bars and award-winning restaurants.
Spend a leisurely Sunday morning with a takeaway cortado (an espresso with hot milk), strolling the lush, tropical Parque México, sparking up conversations with locals walking pampered pooches while you wait for seats at in-demand Mexican brunch spots such as Ojo de Agua. Today, the latest crop of artists can be found searching for studio space in the less-developed Juárez quarter, which is easier on the pocket.
The music scene is flourishing, too. Mexico City is not just the token LatinAmerican destination on world tours for the likes of Madonna, The Rolling Stones and Radiohead, who are often surprised to hear their lyrics sung back to them by devout Mexican audiences who have travelled from all over this huge country to be there. Jamie xx, SBTRKT, James Blake and Crystal Castles have all recently played here, too, picking homegrown talent to support their sold-out shows, such as Mexican DJ Teen Flirt.
Four years ago, Teen Flirt’s producer David Oranday moved to Mexico City from his home in Monterrey, north-east Mexico, charmed by the capital’s many contradictions. ‘With its population of
21.2 million, it’s huge,’ he says. ‘I’ve learned to love the feeling of being lost here. Yet it’s also the perfect place to find yourself. It’s a beautiful, inspiring city, with that feeling of loneliness that New York has. I love the city’s architecture – a mix of Barcelona and Paris.’ Mexico didn’t reclaim its independence from the Spanish until 1810, so it’s a country still exploring its identity. It hums with opportunity, making it a breeding ground for new scenes: ‘The political and social situation creates a combination of interesting moods and conditions for artists,’ continues Oranday.
Juan Del Valle, founder of Mexican music festival Comunité, and director of the Latin-American arm of music collective the Boiler Room, goes further: ‘Culture here is like an unpolished diamond. There is still a lot of undiscovered talent to be found. We have been “conquered” for years, first by the Spanish and now by the US, but we are beginning to recover our culture. I’m in love with the young people creating their movements; there is a lot of stuff happening here.’ Such as? ‘It’s all about parties now, not clubs. On Thursdays, look out for unique nights in crazy venues, like Dance Your Name, Traición and Distrito Global.’
Last summer, one such in-the-know party was held for photographer Annie Leibovitz, who came to Mexico City with activist Gloria Steinem for a pop-up show ›
‘THE CITY HUMS WITH OPPORTUNITY, MAKING IT A BREEDING GROUND FOR NEW SCENES’
in an abandoned warehouse. The faces of Meryl Streep and Lena Dunham looked out from the frames at the illustrious crowd of magazine editors and influencers sipping champagne and cocktails. Afterwards, they took the party with them to M.N. Roy, the city’s hardest-to-get-into nightspot, named after the Bengali revolutionary who lived there. The club’s interior, designed by French architects Emmanuel Picault and Ludwig Godefroy, looks like some kind of space-age Mayan temple for music.
As Editor-in-Chief of ELLE Mexico, Claudia Cándano, puts it in a nutshell: ‘People seem to think of Mexico City as dangerous, but once they get here, their perception changes. It’s amazingly cosmopolitan, one of the greatest cities in the world, and it has everything – plenty of nightlife, the best restaurants and amazing museums. A highlight in 2016 was Anish Kapoor’s exhibition at El Museo Universitario Arte Contemporáneo (MUAC).
And now, British architect
Lord Norman Foster is collaborating with Mexican architect Fernando Romero to design a new sustainable airport. In a few years, we’ll be part of the global fashion scene, too. Mexico City is the place to be.’
‘MEXICO CITY IS AMAZINGLY COSMOPOLITAN. IT HAS EVERYTHING YOU NEED’
DRINK / PARTY / SHOP / EAT / SLEEP
WHERE TO DRINK
FÉLIX This candlelit cocktail bar is in the thick of the action, in Roma Norte. Sip on mezcal and order a round of Félix’s sliders. Álvaro Obregón 64, Roma Norte, @FelixBar JULES BASEMENT A futuristic ‘speakeasy’, the entrance to Jules is through a fridge door to the back of the unassuming taco restaurant, Surtidora Don Bátiz. Julio Verne 93, Polanquito, julesbasement.com
LICORERIA LIMANTOUR Order seasonal cocktails at this atmospheric hole-in-thewall. The refreshing Mr Pink is a classic: gin-based, with orange, grapefruit juice and a sprig of rosemary. Álvaro Obregón 106, Roma Norte, limantour.tv
WHERE TO PARTY
M.N. ROY You’ll know you have the right spot when you see the queues. This sophisticated electro club is worth the wait. Mérida 186, Roma Norte, mnroyclub.com MONO A favourite of DJ Teen Flirt’s, Mono is an electro loft club park above a car park, with a huge dancefloor, Twin Peaks-esque interior, and several well-stocked bars. Calle Versalles 64, Juárez, mono.am
WHERE TO SHOP
THE FEATHERED One of Claudia Cándano of ELLE Mexico’s favourite boutiques, it moved from Miami five years ago. Expect eclectic, fashion-forward pieces from independent designers. Calle Emilio Castelar 22, Polanco, thefeathered.com LAGO This shop prides itself in curating the best Latin-American contemporary design, and hosts a festival, Caravana Americana, which brings together fashion, furniture and lifestyle designers. Emilio Castelar 209-E, Polanco, lagodf.com YAKAMPOT This label, by designer Francisco Cancino, is 100% Mexican. Popular for its sleek and timeless day-tonight silhouettes, the brand’s flagship store showcases the full collection. Calle Emilio Castelar 215, Polanco, yakampot.com
WHERE TO EAT
PUJOL Home to celebrity chef Enrique Olvera (owner of New York’s Cosme, cosmenyc.com), who spins traditional dishes into haute cuisine. On the changing six-course tasting menu, expect ingredients ranging from flying ants to suckling pig. Calle Francisco Petrarca 254, Polanco, pujol.com.mx/en
QUINTONIL Head chef Jorge Vallejo is Enrique Olvera’s protégé, and now he creates his own high-end take on ‘elegant, modern Mexican’. Dishes include cactus ceviche and avocado tartare. Newton No.
55, Polanco, quintonil.com
BELMONDO Take a break from Mexico’s heavy-going fare at this cosy lunch spot in trendy Roma. Order an ensalada (salad) and the sell-out carrot cake. Calle Tabasco 109, Roma Norte, belmondo.com.mx ROSETTA In a charming townhouse in
Roma, ‘Latin-America’s Best Female Chef ’ Elena Reygadas serves up hearty but
accomplished Italian specialities*. It’s a local favourite, so book in advance.
Colima 166, Colonia Roma, rosetta.com.mx OJO DE AGUA Grab your brunch spot next to the big windows at Condesa’s
Ojo De Agua for a healthy take on Mexican cuisine. Calle Citlaltépetl 23, Hipódromo, Condesa, grupoojodeagua.com.mx
MAQUE Try the sweet-and-savoury fluffy breads at this family-run bakery, then order mole tamales (meat-filled corn dough in a steamed leaf wrap) to share. Av Ozuluama No.4, Hipódromo, Condesa, maque.com.mx
WHERE TO SLEEP
HOTEL CARLOTA Off the boulevard of Paseo de la Reforma (Mexico City’s ChampsÉlysées), Hotel Carlota’s 36 bedrooms feel like a designer’s modernist apartment, with a fine selection of contemporary art.
Río Amazonas 73, Cuauhtémoc, hotelcarlota. com. Doubles from £154, room only.
HOTEL CONDESA DF The hotel where U2 stay while they’re touring, Hotel Condesa DF has a neoclassical exterior, while inside, Paris-based architect and designer India Mahdavi has worked her magic. Above the 40 rooms is a trendy rooftop bar with views of Parque España and Chapultepec Castle. Av Veracruz 102, Roma Norte, condesadf.com. Doubles from £179, B&B.
BUSUE HOTEL One for the luxury-loving classicist, this discreet 11-bedroom boutique hotel is tucked away behind tranquil Parque Lincoln. It’s a spacious escape into another era, with its vaulted stone ceilings, wooden beams and rustic decor. Calle Eugenio Sue 45, Polanco, busuehotel.com. Doubles from £163, room only.
TAG ON A TRIP
PUEBLA (a two-hour bus ride)
This UNESCO World Heritage site is an easy day trip from Mexico City, with regular buses departing every 10 minutes. For longer stays, book one of the 26 rooms at Hotel La Purificadora. Check in under the stars in the open-air lobby, warmed by volcanic-stone firepits, before dining under the vaulted ceiling of El Mural De Los Poblanos (elmuraldelospoblanos.com). Callejon de la 10 Norte 802, Puebla, lapurificadora.com. Doubles from £135, B&B.
PALENQUE (1h 40m flight)
You can’t leave Mexico without seeing at least one of the Mayan sites, and Palenque is the most impressive, like something out of an Indiana Jones movie. From there, grab a cab to Agua Azul to cool off in the majestic waterfalls, before checking in to Piedra de Agua Hotel Boutique, a surprisingly stylish base in the middle of the Chiapanecan rainforest.
Palenque, palenque.piedradeagua.com. Doubles from £76, room only.
TULUM (2h 25m flight to Cancun, then a 2h 30m shuttle bus)
Tulum may no longer be easy on the pocket, but it remains a mecca for those in search of sun, sea and sand without slipping out of exercise regimes (there are lots of yoga camps around). Stay at one of Tulum’s newest boutique hotels, NEST, for pared-back rustic luxury. NEST Tulum, nesttulum.com. Doubles from £180, B&B.
OAXACA (1hr 20m flight)
High up in the mountains, the colonial city of Oaxaca is the place to go for street markets, arts and crafts. When you’re done shopping, rest tired feet in the cactus-adorned courtyard of the chic Hotel Azul Oaxaca.
Calle de Mariano Abasolo, Centro Histórico, hotelazuloaxaca.com. Doubles from £138, B&B.
GETTING THERE
British Airways (ba.com) flies from London Heathrow to Mexico City from around £470 return.